Page 92 of Nita's Redemption

Swirls of smoke rose from the fire. Sulfur and chicory permeating the air. While the three ringleader females wore black cloaks over their equally black outfits underneath, the others all had on white robes that concealed if they had any other clothes on. She couldn’t see their faces with the hoods pulled up and over, making them appear a little frightening but Alana reassured her that the humans were basically harmless sacrifices too. It was the too she didn’t like her wolf to use when referring to her. She wasn’t anyone’s sacrifice, and she sure as shit wasn’t harmless.

Her wolf did a comical eye roll, making Nita wish she was the one who was in her skin so she could push the being into a corner of her mind.

‘Do you smell that?’ Alana asked her.

In either form, she could discern scents. What Alana pointed out was not good, since it came from the rising fire in the center of the pit. The brightened area showed the grim faces of some of the followers who looked as though they were trying to break free from whatever held them captive. She worked to keep from breaking out of the façade of the weak form she and Alana had taken. The sulfur and chicory scent became more stringent, a mixture of the two with a heavy dose of sewage. How the females weren’t holding their nose or gagging she wasn’t sure. Thankfully she was able to filter the scent away in her wolf or rather dog form.

‘I do appreciate the ability to block nasty smells. Sadly I think the smells have a darker meaning though. Maybe we should call our mates?’ Nita was pretty sure they should’ve done that a while ago. They’d agreed to continue on alone since they’d assumed the attack would be closer to their pack territory. Stupid mistake that might cost her more than she wanted to pay, like her life. Dammit.

“I can feel the power of our God. He is responding to our wills. Yes, tonight we will have brought Papa Legba back, and then he will reward us properly.” Antoinette began chanting louder, walking around the outside perimeter of the pit, running a hand over each of the individuals who knelt as if in prayer. The moment her hand touched one of them, they shook like they’d been shocked and tossed their arms out to their sides before dropping forward. Their asses dropped to their feet which were still crossed, while their heads flopped down until they were resting on their knees. Nita tried to listen for their breathing, hoping Antoinette hadn’t killed them, and if she had by just a touch, well fucking hell, she was screwed if she didn’t shift.

Every other person was treated to the same head rub, and then the shock and awe show happened. Chloe and Cheryl stood outside the entire debacle close to the dais where Nita lay. The grass beneath her turned brown, becoming crunchy and not so soft to lay upon. Alana became less calm, Nita felt the fur covering her shivering. Goddess she hoped it was only because her wolf was cold or creeped out, and not due to her losing control of her shift. In her mind, she began thinking of ways she could weasel her way out of the predicament she’d put herself in all while not alerting the females. If only she’d signaled her males before deciding to go rogue.

‘We didn’t go rogue per se’,’ Alana rumbled.

A faint stirring fluttered in her mind. She would’ve smiled had she been in human form at the feel of the demoness females trying to connect with her. They’d worked hard to teach her to keep others out. Their focus was to ensure other’s couldn’t break through her walls. Pride swelled within her as the trio of crazy bitches were unaware that it was her who kept them out.

Antoinette spun toward Chloe and Cheryl, her eyes in tiny slits as she stepped into the center of the circle. The fire roared; the stink of raw sewage increased, and the female walked through the flames. Those in the circle who hadn’t been touched gasped, along with the females in front of her. Nita was a bit shocked they responded as such which meant they were unaware the female could do such an act.

“I feel a power over here. Who is channeling without explicit approval from me?” Antoinette asked. Her right hand, which had been touching the others, gripped something around her neck. Nita thought it was a leather material that wrapped around her neck, but the object she held appeared to be a jewel of some sort. She used the distraction of her talking to the females to erect thicker walls, keeping herself blocked from her people. The power wasn’t coming from the females, but no way could she allow them to suspect she was anything but a sickly dog.

When the two sisters shook their heads, denying Antoinette’s accusation, Nita was sure the female would return to her circling shit. What she hadn’t been prepared for and clearly the others hadn’t either, was for her to attack Cheryl.

Chloe jumped back after the first backhand knocked her sister to the ground, removing herself from imminent danger. “Antoinette, what are you doing?”

Antoinette wore her hair down without the silk covering, showing off hundreds of braids decorated with beads. As she spun to face Chloe, the beads clacked together making an odd musical note that would surely lull a child to sleep. Nita gave her furry little body a shake and licked her paws. This was one reason that Brock and the others had made it a rule nobody was to go alone, and she was a damn idiot who didn’t listen.

‘Well, you did go alone, but your sisterkin are here. Can I ask why you’re looking like something a mangy dung would drag in?’

Although Nita couldn’t see them, she felt the demoness females, all except Bakra. The reason she’d come on this stupid journey alone was to find a cure for her friend.

‘Hmm, so these are the heifers who made our girl sick? Or rather the crazy one with the good hair?’ The question came from Menka who adored all things braided. Bakra had said it was due to the fact they’d all lost their hair many times over while in Hell.

‘We got this, you just um chill. What do we need to do to fix you?’

Nita flashed them the image of her flipping them off. ‘I am only in this form so I don’t look like I could kill them. You know, prey instead of predator.’

‘You is definitely not scary unless you’re trying to scare them with the thought of mange or headlice. Oy, do you have that?’ Menka asked while projecting an image of her itching all over.

Nita didn’t bother with answering since the trio of crazy females had stopped arguing. They turned toward the circle where some of the people were moaning.

‘There’s three of us and three of them. Want to have some fun before we kill these bitches?’ Menka rubbed her hands together, waiting for Nita to answer her.

‘You should let us take care of them. That way, you can be free of culpability,” Ezra said, nodding as if she’d just imparted sage advice within Nita’s mind.

‘Ignore her. She’s doing this word of the day thing, and that word must be it for today. Fucking culpability my gorgeous tits,” Menka snarled.

Nita would correct her and tell her it’s supposed to be her ass, but yeah, no. An argument with the demoness females could go left really damn quick. Instead she acted as if her little puppers legs could barely hold her as she wobbled to a stand, watching through half closed lids as the women chatted about screwing up their shit. Whoever this Papa Legba was sounded scary and like someone they definitely didn’t want to come back alive on earth.

‘Alright, which one do you want?’ Menka asked.

Nita shifted to her human form, exhaling when Menka and Ezra took shape beside her. Of course Menka, bless her heart, she bumped the altar which made the stone structure crash into a pile of dust.

“Whoops, I forget my strength sometimes,” she declared in an overly childish voice.

The three females spun to face them. Antoinette ripped the leather rope from around her neck, brandishing a dagger the size of Nita’s pinky finger. Oh, scary. Not.

“Hey, y’all,” Nita said with a wave.

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