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Chapters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
 
 
 

April Witch - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Stella
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 8

“Don’t know what Julien should mean ta me,” Ah snapped.

“Julien Boudreaux,” he said, with that same awful sadness.

That stopped me cold, took all the sting outta my anger. Ah lowered him ta the ground, raised my hand ta my mouth, as if Ah could prevent what Ah was about ta say. “You’re her brother?” The words came out in a strangled whisper.

It was his turn ta raise his hands. He covered his eyes an’ pulled his fingers through his hair until it stood out in wild tufts. “It’s a foutre (fuck up). It isn’t right. I know dat.” He fell more than sat on the ground an’ looked up at me as if Ah might offer him some kinda forgiveness.

“Are ya shittin’ me, Julien Boudreaux? Are ya tellin’ the truth ‘bout Remy an’ your sister?” Ah half-hated myself for askin’, but Ah just had ta know. Ah had ta know if Ah should crush all his gifts into a trillion pieces.

“Non,” Julien said. “Wish dat I was. Last night, heard Marius--dat’s my father--talking on de phone. He’s made some kind of deal wit’ someone ‘bout de future o’ de Guilds. If Remy and Bella get married, den every t’ief an’ assassin in Nawlins come under dere control. It’s de security of my father’s old age.”

That stopped me. Ah felt the air go outta me. Everythin’ Julien said only made me realize more an’ more how little Ah really knew ‘bout Remy an’ his family. Guilds? He might as well have been royalty. A strange kind o’ royalty, but royalty nonetheless. Ah felt like the ground had been knocked out from under my feet, plus my head was still swimmin’ a little from before. Ah tried ta will the dizziness away. Ah didn’t want ta think ‘bout what it might mean.

Ah looked at Julien hard, unsure o’ what ta do. “Whaddya want from me?” My voice was risin’ again. Ah knew it was unfair o’ me ta take out all my frustrations on Julien. Obviously, the boy had his own problems, an’ big ones at that, but it didn’t mean Ah could stop myself.

He looked at me just like Ah’d grown another head. “I want you t’ come back wit’ me. Talk some sense into dem.”

Ah narrowed my eyes. “An’ Ah’m sure that serves your interests more than mine. Ah’m supposed ta do all the dirty work so you can have your sister all ta yourself?” Ah couldn’t repress a visible shudder. “That’s just a little too weird for me, thanks.”

“Guess y’ don’t love him, den.”

That’s when Ah got real mad. “Who said anythin’ ‘bout love? Ah’ve barely had time ta myself ta think ‘bout love! Ah don’t even think ya love your sister, Ah think you just don’t want ta share her because you’re selfish.” His hand shot out, but Ah grabbed his wrist, squeezing it just enough ta make a line appear between his eyebrows. “Ah wouldn’t fuck with me if Ah were you.”

For a moment we were both quiet, facin’ each other down, breathin’ heavy. “You don’t know me...” he began.

“That’s right. Ah don’t. An’ you don’t know me. So we’re even.”

He looked uncertain. “So what you planning t’ do?”

Ah sighed. My thinkin’ had been so confused lately with the hotels an’ the gifts an’ Jean wearin’ herself out with lookin’ for the professor an’ the rest o’ us wearin’ ourselves out with worry. Ah picked up the bottle o’ perfume. It was deep ruby in the dim light. Ah turned it, watchin’ as sparks caught along the surface. It was a bottle o’ fire an’ Ah had a sinkin’ feelin’ that Ah didn’t really know what Ah was in for. Sometimes Ah felt like if Ah just had a day ta think everythin’ over it’d all come clear an’ the weight in my chest would go away. My vision crossed an’ Ah saw double for a second. Ah blinked it away. “Put your arms around my neck. Whatever ya do, don’t touch my skin, it’s a little crowded inside my head right now.” Ah gave him a rueful smile. “Let’s see how fast we get there.”

Julien did exactly what Ah told him ta do and that made me happy. Outside, headlights flashed through the curtain from the parking lot. Probably Scott an’ the rest o’ them. Ah felt a pang ta be leavin’ ‘em, but Ah didn’t see how Ah could help. Ah took a deep breath, opened the door an’ kicked off into the sky.

Thought Ah heard someone shout my name (Kitty?) but Ah didn’t look back ta see. Felt good ta have the wind whippin’ in my face. Tears ran down my face an’ over my neck. Ah pushed myself faster. Julien was quiet, but he was still there, Ah felt the pressure o’ his arms on my windpipe. It was comfortin’ in a way as the miles passed below us in a blur. Through my tearin’ eyes, cities looked like blotches o’ brilliant watercolor.

Ah overshot the southern edge o’ Louisiana. All of a sudden there was nothin’ but darkness beneath us, inky an’ deep.

“Hold on!” Ah called ta Julien. We made a wide loop an’ came in low over New Orleans. It sparkled. The beauty of it almost broke my heart. Ah still wasn’t exactly sure why Ah was even there, ta tempt Remy back? Ta what? It wasn’t as if Ah had a home those days. Seemed cruel o’ me ta try an’ pry him away from his family, ‘specially if he didn’t want ta be pried. In the face o’ that glitterin’ city Ah felt small an’ grubby.

“Just t’ de left,” Julien said.

Ah saw it a split second before he did: flames from the house reflected in the dark water. It was too soon. It was like watchin’ the Institute burn. “No!” Ah shouted, tearin’ toward the ground faster than Ah thought possible. Julien bounced off my back. Ah could barely feel it. Ah rocketed through the wall, right into the heart o’ the fire.

 

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