Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 140940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 705(@200wpm)___ 564(@250wpm)___ 470(@300wpm)
“Yeah, but. . .” Emily swallowed. “Regardless of what name we put on it, can you fix me?”
“I believe I can.”
I still didn’t trust her. “Why would you fix my mouse? We never discussed terms or how much money you would want—”
“I do not want your money, Kazimir.” She gestured to the garden. “I have all I need here and more.”
“You do not want anything for healing my mouse—power, land, weapons, etc.?”
No humor covered her face. “I’m healing Emily because it was someone from my bloodline that harmed her, when she could not protect herself.”
Emily looked away.
Rage bubbled in me. “And? Surely there is more to that.”
“You are correct.” Delphine widened her smile. “Due to what he did, there is a dark curse on my family as well, and as long as Emily’s mind remains divided due to my kin, that curse will get stronger and stronger for all of us.”
I shook my head. “Still. . .I think you are hiding more.”
“Of course I am, Kazimir.”
“What is it?”
“All I will say is that. . .some of your children will be with my kin too.”
I raised my eyebrows. “What?”
“That is another reason why I would want to heal Emily.” Delphine sighed. “I will not have my line further tainted. This curse on Emily ends with us.”
I turned to my mouse.
She looked up at me. “I agree with Delphine. This curse, trauma, whatever the fuck it is. . .this ends here.”
“Good.” Delphine lifted her cane and headed off. “We should finish the tour.”
Emily tried to walk forward.
I stopped her and whispered, “I think we should get back on the plane and leave.”
Emily blinked.
“She fucking went into Paolo’s dreams. Are we going to ignore that?”
“No.”
I tugged her in the other direction. “Then, let’s go.”
“Kaz.” She remained rooted in place. “If she can go in Paolo’s dreams, then she can get rid of Lunita.”
“I do not give a fuck about that. She could harm you and my sons.”
Emily’s bottom lip quivered. “We are safe.”
“Then, why do you look scared?”
“Because I’m not dumb enough to not be scared of her.” She gazed at Delphine.
I looked too.
Delphine continued forward, tapping that cane with each step and looking like a sweet old woman spending a relaxing time among flowers.
I put my view back on Emily. “I do not trust her.”
“I trust her enough to heal me.”
“And then after that?”
“Kaz, what could happen after that?”
I scowled. “I do not think your healing is worth the risk of something else happening to you.”
“Are you fucking serious, Kaz?”
“Of course, I am.”
“Are you forgetting that Lunita killed Olga?”
Sadness washed over me. “I would never forget that.”
“And she had me fucking the gardener.”
Do not remind me.
Rage surged through my body.
“I already told you that I am not leaving New Orleans until Lunita is gone.” Emily let go of my hand. “So, tell me this. What’s really going on? Do you want Lunita to stay?”
“What?”
“Every time I say I am getting rid of Lunita, you flinch.”
“I do?”
She scowled. “Yes.”
“I did not realize that.”
“Well, you do.”
I put my hands in my pockets. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what, Kaz?”
“Like we are talking about my having an affair with another woman.”
“It is another woman.”
“Yes, but she is you.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “I just want you to stop trying to save Lunita.”
“Is that what you think I am doing right now?”
“You surely aren’t trying to kill Lunita.”
I shuddered.
“You just flinched again.”
I gritted my teeth. “Am I to pretend like I do not love and accept the other part of you?”
“The psychotic killing part.”
“Enough.” I bared my teeth at her and pointed at Delphine. “We were talking about the dream-walking witch over there, not me.”
“Fine. Let’s get back on Delphine.”
“Yes.”
“I will make this clear. We are not leaving, until Lunita is gone, so pick out a casket and pour out some liquor for that bitch because she’s as good as dead.” Emily stormed off.
“What? Why would I pour liquor for her?” I glared at Emily. “And we were not done talking!”
Fortunately for my mouse, the sight of her fat ass moving under the soft fabric made me falter for a few seconds and forget what I was yelling about.
But, I got back to my rightful thoughts.
I need help with getting through to her.
I looked in the other direction and checked on Maxwell.
He had already taken out a joint and begun smoking at the edge of the garden. As soon as he spotted me looking his way, he shrugged.
Something is clearly wrong because even Maxwell and I are on the same page.
Delphine called out, “Come on! I am not done showing you both my little slice of paradise.”
I groaned and followed after Emily, still feeling uneasy about the situation.
Delphine stopped up ahead.
When Emily got to her, the woman began talking, but I couldn’t make out any of the conversation.