Jagger took a deep breath. He had become a police officer himself because he didnt want history to keep repeating itself. Most of the underworldKeepers includedhad come to NOLA after years of seeking a real home. The churchs battle against witchcraft had begun as long ago as the 900s, and in 1022, even monkspious, but outspoken against some of the doctrines of the churchhad been burned. Witchcraft had become synonymous with devil worship, and the monks were said to cavort with demons and devils, indulge in mass orgies, and sacrifice and even eat small children. In 1488 the Papal Bull issued by Pope Innocent III set off hundreds of years of torture and death for any innocent accused of witchcraft. Jagger found it absolutely astounding that any intelligent man had ever believed that the thousands persecuted through the years could possibly have been the devil worshipping witches they were condemned for being. If theyd had half the powers they were purported to possess, they would have called upon the devil and flown far away from the stake, where they were tied and allowed to choose between the garrote or burning alive.
Sadly thousands of innocents had perished after cruel torture. The Inquisition had thrived in Germany and France, and many of those who truly werent human left to escape possible discovery. Many of the main subspecies, as well as the smaller groups, came to the New World from the British Isles. Pixies, fairies, leprechauns, banshees and more fled during the reign of James VI of Scotland, also known as James I of England. Before 1590, the Scots hadnt been particularly interested in witchcraft. But in that year Jamesas a self-professed expertbegan to enforce the laws with a vengeance and impose real punishment. He was terrified of a violent death, and certain that witches had been responsible for a storm that had nearly killed him and his new wife at sea. His orders sent the witch-finder general into a frenzy, torturing and killing for the most ridiculous of reasons, using the most hideous of methods.
When the Puritans headed for the New World in the early 1600sintent, oddly enough, on banishing anyone from their colonies who was not of their faith, despite the fact that they had traveled across the ocean in pursuit of religious freedomthe various not-quite-human species began to make their way across the sea to a new life, as well.
There were other witchcraft trials in the New World before Salem, but it was the frenzy of the Salem witchcraft trials that caused another mass migration. The French in America had little interest in witchcraft, and French law allowed for a great deal more freedom of belief.
By the time of the Louisiana Purchase, most Keepers and their charges alike had made it down to New Orleans. And there, though not particularly trusting of one another, they had still found a safe home.
Until the elder MacDonalds had been killed. Their deaths, their sacrifice, had been noted by all clans and families. And not only had peace been restored, there had been a sea change in the way the different species felt about each other. There had been a number of intermarriages since that time. Of course, there were still those who were totally against any intermingling of the bloodlines, those who thought themselves superior.
But overall, there had been peace. America was a free country. They were free to hold their own opinions about sex, religion, politicsand one another. They obeyed the laws, the countries and their own. And their most important law said that no one was to commit crimes against humanityand bring human persecution down upon them.
Yes, he said quietly, she was drained of blood.
And a vampire did it? Fiona demanded.
Fiona, Im trying to tell youIve only just begun to investigate, he said.
Oh, please. Im not with the media.
He looked at her in the rearview mirror. And you havent the patience, knowledge or wisdom of your parents, Fiona.
Maybe that hadnt been a good thing to say. She stiffened like a ramrod. But, somehow, she managed to speak evenly.
My parents died to keep you all from killing one another and preying upon the citizenry of the city in your lust for power and desire to rip each other to pieces. My parents were uniqueboth of them born with all three of the major signs. But that was then, and this is now. My sisters and I were born without the full power of my parents, but you know that I was born with the sign of the winged being, Caitlin with the mercurial sign of the shapeshifter and Shauna with the sign of the fang. But heres where we do have an edgeI have all the strengths of the vampire, and the vampires are my dedicated concern, just as Caitlin must watch over the shapeshifters and Shauna is responsible for the werewolves. Dont you think I wish my mother was here, too? But shes not. And I will not let the vampire community start something up again, something that promises discovery, death and destruction for hundreds of our own who are innocent. Do you understand? Whoever did this must be destroyed. If you dont handle it, I will.
He swung around to face her. Back off! Give me time. Or do you want to start your own witch hunt?
You need to discover the truthand quickly, she said. And trust meI will be watching you every step of the way.
Of course you will be, he said, regaining his temper. He couldnt let her unnerve him. Damn it! Dont you think I realize just how dangerous this situation is? But these are different times. Hell, Im a cop. I see violence every day. I see mans inhumanity to man constantly. But I also see the decency in the world. So let me do what I do.
She was silent for a minute.
Just do it quickly, Jagger.
With pleasure. Now would you be so kind as to get out of my car so I can begin? Or should I drop you off at the shop? he asked icily.
Ill get out of your car, she said softly.
Oh, yes, she would get out. She wouldnt want to be seen around her shop in a police careven an unmarked car. Especially his car.
The rear door slammed as she exited. She paused for a moment by his window, staring at him through the dark lenses of her glasses.
So fierce.
And so afraid.
Yes, whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was afraid. Well, she had a right to her fear, as well as that chip on her shoulder. Shed been nineteen when her parents died, and she had fought to prove that she could care for herself and her sisters, whod been only seventeen and fifteen at the time. She had taken on the mantle of responsibility in two worlds, and thus far she had carried it well.
The wind lifted her hair. Despite himself, he felt something stir inside him.
She was so beautiful.
She was such a bitch!
Good day, Fiona. Ill be seeing you.
Good day, Detective. You can bet on it, she said, and turned to walk away, the sunlight turning her hair into a burst of sheer gold.
Chapter 2
New Orleans was her city, and Fiona MacDonald loved it with a passion.
She tried to remember that as she walked away from Jagger DeFarges car.
The parking area was new and paved, and sat on an embankment right at the edge of the river.
She paused to look down at the Mississippi. It really was a mighty river. The currents could be vicious; storms could make it toss and churn, and yet it could also be beautiful and glorious, the vein of life for so many people who had settled along its banks.
New Orleans was her city, and Fiona MacDonald loved it with a passion.
She tried to remember that as she walked away from Jagger DeFarges car.
The parking area was new and paved, and sat on an embankment right at the edge of the river.
She paused to look down at the Mississippi. It really was a mighty river. The currents could be vicious; storms could make it toss and churn, and yet it could also be beautiful and glorious, the vein of life for so many people who had settled along its banks.
The great river had allowed for the magnificent plantations whose owners had built an amazing society of grace and customand slavery. But even in the antebellum days before the Civil War, New Orleans had offered a home for free men of color. Ironically, black men had owned black men, and quadroons had been the mistresses of choice. In Fionas mind, the city was home to some of the most beautiful people in the world even now, people who came in all shades. God, yes, she loved her city. It was far from perfect. The economy was still suffering, and, as ever, the South still struggled to gain educational parity with the North.
But everyone lived in this city: black, white, yellow, red, brown, and every shade in between. Young and old, men and women.
And the denizens of the underworld, of course.
She took a deep breath as she stared at the river. She was furious, yes. She was afraid, yes. And what might have been bothering her most was the fact that she didnt think Jagger DeFarge had actually intended to wound her with his words.
God, yes! Her parents would have handled this much better. But they were dead. They had known what they were doing would cost them their last strength, their last breaths. But they had believed in a beautiful world, where peace could exist, where everyone could accept everyone else.
She walked down to Decatur Street and paused.
St. Louis Cathedral stood behind Jackson Square, its steeple towering over the scene before it, including the garden with its magnificent equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson. Café du Monde was to her rightfilled with tourists, naturally. It was a must see for visitors, perhaps something like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, even if it wasnt nearly so grand. It was a true part of New Orleans, and she decided to brave the crowd of the tourists and pick up a nice café au lait for the three block walk back to the shop on Royal Street.
Though an actual drink might be better at this moment. A Hand Grenade or a Hurricane, or any one of the other alcoholic libations so enjoyed on Bourbon Street.
But she couldnt have a drink. She couldnt drink away what had happenedor everything she feared might be about to happen next.
She made her way through the open air patio to the take-away window, ordered a large café au lait to go, then headed on up toward Chartres Street and then Royal. Her love for the city returned to her like a massive wave as she walked. She returned a greeting to a friend who gave tours in one of the mule-drawn carriages, and headed on past the red brick Pontalba Building. She passed shops selling T-shirts, masks, the ever-present Mardi Gras beads, postcards and sometimes, true relics, along with hand-crafted art and apparel.
Some of the buildings along her path were in good repair, while others still needed a great deal of help. Construction was constant in a city that was hundreds of years old, where the charming balconies often sagged, and where, even before Hurricane Katrina, many had struggled through economic difficulties to do what was needed piecemeal.
But there was something she loved even about the buildings that were still in dire need of tender care.
The French Quarters buildings were an architectural wonderland. The area had passed through many handsFrench, Spanish, British and Americanbut it had been during the Spanish period in 1788 that the Great Fire of New Orleans had swept away more than eight hundred of the original buildings. And then, in 1794, a second fire had taken another two hundred plus. The current St. Louis Cathedral had been built in 1789, so it, like much of the French Quarter, had actually been built in the Spanish style.
She reached her destination, a corner on Royal, and paused, looking at the facade of their shop and their livelihood.
A Little Bit of Magic was on the ground floor of a truly charming building that dated back to 1823. She ran the shop with Caitlin and Shauna, her sisters, and she supposed, in their way, they were as much a part of the tourist scene as any other business. When you got right down to it, they sold fantasy, fun, belief and, she supposed, to some, religion. She remembered that, although they attended St. Louis Cathedral regularly, her mother had once told her, All paths lead to God, and it doesnt matter if you call him Jehovah, Allah, Buddha, or even if you believe that he is a she.
She knew that her parents had always believed in two basic tenets: that there was a supreme being, and that all creatures, including human beings, came in varying shades of good and evil. The world was not black and white. Like New Orleans, it was all shades in between.
And so, in A Little Bit of Magic, they sold just about everything. They had expansive shelves on Wiccan beliefs, voodoo history and rights, myths and legends, spiritualism, Native American cultures, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Judaism and more. She ordered the books for the shop, and she loved reading about different beliefs and cultures.
Caitlin, however, was their reigning mystic. She was brilliant with a tarot deck. Shauna was the palm reader, while she herself specialized in tea leaveseasily accessible, since they had a little coffee and tea bar of their own.
They also sold beautiful hand-crafted capes, apparel, masksthis was New Orleans, after alljewelry, wands, statues, dolls, voodoo paraphernalia and, sometimes, relics and antiques. The shop had always done a good business, and despite occasional disagreements, the sisters got along extremely well.
She sipped her café au lait, hoping it would give her what she needed: patience, wisdom and strength.
In a way, at the beginning, it had been easier. Shed been nineteen, an adult. Caitlin had been right behind her at seventeen, but Shauna had been only fifteen. It had been quite a fight to get the family courts to allow her to raise her sisters, but she had managed. Shed had help from a dear old friend, August Gaudina werewolf, of all thingsbut he had a fine reputation in the city, and hed been her strength. At first, her sisters had been young, lost, so what she said was the law. But she had never wanted to hold them down, and now they were women in their own right, with valid thoughts and opinions.
And they were both going to be in a state of extreme anxiety now!
Squaring her shoulders both physically and mentally, Fiona entered the store. Caitlin was behind the counter, chatting with a woman who was selecting tea. She eyed Fiona sharply as she entered, but continued her explanation of the different leaves.
Fiona saw that Shauna was helping a young couple pick out masks.
She nodded to both her sisters and walked through the store to the office in the rear, where she pulled up the chair behind her desk.
First things first. Then, tonight, a trip to the morgue.
A minute later, Caitlin burst in on her.
Is it true? A dead woman in the cemetery, drained of blood?
Fiona nodded. I saw Jagger DeFarge. Hes lead detective on the case. Naturally I told him that he has to find the killer right away, and obviously we dont care if its one of his own, the murderer must be destroyed.