Chapter Text
The heels of her boots clicked against the cobbled street, echoing into the darkening night. The feeling of eyes on her continued though when she spun to look no one was there.She was alone. There was no sounds from the homes around her; no sound of gulls in the harbor; no sounds of the night bugs that buzzed and bothered. Not one light shone from the silent homes as an unnatural fog began to seep onto the sidewalks from doors and windows all around her, obscuring her view of everything not in her direct line of sight. Her heart raced as her feet fought to keep pace.
Evie
At first she wasn’t sure she’d heard anything but it was repeated a minute later. Her name, whispered reverently as if by the night breeze itself. Except there was no breeze this night. The air was heavy and stagnant. Her eyes scanned around her. Still alone. Her name came again. it had no direction and every direction, it was neither behind her nor in front of her. It was all around her.
Evie, come to us
From the darkness the sound of another's steps on the cobbles rang out. A feeling of quiet terror washed over her as she held up her long skirts and quickened her pace.The faster she moved the faster the steps came after her. She could see the locked gate leading to her courtyard and apartments ahead if she only could reach it.
Her heart raced.
Her lungs burned.
So close.
A few more steps to go but the sound of footsteps was right behind her. She felt the breath of her attacker hot on her neck. She fumbled with her ring of keys clutched tightly in her hand. She slammed into the gate desperate to shove the proper key in the lock but it was too late. An icy hand clutched her shoulder slinging her around. Crystalline eyes stared into hers and she screamed….
Evie woke with a start her heart galloping and tears rolling down her cheeks. Her breath caught in her throat before small hiccuping sobs escaped. Her eys darted around her room. It was only a dream, only the dream. It was the third time this week alone she’d had it. She hastily scribbled everything she could remember down in the journal she’d taken to keeping at her bedside. The dreams were so vivid as they happened but once she woke they faded so quickly that after a handful of minutes she could scarcely remember any details. Her mentor had instructed her to keep a dream log close at hand after she’d told her of the troubles she’d been having. Her dear Tia Dalma had taken her dreams very seriously. She was revered in New Orleans tight knit community of magic and voodoo practitioners. She’d taken a young impressionable Evie under her wing many years ago and the young woman respected no one else the way she did the great Voodoo Queen. When she said something ought to be done Evie didn’t question it.
She’d only been using the journal for a fortnight and already it was filled with sketches and snippets of remembered dreams. Two distinct sets of eyes made their appearance again and again. Soft, warm hazel and icy, cool blue stared back at her from page after page, familiar and foreign all at the same time.
The dreams themselves ranged from erotic to nightmarish. Sometimes she was hunted, stalked in the muggy New Orleans streets running from her life from an unknown assailant. In others she was pressed between two warm writhing bodies, a slave to sensation and lust There seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to why one came and not the other, or at least none she’d been able to discern as of yet. She slipped a silk house coat over her sleeping gown and wandered through her apartments. In the kitchen she set about making a cup of tea. With the kettle set onto warm she found herself a tin of stashed ginger snaps she’d been gifted in payment for a reading of the cards to a local baker. While she possessed no great ability to see into the future she did possess the ability to look at people and guess as to what the future held. She’d tried the bakers wares before and saying she’d have great success coming her way was no great lie. Every practitioner had their speciality and, while evies was not foreseeing the future, she was quite handy with potions and herbs. Tia Dalma had praised her ability to understand the way the plants spoke to her, to use them to their potential.
As she nibbled at the cookie she rooted around in her cupboard for a new tea she’d been working on, a mixture of valerian and mullein, she called her sleepy time tea. The valerian helped relax the body and mind while the mullein was said to ward off nightmares. She’d been working on it since the dream diary had been suggested to her. It was getting better but not nearly as effective yet as she’d like.
She glanced out her window at the clear October sky. The stars shown brightly. No sign of dawn's first rays of light shown, she’d have time for maybe a few more hours of sleep if she were to drift off soon. She glanced at herself in a tired silver mirror hung haphazardly on the wall. Dark circles shadowed her eyes and her skin shone so pale it rivaled the moon in it’s glow. She sighed, running her fingers through her thick, dark locks. Exhaustion did not become her.
As she gathered her jar of honey and her favorite chipped tea cup she prayed to the Gods they saw fit to let her get one decent night sleep.
She scurried along the streets dodging past carriages and carts alike.The lateness of the evening did little to ease the congestion of traffic. She’d overslept, the entire day to be exact, either due to exhaustion or to a tea far too rich of valerian, she wasn’t sure. The sun had already slipped into the sea and the moon, nearly full, was making it’s full ascent into the night sky. Her skirts rustled as she hurried along. She was going to be scrubbing floors by hand for a week at this rate. Tia Dalma did not take kindly to tardiness. It was honestly one of the only things that she did care about. Evie heard the bells of St. Louis Cathedral strike nine times. Always the one to be early, she harbored a deep seeded anxiety about being late. Not only was she late, she was obscenely late nearly two hours to be exact.
As she rounded the corner on to Dauphine Street she was met with a solid, immovable mass. She bounced back, nearly falling to the ground before a strong set hands took hold of her waist. She felt the fingers flex as she steadied herself with the assistance. Her cheeks burned when she saw the large mitts were still in place. She cleared her throat as she quickly put a pace between them before wiping at her dress and smoothing wrinkles nervously.
“I’m so sorry, Sir…” she muttered in apology, trailing off as she looked up and caught sight of the face before her. He grinned widely though it faltered slightly when his eyes locked on her. He was young, not to much older than she by the looks of him. He had glorious dirty blonde locks pulled back in a stylish tail at the back of his neck. They reminded her faintly of tarnished brass. He was quite handsome and quite silent. He stared at her curiously, head cocking to the side like a confused spaniel. Evie was hit with a pang of familiarity. “Pardon me, sir” she said again his look remained assessing. “For my clumsiness? Monsieur?” She asked, wonder if perhaps he was of French decent. New Orleans seemed to have just as many French speakers as it did English. He continued his silent assessment, making no sign that he'd heard her.
She brushed her thick braid off her neck nervously and didn’t miss the way the stranger stiffened, his eyes narrowing at her. He reached out with a tentative hand, his mouth opened as if to speak but nothing came out. She moved away from him again. His silence and curious behavior becoming more disconcerting with each passing moment. She offered a dainty, but hurried, curtsy before skirting around him. She continued down the gas lit street at a brisk pace, refusing to look back. She only slowed as she approached her Mistress’ home. Had she not been in such a hurry maybe she would have felt his eyes following her movements as she went, watching her disappear into the Voodoo Queen’s palace.
Tia Dalma sat waiting in the small conservatory that jutted out behind her home. Evie could see her tending her plants as she quietly opened the door and slipped inside.
“You're late.” she intoned, her warmly accented voice was curious. “Is quite a bit late.” Evie moved to her side.
“I’m sorry Tia.” she said with averted eyes. The dark-skinned woman set down the small knife she’d been pruning with and placed a finger gently under the child's chin. She tipped her face up, tilting it right and left. She took in the worn, tired expression. She note the dark circles that stood out in stark contrast against her pallid flesh. Evie’s eyes focused on everything but the woman in front of her.
“You been having the dreams still.” It wasn’t a question but Evie nodded quietly. “They’re more frequent, no?” She watched as the girl nodded again. She hummed quietly releasing her chin and moving away, picking up her pruning knife and moving back to her herbs. She could feel the innocent eyes of her charge on her. She smiled looking down at her plants. She’d foreseen what was coming but the poor girl had no clue. She would soon though. It had already been set in motion.
“Go scrub the floors in the parlor than come back to me” she demanded gently, “We’ll start your lessons than”
“Yes, Tia.” she heard the girl say quietly before she fled the small greenhouse. Tia Dalma laughed quietly as she cut leaves from the Holy Basil. It had been a long time since she’d seen a love story play out.
“I saw her!” Harry leaned against the hearth watching the fire crackle within. He glanced up as his mate entered the room, his cheeks flushed and his eyes alight with wonder.
“What are ye on about Gil?”
The blonde in questions advanced on him grabbing him by the arms and spinning him around. Harry laughed before pulling away from the foolishness.
“I’ve found her Harry.” Gil stilled as his lover's eyes narrowed. Harry stalked toward him, his hands reaching to cup his jaw. His eyes were intense, blue and piercing.
“Speak clearly, love.” Harry demanded “Who have ye found?”
Gil sighed, leaning into his touch. His eyes locked with Harry’s as his smile slowly grew again, “I found our Princess.”