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Lunar Eclipse by Vanessa S. Quest
In the muggy heat of a New Orleans late summer, Jessie, Hadji, and Jonny stood on the walking bridge across from the loading dock as their parents loaded a steamboat overnight cruise and Eclipse watching party. Adorned in sears-sucker suits and Dr. Quest with a blond 24 year old woman, and Race a redhead marginally younger though each of them wore very different expressions. Dr. Quest’s was almost shuttered not sure quite how to get back into the dating game even with a blitz practice round, and Race with an eager look to hit the tables down below deck, the two women excited in bright smiles as they all waved off to the kids as the boat began to pull out.
Jonny, smiling and waving while muttering under his breath to Hadji and Jessie asked, “Who the heck did Race set my dad up with?”
“Do you really want an answer to that question?” Hadji similarly waved and smiled, though with more practiced ease.
Jessie, the more practical of the three commented, “They’re probably some Tulane U girls and the nerdiest one is tickled pink to be your dad’s arm-candy for the night.” She threw a more subtle grin and wave used to her dad’s antics.
Jonny’s expression soured as he turned to look at Jessie, no longer looking at the blond hanging off his dad’s arm in some tacky hot-pink tube-dress or the redhead hanging off of Race’s arm and chest in some spaghetti-strap golden number. This wasn’t what he’d signed up for. His dad had told them they’d all get to watch the lunar eclipse in totality at a viewing party.
He’d said he’d booked them a stay at a hotel that also had an observatory. What he failed to mention was that his friend who ran the place would be babysitting while the adults took an overnight cruise to have a private viewing party—sans kids. Jonny could’ve swallowed that, with the aid of his brand new hoverboard his dad had gifted him with (no doubt as a bribe)—until he saw that their dads were going on a double date, an overnight double date. With strangers.
He continued to glare daggers while smiling pearls at his dad as some lady he didn’t even know the name of was pawing all over his dad. He hated the idea of his dad dating again, and that his dad had pulled a fast one on him to achieve it made him even more salty.
“Oh, come on Jonny, don’t be in a sour mood. My dad pulls this kind of stuff sometimes.”
“Yeah, well my dad doesn’t!” The teen snapped, “And why did she have to be a blond?! It’s gross.”
Hadji shrugged to Jessie suggesting she not enlighten Jonny about how people have types if they wanted to salvage his mood any.
“Did your dad show you how to use the hoverboard?” Jessie tried to redirect. “I didn’t see an instruction manual tucked in the boxes.”
Jonny rolled his eyes, “No, it’s straight-forward.” He sulked before pulling the board in front of him, “The footholds are touch-activated to give a safety hold, then if you lean back or forward it gives lift or drag, leaning left or right will bank your turn, and if you kick off it’ll speed up.” Jonny blew out a sigh.
“Yeah? How high can it go, and how do you go faster if you’re in the air, smart guy?”
“...Your foot’s like a paddle in water—or air, knowing dad he set a safety limit of a two story drop, but that won’t be too hard to figure out.”
“If that’s not too boring for you...” Jessie egged, “Maybe we could scope out the area, and then we can grab lunch. What do you think Hadji?”
“Mm, yes, that would be most practical. Alas, I have no urge to go hoverboarding though. Shall we reconvene at the hotel by 1 once we have all explored? I would like to see the historical houses that I am sure Jonny would find boring.”
“Don’t tell me you want to study hoodoo and voodoo while we’re here...” Jonny shot off, “Dad would say something about it if you brought back some voodoo doll.”
“Be that as it may, while it would be spiritually enlightening to hear of their specific history and mythos, I am just as skeptical of voodoo magic as father is. There is always a scientific explanation for when potions and lotions work, even if we are not the ones aware of the specific formula.”
“Gee, you’re going to be so much fun at this dinner party.” Jessie considered, “Alright, Jonny. Let’s take a lap around the French quarter and meet at Bourbon Street. If you spot anywhere that looks good, snap a picture and we’ll compare notes.”
With that, the trio split moving south-bound across the major pathways—Jonny choosing to go on the eastern side of the main strip while Jessie chose the western side, Hadji meandering from the main strip to slightly off the beaten path.
-Lunar Eclipse-
Kicking up the hoverboard and tucking it under his arm, Jonny approached the hotel with the large glass observatory at the very top of the estate. As a frail older woman greeted him, Jonny used his best manners to greet his dad’s friend.
“Hi Mrs. Adrian, did the others make it back yet?” He dusted himself off though he didn’t think he’d gotten too messy from the street.
“Why Jonny, welcome back! Looks like you got back first.” As she said it, the woman looked into the distance as if recognizing one of his compatriots she drawled in an antebellum accent, “But maybe not by too much.”
Jonny turned in time to see Jessie also dismounting her hoverboard, with a smug look she said, “22 feet.”
The blond nodded, concurring. “There’s a Cajun place that said something about alligator gumbo in creole.” The teen recommended, “And next to them, they were selling beignets.”
“Oh, I know exactly where you’re talking about, they’re up the road from the LaLaurie museum.”
“Oh sweet, then we might run into Hadji on the way there.” Jonny mentioned, recalling his brother’s talks of going to museums.
“I thought he was headed to see Marie Laveau’s museum and grave.” Jessie suggested. “Mrs. Adrian, could you give us a tour of this place? Hadji should be back by time we finish, if that’s okay? How did the observatory become a hotel?”
Jonny gave a polite smile, “Dad said you converted it a few years back.”
“Oh, what a lovely idea, yes, this way.” She ushered them into the grand foyer with large glass panes and French doors adorning the entryway. “My husband, the late Dr. Adrian, he was an astronomer before he passed. That’s how I’m acquainted with the Quests, you see, he’d purchase telescopic lenses, and then bond over bourbon on ice watching meteor showers and other such things.”
As they walked through the converted home, it was clear it was more of a bed-and-breakfast than true hotel, though it was clearly staffed with gentry like bellmen, butlers, and maids.
“It was just too lonely to keep our home so closed off, so I decided I’d try my hand at a little inn so to keep some life in these old bones.” As she said that the telephone rang. “Oh, excuse me children, I’ll be just a moment.”
-Lunar Eclipse-
Inside the small space of the voodoo museum, Hadji could appreciate the vaulted ceilings and what it did to waft heat from the floor as he looked at the various objects on display. And yet, his eyes couldn’t help but to linger at the young woman standing beside the counter, seeming to find amusement in some chicken bones.
She was strikingly beautiful, with a fair complexion and raven-dark hair, her thin features were accentuated by her thin nose and full lips. He turned to look away, seeing a pack of tarot cards laid open before him, while he understood each culture had means of fortune-telling, he had a partiality to means similar to the I-ching or other stick readings moreso than cards. Though he tried not to entertain superstitious habits, it did make for a fun parlor trick to cold-read someone.
He drew a card from the stack, the Moon inverted, fitting he supposed given the pending eclipse. Looking back up, he watched the beautiful woman walking out the door. Having exhausted the museum himself, he decided to head back, he was due to arrive at the hotel soon so that they could grab lunch.
Just as he exited the store, he heard the tell-tale sounds of a struggle. Snapping to attention, Hadji rushed toward the sounds as two men accosted the beauty from before. As one grabbed at the amulet she’d been wearing and pulled hard with a tug, he could see the gold chain give way releasing the heirloom into sticky fingers while another man attempted to snatch her purse away.
With the bravado of his brother, Hadji struck the first thug with an open-palm strike across the ear, sending the man to the ground unexpectedly followed by a chopping motion as Hadji forced the thief’s hand open from the impact of the blow dropping the gemstone.
The other man made another hard tug at the purse only for the designer bag to lose a strap-latch and go flying toward the ground, were it not for the man’s grip on it. In a fast motion, Hadji kicked the man in the stomach with a drop-kick just as Race had taught him over the years. A car pulled up before the door slammed open, another man jumping from the vehicle urgently rushing into the situation, “Mademoiselle Elise! Are you alright?” He said while pulling a tire-iron from the side of the driver’s door. “Are these ruffians offending you?”
Upon seeing the odds turn against them, the pair of would-be thieves scrambled up and sprinted away, Hadji reflexively offering his defense to shield the imperiled young woman.
“Ah, is that your name? Elise?” Hadji finally turned to look at the woman once certain the thieves were gone before offering her a steadying hand. The dark-haired beauty had emerald green eyes that almost glowed with their charm and beauty.
“You saved me!” She clutched at his arm and chest, hugging the stranger. “Yes—that is my name, Elise Adrian, this is my butler, Percy.”
Percy, bowed politely before gathering up his mistress’s belongings from scattered on the ground and opening a door for her, “You must have been so frightened, thank goodness for this good Samaritan. Young man, may we have your name?”
“Of course, where are my manners,” he said, still transfixed with Elise’s emerald green eyes, he felt flushed from fighting, or at least he told himself it was that and not because she smelled of lilies. “My name is Hadji Singh Quest.”
“...Quest, that name sounds familiar to me.” She eluded, keeping a firm hold on Hadji’s arm.
“They’re guests of your mother, they’re due to attend the Eclipse Party.” Percy provided, aware of the itinerary for her household.
“Well then, could we offer you a ride back home, as a small sign of appreciation for your rescue...”
“I would like that very much.” Hadji smiled, escorting her to the car door before joining her in the back seat as Percy closed the door for them both before loading into the driver’s seat and adjusting his mirrors.
He made the briefest of eye contact with Elise before he offered, “Shall I play some relaxing jazz to settle your nerves?”
“Why yes, Percy, that would be wonderful.” She smiled in kind, as he pressed the dial, the radio briefly flickered a bright shade of emerald green as a jazz medley played in the background. “You must tell me everything about yourself, my hero! Percy, please show my new friend Hadji the beauties our city has to offer.”
“Scenic route it is, mademoiselle.” He smiled.
-Lunar Eclipse-
Jonny’s jaw dropped as he watched out the balcony window and saw Hadji load out of a Mercedes before offering his hand to help a young woman out from the same passenger door. He gave Jessie an impetuous look, “What’s wrong with this place?”
Jessie looked over his shoulder to see Hadji escorting an attractive woman out of a car they hadn’t rented. “Oh, dad’s going to have opinions about that. Did he get a ride with strangers?!”
“After blowing us off for an hour, looks like it.” Jonny turned to see their hostess suddenly move toward the stairs.
“Elise, darling! Where have you been? You were due back ages ago. And you, Percival, you know how to stick to a schedule better than that!” She chided.
“Darling?” Jonny looked at Jessie, befuddled. With a shrug, Jessie followed behind the widow to overhear more effectively, Jonny taking the hint following her.
“Mother! You wouldn’t believe the luck I’ve had today.” She looked behind her at the two teenagers following behind. She smiled, her eyes shone a strong green in the dim light, “This young man saved me from two muggers, and when he told me his name, we recognized it from the guest book.”
“Muggers!?” Mrs. Adrian lurched back, Jonny doing his best to stabilize the woman’s weight instinctively. Jessie glanced between her friends. Jonny looked upset again, and Hadji—he was wearing a doofy look just eying the woman at his side. “My lord, Percy, fetch one of the house girls, have them draw up a bath. Elise, how many times have I told you, you must be careful my darling... how could I ever survive if anything were to happen to you?”
The woman began to heavily dote on the young woman, separating her from Hadji, “And as for you, young man, you have my sincerest appreciation.”
“...Does that appreciation mean you’d have someone drive us over to get lunch?” Jonny asked glibly.
Spinning around, the woman smiled, “Why of course, Percy, you’ll be a peach and do that, won’t you?”
“Of course, madame.” He excused himself before fetching a young maid, shortly followed by Elise following the young maid up the stairs.
“If you’ll excuse me,” Elise placed a hand on her chest before touching Hadji’s shoulder, “Mother, please make sure our guests join us at our table during the viewing party.”
“Of course, nothing but the best for them.” She fretted before heading to the kitchen to update the staff.
Once the trio was alone, Jessie gave Hadji a strained look, “What the hell was that about?”
Blinking back, Hadji looked at Jessie, “Is it so wrong that I came to a lady’s aide?”
She turned to look at Jonny, hoping he’d have something sensible to say about Hadji suddenly playing grab-ass with an older woman he’d only just met.
“...Dad never mentioned Mrs. Adrian had a kid.” He spat out, bitter at yet another omission from his dad. He looked at Hadji, “Don’t tell me you like her?”
“She is very beautiful, do you not think so too?” Hadji asked perplexed. “Also, while we driving back, she told me she is also adopted, father may not have known.”
Jonny rolled his eyes toward the ceiling, “What is with this place?! First dad and Race—now you?”
“Grow up, Jonny. I merely had a pleasant conversation with a very beautiful woman, do not tell me you are jealous?”
The blond scoffed a laugh, looked at Jessie as if asking if he was kidding, and then seeing that she wasn’t in complete disagreement glowered. “Ew.” He grabbed his wallet and hoverboard before heading outside for the door, seeing Percy in the periphery coming down the stairs. “I’m not the one who was late.”
Jessie turned to look at Hadji, “You don’t really have a crush on a girl you just met do you?”
“I will not dignify that with an answer.” Hadji offered defensively, he felt a pang in his chest as he realized how hard he had been on his little brother before letting it roll over him.
Jessie nodded along, “I didn’t think you were that vain, come on, if we don’t feed that monster his bad mood is only going to get worse.” Hadji replied in a small chortle.
-Lunar Eclipse-
As Percy drove around downtown, he pointed out several historical areas, Jackson Square, Royal Street and the home of Jacques St. Germain as they drove by.
Jessie leaned her head to look out the window, “No tidbits about the LaLaurie house?”
Percy smiled before pulling over, “NOLA has many ghosts and many stories, I’m just more partial to St. Germain. I believe this is where you kids were looking to grab lunch, I did take the liberty to phone ahead, a table should be ready for you.”
Just as Percy had said, a table was waiting for them, only, at the table—to Hadji’s delight and Jonny’s utmost horror, Elise was there, now wearing a day dress with her hair braided to the side.
“...What in the—” Jonny glared daggers at Percy’s back, suddenly realizing he’d taken them a scenic route to allow for this rendezvous to occur. Jessie exchanged a look at Hadji and then at Jonny.
“Elise! You made it, how wonderful.” Hadji smiled, gripping her hand before placing a chaste kiss on the back of her palm. “Jessie, Jonny, you have already met Elise informally, she had asked to join us for lunch so we could become better acquainted.”
“Did Percy give you the tour? I hope he didn’t bore you too much.”
“This place is steeped in so much rich history.” Hadji fawned, “He told us of Jacques St. Germain, and how he has inspired so many urban legends about the vampires here. Ah, yes—this is my brother, Jonny, and our dear friend Jessie Bannon.”
“It’s such a pleasure to speak with you both, Hadji has told me many things about you both, and about your travels!”
“Oh has he?” Jessie looked at Hadji as the teen squirmed into a blush.
Jonny crossed his arms, not amused, “He hasn’t shut up about you, either. When did Mrs. Adrian adopt you?” He felt a firm kick to the shin from Hadji for phrasing the question so awkwardly, he glared at his older brother before looking back at Elise.
For a moment her eyes seemed to flicker a brighter green, “Have I done something to offend you, Jonny? I did not think I was interfering with your lunch by joining it. Was I wrong?” She looked at Hadji and Jessie in a coquettish way.
“Please ignore him, Elise, my brother is not usually this childish. I suspect he is upset that we have changed his sight-seeing plans too much. Jessie, Elise had mentioned knowing some wonderful shoppes, would you like to go explore them with us after lunch?”
“CHILDISH?!” Jonny guffawed before gripping at his hoverboard, “Screw this, you guys are acting like I’m in your way. Jessie—are you going to play third wheel with them or come with me?”
“...I didn’t bring a hoverboard, Jonny...” Jessie offered apologetically, though was also curious to see just how smitten Hadji was over a girl he’d just met.
“Percy will be able to give us a ride back, once we finish shopping.”
“Then it is settled, Jessie will come with us, and Jonny can go exploring.” Hadji gave his brother a saucy look as if that would diffuse his brother’s temper.
Jonny shoved up from his seat, furious, “You know, if you were all just going to ditch me, why bother have me come along in the first place!”
“Jonny—that’s not—” Jessie was caught flat footed in her own counter, she watched how Elise seemed to be enjoying herself even if her body language read as playing nice. The way she was staring Jonny down seemed to scream the opposite of that calm effect as if she was intentionally trying to rile Jonny.
Flipping his hoverboard to the ground, Jonny stepped on it, immediately raising eight inches into the air before he sped his way out of the restaurant. Shocked his friends didn’t even care where he was going or when he’d be back, he debated the merits of having his own view of the totality—he already proved he could take the hoverboard over water, he could have a completely unobscured view. As he fumed, he missed the streak of silver shoot out in front of him as he was about to round a corner.
Jonny hit the ground with a grunt and several rolls before turning on his back to look up at an old man wielding a silver cane. “Your friends are in grave danger!”
As the tip of the cane hovered over Jonny’s chest threateningly, Jonny continued to stare up at the geriatric in utmost confusion. “Why would you do that?! I could’ve hurt you or you could’ve hurt me, old timer!” Jonny growled before trying to push the cane away from his chest only to find the man wielding it was far stronger than his old age made him out to look.
“Listen to me, foolish boy! My name is Arnaud, you are staying at the Adrian Estate and you are all in grave danger.”
The teen felt the hair on his neck rise, “You’ve been following us...?”
“Not you, but that wretch calling herself Elise. We have to stop her—before the eclipse. You may not believe me, but she is a vampire who steals the form of a new victim every fifty years during an eclipse.”
Jonny pushed at the cane tip slower, less forcefully as he sat up. “You’re right. I don’t believe you.”
The man pulled an old, folded photo from his pocket, showing it to the teen, “This is my sister and me.” He thrust the photo into Jonny’s face.
The girl had an uncanny resemblance to Elise, barring her eyes, Elise had brilliant, almost iridescent green eyes.
“Right, so what is she... your niece? Family custody went bad... and now you want me to help you get her back?” Jonny looked at the senile looking old man. He dusted himself off as he stood up, recollecting his hoverboard.
“Don’t be a fool, you must listen to me. She has a familiar, someone she keeps by her to do her bidding who is only partially turned. She bewitches those she comes in contact with, hypnotizing them and feeding off their emotions to get what she wants. Love, hate, anger, fear, loneliness—she can exploit all of it with just a look of her cursed eyes, and what she wants now is your young female friend’s essence and she will kill for it. The only way to stop her is with silver when she’s transformed. You must get your friends away from her before she takes them from you too.”
“This is... uh, real nice... what did you say your name was?”
“Arnaud.” The man said resolutely.
“...Ok, Arnaud. Is there a phone number I can call for you? Someone who can pick you up? I think you’re really confused mister, and I can call some family for you—or the cops—a hospital, just tell me who—”
The man cracked the cane hard into the wall just beside Jonny’s ear then flipped the switch to his cane revealing a sharp knife tip.
“I am not senile boy,” He looked the teen over, “You’re ill-equipped to fight her.”
He took off a watch and ring before thrusting them onto the teen’s wrist and finger.
“HEY! Get off me!” Jonny yanked his hand trying to pull free from the man’s impossibly strong grip.
“These are pure silver, it will burn her in her transformed state, her familiar is the butler that follows her around doing her every bidding. If you touch silver to his skin he won’t be able to control himself, he will be unable to hold his human form and will reveal his semi-transformed flesh. If you need evidence, look for it there. Brush his hand with silver and watch it transform into the grotesque.”
Jonny yanked back again only to stumble backwards into the wall as Arnaud let go.
“They choose their pray young man. Affluence, beauty, they are far greedier than humans think because they know the power of wealth. Do you really think it is happenstance that she ran into your brother? That your family was divided so neatly? If she tries to beguile you again, all you must do to break her hold is take a little bit of pain. Pinch yourself, a small cut, biting your tongue, stub your foot—it will break your focus on her and free you from her grip.”
The teen swallowed down a gulp, “Say I believe any of this—you said there’s two of them? How come one’s not fully turned?”
“They must feed for 3 cycles to fully turn. Her pet butler has only fed for one.”
“And how do you know that if it’s every 50 years...?”
Arnaud smiled, unfolding the photograph into full view revealing a second familiar face in the picture, “She tricked me into betraying my family, and then she stole my sister’s life and our cousin’s will.”
Jonny looked at the image in disbelief, sure, one person with a strong family resemblance was possible—but two? He looked closely at the photo, the man had dark brown eyes before, but the Percy he’d seen had hazel-green eyes.
“Can I keep this?”
“If that gives you the resolve to do what must be done, then yes.” Arnaud took several steps back.
“Silver shows their real form—does it stop them, too? I always heard that was werewolves, and vampires just don’t like religious iconography.”
“The silver of a moon in their true form will kill them, that’s why they only shed during eclipses.” Arnaud said before turning to go. “You don’t believe me yet, but you will. You will.”
-Lunar Eclipse-
Within the cobblestone walkways, Elise weaved Jessie and Hadji through the narrow passageways until they came upon a well-carved wooden door and a bespoke shoppe. “This is one of the top designers in New Orleans, they import the finest silks from Europe and Asia, as a thank you, I insist I have a dress made for you Jessie, and a suit for you my dear Hadji. My new friends.”
“No, really, that’s not necessary—” Jessie reneged, “I didn’t even do anything for one.”
“Please, my mother would be disappointed in me if I had ill manners as to give Hadji a gift in front of you and give you nothing. I insist.”
Jessie glanced at Hadji hoping he’d give her some support.
“You have such a generous spirit. Jessie, you should accept, it really is not too much, is it Elise?”
“Not at all.” She smiled, her eyes glowing in keen warmth as Hadji looked deep into them.
Jessie took a moment to pause, “Jonny will feel left out though.” She pushed, still flabbergasted by Hadji’s earlier shunning of his best friend and little brother.
“He will get over such juvenile responses.”
“Hadji, you ditched him.” Jessie explained, surprised she’d even have to spell it out to him, he normally had far more EQ than that. She gave his arm a slight pinch, “And after his dad sprung that date on him? You know he gets!”
The Indian young man blinked for several moments, keenly aware that Jessie was right, he knew he’d hurt his brother and for what? A petty reason of him not expecting a guest to tag along to lunch? He glanced as Elise who quickly put a hand over his, locking eyes with him.
Her glowing green eyes pulled him back in quickly as she conceded, “I do not know your brother, nor his sizes, but I could have something prepared for him too, perhaps a fine tie and kerchief set— cufflinks?”
“I think that is a wonderful idea, Elise.” Hadji smiled, smitten anew.
Having lost grounds to refuse, Jessie felt a seamstress tape quickly wisp around her and gather her measurements.
“They will make you the most fashionable of outfits. With your lovely red hair, there are so many colors to pick from, greens, blues, pinks, earth tones—but perhaps the best is jewel tones, are there any opalescent fabrics? Ones that look like opals that rubies and emeralds could pair with?”
“I have just the fabric, mademoiselle.” The seamstress rushed into the back before pulling out the light cream swatch, the weave of multiples threads of lightly colored silks gave it a shimmer of sheer opalescence over the base off-white backing.
“Yes, this is perfect.”
-Lunar Eclipse-
Jonny leaned back as he watched the butler who apparently moonlighted as Elise’s chauffeur and general errand runner watch the shop they’d gone into.
He pulled the silver watch off his wrist that the old man had ‘gifted’ him, instead opting for his digit watch that could help him locate where his friends were in this labyrinthian city. As he watched him watch them, he felt a creeping sensation under his skin. He looked at the photo again, at the birthmarks on the man’s face, three freckles that he knew even identical twins wouldn’t have in the same exact place.
He really was losing it, thinking that senile old guy might be on to something, and yet, he couldn’t help but notice the uncanny similarities. Besides, it was such an easy experiment—touch some silver on the guy and get a straightforward answer for why his best friends ghosted him. With the idea firm in his mind, he decided to head back to the observatory and help set up for dinner. After all, as a guest, he didn’t want to burden an elderly widow especially when he knew how to set silverware out.
-Lunar Eclipse-
Inside their connected suite of rooms, Jessie packed away the small items she’d picked up from their outing while pulling her dinner dress. She gave Jonny a cursory look from the doorway of her own room, “Jonny, you aren’t mad that I went with them, are you?”
The teen’s eyebrow shirked up, peeved, “You were the one stuck playing chaperone.” He pulled his suit bag from the closet, the garment bag hardly held such formal attire, instead it was semi-formal for the viewing party, but that hardly mattered now. He put away the dress shoes opting to keep his tried and true sneakers at the ready. He looked around, not to his particular surprise, Hadji wasn’t there, nor was his garment bag or dress shoes for that matter.
He offered a glare to the closet in response to his brother’s snub.
“I don’t trust her and I don’t like her.” Jonny said before exiting his portion of the partitioned suite, “Can I come in?”
“Sure.” Jessie pushed the door open further and patted the cushioned chair in invitation to Jonny. “I don’t see what he particularly likes about her, but I can admit she’s pretty... I just always thought Hadji was interested more in substance over style.”
“We could just skip this stupid dinner party, we could watch the eclipse over the delta—the view would be just as good, and the company would be better...” He stalled, before pulling a photo out of his pocket. “She gives me creeps, and then today on my way back some old guy said she was no good...”
He looked at Jessie tentatively, he knew what he was about to say would sound crazy, or make him sound like some gullible sod.
“How does he know her?”
He scratched at the back of his neck.
“Jonny...?” She gave him a withering stare, her dad would read her the riot act if he was running off alone doing something impulsive and alone in a major city like this!
“...I think he’s stalking her, but hear me out! I wasn’t looking for him—he was following us, I was alone so he felt he could approach me. He gave me this photo.” He pulled out an old photograph with the vintage crimped photo-paper. “You can’t really fake prints like these, they’re old, really retro. Some of my mom’s baby pictures were on this kind of paper.” He explained.
Jessie gave him a pitiable look but took the photo up.
“It’s Elise and her butler... what’s his name...”
“Percival. At least right now it is. Except that photo’s 50 years old. The old guy talking to me is the younger guy there—her brother Arnaud.” Jonny licked his lips, “At least, that’s the brother of the girl in the picture... but that’s not Elise, that was Elise’s last victim. Elise is a blood-sucking demon, well he called her a vampire, but artistic liberties.”
Jessie rolled her eyes at Jonny’s theatrics. “Jonny, people sell old photo paper. This doesn’t prove that she’s a vampire.”
“Why doesn’t anyone ever believe me?! Give me the benefit of the doubt? It’s not like I’m usually wrong!” He insisted, annoyed. “I have a way to prove it. Arnaud said that Percy isn’t fully changed, he said if he touches silver—that his skin changes back to its true form...”
Jessie outwardly laughed, “Jonny, that’s werewolves...”
“I know, right! I said that too, but he was really adamant, so if I’m wrong—we can prove it easily. And if I’m right, we gotta high-tail it out of here.” He looked at his watch, “It’s another hour before dinner, and 90 minutes until the eclipse. You in?”
Jessie looked at him measuringly, “Before I commit to this conspiracy theory of yours, is this really about Hadji dating someone, or is this about your dad doing it?”
Jonny flinched, “I’m not happy that dad pulled that on me, she’s a whole different kind of leech.” Jonny ticked his head to the side, “Well, maybe not fully different, but at least she’s not a supernatural leech.”
The withering glance Jessie gave her friend spoke volumes.
“This isn’t about my dad, ok?! It’s not. Don’t tell me you think Hadji’s acting like his normal self!” Jonny pinched his hand, he had to admit he didn’t feel like his normal self either, he wasn’t usually so temperamental.
“I’ve never seen Hadji with a crush before, Jonny. Have you? Maybe that’s just how he acts.”
Jonny gawked, “No way! He’d never be such a jerk about something like that! He’s been icing me out—why would my brother act like that to me just because he likes someone?”
Jessie shook her head as if gearing up to explain the concept of male jealousy and machismo. She was mildly surprised neither of their dads had explained the birds, bees, and mating bulls to her friend. “Maybe he’s worried she’d like you and he’s trying to prevent that?”
“Oh please, don’t make me ralph.”
Jessie shrugged, “Sure, you’re younger than her, but that doesn’t mean Hadji’s thinking about it like that.”
“Girls are gross.” Jonny paused, looking at his best friend before amending slightly embarrassed, “Present company partly excluded. Besides, Hadji knows me, he knows I’m not into shallow people who just go around schmoozing and kissing ass.”
“Fine, finish getting dressed and then we’ll do your quick-silver sanity check. Then we’ll have dinner and you can just chock it up to Hadji having a different kind of adventure than us, and we’ll go hoverboarding while he plays out his summer vacation fantasy.” She gestured between the two of them.
“You don’t think I’m being childish, do you?” Jonny asked after a long moment, pushing himself from the chair to go back to his garment bag.
“Jonny, we’re kids, what’s it matter? If you don’t like her, that’s enough of a reason to put space between you both, but since it’s bugging you, so what—as you said, it’s a harmless check. And if that helps you put it behind you? Even better. I don’t like seeing you and Hadji fight. That’s our dynamic, and I’m not keen on him muscling in on our schtick.” She winked playfully before ruffling her friend’s hair.
“Thanks, Jess.”
-Lunar Eclipse-
Jonny undid the top button to his dress shirt before looking at his brother, he’d thrown on a formal jacket on top of the dress shirt and slacks making Jonny feel vastly underdressed despite it being only semi-formal.
“What happened to the dress code?” Jonny mentioned, feeling uncomfortable in direct comparison to his brother. “You didn’t tell me you were packing a suit jacket!”
“I apologize, I did not, Jonny. This was a gift from Elise.” He smiled, his eyes had a sheen to them as he considered the woman, the silk jacket had an intricate brocade pattern that gave it a vaguely Asiatic flare on the light khaki colored suit-coat. The only thing Jonny had going for him was that his brother hadn’t also adorned a tie, but he was wearing a suit square.
He knew his dad would read him for under-dressing at a dinner party. “Are we good, Hadji? You’ve been ghosting me this whole trip.”
Hadji patted Jonny on the shoulder, “Of course we are fine, Jonny. How could you think elsewise?”
Jonny kept his mouth shut, he could prattle off a few examples but thought the better of it. “I think I got off on the wrong side with your new friends. Dad’d be mad if I left a bad impression as a guest, you wouldn’t mind helping me smooth things out, would you?” He smiled, pinching his thigh through his pant pocket to keep level-headed. He’d told Jessie about that trick Arnaud taught him—if you were being beguiled, a small distracting pain would pull you out of it. Maybe Elise had been trying to set him up to look like the irrational one.
“Of course, I would like you both to get along very much. Elise is very special to me.” He smiled back to Jonny’s toothy smile.
His eyes crinkled, unsure of how in a day he could make such a claim. “Great! No time like the present. Maybe we can start small, and I can say thanks to Percy for the ride earlier.”
Hadji shook his head, “It is unlike you to be nervous, Jonny. Elise wants to get to know you better too.” He hooked his arm around his brother’s elbow and pulled him toward Elise’s sitting area.
Smiling awkwardly as he was pressed into the short sofa, Jonny turned to see Jessie was there too, the small party seeming to start earlier than the dinner itself as Jessie chatted with Elise.
“Hey Jess, what are you doing here?” The blond couldn’t help but ask.
“Oh, just trying to get to know her a bit better. Elise was just telling me about the last trip she went on.”
“Yes, it feels like ages ago since I last went to France for my studies, I lived abroad there for a time.”
“Yeah?” Jonny smiled looking at Hadji, then to Elise, “Whereabouts? Maybe we’ve been there before too.”
“Normandy and Paris, I enjoy studying history. Jessie tells me her mother is an archaeologist, how wonderful that must be, you said she studies the ancient Mayans?”
Jonny jibed, “Straight to the human sacrifices, huh?” Jessie elbowed him before looking at Elise with a playful smirk.
“A lot of the indigenous tribes from the Mayan and Aztec Eras, but she’s also studied some of the lesser known tribes that were conquered.” Jessie pulled a bracelet off her wrist, “This is a replicate of one of the relics my mom’s found. This one is from the Anasazi tribe in New Mexico.”
Elise took hold of the silver object, examining it and the stones embedded in it before returning it to the other girl. “And what stones are those?”
“Turquois.” She put it back on after glancing at Elise’s hand then to Jonny only to see the teen blanche. “This one is a good luck charm, wards off evil spirits— as if cats aren’t evil in their own right.” She joked.
Elise smiled along, “Hadji, you have such wonderful friends!” Her eyes glowed green as she touched his cheek then looked at Jonny.
He felt a surge of electricity crawl up his back as their eyes locked, he continued to pinch his thigh desperate to not fall for her trick.
“Jonny, how have you found New Orleans to treat you so far?”
“To be honest, it’s not my favorite city.” He grimaced as Hadji shot him a dirty look. “Seems like there’s a lot of crime. You met Hadji when he stopped a mugging... someone tried to mug me on my way back too. But there’s just... so much history here, you must love it. And then there’s all the lore... you wouldn’t be willing to tell us about all those vampire myths would you?”
Hadji pinched the brim of his nose.
“What! Hadji, she said she likes history, why wouldn’t I take up an opportunity for a local’s take on their haunted history.”
Elise laughed into her wrist, “Oh Hadji, he is as frivolous as you say.” She smiled, her tongue darting over her canine tooth, “But that’s what makes being young so fun, does it not?”
“I’m not that much younger than my brother.” Jonny offered defensively. ”How old are you though? Studying abroad—was that for high school? College?”
“Jonny! That is very impolite to ask of a lady!” Hadji berated him.
“Oh, come on, Hadji! I’m just trying to get to know your friend, she seems like she has an old soul.” He glared back at the woman.
Elise continued to smile, though it was obviously an aggressive gesture to Jessie and Jonny. “Why, what a kind thing to say, that’s one of the reasons Hadji and I hit it off so quickly, we both do.” She stroked his cheek which only seemed to tick Hadji’s anger up further at his brother.
“I will not have you disrespect her, Jonny. You must apologize at once!”
“Oh, that’s far too excessive, I’m 17, Jonny. Though I did graduate from my high school studies early, I was indeed in France under a collegiate program for two semesters as my mother wished.” She touched Hadji’s wrist, “As for local lore, I do enjoy researching it. I met Hadji just outside of one of my favorite museums—the museum of voodoo, the ways French, Spanish, Afrikaan and Indigenous populations intermingled is fascinating to me. The influence of Catholicism in their rituals, it is so very interesting to me.”
She stood from the sitting room before pulling out an ornately carved cross that was decorated with blended sigils from Creole influences, “This here, for instance is how many Creole avoid vampires. They place them around their homes, build them into walls, under earth, doorways, it can be in many places including their altars. Yet despite this, as Catholics, they are just as comfortable drinking blood themselves. Some in transmuted wines, others in animal sacrifice. Jessie, did the Mayans drink the blood they collected, or was it all offered up to their gods?”
Jonny put a hand over his mouth suddenly feeling sick to his stomach.
“Oh my, your friend looks quite pale, I hope our conversation wasn’t too morbid for you.” She continued to lock eyes with him, the teen could see it on repeat—chickens, goats—slaughtered, throats slit and pooled into communal cups and shared in toasts, humans in a similar rite—at the sight of his mother’s bloodied body he flinched his eyes shut.
“I—I need some air...” he rushed out of the room, down the hall before losing a mouthful of bile into an empty trash receptacle. As he wiped his hand from his mouth he could have sworn he saw a trace of red, he jumped when Jessie touched his back.
“Jonny! Are you alright?”
He gasped before turning to look at her, panicked. “I’m fine!” He insisted, looking back at the back of his hand only to find there was no red there at all.
“Yeah... well, that could have gone better.” She nudged him toward another room, “Jonny, you’re working yourself up and making yourself sick. She’s weird, I’ll give you that, but you saw it, she handled my bracelet without any issues.”
“No! There’s something wrong with her.” The teen insisted.
“Agreed, but I don’t think vampire demon is it. Now, if you’d said succubus, maybe I’d give you some wiggle room.”
“You don’t understand—I just saw it... what she was describing—” He locked eyes with Jessie for but a moment before realizing they’d never believe him.
Jessie frowned, “Maybe this place is getting to you, Jonny. I know you’ve had your mom on your mind a lot... are you sure this has anything to do with—”
“Don’t you dare try to gaslight me like that!” He spun around panting, “I’ve got to get some air. Jessie, skip the dinner, please I’m begging you, listen to me...”
“Jonny, you promised you’d listen to the results of that silver test. She’s not some evil monster. Impressively manipulative, sure, but... but Jonny you have to use logic here. Our dads expect us to be here where it’s safe versus running around downtown—and why didn’t you tell me someone mugged you?!”
“I told you about Arnaud! He struck me with his cane but he wasn’t trying to rob me, just... get my attention.”
“Jonny, are you kidding me?! He attacked you and you’re taking his advice?!” Her mouth dropped, dumbfounded. “Oh my god... did you hit your head?” She suddenly felt compelled to check him for any soft wounds in the boy’s hairline.
“NO! I showed you the photo—he had evidence...”
“You didn’t get bitten by any mosquitoes did you?” She checked him for a fever, he felt warm, but she wasn’t sure if it was fever warm. “You’ve been wearing the mosquito repellent right? Yellow fever’s no joke...”
He pulled back roughly. “Don’t treat me like some dumb little kid.”
“Stop acting like one...?” She countered. “Come on, it’s dinner time, let’s just get this over with.” She looked him over once and offered sternly, “Do that for me and I won’t tell my dad what you just told me.”
He grit his teeth, knowing if Jessie was going to be there, that she needed at least one person not under Elise’s spell.
“For the record, this is your terrible idea this time! I told you to skip.” He primed. The girl rolled her eyes.
“Sure Jonny, if I’m wrong you can tell me you told me so.”
Jonny frowned, “I hope so.” She ruffled his hair so he’d look less like a kicked puppy.
“Quit sulking, let’s go.”
-Lunar Eclipse-
Across the expansive banquet table, each of the partygoers were separated by four feet between their ornate armed dining chairs, Jonny near the head of the table, across from Hadji dirty looks and all, Jessie to his left, Jessie sat across from Elise, and at the foot of the table Mrs. Adrian, the head of the table adorned with the late Dr. Adrian’s photo as the dozens of servants buzzed around in white tie attire, gloves and all.
Jonny noticed that at least Mrs. Adrian had honored the original dress code, leaving he, Jessie, and their hostess in much more relaxed attire than the stuffy servants buzzing around. He rarely saw parties with this kind of ratio of guests to help. His eyes locked onto Percy as the butler came around offering a pitcher of some kind of ‘moon tea’.
He licked his lips, fiddling the loose ring on his pointer finger. Arnaud had said a partially turned vampire would show his true colors, but Elise wasn’t partially anything.
Jonny caught the man’s wrist as he was coming past to serve them all tea, making sure the ring touched his skin.
“What kind of tea is this, anyway? Rooibos?”
He could feel Percy’s wrist pulsating under his grip as he casually let go to look at the man’s wrist as it blistered like blackened hide leather.
“It’s black tea, with red currants.” His hazel eyes twitched at the boy with anger at being burnt. “Why, what a dapper ring you have there, sir. Where did you find such a thing?”
Jessie glanced over to Jonny as the man set the tea back down on the service tray table after having served everyone at the table, he put a firm hand on the boy’s shoulder. Jessie noticed the heated exchange.
“While I was out in town.” Jonny locked eyes with the man, he felt like he was five degrees hotter under the man’s intense stare.
“Are you so sure of that? Mademoiselle Elise, does that not look like your late father’s ring?”
Elise gasped while inspecting the ring, “This must be a misunderstanding—”
Her mother approached the teenager and took hold of his hand to inspect the silver ring, Jessie glanced at the photo to see a heavily ornate ring similar in size to what Jonny was wearing, only it had an entirely different design.
“You stole this from me...?” The sweet woman asked, the frailness more wounding than Jonny could stomach.
“I’d never Mrs. Adrian—I swear, I got this while I was out in town!”
“Give it here! To think I let a thief sit at my table!” She said, visibly upset. Jonny stood up with a push and heaved back, refusing to release the ring.
“I didn’t steal anything—” he looked at his brother and Jessie for defense of his character only to see they were both just staring at him, Jessie in horror that he’d been right about the butler, but Hadji as if he’d murdered a man before him. “Hadji—you know me! Say something!”
“I think you need to return what you’ve stolen and leave now, boy.” The butler grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt. With a hard maneuver, Jonny shouldered past the butler rushing out of the room to flee as the man gave chase as the teen booked it back toward his room and hoverboard. He could feel the beating winds of an unknown source only to turn around to see a half-formed giant bat screeching at him, ripping out of a white-tie service uniform. The creature scratched at him, drawing first blood before it licked its disproportioned fingers and giving a satisfied scree.
“You want the ring so badly?! HERE!” Jonny turned around and punched the creature in the cheek. A black smoke rose from its flesh as it hissed and violently lashed at him, sprawling him. The incomplete winged-arms—skeletally shaped like a bat only lacking the fleshy membrane to give it flight, shoved the teen to the ground with a hard thrust. Jonny kicked up at the creature’s thorax before doing a vertical roll to be on top of the creature, again pressing his ringed hand toward the creature before touching its shoulder. More smoke and screes filled the hallway, Jonny pressed the silver into its throat and suddenly, the screeching sounds subsided. He coughed against the black toxic smelling smoke that smelt of burnt tome papers.
In the distance he heard another scream before looking up to see the eclipse had begun.
“Jessie!” He turned to race the several last paces to his room to grab their hoverboards before rushing toward the source of the noise.
-Lunar Eclipse-
“Mother, you must calm down, please sit.” Elise had said in such a forceful voice that it sounded nothing like a request. Her eyes were no longer faintly shining with an emerald gleam, in fact, they were producing 5 lumen as the room began to glow a similar hue.
“Please, sit, eat—you’re all my guests tonight.” She smiled, Jessie felt metal cuffs shackle her wrists before she could react.
“What ARE you?!” She spat out, “Hadji! Help me!”
Hadji lifted his tea and sipped on it calmly as the teen girl shoved and pressed against the heavy chair trying to budge it.
“There is no use to that my dear.” Elise stood, her clothing and skin seeming to fall off her like folded clothes as a bat-like creature emerged. “That troublesome boy is being dealt with now by my sweet Percy and with him, he will be one step closer to becoming full-fledged. Wherever did he hear about the silver? Don’t tell me he’s met with Arnaud...” She smiled, though with her contorted features it looked more like a creature unhinging its jaws to eat.
She looked at one of the servants who reached for Jessie’s bracelet before ripping it off, hurling it to the ground in the opposite corner of the room.
Jessie pivoted—instead of using her back strength to push the chair out, she put both feet under the table and shoved up, a rain of silver cutlery flung upward. Elise let out a screech as some of it came in contact with her skin, burning her before she swiped it away.
Hadji winced as hot soup landed on his lap, he stood up sharply, “Elise?! JESSIE!”
“HADJI! Help me! I’m stuck in this chair!”
Elise spun around to look at Hadji, the shock of her features momentarily stilling him but the dull pain from the soup kept her hold loose.
“Sit down, darling. I’ll need you for later.”
Hadji stood his chair upright from the ground, lifting a butterknife before doing as he was instructed. “Yes, Elise.”
Jessie gawked, “Hadji—there’s two of them—the other one’s after Jonny too—please you have to help me!” She pleaded as Elise grabbed the girl’s cheek in a gentle caress.
She felt pain radiate from her center as if she were being electrocuted by pulling the lightning from inside her. Hadji kicked the small lever beside Elise’s chair suddenly uncuffing Jessie’s wrists.
The girl smacked the creature’s face before spinning on her heels to flee the room. “HADJI! RUN!”
Scrambling to arm herself, Jessie grabbed a nearby fork just as Elise’s feet clutched her shoulders and ripped her into the air. Shattering the glass observatory ceiling, the creature extended it’s full wing span as Jonny suddenly appeared in the dining hall with his hoverboard, and tandem one in tow as he sped to catch up to the creature before she exceeded the safety limit.
Hadji rushed to the woman at the foot of the table, “Mrs. Adrian—Mrs. Adrian, we must leave at once. It is not safe here!” He helped the frail woman up before pulling her down the wing.
Seeing the plumes of black smoke from the direction of his rooms, he thought the wiser of it and opted to take her down the opposing stairs.
“You must wait here, call for help.” Hadji explained as he fled the inn to the grounds. The teen was dumbfounded at the sight of an old man.
“You fool, what have you done!” Arnaud swore. “At least the other boy tried to save your friend...”
Hadji’s eyes crinkled as he felt a fog lifting from over him, his brother and friends telling of their misgivings. “Who are you—what is she and how do I stop her?!”
“She has to complete the transformation before the eclipse ends, otherwise she will be stuck in her vulnerable state—her true form.”
Jessie let out a gripping scream as more jolts of electricity charged through her body, gritting her teeth, she shoved as hard as she could against the feet of the creature. Vaguely, she could see Jonny was trailing behind. Suddenly, Elise veered a hard banking left turn as Jonny crashed into the thing’s back on the right side. With an expansive swing of her ten-foot long wing, she smacked Jonny backward bucking him upside-down.
Jessie’s heart leapt in her chest—neither of them had tried a half-pipe or full-pipe turn to see if you could stay on the damned board upside down! “JONNY!”
With the teen’s athleticism, he completed the spin, grabbing the foot of the beast with his ringed hand.
Elise let out a shriek as her ankle burnt, reflexively releasing the one claw from Jessie and stopping the transference of life energy.
“Here goes nothing!” Jessie huffed to herself in a strong whisper, stabbing the fork into the creature’s other leg.
As its tail whipped blindly, Jonny felt the wind knock out of him, his footing slipped as he fell back from the board before mere moments later making a heavy splash into a tributary to the Mississippi delta.
Jessie gripped wildly at the hoverboard before it could fall too far from her grip.
“Silver—she’s vulnerable to silver in this state!” Arnaud thrust his silver cane into Hadji’s chest. “You must stop her before she claims any more innocent lives!”
Hadji snapped a hard nod before taking up a sprint to give chase to the others, already easily 200 meters away.
Jessie pushed the hoverboard into a nosedive to reach Jonny, there was something wrong—he wasn’t coming up for air yet!
“Jonny! JONNY WHERE ARE YOU?!”
At the sound of a gasp and sputtering cough, she turned in the near pitch dark to see ripples around a familiar face, rushing to him, she grabbed his arm and hoisted up. With a strong heave, she pulled him over the front of the board, his hands limp as he continued to hack and cough.
“Jonny hold on—we’re going to get owwwwww—” Jessie screamed as Elise gripped her tightly with her arms, the board dropping back over the water only inches from the surface. Jonny’s face turned, dazed from the fall, he reached his hand back up to grip the thing’s tail only to find that the loosely fitted ring had slipped free when he’d hit water.
With a flick of the tail, Elise slung the teen until he struck a stone stairway that carried itself up and down the riverbank to ground level.
Jessie struggled in the creature’s vicelike grip, she kicked at the fork still lodged in the thing’s leg.
“JESSIE! STAY STILL!” Hadji called, “Let my aim be true...” He flung the cane like a javelin, piercing the flapping wings—with a ten foot drop, Elise had dropped Jessie into the water, Jessie took a deep breath before diving below the surface, with a jackknife kick, she dove down twelve feet before holding to look up at the eclipse as the moon became fully visible again.
A loud screech radiated from just overhead, Jessie turned her head down and saw the shimmer of a silvered cane, forcing herself to the bottom of the tributary, she gripped it before rapidly surfacing for air.
The bat creature was still buzzing about, though her focus seemed to change from Jessie who’d been submerged to her friend barely clinging to wet stairs still coughing a storm. As her feet latched onto the prone teen, Elise began to lash out at him violently, drawing a stream of red, “I can feed in more than one way boy...” She said before sinking her teeth into his neck.
“GET OFF ME!” He hacked, swatting at the transformed Elise, “You’re not my type!” Coughing more as he spun to face the hideous creature, her green eyes numbing him, slowing his movements he began gasping harder to try to reclaim his air.
With the swing more akin to a field hockey stick—Jessie batted the bat in the back of her head. “BACK OFF! He’s not interested!”
Reaching his friends, and the homicidal bat creature, Hadji held a handful of cutlery between his fingers as he punched at Elise’s bat-shaped ear as Jessie made another swipe before pressing the tip to the cane exposing a knife as it buried into the creature’s side.
“...Well I wasn’t expecting that...” Jessie said as the beast fell back into the water, dissolving into black goo and smoke. Hadji watched his paramour as she dissolved into toxic nothing, purified against the full moon as Jessie spun to look at Jonny. “Oof! Jonny—are you okay?! You got cut up a bit...”
Gripping his throat slowly clearing his cough he finally sputtered, “I told you so.” He hacked and gasped in more air before trying to sit up only to find Jessie and Hadji helping him do it.
“We didn’t even think to check if we could go upside down. I’m disappointed in us.” Jessie tried to placate her friend.
“I hate this city.” Jonny forced himself into a seated position. “Ow... You know, this is why I have to pack turtlenecks.” He touched his neck realizing the scratches he’d have to hide from their respective parents.
“Jessie, Jonny—I am so sorry... I do not know what came over me.”
“Hell bat.” The two said in unison.
“Not quite a vampire, not quiet a succubus or werewolf.” Jonny elaborated, with a wag of his finger as if lecturing his older brother. “And she had better be the worst girlfriend you ever bring along to meet the family.”
Jessie looked at Jonny pitiably, “I think you dropped thirty feet.”
“Well, the ground was 22 feet down, just the sea level was lowered in the canal.”
“We should get back to the hotel.” Jessie suggested, the three of them hoping Jonny hadn’t broken or bruised any ribs.
“You good, Jess?”
“Yeah. You were right Jonny, the river did have a better view of the eclipse.” The blond smiled back.
-Lunar Eclipse-
As the trio stood at the stone bridge waiting for the cruise to dock back into port, Jonny in his signature black turtleneck, and the others in their standard attire, Jonny was first to spot his dad disembarking—without the blond from earlier, Race escorting the two young ladies cordially before parting ways.
Jessie leaned over to Hadji, “Looks like both of you struck out this trip.”
Jonny threw a basic wave to signal to Race where they were, seeing the head bob of acknowledgement, the adults made their way back to the shore.
“So kids, how was the eclipse?” Race tested he could tell Jonny looked as cheery as a housefire.
“It wasn’t too bad,” Jessie offered, “Hadji?”
“It was an experience.” Hadji nodded along, “Jonny?”
The blond shrugged grumpily then turned to look at his dad, “Where’d your date go, dad?” He said in a quiet fury. He watched his dad awkwardly scratch the back of his head. He casually noticed that Race was sporting a handful of beads curiously.
“Oh, back to her own life,” he didn’t feel compelled to tell his son that the girl was clearly a crank-pot after she insisted she’d seen a giant flying bat attacking people over the river.
Race had a tick of a smirk, “How did NOLA treat you kids? Get your fill of gumbo and ghost stories?”
“The beignets weren’t bad.” Jonny finally conceded, “You going to tell us how you got all those beads, Race?”
The man gave a saucy grin, “Hey what happens on a parents only cruise stays on a parents only cruise.”
Jessie put her hand over her forehead embarrassed.
-End-