“I’ve seen her do things without Namir being present,” Bellamy countered. “He isn’t necessarily there every time something fucked up happens. I’ve seen her make men shift… I’ve seen her manipulate water around her…”
“All things associated with the moon, yes. All of that comes from being connected to you, the moon,” turning to look at Namir. “In this lifetime and the next. You will find her every time.”
My hand slowly covered my mouth as I learned in real time just how serious this connection is between Maggie and Namir.
“If I’m to believe she showed no other signs of being anything other than human with a vampiric parent before meeting you. It is exactly as it was before. There’s no doubt in my mind she is now able to do things out of the ordinary because of you. Did you or do you have an abnormal reaction towards her? Are you not different from the others in your pack?”
Namir’s mouth fell open. Seth greedily nodded as he spilled his brother’s truth.
“He’s not like everyone else. Namir is freakishly strong. He’s just as famous as Maggie with his abilities and strength. Nobody knows where he gets it from, but they used to jokingly call him golden boy because he could do anything. I’ve seen him climb, swim in the ocean, I’ve seen him run faster than anyone. He’s not like the rest of us.”
Himora nodded as she adjusted her glasses.
“She wasn’t…I…I made her this way?” Namir questioned before desperately adding, “I’m not understanding.”
“I’ve explained it to the best of my abilities,” Himora stated.
“If he’s the moon, then what is she? What does this mean for her or…what does it make her besides someone affected by the moon?” I asked. She turned to look at me when the sound of a car door slamming shut made us all look up at attention.Ms. Norwood stood up with fear in her eyes while Trevor immediately stalked towards the door.
“Ms. Davis has arrived as scheduled,” Himora said as she looked at her watch. “She’s been dropped off by a longtime friend. Now we just need…”
The sound of a door busting open caused everyone to jump when a woman stepped out of the hallway bathroom and barged straight into the living room with a tote bag. She had wild curly hair, wearing a red tank top with distressed denim shorts and black flip flops.
“Hey y'all! Hey everybody!” Her southern accent, thick and heavy. She sounds like she lives by the water. “My bad about being late. Where is she?”
“She’s just arrived,” Himora said.
“What’s going on?” Ms. Norwood asked as the woman made her way through the living room. She flipped her thick hair back with a pointed look at Himora and a glaring stare at Trevor.
“Just so you know, yall baby was about to get tossed in that crib with all that crying by the way.”
He simply grinned.
“What type of God mama are you if you can’t handle a crying baby, Nessa?” He asked.
“Auntie…I’m an Auntie. Ain’t no damn God Mama. Don’t put God children on my uterus,” she huffed as she sat her duffle bag down on the coffee table. She began going through her things. She was a witch alright and not just any witch, I knew that low country twang from anywhere. She was a Dubois of the Southern Five, just like Xavier Martin. She was one of the five most well-known historical black witch families.
“My name is Vanessa Dubois of the Dubois Family,” she announced, introducing herself as she pulled out an empty jar to examine. “Yes, yes,” she suddenly waved with her hand. “I’m part of the Southern Five witch families, but for the record! We don’t participate in the Underground nonsense. We have our own dealings above ground. Okay? I’m a lead investigator at The Mortal Affairs Department. I’m going to make this brief. Please do not speak, do not say anything as it may trigger the last remnants of this blood contract. We don’t need a dead Poette. We need a living Poette, yes? Yes, okay.”
“What is she talking about?” Ms. Norwood asked. “What is this? What’s happening now?”
“Lettie Dubois was the woman who forced a break up between Marvin and Poette. She forced your conception into this world, and a terrible fake marriage of Mary–––Well you know the story. Oh!” She gasped as she looked at Himora. “Did you tell her what I thought about her killing her boyfriend? That was Lettie’s curse causing you to turn on him. I’m sure of it–––”
“Ness?” Trevor cut in with a stern tone. She looked around, reading the room before clearing her throat with a nod.
“You right, no need to rehash it. All parties involved were on some dumb shit. Anyway…Poette is on the verge of remembering everything at once. I believe that is the last detail of the contract that can possibly kill her where she stands so it’s…Important,” pulling out a small plastic bag of white powder. “That we numb the mind before her last breath–––”
“Her last breath–––W–what are you talking about?!” Ms. Norwood stammered. Vanessa looked pointedly at Ms. Norwood.
“We will do our best to send her off with grace and protection. Her time from what I hear on the other side was coming anyway. If you have anything you wish to say, finalwords…gather your family to see her…I think it would be best if all children were present–––”
“What are you talking about?!”
“She’s walking up the driveway now,” Himora calmly said.
“Trevor, do it now,” Vanessa let out. Trevor’s body suddenly twisted about, contorting with snaps and crackling of his bones with his skin twisting and darkening by the second. His back bent over with the arching spine sticking out as he shrunk into a hunched over woman with deep wrinkles and heavy-set eyes. Ms. Norwood gasped just as the front door opened. Trevor, who was still dressed as himself, was now the identical mirror image of Poette Davis down to the way she walked. So when Poette Davis stood in the doorway, her eyes went to her own reflection, staring back at herself with a confused expression. She wore a knitted bucket hat, some wide leg orange pants and matching orange shirt that came below her hips. She held on to the doorway to steady herself when Vanessa suddenly blew a mixture of powder from her hand to Ms. Davis’s face. She stumbled back with panic settling in her eyes before blacking out.
I could hear Isis gasp while the men carefully grabbed her and brought her slumped over body back into the house. The photo album that Ms. Norwood brought out was knocked down from the coffee table as I quickly picked it up. There were a few loose pictures pinched in between the folds but one in particular caught my attention just as I was about to close it.
