Dark Moon - Michael Langdon

Part 35 - Marie Laveau

"Esmeray Neera," Marie Laveau muses as I enter the kitchen. "I hear that Papa Legba had quite a request for you last night."

I sigh as I grab an apple. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You gave up your immortality for me?" she asks. "Well, I mean, I know you don't have the same immortality as I do since all that yours does is stop you from aging, but damn. According to Cordelia, you've only got four years left if you keep aging this rapidly."

I roll my eyes as I forcefully set the apple down on the counter. "What are you getting at here, Marie?" I ask impatiently.

"I could help you with your rapid aging issue," she states as she sets down her coffee mug. "It's the least I could do."

"How?"

"I have my ways," she says as she tastes a sip from her mug.

"How dark of magic is it?" I roll my eyes, not needing to be able to read her mind to know that is the problem; since Marie is the Voodoo Queen, her mind is impenetrable to me and Michael.

She scoffs. "Come on, now, we've dealt with our fair share of dark magic; besides, almost all voodoo has some amount of dark magic involved."

"Marie, I almost fell off the deep end last time we got heavily involved in dark magic," I warn.

I never told Cordelia or anybody else about this, but part of the reason I left the academy was the repercussions from the dark magic I had practiced with Marie when I was learning from her. She convinced me to perform a spell that only a witch could perform in order to force another group of competing voodoo practicers out of New Orleans.

The strength required to perform a spell that could mind-control powerful voodoo practicers without their finding out was more than any Supreme has ever possessed, so I fell into a three-day coma after performing the spell. Marie kept me hidden in her salon during those days, and I lied to Cordelia and told her that I had been visiting my mother in LA. After that, my powers began to spiral out of control and I had to leave the academy out of fear of hurting the other witches.

I was able to keep all of this a secret from Cordelia, as I managed to hide any evidence from my powers' outbursts and I made up other reasons for my departure. I learned to control them again during the year that I was away from the academy, but I would prefer to not go through that experience again.

Marie sighs as she looks at me. "I'm sorry about that," she apologizes. "I shouldn't have pushed you so far. No witch had ever performed that spell before, and you're no witch anyways. I promise you, I will be the one handling the dark magic; I will not involve you in it at all."

I nod gratefully. "Thank you, Marie. I will give it a try then."

"I see you two are already back to conspiring," Cordelia chuckles as she enters the kitchen. She looks me over to see how I'm doing today. "I'm happy that you're doing better than you were yesterday," she smiles as she takes a mug from the cabinet.

I sigh as I try to think of how to ask her about Michael. Every time that I think of him, my heart pangs at the thought of how we left things off yesterday.

"I haven't seen Michael," she explains, able to tell what I'm meaning to ask. "He's been locked in his room all day and hasn't answered the door when we have tried to check on him."

I nod. "Thanks," I respond as I transmutate up to his bedroom. I silently approach his door and knock on it. "Michael?" I ask.

The door swings open to reveal Michael sitting at his desk, a drawing in hand. I ignore it, wanting to get my semi-apology out now. "How can I help you?" he asks, obviously attempting to keep his cool.