Immortal Souls: Phoenix Always

Vampire Tour

By eight o'clock, we are buying tickets for the tour in front of the St. Louis Cathedral at the gates of Jackson Square. Correction – Claude is buying tickets. He doled out three hundred dollars for dinner and insisted on covering the tour as well. I know better than to argue with a man like him about his money. Still locked in her private conversation bubble with Luca, Journey doesn't notice anything except for him.

Journey was as thrilled with my plan to take the vampire tour as Brynn was. Less so, actually. Last year for my birthday we drove up to Baton Rouge to brave one of the best haunted houses in the country, and Journey passed out halfway through the attraction. The medics said she didn't need a hospital, so I let them take her outside, and Brynn and I finished the tour. I know that wasn't a best friend-like thing to do, but I was possibly going to die in a few days, and going through a haunted house had been on my bucket list for at least thirty years. When we came out, Journey swore she was feeling better, so we went through the haunted cemetery. Ten minutes later, the same paramedics were carrying her out again. Needless to say, Journey doesn't handle scary things well, and I had to assure her the vampire tour is not designed to frighten people. But I doubt she'd notice even if it was.

Brynn, Zoe, Cynthia, and Alexander are captivated by a superbly talented street band playing in the gypsy camp, so I slip away to search for Mirela. Though the Square is locked up for the night, the sidewalks and roads surrounding it are jam-packed, and the number of homeless in this area has tripled. So have the police patrols.

I was hoping, but I didn't really expect to find Mirela at her table in the same spot I found her in last night. Her guest chair becomes vacant the moment I spot her. I swipe the opening from three young guys wearing Australian flag t-shirts.

"Oi!"

"It's my bloody turn!"

"Sorry y'all. Come back for Mardi Gras." I wave them off and spin around to face my once grandmother, slapping my hands on the table and scattering her tarot cards. "Why did you suddenly make me leave like that?"

Mirela clutches a wobbling gold candlestick as she eyes the Australians muttering about rude Americans. "Your lamia is not welcome in my shop," she hisses when they are out of hearing range.

Lamia? Lamia... lamia... in Greek mythology she was a queen who became a daemon who ate children. I definitely don't have one of those. But the word can also mean vampire. "Wait. You know about the guy whose been stalking me?" Was he that close to me all morning? Did he follow me to the shop or find me there?

I immediately begin scanning the sidewalks and streets for him. This is where I first saw him today after all. What if he's watching me now, with my friends? I can't see Journey or Brynn through the crowd. My chest tightens. "I have to go."

Mirela smacks a hand over mine. "What does he look like?" The dancing flame of the black candle sets her wide eyes and taught lips aglow.

My butt re-greets the chair. "Black hair. Dark eyes. About six feet tall. Do you know who he is?"

"Is he the only one you've seen?" Her face doesn't change.

"No. Yesterday I saw a man, who looks like the other one, but his hair is black and gray, and his skin looks like it hasn't seen the sun in a very long time. Decades. He knew my name. Are they the..." Mindful of the people around us, I mouth "vampires you said were here for me?"

"Phoenix, hey!" Tayana and Hailey, friends from the cheer squad, flag my attention from behind Mirela. They said they would take the tour with us, but I had forgotten about them.

Mirela releases my hand and restacks the tarot cards I scattered. "Go on, and come back to me tomorrow morning."

Damn it. I wave to my friends to let them know I'm coming." You'll tell me everything then?"