Witches Beware

Chapter Nine: Hard Cold Truth of Existence

I stared out the window, palm pressed to my cheek, lips formed into a frown as my eyes scanned the ancient historical buildings and the people of New Orleans. I was numb, the powers inside me laid dormant, what I've stand for was gone, who I am no longer revealing itself. After being stripped away from everything, I asked myself was it worth it. Telling the truth certainly has made me feel better, just a little to reduce the nightmares; but was it enough to lose my powers for god know how long?

"Are you alright?" Maxine leaned forward to only be blocked by the metal cage supporting the front from the back. I almost forgotten where I am and who I was with. Lucas was taking us home in his police car, a regular looking Dodge Charger with a police look alike exterior. I wonder how many people he arrest on a daily bases, how many runaways he scoop up on the road and bring them back home.

"I'm fine." I mumbled while staring down at my lap in shame. I gripped my dreads at the root to get myself together, I need to come off that I was fine, that telling the truth was good and not bad. "Just nervous." I added, even though Aunt May confronting us was the last thing on my mind.

"Yeah, me too." She also mumbled before falling back into the cloth seating.

Lucas was quiet, completely focused on the road as if we weren't there, sunglasses covering his eyes, his nonchalant behavior revealing itself as he drive with one hand as the other rested upon the gear shift. He slowed down the car once we were close to the manor, he parked at the end of the block and turned off the engine. "Last stop." He voice before climbing out the car.

I huffed in frustration before getting out, just then he was opening the door to the backseat and escorting us home. "We don't need an escort." I hissed while glancing over my shoulder to his tough guy exterior.

He still looked calm, slightly amused as his lips rugged into a cocky smirk. "Even though you lost your powers, doesn't mean you can't still run. By the way, I'm a very fast runner."

I slowly rolled my eyes at him and kept going. The gate was heavy under my hand as o pushed it open, just then the front door opened to reveal a pissed off Aunt May; arms crossed in front of her chest, eyes dark, and lips thinned in disappointment. I gulped down my fear and hung my head low as I lead the rest of the way to receive even more punishment. However, a part of me didn't care what Aunt May had in stored.

Once inside, the air became thicker, twice as thick when Lucas closed the door behind him. Why is he still here?... Aunt May did not speak yet, but when she did it was an unexpected response. "Maxine, escort the detective to my study."

Maxine released a shaky breath of relief before giving me weary eyes. Being left alone is twice as worse than being surrounded by others when being eaten alive. She obeyed her mother, not once giving the raging but also calm woman eye contact. "Detective." She spoke softly before doing what she's told, leading the way further into the house to Aunt May's home office in the back of the manor.

The entry way couldn't have felt smaller, I stood there, silent, eyes stuck on the floor, hands upon my bare arms as I tried to keep my composure. Aunt May take in a sharp breath, showing her frustration and anger at my recent decisions. "First you bring Maxine into your disobedience, then you went behind my back to the council. I don't know what the hell to do with you. Usually this would earn you a beating with a twig, but you're not a little girl anymore, you proved that a couple of times." Her words stung, the disappointment made me shiver and ache.

I opened my mouth to speak, but once I looked up to her eyes, my words were caught in my throat. Instead, I looked away again and bite down on my bottom lip.

"What, now you can't speak? You've been talking nonstop to the entire population of New Orleans. I told you to let it go, I wanted to protect you. Now the council is on our ass."