Voodoo Queens of New Orleans - Vol. II | In Progress

Chapter Eighteen: Mercy of A Saint

Why hello, there...

***

Everyone was on their knees as the loa of Life and Death presented himself to us. Well, everyone except Abraham and Mr. Boone. 

He was so bright, so powerful, that none of us could take in the magnificence of his presence; crying, dancing, thanking him. But Alize was still as a statue, and so was I, 'cause we both knew that we were in for a scolding - one that was over twenty years in the making. But first, Samedi had a few choice words for the vampire lord standing before him. 

"Abraham in the flesh," Samedi said. "I never thought you would build up the courage to face me, vampire." 

"I do not fear you, Samedi," Abraham declared to him. "Never have. I came to put a stop to that voodoo witch's ceremony. Nothing more." 

Alize held her head up for a moment, just to give Abraham a nasty look. She still did not know the truth; in her mind, Abraham was still Lisa's abductor.

"Who said anything about fearing me?" As Baron Samedi exhaled cigar smoke downward, it surrounded Abraham like a fog. "No, no, no, vampire. You have built up the courage because you need my help." 

"How do you presume?" 

"I presume nothing, vampire." 

Abraham just laughed, and as he dismissed Samedi's claims, Samedi calmly turned towards Alize, who held her head down, as did I. I was shaking, and I was certain she was, too. 

"And you," he said to her - his voice rattled my bones. "You got a lot of nerve, calling me back here with nothing to offer, knowing damn well about the debt you owe me." 

"Samedi, I intended to use this ceremony to assure you of the debt that I owe you. I didn't expect the Blood Price to actually show up here..." 

Alize looked at Abraham with a sharp, unforgiving look. The whole lot of people gasped when they realized that Alize was going to promise Abraham as payment. Samedi said nothing, but he looked on at the mortals before him with humored eyes as Abraham could only scoff at this revelation. 

"So." Abraham had his arms crossed over his chest as he looked at Alize. "You were going to promise your gods something that you couldn't possibly deliver, to make up for the last 'something' that you couldn't possibly deliver?"  

"I would do anything in service of our loa that I have devoted my life to," Alize said. "Especially if it meant killing the devil that stole my daughter away from me!" 

"I did not take her!" Abraham shouted. 

"You lie!" Alize countered. 

"It's the truth!" I tell her. She couldn't even meet my eyes when I said it. "Abraham had nothing to do with this, like I told you -" 

"But you refuse to listen to reason!" Abraham was inches away from Alize's face now; the Coterie approached Alize to try and create a barrier between them, but Alize refused their help; she wanted to face him. She wanted to be this close like she could take the opportunity in her hands to finally kill him. 

"Stop!" I shout at them, but it's no use. They continue to argue, and it becomes intense and heated. To the point where everyone begins to stand back. Me and Boone look at each other, then up at Samedi, who we see just studying the way that they yelled at each other. Studying until he slowly started to laugh. Chuckle at first, but then deep, belly laugh. Loud enough for Abraham and Alize to stop arguing to look up at the loa laughing at them - at us - like this was a theater play.