out the small window to avoid Faith’s scrutiny. “I’m not sure what you are talking about.”
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Who did you conjure? ”
“L-L-Lucifer,” Angel stammered.
“Fuck! What have you done? You made a deal with the Devil himself!”
Self-defeat saturated Angel’s voice. “I thought he was the only one who could help me. I didn’t know I had other options.”
“You never do anything halfway do you, sis? It has always been all or nothing. What was his price for this?” Faith leaned back on her elbows and stared at the ceiling.
Angel spent the next hour detailing the last several weeks for her sister. She described the deal, huffed through Lucifer’s trickery, and shed tears about Jacque. She laid out the whole story. Listening was one of Faith’s numerous gifts.
“This is a complete mess. I’m not sure how we’ll fix it, but we’ll try. Until we figure it out, you have to live up to your agreement. You said Grand-mère came back with you?” Faith exhaled a deep breath.
Angel laced her fingers with Faith’s, squeezing slightly. “Yes. She’s back at the house waiting for me. Do you think she’ll help?”
“I don’t know, sweetie, but we’ll find out. Let’s go. We got a crap load of stuff to do.”
“At least everyone’s singing the same tune.” Relief resounded in Angel as she was engulfed in her sister’s love. If anyone would stand by her, she knew Faith would be the one.
Angel dragged her bags downstairs. Faith went up to the attic to fetch the other books. When Angel reached the bottom step, her mother’s soprano voice touched her ears.
“Angel, honey? Where’re you going?” Elise’s transparency clung to her like a cloak.
“I have a new place to stay, Mom. I told you I wouldn’t be here long.” Angel bit the inside of her lip to temper her words.
Elise lounged on the sofa sipping her drink. “Why? I’ve already called Jackson and let him know everything is back to normal. He’s excited to see you again.”
The rage choked the words in Angel’s throat. “Mom, you and Jackson can both kiss my ass!” She grabbed her suitcases and dragged them out the house to wait for Faith. My mother must be insane to think I would go back and work for the prick who left me when I needed him the most. I don’t care if he’s the best agent in New York , Angel fumed.
Faith emerged from the house with her sandy-brown hair pulled into a tight ponytail at the top of her head. The worry weighed heavy in her light brown eyes. Faith’s distress emphasized the dark sadness in her gaze. Outside of her concern, nothing else was out of place. The Ann Taylor ensemble lay perfectly on her slender body. Her Coach bag and Miu Miu shoes were gifts Angel had given to her last Christmas. If Angel didn’t know better, she would think they were going to church.
***
They rode back to Madison in silence. Faith gasped when they pulled into the gates. Marie waited for them in the courtyard. Angel helped Faith out of the cab and gave Marie an apologetic half-grin. Marie seemed unaffected by Faith’s presence. She greeted Angel’s sister with a kiss on both cheeks and a lingering hug.
“Welcome, I am happy to see you, Faith. It’s been quite some time since we spoke.” Angel’s jaw hit the ground before Marie could finish her words. “Faith...you’ve spoken to Grand-mère before?”
“You’re not the only one who was curious about our family history. I found the books in Aunt Aimee’s attic when I was about sixteen.” A slight color rose in Faith’s cheeks.
Marie’s lips crawled into a wide grin. “Faith learned from me for almost a full year. I’m not sure what happened, but I never heard from you again.”
“What distracts all teenage girls? A boy. I met my husband the summer I left you.” Pain darkened Faith’s features. James was on a call in the ninth ward when the levees broke. Even after five years, Faith still carried his picture in
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Who did you conjure? ”
“L-L-Lucifer,” Angel stammered.
“Fuck! What have you done? You made a deal with the Devil himself!”
Self-defeat saturated Angel’s voice. “I thought he was the only one who could help me. I didn’t know I had other options.”
“You never do anything halfway do you, sis? It has always been all or nothing. What was his price for this?” Faith leaned back on her elbows and stared at the ceiling.
Angel spent the next hour detailing the last several weeks for her sister. She described the deal, huffed through Lucifer’s trickery, and shed tears about Jacque. She laid out the whole story. Listening was one of Faith’s numerous gifts.
“This is a complete mess. I’m not sure how we’ll fix it, but we’ll try. Until we figure it out, you have to live up to your agreement. You said Grand-mère came back with you?” Faith exhaled a deep breath.
Angel laced her fingers with Faith’s, squeezing slightly. “Yes. She’s back at the house waiting for me. Do you think she’ll help?”
“I don’t know, sweetie, but we’ll find out. Let’s go. We got a crap load of stuff to do.”
“At least everyone’s singing the same tune.” Relief resounded in Angel as she was engulfed in her sister’s love. If anyone would stand by her, she knew Faith would be the one.
Angel dragged her bags downstairs. Faith went up to the attic to fetch the other books. When Angel reached the bottom step, her mother’s soprano voice touched her ears.
“Angel, honey? Where’re you going?” Elise’s transparency clung to her like a cloak.
“I have a new place to stay, Mom. I told you I wouldn’t be here long.” Angel bit the inside of her lip to temper her words.
Elise lounged on the sofa sipping her drink. “Why? I’ve already called Jackson and let him know everything is back to normal. He’s excited to see you again.”
The rage choked the words in Angel’s throat. “Mom, you and Jackson can both kiss my ass!” She grabbed her suitcases and dragged them out the house to wait for Faith. My mother must be insane to think I would go back and work for the prick who left me when I needed him the most. I don’t care if he’s the best agent in New York , Angel fumed.
Faith emerged from the house with her sandy-brown hair pulled into a tight ponytail at the top of her head. The worry weighed heavy in her light brown eyes. Faith’s distress emphasized the dark sadness in her gaze. Outside of her concern, nothing else was out of place. The Ann Taylor ensemble lay perfectly on her slender body. Her Coach bag and Miu Miu shoes were gifts Angel had given to her last Christmas. If Angel didn’t know better, she would think they were going to church.
***
They rode back to Madison in silence. Faith gasped when they pulled into the gates. Marie waited for them in the courtyard. Angel helped Faith out of the cab and gave Marie an apologetic half-grin. Marie seemed unaffected by Faith’s presence. She greeted Angel’s sister with a kiss on both cheeks and a lingering hug.
“Welcome, I am happy to see you, Faith. It’s been quite some time since we spoke.” Angel’s jaw hit the ground before Marie could finish her words. “Faith...you’ve spoken to Grand-mère before?”
“You’re not the only one who was curious about our family history. I found the books in Aunt Aimee’s attic when I was about sixteen.” A slight color rose in Faith’s cheeks.
Marie’s lips crawled into a wide grin. “Faith learned from me for almost a full year. I’m not sure what happened, but I never heard from you again.”
“What distracts all teenage girls? A boy. I met my husband the summer I left you.” Pain darkened Faith’s features. James was on a call in the ninth ward when the levees broke. Even after five years, Faith still carried his picture in
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