Lead Me Astray

Original Edition: CHAPTER 31 - MYS

"What about the case file?" she asked.

He glanced at the sky as he shoved a thick folder under his shirt. "I'll hold onto this, but I'll meet you later to discuss things." He seemed in a hurry.

As Tegan slid from the truck, her body rubbed suggestively against his. The contact was brief. Short-lived or not, her craving was an orange-yellow flicker spreading across my Empathy. I was somewhat glad a passing car sent up a cold splash to dampen her desires, though the water barely touched her feet.

"Come on. Let's get inside," I said to Aurie.

The ghost hiked a thumb in their direction. "What's up with the chick? She's kind of familiar."

"She's just his partner."

I wasn't sure I sounded convincing, but I wasn't sure I was convinced. Zyr rounded the cathedral and slid to a halt at the sight of Aurie already back. I ignored him and opened the door to my apartment. Once inside, my roommate plopped in our favorite chair. It felt so good to see her that I didn't bother telling myself she didn't belong.

The detective slowly closed the door behind us. "Why didn't you call me and let me know she was home safe?" he asked. His black hair was plastered to his forehead by the rain. He kicked off his shoes and wriggled out of his wet shirt, bare skin glistening.

I looked away with a moody shrug.

Zyr turned to Aurie, but she held up a hand and said: "Chill, bruh."

"Oh, I should chill?" His eyebrows shot skyward. "You ran off and put yourself and everyone else in danger in the middle of a tropical storm."

"I didn't put anyone in danger," she muttered. "I took a stroll, which shouldn't be a problem if I'm not a prisoner."

"No one's treating you like a prisoner, Aurie!" Zyr yelled.

"More like a pawn in your chess match!" Aurie retorted. "You know what, I don't even know why I came back. You both seem to think you can run my Afterlife without me anyway!"

She lurched from the chair and tossed the voodoo loa's crumpled business card on the coffee table. Staring at it, I slid my vape pen from my pocket and perched on the lone barstool. There was no easy way to explain it. Vapor floated in the uncomfortable silence while she glared at me, and the rain poured steadily in the background. The detective dropped to the sofa, studying me, too.

"I was gonna tell you, but you didn't give me the chance," I said finally.

Aurie paced into my line of sight and jabbed a finger at the card. "You kept that from me, knowing it was my one shot at Resurrection."

"Aurie, it's not like that." She pulled away when I reached for her. I threw up my hands. "I had to make sure it was safe, and I was right to be concerned! The priestess told me someone will have to die for you to live again. Is that what you want, Yokai?" I asked.

"No, of course, that's not what I want! I want my own flesh and blood. If I'm resurrected into someone else's body, I basically inherit their life and say goodbye to my own. No more Haley. No house in the Garden District. No Aurie Edison." She raised glistening eyes to mine. "But it was for me to find out, not you, Mys."

Clearing his throat, the detective interjected, "I understand you're upset, honey. I'd be lying if I said I disagree with what Mys did. It's not that we think we can run things without you; but it's our job to protect you, even from yourself. More than that, you're our friend, Aurie. We care too much to let anything happen to you."

"I know about caring too much...enough to make sacrifices," she whispered, and a frisson of fear shot through me. What sacrifice? "I found out Darcy wants a courtesan. In exchange, he'll take care of my friends and family, including the both of you. That's why I have to do this."

"What?" Zyr and I said in conjunction. No way she was serious.

"It's pretty much like being an escort." She crossed her arms and lifted her chin.

"No, there's a reason I did burlesque on the side," I countered. "I took care of myself. No one should get that much authority over your life, Yokai."

"I have no life, remember? It's over, like your side-gig is over. Beaucoup de Chair has been shut down for weeks. That's the real reason you've been taking a breather, right?"

"How did you—?"

"Darcy told me. He has the deed, and the club will be yours the minute I become his," Aurie said without enthusiasm. "He's gonna use his connections to expand my mother's reach in Hollywood, and he'll make sure Haley's career picks back up when she gets out."

Zyr gaped at her. "You told him about Haley?"

"Of course, not. He has no idea she's in a psych ward. He thinks she's at Bayou General, somehow injured the night I was killed...which is how I know he wasn't behind the hit-and-run." She studied the detective's confused frown. "He told me about your job, too. I know you got suspended today, and you're under investigation. Darcy can make all that go away if I agree to this Resurrection.

"Look, I know he's a bad person," she said quietly, "but these are good things. Whatever else happens, the people I love will be better off. He has a body for me, someone who no longer wanted to live and unfortunately suffered lasting brain damage. See?"

Aurie removed a photograph from the back pocket of her jeans and dropped it on the coffee table like we were talking about a potential new car or a piece of furniture, instead of an actual human being.

Detective Zyr released a strangled swear. "Since we're playing show-and-tell, let me show you how Darcy treats his women." He snatched the envelope from the floor by his wet shirt and tossed it on the coffee table next to the photograph. More pictures of the vampire's victims fell out. Dozens of them.