Witches Beware

Chapter Sixteen: Saint Eve's Bastard Church

We walked a few blocks from the inner city, turned corner after corner, disappearing from crowded civilization and Mardi Gras decorations. Suddenly, Lucas stopped upon an old apartment building, the bricks were cracking and growing vines along the side, the emergency exit stair well were rusted and slippery. We marched up the narrow staircase until coming along the third floor where he shoved his key into the security lock and pushed the door open.

The apartment was small- no, tiny. Just four beige walls, a single window looking out to a brick wall, a even smaller kitchen that was just a stove, sink, and a fridge from the 50's. The bed, it wasn't even big enough to fit a man of Lucas size. "Don't judge." He voiced while closing and locking the door.

I released the stern judging look in my eyes and shook my head. "I wasn't, I just wasn't expecting... this."

"I only sleep here, remember."

"Yeah, I remember."

He goes through the small closet full of dark dull clothes, not once seeing a suit of button up. Finally, he pulled out a black shirt that was no better then the one he has on. Stripping away from the clean jacket and shirt, showing his bare back that flexed one every move. A large tattoo along in between his shoulder blades, creeped up the back of his neck. It looked like compose with a crescent moon in the middle of it.

I turned away before I could detect each shaded line and stepped towards the window. "I was wondering." I cleared my throat. "There's a Mardi Gras masquerade party. It's a open party, vampires, lycans, and witches; all together. Do you want to come? It would require a suit and mask."

"Lycan's don't really go to that stuff."

"I'm not asking the lycan community, I'm asking you." I turned around, he was already prepared to leave with a set of keys in his hand and a blacked out helmet.

Lucas didn't looked pleased with the request, and honestly, I was hoping he would say yes. "I'll think about it. Come on."

We went back down the narrow staircase, this time going further into a building and pass a heavy door to another set of stairs. He lead me to an underground garage with only a few cars and a motorcycle, which I could only think was his. I sat on the back of a motorcycle a few times in my life, an old friend had one and it was out only transportation back and forth to the mall.

"Here." Lucas wrapped his arms around my head to removed the hair tie keeping my pony tail up. My hair fell upon my shoulders immediately before the helmet covered it. "Does it fit? Not too tight? Not too loose?"

I put up a thumb and nod. "It's a little dark and smell of axe shampoo, but other than that, it's fine." I could see him smile through the dark visor, which were pulled up by the same fingers that released my hair. "That's better. So, you're just going to rogue huh?"

"I can heal, you can't." He climbed the back easily and steady it before I could climb on myself. I placed my arms around his waist, my upper body leaned against his back as my face was close to his hair. He did smell like fancy soap, most likely from Francis's home.

The wind surrounded us, carrying his scent and caused it to wrap around me- just like his jacket. We were in the bayou in no time, the tall buildings turned into fields of trees and swamps. The red barn came by with a blur, including the abandoned house and shed.

"I thought you found him here." My voice strained with the wind and the sound of the engine, but I managed to get to him and feel his earlobe brush against my lips,

"No! I found him three miles down, in a church."

The engine picked up once the road was straight and narrow, we became closer to the church. Old signs hung from it's stand as graffiti tainted them. All I could make out from each sign were Saint Eve's.