Read Online Witches of Bourbon Street by Deanna Chase - Free Book Online Page A

Had she meant Lailah? And would her involvement with Dan be the cause of her downfall?
    I was about to voice my concern when Pyper traced her finger over the stitched X on the left side of the Felicia lookalike. As she did, a soft white glow encompassed her and the doll. It appeared suddenly, and when Pyper pulled her hand away, it vanished. Considering her and Kane’s non-reaction, I had to believe I was the only one who had the ability to see it.
    When Pyper stepped back, I couldn’t help myself. After what happened with the portrait, touching the doll was a stupid thing to do, but I had to know. Before I even made contact, the light, airy, familiar essence merged with my own, a comfortably warm sensation. My fingertips grazed the X and everything intensified.
    Memories flashed through my mind: A child’s stuffed puppy, ragged and loved in the bed; mixing up a batch of cookies while Mom chanted spells over a bowl of herbs; a first kiss with a boy named William. I jerked back as if I’d been burned.
    Kane’s hands grabbed my shoulders, and he steadied me. “Why do you insist on doing that?”
    “I didn’t…I mean, it wasn’t planned.” My voice seemed far away as I processed what had happened. I turned to Pyper, who was leaning against the stage. “Did you feel anything?”
    She shook her head. “Nothing but the cotton they used to stuff her with.”
    “I thought so.” I walked behind the bar and poured myself a tall glass of water. What I really wanted was a Guinness, but now was so not the time. After draining the glass, I looked up, not surprised to see Kane and Pyper staring at me. I sighed. “That voodoo doll has witch energy trapped in it.”
    Pyper frowned. “I didn’t know witches messed with voodoo dolls.”
    “They don’t,” I said. “Or at least, I’ve never known one to. But the Felicia clone not only has traces of witch energy, she also carries memories.”
    “What?” Kane strode to the hanging dolls. “That’s it. These need to go.”
    He grabbed the rope Felicia dangled on and almost had it over her head when I cried, “Stop.”
    He let go of her immediately, and the blinding light that had encased him vanished. He spun, staring at me expectantly.
    “They aren’t evil. We have to help them.” I pushed him out of the way and started carefully untying the Felicia doll.
    “Jade.” Kane put a hand on my arm, but I barely noticed. Felicia’s young life was flashing through my mind: Her sitting in a wood-sided house on a hot day, eating oranges with another young girl; playing in a cool river, laughing off a warning to be careful of water snakes; dancing close with a young man in a large barn as a teenager while a band played country music for the growing crowd.
    “Jade!” Kane shook me.
    I dropped Felicia into a nearby chair and looked at him, tears filling my eyes.
    He wrapped his arms around me. “It’s okay, baby. You’re fine now.”
    Trying to pull back, a small chuckle escaped my throat when he tightened his embrace, not willing to let me go. I brushed a soft kiss across his lips and said, “I’m okay.” After the portrait incident, I couldn’t blame him for being protective. But this time was different. “Sorry.” I gently separated myself from Kane and flashed them both a smile. “It’s not what you think. That doll is infused with Felicia’s happy memories. Everything coming from her is joy. There isn’t anything evil about it.”
    “Except that her happiness is trapped in a voodoo doll,” Pyper said, voice laced with disgust.
    Pyper’s words sank in. Turning to the other two dolls, I sent out my energy. Faint traces of their contentment pressed against my psyche, confirming my suspicions. Suddenly, I found myself sitting in one of the velvet chairs, holding my head in my hands.
    What the hell was going on? Had all their positive emotions been stripped from the portraits and embedded into the dolls? If so, then by who and, more importantly, why? And how