Sweaty Nights & Gator Bites (Twisted Sisters Midlife Maelstrom #12)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

DAHLIA

K aveh and Kaitlyn had just left, and Dre and I were busy bringing boxes of decor onto the lawn where the shifters were setting up the tables. They had already put up the large tent. We would add a tunnel from the gazebo when those ten by tens arrived the next day.

We needed to get more work done on the reunion before we went back to the bayou. The golden hues of the setting sun filtered through the tall windows and heated the room. Laying a cloth in rich, deep purple over one of the tables, Dani added a vibrant gold runner to see what the combination looked like.

“What do you think?” Dani asked me as she walked by.

My gaze moved over the setup. “It’s perfect. It’s classy and elegant. And it’s so New Orleans without looking cheap or cheesy.”

Relieved, Dani handed Kai a stack of table cloths for the other tables waiting to be arranged. “I agree. The shades and material are exactly what I was hoping for,” she admitted before she moved to the floral arrangements.

The long table was filled with magnolias, lilies, jasmine, and various greenery. Their sweet fragrance filled the air. Dani loved this part of the process. She was working on one so she could set up the table to show Marie so she could approve the budget for fresh flowers or not.

Adèle’s voice echoed in our minds. “ Don’t forget to consider the flow of guests between the patio and the tent. Ensure there’s enough space for everyone to move comfortably. ”

“Good point, Adèle,” I said, smiling. “We should also make sure the dance floor is centrally located. That way, it’ll be easy for everyone to join in the fun.”

Kota nodded, her eyes scanning the sketch. “What about the entrance? We want it to be welcoming but not too crowded.”

“I’ve got that covered,” Dani replied. “We’ll use the large floral arches to create a grand entrance. They’ll add a touch of elegance and guide the guests inside.”

Kota picked up one of the white lilies and a magnolia. “These flowers are stunning. How should we arrange them?” she asked Dani as she helped her construct an arrangement.

“I’m not sure.” They finished the one they were working on and took it to the table I had put the cloths on. They played with the placement until they had what they liked. Phi snapped a picture of the table. “We’ll also have a larger arrangement for the main food table. It’ll be the centerpiece of the whole setup,” Dani said while I went back to work.

Phi glanced around the room, her practical mind already thinking ahead. “We also need to make sure we have enough seating for the ancestors. Let’s set up a few extra tables just in case.”

“Good idea,” I agreed. “We don’t know if they will sit, but we don’t want it to be awkward. And we need to confirm the final guest list with Marie so we can adjust accordingly.”

Dea lifted a light strand. “We want the lighting to be soft and warm, right?”

Nodding, I held up a set of twinkling lights. “I’ve got the fairy lights right here. We’ll drape them around the garden and along the walkways like usual.”

Adèle offered another suggestion. “ You should consider adding some lanterns for an extra touch. They’ll add to the ambiance and provide additional light.”

“I love that idea,” I said, nodding. “We will pull out the lanterns.”

As we worked, the area slowly transformed. The table was set with linens and gold-rimmed plates. We also arranged some of the decorations with meticulous care. The lights were strung up and turned on. They would cast a soft, enchanting glow over everything. The fairy lights would twinkle like stars. The lanterns added a warm, inviting light.

Phi's hands were covered in glitter from the decorations as she grinned. “This is going to be amazing. Marie’s family is going to love it.”

“I hope so,” Dani replied, wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead. “We’ve put so much effort into this. It has to be perfect.”

“It will be,” Dre reassured her. “But we need to get to the council headquarters. Kaitlyn called a meeting.”

Dani gave out more instructions as we gathered our purses. Within a few minutes we had headed to the French Quarter. My sisters and I had done a lot of the renovations on the building, but we hadn’t finished. We hadn’t had time. At least the entrance and the downstairs rooms were mostly done. The kitchen had some tile work that needed to be done.

Viktor, the vampire leader was seated at the table in the meeting room when we entered. He sat there with his usual stoic grace. He scanned us with a keen, calculated gaze. He nodded curtly as we took our seats. I noted how his tailored suit and pale skin contrasted sharply with the warm wood and rich paint of the space.

I turned my attention and watched as the rest of the council arrived. Talindra, the elf leader entered next. Her ethereal beauty and serene demeanor brought a calming presence to the room. She smiled warmly as she approached. Her eyes reflected the wisdom of centuries. Her long, silver hair flowed down her back, and her gown seemed to shimmer with an inner light.

Cyran, the Light Fae leader was with her. His aura radiated a gentle, luminous energy. He greeted each of us with a polite nod as he sat across from Dre. His attire was simple yet elegant. I wanted to ask Xinar, the UIS agent, about his date with Cami when he entered, but it wasn’t the appropriate time. Like usual, Xin was dressed in a dark suit and carried himself with a military-like precision.

Kaitlyn's robes flowed around her when she and Kaveh materialized with a burst of mystical energy. Kaveh's eyes sparkled with ancient knowledge and mischief. He offered a charming smile as he took his place at the table.

Finally, Kassandra, the gargoyle leader, joined us. Her stony exterior and formidable presence was a stark contrast to the other council members. She nodded in greeting. She was partially shifted and had her wings, folded neatly behind her.

“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Kaitlyn began, once everyone was seated. “The Twisted Sisters informed us about a significant threat earlier today. As you might have heard, there are rumblings that the Montclairs, Dubois, and Rousseaus are going to make a move against Marie Leveau’s family reunion. We need any information you might have about these families and their plans.”

Viktor leaned forward, his gaze intense. "What specific actions are these families taking?"

Marie arrived then and took her seat wordlessly. All eyes moved to her. Dani inclined her head to the Voodoo Queen. “We have reason to believe they will attempt to disrupt the spiritual balance and harness the Leveau magic to their advantage.”

Talindra’s expression grew serious. “We need to understand their motivations and their endgame. Only then can we counter their actions effectively.”

Cyran added, “I’ve been informed about increased attacks near sacred sites in the bayou. Is that connected to them?”

Xinar lifted a shoulder. “I’ve been monitoring the family movements. They’re coordinated and well-funded but they don’t appear to have anything to do with the murders in the bayou.” I should have known Cami had updated him on what was happening. She’d probably even asked that he gather intel for us.

Kaveh narrowed his eyes. “We need to set traps and counter-spells. Anticipate their moves and strike before they can execute their plans.”

Kassandra’s voice was firm when she said, “We can’t do anything without definitive proof. We cannot assume they will make a move based on her word alone. She’s not trustworthy.”

Dre sighed and looked at me. I dipped my chin and she turned to Kassandra. “Lia had a vision of dark figures infiltrating the reunion.”

Viktor cocked his head to the side and watched us so closely it gave me the creeps. “I’ll mobilize my forces and gather surveillance and intelligence.” That he wouldn’t share with us. Thank the gods, Xinar was already watching them .

We discussed the issue of the families and their plans for several more minutes. There were promises from the others to gather information for us. Half of the council members were reticent because they didn’t trust Marie. I didn’t blame them, but she seemed genuine. It was too much to hope that anything helpful would come out of the discussion.

Xinar pulled us aside before we could leave. “There’s an old plantation I think you should visit. I get the feeling the Montclair’s are hiding something. It belongs to them, but it’s not what you’d think given their family’s reputation.”

“What do you mean?” I asked at the same time Dre said, “Did it feel like there was Dark magic at work there? I still think they are connected to the shit in the swamp. There are no such things as coincidences.”

Xinar sighed and crossed his arms over his massive chest. “I can’t argue with that. All I can tell you is I haven’t seen anything to support that. I’ll keep looking.”

“That’s all we ask,” Dre agreed. “We will look at whatever you think we need to see.”

“I’ll text the address,” Xinar replied.

“Did Cami tell you about everything?” I asked before we left.

Xinar’s cheeks turned pink as he nodded. “She worries about you guys. You’re like family to her.”

I clapped him on the back. “The feeling is mutual. I’m glad she found you.”

Xinar waved us off and left on foot. We climbed in my car and I followed the directions Xinar gave us. My mouth dropped open when I parked in front of an abandoned plantation. It was cloaked in shadows and the dense foliage overhead created a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight.

Our feet crunched dead leaves as we approached the crumbling estate. The plantation had once been a grand home. It now stood in a state of disrepair, with vines crawling up its walls. Windows were broken or clouded with grime.

“This doesn’t fit a power-hungry family,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “It doesn’t exactly scream Montclair.”

Dani nodded, her eyes scanning the dilapidated structure. “Be careful. Who knows what we'll find inside?”

As we stepped through the overgrown garden, Adèle's voice echoed in our minds. “ There's a hidden passage near the west wing ,” she murmured.

“Thank the gods there’s another way inside,” Phi blurted. “I wasn’t looking forward to walking up to the door.”

We moved cautiously and quietly after that. The creaking wooden floorboards under our feet sounded unnaturally loud in the silence. The house felt alive. With what, I couldn’t be sure. My face screwed up in disgust when each room we came across was filled with decaying furniture and enough layers of dust to bury ten bodies.

“Look at these symbols,” Dre whispered loudly as she gestured to some faded carvings on the walls. “They're magical and it looks like they form a pattern.”

Phi joined her and said, “It’s almost like a map.”

“ They're ancient symbols meant to protect something—or hide it ,” Adèle informed us

"Let's stick together," Dea suggested, her voice steady. "We need to cover more ground, but we can't afford to be separated."

She got no argument from us. We moved cautiously through the abandoned plantation with our senses on high alert. "The west wing looks the most promising," I said. “The windows are intact there.”

"Agreed," Dani said as we proceeded down the left corridor together. Our footsteps echoed softly on the old wooden floors. The shadows pulsed with a life of their own, and I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. Of course, that could be my overactive imagination.

" There ," Adèle's voice guided us. " Behind the bookshelf. "

Dre and I pushed the heavy, dust-covered bookshelf aside. We revealed a narrow, hidden passageway. The air inside was cooler and carried the faint scent of damp earth and old magic.

"This looks promising," Dani said, stepping into the passage. "Let's see where it leads."

Our footsteps echoed softly as we followed the winding corridor. The walls were lined with more symbols that glowed faintly. I swear they were drawing energy from our presence. It was like a subtle draw on my magical core. My protective instincts kicked in and I cast a spell to stop what was happening. I noted my sisters did the same thing.

"These symbols," Dre muttered, "are taking from us to obscure whatever is here. It’s insidious."

“I don’t like this,” I muttered as we continued.

The passage finally opened up into a hidden chamber. The room was filled with ancient artifacts. Bookshelves were lined with dusty tomes and a large, ornate chest in the center. "Jackpot," Dani said, her eyes lighting up. "Let's see what we've got."

" Be careful. There might be traps ," Adèle warned.

“We should disarm any magical ambushes,” I replied.

Dre nodded and knelt by the chest. We followed suit and extended our hands so they hovered above the surface. We began chanting a spell to reveal anything waiting to pounce and then we followed up with one to unravel them. A soft click echoed in the room. Dre reached forward with a smile. "All clear."

We opened the chest to find a collection of scrolls and ritual objects. The dark energy coming off of them made my stomach roil with nausea. It was like a thousand worms came to life. The scrolls detailed various spells and rituals. Most of which were linked to the Montclairs' less than stellar practices.

"This is it," I said, holding up one of the scrolls. "This is the evidence we need."

Just as we were about to leave, we heard a faint rustling from the entrance of the passageway. My heart raced as I turned to see a shadow dart across the corridor. "Did you see that?" I whispered.

Dani nodded, her eyes narrowing. "Let's get out of here. Quickly."

We moved swiftly back through the passage, each of us on high alert. As we exited the hidden chamber, the plantation seemed to grow darker. The air thickened with a sense of impending danger.

" Stay close together ," Adèle warned. " There's something else there ."

We hurried through the house, clutching our findings. Just as we reached the front door, a chill ran down my spine. I turned to see a figure standing in the shadows. It was difficult to make out any details, but the malevolent energy radiating from it was unmistakable.

Dre grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the exit. "We do this together."

As we burst out into the open air, the oppressive feeling lifted slightly. We hurried toward my car, leaving the abandoned plantation now behind us. "Unlock the doors," Phi said, catching her breath. "We need to get out of here."

"They're unlocked," I replied, holding up the scrolls. "I don’t know how we got out of there with the evidence we need to expose the Montclairs and their dark activities."

I drove like a madwoman back to the plantation and we hurried inside. Lucas and Noah stared at us and followed until we stopped in the ladies’ parlor. We dropped the items we found on the coffee table and I went into his arms.

“What happened?” he asked as he kissed my head.

I sucked in a deep breath and looked up at him. “We went to an abandoned plantation on Xinar’s behest and encountered something evil. We’re okay,” I was quick to reassure him.

"I don’t like you being in danger,” Lucas growled. “But I worry less knowing your sisters are with you. What did you find?”

“We aren’t sure,” I admitted.

"We found evidence of Dark magic on the Montclair’s part," Phi answered.

Dea leaned over and peered at one of the pages. "It looks like they're drawing power from spirits. But for what purpose?"

" Look closely at the pattern. There’s a symbol in the corner that might be the key, " Adèle advised us.

I focused on the area Adèle had indicated. Sure enough, there was a small, symbol etched into the corner of the stone that was almost hidden. It was a circle within a triangle, with lines radiating outward. "I see it. This symbol... it’s different from the rest."

Dea, her eyes wide with realization, leaned in. "That’s a siphoning symbol. It’s used to draw energy from one source and transfer it to another."

Phi’s brow furrowed as she studied the symbol. "I bet they planned on using this to draw power from the spirits of the Leveau ancestors.”

Kota shot us a grim look. "And we just brought it here where it could do the most damage without them having to infiltrate the property. It’s why that shadow didn’t attack. "

" We will get rid of the rock in a moment. First, check the alignment of the symbols. It’s crucial to understanding the spell’s structure ," Adèle said

We nodded and followed her advice. As I traced the alignment of the symbols, a pattern began to emerge. "They’re positioned to form a conduit. It’s designed to draw power from the spirits and channel it into a central point. Kota is right."

" It will be better to neutralize this so they can’t get it on the property by other means. Right now, they think they’ve landed their Trojan Horse. We don’t want to tip them off that you’re onto them. You’ll need a counter-spell strong enough to neutralize the siphoning symbol. It won’t be easy, but it’s possible ,” Adèle replied.

I leaned into Lucas’s hands as they rubbed my shoulders and said, "Then that’s what we’ll do. We’ll prepare a counter-spell and disrupt their plans."

Phi nodded eagerly. “We can use one of Kota’s potions. But we’ll need all our strengths combined to pull this off."

Noah grabbed the small stone while we searched for anything else in what we’d brought back. Certain there were no other traps waiting to spring, we set to work. An hour passed in a blur of research and preparation. The sun climbed higher in the sky and my stomach grumbled as the time passed. Lucas and Noah brought us po boy’s, so we didn’t go into this hangry.

Finally, we had everything we needed. I looked around at my sisters. Their faces were as eager as I was to see how this went. “Let’s do this,” I said.

The afternoon air was hot as we gathered outside near the gazebo. The small stone artifact was nestled in Noah’s hand. It was innocuous enough, but we all knew the danger it posed. Kota stood nearby, ready with the potion that would help us destroy the Trojan Horse artifact .

"Ready?" Kota asked, her eyes meeting each of ours in turn.

"Ready," we all replied in unison.

Noah placed the stone on the ground and backed away. We formed a circle around it with the gazebo standing behind us. Kota carefully poured the potion onto the stone. The liquid hissed and bubbled upon contact. As the mixture soaked in, we began the incantation in steady clear voices.

“Ancient powers, hear our plea, Destroy this darkness, set it free. With potion's might and spell's command, Break this curse, by our hand.” Power built as we recited it a second time. The stone began to glow and a faint blue light emanated from its core. The air around us crackled with energy as the magic built. It was coiling like a spring ready to snap.

The third time we said the chant, the light from the stone grew blindingly bright. A loud crack echoed and was followed by an intense burst of energy. The force of the explosion sent us all staggering backward as a shockwave rippled through the air. I landed hard on the ground. The impact knocked the breath from my lungs. Lucas picked me up and cradled me against his side.

When the dust settled, we looked over to see a gaping hole where part of the gazebo had been. Splintered wood littered the ground. The remnants of the explosion were still smoldering.

"Well," I said, coughing as I held onto my mate, "looks like we’ve got to add wood working to our to-do list."

Dani’s hair was singed at the ends. She picked up and studied a lock. "The cost of thwarting evil, I guess."

Dea stood nearby, brushing dirt from her clothes. "It's a small price to pay to get rid of that artifact."

Kota snorted and shook her head. "We'll need to repair this quickly. The reunion is only a few days away. "

“You six don’t have to do anything,” Lucas interrupted. “Noah and I will tackle that task.”

Adèle was watching us from a few feet away. " You did well, " she said. " The artifact is destroyed, and its power is gone. Focus on stopping Garrick and those families ." Easy peasy, right?