The Witch Doctor
DISCLAIMER: This story contains adult content.
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Chapter 6
Speak of the Devil
“So our profits are increasing.”
“That's good news.”
It had been two days since I'd seen Jakoby and Orion kissing. I hadn't really been able to sleep but I figured I couldn't just sit around sad about it. Jakoby was giving me my daily run down and having me sign off on all this paperwork in my office.
Our relationship was definitely different now. It was less personal and more business. This is how I should have kept it from the beginning.
“The reviews in the restaurant have been great. We even had great reviews in the hotel in Micki's division.”
“Wow.”
Jakoby was still talking but I hadn't looked up from the paper at him the whole time he had been in the office. I had to admit I was being a little cold.
“I was thinking maybe we could throw a banquet. We should be celebrating this turn around.”
“Great do it.”
“Really? Great! I have a budget here I wanted you to review over the banquet.”
“No need. I trust you.”
“I was thinking maybe you could help me plan it...like something we can do together.”
I shook my head, “If you need help you can hire a party planner. Just throw it on my schedule though. I'll make sure I attend.”
“What's happening?”
I raised an eyebrow finally putting down my reading glasses handing him the papers he had me sign and looking up at him, “What do you mean?”
It was just what I was trying to avoid. Looking at him was amazing. Jakoby was so handsome to me. He had that worried look in his eyes. I hated him for hitting puberty and getting so sexy but maintaining that personality of his.
“We are getting...I don't know...distant.”
“Why do you think that is?” I asked, “Any reason you could think of?”
I looked in his face trying to see if he would admit to it. I wondered if he would admit the fact that he was gay or the fact that he was in the restaurant swapping spit with Orion Ferris. I wondered if Jakoby would admit any of that. Maybe then we could be over it.
Instead Jakoby just shook his head.
“No, nothing's different. Maybe it's just my imagination,” he said.
I was disappointed in him and I let out a little sigh.
I guess it was his business though. He didn't have to tell me a damn thing.
There was noise in the corridor. It sounded like a woman screaming. I couldn't tell exactly what it was but Jakoby turned and seemed to know immediately.
“What is that?” I asked him.
He turned, “Looks like one mad Boss. Did you want me to tell her we were busy having a conversation.”
“No...send her in. We are done here.”
“I guess...”
He looked disappointed and he had a snappy tone in his voice. He did as I said though collecting his papers and walking outside of my office. I was so fucking disappointed. The night that I found out about him and Orion I couldn't even sleep. A part of me hated Orion. I was jealous. I had to admit it. I wanted to be the one kissing Jakoby.
Jakoby was gay and he wouldn't even tell me. I couldn't figure this out for the life of me.
Micki Boss walked in the room as Jakoby left.
At first I didn't even look up at her and when I was did I was a little shocked to see that her skin was this purple color. She had bags under her eyes. She wasn't looking too good at all.
Micki invited herself to sit, placing her huge bag on my desk without permission. She always seemed to feel like she had the right to do shit like this. It was getting kind of annoying really.
“What happened to you?” I asked.
She crossed her arms, “Orion Ferris happened to me...”
“He did this to you?”
“Not exactly,” she stated shaking her head, “I was trying to put a curse on him. However it seems like he had already been protected by the same spirits I was trying to curse him with. When things like that happen...the curse blows up in your face. Like a science experiment gone wrong.”
“Spirits?”
She rolled her eyes at me, clealry unimpressed.
“I forget. You don't know anything about magic besides your stupid ass mind control trick,” she stated, “2 minute lesson. Some people don't need help to do magic like you. Other people like me need to do spells to talk to spirits. These spirits can cast powerful curses. However it looks like Orion or someone else asked those spirits to protect him. So my curse failed and this is my...punishment. Purple skin.”
I could almost laugh if Micki didn't look so evil at that moment.
It looked like she got knocked clear off her high horse.
“So why are you here? Like you said I don't know anything about magic. I can't make your skin back to normal.”
“Don't be stupid. I got that taken care of. I came for something else...”
“Go on.”
“So after I failed miserably I went to the Old Lady to ask her how I could get rid of Orion. Obviously I couldn't cast magic on him. She said that he loved someone and that you knew who it was. I can use whoever he loves against him. So I came to ask you...who the hell it is...”
Orion loved someone?
Clearly it had to be Jakoby.
I shook my head forgetting something, “Wait the old lady talks to you.”
I had never heard the old lady talk.
“Clearly,” Micki rolled her eyes again, “Who do you think taught me the magic that I know? Clearly my mother didn't.”
“So what do you plan on doing to the person that Orion loves?”
“Hexes, curses, voodoo dolls....why does it make a difference to you?” Micki stated, “Whatever I do will get rid of a pest that we both have in common. The Old Lady said you'd be able to help me.”
“How does she know?”
“The Old Lady knows everything.”
I didn't trust Micki as far as I could throw her. I may have been annoyed at Jakoby but he was still my best friend. He had still managed to bring the hotel back to be profitable single handedly. There was no way I was just going to hand him over to Micki's claws.
“I hate to break to you,” I said, “But the old lady got that one wrong. I have no idea who Orion loves.”
“The Old Lady is never wrong,”
“She's wrong this time,” I stated, “Don't let the door hit you on your way out.”
Micki got up, “You better NOT let me find out you are lying.”
“Shouldn't you be concerned about fixing your skin? You are starting to look like the Wicked Witch of the West. You wouldn't want to let the 5 family secret out now would you?”
“I'll find out who it is...with or without your help.”
Micki walked out.
A part of me was kind of stuck. If I was a smart witch doctor I'd be helping Micki. God knows what Orion was capable of. The way he was just setting up camp at the resort after I warned him to get away was disrespectful. It was VERY disrespectful. It was clear he didn't have any regard for me. Then he put something in my drink at that! If he had been the one responsible for my brother's death then there was no telling how far Orion would go...
I should have been doing anything I could to get rid of him.
“What made you change your mind?” Dore asked.
I had finally taken Dore up on our little trade. The thing was that I had get Orion out of here before Micki did something to Jakoby in order to hurt Orion. I needed to know what this talking to spirit thing was that Micki was doing. I felt like I was out of the loop.
Before I knew it Dore was taking me to the 7th floor of the hotel. She said she had something to show me.
“I just want to learn more,” I stated, “Orion embarrassed me.”
“That he did.”
“Where are we headed?”
“A secret place closed off to the public. Your brother showed us this.”
We headed towards a huge red door in the resort and Dore opened it using a key she had tucked away underneath her shirt. When the door opened it was a library. It was a dusty, old smelling library. However there was a smell that stuck out to me more than anything. It was the smell of lemongrass. It was the smell of magic.
The door shut behind us causing me to jerk forward once we entered in the library.
“What the hell would a library be doing here.”
“These aren't regular books. These are books of shadows. The five families have been Wicca Witch doctors for generations. The wicca religion is one that has a lot of history and a lot of books. All these books are full of spells.”
“All this magic and we what have we achieved in centuries? A resort?”
“You sound like Exodus,” she said.
“That's a first.”
“Seriously. He used to say the same thing. He felt like we shouldn't be hiding around casting spells in darkness. Of course as long as Old Lady is around that isn't going to happen. The Old Lady is the keeper of secrets...key word secrets.”
I could care less about what the Old Lady had to say but I had to admit she had a point. Shi Shi's boyfriend was obsessed with what happened with my spell on him. He wouldn't let it go. I remembered how Jakoby reacted to it. Magic brought a sense of insecurity to people. They didn't like it.
“What's that book over there?”
It was in the middle of the room.
“That is the last book that your brother was reading. You said you wanted to know what happened the day your brother died. He was reading that book here. He told Shi Shi, Micki and I that he had figured it out. Two hours later he just dropped dead.”
“Figured what out.”
“We'd been trying to figure out how the Old Lady was alive.”
“Immortality? You guys were trying to fucking figure out how to live forever? Oh that's not dangerous at all.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Your brother was the strongest witch doctor since the Old Lady. If anyone could figure it out it was him. And he came close. Do you know what that would mean if we figured it out? We wouldn't have to be afraid of who we are. The humans couldn't hurt us.”
“Dore, we are human.”
She shook her head.
“We are so much more. With these books we can contact spirits. The spirits can give us anything we want. There is no limit.”
I walked ahead and grabbed the book that was in the middle of the room.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I'm going to find out what killed my brother.”
“What about me? You said you'd teach me how to use the gift.”
“Well we need men around. How about at the party. Jakoby is throwing one. Be there tonight. I'll teach you.”
Dore looked suspicious, “You promise.”
I rolled my eyes at her, “Relax. I'll do what I said I was going to do.”
“Fine. There's one more thing you should know.”
“What is it?”
“The reason your dad died was because of a Ferris. Your Dad and Adrian Ferris had found out the secret to the Old Lady's immortality as well. Adrian wanted to keep the secret just for the Ferris family. He put a curse on your dad that ended up killing him. Since then the Ferris family have been banned. Orion probably found out your brother found out about the immortality spell...”
“I'll figure it out.”
“I'm sure you will.”
I had spent days reading that book. The more I read the more I couldn't keep my hands off of it. Magic was a lot different from what I had thought. I always thought I just thought something and it appeared. This was a lot different from my gift. Everything in this book required sacrifice. There were materials in here that I hadn't even heard of before and rituals that were so complex that didn't really make sense.
“Are you almost ready?” Jakoby asked.
It was the day of Jakoby's little party. I hadn't even been paying attention to it all. Jakoby walked in my room without knocking and I quickly shut the book.
“You've been reading that book for a while. I can't get you to focus on anything else,” Jakoby stated, “It must be good.”
I shook my head and put the book in my drawer, “It's ok. Is the party about to start?”
“Everyone's waiting on you. We have been for the past 20 minutes while you were up here reading. Oh my good look at your hair. Maybe you should go brush it bro...”
It was embarrassing to have Jakoby checking my hair. Things had been so awkward with us since I found out about his little boo thing Orion. Little did he know Orion was my sworn enemy. I went into the bathroom and started brushing my hair.
“So Jakoby how are the ladies on the island?” I asked from the bathroom.
I couldn't look him in his eyes to discuss this. I brushed my hair in my bathroom.
“They are...I don't know...just ladies. What makes you ask that?”
“A guy like you... I'm sure you know all about the ladies right,” I told him.
“Naw...well...I don't know...”
He wasn't even paying me any attention really.
I walked out of the bathroom and saw exactly why he wasn't paying me attention. Jakoby had reached in my drawer and had taken out the book of shadows that was in there. His eyes were quickly flipping through the book right now. I was looking at him wondering how much he had read in the short time I was in there.
“What is this?” he asked, “Lemongrass...herbs...”
“Um...”
I didn't know what to say. Jakoby seemed confused as he looked at me. How do you tell someone what you are. Did Jakoby even deserve the truth? He couldn't be honest to me about him being gay. Why the hell would I be honest with him? I looked down at Jakoby wondering now if I should put my spell on him and make him forget what he'd just saw.
I had promised myself that I'd never do that to Jakoby though. It felt so wrong.
“Oh that's an old recipe book,” Dore stated, “I gave it to Genesis to borrow.”
I hadn't even seen her walk in. She was dressed in a gown that had a very high slit in it and let one of her legs peak out. Dore was a very attractive girl and she seemed smart too but without the emotions of Shi Shi or the superiority complex of Micki. It was no wonder I seemed to get along with her the most.
“Oh...I didn't know you liked to cook,” Jakoby stated.
I grabbed the book from him and this time when I put it back in the drawer I made sure I locked the drawer.
“I'm just starting,” I stated.
“Maybe we can cook sometime together,” Jakoby stated, “I can get you back in touch with your island roots.”
Jakoby was trying to spend some time with me recently. Maybe it was because I was really being short with him. I couldn't help it. I had feelings for him and he probably had feelings for someone else. That wasn't the easiest thing to deal with.
“I'll think about it,” I stated, “You should probably go downstairs Jakoby and let them know I'll be down there in a minute.”
Jakoby nodded and silently walked out.
I looked over at Dore expecting for her to chew me out like Massie about almost letting a normal guy read through the book of shadows. A part of me even expected her to be extremely annoyed like Micki would but Dore didn't even seem too concerned.
Her mind was on Jakoby as he walked out, “Why you pushing him away?”
I fixed my tie.
“I'm not, we are just friends,” I stated.
She sighed, “I don't need magic to see the chemistry between you two. That boy is drawn to you like a moth to flame. You are drawn right back to him.”
“Dore I don't need to here this right now.”
I didn't need to hear it ever. It was everything that I knew. What Dore didn't know though was that he was kissing Orion.
“There are way too many secrets floating around here,” she said, “May I escort you the ballroom Mr. Bah?”
I wondered what she meant by it but I didn't ask. She put her hand in my arm and I clutched it.
I was being escorted to a celebration party by a beautiful woman in a resort that I had helped turn around. I should have been excited but instead I was just thinking about Orion and Jakoby. I was just thinking about that little kiss that they shared.
It was fucking painful.
“I'd like to toast to Genesis Bah...everyone...for changing this hotel around,” Jakoby had announced.
People toasted to me and sat back down. I was at a table with Shi Shi, her boyfriend Bobby, Micki, Dore and of course Jakoby. There were a bunch of tables around the ballroom and most of the people there were employees but I guess this was the VIP table. Everything was white and mostly everyone wore white colors...everyone except the Three Graces.
They were decked out in black as though they were going to someone's funeral. Micki even had heavy black eyeliner. It was almost like she wanted to announce to the world that she was a witch.
“I wish Exodus was around to see the difference you've made in the hotel,” Dore stated.
I nodded, “It was honestly more Jakoby...”
Jakoby shook his head, “No what's a foot soldier without a good general?”
Micki sighed loudly. It was clear that she was a little tipsy and clearly annoyed with all the praise that I had been getting all night. If it was up to her Exodus would be alive and the resort would be closed down with all the debt they'd been piling up.
Micki could care less about the resort's new success, “You know who was a good leader...Exodus. That was a damn good leader. He could turn water into wine that one...”
“Just like magic,” Shi Shi stated.
“Right, hocus pocus,” Micki laughed as though Shi Shi had said the funniest thing in the world. It was clear that she was uncomfortable here.
The night had been extremely awkward sitting here watching Micki giving me the shit eye with every compliment I got aobut how much better the restaurant was doing now that Exodus was gone.
Jakoby smiled, “Exodus was great, but Genesis is as well. If it wasn't for Genesis god knows where any of us would be now.”
Micki shot Jakoby a look, “I know where you'd be...getting some alcoholic's bags for 2 bucks...”
Shi Shi was now laughing backing Micki up. I was surprised however when Dore wasn't laughing she was sitting there uncomfortably.
“Good thing that things change.”
Micki nodded, “I agree...things change...ALL the time.”
She was giving Jakoby the hardest look imaginable. I felt really comfortable at that moment with him there.
It was Dore who actually broke up Micki's hard stare, “Jakoby I had some special wine delivered for the table back at my bar for Genesis. They are kind of heavy. You mind going to get the boxes? Bobby why don't you go give him a hand.”
“Sure,” Jakoby stated.
He looked like he wasn't going to easily back down from Micki but I was glad that he did. God knows what that woman had up her sleeve and I hated the idea of her having Jakoby on her radar for any reason.
As soon as Bobby and Jakoby were gone Dore seemed to hop back on the subject.
“We need to start acting more civil to one another,” Dore stated, “We are in the same coven remember. We have a common enemy...”
“Do we?” Micki asked.
“What's that suppose to mean?” I asked.
“It means you are losing focus,” Micki stated, “Maybe you forgot that this motherfucker is the one who killed your brother.”
“We don't know that for a fact.”
Micki shook her head, “Whatever.”
“What do you plan on doing?” I asked finally, “To Orion. Are you going to kill him? Is that what you are going to do?”
“What if I did?” she asked, “He killed the only man I ever loved.”
“Revenge...that's what you are in it for?” I asked.
At that moment all of them looked at me like I had three heads or something. I didn't understand it. Even Dore turned me and seemed kind of confused.
“Gene, this is for Exodus. If the Ferris family are responsible for his death then it is up to us to make them pay for it,” Dore stated.
She was looking at me...judging me. I was weak to her. Even Dore thought I was weak. I just didn't want to just go around hurting someone. That wasn't in me.
I used my powers to fuck. I didn't use my power to hurt anyone.
“He doesn't get it,” Micki stated, “Don't waste your time. Remember that is the weak brother that abandoned us...”
She's just called me weak.
“Exodus would have never left us like that,” Shi Shi said.
“I'M NOT FUCKING EXODUS!”
I had stood up and slammed my steak knife hard into the table. At that moment I realized we were being surrounded by gentlemen.
No...correction three gentlemen had surrounded the three Graces and each had grabbed a steak knife from the table and had done EXACTLY what I did!
As I realized what they had done I looked at them and saw they were under my control...somehow. Before I knew it I let go of the control over them. They all looked confused as to why they were stabbing the table with steak knifes but walked away as though it was some sort of weird happening that didn't matter.
“How did you do that?” Dore stated.
I shrugged, “I never controlled more than once person at once. I never controlled someone without staring at them.”
Micki nodded, “You are getting stronger.”
I sat down at the table trying to calm down. For the first time when I looked at Micki it looked like she wasn't hostile. It was almost as though my show of power had impressed her. Was it possible that I was able to impress Micki?
I shook my head, “I just got worked up.”
Micki smiled, “Use that. That is what you need. I apologize however for getting you worked up. It's annoying that you don't see it. Your brother understood. We can't go through life being scared. We are better.”
Micki was speaking to me so differently now after my show of power. It was clear that was the only thing that made any difference to her. All she cared about was the magic. Maybe that's why she fell for my brother. He was so goddam powerful. He knew everything about magic and I knew nothing.
“Who are we better than?”
“Everyone,” she explained, “Stop being a pussy. I know you think I'm a bossy bitch but I don't mean to tell you what to do. However I'll tell you what we won't do. We won't let our enemy just carry his ass into our resort, unwelcomed. That's what we won't do.”
Shi Shi was the one who spotted him first, “Well now's our chance huh? Look.”
From behind us we saw Orion walk into the room. It was almost as though the room got heavy as hell from him walking in.
“Speak of the devil and he will appear,” Dore stated.
A part of me was hesitant to admit that Micki was right. Even as he walked into the room I felt this feeling of hesitation. Orion wasn't even wearing a tuxedo. He was wearing a leather jacket. He was the only one dressed like that. He walked through peering around drinking wine from every server that walked past. How disrespectful could one guy be.
It wasn't until the asshole Orion started me dead in my eyes and cracked a smile that I had given into Micki. She was right. This asshole had some BALLS. Not only does he show up on the Island. He shows up at the resort and he stays at the resort for an extended stay. Not only that but he shows up at a private party.
“He can't walk out of here,” Micki stated. I hadn't noticed her moving right next to me. She was in my ear, “No matter what...we can't allow this man to walk out of here.”