Existence 02 - Predestined

saved her. Ah’m not askin you dat. Whut needs to be don to end de gris gris curse on her soul?”
    Her gnarled hands wrestled nervously with the afghan in her lap. Ghede was the voodoo spirt lord of the dead, Leif’s father. In her religion he was the end-all. Even though I stood before her she wouldn’t face me for all eternity. I’d simply remove her soul. Ghede would lord over her while she faced her eternity.
    “Arryting Ghede do cos. Dat momma knew whut she’s doin when she axe me to save dat beb.”
    “Den tell me whut dar can be don to change it,” I demanded, growing tired of her dodging my question.
    With a deep sigh, the woman lifted her glassy eyes to meet mine, “a soul for a soul is whut it cos. Nothin less wilt do. Maybe cos more. Ghede want dat gurl.”

    Stepping back out of the crumbling house I took in a deep breath of air. Although it wasn’t exactly fresh it was better than the... dank smell inside the voodoo doctor’s home. With a smirk at the irony, I glanced back over my shoulder one more time before leaving to go convince Pagan that she needed to confront the one person I knew needed to understand the consequences of her choices. Before Ghede decided to start demanding attention.

Chapter Fourteen

    Pagan
    Miranda had fallen asleep after episode four. I couldn’t say I wasn’t relieved. If I had to sit through one more Stephan and Elena scene I was going to scream. The angst was just a little too much for me at the moment. I turned off the television and pulled out a blanket from the ones Miranda’s mother kept rolled up under the entertainment center and spread it out over Miranda’s sleeping form. We’d left a mess in the kitchen and although I was sure her mother would just be thrilled Miranda had made cookies and actually eaten a few I didn’t want to leave the mess for her to clean up.
    Picking up the large plate with the remaining cookies and our two remaining glasses of milk I made my way to the kitchen. Once I stepped inside the doorway I saw Leif sitting at the table with his elbows resting on the tabletop and his gaze fixed on me, I almost screamed and dropped everything in my hands. I managed to swallow the startled scream in my throat and keep from making an even bigger mess in the kitchen.
    “What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to remain calm as I walked over to the sink and put the glasses in the soapy water then placed the plate of cookies on the bar.
    “Waiting until she fell asleep so I could see you. It is Valentine’s Day, you know. I’ve been waiting years to spend it with you and have you actually remember. This was supposed to be my year. You’d have been with me eternally by now if Death hadn’t lost his head once he got a look at you.”
    I rested a hand on my hip and glared at him. I wasn’t in the mood for this. Not now. Not this week especially. “Listen Leif, you know what I’ve been through this week. Can’t you respect that and just back off?” I snapped.
    A look of tenderness flashed in his eyes and he lowered his gaze to his hands still resting on the table in front of him. “I’m sorry for your loss, Pagan. But if Dankmar hadn’t screwed with fate you’d have never experienced the pain of losing Wyatt. The two of you were to have been the tragedies that hit our small town this school year.”
    My mind instantly went to Miranda. She’d have lost us both. Ohgod, that would have completely devastated her. She’d have crumbled. But Dank had stopped that. He may not have been able to stop Wyatt’s fate but he did change mine. I’d be here to help Miranda heal and she’d be okay. She’d make it.
    “Well then, it’s a good thing Dank decided I was worth saving. Miranda could have never handled losing both of us only months apart.”
    Leif sighed and leaned back in the chair letting his hands fall to his lap. “Do you always think about others first, Pagan?”
    His question surprised me. Of course not. Only a selfless person thought of others first and I wasn’t selfless. When I wanted something I went after it and screw whoever stood in my way. “I only put those I love first but so do most people.”
    Leif shook his head, “No, they don’t. Most humans put themselves before even those they love the most. It’s their nature.”
    This conversation was getting off track. I wanted Leif gone so I could clean this kitchen and go to bed. “Just say what you came to say and leave, please. I don’t want to chat with