Alexis wiped between her legs with rubbing alcohol. She kicked her legs out on the toilet and hissed. "That nigga dirty..." she said to the ceiling. Alexis fanned her coochie and slapped her legs together.
She thought back to how July told her about this trick and she still did it. 'My mama uses it... she's a weird vamp like she drinks it and it gives her energy.'
'Is it safe?'
'Ima say yes, because my mama got snatched once by the church and she got a STD from prostitution.' said July.
She's been using it for a long time. It never stung like that. The sink was next to the toilet thank God. She rolled up a thick wad of paper and let the faucet run slow. She quickly put her hand under the drain, damping the paper with warm water.
Alexis wiped from front to back and took another wad of warm paper to do a second wipe.
Afterward, she got up and buttoned her shorts.The bathroom door rapped, she exited to see Rhad with Pink hues. He was holding two things, "What is this?" he held a ring with his right hand.
She looked at her fingers. "Give it back!"
"Who do you praise?" he smirked. He threw the ring up and caught it. "Give it negro!" she went for the ring. Rhad stepped back and slapped her across her face. Alexis held her cheek, "Bitch ass nigga!"
"I asked a question... bind." The word circled her body as her arms started to bend behind her back. "This is a nice ring. I could probably sell it."
"Rhad!" she struggled. "Why do you care?"
"I'm asking for curiosity..." he put the ring on. "Take it off!"
"Why?" he looked at his hands. "All I need is some clear paint and a long pinky nail.
.
.
.
The next morning, I feel inclined to leave the house. Simona was on my mind when I woke up, yesterday, last night, and had that dream.
I was walking on fire but missing my head. And I saw a dark skin girl with green eyes. My chest burned. When I mean walking on fire. I walked on flames that should have hurt me but it was just the temperature.
Dreams are dreams but then I remember witches and astrology and dreams are connected. I could roll my eyes at it but I can't.
Let me go over this.
One, I died—no. Further back, my mother is the princess of the House of Angels. What's so great about that? I'm a fallen—well, my mom is Gabriel's daughter and I'm her third son. Being a princess, my mom didn't have duties but she chose to work. Vampires were blocked off from the world until somebody find us... like how a bitch discovered America and didn't at the same time.
Mom was giving a speech in Virginia. Somebody wanted her out the way and killed my mama.
Why would my uncle do something like that?
I can barely remember him as if he wasn't even in the house.
My death, my death... I start rubbing my chest. I have to sit down for this. I hear footsteps and Jose stands at the bottom of the stairs. "Mind if you help me look through the attic?"
Imagine two bitches talking about one girl's baby daddy going missing and the next day she says, 'I found him in the attic'.
My stomach hurts.
"Sure." I get up and go upstairs. Jose reaches for the drawstring and the ladder comes down. "He didn't do this..." he heads up and I follow.
Inside the attic, there is cobwebs, a ritual symbol on the wall, no windows and clutter of boxes with rag dolls. "Do you come up here?" I ask.
"I used to... after I oved trying to figure out where everything went wrong."
"To do what?"
"Meditate." he says. "It's important to balance yourself. They teach you in Church." I did know that. The House of Angels isn't part of the church. Some sought to join but Gabriel let none enter.
We had our windows busted so grandpa smashed a bunch of vamps with his wings. I can barely remember him; I close my eyes for a moment. The man was tawny with bright blue eyes. My grandfather had fangs; I know that much.
"I'll tell you right now. The church is doing this. You fell your shoulder?"
"What about it?"
He rotates his shoulder, "Feel stress?"
I shake my head. "El ojo magligno." he takes his four fingers to his thumb over his eyes and throws the gaze at me.
"no!"
"It's a thing..." he shrugs. "Now, what has that nigga been up to?"
"Obviously fucking practice. Chickie said she didn't want to be a vampire." I exclaim. "True. I have a daughter, her name is Agradecia and a son." he drops his head in ponder. "I think..."
"Is the spell still going?"
"Yes and no... my arm doesn't feel like I'm having an imaginary stroke."
I just can't get around to why a spell would be used like that. What's the point in—to enter a house, duh. "But who's house?"
Point taken. "If Headcount—I'm so tired of calling a nigga some kindergarten shit--" he rubs his nose. "Chauncey! This spell fucks with memory and the counter is a charm."
"Where can I get that?" that would be handy. "How about a retore memory."
"Aw shit, you really believe in magic for some shit like that. You want your memory back; you pick up a mirror."
I avert my eyes to examine the room. What was she doing in here? I have so many goddamn questions. The puppet that took a baby was just up here. "Do remember your house getting broken into?" I ask. Jose's shoulders lift, "My fat bitch of a wife." he huffs. "Just thinking about it, my ass itches."
.
.
.
I'm looking through the boxes in the attic. Literal barbie dolls, squeeze balls, a dildo... I won't ask. In one box there is a set of family photos. A black woman in a wedding dress, well at least I know whose house this belongs to.
The woman is in a wedding dress but the husband is missing and I'm baffled. I dig out a treasure box with an oriental design. The latch on it is broken, there's nothing inside. Ok, next there is a makeup kit, a box of condoms and a letter.
Dear Nakala Richards
Your recent loan at Peaceworks has granted you a total of 7,546'USD. You are expecting to pay back 15% with 6% interest through monthly repayments. Thank you for choosing our business.
"That's not a loan company." I glance over at Jose wiping the walls down. The ritual is made out of marker so it should be easy but he's been over there a while. I set the letter to the side and find it's sibling shortly after.
Dear Nakala Richards
New information has revealed that you want to cancel your payments due to identity theft. Unfortunately, you owe 680 dollars for late fees and are expected to pay. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.
Below that is a letter for divorce
File for Divorce by the City of Houston, Texas.
This claim was made between Nakala Tucker and Boris Howard. Reason for divorce infidelity, domestic violence, and debt.
I don't bother to read the rest. So, what I understand is this husband cheated on his wife and the husband took out a loan using her name. He was cheating, left a bunch of money for her to make up, and tangled with a loan shark.
I keep digging through papers. I come across a cup with 'Best Baby' written on it. Inside the cup is a photo of what I assume to be Boris, a black man with small fro holding a little girl.
Wait...
What...
Boris has green eyes and one earring in his left ear. The baby looks happy with slobber on her lip. Simona is healthy... I keep repeating that to myself. "How long have you known Dayshia?"
"I don't know..." he growls.
"she got kidnapped by La Dama right?"
"Yeah... but I don't know..."
What the fuck does Simona have to do with it. I look through three more boxes at the naked wall. I find a box of baby clothes, toys, and dirty pampers. I dump it out and a small voodoo doll falls out.
In the pile is a birth certificate.
Name: Simona Ellie Richards
Birth Time: 8:57
City: Houston, Texas
Parents: Nakala Richards (mother) Boris Richards (father)
Origin: Non-vampiric
The medication isn't going to turn her into a vampire... what the hell was she doing to this child?
"Jose..."
"What now?" he gives me his attention. "Simona isn't hers. You seem attached--"
"What do you not understand about me not knowing what the fuck is happening?" he sneers. "I don't know what Dayshia wanted with the damn girl. I don't know where the puppet took her. I don't fucking know."
"We have to go find her."
"Why the fuck I gotta find her? I made a bet with God to find a fucking garden and you want me to find more damn stress."
"A garden?"
"It's fucking Nachash--Asphy'hod." he throws his arms up frustrated. "Why are you so angry? Does it bother you that much?"
"I don't know anything!" he screams. "I don't know! I don't know!" Must be the spell working on him. I leave the attic, I got to look something up.