Wes

“Your cuz is a genius, dude,” Wes said stretching his legs out in the front seat of Cali’s car. He was riding shotgun while she sped down the interstate.

“What about me?” Cali shot back sounding wounded.

“Baby, you know you’re my number one. And that grossness you snagged from the hospital . . . that was some creepy Dexter shit, my little mastermind.”

Cali grinned proudly. “Thanks.”

Wes leaned over the backseat, pretending to talk without Cali hearing. “She’s sexy as hell,” he said to Grey and Etti. “But sometimes she scares me.”

“Heard that,” Cali said, but Wes caught the amusement in her voice.

“For real though, I think this is the most solid plan we’ve had so far,” Wes admitted.

“Me too,” Grey agreed.

But Etti remained silent, her gaze fixed on Izzi. She hadn’t said anything since they’d started their road trip.

Wes and Cali had been in the middle of a sunrise sex sesh when Grey called Wes. He immediately answered, because Grey only ever called when Etti was in trouble. Grey had quickly laid out his cousin’s plan to set decoy shifters at Etti and Grey’s apartment to throw off the hunt while they made their escape, asking Wes and Cali if they’d be willing to come along to help protect Izzi.

They quickly agreed. And after hearing the whole plan, Cali recommended they add a gross bag of umbilical blood to their scheme. It was apparently being saved for emergencies. But a hunt army seemed like a pretty fucking big emergency.

Cali said it would put the right scent over the apartment so anyone from the hunt sniffing around wouldn’t doubt that Etti and Izzi were still inside.

Grey’s family stayed there too, just like they would if they were protecting their own. They also helped set the stage with Grey’s scent. The last piece of the puzzle had been hauling Marc out of bed to play getaway driver again. They made him drive to the Painted Wolf to pick up Etti, Grey and Izzi.

To anyone else, Marc looked like an employee dropping by work. But after he went inside and talked to the decoy shifters Cali had arranged to play, Etti, Grey, and Wes, the pale tattoo artist slipped out the back with the real Etti, Grey and Izzi hidden in his trunk. He dropped them off where Cali and Wes were waiting, bags packed, with everything they needed for their road trip.

“We’ll be in NOLA in three hours,” Wes said trying to get Etti’s attention. “Where do you want to go first?”

“My ancestor’s tomb,” Etti replied.

“Hold up,” Wes protested. “Are we trying to find a dead witch to help us? Because that’s gonna make things a bit more difficult.”

“No. Esme’s alive. But only blood calls to blood,” Etti said.

“Okay, I can get on board with creepy, but anyone care to clarify?” Wes asked.

“My mother told us the only way to call Esme out of hiding is to put Izzi’s blood on the tomb of her ancestor, Marie Laveau.”

Cali gasped. “Hold the phone, Etti! You’re related to Marie Laveau? Like the Marie Laveau, Queen of Voodoo?”

“Wait. What?” Wes couldn’t wrap his mind around what was happening. “I thought Esme’s last name was Devereux?”

“That name is her alias,” Etti replied. “She’s been hiding from the hunt too.”

“Okay, so she’s Esme Laveau? Descendant of some famous witch?”

“Not just any famous witch,” Cali interrupted. “She’s the witch. As in the woman who spawned the dynasty of legendary voodoo magic that New Orleans is famous for.”

“Okay, witch doctor,” Wes said. His hair prickled on his arms learning his mate was so into this witchy shit.

Cali smirked, probably scenting his unease. “You tease, but that’s how witchcraft started. Witches are healers by nature.”

“Okay, so this Laveau lady was a good witch?” Wes asked.

“Not everything’s black and white, Wes. All I know is she was very powerful, and if I were you I wouldn’t joke about her or voodoo,” Cali warned. “Especially in the French Quarter. Witches take respect very seriously.”

Wes glanced at Etti and Grey in the backseat, exhaling nervously. “Okay, so do you know where this descendant of yours is buried?”

“St. Louis Cemetery No. 1,” Grey replied.

“How do you know that?” Etti asked.

Grey smiled. “Google.”

Wes laughed. “Gotta love technology. You hear that Izzi? You got witches, shifters and Google at your disposal. This’ll be a piece of cake.”

Wes put his sunglasses back on and reached over to take Cali’s hand, praying they weren’t driving into some sort of witchy voodoo trap, because as it was, his spidey senses were tingling.