AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I hope the zombie will be cute. He’s not decayed or anything, is he?”
That earned him another smack on the back of the head, and Geneviève looked over at me. “You sure you want this one?”
“I’m sure. I adore him.” And that was the truth to the core of my soul.
“To each his own.”
Austin chimed in with, “What did he say?”
But she didn’t answer him. She went into some kind of a trance, muttering words in what sounded French, but I didn’t know what she said. Then I felt a vibration. Apparently, Austin and Salina felt it too. They held their arms out as if trying to balance on shaky ground. “Salina, unlock the tomb.” She handed the girl a key, and she unlocked a gate on the side of the giant tomb we were next to. Geneviève said a few more words and held her hands up.
And then it came. From inside the tomb, Salina had opened. He was slow and maybe not looking so good. His blue eyes were unseeing, and I couldn’t feel anything alive or supernatural coming off of him. He was like a void.
Austin stared at the zombie, glanced over at Geneviève, then back to the zombie. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, she put her hand on his face, shutting his lips tight.
“When Luc’s soul goes in, his life force will repair the body. So stop worrying…”
Austin nodded. Then she let him go to perform the ritual. She and Salina moved back and forth between the zombie and thetotem, making jerky movements in almost a dance, but not. The whole time, chanting more words I didn’t understand.
And then I felt it. A tug. Not unlike when Austin moved without me, but different. I was yanked toward the ring, becoming small and smashing into the totem, ruining it.
Geneviève and Salina raised their hands above their heads. Salina continued chanting and Geneviève moaned. Then I was shoved—thrown—at the zombie. I couldn’t stop. I entered the body, much like I had entered Austin’s previously, but again it was different. I went in deeper. Down a dark tunnel. I felt like I was spinning faster and faster, but I couldn’t see a thing.
When I shared Austin’s body, he was always there. I felt his consciousness like a rubber ball. Inside the zombie, there was nothing.
I stretched out. I took over. I owned every bit of it.
I opened my eyes. “Austin…” the voice was not mine.
Geneviève brushed her hands together. “Pack this stuff up.” Salina jumped to it, loading their things in the bag. She snatched the velvet pouch from Austin and picked up the golden ring from the leftover mound of mud. She nodded. Looked at me and smiled. “Don’t exit through the main gate.”
Madame X Mansion
Austin
We lucked out. It took a bit, but along with the zombie body, Lady Geneviève came through with papers. A birth certificate, passport, and driver’s license, although Luc most certainly would not be driving anywhere. But with that in hand, he got a great job. Well, it took time for his soul to heal the body enough to actually play piano. But once it did, he was ready to go. Themusic came back as if it had never left, and that led to the job and a better apartment, in turn. Some of Luc’s new connections helped us land a great deal on one we could afford. A charming one-bedroom in Madame X Mansion on Toulouse.
I paid Walsh what I owed him in back rent before we moved. But this new place was worthy of Luc. He deserved it with all its character, brick walls, hardwood floors, and high ceilings. And we even had our own balcony. And it made Luc happy. And Luc being happy made me happy.
He came out of the tiny bathroom wearing a negligee—black and silky.Deities! It looked so good on his skin, hanging above his knees. It was so amazing how his appearance had changed. His new body had lighter hair and a gaunt look when he first entered it. Now it looked more like Luc with darker hair and good health. The body’s eyes had been blue. I remembered that. Blue and vacant, they actually had creeped me out when we first saw it. I nearly called the whole thing off, but I trusted Luc, and I wanted this for him. But now those eyes were more hazel. Closer and closer to Luc’s lovely brown by the day. I didn’t know how it happened, and I didn’t care.
Luc twirled around the living room. “What do you think?”
“Fucking sexy.” It was the first time I’d seen him like that, though I’d known he bought the lingerie weeks ago.
“I learned that things like this are a lot more acceptable now. When I was alive the first time, wearing this could get me beat or killed. But I love it. It feels. Like me.”
His voice had changed too. It was scratchy and deep at first. He couldn’t sing a lick. It took weeks to get to a range Luc could do something with. Now, it was nearly as close to the voice I remembered as it could be.
And he was so talented.
He loved jazz, but he started playing other genres too. His regular gig was at one of the fancy hotels, The Davenport Lounge at The Ritz Carlton, and that paid most of our bills.
And me? I went back to waiting tables…to get me through school. I enrolled in business courses in Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Administration at The University of New Orleans. I loved this city, but waiting tables wasn’t enough. I wanted more out of life. I wanted to have more to offer my Luc.
No more gambling. It was time to be that better man. Someone he deserved.
Everything else with that body was in working order as well. “Come here, sexy.”
