AIDAN

After two hours, the parade concluded and I stepped off the float. Behind me, Jackson also exited looking perturbed and elated at the same time. “I definitely saw way too much vomiting and a few other things I’ll have to pay good money to erase."

I scrunched my nose and nodded in agreement. "I wish I could say it's because of Mardi Gras, but you haven't been to Decadence. It gets worse."

Jackson smiled while getting closer to me. "So, I was wondering something."

Before he could say anything else, Nadia, Lana, and Chris walked up with Nadia the first to reach us. "You two better not be performing any public indecencies without me. Y’all ready for more drinks?"

I vigorously nodded and started to walk towards the group when Jackson touched my shoulder. Turning with a look of surprise on my face, he retracted his hand and frowned. "Sorry. You’d think after peeing in front of each other, I wouldn’t be this nervous.” He laughed but his eyes were unsure. “I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to show me around the city. We could get to know one another."

Inside, I was squealing like an excited little girl. A smile stretched across my face before I turned to my friends. "Go on ahead. We'll meet y'all later."

Chris and Lana didn't give it a second thought, but Nadia lingered to smirk for a moment.

Turning to Jackson, his gaze was set on me as he moved closer. "You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s just that I was a total stranger about to, literally, wet my pants and you were exceedingly kind. A little strange, but mostly kind. And I’d like to show my thanks by buying you some drinks or even some food if you’re hungry."

I grabbed his toned arm and pulled him in the direction of Café Du Monde on Decatur Street. "Alright, alright. I get it. You're super grateful and have manners coming out of every orifice." My courage was back. "Now, let's stick something in your mouth before you use up all your gratitude with words." I stopped, and let go of him. “Not entirely sure where that came from."

Jackson stepped backward while facing me. "Maybe you're the one who needs to do something with their mouth."

I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow.

"In other words." Jackson also stopped. "You sound so much smarter with your mouth shut."

Eyes wide, my mouth fell open.

Jackson gave me a playful smirk. "Open it a little wider and you might be able to get both feet in there."

I bit my cheek to keep from laughing. "Oh, really? Perhaps I should stick with my original plan and rejoin my friends.” I started to turn away, but Jackson rushed toward me.

Unfortunately, the ground was littered with beads, and he fell backward. Jackson let out a groan and rolled onto his side. "Oh, my ass."

I laughed so hard, that I had to cross my legs to keep from peeing.

Jackson moaned in pain. "I'm not gonna be able to sit right after that."

After calming down, I helped Jackson to his feet. "Tell ya what, since you're damaged for the moment, I'll give you a piggyback ride." I was expecting Jackson to decline, but, instead, he moved behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

While squatting, Jackson mounted my back. “I was going to get us a pedicab, but this works too. Giddy up, Seabiscuit."

I snorted before his thighs squeezed my ribs. "Hey, easy on--." With another squeeze, he pushed the air out of me.

"I said Seabiscuit, not Mr. Ed. Onward into battle."

I didn't have the heart to tell Jackson he was mixing up his movie horses.

***

NADIA

After re-entering The French Quarter, Chris, Lana, and I strolled through the bar lined Bourbon Street.

Lana turned to Chris and I. "So, is David working tonight?"

Chris navigated his way around the hordes of drunk people. "During Mardi Gras weekend on a Friday? Of course. He may be short, but he's not stupid. Unless y’all wanna go to Oz first."

I narrowly dodged someone’s drink from hitting my face. "Wait, I thought we were going to Heat."

Lana walked around the police barricade meant to stop cars from driving on the street. "Nadia, you wanna go to Bourbon Heat? Tonight?"

I stepped around another group of people walking too slowly. "Am I missing something?"

Lana moved to my side to keep from getting separated. "The Heat is packed on a normal night. There's no way we'd be able to even breathe in there."

Chris joined us and pointed at my derriere. "And you got a lot to be movin’ through the club.”

I puckered my lips and nodded. "You right, you right. Alright, then, let’s go see some half-naked men."

We stopped at Good Friends so I could grab cash out of the ATM. Next to me, Chris and Lana stared out the door at the people passing by.

Chris pointed to a medium build guy. "What about him?"

Lana frowned and shook her head. "Pass. I saw him at the parade. He has a tribal tattoo around his bicep."

Somewhere in the distance, a woman started shrieking at the top of her lungs.

Chris grimaced and snapped his fingers. "Mmhmm. I do the same thing every time I see a roach or rat on the sidewalk."

***

SOPHIA

My screaming reached the walled-off courtyard moments ahead of me as I rushed out the swirling vortex. I continued to yell until my feet were planted at the center of the stone courtyard, and my hands were raised, palms out.

Before I could start casting, a voice came from behind me. “Guessing this isn’t a good time.”

I dropped my arms and turned to a dark corner. Eyes focused, I pushed my palm out, and the air around me vibrated.

A young man with honey brown hair and a large build stepped out from the shadows. “Easy there, Sophia. We both know you’ll get yourself hurt.”

I dropped my hand and scowled. “Do I look like someone you want to screw with right now, Sebastian? I didn't make you a Vortex Stone so you could annoy me.”

The Prodigy moved towards me with his hands lifted in mock defense. “What’s crawled up your ass, mistress of the dark?” I glared at him, but Sebastian ignored me by gazing around the area. “Where's Tomas? Mother said you two were hunting a nymph.”

Unable to look at him, I turned away. “He’s gone.”

“Where did he run off to th--.”

I threw a stream of black energy at the ground. “He’s dead, you idiot!”

Sebastian’s mouth fell open. "How?"

I ran my hands through my hair, trying to regain my composure. “The nymph. She was stronger than we anticipated. One second, I was about to stab her, and the next, I was out cold. When I woke up, she had already killed Tomas and I didn’t stick around to be next.” I let out another furious wail. “I just don’t get it. Nymphs are rare to come across, but they’re pathetic nature sluts with no real power. Well, except for that one chick you guys had to fight during the Amon days, but she’s been dead for hundreds of years.”

With a huff, I pulled my hair back. “And, now Mother wants me to forget about the nymph and focus on The Nexus. Can you believe that?!” I raised a finger to Sebastian. “But I don’t need her help. I found Mother’s tracking spell. Once I cast it, there’s nowhere that nymph bitch will be able to hide from me. I’m going to send every last dark creature I can summon until she, and anyone she cares about is dead.”

Sebastian stepped towards me looking inquisitive. “You said one second, she was powerless, and the next second, the total opposite?”

I rubbed my temples, a headache forming. “That’s the thing you focus on? My brother is dead!”

Sebastian looked away and contemplated. “Earlier today, I tracked The Nexus to some annoying piece of shit. He didn’t seem powerful at first either, mostly because he was clearly an idiot.”

My eyes widened in excitement, causing the air around me to pulsate. “You have The Nexus? Let me see--.”

Sebastian slammed his fist into a nearby pillar and sent a crack through, not only, the column, but the ground around it. “I underestimated him.”

My smiling shifted to uncontrollable laughter.

Sebastian grabbed me by the throat and slammed me into another column. “Do not forget who you laugh at.”

My grin didn’t change as I stared into his eyes. “Poor little Prodigy. A walking one-man army, but some boy has you scared like a little bitch.”

Sebastian shoved me off of his hand and turned away. "You weren’t there. It has been centuries since I've seen that kind of power. It was." He paused to choose his words. “Demonic.”

I couldn’t have rolled my eyes harder. "God, thousands of years old, and you're still so stupid, Sebastian. If he was a demon, he’d be working with us."

The courtyard door flew in, landing in front of us. Sebastian and I looked nonchalantly towards the entrance as a woman in a leather jacket and spiked heels rushed in.

Sebastian slowly shook his head and crossed his arms. "Subtle as ever, Ava."

I gave her entry a disgusted look. "You could have just jumped over the wall. Seriously, Ava, you need to start eating smarter people."

She was unfazed and continued to walk toward us. "Sebastian, get your brother. The two of you are never going to believe what I’ve discovered."

***

AIDAN

Jackson was barely understandable with his mouth full of beignets. “Alright, I'll admit it. You may know a thing or two about being a tour guide.”

I sipped my iced café au lait, feeling the clarity and energy come back to me. “Well, I also hope you realize you’re gonna have to find someone else to give you another piggyback ride. That’s your third order of beignets.”

Jackson licked the powdered sugar from his fingers. “This is a pre-emptive strike. The dough and bread will absorb the alcohol and coat the inside of my stomach so I can keep up drink-wise with you New Orleanians. Have you tried one of those Hand Grenades?”

"I have. They’re okay, but you need to know where to go to get really good ones. You want to avoid the bars that use cheap liquor or too much mixer." I crossed my arms while Jackson finished devouring his beignets, and then turned his sights on my order. “Don’t even think about it, or you will be tasting these boots, and not in a good way.” I tapped his shin with the tip.

Jackson gave me puppy dog eyes. “You haven't even touched them. You need to give their life meaning by enjoying their delicious existence.”

I rolled my eyes while pushing the plate towards him. “Just eat them. It’ll be easier than me having to get up to order you another round.”

Jackson hesitated at first, but once my hands were back in my lap, he went at the confections. “You seem a tad cranky. I think your blood sugar might be low. Maybe you should get something to eat.”

I stared at him dangling a beignet over his mouth. “I can’t imagine how you’re still single. You’re so charming. Why would anyone pass up a chance to get to know you?”

“It’s actually a very common thing among uncommonly attractive people. I’m too good-looking. I try to tone it down as much as I can, but it’s no use. I’ll have to live the rest of my life like this.” Jackson’s mock sincerity made me turn my head to keep from laughing.

I managed to only slightly break a smile. “You're so brave.”

Something hit my shin and I looked right at Jackson. He feigned surprise. “Oh, sorry. The sexiness has a habit of bursting out of me.” Jackson grinned before I inhaled deeply and leaned forward. Aiming at the powdered sugar on his plate, I blew as hard as I could. Jackson started to move, but he wasn't fast enough. The white cloud of sweetness enveloped him.

Laughing uncontrollably, I fell out of my chair and snorted.

***

NADIA

I kept Lana’s face out of her hair while rubbing her back. “There you go, girl. Let it out. Let it all out.”

Her body tensed up before she pushed her head further into the toilet bowl. She was going to need bleach to clean her face after this. As Lana took deep breaths, another round of knocks came from the door.

I grabbed an empty soda bottle from the floor and threw it at the bathroom door. “Bang on it again! Please, bang on the door one more time! I want you to do it!”

After a few more minutes, Lana eased off the toilet.

I handed her a bottle of water. “Drink this, baby girl.”

She swished the liquid around in her mouth and spat into the toilet bowl.

Helping her to the sink, Lana gasped when she saw her reflection. I patted her shoulder and shushed her. “Alright, here we go.” I dug around in my clutch and pulled out some makeup, a tiny bottle of hair serum, travel-size toothpaste, and a foldable toothbrush. “Don’t you worry about nothing. I brought all of my lookin’ ratchet essentials. We gonna have you back out there and dancing in no time.”

Five minutes later, I had her miraculously put together again. Lana blinked a few times and leaned closer to the mirror. “Seriously, Nadia, you have a gift.”

“Gift? Girl, you need to pluralize that. I got more gifts than Sandy Claws.” I finished by swinging her hips. Another round of bangs came at the door, and my face twisted in anger. “I warned you!” I glanced at Lana to confirm she was okay. After she nodded, I turned the knob and kicked the door open into the person’s face. “What did I say? Huh? Now, you gonna get it.”

Stepping back onto the dancefloor, I squared up to a girl a head shorter than me. The light-skinned, dark-haired chick spoke through her hand as she covered her nose. “You crazy bitch! What the hell is wrong with you?”

I crossed my arms and straightened my back. “I told yo ass to hold on. I was trying to take care of my friend. There are like four other bathrooms in this club you could have gone to.”

The girl dropped her hand and scrunched her face. “I don’t give a shit about your friend. I can use whatever bathroom I want. For all I know, you were in there doing something nasty, you fat skank.”

Every part of me was shaking. This girl was trying me, but I was doing my best to keep myself together. “You need to shut your mouth before I do it for you.”

A crowd formed around us as the girl scoffed. “Please, maybe if your brain was as big as your breasts, you wouldn’t have to turn tricks in the bathroom.”

Her words brought back the memory of Sophia and the cathedral. No one had the right to make assumptions and belittle me like that. No one. My hands were shaking and there was a lump in my throat. With a scream, I grabbed the girl and put her in a headlock. “You don’t know anything about me!”

The girl’s skinny frame wiggled out of my grip before she smacked me across the face. The crowd let out a resounding groan. With both hands, she pulled me by my hair and yanked me onto the floor.

Again, I was back in the cathedral and Tomas was dragging me by my hair. Rage permeated through every cell in my body. I grabbed a nearby chair and yelled as I slammed it into the girl.

The hit was so hard, that the seat broke and knocked her down. Everyone in the club was too stunned to do anything, except for me. I quickly jumped on top of her. One after another, my fists slammed into the girl’s face. Two security guards rushed through the crowd. Their hands locked onto my arms and it took both to drag me away, kicking and screaming.

Before reaching the exit, I looked back at the girl and saw a young man bending over her. "Damn, Mary! What happened to you?"

***

AIDAN

I rolled my eyes at Jackson, who was failing at keeping a straight face. "Oh, come on. Aren’t you being a little dramatic?”

Jackson looked at me with disgust as he finished taking another shot of gin. "Not at all." He wiped his mouth and flicked the remaining liquid from his lips at me. "That is absolutely awful. Remind me not to challenge you to any more bets." The bartender brought my receipt while I laughed at Jackson. "I'm never going to be able to get the taste out of my mouth."

I reached for my boot and pulled out my cigarette holder. "I might have something to help." After Jackson and I walked out of the bar, I pulled out a blunt. "Here. My friend Dante brought this stuff back from Colorado and according to him, this strain will make everything that has ever gone wrong in your life right again." I was really hoping Dante hadn't been exaggerating.

Jackson took the blunt from me. "Huh? So, what do I do? Hit it like a cigarette?"

I tried to keep my face from looking totally shocked. “Have you never smoked weed?"

Jackson opened his mouth to answer but didn’t say anything. Instead, he lit the blunt and sucked in way too hard.

I looked at him with sincere compassion and slowly reached for the blunt. “Oh, Jackson. I wouldn’t have done that.”

Jackson furrowed his eyebrows until smoke poured from his mouth. His coughing was much rougher and longer than normal.

I grabbed his face to look at me as he wheezed. "Alright. Okay, Jackson."

He was full-on hyperventilating. "I can't breathe."

I used my calm voice. "Jackson, you're fine, okay? You just coughed too much and can’t feel the air going into your lungs, right?" Jackson nodded frantically in response. "It's fine. The same thing has happened to me. The trick is to not let yourself freak out. Just go through the motions." I breathed in and out to get my point across. "If you know you're inhaling and exhaling, then you know you're breathing. So, there's no reason to freak out." After a few minutes of following my directions, he was normal again.

I gave Jackson a smile and he pulled me in for a hug. "This may be the weed talking because I am so high now, but you really are a lifesaver." Jackson moved his head back but stopped when our faces were an inch from each other. Dumbfounded, I watched his eyes lock onto my lips. Jackson’s face started getting closer, but my phone let out a bloodcurdling scream. We both jumped back.

I laughed while unlocking my phone. "Sorry. It's the only thing that wakes me in the morning. Oh, god. Not again."

Jackson, eyes glazed, tried to get a look at my screen.

"Lana texted me. Apparently, Nadia got into a bar fight. Again. They want us to meet them at The Pub. It's only two blocks away." I guided Jackson by holding him on one side.

Jackson, having trouble standing, leaned against me and whispered directly into my ear. "Your friend may have been right about this stuff. I can barely remember my name. Am I shouting?”

As we approached The Pub, I caught sight of Chris, Lana, and Nadia. They noticed us the moment Jackson's full weight came against me. "Oh, whoa there." I tried to steady him before Chris rushed over to help me keep Jackson upright.

Jackson slurred and closed his eyes. "You know what? I don't feel so good."

Nadia slowly walked up with her arms crossed. "Nice, Aidan. You gave this fool weed after he was already hella drunk, didn't you?"

My eyes went wide, realizing she was right.

Chris held Jackson with one hand while the other had a ride service app open on his phone. "Honey, you are the last person who should be talking about making bad decisions." Chris turned to me. "Picture this. I was talking to David at The Pub, and from across the street, I see little miss thing here being carried out of Oz by two security guards." Chris finished with a laugh and took Jackson’s full weight into his arms. "Now, I'm gonna bring Jackson here over to the car I ordered." Chris carried Jackson with surprising strength. "Before y'all kill my best client."

As Chris brought Jackson towards the white car pulling up, Jackson waved a hand in my direction, "I'm gonna call you. Don't judge me. This is highly much unlike me-self." His last words were hard to hear due to Chris leaning him against the vehicle.

"It's cool, dude," Nadia yelled back. "At least you didn't get ripped apart like the last guy."

As Chris talked to Jackson and the driver, I pulled the girls aside to plan ahead. "Is there any chance the two of you will be able to watch what y'all say once we're completely wasted?" Nadia looked at her shoes to ponder, while Lana tilted her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "Oh, come on."

Nadia bit her lip. "I'm thinking, I'm thinking."

Lana was back to scratching her lower back, yet again. "Can't you just, you know, erase it if we do?"

I breathed deeply and closed my eyes to calm myself. “First of all, I wouldn't even know where to start. Secondly, that can go so bad in so many ways."

Nadia threw her hands up. "You're killing my buzz. Look, nobody would believe us anyway. Now, let it go so we can turn this night back on." I opened my mouth, but she raised her index finger. "No. As far as I'm concerned, we've earned a night of fun. So, pull the stick out of your ass and put a cup in your hand."

After heading into The Pub and settling at David's end of the bar, Nadia and I ordered more drinks while Chris and Lana used the bathroom.

Nadia pulled the cherry out of her drink to suck on. "If I were you, I would use some of that mind-reading on Jackson."

My voice dropped at her suggestion. "Are you insane? I may be able to get an idea about what he thinks of me, but we both know I have no idea how to control it. If I create that connection, I could very easily end up sending thoughts his way. No, until I get a better handle on this, I’m only going to use it with you guys and in emergencies."

Nadia rolled her eyes and pulled out something from her back pocket before holding it out to me.

"What's this?" I took the white envelope from her. "A birthday card?" The corners of my mouth turned up at her random display of affection.

Nadia ran her hands down her sides. "Girl, please. Who needs a card when you get all of this?"

I was tempted to respond, but she wasn't going to remember this conversation and I was too high to care. Ripping open the seal, I pulled out a metallic vellum invitation. "A party? Do people still hand out invitations for parties that aren't birthdays or weddings?"

"I don’t know. Go ask your boyfriend if it bothers you so much. It's some kind of housewarming slash networking party for his company. He told Chris to invite us.” Nadia sipped her drink as Lana rejoined us. “Lord, that boy is fine. Plumpest lips I’ve ever seen on a white boy."

"And I was so close to kissing them!”

The girls both swore and reached for their temples.

Nadia clenched her teeth and snarled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

My voice came out squeaky. “My bad. I guess I don’t need to hold your hands anymore to do that. Also, the alcohol isn’t helping. Like, at all.”

After lighting a joint, our four-person group began to delve into some weird conversations, starting with Lana. “What if you could have sex with your clone? If you're gay, I mean. Like a total genetic copy. It wouldn't be cheating, right?” She looked perplexed sipping her cocktail.

I reached for Lana's cup. “Gimme that. Your curiosity gets so weird when you’re twisted.”

Lana swayed, trying to keep it together. “I’m not too twisted to kick your ass. Touch my drink and I will ram these heels into--oh, my god. Holy sh--!” Lana’s cocktail missed her lips and soaked her top. “So cold!”

An hour, and more shots than I could count, later, Nadia was dancing up against a nearby wall. I lost Lana to a shot-taking tournament with Chris that ended with Lana falling out of her chair and Chris vomiting in the bathroom. Eventually, we all reached a point of no longer understanding one another. It was time to go home. We walked out the back exit of The Pub and were greeted by the rising sun.

Lana and I helped each other through the street, but two sort of drunk people did not a sober person make.

Nadia tried to manage her tangled mound of hair from dancing and sweating. “Y’all, I’m not even gonna lie. This ain’t cute.”

After struggling for a few minutes, Chris managed to fish his phone out of his pocket. “Where is the car I ordered? I want my blankey, my boyfriend, and my bed.”

Lana waved her hand around to grab my attention. “Remember, if my mom asks, I spent the night studying at y’all’s house, Aidan and Nadia."

Once in my car, the whole drive home was a sun-glaring blur. Thankfully, Nadia had sobered up to drive. I gave her my keys and five minutes later, we pulled into the driveway still in one piece. We walked through the front door and went straight to my room before Nadia plopped down on my bed next to me.

Staring at the ceiling, my tired mind contemplated the previous day. "Hey, Nadia?"

She was barely conscious. "What?"

“That was the most stressful birthday I’ve ever had.”

“I'm sorry hon--.” She was out.

I smiled as I thought about Jackson and our almost-kiss. "It was also the best.”