Swan Song

Hexes & Curses

Ryliee

We had walked outside to the parking lot after Kendryck paid for everything. He stopped walking and turned to look at me. "Ryliee Parkins, I love you. I hope you know that! I promise, soon baby girl, soon everything will work out and we can be together. Okay?" Kendryck asked as he kissed my forehead. I smiled at him and returned the action by planting a kiss on his cheek. "I know Ken, sooner rather than later I hope." I replied before he opened my car door for me, and I got in the driver's seat. I didn’t want to let him know exactly what I was planning, I wanted to see a voodoo witch and get a hex which would end all of my problems first. That was the only way to do it. I would ask for forgiveness later if necessary. Kendryck and I could finally be happy, we

e had walked outside to the parking lot after Kendryck paid for everything. He stopped walking and turned to look at

can be together and we would be completely rid of the throne in my side, Lilibeth.

I knew I would have a long drive ahead of me, but I was determined to find a way to end this now. I needed to make everything right in my world for once. I needed to make sure Kendryck would finally be all mine and I would finally start getting the things in my life that I deserved. If I had to make that happen on my own, so be it. Clearly the fates wanted this, they wanted me and Kendryck to be together and I just needed to help speed the process along. It wouldn't be the first time the fates toyed with me, but I was going to make sure it was their last. I started the engine of my Camry as I waved goodbye to Kendryck. If everything went as planned, I would be seeing him again, real soon and this time Lilibeth wouldn’t be the main focus for him. I would make sure all his attention was on me. The way it should have been from the start. I never wanted the hassle of Lilibeth living with us. From the start I knew I'd always be second best to little miss perfect.

As I pulled out of the steakhouse’s parking lot, I was absolutely positive this was what I needed to do. Nothing else had worked over the years. Even giving Kendryck the best s*x of his life didn’t keep him with me, as every night, he would go back to her, back to his apartment and get in his bed... with her. The thought disgusted me. It should have been me he was coming

home from work every night too. Not sneaking off for motel and bar bathroom quickies.

As I drove through the night, I thought back over everything that had happened, everything I had been through. Keeping the secret of Lilibeth’s true identity and pretending for the last couple of years that I actu‐ ally gave a f*****g s**t about her. It made me all the more determined to finish this once and for all; enough was enough. I was sick and tired of living this way, I wanted my own life... I deserved my own life. One that didn’t revolve around everyone I loved and cared for doting on my cousin’s every word and action. She wasn't perfect, yet everyone kissed the ground Lilibeth walked on, even Kendryck. I was tired of it and because of Lilibeth's actions I'm left to seek out a special kind of magic. One that would make sure Lili‐ beth was taken out of the limelight for good. Restoring the reality in which she never existed.

It's not like I didn't know my way around most of the city of New Orleans, I wasn’t a tourist looking at shops and browsing displays, I was on a mission. I knew I had to go to the French Quarter. That’s where Uncle Chris lived and because of that, I knew I would be able to find the true voodoo magic I was looking for. He had to stay close to this area, although I never understood why fully, I only assumed it was because of Lilibeth's true identity and not allowing her secret or theirs to get out.

I had finally arrived at the area in the French

Quarter I had Googled earlier and was slowly driving around until I found something that resembled a seedy looking establishment. The area called The Seventh Ward was correctly named and as I pulled up outside a grungy little place called the First and Last Stop Bar, I could tell I was in the right place to find what I was looking for. Gathering all the courage I physically could, I got out of my car and walked inside the dive bar. Not knowing what I should expect to find on the other side.

The place was dark with dim lights hanging above several tables and across the bar. I walked straight up to the bartender, clearing my throat and using the biggest voice I could. I said "My name is Ryliee Parkins, I am looking for a powerful voodoo witch. Someone who can hex my cousin and stop her from getting my happily ever after. I came across this place and thought this would be a promising place to start my search. I know of the magic in the French Quarter, I know exactly what I'm looking for. Can you help me?" Before the scruffy bartender even had a chance to answer, I heard a dark chuckle then a deep voice behind me say, "Now what would a pretty little thing like you want with one of them? You're not magical, I can smell that on you. So how is it you know what hides in the shadows around these parts?" I quickly turned around to see a very tall handsome man with dark brown hair and golden highlights. He had bronzed skin and a charming smile on his face. He had a look of amusement twinkling in his eyes as he stared at me. "Well, that's pretty simple. I want to find someone to place a hex on my b***h of a perfect cousin. That little prude, she has stolen everything from me, I'm tired of always coming in second best and I want my life back!" I replied. The stranger looked fondly at me, like in some deranged way he knew exactly how I was feeling. I wasn't going to ask why or how he may know the feel‐ ings I felt, I didn't need to, his eyes said everything I needed to know.

"Well my dear, you have certainly come to the right place. Though, you don't need a voodoo witch to hex this cousin of yours, I can help you; For the right price of course." The stranger said to me and I immediately started to lose my wits. "Wh-what do you mean you can help me?" I asked the stranger in a trembling voice. I didn't know who this mysterious man was, he seemed to have a presence of danger that cloaked him, but his presence also felt inviting. There was something about this guy that definitely sent shivers down my spine.

"I am no voodoo witch, that is true, however I can cast a powerful curse that is more powerful than any voodoo witch could cast. This form of magic, well it isn't for the faint of heart. This magic will be more permanent, it will be final. If you choose to accept my help, know your problem will be taken care of, indefinitely." The man said. I was so mesmerized with his eyes that seemed full of rage and anger, but also longing and hurt. I never said anything back to

him, I just stared into his eyes, lost in my own thoughts. “Well, what's it going to be, deary?" The strange man asked, crossing his arms across his chest and tapping his foot on the ground. "Do it." I managed to squeak out. "Magic always comes with a price you know." He spoke again. For whatever reason my head began nodding up and down in understanding. I need a drop of your blood and an object she would have used recently, or something full of memories. Since you came looking for voodoo magic, am I safe to assume you brought a hair or toothbrush belonging to your cousin?" He asked. I reached in my bag and pulled out Lilibeth's hair brush that I swiped last time I had gone to see Kendyrck while she was working.

I handed the hair brush to the man and took a step back from him. He clapped his hands together around the hairbrush and closed his eyes then said something I couldn't understand. "Per oculum nequam meum projeci cessationem malam in tuo unigenito sanguine vivo consanguineo cognato tuo. Ut nunquam prospere‐ tur. In nihilum defluat, sicut nix aestate. Sit in conspectu Dei maledicta, et ab homine tuo odio habita. Sanguinis tui rore signatus et solutus c*m anima tua, ad habe aeternum mecum in morte tua Ryliee. Hoc verum esse decerno." Once he finished speaking his eyes opened and stared deeply into mine. I felt a weird sensation come over me, it felt like he was looking directly into my soul. He released his grip on the brush

and handed it back to me. “What did all that mean? I couldn't understand a word of it" I asked cautiously and curiously as I shoved the hairbrush back into my bag.

The strange man laughed a hardy blood chilling laugh. "It means "Through my evil eye I cast bad cess on your only living blood-related cousin. May she never prosper. May she fade into nothing, like snow in summer. May she be accursed in the sight of God, and hated by your fellow man. I hereby decree this to be true." He replied, and even with the explanation I still wasn't entirely sure what I had done. "The curse has been cast, my dear. Your problems should soon resolve themselves and you will be freed, you will be in the clear to do as you please." The strange man said to me. He didn't specify what exactly would happen to my darling cousin Lilibeth but it didn't matter to me what happened. It only mattered that she was out of mine and Kendryck's life for good.

"That's all? What about your p*****t?" I asked as the man started slinking back into the darkness. "The curse will take a few days to truly take effect. Give it a few days, after that, a week at most. Don't worry your pretty little head off. Go home, your troubles with your cousin will soon be over." He said, fully submerging himself back into the darkness. As he fully disappeared into the shadows of the poorly lit bar I heard a whisper say "p*****t was sealed the moment you agreed but don't worry that will be collected at a later date." I

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sighed a breath I didn't know I was holding and plopped myself down in one of the vacant bar stools. I have no idea what he meant about the p*****t already being sealed but I will deal with that whenever he returns to collect. I couldn’t believe my luck. This was really happening. Finally I would be free of Lilibeth, finally I would get all the things I had coming to me and I would be on top once again. Hopefully, what he said is true and the curse doesn't take too long to take effect. I am looking forward to watching Lilibeth's downfall so I can get this show on the road immedi‐ ately. My mother always told me to create my own happiness, and that is what I planned to do. I quickly left the bar and got back in my Camry. I needed to get out of here, back home and into a nice hot shower.

STRANGER

While snooping in my father's quarters for information on how to make sure my brother stayed banished, I stumbled across a crumpled up old letter. The paper had been well hidden and the writing had already started to fade away. From what I could make out, the letter came from a childhood friend of my father’s. Its legible parts seemed to hint at the birth of a baby girl with 2 types of supernatural blood running through her veins, born in the mortal realm. I knew right away that I had to travel to the magical epicenter of the realm of men. The one place where magic filled the air and supernaturals blend in with humans without ques‐ tion. I put the letter back where I found it and shim‐ mered to my matte black Lancer that I store in a garage in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Roaring the engine to life I started my search by going to all the seediest bars I could find.

This letter about a female hybrid, a powerful girl that had been born in this area about 25 years ago, made me worry. It must have held some importance for my father to have hidden it so well for this long. If this hybrid truly exists, then I needed to find her. I needed to see for myself what powers she might hold and how she could play into my plan. Who knows maybe she could be the key to me becoming the most powerful King the Underworld has ever seen. A part of me worried that this hybrid girl was going to cause me more problems than she'd end up being worth.

I couldn't have my brother finding out about her existence, if he got to her first, that wouldn't bode well for me. It could end up ruining my entire set of plans and I couldn't have that now, could I? I needed to get her by my side so it would be easier to manipulate her. If I could use her power against my brother and have her rule beside me, I would truly be unstoppable. I had been scoping out seedy bars and dive joints for weeks now looking to the underbelly for information about this mysterious hybrid. So far my results have turned up nothing. Either my father had it wrong or whoever this hybrid is they are being well hidden by something.

I was about to give up my search and head back home until that pretty little blonde thing came bursting through the door at the current dive bar I had been scoping out called the First and Last, or something like that. This girl was hollering about wanting to find a voodoo witch, and while that was not me, I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to claim someone's everlasting immortal soul and add it to my growing collection. She was easy enough to trick, especially using the Latin curse, it's easier to omit the truth that way. Since she didn't bother to ask too many questions, I didn't bother giving too many answers. The poor girl didn't even realize she sold her soul to the devil.

Oh well, desperate times call for desperate measures and now it is time to get to work. I would have to put my mission on finding this mysterious hybrid on hold for the time being. I needed to fulfill the requirement of the spoken contract I had with this mortal girl, Ryliee Parkins. It was time to start hunting my prey, a good old game of cat and mouse was just what the doctor ordered to clear my head and get my focus back on finding the hybrid my father’s note spoke about and convince her, manipulate her mind, do just about anything I could to make her my Queen when I finally ascended the throne of the Underworld. Finishing the swig of beer left in the glass bottle I had purchased earlier to blend in. I made my way out of the establishment and walked over to my matte black Lancer.

The connection had begun to form between myself and the dreaded cousin of the sweet little thing back at the bar. Too bad she was human and f*****g her brains out wasn't possible, because man, that sweet little body made my c**k grow hard and begin to throb. Getting in my car, I quickly sped out of the parking lot of the bar and hit the open road. Something started to feel strange, I figured I was heading in the right direction and that the curse had fully started to take effect. Soon hopefully I would be able to find this human girl, steal her life and claim her cousin's mortal soul for my own