Brianna Devereaux: The Mambo (Completed)

Grandmere's Things and The First Spell

Tamia fell asleep after Brianna assured her they’d be safe tonight. Those idiots were drunk college students who’d attempted breaking and entering. No way would they call the cops on themselves. And besides, Brianna had a feeling she could keep them safe here.

If she could figure out with Kase meant.

 “Your grand-mère’s things are the key to unlocking you.” And so far, that seemed to be bull because out of a storage unit full of crap, Brianna only had three boxes she hadn’t touched. But there was no time like the present since she was too wired to sleep. Sitting in front of her little red wagon, Brianna found her name written prettily in pink sparkly glitter.

Jeremy’s in blue and mom and dad’s in green and orange. Running her fingers over it, Brianna ignored the sentimental crap for now.

Grabbing a box, Brianna opened it and was surprised to find a bunch of books. Thinking they were just scrap books, Brianna sat them to the side and went for the other.

And this one was full of herbs, dried and old, but there was also different little bowls and a grinding tool. c*****g her head to the side, Brianna found almost a thousand incense, white chalk, and three unopened bottles of rum.

“Jesus grand-mere.” Brianna giggled as she looked at the expensive brand. She knew her grand-mere could hold her liquor but not this much. Smiling, Brianna got to the bottom of the box and found a little box.

A rusty cooper collar, Brianna looked at the sigil on top and the one burned on her hand.

Identical.

Placing her hand on top, Brianna felt her heart race excitedly as something poured into her from the box. And then it snapped open like she’d had a key. Looking inside, Brianna smiled seeing the Onyx necklace her grand-mere had always worn. She’d wanted it bad after she’d passed, but her mama had refused saying it was given to her sister.

Frowning, Brianna now realized it was a lie and that even after her death her mama had tried to keep them apart.

Shrugging Brianna couldn’t dwell on it since they were both dead now and slid on the Onyx necklace. It’s matching ring, something she’d only seen on her grand-mere’s finger slid on naturally.

And with both the necklace and ring on her finger, Brianna turned when the moon seemed to pour in from the window. Shining down on her, fueling her necklace and ring, Brianna’s gaze fell to the other box.

Opening it, Brianna found a letter from her grand-mere and one from her mom. And then there was a brown stick that laid on top of a black robe. Taking them, she sat on her bed as she read her grand-mere’s letter.

And every sentence broke her heart.

 Dear Brianna,

I’m sorry bèl, I never wanted to leave you alone like this. The challenges you face now are only going to prove who I’ve always known you to be.  A strong powerful witch.

Brianna sat up at the word witch and kept reading eagerly.

The future of the witches of the next generation resides with you. You are my granddaughter, and now with me gone, the name Deveraux falls to you. It resides in your blood, the power and knowledge you need to survive. Your lineage was blocked as your father wished. But they had been warned smiting the gifts from the loa will only bring them misery and misfortune.

And now you are alone, and you will be tempted in more ways than one. And you will hurt and lash out, but you must remain true to who you are. You must forge your path, your destiny, and you must join the circle. Or the four lines will die off, and the demons will win.

-Love Grand-mere

Brianna was sure she’d reread the paper twice before saying her grand-mere had been high on narcotics. She had to be and then moved on to her mother’s letter. It was a lot different, thicker, and loaded with guilt.

Dear Brianna,

I never wanted this life for you.

I never wanted it for myself, either, but it never felt like I had a choice until your father. But I made the mistake of never giving you or Jeremy a choice, and I’ll take that with me to my grave.  But now that I am gone, and you are probably more alone than ever before, I tell you the truth I’ve kept hidden.

You were born of a powerful blood line of witches, and on the day of your birth three women of fate appeared to us. They told us that powers long died out in this world will return ten-fold in four young witches.

 And one of them, was you.

I can admit, my prejudice against my own kind became more pronounce in marrying your father. He shunned and banned any sort of mention of the unnatural. And he deemed the powers of a mambo, unnatural.

But they are not, and after time of honing your craft, coming into your power you will become the greatest one to date. And you will bring peace and harmony and magic back to the world.  

Brianna, stay strong, and read your grimoires carefully. They’ll prepare you for what’s next and guide you through your training.  You must accept the power into your heart, or you will meet the same fate as your father and me.  As Jeremy.

I’m sorry-Mama

 Brianna patted her cheeks feeling the tears rolling down them. Sniffling as her mind seemed to be at war with her emotions, Brianna sat the letter down. After taking a moment to collect herself, Brianna wiped her eyes. And then a beautiful red book caught her eye.

It had the same sigil as the box and her hand on the front. And the moment she touched it, it seemed to heat up her blood.

Opening it slowly, what Brianna had thought was a scrap book, turned out to be so much more.

On the first page, at first there was nothing, but when she tried to go the second page, she somehow cut her finger. “Ow!” She jumped a little and as a drop of blood hit the pages, a rust-red ink began to appear on the pages.

Gasping as the book fell to the floor, flipping through its pages fast, the words appeared like they never left. And when it closed, Brianna slowly reached for it and found the first page.

The Deveraux Family Book of Shadows

Brianna looked at all the names listed going back decades if not longer. But it was when she got to her grand-mere’s she stopped. Running her finger over her name sadly what saddened her more was not seeing her mama’s name before hers. But it was plain as day, her mama hadn’t signed.

But she had, her name was there under her grand-mere’s.

Brianna Deveraux.

Feeling pride swim trough her Brianna flipped to the first page and found the brown stick being explained. Picking it up as she stood from her bed she read out loud, “The staff of Tamara Deveraux, to be passed down to every woman of Deveraux blood, the staff shares knowledge, skill, and power.”

Running a hand over the crescent moon and compass etched into the old wood, Brianna felt it take something from her. But it gave back ten folds as it extended from a foot to the same height as her.  

A rush of power surged through Brianna as she observed her room curiously. “Protection.” She whispered knowing that’s what she wanted to learn. How to keep her haven safe for her and Tamia.

The book of shadows opened and flipped to a protection spell. Looking at the instructions and ingredients, Brianna saw she had them all at hand. And with natural ease, she began to prepare as she grabbed a bottle of rum.

Taking a sip, she shuddered at the strong taste making her lips tingle. But then she turned and spit it over her shoulder and then one in front of her. Sitting the bottle down, Brianna looked down at the book for the next step.

Crush Sage for purity

 Crush Jasmine for protection

And add an ingredient of your choice as your personal signature.

 Grabbing a little bowl, Brianna poured in a dash of vanilla and ground up Sage and Jasmine. Lighting them on fire, she walked through the entire church with it in one hand.

A white candle in the other.

Letting the bowl continue to burn in her room, Brianna picked up the largest piece of chalk and walked into the “Main room of home” and deduced it’d be the nave. Or their living room.

Writing the symbol on her hand on the floor, Brianna added a star and dagger as her symbol for protection.

Standing as the large staff seemed to float to her on it’s own accords, Brianna slammed the staff down hard on the symbol. Glowing white as power flowed from her chest, to the staff, and into the symbol, Brianna’s mouth moved on it’s own.

“Pwoteje lakay mwen epi evite moun kap vin fè nou mal.” And as she began to hum and sing in her native tongue, Brianna began to dance as a joy filled her.

Watching, her ancestors celebrated Brianna as her ascension took place and danced with her. And as their magics bled into the earth to feed the spell, Brianna gasped when she was grabbed. Looking at her grand-mere, Brianna whispered her name shocked.

“My brave girl, you’ve been so strong. But it’s time for you to see what you’ve lost.” And as Tamia walked in, she watched Sage Devereaux put her hand on Brianna’s forehead. Millions of little white squares floating from her head, Brianna sunk to the ground as Tamia yelled her name.

Rushing forward, Tamia stiffened when she was suddenly surrounded by the dead. The women surrounding her all peered into her soul, their eyes glowing white as Sage stepped forward. Holding out her hand, a stack of black cards appeared.

“Seer, protect my granddaughter, watch her future and make sure she flourishes. Your payment for her protection.” Tamia accepted the cards and as she looked at them, she felt a sense of familiarity as she whispered, “I’ve seen cards like these before. Where-.”

Looking up, Tamia found the spirits gone, and as the sun began to rise, she breathed out. The large stained-glass window seemed to come alive. The moon on the trunk of the tree shined down on Tamia. The crescent moon in the sky flooding it with light as it seemed to make her stand tall, as she too came into a power of her own.