Ostara

New Orleans

Daisy walked with fearlessly as the Sun shone on the now bustling in the New Age. She noticed that the neighbourhood bore an uncanny resemblance to it's 1950's counterpart, many folks of a large variation lived here, a few mean eying Daisy in her wealthy clothing as Jacob walked slightly behind her.

"Are you sure about this, Daisy?" Jake asked, lagging slightly behind her

Daisy nodded resolutely "Absolutely."

"But the place it's just a gift shop for god's sake, sometimes they do Spiritual healing, stuff like that, we aren't going to find anything."

Daisy pushed down the street, it was not far from the cemetery just down the road but they continued until they eventually came to a tall Yellow painted shop, scrunched in with all the other buildings... it had the same sign, looked the same and so she grinned "He's already scared, I... I should keep him out of this."

"You know, maybe You would wait out here for me, I'll only be a minute." She said sweetly

Jacob raised an eyebrow "What? no way... I'm sticking with You, It's just a temple."

"You see with only your eyes, so you are easy to fool. Jake..." She said softly partly in worry, but He took her hand resolutely holding her close as a boy would his prized bear during a storm. She sighed, looking at his face in the sunlight, grateful that her monster was gone so that she did not have to worry when she got in close and placed her hands on his chest "Listen... there is dangerous stuff in there, scary stuff, I can't guarantee your safety..."

Jacob looked into her eyes, a slight strength behind those dark orbs "I'm staying with You." His voice was fixed, unbowed, and she touched his face, smiling and enjoying his warmth, Daisy kissed his libs and his cheek

"Silly man..." She whispered, watching him go beet red "Just stay close, don't do anything, even if they try and attack me, do not touch me, do not shield me, I have a plan but I need you to promise that You'll not say or do anything, okay?"

He nodded "I promise."

They came upon the threshold, where Daisy paused momentarily, feeling the unending wrath of the dark things that lurked within only for a moment, before she pushed through, delving deep into the Temple as the bell rang.

The Place was stocked with many hundreds of Voodoo themed objects of all sizes colours and shapes, the colourful array as Daisy knew was a fact: were all bullshit, none of it was real... and so the front was upheld.

Before long, a smiling black lady shuffled over to them, grabbing a pamphlet before directing her old and very warm smile at them both "Oh hey there, aren't you a lovely young couple? You just taking a look around? I can help you'll however you need."

Diana saw how her eyes hadn't fully locked on her yet, and so with a slight lean forward "Oh well thank You, I'm going upstairs to see Marie, please don't try to stop me... you seem so nice!"

The Woman's eyes turned to Daisy fully as she began to protest "Marie? we don't have any Marie's here hun you must be making a mistake....."

She paused, Her deep brown eyes looking into Daisy's Violet Orbs, recognition flooded her eyes, followed by terror "M-Madam... O-Ostara?"

Daisy looked at the little wrinkled lady "Have we met?" She asked curiously before exploding with joy "Oh My! Tina Willis! on Samdi you're... well, so old!" She said touching the Older ladies shoulder

Tina bowed her head low "B-But you're supposed to have died... gosh I wouldn't have recognised you without your portrait upstairs... aw Miss Laveau isn't gonna be happy that You're here Madam Ostara." She professed.

Daisy smiled, she still recalled tiny little Tina Willis, only Five years old running around the house back in the day "I know... oh look at You... I'll be back down don't worry, I am just going up to see her okay?"

Tina bowed again "Of course Madam Ostara, those young'uns might have forgotten the old ways but I remember when Miss Senior was still calling the shots, be careful."

Daisy walked through to the backroom, a dusty unorganised space compared to the old days, but Daisy walked hand in hand with Jake to the adjacent wall which was blank and clean as ever "How do we get up? ...this is just a blank wall?"

Daisy sighed, grabbing Jake's cheeks "Again with the Eyes, kiddo!"

Jacob watched as the Blonde pulled back her silky white glove, exposing her thumb which she pressed hard into one of her canines "Jesus christ! that looks like it hurts!" He said, watching her thumb begin to ooz blood "Does all the weird stuff usually involve blood? I hate blood." He moaned.

Daisy felt her stomach churn at the sight of it, a horrible queezy feeling washing at the sigh of her ruby red ichor "Y-Yeah, unfortunately, it does..." She hated blood, she hated any kind of gore, a sad unfortunate considering her practices.

Trying to avert her eyes from the blood, Daisy lent forward, making a point to poke out her bottom as she began to write a symbol on the wall.

She could feel his eyes lingering on her... she did like showing off her assets with gusto... but damn it Daisy focus! this is serious business, even if she was tempted to ram her butt right into him as soon as they got home.

Daisy inscribed her name in Crimson on the wall and as she stepped back looking upon the tall symbol with pride. Jake blinked "Wow... that's really well done... Is that a Veve?"

The blonde nodded, sucking her bleeding thumb and shivering at the irony taste "That's right..." She cleared her throat "dis da Veve of da Papa Legba ya 'ear?" She said with a Haitian flair, clicking her fingers twice and whispering "Louvri wowoli" the Veve began to seeth into a smokey like substance, burning deep into the brick of the smooth wall as it rippled into a black pool, watching as the Brick faded into nothing to reveal a tall stairway.

"Bog witches... Reanimated animals... am I missing anything?" Jake asked

"Nope. But you'll have more to add soon no doubt." Daisy grabbed his hands practically dragging his shaking form up the stairs which creaked in protest as they ascended towards the ominous Black door above.

Daisy's could smell it in the air, this place was wrong, different, the spirits that inhabited this historic place had been rocked and uprooted, it had a restless air... this was the House of the Dead, where a dozen of the Voodoo monarchs were put to rest, what manner of disrespect would have to be taking place to displace the souls so badly?

They paused at the top, before the black door... it was soundless, still was the air, but she could smell a distinct scent on it... and it made her angry... Daisy burst through the door, her eye flashing red as they settled on the display before her.