Red Flower

Daisy walked through the dark, deserted streets, her wide straw bonnet tipped low and her ivory scarf wrapped tightly around her neck to conceal her face... the Fire inside of her burning steadily and shining through her single red eye. Images flashed through her mind, jake's smile, his touch, his frizzy hair, it only made things harder... She already had a plan in mind, she'd constructed it while wrapping up Jacob's body, she felt cripplingly alone without his clueless form next to her.

But Daisy was not alone, not with Mr Copper out running an errand for her, and not with Her friends that followed her always, her friends on the other side.

She saw a man walking down the street, a very drunk looking man, smoking a cigarette... "He will have do." She thought, moving towards him "Excuse me?" Daisy muttered shyly to the man. He paused, puffing his cigarette while looking her up and down.

"Well hello there..." He slurred, Daisy cleared her throat... she was not well practised in this, but He seemed drunk enough for her to break past his will

"Be Calm." She commanded, sinking her brittle claws into his doughy mind, He resisted slightly and she feared that it wouldn't work, but he eventually let out a long breath and eyed her lazily. She nodded to herself "Alright... okay... I need your wallet." she asked with a frown.

The Man's eyes twitched, but he reached into his pocket, and brandished his wallet, handing it to her freely. Daisy ruffled through the old frayed thing and found 35 dollars and an I.D for one Trevor Banks.

She nodded to herself "Be still." Daisy commanded, and she felt his will rattling her, she didn't have much time before her weak hold was broken. Quickly shuffling towards the man, she tipped her hat back and quickly pressed her mouth to his, pushing her tongue into his Beer-tasting mouth and just as swiftly pulling back, running her tongue across the photo of his face on the I.D.

Daisy wiped her mouth, still frowning as she looked his wallet in her hand "...." The Man, Trevor, He didn't look any older than 30, not all that well off either, probably a sad drunk who had gone through some wear in life by the looks of him, Daisy took 20 dollars of the emerald bills, tucked the rest back into his wallet, slipping it back in his pocket "I'm sorry, Trevor... Go home... and... maybe try and straighten out a little okay" She commanded sweetly, the man blinked blankly moving past her like she was never there and down the empty street.

The Blonde gasped, feeling like she'd just run a mile... " Sometimes I wish using these powers wasn't so taxing." She thought, envying those who found Mesmerisation easy.

After a short walk, Daisy found herself at what she thought might be a convenience store, though it was very cramped and the light inside was a blinding white that gave the place a blank kind of glaze. A very tired and bored looking woman stood behind the counter, though as Daisy walked in, a tall figure of Red and Blonde, the Woman Behind the counter fixed her with a cynical eye.

Luckily they sold Rum, the darkest they had is what she took. The Lady looked up at Daisy, who kept her left eye closed "Dou you think I could get some cigars as well, Ma'am? if you have them...?"

The woman narrowed her eyes "You got I.D, Miss?" her voice was a tired grumble.

Daisy nodded, pulling out Trevor I.D and handing it to her. She took it, staring at the pic before flicking her eyes up to Daisy "Something wrong with your eye, Miss Teresa?" The woman asked as she turned to grab a pack of thin cigars.

The Blonde grimaced "So rude!" She thought "Just a little irritated, the autumn always makes my eyes a little puffy." She lied.

The Woman snorted "Gotta have some foil for all that pretty, ma'am." she muttered enviously under her breath, using... some kind of machine with a screen that beeped as she rang her items through "That will be 15.45 please, Ma'am."

Daisy pulled out the 20 dollars and handed it to the woman. the woman rolled her eyes opening the register to get Daisy's change, but the blonde held up a hand "Keep the change... oh and You have really beautiful eyes." She said with a sad smile. The Woman blinked

"Oh... well, thank you, ma'am." She muttered with surprise.

Daisy nodded, feeling her eyes about to well "H-Have a nice night, okay?" the woman looked like she might speak but Daisy had already taken her things and left.

The walk through town, to the woods, was slightly less grim than the last, Daisy was thoroughly averted to doing horrible things, and being kind helped her feel a little better for what she was about to do. She took her mind off of it by looking at the strange beauty of everything around her, the lights, the architecture, a mixture of old and new, but New Orleans had not lost its charm.

The Moon was full and bright on the wooded area where She and Jake had come before, and just as she expected, Mr Copper and Miss fluffy-ears sat waiting for her "H-Hey, You two. Did you manage to do your part Mr C?" She asked gently, Copper nodded his head, looking as smug as a snake could "Great. Miss fluffy-ears--"

The Doe huffed shaking her head and stomping her hoofs, Daisy narrowed her eyes at her "No." She said adamantly, The Doe huffed again, Daisy eyed her sadly and sighed rubbing her eyes "Look, how about a compromise, I'll call you Queen Horns and that's it, got it, young lady?"

Queen Horns blinked, conceding "Right... great, now... now..." Daisy looked at the doe sadly, reaching up to rub the smooth of her head, "Go and rest, it's for the best, do not weep, enjoy your sleep."

She watched as the Doe's flaming eyes sizzled out, falling immediately back into ****. The Blonde rubbed her arms uncomfortably, she knew that necromancy was a fickle thing and that keeping that poor thing here longer than she needed her would be a cardinal sin... she had served her purpose, she had to remember that, becoming too attached would only serve to break Daisy's heart further.

Mr Copper looked at Queen Horns curiously, before looking back at Daisy. She patted the Snake affectionately "No of course not, I still need you. but I won't keep you here forever, you'll get your eternal rest, I promise." She whispered to the snake who licked her palm.

"Okay then... let's get this over with, Go ahead and call them in, I'll get started on the ritual."

There was an ire in the air of the woods, she could smell its musk and feel it on her skin as she pulled away at her clothes, neatly folding them and putting them on a relatively clean stump off to the side. Daisy felt like a lost child among the dense green, a pink smooth form nude as the day she was born, breasts perking at the cold air, skin pimpling with goosebumps, her eyes refusing to look at the Sign of the chaste branded below her flat stomach.

She looked down hesitantly, seeing the corpse of her once unliving doe friend and brandished her razor-sharp claws. The Breeze flicked about her golden hair, the locks waving like a bright flame in the darkness as the sound of a hundred hissing forms, slithered around her nude form.

Closing her eyes, Daisy held back a wretch as she plunged her daggered hand into the body of Queen Horns, plunging her hands deep into her chest and wrenching free the unbeating heart that was boiling hot from the Fires of the sun that once locked itself inside.

Holding her breath and pinching her nose exceptionally hard, and held back a gag as she crushed the small muscle, feeling the congealed blood wash over her face and stain her golden hair red "Vini jwenn mwen, dous Barron" She whispered as she began to twist her wide hips, swaying and twisting, tapping her feet on the wet grass below, her chants echoing into the night sky above, where the Moon bleed red like a blood-shot eye "Santi soufrans mwen pou ou, epi montre tet ou!" She sang, her voice intuned to the choir of hissing around her, the many serpentine faces bobbing their head as she clapped and sprung, her breasts dripping with blood as they jumped up and down with her "Mwen chante non ou, vini epi mache anba lalin lan san-tache! vin jwenn mwen, Baron Samedi!"

A wind whipped through the Moon-lit grove, and an ethereal rhythm, carried by the breeze began to carry her and spin her into a place that was different but ultimately the same, the once cold grass below became a warm marble floor of ivory, the trees great pylons of polished stone, the snakes around her were grabbed by ghosts of mists who danced as the grooviest jazz orchestra began to play against the rhythm of the wind, the twinkling stars above shining beside the Blood-moon.

"Come'ere Gyal!" Daisy squeaked as she felt hands cold as glacier's grab her hand and naked waist, suddenly spinning her into a spin, pulling her back into a masterful twirl as He smiled his tooth ivory grin at her.

The Loa was tall as a tower and thin as bones, The Skin that could be seen was Black a night, safe for his face, which was painted with ash-white in the shape of a skull, large circular sunglasses sat on his face, the left lens in them was gone to reveal his eye which was black in its sunken socket. He tipped his high silken top hat, the feathers lodged in it fluttering as the flaming cherry of his cigar blazing red as he blew rings of whirling smoke into the night air "Salutations, Mon Cher, How charmed I am to hear from you, after all these years." His voice was high and nasely, like the hiss of a snake.

Daisy flushed, bowing her head loyally "Mr Saturday... I didn't think you'd answer my call. I'm sorry, the Rum is cheap and the cigars... not the kind that You like." She apologised, holding up her offerings to the Loa which He took, laughing darkly and smiling, his jaw seemed almost stuck in the grin as a skeleton's would.

"Nonsense, Gurl, I know I can be picky, but when a special little thang like you calls, I can't resist but answer the call."

She watched as He drew a cigar, which She lit for him with the Fire's of the Sun, clicking her fingers which sparked the end of it red. Samedi nodded with approval, taking an almost cartoonishly long toke, and swallowing down a deep sip of the rum that she had bought him. Sighing with satisfaction, Daisy yelped as He pulled her naked body closer to his bony form "Look at you, not aged a day... Lookin' like a fine little strawberry in the blood of the innocent. tell me, what is it that You desire, Mon Cher?"

The Two began to dance then, dance with the shadowy mist form that swayed with the snakes on the smooth floor. the smooth jazz continued to play as they did the fast steps of the Guede as they spoke in an eldritch echo "It is Marie II, Mr Saturday... She's..."

"Oh I know, baby, this skull has eyes to see with." He lowered his head to the Sigh branded below her stomach, Daisy flushed, aware of her nakedness as they spun in the otherworld.

"I... I need you. I need a curse, the Curse of Faith." She muttered, her eyes narrowing as the fire burned inside.

The Baron chuckled like a hyena "That's some bad juju you're looking to throw with, Mon Cher, with a high price, are you sure that is what you want?"

The Bloodstained blonde narrowed her eyes at him "You owe me a debt, Mr Saturday, Mama and I gave you a thousand souls on the double, we danced and sung for you, gave cigars of Cuba and fine grape wine, the fruit of the ripe trees..."

He chuckled "Ah yes, but I gave you da gift, Mon Cher, the power to kill without pulling a trigger or raise a blade, it is a gift that You still have in that half-dead heart of yours, it is the deal that we made for your soul. So why should I extend my favour to Madam Ostara now, without payment?"

Daisy danced with Baron Samedi, and prayed that her coming words would be convincing enough "You and your family were once paramount of this place, beloved and given too, You drove the dead away and we sacrificed and suffered for you, but what do the Hoodoo sacrifice now? they are vain and uncaring of the old ways, I could feel how the spirits were unsettled in the House of the dead, give me the means, and I will guarantee that You are worshipped once again, in all of your glory."

The Baron halted in place, and so the shadows around them dissipated and only the Baron, the army of serpents and Daisy stood in the silence. "So... if I give you my Favour, the Curse of Faith, then you will restore my worship?"

She nodded "I swear it, Mr Saturday, I swear it."

The Baron grinned deeply, stepped away, puffing on his cigar and drinking the Rum that fell beneath his ribs and stained his midnight black suit "Very well then, Mon Cher... I will give you my favour. But I must say, this old boy, is going to miss you when you are gone, sweet strawberry."

Daisy smiled at the Baron who tipped his hat to her "Goodbye... Mr Saturday. Thank you." the images swept through her mind like a whipping gale, from the time that she was a little girl until she was plunged into that swamp, The Guede had always walked with her, and now with the last of their favour, she knew that she might never see them again.

The world clicked back into place and she was once again in that cold marsh, with the snakes, covered in blood that trickled down her face. Her stomach rattled at the sensation, falling to her knees as she lurched and heaved "Ew-ew-ew-ew!" She cried, rubing as much of it away as she could.

Daisy stood after she cleaned herself up a little, and looked around at the snakes. every single one now lay dead, their life sapped away for her. Taking a bracing breath, the blonde retrieved the lipstick from her purse and began to draw the signs, this would be the most that she had brought back at once in a very long time, but it had to be done, she had to do this "For Jake."

Her whispers stirred the air around her, into something dark and natural, drawing the light into the Stars drawn unto her palms and enraptured her fingers in crimson flame.

Taking a long breath she spoke the words

"I call you back to Earthen Soil,
to be re-bound to Mortal coil.
And though your living life is done,
Walk with me: my rising Sun."

Daisy held her arms out wide, her breaths heavy on the air as the flame of spring lashed out into the air, spreading into a wide arc, shining brightly like a crimson sunflower it's blazing petals emblazoning so many marks of reanimation on so many of the dead serpents that the entire woods would be illuminated in the shadows, with an ungodly crimson light.