Colorblind (Moonlight) (15 page)

His slow crawl stopped when his eyes came in contact with human toes. Looking up, he realized through the blur that Armand stared down at him.

In his pain, he didn’t think to ask why the man was naked or where he’d been.

“Help me!” he screamed instead, trying to push himself up on his remaining leg, only to fall back down. “Animal. Get the gun. Find—gun. More people.”

He was lifted.
Thank Jesus
. The man would help him. He was lifted off of his good foot, up, until he was looking directly into the yellow eyes of the beast.

Pleasant shuddered and then he wept. “Is you a demon?”

“Your demon,” he growled. “How does it feel to be helpless, Pleasant?”

“Don’t—kill me. I ain’t never done nothin’ bad—”

“You raped countless women, murdered countless men—”

“Niggers!” Pleasant spat viciously, struggling as if the fight had been reborn inside him. “I ain’t never touch or kill no whites!”

Something slipped over Armand’s face and then Pleasant felt himself flying. Flying through the air.

He grunted in pain when his back hit something, and he heard an audible snap.

Before he could think on it, he was being lifted again, made to face those angry yellow eyes.

“Remember Julia,” Armand said softly, and Pleasant blinked.

Julia was the last thing on his mind. A demon was trying to kill him. Christ, he’d never believed in these things, even with the talks in the Bayou, and now this.

“Tell me about her again.”

“I don’—why?” he broke off on a scream as something sharp pierced his belly. Looking down, his eyes widened in horror as he saw a claw digging into him, cutting him open. That was—blood, and guts. He screamed more.

“Tell me about Julia,” Armand demanded. “Tell me that you’re sorry for ever touching her, that you never should have placed your filthy hands on her, that she’s too good for you!”

“Sorry,” Pleasant gasped out. “I ain’t never shoulda touched ’er wit’ my—filthy ’ands. She too—” He almost blacked out from the excruciating pain but Armand went deeper and his eyes flew open. “Too good for me.”

“You’re pathetic,” Armand growled, tossing him away once more.

Pleasant grunted as he hit the ground. He lifted his trembling hands to his belly and gasped. He could feel his insides.

“Wha’ you gonna do to me?” he asked softly, tiredly. He was dying. Pleasant knew it.

“Kill you. Eventually,” Armand answered.

There was a flash of light and Pleasant wondered—hoped—that it was someone with a torch coming to save him.

It wasn’t. A moment later, the large head of a wolf drew over his face. Unlike the one he’d seen years ago, this would didn’t look gray, but black. Or maybe the dark was making him look that way.

“Please—kill—me,” Pleasant said slowly, slurring his words.

The wolf’s tongue wagged at him, and he thought he saw the creature smile.
Demon.

Moments later, a searing pain erupted at his belly, and his mouth opened on a hoarse scream. Using the last of his strength, he lifted his head to better see and remove the cause.

The demon was there, head buried in his belly as it tugged and ripped….

He tried to push it away, but its sharp teeth latched onto his hand and it began to tug and rip.

Chapter Nine

The day was turning out to be—for lack of better word—chaotic. Instead of the usual ritual of the day, breakfast and then to the fields, Hollis, along with Leon and his brothers, had lined the slaves up just after dusk and read off eleven names. Pleasant had yet to arrive, and proceedings were going through without him. As the names were read, ten slaves stepped forward, looking confused and terrified. Julia, who must have been added as the eleventh slave recently, as Penny could not remember seeing her on the list, was the only one who was not there.

“If your name has been called, you may return to your quarters for anything of value to you,” Leon spoke clearly, authoritatively. “In some hours, you will be leaving for Mr. Julius’s plantation in Virginia. He’ll be your new master and I expect you to treat him with the same respect you’ve shown me.”

Cries immediately broke free from the friends and family of the slaves being sold.

“If you work hard, you will be treated well,” Leon continued, eyeing the terrified humans and feeling a keen sympathy for them. They didn’t know they were a step closer to their freedom, only that they were being sold away from, for many, the only home and family they’d known.

“An’ don’ none of y’all try runnin’,” Hollis said, lifting his voice. Because Pleasant was not there, he seemed to think it his job to put fear into the slaves until the true terror arrived. “Pleasant be here soon ’nuf ’nd us and these ’ere boys gon’ be watchin’ to make sure.”

Leon nodded. He didn’t want to scare them, but he didn’t want anyone running, unknowingly, from what was perhaps their only chance of freedom.

He scanned the crowd, searching out Penny. She wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she was looking at the people she’d helped him select, people fit enough to make this journey north. Her eyes were sad, haunted.

He looked away and clasped his hands behind his back. “That is all. You’re dismissed.”

***

“Don’t cry, Annie,” Penny was saying. Annie was around her age, and had been born on the plantation, like Penny. She stroked her friend’s hair. “Massa Julius’ place might jus’ be better’n this one. You ain’t neva like them fields, ’member? Maybe you be a cook this time?”

Annie only cried harder, and although she knew she’d done the right thing by putting her friend on the list, Penny felt guilty. There came a commotion and Penny looked up to find someone pushing his way into her quarters. People were mulling about, talking to those would soon leave, comforting them, so it was a task to get through.

Once the person cleared the others and she saw the face, she immediately knew what was to come. It was Ray. And he, too, had been placed on the list.

“You bitch!” Ray hollered.

Annie immediately quieted, sniffling as she turned to see who it was making such noise. “You dirty, Massa-lovin’ whore!”

“Boy, don’ you come in here talkin’ to Penny like that!” Old Ma began angrily, banging the stick that aided with her walking on the floor.

“She got y’all fooled. Had me fooled good, too,” Ray snarled, anger dripping from his being. He took a step forward and Penny shoved Annie behind her. She’d never seen Ray this angry before, and was unsure of what he would do. “Why ain’t you on the list, Penny? Tell ’em why you ain’t on the list!”

When she didn’t answer, Ray released a bitter laugh and spun to the face their growing audience. “Penny ’ere ain’t on no list ’cause she spreadin’ her legs for the Massa—”

“That’s enough!” Old Ma roared, banging the stick once more. “Boy, I gon’ forgive this ’cause you angry and bitter, but you say one mo’ thing and you gon’ face ’em fires o’ hell ’fore you’ time!”

Ray blanched. Old Ma was a voodoo priestess after all. But he still managed to turn to face Penny. Even as hurt pounded through her at the words from her friend, she remained expressionless.

Tears gathered in Ray’s eyes, and his voice lowered. “I’s on this list fo’ you, Penny, ’cause he don’ want me ’round you!” His voice broke slightly, and sadness engulfed her being. If he only knew the truth… “I got brothers and sisters I ain’t never gon’ see ’gain ’cause o’ you!” His face drew up in anger once more and he took a step forward as if he intended to hurt her.

Penny tensed again, waiting for the attack.

“You touch ’er and you ain’t gon’ use that arm ’gain!” Old Ma’s voice came as if in the distance.

Instead of hitting her like she’d expected, he caught her arms in a punishing grip, and said softly, words meant only for her ears, “He ain’t gon’ want you fo’ long anyways. You’s a darkie, and soon’s he learn these ways, you gon’ be an ordinary field nigger like rest of us.”

Pushing her away, Ray blindly made his way to the door. Some people patted his back, others revealed their sorrow that he was leaving. Once he was gone, they all turned to her expectantly. She knew what they wanted: a vehement denial, something to put them at ease. She couldn’t bring herself to lie.

“What y’all lookin’ at?” Old Ma demanded after seconds passed with Penny as a spectacle. As if she’d shocked them, everyone returned to what they were doing. People were crying again, comforting again

“Actin’ like people ain’t leavin’ soon!” Old Ma huffed as she made her way over. “You all right, girl?”

Nodding automatically, she turned and looked for Annie. She’d moved farther into the crowd. When their eyes met, Annie looked away hastily.

Penny’s secret was out, and now it seemed her own people were going to treat her as an outcast for it. Learning she was different had put them somewhat in awe of her. Finding out she was sleeping with the master was going to make them despise her.

She’d known the day would come; it didn’t ease her hurt any less.

***

After almost a half an hour of either being ignored or watched with accusing eyes, Penny stepped from the quarters and made her way to the house. She didn’t blame them for the way they treated her. They didn’t understand, nor would they.

She’d just stepped through the side door when a hand clasped hers. Although she went on the alert, she recognized Julia, and the expression on her face was haggard.

“What’s wrong?” Penny asked immediately.

Julia looked around quickly, and then shook her head. “Not ’ere. You follow me?”

Nodding, Penny set off behind her, passing the dining room and into the kitchen. She expected to see Jolie, but the girl was nowhere in sight. Julia led her into a room off to the side of the kitchen, a room where Julia obviously slept. There were six cots, barely inches away from each other, but the space was clean, much like the space she shared with the field slaves.

“I know we ain’t friends or nothin’, but I ain’t kno’ who to come to,” Julia began brokenly. She braced against the wall and closed her eyes as if she couldn’t bear to keep herself up anymore. “This my only home, like it yours. Born ’ere, I was. Me and Jolie both. Ain’t never been nowhere else. I don’ wanna leave.” She paused and drew a deep breath. “Don’ wanna leave ’er ’ere alone.” Jolie. Julia was concerned for Jolie.

“I’s sorry, Julia,” Penny said softly, unable to say anything else.

“You can ’elp me,” Julia continued, her eyes beseeching. “I kno’ you’s close to Massa. Ask ’im for me. I do whatever you wan’. I be your slave—anythin’. Please.”

Shaking her head slowly, Penny closed her eyes and said, “It not gon’ change nothin’.”

“Try, please—
please
.” Julia broke off on a sob, sliding down the wall as if even that was not enough to keep her up. She clutched a delicate, fine-boned hand to her chest and shook her head. The cream scarf she wore as a hair cover shifted and her red locks tumbled around her face. Tears streamed from under her closed lids and her lips trembled. “Pain. I ain’t never kno’ nothin’ but pain.”

Penny rushed over to her immediately, kneeling at her side. “Everythin’ gon’ be fine, Julia.”

Julia’s eyes opened, gray swimming in a pool of water. “Please try—I can’ leave her. She the only thin’ in this world I got.”

“I try—” Penny began reassuringly, only to be cut off by Jolie’s screech of anger.

“Wha’ she doin’ in here?” Before anyone could answer, Jolie grabbed her, pulling her up. “Out! Jus’ cause Massa let you in the ’ouse don’ mean you come in ‘ere!”

Penny yanked her arm away and was preparing to teach Jolie the lessons in manners she’d never learned, when Julia’s voice halted her.

“Stop it!”

Jolie stepped past Penny and looked down at her sister. Her hand landed across Julia’s forehead and she said gently, “Wha’s wrong wit’ you? You sick again?”

It was obvious Jolie hadn’t heard the news yet. For one, she didn’t look hysterical, and two, she wasn’t trying to attack Penny, which should probably would once she found out.

Penny stepped back until she was near the door. She was about to turn when Julia pinned her with that sad stare. “Please.”

Nodding, Penny walked out.

***

“What’s wrong?” Leon asked immediately upon seeing his mate.

She shook her head and approached him, burying her face against his shirt and wrapping her arms about his waist.

Stroking down her back, he easily burrowed his way into her mind. She was both happy and sad, and guilt seemed to press down against her every thought. There were no images, as if she’d blanked them all from her mind.

“Penny,” he murmured. “This will only benefit them. If everything goes as planned, in a few months, they will be free. No slavery. No masters.”

She nodded against his chest and sighed, “I know, Leon. I do. It’s just—sad.”

He agreed wholeheartedly. Slavery was sad. Humans were stupid. Those were facts.

“Is it possible to send Jolie as well?” he heard her ask.

Blinking at the request, as it seemed odd, he replied, “Next time,
ma louve
. Armand was only supposed to be taking ten, but I’ve amended it for eleven. We shouldn’t change the sale too much in case they are stopped, and someone grows suspicious.” He paused. “Why do you ask?”

“Julia,” she replied. “She does not wish to leave her sister.”

He understood now. “It won’t be for long. As soon as the first group is in Canada, we will start preparation for the next. Jolie will go then.”

“Why must Julia go now? She wasn’t on the list I drafted, Leon,” Penny said, pulling her head back to look into his face. She had been quite surprised to hear Julia’s name on the list.

Leon’s face grew a bit shuttered and before he could say anything, she pushed into his mind, seeing the conversation he’d had with his brother as clearly as if it were played out before her.

“You did it for Armand,” she whispered softly, before blinking in confusion. “Why does he want her on the list?”

With a sigh, Leon replied, “Why did I place you on the list,
ma louve
?”

“But you’re my mate—” She broke off as her eyes widened. “But he’s a wolf and she’s human.”