I sit on the rooftop patio at Lucas’s house in Lincoln Park and close my eyes. “Michael,” I call and bring my hands together. “Can you hear me? I really want to talk to you. And getting to know my dad would be cool too.”
Cars drive down the street, and the neighbors next door are outside entertaining friends. Music is playing and the sound of their laughter is distracting.
I open my eyes and look around, not convinced someone isn’t going to try and shoot me again. All three of my familiars are up here, walking around the perimeter of the roof, keeping guard.
The sun is just now setting. We were able to drive to Chicago before dark thanks to my handy-dandy spellwork, making it safe for Lucas to be in the car during the day. He’s inside now, doing some sort of work. He has to pack more of his stuff too, but there’s nowhere to put it in my little house. I’m pretty sure his closet is bigger than my bedroom.
In a perfect world, we wouldn’t get married until the house was closer to being done. That way we could spend the first night there together as a married couple. Which we still will, I know, but we’re going to be going back and forth between houses for a while.
“I have so many questions,” I go on, closing my eyes again. “And concerns. Probably more concerns. Please, Michael. Talk to me.”
I let out a sigh and stand, stretching my hands over my head. He’s not going to talk to me tonight. Julian hasn’t answered either, but I have a feeling if I just send out the slightest bit of interest in talking to Lucifer again, he’ll show up in my dreams.
“Come on, guys,” I say to my familiars and go into the house. Lucas is taking me out to dinner tonight, and we’re determined to have as normal of a date as possible. Which for us means me eating amazing food, drinking really good wine, and then coming home and having mind-blowing sex.
I magically curl my hair, change from a tank top and leggings to a dark purple dress, and walk through the large house to find Lucas. He’s still in his office and is on the phone again. This time he is speaking French, and thinking it might have something to do with the week in Paris he keeps talking about, I go back into the living room to wait.
Pulling out a heavy book from my bag, I sit on the couch with my feet propped up on the coffee table and flip through the pages of the Demonology book. I borrowed it from Naomi and Nicole, whose gran is a famed demonologist, a few days ago and have been slowly going through it with Lucas’s help, since the entire thing is written in Latin.
My wedding is getting closer…and so is the time for this demon to grab another round of victims to sacrifice or eat or do whatever he’s going to do to them.
It takes me twenty minutes to translate a small section, going back and forth between an online translator and the words written in small black ink.
Feeling like I’m about to go cross-eyed, I close the book and grab my phone. I spent a decent chunk of time a few days ago taking photos of my familiars in the bookstore, and need to schedule social media posts to go up. I should at least be able to manage this.
I get one photo up and spend a few minutes replying to questions and comments. I don’t even know the last time I went through our message box and I feel all sorts of guilty about it.
My phone rings, and since it’s in my hand, I answer right away.
“Hello, sister,” Evander says. “Tell me all is well.”
“I would if I wasn’t afraid of jinxes.”
Evander laughs. “That’s a good answer. Are you home?”
“Not in Thorne Hill. We’re in Chicago so Lucas can go to a VC meeting tonight and try to sniff out who hired the Order to try and kill me.”
“Sounds like a typical night for you.”
“Unfortunately, it is. But we have reservations for dinner before that I’m looking forward to.” We’re driving about half an hour away from the city to go there, and I’ve already looked over the online menu twice. “Now, you need to tell me all is well. Because you don’t call just to chat.”
“I am fine, but I do have news. It’s not necessarily good or bad, but you need to know it.”
“What is it?”
“Ruth’s hearing is next week. There’s a chance you’ll be called in and questioned. Your testimony could be important in getting her stripped of her powers for good. The papers you signed the other night haven’t been turned in. For now, you need to remain part of the coven.”
A few seconds tick by and I don’t say anything.
“Callie? Are you still there?”
“I’m here. Um…okay. I’ve told a few people I was marrying a vampire today.”
“Who?”
“Nons at Novel Grounds.”
“That shouldn’t be an issue,” he says, though neither of us believe it. “Keep up the act that you’re not engaged to a devilishly handsome vampire, okay?”
I wince at his choice of words. I’m not evil. “I will. Thanks for letting me know. Let’s hope Ruth is found guilty.”
“There is a good case against her. She incriminated herself multiple times after she was detained. It should be an easy win, though be prepared to be called in if necessary.”
“If only her trial was the next week. Then I’d be out of town and unable to come. Holy shit, I’m going to be married really soon.”
“You are. You’re going to be a beautiful bride, sister.”
“I think so too,” I agree, laughing. “You should really consider coming out with us on Friday night.”
“I think I’ll pass on girls’ night. Though given how your last one went, you may need me.”
“Right?” I laugh. “Though I haven’t a reason to go all bridezilla on anyone, but demons coming after me that night of all nights will give me good reason to.”
Evander laughs and I have to fight not to get a little choked up. It’s a temporary break from that coven. That’s all. And right now, nothing has changed. Right now, I’m still a member of the coven.
Who’s marrying a vampire.
Evander and I say our goodbyes and then I go back to the book, slowly translating a few more lines until Lucas comes into the living room.
“Are you to ready to go, my love?”
I close the book and put it on the coffee table. “I am.” Lucas extends his hand for me and helps me to my feet. “You look good tonight,” I tell him. “Though you always do, but the blue shirt brings out the blue in your eyes.”
“Is this the part where you tell me it looks better off?” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows. His large hands land on my hips and he brings me to him. I laugh and hook my arms around his neck, standing on my toes to kiss him.
“We do need to leave in order to make it in time,” he tells me, and has to force himself to let go of me.
“Right.” I slide my hands down his muscular arms before peeling myself off him as well. I give my familiars a kiss on the head and then put on my heels. The air is chilly tonight, so I put a black leather jacket on over my dress. Fall is on its way, and cool nights like this used to excite me, bringing with it a certain energy that reminded me of Sahmain.
Next year. Next year I’ll be able to partake in the festivities again. And I still have Yule. We’ll be in our house by then and I’m going to go all out and throw a crazy party.
Though if I want to invite more than just a few people, I need to start start being social.
“The plane is booked for the day after the wedding,” Lucas tells me as we drive. “And I made reservations for dinner throughout the week in Napa for us.”
“You’re so good to me.”
Lucas takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing my fingers. “Did you clean your ring today?” he asks when he lowers my hand.
“I did. It’s extra sparkly, isn’t it? Oh, that reminds me.” I pull my phone from my purse and pair it with the Range Rover’s Bluetooth. “I made a list of songs for us to pick from for our first dance.”
Lucas gives my hand a squeeze. “Let’s listen then.”
“I kind of feel sorry for you, yet at the same time I’m so grateful you don’t eat.” I dip a piece of toasted bread into the fondue pot of cheese on the table in front of us.
Lucas wrinkles his nose, looking at the cheese. “That is completely unappetizing.”
“Did you lose your human appetite right away?” I ask, licking the cheese off the bread. I’m the only one eating this. Might as well double-dip, right?
“Yes. It was gone as soon as I woke, and seeing food disgusted me for years. It doesn’t bother me now, but when I look at that.” He motions to the cheese. “It has no appeal.”
I dip the little piece of bread in the cheese again, blow on it, and then pop it into my mouth. “This is so good.”
“I will say I enjoy watching you put things in your mouth.”
“And you say vampires don’t always think about sex.”
“Fucking and feeding off you does cross my mind multiple times a day. I’m thinking about it now.”
I slide my foot over and rub against his leg. “What are you thinking about?”
“Right now?” He leans in and draws his fangs, taking my free hand—aka the one that’s not covered in cheese—and laces our fingers together. “I’m thinking about spreading your leg and licking your pussy. And then where I want to drink from you. Your pulse is strong in your neck, and the blood flows into my mouth with each beat. But your thigh…it’s so close to your pussy.”
My lips part and my breath comes out a little ragged. I need a cold glass of water and a fan—STAT.
“I want your blood again,” I say, feeling a little awkward. Dirty talk isn’t my thing, though Lucas’s blunt honesty and unabashed way he owns his feelings are starting to rub off on me. “I like tasting you.”
“And I like knowing part of me is always inside of you.”
I lean in closer, forgetting for a moment that we’re in the middle of a restaurant.
“Callie?”
I jerk back, looking up and needing to blink a few times to refocus my vision. It’s Ruby fucking Darrows.
“Ruby…hi.”
She hated me in our years together at the Academy, and still harbors the same feelings. Though she did stand up for me—and for Lucas—when I was on trial. She’s a professor at Grim Gate now, and is a stickler for the rules.
And I’m sitting here, holding hands and making sexy eyes with a sixteen-hundred-year-old vampire. She’s a witch, a smart one at that, and would have been able to sense that a vampire of Lucas’s age was here the moment she stepped foot into this building.
I pull my hand from Lucas’s and lean back in my chair, looking up at Ruby. She’s dressed in jeans and an ivory blouse, and it’s almost jarring to see her looking so normal. I haven’t seen her outside of the Covenstead in years.
Her eyes go from me to Lucas, whose fangs are still drawn, to the large ring on my finger.
“What are you doing?” she rushes out, eyes going wide. “You’re…you’re marrying a vampire?”
I open my mouth to tell her I’m leaving the coven, but then snap it shut. I can’t yet, because I might have to testify against Ruth.
“You were pardoned from a near death sentence and this is how you repay us all for testifying on your behalf?” She shakes her head, long braids swinging around her face. “I have to report you to our High Priestess.”
No, dammit. Tabatha already knows and has been turning a blind eye. But if Ruby thinks she’s informing her, then she’s going to have to follow through with some sort of punishment for me.
“Ruby, wait,” I call as Ruby hurries through the restaurant. The waitress comes over right after, blocking my line of sight. She sets a warm pretzel on the table for me to dip into the cheese. Normally, I’d be all over that, but right now I have to stop Ruby.
“I have to go after her,” I tell Lucas. “I’ll be back.”
“Do you need me?”
“No. I got this.”
“Okay.”
I stand and quickly walk to the back of the room, going in the direction Ruby went. There’s a door that leads to the small parking lot out back, and I’m guessing she went out there to make the call. I push the door open and see her standing against the side of the building with her phone in her hands.
“Ruby, wait,” I repeat, and she snaps her head up. “There’s no reason to involve Tab—the High Priestess.”
“You are going against a direct order from the Grand Coven. I have to report you.”
“No, you don’t.” Desperation plagues me and the streetlamp above us flickers. I squeeze my fingers into my fists, trying to get ahold of my powers. “Let me explain.”
“Explain what? That you ignored orders and obviously have been with that vampire for a while now since you have that monstrosity on your hand.”
“Hey!” I gasp, getting defensive of my ring. The streetlamp glows brighter and little tendrils of magic sizzle around my fingers.
“I’m calling.”
“No,” I shout and flick my wrist. I meant to just knock her phone out her hands. It’s in what looks like an Otterbox case so clattering to the ground won’t do it any damage. I’ve dropped my phone more times than I can count, and my case has kept it safe.
But the phone goes flying, landing several yards away.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to—” I start, but Ruby doesn’t give me a chance to explain. She thrusts her hand out, shoving me back into the door. The knob bites into my back and I know it’s going to leave a bruise.
Oh hell no. I grit my teeth and bring both hands up, bright blue energy glowing around my fingers.
“Seriously?” I growl. “You want to start a fight with me? Didn’t you learn years ago that I will always kick your ass?”
She circles her wrist and conjures an energy ball, holding it up and taking her aim. A car pulls up right as she goes to throw it. I could have easily deflected the energy ball or simply dodged out of the way. But the man in the car turns right as the ball of energy is hurled through the air.
His eyes meet mine and suddenly I can’t move. My throat goes tight and I feel like I’m ten years old all over again, scared and cold and being tied down to a chair so more blood can be drawn. More tests can be done.
The energy ball hits me, burning through my jacket, down to my skin. But I hardly feel the pain, or anything at all. Because the man in the car inflicted so much on me.
“Callie!” Ruby exclaims, hands flying to her mouth. “Why didn’t you block that?”
“That man,” I breathe, still unable to move. “That’s Doctor Howard.”