I woke the next morning and turned to see Alek had already gotten up. I had hoped we could at least try and have sex. Or is it make love when you’re in a relationship? Either one would have been nice this morning. But sadly, I lay alone in the half-made bed.
Kicking the covers off, I got up and glanced at the alarm clock. It was after ten in the morning. I was surprised Devlin hadn’t come in, demanding I get up and report for duty. Of course, it could be because of the worried look he had given me when I got home last night dragging my purse behind me, mumbling about subterfuge and dead ends with a cigar dangling from my lips.
My mind had decided to break in the time it took me to drive from Ezra’s to Devlin’s. Hence the need for sex this morning. I still had way too much tension and frustration inside of me. Of course, I could have tried to jump Alek last night, but he also seemed tired.
After a long shower, I pulled on some clothes and went to join the rest of the team, hoping Jonah had made some of his glorious fried potatoes and onions—the only Nectar of the Gods I wanted to partake in. Ever.
I found them in the war room, staring at a whiteboard with two pictures on it: Logan and Unrie. Everyone turned and looked at me.
“I must have slept in,” I said. “Is there breakfast?” I asked Jonah.
He dipped his head toward the adjoining kitchen. “In the oven.”
“There better be potatoes on that plate.”
Alek came in the kitchen and leaned on the counter. “You doing okay?”
I took the plate out of the oven and smiled at the pile of potatoes and eggs. “I am now.” I looked at him. “Could have used one of those quickies we discussed weeks ago.”
He leaned in. “That was Tuesday.”
“Oh,” I said, mouth full. “Well, what day is it?”
Alek slid my hair behind my ear. “Friday.”
I nodded, chewing. Five days. It had only been five days since we started the merry-go-round of a case. I sighed heavily and shoved more food in my mouth.
“Did you make the bed?” Alek asked, his eyes dancing with humor.
I stared at him while I chewed. “You might have to show me how again, even wear those black silk boxers to make sure I’m paying attention.”
He smiled and cocked his head to the side. “Devlin said you looked a little off last night.”
“Was it the cigar?” I asked, setting my plate on the counter.
He nodded. “Might have been. You need a break?” he asked, his tone softening.
“No,” I said carefully. “What I need is for Devlin to authorize the shoot everyone option we discussed one of the days between Sunday and now so I can get some rest.”
He pulled me to him. “Don’t worry. We’re switching gears today. And tomorrow, you and I will find a nice hotel room to spend the rest of the weekend in.”
I stepped back, my eyes rounding. “Oh, please say this is true.”
He smiled. “Absolutely.” He took my hand. “Now, let’s get this last debrief over so we can start planning our weekend.”
My heart did a happy dance and my hormones decided it was high time they threw a rave. I needed to go shopping for some sexy lingerie for Alek to take off. Maybe even a new dress in case we decided to leave the room.
“You’re happy this morning,” Marta said, staring at me.
“Oh, absolutely,” I said with a little too much cheer for even me in my voice. My damn, self-imposed dry spell was over, and I planned to enjoy every damn minute of it.
“I take it Alek told you I’m giving everyone the weekend off,” Devlin said, studying me.
I nodded. If I opened my mouth, I feared I might blurt out our plans.
He scrutinized me for a minute before addressing the rest of the team. “Our main objective has always been to determine if the Young family is practicing blood magick. Since nothing points in that direction, we will cross them off the list. Unrie Nevsky and Logan Magellan have obviously gone underground, and according to Logan himself, they no longer pose a threat. We will continue looking for Unrie. Just not right now.” He looked at Alek.
“I can update Petronela. Maybe she can have a few others help with the search.”
Devlin nodded and continued. “Who is controlling who is not our concern right now. But if it ever does affect us, we will handle it—preferably with better information than we have now. Jonah?”
“Xavier and Boyd stay in a smaller house on the same road as Hollingsworth Manor. I got a look inside. Nothing to suggest they’re involved with what Gavina is up to.”
Devlin nodded and glanced at me. “Want to update the team on what you learned yesterday?”
“Sure,” I said. I took them through what both my mother and Ezra told me about my lineage. Also told them Ezra promised to give me something to protect myself against Set.
“That explains your magick,” Rachel said with a look of pure wonder on her face.
“Yeah, now I just need to learn what that means.” I lifted my hand before Devlin could say anything. “But it can wait.” I looked at the copy of The Land Guarded by People of Colour. “Louis Badet isn’t dead, and he’s an Old One.” I walked over to the board and wrote his name next to Thoth. “And Ezra said there are five Old Ones on Tulare, including Set.” I turned back to the group. “I gave him a rundown on my theory about Karl, and he said it sounded like something his brother Khnum would do. But he confirmed he wasn’t on the island.” I turned and wrote Killion next to Horus.
“You worried about Juliette?” Devlin asked.
I thought about it for a minute. “She…I don’t know. Her story just…bothered me.” I went back to my chair and sat down. “But I will call her tomorrow and check on her. She said they had an uncle in California. Maybe I can convince her to go stay with him.”
“Call her Monday,” Devlin said.
“Yes, Boss Man.”
“I have a meeting with Opal this afternoon. I will give her an update for the Markums and brainstorm on our Barnes problem.” He looked at us. “Everyone else, take the weekend. We start fresh on Monday. And before we go after another family, we will do our on research.”
He walked over to Marta. “Did you pick out a gun safe?”
“What?” I asked, standing.
Devlin turned. “Marta and I are going to target practice next week. Before I give her a gun, I need to make sure she has a secure safe to lock it up in when she’s home.”
“No one invited me to target practice,” I said.
Devlin dipped his head toward my hiding space. “Stick with the switchblade.”
“It’s small,” I protested.
“That’s the point,” he said and turned away. But not before I saw the humor dancing in his eyes.
I turned and found the rest of the team smiling wide. I shook my head and walked out of the room. Alek followed behind me.
“If you really want to go to target practice, I’ll take you,” he said.
I shook my head. “No. He’s right. I need to stick with knives. Besides, I like them better.” I stepped into his space. “What’s your favorite color?”
He smiled, his arms coming around me. “Why?”
“I’m going shopping and need to know what color to wear tomorrow. Green?” I smiled at the memory of him dressing me in green panties.
He leaned down and kissed my neck. “Nude.”
“That I can do.”
After telling everyone goodbye, I set out to go shopping. Thankfully, it was early enough in the day that I didn’t have to deal with any crowds.
After an hour of trying to decide what to buy, I finally found a lingerie set that did in fact make me look like I was nude. I also got a black dress that barely covered me just in case we decided to go to dinner. Now, I just needed to figure out a place to stay. Oh, and try and squash the anxiety trying to destroy my joy. Being nervous about dating was one thing, but the constant whispers of doubt were another. I thought I had moved past this, for fuck’s sake.
My phone rang, and I looked down at the display: Juliette. Alarm raced through me. I hit the answer button. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“Oh, thank god you answered. I…we need your help. Bridgette and I talked and decided we should take your advice and leave. Gavina left, and we have a chance to leave without her trying to make us stay.”
“Do you have a place to go?” I asked, making a U-turn.
“I called my uncle. He agreed to let us come stay with him.”
I breathed a sigh of relief, but then paused. So much of this case had been one misleading thing after another. Did I trust Juliette? I pondered that for a moment as I made my way toward the main highway. While her story did seem…strange, for a lack of a better word, I couldn’t just dismiss her outright. If she and her sister felt the only way to keep Gavina at bay was to learn how to shut out her whispers, then that meant there was more to it than what they had told me. And Juliette could have lied to protect her abuser.
“Meet me outside. I’m on my way,” I said and hung up. After I took them where they needed to go, I could rest easier knowing I at least helped someone escape Gavina.
The traffic was light as I travelled the main road to East Gate Estates. Once I started on the ride through the community, my shoulder blades started to itch, and an eerie feeling settled in my gut. I was being reckless again. Should I turn around?
The sign for Hollingsworth Manor loomed in front of me. Too late now, I thought, and turned onto the road leading to the house.
Water sprayed over the grass, creating a colorful mist. Now that I knew the spell was there, it was easy to avoid it. Juliette and her sister Bridgette stood just outside the door with bags at their feet. They came rushing over before I could make my way up the walkway.
“Thank you so much,” Juliette said with urgency in her voice. Her gaze darted around, and a light sheen of sweat covered her skin. Bridgette stood rigid, her eyes focused on me, imploring.
“Where am I taking you?” I asked. I picked up one of the bags and walked to the back of my car. Opening the trunk, I shoved the bag inside and looked back at the girls. They stood closer than I liked.
“The bus station in Alice,” Juliette said, her gaze steady on me.
The hairs on the back of my neck rose, and I glanced up at the house. “What about the other girls? I asked. “Do any of them want to leave?”
Bridgette shook her head.
The phoenix wings on my protective mark beat once.
Danger.
Juliette moved behind me. “They didn’t want to come.” I saw it coming—a syringe she had hidden behind her. I stepped to the side, and she stumbled forward.
“Oh, you manipulative bitch!” I yelled and kicked her in the gut.
Adrenaline rushed through me as I whipped around to face her sister, who had started for me, hands curled into claws. The scream she let loose seemed to echo.
I knocked her back and kept going.
I should have listened. I should have trusted my gut instincts. Now, I was faced with two crazy bitches who wanted to sedate me. Why?
My fist made contact with Bridgette’s face, and she fell to the ground. I lifted my foot to stomp on her and felt the sting of the needle as it was jammed into my neck.
Fuck! I should have been paying attention to Juliette, too.
A sudden warmth flooded my body. I turned in time to see Juliette sliding the needle back in her bag. “Fucking bitch!” I mumbled, my vision wavering. I stumbled, and Juliette reached out to steady me. I fruitlessly slapped at her hand. Was she seriously trying to help me now?
“It’s not a stick shift, so we can take her car,” Bridgette called.
They were going to steal my car!
“Help me with her,” Juliette said, her voice sounding far away.
Juliette shoved me, none too gently, and my body slumped forward. I took a small amount of pleasure in their grunts as they tried to put me in the trunk. What the fuck was in that needle? My vision dimmed, going dark around the edges.
Juliette stared down at me. “He made me do it,” she said, and slammed the trunk.
Well, looked like I had fucked up once again.
The world went dark.