by Lauryn Evans
Adela glanced at Clarissa, who was still standing in the kitchen by the breakfast bar. She guessed she wasn’t the only one lingering.
Clarissa’s gorgeous blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, her hands resting on her hips. Her lovely green eyes were fixed onto the tile floor in front of her.
God, she’s hot.
“Are you avoiding going back?” Adela sat down at the breakfast bar, in front of where Clarissa stood, twiddling her thumbs.
“Would you judge me if I said yes?” Clarissa looked up at her, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
“No,” Adela said, immediately standing up. “Azazel’s hold over you isn’t as strong when you’re with us.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“You should stay.” The words impulsively flew from Adela’s mouth. She coughed, her hand on her chest. “Uh, I mean, for the night.” Quickly, she added, “I’m sure Renata wouldn’t mind.”
Adela’s cheeks were burning. God, she was such an idiot. Now, Clarissa was going to think she was nuts and never talk to her again. She hadn’t meant to be so forward. Hell, she hadn’t meant to say that at all. It was supposed to stay right there in her head, where no one else could hear it.
Clarissa gave a slight smile. “I’d like that.”
Hold up.
Was Adela hearing things, or did Clarissa just say that? Maybe this wasn’t real life, and she was dreaming or something.
“Really? Great.” Adela cursed her awkwardness.
This is why I don’t have a girlfriend.
Well, the whole vampire thing didn’t really help her case. It was hard to let herself fall for someone when she knew they would age and eventually die, while she stayed the same.
Nonetheless, jittery nerves jumbled her stomach.
Clarissa said yes.
But, then again, she could have just said yes because she didn’t want to go back home.
Clarissa’s voice snapped Adela out of her internal dialogue. “Adela, right?”
“Yup, that’s me.” Good god, if she could, Adela would have crawled into a hole and hid, right then and there.
Clarissa slid her hands into the front pockets of her jeans. “I recognized your voice from the phone call.”
I remember your voice too.
God. Adela was totally crushing.
She ran her fingers through her long dark hair, quickly changing the subject before she said something embarrassing. “You can have my bed. Don’t mind Mariel—she won’t bother you.”
Clarissa smiled. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” Adela muttered, watching her go up the stairs. Adela’s eyes couldn’t help but land on Clarissa’s curves, raking down her body.
“Stop. Stop right now.” Adela scolded herself. Slow your roll there, tiger.
The common room was empty, and Adela assumed everyone else had already gone to bed. It was pretty late. The clock on the oven said it was one in the morning.
Adela pulled a blanket out of the closet by the stairs, ready to turn the couch into her bed for the night.
“Wait.”
Adela turned her head towards the voice coming from the stairs.
Clarissa walked towards her, biting her lip. “Let’s share the bed.”
Hold up. Was Clarissa Bancroft flirting with her? This was definitely a dream.
“I mean,” Clarissa added, seeing Adela frozen, “there’s enough room for the two of us.”
Right. Adela had a full-sized bed. Because she and Mariel slept in the refurbished attic, there was enough room for both of them to have full-sized beds. Although, Mariel spent a lot of nights out of their room, with Wyatt, no doubt. Gross.
“Sure,” Adela squeaked, folding up the blanket and putting it back in the closet.
Her heart sank. Maybe Clarissa was straight, and that’s why she saw them sharing a bed as no big deal. Maybe Clarissa just felt bad about her sleeping on the couch. Either way, Adela was freaking out, nerves wreaking havoc inside her. Her heart pounded and she felt like she was on a rollercoaster, and sweat collected under her arms.
“Cool,” Clarissa said, turning to head back up the stairs.
Adela followed her upstairs until they reached the top floor. Mariel’s bed was disheveled, as usual, but empty, just as Adela expected.
She’s probably with my brother.
Being alone with Clarissa didn’t help her jitters. It only added to them. She had jitters on steroids.
Just stay cool.
Adela took her pajamas and changed in the bathroom. When she came back, Clarissa was already under the covers, with her eyes closed.
Dammit.
She should have offered Clarissa some sweatpants or something to sleep in.
Too late now.
Adela crept into bed beside her, pulling the covers over herself with a low sigh. Clarissa’s sleeping form was so close to her, sending rippling waves of electricity trickling down her spine.
Clarissa’s slow breaths were like music to Adela’s ears. She could have laid there forever, listening to Clarissa breathe.
God, she had it bad. Really bad.
Eventually, Adela felt herself drift off to sleep, and was out cold before she knew it.
Morning came in the blink of an eye. Sitting up, Adela rubbed the sleep from her eyes. To her surprise, the other side of the bed was empty. The heap of covers was the only evidence Clarissa slept there the night before, and Adela hadn’t dreamt it.
Before she could utter another thought, Clarissa casually strolled up the stairs and into the room.
“Morning,” Clarissa said, braiding her golden hair over her shoulder.
“Morning.” Adela sat up straight, struggling to mask her grogginess.
Good god. How long has she been up? Adela brushed her unruly hair off her face. She probably looked like a hot mess.
Oh jeez. What if she’d been snoring this whole time, and Clarissa heard?
“Thanks for letting me stay.”
“No problem,” Adela stammered. “Any time.”
Clarissa gestured to the room’s exit. “I better get going.”
“Stay for breakfast.” Adela got up from her bed, moving toward the witch. “It won’t be any trouble. Edwin already cooks for my brother and Jackson.”
Seeing Clarissa wasn’t entirely convinced, Adela added, “Trust me, he likes it. It gives him something to do. You don’t know how much he misses cooking for the parties we used to host.”
Clarissa hesitated for a moment before she conceded. “Alright,” she said with a small smile.
Adela grinned, reaching for Clarissa’s hand. “Come on, Edwin’s probably in the kitchen already.”
Adela led her to the kitchen where Edwin bustled by the oven with a hot frying pan in hand. Renata and Jackson sat at the breakfast bar, while Wyatt stood next to Mariel in the kitchen, his arm draped loosely around her waist.
Adela quickly let go of Clarissa’s hand as the others turned to look at them. Edwin shot a glance at her and Clarissa before directing his attention back to the eggs he was cooking. Looks of surprise greeted them. It was more than obvious Clarissa had spent the night.
Renata lifted an eyebrow.
“What?” Adela asked, placing her hands on her hips.
“Nothing,” Renata drawled, turning away from Adela, a knowing look still written all over her face.
“I hope you’re hungry, Clarissa,” Edwin yelled from the kitchen. “Do you like your eggs sunny-side up or over easy?”
“Over easy, thanks.” Clarissa sat down at the breakfast bar.
Edwin shot a glance behind him. “One egg or two?”
“Two.” Clarissa looked around the empty room. “Where are the others?”
“Alice is outside, gardening,” Renata said. “But the others are still fast asleep.”
“It’s ten-thirty,” Clarissa said flatly.
“But it’s a Saturday.” Jackson let out a low chuckle. “They’ll be out cold until twelve, at least.”
<
br /> Edwin slid eggs onto Jackson and Wyatt’s plates. “Heather actually is nocturnal,” he joked. “Like the vampires in the movies.”
“And Veronica just loves her beauty sleep,” Wyatt added.
“Okay, then,” Clarissa laughed, giving Adela a look that made her weak in the knees, unsettling the butterflies in her stomach.
Can she look at me like that all the time?
Edwin sprayed cooking spray onto the frying pan. “Your eggs will be out in a minute,” he hollered to Clarissa.
Wyatt shot Adela a questioning look. She paid attention elsewhere, pretending not to notice. She knew Wyatt could tell she was crushing on Clarissa. Her brother knew her better than anyone.
Edwin slid the eggs onto Clarissa’s plate. “Your breakfast is served.”
“Thank you,” Clarissa said, before digging in. “Wow,” she moaned in between bites of eggs. “This is delicious.”
Edwin bowed with a smirk. “My eggs would please kings.”
Clarissa laughed. “Oh, I believe it.”
Clarissa finished her breakfast and patted her stomach with satisfaction, thanking Edwin again.
“Bye, everyone.” Clarissa waved, before seeing herself out.
Wyatt nudged Adela with his elbow. “Someone’s got a crush,” he teased.
“Crush?” Adela scoffed, crossing her arms. “No way. Seriously.” Technically, she wasn’t entirely lying. Her feelings were quickly delving into territory beyond crushing.
“Come on, Adela.” Wyatt laughed. “Quit denying it. I know you’ve got the hots for Clarissa.” He added, “Besides, she’s your type. You know, because you’re into blondes.”
Adela shoved her brother, tapping into her superhuman strength.
“Hey!”
“You deserved that,” Adela said with a roll of her eyes, not bothering to help him up off the floor.
Two weeks later, Renata paced about her bedroom, her arms crossed flat against her chest. She racked her mind for clues, anything that could point her in the right direction. Anything that could help her figure out Azazel’s plan. She was running low on time.
The humans were turning on each other. It was only a matter of time before fistfights broke out in the streets, and nations declared nuclear war. The humans were a ticking time bomb. They would destroy themselves, and the earth with them, if she couldn’t figure this out in time. If she didn’t find a way to stop Azazel…
Wait.
Perhaps that was all a part of his plan. What if he wanted the humans to kill each other? What if he wanted the humans to destroy each other? What if he wanted the witches to be powerless, unable to fight back, unable to stop him?
Maybe Armageddon was his goal.
Still, his motive was missing. Renata wanted to know why. Why did Azazel seek to eradicate humanity? What good did that do him? What did he have to gain from humanity’s destruction?
The sound of her bedroom door opening did little to pull Renata from her thoughts. In times like this, she missed having the privacy of an office, like the one she had in the mansion.
“Take a break from this.” Jackson’s sturdy hands caressed her shoulders. “You’re pushing yourself too much.”
She sighed. “You’re right.”
But she couldn’t take a break. Azazel wasn’t taking any.
“Besides,” he said, turning her around with a smile. “I owe you a date.”
“Do you now?” Renata asked flirtatiously. Maybe she could take a little break.
“I do.” He grinned, taking her hand. “Yeah, a redo date.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Last night wasn’t what I wanted it to be.”
He led her into his black jeep and drove until Renata could see all too familiar waves crashing onto the sand.
They were back in Newport. Back home.
Good lord, she hadn’t been here since…
Renata dismissed the thought. She didn’t want to let her bad memories ruin the moment.
She got out of the car, captivated by the warm sunset. The sun’s reflection glittered on the water, and the smell of the sea filled her nose, the breeze tickling her hair.
Jackson slid his hand into hers as the two walked along the shoreline. The beach was empty, and Renata and Jackson were the only people there.
This was so much better than going to a fancy restaurant.
They slipped into an easy, carefree conversation, and Jackson’s hand was warm in hers. Renata was relaxed, and she felt better than she had in a long time.
She beamed, unable to contain the waves of emotion inside her. “This is perfect.”
“You’re perfect,” Jackson said. “And yes, I know how cheesy that sounds,” he laughed. “But, it’s true.”
“I’m far from perfect,” she smiled at him, giving his hand a light squeeze. “But thank you.”
“For what?”
“For always being here for me. For never giving up on me.”
Jackson stopped walking and cupped her face. “I’ll always be here for you. I love you, Renata.”
Renata stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him, showing him how she felt. The waves crashed behind them, the beautiful sound adding to her wonderful mood. She wished this moment could last forever.
Jackson took her hand as the two continued to walk. “I’ve been thinking long and hard, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives together.”
“I’d like that very much,” Renata said. She’d spend the rest of her immortal life cherishing the time they spent together. He made her happy, and that was a gift.
Jackson smiled and kissed the top of her head.
Before she knew it, darkness set into the sky, drowning the beach.
Once they got home, Renata and Jackson rushed to their bedroom.
Not a moment after he’d closed the door, Jackson’s lips were on hers, his warm hands caressing her cold body, breathing human life back into her. Her hands were in his hair, deepening the kiss. Renata barely came up for air, not that she needed it. He excited her and triggered responses in her body she didn’t even know were possible.
Reaching for the bottom of his shirt, Renata slipped it off over his shoulders. Her shirt joined his in a pile on the floor, her lips never leaving his. Jackson’s tongue slipped into her mouth, caressing her own.
Short breaths escaped her lips, and the warmth in his touch set her blood on fire.
9
The next day, Renata was in an exceptionally good mood. It seemed like there was nothing that could wipe the smile off her face. Not even Azazel.
“Someone’s in an excellent mood today,” Heather remarked, putting her backpack down onto the countertop next to Renata. She unzipped it, slipping her laptop inside. Heather’s dark brown hair was pulled into a neat ponytail, away from her face. She was dressed in business casual attire—navy dress pants, a nice shirt, and a blazer.
“Indeed,” Renata grinned, reorganizing the documents in her manila folder. “Last night was amazing.”
Heather smiled warmly, gently squeezing Renata’s arm. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Thank you.”
Renata stood, buttoning her blazer. Like Heather, she was dressed for work. They would be meeting with a client soon.
“Are you ready to go?” Renata asked, slipping the manila folder into her work bag.
Heather nodded. “Yeah, I’m all set.”
“Great,” Renata replied, grabbing the truck keys.
They were meeting with the client at a local cafe, not far from the house. It was nearly ten-thirty on a Tuesday morning. The breakfast rush was already over, but the lunch crowd hadn’t arrived yet. The cafe was quiet and nearly empty, with only a couple of people inside, all hard at work on their laptops. Some had earbuds in, oblivious to the outside world.
Renata sipped her coffee, pulling out her notebook and a pen. Since she wasn’t human, the coffee did nothing for her, but she rather enjoyed the taste. Heather opened up her laptop, typing away furiously as she answered emails.
The client they were meeting with was planning a surprise 50th birthday party for her husband. It wouldn’t be a large, upscale affair, like the parties Renata used to plan at the mansion, but she still put every ounce of care and detail into it, the way she would for any party.
The client, Mrs. Anderson, walked into the cafe and sat down in front of them. She was a middle-aged woman, in her mid to late forties, with short, mousy brown hair.
She politely smiled at Renata. “Hi, how are you?”
“We’re doing well, thank you,” Renata said, slipping into work mode. “How are you and your husband?”
“We’re great, thanks. I’m excited about the party. My husband will be so surprised.”
“We’re glad to hear that,” Heather chimed in, pulling up new windows on her computer. She turned the laptop towards Mrs. Anderson. “We’d like you to look everything over one more time before we start making the phone calls.”
“Sure,” Mrs. Anderson nodded. “No problem.”
“Great,” Heather said.
“Looks good to me,” Mrs. Anderson smiled, looking pleased.
“We’re glad to hear that,” Renata said, reaching for her coffee. She shook her head, suddenly lightheaded, not paying attention to her arm.
Hot coffee spilled onto the table, dirtying the corners of Renata’s notebook. Heather quickly dove for the cup and managed to save some coffee.
“I’m so sorry,” Renata said to Mrs. Anderson.
“That’s okay,” Mrs. Anderson replied. She said to Heather, “You must have lightning reflexes.”
Heather smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
“Thank you, Heather. That was a good save.” Renata stood. “I’ll get some napkins.”
She made her way up to the counter and grabbed a couple of napkins. She leaned onto the counter to steady herself, overwhelmed by a sudden dizzy spell. Her vision blurred and was replaced by oddly familiar images, the sounds around her being drowned out like someone turned down the volume.
“I’ve found you at last.”
Aurora narrowed her eyes and hardened her expression, masking her fear. She knew the answer to her question, yet she asked anyway.