“Thank you,” I tell her and take the tray of food. I sit in the leather chair in front of Ruby’s desk, gulping down the water.
“I will get the rest of the items on the list,” Ruby says, unable to take her eyes off of Julian. “Do you, uh, want some dry clothes?”
Julian looks at me, and I nod. It’s not normal for humans to wear sopping-wet clothes, even if it doesn’t physically bother him. “Yes. Thank you.”
Ruby runs her eyes up and down him, figuring out what size clothes to grab for him, and hurries off. I eat in silence, watching the fire burn.
“Once the spell is cast,” Lucas says, breaking the silence, “it will be safe for Callie to return home?”
“In theory,” Julian replies. “It will shield her from Bael being able to project himself nearby. I still need to repair the rift,” he says, knowing I won’t like it. “It will give us the most time to come up with a way to stop him for good.”
“Can’t we summon him and stab him or something?” I ask, knowing there’s no way it’s that easy. If it were, it would have been done already. But as it is, it took an entire coven of witches just to lock him up in a supernatural detention center.
“Humans cannot face Bael. They don’t stand a chance,” Julian says gently.
“But I’m not human.”
“No,” Lucas and Tabatha say at the same time.
“I agree,” Julian says. “Bael is powerful. He was one of the first demons Lucifer created when he was cast to Hell and has risen through the ranks since. He still holds his position of power even within the dimension he’s been sentenced to.”
“Wait a minute…if Lucifer created him, couldn’t Lucifer destroy him?”
Julian considers my question. “I suppose.”
“Well, if he would, that would solve a giant problem.” Feeling hopeful, I pick up my spoon and break open the crust of the cottage pie.
“What on earth are you suggesting?” Tabatha asks, looking at me like I just suggested running around naked through the town square.
“On earth,” I echo and lose my appetite. Setting the spoon down, I push the tray back on the desk. “There’s something I have to tell you, and I need you to promise not to get mad.”
“I’ve heard that enough to know whatever you’re about to tell me is bad.” Tabatha crosses her arms and looks at me. “Out with it.”
“Lucifer broke out of Hell. He’s here on earth, and he’s been helping me.”
Tabatha’s eyes drill into mine, and she waits a beat before speaking, probably hoping I’m going to laugh and say I’m joking. “Helping you?”
“Abby almost died,” I start, voice thinning as I remember my sister lying in a pool of her own blood in her foyer. “And he healed her. And then the day before we left for vacation…there was a weird energy spike. That was me, and it was specific to the energy archangels put out. I didn’t mean to do it, and Lucifer came, took us to a strip club in Texas, and then made the angels think it was him. He led them away from me and it worked.”
“It did,” Julian says. “He has shifted the attention away from Callie.”
Tabatha strides to the other side of the office, long dress swishing around her feet. “I just…I…and you trust him?” She’s rarely ever flustered, though who can blame her?
“I think so.” I pick up the spoon again, nervously turning it around in my hands. “He’s the reason I was able to break the curse put on Lucas.”
“What?” Lucas asks, eyes flashing.
“We didn’t know how to transfer the curse from you into another body. I asked Lucifer, and he’s the one who told me I needed something undead.”
“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d have this reaction!” I close my eyes in a long blink and lean back. “I can’t explain it, but there’s something about him that I trust. He was kicked out of his home, had his family turn their back on him, and has been alone in Hell for thousands of years. I’m not defending the things he did, like create a demon who’ll stop at nothing to kill me, but I don’t think he’s as bad as we thought.”
“He’s the devil, Callie.” Tabatha’s eyes drill into mine. “He’s stolen thousands of souls from our ancestors.”
“I, uh, asked him about that,” I say, feeling like I’m digging myself into a hole. “He said he doesn’t make people give up their souls. It’s their choice and all he does is uphold his end of the deal.”
“And you believe him?”
“I want to,” I say quietly. “And I know he takes advantage, preys on people’s weaknesses. You’ll agree to things you wouldn’t normally agree to in a moment of desperation. I trust him. I’m not saying the rest of the world should, but for some reason, I believe him when he says he cares about me.”
“He had the chance to hurt you, twice now.” Lucas rests his hands on the back of my chair. “And he didn’t…unless he wants something else from you.”
“Like having you take his place in Hell?” Tabatha throws out her hand.
“He also told me it’s not that easy. I have to go willingly, but warned the demons will try to blackmail me into it. You know…say yes to being my demon-wife or I’ll kill your friends…that sort of thing.” I swallow hard. “I haven’t heard from Lucifer or my father in a while now, though, and with the most powerful angels in the universe going after him, I don’t think Lucifer is going to come back here.”
He told me himself my father was right to stay away, that it raises suspicions when archangels repeatedly come to earth. It raises so many more questions about my mother. Michael said they loved each other. They spoke about my future and planned for the worst. Their story wasn’t a one-and-done sort of thing.
They both risked everything just to be together.
“We can’t count on divine intervention,” Tabatha says. “If you can count the devil as divine. No, we’ll have to go forward on our own and come up with a plan. And the first part of that plan is you finishing dinner and then going to your room.”
“You’re sending me to my room?”
“You’re under my roof.” Tabatha winks. “I will work with Julian on the spell. I’d feel better if you stayed the night here regardless.”
“I would too,” Lucas agrees.
“We’ll have to leave before dawn.” I look at him. “Or we’ll have to stay the day.”
“Then stay the day,” he says. “It’s just a day, and if it keeps you safe it’s worth it.”
“You wouldn’t mind being stuck here with me?” I ask.
“I’ve been in worse places.” He moves his hands to my shoulders. “And I find this place fascinating.”
Tabatha looks at Lucas, a small smile playing on her face. “I believe Professor Darrows is teaching sixth-years about vampires this upcoming week. What better way to teach than to have our very own vampire come into the classroom? That’s if you’d be willing.”
“I would be honored,” Lucas says, giving my shoulders a squeeze. “As long as you don’t plan on showing the students how to kill a vampire.”
Tabatha laughs. “We do teach that, however I don’t think anyone here would attempt to try. You’re the oldest vampire any of us have come across.” With age comes increased speed, power, and the ability to hold people spellbound. Vampires can’t hold witches or warlocks under their compulsion, which was another part of what made them start the war against us. “I’m going to assume you will be bombarded with questions. Many of the students here have never come across a vampire before.”
“They’re lucky I’m their first.”
I laugh and shake my head. “They are, though,” I agree. I stick my spoon back in the cottage pie, not hungry but knowing I should eat something. I force myself to take a few bites but can’t stomach any more.
“Do you want me to show you around the school?” I ask Lucas, trading my food for the glass of water. “I hate sitting here doing nothing.”
Lucas smiles. “I’d like that. I find this all ver
y fascinating, and I assume this is where our child will go to school.”
“Yes,” I say, smiling back. “It is.”
“And that’s how I knew it was a ghoul. I mean, there are only a few things you can stab right in the heart that won’t die.” I laugh and look at the stunned faces before me. Lucas and I are in one of the common rooms, sitting by a fire with a group of students. The little crowd started gathering as I showed Lucas around the school, and by the time we came back to the common room, over a dozen students were not-so-sneakily following us.
Like I said, I have a reputation at this school, and Lucas is, well, Lucas. He can make a straight man drool and a faithful woman want to stray from just one smirk. Good thing he’s all mine.
“How did you kill it?” a girl asks, eyes wide as she twirls her red hair around her fingers.
“Does anyone know how to kill a ghoul?” I ask, and the students whisper to each other, not wanting to blurt out the wrong answer. “Yes!” I point to a younger boy in the back. “That’s right. Sever the head from the body. Which is a fail-proof way to kill just about anything. Just make sure whatever you’re using to do the cutting is sharp enough.” I put my hand on the back of my neck, pointing to my spine. “Bone can be hard to cut through.”
Evander claps his hands together, coming up behind the students. “And that is why we will leave the demon hunting to the professionals.”
“Professionals get paid,” I retort. “No one pays me.”
“I’ll pay you,” Lucas says with a smirk, and the students laugh. I tear my eyes away from my little fan club and look at Evander. His eyes meet mine, nonverbally saying everything I need to hear.
About an hour ago, Julian and Tabatha went to my property in Thorne Hill to cast the spell that should shield me from Bael’s prying eyes. Julian wasn’t sure how long the spell will hold, but he was confident it would protect both the little brick house and our new estate. Both Tabatha and Julian insisted I stay here, hidden inside Grime Gate, while they cast the spell.
It’s a complicated spell, and the best way to distract myself from thinking about how easily it could go wrong was to sit here and talk with the curious students.
“And I think that concludes tonight’s lesson,” I tell my little group of students. “I’m sure it’s much past your curfew and don’t you all have class in the morning? Or is tomorrow a weekend? I don’t really know,” I say honestly, yet everyone laughs as if I’m joking.
I wish I was, though I’ve completely lost track of time.
Lucas stands, and half the group shivers with desire at the sight of him. Me too, ladies…me too. He holds out a hand and I take it, letting him pull me to my feet. If Evander is here, giving me the all clear, that means the spell took and it’s safe for me to go home.
And all I want to do is collapse into my bed.
“Remember, follow the rules,” I say to the students. “But question everything.” I give them a wink and follow Lucas into the hall, where we meet with Evander.
“Your angel is waiting for you right outside the door,” he tells us.
“So, everything went okay?” I ask, needing reassurance.
“That is what Mother told me,” Evander says, and I let out a huge sigh of relief.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurt, eyes filling with tears. “I hate that you are forced to deal with my problems over and over.”
Evander puts his hands on my shoulders, chocolate eyes looking right into mine. “You are my sister, Callie. Not by blood, but by something stronger.”
I blink and a tear rolls down my face.
“I love you,” Evander goes on. “And I will stop at nothing to keep you safe, just as you would for me.”
“I’d kill for you,” I say, throat thick.
“I know.” Evander smiles and pulls me in for a hug. I throw my arms around him, remembering our first encounter. I was so scared, having just been busted out of the research lab. I was in physical agony, still healing from being poked, prodded, and abused by the doctors.
Tabatha brought me back to her house, and I remember walking through the door, holding her hand so tight it had to hurt. I was scared to let go, and wanted to turn away and run as soon as the door shut behind me.
We were in the foyer of the Greystone estate, a Queen Anne style house tucked in the woods behind the Covenstead, when a young boy curiously came downstairs, knowing he was out past his bedtime. I was holding the stuffed black cat in my arms, and it was the only possession I came with. Still wearing the lab-issued clothes, I felt exposed and was so cold.
It was early in March, and cold, frozen rain pelted the windows. I’d been shivering nonstop since we left the lab, both from the cold and from fear. Tabatha assured me I was safe, that I was somewhere the bad men couldn’t reach me. I trusted her from the start, yet as a child, it was all so terrifying.
I remember it so well it’s as if it happened yesterday. Tabatha took me into the kitchen to make me something to eat. For some reason or another, she stepped out of the room and Evander snuck in, carrying a dinosaur-print blanket in his arms.
“Hi,” he said, and all I could do was nod back, fighting against my tears the whole time. “I’m Evander.”
“C-Callie,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Are you cold?” he asked, and I nodded. I remember it so well, the way his brows furrowed for only half a second, and then he strode forward with no hesitation and wrapped his favorite blanket around my shoulders.
Tears roll down my cheeks and I press my forehead into Evander’s shoulder, holding him tight. I refuse to let anything happen to him. No, we’re not related. We have no deep-rooted family ties. People who don’t know us raise their brows in question when they hear us call each other brother and sister, yet that is what Evander is to me.
My brother.
Because it’s just like Lucas said: family is deeper than who we’ve been born to. The family we choose is the family that matters.
And I’ll do anything to protect my family.
“Don’t cry,” Evander says, giving me a squeeze. “You’ll make me cry if you do.”
“You’re usually the emotional one,” I tease, blinking back tears. “At least I have an excuse right now and mine is temporary.”
“Getting in touch with your emotions isn’t a bad thing,” Evander tells me with a laugh.
“That’s what Lucas keeps saying,” I sigh.
Evander lets me go and turns his attention to Lucas, looking him up and down. “He’s not wrong.”
I blink rapidly, trying to keep my tears at bay. “Thank you.”
“Of course.” Evander holds me tight for another few seconds. “Go home, have sex with your hot husband, and I’ll check in tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay, though I’m too tired for sex.”
Evander laughs. “No details, Cal.”
“Right. It will only make you jealous.”
Evander makes a face. “Lucas is very attractive, I’ll give you that. And from what Ruby says…”
“Oh my god, she told you!”
Evander narrows his eyes. “Told me what?”
“She saw him naked!”
Evander lets out a snort of laugher. “She said nothing of the sort, and I was fucking with you. But now I am a little jealous.”
I cover my face with my hands. “She astral projected in, luckily right after we finished you know what.”
“Having sex? You’re pregnant, Callie. I know how babies are made.”
“Hah. And yes, right after we got done having sex. Lucas was very naked and very okay with it when Ruby appeared.”
Evander tips his head, checking out Lucas. “As he should be.”
I jab Evander in the ribs. “He’s mine”
Evander laughs. “Take your property home then.”
“He can hear us, you know that, don’t you?”
“I do.” Evander winks and moves around me, telling the students to go back to their dorms for the night. Lucas takes my h
and and we go to the door. I say the enchantment to open it, heart hammering. Leaving the Covenstead is different that coming into it, but I’m still worried Lucas could get hurt.
I close my eyes and grip his hand tight. Lucas steps through the door before me, and when my feet hit the soft forest floor, I let out the biggest sigh of relief.
“I’ll take you home,” Julian says. He and Tabatha are standing feet from us.
“Callie will be safe?” Lucas asks, brows pinching together.
“For now,” Julian tells him.
“Thank you,” I say to Tabatha before Julian whisks us away.
“Of course, my darling girl.” Tabatha blinks away tears and takes my hands in hers. “Be careful, Callie. And don’t you hesitate if you need anything.”
“I won’t,” I tell her, feeling the same pull on my heart as I did when I hugged Evander. They are my family, and if anything happened to them—no. I can’t go there. “I’ll check in tomorrow afternoon,” I say, knowing there’s a good chance I’ll sleep in past noon. I’m exhausted, and once the adrenaline wears off, I’m going to crash hard.
Lucas moves in, wrapping one arm tightly around me. I lean back, resting my head against him, and stretch out my other hand for Julian. We wait until Tabatha steps back through the door, and then Julian flies us to the house, bringing us into the living room.
It feels different. Oppressive, yet safe at the same time. My familiars rush me, rubbing on my legs and purring. Scarlet hangs back, yipping and whimpering with excitement.
“I want to go to bed,” I tell Lucas, heart heavy. He nods and takes my hand, leading me upstairs. Binx rubs against my legs, reminding me that no matter what, I’m not alone. He’s here, and he’s been here for the last sixteen years, since he appeared to me when I was only ten years old.
Fuck you, Memory Lane. I’m exhausted from revisiting you tonight.
“Then let’s go to bed,” Lucas says.
“I’ll be here,” Julian assures me. “I’ll keep watch.”
“Thank you,” I tell him as I take off my shoes. Lucas and I had plans for this evening, didn’t we? Or was that yesterday? Fuck. Everything is blurring together. I let out a deep sigh and go upstairs, stripping out of my clothes as soon as I’m on the second-story landing. I hear Julian open the back door, letting Scarlet out.
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