Queen of Night

by Emily Goodwin

  “I know wine is customary for a housewarming,” Evander says as he steps into the foyer. “But given your current condition, we got you sparkling grape juice instead.”

  “Thoughtful,” I say with a smile. “Thank you. I don’t have any, so this is perfect to drink along with you guys.” I step aside and let them in, sweeping my hand back at the foyer. “Welcome to our house.”

  “Wow.” Ruby stomps the snow off her shoes and comes in, eyes wide. “Just wow.”

  “It’s night and day compared to how it was before,” Evander says as he takes off his shoes. “The first time I set foot in here, I thought you were crazy for wanting to restore it.”

  “Oh, I was. It wasn’t a cheap or easy project. Easy for me to say, though, I didn’t do any of the work.” We go into the kitchen and get started on the snacks. Kristy and the twins come just a few minutes later, and I give them all a tour, saving the wine cellar for last.

  We take our food and drinks into the conservatory. It’s another one of my favorite rooms in this house, and the black-and-white checkered floor is original and worn. The contractor suggested taking it out and putting in something new, but both Lucas and I like it as-is. There’s nothing wrong with the integrity of it, and the scuff marks are like a map of the people who used to live here before.

  “I think Bael was at the grocery store today,” I say, breaking my own rule of not talking about demons.

  “What would he do there?” Evander asks. “Buy a tub of Ben and Jerry’s? Cherry Garcia?”

  “He’d be more of a Chunky Monkey kinda guy,” I shoot back. “And no. I was there, and he must have been able to pick me up on his radar again since I was out of the protection of the house.” I take a drink of my sparkling grape juice, really wishing I could feel the numbing effect of wine right now. “I know I’m safe from him here for now, but I can’t live like this forever.”

  “You can’t,” Naomi says, shaking her head. “You’d basically be on house arrest if you wanted to avoid danger, and we know even that isn’t a promise. You’ve been attacked at home plenty of times.”

  “I know,” I sigh. “And even if we summon Bael and kill him, it’ll only be a matter of time before another demons figures out I’m not just any old Nephilim. And the more demons who know, the more likely it is the other angels will find out.”

  I let my eyes fall shut, trying to stop my racing thoughts. I don’t want to put anyone else in danger, and I can’t even imagine the fallout that could happen if angels and demons clashed over me.

  “Can you summon Bael?” Nicole asks quietly.

  “It’s dangerous,” Ruby rushes out. “Really dangerous.”

  “I know,” I tell her. “When Julian went to repair the rift the first time, he got stabbed and nearly died.”

  “Angels can die?” Evander picks up the bottle of wine from the coffee table and refills his glass.

  “Yes, but only with a Hell-forged blade and it has to pierce their heart. When Bael stabbed him, he missed, thankfully. Julian claims he got stabbed on purpose so he could bring the dagger back.”

  Kristy’s eyes widen. “You have an angel-killing blade and I’m just now hearing about it?”

  “I kinda forgot. It’s upstairs, hidden. I can’t touch the blade. It’s poisoned or something.”

  “But you have a way to kill an angel?” Evander repeats.

  “Yes,” I say with a nod.

  “So, if one comes for you…” He makes a stabbing motion in the air.

  “I don’t think it’s that easy,” Ruby counters. “Killing an archangel…it has to have major repercussions too.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be able to kill an archangel,” I say. “Though if it came down to it, I’ll do whatever I can to defend myself.”

  A heaviness hangs in the room, and we’re all thinking the same thing. If the other angels find out about me, I’m toast. My only hope would be Michael defending me, the odds would be stacked against him.

  “So, I pissed off a werewolf today,” I say to change the subject. “Also at the grocery store.”

  “Remind me never to go shopping with you.” Naomi tosses her hair over her shoulder and looks at Evander. “Wasn’t the wolf issue handled?”

  “I thought it was,” he tells us. “What did you do, Callie?”

  “Nothing,” I start. “She came up to me and was all we want the Ley line because it’s like a constant full moon. I said we don’t have an issue with wolves, but this is not the time or the place to try and get into a turf war.”

  “Yeah, that won’t end well for them.” Kristy takes a big drink of wine.

  “Or us,” Ruby adds. “Not that I think we’d lose, because we wouldn’t, but witches versus werewolves…it’s a good way to get outed.”

  Shit, she’s right. Hunters already know about us, and if they get word of a war between weres and witches, it might be the push they need to work with politicians like William Martin to expose us all.

  Chapter 35

  “You’re using the silver flatware?” Eliza asks incredulously, coming into the kitchen with a spoon in her hand.

  I look up from the bowl of potatoes I’m mashing. “Uh, yeah. It’s what we always use.”

  “Your glasses have gold trim and you have gold flatware.”

  “Oh, right.” I brush my hair back with my wrist and look at the time. I have about an hour until my family and friends start arriving for Thanksgiving dinner, and I’m a little behind.

  Okay, a lot behind.

  Usually, we split up who’s responsible for what, and Tabatha always makes the turkey. For some reason, I thought it would be a good idea to make it all myself, though it’s made the last two days go by rather fast. Lucas has had fun cooking with me, and we might have gone a little overboard with everything we’ve prepared.

  “Honestly, what would you do without me?” Eliza scoffs and turns around, blonde hair swinging down her back as she walks. Planning parties is Eliza’s thing, and she’s damn good at it. She came up with an elegant yet functional tablescape for the formal dining room, and went out and bought the fancy dishes we’re eating off of tonight.

  “Thank you,” I call after her and go back to mashing the potatoes.

  “I’ll do that,” Lucas says and comes up behind me, both hands wrapping around my waist. He kisses my neck and slides one hand over my stomach. I’m nearing twelve weeks now, still tired as fucking ever, and no one who looked at me would know I’m pregnant. But my stomach isn’t quite as flat as it used to be, and Lucas can’t keep his hands off me.

  “Thanks.” I lean back against him, taking a few seconds to just breathe. The last week and a half has passed slow yet fast at the same time. I keep waiting for something to happen, for Bael to show up the second I leave the house. I almost threw an energy ball at an old man at the pet store a few days ago. He had on a long, brown jacket and smelled like sulfur, which must have been from him eating eggs for lunch or something.

  Needless to say, I’m on edge, which was part of the reason I offered to go all out for Thanksgiving. It’s giving me something to focus on, and I’m trying hard to just live my life. I’ll always be in danger. Having archangel blood has promised that, and I’m not going to live in fear, hiding from the next threat. I don’t want to just survive, I want to live.

  “What else needs to be done?” Lucas asks, mashing the potatoes with vampire speed.

  “I’m going to set out the desserts in here, and don’t even think about it, Scarlet.”

  It took her a few weeks to realize her newfound size enables her to reach just about anything off the counters. I arrange cookies on a three-tiered tray and put two pumpkin pies next to it. Then I fly back to the food, check on the turkey, stir the stuffing, stick the corn pudding in the oven, and get out the appetizers.

  Finally, everything is set and ready, and I’m already exhausted. The snow melted, and it’s an oddly bright and sunny day in late November. It took a full day to enchant all the windows in this huge h
ouse, making it safe for Lucas and Eliza to be exposed to the light.

  I use magic to do my hair as I go upstairs to change out of my leggings and t-shirt, putting on a dress instead.

  “You look beautiful,” Lucas tells me when I come back downstairs. He takes me in his arms, pulling me in for a hug. He kisses me and then drops to his knees, pressing his ear against my stomach.

  “Can you hear them?” I ask, raking my fingers through his hair.

  “I can. They’re strong.”

  “I wouldn’t expect anything less from your child,” I say with a smile.

  Lucas stands up. “I have good genes.”

  “You do.” I lean up and kiss him, and he slips his tongue past my lips. Picking me up, he carries me into the sitting room off the foyer. We’ve checked off quite a few locations in the house already. The doorbell rings not long after we get onto the couch, and I run my fingers through his hair once more.

  He moves off of me and takes my hand, pulling me to my feet. Scarlet runs through the house, barking.

  “I miss her being a puppy,” Lucas grumbles. “She wasn’t so loud before.”

  “Calm down,” I tell Scarlet, knowing my words are coming out in Enochian. She stops barking and sits down, long tail thumbing against the ground, eagerly waiting for Abby, Phil, and Penny to come in.

  “Hey, guys!” I say and welcome them into the house. The foyer is done up with Christmas decorations, and my big-ass Christmas tree is everything I could want and more. “How was the drive?”

  “Traffic was to be expected for Thanksgiving, but not terrible,” Phil says. “It smells amazing in here.”

  “Lucas helped me cook,” I say, taking their coats. “So, if anything is terrible, we can blame it on him,” I say and everyone laughs.

  “Callie, this is gorgeous!” Abby tells me, looking around the foyer. It’s the first time she’s been to the house since we moved in. “I can’t believe this is the same house you showed me in those before photos.”

  “All she needed was some love.”

  “And over a million dollars of restorations,” Lucas mumbles, and I elbow him. “You love it too.”

  “Oh, I do. The architecture of this era will always be one of my favorites.”

  “You were alive when this was a new style,” Phil says, almost as if he forgot Lucas is a vampire. With the light streaming through the windows, it’s not hard to do. Scarlet, who’s not-so-patiently waiting by the stairs, lets out a high-pitched whine.

  “Okay,” I tell her. “But stay calm.”

  “You got another dog?” Phil asks, eyes widening. “That thing is huge.”

  “That’s Scarlet,” I tell him. “She grew.”

  “Your puppy? What—how—what?”

  “She’s not a real dog,” Abby reminds him. “She’s still, uh, nice, right?” She’s holding Penny and looking at Scarlet suspiciously. I don’t blame her. The dog weighs more than I do.

  “Yes. She won’t hurt anyone I don’t want her to. She’s a gentle giant as long as you’re not trying to hurt me.” I hang up the coats in the closet and get out the bin of toys I bought for Penny a few months ago. She’s more interested in Binx, and now Scarlet is jealous she’s not getting the kid’s attention.

  “Who else is coming?” Abby asks, sitting on the floor with Penny.

  “Kristy, Evander, Tabatha, Easton, and Melinda. Eliza is here somewhere, and Julian is going to try and pop in if he can.”

  “Someone is here,” Lucas says, tipping his head. “They just pulled into the driveway.” He waits a beat. “It’s the hunters.”

  “Be nice,” I whisper-yell. “They’ve been helping track a demon for me so you should thank them.” I get up, going through the kitchen to grab something to eat, and wait for them on the porch. Kristy, Evander, and Tabatha pull in the driveway right as Easton and Melinda are walking through the house. I’m a little worried things might be slightly awkward, but as soon as the drinks are poured and we’re seated around the table, it feels like we’re one big family.

  Eliza brings two wine glasses full of blood to the table, giving one to Lucas. Easton looks at it with disgust, and I see Melinda kick him under the table. We talk, laugh, and have a really good time. The food turned out perfect, and I’m quite proud of it if I do say so myself.

  We’re all sickly full after dinner and go into the living room. The football game is on, and while I’m not a sports person at all, it’s another tradition to have it on in the background. Easton and Phil are both big fans of one of the teams playing and are getting really into the game.

  The air gets that electric feeling, and I sit up, moving out of Lucas’s embrace on the couch. “Julian,” I say with a smile, just seconds before he appears in the living room, startling the nons. Phil and Abby are a bit more familiar with him, but this is the first time Easton and Melinda are officially meeting him knowing what he really is. “Yay! I’m so glad you were able to make it,” I tell him. “Do you remember Easton and Melinda? They were at our wedding.”

  “Yes,” Julian tells them.

  “This is Julian,” I reintroduce. “My cousin.”

  “He’s an angel?” Melinda asks slowly, eyes going wide.

  “Yes. I am an angel of the Lord.” Julian narrows his eyes, watching the football game. “Why are those men fighting over a ball?”

  “It’s a game,” I explain. “Called football. I find it kind of boring, but others love it.”

  “Interesting,” Julian says, watching the game for a few seconds. It cuts to a commercial, and I go into the kitchen to get some water.

  “Is everything good in angel land?” I ask. It’s been a few days, and the last I heard from Julian he was going Alona to try and find a way to work Bael into the conversation without giving too much away.

  “Yes. Another legion of demons has escaped Hell. The search for Lucifer is of utmost importance.”

  “He said he’s broken out before.” I take a big drink of water and lean against the counter.

  “Yes, several times.”

  “And the last time wasn’t all that long ago, right? He told me around twenty-five years ago.”

  “Correct.”

  “How was he caught then?”

  “I’ve been told he went willingly.”

  “Really?” I ask, finishing my water. Other than the constant exhaustion, the only other pregnancy symptom I have is being thirsty all the damn time. “Why would he do that?”

  “I do not know. I wasn’t assigned to the case then.”

  “I’ll ask him next time I see him,” I only half joke.

  “I have something from your father that may be useful,” Julian says and reaches inside his jacket.

  “It’s not another blank piece of paper, is it?” I ask bitterly. “Not to be ungrateful, but that makes no sense.”

  “This isn’t paper.” He sets a package wrapped in brown paper on the table. “Careful, it’s sharp.”

  “Sharp?” I echo as I unwrap a knife with a curved blade. The handle is simple, with Michael’s sigil engraved in the silver, with a single blue gemstone inlayed at the top. “Cool.” I hold the blade up and slash it through the air. “But, uh, why?”

  “It is his,” Julian goes on. “Being God’s fiercest warrior, Michael has an extensive armory of weapons. “He’s been wanting to give you something that will help against Bael but couldn’t take just anything without giving you away. This particular blade will hurt but not kill a demon. He took it under the pretense of using it to apprehend Lucifer.”

  “Nice,” Melinda says, seeing me slash the dagger through the air again. She refills her glass with punch. “Karambits are great for disemboweling demons.”

  I set the knife on the counter, pushing it back to make sure Penny can’t accidentally grab it. “Yeah, they are.”

  “Can I?” Melinda asks, looking at the knife.

  “Sure.”

  She sets her cup down and picks up the knife. “This symbol,” she says, bringing it cl
oser her face. “What is it?”

  “It’s an archangel sigil,” Julian tells her.

  “It looks familiar…kind of like the symbols we found carved into those dead women who had their hearts ripped out.”

  “What?” I blink. Michael’s sigil was carved into dead women’s bodies? What in the actual fuck?

  “It wasn’t this one, but it was similar,” Melinda says.

  “Can you draw them?” I ask, spinning around because I can’t remember which drawer is the junk drawer. Why is this kitchen so fucking big?

  “I can do even better,” she tells me. “I have the crime scene photos in the car.”

  “Get them,” I rush out. “Please.”

  “Yeah. I think Easton’s keys are in his coat pocket.”

  “In the front closet,” I say and lead her through the front of the house, impatiently waiting as she puts her shoes on and dashes out of the house. Pandora comes down the stairs and rubs against my legs, able to sense that I’m doing my best not to panic. There’s no reason Michael’s sigil would be on a dead body. He has nothing to do with it…right?

  I pick up Pandora and cuddle her against my chest, feeling calmer already. Melinda comes back in the house, stomps the snow off her shoes, and hands me a folder.

  “There markings were kept from the public,” Melinda says. “When we saw the most recent police report, we went back and got the others. All three women have slightly different markings like this.”

  I take the folder into the kitchen and set it on the counter, madly opening it up and taking out the crime scene photos. Julian leans in, brows furrowing.

  The photos are disturbing to say the least, and all the women look like they’d been tortured before having their still-beating hearts cut right out of their chests.

  “You know what this means?” Melinda asks Julian, noting his concern.

  “I do.” Julian looks up, blue eyes full of fear. “And I know what Bael is trying to do. He doesn’t want to kidnap you, Callie. He wants to possess you.”

  Chapter 36

  “Well, that’s not happening,” I spit, vision blurring a bit from the shock. “Like literally, right? The one time a demon tried to possess me, it kind of exploded.”