“You have a one-track mind.” I grinned.
“Only as one-track as yours.” Quinn smiled back and kissed me again.
I sighed. “You better get going. Dylan and Minerva are already staked out at your parents’. I’ll follow you home to make sure you don’t get into any trouble.” I smirked.
“You’re not riding with me?” He sounded disappointed.
“I think it’ll be easier if we start the charade now. Hey, can you do me one favor though and drive by the convenience mart to see if Ronald is there?”
“Yeah, sure.” He started the truck.
As usual, we didn’t spot Ronald stationed at his regular post.
*
Quinn’s parents were thrilled to see him. Dylan had sent Quinn’s parents a few generic emails from Quinn’s account while we were in the portal to let them know everything was fine, but gave them no other details as to what Quinn was up to. And after a few stories about hanging out on the Pacific Coast and camping out west, Quinn managed to breeze through most of their questions before taking a long shower, followed by an even longer nap.
After dinner, Quinn’s father retired to the family room to watch the news. The minute Quinn was alone with his mom, she started in with the questions.
“So,” she began cautiously, “how’s Evie?”
“She’s good,” Quinn replied enthusiastically.
“And your trip—was she with you the entire time you were away?”
“Yup.”
“And now?”
“She had to leave and take care of a few things.”
“For work?”
“Uh-huh,” he replied with a slight nod.
“And things are still good between the two of you?”
“If you’re asking if we’re still engaged, then the answer is ‘yes.’”
“Oh, good,” she said awkwardly.
“Don’t sound too thrilled,” Quinn said sarcastically.
“Sweetheart, Evie seems like a perfectly wonderful girl. And she obviously makes you very happy.”
“But?” Quinn asked.
“But I can’t help thinking about how young you both are. My goodness, Quinny, is she even twenty?”
“No, but she will be soon. Oh, crap!” he gasped as the color in his face drained.
“What is it?”
“Her birthday—it’s in a few weeks. I almost forgot.”
His mother chuckled. “My, my, don’t you sound like an old married man already.”
“Should I take that as your stamp of approval?”
“You don’t need my approval,” she said in a more serious tone. “At the end of the day, it’s your decision. It’s your life.”
“Yeah, but at the end of the day, I’d still like your approval.”
“Oh, Quinny, I love you. And if this is what you want, what you both really want, then you have my support.” She smiled reassuringly.
“Thanks, mom.” He smiled.
“So,” she exhaled loudly. “When are you going to tell Dad?”
“When he’s sleeping?” Quinn chuckled wryly.
“Thayer McQuinn Harrison, if you’re man enough to get married and support a family, then you’re man enough to tell your father about your decision to do so.”
Quinn inhaled and let out a long sigh. “You’re right. I’ll go talk to him now.”
“Thank you.” She exhaled loudly. “You don’t know how difficult it’s been for me to keep this from him.”
Quinn stood up, kissed his mother on the head, and poured two glasses of scotch.
“Hey, Dad, can I talk to you about something?” he asked as he entered the family room.
“Sure, what’s on your mind?” His dad turned off the TV.
“I have some good news.” Quinn handed him a glass.
“Scotch, huh? This must be some pretty serious ‘good news,’” his dad remarked.
“I guess you could say that.” Quinn smirked, sitting down in the chair next to him.
I immediately imagined what my dad’s reaction would be if I told him I was engaged to someone he barely knew, and I began to panic. Afraid to hear what Quinn’s dad had to say about our “good news,” I teleported myself to the roof.
“Dylan, Minerva,” I whispered. “I’m going to La Casa. Bring Quinn as soon as the dust settles from the bomb he’s about to drop.”
*
Dylan dropped Quinn off in La Casa a couple hours later. He didn’t mention his conversation with his dad, and I didn’t ask about it. Quinn looked exhausted as he slumped down on the sofa. I walked over to him and ran my fingers through his hair. He leaned into me without saying a word.
“You look like you need some sleep. Want to head off to bed?” I asked.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
*
We weren’t in full strategy mode yet, so we kept everything pretty low-key over the next week and a half. In fact, even if we’d wanted to kick things up a notch, there wasn’t much we could do seeing we had no idea what the Servants were going to do next. It felt like we were all on standby, waiting for a sign, a move, anything on their part that would clue us into what they were planning, but all remained quiet. There was no sign of them anywhere. If the Servants were still after Quinn, they hid all evidence of it well.
Until we had more information, the only thing we could do was make sure the Servants didn’t get their hands on Quinn. Dylan, Minerva, and I agreed to keep up the twenty-four seven perimeter sweeps of the Harrisons’ property, and one of us was always on Quinn detail. For fear of stretching ourselves too thin, it was also agreed Minerva would lighten up on “Evie patrol” for the time being, which was a huge relief to me.
We all settled into a routine. Quinn swam every morning. During the day, he kept himself busy preparing for his semester abroad in London. Dylan accompanied him on his errands, leaving Minerva and me time to investigate who else might have taken the Journal.
I found out from Tara that Peter didn’t have a private space in the Archives—and, thankfully, she didn’t probe too much into why I wanted to know. And Dylan had yet to find Peter’s portal—although, I wasn’t sure he’d been looking all that hard in light of his phobia.
I also stopped in to see my parents a few times. I never stayed for more than few minutes, but I wanted to see how they were doing. Thankfully, time had seemed to help them heal a bit. I saw them smile—and even joke on occasion. And their dog, Justice, seemed to fill a little of the void my death had left behind. I still missed them more than words could say, but I was happy to see them taking small steps to move forward without me.
Quinn dutifully ate dinner with his parents every night. Most nights he stayed home, but he met up with his some of his old high school friends at a local bar a few times. And on those nights, Dylan never missed the opportunity to be Quinn’s wingman. I used those times as opportunities to try to find Ronald, but he was still M.I.A.
At the end of every night, Dylan, Minerva, Quinn and I would visit La Casa to discuss anything we’d learned or seen that day. Quinn and I always stayed the night in the portal. Not once, however, did I ask how his father had reacted when Quinn told him about our engagement. And not once did Quinn offer to tell me.
By August first, the monotony of our schedule was starting to clash with the anxiety of the unknown constantly buzzing around us. We decided to change things up a bit and go clubbing in Chicago. The place we chose was new to all of us, so Dylan didn’t have any of his usual ins with the bouncers, the bartenders, or security—not that it mattered, as we weren’t about to wait in line anyway. We teleported into a back office, presumably the manager’s, and inconspicuously made our way onto the dance floor. The club was in a recently gentrified area, and was made to look like it had been carved into old catacombs that merged into an abandoned and dilapidated underground El station. It was amazing.
It was interesting to see Dylan out of his player mode, now having eyes only for Minerva. His eyes weren’t the
only ones on her, however. She wore a black long-sleeved mini-dress that was sheer enough to reveal a black bra and boy shorts underneath, with thigh-high black boots. She looked fantastic, and Dylan was all too happy to show her off.
Minerva insisted I dress the part too—a short, metallic black tube dress with asymmetrical lines, paired with strappy silver heels. She also convinced me to wear dark, sultry makeup and my hair in messy, loose curls, which seemed to radiate the “just got laid look,” as she called it. The outfit was definitely pushing the outer limits of my comfort zone, but one look in the mirror, and I knew it was the right choice. I looked sexy as hell. But Quinn’s reaction when he first saw me sealed the deal. He’d been rendered speechless—standing there frozen with his mouth gaping open. His dark, smoldering eyes met mine, and I instantly knew what he was imagining. Yes, I definitely was going to have fun working this dress in front of him tonight.
The four of us soon lost ourselves on the dance floor. My every move was intended to entice Quinn. He couldn’t take his eyes off me. I’d caught him in my spell and was loving every minute of it. After a while, I decided to up the ante. I pressed myself up against him and slid down his body to the rhythm of the music, allowing my hands to trail down his chest, his stomach, and his thighs. On my way back up, my hands followed the same path, only this time I let my hand linger below his belt, and I traced my index finger up the zipper of his jeans. With my stilettos on, we were almost eye to eye. Our auras were glowing brilliantly, entangling themselves as they spun an intricate cocoon around us. I was glad no other human could see the supernatural spectacle we were creating. We stopped dancing, and, without removing my hand, I leaned in so close we were almost kissing. I raised my eyebrows playfully and grinned, waiting for his next move.
“That’s it,” he nearly growled into my ear over the music. Quinn grabbed my hand and pulled me deep into the shadows off to the side of the club, pushing me up against one of the catacomb pillars, staring at me with blazing eyes.
“Something wrong?” I asked, fighting the urge to smile.
“Do you have any idea what I’m going to do to you once I get you out of here?” His words were full of brazen promise. He leaned in closer, shifting so I could feel his weight pressing up against me.
“Tell me,” I dared as the heat in my belly surged in anticipation.
“I’d rather show you,” he replied, kissing my neck.
“Go for it,” I dared.
Quinn pulled back and grinned, his eyes flickering wildly. “Okay.” He nuzzled the nape of my neck with his nose, inhaling my scent before kissing my shoulder. I held my breath as he caressed my bare arms with his fingers and began kissing me along my jaw line. I could feel the temperature of my body rise. Then he ran his hands down my lower back to my thighs, stopping just under the hem of my dress, making me catch my breath. My skin felt like it was on fire.
Without warning, Quinn lifted me up, and, with my back against the pillar, I wrapped my legs around him. I felt him press his hips into mine and I gasped. My eyes locked onto his gaze as he leaned in and kissed me passionately, making my entire body tingle.
“Ready to leave?” he asked, smiling wickedly.
I just nodded. My mind was swimming with lust.
“Thank God.” Quinn sighed in relief, set me down, and led me through the crowd over to where Dylan and Minerva were dancing. My legs were trembling with anticipation, and I had to focus hard not to stumble.
“I’ll be right back.” Quinn kissed me and then he and Dylan headed off somewhere, leaving me with Minerva.
“Hmm?” I mumbled. Minerva had said something, but I was still too lost in my fantasy to hear it.
“Must’ve been some conversation you two were having,” Minerva said more loudly. “You’re practically glowing in the dark.”
“Yeah,” I agreed absentmindedly. It wasn’t until I heard Minerva laughing that I snapped me out of my daze.
“What?” I asked, slightly embarrassed and confused.
“You might want take a moment to freshen up—and cool down. You have naughty thoughts written all over you.”
I cracked an awkward smile. “Maybe you’re right. I’ll be right back.”
I wove through the crowd to the women’s restroom. Amazingly, the cramped three-stall bathroom was empty. I turned on the cold water and examined my flushed face in the mirror. The harsh fluorescent lights did little to help my appearance.
“Get a grip on yourself, Evie,” I ordered myself, but then I pictured Quinn and me just moments before, and I couldn’t fight the grin making its way onto my face. Like clockwork, the temperature of my body rose and my body ached for him. I leaned over the sink to splash some water onto my face. As I did, I heard the door to the bathroom open and shut—and then, lock. I froze when I felt the dark, negative energy fill the air. I could smell the noxious odor flood the enclosed space.
Oh, shit! I whipped around to see two scantily clad female Servants in knee-high black leather boots blocking the doorway. One of them was a Goth with short black spiky hair and plum lipstick, while the other was a platinum blond pinup with cherry red lips. Their eyebrows, noses, lips and ears were pierced, and they had some pretty wicked looking tattoos.
Before I could react, the black-haired demon grabbed both my arms and pinned them behind my back, preventing me from teleporting myself out of there.
“Well, well, well, look who’s all dolled up and ready for a night out,” the blond sneered. “You and your beau sure were getting hot and heavy out there.”
“Yeah, I thought Shepherds were s’posed to act all virtuous and crap,” the other demon chimed in.
“Maybe it’s the guy—maybe he brought out her wild side,” Blondy sneered.
“Yeah, tell us, is he as hot in the sack as he looks?” Spiky asked, chuckling.
“Maybe we should find out for ourselves.”
“Ooh, maybe we should.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. You’re not his type.” I tried to twist around to free myself from the demon’s grasp, but Spiky only tightened its grip on me.
“You think you’re so special? You think he’s only got eyes for you?” Spiky taunted.
“Who knows, maybe she’s the one with the wild side.” The blond ran its finger slowly across my chest just above the neckline of my dress and smiled lasciviously, making me cringe.
“Tell us, are you a tease or do you deliver the goods?” Spiky leaned in and smelled my hair.
I jerked my head to the right, but Blondy clasped my chin with its hand, digging its nails into my skin, forcing me to look the demon in the eye. “Oh, she delivers—I can tell.” It smirked.
“I can’t wait to find out for myself.” Spiky was practically drooling.
Blondy raised a hunting knife in the air for me to see before holding it against the flesh of my arm. “Tell me, is this the type of knife you used to destroy Cy?”
“Why do you care?” I asked as calmly as I could. I prayed Minerva was wondering what was taking me so long and was on her way to find me. I prayed Quinn had convinced Dylan to take him to the portal already.
“Call it morbid curiosity,” Blondy replied.
“What do you want?” I demanded.
“Don’t you know?” the black-haired Servant hissed in my ear.
“You can’t have him,” I warned.
“Guess she doesn’t know after all,” the demon hissed again.
“Guess not.” The blond smiled menacingly and cut a deep gash in my arm. I bit my tongue, so as to not scream. I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of knowing they’d hurt me. The Servant’s eyes gleamed as it watched my blood trickling down to my elbow. It ran the knife lightly across its lips and licked my blood straight off the blade.
“She tastes even sweeter than I thought,” Blondy hissed.
Then, the black-haired demon leaned over and licked the blood running down my arm. “Mmm.”
My stomach turned over in disgust. The blond Servant then
followed suit, licking the new trail of blood that ran from my gash. I struggled to get out of its grasp, but it was no use. Their eyes already glowed fiercely red, and I realized that my blood was already affecting them.
“Evie?” I heard Minerva call out from behind the locked door. “Evie? Are you in there?” I heard her jiggling the locked door.
The blond Servant took a step closer and held the knife against my throat as it pulled my head back by my hair. Its strength was unbelievable. There was nothing I could do to escape. “Don’t say a word,” it warned me.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to. Minerva phased into the bathroom, her eyes widening with horror as she took in the scene before her.
“They drank my blood,” I gasped, the knife still at my throat.
“Good!” Minerva said, smiling as she grabbed the blond demon by the arm. “That just makes it all the easier for me.” Minerva closed her eyes and, seconds later, the Servant dropped to the floor, unconscious.
“What the—” Spiky exclaimed in shock, looking at its partner lying on the floor. “What did you do to her?”
“The same thing I’m about to do to you if you don’t leave my friend alone,” Minerva seethed with blood-red eyes. She grabbed my hand and an energy surge hit me. Whatever the high the demons got from my blood was now transferred to me. I felt indestructible.
I quickly healed my wound before breaking free of the Servant’s hold on me and seizing it by the neck with one hand while I wrenched its arm behind its back with the other.
“Why are you here?” I demanded. The demon didn’t respond, so I squeezed its neck harder. Still nothing. I grabbed its wrist and snapped it like a toothpick. The howl out of its mouth was inhumanly loud and sure to attract attention from the crowd likely gathering outside the locked bathroom. Confirming my concerns, I suddenly heard Quinn yelling my name outside the bathroom. We had to get out of there.
“We’ve got this covered!” Minerva yelled through the door as she grabbed the Servant’s knife that had fallen to the floor. “Dylan, get Quinn to a safe place! We’ll meet you there.”
“What do you want from me?” I demanded more forcefully.
“Go to hell!” the demon snarled, glaring at me.
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