Chapter Fifteen“Diseased?” I echo. “Like with the flu or something.”“Or something,” Lucas replies. “Based on the decomposition of the body, he’d only been dead for about a day. But the blood…the blood smelled like it’s been festering for much longer than that.”“That doesn’t make sense.” I rub my forehead. “Then again, a hellhound turning into rats doesn’t either.”“Unless it was so they can scatter,” Nicole guesses. “I mean, if you think about it, it makes sense. One of those giant freaky dogs walking around the streets of Chicago is sure to draw attention. But rats…they live in the sewers.”“But all the rats were dead. Unless…shit.” I start to stand but Binx growls, knowing what I’m thinking. “We have to go back and make sure none got out—”“Callie,” Kristy says, voice edging on scolding. “You and Eliza almost died. Lucas got hurt too.” She doesn’t have to tell me that if Lucas got hurt, shit is serious. Lucas is the oldest and strongest vampire any of us have met, and is more pow
Chapter Sixteen“Evander says he’s never heard of hellhounds being able to merge together or turn into rats.” Kristy puts her phone in her purse. I take my eyes off the road for a second to look at her. “It sounds so crazy when I say it out loud like that.”We’re on our way to the bar but have no intention of going in. The hellhound is dead, we’re all pretty sure, but I need to double-check. I did wear sensible shoes, though, just in case. The combat boots actually look kinda cute with this romper too, or at least I think so. I’ve loaded up everything we could use as a weapon, and we’re all carrying vanquishing potions.See? I’m prepared this time.“Did he say anything else?” Naomi asks.“He seemed rather perplexed by the whole thing.”“Aren’t we all?” I mumble.“He said hellhounds are physical beings, brought forth from hell. They can’t shapeshift like that.”“Do you think they were really hellhounds?”Kristy holds up her phone. “He sent me this photo from a book in the library. It’s
Chapter SeventeenI feel a little dizzy when I sit up, which Lucas warned me about. Anytime he drinks a decent amount of my blood, he always babies me for the next few hours while my body heals.“Are you all right, my love?” Lucas pulls his sweatpants back on and speeds over. I sit back down on the mattress and blink a few times.“Yeah. Just dizzy like you said.”“Lie back down. I’ll bring you water.”“I can get it.”“I know.” He’s already grabbing the blanket to tuck me back in. “And I can too.” He kisses my forehead and speeds out of the room, returning a few seconds later with a glass of water. I take a big drink and set it on the nightstand.“Do you have to work tonight?”“I’m done going over the bookkeeping, but I did plan on going in. I allowed Dina to feed last night so her fangs would grow back. I plan to rip them out again after I question her.”“What if she gives you answers?”“I’ll still rip them out, as I will continue to do for the rest of her afterlife. She bit you. Tast
Chapter EighteenWhen Eliza said we’d hang out and talk tonight, I assumed she meant at the house or maybe even a coffee house, even though she doesn’t drink coffee. I didn’t expect to be sitting at a table at the back of Taproom again, waiting for her to find time to come over as she tends the bar.Which is fine, actually. This place is familiar, and I cast a circle around myself to keep people from coming over and talking to me. Lucas is in the basement torturing Dina, and I’ve been debating if I should go down and join him.He’s probably more effective without me there. And sitting here by myself, I get to hold my feather.“I’ve officially lost it,” I whisper to myself and put the feather in my purse before I start calling it my precious. I open the internet on my phone and do another search to see if any articles have been written yet about the headless body. Is murder so common here in Chicago this guy doesn’t even get a mention?“We can talk now.” Eliza sits down across from me
Chapter Nineteen“Use me?” I echo. “Use me for what?”“I’m not quite sure, but I won’t rest until I find out.”My heart speeds up and my throat tightens. I’m on the verge of freaking out again, and everything seems too overwhelming. I wish my water was wine. Or whiskey. Yes, tonight is a whiskey kind of night.“What’s this?” Lucas picks up the feather.“Oh, that old thing.” I take it from him and suddenly everything seems hopeful. I’ll get back into the coven. I’m not guilty of anything. We’ll find and kill the vampires, which will result in shutting down a dangerous gang as well.“Callie?”I blink, tearing my eyes away from the feather. I zoned out again. “I, uh, I found it and it seems special.”Lucas leans in and smells it. “It smells weird.”“Weird is a little vague. Care to explain?”He sniffs it again. “I can’t. It doesn’t smell like a bird.”“I don’t think it’s from one.”Lucas’s eyes meet mine. “What, you think it’s from a unicorn or something?”“Of course not. Unicorns don’t
Chapter Twenty“Holy shit, it’s good to see you.” I throw my arms around Evander, feeling a shade better just to be near him. “How are you?”“I’m fine. There were no demonic side effects.”“Thank goodness.”“No, thank you.” He releases me and takes my hand, turning to say the incantation to open the door. My suspension has been temporally lifted, allowing me to pass through.“Invoco elementum terrae. Invoco elemuntum aeris,” I chant another with Evander. “Invoco elemuntum aqua. Invoco elemuntum ignis.” The empty space in the large tree flickers blue. Still holding my hand, Evander and I walk through, emerging into the Covenstead.It’s obvious right away shit is going down tonight.“Our entire coven is pissed about this,” he whispers to me, taking his hand from mine and wrapping it protectively around my shoulders.“At me?”“No, at the Grand Coven. We all know what you did, Callie. You saved us from a demon. You were the first one to notice the Ley line had been tainted. And you saved
Chapter Twenty-oneBreathe in.Hold it.Breathe out.My vision is dotted with stars. The wooden arms of the chair bites into my skin from me gripping it so hard. I’m not going to never see Lucas again. That’s not an option. At all. The threat means nothing to me because there is no way in hell I’m letting anything get between me and the man I love.What upsets me is knowing what would happen to Tabatha if she’s caught withholding punishment. She knows Lucas isn’t just some vampire I hung out with for a while and just happened to be around when demons attacked.She knows we’re in a committed relationship together. That we’re planning on living together as soon as the house is done.She knows that I’m in love with him and that there is no fucking way I’m losing him.“Callie.” Kristy hurries through the crowd of witches leaving the gathering hall and hurries up the altar steps. I’m still sitting in the chair even though I’ve been dismissed. The Grand Coven and council are gone, and Tabat
Chapter Twenty-twoThe world spins around me and I’m not sure what’s making it spin faster. The fact that I just came a record amount of times or that I’m one and a half bottles of wine deep into the night.Lucas brings his head up from between my legs and splays his fingers over my stomach. We’re in my bed, having sex for the second time tonight. I meant it when I said I wanted him to fuck me until the sun came up.The aftershock of the intense climax is still pulsing through me, and I let my head fall to the side, gasping for air. Lucas kisses the inside of my thigh, and I try to move my leg but don’t know how. It’s a wonder I didn’t forget how to breathe, really.Lucas kisses his way up to my neck. His fangs are out, and they press into my skin without cutting into me. I open my mouth, having every intention of asking him if he’s hungry, but I’m unable to form words.“Breathe, my love.”“Mmmhhh,” I moan and slit my eyes open. Lucas lays down next to me and kisses my neck.“Are…are