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
Chapter Twenty-threeShielding the sun from my eyes with my hand, I watch a gray Jeep Wrangler bump down my gravel driveway. Melinda is alone and on crutches. She waves as she gets out, hobbling toward the house.“Thank you for meeting with me,” she says as I help her up the stairs and into the house. She’s not lying about wanting to come here to talk about a case. The warding wouldn’t have let her pass if she had ill-intent to be here.“Of course. What do you need? A vanquishing potion?”“I wish, but I have a feeling this is going to take more than that.”I open the front door and let her in first. All of my familiars are sitting on the stops, growling at Melinda.“Guys, be nice.”“It’s okay. It’s smart of them not to trust me or anyone they don’t know.” Melinda rests her crutches against the wall and takes off her shoes. Leaving the crutches, she limps into the living room and almost screams when she sees Lucas. “What? H-how? I thought he was a vampire!”“I am.” Lucas draws his fang
Chapter Twenty-fourA low growl rumbles through the dark. Lucas, growling back, pulls his lips up over his fangs and sprints forward. I conjure an energy ball, lighting up the room. Long shadows are cast on the walls, and that thing is only yards from us. It looks just like the other hellhounds, and blood-tinged saliva drips from its yellowed fangs.“Lucas, duck!” I yell, bringing my hands together, feeding the energy ball. It glows bigger and brighter. I throw the energy ball at the creature, aiming for its shoulder on purpose. It hits right where I wanted and burns through the creature’s skin and down to the muscle.I don’t waste any time. Planting my foot down, I thrust my hand forward and throw it against the wall behind it. It cracks against the drywall, splintering the frame, and then slumps to the ground.Lucas moves so fast I can’t tell what he’s doing until a sickening crack of bones rings out, twisting the creature’s head around. As soon as he drops it, the thing explodes in
Chapter Twenty-fiveLucas speeds forward, fangs out, and lunges at the demon. Black eyes gleaming, the demon sneers and holds out a hand, throwing Lucas back and through a wall. Binx goes after it next, and the demon raises its other hand, stopping my familiar in his tracks.He slowly lowers his hand, and Binx’s shadow is forced to the ground, slipping through a crack in the floorboards.“No!” I cry and reach for my familiar. My mouth falls open and I bring both hands up, throwing them out at the demon. He’s shoved back just enough to lose his hold on Binx. In an instant, my familiar is back by my side, circling around me.“I don’t want to hurt him,” the demon says. He’s in the hunter’s body, and thick, dark veins web across his face. Being in a human body and not being in its true form means we have a shot at killing it. “He could be very useful.”I throw out my hand again, hitting the demon with another wall of energy. This time he counters me, throwing up a shield of his own. Like
Chapter Twenty-sixI know from the time I hear to gunshot to the time I feel it hit me is less than a second. Yet the pain never comes, and Lucas is in front of me, growling. Another shot is fired, hitting him in the stomach.Fighting through the pain, Lucas speeds forward and grabs the gunman’s hand, snapping his wrist back. The bones break and the gun clatters to the ground. Using my powers, I throw the gun off the deck and into the lake. Funny, how facing demons and creatures made up of hundreds of rats scares me, but having someone point a gun at me scares me even more.My eyes go to Lucas, who has the gunman pushed up against the wall of the building. His fingers are wrapped around his throat, fangs glinting and eyes full of anger. He’s not mad he got shot—twice—but that someone aimed the gun at me and pulled the trigger.“Hey!” another man shouts, running down the deck. “Let him go!” He’s holding a pistol in one hand and points it at Lucas. I recognize his voice before he comes
Chapter Twenty-seven“You can’t leave well enough alone, can you?” Lucas sits on the deck, holding me in his lap. He was there the second after I plunged into Lake Michigan, pulling me from the water and back onto dry land.“It’s one of my many faults.” I shiver. “Why is the water always so fucking cold?”Lucas brushes my hair back, and Binx meows, gently pawing me. “What did you see out there?”“The man with the blue eyes.”“The one you said saved you from the demon in the woods?”“No, that’s the Blue-Eyed Man. This guy isn’t as…as ethereal looking. He’s more like a regular man but has blue eyes.”“Did you hit your head?” Lucas runs his hand over my head.“No, I’m fine.” I push out of his arms and stand. The dizziness is back, and Lucas steadies me.“I’m taking you home.”I want to protest and go back out onto the dock, demanding the man with blue eyes come out and face me. Why lurk around like a creep? If he wants to attack me, then do it already.Lucas picks me up and races over th
Chapter Twenty-eight“How is she?” Eliza sits at the foot of the bed.“She’s not getting any better,” Lucas tells her. “I don’t understand what’s going on.” He gently runs his hand over my hair. He thinks I’m still asleep, and I don’t have the energy to open my eyes and tell him otherwise. “I’ve read everything I can about human colds and even the flu. Her symptoms don’t match either.”Eliza moves up and feels my cheek. “She’s burning up.”The sheets rustle and Lucas sits up, getting the thermometer. He doesn’t say what the temperature it out loud, but it can’t be good.“It’s been hours and it hasn’t gone down at all?” Eliza sounds concerned. “I’ll be right back.”Binx, who’s been on my pillow, nuzzles his head against me. He’s worried too, able to sense that my fever just won’t go the fuck away.“Uncover her a bit and it will help her cool off,” Eliza tells Lucas, coming back into the room. I force my eyes open.“Callie,” Lucas breathes. “How are you feeling?”“Shitty,” I croak out a