“You can choose where we go,” Lucas says as we head back to my house. “Obviously.”
“If we stay in Thorne Hill, we have exactly two choices: Taco Bell or Steak and Shake. A burger and fries sounds good right now. And a milkshake.” I loosen the ties of the cloak around my neck. “Are you, uh, hungry?”
“I already ate,” he says and leaves it at that.
I nod, not sure how to respond. I’m curious, but I don’t want to be weird. Though he just buried a body for me. I think we might have skipped right past the weird phase.
“You can come in,” I tell him when we get onto the porch. I grab my Book of Shadows and the cats follow me inside. “I’m going to change.”
Rushing upstairs, I use magic to curl my hair. I take my dress off, trading it for another black one that’s too modern to wear to a gathering. It’s low cut, showing off my cleavage, and is tight around the waist with long, flowing sleeves. It ends right above my knees, and I add a long silver necklace, put on dark lipstick, and grab my favorite black boots.
It’s my go-to look, and yes, I know how cliché it is. That’s part of why I like it. I brush out my curls into loose waves and go back downstairs. Lucas is in the living room, talking on the phone. He’s speaking a language I don’t know and flicks his eyes to me when I come into the room.
There’s no denying the hunger in his gaze.
Whether it’s for my blood or my body, I don’t know.
He says something to whoever he’s speaking to and hangs up. Obviously checking me out, he parts his lips and flashes that cocky grin I’m starting to love as much as I hate.
“Black is your color, Callie.”
“It goes with everything.” I shrug. “Ready?”
“Always.” He stands and moves over to me with vamp-speed. I grab my purse and lead the way out the door. Binx follows us out, running toward the front porch stairs. He jumps into the night, not making a sound when he lands. He’s in his true form now, appearing as nothing more than a shadow in the night.
“You got a new car?” I ask, looking at the black Range Rover parked at the end of my driveway.
“I’ve had that one for about a year now.” Lucas unlocks it. “I almost forgot I had it. I’ve acquired a great deal of material items over the years.”
“Makes sense. Sixteen hundred years is a long time to have to, uh, collect and save.” I get in the car and Lucas zooms around, only taking half a second to get in and fire up the engine. He drives straight to the restaurant, not needing any direction from me.
A few other tables are taken, mostly by a younger crowd thinking it’s cool to still be out this late at night. We go to a table, and only a moment later a waitress comes over to take our order. I already know what I want. Given that there are only two places open twenty-four seven around here, I’ve become familiar with the greasy cuisine. After I put in my order, she looks at Lucas, and her cheeks flush just a little.
He seems to have that effect on women.
“Nothing for me,” he says, flashing her a brilliant smile. I half expect him to show some fang. “I’ve already eaten tonight.”
“Okay,” she says, voice a little breathy. She smiles back and turns, takes a few steps before slowing and throwing another look back.
“And now she’s wondering if you’re a vampire,” I say, leaning in.
Lucas gives me a half smile and reaches across the table, taking my hand in his. He flips it over and traces the vein that runs down my wrist.
“Do I smell different?” I ask, feeling my pulse bound underneath his thumb. “Because I’m a witch.”
“No. You smell different for another reason.”
“Well, as long as it’s not bad, I’m fine with it.”
He drags his thumb up from my wrist and over my palm. It takes everything I have not to shudder.
“Why were you at my bar last night?” he asks, letting go of my hand.
“I was in the area.”
“But why?”
I pull my hands into my lap. Now that the moment is over and so much else has happened between then and now, everything seems stupid. But when I think of my sister’s face, when I read the words of my brother’s text…it becomes too much again. I grit my teeth, fighting against my emotions.
“I wanted to see what it would feel like to go back,” I admit. “I told you, I hadn’t been there in years.”
“You did tell me, but you never said why you left.”
“I did.” I look into his intense eyes. “I needed to get away.”
“You said you wanted a change.”
“Yeah, and that’s, uh, that’s what I meant.” I stare intently at the chipped laminate surface of the table in front of me. I bend my toes, pushing them down into the soles of my shoes. I have to focus on things here and now, to what’s actually real. I don’t want to get sucked into a memory.
I don’t want to go back to the white walls and cold floors. To the lonely days that turned into nights, or the pain and the judgment.
To being terrified.
Helpless.
Used.
“So this movie, Mean Girls,” Lucas says, sensing my discomfort. “Is it good?”
My blood pressure levels out and I relax. “Yeah. It is. You should watch it.”
*
“And humans fear vampires,” Lucas says, not taking his eyes off the TV. Mean Girls is almost over, and it held his interest the whole time. “When really, teenage girls seem to be much more cruel.”
I laugh and set the almost-empty popcorn bowl onto the coffee table. We’re at my house, both sitting on the couch. Binx is next to me, and my other familiars are sitting on the arms of the couch.
“Teenage girls can be vicious.”
“Were you vicious?”
I tuck my legs up under myself, angling my body toward his. We’re close, and I know we’re walking a thin line right now. One touch, one glance that lingers a little too long…I don’t know if I’ll be able to resist.
Because I’m starting to like Lucas. I’m starting to see him as a man, not a monster.
But that’s what he is.
A vampire. A monster. A killer.
“I was, but not like that. I cared more about finding demons to vanquish than being popular.”
“Are there still schools for witches?” he asks.
“Yes. I’m surprised you don’t much about witches. I took a whole class about vampires, you know.”
“I’ve made it a point to avoid witches. Your kind always seems to have a flair for drama.”
“Flair for drama?” I raise an eyebrow. “Is that a low-key way of saying you don’t want to get your ass handed to you again?”
The humor leaves Lucas’s eyes and suddenly the room feels cold. “It means I don’t want to get caught in a witch’s affairs.”
“Right.” I bite the inside of my cheek and lean back, yawning. It’s nearing two AM and, while I’m used to staying up late every now and then I’m still tired from my late night yesterday. Shit, I must be getting old.
Almost as if he can read my mind, he looks at the clock and stands up. He stretches his long arms out in front of him and then spins around. Suddenly, he advances and knocks me down on the couch. He holds himself over me, fangs out. He brings his face down to mine, inhaling deep.
“You’re really not scared of me, are you?”
I shake my head. “Is that weird for you?”
“Yes,” he confesses. “When someone isn’t scared of me, they either have a death wish or are stupid. You’re not stupid and you certainly don’t want to die.” He brings his head in, lips going to my neck. His fangs scrape against my skin, not cutting into it, but showing me how sharp they are. How easy it would be for him to bite down and suck me dry.
I shudder, feeling an intense urge to reach up, take a tangle of his hair and push his face to me before slowly guiding him down between my legs.
“I don’t think you’ll hurt me,” I breathe, widening my legs. He welcomes himself in between. His cock is getting hard against me, and Lord have mercy, that thing is big.
“What makes you so sure?” he growls, tongue lashing out against my skin.
“If you wanted to hurt me, you would have already.”
“Maybe I have fun taking my time.” He puts his mouth to me, fangs pressing into my skin but still not popping through the surface. He was right when he said he can control himself. It’s impressive, really, and if my body weren’t so overcome with the desire to have him penetrate me in other ways, I’d acknowledge it.
“Maybe I do too,” I whisper, unable to help myself. I bring my hand up, lightly tracing my finger along his spine. “Because even if you bite me, I’ll bite back. You’re stronger than me, but you’re outnumbered.”
He looks me dead in the eye and my pulse bounds. He’s going to kiss me, and fuck, I want him to. I inhale deeply, causing my breasts to rise and press against his firm chest. I bend my knees up and widen my legs. My dress is bunching up around my waist, and I know he can feel the heat of my core through his pants. Vampires are sensitive like that, and one as old as Lucas is no exception.
He can sense and feel things others can’t. He’s had years of practice. Years of perfecting his every move. I grab the hem of his black t-shirt and start pulling it up. His eyes flutter shut when I run my palm over his cool skin. Letting out a soft groan, I buck my hips, feeling his cock against me again.
I want this.
I need this.
He needs it too. There’s hunger in his eyes and I know this time it’s not for my blood but for my body. But it’s more than physical. I don’t know how I know it, but I do. And I know he’s hurting inside just like I am, one step away from being pulled back and swallowed into a big, black void.
Then, without warning, he kisses me. His lips, soft, yet cool, crash against mine. His tongue darts into my mouth and his hands explore my body. I can’t get enough of him. Everything inside me burns red hot, and if I don’t strip my clothes off and feel his cold skin against me, I’m going to burn up.
His fangs retract and he deepens the kiss, moving one hand up to caress my face. I reach down, fumbling with the zipper on his jeans. Magic sizzles at my fingertips, and I bring my hand up, accidentally zapping him in the chest.
“Getting excited?” he croons, glancing down at the smoldering section of flesh on his chest. It begins to heal almost instantly.
“I’m sorry.”
He moves back, scooping me up with him. “Don’t be. Don’t hold back, Callie.”
I move out of his arms and push onto my knees. I put both hands on his chest and shove him onto the couch. “I won’t.” Climbing on top, I straddle his lap, rolling my hips and feeling that big dick rub against me. It’s going to hurt so good when he pushes it inside of me…which is going to happen soon.
My familiars have left the room. Or maybe the house. I don’t even know. And right now, I don’t care. Because all I can think about, all I want, is Lucas.
And then my phone rings.
“Dammit,” I moan, knowing nothing good comes from a phone call at two AM. “I’ll silence that.” I extend my hand, bringing my phone to me. I go to silence the call, but then I see who’s calling.
“What’s wrong?” Lucas asks, hands landing on my hips.
I flip the phone around to show him. “It’s the hospital.”
“Hi,” I say as soon I’m through the ER doors. “I’m here to see Betty Jones.” I blink and shake my head. “Elizabeth. Betty’s just a nickname.”The attendant types something into her computer. “And you are?”The only emergency contact you could fucking find. “Callie Martin.”“Are you family?”“No, I’m—”“I’m sorry,” the attendant says, not sounding sorry at all. She pushes her glasses down on her nose and peers over top. “Only family is allowed back into the ER.”“Yeah, but someone—”“Callie,” Lucas says, cutting me off. He steps in front of me, looking the attendant right in the eye. “You will let us back to see Elizabeth Jones. We are her family.”“Yes,” the attendant says, slowly nodding her head. Her eyes are completely glossed over. She turns back to her computer, types something, and then turns back to us. “She’s in room seven. You can go through that door.”Lucas blinks and takes my hand, leading me through the doors and back into the ER. I swallow my pounding heart and look at t
Yawning, I reach for my coffee only to remember it’s empty. Blinking to try to focus my hazy vision, I stand, pacing back and forth behind the counter in order to keep myself awake. Betty was on the schedule to open this morning, with Kristy coming in a bit later. I haven’t filled Kristy in on what happened last night, not wanting to wake her up and worry her. One of us needed to get a decent amount of sleep last night.I sit back down, mind drifting to Lucas. He was in my dreams, however fleeting they were with the two hours of sleep I’m running on. And in my dreams, he fulfilled his promise of making it worth the wait. Multiple times, actually.Thunder crackles from the clouds above, adding to the pittering of rain that’s been hitting the window all morning. I really wish I was back in my bed right now. Thunderstorms lull me to sleep like a baby.And will make the next hour or two go by slower than usual. I ring up two customers, and then the store is empty. The storm picks up in in
My house has never been cleaner. Funny, how hard it is to get back to your normal routine after almost sleeping with a sixteen-hundred-year-old vampire and there’s a chance a Gatekeeper of the underworld is walking around the Midwest.Yesterday, after visiting Betty at her parents’ house, I deep cleaned my kitchen. And I mean deep. I took expired food out of my pantry and reorganized my herb cabinet. I even vacuumed under the stove. Then I moved onto my bedroom. Dusted everything, changed the sheets, and changed out all my protective crystals for freshly charged ones. I tackled the bathroom next and then crashed on the couch with a bottle of sweet red wine while watching 80s movies.And today is the day for errands. The sun is out in full force, a drastic change from yesterday and the air is warm and humid. I’m wearing a sleeveless black dress, heeled black boots, and a black floppy hat. My nails are painted bright red, and my lipstick matches.“Coming with?” I ask Binx as I grab my r
“I was hoping you’d call.” Lucas’s voice through the phone makes me shudder. I can still feel his big cock pressed against me. Can still taste him on my lips. Tingles run through me, starting from the center of my chest and going right between my legs. I bite my lip, thinking I’m going to need to take a trip to my bedroom and handle business myself so I can proceed with a clear head. “Miss me?”I do, actually, and I don’t just miss the way his body felt against mine. I like being around him, how he doesn’t judge me. How I can just be myself and not hide the fact I’m a witch.How he’s not scared of me.“Just a little. Do you miss me?” I ask.“Yes. Can I see you tonight?”“Maybe.”“Don’t be coy with me now.”I lean back against my couch, putting my feet up on the coffee table. “What did you do with that body you took care of for me? Please say you buried it.”“Yes, I did bury it.”“Would you be able to take me to it? And maybe help me dig it up.”“That’s an interesting idea for a second
“He can hear you,” I hiss to Kristy as we walk through my yard.“I know vampires have excellent hearing,” she whispers back. “Are you sure having him here is a good idea?”“You would have been digging up a body with me if he wasn’t.”She scrunches up her nose. “Okay, I’ll give him that. You know how I feel about rotting bodies.”I laugh and loop my arm through hers. The twins are ahead of us, and Lucas is following behind, keeping a respectful distance. “And really, it’ll be nice to have someone keeping watch for anything while we dive into this. Our attention is going to be tunneled on one thing, and one thing alone.”“You trust him?” she asks.“Yes. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I do.”Kristy nods. “If you do, then I do.” She squeezes my hand and gives me a we’ll talk about this later look. The smell of the rotting body hits us well before we get to the clearing.Nicole waves her hand in front of her face. “Oh, my God. That is awful. Can I spray Febreze on him? I’m going to throw up from t
“That’s impossible,” Naomi states. “Bringing back one body from the dead is hard enough.”“Tell that to the horde of zombies coming this way,” Lucas says dryly. He slips his arm around me, holding me against his body. “I can smell them. And now I can hear them.”“There’s just no way,” I say. “She’s right. I don’t have that kind of power. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if this would work.” I sweep my hand out at the man lying on the ground.“Believe me, Callie.” Lucas tightens his hold on me. “They’re coming. If I have to take you out of here myself, I will.”I shake my head. “No. I’m not leaving my friends, and if I resurrected accidental zombies, I need to deal with it.”Something crashes through the woods, and the pungent smell of death fills the air. I whirl around, eyes narrowing. Lucas steps back, pulling me with him. He can see in the dark and sees the zombie staggering forward before I do.“Holy shit.”“You need to go,” he presses. “Because I think I’m wrong.”“Wrong about what?”
Lucas takes the machete from my hands and wipes the blade on the grass, getting rid of most of the solid parts and some of the blood. He comes back, setting it down on the wooden railing.“You’re not injured, are you?” he asks as he sits next to me.“I don’t think so.” I look down at myself, realizing just how disgusting I am. “Sick.” I find a clean spot on my leggings and wipe my hands. “These were my comfiest pair of leggings.”Lucas brushes my hair back and picks a chunk of rotting flesh from my braid, tossing it to the ground. I let out another deep breath, feeling my heart start to beat at a normal rate again. There are bodies littering my yard. The smell alone is enough to alert the authorities, and if anyone were to drive by and see…I don’t even want to finish that thought.Binx comes back to the house, red eyes flashing for a brief moment before he takes on the appearance of a cat again.“Good boy,” I tell him, wiping my hands clean again before reaching out to scratch him und
Coughing, I wave my hand in front of my face to dissipate the smoke. My eyes burn, forcing me to turn away from the flames.“I think we’re almost done,” I tell my familiars, who have all gathered around to watch the bodies burn.“Thank freaking goodness.” I take a few steps back and slump onto the ground. The sun is hot today, warming the earth. I could easily close my eyes, pretend I’m on a beach somewhere and take a nap.And then probably wake up with my house on fire.Yawning, I push myself up and go onto the porch, taking cover in the shade. Freya rubs against my legs, and I reach down and scoop her up. “I see you finally forgave me for making you miss out on the action.”Freya and Pandora were not happy to be babysitters while Binx got to come out and fight the undead.“Next time,” I tell her. “You know there will be one. Hopefully not reanimated corpses, but demons or something less messy to kill.”She curls up in my lap, purring. My eyelids fall shut, and I doze off for a few m
I wake up coughing, having rolled over in my sleep and am facing the window. The sun is creeping up, casting a muted glow throughout my room. Lucas’s hand lands on my back, startling me. I roll over, eyes locking with his. “You’re still here.”“I didn’t want to leave you.”“But it’s almost dawn.”“I know.”“The spell from the other day might not work.” I snuggle closer to him and he pulls the blanket up over my shoulder.“That’s okay.” He slides his hand under the blanket and runs his fingertips up and down my arm.“You’ll burn.”“I’ll leave before that happens. Your basement is dark. It’s not the worst place I’ve waited out the sun.” He kisses my forehead. “Go back to sleep. You need to rest.”“I need a drink first.” I slowly sit up, coughing again, and reach for the glass of water on my nightstand.“Do you feel any better?” Lucas pushes himself up, looking at me with concern. We’re both naked, having gone right into bed after taking a shower. Lucas brushed the tangles out of my hair
Lucas holds me tight against him and goes in for a kiss. I turn my head at the last second, coughing.“Sorry,” I say between coughs.“Don’t be. Are you…are you all right?” Lucas takes my hands in his and carefully pulls me to my feet. “You don’t sound very good.”“I inhaled a lot of smoke.” I sway on my feet, grasping Lucas’s hands for support. He steps in and scoops me up. I don’t like to be coddled, but I’m not about to protest. Mostly because I’m not sure I can keep from falling to the ground.I’m lightheaded and dizzy, both from inhaling so much smoke and because whatever the hell spell I just performed was the most draining magical act I’ve ever done.Lucas makes sure I’m steady on my feet before moving away, going over the pile of ash. He nudges it with his foot, moving the remains of the demon’s robe.“There’s hardly anything left. How did you put out the fire?”Pressing my hand to my chest, I cough again before I can answer. “I don’t know. It was hellfire…maybe it just goes aw
“Humans?” I echo. “The woods are enchanted to keep them away. Of course, tonight of all nights they—”I’m interrupted by a high-pitched scream. My blood runs cold and Lucas and I both take off, sprinting to the door. The group from my house is at the door, and it looks like they just performed the ritual to open it. But no one is going through. They’re huddled around it, hands raised as they cast a defensive circle.The humans Lucas caught the scent of surround them, and I can tell by their inky eyes that they are possessed. The door is open, and if one of the demons get witch blood on their hands, they might be able to pass right through. They press in, testing the strength of the circle. Brooke and her brother are hiding behind the adults, kept safe by their familiar who’s barking and growling at the demons. They need to go through and seek shelter at the Covenstead.“Hey!” I shout, conjuring an energy ball. Lucas speeds forward, sinking his fangs into the neck of one demon. He bite
“What does that mean?” Abby asks.I blink and the world spins around me. “It means he’s coming for us. For me. It means I need to go back and fight.”“Callie, no!” Lucas zooms down the stairs and puts his hands on my shoulders. “You know how powerful he is, and we don’t know how to stop him. If you go back, he’ll kill you.”“He can try.” I slowly shake my head. “I’m not hiding. I’m not going to let him tear through every single one of my friends in an attempt to get to me.”“What’s going on?” Abby’s voice breaks. “Who’s trying to kill you?”“Go home,” I tell her. “I’ll call you later, well, if I’m alive.”“You’re not going to die,” Lucas says, and his fingers press a little harder into my shoulder. “I’m not losing you.”“Then come with me,” I whisper, looking into his eyes, and the fear I see reflected back at me sends a chill right through me. He’s just as scared as I am, but not of the demon. He’s scared of something happening to me. Because for some reason I fill the emptiness insi
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Scott demands through gritted teeth. I stand there, stunned, as pain radiates through my head. Scott hit me right in the temple, and his fingers lashed the corner of my eye. If it swells up, I wouldn’t be surprised. Ella gasps and Scott turns on me, eyes full of rage.“You’re nothing but the Devil’s whore,” he says, grabbing my wrist and twisting my arm up. The magic has left my fingers, and his grip on my wrist hurts.“Scott!” Ella exclaims, jumping back. “What are you doing?” And then Lucas appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and grabs Scott by the throat. He draws his fangs and lifts Scott into the air several feet off the ground. Ella screams and the others in the room scatter. “You’re lucky your sister has more mercy in her little finger than most do in their whole body. If my own flesh and blood treated me this way, I would not be so kind.” Lucas raises Scott a little higher in the air and looks at me. “What should I do with him, lover?
I stretch my legs out in front of me and lean back, closing my eyes and tipping my head up to the sun. I’m on the rooftop patio, soaking up the warmth of the day. Pandora is walking along the railing and Binx is stretched out on the chair next to me, enjoying sunbathing as much as I am.I’m waiting for my lunch to arrive, and then will probably go back inside and take a nap. Lucas looked through the Book of the Beast and didn’t see anything about how to kill demons. There was, however, a chapter that alluded to sending a demon back to Hell. Which would be great if I were able to summon up enough power to crack open the earth and shove the fucker inside.Pandora softly meows, letting me know the delivery guy is here. I go back inside, hurrying through the large house and meeting the delivery guy at the gate. Opening the front door and revealing that the house is blacked out is a dead giveaway that a vampire lives here. I take my food and go back to the rooftop, watching people walk up
“What are you going to do with him?” I watch Lucas carry the vampire from my shed to the trunk of his car. The vampire, who’s still bound and gagged, struggles against Lucas to no avail.“For now,” he starts and drops the vampire down, “I’ll let Eliza have some fun.”The vampire protests, knowing that Eliza isn’t going to place nice after what he put her through.“Oh, okay,” I say, well aware the only reason he’s not going to question that vampire is because he’s preoccupied with keeping me alive. “Want me to conjure an energy ball to knock him out?”Lucas turns to me, grinning. “You know I love watching you inflict pain on my enemies.” He slips his fingers in the belt loops on my pants, pulling me toward him. “Go for it, babe.”I hold out my hand, conjure a bright blue ball of energy and hit the vampire with it. He goes limp right away.“That should hold him for an hour at least.”Lucas closes the trunk. “Got everything you need?”“Yeah. I’m ready.”We’re driving straight to the bar
I freeze, too horrified to look around the room. I don’t want to see Lucas’s remains charred and oozing all over the floor.“Callie,” It’s his voice. He’s not dead. But…but…how? I look in and see him standing by the window.“Lucas?” I whisper. “What…what….”He turns away from the window. “The smoke went away, but whatever you did…you made it so the sun doesn’t hurt me.” He turns back around, putting his hand on the glass. “I haven’t felt the sun in centuries.”“Holy shit,” I breathe, still rooted to the spot. The door swings open and light from the hall spills in. Lucas winces, dodging out of the way. Shaking myself, I go into the room and shut the door. “You’re not dead?”“Technically, I’ve been dead for a long time.”Suddenly, tears fill my eyes. “When I saw the sunlight, I thought…I thought…” I can’t finish the sentence. I inhale and shake my head. Lucas rushes over, taking me in his arms.“I’m fine. Better than fine.” Holding me against his chest, he turns back to the window. “You
“About time,” I mutter and lay back down. “I was wondering what was taking Evander so long. But not really. I forgot I asked for info on the witches.”“That’s what fell through your fireplace?” He gets up and goes to the hearth, pulling back the cast iron door. “It’s a file folder. And a book.”“Oh, good. Alice got the Book of the Beast to him too.”“This is a witch thing…teleporting objects.”“Yeah. It has to be set up in advance, and it doesn’t always work. But Evander is powerful.”“He called you sister.” Lucas comes back to the couch, setting the folder and the book on the coffee table. I’m too tired to go through everything right now. “But you are not related.”“No, we’re not. His mother is the High Priestess of our coven and was the headmistress of Grim Gate Academy when I first started. You know my real family isn’t magical. Tabatha had me stay with them for a while to help me get acquainted.”And because I wasn’t sure I’d survive if I went back home, but that’s a tale for anot