Chapter Twenty-eight

“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 now, mostly so Lucas can drop off the vampire inside his trunk. Apparently, he has some sort of closet-turned-jail-cell that’s strong enough to hold vampires. He knows because he’s held them in there before.

And he thinks witches have too much drama.

He has a few business items to attend to as well, and I won’t mind hanging around the bar for a while. I get free drinks now that I’m sleeping with the owner.

We get in the car, and Pandora cuddles up on top of my bag full of clothes and Binx sits in my lap, purring as I pet his sleek fur.

“Are all familiars that friendly?” Lucas asks, seeing Binx roll over for a belly rub.

“If it appeases the witch, then yes.”

He smiles. “Crazy cat lady does suit you.”

I laugh. “I can’t disagree.”

*

The bar is just as busy as it was the first time I was here. Leaving the vampire in his trunk, Lucas and I head inside. The crowd parts for Lucas, as just his presence is intimidating. As we make our way to the back, I watch as woman after woman eye fucks my vampire.

And he doesn’t pay them any attention.

“It’s about damn time,” Eliza spits as soon as Lucas opens the office door. He steps in and pulls her into a one-armed hug, kissing the top of her head. I hang back, watching, still unsure of the actual dynamic of their relationship. All I know is it’s not sexual, and right now I’m getting a weird brother-sister vibe going on.

“I am sorry I wasn’t here last night,” Lucas tells her, smoothing out her blonde hair.

“I handled it.” Eliza rests her head against his chest. “You taught me well.”

“Yes, I did,” Lucas agrees, tipping her chin up to look into his eyes. “I brought one back for you. He’s in the trunk of my car. Do what you wish with him, but make sure he can answer my questions later.”

“You spoil me.” Eliza’s eyes flutter closed for a few seconds as she brings one hand up, resting it over Lucas’s. Then she inhales, smelling me. “What is the witch-bitch doing here?”

“Don’t call her that.” Lucas drops his hand from her hair and steps back. Eliza’s eyes flash with anger. “She is with me now.”

Understanding exactly what that means, Eliza works hard not to huff. “Fine. But she better not get in my way.”

“I assure you, she won’t.” Lucas motions for me to come into the office. “I don’t think you two have had an official introduction. And seeing as you’re both important to me now, I’d like you to make each other’s acquaintance.”

“Hey,” I say with a small wave. “Nice to, uh, meet you again.”

Eliza cocks an eyebrow and puts one hand on her hip. Lucas gives her a glare, much like a parent scolding a child without having to say a single word. “Fine, I’ll play nice,” she snits and holds out her hand. “Eliza. Nice to meet you. Now what do you say I pour you a drink?” Her tone is level and she looks annoyed, but at least she’s trying, right?

“That’d be nice, thanks.”

Eliza walks past, giving Lucas a look that obviously says I’m doing this for you, and motions for me to follow her. Lucas stays in the office, taking care of whatever he needed to while Eliza and I go to the bar.

Gavin, the guy who bought me a drink the last time I was here, is back with his group of friends. He sees me and waves enthusiastically.

“Of course you have a fan club,” Eliza says dryly and rolls her eyes.

“I don’t have a fan club. That guy must be a regular or something because he was here the last—and only other—time I’ve been here.”

“He is a regular.” She draws her fangs and looks out across the bar, exciting Gavin and his friends. “A lot of them are regulars.” She smirks and grabs a glass, not having to tell me that a lot of the men come here to ogle over her. She’s very pretty, which is alluring enough on its own. But add in that she’s a vampire and her appeal increases tenfold for some people.

“So they’re your fan club,” I say with a smile.

“I suppose. It’s entertaining. For now.” She adds ice to the glass. “But humans quickly get annoying.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “They do.”

“You’re a human.”

“I’m well aware.”

Spinning around, she mixes up some sort of drink, pours it in the glass, and slides it in front of me.

“What is this?” I ask, looking at the dark red liquid in my glass.

“Try it and find out. It’s one of our specialties.” She leaves me to tend to a few other customers, and I take a sip of my drink. Whatever it is, it’s good. I lean against the bar as I continue to sip my drink, looking around this place. Another one of the bartenders, a pretty young redheaded girl, is a vampire, but the other employees I can see are human. This place has a nice vibe, and I can tell why it’s so popular, vampire employees aside.

More people filter in, and a live band starts playing. Feeling a bit in the way, I take my drink and wander around, finding myself at the basement steps. I look at them, letting out a breath as I shake my head, remembering the first night I met Lucas and how much I hated him. How much he irritated and infuriated me. How he lied and manipulated me into taking me home and then inviting him into my house.

And how now…now I’m very much at risk for falling in love with him.

*

“Callie.” Lucas’s hand lands firmly on my shoulder, shaking me awake. “You’re having a nightmare.”

I sit up, clutching my chest. I’m coughing, still feeling the burn of hot smoke in my lungs. Gasping for air, I reach out, feeling him in front of me. I was tired when we got back from the bar and fell asleep pretty much as soon as I laid down in Lucas’s bed.

The room is pitch black and I can’t see anything in front of me. I can’t be sure they’re not here…that the dark hands holding me down against the pyre aren’t trying to grab me and bring me to the fire.

“Breathe,” Lucas says, reaching over and turning on one of the bedside lamps. I blink, adjusting my eyes to the light, and look around. I’m in his bed, naked with damp hair from the shower. The sheets are tangled around my feet, and my pillow is on the floor. Squeezing my eyes shut, I shake my head, but I can’t get rid of the fear brought on by the dream.

Or the voice.

Or the terrible feeling that everything is all my fault.

“They died because of me,” I gasp, not having yet caught my breath. I blink and every single one of the murdered witches’ faces flash before me. “It’s all my fault. He’s…he’s looking for me.”

“You’re not making any sense.” Lucas tries to comfort me, pushing my hair back over my shoulder.

“No!” I scramble away, getting out of bed. My stomach churns and I think I might puke up the remains of my dinner all over the polished hardwood floor. “It makes perfect sense. He was looking for me.” I jab my fingers into my chest. “Me!”

“Callie.” Lucas slowly gets out of bed, holding a hand out to me. “Who? Who is looking for you?”

“The demon!” Tears fill my eyes. His voice echoes in my ears, reverberating against every single bone in my body, sending chills throughout my entire being. I inhale but don’t take in any oxygen. “He’s been looking for me the whole time. But he couldn’t find me because…because…I don’t know. But he knew when I came into this world and has been searching and killing and searching and killing.”

I gulp in air again, hands shaking, and heart racing. I’ve never had a panic attack before to know what it feels like, but I think I’m having one right now. I close my eyes and the tears spill out, rolling down my cheeks.

“So many innocent lives…and it’s all my fault.”

Lucas rushes over, taking me in his arms. “Take a breath, Callie. You had a nightmare.”

“No, it wasn’t just a nightmare,” I protest against him, trying to get out of his arms. Because right now I don’t feel worthy of his comfort. Right now, I feel like the abomination the demon told me I am.

Ashes fall around me like snow, sticking to my eyelashes. The harsh scent of burned hair and charred flesh fills my nose. I’m tied down, unable to get up or move.

“I’ve been looking for you, half-breed,” the demon says, and its voice echoes in my ears. “Now it’s my turn to watch you burn.” It reaches forward, claws dripping with my own blood, and covers my face with its hand.

“I saw everything. Each murder. I felt their fear. They were so afraid.” I break down crying, and Lucas lowers us to the floor, cradling me in his lap and stroking my hair.

“Tell me everything you saw in the dream.”

“It started like the first vision I had, watching a witch burn. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, I was the witch on the pyre. The demon was burning me, and I think…I think the Devil himself was watching. And he was happy.”

“Then what happened?” Lucas is so patient with me. I turn, pressing my face against his chest.

“The demon touched me as I burned. He wanted me to know every single one of the witches he killed didn’t have to die. He was only looking for me. But the…the…” I close my eyes, needing to see the dream replay before me. “Someone else…I don’t know who, but the demon did not like that person…they made things difficult. Kept me hidden or something. And that’s why he killed the others. He thought they might be me but couldn’t tell until they were dead. He called me a half-breed again.”

“I have tasted your blood.” Lucas runs his fingertips up my arm. “And you taste fucking delicious, Callie. You are a witch, not a half-breed.”

“He told me I was.”

“A demon in your dream told you so and you believe him?”

“Don’t patronize me.”

“I’m not,” he says firmly. “Think about what you’re saying, about what happened. You’re worn out, understandably, from being up with me at night and carrying on life as a human during the day. You’re emotionally spent from worrying about your coven and you’ve just discovered you are a target on the demon’s hit list.”

“It was more than a dream, Lucas. I know it.”

His eyes narrow slightly with concern, but he doesn’t argue with me, doesn’t tell me how crazy I sound, because even I know what I’m saying sounds fucking insane.

But I know it’s true. The demon is looking for a very specific person, and he won’t stop killing until he finds said person. And that person is me. I know it. I take a deep breath, hold it, and then slowly let it out.

“Do you think I’m crazy?”

“Anyone worth knowing is crazy.” Lucas’s lips brush against my lips as he talks. “But since that’s not what you’re really asking…yes, Callie. I believe you.”

“I don’t know why the demon wants me.”

“You’re a powerful witch,” he suggests. “A powerful witch who fights demons and wins every time. Really, it’s only a matter of time before you kill more than the lower-level demons you usually go after. Kill or be killed applies to anything that can be killed.”

“Yeah, I suppose, but why would that make me hard to find? I know for certain the other witches weren’t out killing demons. That girl on the news probably didn’t even know how to weave a simple spell.” I wrap my arms around his neck and shiver. I didn’t realize how cold I was before. I was too busy freaking out.

“I don’t know, either.”

My head is starting to throb. None of this makes sense, yet it all seems to add up at the same time. All the demon has to go on is that someone was born twenty-five years ago between August twenty-third and September twenty-second…which is a lot of fucking people.

But, narrowed down to witches born in that time, the numbers drastically go down. And they go down even more when you limit your search to the Midwest. It’s too much to think about. And not enough information. Fuck. This is infuriating.

“Is that bottle of wine still here?” I ask.

“Yes, it’s in the fridge.”

“Thank God.” I stay in Lucas’s arms for another few seconds before slowly untangling myself. My clothes are on the bathroom floor, and the shirt Lucas was wearing before is at the foot of the bed. I grab it and pull it over my head. “I need a drink.”

I’m all jittery the entire way to the kitchen. Lucas comes with me, not bothering with clothes. I turn on the kitchen light and go to the fridge. Lucas gets me a wine glass and I fill that sucker to the brim.

“You know that’s not a healthy coping mechanism.” Lucas watches me take a large gulp of wine.

“Thanks, Mom,” I retort. “And I know.” I take another drink and set the glass down, letting out a sigh. “I enjoy wine, but I don’t overdo it unless I’m stressed.” I hold up my hand. “Yes, I know,” I press. “It’s not a good way to deal with my emotions.”

“Is there ever a good way to deal with them?” Lucas sits on a barstool.

“If you haven’t figured it out in over a thousand years then I’m going to say no, there’s not.” I wipe my eyes. “I can’t explain it. I just know this is the truth. That demon wants me and—” I cut off when I get another flash before me. “Do you have a pen and paper?”

Lucas speeds out of the room, coming back only a second later. I quickly scribble down the symbol that’s etched onto the demon’s pendant.

“It was wearing this.” I turn the paper around and show Lucas the demon’s sigil.

“You can find his name.”

“And if I can find his name, I can summon him.”

Lucas takes my hand. “Summon him and kill him.”

“I can, and I will.” I put my finger down on the paper. “I just need to, well, figure out who this demon is first before I can narrow down the how part of killing.” I bite my lip and look at the sigil. “There are hundreds of demonic sigils like this archived.” I rub my forehead. “It’s like one step forward two steps back.”

“Don’t get discouraged.” Lucas rests his hand on top of mine. “Look at it this way: we are one step closer to finding the identity of the killer.”

“I like your way of looking at things. I have his sigil. I can find his name.” I close my eyes and let out a shaky breath. “I need to end this before anyone else gets killed.”

“Do you know a demonologist?” he asks, and I’m once again so grateful he knows and accepts every single part of me.

“Oh my god, I do!” I open my eyes, jumping up to get my phone. The thought hadn’t occurred to me before. “Naomi and Nicole’s grandmother. She’s a nasty old woman, but she studied demons extensively in her university years. Thank you!” I shout behind me as I run back up the stairs. My phone battery is almost dead, and I dump out my bag on the floor looking for my charger. My hands shake as I plug it in. I call Nicole first and get her voicemail. I end the call without leaving a message and call Naomi next.

“You better have a good reason for calling at five in the morning,” Naomi growls when she answers.

“The best reason.” I lay my sketch of the sigil on the floor so I can take a picture and send it. “I have the sigil of the demon who’s killing the witches.”

“What?” she breathes. “A demon is killing witches? Are you sure?”

“Yes. I need you to show it to your grandmother and see if she knows the demon’s name. If I get a name—”

“—You can fight it,” she finishes.

“Exactly. I’m going to text you a photo of it. It might not be exact. I saw the sigil in a creepy vision dream and we both know art is not my strong suit.” I pull my phone away from my ear, take a picture and send it to Naomi.

“That looks oddly familiar,” she says once the photo goes through. “I think I’ve seen this in Gran’s books before.” I hear her get up and shut a door. “Mother and father have put the estate on lockdown, fearing Nicki and I might be next.”

“Shit, you’re stuck?”

“I’m never stuck. Give me until the end of the day, and I will pay my gran a visit.”

“Be careful,” I press.

“That goes without saying. We both have identifying information about this demon, making us at risk more than ever before. Doubly for you, Miss Virgo.”

“I’m more like my moon sign than I am an actual Virgo.”

“You sure about that?” she asks dryly, and I can just imagine her cocking an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest.

“You’re such a Scorpio. But Naomi…thank you. You’re a good friend.”

“I know I am.” We end the call and I set my phone on the floor, moving it against the wall so I don’t trip over it later. After quickly gathering up the stuff I dumped all over the floor, I sit on the bench by the end of Lucas’s bed.

“I take it the call went well?” Lucas appears in the doorway of his room, holding my glass of wine. I run my eyes over him, once again appreciating how he’s so comfortable in his own skin. I bet it’s liberating, actually. Maybe I’ll start walking around naked more often. I’m sure Lucas will like it, at least.

“Yes. Naomi is going to run the sigil by her gran. She thinks she’s seen it before, so we should be able to get a name by tonight.”

“Once you have a name, will you know how to kill it?”

“Possibly.” I don’t know how to kill a demon that arose straight from Hell. I don’t even know how to perform an exorcism on one possessed. “You can read Latin, right?”

“Right.”

“There might be something in the Book of the Beast on how to kill demons.”

“I will read through it.” He hands me the wine and sits on the bench next to me.

“Thanks, babe.” I take another big gulp and reach for Lucas’s hand. “You don’t have to help me with this.”

“No,” he says. “I don’t have to at all. But I want to, because I care a great deal about you, Miss Callie Martin.” He flips his hand over, fingers intertwining with mine. “In fact, I dare say I care more for you than I have for anyone in well over a hundred years. No, make that two hundred years.” His eyes meet mine and he smiles. “Or five hundred.”

“You’re so old,” I tease, leaning in to kiss him. “And I really care about you, too.” Enough to feel like I’m falling in love, but I won’t even let myself think about it. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Because loving a vampire can only end in heartache. He’ll live forever, never aging a day. He’ll always look this young and healthy, this fit and muscular. And I, obviously, will age like any old human.

“I’m glad we’re on the same page.” Lucas’s lips pull into a smile. He kisses me, and I want nothing more than to surrender to him. “You’re making me hungry,” he growls.

“And you’re turning me on,” I whisper.

“Well, well…” He twirls a piece of my hair around his fingers. “What are we going to do about that?”

I bite my lip and part my legs. “Dinner and a show?”

“Fuck,” Lucas moans, pulling me to him. “You are everything I could ever ask for.”