Still of Night, page 15
I’m still wearing my engagement ring, and if anyone asks about it, I plan to tell them I bought it for myself and I’m wearing it so I don’t get hit on. If anyone really knew me, they wouldn’t buy it for a second. But it’s sadly believable enough that it’s easier to fake a relationship than it can be to deal with persistent men who still can’t grasp the concept of what no means.
But that’s where being a witch comes in handy. I’ve cursed a great many men at bars who got a little too handsy.
“You’re still here.” Evander’s voice echoes through the large room.
“I am, though I’m about to leave. Or fall asleep. This place is nice for napping.”
“I’ve found many students in here, fast asleep, when they should have been in my class.”
“I remember both of us falling asleep in the restricted section more than once.”
“It was always your fault,” he laughs. “You’d get us into some sort of trouble, and we’d have to break a few rules to get out of it.”
“As the older student, you should have kept me under better authority,” I laugh back and stand, stretching my arms above my head. My back cracks and I pick up the books, not remembering where they came from. “It’s quiet in here today.”
“It’s a library, Callie. It’s supposed to be quiet. And don’t you dare jinx me. I’ve gotten through almost a full month’s worth of planning for the new school year.”
“Are summer classes done now?”
“We just finished on Friday. There are a handful of students staying through the summer, but most have gone out into town for the day.”
“That’s where I’m going after this.” I push the books to the center of the table, knowing it’s better to leave them there than to attempt to put them back and get them in the wrong spot. The Academy librarian is very passionate about her job.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Of course not.” I go down the spiral staircase, stopping a few feet in front of Evander. “Though, I can only imagine angels would be rather secretive about the only way to kill them.”
“I would too. And not to be a downer, but do you think you’d stand a chance against them?”
“I actually do,” I say honestly and hope I don’t come across as too braggy or just plain stupid. “Julian told me that being half…half what I am makes me just as strong as the others who don’t have as notable parents,” I say and hope Evander’s following. I’m fairly certain we’re alone, but I’m being extra careful, just in case.
“Though if your dear old uncles were to find you…”
“Yeah, then I’d probably be a goner before I even knew what was coming.” I let out a breath. “I had a lot of good memories here.”
“Stop it,” Evander orders, nudging me with his arm. “Don’t talk like you’re never coming back.”
“Neither of us can guarantee they’ll lighten my sentencing.”
“I’ve been doing some research on the subject,” Evander says, which doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s one of the smartest warlocks I know and enjoys reading and researching anything he can. “You can voluntarily remove yourself from the coven.”
“Really?”
“Yes. No one is forced in, and by going directly to the head of your coven, you can quietly be removed. A formal report will be written to the Grand Coven, and if they deem it necessary—which they usually do—spells will be put in place to prevent you from entering the Covenstead.”
“Oh,” I say, and just the thought of saying I want to cut ties with the coven, with this space, hurts. “Would that hurt my chances of getting back in?”
“No. It’s the reason why you left or got kicked out that determines how you will be dealt with. Some witches switch covens so they can marry into another. Others foolishly want to practice alone. You are breaking Witch Law by being with a vampire, but I believe we can prove he is an ally to us, not an enemy.”
“Thank you,” I tell Evander. “He is, and a vampire as old as Lucas is a wealth of information.”
“It will get it sorted out.” Evander smiles, but I see the doubt in his eyes. “I’ll continue to search through the books for answers on the question at hand too.”
“You don’t have to do that. It’s not the most fun way to pass the time.”
“But it passes it, and it’s my turn to stay overnight with the summer students tonight.”
“Well, in that case, knock yourself out.”
“You know I enjoy my research.” Evander laughs and opens the door to the library for me. My boots click on the stone floor as I walk through the hallway leading away from the library. The Academy is wonderfully gothic, with dimly lit halls and large, roaring fires in the common rooms. This place was home for so long, and it hits me again that if I hadn’t been placed with the Martins, I might not have ended up here.
Funny, how everything works itself out.
By being placed with the Martins and being sold to a research lab in the Midwest, and Grim Gate was the closest magical academy.
By being alienated from my family, getting an invite to Penny’s party freaked me out, caused me to drive to Chicago for the first time in years, and then end up in Lucas’s bar.
Now we’re getting married.
“Is that her?” a student whispers, ducking into the hall as Evander and I pass by a common room. I give a small wave.
“You have quite the reputation around here,” he says, eyeballing the students. “If things were different, I’d ask you to come here and teach.”
“Teach what? Risk Taking 101? How to Get Away with Breaking Rules?”
“On second thought maybe you aren’t to be trusted with the minds of our future.” Evander laughs. “Though stories of your days at Grim Gate circulated even before you saved us all from demons.”
“Do people talk about Lucas?” I ask. I haven’t before, and for good reason. While most of the coven was willing to testify on my behalf, I know there are older families who still hate vampires as much as vampires hate witches.
“Not in front of me, if they’re smart.” Evander slows. “You’ve always marched to the beat of your own drum, Callie, which I’ve always admired. Others admire it too. Envy it, even. Have faith, sister. They tried to kick you out once and it didn’t stick. I don’t think it will this time either.”
I twist and give Evander a hug. “Stop by when you can. And let me know what I have to do to leave the coven.”
I spread the newspaper out in front of me and take a sip of the terrible coffee Suzy’s Café is known for. With everything else going on, I’d almost forgotten that Lucas was considering buying this place until we had second thoughts about the issues it could cause with the two of us being together.
Though once I’m officially out of the coven, I won’t have to hide my relationship which will be such a relief. I already have to hide who I am, and secret relationships and identities are not fun, regardless of how they make it seem in movies.
I flip right to the obituaries and crime section in the paper and quickly scan through them, looking for anything out of the ordinary. The girl from Newport is still missing, and now there is a reward for any information that leads to her discovery.
Pulling out my phone, I do a quick internet search. Newport is about an hour away and is much bigger than Thorne Hill. They have lots of shopping and even a university. It’s a nice town, with a higher-than-average median income. The crime there is low, coming in second to Thorne Hill, that is.
With half the town being magical, we have enough wardings on our houses and businesses to keep most petty crime at bay. We’re always ranked as one of the safest towns to live in, not only in Indiana, but all of the Midwest. It’s funny, really, considering all the demons attracted to this area. Bodies turn up without explanation, but break-ins and theft are pretty much unheard of here.
You’re welcome.
Our low vampire population in this town deems it a “safe” place to live as well.
I lean back, annoyed with the slow internet connection here. If Lucas does take over, I’m having him install high-speed internet with free WiFi for everyone to use, like we do at the bookstore.
Finally, my search loads, and I read through an article about the missing girl. She was last seen going into work for a 10 to 6 overnight shift as a nursing assistant at a nursing home in Newport. She stopped at Starbucks on the way, and her car was found in the parking lot of the nursing home. Her purse was missing, but her coffee was still in the cup holder, and was still full, making the police assume she drove straight to work and got snatched as soon as she opened her car door.
There’s nothing specifically supernatural about this. People get kidnapped by humans all the time, and it’s usually someone they know. Poor girl. I hope she’s found, though I know the chances of finding her alive at this point are slim to none.
Though if anyone knows about just barely getting by on impossible odds, it’s me.
I go back to the search and bring up the site for a local newspaper in Newport. The headline is about the search for the missing girl. I drum my fingers on the counter as I wait for another part of the page to load.
“Shit,” I mumble. A homeless man was found on the side of the road with his internal organs removed.
Now that has supernatural death written all over it.
The door to the café opens and a Thorne Hill police officer walks in. He’s young and I don’t recall his name, but I’ve seen him in the mornings at Curlew’s getting coffee. He sits at the counter, ordering a late lunch. I bite my lip, mind racing.
If bodies are turning up around Newport with organs missing, there’s a chance he could know more about it than the public. Police talk to each other, right? Warn neighboring towns about potential crime and all that.
I wait a few minutes until he gets his order in. Then I fold up the paper and head over to the counter. Maybe I can try that Jedi mind trick Julian did with Scott that forced him to tell the truth. I don’t want to accidentally flash blue eyes or anything.
I’m half angel, but I’m also half witch, and a damn good one at that.
“Excuse me,” I start and slide onto a stool next to him. “I wanted to thank you for your service to this town. Please, let me buy you lunch.”
Officer Benson, according to his name badge, looks flabbergasted. I hold out my hand, offering a handshake. I find his pulse point on his wrist as soon as he shakes my hand.
One…
Two…
Three…
“I’m Callie.”
“Henry Benson.”
I push my way further into his mind. “You want to tell me all about the recent crime in Newport.”
“Yeah.” He slowly nods. “I do.”
“Good. And order whatever else you want. I’m buying.”
I wait another beat, making sure my magic has taken hold. Then I release his hand and push my hair back over my shoulder. “Have there been any other bodies found with missing organs?”
“Yes, three.”
Shit. “What organs?” I look out of the corner of my eye and see a waitress watching us. Feeling a little bad, I flick my fingers and cause a jar of sugar to fall off the bar counter, spilling all over the floor. I can’t have her hearing any of this. There’s a reason the police haven’t gone public with this information yet.
“The first was missing a heart. The second was missing her heart and liver. The third…heart, liver, and all guts were gone.”
“Did this happen before or after Brianna Hayes went missing?”
“Before.”
“Has anyone else gone missing since?”
“Yes, two more people, though one might have run off with a boyfriend.”
Three bodies were found with organs are missing, and now three people are missing.
“Do you know about when this happened? Like, how far apart were the murders?”
“The first three victims seemed to have died within a week of each other. And the first missing person was reported about a month later.”
“Thank you,” I tell Officer Benson. “You’ve done a great job protecting Thorne Hill.”
“Yeah,” he says with a smile. “I have.”
I put money on the counter, covering much more than his meal and coffee. I hurry to my Jeep, needing to get back to my books and possibly back to the restricted section in the Academy library.
Because I think I’ve found Hell’s missing demon.
17
“Good, you’re home.” Lucas is sitting in the living room, legs stretched out on the coffee table in front of him. He has a book in his lap, another one of my steamy romance novels by one of my favorite authors TL Smith. Binx is curled up next to him, and my other familiars are lounging in the sun.
“Why, did something happen?” I ask, unzipping my boots as I walk.
“Nothing bad.” Lucas sets the book down on the coffee table, trading it for his phone. “I had Eliza do a bit of work for me. For us, I suppose.” He waits until I’m on the couch next to him to go on. I pick up Binx, who lazily stretches and snuggles into my arms. I kiss his furry head and scratch under his chin. He starts purring right away.
“What did she do?”
“She found this.” Lucas opens his text and shows me the pictures she sent through. It’s a wedding venue, and it’s breathtaking. A century-old barn has been converted into a reception hall. It’s whimsical in its decor, but not over the top. I click in the link under the photo, going to the venue’s site.
It’s only an hour and a half away in Michigan, where we can legally get married. The barn is situated on twenty acres of woods, and there is an outdoor pavilion for ceremonies. The barn itself is rather small, seating no more than fifty-five people, which is perfect since I don’t need a large space at all.
“It’s gorgeous.” I flip through the gallery of photos once more.
“They just had a cancelation for the first Saturday in September. We could get married then, and I thought if you’d like to delay our honeymoon until October, we could spend most of the month traveling. I know not being able to attend your coven’s Samhain festivities will be hard for you, so I thought getting away would help. And there is trick-or-treating in Disney World,” he adds. “It’s not too late to buy tickets. Because I already did. Just in case you want to go. I was going to surprise you,” he adds with a grin. “But you make me rather impatient.”
“Lucas,” I start, eyes getting misty. He’s so thoughtful. I put the phone down and carefully move my sleeping familiar to my side, tucking a blanket from the back of the couch around him. Then I throw my arms around Lucas. He pulls me to his lap and hugs me tight.
Stupid organ-harvesting demon. I don’t want to deal with it right now.
“Did you have Eliza book that venue too?”
“She put a temporary hold on it. We have to let them know within the hour if we want it or not.”
“I want it,” I say with no hesitation. “We only have like a month to get things lined up, but I’ll have my dress, we have a venue…and I have you.” I blink away tears and kiss Lucas. “I still need flowers, a DJ, a caterer…and this all on short notice.”
“The thing about money,” Lucas starts with a grin, “you can buy anything. You want flowers? Fancy food? A live band? I’ll pay whatever it takes to get them at our wedding.”
“You’re a bit ridiculous at times,” I laugh. “And you’re going to turn me into a trophy witch.”
“Too bad I can’t brag about being touched by an angel.”
I roll my eyes but kiss him once more. “Let’s book everything.”
“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asks, and I know he’s not asking if I’m ready to get married—I am. He’s asking if I’m ready to officially leave the coven.
“Yes.” I suck in a breath. “Evander said I can leave of own free will and it’ll be a quieter affair than having to be publicly kicked out.”
“That’s good, I suppose.”
“Yeah. He’s going to stop by sometime tonight or tomorrow so I can do it.” I run my fingers through Lucas’s hair. I want to be nothing but happy. Brimming with joy and love for my groom to be.
Lucas wraps me in a tight hug and then picks up his phone, texting Eliza so she’ll go ahead and call the venue and officially book our wedding date.
“I’m also not opposed to traveling or vacationing for two months after the wedding,” Lucas says. “We could see the world.”
“That would be amazing…but I kind of have the bookstore and that’s a lot of responsibility to put on her.”
“Kristy has managed just fine without you.” He starts to bunch up the hem of my dress. “And, Callie, is it practical to continue to put yourself on the schedule?” he asks gently. It’s not the first time he’s hinted that trying to hold a steady job doesn’t really work for me. Which is true. It’s hard to keep regular hours when demons are always after me.
I needed to work before.
Now I don’t.
“Everything I have will become yours too,” Lucas tells me.
“So you’re not going to make me sign a prenup?” I joke.
“I couldn’t if I wanted to. It’s not a privilege vampires are awarded.”
“Really? That’s not fair.”
“That’s the law.” Lucas buries his face against my neck. “Though I’ve never been one to live by the law.”
“Good. Because I’m totally marrying you for your money.”
“I’m marrying you for your blood.”
“As long as we have an understanding,” I say and lean back so I can look at Lucas’s face. Sunlight is streaming in through the living room windows, lighting up his face. His eyes are the darkest blue I’ve ever seen, with little flecks of green and gold mixed in and they almost sparkle in the light.
“Do you want to text your friends?” he asks. “And tell them we have a date?”
“I do.” Now I really am beaming. “And I need to make sure everyone can come. At least our guest list is small. That’ll make it easier to get last-minute services.” I think for a second, mentally counting everyone I want to invite. Eliza, of course. My sister, Phil, and Penny. Kristy, Naomi, Nicole, Evander, and Tabatha from the coven. And then Betty from work, though she’ll be the only one there who doesn’t know the truth about who I am.
But that’s where being a witch comes in handy. I’ve cursed a great many men at bars who got a little too handsy.
“You’re still here.” Evander’s voice echoes through the large room.
“I am, though I’m about to leave. Or fall asleep. This place is nice for napping.”
“I’ve found many students in here, fast asleep, when they should have been in my class.”
“I remember both of us falling asleep in the restricted section more than once.”
“It was always your fault,” he laughs. “You’d get us into some sort of trouble, and we’d have to break a few rules to get out of it.”
“As the older student, you should have kept me under better authority,” I laugh back and stand, stretching my arms above my head. My back cracks and I pick up the books, not remembering where they came from. “It’s quiet in here today.”
“It’s a library, Callie. It’s supposed to be quiet. And don’t you dare jinx me. I’ve gotten through almost a full month’s worth of planning for the new school year.”
“Are summer classes done now?”
“We just finished on Friday. There are a handful of students staying through the summer, but most have gone out into town for the day.”
“That’s where I’m going after this.” I push the books to the center of the table, knowing it’s better to leave them there than to attempt to put them back and get them in the wrong spot. The Academy librarian is very passionate about her job.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Of course not.” I go down the spiral staircase, stopping a few feet in front of Evander. “Though, I can only imagine angels would be rather secretive about the only way to kill them.”
“I would too. And not to be a downer, but do you think you’d stand a chance against them?”
“I actually do,” I say honestly and hope I don’t come across as too braggy or just plain stupid. “Julian told me that being half…half what I am makes me just as strong as the others who don’t have as notable parents,” I say and hope Evander’s following. I’m fairly certain we’re alone, but I’m being extra careful, just in case.
“Though if your dear old uncles were to find you…”
“Yeah, then I’d probably be a goner before I even knew what was coming.” I let out a breath. “I had a lot of good memories here.”
“Stop it,” Evander orders, nudging me with his arm. “Don’t talk like you’re never coming back.”
“Neither of us can guarantee they’ll lighten my sentencing.”
“I’ve been doing some research on the subject,” Evander says, which doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s one of the smartest warlocks I know and enjoys reading and researching anything he can. “You can voluntarily remove yourself from the coven.”
“Really?”
“Yes. No one is forced in, and by going directly to the head of your coven, you can quietly be removed. A formal report will be written to the Grand Coven, and if they deem it necessary—which they usually do—spells will be put in place to prevent you from entering the Covenstead.”
“Oh,” I say, and just the thought of saying I want to cut ties with the coven, with this space, hurts. “Would that hurt my chances of getting back in?”
“No. It’s the reason why you left or got kicked out that determines how you will be dealt with. Some witches switch covens so they can marry into another. Others foolishly want to practice alone. You are breaking Witch Law by being with a vampire, but I believe we can prove he is an ally to us, not an enemy.”
“Thank you,” I tell Evander. “He is, and a vampire as old as Lucas is a wealth of information.”
“It will get it sorted out.” Evander smiles, but I see the doubt in his eyes. “I’ll continue to search through the books for answers on the question at hand too.”
“You don’t have to do that. It’s not the most fun way to pass the time.”
“But it passes it, and it’s my turn to stay overnight with the summer students tonight.”
“Well, in that case, knock yourself out.”
“You know I enjoy my research.” Evander laughs and opens the door to the library for me. My boots click on the stone floor as I walk through the hallway leading away from the library. The Academy is wonderfully gothic, with dimly lit halls and large, roaring fires in the common rooms. This place was home for so long, and it hits me again that if I hadn’t been placed with the Martins, I might not have ended up here.
Funny, how everything works itself out.
By being placed with the Martins and being sold to a research lab in the Midwest, and Grim Gate was the closest magical academy.
By being alienated from my family, getting an invite to Penny’s party freaked me out, caused me to drive to Chicago for the first time in years, and then end up in Lucas’s bar.
Now we’re getting married.
“Is that her?” a student whispers, ducking into the hall as Evander and I pass by a common room. I give a small wave.
“You have quite the reputation around here,” he says, eyeballing the students. “If things were different, I’d ask you to come here and teach.”
“Teach what? Risk Taking 101? How to Get Away with Breaking Rules?”
“On second thought maybe you aren’t to be trusted with the minds of our future.” Evander laughs. “Though stories of your days at Grim Gate circulated even before you saved us all from demons.”
“Do people talk about Lucas?” I ask. I haven’t before, and for good reason. While most of the coven was willing to testify on my behalf, I know there are older families who still hate vampires as much as vampires hate witches.
“Not in front of me, if they’re smart.” Evander slows. “You’ve always marched to the beat of your own drum, Callie, which I’ve always admired. Others admire it too. Envy it, even. Have faith, sister. They tried to kick you out once and it didn’t stick. I don’t think it will this time either.”
I twist and give Evander a hug. “Stop by when you can. And let me know what I have to do to leave the coven.”
I spread the newspaper out in front of me and take a sip of the terrible coffee Suzy’s Café is known for. With everything else going on, I’d almost forgotten that Lucas was considering buying this place until we had second thoughts about the issues it could cause with the two of us being together.
Though once I’m officially out of the coven, I won’t have to hide my relationship which will be such a relief. I already have to hide who I am, and secret relationships and identities are not fun, regardless of how they make it seem in movies.
I flip right to the obituaries and crime section in the paper and quickly scan through them, looking for anything out of the ordinary. The girl from Newport is still missing, and now there is a reward for any information that leads to her discovery.
Pulling out my phone, I do a quick internet search. Newport is about an hour away and is much bigger than Thorne Hill. They have lots of shopping and even a university. It’s a nice town, with a higher-than-average median income. The crime there is low, coming in second to Thorne Hill, that is.
With half the town being magical, we have enough wardings on our houses and businesses to keep most petty crime at bay. We’re always ranked as one of the safest towns to live in, not only in Indiana, but all of the Midwest. It’s funny, really, considering all the demons attracted to this area. Bodies turn up without explanation, but break-ins and theft are pretty much unheard of here.
You’re welcome.
Our low vampire population in this town deems it a “safe” place to live as well.
I lean back, annoyed with the slow internet connection here. If Lucas does take over, I’m having him install high-speed internet with free WiFi for everyone to use, like we do at the bookstore.
Finally, my search loads, and I read through an article about the missing girl. She was last seen going into work for a 10 to 6 overnight shift as a nursing assistant at a nursing home in Newport. She stopped at Starbucks on the way, and her car was found in the parking lot of the nursing home. Her purse was missing, but her coffee was still in the cup holder, and was still full, making the police assume she drove straight to work and got snatched as soon as she opened her car door.
There’s nothing specifically supernatural about this. People get kidnapped by humans all the time, and it’s usually someone they know. Poor girl. I hope she’s found, though I know the chances of finding her alive at this point are slim to none.
Though if anyone knows about just barely getting by on impossible odds, it’s me.
I go back to the search and bring up the site for a local newspaper in Newport. The headline is about the search for the missing girl. I drum my fingers on the counter as I wait for another part of the page to load.
“Shit,” I mumble. A homeless man was found on the side of the road with his internal organs removed.
Now that has supernatural death written all over it.
The door to the café opens and a Thorne Hill police officer walks in. He’s young and I don’t recall his name, but I’ve seen him in the mornings at Curlew’s getting coffee. He sits at the counter, ordering a late lunch. I bite my lip, mind racing.
If bodies are turning up around Newport with organs missing, there’s a chance he could know more about it than the public. Police talk to each other, right? Warn neighboring towns about potential crime and all that.
I wait a few minutes until he gets his order in. Then I fold up the paper and head over to the counter. Maybe I can try that Jedi mind trick Julian did with Scott that forced him to tell the truth. I don’t want to accidentally flash blue eyes or anything.
I’m half angel, but I’m also half witch, and a damn good one at that.
“Excuse me,” I start and slide onto a stool next to him. “I wanted to thank you for your service to this town. Please, let me buy you lunch.”
Officer Benson, according to his name badge, looks flabbergasted. I hold out my hand, offering a handshake. I find his pulse point on his wrist as soon as he shakes my hand.
One…
Two…
Three…
“I’m Callie.”
“Henry Benson.”
I push my way further into his mind. “You want to tell me all about the recent crime in Newport.”
“Yeah.” He slowly nods. “I do.”
“Good. And order whatever else you want. I’m buying.”
I wait another beat, making sure my magic has taken hold. Then I release his hand and push my hair back over my shoulder. “Have there been any other bodies found with missing organs?”
“Yes, three.”
Shit. “What organs?” I look out of the corner of my eye and see a waitress watching us. Feeling a little bad, I flick my fingers and cause a jar of sugar to fall off the bar counter, spilling all over the floor. I can’t have her hearing any of this. There’s a reason the police haven’t gone public with this information yet.
“The first was missing a heart. The second was missing her heart and liver. The third…heart, liver, and all guts were gone.”
“Did this happen before or after Brianna Hayes went missing?”
“Before.”
“Has anyone else gone missing since?”
“Yes, two more people, though one might have run off with a boyfriend.”
Three bodies were found with organs are missing, and now three people are missing.
“Do you know about when this happened? Like, how far apart were the murders?”
“The first three victims seemed to have died within a week of each other. And the first missing person was reported about a month later.”
“Thank you,” I tell Officer Benson. “You’ve done a great job protecting Thorne Hill.”
“Yeah,” he says with a smile. “I have.”
I put money on the counter, covering much more than his meal and coffee. I hurry to my Jeep, needing to get back to my books and possibly back to the restricted section in the Academy library.
Because I think I’ve found Hell’s missing demon.
17
“Good, you’re home.” Lucas is sitting in the living room, legs stretched out on the coffee table in front of him. He has a book in his lap, another one of my steamy romance novels by one of my favorite authors TL Smith. Binx is curled up next to him, and my other familiars are lounging in the sun.
“Why, did something happen?” I ask, unzipping my boots as I walk.
“Nothing bad.” Lucas sets the book down on the coffee table, trading it for his phone. “I had Eliza do a bit of work for me. For us, I suppose.” He waits until I’m on the couch next to him to go on. I pick up Binx, who lazily stretches and snuggles into my arms. I kiss his furry head and scratch under his chin. He starts purring right away.
“What did she do?”
“She found this.” Lucas opens his text and shows me the pictures she sent through. It’s a wedding venue, and it’s breathtaking. A century-old barn has been converted into a reception hall. It’s whimsical in its decor, but not over the top. I click in the link under the photo, going to the venue’s site.
It’s only an hour and a half away in Michigan, where we can legally get married. The barn is situated on twenty acres of woods, and there is an outdoor pavilion for ceremonies. The barn itself is rather small, seating no more than fifty-five people, which is perfect since I don’t need a large space at all.
“It’s gorgeous.” I flip through the gallery of photos once more.
“They just had a cancelation for the first Saturday in September. We could get married then, and I thought if you’d like to delay our honeymoon until October, we could spend most of the month traveling. I know not being able to attend your coven’s Samhain festivities will be hard for you, so I thought getting away would help. And there is trick-or-treating in Disney World,” he adds. “It’s not too late to buy tickets. Because I already did. Just in case you want to go. I was going to surprise you,” he adds with a grin. “But you make me rather impatient.”
“Lucas,” I start, eyes getting misty. He’s so thoughtful. I put the phone down and carefully move my sleeping familiar to my side, tucking a blanket from the back of the couch around him. Then I throw my arms around Lucas. He pulls me to his lap and hugs me tight.
Stupid organ-harvesting demon. I don’t want to deal with it right now.
“Did you have Eliza book that venue too?”
“She put a temporary hold on it. We have to let them know within the hour if we want it or not.”
“I want it,” I say with no hesitation. “We only have like a month to get things lined up, but I’ll have my dress, we have a venue…and I have you.” I blink away tears and kiss Lucas. “I still need flowers, a DJ, a caterer…and this all on short notice.”
“The thing about money,” Lucas starts with a grin, “you can buy anything. You want flowers? Fancy food? A live band? I’ll pay whatever it takes to get them at our wedding.”
“You’re a bit ridiculous at times,” I laugh. “And you’re going to turn me into a trophy witch.”
“Too bad I can’t brag about being touched by an angel.”
I roll my eyes but kiss him once more. “Let’s book everything.”
“Are you sure you’re ready?” he asks, and I know he’s not asking if I’m ready to get married—I am. He’s asking if I’m ready to officially leave the coven.
“Yes.” I suck in a breath. “Evander said I can leave of own free will and it’ll be a quieter affair than having to be publicly kicked out.”
“That’s good, I suppose.”
“Yeah. He’s going to stop by sometime tonight or tomorrow so I can do it.” I run my fingers through Lucas’s hair. I want to be nothing but happy. Brimming with joy and love for my groom to be.
Lucas wraps me in a tight hug and then picks up his phone, texting Eliza so she’ll go ahead and call the venue and officially book our wedding date.
“I’m also not opposed to traveling or vacationing for two months after the wedding,” Lucas says. “We could see the world.”
“That would be amazing…but I kind of have the bookstore and that’s a lot of responsibility to put on her.”
“Kristy has managed just fine without you.” He starts to bunch up the hem of my dress. “And, Callie, is it practical to continue to put yourself on the schedule?” he asks gently. It’s not the first time he’s hinted that trying to hold a steady job doesn’t really work for me. Which is true. It’s hard to keep regular hours when demons are always after me.
I needed to work before.
Now I don’t.
“Everything I have will become yours too,” Lucas tells me.
“So you’re not going to make me sign a prenup?” I joke.
“I couldn’t if I wanted to. It’s not a privilege vampires are awarded.”
“Really? That’s not fair.”
“That’s the law.” Lucas buries his face against my neck. “Though I’ve never been one to live by the law.”
“Good. Because I’m totally marrying you for your money.”
“I’m marrying you for your blood.”
“As long as we have an understanding,” I say and lean back so I can look at Lucas’s face. Sunlight is streaming in through the living room windows, lighting up his face. His eyes are the darkest blue I’ve ever seen, with little flecks of green and gold mixed in and they almost sparkle in the light.
“Do you want to text your friends?” he asks. “And tell them we have a date?”
“I do.” Now I really am beaming. “And I need to make sure everyone can come. At least our guest list is small. That’ll make it easier to get last-minute services.” I think for a second, mentally counting everyone I want to invite. Eliza, of course. My sister, Phil, and Penny. Kristy, Naomi, Nicole, Evander, and Tabatha from the coven. And then Betty from work, though she’ll be the only one there who doesn’t know the truth about who I am.
