Still of Night, page 16
“If our marriage was allowed, would you invite more people?”
“I’d have the wedding at the Covenstead, so the whole coven would be there to celebrate. Which is kind of cool, but at the same time wasn’t really something I wanted,” I say honestly because I know Lucas is going to wonder. I might invite a handful of other witches that I graduated with and talk to at gatherings, but really, I keep to myself and I’m happy with it. “I don’t have family roots in the coven. And I never saw myself marrying anyone from my own coven either. I’m kind of picky when it comes to romance. You should feel very lucky.”
I’m joking, but Lucas looks at me, eyes locking with mine. “I do, Callie.”
I rest my forehead against his. “Not to ruin the mood, but I think I found the demon.”
“Found?” he repeats. “In what sense?”
“Remember that article I showed you about the missing girl?”
“I do.”
I move off his lap and hold out my hand, telekinetically sliding my purse across the floor and reach inside for my phone. The news article about the homeless man found with missing organs is still open.
“I did some digging, and then held a cop under my spell to get info. Three bodies turned up in Newport about a month ago, all with missing organs. The first was only missing a heart. The second, the heart and liver. The third had missing guts on top of everything else. And then about a month later, three more people went missing.”
“Sounds ritualistic.”
“Exactly.”
“But the Gates were opened only a week or so ago.”
“Right when the second set of victims went missing. What if it’s an offering of some sort?”
Lucas considers it for a few seconds. “That makes sense, actually. Julian did say other demons or a group of witches would be able to access the door. You’re more well-versed in dark rituals than I am, but I’d assume sacrifices would be made?”
“I haven’t partaken in that many dark rituals.”
“I watched you resurrect a body before I even tasted your blood,” he counters.
“True, though that was my first resurrection. And hopefully my only, unless I’m better prepared to handle the start of the zombie apocalypse.” I shake my head. “But yes, if you are trying to summon a powerful demon, it’s usually because you want something. Power, for them to do your bidding…that sort of thing. You’d have to present offerings first, which fits with each body missing more and more organs. If just a heart didn’t suffice, then add a liver.”
“What is your plan?”
“I’m not sure yet. The heart and liver combo seem rather specific. If I can narrow down what demon prefers that as an offering, I might be able to find a way to trap and kill it.”
“Let me know how to help.” Lucas smiles, and his fangs slide down. “It’s been a few days since I’ve killed anything.”
I cup his face, carefully touching the tip of his fang with my finger. Lucas’s eyes flutter closed, and he leans in against me. His razor-sharp fang nearly pierces the skin on my finger from that little pressure. I pull my hand back, resting it on his cheek. “I’m going to act like a normal bride-to-be now and call my friends and start ordering shirts that say bride on them from Amazon.”
Lucas laughs and grips my hand before getting up with me. “I have some work to do,” he tells me. “I’ll be taking over the office for the rest of the day.”
“That’s fine. I don’t really use it much.”
He kisses me and speeds off. I go upstairs and sit on my bed, opening my laptop to start researching caterers and florists like mad. Lucas has a point that even though everything will be last minute, if we offer enough money, I don’t doubt I’ll be able to find what I need.
I pull up the calendar and go to add an event. I get to the first “d” in “wedding” when I realize it.
If the sacrifices are being made roughly a month apart, then the next set of victims will be killed right before my wedding.
18
“Are you staying in tonight?” Lucas runs his hand up my thigh. We’re in bed and just got done having sex. I’m sweaty, have rug burns on both my knees, and really want to get up and make myself something to eat, but I’m too damn exhausted.
“Yeah. I wasn’t planning on going out. Why?”
“I have errands to run.” Lucas shifts his weight and pulls me onto him. He didn’t drink my blood this time, yet I feel exhausted as if he sucked down several mouthfuls. It has to be the mental exhaustion kicking in, and I feel like I need to make a list of all the bad shit going on right now so I don’t forget anything.
It’s just so fucking much.
“Where are you going?” I trace a line of muscle on Lucas’s arm.
“I have some paperwork to file with the title company and then I am meeting with the vampire contractor to go over the renovation plans. We’re not discussing design, just logistics. You’re welcome to come if you wish, though I assumed it wouldn’t interest you.”
“It doesn’t. I’ll stay here and watch TV with my familiars. Do you think you’ll be out long?”
“I might be. Don’t worry about staying up. I can tell you’re tired.”
“I am,” I sigh. “I might fall asleep, though I don’t sleep well when you’re not by my side.”
“I selfishly like hearing that.” He lays me down on the mattress and pulls the blankets that got kicked off back up over me. I roll over, hugging my pillow, and try to mentally prepare myself to get up. I’m so comfy right now I don’t want to move. I hear the shower turn on, and I debate getting in with Lucas but decide to stay in bed instead.
Using vampire speed, Lucas is showered and dressed only minutes later. I force myself up, pull on Lucas’s t-shirt, and use the bathroom before meeting Lucas downstairs.
“Make sure you lock the door.”
“It’s locked with magic,” I remind him.
“Don’t leave the house either.”
“Yes, Mom,” I huff and roll my eyes. “I’m much too lazy tonight to get dressed to step foot off my porch, but even if I did, I can handle myself.”
“You did handle yourself quite well only a few minutes ago.” He draws his fangs and grabs me around the waist. “I’m getting turned on just thinking of your hand between your legs, rubbing your wet pussy.”
I suck in a sharp breath and try to smile coyly but I don’t think it comes off as sexy as I meant it. “Well, I’ll have to do it again for you when you come home.”
“Yeah?” Lucas’s eyebrows go up.
“Well, maybe tomorrow. I’m tired. Like really tired.”
“Get some rest, my love.” He kisses me and then disappears out the door. I shoot the deadbolt into place and then wave my hand over it, locking it with magic. Yawning, I go into the kitchen and stick a bag of popcorn into the microwave.
I pour myself a glass or red Moscato and take that and the popcorn upstairs, settling back into bed.
“What should we watch?” I ask Binx, who’s rubbing against me and waiting for me to give him some popcorn. Freya and Pandora join us, and I give them each a few pieces of popcorn as I flip through different shows.
“Ohh, what about this?” I ask and click on Gilmore Girls. “It’s been years since I’ve seen this.”
Binx meows and paws at the popcorn bowl. I give him another piece and hit play. We’re two episodes in when the doorbell rings. I freeze for half a second and then shoot up straight. None of us sensed anything evil, nothing demonic or unwanted could pass through the warding, and it’s not like demons ring doorbells. All three familiars shadow downstairs ahead of me, and Binx lets me know it’s Eliza before I get to the door.
“What are you doing here?” I exclaim, looking out at the dark yard behind her as if I expect to see angry villagers with pitchforks or something. A red Porsche is parked in the gravel driveway and nothing else is out of place.
“We have roughly one month until you marry my maker. We need to start planning this wedding or it isn’t going to happen.”
I step aside, letting Eliza in. She’s been here before and doesn’t need to be re-invited in. “It’s like midnight.”
“Only midnight? Good. We have all night then. We have a lot of work to do.”
I blink, not quite sure if this is a dream or not. Eliza speeds in and I shut the door behind her. Nope. This isn’t a dream.
“You came over in the middle of the night just to plan my wedding?” I repeat, needing to say it out loud again.
“Yes, and when you say it out loud like that, it makes me realize how nice I am.” She has a binder tucked under her arm. “Let’s get started.”
I rub my forehead. I downed my wine pretty fast on purpose so the alcohol would grip me and I’d fall asleep fast. “We have to do it now?”
“Yes. A month is not much time to plan a wedding,” she says as if I don’t know. “Six months is even cutting it close. We’re going to have to take what we can get at this point.”
“Okay.” I blink a few more times and then follow Eliza into the living room.
“The venue will provide basic table linens, but we need to decide on table centerpieces like yesterday.”
“You know there’s only going to be like twelve people there, right?” I ask slowly.
“I don’t care if there are only going to be two people. Lucas is over sixteen hundred years old and not once in those years did he have the slightest inkling that he wanted to marry. Not even as a human. The fact that he wants to marry you is enough alone to make sure this day goes off without a hitch.”
I stare at Eliza, almost unable to believe it. Then I smile. “You’re my wedding planner.”
“Call it what you will as long as I am in charge.” She opens the binder. “I spoke with Wendy at the venue today, and she gave me a list of the top local bakers they see making cakes. I’ve already called and was able to get you in at this one on Friday at three for a tasting.” She pulls a piece of paper from the folder. “They’ll do the full custom cake—whatever you want.” She wrinkles her nose. “Thinking about the texture of cake is disgusting.”
“That’s sad. And reason enough alone to not become a vampire. I love cake.”
Eliza rolls her eyes and pulls an iPad from her purse. “If you approve of the tasting, then you can give them your design ideas that day. So let’s pick out a cake. Do you have a theme in mind?”
“Enchanted forest.”
“I can work with that.” Eliza pulls up a Pinterest wedding board that already has a bunch of stuff pinned. “Once we get the cake narrowed down, we’ll move onto flowers and centerpieces. I’m assuming you’re going to want to have an open bar. Drinking seems to suit you. Signature cocktails are a thing people do now. I’ve already found a few things I thought you might like.”
I get comfy on the couch next to Eliza, pulling a blanket over my lap. I always wanted a wedding planner, but might have imagined someone a little more stereotypical, like a flamboyant man who’s better dressed than I am, and who gets just as excited about the wedding as I do.
Eliza is the exact opposite of that, but having her here, helping me plan a whirlwind wedding, is more than I could ever ask for.
“Callie,” Lucas whispers softly, hand landing on my shoulder. My eyes flutter open. I fell asleep on the couch, going over wedding plans with Eliza. Without saying another word, Lucas scoops me up and carries me upstairs and into bed.
He gets in next to me, cold skin a shock against me. My eyes fall shut again and I hear him click on the electric blanket.
“Did you get everything taken care of?” I mumble.
“Yes, I did.” He brushes my hair back. “And I got the police files on the missing persons as well as the three victims.”
“You are so good to me.” I lazily reach for him.
“There are no similarities,” he says. “Nothing obvious, at least. I’ll assist you with researching them more in the morning.”
“Thank you.”
He kisses my neck. “Now get some sleep.” Not having to tell me twice, I relax against him, and slip into a peaceful sleep, not waking until seven glorious hours have passed. I could stay asleep longer, but get up, needing to use the bathroom.
The guest bedroom door is closed, and I realize that Eliza is here. She’s never spent the night before, and she’s never woken up with the sun.
I use the bathroom, shower, and then go downstairs to look over the police files. I make a pot of coffee as I look them over. Lucas is right: there is nothing to link the victims, and while I plan to dive into this a bit deeper by doing a social media search, I’m pretty confident I’m not going to find any connections.
The demon wanted a heart, so it got a heart. Then it wanted another, so it got another. The only thing these victims had in common were that they were in the right place at the wrong time.
“Holy shit.”
I whirl around, looking in the direction of Eliza’s voice. She’s just come down the stairs and is standing in the hallway off the foyer. Her blue eyes are wide and she looks almost disturbed.
“It’s the first time you’ve been in the sun,” I say, getting up from the stool at the island counter. “Since you’ve become a vampire, isn’t it?”
“It is.” Her eyes are filled with tears and one rolls down her cheek. “I never thought I’d see it again.”
“It shocked Lucas too.”
“It’s…it’s…” Eliza holds out her hands, looking at her skin in the light. “It’s so fucking bright.”
I laugh. “Yeah. It is.”
“And warm. I don’t remember it being this warm.” She quickly wipes at her eyes. “I didn’t think I’d forget.” She closes her eyes in a long blink. “I feel like I’m back in the garden, drinking tea with my sister.”
Neither Lucas or Eliza speak about their human days very often. I know Eliza came from a wealthy family, and she mentioned her sister only once before. Eliza slowly spins around, and the sunlight catches on golden strands in her blonde hair.
“Now I know why Lucas spends so much time here.”
“I think the fact that he loves me has a little to do with it.”
“Perhaps.” Eliza moves closer to the living room window, moving low as if she doesn’t trust not to get burned. I go back into the kitchen to keep looking over the files and to let Eliza have some time alone with the sun.
I spend half an hour searching the victims on social media only to confirm what I thought all along: the demon is just grabbing random people.
It’s typical, but also makes the demon hard to track. Anyone could be its next victim if you happen to cross paths. Anyone…including me.
19
“I will be fine,” I press, grabbing my purse. It’s Friday, and the week passed without anything out of the ordinary happening. I spent hours in the Academy library again, researching demons, but came up empty-handed once again, as there was nothing specific enough about a demon demanding hearts and livers as a form of payment.
“Bring Binx.” Lucas takes my hands in his. “As well as the others.”
“I’ve put a cloaking spell on myself so the hunters won’t even be able to find me,” I remind him. “And I’m meeting Abby at Ricci’s house. We met her at Penny’s party.”
“Yes, the wife to the real estate agent who sold me my house.” Lucas’s nostrils flare. “She’s obnoxious.”
“She’s watching Penny so Abby can go to the cake tasting with me. But yes, she was. And she totally thought you were a hot piece of ass. I’ll have to make sure to let her know to stay away from my man.”
“Do you want me to meet you back in Chicago tonight? You haven’t really left your house all week, and it would be good for us both to get out and do something other than lie around watching TV.”
I narrow my eyes. “Are you implying that my plans of drinking alone while snuggling with an ancient and powerful spirit who has taken the physical form of a cat is lame? Because that's my idea of a good time. Besides, we just started binging Gilmore Girls and if I watch an episode without Binx, he's going to be mad. He's totally team Dean and I can't break it to him that things will not work out in his favor.”
“I am implying,” Lucas says, cutting right to the chase, “I’d like to take you out on a date.”
“I’d like that a lot.” I pull my keys from my purse. “I’ll let you know when we’re headed back. It’ll take a while, though. I’ll text you throughout the day,” I promise, knowing he’s not comfortable with me going out without him when there are multiple people trying to kill me. Though it’s kind of my new normal.
“Enjoy yourself,” he tells me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
“I will. It’ll be nice to hang out with Abby again.” I wrap my arms around Lucas’s shoulders. We’re not having a traditional wedding at all, and we’re not having a bridal party. But I do want Penny to be a flower girl in some sense, just because she’s so darn cute. And I’d joked long ago with Kristy that Binx would be the ring bearer whenever I found someone worthy of settling down with.
He’s wearing a bow tie, and Freya and Pandora are wearing bows on pink collars as well. They’ve been grumbling about it every since I told them my plan a few days ago, but I know they won’t object come the day of the wedding.
Lucas and I kiss goodbye once more and then I get in my Jeep to drive to Chicago and pick up Abby.
“It would be nice if I knew how to do that whole flying thing,” I say out loud as the Jeep bumps along the gravel driveway. I’ve tried praying to Julian a few times throughout the week but haven’t gotten an answer. He might be able to help me with this demon, now that I’ve narrowed it down to, well, any freaking demon.
I’ve prayed to Michael too, and hoped with my whole heart he could hear me. Julian made it seem like he could hear me, even when he wasn’t able to come down to earth. Michael is an archangel. Don’t people pray to him all the time? He might not even be able to hear my voice amongst the million others.
