Curse of Night

by Emily Goodwin

  Exhaustion hits me hard, and I want nothing more than to fall back onto the bed with him. I stand, stripping out of my bloody jeans, and pad into the bathroom. I twist my hair into a bun on the top of my head with magic and turn on the shower.

  I get in before the water has warmed up and quickly wash the blood off my body, not wanting to be away from Lucas any longer than I have to. I towel off and go back into the bedroom, letting out a breath of relief to see that Lucas has moved a bit, getting more comfortable.

  I wrap the towel around my body and get into bed next to him, climbing under the warm blanket. I snuggle as close to him as I can without hurting him and let sleep pull me under.

  But the second I fall asleep, he’s there, standing at the foot of the bed.

  “Hello, my little niece.”

  Chapter 6

  I shoot up, hand going to the towel that’s wrapped around me at the last second. “What are you doing here?” I whisper-yell, glaring at Lucifer—my uncle—as I try to figure out if I’m dreaming or not.

  He told me I’m visiting him in Hell through some sort of weird astral projection or something, yet that doesn’t make sense. And I’m not convinced at all that I should trust him.

  Though he sent me Scarlet, who I needed to defeat a powerful demon.

  He taught me a two-word exorcism that works like a fucking charm.

  And he hasn’t tried to use me to get back on Heaven’s good side.

  “Is that any way to greet your favorite uncle?” He steps out of the shadows and adjusts the sleeves of his suit jacket. He’s dressed in all back today, and his eyes shimmer.

  “You’re my only uncle,” I spit.

  “I’m not.” He crosses the room and sits on the window seat, looking out at the city for a moment. “But I’m guessing dear old Dad didn’t tell you about the rest of the family, did he?”

  I take in a shaky breath, remembering that there are other archangels. I’m not a churchy person and have no idea how many there really are—or if what we know is even true.

  “I’m taking your silence as a no, you don’t know anything about your family.”

  “All I know is they want to kill me. I don’t need to know anything else.”

  “Oh, but you do. Because the more you know about someone, the more of an advantage you have over them.”

  “Why are you here?” I ask again.

  “I heard your prayers, asking Michael to help you.”

  “You can hear prayers?”

  He shrugs. “Only when I want to listen. We’re related, Callie. You’re easy to pick out from the masses.”

  I tighten the towel around me, not sure how to feel about it. We are related, though the way he constantly stresses it makes me uneasy.

  “He didn’t come, did he?” Lucifer looks at me sympathetically. “Funny how we’ve all dealt with abandonment from our father and yet he took how long to come back into your life?”

  My heart skips a beat. “The others will notice if he’s always visiting a human.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not. But I’m sorry, kid,” he says, and for some reason, I know he genuinely means it. “I know what it’s like to be the black sheep of the family. I’m looking forward to the day that piece of shit who sold you like cattle comes to pay me a visit. I’ll send my best demons to torture him.”

  My jaw tenses, and I don’t know how to react to that. I used to hate William Martin with every fiber of my being, but hating someone gets tiring. I haven’t forgiven him, and I never will. Yet I’ve moved on from focusing everything on how much I hate him to living my life. I don’t need him, and I don’t want him to have any sort of hold over me anymore.

  “Can you heal Lucas?” I ask Lucifer, fully aware how dangerous it is to ask the devil for a favor.

  “No. Angels cannot heal the dead.”

  “He’s—” I whirl around, looking at Lucas.

  “He’s been dead, kid,” Lucifer says, and his words click into place. Vampires are dead. They can’t be healed like humans can by angelic grace. Maybe that’s why Julian or Dad didn’t answer. They can’t help, anyway. But then something else clicks into place, and I sit up straighter.

  Necromancers use black magic.

  Black magic is illegal because it’s dangerous.

  It’s said to be directly tied to the devil.

  And he’s standing before me.

  “The necromancers,” I start. “Did they summon you?”

  “They tried,” he scoffs. “One in particular has been trying for years.” He throws his head back dramatically. “They’re not worthy of being lent any power, and it’s a bit hard to lend said power with these damn chains.” He holds up his hands, and heavy chains start to shimmer into view. They’re shackled around his wrists and ankles.

  Right. He’s been banished to the pits of Hell.

  He shakes his hands, and the chains fade from view again. “But I’m working on that as well.”

  “You’re—”

  I’m suddenly shaken awake and blink, seeing Eliza standing over me with several bags of blood in her hands.

  “Do you have a blood type?” she asks quietly.

  “No. I guess part of me does, but not enough to show up in the tests.”

  “That’s what I thought. Before you, Lucas liked O-positive. I grabbed bags of each type.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Here,” she says and hands me a bag. “Let it warm up to your body temperature. He’ll like that.” She rolls her eyes as she talks. I slip the bag of blood under the towel so it’ll warm up to my temp.

  “How is he?” Eliza sits on the foot of the bed.

  “He’s been sleeping.” I run my hand over my face, trying to stay calm. Did Uncle Lucy just tell me that he’s trying to break out of Hell—again?

  Dammit, Dad, I really need to talk to you.

  “If he’s not up in a few hours, I’ll wake him,” I tell Eliza. “I don’t want to cut it close to sunrise.”

  “Good idea. And I’m coming with you.”

  “Okay.”

  “And don’t even—wait, you agreed?”

  “Yes,” I tell her. “I think you should come. We both love him and will do anything to protect him.”

  Eliza’s pink lips turn up in a smile. “You’re right. I’m going to pack my things.”

  “And feed your guinea pigs?” I just can’t help myself.

  “You didn’t let them out, did you?” she asks, almost panicked.

  “No, I didn’t know they were in there,” I tell her. “I thought it was a guest room still. But Lucas remembered Miss Piggy.”

  She smiles again. “He got her for me seven years ago.”

  No wonder he was surprised it was still alive. “She’s cute.”

  “Thanks.” Eliza turns and moves with vampire speed out of the room. I lie back down, awkwardly hugging the bag of blood against my chest. And now I can add cuddling with bagged blood to the list of things I never thought I’d do.

  “I love you,” I whisper to Lucas and pull the wet towel out from under me. I snuggle closer to his body and can’t tell if he’s actually warm or if it’s just from the heated blanket.

  I bring one hand to Lucas’s chest, trying to feel his heart beating. It’s too slow and weak to pick up unless I press down a little, and I don’t want to risk waking him. I close my eyes again, trying hard not to think of anything.

  I’ve never been good at meditating. It’s something I’ve meant to improve on, and I know now more than ever it’s important for me to be able to clear my mind and ground myself.

  I can almost get myself there, but right as I’m feeling the calm settle into me, a thought rushes into my head, usually something that happened forever ago that still embarrasses me to this day if I think about it too much. Or how I should have said something else to that one stranger who gave me a dirty look at the grocery store six years ago.

  I’m a typical Virgo in that sense, I suppose.

  I’m tired, should sleep while Lu
cas is sleeping, but just can’t turn off my brain. I roll over, keeping the blood against me, and reach for my phone on the nightstand, only to remember it’s still downstairs, where I left it before shit hit the fan.

  “Callie,” Lucas breathes.

  I spin back again, heart jumping into my throat. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine.” He pulls the blankets up over his shoulders and runs his hand down my thigh. “Though I’m starting to second-guess you saying you’re not in the mood. Why else would you come to bed naked?”

  I cock an eyebrow and resist shivering from his touch. It feels so good to have his hands on me. “Because my clothes were covered in blood so I took a shower then had nothing to change into.” I push up on the mattress and conjure a string of magic. Light from the hall spills into the room, but it’s not enough to fully look at Lucas. “Are you really okay?”

  “I don’t feel normal,” he says, brows pinching. His hand goes to his stomach, and he winces. “And I’m still not healing.”

  “Eliza brought you more blood. Eat, rest again if you need to, and we’ll go home. I’ll start working on finding a way to break the curse then.”

  “You’re going to bed when we get home,” he tells me and brings his hand up, taking my chin and cupping it in his large hand. “Sometimes I wish I could hold you spellbound. I’d make you sleep for at least eight hours.”

  “Sometimes I wish you could, too.” I let out a sigh and debate on telling Lucas about my dream. Now that we know the dreams aren’t dreams at all, but some weird, astral way I’m communicating with my uncle, it’s important to share what’s going on with Lucas.

  But I don’t want to worry him any more than necessary right now.

  “Is O-positive okay?” I pull the blood from under the blanket. I don’t think it’s warmed up to my temperature yet, but it’s not quite as cold as it was when Eliza handed it to me.

  “It’ll do,” he tells me. “You need to eat, too. Order something, or I can have Monica bring you whatever you want.”

  “It’s kind of late to be calling her, isn’t it?”

  “Maybe, though I don’t care. And she’s usually with vampires so she’s up at night.”

  “Right. Is she still with Dominic? Man, it seems like forever ago I walked in on Eliza and Dominic in the office—”

  “I don’t want that visual,” Lucas interrupts, and I laugh. “I still want to push a stake through that fucker’s heart.”

  “Maybe you could make an attempt not to hate everyone Eliza dates,” I try, also remembering Eliza complaining how overprotective Lucas is of her and how it makes dating hard. I can’t imagine what would happen if Lucas actually could father our children. Those poor kids would never be allowed to leave the house without a bodyguard, let alone date.

  “I don’t hate everyone,” he counters but doesn’t even attempt to hide the fact that he knows he’s lying.

  “And there’s food downstairs. Eliza stocked the wine drawer and freezer for me.”

  Lucas smiles. “Good. Get something to eat, and then we’ll leave.”

  “I kind of need clothes.”

  “Do you really?”

  I smile, lean in and kiss him, and then get out of bed, grabbing the towel from the floor. I wrap it around myself and find Eliza in the guinea pig room. She’s sitting cross-legged on the floor, breaking apart treats.

  “Hey,” I say softly. “Do you have any clothes I can borrow?”

  “I’m skinnier than you.”

  “I’m aware,” I shoot back flatly, though I don’t think she meant it as an insult. And I’m in rather good shape and wouldn’t want to lose a pound. “Maybe some leggings or sweatpants.”

  “Do you actually think I’d ever wear sweatpants?”

  “They’re comfy.”

  She wrinkles her nose and gets up. “Follow me.” We go into the master bedroom. It’s completely different than how it was when Lucas slept in here. Instead of being stark and modern, the decor is super girly and chic.

  “Wow, it’s like a different room.” I look up, seeing that the ceiling fan has been replaced with a fancy chandelier. “I made a lot of good memories in this room.”

  Eliza sneers and rolls her eyes but keeps walking into the large closet. She gives me a pair of Lululemon yoga pants and a matching crop top.

  “Thanks. But can I get a sweater, too? It’s chilly outside.”

  “Humans are so needy.”

  “We are. Maybe I’ll get my wings someday and they’ll keep me warm.”

  She stops, arm in the air, and turns to look at me. “Do you really think you will?”

  I shrug. “I have no idea. There are so many questions I need answered about that side of me, and honestly, it’s really frustrating not to be able to sit down with anyone and have them talk to me.”

  Though I have a feeling Lucifer would. I just have to ask.

  “That would be. Not knowing what you are and then finding out only to have more questions than before…” She shakes her head. “I don’t envy you.”

  “It’s complicated. Though it’s almost weirder to think about my mother being a witch than it is to think my dad is an angel.”

  “The whole thing sounds fucking insane.”

  “It does.”

  She pulls a gray sweater down from a neatly folded stack. I don’t think I’ve met anyone in real life who has this many clothes. The closet is every bit as big as my bedroom back in Thorne Hill, and it’s filled to the brim.

  “I’m curious to how they met.” She hands me the sweater and then quickly neatens the stack it came from. I fold it over my arm and nod.

  “Me, too. Or why they even met in the first place. From the little I’ve been told, archangels coming to Earth is a rare occurrence, and even rarer is them interacting with humans.” I let out a breath. “I wish I could talk to my mom.”

  “Can’t you summon her spirit or something?”

  “Maybe. But if she’s in Heaven, then I don’t think so. And I know nothing about her. Only that her name was Callista and I look like her.” I shift my eyes to my wrist, looking at the simple silver bracelet Michael gave me on my wedding day.

  It was Mom’s, and I haven’t taken it off since.

  “I’m going to get dressed and then eat,” I tell her, walking out of the closet.

  “Okay. I’ll sit with Lucas until then.”

  “Thank you.” We walk back into the guest room together. Every bedroom in this house has its own bathroom. The string of magic I conjured earlier is still hovering in the air, gently flowing in an invisible current. Lucas is sitting up, and the blood bag is empty on the nightstand next to him.

  “Feeling any better?” I ask, going to him before going into the bathroom.

  “Yes,” he says.

  “Did you heal?” I sit next to him, unable to resist the urge to tuck the blanket around him again.

  “No, but it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

  “That’s progress,” I say and force a smile. I need to find the silver lining in this to keep my spirits up. And to keep from coming undone. Because how the hell am I supposed to keep Lucas away from germs?

  I kiss him, tasting the blood on his lips. I do my best not to recoil. Tasting my own blood isn’t that bad. Tasting his is erotic.

  But some stranger’s?

  I can’t think about it or I’ll puke.

  After getting dressed, I go down into the kitchen. I don’t want to take the time to make a pizza, and ice cream just doesn’t sound appetizing. I check the pantry next and am pleased to see that all the boxed and canned goods are still there. Using magic to speed things up, I make macaroni and cheese. I eat two bowls, find the B12 vitamins in the cabinet, and wash them down with a big glass of water.

  Then I rush back upstairs, feeling anxious all over again.

  “Do you want to lie down again before we leave?” I ask as I enter the room. Lucas is in the process of getting dressed and looks like he needs help lifting his arms over his head to
get his shirt on.

  My stomach twists again, hating seeing him in pain.

  He has black athletic pants on already, and I’m so glad that he had to leave some of his stuff here until we move into our estate. I should probably bring a few things over and keep them here as well.

  I never know when I’m going to end up being covered blood.

  “Here,” I say and go to him, balling up the hem and pulling it over his head. I help him get his arms through and then rake my fingers through his hair, smoothing it back.

  “Thanks, babe.” Lucas’s hands settle on my waist. “You’ll undress me later.”

  I look into his blue eyes and feel heat rush through me. I want to feel his body on mine, have his big cock drive into me. I can’t hide the shiver of desire that goes through me.

  “I probably will.”

  “Ugh,” Eliza scoffs. “Didn’t you two fuck enough on your honeymoon?”

  “I’ll never get enough of her,” Lucas says, pulling me in. We kiss again, and this time he tastes like he always does—not someone else’s blood. He kisses me once more and then takes my hand. “Ready to go home?”

  “I so am.”

  I just hope we make it there without anything else happening.

  Chapter 7

  “Hey, guys.” I drop my purse on the ground in the foyer and turn on the light. My familiars are sitting on the stairs, waiting for us, and Scarlet runs and jumps, playing the part of the glamour she’s wearing.

  “She hasn’t grown at all.” Eliza looks down at the golden retriever puppy.

  “I know.” I take off my shoes and bend down to pet Scarlet, earning a growl from Pandora. “Oh, hush,” I tell her. “I just want her to calm down.” Scarlet presses herself against me, licking my hand. “Kristy said the same thing,” I tell Eliza and move into the house. “I’ll have to figure out how to adjust the glamour so she looks like she’s growing.”

  “You could just take the collar off,” Lucas suggests. He dozed off most of the drive to Thorne Hill. Eliza drove us, muttering something about feeling like she was Driving Miss Daisy since both Lucas and I sat in the back. The extra forty minutes of sleep seemed to do him some good.