“Of course you’d let her get a dog,” Eliza sighs.
“I don’t let Callie do anything,” Lucas replies. “She makes her own decisions.”
I look up at him and feel turned on all over again. “Fuck, I love you.”
“Must be nice,” Eliza quips.
“You’re my daughter,” Lucas tells her. “Callie is my wife. And please, take the damn thing for the weekend.”
My puppy-dog eyes narrow into a scowl. “She’s growing on you.”
“She shouldn’t. The thing is a demon,” he says as if he has to remind me that Scarlet is fucking terrifying when you take her collar off.
I point to the stairs. “Lucas, go up to bed.” I look at my familiars. “Can you check out the curse? See if you can figure out anything, because I’m kind of at a loss.”
“Don’t you need to explain what’s going on to them?” Eliza asks incredulously.
“I already did.” I take off my shoes and tap my forehead. “In the car. I told Binx, and he told the others.”
Lucas moves with vampire speed up the stairs only to stop right at the top and wince with pain. I squeeze my eyes closed and force myself to take in a slow breath. I’m so close to a panic attack. The foyer light starts to flicker, and electricity hums through the air.
“What’s the deal with having more than one familiar?” Eliza asks quickly. Too quickly. I’m sure she’s a little curious, but I think she’s more so trying to distract me right now, and I’m so thankful for that.
“It’s pretty much unheard of. Witches and warlocks only get one familiar, and that’s if they get one at all. The spirits have to come to you and decide that you’re the one they want to work with.”
“Work with?”
“Serve. Obey.” I make a face. “I think of my familiars as friends, not my minions to do my bidding.”
“Then how did you end up with three?”
“I don’t really know, but I’m guessing it has something to do with me not being a full witch.” I head into the kitchen to let Scarlet out back and to get something for us all to eat. “Binx came to me when I was ten and still in that research lab. He alerted Tabatha, who came and broke me out.”
I open the fridge, so happy I went grocery shopping already, and get out a package of chicken breasts. Cooking is the absolute last thing I want to do, but I know I need something healthy and high in protein so I can heal and produce enough blood for Lucas to drink in the morning.
“Freya’s witch was killed by demons. I was following the body trail as I hunted the demon and found her huddled up next to her witch’s body.” The memory hits me hard in the heart. “She was an owl then.”
“They change forms?”
“Their animal form isn’t what they really are, since they’re spirits. What animal they choose to represent themselves as is based on who their master is.”
“Of course you’d get a black cat from the start. So basic.”
I laugh. “I know, right? But really…” I pull a skillet from a cabinet and get hit with another memory. “Abby gave me a stuffed animal for my birthday when I was in the lab. It was a black cat. It was the only thing I had that brought me any sort of comfort.”
Eliza’s face softens. “That’s fucked up.”
“I know.”
“What about the other one?”
“Pandora.” I grab the kitchen shears and cut the chicken up into small pieces so it’ll cook faster. “Her witch was killed by her boyfriend. He found out she was a witch and killed her.”
“What kind of animal was she?”
“A fox. She’s not trusting of anyone, really, especially men. She likes Kristy and Tabatha, tolerates Evander, and is finally warming up to Lucas.”
“If her master was murdered by her boyfriend, I don’t blame her for not trusting anyone.” Eliza leans against the counter, watching me cook. “So their witches died. But why did they end up with you?”
“That’s the part I’m not sure of. With Freya, she followed me home after I killed the demon. She hung around the house but wouldn’t come in for a few days, and then one morning, she shifted into the tabby cat she is now and we’ve been bonded ever since. Pandora was the same. She followed me home but shifted into a cat right away.”
“Interesting.”
“It is, and I’m well aware how odd it is to have more than one familiar. But we’re a family, and I never wanted to question it too much.”
I cut up the rest of the chicken, wash my hands, and get a red onion from the pantry. I set it on the cutting board and suddenly get hit with all the panic and fear I’ve been trying to hold back.
“What’s wrong?” Eliza only looks slightly alarmed, but she steps closer.
“Lucas cuts my onions.”
“Is that a sex thing?”
“No,” I sob and go to the knife block, pulling out a butcher knife. “He literally cuts the onions. They make my eyes water, so he does it for me.” I set the knife down and grip the edge of the counter, needing to hold onto it for support.
Lucas is my support. My rock. My world.
He has to be okay.
“He’s strong,” Eliza says softly and picks up the knife to cut the onions for me. “And as much as I hate admitting it, you’re the most badass woman I’ve ever met. You’re going to find the curse-casting cunts and slit their throats.”
“I am.” I suck in air and tip my head up, looking her dead in the eye. “And I will.”
“I think I know why you like the electric blanket so much,” Lucas says groggily. I look up, blinking a few times to focus my vision, and direct the string of magic I’m using as light up higher into the room. I’ve been sitting on the floor for hours now, looking through every book I own and writing down anything that could be helpful in curse breaking.
“It’s very snuggly.” I close my Book of Shadows, feeling a familiar tug of emptiness on my heart I get almost every time I open this thing. Since I didn’t hail from a magical family, I had no book to be passed down to me. Tabatha gave me this one, and most of it is still blank. “How are you feeling?”
“Like it’s time for you to stop asking me that.” Lucas pushes up. He’s been asleep for a few hours now and looks better, though maybe it’s just the dim light. “You need to come to bed. The sun will be up soon and you haven’t slept yet.”
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
“That might very well be the case if you’re not on your game.” His eyes meet mine, and I sigh. I’m tired, have a headache, and want nothing more than to collapse into bed and feel Lucas’s strong arms around me.
But I’m still scared of hurting him.
Even before Michael started unlocking my angel powers, I felt like I had to hold back. I was the most powerful witch at the Academy only three years in, and while I wouldn’t trade my powers for anything, there’s always a certain fear that I might lose control and hurt someone.
Like how I burned Lucas when I tried to heal his wounds.
Having magic accidentally sizzle around my fingers and blowing lights up when I get angry has made it hard to date. Nonmagical men were never even an option, and there were only a few warlocks in the coven I’d consider hooking up with.
Lucas changed everything.
He’s strong. The strongest man I’ve ever met. His vampire power doesn’t rival mine in the same sense, but he’s equally as dangerous. He could easily kill me if he wanted, just as I could burn him from the inside out without breaking a sweat.
Being with Lucas made me realize that I could be with someone who was more or less on an equal playing field. And then he had to go and make me fall in love with him.
He’s a vampire. I’m a witch. Our relationship is forbidden by both the Grand Coven and the Vampire Council, but if they could only understand how well we work together, love and sappy emotions aside.
I’m a loose magical cannon, but Lucas is my anchor. He keeps me grounded and can withstand the magical storm that seems to follow me aroun
d.
“I have to pee and then I’ll come to bed.” I move the books to the side and get up, legs stiff. Freya has been sitting with me, helping me go over the details. Binx and Pandora are in bed with Lucas, and I haven’t seen Scarlet in a while. I have a feeling Eliza has her, and if I sneak in the guest room, I’ll probably find them cuddled up together as Eliza watches Lifetime movies on her iPad or something.
“Okay.” Lucas slowly sits up and looks down at his stomach. He’s peeling the bandage back when I leave and has it off by the time I come back. I slathered on Kristy’s healing balm before settling down to look through my books.
“It’s working,” I say, jaw dropping. I kneel on the bed and lean over, bringing my head closer to the wound. The edges of the cut are scabbing over, and some of the bruising is going away. “That’s amazing!”
“Yes,” Lucas agrees but doesn’t sound excited. I look up and realize why. “That means the curse settled more than we thought.”
“I’m going to break it,” I assure him but feel the panic start to rise. This healing balm only works on the living, and having Lucas be alive again sounds good on paper but will be the death of him.
For real.
And there won’t be any coming back.
Chapter 8
Bright sunlight shines through the window, and I sit up just enough to telekinetically shut the curtains. I lie back down, rolling over so I can look at Lucas’s handsome face.
It’s only eight a.m. and I’m still tired. Lucas tossed and turned a bit in his sleep and woke up feeling uncomfortably hot. He kicked off the blankets and then was cold.
If the situation weren’t so dire, I’d laugh. It’s been so long since he’s been alive, he’s forgotten how to handle those small daily annoyances. I turned the heat down on the electric blanket, took the comforter off, and covered him back up. It took a bit more adjusting before he was able to get comfortable, but then he fell back asleep.
His arms are around me now, and I wish I could settle back into his embrace and have everything be okay. I’d even take demons coming after me—again—if it meant Lucas was okay.
Maybe I relied on him too much. Took his strength and immortality for granted. I’ve always been aware that neither of us are impervious to death completely, but I took comfort in the fact that Lucas has made it this far with no issues and is an excellent fighter.
Which makes me think what Abby said has to be the truth.
Physically murdering Lucas would be damn near impossible for a human. It would be just as hard for an ordinary witch. He’s too strong. Too fast. He’s had sixteen hundred years to perfect how to hunt, how to kill, and how to evade those after him.
And a silver-tipped stake through the heart is a quick death and is painless for the most part. Slowly withering away while I’m forced to watch…I grit my teeth, and the ceiling fan above us starts to rattle.
As far as we know, all the spells used to try to bring vampires back to life were destroyed. It was too painful and gruesome to attempt again, and more importantly, it didn’t work. Did the necromancers find an old spell? Or did they come up with one specifically for tormenting my love?
I close my eyes, let out a breath, and hook my leg over Lucas’s. He pulls me closer to him in his sleep, and I relax a bit more. Pandora jumps off the bed, letting me know she’s going to patrol the house so I have nothing to worry about.
Binx and Freya join her, and I know if anything is lurking about, they’ll find it.
I let my eyes fall shut and am asleep again within minutes. I sleep peacefully for a good hour and then start to have a nightmare. In my dream, I wake up right where I am and turn to wake Lucas only to discover he’s a pile of smoking blood and bone.
I wake with a start, so upset tears are filling my eyes.
“What’s wrong, my love?” Lucas asks, wrapping me in his arms.
“I had a bad dream.”
“A prophetic bad dream?”
“No,” I say firmly. I won’t let it come to that. “Just a regular one. You died.” My voice cracks, and Lucas pulls me on top of him. I watch, waiting to see him wince, but his gaze remains steady, looking right into my eyes.
“I died years ago.”
“You know what I mean.” My throat tightens. “I can’t lose you, Lucas. And I can’t help but think this is all my fault somehow. That bad things happen just because I love you so much.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” he soothes. “You didn’t curse me, so this isn’t your fault. If you didn’t love me so much, then I probably would have died of the flu already or something.”
“You heard what Abby said?”
“No, but I know how things work, Callie. And I can feel it.” He brings his hand up, tapping his chest. “It feels wrong.”
“It is wrong. But it won’t be forever.” I blink away my tears, and a few fall on Lucas’s chest.
“I’m not going to leave you, Callie. Not now, not ever.” He lifts his head off the mattress and kisses me. With that one kiss, everything disappears.
All I can think about is Lucas.
His lips on mine.
His body pressing against me.
About how much I love him.
How much I want him.
Moving fast, Lucas flips us over and puts himself between my legs. “I love you, Callie Anne King. And I will always love you.”
A tear rolls down the side of my face, and I bend my legs up, curling them around him.
“I love you, too,” I whisper and bring my hands up his arms. Desire swirls around inside me, and my lips part on their own accord. I want to feel him on me and in me, but it’s more than that. I need to be as close to him as possible, to physically manifest just how much I fucking love this man.
“Kiss me,” I demand and let my eyes fall shut. Lucas puts his mouth to mine, kissing me hard.
I wrap my arms around him, holding on as tight as I can, afraid that if I let go, if I stop kissing him, he’ll disappear from me forever. He feels the same and presses himself against me.
I widen my legs, welcoming his cock. It’s hardening against me, and feeling that big dick growing erect makes another wave of warmth flow through me, and I groan with lust. I reach down and wrap my fingers around his thick shaft and wiggle back so just the tip of his cock touches me. I rub it against my clit, using him like my own personal sex toy, and pleasure starts to tightly wind inside me. I let out a breath, lips parting, and buck my hips up, rubbing his cock over me faster and faster.
Lucas leans back, tipping his head down and watching me use his cock to pleasure myself. “You are so fucking beautiful,” he growls, and I slit my eyes open to look at him. He draws his fangs as soon as our gazes meet. He looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world that will ever matter, like he can never get enough of me.
That he really means it when he says he’ll never leave me.
My lips part, and I suck in a breath, muscles tightening in a tight coil of pleasure. I tip my hips up, and Lucas lowers himself a bit, knowing I’m on the verge of coming. He hangs his head down, resting his forehead against mine, and I look up, kissing him right as the orgasm ripples through me.
I shudder with pleasure, and Lucas wastes no time. He takes my hand and pins it down on the mattress at my side. I release the gobbled sheets in my hand and bring it to Lucas’s back, raking my nails down his spine.
He re-centers himself over me, lining his cock up with my entrance. He kisses me as he pushes in, and I cry out in pleasure. My breath leaves in a huff, and I wrap my legs around him, careful not to hurt him.
Lucas speeds up his movements, kissing me again as we make love. The desperation between us is tangible and is fueling my need to come again.
“I love you,” I pant between kisses.
Lucas drives his cock into me balls deep, holding it there for a second. “I love you, too,” he growls, kissing me hard before moving his mouth to my neck. His fangs press into my skin but don’t break through the surfac
e.
Slowly, he pulls out until just the tip of his cock is inside me. He plunges his fangs into my skin as he thrusts back into me, drawing blood. The shock of pain pushes me over the edge, and my pussy spasms around his cock.
He sucks hard at my neck, getting a mouthful of blood, groaning with pleasure as he comes just a second after I do. My body is humming, and tendrils of pleasure are still running rampant through my system. Lucas rests his head against mine and puts his fingers over the bite wounds.
“You’re going to feel weak,” he warns me. “I drank a lot of your blood tonight.”
“You needed it.” I run my fingers up and down his back, waiting for my heart to stop racing. Lucas is still on me—still in me—and I don’t want him to move. I want to stay tangled together and forget about everything bad.
But he needs to rest, and I should check his stitches. If he’s not bleeding, then I’m putting another heavy layer of healing balm on the wound.
“I’ll get you water.”
“I have water,” I tell him. “It’s on the nightstand.”
He moves his fingers, licks the remaining blood off my neck, and slowly pulls out, wincing as he sits up.
“Are you okay?” I ask, quickly sitting up. My ears ring a little, both from the intensity of the orgasm and from the blood loss tonight.
“I’m sore,” he says with a frown.
“I’m going to make you better.”
“I know you will.”
Taking my time so I don’t falter or pass out, I slowly get out of bed and go into the bathroom to clean myself up. I dab healing balm on both sides of my neck and take the jar into the bedroom.
Lucas is sitting up, with one hand pressed firmly on the mattress. He’s in pain, and I hate that I can’t do anything for him. All of my spells and potions that dull pain involve ingesting something, and that’s not something he can do.
Unless I mixed it with blood. Maybe? I have no fucking idea.
I grab sleeper shorts and a tank top from the top drawer of my dresser. Usually, I sleep naked next to Lucas, but I’m hoping to visit my uncle again tonight and ask my fair share of questions.
Curse of Night Page 6
