“Yeah, but there’s a technicality. As soon as the norms had their channels opened, they became magic users. And everyone who died had their channels blown.”
I cursed.
“Lucky for us, and everyone else, Evelyn is pissed off and super resourceful.” She grew gleeful. “Apparently, someone named Jade is considered a neutral third party. Who, since there was nothing against it in the treaty, Evelyn can hire to investigate. And if evidence is found, which we all know it has been, the Witches Council is in deep shit.”
I chuckled as I relaxed against the tree. “What does that mean for them?”
She sighed. “I have no clue. But with how pissed Evie was, there will be bloodshed.”
“Good,” I muttered.
“So, at this point, every supernatural is leaving New Orleans and moving to safer towns and cities.”
The way she said it caught my ear. “What towns and cities?”
“Take a guess.”
I sat up. “No fucking way, they’re all coming here?”
“Not all and not right away. But Hallis wants some shapeshifters in our area for back up. And Samuel is on call to show up if we need vampire help.”
“What about the others? Ink and Bella?” I asked pulling a blade of grass from the ground.
“They’re traveling with Uma, going from supernatural group to supernatural group looking for support and warning everyone about what happened in Italy, Florida and New Orleans. But they said if we need them to call.”
I sighed. Everything was different now. Bigger. Scarier. Before we only had to worry about whoever closed the Veil and stopping them. Now… Everything really was a mess.
“Do you wish we never went to New Orleans?” I asked, curious.
She sighed. “A lot of stuff came out that needed to and that’s good but… We could have fucking done that here.”
“So, yes?” I asked watching as Joshua made his way up the path. Shit. I hadn’t seen him since that party two months ago. He was greeted by a couple of our mutual friends. They pointed me out. Great, thanks, you assholes.
“Yeah, I do,” she sighed. “Ethan wouldn’t have been tortured, we’d still be somewhat hidden from the Witches Council… Things would be easier.”
Joshua’s face grew hard as he started toward me.
“Red, I gotta go.” I got to my feet. “I’ll call you tonight, okay?”
“Yeah, talk to you then.” She hung up.
I was tucking my phone into my back pocket when Joshua dropped his board and charged at me. He slammed me back into the tree, shooting pain up and down my back. Shit, Lexie is gonna be pissed.
Ethan
I strummed on my guitar, putting words to the notes, steering the song where I wanted. At least I was until Ma came into the living room.
“Alright, sweetie.” She picked up her big purse and her sunglasses. “I’m heading to the store. Do you need me to stop by the pharmacy for a refill?”
“Nah, I still have a weeks' worth,” I said, concentrating on the tune I was creating.
“Alright, I’ll be back with groceries.” Ma smiled and left.
I hit a bad note and cursed. No, too high, it needs to stay lower. I wrote down a note about it in my book. I went back to trying the tune again and couldn’t remember where I was. Shit. I set my guitar on the coffee table and leaned back in the armchair.
The other’s popped back in my mind as they had every day this week. Everyone was tiptoeing around, asking about nightmares, asking how I was doing. It’s like they expected me to lose my shit any minute. Even that Willow chick gave me her card, asking me to call if anything strange happened. I shook my head. If I could remember anything, I probably would have lost it by now but I was getting sick of this shit. I picked up my journal and ran over the song for Lexie again.
Lexie. I told her to pick Isaac. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back. You stupid motherfucker. Way to shove her away as hard as you could. But I had to, didn’t I?
My heart ached as everything ran through my mind again. I could find someone else. It wasn’t hard for me. Sure, she wouldn’t have her laugh, or her smile. She wouldn’t have that sparkle in her eyes when she played a prank or listened to music. She wouldn’t… be her. I cursed myself and sat forward, slamming my notebook closed. What the fuck was wrong with me? At the slightest hint of trouble, bam, I was out the fucking door. But this time the door was locked and I couldn’t run. It was Lexie. I couldn’t hide from her. I never fucking could, she always saw through my bullshit. She could always see when I was hurting even when I was smiling through it. She fucking saw me better and clearer than anyone ever had.
My eyes burned. And I fucking told her to pick my brother. Isaac had been through enough, he deserved someone like her. Even if he didn’t believe it. And I wanted that for him. Oh, stop it. I didn’t tell her to pick him because of that. I told her to pick him because I’m the biggest fucking coward in the world. Look for a girl you could love, find her and then make her go away. But first fall head over heels for her. Yeah, real smart, Ethan.
I closed my eyes again as I berated myself. I could stand in front of a crowd and give them everything I had on stage. Every night if I had to. But stand in front of her and tell her to pick me? My lungs grew tight just from thinking about it. I looked down at my phone by my notebook. All I had to do was pick up the phone and call. Tell her the truth. My hand shook as I ran it down my face. Fear filled me, making it hard to breathe. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I should. I needed to. She needed to know before she made a choice.
What the fuck was I so afraid of? So she might pick someone else, but at least I would have tried. I looked at the stairs. But Isaac…
“Fuck. Maybe we should all just date her at the same time,” I cursed under my breath. I heard my own words and backed up. “Date her at the same time,” I repeated to myself. Miles did suggest it… but she had shut it down. But if it wasn’t to protect her from getting hurt… what if we told her it was because we wanted to? I might be less likely to do something stupid. Less able to run away… That’s a fucking bullshit excuse. I growled as I leaned back in the chair. Face it. You want to be with her anyway you can. There’s nothing wrong with that. The more I thought about it, the more the tightness in my chest eased. The more deep breaths I was able to take. Maybe…
I picked up my phone and called.
“Hello,” Miles answered.
“How would it work?”
Miles
I summersaulted underwater and pushed off the wall, propelling myself toward the other end of the pool. It had been almost a week since we came home. And I had spent almost all of it researching poly relationships. My body worked to slice through the water as my head ran through every scenario I could think of.
I reached the other wall, did another turn and started toward the other end. I could plan all I wanted, try to figure out how it would work. But none of it would matter if Lexie didn’t agree to it. Of course, I wanted her to pick me. Who wouldn’t? But after looking back over the last year, it became rather apparent. Lexie needed all of us.
I hit the wall, turned and shot back down the lane. Whenever she was scared, hurt or just needing comfort, she wore our clothes. Well, Asher’s, Zeke’s and mine. But I think that was just because she didn’t have anything from the twins. She never favored one of us over the other either. The girl really did have a big heart.
I hit the wall, turned and picked up the pace. My conversation with Ethan ran through my mind. At least he seemed more open to the idea than before. If I could get him on board, it would be easier for us to talk to the others. Ethan had explained what he had told her and how much he regretted it. It was this or there was no chance for him. I needed to find out where she was on this. How she felt about it. Because if she was out, then it’s all for nothing.
Two small feet with glittery deep red polish dipped into the water at the end of my lane near the side. I grinned and slowed down wanting to catch my
breath.
I coasted to the end of my lane and stood up. Lexie gave me a small smile with shadow filled eyes. She was worrying again. I pulled my goggles off. “How was girls time?”
“Pretty good.” She lifted a foot out of the water and showed me the color. “This new polish is shiny.”
I chuckled at the small bit of joy in her voice. Small things like that really did make her day. “How were Jake and the girls?”
She dropped her foot back in the water. “Good, Jake is hooking Brooklyn up with some girl he knows who is homeschooled. They’re going out this weekend. Riley and Ryan are doing great.” She looked down at the water as she made little waves. She was hiding again.
“Angel? What’s wrong?” I asked, moving to stand in front of her so she couldn’t do that.
Her lips twitched to a half grin. “No one else but Isaac has called me back in a week.”
I rested my hands on the outside of her knees as I thought about it. “The guys did say they were going to take some time to think.”
“I didn’t think they’d cut me off completely,” she mumbled, looking back down at her knees.
“Well, I spoke to Ethan this afternoon,” I began. Her eyes met mine. “He’s thinking things over.”
She frowned. “Wait, he told me… I didn’t think he was even thinking…”
I squeezed her legs gently. “He told me what he said.” It was now or never… “We discussed the second option.”
She stopped making waves and looked at me confused. “What second option? Everyone just staying as we are now?”
Damn. I took a breath and said it. “The all of us dating you at the same time option.”
She went still and swallowed hard. “Miles, I…” She looked down and took several breaths before meeting my eyes again. “That’s not going to work. It’s an interesting idea and it’d be great not to hurt anyone. But this is real life. I fucked up and now people are going to get hurt. There’s no way to avoid that.”
“It’s unconventional, yes,” I tried to explain what I was thinking. “But it is possible. There are people who have done it. Nepal, parts of China, even parts of northern India have polyandry practices. It’s not unheard of.”
“Miles…” She chewed the corner of her bottom lip. “Think about this. Can see yourself sharing your girlfriend with other guys?”
I blinked at her. “First, I don’t own you. I wouldn’t be giving you to them, that’s…” I shook my head, not even able to finish the sentence. “This would be consensual between everyone involved. Second, these aren’t just some guys. They’re our best friends. And you care deeply for them and they feel the same for you.”
She wrapped her arms around her stomach and shifted. “The idea makes me feel…”
My heart slammed. Did I just make her feel promiscuous? Oh, shit. What do I do? What do I say? I know I need to apologize but how? Oh shit. Oh shit.
“The whole idea is odd… I need some time to think about it,” she said. Relief had me squeezing her legs. I hadn’t insulted her. Thank goodness.
“Take your time. I just wanted to bring it up so that you understood it really is an option,” I explained, guilt eating at me.
She nodded, chewing on the corner of that bottom lip again. “I’ll think about it.”
Her eyes were shadowed again, that wouldn’t do. “Thank you.” I moved my hands to her waist and lifted her. She squeaked as we fell back into the pool.
When we came back up, she was sputtering. “Miles!”
“That was revenge for the tub,” I grinned at her as I stood again.
She stood up and tried to get her hair out of her face. “A couple of weeks ago, you never would have done that.”
I stepped closer and helped. “A couple of weeks ago, I didn’t know you were okay with me touching you.”
When her eyes met mine, they were bright again and she was smiling. The way I always wanted her to be. And to keep her that way, I was going to need the guys’ help. I leaned down and brushed my lips against hers, determined for the first time in my life.
Spanish to English Translations
“Quédate conmigo.” - “Stay with me.”
“Me podrías haber hablado coño - “You could have fucking talked to me!”
“Cuando? Durante tu constante fiesta de lástima!” - “When? During your constant pity party?”
“Estoy harta de tu mierda!” - I’m sick of your shit!
“Lo siento, lo siento muchísimo.” - “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“Lo siento, he sido un idiota maldito.” - “I’m sorry, I’ve been a damn idiot”
“Ojalá pudiera guardarte.” - “I wish I could keep you.”
Sneak Peek
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked for the fiftieth time.
Miles looked down at me. “Yes. It’s the only way this conversation is going to happen. We’ll be in the middle of nowhere, and I’ll have all the car keys.”
“Then, what? We’ll play ‘who wants to date the Necro?’”
Miles stopped in the crowd. “What are you really scared of?”
I sighed. Busted. “Their answers.”
His eyes softened. “We need to get this sorted and this is the best way to do that.”
“And out in the middle of the woods, alone and trapped is the best way to do it?” I snapped.
Miles sighed. “I’ve known these guys almost my entire life. They won’t make this kind of hard decision without some incentive.”
I grumbled under my breath. I hated that he was right. Dating or not dating. It was time to answer the question.
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Also by B.L. Brunnemer
The Veil Diaries
Trying to Live with the Dead
When the Dead Come A Knocking’
When to Fear the Living
Whispers from the Dead
When Evil Comes to Play
Books of Stone
Found
Secrets From the Grave (The Veil Diaries Book 6) Page 33
