by A. J. Macey
“We’re doing this,” I bit out, my lip thinning. “What do you plan on doing about them? When they reach out for a favor? Because it’s not going to be an if, but a when. You called a big ticket number, and those people don’t forget that.”
“We know, Dante, we were once a part of them,” Landon snapped. “When they call in the favor, we’ll do it, and that will be that.”
“And if it’s something more than you’re willing to give?” I countered.
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Logan huffed. “Can you stop lecturing us?”
“I’m not lecturing you, Lo. Nor am I pissed off that you went back to the group we tried so hard to get you out of, because I get why you did it, but what about Lucie? What are you going to tell her?” Neither of them said anything, their eyes darting to each other before falling to the ground. “I’m sure she’ll understand, but you can’t just go in and say, ‘Oh hey, by the way, we’ve been asked to go jack a bunch of shit from whatever location or to go threaten someone. Why? No reason.’” Sighing, I rubbed my hand through my hair, the pressure from my fingers calming the urge to snap at them. “She deserves the whole explanation, the whole story.”
“Ugh,” Logan groaned, rubbing his face. “All right, fine, will you stop making us feel terrible if we promise to talk to her?”
“I’m really not trying to make you feel bad.” I stepped forward, gripping his shoulder so he’d look at me, my eyes darting between the two of them. “I want you two to stay safe. I can’t stand to see anything happen to you guys any more than I could to Lucie, okay?” Their blackened red gazes softened, tense shoulders deflating as they nodded.
“Yeah, yeah,” Landon mumbled. “Can we stop being all sentimental now?” At his question, the mood immediately lightened, and laughter bubbled out of us. Nodding, I stepped back and tossed on my coat.
“Yeah, we can stop having a moment. But you two, stay the hell out of trouble.” I smacked them both lightly on the back of the head as I walked by, their shouts following me as I jogged down the hall and out the front door.
Now, to wait and see what the gang would ask of the twins.
2
December 20th
Thursday Morning
Lucienne
"Once this batch is completed, I'll help you get everything ready for Char and the boys," my mom called over the Christmas music playing through the old speakers that were hooked up.
“Take your time!” I hollered back. “I’ll start collecting pillows and blankets from all the closets.”
Moving from room to room, I pulled out all the spare pillows we had somehow collected over the years. Why two people would need upwards of fifteen pillows, who knows, but I wasn’t complaining since we would be having a full house several days over break, and it meant that everyone would get their own pillow. It took several trips for the pillows, but finally, I had the pile collected on the spare room’s bed. The constant back and forth was tiring, but I moved slowly to avoid using all of my limited energy.
Time for blankets, I thought with a nod, well… after some more coffee. Thankfully, there was over half a pot of coffee still, so I busied myself pouring my third cup of the morning. If we were going to town, I wanted to have proper energy. At least I didn’t hurt enough this morning to take my medication, though I would probably need it later after walking around.
“All right, I think that’s the last of them,” Mom huffed as she set the last cookie sheet on the counter. “I’ll have several more batches over the next week, both for client orders and for the festival, but I think this is the last for Sorenson’s order. Get everything pulled out for everyone, or do you need some help?”
“I got pillows, still need blankets,” I explained after taking a drink of my liquid cup of life. “We should definitely hit up the grocery store either tonight or tomorrow before they get here. They eat a lot.”
“Young boys, eat? I never would have guessed,” she teased.
“Ha ha,” I deadpanned before laughing. “Well, there’s six of them, Charlie, and off and on Sadie, Benji, and Austin, so lots of mouths to feed.”
“We can pick up a bunch of snacks and stuff to drink. I let Bruce know we were having a crowd this week, so he’s expecting lots of orders. You done refueling?” Nodding, I rinsed my now empty mug and set it on the plastic drying rack. “Perfect, let’s go blanket hunting before Char gets here.”
“So, boo, what are we looking for?” Char asked excitedly, clapping her hands once as she glanced around the block of shops.
“Mom, you needed cute gift packaging like tags, ribbons, bags, and tins right?” My mom nodded, digging around in her purse. “Then I’m just looking for anything that may catch my eye for presents.”
“Gifts and pretties,” Char bulleted with an enthusiastic head nod, “got it.”
“Wait, you two. Here, for any packaging you find. Get something for yourself too,” my mom called, holding out a wad of cash for each of us.
“Thanks, Mom,” I murmured, hugging her as well as I could with the gauze pads strategically taped to my body.
“Thanks, Ma!” Char shouted over her shoulder as we started down the sidewalk, my mom going into the grocery store, list for snacks and drinks in hand. “So, how are you feeling?”
“Sore. Itchy now that all the cuts and shit are starting to heal. I feel like a giant walking, talking bruise,” I told her as we went into the first shop. “Mentally? I’m not too bad when I’m awake. Sleeping is obviously still an issue, but overall, I feel better. Free, ya know?”
“Good, you deserve to start looking toward the future. Spread your wings and all that other hippy dippy nonsense,” she joked with a smirk. “I am happy that you’re finally able to move forward, though I still wish I could have cut off his dick.”
“Girl, same,” I huffed, laughing at the morbid nature of the conversation, my brain refusing to process that we were talking about my ex as it immediately jumped to another topic. “Oh! What about these?”
“Hell yes, those are amazing,” Char agreed, grabbing a handful of the glittery silver, red, and green tags. We fell quiet, our eyes scanning the shop’s shelves, grabbing a couple of more items for my mom including another tag design that caught our eyes and gift bags with cute script on them.
“Charlie, Lucie!” I heard hollered out behind us as we moved to the next shop. Stopping, I tried to look over my shoulder, but the gauze kept me from seeing who it was until I turned fully.
“Hey, Natalie,” Char greeted, as three of our old schoolmates came up.
“Hey, guys,” I murmured, suddenly uncomfortable as I felt Natalie, Parker, and Grant’s gazes on my battered face and bandaged neck.
“How’s it going?” Char picked up on my tension, pulling their attention from me to her. “Enjoying holiday break?”
“Yeah, we’re all back for the week,” Parker replied, his voice hesitant as he looked at me once more.
“It’s good though, just out walking around to see what's all in for the holidays,” Natalie explained, before turning to me with a sympathetic gaze. “Are you all right, Lucie? Were you in an accident or something?”
“Uh, no,” I coughed, “my ex attacked me.” I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t want to get into the entire story either. Their eyes widened.
“Noah?” Grant asked, his nasally voice grating on the thin control I needed to keep my memories from creeping up. I nodded, unable to pry my tongue from the top of my mouth.
“Wow, I don’t think I would have expected that,” Parker added in surprise. Charlie scoffed, eyeing them with a slight scowl to her lips.
“Noah’s been an abusive piece of shit for years, but Lucie was too scared to say anything because of something like this happening.” Charlie waved a hand toward me, telling them the truth so I didn’t have to. “Only reason it didn’t happen right after she left was because she went to RSU and not UW like he thought.”
“RSU…” Natalie’s head reared back
at the news. “You’re a supe?” The news seemed to hold their attention more than hearing someone they used to socialize with was a psycho.
Some people’s priorities are so fucked.
“Yeah, turns out I’m adopted. Didn’t know until the end of senior year,” I explained, but the more I talked the more I started to get an odd feeling. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was or if it was my overactive fight or flight response going haywire, but the way the skin around their eyes tightened as they shuffled back ever so slightly put me on edge.
“Ah, well, sorry to hear about Noah, but we best get going,” Natalie said, her voice higher than normal, her hand coming up in a wave. “See you guys later, good to see you!”
As they walked away, my brows knitted together. Were they acting strange because of Noah? Knowing that someone they knew and talked to was capable of such damage, or because I was a supe?
“Come on, Lucie boo, we have lots more shopping to do!” Char’s cheerful attitude pulled me from my swirl of thoughts, and I forced my body to follow.
You’re just being ridiculous, Lucie, I told myself, smiling at Char. If she wasn’t getting vibes, then it’s your red flag meter that’s broken.
“That totally rhymed, by the way,” I tacked on.
“That’s because I’m a freaking poet, but I at least know it. See what I did there?” she smarted with one of her sassy smiles, shifting her springy curls over her shoulders.
“Yeah, yeah,” I groaned, “it was a terrible joke, be happy I love you.”
“Psh, girl, you love my shitty jokes, don’t even try to lie,” she continued as we curved into the next shop.
Over the next little while, we made our way through the shops on both sides of the street until my mom texted to say that she was finally finishing up at the grocery store and was ready to head back if we were. Paying for the most recent batch of packaging items, we loaded up our arms with our bags and closed the distance to the store.
Unfortunately though, when we neared the parking lot, a flash of memories I had long since wanted to forget reared their ugly heads. Angry arguments in Noah’s car, more often than not resulting in some kind of retaliation before the night was over, his cold yelling filling my ears as my eyes started to tunnel on the lamp post he had shoved me into once.
“You think you can go out without my permission?” he hissed, his grip tightening painfully on my wrist as he yanked me to a stop. I was so close to my car. I nearly cried, knowing I had almost ran to the store and gotten home without him knowing. “Answer me.”
“I needed ingredients for what I have to make for food day in French class tomorrow,” I tried to explain, keeping my voice even. He didn’t need to know at the bottom of the paper bag was a second receipt, the smaller of the two pieces showing I had also bought a pregnancy test. The only relief I had in this moment was knowing I wasn’t pregnant from Noah’s demands.
At least not this time…
“Lucie!” Char’s worried brown gaze filled my vision, cutting off my memory and line of sight to the metal pole. “Breathe, deep inhale, okay?” Taking a shuddering breath, I tried to get oxygen to my tight chest.
“I’m good,” I murmured when it seemed the memory was locked away in the darkest corner of my mind where I didn’t have to think about or acknowledge it. “Sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” Charlie chastised. “This isn’t your fault, and you’re allowed to have these kinds of reaction while your mind heals.”
“Look at you sounding all smart and stuff, seems like those classes are working,” I joked, my lips pressed together to keep from giggling at her mock outrage.
“I beg your pardon, missy. I have always been this smart,” she countered, right as my mom’s dark brown hair and bright blue eyes appeared at the end of the parking lot aisle. “Come on, let’s help your mama, looks like she bought enough to feed an army.”
“Nah, not an army, just six really hungry supes.”
Not that they couldn’t eat like an entire army though.
December 20th
Thursday Evening
Camden
“Cam, dear, can you hand me my notebook?” Aunt Laurel asked, her short natural black curls barely visible behind the workshop’s wooden counter she was ducked behind. “I can’t seem to reach.” Her hand tapped at the top of the scuffed butcher block in an attempt to grab a hold of her work journal.
“Here you go.” I slid the book into her reach. "Where's Uncle Rick?" I asked, glancing around, not seeing him wandering around the bookshelves.
"He's coming back from the archive at the museum, wanted to look into some of the lore and documented information on the piece we're looking into," Aunt Laurel explained, standing back up to prop herself on her stool. My aunt’s thin frame was clothed in her usual linen pants and button-up, with the sleeves rolled exposing her bony forearms. In the warm light of the work shed, her deep skin seemed to glow a rich brown, and her eyes lit up as she smiled at me.
"Finished your report on the Witch’s Stones?" I sank into my designated stool that was pushed into the corner after dragging it to the counter.
"Yeah, just finished up the closing procedure with the museum last week. As much as we loved our previous project, this one is much more exciting." My aunt lit up, her cheeks flushing as they always did before launching into a new project.
"Oh, really? What is it?" I had to admit, she had my interest piqued, and I was excited to hear about their newest research.
"The first ever recorded Djinn token, the lamp," she practically squealed. "There's going to be a dig this spring, and Rick and I, along with Natasha and Konstantin, have been selected to be on the research team."
"That's awesome! So they think they've located where it might be?" I asked, my curiosity flaring at the thought of something so historical being located, but I couldn't stop the thread of worry that flared through me, my mind immediately thinking about Lucie.
"Yes, though they aren't one hundred percent on the pin-point location, they're pretty positive on the area," my aunt rambled, her words pulling me from my quickly spiraling thoughts.
"Telling him all about the new work?" I heard Uncle Rick call out.
"Of course, you know Cam loves this stuff just as much as we do," Aunt Laurel said, a bright smile taking over her face as she looked at her husband. "Get everything?" My uncle’s strawberry blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes appeared as he rounded the corner. He wore his dark wash jeans and sweater, his black glasses winking in the light of the shed. His skin was a shade tanner than mine, but his build was similar, making it easy to see that we were related. We had gotten confused as father and son on more than one occasion.
"I'll let you two get to work. Nik should be here any minute now anyway, and I have to pack." Standing, I gave them both a hug.
"Oh yes, going to stay with the boys at Lucie's," Laurel teased, her brows wiggling as she looked at me. "You and Nik better stay safe, both with each other and with Lucie. Or, you know, whatever it is I'm supposed to say. Use a condom?"
"Aunt Laurel," I groaned, a rush of heat flaring to my cheeks. "Yes, safety. Got it. Please, no more."
"All right then, love you, we'll be in in a few hours." She chuckled, giving me a peck on the cheek as Uncle Rick laughed, smacking me on the shoulder as I walked out.
The cold winter air stung my cheeks as it whipped around me, my hands immediately going into my jacket pocket as I shuffled down the cement walkway that connected the backdoor to the shed, an awning overhead keeping the bit of drizzle from hitting me. I had just made it inside the kitchen and informal breakfast nook when I heard the front door unlocking. Grigori shot inside, coming to land on the cat tree we had gotten him years ago as a perch, his wings ruffling as he settled onto the rope-covered stick.
“Hello, Camden,” Nik’s mom greeted warmly, her accented voice familiar as she smiled at me. Natasha was tall and curvy, skin even paler than Nik’s, and her black hair was pulled into an intric
ate braid over her shoulder. She gave me a quick pat on the shoulder as she walked by, her nails free of polish as she adjusted her work bag on her shoulder. “Take care of Nikolai while we are away, will you? Do not want him to go off getting into trouble,” she teased her son, Nik grumbling under his breath at her affections as she peppered his cheeks in kisses. I smashed my lips together, both to keep from laughing at Nik’s pink cheeks and from the thought that I would very much take care of Nik later.
“Of course, Natasha,” I promised. “Aunt Laurel and Uncle Rick are in the back work shed if you wanted to see them before leaving.”
“Oh, that would be lovely. Do we have time before the jet is supposed to take off?” she asked Nik’s dad who nodded. His face was covered in a bushy, graying beard while his hair flopped into his eyes. They were an odd couple, Nik’s mom looking the part of a polished curator and archivist, while his dad, Konstantin, looked like a feral mountain man who had just left his cabin in his flannel button-up, jeans, and well-worn boots.
“Not for another two hours, dear. You boys be good,” Konstantin stated simply, nodding to both of us before heading out into the covered walkway that led to my aunt and uncle’s work shed.
“She treats me like a boy again,” Nik grumbled. I rolled my eyes and looked at him. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, and he pouted.
How cute, I thought, stepping up to him. Before he could pull away, I shot forward, nipping his bottom lip that curled out.
“She loves you, let her show you that,” I whispered, my lips brushing his with each word. “I’m happy you’re here, want some hot chocolate?”
“Yes, please,” he murmured roughly, the pink tint on his cheeks quickly darkening to red as his heart rate picked up. The rhythmic thudding made my fangs ache, my eyes darting down to the front of his black jeans and pleasantly finding his cock hardening behind the denim.
