“Oh, my God,” I moaned, the relief so fast and so wonderful my adrenaline spiked. “That feels so good.”
“That’s what Marcus says all the time.”
I giggled, the painful throbbing having vanished with her magical hands. “You still got that Italian stallion?” I asked, opening my eyes to find Jules and Clara sitting at the foot of the bed, both smiling.
“Yes indeed. Once you’ve got a good man, girl, you don’t let him go.”
I scooted up to sit against the headboard, my heart lurching at the realization that one person was definitely absent from the room.
“How’d I get back here? What happened with Adam?”
Jules sat forward on the chair she’d brought in from Evie’s bedroom next door. “Devraj, Ruben, and his men were able to track the trace to where Adam had taken you.”
“Track the trace? I didn’t know that was possible.”
“Neither did I until very recently,” Jules said calmly. “Apparently, Ruben knows a grim who has this technology I wasn’t aware of before all of this.”
“Oh,” piped up Clara. “The cute one who’s always on the corner of Ruben’s bookstore?”
Cute? The grim I’d seen hanging on that corner was seriously dark and mysterious, striking in his sharp features. I’d never describe him as cute.
“Yeah, that one,” said Jules. “Anyway, he followed the trace where Adam had brought you to a storage unit where the other girls were.”
I sat up straighter, afraid for them. “How were they? Have they been healed? How much damage was done to them?” My heart ached for those young women, having to live through the nightmare of captivity and forced blood-drinking.
Tia put a calming hand on top of mine. “Aunt Beryl and I took care of them. And the guys used glamour to wipe the painful memories away before delivering them to their parents’ doorsteps.
“Yeah, you should see all the wonderful articles being posted to the Internet,” said Clara, beaming with joy. “The happy tears and reunions. It’s been so amazing.”
“How long have I been out?” I asked.
“Two days,” said Tia. “You had a lot of Rohypnol in your system. I’ve been slowly purging it and had to keep you under longer than normal.”
“Two days?”
And Devraj wasn’t here. No, he’d be packing. Hell, maybe he was already gone. No. He wouldn’t leave without telling me goodbye, would he? Tears welled in my eyes. Tia leaned forward and pulled me into a hug.
“Don’t worry, my sweet friend. All is well.”
But it wasn’t all well. It was miserable. My heart was cracking in two, realizing that Devraj was leaving. Or already gone. He hadn’t even waited till I was awake. But he was busy. Maybe he was at the trial. Supernaturals handled these things swiftly, unlike the lengthy trials in the human world.
“Did they have the trial for Adam yet?” I asked Jules, leaning back out of Tia’s arms but still holding her hand for comfort.
“Not yet. Adam is still recovering.”
“Recovering?”
Jules smiled wickedly. “Devraj beat him pretty badly. They needed to wire his jaw shut, and Ruben wouldn’t let him have a healer. And since he’s getting no blood to strengthen his own magic for healing, we’re waiting for the swelling to go down. And his ribs to mend, so he can at least sit up in trial before the Guild Court.”
Yeah, Devraj would’ve been upset. I knew he cared about me. So maybe he wasn’t gone.
“Is Devraj staying for the trial?” I asked, heart in my throat.
“He has to as the Stygorn on the case,” said Jules.
Then he’d be gone.
“I need to take a shower,” I announced, emotions welling up too fast.
I didn’t want to cry in front of everyone.
Tia popped up and helped me stand, but I was actually feeling remarkably well. Normal.
“I’ve got it,” I said.
Her warm gaze reflected sympathy, catching the sorrow in my own. Tia knew me so well. Before Clara could juice me with one of her happy spells, I started to walk toward my bathroom.
“I’ll go make you something to eat,” said Jules. “What do you feel like? I have some of that Redfish Court-bouillon frozen that you love. Or how about a shrimp po’boy with extra arugula?”
I laughed, the sadness leaking through. Arugula made me think of Devraj. The Redfish Court-bouillon, too. How long would it take to get over him?
“Whatever is easiest,” I answered, seeing my phone set on the charger on my nightstand.
Hoping, I lifted it and checked for messages. No such luck. He hadn’t messaged. Nothing at all. My heart sank again, the pain of losing him already too sharp. Too raw.
When I closed the door to the bathroom, I shed my clothes and stood under the steaming hot shower, wondering how I was going to pretend I was fine when he said goodbye. I couldn’t handle it. I just couldn’t.
I let the tears come, scrubbing my body clean. I tried to wipe away the sorrow of losing him, but it was too painful. How had I not seen that Devraj meant far more to me than I’d ever realized? The thought of him really and truly leaving made me want to curl into a ball and forget the world. Somehow, the fact that he lived this flashy, glamorous life didn’t matter anymore. Maybe he’d be okay with visiting? We could do long distance perhaps. At this point, I was okay taking whatever he’d give me.
All of this was spinning through my head as I ventured out of my bathroom with a towel wrapped around me, finding my bedroom empty except for Clara. I pulled on some panties and one of my loose, comfy dresses I wore in the garden, not even bothering with a bra. I moved like a zombie. A sad, broken-hearted zombie.
“Here, let me do your hair.”
I sat in front of the oval mirror, remembering how Devraj had taken me right here and had stolen my heart at the same time. I wiped the back of my hand across one cheek as a tear slipped.
Clara combed through my hair, pushing some of her euphoria into me. I smiled, my vision blurry, knowing she was worried. I looked so pale, circles under my eyes even though I’d slept for two days.
“It’s okay, Clara,” I said, voice cracking. “I’ll be all right.”
She beamed at my reflection. “Oh, Isadora. You’re going to be fantastic. Just wait and see.” She winked at me, which was a little odd. First, because she didn’t know how to wink, so it came across as an awkward double-blink. And also because Clara wasn’t the winking kind.
I exhaled on a heavy sigh and stared back at my sorry reflection, wondering what I was going to do with myself. Then music blared from the front yard. Loud music. I jumped and turned on the stool. Clara let go of my damp hair.
“What the hell?” I asked, staring out the open balcony doors. “Is that—? Is that Peter Gabriel?”
“Sounds like ‘In Your Eyes.’ Might want to check that out,” she said sweetly.
When I faced her, I realized she wasn’t at all surprised by the eighties hit blaring from the yard. I walked through my French doors and out to the balcony, my heart falling right out of my chest, tumbling over the balcony, and spilling at the feet of the man below.
There, standing in my yard, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt, and a gray trench coat was Devraj. Over his head, he held high Archie, who saw me and yipped happily, his stubby tail wagging right over where Devraj supported his bum with one hand.
My mouth dropped open as the eighties anthem from the most romantic boombox serenade pumped out into the neighborhood. Walkers had even begun to gather, watching the spectacle.
“What are you doing!” I yelled down at the beautiful man holding his dog over his head.
“Come down here, love,” he said just loud enough for me to hear, his smile blinding and beautiful.
I just stood there, shaking my head, then Clara popped me on the behind. “Well, go, Isadora. Don’t keep him waiting!”
I disappeared back into the house, my heartbeat racing as fast as my feet as I hurried down the stairs, through
the foyer, and swung open the front door, only to find Livvy operating her karaoke system and Violet grinning beside her. Glancing to the right, Evie and Mateo sat on the swing, Mateo’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, both of them grinning and enjoying the show.
“Better get out there,” said Jules behind me, pushing me forward a step.
Her, Tia, and Clara stood in the doorway, smiling like fiends. All the while, Devraj hadn’t moved, watching me with love in his eyes. Yes, definitely love. I couldn’t catch my breath. Then Archie started to wiggle furiously when he saw me coming closer. As I stepped off the porch, Devraj lowered the unwieldy Archie, setting him down at his feet.
When I finally made it right in front of him, I asked, my smile achingly wide, “What are you doing?”
“I heard this is what American girls like.” His hands cupped my cheeks, fingers threading into my damp hair, thumbs brushing over the semi-dry traces of my tears.
“I don’t need that.”
“What do you need, Isadora?” His mouth was an inch from mine, his chocolate eyes pleading, imploring. “Tell me what you need, and I’ll give it to you. Anything.”
Lacing my hands around his neck, I whispered, “You. That’s all I need.”
He swept me close, banding an arm around my waist and kissed me deep. Like he craved me. Like he cared. Like he couldn’t do without me. Like he loved me.
I barely heard the hoots and applause from my sisters and the crowd that had gathered over the pounding of my heart and the rush of emotion. New Orleans was the kind of place where people wanted to share in each others’ joy. And today, it seemed, they were all sharing in mine. In ours. In this moment where I let go of all my fears and let my heart have what it wanted.
“Devraj,” I whispered against his lips. “I was wrong about us not being a match.”
He chuckled, holding me tighter, smiling against my lips. “I know, love.” Another soft kiss. “I was just waiting for you to figure it out. But I couldn’t wait anymore.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long.”
Then his face sobered as he pulled the cuff bracelet from his wrist, the one that had been the wedding necklace his father had given his mother. My mouth fell open because I knew what he was doing. Again, I could hardly draw a breath.
“Will you take this and wear it as a promise? Until I can get you a proper ring? Until I can wrap you in your own mangalsutra?”
There was zero hesitation this time. I knew what I wanted, and I wasn’t letting him go.
“Yes.” I nodded furiously. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He slipped the cuff around my thinner wrist, tightening it at my forearm. Then I attacked him, kissing him like mad. He lifted me off the ground, and my legs wrapped his waist, never breaking the kiss as my sisters yelled out catcalls and Peter Gabriel sang about love.
“Get you some,” yelled Tia.
“Show him what you’ve got.” That was Violet.
I heard Evie and Clara laughing hard, my sisters’ laughter one of the best sounds in the world. Right next to any sound or word uttered by the man in my arms.
“And now for another eighties favorite, people, from one of the best movies ever made, ‘Pretty in Pink,’” Livvy said into the mic, launching “If You Leave,” a song she’d played a million times around the house. “And don’t forget about the upcoming Karaoke Contest at the Cauldron.”
I was half-laughing, half-kissing Devraj. Leave it to Livvy to use this moment for a little PR for the business. I glanced back, seeing she was filming on her phone, grinning like crazy and giving me the thumbs up. Meanwhile, Archie was hopping around us in circles, barking and prancing in a frenzy.
I leaned my forehead on Devraj’s. “I’m sorry for my family. It’s a circus.”
He pulled me flush against his body, seeming not to care about our very large crowd. People actually started dancing on the street, others singing to the song. Evie and Mateo danced in each other’s arms on the porch. Clara now had Archie in her arms, upright like a baby, holding one paw and singing terribly to him as she twirled around to his puppy delight.
“I’m not. They’re wonderful.” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “They’re a part of you. And fortunately, now a part of me.” He sighed sweetly. “I’ve longed for a place of belonging for many years. For a home. Now, I’ve got that, and my blood-mate.” He pressed another soft kiss to my lips.
“Blood-mates? Like the legend?”
“Exactly like the legend. It was all true,” he whispered against my mouth, sweeping his tongue in for a lingering kiss before pulling back and pressing his forehead to mine. “Plus, you’re moving in with me soon, and we can get away from this circus.”
“Oh, am I,” I said breathlessly. “You’re letting me into your mysterious, hallowed bedroom?”
His smile softened, his expression serious. “I love you, Isadora. You’re already into my everything.”
I gushed out a shaky sigh, my eyes rimming with happy tears. “I love you, too.”
I lowered my feet to the ground. Then he took one of my hands in his, keeping a grip around my lower back and we started to sway, dancing and making a spectacle of ourselves. But so was everyone else. And for some reason, with Devraj holding onto me, there was no fear at all. I didn’t care that others were watching or what they thought of me. I didn’t care about anything but him. But us.
I had Devraj. I had his love. He had mine. And that’s all that mattered.
Epilogue
~ISADORA~
* * *
“And now! What you’ve all been waiting for. Drum roll, please!” Livvy glanced at Clara, who stood next to her on stage in front of another mic. She proceeded to make the drum roll sound with her mouth while the rest of us pounded the tabletops. “The man of the hour is none other than our very own Finnie, tonight performing as the queen Beyoncé.”
The crowd lit up with a roar while Livvy grinned like a demon. A very beautiful demon. Their outfits were definitely something she’d put together. They wore body suits made entirely of black sequins with red sequins stitched across their boobs in the logo for The Cauldron.
Then Finnie stepped onto the stage to a series of loud catcalls. The loudest from JJ and Violet by the bar. And I had to admit, he made a very beautiful woman, his tawny, smooth skin glittering under the spotlights. I do mean glittering because, apparently, Livvy had smoothed glitter lotion all over his arms, chest, and bare legs.
“You’ve got this, Finnie baby!” shouted Evie, sitting on top of the table at my back, Mateo standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her upper chest.
When Finnie stepped up to the mic, the jeers died down, but hoots of laughter still rippled in our packed bar. Livvy was a PR genius. Her online promotion had pulled every singer and non-singer out of the woodworks to join our competition tonight. The winner would win $1,000, a Cauldron T-shirt, and bragging rights till next year’s competition since Livvy had decided this would be an annual thing. And it would all be prominently promoted via social media. Tonight, they were streaming live.
Finnie stepped up to the mic and said with his deep voice, “Uhhh, I lost a bet.”
More laughter, and a group of guys whooped down front. Livvy told me those were his best friends from UNO, here to support him. And embarrass him. And laugh at him. One of the guys was bent over so far and laughing so hard I thought he was going to hurt himself.
“So,” said Finnie, very awkwardly. “Here it goes.” Then his mouth tipped up into that signature cute Finnie smile and he said. “This is for all the single ladies.”
“Yeah, baby!” a girl from the back yelled with a whoop, her friends joining in.
Then the music started and Livvy, Clara, and Finnie all started to move, hands on hips in Beyonce-style, and the crowd lost it. So did I. And Devraj next to me.
“Oh, my God!” I yelled into Devraj’s ear. “Finnie can sing!”
The bar went insane, clapping and whooping while Finnie killed it. Sure, it was a few
octaves deeper than it should be, but it was awesome. And hilarious. And his dominant voice even drowned out our very off-key sister Clara. Still, she had some moves, shaking it like she just didn’t care. She and Livvy had more attitude and flair than was fair to the rest of the world.
I leaned close to Devraj and whisper-yelled in his ear. “I could never do that.”
He gripped the nape of my neck and put his mouth right next to my ear. “You’ll do it for me tonight.” Then he nipped my earlobe, rocketing my libido into the stratosphere.
“People are watching,” I hissed.
“Let them watch,” he said, completely amused while he drew me into his lap.
Rather than fight him, because that was pointless, I wiggled till I was sideways and wrapped my arms around his neck while we enjoyed the show.
When the song ended with the three onstage thrusting their hips out and a wink at the audience, there was really no contest. Still, we had judges at a front table, who now had a decision to make. The judges were Nico, who had a background in music, Tia who didn’t but had volunteered for the job, and Charlie who knew showmanship better than anyone.
Livvy stepped up to the mic, breathless. “Okay, guys. Go get another round at the bar while our judges deliberate. Let’s give it up for all our contestants!”
A loud cheer went up, then the house music came back on, and I was itching to leave. But I still wanted to see who won.
Then Violet marched up onto the stage, motioning to bring the house music back down.
“Hey, you guys. Since we’ve got a captive audience tonight, I wanted to let everyone here know first since my announcement means I’ll be cutting my hours back here at the Cauldron.”
Some guy groaned, “Nooooo!”
“Yeah, I know,” she said, grinning. “You all love me. But uh…” She licked her lips, nervous.
I glanced at Devraj, who mirrored the quizzical look on my face. I said to Evie over my shoulder, “You know what this is about?”
“No. But I think we’re about to find out about her secret she’s been keeping from us.”
Don't Hex and Drive Page 30
