“I’ll join you. I missed lunch, but I’ll happily go right to dessert.”
Laughing, I wipe at my eyes and ask Tabatha if I look okay. She says I do, and we go back into the staff lounge.
“Hey,” Kristy says softly when I take my spot next to her again. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I tell her, happy my best friend can sense when something is off about me. “It’s been a long weekend, that’s all.”
“You can say that again.” She puts her hand on mine and gives it a squeeze. “Want any more cake? I’m going to get another piece.”
“Yeah, I’ll take another. This is good.”
Kristy smiles and gets up, coming back with two more pieces of cake. My appetite is gone, and all I can think about is my mother. What was she doing messing around with dark magic? If she practiced Satanism, did she ever make contact with Lucifer? And if she did…would he even know she was my mother?
He told me that he liked people worshiping and praying to him. It made him feel less lonely, being cast down to the deepest pits of Hell, alone for all eternity. I don’t know if I necessarily believe him when he said he never forced anyone to trade their soul for power. Even if he didn’t force it, misleading and tricking someone into giving it up is just as bad, right?
“Are you ready to go home?” Kristy asks. I haven’t contributed much to the conversation, and I think it’s starting to become obvious my mind is elsewhere, though I don’t care.
“Yeah. A nap sounds nice, but if you guys want to stay longer I can so we can walk back together.”
“I have a holiday home-makeover show saved that I’m kind of dying to watch. So let’s go.”
“How was lunch?” Lucas looks up from his book as soon as I walk into the house. He’s sitting at the kitchen island, which isn’t a usual place for him to hang out. I’m sure he was waiting by the door on purpose, anxious for me to get back.
I stomp the snow off my boots and take them off, leaving them by the back door. Our laundry room is in the basement since we didn’t want to take any space away from the first level, but we did carve out a little mudroom so I have a place to unload groceries, leave my shoes, and keep the giant bags of dog food I’ve been ordering online for Scarlet.
“Good,” I say with a forced smile Lucas can see right through.
“Where are your friends?” He dog-ears the page in his book, and I give him a death stare. What kind of monster dog-ears pages in books?
“They walked around so they wouldn’t have to come in and take their shoes off. It’s getting slushy out there.”
“The snow will be gone tomorrow. It’s supposed to rain.”
“Lovely.” I unzip my coat and shiver. As soon as I get my coat hung up on the hall tree by the backdoor, my phone rings. I get it out of my coat pocket and see Abby’s name.
“Hello?” I answer but get nothing. “Hello? Abby?” It sounds like the phone clatters to the ground, and then I hear Penny babbling. “Did you call me, Penny?” I laugh. “Get Mommy. Give Mommy the phone.” Another few seconds pass and some sort of electronic toy asks me to find the circle. I’m just about to hang up when Abby says something to Penny.
“…it’s almost time for a—who did you call?” Rustling comes through the phone line. “Cal? You there?”
“I’m here.”
“I’m so sorry. I gave her my phone because I desperately needed to clean the kitchen.”
“You don’t have cleaning ladies for that?”
“Hah. I actually do have cleaning ladies, but they come once a week and don’t wash dishes. Are you busy? Do you need me to let you go?”
“No, I’m not. I just got home from lunch at the Covenstead.”
“Covenstead,” she echoes. “That’s the hidden place, right? Where your school was?”
“Yes. I’m freezing now. It’s a longer walk from the door to this new house.”
“Someday you’re going to have to explain this to me when I’m sitting down so I can take notes.”
I laugh, not telling Abby I wouldn’t be allowed to do that, since nonmagical people aren’t supposed to know the location to our door. Only members of the coven or witches or warlocks coming to visit are allowed to be made privy, and Lucas finding out there the entrance to our Covenstead was one just one of the charges Ruth brought against me.
“How was your weekend?”
“Oh, you know, the usual,” I start as I walk into the living room. “Killed a high-ranking demon, went to Australia, and accidentally named myself the Queen of Hell.”
“Normally, I’d wonder if you’re joking, but I know you enough to take this seriously,” Abby says, voice unwavering. “I bought a vacuum for half off and thought I had a pretty exciting weekend.”
“That is exciting.”
“Thanks, it’s cordless.”
“Oh, I kind of want one of those.”
“Queen of Hell,” Abby repeats. “What does that even mean?”
“It means I kind of accidentally threw my hat in the ring to be the next ruler of Hell since Lucifer…” I blink and get a flash of him standing over Abby. The smell of her blood permeated the air so strongly I still remember it. “…Lucifer is my uncle. I didn’t mean it, though, and I only said it so I could kill that high-ranking demon, but other demons saw me with a crown of hellfire around my head, and now they’re gonna go run their mouths and tell everyone in the underworld I’m trying to take over.”
“Huh,” Abby says, no doubt at a loss for words. “How did you make it to Australia and back already?”
“Michael took me.”
“Oh. Makes sense in a crazy, I can’t quite process this way. I also feel silly asking if you’re okay.”
“Yeah, things are fine. Not much different than they were before. Michael is gonna sort it all out for me and I’ll be good. Oh, and he said I’m having a girl.”
“Really?”
“That’s what he said, and I’m taking it as the truth.”
“Oh my god, Callie, that’s so exciting! Little girls are the best, though I might be very biased in that. Have you guys picked out names yet?”
“Lucas suggested Elena, and I think that’s what we’re going with. I just, um…” I’m aware Lucas can hear every damn word I’m saying, and not that I want to hide anything from him, sometimes I’d like to have a conversation without him listening, though it’s not like he purposely eavesdrops. “I have time to decide,” I say instead of telling Abby the truth that I’m scared I won’t be able to carry this baby long enough for her to be born.
“Yeah, you do. Are you coming to Chicago anytime soon?”
“I’m not sure. I like seeing the trees at the Museum of Science and Industry. I haven’t done that in years.”
“Oh, I love the trees! Phil and I always go, but he gets bored, and I’d rather not take Penny, so if you have time to go, let me know when!”
“I’m trying to take it easy, so I’m pretty much free whenever. What’s your work schedule like next week?”
“I have Wednesday off, but Phil will be in surgery. I can see if Mom—I mean, Nancy—can watch Penny.”
“That should work. What time?”
“Ten?”
“What about eleven? Or noon? I’m an hour away.”
“Oh, right. Eleven is fine, noon too if you want to sleep in. I know how exhausting the first trimester is. Call me when you’re on your way, how’s that? Do you want to meet there or here? You’ll drive past the museum on your way to Lincoln Park, I know.”
“We can drive together. That way we only have to deal with finding one parking spot.”
“Sounds good. I’m excited!”
“Me too. Give Penny a kiss for me.”
“I will. Take care, Callie.”
“You too. Bye.” I end the call and put my phone down, pulling the blanket up over me. I’m still so chilled from walking through the woods.
“Do you want a fire?” Lucas asks, sitting on the couch. He slips his hand under the blank
et, and I shy away from his cold skin. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I can’t get warm.”
“I’ll be right back.” He speeds out of the room, returning soon after with an electric blanket. I learned quickly that sleeping next to someone who is room temperate can be quite chilly. A heated blanket solved that issue, and we have several now, kept around the house. It’s weird, I suppose, but it works and keeps me comfortable. Vampire don’t really feel hot or cold, unless exposed to extreme temperatures. Even still, their bodies wouldn’t react the same way a human’s would.
“I turned it on high just to warm you up,” Lucas says, running the cord over the couch. We had the wiring updated to code with multiple outlets in every room. “A few minutes should be fine.” He spreads the blanket over me and disappears again, coming back with an armload of firewood. “Another delivery is coming tomorrow,” he tells me as he puts the logs in the fire. In my previous house, I’d light a fire occasionally at night in the winter, and it would warm up my little living room in no time. This house is so big, with much taller ceilings. We need to have fires going all day to keep it warmed up in the winter. Luckily, there’s a tree-trimming company that serves the whole county, and they have a delivery service. The benefits of the modern world, right?
“I didn’t realize how much wood we’d go through.”
“This is nothing compared to how it used to be. While we weren’t so concerned about staying warm, you didn’t want your house getting too cold and damaging your possessions. Eliza had quite a lot when she was first turned.”
“Someday I want you both to sit down and tell me your different sides to that story.”
“Of her being turned?”
“Yeah.”
Lucas stacks the wood on the metal rack in the fireplace. “It’s not that interesting.”
“You revenge killed her, left her in the ground, and then were forced back due to a bond forged by murder and black magic. It’s super interesting.”
“It didn’t happen quite like that.”
“Then tell me how it did happen.” I sit up when Lucas goes to get the lighter from where we have it stashed on the mantle. “And I got this today.” I hold out my hand, wait for him to take a step back, and use magic to start the fire. Lucas moves the metal screen in front of the fire and joins me on the couch. The blanket isn’t warm yet, and I do my best not to shiver from his cool skin. This is our first winter together, and I’m perpetually cold from December through April. I heal fast, don’t really gain weight, have a very high tolerance for alcohol, and can get by on little sleep, but I’m still affected by the weather.
“You know why I turned Eliza,” he starts, and I snuggle up with him, pulling the electric blanket over us both. He turned her to get revenge on her father, who was some sort of sergeant or general in the British Army. He’d ordered attacks on a nest of sleeping vampires, killing most of them with sunlight. I don’t think Lucas was particularly fond of any of the vampires but wanted revenge on someone for killing dozens of his kind.
“I do. She was the prettiest out of all her sisters.”
“Yes, and set to marry a wealthy man.”
“She mentioned that before.”
“I turned her, left once I knew the change had taken, and came back soon after.”
“Why did you go back?” I ask, starting to feel really sleepy now that the fire is going and the blanket is starting to warm up.
“She didn’t know how to be a vampire, and as much as I didn’t want to feel for her, I did.”
“Romantically?” I ask, needing to be sure.
“No. I’ve never felt that way about her. I cared for her like a daughter, and the thought of something bad happening to her was awful. I knew you felt bonded to any progeny you make, but I didn’t know just how strong the bond would be with her. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if she too was killed by her father or if she burned in the sunlight because she didn’t know how to find shelter. I went back, and instead of being happy to see me, she was angry.” He smiles. “Very angry.”
“Shocker,” I chuckle. “She told me she tried to hate you.”
“She did, and I think I made it easy when I didn’t return her feelings of attraction. She couldn’t help them, as many progenies are attracted to their sire in that sense. Over time, our relationship became what it is, and I will always view her as my child.”
“She’s going to be a good big sister, though I do take her for the jealous type.”
Lucas laughs softly. “Only a little.” He slips his hands, warmer now from the heated blanket, under my sweater. “What happened at lunch?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
I lift my head off his chest. “Remember how I said I thought Tabatha knew something about my mother but wasn’t telling me?”
“I do.”
“I was right, and she fessed up today. She said my mother was Callista Lancaster, hailing from an old and established line of witches on the East Coast. And she said that my mother…my mother was excommunicated for practicing Satanism.”
“Fuck.”
“Right?” I shake my head. “Maybe I should stop looking for answers. The more I ask, the more I wonder, and the answers I have gotten are less than satisfactory. It felt so good to know my mother was a witch. But now…I wish I didn’t know. I had her on a pedestal in my mind, and now the pedestal has been knocked over and broken into a million pieces. The other angels don’t think I should live because I could be too easily tainted with darkness. If my mother was already dabbling, then doesn’t that mean—”
“Callie, stop, my love. Who your mother was has nothing to do with who you are. I know you want to find out about that side of you, but it won’t change anything. You could actually be related to the Martins and it wouldn’t change a damn thing about you. And you know my feelings on fate.”
“You don’t believe in it.”
“Not until you. But, Callie, if you are meant to find out more about your mother, you will. Just remember, it won’t change anything,” he repeats. “You are you. My wife. The mother of my child. And concernedly obsessed with Christmas.”
“Just wait until my cheesy Advent calendar arrives.” I look up at Lucas, smiling and feeling much better. Because he’s right. The only thing changing who I am is me, and it doesn’t matter what my mother did—or didn’t do—in her past. I’m not going to stop wanting to know more about her, but I won’t go looking anymore.
Lucas pulls me onto his lap so I’m straddling him, keeping the heated blanket around my shoulders. He kisses me and puts a hand on my stomach. “We are less than a month until Christmas, and we have a lot to celebrate this year. Try not to worry, and let’s enjoy this time together as a family. We both know this is the calm before the storm.”
“Are you talking about demons or the baby being born?”
He slips his hand to my waist, pulling me closer. “Both, but we both know one is going to come before the other.”
Chapter 8
“I come bearing gifts!” I set bags of candy on the counter of the bookstore. Our winter window display that was up for most of January is coming down next week, and we’re putting together a “cuddle up with a book boyfriend” themed display now for Valentine’s Day, which is coming up fast in just a few weeks.
“Perfect!” Kristy says, looking in the bags. “I also thought we could set up some sort of Instagram background for people to pose against, holding their favorite romance novel. I have to come up with some sort of hashtag for them to use.”
“I love that idea!” I pull off my gloves and unzip my coat. It’s bitterly cold today, with a windchill below zero. “Maybe Betty could set up some sort of contest on social media, so we can get tons of people participating and using the hashtag.”
“Ohhh, yes, and Betty would love that! Maybe we can get some signed books to give away! Did you see how many more followers we gained on our Instagram account?”
“I did, an
d I should have let her take over a long time ago.”
“Right?” Kristy laughs and starts taking the candy from the bags. “I want some of this now.”
“I might have eaten an entire bag of Swedish Fish on the way here.” I take my coat off and hang it on the chair behind the register. We have apothecary jars we’re filling with pink and red candy as part of our display. “And those conversations hearts are looking good. I don’t even like them.”
“No one does, yet you can’t stop eating them.”
“Right? Kinda like candy corn. It’s gross yet I eat it.”
“And Marshmallow Peeps,” she adds.
A customer comes up to the register, and since I’m behind the counter, I go to ring them up. “Uh, this is different,” I mumble, looking at the computer screen.
“We got a new system,” Kristy says, coming over to show me how to use the register. “This one is simpler than our old one, so instead of doing the update, I thought it would be a better idea to just upgrade altogether.”
“Yeah, that is a better idea.” It’s been a long time since I ran the register. I’ve come into the store a few times over the last month or so to help stock shelves and get things cleaned at closing time. I’ve been preoccupied with inventorying all my magical supplies and making any and all vanquishing potions and banishing charms I can find, as well as researching everything I can about the different circles of Hell, spending a lot of time in the Academy’s library.
“I’ll take the candy to the back,” I say after the customer has paid and leaves. Betty and Danielle are in the storage room, going through our boxes of decorations to find stuff for the window display. “Hey, guys.”
“Callie, hey!” Betty pulls a string of paper hearts from the box. “Ohhh, look at you! I love that dress!”
“Thanks,” I say, realizing that her eyes are lingering on my stomach. This dress is rather form-fitting, and at eighteen weeks, it’s starting to be obvious I’m pregnant. Betty is too nice to say anything, and asking if I’m pregnant is kind of like asking if I cheated on Lucas. He’s a vampire, and it’s not possible for him to father a child. “Lucas and I are going out to dinner later.”
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