8. Evelyn
8
Evelyn
L ater that evening, we were all celebrating Alister’s return. The large dining table was laden with food, the air buzzing with laughter and chatter.
Zade—which I was now calling him because, like it or not, he’d helped me get Alister back (and in my book, that made him my friend)—had even joined us, mentioning he’d be staying until the Eris situation was dealt with. I was also eager to speak to him about Lia.
Chad had been refilling everyone’s glasses and set the wine bottle down with a loud thud. “Listen,” he said, pointing a finger at Zade. “You might be pretty, but don’t get any ideas. We’re at maximum capacity for dicks in this harem, so don’t even think about it. You’re not welcome to join.”
“Chad!” I groaned, wanting to disappear under the table.
Zade scoffed, rolling his eyes. “Relax. Evelyn isn’t my type.”
Chad’s face hardened, his brows furrowing. “Are you kidding me? Evelyn is the full package. You’d be lucky to have her.”
I could feel my cheeks burn; I was about to interject when a loud moaning interrupted me. I turned to see Alister practically inhaling his food, groaning loudly between bites.
“Take it easy,” Lucien said with a smirk. “You haven’t had real food in centuries.”
Alister paused, a forkful of food halfway to his mouth. “You’re right,” he said, setting the fork down. “I’m starting to feel…” He grimaced. “Bloated.”
We all burst into laughter.
“So, how’s it been going with the gang?” Alister asked Ryker.
“It’s been tough trying to turn them away from their old ways,” he replied, sipping his drink. “But we’re making progress.”
I reached out and squeezed Ryker’s hand, feeling the rough warmth of his calloused fingers. “You’ll get there. I know you will.”
Ryker’s gaze lifted to mine, an intensity there that made my chest tighten. He didn’t say anything, but how he looked at me—like I was the center of his world—said everything.
I felt a flutter of warmth and squeezed his hand again, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. His grip lingered longer before his attention returned to Alister.
“There was plenty of chaos at the Academy while you and Eve were gone,” Rafe said.
“I never imagined an entire year had passed when I returned,” Alister commented.
“Hecate kept us in the Shadow Realm longer than I expected. It stunned me when they told me everything that happened while we were gone.”
“At least we’re alive,” Alister declared. “And before you start lamenting that I lost my immortality, I have to say—being human is quite fun. I’d forgotten how great food tastes.”
“Now that you’re back, maybe Lucien will stop annoying us about the bills,” Chad said.
Alister smiled. “You should have used my money while we were gone. My passwords were in my office. I even wrote a letter in case something happened to me.”
“You did?” I stared at him.
He nodded.
“We never dared to enter your office,” Lucien admitted. “We were already living in your house. We didn’t want to disrespect you any further.”
“Just tell the truth,” Chad whispered. “We were too sad. Going into your office would have meant accepting you were gone. We mourned you and Eve for a week before we learned you were trapped in the Shadow Realm. We thought our lives were over. Lucien nearly lost his mind.”
“Shut it,” Lucien muttered, raising a warning finger.
“I didn’t know you loved me so much, Lucien,” Alister teased.
Lucien rolled his eyes. “I wasn’t mourning you, vampire.”
“Ex-vampire,” Alister reminded him.
Lucien ignored him. “Let’s focus on what matters. How do we prepare to defeat Eris? Was Hecate of any help?”
“Well, Eve is the gods’ champion, and we’re her protectors. We have to figure it out on our own,” Alister said with a wave of his hand. “Typical gods. I’m not even surprised anymore.”
“I’ve created a division focused on healing and have been training others. We’ll need healers when the bloodshed begins,” Rafe informed us.
I smiled at him. “You’re always thinking about others.”
“He’s too kind for his own good,” Zade grumbled, reminding me he was still there.
Seemed like Ryker wasn’t the only quiet one anymore.
“Will the other angels help?” I asked Zade.
He shook his head. “It’s not their problem.”
“And what about the Luminary Coven? What’s become of them?” Alister inquired.
“They’ve disbanded,” Lucien replied. “Some members joined other covens, while others are on the run.”
“Their fault for siding with Morgana,” Alister muttered, sipping his wine.
“I believe they’re hiding Eris,” Rafe said. “We don’t know where, but Morgana had help. The elders and her accomplices are likely in hiding, but I’m sure they’re preparing to carry out their plan. Especially now that magic has been restored.”
The table fell silent as we all contemplated the state of our world.
“The Supernatural Law Enforcement Agency is not convinced of the threat,” Rafe continued. “Despite our testimonies and the aftermath, they don’t have enough evidence to make arrests.”
“Now that you no longer have your powers, you should be cautious,” Lucien warned Alister.
As Lucien listed ingredients for the potions he was preparing, the rest of the group lost interest and drifted into side conversations.
Suddenly, soft snoring silenced the chatter, and we all turned toward the culprit.
Alister had fallen asleep, his head resting against the back of his chair, his expression peaceful.
Rafe chuckled softly. “Looks like being human is exhausting work.”