Chapter 36
Chapter
Thirty-Six
The biggest sense of relief washes over me the second I walk through the garage door and step into the mudroom. Xavier and Theo have to go downtown for some sort of council meeting. Mabel wants to order food again, and I text Delphi just a few minutes ago, inviting her over.
It very much feels like the calm before the storm.
Because it is.
But we can’t sit around waiting for the wind to pick up.
We have to keep moving, keep pretending life is normal.
That’s the not-so-funny thing about life—no matter what happens, the world keeps going.
And right now, we need it to look like I’m not actively searching for a demon or quietly panicking because I have days left to unleash hell on earth.
Devon suggests he and Antonio go out to a vampire bar. Once they’re inside, everything should be fine, but if they’re seen walking in together, it’ll only cement the narrative that Antonio has become a Malus vampire.
It’s not the worst idea he’s had.
Surprisingly, Antonio seems eager to get out and do something. It’s hard being a prisoner in your own home—and this isn’t even technically his. Since Devon’s only been a vampire for a hot minute, Mabel and I decide it’s best that Zeke goes with them.
“What do you want me to order tonight?” Mabel asks. “I just discovered Uber Eats. Do you think they’ll ever add a vampire option?”
“Probably not on that app,” I tell her. There are services where you can order blood by type—and by type, I mean blood type—as well as pick the human you’re getting it from. There’s a lot of debate over it, but since the donors are consenting adults and get paid well, it hasn’t been outlawed.
“How about Mexican?” I say, already deciding. “Burritos, tacos for Delphi, chips and guac… street corn.”
We order way too much food, and it’s set to arrive in about forty-five minutes. Not wanting to sit still, I change into workout clothes and go downstairs to the gym. I run through a brutal calisthenics circuit, pushing myself harder than I need to—until Delphi gets here.
“Hey,” I say, coming upstairs and meeting her in the foyer.
Mabel let her in and is currently holding several porcelain-faced dolls under her arm. Delphi is doing a terrible job pretending that’s normal.
“You are in such good shape,” Delphi tells me, looking me up and down. “It’s not fair.”
I raise an eyebrow. “How often do you work out?”
“Like… never,” she admits, laughing.
“Yeah,” I say. “That’ll do it.”
“Most of us wolves are naturally athletic,” she goes on, kicking off her shoes. “But I prefer sitting on the couch with a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch after a long shift instead of going to the gym.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with that,” I tell her. “I use working out as a coping mechanism. So while it might look good on paper, there’s a lot going on under the surface.”
Her smile fades just slightly.
“Is everything okay?” she asks, glancing between me and Mabel.
We head into the family room, and Delphi sits down, watching me more closely now.
“After everything that happened at the warehouse… you just kind of disappeared,” she says. “You went quiet.”
“I’ve just been… dealing with things,” I reply.
“That doesn’t sound like you,” she says gently. “What actually happened?”
I hesitate. I could brush it off. I could lie. But I’m so tired of holding everything in and I’ve wanted a friend like this for so long.
“I didn’t really understand it all before,” I say slowly. “But we figured it out. Last night, actually. Some things had to be really, well, assured because it was hard to believe.”
She leans forward. “Okay…”
“The Order,” I continue, “has spent the last fifty years trying to free a demon.”
Her brows pull together. “A demon?”
“Yeah. Not just any demon either. One that has been too powerful for anyone to kill.”
Delphi lets out a quiet breath. “That sounds bad.”
“It is,” I say. “They want to control it. Use it.”
“And… what does that have to do with you?”
I swallow. “I wish nothing, but, uh, kind of everything.”
She goes still.
“My family, the Blackwoods, they were hunters. Witches. They’re the ones who trapped it in the first place. Created some kind of supernatural prison to hold it.”
“That’s… kind of badass,” she says carefully.
“It is,” I agree. “Except now the Order figured out that the only way to break into that prison—really control what’s inside—is with Blackwood blood.”
Her eyes widen.
“And I’m the last one they can use.”
“Holy shit.” Delphi sits there in stunned silence. “So what are you going to do?”
“Try to stop them,” I say, unable to tell her the full truth, not because I don’t trust her with it, but because I’m ashamed of what I’m going to do.
The doorbell rings, and Mabel excitedly gets up to get our food. We set it all up on the coffee table, turning on the TV while we eat.
“Tell me about this guy,” I say, needing a subject change. “How was your date?”
“It was good,” Delphi says. “Just good though. Nothing amazing and he checked his phone a couple of times.”
“Did he explain why?” Mabel asks.
“First time he said he thought it could be about his kids. They were with their mom though, so it wasn’t his responsibility that night.”
“It doesn’t matter who has custody, your kids are still your kids,” Mabel says. “Even after they’re grown and their kids have kids, you still care. I like to keep track of mine.”
“You had kids?” Delphi asks. “I don’t know why I assumed you were, like, always a vampire.”
Mabel shakes her head and gets a distant look in her eye. “Tell me about the guy you’re dating,” she says suddenly, snapping back to her old self. Delphi gets out her phone, showing Mabel Andrew’s social media pages.
“He’s still active on the dating apps,” she says, letting out a sigh.
“How do you know?” I ask.
“I can see he’s active when I log on.”
“So you’re active, too?” Mabel tips her head.
“Yeah, but it’s different. I’m not trying to hookup with random guys.”
“Is he?” Mabel asks innocently.
“Not guys, but girls. I mean, I’m assuming. I’m only still active because I’m certain someone is going to disappoint me so I need options.”
“The crazy thing is,” I start. “I totally get that. But we probably shouldn’t jump to conclusions. I mean, actually, why not. Most men suck.”
“They do,” Mabel agrees. “And it hasn’t gotten any better in the last century. If anything, men have gotten worse!”
“Thank goodness you have a husband,” Delphi says to her. “I cannot imagine trying to date for more like one lifetime. I’d be single. Can vampires be nuns?”
“I don’t think so,” I reply. “Speaking of husbands. Has your ex left you alone?”
“He more or less has, but his girlfriend is a trip,” Delphi shakes her head. “She’s been on a rant, posting all over TikTok about how exhausting it is to be the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”
Mabel and I both laugh. “Dude, he downgraded so hard,” I say, remembering the posts Delphi showed me before. “And she’s really threatened by you.”
“I don’t get it.” Delphi pulls up the new girlfriend’s profile to show Mabel. “I am the one who filed for divorce. Clearly, I did not want to be with that man. So why is she acting like I’m jealous?”
“She’s very insecure,” Mabel says, quickly looking through all the photos. “And I can see why. I mean, look at you. You’re pretty, successful, kind and interesting. Isn’t that why you’re worried about the guy you’re dating’s ex?”
“Dammit, you’re right.” She wrinkles her nose. “It’s much more fun to chastise her.” She motions to the phone.
“Oh, it is,” I say. “So let’s do it.” We laugh. “Just whatever you do, don’t go posting like your ex husband’s girlfriend does and please don’t call yourself a bonus mom unless the kids say it first.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t. A daily goal of mine is to actually be a decent person and then not come off as pathetic.”
We all laugh and continue talking and gossiping as Delphi and I eat. Mabel has us record selling TikTok trends and by the time Delphi leaves, I feel so much better. I’ve heard that having female friends is really important.
I’ve never experienced the benefits of it until now.
Xavier texts me as I’m winding down to go to bed around three AM, telling me that he has one more meeting with some of his human business partners and he’ll be home in a few hours.
Assuming he means some of the gang members we’ve been having issues with, I tell him okay and that I love him, and then go into the kitchen to finish the rest of the chips and salsa.
The booming music coming from Zeke’s car fills the garage.
“Guys are home,” I say to myself. “I really do need a cat. At least I’d be talking to something.”
“Wren! Look,” Antonio says when he stumbles into the kitchen. pointing to a smudge of red on his collar. “It’s blood.”
I narrow my eyes, taking in his bloodshot pupils. Then I look at Devon—who was supposed to be responsible for him. Both he and Zeke both avoid my gaze, and Devon runs a hand over the back of his head.
“He may have… slightly accidentally done a little bit of Molly,” Devon admits. “Or mushrooms. Or both.”
I stare at him. Then at Zeke. Slowly, I shake my head.
“I love you, sis,” Antonio says, pulling me into a hug and patting my back. “It’s really cool that you have magic. I wish I had magic.” He holds his hands up in front of his face, moving his fingers slowly like he’s trying to see something that isn’t there. “I mean… maybe I do have magic.”
I cross my arms over my chest and look at Zeke. “Can you hold him spellbound and put him to bed or something?”
“Holding someone spellbound when they’re in an altered state isn’t as easy as it sounds,” Zeke explains. “He could spiral into a bad trip.”
“Fine,” I say. “Catch him.”
I step forward, pressing my hand to Antonio’s forehead, and gently cast him into sleep. Letting out a sigh, I put the chips and salsa away and go upstairs, trying to stay awake until Xavier gets home. I don’t, and I end up falling asleep, not waking until eleven AM the next morning.
I really do need to get on some sort of sleep schedule.
After I get up and shower, I stop by Antonio’s room.
I’ve been hungover before, but I have no idea what it feels like to come down from ecstasy or shrooms. Do you feel hungover, too?
Was he drunk in addition to being high? I want to give him shit for it, but I don’t.
He died. Like literally was dead and came back. Add in everything we found out about Vivian and Marco…I understand why he needed an escape.
Going downstairs, I find Xavier in the office.
He shows me the Instagram page Victoria has been working on and I’m impressed.
It looks real, and the next phase in our plan is for me to like a few things Mabel posts from this account.
It should organically lead people to it, letting the public feel like they figured something out.
As much as I don’t like Victoria, I have to admit she’s good at her job.
Feeling unnerved, I go outside to try and connect with nature or something. I end up staring into the koi pond for a while and then startle when my phone buzzes.
Delphi: Are you free to grab dinner? I was supposed to have a date with Andrew tonight but asked him if we could move it up an hour so I could go check on a sick patient at the hospital and he just canceled altogether.
One of the girls he started following just posted a “get ready for a date with me” reel and I know he’s taking her instead.
Me: I’m a much better date anyway. What time?
Delphi: Like now lol
Me: Sounds good. Want to go downtown? I need to go to the Crystal Key after.
Delphi: THANK YOU and of course.
I go back inside and find Xavier still in his office. “Delphi got kinda stood up by her date so I’m going to go out with her instead. Plus, I need to restock my spell supplies,” I tell Xavier. “I want to be prepared for anything and everything.”
His jaw tenses, not liking the idea of me going out during the day without him. “Would you like Hector to drive you?”
“Nah, it’s okay. I feel bad making him just wait around.”
“That’s quite literally his job.”
“Okay, fine.”
Xavier nods and kisses me goodbye. I’m wearing my usual workout clothes, with my hair in a high ponytail because it’s hot and humid as fuck out today.
I have Hector drop me off in front of the new age store, where I wait for Delphi to meet me.
We walk across the street and down two blocks, finding a place to eat without a long wait.
After dinner, I walk back to the Crystal Key. I go in, grab a basket, and mean to start sifting through the herbs and crystals but get a little distracted looking at all the pre-made spell kits. Some seem legit…if you had the power to invoke everything.
“You shouldn’t be here,” the shop owner says, coming to a sudden halt when she sees me.
“Go, now!” For a second, I take it personally and feel my stomach bottom out.
But then I see a man in the back of the store who was pretending to shop turn, dropping his basket.
He has an Order of the Mystic Realm tattoo on his forearm, and he comes right at me. Or…maybe for me.