Chapter 35
Chapter
Thirty-Five
Devon’s face wrinkles with disgust. “I used to eat that.” He watches me take another bite of my bean burrito. “And enjoyed it.”
“You haven’t been dead long enough to start dissing Taco Bell,” I say with my mouth full. “I think a year needs to pass first. Minimum.”
“I have to say, I am not sad I missed the invention of fast food,” Xavier notes and I laugh. We’re at a Taco Bell not far from the campground, and we all look a little worse for wear. As late as Taco Bell is open, we were the last customers to stop in.
“The food game has stepped up so much since you’ve last eaten too,” I add, and squirt more hot sauce on my burrito, careful not to get it in my cut. Xavier is right; I do need stitches because every time I think the bleeding has stopped and I move my hand, it starts bleeding again.
But first, Taco Bell. It’s not like I’m going to bleed to death here.
We’re getting close to sunrise by the time we get home, and the physician who treats the Malus family humans is here, waiting to stitch up my left hand. Xavier helps me shower so I don’t get the bandage wet, and then we get into bed.
“You risked your life for me,” I whisper. I’m enveloped in his embrace, with my head resting on his bare chest.
“I’m not alive, Wren.”
“You know what I mean. You put yourself at risk. For me.”
“Why wouldn’t I? You are exquisite.”
I close my eyes, feeling so much for him right now. “And you say I’m a risk taker. The demon could have taken over.”
“I wouldn’t have let it.” He kisses the top of my head. “If the choice were to hurt you or to walk into the sun, I’d already be burning.”
Stretching my arms over my head, I wipe away the sweat that’s dripping down my face.
I’ve been lying outside tanning for the last hour or so, and I’m about ready to call it and go in.
It’s been so long since I’ve gotten to lay out like this.
After all the excitement and stress from the last few days, lying still is almost boring.
And something is bothering me, even though I’m trying really hard not to let it get to me. It’s like putting together a thousand-piece puzzle and realizing you’re missing one piece. Yeah, the thing overall is complete, but it’s gonna drive you insane until you find it.
The demon is dead. Gone. An entire day has come and passed and there’ve been no mysterious deaths blamed on overdoses.
The Camp Dogwood massacre is being attributed to ‘cult fanatics’ and the police are looking for leads that don’t exist. It’s the why that’s bothering me, and it’s something I need to just accept.
We don’t always know the reason or even understand it when it comes to demons and their motivation.
The only thing worse than missing one piece of a puzzle is having that one piece be from a different puzzle and you’re left holding it, trying to jam it into place. Which is how I feel when I think about the homeless people here in Charlotte dying from demons using their bodies.
What were they doing? Why did the demon burn through so many bodies?
Xavier suggested that the demon tried to access the Ley line here—in town—but couldn’t so it moved onto somewhere else, where it was secluded and the line was easier to access.
His theory makes sense, and accessing different parts of the Ley line could have created a power surge, giving all his minions a boost.
But the Order? Why would they cover this up? Why recruit people just to feed them to demons? Why refuse to look into Camp Dogwood unless they already knew exactly what was going on?
The demon is gone. Dead. We watched it burn into nothing, falling to the ground and mixing with the soil to never be seen or even thought about again.
I make it only a few more minutes before I start to get overheated. I get up, wrap my towel around my waist, and go inside. Stepping into the air conditioning feels so fucking good, and I make a beeline to the kitchen to get something cold to drink.
Xavier comes out of the office as I’m walking down the hall to go upstairs. He catches me around the waist and pulls me toward him.
“You’re so warm,” he groans.
“It’s freaking hot out there. I’m really surprised you don’t have a pool. It would be nice on a day like today.”
“If you want a pool, we’ll get a pool.” He nuzzles his face into my neck, kissing my sweaty skin.
“We can do moonlight swimming together.”
His fangs brush against me and his cock starts to get hard. “I like the thought of that.”
“Want to help me shower?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows. “I am injured.”
“What kind of husband would I be if I let you shower alone?” Pulling the towel from around my waist, he drops it to the ground and runs his hands down the back of my legs. Then he picks me up and carries me upstairs.
We only make it as far as the entrance to our bedroom before we’re both naked, and I use magic to close the doors.
Xavier fucks me against them and then he really does help me wash my hair since my left hand is still out of commission.
I feel like an idiot for cutting myself so deeply, but I don’t regret it.
Seeing Xavier on the ground, motionless and not healing was terrifying.
If I never see a man I care about injured and bleeding on the ground again, it will be too soon.
Xavier dries my hair for me as I sit at the bathroom vanity, which is so goddamn sexy. He runs the brush through my hair with so much care. He ends up fucking me right here on the vanity chair as well.
“I don’t want you to go,” I say as he carries me into bed. We tangle together and I’m so relaxed and satisfied, I could fall asleep. “But I know you have to.”
“I have work to do, my darling.” He kisses me and runs his fingers up and down my side.
“I know.” My eyes flutter shut. “You’ve become quite popular the last few days, too. Mabel showed me that you’re trending on TikTok.”
He chuckles. “The VC is good at PR.”
“I don’t disagree, but I think a lot of it is you.” I bite my lip, feeling desire for him again. “But you’re a married man now.”
“Happily married.” We lounge around together for a little bit longer before Xavier has to leave.
The demon might be gone, but the issues with the coalition haven’t been resolved.
I remind myself Xavier, Theo, and Ezekiel have been doing this for centuries—seven to be exact—so they can handle whatever we’re up against.
I stay in bed after Xavier leaves, mindlessly scrolling through social media.
My fingers are moving fast, swiping by anything that doesn’t instantly hook me, but I pause when a clip of breaking news flashes on screen.
The reporter is talking about Camp Dogwood.
This isn’t breaking news anymore. Ready to swipe to something else, because I’ve heard this all before, I almost miss it.
“Authorities confirm they are pursuing multiple persons of interest, though no names have been released at this time,” the reporter says. If that’s true, then it is news. I read through some of the comments and then waste an hour watching videos of people pranking each other.
Delphi texts, interrupting my doomscrolling.
Delphi: My Hinge date just canceled but I already made reservations at a hard to book place downtown. Want to go with me instead?
Me: What time?
Delphi: 9 but we can go there around 8:30 for drinks at the bar
Me: Sounds good! Would you mind if Mabel tagged along?
Delphi: The vampire?
Me: Yeah…is that an issue?
Delphi: No, but what will she eat?
Me: LOL she just likes to have a reason to go places where she can dress up and take pictures
Delphi: She’s in good company then. I’ll send you the details!
I set my phone down and get up, jogging down the stairs to find Mabel. She’s in the kitchen, filming herself making cupcakes again.
“Hey,” I say, stopping at the counter. “Want to go out with me and Delphi tonight?”
“Yes,” she replies before she even finds out where we’re going. “I like the werewolf doctor.”
“She’s pretty cool. I think she’ll get along with us.”
Mabel claps her hands together. “Maybe I’ll have two friends now! Ohh! Should we all wear one matching accessory? I have three red Van Cleef bracelets we can wear. I kept losing them but really, Ellen went through a phase where she took my jewelry.”
“Glad she grew out of that,” I say, knowing Mabel is talking about her creepy doll. Maybe the thing actually is haunted. “What kind of cupcakes are you making today?”
“Confetti. Look how pretty! It’s disappointing how good it smells but how bad it tastes. I’ve tried it.”
“We were just talking about this the other day,” I say and then tell her about how Xavier and now Devon got grossed out by watching me eat Taco Bell. I help Mabel make cupcakes and as we’re cleaning up, the doorbell rings. We both look at each other and shrug.
Seeing as I’m the only one who can answer the door during daylight hours, I pad my way through the foyer.
“Hi,” a man says as soon as I open the door. “Just wanted to let you know we’ll be out back doing the measurements.”
“Uh, okay,” I say and look beyond him at the van he pulled up in. Another man is getting out, pushing one of those wheel-things surveyors use. They’re from a pool company.
“Here is our catalogue,” he goes on, handing me a big binder. He looks inside the house, apprehension on his face. I think everyone in North Carolina knows vampires live here. “You have enough land, I don't think there will be any restrictions.”
“Okay,” I just repeat. “Thanks.”
“Of course, ma’am.” He gives me a nod and then joins his partner, going around to the back yard. Taking the binder in, I go upstairs and get my phone to call Xavier.
“Hello, darling,” he answers.
“Hey, some guys are here measuring for a pool?”
He chuckles. “Don’t sound so surprised. You said you wanted a pool.”
“Yeah, but it was just something I said. Like I’d love a million dollars.”
“Do you want a million dollars?”
“Yeah, but wait, we’re really getting a pool?”
“Any excuse to see you in a bikini more. And happy. I like seeing you happy.”
“I like being happy. Okay, get back to work. And, uh, thank you.” I end the call and go to the closet to pick out something fancy to wear tonight. Now that I have some breathing room, maybe I can go shopping again, without Nina.
Since I’ve been slowly converting to “vampire hours” I don’t see the staff as much anymore, but they have to come sometime early in the morning because the house is always spotless and the fridge is always full of groceries.
“Wren?” Mabel calls, standing in my doorway.
“Come in, I’m in the closet!” I call back.
“I had an idea. We should all wear black dresses and matching bracelets.” She beams, so excited at the thought.
“I’ll text Delphi now because that would be so fun.” I fire off a text and she replies right away. “She’s in.”
Mabel squeaks with excitement. “I’ll pick something out and then wait for the cupcakes to finish baking. Will you eat one while I watch?”
“Totally,” I tell her, knowing only Mabel can make that request and have it not be weird. I lay my dress out on the bed and then spend the rest of the day doing pretty much nothing. It’s glorious.
“You look nice,” Devon compliments, looking up from his phone when I come down the stairs.
He’s sitting in the parlor, and he’s been kinda quiet since we came back from Camp Dogwood.
Demon hunting can be shockingly violent.
Those of us raised in the order have been exposed to it since childhood, and aren’t bothered by things that would give a normal adult nightmares.
Devon grew up different than most, but he lived a polished life of privilege. He knew the lengths Xavier would go to for his family, but he never witnessed it first hand. The whole experience at Camp Dogwood was sobering for Devon.
I should be happy about it because he’s seeming more like his old self.
But all it’s doing is making me feel a lot of guilt and I have the stupidest idea to invite him out with us and try and set him up with Delphi, not because I think either of them would really even like each other, but to ease my own conscience.
“Thanks. We’re having a girls’ night.”
“Mabel really likes you. She’s wanted friends since I’ve known her, which is my entire life.”
“She’s a good person.”
“She is.”
“And so are you,” I add.
He laughs. “That’s debatable. Have fun tonight. I’m sure I’ll see a million pictures on Mabel’s feed.”
“Oh you will. Do you, uh, have plans?”
“Zeke and I are going out. Doing guy stuff. It’s going to be very manly.”
I laugh and some of the tension leaves my chest. I get my shoes and borrow an anatomically correct, heart-shaped purse from Mabel. We meet Delphi at the restaurant and everyone hits it off right away.
Is this what life is like when you actually have people around you who care?
We go from the restaurant to the same nightclub Mabel and I encountered the succubus, and I’m having so much fun I don’t notice my phone ringing off the hook until I get it out to take pictures. Leo called me six times and Antonio called twice.
I slip into a backroom where there are thankfully no demons this time, and call Leo back first, but the call goes to voicemail. I call Antonio next.
“Please tell me you had nothing to do with it,” he rushes out.
“Do with what?” I say back, blinking a few times. My head spins from the drinks Delphi and I have had.
“Larissa just got arrested.”
I let out a snort of laughter. “What’d she do?”
“According to the police, she orchestrated everything that went down at Camp Dogwood.”