Author: Emily Goodwin
Category: Vampires
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“An active curse can be thought of as a living entity,” Tabatha explains and scans the crystal over me. “Your aura has changed.”
“In a bad way?” Lucas asks and sits up too quickly. He winces and puts his hand over the wound.
“No.” Tabatha looks into my eyes, still reading my energy. “It’s stronger yet…different. Have you been able to control your powers?”
“She’s not a kid, Mother,” Evander says under his breath.
“It’s fine,” I tell him and look at my hands, remembering how I burned Lucas. In some ways, I do feel like a kid all over again, with my emotions directly affecting my powers. “I’m getting used to the extra power and know I need to be more careful to stay in control.”
“Good. We can always discuss that later. Now, why don’t you go get a cup of coffee and I’ll add another binding to the curse?”
I nod, knowing she’s kicking me out for a reason. It’s probably going to hurt, and the one they should worry about is Eliza. At least Lucas can command her to go up to the guest room if necessary.
Kristy pours us two cups of coffee, adds a ridiculous amount of sugar to hers, and motions for me to come with her onto the back porch.
I sit on the top step and sip my coffee. “Do you remember when things were simpler?”
“Since we’ve been friends?” Kristy playfully nudges me with her elbow. “Not really. Though I do remember when things weren’t so…so critical.”
Silence falls between us, and I look out at the woods. The words I haven’t even wanted to admit to myself bubble on my tongue. Closing my eyes, I voice my truth. “Do you think it’s my fault?”
“How is this your fault?”
“I don’t even know…maybe because I love Lucas and the universe is trying to get back at me for falling in love with someone I’m not supposed to be with.”
“Callie,” Kristy says slowly. “You know I’ve had a hard time getting used to the fact that you’re with a vampire, right?”
“Right.”
“But there is nothing wrong between you and Lucas. He loves you, so, so much. I’ll admit I was worried for a while—and I still think he’d do anything, no matter the cost, if it meant protecting you—but I’ve seen it firsthand. That man, that vampire, loves you in that sickening, the-hills-are-alive kind of way that I thought only existed in romance novels. And you, little miss I don’t need a man, have fallen hard for him, but not in a way that you lost your footing.”
She sets down her coffee mug and angles her body toward mine. “You two are good together. He’s good for you and made you face a lot of things you’ve been avoiding for years. The universe isn’t punishing you. If anything, the universe should punish those who say you two are wrong.”
I blink back tears and hook my arm through Kristy’s. “I love you, you know that, right?”
“I do. But if you want to buy me another cake, I’ll gladly take that as reassurance of your love.”
“I’ll have to go to the Walmart in Paradise Valley so I can pretend I’m buying a cake for my one-year-old daughter again.”
Kristy laughs. “Right. You get a free smash-cake along with it. Paradise Valley isn’t far.”
“I actually haven’t been there in a while.” I sit up and wipe my eyes. Paradise Valley is one of our neighboring towns and is a bit bigger than Thorne Hill. It has a fantastic downtown and lots of good shopping and highly rated restaurants. They have their own small university and have been growing rapidly in the last few years.
It’s a good thing Lucas bought up all those acres of farmland for sale in my beloved Thorne Hill. I rest my head on Kristy’s shoulder, and we sit in silence for a while, drinking our coffee. About fifteen minutes later, Kristy sets her coffee cup down.
“Let’s go in and get some wine.” She gets to her feet and offers me a hand. I take it, and she pulls me into a hug.
“I love you, Cal. I’m here for you, no matter what.”
I blink back tears again, hating that there’s something ominous in her words. Lucas is going to be okay. She’ll be there for that.
“Wine is always good. Though cut me off early. Lucas has drank a lot of my blood, and if I’m being honest, I feel a little weak still.”
“When did you eat last?”
“I had a late breakfast. It’s still on the stove, I think.” Mimosas and the remaining biscuits and gravy sounds amazing, actually. The second the door closes behind us, Eliza speeds forward and puts one hand on my forehead and another on the back of my neck, fingers slipping down under my shirt.
“I missed you, too.” I arch my eyebrows. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Checking your temperature,” she spits out like it’s obvious. She goes over to the stove and sticks her finger in a pot of water. “This is too warm.”
“You’re boiling water?” Kristy asks.
“I need to warm up more blood for Lucas.” She opens the fridge and looks at the different bags of blood, settling on B-negative.
“I’d assume I’m a normal 98.6,” I tell her. “I’m always healthy.”
Kristy feels my forehead with the back of her hand. “Yep. You feel pretty normal to me. Temperature wise, that is.”
“Did he tell you he was hungry?” I ask, knowing Lucas didn’t ask Eliza to heat up more blood.
“No.” She purses her lips. “But he should eat.”
I hold out my hand and take the bag of blood and stick it under my shirt. “Still think me being with a vampire is fine?” I ask Kristy, who just laughs. We go back into the living room and find Tabatha packing up her magical supplies.
“I’ve enchanted this to go along with the binding spell.” Tabatha hands me a carton of eggs. “Crack one every morning and you’ll know if the binding is weakening. The weaker the binding, the stronger the curse, which will rot the yolks.”
“Thank you.” I set the eggs on the TV stand, away from where Scarlet can get them. “For everything.”
“Of course, my dear.” Tabatha brings me in for a hug, and I feel instantly comforted by her arms around me. She’s very much like my mother, having raised me since I was ten. “Evander and I must get back to the Covenstead.”
“Professor Harrison should be here around sunset,” Evander tells me. “I’ve told him to come straight here and to let me know when he’s in Thorne Hill.”
“Thank you, Evander. I know how risky it is to be here, especially with the Grand Coven in town. Have they said anything about me yet?” I internally wince.
“No.” Tabatha snaps the leather bag shut and flicks her eyes to Evander. “As you now know, the trial is over, and the Grand Coven will go back to clerical work. I’m not sure how many papers are ahead of yours, but I can’t image it will be long until they review your petition to leave the coven.”
“Callie won’t get in trouble, will she?” Lucas asks. He’s not afraid of me getting in trouble but more interested in how many people he’ll have to threaten with death—or actually kill—in order to keep me safe.
“She shouldn’t,” Tabatha goes on. “The paperwork she filled out officially renounced her ties with the coven. As far as she is concerned, she is no longer a member of the Grim Gate Coven. Joining a coven is ritualistic, even for those born to parents of the coven. But there are legalities to it as well, abiding by Witch Law.” Tabatha picks up her robe, shakes off the cat fur, and puts it on. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she is questioned to make sure she is leaving of her own free will.”
“I wrote down that it was my choice,” I say. “Because I wanted to marry a vampire.”
“Given our history, the Grand Coven may want to make sure you weren’t threatened into leaving.”
I let out a sigh. “It’s so stupid and such a waste of time.”
“I agree,” Tabatha says. “I will inform you if I hear anything.”
“Thank you,” I say again and walk both her and Evander to the door. Tabatha hugs me once more before she leaves. “Now what?” I say and sit on th
e couch next to Lucas.
“Go about your day,” he tells me. “Do what you’d normally do if I wasn’t cursed.”
“I don’t know what I’d normally be doing. It’s been a weird month.”
“It has,” he agrees and puts his arm around me. “Why don’t you and Kristy go out? Shop or see a movie.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Callie,” he presses, “I’m not going anywhere. Besides, I have business to attend to. Go and see the house. You haven’t taken pictures in a while.”
“I would love to see it,” Kristy urges.
“I’m sure it’s progressed a lot since before we left,” Lucas goes on. “And you haven’t seen it in the daylight in quite a while.”
“Let’s go check it out,” Kristy tries, knowing it will do me some good to get out of the house. “We can swing by the store and I’ll show you the new display we got. Plus, I didn’t get a chance to give you your birthday present yet since you were in California.”
“I’d like that. Who’s working today?”
“Danielle and Betty.”
“How’s Danielle doing?” I ask. The last time I saw her, I saved her from getting her organs harvested by a demon.
“She just came back to work a few days ago. She’s pretty shaken up and knows something supernatural went on. Betty and I feel bad lying.”
“Oh, right. I kinda spilled the beans to Betty. I never asked if you were mad about that or not.”
“No, it’s honestly a relief. I think she’s suspected it for years now.”
“I think so, too.”
Kristy loops her arm through mine. “Come on. Let’s go.”
“So much has changed.” The knot in my stomach starts to tighten again as I sit next to Lucas. He’s on the couch and is rewatching whatever episode of Star Wars I fell asleep during earlier.
“I assumed it would.” Lucas takes my phone from me and flips through the photos of the house. “Though it progressed more than I expected.”
“Right?” I smile, wrestling with excitement and fear. I cannot wait to move into the large estate with Lucas…but I’m scared he won’t be here. “There is scaffolding all around it, and look at the siding! It looks so pretty all cleaned up!”
“There are several rooms clean enough now to fuck you in,” he says matter-of-factly as he flips through more photos. “Perhaps tonight—”
“Lucas,” I say sternly.
“Buzzkill,” he mumbles under his breath. “You could at least offer to blow me in the foyer.”
I roll my eyes and inch closer to him. “We’re going to break the curse and then you can fuck me every which way I can think of and then some.”
Eliza, who’s sitting on the love seat, rolls her eyes, huffing loudly. She’s about to say something sarcastic, I’m sure, but snaps her mouth shut and quickly stands.
“Someone is here.”
Lucas turns, concern flashing across his face. Did he not hear the car?
“It’s probably that professor.” I smooth my hair back and go to the front door, needing to create a door in the warding for a stranger to step through.
I watch a black Toyota bump down the gravel driveway, stopping right behind my Jeep. My familiars shadow forward, circling the car. I lean against the doorframe and watch the professor get out of the car.
“Binx?” the professor asks. “Is that you?”
Binx shifts back into his cat form and meows, sitting in the middle of the driveway, swishing his tail.
“It is you,” the professor says, and his voice is familiar, yet I can’t place it. I tip my head, and Binx stands, sniffing the air. The professor reaches down, extending his hand for Binx to inspect before running his hand over my familiar’s sleek fur. He straightens up and light from the porch illuminates his face.
“Felix?” I lean back in shock, a smile coming over my face. “You’re the colleague Evander called?”
Felix, a handsome warlock with tan skin, thick, black hair, and deep, chocolate eyes, smiles right back. “What, you thought I wouldn’t amount to anything but the Academy’s bad boy?”
“Maybe. Then again, I did graduate with high marks.”
“Impressive for Grim Gate’s delinquent.”
I slowly shake my head, watching Felix walk up to the house. I haven’t seen him in years. I don’t remember the last time we spoke. Maybe during my university studies?
“Callie fucking Martin,” Felix breathes, coming up the porch steps. He runs his eyes up and down me. “How do you look even better than the last time I saw you?”
“It’s Callie fucking King now.” Lucas moves with vampire speed, appearing at my side. The sun is low in the sky but not completely set yet. He’s either ignoring the slight burn or…or it’s not hurting him because he’s become even more human.
Felix stops short but recovers fast. “Right. Evander told me you were with the vampire.”
I hold up my hand and wiggle my fingers, showing off my ridiculously large diamond ring. “I am.”
“Damn.” His eyes zero in on the ring, and I’m sure he’s wondering why we live in such a humble house when we can afford a six-figure ring. Or maybe he’s thinking the diamond is fake. I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t care.
“We got married about two and a half weeks ago.” I look at Lucas, feeling my heart swell in my chest as I remember him standing at the altar waiting for me. He looked so sexy in his tux, and knowing that he loves me enough to spend literal forever with me—ugh, I wish we could have sex tonight.
“Well, congrats on that. Now, tell me about this curse.”
I step back to let Felix into the house, but Lucas doesn’t move. He can look intimidating as hell when he wants to, and he hasn’t drawn his fangs—yet.
“So you know Callie?” He asks it like a question, but I know better. I resist the urge to pull an Eliza and roll my eyes. Vampires are possessive and jealous by nature. Lucas is confident enough not to be bothered…most of the time.
“Yes, we went to the Academy together,” Felix explains, and Lucas finally steps to the side. “I graduated a year ahead of her, with Evander.”
“You were friends?”
“Among other things.” Felix gives me a cheeky grin, and I want to slap it right off his face.
“You dated?” Lucas’s brows pinch together, and my familiars shadow back into the house. I close the front door and Scarlet comes running, skidding to a stop in the foyer and growling at Felix. “Good girl,” Lucas praises, bending down to scoop up the puppy. She gets all excited that he’s actually paying attention to her and licks his face.
And Lucas allows it.
I let out a sigh. I don’t have time for jealous vampire drama tonight, and neither does Lucas.
“Yes, we did,” I say flatly. “I did have a few other boyfriends after Easton.”
Eliza zooms into the foyer, crowding us all uncomfortably together. “You mean, after the witch hunter who tried to murder you?”
“Yes.” I hike my brows and force a smile. “That would be the one.”
“Interesting.” Eliza crosses her arms. “Your old boyfriends keep showing up in your life.”
Felix’s jaw tenses. “The witch hunter is back? Do I need to cast a protection spell for you?”
“Cool your jets. I ran into him recently, and he’s changed. A lot. He actually came to our wedding.” I take Scarlet from Lucas and shove the wriggling puppy into Eliza’s arms. She acts like she doesn’t want her but kisses her when she thinks I’m not looking. “Now…um, thank you for coming. Please come in.”
Lucas lets out a low growl, and if he wasn’t hurt, I’d elbow him hard in the ribs.
“Of course. When Evander called, I knew this was a case I had to take. And that was before I knew it was you.”
I nod, feeling nervous all over again. “Evander said you specialize in curses now.”
“I do. After personal involvement in a curse we were unable to break, I changed my university studies fro
m transformation to breaking curses. It’s a bit of an obsession of mine now to learn as much as I can.” He forces a smile, and I see a bit of heartache reflected in his eyes. “If it will help save one witch or warlock, then it’s worth it.”
“Right.” I take Lucas’s hand and yank him into the living room. “Did Evander tell you what happened?”
“Briefly, but I’d love to hear it from you. From both of you.” Felix takes off his shoes and coat and snaps his fingers, materializing a bag in front of him. We all go into the living room, and Felix takes notes as Lucas and I go over everything that happened.
Lucas grumbles when Felix gets crystals and herbs out of his bag, saying he’s going to take a look at the curse.
“Just shut up and lie down,” I tell Lucas through gritted teeth. My anger slips away, and for a second, Lucas can see just how scared I am.
“Fine,” he says and lies down on the couch, letting Felix look at the curse. “How long did you date Callie?” he asks as soon as Felix places a crystal on his chest.
“Only a few months.”
“Did you sleep with her?” he asks seriously.
“Lucas,” I scold, ignoring the smug look on Eliza’s face. Yeah, I know, he’s a pain in the ass. “That doesn’t matter.”
“I’m making conversation.”
Felix flicks his eyes to me in question. We did sleep together, but only a few times. And the sex was nowhere near as good as the sex is with Lucas. Nothing from my past even comes close in comparison. “So this curse,” he starts and suddenly stops scanning Lucas with the crystals.
“What is it?” I’m perched on the coffee table, and all annoyance over Lucas being a jealous idiot fades away. My heart skips a beat in my chest, and I reach for Lucas’s hand.
Felix sets the crystal down and looks at me, brows furrowed. “If it is indeed the curse that I’m thinking of, then this is bad. That particular curse must be seen into completion. I’m sorry, Callie, but there is no way to stop it.”
Chapter 12
“No.” My fingers close around Lucas’s hand, nails biting into his skin. “I don’t accept that.” I blink and ignore the ringing in my ears. I refuse to accept it. Lucas isn’t going to be in this half-alive, half-dead state forever.