“But you do now?” she asks with a chuckle.
“Hah, that did sound bad. Anything that lowered my inhibitions also lowered my ability to hold up the mental shields. I’m a medium,” I tell her, finding it so freeing to talk about this openly. “There are protections spells put on the house and keep spirits away. I can relax here.”
“And drink.”
I laugh. “Yes, and drink.”
Tossing Hunter my crust, I lean back against Ethan. We’re all in the living room, watching a movie while we eat pizza. I texted Rene just wanting to make sure she got home all right and haven’t heard back. I’m trying not to let it bother me, but I still find myself glancing at my phone every few minutes, hoping I missed a text alert.
I haven’t.
“Getting tired?” Ethan asks, wrapping both arms around me.
“Yeah. It’s been a long day.”
“It has,” he agrees.
“It’s not that late but I could use an early night,” Yuma notes.
“You don’t have to go to bed just because we are,” Ethan tells her. “Stay up and make yourselves at home. You know where the food and booze are in the kitchen. Help yourself.”
“I think we will.” Sam sets her empty beer bottle on the coffee table. “Your room is like right above us, though. Keep it down. It’s been a while since I was forced to hear you going at it with someone and I’ve almost repressed the memories by now.”
“Our room is above the kitchen,” Ethan replies. “Fine. Same goes for you.”
Yuma blushes slightly and shoots Sam a look, telling her to be nice. Ethan and I get up, do a half-assed job cleaning the kitchen, and then go upstairs to get ready for bed. I put Romeo in his cage for the night, not wanting him to knock something over and startle Sam and Yuma.
We are settling into bed and turn on the TV, snuggling up together. Normally, we leave the bedroom door open since it’s just the two of us in the house but, since we have guests, it’s closed. Hunter stayed downstairs, hoping to get more pizza. He can slip in on his own in shadow form at least.
“I didn’t realize Sam and Yuma were dating.” I splay my fingers across Ethan’s bare chest.
“They have been on and off for years. Sam will tell you they’re just friends.” He shrugs.
“She really doesn’t let herself get close to anyone, does she?”
“No. She won’t admit it, but I think she has it in her head that something bad will happen as soon as she lets someone know how much they mean to her.”
“I get that.” I let out a sigh. “I feel bad for her. It has to be lonely.”
“It is.” He holds me a little tighter. Ethan knows exactly how lonely it is. He lived it for years.
“What about Julia?”
“She’s had an online boyfriend for two years now.”
“An online boyfriend?” I echo, looking up to see the amusement on Ethan’s face.
“He’s a real person at least. They FaceTime. Not sure if his story checks out but I’m not getting into it. Supposedly, he lives in Nigeria and is saving to come to the US.”
“90-Day Fiancé: Demon Hunter Edition is going to be an instant hit.”
Ethan laughs and kisses the side of my head. My phone vibrates and I roll over to grab it off my nightstand.
“It’s my brother,” I say. “Not Rene.”
“She might come around.”
“And she might not.”
I open my text to see what Harrison wants.
Harrison: I’m flying to Chicago next week to meet with some clients. Care if I stop by?
Me: I’d care if you were this close and DIDN’T stop by. When are you coming?!
Harrison: Not quite sure yet. Possibly next Thursday. Waiting to confirm a few things and get a contract ready. Don’t want to go all the way out there if they’re not going to sign.
Me: You can just come visit anyway. ;-)
Harrison: Hah. Same for you.
Me: I can’t leave my horses.
He sends an eye-rolling emoji.
Harrison: I’ll let you know when my flight out is. I figured I’d come to your place for a day.
Me: I’d love that. Miss you and love you!
He likes my last text, which is as close as I’ll get to a “love you too, sis” response. I put the phone down and go back to Ethan. We watch one more episode of the comedy show Ethan had turned on, and then settle down for the night. I toss and turn for a good half-hour before falling asleep. It shouldn’t surprise me that I have a bad dream about Rene and the reapers. In my dream, the reapers got to her first.
My eyes fly open, heart racing. It was just a stupid dream. There are no reapers outside, and Rene is home safe—though, I actually don’t know that. I go to take a deep breath but can’t. I’m laying on my back, with my head turned toward Ethan, and something heavy presses down on me.