“Are you doing all right?” Eliza asks softly. She keeps up the air of being bored and self-absorbed, but she cares deeply for Lucas, and we have a bond now too.
“I hate lying to my friends,” I confess with no hesitation. “They were so happy to have me back, and the whole time I’m sitting there, letting them think everything is okay, that I have a little bit of a break. I don’t even know how to tell them that Lucifer is out of Hell. I have no idea why he’s here, and if I’m right and he—”
“Hey,” Eliza interrupts. “It’s gonna be okay. You’re surprisingly scrappy and always pull things together at the last minute. And you have some pretty amazing friends who never hesitate to help you. You’re not alone in this.” She smiles, and sunlight sparkles in her eyes. “And your hot angel cousin will be back soon. He has the hookup to another archangel—your father. And speaking of risking everything to help you, he’s come to see you twice. I feel confident he’d intervene before Lucifer took your baby.”
I try—and fail—not to get all teary. “Stupid hormones,” I grumble, wiping my eyes. “Thank you. You’re a good friend too.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want that responsibility.”
I laugh and wipe away another tear. “The moral support is enough.”
“Damn straight.”
“Can I hug you?” I ask, still emotional.
Eliza wrinkles her nose and sighs. “Fine. Make it fast.”
I wrap my arms around her, and the feel of her cool skin against my hands is strange. Lucas is the only vampire I’ve been all up and personal with. Expecting Eliza to jerk away and break the contact as soon as possible, it surprises me when she squeezes me tight.
See? She really does care…and I think she is really worried I won’t be able to get myself out of this mess. Because I am.Chapter 7I pull the blankets over my shoulders and snuggle closer to Lucas. He’s sitting in bed with me, doing something with stocks or investments or something of the like. Whatever it is, it bored me as soon as he started explaining it to me, and I took that much-needed nap. The sun is starting to sink low in the sky now, and I should get up and move around a bit to shake the fog from my mind.
But I’m so comfy and warm and all of my familiars are next to me, hogging a decent portion of the bed. I don’t feel sick at all, and waking up not thinking I’m going to puke is so freaking nice.
“You’re still working?” I grumble, blinking my eyes open to look at Lucas’s computer. He quickly closes the browser and pushes the computer back, smiling down at me.
“I can be done. How are you feeling?”
“I think okay.”
“Just okay? Do you need to take more of the potion?”
“Oh, you meant physically.” I stretch my arms over my head. “I’m good in that area. Mentally…well, I’m always a hot fucking mess, but I feel hopeful right now.” Eliza’s little speech helped, and even though I’m fucking terrified of losing anyone I love, she’s right: I couldn’t ask for a better support system. “Maybe things will work out.”
“They will.” Lucas puts the computer on the nightstand and lies down, hand going to my stomach as he spoons his body around mine. “The contractor sent over photos from today. Things are progressing fast, though it is going to take longer than anticipated to get the front staircase back to its original glory.”
“We can use the other staircase,” I say and then giggle. “I can’t believe we’re going to live in a house with two staircases. I feel so fancy.”
“The arborist was there today as well.”
“Please tell me he didn’t find chopped-up body parts inside the trees.”
“I would have woken you up if that were the case. It was a combination of insects and fungus. The diseased trees will be cleared out this week.”
“Poor trees. Can we keep them for firewood? I breathe, and I don’t want to be breathing in burned fungus.”
“I didn’t ask that, and it’s not something I thought about.”
“I’ll give you a pass. You haven’t breathed in quite a while.” I push myself up. “How many trees need to be taken out?”
“Not as many as we first thought.”
“Good. Want to go to the house with me once the sun sets? And then maybe get dinner? We can go to Suzy’s Cafe again now that I’m good with the coven.”
“I was already planning on taking you out so you have another reason to dress up.” He slides his hand down between my thighs.
“Are you saying I look better when I put effort into my appearance?” I laugh.
“I prefer you naked. You look good in anything.”
“Because you can take it off, right?”
“I do imagine you naked half the time we’re talking,” he chuckles.