“She showed me this picture,” Melinda goes on, getting her phone from her jacket pocket. She opens up a Facebook post and shows me a photo. “That’s your brother, isn’t it?”
“Yeah,” I say, looking at a smiling photo of Scott in a suit, standing front and center on a podium, shaking hands with another guy.
“That’s what I thought, and that’s my friend’s ex with him. Once she showed me this, I put a little more credit into her drunken rambling.”
“Interesting.” I bite my bottom lip, mind racing. I really don’t have time to get into this, and I know the whole thing is much bigger than I realize. I’m only seeing the tip of the iceberg, and a political fight is the last fucking thing I need.
But a war between vampires and humans will end in so much blood.
“Can you take a screenshot of that and send it to me?” I ask Melinda.
“Sure.”
The waiter comes over to take our order, and I order both dishes I wanted, along with an appetizer for us to share. I hand the menu to the waiter and watch him walk away. When he’s out of earshot, I rest my hands on the table, needing to get down to business.
“The reason I asked for help on a demon case is because I promised I’d take some time off from running headfirst into danger if I can help it.”
“Why?” Easton asks.
“Lucas was cursed with humanity and knocked me up.”
“You’re joking,” Melinda says slowly.
“Nope. You were right,” I told Easton. “That’s why I felt so sick.”
“Fuck. I’m, um, sorry?” Easton offers, and Melinda swats his arm.
“It obviously wasn’t expected or planned,” I press. “But we’re married, and if he wasn’t a vampire this would be the next step.”
“Would it, though?” Easton asks, not afraid to be too bold. “You married the guy thinking you couldn’t procreate.”
“I married him because I love him, not because vampires can’t typically get anyone pregnant,” I correct. “The ability to procreate—or not—didn’t have much to do with it. I love Lucas, and he loves me. The curse was an interesting twist to our story, I’ll admit, and it’s going to change things for sure, but I have to believe it’ll work out. We’re going to have a family, and it’s scary but exciting and I don’t want you to treat me any differently, okay? Oh, also I’m a Nephilim. I just found out a few months ago,” I add, remembering Melinda doesn’t know.
Silence falls over the table, and both Easton and Melinda stare at me.
“Don’t be weird,” I tell them. “I’m still me, just slightly more badass than before.”
“Okay,” Melinda grabs the drink menu though we’ve already ordered. It’s a lot to process, I know, but I’ve discovered how much easier it is to just come out and say things. There’s no reason to dance around the truth. It’s such a waste of time. “So, this demon…”
“Right.” I reach into my purse, pulling out a notebook. “Here’s what I know.”“How’d things go?” Lucas looks up from the computer. The office in the Lincoln Park house is impressive, with floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves and a large executive desk in the center of the room. He’ll have an office just as grand in the new house. I still don’t really understand exactly what Lucas does. He doesn’t really have a job in a traditional sense, yet whatever he does makes him a lot of money.
“Good. Interesting, but good.”
Lucas closes his laptop and gets up. He’s wearing my favorite pair of gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt and looks so fucking good. “Interesting how?”
“Well, I ran into Scott and his friends on the way there, had some fun pushing his buttons because I just can’t help it. I think he’s abusive to Ella, his fiancée.”
“That wouldn’t surprise me. Men like him are small. They need to put others down in any way to feel good about themselves.”
“Yeah, like father like son, right? And I know it was Ella’s choice to start dating him, but she could be a victim here.”
“Callie,” Lucas says gently and brushes my hair back. I know what he’s thinking. I can’t swoop in and save the day. I can’t solve all the world’s problems, and even if Ella wants out of the relationship, I’d be the last person to actually be able to help her. Instead of telling me this, Lucas puts his lips to mine. “I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you, too,” I whisper back, eyes falling shut. “And that wasn’t the interesting thing.” I put my hands on his waist and look up. “Melinda’s friend was dating a hunter in The Order and broke up with him because he was getting involved with politics and his stance was too strong on something she opposed. Wanna guess whose political campaign he was backing?”