Still of Night (Thorne Hill 4)

“I think so.” I sit up and conjure a string of magic so I can see in the dark. Binx is on my pillow and Freya is at my feet. Pandora is sleeping on the pile of laundry in the corner of my room that never seems to get done.

Everything looks normal.

Feels normal.

But it’s not.

“I’ve been having weird dreams, but I don’t think they’re really dreams.” I push my hair back and let Lucas pull me onto his chest.

“What happens in these dreams?”

“Lucifer talks to me, and I think it’s really him.”

“What does he say?” Lucas asks slowly.

“The first time, he told me I should get revenge on my so-called parents. And this last time he said he just wanted to talk because we’re family.”

“So you had a conversation with the devil?”

“I did, and he said he doesn’t like to be called that. He wants to go by Lucifer again.”

Lucas sits up, eyes clouding with worry. “You really did just sit and chat?”

“Kind of. He made a sandwich while we talked.”

Lucas doesn’t say anything, but I can see the worry on his face.

“I know better than to trust him,” I assure Lucas. Blue light from the string of magic shines down on us both.

“What else did he say?”

“That he can’t tell demons not to attack me or it will be too obvious I’m something special.”

“That makes sense, actually. If he knows you’re family then he knows…”

“That Michael is my father, yes. He said he thinks I should be allowed to live.”

I twist the sheets in my hands. “And he said he never ordered demons after me, but rebellions happen every few centuries in Hell and they think if they had me, then they’d be able to beat him and take over.”

“Fuck.”

“Right? And since he’s bound to the pits of Hell, he can’t fully control demons while they’re out. I think…I think he was hinting that I should set him free.”

“Callie, you know you—”

“Don’t worry,” I tell Lucas. “I won’t even think about it. Demons are bad enough, but dealing with the Devil himself…” I shake my head.

“Should you call Feathers?”

“Julian,” I press. “And I can try.” I let my eyes fall shut. So much for relishing the peaceful still of night with Lucas tonight.

“There’s something else,” I say, heart speeding up. “Lucifer said something about giving us wedding gifts, with the first one being creating a diversion so the angels shift their attention away from me.”

“That’s a very loaded gift,” Lucas says.

“I know. I mean, a distraction would be great. But sending demons into the world…that’s the last thing I want. And then I don’t know what the second gift will be.” Lucas gently smooths my hair back. “Do you think it was just a dream? That none of this matters because it’s just my subconscious making it up?”

“Didn’t Michael communicate with you in dreams?”

“Yes, he did.”

“Then I don’t think it was just a dream, Callie.”

I snuggle closer to Lucas, heart beating even faster. I don’t think it’s a dream either, and while that should unnerve me enough right there, it doesn’t.

What unnerves me is how much I want to fall back asleep and talk to him again.

23

You remind me of myself.

It’s been three days since my uncle visited me in my dreams, and things have been rather quiet in Thorne Hill since then. I can’t help but wonder if that was part of his gift already, if he called back demons and distracted the angels.

I don’t know if I should feel guilty or grateful for the reprieve. Lucas and I spent the last three days picking out lighting fixtures for the house and really, just enjoying each other’s company.

It’s been three days—three quiet days—but Lucifer’s words still echo in my mind over and over. Even if I did remind him of himself, it doesn’t mean anything. I’m not evil. I won’t be evil. I have no desire for ultimate power.

Lucas said it to me before, back when we first met and I didn’t know I was half angel. I could make people worship me.

And I didn’t.

Doesn’t that stand for something?

“You’re up earlier than I expected,” Lucas says, coming into the kitchen.

“Eliza sent me homework and I didn’t do it yet.” I motion to the iPad in front of me. “I have to decide which bouquets to go with.”

Lucas looks down at the screen. “They look almost the same.”

“I know. It’s making it hard.”

“Pick this one.” Lucas points to a bundle of wildflowers. “I like those purple things.”

I laugh. “Okay. Done. But the others are so pretty too.”

“This is what you’ll be holding when you walk down the aisle?”

“Yeah, and then something similar will go on the tables along with candles and whatever else Eliza has come up with. She’s surprisingly into this wedding planning.”

“She was supposed to be married a week after I turned her,” Lucas tells me, and I twist in my seat to look at him. “It was arranged, and she didn’t like the man, but the man liked her family’s money. He was rough with her. Forceful. John was his name,” he says, getting a distant look in his eyes as he thinks back. “He was the first human she fed on and killed.”

“I guess that’s justice?”

“It was, because after Eliza was turned—and deemed dead—John asked her sister to marry him only hours later. She killed him on their wedding night.” Lucas smiles, proud of Eliza for ripping someone’s throat out.

“Wow. I had no idea. She did mention her sister to me once, though. And knowing that makes me think she’d hate wedding stuff.”

“She enjoyed parties back then,” Lucas says. “I remember watching the house that night, the night after her father ordered his army to slaughter a nest of sleeping vampires, and she was the first one I noticed.”

“She is very pretty.”

“She is, and both her father and mother enjoyed showing her off. She was the pride of the family. The one it would hurt the most to lose.”

“Do you regret turning her?” I ask softly.

“No,” he answers with no hesitation. “I did at first since I didn’t want to be tied down to anything or anyone. But it didn’t take long to realize how strong the bond was, and how loyal she is.” He puts his hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. “She is the closest thing I’ll ever have to a child. But you…you can have children.”

A lump starts to rise in my throat. I knew this conversation would come up sooner or later, especially with us getting married so soon.

“I think so. I mean, I’m not totally human. Though if I can’t, then I’m going to really question why I’ve had my period since I was thirteen.”

“I don’t want to take being a mother away from you.”

“You’re not. I have Binx.” I smile. “And you. And honestly, Lucas, things are so crazy, so dangerous, I can’t even imagine being pregnant or having a baby.”

His brows pinch together. “All right.”

“If I change my mind, you’ll be the first to know.” I tip my head up and he kisses me. I turn back around, go with the wildflowers Lucas likes and send a screenshot to Eliza.

“We still need to pick out a song for our first dance,” I tell Lucas. It’s the only traditional part of a wedding that we’re doing. Eliza has arranged everything else, and found a new-age minister to perform the ceremony. It’s a blend of Wiccan and old Celtic practices, which is kind of funny considering that I’m an actual witch.

But she’s ordained and can legally marry us. Then we’re going straight to the reception and will spend the night eating, drinking, and dancing.

“Make a list?” Lucas starts massaging my shoulders.

“I can do that.”