“You were incredible in there.” Lucas slides his hands up and down my back.
“You always say that. I’m starting to think you just have low standards.”
Lucas laughs and puts his lips to my neck. I bring my hand up to his chest. He healed by the time we got to his car, and there’s not a mark left on him. His blood has dried on his skin, and now it’s my turn to wash him.
Once we’re both clean, we get out and get dressed. Lucas runs the towel over his hair and dresses only in gray sweatpants. No one should look that good in lounge wear. I pull on black leggings and one of Lucas’s white t-shirts. Leaving my hair damp and unbrushed, I go downstairs and find everyone in the living room.
My friends have changed into their PJs as well, but Eliza is wearing another pretty dress. Her hair is perfect and her makeup impeccable. I can’t even get myself to look that put together with magic.
“You feeling okay?” Kristy asks, standing up when I come into the room. Binx jumps off the couch and trots over, rubbing his head against me. I pick him up and nuzzle my face into his fur.
“Yeah. I’m hungry, though, and for some reason mac and cheese sounds really good.”
“That does,” Kristy agrees and takes my hands in hers. She parts her lips and looks behind me at the twins. Naomi is uncharacteristically quiet, and Nicole is holding Pandora, nervously running her fingers through her fur.
“So that was a fun girls’ night out,” Eliza says, crossing her arms. All eyes go to her and silence falls over our little group. And then we all start laughing.
“I don’t understand why it turned into rats.” I sink onto the love seat opposite the couch. Lucas takes a spot next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I let him pull me against his firm chest, finding instant relief to have my body pressed against his. “Hellhounds don’t turn into anything, right?”
“I’m not well versed on them,” Lucas says. “The one and only time I witnessed one it was after its mark and paid no attention to me.”
He also thought it ignored him because he’s just as evil as a creature from Hell. I know that’s not true.
“Why was it there?” Kristy asks. “I mean, that whole building was glamoured to look like it was in the process of being torn down so it would be overlooked. What has the kind of power to cast that strong of a glamour?”
“Other witches?” Nicole suggests.
“The real question is.” Naomi leans forward. “Why didn’t the glamour work on Callie?”
“I don’t know.” I look at Lucas and shake my head. “I saw it right away. I remember thinking it was weird for that fancy bar to be next to such a shithole of a building as soon as we pulled up. And then I felt…” I trail off. I already sound crazy enough. Saying I felt compelled to go inside the building because I found a feather is enough to put me away and have my head examined.
And that man…the one with the blue eyes but not glowing blue eyes…it was like he was calling to me. He wanted me to find him. Maybe? Or was he trying to keep the hellhounds from escaping?
Or even lead me right to them?
“You felt what?” Kristy urges.
“There was a vibration in the air. When Kristy said there wasn’t a building, it hit me what was going on.”
“Why did you go back into that alley in the first place?” Eliza’s blue eyes land on me.
I went back there because the man who I think dropped the feather—crazy, I know, I know—led me there. I think. “I just followed a gut feeling.” It’s not quite a lie. I did follow a gut feeling and it led me to the man who— “Oh shit. There’s a body in that building.”
“If it’s been glamoured, chances are no one will find it,” Naomi says like that’s supposed to soothe my nerves.
“But that man…he’s someone,” I protest. “His family could be looking for him.”
“He didn’t smell very human to me,” Eliza quips.
“He was human,” Lucas tells her.
“Are you sure?”
“I pulled his fucking head off,” Lucas replies dryly. “Trust me. He was human, but his blood had been tainted somehow.”
“Like he was possessed?” Nicole asks.
“Not quiet. His blood was rancid because he was dead but was something more…like he was diseased.”
Chapter 15
“Diseased?” I echo. “Like with the flu or something.”
“Or something,” Lucas replies. “Based on the decomposition of the body, he’d only been dead for about a day. But the blood…the blood smelled like it’s been festering for much longer than that.”
“That doesn’t make sense.” I rub my forehead. “Then again, a hellhound turning into rats doesn’t either.”
“Unless it was so they can scatter,” Nicole guesses. “I mean, if you think about it, it makes sense. One of those giant freaky dogs walking around the streets of Chicago is sure to draw attention. But rats…they live in the sewers.”
“But all the rats were dead. Unless…shit.” I start to stand but Binx growls, knowing what I’m thinking. “We have to go back and make sure none got out—”
“Callie,” Kristy says, voice edging on scolding. “You and Eliza almost died. Lucas got hurt too.” She doesn’t have to tell me that if Lucas got hurt, shit is serious. Lucas is the oldest and strongest vampire any of us have met, and is more powerful than the vampires we’ve read about in our history books at the Academy.
“I’ll be better prepared this time, and I’ll bring my familiars.”
“You’re supposed to be lying low,” Naomi reminds me. “The Grand Coven would have a field day if they found out you discovered another big bad lurking about the city.”
“It’s more like it found me,” I grumble, though really, I think the man with blue eyes and the feather led me to it.
“We’re trying to build a case that you’re an ordinary witch with ordinary powers, excelling in one normal area, and telling them that you ripped a bloody hellhound apart with your mind is not going to help with that.” She leans over and puts her hand on mine. “We know you’re not ordinary.” She looks at her sister and Kristy. “I think we’ve always known and that’s why we love you. But, Callie, I’m scared for you. If the Grand Coven sentences you to death…”
“I will rip their throats out before they can lay a finger on her,” Lucas promises.
“And then what?” Naomi throws her hand out. “You two will live a life of exile leaving body trails wherever you go? These things catch up with you, Cal, and I don’t want that life for you or for myself.”
“You don’t have to be involved,” I start.
“Yes, yes I do!” Naomi stands up and tears pool in her eyes. “You’re like a sister to us, Callie. I couldn’t stand by and watch the Grand Coven order a witch hunt for one of our own. And we both know everyone in this room will be found guilty by association. Call me selfish, but I don’t want to be cast out of the coven and I certainly don’t want to be tied to a stake and burned for everyone to see!”
She turns and marches out of the living room.
“Let her go,” Nicole says when I get up to go after her. “Trust me, it’s best to give her a bit of space before trying to reason with her.”
I sink back down onto the couch and look down at Binx. “I don’t want to put you guys at risk for excommunication by the Grand Coven.”
“You’re not,” Kristy assures we. “We came here to see you. And Naomi was right. It’s all bullshit. If they kick you out for life, then I’m leaving.”
“I won’t let it come to that,” I tell her and then look at Lucas. “And we’re not murdering any witches.”
“Unless they really deserve it, right?” Lucas tries.
“Let’s, uh, cross that bridge when we come to it.” I let out a heavy sigh and run my hand over Binx’s fur.
“I think we all need to get some sleep.” Kristy rubs her forehead. “And then revisit this tomorrow. From where I stand, it’s over. You ripped that thing in half a
nd all the rats are dead.”
“I still feel like there’s something evil in there.”
“There probably is,” Nicole tells me. “The energy of whatever kind of demon that was. It’ll taint the earth for a while, you know.”
“And no one is getting in there.” Kristy sounds sure of herself only because she wants to believe it.
“No one would have with the hellhounds, but I killed them. I think.”
“You ripped it in half and then it turned into dead rats.” Lucas shrugs. “Seems pretty dead to me.”
“Why were they there?” Nicole asks.
“I have no idea.” I lean back against Lucas. “Hellhounds are sent to do a demon’s bidding. Usually to collect on a deal made. That’s why Lucas saw them before. A village made a deal for prosperous crops and then the hellhounds came to collect souls when the time of the contract was up.”
“Do you think someone made a deal with a demon?” Nicole twists her red hair up into a messy bun. “And they were waiting to collect?”
“I suppose, but it still doesn’t explain why the building was hidden with a glamour.” Or why that man was heading back there. He could be just as evil as the hellhounds, yet for some reason, I know he’s not. Did he want me to follow him back there?
Why?