He doesn’t think so since the VC meeting was posted on a local vampire chat board, inviting any vampires from the surrounding areas to go and present their issues or concerns. It if was a trap, they wouldn’t openly announce it. Unless that’s just what they want us to think.
“Fine,” I relent. “But you’re taking them, and Eliza can hold onto them. If anything happens, have her give them to Pandora. She can enhance the potion’s potency, and also, she won’t burn if vervain gets on her.”
“I still can’t believe you’re making me go,” Eliza huffs. “Talk about a waste of a perfectly good two to three hours of my afterlife.”
“Trust me, if I could go instead, I would,” I tell her. “And if you want to go through and start a baby registry for me, you can.”
“I suppose I could do that,” she says, trying to keep the excitement off her face. “Now that we know for sure you’re having a girl, I have the go-ahead to get a lot of pink and purple, right?”
“I figured you would even if we were having a boy,” I admit. “And colors aren’t gendered. I’m going to dress Elena how I want, and then when she’s old enough, I’ll let her dress how she wants.”
“Let’s hope she takes fashion advice from her Auntie Eliza and not her mother, who always looks like she’s going to a funeral.”
“Hey, black is sexy,” I counter, and Eliza just rolls her eyes.
Ruby laughs. “You know babies are born pretty much colorblind, right?”
“They are?” I wrinkle my nose.
“Yes,” Lucas says. “They can see mostly black and red until their vision develops. The pastel patterns on most baby clothes and bedding are solely for you to enjoy.” He takes the potion from my hand and sets it back on the counter. “Which is exactly what you’re going to do.” His large hands settle on my waist, and he pulls me to him. I lean back, purposely making my stomach hit his torso, and wrap my hands around his neck. “We can go in person to a store as well, if you’d like.”
“I would.”
“So I don’t get to pick stuff out?” Eliza quips. “What the hell am I supposed to do, then?”
“Make my registry list,” I tell her, planning to go in and change things later, removing what I don’t want and adding what I do. “You’ll probably think of more things than I would anyway.”
“Oh, I would.”
Lucas, who knows I’m offering this task to her just to keep her busy and make her happy, kisses me, pulling me close and tongue pushing past my lips.
“Ugh, get a room.” Eliza makes a gagging noise.
“Nah, they don’t have time for that,” Ruby jokes, and I slide my hands down Lucas’s chest, forcing us apart. My heart starts to hammer again, getting nervous all over again for Lucas to go to this meeting.
“What if Scott is there?” I ask.
“I’ll be able to smell him,” Lucas promises.
“Can you let Freya and Pandora shadow ahead? I’ll cast a cloaking spell on them so no one will be able to see them except you and Eliza.”
“Okay,” Lucas says with practiced patience. He knows I’m on the verge of freaking out. Fuck, I wish I could have some wine. “I love you, Callie. I’ll text you when I get there, and I’ll call when we’re leaving.”
“Thank you.”
I walk with him and Eliza to the back door. Freya and Pandora wait patiently as I cast the cloaking spell over them, and then Lucas gives me another long kiss goodbye. He’s driving his Range Rover today, and I watch until I can’t see them anymore.
“They’re gonna be fine,” Ruby assures me and slides a book over to my spot at the island. I made loaded nachos and more virgin margaritas. Ruby didn’t want any tequila in hers, which made it easy to just throw in the mix with some ice and pour them right into our glasses.
“Which book has the most consolidated info on Ley lines?” I ask, grabbing napkins and my plate. I join her at the island again. “I need to copy some of the info down into my Book of Shadows.”
“This is the one we use when we first introduce Ley lines to class.” She taps the cover of an old, worn book with ugly green binding. “It’s a good introduction, though you don’t need it. You already know what the lines are.” She dips a chip in chili cheese and takes a bite, wiping her hands carefully with a napkin before picking up another. “This is the one I thought we should look at now. It highlights the hot spots, which if we think demons might perform another ritual at another hot spot, we should start a list.”
“Good idea. And speaking of lists, I should finish my shit list.”