“If this were a normal day off, what would you be doing?”
My eyes go to the front yard. “I’d lay out in the sun and try to get a little color to my skin.”
“Then go lay out in the sun.”
“But you—”
“Can’t? Shocking, right?”
I frown. “I feel bad.”
“Are you going to wear a bikini? Or better yet tan topless?”
“I’ve always had a fear of getting a sunburn on my nipples. So, no to topless.”
Lucas chuckles. “Go lay out and tan and I’ll play the part of a stalker who watches you from behind curtained windows. I have access to my work files and have plenty to do, as well as research a new investment.”
“Okay.”
He kisses me before I get up and go upstairs, changing into a black two-piece swimsuit. Kristy and I haven’t yet gone to Lake Michigan this summer. The water is still freezing, so we’ll be strictly beach-bound, only walking knee-deep into the lake when we’re dying from the heat.
Nicole and Naomi’s family owns a large piece of land along the shore, and they’ve thrown some amazing beach parties before. I should call them later and—shit, right. I can’t call them. I’m suspended from the coven and they are still active members. I swallow the lump in my throat and grab an old comforter, taking it outside to the yard to lie on.
Fifteen minutes into my tanning session, Kristy calls.
“Hey. Are you okay?” I answer.
“I am. I assume you are, but I never really know.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I’m outside tanning.”
“Oh, sounds nice. It’s hot out, though. Be careful.”
“I will, Mom,” I reply with a smile. “How’s work? I can still come in.”
“That’s actually why I’m calling. I used magic to find the perfect seasonal employee to work the rest of the summer. I won’t do anything without your approval, but it might be a good idea to let them cover for you until things settle down.”
My stomach sinks as the gravity of the situation hits me all over again. “That’s a good idea, actually. For the sake of making payroll easy, just keep them in the system as me.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s illegal, Cal, but I’ll handle it. Are you okay not working for a while, though?”
“Yeah. Lucas has offered before to be my undead sugar daddy. I never agreed out of principle, but it’s starting to look like a legitimate option given the fact I’ve had a hard time living a normal life lately.”
“He’s got a lot of money, doesn’t he?”
“Probably more than even I’m aware of. It still feels like it goes against some sort of moral feminist code to just take money from him.”
Kristy laughs. “It’d be one thing if you were stringing him along just for the money, and another if you were a good-for-nothing trophy wife or something like that. But you’ve kind of been busy saving the coven and then, oh, the whole town.”
“True. And you know I can get snappy when I’m running on little sleep.”
“You said it, not me,” she laughs again. “So, you’re fine with getting Danielle on the schedule?”
“Yes, but seriously don’t hesitate if you guys need anything. I can lay low and avoid you while still working, you know.”
“I do. And this will be over soon. I’m sure of it.”
The lump in my throat is back again. I really want to believe her, but I have this sinking feeling it’s only the beginning.
Chapter 9
I look at Lucas’s car that’s parked right in front of the porch. “If this doesn’t work, you can move fast enough to come back inside before you explode, right?”
“I’d burn for a good few seconds before I’d explode.”
I hike one eyebrow and look up at Lucas. He’s standing next to me, and towers over my frame. I’m taller than the average woman, and Lucas is much taller than the average man. Even as a human with no special powers or enhanced strength, he was intimidating.
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“Yes, I can move fast enough.”
“Good,” I say as I let out a breath. “Because you dying would really fucking suck, you know.”
“I’d hope.”
After getting everything sorted out with work, I laid out in the sun until my skin got too hot to stand it anymore, and then went inside to tell Lucas we should go to Chicago and finally have that hot date.
I showered, packed my bags, and cast the same spell on the car windows that I used in the house. My stuff is in the trunk, and my familiars are in the backseat of Lucas’s car, waiting to come to Chicago with us.
“I’ll go out first,” I tell Lucas, though he knows the plan. I’ve only gone over it a million times. Quickly slipping out the door, I run out to the car and get into the driver’s side. Double-checking that the doors are unlocked, I look through the tinted glass and suck in my breath, holding it until Lucas zooms out of the house and into the car. His skin is smoldering from that short time in the sun, but once the door closes, he starts to heal.
“You’re not going to burst into flames?” I ask.
He shakes his head and looks around his car in wonder, with a similar expression on his face to a kid walking into the Magic Kingdom at Disney World. Seeing things for the first time in the daylight seems to have that effect on him.
“Does it look that much different than it does at night?” I ask and shift the gear into drive.
“No, but it feels that much different. It’s warm.” He puts his hand on the dash. “And smells like sunshine.”
Looking back at my familiars—and the thick blanket I stashed just in case—I let my foot fall against the pedal and drive out of town.
“Thank you,” I tell the grocery delivery guy and hand him a hefty tip. Lucas and I have been at his Chicago mansion for about an hour now, and the first thing I did was order food. There was still stuff here from the last time I ordered, but since I plan on spending the week in the city, I figured I might as well get a head start on stuffing my face with junk food.
“Have a nice day,” the young man says, pocketing the money and curiously looking inside the house. This place is huge, super fancy, and is worth the most out of all the houses on this ostentatious street in Lincoln Park. It’s the last place you’d expect a super old and powerful vampire to live, and the stark and modern decor only furthers that notion.
I telekinetically close the front door and drag all the grocery bags into the kitchen. My phone rings as I’m unloading the last bit of food. It’s my sister.
“Hey, Abby,” I say, putting the phone on speaker and setting it on the large island counter.
“Callie. It’s good hearing your voice.”
“You say that like you haven’t heard from me in forever.”
“Well, I never know if you’ll actually answer.”
“Oh, right. I’m, uh…I’m sorry. Things can be kind of crazy and it’s been—”
“It’s okay,” she says quickly. “I was wondering what you’re doing tonight.”
“Tonight? Nothing, actually. Why?”
“Do you and Lucas want to come over for dinner?”
I blink, letting her words sink in. “Yeah. We’d love to.” A smile takes over my face.
“Are you at your place or in Chicago?” she asks.
“We’re in Chicago. Just got here, actually.”
“Lucas can travel during the day?”