Curse of Night (Thorne Hill 5)

“This is the first time this room has been used,” Lucas says, lips pulling up into a half smile. “You always sat at the counter to eat.”

“I kinda forgot it was here,” I admit, setting my plate down. Lucas takes a seat next to me, resting his hand on my thigh. “It’s a pretty room.”

I’m feeling a little sick again and push my food around on my plate, hoping the sick feeling in my stomach will go away once I start eating.

“All right, sister,” Evander starts. “Why are we all here? What did you do?”

Evander and I started referring to each other as brother and sister after my fourth year of living with them. He felt like my brother, and it was easier to act as if I was his adopted sister than try to explain to people my real family sold me like cattle and his mother busted me out of a privately funded torture chamber.

“It has to be something serious to gather us all,” he goes on. “And for an angel to be dining with us, though he’s not eating.”

“I don’t need to eat,” Julian tells them. “Or sleep.”

“That’s so interesting,” Ruby says, hardly able to take her eyes off him.

I reach for my water, slowly exhaling as the bit of mashed potatoes I just ate threatens to come back up. “Julian is here for a reason. Ruth was trying to summon Bael and pull him from the prison. We think she was trying to make an alliance, and Bael was using her as a way to get out. Julian sealed the rift and kept Bael from further escaping.”

I take a little sip of water. “Bael knows I’m a nephilim, but we’re not sure if Ruth has figured that out yet or not. We think he heard rumors about me, and that’s why he projected himself here and conjured the root-monsters. He was testing me.”

“Rumors?” Tabatha echoes.

“Since the day Callie was born, rumors have circulated both Heaven and Hell,” Julian takes over. “There have always been several demons who didn’t believe the nephilim child was vanquished as she was supposed to be. I have spent the last several weeks trying to eliminate any demon who utters the word nephilim, which is how I ended up tracking Bael.”

“If the demon knows who you are, wouldn’t Ruth?” Naomi asks.

“We’re not sure,” I go on. “But we don’t think Bael would have told her. He would want me to himself.”

“Why?” Nicole asks.

“The demons want Callie to be their queen.”

“Queen?” Nicole and Naomi question at the same time.

“There are certain rules put into place,” Julian goes on. “Demons cannot sit on the throne of Hell. But Callie, daughter of Michael, can.”

“Whoa,” Ruby says, holding up a hand. “Michael is your father. The archangel Michael.”

“Right.” I shake my head. “I forgot you didn’t know. Yeah. He’s my dad. And yes,” I go on, “that makes Lucifer my uncle.”

“Holy shit.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” I say gently. “Trust me.”

Tabatha picks up her wine glass and takes a drink. She rarely ever drinks, and if this is making her drink, just wait until I drop the second bomb.

“What do the demons plan on doing with Lucifer?” she asks, somehow maintaining her calm composure.

“I’m not certain they’ve thought that far ahead,” Julian tells her. “As long as there have been demons in Hell, there have been plans to overthrow it. But it wasn’t possible until now…until a nephilim with archangel blood was born.”

“Holy shit,” Ruby repeats and leans back in her chair.

“Have some wine,” I tell her and look at Abby, who hasn’t uttered a word since we all sat down together. She’s the only non at table filled with witches, vampires, and an angel. I hope she doesn’t feel too out of place.

“Did you forget your wine?” Kristy asks, realizing that I don’t have a wine glass in front of me.

“No,” I say and look at Lucas. He takes my hand in his and gives me a little nod.

“That’s actually why we invited you to dinner,” he says and squeezes my hand.

“Remember how Lucas was cursed a few weeks ago?” I start. “And how parts of him were coming alive?” I swallow the lump rising in my throat. Now is not the time to get hit with a wave of norming sickness. “Well…certain parts that hadn’t worked in a really long time started working again.”

“It always worked,” Lucas presses.

“What are you talking about?” Nicole asks, giving me a confused look.

I open my mouth, inhale, and look at Lucas. “I’m pregnant.”Chapter 40“Good one,” Evander laughs and raises his wine glass before taking a drink.

“It’s true,” Julian says. “Callie is with child.”

Evander chokes on his wine. “That’s not possible. Unless…no, you wouldn’t.”

“I didn’t cheat on Lucas,” I snap. I’m too far away to kick him so I telekinetically flick him on the nose.