“I can be done. Nothing is urgent.”
“Good. After dinner, can we watch Star Wars again? I was too tense last time to enjoy any of it.”
“You want to watch Star Wars?” He smiles down at me.
“I’d like to give it another try. Thinking about aliens instead of demons will be a nice change.”
Lucas laughs. “Yeah, I suppose so. And you never have to ask twice to get me to watch Star Wars with you. But I will insist again you dress up.”
I look at the computer. “Fine. Order me something and I’ll wear it.”
“Fuck, I love you.” Lucas kisses me once more, and we break apart. I go upstairs and pull my sweater over my head, trading it for a black dress instead. It’s chilly again tonight, so I pull out my thickest cloak from the back of my closet. It’s navy blue with a light pink velvet lining. Kristy gave it to me for Christmas years ago, and she has a matching one. Our zodiac symbols are stitched on the inside along the hem.
I pull my hair out of the braid and run my fingers through it, satisfied enough not to bother with anything more.
“Binx,” I call as I go down the stairs. My familiar shadows in from the living room, where he and the others were lounging on the couch. Lucas kisses me goodbye, brows furrowing in worry.
“I’ll be fine,” I assure him. “Binx won’t let anything happen to me, and if we sense anything, I’ll call for the others.”
Scarlet jumps up at my leg, whimpering. I bend down and give her a pat. “No way,” I tell her. “Taking a hellhound might actually be worse than taking a vampire with me.” I shake my head. “Which is something I never thought I’d ever say.”
“She’s doing it again,” Eliza grumbles, looking up from the magazine she’s flipping through.
I turn my head up. “Speaking Enochian?”
“Yes.” Lucas holds out his hand and pulls me back up to my feet.
“That’s so fucking weird.” I look back at Scarlet, able to read her name plain as day on her collar. It’s nothing but weird symbols to everyone else. I plant my hands on Lucas’s chest.
“Don’t go getting cursed or anything while I’m gone, okay?”
“Too soon,” Eliza quips and then stands up. “Can you tell your Grand Coven or whoever about the necromancers? You did say that type of magic was illegal. Have them deal with it so you don’t have to save the day for once.”
“Tabatha knows about them. She’ll figure out a way to bring it to the council’s attention, who will then review it and pass it along the chain of command.” I blink and feel anger course through me…along with the image of my uncle’s face. Telling the Grand Coven means letting them handle the necromancers. They’re all about following rules and doing things according to Witch Law, and that takes time.
Wasted time.
Time where I could be out there myself, seeking my own revenge.
Because it’s only a matter of time before the necromancers realize their curse didn’t work. And they’ll come after us again. I want to be ready to strike before they do, to hit them with something harder and stronger.
“Love you,” I tell Lucas and then head out the door, with Binx trotting along next to me. I put up my hood once we get into the woods. “Light of the moon, dark of the night, cloak us from all, hide us from sight,” I whisper, putting a concealment enchantment on both myself and Binx.
You can’t be too careful when a group of homicidal necromancers are on your tail.
“Did you put any more thought into my idea about cat floaties?” I ask Binx, stepping over a fallen log. He looks up at me, fading sunlight reflecting in his eyes, and growls.
“You know you guys love sitting in the sun,” I press. “And if I posted photos of you on a blowup unicorn, floating around the pool with a little margarita glass filled with catnip online, it would go viral.”
Binx growls again and dashes forward, chasing a mouse.
“Fine, don’t enjoy the pool this summer.”
I pull my cloak tighter around myself and pick up the pace. The sunlight is fading fast, and it’s dark inside the woods. The leaves are getting a hint of color, and the forest will be red and orange before I know it.
I hold out my hand, conjuring a ball of light, and toss it up. It bobs above us as we walk. It’s peaceful to be out in the woods, well, as long as I don’t think about why I’m going to the Covenstead.
I undo my concealment enchantment when I’m a few yards away from the door, not wanting to startle whoever is there. I can see fire flickering on torches through the trees, and Binx can sense a witch standing guard.