Reign of Night (Thorne Hill 7)

“Keep your familiars away from her.”

It’s Scarlet she has to worry about. “I will,” I say to appease her. Eliza ends the call, and Lucas gives the sausage a quick stir while we wait for the photos of the letter to come through.

“Scott knows I’m a witch. Whoever he’s working with knows I’m a witch. They know we’re married. You can’t go to this meeting. No way. Not without me, at least.”

“That is the last place I want you to go. You’re a witch and you’re pregnant. Those are two things many vampires find irresistible.”

“And you don’t mean they find pregnant women to be sexy like you do?”

“No, well, they might because I don’t know how anyone couldn’t find you sexy, but that’s not what I mean. Not all vampires have the control I do.”

“I know,” I tell him, remembering the first time I saw Eliza clean up blood and how impressed I was she was able to resist it. Lucas taught her how to control her impulses, and he did a damn good job. The photos of the letter come through, and they said everything Eliza summed up, but in a lot more words.

“Paradise Valley? The meeting is in Paradise Valley?” I scrunch up my face in question. Paradise Valley is our neighboring town and has a low vampire population. “Why there?”

“I don’t know.” Lucas reads the letter over again. “It’s in their town hall, and this is signed by the leader of the local VC chapter.”

“But why did they deliver it to your house in Lincoln Park? That’s crossing states lines, and this is so shady. You’re not going.”

“I’m going.”

“No!”

“We’ve stumbled onto something, Callie, and I’m going to see what I can figure out. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you serious?” I put a hand on my hip and lean back, brows going up. “You didn’t even want me to go to a salon in Thorne Hill alone, but you’ll be fine to walk into what’s probably a trap?”

“Yes. I’m older than those vampires.”

“And I’m more powerful than like…like everyone.”

“Don’t get cocky.”

“Ugh!” I throw my hands out. “If you go, I’m sending my familiars with you.”

Lucas’s lips part, and I know he wants to say he doesn’t want me left here alone without them, which will just prove my point even more. “Freya and Pandora can come. Binx should stay here with you.”

“Fine.” I cross my arms and let out a breath. “I still think I should at least go and sit in the car like you did.”

“You’d still be putting yourself at risk, and we don’t know for sure if the VC knows you’re a witch. Whoever Scott talked to could have kept that information to themselves to use as blackmail. But if you show up smelling like magic, then they’d know for sure.”

“Fine,” I huff again. “Just remember this the next time I want to do something.”

“It’s different.” He turns the burner back up and adds a little more maple syrup to the meat.

“Why? Because you’re a big strong man and I’m just a weak little girl?”

“Callie,” he booms, gripping the wooden spatula so hard it snaps in half. I hold my ground, staring him down. For the most part, Lucas and I get along great. But we’re a married couple, and fights are bound to come up. And this happens to be a hot button issue for me. I’m not weak, not at all, and being treated as such pisses me the fuck off.

Weak Callie got sold like a pig to slaughter when she was only eight years old. Weak Callie couldn’t fight back, and weak Callie spent two fucking years in a prison and has a lifetime of issues from it.

“You’re not weak,” he says slowly. “And you’re not a little girl, trust me on that.” He runs his eyes up and down my body.

I work hard not to smile. “Then what is it?”

“You mean too much to me.”

“And you don’t mean much to me?” Some of my anger melts away, leaving me vulnerable. “You are the strongest, oldest vampire I’ve ever met, and when it comes to other vampires, I know you’d come out on top. But that doesn’t stop me from worrying, and you have to understand I have the same fears you do. Yes, Lucas, you’ve lived a long time, but you also kinda kept to yourself in those years. I’m like Pandora’s Box when it comes to danger.”

“You are.” He throws the broken spatula away and gets another, going back to the stovetop.

“What if Eliza went with you and stayed in the car for backup? I know she’ll act like she hates it, but we both know she’ll do anything to keep you safe, too.”

“I don’t like putting her in harm’s way, but the car would be fine.”

“Thank you.” I let out a deep sigh. “I don’t like fighting with you. I fight enough with the rest of the world.”