Reign of Night (Thorne Hill 7)

“It was a disagreement, not really a fight,” he says, giving the meat a stir. He sets the spatula down and takes me in his arms. I rest my head against his firm chest and feel better. “I love you, Callie. I’m sorry if I’m overprotective, but that’s never going to change. You’re pregnant now, and more at risk than ever, and I will never stop worrying about you. I’ll never stop doing everything I can to keep you safe and make you happy.”

I look up, tears in my eyes, and kiss him. “What time is the meeting?”

“Ten p.m.”

“My first thought was that’s late, but it’s really not for you.”

“No, it’s not at all.” He presses his lips against my forehead. “Make your coffee. This shouldn’t take long.”

“You’re eating before you leave, too,” I tell him. “It’s been a while since we had sex in the library, and I want to feel your fangs sink into the tender skin of my thigh while my naked body is pressed up against the bookshelves.”

“Fuck, Callie,” he groans.

I smile and whirl around, going over to the butler’s pantry where my coffee pot is kept. I mix half a scoop of decaf with half a scoop of regular coffee, and the smell of it brewing is delicious. I think I might actually be able to stomach it without creamer again, which makes me way too excited.

“Something came through the fireplace,” Lucas tells me, tipping his head. “In the living room.”

“I should tell Ruby to use the one in the formal dining room or the parlor. We have a fire going in the living room quite often.”

I leave the kitchen, going through the formal dining room and into the living room. The letter landed in a bit of soot. I brush it off and go back into the kitchen so Lucas can see what Ruby has to say.

“Ohh, it’s a map of the Ley lines running through Arizona,” I say as I unfold the paper and spread it on the counter. “The bodies were found in a park.” I pull up a map of Arizona on my phone and type in the address of the park. I zoom out and look at the map Ruby sent. “Well, fuck.”

“It’s right along a line.”

“Yep, which means the demons are up to something, I’m sure. I need to find out more about these victims. If I can figure out what kind of ritual was done, I’ll know what the demons are scheming. The names haven’t been released yet, but it’s been almost twenty-four hours, so I’d assume family has been notified and all that.”

Lucas sprinkles flour over the sausage and adds just a small amount of pepper this time. “How many other lines run through the country?”

“Oh, tons. They web out pretty much all over. But where they’re close to the surface, like the one here and this one in Sedona, they're the ones you need to watch out for. They’re the ones that attract people and demons alike and have an energy source close enough to the surface of the ground you can easily tap into.”

“And the Ley line is a power boost.”

“Right, and we saw firsthand what it can do to lower-level demons.” I start to feel anxious again, like too much is going on and it’s going to be like this for the rest of my life, putting out one fire only to have another spring up. Eventually, I’ll die from smoke inhalation. Looking back at the map, I read the little note from Ruby. If you want to know more about the Ley lines, I can come over with books. I’m tutoring and can be there around eight.

“Ruby can come over later,” I tell Lucas. “I think I’ll take her up on it. I’ll be able to borrow her books on the Ley lines then and can take notes to put in my own book.”

“Put as much in it as you can. Someday Elena will need it.” He looks up from the stove with a smile on his handsome face. My insides get all squishy, and I know breakfast isn’t ready yet, but I need Lucas to take me to the library, strip me bare, and fuck me hard and fast against the bookshelves. Now.“Maybe you should take a vanquishing potion, too.” I reach into the cabinet and pull out two vials. “Just don’t spill it on yourself because there’s vervain in it and it will hurt.”

“Callie,” Lucas says gently but doesn’t keep the amusement off his face. “You’ve already tried to load me up like a magic missile. I cannot walk into a Vampire Council meeting hoping to pass off my wife as a regular human when I’m packing potions.”

“He has a point,” Ruby agrees. She just got here, and we’re in the kitchen, with half a dozen books about Ley lines spread out on the counter. Lucas has to leave to drive to Paradise Valley in time to make it to the VC meeting. Of course, I’m all sorts of nervous and still convinced Lucas is walking into a trap.