Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
“No, but I wish. I am a sucker for Irish accents.”
“Aren’t we all? Anyway, that guy’s a vampire, so if you see someone like that. Don’t look him in the eye. You know, just to be safe.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Yeah, you know how vampires are. Jealous and possessive and he asked me out like two years ago and I told him I don’t date vampires and now look. I’m married to one! I, uh, heard he might be in town and thought he might turn up at my old house.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for him and won’t answer.”
“Good. Better safe than sorry.”
“Definitely. Night, Callie.”
“Night.” I end the call and let out a breath. Physically, I’m exhausted. I want to lay down and escape to my dreams, seeing Lucas in some way or the other. But I also need to keep coming up with a plan and get my thoughts organized so I’m not all over the place.
Eliza is still standing in the hall, waiting for me to explain.
“I kinda got seen.”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course, you would. Haven’t you done that enough to know to stay out of sight?”
“Usually when I astral project somewhere, I’m not trying to stay out of sight.”
“Whatever. Take a shower while I sit with my sister.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I chide and go through my room and into the bathroom. Freya is still in the swing with Juliet, and I can sense Pandora still out in the woods. She’s more or less keeping an eye on Scarlet now, who’s hunting deer.
I strip out of my clothes and get into the shower. The second the warm water hits me, I’m fighting back tears again. Then I realize this is the first time I’ve been alone—actually alone—since shit hit the fan yesterday. Sinking down to the floor, I bend my legs up and rest my head against my knees.
My heart still hurts from losing Julian. I can’t lose Lucas too, and I hate so fucking much that deep down, I feel like I already have.
Chapter
Eight
The smell of coffee fills the air, and I impatiently stand by the pot, waiting for it to be done brewing. I hardly slept last night thanks in part to me staying up, trying to get my fucking wings to pop up again so I can fly myself to the Underworld and drag Lucas out with me and thanks to Juliet being gassy. Of course, neither happened at the same time, and I think I got a solid twenty minutes of sleep before she woke up. Eliza took over when the sun started coming up, but I had a hard time falling asleep when I could hear my baby crying.
I step out of the butler’s pantry and peer down the hall, looking at Juliet on her play mat. I know she can’t see well yet, I didn’t know what else to do with her. I feel like I’m failing at being a mother already, and Lucas has only been gone for a day. Even though I was the one pregnant and who birthed the baby in the bathtub upstairs, Lucas was more prepared. He read all the books. Knew when to start looking for developmental milestones.
He did all the things a parent-to-be should have done. And I sharpened my weapons and tried to kill the Horsemen.
All of my familiars are in the living room with her, keeping an eye out just in case something happens. Finally, I pour myself a steaming cup of coffee and rush back into the living room, setting my mug on the coffee table.
“Hey, sweetie.” I smile down at my daughter, moving my face close to hers. She seems content for the time being so I Google what to do with a two-week old. There’s not much she can do, which makes me feel a little better. I take a few sips of coffee and then pick her up, unbuttoning her onesie so she can get some skin to skin against my chest.
“Do you think we should go for a walk today? It’s nice out,” I tell her, and she tries to lift her head up, moving in unsteady, jerky movements. “A nice walk through the woods and then to the Covenstead? Or maybe not. Grandma will just steal you from me and I think you might be the key to finding what I’m looking for. Though, I really don’t even know what I’m looking—” I stop short and then kiss Juliet’s head. “You are the key.”
Holding her against me, I get up and go into the library. All the books Julian had been going through are still neatly stacked on the desk. “I’ve been going about this wrong,” I say out loud, continuing to talk to Juliet. “I was looking for something. I don’t even know what. But I need to look for what Julian was looking for. And that’s doozy to say out loud.”