“Sometimes as well.” She pushes her long braids over her shoulder, and the little beads at the ends clank together. “I dated this non last year and I really liked him, but I couldn’t tell him at the beginning. All he knew was that I was a professor at a private school. I tried to gauge his emotions to see if things did get serious how he’d react.”
“I’m guessing it didn’t go well?”
“Not at all.”
I bunch up my cloak and step over a fallen log. “You told him?”
“No, we didn’t even get to that point. I tried alluding to it, you know, saying how I thought witchcraft was cool, and he pretty much said anyone who believes in 'that shit' is crazy.” She lets out a sigh.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. And I could have just shown him, you know? Done a spell or astral projected.” Her pace slows a bit. “It was the look in his eye…that’s what got me. Like even if I proved magic wasn’t some crazy bullshit, he’d never look at me the same.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “It was a year ago, though. I’m over it.”
“It’s hard, having to hide who you are.”
“You grew up being told who you are is wrong.” Ruby’s brows furrow. “I never really realized how hard that had to be until recently. Both my parents have magic. We’ve belonged to the Grim Gate Coven for generations.”
“Water under the bridge,” I say, waving my hand in the air. “Though, if you’re looking for someone who accepts you for who you are and isn’t afraid of your powers, I do recommend a vampire.”
Ruby lets out a snort of laughter. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
We walk in silence for a while, and I’m starting to feel kind of run down by the time we close in on the door. I’m going slow, and all three of my familiars have slowed to stay in pace with me.
“You all right?” Ruby asks, noticing I’m lagging.
“Yeah, just feeling a little tired. It’s late and it’s been a trying last few days,” I rush out, needing to come up with an excuse. My right hand lands on my stomach. “This thing is sucking my energy.”
Concern crosses Ruby’s face for a quick moment. “We’re almost there.”
“Good.” I’m a little winded and all I did was walk. “I need to start working out again.”
“Yeah, that might help.” Ruby hangs back, going slow on purpose for my sake. The flickering light of the torches by the Covenstead door come into view, and my heart swells in my chest. For a moment, I can pretend all is right in the world.
I’m married to the love of my life. We’re restoring our dream house and will be moving in soon. I’m pregnant with our first child, and soon we will be a family of three. And I’m going to my coven to celebrate the Feast of the Blood Moon.
But Lucifer is on the loose, and there’s a good chance he’s just as excited about this baby as Lucas is…but not because he gets to be a doting father. It’s because he wants to steal this baby from my arms and make them rule Hell in his place.
My throat starts to feel tight.
Lucifer is free, but that’s not all.
Demons want to kidnap me and force me to rule on their behalf. And all of heaven wants me dead. Something attacked those kids in the woods, and it wasn’t Scarlet. Something else is out there, lurking in the dark.
I close my eyes and try to convince myself it will all be okay. Because it has to be somehow. It just has to. Fuck, I wish I could drink.
The door to the Covenstead is already open, since so many coven members are coming at the same time we are. Four council members stand guard, and Ruby quickly warns them about the scrapper demons. I can feel the lines of protection drawn around the door, and we’re all on high alert already.
A full moon this close to Samhain usually means trouble…trouble that I typically deal with. Trouble that I cut down, vanquish, and eliminate.
I swallow another lump rising in my throat and put on a smile, greeting the council members. I’m happy to be back, and I have to show it. Freya and Pandora go ahead through the door. Binx stays by my side, sensing my anxiety. I pick him up and he immediately starts purring, comforting me. I kiss the top of his head and go with Ruby through the door.
Blue light surrounds us, and only a few seconds later, we’re greeted in the courtyard of the Covenstead. The scent of bonfire and incense hang heavily in the air, brought right to me by the gentle breeze. My heart swells in my chest, and I know—without a doubt—I’m home.