Evander laughs. “Take your property home then.”
“He can hear us, you know that, don’t you?”
“I do.” Evander winks and moves around me, telling the students to go back to their dorms for the night. Lucas takes my hand and we go to the door. I say the enchantment to open it, heart hammering. Leaving the Covenstead is different that coming into it, but I’m still worried Lucas could get hurt.
I close my eyes and grip his hand tight. Lucas steps through the door before me, and when my feet hit the soft forest floor, I let out the biggest sigh of relief.
“I’ll take you home,” Julian says. He and Tabatha are standing feet from us.
“Callie will be safe?” Lucas asks, brows pinching together.
“For now,” Julian tells him.
“Thank you,” I say to Tabatha before Julian whisks us away.
“Of course, my darling girl.” Tabatha blinks away tears and takes my hands in hers. “Be careful, Callie. And don’t you hesitate if you need anything.”
“I won’t,” I tell her, feeling the same pull on my heart as I did when I hugged Evander. They are my family, and if anything happened to them—no. I can’t go there. “I’ll check in tomorrow afternoon,” I say, knowing there’s a good chance I’ll sleep in past noon. I’m exhausted, and once the adrenaline wears off, I’m going to crash hard.
Lucas moves in, wrapping one arm tightly around me. I lean back, resting my head against him, and stretch out my other hand for Julian. We wait until Tabatha steps back through the door, and then Julian flies us to the house, bringing us into the living room.
It feels different. Oppressive, yet safe at the same time. My familiars rush me, rubbing on my legs and purring. Scarlet hangs back, yipping and whimpering with excitement.
“I want to go to bed,” I tell Lucas, heart heavy. He nods and takes my hand, leading me upstairs. Binx rubs against my legs, reminding me that no matter what, I’m not alone. He’s here, and he’s been here for the last sixteen years, since he appeared to me when I was only ten years old.
Fuck you, Memory Lane. I’m exhausted from revisiting you tonight.
“Then let’s go to bed,” Lucas says.
“I’ll be here,” Julian assures me. “I’ll keep watch.”
“Thank you,” I tell him as I take off my shoes. Lucas and I had plans for this evening, didn’t we? Or was that yesterday? Fuck. Everything is blurring together. I let out a deep sigh and go upstairs, stripping out of my clothes as soon as I’m on the second-story landing. I hear Julian open the back door, letting Scarlet out.
“Are you okay?” Lucas asks, pausing in the bathroom doorway.
“Yeah,” I say without thinking. “I’m fine.”
“Really?”
I tear my eyes from the mirror to my husband, and my heart melts. “Yeah. I will be. My life is complicated, and I’m just tired. But I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” he asks slowly.
“Hold me until I fall asleep and I will be.”
“I can do that,” Lucas promises.
And he does. It took me a good hour or two to actually fall asleep, but Lucas’s arms never faltered. I don’t know what I did to deserve someone like him, someone who loves me unconditionally when my life puts a lot of fucking conditions on everyone around them.
Yet, I have Lucas and his unfaltering hold on me.
“Morning,” he grumbles when I slowly break out of his grasp.
“Good morning,” I whisper. “I have to pee, but I’ll be right back.”
“Okay,” he says sleepily and rolls over. Keeping my eyes halfway shut so I don’t lose that tiredness, I pad my way into the bathroom and use the toilet. The TV is on downstairs, reminding me Julian is here, keeping watch and making sure we’re safe. I hold out my hands and close my eyes, more than ready to collapse back into bed, nuzzled up with the love of my life.
I fall asleep right away, comforted by Lucas’s strong arms around me and all three of my familiars in bed with us. I sleep soundly for another three hours, waking to Julian’s voice coming from the hall.
“Callie,” he repeats, and I sit up. Lucas isn’t in bed with me anymore. Scarlet has taken his spot—and twice as much room— and grunts as she opens her eyes, looking annoyed at being woken up.
“What’s going on?” I ask, lazily rubbing my face.
“Your friend Easton called,” Julian tells me. “He said there was another murder.”Chapter 32“I can’t figure it out.” I close my eyes and rub my forehead.
“It’s okay,” Lucas says, but his eagerness to calm me just pisses me off.
“No, it’s not,” I snap. The sun is setting, and it’s been nearly twelve hours since Easton called, letting us know there was another body found. This one was in Paradise Valley, and Renee Franklin was only missing for a few hours before she was reported missing. Once she didn’t show up to her shift as a nurse in the local ICU, the phone calls started.