I trudge back and forth through the snow, bringing the groceries in and then dragging the bags into the kitchen. I’d use magic to move them all, but there are a few workers here, completing some of the more detailed projects, like the tile work in the shower of one of the guest rooms upstairs, and the painter is in the office, touching up the mural we found hidden behind wallpaper. It’s going to take him a few more days if not weeks to get it back to how it looked before someone slapped ugly brown-and-green checkered paper on the walls, but it doesn’t bother me having him here during the day.
As long as demons don’t attack, that is.
The pantry is huge, bigger than the closet in my former room, and I’m going to have to take a few more trips to the store to fill it. Though with me being the only one in the house who eats, most of the food would probably go to waste before I could get to it.
I get out the snacks I bought and arrange them on the counter. This is my first little get together at the house, but I’m not getting fancy. I’ll save that for Thanksgiving. I take the back staircase and go into our room. We converted a small room next to the master into closets, and we each have our own. Lucas’s clothes are already put away, neatly arranged by type and color. Mine are on the floor, waiting for a cleaning fairy to come and hang them up.
Deciding to be organized, I start to arrange my clothes by color too and laugh when more than half the closet is full of black clothes.
“Maybe I’ll expand my color pallet,” I say, looking out into the bedroom. Freya is sleeping on the bed and opens one eye, as if to say yeah right. I’m nearly done when then doorbells rings, and I go down the main stairs that empty into the large foyer.
Ruby and Evander are the first ones here, having come together from the Academy.
“I know wine is customary for a housewarming,” Evander says as he steps into the foyer. “But given your current condition, we got you sparkling grape juice instead.”
“Thoughtful,” I say with a smile. “Thank you. I don’t have any, so this is perfect to drink along with you guys.” I step aside and let them in, sweeping my hand back at the foyer. “Welcome to our house.”
“Wow.” Ruby stomps the snow off her shoes and comes in, eyes wide. “Just wow.”
“It’s night and day compared to how it was before,” Evander says as he takes off his shoes. “The first time I set foot in here, I thought you were crazy for wanting to restore it.”
“Oh, I was. It wasn’t a cheap or easy project. Easy for me to say, though, I didn’t do any of the work.” We go into the kitchen and get started on the snacks. Kristy and the twins come just a few minutes later, and I give them all a tour, saving the wine cellar for last.
We take our food and drinks into the conservatory. It’s another one of my favorite rooms in this house, and the black-and-white checkered floor is original and worn. The contractor suggested taking it out and putting in something new, but both Lucas and I like it as-is. There’s nothing wrong with the integrity of it, and the scuff marks are like a map of the people who used to live here before.
“I think Bael was at the grocery store today,” I say, breaking my own rule of not talking about demons.
“What would he do there?” Evander asks. “Buy a tub of Ben and Jerry’s? Cherry Garcia?”
“He’d be more of a Chunky Monkey kinda guy,” I shoot back. “And no. I was there, and he must have been able to pick me up on his radar again since I was out of the protection of the house.” I take a drink of my sparkling grape juice, really wishing I could feel the numbing effect of wine right now. “I know I’m safe from him here for now, but I can’t live like this forever.”
“You can’t,” Naomi says, shaking her head. “You’d basically be on house arrest if you wanted to avoid danger, and we know even that isn’t a promise. You’ve been attacked at home plenty of times.”
“I know,” I sigh. “And even if we summon Bael and kill him, it’ll only be a matter of time before another demons figures out I’m not just any old Nephilim. And the more demons who know, the more likely it is the other angels will find out.”
I let my eyes fall shut, trying to stop my racing thoughts. I don’t want to put anyone else in danger, and I can’t even imagine the fallout that could happen if angels and demons clashed over me.