“It’s one of the contractors,” I say and silence the call.
“Aren’t you going to answer?” Lucas cocks an eyebrow.
“I don’t feel like talking to them right now. And I might miss a call.”
“You’ll know if Evander calls,” he says and holds out his hand. I give him the phone, and he answers. I take my empty bowl into the kitchen and rinse it out in the sink.
Lucas is still on the phone, and it sounds like he’s talking about a plumbing issue the contractor is dealing with right now. Old houses are full of problems. I pace around the kitchen, hating that I’m wasting time.
“I’m going to call them one more time,” I tell Freya, who’s sitting on the counter, watching me pace. “And then I’m going to the Academy.”
Her eyes meet mine, and she reminds me that I’m not allowed to be there.
“I don’t care,” I tell her. “I’m going.”Chapter 10“Didn’t you say the enchantments on the door to the Covenstead have been changed to keep you out?” Lucas cocks an eyebrow and leans back on the couch, one hand going to the wound on his stomach.
“They have.”
“Then how are you going?”
“I won’t be physically walking through.” I leave the living room, going into my rarely used dining room to get the supplies I need.
“You’re astral projecting,” Lucas says, and I nod. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? You told me before it takes a lot out of you, and you haven’t gotten much sleep, you’re a ball of nerves, and you lost a lot of blood yesterday.”
“Not as much as you,” I counter, though I know my argument makes no sense in the context. “And I’ll be fine. I’ll have my familiars watch my body to make sure nothing tries to get inside—”
“Except for me.”
I roll my eyes. “I did pretty much hand that one to you. Just no butt stuff, okay?”
He laughs and then winces from the movement on his stomach. “I prefer you to be awake and willing anyway.”
“I will never be willing when it comes to anal.”
“You’d be surprised by how much you’d enjoy it.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I don’t see how anyone can enjoy that. It’s an out hole, and I prefer not to stretch out my butthole.”
Eliza, who just walked into the living room, throws up her hands, shakes her head, and walks right back out.
“Dammit, I’m almost out of salt.” I look at my jar of black salt and bite my lip. I’ll skimp on my circle, but with three familiars to keep spirits at bay, I don’t need to worry.
I hope.
“Do you have the spell for this written down somewhere?” Lucas asks as I push the coffee table to the side.
“I do. It’s in my Book of Shadows upstairs.”
He makes a move to get up, and I throw up my hand, telekinetically pushing him back down against the cushions. He hefts back, and I drop my hand, hurting him on accident once again.
“I’m sorry,” I rush out. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“It’s fine,” he presses. “I never realized how strong you are since I’m usually stronger.”
“You’ll be stronger again.” I look at my hand and curl my fingers into my palm. I need to stop using my powers around Lucas. I’d never forgive myself if I hurt him.
“Eliza,” Lucas calls, and she’s there in just a second. “Can you get Callie’s Book of Shadows from our bedroom?”
Eliza pops her hip and rests a freshly manicured hand on it. “Am I going to find lingerie and restraints tied to the bedposts?”
Lucas narrows his eyes. “Now.”
“Fine,” she huffs and zooms up the stairs, coming back just a few seconds later. Lucas takes the book from her and flips through it with vampire speed, finding the astral projection spell by the time I get the circle of salt poured on the floor.
“This rhymes in English,” he says, reading the spell that I translated into Latin. “Why did you translate it?”
I shrug and hold my hand over a candle. “Spells sound cooler in Latin? Though it’s harder to remember.”
“Carne hic est animus. Et ambulabunt mecum modo per aerem. Toris et haedis me vinculum quo animo iacet,” he reads. “So you wrote this yourself?”
“I did. It was my senior project at the Academy. I got high marks, of course. I think I got more points or something if the spell was in Latin, but I have a habit of rhyming my spells. I guess old Hollywood movies have rubbed off on me in that sense.”
He sets the book on the couch next to him. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“No, I’m not, but we don’t have much time.” I push the lump in my throat down and look Lucas right in the eye. I won’t bring up that he drank water last night, not in front of Eliza. But he has to know what I’m thinking. My binding spell is temporary. The curse will progress and he’ll come to life only to die. “Guys!” I call and my familiars come running.