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)
“It’s not even noon yet.”
“Like you’re one to fucking judge,” he retorts.
“Oh, I’m not judging. If anything, I’m a little jealous.”
“Why? Melinda said you had the baby.”
“I did, a couple weeks ago,” I say and realize that I haven’t seen Easton in months. Has he been avoiding me? “Um…look…I know it’s a lot to ask and if it’s not possible, I understand. I wouldn’t want to involve you in this if I didn’t have to. I know I’m ‘the meat’ in this situation and can make things complicated. But this is about the Horsemen and Paimon which kinda affects the whole world.”
“Meat?”
“You said—never mind. Can you at least tell me where this place is?”
“I can show you.”
My eyes widen. “Now?”
“Tonight?” he asks and sighs. “Give me some time to—”
“Sober up?”
“Again, look who’s talking.”
“Oh, I’m well aware that I use wine as a coping mechanism.”
“Give me some time to make a few calls,” he goes on. “The headquarters is in a building in The Loop—”
“Really?” I wrinkle my nose. “Doesn’t seem top secret.”
“I think they were going for a hide-in-plain-sight sorta thing,” he mumbles. “I think they have two or three floors in the building but I’m not sure if they have any storage rooms. I’ll see what I can find out.”
“Perfect. Tonight works,” I say, realizing it would be better to wait until nightfall to go to Chicago. I’ll have to have Eliza watch Juliet for me while I break into what I’m assuming is a high-tech storeroom run by hunters who absolutely hate witches. That’s not something to bring a baby to, after all. “Thanks, Easton.”
“Well, if this keeps the world from going to complete shit, then of course.”
“Yeah,” I say, knowing there’s a good chance this could do the opposite.
“I’ll text you later. Be in the city by like seven, okay?”
“I can do that. Thanks again.” I end the call and drop my phone onto the couch next to me. The uneasy feeling starts to creep over me again and I realize what a fool I’ve been for the last two weeks to let myself enjoy life like a normal witch.
Lucas and I needed that time to get used to being a parent, and my body needed time to heal. If I wasn’t a nephilim, I’d still be healing, still needing to take things slow and to rest and recover.
“Perks of not being human,” I say out loud and get up. I try and fail to lay Juliet down in her pack n’ play without crying. I put her in the sling again and go into the library, waving my hand over the grate in the fireplace to retrieve Julian’s dagger.
“Do you think this could kill a Horseman?” I ask Binx, holding up the dagger so sunlight reflects off the blade. “I guess technically the horse.” I make a face. “I wish they’d take on a different form. Even though they’re evil it’s still hard to stab an animal.”
Binx tips his head up, reminding me that it’s not actually a horse.
“I know,” I tell him and put one hand on the back of Juliet’s head so I can slash the dagger through the air. “But where is the best place to stab a horse?”
Floorboards creak behind me and I whirl around, seeing Eliza’s blood donor standing in the doorway. He’s pale-faced, both from losing a lot of blood and from hearing me talk to a cat about stabbing a horse.
“I…I got a little turned around,” he says. “This house is big.”
“Yeah,” I say and set the dagger down on the coffee table. “I’ll show you to the door.” Binx follows as I lead him through the house and watch as he gets into his car, wondering if I should have offered him a cookie and a glass of water, like they do when you donate blood. “Nah, he’s probably got a stash in his car. This is his job, after all.”
I watch him get into this car and then go back to the library. I’m almost to the library doors when there’s a shift in energy. It’s familiar…but also not. One hand goes to Juliet, pressing her against me. I hold my other hand out, summoning a ball of bright blue energy.
The first thing I notice is that the dagger isn’t on the coffee table anymore. And then I notice her.
“You know,” she starts, holding the dagger casually in front of her. “It’s not safe to leave weapons lying around with children in the house.”
Chapter
Ten
“Who the hell are you?” I hold up my hand, ready to throw the energy ball at this woman. She’s tall, thin, and pretty, with dark eyes and buzzed black hair. She’s dressed in black leather leggings, heeled boots, and is wearing a red crop top.
“On second thought,” the woman goes on, tipping her head as she looks at Juliet. “I thought she’d be bigger by now.”