Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“The Order is going to be so pissed.” I slowly bob my head back and forth. “I wish you had told me your plan. So I could have watched Larissa get carted away.” We all laugh, but I’m really internally torn. The woman treated me like shit. She was mean. Jealous.
And dangerous.
She could have killed Mabel for no reason other than for being my friend. People like Buck, Gavin, Randall, and Dale shouldn’t be allowed to own guns, let alone have a literal job where they’re supposed to go out and hunt monsters. The lines blurred for people like them a long time ago, and monsters went from being actual monsters to anyone they feel is different from them.
Xavier extends a hand for me to take. “Let’s go to bed, love.”
I toss a handful of Cheerios into the pond, watching the fish eat them. It’s a little overcast today and not as hot as yesterday. I’ve been outside for the last few hours, writing down all the spells I’ve used and altered into the back of the Book of Shadow. My phone dings with a text and, without even looking, I shake my head.
Leo and Antonio have been blowing my phone up all day. They’re mad about Larissa and insisting I “do whatever needs to be done” to get her out of jail and back home to them. I’ve repeated the same story over and over: I had nothing to do with this. It’s true, and the less I know, the better. Letting out a sigh, I pick up my phone.
Toni: We need to talk about this
Me: I have nothing to say.
Toni: She didn’t do it and you know it
Me: Good. If she’s innocent it can easily be proven in court.
Toni: Are you for fucking real right now?
Toni: Wren. Come on.
I set my phone down and let out a breath. Antonio and I always got along pretty well growing up. He’s my big brother and I annoyed him, of course, but he took his role of protector seriously. Which means he’s feeling protective over Larissa too, and she’s his actual flesh and blood sibling.
Antonio calls, and I send it to voicemail. A second later Leo calls. I send that to voicemail too. Antonio calls twice in a row, and I answer on the next call just to hopefully shut him up.
“Hello,” I say pleasantly. “How are you doing, my sweet brother?”
“Wren, come on. We’re family. Grow up,” Antonio snaps.
“I did grow up. I’ve done a lot of growing up in the last few weeks and one of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes shitty things happen to shitty people. And also that it’s okay to cut out toxic family members and being blood related isn’t the be-all, end-all.”
“You promised he wouldn’t go after her.”
“No, I promised he wouldn’t hurt her. She’s still alive. Did you forget that she kidnapped someone? Tortured them? And she wanted me dead. She’s not innocent and it’s about time people start paying for their crimes.” I sharply inhale. “Now, I’m going to put up a boundary and say I will talk to you tomorrow.”
I end the call and immediately block both Antonio’s and Leo’s numbers. We can go twenty-four hours without talking, easily. I won’t let them bully me into feeling bad about this. Xavier kept his word: he didn’t hurt Larissa. He didn’t even touch her.
All he did was plant some evidence.
Rubbing my eyes, I put the phone down and go back to writing in the Book of Spells. Once I’ve finished adding my notes about tweaking the locator spell, I go inside and find Xavier. He’s upstairs in our room, trying on new suits that he just bought. A tailor is here, making adjustments so everything is custom fit.
“What do you think, darling?” Xavier asks, holding up two different ties. He’s being interviewed by a major news source tonight on live TV, and someone from the VC is going to “surprise” him with the suggestion to run for mayor next term. There hasn’t been a vampire mayor in the south, and right now, many people feel like they can trust a vampire more than anyone in Washington.
“The light blue for sure.” I move in front of him, taking the tie from his hands and wrapping it around his neck. “You’re going to crush it tonight.”
“I will,” he agrees, not to be cocky, but because he genuinely knows he will.
“And I will be cheering you on from the couch. In my jammies. Probably eating junk food. My ideal night.”
He chuckles and I have to step out of the way so the tailor can make an adjustment on his sleeves. I change into workout clothes and go downstairs. I can’t do a full workout until my hand has healed, but I’m able to run and do lower body and abs. I finish and go upstairs just in time to give Xavier a kiss goodbye, and he, Theo, and Zeke all leave. Mabel has planned a movie night for her, Devon, and me…along with a couple of her creepy dolls.