Page 104 of Mostly Shattered

“I’ll walk you out.” Zephronis joins the necromancer. He frowns as he looks at the bag and then puts a little more distance between them. “That’s an angry one. You’ll want to be careful with him.”

“I have just the place for him. He’ll have plenty of company.” Leviathan grins in excitement. “I’m lucky his energy is drained. Otherwise, he could have done some real damage.”

I sit beside Anthony and reach to take his hand. He gives me a sad smile.

We wait in silence until they leave.

Goodbye, Conrad.

I know I should feel relief that the haunting is over, but it all just makes me sad.

“I think it’s time for that family meeting,” Astrid states. “Just as soon as I get another drink.”

Mortimer gives me a long, hard look but says nothing. He crosses to a chair and falls into a seat with a big sigh. He pulls at his necktie. To no one in particular, he says, “Bring me a bourbon.”

Anthony gives a small clap of his hands. “Any chance Howard has coffee on?”

“I’ll check,” Rosemary said. The maids were so quiet I’d forgotten they watched the family drama.

“Here. Sort through these.” Astrid hands me a stack of messages. “I suppose we should have Constantine over for dinner soon. I need to call the country estate and have them deliver some of the blood he likes. I’ll have to check your father’s schedule.”

Astrid disappears into her flurry of plans.

My eyes skim over the notes and the names of the creatures who sent them, all thanking me for what I did. But then, a pink slip used by the front desk to take messages catches my eye. Everyone else sent fancy stationery or old parchment. I drop the other cards on the couch next to me.

“Miss Devine. A human man came by asking about you. He didn’t leave a name,”the message reads.

I glance nervously at Anthony, who seems more interested in watching for coffee.

I again look at the message.

Anthony suddenly snatches it from me. He wads it up and throws it on the floor nextto empty boxes. “Stupid reporters. The front desk sends me these ominous messages all the time. They’re always trying to do investigative pieces on the family. If they only knew the half of it, eh?”

I give a weak nod.

“Ignore them if you can, but if they ask about anything supernatural, the family lawyers will take care of it,” Anthony continues.

I know all this, but I let him talk. I sense his need to fill the silence. Otherwise, we’d be watching Uncle Mortimer pout and grumble over the failure of his plans.

Rosemary brings my uncle’s drink before handing Anthony a coffee. Astrid reappears with a refill and orders the maid to give us privacy.

“Promise me, Tamara, that you will not let Constantine turn you into a vampire,” Astrid states. “If you insist on continuing that affair, I must require that promise. Vampires can be very seductive, but they aren’t like us.”

I touch the amulet. To transform means to die. I’m not sure he could change me unless I take the necklace off again. “I have no plans to do so.”

“Good.” Astrid gracefully takes a seat and shoots Anthony and me a severe stare. I feel as if we’re two little kids in trouble. “All right, you two. Start talking. Tell us everything.”

Chapter

Twenty-Five

They say honesty lifts the soul’s burden or some such nonsense, but I’m pretty sure those people did not sit through a five-hour conversation being grilled by Astrid and Mortimer. By the end, Anthony and I would have confessed to just about anything to get it to stop. I’m sure Astrid will relay everything to my absentee father. Why should he make an appearance after I saved the world? He pretty much missed everything else in my life. There is no point in being bitter. That’s who they are.

I left out the more intimate details of my time with Paul and Costin, but as for the rest, I told them everything that happened to me. I can’t say they believed all of it. But at the end of the day, it is the truth.

I’ve come to terms with fate’splan. It’s not like I had much of a say. Things are as they were meant to be. Paul and Diana are safe. I don’t have to worry that Conrad will harm them anymore. There is no reason for them to be on the supernatural’s radar as long as I stay away.

As evening approached, a sense of anticipation built within me. I found it difficult to sleep during the day. Adapting to a boyfriend who is active primarily at night will take some getting used to.

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