Page 43 of Night Wedding
“What do you think that means?” Lucas asked.
She gave him a grave look. “If there’s more than one person involved, we’re looking at a bigger threat.”
“That jealous, boyfriend-stealing bitch,” Gianna spat. “If I see her, I’ll rip her hair out of her head.” She raised her hand as if she already had a clump of Diana’s hair laced through her fingers.
Zoe tilted her head with a semi-grin. “Let’s focus on more practical matters before you go there, shall we?”
Gianna nodded. “Yes, of course. What should we do?” She sat on the sofa like a good student.
Zoe paced before us over the rug, twisting her hands together. “It sounds like he’s been confounded by a memory spell and love potion.” She turned her hands palms up. “Of course, I’m just speculating without seeing him.”
“Both of these are forbidden,” I declared and scowled at myself for such an obvious statement.
“For good reason. The effects are potent.” She brought her fingers to her lips. “And sometimes irreversible.”
My heart plunged to the basement. I rolled on my feet to keep me from sinking into despair.
Lucas held my upper arm. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I lied. In slow motion, I headed over to the sofa with him supporting me and then I slumped onto it next to Gianna. This couldn’t be happening. Diego and I had been incredibly happy just days ago. And now? He didn’t know who the hell I was. Just when we’d taken that giant step forward together, our future was stolen from us. Diego’s mind was warped by a vicious, vindictive vamp. Even if Zoe said we couldn’t be certain she was involved, I had no doubt.
“Don’t lose hope, Nova.” Gianna tapped my thigh. She turned to Zoe. “Is there anything we can do?”
Zoe exhaled. “Possibly.”
“Well?” Gianna gestured with an impatient wave of her hand.
“With magic. Powerful magic.” She gave me a somber stare. “We need to talk to Pandora—and fast.”
Diego
What the hell was wrong with all of them? Whatever the game it was they were trying to play on me, I didn’t like it. They may have been amused, but it had zero fun factor for me. Why would they mess with my head telling me I was engaged to a stranger?
I wandered from the house, hands shoved into my pockets. Without a destination in mind, I meandered the dark roads lit only by streetlights. Someone had a firepit going, and the scent of burning wood reached me. Those gathered behind the house laughed as if someone had just told a joke. That was the sound of happiness, of people getting along, so different from what I’d encountered with my roommates.
It was another sign that it was time to move out. Who wanted to live with guys who pulled immature stunts?
I meandered away from our neighborhood to the more commercial areas downtown. The scents from the restaurants and cafés wafted out into the streets. Although human food no longer enticed me, the aroma of cooked meat and spices struck a pang of hunger. I’d drank blood after I woke up but not enough to ward off the curse of this thirst. I should have ensured I was well fed before I left the house, but the urge to escape the insanity had been paramount.
Too many people paraded the streets tonight, and I wanted to be alone. I’d head down to the wharf. Being near the harbor would cool my heated emotions. As I walked to the waterfront, a sound of rustling behind me raised the small hairs on the back of my neck. Was someone there?
I turned and sniffed but didn’t detect anything that stood out. With many scents from people to restaurants and all the blooming flowers in pots and window boxes, it was difficult to discern anything out of the ordinary.
My phone vibrated in my back pocket. It was Diana.
“Hey, what are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m shopping on Derby Street but going to a nearby neighborhood to check it out. There are a couple of rentals there, and I want to see if I like the area before I book an appointment. Want to join me?”
Since my housing plans might change sooner than I thought, I should go along. “Sure. Where do you want to meet?”
“At the Bewitched Statue in about twenty minutes.”
“Sounds good.” That gave me some time to walk off some steam. I didn’t need to skulk around Diana in a pissed-off mood when we met up. One thing I’d learned about her was that she didn’t tolerate foul moods and would leave. She was not someone who’d try to lift spirits if I was having a bad night.
Diana was late.I paced up and down Essex Street, keeping watch for a tall, willowy woman with blonde hair.
When she approached, her heels echoed off the brick pavement. She wore a dark gray wrap that accentuated her pale hair and skin, which floated behind her like a phantom. An indecipherable smile ghosted her lips.
