Page 72 of The Royal Street Witch
“Tell her you found someone.”
My head whips to meet his eyes.
“Tell her that you found someone and you’re trying to get pregnant. That will buy you some time, right?”
I breathe out, the lie so easy, and I wonder why I hadn’t thought of it.
She might see right through it, but it might also give me a little time and I don’t want to leave Bastian yet. I text her quickly, my fingers flying over my phone.
No need to come and make demands. I’ve found someone and will be pregnant in the very near future. I’ll let you know all the details during my next visit.
“We’ll see,” I say more to myself than Bastian, but he’s not even looking at me now; he’s not really looking at anything, and I’m reminded of everything Cassius told me.
I won’t bring it up now. He’s too weak to speak of such things. So I curl into him for a few more moments until there’s a knock at the door.
“Come in,” Bastian chimes, and Cassius walks in.
“You must feed, Baz.” He takes hesitant steps toward us and sighs deeply once his eyes set on Bastian’s. “You look like utter shit.”
Bastian coughs and laughs at the same time. “Well, then I look how I feel.”
Cassius sits in the chair next to the bed, his elbow on his knees. “Jerimiah will supply you tonight, but by tomorrow night, he’ll need a break. I’m gathering people that will hopefully invigorate you.”
“Whatever you say, Brother.” Bastian winks at me and it’s such a small gesture, but I’m grateful he’s able to do it.
Jerimiah enters the room, hands clasped before him.
“You can stay if you’d like,” Bastian says, and I rise from the bed, sliding onto the chaise lounge, discomfort swallowing me.
I watched Bastian drink from Jeremiah’s opened vein when we arrived, but this is different. This time Bastian’s eyes dim with hunger as if he’s ready to pounce like a jaguar.
Jerimiah sits next to Bastian on the bed, offering his neck. Fangs slide out, his chest labors as he grabs Jerimiah by the back of the head and his eyes meet with mine. I nod, suddenly wanting to witness something that is so vital to someone I love the most. He nods back and takes the blood from his offering. There’s a breaking of flesh, like an animal, something entirely inhuman and I’ve never felt so riveted, disgusted, and enthralled all at once. My fingers writhe against each other, my eyes fixating on them, and Cassius leans next to me as Bastian is lost in his meal.
“Not for the weak,” he whispers and before I can respond, claps his hands and pulls Jerimiah from Bastian’s embrace.
Aunt Violetta texted me back, buying my lie, for now. She still managed to throw in a threat that I better have plenty of details, so my tangled web of lies only grows, and I’m shocked I haven’t heard from Mother.
Bastian’s recovery is much slower than I had hoped, and who knows how long I will need to stay with him. So I decide to sneak to the shop to collect some items and my most important possession, Mercury. This means I will have to tell Chantal soon, but I don’t think about that at the moment. There’s so much to discuss, and that time is fast approaching.
I go early evening, once Cassius is awake and can care for Bastian. He’s still weak and needs to feed soon, and I hope to get back before that.
Upon opening my front door for the first time in weeks, Mercury runs to me and I drop to my knees, an overwhelming agony taking over me.
“I’m sorry, baby,” I whisper as he meows, begging for my affection, and I finally let myself break down, on the entryway floor, Mercury in my arms.
I gather myself, wiping my eyes, resolving to do better—better by Mercury, better by my business, better by Chantal. I check on the store, my emails, and whatever shipments have come in. I clean the glass on the display cases and dust all the shelves. It all feels so distant now, my once life of slinging potions to vampires and making jewelry for tourists. But it’s who I am, and life isn’t always glamorous.
After I’ve packed a fresh bag of clothes and have Mercury stowed away in his cat carrier, I go down to the store to grab a few crystals for a spell. It’s getting late and I need to get back to Bastian. Just as I put the crystals in my bag, I see Chantal, unlocking the shop’s front door, and I freeze.
She’s silent as she sways through the door, inventorying my bag and Mercury, hair in a tight bun, gold hoop earrings bigger than my fist. It’s hard to swallow, with her intense gaze stripping me down, a glint of anger in her eyes.
“You’re in trouble, cousin. Don’t deny it.”
I lick my lips, Mercury’s meowing making it hard to think. “I won’t deny it,” I whisper, meeting her gaze.
“Do you need help?”
“No,” I say it quickly, but then meet her eyes. “Not yet, at least.”
