Page 11 of Saved By Monsters (Everwood Demons 3)

“Thank you,” I mumbled as Jack wrapped his arms around me tight.

“We believe in you, Lily,” Miss Sage said from the front.

“I still can’t believe you killed an archangel,” Paris mused from the front seat as she stared out the side window.

“Yeah, they’re meant to be the big powerful dudes,” Xander muttered.

“I’m grateful. I don’t think Hadley and I could hold him off. His power was crazy strong, he was breaking through our barrier. He could’ve just snapped his fingers and snuffed us out if he had,” Diane stated as she pulled out her phone.

“Should you have that?” Miss Sage hissed as she glanced in the rearview mirror.

“I’ve warded this phone, it’s an emergency one. Hadley and I both have one, they’re old school and Dylan encrypted them too. It’s safe, and I only use it to talk to Hadley in an emergency. Dylan had one too, I was hoping he would’ve texted,” she stated. As soon as we’d left the Academy, Miss Sage had told us to hurl our phones out the windows so we couldn’t be tracked.

“Has he?” I asked instantly, and she shook her head.

“No. Then again, he may not have had a chance to grab it if he didn’t keep it on his person. We grabbed ours as soon as Dezikiel said you guys would be leaving the Academy after dinner. Just wanted to be safe, glad we did,” she muttered as she shot off a text. “I’ve texted him, just in case.”

I swallowed down my unease as I thought about Mr. Baron and the other guys. Were they okay?

I closed my eyes as I tried to reach out, hoping I could sense them with my magic from the branding, but I couldn’t feel anything. Not even a glimmer of them.

“Everything will be okay,” Jack murmured as he took my hand in his.

I opened my eyes, managing a small smile as I rested my head on his shoulder.

“I hope so.”

I awoke to Jack murmuring softly for me to wake up, and I yawned as I looked out the window to see the night sky.

We’d driven the entire night, Paris taking over midway through so Miss Sage could rest, and then Xander took over during the day. We’d stopped briefly for toilet breaks and food, but stayed on the road the majority of the time.

“We’ll stay here for the night,” Miss Sage declared as she pulled into a parking lot.

I blinked through the sleep in my eyes, my back and butt aching from being in the car for so long.

I glanced out the window and spied the motel sign. Great, a bed sounded amazing.

I turned to ask Diane a question, but stopped as I noted how she was sleeping, all curled up against Xander. He was awake and watching her with an odd look, a small smile on his lips.

“Diane?” Paris turned in her seat and gave her a gentle nudge, and Xander’s smile dropped as she stirred.

“Mmm, we there?” Diane mumbled as she nuzzled into Xander’s neck.

I grinned as he shot me a look, and Jack chuckled as Paris rolled her eyes.

“We’re at a motel,” Xander said as he awkwardly tapped her back. I’d found it adorable how he’d had her wrapped up in his arms while she slept.

“Hmm?” Diane blinked sleepily as she pulled back, her brow furrowing as she realized just where she was.

“Oh, I’m sorry, crap,” she grimaced as she noticed the dribble stain on his shirt, and I snorted as she pulled a face at me.

“It’s fine,” Xander said quickly, and I grinned as his cheeks reddened. Utterly adorable.

She shoved the door open and scrambled off him, and my eyes widened as I realized just how much Xander had enjoyed her on his lap.

“Don’t say anything,” he hissed as Jack and I looked at him as he repositioned himself.

Thankfully Diane hadn’t noticed, although I wondered if she’d felt it, and Miss Sage and Paris had already clambered out of the car.

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