Page 40 of Blood of Night (The Thorne Hill)

“No. I’m good,” I say and force a smile, looking at the woman with dark hair. She’s familiar for some reason, yet I’m sure she’s just another figment of my imagination. I catch her name on her lanyard as she walks off, thinking Nelly isn’t a very common name for people my age anymore. Inhaling, I push past the circulation desk and head back to the nonfiction section, though I have no idea what I’m looking for, only that things have a rather supernatural feel to them.

I pull several books off the shelf, and my mind goes all foggy again. Squeezing my eyes closed, I set my stack of books down and put both hands on the side of my head. Something sparks around my fingers, shocking my temples.

And then I suddenly know everything again—and I mean fucking everything.

Easton and I were walking to the Covenstead. He brought the ugly-ass green ring from the warehouse. He thought I took it—and I did, in a sense. It was in my bag, though I don’t remember picking it up. Yet, that’s the only thing that makes sense.

“Unless the ring put itself in our path,” I whisper and then get a flash of Lucas’s face. Heart aching, I get to my feet and shove my books in the back corner of the desk I was sitting at. I pull my phone from my pocket as I walk, though it’s not like I need it to get to the tap room. Instead, I’m hoping to find out the hours, though if Lucas was there yesterday afternoon, then he has to be there now.

He wouldn’t travel by car during the day and risk being seen. Not yet at least. He doesn’t become quite so reckless until he meets me.

Which he will.

I get stuck in traffic on the way to The Taproom, and finally arrive nearly an hour later. I stand outside the door, knocking over and over again until Monica finally shows up at least two hours later.

“Hey,” I say as soon as she comes to the door, keys in her hand.

“Oh, hi,” she says right back, voice high-pitched and strained. “H-how are you?”

“I’m doing just fine,” I say back, plastering the biggest fake smile on my face. “I believe someone inside ordered me. B-positive,” I add, widening my smile. Eliza never mentioned what blood type was favorite, though when she brought home bags for blood for Lucas, I noticed most were B-positive.

“Yeah. Come on in.” Monica steps back and I follow her in, waiting a beat for the door to close behind me.

“Lucas!” I call and Monica instantly looks panicked. “Lucas! Eliza! I need your help?”

Both Lucas and Eliza speed out of the office, and Lucas holds out his hand, keeping Eliza behind him. His blue eyes narrow suspiciously and I’m more than aware of how menacing he looks right now, but I don’t fucking care.

He’s here. Right in front of me. Close enough to touch.

“This is going to sound crazy, but I’m your wife and I’m stuck in a loop or a nightmare or something and I really need to get out because you’re actually trapped in the Underworld and Eliza is at our house babysitting our daughter—which is actually yours because a necromancer named Ruth, who used to be on the Grand Coven but obviously isn’t anymore—because I killed her—got mad at me and went after you, cursing you with humanity and you were just human enough to get me pregnant before I broke the curse and because I’m a nephilim our daughter grew kinda fast and I had her like three weeks ago.” I let out a breath, eyes wide, and wait while Lucas just stands there, staring at me.

“What the hell did you order?” he finally asks Eliza, cocking an eyebrow and looking me up and down.

“Not a fucking certifiable loon,” Eliza huffs, crossing her arms. “Though if she tastes good…” She shrugs and Lucas takes another step forward, inhaling.

“Yes, I’m a witch,” I blurt. “And I know this sounds crazy but trust me. I know you guys.” I lock eyes with Lucas, heart swelling in my chest. God, I’ve missed looking into those deep blue eyes. “You taught yourself as many languages as you could possibly learn because you weren’t allowed to read or write as a human back in Ancient Rome. And Eliza was the prettiest of all her sisters and that’s why you picked her to turn into a vampire after her army general father ordered an attack on the vamp-nest your friend was at when he burned to death.”

Lucas speeds forward, flashing his fangs in my face, and shoves me up against the wall. Lucas—my Lucas—would never hurt me.

“Who sent you?” he growls and my mind races, thinking back to the first time we met. What made him hesitate before ripping me apart?

“Myself,” I say and inhale deep, causing my chest to rise against his. He leans back, just enough to look into my eyes. “It’s me, Callie.” My lips part and I keep looking into his eyes. “I don’t know how this reality works. If everyone else has a part to play and are following a script or not. I know parts of this aren’t real, but if I’m real then…then…”

Lucas moves my hair over my shoulder, exposing my neck. His touch makes me shiver and desire tingles down my spine. I lick my lips, and slowly move my head to the side, arching my neck. A few seconds pass between us and things start to feel right again.

I’m here.

With Lucas.

He’s close enough to touch, and his hands are around my waist, holding me in place.

His fangs sink into my neck and my body melts against him, instantly comforted by the feel of his cool skin against mine. Lucas sucks out a mouthful of blood and I wrap my arms around his waist, eyes falling shut. I want to stay here in this moment, never letting him go, but I know I can’t.

Because this isn’t real.

I need to find a way to pull myself out of whatever loop I’m stuck in and wake up, going on facing the cold hard fact that Lucas is gone, and I’m not sure if he’s ever coming back.

“Lucas,” I groan, feeling my heart break all over again when I take my hands off his body. If he’s not coming back then why can’t I stay here? We’re together and—Juliet.“You have to stop,” I tell him and he bites me again, ripping my flesh. “You’re hurting me.” Growling, he bites me again, drinking my blood harsher and faster than he ever has before.

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