“I’ll see you soon Gee,” Pagan called out as Gee left the room.
“That’s better,” I sighed, sitting down beside Pagan and leaning back against the headboard. I reached over and pulled Pagan up to lay her head on my chest.
“Mmmmhmmmm,” she agreed, still not fully awake. Leif had drained her energy by apporting her human body. It was dangerous to apport a human yet the idiot had done so. Pagan would be feeling its effects for days. I’d brought her home via a private jet and she’d slept the entire way.
“I can’t seem to keep my eyes open but I want to.”
I played with her hair wrapping the strands around my fingers. “That would be Leif’s fault. He used a method of transportation not meant for humans. For that he’ll pay.”
“I’m sorry I left,” Pagan’s small apology caused me to stiffen. She had no reason to apologize. I’d been panicked and handled the situation wrong.
“No, I’m sorry I didn’t explain to you that the blond was soulless. I shouldn’t have disregarded your feelings. Seeing her so close to you sent a jolt of fear through me. I’d been on a mission to find out why she was there.”
Pagan yawned then tilted her head back to peer up at me, “She was soulless?”
I nodded, “She distracted me and upset you all for the purpose of Leif getting you alone. I fell right into their trap.” Admitting my failure left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’d failed her twice now.
“No, I fell into their trap. You were trying to protect me and I acted like a silly jealous girl and ran off,” the sleepiness was gone from her voice now. She didn’t like for me to take the blame for anything. If I didn’t defuse her she’d stand up and start ranting about how wrong I was.
“You were jealous,” I teased and her determined gaze morphed into a bashful smile.
“You know I was. The girl was calling me your newest fling and acting like you dated a different girl every week. I knew she didn’t know you very well just by that comment alone but then she called me a slut and well, I snapped.”
“She called you a what? I wonder if Leif knows about that. Since he seems to think you belong to him I wonder how he’d feel knowing his little evil sidekick called you such a vulgar name,” I paused and took a deep breath. Raging while I held a very sleepy and exhausted Pagan in my arms wasn’t a good idea.
“I should have disposed of her right then,” I muttered angrily to myself.
“No, you shouldn’t have. Besides I was just being a jealous girl. If I’d kept my cool none of this would have happened.
“Hmm, I like you jealous.”
Giggling, she pinched my nipple through the thin cotton of my shirt and I burst out laughing. The sound was still so new to me. Before Pagan I don’t think I’d ever laughed.
Pagan
“So what are you and your sexy rocker boyfriend planning for Valentine’s Day?” Miranda asked coming up beside me as soon as I stepped out of my car. I’d forgotten about Valentine’s Day but I doubted Death actually acknowledged that holiday. Besides Dank had left again this morning. Gee would be here soon. I’d left her eating the leftover waffles and strawberry topping Mom had put out for me on the kitchen table before she’d left bright and early for a writer’s convention in Chicago. She’d be gone all week. The way things were going at the moment that was probably for the best. This way Gee could remain in human form and roam my house freely while we waited on Dank to find an answer to my problem.
At the thought of Leif, I glanced over to his parking place and stopped walking at the sight of his truck parked in his spot. Ohgod he was here. What did that mean? Everyone had forgotten him. Now he was back.
“I know you broke up with Leif but, dang, you don’t have to glare at his truck like it’s the worst thing ever. So he’s back from his trip up north visiting his grandparents. You’ll get used to being around him again. No big.”
His grandparents? What? And she remembered him. My head started pounding. This was too much. Nothing made any sense.
“There’s my girls,” Gee’s voice broke into my internal panic attack and I swung my horrified expression toward her. She understood. Her eyes flickered over to Leif’s truck and then back to me. “Well, lookie lookie, the king has returned or should I say ‘prince,” she smirked at her own joke and squeezed my arm. “Won’t today just be loads of fun?”
I started to shake my head and she squeezed my arm tighter.
“Smile and be nice Peggy Ann. That’s all you need to do. I got this,” she hissed and led me toward the doors of the school. Miranda silently followed behind us which in itself was a miracle. But then Gee always freaked her out anyway.
Gee didn’t stop pulling me until we reached my locker. Miranda had said her goodbyes and gone to wrap herself around Wyatt as soon as we entered the hallway. I was thankful for her departure because I needed to talk to Gee alone.
“What am I going to do?” I whispered as I glanced around frantically for any sign of Leif.
“You’re going to act like everything is fine. He’s your ex; act like girls do around their exes,” Gee blew a bubble with the gum in her mouth as if this weren’t a big freaking deal.
“Gee. You are aware that he’s after my soul,” I snapped angrily.
She rolled her eyes, “You are aware that he ain’t got nothin’ on Dank.”