go down and hug him, I’m agreeing to all the dangerous, reckless, foolish things he’s ever done.”
“No, if you hug him that means you’re human, and you need the connection as much as he does.” Libby yawned and tugged up the fluffy terry cloth lapel of her robe. “Also, while everyone around you is telling you how wrong he is for you, you actually see into his soul and know he is the only one for you.”
“Are you talking about me and CJ or you and Reichardt?”
She let out a soft chuckle. “Both. Go sit with him. It creeps me out to know he’s down there alone, probably staring wide-eyed up at the chandelier. How can he sleep? Does he sleep?”
“He does, for short periods. You’re right. I can’t leave him alone. You get some rest. We’ll need to stay strong for whatever the next few days bring.” She hugged her sister and then wandered down to the living room, where the light hurt her eyes.
“Can’t sleep?” he muttered. “Or feeling sorry for the pitiful witch who can’t go home without risking a battle with his own demons?”
“A bit of both.” Vika picked up the compendium from the floor and then settled onto the easy chair next to CJ. “Mind if I join you, oh, pitiful one?”
“Vika, I’m—”
“No more apologies. It is what it is. You’ve done things. I’m still not sure how I feel about that. But for now, I know I can’t stay away from you, and I wanted to be close. I’m tired, so I may fall asleep in your arms.”
“Please do. But what’s with the book?”
“Demons,” she said on a yawn. “I want to know what we’re dealing with.”
“Smart witch you are.” He opened the book on his lap, while Vika nestled closer to give the book some room. Tilting her head against his shoulder, she watched his face as he paged through the book.
The incorporeal demon was listed, and CJ read the page, explaining that the demons from Daemonia were the upper crust, so to speak, the royalty of demons. While the lesser demons most often tread the mortal realm and were shunned by those from Daemonia.
Closing her eyes, she allowed his deep yet quiet recitation to lull her. He smelled good. Like a favorite sweater taken out from a cedar drawer and snuggled against one’s face. Hers.
She’d said she loved him.
Love? Possibly. Yet shame on her for falling for a man she had known was trouble from the beginning, and for allowing her heart to lead her when normally— Hell. What was so wrong with following her heart?
Besides getting attacked by demons and being threatened with the removal of her soul?
Sighing, she spread her fingers down his chest and felt the hum of his protection wards against her palm. “Take down your wards,” she whispered.
With a few whispered words from CJ, the hum ceased, and Vika pulled up her leg to snuggle in closer to her lover. “Can we have what we think we want from each other?”
“Yes. No. I don’t know, Vika.” He closed the book and slid it down aside the chair and returned her hug. “I want you. My heart craves your beauty and light. But I’m not so stupid to think that selfish desire isn’t hurting you.”
“Why must it be selfish to love someone? I struggle with that, too. Like if I relax and let myself love you, the world will not approve, that it’ll sneer at me and say I’m asking far too much. I don’t want to feel that way. I take my reluctance as a portent.”
“Your saffron petals tell you anything about us?”
“No, only that a warlock is present in my life.”
“Grim.” He sighed. “Because of me.”
“Do you think he’ll come after me to get to you? Is he after you?”
“I suspect so. I sensed a push against my wards right after the accident, and then the following day. If Grim obtained some of my blood, he would be able to track me down but, ultimately, wouldn’t have been able to breech my wards.”
“The blood on the dashboard.”
He nodded. “But he has nothing of yours and shouldn’t be aware of our connection, so the petal reading baffles me. Are you sure you’re not aware of any other warlocks in your or Libby’s life?”
“Trust me, I do not consort with the like.”
“Didn’t think so. It could be a vague reference to my parents, though they’re totally out of the picture. And now that Grief is gone, I’m feeling