be okay,” he tells me, putting his arm around my shoulders. “For a little while, at least.”
“I know.” I rest my head on his shoulder, feeling better to be close to him like this, but dammit, I’m starting to question things again. “Why doesn’t Isaac like witches? Actually,” I start and sit up straight, “your dad said there are no more witches in my coven, but then you said the Lancasters are still alive and well, and how can Isaac hate witches if there aren’t any left for him to meet?”
Ethan’s brows furrow and he inhales. “Anora, I—” He cuts off when his dad, Julia, and an old man who has to be Isaac comes into the room.
“So, this is the pretty little redhead that’s gotten our boy here in a twist.” Isaac unscrews the lid to a well-worn metal flask. “I can see why he likes you.”
“Her name is Anora,” Sam interjects.
I meet her eye and give her a tiny nod of thanks, noticing the glare Julia gave her, making me wonder if the Order is big on the whole respect your elders thing, even when said elders are drunk creepy old men.
“Well, Anora,” he starts and takes a drink from his flask. “I can see why Ethan likes you, but not why the demons have been sent after you. You have no idea why?”
I shake my head. “I didn’t know demons existed until they attacked.”
“You didn’t make a deal with one?” His eyes narrow.
“We already went over this,” Ethan says, apparently not the only one annoyed by Isaac. “She didn’t do anything that would have caused a demon to put a bounty on her head.”
“I see.” Isaac takes another drink, and the smell of whiskey hits me, making my stomach twist. He screws the lid back on and gives me a hard look. “I suppose the root of the problem isn’t as dangerous as the branches. We snap those off and the tree will shrivel and die.”
His tree analogy doesn’t make the most sense, but I get what he’s saying. “We were surrounded,” Ethan starts. “If we hadn’t made it back inside, well, we’d be fucked.”
“How many would you say were out there?”
“Over a dozen, at least. We killed a good handful, but they kept coming.”
Isaac nods, tapping his fingers on the flask. “And they killed her friend?”
“They did,” Ethan answers. “She was wearing Anora’s jacket, and they’d already gotten Anora’s scent.”
“In all my years, I haven’t heard of the Pricolici killing anyone but their target. Brings too much attention to them. They had a fresh kill, and then hours later, went out in droves after her.” He points a finger at me.
“Right.”
“They’re mad and desperate,” Isaac goes on. “And so is the demon sending them. I’m guessing the demon is mighty mad after several failed attempts to capture her.”
“What do we do?” Sam asks. “How are we supposed to injure and track one when dozens are attacking?”
“You try,” Isaac says back bluntly. “And I’d suggest leaving it to Ethan and David.”
Sam’s eyes widen, and she opens her mouth to protest, but Julia gives her another look. Pressing her lips together, Sam huffs back in her chair. She’s not my biggest fan, but I’m pissed for her, since Isaac basically told her to leave it to the men.
Fucking bullshit.
“I think it’s also safe to say the demon sending the Pricolici is one bad dude,” Julia says almost meekly.
“You can bet on that,” Isaac says and takes another drink. How he’s still functioning is beyond me.
“It’s been a long, bad evening.” Ethan moves his fingers in little circles on my arm. “We’re not going to track anything tonight, so I’m going to call it a night.” His eyes meet mine, knowing I’m close to breaking down again. “Want to go to your place?”
“Yes. I need to take care of Romeo.”
“Romeo?” Sam questions.
“He’s a ferret,” I answer, and usually fight the urge to show pictures of his cute face on my phone. I don’t have my phone with me, and I don’t feel much of anything inside, which is a temporary reprieve from the pain of losing a friend.
“I’m going to grab my shit.” Ethan kisses me and gets up, hurrying up the stairs. Not wanting to be the subject of scrutiny, I mumble that I have to use the bathroom. Hunter follows, stopping outside the door. Now that I think of it, he’s always been rather respectful of my privacy, though he’s very much a bed hog.