mansplain something so super simple it was laughable.”
“Let me guess: no one ever called you out on it?”
“One guy did, and it turned out he was gay and was trying to hit on Evander and not us.” I shove my feet in my favorite pair of combat boots and squeeze into my tiny and very overstuffed closet to get my red velvet cloak from the back. The lining is a shimmery black satin, and the embroidery along the hem is a gorgeous and complicated Celtic design. This cloak is reserved for special occasions like tonight.
I tie it around my shoulders, taking one last look at my reflection. I’m wearing a black dress with lace sleeves. It’s low cut and curve hugging, and in a few weeks, I probably won’t fit into it anymore. Lucas bought this for me on our honeymoon, and I put it on with the intention of wearing it to dinner.
Lucas ravished me the second I came down the stairs, and we ended up missing our dinner reservation because we made love on the back patio, under the light of the moon. I ordered Chinese takeout instead and ate it in the hot tub, looking out at the vineyard.
Fuck, I miss California. And being able to go in hot tubs.
“That dress brings back memories,” Lucas says when we go down the stairs. He’s in the living room watching TV, and Scarlet is curled up in his lap. “If I remember correctly, you didn’t have it on very long.”
I flash a coy smile. “You’re going to have to wait a few hours at least before you take it off me this time.”
“Gross,” Ruby grumbles and I laugh. Lucas moves Scarlet to the spot next to him and gets up, speeding over.
“Can I walk you to the door?” he asks, not sure if he should stay away or not. The coven recognized him as an ally to witches, but we don’t want to push our luck or start any sort of unnecessary drama.
“We’ll be fine,” Ruby says, answering the unasked question as nicely as possible.
“I’ve already sent my familiars out,” I remind Lucas. “They’re patrolling the woods for more scrappers or something else. Scrappers follow more powerful demons, so we all need to be on high alert. Oh, and I almost forgot. Binx brought one of the scrapper demons’ bodies back. Could you do me a huge favor and burn it for me?”
“Of course.”
“Thanks. Maybe out back? I don’t want to smell the charred flesh in the morning.”
“The backyard is rather patchy,” Lucas says. “We already have one designated area for burning bodies. I don’t want to singe more of the grass. We want to rent this place out in a few months, remember?”
“Oh, right. Good point. Then the usual burn pile.”
Ruby shakes her head. “You two are a really good fit for each other.”
Lucas grabs me around the waist, putting his lips to mine. “We are.”
Ruby and I set off, leaving through the back door. Freya is waiting for us at the end of my yard, where the overgrown grass meets the trees.
“I have fallen behind on my yard work,” I muse. “I was never that good at it to begin with, but things have been a little hectic the last few weeks. Hell, the last few months.”
“Yeah, it’s not really a priority. You think you’ll be moved out in a few weeks?”
“We’re hoping so.” I conjure an energy ball to light up the dark forest. “We have two construction crews working on the house. Humans during the day and vampires at night. The kitchen is pretty much all done, and by the time we get back from Florida, the pipes and heating system should be good to go.”
“That’s exciting.”
“I can’t freaking wait! I’m already dying to decorate the house for Christmas. I might have pre-ordered a twelve-foot tree to go in the foyer, as well as a shit-ton of garland.”
“You really like Christmas?” she asks incredulously.
“I do.” I turn, glancing at Ruby. It’s nice having her on Team Callie now, though it’s a little strange. We’ve known each other since we were ten years old. She’s heard the rumors and has seen a lot of the truth of my past surface in the last few days. “Christmas was always my safe place when I was still living with the Martins, and I know how fucked up it is.”
“Your safe place?”
“Every year, Nancy and Willian would throw this big Christmas party. It was a total sham, put on