I fill a pot with water, put it on the stove, and turn on the burner. I wait a minute for the pot to heat up and then hold my hands over it, magically bringing it to a boil. I dump in a box of noodles to make mac and cheese.
“I ate last night,” he reminds me. “I’m fine.”
I nod and get the butter and milk out of the fridge. My phone rings, and I know by my ringtone it’s Evander.
“Hello,” I answer.
“Hey, sis. Your text seemed urgent. Is everything all right?”
Things are so far from it, and I have to go over a mental checklist of the things I haven’t told Evander yet. Fuck, I hate this.
“Not for the woman who had her heart ripped out.”
“Ah, you found out about that already.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You were on vacation, Callie,” he says slowly. “We both know that would have ruined your trip.”
“Well, yeah!”
“And then what?” Evander goes on. “You’d rush back?”
“I don’t know.” I let out a sigh and lean against the counter. “Other than that, how have things been here?”
“Quite good. Mother spoke to the Newport packmaster and it seems things have been smoothed over with the wolves…for now.”
“That’s a relief.” I rub my forehead, remembering how angry I felt that night the wolf walked through our yard.
“Yes,” Evander agrees. “Things are good, Callie. Don’t go looking for trouble.”
I can feel Lucas’s eyes on me, silently telling me the same exact thing. As far as my friends are concerned, everything is peachy.
But they don’t know Lucifer is here on earth, and every day I get closer and closer to being discovered by the rest of my family.
“You know me.”
“Hah, that I do. Enjoy the time off while you can. You’ll be wishing for quiet days once that baby is born, you know.”
“Oh, for sure. Is anyone looking into the demon, though?” I ask, watching the water boil. “Three deer were found dead without hearts too.”
“Ruby’s on it. I believe she’s already narrowed down the type of demon who may be behind it.”
“Great, I’ll get the info from her. I, uh, asked Easton to help me handle it.”
Evander pauses for a second. “That’s a good idea, actually. Might as well use the brute for the only thing he’s good for.”
“Be nice,” I warn.
“I don’t like him,” Evander reminds me.
“Neither do I,” Lucas grumbles, though he knows how much Easton helped me after Abby was shot. I say my goodbyes to Evander and then finish making my food. The sun has set by the time I’m done eating, and Lucas and I go out to see the house.
“We can walk,” I tell him. “Scarlet needs some exercise.” I put on my winter coat and gloves and call for Scarlet to come to the front door. The human crew might still be wrapping up at the house, so I grab her leash to clip onto her collar once we get on property. “And I could too. I’ve been really slacking with working out and now is not the time to let myself go.”
“You still look hot. I mean, I’d fuck you.”
“Hah, thanks.” We go onto the porch and Lucas holds my hand as we walk down the driveway. Scarlet trots ahead, following a moth. She’s still just as doofy as she was in puppy-form, making me wonder if that’s actually her personality.
A car comes down the road, and I call Scarlet over, resting my hand on her back to keep her near as the car passes. But instead of going by us, it slows to a stop. Red-and-blue lights flash for a moment, and then Officer Maxwell’s face comes into view.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. King,” he says, and his eyes go right to Scarlet. Oh, shit. I know exactly what he’s thinking. I have a tendency to be in the right place at the wrong time, and that kid was attacked by a large dog in the woods.
And I’m pretty sure Scarlet is the biggest dog in town.
Chapter 27
“Nice night, isn’t it?” I blurt, though it’s anything but. It’s even colder now, and I’m sure we’ll wake up with frost covering the earth. “Sit,” I whisper to Scarlet, knowing the word is coming out in Enochain.
“Is this your dog?” Officer Maxwell asks.
“I, um…I…I’m a cat person,” I blurt, internally wincing. Dammit.
“We’re dog-sitting,” Lucas says with no hesitation. “Her owner is in Bali.”
“Dogs need to be leashed,” Officer Maxwell says, shifting his car into park. “How long have you been watching