Page 75 of Malice

“Wait,” Zeke interjects. “You’re saying the necklace Vivian took from Marcus Henry’s dead body is the key?”

“Yes.” This time there’s more certainty. “There’s no way Marcus would have attempted that sort of ritual if the key was just out there anywhere. The demon told me the Order has been controlling it for half a century. That’s how long it took them to figure out it needed blood from the witch who cast it,” I continue as the thoughts race through my mind.

“And then they had to figure out not only who trapped the demon, but then find a family member they could…you know, trick,” Antonio says roughly. “None of this is your fault, Wren. If anything, it shows how much effort the Order put into this—if that makes you feel any better.”

“It doesn’t, but thanks.” I take a breath, closing my eyes and remembering it all again. The manic look on Vivian’s face as she pulled the necklace from Marcus Henry’s body. The way she didn’t so much as look back at Antonio. Theo is right—if they intended on saving him, they would have dragged the body out with them. But they didn’t. They left him to burn and then made up the stupid rumor that he had been turned into a vampire. That way, they had the perfect excuse for why no one would ever see Antonio’s body again.

“We need to call Leo,” Antonio says, “and have him meet us tonight with something of Vivian’s.”

“That will take too long,” Xavier says. “Instead we will go to him.”

Chapter

Thirty-One

We leave in a rush, grabbing just enough stuff to get us through the night. We’re not going far, and Asheville has plenty of stores if we really need something. Antonio packs up the few weapons I have here at this house, and Devon helps grab all the supplies I need to cast the locator spell. I’m running low on a few herbs, but the kitchen is always well stocked at the Russo compound.

The pizza comes right as we’re getting ready to head out the door. I can tell by the look on Xavier’s face he’s struggling with not wanting anyone to have food in the car vs the fact that Antonio and I are human and need to eat.

The latter wins, and I'm even scared to bite into a slice of pizza while sitting shotgun in the G-Wagon. Devon and Antonio are in the back, and Devon is curiously staring at the pizza.

“I used to love that,” he says, tipping his head. “Now it’s like looking at dog food. It doesn’t necessarily gross me out but I have no desire to eat it.” He shrugs. “It’s just weird.”

I finish chewing the food that’s in my mouth and turn, looking at him and then Antonio. “I think this family could keep an entire therapy practice in business for a year or more.”

Antonio lets out a snort of laughter and picks up another slice of pizza from the box sitting on his lap. It hits me right then why he and Devon have bonded so quickly. They both had their human lives stripped from them before their time. Devon came back as a vampire, and Antonio was brought back by a demon.

Not the same, but not so different in the end.

“You should probably call Leo,” Antonio says as a few miles are put between us and our house. “Make sure he’s not home. Or make sure he didn’t bring anyone home. I’ve walked in on that once. Never again.”

I laugh, but my amusement is surface level right now. With shaky hands, I call Leo and get his voicemail. Dammit. I call again. And again. If he’s not answering on the third ring, then his phone is not near him. I text him, telling him to call back ASAP, and then put my phone in the cupholder. I force myself to eat one more slice of pizza and then close the box, carefully holding it on my lap. Xavier drives fast, passing cars both left and right on the interstate.

Maybe twenty minutes later, Leo calls back. “Hey,” I say. “You’re on speaker. Xavier, Toni, and Devon are in the car. Please tell me you’re home.”

“Uh, yeah. I just got out of the shower and saw your calls. What’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you when I get there.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” he says and I hear a male voice in the background.

My mouth drops and I whirl around, looking at Antonio, but he doesn’t instantly recognize the voice.

“Oh my god,” I say to Leo. “Is that fucking Patrick?”

“Maybe,” Leo grumbles.

“I told you what I would do if you hooked up with that no-good piece of shit user again, didn’t I?”

“It’s not that deep, Wren, and don’t you have bigger fish to fry right now?”

“You’re lucky a demon has a contract on my soul and is actively trying to kill me right now.” I set my jaw. It’s easy for me to tell someone to walk away from a toxic relationship when I myself wasn’t able to leave Ryder for nearly a year when all the signs were there that he was never going to do what he had to do so we could be together. “He better be gone by the time we get there and we’re like an hour-ish out.”

“Be discreet,” he tells me and I can hear him walking through the house. A door closes behind him. “Sector Four just got back from a big hunt and everyone and their mother are out celebrating.”

“That’s why your soon-to-be leprechaun boyfriend is in town,” I chide.

“Huh? Oh, right. The curse,” he says and I’m surprised he remembered I threatened to curse Patrick to only speak with a terrible Irish accent.