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I wrinkle my nose. “They don'tnothelp,” I say, raking my fingers through my hair before I continue. “There was something else that I wanted to talk to you about.“
She leans against the vanity. “Oh?”
“We're going up against Selene, and there's not much I can do to help but I have been training with the guys. I trained a lot before they came into my life too, so I'm not completely useless. But there is something that I need to ask for your help with.”
Her eyes search my face, calculating. “What is it?”
“I need you to spell my blood like you did before, making it poisonous to vampires. I don't know what's going to go down and I just want to make sure that I have a defense mechanism in place should anything happen. But can you make it temporary? Like to only last a few days? Is that a thing? Or will I have to bother you again to undo it?”
She offers me a wry smile. “Yeah, I can do that for sure. And I can make it temporary. Though I can’t give you an exact timeline on when it will be at its strongest and when it will fade. Magic is fickle like that. It doesn't always do exactly what you want. But that spell is fairly straightforward, and I am confident it will do what you need.
“That's great. Seriously, thank you.”
“Of course. I know we haven't known each other that long but I do consider you a friend, Calla, and I’d like to stay in touch no matter what happens. I hope you know that I'm here for you.”
I clench my jaw as my eyes start to sting. I don't want to cry in front of her but I also want her to know how much that means to me. “Thank you,” I say, hoping the sincerity in my voice rings clear. “I feel the same. If there's anything I can ever do for you, I hope you'll ask. And also tell me about what's going on with you.”
She laughs softly. “That is a very long story, and while I do want to share it with you, maybe we can wait until after you've made your big, life-altering decision. I think you have enough on your mind right now and I really don't want to add to it.”
I shake my head. “No, no, no. Come on. It can't be that bad, and honestly, I would rather think about somebody else's problems for a second.”
“We're going to do the spell first, then I'm going to have at least three margaritas, and then Imightbe in a position to tell you about my crazy life.”
“Well, all right then. Sounds like a plan to me.”
“Give me your hand,” she says in a smooth voice. I offer it to her, and she flips it over so my palm is facing upward. She uses her thumbnail and slices into my palm. I suck in a breath as blood pools in my hand, and she starts speaking in a low voice I can't pick up. After a minute or so, the blood in my hand starts to sizzle and bubble, my skin warming under her touch. It doesn't hurt, but the tingling becomes uncomfortable after a few moments before stopping altogether. The heat is replaced by cold, as if I'm holding an ice cube in my hand, and I try to pull away on instinct, but Tessa holds firm. She continues speaking under her breath for another minute before she closes my palm and turns it over, letting go.
When I open my hand to look at it, the blood is gone and there's a faint silver line in the center of my palm. “That's it?” I check, turning my hand back and forth to inspect it. I don’t feel any different, but I don’t doubt Tessa’s ability, considering she’s put the spell on me before and I had no idea… until Lex bit me and thought he was going to die—uh, again.
She nods, mild amusement on her face. “Yep.”
“How come you didn't have to cut me open when you spelled my blood last time for Selene?” I ask.
“I did it this way, using your blood, so I could have more control over the spell. Last time, I only needed to be close to you to perform it.”
I arch a brow at her, cringing slightly. “Are you saying it was like awatch me while I sleepsituation when you did it before? Were you, like, standing outside my window?”
She gives me a look. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
“Yeah, no, probably not. Okay,” I say, wiping my hands on my pants despite there being no blood left over. “Margarita time.”
6
Atlas
After last night’s tirades at the Mexican restaurant Lex picked for dinner and drinks, I’m not the least bit surprised to be the first one awake.
I slip out of the California king the five of us slept in, glancing back over my shoulder to find the others all still sleeping soundly. Calla is pressed in between Kade and Gabriel, her head against Gabe’s chest as she breathes evenly. It’s the first time I’ve seen her relatively relaxed since before the dinner with my parents and knowing that feels like a hot poker through my chest.
Lex sighs in his sleep, shifting closer to Kade and curling against his back.
I watch them a moment longer before walking out of the bedroom into the main sitting area in the suite. Instead of dropping into one of the stiff wingback chairs, I step outside onto the terrace.
There are hints of light in the sky, but the air is still crisp with night. It’s my favorite time of day; the darkness just before dawn. The world is quiet and I can let myself think about things other than the burdens I carry.
I lean against the railing, looking out over the city. Chicago has never been anything special to me. Once we complete the task we’re here for, I’ll be just as pleased to leave.
The sound of the glass door opening behind me causes me to turn my head. The smell of coffee and blood reach me simultaneously, and I turn fully around to face Calla.
