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THE DEVIL.
* * *
Julian’s mind raced as he recalled the incident in the hospital. As he laid the strange woman onto a stretcher and the doctors took over, she looked at him one last time before falling into unconsciousness. Though no words escaped her lips, trouble swirled in her deep brown eyes, her gaze penetrating his soul.
The sound of Greyson’s voice shook his contemplation. “I’m thinking you’d better stay in New Orleans for a while.”
“Hmm? What? New Orleans?” Julian asked, distracted by his thoughts.
“I said I think you should stay in New Orleans for a while. Too many strange things happening in Idaho.”
“Yeah, maybe, we’ll see.” The Alpha suspected trouble would follow him no matter where he went, but after the fire, they’d materialized to his home in New Orleans.
“Nice digs. How long have you had it?” Rafe asked.
“Bought it in 1877,” Julian replied.
“Wait, you really lived here?” Rafe’s eyes widened with surprise.
“On and off. I actually lived with Jake’s parents for a little while. Over the years, I had an agreement with Alpha Livingston, then the new Alpha…Logan. I let Acadian Wolves use the house whenever they needed it. This home…it holds many memories but sadly, most are not mine,” Julian pushed out of his seat and approached the hearth, allowing the fire to warm him.
“You should stay in New Orleans. Bring life into your home,” Greyson advised. “Feed your soul. Your wolf. Shake off the hellfire. You’ve been in hiding for too long and…well, it’s just not good for you.”
“I’m fine,” Julian lied. “New Orleans is good for a visit, but I have no intention of stepping on Logan’s toes. This is his city.”
“Prince or no prince, It’s not good for wolves to be rogue. You need to be around others,” Greyson insisted.
“The woman. She came to me…again,” Julian confessed. He reached for the shot of whiskey, and downed it, the caustic liquor burning his throat. “Ahh.”
The Alpha’s glass slammed onto the wooden end table. Rafe raised an eyebrow at Greyson. The ancient vampire shook his head and silently held a finger to his lips, signaling for him to remain quiet.
“Say, Jules. I can’t say I’ve made a habit of going to Hell during my time on earth. But the one time I did go, I was not a fan.” Greyson joked. A corner of his lips turned upward. “I’d give it a one out of ten. Less than one actually. Unlike my brother, I’m smart enough not to make a habit of taking vacations in the pits of brimstone and fire on the regular. It can mess you up. Make you think things you wouldn’t normally think. Feel things you shouldn’t feel. Things can slip through the veil. Bad things. Maybe some of these things are affecting you?”
“I’m telling you she was there tonight.” Julian dug into his pocket and retrieved the tarot cards. “I saw her. She was a ghost. But not a ghost. Whatever…she was there.”
“What’s with the cards?” Rafe asked. He sat up on the sofa and leaned over to get a closer look.
“More of the same. She left me one the night I first met her. Then tonight this one appears.” Julian stared at the two tarot cards and back up to Greyson. He sniffed them. The scent of hellfire still lingered on their surface. Julian set the cards on the wooden table, which had been carved from an old tree trunk. One by one, he flipped over the cards, revealing them. “Death. The Devil.”
“Death? The devil? Isn’t she just a ray of sunshine?” Greyson noted.
“She’s not wrong though. I mean, come on.” Rafe released a small chuckle but quickly composed himself. “Just sayin’.”
“Death.” Julian tapped the card with his forefinger, allowing his magick to flow through him. Though he sensed a feminine presence, he was unable to detect any sign of her origin. “In the literal sense, she was dying.” He reached for The Devil and rolled the card over his fingers. “Obsession, perhaps. Fear. Bondage. I know what it feels like to not be free. My sister and I for so long were held back. I thought I was finally free.”
“It was your duty to survive. And you did. Your sister is now with Hunter. It’s your turn, Julian,” Greyson told him. “You must restore the royal family.”
Julian shook his head. “What are you talking about?”
“You heard me, Alpha.”
“Have you lost your mind? No,” Julian half laughed. “Now is not the time for this. I’ve lived alone for years and I’m doing quite well on my own. I’m not having this conversation.”
“He’s not alone. He’s got me now,” Rafe told the vampire. “We don’t need any women in our lives. Well, I do, gotta feed now and then, but we’re bachelors. Free to do what we want.”
“You know nothing,” Greyson dismissed. “What happened tonight was a fire. It happens. The authorities will investigate. He will rebuild.”
“What happened tonight was intentional. Whatever…whoever this woman is, she’s reaching me somehow. I don’t know if she’s alive or dead or what’s going on but I’m telling you she was there.” Julian’s mind raced, her voice echoing in his thoughts.
