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“Come on,” Elias said. “Let’s get your human friend and you home.”
“I’m not going back to my apartment,” I said. “But I could use a lift to a hotel. Any hotel except the Essex House.”
We both laughed. Then, he brushed his fingers against mine for a brief moment as if he was considering taking hold of my hand. My breath hitched at his electric touch. I had to admit, after that kiss, I was still ready to go. I still wanted more.
“You can stay at my place if you want,” he said. “Probably safer than a hotel.”
I hesitated. There was a part of me that wanted to follow him to his place to do anything except sleep. But that wasn’t possible. At least not now. We weren’t out of this yet.
“We can’t go to your place. And we probably can’t use your car, either. David found us despite the wards at the hotel.”
“Hotel?” Heidi said as she walked back toward us. “I am missing a lot of this story.”
I laughed. “So much. But it’ll have to wait. I’m afraid you probably aren’t safe, either. They tracked the stone here, they’ll come for you.”
“Super,” she said. “So what’s the plan?”
The sliding glass door slammed as Cain closed herself back in, drawing all our attention to the house. “Does that mean she’s done with us?”
“For now,” Elias said. “But Cain isn’t our biggest issue.”
I looked over at my human friend. She was smiling and unharmed. Somehow, she’d managed to get out of this without a scratch. I didn’t think she’d get that lucky again if more supernaturals came for her.
“Can you get someone to cover for you at work for a while? Maybe take that trip you’ve been putting off?” I knew Heidi’s long-distance boyfriend had been begging her to visit.
“Yeah, maybe it’s time,” she said. “You’ll take care of yourself?”
I nodded. “I’ll call you as soon as it’s safe. And I’ll explain everything. I promise.”
Now that I’d lost Lola, Heidi was pretty much it in the friend department. Regret swirled through me for all the lost time with Lola. I didn’t want to feel that way again. I needed to know Heidi was safe and that we’d have time to hang out when things were better.
“Alright,” she said. “I’ll Uber to the airport. I’m sure there’s a flight that leaves in the morning.”
“Promise me you’ll be on it,” I said. “But don’t send me any messages or call me. I’ll call you when it’s safe.”
“This sucks, you know that,” she said. “Lola was my friend too.”
“I know. And when we finish this, you and me are going to get drunk in her honor.”
“She’d like that,” Heidi said. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me. I embraced her back. My stomach was in knots, worried about her and angry at myself for dragging her into this.
The only thing that made me feel better was that I knew her boyfriend, a musician, was constantly on the road. I wasn’t even sure where his home base was when he wasn’t touring. The band had taken off last year and embarked on a world tour. He’d asked Heidi to join him, but she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of watching a bunch of strange women throw themselves at her boyfriend every night.
I felt bad encouraging her to join him, but I needed her to be away. The fact that she’d be in a different city every night made it that much better.
“Hey,” Heidi said, as she pulled away from the hug. She unclasped the gold chain from her neck then relapsed it. I stretched out my hand and Heidi set the locket into my palm.
I put the necklace around my neck, grateful for the spelled locket. The stone was safely tucked inside, away from anyone’s grasp. For now. This gift left behind by my mom turned out to be exactly what I needed more than twenty years after she died. In a way, it made me feel closer to her than I had my whole life. As if I’d gone to her for advice and she’d delivered.
“Good luck. And please be careful,” Heidi said.
“I’ll do my best. And thank you. For everything.”
