Heir of Night by Emily Goodwin
Chapter 12
“What does that mean?” Eliza turns to me, eyes wide.
“It means the transfer isn’t going well.” My chest tightens, and nerves prickle through me. “I should be there. If something is wrong, I could help.” I watch the sand get sucked back up into the hourglass, disappearing from sight. Eliza takes my hand, trying to keep me calm as well as remain calm herself.
“Lucas is safe,” she says, assuring us both. “He wasn’t going to be anywhere near them when they cast the spell to do the transfer, in case the demon jumped into him. It would be game over for everyone.”
“Yeah,” I say, unable to string any more words together. We stand there rooted to the spot as we watch the hourglass. “I should be there. Something is obviously wrong.”
“How fast can you get there?” Eliza lets go of my hand and moves closer to the hourglass.
“Hopefully fast enough.” Mentally calling out to my familiars, I tell them to get ready to run ahead without me. If anyone is near the door, they can let them in to aid the others with the spell. Heart in my throat, I rush into my closet to get a pair of boots to throw on. I get as far as shoving my foot into one when Eliza calls for me.
“Callie, it’s working again!”
I run back, hopping with only one boot on. The sand is steadily flowing again, sparkling in the sunlight. Letting out a huge breath, I drop my other boot. Too afraid to take my eyes off the hourglass only to look back and watch the sand go back up, Eliza and I stand there until my feet start to hurt.
“We can’t stay here and watch the sand all day,” she says. “It’ll drive us both crazy.”
“Right,” I agree, yet neither of us moves.
“Tabatha said we can carry the hourglass around with us and it won’t mess anything up. I’ll take it downstairs, and we should get on with…with whatever it is we need to do.”
“Right,” I repeat and force myself to let out a slow breath. My heart is still racing, and in the back of my mind, I know all this stress is bad for the baby. My blood pressure was up a bit the last time the midwife checked me, and being left behind was supposed to be for my benefit, but I swear I’m more stressed out being home, not knowing what’s going on.
“Callie.” Eliza reaches for my hand. “I can hear your heartbeat, and if I were to put my fangs to your vein, I’m sure I’ll find your blood pressure to have skyrocketed. Come on. Let’s go into the kitchen so you can stuff your face and we can gossip about people.”
“I don’t have anything to gossip about.”
“Fine. I’ll find that photo album I put in with Lucas’s belongings when he moved in here. It’s from the 1980s. We owned a gym in California then, and I spent the summer teaching aerobics classes at night.”
“You did not.” I can’t help but laugh.
“Oh, I did. And you should have seen my hair. It was the envy of everyone. I never broke a sweat, either.”
“Please tell me Lucas joined you for some classic eighties workouts.”
“Unfortunately, he didn’t, but he did have a pair of neon-green-and-orange-leopard-print pants he was quite fond of. And I know there is a picture of him wearing them.”
“I have to see this.”
Smiling, Eliza picks up the hourglass and carefully carries it downstairs. I shove my other boot on and follow her. She sets it in the middle of the island, and we wait a beat, watching the sand steadily fall before I get myself food and she disappears into the basement to get the photo album.
I give leftover chicken to my familiars and Scarlet and get a piece of cake for myself. Eliza comes back with the photo album, and we laugh as we look through photos.
“Out of all the fashion trends, the eighties was one I loved the most at the time,” she tells me, flipping to another page.
“But the one you looked back on and thought what the fuck about the most too?”
“If we’re talking about the last century…mmm, no,” she says after a moment of consideration. “You might be too young to remember Y2K fashion, but those oversized belts.” She widens her eyes and shakes her head. “They served no purpose. Pair that with wearing every accessory known to man at the same time. There’s a reason I hardly kept my photos from that year.”
“It must be weird watching things change so much.”
She shrugs. “It happens gradually. Trends have changed in your lifetime.”
“True, though I’ve kind of worn the same thing for the last, uh, however many years I’ve been an adult.”
“I can tell,” she says pointedly. We finish looking at photos, and then I go back to doing household chores. I get my laundry started and put my books back in the order I prefer. Eliza arranged by alphabetically. I prefer them separated by genre and color of the spine. For now. I’ll probably make rainbow shelves again in the near future. Time moves slowly, and I’m on pins and needles the whole time.
I’m switching a bunch of paperbacks when a piece of paper falls through the fireplace.
“Eliza,” I call, hurrying over. It’s Kristy’s handwriting, letting me know the transfer worked and everyone is okay. “You’re seeing this, right?” I ask her. “I’m not having a stress-induced delusion?”
“Not this time. Your friends are safe. See, they can handle shit without you.”
“I know they can, I just don’t like that they have to. I know none of this is my fault directly, but if I hadn’t been born, this whole use the half-breed to overthrow Hell mess wouldn’t be happening,” I say as another piece of paper falls from the fireplace. Eliza picks it up and unfolds it.
“This is for you. Gross.” She gives me the note. “And who’s to say another Nephilim wouldn’t have been born? If you’re really as dangerous as they say you are, then we’re lucky you’re the one and only half-witch, half-angel. Anyone else might have turned to the dark side.”
“I never thought about it that way.”
“You’re welcome.” She smirks and then turns on her heel, walking out of the library. I look at the piece of paper in my hands, recognizing Lucas’s perfect handwriting immediately.
Callie-
The transfer was successful and everyone is safe, as you just read in Kristy’s letter. I know you and thought you could use the reassurance. I’m at the Covenstead until sundown. Come and join me. I found an Academy uniform for you to wear for me. I’ve fucked you on nearly every surface inside our house but haven’t fucked you in here.
-L
Feeling a bit of heat rush through me, I refold the note and put it on the desk.
“Off to have schoolgirl fantasy sex?” Eliza asks, standing in the doorway.
“Possibly, though I’m not exactly sure where we’ll have proposed sex.”
“Trust me, you’ll find a place.”
“Maybe my senior-year dorm will suddenly become available.” I wiggle my eyebrows, knowing how much Eliza hates it. “You’re okay if I leave?”
“Yes,” she huffs and rolls her eyes. “I’ve already arranged for a car to come at sunset. I’ve spent more time here than I planned.”
“Hey, you’re the one who wants to move in.”
“It’s more of a need than a want.” She puts a hand on her hip. “For you.”
“You know what? I’m not above admitting that yes, we’re going to need help. Like most first-time moms, I’m terrified of having a fragile newborn in my care. I can’t even keep plants alive, and that’s not to mention the constant danger I’m in. I want to say I’ll take a few years off from the demon-hunting biz, but we both know I can’t. Fighting evil is in my blood. Literally. My dad is Michael, the great warrior archangel.”
“At least Elena’s childhood won’t be boring.” Eliza pushes her hair back and smiles. “You’re going to be a good mom, Callie.”
“Thank you for saying that, but you don’t have to lie. I’m not a very nurturing person, and I’m used to only taking care of myself.”
“You are, though,” she goes on. “You’re by far the weirdest person I’ve ever met, but you are without a doubt a good weirdo. If my own parents gave half a shit about their own children as you do about strangers, I probably wouldn’t have been turned into a vampire.”
“Should I say sorry?” I make a face.
“The year I was turned, yes. Now, hell fucking no. I love being a vampire. I’m prettier, faster, stronger, and genuinely better than humans. And I can say that in front of you because you know it’s true. Vampires are superior. Our only downfall is that we can’t procreate, but Lucas has found a way around that.”
“You do know Elena is going to be born a human, right? The only non-human parts she’s going to get are from my paternal side of the family.”
“Of course. And for as goodas we are, I suppose you’re better. You’re alive but don’t appear to age. You heal quickly, but not so fast that it raises eyebrows. Magic still flows through your veins, and you can do that neat disappearing trick and go anywhere you want in the world.”
“Yeah, but only if another angel takes me.”
Eliza cocks an eyebrow. “Like you just said, your father is fucking Michael. I’m sure if you try hard enough, you’ll be able to click your heels three times and go wherever the fuck you want.”
“We’ll see,” I mumble. It’s crossed my mind. Julian told me I’m just as powerful as he is being a full angel, even though I have humanity running through my veins. “Too bad I can’t just wish my way to the Covenstead door. Because that walk is far.”
“You need a path and a golf cart. It’s much more sophisticated than a four-wheeler.”
“I’m liking that idea. Though wouldn’t a path leading to the door be pretty damn obvious?”
“Have it loop around and not go right to the door, genius.”
“Stop being so logical,” I retort. “It’s something to consider. I’m still leaning to the idea of a horse. I’ll sound so bougie saying I have a horse.”
“Funny how that’s changed. Horses were necessities and then were out of fashion. Now they’re associated with the rich.”
“You are literally living history.”
“One of my many talents. Now go, dress like a pregnant teenage schoolgirl and let my maker have his way with you.” She almost gets her words out without gagging. I laugh and wave my hand, pushing a book into its proper place on the shelf.
I look around the library, realizing that this is a room I’ve dreamed of having in a house I’ve wanted since I first laid eyes on it. And now my eyes are getting misty, and I don’t think I can blame pregnancy hormones on this.
I first mentioned this house to Lucas when we were sitting on the back porch of my small brick house, trying to distract myself as we waited to go to the Covenstead. Varrador was after me, and that asshole was the first demon to come to earth in search of the Nephilim child.
How things have changed since then, right?
It was a pipe dream for years, and I’d looked into seriously buying this house a few times over the years, but it was too expensive and the repairs to make it livable would've cost even more. That didn’t stop me from imagining my life in this house, and this library is everything I could have ever wanted.
It’s been a constant whirlwind of what’s next since we moved in. Even when I try to relax, there’s always the anxiety of the other shoe dropping. Of the next curse to be cast. The next demon attack. That’s my life, and I’m at peace with it. I don’t force my friends to stand by my side, and even when I feel guilty for them getting involved, it still boils down to their choice.
But Elena? She doesn’t get a choice. She’s being born into this chaos, and I hate that I question if she’d be better off elsewhere. No one is going to love her as much as Lucas and I do. I know that for certain. But sometimes loving someone means letting them go, doesn’t it?
“Want to go for a walk?” I ask Scarlet when she trots into the room. Sniffling, I wipe my eyes and force all unwelcome thoughts to the back of my mind. The oversized dog jumps up and wags her tail. “I wish I could take you through the door. With four werewolves, two vampires, and one demon already being allowed to pass through, asking if I can get you into the Covenstead might be pushing it.” I run my hand over her wiry fur. “But we can totally cuddle later, okay?”
Scarlet just wags her tail, excited by everything. I look around the library one more time, trying to envision Lucas reading to Elena late at night when she can’t sleep. I want it to happen so badly it hurts.
But I also know forcing things you want can be selfish, and I refuse to be a selfish mother to my own daughter. Even if that means letting her go.