“Tell me what happened.”
About the kiss? Heat curled up into her chest. The heady daze from the kiss consumed her mind.
No, Larissa knew nothing about that. She meant the reason why Janie was at the compound for her safety. She forced her mind backward.
“Arto knocked on my door and told me he detected a demon outside my place. I packed my bags and came here with him. He went out to search with the others. That’s all I know.” Her voice sounded oddly neutral as she told the story. Why? With what happened next with the kiss, all her emotions exploded with wild volatility. Perhaps the part about the demon was neutral in comparison.
Or she was having a delayed reaction to a major freakout.
“You seem unusually calm about all this,” Larissa said as she glanced at Janie with a confused expression. “Especially since you swore off coming here just days ago.”
True, but things had changed, and the threat had intensified right outside her front door.
“I can’t add more responsibilities to the sentries, having them guard me at my place in addition to searching for the demon.” She dazed out of the window to the waterfront. The view seemed peaceful. Deceptively so, considering what was out there. She brought her gaze back to Larissa. “It may sound weird, but in a way, I guess I am calmer than I was. After all the wondering and waiting since you had the vision, somehowknowingrather thanwonderingif one is coming makes it easier to deal with. Does that make any sense?”
“It does. I swear, sometimes more angst comes from the worrying part of life over the actual dealing with things.” Larissa stood. “This conversation calls for some calming tea. Or shots of hard alcohol.” She turned her hand palm up. “Pick your poison.”
Janie blew out a low breath. “Let’s start with tea. No caffeine. I don’t need to add any stimulants to jerk up my nerves right now.”
“I know just the thing.”
They walked into the kitchen where Larissa boiled hot water and added different herbs to an iron teapot. She explained to Janie what each was and what they were good for, but she couldn’t pay attention. Her mind wandered to Arto. He was out there searching for a demon. How could she not worry about that?
“You with me?” Larissa prodded.
“Sorry.” Janie shook her head and accepted the mug offered. She blew on the surface and took a sip. A pungent mix of herbs and spices fired across her tongue. “What is this? It tastes like shit.”
Larissa raised her index finger and grinned. “I knew you weren’t listening. I said it doesn’t taste good but will help with anxiety. One of my grandmother’s friends taught me about it.”
She’d learned that her grandmother had been part of a coven and had sought out the women to learn more about what it meant to be a witch.
When they returned to the living room, Janie sat back down and took another sip of the disgusting hot beverage.
“Blegh! This is gross, but I need it.” At least the heat of the mug warmed her hands. “Despite the strange calm, there are many parts of me freaking out. I’m surprised I’m not running amuck through the compound screaming ‘what the fuck?’ Because this is a giant case of what-the-fucks with a big fat red bow wrapped around it.”
“Is it ever,” Larissa agreed with a snort. She sipped her tea and grimaced. “This tastes like a cat’s ass.”
Janie arched her brow. “You’ve tasted cat ass before?”
Larissa’s mouth twisted up in a semi-grin before the laughter burst out from her, the humor reaching her eyes. Janie joined in.
“I don’t know why I’m laughing. There’s nothing funny about what’s going on.”
“It’s probably like how people laugh uncontrollably during funerals. You need a break from the darker emotions that threaten to swallow you.”
“Maybe,” Janie mused and then raised her glass. “Or you added some type of hallucinogenic to this shit water.”
That led to another peal of laughter, one that drew moisture to her eyes. She wiped away the tears with the back of her hand.
“I have no business laughing right now.” She put down her mug on a coaster on the table. It was still half full, but that was all she could stomach. “The weird thing is somehow I knew this was coming. I don’t have your ability with premonitions. But somehow, I knew that my problem with demons wasn’t over, and that one day it would happen again.”
Larissa made a sound of acknowledgment.
“Who knows?” Janie rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Maybe that’s why I’ve been so on edge lately. I know I’ve been marked. A freakin’ demon told me. So, once you had that vision, it set the gears in motion. A demon was coming, and I’d be the one targeted.” With a shaky laugh, she added, “I didn’t think I’d play a role in making it happen but…”
“We don’t know that’s the case for sure.”
Janie gave her acome-on, are you kidding melook.
