Through the happiness, the worry crept through like a fissure through rock. “Only one problem is what we’re still facing out there. He’s back out looking for the demon as are the others. I can’t get my hopes up too high that this means we might have a future together because I can’t be sure that there’s even a future for either of us.”
Larissa exhaled from her nose. “Don’t worry about what you can’t control. We just have to deal with things as they come.”
Janie dropped her head back and sighed. “I still wish I could do something to help.” She tipped her head. “Don’t you?”
Larissa assessed her for several seconds before she said, “Janie, come with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“The library.”
“But…” Janie hadn’t been there since the unfortunate incidents with the book.
“I need to show you something,” Larissa insisted.
CHAPTER11
Janie followed with hesitant steps, her pulse quickening as they approached. She took a heaving breath before she entered. The rich scent of leather and paper filled her nose.
The library stood as magnificent as before, when she’d been here with Arto. Whereas she was impressed by the vast bookshelves before, they now loomed as menacing and oppressive. Who knew what other danger could be found between the bindings of those books? She’d heard of books bound in human skin. Were any of those here? She shook off the thought with a shudder.
Larissa walked to a wall and pulled down a painting, one of a coastal scene with reddish cliffs. Behind it was a safe.
Janie’s heartbeat thumped in warning. “What are you doing?”
“Showing you what I learned.”
After opening the safe, her friend pulled out the book on demonology, that vile tome that had been the source of all this trouble.
She crossed her index fingers, stepped backward, and hissed.
Larissa gave her a quizzical look. “I’ve seen vampires pull that move in movies when they see a cross.”
Janie’s mouth opened and closed before it opened again. “Why are you pulling that wretched book out? Roman locked it up for a reason. Most likely to keep it out of hands of people like me.”
“Because of your idea. I showed the book to the witches from my grandmother’s coven. They’ve been around for a lot longer than we have and have dealt with some unimaginable shit. I told them what happened.” Larissa sat down at a table and turned on a green banker’s lamp.
“When did you do this?”
“I just got back a little while ago.”
“Roman let you take it from here?”
She drummed her fingers on the table. “Why add more obstacles to slow us down?” She arched a brow. “Meaning I didn’t ask him.”
Janie blinked at her friend. “Larissa, you sly witch, you. Look at you defying your mate, who is this big, bad, powerful commander.”
“It was easier to just do it rather than talk to him about it and try to convince him. Not only can he be super protective, but he’s bullheaded.”
Janie spread one arm to the side. “Pot.” Then the other arm. “Kettle. Shall I make introductions?”
“Ha ha, yes, I’m aware of my stubborn streak.”
Janie snorted. “Damn straight, you get a couple of bulls together, they’re going to clash horns.” She remained a wary distance from the book. “What did the witches say?”
“They were fascinated. Apparently, there’s so much magic weaved into the pages—very powerful magic. But there are also wards entwined in it so not just anyone would be able to read the words and conjure the spells.”
Janie pointed to her chest. “I managed to do so—and I’m just a typical human.” She shook her head once. “Nothing special about me.”
