Lucy fills up both of our drinks and then settles on the bed next to me. It’s then that I notice how tired she truly looks. She has dark circles under her eyes, and her cheekbones jut out just a little more than usual.
“Girls’ night?” I took a sip of my drink. I pull my white fluffy blanket over our legs, and we place the snacks around us. “We’ll have to get more snacks at some point,” I say, popping a chip into my mouth.
“Ari?”
I look at Lucy and smile softly. “Are you okay?” She shakes her head and lets out a big sigh. “I don’t want you to be mad, okay. Promise me.”
I narrow my eyes. “What is it?”
“Promise me.” She begs, I know I’m not going to like this. In the past, when Lucy kept things from me, they always ended up going badly. She dated a guy from the club a year ago. She didn’t tell any of us because she was worried that it would reflect poorly on the club. It turned out this guy was on a most-wanted daemon list for a murder. I love my best friend, but sometimes her judgment can’t be a little off.
“Lucy?”
“Please,” she pleads. I nod my head.
“I broke up with Justin,” she fiddles with the stem of her glass. I wait because I know she’s going to tell me more. “He just… didn’t feel right, my heart kept screaming ‘no.’”
I sip my drink and watch as her eyes move to my door. She smiles slightly before taking a sip of her own drink. “No other reason?” I question because Iknowthere is, I just don’t know what. Since we were at my aunt's house and were threatened by Drake, Lucy has been acting a little off. I was feeling bad for not telling her what Drake had said to me at the club, about taking her. Now I’m pleased I didn’t.
She shakes her head. “No, no other reason.”
“Luce, if you need to talk to me, I’m here.”
She sighs and leans her head on my shoulder. “I know, you just have a lot going on, then I think about that yellow-eyed daemon…” She pauses as if she’s hearing something. “Did you find it? The book?” Her question tumbles out of her mouth in a hurry.
A frown mars my face; this is the first time since my aunt’s house that Lucy has mentioned the book.
“No, it’s nowhere to be found. It’s vanished.” It’s not entirely untrue; I have the information from my aunt’s daemon files and those numbers, but currently, they don't bring me any closer to finding the book.
“I hope you find it soon,” she whispers.
“Me too,” I whisper back.
The rest of the afternoon, we drink and talk. I texted Gaelan my aunt’s address, but he didn’t reply. My guess is that he doesn’t have cell service, given that the message delivery ticks never turned blue. I should shower, but I don’t want to wash the smell of Gaelan off me.
I miss him.
My alarm clockwoke me up, Lucy left me at some point in the night, and I felt her get out of bed, but I was too tired to say anything. The first thing I do is check my phone—still no message from Gaelan—I would’ve thought he’d have sentsomethingto say he got the address and was still coming to see me. Doubts creep into my head again, but I remember what he made me feel—his truth—and it stops the doubt from growing. He’ll message me when he can.
I shower and start to pack my bags for the week. I may stay longer at my aunt's if I can’t find the information I need; then I might have to. Everything at work is covered; the new girl, Eden, has been working really well, and Kat will be there to help her if she needs it. Both of them will look after everything while I’m not there. After my shower, I put Gaelan’s hoodie back on—it still smells like him. I’m slightly obsessed with the lemon scent, which is mixed with something manly that I can’t quite put my finger on.
I picked up my bags and headed to my car. I open the trunk and struggle to lift them in.
“Going somewhere?”
I jump at the voice and turn my head slowly to see Drake leaning up against a tree in front of our driveway, his eyes flashing between red and yellow like a police siren before settling on red, his long blonde hair tied in one of those man buns, and he’s wearing a black suit. He’s good-looking, almost like a Viking, but he screams evil most terrifyingly.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.” I probably shouldn’t speak to him that way, but he wants something from me, so it gives me a confidence boost. He needs me, and that gives me a bargaining chip.
“And the book? Have you found it yet? Time is ticking.” He taps his watch and moves from the tree, stalking toward me. “You are testing my patience, Arianna,” he snaps.
I turn to face him fully, unable to hide my irritation. “Drake, you asked me to find something I have no idea the name of, or what it even looks like. I need more time.”
His expression darkens, his top lip curls back, revealing his fangs to me before he sneers. “Time is something we do not have.”
“Why do you want the book so badly anyway? What are you going to use it for?” I question, but he just stares at me. Why I thought I could reason with him or even have a conversation with him is beyond me.
He chuckles darkly. “I am not a daemon that can be reasoned with, and what I need the book for is my concern, not yours.” He moves quickly, pinning me to the car, his hand finding my neck. His fingers wrap around it, and he squeezes hard. I lift my hand to try to get him to let go, but he squeezes tighter, making it hard for me to breathe. He lowers his head, his voice dark as he whispers in my ear, “So do as you are told and find it.” He squeezes my neck even tighter, a smile crossing his lips. He watches me struggle to breathe for a few more seconds, as if he’s enjoying this, before he shimmers away, and I fall to the floor, panting for breath, tears running down my cheeks.
