I'm usually not an eavesdropper, but Zak and Kaenon both fell back asleep while cuddling me and trying to comfort me inthe big bed. Ian was struggling with thirst again and told me he was just going out to hunt some wild animals nearby.
When I asked him to pleasenottry to hunt Veld, he said, "Of course not, Sunshine."
Just because he's wearing mytherun, he thinks I can't tell when he's lying.
But the idea of falling back to sleep, where Veld could possibly get to me again, kept me wide awake. So I got dressed and was going up to check on Asher and the Amato quintet, but now, I can't stop smiling.
Everett's been quiet after Asher's declaration, but he sighs, long and heavy. "If you hurt Heidi…"
"Iwon't. Feel free to bet all your fortune on that. Your money would be safe."
"Aww," Jessica croons before looking at Athanis. "Take notes."
Athanis frowns. "We are spirits, therefore I hold nothing to take notes with."
She sighs. "You'll never survive me if you don't stop being so literal, papi."
I don't know what got my level-headed now-ex-bodyguard so worked up, but I can't wait for him to come back down to bed. I want to kiss him. And ride him.
And maybe pinch his buns a little, since I really do want to try bouncing a quarter off of them sometime. In fact, if there's any loose change lying around?—
Someone appears on the stairs next to me.
I startle, almost screaming, before Crypt DeLune lifts a finger to his mouth. He glances up the stairs to where Asher and Everett are still saying something to each other, unaware that we're right here. The incubus motions that I should stay quiet and follow him before he descends the stairs.
"That's Nightmare Daddy," Jessica tells Athanis matter-of-factly. "One time, I watched him make a bouquet of fingers for Carolina Reaper. Super gross—but again, take notes, because that's the kind of red flag obsession ladies can only dream about."
Athanis is scandalized. "How revolting. I am not making a finger bouquet for you, no matter how lovely you are."
"I'd settle for flowers. Or a bouquet of cash. Hey, do you think they use cash in the Beyond?"
I try to ignore the ghosts' continued chatter behind me as I follow Crypt. This interaction is trippy, bordering on spooky, considering the dream Veld just made me relive of Crypt doing something very similar to lead me out of that cabin in the woods so long ago.
The Nightmare Prince turns left at the bottom of the stairs instead of right, which would take us to the guest room. Following him out a little side door, I find that we're in a little side garden area where Jada and her quintet seem to be doing some work. Thanks to the long, eventful night that robbed me of sleep, the sun will be up here in an hour or two.
Now that we're out of the house, Crypt lights a sweet-smelling cigarette and takes a drag. Even though I'm mostly out of the loop on legacy matters, I've heard that all incubi now have a marking that enables them to take care of Limbo. Crypt has his old markings I remember from when he was a boy, though—swirling dark and light patterns all over his skin.
I know a lot of people fear the Nightmare Prince. After he saved me as a kid, I heard all kinds of horrible stories about him—mostly from the gossip my mother would randomly share with me when she was bored during the few times she came with me to appointments to fix my face.
I'm not afraid of this incubus, though. He saved me as a girl and saved me again from the Nether with Maven months ago,and although we haven't talked much in the times I've visited with the Amato quintet since, there's a comfortable kind of understanding between us.
He finally turns to face me, lips turned down. "I heard Veld's taken an interest in you and wormed his way into your head."
I wrap my arms against the chill of the ending spring night, trying not to grimace. "Oh. Yeah, um…he did."
"You're all over the news right now, too."
I'm not sure how those two questions are related, but I sigh. "Yeah. Skidmark. That's me."
"I hate online trolls," Jess sighs as Athanis wanders off through one of the walls of the house.
Crypt doesn't ask any follow-up questions about either thing, which I appreciate. He's thoughtful, smoking for another second before he tosses the cigarette to the ground to stomp it out. Then he looks at me, serious.
"Frost will want to wring my neck for this, but I'd like to ask for your help, Heidi."
"My help?" I blink. "With what?"
"That incubus has pissed me off. He's scarred the psyches of too many innocents, and now, he's brought harm to my muse. She could've—" He swears before looking up, at the traces of stars remaining in the sky before the night ends. "I want nothing more than to kill that fucking monster for making me think, even for a moment, I might lose her again."
