Multiple new incidents reported across the city.Pattern suggests acceleration.How’s the family situation?
Working on it,she texted back quickly while Olivia and Alec were distracted by locating their luggage carousel.Convinced them to switch venues.Parents arriving soon.
Good.Keep them away from Angel’s Dream at all costs.Situation deteriorating.
Of course it was.
She acknowledged the text with a terse,Okay, and the text conversation ended there, leaving Delia with the uncomfortable knowledge that while she was managing family logistics, Caleb was still trapped in that horrible chapel with no immediate prospect of rescue.
“Delia?”Olivia’s voice pulled her back to the immediate situation.“You okay?You look a little pale.”
“Just tired,” Delia replied, forcing another smile.“It’s been a busy week.”
The luggage carousel hummed to life, and they joined the crowd of passengers waiting for their bags to appear.Around them, the normal bustle of airport life continued — reunions and farewells, business travelers checking their phones, families corralling tired children.
They had to be kept safe.No matter what.
“So, what are these alternative venues like?”Alec asked as he and Olivia waited for their luggage to come around.“Are we talking about the same level as Angel’s Dream, or are we looking at some pretty major compromises?”
“Actually, I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised,” Delia said, grateful to be back on solid ground with a topic she could discuss without revealing any supernatural secrets.“The Little Chapel of Hearts is probably the nicest of the options.It’s got that Vegas vibe without being too kitschy.Good photo opportunities, very professional staff.”
“And availability?”Olivia asked.“We’re cutting this really close.”
“Like I told you before, they can accommodate your original date and time slot,” Delia assured her.“It’s not going to be a problem.”
What she didn’t mention was that the Little Chapel of Hearts had suddenly found itself with much more availability than usual, thanks to the systematic sabotage of competing venues across the city and many people deciding they didn’t want a Vegas wedding after all, opting instead for Lake Tahoe or Reno or something out of the state altogether.The supernatural chaos that was threatening to destroy Las Vegas was at least making it easier to book last-minute wedding venues.
Silver linings and all that.
“There,” Alec said, pointing toward the carousel as their luggage began to make its way toward them.“The black Samsonite set.”
As the couple retrieved their bags and made their way over to the spot where Delia’s Kona still waited at the curb, another wave of ley line energy rolled over her.This one was strong enough to make her stumble slightly, and she had to catch herself against a support pillar.
“You sure you’re okay?”Olivia asked, genuine concern in her voice now.“Maybe you should see a doctor.No offense, but you look kind of rundown.”
“I’m fine,” Delia said quickly.“I just need some coffee, or maybe an iced tea.”
But she wasn’t fine, and she knew it.The psychic overload from the citywide ley line activation was getting worse, and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could function normally while supernatural energy coursed through her system like lightning in her veins.
She needed to get Olivia and Alec safely settled at his house — both sets of parents were staying nearby at the M Resort and Casino — and then she needed to figure out how to help Ty and Pru rescue Caleb before Vinea completed whatever horrific ritual he was planning.
And she had to do all of it while pretending that everything was perfectly normal.
No pressure at all.
As she closed the Kona’s rear hatch and Olivia and Alec moved forward to get in their seats, Delia’s phone rang.Her mother’s number showed on the home screen.
“Hi, Mom,” she said as she lifted the phone to her ear, doing her best to sound cheerful and unstressed.
“Delia, where are you?We’re almost at the airport.”
“I just picked up Olivia and Alec,” she said.“We’re heading to Alec’s house now so they can get settled.What time were you thinking of for dinner?”
“Six o’clock,” her mother replied.“We figured it would be better to eat a little early, since all our visitors will still be on Chicago time.”
Delia wished she could beg off from the whole thing, but she knew her mother would ask too many probing questions if she bailed on the get-together.No, she’d just have to endure a few hours of pretending everything was normal while Caleb remained captive and the supernatural threat level continued to escalate.
“Sure,” Delia said.“That sounds great.”
