“I learned my lesson with Persephone. If you would like to come back to visit, I would like that. A chance for us to start fresh and get to know each other. All of you are welcome.”
Salem and Skye look at each other and do that freaky communicating without actually talking to each other that they have.
“We would like that.” Skye answers.
“So, we can go home?” Salem asks. Even covered in blood and dirt, she’s so fucking beautiful.
“You can go home.” He nods, and a weight lifts from my shoulders.
A familiar howl pierces the air and I see Salem whip her head around, her eyes landing on that damn hellhound. “Satan!” She calls out and it comes bounding over to us.
“I had him sent over.” Hades says. “I know how much he means to you, although could have gone with another name.”
Her fingers scratch behind Satan’s ears while the beast waves its tail excitedly. “It’s a perfect name.”
“I’ll be sure to care for him while you’re gone.” Hades promises. “Maybe it’ll give you an incentive to come visit.”
“I don’t need one. I’ve grown up without you and been fine not knowing you that whole time. But you did give me back Walker, and it would be nice to have some knowledge of my family.” Salem stands, brushing her hands off. Satan pads happily next to her while she links elbows with Skye.
I don’t know what it’ll look like once we get back, but we’ll have the opportunity to face it together.
We can finally go home.
CHAPTER64
Chapter Sixty-Four
LUKAS
SONG: THE SHIRE BY HOWARD SHORE
“Would you stop making those fucking noises? You know how hard it gets me.” I say digging my tattoo gun into Skye’s flesh.
“Maybe I like it.” She teases, eyes alight with mischief.
“Let me finish writing Graham’s name next to mine, and then we can fuck you senseless.” I say, wiping the beads of blood from her pinked-up skin.
“I like the sound of that.” She says back, sucking her bottom lip behind her teeth.
“Would you two chill? There are people present.” Salem chides, gesturing to the room full of our friends.
Her and Javelynn sit together on the couch, bowl of popcorn propped between them as they watch the thirdLord of the Ringsmovie. They’ve forced us all into a marathon, Salem quoting most of the lines the whole time. If she wasn’t my girl’s sister, I’d have to take drastic measures to shut her up. But I tolerate it to make Skye happy.
The guys are all sprawled out in front of the television, while Graham passes out another round of snack. He’s wearing an apron I bought him that says, “Get out of my kitchen.” He acted annoyed by it, but obviously he loves it. He wears it so fucking well too.
Jackson shoves his glasses up the bridge of his nose, spouting off another obscure fact about the series. One I block out because I couldn’t care less. I’d been surprised to find out that he survived his fall, but they were able to get him help in time.
It’s been one month since we’ve been back at school. No one remembers being possessed and wreaking havoc on the town. They’d written the damage off as a natural disaster. A bad storm. Diablos is almost fully rebuilt, which has Walker stoked for the grand re-opening. With all our fathers out of the picture, we’ve been entrusted to our families’ fortunes, able to make our own decisions about our futures.
We’d agreed to never repeat the mistakes of our fathers, and instead use our power and influence for good. I’ve officially changed my major to art and it’s an odd sense of contentment to have the freedom to live my life for myself for a change.
“How was Madame LeRoux today?” I ask, filling in the last flourish on her skin.
“Fine. She thanked me for returning the book. She tries to be helpful, but she’s a little off the wall. She grabbed my hands and told me I was going to fall in love with a tall, dark and handsome man. Jokes on her, because that already happened. Several times over.”
I hold her gaze, losing myself to her crystal blue eyes. She looks at me like she doesn’t want to be anywhere else, then right here with me. I wipe the design, mopping up the stray drizzle of blood. “Alright. All done.” I say standing back to admire my handiwork.
“Let me see.” She squeals.
