Shrugging, I turned to head back down the stairs. “Anyone else we should visit while we’re here?” I shot over my shoulder to my pouting cat demon.
“Ugh, this whole town is haunted. I’m sure we’ll find someone,” he grumbled as he trailed after me down the stairs.
I didn’t let him see my smirk as we spilled out into the night. It didn’t go unnoticed by me that whether he was aware of it or not, he was following me.
Would you look at that?
I bit back my grin as I meandered down the sidewalk beneath the full moon, doing my best to beat back the eruption of butterflies that rushed through me at the fact that Shemhazai, ruler of chaos and general of Hell’s armies, was nipping at my heels.
Fucking witches.
Such a pain in my ass. I should have known Bridget was going to be a cunt about this whole thing… Though, in her defense, Iwasindirectly the reason she was dead. I suppose it was fair for her to hold a grudge.
But still.
I just wanted to find Hecate so I could exact my revenge and then take her back to Hell with us. She would fuckingloveLilith.
She just needed to be punished a little first, and I wasn’t leaving this Satan-forsaken town until we’d settled our unfinished business.
I trailed after Gabe, who was strolling down Church with his hands tucked into his perfect black slacks. His deep auburn hair reflected the warm glow of the street lights as we passed several charming colonial-style buildings interspersed with modern boutiques. Most of the shops were closed for the night, but their little witchy signs sported things like cauldrons and broomsticks, promising a kitschy shopping experience for tourists when their doorsopened in the morning.
Gabe, as usual, was annoyingly composed and unbothered by the whole ordeal with Bridget. He hadn’t even batted an eye when I’d flirted with the server at Turner’s, which was a far cry from what would have happened if I’d come here with Art.
It wasn’t that Iwantedto fuck that server. She would have bored me. But Ihadwanted to get a rise out of Gabe, and I was becoming equal parts annoyed and delighted that nothing I did ever seemed to phase him.
He was like this sturdy, stoic rock that had inserted himself into my life, and I couldn’t wrap my head around my feelings for him.
Also, I swear he was somehow getting hotter. I watched him leisurely take in our surroundings as we turned onto Essex, a small, content smile on his lips as we moved into this more historic part of Salem.
My mouth watered as I took in the soft wave of his hair and how it contrasted with the sharp cut of his strong, masculine jaw.
That line was my favorite place to lick. He always shivered so nicely when I nipped and sucked up that perfect curve of his neck. I grit my teeth and forced myself to look away. It was annoying how much he was able to distract me just by existing.
Risky.
I needed to be more careful.
We passed a ghost tour. The guide was wearing a black billowing cape and a wide-brim hat. He was speaking loudly to a gaggle of humans about Tituba and how she’d claimed she’d ‘signed the devil’s book,’ triggering the hysteria that had resulted in the Salem witch trials.
Spoiler alert.
It was me.
Iwas the ‘devil.’
Oops.
Gabe watched the tour group pass with an amused expression and glanced back at me, his amber eyes glinting in the moonlight.
He held out a hand to me, and I raised an eyebrow at him as I realized he expected me to take it.
He wanted me to hold his fucking hand?
I scoffed and rolled my eyes, shoving my hands into my pockets and brushing past him instead. His smile just widened, and he huffed out a laugh.
“Someone’s pissy.”
“Whatever. I just want to get this over with and get out of here. I’m bored.”
