“Interesting,” Hasan says with a nod. "Wait, you can’t take weapons on a plane?”
I shake my head, smiling. “Just when I think you guys are up to speed on everything, I’m reminded how much we still have to go over. Though, unless I can find someone to make some really convincing fake IDs for you, we’re not boarding a plane anytime soon. And by that, I mean at all.”
“We can already fly,” Gil says.
Thomas elbows his brother in the ribs. “He’s only saying that because he’s scared to fly.”
I raise an eyebrow. “I told you,Snakes on a Planeis a terrible example of what a real flight experience will be.”
“Buthowdoes it stay in the air?” Gil’s blue eyes widen, making me laugh again. I stand, chair scooting out behind me, and go to him.
“I don’t even know how to start explaining it,” I admit, placing both my hands on his bare chest. He pulls me in, one hand landing on my ass. “Maybe when this whole demonic Elsa situation is over and creepy curators aren’t sending me cryptic invites, we can watch a Wright brothers documentary.”
“I’ve seen a good one,” Jacques says, looking up from my grimoire. “It’s very informative, but I still don’t quite get how planes stay in the air.”
Another knot loosens in my chest. My life is in turmoil right now, but things are manageable since I have my family here.
Hasan.
Thomas.
Gilbert.
Jacques.
And even Gemma.
We’re all a family now. Gemma plans to go back to her rented house soon—coming to stay with me was temporary while she healed—but I’m honestly loving our dynamic.
“Dinner is ready,” Gemma says, taking a dish out of the oven. We all work to get everything else ready, and in a matter of minutes, salads are prepped, garlic bread is toasted, and dinner is served.
“Are you going to call and request backup or whatever it’s called?” Gemma asks, cutting into her chicken—which is almost orgasmic, by the way.
I shake my head, mouth too full to answer at the moment. Once I’m done chewing, I reach for my water. “I can’t keep lying. It’s one thing to push the truth a bit, but this would be a flat-out lie and I’m already at risk of being caught. I’m on vacation and there hasn’t been a case like this around here since my parents’.”
“Can you say you heard about the case through a Facebook post or something?” Gemma asks. “And you recognized the similarities to your own parents’ deaths?”
“Oh, I could. But technically, it’s not what I should be doing, and I’ll be questioned and probably told to talk to the psychologist on staff.” I cut into a potato. “This is seriously good, Gem. Thanks.”
She beams. “It was no problem at all.”
Thomas cocks an eyebrow. “No problem? You were in the kitchen for over an hour.”
“I like cooking,” she admits. “I like to pretend I’m on a celebrity cooking show while I’m making dinner.”
We laugh and Gemma has to go on to explain to the guys what a celebrity cooking show is. I look around the table, getting hit with a sense of panic once again. I don’t want things to change. I don’t want to lose my guys.
I won’t lose them. I can’t.
“What are we doing after dinner?” Gemma asks casually, but I know she’s wondering if demon hunting is on the agenda.
I shrug, not sure what weshoulddo. I know what I want to do, and that’s look into breaking the curse again. I want to try and channel Braeya again, try and stay in the vision a little longer and get more answers this time around.
But I know every single person in this house will object.
“You’ve already done one spell tonight,” Thomas starts. “Shouldn’t you take it easy?”
“Yeah,” Gilbert agrees. “Just in case we need your fire powers again.”
