“Yeah.” He nuzzled into my touch. “You were amazing. Both of you. Trace, you’re not made of titanium like Eddie, but you didn’t even pause, you were right in there giving those blokes what for.” His breath caught. “To protect me.”
“Of course I was. You’re precious to me, baby. I wasn’t leaving you to their feral playground bullying. I didn’t want to overstep, but you didn’t seem to mind.”
“I didn’t. I’ll take on most men in a fair fight. But they’d no intention of making it fair. Plus I couldn’t hear, which really pisses me off.” He straightened up and in a surprise move, reached up to grasp my head in his hands, our direct eye contact sending a sizzle of heat through my bones. “I love you, Trace. You’re kind, and thoughtful, and you make me feel safe. You make me laugh and you teach me shit without making me feel stupid. And…” his chest hitched, “…that bloke is a f-fucking liar. You’re beautiful, inside and out.” He blinked furiously. “I just wanted you to know.”
I knew I was standing there with my mouth gaping open like a fool, but it took some time for his words to fully penetrate my brain. I covered his hands with my own and said in a voice that had a definite wobble to it, “I love you too. I love both of you, and to think you return my love is more than I ever dreamed possible.” I could barely see, my eyes were so blurry, but I gathered Edwin into our huddle and felt James move to include him. “You hear me, Edwin Marsh? I love you. I’m in love with you.”
“I hear you.” His ragged whisper worried me for a split second, but when I found his face, his expression left me in no doubt he was the opposite of upset. “I love you too, Trace. How could I not love you? I should have said it before. I’ve just been scared one or both of you will realise how boring I really am and how much of a fraud, and scarper into the sunset. Without me.”
“Ha.” James sniggered. “We know you’re a fraud, Eddie. You want the white picket fence and a two-point-four-kids type of happy ever after, you soft shite. Best you’ll get with us is two long-term boyfriends and timeshare of a sarcastic crow. We could repaint the fence though.” He pulled Edwin’s mouth to hisand shoved his tongue in for a dirty kiss. “I love you too, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Edwin sucked in a long breath through his teeth. “I think,” he said cheerfully, “we should go home and fuck like bunnies to celebrate. Who’s in?”
James rolled his eyes with a grin. “You really do have a one-track mind. No wonder you live in a train…” He broke off and they both stared at me. James said, “Trace, what’s wrong? You’ve gone the colour of stone.”
Edwin caught me as I swayed. “Trace? What the hell? Tell me what to do!” He sounded frantic. Sound stretched and snapped in my ears, my limbs trembled, and my vision wavered. What on Earth was wrong with me?
“I don’t know,” I confessed. “I feel as though my entire body is being turned inside out?—”
Oh, Goddess.No, it couldn’t be. Could it?He said he loves you. Theybothsaid it.
I groaned as pain, the like of which I’d never before experienced, zapped like lightning from the base of my skull to my toes.
“I need to go home.”
39
TRACE
James lookedas if he was going to puke. I just felt that way. I shivered. Then I thought of something else.Shit.“Can I borrow your hoodie?”
“Of course.” He unzipped instantly, and between him and Edwin, fastened me into it. Thank the Goddess he wore them baggy. I pulled the hood up and over my face as much as I could. My fingers shook. This was everything I’d dreamed of for so long, and now it was upon me, I was terrified of rejection. That really would be the ultimatefuck youfrom karma if it happened.
But for now, I had to get home and somewhere private. East London was not ready for this. I wasn’t sure how much surveillance there was in the average street around here, but being caught on even one camera would be one too many. I bit my tongue to keep my groans of pain to a minimum and let Edwin half drag me along the pavements, James striding anxiously beside us with his hands balled into fists. I didn’t want to worry him, but I was worried enough for myself. I had nothing to offer to reassure him.
We made it home in a pained blur of hurried footsteps. I wanted nothing more than to hole up in my carriage with Terrance for company while I waited out the storm I expectedwas coming, but it was impossible. Edwin was damn near apoplectic with concern, his hold on his vampire self tenuous if the way he was clenching his jaw was any indication. I could just see James out of the corner of the hoodie. He licked his lips nervously. “I think we should call a doctor.”
“No,” I bleated. “They can’t help.”
“Trace, love, I don’t think this is the time for one of your potions,” Edwin said carefully. “I don’t doubt your talents but—” I doubled over as fire raced along my spine, cutting off whatever suggestion he’d been about to make. “Fucking hell, Trace. We have to dosomething!”
“Garden,” I panted. “Now.”
The boundary wall of dense firs momentarily eased my breathing. I was safe here. No street lights, no recording equipment, only the trees and bushes, plants and flowers I’d loved and nurtured since I moved in. I wrenched off my shoes and socks and plunged my toes into the cool earth. I was a child of nature, and to nature I would turn for solace. I wrapped my arms around my torso and bowed my head towards the turf. Of course it was going to hurt. My kind did love to add in reminders when they could, so simple magic this was not.
Edwin was talking to someone, I vaguely acknowledged it was Baxter, via his phone. No idea what she said back to him, but he made an inhuman screech of disbelief. “The actual fuck d’you mean, it’s about bloody time? He’s inagony,Bax. Someone at the Council must know how to help. He’s a senior witch. What in hell’s name could have made him so sick? We can’t let him ‘ride it out’. You bloody bitch, I can’t believe you’d say that.” He threw the phone away and it clattered against a paving stone.
James’ phone blared. He answered. “Baxter? Aye, he chucked it across the garden. He’s steaming.” He listened intently. “Fucking hellfire, you’re serious? Okay, I’ll tell him. Sure. All right. Yeah, bye.”
He ran to my side. “Trace?”
I moaned. “Yes?”
“Baxter said you know what this is and you will be ‘right as rain’ in a bit. I’m doubtful, but she did say it was important to remind you.” He felt for my hand and curled his fingers around my fist. “I’m scared, Trace. I don’t want you to be sick.”
“Not…sick,” I managed. Then promptly dropped to my knees as they gave up the fight to hold me upright. “Fuckinghell.Goddess, I’ve learned my lesson. You know I have.Please.”I’d been trapped in this disguise for so long I’d managed to forget my true self was taller, with longer legs and torso. Evidently, I was returning to myself the most painful way the elders could dream up, which did at least explain the agony I was in.
“What does he mean? Which goddess? Who does he even worship, Mother Earth? I’m so lost.” Edwin was back at my side, wiping his muddy phone down his pristine trousers. His sob was a dry, broken thing that tore at my soul. “Please don’t die, Trace. I don’t think I could bear to lose someone else.”
