Page 62 of Malice

“How about I just don’t get staked?” Antonio says. “I mean, that’s the preferred plan anyway, right?”

“That’s always my plan,” Devon says, and they both laugh. In another life, I would have loved so much to sit here and see my brother and my brother-in-law getting along and joking like this. But man, things are messed up right now.

My phone dings with a text and I immediately pick it up. I’ve never been particularly glued to my phone, even though I loved to waste a good hour doomscrolling. But right now, I am desperately waiting for an update from Leo. The text is from Delphi, not him.

Delphi: I heard you guys are coming to the benefit tonight. I’ll be there! My clinic is a donor.

Me: Benefit?

Delphi: It’s for the NC Young heritage committee. They’re big political donors.

Delphi: Maybe you haven’t heard yet, and I don’t know if I should be the one to spill the tea…

Me: Well, not you have to.

Delphi: The mayor is going to step down and officially announced his endorsement for Xavier

“The fuck?” I ask that loud and everybody looks at me.

“What’s going on?” Antonio asks.

“I’m not sure. I think I need to talk to my husband.”

“God, it’s so weird hearing you say that.”

“It’s kind of weird saying it still,” I admit and hold up my left hand. “Do you know how long it took me to get used to this thing? I scratched myself several times before I did.” I stand up, stretching my arms out in front of me before I leave the parlor. I meet Xavier halfway through the house.

“You’re being nominated for mayor?” I ask and he looks a little surprised. “Delphi just texted me. Her clinic is a donor for the fundraiser benefit tonight.”

“Right, they are,” he says and puts both hands on my shoulders, slowly running his hands down my arms until he laces our fingers. “Yes, we’re going. All of us.” His lips curved up into a cocky smirk. “And I like Devon‘s idea. Tonight, Antonio is a vampire.”

I close my fingers around the gemstone and whisper the incantation Marie told me to say. Almost immediately, I feel a sense of clarity come over my mind. She told me that the same powers that enable me to sense what other people are thinking and feeling makes me at risk for opening my mind to anyone with similar abilities.

Like the demon.

So tonight, I can’t use my talent to suss out anyone for Xavier’s benefit, but we would rather not have the demon in my head.

I put the gemstone in my purse, and check my reflection one more time before I head downstairs. Antonio, Devon, and Zeke are all down there, dressed and coordinating but not matching suits.

“I have to admit,” I say, looking at Antonio standing next to the two vampires. “As long as you don’t breathe you obviously you kind of fit the part.”

“This is the most expensive thing I’ve ever been inside,” Antonio says motions to his suit.

“Even more expensive than those hookers you paid for in Chicago?” I reply with that missing a beat.

He makes a face and just rolls his eyes at me. “How many of these fancy benefits have you been to? They said you go all the time.”

“Honestly, I’ve lost count. Some of them are just more or less meetings I suppose.” Tonight, I’m wearing an emerald green, one shoulder dress. It’s floor length, with a slit all the way up to the top of my thigh on one side. My hair is down and soft waves, hanging around my face. I have on a pair of diamond earrings, and given my track record of hunting demons in evening gowns, I opted for some low, comfortable heels tonight.

“You look beautiful,” Xavier tells me when he comes into the room. He grabs me around the waist and kisses me, tongue slipping into my mouth. He’s never cared who sees.

“I would say get a room, but you may take that literally and make us late,” Theo grumbles.

We head out. Xavier Theo, and I drive together and the others go separately.

The event is at a fancy hotel downtown filled with lots of rich old people. It takes forever to make our rounds. Everybody wants to stop and say hi to Xavier, congratulating him on what a good job he’s done keeping the city safe, or how happy they are to see him cleaning up the riffraff.

I spot Antonio, Devon, Zeke, and Mabel across the room and make my way towards them as soon as I politely can.