Page 29 of Unbound

“We’re not done here,” Victoria says, waving a finger in the air before disappearing.

“Sorry about that,” Zeke says.

“That’s not your fault.” I shrug. “This situation is pretty messy. I honestly don’t see any reason to pretend it isn’t.”

“Yeah,” Devon says. “And anyway, we’re fucked.”

I laugh. I finish my food and take the plate into the kitchen.

Nina comes into the house carrying grocery bags. Since I don’t need her to drive me around or run errands for me anymore, I almost forget she works for the family.

“Hi,” I say, offering to help with the groceries.

She’s reluctant to accept, but I insist.

By the time we’re done putting everything away and I return to the family room, Victoria comes back in.

“Press conference tonight. Ten p.m. sharp,” she informs us.

“Okay,” Leo says. “Why are you telling us?”

“Because you’re going.”

“All of us?” Devon asks, cocking an eyebrow.

Typically, press conferences involve Xavier, Theo, and me. The rest of the family doesn’t come. “Yes,” she tells him. “Everyone. I’ll have clothes sent over. Don’t be late.”

No one has to say anything for me to know exactly what Leo and Antonio are thinking.

Leo being seen publicly with us—with the Malus family—is a surefire way to let the Order know exactly which side he’s on.

Chapter

Ten

“Oh my God,” I gasp, reading Marie’s text message twice to make sure I’m fully comprehending what I’m seeing.

“What is it?” Mabel asks, speeding over to me.

“Marie got information on the demon.”

I look up, waiting for the other vampires, who no doubt heard what I said, to rush into the room as well.

I’ve been sitting in the parlor with Mabel, half paying attention to the tea party she put together while trying to keep myself distracted. My brothers are in here with us, but they dipped out of the actual tea party before it even started.

“You gonna fill us in?” Antonio asks, putting his phone down beside him on the couch.

“Yeah.” I scroll back up. Marie sent a pretty long paragraph of information along with several photos. “This type of demon is from a specific sector, and demons from sectors like this often work under a higher-level demon who gives them a little power boost. There’s nothing directly tying it to Vaelric, but it seems pretty plausible they’re working together.” I scroll farther down. “But the best part…” I flip my phone around and show them an ingredient list. “She sent me the vanquishing potion needed to kill it. And I have everything on the list except for a silver-pointed iron knife.

“Those are, like, standard Order issue,” Leo says, giving me a dubious look, surprised I would forget something like that.

“Yeah, but we don’t exactly have access to the Order anymore.”

“Ryder does,” Leo says. And for the first time, I don’t react when I hear his name.

“I’ll call him,” Antonio says. “He could be here in a couple hours. How long is it going to take you to make that potion?”

“Not too long.” I go back over the ingredients again. Marie added a note saying Dennis specifically came up with this potion. For some reason, that feels like information I want to keep to myself, and I don’t know why. To make myself feel less guilty about it, I tell myself it’s because I don’t want to take the time to explain who Dennis is. But deep down, I know that isn’t it. I just want to keep some of the witch stuff between witches. I don’t think there’s any unspoken rule saying I can’t tell Xavier exactly what I saw at the Covenstead, but keeping a few things to myself makes it feel more like something that belongs to me. Something that makes me feel like part of a family.