Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98961 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 495(@200wpm)___ 396(@250wpm)___ 330(@300wpm)
I think that was the last time I saw Easton.
“No, it wasn’t. It’s almost done. And I can’t wait to have a pool party with witches and vampires and hunters and nons maybe that werewolf I helped exorcize a demon from,” I add with a shrug. “And no one is allowed to fight.”
“I don’t think vampires would be able to come to a pool party during the day.”
“It would be at night, duh.”
“Night parties are fun, but you gotta enjoy a setup like this in the heat of the day.”
“Oh, I will. I’ve already told my familiars they’re floating around day-drinking with me under peak sunniness.”
Easton turns, looking at me as he walks.
“What?” I finally ask when we near the woods.
“I just wish you could see what your life would have been like, Callie.”
“You mean if I hadn’t married a vampire? Or wasn’t a witch?”
“I don’t know, both? I’m really not trying to be mean, either. You don’t deserve to live in the dark.” He plows a hand through his hair. “You should be able to have a fucking pool party in the fucking sunshine.”
“I don’t live in the dark. And if I want to have a pool party at nine in the fucking morning, then I will.”
“You don’t live in the dark? Really? What about when your daughter wants to go to the park? Are you going to wait until nightfall so you can have a family outing?”
I whirl around, looking at Easton. There’s truth in his words, I know. “You do realize a lot of things that go on inside the coven don’t happen until midnight, right? The witching hour is called the witching hour for a reason.”
“So, you have all your playdates at midnight then?”
“Some,” I snap. “Especially during a full moon. It’s important to gather that energy.” I march forward, angry mostly because I’m well aware of the issue. Lucas is well aware too, and it bothers him more than it bothers me. Waiting until sunset to do anything isn’t a big deal to me, but it is to Lucas. Maybe it’s because I have the option to do both and he doesn’t.
But it’s worth it to me. It’s worth it to wait so I can be with him. He makes it worth it because no one gets me like he does. No one makes me happy like he does. Will I miss doing things during the day without him? Of fucking course I will, but I’d rather have him by my side at night than not have him at all.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Easton goes on, following me into the woods.
“You’re doing a great job not upsetting me. Again,” I huff and push forward.
“Callie,” Easton calls. “I’m sorry. Really.”
Turning around, I let out a breath. “This is my life, Easton. I’m happy. I know it’s unconventional, but so am I. And not because I’m a witch.” We start walking again. “I thought I’d grow up, eventually find a nice warlock to settle down with and live a normal life hunting lower-level demons on the weekends and attending coven gatherings and celebrating Yule by keeping a log burning all night so spirits don’t come and knock down my Christmas tree. That’s normal to me.”
“My normal isn’t so far off, either.”
“Then you should get it. It’s not fun hiding who you are, and it’s not fun worrying your friends are going to get hurt because of you. My powers are a little unpredictable and Lucas can handle that.”
“I suppose you have a point. You’re not a normal witch and—” He cuts off and looks around. “Weren’t we on a path?”
There isn’t a real path, not yet at least, but there is a worn trail through the weeds from me walking back and forth from the Covenstead to home.
“And since when does Thorne Hill have trees like that?” He points to something that looks similar to a pine tree but is sparse and has funky looking pinecones. “Is that—no, no fucking way.” He pushes forward, reaching out for something that’s hanging off a low branch.
“Easton, no!” I yell and throw out my hand, but it’s too late. He picks up the ugly gold ring, green gemstone glinting in the sunlight. Dizziness crashes down on me and I stumble back, tripping over a twisted tree root sticking out of the ground. My eyes fall shut and I crash to the earth, ears ringing.
The next thing I know, I’m being shaken awake.
“Morning, babe,” the person waking me says.
What the fuck? Slowly, I sit up, but instead of being on the forest floor, I’m in a bed and I’m blinking from bright sunlight that filters through large, floor to ceiling windows, offering a breath-taking view of Chicago and Lake Michigan.
And Easton is shirtless in bed next to me.
Chapter
Fifteen
Squeezing my eyes shut, I shake my head and then open them again. I’m still in bed. Still next to Easton. The fuck?