Darker Days (The Darker Agency #1)(88)

“There are ways around that. Any third-rate psychic could give her that information. Or a demon.”

A demon.

Lukas didn’t get it. “But why would Meredith help us find the box?”

“Sonofabitch! They played me,” I whispered, falling back into the chair. My head was spinning like the Tilt-a-Whirl at the local fair. “I’m such an idiot!”

“I don’t understand.”

“I knew that summoning ritual had to be performed at Simon’s grave. I knew it. The things he used—the name and my blood?” If there was an award for biggest screw up ever, I was a prime candidate. “I walked right into it.”

“Walked right into what, Jessie? What are you saying?”

“It was a set up. He was the one she was talking about. The one who gave her the spell in 1882. Valefar’s been helping Meredith all along.”





Chapter Thirty-four




Three hours left…

I was still stewing over my own stupidity when the alarm went off. Meredith had called close to six a.m. and instructed me to meet her at eleven with Lukas, the box, and the other Sins. We’d fallen asleep on the couch going through Mom’s book again. And again.

I slipped out of the office and made my way upstairs. We had three hours ’til we needed to meet Meredith. She’d set up shop in the old Morgan House—a bed and breakfast on the edge of town that closed three years ago because of a fire. It was good luck. I knew the layout of the place fairly well. We’d gotten rid of a few ghosts from the fire over the years.

There was still a chance to make this all work. I had Greed, Gluttony, and Sloth plus Lukas—she had Lust, Pride, and Kendra, AKA Envy. There was still a chance to save Kendra and the last two people if we could put the Sins back into the box before the time ran out. And Lukas…well, I still had no idea what to do.

Digging into my closet, I started yanking out supplies. Obviously, the traditional stuff wouldn’t work in this case. Fairy dust, fire, binding spells—I had a feeling those things would only make Meredith giggle with a case of the tickles. But under all that power and insanity, witch or no witch, the bitch was still human. And humans, no matter how powerful, had their frailties.

I pulled out the gift Dad sent for my sixteenth birthday. Shiny and new—still in its antique case. Most girls my age would’ve gone for the potpourri or lavender incense to calm their nerves—but not me. The smell of new steel was comforting.

It smelled like home.

Once I was dressed and heavily armed, I pulled the last item from the closet. An old book of wards Kendra had given me a few Christmases ago. Meredith could work some pretty badass mojo. Anything I could do to negate even a little bit increased our chances. Sure, Valefar had agreed to help free my parents—no matter what game he was playing, he couldn’t go back on his word—but that still left the last three Sins and their innocent rides to deal with. And of course, the queen of crazy herself, Meredith. Something told me Valefar wasn’t going to do any extra work.

“It’s almost time to go,” Lukas said from the doorway.

Moving to my desk, I picked up the chalcedony crystal and stuffed it into my pocket, then pulled out a black Sharpie and opened the book. Tapping the page, I handed the marker to Lukas and pulled my shirt forward.

“You need to draw this on my back.”

He flushed a little, but didn’t question. There was a small pop as the cap came off, and the slight whisper of marker on skin. The cool felt point was an epic contrast to the fiery tips of his fingers as both glided across my back. Round and round, I could almost picture the intricate design taking form. He was an artist and I was his art.

After a few minutes, the tip of the marker lifted, leaving only the warmth of his fingers. They retraced the design, skimming feather light across my back from shoulder to shoulder. Up the back of my neck, then down my spine.

A shiver ran through me, and I tried to turn around, but Lukas stopped me. “Wait,” he whispered, voice sort of hoarse.

The tip of his finger went to work again, this time in specific patterns. Letters. The first one was easy. It started behind my right shoulder.

I

A few inches over, the next.

L

“For the first time,” he whispered. “I feel no regret.”

O

I closed my eyes to keep the tears from spilling. This wasn’t fair. I wanted more time with him.

V

E

“Lukas…” I didn’t want him to finish. It’d only make things harder.

Y

“Shh.”

O

U

I turned to face him. He knew how I felt about the “L” word, so he’d found a way to tell me without actually speaking it. “You’re going back in the box.” A stupid thing to say in the middle of my first, hot, semi-naked moment with a guy, but it was the elephant in the room. The big-with-bells-on, stupid, death row elephant.

“I know. But, I’ve accepted it. You need to do the same.”

I closed my eyes and leaned into him. “Kiss me.”

With a whisper-light touch, his lips brushed mine then pulled away. For a moment, I was sure that was it, that he was done and would leave, but a few seconds later, his warmth returned, and my world exploded.

He spun me around and lifted me onto the desk, hands everywhere all at once. I let my shirt fall to the floor, oddly uncaring that I was sitting up in my room, kissing the hottest guy in existence—also someone technically old enough to be an ancestor—in nothing more than my black sports bra and favorite monster mashing jeans.