Eternal (Shadow Falls: After Dark #2)(15)

Now wasn’t the time to worry about trivial things. It might not feel insignificant, but when compared to life or death, it lost merit. Right now, all she needed from Chase was to find out if he’d somehow experienced the vision of Natasha and Liam. If he had, had he gotten anything from it that would help find them?

A heaviness stirred in her chest as she stared at the message illuminating her phone. Not from Chase. Just Burnett telling her he would be five minutes late.

She sent Burnett a “got it” message. Then, with her mind on Natasha and Liam, she pulled up the link to Chase’s prior messages.

Sighing, she typed in, Call me, and started to hit send, but then added, please.

Still staring at the phone, the slight sound of mattress springs adjusting to another toss and turn sounded from behind Della’s bedroom wall. Something was keeping Miranda, Della’s witch roommate, awake.

Did it have to do with Perry, and whatever had put him in a pissy mood earlier?

She didn’t really have time to check on the witch, Della told herself. Besides, between grief over Chan, the worry over things like visions, her own family and romantic issues … she shouldn’t be trying to take on anyone else’s problems. Then she heard the girl’s sniffle.

Oh, damn, this wasn’t just anyone else. It was Miranda. If it was Della in a pickle, the little witch would be here in a snap. Five minutes, she thought, walking out of her room and lightly tapping on Miranda’s door.

“Come in,” Miranda’s voice came low, unsure.

Della stepped inside. “I only have a few minutes, but … is something wrong?”

Miranda sat up and pulled her blanket-covered knees to her chest. “Yes, but I can’t talk about it.”

“Why not?” Della moved in a few more steps.

“I promised I wouldn’t mention it.”

“Why would you go making stupid promises like that? We share everything.” Even as Della said it, she knew she’d been keeping her own secrets from Miranda and Kylie. But not for long. She needed to tell them.

“I know we do, but … I can’t.” Miranda drew in a shaky breath.

Della took another step, hating the pain in her friend’s voice. “Do I need to kick someone’s ass? You don’t even have to tell me why, just tell me who, and I’ll do it. So, no promises will be broken.”

“No,” she said. “But I love that you’d do that for me.”

“Is it Perry?” Della asked. If so, Della would totally kick his ass, but she was definitely the wrong person to offer up advice. Kylie was the relationship guru.

Kylie could fix almost anyone’s romantic disasters. Well, except Della’s. Her feelings for Steve, and yet her emotional ties to Chase due to the bonding—whatever the hell that really meant—was a mystery even for a relationship guru.

“I can’t talk about it,” Miranda said again and let go of another sob.

Did that mean it was Perry or wasn’t? Della pulled out her phone and eyed the time. She needed to be going. “Can I get Kylie for you?”

Face it, Della wasn’t the best sympathizer. But it stung just a little that Miranda wouldn’t confide in her.

Miranda shook her head. “No.” She wiped her cheeks. “But I could use a hug.”

“Figures,” Della muttered under her breath as she moved in and let the witch embrace her. Miranda’s warmth reminded Della of her own core body temperature, something she hated thinking about. But for friendship’s sake, she even patted the girl on her back ever so slightly—albeit, a little awkwardly.

“Where are you going?” Miranda pulled back, her large, watery green eyes gazing upward.

Della rubbed her palms on the back of her jeans. “We’re burying Chan.”

“Oh, my bad,” Miranda said. “Here I am, asking you for a hug, when you’re the one in need. Come here. Come here.” She held out her arms and wiggled her fingers.

“No, I’m fine.” Della even took a step back, but damn if her chest didn’t grip with a reviving of the grief. That’s what hugs did sometimes, brought everything to the surface. Some things didn’t need to come up for air.

Miranda shot out of bed, her pink heart-covered nightshirt fluttering around her. “Why don’t Kylie and I come with you? Wait.” Miranda waved her hands in the air as if erasing the request. “Forget I asked, we’re coming even if you don’t want us. You shouldn’t go to a funeral alone.” She started for the door as if to go wake up Kylie.

“Nooooo.” Della caught her by the arm. Damn it, she’d come in here to help Miranda, not to start World War III. And that’s what every argument felt like lately with the witch.

“Why? Is Steve going?” Miranda asked.

Della’s heartstrings yanked. Just hearing his name did that to her, and it came with a quiver of guilt. Guilt over what she felt for Chase. Not that she’d really defined what “that” was, but it was there. And denying it wouldn’t make it go away.

“No, he’s not coming,” Della said the truth and the thought hit: If Steve knew about it, he’d want to come. That was Steve. He cared. She cared about him, too. But did she care enough to let him go? To stop hurting him?

Miranda gently removed Della’s hold on her arm. “Just give it up, vamp. Because no way, no how, are you going alone. Kylie and I are coming.” She even did that attitude shake of her head that reminded Della of one of those head-bobbing dog figurines some people put in their cars.