Page 14 of Sweeter than Honey
“Is dad gone?” Eli asks when I go into his room.
“He had to go to work, honey,” I reply. “You’ll see him on the weekend.”
Eli doesn’t comment. He goes back to brushing the mane of his favourite pony doll, the one with the rainbow on her butt.
I don’t know why Dylan is making such a huge deal about not seeing Eli. When we were together, he never wanted to spend time with him. But now that we’re separated, itsoimportant for him to be a father.
A wave of tiredness passes through me. I run my fingers through Eli’s hair.
“Did you have breakfast, E?”
“Not yet.”
“Let me go make you something.”
With all my willpower, I rise to my feet and head for the kitchen.
My first shift might be done, but my second one is just beginning.
Chapter 6: The Triple Council
Renata
The night is as black as the matte limo we drive in. Despite the witches’ insistence that the Triple Council meeting be aligned with the full moon, it doesn’t appear that the moon or any of the stars are planning to make an appearance tonight.
And I forgot howdarkit can get, this far away from the bright city. It makes me feel even more restless than I usually am.
I pull out my phone and hiss in frustration. “How can there benoservice out here? I have work to do!”
“Welcome to witch territory,” Xia replies. “It’s like we never left the nineteenth century.”
“I hated the nineteenth century,” I reply. “I need modern plumbing and a consistent wifi signal.”
Damien chuckles. But Celine’s frown deepens, her pale eyes gazing anxiously out the window.
“Could we increase our speed?” she calls to the driver.
The car accelerates, but we barely feel it. This limo is a new model, impossibly silent and smooth.
“Should have flown,” my sister mutters grouchily. “It would have been faster.”
“Oh, it’s a perfect night for it,” Xia concurs, her eyes twinkling as she gazes out the window.
“Well, if you had flown, I wouldn’t have come,” I reply, my annoyance peaking. Celine avoids my gaze as I round on her. “Do youhave any idea how much work I have to do back at the hotel? Yesterday we had a party of six in the penthouse suite, and they completely cloggedbothhot tubs. It’s almost irreparable. We had to tear out the carpets! Thank god, Lily went to check in on them, otherwise the flooding could have impacted the floor below, and we had the Guptas staying there…”
Instinctively, I look at my smartwatch, to check for a message from Lily. But of course, nothing is coming through. When she asked me if she should attend this meeting with me, I told her to stay at the hotel. I need her there in my absence. And besides, this sort of business…I didn’t want her wrapped up in it. It’s too far from her human world. It’s not fair to expect her to accompany me.
But part of me wishes she was here as well. I’ve gotten so used to having her around, taking minutes, and keeping things running smoothly. Without her, it’s like I’m missing one of my own limbs.
My sister’s voice brings me back to the present moment. “I appreciate everything you’re doing, Renata, but this is important too. The witches are still suspicious of us, and right now, they have the upper hand. As glad as I am that Tudor is imprisoned, not having our Creator around leaves us vulnerable. If Lavinia decides that we’re working with him, she won’t hesitate to throw us in prison too.”
“And I wouldn’t underestimate the other vampire clans,” Damien adds, running a nervous finger along his jaw. “They can smell a power vacuum like a shark smells blood in the water. Even though Celine and I are older vampires, they’re going to notice the absence of Tudor and Lazarus Gray and think they can take advantage. I’m concerned about Xavian. He’s not just going to go away.”
I rub my temples, wishing I had a phone network so I could distract myself with work. Luckily, the car drives into what looks like a small tourist town. With my vampiric night vision, I can just barely read a painted wooden sign that says “Hemlock Haven” in cheerful, cursive letters.
“Here we are,” Xia says. “Bakeries, bookshop, church…the whole shebang.”
She rolls her eyes. Xia is an evil witch, and doesn’t always get along with the pious good witches.