Page 33

CHAPTER THIRTY

FRANKIE

There had never been a better morning.

Sure, the world was basically on fire and we were on the cusp of a war, but I’d slept the entire night curled in Everest’s arms. After our shower, we’d dressed and climbed into the bed right there in the infirmary. Neither of us had any energy to climb up to my room on the third floor, and since Everest could do his whole move within the shadows thing, that had to mean he was really wiped out. A bed was a bed though. And if I had my choice, I’d choose his arm over a pillow any day of the week. Especially with his other arm draped over my waist. I held both his hands in mine and pretended I was still asleep. I didn’t want this moment to end.

Someone knocked on the door.

Dammit. I jinxed it. Still, I squeezed my eyes shut. Whoever it was could come back later. Except they knocked a second time. It didn’t sound like an important knock. There was no rush or power behind it. Just a soft little tap.

“ They’re not going to stop,” Everest whispered in my ear, then chuckled, which sent shivers down my spine. Not that he noticed, he cleared his throat and rolled onto his back. “Come in.”

The door opened slowly. I’d been expecting Tegan but was surprised to find Tennessee leaning in the doorway. He gave us a sideways grin and nodded. “Cousin. Old man. Morning.”

“Old man,” Everest said with a chuckle that shook the bed. “Good morning, Little Michael.”

Tenn crossed his arms over his chest. “How insulting would it be if I called you Little Lilith?”

I snort-laughed.

“Then again, you’re wearing my clothes right now, perhaps Little Haven is more appropriate?”

Everest cackled.

“So, look, everyone has given you about as much privacy and space as this Coven is capable of. If you don’t get up there within a few minutes, we may have a mutiny on our hands . . . starting with Tegan. I’m running out of ways to restrain her.” Tenn pushed off the doorframe and winked.

We both laughed for a few moments even after the door shut behind him. It felt good to laugh.

Everest sat up and hopped off the bed. He was moving better than he had been last night, but his movements were still a little stiff. He walked around the foot of the bed. I took the moment to ogle him in Tenn’s hand-me-downs. I’d always seen Tenn as a massive guy, except for when he was Archie. It was strange to think he’d once been the same size as my soulmate. Granted, something told me Tenn’s muscles had always been a bit bigger, not that he was a bulky guy. The Bishop boys were thicker with bulkier muscles, but Tenn had always reminded me of a lion with slender but chiseled muscles. Everest was built more like Tenn, just a little more slender. Physical strength wasn’t his repertoire. Then again, as a vampire he didn’t need muscles to be strong.

Regardless, he looked good in that V-neck black cotton shirt that had clearly been washed so many times that the material was nearly transparent. The ripped black jeans fit his body perfectly. Seeing him dressed so . . . human . . . so normal . . . it was not conducive to me getting out of this bed.

Everest held his hand out in front of me. “Come, Gali, your Coven deserves my attention. Finally.”

I didn’t want to get out of this bed. I wasn’t ready to leave my Everest cocoon. Yet I couldn’t resist him, so I watched as my body acted of its own volition. I placed my hand in his and let him pull me to my feet. He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear, so I did the same to him.

“I like the long hair more than I should.” I grinned. “Just so you know.”

He chuckled and tugged me toward the door. “And you have a million questions about the why of my hair.”

“You know me well.”

He took my hand in his and led the way up the stairs. When we stepped into the living room, we found Tenn hadn’t been lying, everyone was waiting. Well, everyone that wasn’t injured. There were still far too many in the beds downstairs. I was glad to see Savannah and Emersyn were sitting on the ledge in front of the hearth. Cooper sat beside Savannah, rubbing soft circles on her back. Hunter sat on the other side of Emersyn. His aura was much lighter than it had been since I met him. I couldn’t wait to see him smile once Devon returned.

Bentley sat in the chair by the front window closest to his family while Mona sat in the other one. Her aura was worse than it had ever been. As Everest led us across the room to an empty lounge chair, I glanced around to take inventory of who was around. Tenn and Tegan were curled up together on the couch right beside the lounge chair, with Tim and Katherine seated beside them and almost just as tangled together. On the couch opposite us were Thiago, Royce, Mei-ling, and Tai. Seeing my bestie and her brother in the thick of the group filled me with too much happiness. Willow sat on the floor at the coffee table in front of Tegan and I knew that wasn’t a coincidence. At the dining table, Jackson, Warner, Lennox, Kenneth, and Landreia sat in a row facing the rest of the room. All of them were tense and quiet. Behind them, Daniel sat on a barstool at the kitchen island with Kendall and Kylie.

“Sorry to keep you,” Everest said softly, then reclined on the lounge chair with his legs stretched out and his head propped up. When everyone’s auras turned sharp and their eyes narrowed on him, he held his hand up. “I am fine, just not quite recovered from last night yet.”

I smiled and sat at his feet because I didn’t trust myself to be any closer to him when I needed to concentrate. Also, I’d never seen him barefoot, and the sight of his toes was making me giddy. It meant he was really free of his torture and could just be with us. Just as we settled in, Myrtle and Constance came up from the infirmary. They smiled at us, then walked toward the kitchen. Myrtle sat beside Landreia while Constance leaned against Daniel’s back.

Thiago cleared his throat and leaned forward. “Everest? Is it dark enough for you? I dropped a shadow around the house?—”

“It’s good. Thank you.”

Thiago smiled and nodded. “Where is your crew? Will they need special help getting here?”

Cooper snapped his fingers. “I was wondering where the hell they went.”

“There were things that needed doing.” Everest shrugged one shoulder. “They knew what to do. They’ll be here soon.”

Tegan adjusted her body in Tenn’s lap so she was looking out toward the room, yet her gaze was locked on my soulmate. “Go ahead.”

Go ahead? Go ahead what? Before I could voice my question, Everest smirked and held his hand up and the Seelie tunnel opened up in the middle of the living room. Well, on the edge by the foyer. But still. I’d yet to see Thorne or Sage open the tunnel right inside the house. I glanced around to find startled expressions on everyone’s faces, except for Tegan who was now eyeing Everest with that mischievous glint in her eyes. She was scheming.

A massive shadow filled the opening and then Malik poked his head out. His black and red eyes glanced around with a wide-eyed, startled expression. He looked down at the ground, then tentatively stuck his foot out, like he was afraid to take a step. Mei-Ling was already crying, tears pouring down her face. She must’ve decided he was taking too long because she leapt to her feet and charged for him. He’d just put one foot on the hardwood floor when she grabbed his hand and yanked him out of the tunnel. She shrieked his name and jumped—he caught her mid-air and hugged her tight to his chest.

My jaw burned from how hard I smiled. I had no idea how their relationship was going to work moving forward, if at all, but I was happy he was alive and they’d get the chance to decide.

Malik kissed her cheek, then set her on her feet before tugging on her now neon-orange hair. “I like this color on you.”

She nervously ran her hands through her hair. “Better than the pink?”

“Yeah. More you. ” He grinned and then stepped back and held his hand out behind him. “C’mon out. It just looks terrifying.”

There was a soft sigh and then Aunt Shi-Shi poked her head out of the tunnel opening at the same time as she reached out and put her hand in his. She let him help her out of the tunnel, then glanced around with wide black and red eyes. Her jaw was dropped.

Malik cleared his throat. “Shi-Shi, your real niece and your nephew.”

Mei-Ling was really crying now, big sobbing tears. She choked on her own breath then tackled her aunt. I’d told them about their aunt and the truth of what happened to her, that she hadn’t died but been turned. Mei-Ling had been safe in Coven Headquarters by the time Shi-Shi returned to Avolire. Tai’s eyes were red, and his lips trembled like he was trying to hold it together but struggling. Shi-Shi looked over and then pulled her nephew in for a hug.

Malik’s eyes were glassy as he watched them. Then he turned to Everest and smiled. “We good?”

Saber hopped out of the tunnel like she’d done it a million times, and for some reason that bothered me. I tried not to think about that even as she ignored everyone else and raced right over to Everest and pressed the backs of her fingers to his forehead. Her red and hazel-gold eyes narrowed on him.

Everest smirked and nodded. “I am fine.”

“Are you barefoot?” We all jumped at the sound of a very familiar voice. Braison stood just outside the tunnel with glassy red and green eyes and a crooked smirk. He gestured to my soulmate. “A barefoot Everest in Coven Headquarters. What is the world coming to?”

“I’m wearing Tenn’s clothes, too.” Everest grinned. “I’ve got hand-me-downs now.”

Braison threw his head back and laughed.

Everyone in The Coven was staring at him like their own emotions were a second from fraying. Before any one of them could move to greet him, thunder rumbled over our heads. Panicked footsteps scrambled. I frowned but no one who lived in this house seemed worried. And then I heard it. A bark. A panicked, strangled, whimper of a bark.

Albert.

Braison leapt to the base of the stairs with wide eyes full of emotion. He threw his arms out and yelled, “ALBERT!”

Albert dove from at least fifteen steps up, from too high for me to even see him. All of a sudden there was just a massive black blob flying through the air right for Braison. But he laughed and caught him like he weighed no more than a pillow. Albert was crying and thrashing around, licking the air in rapid succession. I’d never seen a tail wag that fast. Braison crouched down to the ground and Albert jumped down and ran circles around him. He cried the whole time. My eyes watered. It was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen.

Finally, Braison grabbed him and held him against his chest while Albert licked his chin. “I missed you too, buddy.”

Everest held his hand up, but his fingers barely lifted. His muscles in his arm strained as he closed the tunnel opening. But it was the way he sagged back against the cushion that had me— and Saber— eyeing him with concern.

He looked to me, then to her, then back to me. “I’ll be fine. Just need to rest.”

I reached up and squeezed his hand. “Then rest. Stop using magic.”

He smirked. “I’m old. It’s habit.”

I rolled my eyes, but it was hard to argue with that logic, and mostly I was just so happy to finally be on the other side. The side where he no longer had to lie, the side where he could boldly and proudly profess his loyalty to Heaven. With a smile, I turned back to the group and found Braison in the middle of a group hug. Lots of throats were cleared and there were red eyes around the room. They ruffled his red hair and tapped on his fangs—well, Royce tapped on his fangs.

Braison held his hand out to Thiago and grinned. “How’s my Mark treating you?”

“Is it weird if I say I love it?” he said with a cheeky grin as they shook hands.

“It’s a good indication you were chosen well.” Braison laughed. “Just a whole bunch of weird in this house.”

Hunter squeezed Braison’s shoulder. “How are you doing? This has been a lot for you.”

Braison grimaced but he leaned into Hunter’s touch. I didn’t miss the golden magic spreading over his body. “Yeah, it has. It’s . . . not easy knowing the life I had is gone but at the same time the one I’m starting now feels oddly fitting. Does that make sense?”

“You do make an excellent bloodsucker, tickling,” Saber said with a soft chuckle. She reached up and tucked her perfectly shiny and pretty black hair behind her ears. “Perhaps you were born to be with us?”

Braison smiled. “Perhaps. Either way, it’s nice to not be dead. I . . . cannot fathom going out like that. I’m sorry . . . I shouldn’t have run off—wait, where’s Easton?”

“He and Lily went down in one of those Unseelie attacks. So, they’re alive but . . . down.” Tenn sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. He was still standing next to Braison. “And not a single one of us is angry or upset with your actions. We understood where you were coming from . . . You may be an immortal bloodsucker now, but you’re still part of this family. Whether you like it or not.”

“Thanks, Tenn.” He smiled so wide his cheeks dimpled. His face flushed. “I saw Paulina. She’s in New Orleans, and she’s made friends with spirits.”

“Whom she may or may not realize are spirits,” Everest added softly. “But they will keep her safe.”

Tegan groaned. “I’m sorry, Braison. We thought you were dead . . . It was killing her . . . so Valathame gave me permission to help her?—”

“Don’t.” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “I am happy and grateful you gave her whatever peace you could. Let’s see if I survive this fight, then we’ll check on her.”

Tegan nodded and something told me she was going to check on Paulina before then.

Then Braison cringed and looked back to Tenn. He pointed to Tegan. “I bit her. I’m sorry.”

Tenn snort-laughed. “So did Everest.”

Braison’s face fell. “You hated that.”

Tenn shrugged. “I didn’t trust him yet.”

Everest grinned at that. “Fair.”

Braison’s face was still a little pale as he stared at Tenn. “But?—”

“But nothing, Braison.” Tenn smiled, the kind that lit up his eyes. “I’ve trusted you for twelve years. I meant it, fangs or not, you’re family. So, if you need to feed from her again, I have no problems with that. We are just happy to have you home.”

Tears filled Braison’s eyes as he nodded. His lips were mashed together in a tight line like he was trying to contain his emotions. Hunter wrapped his arm around his shoulders and held him tight. Braison let out a deep breath, then sighed and leaned into Hunter.

“Your parents are here in Eden. After we evacuated Tampa?—”

Braison gasped and looked up to him. “Did you tell them . . . what happened to me? That I’m?—”

“A vampire? Yes, I did.” Hunter smiled and ignored all the worried expressions of everyone else. Hunter shook his head. “Until you’ve had children, you cannot comprehend the pain of losing one. I could not in good conscience let them continue thinking their son was dead, so I told them quietly and privately, and I told them if they told anyone else, they would answer to my daughter and all her wickedness.”

“Awww.” Tegan pressed her hand to her chest. “Thanks, Dad.”

Hunter rolled his eyes at her, but he was smiling. He squeezed Braison, gave him a little shake, then dropped his arm and pointed to the kitchen. “Em saved some fried chicken for your return?—”

Braison gasped. “You didn’t?—”

“I did.” Emersyn smiled and it might’ve been the first time she smiled since being blinded. “It’s in the red Tupperware in the back.”

Braison looked like he was about to fall apart.

“Go on, Son,” Hunter patted his shoulder. “Go get your welcome home present.”

“ Thank you ,” he whispered, then cleared his throat. His face was bright-red as he ducked out of the middle of the living room with Albert practically on his back.

Hunter smiled and gave us a wink before he went to reclaim his seat next to Emersyn. Ah. I get it. He was the emotional thermometer of the group. He knew Braison needed a moment alone to feel his feelings, so he gave him that moment. That made me smile.

Everest lifted one hand and black smoke billowed from his palm, filling the space in front of us until it stood like five feet tall. The shadow swirled within for a moment before a girl stepped out. Most of the group was on their feet before I registered who it was. I didn’t know her, she was before my time here, but I’d heard her name shouted in echo that night on Avolire’s front lawn.

Libby.

The former Devil Card stood there looking the same as she had before with her pale-brown hair braided to one side, bright mischievous silver eyes, and all-black clothes. She put her hands on her hips and looked around the room with a wide smile. “I love what you’ve done with the place.”

That did it. Several bodies lunged for her. Tenn, Tegan, Cooper, Bentley, Willow, Royce, and even Emersyn who was led over by Hunter. Constance, Daniel, Tim, Katherine, and Kenneth took an extra few seconds to get around all the furniture but quickly joined in the group hug. I was so happy for them to have gotten their friend back. The only people who hadn’t gone over were people who hadn’t known her, who were after her time like me. Yet their eyes were just as glassy. This was a big moment. Braison and Libby returned home. That was huge for The Coven.

“They’re going to smother her,” Saber said softly with a smirk. She looked down at my soulmate. “Death by affection.”

“ There are worse ways to go ,” he whispered back.

My stomach tightened into knots. I’d known from the beginning of my time in Avolire that Everest and Saber were super close, and then he’d destroyed his own room in anger because she slept with Azazel . . . but apparently my mind had pushed thoughts of her aside. She hadn’t been in Tampa. Seeing her standing that close to him now was doing things to me, things I didn’t like. Everest was my soulmate. There was no reason I should feel jealousy over another girl. Even if he and Saber had had some form of romantic or physical relationship in the past, surely they wouldn’t continue it now that his soulmate was around. And Saber knew who I was to him. She was also nice to me. It was confusing as fuck.

Finally, the group stepped back from Libby and reclaimed their seats. Except Tenn who remained standing beside her, staring at her like he couldn’t believe she was real.

She let out a deep breath and shook her arms and legs out. “Everest?”

“Libby.” He nodded. “You are free now.”

The grin she gave him was breathtaking. Her aura lightened instantly. “When can I tell my family?”

Everest pursed his lips. “That is up to you, I believe. You may go to them right now if you’d like. We are all aware of how bad their grief is.”

Her face fell. “But I might die before we see the end of Sweyn and the Unseelies, so maybe I should wait?”

“‘Tis not an easy answer,” he said softly. “And not one we can make for you.”

Tenn cleared his throat and raised one finger in the air. “Um, hello, can we please explain to the people here how the fuck you’re alive?”

Libby glanced to Everest who just waved her on. She grimaced. “Okay, so I never actually died?—”

“EXCUSE ME?” Katherine shouted, shaking her head and hands. “You died. I saw it myself. I tried to resuscitate you. You died?—”

“Everest?” Libby turned to him with pleading eyes.

He sighed. “You saw her die, Katherine, but that does not mean she died. Not really. You saw what you were supposed to see, what you had to see.”

“What?” Tenn threw his head back and groaned. “Can we get a straight answer, please?”

She wrung her hands together and sat on the arm of the sofa. “Lucifer came to me.”

“ What?”

“Miss ma’am,” Savannah hissed.

“Perhaps back up a step,” Everest said with a chuckle.

“Oh. Right. Okay, so I was in the infirmary, and it was late at night and Cassandra came to me. I thought she was dead, mind you, so I assumed she was a spirit. Then she told me she was really Azrael, the Archangel of Death and Fate, and asked if I would be willing to make a deal with Lucifer.”

Lots of shouting happened at that.

Libby shrugged. “I mean, I was The Devil so like . . . I wasn’t going to say no to the real devil, right?”

I snort-laughed.

“Cass left saying Lucifer would come to me . . . then he did.” She scowled. “Look, let’s not get into the details on what went down with Lucifer. I’m . . . I’m not quite ready to talk about that and I’m still more than a little confused. All I know is I never died. Lucifer took my soul so that my body would appear dead, which is what you all saw, then once my body was sent to the shore, Lucifer got it back. It’s a lot of that above my paygrade kind of shit, ya know?”

“ No, ” Savannah said with her thick accent that dragged a one syllable word into at least four. “Ma’am, you can’t just leave it at that. What are you now? Human? Vampire? Demon?—”

“Arcana, as I was before. I never died, so I never changed.”

Everyone in the house threw their hands up like they had questions. Well, except for Everest and Saber, who probably knew the answer. Even Braison and Malik had questions. I glanced around, then noticed Tegan hadn’t raised her hand. She was quiet and staring at the ground like she was trying to set it on fire.

I frowned. “You okay, Tegan?”

Everyone turned to look at her.

Thiago pointed to his own face, then tapped on his temple. “You look like you’re gonna hurt yourself.”

Warner shook his head and ran a hand over his short brown hair. “Tenn’s ex-girlfriend just came back from the dead. She’s probably got mixed emotions on that.”

Cooper scoffed. “I thought you weren’t the jealous type, Tegan?”

She didn’t answer, just stared at the ground more.

Tenn paled. He eyed her like a bomb about to detonate. “Babe?”

Libby glanced back and forth between her on the couch and Tenn beside her.

When Tegan didn’t respond, Tenn’s eyes widened “BABE.”

She closed her eyes and shook her head. Her eyebrows were both raised. “I’m not jealous,” she said in a higher pitched voice than usual.

Tenn’s face fell. “That face and tone of voice are not reassuring.”

Tegan threw her arms up and huffed. “It’s just not fair.”

Tenn flinched. “That she’s alive? Baby?—”

“That I can’t retaliate!” she shouted back in a rush.

Tim hung his head and chuckled. “Trouble, for fucks’ sake?—”

“Wait ‘til Bettina wakes up,” Tegan grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest. Her legs were crisscrossed under her. “She’ll tell me I should’ve listened to her in high school.”

“I am terrified to ask,” Tenn said under his breath.

Tegan shook her head, her eyebrows still raised. “She said I should’ve been more of a slut. Well, she said we should’ve been more slutty?—”

“Oi, what?” The alarmed expression on Jackson’s face was actually comical but I had to hide my chuckle.

“It’s just not fair. I can’t make you jealous.” She groaned. “I can’t pull an ex-boyfriend or ex-hookup out of the shadows and parade him around to make you jealous. It’s not fair.”

Libby cackled and slid down onto the couch next to Royce. “This is fun.”

Tenn’s jaw dropped. “Babe?—”

“And to make it worse, I went and told you the truth. If I had just kept my mouth shut.” Tegan exhaled dramatically. Her legs were bouncing on the couch. “You never asked me who I hooked up with. You didn’t care then, but I bet you’d care a little bit now. Just a little maybe? For like a second?”

Tenn’s brow was pinched in the middle. He stared at her like he’d never met her. “Babe?”

Cooper shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What is happening right now?”

Tegan threw her arm out toward her twin. “At least Emersyn got to make Deacon sweat for like an hour or two with Christian.”

Em chuckled, her hands held out into the fire. “That was satisfying as fuck.”

Tegan threw both hands up again. “SEE?”

Cooper scowled. “Not helping, Emersyn.”

Em shrugged one shoulder. “Disagree, Brother.”

Thiago nodded and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “So you’re saying if you hadn’t told him the truth, you’d get some guy to pretend to have been your ex?”

Tegan pointed to him with a wild sparkle in her eyes. “YEAH. Someone hot and gorgeous?—”

“ What is happening right now ?” Tenn whispered.

Tegan crossed her arms again. “I should’ve kept my mouth shut. But no, all proud of my virginity and shit.”

Tenn rolled his eyes. “Right, like I wouldn’t have known.”

Cooper groaned “Dude.”

“There’s other stuff!” Tegan yelled, her cheeks flushed.

Hunter closed his eyes and covered his ears with his hands, which made Bentley chuckle.

Tenn nodded over and over and put his hands on his hips. “Like going as Braison’s date in the sluttiest outfit I’d ever seen to the Halloween dance? Or a sexy tango with Deacon in front of the whole school? Or maybe when you told Silas his name was hot and gave him that appreciative nod that insinuated the name fit the face? Or when you told Yaluk I wasn’t technically your boyfriend? Or when you let Everest bite you? You mean like those things?”

Tegan pointed to him. “See, see, see !? I could’ve lied for like a second and pretended I had some hot ex-boyfriend I used to hook up with on lifeguard stands?—”

“Why does she know that?” Libby sat up straight, her eyes alarmed, but Tegan hadn’t heard her and continued.

“—Just to make you feel this really weird feeling I am feeling right now.” Tegan gestured to her whole body, which was when I noticed her normally pink soulmate glyph was now bright, pulsing magenta. “I bet Silas would’ve played along. He seems bored.”

Tenn flushed. “What is wrong with you right now? What part of anything that’s happened since we met makes you jealous about Libby?”

“I don’t know. I’m sixteen. This is very confusing!”

Tim snorted. Hunter sighed and hung his head.

Tegan held both hands up. “I am very, very relieved one of your best friends is back from the dead because I know how much her death killed you, and yet the second she’s standing here in Headquarters, all I can think about is that fucking lifeguard stand.”

Tim looked to Libby and grimaced. “That one’s my bad.”

Libby just grinned.

Braison shook his head and pointed across the room with a fried chicken. “No, I think Coop gets the blame for that. He’s the reason it came up.”

Tenn just stared at his soulmate and shook his head, his cheeks flushed. That soulmate glyph was a bright magenta still.

Constance cleared her throat. “Libby, perhaps you’d like to help out here?”

Libby nodded. “It was pretty hot.”

“LIBBY!” at least a dozen people shouted in perfect unison.

She giggled. “Sorry, sorry, old habits die hard. Look, Tegan isn’t actually jealous of me. I do think she’s considering taking him to a lifeguard stand right now to even the score.”

Tegan pointed to Libby and leaned back. “See? She gets it.”

Libby arched an eyebrow back at her. “And I do think you messed up by telling him the truth about your previous sexual encounters. I would’ve helped you torture him. We still can try.”

Braison chewed, then licked his lips. “Yeah, but who would Tenn be jealous of?”

Willow snapped her fingers. “That’s true. He didn’t even care that Yaluk was flirting with her?—”

“Yes, he did.” Cooper’s eyes were a tad wild. “Elan sent him to meditate in Issale so Tenn wouldn’t rip all the dragons’ heads off for flirting with her.”

Tenn scrubbed his face with his hands. “That was different! I was trying to be mad at her for her Queen of Darkness stunt and I was mad about the whole hiding us shit.”

Libby grinned and gave two thumbs-up. “I did enjoy that show.”

Royce signed, “ You saw that ?”

Libby pretended to brush dirt off her shoulder. “I did. Lucifer wanted me informed for my return.”

Tegan and Tenn were now just staring at each other intensely, like any second the whole house would spontaneously combust or be flooded.

Coop cursed. “Let’s turn to the important questions.”

“Like what does that color mean?” I tapped on my chest, then pointed to them. “The lighter pink changed to like . . . magenta?”

Everyone scowled and glanced back and forth between them.

Constance pursed her lips. “I don’t remember that color’s meaning?—”

“Lust,” Everest said softly.

We all gasped.

Everest smirked even while his eyes were mostly closed like he was half-asleep. “Carnal desires of the hottest variety.”

Cooper groaned. “C’mon.”

The rest of the room laughed.

Tegan threw her hands up. “See? This is what you get for making me think out loud.”

Tenn hung his head and sighed. “So that’s what last night was about?”

Tegan shrugged and looked at her chipped nail polish. “You’re the one who liked being choked.”

I snort-laughed. “Sorry I asked?”

Everest chuckled.

Libby propped her feet up on the coffee table. “The eldritch being loves mortal drama, go figure.”

Saber snickered.

Tegan shook herself dramatically, then shooed Tenn. “You, get out of my eyesight so I can focus. Look what you’ve done to this meeting.”

“ Me? ” Tenn cursed and rolled his eyes, but he took a few steps back.

Tegan groaned. “Not in front of the door so your scent assaults me.”

Everyone laughed.

Tenn walked over to stand behind Jackson behind the dinner table. “Better?”

Tegan grinned. “Yes. Thanks. Love you. Now, Everest . . . welcome to the other side.”