Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 357(@200wpm)___ 285(@250wpm)___ 238(@300wpm)
“Yeah. And he’s always gotten off thanks to the Order. I’m still not convinced they’re behind this.”
“They’re the ones who got him off the hook,” Keith muses. “It could have been a setup to prove how much he needs them.”
“Ohh, I didn’t think of that.” I pick up my iced tea and take a big drink. “It’s a dirty move and totally something the Order would do. Especially given how shady this whole thing is.”
“What about the couple in the apartment?” Nik runs his finger around the inside of his milkshake glass, getting the last bit of whipped cream out. “Julia was able to talk to them and they have some very clear signs of memory loss.”
“Which means some sort of memory spell was cast. Either by a witch or a vampire.” I push my hair back. “And I think I can rule out a vampire. It doesn’t seem like their way of getting revenge.”
“Unless someone paid a vampire to do it,” Rene suggests. “I saw a thing on Reddit where people posted some of the shady shit they’ve done for cash.” She shrugs. “I would do it for the right amount.”
“Shit. I would too,” Keith sighs.
“It’s not unheard of,” Nik chimes in. “Newer vampires have been known to sell their blood for spells or gullible humans who think it’ll enhance their sex life or something. Though vampires need to be several centuries old in order to possess the power to hold someone spellbound. Still, like Rene said, some people would do anything for the right amount of cash.”
“Well, fuck,” I huff under my breath. “Okay, so I’ll add vampire for hire to my list. Still, I feel like Ethan is brushing this off.”
“Is he?” Nik leans back. “Or is he not obsessing over it because you are?”
“This is something that should be obsessed over. It’s a big freaking deal. Whoever set him up wanted him out of the picture for some reason or another. They were really good at covering their tracks and making sure nothing could be traced back to them. From the new renters not knowing who called in the tip to not being seen on any security footage in the area…there’s so many questions. The biggest is how they got Ethan’s fingerprint on the lighter. And they didn’t get their way so this whole waiting for the other shoe to drop is going to be the death of me.”
“It scares me too,” Nik admits. “Because I agree with you and I still think whoever did it saw you as the target, not Ethan. If they actually wanted Ethan arrested, they’d have done a better job planting evidence and would have made sure he didn’t have an alibi.”
“Okay, now that’s a good point,” Keith says. “So, let’s just say they knew the evidence wouldn’t stand up in court if it got that far. Ethan would be out of the house and away from you for months. You’d be upset and distracted and…and…well, I don’t fucking know because I’m not evil or crazy.”
“You’re a little crazy,” Rene quips.
“The best of us are.” Keith raises his eyebrows and smirks. “The point is, you would not be in fighting condition.”
“Right. But what did this person or demon or witch or vampire or ogre for all I know want with me?”
“That’s the million-dollar question.” Nik brushes sugar off his shirt and stands, looking at the front of the restaurant. Ethan is making his way back to us and stops behind my chair. One of his large hands lands on my shoulder, and it’s all I can do not to close my eyes and succumb to the warmth of his skin.
“You guys ready to go?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m done.” I take one last drink of iced tea and get up, grabbing my jacket that’s hanging on the back of my chair. I put it on, grab my purse, and we all head out. Nik, Ethan, and I follow behind Rene and Keith, getting to the house a few minutes later.
“This looks like a place I’d be hired to clear out,” Ethan says as we get out of the car. His eyes are almost wide with excitement. While some ghosts can get violent and dangerous, most are playful, annoying, and harmless in the physical sense when you’re clearing out a space. It’s the negative energy and the dark spirits you need to watch out for.
Ethan and I have enjoyed the calmness of our lives the last two months, but I do wonder if part of him misses going on assignments for the Order. It’s not like he can never hunt demons again, and I know there are probably more “freelance” hunters than hunters with the Order at this point. And mostly, given my appeal to things dark and dangerous, we’ll be burning demon bodies in no time.