Chapter 16

Chapter

Sixteen

TALULLA

A s I hear Flynn's words to Evanora, I decide it's time to check on what is actually happening with him. If he's the reason four supernatural creatures died, then I need to get solid proof and call reinforcements.

I hear the front door close, and that's when I get out of the bathroom. "Cass, I think we should follow him."

"You could have killed him. Why didn't you?"

"He's hiding something, and I want to know what that is before I stake him for good."

"Do you think he's really behind all this? Because Evanora would have never agreed to it. I think he might have been—"

I sigh. I trust Cassandra, and she trusts her witch friend. "No, don't even finish that sentence. He's here for a reason, and I need to find out what that reason is."

She sighs. "Okay, fine. If this is what you need, let's go." Then she adds, "It might be good to hear what Evanora has to say as well. Might be about the case."

"Am I the only one who believes the bloodsucker?" Asmo asks. "No, because he seemed pretty convincing when he was—"

"Shut up," Cassandra and I reply in unison.

"You should be on my side, Asmo, not his," I add, my jaw clenched.

"Okay, well, while you two go stalk a vampire, I'm gonna go and find out more about Monica Lazar."

I almost forgot about the encounter from last night. I was too focused on being angry with Flynn that I let what could be the real killer slip out of my mind. "I can't stand her."

"I figured," Asmo says, trying to hide a laugh.

"Let's go." Cassandra walks to the center of my bedroom, and I follow. She grabs a few vials from her bag and then throws them onto my bed. I tilt my head to the side, and in confusion, I look at my friend. Asmodeus chuckles from behind me, and before I can say anything, Cassandra grabs my hand and we apparate at the beginning of a dirt road.

"Fuck. Why didn't you tell me we were gonna apparate? I would have made sure not to eat anything." I hold my stomach as I try to calm my breathing and not puke everywhere. Acid coats the walls of my mouth, and I know I got really close to emptying my insides. It burns my throat as I swallow some saliva to try to calm down.

"Drink this," she says, handing me a vial. "It's an invisibility potion. This way, we can sneak in without being seen."

"You are a genius." I grab the small container with a purplish liquid. My eyes brighten at the thought of not being seen.

"I know." She drinks her vial and immediately disappears.

"Oh god, where did you go?"

She snorts before replying, "Drink up, and you'll be able to see me."

I do as she says, and here she appears again. "Okay, this is really cool."

"Let's go. We gotta be cautious. He might be able to hear footsteps." Cassandra's right. We might be invisible, but we also have to be extremely quiet, or he'll know we're there right away.

We walk up the dirt road, and as we approach the house, we take our time to get to the window framing the living room. Flynn and Evanora are talking, sitting at her table. He seems distressed, and Evanora looks worried . She constantly brings a cup of tea to her mouth, trembling more and more as they continue their conversation. We get even closer to try and catch some sound, and as we do so, my nose starts to itch.

"Oh no," I whisper.

"What is it?" Cassandra asks in a high whisper.

"Calendula flowers," I reply, pointing to the plants framing the entire front porch.

Cassandra's eyes widen, and I cover my mouth and pinch my nose to try and cover my sneeze.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." She tries to pull me away from the window, but it's useless. I'm too strong, and she knows it.

"I'm okay. Let's get closer, we need to hear."

And we do just that. We basically end up with our ears pressed to the glass of the window.

"Flynn, you don't understand. I need to get in touch with Talulla Popescu. I've been trying to reach Cassandra, but she isn't returning my calls." Evanora's voice sounds rough, and as I look at her now, I can tell she hasn't slept in days. Her dark brown eyes are almost invisible from her heavy eyelids and the dark circles around them.

Cassandra's eyes widen. She picks up her phone and sees the missed calls just now. "Okay, I swear I would have called her back if I knew it involved you."

I shake my head, trying to contain a laugh.

"Why do you need to talk to Talulla?" Flynn's voice takes us back to the scene in front of us.

"I just—I need to make sure about something."

"Evanora, you know I can easily compel you. If there's something concerning you, especially about Talulla, you have to tell me."

"I had a dream about her. It was odd, and then, when I did my tarot reading in the morning, I just—It was about her, and I need to make sure."

Flynn's head slightly turns to the side, his eyes moving toward the window—toward us. He can't see and sense us, but for some reason, his eyes are looking straight at me. His lips curl up into a smirk. "Why don't I call her right now and find out if she can come over here?" He then walks toward the front door, opens it, and starts shaking his head as we try to stay immobile. "Little hunter, I thought you were better at hiding." Flynn picks up his phone and dials my number. I have no time to silence it. He already knew I was here.

"How did you—" I say, my eyes opened wide in shock.

He takes a deep inhale. "Did you really think I couldn't smell you?"

Then I sneeze. Fucking calendula.

"Or hear you sneeze?" Flynn tilts his head. "You're allergic to this plant."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"What an odd thing."

"But the glamour—" Cassandra starts saying but gets interrupted by a genuine laugh.

"Get in here, you two. Evanora has a question, and I really need to hear the answer."

"You're mad," I state as I get closer to him. "I'm the one who should be mad," I say, poking his chest with my invisible finger. He grabs my wrist, and even if I know I'm still invisible to him, he knows exactly where my body is.

"I'm not mad." He tsks. "A bit disappointed, a bit amused," he says before adding, "I wish I could see you right now though. It's hard to read you when you're invisible."

"I'm sorry. No, why am I sorry? You're the one hiding shit."

"Just get inside, Talulla. I'm not in the mood to fight right now."

"You should have thought about it before sleeping with me then."

He brushes a lock of hair away from my face. "You know what? Yes, I am mad. At myself for giving you a reason to follow me and hide in the process. I'm mad because, despite the fact that you staked me this morning without giving me a chance to explain, you still thought that the best way to do things was to hide from me. Do not hide from me, ever . You talk to me, you get angry with me, but don't fucking hide ."

My mouth closes shut. "We were just worried…"

Evanora clears her throat. "Talulla Popescu, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in the flesh." In her hands are two vials of what I assume is the counter potion to the glamour I'm currently under.

Moving toward the witch, I not so accidentally brush my hand with Flynn's, and my heart skips a beat. "The pleasure is mine, Evanora." I take the little container and down the liquid in one gulp.

"Please sit."

I do as she says, and then she takes a seat on the opposite side of the table, shuffling a deck of cards. Then she hands me the deck. "What do you want me to do?"

"These are tarot cards."

"Okay?" I say, raising one eyebrow at her.

"I want you to shuffle them yourself and then pick two cards from whichever part of the deck you want."

I start mixing the cards. I take my time, then I put the deck down and pick a card from the top. I flip it, and it's a card with ten coins on it.

"The Ten of Pentacles," Cassandra whispers.

"Is that bad?" I ask, looking at everyone's expression. They're all looking at my hands and at the table, but not at me. Just at the cards.

The one who orders me to pick another tarot card is not a witch this time but Flynn. "Pick the second one, Talulla."

I turn to look at him, his hand massaging his chin nervously. His posture is still, and he's barely blinking. So I do as he says. I cut the deck in half and pick right from the middle.

A skeleton holding a scythe.

"Death," I say with wide eyes.

"Evanora, you have to tell me what's happening," Flynn demands.

"What does it mean?" I ask.

"I've been picking cards all day. Always the same two."

"What does the Ten of Pentacles card mean?" I repeat, hoping that someone will finally pay attention to me and not at the pieces of cardboard on the table that apparently are making everyone freak the fuck out.

Flynn looks at Cassandra, and I turn to see her eyes. She nods at him, and then he finally speaks, "The Ten of Pentacles represent riches, abundance."

"I don't think I'm following…"

"Your name—" He sighs. "Talulla means ‘lady of abundance.'"

"So what? I'm not gonna die. Death could mean so many things, no?"

"Tal, like this? This is a warning," Cassandra says, squeezing my shoulder.

"Okay, it's a warning. It doesn't mean it's going to happen. Now we know, and I'm going to be extra careful."

"We need to find whoever is behind this so I can rip him to shreds."

"Or her," I say, trying to lighten the mood. "It could be a her too." Because if I had any possible doubt before, I know now for certain that Flynn is innocent and that what he said in my dorm earlier is the truth. And if that's what it is, I don't know how I'm going to accept it.

Evanora takes Cassandra's hand. "Let's give them a minute." She nods, and they step into the other room.

The vampire, who just a few hours before I was calling mine, stands tall and firm, his hands clenched into fists. Flynn's posture is so rigid he almost resembles a statue. Perfectly immobile. No heartbeat, no blinking, no movement at all. He could be mistaken for a marble sculpture created by a Renaissance artist so long ago.

"I'm going to be okay, Flynn."

"Yes, I will make sure of it."

"I don't need to be saved. I know how to take care of myself."

His fingers gently grab my neck and pull me closer. "You're not leaving this earth, Talulla."

"I know." My eyes widen as his soften.

His forehead gently touches mine. "There's so much you need, no, deserve to see."

I grab his head in my hands, forcing him to look me in the eyes. "I'm not going anywhere."

Then he does something unexpected. He wraps his arms around me, and he nestles his head in the crook of my neck. A sudden wetness reaches my clavicle. "Flynn, I'm right here." I grab one of his hands and rest it on my chest. "Hear this? My heart is still beating."

"You can't die." His arms tighten. "You deserve so much."

"I've avoided death many times. This time won't be different. Besides, last time I checked, you were the one receiving cryptic texts about a death potion."

His face turns from soft to annoyed, and before he can even get a word out, my friend comes back into the room.

"She's right," Cassandra states as she looks at us from the kitchen. "She won't go easily, and we won't let her, am I right?"

Flynn's eyes are red and dark, and his jaw is locked. "Anyone who comes for her will be facing their angel of judgment."

"Now, can we go home and not be sad? I'm still alive, you know."

"How did you follow me without a vehicle?" Flynn asks, realizing only his car is in the driveway.

"Cassandra almost made me puke by apparating here."

"Ah." He smirks. "Dandy little power you have, detective witch."

"Do you have a nickname for everyone?"

"Only the people I like."

"But you call Asmodeus by his full name."

"I stand by my statement."

I giggle and then remember why I was—still am—mad at him, and my gloomy mood comes back. "Maybe I should call a cab." I catch my bottom lip between my teeth and bite hard, trying to calm my nerves.

"I'm not gonna let you drive back to campus with a stranger, Talulla." Flynn rolls his eyes before adding, "And stop torturing that poor lip. You've already spilled enough blood today."

The comeback feels like a stake to my chest. "Well, I don't want to drive with you."

He shakes his head and then opens the passenger door. "Even when you're angry at me, please accept the fact that I'll be there making sure you're okay."

"This doesn't change anything," I say as I sit in the passenger seat.

Flynn opens the back seat door for Cassandra, but she just smiles at him and then winks at me. "You guys go. I'm going to talk to the rest of the coven to see if they have any new clues. Besides… another body just showed up," she adds, waving her phone to show she got a message from someone.

"Cass, don't you dare," I say as her form disappears out of thin air. "Fucking witch."

"Language," Flynn says as he takes his seat.

"I'm not talking to you."

"Interesting how two seconds ago you were letting me hear your heartbeat, and now you're ready to stake me for the third time today."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I'm a little moody today."

"Sweetheart, let me explain, at least."

"You're here to kill someone."

"Yeah, well, maybe it's not as simple as that. Didn't you hear what I said to Cassandra and Asmodeus?"

"What's the potion Evanora is brewing for?"

He sighs, and I see his hands clenching so hard on the steering wheel the veins pop out deliciously. "The potion is a cure."

"What?"

"It's for me, and—"

"No. You know what? I don't think I want to know anymore."

"Talulla, I've been walking this earth for way too long. I just wanted to go on my own terms."

"If you really want to die, I'll end your misery right now."

He chuckles. "And not so surprisingly, it would be my favorite way to go."

"Okay, so your big plan was to come here, get this arsenic cocktail, and fuck with my head in the process?"

"What? No, of course not."

"Then why did you even go out of your way to ask me out and be around when you were going to leave me?"

His lips close shut. I took him by surprise. The next words that come out of his mouth are calculated, and I don't know if I can believe him. "You were not planned, Talulla. When I saw you, I just—I had to get to know you."

"Were you even gonna tell me, or were you just gonna disappear one day?"

"You're making it sound like I'm already gone. I'm not, and I won't leave until I'm sure you're safe."

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry, but this is a lot."

"Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I got on a plane on purpose to come here and fall for you? I just wanted to die in peace, but you showed up and brought life back to me." His voice sounds like a desperate lament. "Try to put yourself in my shoes, Talulla. I've been here for too long. I haven't felt anything for far too long."

He hasn't felt anything. He doesn't feel what I feel for him, because he can't. "I—"

"You make me feel things, beautiful things, but—"

"It's not enough."

He sighs once more. "I just told you that you brought life back to me, and you think you're not enough? I'm not enough, Talulla, and I'm being selfish because, even if I know that I'm not enough, I still want to spend my last days with you."

I think I might puke if he continues to talk. "I need some time to think."

He just nods. "I understand." Then he crooks a smile. "Take all the time you need, little hunter."

I roll my eyes at the ridiculous pet name. "You really need to stop calling me that."

He parks the car, and in less than a second, he's out and opening my door. "Can I at least walk you to your dorm?"

I look up at him as I exit the vehicle. It seems so innocent—protective—but for what? He's going to leave me anyway. What's the point of feeling what I'm feeling when there's a clock ticking, reminding me he will be gone?

"Yes," I say as I start walking toward my building. He slows his pace to stay beside me, never touching me, but it's as if I can feel his hands on my body. His finger touching me, his lips kissing my neck… I might go insane if I don't put some distance between us right now.

I see his lips lifting into a smile, probably feeling, or rather, smelling exactly the effect he has on me, even if I am mad at him. Even if I asked for space. Even if I know he wants to let himself die.

We reach my door, and the silence is now becoming awkward. Biting my lower lip, I say, "Well, good night then."

Flynn reaches for a strand of my hair that fell in front of my eyes and pushes it behind my ear. It's peculiar to see him this gentle when I know exactly how deadly he can be. How strong and dominant he is. Yet, he always takes his time and never assumes or takes more than what I offer. "Anything you might need or—"

A text comes through, but I ignore it.

"Read it, it's okay," he says. "It might be about the case."

I do as he asks, but instead of Cassandra's name, I see Paolo's. "It's just the organizer telling me when I'm fighting next."

His jaw clenches. "And when are you fighting?"

"I asked for time, Flynn."

"And I'm going to keep my distance, but you can't blame me for wanting to make sure you're okay."

"I'm a vampire hunter. You should be worrying about the other guy."

He groans at my constant fight. "You're so stubborn."

"And you're a little too demanding."

He chuckles at my comeback. "I wish I could punish you for that."

Heat rises between my legs because I know exactly how delicious that would feel. "Good night, Flynn."

"Fine, I'll ask the witch."

"Which one? My friend, the one brewing your death, or your ex?"

His right hand rests on his heart. "Ouch."

"I'm sorry. I don't even know why I said that."

"You're hurt."

And then I give in. "The fight is Friday night."

He nods. "Good night, Talulla." And with that, he walks away. The vampire I called mine not many hours ago walks away without another fight because, despite the ocean of emotions we both feel, he still respects my wishes to be alone.

It's too bad I regret asking for space as soon as I close my door and crush onto my bed because I've been alone my entire life, even when surrounded by people.

But after spending time with Flynn, I know exactly what it means to be with someone. And it's something I don't think I'm ready to give up.