Chapter 41

Forty-One

It's a short walk from Mrs. Miller's back door to theirs, but each step closer eases the tension in my shoulders.

And when I peek my head into the living room, they're still where I left them.

There's a note on the fridge door.

JOHNNY -

DON'T EAT STEAKS

4 DINNER 12/4

I smile at the sharp words in Thomas' handwriting.

A day late for dinner isn't all that bad.

And they're on a sheet pan already. Even better.

I slide the whole thing out of the fridge and set it on the counter. It only clatters a little. And letting them warm up means their grill will have plenty of time to get up to temp.

I wrap my sweater more tightly around me and slip out to the back porch. A quick glance at Mrs. Miller's back door shows me a completely dormant house… not that I think the old woman has any chance of attacking today.

It takes me a few minutes to get the grill going.

It's fancy and I don't want to burn the house down.

But I'm desperately glad to get back inside

The herbs and spices I ravaged yesterday are still strewn across the counter and I pick through them, putting everything back except the pepper and salt.

With one more glance at the dark doorway, I pull the little container of rosemary from the fridge and set a sprig aside.

Salt. Pepper. And I light the rosemary on fire.

"I'm starting to think you're a pyromaniac." Johnny watches me from where he leans on the jamb.

"It's not about the fire," I say before blowing it out. "It's about the smoke."

Guiding the smoke over the meat, I say the words so quietly, I know he can't understand them.

As soon as I toss the sprig into the sink, Johnny stumbles in and takes hold of my waist, snuggling his face against my neck. "How long were you gone?"

"Not long. A little over an hour." I set the tongs down and turn to him, pulling him close and trying to let my warmth seep into him. "There were a few things I had to deal with."

"I was so tired, I couldn't go find you, but I knew you were gone."

"I know. I'm sorry."

He nods and kisses my forehead before looking down at the sheet pan of steaks.

"I feel like I could eat those raw."

"Please don't."

"Don't what?" Thomas shuffles in with the others close behind.

"Don't eat raw meat when you're human." I grab Johnny's hand before he can get to the steak he's reaching for.

But when he quickly takes my hand, turning it so he can kiss my palm I have to shake my head at him. I should have known it was a ploy.

"Coffee?" Chase grumbles it and he crowds against my other side.

"Not yet. I have something I need you to drink first." I point him toward the table. "Sit. Let me get these on the grill and then I'll need about fifteen minutes."

"I'll take those," Joshua lifts the pan away from me and I can see that it's a strain, but I don't try to stop him. I wait and I watch as he steps outside and checks the grill.

When it looks like he'll be okay, I place my hand on Chase's arm. "Will you keep an eye on him? I don't want him to pass out into the flames."

"Yeah. I got him."

The kettle goes off then and I quickly drain it into the stock pot, with the rest of the water that was getting up to temp in there. I pour in cinnamon and clove to steep, adding black tea leaves, sugar, lemon and orange peels.

I whisper the words as I stir the brew counterclockwise and it bubbles as the timer ticks down.

It chirps about the same time Joshua comes back in, and I start to skim the debris from the now deep brown water.

"I don't know what that is, but it smells delicious."

Johnny is at my side again, and I don't tell him to sit down. If he needs to keep a hold of me, I'm happy to let him.

"It's a spice tea."

"And it's going to make us feel better."

I nod as I pour a large measuring cup full of orange and lemon juices into the pot. One good stir and it's ready to go.

I ladle it out, watching Joshua through the window, along with the rest of them.

"You each have to drink a full mug of this—careful it's hot—before you can have any coffee. If you're compelled to drink more, do. The spell knows how much you need."

Joshua comes in with his pan full of steaks and I grab plates, shifting them over before grabbing the silverware and steak knives.

They eat as quickly and as much as I expect. The medium rare steaks make my stomach turn, but I'll live through it.

"I'm going to swing by Wexxon's a little later and get some more things to deal with your reactions to Aphrodite's spells."

They look up at me, but none of them object, even if I can see Johnny looking for an excuse to make me stay.

"And, the wolves will be with you for the next week or two. They may be mine now, but they are tied to you, so you can draw strength from their proximity."

"As long as nothing's changed on that side of things, I'm more than happy to have them around."

"Nothing's changed." Nothing except… I look at Chase and remember the pain on his face when I forced his change. "I am so sorry I turned you to deal with that terratoma."

"There's nothing to apologize for. I asked you to." He pulls one of the last cuts of his steak to his lips, but he doesn't eat it. "Wait…"

He sets it down and looks up at me, brows twisted. "Did you think I was mad at you?"

He curses, dropping his head back, "And then, we didn't answer texts or calls…"

"What's going on?" Joshua asks, looking back and forth between us.

"Thursday night, she had to change me back into a wolf."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

The look Chase gives him is quietly scathing. "Because I came home, collapsed into bed and then woke up bound and gagged by an evil witch."

Thomas watches me with a sleepy look of confusion. "You had to turn him to deal with a tumor made of teeth?"

"No," I let the absurdity of everything force a small laugh with the idea of that. "It's kind of like a giant ball of earth and tree and rock that can be sent after someone or something to destroy it.

"The wolves weren't there and the only way to get one there faster was to turn Chase."

"Mouthfuls of dirt do not taste good," he says, yawning. "Human or werewolf."

They chuckle, but it's not a happy sound, just a tired one.

It's startling how hungover they look.

"What, exactly, happened with her?"

"Her spell was kind of like what we did this Samhain. When I removed the seven of you from the sphere of her power, it crippled the foundations of that spell."

"So when you incinerated her fake moon… it ate her like our wolves would eat you."

"Yeah. Not a pretty sight."

"Tell me about it." Thomas leans heavily on Joshua, as though the other man is the only thing keeping him from hitting the ground. "And then the rest of the witches showed up."

"Yes, we did."

My mother stands in the threshold of the back door, watching all of us, carefully.

All four of them look at her. None are impressed.

"Too bad you didn't take care of the problem the first time you were told."

Eyes narrowed, she glares at Johnny "None of this would have happened if not for you."

"Mother," I say sharply, letting the room fall into silence before I continue. "You are in a protected home."

Her prickly stance softens a little.

I turn to the guys. "If you want her gone. All you have to do is tell her—or anyone, for that matter—to get out."

"It's fine." Thomas sits upright again and looks my mother in the eye. "We know this ordeal put your daughter at risk, and I have a feeling that terrified you. I deal with teenagers all day, I know that people can lash out when they're scared. But we're not good targets for that."

"And," Chase says, leaning forward on his elbows. "Scarlette saved seven lives last night… who knows how many potential lives she saved too. If Aphrodite hadn't gone after us… if it had been someone else, someone not protected by a woman as powerful as Scarlette is, what then? You'd have an overpowered blood witch on your hands… wouldn't you?"

My mother inhales deeply, her jaw still tight. "I just came to check in. But I see you don't need me."

"Is the coven leaving?" I ask, drinking some of the tea as well.

"Soon. We're sweeping the down. Just in case."

"Glad to see you're finally taking things seriously." Johnny says, listing. "But I hope there's nothing to find."