26. Lark

Chapter 26

Lark

Pike's asleep next to me in our bed at Flutter and Fangs. After a few days with mother, I wanted to talk to Ava again, I consider her my second mother. I also may have had ulterior motives for wanting to be back in Hex. Where Pike's crossroads is. I dug into a bit of research when I could and found how to destroy the crossroads. I thought to ask where Van's and Warwick's crossroads are, but Pike mentioned how much Van wants to be the king of the crossroads demons someday, so he needs to stay a crossroads demon. And, well, apparently, I'm only allowed to destroy one, anyway. According to legend.

I have my box of salt and slide out of bed, hoping not to wake Pike. Frankie opens an eye and goes right back to sleep. The luck coin is in my pocket. I'm hoping it helps instead of hinders, though with how my luck is with it, I'm tempted to leave it behind, but it gives me strength to follow through with my promise.

The crisp morning air steals my breath and I grab a coat before getting too far. It may not kill me, but I hate being too cold for long. Drake used to chain me up on the roof in the snow. A few times I actually froze, and he had to thaw me out. Not something I wish to repeat.

It's a few minutes' walk to Pike's crossroads. I'm thankful the coin gave me the courage to run that day. I'm not sure I would have had it not egged me on.

When finally I make it to the crossroads, the wind picks up. It's like the universe knows my intentions and hates it. I walk stooped to circle the salt, so it doesn't blow away. I grab the sewing needle from my pocket and jab my finger with it to produce a drop of blood, which I let fall on the salt.

"I summon the demon of this crossroads." And I wait.

There's a flash and a sleepy Pike rubs at his eyes. "Who disturbs— oh!" He looks around. "What's going on?"

"I'm completing our bargain."

Pike tips his head as he takes me in. "But we never officially had one."

"I promised myself I'd set you as free as I am." I kick at the salt and break the circle. "Come here and kiss me."

Pike doesn't hesitate and I'm in his arms, and he's spinning us. I can't help the laugh.

"Little Fae, you're always full of surprises." He lets me down and presses his lips to mine, kissing me so throughly I swear he's sucked my soul from my body. My legs wobble when we come up for air.

"It's time to free you," I say.

"How?" Pike frowns as he looks down at me. We can't have that.

"Just watch." I don't have to destroy the entire crossroads, just a marker of it. Something no one would have thought of. That means I have a few options. I can scratch out the painted street lines that have been magically enhanced to never fade, tear down or mark up the signage. I also have the option to overhaul the entire place, rendering it fully destroyed.

I already know what I'm going to do and walk up to the street sign. I take my needle and scratch in a heart with L & P Forever. As soon as I scratch in the r the ground shakes beneath us.

"Lark!" Pike shouts for me, but I wave for him to get out of the danger zone.

I hold on to the signpost for dear life as the street below me destroys itself. Gravel and pavement churns until it's a mess that looks like a giant took a giant spoon and stirred the earth until it was chunky.

I yelp when a beam of light that looks like those threads of magic in the demon realm shoots up from the ground and reaches for the sky.

"Pike!" I leap from the signpost just as he gets sucked into the thread. It seals around him. The coin flies from my pocket. It hovers in front of my face with a short message before it gets sucked into the thread, too.

It's been fun. Bye bye now.

"Pike!" The magic tosses and turns him and I wish it'd let me inside.

I swear all of eternity passes before the thread of magic sucks back into the earth and releases Pike. He drops to the ground with a sickening thud.

My heart drop and my stomach tumbles. Did I just kill him? Is that what really happens when someone destroys the curse? It takes all my strength to run to him. There's some strange goo all over him, and he's naked now like he's reborn into a Pike.

"Pike?" I press my ear to his chest, hoping for his heartbeat. "Pike, are you okay?" Wake up. Please wake up. Tears sting my eyes and I brush them away. "I can't lose you, I just found you."

I press my lips to his forehead, his nose, his lips, his chest. When he gasps for breath, he reaches for me, pulling out a cry of relief.

"Are you okay, little Fae?"

"I am now. Are you? Do you feel any different?" I cup his cheeks and look into his eyes. They're the same pretty brown as before, but brighter.

"My back hurts, like really hurts."

I scramble off him, and when he stands, he's even taller than he was before. He reaches back and groans. One leathery wing fans out, then another.

"Fuck." He drops to his knees and I run to him.

"How can I help?"

Pike drops his head on my shoulder. "Just hold me right now."

"Whatever you need. I'm here. Forever. Whatever you need."

"You say that." He grins and his eyes flash a deep red. "But I think I might be an incubus now." He laughs. "What luck."

"Just what you always wanted," I chuckle as I take him in. He's a bit thicker everywhere, even his cock that I was still getting used to the idea of riding. We've been going slow, but I think we'll have to go even slower.

"You're incredible, Lark." He presses kiss after kiss to my lips and I drown in his love. Whatever Pike needs from me, it's his.

"Way to go!" Wren pulls me out of our little ball of happy.

"Damn," Van says as he materializes with Wick. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"We should celebrate," Wren says.

"I don't know how I feel about celebrating too many things in Hex." I rub my throat where Drake bit me. I still don't understand his obsession with me and I guess I never will. He probably wasn't obsessed with me, just the power I gave him as a Fae.

Pike hugs me close. "I'm tired. After the whole rebirth thing. I think I can sleep for a hundred years." He yawns, but pinches my bottom.

"Yeah, I'm sleepy, too."

Wren eyes us. "I guess it is still late. We can celebrate some other time."

Warwick looks at us with such a longing it almost breaks my heart. If his Ethan ever shows up again, I'll be sure to tell him exactly how to set Wick free. Van may not want to be released from the curse, but I know Wick does.

"I can't stay long, anyway," Van says as he looks around. "Still on the run." He squeezes Wick's arm, then poofs out.

"I'm happy for you," Wick says. "But I need to go," he adds in a whisper just as he disappears.

"Mother will be pleased to learn you're curse free," Wren says as he leaves us.

"All alone." Pike grins as he hauls me over his shoulder and takes us home.