Chapter 25

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

FRANKIE

"So basically I've missed all the fun this weekend?"

Tomás grinned and nodded as he grabbed his fifth slice of pizza. "Atley and Peabo have kicked our asses all weekend."

"If any more demons come for us, we'll be ready." Seamus wiped his face off with his napkin.

Ava rolled her golden eyes as she took a sip of her lemonade. "Y'all are feeling bold after four demon-fighting lessons."

Both boys blushed.

Jo held up her hands to show me her coffin-shaped black fingernails and how two of them were broken down to the start of her finger. " Ils ne comprennent pas à quel point cela leur fait mal."

"Only a fool doesn't understand how much breaking your nail all the way like that hurts." Madge shuddered and pushed her soulmate's hands down into her lap beneath the table. "My knee is killing me. I'm gonna have to wear flats to the dance Friday and I'm pissed."

"You're pissed?" Birdie's eyebrows rose. "I look like I've been dragged by a train. I'll have to wear pants to the dance to cover all the bruises on my legs."

I frowned. "Wait, I don't have a dress."

Esther cursed. "We were supposed to go Saturday morning. Okay, we'll go tomorrow after school because I also don't have one."

"Don't worry, Frankie, Atley and Peabo are great teachers at demon-fighting." Tomás leaned his elbows on the table and grinned. "And you're starting from a higher athletic skill than the rest of us, so you'll catch up to us tonight."

Tonight. I leaned back in my seat and exhaled. I'd been in the infirmary all weekend so Everest could feed me potion after potion to help settle my magic. It wasn't exactly the way I wanted to spend my weekend, but two full days of staring at Everest was not a bad thing. Apparently, my friends had been learning fight moves while I was healing. While I'd done a decent job with my bat Friday night, I wanted to learn how to use the dagger a bit. Or more importantly, how to kill them. If I'd learned anything from video games and movies, it was that monsters had a specific way they had to be killed. We'd gone out for pizza first though, since I hadn't gotten to hang for days. We were just finishing up, then were headed to the beach to train.

"I'm gonna hit the restroom before we go to the beach." Archie threw some cash on the table, then jumped up, but his knees slammed into the tabletop. He hissed and cursed. "I'm fine. Be right back."

"Actually, hold up Archie. I'll go too." I stood while reaching in my pocket for cash. I followed Archie's lead and placed it on the table, then joined Archie over by the door back inside the restaurant from the patio. Once I caught up to him, I whispered, " You know, for witches, I'm really surprised no one has built a magical toilet on the beach."

Archie snort-laughed, and that somehow messed up his footwork because he tripped and crashed into a family of five waiting by the hostess stand. He cursed and apologized as I lifted him back onto his feet. I'd never met someone as clumsy as him, and yet he healed faster than anyone else. There was no sign of that demon attack on his face.

"Your mother must worry about you every time you leave the house," I said with a laugh as we approached the bathrooms.

He chuckled. "You have no idea."

"Are you gonna be okay in there?" I pointed to the men's room, then winked. "Maybe hold on to the wall?"

He paused outside the door and glanced over his shoulder at me. "How long should I wait before I send in reinforcements to see if you've blacked out again? Maybe you should use a urinal so you can't drown in the tank."

I threw my head back and laughed. "Meet you at the table."

"Beat you to the table!"

Archie had a twisted sense of humor, and I loved it. He was teasing as much as I was. Luckily, I hadn't had a blackout or vision since Friday night. Everest had upped my potions after my little trip to that fountain in my head. It'd only been three days, but so far that was a record for me.

It wasn't until the lady standing next to me at the sinks gave me a dirty look that I realized I was grinning. Which made me laugh because I definitely looked crazy. She practically ran out of the bathroom. Granted, me following right behind her probably didn't help.

"Francelina?"

I gasped and stopped short. I froze like a deer in headlights at the sound of his voice. My eyes widened. Without moving, I glanced left and right but I didn't see him. And then the scent of cinnamon swept over me and my pulse quickened. Everest.

"Did I frighten you?" he whispered in my ear.

My breath grew tight and short. Slowly, I spun to face him, and my heart skipped. He was so close. Too close. My brain short-circuited with him this close. Every muscle in my body screamed to just crash into his chest like I did Friday night after that dream. I craved the way he held me. All I could do was stare. This close I could see the vibrant shades of blue within his pupils and on the outer rim of his white irises. They were the most incredible eyes I'd ever seen.

He reached up and gently tucked my hair behind my ear. My eyes closed as his fingertips grazed my cheekbone. My traitorous body was out to embarrass me, especially as I leaned into him until my face rested in his palm.

"Are you okay, Francelina?" His breath swept across my face.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him. "You tell me."

"Did you have any visions at school today?"

"Umm . . ." I bit my bottom lip, and his eyes tracked the movement, which only sent my pulse into a tailspin. "That depends."

He arched one black eyebrow. "On?"

"If I say yes, will you drag me back to the infirmary and make me stay overnight again?"

"My, my, Francelina. Are you looking for an excuse to skip school?"

"Not to skip school, no."

His nostrils flared.

"Everest?"

We both jumped at the sound of his name being called by a woman. He dropped my face and turned just as a waitress walked around the bar and held out two brown bags with handles. She said something to him that sounded a lot like a list of food, but my heart was pounding so loud in my ears I couldn't hear.

Over his shoulder, I watched Esther walk inside the restaurant with sharp gray eyes until she spotted me, then she stopped and waved. I nodded and held one finger up. But Esther wasn't stupid or blind. She looked over and spotted Everest standing just to the side speaking to the waitress. Esther's eyes lit up. I had to look away from her or I'd embarrass myself even more than I probably just had.

"Thank you," Everest's deep voice sliced through my mental spiral. He gave the waitress a friendly smile and a nod, then turned back to face me. His lips curved into a smirk. "Francelina."

I looked up and met his stare with a wide smile. "Better save something in those bags for me."

His smirk vanished, and his eyebrows sank low over his eyes. " Why? " he growled.

I shrugged one shoulder. "My friends are going to give me demon-fighting lessons?—"

"You will not be harmed?—"

"I don't know. You never know. Archie's pretty clumsy." I stepped up closer to him. "So, save me a snack just in case?"

He bent down and whispered. "You will not allow yourself to be injured?—"

"Accidents happen?—"

" Francelina. "

I smiled. "Fine."

"Fine what?" He ducked his head down. "Say it."

" Vampire, " I whispered because I couldn't help myself. Twi-hard habits died hard.

He looked to the ceiling. "Fucking Twilight," he mumbled to himself.

I giggled, which brought his laser-sharp gaze back to me. When he just stared, waiting expectedly, I sighed. "I will not intentionally allow myself to be injured just so I can see you. Happy?"

"Perhaps if I believed you." He shook his head in defeat with a little smirk fighting its way back. He nodded his head toward the door. "Go. Your friends are waiting."

"Have a nice night, Everest. I hope you enjoy whatever's in that bag." I turned and started to walk backwards. "Wish me luck."

"Be careful, Francelina."