Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

FRANKIE

"There is a limit for how many roller coasters I can ride back-to-back in one evening." I pushed off the cold metal railing and wiped my hands on my little sundress because they felt sticky. "We've exceeded that already. I'm going to get a snack."

Esther wagged her eyebrows. "And by snack you mean Everest is here?"

I rolled my eyes "I want to watch the fireworks and that starts soon. So imma get me a snack and then watch."

She narrowed her eyes. "That wasn't a no."

Our friends laughed and started teasing me about him. I knew I was blushing, but I didn't care. We were in line for yet another roller coaster—one we'd already ridden three times since the sun went down because the park wasn't super busy. My stomach was already in knots. I hadn't been able to calm myself down after my night with Everest. My aunt and uncle had panicked when they woke to find I wasn't in my bed and I had a voicemail from Seamus's parents checking in on me after the demon attack at the park.

Unluckily, they'd tracked my phone down to the infirmary and went looking for me. Luckily, Everest lied smoothly through his teeth while looking them straight in the eye. It was just enough to get me off the hook for not going home or calling, but not enough to worry them. But they'd dragged me out of there before I could really talk to him. I felt like a different person this morning. Something had happened between us, something monumental that was way too big for two teenagers who just met, but I needed to talk to him about it. My emotions were just too intense, and it was freaking me out a little bit.

"She did wear that dress for him tonight?—"

"I did not." I rolled my eyes and gestured to my little light-pink sundress with ruffles. "I bought two dress options for the dance but wore the other. Esther told me I should wear this tonight, so I did. It's pretty. Shut up."

They snickered.

"Ignore them. You look gorgeous." Madge aimed daggers with her eyes at the others. "That dress is perfect on you."

Tomás cleared his throat and looked over at me but didn't quite meet my eyes. "So is Everest coming to join us tonight?"

"His shift has like five more hours, so no, I don't think so."

Ava pouted her lips. "Then why are you bailing on us?"

"I'm not!" I held my hands up in surrender. "Y'all have lived here your whole lives. You've seen this fireworks show a million times. I haven't."

Birdie scowled and looked at her watch. "Yeah, but?—"

"But nothing. Please, I'm totally good. I'm gonna just chill like a proper tourist."

Jo pursed her lips. "We don't want you to go alone."

"No, I'm fine to watch myself. Have fun. Ride your rides." I climbed over the railing and into the exit lane. Then I pointed at them. "Stay."

"Text us after the fireworks, okay?" Esther yelled as I walked backwards. "Also, Archie is out there somewhere."

"I'll look for him." I gave her a salute. "Enjoy the ride!"

They were all pouting and waving, but I knew as soon as I was out of sight they'd recover just fine. After all, I was the new girl to the friend group. They'd been surviving without me just fine. I'd been on rides with them since we ditched seventh period. The back-to-back roller coasters for the last two hours or so was a bit much, which was as much a surprise to me as them. But those butterflies just danced around in my stomach. It was excitement but also nervousness. It made no sense. I just wanted to get a snack and sit down for a few minutes while I disconnected and watched shit blow up in the sky.

A classic American past time.

But as I rounded the corner of the creepy clown zone into the fantasy forest-themed section, I found Archie and Aspen crouched between trees off the path. I frowned and skipped over to them only to find them picking through leaves that had fallen to the ground and selecting which ones to put in a big plastic bag they'd gotten from one of the stores.

Archie looked up and smiled at me before I was even within ten feet. Dude had some sensitive senses. "Hi, Frankie."

"Hey, Arch." I leaned against one of the oak trees to act casual while they were being strange. "Hi, Aspen."

"Hi." She smiled up at me for a split second before scowling in concentration while picking up leaves.

I watched them for a moment before curiosity got the better of me. "Okay, I can't resist. What are ya doing?"

Aspen sighed and stared with a broken sadness in her eyes. "The Spring Equinox Ritual was Libby's favorite of the year. The Devil can sense peoples' desires but also their hopes and dreams. Libby was really good at that. She loved the ritual because she could feel what everyone was wishing for. It made her happy."

"The ritual is about growth and rebirth as we enter spring." Archie grabbed a handful of leaves and gently placed them in the bag.

"Archie's helping me honor her tomorrow." Her eyes were red like she'd been crying or trying really hard not to. "I think she would like it."

"I think so too."

"Do you know what we're doing?"

"I don't, but it's the intention that matters."

She smiled. "That's what Archie said."

Archie didn't stop collecting leaves, but he did glance up at me and wink. This boy was unlike anyone else I'd ever met. He'd just moved to town shortly before me, and yet there he was helping a heartbroken ten-year-old little girl mourn and honor her sister who'd died when he could have been riding roller coasters with his friends.

"So, what are you doing?"

She took a deep breath, then let it out. "Well, Libby liked the ritual because she liked feeling their hope and excitement but also their needs so she could try to help them if she could. She may not be here now, but I know now that she's watching, and so I want to give her the moment she loved. Archie said if we collect leaves from the park, we can have everyone write their goals and hopes on them. Then when they walk into the lake, we can send them to her."

"You should soak them in moon water first," I said before I could stop myself. I didn't even know where the idea came from. "Sorry, your thing. Ignore me?—"

"No, no. I like that idea. Archie, what do you think?"

He frowned. "We'd need a lot of moon water."

"Seamus uses the fountain's pool as moon water."

Archie's jaw dropped. "That's brilliant. We'll bring some home with us tonight and soak our leaves in them overnight, then take them out at dawn so they have time to dry out."

"And maybe you can borrow some of the coins in the pool too."

Aspen gasped, her silver eyes widening. "Archie, can we?"

"As long as we pay tribute to them when we take them and put the coins back tomorrow, I don't think it'll be a problem." Archie narrowed his eyes on me. "What else you think?"

"I have no idea. I don't even know where these ideas are coming from—oh, maybe her favorite flowers?"

"Okay, I can do that?—"

"Did she wear a perfume? Like one that was super specific to her?"

Aspen's bottom lip trembled. She nodded.

"Put a few drops of that into the moon water. The more you have the better." The words just kept coming. I felt like I'd been possessed and someone was speaking through me. "Then have a fire near the water so everyone can light their leaves so the smoke will smell like her. I'm sure one of your mothers can think of something to help the leaves not burn so fast."

Tears spilled over Aspen's eyelashes. She dove for me and wrapped her arms around my waist. I hugged her back, holding on tight until she pulled away. Archie's eyes glistened, but he looked away.

Aspen sniffled and wiped at her eyes. "Thank you. I'll try to remember that."

"Call me if you need help." I pulled my phone out. "What's your number?"

She blinked up at me as she recited her number. I typed it into my phone, then saved her name. "Okay, I'm texting you now so you have mine. Text me any time, ‘kay? For anything."

She grinned. "Thanks, Frankie."

"We have to stick together, right?" I winked, then started to back away. "I'll let y'all get back to it, but text me if you need anything."

They both waved. I turned and walked through the tunnel made by the canopy of oak trees. My thoughts went immediately to Everest. Or, more specifically, the way he affected me. When I was with him, nothing else mattered. Like a moth to a flame, I just lost myself in the intensity between us. It was an all-consuming kind of thing. The logic didn't matter. When I wasn't with him, I could think clearly. On my own I kept going over every detail of every conversation to try and make sense of it.

He was a stranger when he was away.

I'd known him forever when he was near.

I sighed and tried to shake my thoughts of him away. The fireworks show was starting soon, so if I wanted a good spot to watch, I needed to get my snacks and get moving. When I emerged from the forest into the village surrounding the big courtyard, I tried not to look at the fountain. It was getting ignored tonight. Instead, I marched over to the snack cart to my left and got in line. There were far too many people in line ahead of me for how little time I had left, but at least if the show started, I could watch from the line, which was better than nothing.

My Apple watch vibrated against my wrist. I turned my hand to read the notification and found a text from my Aunt Kimmy. ‘ Hey, hon. How are you doing? '

I reached down to my little crossbody purse and pulled my phone out, then I opened her text and sent her a selfie of me in the food line. ‘ I'm good. No visions or demons. About to watch fireworks show. '

"Are you ladies here with anyone?" a deep male voice purred in front of me.

A soft feminine laughter answered. "That depends on if that's an invitation."

My phone buzzed and a picture from my aunt popped up. It was her and my uncle sitting around the table on Archie's deck with bottles of wine, bowls of pasta, and a few board games. Around them I spotted Esther's parents and Aspen's parents, along with Agnes and a handful of other adults I'd seen before but didn't know the names of. My uncle wore a chef hat like that guy in the Ratatouille movie, and he was loving it. I chuckled. It was nice to see them enjoying themselves after they spent months sitting by my hospital bed.

"So, what's your name, gorgeous?"

"I'm Azazel," that same deep voice purred. "This is my brother, Asmodeus."

I frowned and my fingers froze on the keyboard of my phone. Those were not normal names. Those sounded like villains from a Marvel movie. I peeked up at them discreetly, and my eyes widened. Both of these guys were well over six feet tall, with long dark hair, mischievous green eyes, and smiles that sent a chill down my spine. I cringed. But their attention was focused on the two platinum blondes drooling over them.

My phone buzzed again, giving me the reprieve from the soap opera unfolding in front of me. It was from my aunt again. ‘ Bromance game is strong tonight. '

I grinned. ‘ Good. He needs it. '

‘We're gonna be hanging here at Agnes's for a while if this bromance is any indication. So don't wait up for us. We'll sneak in like naughty teenagers so we don't wake you. '

I chuckled and shook my head. ‘ Please do not elaborate. '

She sent winking emojis. ‘ Please relax and have fun with your friends. '

"Azazel, if you're going to invite the ladies back to the hotel with us, then can we just get to that part?" Asmodeus sighed.

Azazel chuckled deep in his throat and the two blondes giggled. "Let's take this party elsewhere, ladies."

WOW. These two are bold. I was about to roll my eyes in disgust when the girls swooned and draped themselves around the guys.

A new text notification flashed across the top of my screen. It showed only one word: Everest. My pulse quickened. I tapped the bar with his name to open up our text thread.

‘What are you doing? ' he asked.

I sent him the picture I'd sent my aunt, because it explained the answer but also because I looked good in it. ‘Bout to get a snacky snack. '

My phone rang. His name spread across my screen. I hit the button and held the phone to my ear. "Hey, you," I said in an effort to sound casual and not like a stage-five clinger.

"Hey, you." He chuckled and it made my heart do weird things because it wasn't a sound I heard much. "Do you know where Lookout Tower is?"

" Yes, " I breathed.

"Meet me there. Now." His voice was warm and chasing away the nervous butterflies in my stomach.

The line went dead. I giggled and jumped out of line, then basically sprinted back into the forest area. Esther and the gang had shown me Lookout Tower first. It was yet another Coven hotspot that they were babysitting for them since they left town. I'd just made it to the wooden stairs I had to climb up when I realized I needed to update Esther before I lost my mind to the aura that was Everest.

I pulled my phone out and sent her a message. ‘ So Everest just showed up . . . I'm gonna hang with him. '

‘Lookout Tower has the best view of the fireworks for couples . . . Just sayin. '

I bit my bottom lip. ‘ He's already up there. '

‘Damn. He's smooth. Go get a mountain tour, ' Esther texted back with a winky face. ‘ If you wanna meet up with us tonight LMK. Otherwise we will assume you'll be . . . busy ;) '

Before I could respond, she sent a GIF of Mount Everest. I snort-laughed and then shoved my phone back into my little purse and started my climb up the ladder. I was halfway up when I started wondering why this group of superheroes with magic hadn't come up with a better way to get in and out of the tower. By the time I got to the top, I wanted to take a nap and maybe move in so I'd never have to climb back down.

A pale hand popped into my view and all my frustration popped like a balloon. With a grin and a blush in my cheeks, I put my hand in his. The warmth of his skin sent flutters of electricity through my body. He lifted me up until I stood on my own feet in front of him. And just like every time I saw him, I forgot who and where I was. I leaned into him, pushing up on my tiptoes so I could press my lips to his. He sighed against my mouth, and it sent a shiver down my spine. I gripped his white shirt, pinning him in place. He cupped my face with his hands and kissed me slowly. Reverently. Like he was memorizing every moment.

When he pulled back, there was a sparkle in his eyes, a softness that hadn't ever been there before when he looked at me. "The view of the fireworks is breathtaking from up here."

I smiled. "The view is already pretty perfect." Ew, gross. Frankie, really? Who ARE you right now?

He chuckled softly under his breath, then took my hands in his, tugging me through the doorway and into the tower. We hadn't actually come up here before because no one wanted unnecessary physical activity with that ladder, myself included, so as he pulled me inside, a part of me wanted to look around and check it out. But Everest's eyes were locked on me, so I was helpless to look anywhere else.

We stopped beside a leather couch. To my surprise, he kicked his shoes off, then slid his hand over my waist. His fingers squeezed but not enough to hurt, just enough to let me feel him there. "Let me hold you while we watch the show."

My breath caught on the hot lump that formed in my throat. I nodded and tried to rein in the emotions that had my eyes burning like I was going to cry. He sat down on the edge of the couch, dragging his hand down the side of my body until he got to my feet where he quickly pulled my shoes off and sat them next to his. I watched in silent fascination. He wasn't behaving like the person I'd known the last week . . . and yet this felt like the most real version of him.

He smiled up at me, and it sent butterflies attacking my senses again. Then he turned sideways and leaned back, propping his head on a couch cushion. One of his legs was bent over the side of the couch and touching the ground. He was the picture of calm and collected. I liked this comfortable side of him. I slid over his lap to lie on my side between his body and the back of the couch with my face propped on his chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist and tangled both of my legs with his. He reached over me and pulled the blanket hanging on the back of the couch to drape it over my body.

I sighed and nestled into him. Just beyond our feet, the spires of the castle cut across the midnight-blue sky. For a few moments, we just lay there in silence holding on to each other . . . and then I realized something was wrong. I couldn't put my finger on what or why, or how I even knew, I just felt it in my bones. My heart felt heavy and slow. Dread clawed up my spine.

"Everest?"

"Yes, Francelina?"

I closed my eyes and cringed because I loved the feel of his voice rumbling through his chest and into my face. "Just tell me what's wrong."

It was his turn to sigh. "You feel it."

It wasn't a question, but I answered anyways, whispering, " Yes. "

He ran his fingers through my hair with one hand, but the other landed on top of mine where it rested on his chest. "I have to leave," he said softly.

"This tower or this town?"

" Both, " he whispered.

I whimpered but it sounded more like a groan or a growl. I pushed up and propped my chin on his chest so I could see his face. "Why?"

The haunted expression in his eyes made my stomach turn. "My boss needs me elsewhere."

I wanted to cry, scream, and throw up all at the same time. "Katherine?"

"Katherine is a good woman." He brushed the backs of his fingers across my cheekbone.

I squeezed my eyes shut and asked the most important question. "When?"

"Before dawn."

My heart sank to the bottom of the sea like that necklace in the Titanic movie. Tears burned the backs of my eyes now. My bottom lip trembled. "But you'll miss the Spring Equinox Ritual."

"I am sad to miss it, but I must." Then he took my chin between his fingers and forced my gaze to him. "I will see you again, that I promise."

"And it won't be soon enough," I cried, then buried my face in his chest so he couldn't see just how much I was falling apart from this news. "It's just not fair?—"

"What isn't?"

"To meet you and feel all these things I feel for you even when I shouldn't yet . . ." I huffed. "And then to have you stolen right out from under me. It sucks."

"It is but a cruel, twisted trick to be given such a short time with you when it hits as hard as it does."

I pressed my ear to his chest to listen to his heart beating beneath the surface. "You must go before dawn?"

He nodded.

"Then let's enjoy our last night—" I started.

"This will not be our last night, Francelina?—"

"Our last for now," I added. "Our last for now."

Those blue and white eyes watched me with heat blazing inside of them. There was something else in his expression, something that caused sharp pains in my heart. It was an old, soul-deep kind of pain that I did not understand. And for the first time since learning my magic, I did not want to figure it out. At least not tonight.

He swore this would not be our last night, but I knew we both suspected he was lying—or that life would take the possibility away from us.

The fireworks shot into the night sky, exploding into colorful sparkles. Esther had been right. The view from Lookout Tower was spectacular, but as the colors filled the open doorway, I knew the only view I wanted was the one beside me, cuddled on this couch.

" What are you thinking right now ?" he whispered and ran his fingers down the side of my face as I looked up at him. " Tell me. "

" I'm thinking that I don't even truly know you, and yet I miss you already . . . and you haven't even left yet ." Tears burned the backs of my eyes. I was getting emotional, and I didn't understand why. I'd only known him for a little more than a week, yet this impending goodbye felt like I was losing what I'd been searching forever for. It was a pain that hurt deeper than made sense. " I'm thinking that these emotions are scaring me, and now I'm losing before I get to even know you. "

He cupped my face in both of his hands, tipping my head back to force my eyes to meet his. " You have known every part of me from the very moment you saw me. No distance will ever take that from us ."

A rebel, traitorous tear I hadn't approved of slid down my cheek, and I watched the sight of it shatter something inside his eyes. He cringed and swiped it away with his thumb and then his lips were on mine.

His kiss wasn't panicked or frenzied. He wasn't lost to the hunger inside of him and devouring me. This kiss was from the heart. This kiss was slow and sweet, like he planned to take his time. His hands weren't gripping me hard enough to bruise, they were soft and tender. He rolled me onto my back and let his body press into me. Last night had been raw passion where we couldn't get close enough to each other but that wasn't where we were now.

There was a lightness in his touch as he slid his hand up the side of my thigh, under the hem of my little sundress, and up to my hip. I took his face in my hands so he couldn't break our kiss. I didn't need his mouth anywhere other than on mine. My whole body was warm and mushy, my skin tingled and burned like I was cozied up to a bonfire on a winter night. His fingers slid beneath the waist band of my underwear – and then they were ripped clean off of me.

I chuckled against his lips and whispered, " good boy. "

His return laughter was low and deep and almost sound like the rumble of thunder. His lips found mine again and everything else disappeared. All I knew was the heat of his skin burning through his clothes and the feel of his tongue sliding against mine. My chest burned. My fingers trembled as I held on to his face. My body ached . He rolled his hips and thrust all the way inside of me. I gasped against his lips. He'd taken me before, but never like this.

Over his shoulders I saw the bright lights of the fireworks flashing one after another. I'd never watch another fireworks show the same ever again. Not after this moment with Everest.

I needed him more than the air I breathed. My feelings for him had claimed me swiftly and without warning. It was a flip of a switch, like there wasn't a moment where I knew him that I didn't feel this for him. I wasn't even sure what this was. There were no words in my mind or heart for it, but it was all consuming. My pulse was a runaway freight train and he was the conductor.

He rolled his hips and hissed. I moaned and nibbled at his lips with my teeth. He cupped my face with both hands, deepening our kiss with every stroke of his tongue. I wrapped my legs around his hips and fisted the material of his shirt stretched tight across his back as he thrust into me slow and steady.

The pleasure each roll of his hips sent rushing through me was so warm and sweet it was almost a lullaby. I closed my eyes, lost to the sensation of his body inside of me and all around me. I reached up and fisted my hands in his hair as a little cry slipped out of my mouth. His hips moved faster. My back arched. My toes curled and pointed. My knees pulled up higher like he was melting me into a ball but the new angle of my hips made the slide of his cock hit all the best spots.

He lifted up, planting his hands on the leather couch to give him leverage to swing his hips back and forth until I was on fire and melting with every thrust. My whole body spasmed. I felt myself tighten around his cock and then he moaned, following me closer to our ecstasy. I heard myself whispering his name over and over like a scratched record but he was all my mind knew.

One of his hands pushed into my lower stomach like he wanted to weld us together from the outside. He buried his face in the crook of my neck. I heard the rasp of his hand gripping the leather couch beneath my ear. I cried out and whimpered but it felt so incredible. I felt every millimeter of him inside of me, every ridge, every vein as he slid in and out without pause. The way he pushed down on my stomach was some kind of cheat code to pleasure.

And then his thumb pressed into that sweet spot and I screamed. My senses pulsed and my body throbbed. My body convulsed. Sweat covered every inch of our skin. His muscles twitched and tightened. He lifted his head from the crook of my neck and looked into my eyes so I gripped his jaw and pulled him close just as the grand finale of the fireworks show exploded in the night sky outside. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shaky moan. My body tightened, my stomach spasming.

My orgasm was rolling in but it was too much. I felt too much. I was about to be ruined forever. Tears pooled in my eyes and my vision blurred. " Everest ? —"

His body trembled. " Fr—celina ? —"

His lips crashed into mine as we both hit that climax together. He kissed me through the wave, wreaking havoc on my heart with every brush of his lips. As the lights of the fireworks filled the night sky I closed my eyes and let my senses feel every second of this bliss before everything went dark.