Chapter 234

Heather

As we walked, I started doing a basic search on Astaroth on my phone, trying to confirm everything Eli had said. Not that the internet would be totally accurate, but getting started made me feel a little less anxious.

The first page of the sites all said the same thing. Great Duke of Hell. Evil Trinity. Forty legions. But nothing more about who he was or more importantly—how to get rid of him.

Permanently.

A search on demon ties plus Astaroth got me a ton of information about how to summon a demon, but I wanted to do whatever the opposite was of summoning Astaroth. Banish him? Kill him? I didn’t care. I just wanted him gone. “Do you think people actually try this garbage?” Messing around with demons was mega stupid.

“I’m sure they do.”

People were dumb. “This is getting me nowhere.”

“We’ll grab food and then hit the library. I’m sure there’s more in there about Astaroth than you can find on the web.”

“I hope so.” What I really needed was to talk to my cousin.

As we walked through the doors of the cafeteria, I pressed Claudia’s contact info. The buzzing ring was endless. Until finally, the buzzing stopped.

I prepared to hear her voicemail message again, but it never started.

“Hello?” Claudia’s voice came through the line, but it echoed.

I looked up, and nearly jumped out of my skin. “Holy shit.” Claudia was standing there in the flesh. Right in front of me. Her long hair was braided as usual. Her typical peasant shirt was hidden by a fleece hoodie and her flip-flops were gone. Were those hiking boots?

She was really here. My phone slipped through my fingers, clattering to the floor as I jumped at her, attacking her with a hug. “I thought that—”

“I’m okay.”

It took a second for her words to sink in, and then I let go of the worry that had been a rotting pit in my stomach. I closed my eyes and breathed in her scent. She’d been burning sage recently, but I could smell at least seven other herbs—probably from whatever spell she’d been working on—covering up the smell that made her Claudia. “I was worried sick.”

“I’m sorry. We have a lot to talk about. Like—”

“Like why you didn’t answer any of my phone calls?” I stepped back from her.

She winced. “That’s not so supernatural of a problem. It took me a while to recover from my spellwork the night you were attacked, and when I did—I noticed there’d been a bit of an electrical fire and my charger was trashed. We were already going to be heading to St Francis’s in the morning, so I figured I’d just see you when I got here. I picked up a spare charger at the airport, and only just now turned on my phone. I never thought you’d be so worried about me.”

Was she joking? “Why wouldn’t I worry about you?”

Her cheeks turned a bright red. “I don’t know.”

Her mate came up behind her, pulling her into him. “We’re working on her confidence.” His black fleece hoodie almost matched hers as did his hiking boots.

I tried to hide the smile that was threatening to break free. They were too cute all dressing alike. “I’m going to grab some food. You sit. We have to talk.”

“I agree. There are some things I think you need to know before you head into that meeting,” Claudia said.

I turned toward the food, but stopped as Claudia’s words sank in. “What—”

“Get food and we’ll talk.”

Claudia and Lucas wove through the empty tables to sit with Xander and Adrian. Do you think she knows more about what Eli said? About the Seven being in shambles and how Astaroth was going to use that? I asked Brent.

I have no idea what she wants to tell you. He grabbed my hand, half dragging me toward the food. But I wouldn’t doubt your cousin. She’s reliable, and if she says you’ll need the food to keep your wolf in check, then you need to eat. You already admitted that you’re starving.

He was right, but there was so much on the line. I didn’t like waiting, even if it was just to load up a tray.

The chef already had out biscuits and sausage gravy, like he’d read my mind. I hefted more than

thought I could possibly eat—which was a lot—on my plates. Then I grabbed another plate and loaded up some hash browns. For some reason, being back at St. Francis’s reminded me of my first meal here. More specifically—my first run-in with Callista.

I still can’t believe you dated her. I sent through the bond as I dumped a pile of perfectly cooked scrambled eggs on my plate.

Let’s just call Callista a moment of weakness, he answered back without missing a beat.

I snorted. Shut it. You thought she was hot and she wanted you.

He shrugged. It was easy. Convenient. But she was already too much drama and I’d broken up with her before I met you.

I grabbed a bowl of fruit. How long before?

He was quiet so long that I looked up at him. He had sense enough to blush with shame. It doesn’t really matter, does it?

You’re trying to distract me again, and it’s totally working.

It’s easier now that I’m in your head.

“That’s cheating!” I screamed aloud before I could stop myself. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to say that aloud.” Good thing the cafeteria was mostly empty except for our friends, otherwise, that would’ve been embarrassing.

As I picked up my tray and headed toward the tables, I realized that whatever Claudia said, I could handle. I had Brent. Sitting at the table with Claudia, Lucas, and Raphael were Xander and Adrian. I wasn’t alone.

Adding in my parents, my brother, Tía Rosa, Serena, and Donovan, then I really had nothing to worry about it. We’d fought a whole chapel full of demons, plus one powerful demon-possessed witch. Astaroth might be more powerful, but we would figure it out together.

Was some super scary demon after me? Yes.

Was the supernatural world coming apart? Also, yes.

Had Eli told me I was going to have to sacrifice something in order to get his help to stop the apocalypse? Again, yes.

But at least I had friends to help figure out how to fix this whole shitshow that my life had turned into.

Christ. Who was I kidding? This was a freaking disaster.

Go back to the part about the friends. I liked that part, Brent said.

And with that I started laughing. Even my mind wasn’t my own anymore, but I didn’t really mind that part.

Would seeing my abs again help? He grinned, and his dimples deepened.

And then he winked.

It was too much. I laughed harder. You know, it might. Let’s see them.

Oh, I’m not actually undressing here. I was just curious.

Is everyone a tease today?

Nah. Just me and Claudia.

As the laughter faded, I was left feeling a little lighter. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, but laughing through the crazy was as good a plan as any.