Page 16 of The Devil's Waltz

A horn blares on the street outside, but it doesn’t distract us.

She blows out of breath, nodding. “We’re all putting in more hours, and they’re treating trainees who are within a year of graduating as if they already have. They don’t have much of a choice. The fact of the matter is…we don’t have enough hunters for the number of demons attacking.”

My chest tightens, and I reach across the table, placing my hand on hers. “You need to be careful, Harper,” I say in a firm voice. “You keep this up, and it won’t matter how good you are. You can’t spread yourself this thin—between training and school and going on missions—without faltering at some point.”

Harper pulls her hand back, sitting up straighter. “I can handle it.”

I frown. “I’m not doubting you. This is me expressing concern, because I promise the superiors you’re trying to impress don’t care about you as a person. You are an asset to the organization. That is it.”

Her face falls. “Right.” She takes a sip of her coffee, glancing around the restaurant again before returning her gaze to me. “I know what you’re saying is true, but I dedicated my life to this, so I’m going to do what it takes—what’s expected of me, and I’m not going to complain about it. To anyone besides you, of course,” she adds with a forced smile.

“I get it,” I tell her. “I really do. And I won’t tell you to stop. But I will say that you need to take care of yourself, because if you don’t, something’s going to go wrong. You could end up hurt or worse, and I…I can’t lose you, too.”

She grabs my hands, holding them tightly between hers. “I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

I swallow past the lump in my throat, clearing it as the waitress approaches with our massive stacks of pancakes—mine blueberry with banana slices on top, and Harper’s peanut butter chocolate chip. She sets them on the table and smiles before walking away, leaving us to devour our feast.

I want to bring up Xander, to tell Harper all about him, but it feels…I don’t know, shallow when we were just talking about the danger of her career choice. So, instead, I keep my mouth full of delicious, syrup-drenched goodness. Besides, I’d rather bring it up in the privacy of our apartment. I’m confident Harper’s response is going to be animated, and it wouldn’t be fair to force a room full of strangers to endure that.

We spend the rest of breakfast chatting about school. Harper’s telling me about the English project she and Adrianna have due today when herphone buzzes on the table. She swipes it up and curses under her breath. “I have to go.”

My eyes widen, and I shake my head. “Wait. What’s going on?”

“Cami, you know I can’t. I already told you more than I should have.”

Before I can protest, she grabs her bag, scoots out of the booth, and slaps her credit card down on the table. “Breakfast is my treat. I’ll see you at home.” Her combat boots thud against the floor as she hurries toward the front door.

I frown while the pit in my stomach grows, and the stack of pancakes suddenly feels like cement hardening in my gut as I watch her leave.

SIXCAMILLE

Saturday morning brings a surprisingly busy shift at Hallowed Grounds.

Arriving back at my apartment mid-afternoon, I hop in the shower and get ready—put on sweats, sans bra—to spend the rest of the day on the couch with a giant bowl of popcorn and a true crime docuseries I’ve had in my Watch Later for nearly a month.

My phone chimes from the coffee table, and I lean forward to grab it. My stomach swoops when I spot Xander’s name on the screen. I swipe it open and read his message, my lips curling into a grin of their own volition. We’ve been back and forth a few times since the other night, but he’s been wrapped up in schoolwork and hunting, much like Harper.

She hasn’t told me what snatched her away from our breakfast date yesterday, so I’m left to assume it’s related to the increased number of attacks she warned me about. I haven’t seen her since then, but she texts every few hours, so I know she’s okay. It still doesn’t make me feel great about her out there hunting demons, but it’s better than radio silence.

I read his message again, trying to focus on the giddy lightness in my stomach instead of the worry in my chest.

I want to see you tonight. Dinner at my place?

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, still grinning as I type out a response, the nerves already starting to swirl in my belly. Hanging with Xander in public feels far more casual than having dinner with him at home. It feels like a step toward something more serious between us, and as scary as it is, my gut tells me to take the leap—it feels right, and I want to explore it. He makes me feel good in ways I haven’t experienced before. Talking to him is easy, and his effortless ability to make me laugh and feel wanted is definitely something I could get used to.

I’d like that. What time should I be there?

His response comes a minute later.

7 p.m.?

He drops the pin with his address, and I quickly reply.

See you then.

It’s nearly four in the afternoon, so I still have a few hours to obsess over my outfit and do something with my hair. I made the mistake of letting it air dry, and now it’s a tangled mess.

By the time I’m ready to leave, my hair is straight and I’ve changed into a deep red blouse and black skinny jeans with simple flats. I went light on the makeup, not wanting to look like I was trying too hard. I shake my head at how ridiculous that sounds. After grabbing my wallet and keys, I jot down a quick note to Harper on the dry erase board we keep stuck to the fridge, letting her know I’ll be out tonight. As far as I know, she’s in a training session, or otherwise occupied with hunter stuff for the rest of the day.

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