Page 82 of Kiss the Dawn
“No, I’m fine. I’m good,” Orina says into the phone, shooting a smile my way. “I’ll be back in a couple of days. Yes, I will.” She laughs, a beautiful, carefree sound. “Okay…Yes, we can supercharge on the case…Does she need more blood?”
My ears perk up at the mention of blood.
“Okay, but let me know if…All right. See you soon.”
She ends the call and then joins me on the sofa, snuggling up as I draw a throw over us. I’m not cold, but it feels…nice. This whole scenario feels good.
“Is everything all right at work?”
“Yes.” She peers up at me. “The team is holding the fort. Padma is going to get a transfusion tonight and?—”
“Transfusion?”
She makes an ‘o’ with her mouth. “I don’t think I ever told you, did I?”
“No, you did not.”
“Well, Padma was infected by mullo a while back, and it’s all related to this fire that took place at this boathouse restaurant and the Order was sent there to put it out…” She waves a hand. “It’s this ongoing case. Let me start from the beginning.”
I listen as she tells me all the things she didn’t feel she could share with me before about black-market vampire dealers, teapot artifacts, and missing people. Too many missing people in my territory.
“I want to help with the cases.”
She blinks sharply. “You do?”
“Of course. This is my territory, and someone iskidnapping my people. I want to help with Padma’s infection too. If Edwin can’t find a cure, then I’ll do everything I can to help her.”
A slow smile spreads across her face. “I love you.”
This is the first time that she’s said it to me directly and meant it, and I feel the words deep in my soul. “I love you too.”
She takes a breath and exhales, the smile still on her lips, her eyes alight with joy.
How is it that she can shine so brightly?
But her smile drops, and I want to annihilate whatever thought has muted her joy.
“What happens now? With Loviator?” she asks.
“The white wings will be sealing her up as we speak. She lost the deal. The curse is broken. She has no choice but to retreat into her prison.”
“Won’t she fight?”
“The terms of the curse prevent her from doing so. She’s powerless now. She’ll stay trapped.”
“Forever?”
“Yes. The white wings will ensure the prison is fortified so that no fool can ever summon her again.” My words seem to ease her mind, and she relaxes. “Once Hemlock and Ordell return and we’ve had our meeting with the white wing liaison, then we’ll have a gathering. To celebrate.”
“It could be a while for Ordell, though, right? The triplets are still cursed so…”
“I’m afraid so, but I’m sure he’ll call once he gets the message.”
“I can’t believe Micah was the one who took me off the Isle,” she says softly. Still plagued by worries.
I want to wipe this Micah off the face of this world. “Hemlock will deal with that. Once the Order knows what he did, they’ll find him.”
I expect a smile of relief, but her frown remains. I don’t like it. “What is it? What’s worrying you now, Little Silver?”
