Reapers of the Dark (Cora Roberts #4)

Chapter 31

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Nobody likes to be wrong, but I sometimes hate being right.

“ D oes everyone know?” I asked as we pulled onto my drive, and the curtains in the parlor twitched.

“They do. Keeping a secret in that place is impossible.”

Improbable, but not impossible. My stomach flipped. I needed to tell him about the Serpents of the Dawn. I couldn’t start the rest of our lives on a bed of secrets and lies. If the rest of them didn’t agree, then I would leave. They could cast a spell to make me forget they existed, and I could go about my married mated life with a guilt-free conscience.

I sighed as the car stopped, and Hudson darted around the car so fast I hadn’t even gotten my seatbelt free. He smiled at me, and I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t you dare.” He chuckled, then did exactly what I suspected—dragged me from the car and swept me into his arms, cradling me against his chest. “We’re supposed to do this after we get married,” I pointed out.

“I’m practicing.” The carnal look in his eyes reappeared as he jogged up the steps and flung open the door. I was one hundred percent here for where this was leading—until miniature explosions erupted around us, glitter and confetti flying everywhere. Did they not learn anything after the last time? I’d only just gotten rid of the last lot of exploding glitter.

“Congratulations,” Aunt Liz said. I hung my head backward to take in the group of grinning supernaturals. Oh goodie, the gang was all here. Even Dave looked less scowly than usual.

“Thank you,” I responded.

Rebecca pushed forward. “Let’s see it.”

Nothing we did in the last twenty-four hours was for public discussion. “See what?”

Rebecca chuckled. “The ring, silly. Although, if you want to recount the freaky sex, feel free.”

Maggie blushed.

“Please refrain,” Sebastian drawled.

I patted Hudson’s cheek. “Let me down.” He growled and held me tighter.

“Mating dance is in full swing,” Dave grumbled. “Don’t interfere.”

“I thought it got better when they got married?” Dayna said.

“It does, but they aren’t married yet.”

“Meaning a quick wedding is in order,” Rebecca decided.

I blinked up at Hudson. “Principal, put me down.”

He held me for a beat, released a deep sigh, and carefully set my feet on the floor. I raised up on my toes and gave him a quick kiss before turning to offer my hand to the nosy masses.

Rebecca grasped my fingers and sighed with longing. “It’s stunning and perfect for you.”

“It’s not horrible,” Sebastian muttered.

Dayna, Maggie, and Liz each took a turn complimenting the engagement ring while I grinned at Hudson, who was two seconds away from grabbing me and running to our bedroom.

“Any news?” I asked before he could make good on that promise in his eyes. If we went upstairs, we wouldn’t be leaving it anytime soon.

“Nothing of note,” Dave said.

Rebecca grabbed my hand and tugged me into the parlor. “I want to hear all about it.”

I rolled my eyes as she shoved me onto the sofa and sat next to me. Dayna and Liz joined us while Sebastian made an excuse to leave. Maggie mentioned something about snacks and new recipes and took off to the kitchen, while Dave disappeared with Hudson out of the front door.

My shoulders sagged a little as he left. Oh, this needed to stop. I wasn’t a woman beholden to my feelings—it was the mating bond fucking with us. Suddenly, I was onboard with the get Cora married as quickly as possible plan. Anything to temper this raging need.

“Did he get on his knees?” Rebecca asked.

The memory of him with his head between my thighs as he pinned me against the cave wall assaulted my senses. My lips twitched. “He did.”

“I meant for the proposal, but I am very proud,” Rebecca said.

Dayna squealed, and Liz raised a brow.

“He took me to a crystal cave, gave a grand speech, got down on one knee, and proposed.”

Rebecca sighed. “So romantic.”

“I’ll make sure he passes on notes to Ezra.”

She scowled. “Stop trying to deflect. We have your bridal shower planned next week, and a dress designer will be coming to the house. She works fast with a two-week turnaround, and we managed to push you to the front of the line.”

“How?” I wondered. I thought these things needed to be booked months, if not years, in advance. I’d resigned myself to picking a department store dress and getting it altered to fit perfectly.

Dayna laughed. “You are the granddaughter of The Order’s leader and the mate to The Principal. Designers are clambering to be the one to dress you.”

They were? I supposed that was a good thing.

Dayna nodded at the large book on the table. It was white with gold lettering declaring it as the ultimate wedding planner.

“Does it plan the wedding for me?” I asked.

Dayna chuckled. “No, but we are here to take the weight of the planning off you. Whatever you need.”

“I would like to just drive up and get married. I have enough serious and world-ending issues on my plate. I don’t have time to pick flowers and food.”

“Then let us do it for you. We’ll check in with you on the big decisions,” Rebecca said.

I nodded, happy to have valued and trusted family and friends who jumped at the chance to help. If they took care of the million and one decisions needed to make a wedding happen, I could focus on the crazy world-ending shit.

I was really doing this. Getting married to a man I loved and wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

“Have you chosen bridesmaids yet?” Rebecca asked.

No, but I assumed everyone knew. I nodded. “You, of course,” I said, making Rebecca beam. “Maggie and all my aunts. But I’d understand if they would prefer not to be a bridesmaid.”

Dayna clapped. “Perfect.”

Aunt Liz gave me a small smile. “I am happy to take whatever role you need, Cora.”

Actually, I needed something different from her. “I was hoping you would take the mother-of-the-bride role.”

Her eyes grew glassy, and she nodded as her bottom lip trembled. “I’d be honored.”

That was good. She could keep a lid on everything, stopping Rebecca and Dayna from turning it into a cathedral-level wedding where they invited half of America.

“I want it small and intimate,” I cautioned. “No big wedding. No random guests because it looks good. If Hudson or I have never met them, you shouldn’t invite them.”

“Got it,” Rebecca answered. “Is Abaddon walking you down the aisle?”

I squeezed my eyes closed. “Yup.”

“And Lucifer?” Liz asked with a twitch of her lips.

“Invited,” I confirmed.

“God?” Dayna said with an arch of her brow.

“Yes, He will need an invitation. It’s probably best not to piss off the Almighty through a nuptial slight.”

“Color scheme?” Rebecca asked.

“Not pink.”

“That’s it? Not pink?”

I nodded. “Anything else is okay.” I wanted to avoid the fluffy pink tulle. It wasn’t me.

“Great. We’ve got enough to get started,” Dayna said. “I mean, we already have most of it done, anyway.”

Of course they did.

The front door banged open, and Hudson and Dave stalked inside. Gone was my sex-crazed mate; in his place stood the alpha of all the shifters in America. Oh boy.

I leapt to my feet, my heart stuttering. “What’s wrong?”

Lucifer and Abaddon appeared out of thin air in the middle of the parlor.

This wasn’t good.

“It’s happening,” my father said.

“Turn on the TV,” Hudson growled.

Rebecca snatched the remote and clicked the TV on. A popular alien conspiracy documentary appeared. Nothing new there. Unless they were actually revealing the existence of aliens. Alas, no.

Harry flew through the wall with wide eyes. Great, my ghostly sidekick was freaked out.

“Put the news channel on,” Dave snapped.

“Which one?” Rebecca asked.

“Any,” Lucifer answered.

Oh shit. Rebecca changed the channel, and a massive breaking news banner flashed along the bottom of the screen, which was split between a pale newsreader who looked like she wanted to run and hide, and live camera footage flicking through several cities. New York, Washington, Chicago—all the biggies. People screamed and ran in all directions as shadowy figures chased them. “Remnants,” I whispered.

The newsreader cleared her throat. “This is not a hoax. Ghosts are terrorizing people all over the country. The President has mobilized the national guard, and is urging people to stay indoors while they tackle the threat.”

A well-known female reporter standing on a busy New York street interrupted her. “Overnight, the police were inundated with reports of spiritual activity and hauntings, sparking a countrywide panic. That’s right—countrywide. The ghosts have invaded us from California to Maine, and appear to be gaining in both strength and numbers, with no known cause or reason. No one has reported any intellectual contact with these entities. Authorities have advised everyone to stay home until they get a handle on what is happening. Calls to law enforcement have been going unanswered as they struggle to cope with the burden. The President has called an emergency meeting and is expected to address the nation within the hour. One thing is for sure, America, we are not alone, but the terror hasn’t come from space like many have speculated. No, it’s the grave we should be worried about.”

My hand covered my mouth as one side of the TV cut back to the newsroom while the other remained on a loop, showcasing the terror erupting through various cities. “It’s started,” I whispered. I couldn’t believe Eloise actually went through with it. Somewhere deep down, I thought she was bullshitting to get the factions to play ball. When they didn’t, she forced the situation by exposing our world to humanity.

“We can’t scoop this under the rug,” Lucifer said. “It’s too wide. A city or two, I could do. But the entire country? That’s impossible.”

“Agreed. This is happening,” my father added. “We need to control the next steps but also accept that we can’t go back from this.”

“Can’t God help?” Hudson asked.

I already knew the answer. “Yes,” my father said. “But He won’t. If this is the will of the world, then it has to play out.”

“I suppose it won’t hurt that there will suddenly be a lot more folks in churches repenting for their sins,” Liz added.

Nothing like an apocalypse to bring people together and accept religion.

“It would take a deity to reverse this,” Lucifer muttered.

The phone rang as my mind pieced everything together. No, no, no, no. Just no. Eloise had outmaneuvered us again. I was tired of games and done being everyone’s puppet. If they wanted Cora, daughter of death, at their side, then they better get ready.

Indigo stirred in my mind. “You hungry?” I asked her.

“Ravenous.”

Rebecca picked up the phone, and her eyes widened as our gazes met. “It’s Cillian,” she whispered. “He would like to speak to you.”

I rose as the supernatural heavyweights argued back and forth about a plan. Everything from something involving ghostbusters, to sending my grandmother to rot in a prison cell in Hell. I’d already explored that and discarded it. Donn would just yank her out.

Rebecca passed me the phone, and I offered her a small smile and nod. She walked away, glancing over her shoulder at me with a frown.

“It’s started,” I said.

“It has,” he agreed. “It’s currently contained to America, but we expect that to change quickly.”

“So it’s time for your army.”

“Eloise hasn’t yet stepped forward as humanity’s savior.”

My brows pulled together. “She’s waiting for the panic to build.”

“I agree. I predict looting, a rise in crime and murder, plus all the other things a lawless society would expect.” Because no one could get through to emergency services if they were slammed with spiritual reports. Fuck, this was so much worse than I expected.

“So we wait?” I wasn’t okay with sitting on the sidelines while people sank into crisis.

“There is an option you may wish to consider.”

Here it is. I had put this together less than two minutes ago and felt stupid for not doing it before. “I’m listening.”

“Donn,” Cillian said. I met Hudson’s eyes as he folded his arms and tilted his head.

“What about him?” Please let me be wrong.

“He wants to meet.”

I hated being right.