Chapter Five

“Celia, your car is seriously busted!” Emily exclaimed as I got out inside her garage. “I kinda hoped you were kidding! but this… He really went off the deep end. You poor thing!”

“The police are going to watch your house in case Andrew shows up there.” Richard, Emily’s husband, nodded to me. “They said they’ll send someone here to get your statement and such, too. Til then, you look like you need to sit back down. Sofa?”

“I was gonna ask if I could use your washing—” I started, but Emily promptly plucked the bag away from.me.

“Nuh uh, you’re not doing any work after that!” Emily declared.

I began to protest, “But you’re pregnant—”

“Pregnant, not crippled.” Emily shooshed me. “Honey, make sure Celia gets to the sofa safe, ‘kay?”

Richard and I exchanged a look. We both knew better than to argue with Emily, especially since she’d been pregnant. I didn't have any better ideas, so I obediently followed Richard to the lounge. Once there, he left to fetch me a glass of water. I glanced down at Mayar as he curled up on top of my feet. It seemed like no one else could see him, just as the man who brought him to me claimed.

Emily soon walked in and sat beside me. She let out a sigh before asking, “So, what made you finally ditch the loser? You meet someone else?”

“What? No! When have you ever known me to be that type?” I exclaimed. However, the Aloryi’s face came to mind again. I shook him from my mind. I had no chance, and it was doubtful I’d ever see him again anyway. Besides, I knew literally nothing about him. It was just lust, if anything. “Andrew called me over, took forever to show up, and was mad I didn't cook him something while waiting. Then he demanded for me to take him out. I’m over it.”

“You totally met someone.” Emily peered at me. “Maybe not the kind of ‘meet’ I was hoping, but you’ve been out of it all week.”

“Hey, the police are here,” Richard called, walking in and handing me a glass of water. “I’ll go let them in once they’re done checking your car, okay? Hang tight.”

“Thanks…” I murmured, staring down at the glass of water.

“Soooo, what’s his name?” Emily probed. I just stared blankly at her. “Come on, if you met someone worth dumping Andrew for, you gotta know his name.”

“You say that like Andrew is a lot better than he is,” I deflected. She seemed awfully pushy. “Look, I didn’t meet anyone else. Really. Enough was enough. I’m not his fucking mother.”

“Language!” Emily giggled, clamping her hands over either side of her baby bump. I sighed at her.

Thankfully, the police soon came inside to get my statement and file their report. Though sympathetic, they brought worrying news—no one knew where Andrew was. His car and phone were just…missing. His laptop, too. They’d been tracking his signature but, when he entered my neighborhood, everything vanished.

I glanced down at Mayar while the officers talked. The canine looked up at me and wagged his tail cheerfully. I had a sneaking suspicion Mayar must have done something other than shield me. If he really had called for help…what had happened to Andrew, and should I care?

“Celia, was it?” One of the officers, a blonde with hazel eyes smiled at me and offered me a piece of paper. “If you need anything, I’m just a phone call away.”

“Oh… Thank you.” I blinked, watching as Richard showed the officers out. Once I heard a door shut, I leaned toward Emily. “Was…was he hitting on me just then?”

“Yep, think so.” Emily grimaced. “What poor taste in timing! Best avoid that one, girlie, even if he is kinda cute. No good man hits on a girl who almost got shot by her ex!”

That was a good point.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to stay a few days? The girls are going to throw a tantrum if they find out, won’t they?” I grumbled.

“They can eat it!” Emily snorted. “If they can’t understand, they don't deserve to be friends with me. You were almost killed, Celia! I’m not letting you out of my sight til its safe!”

It was hard to argue with that, so I didn't bother trying. Still. Was my ex missing because he had turned off anything that could track him? Or… I pursed my lips. If the Aloryi had done something, I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. I doubted their brand of justice was anything like ours.

I sighed. It was a ridiculous assumption. There was no good reason for him to care, especially if food and Mayar were his way of settling out “debt.” It was more likely my ex had done something stupid.

After hanging out with Emily for a while, and eating dinner, I took a bath and then climbed into bed. Mayar promptly laid across the foot of the bed while I flipped through my phone. I really didn't know how to process the day I’d had.

When I saw a text message from my grandmother, I tensed.

From: Grandma

Celia, dear, might you still have that cookbook I sold to your little store? I’m beginning to have second thoughts. I want to buy it back.

From: Celia

Sorry, Grandma, but we sold it already. The customer paid cash, so I don’t think we can track it down.

I shivered. Something about my grandmother’s message was off-putting. Did she know what the cookbook was capable of? I paused, staring at my phone. Second thoughts…shit. Had she bound several demons with the book, and I’d freed them by destroying it?

Pissing off my family or pissing off demons. Great choices. I hesitated, then nudged Mayar. He wiggled over and rolled on his back demanding belly rubs. I quickly obliged him, then attempted to explain to him what was going on. He looked like he understood, at least.

“And…tell your master I said thank you, too, okay?” I kept my voice as low as possible. When I was done, Mayar disappeared in a plume of smoke and I flopped back on the bed again.

I had a feeling that pissing off the Aloryi was more dangerous than my grandma.