When The Grave Calls (The Veil Diaries #9) - B.L. Brunnemer Page 0,1

me a look. “You know what I was asking.”

“And you know that you shouldn’t be asking.”

“Lexie …”

“Don’t Lexie me,” I countered as I put my hands on my hips. “We have rules, and we need to follow them to keep the peace.”

He reached out, hooking his long fingers in the loops of my jeans and pulling me to stand between his knees. “I’m not jealous.” His amber eyes met mine. “Honestly, I was kinda hoping the answer was yes. Then I wouldn’t need to worry about him quite so much right now.”

Miles had developed tunnel vision over the last month. He was obsessed with building some staff that he was sure would help us in our fight against Jadis. The guys had begun to worry about him. Well, not just the guys.

“Isaac.”

He shrugged. “Can’t blame a guy for being curious.”

I smiled and shook my head. Curious my foot, he was being nosey. “I better get going before your mom gets home.”

The corners of his mouth curled upwards into a warm impish grin. “I’ll walk you out.”

My face warmed as I slipped my feet into my boots and headed out of his bedroom. Isaac’s walking me out did tend to have more to do with his fingers caressing my backside than with politeness. After several long goodbye kisses at the door, I pulled my Blazer away from the curb and headed back to Miles’ house.

I smiled to myself as I drove down the freeway. The crisp autumn air had me pulling my hoodie closed against the chill. Things were tense in town and getting worse, but things with the guys were going well. My smile dropped as worry ate at me. It had been a month since we learned that Miles’ dad died. It had been over a month since Miles acted, well, like Miles. And I missed him. I blew out my cheeks as I pushed the thought to the back of my mind.

Ethan

“Will you guys hurry up?” I shouted towards the back door of the club. “I wanna get home before midnight!” Last time I called this late Lexie was already asleep. I wasn’t missing my goodnight phone call for these clowns.

“We’re hurrying, Michael is still taking down his drum set,” Ollie called from the door.

I hung my head and cursed. Ryan had quit after Riley went missing. He’d been spending all his time posting missing flyers around town. Fuck it. I should call her now. I pulled out my phone and turned around, eyes widening. Three men were standing there in the shadows. What the fu—

Miles

“Find the witch,” I bit out between clenched teeth, frustration bleeding into my words. “I want results, not excuses.” I hung up my phone and barely resisted the urge to slam it into the desktop. How hard could it be to find a witch in Spring Mountain? Why were they taking so long? Were they not looking hard enough or just screwing around? Maybe they really were searching and Jadis was just that well-hidden.

“Miles!” Lexie’s sweet voice came from the hallway, the sound a soothing balm to my anger. My jaw and shoulders began to relax.

Taking deep breaths, I was almost back in control by the time there was a small knock on the study door.

“Come in,” I called, trying to use the voice I knew she liked.

The door opened and Lexie’s head popped inside. Her copper hair was down in damp curls around her shoulders as she stepped into the room with a smile. “Hey.”

“What can I do for you?” I asked, rolling my neck as the last bit of tension seeped away.

“Nothing, I just wanted to see you.” She walked through the study to stand across the desk from me. “It’s not often you’re not working at the forge.” She began to slightly chew at the corner of her lip as she shifted her weight.

Guilt ate at me. “I’m sorry, Angel.” I eyed her black V-neck and black flannel bottoms. “You’re in your pajamas?”

She looked down as she fingered the hem of her shirt. “Yeah.”

Wait … I remembered setting an alarm this morning. Didn’t I? “Don’t we have a date tonight?”

She wrung her fingers as she looked up at me. “I figured you’d be busy with your project.”

Her words drove a blade into my chest. She was planning on letting me work on our date night? No. Just no. That would not stand. I walked around the desk and took her hand. “Not again, Angel.”

Lexie

Warmth washed through me as Miles led