Chapter 24: Girl’s Night Out

SERAPHINA

“The woman he’s always around? Nadia? She’s basically Aleksandr’s personal secretary and runs things when he’s not around. She probably hates me.”

We arrived at Lilith’s house in less than twenty minutes. Her small one-bedroom apartment was cozy once we were inside.

Though it looked a bit sketchy from the outside due to its location, it was comfortable after several drinks at the bar down the street. Drinks I sorely needed after the dead end of catching my husband’s killer. Or the fact I had slept with his only suspected killer twice.

Or the complication with the way Garrick was escalating our relationship now that he knew there was another man involved. Not to mention, the lack of power I had with a coven was now nonexistent, making my only power in this world being money.

Something that was dangerous if the right people had information. I was vulnerable. Sandwiched between a convenience store and a liquor store, with peeling paint and boarded-up windows, the complex was likely to attract some interesting characters.

However, it was home to Lilith. A woman who prided herself on not accepting charity. Within moments we were inside. Lilith fired up the blender for our second round of margaritas that were much stronger than what the bar was serving.

The movie remake of ~Bewitched~ played in the background as she flipped on the TV.

“What kind of grown man needs a caretaker?”

“Just about any married man,” I shot back with a small smirk. “My husband once confessed to me that every man is looking for their mother. But then he would always follow up with jokes about women with daddy issues.”

Lilith laughed. “He sounds like he was a husband with a sense of humor, and horribly accurate considering the women my brother dated.”

My smile wavered a bit, realizing that her referring to Jack in the past tense didn’t bother me as much as it used to. It had been barely any time since his death, and that thought alone troubled me.

“He was,” I agreed, glancing at my phone as it lit up.

“What’s wrong?” Lilith asked.

“Nothing, just one of my employees. She went to gather more information on a historical piece we’re trying to track down,” I said. I kept the details vague, something that sounded like normal information. Not Evelyn going undercover to try and track down that coven on her own again.

If she found them, I knew I wasn’t paying her enough.

“Do you think she’s in trouble?”

“No, this is typical Evelyn. She sends cryptic texts if she’s running late, and then shows up for the important things. Knowing her, she’ll eventually show up for the Masquerade to help out and have fun, and then vanish again before the solstice to visit family. She’s usually around for important dates, even if she shows up empty-handed.”

“Gotcha,” she replied with a smile. She sauntered over to the couch to get comfortable as I trailed behind. “Ok, so start spilling about the guy issues. You texted me saying you were fucked to the moon and back, but now you’re saying this time it wasn’t even the same guy. That’s a drama that writes itself.”

I giggled, nearly spitting out my drink as I covered my mouth with my hand.

“Two!? Seraphina!” Lilith squealed, covering her mouth. The sound somehow harmonized with itself. “What are you doing that I’m not to juggle two men?”

Exaggerating the situation made me laugh even more. I covered my face.

“I’m not! I’m not even trying to date anyone!” I protested, covering my own mouth as I tried not to laugh or spit out my drink again. A fit of giggles overtook us between the alcohol and the crazy situation I was in. “They are admittedly, so hot though.”

Lilith got up on her knees, rocking back and forth, swaying her hips as she lifted her eyebrows suggestively. “Complicated? Wrong? Sexy? Have you talked to them about a threesome?”

I smacked her arm, rolling my eyes. “No! I don’t plan to either. I tried to break it off with one of them. Both of them. Sort of. At different times. They’re just so…persuasive. I can’t even really say I’m dating the first one, it just keeps happening.”

I couldn’t keep the whine from my voice as I took a deep drink. The room felt fuzzy and light.

“So, which one do you want?”

“Neither. I—” ~Want to find my husband’s killer.~

That wasn’t something one said in polite company, especially if they wanted to appear sane. Even under the influence of alcohol, I couldn’t bring myself to explain that all my spare time, when not spent crunching numbers or attending meetings to fix Jack’s mess, was consumed by heavy emotional grief as I sifted through Jack’s belongings in search of an orb.

An orb I was convinced didn’t exist on this earth, let alone have any clue of what it looked like. It was challenging to maintain friendships when there were things you couldn’t discuss.

“I think I’m still grieving?” I admitted honestly, my head spinning at the thought of a future with either man when I was already too wrapped up in my own life.

“Here’s to mourning and bedding two men,” she responded, grinning widely.

“But if you’re looking for a way to unwind, you don’t need a man for that. Just ask me.” She gestured to herself, taking a half bow as if she was proud of her offer.

I gave her a once-over, unsure of how to phrase my response. I decided to take a sip of my drink before answering. “No offense, Lilith, you’re stunning, but I don’t…swing that way.”

A sense of relief washed over me as I spoke my truth. The pleasant buzz in my head agreed with me.

“I don’t either,” Lilith replied, laughing as she set down her glass and waved a dismissive hand. “Don’t worry, I prefer men and breasts don’t do it for me. But as a siren, Seraphina, I can sing a little tune and put you to sleep for hours or make you feel like you’ve just returned from a three-week beach vacation.”

“It’s not that difficult. I can even influence you to have the sweetest dreams.”

I smiled at her, touched by her offer. “I’m not sure your song can compete with the orgasms I’ve had, but generally, I don’t use my friends for personal gain. Unless you count possibly having to pick me up off your bathroom floor later.”

I lifted my drink in a toast, a sheepish grin on my face. I’d lost count of how many drinks I’d had an hour ago, indulging in a way I hadn’t since crossing through the mirror. I knew we had plenty of ice, considering the bag in Lilith’s freezer. I felt pleasantly fuzzy, even though my stomach was starting to protest.

“I grew up with eight siblings, so a little vomit doesn’t faze me,” Lilith replied, laughing as she saw the look on my face. “It’s refreshing to see that you’re a normal rich person.”

I took her backhanded compliment in stride, aware that wealth often complicated relationships. “Eight?” I asked, setting aside my drink. “That’s a lot of siblings.”

“It was easier to blend in since our dad is Hispanic. People just saw us as another Latina family, which made it easier to fit in with humans. Except for my Quinceañera.”

“That was a disaster. My mom decided on an under-the-sea theme, and let’s just say my dress was far from beautiful. It was the ugliest shade of shimmering powder blue I’ve ever had the misfortune of wearing.”

Her mention of a dress reminded me of something. “Speaking of dresses, you said you were going to think about the Masquerade. What did you decide?”

Lilith’s face fell, and she let out a deep sigh, running her hand over her face. “I really hate wearing cocktail dresses, you know. As a siren, it’s going to draw a lot of attention to me.”

“And if I’m with you? I try really hard to blend in and live a normal human life, so standing next to a billionaire’s widow—”

I interrupted her, raising a finger. “That’s probably the best part. You can be yourself, and feel free to influence whoever you want to open their wallets. Then vanish into the night like you were never there, except to those who know you.”

“I have top-notch security and could probably get Damien, my head of security, to escort you in and out himself. You’d be as safe as can be. I’ll even pay you if you really need the extra cash.”

Lilith seemed to consider this, chewing on her lower lip. She didn’t seem offended by the offer of money, which I had been worried about.

The more I got to know her, the more I realized how challenging it was for Lilith to navigate the human world. Being a siren complicated Lilith’s everyday life.

Many of our text conversations revolved around my love life, but Lilith was trying to live a normal human life. This meant dealing with financial struggles and the desire for a better life.

Attention came easily to a siren, but not all of it was positive. Many people envied sirens for their natural charisma, charm, and beauty.

It made sense, then, that Lilith, who already struggled with the rules of high society, didn’t want to attend an event that felt out of her league.

“I’ll think about it, okay? Just get me a dress in case I change my mind,” she said.

I smiled, grateful that she was willing to consider it. “A dress. Sure. What are your three favorite colors?”

Lilith rolled her eyes, already knowing what I was up to.