Maddox and Andre both look exhausted. Mama mentioned that they stayed out all night hunting for the djinn again, with no results. It must feel like they’re chasing ghosts. Or maybe not, because I’ve never tried chasing ghosts. Maybe it’s quite satisfying.

Dinner is mostly quiet. Mama announces that after the wake we’re going to have to look into making me bait to draw out the djinn, but until then I’m to keep my vial on and stay near my boys. She seems to put a lot of faith into the boys’ abilities to protect me despite them being fledgeling guardians, but she seems to think their innate guardian instincts will do the trick.

Jules and I do dishes after everyone is finished. We stand side by side alone in the kitchen. He bumps my hip and I smile.

“You going to stay over tonight?” I ask. He’s slept in my bed every night this week.

He sighs. “I got in trouble.”

“What? Why? You sneak out all the time and Dev doesn’t care.”

“That was before. Now… they’re jealous.” He hands me a bowl to dry.

I blink at him. “Ah. I guess it is sort of … unfair. Even though you’re my best friend. And we used to have sleepovers all the time.” I sigh.

“Yeah,” he agrees. “But think about how they feel.”

“You’re right. We should stop,” I say glumly.

He nods, looking sad as well.

“...I have something to tell you.” I take a deep breath.

“Hm?” he glances sideways at me.

“I can see through your eyes sometimes.”

He drops the bowl he was scrubbing back into the sink. It makes a clang and thankfully doesn’t break.

“Excuse me?” he asks.

“It is what it sounds like. When I focus on you, I can see what you’re seeing and hear what you’re hearing for a short period of time.” I say.

Jules swallows, processing. “Just me? Not Dev or Brody?”

“Just you.”

“Why?”

“Mama says it’s ‘cause we were close before the bond. And it got amplified.”

“Uh.. huh.” He stares ahead out of the window for a moment. “Maybe just, uh, use your power for good and not evil, yeah?”

I laugh, surprised. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t like spy on me when I’m on the toilet, or uh, you know.”

I probe for his emotions and find him amused, embarrassed and a little bit proud. Proud that he’s the only one I have this certain connection with, I guess.

“Know what?” I ask, distracted.

His embarrassment worsens. “Having alone time.”

I blink at him. “Alone ti - oh. Oh! Oh, god.” My cheeks burst into flame. “Yeah, no, of course I won’t watch that.”

Jules laughs awkwardly. “Cool, thanks.”

I lean in and kiss his shoulder before setting down the dish towel. “I’ll see you tomorrow then, I guess. You coming to Moonhollow with me and Mama or you gonna go watch the football game?”

“Those my only two options?” he asks, chuckling.

“Yep.” I pop the ‘p’.

“Moonhollow it is. Those two have enough fans to inflate their egos. They don’t need me at the game.” He puts the last dish in the drainer.

The boys head home after I get one more hug from each of them. Mama gives me a kiss goodnight and then heads to bed.

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I shower and then go over the list for the wake a few more times to make sure I don’t forget anything in the morning. When I finally slide into bed, it feels empty. I huff and stare at the ceiling for a while, but I feel itchy, and irritated. Not nearly as bad as I did while at Moonhollow, because I can feel them right next door. But it still feels … wrong to sleep alone.

I sigh and stand, pulling on sleep shorts over my underwear. Dev’s blinds are closed but I can tell he’s not in his room anyway. He and Brody and even Jules are in the basement. I slip my boots on and quietly slip out of my French doors. It’s only mildly chilly tonight. My sports bra and Supernatural t-shirt provide more than enough warmth.

The front door is locked, but I kneel before it and whisper “Open”. It unlocks with a satisfying click. Of all the things that my Grandmother taught me, I think I have used that lovely little trick the most.

I make my way to the basement stairs and realize there’s no way to quietly sneak down them because they’re old and creaky as hell. I descend to find all three boys staring at me, eyebrows raised.

“How the hell did you get in?” Brody asks. It’s contrary to his feelings. I can tell he’s glad to see me.

I smile secretively. “I have my ways.”

Jules coughs and it sounds a lot like the word ‘magic’.

“What’re you guys up to?” I step off the last step and falter, suddenly feeling self conscious about crashing their powwow.

“Just watching tv and playing some cards,” Dev says. His grey-green eyes are fixed on my face. “You?”

“Couldn’t sleep.” I link my hands behind me and rock back and forth on my heels a bit.

“Come sit down, Em.” Jules gestures to the couch between Dev and Brody.

I let out a relieved breath and nearly skip there, sliding between the two football stars easily.

The very old, black and white tv in the corner is playing some monster movie as I settle in. The couch is wildly uncomfortable, all support having given way years ago, but the comfort of having an arm against each Dev and Brody more than makes up for it. My body practically hums.

“Do you ever go home?” I ask Brody.

He snorts. “Not if I can help it.”

“Jessup oughta adopt you,” I say, peeking sideways at his hand of cards.

“He’d have to be here for that to happen,” Dev points out. He doesn’t sound upset about it, just matter-of-fact. I sense a little sting underneath that, but I have a feeling these guys have been getting high since they left my house so their emotions are dulled.

Jules lays down three queens and grins. “Suck it, boys.”

“Since when do you smoke, Jules?” I ask.

“He started today,” Brody jokes.

“Did not,” Jules grumbles. “I’ve smoked before here and there. Zoey is a big stoner, and Chip....” He trails off and his eyes cut to me. Anger surges in all three of them at the mention of my would-be rapist and they bristle, shifting.

“Settle down,” I mutter.

“But -” Jules begins, but I cut him off.

“It’s over. Devereaux took care of it. I don’t want to think about it any more.”

Jules looks at me with wide, pleading eyes. “But you are. I can feel it, Em. You’re sick to your stomach.”

I swallow down the lump forming in my throat. Honestly the events of that night are overshadowed by that kiss. That fucking kiss that still makes my head spin. That’s what Jules is feeling, that falling sensation. “So you’re all coming to the wake tomorrow night, right?”

“If we have to,” Brody grumbles, giving in to my need for a subject change.

“I bet you’ll look good in a suit,” I tease, nudging his shoulder with my own.

“I look good in everything. And nothing.” He turns a cheesy grin on me.

I can’t help but burst out laughing, even as the image of what I imagine a naked Brody James to be like floods my mind.

“James,” Dev says warningly.

I’m reminded of the no-sex-with-Emmy pact that they all made and suddenly feel like I know whose idea it was. I turn to look at Devereaux. He’s currently dealing another round. He deals me a hand.

“What are we playing?” I ask.

“Five card draw,” Dev replies without looking at me.

“Is that poker? I don’t know how to play poker,” I admit.

“Of course she doesn’t,” Brody mumbles sarcastically.

“Oh it’s gonna be like that, Brody James?” I pull away from him, inadvertently making more contact with Dev as I do. “‘Cause Jules and i can just go upstairs and play something else if that’s how you’re going to -”

“Don’t go,” he says, cutting me off. There’s an edge of panic to him. He grabs my forearm and tugs me back to the middle of the couch. “I’m surviving on like two hugs a day here. Fucking stay.”

Jules howls with laughter, leaning back in his chair.

“Okay, okay,” I say softly, trying to soothe Brody a little bit. I don’t like feeling him afraid. It’s unsettling.

Dev swallows and starts to explain the game, leaning into me a little bit to show me his hand. I’m a fast learner and I get the hang of it quickly.

A little while later, Dev excuses himself to the bathroom and I focus in on Jules with a raised eyebrow.

“What are you doing hanging out down here? You never hang out with your brother.”

He shrugs. “We suddenly have something in common.” He raises his eyebrows at me meaningfully.

“Wanting to bang the same chick usually makes brothers enemies, not friends,” Brody says, taking a pinch of green herb from a plastic bag and stuffing it into the mouth of a blue glass pipe.

“Fuck off, Grody,” Jules says, not missing a beat.

“Normally you’d be at a party on a friday night,” I point out.

“Yeah, getting fucked up and trying to get laid. But my priorities have changed, Em. We’ve got a lot going on, and I’d like to not be too far from you.”

I sigh, hating that everything has changed so much because of me. “Someday your life will go back to normal, Jules. I promise.”

He gives me a weird half smile, reminiscent of his brother’s. “I hope not.”