I hug her and kiss her cheek. "Thank you."
Es is at work that day, and she hears the news first. The news being my fake story about how that rich stranger who came into The Roxy the other night offered me a high paying job with his law firm after finding out about my interest in law, but it means international travel and being gone for a long time. "It also means the best health insurance. My mom will be taken care of, and I'll be able to support her when she recovers," I explain.
Es is a sobbing mess, hugging me and making me promise to keep in touch. An idea occurs to me and I smile. "How would you and Pete like to move into my apartment while I'm gone? I know you hate your roommate. This would give you privacy, and I need someone to look after it. You can have my room."
Her eyes light up, even through the smudged makeup. "That would be... amazing. But are you sure? It has all of your things. And your mom's... "
"I'm sure. I don't want to leave it empty while I'm gone. Take it. You'd be doing me a favor." She already has a key, so I just tell her I'm leaving that night, and I'll pack up my room so she has space for her things.
We hug again and I leave, my heart heavy from the goodbyes. Is there Wi-Fi in this hell world, I wonder? Will I ever see my mother and friends again? My contract negotiation skills might have gotten me what I wanted, but that doesn't mean the princes will honor it once I'm in their world. They could do anything they want to me once I'm there, and no one would ever know. My attention is drawn to the strange new mark on my wrist. I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I can almost feel the power in my skin tying me to the princes and my new life, binding me to them for all eternity. The thought that this might be the final goodbye nearly cripples me, but I can't let Es see that. I have to stay strong, just a little while longer.
I don't know what to expect, or what to bring. I pack up my room, put the boxes in my mom's, and shove a few things into my own bag to take with me. Mostly the sentimental items I can't replace, plus my favorite jeans and shirts and a sweatshirt.
My thoughts drift to Fen as I wait for Asher to arrive. I would have liked to say goodbye, but I have no way of contacting him. I tried looking for him last time I was at the hospital, to no avail. I consider leaving a note for Es to give him, just in case he pops back around while I'm gone, but what would it say? Sorry I missed you. Living in hell now. Wish you were here?
That probably won't work. So I just send a silent message out to him, thanking him for his help and wishing him well, wherever he might be.
I pace my living room for another hour, waiting, when finally the doorbell rings. I wasn't sure if the vampire would actually knock or just magically appear as he's wont to do.
I open the door and Asher is standing there, smiling, looking like he just stepped out of a GQ magazine. "Let's go to hell, shall we?"
***
I'm not ready. Not at all. But he leads me to a limousine parked in front of my apartment, and I freeze. "Can't we... I don't know... walk?"
He frowns, staring at me. "Walk? You think we can walk to where we are going?"
"Well, I don't think we can get there via limousine either," I say. "So you must be taking me someplace... human... where we will then use whatever black magic you wield to enter your world. So can't we walk to your human place at least?"
"No. Get in."
I sigh and slide in, clutching my bag to my lap as I sit awkwardly in the plush leather seats. I've never been in a limo before, but Asher looks like this is something he's quite used to.
He offers me a glass of champagne as the driver pulls out of the parking spot, but I shake my head. "I'm good, thanks."
"You look terrified. How is it that when I expose you to the monsters of nightmares, you respond with sass, but when I put you in a vehicle, you tremble with fear?" It only takes a moment for the proverbial lightbulb to go off in his head. "I see. The accident. You are still traumatized. Pity. You're much too fierce and clever to live under the weight of that one moment your whole life. You really should move on."
I snort. "Sure thing, Prince. I'll get right on that."
He scowls at me and we don't talk again for the rest of the drive. It takes us about twenty minutes to pull onto a large property full of tall trees that block out the sky. When we pull up to an elaborate gate designed into a beautiful tree with roots, the driver rolls down his window to enter a code into the security system. The gate opens, splitting the tree in half as it does, and we drive through. It's then that I see the house... or rather, mansion. "I didn't think we had anything like this in Oregon," I say.
"No one knows it's here, and we like to keep it that way. This is our home when we are in the mortal realm for business. It will be your home when you come here, under guard of course, for your monthly visits. You are never to bring anyone here. No one must know about it."