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Chapter 17

Welcome to Bloodstone Antiquities

The next day …

Friday, November 26, 1999

5:45 p.m.

Angela couldn’t stop thinking about what Ezekiel said the night before. He changed his name to hide from someone, and the thought of that person had elicited such a devastating torrent of emotions from Ezekiel—heartache, resentment, terror … The characteristic twinkle in his eye had winked out of existence at the mere mention of that individual. Angela knew nothing of this man, but she hated him all the same for the agony he’d caused Ezekiel. She’d never despised someone so much, and Angela didn’t even know his name.

“What’re you thinking about over there?” Corin asked, sitting in the driver’s seat beside Angela as he drove them to Bloodstone Antiquities.

Angela straightened in her chair. “It’s nothing.” She faked a smile. “Are you looking forward to the big date next weekend?”

Corin frowned. “For the last time, Prudence and I are not going on a date. We’re seeing a performance together as friends.”

“Oh, please,” Angela scoffed. “Even without empathic magic, anyone can see you two are smitten.”

“We are not smitten. You see, this is why I didn’t want you reading any of those dreadful dime-store romance novels your grandmother was obsessed with. I’ve only known the woman for barely a week.”

Angela leaned in closer and poked Corin’s chest. “Then why does your heart skip a beat every time I mention her?”

Corin rolled his eyes. “My heart doesn’t skip a beat.”

Angela sat back and gave Corin a shrewd look. “She told me she’s looking forward to spending the evening with you—alone.” She sensed Corin’s heart flutter. “I felt that.”

Corin gulped. “No, you didn’t.”

“Is this because you made me promise not to pursue a relationship with Ezekiel?”

“Excuse-moi?” Corin yelped.

“Red light,” Angela gestured to the intersection coming up.

“Merde!” Corin slammed on the brake, stopping the car just in the nick of time. “What did you just ask me?”

“Are you denying your feelings for Prudence because you made me promise not to pursue a relationship with Ezekiel? Is it because you think it would be unfair or hypocritical?”

Corin sat in confused silence for a moment. “That hadn’t crossed my mind, but now that you mention it, perhaps it’s worth consideration.”

“You don’t have to consider it,” Angela groaned. “I understand why my crush on Ezekiel had you so worried. I won’t hold it against you if you and Prudence became more than friends.”

The light turned green, and Corin drove on, a consternated look on his face. “Why does my relationship with Prudence matter so much to you?”

“It’s just I’ve never seen you infatuated before.” Angela shrugged. “I like how happy you are when you spend time with Prudence. I know raising me wasn’t easy for you or Gram—that you both missed out on a lot of things while trying to take care of me and deal with my unique problems—”

“Now stop right there,” Corin interjected, reaching over and cupping Angela’s hand. “I have missed out on nothing because of you. Raising you has been one of the greatest joys of my life, and Fiona felt the same.” He released Angela’s hand and focused on the road ahead. “I want to make this very clear. You are not the reason I’m unattached. I haven’t been with anyone since your … your …”

“My eighteenth great-grandmother?” Angela offered.

“Let’s keep it simple and just call her your aunt.”

“All right, but Aunt Juliote passed away almost five-hundred years ago. You haven’t been with anyone else since then? Weren’t you lonely?”

“Not in the slightest.” Corin took Angela’s hand again and kissed it. “I had my children, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren … Our family was all I needed.”

Angela had to smile at that. “Our family may be all you needed, but was that all you wanted? It’s not like you have to choose between our family and romance. You can have both. You’re allowed to fall in love.”

Corin didn’t respond at first. His expression was unemotional, but Angela felt something give through her empathy—the tiniest yield in Corin’s resolve—a flicker of yearning. He shook his head and gestured up the street. “I believe that’s the address.”

Corin brought his vehicle to a stop outside the dealership, which was located right across the street from one of the many entrances into Briarthorne Park. Bloodstone Antiquities was an eerie three-story building with a black-bricked Gothic façade, arched windows with stain-glass depictions of gloomy castles, and perched above the main entrance was a grotesque gargoyle with ram horns and chiropteran wings, its hideous glare seemingly directed right at them.

“Yo,” someone up the street called.

Angela looked to who’d spoken. Honorato strolled down the sidewalk toward them, waving, and Angela lowered the window. “Hey, did you just get here?”

“Yeah.” Honorato stopped beside Corin’s car and gestured to the building behind him with his thumb. “You think your friend could’ve chosen a spookier venue for his dealership? This place looks like the House of Usher.”

“It’s Eidolon City,” Corin pointed out. “Every building in this town looks like a melodramatic haunted mansion.”

“Fair point, but not every storefront has this fugly creeper sitting over the entrance.” Honorato pointed to the gargoyle sneering down at them.

Corin chuckled. “He won’t climb down here and eat you. Angela, why don’t you wait with Honorato while I park the car?”

“Sure.” Angela exited the vehicle.

“There’s public parking around the corner and one block over.” Honorato pointed back the way he came.

“Merci beaucoup.” Corin drove off in the direction Honorato indicated.

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