Promises and Pomegranates (Monsters & Muses, #1)

by Sav R. Miller

“Mr. de Luca requests your presence.” I clench my teeth, annoyance prickling against my skin. “He can’t see me before the wedding. It’s bad luck.” Plus, I don’t want to spend any more time with him than absolutely necessary. “Please, miss. He’s not feeling well and says you’re the only one he’ll speak to.” Sighing, I look at Mamma, who shrugs. “We make our own luck anyway, right?” Kissing me on both cheeks, she slings her purse over her shoulder, heading for the door. “Take care of it, and meet us at the church as soon as possible!” I stare at the staff member’s name tag—Marcelline, it says, printed in big block letters—silently for a few beats, wondering if this is another of Mateo’s ruses to goad me into a fight or something worse. Still, I don’t want him causing a scene and delaying the inevitable, so I follow this woman down the hall to Mateo’s bedroom. Once inside, I pause, noting that it looks as much like a guest room as the one I’ve just left; with no hint of memorabilia or personal effects cluttering the walls or dresser, it’s almost as if this room belongs to a ghost. Or, I realize as I find Mateo sitting on the edge of the bed, someone on their way to becoming one. “What the fuck?” I hiss, hurrying to his side. He clutches his stomach, hunching over to hurl violently into a plastic wastebasket. “Jesus, Mateo, what happened?” Sucking in a breath that sounds like it gets caught in his throat, he glances up at me through glassy eyes, panic lacing his brown irises. ...