Logan looks to me. “Sometimes people make her do things she doesn’t want todo.”
Coop nods along. “That’s Chloe in a nutshell. Just wait. You’ll see we’reright.”
I glance back up to find Brielle riding on the back of one of the entertainers, spanking his behind as if he were adonkey.
Skyla comes up and wraps her arms around me, breathless with a laugh trapped behind her smile. “I’m going to step out for a bit. Watch this guy for me, would you?” She charges Logan with the task before offering a nice juicy kiss to my lips. “I’ll be back soon. Don’t leave without me.” She pulls back, and any enthusiasm she had on her face dissipates. “Chloe is just a cockroach on a leash, Gage,” she whispers, the sound of heartbreak in her voice hangs heavy. “That’s it in a nutshell, I promise.” She gives another peck before takingoff.
“That about sums it up,” Logan offers. “But we both know the devil is in thedetails.”
Coop nods in agreement. “And Chloe and Wes are two devils who thrive on every lastdetail.”
And just like that, Skyla has become a detail in the lives of Chloe andWes.
Things couldn’t fall to shit any faster if theytried.
* * *
Things fallto shit faster than anyone thought possible. Within a week, the feds have sopped up every last of the resurrected dead like wine with a loaf of bread, savoring every last delicious morsel. The last of which being the most bittersweet. Casey was captured at the library while strolling through the young adultsection.
Logan and I sulk over the fact as we wait for the rest of the Videns to arrive. I’ve dragged him down here with me, to the nocturnal, petrified underbelly of the island—or at least it is in theory. It is my very own realm, where I sit on a crooked throne of lies pretending to know what the hell is going on at any giventime.
Wes and Demetri come up, with Wes looking his usual irritated self, and Demetri unmoved by my decision to have avisitor.
“What’s this?” Wes barks, affronted as if I pulled down my pants and took a shit on hisshoes.
“He’s with me,” I say it bored, certain that he has no power to undermine me. “What’s on the agenda?” I look to my father and those dark laughingeyes.
“The Videns have expressed a dissatisfaction with the handling of the Spectators. They want a reversal of fortune for their loved ones who sacrificed much in the endeavor.” He looks to Wes andnods.
“No.” Wes is quick to hack our father’s dick off, and I don’t really mind all that much. “They’re mine. I need them to stay put.” He glares at me a moment. “You were right. Skyla has managed to satiate the feds. They’ve taken over the back side of Raven’s Eye and set up camp. So there you go. Skyla thinks she’s trumped me as easily asthat.”
“Raven’s Eye,” I whisper. “Of course, the island has belonged to the navy for as long as I can remember. That’s probably been their base all along.” Raven’s Eye sits west of Host. My father took Logan and me out there once when we were kids while he retrieved a body for the morgue. It’s a flatland of black rocks, looks more like a dried-up lava bed than anything remotely resembling Paragon, but it’s not without its evergreencrown.
Logan nods my way. “And now we know exactly where they are.” I can see the relief in his eyes. Casey has grown on us all like a little sister. It’s hard knowing she’s out there. And the rest of them, too. They were great people. Still are. All of them were once dead with the exceptionof—
“Melody Winters,” Demetri cuts me off at the pass and only reinforces the fact he can hear my thoughts down here. Hell, he can hear them everywhere. “She’s a transplant from another generation. A traveler, if youwill.”
“Melody?” Logan looks to me and shakes his head. “I’m pretty sure she’s been on the island—born and bred. You mean she’s one of us?” Logan asks Demetri as if the demon might actually respond in kind. We’ve already surmised as much per my father’s—real father’s,catalog.
“Indeed. A rebellious heart. An even split between Celestra and Countenance. The worst of all combinations if you ask me. And you did ask me.” He takes a moment to smile and gleam a greasy grin his way. “You know what they say, ask and you shall receive.” He takes off and mingles with the older Videns standing around by the fountain of fire, a special effect provided by none other than Demetrihimself.
Wes leans in with that easy grin of his gliding across his face. “You know what I’m going to askfor?”
“What?” I’m mildlyamused.
“Nothing. I’m going to take it all myself.” He takes off for the crowd, leaving Logan and me alone, the way I likeit.
“You know what I’m going to ask for?” I can feel my dimples digging in as I hold back alaugh.
“Another three feet added to your dick?” He shrugs it off. “Lex and Chloe were talking about it lastnight.”
“No,” I flatline, unamused. “I’m going to ask you to head to Raven’s Eye. I want to know what the feds are doing. I want to know what our people aren’t being subjected to—and the dead are.” My lips twitch because a part of me doesn’t want to say what comes next. “Is Skyla safe? With Chloe?” I’m the only one officially in thedark.
“As safe as she could ever be with Chloe Bishop. Is Chloesafe?”
We share a quick laugh as Demetri calls the meeting toorder.
“Hey”—Logan leans in—“how are these in comparison to the Factionmeetings?”
