“And what are you supposed to be?” Gage hands him Barron as we make our way to the oversized bat cave Demetri prefers to hang outin.
“I’m Skyla’s Elysian.” He grins my way. “Trust me, Halloween on this island usually brings enough of its own frights. It doesn’t need me adding to it. In fact, they should change that sign out by the harbor to readWelcome to Paragon. Every day isHalloween.”
“Dude, that barn you erected is a fright in and of itself.” Gage has enjoyed mercilessly teasinghim.
“Stop.” I slam my shoulder into my husband’s. It’s been a tough barn-shaped pill for Logan to swallow, and now that the barn is built, painted a painful, blistering red, and is undergoing the last few details before its grand opening in a month or so, there’s nothing Logan or any of us can do to stop this countrifiednightmare.
We head in, and the house is dark with plumes of fog moving along the floors in a snakelike pattern, a glowing sign readsthis way to the party, and we follow the bloodied arrows all the way to the back of Demetri’s sweeping estate. The yard is done up with all the finery a haunted holiday like this requires. It’s apparent my mother—and Demetri’s wallet—spared no expense. Skeletons hang from newly erected gallows. Clown heads sit heaped in a pile at the base of a bloody guillotine—tons and tons of bloodied clown heads—and I try very hard to ignore the fact I feel a cardiac episode coming on. My God, doesn’t my mother know me by now? Surely after spending the last two decades with me, she’s apprised of the fact I hate the guts of every clown that’s ever lived, right? The sight of them alone used to send me running for the hills, but my phobia has dialed itself down a notch ever since Dr. O gifted me a tiny clown’s head a few years back and basically told me to get over it. God, I love Dr. O. Why can’t Emma be so affable? Speaking of which, Kate owes me an answer. Time is of the essence before she does her final leap into the sky, and I’m still dying to know why she thinks Emma Oliver is so much trouble. I can give a running list myself but none of us have that kind of time on thisplanet.
I glance around for anyone that might look even vaguely familiar, but all I see is a bunch of people gathered around the wooden stocks in the center of the yard, taking selfies and group shots. The party isn’t quite pumping yet, but judging by the fact Demetri’s soirees are known for free food and booze, I suspect the entire island will be Edinger bound soon enough. As it stands, enough people mill around to qualify as a decent get-together, and both my mother and Demetri head over with giant plastered grins. My mother holds Misty over her hip with pride—the two of them are both dressed as matching pink princesses. Demetri is his evil self—the scariest costume of the night, I’m sure—and Tobie is wearing a frilly pink tutu with a sparkling tiara pressed into her luscious darkcurls.
“Looks like we found the birthday princess! Happy birthday, precious!” I gift Tobie a kiss, and she claps up a storm before blowing Gage a soft dainty kiss over herfingers.
Gage pretends to catch it and lands it against his cheek. “Happy birthday, kiddo.” He offers her a quick peck. Gage is proving to be a stellar uncle. Just the thought sends my heart aching forAngel.
Tobie laughs so hard her entire body shakes, as if Gage were the funniest thing in the world. She’s so cute we can’t help but laugh along. Her dark curly hair is down to her neck, framing those breathtaking blue eyes, and don’t get me started on those dimples. She is Wesley—Gageto aT. She looks every bit like a miniaturized version of Sage, and I ache for my other daughter,too.
“Would you look at this?” Mom’s eyes grow wide as she ribs me. “Demetri spares no expense when it comes to hosting a birthday party. How aboutwe—”
“No.” I sneer over at him. It’s been a month of deflecting Demetri’s demented offer to host the boys’ first birthday bash. “A hard no after seeing that basket full of creepy clown parts.” I make a half-hearted effort to cover Nathan’s ears. “A hell no after seeing the blood dripping from their necks and surmising they’rereal!” I hiss at the horror, and both Demetri and my mother chortle at the murderous details this evening has tooffer.
Marshall calls Logan over to the fountain, and he excuseshimself.
“I’m with her,” Gage says to the two of them. “Skyla and I have decided to keep it simple for theboys.”
“For two days straight,” I offer. “We’ll order in and have cake at the house. We’ll celebrate my birthday with Nathan, and then do the same with Barron and Gage the nextday.”
“My God, don’t you dare!” my mother cries out while throwing her hand in the air as if we just threatened to eviscerate them. Misty bucks her way down and escapes her capture, making her way to where Beau is busy plucking at the eyes of the zombie seated at the entrance to the house. And, soon enough, the birthday princess herself hops down and waddles on unsteady feet to the two of them, only to be intercepted byWes.
“Nice job, Tobie.” I marvel at how sweet it was just witnessing that moment. They may not have been her first steps, but they’re the first I’ve seen, and it warmed my heart to witness it. Chloe is here on the premises—but, sadly, she couldn’t care less if Tobie waddled straight into alake.
Wes steps in, and just as I’m about to greet him, my mother snatches Nathan from me. “You’ll do no such thing. You and Gage aren’t even in the spotlight this year. You can have one party at home with the boys—if that’s the road you insist on taking.” She smirks at Demetri as if mocking the idea. “And we’ll be right here the next day to have a proper first birthday equipped with clowns and balloons—we’ll even have a donkey for the kids to ride!” she cries with jubilation, and a part of me doesn’t have the heart to stick a pin in her donkey lovingdreams.
Tad barrels up with a drink clipped to his teeth, and my mother is quick to take it. His left arm has graduated to a soft splint, but he still has a limited range of motion. His good hand is laden down with a heaping plate of suspiciously glistening seafood with a mini octopus sitting on top as if it were the cherry on that pile ofcrustaceans.
“That’s right, kids. You’ll have the big one here. The little woman here sealed the deal with an all-you-can-eat seafood stuff it and buff it. In fact, we’re letting old Demetrius here host every occasion and holiday for the rest of our natural lives!” He honks out ahee-hawof a laugh as he shovels that eight-legged creature into his mouth, and a tentacle strays outside his lips as if it were fighting to maintain its own natural life. Natural life, my ass. There’s not a natural thing about anyone in our tiny little circle. There certainly isn’t anything natural aboutDemetri.
Tad garbles out something unintelligible as that tentacle flies up his nostril, and without missing a beat, he heads straight for the buffet onceagain.
“Pace yourself!” Demetri calls after him, that perennial smile of his wiped from his face momentarily. “You’re bound to choke to death one of these days.” That greasy grin of his floats right back like a serpent lying over his lips. “And you are bound to do justthat.”
“Goodness.” My mother leans in. “Excuse me while I stop my husband from making such a donkey of himself.” She trots off, and I’m tempted to say something, but I think I’ll let Demetri take thisone.
He looks over at her. “I’m afraid she’s found the ass for theparty.”
Gage and I exchange a drysmile.
Gage offers Wes a knuckle bump. “What’s up? You have any trouble lastnight?”
“What was last night?” My heart leaps into my throat because everyone knows whatever happened last night with Wes could be a thousand times more frightening than anything this unholy night has tooffer.
Wes looks to Gage as if asking for permission, but the beauty of it is they both ignore theirfather.
“Meeting with the Videns.” Gage pulls me in close. “Suffice it to say, they’re pissed atme.”
“Yes.” Wesley’s chest bucks at the thought. “They’re a little more thanthat.”
Demetri growls out a dull laugh. “Make sure you’re never alone in a dark alley. I’d hate to see them bring a swift end toyou.”
