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Sloane’s gaze returns to mine.

“And what will the Scarecrow give me?”

I think of the black box waiting inside the chapel. The unsigned documents. Her name beside ours. A choice that has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with forever.

“You’ll have to catch me to find out.”

Sloane’s eyebrows rise.

“Catch you?”

Her smile becomes feral.

I realize too late that I said exactly what she wanted. She climbs over me and reaches for the gold ribbon tied around the bedpost.

“You heard him, boys.”

Rhys sits up. Dante starts laughing. Sloane loops the ribbon around my wrist and pulls the knot tight.

“The Scarecrow wants to become the prey.”

I catch her waist.

“Not tonight.”

“Afraid?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

She kisses me. Snow falls beyond the farmhouse. Somewhere inside the dark, the first Christmas bell rings. Sloane smiles against my mouth. The Halloween hunt may be over. But winter is coming to Blackwood Farm. And this time, the monsters are going to run.