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“Anyone with her will be a part of this. We kill them with zero hesitation.” A silent battle forged in the shadows of death.

I notice Stephen Garcia, his arms wrapped tightly around his girlfriend, wearing a button-up cotton sweater and a scarf. Talia’s eyes dance in the dark. “No matter what happens tonight, Stephen is mine. We need to keep him alive.”

We know for certain that Cindy and Stephen are a part of this…Cindy’s boyfriend, too. Everyone else is speculative.

I dip my head toward her. “Why not kill him, too?”

“He’s the only one who can get me back the trust. His father controls it now, so he will inherit it instead of me. If he dies, I will have no link back to it. He’s my only hope of ever getting control again.”

I watch him for a moment. He’s cocky and confident, and I can see what Talia sees in him, even if she won’t admit she has feelings—complicated as they may be.

He’s powerful; he reminds me of Remy in that way.

I try to ignore my jealousy, remembering the lengths Talia went to get that key and the tidbits of information he gave her. He’s toying with her…she must see that. But I recognize the look Talia’s giving him. Her eyes flicker the way they do when she’s up to something or wants something desperately. Is it the money or Stephen himself?

She applies lipstick, then stares at me. “I’ll only be a few feet away, and it may not seem like it, but I’ll be watching.”

“Wait…where are you going?” I whisper.

She finishes her drink in one slug, tossing the cup to the ground. “I’m going to go play, and I suggest you do the same.”

I grip my drink tightly, knowing I won’t have a sip of it.

“What if someone sees me?”

The corner of her lips tilt up. “Then unleash your fury on them.”

She’s gone before I can blink, moving right toward Stephen Garcia, leaving me alone.

I clasp my cross, playing with it in my fingers. I’m not sure why I even wear it anymore; it means nothing to me. But I hold on to it just the same—praying that one day my soul may be forgiven. That somehow, I’m redeemable. A few minutes tick by, and I walk in circles.

Suddenly, I hear my name, and a tiny figure runs up to me. “Rose? Is that you?”

A moment of panic fills me as I check my wig and turn to face her. “Hi Tina.”

She smiles so brightly. “I’m so glad you came.”

I smile shyly back at her. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

She grabs my hand before I can stop her and pulls me toward the group. “Come on. There are so many people I want you to meet, but we should say hi to Cindy first.”

My eyes desperately try to find Talia, but she is already talking to Stephen and his girlfriend over to the side of the bonfire. I wonder if his girlfriend knows that Talia’s been fucking him the last few weeks.

I pull my hand back. “I think I’m just going to stay here for a minute. I don’t do too well at parties, ya know?”

Her eyes narrow in the dark. “Are you sure?”

I give her a soft smile. “Yeah, I’m sure.”

She frowns. “Well okay. I’m here if you need.”

She walks away, and I pray she’s not one of them. “Tina,” I call out after her.

She turns to face me. “Yeah?”

My stomach twists. The tension in the air is crackling more than the fire. “Something bad’s going to happen tonight. You should get as far away from here as you can.”

She frowns. “You don’t understand. We’re not scared of Shadowface. We are here despite him. Good will always conquer evil, Rose.” She gives the sign of the cross. “I pray you find Jesus tonight.”