Total pages in book: 209
Estimated words: 196141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 981(@200wpm)___ 785(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196141 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 981(@200wpm)___ 785(@250wpm)___ 654(@300wpm)
Kyle’s first instinct is to say no. To cling to his anger. To hate Tristan because it’s so much easier than the conflicted, tortured love he bore for him for so many years.
Instead, Kyle says something entirely different: “There’s this spot that’s just outside of town … a special rock in the desert,” he describes. “It holds a lot of meaning to me. Elias, too. It’s actually where we met, funny enough, moments before the sunrise.”
“That’s a story you haven’t told me yet,” says Kaleb, amazed.
“I buried something there.” Kyle glances at his brother. “It’s a ring … my silver pinky ring.”
Kaleb’s mouth parts. It’s an astonishing experience, to both see and feel the memory rush back into his brother’s heart as if it was just yesterday. “I … I gave you that ring,” he says, wide-eyed. “You kept it? All this time?”
“Yep. And I buried it by that rock. The moment they figure out how to lift the shroud … I’m gonna go to that rock and dig it up. I want you to have it back.”
Kaleb touches his own finger, as if remembering its texture. Then he smiles at his brother. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
“And we’re both happiness,” says Kyle, deciding. “Who needs sadness when we’ve got each other?”
Kaleb snorts. “Corny answer, but I’ll take it.” With a laugh, the brothers hug once again. “Now can we go inside and eat some cookies already? I feel like my nuts are getting frostbite.”
The two of them head towards the door, with Kyle stunned at his brother’s words. “You … are spending way too much time around Drake,” he decides, as the pair become swallowed in the merry noises of the bar, and not a single one of their worries are thought of for a merciful matter of countless happy hours.
By the time the party breaks up and everyone starts making their ways home, dawn is on their heels—which is expected for a night out when they’re concerned, as so many in the demipires’ social vicinity have adjusted to the late-night schedule. Among the last to leave are Kyle, Elias, Drake, and Kaleb. Cade is caught up in conversation with Elias, so she tags along with them on their way home, not minding the long detour. Layna, who is caught up telling Jer an embarrassing story about Silas and Carlos (which is actually just an excuse to be around him longer, worried about how he’s truly feeling), follows the others, making it a party of seven wandering the snowy town toward Kyle’s street.
It isn’t until they reach the end of the street that Layna stops in her tracks with a gasp. Cade turns to her. “What’s wrong?” Kyle and the others turn as well, their banter interrupted.
It’s Jeremy who seems to notice what Layna sees, pointing a finger silently ahead, surprising them all. When the others follow where he points, they discover a lone bird perched upon the snow, several paces ahead. A lone black bird, all by itself.
Kyle looks ahead.
Beyond the bird stands a tall woman with short spiky hair and tons of loop earrings that surround both her ears, shiny, silver.
Three more birds appear, and behind them, a second person emerges, a curvy, stout person, ambiguous in gender, pretty eyes, broad shoulders, plump lips, dressed from head to toe in green.
A dozen other birds fluttering onto the roof of a house next to them, and below that roof, a male has appeared, crouching atop a snow-covered vehicle, his eyes blindfolded with a length of black silk, his tight grey shirt and pants boasting an athletic shape.
Then, from behind them all, as if through a hole in the misty haze, one last figure emerges: an elderly woman with long silver hair, brown papery skin, and otherworldly mismatched eyes, in an unremarkable beige blouse and billowing white silk pants. Around her like a dark halo, an abundance of birds that float overhead as she approaches through the misty gloom.
The appearance of these four mysterious individuals inspires fear in everyone, Kyle feeling it in a multitude through his Reach. It’s as if his own fears have made themselves true. That today, on this inexplicably special night, just when he felt like everything had become good again—something bad would finally happen.
But as his Reach swiftly does its usual fare of examining the newcomers, Kyle discovers they are not vampires. He also finds he can’t accurately read any of them. The moment his Reach closes in on one, the emotion slips away like smoke in the frigid breeze.
He’s only felt this emotional texture with one other.
Mance.
“Witches,” Kyle mutters under his breath.
To his surprise, Cade steps forward, squinting. “Wait a sec,” she says when Layna tries telling her not to approach them. “No, no. I’ve seen her. I saw her. In my research. I … I know you,” she then says more definitely, pointing at the silver-haired woman in the front. “I know your face. But … how did you get through?”