After shedding a few tears, Jude asks Andrew, "Well, what happened the day Mama was buried?"The family did a Knight Island burial ritual and then wrapped her dead body. The wrapping procedure is close to mummification but not quite as advanced. Melanie's guilt had her crying all night beside Mama's coffin. After the memorial, Deena said, "I'll take her to the mainland to be cremated."Uncle Julius retorted, "Cremated? Mama never asked to be cremated. She wants to be put in the tomb."Jude interrupts Andrew, "What tomb?"Andrew shrugs, "It was new to us too. Only Mama and Uncle Julius are older. Everyone else has been too young to die, so we were just as clueless as you are right now. Even Deena was ignorant of its existence."Once Uncle Julius said that, Deena said, "Well, lead the way, Julius.""Jude needs to be here," answered Uncle Julius.Soon, Melanie started snickering. The family stood watching her. Now, she was laughing loudly. Deena shouted, "What's so fucking funny?"Melan
As soon as we enter the car, I say, "That was weird. What does the note say?""I was instructed not to read it yet." Jude seems stoic. Checking if he'll be truthful, I ask, "Well, what did she whisper to you?""Let the dead stay buried. Something like that.""This world is filled with freaks. What does that even mean?"Dazed, Jude starts the engine and backs out of her driveway. Once we're on the expressway, and he's still deep in thought, I ask him, "Are you lying to me?""Lying about what?""Why are you so secretive? You don't know that woman, or do you?""I've heard or read what she told me. I'm just trying to remember where that's all."We enter my condo to the wolf pack, laughing and feeling too comfortable. Jude turns the corner, and Chiara rushes to hug him. Rubbing his ear, he says, "Not now, Chiara.""Ughhh. I forgot we have a non-wolf among us," Chiara turns up her nose."Shut up! It's time to go! Straighten up so we can head out," Jude commands. All three of them started
It's late at night, and we're driving. Chiara is lying down and asleep in the last row, while Wison and Andrew are asleep behind us. Jude stops at a gas station for snacks. While shopping, I ask, "Who is Mimi?""A dead woman walking in Louisiana.""What?"Jude huffs, "Someone cursed her, so she was hiding in the swamps depending on her Bible to save her.""Was she dead or alive?""Alive, Ajay. That's a figure of speech.""Is that why you wanted to return to Louisiana before this madness with Bruce?""Uh, yes and no. Mimi's dead now, but she was alive when we were there.""I'm so confused. Well, what did you and Wilson need to discuss privately?"Agitated, he replies, "Private issues."I stomp away and shop alone. On the road again, I whisper, "I don't like all the secrets. So, I die if I lie, but it seems all you do is lie to me."Glancing back, he whispers to me, "Wilson witnessed me kill Mimi, and he's gay.""Who's gay?"Jude scowls my way and then focuses on the road. Wincing, I w
A devious smirk is frozen on Deena's face as she continues to watch me. The entire bunker sits silently, awaiting my response. Another Knight girl motions for Rojelio when Deena gently pushes him away. Deena slowly walks towards me, but Micah blocks her, saying, "Leave her alone, Deena. We have bigger fish to fry tonight."Hearing those words makes me remember my newfound ally lurking deep within me. I calm myself and ease into a dark corner.Only minutes later do we hear howling and growling. The Pack is inside the villa, tussling just above us. Deena yells, "Why are they here? What is Jude doing?"Soon, she's climbing up the ladder. Everyone inside starts whispering, wondering what she's about to do. Micah rushes behind and grabs her leg, asking, "What are you doing? Use your powers to astral project or whatever you do, but you're not opening that door!" "Micah, you have three seconds to let go of me.""This is crazy!" he shouts.Sammy and Caleb start arguing with Deena. Taunting,
It's late in the evening, and Jude still hasn't returned. Lana's calling, so I answer. She asks, "What's up? We talked, and then you fell off. You ignore our group texts. Bethany and I went to your home and yoga studio to no avail. Where are you staying?""I know how to hide, Lana.""You're such a liar. I talked to Zelma." "So you stayed in contact with Zelma after Phyllis died?""Zelma's a part of our sorority.""How convenient." "Ajay, you shouldn't be there. I'll say it for you since you're beating around the bush. You're a witch. You told Justine, who told Zelma, who told me.""What else has Zelma told you?"Lana tells me Zelma isn't an innocent bystander. From the moment she dropped me off at Jude's house when Aaron left me stranded, she's been watching me. Dean was unaware of how much his daughters knew about the Knights. Zelma and Justine's mother died before they moved to Knight's Island. Feeling hopeless, Dean needed a way to bring meaning back into his life. Dean was se
Lana yells, "Ajay! Answer me!""I'm sorry, Lana, I have to go.""AJAY!"Racing out of the house, Wilson stops me. "Wilson, let go of me!""I'll let you go after you tell me where you're going," says Wilson."AHHHH!" I scream.Wilson asks, flinching, "What's wrong with you?""Are you all lying to me? Where's Jude?""Ajay, we're not lying. We thought he was with you."His doe eyes and scrubby face make Wilson look adorable and innocent. Your mind convinces you it's impossible for him to lie. I let out a loud sigh, and he gently touched my hand, saying, "C'mon, Ajay. Let me get you something to eat.""If it's from the villa, I don't want it."Wide-eyed, he looks my way. Now staring at the food in his hand, he asks, "Something's wrong with it?""Do you trust Deena?""Since you put it that way, " he's wrinkling his nose.He hands me a smoothie and sits across from me. There isn't any negative energy coming from Wilson. Dazed, he sips his beverage, deep in thought. Because his aura leaves m
"Jude said those exact words to you?" I ask. "Yes." Although my heart's shattering like broken glass, I say, "That's what you guys' intimate talk was about?" "Mhmm." "Is he in love with you too?" "What? No! And I'm not in love with Jude. After we talked, he explained why I felt that way. Everything I shared was his words. I just repeated his wise counsel to you because it made perfect sense. Also, as you know, he can mate by biting. He once thought it was the only way, but now he knows there's a deeper connection involved when mating." "So you don't love Jude?" "Have you heard a word I said? Yes, I love Jude, but I'm not in love with him. He's going to skin me alive for telling you this, but I kissed him." "When!?" "When we first went to Knight Island," he says with a yucky face, "It was disgusting." "Did he kiss you back?" I wince. "Not at all. He tried to kill me." I watch him, hands over my mouth. Waving me off, he says, "Go ahead and laugh." An uncontrolled laugh erup
I'm in the mirror analyzing my back tattoo. Gino asks, "Do you like it?""It'll have to do."Gino swipes my credit card, and it declines. He scolds, "No, Chiara! Not this time!""Gino, you know I'm good for it. I need to make an impression on some lames tonight. I promise it'll be in your bank account by noon tomorrow."While he massages his temples, I gently kiss him. Once we lock eyes, I give my lips a sensual lick, saying, "Thanks, baby."Lucy is waiting in her Jeep for me. She's wearing a pastel purple mid-drift knit top and matching shorts. As I enter the car, I say, "Don't you look gorgeous?""Thanks. Let me see your back. Gliding her finger down my spine, she whispers, "It's awesome like you."Two guys are gawking our way. I motion for her to come closer, and we let our tongues massage for a few seconds, and then we kiss. When we look up, those guys are entranced. Lucy and I burst into laughter before we speed off. Smoothies in hand, we enter Your Portion, and Dawn sprints ove