After Party Novels & Stories

“Yeah. She is.” The music grew louder, the joy contagious. Soon, everyone was dancing—parents, cousins, friends—no titles, no expectations, just love and celebration filling the room. For that night, nothing else mattered. Only laughter. Only music. Only love. And it was perfect. The after-party kicked off immediately after the wedding reception. The main hall had been transformed into a dazzling celebration space—twinkling fairy lights hung from the ceiling, the dance floor was polished to perfection, and the bar was stocked with every kind of drink imaginable. Music thumped through the speakers, and the air was buzzing with laughter, chatter, and the clinking of glasses.

“The only thing that scares me… is not being close enough if someone tries to take you.” Her stomach tightened, both in fear and something warmer, deeper, more dangerous. “Get dressed,” he murmured. “I’ll be waiting.” ****** The gala was held in the Crestfallen Hotel. A towering marble fortress lit with white stone columns that stretched into the sky. Snow drifted in slow spirals, settling on the awnings and glowing under the lanterns. Lucian helped Elara from the car only after scanning the street with a careful, lethal precision. If anyone had ever looked at her with such wordless protectiveness, she didn’t remember it.

A raven shaped dirty little coffee table in the center, one side of the wing cut off cleanly, leaving the table crooked to the other side, almost falling. That’s it. That, and some posters on the wall with different images of a little girl wearing a cute red hoodie, and the same word at the bottom: WANTED. Meph went for the raven desk. Right on its edge was a dirty plate holding a slice of cake, a corner of it bit off. Green mold growing on the old piece of cake, faintly revealing a card beneath. By its side, an empty bottle without a cap. On its neck ties another card--

My sister had sharp eyes and found the letter under the old pillow. Dad wiped away his tears and unfolded the paper with trembling hands. "Mom, Dad, and Heidi. By the time you see this letter, the countdown should have ended. I'm so happy I get to live with all of you. Thank you for your hard work in the last 18 years. I hope we can still be a family in my next life! Oh, right, use the money in the piggy bank to buy a toy for Heidi! Consider it an early birthday gift."

Anything that might give her a lead. She finally found her. Natalie Cole. Age: 22. Graduated community college last spring. Working part-time at a nonprofit outreach center on 83rd. Lives in a rented apartment in Little Valley. Meekey stared at the listing for ten full minutes. Her daughter’s name looked strange on the screen. Familiar but distant, like a word spoken in another language. She picked up the payphone, dialed the number to the outreach center, and waited. One ring. Two. Click.

Aunt Judy let out an evil laugh like Ursula from The Little Mermaid and said, “That right there is my special potion. It’s gon’ make you brave, tough, and friendly with Monty like you oughta be. Now get out there and act like you don’t know nothing about what’s going on. I got a lil trick up my sleeve that’s gon’ give you some closure.” When we reentered the banquet hall, there were more people there than I remembered. Family I hadn’t seen in years, friends of the family, Dad’s campaign team. Even some of Draya’s old boyfriends were there. And I didn't like any of them. Except Preston. He was a sweet guy who really cared about Draya. She was just too blind and stuck on making my life a livin

I told the maid to clean up the place. The photo frame was shattered beyond repair, so she asked if I wanted to throw it away. I just stared at it for a long time before shaking my head. After she was done, I got ready to head out to meet my friend, Alma Cooper. She had just returned from another pack and invited me to catch up over lunch. We met at a fancy restaurant. Soft music played in the background. As soon as Alma saw me, she pulled me into a warm hug.

The Russo villa looked as if nothing had happened. Gold ribbons wound around the staircase. Champagne crates stood beside the dining room, and servants carried trays through the hall for Serena’s pregnancy reception. The old medical room had been closed, its door locked, as if shutting it could erase the blood. Dante’s mother stood near the staircase with Lucia De Luca. When she saw me, her face tightened, but she pointed toward two suitcases by the service entrance. “Your things are there.”

Golden sunlight fell across the petals and across our interlocked fingers. The entanglement between Julian Hayes and Victoria Quinn had finally vanished completely. And the new life that belonged to Elise and me had only just begun. The end.

Sebastian Morrison was the most famous fireworks designer in the world. We'd been together for seven years, and countless times, I'd hinted that I wanted a fireworks show that belonged only to me. Every time, he just ruffled my hair. "Next time it's your birthday," he'd say, "I'll design you the most beautiful one yet." The night of my birthday, I rushed to the beach, my heart full of anticipation. Instead, I found Sebastian standing under a sky full of fireworks, his arms wrapped around Victoria Grey. The fireworks burst over the water, dazzling, like a dream. Just not one that belonged to me. I stood frozen at the edge of the crowd. Someone nearby laughed and said, "I heard this des