Page 43 of Midnight Rain

Austin laughed. “I was in cosmetology school. They were my practice dummies. They really didn’t have names. I was just fucking with you because you looked so freaked out by them.”

Orion scowled. “I had nightmares for months after my visit, jerk. To this day I cringe and walk the other away whenever I see a mannequin in a store. You really messed me up with those things.”

“They were just a Styrofoam heads for the wigs.”

“Watching me sleep,” Orion argued. “I kept expecting to wake up and find them surrounding me, ready to perform some kind of sacrificial ritual on me.”

Austin grinned. “You’ve watched one too many movies, but at least I know what to get you for Christmas.”

Orion looked at him with narrowed eyes. “If you give me one of those for Christmas, I’ll beat the crap out of you with it.”

“It’s Styrofoam. Do your worst.” Austin looked back up at the ceiling. It was on the tip of his tongue to apologize to Orion for the lockdown, but he’d said he was sorry so many times to the mates already. They all waved his apologies away every time.

“Do you think he’s in Midnight Falls?” Orion asked. “It’s been nearly two weeks, and he hasn’t made a move.”

“What’re we doing?” Santee asked as he walked in and lay down, spreading his arms and legs. “Is this yoga?”

“We’re swimming,” Orion said. “You need water wings, Santee. There isn’t a shallow end.”

“Then I’ll just sit on the side of the pool and soak up the sun,” Santee said. “There’s a lot of hot guys stretched out on those long chairs, and a few of them are eyeballing me.”

“And Beckett is in the lifeguard chair,” Austin said, playing along. “There’s about to be mass casualties.”

“I hope Bran brings us some more of those muffins,” Santee said. “Or cookies. Sweet Spot makes the best.”

Austin wished he could explore the town. He’d been in Midnight Falls for almost two weeks, and the only places he’d been were the café, Paloma’s house, and here. Summer wasn’t going to last forever, and Austin wanted to do more than stare at the ceiling while life passed him by.

Which was terrifying, considering Cormac had told him that he was immortal. That had shocked him. He couldn’t wrap his head around living that long.

“Milly and Paloma went to the grocery store,” Santee said. “Duncan took them. Izel wanted to, but since he doesn’t know how to drive, he had to stay behind.”

“How is Izel a grown man and he doesn’t know how to drive?” Austin asked. “Did he live under a rock?”

Orion sat up. “Cormac didn’t tell you?”

Austin looked up at his cousin. “Tell me what?”

Orion groaned and flopped back down. “The day Santee asked me to come over for dinner, I could have sworn I felt a presence in my house.”

Pushing to a sitting position, Austin crossed his legs.

“When I got here, Beckett introduced me to Duncan. The guy went nuts, and then Izel appeared in the room. The next thing I know, I’m in some forest.”

“Like, teleported?” Austin asked.

“Yep. Two thousand years ago, Izel’s dad killed him. He didn’t want to give up his power and let Izel take over as tribe leader.”

“Hold on.” Austin held up a hand. “Did you just say two thousand?”

“Izel was a reaper,” Santee said.

“Thanks for stealing my thunder,” Orion snapped. “I was building up to that.”

Santee’s eyes widened. “You were taking too long.”

Austin looked between the two. “You guys are fucking with me.”

“Ask Izel,” Santee said.

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