Page 2 of Samhain

Code for her family was around. “Are you watching?”

“Of course.” Another dramatic sigh. Typical Miri. “I’m sure she looks bloody amazing. And he probably looks like my prince of darkness. It’s absolutely horrid.”

“Did you talk to her?” No sense in elaborating. There could only be one her between Miri and me.

“No,” she said, followed by a pause. “Have you?”

“No. Neither of them.”

“I suppose we deserve this. You and me, for our sins.”

“Don’t do that to yourself.” I knew what sins she meant, and of the three of us, I was the only one who knew what Miri had kept to herself. “We’re in this together. All of us.”

“All of us,” she said with a sarcastic laugh. “Christ, we’re pathetic.”

“Have you rethought my proposal?” I asked again. “Do I need to show up on my valiant steed for you to finally listen to me?”

“I can’t, Romeo,” she said before another long pause and a much lower, “It’s not safe.”

“None of this is safe; that’s the point. You know what’s about to happen. You know we need to be together.”

“That doesn’t change anything.”

“Juliet,” I said. “Marry me. I can come get you in twenty minutes.” I was still in London. I could still put the plan into action.

She let out a sad chuckle. “Now, there’s a silly idea.”

“I’m serious.”

“Ivy would kill me,” she said. “She would kill you, too.”

“They have each other. All we have is us.”

She made another sigh. “I have to go. They’re always listening. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

I almost begged her to come to me, to spend this night, the worst night of our lives, together like we used to. Like the good old days. That was how we could be safe. We were stronger together, the four of us. But it wouldn’t do any good.

Her family had sequestered her away from the public eye. Freedom would mean goodbye forever, and Miri didn’t know who she was if she wasn’t part of her family.

“Be well, Juliet.”

“You too, Romeo. I love you.”

“I love you.” I meant the words with every fiber in my being. The love I shared with Miri wasn’t the same as what I felt for Ivy, nor would it match the intensity with which I burned for Lex. But it was there all the same, vibrant and everlasting.

“Wait, what’s this?” the talking head said, catching my attention as I hung up. “I’m being told now that Ivy and Lex are missing. No one can find them in the marital suites.”

I shot to my feet, alarm ricocheting down my spine.

Son of a bitch.

My phone rang again.

Act I

If then true lovers have been ever crossed,

It stands as an edict in destiny.

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