Page 5 of Beyond the Storm
“Shall we?” Alastair nodded to the tree line.
The four of us started walking. I guided Simon through the forest, making sure he didn’t get snagged by thorn bushes or trip over tree roots jutting from the ground. My clumsy human. Up ahead, the trees thinned to reveal a clearing.
A dark shape swayed in the air several feet from the grass. It had a faint shine as it moved. Drawing closer, I noticed it was… “A black balloon?”
The string was tied to a rock in the center of the grassy trail.
“There’s something attached,” Lazarus said, voice emotionless, just like his expression. However, as Alastair looked at him, the angel’s eyes swam with unspoken affection.
A small, rolled-up piece of paper was fastened to the balloon’s string, like a mini scroll reminiscent of the ones attached to homing pigeons once upon a time to send messages.
“Are you going to read it?” Simon asked, pressing closer to my side.
I surveyed the area. A weird tingling zapped through my veins. Something felt off. I mean, this entire situation was fucking strange, but as my gaze swept along the forest, I felt exposed, like multiple eyes were locked onto me. Though it was barely audible, there was a soft intake of air as someone waited with bated breath.
I tore the paper from the string and unraveled it.
One word was scribbled across it:Pop.
The balloon then burst, the shrill sound making Simon yelp. I shoved him behind me on impulse and bared my teeth, fists tightening, gearing up to rip someone apart if I had to. But something drew my attention. The inside of the balloon had been filled with… something. Shiny pieces drifted to the ground.
Glitter? Larger pieces mingled with it. Confetti…. in the shape of dicks.
My brain stopped working. I struggled to make sense of it. That’s when I sensed a familiar presence. Several familiar presences.
My brothers.
“Surprise!” multiple voices shouted simultaneously.
Torches flared to life, chasing away the shadows of night and lighting the clearing. My brothers and their mates stood beside a large firepit. Clara, Sirena, Penemuel, and Nico were present as well. A row of tables stretched to the right of them, covered in platters of food. More balloons swayed, a combination of black and red.
“What the fuck is going on?” I asked. I had walked into the forest that night prepared to kill someone. If one of them didn’t start talking, I still might.
Gray bounded forward, wearing a red party hat and waving a pink, penis-shaped wand. “Your surprise party!”
More confusion. “My… what?”
“It was my idea.” Simon faced me, his expression gentle yet also shy. Perhaps a bit nervous too. “I realized I didn’t know your birthday. So I asked Alastair. April 27.”
“Fitting that he’s a Taurus,” Clara muttered. “Stubborn and hotheaded.”
I looked at my brother. “We stopped celebrating birthdays centuries ago.”
“True,” Alastair responded. “Time may be of little consequence when you’ve lived for as long as we have, but the war shifted my perception. We’re fortunate to still be here, and we should celebrate our lives, however infinite they may be. Simon’s request drove that truth home.”
“I’m just glad I asked when I did,” Simon said, wrapping his arms around my waist. “I was afraid your birthday might’ve already passed.”
“How long has this been planned?”
“About two weeks,” he answered.
I slid my hand to his nape. “You kept this from me for two whole weeks?”
“Guilty as charged.”
“We learned about it a few days ago,” Raiden said. “Gave me enough time to plan a menu. I made all your favorites. Barbeque wings, sliders, and strawberry cake.”
“I learned about it this afternoon.” Gray waved the wand around before poking Mason’s cheek with the tip.
