Page 80 of Riot of Autumn

My fist flies through the air and connects with Seraphina’s nose with a satisfying crush. I take great pleasure in breaking her nose for the second time in a week. She shrieks and stumbles back, blood pouring from the now broken appendage. She cups her hands like she doesn’t know what to do with the dripping fluid.

“You broke my nose again,” she screeches, her words muffled.

“You burned down my house. I’m going to go ahead and say we’re not even.” I draw my hand back like I’m about to hit her again, but she rushes back to Colton’s side, glaring daggers at me while trying not to bleed all over her white cashmere sweater. Too late.

A few more townies call out as they walk toward my house. It’s a few of Skeeter’s friends and I’m pretty sure Sal from Paul’s is with them. Anthony’s nostrils flare as he takes in the crowd of people standing in front of my house, and the new wave of helpers who are headed our way.

“Let’s go.” He snaps his fingers, and all his little underlings follow behind him.

We watch them walk away, dread settling in my stomach as I wonder what else we’re going to face because of them.

“Someone needs to tell us what in the ever-loving fuck that was about.” Octavia rattles her glass, and Greta runs over to get her a refill.

My friends and I, those that have determined we’re going to form an Axis and take down these assholes, all look at each other.

Archer takes Octavia’s hand and leads her back to the chair she was sitting in earlier. “Let me tell you a story.”

I guess we’re getting everyone involved in the plan.

28

EZRA

“Iknow we can’t cancel the whole island’s Samhain festival, but do you really think we should be going?” It pains me to even say it, because I love Halloween and getting all dressed up. It’s just with our track record, going to another festival smacks of willful ignorance.

“We need to show our faces. This is part of the plan, and we have to stick to it,” Lena says as she walks into the game room.

Her face is pinched like she’s worried we’re going to deviate too far from her checklist of what needs to happen tonight. We’ve spent the last few weeks practicing magic and preparing for tonight to the point where I could shift in my sleep. Now the time has come. We’re all at Miri’s house, getting ready for the festival and the rest of the night’s activities.

Wild Haven’s Samhain festival is always held on Aspen Street. Lena and Archer spent most of yesterday and part of this morning getting everything set up. We’ve all been together since the sun set and everyone is more than a little antsy to get this night over with.

“What does sexiness have to do with Samhain costumes?” I hear Zara from the hallway. Archer, Davis, Rhys and I have been waiting in the game room while the ladies have been getting ready upstairs.

“You can call it Halloween. We just call it the Samhain festival because we’re snooty and fancy on this island,” Ruby says.

“Hey. We call all the festivals by their traditional names,” Lena shouts toward the hallway, sounding grouchy as the other three approach the game room.

“And the whole point of Halloween is to let loose, to shake off your insecurities and pretend to be someone wild and free for the night,” Ruby continues like Lena didn’t just interrupt.

“But isn’t a nurse a really demanding job? How is dressing up as a sexy nurse portraying someone wild and free?”

“Um.” Ruby struggles to answer, sighing as she walks into the game room. Zara’s at her side and Miri’s smirking behind them.

“And I really don’t understand what a hot dog bun has to do with anything.” Zara’s eyes take in Ruby’s costume. It took me all of ten seconds to agree to my part of the costume when she suggested it.

Miri barks out a laugh and wanders over to Davis’s side. She’s wearing a skintight black bodysuit, rocking the cat woman getup. Ruby makes an exasperated sound. Zara has gotten caught up to a lot of the day-to-day stuff in our world, but having spent most of her life in Fairy, there are still some things that stump her.

“Some people go for sexy; some prefer to be funny or gory. The sky’s the limit,” Ruby says with a shrug as she adjusts her costume. She’s wearing the puffy hot dog bun like a vest, with a cream colored full bodied unitard underneath.

“Well, I don’t understand why your suit has sequins on it.” Archer stares at Ruby. He’s looking dapper in a twenty’s era pinstripe suit, complete with a fedora. Next to him, Lena has on a flapper dress, her dark hair arranged to look like a bob, even though it’s much longer than that.

“Even hot dogs like to feel sparkly,” Ruby snarks back, coming to a stop in front of me.

Her green eyes do a full perusal of my body, her mouth quirking up in a smile. “I can see your wiener.”

“I felt like letting it all hang out tonight. And your buns look delicious.” I smirk back at her, knowing I’m going to be the sexiest man in a hot dog costume at the festival. There is very little chance of anyone else being a hotter wiener than me.

Ruby gets up on her tiptoes. She’s wearing a pair of red chucks, so she’s still way shorter than me. Just when I think she’s going to kiss me, she taps my dick and I grunt.

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