Fate's Demand (Twisted Fate, Book 3)

Chapter Fifteen

It took two hours to reach Teigan's acreage from the time we arrived at Suzie's to get ready. Although the rain had stopped, the wind was still fierce, and it was too dark to tell if the shadows were still waiting to drop. The howling couldn't drown out the music, though. Even from the bottom of the winding driveway where we were forced to park, I could hear the beats as songs were switched while we made the hike to the front door.

Who cared about disturbing neighbors when you lived in the middle of nowhere and had a house big enough to fit ten families inside? If I had that kind of money, I'd get a home away from everyone too, though the electric bill to shirk shadows would be hell to pay. Stupid Darkness. Was it any wonder what happened to Lucifer? I doubt that, not in any one of his attempts for power, he had tried talking about things. Could the supposed war between angels have been avoided with a compromise if he had done that instead of trying to force it like what I assumed were his tainted minions were attempting with me?

Or was it just either-or, no matter the cost?

How could I manage to find out if someone was always on Alyssa Watch?

"No wonder Teigan never has to exercise," Suzie complained just before we reached the door of the house. "Just running to and from the mailbox is a workout."

"Aw, come on." I nudged her with my hip. "At least by parking so far away we don't have to fight to leave. Not only can we roll down, which is, like, no effort, but nobody's blocking us in!"

She rolled her eyes. "I'd rather just start our trip than come here." She kicked the ground, sending a cloud of dust flying in front of us, and we both paused, looking away and holding our breath until it settled. "Why do you want to come to a party now when you haven't for so long?"

"Shh." I put a finger to my lips as gravel crunched from behind and then pointed over my shoulder as we started forward again. "If they hear you say that, I'll never get my final night of freedom."

"Ever think that might be a good thing?" she asked, scowling. She lowered her voice before I could answer. "Are you doing this because you want to spite them?"

With one last cautionary glare at Suzie, I pasted a bright smile to my face as Gabe, then Mike, and then Raffy came into view. She was right, of course. The other Mike's unexpected visit and the unnatural storm during graduation was all the evidence she needed to prove it. But then, her evidence was also why I wanted to come to the party. Spitting in Darkness's face was a bonus, especially when it splattered to hit Mike, Gabe, and Raffy. But I couldn't keep from thinking about what would happen if we all stopped to find out what it wanted.

To be equal?

Destroy everything good?

In a way, coming was a way to spite both sides, but, if what David—the one from my dreams—said was right, and Heaven was void of Darkness, this would be my last chance to find out.

Could a compromise be reached?

"How'd you guys beat us here?" Raffy asked, stepping into the light of the front porch while Mike and Gabe joined from one step behind.

"I don't know" I schooled my expression into happiness so that my thoughts were my own. "Maybe you should trade the Jetta in for some better wings?"

I couldn't fool Suzie, though. From the corner of my eye, I saw something register before she too masked it with a smile.

"Inside?" she asked, opening the door wide enough for us and letting it slam back into the boys' faces.

Good job. I just hoped Gabe didn't get hit again. There was room to share and they all deserved to take a turn. When they had been acting as the voice, they said my actions had been selfish. I hadn't forgotten—after my memory returned, of course—my mission to prove how wrong they were. What better way than to try something they were too close to see as an option?