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“Put your hoodie on! We can do a big reveal together in the full-length mirror in the bedroom.” She clapped her hands excitedly as I pulled the black shirt on. She grabbed my hand, and I followed her into the room, my eyes locked on the sway of her hips and her shiny hair. Images of those wild curls draped over me flashed in my mind. I didn’t even realize we were at the mirror until Lilah let out a squeak.

“What do you think?” she asked excitedly. Once again, I found myself at a loss. Everything I was, that people thought of me, was staring back at me. Dead. A ghoul. A soulless corpse. But Lilah—her burst of color, her energy—was my light. She was everything I kept hidden, everything I could only dream about. Now, it was true, and it was mine. I was never letting her go.

Chapter 27

Scythe

For the first time in my life, I felt nervous walking into the club. I was used to going unnoticed—in a deliberate way. People avoided looking at me, avoided eye contact, going quiet when I got near, trying to disappear so I wouldn’t focus on them.

On the periphery, in the corner, were the spots I was most comfortable in. But with Lilah at my side, I wanted more. As soon as we got into the main room, we were ambushed.

“Holy shit. You’re gonna beat me.” Charlie came to a stop in front of us, the yellow plaid outfit a perfect replica of Cher from Clueless.

“As if,” Lilah said in a valley girl accent. Charlie attempted to hide her smile behind a huff before leaning in to give Lilah a hug.

“Your makeup is insane! You did all this yourself?” she asked, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze.

Something inside me warmed. I was happy that Charlie and Fee had taken to Lilah. I hadn’t realized how much it would mean to me. Knowing they had her back, though, gave me an extra level of comfort. I could have always put a brother on her, have them follow her, but it wouldn’t be the same.

With friends like Charlie and Fee, I knew they wouldn’t steer her wrong. They were both strong and smart and knew how to take care of themselves. I was proud to call them my family, and glad they meshed so well with the woman I wanted to start a family with.

“Hey! Let them through the doorway, you heathen!” Guard’s familiar voice rang out. Charlie rolled her eyes before grabbing Lilah’s hand.

“You HAVE to see Birdie. She looks adorable. C’mon.” Pulling Lilah behind her, I followed at a slower pace, taking in the decor. Like every year before, the club had gone all out. The main area was unrecognizable.

The color red drenched the room; from the lights to the fabric, it surrounded us. The space felt foggy and mysterious, contrasting with the aggressive neon glow. The main room featured the biggest transformation.

At the far end was the DJ, his area on the stage allowing him to view the dancers and their reactions. There were speakers in every room so whatever he was playing echoed throughout the entire clubhouse.

When we walked in, “Bela Lugosi’s is Dead” by Bauhaus was playing, perfectly complementing the gothic space. Candelabras, tombs, and bottles were scattered about the space, but the biggest attraction was the oversized iron-wrought cage suspended in the air above the dance floor. A tattooed woman dressed in all black and fishnets danced with the music.

A dance floor was set up in the middle. The squares were onyx, shiny-looking, as if we were stepping into a puddle of tar. Star had the idea to hire a bunch of the waitresses and go-go dancers from the MC-owned strip clubs for the night. A few were working behind the bar, some walking around with mysterious drinks that came in neon green or blood-red.

Reaching a table tucked into a corner, we found Bash, Fee, and Birdie—or rather, The Flintstones. All three were decked out in full costumes as Fred, Wilma, and Pebbles. Charlie was right; Birdie looked adorable. The felt bone held her red hair straight up, and she was the mirror image of the character she was portraying.

“Damn. You guys look sick. You painted all that?” Bash asked, frowning down at his costume. Fee shoved Birdie into his arms before coming over to us.

“Okay, stop,” Fee said, looking between us. “You guys look incredible. The skeleton is creepy as hell, and the candy skull is so pretty, it’s actually unfair. How long did this take? I’m obsessed.” Fee gushed as the space started to fill.

Bull showed up next, with Logan and Star at his side. The three of them were dressed like Princess Bride characters. Star and Logan were Wesley and Princess Buttercup, while Bull stalked behind them, dressed as Fezzik, looking very accurate to the movie—one of my favorites.

Bull had mentioned that Star was looking for a new place to stay. From what I understood, she wasn’t comfortable living alone. And Bull and Logan were a great security system. The three of them had grown close lately. and their costume choice reflected that. Not to mention, they looked great.

The girls had been introducing Logan to the club in slow doses. He had gone to the bar during Lilah’s shifts with Bull and BBQs at Bash and Fee’s. This was his first time at the clubhouse, though, and I was excited for my friend. It felt like prom night—or what I imagined it would have been like.

After several fights and suspensions, Mom pulled me out of school. My IQ was above average, and I passed the GED at fifteen. Working was my next step. College wasn’t really a consideration. I was able to work for the club in certain ways until I figured out that security was where I thrived. Watching, checking for weakness, planning defenses and attacks. No team work or collaboration needed. Just planning and execution.

Taking a break from the group, I left Bash in charge while I decided to run upstairs to use the bathroom in the space I no longer stayed in. On my way back, I passed the room that used to be Crow’s. The door was slightly open, and I hesitated. What are the chances? Last year, I missed all the signs. This year, I wouldn’t do the same. No one had moved into that room since Crow left. It was like a mausoleum or a haunted house that none of us even spoke about.

Stepping closer, I heard the voices of two women. Within moments, I recognized them—Cece and Seph. I hesitated for a moment, intending to leave, when Seph’s broken cry stopped me in my tracks.

“Oh, Seph, let it out,” I heard Cece murmur as muffled sobs drifted across the room.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. About how blind we were to all of it. It feels like part of me is missing. Everywhere I go, he’s still there somehow, like the ghost of a phantom limb. All I want to know is if he’s okay. To see him. To tell him I love him. To tell him I’m sorry. That this is on me. Not Reaper, not the brothers.”

“Seph, honey, no!” Cece interjected. But Seph wasn’t finished. Her voice rose as the dam finally broke.

“This time last year, looking back, I feel so…blind. I had no idea what he had planned or what he was capable of. And I’m just so angry!” Her words cracked. “How could he do this? To his brothers? Reaper is that boy’s father in every way that matters. I just don’t know what we did wrong.”