Page 29

I nearly laugh. ‘Yeah, I am. We call it Deaf gain.’

Rathyn repeats the sign neatly, with claws out. ‘On Erethar,’ he starts, but he doesn’t get the chance to finish his sentence because Dante appears, interrupting our conversation.

‘I need Rathyn,’ he says, and I nod, letting him pull the Vyastil away from me.

‘Talk more later?’ I ask him, and Rathyn gives me a nod before a clearly anxious Dante pulls him to the side.

Dante’s speaking, so I don’t understand much of it, but I do see words like Nonna, drunk, and alcohol. I’m assuming Nonna did something she wasn’t supposed to, which is typical. If she’s not bitching at my dad, she’s wreaking havoc on social situations.

Rathyn’s nodding quickly, and his lips are moving in a way I can’t possibly understand, but whatever he says to Dante, my brother immediately relaxes and presses a hand to his chest. Rathyn looks satisfied and turns, probably to find Everest, and I quickly slide back up to my brother.

‘Hey, you feel okay?’

He nods. ‘I’m going to be in pain tonight.’

I jerk my chin toward Rathyn’s retreating back. ‘What happen?’

Dante rolls his eyes. ‘Oh, Cielo’s drunk. Rathyn said he’d be fine, but I was scared for a minute that human alcohol would hurt him.’

My eyes widen. ‘He get drunk how? Where alcohol?’

‘Nonna gave him grappa.’

I fucking knew it. I slap a hand over my face and groan. ‘Oh my god,’ I sign with my other hand. ‘Where is he?’

Dante grimaces. ‘Passed out in the girls’ bedroom. I wanted to carry him back to the apartment and put him to bed, but I don’t think I’m strong enough.’

I pull up my arm and flex, showing off my bulging bicep, making him scowl. ‘I can carry him. I’ll make Gia help me. This is her fault. I told her to hide her liquor better.’

‘Thanks,’ he says, using both hands to emphasize how much he means it. He looks more relieved now.

I ruffle his hair, and he shoves me off before I snag Gia’s hand. ‘Come help.’

I love her for not asking what I need, and she follows me to the bedroom where I clock a passed-out Cielo on the bed. His chest is rising and falling evenly, and his eyes are tightly shut, though his mouth is open and he’s probably snoring.

‘What the hell?’ Gia demands.

‘Nonna,’ I sign. ‘Grappa.’

‘I’m going to kill her,’ Gia says, looking at the monster sprawled out on the bed. ‘She is seriously deranged.’

‘She is. Dad is hiding from her on the patio.’

‘Smoking weed?’

I grin and nod.

‘I’ll need some after carrying this one home.’ Gia leans over the bed, then hefts his arm over her shoulder, and I do the same with the other as we hoist him upward. Cielo’s head lolls forward, almost completely dead weight, but as we move, I can tell he’s regaining some consciousness. His feet attempt to hold some of his weight, but I can tell the liquor has made him weak in the knees, and all he does is make it a little harder.

And a lot heavier.

Luckily we don’t have far to go, and the two of us make it next door, panting and sweating. I point at Dante’s room, and Gia kicks the door open as I heave him past the narrow door frame, and as we drag him to my brother’s bed, he falls like a dead weight. His arms sprawl out above his head, and his tail hits the ground with a thunk I can feel in my socked feet.

We stare at him a moment, and I swipe at my forehead, trying to catch my breath. ‘I need a fucking drink.’

‘And weed.’ Gia grins at me and takes my hand, pulling me back next door.

The party is exactly as it was when we left, except I realize after a second it isn’t. Something has changed. The air has shifted. And there’s a familiar scent in the room that brings back a visceral memory of a hotel room, and sharp claws, a long tail, and a tongue piercing.