Chapter 26 - Percy

Aris called us all in for extra security tonight, and unlike the kick-off party, I actually agree with him on this one. The streets of Rosecreek are absolutely packed, with bodies churning around, people dancing, eating candied apples, guzzling cider, and buying kettle corn bag after huge bag.

Part of me wishes I was part of the crushing crowd and participated in the festivities, but another part of me is glad that I'm on the sidelines. This is my first Halloween in Rosecreek, but for a lot of guests here tonight, this is an annual tradition.

The image pops into my head before I can stop it—Veronica and I, making adorable matching family costumes with our little one, coming every year, taking adorable pictures in the pumpkin patch outside town. Putting on ugly velvet suits and going to Christmas at the Cadell's house. Having our own little Christmas Eve celebration, just our family. Flying my parents in to stay with us, making them very much a part of our kids' lives.

Someone dressed up like a table lamp pushes into me, and I snap back to where I am.

I'm dressed as a male pop star, wearing a white tracksuit with red details and perfectly white sneakers. Around the front of my face is a thick, black, fake microphone that I keep thinking is a bumblebee when I see it from my periphery.

Earlier, when I left, Veronica had said, her voice slightly flat, that she just needed more time to get ready. She looked so unbelievably gorgeous in her little body suit, and all I wanted to do was get her close to me, but there was still something getting her down.

We haven't had sex since before the meeting with Paul the vampire, and I wonder if she's nervous about the vampires. It would make sense, because she was attacked by them less than a month ago, and it's part of what started this whole thing.

It's part of what led to us being blood-bound.

Every time I think about asking her about the double heartbeat, it just doesn't seem right. She's either sitting in the bathtub, gazing forlornly at the water, or sitting on the couch, staring forlornly at the wall. Each weekend, Rosecreek held Halloween festivals, and we came to each one, Veronica designing our costumes, but it just never felt like her heart was in it.

I remember her whispering with Rafael, but when I confronted him about it, he said she was just asking him about vampires, said she felt embarrassed asking the others and showing how little, she knew about the paranormal world in general.

I'm not a vampire, but even I could tell he wasn't being completely truthful. But I trust her, and I know with certainty that she would never cheat on me, so I'm just waiting for her to come around and show her as much love as I can.

Bigby told me I should take her out on the lake if I want her to fall in love with the place, said taking Rosa and Kaila to the lake was the first step in convincing them to move.

Aris said I should try being the alpha, as that might convince her, then he'd considered for a second and clarified that he was not suggesting I challenge him.

"Why?" I'd joked, "Nervous, I might win?"

"No," Aris joked back, "I'm nervous I might embarrass you in front of your new girlfriend."

Last night, Byron and I sat at his apartment, playing video games late into the night. Wordlessly, previous week, I'd started joining Ado for coffee and a walk through the park on Sunday mornings like we used to go when we were working.

I've realized that the reason I wasn't doing stuff with the team wasn't because they hated me, it was because I was locking myself in my apartment and waiting for someone to come break me out, while they were trying to give me time to heal without crowding me.

More and more, I've been opening up, sharing with them what it was like while I was out in the woods, under the effect of the serum.

As the throngs of people pushed past me, I notice more and more of them dressed as vampires. My hand itches to look it up, or at least to call and ask Bigby, who probably knows how many people usually dress as vampires for Halloween.

Because this crowd feels skewed, like way more vampires than any other costume, and that can't be a coincidence. I think about what Olivia said, about the current vampire trend, and I hope that's the reason for the costumes.

"Dude," I say, when I catch Byron later. His hair is very pale blue, and he's half-heartedly dressed as a nerd.

"' Sup," he says, but he's not in it. When we played games, I could tell something was bothering him, but Byron has never been one to talk about his feelings, so I've been waiting for him to open up about it to me instead of pushing.

"Do you feel like there are more vampires here?"

"There are vamps here?"

"Shh," I say, laughing a bit to soften the directive. "No, shit, sorry, I was just saying, like the costumes."

"Oh," Byron said, relaxing a bit. "Uh, I don't know, I guess?"

"I just—I feel like there are a lot of people dressed as vampires this year."

"Could be, man. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have surveillance all over this place."

"Okay," I say, taking a breath. "Have you seen Veronica?"

"Yeah," he says, turning away, "I think she was talking to Olivia at the cider stand earlier."

When I'm heading for the cider stand, I see Bigby and wave for him to stop and talk to me.

"Are you noticing more vampire costumes?"

"Yes," Bigby says, nodding. "It's definitely higher than the average, but Olivia said it was trending this year, so I think it tracks."

"Right," I say, nodding and twisting my wristband around and around my arm. "Have you seen Veronica?"

"Yeah," Bigby says, nodding, "she was dancing with Rosa, right in front of the stage."

I'm pushing through the pulsing crowd of people in front of the stage, dancing to the eardrum-shattering DJ who's playing spooky, dance-able music. Linnea did a great job of picking the music, but I can't stand the way it scrambles everything around me, making it hard to focus on what I'm doing.

"Ado!" I say, seeing him near the front of the dancing crowd, keeping them from jumping onto the stage. "Have you seen Veronica?"

"No," he says, brow wrinkling.

I nod, then turn and hurry back down, through the crowd, pushing out into the open air. I see Linnea hurrying through the park in the center of the town with her clipboard and job to catch up with her.

"Hey," I wheeze, when I get to her. I'm not usually breathing this hard, and I wonder, in a brief moment of panic, if I'm having another vampire-venom-related attack, but then the breathless feeling goes away when Linnea turns, her face morphing into a smile.

"Hey," she says, glancing around me, "where's Veronica?"

"That's what I was going to ask you," I say, trying not to let the worry sink too deeply in my brain. "Have you seen her?"

"No," Linnea says, "not since she was getting cider with Olivia."

I'm heading back to the cider stand, getting more and more uncomfortable with the fake vamps around me. They're all sporting glow-in-the-dark fangs, dripping blood, and dark clothing. Based on Paul Smith, the Midwest Vampire, this might not even be the right look, but it still puts me on edge.

It just feels like it can't be a coincidence, and I'm not going to feel at ease until I have Veronica at my side. I'm almost to the cider stand when I see Aris, and pull him to the side, thinking that if anyone knows what's going on, it has to be him.

"Dude," I say, "are you seeing all these vampires?"

"Yeah," he says, tilting his head at me. "That's the theme."

"What?"

"Every year, there's a different theme. Last year was zombie. This was decided right after the last fest; it's just a weird coincidence."

I stare at him, incredulous. I've been nervous all night that this was some genius move on the vampire's part, but it's just a result of people following directions regarding theme.

"Hey, man," Aris says, clapping his hand on my arm. "That dude signed a life pact with me," he tugs his sleeve up a bit to show the edge of the swirling black lines. "There's no way he breaks it. If he does, he will literally die. And that's a vamp's worst fucking nightmare."

"Yeah," I say, laughing a little forcefully. "Right. Yeah."

"You looking for Veronica?" he asks, then says, "I saw her over by the mini donuts thing with Rosa and Olivia a little while ago."

"Right," I say, rolling my eyes and turning to go. Aris gives me a confused look, and starts pushing toward the stage, where Linnea is climbing up, standing in front of the microphone.

I start to think I should just ask her to call for Veronica like a lost child at an amusement park.

"Hello everyone! How sick was DJ Bones?"

The crowd roars in response, and I stop trying to fight my way through them, realizing I'm either going to hurt someone or end up moving in the opposite direction. I just have to ride this one out.

"We want to thank you all for coming out. This has been, by far, the biggest turnout for the Rosecreek Halloween Festival that we have ever seen!"

Another ear-splitting crowd roar, another wish that I'd thought to bring some earplugs.

"Up next, I want to introduce—" she stops, swaying a bit and reaching out for the microphone stand, which doesn't have much stability to offer her and just topples over.

Aris is running up on the stage in an instant, his arms out to her, catching her as she passes out. The crowd murmurs, everyone worried for her. We all stay like that for a minute, stretching into an eternity.

Maisie and Bigby run up onto the stage as well, crouching around her, Maisie with a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff, checking her, working her over like I've seen her do a dozen times.

Then, after what feels like forever, Linnea finally comes to, sitting up a little and waving meekly to the crowd. They all cheer as she gets to her feet. I watch as she leans over and whispers something in Aris's ear. His eyes go wide, and his gaze meets mine just as I feel it—that double heartbeat, beating double-time.

Veronica . Aris sends, as he walks Linnea down off the stage, and another volunteer runs up the steps to take the steps. He doesn't have to tell me because the feeling comes in full force, the crush of her terror, anger, and frustration. She's in trouble.