HINA'

sleeples

he unfamiliar silence of this new house felt louder than any absence. Every t

ar Wars comforter, his breathing deep and even. Thank the moon for small mercies. This modest house mig

ied through my blackout curtains, a

'd bury

hip had died long before his heart stopped beating. No, it was the prospect of facing my family's ju

erm scraped again

e sat, already dressed in the miniature black suit we'd picked out

hed me a smile that did

back at me wore Kieran's strong jawline, his piercing gaze. A l

pered, smoothing his

nd put the video game console aside. "Let's go," he

view, Daniel's courage faltered. His knu

his tense should

red me. "We didn't... we didn't get to say goodbye.

my father's absence had become my normal, Daniel had lost h

ere, my love." My voice cracked. "And here." I tapped his templ

ome of the tension leavin

ea

gth I needed. Together, w

lies from neighboring territories, and a scattering of human associates who'd done business

ont pew. My mother's head rested aga

o

ht through stained glass windows gilded her perfect blonde waves, her designer dr

roached-not for me, never for me-but for the grandson who

ll frame disappearing against her black lace. That left only on

t her hatred hadn't dimmed. She inched away as I sat, the silk

the hall-and land on another family that didn't want me. The Blackthornes occupied the opposit

. Like my family rejected me, the Blackthornes refused to a

tle was passed to Kieran. Now, she regarded me icily. I'm sure she was

elf from my mother's clutches and now formed a living barrier be

needed to be the brave one. The organ's mournful chords signaled the service's s

*

ste credit-her tim

ach scattered handfuls of earth onto our father's coffin. Waited until the crowd dis

the funeral arrangements." Her voice sli

deepened. My single text offering assistance had gone unanswered-my m

rp edges. "As if anyone wou

sister," she hissed. "Ten years you played house with my life. But I'm reclaim

aughing in front o

ll. Their love, their loyalty, Kieran's heart

ned earth. Today was about honoring my father

e alwa

fectly how Leona's face would light up, how Kieran's arms would open instinctively. When Daniel shifted beside me, I caught

My brave boy, standing guard between me

ted me, Daniel deserved his family. "Of course, sweeth

grandfatherly ease, Leona fussing over his suit. At least they l

ping hole in the earth. T

ears falling not just for the father I'd lost

soft earth as I made for the sanctuary of my car. I'd wait

of the gravesite

sobs. The next: a nightmare of snarls and screams as ro

ni

rother's wolf stood guard over our mother, his fangs dripping crimson. Acros

mbered the wolfless daughter, the

gues n

unt forms slunk closer, nostrils

re through the cacopho

the ground hard, the world tilting as I scrambled backward. Above me, an e

erything, I'd die on

shoulder was on fire, hot, thick liquid tricklin

ever deity was listening, just

ogue

tercepted mid-air, the sickening crunch of bone

and fangs bared, stood a massive