Total pages in book: 238
Estimated words: 231781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1159(@200wpm)___ 927(@250wpm)___ 773(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1159(@200wpm)___ 927(@250wpm)___ 773(@300wpm)
No one spoke, the wheels turning in their heads as they exchanged looks. As they came to terms with the possibility that Aydin could win tonight.
“Aydin engages in nothing until he’s sure he can win,” Alex said in a quiet voice. “She’s right. He’s not alone.”
I stepped in closer, our circle tightening. “They were probably at the wedding,” I said, gesturing with my eyes to the crowd. “They’ve been following us the whole time.”
I slid my eyes to the left, seeing another one. And then another one.
Slowly, the devils were all around us, slipping through the unknowing crowd and surrounding us like an army, and our crew averted their eyes, awareness finally written all over their faces that we were already caught.
“The masks,” I murmured. “The devils. It’s how their crew is identifying each other.”
“Shit,” Rika whispered, moving her gaze around the theme park.
We had enough to overcome Evans Crist with the eleven of us, plus Micah and Rory, but we might not now if Evans had Aydin and Taylor’s families behind him. And if he had Martin and a police force behind him?
We were screwed.
Rika grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the warehouse, everyone following as we piled inside, hurrying around a maze of dark tunnels, and slipping behind a prop wall, actors gasping as we found them sticking their hands through the holes to grab patrons and scare them.
Rika whipped off her hoodie and unhooked her mask. “Emmy, switch with me.”
She took my mask and hooked it onto her belt.
“Alex, switch with Banks,” she told her.
I remained still. “They’re coming after all of us,” I pointed out.
It was no use to hide my identity when she was in danger, too.
But she retorted, “Not Aydin and Taylor. They’ll be after you two first.”
Okay, maybe. And if Martin were here tonight, I would definitely be a target.
I slid off my jacket and tossed it to her, taking her hoodie and pulling it over my head as Alex and Banks did the same.
“Get to the underground,” Will told everyone. “Em and Alex will go with Rika and Michael.”
The underground?
But before I could ask questions, Ryen chimed in, “We shouldn’t split up.”
“We’ll move faster and easier that way,” he told her.
I grabbed his face and kissed him, out of breath already. “I want to go with you.”
He caressed my cheek. “We’ll meet at the Cove. I have to lead them away from the town. I just want to give you all a chance to get away before they catch up.”
We pulled on our masks and yanked up our hoods to cover our hair.
“You two go with Kai and Banks,” Will told Misha and Ryen. Then he jerked his chin at Rory and Micah. “And you both stick with Lev, Damon, and Winter.”
They nodded, pulling on their new masks. I kind of wanted to smile. Will had thought of everything, hadn’t he?
“Shake ’em,” he instructed us. “I left the door unlocked. Get to the underground. Get to the Cove.”
“Yup,” everyone said, moving out into the maze again. Damon and Winter slipped through first to get a head start.
But before I could leave, Will grabbed me, pulled me into his arms, and lifted my mask, kissing me hard and deep, his tongue making me moan.
I love you.
“Don’t get hurt,” I whispered against his mouth.
I nodded.
He gazed into my eyes. “I’m marrying you.”
And then he pulled down my mask and rushed me out of our hiding place.
Yeah, we hadn’t exactly finished the ceremony, and I wanted all of it.
Rika grabbed my hand, pulling me after Michael and Alex, and I whipped my head around, seeing Will go the opposite direction.
He disappeared around a corner, and I sucked in a breath, an awful feeling curdling in my stomach.
Shit.
I didn’t like this.
We headed through the haunted house, making our way for the Mad Scientist wing as Rika quickly filled me in on how Will owned Coldfield as a cover for…well, Coldfield, the underground transit system he’d discovered. I’d heard of the haunted theme park that had risen up in Thunder Bay over the past few years, but I’d never been here.
I couldn’t wait to see the city underneath.
We moved as quickly as possible, trying not to draw attention, but I couldn’t see where the others had gone until I spotted Damon grabbing a bloody sheet and throwing it over Winter, then sweeping her up into his arms like she was his latest victim.
She must’ve said something, because his lips moved, whispering back to her, and then he tickled her between her legs before they disappeared into a tunnel.
No one else was anywhere to be seen, and I kept my eyes peeled as we slinked through the life-size dollhouse portion, the fog drifting around our feet as the darkness loomed in the rafters above.
I passed mannequins with rotting green skin, fifties-style haircuts, and retro clothes, the joints of their bodies outlined in black to make them look like puppets, but as I slipped through, twisting my eyes from left to right, one came to life and jumped in my face. I screamed, raising my hands to hit her, but I stopped myself, running ahead instead.