seat between Callie and Arriane.
Their intimate Thanksgiving dinner was now serving twelve: four humans, two
Nephilim, six fallen angels (three each on the side of Good and Evil), and one dog
dressed as a turkey, with his bowl of scraps under the table.
Miles went for the seat directly across from Luce--until Daniel flashed him a
menacing look. Miles backed off, and Daniel was just about to sit down when Shelby slid
right in. Smiling with a little look of victory, Miles sat on Shelby's left, across from
Callie, while Daniel, looking vaguely annoyed, sat to her right, across from Arriane.
Someone was kicking Luce under the table, trying to get her attention, but she
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kept her eyes on her plate.
Once everyone was seated, Luce's father stood up at the head of the table, facing
her mother at the foot. He clanked his fork against his glass of red wine. "I've been
known to make a long-winded speech or two this time of year." He chuckled. "But we've
never served so many hungry-looking kids before, so I'll just cut to the chase. I'm
thankful for my sweet wife, Doreen, my best kid, Lucie, and all of you for joining us." He
fixed on Luce, drawing his cheeks in the way he did when he was especially proud. "It's
wonderful to see you prospering, growing into a beautiful young lady with so many great
friends. We hope they'll all come again. Cheers, everyone. To friends."
Luce forced a smile, avoiding the shifty glances all her "friends" were sharing.
"Hear, hear!" Daniel broke the exquisitely awkward silence, raising his glass.
"What good is life without trusty, reliable friends?"
Miles barely looked at him, plunging a serving spoon deep into the mashed
potatoes. "Coming from Mr. Reliable himself."
The Prices were too busy passing dishes at opposite ends of the table to notice the
dirty look Daniel directed at Miles.
Molly was spooning the Shrimp Diablo appetizer no one had yet touched in a
growing heap on Miles's plate. "Just say uncle when you've had enough."
"Whoa, Mo. Save some heat for me." Cam reached to take the kettle of shrimp.
"Say, Miles. Roland told me you showed off some mad skills fencing the other day. I bet
the girls went crazy." He leaned forward. "You were there, right, Luce?"
Miles had his fork poised in midair. His large blue eyes looked confused about
Cam's intentions, and as if he was hoping to hear Luce say that yes, the girls--herself
included--had indeed gone crazy.
"Roland also said Miles lost," Daniel said placidly, and speared a piece of
stuffing.
At the other end of the table, Gabbe cut the tension with a loud and satisfied purr.
"Oh my God, Mrs. Price. These Brussels sprouts are a little taste of Heaven. Aren't they,
Roland?"
"Mmm," Roland agreed. "They really bring me back to a simpler time."
Luce's mother began reciting the recipe while Luce's dad went on about local
produce. Luce was trying to enjoy this rare time with her family, and Callie leaning in to
whisper that everyone seemed pretty cool, especially Arriane and Miles--but there were
too many other situations to monitor. Luce felt like she might have to defuse a bomb at
any moment.
A few minutes later, passing the stuffing around the table a second time, Luce's
mother said, "You know, your father and I met when we were right around your age."
Luce had heard the story thirty-five hundred times before.
"He was the quarterback at Athens High." Her mother winked at Miles. "The
athletic ones drove the girls wild in those days, too."
"Yep, the Trojans were twelve and two my varsity year." Luce's dad laughed, and
she waited for his token line. "I just had to show Doreen I wasn't as much of a tough guy
off the field."
"I think it's great what a strong marriage you two have," Miles said, grabbing yet
another of Luce's mother's famous yeast rolls. "Luce is lucky to have parents who are so
honest and open with her and each other."
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Luce's mom beamed.
But before she could respond, Daniel butted in. "There's much more to love than
that, Miles. Wouldn't you say, Mr. Price, that a real relationship is more than just easy
fun and games? That it takes some effort?"
"Of course, of course." Luce's father patted his lips with his napkin. "Why else
would they call marriage a commitment? Sure, love has its ups and downs. That's life."
"Well said, Mr. P.," Roland said, with a soulfulness beyond his smooth seventeenyear-old-looking face. "God knows, I've seen some ups and downs."
"Oh, come on," Callie chimed in, to Luce's surprise. Poor Callie, taking everyone
here at face value. "You guys make it sound so heavy."