Gates of Paradise (a Blue Bloods Novel)

Upstairs were several dormitory-style rooms, with eight beds in each. Bliss quickly staked out one of the beds closest to the door. If she’d learned anything these past few years, it was the importance of being able to make a quick exit. Apparently, Lawson was on the same page, because he did the same thing.

Malcolm took the bed closest to the window, so he could leave it open in case he started to feel sick. It was always possible that the break in time had something to do with the Hellhounds, and there was a slim chance that Malcolm would be able to catch the scent.

Bliss watched Ahramin walk up and down the row of beds, trying to decide where she wanted to stake her claim. Sure enough, she took the bed right next to Lawson. Edon looked irritated, but he didn’t say anything.

What was going on here? Bliss was confused. Ahramin had been instrumental in their victory over Romulus. The former Hellhound had fought against her collar and lived. Ahramin and Edon had seemed happy enough to be back together again. Had something happened since then? How could it, since Bliss had been present nearly the whole time? Was it something else? Something that had happened back when they were still in the underworld, maybe?

“Guess I’m back here with Mac,” Rafe said, throwing his bag on the cot closest to the window.

Edon looked as if he were going to protest, but then put his things down between Rafe and Ahri. “Are we sure they aren’t going to put more people in here?”

“They promised,” Bliss said. “No guarantees on the bathrooms, though. They’re unisex and only one person can go in at a time. And I hate to say it, but they’re totally gross.”

It was true. She’d been fooled by the cleanliness of the rest of the hostel; the bathrooms were tiny and infested with mold and mildew. She was barely going to be able to make herself shower, and she’d only go in if she had to.

The problem was, where was she supposed to change?

As if to answer her question, Ahramin started stripping off her clothes. “Guess we won’t be keeping any secrets from each other,” she said lazily, standing in the middle of the room in only her bra and underwear. Bliss was annoyed until she noticed the scars that remained on the girl’s neck, and reminded herself that Ahri hadn’t had it easy.

Bliss put on her pajamas as discreetly as possible. No need to make a spectacle of herself, as Ahramin had. Pajama top over regular top, regular top removed through the neck hole of the pajama top, bra removed through the sleeves of the pajama top. Piece of cake. Just the pants left, and who cared if she showed her legs?

She looked up to see Lawson stifling, and then failing to stifle, a laugh. “What?” she asked.

“You,” he said. “That. I thought you were going to sprain something in there.”

“Shush,” she said, laughing as well. She smacked him on his bare chest with her balled-up top.

He grabbed it from her and pulled her close. “Hey,” he said. “I missed you.”

She snuggled into his arms, forgetting where they were for a moment.

“Get a room!” Malcolm yelled.

“We did!” Lawson yelled back, but he let Bliss go and she sighed.

“Good night,” he whispered when they were tucked into their respective beds. He stretched his hand so that their fingertips were touching.

“Good night,” she said, knowing it would be difficult to sleep so close and yet so far from him.





TWENTYSEVEN


Schuyler


xcuse me?” Schuyler asked. “Cordelia told you what?”

Decca shook her head. “I’m sorry—we didn’t know. If we had known you existed, we would never have kept away. What you must think of us!”

How could Cordelia have done this to me? Schuyler wondered. How could she have cut me off from my father’s family so completely? What was she thinking? But then again, given what Allegra had done, wasn’t Cordelia merely acting in the Coven’s best interests? From her point of view, she was cleaning up her daughter’s mess by severing all ties to Allegra’s human mistake.

Decca reached over to the tray on the coffee table and poured two glasses of iced tea. Then, to Schuyler’s surprise, she burst into tears. “I knew something was strange. She’d told us not to bother with Allegra’s funeral. We didn’t even know where to send flowers, and there was no announcement or anything. I should have tried harder to get to the truth. I always thought she was hiding something from me. So your mother was Allegra—of course, I saw it the moment you walked in the room, and you look so much like your father.…You—”

“Have his eyes.” Schuyler smiled.

“Yes.” Her grandmother nodded. “I’m so happy!” Decca suddenly cried out, and clasped Schuyler’s hand.

That did it—Schuyler started crying too. And she’d been so adamant that she wouldn’t. “Me too,” she sniffled.

They spent a quiet moment holding hands and crying, and then Decca straightened her back, shook her head, and composed herself. “Your mother made him so happy. They loved each other so much.”