Gates of Paradise (a Blue Bloods Novel)

“Yeah.” Schuyler had to agree. Then she realized—she wasn’t alone in her grief—in her missing him. Finn was in the same boat. Here was someone who loved and missed him too, and who’d never known him. Her sister.

“Besides”—Finn shrugged—“Mom turned out to be right about the whole romance thing. She met this fabulous guy when I was twelve, and I’m really close to my stepdad. It’s almost enough to make me believe in true love.”

“Even if you haven’t found it yourself?” Oliver asked with a smile.

Wait a minute—was Schuyler seeing what she thought she was seeing? Oliver Hazard-Perry, blushing? She supposed it made sense. Finn did look a little bit like her, and more important, she was awesome—confident, funny, smart. Normal. Oliver deserved someone like her.

“Not yet,” Finn said, returning the smile with one of her own.

Schuyler could see where this was going, and it made her happy. But it also made her miss Jack desperately. Could it really be this easy for two people to find each other? Why couldn’t it have been that easy for her and Jack? Would she ever see him again? Would they ever be together?

“Earth to Sky,” Oliver said, snapping his fingers in front of her face.

“Sorry. It’s all just so overwhelming.”

“Tell me about it!” Finn agreed. “But I’m just so glad you found me!”

“I am too!” Schuyler said. “Tell me more about our dad, and you. Everything. I want to know everything.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon talking, catching up on the things they’d missed out on, not growing up together. Schuyler edited her version heavily, just as she had with Decca. She didn’t want to freak out her Red Blood relatives.

“You were a model?” Finn asked, impressed. “Was it fun?”

“Not really,” Schuyler admitted. “But I did love the free clothes.”

“I guess I was a bit of a jock,” Finn said. “Field hockey, softball, track. I don’t think I took my hair out of a ponytail until college. But like Dad, I was always drawing. And I prepped at Endicott like him. I was a Peithologian too. When I was there, I found he’d carved his name and Allegra’s in the woods. It was very romantic.”

“I’ll carve your name anytime,” Oliver murmured.

Schuyler elbowed him. “Subtlety is key,” she whispered.

“What’s that?” Finn asked.

“Oh, nothing,” Oliver said.

“So neither of you is in school right now?” Finn asked.

“We decided to put it off for a while,” Schuyler said.

“Didn’t want to waste the opportunity,” Oliver said. “We’re traveling instead.”

“Anyplace exciting?”

They looked at each other and tried not to laugh. Exciting was one way of putting it. “In the past year, I’ve been to London, Egypt, and Italy,” Schuyler said.

“And I’ve been to—” Oliver paused. “I guess Europe, mostly.”

Schuyler imagined he’d been tempted to explain that he’d spent quality time in the underworld, but it didn’t really seem appropriate for the situation. It must have killed him that her travel sounded more exciting than his. She could barely hide her smirk.

“So you guys have no idea what you’re missing, then,” Finn said.

“We don’t miss going to class,” Oliver said.

“Oh, but the real fun starts when classes end. There’s a big party tonight. Will you come? Or do you have to leave soon?”

Oliver looked at Schuyler. She’d rarely seen a pleading look in his eyes, so it took her a minute to recognize it for what it was. He’d been partying with socialites and aristocrats in London, and yet here he was, angling to go to a regular college party.

She wasn’t sure what to do—they probably should get back to London and meet up with the rest of the Blue Bloods; but that would basically be admitting that the trip was, from that perspective, a wash. And then there was the whole blood painting possibility…the Blood of the Father.…If she stayed, maybe she’d have a chance to check it out.

“Sure, why not?” she said.





THIRTYSEVEN


Mimi


ove never failed to get people in trouble, Mimi thought. Look at Ted and Deming: either one of them on their own could have stopped her, but together they were so worried about each other’s safety that all Mimi had to do was grasp the opportunity when it came to her. She kept her sword pointed at Deming’s neck as Deming tied Ted up, using the silver Venator rope. That would keep him until Sam and Dehua found him, anyway, and in the meantime, she and Deming would have a head start getting to the Venator conclave.

“It didn’t have to be this way,” Mimi said. “And if you cooperate, it will all be over soon. The Dark Prince will reward you handsomely if you cast your lot with ours and join our ranks.”

“You disgust me,” Deming said. “How could you do this to the Coven? You were our Regent.”