Misty

Thanksgiving has always been an American holiday, celebrating the day to give thanks for your many blessings. Unless you dig into history and learn the actual truth about stolen land from the Indians, then it's not a great holiday to celebrate. My dad earned a meeting with my grade school teacher when I refused to participate in the Thanksgiving Day play. When she questioned me about my refusal, I told her the truth. Dad had to endure a meeting about my viewpoint and how it was wrong. Dad questioned if the teacher had left her common sense at home. The principal switched me to Nash's class to prevent future issues. The teachers never asked me again to participate in a play. My dad was quite thankful I wasn't expelled in the second grade.

Today, I'm thankful for lounging on the couch in my PJs and watching the parade. Do you see where my priorities lie? At least I don't have a demon giving me grief.

Nash waltzed into my house like he owned the place. Hasn't he learned he doesn't live here?

"Tino, I'm going to deadbolt the door if you keep entering without knocking," my dad said, standing behind the couch and leaning on it with his palms.

Nash removed his coat and hung it up before taking off his boots. "Aren't we past knocking since I'm dating Mags?"

"You're dating, not married. I'm dead bolting the front door."

I giggled.

Nash rolled his eyes before joining me on the couch. "I thought you liked me."

"I do when you knock. Then I can decide if I will let you inside or not." My dad shrugged.

I snickered because this was funny as hell.

Nash rolled his eyes as my dad headed upstairs. He glanced at me. "I thought your dad liked me."

"He does, but you know how dads are." I shrugged.

"Your dad was my dad in our past life." Nash arched his brow.

"That explains so much." I smirked.

Nash rolled his eyes again.

"Have you had any more issues after yesterday evening?"

"No. Dad said he and West didn't find anyone lurking outside."

"Don't you think it's odd that you, Pat, and Elias experienced the same issue around the same time? Elias doesn't live close to you and Pat."

"Unless there were two causing problems."

"We need to find this thing and take it down."

"A bit hard when another one keeps popping up."

The idea of having more than one demon didn't sit well with me. It would mean we would have more issues than we needed.

We rested the demon theory and critiqued the floats and balloons in the parade. Once the parade ended, I headed upstairs to shower and change. At least I didn't have to dress up for dinner, which some families required. My dad and mom didn't care what I wore if I didn't look like a hobo.

I dried and brushed my hair before shoving a knit cap on my head. Why the hell do I want to fix my hair when I'll end up with hat hair? I pulled on a hoodie and zipped it before coming downstairs.

Nash and I put on our coats and tugged on our winter boots before leaving the house, running to Nash's SUV, and climbing inside. Thank god for heated seats. It kept our butts toasty.

Nash drove to the restaurant and pulled into a parking spot before leaving. I exited the vehicle and walked with him to the restaurant, hand in hand. We entered to find most of the family there. I greeted my aunt and uncle and hugged them before saying hi to other people.

My parents arrived and greeted everyone before finding a table. I headed to the appetizer table and filled a small plate with goodies.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" Tori yelled over everyone talking.

Everyone quieted down as Nash grabbed a plate and placed finger foods on it.

"Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. It gets difficult to visit at Christmastime. So I figured we could visit now. Plus, Matt has something he would like to say." Tori stepped aside and gave Matt the floor.

Matt scanned the room and smiled as his eyes crinkled. "I wanted to thank my daughter-in-law, Tori, for suggesting the family get together for Thanksgiving. Nora and I loved the idea. Our family has many reasons for being thankful throughout the years." Matt winked at Nash and the cousins.

They smiled in return.

"Our family endured troubles but survived. We expanded as more family members joined us. I'm thankful for everyone in this room." He pressed his hand to his chest over his heart. "My dad once said a man's greatest achievement is his family. He was right. My greatest achievement was this woman besides myself." He wrapped his arm around Nora's shoulder. "She gave me a family who expanded it. If you give a woman a house, she will make it a home. Nora gave me a home when she helped me fill it with our family." He kissed her temple.

We clapped and whistled. If anyone deserved a family, it was Matthew.

******
Valentino

I watched Grandpa show his love for Grammy. It was worth returning to the family. Seeing what happened to your family after you left them makes your return worthwhile. It was why I wanted to defeat these demons once and for all.

Mags and I sat at a table and ate appetizers before the main course arrived. My cousins joined us.

"How's Uncle Pat?" I asked Nix.

"Better, but I wanted to beat a bitch last night," Nix said in between bites.

"Nash, we need to do something about this thing. It attacked Grandpa Elias, Uncle Pat, and you. It's playing dirty," Nathan said.

I nodded in agreement.

"We have to catch the thing first. How do we do that when we can't find it?" Noah asked.

"Put the ghostbuster wannabe on the case. I don't care how we find it. It needs to go down," Nathan said.

We could consider last night an isolated incident, but it wasn't. This thing was upping the ante since the Dean kicked it off campus. It made me wonder if that's the reason why we haven't heard from it.

"What?" Nolan asked.

"I was thinking. Dean Weston kicked Trixie off campus. What if she's lying in wait for us?" I asked.

"For what reason? It's not like you can't destroy her," Nix said.

"No, but it doesn't mean she's not waiting for an opening to strike."

"You're asking us to believe she's planning something," Nathan said.

"You're assuming she isn't planning anything."

"Not based on the times she didn't learn when you shocked her stupid ass."

"What if it's a smokescreen?" Nolan asked.

We exchanged glances, realizing that was a possibility. If you want to catch someone off guard, what do you do? You create a distraction.

What was this snake planning?

*****
Misty

I listened to everyone talk and digested the conversation. We assumed Banks had returned as Bryce. Well, I assumed and discovered I was wrong. Bryce was an angel in disguise who was sent to help us.

Trixie was a different matter. She was a demon that caused unnecessary problems for us. She kept pursuing Nash when Nash kept rebuffing her. She left the campus without putting up a fight. Why would a demon slink off without fighting?

Unless Nolan was right that the demon created a smoke screen.

"I think Nolan is right," I said.

Everyone stopped talking and looked at me.

"The demon caused unnecessary issues with us, knowing we would react until it got booted off campus. What if this thing is waiting for the right time to strike? Eden's asshole ex waited until I was alone to strike."

Their brows knitted in concern.

"If you want to get to the prize, you must eliminate the obstacle," Nixon muttered.

I wouldn't have been too fond of Nixon's thought process if I were that obstacle. I pursed my lips at that idea.

"It doesn't matter. No one will get near Mags," Nash said.

"How do you plan to keep that from happening?" Nathan asked.

"Someone will be with Mags at all times."

"Like a bodyguard?" Noah asked.

Nash nodded.

"If Nash and Maggie get their epic love story, I'm in," Nixon said.

"Count me in," Nolan said.

"What the hell? Anything is better than dealing with my dad's clinging ness," Noah said.

"Yeah, count me in, too," Nathan said.

Great. I just got four more bodyguards to keep a demon from me. Is it too late to change my name to Guadalupe and move to another country?