Misty

Owen and Dexter arrived at school and fixed the furnace and fried breaker that Aiden caused by running three space heaters. When Owen questioned Aiden, he fibbed and said he was restoring a vintage vehicle. I'm not sure you would consider a ring that creates a wormhole in a vintage vehicle. Then again, we haven't heard a peep from that psycho demon who got booted from campus.

Luckily, Thanksgiving break arrived, giving us a chance to head home for a few days. I couldn't wait to sleep in and watch the parade in my pajamas while waiting to stuff my face with turkey and all the fixings. Dad and Mom were just happy I didn't land in the hospital. Again, that wasn't my fault. Who enjoys spending time having doctors poke and prod you?

When I arrived home, my parents greeted me with hugs at the front door. Well, Dad squeezed the life out of me when I walked past the threshold until Mom put a wedge between us.

"West, you have four days to worry about, Misty," my mom said.

"Alana, I didn't receive a frantic phone call about a hospital or jail trip. I call it a win," my dad said.

My mom rolled her eyes while I giggled. I left my parents to argue about my safety and deviant behavior while I hauled my bag upstairs to my bedroom. I didn't even unpack when Nash walked into my bedroom like he owned the place.

"Are you lost?" I asked.

"No. Why?"

"Isn't your house next door?" I pointed at his house through my window.

"Yeah, but you're not there." He shrugged, fiddling with his hands.

"Because I don't live there, dolt." I rolled my eyes and rummaged through my bag on my bed.

"Hence why I'm here and not at home."

"Nash, we see each other every day. Sometimes, we're naked. Although my dad will bury your body if he ever discovers that piece of information." I turned and raised my finger to him.

Nash rolled his eyes. "What your dad doesn't know won't hurt me or my boys."

"Keep telling yourself that." I snickered.

Nash shook his head. "Are you coming for dinner? Ma and Dad want to see you."

"What about my parents? I'm sure they want to have dinner with me, too."

"Your folks are coming to dinner."

"I guess I'm having dinner at your house then."

Nash grabbed my hand and dragged me from my bedroom like his prized possession. We need to work on his possessiveness.

******
Valentino

Before dragging Mags to my house for dinner, I said hi to West and Alana. I'm not a complete idiot with people. You don't piss off your future in-laws if you plan to marry their daughter. And I intended to put a ring on Mags' finger one day. Not today, but someday.

Once we entered the house, Ma pushed me out of the way to get to Mags and hug her. My dad did the same damn thing. You would think they were happier to see Mags than me.

West and Alana entered behind us and chatted with my folks. Mags and I removed our coats and boots before heading to the kitchen, where Ma made spaghetti and meatballs.

"Why spaghetti?" Mags asked, pointing to the pot of spaghetti sauce.

"Beats me." I shrugged. "I'll eat anything if my ma makes it."

"You eat anything no matter who makes it."

"That's not true." I raised my finger. "I won't eat anything Aunt Bailey makes."

Mags snorted a laugh.

Ma pulled out a glass baking dish with meatballs and placed it on the stove while Dad drained the spaghetti. Then Ma popped a baking seat with garlic bread into the oven.

"Tino set the table," my dad said.

"Why do I have to set the table?" I asked.

"Because I said so."

"Doesn't it matter we just got home from school?"

"Does that give you a free pass? No. Now set the table."

"Fine." I rolled my eyes and grabbed plates from the cabinet and silverware from the drawer before setting the table.

Mags helped my ma with the dinner while Dad talked to West and Alana. And I got stuck setting the kitchen table.

*******
Valentine

The minute Tino walked through the front door, I could relax. Having him away at school for almost a year and a half has been rough. Except for the few times we headed to the campus, we didn't know if the kids were okay. The weekly phone calls helped ease our minds, but it wasn't anything compared to seeing it for myself.

Kadia, Alana, and Misty took dishes of the food to the table. I pulled the garlic bread from the oven, placed it in a breadbasket, and brought it to the table. We sat at the table and dished the food on our plates before digging in.

"Any issues at school?" I asked Tino.

Tino stopped his fork, which was full of spaghetti, halfway to his mouth. "Not since Dean Weston booted Trixie from the campus."

I nodded.

"Who's Trixie?" Alana asked.

"A troll that tried to turn Tino's head," Kadia said.

West and I choked on our food before laughing. I loved my wife's bluntness.

"What is wrong with these girls? Don't they realize you can't break up true love?" Alana asked.

"Trolls don't get the concept of true love. Val knows from experience," Kadia said.

I lifted my brow as West chuckled. "I learned my lesson."

"Only because your taste had improved." Kadia grinned and fluttered her lashes at me.

"I'll give you that." I pointed my fork at her before spearing a meatball and popping it into my mouth.

"So, what's on the agenda tomorrow?" Tino asked.

"We need to be at the restaurant by two pm tomorrow. Your grandparents want to visit with everyone before we eat. Uncle Gabe and Ryden are cooking."

Tino nodded. "Who's all coming?"

"The family, West, Alana, and Misty. The girls and their parents are visiting their families. Raymond, Gloria, and Eden are joining us."

"What about Marissa and her folks?"

"They're flying to Texas to see their family since Emilio hasn't seen his family in a while."

Tomorrow should be fun with the entire family gathered for Thanksgiving.

******
Elias

I was sitting at the drafting table working on a house when a high-pitched sound hit my hearing aids. I ripped my hearing aids from my ears and whipped them across the room before gripping my head in pain.

A hand touched my upper arm, causing me to lift my head. Tori's lips were moving, but I couldn't hear her. I signed a few words to her. She nodded and signed back before leaving the room. I held my head in my hands, trying to get the throbbing to stop.

Tori tapped my shoulder. I lifted my head to see her holding a glass of water and two pain relievers. I popped the pills and washed them down with water.

A few minutes later, Tori answered her phone and furrowed her brows before pressing the screen and speaking. She held up a finger to me, so I didn't sign to her. She left the room, leaving me to decipher who she talked to on the phone. What the hell?

Tori returned with a pair of hearing aids for me.

I popped in the hearing aids and turned them on. "What the hell, Tori?"

"Val and Rowan called. They said Tino and Pat screamed before ripping out their hearing aids and throwing them across the room."

"What?"

Tori nodded. "Elias, no one heard the sound except Patrick and Valentino."

"The only thing we can hear is a dog whistle."

"That's what Val thinks what happened."

"Who would use a dog whistle?"

"I don't know." She shook her head.

That bothers me since dog whistles cause problems with our hearing aids.

*******
Valentino

After that piercing sound, my head felt like it was splitting into two. Ma helped me while Dad was on the phone, trying to find out what happened. Mags rubbed my hands as her locket started glowing. We exchanged looks but said nothing to our folks.

The last thing we needed was to worry them.

Dad ended the phone call as Ma gave me a new pair of hearing aids. I popped them in and turned them on.

"What did your mom say?" Ma asked Dad.

"Dad had the same experience. She thinks someone used a dog whistle."

"What?"

Dad nodded. "It's the only thing that affects the specialized hearing aids."

"Who would use a dog whistle?" Alana asked.

My dad and West exchanged glances before leaving the house to check outside. Mags rubbed my head to ease the throbbing while Ma and Alana talked.

Dad and West returned after investigating outside.

"Well?" Ma asked.

"We didn't see anything." My dad shook his head before turning to me. "What's going on, Tino? I want the truth."

I lifted my head but kept my mouth shut.

"Misty?" My dad asked.

Mags pursed her lips, not wanting to spill. The problem was it wouldn't matter. My dad wouldn't accept our silence as an answer.

"We have a slight problem," Mags said.

"What problem?" West asked.

"Oh, a demon one."

My dad knitted his brows, knowing this wasn't the conversation he expected. Ask, and you shall receive.