Kill Switch (Devil's Night, #3)

by Penelope Douglas

“Arion, can you help me find the snow village in the basement?” Snow village? That voice. I closed my eyes, the little hairs on my neck rising. Winter. She was home, after all. “What? Now?” Arion whined. “Have Mom help you when she gets back.” Get the fuck out of the pool and get her what she wants. “I don’t know why you want it.” Arion took my beer again. “It’s not even Halloween yet, and you can’t see the damn thing anyway. What’s the point?” Bitch. But even as my aggravation with Arion Ashby rose, the skin on my back warmed, knowing Winter was right there behind me. And even if I tried, I couldn’t think of anything else right now. What was I about to do to her sister just to get that same, exact feeling? How did she get out here anyway, and how did she find her sister? I wanted to turn around, but I just stayed planted, listening. “It has music,” Winter said, her tone growing defensive. “I like it, so what do you care?” But Arion didn’t answer, and after a moment, her gaze dropped back down to me. Winter must’ve walked off. Now that I knew she was home, any lukewarm interest I was able to muster for Arion had all but disappeared. It has music. I like it. I didn’t know if I felt responsible for the fact that she now only had four senses by which to experience the world, but it was a strange feeling to want to protect someone from others when I knew I’d be worse for her health than anyone.