The Hot Zone (A Rainshadow Novel Book 3) (26 page)

“What happened to Lyle’s candy stash?” Cyrus asked. He closed his computer down and relaxed back into the sofa cushions. “I just noticed it’s gone.”

Sedona picked up the two glasses of brandy that she had poured and carried them out of the kitchen. The quartz pendant was back around her neck.

“Annie, Lyle’s partner-in-crime on Halloween night, came by this afternoon. She said the kids were going to hold a big candy exchange in the old warehouse where the Haunted Alien Catacombs was set up. The dust bunnies were invited. Lyle took off with Annie, who was carrying the sack. That’s the last I saw of either of them.”

Cyrus glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. The candy-exchange event must have finished hours ago.”

“Well, whatever Lyle and the others are doing, I expect they’re having an excellent time doing it.
Life is good
is probably a dust bunny motto.”

Cyrus swallowed some brandy and watched the fire blaze on the hearth. “Life has been good for me lately, too.”

She propped her arm on the back of the sofa and smiled. “You were telling Robert Snow the truth when you said you were going to remain on Rainshadow and run the local Guild, weren’t you?”

“I’ve been one of the weird Joneses all my life. But somehow weird feels downright normal here.”

“Even though you’re dating a woman who was injected with a dangerous formula that has given her a talent for setting fires?”

“Like I said, life feels normal here.” He looked at her, his eyes heating in the firelight. “It feels good. But here’s the thing, I’d feel that way anywhere as long as you were with me.”

She stilled. “Cyrus?”

“I was going to wait awhile to tell you that I love you.”

“Cyrus.”

“That would have been the best strategy. I realize that after all you’ve been through, you probably need time to discover exactly what you feel for me, time to trust me completely. Time for me to woo you. Usually I’m good when it comes to strategy. But I can’t wait any longer to tell you. I just wanted you to know.”

Joy threatened to overwhelm her. In another minute she would be crying, she thought. She managed a shaky smile.

“I’m so glad you didn’t wait,” she said. “Because I love you with all my heart, Cyrus Jones,” she said. Just saying the words out loud sent her senses soaring.

“You’re sure of that?” he asked.

“Positive.”

“In that case, will you please marry me? I’m talking about the real thing. In my family, we frown on Marriages of Convenience.”

She looked at him through the tears that sparkled in her eyes. “Oddly enough, my family—both sides—frowns on MCs, too.”

He pulled her into his arms. She touched the side of his face with her fingertips.

“What on earth would you have done if it had turned out I really was a dangerous, formula-enhanced multi-talent?” she asked.

Cyrus said nothing. He just smiled.

She winced. “Oh, yeah, right. I
am
a dangerous, formula-enhanced, multi-talent.”

Cyrus laughed, joy and love heating his eyes. “Not a problem for this particular Guild boss.”

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her until the fire burned low and then he carried her into the bedroom.

*   *   *

The Haunted Alien Catacombs had been closed down at the end of Halloween Week but the tableaus were still in place. There was a move afoot by the town council to make it a year-round attraction. Meanwhile, the Alien ghosts and vampires and witches loomed silently in the shadows.

At the conclusion of the big candy-exchange event, the kids had left the contents of three bulging bags of carefully selected candy in the Alien Mad Scientist Exhibit. The pile of goodies sat in a glorious heap on the floor. Lyle, Darwina, and Rex, attired in their costumes, were ready to greet the guests.

The other dust bunnies arrived at midnight. They emerged from the catacombs and the Preserve.

The mountain of candy rapidly became a small hill and eventually disappeared altogether. Fueled by a sugar high, the guests played hide-and-seek amid the scary tableaus.

As usual, a good time was had by all.

Leave it to the humans to find a way to turn their nightmares and fears into an excuse to throw a party. Really, Halloween was the perfect holiday for Rainshadow.