Elegy

SEVENTEEN Festivities

The glass front window of the Capri Public Library was plastered with flyers. Most of them were for the various summer reading programs, and there were a few newer ones, on bright orange paper, advertising the upcoming fall programs.

Gemma had just been glancing at them as she walked up to the door, but between the papers, she saw her own eye staring back at her. She quickly peeled back the pages in front of it so she could get to her flyer, buried at the bottom and attached to the window with duct tape.

It was from when she’d run off with the sirens back in June, and Alex had made flyers and hung them up all over town. The large black-and-white picture of her face had begun to fade, but the “HAVE YOU SEEN ME?” typed in block letters across the top was clear.

She balled it up in her hand, preferring not to remember the time she’d spent away from Capri. It seemed like a lifetime ago, a dark blur, when she’d been isolated from the people she’d loved, fighting hungers she couldn’t control, and two men had ended up dead.

Instead of dwelling on it, she looked back at the window and realized that many of the flyers were outdated. She found one advertising the Founder’s Day Picnic, and that had been two and a half months ago. She pulled it down, along with the other older flyers, and carried them into the library.

“What did you do?” Marcy asked. She sat behind the front desk and held a hand up in front of her eyes, blocking the sun. “You’re letting all the light in.”

“Are you some kind of vampire now?” Gemma asked as she walked over to the desk.

Marcy scoffed. “Like I could ever drink blood. Gross.”

Children laughed loudly behind her, and Gemma glanced back over her shoulder to see the librarian, Edie, reading a story to a group of toddlers. That had always been Harper’s favorite part of working at the library, and seeing someone else doing her sister’s job made Gemma miss her.

Not just because Harper didn’t live at home anymore since Gemma had just seen her the night before. It was more like nostalgia. The life she’d had before, the one where she was just a swimmer, and her sister just worked at the library, that was over, and it was never coming back.

“I cleared off some of the older flyers for you.” Gemma turned back to Marcy and set the stack of faded and wrinkled papers down in front of her.

“Yeah, that was supposed to be my job,” Marcy said, and adjusted her thick-rimmed glasses.

“Really? The thing that hadn’t been done in months is your responsibility? I’m shocked,” Gemma replied dryly.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m lazy, it’s hilarious.” Marcy waved her off. “But I was doing that on purpose. The noon sun is ridiculous through that window, so I was making kind of a paper curtain.”

“Maybe you could get some of the kids to color pictures or something, and post them.” Gemma pointed her thumb back at the Children’s Circle behind her.

“Meh.” Marcy picked up the stack so she could throw it in the recycling, but then she wrinkled her nose at one of them. “God, how old are these? Is that one from Christmas?”

“What?” Gemma leaned over the desk so she could get a better look. “No, it’s the Founder’s Day Picnic one. So it’s not quite that old.”

The words “Founder’s Day” had been written in faded brown ink along the top, but Marcy’d apparently missed that. A caricature of Thomas Thermopolis took up most of the space, drawn to be a rotund man with a large beard. Compared to the pictures of him that Gemma had seen in school, it seemed fairly accurate.

“Oh,” Marcy said. She wheeled her chair back to the recycling bin, tossed the papers aside, and wheeled herself back to the desk. “Thomas Thermopolis always did remind me of Santa. I wish we got presents on Founder’s Day. That would make it a better holiday.”

“Presents do make everything better,” Gemma agreed.

“So what’re you doing here?” Marcy propped her chin on her hands and looked up at Gemma. “Want me to help rescue you from more sirens?”

Gemma smiled wanly and tried not to stare at the pink scar that ran across Marcy’s neck from when Lexi had scratched her with a talon. Fortunately, early on in the fight, Marcy had been knocked unconscious, so she’d been out of the way and hadn’t gotten that injured, although she had a few bruises.

“Oh, I do have good news for you.” Marcy picked up her phone and scrolled through it as she spoke. “Lydia’s combing through her great-grandmother’s journals and trying to match dates up with Thalia’s. She thinks it’ll help find the immortal you’re searching for. Look.”

Marcy shoved her phone right in Gemma’s face, so Gemma had to lean back to read it. The name “Lydia” was at the top, and the text message was below.

Audra kept important stuff coded in her notes, so that not just any Joe Schmo off the street could read it. But I should have Diana’s location figured out within the next day or two. As soon as I do, I’ll let you know.

“This is amazing news.” Gemma smiled. “We should celebrate!”

“Like how? Like … wanna go to a cook-off in Bayside Park?” Marcy shut off the phone and put it back in her pocket.

“Okay,” Gemma said uncertainly. She’d been thinking of something a bit more adventurous, but if that’s what Marcy wanted, then why not? “Sure, that’s one way to celebrate.”

“I just saw Daniel across the street, going into Pearl’s.” Marcy pointed to the front window. “We can grab him, then we can show the people in Capri how we really like to party.”

“Oh, excellent,” Gemma said, pulling out her own phone. “I’ll text Alex and see if he wants to meet us because he should be just getting done with work now.”

“You’re back together with lover-boy?” Marcy asked. She grabbed her car keys from a desk drawer and stood up.

“Why do you need your keys?” Gemma asked. “Pearl’s is just across the street.”

“Like I’m coming back to work later to get them.” Marcy snorted. “Anyway, are you back with that kid or what?”

“Yeah, I am…,” Gemma replied absently as she typed the text message. Marcy started walking toward the door, so she followed her, but she paused when something occurred to her. “Aren’t you supposed to like punch out or something?”

“Nah, I’m good. It’s easier if I just go,” she said as she pushed open the door. “Fewer questions.”

“I’m not convinced you do a full day’s work here,” Gemma said.

“Neither is my boss.”

Once they met up with Daniel at Pearl’s across the street, he and Marcy led the way down to the park since Gemma was moving much slower because she was walking and texting. They’d considered driving down there, and in fact, Marcy had fought for a bit, but there wouldn’t be parking anywhere near the bay anyway. Traffic was always ridiculous during At Summer’s End Festival.

Bayside Park went right up to the beach next to the bay. It was a lush, grassy area with only a few trees, a small playground, a large pavilion in the center, and a band shell at the far side, near the docks. During the winter, it sat mostly deserted, but in the summer, Capri held all kinds of activities there. It’s where the Founder’s Day Picnic was and where people watched fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Since it was the last week of summer, Capri was busy, and the park itself was packed. Gemma, Marcy, and Daniel had to wait over five minutes across the street from the park until traffic slowed down enough that they could make it.

“You’re gonna try all the chowders before you cast a vote for Pearl’s, right?” Marcy asked Daniel as they made their way through the crowd toward the pavilion where the cook-off was being held, and that’s when Gemma finally figured out why Marcy had suggested coming down here. She never turned down free food, especially when it was Pearl’s famous clam chowder.

“Yeah, those are the rules,” Daniel said. “But I already know hers is the best.”

Marcy furrowed her brow. “You seem pretty biased. I’m not sure if you’re qualified to make this kind of judgment.”

“Oh, I am an expert on chowders,” Daniel persisted. “Nobody is more qualified than me.”

“We’ll see about that,” Marcy said.

“Do you wanna chowder off?” Daniel turned to face her, pretending to look all angry like he wanted to fight, and Marcy met his fake rage evenly.

“Oh, hells yeah, I wanna chowder off,” Marcy shot back.

“What is a chowder off?” Gemma interjected.

“I have no idea, but we’re going to do it, and I’m going to rule at it,” Daniel said.

“We need to set up some serious ground rules then,” Marcy said.

While Marcy and Daniel debated the rules of their new challenge, Gemma looked around to see what else was going on.

Somewhere nearby, she heard a band playing a weird country version of a Rihanna song. Little kids were walking by with tigers and butterflies on their cheeks, so she guessed a face painter had to be close.

Since she was right by the cook-off, the scent of food should’ve overpowered everything, but she could still smell the sea, like the cologne of a lover left lingering long after he’s gone. She could even hear the waves, calling to her over the crowd and the music and her friends’ bickering.

Gemma closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, hoping that would satiate the hunger inside her somehow. Swimming yesterday with Harper had helped, but her appetite was only growing stronger. Her transformations yesterday must’ve taken something out of her, and now her body was demanding to get it back.

Her only hope was that Diana would have an answer and that that answer would come quickly. She would sooner kill herself than hurt another innocent person. She might not have been able to remember clearly when she’d killed someone, but the image of Lexi’s tearing out Sawyer’s heart was still vivid in her mind.

And Gemma would never do that. She could never be that monster.

Then she felt a hand, strong and warm on her shoulder, startling her from her thoughts, and she turned to see Alex standing behind her.

“Hey.” She smiled and tried to erase her dark thoughts. “That was fast.”

“I just came from the docks.” Alex motioned to the other end of the bay. He must’ve had a chance to change out of his work clothes because instead of oil-covered overalls, he had on a pair of jeans and a shirt with an extra button undone on the top, revealing a bit more of his tanned chest. “Sorry if I smell like fish.”

“Actually, you smell like…” Gemma didn’t even have to breathe in, and her nostrils were filled with the scent of chemicals and fake leather. “You smell like you overdosed on body spray.”

“Yeah, sorry.” Alex appeared sheepish and shoved his hands in the pocket of his jeans. “I borrowed some body spray from one of the guys at work. I might have gone overboard.”

Gemma laughed. “It’s okay. I’m just glad you came.”

“Me, too.” He bent down, kissing her gently and briefly on the lips, but it sent delighted butterflies swirling in her stomach.

When he slid his hand into hers, Gemma thought she might explode. It was so simple, but she didn’t think she’d ever be able to do anything like this again. At least not with Alex. She’d been afraid that her chance with him was over, and now here he was, holding her hand as they walked into the cook-off pavilion.

And nothing said romantic reunions like watching Marcy and Daniel run around, taking little sample cups of soup from each entrant, and wolfing them down with lightning speed. Well, Daniel was eating rather fast, but Marcy was literally gulping it down, then racing on to the next chowder.

“What are they doing?” Kirby asked, and Gemma looked over to see that he had joined Gemma, Alex, and a handful of onlookers in standing off to the side, watching Marcy and Daniel run around.

The breeze ruffled his dark hair, and his blue eyes were fixed on Marcy. Even though he was actually a year older than Alex, he was shorter and leaner, especially now that Alex’s physique had grown muscular.

Not that Kirby was bad-looking. He was cute, with an easy smile and an earnestness about him that had endeared him to Gemma earlier this summer. Despite that, he wasn’t Gemma’s type, and she was happy to see him getting on so well with Marcy.

“I’m not really sure what they’re doing,” Gemma admitted. “It’s called a ‘chowder off,’ I guess. I wasn’t paying attention to the rules, though, but it seems kinda like some type of eating contest or race or something.”

Kirby’s eyes widened, and he shrugged. “Makes sense.”

Gemma laughed, and she was relieved to see that he didn’t seem to harbor any attraction to her anymore. In all honesty, she didn’t think he’d ever truly been into her because as soon as he had the chance to take a break from her and her siren charms, he’d lost interest.

But his eyes did seem fixed on Marcy, and while that sounded like a peculiar pairing to Gemma, she couldn’t really think of anyone that sounded like a true “match” for Marcy anyway. She was just about to ask Kirby if he and Marcy ever had their Finding Bigfoot marathon, but then Marcy threw up her arms in the air and shouted.

“Done!” Marcy announced proudly, and walked to the center of the pavilion with her arms held high above her head. Then she pointed at Daniel. “I schooled you!”

Daniel shook his head and walked over to her with a half-eaten sample in hand. “Okay, there is no way you tasted all that chowder. You could not get all the nuances and subtle flavors in them.”

“Whatever,” Marcy insisted, and crossed her arms over her chest. “I got the nutmeg, the hints of sea salt. That one over there in the corner had cilantro in it.”

Kirby walked over and joined their group, “I suppose a congratulations is in order.”

“Oh, uh, hey, Kirby.” Marcy wiped her mouth with the back of her arm, which was a wise decision since she had a clam-chowder smile. “I didn’t know you were watching that. But … yes, thank you for your congratulations. I won. And, um, I’m awesome.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Kirby smiled at her.

“I think I’m going to try the food at a normal human speed,” Gemma said, and looked up at Alex. “Would you care to join me?”

“I’d love to.” Alex squeezed her hand, and they walked over to the first station.

“They seem to be having some kind of moment,” Daniel said as he joined Gemma and Alex. She looked back over her shoulder, and saw Marcy actually smiling at something Kirby was saying to her. “Mind if I tag along with you?”

The samples they were giving out were in little plastic bowls not much bigger than a Dixie cup. The point was to be able to taste them and judge them, not get full of them, and not many people really wanted to fill up on warm chowder on a nice summer day.

Gemma had taken her first bowl, but she hadn’t even gotten to try it when she heard the sound of Liv’s laughter. It was light and lyrical, but it sent the same shivers down her spine that her song had. The hair on the back of Gemma’s neck even stood up.

“Oh, what fresh hell is that?” Daniel asked, looking around for the source of the laughter.

In fact, everyone was looking toward it. A siren’s laughter wasn’t usually that powerful, but Liv was purposely manipulating it, adding a musical edge to it. And she was doing it in the middle of a crowded park, where there were people all around she could control.

“That’s Liv,” Gemma said. She set her sample down on the table and stepped away, craning her neck so she could see what was going on.

“Hey.” Alex took her hand, and she glanced back at him. “If you’re about to get into something, I’m going, too.”

She smiled at him and held his hand as they walked. If they were going to be together, and he wanted to be a part of her life, then she had to let him actually be a part of it, even the dark, scary parts. She’d protect him when she could, but he was her boyfriend, and she had to trust him to be at her side.

Penn and Thea were easier to find. They were right outside the cook-off. Thea was looking bored and picking her fingernails, apparently unperturbed by Liv, who laughed again, only louder this time.

Right next to Thea was Penn, who for some reason was getting her face painted. She was sitting on the face painter’s lap, of course, with her arm around his neck and her chest pressed up against him as he painted sparkly waves along her cheeks.

“I just can’t believe you’d want to be with trash like that,” Liv was saying, and her sweet voice had a razor edge.

Gemma stepped out of the pavilion, with Alex right beside her, and she finally spotted Liv. The crowd had made a small circle around her. People were still walking and moving, but they couldn’t help but leer when they got within listening distance of Liv.

Between shoulders and heads, Gemma was able to see Liv staring down at Aiden Crawford and some poor blond girl next to him. His arm loosely encircled the girl’s waist, which apparently did not please Liv at all.

“I’m not really with her,” Aiden said. His words were nearly lost in the noise, and Gemma strained to hear him. Then he stepped away from his date and moved toward Liv.

“You think you can just come crawling back to me?” Liv asked. “You’ll have to do better than that.”

“I’ll do whatever you want. Anything. I swear,” Aiden pleaded, his eyes glazed over.

“Okay. You I can work with.” Liv laughed again, and Gemma wanted to put her hands over her ears to block out the sound. “But something must be done about that girl.”

“Me?” Aiden’s former date asked, staring up at Liv with wide, confused eyes. “I didn’t do anything.”

Liv stepped past Aiden, pushing him aside, and stopped directly in front of her. Liv wasn’t much taller than the girl, but she seemed to tower over her.

“You think you can just take what is mine?” Liv asked, and Gemma heard the subtle change in her voice.

Humans might not be able to perceive it, but Gemma knew what to listen for. An almost inaudible growling sound, a slight demonic warp to the vowels. That was the monster inside Liv talking.

“What’s going on?” Daniel asked, coming up beside Gemma to watch the show.

“I don’t know exactly, but it can’t be good,” Gemma said.

Then Liv’s lip began to twitch. Her fangs were either about to come out, or they were already starting to.

“Shit, she’s gonna change,” Gemma whispered.

Alex was right beside her, and stupidly, she hadn’t thought to bring any earplugs, so she didn’t want him anywhere near the sirens. Marcy and Kirby were standing just behind her, both of them staring ahead at Liv, Aiden, and the girl.

“Alex, cover your ears,” Gemma commanded. Alex looked like he wanted to argue with her, and she shook her head. “You can’t help me if Liv gets to you, so please, just cover your ears.” She turned to her friends. “Marcy, Kirby, get back in the pavilion.”

She glanced up at Daniel, but she didn’t know what she wanted him to do. His immunity to the song might make him valuable, but he wasn’t immortal. She didn’t want him getting hurt again.

So, without saying a word to him, she left and jogged over to where Penn was still getting her face painted, oblivious or indifferent to the commotion that Liv was causing.

“Penn,” Gemma hissed. “You need to do something about Liv.”

Penn didn’t even bat an eyelash. “She’s just having a little—”

“She’s going to rip off that girl’s head in like two seconds,” Gemma said, and looked imploringly at Thea. “Someone needs to get a handle on her.”

Thea sighed, but she walked off in Liv’s direction. Gemma stayed near Penn because she didn’t think Thea would have that much of an effect on Liv. She wasn’t completely sure that Liv would listen to Penn either, but Penn wouldn’t tolerate insolence.

“There’s nothing here to see, people,” Thea said, shooing away the crowd as she walked over to take care of Liv. It seemed to be working, too, and now Penn and Gemma had a clear view.

Gemma could see clearly that Liv’s face was twitching all over, and she was probably using all of the little restraint she had. And it looked like that was about to snap.

“She won’t listen to me or Thea,” Gemma tried to reason with Penn. “And if you don’t get in there right now, someone’s going to end up dead, and your cover is gonna be blown wide open. Do you really want that?”

Penn reluctantly looked away from the face painter and stared up at Gemma. Her black eyes locked on hers, and her full lips were pressed together in an irritated line.

“Liv, she’s not worth it,” Thea told the new siren, making her husky voice more melodic in hopes of easing the tension. “Calm down.”

“Don’t touch me,” Liv snapped, sounding like something from The Exorcist. Everyone had to have heard the beast inside her. “Don’t you dare touch me.”

“Penn,” Gemma pleaded.

“Liv, stop,” Daniel said, and that’s when both Gemma and Penn snapped their heads around to see what Daniel had just walked into.

He had stepped between Liv and Aiden’s girlfriend, turning himself into a human shield for the girl. She was trembling, and Gemma thought she might be crying.

Daniel’s back was toward Gemma, but Liv was facing her. And Liv’s eyes were pure bird, and pure evil. She smiled, revealing far too many sharp teeth.

“Daniel’s just killed himself,” Gemma whispered, and she had no idea how to save him from getting his head ripped off.