She kissed him. Parted her red lips over his, and before I could even identify the sour empty feeling crawling around inside my stomach, she was sucking on his face as if she were Bree and he was last of the milkshake in the bottom of the cup.

And he was kissing her back.

“No!” The word burst from my chest, Riley and Neil stopped bickering and stared at me. I gaped at the screen, watching Vik’s eyes fall closed as Epistola painted his mouth with her lipstick.

A strange rumbling feeling sparked inside me, making my head hurt, tasting like bile in the back of my throat.

That bitch.

That grease-painted bitch.

My fingers clenched at the table so hard they were starting to go cold. I sucked at the air, trying to catch my breath.

“Oy…” Neil’s bony hand closed over my shoulder and in one sharp motion, he turned me from the screen, ripping my eyes from the horror. “Breathe.” He shoved a paper bag into my trembling hands, but I wasn’t paying attention to him. Riley stood a few feet behind Neil. He had gone silent at my outburst and now he was staring at me, his face stoic but his green eyes on fire with—with what? Rage? Fear?

My heart started beating again, thrumming like a bumblebee’s wings in my chest.

“Am I not enough for you?” Riley’s voice came soft. A thrill of fear shot down my spine.

“Riley—”

“Am I so inadequate that you must cry after other humans as well?”

“No.” Tears stung at my eyes. “No, Riley. It’s not like that. He’s just a friend. Please believe me.” I reached out for him, brushed my fingers over his hand but he jerked away from my touch.

“I have no use for disloyalty!”

A curling darkness filled my chest. I could barely breathe. My mouth opened but no sound came out.

“Sgn’wahl! Sha’shogg! Throd! Cthulhu’ai!”

All eyes fell back to the screen.

Scarlett Epistola stood at the podium, the Eldritch Grimoire open in her hands. Black-robed acolytes formed a circle around her, chanting softly. Candles flickered over the chalk design on the floor.

“Uln Cthulhu! Wgah’n ya!”

Slowly, Riley sank into a folding chair. His gaze was fixed on the screen, enraptured. His fingers wrapped over the edge of the table.

“Oh boy.” Neil took a step away from us.

“Riley?” I asked. My fingers reached out to him, but something held me back. “Riley what—”

“They… they call me,” he rasped, all anger drained from his face.

Shock overwhelmed me. After everything we had done to prevent it, it was happening anyway.

We had failed.

“No!” I cried, falling to my knees at his feet. His eyes only grew unfocused and distant. No!

“Don’t go,” I pleaded.

“Cthulhu tf nngu’g nrar’thlotn sz’kz’sy.”