Read Online All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris - Free Book Online

little Hotshot community—“means being faithful to your mate, unless the mate has to breed to keep the group up. Since Crystal’s pretty much out of the running on that, Jason, that means she has to be faithful to you, and you to her. You don’t have mating obligations like the purebloods do.” Jason flushed at this reminder that his status was lesser since he was only a shifter because he’d been bitten by one, not because he’d been born with the gene. “So if Crystal runs around on you and a member of the community can attest to it, and if she can’t pay the price for some reason—pregnancy, or illness, or a kid to raise—I have to do it. We’re not talking money here, you understand?”
    Jason nodded. “You’re talking physical punishment,” he said.
    “Yes,” Calvin said. “Not only are you promising to be faithful, you’re also swearing to keep our secret.”
    Jason nodded again.
    “And to help out other members of the community if they’re in need.”
    Jason scowled.
    “Example?” I said.
    “If Maryelizabeth’s roof needs replacing, we might all chip in a bit to buy the material and we’d all make time to do the work. If a kid needs a place to stay, your home is open to that kid. We take care of each other.”
    Jason nodded again. “I understand,” he said. “I’m willing.” He would have to give up some of his buddy time, and I felt sad for Hoyt; and I confess I felt a little sad for myself. I wasn’t gaining a sister; I was losing my brother, at least to some degree.
    “Mean this from the heart or call it off now,” I said, keeping my voice very low. “You’re committing my life to this, too. Can you keep the promises you’re making to this woman and her community, or not?”
    Jason looked at Crystal for a long moment, and I had no right to be in his head, so I pulled out and instead cast through the crowd for random thoughts. They were mostly what you’d expect: a bit of excitement at being at a wedding, a bit of pleasure at seeing the parish’s most notorious bachelor shackled to a wild young woman, a bit of curiosity about the odd Hotshot ritual. Hotshot was a byword in the parish—“as weird as a guy from Hotshot” had been a saying for years, and Hotshot kids who attended the Bon Temps school often had a hard time of it until after the first few playground fights.
    “I’ll keep my promises,” Jason said, his voice hoarse.
    “I’ll keep mine,” Crystal said.
    The difference between the two was this: Jason was sincere, though I doubted his ability to stick to his word. Crystal had the ability, but she wasn’t sincere.
    “You don’t mean it,” I said to her.
    “The hell you say,” she retorted.
    “I don’t usually say one way or another,” I said, making the effort to keep my voice low. “But this is too serious to keep silent. I can see inside your head, Crystal. Don’t you ever forget I can.”
    “I ain’t forgetting nothing,” she said, making sure each word had weight. “And I’m marrying Jason tonight.”
    I looked at Calvin. He was troubled, but in the end, he shrugged. “We can’t stop this,” he said. For a second, I was tempted to struggle with his pronouncement. Why not? I thought. If I hauled off and slapped her, maybe that would be enough disruption to stall the whole thing. Then I reconsidered. They were both grown-ups, at least theoretically. They would get married if they chose, either here and now or somewhere else on some other night. I bowed my head and sucked up my misgivings.
    “Of course,” I said, raising my face and smiling that bright smile I got when I was really anxious. “Let’s get on with the ceremony.” I caught a glimpse of Quinn’s face in the crowd. He was looking at me, concerned by the low-voiced argument. Amelia, on the other hand, was happily chatting with Catfish, whom she’d met at the bar. Hoyt was by himself right under one of the portable lights rigged up for the occasion. He had his hands thrust in