by Elena Gray
He really went all out with the makeup. He looked like he’d just stepped off a movie set. I fought the urge to reach out and touch one of his horns. They looked so real.
He tipped his head and studied me. His eyes traveled up and down my body. “Nice costume. Don’t you think it’s a little cliché?”
I self-consciously adjusted my pointed hat, then pulled my cape tighter around me. “What do you mean, cliché?”
Was he making fun of the fact that I hadn’t put a lot of effort into my costume? I thought at least my hair looked nice. It had its own natural wave that I usually left on its own. But after the last impression I’d left on Trevor, I had wanted to put some extra effort into my appearance. Because of the length and amount of hair I had, it had taken forever to curl.
“You know, the whole stereotypical witch’s outfit.” He smiled, or at least I thought it was a smile and said, “I gotta say, you got balls, honey. There are going to be some pissed off witches in there tonight.”
I had no idea how to respond to that comment. Did he mean that I was dressed inappropriately for this party? Was I supposed to be more conservative? I second-guessed my decision to come for the thousandth time. The thought of embarrassing myself or Trevor was unbearable. I would never get a second date if I made a fool of myself in front of his friends.
This was a bad idea.
“Um...you know what…” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder. “I forgot something in my car. I’ll see you inside.”
Taking a step back from the door, the horny guy grabbed my arm. “What did you forget? Your broom?”
I gave a weak laugh and tried to twist my arm out of his grasp. “Actually, I forgot my lipstick.”
“Doll, you don’t need any more makeup. Come on. I can’t miss your entrance.”
Before I could step away, he had the door open and was guiding me inside. His touch was surprisingly gentle for a man who looked like a wild animal.
Music pulsed around me as I stared at the room. The entryway was as big as my house. A double staircase led to the second floor. Laughter floated down as couples lingered near the balcony.
“Impressive, right?” Horny guy said. “They have more money than Lucifer.”
“Don’t you think that comparison is a little cliché?” I asked.
He lifted what would have been an eyebrow, if he had any.
“You know,” I said. “Saying they have more money than Lucifer, instead of God.”
His laughter echoed in the room. “You really are cute, you know that? It’s obvious that they have more money than God.”
This guy must really be into Halloween. He was totally playing the part. Maybe this was like some sort of cosplay party, where everyone acted like their costume. The only thing I knew about witchcraft was what I had learned from watching movies.
“Excuse me, can I take your wrap?” a female voice asked.
I turned to find a woman standing in front of an open closet. She had the most stunning violet eyes, and her deep red lips were pulled up into a warm smile.
Did I really want to give up my cape? It was the only thing keeping me modest at the moment. I studied what the girl was wearing. A white blouse tucked into skin tight red leather pants with black stilettos. She must have been in a hurry when she left for work, because she forgot to button her top or put on a bra. My outfit was tame compared to hers.
Reluctantly, I unclasped my cape and handed it to her. When she turned around, there were translucent wings trimmed in violet poking out of the back of her shirt. They were the same color as her eyes. I sucked in a breath when they began to move. How did she do that? I leaned in closer, searching for a battery pack.
I was about to ask her where she bought her wings when Horny guy slipped my arm through his and spun me toward the back of the house. The thump of the music became louder as we approached another set of double doors.
“Hold on to your hat, honey. This party will be like none you’ve ever been to.”
I didn’t doubt that. From what I’d seen so far, I was completely out of my element.
“What’s your name?” I asked. I couldn’t keep calling him Horny guy.
He stepped back and bowed low. When he straightened, he replied, “Marco, at your service.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. It’s true that you should never judge a book by its cover. Had I come across him in a dark alley, I would have run the other way screaming. I’d love to know what he looked like without all of the makeup, but even with it on he didn’t look half bad. I was glad I’d arrived when I did. I never would have found the courage to come in if it weren’t for him.
Extending my hand toward my gallant escort, I said, “I’m Claire. It’s nice to meet you, Marco.”
Instead of shaking my hand, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of it. If things didn’t work out with Trevor, I could always ask Marco out.
What was wrong with me? It had only been days since I’d kicked Mike to the curb. Then again, he was a total loser and had wasted a year of my life. Honestly, I wasn’t getting any younger. I needed to take advantage of the fact that I was now single and at a party where basically no one knew me. I had nothing to lose.
“Well, Claire. I’m the luckiest guy here tonight, with the hottest witch on my arm.”
I could feel my cheeks warm at the compliment. Playing along, I responded, “I’m honored to have you as my escort. Lead the way, sir.”
As Marco pushed the doors open, I sucked in a breath. Multicolored lights swirled around the room. Scantily clad acrobats swung overhead from bolts of cloth and giant rings. People stood scattered all across the room. Some mingled along the perimeter, and the rest crowded onto a dance floor.
Trevor had been right. There were aerialists. If they had some sort of mechanical dragon out back, I was definitely getting a selfie. No one would ever believe me without photographic evidence.
I couldn’t help but stare at the elaborate costumes as Marco led me toward the bar on the other side of the room. Had everyone here hired a stylist? Was I the only one who’d bought their costume off the clearance rack?
A group of women were chatting in the corner. They all had wings of varying sizes that moved. Before the night was over, I needed to find out where they’d purchased them. Who wouldn’t want to be a freaking fairy?
I waved as Marco and I passed them. One tipped her head and squinted her eyes at me.
I didn’t want to appear like some weirdo with a staring problem, so I offered her a genuine smile and said, “You all look so pretty tonight. I love your wings.”
They all huddled together, whispering and stealing glances at me. What had I said now?
Maybe they were from a different country and didn’t understand English. Perhaps waving again would suffice.
Once I did, one of the other women returned the gesture and stepped away from the group. Her flawless skin looked airbrushed and her eyes were violet—the same as the girl’s at the door. The top of her head reached just below my chin.
“Is that your natural color?” she asked, pointing to my hair. Based on her accent, she was definitely from another country. Which one, I had no idea.
“Uh. Yes.”
She studied me as her finger tapped against her lips. “I have never seen hair that shade before. We can’t figure out what you are.”
What I am? Does she mean my costume? I would think the hat was a dead giveaway. “I’m a witch.”
“From which coven?”
I had no idea how to answer that question. Was a coven named after its leader? Did they even call them leaders? Or were they named after the type of power that they wielded? This didn’t seem like a question that I could just fake my way through. Then again, it was all pretend.
Why hadn’t I dressed as a zombie? Then I could have just grunted my answers. I needed to sneak off and do a quick online search about witches. Until then, I needed to steer the conversation away from me.
“Where are you from?” I a
sked, dodging her question.
She stepped closer, leaving only inches between us. She must not believe in personal space. “Would you like to see? It’s actually quite beautiful.”
“That sounds nice, but maybe some other time.” And when did I think that would be? It wasn’t like we were going to exchange numbers and I was going to hop on a plane to wherever she was from. Or she might have wanted to show me pictures. She didn’t specifically ask if I wanted to go. I was glad my response had been as vague as hers. Otherwise, she and her friends would have a good laugh over the new girl.
I smiled at the group and waved goodbye as Marco pressed his hand to the small of my back and guided me away. That made three waves to one group of people. Could I be any more awkward?
“You need to be careful with the fairies, especially that group,” Marco said just loud enough for me to hear over the music. “They love to play tricks and are always defying the counsel. They walk the line of the law, pushing the limit just enough so that they don’t get caught.”
I glanced over my shoulder to find them still staring at me. I shrugged. “They seem harmless to me.”
“That’s when they’re the most dangerous.”
Great. I’d made the mistake of seeking out the mean girls at the party. What was this? High school?
When we reached the bar, Marco tugged me into a gap next to him. “What would you like?”
“Umm. Anything. You pick.” What was that saying? Wine before beer, in the clear? If so, then I would be good with anything.
Leaning against the bar, I scanned the dance floor. There were so many people, I couldn’t tell where one body started and the other ended. I watched a couple grind each other while they made out in front of everyone. Sparks shot from their bodies. How was that even possible? They had their own personal fireworks show. With the amount of alcohol flowing around this place, I hoped they didn’t set someone on fire.
Marco turned and handed me a glass with smoke curling out of it. A blue and purple liquid swirled inside. I sniffed it, which probably looked kinda weird, but I had never seen anything like it before. It smelled like green apples and lavender. The green apple sounded good, but flowers in a drink, not so much.
“What is it?” I asked, scrunching my nose.
“It’s called a Zombie Destroyer.”
“Something tells me that if this can kill a zombie, then it probably isn’t safe for me.”
Laughing, he lifted the glass toward my mouth. “Try it. You’ll love it. At least a sip. Witches mix all sorts of crazy things together. What’s in this should be normal for you.”
I resisted the urge to plug my nose like a child before I took the smallest sip possible. When I didn’t die, I drank a little more. It was like an explosion in my mouth. It reminded me of when I would eat Pop Rocks as a kid. As soon as I parted my lips, a puff of purple smoke drifted out.
“This is really good! What’s in it?” I needed the recipe so I could make this for girl’s night. I couldn’t even taste the lavender. I hoped whatever caused the fizz didn’t burn out my taste buds.
Marco leaned over until his mouth was near my ear. “If they told you, they would have to kill you.”
My smile fell when I saw he looked serious. Was this stuff patented, or some great-grandmother’s secret recipe? Before the night was over, I would find a way to get that recipe.
“So I heard that the hosts have this party every year,” I said, eager to change the subject. “Do you always attend?”
“I try to. Sometimes work doesn’t allow me to stay topside for long, so it always depends on my schedule.” He lifted his beer from the bar and took a swig.
Topside? Interesting. Didn’t that usually refer to being on a ship? Maybe he was in the navy. That would explain why he was maxing out the stretch on his extra tight t-shirt.
“Obviously this is your first time at one of their parties,” Marco pointed out. “How did you get an invite?”
“Oh, hell no,” came a shriek to my left.
I turned to find a woman in a black leather catsuit stalking toward me. I pressed myself closer to Marco, my only lifeline in this place. This woman looked ready to claw someone’s eyes out, and I seemed to be her target.
“What the hell are you wearing?” The crazy catwoman’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard.
I opened my mouth to respond, but was cut off when she jammed her finger in my chest. Not only did that hurt, but I was worried that she would snag her nail on one of my already straining buttons.
“How dare you disrespect our culture by wearing that?” Catwoman continued. “It makes a mockery of all witches.”
With a flick of her wrist, my hat went flying behind the bar. I fisted my hands at my side, ready to knock her into next Tuesday. Who the hell did this bitch think she was? What did she mean by our culture? This chick was looney. There was always one in the crowd who had to take everything personally.
“Ruby, calm down. If you can’t see the irony of it, then you need another drink,” Marco chided.
His arm slid protectively around my shoulder in a surprisingly sweet gesture. I was beginning to like Marco more and more.
Catwoman’s expression transformed from resting bitch face to pouty sex kitten in two seconds flat.
“Marco.” She actually pushed her lip out in a pout. “You know how hard I have fought to erase the stereotypes about the Wiccan culture.”
“Ruby, humans aren’t meant to know what witches really do. Thus, the reason for us to continue to allow the stereotypes. At least witches are still relevant in human society.” Marco tipped his head toward me and I glanced over my shoulder to see who he was gesturing toward. I jumped when I noticed a man with green scales covering his body standing behind me.
“Yeah,” the scaly guy said, his yellow eyes focused on me. “You never see anyone worshipping reptilians.”
This whole conversation was so weird. These people really took their role playing seriously. I needed to get away from this crazy woman ASAP.
I turned my attention back to Ruby. No matter how much I wanted to smack that smirk off her face, I wouldn’t cause a scene. “I’m really sorry if what I’m wearing offended you. I didn’t mean anything by it. But a witch’s costume is the number one selling costume at Halloween. Wearing it shows that witches are still kicking ass.”
Suck up much, Claire? I prayed that what I said fit into their little game. Otherwise I was going to be involved in a cat fight, with none of my girls around as backup.
Her eyes raked me up and down before her bright red lips puckered, like she’d just sucked on a lemon.
“Well, it is true that we do kick ass.” Dismissing me just as fast as she’d challenged me, she smiled at Marco. “I feel like dancing. What do you say we turn up the heat on the dance floor?”
If Marco was the true gentlemen that I thought he was, I knew he would turn her down. He had just bought me a drink and would probably feel bad about leaving me alone. Especially after a woman had just tried to pick a fight with me.
I rested my hand on Marco’s arm. “Don’t feel like you need to babysit me. I have to see if my friend is here, anyway.”
“Are you sure?” he asked, studying me. It was obvious that he saw through my ruse to let him off the hook.
My body suddenly felt like I was sitting in a sauna. Sweat trickled down my back and beaded on my forehead.
“Did someone turn up the heat?” I asked, fanning myself. I didn’t know if the death glare Ruby was giving me caused it or if the Zombie Destroyer was actually beginning to take effect. Either way, I was going to pass out if I didn’t get some fresh air.
Marco glared at Ruby until she smiled and shrugged her shoulders. It seemed like they were having a silent conversation about something. And as quickly as the hot flash came, it was gone. It must have been the drink. That thing packed a hell of a punch.
“Are you sure that you’re okay?” Marco asked. “You seem a little flushed.”
&nbs
p; I gave his arm a squeeze and flashed him a reassuring smile. “Nope. I’m totally fine. Thanks for taking care of me.”
Without giving Marco a chance to speak, Ruby dug her red tipped claws into his arm and dragged him away. I felt bad for Marco. I wouldn’t wish that woman on my worst enemy, but he seemed like he could take care of himself.
I was about to walk away when the scaled guy handed me my hat. “I personally like your outfit. I think you look hella sexy in it.”
“Thank you.” I grasped the hat and power walked away as if Satan himself were chasing me. I really needed to get my cape back. If one more guy stared at my chest, I was going to lose it. I didn’t even have a pushup bra on. The top was so tight that there was no room for anything else. If these buttons popped, I was screwed.
Chapter 3
Stretching on my toes, I scanned the large oval room, searching for Trevor amongst the crowd. He hadn’t mentioned whether or not he would be in costume. He didn’t leave with one, so if he was wearing one, he must have changed when he got here. For all I knew, he could be one of the people with elaborate makeup. I’d never recognize him if that were the case.
In the distance, I spotted a centaur. I had no idea how he’d made the horse part look so realistic. More fairies and a mermaid partied inside a hot tub in the corner. This party grew more bizarre by the minute. I wondered if Trevor had pranked me. Instead of inviting me to a party, he’d invited me to a movie set.
There were guys with pointy ears, which I assumed were elves, even though they looked nothing like the Keebler Elf. I wasn’t about to even ask why they looked different. The fairies hadn’t reacted to the compliment I’d given them about their wings, and I was already in trouble for stereotyping witches. I needed to make sure I didn’t overstep any more boundaries.
My heart nearly beat out of my chest when I heard a lion roar. I gazed around the room, searching for the king of the jungle. Did they actually have a real lion here, or was that part of the background music? It reminded me of the wolf I’d heard in the park after I’d broke up with Mike at the restaurant. Could there have been a jailbreak at the zoo and wild animals were running loose around town?
