All the Love in the World: A Holiday Anthology

by Karina Halle

  I know I’m the one not being honest. That I’m carrying Daniel’s secret with me. But since I don’t know what the hell Ingrid meant, then I can’t say it has anything to do with tonight. If it did, I’m more than certain one of these three would have felt something.

  Right?

  “Well, I think the whole thing will be fun,” Ada says. “I don’t have any gut feelings telling me this is wrong or dangerous or something.”

  Hmmm. That doesn’t really help. Ada would be the type to have gone to Hell and come back thinking it was a fun trip.

  I look at Jay.

  He shrugs. “I don’t have any issues with this. I’m here just in case, but it sounds pretty straightforward to me. Go in the house, try to summon his wife, ask her some questions, and leave. You don’t need to open up the Veil. In fact, to make things even more simple, if you can’t contact her, just leave it at that. You don’t have to go looking for trouble.”

  I know I find Jay sketchy sometimes, and that’s due to the nature of what he is and my own personal experiences with “Jacobs,” but I believe what he says.

  Finally I look at Perry. “And you, kiddo?”

  She gives me a wan smile. “You know how I feel. I’m scared. That hasn’t changed. But I think there’s a part of me that’s excited too. More than that, I’m focused on what the money can bring us. It makes handling these fears worth it.”

  “So you’re not scared enough to put up your hand and tell me no?”

  “Dex, you know I will if it comes to it.”

  That I know. I’ve had more than enough experience putting Perry in risky and dangerous situations where she’s put up her hand and told me it was too much.

  Unfortunately, there’ve been a few occasions where I’ve ignored that and pushed her anyway. I’d like to think I’ve grown out of that.

  “Okay then,” Ada says, clapping her hands together. “Then it’s settled. We’re going, and we’re going to have some fun while we’re at it. Dex, you’re first.”

  “First with what?”

  She grins, pulling out a few tubes of face makeup and a sponge, coming at me like a serial killer. “Your costume.”

  A couple of hours later, the four of us are sitting in the fireside lounge at the Sorrento Hotel in the First Hill neighborhood, drinking beer and mulled wine, all of us in costume (along with everyone else in this place).

  Ada decided to go the sexy Mother of Dragons route from Game of Thrones, her hair braided and little dragons stuck all over her, while Jay got off easy and is just wearing a kilt. He’s supposed to be some character from Outlander, and with his stupid chiseled face he probably fits the role well.

  Perry doesn’t look that different from normal. Her long black hair is in soft waves, she’s wearing red lipstick that shows off the shape of her plump perfect lips. But she’s poured herself into a long black velvet gown that is way too tight for her breasts and they’re spilling over like they’re trying to escape their velvet prison.

  She’s Morticia Addams.

  My teenage crush. I don’t even want to think about all the hours I spent jacking off to Angelica Houston in those movies.

  I feel like Ada knew I’d lose my mind over this, hence why she got it for Perry, and she was right. I am going fucking mental, peeling back the labels on my beer bottle like I’ve got SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED written all over my face.

  Then there’s me.

  Naturally, I’m Gomez Addams.

  Not that I’m particularly complaining. Though I’ve been wearing more of a beard lately, I shaved it off and left the mustache. Ada darkened it with black paint, put white makeup on the rest of my face, then ringed my eyes with dark liner. I slicked my hair off my face with a fuckload of gel, and put on a ridiculously ill-fitting striped suit that smells like plastic, and then the bowtie.

  I have to say, I look the part.

  And just like Gomez continuously lusted after his wife, I’m doing the same to mine.

  But Perry’s mind is elsewhere again, and even though the restroom is right around the corner, and I would be very, very quick with her, she did tell me to keep it in my pants. So I sit back, drink my beer, and take it out on the label.

  The reason we’re at this hotel is because it’s in the neighborhood of Harry Cox’s house (not even snickering at his name anymore). First Hill is directly east of downtown, and one of the oldest residential areas of the city. The buildings and religious institutions here are vibing with energy, and the address he gave us is about a ten-minute walk from here. Plus, a few pre-ghost-hunting cocktails will probably help with the nerves.

  Jay looks around at the wood-paneled walls of the lounge. “You know this place is haunted, right?”

  “What?” Perry and I both say in unison, our heads swiveling toward him.

  He gives us a curious look. “I thought you would have both picked up on that. This Veil is very thin here. There are things I’m seeing that you’re obviously not.”

  I glance at Perry and she shrugs. “I’m not seeing anything unusual,” she says, her eyes scanning the crowd. “Though everyone is in costume so that doesn’t help. I mean that guy over there is dressed as a tub of Mayonnaise.”

  “I don’t see anything either,” Ada says. “Oh wait, what about that vampire in the corner over there?”

  Jay looks over his shoulder at the vampire trying to sip a cocktail with his fangs and laughs. “Not a ghost.”

  For a moment I thought my ability was hampered by the medication, but if every normal person couldn’t see them, then it wasn’t just me.

  “Maybe we’re all a little rusty,” I tell him, glancing at the grandfather clock by the fireplace. “And maybe we should get going. Doesn’t hurt to be early.”

  “You, on time for something?” Perry asks incredulously, finishing her drink. “I don’t believe it.”

  I get to my feet and hold out my hand. “Believe it, Cara Mia,” I say in my best Gomez impression.

  I can tell by the way her cheeks go pink that she likes this as much as I do. I don’t know how I could be attractive with this particular mustache, and the eye makeup, but I guess it does something for her.

  But my plans for ravishing her will have to wait until we get home, whether that’s tonight or in the early morning hours.

  “You know,” Jay says to me as we leave the hotel, stepping out into the foggy, cold night. Firecrackers go off in the distance, the air smelling acidic. “If you ever do think about starting up your show again, that hotel would be a great place to start.”

  “That ain’t happening,” Perry says, giving Jay a sharp look. “There’s a reason why we’re not filming this. Tonight is about the money, not a step backward.”

  “Tell me how you really feel,” I say under my breath.

  “Dex,” she says, pulling at my arm, eyes flashing. “Please tell me that this is just a one-time thing. Unless someone else wants to pay us an obscene amount of money, we’re not doing this again. We have to agree on that.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I tell her, but I can tell from the way Jay’s looking at me that he’s thinking about what I said yesterday. He only had to help just this once.

  I ignore him and try to keep my thoughts focused on tonight, not the future, not where this might take us, as tempting as that might be.

  We walk down the dark street, fallen leaves crunching beneath our feet. There are still a few groups of trick-or-treaters straggling about, but most of them are idle drunk teenagers trying to make the night last. It’s nearly ten p.m., only two more hours until the supposed witch holiday comes to an end.

  “This should be the house, right on the corner,” I say, staring at the GPS on my phone. We come to a stop and stare.

  The house is haunted as fuck.

  I don’t have to see anything spooky to know it, and judging from the chill in the air, the silence that thickens between the four of us, we’re all feeling it.

  The house is three-stories tall, the bottom half brick, the rest timbered.
In the dim light of the flickering streetlight, it looks sick in color, this yellowish beige, framed with dark brown. The windows on the first two levels are all boarded up and the house looks completely dark, save for a faint light coming from one of the windows on the third floor.

  There’s a set of stairs leading to the door, which, in the dark, looks almost like a church door, angled at the top.

  Yeah, this is some scary fucking shit already and we’re still standing on the street, holding our breath as if the house is about to take it from us.

  Maybe this isn’t a good idea?

  Chapter 6

  I can’t take my eyes off the house.

  It’s like it’s been…waiting for us.

  “Hello!” A man suddenly darts in front of us, and the four of us scream and jump in unison.

  “Holy shit,” Ada yells, hand to her chest.

  “I’m so sorry,” the man quickly says, holding his palms out at us. “I was sent here to you meet you.”

  I try to control my heart, which is bouncing around against my ribs, focusing on the man. It’s hard to see him clearly in the dark. He’s about six feet tall, dark wavy hair, light eyes, bit of a tan, my age, maybe a bit younger or older, it’s hard to tell. He’s wearing a black trench coat, which probably accounts for us not seeing him until he was right in front of us.

  I can’t get a read on him either. His vibes are a bit…off. Foggy, like the mist around us.

  “You must be Dex and Perry,” the man says to us, then squints at Ada and Jay. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are.”

  “Actually, we don’t know who you are,” I tell him.

  “Right,” he says. “I’m Atlas. Atlas Poe.”

  “Atlas Poe?” I repeat, snorting. “As if that’s your real name.”

  “I’m afraid it is. But it could be worse. I could have my stepfather’s name. Harry Cox?”

  “Harry is your stepfather?” Perry asks him. “He never mentioned you.”

  “I suppose he wouldn’t,” he says with a tired sigh. “He’s very singularly focused these days. Some might call it an obsession.”

  “Well, I’m calling it weird since I’ve only talked with him. Are you supposed to pay us now?” I ask.

  “Yeah, we ain’t doing shit until we see the money,” Ada says, talking as if she’s in some gangster film.

  “Shhh,” Perry shushes her. “It’s not even your money, Ada.”

  “I have the money right here,” Atlas says, pulling an envelope out of his coat. He hands it to me. “Go ahead,” he says. “Take a look.”

  While I open the envelope, Ada says to Atlas. “So, who are you supposed to be for Halloween?”

  “Myself,” Atlas answers, a lilt to his voice.

  “Uh huh,” she says. “I thought maybe you were trying to look like Edgar Allan Poe.”

  “No, no,” he says. “Though I am one of his descendants.”

  I pause to look at him, squinting between him and the check in my hands. “Poe had no children. That’s a known fact.”

  Atlas shrugs. “How could that be known as fact?” He nods at the check. “Does that make sense to you.”

  It’s hard to get a read on the check since the light is so dim, but it does look to be a one followed by six zeros.

  My heart skips a beat. I look back at Poe. “How do I know this is any good?”

  He gives me a faint smile. “You know, don’t you, Dex?”

  The hairs at the back of my neck start to rise again, an unsettling feeling in my stomach. I swallow.

  He’s right. I do know it’s real. I can feel it.

  I glance at Perry, who is staring at Atlas with a peculiar look on her face, trying to get a read on him too. He’s staring right back at her, seeming smug.

  He clasps his hands in front of him and then looks to Ada and Jay. “As for you two, you’re not part of the original plans. I’m afraid I can’t let you in the house.”

  “What?” Ada exclaims.

  “Why not?” asks Perry, both sisters getting worked up.

  As for me, I mean, fuck, I have a hundred grand that I’m slipping into my wallet, I couldn’t care less what happens after this.

  That’s not true, I hear an unknown voice snake around in my head. A woman’s voice. You know you want to go inside.

  Go inside.

  Go inside.

  Oh shit. I press my hands to my temples, trying to stop the voice.

  But no one is paying me any attention.

  Go inside.

  Perry and Ada are trying to argue with Atlas.

  Go inside.

  Jay is staring at Atlas like he wants to kill him, which is a bit of an overreaction I must say.

  Go inside.

  And then Atlas’ gaze goes to me. A hint of understanding in his eyes.

  The voice stops.

  “I think we should go inside,” I find myself saying. At least, I think that was me saying it.

  Perry gives me a look. “Really? Without them?”

  “We’re the ones who invited them. Well, I did. Harry never knew.”

  “He just trusts you two,” Atlas says. “You understand that you’re being invited into his house, to talk to his wife? This is a situation of great reverence. Dex and Perry, you were chosen for a reason.”

  All the right reasons.

  Okay, holy fuck. What is that fucking voice?

  I look at Perry and she’s staring at me, brows knitting together. It’s definitely not her. I glance at Atlas. I don’t think it’s him either.

  Perry reluctantly tears her eyes off me and gives Atlas a sour smile. “Fine. It will be just us two.”

  “Perry,” Ada says. “Come on, we can help.”

  I expect Jay to say something similar, but he’s just standing there, still looking at Atlas like he wants to take his head off and bounce it around for a bit, maybe shoot some hoops with the basketball net on the other side of the street.

  Finally, he clears his throat. “It’s fine, Ada,” he says, grabbing her by the elbow and pulling him toward him.

  I have to say, if Jay had said this was a big mistake right now, I wouldn’t do it. I would give the money back and call it quits. But he’s not saying anything at all. Perhaps his sudden hatred for wannabe Johnny Depp is purely a jealousy thing, I mean, who fucking knows with those ginger bastards anyway.

  “Okay then,” Atlas says. “Follow me.”

  He turns and starts walking up the path to the house.

  I grab Perry’s hand, giving it a squeeze, and then look over at Jay and Ada. “You’ll be right here?”

  “Not fucking going anywhere,” she says. “And if there’s anything remotely scary, just call me.”

  Jeez, when did Little Fifteen get to be such a hot shot in the ghost department?

  We nod goodbye to them and then follow Atlas toward the house, going up the creaking front steps. Yes, classic haunted house fixings.

  Atlas takes out a skeleton key from his pocket (another nice detail) and opens the interesting door. It groans loudly as he pushes it.

  I look back at Khalessi and Outlander boy, who are watching us like hawks.

  Atlas steps inside, and I swear the air around him shimmers, just for a second.

  Perry squeezes my hand and I gaze down at her.

  “Are you ready?” I ask her.

  “I think so.”

  “You gotta be sure, baby. If you don’t want to do this, I think this is our only chance to say no. To turn and go. If we walk through that door…I think we’re in it. Either we dive in. Or deflect.”

  “We dive in,” she says, giving me a small smile.

  We look back to see Atlas standing in the dim interior of the house.

  We walk through.

  I flinch as we go, expecting to feel the hiss and pop of the Veil, to feel ourselves pulled into a place without color or air.

  But nothing happens. We just walk in.

  “Mind if I close the door?” Atlas asks, pushing the heavy door sh
ut. I watch as Ada and Jay disappear. “Don’t want this place draftier than it has to be.”

  I lean over and flick the lights on, but nothing happens.

  “There’s no electricity,” he says to me. “It’s been cut off for years.”

  “That’s not true, I saw a light on in the upstairs window,” I tell him.

  “Did you?” Atlas asks, with a raise of his brow.

  I look at Perry. “You saw the light, right?”

  She shakes her head. “No, but that doesn’t mean anything.”

  Atlas pulls out a couple of small flashlights from his pocket and hands us each one. “Here, this will do. You know, back in the day I used to give guided tours of this place, so you’ll have to pardon me if I revert back into old ways.”

  He starts walking down the long hall and we follow. “Now, outside you may have noticed the gables and archways as being stylistically medieval English Tudor, while the interior rooms combine elements from various historical styles including Moorish, Romanesque, Gothic, Neoclassical, and Renaissance.”

  “Sorry, are we actually getting a tour right now?” I ask him, shining my light along the walls. “Because I have to tell you, whenever there’s a choice of having a tour guide or going on your own, I always pick the latter.”

  “I figured,” he says with amusement. “I thought you would find it interesting.”

  The thing is, he is kind of right. This house is batshit. It’s somehow larger than it looks on the outside with the hallway seeming to stretch forever, ending in a giant, cavernous room. A round arch supported by Romanesque columns frames the view.

  “Wow, the ceilings,” Perry says in a hush, shining her light up.

  The exposed beam ceilings and walls are intricately patterned with painted details, almost mirroring the worn rug that runs down the middle of the hallway. We continue down the hall, the dark room getting closer and closer.