"The lights are fixed. And I've got a few more ideas I want to try…."
He trailed off at the sight of Alicia. She turned and posed for him, pulling her skirt up slightly. As soon as she winked, she lost her footing in her heels, and nearly collapsed into Cindy. Cindy held her up before she could fall. Kevin's expression didn't change as he looked her up and down. To him, Alicia's clumsiness only added to her hotness.
"I love Halloween."
"Amen," Nate added.
Kylie crossed her arms and shook her head.
"Cindy," Kevin said. "You have any old sheets I could use?"
"Yeah. In the closet in the bedroom. Leese knows where they are."
The couple disappeared into the bedroom. Cindy rolled her eyes.
"They'll be gone a few minutes, I'm sure."
Alex embraced her and wrapped his wings around her. She laughed as he pulled her close. He moved her mask down and kissed her on the lips.
"A few minutes is all I need."
"I told you. That's not something you brag about."
Kylie laughed while Nate whistled.
"Maybe we should leave them alone," he said.
"We're kidding, guys," Cindy said, looking at Kylie. It was jarring only to see their guests when she touched her husband. "Kylie, you want to try a costume? I'll help you."
"No, no. That's okay. Thank you for letting us hang out here."
"Sure. What are friends for?"
Kylie was genuinely moved. She smiled as she adjusted her glasses, looking almost about to cry.
The party moved outside while Kevin and Alicia searched for sheets, and each other's tongues. The music was loud enough to hear from the yard, and Cindy danced like only she could as Alex took care of the children. It was a humorous sight, a dancing ninja.
Every child that received candy wanted to touch Alex's wings.
He was working on another slice of pizza when Nate joined Cindy in dancing. He wasn't very good. Alex and Kylie laughed and watched from the porch.
"Why don't you go out there and show him what he's doing wrong?" Alex said.
Kylie smiled nervously. "I don't think so. I'd trip over my own feet."
"I'm not sure ghosts can do that."
"Trust me, I'd figure out how to. I wasn't much of a dancer when I was alive."
He studied her, leaning against the porch railing. She tried to give Alex a reassuring grin, but he could see something was on her mind. He imagined a lot of things were on her mind.
"Do you want to talk?" he said, taking the first step.
"About what?" She brushed hair away from her face. "I'm fine."
He didn't get the chance to press further when Kevin and Alicia joined them on the porch. He carried an armful of sheets. Alicia's hat was crooked, and Kevin's face was flush.
"We…found the sheets," Kevin said.
Alex nodded. "That's great. What else did you find in there?"
Alicia hit her brother on the shoulder.
"What's the deal with the sheets? I've already got the trees filled with spiderwebs." Alex noted his lack of costume. "You going to run around as a ghost?"
"Not quite."
Kevin left the porch and dug something out of his coat. He approached Cindy as he opened and shook the sheets.
"Hey. Do you mind grabbing my foot for a second?"
Cindy was just as confused as everyone else. The only one smiling was Alicia.
Kevin jumped, but he didn't come back down. Cindy let out a scream as she reached up and grabbed Kevin by the ankle, nearly missing him. He hovered six feet over the grass in their yard for the world to see.
"Kevin!" Alex shouted. "What the hell are you doing?"
"It's okay. I'm just making a few ghosts real quick."
Alex searched the street as he left Kylie on the porch. Luckily, there were no parents and children nearby to see Kevin using his powers openly. He pulled a handful of glowing mothballs from his pocket, each a different color. He arranged them in a circle in mid-air, parallel to the ground, each one defying gravity as he released them. In a matter of seconds, there was a floating halo of light above Alex's yard. Kevin tossed a sheet over the ring, creating a very convincing, flying ghost.
Alex took over for Cindy, grabbing Kevin's ankle. It was like holding a balloon. He peered up to see Kevin's magic feather protruding from his grip, his instrument for floating.
"Okay," Alex said. "You're done. Come on down from there."
"Just one more. Move me over a few feet."
Alex quickly did so, his eyes darting around him.
"Kevin, you probably shouldn't be throwing your magic around like this."
"You've got your wings out."
"That's not quite the same thing."
Kevin made another ghost, and Alex yanked him back down to earth. They were just in time, as a group of children and parents walked into view. They marveled at the flying ghosts, and how real Alex's wings looked.
The night carried on. Alex and Kevin took turns scaring children as they approached for candy. Alex had better luck, with his life-like wings and red eyes. On one particular scare, he leapt out of their tree, landing and extending his wings to their full length while letting out a scream. The children ran and didn't look back. A group of women, somewhere in their twenties, also moved through the neighborhood. Alex tried to scare them, but they only giggled and flirted. They each rubbed and stroked his wings, marveling at the special effect. What they didn't know was his wings were ticklish, and it took every ounce of self control not to laugh and twitch them. Fortunately, he was saved by his semi-jealous wife.
"Okay, break it up," Cindy said, approaching the group. "Stop trying to feel up my husband."
The women walked away, whispering and laughing. One of them shot Alex a last glance, and Cindy shot them daggers in return. She cozied up to Alex and wrapped an arm around his waist. He settled a wing over her to keep her warm.
"I didn't really scare them, did I?"
"I wouldn't say that. Looks like you scared the panties off them to me."
They laughed and rejoined the group. Nate whispered something to Kylie, something that made her smile. Alex was glad to see her smiling. He was also glad they stayed for their tiny party.
Kevin had reclaimed his coat from the living room and rummaged through the pockets. He had a look of competitive flare in his eyes.
"Okay, you really want to scare someone?" he said. "Give me a few minutes. I'll come up with something."
"No," Alex and Cindy said together. "The game's over. No more magic. If Victoria saw you out here tossing magic around, she'd flip out."
Kevin's phone rang. He checked the caller ID and held it up for everyone to see.
"Speak of the devil," he said, then opened the front door. "Be right back."
"Wow," Nate said. "So, Kevin's a witch?"
"What exactly does a witch do?" Kylie asked.
Alex laughed. "Well, if you're not careful, they create a big mess in the kitchen and you have to eat out on the lawn."
"What?" Alicia said. "What's going on?"
"I'm talking to Kylie and Nate."
"I can't see them."
Alicia stepped off the porch and took Alex's hand. She teased Kylie about wanting to steal her boyfriend. Kylie, horror on her face, denied even looking at him that way. It took nearly a minute for Kylie to realize it was a joke. Everyone laughed, with Alicia and Kylie sharing an awkward hug that neither could feel, in which Alicia nearly stepped through her.
"Hey, guys," Kevin called as he stepped back outside. "Look who decided to stop by."
Victoria smiled and waved as she emerged from behind Kevin. The vampire looked lovely, as always. A simple black dress that stopped at the knees, with her red hair behind her shoulders. She wore bangs, a new look for her. Her skin seemed paler than usual, a result of the dark dress.
"Hey, everyone!" Her smile faded quickly when she noticed Alex's wings, and the two ghosts floating above the lawn. She put her hands on her hips,
like a disappointed mother. "Busy having fun, I see?"
Kevin immediately went defensive.
"Victoria, seriously. It's Halloween. It's no big deal."
She pointed at the suspended sheets. "If the wrong person sees that hanging there—"
"Like who? A nine-year-old child? And what are you leaning on me for? Alex has his damn wings out over there."
"Thanks, Kevin," Alex said. "Way to stand together."
"I'm just saying. Victoria's always giving me the nasty eye."
Alex gave Victoria a quick hug and introduced her to Kylie and Nate. Kylie greeted her, but Nate said nothing, simply staring at her with his mouth open. Alex came to Kevin's aid.
"You have to admit, Halloween is the one night we can cut loose a little." He stroked one of his wings. "Everyone thinks these things are fake."
"I didn't get to be as old as I am by sticking my fangs out on Halloween."
Cindy pulled away from Alex to head inside to use the bathroom. She kissed Victoria on the cheek and hugged her shoulders as she passed.
"It's just not a party until Victoria gets here."
Another group approached for candy, two boys and three girls. The boys admired Alex's wings as he dropped chocolate in their buckets.
"Look at these wings! They look real!"
"Eh, I've seen better online."
Before they could turn to leave, Victoria lunged at them. She moved with blinding speed, running from the porch to the sidewalk in the blink of an eye. Her fangs were exposed, her eyes blood red. Her fingers were suddenly large claws. She let out a horrific scream, stopping just short of their faces. For a moment, Alex thought she was in the middle of what vampires called bloodlust, when they went crazy from lack of drinking. The group turned and ran, shrieking loudly into the night.
With a smile on her face, she turned on her heels. Her features were normal, her fangs gone.
"Now that is how you scare someone," she said.
Silence, even from the ghosts. Alicia was the first to find words.
"I think I have to change my panties."
"Yeah, no shit," Kevin said. "Victoria, giving someone a simple scare, and scarring them for life, those are different things. Jesus."
Alex stepped forward and gestured to the house.
"We need to talk for a minute."
Victoria stepped inside the living room. Alex paused as he stopped in the doorway. Nate was still awestruck on the porch. He hadn't closed his mouth since the attractive vampire arrived.
"You okay?" Alex said. "What's wrong?"
"She's like a walking hourglass with fire on her head."
Alex laughed, remembering Nate's love of redheads.
"Yeah, she's very pretty."
"Pretty? Bullshit. She's gorgeous. Stunning."
Kylie shook her head. "Do you need a thesaurus to come up with more words?"
"What's a thesaurus?" Nate asked, frowning.
"She's also way out of your age range," Alex said.
He joined Victoria in the living room. She was already sitting on the couch with her legs crossed, elegant and proper. Besides his immediate family, Alex considered Victoria to be his best friend. She was a mentor to him, a guide to the supernatural world. They spent as much time together as they could, although lately Victoria had been busy. She'd been in India on business. Luckily, that wasn't a problem for Kevin and his magical portals.
"I can't stay long," she said. "I've actually got a meeting I need to be at soon. It's strange. It's an eleven hour time difference between here and New Delhi. I was sleeping not long ago."
Alex sat next to her. "More vampire politics?"
"Just enough to drive me insane," she said, sighing. "Ever since Bradley died, I've been trying to tie up a few of his loose ends."
"What do vampires do in these meetings of yours?"
"We try to put our plans together on how we're going to take over humanity."
He said nothing as he studied her expression.
"I'm kidding," she said, smiling.
He laughed. Victoria was fascinating to watch in a crowd, amazing to talk to. She could shift from a wise, centuries-old vampire to a bubbly, giggling thirty-year-old woman with ease.
"So, what are we doing here on the couch?"
"I need to show you something."
"I don't think Cindy would approve."
"Funny," he said, sliding the laptop on the coffee table toward them.
She scooted closer as he launched the new website. Nate stuck his head through the front door, simply to get another look at Victoria. Alex scowled and pointed, telling him to go outside.
"What do you think of this?"
"Hmm. The caption font is a little off. Bold it, center it. The slideshow scrolls through a little fast. Maybe add a second or two. Meet The Team could maybe be just Contact, but it looks like you've got the header room."
"No. I mean…what do you think about this whole thing? Cindy and I, we're going to try to make some money."
"There's nothing wrong with that. I think it's a good idea." She smiled slightly, showing off her straight, perfect teeth. "You're an adult, Alex. You certainly don't need my blessing."
"Well, I kind of do. If Kevin was doing this, you'd slap him into next week."
"That's not the same thing. If Kevin was doing something like this, he'd get far more than customers wanting his services. He'd get witch-hunters trying to kill him."
"Wow. Nice thought."
Victoria glanced at the website once again.
"Demons LLC. I like it."
"Thanks. Cindy came up with it."
"I'm sure she did. This is a good idea. Who knows? Maybe I'll have to hire you sometime."
"You'll get a discount."
"Do you need any help getting started?"
Victoria was always generous, perhaps too much, in dealing with Alex. She had money, a lot of it, and was always trying to give some to Alex and Cindy. They always refused.
"I think we're good. Actually, I'm heading down to Florida soon to work a case. Kylie, the girl outside, hired me."
"To find her murderer, no doubt."
She was always perceptive.
"That's right."
"Ah. I miss solving murders with you."
"Well, if we get bigger, I'll hire you."
She leaned her head back as she laughed. "That sounds like fun."
The supernatural pair walked outside to see Kevin on the porch. Alicia was on the sidewalk, squatting down as she admired a young group's costumes and handing out candy. Her figure stretched her witch's costume, and Alex could see quite clearly where Kevin's eyes were focusing.
"Halloween is the best," he said.
Nate nodded from the other side of the porch. Kylie was nowhere to be seen.
"I have to agree."
Nearly an hour passed as the group continued to have fun. The magic powering Kevin's floating ghosts faded, and he looked to Victoria for permission to power them up once again. She nodded, and she held his foot as he hovered and set them up one more time. Cindy and Alicia were talking about work when Alex noticed Nate alone on the porch. The ghost was in heaven as he stared at Victoria.
"Hey," Alex said, joining him. "Where's Kylie?"
"She said she'd be right back, she needed some space."
"Is she okay?"
"As okay as she can be. I'll think she'll be alright."
"I'll see if she's in the house."
He turned to leave, but Nate stopped him.
"Hey, Alex, before you go. I want in on this Florida trip coming up."
He blinked in surprise, and fumbled for words for a moment. Nate was always joking, but his expression was very serious.
"You've got nothing better to do?"
"Well, I guess I could always stalk Victoria until my eyes bleed. But I'd rather go down south with you."
"I don't know, Nate. We really don't know each other. I usually do this stuff by myself."
"C'mon, man. You can't
tell me an extra set of eyes wouldn't be nice."
"They probably would. But it's not up to me. It's up to Kylie. She's the one who hired me. She's in charge."
"I know. I already talked to her, and she said no. You have to talk to her and convince her to say yes."
His tone caught Alex off-guard.
"Oh, I have to?"
"Yeah. She needs help. And no offense, because you can do a lot of cool shit, but you're not dead. You won't be able to relate to her like I can. I just want to help. Her and you."
Alex studied Nate for a moment. He wasn't sure he liked the idea of Nate coming along, but perhaps he could be of use. There were things about the spirit world that Alex didn't know.
"I'll talk to her."
Nate nodded. "That's all I ask."
Alex searched the house, but saw no sign of Kylie. The thought crossed his mind that she'd taken a walk. He passed through the kitchen, ready to head back outside, when he saw a glimpse of someone sitting in the backyard. Kylie sat on the edge of their in-ground pool, her legs sticking through the cover. She looked lost, forlorn, as she adjusted her glasses.
He opened the door and approached her. They could still hear the group out front, laughing and dancing to the music. Kylie offered a small smile as he drew closer.
"You mind if I sit?"
She nodded and gestured next to her. He sat with his legs crossed. His back throbbed in pain from the constant popping and shrinking of his wings throughout the night.
"I can almost feel the water," Kylie said, moving her legs back and forth. "It doesn't feel like it did when I was alive, but it doesn't feel like air, either." She laughed quietly. "I guess swimming at the beach won't be happening anymore."
"Believe it or not, Kylie, life doesn't have to be over."
She frowned as she looked at him. "Uh, actually, it does. That's what death is. The opposite of life."
"Tell that to Nate, or any other ghost I've met over the years. You can do whatever you want now. See the world, or move on to the other side. It's completely up to you."
"I can't kiss a boy, or drive a car. Hell, I can't even ride in a car now without falling out."
They were both quiet a moment.
"I was actually at a club the night I died. My friend Zoey took me. We're only seventeen, but she knew a guy who worked there." She held out her arms. "Can you imagine me at a club, dressed like this?"
Demons LLC (Damned and Cursed Book 7) Page 13
