Betwixt

by Danielle Garrett

  Posy wrinkled her nose as though she’d just taken a drink of sour milk. “I do apologize for Lacey’s behavior. She’s a bit—”

  “Spoiled? Entitled? Bratty?” Adam supplied, still grinning without a care in the world.

  “Adam,” Posy warned.

  He laughed. “All right! I’m done. Listen Holly, it was nice to meet you. If you need someone to show you around town, I’m your man. I’m going out now if you want to tag along. My treat.”

  “Thank you. But I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in almost two days, so I think I’ll call it a night if the meeting is over.”

  Posy nodded. “I’ll be in the attic if you need anything.”

  “Thank you.”

  She shimmered and then rose up from the floor, disappearing into the coffered ceiling above us.

  Adam went to the door and held it open. Boots marched out first, already acting like he owned the house—and likely all those in residence—and I followed after him. “Thanks,” I said, passing Adam and getting another whiff of his cologne.

  He walked with me to my door and said goodnight.

  Once inside, I let out a long, slow sigh. “Well, Boots? What do you think? Can this be home?” I glanced around the large room. It was much nicer than my one-bedroom condo back in the Haven, but it wasn’t home. It was more like staying in a hotel or with a family member. Homey, but not home.

  I pushed all the negative thoughts from my mind and retrieved my favorite pajamas from my satchel with a quick summoning spell. When I was swathed in the soft cotton jammies, I crawled into bed, burrowed under the covers with Boots by my side, and stared up at the ceiling.

  It might not be home, but it was all I had, and if I was ever going to have a shot at a normal life, this was it.

  THE END

  Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats

  Introduction

  A vampire party isn’t Holly’s idea of a good time. Especially not on Hallow’s Eve when things have a tendency of getting a little crazy without help from a pack of fanged frenemies.

  When a human stumbles into the mix, Holly has to act fast to keep the creepy soiree from turning into a crime scene.

  Note from Danielle:

  Cats, Bats, and Talking Hats is a short story that tells the story of Holly’s first Hallow’s Eve at the Beechwood Manor. She’s still getting to know her paranormal roomies when things go sideways at Lacey’s Halloween party. In some ways, this is Holly’s first mystery with the Beechwood Manor gang.

  This story was first published in the Witch or Treat Anthology in 2017.

  Chapter 1

  Halloween parties are overrated.

  At least that’s what I’d spent the majority of the day telling myself, not that it helped much. At half past six, I stood at the front window of the Beechwood Manor, staring wistfully out into the night and wishing that I was back home.

  “Being banished sucks,” I grumbled to my faithful familiar, a rotund tabby cat with tawny fur, amber eyes, and a sizeable rear end.

  Boots rubbed his squishy face up against my leg. As far as therapy went, it was pretty effective.

  “Thanks, pal. At least we’re spending All Hallow’s Eve together, huh?”

  Normally I would be in the Seattle Haven, the realm for supernatural creatures, tucked behind a veil of powerful magic in the heart of the city. My best friend, and paranormal party planning genius, Anastasia Winters was famous for her epic Halloween bashes. I’d been a fixture at them for the past three years but that part of my life was over now.

  As it was, I wasn’t allowed anywhere near the haven, not even to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve with my friends.

  “Do people seriously not understand candy etiquette? I mean, really; who is giving out these little rock-hard pieces of gum? I get that kid’s teeth fall out on their own, but why speed up the process by shoving fistfuls of this garbage into their trick or treat baskets? At least they could make it taste good … ,” The unsolicited commentary was provided by Adam St. James, my shifter roommate, as he waltzed into the room. He frowned down into the contents of a plastic pumpkin that clearly looked like a child’s trick-or-treat basket. What he was doing with it, or the nefarious candy it contained, was beyond me.

  Before I could ask him, Lacey, our third roommate and resident vampire, came gliding down the grand staircase. She was decked out in a glittering red dress that made her look like a cross between Jessica Rabbit and Glenda the Good Witch. Judging by the amount of porcelain skin on display, I had to assume the former was more the look she was going for, but the sheer amount of bling that accompanied the getup took it a few steps into fairy-queen territory.

  Not that I had any plans to tell her that.

  Adam, on the other hand, operated without a filter.

  As Lacey’s equally sparkling shoes hit the second-to-last step, Adam turned and burst out laughing. “Whoa, Lacey, that’s some dress. Are you going as a bedazzled fire hydrant?”

  “Shut up!” Lacey hissed, her icy blue eyes flashing in his direction.

  Adam chuckled and popped a chocolate candy into his mouth. “I still can’t believe you talked Posy into letting you have a party here tonight,” he said around the morsel.

  Lacey flicked her platinum blonde hair over her slim shoulder and shrugged. “I simply pointed out that as a paying tenant, I should have the right to invite over some friends for a holiday party.”

  I rolled my eyes as I turned back toward the window. I’d only moved into the manor a few months ago, but even I knew that there was no way our ghost landlady was going to be happy about the evening’s events. It would probably be better for all of us if she took the night off from hovering over us like an antsy mother hen. Not that there was any chance of her going anywhere; the Beechwood Manor was more than just her home—it was her anchor to the human realm. Nearly a century before, she and her husband had practically founded the coastal town. During their mortal lives, they’d turned the small fishing town into a trade post and had laid the foundation for what was now a thriving community with several businesses and pockets of residential neighborhoods for those who lived and worked along the rustic Washington coast. The manor was the jewel of their efforts and Posy’s spirit lingered long after her husband’s untimely death in order to preserve their legacy. She rented out the manor to displaced supernaturals who, for one reason or another, chose not to live within haven society.

  “Holly, is that what you’re wearing tonight?”

  My jaw tightened at the acidity in Lacey’s tone. I managed to slap on a sweet smile before I glanced over my shoulder. She remained at the base of the stairs, glaring at me with her fists planted on her hips. “I was planning on changing before the party. You said people wouldn’t get here until closer to nine.”

  She dropped her hands and went back to preening. “That’s right. Also, don’t forget to lock up your potions cabinet. I don’t need someone getting any ideas about spiking the punch bowl with one of your … creations.”

  “Got it,” I said through clenched teeth.

  Satisfied, she tossed her hair again, then stalked across the living room and shoved through the swinging door that blocked off the kitchen. When it flapped closed, I released the growl that had built up in the back of my throat.

  Adam laughed. “She’s a real charmer, isn’t she?”

  I huffed. “I honestly have no idea how you’ve put up with her for so long.”

  “There are two secrets,” he replied, holding up a finger. “Number one, don’t take her too seriously. For the most part, she’s a lot of hot air. Number two, don’t be afraid to ruffle her feathers sometimes. She’ll respect you for it.”

  I snorted. “Oh, yeah; I’ve seen you in action on that second part. It always goes over so well.”

  Adam shrugged and grinned, his deep dimples appearing. I turned away. With his dark hair, eyes, and sculpted physique, he was distracting enough without the dimples on display. When he turned the charm on full blast, it was hard to re
member the bevy of reasons I had for not dating shifters.

  I crossed the room and settled into one corner of the couch. “I’ll be all right. This just isn’t how I imagined spending my Hallow’s Eve.”

  Adam gave me a sympathetic nod as he rounded the opposite end. “This banishment thing got you down?”

  “Let’s just say that it’s starting to feel like my entire life is one never-ending game of trick or treat. Except it’s all tricks, no treats.”

  Adam laughed as he dropped to the seat beside me on the couch with an unceremonious plop. He slipped an arm over my shoulders and this time, I didn’t bother fighting him off.

  I glanced down at my outfit, wondering exactly what had set off Lacey’s five-alarm fashion-police routine. The sweater dress paired with a pair of black leggings and suede booties was one of my favorite outfits. It was comfortable but still made me look far more put together than I felt most days. Truthfully, I didn’t have a backup outfit. I’d been planning to slip on a masquerade mask just to fit with Lacey’s theme and call it good.

  “Think she’ll sic her pack of pageant pals on me if I don’t change?” I asked Adam.

  He laughed. “No way. She’ll be way too busy schmoozing and gossiping once they get here. She’ll barely notice you. Besides, you look gorgeous; she’s just jealous.”

  I smiled. He was being nice to me and while I appreciated it, I wasn’t going to put too much stock into what the town’s notorious Casanova whispered in my ear.

  “What about him?” Adam asked, nudging his chiseled chin toward the ottoman where Boots was sprawled out. “He’s kind of got a sumo wrestler vibe. Maybe we could get him one of those diaper things for a costume.”

  I snorted at the unimpressed look on Boots’ face. “He’d scratch my face off if I even tried!”

  Boots rolled to his other side. Ignoring us.

  Adam chuckled. “That’s all right, Boots. I have plenty of other ideas to keep us entertained while the fancy fangs do their thing.”

  My eyebrows lifted. “Should I even ask?”

  A sinister glint flashed in his dark eyes as he reached for my hand. “Let’s just say, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that are guaranteed to liven up this little undead soiree.”

  “Okay, now you’re scaring me. What did you do?”

  “Come on. I’ll show you.” With an over-played maniacal laugh, he led the way to the first floor study. The room was really more of a library, lined wall-to-wall with tall bookshelves that containing hundreds, if not thousands, of tomes, most of which were old enough that they’d likely fetch a pretty nice sum if sold to a collector. A desk sat to one side and a few high-backed chairs flanked the ornate fireplace on the other end of the room. Adam went around the desk and leaned over. He retrieved two paper bags and set them on the glossy oak surface.

  I groaned as I caught the logo on the side of one of the bags. “You went to Fuzzle’s?”

  His wicked grin answered the question as he started fishing out the contents. One by one, he unloaded the party trick items from the haven’s most popular toy stores. “I got these discs that mess with the lights when you throw them into the air. These pods are holograph ghosts. If anyone steps on the pod, a virtual ghost pops up and either tells knock-knock jokes or screams. I can’t remember how many of each I bought. Then there’s—”

  “Adam,” I groaned. “Lacey is going to kill you if you use this stuff at her party.”

  “Oh, this is just the tip of the iceberg! I’ve got a—”

  A scream ripped through the house, drowning out the rest of his words.

  Adam cringed. “Oops. Forgot about the bats.”

  “Bats?”

  He lunged for the door and swung into the hallway. I hurried after him. The kitchen door flew open and two dozen bats flew out in a cloud, followed by an enraged Lacey, whose cheeks had gone beet red—an impressive, though moderately terrifying, feat for a sunlight-starved vamp.

  “Adam!” I screamed, ducking down as the swarm flew over my head.

  “I am going to murder you, St. James!” Lacey bellowed.

  Adam gave a nervous laugh. “The bats were supposed to be for the trick or treaters!”

  I frowned at him from across the room, ninety-nine percent sure he was lying. We’d barely decorated the outside of the manor and Adam had already plowed through three-quarters of the Halloween candy we had to pass out to any children who veered off the suburban sidewalks and wandered up the steep hill to the manor’s front porch.

  “Lacey, can’t you do something?” Adam asked, his eyes following one of the larger bats as it swooped up the grand staircase.

  Lacey pursed her lips in his direction. “Are you suggesting that because I am a vampire, I somehow have the ability to communicate with these … these … beasts?” Her voice rose about an octave with each of the last three words.

  Adam shrugged as he brought his gaze level with hers. “Kinda. Yeah.”

  Lacey snarled, her fangs visible over her ruby-red lips.

  I dodged the horde of bats and placed myself between Adam and Lacey. Magic pulsed along my fingertips in case I needed to throw a shield spell up between my warring roomies if either of them moved another inch forward.

  Lacey noticed the glowing magic and scoffed as she retreated for the stairs. “I don’t care what they were for. Just get them out! And Adam, so help me, if even one of those disease-ridden monsters makes it into my room, there’s going to be hell to pay!”

  I winced; she meant every word. Adam had at least sixty pounds over Lacey, but I had no doubt she could knock him to his rear if he pressed her much further. Then again, if he shifted to his beast-form—a large dog—he’d probably stand a chance, but the battle would be messy. I didn’t really want to see what would happen if an all-out war broke loose between the two of them.

  Luckily, Lacey dodged another bat, then raced up the stairs. Moments later her bedroom door slammed shut.

  Adam ducked under the swooping bats and then glanced over at me. “Holly? You got anything?”

  “Not really. I don’t want to accidentally blast the poor little things.”

  “Holly, they’re not alive!”

  My eyebrows cinched together. “What?”

  Adam laughed. “They’re those rubber bats you can get at the party store. These ones just happen to be charmed to come to life, so to speak, after a few hours in the fridge.”

  “You had these in the fridge?” I stammered, horrified.

  “Kinda not the point right now!” he called back, ducking under a low-flying swarm.

  “Right, right. In that case … ,” I fired off stunning spells at each flying target, bringing the swarm of bats to the ground. I winced as each one fell; even though I knew they weren’t real, the effect was incredibly convincing. When the last one landed with a soft plop on the hardwood floor, I dropped my hands and breathed a sigh of relief.

  Adam grinned over at me. “Nice work, sharp shooter.”

  I glanced up the staircase. “She’s going to get you back, you know.”

  “Nah.” He ran a hand over his five o’clock scruff. “Although, maybe I should rethink the octopus in the punch bowl.”

  “Stars above.” I shook my head and started picking up the assortment of demobilized rubber bats.

  The undead princess posse arrived around ten o’clock. Fashionably late, according to Lacey. I supposed it was for the best. By that time, most of the neighborhood kids were done trick-or-treating for the night and safely back home. Modern day vampires were accustomed to drinking synthetic blood and no longer hunted mortals, but the instinct for live feeding was still ingrained in their genetic make-up. It was buried deeper for some than others, so it was comforting to know we wouldn’t have to risk any small children showing up on the welcome mat.

  After the disaster with the trick bats, Adam decided to leave the rest of his pranks in the study, a decision I wholeheartedly agreed with. Instead, we shared a few bottles of pumpkin ale on the back porch
and made snarky comments about Lacey’s attendees, most of whom were either wannabe beauty queens who came to the party decked out like it was the formal-wear segment of the competition.

  No wonder Lacey had turned her pert nose up at my simple sweater dress, not that I cared. I had no desire to mix and mingle with the horrifyingly snobby women inside.

  Then there were the men. If male shifters were off my dating radar, then male vampires might as well be banished to Siberia.

  “Sorry your pranking plans didn’t work out,” I told Adam as he opened a second bottle of ale.

  He shrugged and gave me a lopsided smile. “It’s all right. You probably saved me from getting a limb or two ripped off.”

  I laughed. “I wonder where Posy is hiding out. I haven’t seen her today, have you?”

  Adam shook his head. “I figure she’s up in the attic, trying to ignore the mass of vamps in her front room.”

  “I’m too distracted thinking about all the glitter we’re going to have to vacuum up once they’re gone. Have you ever seen so many sequins?”

  Adam chuckled. “They’re certainly not doing much to dispel that whole “sparkly vampires” rumor, huh?”

  I giggled, unable to help myself. “Why aren’t you out tonight? Didn’t you get invited to any parties or anything?”

  “Not really. Some people from the main office were getting together, but the promise of grocery-store cold-cut trays and fruit salad wasn’t tempting enough to lure me into driving three hours into Seattle.”

  “Cold cuts and fruit salad? You techy guys really know how to throw a party, huh?”

  Adam groaned. “It’s like they go out of their way to be lame. I mean, really, it takes effort to be that dull.”