“Hmm.” She pursed her lips together in contemplation. “It’s definitely his style. I think he’s going to like it. I would just change the fur, I think it’s a bit much and the weather is still too warm for it.”
“You think? Selena is wearing a fur trimmed dress to the award ceremony. I thought it would be cute if they matched.”
“Sure, but matching fur? That’s a little tacky. Maybe add a pop of color that compliments her dress.”
“You might have a point.” I took back the drawing, making a note of her advice in the margins. “But, it’s late. I’ll work on it tomorrow.”
“You’re such a procrastinator,” Ebony mumbled, her face so close to her drawing that her nose nearly touched the paper.
“Hey, all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy.”
She just shook her head, refusing to acknowledge me.
I sighed, about to leave the studio room when I noticed an envelope on the desk. “Hey, what’s this?”
Ebony looked up, spotting the envelope in my hands. “I’m not sure. It came in the mail. Figured you’d want to open it.”
I studied the envelope. There was no return address. How curious. Our address, however, had been printed in a beautiful, flowing cursive. The gold ink shimmered in the overhead light. I ran my finger over it, covering the tip in a fine, luxurious layer of glitter. “This is super fancy.”
“Is it? I didn’t even notice.”
“Of course not.” I shook my head. My sister never noticed anything. As one of the smartest people I knew, it always baffled me how she could be so oblivious to the world around her.
I turned over the envelope. It was sealed with a bright red wax, stamped into place with an ornate G. Whoever had mailed this had really gone above and beyond. It was so pretty that I hesitated, but eventually, my curiosity got the better of me and I slid a knife under the seal, breaking it.
Inside was a thick piece of cardstock shaped like medieval parchment.
Dear Essie and Ebony Rose,
You are cordially invited to the Graves’ Estate Annual Halloween Ball! Join us for a night of spooky fun and terrifying thrills. Costumes are a must, so be sure to dress to impress. Expect to see some of the hottest people from all over the world. Refreshments will be served. No guest will be admitted without a Golden Ticket.
Stay Spooky,
Allen & Chris Grave
“Oh. My. God.” I exclaimed so loudly that Ebony jumped in her chair, knocking over her set of colored pencils.
She cursed under her breath. “Why the hell are you screaming?”
“We got invited to the Graves’ Estate Annual Halloween Ball!” I squealed, shoving the two golden tickets in her face. “Do you know how big this is?”
“No…” she grumbled, crawling under her desk to find all her fallen pencils.
“Ebony… It’s the biggest Halloween party of the year. Everyone from Hollywood… Orange County… Beverly Hills… this is huge! They were even featured on MTV last year.”
“So?”
“So?” I repeated, incredulous at my sister’s lack of enthusiasm. “Do you know what this could mean for our business?”
“You’re going to use the party as a place to advertise?” She raised a well-groomed eyebrow in my direction. “I expected you to wear some skimpy little Halloween costume and flirt your way into someone’s bed.”
I shot her a dirty glare.
“Either way, I’m not going.”
“Why the hell not?”
“It’s a stupid idea. I rather stay home then dress up in some silly costume.”
“Are you crazy? We are going. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.” I was seconds away from shaking my sister by the shoulders just so she would come to her senses. The Grave brothers were the richest guys in Orange County. Billionaires with so much money that I bet they had a swimming pool filled with it just for shits and giggles. “We have to go.”
“I already said no.” She pressed her lips together into a thin, hard line.
“If you don’t go, you’ll regret it.”
“No, I won’t.” she answered, stubbornly crossing her arms over her chest.
“Aren’t you just a little bit curious? I mean they are a lot like us.”
“How are they like us?”
“Well, they were orphans, started their own business, and look where they are now,” I said.
Ebony and I had been abandoned by our parents shortly after I was born. For most of my life, Ebony acted as my caretaker, doing everything she could to provide for me. When it came time for me to go to college, Ebony worked two jobs to help finance it. Together, we honed our skills for fashion, opened our own boutique, and soon we were recognized by a few A-list celebrities. We still had a lot to learn and room to grow, but I had no doubt that we’d be able to make a name for ourselves, to create the life we always dreamed of having when we were little girls.
“Just think about it. If we manage to connect with them maybe they can point us toward some high paying clients. Some regulars, instead of an occasional gig. Then, we can finally buy our own studio, start advertising... The sky is the limit, Ebony!”
“Things don’t work out like that.”
“We won’t know until we try.” I insisted, hoping to persuade her. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll even design our costumes. They will be so cute and sexy that the Grave brothers won’t be able to resist us.”
She ignored me, getting back to her work. Sometimes, she could be hard headed, but I would get through to her.
“Let’s see here… how about Dorothy and the Good Witch of the North?”
“You aren’t putting me in a pink dress,” Ebony growled. Over the years, her wardrobe had become darker and darker. Most of the time, she looked like she was dressed for a funeral. It was downright depressing. “Would you rather be the Wicked Witch of the West?”
“I don’t want to be a witch at all.”
“You’re acting like a b –”
“Don’t you dare.” She snapped, cutting me off. “Or, I swear, I’ll throw this pencil right through your eye.”
“Damn. Hostile much?” I held up my hands in defeat. “Um… how about Alice and the White Rabbit?”
“Knowing you, I’d turn into the Playboy Bunny.”
“Is there something wrong with that?”
“Yes. I’m not going so I can impress a bunch of horny guys who will disappear in the morning.”
“So, you are going after all,” I smirked.
“Ugh. Just leave me alone.”
“How about… Little Red and the Big Bad Wolf…?
Ebony groaned.
I chuckled, enjoying the act of tormenting my sister a little too much. But, then again, what were little sisters for?
Chapter 2
ALLEN
“What are you doing in here? You’re supposed to be helping me set up for the party!” I barged into the library to find my brother sitting by the fireplace, a large tome on his lap, his reading glasses nearly falling off the bridge of his nose.
Chris didn’t even bother to look up at me.
Frustrated, I snatched the book out of his hands, slamming it shut on the nearby desk.
“Allen.” His voice was calm and steady. “Was that really necessary?”
My eyes narrowed in his direction. Sometimes, his way of treating me like a child was really infuriating. Sure, he had always been the more responsible one, but that didn’t make him the patriarch.
“Look, the party is in two days. I still need some help getting everything ready.”
“I thought you had hired a party coordinator.”
“I did, but he’s not doing a very good job. Do you know that he wanted to serve Chateau Lafite to the guests? I can’t give Beyoncé Chateau Lafite! She would probably laugh and throw it in my face.”
“Lafite is a perfectly exquisite wine.What would be wrong with it?”
“This is what happens when you only drink tea…” I shook my head.
“I just don’t see what the problem is.”
“The problem is that we always serve Cheval Blanc.”
“If the party is going to be the same as it was last year, I don’t understand why you’re making such a fuss.” Chris got up. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, probably stiff from countless hours of reading. Honestly, I didn’t know how he could enjoy sitting idly for so long. It would drive me insane.
“You always think that everything is so easy.”
“You just overthink things, Allen.”
I ground my teeth, his tone getting under my skin. “Anyway, have you picked out your costume yet?”
“You know I don’t dress up.”
“Oh, come on, you give me this every year and then I have to scramble to find you something at the last minute. How can the host of a Halloween party not be dressed up?”
“What are you going as?”
“The Mad Hatter.”
“Fitting.” Chris chuckled under his breath, an amused grin dancing on his lips.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He didn’t bother to answer me as he crossed the room, running his fingers along a row of books before pulling one off the shelf. He flipped through it, scanning the text, obviously looking for something.
I didn’t have time for this.
“I’ll be The King of Hearts.” He turned the book he was holding so I could see the crude drawing on the page.
“Why would you want to be him? He’s not even interesting.”
“But, if it wasn’t for him, half of the Queen’s court would have been executed over a game of croquet. He is the voice of reason.”
“Figures you’d want to dress up as some boring politician. Who were you last year? Some boring dude from a Dicken’s novel, right?”
“Joe Gargery.”
“Yeah, whatever.”
“He was a great minor character. The ray of optimism and trust in Pip’s life.”
Unable to stand the conversation a moment longer, I turned on my heels and left the room. Chris was useless. I didn’t know why I thought he would actually help me this year.
As I walked through the maze of corridors, I made a mental list of all the things I still needed to do before Friday night. I had to decide on the appetizers. Pick out the server outfits. Find a DJ. Talk to Kirk to make sure he had created a worthwhile game for the party. Speaking of which, I should probably call him…
I fished my phone out of my pocket and dialed his number.
Ring… Ring… Ring…
Of course, the chance of Kirk picking up his phone was slim to none.
I sighed, jumping onto the stair’s banister and sliding down to the main floor. There, Gretchen, the head maid stood on a small step ladder as she dusted the large chandelier that hung over the foyer.
“Ah! Gretchen! Just the girl I wanted to see.” I hung up my call with Kirk, slipping my phone into my back pocket.
Gently, I placed my hands on her hips so I could help her to the ground. I smiled down at her, our faces close. A soft shade of red colored her cheeks. She avoided making eye contact.
“S-Sir…?” she stuttered. Nervously, she reached up, toying with the collar of her uniform. Even though I treated Gretchen with kindness and respect, she always acted timidly around me. I had never heard her raise her voice. Yet, when she spoke to some of the other workers, her tongue was sharp and pointed, ruling the staff with an iron fist.
“We have work to do regarding the party.”
She nodded, “Yes, sir.”
“I’ll need you to make the order for the appetizers. Make sure there’s caviar, sushi, and biscotti. Those are the essentials. If you see anything else of interest, just order it.”
She followed me through the house as I headed for the kitchen, feeling a little hungry with all this talk of food.
“Hello, Donnie,” I called out to the main chef. “What’s for dinner tonight?”
“I’m making lasagna, your favorite.”
“Ooo, you’re a saint,” I smirked, already licking my chops in anticipation. There was nothing better than some good lasagna. Call me Garfield. “Do you know where Kathy is?”
“She just ducked into the fridge,” Donnie answered, tilting his head in the direction of the walk-in refrigerator.
I nodded.
Gretchen continued to follow me, an anxious expression scrunching up her features. She really would have been a pretty girl if she didn’t worry so much.
“You don’t have to keep following me. I just need to have a word with Kathy.” I told her.
She stopped, wringing her fingers together, her eyes cast toward the ground. Subtly, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. I had the feeling she wanted to run away from me.
What had I done to make her so scared of me? I had never yelled at her. Never reprimanded her. It didn’t make sense and yet, every time I spoke to her she looked terrified.
“Okay…” she finally said, watching me as I disappeared into the fridge.
The blast of cold air made me shiver as the hairs along my arms rose with a sea of goosebumps.
“Kathy.” I spotted my baker at the back, standing on a pail of yogurt, trying to reach something on the top shelf. “Here, let me get that for you.” Effortlessly, I grabbed a container of black frosting, handing it to her. “Is this what you wanted?”
“Yep!” she chimed, as chipper as always. Kathy was an energetic woman who liked to flutter around the kitchen like a humming bird. She had to be in her late fifties but she acted like she was still a university student.
As we headed back to the kitchen, Kathy paused, grabbed something, and thrust it into my chest. Before I could see what it was, she piled something else into my arms. By the time I emerged from the fridge, I was struggling to carry the load Kathy had given me.
I deposited everything on the back counter where she usually liked to work. “What are you doing with all this stuff?”
“I’m making spider cupcakes.”
“For the party?”
“Yes!”
“How exciting. Please tell me they’re chocolate.”
“Better.” She said with a grin.
“Better?” I asked, cocking an eyebrow in her direction.
“They're also going to be mini lava cakes.”
My eyes widened. “You’re a genius.” I grabbed her face in my hands before dramatically kissing her forehead.
She laughed, hitting my arm, “I’m married, you know.”
“I’ll get you one of these days,” I said with a wink.
When I turned around, Gretchen was standing there, waiting for direction. “Oh, right. Well, looks like the pastries are going to be taken care of. So, that leaves us with decorations, my costume, and the matter of hiring a DJ. Do you think you can get the cleaning crew to set up decorations? I want this place to look haunted. Spider webs everywhere. Skeletons that look so real people will second guess themselves. Rocking chairs that move on their own. Strange moaning sounds from the walls. I want people to be seriously freaked out.”
Gretchen nodded. “I think that can be arranged,” she answered, a mischievous glint in her eye.
“Perfect!” I hugged her suddenly. The look on her face was one of utter shock. I laughed. “I’ll see you around.”
With my hands in my pockets, I started for the elevator. As I waited for it to arrive, my phone started to ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey, man, you called?”
“Yeah, how are you making out with the party’s main event?”
“Oh, don’t worry. It’ll be the best one yet. I have Gretchen helping me out.”
“Really? She didn’t say anything about that.”
“You know Gretchen. She never says much.”
“Hmm, you have a point.”
Ding!<
br />
The elevator’s gilded doors opened before me, revealing the cabin’s luxurious interior. The white marble floor had been recently polished, causing the stone to sparkle brilliantly. The golden hand railings shone in a similar manner.
“Anyway, so you’re all set with that then? You don’t need my help?”
Beasts Awakened Page 32
