Masquerade in Chaos: Kable VonSable

by M J Hutto

  Dorian finally ushered Jim out and sat down at the table with us. He slouched in the chair, his long slim body draping around the chair. He threw one of his long legs over the arm of the chair and made it look comfortable though it couldn’t have been in all that gear and with the butt of a gun digging in his side. I was glad to see he was wearing his vest, sometimes he took it off when he got hot.

  He scrubbed his hand through his sandy colored hair and slapped his notebook down on the table. His gray eyes met mine and they were filled with concern. He reached for my hand, and I took it. If he hugged me, I’d probably cry but only if he hugged me.

  “You okay? Did anything happen before we got here? You want me to go pick him up, I still can.”

  I shook my head too fast, and my vision swam a little. This was really stupid. I didn’t have a single problem handling that cretin and now I wanted to get woozy. The human body was ridiculous.

  “Nothing happened before you got here, not like that. Just weird flirting. I’ll be okay. I’m just tired now. What did y’all come for? You looking for a free midday pick me up?”

  Dorian looked me in the eyes and nodded to himself. He sat up straight in the chair and smoothed his clothes down.

  “I have this ball/gala thing I have to go to tonight and I forgot about it until Aether here reminded me. I was gonna see if you’d be willing to go with me, but you don’t have to. You’ve had enough to deal with already today. You shouldn’t have to weather politicians on top of that.”

  “Dorian VonSable, you forgot the policemen’s ball? Again? It’s an annual event. Dude!”

  He hid his face in his hands and peeked out through his fingers. He looked like he had when we were kids. He’d been an adorable child and was now a very handsome adult. I knew he could’ve gotten a date if he’d wanted, probably still could if he tried even a little. But he usually waited until the last possible second.

  “You couldn’t get anyone to switch shifts with you?”

  He scowled at me, “No! They were like, ‘go show off your pretty face and get us some money from your people’. As if that’s how that works.”

  I laughed, a low evil sounding laugh. They both looked at me with wide eyes. I laughed harder and didn’t mind the tiny tears that leaked out.

  “Well, it is kinda how it works now isn’t it. They do that bachelor auction and always seem to talk you into it. How much did that lady pay for you last year?”

  He blushed hotly and mumbled something unintelligible. We both leaned forward to better hear him. It didn’t help.

  “I’m sorry did you say twenty-five?”

  I lifted a brow. “Twenty-five thousand dollars. Some lady paid twenty-five thousand dollars to take HIM out on a date. They went to dinner, and she took him to her in-house cinema. I think she expected him to put out for that kind of money but…”

  “I did not. And she didn’t say anything like that. She was a very nice lady and at the end of the night I thanked her and left after kissing her on the cheek.”

  We laughed and I felt better. “What time would I need to be ready?”

  He winced, “Seven. And it’s themed.”

  “Seriously!” I swatted his arm and sighed dramatically. He knew I’d go. “What’s the theme?”

  He grinned and chuckled, “Masquerade.”

  I clapped my hands like a small child and bounced in my chair. I loved to dress up, and since seeing Phantom I’d wanted to go to a masquerade. Dorian, Kent, Karmine and I had all gone to City 4 and watched it together. We had made a night of it; dressed up, gone to dinner and then the theater. One of my favorite memories.

  “I guess you’ve talked me into it. I’m done for the day anyway. I’ll finish cleaning up, lock up and try to figure out what I can wear. Is there a color theme?”

  He shrugged and Detective Hottie answered, “I think its red and black.”

  I got up to clean, and bless their hearts, they helped. It wasn’t much but I wiped up the few drops of blood on the floor from Jim. I tucked the napkin in my pocked, just in case. I’m pretty sure they saw me but neither said a word.

  I walked them out when we were finished and locked the door behind them. Dorian promised to pick me up around 6:30. I turned to Thibbs to see his reaction.

  “So, that little man put his hands on you, did he?”

  “Yeah, but I took care of him. And they came in time to save him from more.”

  He chuckled. “So, they did. But you need to watch that one. Something ain’t right. I don’t think he’s done with ya. Don’t dare turn your back on him.”

  I nodded slowly, wondering if I’d found another candidate for the villains leading role in the Kable VonSable murder mystery. Sounded about right. Just when I thought I’d collected all I could stand, here was another hater/wannabe lover/murderer. That’s what you call winning my friends.

  13 Masquerade

  After my shower, I searched my closest for the masquerade mask I bought last halloween. I threw everything that wasn’t the mask into the bedroom because I was irritated. I finally called Dorian to say I didn’t have one to wear. He called back fifteen minutes later to say he had me covered.

  So, listen, don’t judge me on the dress. I had this wedding I was in. It was a period wedding at dusk. It took place in a castle, and we were all in ball gowns. The theme was also gothic, by the way. So, keep that in mind.

  My dress was burgundy and black with a corset top and full flouncing hooped skirt. The overall dress was a satin burgundy with trimming of black lace. The skirt split in the front to reveal the black lace flouncing tiers of the petticoat underneath. I had lace arm gloves and a large ruby necklace that nestled in my décolletage. I had added a pair of combat boots underneath tonight. For the wedding she had required lace up mid-calf boots. They were adorable but wasted under all that dress.

  Jaylin walked into the bathroom while I was pulling my hair up into a messy bun with a few loose, curled tendrils. I started applying eye makeup and waited for her to talk.

  “Don’t you look nice in your silk robe. Are you dressing up to go to bed early?”

  “Aren’t you funny. No, I’ll be putting that monstrosity of a dress on after I do my makeup, so I don’t get any on it. Dorian asked me to go to a masquerade ball with him tonight.”

  “Oh my God, Kable. I know you’ve always wanted to go to one. I wish I could go with. You and Dorian will have so much fun!”

  I grinned broadly. “I know! But enough about me, what did you find out?”

  Thibideaux flew into the room at the moment she was about to talk, and her eyes tracked him across the room. He perched on the towel rack.

  I rolled my eyes at the interruption. “Jaylin, Thibbs my new familiar. Thibbs, Jaylin my ghostly best friend.”

  They nodded at each other but didn’t speak. I continued from eyeshadow to liner and finally mascara. I found my deep red lipstick to complete the look. Luckily, it was a stain that would allow me to eat and drink all night.

  “You going to start telling me what you found out or not?”

  Jaylin finally looked away from Thibbs and nodded. “I don’t think he’s actually investigating us, per se. He has a lot of stuff there from all over and on a lot of people. He definitely has my autopsy report and what looks like a one-page police report concerning them finding my body but not much else.

  “The info about my mom is mostly our life together and like a little about her job history. The stuff on your parents, Karmine and Kent is basic; addresses, job info, stuff like that. Yours is a little more, there’s also stuff about camp in there.”

  “That’s still pretty weird, right?”

  “Well, yeah. And the other files are weirder. There’s a girl from Northeast, one from Mideast, a guy from Southeast, City 2 and another from City 5. They are all Orokkian’s, and it looks like they’re all dead.

  “But they are all labeled as accidental or natural causes. The guy from City 2 died naked, in a hotel room with a belt around his neck and h
is arms tied behind him with another belt. I guess it could’ve been autoerotic asphyxiation, but it would be hard to tie your own hands behind your back like that and expect not to die.”

  I stood up and showed her my face for approval. “You need a touch of glittery finishing spray.” I spritzed my face and let it dry. I gave my skin a spritz of this week’s favorite body spray and lotioned up.

  It was almost six and I needed to get in that dress soon. I slipped on my knee-high socks and changed into a black bandeau top. It wouldn’t come close to containing my glory, but the corset should handle that.

  I mulled over what she’d told me and looked at Thibbs for any input. He shrugged. There were a few choices really, well, probably a lot but a few that made sense to me in the current context.

  “So, he could be some sort of serial killer who keeps records of his kills that he makes look like accidents or natural causes. He could be investigating someone doing that as a cop or reporter or family member. He could be from The National Premonition doing a story on the deaths attributing them to aliens or a conspiracy.”

  “My moneys on a sleazy reporter from The National Premonition trying to cash in on someone’s misery and misfortune.”

  Thibbs watched us without comment. I put my boots on and pulled on my dress. The zipper was on the back but wasn’t difficult to pull up. I put on the antique teardrop ruby necklace from Babushka and the lace elbow length gloves. I checked my reflection in the mirror as I turned full circle. I heard the front door opening and knew it must be Dorian because the wards didn’t alarm or activate.

  They usually recognized him, also Karmine and Kent but I’d given them each a charm to get past the wards. It wouldn’t do to give them a jolt equivalent to fifty joules. Each entryway they went through would double the energy in joules assaulting them upon crossing.

  I touched up my lip stain and checked again to be sure my dress wasn’t tucked in anywhere and that I wasn’t unzipped. The corset top was doing its job reining in my assets and I found a shawl wrap in case I got chilled. I had a small handbag in beaded black with a few spells, my lip stain and twenty dollars inside.

  Jaylin cheered when I twirled and beamed at me. Thibbs flitted off to find something to eat or drink. He was enjoying himself despite his earlier misgivings about this time period. I heard footsteps in the hallway and yelled that I was in my room.

  “I think you’re probably right, he’s probably a sleazy reporter.”

  Dorian walked into the room and grinned. “Who ya talking to? Wow! You look amazing. Do a turn for me.”

  I obliged and smiled up at my favorite cousin, who looked quite fabulous in his dress uniform. We made a dashing pair in the mirror’s reflection. He looked dashing all the time but especially tonight. He would probably raise the most money again, I thought that was secretly the point. Also, why he was taking me, to engender a feeling of possibility.

  “Remember Jaylin?” He nodded looking wary and hesitant. He’d been around before. “No, for realsies this time. Her ghost is here, I’ve seen her interact with others; sort of.”

  He hugged me from the side and glanced around even more warily.

  “That’s interesting and spooky and new if I’m not mistaken. What’s the spook master up to?”

  Jaylin rolled her eyes. She and Dorian didn’t know each other all that well but they’d met several times. She had always teased him mercilessly when they were near each other. Today was not different. She walked up to him and caressed his backside. He swung around and I saw the look in her eyes.

  “No ma’am. You will not feel him up with your ghost hands. That might be worse than doing it in life. Behave!”

  His eyes were a little wide. He was only vaguely sensitive and most of that was because of the charm I’d given him. It took the chaos around and amplified it to provide a barrier and kinship the wards recognized. But in doing so it also amped any innate ability they might have. It took their own chaos; we all have our own it’s just not able to be used by everyone and amplified it by about a hundred thousand.

  So today, while he was wearing my charm, he could likely feel a tingle when she touched him, on days he wasn’t he probably wouldn’t even feel it if she walked right through him. I didn’t make these for very many people.

  “Where is she? Wait,” he squinted in her direction, “shes standing behind you. I can almost see…something. The air doesn’t quite look right.”

  I glanced at her over my shoulder. She was waving innocently. I rolled my eyes. The salacious grin on her face showed just how not innocent she was. I pointed at her, “Be nice!”

  “Oh, I’m very nice and so is your little cousin. He’s grown up so much. Last time I saw him he was a teenager with a backpack bigger than he was.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t have time for this tonight. What the hell is wrong with you?”

  She shifted around and shrugged. I noticed she seemed to be thinning and less visible. She wasn’t flickering like before but becoming a bit less.

  “I think I need to go back. My instincts seem to be taking over. That might not be good. They don’t seem to follow the same principles I had in life. Please tell Dorian I’m sorry. I’ll try to get my shit together and come back as soon as I can. He really is a beautiful man. That little Vandyke beard is scrumptious,” she said practically humming.

  “Damn, VonSables and their beautiful asses. Must be some damn fey blood in there somewhere.”

  “I must’ve gotten the magic instead.”

  She barked an incredulous laugh, “No, bitch. You’re just as beautiful as the rest. Probably more since you don’t think you are. I love you. Have fun. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

  “I love you too,” I said to no one. She was gone. Dorian was staring at me with a frown.

  “Yeah, that was definitely her. She’s going back to the place she um,” I paused, thinking. “Mmm, resides in, I guess. We think she has to recharge. I think she loses some of her humanity the longer she stays here without touching back there. We better set limits on how long she should stay. I don’t want to lose her to whatever happens if she doesn’t.”

  Dorian nodded along and smiled sadly as he stuck out his bent arm, “I know you miss her. I’m glad you get to see her.”

  “Yeah, me too. Please don’t tell Mother. I’ll talk to Karmine and Kent, but Mother doesn’t need to know. I don’t want her trying to stick me into another ‘spa’.”

  He snorted, “Well, last time you needed it. I believe you this time though. Plus, I saw something too. We surely aren’t sharing the same delusion, right?!?”

  I nodded once firmly, “Right.”

  He glanced at his watch, and I noticed a luck charm attached to it. His other charm was a St. Christophers medal. I’d had it blessed by every religious sect I knew, charmed it with chaos and then attuned it to my wards. He wore it on a cord around his neck.

  We walked to the front door and Thibbs flitted over. He bowed, sweeping his to hat from this head.

  “You sparkle like the stars, cherie.” Dorian spun around and stared with his mouth open in the same fashion I’m sure I had that morning.

  “Dorian, this is Thibbs, my new familiar. Thibbs this is my cousin, Dorian. He invited me to this thing tonight. Oh, where is my mask? Please tell me you could get one!”

  They greeted each other, ignoring me while they became acquainted. I found out Thibbs was originally from Louisiana before it became a US colony, before it was even called that. And that he loved apple pie moonshine. When they finished talking, they turned to me.

  Dorian had his hands behind him and slow blinked at me, “I’m waiting for you to apologize to me for even considering I would forget your mask that I promised I’d bring. As if that were a thing I would ever do.”

  He continued to stare at me. Thibbs perched on his shoulder and waved at me to proceed. I harrumphed, shifted my weight from one foot to the other and finally threw up my hands in surrender.

  “Fine. I’
m sorry for thinking you might have forgotten something. I forgot you don’t do such things as we mere peasants.”

  “You’re a riot,” he replied handing me a beautiful black and red butterfly winged mask with black and burgundy curling, open, intricate wings and delicate burgundy antennae. There were oval shaped rubies gleaming on the upper wings and in the center brow below where the antennae rose. There were black glittering onyx decorating the lower wings and diamonds decorated the upper eye portion like gem encrusted eye liner.

  “Dorian, where on earth did you find this? Are those real? Did you ‘borrow’ this from a museum? Am I about to be arrested? What does yours look like?”

  He laughed and held up his hands to stop me. “Definitely not getting arrested. I’m absolutely certain those are real gemstones. I did not borrow it from a museum. A friend helped me with finding one and we have to return that tomorrow or we both might be getting arrested. I’m pretty sure it belonged to Venetian royalty a really, really long time ago.”

  Compared to the rest of the VonSables, Dorian and I were living in shambles. In reality, we were both comfortably middle-class citizens. We both had inheritances we didn’t touch, and our grandparents were keeping ‘safe’ until we came to our senses. Our grandparents did not like his venture into public service and certainly not as a patrolman, couldn’t they talk to the mayor and have him appropriately placed in a higher office. My parents were worse, they were devastated I was running my own business, I advertised my abilities or was paying off a loan.

  He walked me out the door and waited while I checked my wards, they were good. We walked out to the street, and he unlocked his Jeep. I was glad I hadn’t added the hoops to this skirt. I’d’ve caught hell trying to get it into this or any vehicle. As it was, it ended up being a lot of dress to get in. He had to help me buckle up.

  I was gingerly holding the mask in one hand and my small clutch in the other. I turned to see his clockwork steampunk mask. It was dark to match his uniform with cogs and gears over it in gold, bronze, and silver. It would look quite dashing with his VanDyke beard and mustache.