by Monica Davis
Becky followed them out onto the patio. “Just so you know: Don’t turn on any lights! The neighbors might call the police, thinking that you’re a burglar — everyone knows that Edna’s out of town.”
Upon hearing the word “police,” Danny flinched slightly, but made no sign of changing his mind.
“I require a red flower as proof.” Rebecca’s instructions were precise. “You’ll find the plant in the living room, on the window seat on the right side of the room. I saw it myself earlier today, when I went over there with my mother.” She told them how to get into the house and then returned inside to join her guests, whose noses were pressed firmly against every window on that side of the house.
“Danny, you can’t just break into a stranger’s house!” Vanessa said as he was about to climb over the low fence that divided the two neighboring properties. The slats were weakly illuminated by the light from the windows. Vanessa held Daniel back by his sleeve, but he shook her hand off.
“Oh, what’s the big deal? Anyhow, I’m not breaking in — I have a key,” he whispered, swinging his long legs over the fence. “Are you coming with me or not?”
“I can’t believe you’re going along with such a stupid game,” she muttered. She pulled over a chair to help her climb the fence; her legs weren’t nearly as long as Danny’s, and her dress kept getting in the way. She clambered over the fence, but her hem got caught in the slats. Just as she was about to fall into Edna’s yard, she was caught by her vampire companion.
“My hero,” she breathed into his neck; it smelled so wonderful that she had to stop herself from burying her nose in it. It was much darker on this side of the fence, which gave Nessa a certain courage. Did she dare to kiss Daniel? His lips were right in front of her eyes. Despite the dim light, she could clearly see their curved outline. But no, he had said that they were just “friends,” she remembered bitterly.
“So will m’lady accompany me?” A smile crossed his face, causing Nessa’s heart to skip a beat.
“Someone’s got to watch out for you,” she murmured.
“Thanks, Mom!” Daniel’s grin faded. “You know, I think the whole thing’s silly, but …” He hesitated for a moment, taking a breath. “Maybe I can win some points this way.” He pulled away from Vanessa, to her chagrin.
Her heart leapt into her throat, and not from the fear of being caught. Danny had just revealed something personal to her, and that made her unspeakably happy.
They crept through the dark yard to Edna’s back door; according to Becky’s description, this led into the kitchen. Daniel turned the key in the lock, and the door fell open.
Usually, Vanessa wasn’t susceptible to this sort of nonsense, but she found the setting just a little spooky. A light wind was rustling the dried-up leaves still hanging on the branches of Edna’s trees. Ghostly shadows were flitting over the walls of the house, and somewhere nearby an owl hooted.
Vanessa rubbed at the goosebumps that had appeared on her arms. “You’ve been in trouble with the police before.” The words escaped her as they were about to enter the dark kitchen. “So be careful.”
“What?!” Daniel’s voice was angry. “How do you know about that?”
“I saw the police bringing you home.” The lie was hard for her to tell, but she didn’t want to admit that Colleen had been gossiping about him. The shadowy darkness seemed to twist around her, and a knot formed in her stomach. Why hadn’t she just kept her mouth shut?
“I didn’t commit any crime; I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a mistake that got cleared up!” He was speaking so loudly that his voice echoed through the kitchen.
Everything was going wrong. And the evening had begun so well! Vanessa thought back to how Danny had almost kissed her on the park bench, but the Daniel before her now seemed like a completely different person. Since when is it so important to him what other people think? “You don’t have to prove anything to anybody!”
“This might be my only chance to get a little respect,” he muttered, striding ahead into the darkness.
Well, if it was so important to him — and somehow she understood what he meant — she’d help him.
“What an idiot!” Marla, still invisible, watched Silvan and his human plaything through the window as they climbed over the fence onto the neighboring lot. She sullenly stalked through the house, looking for something alcoholic to drink. Silvan was so hard to convince, and it was driving her crazy. He had to go with her willingly and open his mind to the High Council; only then would certain areas in his brain become accessible. Otherwise, the high lords would not be able to completely call out his demonic side. Silvan had to trust them in order to allow himself to be guided by them.
“That’s what I’m here for,” she muttered, frustrated.
The high lords didn’t dare to call Silvan down themselves; he might become frightened and shut himself off from them forever — at least, that’s what they claimed. “What nonsense!” Marla wasn’t stupid; she sensed that the others were hiding something from her, something about Silvan. She was just their stooge, never privy to their secrets, and this enraged her. If she didn’t deliver results soon, Xandros would become very unpleasant. Not to mention Metistakles. But she wouldn’t be following Silvan around tonight, trying to convince him to come with her, not if there was the danger of catching him kissing again.
Yuck! He was so … human! So full of emotions! The way he had held that girl in his arms … Marla shuddered.
In the kitchen, she turned herself visible. That required less energy, and as long as the other guests kept their noses pressed against the windows, she wouldn’t have to deal with anyone.
She looked for a beer in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, there was none to be found, so she slammed the door with a loud sigh.
“Bored by the party?” A voice came from behind her. It sounded somewhat more adult than the rest of the boys at the party, but Marla didn’t turn around. She had no desire to engage in conversation — least of all with a human.
She hated the humans!
“Hmmm,” she growled, hoping that the man would go away again, but he didn’t.
“I’m only here because my cousin begged me on bended knee to come.” He walked over to her; Marla pretended to be interested in the different kinds of potato chips available.
He was so close to her that Marla could feel the heat of his body, could smell him!
Hell, the guy smelled kind of good! Very masculine.
Her curiosity finally getting the better of her, Marla turned her head. She looked straight into the most glorious pair of blue eyes that she had ever seen. They were framed by long, golden eyelashes, and there were light golden flecks in the irises. Marla could scarcely tear herself away from them.
Her gaze wandered lower to his perfectly curving lips. And those dimples! Why did he have to be smiling?
Marla’s heart fluttered. Damn these humans. There were a few pretty specimens among them, even though it was said that only demons could look so attractive — the better to manipulate the souls of men.
“Hi, I’m Michael Standon, but my friends call me Mike.” The blond in the pharaoh costume stuck out his hand. Marla took it automatically. His touch was like an electric shock, and as Mike’s large, warm hand enveloped hers, Marla was barely able to choke out her name.
“Marla? Nice name. Marla what?”
“What do you mean?” Was this guy really trying to start a conversation with her?
“Your last name.”
Last name? “Just Marla. Daughter of Obron and Kitana.”
Mike laughed. “You’re a strange girl, Marla, and you’re definitely not from around here, am I right?”
Marla shook her head, still not letting go of Mike’s hand.
Should she be talking to this human? Metistakles would kill her!
Or … perhaps Mike could help her get to Silvan.
No, earlier she had clearly sensed that Silvan couldn’t stand the pharaoh.
But this just made her like Mike even more, and her anger at Silvan was suddenly forgotten.
Mike was merrily continuing his questions. “Where do you come from? You have a funny accent, with those rolled ‘r’s.”
Marla pondered. What could she tell him without giving herself away?
Whatever — he thought she was crazy anyway. “I come from Florida,” she responded. Her favorite tattoo parlor was in Miami.
“Do all the people there talk like you?” Mike winked at her.
“Ummm … My parents are immigrants.” She took a closer look at Mike. He was wearing a white, short-sleeved tunic that showed off his muscular arms to advantage, a blue sash, and gold bracelets on his wrists.
How old was he? Nineteen? Twenty?
In any case, scarcely older than she was.
Smirking, he let go of her hand and ran his fingers through his short hair. His cheeks were slightly flushed. “Were you looking for something to drink?”
“Beer,” she answered curtly. Then she cleared her throat and clarified, “Or something like that.” Small talk was something new and difficult for her.
“I doubt that Becky’s parents would have alcohol around. They’re about as strict as Mormons.” Mike looked around the room and pointed to an orange plastic bottle. “Can I offer you a soda?”
“Okay,” said Marla, somewhat hoarsely.
What was wrong with her, damn it all! Why did this man — this human — have such an effect on her? Was it his courteous nature? Had she ever been served anything by another creature? She was used to following orders, submitting to Metistakles’ rages, and otherwise keeping herself inconspicuous. Her heart was pounding like mad.
When Mike came over to her and offered her the glass, she felt a strange pulling sensation beneath her sternum. It was a completely new feeling for her, and it could not bode well. She should get out of here as quickly as possible! But her legs seemed to be paralyzed, and her body had suddenly developed a mind of its own. Blood rushed to her ears, and her face felt hot.
“Cool shirt,” Mike said, pointing to her black T-shirt, which featured the image of a long-haired man. “Are you a fan of the Ramones?”
“Yes,” she managed to whisper. Damn it, now even her voice was letting her down. Could Mike be a mystical creature — might he have bewitched her? A watcher, perhaps? She could almost feel vibrations coming from him …
No, she would have sensed a watcher from three miles away, against the wind. That was her talent, after all, her one useful skill. That was how she had found Silvan. All the other demons could recognize watchers immediately as well, but there was a special bond between her and Silvan. Their blood connection had helped her to track him down after so long, once Silvan’s demonic powers had been awakened in puberty. This had also activated his watcher abilities — the ones he had inherited from his father. Daniel could send his thoughts and move things telekinetically. Marla had been studying him closely over the past few weeks.
In reality, demons and watchers were very similar. It incensed Marla that despite her talent, she was unable to track down Silvan’s father; he had protected himself from demonic detection with the help of an amulet.
Mike was grinning from ear to ear. “Hey, I like the Ramones, too. Fast and loud — great music!”
Mike liked punk rock?
“Wow, is that a real tattoo, or just a decal?” he asked, having discovered the eye near Marla’s navel peeking through a hole in her T-shirt.
“A tattoo,” she answered.
Mike crouched down. “Could I get a better look at it?”
Marla could only nod. Had any man ever asked her for permission?
This was completely new for her; everyone else just did what they wanted. Especially Metistakles — her body had become his property. If it were up to him, she would never be able to leave the underworld. It was only thanks to the efforts of her father, Obron, that she could do what she wanted and go where she wanted as long as Metistakles didn’t need her.
When Mike ran his warm finger over the picture inked into her skin, Marla flinched, as pleasant sensations were rare for her. She only knew pain, but none was forthcoming — quite the contrary, it felt damn good! The site of the tattoo seemed to tingle.
Mike grinned up at her. “Sorry, did I tickle you?”
“Ummm … yes!”
Wow, a man at her feet! This had to be a dream.
Stop! Marla admonished herself. This is a human! Run, Marla, get out of here! Now!
But Mike was already opening his mouth again. There was no escape …
I’m not just doing this for me, but for both of us, Daniel thought. If he were more popular, no one would care if he and Nessa were dating. If she ever wanted to, that is — probably she’d rather be with Mike …
He was suddenly overtaken by doubts. He really didn’t want to get in trouble with the police again so soon. Maybe he should turn back? But then he imagined the faces of their classmates shining with something like admiration. He could become a hero if he managed to return with that stupid red flower. It wasn’t such a big deal to enter a stranger’s house, was it? He didn’t understand what the others were so scared of, Halloween or no Halloween. Daniel wasn’t afraid of the dark. He often slipped into the woods at night to sit in the old treehouse and think things over.
“Okay, I’m inside. Now I just have to find Rebecca her dumb flower,” he muttered.
Daniel walked along the dark corridor, vaguely aware that he had no problem maneuvering through the unknown house, while Vanessa was stifling curses as she stumbled along behind him. I probably just see well in the dark because I go out at night a lot.
“Wait a sec, Danny — I can’t see anything!”
When he turned around, he had to laugh. Nessa was feeling her way along the narrow corridor, arms outstretched and eyes shut tight. “Perhaps you should open your eyes?” he suggested with a grin.
“Ha, ha, it’d be just as dark. I have no desire to walk into a wall and maybe get a nail stuck in my eye.”
“Come here, you blind bat.” Daniel went back and put an arm around her. How narrow her shoulders were … He felt a sudden urge to take care of her, to protect her. He carefully led her into the living room.
The weak light from a streetlamp shone in through the large window, allowing Vanessa to make out the objects in the room. “There’s the plant!” She hurried over to the window seat and plucked off a flower, which she threaded through the buttonhole in Daniel’s cape. “Now let’s get out of here.”
Daniel didn’t move. “Hey, Becky was right — there is something haunting this house.” He saw Vanessa flinch.
“What?” She pressed closer to him, and Daniel took her in his arms. Smooth move, he praised himself, holding her tightly for a moment.
“Who is it?” whispered Nessa into his chest, trembling slightly. She made a squeaking noise as a black tomcat brushed against her leg, followed by a tabby.
“Tom and Kitty, of course,” Daniel said quickly. He could almost smell Vanessa’s fear, and suddenly he felt ashamed for having scared her so badly. Sometimes he felt like there were two separate Daniels inside him: one who wanted to make the world a better place, and another who took delight in the misery of others.
Without letting go of Nessa, he bent down to pick up one of the cats. He lifted it up — it was the black one — and placed it in Vanessa’s arms.
“You’re such an idiot,” she hissed.
Daniel knew she didn’t mean it. A smile played at the corners of her mouth as she stroked the animal’s silky fur. “Is his name really Tom?”
“No idea — it was the first name that came to mind.” With a sigh, Daniel looked around them. The rectangular living room was only sparsely furnished. Edna apparently wasn’t a rich woman. The old furniture gave off a musty odor, but Daniel found the atmosphere more pleasant than the stink released from Rebecca’s perfumed incense sticks.
Vanessa put the cat back down and said, “Okay, now it’
s really time to go!” The housecat’s eyes shone in the dim light, sending another shiver down Vanessa’s spine. She almost expected old Joe to materialize before them out of thin air. The very thought of it compelled her to flee from the room so hastily that she ran straight into the doorframe. “Shit!” she cried out, holding a hand to her forehead. Damn, that hurt! Now Danny would really think she was a klutz.
At least the pain made her forget her fear.
“Let me see!” Danny held her face between his hands and turned her head this way and that. Although her eyes had gotten used to the dark, she couldn’t see hardly anything. Don’t pretend you can see the lump on my head, Nessa thought, although she found the way he was taking care of her quite endearing. With his thumbs, he wiped away the tears that were welling up uncontrollably, partly because she was embarrassed by her stupidity and partly because the pain was turning into anger. She never should have taken part in this idiocy, but somehow she understood Daniel’s motives. It must be terrible to be as isolated as he was. Relief flooded through her as Danny blew lightly on her throbbing temple and took her into his arms again. Maybe there could still be a nice end to the evening.
“You should put some ice on that,” he suggested.
“With this lump on my head, I’m not going back to the party. They’ll all think that I’ve peed my pants in terror,” she murmured into his shoulder.
“You’re wearing a dress.”
“Idiot.” Vanessa pressed her face tighter into his neck, where he smelled so heavenly. She loved bickering with him, but she loved being in his arms even more. She could get used to this.
“Idiot? Is that my new nickname? I think I like Danny better.”
“Oh, you know I don’t mean it.” At that moment, she was simply enjoying being so close to him.
“I know,” he murmured into her hair, then all too quickly let her go. “Let’s allow the others to stew for a while. Edna must have some ice for your forehead in her basement freezer.”