A Shade of Halloween

by Robin Todd

  Chapter Five

  Ros’s POV

  “You’re planning the vacation? Please!” I scoffed. “Listen Selena. If you’re really looking to have fun and unwind, I’m your guy.”

  “As much as I hate to admit it, he’s right.” Ry backed me up, earning himself a death glare from Trina.

  Selena looked at me and smiled. It was a pure smile, one that reminded me of the innocent young woman who captured my heart several decades ago. I wished I had handled things a little better at the time but I guessed I had myself to blame. I’d never really been in love before her and I had no clue how to handle it. I thought making her fear me by showing her just how powerful I was would make her adore me. Looking back now, that was pretty dumb.

  “I’m going with your plan, Ros but it has to be fun.”

  “Oh you bet it will be.” I winked, excited out of my mind to see Selena choose my plan over everyone’s.

  “Hey, what about my surprise?” Ry asked her.

  “You just said he was the fun one!” She defended her choice.

  I had no clue what they were talking about but I couldn’t be happier with Selena’s reply.

  “Race with me, people!” I said, beckoning them towards the door. I couldn’t wait to get the vacation started.

  “Not so fast.” Ry stopped us.

  “What now?” I asked, rolling my eyes.

  “This vacation is about helping Selena. She needs to step away from all the vampirism and sorcery for the duration of our trip. If you guys are coming, you’ll have to act human until we get back. No one is allowed to use their special abilities.” He replied.

  “What? Why?” I asked, perplexed.

  “He has a point, Ros.” Trina concurred.

  “This is unbelievable. Selena? Please don’t tell me you agree with them.”

  “Sorry, but I’m with them on this one.” She replied.

  I didn’t miss the satisfied smile on Ry’s face.

  “You guys are going to regret this. I mean come on. Just being human is going to suck.” I protested.

  “Then I suggest you consider staying back.” Ry smirked. “If you can manage being human, pack everything you need in a box or however many boxes make you happy. Meet us here in an hour. We’ll be travelling with modern technology.”

  “Fine. Can I at least run to my house?” I asked.

  “Nope. But you can take my car.” Ry replied.

  I felt like ramming him into a wall but thought better of it. He was right about keeping things normal to help Selena. I let things go and drove Trina to her dorm.

  “Pack as fast as you can. I’m waiting here.” I stated.

  “Trust me, you’ll want to come in.” She replied.

  “Fine.”

  We had barely made it halfway through her dorm’s hallway when some red haired chick stopped her.

  “Where the hell have you been?” She squealed.

  I knew her type. Extremely nosy, always looking for the next gossip topic and had no problem whatsoever engaging us in a conversation for the next five hours. I didn’t have that much time to spare, and for what?

  “You’ve seen Trina every day of this semester.” I compelled her.

  She blinked and shrugged.

  “Nice top, Trina.” She smiled, walking away.

  Trina’s laughter told me she was happy with the way I handled the situation. Thankfully, no one else stopped us and we walked peacefully to her room. I went in first and compelled her roommate to take a walk.

  “You’re such a bully.” Trina stated, and I faked a surprised look.

  “Bullies don’t ask nicely.” I smirked.

  “Like you asked.” She rolled her eyes.

  “Whatever. We only have an hour to pack. I’m not going to spend it explaining your whereabouts for the past month.”

  She knew I was right because she said nothing in reply. I watched her pack four travel boxes and couldn’t help but ask.

  “You know we’re only staying for a few weeks, right?”

  “Um-hum.” She nodded.

  I rolled my eyes. Thankfully, she had activated her enhanced speed. There was no way I would have waited for her to pack that many boxes at regular speed.

  “You know we never talked about what happened back at my house.” I said, once she was nearly done.

  “Oh, the kiss? There’s not much to say. It shouldn’t have happened. We were both overwhelmed that day and used it as an escape.” She replied, completely crushing my manly pride.

  Now, the last thing you want to do as a girl is hurt a man’s ego. How could she have dismissed it like it was nothing? I knew what a damn good kisser I was!

  “Yeah, you’re right. It shouldn’t.” I suppressed my raging emotions and focused on loading her boxes into the trunk.

  I drove back to my place and was packed in less than five minutes.

  “You’re only bringing one box?” Trina asked.

  “Yeah. It has everything I need. Besides shopping is an integral part of a great vacation.” I winked.

  “Aww. Now I want to take some stuff back.” She said in a cute child-like way.

  “Hell no!” I refused. “There’s no way I’m driving back there.”

  “But I want to shop too.” She protested.

  “You can keep the extra stuff here and get them when we come back.” I replied.

  “Don’t you just want a reason to get me back here?” She pouted.

  “Get over yourself, Blondie.” I smirked, only because I knew it would hurt her feelings. That was payback for hurting my ego earlier.

  “Aren’t you going to help me unpack?” She asked.

  “Now, why on earth would I want to do that?” I replied, watching her unpack one of her boxes into the closet in a spare bedroom.

  “I’m done. We can go now.” She said, giving me an evil glare.

  “Aww. Did I hurt your feelings?” I faked concern.

  “Get over yourself!” She snapped.

  I laughed, knowing she didn’t really mean it. We drove back to Ry’s and met them already waiting. After loading all their boxes into the trunk, we got into the car and sped away from the house.

  Chapter Six

  Selena’s POV

  I raised my eyebrow and turned to Ryan when Ros pulled the car to a stop at the airport’s parking lot. Ryan looked more amused than surprised and I wondered if this was a setup of some sort.

  “Wait a minute, guys. What are we doing here? Ros? Care to explain? This doesn’t look like a getaway location. I...”

  “Hey, slow down. I never said we were going on a road trip. I only agreed to Ryan’s condition and if I’m not mistaken, he said to travel with ‘modern technology’.” Ros replied.

  “So you’re not shipping me off to rehab?” I asked, pursing my lips.

  “As tempting as that sounds right now, no. I’m keeping my word and taking you all to a resort where we’re going to have unlimited fun. Try to catch up, babe. I’m a Soille. I travel in style.” Ros beamed.

  I was sure I saw him wink but he exited the car before I could confirm. I turned to Ryan who gave a reassuring closed lipped smile before getting out of the car as well. Both boys moved over to the trunk to get our luggage out.

  “It’s good to see you smiling.” Trina turned around, drawing my attention to the look on my face.

  I had no idea I was smiling but that wasn’t what bothered me. The question was why. Surely it had nothing to do with Ros calling me Babe. Why did he do that though? Was it a term he used lightly or did he mean it?

  “I just want to be a normal teenager again. At least for the duration of this trip.” I replied. “I had no idea Ros bought us tickets. Do you know where we’re going?”

  “I don’t think he bought tickets.” Trina rolled her eyes. “He most likely compelled the attendant to get the tickets.”

  I laughed at her reply. It was so like Ros to do something like that.

  “All I know about our destination is that it�
�s a private resort. Don’t worry about it though. Ryan’s here, and I’m here too. You’ll be okay.”

  “I know. I’m not scared of Ros or anything. I’m just curious.” I smiled.

  The boys returned and Ryan opened the door beside me, ending our little conversation.

  “Ready to leave?” He asked.

  “Sure.” I smiled.

  We walked towards the private boarding terminal and I stifled the question burning at the back of my throat only because there were a couple of people around and I didn’t want to sound like a total idiot. I had expected us to travel in a commercial aircraft but clearly that wasn’t going to be the case. A new wave of excitement washed over me. It was going to be my first time on a private plane and something about it made me even more excited. I had to admit it. The trip was a good idea. It hadn’t even begun and I was already relaxed. I clasped fingers with Trina until we climbed into the luxurious cabin. The minute the door closed, I expressed exactly what I felt.

  “Wow!” I turned to Trina and giggled, noticing we had both exclaimed at the same time.

  The interior of plane was worlds apart from what I was used to with commercial airlines. It looked more or less like an exquisitely furnished living room. Plush cream colored chairs adorned with touches of brown lined the spacious stretch in front of me, facing a state of the art flat screen TV which was fitted into the cabin’s walls. The ceiling was flooded with pristine white lights that served to bring the place alive, especially when they reflected on the crimson throw pillows invitingly seated on each sofa.  

  “Oh my lord!” Trina exclaimed, looking around with wide excited eyes. “Whose plane is this?”

  “Who do you think? Sure I have better taste than Ry.” Ros rolled his eyes sarcastically.

  “You own a plane?” I asked, too excited to acknowledge his sarcastic jab at Ryan.

  “Of course. What do you think vampires do with all the centuries they spend alive? We get as wealthy as we want.” Ros grinned.

  “Let’s just say I prefer the simple life.” Ryan glared at Ros.

  “Good morning, Mr. Soille.” A beautiful young lady interrupted them.

  “Morning, May.” Ros turned around and smiled, abandoning his little squabble with Ryan. 

  “It’s quite unlike you to travel at this hour.” She continued, and that was when I noticed her slight French accent.

  It complimented her already breathtaking physical features, giving her an overall exotic appeal which I found quite unnerving for unknown reasons. She took a few steps towards Ros, smiling at him in a way that accentuated her naturally pouty lips. Her eyes slowly drank in his features and I could swear she was deliberately moving her lashes in the sexy way they fluttered.

  “Yeah my friends want to travel now.” Ros replied.

  “Well, welcome on board.” She turned to the rest of us, maintaining her smile.

  “What’s your destination?” She asked, placing her slender palm lightly on Ros’s back.

  “The Heavenly Calabasas.” Ros replied.

  “A getaway?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

  “Sure.” Ros replied.

  “Can I come? Please?” She asked softly, looking at him with big goo-goo eyes.

  “Hell no!” I screamed in my head.

  I could tell the look on May’s face was perfectly scripted and was too irritated to say anything that would come out nice so I said nothing.

  “No!” Trina blurted out, totally voicing my inner wishes.

  “Come on, Trina. Be nice.” Ros smiled. “You can come, May.”

  “Really? Thank you, Ros!” She purred.

  The R in Ros was coated with her slight French accent and rolled fluidly off her tongue. I caught myself glaring at her with daggers and immediately turned away. I had no idea what my issue was. The girl probably had a history with Ros.

  “I’ll inform the pilot so you can be on your way.” She smiled.

  She turned with cat-like grace and walked away. Just when I thought she was finally disappearing from sight - at least momentarily, she stopped and turned to us.

  “If you want anything during the trip, just beckon and I’ll be there.”

  I had a feeling her message was directed solely at Ros but decided not to dwell on it.

  “Strap in, guys. We’ll be airborne in 5... 4... 3... 2...” The pilot’s voice came through the speakers.

  I took my seat beside Ryan and fastened my seatbelt, waiting for the plane to take off.

  Chapter Seven

  Selena’s POV

  “Listen up, guys!” Ros beamed, pulling everyone’s attention to himself. “Remember why we came on this trip? Let’s make it happen. I know you girls have never met May, but she’s cool. I’ve known her for a long time and she sure knows how to have fun. We’re in the skies, people! Look around you. There’s ample space, fantastic speakers and one smoking hot vampire.”

  “One...”

  Trina’s protest was drowned out by the sound of music blaring out of the cabin’s surrounding speakers. I laughed knowing she was about to comment on Ros’s smoking hot vampire comment. Knowing him, he was either taking a jab at Ryan or just trying to be funny. Whatever the case, I was happy he came up with that little speech. It broke the ice and got everyone in a lighter mood.

  It had been so long since the last time I danced and the rhythm of the beat reminded me of just how much I’d missed it. I pulled Ryan by the arm and he responded with the gentle rocking of his body in front of me. I smiled and turned around, melting into his arms and swaying my hips to the music. It felt really good. Trina and Ros also joined us on the floor, facing each other off with ridiculous break dance moves. Soon, everyone was laughing and having a good time. May showed up with glasses of champagne, passing them around and reserving one for herself.

  “Is it somebody’s birthday?” She asked, after Ros turned down the volume of the music.

  “Not really. We’re just trying to unwind.” Ros replied.

  “Awesome! Empty your glasses everyone. You’re getting refills.” She beamed. “It’ll help drop your defenses and you can really move to the beat.”

  “On the count of three, tank it!” Ros yelled, getting a ‘woo-hoo’ from Trina.

  Ros counted to three and everyone raised their glasses to their lips. We emptied the contents in one continuous gulping motion. I especially loved the way the bubbles danced happily around my mouth before sliding down my throat.

  “Let’s do it again!” May beamed.

  We repeated the process a couple more times before the music resumed. This time, the difference was clear. Ryan pulled me by the waist, and I responded with sultry grinding and winding I would never have done in public. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Ros busting some great moves with Trina and May.

  “Let’s switch partners.” Ros yelled over the music. I had barely voiced the first word of my reply when May grabbed him.

  “Let me give you a performance.” She beamed.

  Ros was instantly distracted, turning to May who walked off to a section of the cabin that had been walled off by zipped curtains. She pulled them apart to reveal a dancer’s pole, swinging her frame on the pole and gliding to the music like a professional gymnast at the Olympics. Her performance was so fluid and flawless that I would have been impressed if she wasn’t such a show off. The only thing that stopped me from tossing her out of the plane was Ryan’s rule preventing the use of special abilities on the trip. Since his rule said nothing about the use of our imagination, I settled for deriving satisfaction from imagining her uncomfortable fall and maybe breaking a part of her body that would hurt like crazy.

  “I told you May could bring a party alive.” Ros grinned, temporarily distracting me from my satisfying mental picture.

  I rolled my eyes and continued dancing with Ryan. Though Trina looked outwardly indifferent, I could tell she was just as upset at May as I was. She helped herself to a continuous refill of champagne, as if trying to dr
own out the real world.

  I was just as shocked as everyone else in the cabin when I heard the painful crack of what sounded like bone against hard flooring. I couldn’t help the slight flash of a smirk across my face when I saw May slip off the pole and tumble to the ground.

  “So much for your performance, Miss. Show-off.”

  My expression quickly changed to one of concern when I realized she had landed on her neck, twisting it at an uncomfortable angle.

  “Are you okay?” I ran to her and attempted to help her up.

  She got up like it was nothing and snapped her neck back into place.

  “Phew. She’s a vampire.”

  I heaved a sigh of relief. She would have been badly hurt if she were human, perhaps requiring us to make an emergency landing.

  “I’ve never slipped before.” She laughed, but I caught the hint of irritation in her silky, French accented voice.

  “I guess there’s a first time for everything. Don’t think too much of it.” Ros smiled.

  She nodded and pulled his hand, choosing to dance with him on the cabin’s floor this time. Everyone continued moving to the beat until the music faded off and was replaced by the pilot’s voice.

  “We are beginning our final descent. Please strap your seat belts on and prepare for landing.”

  We took our seats with happy smiles. I couldn’t deny the fact that I had a great time on board, regardless of my slight irritation with May.

  Thinking about her however, made me question her little misfortune. Did she fall because I imagined it? It was possible she intentionally let go of her grasp to the pole, hoping to get sympathy from Ros. I never willed her to fall and I knew my powers never altered my reality unless I willed them to. I pondered over that thought until the plane’s descending motion distracted me. A smile appeared on my face and I closed my eyes, waiting for the plane to hit the ground.

  Chapter Eight

  Ryan’s POV

  Sometimes my brother gets on my very last nerve. That’s a truth I’ve come to live with. As much as things feel like they’re that way all the time, there are moments like this when I’m forced to admit he’s cool. While I don’t exactly agree with his methods - I mean come on, who tanks champagne? But sometimes I’m forced to thank him for their results. Seeing Selena sleep so peacefully in my arms was worth taking the risk of stuffing her with alcohol.