“Blaze!”
He smirks. “Name’s Dundee, miss.” He keeps with the Aussie accent. If I had a plate of poutine, I’d throw a gravy-soaked fry at him.
“What a load of crock.” I laugh and push an empty chair out with my foot. “Have a seat, Dundee.” Blaze settles into the chair, slouching back, his tanned fingers caressing his beer pint. Our grins could light up all of the Christmas trees in the city.
I take a sip of my cosmo and set it back down, sweeping my gaze over Blaze’s familiar nose and lips. A small silver feather dangles from his ear. Damn, he’s hot in any hair color.
“Australia, eh? You’re a long way from home.”
His smile is sunshine in the dark.
“Got word from Santa that a certain purple-haired agent wanted me for Christmas. Since you were so nice to me at the Ball, here I am.” He spreads his arms, the flash of his eyes both mischievous and hopeful.
I lean back in my chair and consider him with a smile.
“The question is, do I get to keep you?”
“That’s all up to you, Sabine. I come in many packages, and I can’t always be around, but I’m yours if you want me. Exclusively,” he adds.
I moisten my lips and stare Blaze in the eyes. With a smile full of promise, I deliver my answer, “I like receiving packages, and I like to keep them. Exclusively.”
My heart has filled so quickly; it tells me what I want. Sometimes a woman just knows. It’s the kind of magic that can only be sparked by genuine feelings—that little thing called love. It’s the true-blue variety or, in my case, purple.
The End—For Now
Look for more from this world coming soon!
Turn the page for more Monster Ball…
Royal Blood
By
Sophie Davis
Chapter One
The Invitation
Smokeless fire crackled and popped inside the stone hearth of Princess Sarah’s sitting room at Iolani Palace. She reached out and traced one section of the orange flames with her finger, watching absently as the fire turned blue. Sarah repeated the process until a rainbow of colored flames danced beneath the mantle.
“Magical finger painting,” she muttered to the empty room. “My life is so exciting.”
Even still, she’d take boredom over trite conversation any day, which was exactly what she’d done when feigning illness to excuse herself from the stuffy banquet taking place downstairs. Some garden enthusiast had talked her ear off about pollination through the first two courses before she couldn’t stand to hear another fact about plants.
A light breeze ruffled loose strands of her long, blonde hair. The fire flickered noticeably. Had Alma left the window open? That wasn’t like the attendant; Alma was too careful to make such mistakes. A quick glance around the room told Sarah the cool air was coming in through the balcony doors, which were open. Her heartbeat increased slightly. Alma might have overlooked a window, but there was no way both she and Sarah had failed to notice the French doors.
Sarah muttered an incantation under her breath and waited. Nothing happened. She repeated the detection spell with more conviction. If another being was inside the room, a golden shimmer would’ve given away their location. Did the continued darkness mean she was truly alone?
“Hello?” No one responded, which only made Sarah feel marginally better.
Slowly, blue eyes darting from one shadowy corner to the next, Sarah climbed out of her favorite armchair and tiptoed to the balcony. She should’ve called for the guards who patrolled the residential wing of the palace—that was protocol in these situations. But what could they do for the princess that she couldn’t do for herself? Screw protocol, she decided.
Sarah slipped through the balcony doors and inhaled deeply. The recycled air beneath the dome felt heavy and stifling, just like the pressing stares of the bodyguards who followed her everywhere and the advisors who couldn’t understand why she preferred culinary school to an arranged marriage. The full moon shone brightly, the beams of light illuminating the tops of the banyan trees that swayed in the gentle breeze. She loved her home, Oahu was beautiful, but more and more lately, she’d been craving…something different. A break from the monotony of royal life. A vacation from her job as the princess of an uneasy kingdom.
A bright blaze of light streaked across the night sky, rushing directly at Sarah. Just as she began to worry that a falling star was going to be the weapon of her personal destruction, the light dissipated in a gentle flash. Before she could begin to process what was happening, a silvery piece of parchment fell from the streak of light and landed in Sarah’s upturned palm. The paper was soft and unexpectedly cool against her skin.
Afraid the delicate parchment might disintegrate between her fingers, Sarah smoothed the paper with care. Something was written in a looping scrawl, and she tilted the message from the heavens toward the moonlight to make out the words.
Just as the moon has brought me to you,
So shall the moon bring you to the ball.
All Hallows Eve.
The Witching Hour.
As a member of the royal family, Sarah received plenty of invitations for stuffy society functions. This was the first time one had arrived via an astronomical event. Who’d sent the invite? Had Sarah’s desire for freedom become so strong that she’d summoned the invitation from thin air? Was she dreaming? Or was this some sort of stress-induced hallucination?
A slow smile spread across Sarah’s face. One way or another, she’d learn the truth soon; All Hallows Eve was just around the corner.
On the night in question, Sarah stood on her balcony and tugged at the clingy fabric of her backless gown. She’d fretted over her choice all day. There was no etiquette guide for a party where the invitations arrived on shooting stars, at least not that Sarah had found. Was she overdressed in the long gown? Was the black silk too boring?
It doesn’t matter, she thought.
That was the beauty of attending a mysterious ball where no one would know her true identity. At least, she didn’t think the other guests would. After all, the invitation hadn’t been addressed to Her Royal Highness or any of the other pretentious titles that usually headlined such an invite. Given the utter secretiveness of the event—Sarah had asked discreetly, but no one had ever heard of The Monster Ball—she would be just another attendee amongst the crowd. As far as she was concerned, Sarah could be whoever she liked and do whatever she wanted without consequence.
Despite her excitement for the night, there were a few logistical issues she was unclear on. Surely the palace guards would notice when an airship appeared to whisk her away. Where were they going exactly? That was another gray area that Sarah hadn’t concerned herself with. The invitation hadn’t mentioned a location. For Sarah, the vague instructions were part of the thrill. It was all so mysterious, and mysterious was something foreign in her sheltered world.
The witching hour arrived. Sarah took a deep breath and turned her attention to the skies. She gripped her pearl clutch in one hand and played with the diamond filigree necklace around her throat with the other. The pale white moonlight grew impossibly brighter until Sarah’s eyes burned, and she was forced to look away. That was when the flashing started.
It happened so fast. One instant, the princess was standing on her balcony that overlooked the quiet, fragrant grounds of Iolani Palace. The next, Sarah stood on a grimy street where car horns and sirens competed to outdo the pedestrians yelling up and down the sidewalk. People brushed past her without a backward glance, though a few did call her some inventive names.
The experience should’ve been jarring, her bodyguards normally kept people from touching her, but Sarah’s attention was focused on the dark alley to her right. It was every bad situation her bodyguards had warned her to avoid all rolled into one stretch of decrepit pavement. And yet, her silver heels carried her into the shadows like they had a mind of their own.
Overflowing trashcans littered the alley, ma
king for a great feast for all the rodents skittering about. Crumbling brick and peeling paint only partially hid the dilapidated guts of the buildings on either side of Sarah. Is this a gross joke? she wondered. Still, she continued forward. A crimson door loomed in the distance, flanked by identical shadows above the upper corners. The forms were visible once she drew closer: gargoyles carved out of stone.
She blinked in surprise as the clutch slipped from her shaky fingers. It clattered to the ground and popped open. As if awoken by the noise, the statues leapt to life and swooped down on marbled black wings to land squarely in front of Sarah.
“Good evening,” said one of the sinfully beautiful twins. Obsidian eyes locked on her face as the gargoyle reached down and retrieved an item that had fallen from her clutch purse. He scanned the invitation she’d thought to bring at the last minute.
The second gargoyle cocked a thumb at his twin and shook his head. “This guy, all business.” He bent and collected Sarah’s clutch, scooping up the crystal-encrusted compact and pearl-handled comb that had been inside. “Any weapons tucked inside that dress?” he asked.
Weapons?
Sarah wasn’t sure whether to be anxious that she’d come to a party with a weapons-check instead of a coat-check, or relieved that people had to check their weapons at the door.
“Just me under here,” she replied with a nervous giggle.
The duo split apart to allow her access to the crimson door.
“Welcome to The Monster Ball,” said the gargoyle on the right, giving her a mock bow as she passed.
“The Proprietor is pleased you accepted the invitation,” the one on the left added. A smile curved his lips and caused his goatee to twitch.
She smiled shyly over her shoulder and gave them a small wave. “Anything I should know before I go inside?” Sarah asked.
“We wouldn’t want to ruin the surprises,” the twins replied in unison.
No, of course not, she thought, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Taking a deep breath of fetid air, Sarah turned back to face the red door. You wanted something different, she reminded herself. One thing was certain; this party was definitely not her typical night out.
Chapter Two
The Mage
The door slammed shut behind her, and Sarah found herself alone in a hallway that was less inviting than the alley had been. Dim fluorescent lights flickered overhead. They blinked faster and faster before extinguishing altogether and plunging the hallway into complete darkness. Just enough time passed for Sarah to have a single thought: Shit. Then, pulse-pounding music assaulted her from every direction.
She let out a bark of laughter, embarrassed by how scared she’d been just a second before. Following the music, Sarah’s eyes widened as she stepped into a vaulted loft space with white beanbag chairs and lounge style couches on either side of a packed dance floor. Revelers moved to the beat of a band perched on a platform two stories up—Dastardly Deeds, according to the logo on the drum set. Neon lights cast an electric rainbow over the room from above, giving her eyegasms like she’d never experienced. But it was the magic that permeated the warehouse, swirling through the partygoers on the dance floor like an omnipresent host, that made Sarah feel like the night was full of endless possibilities.
Where does one begin a magical night? Sarah wondered. The parties she normally attended were the sort where her name and title were announced before she entered the room. Usually, boring ass suitors lined up to ask her to dance, more interested in political alliances than getting to know Sarah. While she loved the anonymity tonight offered, Sarah didn’t usually have to go in search of her own entertainment.
You wanted to be normal, Sarah coached herself. Be normal.
A tall, pale man with dark, piercing eyes caught her attention from one of the bars in the back. As she watched him watching her, something bumped her shoulder. Sarah blinked, and the spell was broken. Stupid vampire compulsion, she thought, only a little annoyed. A slow smile tugged one corner of the man’s mouth upward as he raised his glass to the princess. Sarah couldn’t help herself, she giggled like a child.
I guess the dress was a good choice after all, she thought.
Across the room, the vampire turned to talk to a bartender with stark white hair and entrancing red eyes. More people jostled Sarah as they passed, and she decided it was time to move before someone dumped a drink on her.
Smoke billowed across the floor, rolling up around her ankles and obscuring her strappy silver sandals. She sidestepped to avoid a small group of partygoers who stood together, laughing and sipping from drinks in light-up glasses. Unsure where to go first, Sarah headed into the shadows on the outskirts of the room.
“First time?” a low, raspy voice called.
Sarah’s head whipped to the right. She hadn’t noticed anyone there before, but a man with purple hair sat in a nearby lounging area. Ethereal green eyes peered at her from the darkness like they were backlit from within his head.
“Is it that obvious?” Sarah wrinkled her nose and willed herself not to blush.
“Only to a seasoned veteran,” the man promised with a low, throaty chuckle.
Sarah attempted a coy smile but wasn’t sure she pulled it off. “If you’re so experienced, where should I start my night?”
Her new friend stroked his chin in a good impersonation of an evil mastermind. “Up there,” he pointed to the second-story loft. “There’s a card mage in that pink privacy cube. Her name is Katya, and she can tell you what’s in store for your evening.”
“I’ve never had my fortune read,” Sarah mused, quickly warming to the idea.
“Then I would highly recommend it,” the man replied with a smirk. “And before the night is over, you should definitely check out the roof to see Milo and Rake.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “What’s so special about them?”
“I’ll let you decide that for yourself.” His grin stretched from one pointy ear to the other, and his entire visage shimmered like a mirage. “Have fun, sweet witch.” He dissolved into a colorful mist before vanishing completely.
That was weird, Sarah thought. She crossed the dance floor and made her way up the rainbow stairs situated next to the bar on the far side of the room. The vampire she’d spied earlier had migrated to one end of the bar where he was deep in conversation with, if Sarah wasn’t mistaken, a goblin. Both guys wore tense expressions. She knew she shouldn’t stare—what was the point? And yet, she couldn’t tear her eyes away. This time, it had nothing to do with the vampire’s intrinsic qualities. There was just something about him that called to Sarah, something more than just his extremely attractive face.
“Are you going to move or are you part of the décor?” asked a snooty voice that sent up Sarah’s hackles.
“I apologize,” she said primly, barely sparing a glance at the girl, and continued up the stairs.
As a waitress passed with a tray of cocktails, Sarah grabbed one. Liquid courage in hand, she entered Katya’s cube and eased onto the couch beside the mage.
“Are you here for a reading?” Katya asked, her dark eyes staring so intently that Sarah felt like they were boring into her soul.
Sarah nodded. “Please.”
“Is there a specific area of your future you are interested in?
The nervous laugh that fell from Sarah’s mouth wasn’t within her normal octave. “I’ve never done this before…what is standard?” She sipped her sugary cocktail, embracing the warmth that coursed through her chest.
Katya reached for the deck of cards sitting on the table as she studied Sarah. “How about we let the cards decide?”
Sarah busied her hands by rearranging her dress. With a flick of the wrist, Katya shuffled the cards and pushed the stack in front of Sarah.
“Cut the deck,” she instructed.
The princess obeyed, and then Katya restacked the two halves. She spread three cards on the table between them facedown and set the rest to the side. Katya flipped over the fi
rst one: Ten of Pentacles. Sarah might not have been familiar with tarot readings, but she was pretty good at reading expressions. Katya’s spoke of dread.
“There are riches in your family,” the mage began slowly. “A stable wealth is present. This represents your past.”
Sarah rolled her eyes. It didn’t take a sixth sense to surmise that Sarah came from wealth and privilege. The bib necklace that was draped on her collarbones was a family heirloom made of diamonds that had literally once been part of a queen’s ransom.
Unfazed by Sarah’s visible doubt, Katya flipped over the second card. Her eyes widened, a thrill of excitement flitting through their dark depths that felt palpable to Sarah.
“The Three of Swords,” the mage breathed, gesturing to the card that indeed showed three swords. “This one is your present.”
“Do the swords represent the knights who will fight for my hand?” Sarah asked, her tone glib.
The card mage flipped her hair behind one shoulder, and the room’s pink lighting made her red highlights shine brightly for a moment. “The swords represent heartbreak, betrayal, and grief,” Katya explained evenly.
A lump formed in Sarah’s throat as she stared down at the card. She took another long sip from her drink. “It’s not, like, upside down, is it?”
Katya smiled mischievously and shook her head from side to side.
It’s just a party game, Sarah told herself. The cards mean nothing. There’s no heartbreak, betrayal, or grief in your current life.
“This pain will be a learning experience for you,” the mage continued. “An opportunity for you to grow and blossom into the person you are meant to become.”
The Monster Ball Year 2 Page 40