All her life, Kay Harper has been prone to misfortune until she stumbles upon a man doomed with immortality.
When Kay's boyfriend, Ryan cancels their date last-minute, the last thing she expects Ryan to do is invite her out to a party located in a s...
Kay eased her blue Volkswagon into a parking spot next to Ryan's hot red Corvette. Her heart beat widly against her ribs as she cut off the engine and stepped out into the crisp October weather. Despite being used to the climate, chills ran down her spine for different reasons.
I'll wait for you.
Releasing a slow exhale, she glanced up at the towering mansion with a mixture of uncertainty and deja vú. She couldn't help but gaze at the bluish-black sky, the moon peaking through the atmosphere. Leaning into the frame of the Corvette, she studied her reflection in the spotless coat of red. For the first time in twelve insufferable months, she no longer had the urge to ruin the vehicle as much as she once did. At her eighth month of the road to recovery, she was sure she'd overcame the hump, ready to start fresh without Ryan. It didn't stop the anxious feeling working its way through her belly and up her chest. With a deep breath, she bowed her head and tied a black Venetian mask to her face.
Deborah threw another Halloween party—only with a masquerade theme for a twist. Flashes of the couple's PDA came across Kay's mind. Emotions she thought she dealt with bubbled to the surface. "One, two, three...exhale." She summoned the breathing mantra her therapist recommended, hoping to placate herself. With one final look, she pepped herself with, "You can do this."
Placing one heeled foot after another, she approached the large oak door of the mansion. Her heart thumped in her ears with each step as her white gown trailed behind her.
Security beefed up since her last visit. Two guards posted outside the large doorway with faces screwed up like gargoyle statues. Kay wondered if the men were placed there due to her frantic episode last year. Heat crept through her body as she warily approached the entry.
The sentries were almost identical, intimidating—with bald heads and thickened upper bodies. Kay wondered if Deborah hired them from a gritty city nightclub. She halfway expected a thorough search for her invitation, or perhaps the state of her mental capacity. To her astonishment, one of the guards opened the door for her.
"Enjoy your night, beautiful." The man shot her a wink before scanning the length of her. Warmth prickled her skin as she bowed her head toward him before entering the foyer. Servers delivered glasses of drinks and varieties of sample foods as Halloween classics played around everyone. Some of the guests paused for a moment to glance at Kay, whispering over their shoulders and toward one another in question. The hairs on her arms rose as waves of deja vú washed over her. Even after a year, she was still a topic of conversation.
Heat crept against her cheeks, the redness tinging beneath her mask. She moved along the vast room, amazed of its high ceilings and glossy linoleum floors. The décor gave a classier ballroom feel with a wider variety of masks. The ambiance reminded Kay of a renaissance era. She peered up at the second floor balcony, filled with even more people in attendance than last time.
Shifting to her left, Kay's stomach flipped after spotting Deborah and Ryan in the center of the crowd. Like the previous year, the couple stood in the center surrounded by their friends, their bodies glued at the hips.
Deborah's black mask bore an arrangement of black feathers along the profile of her jawline. She wore a long matching black dress which Kay was sure is more expensive than her monthly car payments and her blonde hair was pinned up in a classy bun. Carrying on like chatty-catty, Deborah giggled amidst her friends clearly enjoying her debutante life. Ryan on the other hand appeared stoic—almost out of place. He wasn't wearing a mask at all. There was a dull shine to his eyes and his features appeared to be...strained.
Kay slid behind a chatty group of folks, casually sipping on a champagne flute she picked up from a serving tray. Ryan was holding himself together, but his body language told her a different story. His ruffled tendrils wasn't lost on her. Neither was the fact that his outfit was a little more casual than his partner's. Granted, he still dressed up for appearances, but the lost look in his eyes screamed, help me. He reminded her of a cornered animal with those surrounding him, oblivious to his current estate.
Some friends. Kay thought with a scoff as a fascinated smile played on her lips. She edged away from the group, remembering an old conversation with her former lover. Despite her priority to keep a low profile, she began to relax. The ambiance of modern jazz hummed from the DJ's booth.
The place was a snore fest, but Kay had bigger things to look forward to. Maneuvering away from the others, she made her way toward the window overlooking the view of the dark forest. The secrets beckoned her from the hidden canopy of trees. A faint glow hung in the inky sky with thin layers of smoky clouds skimming over it. She exhaled a heavy sigh from her lips.
When the moon is full next year.
She closed her eyes, reveling in the man's voice as it replayed in her mind. The same way it echoed in her brain all year.
The chances are looking pretty slim, my friend.
That voice though. Intimidating, sultry, and yet, held a gentle command for her stillness. A tingling shiver shot to her toes. She knew she had no business there. Thinking herself insane at the idea of being drawn to the alluring danger. There couldn't be anything good that came of the situation, but she had so many questions. Questions she piled into a list all year.
Glancing at the silhouette of tall pine trees, she pictured the beast's monstrous build atop the mound. The deadly talons—sharper than obsidian and yellow gleam in his menacing eyes. Dare she venture out to face his cursed form? Could it reason in its current capacity? Kay couldn't recall a single report of any sightings. Judging by the way the guests carried on through their narrow bubble, no one's seem to have heard of any peculiar maulings in the woods.
"Alright," Kay whispered with a deep breath, "I'm willing to talk big boy—just don't try to kill me this time." Her heart galloped with excitement. She was willing to face her fears if it meant she'd get the answers her dreams couldn't grant her. Or her therapist for that matter, not that she'd tell anyone. No one would believe her. She'd prefer the secret to be locked within herself anyway. Before she knew it, a luminescent glow highlighted her soft bare skin.
Perhaps, she wouldn't be waiting long after all. She peered into the night, a brilliant shine illuminating the path for her to embark. If she was the key, she had to know what her future held for her. She was going for it. Locking her fears away, she pivoted for the exit but halted instantly before she could take a single step. Her heart stopped as her stomach hit the floor.
"I've been waiting for you for a while."
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