Autumn Flame (Seasons #2 )

Chapter 13: The Penthouse of Sin

The elevator opens onto a haunted house in the sky.

"Are we... still in Manhattan?" asks Preston next to me, scratching his head. "This is the penthouse, right? Not the basement of hell?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," I say.

In front of us is a seven-foot animatronic witch stirring a cauldron and cackling. The walls are covered in some kind of black mesh that makes me feel like I'm walking through an underground dungeon, and more than one animatronic snake hisses and strikes at our ankles.

"I hate snakes so, so, so much," I shudder as we hurry along a maze that spits is out into a Halloween lair.

"Rawr!" Clement shouts, jumping out at us from behind a creepy doll.

I don't know whose balls shrink more, mine or Preston's. We both shriek like little girls.

"Welcome to the Penthouse of Sin," says Clement, flashing a fanged grin. His bare chest is painted red, he's wearing contacts that look like his irises are flames, and the horns on his head sparkle. "May all your deepest, darkest, most devious desires come true tonight."

"Felicity is going to love this," says Preston.

Clement shrugs. "Mom's designer did it. Come! I must show you the ice pick murderer game."

Preston's eyes widen. "That sounds gory. Let's go."

"Hey," I grab Clement. "Is you-know-who here?"

"Voldemort? No," Clement says without missing a beat.

I roll my eyes. "You know who I'm talking about."

"Rhys," Preston jumps in with a sigh. "No one knows who you're talking about. Melanie? Olivia? Sydney? The Muffin Man?"

"The Muffin Man?" I frown.

"You don't know the Muffin Man?" cries Preston.

"I feel like this is some American reference I don't understand," mutters Clement.

"That makes two of us," I say. "But I'm talking about Sydney." Even as I say it, I know I'm only soft of truthful. I don't want to ask about Melanie, but I wish he would tell me anyway.

"I have not seen her," says Clement. "But there are so many people here, I have no idea. Anyway. Axe murderer?" he offers.

"You two go ahead," I wave. "I'll catch up."

The space is dark with red lights casting eerie shadows against the walls. I pass a Spiderman chatting up a Barbie by the wall. I pour myself a Bloody Punch, wondering briefly if the floating eyeballs are edible. A girl Loki walks by me and gives me the look.

I am flattered, and almost follow her (because why not have some meaningless fun), but then I remember that I have enough women problems in my life without adding a goddess of mischief into the mix.

I turn around and sputter, spilling red all over my white robes.

I curse and turn around, reaching for napkins. What do I do? Do I walk over and interrupt? Do I pretend I didn't see her and just find her later? Oh yeah, cause I am that kind of smooth. Hey Sydney, nice to see you. How's your night going? Did Spiderman taste like red skittles?

I can't believe I didn't recognize her. And who the hell is in the Spiderman mask?

Don't say anything, don't say anything...

I clear my throat. "Ahem, hey, Sydney."

Spiderman looks up slowly. Sydney sees me and pushes him away. "Rhys? I didn't recognize you." She adjusts her blonde wig. "What are you?"