he and Keirin have agreed to complete this particular job with me, I don’t like his train of thought because it’s dangerous.
“No. It’s because I want her.” I finally turn to him, taking him in. “She’s mine, and she’ll know she is by the end of tonight.”
Brody grins. “A deal with the devil, and you’re already one of his minions.” I can’t help but chuckle. Perhaps that’s true, but maybe, just maybe, I’m only doing it because I want to claim her as mine. And how sweet a victory that will be.
“Let’s get ready.”
7
Micaela
The long drive up the road toward the hill is filled with excited chatter from the girls, but my focus is on the house before us as we reach the looming wrought iron gates that are left open to welcome the guests tonight.
A driveway over a mile-long beckons and at the end sits a house that really and truly is a castle. Turrets shoot into the sky, and the normally black open brick of the walls are lit by strobe lighting of every color imaginable. As the car curls around a large fountain, the entrance is exposed, decked in Halloween decorations meant to scare.
Ghosts and goblins greet us as we exit the car, and the valet takes the keys from Paula before we’re escorted toward the door. Everything is breathtaking, from the old building that’s home to the Haven family to the sparkling fairy lights and costumes that adorn each person as they mingle.
Stepping into the entrance hall is like taking a walk back in time. The high ceilings are sculpted in such a way I’m reminded of the medieval churches in England. A black banister rounds the staircase on either side, guiding people upstairs to the second story of the house. The carpets are patterned with deep red-and-black paisley print, and the chandelier hanging above the top of the staircase shimmers with glinting gold.
This isn’t some ordinary castle to gawk at. It’s something so much more than that. A gothic masterpiece.
Waiters dressed in black with skeletal bones painted on the cloth offer champagne and hors d’oeuvres. The black lace mask I chose to wear covers my eyes, but my flame-red hair hangs in loose waves down my back.
As much as I’m taking in the décor, awed by the beauty of opulent furnishings and art hanging on the walls, I’m hyperaware Creed could be any one of these men passing by me.
“This is incredible,” Tamika announces, when we reach the garden that looks like a film set. One corner has a maze I’m curious about, and the rest of it has been set up with a real house of horrors feel to it. Blood-stained women giggle as they pass, and I notice a man in the shadows, watching everything play out before him. For a moment, I want to go to him, but when a leggy blonde sidles up beside him, I think better of it. He pulls his mask up to kiss her, and he’s older than I first thought.
“How old is Creed?” I ask, looking at the girls who snap their attention from the garden to me. I meant to talk to them about him, to ask more about the man who’s clearly captured my attention, but I didn’t want it to seem like I’m interested.
“I’d say about twenty-seven,” Paula answers with a shrug. “I know he’s the oldest, and Keirin is twenty-five. Why?” she asks, waggling her eyebrows at me.
“Curious.” I try not to grin stupidly, like a teenager with a crush on someone I’ve never seen.
“Curiosity killed the cat.” A deep voice comes from behind us. “Unless you’re the mouse.” A young guy walks around the four of us, stopping in front of Paula. “Nice to see you again.”
Her cheeks darken; even in the dim yet colorful lighting of the garden, I can see her blush. “Brody.” His name is a whisper on her lips, but she turns away, refusing to meet his eyes. I know they’ve been together. That’s what she said when we first spoke, so why the shyness?
“Ladies,” Brody says, his gaze casting long, lingering looks at each one of us as he takes us in. But when those dark eyes settle on me, I feel them right down to my soul. He’s dressed in all black, his mask that of a bat with the pointed ears glinting as the light hits the tips. “You’re the new girl.” It’s not a question. He knows who I am because his brother