invitation from the Bottelli Vampire family, requesting our presence at the Blood Harvest Festival tomorrow night. The letter has our names on it.”
I raised my eyebrows. That was weird. “Sure. I’ll go.”
“You don’t smell that?” MeShack asked.
I looked back and mouthed the word no .
MeShack sniffed, passed the kitchen, and opened the front door. A snarl exploded from his mouth that shook the walls.
I dropped the phone.
“What’s wrong?” Fire sprouted from my arms. “MeShack? What is it?”
“No, La La.” He put his hand up as if to stop me. “You shouldn’t see this.”
I walked toward him.
Flies whizzed by my head. Blood pooled at my doorstep. At the center of it, was Ray’s small, decapitated head. I held my breath. Flies flew in and out of Ray’s mouth. White paint covered his face. The teeth with the diamonds in them sat on a sheet of paper that said, “Give these to his daughter.”
It had been over fifteen hours since I’d seen Ray’s head, and it still flashed in my mind. I flinched and rubbed my nose. The odor of blood and rotting flesh remained no matter how many candles I lit. MeShack said he couldn’t smell it anymore, but to me, the apartment reeked of death.
Don’t think about it.
I watched Ben as he sat on my bed, holding shopping bags. MeShack and I had lied to him and said that the hospital’s visiting hours were only on Wednesdays. It gave us a week to break the news to him that his mom was dead. Another horrifying addition to my to-do list.
All day, we kept Ben busy while Zulu’s Rebels cleaned Ray off the doorstep. We had Ben entering and exiting with us through our fire escape to avoid traumatizing him with the evidence of Ray’s slaughter. It even became a game of who-can-climb-down-and-up-the-fire-escape-the-fastest.
Tightening the belt on my robe, I walked over to my desk and traced the sparkly crimson gown with my fingers. Zulu had delivered it, with some jewelry, and a message stating that he didn’t want me to steal an evening dress for the Blood Harvest Festival and that I’d been through enough this week.
So sweet.
Especially since he’d lost Ray, someone so close to him, and it was my fault. Guilt sat at the bottom of my stomach.
Tonight, I would do whatever Zulu needed. I knew getting the Vamps to support MFE was important and probably why he’d accepted the invitation. I checked my watch. Zulu would be picking me up in an hour. I would be ready and willing to do whatever was required.
Ben made a shuffling noise as he shifted on the bed.
I forced a smile and focused back on him. “Did you have fun with MeShack?”
“Yeah.” Ben kicked his feet back in forth as several Pixies hovered over him, monitoring his every move. To them, he was an invader of their territory. I hoped they would adjust to him soon.
“What did you get from the store?” I asked.
“The Four Elements game and some clothes.” He picked at the fuzz on my violet blanket.
“Do you know how to play it?”
He shook his head.
“I’ll show you tomorrow.” I turned to the mirror, grabbed the ruby earrings, and put them in my ears. “I’m a pro at that game. It’s why we don’t have it in the house. MeShack destroyed it the last time I beat him.”
Silence.
“So, what’s going on?” I asked, wondering why he’d started acting weird. Before I took my shower, he’d been jumping around and playing with me.
After a few minutes, he asked in a low voice, “You’re leaving tonight?”
I stopped what I was doing and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Panic covered his face. His eyes were wide open and he remained still as if he was holding his breath, waiting for my answer.
“I have to go somewhere with a friend.”
He twisted some of my blanket between his fingers. “Are you going to MeShack’s concert tonight, too?”
“Yes. I’m going after the festival.”
He avoided my eyes.
What is the big deal? Does he think we’d leave him alone, like his
I raised my eyebrows. That was weird. “Sure. I’ll go.”
“You don’t smell that?” MeShack asked.
I looked back and mouthed the word no .
MeShack sniffed, passed the kitchen, and opened the front door. A snarl exploded from his mouth that shook the walls.
I dropped the phone.
“What’s wrong?” Fire sprouted from my arms. “MeShack? What is it?”
“No, La La.” He put his hand up as if to stop me. “You shouldn’t see this.”
I walked toward him.
Flies whizzed by my head. Blood pooled at my doorstep. At the center of it, was Ray’s small, decapitated head. I held my breath. Flies flew in and out of Ray’s mouth. White paint covered his face. The teeth with the diamonds in them sat on a sheet of paper that said, “Give these to his daughter.”
It had been over fifteen hours since I’d seen Ray’s head, and it still flashed in my mind. I flinched and rubbed my nose. The odor of blood and rotting flesh remained no matter how many candles I lit. MeShack said he couldn’t smell it anymore, but to me, the apartment reeked of death.
Don’t think about it.
I watched Ben as he sat on my bed, holding shopping bags. MeShack and I had lied to him and said that the hospital’s visiting hours were only on Wednesdays. It gave us a week to break the news to him that his mom was dead. Another horrifying addition to my to-do list.
All day, we kept Ben busy while Zulu’s Rebels cleaned Ray off the doorstep. We had Ben entering and exiting with us through our fire escape to avoid traumatizing him with the evidence of Ray’s slaughter. It even became a game of who-can-climb-down-and-up-the-fire-escape-the-fastest.
Tightening the belt on my robe, I walked over to my desk and traced the sparkly crimson gown with my fingers. Zulu had delivered it, with some jewelry, and a message stating that he didn’t want me to steal an evening dress for the Blood Harvest Festival and that I’d been through enough this week.
So sweet.
Especially since he’d lost Ray, someone so close to him, and it was my fault. Guilt sat at the bottom of my stomach.
Tonight, I would do whatever Zulu needed. I knew getting the Vamps to support MFE was important and probably why he’d accepted the invitation. I checked my watch. Zulu would be picking me up in an hour. I would be ready and willing to do whatever was required.
Ben made a shuffling noise as he shifted on the bed.
I forced a smile and focused back on him. “Did you have fun with MeShack?”
“Yeah.” Ben kicked his feet back in forth as several Pixies hovered over him, monitoring his every move. To them, he was an invader of their territory. I hoped they would adjust to him soon.
“What did you get from the store?” I asked.
“The Four Elements game and some clothes.” He picked at the fuzz on my violet blanket.
“Do you know how to play it?”
He shook his head.
“I’ll show you tomorrow.” I turned to the mirror, grabbed the ruby earrings, and put them in my ears. “I’m a pro at that game. It’s why we don’t have it in the house. MeShack destroyed it the last time I beat him.”
Silence.
“So, what’s going on?” I asked, wondering why he’d started acting weird. Before I took my shower, he’d been jumping around and playing with me.
After a few minutes, he asked in a low voice, “You’re leaving tonight?”
I stopped what I was doing and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Panic covered his face. His eyes were wide open and he remained still as if he was holding his breath, waiting for my answer.
“I have to go somewhere with a friend.”
He twisted some of my blanket between his fingers. “Are you going to MeShack’s concert tonight, too?”
“Yes. I’m going after the festival.”
He avoided my eyes.
What is the big deal? Does he think we’d leave him alone, like his
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