Page 30 of Dead End

A fog rolled in, and a tall figure stepped out of the mist with a bright smile stretching his lips. The flickering lamp post illuminated his six-foot-four, slender frame. He had a long face that was baby-bottom smooth, with wavy brown hair tied in a ponytail falling halfway down his back. He wore a strange-looking top hat and a long duster jacket made of dark green velvet.

“Ichabod,” Auntie Fe gritted through clenched teeth, reaching up to clutch the pendant hanging around her neck. It was clear she didn’t like this man, Ichabod.

The man clasped Cal’s shoulder, still smiling brightly, and I noticed the way Cal tensed ever so slightly under the weight of that ring-clad hand. “Lovely evening for a stroll, isn’t it, Hallowells?” I swear, his teeth actually sparkled for a second.

His eyes landed on me, and he gestured towards me with an open palm. “And who do we have here?” he asked. “My, my, you look familiar. I have to admit, it’s been a while since I’ve seen those eyes.”

I stepped back, tensing as I shot my aunties a worried look.

Ichabod scoffed and waved his hand as he said, “Forgive me, where are my manners? My name’s Ichabod Addams, Mayor of Midnight Hollow, and Calvin here is my son.”

He grinned down at me before taking his top hat off and bowing at his waist, brushing his cape out of his way with a flick of his hand.

The freaking mayor of the city looked like he just stepped off the set of Interview with a Vampire. But in all honesty, his strange clothing had seen better days. Did he steal that coat from a corpse? And who wears a top hat anymore? I suppose I should have taken into account the fact that we were in an entirely different dimension where vampires and demons were a thing, so fashion should have been at the bottom of my list of things to worry about.

He and Cal were polar opposites, and it was hard to believe they were father and son. They didn't share any features, save for the color of their strange whiskey eyes. I realized how uncomfortable this conversation had become as he continued to stare at me without really blinking. Immediately, Auntie Pip stepped in front of me.

“Sorry, Ichabod, but we must be on our way. They start at the university next week, and I would hate to get a late start. Nice chatting with you.” She cringed even as she said it, and I knew it was all bullshit. She really didn’t like this guy.

She gestured to Auntie Fe behind her back, where Ichabod couldn’t see, but Fe quickly caught onto the signal because she started ushering us away as Pip blocked the mayor's view, throwing out weak apologies and fake smiles.

I felt his gaze digging into my back as we walked away and was grateful when the guys surrounded me. They must have sensed the way his bright, charming smile felt a little deceiving. Jason was at my back, guiding me with his big hand on my hip, and he kept shooting daggers behind him at Cal, who just stood there smiling and waving.

“Keep looking at her again, assh... I’ll rip your eyes from…sockets…”

Jason’s voice was so clear and loud in my head that it caused me to flinch. I didn’t bother to look at his lips, as I was growing more accustomed to recognizing the whispering, faraway quality to their voices. I’d come to the conclusion that somehow I could hear their thoughts when they were strong enough.

“He was pretty hot, though, you have to admit.” Maddie caught up, adding a sway to her hips. “I swear he was giving me some serious vibes back there. I'm pretty sure he wanted me to sit on his lap and have my wicked way with his bod-,” She slammed her mouth shut as all the guys turned to glare at her.

“They’re warlocks,” Michael said, scratching at his side right over his snake tattoo. He kept glancing over his shoulder with his brows scrunched. “I can sense it.” He seemed confused as to how he could possibly know that.

“Right you are,” said Auntie Fe. “So, to be on the safe side, let’s everyone stay away from him and that son of his. Ichabod has always been a bit peculiar, even by our standards. Always rubbed me the wrong way, ordering this and demanding that. Nothing but trouble, those two.”

Auntie Fe sighed with relief when Pip came jogging after us with a scowl on her face. Pip didn’t scowl very often, so I knew they had to have something serious against Ichabod.

“How did you know they were warlocks?” I asked Michael, and he turned to stare down at me before he looked straight ahead again, shoving his hands in his pockets with his shoulders hunched in an uncomfortable way.

“Don’t know. It felt off but... I just do.” He shrugged, running his fingers through his silvery moonlight hair, his cheeks puffing up on a nervous inhale.

“So this college thing is really happening then. Like, on Monday?” Freddy groaned, and I had to bite my lip to hide my mirth because he’d always hated school, even though he was really smart. He just hid it behind sports in high school.

“Yes,” said Fe with a chuckle that was a little on the dark side. “Dangerous times are ahead, and you must be prepared for the worst at any moment. You're stuck here, so you might as well get to know the place.” With those damning words, Auntie Fe dragged Pip away to talk privately as we walked the short distance to the manor.

All that was going through my head right now was the terrifying fact that if I didn’t gain control of this necromancy stuff, I might as well just hand my soul over to death himself. Also, my lips still tingled a bit from that explosive kiss in those darkened corners, like a well-kept secret.

I wondered what it all meant.

Roger

They say mirrors let you catch a glimpse into the soul, but as I slicked back my brown porcelain locks, I knew they were lies—lies to fool the mind, but I was no fool.

Only a detective lived inside me—the type of fella who lived to solve mysteries and put the bad guys behind bars like the scum they were. The night was young, and after scoping out the Hallowells’ manor for hours, I knew the gals’ schedule like the back of my breakable hand.

I lay in wait under the lamp post like some sort of chump, but luckily, it was dark enough that I blended in with the shadows before sneaking across the street to the Pumpkin Eater.

The place was booming, packed with greedy kids as they stuffed their faces with candy, and gave me the perfect opportunity to sneak in undetected. I worked fast and got the job done under the cloak of disguise. I thought for a hot minute that the one they called Jessica would rat me out like a lowlife, no good punk, but no one believed the furry creature as she pointed me out.

I was one with the shadows.

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