Page 90 of The Secret Life of a Witch

“Ifeel stupid for even trying to dress up,” I whine as I stand in the middle of the attic, letting Peyton give my hair one final tease.

An attic for a bedroom doesn’t look as nearly bad as it sounds. Well, except for the dust on the beams, the bat hanging out in the window, and the coffin perched against the wall.

“You shouldn’t feel stupid. You look great.” She sets the comb down and steps in front of me to assess my getup. “Totally freak show worthy.”

“And that’s a good thing?” I ask, frowning doubtfully at the short, lace-trimmed dress I’m wearing. The look is topped off with a long, ankle-length over-shirt, knee-high socks, and platform shoes.

Peyton actually wanted me to sport heels, but I told her that, unless she secretly wished for me to face dive down the stairway, we should probably stick to simpler shoes. Platforms were our compromise.

After the outfit, she worked on my hair, curling and teasing. Then she put a dab of lip-gloss on and some eyeliner then singsonged ata-da, as if revealing a princess.

I don’t feel like a princess, though. At all. I feel like a freak, which I guess, considering where we’re going, is fitting.

“Now all we need is a bit of vampire blood.” She opens her mouth and lifts her arms, preparing to sink her teeth into her flesh.

“Wait.” I reach out to stop her. “What about Hunter?”

“Crap, I was hoping you’d forget about him,” she teases. Well, sort of.

“You thought I’d forget about my best friend who’s about to drink vampire blood for me?” I question, readjusting the velvet choker that’s around my neck.

She shrugs. “A vampire can hope, right? Besides, aren’t you two sort of fighting because he’s been lying to you about your friendship and about being in that stupid Mystic Willow Bay Society thing. Which, FYI, I have to say, is only full of complete control freaks who want to control everyone in this town.”

“I think they try to protect it, too,” I say. “At least, that’s what I’ve been told.”

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t believe everything you’ve been told.” She picks up a tube of lipstick from off the dresser. “From what I’ve heard, the society has all sorts of hidden agendas, starting with eliminating all the creatures they deem evil.”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I’ve heard people whispering.” She lightly taps her ear then removes the cap from the lipstick tube and reapplies a coat to her lips.

“About what exactly?” I wonder if Hunter, Opal, and Ryleigh know anything. Are they still keeping secrets from me?

Probably.

Well, except for Ryleigh. Right now, she couldn’t even tell me anything if she wanted to.

“What do you think?—”

Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Are you ready to go yet?” Hunter asks. “It’s getting late.”

Rolling her eyes, Peyton crosses the room and throws open the door. “You know, for someone who didn’t even want to go, you sure are impatient about being late.”

“I’m not impatient. I was just hoping maybe Eva changed her mind …” He trails off as his gaze finds me. Then his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard.

“What?” Feeling self-conscious, I wrap my arms around myself as his gaze drags up and down my body. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Because,” is all he says as he steps toward me. “You look …” He struggles for words as he stops in front of me, still eyeballing me like I’m some curiously strange creature he’s never seen before.

“Freaky?” I offer.

He shakes his head. “No, not really.”

“Well, then Peyton failed big time,” I tell him. “I think she was going for freaky …” I trail off as he folds his fingers around my wrists. Then he moves my arms away from me, and angles his head to the side as he meticulously studies me.

“I like this look on you. I mean, you always lookpretty.” His lips quirk, and I roll my eyes. “But this is …” He sinks his teeth into his bottom lip. “I don’t even think there’s a word for it.”

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