Page 1 of Midnight Masquerade

Chapter One

Madeline

"Great costume." The massive bouncer standing at the doors toTrick or Treat, the Halloween-themed bar hosting Thirteen Nights of Halloween in downtown Midnight Falls, smirks at me as I step up in front of him. He looks like he belongs up a beanstalk, picking on fairytale characters.

My brows furrow, unease drifting through me at the look on his face. It's a little too amused, like he knows something I don't.

"Is something wrong with it?" I ask, smoothing my hands down my furry sides.

"Nope. Nothing at all. It's a cute costume," he says, still smirking. "Go on in."

I stare at him for a heartbeat, not entirely sure I believe him. But he's right. Thecostumeiscute.

There's nothing remotely terrifying about a unicorn onesie with a sparkly horn—which is precisely why I chose it. Scary and I are not friends. We're not even frenemies. We're straight up arch nemeses.

There was no way I was squeezing my curves into any of the other options the costume shop still had available. Undead Bride? Nope. Zombie Cheerleader? Heck no. Dead Prom Queen? Definitely not. B-Movie Final Girl? Uh, no, no, and no. I actually want to sleep after this party, thank you very much.

Moving to a town that celebrates Halloween all year the week of said holiday probably wasn't my best plan ever. Actually, it was a terrible plan. I've been a nervous wreck since I moved here, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. And this girl needed a job. How else am I ever going to afford to buy my own house? Or a car that doesn't shake when I drive the speed limit?

My cousin, Tyler, owns an advertising firm in town and needed a new marketing person. It was a match made in desperation and nepotism.

I just pretend all of the Halloween decorations littering town are invisible. It's surprisingly easy to do when you have a lifetime of experience. Giant inflatable bloody skeleton, who? Ghoulish cemetery display, where? Haven't seen either.

It's a little harder to miss the spooky roller coasters and haunted houses at the theme park situated on the outskirts of town. Apparently, the family the town is named after, the Midnight family, own a bunch of them and are always working on new ways to scare the bejeesus out of people.

I guess scary sells because they're all bajillionaires. But I avoid that side of town. It's working well so far.

Maybe one day I'll get over my fear of…well, fear, but that day is not today. Halloween is my least favorite holiday. So I'm not entirely sure why I let my cousin talk me into coming to this party.

Oh, right. Because I'm a pushover. Exert even a tiny amount of pressure, and I cave like a freaking paper house on wet sand—far too easily. It's a sickness, really.

"You going in or not?" Behemoth asks, clearly exasperated that I'm still standing in the doorway of the bar, not budging.

"Um, yeah. Thanks," I mutter, ducking under his tattooed forearm before he changes his mind and decides I'm not cool enough.

I'm definitely not cool enough. Apparently, everyone who is anyone is at this party tonight. At least, that's what Tyler said. If anyone would know, he would. He's lived here forever.

You need to meet people, Madeline. You have to come.

I should really stop listening to him. He has terrible ideas.

I squeeze my eyes closed as I scurry past a display of fake spiders and cobwebs stretched across the small foyer of the bar.

"Why, baby Jesus. Why did it have to be fake spiders?" I mutter to myself, shivering when I burst out onto the other side. Whoever decided they should be synonymous with Halloween was evil.

I blink my eyes open…and all thoughts of fake spiders and Halloween come to a screeching halt.

The bar is three levels, with massive, wrought-iron staircases weaving through each level. Ivy and pumpkins adorn the staircases, with elaborate chandeliers hanging overhead. Stained glass windows dominate the back wall of the bar, each piece depicting a different Halloween or fall scene. When thedisco balls hit them, they light up, casting prisms of light through the bar.

Giant fireplaces crackle along the walls, with dozens of candles scattered throughout to help light the cavernous space. There's an eerie green mist floating near the ceiling and floors that gives the entire place a spooky vibe, especially with the disco balls spinning.

None of that is the immediate problem, however.

Maybe I should have grilled the bouncer for more information about that smirk. No. Idefinitelyshould have grilled him for more information.

Because I'm the only freaking unicorn in a sea of glittering ballgowns and expensive tuxedos.

I'm going to murder my cousin. There's no other choice. I have to strangle him and then hide his body.

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