Page 62 of The Daughters of Nyx

We complied and handed over our costumes, as well as the address of the party. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. For the first time in two weeks, I felt almost normal. Like regular old Ivy.

And old Ivy was ready to come out and play.

~

Music thrummed throughout the house Jase had sent us to. Red light set the mood, and classic Halloween music pounded from speakers set up around the downstairs. Bats and spiders hung from the ceiling, and someone had wrapped cobwebs around the banister of the stairs and tucked bones into the webs.

Thea and I shared a grin. There were probably thirty people spilling from the living room and kitchen, all in

different costumes; angels with white wings and halos danced with demons carrying pitchforks. Twin vampires passed us with fake fangs and sloppy smiles, their eyes roaming over our costumes.

For a last-minute twist, I thought we looked great.

Daphne and Velma fromScooby Doo. Not original, but it would do.

Unfortunately, our sidekick hadn’t been able to come up with a costume so last minute. It didn’t matter, though, because as soon as we entered with Adrian at our side, all eyes turned to him, regardless of that fact.

An uncomfortable twist in my stomach forced me to look away from the girls eyeing Adrian. He dressed as best he could in what could barely pass as a Fred costume—we’d had to make his ascot out of an old t-shirt Thea owned and no longer wore—but he matched the vibe enough that he didn’t look as out of place as Elias would have.

I tried to block out thoughts of him or the others as Thea and I wove our way towards the kitchen. “This is great,” I said over the music, leaning into her as our hands met. We grabbed onto one another, our grips tight.

Subconsciously, I felt for Adrian, who walked beside me, and tucked my hand into his. A spark of warmth rushed over me, and though it should have weirded me out, I found some comfort in it now.

When he didn’t pull away, I gave it a small squeeze and let Thea guide us through the dancers, towards the bar setup.

“Oh, gross,” Thea muttered, pushing a couple out of the doorway. They looked about ready to tear their clothes off and fuck there where everyone could see them.

I held in a giggle, and offered the unimpressed guy an apologetic look as we passed.

The kitchen had been decorated to look like a mad scientist’s lab. There were plastic body parts spread throughout and heads hanging from the ceiling. I had to duck one that eerily looked like Leonardo DiCaprio, and dance around another couple too focused on shoving their tongues down the other’s throat to worry about anyone wanting drinks.

“Fucking hell, can’t they get a room?” Thea said, loud enough for them to hear. The comment earned her a disgusted look, but Thea stared at them blankly before rolling her eyes.

I nudged her. “Don’t act like you wouldn’t be like them if given the chance.”

Thea shrugged. “I have promised Jase an hour of fun to make up for the last week.” She flipped her hair, which she’d tucked into a red wig, over her shoulder.

Beside me, Adrian looked uncomfortable as he eyed the room, but when our eyes met, he offered me a soft smile.

“Adrian, since you’re on babysitting duty, I did not get you a drink. But, for her majesty, I have brought you whatever weird potion was brewed in the witch’s cauldron.”

I hadn’t even felt Thea release my hand, but now she was at my side again, handing me a red solo cup, already bringing hers to her lips. The potion smelled sweet, and it looked like slices of apple floating in the red mix, but as I swirled the contents, a gummy eyeball floated to the surface.

Choking on a laugh, I showed her the cup. “Seriously?”

Thea cackled. “I swear I didn’t do that on purpose.”

Adrian stepped in closer, his hand still firmly tucked in mine, and eyed the cup warily. This close, under the red light,

he looked almost unearthly in a menacing kind of way, his features harsher, the lines of his body shadowed.

I swallowed hard as his eyes met mine. Despite everything he’d done, I couldn’t help but be drawn to him, the urge to kiss him overwhelming.

“I want to check that there isn’t anything dangerous in that before you have a drink, if that’s okay,” he said, clearing his throat.

Instead of responding, I nodded and held the cup out for him. I watched, transfixed, as he whispered something under his breath, and his eyes glowed a soft green. I could almost see the magic as he traced his finger around the rim of the cup, a spark of gold following the movement.

Then the magic disappeared, and he stepped back. “All clear,” he said, offering me a half smile.

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