Page 4 of All Hallows Trick

The veiled psychopath scoffed but didn’t reply to her, raising a hand to wave frantically at us instead. No, I realised with a growl that restored some of my strength. He waved at Cat.

“Hi, lioness!” he shouted with bright excitement. “Do you like my veil?”

Miz exhaled in relief when darkness swept like an ocean of ink around us, throbbing with power and protection.

“It’s not mine,” I said urgently, my eyes meeting his as the shadows enclosed us, lifting us like a benevolent giant’s hand, carrying us away from the moors. “The magic isn’t mine.”

At least as the magic tore us away from Ford’s End and deposited us wherever it chose, I hoped the giant’s hand was benevolent. But I could do nothing to save us it if wished to cause harm.

CHAPTER TWO

CAT

The familiar scent of Death’s domain made a weight sag off my shoulders, even if the smell of old books and honey was stronger, filling my lungs when I dragged in a sharp breath. For some reason, that scent made the clamp of panic around my chest fade away, right at the moment a masculine voice squealed with excitement.

“You’re here, you’re here, you’re finally here!” Hands plucked me away from Death, making my shoulders stiffen, but I was rendered dumb by the kisses that covered my face, the scent of honey so intense that I tasted it on my tongue.

When the kisses finally halted, the man who clutched my shoulders drew back, and I got my first real look at him. Strawberry blonde hair swept back from a tanned face cluttered with freckles, the coif currently flattened by an ivory veil, and electric blue eyes regarded me with vivid excitement. He was a strange mix of handsome and pretty, the dark eyeliner around his eyes drawing attention to the way he stared at me, a dimpleforming in a freckled cheek when his smile grew, creasing those eyes. Everything, every last detail, screamed an intensity that made me a little uneasy. He spoke to me like he knew me, and that had alarm bells ringing.

I extricated myself from the stranger who rescued us and stepped back, knowing Death would be there to hold me. All at once, the strange man’s expression fell, his shoulders slumping as electric eyes grew big with sadness. He tore his stare from me, trailing it over Miz, Tor, Virgil, and Honey. The veil was a strange look, especially with the black leather waistcoat he wore with matching trousers, his arms bare to show hundreds of tattoos decorating his skin—hearts in every shape, size, and style, both figurative and literal, with sketches of flowers linking them. He looked like he’d gotten lost on the way to aRocky Horrorshowing; he was just missing the fishnets.

“Alright then,” he said brightly, his smile reappearing. “Who has questions?”

“I have a few,” Tor slurred, snapping me back to reality.

“Shit,” I hissed, turning and rushing to grab his shoulders, hating the slur in his voice, the way he wavered on his feet. Especially hating the blood that stained his clothes, the dark red in far larger stains than the last time I saw them. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, beautiful. I just want to know what the fuckthisasshole’s playing at,” he said through gritted teeth, his hand coming to rest on my waist, more of his weight leaning on me.

“Rescuing you?” the man suggested, tearing the veil off his head. “You’re welcome, you ungrateful bastards.”

“Who are you?” I asked, wrapping my arms around Tor when his weight shifted, his breathing laboured.

“I’m Love,” he said proudly, holding out his arms and striking a pose, those eyes shining as they glanced over everyone else and landed on me. My heart jolted in my chest, the way it had when I first glimpsed him confronting Nightmare. I’d beenso weak, so tired, but just the sight of him had shot energy through my veins, infused me with strength, and I’d felt… okay. My darkness had been alive with the need for violence, urging me to rip Nightmare’s throat out, but I hadn’t felt like I did before I passed out.

I didn’t want to think about it. Any of it. The blood, the glowing yellow serum, the way it felt to look out through animal eyes and know I wanted to rip into my own friends and family with claws I shouldn’t possess.

“He’s Madness,” Misery cut into my thoughts, edging closer to me. “The physical embodiment of insanity.”

“No.” Madness jerked forward so fast I couldn’t track him, his eyes flashing with turbulent emotions and, like Miz said, insanity. “I’mLovenow.”

“Okay, well, Madness, Love, whoever you are,” I cut in before tensions could rise any further. “Can you get a doctor? My husband is hurt.”

“Husband,” Honey echoed beside me, a little smile on her face she hid swiftly when I looked at her. Amusement uncurled in my chest, a tiny bit of light to fight the horrified darkness cresting in my soul. I was a monster, an animal, a thing of violence and horror, but in that moment, I remembered Honey teasing me about my three husbands and I was just Cat.

Madness didn’t reply for a long moment, watching me with an expression I couldn’t begin to interpret. It sent a chill down my spine. “Maybe you’re right, Misery. Maybe I’m just Madness.”

“A doctor,” I emphasised, Death coming around to support Tor as he sagged into me. It only took one look to know Death was injured too, his brown skin ashen. “Please,” I added, trying to calm down from the rage and panic of facing Nightmare. Death wasn’t attacking Madness, which meant we were safe, at least for the moment.

Madness’s eyes widened into sapphire orbs and he rushed closer to me, his hands coming up to frame my face. I froze at the warmth of them, the gentle touch. “Youneverhave to use that word with me. I already sent for a doctor the moment you asked.”

“Oh. Okay. Thanks.”

He gave me a beatific smile, his teeth straight and pearly, his body vibrating with something I hesitated to label happiness. I decided Madness was an appropriate name for him. His energy was frenetic, completely unpredictable. And what the hell wasthat—you never have use that word with me.Which word? Please?

“Come along, little duckies,” he sang, spinning to face the atrium where the darkness had deposited us. Hairs rose on the back of my neck when I saw the gothic architecture, the four mezzanines stretching above us, flowing all the way to the glass roof. Moonlight draped gauzy light over that roof, picking out hints of colour in the dark atrium. I knew where the colours were, knew the carpets were deep pink, the drapes were crimson, the artwork on the walls painted in the colours of blood and stormy skies. I knew because I’d been here before.

I didn’t voice that, though, just gave Death a frantic look.

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