Page 10 of Hollow House
I pulled back to find his face completely serious.“I appreciate that,” I said.
“Now let’s get you to this party. I swear, if you’re late to this, I will never forgive myself.”
“I have all night, Felix,” I said, knowing the lights on the estate never faded until the following morning every year.
“You’re going to need it,” he said and winked.
I rolled my eyes and finished my makeup, adding the finishing touch of silver eyeshadow.
“Fucking gorgeous,” Felix complimented.
“You’re required to say that,” I noted.
“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But right now, I mean it.”
“Mhm,” I answered, tossing lip gloss into the small black purse I settled on bringing.
Felix grabbed my arm and turned me toward him.“Sloane, seriously,” he said. “I know I don’t know everything that goes on at work, but whatever the fuck they said to have you so set on this, they are a bunch of dicks. If anyone can get this article written, it’s you.”
“Thanks,” I whispered.
“Now go have fun while you do it,” he said with a peck to my cheek.
I finished grabbing what I needed, and together, we made our way downstairs.
“Be safe,” he said before walking me out.
“I will,” I promised, stopping at the end of my walkway to give him a quick hug before turning in the direction of Hollow House.
Chapter 6
A car pickedme up a block away from my house and drove me to the outskirts of town. It pulled up to the gate, which was the first time I had ever seen it open. The long, looping driveway was filled with other cars dropping off guests.
Men and women dressed to the nines stepped out and up the stone steps leading into the black brick mansion. My arms wrapped around my torso, self-conscious of my simple black dress as I stepped out of the car.
The second I shut the door, the driver took off. There was no going back now. I gripped the invitation tightly and climbed the same stairs as everyone else. No one was recognizable, masks covering most of their faces. Their outfits, however, told me they were not from town, wealthier individuals.No one in this town could afford the gems encrusting their bodies.
A man just outside the main door held out a hand to me, and I paused for a minute, confused whether he knew who I was. Was he offering me a hand to enter?
His eyes drifted down, and I realized I still held the invitation tightly in my palm. I held it out slowly to him, and he grabbed it from me. His gaze raked over it for a minute, and my breath caught in my throat, wondering if this was a mistake. Was theentire thing a hoax? That simple piece of paper couldn’t really be my ticket in…
He stepped aside and silently ushered me through the door.
I moved before I could back out.
I stepped inside, immediately greeted by a woman holding a tray of drinks. The goblets had black metal stems, designed to look like a skeleton hand. I smiled, the design a silly little piece of Halloween décor—definitely not as horrifying as I expected.
“Welcome to Hollow House,” the woman said, her voice sweet and soothing.
Her voice was only slightly muffled by the mask she wore. It covered the lower half of her face, black material with a silver design.
I could just barely see the room beyond her. The hall opened into a large space filled with voices.
“Um, hi. Where should I go?” I asked, a bit overwhelmed.
“Welcome to Hollow House,” she repeated in the same muffled voice.
The woman handed me one of the drinks, and I politely accepted before moving on, trying not to overthink the entire interaction.The liquid burned as it passed my lips, and I took a large sip, needing the courage.
