FORTY-TWO
The Halloween Party
“You look spectacular.”
“I feel spectacular,” I answer with a big smile on my face as I look at myself in the mirror. I’m the type of person who sometimes feels pretty, sometimes average, and sometimes just awful. It’s so strange. It’s like I have no exact concept of what I look like, and it doesn’t help that beauty can be so subjective.
“I must say, that costume is the best decision you’ve made in a while,” Dani continues, outlining her eyebrows in front of the small mirror in her hands.
We’re getting ready to go out tonight for Halloween. Gregory invited me that night at the club, but I still waited for Ares to invite me himself. It wasn’t hard to choose my costume. Tonight, I’m a witch. My costume consists of a strapless black dress, tight at the top but loose from the waist down, reaching to the middle of my thighs, a necklace with a red pendant, black gloves, long boots of the same color, and, of course, a big hat.
Dani has taken care of my makeup: dark eyeshadow, perfectly applied black eyeliner, and red lipstick. I feel supersexy. Once I convinced her to go with me, she decided on a wicked kitty costume, ears and all.
“I can’t believe I’m going with you,” she mutters, getting up.
“Ares told me to bring you.” It’s true, Ares told me to bring Dani. It was a group outing, and he thought it would be fair to have one of my friends with me. “Besides, Apolo will be there for sure.”
“Why does it matter if he’s there?” she asks.
I sigh. I know Dani doesn’t like to admit her weaknesses, or if she likes someone a lot.
“You don’t have to lie to me. I know you’re hurt.”
“Pfff,” she snorts, “please, he and I had nothing.”
“But you were just starting something when he suddenly stopped texting you,” I reply. “And that’s driving you crazy, you’re not used to a guy getting away from you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, a lot of guys have gotten away from me.”
“Oh yeah? Like who? Name one.”
She turns her back to me to touch up her makeup.
“I don’t remember a specific name right now, but—”
“But nothing,” I interrupt her. “We’re going to go. You’re going to have fun, and if he talks to you, you ask him directly why he changed, period. That’s the Dani I know.”
“Okay,” she replies reluctantly. “All right, no promises.”
I walk up to her and pinch her cheeks.
“Now smile, pretty kitty.”
Ares sends me a message telling me he’s outside with Marco, and I ask him to give us a few minutes.
I’m really nervous. I don’t know how he’ll react when he sees me in my costume, and I want to surprise him. The past two weeks have been great for both of us. We’ve gone out several times, finally having normal dates. However, the sexual tension between us has grown to otherworldly levels. To be honest, I don’t know how I have put up with so much.
We get out of the house, and the chilly night air hits me. The first one I see is Marco in a cop costume, and I can’t deny that he looks great. Ares comes around the car, and I stop breathing for two reasons: one, he looks ridiculously sexy, and two, his costume is a Greek god. He’s wearing some sort of white robe that reveals his defined arms, with a golden ribbon across his chest and a crown over his messy black hair. It’s too much for my poor soul.
Virgin of Abdominals, I entrust my being to you tonight.
Ares looks at me, and his eyes travel down my body slowly, each spot burning, smoldering under the intensity of his gaze, as a crooked smile appears on his lips.
“I knew it.”
“I knew it too.” I point to his costume.
“Come here.” He gestures for me to move toward him and I do. Up close, his face looks even more beautiful with that crown on his head. He could easily have been a god; the beauty is there. His hand caresses my arm. “Hello, Witch.”
“Hello, Greek God.” My hands are restless, so I place them on his chest, lowering them a little to feel that defined abdomen through the thin fabric of his costume. Who could blame me for touching him like that?
“Touching me so early?” he says, as if reading my thoughts. I bite my lip.
“Oops, it’s just that the costume suits you so well.”
“Oh yeah?” Ares leans toward me. “But I think you’d enjoy touching me without it more.”
“Are you proposing something indecent?”
“Very, very indecent, Witch.”
I push him away and laugh to ease the tension between us, because if I don’t, I’m going to end up under him moaning his name before I even leave the house. I run away from Ares and find Marco talking to Dani.
“Hey, Marco,” I call.
“Hi, Raquel. Are we ready?”
“Yes,” I answer, feeling Ares’s gaze on the back of my head. “Where’s Apolo?” Marco shrugs his shoulders.
“He’s waiting in the car.”
I frown at that. It seems odd that he’s not out here greeting us. What’s wrong with Apolo lately? He’s changed. I haven’t even talked to him much at school.
“Let’s go,” Ares says, opening the driver’s door and getting into the car. I do the same. Dani hesitates as Marco opens the door for her to get in. She’s going to be in the middle seat, right next to Apolo, who’s wearing a sailor costume with a little white hat that makes him look even cuter than usual. I can see the distinct expression of discomfort on Dani’s face, and I give her a comforting look.
“The place is packed,” Marco comments, checking his cell phone. “I’m so glad we have VIP access.”
“What did you expect?” Ares replies. “It’s Halloween after all.”
“Next year we should dress up as a group.” Apolo finally speaks, surprising us. “Something like all of us as Power Rangers or Ninja Turtles, or characters from a series like Game of Thrones, that would be really cool.”
“How old are you?” Marco laughs. “Twelve?”
I feel the urge to defend him.
“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with dressing up in a group! I like your idea, Apolo.”
I give him a smile, and he returns the gesture, but it appears that Marco has no intention of staying quiet.
“You say that when you two didn’t even dress up as a couple.” He points to Ares and me.
“Of course we did, witch and Greek god,” I explain, but Marco snorts. “It’s something between us you’d never understand.”
Ares laughs. “She’s right, Marco. You’d never understand, the longest relationship you’ve ever had was with the cigarette you just smoked, and now it’s over.”
We all join in the laughter, and Marco grunts.
“All against me, huh?”
When we get to the bar, I realize that Marco wasn’t exaggerating when he said it was packed. There’s a line of people outside the place, and a sign over the door indicating that it’s already full, and that they can’t guarantee entry even if you wait outside for hours. The guard doesn’t even blink as he lets us in.
The decor is mind-blowing. Everything is black and orange, with fake skulls and bodies hanging from the ceiling, and spider webs and fake blood on the pillars. The bartenders are dressed as pirates, serving disgusting-looking colored drinks. There are several smoke machines, making it look like the room is full of fog. Everyone is in costume, and my eyes roam all over the place, trying to see them all. The atmosphere is perfect, and it’s no wonder so many people want to come in. Artemis knows how to run his business and take advantage of these occasions.
We climb the stairs to the VIP area, where a table awaits us, with Samantha, Gregory, Luis, and Andrea. No Natalie tonight? How lovely.
Gregory’s face lights up when he sees me, and I get excited too. He stands up and gives me a hug.
“Raquel, I knew you’d come.”
“Of course, I couldn’t miss seeing your vampire costume.” I give him my thumbs up. “It looks great on you.”
Luis also stands up.
“Since when did you two get so close? I feel left out.”
“I was wondering the same thing,” Ares says as he joins us. He runs his hand around my waist, pulling me to his side.
Gregory shakes his head.
“Easy, baby.” He makes sexy eyes at Ares. “I only have eyes for you.”
Ares gives him a tired look, and I wiggle out of his grip.
“Relax, vampires aren’t my thing.”
Luis intervenes. “She likes. . . . What are you supposed to be, Ares? God?”
“A Greek god.”
Samantha joins us, greeting everyone with a smile.
“Are you living up to your name?”
Luis finally catches on. “Oh, right, you guys are named after Greek gods. Yours is the one of war or something like that, isn’t it?”
“No wonder he’s a troublemaker.” Gregory sighs, and Ares hits his arm.
“Who you calling a troublemaker?” Ares demands.
Gregory again makes eyes at him.
“Hit me harder, baby.”
We all laugh and sit down. Spending time with Ares’s group of friends has become more bearable and definitely more comfortable. I think it was a matter of giving myself time to get to know them until I could stop feeling outside the group and be part of it. Even Andrea can hold a decent conversation without her friend Natalie. However, I haven’t forgotten what Gregory told me about her being a gold digger who broke his heart.
Apolo sits as far from Dani as possible, forcing Dani to chat with Luis, who is flirting with her, unaware that my best friend has her heart set on the youngest Hidalgo and can’t help glancing at him from time to time.
Feeling more relaxed with this group, I allow myself to have a few drinks. They look disgusting but taste delicious, especially one called Drag Me to Hell, which is a delight. But at this rate, if I keep drinking, I’ll end up in hell with a certain Greek god who’s hanging around. I can feel my cheeks and ears growing warm. Apparently, alcohol makes me hot, which makes me an easy target for Ares, so I cut back. I decide to walk to the candle room to see the dark side. I don’t notice Ares following me until I’m inside, and his voice sounds behind me.
“What are you doing here, Witch?” I turn to him, and his blue eyes are glowing with something dark and dangerous: desire.
I swallow hard for the second time tonight. My eyes notice the small couch to the side, and my heart pounds in desperation. We’re alone in the semidarkness.
“We should go back,” I say.
Ares approaches me with slow steps.
“Yes, we should.”
I lick my lips, watching his body, remembering how he feels naked against me.
“Yes, really, we should go.”
He nods, standing so close to me that I’m forced to look up to meet his eyes.
“I know.”
“Then why are we still here?” I ask. His nose brushes mine. My lips open in anticipation, my breathing already a mess. He grabs my neck.
“Because tonight,” he whispers, “you’re going to be mine again, Witch.”
And with that said, he presses his lips against mine.