Chapter Eighteen
BLISS
One of the most exciting things about the Alchemy Festival, aside from the luxurious housing and the excitement of all the best metal bands performing back to back across three full days, is the band and crew only masquerade party held the night before the festival actually starts.
The party is already in full swing by the time we arrive.
I hand-picked every single mask for us, since I knew the boys would probably wait last minute to get theirs and end up with flimsy plastic ones that would not survive the party.
Amelia wears her signature black lipstick, her eyes smoked out with black, purple, and gray eyeshadow that perfectly matches her black mask with purple rhinestones.
Dericia’s mask is gold with fake red rubies, so she’s chosen a deep rich red lip color and blended a dark warm brown shadow across her lids.
I had more trouble picking out my mask. In order for our plan to work, it needed to be a mask that didn’t look like something I would pick out for myself.
And it needed to conceal most of my face.
I opted for a black mask with a gold metallic paint swirled like marble.
Reese and I used her bedazzler to add rhinestones to it.
They drip down the bottom edge of the mask.
When the light hits it just right, it looks like the bottom half of my mask has been dipped into sparkling water.
Reese has recreated her makeup look on me as well but used a bit more black eyeshadow and winged liner to help disguise my eyes.
If Jordan lingers too long on my eyes, he’ll recognize me all too easily.
That is also the reason I’m wearing a revealing black dress I borrowed from my sister. None of my signature pastels can be worn tonight if I want to firmly rule Jordan out as my mate. I’ve also added a spritz of Reese’s perfume to hopefully cover up my scent.
The party is being held in an old Victorian-style building.
Attached on one side is a theater, where some smaller bands will be playing during the festival.
On this side is the entrance to a grand ballroom that matches the vibes of the party.
Everyone’s elaborate masks match the ornate molding and gold trim.
The mural painting on the ceiling appears faded and washed out and chandeliers hang every few feet, spaced evenly in a row across the room.
The whole place is awash in a golden glow.
We make our way down a set of grand stairs into the ballroom itself, noting several bars set up throughout the venue. Amelia and Blake make a beeline for one, even though we did a round of shots before heading out. The rest of us trail after them.
Music blares from loud speakers and there’s a wide area for dancing and mingling.
We acquire our drinks and find a few small circular tables that no one’s taken yet.
Amelia spots Bill from Moon Blood and waves him over.
His masks hangs in his hand. “Billy!” she exclaims, definitely already a bit tipsy at this point.
I feel her let loose a wave of appealing magic towards him. “Come hang out with us!”
“I’m surprised I’m not fighting off scouts left and right for the chance to chat,” he says, shaking Amelia’s hand and then mine. “Good to see you all again. I trust the festival’s been fun so far.”
“It’s been great. Thanks for getting us the hook-up,” Amelia says. “This is Blake, by the way, the new guitarist. I don’t think you’ve seen us perform since he joined the band.”
Bill and Blake shake hands and settle into a deep conversation about guitars and some other musical things that are a bit beyond me. I scan the crowd for Simon and Grim, excited to see them again and wondering if Voracious Maw will be around.
Taser stiffens beside me, and when I look up, I already know I’m going to see some Phantoms coming our way.
Grim is sauntering over to us, flanked by Pinkie and Casper, their bassist. Taser gets up, muttering something about grabbing another drink.
Grim comes straight towards me, spinning me around on the barstool I’ve claimed. I squeal out a laugh.
“Hello, adorable,” he says into my ear as he gives me a quick hug. “This is Casper.” He motions behind him.
I shake Casper’s hand and intercept an approving nod from Bill.
He definitely sees it as a good sign that the biggest band at the festival has sought us out.
I feel it in my bones. Goddess’ Trance is walking out of this festival with a record deal.
I fall into a comfortable conversation with the Phantoms and we have a couple more drinks with them.
But the whole time I’m scoping out the ballroom for any members of Dead Hearts, both to make sure they don’t find me first and so I can figure out which masked guy at the party is Jordan.
I’m betting I’ll find him by his panic-inducing laugh first.
Casper and Pinkie are asking me about my role as band manager when I spot the frontman of Voracious Maw headed towards the bar nearest the entrance. He’s in full costume, body painted that bluish black color, though I can’t make out the scales they somehow glue onto his body.
My thoughts turn to how the hell I’m going to get his tears, but I remind myself I need to cross Jordan off the list of potential mates before I do anything else. Concentrate on one thing at a time, Bliss.
“That mask really suits you,” Grim says, grinning. He’s taken his mask off. I frown at him.
“You know, this is a masquerade party. You’re suppose to keep that on.” I point to the mask in his hand.
He chuckles and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear. “I spend so much time in a mask, though. And I can’t see very well through this one.” He tosses it on the table behind me. “I want to be able to see you better.”
A thrill goes through me at his words and the heated way he’s looking at me. Both of us have already had a lot to drink. It would be so easy to give into the lust that is starting to pool low in my body. But tonight I have a mission.
I need to be sure that Jordan is not my mate.
I need to ease the panic that threatens me every time I let my mind ponder that possibility.
I scan the crowd again and frown when I see Wrath all the way at the opposite side of the ballroom, standing slightly distant from the rest of the band members, who are all wearing their signature masks.
I look back to the bar he was queued in front of just a moment ago, but no one in a similar costume is there.
I wonder briefly if he’s a vampire and used his vamp speed to get a drink and head back to his band.
But that would mean the song wraith was wrong, and he seemed adamant that Wrath is some type of water-related fae.
Dericia catches my eyes and waves me over to her. I smile coyly up at Grim, hopping off my stool and forcing him to take a step back. “You’ll have to excuse me.”
He grins as he follows my gaze. “Does she have something I don’t?” he teases.
I shrug innocently and throw him a wink, heading over to my best friend. Once I reach her she loops her arm through mine and starts walking towards a hallway that must lead to the bathroom. “I have to pee so bad,” she says in a rush.
I laugh. “And here I was, thinking you had some tea to spill.”
“Nope, just my bladder.” We both drunkenly laugh at that and find ourselves in a line out the door for the bathroom. “So, Grim seems pretty into you?” she prods.
I shrug, focusing my gaze on the girl in front of me, who’s wearing a green, floor-length, velvet dress. It’s beautiful and soft looking, complementing her bright red hair. “He’s beautiful, I will say that.”
“But no sparks?”
I take a minute to answer, watching the woman in front of me taking out a small piece of paper from her purse. She looks at it for a little bit then slips it back into her bag.
“I mean, there’s definitely some chemistry, but no runes. He’s obviously not the one for me. What about you? You and Amelia seemed like you were on your own mission this week.” I eye her meaningfully and she laughs.
“I mostly just say that stuff to hype Amelia up,” she confesses. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a sexy escapade here and there, but I will admit something feels like it’s missing these days.”
I glance up at Reese, noting she’s also been studying the dress in front of us. Her eyes are slightly unfocused, probably the same as mine, and she’s wearing a slight frown. I don’t like seeing that expression on her face and it makes me wonder.
Normally I’d try to bring this up with more tact, but I’m two shots and two drinks in at this point. “Do you ever wish you weren’t human?”
Reese glances quickly at me and lets out a laugh, relaxation coming back to her face.
“Stars no,” she breathes out, patting my arm gently.
“No offense or anything. I guess it would be cool to have my own magic, but being kindred and having access to potions and stuff, I feel like I get the best of both worlds, but without the need to recharge my powers.” She pauses for a moment and looks meaningfully at me.
“Plus, there’s the whole ‘if I turned fae, I’d be Made fae,’ and neither Born fae nor kindreds treat Made fae very well. ”
I grimace, nodding in agreement. “That’s true.”
“Not that a lot of Made fae don’t deserve it,” she says with a shudder, perhaps thinking back to that warlock she encountered on our girls’ night.
I sling my arm around her middle and lean my head on her shoulder. “You’re okay, right? After that whole incident at the club?”
Reese laughs, and I can hear it echo through her chest. “Yeah, I’m fine. It definitely wasn’t my most favorite outing of all time, but I knew you and Amelia wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”
“I love you, Reese.” I give her a squeeze and she squeezes me back.
“I love you too, Bliss.”
We’ve made it to the front of the line now, the girl in the green dress disappearing into one of the stalls.