Deal With the Devil
“C’mon, trade me?”
“No.” I nudged Ari away from the swing. “Get your own blow pop. This one’s mine.” I clutched it to my chest and turned away, shielding the stash of candy.
“You’re being such a baby.”
“You have your own candy. This is mine.” I set it down to unwrap the blow pop.
Before I knew it, the bag had been snatched from between my feet.
“Give it back!” I jumped up too late—she was already running across the park, cackling as I sprinted after her.
“Aurelia, give me back my candy!” I was doing my best to keep up in stiletto boots until a fallen shoe dove in my path.
I tripped and went tumbling down, dropping my beloved blow pop in the process.
“You ruined my favorite lollipop.” I pouted as she came to stand beside me.
“Sorry,” she said, holding out the stolen candy. I stood and snatched it back, then stalked past her to the abandoned swings. “Maybe you shouldn’t be so clumsy next time.” She laughed and followed, then let out a shriek when I whirled and threw the bag at her head.
“It wasn’t my fault. The grass tried to swallow my heels.” I dropped on a swing and smoothed out my costume.
“How old are you guys? Five?”
Ari jumped as a deep voice came from beside the playground.
“Who are you?” I deadpanned, staring at the man in a werewolf mask.
“Who are you?” He casually walked over.
I watched him, not willing to leave but on high alert. It probably wasn’t the best idea to talk to a masked stranger in the middle of a park. Especially when it was nearing midnight. But it was Halloween, and the street certainly wasn’t deserted.
“We should go,” Ari’s voice was barely a whisper, but werewolf man somehow heard.
“Why don’t you stay?” His words had a dangerous undertone. “You look too old to be trick or treating, anyway.”
“Yeah, well. Your costume sucks.” I pushed my hair over a shoulder. “What kind of werewolf wears spikes and chains and all that? A mask doesn’t make a whole costume, hun.”
“I like werewolves,” he said, sitting on the swing beside me. “Also, last time I checked, cartoon characters are usually more modest than this.”
I laughed and glanced at Ari, who shared the same amusement I did. She seemed to relax a bit and leaned against the pole beside me.
“Fair enough,” I said. “In our defense, it is Halloween.”
“I didn’t say it was a bad thing. I’m Dennis, by the way.”
“I’m Aurelia and that’s my cousin, Emery.”
“Call me Emy.” I gave him a friendly smile. “Why are you wearing such an ugly mask? I hope you’re not ugly under that, ‘cause then I really shouldn’t be talking to you.”
“Be nice.” Ari nudged me, but I waved her off.
“I’m kidding. I would still talk to you,” I said. He slipped the mask off. “Oh,” I murmured.
He was my perfect type: dark clothes, messy black hair that fell toward his eyes, though the sides were shorter and dyed blonde.
Hazel eyes and a cute boyish smile, small black earrings, a black lip ring.
There were a couple of chain bracelets on his wrist and a padlocked chain around his neck.
A few tattoos were peeking out, though his dark shirt blocked the full artwork.
He looked around the same age as us, probably early 20s.
“You don’t have to stare.”
Ari burst out laughing as I smiled.
“Sorry.” My eyes ran across him one more time before I regained composure. And then my attention was caught elsewhere. “Are you wearing a double costume? What’s with the vampire fangs?”
“He’s wearing fangs?” Ari bent to see. He smiled, causing her to gasp. “Those look so real. Where’d you get ‘em?”
“A Halloween store down the street.” He gestured in the general direction behind us.
There may or may not have been a Halloween store in that direction. I hadn’t visited this town in years before moving in with Ari three days ago. It had been a second home growing up, but the area had gone through countless changes over the years and wasn’t so familiar anymore.
“Do you know that guy?” I nodded past Dennis toward another man who was quickly approaching. The speed was uncanny.
“Yeah.” Dennis turned as his friend joined us. “This is Mateo.”
Mateo’s light brown eyes lit up as he smiled. I couldn’t help but ogle his dimples. He was the opposite of my type: well over six feet tall, bulky muscles, tousled dark brown hair. Dennis was far more enticing, but Mateo’s dimples were adorable.
“I’m Emy. This is my cousin, Ari.” I gestured accordingly as Mateo took us in.
“You found a cute one.” His eyes lingered on me longer than Ari.
“I did,” Dennis said. Both were staring at me.
I scrunched my nose in distaste. “Can you not talk about me like I’m someone’s property?”
“You’re not?” Dennis raised his eyebrows as Mateo leaned against the pole opposite Ari.
“No. I’m not.” I gave Dennis a weird look as he laughed. It was high-pitched. Eerie. Somehow, it fit him.
“I see.” He smirked and glanced at Mateo before turning back to me. “Wanna bet?”
Ari shook her head at the same time I carelessly agreed.
“Is that a yes or a no?” Mateo asked.
I squinted before pointing at his teeth. “You’re dressed as a vampire, too? You guys really put in zero effort with those costumes. Ours might be skimpy but at least we tried.”
“Costume. Right.” Mateo chuckled, exchanging an amused glance with Dennis. “So that’s a yes, then?”
“Yeah, sure. What are we betting on?”
“How about you ask him ten questions and if he gets every single one right, then you become his property?”
“His property?” I paused before reconsidering. “Okay.”
“No. Not okay.” Ari gave me a ‘what are you doing’ look, but I only shrugged.
“What? It’s not like he’s gonna win. And even if he does, I won’t become his property. That’s not possible.”
“Of course it’s not.” Dennis smiled. “I get ten questions. Your cousin can ask them if you want. Impartial third party and all that.”
“Deal,” I said. We turned to Ari for the first question.
“Wait.”
“What?” I turned back to Dennis.
“Let’s make it interesting,” he started. “Make it a blood promise. I only need a drop of yours.”
“What do you mean?” I furrowed my brows, trying to make sense of his words.
“Just a prick on your finger to make sure you don’t break your promise.” His voice was calm. Casual. Like this was fucking normal.
“Why not?” I shrugged and held a hand out, deciding I didn’t care either way. “Your needle or whatever you use better be clean.”
“Emy, no. This isn’t normal. We need to leave.”
“What’s gonna happen?” I raised my eyebrows at Ari as if to say nothing at all. This entire situation was weird, but what they were asking wasn’t possible. What harm could come from humoring them?
“Nothing at all.” Dennis brought my hand to his lips and lightly nipped a finger.
I felt a jolt of pain as the costume fang punctured my skin. He sucked for the slightest moment before dropping my hand.
“Did you suck a drop of my blood?”
“Does it matter?” He waited for me to slowly shake my head. “Good. So you’re agreeing that if I get all ten questions right, you’re my property.”
“Sure, whatever.”
“Perfect.” He laughed shrilly and sat back, leaning against the swing’s thick chain. His eyes fell on Ari. “Ask away.”
“What’s her favorite color?”
“That’s a hard one.” Dennis looked me in the eye before saying, “Purple and black.”
“How’d you know?” I asked.
“Your hair.” His eyes flickered to the purple ombre in my jet black hair.
“Huh. Fair enough.”
“What’s her favorite kind of music?” Ari asked.
“Metalcore?” He looked at me for confirmation. I nodded.
“How’d you know that one?” I flipped my hair over a shoulder. The hair guess made sense, but this one was weird.
“Lucky guess.” He shrugged it off as Mateo smiled his adorable smile.
“Okay. You’re not gonna get this one.” Ari placed a hand on her hip and shifted in her purple pumps. “What does she collect?”
“Hm.” Dennis took a few seconds to think. “Shot glasses from places she visits?”
My mouth dropped as I shot Ari a confused look, which she mirrored exactly. “Ask him something harder.”
“What does she always have in her nightstand?”
“Snacks and a flask of whiskey.”
“What does the flask look like?” I demanded.
“It’s about this big,” he exemplified with his hands, “and it’s purple and black leopard print. Filled with bourbon. Good choice.”
“Emy, let’s go.” Ari tugged my arm, but I shook her off. “Emery!” She tugged harder but I didn’t budge.
“No. We still have six questions left.”
“Fine.” She sighed, dropping back against the pole. “How old is she?”
“Twenty-two.” Dennis flashed the bizarrely strong fake fangs as Ari’s mouth dropped.
“When’s her birthday?”
“Eighteen days ago,” he said. “October 13th.”
“Ask something harder!”
“Okay, okay.” Ari held up her hands at my raised voice. “Umm… who’s her favorite sitcom character?”
“His name is Dennis.” His eyes met mine as he smirked. “Funny choice. It’s a good name.”
“What the hell! How are you doing this?” I slammed my fist against the pole, barely missing Ari. “I’m asking the last three.”
“Go ahead.”
“What college do I go to?”
“You don’t go to college. You never did.”
“You have two more.” Ari’s voice was a mixture of shock and disbelief.
“What’s my religion?”
“You’re an atheist. Catholicism just wasn’t for you.”
“What the fuck!” I hopped up. “No. This isn’t possible. Are you psychic or something?”
“No. Lucky guesses.” Dennis’ high pitched laughter rang in my ears. I didn’t know if he was really laughing at this point, or if it was stuck in my mind.
“Okay. There’s no way you can get this right.” My heart was racing. I had one last shot. “What do I sleep with every night and what’s its name?”
“A stuffed black cat. His name is Frankie after Frankenstein, and you like to hold him to your chest while you sleep on your side.”
“Oh my god.” Ari sprang forward and grabbed my arm. “We’re leaving. We’re leaving right now.”
“You can’t leave. You’re my property now.”
“No, I’m not. I told you that’s not possible.” I snatched my candy bag off the ground as Ari yanked me past it.
“Whatever you say, sweetheart.” Dennis winked as Mateo chuckled beside him.
“Stop talking to them,” Ari hissed, dropping her grip as we sped up.
I glanced back to see them still watching as we reached the street.
“They can’t be serious. Even though that was really creepy.
” I examined the small nick Dennis’ costume had left, then glanced over my shoulder a second time to see the swings empty and gently blowing in the wind. I shivered as a cool breeze picked up.
“It was creepy as fuck.” Ari glanced at my finger before looking at me with wide eyes. “Do you think they know where we live?”
“No. I’m sure they don’t. Maybe those really were lucky guesses.”
“Maybe,” she agreed, but we both knew that wasn’t true.