Chapter 2
Faris
My knees wouldn't stop bouncing as I sat in the front seat of the car next to my one-hundred-percent full-blooded demon lover.
I'd taken to calling him my lover because “boyfriend” didn't sound like enough.
Though, technically, we were all getting married, so that made him my fiancé, but I heard Granny Bette use the term lover last week, and there was just something about the way it rolled off my tongue that left me satisfied.
Plus, Bram hated it, which made me love it more.
"For the love of Jupiter's cock, Faris." He shot me a narrowed look, his amber yellow eyes glinting as the midday sun broke through the clouds and lit them up.
"What is it, lover?" I grinned obnoxiously back at him.
Oooh, if looks could kill...
He reached out with his right hand and grabbed my thigh, pushing down enough to prevent me from bouncing my leg. "Be still."
"Bram, he's just excited," Kai piped up from the backseat, coming to my defense.
I turned in my seat and tossed him a wink.
"Thank you." I looked back at Bram with an air of triumph.
"How could I not be excited? Aren't you?
I love surprises! And it's Halloween time, so I'm positive it has something to do with that.
This was my first Halloween and I already knew this is going to be my favorite holiday. "
Bram loosened his grip on my thigh but didn't remove his hand.
Instead, his thumb began making small circles against the soft material of my black joggers.
Damn, did I love joggers. The material, the way the hem stayed right where I wanted.
Perfection. He didn't take his eyes off the road, but I didn't miss the way the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
Damn, he was one fine specimen. Granny Bette had knitted all of us beanies since the weather turned cooler, and he was wearing his. Red wisps of his hair peeked out of the charcoal gray hat, and I found myself reaching up to adjust my own, which was deep red.
Neither one of those secret-keeping jerks so much as mumbled a word about where we were going, so I shifted my attention to taking in the scenery instead.
That was fine. I had my own secrets. The entire town was covered in Halloween decor.
Pumpkins, skeletons, ghosts… But I frowned as we passed The Mystical Piglet.
There wasn't so much as a damned pumpkin sitting out.
"That is unacceptable! It's an outrage!" I started to unbuckle my seatbelt. I was going to have to do something about this lack of festivity immediately.
"Put your seatbelt back on. What the bloody hell are you doing?" Bram asked.
I pointed back towards the shop. "Best shop in the town, hottest witch in the town, worst Halloween decor in the town! Does that sound right to you?!"
Kai chuckled deeply. "Bro, take a breath. We're going to remedy all of that today."
I squealed. I couldn’t resist. How we were going to remedy that travesty was irrelevant. I didn’t really need to know. Nah, that was a straight lie. I had to know.
"Damnit, Kaito. It was going to be a surprise!" My demon lover shot the surprise ruiner in the backseat a narrow-eyed glance in the rearview mirror.
I didn't see it, but I could picture Kai shrugging. "You know as well as I do that he would've been out of the car already if we didn't tell him."
"He's right," I agreed, tilting my chin back toward Kai. I would have been out of the car and storming into The Mystical Piglet if they hadn't told me that we were going to fix this travesty. I settled back into my seat and secured the seatbelt with a grin.
Bram let out a sigh, but I could tell he was amused.
None of us spoke as we drove out of town.
I couldn't help but feel excited for what was to come.
Bram had been planning this surprise for weeks now, apparently, though I'd only found out about it when I got in the car.
Something about them not being able to tell me in advance in order to preserve everyone's sanity.
.. I rolled my eyes at that. Regardless, I had no doubt that I was going to love it.
The car finally turned into a parking lot, and I sat up in my seat, craning my neck to see where we were going.
"Are we there yet?" I asked, bouncing my leg again.
Bram's grip on my thigh tightened, and I stifled a moan.
"Be patient," he growled, his voice sending shivers down my spine.
I lifted my hand and formed a claw, slashing it down in his direction. "Rawr."
"There it is," Kai spoke, leaning forward in his seat. I followed the direction of his finger, and my eyes nearly bugged out as I took in the monstrous building and the giant glowing sign.
"The Witch’s Chest?" I whispered, hand over my heart. "How dare you?!" I could already feel my fangs elongating with anger.
A hand landed on my shoulder from behind, and I flinched as Kai said, “What’s wrong with you? We thought you’d love this!”
A sharp hiss escaped my mouth. “Love this? You two thought I’d love a house of depravity full of witch tits!?” I slammed my hands down on my thighs. “No. No, I won’t go in there. We have the most beautiful witch with the roundest, most voluptuous breasts, I might add, right at HOME!”
Bram was staring at me wide-eyed, his mouth slightly open as he studied me. Suddenly, both he and Kai erupted with laughter, and my rage escalated. I slipped my hand into my jacket pocket, searching for my phone.
“I’m going to call Saige right now and tell her about this… this…” I searched for the proper word… “scandalous mishap!” I finally freed my phone and swiped up on the screen to unlock it.
“Faris, please,” Bram wheezed, still laughing as he reached for my phone.
“Just wait a minute!” Kai sputtered.
I swiveled my body toward the door, blocking his hand. “Now, I love you both. I do! But coming clean immediately will be the best way forward. You made this heinous plan, and now you’ll have to suffer her wrath! I’ll have no part in it!”
I jumped as something flew from the backseat and landed directly on my phone screen.
“Gods above, Napoleon!” I screamed as the little terrorist firmly gripped each corner of my phone, effectively blocking any attempt at pressing the green call button. “Get off!” I shook the phone violently, but that damned rodent clung on as though his tiny feet were glued in place.
“IT’S A HALLOWEEN STORE!” Bram boomed, freezing me in place.
“It’s just the name of the store, Faris. You really think we’d do that to Sprout?” Kai asked, a tinge of offense in his voice.
Slowly, I turned back to face both of them. “A Halloween store?”
“Aye, Baby Fang. It is,” Bram replied with a sigh.
I glanced down at Napoleon, who was still up to his spidery tricks.
I lifted a brow, and he nodded in agreement.
The little devil had never lied to me. Technically, neither had Bram or Kai, but there was just something about Napoleon’s reassurance…
probably the fact that we both had a thirst for blood and violence.
I was positive I was his brother mouse in a past life.
My shoulders relaxed. “Well, why didn’t you say so!?”
My seatbelt was off again in a flash, my hand on the handle of the door.
"Can you let me park the car closer?" Bram laughed as he maneuvered smoothly into a front row spot.
The second he shifted into park, I was out of the car in a blink and inside the store just as fast. I came to an abrupt halt mere feet past the door when my eyes landed on a strange looking fellow, a bit shorter than myself.
A metal muzzle was over his mouth, and he was mumbling something about 'Clarice' and 'Tick, tock'.
Curious, I ventured closer, my hands drifting up to my own mouth as I remembered the way I'd also worn a similar torture device. I didn't care for that one bit, not on me, and certainly not on this older gentleman who seemed just to be warning a woman about the time.
I'd probably have to speak with a manager about this. Where were Bram and Kai? I tossed a look back at the door and found them entering the store, heading in my direction. They'd know what to do. I turned back to the poor muzzled gentleman.
"Don't worry, sir. We're going to get this injustice figured out."
Suddenly, the metal muzzle dropped from his mouth, and his eyes turned blood red as a scream bellowed from his mouth.
"AHHHHHHH!!!!" I shrieked, jumping into the air, my fist flying out without a second thought. The man flew backward, hitting the wall and clattering to the ground.
"By the moon, Faris!" Bram exclaimed, rushing over. The sound of Kai's deep laughter echoed throughout the cavernous store as he doubled over in hysterics.
"What devilry is that man? Did you see him attempt to attack?!" I blinked up at Bram, exasperated. My heart was racing at speeds I hadn't felt in quite some time.
Bram took in the now quiet man, where he lay on the ground, silenced by the fact that there was a hole in his face the size of my fist.
"Is everything all right over here?"
A tall man with beautiful umber skin rounded the corner.
I blinked as I took in his glorious outfit.
Knee-high black boots with silver glitter spider webs decorated the leather, matching his short silver sequined dress.
The entire ensemble was put over the top by the blood-red floor-length cape that draped over his shoulders.
He took one look at us, one look at my attacker, and promptly erupted with a booming, contagious laugh.
"I told Nik that somebody was going to punch ol' boy out one of these days." He took a deep breath, trying to regain composure. "Which one of you screamed?" Any composure he'd gained was lost as he mimicked the sound I'd let loose, and I couldn't stop laughing.
"Rupert?" Kai asked the man with confusion. "Do you work here?"
"Just once a week while it's open. I get a nice discount on supplies that I use to deck out Magic Stixxx. Did you know we turn it into a haunted house every September through Halloween night?" Rupert answered, a grin on his face and a twinkle in his eye.
"I didn't know that!" Kai exclaimed. "Bet that's great for business, especially with all the tourists we get in Emerald Lakes around this time of year."
Rupert nodded. "It's nonstop busy, but it's by far my favorite time of the year!"
"We'll have to see if we can come check it out," Bram said.
"We'd love to have all of you. I haven't seen Saige in ages."
"It's been busy with the twins," Kai replied with a content smile.
Rupert straightened his cloak. "Good thing you have so many pairs of hands in that cottage then." He winked. "You're welcome any time. I have to go help Nik. Someone dropped a jug of fake blood, and it looks like a murder scene."
We said bye to Rupert, and he strutted off, sparkling with every step.
I crossed my arms and glared down at the lifeless mannequin on the floor. "What are we going to do about him?"
"We'll just pay for him when we check out." Bram bent down and started to lift the man into his arms.
"Absolutely not, lover. That isn't going anywhere with me!" I turned my back and raced over to where the shopping carts were located. Using my speed, I was moving past Bram and Kai in seconds. "Goodbye, boys!"
"Don't let him out of your sight!" Bram shouted to Kai, but I didn't turn around to look. I had treasures to explore and trinkets to procure! There'd been enough shenanigans.
I was on a mission.