Chapter 13
Xander
“THESE PARTIES ARE ANNOYING,” DANTE grumbled under his breath, sipping on his champagne.
I smirked and glanced sideways at the lead guitarist in our band. “We know you’re allergic to people. What did you think would happen when our band became popular?”
“Shut up,” he huffed, turning to complain to Zagan instead.
I shook my head and looked around the crowded ballroom while drifting aimlessly.
Men and women were dressed to the nines in expensive suits, gowns, perfume, and jewelry.
Both up-and-coming celebrities like our band, Sinners Do It Better, as well as longstanding names were here looking to network and grow.
Perseus had already mingled his way into the center of some actresses’ attention while Zagan, Coldin, and Dante stood at a candlelit table, whispering about who they should approach first with Zagan leading the way.
That was to be expected, considering he was the leader of our rock band, which had debuted and blown up earlier this year.
I didn’t care so much about actual networking. I just wanted to find something entertaining to do—maybe find a soul I could fuck with throughout the night or a person I could actually fuck all night. Either way was a win in my book.
“Oh my goodness! Are you Xander from Sinners Do It Better?”
I turned at the sound of the excited voice.
An older woman stood before me. Her white hair was piled on top of her head with dark adornments, and a black velvet gown hugged her skeletal frame.
Standing next to her was a lanky guy in a navy suit with combed over chestnut hair, and slightly behind him was—
Fuck. She’s gorgeous.
The third member of the group had forest green eyes that could put Perseus’s to shame.
Hair the color of polished obsidian fell over a bare shoulder.
Her sleeveless red dress hugged her curvy figure while a pale leg poked out of a slit that ran up the length of the dress, stopping on her thigh.
She smiled knowingly at me as though she’d caught me staring a second too long and was just waiting to toy with me with those black-painted nails.
I couldn’t wait for that.
Plastering on a charming smile, I ignored how badly I wanted to give all of my attention to the stunning woman in their group. Somehow, I focused on the older woman who’d called out to me. “In the flesh,” I told her, bowing slightly. “To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”
The wrinkly woman chortled happily while the dark-headed beauty behind her scoffed under her breath and rolled her eyes before looking around the busy room. Her crossed arms tightened over her chest. Someone had an attitude. I barely contained my grin.
“I’m Bethelma,” the woman introduced, shaking my hand. “I was hoping I could grab you tonight! I’m the host of the paranormal investigation show, Haunted Days and Nightmares. These are my assistants.” She waved her wrinkly hand at the lanky nerd and hot pouty girl.
“Alex,” the man introduced, shaking my hand. “We’ve become big fans of your band, and we thought it would be a great opportunity for everyone to have you on the show as a special guest during an investigation.”
Haunted Days and Nightmares was the most popular ghost hunting show right now.
Normally, I didn’t pay much attention to those things, because I knew a lot of them were fake.
I only knew of this one because the host, Bethelma, was rumored to be the real deal.
She was constantly in headlines because of her work in the paranormal field, gathering real information about spirits, unveiling mysteries through communication with the dead, and mediating conversations between people and their lost loved ones.
I’d never met her, but now that I was face-to-face with the world-famous ghost expert, I was more than intrigued.
Though, the longer I studied her, the more disappointed I grew.
She didn’t seem special. She was in a room where five demons lurked, disguised as humans with more than a couple ghosts floating about, too.
Yet she didn’t bat an eye in their direction, even as one drifted right by us.
Perhaps that was a practiced response to ignore spirits if she was in a group setting, but I wasn’t too sure.
I wondered how she’d made a name for herself … and what her female companion was doing later. Hopefully, I could alter those plans to involve shedding that red dress and messing up my sheets.
Shoving my hands into my pockets, I bounced lightly on my heels. “I’m honored that you’re considering me for a special guest role. I’d love to hear more about it and potentially set something up when our schedules align.”
While I now suspected this show was just as bogus as the rest, I couldn’t deny that it would still be fun to participate. I could just picture their petrified faces when I created situations that appeared to be authentic hauntings while they were used to faking them.
“Wonderful!” Bethelma clapped her heavily ringed hands. “Let’s discuss—”
“Bethelma! Over here, please,” an older gentleman nearby called. “I want to introduce you.”
“Oh. That’s the producer.” Bethelma gave me an apologetic smile. “I’m needed there, but my assistant can give you the details and answer questions. If you’ll excuse me.”
She and Alex shook my hand before crossing the room to where the producer waited.
Immediately, I fixed my attention on where it had wanted to be for the entire duration of that exchange.
The dark-haired beauty met my stare unwaveringly and stood with her hip popped out and arms still firmly crossed.
Those dark yet vivid eyes did a slow sweep down my body, nearly pulling a growl out of me.
“I don’t think I caught your name,” I told her huskily and held out my hand. “I’m Xander.”
She looked at my outstretched hand but ignored it. “I know.”
“I guess you do,” I chuckled, unfazed by her refusal to give me her name or hand.
“Champagne?” a waitstaff asked us, holding a tray of flutes with the bubbly golden drink.
We each grabbed one. The minute she had hers, she swept past me, heading for an empty standing table on the outskirts of the room.
I followed her, casually sipping on my drink and staring at her perfectly round ass.
My eyes narrowed slightly as I pictured each cheek swollen and red with my handprints.
“So you don’t mind coming on Haunted Days and Nightmares?” she asked me once we reached the table. She propped her chin in her right hand while the other laid flat on the table, her fingers tapping lightly on the base of her glass.
“I’d certainly be interested,” I told her.
“Why?” she asked blandly.
“Why not?” I shrugged. “Sounds like it could be fun, and I’m always down for a good time.”
I let my voice drop with suggestion. While her expression remained flat, the corners of her eyes tightened the smallest fraction. For all her efforts of seeming unbothered, she couldn’t fool me.
She put on a coy smile and angled her body toward mine. “What is it you do for fun?”
“I could tell you.” I looked up at the ceiling in mock thought while taking a step toward her, closing the gap between us.
My hand dragged over the tabletop, stopping just shy of her fingers.
My dark eyes collided with hers when I stood directly in front of her, and the grin I wore was nothing short of sensual. “Or I could show you.”
Her attention dropped to my mouth, and she licked her lips, seemingly without meaning to. The tips of my fingers touched hers where they rested on the foot of her champagne glass, and there was no missing her sharp inhale.
I drew closer.
Her gaze met mine once more, and she whispered, “Are you going to kiss me now, Mr. Monster?”
I froze. Slowly, I pulled back. The icy, indifferent smile had turned softer and playful while she watched me watch her. I hadn’t caught the resemblance before, but with the old nickname, I now saw what I’d been blind to.
“Ghost?” I asked in surprise, giving her a once over.
The last time I’d seen Kendyll was on her eighteenth birthday.
Back then, she’d been frail with long, straight hair, and she carried teen youth in the features of her face, body, and attitude.
Not anymore. This was a woman standing across from me.
She looked healthy, filled out in her cheeks, arms, and curves.
Her hair was voluminous and much glossier, and even the very air around her had changed, going from an unsure yet curious teen to a self-assured and untouchable adult. The difference was night and day.
“Shit,” I laughed equally light and disbelievingly. “I didn’t even recognize you.”
“Yeah, well it’s been five years,” she responded with a small snort. “That’s kind of what happens as you age. Looks change.”
“Can’t relate,” I replied, running a hand through my lengthening black hair with a cocky smirk. “I’m forever this young and handsome.”
“How nice for you,” she replied, the compliment at odds with the bored expression she wore.
“Jokes aside, you look great. Beautiful, actually.”
She pressed her red lips together and tucked some hair behind her ear while averting her gaze. The movement flashed her forearm tattoo, which had previously been hidden against her body or the table. The ghost surrounded by shadows was still there, and the sight made me smile.
“It’s the make-up and contacts,” she eventually replied.
“Nah,” I corrected her, leaning into her space again. “It’s just you.”
She met my eyes again but didn’t respond.
We stared at each other, and I found myself going back to the night she’d left without a word.
I’d moved on from the brief time I’d shared with my ghost-talking pet, but every so often, I’d see a fish in a pond in a park or catch sight of a lost ghost, which made me briefly wonder.
What happened to her? Was she okay? Why hadn’t she said anything?
“How have you been?” I asked her, the question coming out quieter than I meant it to.