Thanks to everyone for the vote of confidence and reading my first pro-log! Here is my very first Chapter of Shadows and ever for this site! I hope you enjoy it! I certainly had fun writing it.
Dedicated for Nesi. For without you I would have never found this site, or had the courage to brave.
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It was raining. October 31st and it was raining. I flopped back onto the couch my black and red tutu fluffing around me and kicked off my red satin 3 inch high heeled shoes. So much for this outside party downtown, it had been pouring for more than half the day and the streets where flooded with ankle deep water. City commissioners had immediately canceled the 3rd annual Peek-a-Jack Halloween Block party. I should have taken that as a hint. The horrible weather, flooding and cancelled party, but I jumped up and raced to grab my phone when it rang.
"Hello?"
"I vant to suck your blood!!!!!"
Laughing I sat down on the edge of the couch, "Josh your accent is horrible!"
"Hey baby just working with what I got! You heading over to Katherine's?" Perking up at the name of his cousin I was beginning to think that my night might not end so badly. Not wanting to seem too eager I fined ignorance. "Katherine's? I didn't even know she was having a party. I thought the city cancelled everything downtown."
"They did, but Kate got her parents to give us their house on Wood-Low Road. Are you coming or what?"
I paused, fiddling with the silver glitter on my tutu. Wood-Low was notorious for low hanging trees, steep hills and the one giant 17th century cemetery that dominated almost 50 acres of land. You had guts to live up there and I had stayed far away from that place ever since I was a kid. It gave me the creeps. "I don't know Josh. Those cliffs are dangerous."
"Aw come on! It's inside their house; not to mention the fact that their house is encased by chest high brick walls! I'm not taking no for an answer. Be ready in 5 minutes I'm picking you up." And the phone went dead. I should have called him back, should have said no and stayed inside. Instead I raced upstairs to fix my makeup, spray glitter in my curls and grab my mask. I was heading back downstairs when the door bell rang. "Be right there!" I slipped my shoes back on, grabbed my purse, kissed Sarah, my black-orange tabby and opened the door.
Giving me the once over Josh whistled low. "Damn girl, you are going to turn some heads tonight." Laughing I locked the door behind me and hooked my arm through the one he offered to me. My outfit was a twist on witch, vampire and fairy. The red satin corset I had on was authentic, chiffon red and black fabric attacked just under my shoulder shoulders. I hand sewed small sequins in the shape of roses all over. Each rose was covered in black glitter and off set with a small clear crystal jewel inside the center. It bared my pale shoulders and lean arms from dance perfectly. The white tutu was old from my dance days back in high school. I dyed it black then sewed red and black chiffon fabric to it. The fabric was slightly shorter in the front, just reaching the tops of my thighs and trailed behind to my tops of my calves in the back. The whole skirt was dusted in fine silver glitter, the waist lined with silver jewels.
My mask was only for my eyes, just coming to the edge of my nose and the middle of my check bones. It was pure white. One red and black rose sat in each corner of the mask and the whole thing was dusted in silver and red glitter. Waist long chestnut curls added the effect of the red satin high heels. Over all I knew the effect looked ethereal. Tonight I wasn't Annabeth, I was Diana.
"Classic Josh, black trousers white button down shirt, black cape and knee high boots. Pirate?"
Josh reached into his pocket and whipped out a pair of white plastic vampire fangs. He put them on and smiled. Extending both arms he twirled. "What do you think?" Laughing I opened the car door and started to get in. Closing the door I watched him get in. "I think you'll be the most dashing out of all the vampires there." He kissed the back of my hand. "You are certainly going to be the bell of the ball. What are you supposed to be besides hot?" Taking back my hand I fiddled with the silver nail polish on them. "I'm a fairy witch who wants to be a vampire." Laughing Josh turned on the car and pulled out of my driveway. "Well the effect sure is going to make a statement." We were silent the rest of the ride there. Not much need to talk when your best friend is blaring Power96 through the speakers.
It took less than 15 minutes to get to Katherine's house. I can't explain why the cliffs creep me out. They just do; they sat atop of the mountain that the town was built around and under. 'Under its shadow of blessing,' my history teacher always said in middle school. Be that as it may going up the steep climb of a dirt road to get to this house I didn't feel blessed -I felt scared.
Scared and small, like if I screamed no one would hear me. The spot between my shoulders grew tight when, instead of making a left to the house, we made a right.
I turned down the music and looked at Josh. "Katherine's house is back that way." I said gesturing behind us. He nodded, "Yeah but I just got a text. Since it stopped raining they're all out on the cliff drop making a bon fire." I groaned. "Josh you know I don't like these woods and cliffs. They give me the creeps and it's almost midnight."
He pulled to a stop behind a line of cars and motorbikes. "Come on Annabeth. You're my best friend and Mimi is here." We sat in the dark of the car and when the cloud cleared for the full moon I could see the pleading in his eyes. Mimi had been his crush for years. Sighing I unhooked my seat belt and pushed open the door to Josh's whopping. "I owe you big time. Big time! Whatever you want for a week: lunch, or breakfast, even if you want them in that order!" He came around the front of the car too plant two kisses on my cheeks. "You do owe me mister. But I'll take my pay in a ride home from work this Sunday night." "Done", he said taking my hand and hauling me through the trees.
I had to be careful walking, the rain had left mud and puddles and going through those in my heels was not an option for me. I sent Josh ahead and moved at more leisure pace, carefully glancing at the ground before I put my foot anywhere. Mind you it wasn't that I cared if my shoes got ruined, but I defiantly favored not having mud between my toes all night.
"ANNABETH!!!!!!!" I had reached the bonfire site and Katherine spied me coming into her line of sight. I sighed for the 3rd time that night catching a glimpse of at least 40 kids ranging from vampires, clowns to giant bananas. "I'm so glad you came!"
Katherine was a 5 foot red headed dancer. A pure whirl wind of energy though. I say whirl wind because she also tended to be like me; A whirl wind of destruction and clumsiness. Which was demonstrated to me again when she tripped on a rock knocked the giant bananas drink out of his hands and landed in my arms. "Sorry!" she giggled, giving me a hard squeeze. "Thanks for inviting me." I bent down in my 3 inch heels and squeezed her back albeit more gently though, as she was past buzzed and moving on to drunk. "I'm so excited you're here. A couple kids from Europe came through down tonight! They're backpacking through the states! I ran into them in the store and invited them here tonight! Isn't that so cool?! And they are SOO cute."
I smiled and nodded letting her gush on about her man-find earlier today. My eyes were constantly moving through the crowd of nosy kids, the 5 foot bonfire, smoke and drunken games of bob for the apple and beer pong.
"Your outfit is so hot!!!! Did you make it? Of course you did your new hobby and all. OK well you have fun and I'll catch up with you later!" She twirled off in her purple butterfly costume hugging some girl dressed as an orange cat. I made my way over to the punch and snacks set out on portable tables. I glanced over into the woods and suppressed a shiver. Yup creepy indeed and I was no longer hungry but I helped myself to some red punch, which I knew was spiked. 'It'll help me relax' I kept saying to myself.
I lingered at the punch bowl for a few more minutes refilling only twice as the cups were small. Twenty minutes later unable to take the crush and loud music of Pitbull any longer I made my way to the edge of a large rock. It towered over me my several feet but rounding the corner the waves made it was blessedly quieter and I was alone. Feeling brave I dangled my feet over the edge of the cliff leaning my head back against the rock. I hiccupped and giggled. "Damn, punch was stronger than I thought" mumbling to myself I didn't notice the shadow in the corner of my vision.
"Are you all right?"
I jumped and squealed nearly pitching forward. The strong hand on my upper arm stabled me however. "Whoops" Looking down at the water I giggled again. "That would have been a long way down; would have ruined my Halloween." Looking up I gasp, 'Gorgeous.'
He smiled ruefully, almost as if he knew what I was thinking. But was he ever. Piercing eyes, eyes that saw everything and were so emerald green. I could tell even under the moonlight, his lips were full and red set into an angled chin and jaw that said he was all business. But those lips were so, so kissable. Black hair fell unruly around his eyes but was cut short in the fashion of guys. His skin was pale but then so was mine from lack of hiding from the sun.
He wore knee high leather boots, fitted so nicely they looked like second skin, black pants and red, a very scarlet red shirt. He was fitted with a black cape too. It was white satin on the inside, I know because I choose at this point to run my fingers around the hemline inside of the cape.
I cocked my head to the side.
"Vampire?"
