Chapter 16

K nocking woke me from a deep sleep. I blinked my eyes open groggily, and even after a little over a week and a half in this strange world, I still couldn't get used to the fact that there was absolutely no sunlight streaming through my windows.

My body felt sore when I slid out of bed, but it was a good kind of sore, and it brought back every crisp memory of my time with Michael at the morgue, of all places. I smiled at the memory. If you had asked me only a couple weeks ago where I thought my first time with any of them would be, a morgue wouldn't have even made it to the list. I laughed outright, and it filled my empty bedroom.

I couldn't believe this was my life now. Raising the dead, magic, monsters... I felt like this was all some sort of fever dream I was bound to wake up from soon. But I didn't want to wake up. The others actually seemed like they were fitting in pretty well, even though Maddie was trying to suppress magic that clearly came easy to her. I knew that the moment she decided to accept the fact that she was a witch, she'd become a force to be reckoned with. I just had this deep, gut feeling that Baen and Cal were going to help get her there.

I showered for the day and dressed in a black and purple plaid skirt, a black tank top tucked into my high waistband, and some heeled boots that laced up to my knees and zipped down the sides. Deciding to leave my orange hair loose and wavy today, I simply swiped on some winged eyeliner and my signature black lipstick and called it good. I grinned at my reflection, thinking about how much I'd changed since the accident.

Sometimes, it was hard to remember what the old October used to look like, with her blonde hair and tanned skin. I shivered just thinking about the cheer uniform. I felt much more like myself these days, and now that I'd heard from Jason's own lips that the guys didn't hate it as much as they made me think, I was feeling lighter than air.

The second I stepped out into the hall, I reared back, my eyes stinging immediately. Something smelled horrendous, and I could tell it was coming from downstairs. I heard footsteps down the hall and saw Freddy coming out of his own guest room. Our eyes met from across the short distance, and I saw the exact moment the smell registered. He pinned me with a look.

I scoffed. "Don't blame that one on me. I'm pretty sure Pip's cooking down there." The horrified look on his handsome face made me grin. "You're looking better," I said, sweeping my eyes over him from head to toe.

His blond hair was freshly washed and hanging down to his shoulders, and I had my fingers twitching to slide through it. He wore a simple black shirt and dark pants that made me drool at how tight they were in all the right places. There were no dark circles beneath his eyes, and they shone like he'd just woken up from the best sleep known to man.

"I feel like a new man," he said, coming closer. "Shedding all my skin and sprouting hair will do that to a guy."

I sobered immediately. "Seriously, Fred, are you okay? That couldn't have been easy, you know, wolfing out and all."

He smiled softly—softer than I was used to lately. It was disarming. "All good, beautiful."

My brows shot to my hairline. "We're laying it on a little thick this morning, are we, big guy?"

Freddy laughed, swooping a heavy arm around my shoulders as he guided me towards the staircase. "A little birdy told me we've got the green light to stop tormenting you now."

I stopped dead in my tracks and smiled up at him. "And does this little birdy happen to have fangs?" Folding my arms over my chest, I shook my head at his mouthy twin. What else had they talked about behind my back?

"I can neither confirm nor deny," he said, making a zipping motion over his grinning mouth.

It was literally impossible to be serious with Freddy. And besides, I wasn't really angry at all. I knew the guys talked, and Jason had given me all that crap about not keeping secrets anymore. I agreed wholeheartedly, but it was still jarring to hear them just come right out with it.

I was about to respond when suddenly we heard a hollow knocking sound. We both froze, whipping around and searching the hallway. I heard it again and looked at Freddy, who just shrugged. "Maybe they have rats," he suggested halfheartedly.

I shook my head. "I've been hearing that damn knocking since we got here."

"It's probably nothing," he said. "Or maybe it's one of the aunties' witchy experiments... Why don't we just ask?"

I suppose he was right. The knocking was bothering me. It seemed to happen sporadically and with no discernible pattern. I'd have to ask the aunties about that and set my mind at ease. We turned for the staircase, but Norman popped up, heading our way quickly with panic in his green eyes.

My heart stuttered at the sight of him. We hadn't really had a chance to talk too much after what happened in the greenhouse. It felt like it had been years since that night. Norman pulled up short, just shy of the last step, and ran his hand through his glossy black hair. "You're going to want to turn around and escape out the window," he said.

"What's going on?" I moved out from under Freddy's heavy arm, suddenly concerned.

Norman shivered visibly—or maybe it was a shudder. "Pip has a whole spread laid out for breakfast," he said ominously.

My stomach immediately clenched, feeling like it was about to implode already. My mouth dried up, as if it could already taste the vile concoctions just waiting down there for us. Pip's food really was legendary for a reason. I swore someone at some point must have cursed my poor auntie, because I wouldn't trust that woman to pour me a bowl of cereal.

"What do we do?" Freddy asked in a panic. We all knew we couldn't eat that food, and there was no way we'd be able to pretend to push it around our plates.

Norman shook his head. "No clue. She had already trapped Maddie and Jason. Michael took the window route earlier to get to his early class. I suggest we all do the same."

I thought for a moment, trying to strategize, and then it hit me. "Okay, here's the plan," I said quietly. Both Freddy and Norman ducked in closer, and it made me giggle because I suddenly felt like the captain of the varsity basketball team. "I'm going to distract them while the two of you creep down the hall and slip out the door. I'll create some kind of chaos and slip out as fast as I can, but you better be waiting for me when I get outside, got it?"

They nodded, and Norman asked, "Are you sure you can do this?"

No, I'm not, Norman, but thanks for the vote of confidence.

"Just do it," I said, shooing them towards the stairs. This was ridiculous. We were being childish, but these truly were high stakes. When I said Pip's food could kill off the dinosaurs all over again, I meant it.

We crept down the stairs on silent feet, and I was never more thankful that they were carpeted than I was right now. We split off once we reached the bottom landing, and I gestured with my hand slicing through the air that the guys needed to make a break for it. I was taking one for the team, and if Auntie Pip shoved a poisoned scone down my throat along the way, well, let's just say they'd owe me big time.

I heard the front door open, so at that exact moment, before the aunties could hear, I made my way into the kitchen, walking much faster than I normally would, pretending to be in a frantic hurry. I saw Maddie first, staring down at the plate in front of her. Her face was slightly green, and her brown eyes were full of hopelessness. Jason didn't look any better as he sloshed around a bowl of what looked like a greenish-brown mush.

They both looked up as I came in, and I tried to hide a smile behind my palm. Maddie groaned, and Jason shook his head with pleading eyes. For a split second, his eyes flickered yellow, and I watched Damon's forked tongue slip out and dip into the mush before Jason reeled back with a look of devastation and revulsion on his face. Betrayal at its finest.

"Oh good, October!" Pip announced, bustling over with oven mitts on her hands. "Just in time to try out this new recipe."

Dread pooled in my gut as I skirted her path and snagged an apple from the bowl on the center island. Fe was standing in the corner of the kitchen, leaning against the wooden countertop with a mug of tea raised to her lips that smelled like tequila from here. Was she having a margarita this early? Her orange hair was wild around her head, and her purple and yellow robes were covered in flour. She raised a brow and shrugged her shoulders in a ‘ what can you do' gesture.

I gave Pip an apologetic wince. "Sorry, Auntie, I've got to be at school super early this morning. I have a meeting with a teacher in twenty minutes. Uh, save some for me?" I zoomed through the kitchen, grabbing my satchel and cloak off the coat rack, and grinned at the two unfortunate souls, who sneered back at me. Just before I twirled out into the entryway, I wiggled my fingers under my chin with a wink at Jason.

As I left the room, I heard Pip ask Jason if he'd like a top-up on his porridge, and a second later, the sound of silverware clattering in a bowl filled the silence. I waited until I was outside with the door shut behind me to belly laugh. The stricken look on Maddie and Jason's faces would forever keep me warm at night.

Freddy and Norman were waiting for me at the end of the stone path near the street. They both had their arms crossed over their chests, smirks on their faces. Freddy shook his head, saying, "It's rude to laugh at other people's expense, you know."

With pep in my step, I joined them on the sidewalk. "And you're the expert on that, aren't you, Wolf Man? "

Freddy rolled his eyes. "All right, so what do we do now? None of us have classes for at least four hours."

"Well, I'm starving," I said, feeling a rumble in my stomach. "I could go for some bubble tea and a scone that won't make my lower intestines explode."

"Looks like we're going to Toil and Trouble then," Norman said, holding out an elbow for me to loop my arm through.

I smiled and did just that, and a second later, Freddy took my other arm, and we made our way in the direction of town. It was strang, being out and about when, for all we knew, it was the middle of the night. According to my watch, it was still early morning, but the moons overhead were still playing tricks on my brain.

It only took us twenty minutes to get to Main Street. There were people everywhere, bustling around with arms full of decorations and preparing for the festival. I'd almost forgotten about the solstice.

The mortal world was well past Halloween, as it was the night we ended up here, but the streets of Midnight Hollow were lined with flickering jack-o'-lanterns, wreaths of twigs, and autumn leaves. It seemed like this place was stuck in a perpetual autumn, and I loved it. I was beginning to grow used to seeing odd creatures here and there. I did almost piss my pants seeing the guy from the gas station in the overalls, but what left my jaw dropping was that he waved at me, mumbling something I couldn't understand as he passed out flyers for his auto body shop. Not at all how it seemed at first glance. You should never judge a book by its cover. Shaking my head in wonder, I almost tripped over a couple of goblin boys as they chased each other around in circles, giggling.

Witches swished around in their long velvet cloaks, and street vendors were selling their goodies, smelling like sweet treats and savory meats. It was like a street fair, only every single day. I imagined this was what stepping back in time felt like, where everything was homemade with love. My arm was still looped with the guys', and they led me down the street until we saw Toil and Trouble just up ahead. There was a massive cauldron out front, just like always, but this time, the witches weren't out there stirring something questionable. There was a huge wooden ladle that seemed to be stirring itself.

A bell tinkled overhead as we stepped into the tea shop for the first time. I breathed in deeply as I was hit with the smell of loose herbs, spices, and sugar. I've always loved the scent of dried floral teas. Jasmine blossom was my favorite, with just a teaspoon of wildflower honey, and a close second was any kind of chai with a dash of cream.

The walls were covered floor to ceiling with jars on shelves that looked to be stuffed with loose leaves and herbs. Drying plants hung from the ceiling all over the shop, and I spotted a girl behind the front counter picking a sprig of mint off of one of them and plopping it into a cauldron.

"Tell me why we didn't come here first," I breathed, smiling as I looked around at all the teas. "This place is amazing... I could live here."

I looked up at Freddy and saw him smiling down at me. "Then I probably shouldn't point out that big case of pastries, or else you might never come home," he teased.

I perked up immediately at the thought of baked goods that weren't made in the aunties' kitchen and followed his gaze to a glass case filled with delectable goodies. Holy pumpkin, they looked amazing. I saw scones of every color and shape, sprinkles, cupcakes, and cookies. I didn't know what I wanted to try first. I had a serious weakness for sweets, and I was already anticipating a stomach ache.

"What can I get for you?" the girl behind the counter asked.

She was slender, perhaps no older than twenty, and had straw-colored hair that hung in a dry curtain. She wore a witch's hat and long purple velvet robes. Her blue eyes were welcoming as she waited for my order, but they widened a moment later. "Hey! You're those new mortals everyone's been talking about, aren't you?"

My smile thinned, but I tried to seem enthused. Norman beat me to the punch and said, "Not as mortal as you think." I looked to my right and watched as he flashed the girl some fangs.

Her eyes lit up, and she placed her hands on her hips. "Well then, I know just what to whip up for you." She looked at Freddy and me next. "What'll you have? We've got pumpkin juice, witch bramble tea, blackberry cappuccino—"

"Surprise me!" I said with a smile. "I…trust you?" I really didn't, but life was all about taking chances, and what harm could a little tea really do?

"Witchbramble it is then. It's my specialty." The girl winked.

"Make that two," said Freddy. The girl nodded and twirled away. He looked down at me with a shrug. "What the fuck is witchbramble?"

I cringed slightly. "No clue, just hoping for the best at this point."

We took a seat on a small set of couches and waited for the tea to brew. I was still eyeing that glass case of pastries. Eventually, it became too much for me to take, so I asked the girl to please grab me a pumpkin scone with chocolate sprinkles, and she passed it right over. Perhaps I should have been ashamed of the way I inhaled that scone. The guys watched me devour it in two bites with their mouths hanging open. I didn't regret a thing. It was delicious and so much better than anything I'd had at coffee shops back in the mortal world.

Our tea came out a moment later in to-go cups. We thanked the girl, and I paid for them with some silver coins the aunties had given me. I'd need to set up some kind of credit system at the bank soon because I felt like I was living in medieval Europe right now with my coins jingling in my satchel.

Norman hissed as he took a sip from his cup, and when he pulled it away from his mouth, his lips were stained red. "Blood..." he said quietly, his eyes flickering to mine in worry. "I-I—" he stammered, but I laid a hand on his arm and squeezed.

"It's fine, Norm. You can drink blood in front of me. Your body literally needs it to survive, so you don't have to be ashamed of that."

He breathed out a long sigh, clearing his throat. "You're not grossed out?"

I laughed. "Why would I be? Do I need to remind you how I let you slurp from my own neck a few nights ago?"

Freddy snorted and Norman sputtered, but I just grinned at them both as we left Toil and Trouble and started walking down the street.

"That was different, and you know it," Norman muttered, taking another swig of his bloody beverage.

"What was that?" I asked with a smirk.

"Just drink your flower water." He was trying to suppress a smile but failed badly.

Was it wrong to be jealous of a cup? Just the thought of his mouth on my neck again left my heart racing and me craving to feel his fangs pierce my skin again.

Five minutes down the street, a sign caught my eye. It said Palm Reading Here . I sipped my tea thoughtfully, stopping in front of the shop. I was surprised at the full, sweet flavor of the witchbramble tea. I still had no idea what I was drinking, but it sort of tasted like vanilla with a hint of mint and jasmine. It had a kick of spice to it as well, and I just hoped I didn't end up somehow allergic to it.

"Don't tell me you believe in psychics," Norman said with a smirk, staring up at the shop beside us.

I gave him a dubious look as I said, "We traveled to an alternate dimension, and you're suddenly the expert on what's real or not?"

Freddy snorted, and Norman glared at his twin. "I'm just saying that most psychics are carnival con artists. If someone could really see the future, don't you think they'd like to tell the government so they could stop wars from happening?"

"You've given this a lot of thought, haven't you?" asked Freddy.

"Shut up, man, you know what I mean. It's just a scam," Norman said, punching his twin in the shoulder.

"Yeah, well, two weeks ago, none of us believed in vampires and werewolves, so I think I'll take my chances," I muttered, tipping back my cup and downing the rest of my tea. "I'm going to check it out. You girls feel free to do what you want."

I made for the door, but the guys didn't follow. I looked over my shoulder as I hoisted the door open. They smiled at me, and Freddy just said, "We're going to head over and grab a bite across the street; those scones have way too much sugar for this beach bod." He patted his hard abdomen, and I just rolled my eyes .

"Meet us over there when you're done getting conned," Norman added.

I ignored their laughter as I entered the psychic shop. The inside was dark since most of the front windows were blacked out, but it wasn't like sunlight would ever threaten to peek through anyway. Candles flickered everywhere, putting my aunties' manor to utter shame. It was warm, but not stifling.

Beads hung from the ceiling, along with multicolored gauzy fabrics. I suddenly got a sense of déjà vu. It slithered up my spine like a memory, and my brain immediately flashed back to the carnival in the mortal world on Halloween. In fact, now that I really looked around and paid attention, there it was—the table in the center of the room with a crystal ball on top. One wooden stool sat on one side of the table, and two matching stools faced it on the other.

For a second, I felt like the walls were closing in around me. Had I come full circle? Was this how it ended? Shit...did that Frank guy drug me somehow, and these entire last couple of weeks were just some bad trip? Maybe Maddie was right. Maybe we should have run from that booth the second things got weird.

I was about to hightail my ass out of the shop, hoping to the great pumpkin that Midnight Hollow was still there on the other side, when I heard the swish of beads and footsteps coming from the other side of the shop.

"Ah, Miss Hallowell," came an all too familiar voice.

I turned on my heel slowly and faced Frank, who strolled into the room, wearing an identical velvet suit to the one he was wearing the last night in the mortal world, only this one was a shocking orange instead of purple. Even his crazy outfit matched his wardrobe. I suddenly had the hysterical image of Frank's entire wardrobe filled to the brim with identical suits in every color of the rainbow.

"What are you doing here, Frank?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest defensively.

He smiled, casting his hand towards the stool I once sat in. "Have a seat," he said.

"I think not." Shaking my head, I glared at the man who probably set all of this in motion in the first place. "Was it you?" I asked. "Did you make our bus crash?"

He blinked at me, genuinely taken aback, and the shock in his expression loosened something in my chest a little. "Oh my, no, I didn't."

"Then what are you doing here? Who or what are you?"

"Have a seat, October, and we can have a little chat while your friends grab a bite to eat."

I looked over my shoulder out of pure instinct, but I brought my eyes back to Frank a moment later. "If I sit, do you promise to tell me what you know? No bullshit?"

"None," he confirmed with a smile.

Slowly, I approached the table and took a seat on the stool, arms still crossed. We were silent for a moment, the room filled with nothing but the crackling flames of the candles surrounding us, until he asked, "So how are you enjoying Midnight Hollow?"

"You said no bullshit," I muttered.

"I can assure you, Miss Hallowell, I am in no way here to bullshit you." He smiled kindly. "As you might have noticed, my humble little shop straddles the line between the mortal world and this one. The fact that you stumbled in here on the night of Halloween was purely a coincidence, as the veil was just thin enough."

My eyes widened. "Are you saying Maddie and I were actually in Midnight Hollow? "

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"So what was all that mumbo-jumbo about, then? You said something was coming. Were you talking about the accident?"

His face sobered, and he shook his head. "I apologize if I might have misled you in some way, Miss Hallowell, but my powers don't work like that. I don't see your future as if it were a film. It's more of a small glimpse into possible futures, and even then, it's more of a feeling. A warning, if you will."

"So you think your prediction was trying to warn me about the crash?" I asked hopefully. I hoped that's what it was, because then I could rest easy. I hadn't even realized how much Frank's prediction that night had actually rattled me.

"Would you mind letting me try again?" he asked, holding out his open palm.

I stared at his hand, unsure if I was willing to go through this again. The last time hadn't worked out so well for everyone else that was thrown from that bus. I still didn't know if any of them had died that night or what had happened when the five of us just disappeared. But what could it really hurt to know if danger was still looming? It wasn't like he made it happen.

Placing my hand in his palm, I tensed as his eyes shut immediately and his fingers wrapped around mine tightly. That same coldness slithered through me, just like the first night I stumbled into his booth. Frank's eyes were moving rapidly behind his eyelids, and his breathing was becoming more ragged.

"What is it? What do you see, Frank?" I asked pathetically.

"It's—" he struggled to get it out. "I've never had this happen before."

"What?!" I was beginning to panic now. "What hasn't happened before?"

Frank let go of my hand abruptly, and I had to brace myself as I rocked back on the stool. It took a moment for him to blink, as if clearing away a fog. He looked at me, this time gravely.

"What did you see?" I asked again, gritting my teeth.

"It's not what I saw, Miss Hallowell. It's what I didn't see." His haunting voice gave me goosebumps, almost like a warning for what lay ahead for me.

"You need to speak in plain terms, Frank," I demanded, tired of running in circles like a merry-go-round.

He cleared his throat, tipping his hat up and running a palm over his sparse gray hair. "I didn't see a thing. Your future... it simply wasn't there, like a blank slate."

I blinked at him a few times, sure I'd heard him wrong. That didn't make any sense. Unless I was about to die in the next few seconds, he should have been able to see something.

"So what does that mean?" I asked. "Am I going to die?"

"Oh my, no," he was quick to say. "Although I've never seen such a vision before, or a lack of vision, rather, I don't believe it's alluding to your demise. If death was in your future, it should have been quite clear." He tapped his chin with his finger a couple of times before saying, "I'm unsure, but from what I can tell, your future seems to be uncertain of itself. I believe you're at a crossroads, and it's up to you to decide which way you will turn."

I gave Frank a droll look. "But isn't that the entire point of free will in the first place? I don't get it. Are you defective? "

A sharp, surprised laugh fell from his lips. "You mortals are very loose with your tongues." He clucked his tongue at me. "No matter. I only urge you to stay vigilant in the coming days. I have the sense that the darkness isn't done with you quite yet."

Okay…It was time for me to leave. I'd had just about all I could take of Frank for one lifetime: "Well, it's been lovely chatting with you, Frank. I'm going to get going and try to forget this conversation ever happened. What do I owe you?"

He waved a hand at me. "Your money's no good here, Miss Hallowell."

I cocked my head to the side. "Why do you keep saying that?"

He smiled, and this time, his smile was nearly sweet and old-manish. "I knew your father, David, when he was just a young man, only a little older than yourself."

Sucking in a breath, I couldn't help but take a step forward. "You knew my dad?" My eyes were wide, and already I could feel the sting of tears behind them. Just the mere mention of him was enough to get the waterworks revving up.

Frank nodded, his top hat bobbing. "A lovely fellow and incredibly sharp. He used to bring me tea when he passed through this side of town. He and your mother were excellent people, kind and generous." His eyes twinkled with memories before he looked at me. "You look so much like Mari."

My lips were quivering now, and I suddenly felt bad for all the not-so-great things I'd thought about Frank. If my parents had liked him, then how bad could he really be? I trusted my parents' judgment, even when I didn't always agree.

"I miss them a lot," I found myself saying. "I wish they could have come here with me. I wish they would have told me where I came from. Maybe then they wouldn't be—"

"It's no use worrying over what could have been, sweetheart," Frank said softly. "The only thing we have the power to control is what is to come. I may see glimpses of the future, but nothing is ever set in stone. If you want to live a life in honor of your mother and father, then listen to your gut. Listen to the warnings your intuition provides you with, and it'll never steer you wrong."

I left Frank's shop in a daze, not sure how to feel. I didn't exactly feel upset, but I definitely felt like something had changed. I knew there were more things about this place that I still needed to figure out, and there were things about my parents' deaths that were bothering me.

Perhaps the aunties and I have a lot to talk about. A tiny part of me was dreading it. Another part of me wanted to go back to my parents' graves and demand they tell me why I was being forced to go through all this without any warning. But I knew they wouldn't be there. They'd moved on to wherever people went when they died, and there was nothing to resurrect.

I shook off Frank's ominous words and waved the guys down. They sat outside on a bench, just outside a small café. I didn't know how long I'd been in that shop, but I was surprised they were still waiting for me. They jogged across the street, meeting me on my side.

"So, who's your soulmate?" Norman asked.

Freddy slugged him in the bicep, saying, "I am, fucker."

I shook my head, turned my back on them, and proceeded down the street. "You'd have to have a soul to have a soulmate." I winked over my shoulder.

The guys paused as what I said resonated, before Freddy burst out laughing. "Was that a fucking ginger joke?"

They caught up to me, both of them still chuckling. We passed shop after shop, lit up from within by flickering candle light, and just about every shop had a jack-o'-lantern in the window. I knew I'd heard somewhere that jack-o'-lanterns were often used to keep away evil spirits and demons. I wondered what they meant here, in a place where spirits and demons were everyday citizens.

"Let's cut through here," said Norman, nodding towards a tiny side street. It cut between buildings and saved us from having to walk through a horde of street vendors up ahead just to get to campus.

The side street was narrow, not even wide enough for a car to pass through, and instead of pavement, it was paved with cobblestone. A footpath, I realized. We walked at a leisurely pace, and after a moment, I noticed Freddy bobbing his head. It took a second to register the fact that music was playing. I stopped and stared at Freddy.

‘It's close to midnight.'

"Are you shitting me, Fred?" I asked with a snort.

He grinned and pulled out his cell. None of our phones worked in this world, but we still had them stashed here just in case we ever had the chance to head back. Freddy was apparently carrying his around.

He tapped the screen, and "Thriller" immediately shut off. "It's my alarm," he said through a chuckle. "Fitting, right?"

"Christ, man, do you have an off button?" Norman said, shaking his head at his twin.

A sudden chill raced down my spine as a low moan traveled down the narrow walkway. We all froze. Something about the sound made my stomach tighten and caused my skin to start itching all over. Our heads were on a swivel, and another moan rattled through the air. It was sort of gurgly and broken and sounded like... No fucking way was I going to voice what it sounded like. Not here. Watching The Walking Dead before bedtime messed me up with nightmares, and now it seemed in the daytime, it caused me to hear things.

Dragging footsteps echoed between the sides of the buildings, but I couldn't tell which direction they were coming from. Freddy and Norman inched backward, keeping me between their massive bodies. I appreciated the thought, but we really needed to get out of here before whatever was making those noises found us alone in the fucking dark alley where no one could see us from the street.

The lanterns began to flicker, and a cold wind blew my hair off my shoulder. I was regretting my choice of skimpy attire as I shivered. Norman groaned, "What now?" as more broken moans joined together in a haunting chorus.

Out of the shadows stepped several slender figures, moving in jerky, harsh movements. I yelped and jumped back, my heart pounding against my ribs painfully. My brain instantly recognized the danger we were in. I was a lifelong horror buff, but the one thing I'd always been deathly afraid of were zombies. Give me demons, vampires, and werewolves, and I'd be fine. But zombies were fucking terrifying, and they were headed right towards us.

It was wrong on so many levels, especially when my gaze swung over to the zombie at the end of the alleyway behind the cluster of brain-eating corpses with a freaking marionette dummy strapped to its bony chest in a baby carrier. Why did that dummy fucking turn up everywhere? I had to squint my eyes to see him fully, but I could have sworn his arm moved as if pointing at us, unless the zombie was pulling a string I couldn't see. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The doll's mouth looked like it was vibrating as a creepy-as-fuck laugh slipped past unhinged, painted lips.

‘It's close to midnight.'

The music made me jump, and I whipped my head to Freddy, forgetting about the zombie carrying around a dummy for a second. "Are you freaking kidding me right now?" He fumbled for his phone, but the shadows were coming closer, so he had no choice but to just shove it in his pocket and let the fucking alarm play.

‘You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it.'

The zombies were getting closer now. I searched my body for any object I could possibly use as a weapon, but all I had were a few feather quills. Holy shit, this was not how I imagined going out. And with a fucking soundtrack, no less...

‘As horror looks you right between the eyes.'

"Here's the plan," Norman said in a murmur. "We fucking rush them. We run for it, barrel our way through, and keep running."

"And get bitten?" My eyes were wide, and I shook my head back and forth. "That's the worst plan ever! Not all of us have vampire speed, Norman!"

"Well, if we don't do it now, more will come," he stressed, his fangs shoving past his gums into his bottom lip.

"Technically, we don't know if they're the biting kind... Maybe zombies are just regular—"

A growling moan ripped through what Freddy was about to say as one of the zombies appeared seemingly out of nowhere. In the light of a lantern, its grotesque features were enhanced. Its eyes were sunken in, and the whites were glossed over in pure blackness, soulless pits with hunger and desperation in them.

I screamed and jumped back, Norman steadying me by the waist. I heard a ripping noise, and I looked to my left and watched as Freddy shifted his fingers into massive claws. I sucked in a breath. "I didn't know you could do that!"

He looked at his claws with wide eyes, now shining bright yellow. "You and me both..." He smiled a heartbeat later and winked a wolfy eye. "But it's convenient, right?"

I was too scared to say anything particularly witty, and I think he knew that. Freddy slashed at the zombie, nearly severing its head with one swipe, before staring at his hand again in shock. "Holy fuck, that actually worked!"

"We need to move!" Norman urged me, grabbing me by the hand and tugging me down the alley. Freddy followed.

‘You hear the creature creeping up behind... You're out of time.'

I watched Freddy cut a few more of the zombies down as they stumbled out of the shadows. "Where the hell are they coming from?" I shouted over the music that wouldn't stop playing over and over again.

We kept running as we cleared the end of the street and didn't stop. I spotted an old building up ahead with a revolving glass door. It looked like a theater, and the marquee above had some kind of play listed for tonight's event.

‘You're fighting for your life inside a killer thriller tonight.'

We made a beeline for the theater with zombies on our heels, snapping their teeth each time they got close enough to bite. Slamming through the revolving doors was comical, and I was surprised we didn't break the damn thing. I didn't know how smart these zombies were, but I really hoped the door would slow them down.

"This way," Norman said, leading us through the darkened theater. It was too early for anyone to be here, and the hallways were empty. Freddy's alarm kept repeating, echoing off the walls, making my teeth grind.

It smelled musty, but not the bad kind, just old. The walls were decorated in a deep red velvet wallpaper, and there were massive portraits adorning them of what I assumed to be famous playwrights in this world. We took a staircase to the right that brought us to a landing. There were a few doors scattered around the dark hallways, but Norman seemed to pick one at random and shove his way in, pulling Freddy and me behind him.

We'd weaved around enough corners that I was fairly sure there was no way the zombies could have followed us. Freddy's phone was still blaring, so once we were in the room, I shoved my hand in his pocket, grabbed his phone, and turned the fucking thing off.

The room was cast in silence and darkness until Freddy broke it, saying, "If you wanted in my pants, all you had to do was ask." I heard a thump, and knew Norman had just smacked Freddy. Hopefully, in the balls.

The three of us allowed ourselves to fall completely silent, waiting to see what happened next and hoping the zombies had given up. I was still panting, but Norman and Freddy seemed fine. Damn superpowers. It really was unfair.

"You okay?" Norman asked. I felt him reach out and brush a section of my hair over my shoulder. Shivering at the touch, all I could do was nod.

"I love you," he said, his voice echoing in my mind, and he threw me a grin when I mouthed I loved him too. I frowned, wondering who spilled the beans, but he just shook his head.

Freddy had his ear pressed against the door, but after a moment, he turned around, running a hand down his face. "What the fuck was that?"

"Did anyone else feel like that attack was targeted?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" said Norman. "Like someone set those things on us?"

I nodded, and Freddy asked, "But why would someone do that?"

"Maybe it was the same person who attacked me the other day. Did you guys see that creepy doll? I've seen him one too many times for this to be a coincidence."

"Shit, you're probably right." Norman's fists tightened at his side. "We need to find this fucker."

He was right, but the notion was impossible. How could we fight someone we couldn't even see? Someone who had the ability to attack without me seeing him and who could...

Wait a second.

"Guys," I said quietly. "Zombies are corpses."

They turned to me, and Freddy snorted. "Um, obviously?"

I groaned. "Ugh, you don't get it? They were dead. Meaning someone had to make them, um, not dead."

"Undead?" Norman suggested.

I snapped my fingers. "That's it. Someone had to make them that way. Someone like me."

"A necromancer," Freddy finished. "So whoever attacked you is a necromancer too?"

Shaking my head, I tried to puzzle it out. "I don't think so. Remember what the aunties said about the unsanctioned magic that was used on the corpse in the morgue? I had the same feeling just now. It didn't feel like necromancy. I've been reading a lot about my powers, and it says necromancy is passed through a bloodline and is actually tied to dark magic, using a connection to the earth to raise spirits from the grave. But spirits can only come back if they haven't already moved on. Whatever this person is doing isn't how it's supposed to be done. They're not necromancers. They're something else. Something wrong and unnatural."

"Shit," Norman sighed.

I nodded. "Shit, indeed."

"Well, we can't do anything about it until we talk some more with the others. Maybe the aunties know something more about dark magic. In the meantime, we might as well get comfortable in here until those things are gone. We still have a couple hours before classes start. What is this place anyway?" Freddy turned away, moving a few things here and there.

Now that I had a chance to look around, I realized we were in a small room, lit by nothing but a single skylight up above, allowing the moonlight to shine through and bathe the room in an orange hue. We were surrounded by clothing racks, chaise lounges, old chairs, and shoes. "This must be the costume room. We're in a theater, remember?"

I started sifting through the clothing racks, unable to help myself. I was such a sucker for clothes. I spied dresses that looked like they came from the Renaissance: peasant blouses, boots, ruffled collars, and cloaks made of soft silks and velvets. Running my hands along the different textures, I suddenly craved to watch one of these productions .

"Is this where you've been clothes shopping this whole time?" Freddy teased.

I gave him a narrow-eyed look over my shoulder, but my lips were stretching into a smirk. "You're just jealous you can't pull off something like this." I held up a black corset to my torso.

Freddy's eyes darkened with hunger, and his face suddenly sobered. His gaze flickered down to the item I held up and then back up to my face, only he wasn't looking at my eyes. He was staring at my lips. "I can think of a few things I'd like to pull off."

His voice had a growly quality to it that I hadn't heard since that day in The Wicked Quill. I shivered as memories of what his fingers had done to me came back. Even here, stuck in this small room while zombies roamed around town, my clit throbbed, the ghost of those skilled fingers coming back.

"I bet you say that to all the girls nowadays," I said, only half teasing.

The twins looked at each other seriously for a moment, and Norman's eyes darkened as he said, "I can assure you there's been no one else, October."

I sucked in a breath, wanting to believe it so badly. "But I saw you guys with other cheerleaders—"

"Fuck what you saw. It was all a show. Every single time you were out of sight, the show stopped. There's been no one else. Not for any of us."

I was speechless and tongue-tied. Both of them just smirked.

"Why don't you try it on?" Norman suggested. He was seated on the torn velvet chaise lounge by the far wall, watching my exchange with Freddy. His eyes were on the item in my grip as he licked his lips .

The whole vibe suddenly changed, and so I decided to just roll with it. I'd been waiting a long time to make them realize what they'd been missing this past year, and being with three of them this past week emboldened me just enough to peel my tank top off and let it fall to the floor. I watched smugly as their eyes collectively widened. They hadn't expected me to take them up on the suggestion for real.

I wore a crimson-colored bralette made of lace that had a cobweb design stretched over each cup and a little silk bat-shaped tie in the center. I smiled at the two of them watching me with hungry eyes and reached around behind me, unclasped the bralette, and let that fall to the floor as well.

I was standing in front of them in just my skirt and boots and nothing else. I could feel their eyes tracing every curve and dip of my body, and my nipples puckered under the phantom caress. Black veins were beginning to creep under Norman's skin, his eyes darkening and filling with hunger in both ways, which set my blood on fire. He licked his lips, and his fangs elongated, poking out ever so slightly.

I realized suddenly that the thought of their monsters coming to the surface didn't scare me in the slightest. The thought of Freddy's claws and Norman's fangs made me hot. My mind flickered back to Jason's yellow eyes and forked tongue and Michael's dark, tingling magic crawling up his skin and sinking into mine. That's what I liked.

I moved to wrap the corset around my torso, but too fast for me to see, it was ripped from my grasp and thrown against the far wall with force. There was a low growling sound emanating from Freddy's chest as he prowled closer. I was still smiling as I watched every step. I'd been waiting for this since the day in the bookshop, imagining when we'd get a second chance to finish what we'd started.

"You look hungry, big bad wolf," I purred. He prowled closer, stalking my movements. My eyes flickered to Norman, who stared back leisurely, just watching.

Freddy grinned widely, and I noticed that his teeth looked just a little bit sharper than normal. "Then I guess it's a good thing you look like a fucking snack."

I wanted to roll my eyes. Freddy was forever a jokester, but this time, his words just served to make my clit pulse again. Shit, I really was a horny bitch sometimes. I mean, how many times have I fucked one of the guys this week? Three? I didn't regret a thing, though. All of it was a long time coming. We'd had a year apart to build up this need, this desire. A year of pining for them and fantasizing about every dirty thing I wanted them to do to me. I wasn't about to let this time go to waste, especially knowing that apparently someone out there wanted me dead.

He stepped in front of me, towering over my short frame like a giant. Even through his T-shirt, I could see the way his muscles flexed. My guys had always been built like fucking trucks, and I wanted him to park his truck right inside my garage. Eight years of basketball will do that to you—layer you with muscles that make girls go stupid. But now, fueled by these new supernatural abilities, it was like the magic took what they already had and honed it, sculpting them to near perfection. I sent up a silent prayer to the great pumpkin, because, holy geez, I wanted to lick him all over like an ice cream cone.

Freddy dropped to his knees before I could register what he was doing. He was so tall that his face was now exactly level with my breasts. I groaned as his hot breath caressed my nipple, and my thighs rubbed together to alleviate the sudden ache.

Palms skimmed up my legs, towards the apex of my thighs, and then back down again. Freddy calmly unzipped my boots and helped me out of them. Next, he skimmed his clawed fingers up my stockings, but it only took a moment of exploration to realize that the stockings ended on my thighs in little lace bows. He stopped, setting them back into place in favor of hooking his claws around my thong and peeling it down until it pooled around my ankles. My skirt went next, and soon I was standing there before him, naked, save for the stockings.

" Sexy…fucking adorable… adorable…all ours… "

I was growing used to their voices scattering through my head here and there, craving them, really, just to get a glimpse of what they were thinking.

I'd never felt more exposed in my whole life, but I'd also never felt more thrilled. Freddy was rumbling deep in his chest, something like a purr, and it had me shifting on my feet. A hot tongue swiped my right nipple, and I moaned, tipping my head back. Freddy sucked in, rolling my nipple with his tongue and gently biting it as he locked his gaze with mine. His hands slid back up my thighs, forcing me to widen my stance. Then his claw-tipped finger grazed my pussy, and I whined in uncontrollable need.

Moving onto the other breast, he sucked that one in too, letting it free with a pop. My eyes flickered open, meeting Norman's heated gaze across the room. My mouth fell open slightly as I looked down, transfixed by the sight of him stroking his long cock. He moved at a leisurely pace as Freddy started kissing his way down my body. Norman's eyes didn't leave mine as he pumped, but I greedily lowered my gaze, watching as little beads of moisture leaked from the swollen tip.

The flat of his tongue dipped over my clit and he licked oh so slowly, causing my legs to nearly buckle. Freddy held my thighs apart and dove in, licking over and over and applying pressure that had me squirming. He worshiped me from down on his knees, like I was some kind of goddess. I gripped his hair hard, holding his face to my pussy as I started to roll my hips for more. He groaned against me, urging me to move faster.

Norman's hand was pumping faster now, and his fangs were biting into his bottom lip. I watched his ab muscles ripple, and cum began leaking out over his hand. He closed his eyes for a moment, groaning as he came harder, but he never stopped pumping, and it only caused me to grow wetter.

I nearly screamed as Freddy nipped at my clit, coming harder than I ever had. Stars exploded in my vision, and Freddy had to catch me before I collapsed. We were both breathing hard as he smashed his lips against mine, devouring me whole. He picked me up, cradling me in his arms, and walked me towards Norman before setting me down on my knees.

Norman was leaning back on the lounge, his cock still engorged, despite how hard he had come. His green eyes were hungry for both my blood and my body. I saw him eyeing the thrumming pulse under my skin, and I was about to offer him a taste, but he shook his head and smiled. "That can wait for later. Right now, I need to be inside you."

My whole body flushed, and the next thing I knew, I had Norman's cock in my mouth. I licked his cum off slowly to savor him and heard his loud, resonating moan in response. His hips bucked off the lounge, but I removed my mouth as Freddy lifted me from the ground. Parting my thighs, I let Freddy set me down on Norman's lap.

Norman guided his thick length into my heat, and I sank down, letting him stretch me open. "Oh, fuck..." he groaned, eyes rolling backwards.

" Made for us..." His thoughts echoed in my mind and had me smiling down at his upturned face.

A moment later, I felt Freddy move behind me, settling on his knees. I heard his pants unzip, and butterflies bloomed in my stomach. I knew what was coming next, what he was planning, and though I'd never given it much thought, suddenly, the thought of both their cocks inside me at once was exactly what I craved.

"You can say no," Freddy whispered. Skimming his palms down my bare ass, he spread me open, rubbing the remnants of Norman's cum over my entrance. I squirmed on Norman's dick, needing more. I could tell he needed to move or he would go feral.

"Why the fuck would I say no?" I breathed, tossing a sly smirk over my shoulder. Freddy met my eyes as I said, "Show me why they call it doggy style, wolf."

I didn't even sound like myself anymore. These words spilling out of my mouth were from some other person entirely—a side of October Hallowell that had never been unlocked before. But it felt right. I was just ready to be loved after so long—loved in every way imaginable.

When I felt the tip of his cock against my ass, I sucked in a breath, but the feel of his palm caressing my hip and kneading my skin had me relaxing enough to allow him entrance. He slipped in slowly, groaning the whole way, and I matched that groan with one of my own once the dull burn faded into a full pleasurable feeling. It took a heartbeat for me to adjust to the feeling of two men inside me at once, but once I settled, my body started to tingle, and I suddenly needed to move.

Norman must have seen it in my eyes. He began to thrust up into me, slowly at first but picking up his pace in seconds once I squeezed him tight inside of me, and Freddy matched it thrust for thrust. We were moving in sync, and Norman's fingers pinching my nipples as my breasts bounced in front of him had me saying curse words I never knew were in my vocabulary.

Soon, the twins were pounding into me relentlessly, and I couldn't do much but hold on for dear life. I felt so full I might explode, and Freddy had to clamp a palm over my mouth to stifle my screams. It didn't do much good because the sounds of us fucking filled the room, and I had no doubt we could be heard around the whole theater with these great acoustics.

I undulated my hips, making sure they hit every spot deep inside of me, and my vision began to darken. I was about to come hard. I could feel it building inside of me, pulling taut and getting ready to snap. Norman's cock grew impossibly hard, and Freddy's pulsed with twitches, and I knew they were right there with me.

Another few strokes, and I let my head fall back as I screamed, my eyes rolling back in my head. My pussy contracted around Norman's dick, and my legs shook uncontrollably. Pleasure rolled through me from head to toe, and soon I felt them both coming.

"Oh fuck," Freddy cursed.

At the same time, Norman groaned, "Shit..." as he stilled inside me.

Cum leaked out and coated his abdomen as we slowed. Freddy was bent over my back, kissing a soft line down my spine. His hands once again kneaded my flesh, and the softness of his touch nearly had me in tears. We stayed like that for a solid minute, all of us catching our breaths. Adrenaline was coursing through me, and my whole body was buzzing with endorphins.

Freddy eased out of me, then he helped me off of Norman, who groaned as I pulled free. We cleaned up as much as we could, using scraps of clothing, and I felt my cheeks heat the entire time. "Well, that was..."

"Fucking amazing!" Freddy finished for me.

I smiled. "I was going to say unexpected, but amazing sounds about right." Freddy approached, holding out my bralette. It dangled from his finger, now sans claws, and I snatched it with a giggle.

"I've been waiting a long time to hear you make those noises, goth girl." His smile was devilish. Turning my back to him, I gestured for him to help me clasp it back on.

"I think it's safe to say we've outrun the zombies," Norman said.

"How long have we been in here?" Glancing at my watch, I found the answer for myself. "Holy shit, we've been here for over an hour. We'd better get—"

Knock, knock, knock.

"Oh crap," I hissed. "C'mon, we have to get out of here; we're totally trespassing right now."

"Are you afraid we're going to get arrested?" Norman chuckled. "Do they even have cops here?" he mused aloud. "Or do they call them Dementors?"

"Shut up and help me find my clothes," I said, but there was another rapid knock at the door. Shit. I didn't have the time to search for each garment, so I did the next best thing—I stole.

There was a pretty black dress on the hanger closest to me. It was floor-length and fashioned like an old princess gown. Made of lace and silk, it was soft and flowy, and I was able to throw it over my head easily. My heart was breaking for my favorite plaid skirt, which I knew I'd have to abandon, along with my boots that were around here somewhere. Perhaps I could find a way to get back in here later on and find them, but we have no time for that right now.

Norman swung the dressing room door open, and we filed out but pulled up abruptly. My heart plummeted into my stomach as I met four pairs of wide, laughing eyes. Strangers in weird Shakespearean clothing stood before us, and one of the women on the right began a slow clap. The others joined in, and my cheeks flooded with color. They must've worked here in the theater, and we'd just put on one of the biggest shows of the millennia.

"Bravo! Encore! Magnifico!" one of the theater actors shouted in the back of the gathering crowd.

Without a single word, I made a break for it down the hall. I couldn't even remember the way we came, but I was hoping I'd eventually reach a staircase. I was so embarrassed that I barely even registered the fact that I was barefoot and that the long black dress made my fast pace extremely treacherous. I kept going, needing to get away from those strangers, and I heard the guys following close behind.

Finally, I found the stairs and barreled my way down them. For a moment, with my dress flowing around me, I felt like a Disney princess running dramatically through the halls of an ancient castle, but I doubted any of those princesses had just been caught getting fucked in the ass by a werewolf in a closet.

Bursting out of the theater, I stopped when I reached the sidewalk, head on a swivel for lurking zombies. The street was quiet and nowhere near as busy as Main Street. The guys came out a moment later, and both of them were laughing. I glared at Freddy, and he forced his face to be sober, but his eyes were still gleaming.

Yeah, super funny. I can never show my face in the town's theater again.

"I'm going back to the manor to change," I said, holding the sides of my dress up. "And I need shoes." Wiggling my toes, I felt a hysterical laugh about to crawl up my throat but stifled it.

"How do you plan on explaining the dress?" Norman asked, covering his mouth with his palm. He was actively trying not to laugh.

"I don't." Turning away with my nose in the air, I stalked towards the aunties' house, prepared to take the smaller side streets. Luckily, we knew the layout of this town like the back of our hands, or else we'd be out of luck. "They don't need to know everything about my life."

The guys caught up to me, shaking their heads. We had about an hour until I needed to be in my first class. I recognized most of the buildings on this street. We passed a grouping of older-style two-story buildings that were mostly realtors and legal offices back in the mortal world. Up ahead was a massive brick building with columns out front and a stone pathway lined with lanterns. The wrought iron archway overhead said City Hall.

There were a few people gathered outside, standing around in a small group, and a town car sat parked on the street with a driver standing next to an open door. The driver was about two feet tall, and his face was pudgy and bulbous, while his skin was bright green. The word gnome immediately came to mind, but I couldn't be sure. I did wonder how the hell that little guy reached the pedals.

We were preparing to cross the street to avoid the group of people, but at the sound of my name, we stopped and looked around. A man in a dark blue velvet robe and a long cane topped with the head of a cobra made his way over. It took a minute for me to recognize him as he stepped into the light of a lantern. It was Mayor Ichabod Addams, Cal's dad.

"Miss Hallowell!" he called out with a charming smile, his teeth still way to white to be natural. "What brings you to this side of town?" His chestnut eyes twinkled. "Here for a dose of arts and culture?" He nodded at the theater we just left.

"I, uh, we were just on our way to the university," I stammered, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. I could tell the guys were still grinning, even though I knew they didn't like the mayor either.

"You're missing out on some real treats in town by taking the scenic route. I hear the pumpkin cakes are particularly sweet this year. Will you be attending the festival this week?"

"I haven't really thought about it," I said honestly. I'd seen the signs up all over town and watched some of the booths go up on Main Street, but I hadn't thought any more about it.

"Back when I was young, I usually attended the festival with your mother and father. Such wonderful memories." My brows rose as he added, "Tragic, what happened to them. We were quite close in our college days; did you know that?"

"My parents never really talked about where they came from. I didn't even know this place existed until recently."

This conversation was getting awkward. For some reason, I didn't like the idea of discussing my mom and dad with Ichabod. He was nice enough, but there was something off-putting about him. His smile was too wide and uncomfortably gleaming, and his eyes were so deep, they made me fidget. He was nothing like his effortlessly charming son.

He blinked, as if coming out of a fog of memory. "Ah, yes, I suppose that's right. Well, I do hope you can make it to the festival. In fact, I'm sure my Calvin would be honored to escort."

A small, barely there growl rumbled from Freddy's throat, and I had to elbow him in the gut.

Ichabod chuckled. "I suppose not then." His eyes then flickered at my strange ensemble. "My my, that dress suits you. Will you be wearing it to the festival? It's…vintage." His eyes sparkled knowingly as he raised a brow at my bare toes sticking out. I suddenly felt the need to fix my disheveled hair.

What's his deal with the festival? Why is he pushing this? Why is he staring at my flushed cheeks and sex hair?

My cheeks blazed as I ran my hands down the bodice of my dress. "Thanks, it's got pockets," I said, sticking my hands in said pockets.

Oh my god, what the fuck am I saying? Pockets?!

Freddy and Norman snorted simultaneously at my panicked rambling as I began to back away. Ichabod smiled indulgently and said, "Yes, I see that."

Okay, time to abort. Abort the mission and gracefully bow out.

"Well, it was nice seeing you, Your Highness—I mean, Mr. Mayor—I mean, Sir—Ichabod."

Oh good god, shut up, October!

I was dying inside.

"Likewi—"

He never got to finish before my fight or flight instincts kicked in and I promptly fled. I turned and practically spirited away, not realizing that there wasn't a street corner in sight for me to disappear around, and it left me awkwardly speed-walking down the sidewalk while the mayor and the guys stood there watching in bewilderment.

My face was on fire, and I mumbled to myself the whole time. To make matters worse, I got about twenty feet away before I stepped on a particularly sharp rock and fell forward in an incredibly undignified way, yelping and cursing all the way down. I caught myself with my palms on the sidewalk and shoved back to my feet, gathering the billowy length of my dress, and cursed myself for leaving my heeled boots behind.

I just kept going, resolved to not look back, and just hoped the guys could somehow finesse this to seem like normal behavior or perhaps an off day. I just wanted to get back to the manor, change clothes, and pretend like this entire hellish morning never happened. Maybe I'd eat one of Pip's questionable baked goods and just pass out.

Roger

My legs couldn't keep up with the youngsters, so like any smart fella would do, I hitched a ride. I was ordered to scare the gal, but my porcelain heart didn't want to. So what do you do when you don't pull your own strings? You follow orders.

There I was, hiding in the alley like a darn cat in the dumpster, as I spied on Little Miss Red. The only way for my job to be complete was to get the broad to use her gifts in plain sight and record my findings. But to do that, she had to be worried for her life. That's where the zombies came in. The boob supplied them, and I didn't like to think about how he did it. Wrong was what it was. Dark magic made me want to go running for the hills, but you see, a dummy doesn't run away from a job, even when his gut tells him to walk away.

Red and her two companions strolled right into my trap like planned, and I waited, strapped to the foul-smelling corpse. I waited for those special gifts to come about. She looked me right in the eye, but for some reason, she didn't seem to realize she'd seen me before. A product of my tactical stealth, no doubt. The art of blending in was an acquired skill.

The plan failed as soon as we lost her, but I didn't worry for nothing. I knew it was time to step up my game. My master was getting impatient .

My heart didn't beat, but I felt bad for the kid. She was only trying to learn her place in this strange, strange world. But it just kept throwing obstacles at her. He was coming for her, and I wished I had the power to stop it before the innocent gal got hurt. But alas, I wasn't the one pulling my strings.