Angelfire

  Oh, wel . I shrugged and pul ed my happy jack-o'-lantern into my arms and set him on the front porch. Dark was beginning to settle, and within twenty minutes the streets would be fil ed with trick-or-treaters. My mom had strewn cotton spiderwebs across the porch and stuck plastic tombstones in the front lawn. She had even replaced the porch lights with black lights; beneath them my white zip-up hoodie glowed a toxic hue.

  I headed back to the kitchen. Kate had pumpkin guts on her face, and Landon's fist was fil ed with even more of the gunk. Rachel was flattened against the wal on the far side, her expression terrified. Landon chucked the gob at Kate, but she squealed and spun away, and the guts smacked into the wal behind her.

  "Landon!" I barked, jogging over to grab a handful of paper towels to mop up the mess.

  "Sorry," he said in a not-so-convincing voice. "She started it."

  Kate laughed. "Don't pin it on me! You're the one slinging that nasty stuff around."

  "Where's Wil , El ie?" Rachel asked, daring to venture away from the wal .

  "Who cares?" Landon interjected. "My pumpkin's puking his friggin' guts out." He made a grotesque sloshing face as he plunged his hands into the slimy mess. I grimaced.

  "He'l be here when we get ready to leave," I explained. Thanks to our wager, Wil was coming with us to Josie's party, but until the time came, I assumed he was sitting on my roof keeping watch.

  We cleaned up the last of the carving mess and placed the pumpkins out on the porch next to mine. Landon added the finishing touch of vomit to his jack-o'-lantern outside as planned.

  Josie's party didn't start until nine, so we had a few hours to kil . Kate had an after party planned at her house, so I had an overnight bag packed to stay there. Chris and Evan arrived just after six. My mom mistook them for her first official trick-or-treaters of the night. They apologized for disappointing her, and we al went up to my room to watch a horror movie before getting into our costumes. I sat on my bed with Rachel and Kate, and the boys sat on the floor with their backs against my bed. We chose the original Poltergeist. Slasher movies were never my thing since they just made me sick. Ghost movies I could do.

  When the movie ended, we had about an hour and a half to get ready. Kate and I curled each other's hair into big, bouncy updos and put on our costumes. She had lent me a pair of red stilettos that went with my nurse outfit perfectly. I pinned my little cap to my hair in case it decided to fly away. Despite Kate's plan to pin up Rachel's hair, we decided to leave her curls down her shoulders and back. The boys actual y took longer to get ready than we did, but I guessed that was because they were wearing twice as much makeup. My glittery false eyelashes were brutal y heavy on my lids, but I stuck it out and finished my face with some cherry red lipstick. Landon came back into my bedroom in ful zombie get-up, complete with gory prosthetics and tattered, bloody clothes. He was barely recognizable except for his gloriously highlighted hair. Evan came as a ghostbuster, and the state trooper with enormous aviator sunglasses and a bushy faux mustache turned out to be Chris. I eyed him, unable to prevent a smile from bursting through. "You weren't going for creative, were you?"

  His expression exploded with shock. "Are you joking? I'm Mac!"

  "Mac?"

  "Super Troopers? Honestly, El ie, you need to watch better movies instead of those lame Disney flicks." He slid the sunglasses down his nose and looked me up and down.

  "And don't talk to me about uncreative. You're a sexy nurse?

  As much as I appreciate that, you have to realize there are going to be fifty other girls there dressed just like you. Nobody else is going to be Mac."

  I eyed him careful y. "Maybe that's for a reason."

  Chris waved a finger at me. "Just you wait."

  Evan slapped him hard on the back. "So where are the wings?"

  Chris shot him a questioning sidelong look. "What are you talking about, man?"

  "Wel , you know," Evan said, visibly trying to hold in a laugh. "They'l be perfect for Hal oween. Foot fairies need wings, right?"

  Chris swore at him and shoved his shoulder hard enough to knock Evan off balance. Most of the soccer players didn't take the foot fairy jokes very wel . Chris and Landon were no exceptions.

  As they wrestled around and bounced against my bed, I scowled at a mess of gory makeup and prosthetics scattered across my dresser. "You're al going to clean up this crap up, right?"

  "Of course," Landon assured me, and smiled brightly. He tugged on one of my hair sprayed curls and released it, letting it bounce back into place.

  Right then Wil walked into my room wearing no costume except for his sword, strapped into a back scabbard over his T-shirt. The shirt also exposed the Enochian tattoos covering his arm. "Hey," he said, nodding to everyone. "Your mom let me in, El ie."

  I was elated to see him. "Hey! Where's your costume?"

  Disappointed, I poked at his chest. I noticed his eyes widening and his brow flickering as he took in my costume, and a twinge of triumph crossed my heart-- not that I was wearing this outfit only to get his attention. That was just a bonus.

  Chris stepped up to him, eyeing his arm. "That has got to be the baddest tattoo I have ever seen. You get that done in LA or something?"

  "Italy," Wil said.

  "Nice. What are you supposed to be?"

  "Pirate."

  Chris scoffed. "Dude, your costume sucks. Sword's pretty sweet, though. No way that's plastic. Is that like a Final Fantasy replica, or something? You get that on eBay?"

  "Yeah," Wil said. "Something like that."

  Kate swayed her way up to him and leaned on Chris's shoulder. "What's the matter? Are you too cool for us?" she demanded sarcastical y.

  Wil shrugged. "I don't real y dress up for things."

  "Oh, come on," I pleaded. "You have to wear something."

  He threw up his hands defensively. "I don't think so."

  "You're going to be the only lame person there," I noted.

  "I've got a Jason hockey mask in my trunk," Evan offered.

  "If you want it."

  "No, thanks," Wil said. "I'm not a costume guy."

  "You are such a downer," I said, and picked my cel off my dresser to glance at the time. "It's after nine. We should probably get going around ten."

  As I applied one last layer of lipstick, one of the boys bumped into me and I dropped the stick onto my white outfit. I swore when I saw the waxy red streak left behind on the neckline of my costume. "Landon!" I growled, and shoved his shoulder.

  In the midst of stupid laughter, I caught a "Sorry, El !"

  I huffed and stomped out of the room and down the hal toward the bathroom. My dad caught me as he was leaving his bedroom and he gave me the once-over. Awkwardness settled over us both as he stopped, mouth agape, but nothing came out. He shut it and looked up at the ceiling as if he were thinking of what to say.

  Embarrassed by the way he looked at me, I said, "Kate looks worse." That would have worked on my mom, or at least put a smile on her face, but since my dad rarely spoke more than two words to me a week, I wasn't sure what my next move would be.

  His mouth scrunched and then flattened with indecision. "I shouldn't let you go out like that, should I?"

  I crossed my arms over my chest. "Probably not."

  "Wel , you look like a--" He cut himself off abruptly. I didn't want him to finish the thought anyway. "I'm just going to the bathroom."

  "Cover yourself up some," he suggested, stumbling over his words. "Put some pants on or something."

  "Yeah, Dad. Sure thing."

  His body locked up and his face twisted for a brief moment. I was about to ask him what was wrong when I heard footsteps behind me.

  "El ie," said Wil 's voice.

  I turned around to smile at him. "What's up?"

  "Just seeing if you needed help," he said. Wil looked at my dad and held out a hand. "Hi. I'm Wil , El ie's friend."

  My dad stared at Wil , the corners of his mouth turning down, but he didn't shake Wil 's
hand. Catching the hint, Wil withdrew it and stole a glance at me. I knew my dad didn't like my guy friends much, but that was just beyond rude.

  "Okay, wel , I'l see you later, Dad." I brushed him off, and Wil fol owed me into the bathroom to help me scrub the lipstick out of my dress.

  "He didn't like you much," I said, rubbing a wet tissue into the red stain. Most of it had come out, but a remaining dul stripe looked like it would be permanent.

  "He smel ed like blood."

  I choked back a laugh. "No shit, Sherlock. Yeah, my dad has blood in him. You say the weirdest things sometimes."

  "No, I meant it was on his skin. I could smel it from your room and I thought you were hurt."

  "Maybe he had a paper cut," I said, and looked up at him.

  "You shouldn't go around sniffing people. Real y."

  His lips tightened and his brow furrowed. It was kind of cute when he did that, to be honest.

  "The men in my life are the strangest people on the planet," I grumbled, and proceeded to blow dry my dress. "At least I can tolerate you, out of al of them."

  "You don't like your dad." It wasn't a question. I imagined my contempt was obvious to him.

  "He's a piece of shit. You don't even understand."

  He didn't say anything, but he probably understood a lot better than I gave him credit for. His hearing was as incredible as his sense of smel . He'd probably heard many of my fights with my dad. Something weighed my stomach down when I thought of Wil overhearing my crying. It was one thing for him to know that the reapers scared me stil , but there was no reason for me to be afraid of my dad. He'd never hurt me physical y, but on the inside he'd repeatedly ripped me into pieces.

  "Look," I said. "Just don't worry about it. It's not your problem."

  The rest of the time in the bathroom went by in awkward silence. My dad wasn't a subject I wanted to talk about with Wil or anyone. I avoided his gaze until we were back in my room.

  We organized who was driving and cleaned up our costume messes. An hour later, we assembled downstairs in the foyer and piled into Kate's and Evan's cars. Wil , Landon, and I rode with Kate to Josie Newport's house. We pul ed through the iron gates, and Kate flashed an invitation to the man standing there. He let us through, and we passed the carriage house. As we wound up the wooded drive, we could hear--and feel--the powerful bass. I'd be damned if Josie hadn't hired a DJ.

  The house itself was sprawling: high peaked roofs, creamy stone, marble columns, and dark accents dazzling beneath ivory lights. We parked at the end of a never-ending line of cars and climbed out. I pul ed my excruciatingly short dress as far down as possible as we strol ed up to the front door. Behind me, Chris asked if I could handle my short skirt and then mumbled about issuing me a citation for "sexy exposure" or something stupid like that. I ignored him. The front steps were lined with jack-o'-lanterns, and plastic skeletons climbed the columns. A tal man in a suit answered the door and we walked inside. The grand entrance was dimly lit with multicolored lights dancing across the white marble floor. Kate led us through the mansion to a massive banquet hal lined with tal windows that offered sweeping views overlooking a lake. As soon as we stepped through the archway, I could see that half the school had already arrived. Strobe lights flashed in al directions from high above; the steady, heavy beat of music shook the floor and the wal s; people in every costume imaginable danced as if it were their last night alive.

  I had to hand it to Josie. She knew how to throw one hel of a party.

  Kate grabbed my hand and we pushed our way out into the writhing mass of waving hands, swinging hips, and stomping feet. We danced until Landon pul ed Kate away. I danced by myself and with random partners for a few minutes until Evan and Rachel joined me. After a while I took a break, squeezing my way back to the front of the hal to the buffet table ful of candy and hors d'oeuvres. I munched on cut strawberries, stil dancing to the music. I felt a warm body behind me and smel ed the musky, spicy scent of Wil 's aftershave. A flood of boldness swept through my chest and stomach and I closed my eyes. I stepped back into him, swinging my hips, trying to coax him into dancing with me, but he didn't. Instead, his hands ran down my arms, and he dipped his face over my shoulder until his cheek brushed mine.

  "Having fun?"

  I spun around and grabbed his hands, swaying from side to side with the beat. He didn't give in, but that didn't stop me from trying to dance with him. "Dance with me."

  He held my hands stil and his green eyes pierced mine.

  "Sorry, I'm not a dancer."

  I pul ed my hands away and put them around his neck.

  "Six hundred years old and you never learned to dance? I think it's about time you lived a little."

  "I know how to dance," he assured me with a handsome laugh. "Just not to this kind of music."

  "It's easy. Just move with it." I placed his hands on my hips and tried to get him to fol ow my rhythm.

  He pul ed away, and he wrapped a hand under my chin and lifted it. The movement was slow, sensual, in rhythm with the music, his fingers sliding across my skin, and I felt electricity pass from his touch into me. I inhaled and closed my eyes at the intensity of it. Every single inch of me was coming alive. I didn't know if it was the adrenaline from the party that made me react so strongly or if it was something else. A stab of fire hit me when I felt his lips slide along my jaw to my ear, and I took a slow, agonized breath.

  "Forgive me," he whispered.

  I opened my eyes and he was gone. I spun around, looking for him everywhere, but he real y was gone. Frustration boiled through me and spil ed over. What was my problem? What did I expect from him?

  I shook my head, trying to forget about him and enjoy myself, but something stirred in my gut that I didn't like. I stuffed my face with another strawberry and scowled at nobody in particular.

  Kate swayed up to me by herself, laughing and singing along to the music. She grabbed both my hands and swiveled her hips with the beat. She turned around, leading me back into the crowd, and we danced for a while longer, but I couldn't get my mind off Wil . I could stil feel his touch on my face, even though only a dul tingle remained. Dressed elaborately as Marie Antoinette--complete with a fril y thigh-length blue dress, a floral fan, high stockings and garters, and a white powdered wig--Josie found us and gave us both enormous hugs. "I'm so glad you came!" she shouted over the music, in that fleeting, oblivious way of hers.

  "Amazing party as always!" Kate assured her, smiling. I nodded. "Yes! The DJ is amazing!"

  "Thanks!" she said, smoothing out her skirts and fluttering her pretty fan. "He works for MTV!"

  Not surprising. She danced with us for a while, the music rocking through us as if the mansion were coming down on our heads, before she twirled away.

  UNCORRECTED E-PROOF--NOT FOR SALE

  HarperCollins Children's Books

  ..................................................................... 23

  I TRIED TO RID MYSELF OF ANY DOUBT AND NEG-ativity and enjoy the night. I only paused when a boy walked up to Kate and me; he was wearing a white mask that concealed half his face like the Phantom of the Opera. The half of his face I could see was breathtaking. I had never seen any boy so beautiful. His pale gold hair was combed neatly back with only a few escaping wisps, and he wore a black tuxedo beneath a cape. Something about the exquisite fabric of the tuxedo told me we hadn't gotten our costumes at the same place. Of course he must want to dance with Kate. I began to step away from them, but the curve of his lips made me hesitate. He lowered his head to a very excited Kate, whose face washed blank when he asked her, "May I cut in?"

  She stepped aside and the boy took my hand, immediately drawing me close to him. His presence wrapped around me, electric and inviting, and he spun me around the hal in a waltz that fit poorly with the music playing, but somehow he kept us in rhythm. Before I was aware of it, the music and commotion had sunk into a dul roar until I couldn't hear anything at al . I looked nowhere but up into his eyes, which
were the most fiery opalescent hazel I had ever seen, practical y inhuman. His dancing was like water, powerful and unyielding, yet fluid and smooth through every movement, like a river fol owing its predetermined course. I let him lead me through the crowd in a state of shock and bliss twisted together, unable to perceive anything but his face. I wanted to take off his mask to reveal the beauty beneath. We danced until the end of the song, and stil he held me to his chest, his mouth curving into a delicious smile.

  "Come with me," he pleaded and took my hand.

  I nodded like an idiot and let him lead me across the hal , back toward the archway we had al entered through. The hideous feeling of Wil 's rejection washed away as the mystery guy led me off the dance floor. I was too eager to fol ow him, too eager to make myself feel worth something. For an instant I wished Wil had seen me leave with this boy. Maybe a spark of jealousy would prompt him to make a move.

  The Phantom boy stopped me on the other side of the wal and toyed with one of my curls as he studied my face with a look of both awe and amusement.

  "You are a beautiful girl," he said in a slightly surprised voice, his face so close that he didn't need to speak up for me to hear him over the music.

  "I like your mask," my mouth blabbed stupidly. I wanted to slap my lips off. I like your mask?

  He laughed, his voice like velvet. "I'm glad you like it. What's your name?"

  "El ie," I answered, swooning. I leaned heavily against the wal to hold myself up.

  "I'm Cadan," he replied.

  "That's an unusual name," I noted absently.

  "It's a very, very old one." The backs of his fingers traced along my bare col arbone. I shivered.

  "Are you a friend of Josie's?" I asked, trying to concentrate on our conversation as he touched me. He made it next to impossible to accomplish that.

  "No," he said, and looked up from my col arbone, his fiery opal eyes capturing mine.

  As I stared into them, I could have sworn I saw golden flames flickering in the irises. I blinked and the flames vanished. "Do you go to our school?"