Forever Together (The Undead Detective Agency Book 4), page 7
He supposed many wouldn’t understand why he chose blindness over being able to see. But it was his normal, his safe place…
For Theo, these moments of darkness let him experience so much, yet do it safely. He found vision overstimulating. Theo was like this even before everything that happened. He couldn’t remember when sight had become too much, but it had at one point in his life.
And now he was used to being blind, and could get around well on his own. Except when he went alone into an unknown, or drastically changed location with a shit ton of people. Like two houses being overly decorated and altered for an insane Halloween party.
So tonight, sight it was.
Meow.
Theo smiled and looked down. Sprinkle was by his feet pawing at him, staring up with her wide ocean-blue eyes. “What? Do you think I look good?” he asked.
She meowed again with even more enthusiasm.
Theo chuckled. Bending down, he scooped her up. “Come here, my little baby dragon. It’s time to put your scales on.”
Turney stood there and couldn’t help but be in awe at all the elaborate costumes the people around him were wearing. He would bet that not a single one was off the rack.
Not to mention…there were a lot of people who he was pretty sure were letting their paranormal uniqueness shine through. Well, Turney’s costume wasn’t exactly off the rack either. On top of his stone-like outfit, his entire body had been painted that same speckled gray color. Even his hair had been thoroughly sprayed to match. He was basically a statue.
The room was decorated in black, orange, and purples, with cobwebs and shining black chandeliers above. There was a wide grand staircase at one end of the room with a deep purple carpet running down it. Fake ghosts flew above them, dancing on the high vaulted ceilings, looking as if they were having their own party up there.
To the left side were tables upon tables of food that looked disgusting, yet smelled amazing. It looked like eyeballs, brains, body parts, worms, bones, and all sorts of other questionable things were on the menu tonight. And unlike most Halloween foods trying to imitate gross things, it didn’t look like all of that stuff in the fun, kid sort of way. It all looked super realistic. The drinks table was much the same; bowls of vomit, blood, and…well, there was also a fun, pretty normal looking, smoking punch bowl. Nearby the tables, was a giant pumpkin shaped candy bowl on a pedestal.
Opposite the grand staircase, on the other side of the room, was a large hill that had grass at the bottom but turned into a good length of sandy beach at the top, which had a shoreline that ended in a pool of water. The pool looked like it had an oddly deep shoreline. The water rippled like there were gentle waves, but was definitely just a small pool of water, even if it was only a little smaller than the ‘beach’.
Turney honestly would have liked to walk around and just take everyone and everything in…but he was currently standing at the bottom of the stairs on a stage marking. The exact spot where he’d been instructed to stand.
So, standing there he was…not that he was sure he had the courage to wonder around much. Turney had never been much of a fan of horror or parties, and he knew some of the shit Octavius had planned would probably give his poor heart plenty of stress. There was also the fact that the house was packed. He wasn’t sure how many people were there, but well over a hundred, and…he smelled humans.
Turney didn’t know where they were, but he knew they were there somewhere. And that there was more than one. Which was a whole other category of concern. He had eaten some brain burgers before this…and he was pretty sure some of the grilled and fried looking brains on the food table were actual brains. Because walking past them had made his mouth water, and had sent a slight hunger throb in his head. So, he supposed if he got too worried, he could rush and eat some more. Still, new zombies and humans didn’t mix well.
Turney eyed those directly on either side of him. His coworkers…well, he supposed now they were more than that… Scarlett definitely was more than that. Either way, everyone from the agency was there, just not all right next to him. Currently, the ones near were Scarlett, Min-ji, Theo, and Sprinkle. Sprinkle wasn’t a coworker, but she was there.
Cormac and Henry were at the party too, just not next to him—not that Henry was a coworker. Anyway, Cormac’s costume…well, he was a mermaid—tail, wig and all. The wolf was currently sitting on a large ass shell, in what looked like a movable grotto right next to the pool of water. Henry, dressed as a pirate, was by his side.
Having walked past the ‘hill’ as he squeezed through the crowd to get to this spot, he knew that while the incline of the hill was solid, the side of the pool was see-through.
He wasn’t sure how Octavius had gotten Cormac to agree to that outfit, but he feared it had something to do with Henry. And the suspicious grotto on wheels with a push handle had him thinking poor Henry had gotten roped into one of Octavius’ schemes.
Speaking of Octavius, he wasn’t there. Turney wasn’t sure where he was. He was the person everyone at the party was waiting for.
Turney eyed Scarlett. His sire was dressed in a red puffy dress with cream accents that looked like one you’d see in the 1700s. She was currently fanning herself with a red fan, looking grumpy as all fuck. He wasn’t feeling anything from her, so he guessed she was blocking him, but it told him she was just irritated rather than mad. Mad usually meant he’d feel something. Min-ji stood next to her looking amused, dressed in a…he wasn’t sure what to call it, but the jacket was frilly, and she did match with Scarlett.
Theo was a golden dragon with some impressive face and body prosthetics, while Sprinkle was a cute baby dragon that matched him. Sprinkle’s outfit was nowhere as elaborate as Theo’s, but she did have on a hooded onesie-like outfit that mimicked Theo’s costume with scales and horns. She was currently clutched in Theo’s arms, front paws hanging over, looking around with interest.
Turney leaned closer to the other zombie and asked, “Do you know what Octavius is?”
Scarlett snapped her fan shut, expression still sour. “No, I don’t.” Her gaze swept over him. “But I imagine it has something to do with yours.”
She eyed him a few minutes longer before flipping her fan open and going back to fanning herself.
“There are humans here…I mean, I’m not imagining that, right?”
Her fan paused. “You are most likely smelling some of the hired actors.” Her gaze on him turned speculative. “You feel mostly calm to me. Are you having trouble?”
“No. The pork brain burgers we ate earlier were very filling. And if I get hungry, there is always the food on the tables… No matter how questionable some of it looks. I’m just nervous. There is definitely more than one.”
“They are likely aware of paranormals if they are here,” Min-ji mused. “Though, the paranormals could always be banking on the humans thinking that those fully exposed went all out for their costumes. But I doubt it.”
How were their costumes not already going all out, even before letting their natural bits out and free? Was spending hundreds on a costume considered a normal amount of effort for paranormals? Turney shook his head—rich people…
Scarlett sighed. “They are aware of us. The actor group that Octavius uses employs both humans and paranormals; it’s required that all humans working for the group be in the know.”
“Them knowing doesn’t really…change my situation…” he pointed out.
The female zombie sighed. “Don’t go anywhere without Octavius or someone else by your side, just to be safe. There is an absurd amount of paranormals in this house right now. There should be no issues with protecting a few humans from one baby zombie.”
“Right. Stick with someone. No problem.” Turney eyed her in concern as she went back to fanning herself. “Are you…hot?”
Which was a dumb question to ask another zombie…but she was acting weird, and he wasn’t sure what else to ask her.
Her hand paused again, right brow raising. “No, of course not.”
“Are you having trouble breathing?” he asked hesitantly.
“Yes!” Scarlett snapped.
Min-ji giggled. “I didn’t even bind you that tight.”
“Uh…don’t you not need to breathe?” Theo asked.
The man hadn’t said much since finding them in the crowd, and honestly, he looked nervous.
Turney, personally, thought it would be better for him to have sat out tonight and to not push it. Hell, this was a lot for Turney, he couldn’t imagine how overwhelming it would be for Theo after everything.
“Just because I don’t need to, doesn’t mean I don’t want to!” she growled. “And this ‘thing’ is suffocating!”
Turney snickered, but squashed the sound the minute she turned a glare on him.
Scarlett went to say something, but stopped as the lights dimmed and some atmospheric type music started to play. They collectively turned to look to the top of the grand staircase, where Octavius had said he’d be coming from.
Octavius’ voice boomed out as he began to tell a story. Turney was pretty sure it was a recording.
“A fair priestess, wanted by a God. Run, she did. Hoping for protection. But what she got instead was betrayal!” His voice cried out the last part as green and purple glitter burst out above in the high vaulted ceilings. Octavius, in bat form, appeared, his body lit up by spotlights.
As he fluttered down towards the platform at the top of the stairs, glitter continued to rain down dramatically around him.
“Chasity taken, she was changed by the very one she believed in. Into a monster!”
He landed then, a giant explosion of glitter hiding his form. As it cleared, Octavius appeared in all his shining glittering glory, chest and feet bare. He was wearing a brown leather layered skirt tinted in gold. The ones one often saw on ancient Roman soldiers. A gold snake belt wrapped around his waist. There were golden snake bracelets crawling around his upper biceps, bangles at his ankles and wrists. Octavius’ toned olive muscles were shimmering green with flecks of purple and gold glitter dusted everywhere. The vampire’s arms and legs were covered in green and purple tinted snake scales. His eyes were accented with greens, purples, and gold, with scales around his face, much like his arms and legs. There was a golden sparkling headdress on his head that looked to barely be holding back a mass of shimmering but unmoving snakes. He looked really freakin’ hot, but oh so glittery.
“‘How dare she try to refuse a God? A mere mortal? Did she think she was better than a God?’, was what that Goddess of hers thought. So transformed she was. Her hair turned into snakes, and now any man who caught her gaze would fall to stone. Those she loved would be lost to her from a single look.”
A spotlight lit right on Turney when the word ‘loved’ was spoken. His eyes widened, and he glared at the group around him as the traitors backed away.
He smiled hesitantly and slowly turned around to face the crowd, giving a little wave.
Welp…Turney guessed he had been turned to stone…
Octavius giggled in delight as his pre-recorded story ended. Pulling his microphone out of one of the secret pockets in his gladiatorial-like skirt, he happily announced, “Welcome all to the best Halloween party of the year!”
His smile brightened as the crowd cheered, the noise almost deafening with the size of the crowd. “This year’s party takes place across two houses, joined together by a haunted forest. Spooks and horrors all around. There are handheld maps to guide you to the different areas of the houses that are open for entertainment. You’ll find the maps on various stands throughout the manors. You are free to wander between, but do note that for the first half of the party, the actors and the festivities will remain here. The map has a detailed list of times for when rooms will have actors in them. As for when we switch to the other house, no worries about being left behind, we will let you all know when it’s time to head to the home of my dear friend, Scarlett. Now go and have some fun, but make sure to be back here in an hour, as once the clock strikes nine, there will be a show you won’t want to miss right in this very room. So don’t be late.” He sent the crowd a wink. “LET THE PARTY BEGIN!”
As he said begin, there was a burst of glitter shimmering down over the crowd, and the live band began to play some spooky original song created just for his party.
The spotlights on him turned off, and Octavius made his way down the stairs. He forced himself to ignore the large pumpkin candy bowl in the corner of his eye. He’d not be tempted this time!
Octavius smiled brightly when he reached Turney and the rest—the candy bowl safely out of view.
“So? What do you think?!” he asked with excitement.
Turney’s eyes swept over him, there was a bit of heat in his gaze. “It’s something. I mean, everything looks amazing, and you look…” Turney wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him closer. “Edible…and very glittery.”
Octavius giggled. “And you look like the perfect statue. I can’t wait to chip away at you with my fangs.”
Turney snorted.
His zombie bun really did look like the perfect statue, color and all. The make-up artist did a wonderful job on his hair and make-up.
He spun out of the zombie’s hold, and his gaze swept excitedly over his friends. “Ah! You all look amazing!” he gushed, bouncing on his heels. “Scarlett, so beautiful! Min-ji, just dashing! And Theo, our fierce dragon. Oh, look at you, Sprinkle,” he squealed. “My little baby dragon is looking so cute.”
Theo chuckled as Sprinkle meowed. “She seems very pleased with her outfit.”
He gently petted Sprinkle’s head, sending her purring.
Octavius turned to the other two, and promptly turned right back around at the sight of the fierce expression on Scarlett’s face. Yes, he had a feeling this was how she would react to her costume. But she looked so good!
“Let’s go explore, shall we, Turney?”
Scarlett let out a growling sound behind him.
Turney’s eyes widened. “Uhh…”
He snagged the male’s arm and started dragging him away. “Come, come. Everyone else. Dance, explore, have fun!”
Turney didn’t protest as Octavius pulled him through the crowd, and away from the angry female zombie. They eventually made it to the hallway, where people were already milling about. He supposed most hosts would be overwhelmed with guests trying to meet them, but his friends knew better. Octavius would rather run about having fun, over having long drawn-out conversations with people wanting to ‘catch up’. Unless Octavius had specifically set up a time to meet with someone during his party beforehand, he did not want to talk. No one interfered with his Halloween fun with useless talking and gossip. That was the quickest way to not get an invite next year.
“Nice of you to use me as a way to escape, Octavius.”
Octavius gasped. “Who, me?! Never!” He stared at Turney with wide innocent eyes, knowing full well how fake he just sounded.
Turney snorted. “You aren’t believable at all.”
“That’s not the point. The point is that I got away!” Octavius exclaimed haughtily.
The zombie chuckled. “I have a feeling she is going to pay you back later for making her wear that dress.”
“You…may not be wrong. But you also…may not be right.”
“Mmhmm,” Turney hummed before hesitantly asking, “So, where are we going?”
Octavius smiled. “What an excellent question, my dear petrified lover. There are so many options, hmm.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of…all the horrible, horrifying options.”
He giggled and clung closely to the zombie as he started pulling him down the hallway. “Nonsense. How about we check out a few rooms and then head into the forest. We have time to do that before the show. Not to mention, plenty of time before we are supposed to meet all my cute, adorable fledglings.”
Turney stopped in his tracks, forcing Octavius to pause. He peered at the male, brow raised.
“All of them?” the zombie asked, sounding slightly concerned.
“All of them!” Octavius giggled. “Come on!” He yanked him forward.
The lines were surprisingly short to each room they’d gone in, but Turney supposed there were enough rooms that the crowd could spread out a bit. There being a short line…unfortunately, did not prevent Turney from getting to spend a few minutes hearing the screams of those who had entered before them.
He clung to Octavius’ arm as he pulled them into another room. If he wasn’t mistaken…this was the library. On first entering, it was completely dark. Then balls of light started to float out of the ground the further they walked inside. He jumped as books began to glow and fly off the shelves like they were possessed, or ghosts were moving them. Some flopped open and screams came out. Turney trembled, trying to not run away as they kept going.
Octavius just continued to drag him forward, weaving them around the shelves. Stepping out of a row, Turney’s eyes widened at the sight of three vicious looking dogs with shark-like teeth. Growling, they began to bark, the sound loud and haunting. The creatures themselves glowed an eerie blue color, and were slightly transparent. Holding their leash was an old man. He was in a rage, screaming, words unintelligible. The man’s skin looked as if it was peeling off, like it was made of paper. His body was bony, his limbs looked like they were seconds away from snapping.
When the four suddenly lunged towards them, Turney let out a scream of terror, his body going into full zombie mode as his fear swamped him. He took off, yanking a manically laughing Octavius through the rest of the library as the four horrifying haunts remained on their heels until they made it out of the room.
