She laughs. "I know you too well… with your knife?"
I gulp down some coffee and wink at her.
"Holy shit!" Her laughter spreads throughout the whole house. "You’ll never see him again."
I raise my shoulder and stand up with the mug perched between my lips.
"Oh, you have another gift at the door. After the last one, I’m steering clear of your shit for good."
Each step toward the front door feels heavier than the last. "The maze is finished." I tell Zilla. My fingers twitch as theyreach for the handle. Placed on the ‘trick or treat’ doormat, the elegant black box is bigger than the last one. The wind slowly touching its ebony ribbon.
Shaking hands grip the edges of the box and walking with it turns an ordinary stroll into a balancing act. It is heavy. My shoulders pull slightly forward to counter the weight. Too afraid to shift my body too fast. I put it on the kitchen table. I hesitate at the edges now, tracing the flaps but not quite gripping them. The box sits in front of me—silent—but my mind twists the curiosity into horrors. My fingers find the soft, satiny ribbon, its texture smooth against my skin. I give it a gentle tug, watching as the bow unravels with an elegant ease—first one loop slipping free, then the other. The black ribbon releases its grip, cascading onto the table. The lid of the box now sits unfastened, waiting. I lift it slowly, the faint whisper of cardboard shifting fills my ears. I look inside—layers of raven-shade tissue rustling softly as I push them aside.
"Any body parts?" Zilla enters into the kitchen with her hand covering her mouth.
"It’s a jar…" I lift the big glass container into the air. It doesn’t quite match the other ones, but it is bigger, the vintage design making it exceptional. And I know exactly who sent it. He is playing.
CHAPTER 9
Catching sight of her walking into the street at midnight, with that very blade she had once carved with into my neck, makes me smile. Wearing nothing but a silky black nightgown. This curious dance of hunger and pleasure ignited a playful spark within me. I like to play and she is set to slay whatever is in front of her. I long for her, a craving that can’t be ignored. I’ll be her toy while she’s my prey. Her game with my rules.
To keep my distance from her will make my insides rot. She transformed into all I wish to observe. Everything I want to taste. I want her fingers to dig into my skin. The tattoo machine’s needles can’t appease my thirst. I let out the smoke held for too long inside my lungs and look at the teeth marks now inked into my skin. Stalking her starts to be boring. I want her. I want her to beg for me.
"What happened with your neck?" Colette’s voice is louder than the machines buzz. Her navy eyes elevate to mine asshe takes a moment from her tattooing. Cleaning the blend of blood and ink from my skin with a white paper towel.
"Women…"
She bursts out laughing, displaying her fangs decorated with silver rings and I can’t help but question how she can feed with piercings inside her teeth. She adjusts her pink medical gloves on her fingers and reengages in tattooing me.
"I heard the maze is finished. We can all go tonight."
CHAPTER 10
The fog curls through the maze like a living thing, weaving between towering stalk of dried corn that sway gently in the damp air. The corn maze hums with excitement under the glow of flickering lanterns. Scattered along the winding trails are skeletons half-buried in the ground, shouting at you as you stroll by them. Somewhere in the distance, a haunted soundtrack plays, an uneasy mix of laughter and distant howls.
The dirt path winds ahead, flanked by towering walls of golden corn that rustles softly in the wind. My each step crunches against the earth, the occasional dry husk brushing against my arm as I navigate the twists and turns. Zilla stayed to drink her favorite apple punch and talk to the owner. I can hear motor bikes halting not far away, so I quicken my pace. I don’t want to be alone in the maze with vampires at play.
I glance over my shoulder. Just rows and rows of endless corn and then I hear it—just a faint rustle behind me, barely noticeable over the breeze weaving through the towering stalks. I am sure it’s just the maze shifting around me. But now, another sound—a footstep, distinct,deliberate. I move faster. My black boots sinking into the damp soil. Turning a corner, the corn walls press in, narrowing my world to winding dirt paths and stalks that sway like silent watchers. Another turn, another twist, and yet the footsteps don’t fade. A shadow flickers at the edge of my vision, disappearing between the stalks. I take out my knife, and a cold palm presses against my mouth, pulling me between the corn plants. He holds me close to his chest.
"Shh!"
His breath brushes the tip of my ear, and I observe the tattoos adorning his arm. The smoke billowing from his lungs is shrouding my view. Two men walk by, wearing masks.
"I saw her entering the maze, she can’t be far."
He removes the strain from my lips and turns my entire body around as soon as the men walk away. I immediately look up at him.
"Why is everyone hunting you, nightshade?" The smoke unfurls slowly, curling like wisps of ghostly silk as it leaves his lips. His breath moves through it, shaping the tendrils into swirling patterns. And then is when I see his face clearly. His eyes are locked on mine, scanning, observing. There’s weight in the look, as if he is piecing together a story, trying to understand something unspoken. Maybe there’s curiosity in the way his brow shifts, but still something quiet, unreadable.
"Fuck you and your sick games! Why are you here?"
"Where would you like me to be?" He lifts the corner of his mouth before showing off his white teeth. His sharp fangs.
"Inside a coffin."
The crickets start to chirp their haunting melody. I won’t opt for the course to exit the maze, so I brush away the extended leaves with my hands to forge a path between them. I peek over my shoulder, searching for any sign of him. But the darkness has swallowed him whole, leaving only silence. Good. He left... I am fumbling for my phone in my bag and suddenly I bump into him. I jerk back, startled.
"Why is everyone hunting you, nightshade?"
