Margie’s the official pumpkin carving competition judge. Everyone entering has to display their entry in their yard for her to inspect. I peer over to see her score us as a three which is pretty generous, considering how bad Sabs’s pumpkin came out.
It’s odd to see Margie away from her station. Candy bulges out of her bat-patterned harem pockets as she hands treats to students as they pass. She’s been giving us a sugar fix every time we go through the gates all week. I politely decline her most recent offering, but Faye happily takes a handful for later.
“Be safe now!” Margie calls after us. “Travel in groups, and stick together, okay? You never know what monsters you’ll run into.”
“The only monsters we’re running into are the Blandon Pack,” Delilah mutters sarcastically.
“Be nice.” Faye nudges her in the ribs. “We’re supporting Kady, remember?”
“Hey, look!” Sabs pouts, pointing at a professionally carved pumpkin with a cat design on it. “That’s what I tried to do before mine caved in.”
“At least you’re good at volleyball. You can’t excel at everything,” I mutter.
We walk past one pumpkin that looks like it threw up, another that’s five pumpkins stacked on top of each other to create a towering child-sized Frankenstein abomination. Based on what we’ve displayed on our front porch, I don’t think we’ll be winning.
“Rook!” Faye greets the security guard alpha filling in for Margie at the gate. “Thanks for working tonight so Damon could come to the party.”
Knowing Damon, he would’ve used work to try to avoid going to the party.
“No probs!” Rook grins. He looks like a pirate with his thick black beard and skull and cross bones bandana around his head. “Remember to send me a pic of the pussycat in his costume. I’ll put it up in the security office.”
“Perfect!” Faye beams, oblivious to Rook’s mischievous smile.
“Is he single?” Sabs checks out Rook’s bulging biceps as we pass. “He’s hot.”
I roll my eyes. “Are knots all you think about?”
“It’s been a while, okay?” Sabs lifts up a shoulder. “Not all of us have had amazing hookups recently. I keep telling you that I need a break from these suppressants soon. My body needs it. I just didn’t think it’d be so damn hard to find an alpha.”
I shoot her a wicked grin. “I’ll share the Blandon Pack with you.”
Sabs shudders. “I’d rather go through heat alone for the rest of my life than let any of them near my vagina.”
We join the throng of students heading into central campus, the paths lined with hundreds of lit pumpkins. White sheets hang from tree branches, swaying in the breeze like ghosts next to huge fake spiders. Lights have been placed at the bases of trees, aiming up to illuminate the trunks in purple and orange. Some of the buildings have rooms with the lights left on inside, cardboard silhouettes of monsters and skeletons peering through the glass, making us feel like we’re being watched.
Faye gasps, looking around at all the decorations. “This is amazing.”
I forgot that this is her first Halloween at SVU. I can remember feeling the same awe last year. This time, though, I’m only filled with increasing dread the closer we get to Club Knotty.
My phone buzzes, dread washing over me when I see who it is.
TYLER
Look forward to seeing you.
ME
You don’t have to be nice.
Music booms from inside the club, and the line wraps around the building. As usual, Sabs beckons us to the VIP line, which is only four people deep.
“Is Drax not around?” Sabs questions the bored-looking security guard on the door. I detect a hint of disappointment in her tone. Maybe she’s starting to have second thoughts about being “just friends” with her hunky, beta childhood friend who, from what I’ve seen, appears to be crazy about her.
The guard doesn’t look up from his clipboard. “He’s away.” Without any further explanation of Drax’s whereabouts, he waves us through.
Inside, gray smoke swirls around our ankles. All the tabletops have been replaced with mini coffin lids, and the walls are covered in tombstone-shaped neon lights, making it seem like a graveyard rave.
“Photo time!” Before I can argue, Sabs drags us over to what looks to be a crypt at the side of the room, which is actually a photo booth. After making a few silly poses and being blinded by the flash, we pile out with Sabs promising to send us all copies later.
