Tonight was the harvest moon party. I was supposed to go with Xinyi and Iris. Julian was going to go ahead of me, picking a spot to hide out in the forest near where the party was going to be. Tate had mentioned he had something to do tonight and wasn’t sure if he could make it.
I was disappointed, but the hunter in me knew he would be a distraction I couldn’t afford. Tonight wasn’t about having fun, it was about finding out who left that threatening note in my room.
Xinyi asked me to meet her in the lobby of the Vampire’s Crypt. I hadn’t been back here since I moved out of the room I shared with Tate. It felt strange to be back here without him.
“Ready?” Xinyi turned to me with a big grin, then wrinkled her nose at my jeans and sweater combo. “Really? You couldn’t have worn something... sexier?”
“For who?” I looked over her skimpy sequenced dress and was suddenly glad I picked the jeans so I could hide my .22 at my lower back. “Kyren isn’t here, and Tate said he was busy. Unlike you, I won’t have anyone to keep me warm tonight.”
I jerked my head toward where Iris stood in a backless halter top and skintight leather pants. As a vampire, she didn’t have to worry about the weather.
“I suppose I can’t fault you for that.” Xinyi sighed. “Alright, then,” she looped her arm through mine and Iris’s, “let’s go get wasted!”
Iris and I exchanged an amused look over Xinyi’s head as we let the smaller woman lead us out of the building and toward the woods.
We weren’t the only ones headed that way. There were dozens of students of all different species riled up and ready to party. I supposed my parents were getting one thing they wanted. Me to have the college experience and getting drunk in the woods after a long week of classes was definitely a rite of passage.
When Xinyi wasn’t looking, I slipped the comm piece into my ear. A discrete little device that only let the listener hear what was being said, no matter the strength of a supernatural’s hearing. Julian refused to let me go into the party without me wearing one.
I thought it was just because he wanted to remind me of his presence in case Tate or Kyren showed up.
I wasn’t sure how I felt about this new, jealous Julian. I almost preferred the usual, where I antagonized him and he told me I was acting like a child. Now, it was almost normal. Almost the way it used to be a year ago.
“Durand?” Julian’s voice crackled in my ear. “Are you on your way?”
I peered up at the sky. “Look at that moon. I’m so glad we got out of class to see it.”
“I’m going to take that as a yes,” Julian responded.
Xinyi stared up at the sky. “It looks like any other moon. Just more... orange.”
“I once saw a moon that was a red as blood.” Iris drew Xinyi to her side. “They say many died that night.”
“There are dozens of students pouring through the tree,” Julian said. “I can’t really make out much of who is who. You’ll have to direct me once you find our target.”
I paused for a moment to think of a way to respond without giving it away to Iris and Xinyi. “I’ve never been to a witch’s party before. Is it much different than the other ones?”
“Oh, yeah.” Xinyi giggled. “The witches, they like to show off. And a party is just the place to do it. Don’t be surprised if you see light shows and even sometimes...” She lowered her voice as she leaned near me. “They’ll turn some of the more handsy guys into jackasses.”
I frowned. “You mean literal jackasses?”
Julian snorted in my ear.
“Oh, yeah,” Xinyi continued. “It was a huge drama last year. They almost always turn them back by time the sun comes up, but one time, they forgot I guess, and there he was just running through the hallways. It took several people to catch him and, let me tell you, the cleanup was not pretty.” Her nose wrinkled in disgust.
I chuckled politely. I couldn’t imagine being turned into an animal against my will. It seemed scary.
A crow cawed nearby.
My head turned toward the sound. I glared at it, willing it to go away.
The crow cawed once more before spreading its wings and flying away from us. Good. I didn’t need my dad babysitting me while I did my job. Who knew what I might have to do? It might be something a father shouldn’t have to see his daughter doing.
“So,” I cleared my throat as we came up on the sounds of music and laughter, “the witches are separated by covens, right?”
Xinyi nodded. “Yeah, but I’ve never been very good at keeping them all straight. They even have their own little sigils, you know? Kind of like your family.”
“Oh. Interesting.”
