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Chapter 3
Rain fell in a steadydrizzle as I stood in the shadows, hovering in the darkness as I watched for any sign of life in Heather’s upstairs window. I heard a few neighbors saying that Tonopah didn’t usually receive this much rain in October.
How lucky for me, the unusually wet weather decided to coincide with my arrival.Insert sarcasm here.
At least the hood on my sweatshirt helped keep my face dry. I skipped wearing my hat and cowboy boots, choosing a pair of black shitkickers and a thick hoodie instead. The temperature had dropped to sixty-five degrees and gotten cool.
My gaze flicked around the neighbors’ homes, noting the absence of movement. The hour had grown late. Midnight. Most of the houses were dark inside. All but one on this street.
Two windows showed lamps turned on behind cream-colored blinds. Neither belonged to Heather.
Why did I watch her house like some stalker? The answer was simple.
She intrigued me. No. It was more than that.
I’d grown obsessed with her wicked sense of humor and compassion. She didn’t treat me like someone to be pitied or poke fun at my stutter. And she didn’t laugh at the way I grew anxious and overblinked.
I almost left when I noticed the front door open, and Heather snuck out, quietly shutting it behind her. She crept across the lawn, heading to the house across the street.
The drizzle abruptly ceased as if the rain spotted her, and couldn’t stand the idea of drenching the beautiful, winged creature creeping through the night. I shook out my hoodie, following close behind Heather, smirking when I saw a blonde wearing a witch costume join her.
Up until this moment, the moon had been heavily shrouded and blocked by thick clouds, but they drifted away, revealing a clear onyx sky heavily populated with crisp, bright stars. The moon’s silvery white surface hung low and full, showing the crater-laden surface.
The light brightened the street when combined with the sporadic porch lights, and I sucked in a breath, catching the raven costume Heather wore. If she was beautiful before, she was a raven goddess now. Wings adorned her back with silken onyx feathers. Black boots hugged each calf and ended below the knee. A black skirt hung low on her narrow waist and resembled a ballerina tutu that stretched slightly lower than her thighs. My gaze swept over her ripped black tank top that exposed most of her flat stomach and back, revealing the ink on her body. Multiple tattoos I wanted to trace with my fingertips until I memorized every inch of space they occupied on her body.
Black Roses. Skulls. A grave with a date and a phrase in bold script tangled in dark vines that didn’t make sense to me.
Not all who breathe live.
What did that mean?
Heather appeared as a dark vigilante in the night, ready to avenge any soul who needed aid—a comic book hero who resembled a villain.
My heart stuttered. I’d never seen anything more stunning in my life.
Curious about where the two girls were headed, I followed at a distance, careful not to betray my presence. I never let my focus stray, ensuring they arrived wherever they went unharmed. I had to hide a chuckle when I heard the loud music thumping from inside the large house we approached and the multiple teens already standing around in costumes on the front lawn.
My raven was a naughty girl. She snuck out to a Halloween party.
I smiled when I realized I was already wearing my costume. I dressed in all black, even my jeans, but it was the Phantom mask I wore, placing it on when I left the shithole I lived in that seemed like the perfect twist of fate. I’d snatched it to help conceal my identity in case someone saw me stalking my favorite wild raven.
And now it provided an easy reason to follow the girls inside.
I barely noticed the massive cobwebs and enormous black spiders covering the front exterior of the house, along with jack-o-lanterns placed on the steps and close to the front door. A strobe light flickered with a rapid frequency as I entered behind Heather and her friend. The room and everyone in it seemed unstable underneath the regular flash.
I moved with stealth and purpose, not pausing to interact with a single soul. We passed through the gyrating bodies dancing in the living room and through a hallway that led to a pair of sliding glass doors. The music thumped my chest with a heavy bass as we joined the group, mingling in the backyard.
Heather spun, facing me as a smile curved her deep red lips. She didn’t seem surprised to see me. “We’re sneaking out and doing bad things. Want to join us?”
The blonde laughed. I couldn’t focus on her. Not when Heather stood in front of me.
Did I respond to her question? I wasn’t sure. Couldn’t think straight, not when she was this close and the scent of cinnamon candy filled the air, lingering on Heather’s breath.
Her hand lifted as her fingertips grazed the side of my jaw, sweeping upward over the pale mask hiding half my face and the black eye I received from Dade.
