Page 45 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part One

“Well, it’s true. He’s just so sullen and broody. Like walking angst.”

“He’s just that way around other people because Killian takes all the air out of the room.”

I laughed. “You might be onto something if it wasn’t for the fact that he’s the same when Killian isn’t around. Seriously, is hereallydifferent with you?”

She smiled and blushed again. “Yes.”

“Well, then, it’s decided. Operation Get Kagan Back is underway.”

I realized the color I was seeing in Esme’s cheeks wasn’t blushing. It was excitement.

“Esme, don’t take this the wrong way.”

“Okay.”

“Everybody who participated in what happened to you and your mother should be tormented forever in Hades. But maybe they sensed magic in her and wrongly blamed her. Maybe she was masquerading as human to protect you. I mean, on top of everything you told me, humans don’t have your longevity. You must know that.”

“Yes.”

“And they don’t make magical garments.”

“You think I’m a witch.”

“Not qualified to say or even guess. I don’t know anything about how non-humans assign labels. So far as I’m concerned, you’re my good friend with amazing talent, who looks as good now as she did a long, long, long, long, long time ago.”

She laughed. “I haven’t had a real friend since Roddy.”

“What happened to her?”

“She was human. What do you think?”

I shook my head and sighed. Sometimes people can’t see what’s right in front of them.

“I think you should also invite Kagan to the Vampire Ball. Black tie for gentlemen. Midnight blue for ladies.”

“Back to this?” She grinned.

“Actually, back to work for me. Back to relationship mending for you.”

“I suppose you want me to make you a dress,” Esme said in a bored monotone.

“Well, duh.”

“I’m not making you look better than me this time.”

“Yes, you will. Or I won’t get you an invitation for Kagan.”

“Devil.”

“Witch.”

It didn’t take Medusa long to make a semipermanent escape into the dimension of human subconsciousness. She could come and go as she pleased, but more importantly, she could move seamlessly from one person’s dream to another. The introduction of a physical body into dreamscape didn’t seem to do any damage to humans who were thus victimized, but the dreams left lasting effects.

She was particularly attracted to dreams of running from something terrifying but unseen and unknown, dreams of abandonment in dark places, and dreams of attractive women related to losing their good looks. She could locate scenarios of choice as easily as tuning into a station on a radio dial as each emotion holds a particular tension.

For the first time since she’d been cursed, she felt freedom and pleasure, even though it was perverse.

After a few days of head hopping, she returned to the cell in the Olympian dimension. Not knowing she’d returned, a couple of guards were having a conversation about what would happen to their jobs if she was caught and what would happen to their jobs if she wasn’t caught.