Page 63 of Hallow Hill at Halloween: Part One

She let drop the piece of midnight-blue silk she’d been forming into some kind of Elizabethan collar. It looked like she had something else to say, but I got there first.

“Who’s this for?” I pointed to the silk. “Is this for the ball? Wait a minute, you can’t do clothes for other people.”

Esme threw out an ugly and insincere laugh. “Of course, I can. What’s stopping me?”

“Well… Nothing.”

“Right.”

“So, you’re still mad even though I don’t know how to recognize a werewolf when I see one and am expecting an extra-long life?”

“I would sound unreasonable if I said yes.”

“Right.” I rubbed my hands together. “So, we’re good?”

She walked over to one of the tall, built-in armoires, pulled open a cabinet door and withdrew the dress that was to bemydress.

I couldn’t wait to let her unzip the cover. As eager as a child at Christmas, I ran over and reached for the bag, but she pulled it away.

“First, tell me why you look so tired,” she said.

“Tired?” My eager hand dropped. “Just a couple of bad nights. Fitful dreams. You know.”

“About what?”

“What difference does it make?”

“For most humans most of the time, it doesn’t. In your case, it might. Make a difference, that is.”

“Being trapped in darkness. Not being able to get out. And there may’ve been snakes.”

She drew air in through her front teeth so that it made an unwelcome hissing sound. “Either you’ve pissed somebody off or you’ve been a very bad girl.” I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a palm to stop me. “We can safely eliminate the second possibility. I don’t think you know how to be averybad girl.”

Couldn’t argue with that. She was probably right. I wouldn’t be the one who brings the party to girls’ night out.

“Yeah. I could use a good night’s sleep.”

“I could give you something, but it might keep you trapped in a dream you want out of.”

“Uh. No.”

“Agree. The cure might be worse than the malady.”

“Still, we need to monitor this.”

I saluted and reached for the bag. That time Esme handed it over. After unzipping, I pulled the front open.

My first thought was that Esme was a genius. The dress was the midnight blue that first came to mind when I heard John David say it. And the fact that she chose to use velvet? Brilliant! It was deep and rich in the way that only velvet can do, and it moved like a sexy, second skin.

“Velvet?” I said sounding amazed.

“Silk velvet,” she corrected. “Impossible for humans to work with, but it’s not a problem for me. Of course.”

“I see that. I’d give you a reference, but that would take your attention away from me.” I heard her laugh softly as she pulled the dress completely free of its bag. “Look at the way it kinda reflects light depending on the viewing angle.”

“Hmm. Pretty,” she said.

“What are you wearing?”