Page 14 of Scaredy Cat

Stacey

" H ow's it been going with your demon daddy?" Mia snickered as she plucked an ice cube out of her cup and started to chew on it.

It had been a year since I showed up late to Mia's Halloween party with Zach in tow, and they still teased me about it every chance they got.

" Please stop calling him that," I begged.

"Never!" Jenna exclaimed, taking a sip of her own drink and shaking her hips suggestively to the music playing in the background.

"When you introduce a new man to us looking like that, you gotta deal with the consequences and the kink names—I mean, knick names.

" I rolled my eyes at her before she continued, "You were glowing, girl.

I've never witnessed someone look so properly fucked before.

We all just about died when you guys walked in.

And the fake blood? Ugh, it was such a nice touch.

You both looked like little serial killers. "

I laughed, feeling my cheeks flush. "I wouldn't necessarily refer to Zach as little. I mean, he's—"

"Fine as hell," Mia interrupted, winking. "Yeah, we know. We have eyes, remember?"

"And lucky for you, he only had eyes for you," Jenna added, raising her glass in a mock toast.

I smiled, thinking back to that night. It had been traumatizing and overwhelming, and I had no idea it would lead to this—me, standing in his mansion, hosting the annual Halloween party.

And Matt… Well, there wasn't a body left to take care of after the flames. The police chalked it up to him being a runaway since someone had called in some bad things they’d found on his computer and my friends reassured me it was all for the best because now I had Zach.

But just the knowing of what we'd done to get to this point…

The thought sent a wave of nausea to my stomach, and I adjusted my cat ears, suddenly self-conscious.

"Hey, are you okay?" Mia asked, concerned. My gaze tried to focus on the shiny plastic badge of her sexy officer costume and bring myself back to the conversation. "You looked like you spaced out for a second."

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured them, shaking off the sudden wave of emotion. "Just thinking about last year. A lot has happened since then."

"That's an understatement," Jenna said, nudging me playfully as she adjusted the stethoscope around her neck. It was pink, just like her nurse attire. Above us the candles suspended in the chandeliers flickered.

Deep breath. Focus.

"You moved in with the guy! We still can't believe you kept that from us," Mia grinned.

I bit my lip. They had no idea about the real reason I moved in with Zach—the soul-deep connection that drew us together.

They only knew the surface-level story, the one that made them tease me endlessly about falling for Zach so hard and so fast. Which was more than my parents understood.

I think they were just happy to see me move out of their house so they could sell it and officially move overseas where they could travel full-time.

I tried to find out more about my past during that conversation and they just said they only know I was found in the woods by a hiker one morning and brought in to be adopted.

I guess I’ll never know who my real family is, but at least I have Zach.

"Well, what can I say?" I shrugged. "When you know, you know."

They both groaned, rolling their eyes.

"Ugh, you're impossible," Mia joked. "Fine, we'll stop teasing."

I laughed, feeling grateful for their love and support, even if they didn't know the whole truth about his past and my magic.

While they started talking about their plans for Thanksgiving, I took a moment to appreciate the decorations that were suspended on the high ceilings—ghosts and giant cobwebs and dozens of black and orange drapes encased the room.

My magic made set-up a breeze and it had only taken ten minutes to accomplish what would have taken all day for a professional event coordinator to do.

I tried not to use it all the time, but it was difficult now that I had grown comfortable using it, thanks to Zach.

I loved the feeling of power that lived in my veins and if I were a better person, I guess I would feel worse about sacrificing Matt to keep them that night.

But, I wasn’t.

I would happily take the lives of more people to keep it, too.

This room was the very room we'd consummated our little deal and now it was filled with laughter and music. At least there haven't been any other casualties since then. Well, none that I know about.

I brought my gaze back down to the crowd in front of me and spotted him across the room, his tall, dark figure cutting an unmistakable silhouette.

He was dressed all in black like me again, his broad frame filling out the sleek dress pants and button down shirt, and that red skull mask—the one from last year—covering his face.

My heart skipped a beat; Zach always knew how to make an entrance.

As he made his way toward us, I felt my friends' curious gazes. They knew who he was, of course, but seeing him in that moment—so confident and mysterious—I could practically hear their own hearts beating out of their chests.

Zach reached our little circle, his mask hiding any expression but his eyes—still bright even without their demonic glow—gave me a heated stare that made my pulse pick up. Silently, he handed me a drink, his fingers brushing mine.

"I see you're still embracing the whole 'dominate the world' aesthetic." I drawled in a low voice only he could hear, my tone laced with the sarcasm he loved. He pinched my backside in response and I coughed to cover up the squeal that came with that surprise.

"Ladies," his deep voice rumbled as he addressed my friends. Jenna and Mia had been awe-struck by him all year, and it seems that the novelty of my dark beau hadn’t worn off yet.

"Hey, Zach," Jenna said, her voice a pitch higher than usual as she tried to appear unbothered, but I'd known her for years.

"Looking good as always," Mia added. "Did you not have time to find some new costumes for this year?"

Zach's eyes flashed to me for a brief moment, and it was like a secret, knowing we had worn them on purpose. This was our new tradition. "Something like that," he replied smoothly, his attention already shifting back to them.

"I guess it worked out good enough last year, seeing as how you got our Stacey to finally knock one out of the park." Jenna chuckled.

Mia shoved an elbow at Jenna, her eyes wide. "Jesus, Jen."

Jenna's comment caused my face to flame with embarrassment. That night had been insane, a turning point in my life, but it wasn't something I wanted to rehash in detail with my friends. So much of it had to be left out to protect our supernatural identities.

Thankfully, Zach jumped in, sparing me from having to respond.

"Well, some things are worth repeating." Zach's voice was steady, but his eyes, searching for mine behind the skull mask, told me he understood my discomfort.

I nodded, grateful for his intervention. "Yeah, some things are."

Mia and Jenna exchanged a look, and I knew they wanted to dig deeper but instead they changed the subject.

"Speaking of repeating things, we still haven't decided on our next girls' trip. I think you've been playing house long enough." Jenna took a sip of her drink, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Remember, Stacey, the last one we went on?"

I cringed, remembering our crazy weekend in Vegas. "How could I forget? That was the worst hangover of my life."

"We should plan something soon. Maybe a beach vacation this time," Mia suggested, her eyes lighting up at the idea.

As we dove into the details of our potential getaway, I felt Zach's eyes on me.

I glanced up, catching his gaze, and he pulled the mask up slightly to smile at me before pulling it back down.

It was a private moment in the middle of the party, and my heart flipped in my chest. A year ago, I never would've imagined I'd be here, planning girls' trips with my best friends while Zach—my demon—stood by my side.

The night wore on, and the party thumped around us.

I talked with friends, danced to the music, and laughed until my cheeks hurt.

But through it all, I felt Zach's presence, solid and unwavering.

Like he was hunting me again. Every so often, our eyes would meet across the room, and a current would pass between us—an invisible thread that connected us, even in the crowd.

I guess that’s what happens when someone takes your soul and vows to spend their lifetime with you.

Later, as I took a moment to myself, Zach found me on the balcony, leaning against the railing as I looked up at the black sky. He approached quietly and slipped his arms around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.

"Is it a good party?" His warm breath tickled my ear through his mask.

I smiled, leaning back into his embrace. "The best."

“I can’t take my eyes off you. It’s a good thing I’m wearing the mask.”

The feel of his body against mine sent a jolt of want through me, and I arched my back slightly, pressing against him. Zach groaned, his hands sliding down to cup my hips. "You're being a bad kitty again," he whispered, his voice rough.

I turned my head, my lips finding his neck alongside the mask. "Am I?" I teased, my voice dropping to a husky whisper.

His hands moved boldly under my skirt, his touch sending shivers up my spine. "Stace, you're not wearing any—" His words trailed off as his fingers curled around something unexpected. His eyes widened, and a low growl escaped his throat. "You little minx. When did you—?"

I had been waiting for this moment all night, anticipating his reaction. I bit my lip, hiding a smile as I felt his curiosity and desire battle it out.

"Answer me," he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.