The Lion's Den(36)

At the gate, a girl dressed in black with a clipboard and headset stood sentry. “Dylan Ross,” Dylan said. “Plus three.”

The girl checked his name off, then ushered us through a gate made of flowers. “Welcome to Fairyland.”

We threaded our way through an enchanted garden lit with twinkling lights and huge animatronic flowers, past a fairy in a swing and nymphs splashing in a fountain that changed colors with the beat of the otherworldly music. Under a rose-covered canopy, a sprite handed us each some kind of glowing purple drink decorated with orchid blooms and tapped our heads with a wand before opening a door in an oversize glimmering tree trunk.

The tree door opened onto the main lawn, where a couple hundred pixies, fairies, and sprites swilled champagne and danced to throbbing house music. China balls made to look like flowers swung from strands of flickering colored lights, fairies in body paint grooved on glowing mushrooms the size of cars, and naked women performed some kind of synchronized swimming in the pool. A number of tents made of patterned and textured fabrics dotted the lawn, each with a different theme.

I stared in wonder at the spectacle. “This is incredible.”

“Wish I’d worn my Tinker Bell costume,” Summer added.

“Sorry,” Dylan said. “Didn’t know it was a costume party. At least you’re not in a suit.”

Eric set his empty glass on a passing waiter’s tray and squatted down next to a rosebush, looking up at me with the first smile I’d seen since we left the roof. “Osiria roses.”

“They’re beautiful,” Summer said, leaning between us to smell the blooms.

“White on the inside with colored tips,” he explained. “Very rare.” He shifted his gaze back to me. “I grow red ones on the roof, but I’ve never seen purple.”

Straightening up, Summer looked from him to me with a flicker of a frown, then took his hand. “Shall we explore?”

“I wanna hit the smoking lounge,” Eric said. “I forgot my weed.” Again he looked at me. “Anyone wanna come?”

“I’m gonna try to find our host,” Dylan said.

I jumped at the opportunity to escape Eric and Summer. “I’ll come with you. I wanna check the place out.”

As soon as we were out of earshot, Dylan turned to me. “Sorry about my brother. He kinda has a chip on his shoulder about our dad.”

“You don’t say.”

“I try to stay out of it, but he’s pissed at me because I just started working for him. Thinks I sold out.”

“Ah. Did you?”

“Yes.” He thought for a minute. “I just don’t have the same need for the world to be a perfect place that Eric does. I’m more of a pragmatist.”

“And he’s an idealist.”

“Yeah.”

“Belle!” A high voice cut through the noise of the party, and fingernails lightly scratched my arm.

I turned to see Wendy in full iridescent fairy regalia, her dark skin shimmering with purple glitter. So this must be the party she’d mentioned her old boss was throwing. “Hey!” she exclaimed. “I thought you were going to that art show with Summer.”

“It’s over,” I said.

“Hi. I’m Wendy.” She extended her hand to Dylan. “Who are you?”

He took her hand with a smile. “Dylan.”

“Just when I thought I knew everyone in LA…”

“I’m only in for the night. My brother’s with a friend of hers,” Dylan explained.

“Summer,” I clarified.

She looked confused for a minute, then widened her eyes in recognition. “Ooooh. You’re the brother that’s in town for the night.”

Dylan laughed. “Yep, that’s me.”

“Welcome. Come dance,” she said. “The DJ’s amazing.”

“So is your outfit,” I complimented her. “You’re, like, glowing.”

“Literally—watch…” She pressed what must have been a switch hidden in her bodice, and her entire outfit lit up with twinkling violet lights. I finished my drink as the three of us threaded our way through the crowd toward the dance floor. “He’s hot,” Wendy whispered in my ear. “I figured he’d be a troll. Now I’m pissed I couldn’t be his date. Get it, girl.”

I laughed and swatted at her as Dylan took my hand and led me onto the pulsating dance floor. Interlocking tiles glowed, emitting colored ripples with every step as the DJ controlled the flow, bringing it up and down deftly while he seamlessly combined songs. The beat was infectious, and before long Dylan and I were moving in sync, dancing like we were part of the music, our bodies an expression of every nuance in the rhythm. Wendy gave me a wink and a thumbs-up over Dylan’s shoulder before we lost sight of her.

We danced under the stars until our brows glistened, then hit the bar for another drink before making our way through the crowd, past the pool, and under a tunnel of twinkling lights, emerging at the edge of the lawn, where a series of fountains were lit different colors. A few people were doing key bumps of cocaine around one of the fountains; perched on another was a couple making out. Upon closer inspection, we could see the couple was Summer and Eric.

Dylan took my hand and pulled me toward a path lit with glowing purple tulips that led into what appeared to be a manicured garden forest. A sign nailed to a tree read ENCHANTED FOREST, ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. We started down a trail that followed a gurgling brook I suspected was man-made. Tiny lights gleamed in the branches of the trees; the sweet smell of jasmine hung in the air.