The Savage Grace: A Dark Divine Novel(53)

Tricking Talbot into thinking I was going to go hunting with him, and then leaving him in the lurch, felt cruel. But he needed to know that despite his lies and betrayal, I’d gotten Daniel back—and I didn’t need Talbot anymore.

“I need you to realize, Talbot,” I said to him, solemnly, “when it comes down to it, I’ll always choose Daniel.”





Chapter Twenty-two


PARTY ON


SEVERAL HOURS LATER, EVENING

April was all over the needing-to-wear-a-disguise thing. I was starting to wonder if she had a frequent buyers’ reward at the thrift shop/costume closet in Apple Valley. We’d convened at her house to get ready for the trance party, and I watched in awe as she pulled outfit after outfit from her closet.

“Wow, you’re really taking your role as my Alfred seriously,” I said. When April had learned about my quest to become a superhero—a quest I’d all but given up on while trying to find a way to bring Daniel back to me—she’d insisted on becoming the Alfred to my Batman. Which, unfortunately, often involved a BeDazzler.

I seriously wouldn’t be surprised if she’d put “superhero stylist” as one of her qualifications on her Trenton application.

“I design when I’m anxious,” April said. “And I’ve had a lot to be anxious about lately.” She pulled a yellow Day-Glo jumpsuit with a matching cape from the pile. “I put this one together after you got kidnapped by the Shadow Kings.”

Daniel smiled wryly.

It was nice to know April cared so much.

“I even collected a few things for Daniel … you know, just in case he ever turned back into a human.” She picked up what looked like a bundle of black leather. She handed it to Daniel. “Glad you’re back, by the way.” She smiled at him.

“Thanks.” Daniel unrolled the bundle. It turned out to be a long leather trench coat. “This I can handle,” he said.

“Only twenty-five bucks at the thrift store. Can you believe it? Pair that with some black pants and black shirt, and you’re good to go.” She picked up another bundle of clothing and handed it to me. “Grace, on the other hand, needs a little more oomph.”

“These are pleather shorts,” I said, holding up the pair of fake black leather Daisy Dukes.

“You wear them with fishnets.” She handed me the tights and a lacy black cami. “There’s a jacket for you, too.”

“Yeah. But. These. Are. Pleather. Shorts.”

“And. You. Wear. Them. With. Fishnets,” she responded, as if I hadn’t heard her properly the first time. She pushed me toward the bathroom to get changed.

Daniel smiled so wide I thought his face was going to crack.

NEARLY MIDNIGHT

Daniel was oddly quiet as I drove the Corolla—it’d been too cold for the motorcycle, considering my short-shorts—down an old country road that led to Frightmare Farms, just outside of Rose Crest. The boys followed in April’s red hatchback, borrowed as payback for my ridiculous outfit.

Shortly after the “pleather shorts incident,” Daniel became more and more withdrawn as time drew closer to go hunt down Pete at the trance party. He hadn’t even protested April’s insistence that he wear the black mask she’d pilfered from a Zorro costume. The perfect finishing touch for his “Bad A outfit”—as she put it.

I’d figured he must have been bothered that I’d had to turn to Talbot for information, but the way he stared far out the passenger’s-side window made me worry that something deeper was eating at him.

I parked in a field full of cars outside the decrepit “haunted” farmhouse. Possessed-looking scarecrows hung limp from their stands in front of the entrance gate, and part of the roof of the barn that loomed behind the house looked like it could cave in at any given moment.

I knew from experience that a corn maze stretched out for a good five acres beyond the barn. Secluded from town, I could see why Akhs would choose this place for one of their creepy trance parties—and based on the crowds of teens that headed from the parking field to the farm, they’d pulled in a pretty good turnout.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I pulled the keys out of the ignition.

Daniel shrugged.

“I’m sorry you’ve gotten dragged into this mess. And I’m sorry you had to see Talbot.”

“It’s not any of that.” Daniel sighed heavily and pushed his hand through his golden hair. “I’ve been trying not to let it get to me all day. Move on and get the job done, you know. It’s just that … she looked at me like I was a monster.”

“Who?” I hadn’t seen anything like that from April.

“Charity.” He looked down at his finely muscled hands. “After I was cured, before my powers came back—when I was normal for once—there was a time when I thought I’d never have to deal with anyone looking at me like that again. Calling me that. And now, I don’t even know what I am anymore.… Maybe ‘monster’ is all I’ll ever be.”

“Daniel.” I placed my hand on his shoulder. “You are not a monster. And no, you’re not normal anymore. You never have been, really.”

He winced. Being normal was what Daniel had always desired more than anything. Normal meant Trenton, and family, and having a life. But I saw in him a potential to have all of that and so much more.