Ghost (The Halloween Boys #1) (96)
I kissed him passionately, tasting honey,. though that wasn’t the only thing on my the tip of my tongue in that moment. I’d never felt the urge to say it, but I’d never been so close to anyone in my life. However, to tell him I loved him . . . it might have been too much for him in that moment. So, I only said, “I need tiny chocolates.”
The corners of his mouth lifted. “And the tiny chocolates you shall have, Little Ghost.”
We met up with the guys in the town square, thinking we’d trick-or-treat downtown around the shops and then head to a neighborhood. Fog drifted like a cloud along the cobblestone streets, and flame flickered in the old lanterns. Raven cawed and soared above me, saying hello. When I saw them walking toward us, my breath froze in my chest. Wolfgang’s massive size was dressed all in black, his thick biceps straining against his black shirt. He stalked next to Onyx, who looked like a fallen angel, his inky hair brushed back, emerald eyes glowing lightly. I wondered if it was a dragon trick, and curiosity tingled in me as I wondered what he was looking for, or why they glowed this night. But it was their faces that made my heart stop: white, black accents of paint, shaded outlines of teeth and bone. Skeleton men.
Or rather, we all were painted the same.
“Looks like we added a girl to The Halloween Boys,” Wolfgang said when he reached us. “You look nice.” He wrapped around me in an embrace, lifting me off the ground and squeezing until I was kicking my legs and giggling.
Ames only crossed his arms and lifted a brow at his touchy-feely friend.
Onyx glanced a moment too long at my mini skirt before reaching my gaze. Something flickered there, behind the glow, but I wasn’t sure what it was. His voice was coated in his usual, irreverent tone. “Or we’re a Kiss cover band.”
The guys chuckled as we made our way through the town streets. A black cat darted in front of us, chasing a mouse and scurrying away. Children in various costumes giggled as they visited each shop. The air had that very specific Halloween smell—like sugar, and plastic, and musty leaves, and fire. It was the best scent in the world. I felt like an idiot holding my jack-o’-lantern. The guys had pillowcases, which looked much cooler. Trick or Treat! they boomed, shoving at each other and chuckling. Glee flooded me at how not embarrassed they were. Shop owner after shop owner, little old ladies, and rough-looking farmer men all smiled with fondness as they filled our containers with handfuls of candy. I wondered which were truly old people and which were stuck people, like Mr. Moore, the ones who couldn’t move forward, couldn’t die. The guys knew them all by name and took the time to inquire about their lives. Wolfgang asked if Miss Edith had any lightbulbs that needed changing, to which she agreed she did, and he and Ames disappeared inside her flower shop. I stayed behind, breathing in the cool night air, and dug through my pail for the treat of my choosing. Onyx stood next to me, tall, with his typical mischievous air. “Hey, so,” he started, a hint of nervousness in his tone. “I noticed you have a vintage band T-shirt collection.”
I found the caramels I wanted and ripped open the package with my teeth. “Yes, I do. I try to find them in thrift shops at every place I travel through.”
He scratched his stubbled chin before reaching into the back pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a rolled-up bundle of fabric. “I thought you’d like to have this one.”
I tossed back a palmful of chewy caramel and shook out the shirt. “Are you kidding me? This is from nineteen sixty-five. You’re a Deadhead?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a tour shirt from when they first got together. Not many of them out there. They played Hallows one year. I met them, nice guys.”
My mouth dropped. “Wait, The Grateful Dead played Hallows Fest? Are they immortal, too?”
“They’re artists, which is like being immortal, isn’t it? I guess Ash Grove let them in as a treat. Sort of like it let in you.”
My face flushed and something warm swirled in my middle. “You . . . Are you sure you want to give me this? It probably belongs in a rock and roll museum or something. You could sell it for a fortune.”
He shrugged. “Money’s boring. It’s more fun to make someone smile. Do you like it?”
“Like it? I freaking love it.” I dropped my bucket on the ground and launched myself into his arms for a hug. He chuckled, and I felt his fingers lightly rub my long hair. His jaw grazed the side of my head in a nuzzle.
Someone cleared their throat, and Onyx slowly loosened his grip. For some reason, a flash of shame shot through me when I met Ames’s stare. Wolf looked to be holding back what he wanted to say.
“Um, look,” I said, holding up the shirt. “Onyx gave me his Grateful Dead shirt to add to my collection. I was just thanking him.”
“Damn, their show was fucking good, wasn’t it, dude?” Wolf said, instantly lightening the mood.
While they chatted, I slipped off my trench coat and pulled the roomy shirt over my head, letting it hang to my hips. It almost covered my mini skirt and made it look like I was only wearing a shirt and fishnets, but I didn’t care. It was the most thoughtful gift I’d ever received.
Out of the corner of my eye, I tried not to notice Onyx watching me, a beautiful smile pulling at the corner of his mouth as he watched me put my coat back on. Ames appeared then, blocking his friend from view and wrapping a possessive arm around my shoulder. He gave my outfit update a quick, disapproving glance.