Cate did not want to go to this damn party. Phil was called out of town at the last moment, and she knew no one else there. But he insisted she go, telling her that all of his friends were looking forward to meeting her.
So here she was. Dressed up in her witch costume, on her way to a halloween costume party- where she knew no one.
Phil had called her this morning on his cell phone, breaking the bad news with a quick apology followed by a suggestion to go without him. At first she declined, but by the end of the call her new boyfriend of one week had convinced her to go.
It was a good crowd, friendly and funny, and almost everyone knew who she was before she even introduced herself. Although people exchanged names, she had a hard time remembering everyone by anything else but their costume. There were traditional costumes, mummies, a few witches, the occasional vampire, and a pack of werewolves. It was while she was standing by the bar, sipping her glass of merlot that she came face to face with Death. Literally.
He slipped up behind her and kissed her on the neck. As she tried to turn around to see who in the world had kissed her, a man whispered in a low voice, “That was the kiss of Death.”
She turned then, finding a tall figure, dressed all in black, hooded and masked with every inch of his lean body hidden but his lips and his dark eyes. His black gaze pierced her own, and she trembled as she tried but failed to look away.
Again he whispered to her, his ominous tone echoing in her ears. “Tonight you are mine.”
Phil’s image came to mind and she shook her head and headed for the crowd, losing herself in the throng before Death could catch up to her.
It didn’t matter. Just as she settled beside a display of carved pumpkins on the other side of the room, Death found her and loomed over her, his sultry lips upturned in a sensuous smile. “There’s no escaping me. Whomever Death wants, Death gets.”
“I... I can’t...” It was just a costume. Just a party, she told herself. Relax! “I’m meeting my boyfriend here tonight. Sorry.” She turned away again. But he remained close on her heels. He followed her to the bar, where she got another glass of merlot, downing it in two long gulps. Third glass in hand she continued mingling, doing her best to ignore Death, who remained vigilantly on her heels.
“Look. Go AWAY. I’m not interested.”
“But I am, Cate. Very Interested.” He whispered. His gaze travelled slowly down her body, then up again, resting on her breasts before meeting her eyes again.
Ignoring him, she turned towards the door, intent on leaving. That last exchange frightened her. She felt his eyes on her body as surely as she felt his lips on her neck just over an hour ago. She felt his eyes as if they were his hands, roving over her curves, between her legs, then upward, cupping her breasts. Pinching her nipples. She glanced south with that thought and sure enough, her nipples were protruding proudly through her thin cotton grey dress. She squeezed her thighs together to still the buzz that had started with Death’s attention, and kept walking.
By the time she reached the front door Cate knew she wasn’t alone. As she turned the knob his gloved hand came down on hers. “One kiss.”
She shook her head.
“Just one,” his whisper came near her left ear, his breath tickling her and turning her on at the same time. He bent his head to the soft skin of her neck, just below her ear, and sucked gently, leaving his mark.
“No.” She whispered back. Phil. It was his fault. He stood her up. He made her come here. He.. he....
