It was bright and early as the sun peaked through the tiny slits in the blinds that covered the window, alerting me to rise from the bed. It was not like my eyes were shut for more than a few hours without seeing that man sipping from a teacup in the dark room. At least now, I was used to being an insomniac.

I concealed what I could of the heavy darkness under my eyes and started packing a light bag of the necessities I would need for the day. It was nothing more than my work clothes to change into later and my purse to purchase whatever Halloween outfit I may find.

This was my first out-of-town trip, and I was bound to be gone all day. I glanced around at my surroundings, ensuring I did not forget anything, and exited the front door as the phone in my back pocket buzzed. Zane. I forgot to tell him.

We need to start on this project.   

He was right, but this weekend was not the right time.

Not today.

He answered quickly.

Why not?

Why do I have to tell him everything? Of course, I wanted him not to bother me while I was gone, so...

I'm heading to town with my friends to shop for the Halloween dance. You promised you wouldn't text me if I told you I was leaving town. The phone is fully charged but I have to work tonight, so if my phone dies, I'm sorry. I will text you tomorrow.

Now all I had to do was wait.

Okay.

That was it? No argument? I was not going to question him. I slipped the phone back into the pocket of my jeans and headed to the coffee shop.

My body seemed to warm itself easier, even when the cool breeze tried to pierce me. Everything seemed a little easier today. I only hoped it would stay that way.

The familiar bell chimed as I walked into Up All Night Coffee. The smell of warm coffee beans drifted into my nostrils, awakening my senses. With my eyes wide open, I searched the small cafe and saw my friends sitting at a couple of tables that had been pushed together.  

Kathryn waved me over.

"Here," she said, handing me a steaming cup of coffee. I took one sip and let the hot hazelnut liquid set fire to my body. It was just what I needed on a cold day. The right amount of almond creamer and a spoonful of sugar to mask the bitterness of the coffee beans. Kathryn knew my order.

"You know how I take my coffee?" 

"I've worked with you for almost six months. Just because we didn't speak didn't mean I wasn't observant." 

I smiled at her as I took another warm sip. Another reason why I should have never been a hermit. I had already missed out on almost two years of these amazing friendships.

"Whose car are we taking?" Travis asked, "My truck won't fit everybody."

"We can take Elfred's jeep," Ella said. "It will probably be the most comfortable for a two-hour trip."

"Fine by me," Elfred said.

"Five bucks says we wouldn't fit in Travis's truck because of all the fast-food trash," Ella said, poking fun at Travis. Travis rolled his eyes at her comment but continued to chug his drink.

"I don't know," said Kathryn. "Last time I was in it, it was pretty clean."

"Wanna bet?" asked Ella with her hand already extended. Her eyes were eager to take on any challenge.

"Bet," Kathryn said, shaking Ella's hand. I guess most immortals could not refuse a risky gamble.

We finished our drinks, tossing them into the trash on the way to the parking lot toward Elfred's jeep. 

"Wait," Ella said, stopping everyone in their tracks. "Travis, do us the honors."

Travis walked over to a substantial grey truck parked several spots down from the jeep and opened the passenger side door. The waterfall of trash spilled out onto the pavement. 

"Bro, shut the door before you flood the parking lot with your food garbage!" Elfred yelled.

"I'm surprised you threw your drink into the trash can on the way out!" Ella laughed.

"I was just in your truck two days ago," Kathryn yelled. "How could you already get it this bad again?" Ella turned to Kathryn, holding out her hand.

"Pay up, Siren." Without protesting, Kathryn reached into her pocket and pulled out five dollars slapping the bill into Ella's hand.

"You're going to buy me something at the store," Kathryn grumbled as Travis rejoined us, hopping into the backseat with Kathryn and Ella. 

"Fine," Travis huffed.

As I sat down, Elfred leaned over and buckled my seatbelt. Though the gesture was sweet, I couldn't stop thinking about the many others that the flirtatious fairy had buckled up in this seat. I knew it wasn't just me.

"Thanks."

"First time out of town, right?" he asked.

"Yup."

"I think you'll enjoy it," he said with a wink. "Any request?"

"Pop."

"Rock."

"Rap."

"Country."

"EDM."

The shouts kept coming from different directions. I wasn't sure who was requesting what, and I don't think they even cared what they listened to. It was more about annoying Elfred. 

"Never mind," Elfred shouted, annoyed by the immaturity of the children in his backseat. "I'm sorry I asked them. You're the passenger. You get to play DJ." 

I just laughed and took over his phone, starting a playlist that said, 'Road trip.' As Chill Trap music poured through the speakers, my eyes focused out the window watching the world pass by me in colorful blurs. Besides the calming music, I heard the slight chattering of my friends around me, and I felt I was in heaven.

I had never seen so many buildings and lights before. We were stuck behind thousands of red lights that were slowly moving in the same direction we were. 

"I do not miss the city's traffic," Travis said, resting his forehead against the cold glass of the window as he watched the stillness of the cars surrounding us.

"But at least we are out of that awful vampire-filled town!" Ella said.

"Can't you all leave at any time?" I spoke.

"We will go after graduation. Don't want to stay in the same towns too long when you don't age," Kathryn said.

I guess that was something I never had to worry about. I never had a choice about where I was going to live. Besides, why would it matter when my life goes up in flames forcing me to forget everyone and everything?

We pulled into the parking lot of a gigantic warehouse. The Halloween store was in full effect as strobe lights and fog illuminated every window. Screams and cackles from a witch blared from the warehouse speakers. A fifteen-foot skeleton stood at the entrance to greet every customer as they walked by him. This store was over the top.

"Come on," Ella said, grabbing mine and Kathryn's hands and dragging us into the store behind her. Travis and Elfred slowly walked behind us, locking up the green jeep and chatting amongst themselves. 

I had dresses and shoes, masks and things for my hair. Stuff I didn't even know what I was supposed to do with. My arms weighed a ton by the time Ella was done with me. 

"Come on, let's find a dressing room!" Ella said. 

Elfred and Travis sat on a bench outside the dressing rooms giving us girls thumbs-ups every time we exited the room. At one point, they found white paper and wrote the number ten on it, holding it up as we walked out. 

"I think that's your dress, Ember," Kathryn said as I walked out in a short backless dress. The deep blood orange material was covered in gold glitter, setting the dress on fire with every movement. It was not something I would ever be caught wearing, but it was Halloween. With shoes to match, I was as radiant as the sun.

"Can you extend your wings without fire?" Ella asked.

"Yeah," I said. "I can also still be human but with wings. Except they are quite big."

"What color are they?"

"They start yellow, orange, then to red with the tips of them purple. Why?"

"I'll be right back." 

Ella ran off, and I glanced over at the group. Their hands were full, and they were headed for the cashier. The excitement in me rose when I thought about the dance next weekend.

"Try this on," Ella said, running back to me, holding out a mask that only covered the upper half of my face. 

I slid it on carefully, not wanting to disturb the gold and orange glitter covering it or the purple sequins that outlined it. Purple feathers stuck out from the sides, not too far but just enough to highlight the beautiful piece.

"It's perfect," I whispered. Ella stepped behind me with her hands on my shoulders, looking into the same mirror I was staring at. 

"You are going to be one hot firebird," Ella said as she kissed my cheek and skipped off, joining the rest of the group. The fairies could flirt as badly as the vampires sometimes. 

I did not hide the smile on my face as I removed the mask, put it with the rest of my things, and joined everyone at the registers.

The ride back to town was a little more cramped with our things in the jeep with us.

"Do you like it?" Kathryn asked us, pointing to the gold wolf paw that was now hanging around her neck.

"That's really cute," I said. "Did you find it in the warehouse?"

"Yeah, I made Travis buy it for me since he owed me." She laughed.

"That seems like it would cost a little more than five bucks," Ella replied.

"It did," Travis mumbled.

"But I'm worth every penny." Kathryn elbowed Travis in the gut, and he nodded while proceeding to focus out the window. 

I laughed at them and returned to gazing out the front windshield. Kathryn and Travis were not a couple, I'm not sure if they even liked each other. I did know that they would make an awesome couple if they decided to date even though they were different species.

Kathryn and I hopped out of Elfred's jeep at the cafe's front door with our stuff in our hands.

"Bye guys, don't work too hard," Travis said out the window as the jeep drove off. We waved until the jeep was nothing but a green blur in the distance. 

"You ready for another fun-filled night of coffee and desserts," Kathryn said, laughing and linking her arm with mine as we walked through the glass door together. 

"I wouldn't have it any other way," I said.

We ignored the customers as we walked straight to the back and put our things away, changing into our work clothes for the evening shift. 

We were still laughing while we walked behind the counter when I looked up and noticed the five vampires in the back corner booth. I knew Sybil's ban would not last long.

"I should look into a dayshift position," I whispered to Kathryn while making myself look busy.

"Me too," she agreed, smiling.

"Those punks won't bother you," Sybil said, grabbing some paperwork and sitting at her usual table. I still doubted her, but I hoped she was right. I thought my whispers were low enough, but she still heard us somehow. Red-faced, I focused on the counter and kept wiping in a circular motion.

I heard a slight tap on the counter next to me. 

"What can I get for you?" I asked, only to look up at the sharp features of the vampire's face.

"How was your trip?" Zane asked. Why would he care?

"I had fun," I replied. "Now, what do you want? If it's ice water, Kathryn can get it for you."

He looked back once at his coven, then back at me. The blues of his eyes roamed my body up and down, freezing my core.

"Nothing, really," he said. "I just wanted to confirm you are attending the dance next weekend."

"Of course, she's going," Kathryn said. "And she will be with us." 

She lowered her voice and glared at him in a threatening tone. Zane put his hands up as if waving his white flag. Sybil lifted her head from the paperwork, watching the others in his group.

"Good. It should be a fun time," Zane said, protruding his fangs as he smiled. "Oh, and Ember, remember we have a project we must start." 

Zane walked away from the counter ending the interaction with us and not giving me a chance to respond. I watched him as he joined the rest of the vamps at the booth, sliding in beside Cynthia but keeping his eyes on me. Cynthia giggled, leaned in, and licked his neck. He quickly grabbed her hair and yanked her away from him, pushing her onto Nox. She pouted but curled into the arms of a willing Nox. Zane still did not remove his lifeless eyes from me. 

I didn't know much about the ways of a vampire but if Cynthia was to be his intended, he did not treat her very well and she never seemed to mind.

"Thanks, Kathryn," I said.

"What's there to thank me for?" she replied. "We're friends. I have your back."

We continued the night shift without so much as a peep from the vamps or anyone for that matter. Sybil must hold a respectful title that I have not learned about yet that made no one challenge her. Maybe I would get to know her better as well. 

Most of the chatter I heard throughout the night consisted of the Halloween dance. I never knew how big something was until I attended it myself. The humans would talk about the dance they attended last year while they were in their study groups. I was right; they assumed most of us were rich with an excellent make-up artist on hand. 

The costumes seemed to be the biggest deal. Who would have the best one? Apparently, it was always a vampire or a fairy, Kathryn said, filling me in on the small details. With their undeniable beauty, it was to be expected. 

This was my first social gathering, and no matter how excited I was getting. I could not shake the feeling that something was going to happen.