The Great Pretender

22.2 Red Hot

"Well this isn't half as bad as the short shorts it looked like you weren't wearing under my shirt, so I don't know what you're worrying about."

Cherish still folded her arms over her chest, grumbling childishly, "How would you know, Sev?"

Seven laughed, he hadn't looked at her yet, but she had no reason to be so reluctant to go downstairs to where everyone was waiting.  He knew this because even though he knew he looked kind of stupid, she might actually like her costume.  "It can't be worse than the fact that Audrey put make up on me."

"How is that different than this morning?" she raised a brow, even though he couldn't see it.  Rolling her eyes at his lack of answer, Cherish listened as Audrey rambled on about how amazing their costumes looked.  She didn't know whether to agree or not. In some bizarre attempt to keep Cherish, Seven and Delia from locking themselves in closets and refusing to leave the house, they had been prohibited from seeing their own reflections. 

"I present to you Lord Severin, ruler of all demon-kind, feared for his temper and famed for his devilish good looks that make every woman on the face of the planet swoon with bliss. On his arm is his stunningly beautiful lover, Lady Malice, legendary temptress, siren and unparalleled scourge of all men-folk!"

"I am not his lover!"

The comment earned a giggles, and surprisingly even a chuckle from her father. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, however, there was nothing but silence. Audrey stepped away from the large mirror she and Ari had propped up in the living room.

"Oh...my..."

Cherish gazed at herself in the mirror, at a loss for words. She was wearing a beautiful gown, jet black and flowing. It was something she would never have put herself into, but she was glad to be in it now. The top half of the dress was fitting, with a scandalously bare and low cut back, covered only by lacing the colour of fresh blood. The ribbon laced its way down her back, and a bow with long trailing ends sat atop her butt. There were also chains; one running from the bow in the back to her wrists, and one draping over her neck that served as a halter strap. The bottom half of the dress was flared with a long train and it clung to her at every curve, almost as if it was suffering a severe case of static.

"You look great, Bug," her father whistled. "But don't you think the dress is a little low cut?"

"NO!" Ari and Audrey yelled in unison, both lecturing him on why it was perfect.

"Wow! Rish, your hair looks so amazing!"

Audrey had fashioned her hair into waves of curls, sweeping it up and away from her face and securing it with little diamond pins. Her browned skin shone, due to the abnormal amount of time spent covering every inch of her with sparkle dust. Her lips were a deadly red and so shiny they looked almost plastic sitting under the black wire mask studded with crystal gems that obscured most of her face. Her eyes had been rimmed in heavy black kohl, her lashes extra thick thanks to the wonders of false eyelashes.

Beside her, Seven looked even more amazing than she did. Audrey had swiped white face make-up and then sparkle dust over his entire face and neck, making him look marble statue perfect. He wore a black mask, similar to the one on Cherish's face, and his eyes too, were heavily outlined in black liner and eerily icy clear from the sparkle contacts she' d tortured them both with. His hair was swept back and pulled into a braid fastened at the nape of his neck, made possible by Audrey's large collection of hair extensions.

"You look so dapper, Seven," Ari gushed, proud that her efforts in hiring Audrey had worked. Seven flushed as he looked at himself. He wore a black suit, à la fancy times, complete with tailcoat and a red vest over a white ruffled shirt. At his waist was a very fake sword in a very elaborate black-silver sheath encrusted with red jewels. All in all, it could well be said that Audrey and Ari had gone overboard with the costumes.