Sixteen
"Alright class, time is up. You may all turn in your test packets up front and I guess I will allow you all to leave without a new assignment." The whole room gave a collective sigh as people started to get up from their seats. Ian smiled next to me as we both rose too.
Over the past month, I've learned to stop calling him by his last name. After having to help him several times with some of our work, he no longer feels like my professor from Starr anymore. He was just another classmate who I hang out with with a few other friends I've made on my own.
I smirked as I looked over my shoulder at him and he winked. His old time gangster hat tilted to the right. His dusty light blonde hair sleeked back from the side of his face. His black roaring twenties fitted jacket with the white pin-strips hanging perfectly on him. He even had a bit of eyeliner to make him look as if he stepped out from an old photograph.
Not that I wasn't having fun with today either. After all, it is Halloween and nearly every magical person on campus was dressed up. Just something we loved to do because we could let ourselves be who we really are.
Zander had whistled when I had walked down the stairs this more and into the kitchen. I may have been wearing normal clothes, but he had whistled because of the wings that spread out from my back. Using the pin he gave me my first year at Starr, I was going as a modern angel to school.
Seemed only fitting that Zander was going as a sleek demon. Red horns poked out of his hair magically. He wore a gorgeous dark red suit with a gun metal grey vest that shimmered slightly as he moved. There was even a pointed tail that flicked on it's own.
Zander's tail more when he stood up seeing me enter the kitchen. "Umm... It'll be fun trying to corrupt one so heavenly." He had pulled me to him and kissed my lips. I had hit his shoulder because my brother had been in the room. But Zander just laughed. "Like I will behave today looking like the Prince of Darkness." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Being bad is so me."
"And being good is what I'm going to as I am divine." I had slipped from his grasp only to have him twist around and embrace me from behind. With a flick of his wrist, he had sent the tiniest fire dot to the other side of the room where it hit the play button on the stereo system.
I laughed as he started to dance behind me. The way he moved, made me move too. Though my brother hadn't found it too fun. Shaking his head, he had come over and pulled Zander away who flung himself very dramatically against the wall.
"You must defend her oh great arch-angel." He lunged at my brother and put him in a head lock. Rod's own wings that sprouted from his back went straight up in response. His wings were just as responsive as mine were to move naturally.
I watched in giggling amusement as they wrestled each other. Rod's shining white gold band catching the sunlight that streamed into the kitchen from the morning sun. Even Zander's horns had shimmered in the sunlight and grew slightly while they fought playfully. Zander's tail having curled around Rod's ankle and tugged which sent them both down.
After I ate, I bid them bye because they had been still wrestling with each other the whole time I had breakfast. My leaving snapped them out of their fun. They grabbed the food I had made for them before I ate and rushed off after me. I laughed leaning against Zander's car at how the guys had scrambled out the door.
My heart picked up as I handed over my test to the professor that most called the Professor of Evil. He took it and glanced over a few pages. "Well Miss. Lund, I will say this..." He looked up to me. "You've lived up so far to the expectations I have set for you."
"I hope to continue to live up to those expectations."
He chuckled. Over the past few months, I've grown on him when I saw him during his office hours to discuss sections of some of my papers for him. He'd always been surprised, yet willing helped me.
Turning away, I let Ian place his test down on the professor's desk and jogged a few steps to catch up with me. His arm flung over my shoulder as we climbed up the stairs of the room to the door. "You ready for tonight?"
A soft shrug. "It'll be fun."
"Fun!?! Is that all you can say about tonight?" He turned me to him and lifted me up spinning around. "Tonight is Halloween and absolutely magical!" My laughs came out because of how excited he was to celebrate.
"I never knew just how excited you get for Halloween."
Ian set me down and shrugged smiling broadly. "It's the one day a year I feel so...." He shook his head. "Like a total kid and I may never lose this feeling ever."
I skipped a few steps in front of him before I stopped making him stop. We were headed to our next class, but right now I wanted to do something I never thought about doing before. Not before he started bringing out another more wild side from me. One that I held so tight within me, I was afraid to step outside of any rule.
"Race ya." I laughed spinning around and took off weaving through the crowd of students. Ian's laughs filled the air behind me as he took chase. I loved having the wings on my back as they aided me in the race. Catching the air helped me run a bit faster.
Reaching the room, my brother was laughing as I spun around. He always is here waiting for me and Ian to show up. Too bad I couldn't actually fly with these wings or he'd have to use his own to get me down. His wings were more solid than my own as he didn't charm a pin, but crafted those wings before spelling them to be real.
Ian was breathing heavy in his gangster suit. "Damn you're fast."
I shrugged smiling. "You're just so slow."
He laughed as he lunged at me tackling me to the ground. "See, not slow at all. I just don't have the aid of wings today."
Rod shook his head and picked me up from the ground holding me. "He's just a sore loser." My brother tossed me up into the air and I laughed more when he caught me again. "She's also so very light."
They teased me all the way through our class together and for the rest of the day. By the time Rod and I returned home, I was well teased. Rod smirking as we walked home. Though he did flick a car full of guys off when they whistled at me as they passed in their car. The guys had said that I could save their naughty and damned souls in one night. Meaning a one night stand which I'd never do.
At home, Rod smirked bounding upstairs. "Just you wait till I get changed into my full outfit. I doubt any girl would reject me tonight!"
"Just make sure to not get caught by your STALKER!" His laugh boomed down the stairs while I leisurely started up the stairs.
Opening my door, I sucked in a lung full of air. My room wasn't how I left it. It was like I stepped into heaven itself. Soft fluffy clouds graced my ankles as they formed out of my walls. Shimmering butterflies made of light fluttered about me as I walked more into my room.
"Happy Halloween." I turned around toward my door. Zander stood there smiling at me. He wasn't dressed as a demon any longer. I gulped a little was he was shirtless with a toga on. A golden stole draped over one shoulder and flowing down his back. His legs were draped in a white georgette sheer pants that were slitted up the sides of his legs. gold chains held the pants together at his hips. A gold band twisted around his bicep with swirl ends.
My eyes drifted to his exposed shoulder where a raised tattoo formed down it to his back. He turned slightly to show me the glittery golden wings of that tattoo. They seemed to move with a magic of their own. The part I saw on his shoulder was the bend of the wings as they curled back downward and slipping below the waistband of his 'pants'.
"So? What do you think of my night outfit?"
My face want completely hot. "You look very detailed."
He smiled at me. "I'm the devil before he fell." His eyebrow raised. "Don't I look like the most perfect angel on high?"
"You look..." Gulp. "Tempting."
Zander's laugh rang out as he turned back to me and came over to pull me against him. My body quaking a bit. "Are you tempted to touch?" A tiny and unsteady nod. "Then touch all you want."
His eyes twinkling very mischievously as he took my hand and placed it on his chest. His fingers sliding down to my wrist to help guide me over his chest, down his abdomen, and...
I jerked my hand away. "Zander..." My heart pounded as my blood had heated. I didn't feel so steady yet utterly beautiful in a way I never had before.
A shrug as his smirk grew. "It's in my nature to tempt you." Then he laughed at a joke I wasn't getting. "I wasn't going to make you go any farther than what I did. I know where that boundary lies and you'll get there someday, just not today."
He walked back to the door. "You should get changed so we can head to the party and live on this most hallow of eves."
I sank into the cloud that was my bed before and groaned falling backwards. What the hell was that reaction I had? My body still felt the after affects of what he had sparked in me. How could touching him do that to me, unless...
"No that's ridiculous." I shook my head covering myself with my fake wings. I couldn't have that kind of urge, could I? To want someone like that, I had to really love the guy and want something more. With Zander, it just felt nice to kiss him and feel cared for.
But could I want something more?
This was so not the time to think of something like that. Right now I had to get ready for the party. Even if I knew Melerick wasn't coming back like he used to, I was going to enjoy Halloween again. I was a magical girl after all and today was meant for my kind along with everyone else.
~~~
Zander whistled loudly. The sound swinging with delightful highs that trailed off. "My heaven above. Someone is missing a goddess." He fell to his knees. "Command me because I can serve no other."
My brother rolled his eyes at his best friend. "Dude. Are you always going to say that when she dresses up?"
"I can't help it. Your sister always looks ethereal with whatever she wears. When she dresses up, it's always more spectacular!" Zander folded his arms across his bare chest.
I stopped a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. My eyes taking in the contrast between the two of them just like they were this morning. Now my brother was a black winged angel instead of the golden winged one from this morning. He was even wearing a more modern outfit. A leather pair of pants with thick clunky boots on his feet. Deep red button down shirt that had some shine to it. A tight leather vest hugged his chest. There were even leather belts crisscrossing his waist and resting on his hips.
Lifting my eyebrow, I gave my brother a literal once over. My eyes physically going over his person. "A bit...erotic don't you think?"
But Rod just smiled pulling a spanking rod out from his side. He playfully smacked his palm grinning darkly. "I'm hoping there's a very naughty girl at the party who needs a really good spanking from a fallen angel like me."
Zander chuckled as he came over and stepped up one step. "He wants to get laid."
I shook my head. "Don't tell me that, he's my brother."
He laughed. "Don't worry my gorgeous goddess. I'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble, but girls do tend to get a little freaky on Halloween around here. I'm not surprised he's expecting to have some fun tonight."
His finger tips came up and touched the sparkling design the fluttered across my skin. "I see you had planned something similar to what I did." He laughed as the design shifted as he touched. "I like the improvement that you used for yours."
The normally silver design that was on my forehead changed color with his touch along with the design a bit before drifting back into place. All of it stemming out from a small opal that hung from golden threat that I wove into my hair. The opal rested right where my hairline was in the center of my forehead. That's what I charmed to gain the delicate swirls and dot design that adorn my forehead.
Well, the design actually trickled down the back of my neck and along the length of my back. No one but me will ever know where the design actually stops. I had designed it all by myself in private so I was the only one to know the full extent of it or what else I had hidden by my clothes.
I took his hand away and walked the rest of the way down the stairs. Letting my hand trail down his chest and nearly all the way to the bottom of his abdomen before my touch left his skin which felt like it heated because of my touch. His breathe catching while my lower stomach tightened.
Going over to my brother, I smiled. "Shall we head out?"
Moving just right, Zander sucked in a sharp breathe. "There's more design?"
Giggling softly, I looked over my shoulder letting my curls that had covered the hints of the design behind my ears and down the back of my neck. "Oh yes. So much more design that's covered up."
He dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together. "Tell me please."
I shook my head and slipped my hand around my brother's arm turning to look at Rod. "Shall we ride your bike to the party?"
My brother beamed at me. "I was thinking about taking it to go with my naughty angel look." He pulled his arm from my grasp and slung it over my shoulder. "Let's leave the groveling angel and hit the party!"
"But I need to know where her design stops!" Zander crawled playfully toward us.
Rod laughed as we walked out to the garage. "Not right now you don't!!"
He pulled out the small electronic and pressed the small button that had an unlock symbol on it. The garage door lifting up to reveal the guys two custom designed bikes. I've ridden on them only a few times since I got here. Every time we'd gone out on them, I preferred to go with my brother. I just felt so much safer holding onto him as he drove through the streets with the much bigger cars and trucks.
Zander pouted as I hopped onto my brother's bike behind him. "I taught your brother how to ride you know."
I shrugged hugging my brother from behind after he kicked his bike to life. "Maybe another time." Giving him a wink, I smiled. "You better mount up before you're left behind." Zander shook his head laughing and did mount his bike and turned it on.
Rod didn't let him get comfortable before he dropped the clutch and shot us forward toward the road. Zander catching up to us easily having not missed a beat. After all, he has been friends with my brother for over a year now. They both knew each other better than anyone.
The night air felt amazing as the reds and oranges of the setting sun filled the air. Tonight was the perfect night for Halloween. The feeling of pure magic filled the air beyond the normal level. Beyond any other Halloween before it too. Tonight will be beyond magical.
~~~
"Will you allow me to worship you?" I looked over my shoulder and smiled as Ian came to stand behind me and danced with me. His hands on my hips. He was swaying in time with me.
Twisting in his arms, I looped my hands around his neck. "I don't know. Are you worthy of my unearthly blessings?"
He pulled back a little with a smirk and spread out his arms. "Tell me your greatest desire my goddess and it shall be done!"
I laughed as I pulled him back to dance more. "But if I tell you, how will I know you know my heart's desires? Only those worthy enough know my desires without me speaking them."
"Hmm..." His voice hummed as he titled his head to the side. "I think you need a drink." Moving my hands from his neck, he slipped his fingers between mine and pulled me with him.
"But I've had one drink already."
He turned his head to me over his shoulder with a smirk. "Live a little Hope! It's Halloween and the night is still young just like you."
At the makeshift bar that was set up in the kitchen, he ordered us a drink each. A mixed drink that I hadn't heard about yet. The Divine Goddess. When I saw the drink, I understood the drink very well. Actual bits of gold leaf was swirling around the center. The drink itself was a canary gold color with a touch of blue at the top.
He handed me one while keeping the other for himself. "I think you'll love this one." Lifting his glass to me in a salute, he took a long draw of it.
I took a gentle sip and and my eyes nearly rolled back into my head. The taste was so divine and didn't taste like it had any alcohol at all. But as I took more sips of the drink, the feeling of warmth slipped through my veins. That alone told me there was quite a bit of alcohol in it. My muscles even started to feel very relaxed.
After I downed the last of that delicious drink, Ian took my hand again and pulled me back to the living room that had been turned into the dance floor. Instantly I was into the song that was playing and smiled at him as his hands rested on my hips. The effects of the alcohol really taking affect within me as it combined with the lite beer that I had drank earlier. This night was for partying!
~