Happy Halloween! To celebrate, I've decided to write a bonus chapter for you all, as a thank you for being awesome readers. This bonus is basically describing what would happen if all the characters got together for Halloween at Highclere!
Also very importantly, this DOES NOT CORRELATE WITH THE BOOK. Zero is going to be in it, but in the book he has run away, so don't think that Zero is with them now. He's still a runaway.
This is from Ashley 's pov as always, I hope you enjoy!
I stand in front of the mirror, twirling once, then twice, and biting my lower lip.
I have decided to dress like an Assassin for this special night, and had to wake up early in the morning so I could wander the huge building of Highclere looking for a Darkling who could help me make this costume.
The outfit itself consist of a black, billowing cape and all black body suit. Real daggers gleam at my waist belt, since we couldn't find fake ones, and my knee high boots cling to my calves and make me taller by an inch. My brown hair is pulled up into a ponytail, and I even did my makeup in a very intimidating way.
Sighing, I deem I'm fine, and walk out of the room.
We all agreed to meet in the throne room, so I head there, looking out the Windows in the hall to see the setting sun. It's about to begin.
The guards in front of the doors stand at attention, pulling them open when I'm a few feet away.
I stroll in, unsheathing my daggers in an attempt to make a dramatic entrance.....
Only to realize that no one is here.
I pause, a little confused and miffed that my awesome entrance was ruined. I'm pretty sure I'm on time.
Ugh, don't tell me they're late.
Suddenly, I see a shadow appear over my shoulder from the setting sun, and I whirl around, only to come face to face with a smirking Lager.
"Boo." He says.
I roll my eyes, and then notice his outfit.
"What are you wearing?!???!?" I exclaim, staring in horror at his costume, or lack of costume would probably be a better word for it.
Lager stands in the exact same outfit he always wears. Black tunic with black pants and boots, all tied up with a black cape that is the epitome of dramatic.
"What do you mean?" He asks, looking down at himself with confusion.
"It's Halloween and you're not wearing a costume!" I exclaim.
"Yes I am." He defends, and I shake my head, putting my hands on my hips.
"No you're not. We are almost wearing the exact same thing! And you wear that ever day!"
"I did change. The cape is a dark, dark blue, not black ,so Ha! I am in a costume!"
I slap my forehead, because even if he changed his cape to a dark blue, it's so dark, that if you held it up to black fabric, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
"What are you dressed up as?" I ask, almost scared to hear his response. He pauses, before tilting his head.
"What are you dressed up as?" He counters.
"An Assassin!" I exclaim, getting more frustrated the more we talk.
"Then I guess I'm an Assassin too." He says happily.
I clench my fists, imagining them closing around his throat, but the door opens and Becky walks in. I look up to meet her gaze and do a double take.
She's not dressed up either!
.......I think.
She wears no costume, and instead a hundred necklaces with crosses hang from her neck, weighing her down, while she continuously shoves garlic bread in her mouth and dumps a bottle labelled "holy water" over her head.
"What are you doing?" I ask, alarmed. She stops shoving g the bread in her mouth, pausing to chew quickly.
"It's Halloween." She manages to speak once her mouth is half empty.
"Yes! But that doesn't explain why your doing that! What are you supposed to be, an excorscist?"
"I wish." She mumbles, shaking her head and scowling. "It's Satan's day! I will not stand idly by while dead spirits come for me!"
"Wow Becky, I never took you for the religious type." I say, confused.
"I'm not!" She exclaims. "Just.....very superstitious."
I sigh, rolling my eyes.
"This is turning into a complete disaster! Zero and Max haven't even shown up yet and were going to be late to a Holiday that lasts all night!"
"Max is here." Becky says, interrupting my complaining rampage.
A bright blue cat walks out from behind Becky, but not before snuggling up to her leg.
"Max?" I say, staring at the electric blue cat that just appeared.
"Do you know anymore blue cats around here?" Becky snaps, taking another bite of her garlic bread.
The blue cat struts up to me, eyes gleaming in the setting sunlight as he brushes up against my leg now.
"You're a cat for Halloween?" I ask flatly.
Max gives a short hiss, and Becky rolls her eyes, before answering for him again.
"He was trying to go for that 'black cat' look, but as you can see, it didn't quite work out."
I let lose what seems like my hundredth groan. Now all we are missing is Zero. I don't think I can take much more of this.
"Why can't we just go already? All the good candy will be gone by now!" Lager whines, sounding like spouting child for all his High Commander talk.
The doors open before I can answer and Zero walks in. I'm almost too scared to look, but finally force my eyes up to see he's wearing what looks like a regular Halloween costume. Some cheaply made vampire outfit, with a black cape and plastic fangs.
Zero itches at the collar of his cape glowering.
"I don't understand how you stand these things." He grumbles at Lager, glaring down at his cape. I can't stop the smile that blooms across my features.
"Zero! You look great!" I exclaim.
Zero's eyes light up, and he forgets about his itchy cape, puffing out his chest and smiling. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Lager roll his eyes and grumble under his breath too low to make out.
"He looks like an idiot." Becky says, flatly staring at Zero who grows annoyed again.
"I don't understand this Halloween." He says, shaking his head. "What's the point?"
"The point is having fun! Going door to door collecting free candy with your friends and scaring each other! But come to think of it, I didn't know Darklings celebrated this holiday. How come Kinlings don't know about it?" I ask, turning to Lager who was actually the one to bring up the idea of trick or treating tonight.
"Because they're idiots." He says, then sees Zero's glower. "I mean.......actually that's exactly what I mean. They never bothered to learn anymore cultures."
Zero grows, taking a threatening step forward, but I clal my hands together, creating a distraction.
"I think we should get going before all the good candy is gone."
Everyone mumbles there agreement and we make our way to the doors, me in the lead. When I'm a few steps away the huge doors swing open , narrowly missing my nose my inches, and I yelp, jumping back.
Sylvia leans against the door frame, dressed in a short, white, and fluffy dress with white high heels and an angle halo on her head. Her blonde hair falls in ringlets around her shoulders, and she points, frowning.
"You weren't planning to go without me, were you?"
I curse under my breath, glaring.
"What are you doing here Sylvia?" I ask in a controlled voice.
"Trick or treating of course." She smirks.
"I never took you for an angel." I say, glancing down at her outfit with distaste.
"Oh I'm not." She laughs, before her Angel dressed self dissapeared in a poof. I curse under my breath some more, realizing it was an illusion this entire time.
I hear the click of a high heel behind me, and whirl to see the real Sylvia, dressed in a sexy devil costume. A long red dress hugs her body, a slit going nearly all the way up to her waist. It's strapless, and her hair is pulled up into a ponytial that has been braided dominatrix style. Completing her entire outfit are two red horns and a pointy tail that I bet my left arm are illusions.
She said in the attention she's getting, smirking and I glower because she actually looks gorgeous. I look down at my outfit, feeling more and more self conscious.
"What are we waiting for? Let's get some candy." She purrs before strutting towards the doors.
Before she can leave, a tiny figurehead into her way, and Sylvia pauses, looking down at the tiny form.
"Kay?" I ask, peering around Sylvia's shoulder to see the little mute girl who's dressed as a butterfly. Kay flushes, obviously embarrassed with the attention, and quickly scurries over to Lager's side, who holds out his hand and takes her small one.
"Looks like we're all here." Lager says, a tiny smile on his face. "Now let's go wreak some havoc."
Dear readers, so I know they didn't actually trick or treat, but I'll leave that to your own imagination. I hope you enjoyed this little clip. HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Vote, comment, and eat candy till you vomit! Lots of love,
Dangeroustoken.