A Party For One

Lifting the lid of the mailbox, Avery pulled the mail out. One item was in it—a red envelope with only her name. Avery Kellen. The invitation was clearly hand-delivered. No address, no postmarks, just her name.

Avery didn't hear anyone walking up the quiet street, nor did she see anyone approach her mailbox. She'd been home all day waiting to hear back about a job which made Avery believe she would have seen someone.

With an indifferent shrug, Avery presumed she'd been busy when the envelope was delivered. Opening it, Avery gasped and chuckled. It was an invitation to a party that night.

"No dull Halloween at home for me."

She looked at the creamy linen cardstock with beautiful typography. Her name was written in a gold pen that glistened in the light. In addition to her name was another. Castor Fenrir. She had no idea who this person was.

The unknown name was a little confusing for Avery, but she wasn't about to refuse to go to a party that was so fancy they had invitations professionally printed. Avery assumed it was all part of the sugar daddies website she'd applied to.

It was a drunken effort to find money when Avery struggled to obtain a job. She'd brushed it off without thought the next day, believing that no one would take her on. When Avery had a positive experience with the interviewer a few days ago, she felt that luck had finally found her. Avery hoped that the sugar daddies would not be needed.

Still, Avery was curious about the mysterious Castor Fenrir and the Sanguine Knights who were hosting the party. It might be a chance to rub shoulders with people in the upper social circles and maybe even the possibility of finding a better paying job. Anything was possible, and Avery wasn't about to let the opportunity pass her by.

Returning to the house, Avery thought about the invite. It was a party that was being held at a house that was not far from this place. She could walk it but decided that driving might be a better idea.

Eyeing the bag full of candy that she'd purchased for the local kids, Avery's eyes narrowed, and her lips tightened. She wondered if it was wise to leave the entire bowl on the front porch. It was guaranteed that one little piglet would take the whole bowl, leaving nothing for the others. Avery knew it would likely be a teenager who wouldn't even bother to put on a costume.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Avery grabbed a box and wrote a clear note on the front of it. An appeal for everyone to take a handful and not be greedy. Upending the candy into the box, Avery put it on the front porch and hoped that everyone respected her request.

Climbing the stairs to her bedroom, Avery looked at the invitation. It came with a delicate filigree mask. According to the invite, she was not to wear a costume. Instead, a cocktail dress was preferred.

Flicking through the dresses, Avery picked out a sleek black number that hugged her torso and flared to a full skirt at the hips. It went as far as her knees. The party girl in Avery couldn't resist the matching gold pumps and purse.

With the outfit decided, Avery quickly showered and began to get ready. By the time she was ready to leave, her housemate Emma was walking in the door.

"Where are you going at this hour?"

"I got an invite to a party on Franklin Street. Did you want to come with me?"

"Uh, no. I'll be out of here in a few minutes. Remember? We talked about dinner with Rory's parents."

"Oh yeah." Avery hummed.

Emma looked at the invite and frowned as her eyes lifted to her friend.

"The Sanguine Knights. What's that about?"