[Rewritten] The Family Secret - Voices of Beasts (Book 1)

Chapter 12

Time had flown by so quickly, my training had wrapped up at the perfect time, and we were looking for an apartment for me so I could get back to my life and go back to taking over the family business. Maxus and Ivan had visited several times this month, they were telling me about how perfect the clean up and window replacement had been, and how they'd been working out of a sister location ever since so I could see how fresh and brand new it looked. we were planning the grand opening and everything seemed to be going perfectly. My family was super excited for my return home and the holidays.

Fate was one of the main people setting up for the masquerade ball, and today was the day that Hel and I were going to go look for outfits and masks. She and I had agreed to find ones that made our unusual eye colors stand out, and we were both overly excited for the ball itself. It was going to be a huge event, Victorian Steampunk based, and it was my first event as a vampire. Snow had just started falling less than a week ago, and it wasn't yet slush and gross so Hel didn't have to lift her long skirt too high off the ground to keep it from getting soaked as we walked through town and past all the small shops. I was taking quick glances inside each one, a cafe, a coffee shop, a pizza parlor. But the comic book shop stopped me dead in my tracks. Hel could feel that I stopped and she turned to figure out where I was going. I nearly had my nose pressed to the glass, their Christmas display had my favorite comic character of all time, Deadpool, all over it.

"They've got Deadpool all over for their Christmas display!" I exclaimed as she gently grabbed my hand.

"C'mon, Dante, we're gonna end up late for dinner with your uncles, we can come back another time before Christmas." I let her slowly start to pull me away until I saw the person running the shop. I ended up rooted to the spot, taking in every bit of her I could.

She was tall, curvy as a back road, and had the most beautiful blue eyes that sparkled when she looked up to see him in the window. Her curly blue hair bounced gently when she tilted her head as she smiled, showing off a set of the sharpest white fangs I'd ever seen. Her skin was warm, tawny beige and she bit her blood red lip as she blushed and waved to me.

"She's..." I stammered. Hel looked over my shoulder, saw the girl, grabbed my arm, and yanked me from the window with enough force to rip my arm off. It snapped me back to reality and I started walking at a quick but still human pace to keep up.

"We're running a lot later than I thought we gotta hurry." She said, holding my wrist firmly with one hand and holding her skirt with another. She pulled me into a shop and sat me down.

"What just..."

"ALLOETTE!" She called into the shop in a hurry. A little older woman with coke bottle glasses, gray hair, and walked like Edna Mode appeared from the back, saw Hel and came strutting right over and gave her a hug.

"It's so good to see you, Helaza! Is it that time already?"

"Yes, the ball is back around already!"

"I have just the perfect thing for you, do you remember that dress I had in the window back in January?" Aloette asked. I tuned out almost immediately and started spacing out, wondering about that woman in the comic shop. She was absolutely gorgeous, her smile was to die for, and I'd have given anything to hear her voice. Part of me wondered if she'd been wearing heels or if she was just that kinda tall, and part of me day dreamed about biting her bottom lip for her.

I was so spaced out I didn't notice when Hel came out at first, and Aloette bopped me on the head with her ruler to bring me and my attention back. I started to turn and glare at her until I saw Hel. She looked absolutely gorgeous in the dress, which was the most gorgeous black with purple accents and it made her eye color pop even more than usual. She turned and did a 360 so gracefully and she blushed when I felt my jaw drop.

"Hel, it looks perfect on you. Is that the one you want?" I asked, standing and twirling her around again in the other direction. She nodded happily, and with her free hand swished it back and forth around her legs.

"Then that's the one for you, darling. I'll set it onto your account. Now for this one." Suddenly I could feel Alloette with a measuring ribbon quickly taking every measurement on me. I looked at Hel confounded.

"Oh, relax. She's doing it with a wand." She smirked. I looked and saw that yes, Alloette was waving her wand with one hand, taking numbers with the other as the tape moved all on it's own.

"I have something just for you in the back young man, do you like red?" I didn't get the chance to answer her as her tape wrapped around my waist and pulled me right into the back. As soon as the tape left my waist I was in most of the most badass Victorian suit I'd ever seen in my life. Most of it was black, but it had the same swirl pattern on the collar of the blazer and tie that Hel's had, except in red. Aloette popped a top hat with red trim and red trimmed goggles on my head and turned me to fully see myself in the mirror.

"Holy hell this looks amazing!" I exclaimed.

"Come, we'll show Miss Helaza and see if she enjoys as much as you do." The two of us went back out to the main room and Hel was almost in tears.

"You look so handsome!" She exclaimed, hugging me tightly.

"Don't squish me too hard, you'll pop off my head." I chuckled. Within a second we were both back in our street clothes and I couldn't help but be impressed. Witches were beings of wonder and I would always be in awe of them.

Hel and I gave hugs and goodbyes and continued on, further away from the comic shop to my dismay. We ended up a block down at what looked like a thrift shop. When we walked in the place smelled musty and I could see spiderwebs across the ceiling. She and I walked towards a dusty counter at the back and I had a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something just wasn't right here, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Emilio? Are you here?" She called softly, listening for a response. It took a moment but a body shambled out in disrepair, an older man, an eye missing his long dirty blond hair half missing, and one of his hands was made of metal. He looked like the lights were on and no one was home until a white wisp flew towards then into his chest.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm here. What can we do for ye, miss Helaza?"

"Well, it's that time again, my friend and I need two of your best masks."

"Anything in particular?"

"Work your magic, and make our eyes pop, please." She flashed him a sweet smile and he softened.

"Alright, only cause it's you. They'll be ready in two days, I'll have them rushed to you."

"You and Simon won't be there?"

"We weren't both sent an invitation, dear. Can't have one without the other." He winked.

"Where's your invite?" She asked. Emilio walked in back and came out with an invite addressed to Simon only. Hel ran her hand along the bottom and embossed it with 'plus one' Emilio looked absolutely giddy.

"Thank ye, Miss Helaza! Now we can both go and enjoy the party." He reached out for a handshake but she nearly jumped the counter for a hug. The old man tensed at first but hugged her back and we were off once again.

"I need an explanation for that one." I said when we got far enough away.

"Simon was an old flame of mine. He was a Battle Berserker long ago, but he's lost so much that he had to retire. When it was his time, he asked me to collect his soul personally. So I did, and he died in that shop. Shortly after, we found out that another ghost lived in his shop, and he took over Simon's body and started to fix it up. The two of them ended up good friends, and now they share Simon's body. Emilio isn't the touchy feely type, but he adores me just as much as my Simon does. The two of them sit in that shop all day and craft the most amazing things, from masks to the arm and legs they have." Hel explained as we walked back towards the car.

"They made their limbs??"

"Yes, and they're working on a functioning eye as well." We were passing by the comic shop, but it'd grown late and the lights were all off. I let out a quiet sigh and Hel looked at me with a frown.

"I thought she'd still be there, I know it sounds stupid but I just..."

"If it's meant to be, love will find a way." Hel smirked, unlocking the doors. We both climbed in and headed towards the restaurant.