After Dusk

Chapter Twenty Two

On the day of Amora's party, I still feel sick, adding on top of that the anxiety I feel over my discovery. By the time night rolls around, I'm a nervous wreck.

I sit on the edge of my bed, contemplating if I should go to the party. I'd already considered going to the Leaders about my discovery but I'd dismissed it. Why would they believe me? I'm just a teenage girl who had no evidence and no witnesses. 

Amora expects me to go to her party but Declan will be there. If he's there, I need to be there to protect everyone, I decide boldly. I won't let that monster harm my friends.

Resolutely, I get up and march over to the mirror to assure myself that I look decent. The dress I wear is a navy blue with a strapless, sweet heart neckline and a skirt that goes to the floor. A silky ribbon is tied around my waist to bring emphasis to my small waist. My feet are adorned by a pair of cute, silver pumps that glisten in the light. I leave my hair down in its natural soft curls, too sick and afraid to do anything fancy with it. I pick up Amora's gift and, with Crescendo and Cupid at my heels, I  exit my room.

The night is cool with a soft breeze blowing my skirt around my legs. Strangely, I don't feel the usual calm and confidence that I usually do when I'm under the moonlight. It seems that nothing is  quite right with me lately. Shaking this thought from my head, I walk into the dark woods, preparing myself for an eventful evening.

I hear the music before I see the party itself. When I reach the clearing by the lake, I pause in awe. Egan and Amora had really done a wonderful job. A bonfire burns brightly on one side of the clearing, with a group of demigods sitting around it on logs, laughing and enjoying themselves. Another group dances to the upbeat music that sounds throughout the place. Everyone, it seems is dressed up for the event. I roll my eyes, forgetting for a moment about my worries. Only Amora would make us dress up for a party in the middle of the woods.

I set my gift on a table filled with gifts for the birthday girl and then scan the crowd for Declan. I know he's here, he said he definitely would be. Why would he miss a chance to torment me?

"Laila!" a voice says excitedly.

I turn around to see Aubrey grinning at me, face flushed with excitement. I grin through my nausea.

"Hey! How are you?" I greet in a falsely cheery voice. My lips are pulled into a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm great! Thank you so much for setting Adam and I up. He's. . . . he's amazing!" Aubrey gushes in a way that I've never seen her before. Her eyes glow with enthusiasm.

This time, my grin is genuine. "He is, isn't he? He was always so sweet when we went to high school in the mortal world together. I'm glad that you two are getting along!" I tell her happily.

After sending me another smile, she scurries off to where Adam waits for her. He drapes an arm around her shoulders with a secret smile.

With no warning at all, the clearing spins around me and I lose my balance. I stumble backwards into a tree and grab my head between my hands.

"Stop. Please, stop!" I beg to nothing in particular.

My cries go unanswered. I moan sickly, blinking my eyes rapidly. I look up and gasp in surprise.

At the edge of the dancing crowd, Declan stands. He wears black dress pants and a white button down shirt. On his shirt, he left several buttons undone, exposing his tanned, muscular chest. Those luminescent green eyes that I had grown so fond of gaze at me heatedly.

Damn, I think to myself, biting my lip, why does a guy that hot have to be so damn evil?

As I look into his eyes, my mind plays images of the night we'd been together; raw, heated passion, skin on skin, breathless whispers. A flush a deep scarlet, pushing the thoughts from my mind. Now is definitely not the time to be drooling over how hot Declan is, I scold myself. He's a murderer and I'm going to prove it.

When he steps forward, another strong wave of nausea crashes down upon me. Hand clamped over my mouth, I race into the woods. Once far enough from the party, I throw up. I groan in pain. Every heave is torture. The vomit leaves a disgusting, acidic taste in my mouth. I look down and wince, pretty sure that I just threw up everything but my memories.

When I'm completely finished, I lean back against a tree, gasping for breath. I take a moment to compose myself, grateful that I hadn't gotten vomit on my hair or dress, though I'm sure my breath doesn't smell the best. Hesitantly, I return to the party. Popping a couple of mints I found on the refreshment table into my mouth, I glance around.

Though my nausea has dulled, my head still hurts something fierce. The mind numbingly loud music doesn't help at all. And so, feeling shitty beyond belief, I resume my spot on the tree I'd been leaning on.

I scan the crowds, hoping that I can spot Declan again, but I have no such luck. All I see is a ton of demigods enjoying themselves, unaware of the danger that lurks among them. From here I can see the birthday girl herself dancing with Egan, both of which have goofy grins spread across their faces. I smile at their obvious love for one another but it soon morphs into a frown when something catches my eye. I turn quickly and suck in a gasp at what I see.

It's the masked man, staring at me from across the clearing, at the edge of the wood. He stands pin straight, fists clenched in anger. Demigods walk past him, oblivious. As I watch, he turns around and disappears into the woods.

Heart beating a mile a minute, I push my way through the crowd, earning a couple of dirty looks in the process. When I reach the edge of the woods, I hesitate for only a moment before doing the stupidest thing that I've ever done.

I follow the white masked man into the darkened forest.