Frosted Torment (Marked Mortals Saga #1)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

O ur ride-share glided into Helena, pulling up the frosted driveway to Crystal Wings Mansion. Decked out in silver for the holidays, it’s what I imagined a Hollywood version of Heaven looked like. It beckoned to the entire city as another world materialized when we stepped out of the car.

Snowflake-shaped lamps glittered with silver sequins. Entertainers on stilts juggled huge stars. They welcomed everyone. Scents of cinnamon and vanilla perfumed the air as we ascended the stairs. It was the first time I had celebrated my birthday since Mom died, and I gave in to the allure, beaming as goosebumps prickled my skin.

Once inside the foyer, we left our coats in a room on the right and toured the main floor to take in the décor. I kept a silver-chained cross-body bag, big enough to hold my phone and a few pieces of makeup, with me. Ice sculptures resembling clouds encased feathered angel wings. Icicle-shaped chandeliers hovered overhead, and silver and black velvet draped the tables. Wisps of fake snow swirled around us.

Servers wore white bikini tops adorned with shimmering crystals. Goose feathers fanned across their backs in the shape of wings. Matching hot pants left little to the imagination as they floated through the house, serving drinks and canapés. Silver streamers and white balloons bobbed among the guests, making sounds like popping champagne corks.

“Who owns this place?” I yelled over the music as we made our way to the second floor and out onto the terrace.

Ivy’s body swayed to the pulsating beats throbbing through the house. “Some cattle rancher bought it for his daughter a few years back. They donate the money raised from tickets to cancer research every year.”

“That’s pretty cool.” I nodded in sync with the music.

A bold, large notecard marked our reserved spot. It claimed the table’s center with the name ‘Sazerac.’ Jossy walked off to a group in hushed conversation. Their expensive suits and the other guests’ deferential glances marked them as important.

The only waitress on the veranda, who made several attempts to catch the DJ’s eye, darted around the crowded space. She balanced a tray full of champagne flutes with skill, and I snatched two before she vanished into the crowd. I downed one glass in record time, trying to calm my nerves, and placed it back on the tray with a clink. I regretted leaving my vape at home while I took my time with the second glass.

Ivy requested a song from the DJ and immediately stole his attention. When I looked to my left, the waitress’s face turned sour, and I concluded it was due to Ivy’s unmatchable beauty. My breath caught when I noticed Lex standing in a corner across from us.

I struggled to recognize him as the shadows obscured most of his figure and the light touched his face. He stepped out and walked straight toward Ivy. I tucked my hair behind my ear and straightened my skirt in case he looked in my direction.

When I made sure every inch of me looked as good as possible, I decided to join them. The closer I got, the more I noticed his hands balled into fists. His chiseled shoulders bulged at the seams of his leather jacket as his arms stiffened. He whispered something into Ivy’s ear. Even angry, he looked beautiful.

On the outside, the three siblings looked nothing alike. Ivy and Jossy embraced lily-white skin, but Lex was my praline fantasy I’d take to the grave. Not realizing the time, Auld Lang Syne boomed from behind me, and my glass of champagne slipped from my hands. Pieces of glass scattered among the crowd.

Ivy stepped out from in front of Lex to see me and smiled. “Happy New Year, bestie!”

As she embraced me, I tried to focus on her words over the blaring music. But I couldn’t help but notice Lex, who stood a foot away from me with his jaw clenched. A familiar pang of longing hit my stomach, a mix of yearning and frustration. My heart raced as he turned away to flag down a server, his expression hard and distant. He didn’t want to be with us.

Though Lex kept to himself most of the time, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. When we talked, it felt like there was something there. Was it his kindness?

Maybe it was because I was Ivy’s best friend. I used to be his too, but he’d grown distant since he graduated from college. As much as I wanted to believe there was something more, I knew deep down it was wishful thinking.

As Ivy let go of me, I smiled and grabbed a watermelon tequila shot from a passing server. I hoped it would distract me from my thoughts. Then I brushed my hair back and made my way over to Lex, pretending to move to the music as I approached him.

“Thanks for coming, Lex,” I said, trying to sound casual.

“Sure thing,” he replied, his eyes scanning the room.

I followed his gaze, wondering what or who he was looking for. “Do you have a big date coming?”

“Huh?” His head swiveled back to me, and his jaw tightened. “No. I’m people-watching.”

My cheeks flushed hot, and my toes began to curl. I needed to move away from this man before I made a fool of myself. “Cool. Well, I’m running inside to the bathroom,” I lied.

He pointed to a party tent set up near the bar. “There’s one up here on the roof.”

A white canopy and sheer white drapes covered the area. They were so translucent that anyone who liked a good peep show could see through them. The area housed portable restrooms without doors, and a leaky pedal activated the handwashing station. I cringed at the thought.

Disgusting.

“Not even if I were so drunk that you, Ivy, and Jossy all had to hold me up to pee,” I joked with a weak smile before walking away.

Lex looked down at me with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and I swore I saw a flicker of a full moon rising against the fog in his pupils. I felt a hand on my back. I turned to see Jossy, and when I glanced up, ocean waves crashed against rocks within his. I shook my head, thinking the alcohol had me seeing things, and I stumbled backward, but Jossy caught me.

“Careful, Noa,” he cautioned. “You don’t need to spend your birthday in the hospital.”

I adjusted my shirt, and when I looked back at them, whatever I saw disappeared. “You’re hilarious. Be right back, guys.”

“Not without me, you won’t.”

Ivy shoved her drink into Jossy’s chest, and as we walked off, something compelled me to glance back. I kept enough distance so they couldn’t see me, yet I heard Lex’s every word.

“What are we doing here, brother?” Lex groaned as he raked his fingers through his tousled hair. “You know this is a waste of time, man. She’s a good friend, but you two keep trying to force this when it’s someone else out there who is the one.”

My chin quivered and my shoulders slumped. “Fuck you,” I whispered.

I couldn’t believe I fell for partying with them, thinking he would finally notice me. Tears threatened to spill, but I held my head high and pivoted away. I grew dizzy, hugging myself, replaying his callous words. He confirmed everything I knew, but it was the first time he had ever voiced it aloud where I could hear.

My feet felt like concrete bricks. I shuffled through the house and down the hall, following Ivy. I had to get past a gauntlet of guys giving high-fives. Hunched over, I was unable to meet their gazes, a ringing humiliation drowning out the party.

I reached the end of the dimly lit hall, and when I looked up, the bathroom came into view, offering a private space for me to cry. But off to the right, an elderly woman smiled at me. She had a wrinkled face and bright, lively eyes.

Set back in a shadowy alcove, she shuffled a deck of round cards at a table. I’d seen those circular cards before, but never used them. They claimed to offer a complete view of one’s life and connections. It was intriguing, but I lacked the motivation to learn a new technique for my clients.

Ivy’s eyes lit up like a child at Christmas as she pleaded with me. “You need a reading, don’t you? It’s been a while.”

It wasn’t the right time for a reading, and I couldn’t deny that my mood was less than ideal. Pinching my eyes shut before opening them again, I tried to regain focus. The old woman before me sat tranquil, surrounded by velvet ropes. An antiquated sign sat awkwardly on an easel beside her.

A crystal ball, emanating a gentle glow, was at the center of her display. It looked more like a novelty nightlight than a portal to the supernatural. It felt kitschy but nonetheless amusing in our party setting, and she motioned toward the empty chair facing her.

“Another time, Ivy,” I protested and turned away. “I’m not exactly in the best frame of mind.”

She shook her head. “What? Why? We’ve been having fun.”

Realizing Ivy didn’t hear what Lex said, I took a deep breath and tucked my hair behind my ear. “I still have a tinge of a headache, but you’re right.”

Ivy tugged at my wrist with encouragement, guiding me closer to the waiting psychic. “It’s your birthday and you’re killing it tonight.” She gleamed as she peered back over her shoulder. “This will be fun for you. Besides, did you see all those guys back there wanting to talk to you? ”

“Pretty sure they were looking at you.”

She lifted my chin to face her and her throat bobbed. “Those idiots don’t come close to what or who I want.” Ivy paused and cleared her throat as she took my hands. “Noa, you’re gorgeous. Stop putting yourself down. Your bad attitude is what turns people off.”

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment under her scrutiny, so I turned back toward the psychic. “Okay, but party readings aren’t real,” I insisted.

Ivy rolled her eyes and pressed me into the soft fabric chair with a laugh, then whispered, “Says the tarot reader.”

Murmurs echoed in my mind, warning against this foolish act. Uno and Dos, my vigilant protectors, were always sensible. Especially since nothing from the other side has helped me. But emboldened by liquid courage and convinced that fate had exhausted all avenues of ruining this night, I threw caution to the wind.

Against all odds, I found a strange comfort in the psychic’s crinkled corners and translucent gaze. It felt familiar. There was urgency in those eyes; an eagerness to relay some vital message.

“I have to admit,” my tone a chirp of false cheer, “your crystal ball has charm.” My forced admiration for its pulsating blue glow didn’t mask my nervous anticipation.

Her withered hands traced over mine with a soft touch, gliding across my arm as she examined my mandala wrist tattoo. A small nod, then a brief, silent meditation added mystique to her already foreign expression.

“You carry courage within you.” Her assessment cut through the thickening tension. “Good way to express it,” she said.

Despite her reassurance, any perceived strength felt completely absent because I let some drama caused by Lex get to my head. The atmosphere around us turned quiet as the woman’s touch sent a wave of electricity through my veins. The vibrations were warm and thrilling, with brewing excitement in my core. She closed her eyes, her expression turning serene, as if she were delving into another realm.

When my eyes met the chalky pools of hers again, they held an ancient wisdom. Whispers, woven from experience and laced with conviction, shifted the energy around us. They tugged at our very being.

“The path you walk holds hidden truths,” she murmured.

Curiosity piqued within me despite better judgment.

“Oh, I know how this works,” I replied.

Humor crept back, hoping to break some irrational spell woven through last-minute prophecies.

A knowing smile curled her parched lips, amused by my naivety. “In every bend and in every turn, there lies choice—that’s where your power resides.”

I began to protest and denounce the charlatan. But a surge of electricity coursed through me, and my head jerked back. Time froze as visions of my mother and me played out like a movie reel, starting from when I was a young child. Then, I saw myself on the lawn watching flames engulf our house, with my mother trapped inside.