Spooks & Specters: A San DeLain Short Story Collection

Chapter Two

THE ADRENALINE of the dance and the hypnotic thumping of the beats melded with the spooky ambiance that Raven’s club offered. Around them, the crowd surged and retreated like waves hitting a beach, a sea of costumes and masks undulating in time to the music.

Surrounded by the warmth of his dragon mates and buoyed by their protective presence, Kit let all his worries go. Every glance from Hudson sent shivers down his spine; every touch from Connie lit a spark within him. Amidst the throng of dancers, they were a trio unto themselves.

As “Thriller”

transitioned into a haunting rendition of “This is Halloween,”

a group of sexily dressed witches joined their circle. Hudson instinctively tightened his grip around Kit's waist, drawing him closer against his chest.

One witch, her hat tilted jauntily over one eyebrow, extended a hand towards Kit with a flirtatious smile. Connie was about to intervene when Kit smiled politely and shook his head no.

“Don’t worry, my heart—and my dances—are yours tonight and every night,”

Kit reassured Connie and Hudson as the witches left.

“I never doubted it,”

Hudson said loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Connie chuckled, spinning Kit between himself and Hudson. The world outside—with all its mysteries and menaces—faded away under the flickering lights.

As midnight approached, Raven himself made his rounds through his establishment. Catching sight of Hudson and his companions, he approached with a broad grin.

“Enjoying yourselves?”

Raven asked.

“Immensely,”

Hudson replied. “The club looks marvelous. You’ve outdone yourself this year.”

“You haven’t seen anything yet. Perhaps you and your mates would dare to partake in our Midnight Game? It’s a new tradition I’m starting on this ghostly eve.”

Connie raised an eyebrow. “What does this game entail?”

“A test of courage and cleverness,”

Raven explained with a sly smirk. “A scavenger hunt of sorts. You must find three items hidden throughout the club—each guarded by a challenge or riddle. Solve the riddles, retrieve the items, and claim a prize worthy of your daring.”

The thrill of a challenge would add an extra layer of allure to the night’s festivities, and Kit was all for it. Besides, weren’t dragons supposed to be good at solving puzzles? “What do you two say? Feel up to a little adventure?”

Hudson nodded, his grin predatory in its intensity. “Always. Let’s see what Raven has concocted.”

“Whoot!”

Kit rubbed his hands together in excitement. “Are you up for it, Connie?”

“You better believe it. Dragons excel at this kind of thing.”

Raven clapped his hands delightedly. “Splendid!”

Turning, Raven waved at the DJ, who immediately shut the music down, and then Raven explained what was going on. “Now, the first clue awaits at twelve faces on a wall, watching hours pass and fall. Many gather but none speak. Different forms, some antique.”

With that cryptic advice, Raven melted back into the crowd, leaving his guests to ponder his words as the music started again.

“Twelve faces on a wall....”

Kit repeated thoughtfully. “A clock?”

“First things first, let’s get off the dance floor,”

Connie said.

They wandered toward the quieter back section of the club, which was an interesting mix of out-of-the-way nooks and private seating areas.

“Huh. I don’t remember those being there.”

Connie pointed at a wall that had antique portraits. “Since when did Raven put stuff like that in his club?”

“I don’t remember it, either. I also don’t know any of those people in the portraits.”

Hudson followed Connie and Kit toward them. “Do you, Connie?”

“No. They almost look commercial. Does that make sense? Like the pictures you see in frames for sale.”

Kit peered at one of the portraits. “I don’t recognize anybody, but I’m pretty new to this world, so I wouldn’t. If you two don’t either, then these must be fake. I wonder….”

Kit gestured toward the portraits. “It must be something to do with that clue? And what do you know. There are twelve of them.”

“So, do we take them down?”

Connie asked.

Kit frowned. “Maybe there’s a hidden message or a mechanism? I’d hate to take them down and mess them up. What if they’re not fake?”

Hudson examined a few of the portraits. Suddenly he paused in front of one. He leaned closer, sniffing lightly. “Do you smell that?”

Kit and Connie moved closer to it and sniffed. Kit shrugged and shook his head, but Connie nodded, feeling around the edges until he discovered a small lever hidden in the frame. He pulled it, and the painting swung forward silently on hinges, revealing a small alcove behind it. Inside lay an intricately carved wooden box.

“Oh, wow, do they all have a place to hid something?”

Kit asked.

“I bet they do.”

“Cool. So, first clue conquered,”

Kit announced with a grin as he took out the box, which was engraved with symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light.

“It was the runes we scented,”

Connie said. “The magic of them.”

“But what’s inside?”

Hudson asked as Kit opened it.

Inside was a silver key and a new note stating: To find where this key fits, you must seek out the place where fire warms cold hearts.

“Fireplace!”

Hudson exclaimed immediately. They moved quickly to an elaborate fireplace at one end of the room.

It wasn’t real, of course. The flame that danced inside was made of magic, but it was still beautiful to look at.

“Okay, now what?”

Kit asked, running his hands around the edges.

“The boxes,”

Connie said. “There are several small decorative lockboxes arranged along the mantelpiece.”

Kit tried the key in each until one clicked open to reveal their next clue—a miniature statue of a bat with ruby eyes and another note, which read: With eyes that see all paths, look where you refresh your spirit.

“What?”

Bemused, Kit read the note again.

“Another name for alcohol is spirits,”

Hudson said.

“And how many times have I read in a book about how suddenly a path opened up and suddenly there’s your dream man, standing at a bar,”

Kit said. “A lot. I’m bookworm, after all.”

“By Gaura, you’re right! To the bar!”

Connie excitedly gestured.

Rushing to the bar amid thumping music, they spotted an array of ornamental bottles behind the bartender. Each had unique labels depicting different mythic creatures.

“How in the hell did we miss those?”

Kit demanded.

After explaining their quest to the accommodating bartender, who was very obviously playing along, they were allowed to examine each bottle carefully until Kit noticed one labeled “Bat’s Breath”

with eyes exactly like those on their bat statue.

Inside this bottle was their final item—a crystal sphere emitting soft pulses of multicolored light, casting eerie, dancing shadows around them.

Kit reached for it, but Hudson grabbed his hand.

“Is it safe for my mostly human mate to touch?”

Hudson demanded.

“Of course, Your Majesty. Raven would never endanger a human, a mostly human, or a paranormal. It’s safe.”

“Okay.”

Reassured, Kit carefully picked up the sphere. The bartender winked and handed over the final clue, which read: The heart of the club beats where music blooms and fades—find the core.

Well, that was the easiest clue yet. Exchanging a glance with his mates, Kit hurried toward the DJ booth, the undeniable center where all sounds converged.

The DJ, spotting their approach, must have recognized the bottle in Kit’s hand. Grinning, he handed over a small, sealed envelope marked with their final directive.

“Congratulations are nearly yours,”

Hudson read aloud over the roar of music. “But one last riddle to test your might: When light and sound converge in my middle, my secret is yours to unearth.”

“Oh man, another one?”

Kit whined.

“Raven does like his games,”

Hudson mused as he stared at the clue.

Connie gasped, practically bouncing in place as he shouted over the noise, “The dance floor! The lights and music meet there!”

“But where?”

Kit questioned. “Have you looked at this dance floor? It’s huge?”

“In the middle,”

Hudson said slowly.

“You’re right! It did say in the middle.”

Kit grabbed Hudson and Connie by the hand and dragged them behind him as he tried to make his way to what he thought was the middle of the dance floor.

“By Gaura.”

Connie laughed as they stumbled along. “Kit, look.”

Each step on certain tiles caused them to light up brightly.

“Well, there’s your path. Focus on that,”

Hudson said.

Kit, guided by his instincts, danced across the floor, triggering a sequence of lights with each step. Suddenly, a panel in the center of the dance floor slid open. A small pedestal rose up, revealing a large black envelope tied with a blood-red ribbon.

“Mother of all.”

They crowded around it, Kit practically vibrating out of his skin.

“Go ahead,”

Hudson said. “You solved it.

Kit opened it. The note said: Your courage and cleverness have proven worthy. A donation of a million dollars will be made in your name(s) to whatever charity you designate. Congratulations! Now, let the party continue!

Kit’s mouth fell open. Even though he was mated to stupidly rich dragons, a million dollars was still an outrageous sum as a prize. “Holy shit.”

Hudson just laughed like he knew what Kit was thinking.

As the reality of their victory sank in, the crowd around them burst into applause. Patrons rallied around, congratulating them on their cleverness and good fortune.

Kit hugged both of his mates tightly. “Do you know what a charity could do was this kind of money?”

“Oh yes,”

Connie said. “Absolutely.”

“Well, babe, you figured it out. Who should we donate to?”

Hudson asked.

“We should support an LGBTQIA+ youth charity,”

Kit suggested. “Think about how much that could help young people struggling with their identities.”

Connie nodded in agreement. “Absolutely, let’s do something that gives back to our community and supports future generations.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea,”

Hudson agreed enthusiastically.

A decision was made, and they informed Raven.

“Excellent choice. And while you’ve earned your prize fairly, who’s to say this is where your journey must end? There are always more mysteries in this world—more shadows where light has yet to tread.”

Connie snickered. “Are you suggesting this isn’t the end?”

Raven’s smile was enigmatic. “All endings are merely beginnings waiting to be uncovered. But for now—celebrate your victory!”

As Raven melted away into the shadowy depths of the club once more, the DJ ramped up the music again.

Kit pulled Connie and Hudson close. “You heard the man. Let’s celebrate our victory.”

Trapping Kit between them, they did just that—moving to a rhythm, the pulsating beats flowing through his body.

AS THE night wore on, the club thinned out, and they found themselves taking a break near the bar.

“It’s not every day you solve a mysterious puzzle and help make such a huge difference,”

Hudson said as he took a last sip of his drink.

Connie leaned against the bar, smiling at Hudson. “It’s like we were meant to find that envelope, you know? Like Fate or something magical guided us here.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,”

Hudson said. “Fate has touched our lives before.”

Kit’s gaze drifted across the dance floor where the lights continued to flicker. “Maybe it was Fate. Or maybe we’re just really good at solving puzzles.”

As they talked, a slow song started, a stark contrast to the pounding bass that had dominated the night. The change in tempo caught Kit’s attention.

Now wasn’t that just perfect? He had no idea if three people could slow dance together, but they were certainly going to try.

He held out his hands towards Connie and Hudson. “May I have this dance?”

Without hesitation, Connie and Hudson joined him. As they swayed gently to the music, the bond glowed with an overwhelming sense of happiness and love.

The song was just perfect too. It spoke of endless nights and undying love. As they danced, it wasn’t just their bodies that moved but their souls too, intertwining in the soft glow of the club’s remaining lights.

Hudson pulled back slightly to look at both Kit and Connie. “You know, this is only the beginning for us. Tonight was one incredible adventure, but I’ve got this feeling that there are many more waiting for us.”

“With every challenge we face together, we grow stronger. Who knows what mysteries and adventures lie ahead?”

Connie murmured, pulling them closer.

The song ended but their moment lingered on—a quiet agreement sealed by shared smiles and unspoken pledges under the dimming club lights.

“Let’s go home,”

Kit said softly.

Leaving behind the echo of music and mystery at sunrise, they stepped out into the warm morning air.