Page 101 of House of Malice
Alecto chuckled and nodded.
Leigh took the spot on the platform, waiting patiently.
“Ah, you are a bit of a difficult one, aren’t you…?” murmured Ariz, rubbing her pointed chin.
Leigh blinked, clearly unsure what to say.
“Ah, here we go,” Ariz said, grabbing one item from one rack and then another one from the other. “Try this one for the day ceremony.”
Leigh took the hanger with a suit. She put it on and then looked at herself in the mirror.
It was no regular suit—it was made from a white lace all over. The pants were long and wide at the bottom, covering Leigh’s feet completely. The jacket didn’t have a layer underneath, so it was completely see-through, and it had a low V cut in the front.
“Oh, wow,” was all Leigh could say.
“You look fucking hot, babe,” Jolene said.
“Now this one is for the evening,” Ariz said, handing Leigh the next gown.
Leigh stopped out of the lace suit and tried on the next outfit. It was a dress this time. A long fitted dress with a high cut on the left that went all the way to Leigh’s hip. You could see her whole leg, and the back was also open.
Leigh inspected herself from all sides, touching the baby-pink satin material with her hands. “It’s so soft, I can’t stop touching it,” she said, then laughed. “It’s like nothing I have ever seen before.”
“Of course, you’ve never seen anything like this before. Each gown is handmade,” Ariz said. “Off you go now.”
Leigh returned to Jolene and kissed her. They held hands, looking each other in the eye for a long moment. The joy their faces held in that moment almost made Alecto cry.
“Now your turn,” Ariz said to Alecto. “One gown is enough for guests.”
Alecto smiled and nodded. She undressed and got on the platform. While she stood there, she tried very hard not to look at herself in the mirror.
“This one’s made for you,” Ariz said, handing her a hanger with a dress. “Perfect.”
It was a long, slim silhouette dress that looked fairly simple. Until Alecto put it on. The soft burgundy material hugged her figure in all the right places and ended right above her toes.
“Open-toe shoes,” Ariz said. “With high heels. You’re not too tall, despite what you might believe.”
Alecto nodded, admiring the dress in the mirror.
Her shoulders were naked, and the bodice of the dress had a neckline that complemented her body shape perfectly.
“Alright, we’re set then,” Ariz said. “My assistant will pack the gowns for you.”
And with that, the goblin left.
“This will be the best day of my life!” Jolene squealed, overflowing with excitement.
41
Alecto looked at herself in the mirror for one last time. She wore the dress she’d bought at Ariz’s for Jolene’s wedding and the high heels with open toes. They were a matching color to the dress, just like her fingernails.
She added some gold jewelry and put her hair up in a messy bun. Brown lip pencil and lip gloss were the only makeup she wore.
There was a knock on her door.
“Come in!” Alecto said, turning away from the mirror.
She thought it might be the event planner she’d hired. But it was Blaze.
