Page 29 of Dead & Dating
Esme
I'm dressed again, curled up in Duske's lap at the table, his arms are wrapped around me, one hand resting on my hip, the other playing with the ends of my hair. It's comforting and grounding, pulling me back to the earthly plane as I let myself sink into the feeling of being held.
Vesper and Milo disappeared for a few hours earlier, muttering something about needing to run errands, and now they're back with armfuls of bags. The kitchen table is covered with groceries, supplies, and what looks like an entire Halloween store's worth of decorations.
I watch as Milo zooms over to Vesper, practically vibrating with excitement, and plants a kiss on his lips. It starts off soft and sweet, but quickly turns hot and heavy. Vesper's hands slide down to grip Milo's ass, pulling him closer, Milo making a soft sound against his mouth.
Vesper lifts Milo effortlessly, setting him on the edge of the kitchen table, and I watch as groping hands and wandering lipstake over. Vesper's mouth trails down Milo's neck, and Milo's head falls back, his fingers tangling in Vesper's curly hair.
"She tastes delicious on you," Vesper murmurs against Milo's skin.
My cheeks flush hot, and I bury my face in Duske's chest, realizing that Milo’s brief shower he took probably did nothing to mask my scent coating his skin. Duske just laughs, the sound rumbling through his body, quickly turning into his purr. The deep sound soothes through me, my body relaxing even further.
I love that I haven't missed out entirely on all this. I love watching them together, seeing the way they touch and kiss and exist in each other's space. It makes my chest warm, makes me feel like I'm part of something bigger than myself. Still, there’s the lingering issue of my sister now that the funeral is less than 24 hours away. "What happens now with Liora?" I ask, pulling back to look at Duske.
Vesper pulls away from Milo, his hazel eyes shifting to meet mine. "Duske made her believe it was some kind of fluke, but that trick probably won't work again."
I grimace, my hands clenching into fists on Duske's chest. "I hate it even more that she killed me for some petty ass reason."
Duske hums, agreeing with my sentiment, but the sudden drop in temperature of the room tells me there’s something else. "It's worse than that. I think she sold her soul or something equivalent to get us to love her, but that's not how deals work. The demon who gave her the deal fucked up."
I frown, trying to process his words. "What do you mean?"
Duske's dark eyes meet mine. "Demons can't make people fall in love. It's not possible. We can manipulate emotions, sure, but love? That's something that has to be real. So whatever deal Liora made, it was doomed from the start." Duske's lips curve into a small smile. "I'm going to see if we can break the deal or manipulate it. Maybe use it against her." He leans down,pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "For now? We enjoy Halloween," he says against my mouth.
I frown, leaning back to look around the room, searching for a clock. "Wait, is that today?"
Laughter fills the kitchen, and Vesper grins at me. "Milo even went out and got decorations."
Milo jumps off the table, his green eyes sparkling with excitement, and rushes over to a certain section of the bags. He starts pulling things out, and I watch as bats and streamers and lights emerge. Everything else is pumpkin-themed, just like always.
"We always decorated, especially with your parents, and I don't know why we have to skip today," Milo says, his voice earnest.
I smile, warmth spreading through my chest. "Even if we're packing up the house?"
"We don't have to stop celebrating, Esme."
I watch as he starts pulling more things out, and the nostalgia hits me hard. My parents loved Halloween. Every year, we'd decorate the house together, carving pumpkins and stringing up lights. And when Milo, Vesper, and Duske started coming around, they joined in, making it even more special. Even after my parents died, it became something of a ritual, a ritual I all but forgot about becausemy sister fucking killed me.
Vesper moves to stand beside Milo, his hand resting on the small of Milo's back. "I apologize, but he was very adamant about making sure that we grabbed all the right supplies. He only bought pumpkin-flavored things, but I made sure to get eggs and sausage."
I laugh, shaking my head. "I love how happy he gets about the pumpkin stuff." Before Milo showed up, I had the occasional pumpkin pie but now? I think I’d miss it if there wasn’t pumpkin creamer available in my fridge every day.
Milo grins, his expression playful. "She asked me if I was a cannibal because of my head and then I fucked her and she told me she loved me."
Vesper's eyes widen, and he looks at me. "What?"
I shrug, my cheeks heating. "It's a valid question, but he explained, so I know he's not. I'm not sure that would stop me from getting fucked, though, and that says more about me than it does Milo. And yes, I love him. You and Duske, too but that cheapens the moment so you have to wait for me to say it right." Vesper clears his throat, obviously about to make his own declaration but I hold up a hand to stop him. “No, not now. Later, okay? I know you do but I want to make it special.”
Laughter fills the room again as Vesper playfully shakes his head, a grin tugging at his lips. "Alright, well, I'll start making lunch, and you can help Milo decorate the living room, hmm?"
I glance at Duske, raising an eyebrow. "What about Duske? He just gets to sit here?"
Milo's eyes light up, and he points at Duske. "No, that's not fair. You can do the cutouts."
I snort, unable to hold back my laughter. "I never thought I'd see the day that Death does arts and crafts."
Duske's expression is long-suffering, but there's a hint of amusement in his dark eyes. "I'm only doing this for Esme. No one else."
