Page 76 of Black Wave

Jameson and I have become closer, and I trust him to help me with Emma. I feel better that she has a button to hit in an emergency—the starburst pendant. Emma gets up from the stool and tells me she is going to start to get ready.

“Are you sure? We still have a lot of time until we leave for the concert,” I inform her, but she just smiles at me.

“I have to do my makeup and costume. It might take a while.” She looks at me and smiles mischievously.

“Should I be scared, baby?” I wonder what she has up her sleeves, and by the look in her eye, I can tell that she is planning something epic.

“You should always be scared, baby.” She leans over and bites my lip.

“What the…?” I touch my lip, but she didn’t break the skin. She smiles and winks at me, and then slowly turns around, walking off, leaving me now very turned on. I think I have met my match.

I pick up my coffee and decide to make another, but this time with a little bit of alcohol in it. I move the stool she’d been sitting on over and throw my feet up on it and relax, knowing that Emma will be in there for a while getting ready for tonight.I can make my plans with the extra security I have for us tonight without her knowing. I smile to myself as I look at our bedroom door. I am more than curious to see what she has up her sleeve tonight.

I get ready for the concert in the spare bedroom. I don’t want to take away from Emma getting ready in our master bedroom. When I walked in there it was total destruction. There was makeup everywhere and I was assaulted with a hit of hairspray to the face as I approached her from behind. At least she didn’t hit me in the eye. She swears that this stuff is all natural and cruelty free, but I bet it fucking hurts to get in your eye. I’ve been sitting on the couch answering emails from work, until I finally hear the sound of the bedroom door shut.

She walks out of the room dressed in black fitted, ripped jeans with an Eponymous Tour Ghost concert shirt. Her hair is pulled back with two inverted French braids that wrap around in a wild ponytail. Her long blond hair hits mid back, and her face is painted with ghoulish makeup. She is wearing platform black Doc Martens boots. The look is completed with a bright-blue sequined blazer she spoke about getting specifically for this concert to match Papa, the lead singer. She is a sight to behold, even in her ghoulish attire.

She sees me and smiles. Her black matte lipstick makes her teeth look even whiter and her smile wicked. I have a fitted black shirt, jeans, and boots. Nothing special. This is about Emma. It’s her night, and she has been looking forward to it since I bought the tickets. She grabs her phone and a clear plastic bag that most concerts only allow into the venue. I realize that I have been staring at her when she clears her throat. I stand and put myphone away mid message as I take her arm, and we walk out of the apartment through the front lobby.

CHAPTER 42

Emma

Eli is there with the car, and we are soon on our way to the event. The concert is about thirty miles north of Houston, so we have a small drive ahead of us. Eli messes with the radio and hits the Spotify app.

“What do you guys want to listen to on the ride to the concert?” Eli drags his finger through the recently played section of the app.

“Oh, I made a playlist. Here, put this on.” I connect my phone, and “Ghouls Night Out” by the Misfits starts to play through the car speakers. Old-school Glenn Danzig’s vocals begin with the three standard power chords infamous in punk rock music—the powerful simplicity of the genre is refreshing. I also made a concert song playlist for the event tonight with every song the band planned on singing, starting with Ghost’s first song, “Kaisarion.”

We drive and get most of the playlist, and I sing to every song. I feel Eduardo staring at me, and I catch Eli looking in the rearview mirror, catching glimpses of him suppressing a laugh. I don’t have the best voice, but I don’t give a damn. This is the best music ever. When we get there, Eli comes to open the door, and Eduardo grabs my hand, helping me out. We start walkingtoward the venue, and I see everyone dressed in decorative attire. Eduardo looks around and then smiles down at me.

“Looks like you’ve found your tribe here. You should probably hit the port-a-potty before we get in there.”

We go through the line, get our merch, and walk it back to the car. I don’t want to lose my signed poster. We are allowed early entry and walk in to look through some of their stations in the VIP lounge. It has displays of the band and pictures. A little food spread is laid out for us, but I am too excited to eat. A lady walks in and lets us know that we will be lining up for those who have pit tickets, and my smile drops. It isn’t that I am not appreciative of the chance to be here, but what I wouldn’t do for pit tickets. Eduardo looks over at me.

“Let’s lineup so you get a good spot.”

I look over at him in shock. “What did you say?” I blink at him several times because I couldn’t have heard right.

He smiles at me expectantly. “I had Helena give us her pit tickets, baby. We need to line up for the pit.”

I fling myself into his arms. “Oh my god. I love you so much more right now. Let’s go.”

We follow the lady as she climbs on an ATV. We walk and are lined up for the concert pit entrance at the front. Once we get in there, you don’t leave, so I am ready for this.

We await the beginning act, and I take my phone out and check my online chats. Her name is Genevieve, and she is in the States for the concert. I am so excited to meet her after finally chatting with this girl. She lives in New Zealand now, but was originally from Texas and still has family here. That's the great thing about online friends. You have so much in common and would have typically never met if it wasn’t for modern technology.

Eduardo peers over and sees me chatting. He frowns, and I see the way he looks at me. Always so protective. He assumes everything is a threat to take me out.

The opening act was fabulous, and now it’s time for the main attraction. I think I am going to burst with happiness. The Ghouls and Ghoulettes come out first on stage, and then we are blessed by Papa Emeritus IV. Eduardo looks over at him and then at me, screaming his name, and he shakes his head.

“It’s part of the lore, Eduardo. Just go with it. It’s going to be amazing.” And it is. Before I know it, the concert finishes with “Square Hammer,” and I am losing my mind. I have gone through a series of emotions in the past couple of hours. Anticipation, excitement, happiness, and sadness that it is over all too soon.

The ghouls are out front in their masks, tossing picks, and I see Eduardo jump up in the air. He keeps his arms in as he lands back on his feet, slightly swaying. I look at him, and he holds out the contents of what is in his hand. I scream and grab it.

“A fucking pick. Yes!” I run in place and squeal with excitement. I throw myself at him and kiss him. “This is so much better than my mummy dust cash I got earlier that shot out of the cannons.”

He shakes his head as tears break the corner of his eyes. He is now wheezing.

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