“It might pay for you to remember that the bullets in the Lone Ranger’s gun are silver. Let him go, werewolf.” Wills was pointing the gun at the werewolf’s head.
“Uh…” The werewolf blinked owlishly, staring down the barrel of a Colt . 45.
“What don’t you understand about let him go? Find someone else to kiss. Zorro is mine.”
I took the werewolf’s arms from around me and stepped away from him, wiping my mouth with my sleeve.
“Shorry. There’s no need to be shelfish. Jus’ wanted a li’l kish.”
“Someone get Jay out of here.” Charlemagne had approached without any of us realizing it. Well, maybe Wills had. He didn’t seem surprised.
“That’s Jay? Oh, my God, I’m gonna be sick.”
“Want me to shoot him, babe?”
“Please, not here. Since the new people took over, it was hard enough to persuade the management to let us hold the Halloween Ball here.” Charlemagne let his gaze drift over my lover. “So, you want to introduce us, Zorro?”
“This is the Lone Ranger, Mephistopheles. Ranger, this is—”
“The Devil.” Wills holstered his pistol. “Your majesty.”
“I don’t recognize you.”
“He’s wearing a mask,” I growled.
“Even with the mask I’m certain I would recognize a body like that.” Chuckles leered at him, and a flush ran up Wills’s cheeks and disappeared under his mask.
I clenched my hands into fists. I’d never been so tempted to punch Charlemagne’s perfect nose.
“Would you care to spend some time at my table? I’m sure I can interest you in…walking the wild side. After all…” He glanced across the room to the entrance, where Michael stood, watching him. “…if I can convert an archangel…”
“No, thanks. I’m here with Zorro.”
Charlemagne regarded him thoughtfully. “And you go home with the one you came with?”
“Right.”
My mask didn’t conceal my grin. “If you’ll excuse us?” The orchestra was playing “Isn’t It Romantic.” Had he gone to ask them to play it? I took Wills’s hand and led him to the dance floor.
I twined the fingers of one hand in his, while I kneaded his hip with the fingers of my other hand and drew him closer, and we began to move across the floor.
* * * *
Wills looked at his wristwatch.
“Is it time to go?” I asked. We’d agreed to leave a couple of minutes before midnight, just before everyone would unmask. He had work tomorrow.
“Yeah. Are you sure you don’t want to stay? You’re having a good time.”
“Because I’m here with you. Let’s get our goody bags and go say goodnight to Le Roi.”
We went back to our table and gathered our bags and my cape, which I’d removed when I’d found it made dancing difficult.
The Prince of Darkness was in earnest conversation with the Archangel Michael. He glanced around at us. “You’re not leaving already?”
“We have to go. The Lone Ranger has to be up bright and early in the morning catching bad guys.” I didn’t think it was that funny, but Wills bit back a snicker.
Charlemagne ran his gaze over Wills again, and I wanted to pull out my sword and run him through. “Are you sure I can’t interest you in a trick or treat, little boy?”
“I’ve got my treat, thanks.” His arm came around my waist. “It was nice meeting you, your majesty. Sir.” He nodded to the man dressed as the Archangel.
“Bright blessings upon you, William. And you also, Teodore.”
“Uh…thanks. Good night.” That was odd. But then Wills wound his fingers in mine, and I dismissed it.
The doorman hailed us a cab, and we got in and gave the driver our address. It seemed almost no time before the cab was pulling up in front of our house. We got out, and Wills paid him. There hadn’t been a single wrinkle or bulge in his costume—except for his package, and I wondered where he’d kept his wallet.
We climbed the stairs, and I let us into the apartment. “Did you have a good time, babe?” I yawned, tipped my hat back off my head so that it hung from its thong around my neck, and removed my mask. Wills did the same.
“Yeah. Like I’d said, I haven’t been to a Halloween party since college. This was a lot of fun.” He frowned. “Except for that idiot werewolf who thought he could kiss you. What’s in the goody bags? Candy?”
“Not exactly.” I pulled out the items one by one. “Whoever is Le Roi has them put together. Condoms, flavored lube, cock rings, butt plugs…”
His lashes hid his eyes for a moment, and he blushed. Would he consider wearing one? Oh, not to work. He was too professional for that, but maybe around the apartment?
“…gift certificates for massages or to a hair stylist or restaurant or—”
“A tie clip?” Wills had taken a small jeweler’s box out of his bag and opened it to reveal a black cat arched and hissing above words marked out in diamond chips. 87th annual Halloween Ball. 10/31/02.