Chapter 6

"Where are you going?" Gloria entered Daniella's room to find her in her underwear, standing in front of her closet.

"Out." Daniella said curtly, pulling out a green halter sundress. "Meeting someone in town today."

She rushed to her daughter's side. "Is this that young man you were with last night?" She gushed. "Oh, so handsome—lovely costume too, looks like your great-great grandfather. Although, I don't think I've seen him before…"

"He's British, mother." Daniella saw her gasp in silent delight from her mirror. "He lives with the Morgensterns."

"I didn't know the Morgensterns were British," Gloria mused. She casually eyed her daughter's outfit, and suddenly did a double-take. "You're going to town looking like that?"

"What's wrong with what I look like?" Daniella scowled. Without another word, her mother rummaged through her closet, judging every dress with that sharp eye of hers before stopping on a dress and smiling. She pulled out Daniella's white cocktail dress. "That? For town?"

"It's still Halloween, Danie," Gloria said as though she were still a child. "I am not going to let you go to town without a different costume—we'll improvise."

"What am I supposed to be in a white dress?" Daniella asked dryly.

"Leave that to me." Gloria tossed her the dress before skipping out the room. "Just put it on and wait here."

Daniella groaned before looking at the dress and putting it on. On the balcony of Daniella's room, Edward leaned, facing the town of Jupiter and away from a half-naked Daniella.

You're missing out. It sneered. "Silence, you pervert." Edward said quietly. "I am not as vile as you, I can wait."

Please. If you could see her, you'd slash her throat so she could return with us.

"I wouldn't." Edward said firmly. It laughed in disbelief.

He was actually grateful for Daniella's mother, giving him an excuse as to why Daniella would find him still in his "costume". Resisting the urge to turn around, he disappeared from the balcony, reappearing on the gates of the Morgenstern house.

~0~0~0~

"Hi," Daniella smiled as she drove in from of the gate.

"A good morning to you, beautiful." Edward smiled as he entered the car. "The most beautiful angel I've ever seen."

Daniella giggled as Edward kissed her hand. "Nice to know that you didn't turn to a pumpkin in the morning."

"Never with you." He smiled, and for a few moments, Daniella stared dreamily before snapping back into reality.

"Do you want to drive?" She asked politely.

Oh no. "Uhh…I can't," Edward stammered. "It's, uh…"

"Oh right, silly of me," Daniella cut him off, fixing the gears of the car and taking off. "I forgot you didn't have a license."

They sped on to the town where everyone was in costume, just as Gloria predicted. Their first stop was at the diner, where they had brunch.

"So…" Daniella began awkwardly. Edward raised an eyebrow, and both of them laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, I really don't know how dating works."

"Then let's make our own way." Edward smiled, reaching across the table to hold her hand. He glanced by the door to stare at one of his coterie members, summoning them to give him what he needs. An instant later, one of the wallets of an unlucky customer was on the side of his chair. He looked at the theatre across the street. "Shall we watch a film later?"

Daniella turned around to look at the cinema. "Sure, I heard the horror movie's good…what are you looking at?"

She caught him looking at her even more intense than the night before. "You look so lovely, Daniella." He smiled. "I can't help it."

Daniella looked down. "It's such a shame you're leaving soon."

"Yes," Edward scowled. "I'll be back when I can, I promise."

What? It whispered. No we're not. Not unless someone performs in Jupiter again next year.

"I hope you can." Daniella said quietly.

After a long silence, Edward knew what he wanted. "Daniella?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever thought about going back to London?" Where are you going with this, Edward?

"Not since grandmother died, not really."

He grasped both her hands. "Retreat to London…with me." But we're not going to London.

"Move to London with you?" Daniella asked, taken aback.

"Yes, Danie, just imagine." Edward said as he clasped both of her hands with his. "You'd be free, and we could do whatever we wanted to do."

It was tempting, Daniella knew. London felt more a home for her than Jupiter ever was ever since her father died. But there was also the logic of everything. "Edward…I don't know."

She's smart, unlike you. Is this your way of luring her to die? Edward ignored It and casually banged the back of his head on the wall. "And why not?"

"Why not?" She was both amused and worried about his almost childlike fantasy. "Edward, I only met you last night."

"And we have the rest of our lives to know each other." He said lazily.

"You don't know who I am."

"I know enough to want you, Daniella—you were perfectly fine with telling me your story last night."

"Because I felt safe with you," She explained. "compared to the other guys. Plus, I don't even know who you are."

"Ask me any question you like." He countered. "From now on, ask and you shall have my honest answer."

It sneered, but he ignored It. "And it's not just because we don't know each other well, Edward." Daniella continued. "I'm American—I'm pretty sure there's a lot of paperwork if I'm to move to another country."

Edward sighed, squeezing her hands. "Leave it to me, if you'll go with me by the end of the week."

Once upon a time, Daniella would have gladly left with some stranger to an adventure of the unknown. But she had so much going for her, and leaving would not be easy—especially not now, with her mother, Dandy, her future and…well, that other thing, so she couldn't leave like that.

"Edward…that's such a big decision…" Daniella started.

"Don't say anything," He put a finger in front of her lips to quiet her. "I'm leaving in a week, so I'm not rushing you."

"Thank you." She smiled, still considering the idea of moving. A waitress approached the table.

"Excuse me, Ms. Mott, your mother is on the phone."

She turned to Edward, who flashed her a smile as he nodded, and she went to the phone. As soon as she left, Edward banged his head on the wall. "Never do that again."

Why, because I'm right? You're going to kill her? It sounded excited. Slit her throat until her body goes limp? Or will you poison her drink to give her some color when she joins us?

"Never speak like that." He said too loudly, catching the attention of a nearby patron. Edward faked a cough and lowered his voice. "Never speak like that again about Daniella."

You didn't answer my question: Are. You. Going. To. Kill. Her.

In all honesty, Edward didn't know. He wanted Daniella—so much more than anything else. He lost Beatrice before he could return to her, and now that Daniella was at his reach, he wasn't leaving without her. But he knew the only way she could go with him was by killing her, otherwise she would just end up with all the others spirits in a different part of the supernatural world. He couldn't stay either, knowing that he would have to kill someone and leave before the week ended.

He looked at the knife he used to cut the delicacy the people called "pancakes". The knife would be too soft and would hurt her if he did try to kill her. He had a dagger in his pocket, the one he used to kill his coterie into his domain, but the thought of even stabbing Daniella…no, I can't do it.

But he very so much wanted her.

He threw some money on the table and went to Daniella just as she put down the phone. "Everything alright?"

"Yes, mother's just making sure I'm here." She assured him. "She wants to go out but she doesn't want to leave Dandy all alone."

"Then she'll be truly disappointed." Edward noted. "I want to spend the whole day with you."

"Me too," Daniella giggled. "But I can't go out tomorrow."

"Very well," He conceded. "Now, movie?"

They went across the street and saw that it wouldn't start in thirty minutes, and so they walked along the town, watching the children run around houses, trick-or-treating.

"Adorable," Edward noted at a group of toddlers dressed as animals leaving the candy store.

"I know right," Daniella agreed, paying attention to the little piglet at the back keeping up with the others.

"What did you dress up as?" Edward asked, putting her hand on his arm. "When you were a child."

"A princess—every year mother would make sure I was a princess." Daniella said in a bored voice. "Except that one year she was sick and daddy let me go as a princess monster."

"Princess monster?"

"Dandy was a monster the year before that," she explained. "My mother wasn't there to see us off so daddy didn't mind me wearing his old mask."

"Different." Edward said in approval.

"Different is beautiful." She said in defense. "At least, I think it is."

"Of course it is, Daniella."

A group of fairy princesses passed by the two, separating them. One little girl, in a pink fairy princess dress, stopped and looked back to stare at the two. "Are you an angel?" She asked.

"Yes," Edward answered the little girl. "She definitely is an angel."

"Oh."

"Jessie!" The girl's mother approached them, her friend in tow. "Where's your brother?"

"I don't know, mommy." Jessie squeaked. "I don't wanna be near him."

"Honey, he's not going to harm you." The mother's friend spoke up. "Not unless he wants to get beat up by his mama, he's not."

Jessie waved at Daniella and Edward, catching up with her friends at the candy store, only to run back after seeing a clown on the window.

"Mommy!" Jessie wailed. "He's doing it again!"

The mother turned to the store, her face full of anger. The clown stepped out gingerly, following his angry mother.

"I can't believe you're doing this to your sister." She yelled in public. "She's already afraid of clowns and you had to do that!"

Daniella, Edward, and the rest of the Jupiter residents watched them leave, the mother still yelling as they turned the block.

"Is this what happened with you and Dandy?" Edward asked, tugging at her to walk on.

"Yes, but instead mother would tell me that that was what boys did." Daniella pursed her lips at the memory. "Dandy was—is—a real jerk a lot of times."

"Your brother…" Edward started. The accomplice of the kidnappings, yes, her brother. "How is he?"

"I'm a bit worried about him, truth be told." She admitted. "Dora said he…kills animals. And not like insect animals, I mean like killing cats and smearing their brains all over the walls."

"Really?" Edward wondered how a girl like her could have a twin like that.

"Yeah, Dora was the one cleaning the messes." She shrugged. "I guess we should go back to the cinema."

They went back to the cinema to watch the horror movie. It was very silent, not whispering anything, and Edward felt Daniella clutch his arm during a scene she found scary. He could smell her rose-scented perfume, as her hair brushed his shoulder. He leaned his head on hers, savoring the moment in the dark. The moment was perfect, and tried not to remember the decision he had to make in less than a week.