The Masquerade by Alexa Rae Page B

different locations around us, two or more, by each of my brothers, their vicious eyes black and ready for attack. I knew, in that moment, it wasn't just me who would suffer for my mistake. It was my best
    friends, my band mates, my brothers.
    "Fuck," Jesse muttered.
    Every muscle in my body tensed. My eyes glared down the Undead in front of me. "I exposed myself. I'll take the punishment."
    I snarled.
    He shook his head. "Everyone you know will suffer for your mistake, Ben." His eyes darted to the side where Jesse and Max stood. Six of the Undead were already behind them, their hands at their throats, their
    fingers digging into their flesh. "You're going to watch as we take away their existence." His eyes moved back to me. "The best we save for last."
    "No!" I shouted. I was in front of him in an
    instant. "Let me make a deal with you." I heard Jesse's breath hitch. He sucked in air to ignore the pain. I roared in anger at the sight, rage pumping through my veins. "They didn't do anything!"
    "Look," Max said from behind me, his voice measured. "We can make a deal. We have money."
    "There's nothing you have that we don't already possess."
    "We have girls." Cam muttered.
    I looked over my shoulder when he said it, my eyes on Cam. Three of the Undead were restraining him, but he still had the familiar sense of humor in his expression, even facing the ultimate death. His words sparked a
    distinct memory that I had purposely stored away. Once the thought surfaced, I couldn't hesitate.
    "I have something you want." I said, my gaze snapping back to the Undead in front of me.
    "We're not interested." But I caught the curiosity in his eyes. He was prepared to listen, even if he wouldn't admit it. I gave a snide smile knowing he couldn't refuse my proposition. It was everything they'd been searching for.
    "Oh, you are." I crossed my arms over my chest. "You'd die for it."
     

Eleven
    "Order up!"
    "Don't fuck it up!" I mimicked.
    Calvin peered over the steel counter of the kitchen window
    to smirk at me. I leaned over and flicked his chef hat with one of my fingers before I took table seven's meals and put them on a tray. Balancing it on one hand, I moved around the long 'L' shaped bar counter to the booth labeled
    'seven'. From the serving platter I handed each family member their dinners.
    "Is there anything else I can get you?" I asked with a big smile. The mother, who seemed to be graying faster than her toddler was growing, shook her head but returned my smile. The little girl looked up at
    me from her mommy's lap with wide, angelic brown eyes. She tugged at one of her chocolate colored pigtails that curled into little ringlets at the ends.
    "Can I have crayons?"
    "Magic word," her mother quickly interjected.
    "Can I have crayons, please ?" The little girl asked again.
    I grinned down at her and nodded. "Of course." I
    turned and moved back to the bar after another table handed me their check. I stood at the cash register behind the bar and punched in a few numbers. "Don't forget the crayons." I reminded myself under my breath while
    eyeing the check.
    "Mmm girl, I must say, you are looking hot punching in those digits."
    "You know it." I responded and looked up to face Shiloh briefly. She shot me a wide smile before turning to man who slid onto
    one of the stools at the bar. I shook my head. She was getting better at the various accents she used to make us smile. The ghetto impersonation was becoming quite funny.
    After searching through the crayon box underneath the bar, I
    found one four-pack box with a pink crayon inside. With a satisfied smile, I stood up just in time to see Katie, our manager, carrying a tray full of dirty dishes on her shoulder. She skillfully moved past Shiloh toward the swinging
    kitchen door.
    "Will one of you please take care of table thirteen?"
    I turned to Shiloh whose fist was already in the air. We both glanced at one another. No one liked table thirteen. It was in the back
    side of the restaurant