After that dreadful night, Beatrix found herself standing alone before Bloodgood in her office. The headmistress sat behind her large mahogany desk, her piercing eyes fixed on Beatrix, waiting for an explanation.


    With a heavy heart, Beatrix said, "I used magic on Johannah and Mr. Gore. I am so so so sorry. I was just trying to help Jackson and I panicked…"


    Bloodgood''s eyes narrowed, her brows furrowing in suspicion. "What kind of magic did you use?" she asked, her tone sharp.


    Beatrix took a moment to think about what she was going to say. She figured that if she told Bloodgood just how complicated the magic she used was, it would only make her look even more guilty. So Beatrix decided to leave out the whole "mixing monster powers with witchcraft" stuff out of her confession.


    “Just a basic sleeping potion, Headmistress,” Beatrix said. “I swear, I can''t even begin to tell you how sorry I am for—”


    Bloodgood wasn''t moved by her pleas. "You had one chance to make things work here, Ms. Ravenwood. I am very disappointed it has to end like this," Bloodgood said as she pulled out the dreaded employee termination papers.


    Beatrix''s heart sank, and she could feel a lump forming in her throat. "Please, give me one more chance—" she begged, her voice cracking.


    Suddenly, the door flew open, and Grey burst into the office. "Wait," he said. "I left them unattended. This is on me."


    Bloodgood turned to look at Grey. "And why did you leave the field trip early?" she asked.


    Grey briefly glanced at Beatrix, then said, "I had my reasons. But that''s not what''s important right now.”


    Beatrix was shocked Grey had the nerve to talk to the headmistress like that, and even more shocked that Bloodgood didn''t push him on it. Judging by the tense charge between Grey and the headmistress, Beatrix had a feeling there was something they both knew, something they weren’t going to let her in on.


    Grey continued, his voice calm yet firm. "The witch was reckless and stupid. There’s no doubt about that. But still, given the situation, she did what she thought she had to. Beatrix didn''t have bad intentions, she was just trying to look out for her friend."


    Bloodgood frowned, not convinced. "Be that as it may, Ms. Ravenwood has broken the terms of our agreement. I simply cannot allow her to work here any longer.”


    “Look, I get it,” Grey said, “but there’s a bigger issue here. Vampires almost killed her and Guillermo. And even if it was by accident, Beatrix ended up saving two human lives. You and I both know the vampires have been causing trouble for a while. And now they’re completely ignoring the rule about not leaving school grounds. You can’t just kick out Beatrix. She’s a witness, proof there’s students at Monster High who are a threat to others.”


    “You''re saying Ms. Ravenwood should get off scot-free?” Bloodgood asked. “After breaking the one rule she was forbidden from breaking?"


    “No, I’m saying you should have the school board look into all of this,” Grey said. “Let them decide if the witch stays or goes. They might need her help to hold those vampires accountable.”


    Beatrix chimed in, "If Bram and Vilhelm are bold enough to attack humans in the city, then they''re definitely not afraid to kill a student like Gilda Goldstag in the woods."


    This made Bloodgood pause. The headmistress considered their words for a very long, nerve-wracking moment, rubbing her temples. Their argument must’ve struck a chord.


    Finally, the headmistress gave in, her shoulders slumping as she let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Ms. Ravenwood will make her case before the school board,” she said grudgingly. “I don''t like this one bit. But I will allow her to stay on, at least until this vampire matter is resolved.” Bloodgood then fixed Beatrix with a stern look. “Your magic use could forever damage our institution''s reputation, so until the trial, don''t breathe a word about any of this to anyone. And I expect your full cooperation in the investigation against Bram and Vilhelm.”


    "You mean I can stay?” Beatrix exclaimed, relief washing over her, but Grey side-eyed her so she reeled herself in. “Sorry—yes, I understand, Headmistress. Thank you. Thank you so much—”


    Bloodgood held up a hand, cutting Beatrix off. "To make up for the incredibly serious trouble you''ve caused, I''m assigning you janitorial duties on top of your creepateria shifts. From now on, you will be responsible for cleaning every single attic on campus. We''ll discuss the terms of your employment again once I hear back from the school board.”


    With that, Bloodgood dismissed Beatrix and Grey from her office. As they stepped out into the hallway, Beatrix turned to Grey.


    “Hey, thanks for sticking up for me….”


    But Grey was already walking away, his back turned to her as he headed down the corridor. He didn''t even spare a glance in her direction. Beatrix watched him go, a sinking feeling in her chest. She knew getting back on Grey’s good side would be an uphill battle. And if she was being honest with herself, she wasn''t sure if winning him over again was even possible.


    ~ o ~ O ~ o ~


    Beatrix was beat. It was only six in the evening, but she’d already crashed face-first into her bed, every muscle in her body aching from yet another grueling day cleaning out the dusty, cobweb-filled attics of Monster High.


    Being a janitor sucks, but at least it’s better than getting shipped back to the farm, Beatrix thought as she laid there, staring up at her dorm room ceiling.


    Her mind couldn''t help but replay the painfully awkward meeting in Headmistress Bloodgood''s office earlier that week — the disappointment on Bloodgood''s face, the sinking realization that Beatrix''s place at Monster High hung by a thread.


    And then there was Grey... thinking about him made Beatrix want to pull the covers over her head and never come out. She hadn''t seen him since that disaster of a field trip. It was probably for the best though, considering the sheer level of embarrassment she felt about how she''d acted.


    As mortified as she was, Beatrix was extremely grateful Grey had vouched for her in front of Bloodgood. If he hadn''t said something, Beatrix would be back home right now, getting bossed around by her aunts again.


    Ugh, my aunts. Beatrix could just picture them hunched over their cauldrons and old spellbooks, plotting ways to micromanage her life. However, she hadn''t been getting many nagging letters from them lately — which was probably a sign they''d given up trying to control her, at least for now. Maybe they''d finally wrapped their heads around the fact that she was going to stay at Monster High, no matter how much they disapproved.


    As long as I don''t get myself kicked out for using magic first, Beatrix thought, cringing again as she remembered how close she''d come to getting fired after breaking Bloodgood’s “no witchcraft” rule.


    In an attempt to shake off the negative thoughts, Beatrix reached for the one piece of mail she still received every month: her copy of Maleficium Monthly, the go-to magazine for witches everywhere. Aunt Cordelia had signed her up for a subscription years ago, and even though the rest of Beatrix''s life was a mess right now, she could always count on MM to keep her in the loop on the latest witchy gossip and scandals.


    Beatrix flipped through the glossy pages of the magazine’s latest edition. As usual, most of the big stories were all about the devils that different witches served, going on and on about all the impressively evil stuff they’d been up to.


    There was a whole spread dedicated to a hotshot duke from the eighth circle of Hell who apparently broke the record for corrupting the most human souls in a single month. Another article raved about a demon who’d won "Tormentor of the Year" for his creative new approach to psychological torture — turning damned souls into gnarled, thorny trees and making them relive their worst failures on repeat for eternity. And then there was a feature on a demon of greed, who’d sent one of his top witches to go persuade a government agency to start some shady war overseas. Just another Tuesday in the world of demonic politics.


    This month’s cover story was all about Cassia the Conniving—the demon duchess of the fifth circle of Hell—attending her son’s graduation from the elite Legions of Hell Military Institute. Apparently he''d gotten top honors in his combat training class. There was a picture of him too. The photo showed a devil boy with twin horns protruding from his forehead, his skin a deep shade of crimson. He looked exactly as Beatrix expected: powerful, cruel, and totally full of himself. Pretty soon this devil would be picking out a witch to serve him and do his bidding in the mortal realm.


    Hard pass, Beatrix thought. She chucked the magazine off to the side.


    No way was she signing up to be some arrogant devil''s personal servant any time soon, no matter how "impressive" his resume was.


    Then Beatrix noticed someone was standing at the foot of her bed. Their neck tilted forward at an unnatural angle.


    “Holy hells!” Beatrix yelped, jolting up.


    “I need help.”


    Beatrix hadn’t even heard Autumn come in.


    The scarecrow plopped down on the edge of Beatrix’s bed and pulled back her straw hair to reveal a huge rip in the back of her neck.


    “Whoah! What happened to you?” Beatrix asked as she hopped up to grab some replacement hay from Autumn’s closet.


    “Toralei accidentally scratched me during fearleading practice,” Autumn explained.


    “Accidentally, huh?” Beatrix muttered, getting a closer look at the damage.


    “Toralei isn’t a bad ghoul, Bea. I actually think we''re starting to become friends.”


    Beatrix shot her a skeptical look. “You sure about that?” But she could tell Autumn didn''t want to bad-mouth her teammate, so she dropped it and focused on patching her up, carefully stuffing in fresh hay and stitching up the torn fabric. “Sorry I missed your practice today. I was on janitor duty in the math building attic and lost track of time. That place is super gross, like ''Aunt Constance''s bathroom'' level gross.”


    “Wow, that is bad,” Autumn said. “But don’t worry, I can handle myself for an hour of fearleading.”


    Except you almost snapped your neck in half, Beatrix thought as she finished fixing her friend''s tear.


    “You know, you really should work in Monster High’s infirmary,” Autumn joked.


    Beatrix snorted. “Hah! That’s just what I need: another job at this school. As if janitor duty isn’t taking up enough of my time already.”


    Beatrix had given Autumn a basic rundown of why she was in hot water: that she’d used a magic potion to knock out Mr. Gore and Johannah, that she and the MSS boys snuck off to find Holt, and that Bloodgood had her on a tight leash until the school board could decide just how much trouble she was in.


    Although Bloodgood had told Beatrix to keep her lips sealed about what happened on the New Salem field trip, there was no way she could keep Autumn totally in the dark. She had to tell her bestie at least some of it.


    But even though Beatrix trusted Autumn with her life, she hadn''t spilled every last detail about that insane night. Like how she''d boosted the sleeping potion''s effects with a mermaid song, or the fact that two vampire students had pursued her at the nightclub.


    Bloodgood had made it crystal clear that if word got out about the vampire attack before the school board finished their investigation, it would cause a massive uproar at Monster High. So Beatrix decided it was better to keep the craziest parts of the story on the down-low, even from Autumn. The scarecrow was already stressing enough about the whole situation. No need to add “serial-killer vampires” to her list of worries.


    “I’m so annoyed,” Beatrix complained. “Bloodgood told the lunch ladies to watch me like hawks so I don’t cast any spells in the creepateria. They’re acting like I''m going to hex the hash browns or charm someone''s chocolate milk when they’re not looking. As if I would ever do something like that.”


    “Can you really blame them for being a little paranoid?” Autumn asked, feeling along the new seam on her neck. “You did promise to not practice witchcraft. That’s kind of the whole reason they let you stay here, remember?”


    “But I had to do something to help Jackson!” Beatrix countered.


    “Did you actually help him though? You didn’t catch Holt, and Jackson got in trouble anyway, even with you getting involved,” Autumn said.


    Beatrix crossed her arms, getting defensive. “Okay, fine, but even Grey said I did the best I could given the circumstances.”


    “Grey? The guy who got himself suspended last year and blabbed to the whole school about you being a witch on your first day here? He’s bad news, Bea!”


    “He didn’t mean for the rumor to spread like that,” Beatrix insisted. “Grey’s not a bad guy, he’s just… a little rough around the edges, that’s all.”


    Autumn''s button eyes started to well up with tears, her lip quivering. "But what if you do get kicked out? I... I don''t think I can handle this place without you."


    Beatrix felt a pang of guilt as she reached out to squeeze her best friend''s hand. "Hey, you won''t have to. I''m really sorry for causing so much drama and making you look bad. I know I wouldn''t even be here if it wasn''t for you." Beatrix tried to sound more confident than she felt. "But I promise, I''m not going anywhere. You''re stuck with me. It''ll be okay.”


    Beatrix bumped her shoulder against Autumn''s, managing a grin. The scarecrow girl gave a small smile in return, but Beatrix could still see the worry lingering in her eyes. I really need to get my act together, Beatrix thought. For Autumn''s sake, if nothing else.


    As Autumn took a moment to compose herself, a sudden buzzing sound came from the pocket of her patchwork dress.


    Beatrix''s eyes widened in surprise as the scarecrow whipped out a sleek, orange iCoffin, its screen lighting up with an incoming message.


    "Since when do you have one of those?" Beatrix asked, caught off guard. She was pretty sure Autumn had never mentioned having a phone, let alone one of the high-tech iCoffins that were all the rage among the Monster High student body.


    Autumn grinned, her stitched-on smile stretching even wider as she poked at the screen. "Draculaura got it for me so I can join the group chat! How cool is that?"


    Her cloth fingers danced across the screen as she read the message aloud. "Ooh, it''s from Frankie! She says there''s a big bonfire meet up tonight and we''re both invited!"


    Beatrix made a face. "I don''t know, Autumn. You and fire sounds like a recipe for disaster." All she could picture was Autumn getting too close to the flames, her straw stuffing turning into kindling.


    "Oh, don''t be such a worrywart, Bea! You’re coming with me, so it’ll be fine!"


    Beatrix bit her lip. "There''s no way Cleo wants me there.”


    Autumn''s smile remained bright and unassuming. "Frankie knows you''re always my plus one. She wouldn''t have invited me if you weren’t invited too. And tonight''s the perfect opportunity for you and Cleo to put your differences aside, don''t you think?”


    Beatrix crossed her arms over her chest.


    “C’mon! It''s All Hallows Eve, for corn’s sake!” Autumn begged, giving Beatrix her best puppy-dog eyes.


    Beatrix took one look at Autumn''s hopeful face. After all the drama she''d put the scarecrow through lately, the least she could do was go to this bonfire. So she gave in.


    ~ o ~ O ~ o ~


    The chilly night enveloped Beatrix and Autumn as they made their way across the Monster High grounds, the moon lighting their way. It was cold enough that they could see their breath, and they could hear the wind whistling through the trees in the distance.


    There was something about the night that called to Beatrix, the sound of hooting owls and crickets chirping. When the sun set, there was a feeling of power in the darkness that she couldn’t quite explain but felt deep in her bones.


    As they approached the school garden, Beatrix spotted Frankie, Clawdeen, and Draculaura huddled together, bundled up against the biting cold. The pale moonlight cast an eerie glow on the plants surrounding them, turning the leaves a silvery-green and making the flowers appear almost luminescent.


    "Autumn! Over here!" Frankie shouted, bubbling with excitement as she bounced on the balls of her feet.


    Autumn waved back enthusiastically, rushing over to join the group. As they all walked out of the garden together, the scarecrow girl immediately started gabbing away about that day''s fearleading practice, how hard their Biteology class was, and how it was sooo obvious that Jackson Jekyll was crushing on Frankie.


    At the mention of Jackson, Frankie''s green face went pink. "We''re just friends, you guys!" she protested.


    "Suuure you are," Clawdeen teased.


    “Speaking of Jackson, what happened with Holt the other night?” Draculaura asked Beatrix.


    Beatrix was caught off guard at the question. How the heck did Draculaura know about the Holt stuff? Beatrix then realized that Guillermo must’ve told her. It made sense, given his undying loyalty to his “master.”


    Beatrix just hoped Guillermo hadn’t told Draculaura every single detail about that night. The more monsters who knew she’d practiced witchcraft, the harder it would be to convince Bloodgood to let her stay at Monster High.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    Since Beatrix wasn''t sure exactly how much Draculaura knew, she decided to keep her answer vague. “"Oh, you know, Holt ran off while we were on our MSS field trip. We tracked him down at some human nightclub nearby."


    "Geez, I''d lose it if I had to deal with Holt as my alter ego. I don’t envy Jackson," Clawdeen said, shaking her head.


    "Really? I think Holt''s a blast to hang with!" Frankie piped up.


    “Oh, trust me, we know,” Clawdeen teased again.


    As the others continued their lively banter, Draculaura saddled up next to Beatrix, her movements graceful and silent. “Hey. How are you holding up?” she asked Beatrix softly.


    For a moment, Beatrix’s confidence wavered. Being so close to another vampire, even a “vegetarian” one like Draculaura, put her on edge. She couldn''t stop thinking about the attack at the nightclub.


    “I’m good,” Beatrix said, but even to her own ears, the words sounded unconvincing.


    Draculaura''s gaze softened with understanding. "You don''t need to be scared around me, Beatrix. Vampires like Bram and Vilhelm... they make me despair at my entire race."


    Wow. Guillermo told her about the vampire attack too. Great, Beatrix thought.


    “No no, I’m not scared of you,” Beatrix said, trying to inject more confidence into her voice. “You’re nothing like those creeps.”


    Something passed through Draculaura’s eyes. Anger. "I had my suspicions that Bram and Vilhelm were up to no good, sneaking around and causing trouble. But killing people like that? It''s deplorable. That''s why I renounced human murder centuries ago."


    A chill shot down Beatrix''s spine hearing Draculaura talk so casually about murder, like it was just some bad habit she managed to kick forever ago. It was a harsh reminder that underneath all that pink and glitter, Draculaura was still a creature of the night.


    And yet, Beatrix knew she was being overly sensitive. It''s not like monsters were known for being all warm and fuzzy towards humans. Sure, monsters had definitely toned things down in recent years and become more peaceful than ever before, mostly because they didn''t want to get caught by an ever-growing human population. But monsters were still feared for a reason.


    Draculaura’s pink eyes flashed over to Beatrix. Beatrix crossed her fingers, silently praying that the vampire wouldn''t start asking questions about magic or spells.


    Luckily, all Draculaura said was, “If any other vampires start giving you a hard time, you come straight to me. I''ll take care of it."


    “Wait, do some of the vamps have a problem with me? It isn’t my fault Bram and Vilhelm got busted,” Beatrix said.


    "The truth is, us vampires have had some disagreements over what transpired that night. There are those that believe the attack may have been… exaggerated."


    Beatrix stared at Draculaura. "They think I''m lying?"


    "It''s not that they think you''re intentionally deceiving anyone. But you were in an intense, frightening situation in the heart of a human city. Some of the other vamps believe that the stress could have distorted your view of events."


    Beatrix blinked. “Uh… I know what I saw.”


    Draculaura reached over and placed a cool hand on Beatrix''s arm to reassure her. “I believe you, Beatrix. I''m well aware of what Bram and Vilhelm are capable of. They''ve always acted like they''re untouchable because their families hold seats on the vampiric council. But not all the vampires see eye to eye on this."


    Draculaura added, “As long as you stay in your dorm at night and avoid wandering around alone, you should be fine."


    Or else I’ll get attacked? Beatrix thought.


    Sensing her unease, Draculaura gave Beatrix a gentle smile. "Don''t worry. We’ll look out for you." She nodded to Clawdeen, Frankie, and Autumn, who were still busy chatting a few feet away.


    Despite Draculaura’s short stature and youthful appearance, there was something about the way she spoke that reminded Beatrix of an older sister.


    Makes sense. She’s, what, a thousand years older than me? Beatrix mused.


    Beatrix was touched by Draculaura''s kindness, but knew deep down it wouldn''t be enough to make her feel safe here.


    The only monster Beatrix really trusted to have her back was…


    Nope, not going there, Beatrix shut that thought down real quick. Every time Grey’s face popped into her head, shame coursed through her. She''d promised him that he could count on her, that she wouldn''t go casting spells or stirring up trouble.


    And yet, at the first sign of trouble, she’d ignored those promises without a second thought.


    As their little group reached the crackling bonfire raging behind the West dorms, Beatrix immediately recognized Clawd, Clawdeen''s older brother, who was in the middle of a rowdy cornhole game with his wolf pack, howling with laughter. Orion was always yapping about how Clawd was his archnemesis or whatever, but the rivalry really seemed one-sided.


    Beatrix scanned the crowd of monsters gathered around the fire, and she realized she didn''t recognize most of them.


    Except for one.


    Grey sat a short distance away, talking to a gorgon dude with snakes for hair. The snakes were hissing and squirming all over the place in the flickering firelight.


    “Well well well, look who finally decided to show up! You ghouls are late!” Cleo''s snooty voice rang out over the chatter. Her heavily lined eyes zeroed in on Beatrix. “And I see you brought the witch along…”


    Autumn, ever the peacemaker, flashed the mummy princess a bright smile. "Thanks for letting Bea come, Cleo! It means a lot to me." Autumn nudged Beatrix, urging her to make nice.


    Beatrix plastered on a smile too, determined to rise above Cleo''s pettiness. After dealing with the mummy''s attitude for months now, she’d learned to let the insults roll off her back.


    Cleo looked far from pleased, but before she could say another cutting remark, someone called her name from the other side of the bonfire. Cleo spun on her designer heel and walked off, quickly forgetting about Beatrix.


    Draculaura and Clawdeen split off from the group to go say hi to Clawd. As they walked away, Beatrix noticed a cluster of vampires muttering among themselves at her arrival, their blood-red eyes tracking her every move.


    Beatrix tried her best to look unaffected and let Frankie and Autumn lead the way as they headed over to the bonfire to find a place to sit.


    But of course, the only spot left was smack dab next to Grey and his gorgon friend. Fantastic. Beatrix hesitated for a moment, debating her options, before finally sitting down as far from Grey as possible.


    Autumn, blissfully oblivious to the tension simmering between Beatrix and Grey, started happily telling Frankie all about how the scarecrows back home celebrated All Hallows Eve.


    “We’d make our own costumes, carve jack-o’-lanterns, and bob for apples!” Autumn gushed.


    Frankie listened in awe. “That sounds amazing, Autumn! Last Halloween, the ghouls and I went to see a horror movie in New Salem. It''s such a bummer we can''t leave campus this year to do it again. I wish the school lockdown was over already.”


    Autumn nodded, then confessed, “I’ve never actually seen a horror movie before. But I’ve heard a lot of scary stories! My Grandpa Harry used to tell tales that would give me nightmares for weeks!”


    The gorgon dude perked up at that, leaning in to be included in the convo. "Oh yeah? What''s the scariest story you''ve heard?" he asked.


    "Ooh, you gotta ask Bea!" Autumn exclaimed, turning to Beatrix. "She''s great at telling spooky stories."


    Beatrix could feel Grey''s eyes boring into her, but she avoided meeting his gaze. Instead, she cleared her throat and launched into the first story that popped into her head. "I have one story about a town that got overrun by a massive flock of birds—"


    "Noooo, not that one!" Autumn yelped, her hands flying up to cover her ears. "Anything but birds, I’m begging you!"


    Beatrix threw her hands up. "Alright, alright, no birds. Lemme think of a different one..."


    "Yo, I''ve got a killer story," the gorgon said, his forked tongue flashing. "It''s a true story too. And it all happened right here, on the mountain we''re sitting on."


    “Oh, you guys are gonna love this. Deuce tells the best stories,” Frankie whispered to Beatrix and Autumn.


    The flickering light of the bonfire danced across the surface of Deuce''s sunglasses, the flames reflected in the dark lenses as he leaned forward, his voice low and ominous.


    "There was a time, long before Monster High was even a thing, before New Salem and all the human towns popped up around here, when this mountain was nothing but a barren, isolated wasteland." He paused for dramatic effect. "... It was the perfect place for the cave dwellers to thrive."


    Deuce''s snakes squirmed and hissed, like they were into the story too. "The cave-dwelling monsters were pretty antisocial. They stayed beneath the mountain, and only came out at night when the world was dark."


    "But as time went on, human settlers started moving in closer, building their little villages around the base of the mountain. And some of the humans, the brave ones or maybe just the stupid ones, started climbing up this mountain’s rocky cliffs, poking around."


    "Rumors spread among the humans, whispers of a monstrous clan that would slaughter anyone who stepped on their turf. But the thing is, the cave dwellers hardly even crossed paths with humans. They really just kept to themselves."


    "But you know how humans are. They get scared, and then they get dangerous. So some of their scouts tracked down a few of the cave monsters and dragged them away. No one knows for sure what happened to them, but they say if you dig around in the woods, you might find the bones of those poor monsters, left to rot."


    Beatrix glanced over at Grey and caught him looking out at the perimeter fence, just a stone''s throw from where they were sitting. Past the fence, the dark line of the woods loomed, the trees swaying in the cold wind.


    He’s not scared, is he? Beatrix wondered, fighting back a smirk at the thought. But Grey''s blacked-out eyes gave nothing away—as usual—so Beatrix couldn’t tell.


    "Anyway, the cave dwellers retreated deeper into the mountain, trying to get away from the humans hunting them. They went far down, deep into the earth so no human could ever reach them. Down there in the dark, the monsters were cut off from food, water, everything. But they stayed down there ''cause they had no choice."


    Deuce''s voice took on a haunted, hollow quality, like he was speaking from the depths of the mountain himself. "And then, one day, the monsters heard it. Footsteps, echoing in the twisting tunnels of the mountain, bouncing off the stone walls. They couldn''t tell where the footsteps were coming from. All the cave-dwellers knew was that the steps were getting louder, closer."


    Deuce mimicked the sound of dragging, shuffling footsteps. He scraped his sneakers against the ground in an erratic, jittery rhythm. "Whoever it was, they were trying to sneak up on the monsters, to catch them off guard."


    "The cave dwellers huddled together in the dark, too scared to even breathe too loud in case it gave away their position. And then, finally, the footsteps stopped right at the door to their hidden cavern."


    "But instead of getting attacked by humans, the monsters heard something else. The sound of a woman crying. And even though they were scared, the monsters couldn''t just ignore someone who needed help. They brought her inside and tried to heal her wounds with their ancient remedies. But when they looked closer, they couldn''t find a single scratch on her, even though she was covered in blood."


    Autumn''s fingers laced through Beatrix''s, squeezing tight. The scarecrow was gripped with fright.


    "And then,” Deuce continued, “as the monsters stood there, trying to make sense of it, the woman straightened up. The tears were gone, and now she wore a wicked smile. She wasn''t some lost chick who needed help. She was a sorceress, a powerful one, and she''d been sent to wipe out the last of the cave monsters."


    “... What? Is he saying the witch was working with the humans?” Beatrix whispered to Autumn. “Since when do humans and witches work together? Hasn’t anyone here heard of Salem?”


    Someone shushed Beatrix. Everyone around the fire was now locked into the story.


    Deuce kept going, his voice growing more grave. “The sorceress attacked them with her dark magic, sending the monsters flying with a flick of her wrist, twisting their bodies like a demented puppet master. The monsters screamed, but there was no one around to hear them."


    “The torture went on for hours, days, weeks—the monsters couldn’t tell. They were sure it would never end, that they''d die there in the dark, at the mercy of this evil witch. But then, when it seemed like all hope was lost, one of the cave dwellers managed to get behind her. With the last bit of strength they had, they sank their claws into her side."


    “The sorceress collapsed, her blood spilling out onto the cave floor. But even as she lay there, dying, she had one last trick up her sleeve. With her final breath, she uttered a curse, cursing the cave dwellers to live forever, but not like they were. No, she trapped them in the walls of the mountain, their bodies melting into the rock until they couldn''t move, couldn''t talk, couldn''t even scream. And that’s where they remain to this day, stuck in their stone prison, alone in the dark, with nothing but their own minds to keep them company for all eternity."


    As the words left Deuce''s lips, a hush fell over the gathered monsters. The flickering orange flames of the bonfire cast dancing shadows across their faces.


    “But there’s more to this story. The witch’s spell backfired.”


    “What happened?” Frankie asked in a thin voice, looking as scared as Autumn.


    “When the witch cursed those monsters with eternal life, she accidentally trapped her own soul here for eternity too.”


    “Now she roams the lands Monster High was built on, rising up from the depths of the mountain, vowing to take revenge on any monster she encounters. Some say you can hear her wailing in the school halls late at night, begging for an escape from limbo. Because, since she trapped herself here, both heaven and hell haven''t answered her pleas for a millenia.”


    Everyone was silent as Deuce''s story ended. The only sound was the crackle of logs in the fire.


    "Witches are scary,” Frankie said nervously. “Thank ghoul you’re not like that, Beatrix.”


    “Wait, you’re the witch on campus?” Deuce realized.


    All attention was on her now.


    “The one and only,” Beatrix said, sitting up straighter.


    Deuce rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Shoot, my bad. I didn’t know. Sorry, dude.”


    The monsters around them started whispering to each other. Beatrix overheard a few pointed comments.


    “Watch out or she’ll put a curse on you… like she did to Bram and Vilhelm…”


    “I heard she sucks at magic though…”


    “She''s lying. She’s just waiting for the right moment to strike…”


    Beatrix''s hands curled into fists on her lap, her nails digging into her palms.


    Cleo suddenly strutted over to the group, her gold rings flashing as she held out a hand to Deuce, beckoning him to rise to his feet. “Twyla is reading my tarot cards and I want you to join me. Come.”


    “Yes, your highness,” Deuce playfully obeyed, letting her pull him up.


    “Tarot cards? I wanna see!” Frankie jumped up to join them. “C’mon, Autumn!”


    Before Beatrix could process what was happening, her friends had ditched her, leaving her alone by the fire with no one sitting between her and Grey.


    Beatrix snuck a peek at him from the corner of her eye, taking in his profile lit by the bonfire. He was staring broodingly into the flames, lost in thought.


    Beatrix didn’t know what would be worse: leaving, which would make it obvious she was avoiding him, or sitting there in awkward silence with the Reaper.


    She hated both options.


    “Hi,” she said.


    “... Hey.”


    “So… what’s the Lord of Death been up to these days?” Beatrix asked.


    “Cleaning up your messes,” Grey replied dryly. He sounded exhausted, his deep voice even rougher than usual.


    As much as Beatrix wanted to apologize for everything she''d done, she didn’t want to grovel to Grey—not now, while everyone around the bonfire was gossiping about her.


    She tried to think of a neutral topic to talk about. "I didn''t think you went to stuff like this."


    “Why’d you think that?”


    Beatrix shrugged. "Oh, I dunno. Maybe it''s the whole ''dark and menacing'' thing you''ve got going on," she joked.


    A corner of Grey''s mouth twitched up. "Deuce said the bonfire was gonna be at the edge of school. I came to make sure none of you numbskulls hop the fence and run off into the woods."


    "Dang. You''re more responsible than campus security," Beatrix smirked. "Bloodgood should pay you at this point."


    Grey kept staring into the fire.


    Beatrix leaned in closer so no one else would hear what she was about to say. "I’ve been meaning to tell you… Thank you for saving me that night," she said quietly, glancing up at him. "And I get why you''re pissed at me. I would be too."


    "I''m not pissed," Grey said, but there was an edge to his voice.


    “You looked like you wanted to kill me when you caught us at the nightclub.”


    Grey was quiet for a moment before letting out a slow breath. "Fine. I was pissed. More than pissed," he admitted, his eyes locked on hers. "But I didn''t want to kill you."


    He wanted to kill someone else, Beatrix thought. When Grey had aimed the end of his staff at the vampire boy, he’d been gripping the weapon so fiercely Beatrix was sure he would’ve taken the guy out in one hit.


    Beatrix had relived the memory of that vampire yanking her head back, exposing her throat, too many times to count. She’d never felt so powerless before.


    She kept imagining Gilda Goldstag in the woods, alone in her final moments, facing the same danger Beatrix barely escaped.


    Grey got up and poked at the bonfire with a stick, shifting logs around to keep the flames going. When he sat back down, Beatrix noticed he had moved closer to her, closing the gap between them.


    Beatrix hugged her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, making herself small. "Do you think the school board will kick me out?" she asked quietly, dreading the answer.


    “Not sure,” Grey said.


    Beatrix sighed, resting her chin on her knees. She stared grimly into the fire, watching sparks swirl up into the night sky. "If I get fired, maybe it''s for the best,” she thought aloud. “Everyone''s been telling me to leave since I got here. I can''t believe I''m saying this, but maybe I should''ve listened to my aunts. This whole thing seems like it’s more trouble than it''s worth."


    She buried her face in her arms, squeezing her eyes shut against the sudden sting of tears. "Why’d you stick up for me, anyway?" she asked Grey. "You want me gone more than anyone."


    For a long moment, there was just the crackle and pop of the burning logs and the low murmur of conversation from the monsters gathered around the fire. Beatrix could feel Grey''s eyes on her.


    “You’ve grown on me,” Grey finally said. She’d never heard him speak so gently before.


    Beatrix lifted her head to peek at him over her arms. “Really?”


    “You trusted your gut and took action. That’s more than I can say for most monsters around here.” He cracked a half-smile at her. “Plus, you’re the only lunch lady who makes casketberry pie that doesn’t taste like mush.”


    A surprised laugh burst out of Beatrix and she sat up straighter, some of the tension leaving her shoulders.


    "Don''t let it go to your head," Grey warned with a teasing smile.


    "The Lord of Death cares about an evil little witch like me? I''m flattered," Beatrix said, batting her eyelashes.


    Grey playfully sighed in fake frustration and Beatrix held back a cackle.


    Grey’s expression sobered as he leaned in closer, his voice low for her ears only. "How’d you knock out Johannah and Mr. Gore anyway?"


    Beatrix fiddled with a loose thread on her dress. "I made a sleeping potion…"


    Grey raised an eyebrow. "Sounds pretty advanced for someone who says she isn''t a good witch."


    "I guess I picked up more from my aunts than I thought," she said with a shrug. "I used to watch them do a lot of magic back home. When Holt ran off, the potion idea somehow popped into my head."


    It wasn''t the whole truth, but Beatrix didn’t want Grey to know she''d been studying mermaid songs to pair with witch spells.


    “If you do any witchcraft again, I’m taking you to the headmistress myself. Got it?” Grey said, his wall back up.


    “And if I don’t get caught?”


    “I''m not joking,” Grey said.


    “Alright, grumpy. Trust me, I know how serious things are. Bram and Vilhelm’s vampy friends are planning their revenge on me as we speak.”


    That got Grey''s attention. His brow furrowed in concern. “What are you talking about?”


    "The vamps think I lied to get the boys in trouble." Beatrix sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Honestly, I shouldn''t even be out at night right now.”


    Unless I want to be the next body found in the woods.


    “They''re threatening you?” Grey asked.


    “I heard it through the grapevine,” Beatrix said with a huff. She grabbed a stick and poked at the glowing coals, sending up a shower of sparks. “I hate that I can’t fight back. Look, I''m not a fan of devils, but I wouldn''t have gotten chased by vampires if I had a devil familiar at the nightclub.”


    “You can’t walk around so vulnerable,” Grey said sharply.


    “I don’t know what to tell you, Death Lord. I guess I’m stuck hiding out in my dorm until the school board confirms I told the truth.”


    Grey reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black iCoffin. “I’m giving you my number.” He tapped the screen, opening his contacts. Beatrix noticed he barely had any names saved.


    “Why?” Beatrix asked.


    “So you can call me if anything happens.”


    “But I don’t have a phone.”


    Grey looked at her like she had two heads. “What sixteen-year-old doesn’t have a phone?”


    “I’m fifteen,” Beatrix corrected.


    "Same thing."


    "Uh, No way. There’s a huge difference between fifteen and sixteen for witches," Beatrix said.


    “Whatever,” Grey said. “I’m still giving you my number. Use one of your friend’s phones, get your own, do what you need to do.”


    As if on cue, Autumn and Frankie came back from their tarot card readings, holding steaming cups of some purple liquid.


    "Here, Bea," Autumn said, handing Beatrix a cup. The letter "B" was scribbled on the side in black marker.


    Frankie plopped down next to them, her tongue sticking out in concentration as she labeled her own cup. Grey held out a hand. "Can I borrow that?"


    Frankie blinked at him in surprise, but handed over the marker. "Oh, um, sure."


    Grey took Beatrix''s wrist, pushed up her sleeve, and carefully wrote his number along the inside of her forearm. Her skin tingled beneath the marker’s touch.


    "Don''t forget to call," Grey said when he was done, then he rose and strode away to join Deuce on the other side of the bonfire. Beatrix pulled her sleeve down over Grey''s number, but she could still feel the brush of his fingers on her arm.


    Autumn''s eyes narrowed as she watched him go. "What was that about?" she asked Beatrix, suspicion in her voice.


    "Nothing." Beatrix took a quick sip of her drink, wincing as it scorched her tongue. "Thanks for the drink."


    Autumn clearly didn''t buy it, but Beatrix wasn''t in the mood to explain what she’d been talking about with Grey. She knew Autumn didn’t approve of her associating with him, so pretending nothing happened seemed easier. That way Beatrix wouldn’t have to tell Autumn why her heart felt like it was about to burst from her chest.