Are you ready to return to the Lux?
Read on below, and pre-order the book ahead of its Oct. 30 releasehere.
Like, legit hide-my-body-in-a-deep-dark-grave kind of kill me.
Credit: Franggy Yanez
And my mom totally had the means to do so.
Shoving the lipstick wand back into its tube, I watched fat raindrops bomb the windshield.
My heart threw itself against my ribs as if it were determined to punch its way out.
Tor Teen
I couldnt believe I was here.
Like those new grayand-white vintage candleholders Mom had bought.
Theyd look amazing paired with the pale blue and pink pillows I had in my bedroom.
From the drivers seat, Heidi Stein sighed heavily.
I eyed my final results in the little mirror in the visor.
My lips were so red, it looked like Id French-kissed an overripe strawberry.
And my brown eyes were way too big for my roundish, freckled face.
I looked scared, like I was about to walk naked into class twenty minutes late.
Yeah, you are, Evie.
I can see it etched into the five hundred coats of lipstick you just applied.
Wincing, I glanced over at her.
Heidi looked completely at ease in her strapless black dress and dark eye makeup.
She had that cateye thing down, something I couldnt re-create without looking like an abused raccoon.
I thought I actually looked pretty good.
Well, except for the whole looking-scared part, but .
Is the red lipstick too much?
Do I look bad?
Id be into you if I liked blondes.
She grinned when I rolled my eyes.
Are you sure you want to do this?
My breath hitched in my throat.
Foretokenwas written in black paint above the red double doors.
On second thought, the name of the club looked like it had been spray-painted on the gray cement.
Because Im worried youre not going to have fun.
Heidi poked my arm, drawing my attention.
Like youll get freaked out and call Zoe.
And you know you cant call April to come get you either.
That girl is not allowed within a ten-block radius of this place.
I drew in a shallow breath that felt like it went nowhere.
Ive never done this before.
Gone somewhere you werent supposed to?
Because I know thats not true.
She held up a finger, and the nail looked like it had been dipped in black ink.
You have no problem breaking and entering when it comes to climbing around abandoned buildings to take pictures.
I dropped the lipstick into my little wristlet.
You sure these IDs are going to work?
She shot me a bland look.
Do you know how many times Ive been here and had no problems?
Yes, you do.
I was totally stalling.
Looking out the window again, I could barely suppress the shiver tiptoeing down my spine.
Puddles were forming in the vacant street and there was no one on the sidewalks.
Foretoken also had the reputation for something entirely different than allowing fake IDs.
Aliens were known to hang out here.
Like legit extraterrestrial beings that had come from trillions of light-years away.
They called themselves the Luxen, and they looked like uswell, a better version of most of us.
And not all of them had come in peace.
That was 220 million people lost in the war, and my father had been one of them.
They were everywhere now.
Id met plenty of them, so I didnt know why coming here freaked me out so much.
But Foretoken wasnt school or an office building, where the Luxen were typically outnumbered and heavily monitored.
I had a sinking suspicion that humans were the minority beyond those red doors.
Heidi poked my arm again.
If you dont want to do this, we dont have to.
I twisted in the seat toward her.
One look at Heidis face told me that she was being genuine.
She would turn the car on and wed go back to her place if that were what I wanted.
Probably end the night gorging ourselves on those cupcakes her mom had picked up from the bakery.
But I didnt want to bail on her.
Coming here meant a lot to Heidi.
There was a reason why the Luxen were comfortable coming here.
Foretoken was welcoming to everyone, no matter their sexuality, gender, race, or .
They werent a human-only establishment, which was rare nowadays when it came to privately owned businesses.
Tonight was special, though.
There was this girl Heidi had been talking to, and she wanted me to meet her.
I could totally do this.
Smiling at Heidi, I poked her back.
Im just being stupid.
She stared at me a moment, cautious.
I nodded for extra emphasis.
Another moment passed and then Heidi broke out in a wide smile.
She leaned over, throwing her arms around me.
She squeezed me tight, causing me to giggle.
I patted her arm.
She snort-laughed in my ear.
You are so weird.
I told you I am.
I untangled myself from her hug and then reached for the car door before I could chicken out.
Yep, she chirped.
I climbed out and immediately shrieked as cold rain hit the bare skin of my arms.
Id spent way too much time curling the long strands into waves for the rain to ruin it.
Holy crap, this rain is cold, I gasped.
It felt more like the rain that fell in October than in early September.
My makeup isnt running down my face like Im some chick about to be killed in a horror movie?
she asked, reaching for the door.
Laughing, I tugged on the hem of my strappy blue dress I normally wore leggings under.
One wrong move and everyone would see the skull design on my undies.
Everything is where it should be.
She pulled on the massive red door with a grunt.
Violet light spilled outside, along with the heavy thump of music.
A huge bald man wearing jean overalls and absolutely nothing else under them.
Studs glinted from piercings all over his face his eyebrows, under his eye, and his lips.
A bolt went straight through his septum.
Hey, Mr. Clyde.
Heidi grinned, completely unfazed.
He looked from her to me.
His head cocked to the side as his eyes narrowed slightly.
That couldnt be good.
I didnt dare smile as I pulled my ID out of the little card slot on my wristlet.
If I did smile, I would totally look like I was seventeen and close to peeing myself.
So I didnt even blink.
Clyde glanced at the IDs and then nodded toward the black door.
I peeked at Heidi, and she winked.
That was all he was going to do?
Well, that was exceptionally easy.
I should do this more often.
Heidi patted Clydes big, bulky shoulder as she went for the door.
I was still standing in front of him, like an idiot.
Heidi reached back, grabbed my hand, and yanked me forward as she opened the second door.
I turned, and every one of my senses was immediately overwhelmed by, well,everything.
The thump of heavy drums poured from speakers, coming from every corner of a large room.
People were everywhere, sitting at high, round tables and lounging on oversized couches and chairs under alcoves.
The center of the floor was a mess of twisting, churning bodies, arms up and hair flying.
Overlooking the throng of dancers was a raised stage shaped like a horseshoe.
This place is pretty wild, isnt it?
Heidi curled her arm around mine.
My wide gaze bounced from person to person as the scent of perfume and cologne mingled.
I so want to get on that stage.
Heidi grinned when my eyes widened.
That is my goal for the night.
Well, its always good to have goals, I replied dryly.
But cant you just walk up there?
Her brows lifted and she laughed.
You have to be invited up there.
Something like that She squeaked suddenly.
Eager to see this girl, I scanned the crowd.
Soft candlelight lit the alcove, casting a glow over the area.
I doubted candles were safe in a bar, but what did I know?
More oversized chairs flanked a gold-trimmed, crushed red velvet couch that looked like an antique.
Two of the chairs were occupied.
I could see only profiles.
One was a blond guy staring down at his phone.
His jaw was clenched like he was trying to snap a walnut shell in two with his teeth.
Across from him was another guy with a shockingly blue Mohawklike, Smurf blue.
My gaze shifted to his left.
I saw her then.
Good Lord, girl was gorgeous.
Easily a head taller than Heidi and I, she had the most awesome haircut ever.
She looked a little bored as she eyed the dance floor.
It was a man with sandy-blond hair cropped close to the skull.
The haircut reminded me of what you saw from guys in the military.
From what I could see of his profile, he appeared to be older than we were.
Maybe in his midtwenties?
He didnt exactly look happy.
His mouth was moving a mile a minute.
My gaze shifted to who hed sat down next to.
My lips parted on a soft inhale.
The reaction was startling and embarrassing.
Messy brown hair toppled over his forehead in waves and curls.
Impossibly high and broad cheekbones were paired with a carved, square jaw.
But the allure went beyond the physical.
Power and authority radiated from him, sending an odd shiver curling down my spine.
Nothing about what he was wearing stood outjust dark jeans and a gray shirt with something written on it.
Everything about the lazy sprawl looked arrogant and somehow misleading.
