The Heart's Content

Angel and Vaggie arrived at Alastor's house precisely at five o'clock, knowing how particular he was about punctuality. He had zero tolerance for lateness. Angel recalled a past incident when he owed Alastor a favor—picking up Beth from school three years ago. He had been twenty minutes late due to oversleeping from a nasty hangover, and Alastor had nearly lost his temper. From that day on, Angel vowed never to be late again when it came to Alastor.

Both women wore casual yet elegant dresses. Charlie's was a long, flowing cream gown paired with a robin's egg blue shawl, while Vaggie's olive mini dress revealed quite a bit of skin. Valentino had given Vaggie the dress, expecting her to seduce Angel that night. However, she had no intention of doing so and felt embarrassed about the revealing outfit. Fortunately, Husk had slipped her a jacket just before she left.

To their surprise, Vaggie and Charlie discovered they were the unofficial dates of the other gentlemen. Vaggie, in particular, felt a mix of surprise, fear, and guilt. If Alastor became involved with Valentino, how long would it be before the psycho discovered Charlie's true identity? At the moment, he might not believe that a mermaid could emerge from the sea, but he wasn't foolish—especially when it came to detecting supernatural beings. If Charlie ever crossed paths with him, he would see through her human disguise and immediately recognize her true nature.

"What are the odds, huh?" Charlie asked Vaggie as they waited outside for Alastor to find his keys and for Angel to finish fluffing his hair. "That our guy friends already knew each other."

"Yeah, funny." Vaggie replied, her tone flat.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I'm just not used to going out with people. I usually keep to myself or stick to the circus. It's not like I have much of a choice."

"What do you mean?"

"When it comes to socializing outside the circus, Valentino keeps us on a tight leash. He wants to make sure we don't get any ideas about asking for help. We're lucky if he ever lets us leave the tent."

"At least he's letting you go out tonight."

"Yeah, but don't get any ideas about trying to help me escape or anything. Remember what we talked about: if I run, I'm dead with a flick of his wrist, no matter how far away I am."

"I won't." She sighed, quickly masking her worry as the guys emerged from the house.

They climbed into Alastor's car, and he drove them to A Night on the Ocean, one of Louisiana's most popular dinner theaters. The building's exterior was designed to evoke a grand theater, while the interior was styled like the first-class deck of a luxurious cruise ship.

Inside, the restaurant featured exquisitely carved French walnut paneling accented with gilt-brass trim. Fluted columns, adorned with gilded ribbons, punctuated the space, and the plaster ceilings were elegantly molded with floral and ribbon motifs. Each table was draped in crisp white linens and adorned with pink peonies and white daisies. Silverware, fine china, and crystal glasses graced the tables, each topped with a flickering candle at the center. The layout ensured that every guest enjoyed an unobstructed view of the stage.

"I have to admit, this is impressive." Vaggie said.

"Indeed." Alastor replied. "I'm surprised I didn't discover this place sooner."

"Well, I only found out about it after dining here six months ago." Angel chimed in.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Angel, but how could you afford to eat here six months ago?" Alastor asked.

"It was my sister Molly's birthday, and Archangelo and I pooled our savings to take her somewhere nice—like here."

"That's so sweet." Charlie said.