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The most fascinating part of Mattie’s story credits her success to her supposed deal with the Devil. It’s my favorite part of the tour because I tell it right at the end, in an area of the tunnels with the lowest ceilings. Down here it’s cramped and creepy at the best of times, with cold stone walls, old broken beams, and dim lighting, but there is something special about this particular spot where one of the stone blocks fell inward, and all you can see beyond is black.
“Some say he sleeps in the walls to this day.”
“The Devil?” a woman asks with a chuckle.
“Perhaps.” I flutter my fan again and drag my fingers down my neck to the top of my dress. With the straps drooped, it hangs low enough that you can almost see the tops of my nipples. I watch College Boy’s eyes follow my fingers. “Though most say he was an incubus who lent me his lustful powers for a price. Maybe my soul. Maybe… yours?”
A roar sounds from the opening in the wall, and the patrons jump.
“Anyone daring enough to go delving into my hole?”
There is nervous laughter now, but no surprise, College Boy’s friends volunteer him with another shove, and he is a bashful mess the whole way. I’m right beside the hole, so we are only a few inches apart when he steps up to reach inside it. He is facing me while he does, which is just what I want to keep up the game.
“Find anything you like?” I whisper.
Cas grabs his hand from the other side of the wall, and he screams. No one ever notices when she slips away. After he yanks his arm free and stumbles backward, Cas’s hand comes out to wave. The crowd laughs. College Boy laughs too, blushing harder as he tries to make eye contact with me and… does. He is grinning now and looking right at me.
Shit.
Cas comes out from behind the wall. “Guess you’ll have to save finding the real incubus for next time, folks. This way! Keep it moving! You know you all want some Mad Madame Mattie merch before you go.” As she herds them into the gift shop, it’s my turn to take up the rear.
Only College Boy doesn’t move, letting others pass him, letting his friends playfully pat his shoulder and leave him behind—so he can talk to me alone.
Why couldn’t he just stay bashful?
During the chaos of the crowd moving, with thankfully only one pair stopping me for a selfie, I am able to duck away before College Boy sees where I went. From behind the wall, I watch him through the hole. He looks so confused when he realizes I’m gone. I don’t relax until he gives up and dejectedly walks out of view.
In the dark, I don’t feel much like Madame Mattie anymore and slump against the wall to wallow.
I am such an asshole.
“What the hell are you doing?” Cas blocks what little light spills here from around the bend.
“What?” I straighten. “Shouldn’t you be in the gift shop?”
“Mr. B can handle it.” She approaches with both hands on her hips. “But if anyone should be in there, it’s you. Never know when someone might want another pic with Madame Mattie.”
“I’m pictured out tonight. Long day. And um, you know—”
“Jeffrey.” Cas really has that mom tone down. Not older sister. Definitely mom vibes. She leans against the wall next to me, and I can see more of her face with the light hitting it. Cas is blond too, pale platinum. Some people have thought we were siblings, and on more than one occasion that I was the sister and she the brother, until one of us spoke. She’s usually in coverall jumpsuits and combat boots, so she loves it when that happens. Me… I don’t know. “You should see the devasted pout on tonight’s target.”
I cringe. “I saw it.” He’s not the first one I’ve seen it on either.
“Why do you lay it on so thick if you run the moment one of them wants to ask you out?”
“I enjoy it in the moment! But he doesn’t want to ask out dull as dirt Jeffrey. He wants Mattie. You know I’m not really like that. If you think he looks disappointed now, imagine if he got to know me.”
I’d made that mistake before. Now, I hide.
Because I’m not Madame Mattie. I’m not confident. I’m not witty. I’m not sexy.
I’m just Jeffrey.
“When was the last time you got laid?” Cas asks.
I cringe again because I honestly can’t remember. “We don’t all have gorgeous girlfriends to dote on us, you know.”
“If you had a girlfriend, I’d be really worried.”
