They were all sitting in Gordon's house, talking, eating biscuits, drinking tea, things that normal people do. But these weren't normal people. The Dead Men and Tanith were sorcerers of Ireland. They could never be normal.
"So", Skulduggery said, "We have decided to put on a one-time-only show."
"What?" Valkyrie said.
"It's called 'The Dead Men Live', great isn't it?" Dexter said.
"No" Anton and Ravel said in unison
"Aww guys, lighten up, it's a special Easter gig. Just like the old days." Ghastly said
"You guys play instruments?" Valkyrie said, shocked,
"Of course we do" Skulduggery said, chuffed with himself.
"Why are you telling us this?" Tanith asked.
"Because you girls are going to be in it, that's why we called you here" Saracen said.
"What?!" They exclaimed.
"You two are going to be dancers" Skulduggery replied.
Anton and Ravel stayed quiet, in a huff.
"What instruments does everyone play?" Valkyrie asked, trying to avoid the fact that she couldn't back out of this or they'll kill her.
"You'll find out soon enough but i'll tell you what ones the others are playing, that aren't playing in the show. Saracen plays triangle, Anton plays Violin and Ravel...he's just no fun, he doesn't play anything." Dexter smirked.
"I am fun!" Ravel shouted.
The Dead Men laughed.
"So when is this taking place?" Tanith asked.
"In a few hours so we better get there and start practising" Ghastly replied.
"Where?" Valkyrie questioned
"Dublin city, right in the middle."
She turned bright red.
"W-with all those people?"
"You'll be fine Val," Tanith smiled, "This will be great."
She sighed and they got in a van and set off.
When they got there, there was a stage and curtains set up with a banner reading 'The Dead Men Live'. There were no people yet so Valkyrie took a sigh of relief. The Dead Men got changed into suits and ties in the van, each had a different colour of tie with a black suit. Dexter came out, dressed in his immaculate Suit with a sky blue tie with red costumes in his arms, he held them out.
"Get changed into these".
Tanith took one and held it up. It was a red bunny costume with a tail, fishnet tights and bunny ears.
"I am so not wearing that" Valkyrie said.
Tanith squealed "This is so cute! Val come on let's change"
"You two will look amazing in these, go on." Dexter laughed at Valkyrie.
Tanith took Valkyrie's costume too and dragged her behind the curtain. They got changed and slipped on the pairs of Black high heels that were left for them. They went onto the stage, still no people yet, where the Dead Men were setting up their instruments. Tanith cleared her throat and they all turned round and their jaws dropped. Not literally, obviously, then Skulduggery would drop a very useful jaw.
"Wow" They all muttered.
Valkyrie turned bright red whilst Tanith was loving the attention. Ghastly went up to Tanith and everyone else went towards Valkyrie except Skulduggery who sat at the drum kit, staring at her.
Dexter whistled "I told you, you would look great, I certainly wasn't disappointed." He said with a charming smile.
"Give us a twirl, Valkyrie." Ravel said.
She spun round, her hair flying outwards. The Dead Men looked at Ghastly.
"Great job with the costumes..." Saracen muttered.
Ghastly was still staring at Tanith's "Yeah...I did good..."
Tanith gave a little laugh and bit her lip. Everyone went back to setting up but Skulduggery was still looking her way, sitting at the drums, so she wandered over.
"You play drums...? I never expected you to play an instrument."
"There are still a lot you don't know about me." Still not taking his eyes off her.
Valkyrie looked down "I might actually have begun to think this outfit is cute too... Ghastly did do a good job. The material is really soft too..."
"Turn around again for me?"
She turned around again and he flicked her bunny tail.
"H-hey!" Valkyrie's heart pounded on her rib cage, wanting to go to him.
"That he did," He pulled her closer by wrapping his arms around her waist, "You were right, this material is soft."
She hugged him, standing in between his legs.
"My bunny girl..." He muttered.
She started to heat up, heart still pounding but faster, face as red as his tie. She pretended she didn't hear.
"S-so who's teaching Tanith and I to dance?"
"Dexter, I'm the best at formal dancing, closely followed by Ghastly, but Dexter is, shall I say, up-to-date with the sort of new dancing you kids have started."
Skulduggery called him over and he started to teach them both the very embarrassing bunny girl dance. Soon it was show time and they all got ready at their instruments. Skulduggery was playing drums with his red tie, Dexter on guitar with his sky blue tie, Ghastly on keyboard with his yellow tie, Saracen, with his purple tie and Anton, with his dark green tie were also dancers and Ravel, with his black tie was...singing?!
There was hundreds of people in the crow cheering as Tanith and Valkyrie came on. Dexter and Ghastly started taking their suit jackets off which made all the women in the crowd, including their bunny girls, go nuts. (Valkyrie for Dexter and Tanith for both. Obviously. Dexter and Ghastly never liked wearing the suit jacket anyway so why the hell not?) The show started, Ravel had an amazing singing voice, Skulduggery and Dexter were giving it their all, Dexter even had a guitar solo. Even Anton and Saracen started smiling through it and were very good backround dancers. It was a great night and the crowd loved them.
"Now," Ravel said through the microphone when the gig was done," We were only going to do this for one night, but who would want us to do it again next year?"
The crowd screamed.
"I'll take that as everyone," Ravel smirked," thank you and goodnight!"
They all took their bows and went behind the curtains
"That...was so fun!" Valkyrie said, taking a seat.
"Glad you had fun Val" Tanith smiled, taking the seat beside her.
There were only 5 seats so Anton, Saracen and Ravel sat down, leaving Skulduggery and Ghastly standing. Ravel pulled out beer and vodka.
"Who wants a drink?" He asked.
Everyone cheered.
"You are fun after all, Ravel." Saracen grinned, taking a gulp of his beer.
"Told you." Ravel said, taking a drink of his own.
Skulduggery and Ghastly smiles and nodded to each other. They walked towards the girls and lifted them up.
"Sorry ladies" Skulduggery said.
They sat down on the chairs, Skulduggery with Valkyrie on his lap and Ghastly with Tanith.
"You know, if you boys wanted a seat, you could have just asked." She said.
"But where would the fun in that be?" Ghastly laughed.
Skulduggery took out a bottle of wine "This Is much more classy, don't you think?"
He poured some in a glass he took from a box he brought in from the van.
He looked at Valkyrie "Would you like one too? or would you prefer the beer, with the un-classy people?"
She laughed. "Wine please."
He nodded, impressed, and poured her a glass of wine. They held them up and clanged them together.
"Partners" She smiled.
"Partners" He replied.
They took a sip together and Tanith walked outside. Ghastly followed her and Valkyrie took the seat beside him, taking another sip of wine.
"I wonder what's up with her...", She frowned, "Oh, the wine matches your tie"
"And your bunny costume" He flicked her bunny ears.
She rolled her eyes but laughed.
"Tanith, are you ok?" He asked.
She turned round once they were next to the van and grinned. "Perfectly fine."
"Then why did y-" He was broken off mid-sentence as Tanith cupped his face in her hands and kissed him.
"Ghastly, thank you for tonight, I love my costume."
"It was no problem...really..." He looked up at her, sadly. "Why did you do that...? are you just trying to tease me or something Tanith? Because I don't appreciate it..."
She shook her head so her Blonde ringlets loosen. "Ghastly, I would never do that...I wouldn't do that to you..."
"Then why?"
"B-because I love you." she looked away so her ringlets covered her face.
Ghastly leaned in closer, cupping her face and moving her curls behind her ear. "I love you too, Tanith," He kissed her softly.
Tanith put her hands round his neck and pressed her lips against his, not wanting to break the kiss. Ghastly put his hands round her waist and held her tightly to him. She could feel his muscles through his shirt as she was pressed against him. He pushed her against the van, not too roughly so that he would hurt her, but enough that their fiery and fierce sense of need was still present. He pinned her against it by her hands and kissed down her neck then back to her lips. She let out a slight moan and closed her eyes. He let his hands slide down her arms, down her hips and place themselves on her thighs.
They heard a glass smash and broke apart as Valkyrie came out to the van so find something to clear the mess. She didn't ask questions, but she knew. She gave Tanith a smirk and Tanith giggled, knowing she would make her spill everything as soon as they were alone, because that's what sisters did.
