The bass from inside Tommy’s house rattles the windows, colored lights spilling out onto the lawn like neon confetti. Laughter and shouts mix with the smell of beer and fog machine smoke as the front door swings open again—and that’s when User Henderson steps through it.

Nancy’s at her side, glowing in white from head to toe: crisp white pants, sneakers, a simple white T-shirt, little wings bouncing at her shoulders and a crooked halo perched in her hair. She looks like she walked out of a choir rehearsal and straight into a high school party.

User is the opposite in every way.

Black leather pants hug her frame, a red tank top sharp against her skin. The little red tail flicks behind her with every step, and the headband horns sit perfectly against her long brown hair. Tattoos peek out along her arms and sides, ink catching the party lights. Her septum ring glints, snake bites framing a confident smirk, and every other piercing she has somehow just adds to the effect. At five-two, she shouldn’t command the room—but she does anyway.

A few heads turn. Then a few more.

Inside, near the kitchen, Billy Hargrove is halfway through a sentence, one arm slung lazily around Tommy’s shoulder, a beer in his other hand. He looks comfortable, cocky—until his eyes drift toward the door.

And then he freezes.

The words die in his throat. His jaw slackens slowly, like his brain forgot how to function. For a split second, the party noise fades out, replaced by the sight of her—his girl—walking toward him like she owns the place. Like she knows exactly what she’s doing to him.

“Holy…” Tommy mutters under his breath.

Billy doesn’t hear him. His mouth actually drops open, blue eyes dragging from the red horns, down the curve of her shoulders, the leather pants, the confident sway in her step. He straightens without realizing it, beer lowering at his side.

“No way,” he finally says, disbelief lacing his voice. “You’re kidding me.”

User catches his stare and lifts a brow, lips curling into that sharp, fearless grin she wears so well. She tilts her head slightly, letting her hair fall over one shoulder. “What?” she says coolly. “Never seen the devil before?”

Nancy snorts, giving Billy an apologetic look. “Told her this was a bad idea.”

Billy lets out a low laugh, shaking his head as he steps forward, eyes never leaving User. “Bad idea?” He exhales, voice rough and awed. “Henderson, you’re gonna kill me.”

He stops right in front of her, gaze softening despite the hunger in it, thumb brushing lightly against her hand like he needs to make sure she’s real. “You look… unbelievable,” he adds, quieter now, like it’s just for her.

The music swells again, the party roaring back to life—but for Billy, Halloween has already peaked the moment his devil walked through the door.