Free Dead Is a Battlefield by Marlene Perez Page B

audience. “There will be a slight delay,” she said through gritted teeth. “Please enjoy a delicious complimentary appetizer while we address this minor glitch.”
    Despite her reassurances, the appetizer was not delicious and the delay was not slight. We waited for over an hour. The assistant scurried around and served the audience, but the demand exceeded her speediness. Selena finally took pity on her and started handing out appetizers, too. She came over to offer us some from a tray.
    “These are from my aunt’s secret recipe,” she said.
    “Thank you,” I said politely as I took one. There were little ooh s and ahh s of delight from the crowd, but when I bit into mine, I had to restrain myself from spitting it out.
    “It tastes horrible,” I whispered to Raven.
    “It can’t be that bad,” she replied. She took a big bite and then spit it out in the little cocktail napkin Selena had given her. “It’s worse.”
    “Shhh! She’ll hear you,” I cautioned.
    Everyone else was eating the snack with every appearance of enjoyment.
    Dominic hadn’t tried his yet. He held it up and sniffed it delicately, then put it down. “I’m not sure I want to try it after the reaction you two had.”
    Selena was heading back our way. “Do you want another one?” she said. “My aunt wants to make sure everyone gets at least one.”
    “What’s in it?” Dominic asked.
    “I can’t tell you the ingredients. It’s from her new cookbook. Top secret.” She looked over her shoulder nervously.
    He handed the appetizer back to her. “Sorry, I have allergies. Can’t be too careful.”
    “I guess it will be okay to tell you some of the ingredients,” Selena said. “Black truffles, porcini, and goat cheese crostini.”
    “Aren’t truffles mushrooms?” Dominic asked. “That’s what I’m allergic to.”
    “You wouldn’t want him to get sick or anything,” I said.
    “Oh, you’re right. Aunt Circe wouldn’t want anyone to get sick on her show,” Selena said. “Thanks, Jessica.”
    After she moved on to serve the rest of the audience, I turned to Dominic. “I didn’t know you were allergic to mushrooms,” I said.
    “You caught me,” he said.
    “You’re a good liar,” I said. I wasn’t sure that was a trait to look for in a potential boyfriend.
    “I’m not a good liar,” Dominic said. “Ask Raven.”
    She nodded. “He usually turns red and gets all twitchy. Like that,” she said, pointing at Dominic’s tomato-red face.
    “So why did you lie?” I asked.
    “I didn’t want to hurt her feelings,” he said.
    I tried not to let it show, but I was annoyed. I should be happy that he was sensitive enough to think of Selena’s feelings, but I wanted him to care about me, not her.
    I turned my attention back to the stage. Circe was finally getting ready to prepare the soup. “I’m making a delicious potato leek soup today,” she announced.
    “Brooke, where is my food processor? Brooke, you stupid girl,” she said, loud enough for the audience to hear.
    When she saw that the audience was staring at her with stunned disbelief, she changed her tone. “Brooke, please bring me the food processor, will you?”
    The harried assistant ran onstage with a large food processor. “The leeks, dear girl,” Circe said, gritting her teeth.
    Circe watched Brooke as she chopped the leeks and potatoes. Then Circe put the items in the food processor, poured a healthy portion of cream into the mix, and hit the button.
    The utensil whirled and whirled and a strange green fog formed. The noise grew so loud that I clapped my hands over my ears, and then the top of the lid exploded and a food tornado formed over the blender.
    “Is this part of the show?” Raven whispered.
    “I don’t think so,” I said.
    The funnel cloud grew darker and gained speed. It grew larger and larger until it loomed over the transfixed audience.
    “I think we should get out of here,” Dominic said. He took my hand and pulled me up.