Page 8 of Emerald Treats
"Oh, well," he finished with a flourish, "I had to get a vampire costume!"
"Of course you did!” I smiled at my wild, sweet mate and then took in the whole group. “Well," I said, clapping my hands together, "let's get changed! We've got trick-or-treaters to impress!"
***
As we stepped outside, the crisp autumn air enveloped us, carrying with it the scent of fallen leaves and wood smoke. The sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink that perfectly complemented the vibrant foliage lining the streets of our small town.
Quaint Victorian-style shops stood proudly along the sidewalk, their windows glowing warmly as jack-o'-lanternsflickered to life on every porch step. The street-lamps cast a soft, golden light that mingled with the lengthening shadows, creating an atmosphere that was both magical and slightly eerie—perfect for Halloween.
I’d just picked up a bowl of candy when Fischer loudly called out, “Meow!” I turned just in time to see Kitty Kai do a curtsey on the steps of The Magical Piglet. “Here, kitty, kitty!” Bram shouted with a grin.
I let out a wolf-whistle… becausegods damn, did he look good. He’d even painted on a little black nose and whiskers.
“Now, now, everyone. I won’t subject myself to your cat-calling all evening,” Kai said, matter-of-fact. “But I will allow it for most of the evening, since I deserve it. I mean,” he spun around in a circle, “wow. I didn’t even know I was capable of this. Thanks, Faris.”
I shook my head as Kai and Faris proceeded to high-five. “Here, Faris, take this bowl of candy over there.” He needed a task.
“Absolutely! On it!” But he couldn't resist peeking into the bowl before taking it from me. His eyes lit up as he spotted something that piqued his interest.
"Ooh, what are these?" he asked, holding up a handful of candy corn.
Before any of us could answer, he exclaimed, "They're the same shape as my fangs!"
With childlike glee, he popped two pieces of candy corn onto his canine teeth, grinning widely at us. "Look! I'm a real vampire now!"
Most of us cringed while Sloane cackled, all of us bracing for the fallout. Faris's expression morphed from joy to utter disgust. His face contorted comically, eyes bulging and cheeks puffing out as if he was trying to hold back a tidal wave of revulsion.
Suddenly, Faris let out an ear-piercing shriek that could have woken the dead. He began to run in circles, arms flailing wildly, the candy corn still stuck to his fangs. "It burns! It burns!" he wailed dramatically, his voice muffled by the offending candy.
In his panic, Faris didn't notice the large oak tree directly in his path. With a resounding "thunk," he collided face-first with the trunk, the impact finally dislodging the candy corn from his teeth.
My poor blood mage was dazed but no longer under assault by the taste, and unfortunately stumbled backward and tripped over his vampire cape. He fell dramatically into a pile of leaves, sending them exploding into the air like a russet firework.
As the leaves settled, Faris lay spread-eagled on the ground, his expression a mixture of relief and betrayal. "Why?" he moaned plaintively, staring up at the twilight sky. "Why would humans create such an evil confection?"
We couldn't help it—we all burst into uncontrollable laughter. Even Sloane, usually so composed, was bent double, tears streaming down his face as he wiped them away.
"I'm beginning to get very suspicious about this holiday, I just want you all to know," Faris announced as he stood and began brushing the leaves from his costume.
I walked over to him and helped with the tedious task. "You've done an amazing job getting everything set up. We couldn't have done it without you." I grabbed his hands, which were moving in agitation as he plucked leaf after leaf from his robe. He stilled and met my eyes.
"Thank you, Firefly. You'd think I'd have learned my lesson when it comes to putting unidentified items into my mouth by now. It's unfortunate I have such a refined palette and can only handle the highest of delicacies."
I smiled and reached into my bag. Faris's eyes grew large when they landed on what I was holding.
"I love it when you bring my special provisions!" he exclaimed, grabbing for the small container of macaroni.
As Faris happily munched on his macaroni, my gaze drifted over to Cam. My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of him in his Thor costume. The tight bodysuit left little to the imagination, clinging to every sculpted muscle of his six-foot-five frame. His long, golden blond hair, usually pulled back, now flowed freely over his broad shoulders, completing the godly look.
I couldn't tear my eyes away from the way the fabric stretched across his chest or how the pants hugged his powerful thighs. My mind wandered to less innocent thoughts, imagining how it would feel to run my hands over those muscles, to tangle my fingers in that golden mane.
A low chuckle beside me snapped me out of my reverie. I turned to find Kai standing there, a knowing smirk on his face. His dark eyes sparkled with amusement as he followed my line of sight back to Cam.
"Enjoying the view, Saige?" he teased, his voice low enough that only I could hear.
I felt a blush creep up my cheeks, but I couldn't help but laugh. "Can you blame me?" I whispered back, gesturing subtly towards Cam. "I mean, look at him. He makes Thor himself look like a scrawny teenager."
Kai's grin widened as he nodded in agreement. "Oh, I've been looking alright. Our Thunder Daddy is certainly living up to his nickname tonight."
