Chapter 4
Saige
Iwalked into the shop, my eyes widening with delight as I took in the Halloween decorations that Fischer, Sloane, and Cam had put up.
My heart swelled with love and appreciation for my mates.
They knew how much I adored this holiday, and even though it wasn't necessarily their cup of tea, they had gone all out to make it special for me.
The long wooden bar counter, which was usually the centerpiece of our cozy shop, had been transformed into a spooky masterpiece.
Intricately carved pumpkins lined the edge, their flickering candlelight casting eerie shadows across the polished surface.
Fake cobwebs were draped artistically from corner to corner, with plastic spiders nestled within their gossamer strands.
In the center of the bar, a massive cauldron overflowed with an assortment of Halloween candy, surrounded by an arrangement of twisted, gnarled branches painted black and adorned with tiny orange lights.
Hanging from the ceiling above were dozens of paper bats, swaying gently in the breeze from the open door.
I couldn't help but grin as I pictured Sloane reluctantly contributing, because I know he probably whined the whole time. But, despite his grumbling, I knew he had done it just to see me smile.
As I admired their handiwork, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
How lucky was I to have such amazing mates who would go to these lengths just to make me happy?
Even if they didn't share my enthusiasm for Halloween, they understood how important it was to me and had put in the effort to create this magical atmosphere.
Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed the shop door opening until I felt a familiar presence behind me. Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with Bram, his amber gold eyes twinkling with amusement as he took in my awestruck expression.
"Well, little witch," he said, a smile playing on his freckled face, "I see the others have been busy."
I nodded, unable to contain my excitement. "Isn't it wonderful? They did all this for me!"
Bram's gaze softened as he looked at me, and he reached out to tuck a strand of my deep red hair behind my ear. "Of course they did, Saige. We'd do anything to see that beautiful smile of yours."
My heart fluttered at his words, and I leaned into his touch, savoring the moment. As I stood there with Bram, surrounded by the festive decorations and filled with love for my mates, I couldn't help but think that this Halloween was going to be the best one yet.
As Bram and I stood admiring the Halloween decorations, the shop door burst open with a bang. Faris bounded in, his eyes sparkling with excitement and his arms laden with shopping bags.
"I've got them! I've got them all!" he exclaimed, practically vibrating with enthusiasm. "The perfect costumes for everyone!"
I couldn't help but laugh at his infectious energy. "Let's see what you've got, Faris," Cam said, emerging from the back room with an indulgent smile.
Faris wasted no time. He dove into the bags, pulling out costumes one by one.
"Okay, so for Sloane, I got a dragon costume!
" he announced, holding up a surprisingly detailed and elegant ensemble in deep crimson and gold.
"I thought it would be perfect since, you know, he can actually turn into a dragon. "
Sloane raised an eyebrow but didn't protest, which I took as a good sign.
"For Fischer," Faris continued, "I found this amazing salmon costume! They didn’t have a guppy. I checked. Extensively. Even called corporate and filed a complaint. Next year, it’ll be a possibility."
Fischer chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "How... fitting," he remarked dryly.
"Cam, I got you a Thor costume," Faris said, presenting a muscular bodysuit complete with a flowing red cape and a plastic hammer. "Because you're our Thunder Daddy, of course!"
Cam's booming laugh filled the shop as he took the costume, his green eyes twinkling.
"For my lover, Bram, I found the perfect demon costume," Faris said, pulling out a set of impressive horns and a tail. "I know you're already a demon prince, but this way the humans won't know it's real!"
Bram smirked, running a hand through his dark red hair. "Clever thinking, Faris."
Faris pinned Kai with a stare, and I already knew this was going to be good.
Kai spoke before Faris got the chance. “Let me guess. I’m a panther?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Panther costumes aren’t easy to come by.
You’re a black cat.” Faris pulled out black ears and a tail, and Kai’s entire body relaxed when he realized he was getting off relatively easy.
That relief lasted all of two seconds. With a flourish, Faris produced two more items. “You’re the sexy kind of black cat. ”
I clapped as I eyed the skin-tight latex catsuit and black tutu. “Ooooh, Kai, you’re going to rock that.”
“You know,” Kai said, taking the costume from Faris and examining it closer, “you’re gods damned right I am. I’m going to be the sexiest black cat this town has ever seen.”
“You’re all going to be the hottest, literal versions of yourselves.” But there was still one costume reveal to go, though I was positive I already knew the answer. “What about you, Faris? What are you wearing?”
Faris turned to me, his excitement reaching a fever pitch.
"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'-lanterns flickered 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… because gods 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.