Halloween Romance
Sequel to
Mischief Night Magic
Part Five: A Cup Of Poison

I felt my hips starting to sway this way and that, all in tune with the music the dj was playing as I waited for my vampire to return with my requested cup of spiked punch. As I waited, I felt small beads of sweat starting to roll down my body, making my costume sticking to me. And I could feel the effects of the alcohol taking hold of me. I was sure I was starting to catch the first rising curls of a buzz.

And on that note, I felt my own self-control starting to wane. And I was okay with that, as each second passed by, I felt a certain thrill in allowing myself to lose total control over everything that was going on around me. After all, tonight was indeed the fable night of October thirty first. The one night of the year that we allowed ourselves the total freedom to become who we could not the other three hundred and sixty two days of the year.

“Here you go.” My vampire told me as he held a cup of bluish looking liquid out to me. “I added something extra to your punch.” He whispered with a dark smile. “Something to make you feel alive, more alive than you have ever felt before.” He said as he leaned in and teased my ear with his hot breath.

Despite all the red flags he was giving off. Something told me I could trust him, it was a foolish notion. I knew better than to trust him, but it was like I'd been robbed of my better judgment. I only smiled and reached out and took a cup of bluish liquid. The normally ruby red punch had turned a Prussian blue and was now bubbling.

“Oh what is this?” I said smiling as I swayed with the music.

“Something to make you feel alive. Trust me, babe. I won't hurt you. Not my vampire maid.” He said grinning as he started to walk around me. “Just go ahead and down it. Don't think about it. Just do it, after all you only live once and tonight is Halloween after all.” He said grinning as he peered toward me.

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders and again despite all the warning signs, I lifted the cup to my lips and then I stopped. Because I heard what sounded like the tramping of heels upon the floor. The music had stopped and out of the corner of my eye, I thought I once more saw the Bloody Bride.

“HEATHER DELILAH SOEKSEN!” Came the out roaring cry from the throat of the Bloody Bride. “You drop that glass right this second young lady!” She bellowed as she rushed up to me and wrapped her fingers around my hand. She then turned toward the vampire and with an unholy furry she released a torrent of insults and swears at him.

“And you young man!” She started. “Have some nerve preying on my niece like she is a deer in the woods.” She added. At this point two security guards appeared on the scene. “I saw you slip something into my niece's drink! Scum like you should not be allowed to breathe the same air as we do!” She bellowed.

The young man flinched as the two guards rushed toward him. The first guard reached down and took him by the hand and the second one took him by the shoulder. The smart, smug look on his face shattered. In fact it broke to pieces. It brought to mind this mental image, it was like somebody had taken a shop hammer to a mirror and broken it into a hundred little shards of glass. That person then in a fit of manic glee had then started to smash those one hundred little shards of glass into millions of tiny fragments. Then those tiny little fragments had been crushed into nothing but fine dust!

“I have no idea what you're talking about! You guys know who my dad is! You guys know who your fucking with! I will bury your fucking asses!” He barked. A feeble attempt to regain the high ground and to once more place the ball in his court. A last ditch effort to launch a successful counter attack that would turn the tide of battle in his favor once more.

Then it dawned on me who the bride was, it was Gwendoline! Gwendoline Potter, the woman who for the last week or so acted like a second mother to me.

“You don't scare me, the Potter Family has long controlled the affairs of Benton and the surrounding communities. We've done so since this town was founded and we shall keep doing so as long as we draw breath.” And with that she reached over and started to dig into the vampire's pockets.

“Hey! You can't do this to me! You fucking cunt! You fucking bitch! You fucking piece of shit!” He bellowed as struggled to free himself from the firm and secure hold of the two security guards.

Gwendoline did not seem to mind and soon she pulled out a small orange bottle that seemed to be filled with tiny, jell filled pills. Gwendoline fixed her eyes on the young man and then fixed her eyes on me. The moment our eyes met, was the moment I prayed that the ground would open up and swallow me whole. I could tell she was mad. And I swore, and I would take this to my grave that I saw the fire's of the underworld burning in her eyes that night.

“I think this is proof enough.” She said in a calm tone of voice. “Proof enough that my niece, Heather Delilah Soenksen was not the one poor girl you intended to ensnare with your dirty little tricks.” She said as she peered toward the two guards.

“Gentleman.” She said as she turned her head around. “I think this vampire should have a one on one talk with the constable. I'm sure Mr. Bridges would love to hear about this little bit of mischief.”

The two guards nodded their heads and started to haul my vampire toward the double doors of the gym. No doubt a patrol car was already parked in front of the school. And well the truth was starting to dawn on me, and as each second ticked on by, I began to regain a little bit more of my senses. It seemed my common sense was starting to return. The fog was starting to lift a little. The buzz was wearing off and settling into a thriving headache.

“Heather.” Gwendoline said as she shifted her head toward me. “You and I need to have a little talk, an niece and aunt talk.” She said, closing her eyes. She then lifted her hand and started to rub her forehead a little. It was like she was trying to rub away a headache.

“Yes ma'am.” I said in a meek tone of voice.

“First things first. How many cups of punch did you drink?” She asked as she kept rubbing her forehead with her fingers.

“I think I had about three or four?” I said, looking down and sighing.

“Damn.” Gwendoline said, shaking her head. She then reached down and wrapped her fingers around my wrist. She then started to pull me toward the refreshment table. Once she reached the table, she reached into an ice chest and pulled out a bottle of water. She then pushed the bottle of water into my hands.

“Drink.” She commanded as she walked away.

“I'm really not thirsty anymore..” I said looking down at the bottle of water in my hand. “Not after what happened a few minutes ago.” I added.

“The water is safe to drink. See it's bottled, the cap is secure. Drink it, you're going to need plenty of water. A lot of water. And something to eat too. Something sealed, like a candy bar or something, I don't trust the finger foods, not after what happened.” She said, shifting her eyes around the room.

I blinked again. I was not sure what she was driving at.

“Drink.” She said, eyeing the bottle of water. “You need to drink plenty of water, or else you're going to feel like shit tomorrow morning and tomorrow is All Souls Day, a very important day for us in the business.” She said, sighing.

At this point I dared not to ask any more questions, instead I just unscrewed the cap from my bottle of water and started to drink. The cool, refreshing liquid washed away some of the foul aftertaste the spiked punch had left in my mouth. I quickly sucked down the bottle. A few seconds after finishing the first bottle, I was handed another one by Gwendoline.

“Also, tomorrow you are coming to church with me. So keep drinking that water girl, trust me, drinking plenty of water before you catch that buzz is the best way to keep from getting a really bad hangover. Trust me, I've had my fair share of hangovers to know.” She said, sighing.

I dared not risk a response to that. So instead I just kept chugging away at my water.