'Let's stick with Dracula...' (Halloween Special #1 - Nat version) (Patreon)

“Ta da!” I call, jumping into the living room with a flourish, my cape floating out behind me as dramatically as I was hoping for.

Nat dips her book down to look over me with a sweep of her dark eyes. A smile instantly grows across her lips.

“You look fantastic.”

“Surely you mean fangtastic,” I correct, lifting my top lip to show off the plastic canines which took far too long to attach but were totally worth the effort.

She places her book down into her lap with a chuckle. “Oh, be sure to tell Ava that one on your way out. I imagine the pun, added with the costume, will give her a heart attack.”

“Why? You think she won’t like it?” I ask, fanning out my cape, the flouncy white sleeves of the costume draping around my wrists as I do. “I thought it was pretty accurate.”

“Accurate to what exactly?” Nat asks with a tilt of her head.

I half-shrug and offer a sheepish smile. “You know what I mean. Obviously real vampires don’t tend to dress like this. Well, not that I’ve met them all. You don’t think I look the part?” I spin slowly on the spot, making sure to show off each aspect of my ‘vampire’ attire. The large collar of the cape blocks my view of Nat as I turn all the way around.

“I suppose that would depend,” she states, standing from the sofa to walk closer with an inspecting gaze, her fingers tapping against her lips before she meets my eye. “Which vampire are you supposed to be exactly?”

“If I said Ava, would it make you laugh?”

She lets out a bark of laughter that is answer enough to my question. “Be sure to tell her that joke too,” Nat says, wiping at her eyes. “But truly, which fictional vampire were you trying to imitate?”

I shrug, sweeping my cape about my legs a little once again. “I don’t know. Kind of a mish-mash of them all, I guess?”

She sighs. “Well, if you’re going to do it, you should do it correctly. Now, choose a vampire.”

I arch a brow. “Uh…Dracula?”

“Did you say him just because he’s the only one you know?” Nat asks slowly.

“No,” I scoff. “He just seems the most well-known…and fashionable. Guess I could always go dressed as a Cullen.”

She shakes her head and places a hand on my back to encourage me out of the room. “Let’s stick with Dracula.”

--

Nat has spent the better part of forty minutes in her large closet, fishing out pieces of antique clothing that would make a museum envious. They definitely haven't all been for her either, considering the range of sizes she's produced from the seemingly endless room.

“Here,” she announces, displaying a velvet, finely embroidered waistcoat that would perfectly match the rest of the rich attire she’s chosen for me—all of which are much more my size than expected.

I trail my hand in the air an inch away from the garment, as though it might disintegrate at my touch. “I can’t wear that, Nat. It’s beautiful but it’s far too precious just for a Halloween costume.”

“No partner of mine is going out in…,” she picks at the fabric of the cape discarded on her chaise lounge, “a polyester cape.”

I tip my head back with laughter. “Oh, you never cease to amaze me.”

“Amuse you too, apparently,” she states with a wry smile. “Now here. We can alter it enough that it will look good for the evening.”

I relent quicker than I should, enjoying the lavish experience of wearing such fine clothing.

And with the outfit complete, I twist and turn on the spot as I look in the mirror. I look like some fancy noble from a fairy story, but when the long—and substantially heavy—red cape is added, it has the perfect Dracula effect.

“Do you think I’ll do?” I ask.

She sidles up beside me, wrapping her arms around my middle and kissing me on the cheek. “You’ll be the finest vampire that ever graced this town.”

I smile. “I’ll be sure to tell Ava that as well.”

She chuckles.