Author's Note:
Much thanks to BJXCBFOREVER, Elphiegirl42, Das Lieblingsfach and St. Jack of Randomness for reviewing so far! All your guys' thoughts are appreciated. If you like (or per chance don't like) something, let me know!
"If you're going through hell, keep going."
- Winston Churchill
"Bob! Darla! Welcome!" Jack dashed over to the front door as the corpse couple entered and shook their hands in greeting. Just then a small, plump figure with pasty skin and eyes that were sewn shut wriggled between the two guests, holding a sack of something Jack couldn't quite identify (though he had a pretty good guess as to what it was). "And I see you brought Billy."
"Hiya, Jack!" the corpse child shouted up at him, waving enthusiastically.
"Hello there, Billy," replied Jack, bending down. "What 'cha got there?"
Billy quickly stuffed the bag into his suit pocket, chuckling innocently. "Oh, it's nothing. Just…some basil!"
Straightening up, Jack crossed his arms skeptically. "I can assure you, we have plenty of basil here. What did you need it for, anyways?"
"Uh…" Billy stuttered, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. "Gimme a minute."
Jack shook his head. "Tsk tsk, son." He turned to face Billy's parents who both stood with their hands behind their backs, pretending to look oblivious. "You're both aware that marijuana is illegal, right?"
Darla's eyes lit up in phony confusion. "Is it really?"
Jack sighed out loud, and then took a sip of champagne. He gestured towards the living room. "Have a good time."
"All right!" Billy waved his stubby arms in the air and scurried into the scene. He accidentally dropped his sack by Harley Quinn's feet, who peered down at it curiously. "My bad," squeaked Billy, quickly snatching it up before he disappeared behind a large velvet armchair.
"Lock's upstairs, in case you were wondering!" Jack called out after him. "Good Lord." He took another swig of his drink. "This is going to be a long night."
Suddenly the front door opened again, and Dimitri the vampire stepped inside, throwing his cape over his face dramatically. "We have arrived!" he announced in a Transylvanian accent into the dwelling. His three brothers, Maksim, Vladimir and Ivan appeared in a sea of black robes behind him.
Jack choked on his drink the moment he spotted the round vampire next to Maksim, immediately recalling Dimitri's last words in the coffee shop that morning. "Oh, Guh-hod," he coughed into his sleeve.
"Ah, your Highness!" Dimitri called as he glided over to Jack, extending his hand. "Thank you so much for the invitation. We are so honored to join together with you tonight in celebration of this holiday."
"Yeah, yeah, fine, fine," Jack croaked as he pulled out a handkerchief, continuing to gag.
Dimitri laid an icy hand on his shoulder in concern. "Are you alright, sire? Did you have a little too much to drink already?"
"I'll get a trashcan," offered Maksim.
"I'm not throwing up!" Jack shouted at the vampires. They flinched, bemused and taken aback. "I'm sorry," Jack said as he wiped his mouth with the handkerchief. "I'm okay now. I hope I haven't too rudely offended you; please, do come in."
He stepped aside allowing the four ghouls to glide past him. They marveled at the extravagant scene before them, stroking the antique furniture, bowing to fellow partygoers and exchanging idle commentary. Ivan (the largest vampire) glanced over his shoulder as the group progressed towards the kitchen. He spotted Jack watching them and blushed a deep scarlet, immediately turning away.
Jack noticed this and shuddered violently, downing the last of his champagne. He set his glass down on the coffee table in the living room. Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder and he whipped around, startled. To his great relief it was Sally, who was wearing a little black cocktail dress with a frayed hemline resting just above her knees. She smiled warmly at him, an empty wine glass in her hand.
"Looks like we both could use refills," she chuckled, eyeing Jack's champagne flute on the coffee table.
"Oh Sally, you don't know how happy I am to see you," breathed Jack, lifting her free hand and kissing it gently. "You look absolutely beautiful. I can't believe you're all mine."
"Are you kidding? I'm the lucky one!" she replied, leading him into the kitchen. "Do you know how many monsters in this town would give their lives to date the Pumpkin King?"
"Nah, they're just after me for the money," said Jack, waving his hand. They stopped walking when they reached the mini bar.
"What would you like? More champagne?" offered Sally as she reached for a bottle of merlot for herself. She popped the cork and carefully filled her glass with the deep burgundy liquid.
Jack stood for a moment, stroking his chin. "Hmm…" He pondered his options. They had stocked up on every possible fermented solution imaginable, from vodka, to rum, wine, champagne, scotch, and even golden brandy…
"Um, Jack?" a high-pitched, accented voice sounded from Jack's left. Sucking in his cheeks, Jack slowly turned around to face none other than Ivan, the youngest vampire, who was gazing up at him timidly with a margarita in hand.
"Oh, hello there, Ivan," replied Jack, struggling to mask the apprehension in his voice.
Ivan blushed again, almost too obviously. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm pretty sure Billy and Lock are smoking weed in the upstairs bathroom…I was passing by and I think I got second-hand high off the fumes."
"Ugh, of course they are," Jack muttered dryly. He rubbed the back of his neck, exasperated. "Well, thanks for letting me know. I'll take care of it."
"Thanks," said Ivan, who nervously traced the rim of his margarita glass. "I'm not a big fan of the cannabis. Also, I take delight in the fact that unlike a lot of other parties I've been to lately, you don't have stripping women."
Jack heard Sally giggle behind him. "Well, thanks…I guess," he said. "Now go and enjoy the party, I promise that I'll handle the troublemakers upstairs."
Ivan nodded, grinning. "You're the man, Jack," he saluted the king and started towards the living room. Suddenly, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder, adding hesitantly, "By the way…you look good."
Jack buried his face in his palms as Sally giggled again (though harder, this time). "I say it again, they're just in it for the money!" he shouted defensively through his boney fingers.
The ragdoll patted her clearly embarrassed boyfriend's polished skull. "I didn't want to be the one to suggest it, but now that you bring it up…was he flirting with you?"
"I don't know, nor would I like to," he mumbled, snatching a bottle of peppermint schnapps out of the liquor shelf. He selected a shot glass from the glimmering array of crystal next to the cabinet and filled it to the brim. He pinched it delicately between his fingers and lifted it high above his head, as if to propose a toast. "Well, Sally…here's to us…and the town of Halloween…and the gays." He drank, his facial features twisting at the sharp burn of the alcohol.
Sally sipped her merlot, shaking her head. "Just be careful, you." She kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be in the living room. Come by if you get lonely. After all…this is our last night together."
A sudden pang of grief struck deep in the marrow of Jack's bones, and he smiled weakly, taking another shot. "I'll be there in a minute."
Sally nodded and kissed him again, this time on the lips. "You taste like a candy cane," she said wryly before flashing a flirtatious wink and heading back towards the living room.
Jack watched her go, cringing as another wave of melancholy washed over him. He loved Sally more than anything in the world; when they became a couple it was the first time in many years that he had felt complete. He hated Dr. Finklestein for taking her away from him. A dejected sigh escaped him as he poured another shot of schnapps.