"You look magnificent," Karen's hairdresser Douglas declared as they both gazed at her reflection in the mirror. He had added layers and caramel highlights to her brunette locks, which now fell just past her shoulders instead of midway down her back.
Karen gently shook her head, watching the way her new highlights caught the light. "It's perfect," she said. "Thank you so much."
"Your fiancé should like it as well," Douglas added.
"I hope he does," the teenager replied, "but I didn't do this for him. I did it for me. I needed a change."
Dawn, who hadn't wanted to part with her long hair, came to stand next to her friend. "So, you ready to go?"
Karen nodded. "Yes."
Douglas followed the two girls to the front of the hair and nail salon. While Dawn paid for the services they received, he and Karen scheduled another hair appointment.
"Well, thanks, again," the brunette said.
Douglas nodded. "See you in about six weeks."
The teenagers left the salon and started walking up the street. A group of passing men dressed in suits gave them appraising looks. One even casually dropped a business card at Karen's feet. She quickly picked it up, ripped it into tiny pieces. She then tossed the pieces into a nearby trash can before the card was intercepted by someone who might take exception it. "We certainly are attracting a lot of attention, aren't we?" she asked.
"Not we," corrected Dawn. "You. You look amazing, Karen, and it's more than just your hair. It's everything. Mitchell has that same magnetism. I think that's why I -" Dawn abruptly stopped speaking, her cheeks flushing pink.
"Why what?" Karen asked.
The blonde girl remained silent for a long moment as though contemplating what to say next.
"Dawn, what is it? What happened?"
Dawn inhaled a deep breath and said, "I kissed him."
Karen stared at her friend in shock. "Him, as in Mitchell?"
The other teenager slowly nodded.
"When?"
"Just after we got back from dress shopping," Dawn answered. "I know it was stupid, but I wasn't thinking straight. I'm really sorry, Karen."
"What did Mitchell do after you kissed him?"
Dawn pursed her lips together. "Nothing at that moment, but later he kissed me, again, just to prove how misplaced my feelings were. It worked, too, because that's when I realized I was falling for Mark. I know I screwed up, though. Are you angry with me?"
Karen shrugged. "No, I'm not really angry, more just surprised that you would kiss my soulmate. I mean, what were you hoping would happen?"
"Nothing," Dawn hastily answered. "I wasn't trying to steal him away from you or anything like that. I just was curious to how it would feel to be that close to him." She gave her head a small shake. "I know it doesn't make much sense -"
"No, it does," Karen softly interrupted, " especially since you both were growing closer to each other as friends."
"And that's exactly what Mitchell and I established," Dawn said, her tone firm. "We are just friends."
"Before last night, I might have questioned it," the brunette said, "but not now, not anymore."
Dawn looked at Karen. "So, what is it that made last night more special than the first time you and Mitchell bonded?"
"First of all, I wasn't with Mitchell; I was with the Boogeyman," Karen corrected. "And, yes, I understand they are one in the same person, but when he's masked, being around him just feels different."
Dawn instantly nodded. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."
"Well, last night was the first time the Boogeyman let me kiss and touch him. That alone was just special. I had never experienced that type of rush before. It was amazing."
A frown of disappointment touched Dawn's lips. "So the difference was just better sex?"
"It wasn't just sex, Dawn. It was so much more intimate than that. He tore off a piece of my heart and ate it. Then, he fixed my heart through the act of sex. The essence of who he is filled the empty space. We are now connected to each other in a way that was beyond my imagination. I can actually feel his presence inside of me."
"That's incredible," the blonde girl breathed. "I mean it really is. That brings a whole new meaning to the word soulmates. To be that intimately bonded with someone must feel awesome."
"It's an indescribable feeling," agreed Karen.
"One that us mortals will never be able to experience, no matter how much we may love our partners," Dawn said rather sadly.
"Although that's true, love in its purest form is still powerful and should never be diminished," Karen insisted. "If you and Mark love each other, then you still have something very special."
Dawn smirked at the brunette. "That's something Mitchell would say. It sounds like he is passing his wisdom onto you."
Karen shrugged, unsure of the new bond's boundaries. "Maybe so, but it's still true. You can't keep comparing mine and Mitchell's relationship to yours and Markus'. Otherwise, you won't ever be truly happy, and it's not fair to him."
"You're right," said Dawn, "and I really don't want to blow it with Mark like I did with Kyle."
"If you and Kyle were meant to be, you two would still be together," Karen said. "You obviously needed more than what he was able to give you, and I know this situation didn't help with that."
"No, it didn't, but I have a feeling he wasn't being completely faithful to me either. I think that's why he broke up with me so quickly after I told him about Mark, not that it really matters anymore." Dawn sighed. "Why do relationships have to be so complicated?"
"Because people are complicated," answered Karen. "Take Mitchell for instance. There's so much more to him than what was originally believed."
"Now there is," Dawn said, "but maybe before he met you, there wasn't. His love for you has changed him so much over the past few months. He's no longer just a methodical killer. He's evolved into a man, who is now capable of loving more than just one person. That's pretty incredible, if you really think about it."
Karen nodded. "He isn't the only one who has changed, though. I really didn't believe there'd come a point when I truly wouldn't care if someone lived or died. Two people were killed last night, and I haven't even given them a passing thought."
"Probably because you weren't emotionally attached to either victim," Dawn theorized. "If those two people would have been someone close to you, say my parents, I am sure you would have reacted much differently."
"The Boogeyman will never be able to kill someone who I care about," Karen said, "because then our relationship would be over, and that cannot possibly happen anymore. He and I are now bonded together for life."
"In that case, maybe you should become friends with his sister, then," Dawn suggested.
Karen shook her head. "It's not my place to get involved in the Boogeyman's family business, Dawn. But even if it was, his hatred for Laurie is much too powerful for me to contend with. I'd only end up loathing her as well."
"I suppose that's only fitting all things considered," the blonde girl conceded as they approached a dark storefront belonging to a small costume shop.
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Karen said when she saw what was displayed in the window. A mannequin dressed in dark coveralls and a white expressionless mask was standing in fake cemetery holding large butcher knife. "That's not even remotely funny."
"Only because you want fuck it," Dawn quietly teased, which earned a glare from the brunette. "Come on, Karen, relax," the former urged. "For all people know, Michael Myers is long since dead, and whether it's right or not, his look is very iconic. I'm sure outside of Haddonfield this costume is pretty popular."
"It's still in really poor taste," Karen muttered.
"You're just ticked because he's not receiving any royalties from it," Dawn quipped, heading towards the door.
"Wait. You're not actually planning to go in there, are you?"
"Why not?" asked Dawn. "Aren't you just a tad bit curious to see what's inside?"
Karen looked past her friend's shoulder and peered into the dimly lit store. "Yeah, I guess," she admitted. "I wouldn't mind looking for a costume to wear on Halloween - maybe something sexy for the Boogeyman."
"That's the spirit!" Dawn exclaimed.
The teenagers entered the shop and were greeted by an elegant African American woman, who was dressed as a sorceress.
"Hello, girls," the woman said. "What can I help you with on this lovely autumn afternoon?"
"We're just out browsing for Halloween costumes," Dawn casually replied.
"And the mannequin in the window caught our attention," added Karen.
The woman grinned. "Ah, yes, the infamous Michael Myers."
"Do you know him?" the brunette quietly asked.
"I know of him," the woman answered. "I lived near Haddonfield during the late seventies. Michael Myers is the epitome of Halloween. He is the only true Boogeyman."
Karen simply nodded and turned to look around the shop.
"Do either of you know what you want to be for Halloween?"
Both Karen and Dawn shook their heads.
"Well, I've got quite the assortment," the woman told them. "Pirate wrenches, fortune tellers, witches, fairies, princesses - well, you two get the idea."
"Yes, thank you," Karen said. She thumbed through a rack of costumes, completely at a loss of what persona to choose.
Dawn seemed to have a better idea of what she was looking for. She pulled a short light green dress that came accessorized with a pair of silver translucent wings. "Tinkerbell," she declared. "And Mark can be -"
"Peter Pan?" guessed Karen.
Dawn made a face at her. "Captain Hook."
"Scandalous!" the brunette gasped in mock horror.
"I know, right? What will the tabloids say?"
The teenagers shared a good laugh, but the humor vanished from Karen's expression as she turned her eyes onto the fake Michael Myers. "I still don't know what to be," she said. "Who would make a good counterpart for the Boogeyman?"
"You would," Dawn stoically answered. "Maybe you should just dress up as yourself."
The brunette sighed. "But that's so boring."
"Karen, you are the Boogeyman's soulmate. What costume could possibly be better than that?"
Karen gave her best friend a grateful smile. "You're right, Dawn. There is nothing better than that. I'll just wear a sexy dress and call it good."
"Or you could wear the same dress you wore on your first date and add some Halloween flair to it."
"That's actually a great idea," Karen beamed, knowing the Boogeyman would like it, too. "Thanks."
She glanced around the store and saw a hooded black velvet cloak that was covered with intricate silver skulls. The inside of the cloak was lined with scarlet satin. "Okay, now that's pretty cool."
Dawn nodded. "I totally agree. It would go perfectly with your black dress."
"I have a choker and earrings set to match," the shop's owner said while unlocking a jewelry display case. She reached into it and help up a black velvet choker for Karen to see. From its center dangled a sterling silver skull.
"I like it," the brunette said. She placed the cloak on the counter. The woman then added the pair of skull earrings to the pile.
"Is there anything else you need?" she asked. "Matching gloves, perhaps?"
Karen smirked. "Might as well."
Grinning, the woman retrieved the long fingerless gloves, along with a large shoe box. "You know, if you really want to impress your beau, you could also buy these…" She opened the box. Inside laid two black suede thigh high boots, which laced up the back.
"Oh yeah," breathed Dawn. "You definitely need those."
Karen glanced down at the price on the box and frowned. "I don't know…"
"It will be fine," Dawn assured her. "Besides, I'm sure you'll get a lot of use out of them."
"All right," Karen relented. "I'll need a size ten, though."
The woman nodded before disappearing into the back room.
"It seems ridiculous to be spending this much money on a Halloween costume," the brunette muttered.
"And when was the last time you celebrated Halloween?" Dawn countered.
"You already know the answer to that question," said Karen.
"Right, so this makes up for all those Halloweens you missed."
Karen scoffed. "Nice logic there, Dawn."
"Hey, I try."
The stock room's door opened, and the woman emerged carrying the correct size boots. "I have only one size ten," she said. "Would you like to try them on?"
"Yeah, I probably should." Karen sat down on a chair. She quickly traded her short brown leather boots for the tall black ones.
"Well…?" the woman asked.
"They feel surprisingly good," Karen answered.
"They look good, too," Dawn chimed in. "Mitchell will like them for sure."
"Terrific," said the woman. "Is there anything else you need?"
Karen looked at Dawn. "I'm all set. What about you?"
"Yeah, for now. I'll come back later with Mark. It will give us something to do besides well, you know…"
Karen chuckled. "Good idea."
Dawn set her Tinkerbell costume down on the counter while Karen changed her boots. A few minutes later they left the costume shop with their purchases.
"Well, that was fun," Dawn said, grinning. "What trouble should we get ourselves into now?"
Karen glanced around searching for Mitchell. When she didn't see any sign of him, she decided to take care of something that had been weighing on her mind all day. "I need to make a phone call," she told her friend.
Dawn instantly frowned. "Your father?"
The brunette reluctantly nodded. "It's time. Will you come with me?"
"Of course."
The teenagers walked to a pay phone.
"Are you sure about this?" Dawn asked, passing Karen a quarter.
"Yes. Just stay close by, all right?"
At that moment a black Cadillac pulled up to the curb. Markus immediately rolled down the front passenger window. "Hey!" he called. "What are you good-looking ladies up to today?"
"We're just hanging out," replied Dawn. "Why? What are you doing?"
"Your uncle's and my case ended early, so I was just heading home before our date tonight."
"Would you like to join us for awhile?" Karen offered. "You could keep Dawn company while I make an important phone call. Then, we could meet back up for lunch."
"That would be fine," Markus said. "Let me just park real quick, but before I do, did you girls want to put your bags in the trunk?"
When they both nodded, he popped it open. The teenagers hastily placed their purchases inside of the rather spacious compartment.
"Thanks," Dawn told her boyfriend as she closed the trunk.
"No problem," he said. "I'll see you again in a few minutes."
After Markus drove away to take care of his car, the blonde girl turned to Karen. "You don't think Mitchell will mind if Mark joins us for lunch?"
"No," she simply answered.
"Where do you think he is?"
"I honestly don't know, but I'm sure he'll return soon. He knows you and I needed this time together."
"I've really enjoyed it," said Dawn. "We haven't done anything like this in so long. I've missed it."
"Yeah," Karen agreed as Markus neared them. "So have I."
"Hi, again," he greeted.
"Long time no see," Dawn teased. Addressing Karen, she said, "I think I'll take Mark to the costume shop. Do you want to meet us there after your phone call?"
Karen nodded. "Sure."
"Wait, costume shop?" Markus questioned.
Dawn laughed while she took his hand. "Don't look so horrified, Mark. It will be okay." She gave Karen an abrupt wave. "See you in a bit."
Karen waited until her friends had walked a ways up the street before making her dreaded phone call. Figuring her father was at work, she dialed the number to his office. Sure enough, he answered after the third ring.
"Hello?"
Karen wanted to hang up the receiver but instead said, "Hello, David. I told you I'd call you, again."
"On the eve of your eighteenth birthday no less. How thoughtful of you." The scornful tone in his voice diminished as he said, "I've been thinking about you a lot today."
"That doesn't surprise me," Karen plainly told her father.
"Aren't you at all curious as to what kind of thoughts have been running through my mind?" he softly asked. When the teenager didn't offer a response, he said, "I've been wishing I could fuck you one last time before you turn into a legal adult. There was just something really enjoyable about fucking you as a minor. I will definitely miss it."
Of course you will, you sick bastard.
"The very first time, though - do you remember that - how special it was? You were so young and innocent - and you felt so damn good."
Karen had to remind herself to breathe.
"It's been almost ten years since you gave me your virginity, princess, and every night as I lay in bed touching myself I think about that magical moment."
"I didn't give you my virginity, David," Karen angrily hissed. "You stole it from me. It was never yours to take."
"I helped conceive you," he evenly replied, "therefore, it was my right to claim it as mine. It belonged to me, just like you belong to me. No other man can ever call you his for that very reason. You are mine."
Karen's temper rose. "And yet you let one of your friends touch me - Jerry, wasn't it?"
"Yes, Jerry," David confirmed. "He took the most beautiful photographs of you throughout the years. And, yes, in return, I gave him permission to touch your tits and pussy during our sessions. However, I was always there to make sure he didn't fuck you. Fucking you is my privilege and mine alone."
Karen was too furious to speak, which gave her father more time to talk.
"Do you know what I'm looking at right now? It's a picture of you taken when you were thirteen years old. You're lying naked on your bed with my cum oozing out of your sweet pussy. You look so beautiful, you know that?"
David grunted softly, and Karen suddenly realized what he was doing. "No, don't," she begged. "Please don't. I swear, I'll hang up…"
"I wish it was you who was stroking my hard cock, princess," he growled, "but by next Christmas it will be. Dawn's life depends on it."
Karen literally started feeling sick. "I have to go," she muttered.
"No. Not yet. I'm. So. Damn. Close. Fuck!"
Karen slammed the receiver back into its cradle and spun around only to be caught in a pair of strong familiar arms. "Mitchell!" she gasped. "How long have you been standing here?"
"I only just arrived. I felt your distress." The killer gravely eyed the telephone. "Now I understand why."
Karen simply nodded.
"You're alone," he stated, looking around. "Where's Dawn?"
"With Markus," she blandly answered. "He was driving by and saw us. I told him we could get lunch together later."
Mitchell's dark eyes penetrated hers as he held her at arm's length. "You're rattled," he seethed. "What the hell did your father say to you?"
"Nothing I didn't already know," she dully informed him. "Your theory was right. He really does believe that because I was born to him, he is entitled to me."
Mitchell's gaze hardened. "There's something else bothering you. I can tell." When the teenager started to tremble, he instantly wrapped his arms around her. "What is it, Karen? What else was said?"
She pressed her forehead against her soulmate's chest, her eyes welling up with tears. "He admitted that he let Jerry touch me," she mournfully voiced into his uniform.
Mitchell's next words were mixed with both anger and confusion. "Why the hell would your father let him do that?"
The teenager refused to answer, so she just wordlessly shook her head.
The killer growled low in his throat. "I wish you would just tell me what they did to you."
Karen tilted her face up to look at him. "Telling you right now isn't going to do you any favors," she said. "This is something I need to work through on my own."
Mitchell sighed heavily. "I know. I just hate that you're in so much pain."
Karen kissed the underside of his jaw. "I'll be all right, Mitchell, but if I'm going to keep calling him on a regular basis, then I'm definitely going to have to grow a thicker skin. I can't let him get to me like this. It's just when he talks about what he did, and the fact that he's proud of it - it's so sickening. And then to find out he had no problem with watching his friend touch me -"
In an instant, Mitchell's eyes turned from deep brown to pitch black, betraying his rage. "Karen, I will leave your father's fate up to you," he snarled, "but I promise Jerry will not be so fortunate. He will never lay a hand on you again. Not ever."
She offered him a small smile. "I believe you, Mitchell." She then stepped away from him, and they started walking towards the costume shop.
The killer grabbed ahold of Karen's hand, his fingers securely lacing with hers. "You look good by the way, sweetness," he said. "Damn good."
"As do you, Mr. Martin," she replied, her heart fluttering slightly.
Smirking, he ran his free hand through his short chestnut locks. "It's been decades since I've had a proper haircut. I figured the occasion called for it."
On their journey, Karen couldn't help but notice that several women had paused to throw appraising glances at Mitchell. "And now the mask makes sense," she murmured.
He gave her an inquisitive look. "Oh, and why is that?"
"Well, I'm sure it would be quite annoying to have women coming onto you while you're trying to kill them."
"It's more than annoying actually," Mitchell dryly stated, which immediately piqued Karen's interest.
"Wait, so that has really happened to you before? she asked.
"Yes, but it was not done intentionally," he said. "When I was hunting for Laurie in Haddonfield Memorial, one of the nurses had unknowingly mistaken me for her recently deceased lover and placed a few rather affectionate kisses on my hand. Unfortunately for her, that did nothing but fuel my rage even further."
The teenager nodded in understanding. "So, how did you end up killing her?"
Mitchell chortled darkly. "I gradually melted her face off by repeatedly dunking her head into a hot tub full of boiling water."
Karen cringed at her soulmate's self-proclaimed brutality. "And you think that's funny?"
"More funny than that," he said, stopping to stare at the costume shop's window.
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you that you have a secret - or not-so-secret - admirer," Karen replied. "She knows you still live."
A faint smirk appeared on Mitchell's lips while he continued to gaze upon the mannequin. "Is that so?"
"Yes," she confirmed. "Dawn and I talked to her briefly about it when we were looking for our Halloween costumes."
Mitchell instantly turned his head to look at Karen. "Did you actually end up buying one?"
She hesitantly nodded. "Is that all right? I've never been able to celebrate Halloween before, and I just thought -"
"It's fine," Mitchell curtly interrupted, clearly not wanting to discuss the upcoming holiday anymore.
Karen knew why, too. She could feel his passion for her rising with each passing moment. She quickly decided it would be in her best interest to move their conversation along. "Dawn and Markus are inside," she said. "Did you want join them?"
Her lover gave his head a subtle shake. "I'd better not, sweetness. You may though."
"No, I'll wait with you." Karen's eyes instinctively drifted back to the store's window. Her heartbeat quickened as the mannequin forced memories from the night before to the forefront of her mind. She yearned to experience that again.
"Exactly fourteen days left," Mitchell seductively whispered into her ear.
"I know," she muttered. "It won't be quite the same, though."
"No...it will be better…"
The killer's promise sent shivers of anticipation down Karen's spine. He affectionately nipped her earlobe and rose to his full height just as Dawn and Markus exited the costume shop. The latter was carrying two bags, but, unlike his girlfriend, he didn't appear to be all too excited about his purchases.
"What's the matter, Markus?" asked Karen teasingly. "Shopping didn't put you in the Halloween spirit?"
He shrugged and said, "Honestly, I haven't dressed up for Halloween since I was -" He abruptly stopped speaking looking somewhat embarrassed by how his sentence was going to end.
"It's okay," Karen assured him. "Dawn and I are well aware that we are much younger than both you and Mitchell, and sometimes it shows."
Markus' expression instantly turned quizzical as he directed his gaze to man standing behind her. "Mitchell?"
The killer nodded. "Yes, that is the name I go by now, unless I am masked."
Markus cocked his head at him. "What happened to your eyes?"
"Long story," Mitchell simply said, putting an end to the subject.
"Hey, I don't know about any of you," Dawn suddenly voiced, "but I am starved."
"Yeah, I could go for some lunch, too," Karen agreed. "Mitchell?"
He nodded. "Should we go to Big Ed's?"
"Sounds good to me," agreed Karen. She and Mitchell looked to Dawn and Markus for any objections. When they didn't receive any, she said, "All right, let's go."
The couples drove to Big Ed's Bar and Grill in separate vehicles. Mitchell and Karen arrived first. They stayed seated in the Buick, which gave her time to finish telling him all about her day up until the point when he found her. Once she stopped speaking, a faint blush crept into her cheeks. "Sorry, I was rambling, wasn't I?" she self-consciously asked.
"No, not at all," Mitchell quickly assured his fiancé. "I'm glad you had such a good time with Dawn today."
She nodded. "So am I. It felt good just to hang out with her again. Sometimes I feel -" Karen paused and looked at him.
"Go on," he urged.
She softly sighed and said, "Well, sometimes I feel that expectations for me are so high that if I don't act a certain way, then I will fail to meet them."
The killer instantly frowned. "Karen, I cannot speak for anyone else, but my expectations for you have always been just to be yourself."
"The problem is I'm not even sure who that is anymore," she confessed. "I've changed so much."
"And in a relatively short amount of time," Mitchell compassionately added. "Anyone in your position would feel the same way you do, Karen. I honestly wish you could have had more time to adjust to your role as my soulmate. However, because of the wedding, I've had to push you farther than sometimes even I was comfortable with. Ideally, what happened between us last night should have taken place at least a couple of months from now."
Karen regarded the killer for a long moment, her dark eyes searching his. "Maybe that's true," she said, "but I don't regret any of it. You are my soulmate, Mitchell. I belong at your side."
"Yet, you are also still a teenager," he firmly reminded her. "You need to go out and have fun. Hell, you have your own car here now. Use it."
Karen gaped at him. "Are you serious?"
"Absolutely. I am not your father, sweetness. I have no reason not to trust you."
"Thanks," she quietly said. "That means a lot to me."
Mitchell tenderly caressed his lover's cheek, and her eyes instantly clouded with desire. As much as he wanted to mold his lips to hers, he held himself in check. "Just one more day, Karen," he gruffly said while he lowered his hand.
"Yeah, I know," she uttered, resting back against her seat.
Mitchell's gaze traveled up to the rearview mirror just in time to see a black Cadillac pull into the parking lot. "They're here," he announced, but Karen was already halfway out of the car. He quickly joined her and walked with her to greet their friends.
"How'd you guys get here so fast?" Dawn asked.
"Mitchell likes to speed," teased Karen.
The blonde girl smirked at him and said, "Speed kills."
"So I've been told," the killer deadpanned. "Shall we go inside?"
They walked into the restaurant and was instantly met by Courtney, who was passing the greeter's station. "Hey, guys!" she exclaimed with a bright smile. She turned to a ginger-haired woman and said, "Rose, put them in my section, will you?"
The woman nodded and led them to a booth. Courtney came up behind her holding two iced teas. She set them on the table and looked at Markus and Dawn. "What would you two like to drink?"
"I'll take a Coke," said Markus.
"A diet for me," Dawn ordered.
Courtney nodded. "Sure, I'll be right back."
After she scampered off, Dawn said, "Boy, you guys sure get fast service here."
"That's because Mitchell tips her very well," Karen joked, which earned a grin from her friend.
Courtney returned with two more glasses. "A Coke for you," she told Markus, setting his drink before him, "and a diet Coke for you," she said to Dawn.
"Thanks," the blonde girl replied as she took a small sip of her soda.
"I already put a double order of mozzarella sticks in for you," Courtney informed the group. "Do you want any other appetizers?"
When both Dawn and Markus shook their heads, Mitchell said, "No, just the mozzarella sticks will be fine."
Courtney's blue eyes widened slightly. "Oh, you do talk," she jested. "I was beginning to wonder…" Her gaze drifted over to Karen and then back onto him, the humor in her expression fading. "Something seems different about you two...is everything okay?"
"Everything is more than okay," Karen answered without missing a beat. "Mitchell and I are getting married tomorrow."
Courtney's instantly beamed. "Wow! That's great! Congratulations!"
"Thanks," the killer's soulmate said, grinning. "We're pretty excited, too."
"And it's also Karen's eighteenth birthday tomorrow," Dawn chimed in.
The waitress' eyes glinted mischievously, but she simply gestured to the menus and said, "So, do you know what you want to order, yet?"
"I think we'll need a few more minutes," Mitchell said, understanding that no one really had a chance to look over the food choices.
"Sure, no problem. Take your time."
After Courtney scampered off, Mitchell turned his attention to Karen. "Don't eat anything too heavy, sweetness," he warned. "Dinner's just a few hours away, and the Helms are expecting us both to eat with them this evening."
"Do you know what we're having?" she asked.
"Steak," he replied.
A soft smile touched Karen's lips, and Mitchell assumed she was recalling the first time they had shared a steak dinner together - their first true date. That night held fond memories for him as well.
"That seems like ages ago," she quietly said.
The killer merely nodded in agreement, completely aware that they were both being watched closely by their companions.
Karen folded her menu and set it aside. "Well, I know what I'm getting, then."
"Yep, so do I," said Dawn.
"Let me guess," Markus said. "A salad."
Dawn scowled at him. "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, if you're a rabbit," Markus snarked. "I've just never seen the point of eating a plateful of lettuce and calling it a meal."
"Call it a healthy snack, then," Dawn retorted. "Why? What are you going to eat?"
"That's an answer I'd like to know, too," Courtney voiced as she approached the table with their appetizers.
Dawn waited for her to set the trays on the table and then said, "I'd like a chef salad, please."
"I'll have the Reuben," Markus told Courtney next.
"I'll take a club sandwich, minus tomatoes, please," said Karen.
"And I'll just snack on the mozzarella sticks," Mitchell stated. He passed both his and Karen's menus to the waitress while Dawn and Markus did the same.
"Great," Courtney said. "I'll be back to check on you again in a few minutes."
Karen waited for Courtney to leave before directing her attention to Mitchell. "We missed our dance lesson today."
"I know," he bluntly replied. "Since we weren't going to learn anything new before tomorrow, I decided to cancel it. It was much more important for you and Dawn to spend the day together."
"I still can't believe I got roped into buying a Halloween costume," Markus muttered. "I don't even know where I'm going to wear it."
"We'll just have to find a Halloween party to go to," answered Dawn.
Courtney was passing by their table when she stopped to say, "You could always go to the Drummond farm. They really go all out for Halloween. They always have an huge corn maze, a haunted hayride, and a haunted barn you can go through. My friends and I go to there every year."
Dawn instantly smiled. "That sounds like really fun. Mark?"
He released an overly dramatic sigh. "Sure," he said, "what the hell."
"Great, we'll be be there," Dawn told Courtney.
The waitress eyed both Mitchell and Karen. "What about you two?"
"We already have plans," the killer curtly said.
Courtney offered him an short nod and then left headed towards kitchen presumably to check on the status of their food.
"Yeah, somebody has to keep the Boogeyman busy," Dawn snickered once the waitress was out of earshot, which received an immediate glare from his fiancé. "What? It's true, and Mark and I appreciate your sacrifice."
"Thanks," Karen dryly replied, though the heightened color in her cheeks betrayed her true feelings.
As she drank some of her cold tea, Mitchell discreetly ran his fingers over her thigh. Her breathing hitched slightly, but she had no choice to remain absolutely still while he tantalized her underneath the table. He could feel her getting very wet through her clothes and knew she had to be close to climaxing. Sighing very softly, she clenched his forearm. Moments later her body trembled slightly, signaling her sexual release.
Once she had recovered from her orgasm, Karen threw the killer a rather dirty look and instantly released his arm. Smirking, he gave her crotch one last pet before removing his hand. She might have been irritated with him, yet at the same time there was no doubt she had enjoyed it. He could feel it in his heart.
Courtney returned to their table carrying a large tray of food, along with a bottle of champagne and two fluted glasses. After passing out the food, she set the two glasses down and poured the celebratory alcohol into them. "You boys will have to share with the girls," she said. "Otherwise, I'll get in a lot of trouble."
"No problem," Markus assured her. He raised his glass to both Mitchell and Karen. "To forever."
Mitchell never felt the need or desire to drink alcohol, but for propriety's sake, he drank to the toast. Then, he offered the glass to his soulmate, who took a tentative sip. She must have liked it, because she quickly followed it with another.
"That's really good," she complimented, placing the glass back onto the table.
"Yeah, it is," Dawn agreed after she had tasted it for herself.
"It should be for the price," Markus stated.
"Don't worry about it," said Courtney. "It's on the house." She smiled and walked away, letting the group enjoy their meal in privacy.
"So, when was the first time you realized Karen was your soulmate?" Markus asked Mitchell. "When she was born?"
"If only it would have been that simple," the killer answered. "We met on Halloween Eve just after her eighth birthday. Our connection, though, was instantaneous, and it had nearly a decade to fester before Fate brought us together again. Since then," he looked at his fiancé, "it has turned into something I never thought possible. I love you, Karen."
She tenderly pressed her lips to his check. "I love you, too, Mitchell."
"I'll drink to that," Markus said.
"Yeah, me too," Dawn added. She stole the glass from his hand once he had finished his swig.
"I'm beginning to think we're just giving them an excuse to get intoxicated," Karen joked. However, even she drank to the special love Mitchell shared with her. Then, she started eating her sandwich.
"So, what are our plans after lunch?" asked Dawn.
"I want to go home and freshen up before dinner tonight," Markus said.
"And I'd like to rest for a couple of hours since I didn't get any sleep last night," Karen answered. "I'm finally starting to feel it."
"Are you sure that it's not the champagne?" teased Dawn.
"Actually, I think it helped."
Mitchell looked at his fiancé and nodded. "We'll return to the mansion soon," he promised.
"Thanks."
Once everyone finished their meals, the men split the bill and escorted their dates outside. Mitchell helped Karen transferred the girls' purchases from the Cadillac to his Buick while Dawn and Markus said their goodbyes. It wasn't until the other couple kissed that he saw what he had been hoping to see all along.
"He loves her," Karen stated. She was also watching their companions.
"Yes," Mitchell simply replied.
"Imagine that." His lover closed his car's trunk and said, "Looks like I was wrong about him."
The killer focused his gaze onto her. "You were only trying to protect your friend, Karen. There's nothing wrong with that."
She released a heavy sigh. "I have a hard time trusting people."
"Even me at times," he bluntly said.
Karen moved to stand in front of him and lifted her dark eyes to his. "That's in the past now, Mitchell," she firmly told him. "You have my full trust now, but I'm still not ready to tell you everything my father did to me, if that makes any sense."
He slowly nodded. "It does, and I understand."
"It doesn't make it any easier, though," Karen knowingly said.
"No, certainly not," Mitchell affirmed. Then, he stepped away from his soulmate and sat down in the Buick. She and Dawn quickly joined him.
"Thanks for lunch today," Dawn graciously voiced from the backseat. "I really enjoyed it."
"You're welcome," said Mitchell as he backed out of his parking spot.
"Yeah, it was nice," Karen added.
He gave her a sideways glance. "Just nice?" When her cheeks reddened, the killer lightly scoffed. "That's what I thought."
Karen folded her arms across her chest, looking cross.
"You're just upset because I couldn't give you more," he told her.
"More of what?" their friend innocently asked.
"Champagne," Karen briskly answered.
Dawn scooted forward in her seat and said, "Judging by how flushed your face is, I'd say you had plenty."
Mitchell eyed his lover, a smirk playing on his lips. "I completely agree."
Her expression instantly hardened, obviously catching the hidden double meaning. "You're impossible," she muttered under her breath.
"He's the Boogeyman," said Dawn. "What'd you expect?"
Karen sighed quietly and then fell silent. After a few minutes, Mitchell looked over at her and saw that she had fallen asleep.
"I was wondering when she was going to crash," Dawn said, keeping her voice low.
"She lasted a lot longer than I thought she would," he admitted. He observed Karen's sleeping form for a moment, admiring her natural beauty. "Dammit, Dawn, I love her so much."
"I know," the teenager gently replied.
Mitchell returned his eyes to the windshield. "I can't wait to show her."
Dawn boldly rested her chin on the top of his seat. "I thought you did last night."
He gave his head a negative shake. "I didn't make love to her last night, Dawn. It was something different all together."
"I know, she told me."
"Good, I was hoping she would," Mitchell truthfully said.
"She and I actually talked a lot today, more than we have in a long time," said Dawn.
The killer nodded. "When she was baking this morning, Karen finally started telling me about her family life. Her father truly is her Boogeyman, Dawn. He wants her for himself, and he is going to do everything in his power to make sure that happens."
"Sicko," the blonde girl uttered.
"Yes," Mitchell agreed. "I am curious about one thing, though."
"Oh, what's that?"
"Karen said she never loved her father, which I completely understand, because I felt the same way about my parents. However, her feelings for her mother were just the opposite. It makes me wonder what kind of woman she was. Not even Karen knows a lot about her background."
"Obviously she wasn't like either of you," Dawn said.
"Unfortunately for her, no, but she still had a very strong bond with Karen and vice-versa. I can now feel just how much Karen misses her."
"Karen needs closure, Mitchell. She won't be able to grieve properly until she's given that."
"I know, but returning to Haddonfield right now isn't an option."
"If you just told her -"
"I've already tried talking to her about it," Mitchell impatiently interrupted. "Deep down I think she knows her mother is dead, but she is going to have to see actual proof until she fully believes it."
"Karen is going to be so angry for so many different reasons, and you know some of that anger is going to be directed at you."
"It would not be the first time she's lashed out at me," the killer said, recalling his lover's hysterical episode in their bathroom, "but her anger is utterly justifiable. I'd be furious with me, too, if I was in her position."
Dawn mutely nodded as he parked his car. He helped her out from the backseat. Then, he walked to Karen's door and opened it.
"Do you think she'll be all right for tonight?" Dawn asked.
Mitchell lifted his sleeping fiancé up off her seat, cradling her in his arms. "She should be. I'll wake her up around four and see how she's doing."
"You look tired, too," the blonde girl noted. "Maybe you should also take a short nap."
"Yes, perhaps I will," he said. "We'll see you again soon, Dawn."
"Yep. Bye."
Mitchell brought Karen directly to their suite. He laid her on the bed and cocooned her within his limbs. Closing his eyes, he nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. His body relaxed against hers as it finally received the rest it needed to completely recover from the night before.
