Soul Colored Crimson
C16: This is Halloween
Standard Disclaimer: I don't own any of the recognizable characters
Alice's POV
In the weeks leading up to Halloween Bella was in my atelier almost every day to try on her outfit, that I had to admit looked dead sexy on her. We had ended up with a red and black skirt that barely covered her butt paired with fishnet stockings with rips in strategic places and black combat boots. She also had a plain with tank top with similarly strategic smears of red and black on the front and a red leather jacket that said 'To Red with Love' on the back.
For her hair we had discussed several options, including dyeing it at some point, although that was quickly thrown out as something workable since Bella had told me how much Victoria loved her hair. What we ended up settling on was a blonde wig that I styled in pigtails and would dye one black and the other one red.
Rosalie had a clear idea for her make-up, which the blonde very stubbornly did not want to share with me, although she had assured me it would not clash with whatever I had planned.
With this being the day before Halloween, it would be the first time we would see everything together, including all accessories that she had found over the last few weeks.
Right now she was changing into her costume while Rosalie was sorting out the make-up she was going to use. "I have to say Rose, I'm very excited about tomorrow. It's been so long since we properly did anything for Halloween."
Rosalie smiled and nodded. "I know, and I think this is going to be the best Halloween yet. I'm just glad I convinced that big bear of mine to for once not dress as Superman."
"Care to share what you two will be going as? Because I know you would love something coordinated." Bella said as she stepped out of the changing room, looking very much like a brunette Harley Quinn.
Both Rosalie and I grinned at her. "Of course we're going to be coordinated. I'll be going as Mary Poppins and Emmett of course is going as Bert."
"That is going to look adorable, although I would say also comical given your husband's size." Bella said with a similar grin.
Rosalie smiled at her. "True, but you'll get it when you see his chosen outfit tonight. If you weren't mated to Victoria it might turn you straight."
"Never in my life Rosie, thank you very much. Vicky and I are very content to be the only gay couple in the family, at least until Mom finds her mate." Bella said with a smile.
I smiled at her as Rosalie and I started to fix the wig to her hair. "That might be a few decades, but until that time we can definitely look forward to the cuteness of you clinging to your mother for a couple of months once you are turned." Rosalie said with a soft smile.
She smiled at us. "Like that will be anything new from me and Esme. I would say we have re-defined cute a few times already."
"That's most definitely true sister. You and mother are the epitome of a perfect mother-daughter relationship. Now stand still, because I don't want to accidentally skewer your brain with this pin." Rosalie said with a soft smile.
"That would put a bit of a damper on tomorrow's festivities, wouldn't it?" She said softly.
We both smiled at her as we pinned the wig in her hair before stepping back. "It would, but since you're so good at listening to your big sisters, you can show your mate the meaning of a sexy Harley Quinn, although you might want to rethink your decision of going without a bra."
"I've been thinking about that, but all of my bras hurt me since they're too small and we haven't had the time to go shop for a good one. So I'll suffer one night of Mom's disapproving looks and go without a bra. At least my nipples are covered right?" Bella said softly.
We both nodded at her. "I thought we went shopping for essentials not too long ago. How can those bras not fit?" I asked softly.
"We did, but we bought my bras too small. Vicky noticed when we were taking pictures, and while we went out to search for proper ones the next day, we couldn't find any in my size, so we've been looking online to find some to my liking, but that search is still ongoing." Bella said with a soft smile.
"I'm sorry Bella. I really should've checked before we bought them." I said softly.
She smiled and pulled me into a hug. "It's okay Ali. They didn't go to waste. Vicky is that size, so she uses them now. I'm more than content to go without a bra for one more day. Once I'm turned we have plenty of time to go shopping for my unmentionables."
I smiled and nodded at her. "I can tell you're excited about that already, given the height I am at."
Bella grinned and pulled me between her generous breasts. "I didn't know you swung that way, Pixie."
I giggled at her. "Every vampire is by nature bisexual Bella, and if you couple that with no sense of shame and you get a family of vampires that don't really care about being in whatever state of dress we're in around each other."
"That ought to be a fun conversation with Mom when I wake up, because I'm pretty sure she'll be quite adamant on her little girl not prancing around with her breasts out." Bella said softly.
We both smiled at her. "We have a feeling she'll at least have a good talk with you once you wake up, as well as give you a bath, that's kind of a tradition in our family she has never broken with, and given that you're her bond daughter, you can expect plenty of doting." Rosalie said with a smile.
Bella just smiled at her. "Far be it from me to go against tradition, but that can only happen if we actually make it to Halloween, which can't happen if we don't make Halloween by not having my costume complete."
"Yes, oh Mistress." Rosalie said with a roll of her eyes as she guided Bella to the make-up chair so the blonde could do a make-up test for tomorrow.
Bella's POV
The following morning I was for once up bright and early, much to the surprise of my mate and mother, who couldn't stop smiling at me. "Not that I mind seeing you downstairs so early sweetie, but why are you up so early?" Esme asked with her usual soft smile.
I smiled through my bites of the fresh pancakes she had made. "I've always loved Halloween, it's the only day of the year I voluntarily get up early to enjoy the day. If Alice and Rosalie were back already I would be badgering them about getting me in my costume already."
"They should be back in a few hours sweetie. They went to get the last things for the party tonight. We can't have a proper party without snacks after all." Esme said with a soft smile.
I nodded and smiled at her. "Not a party thrown by you at least. I was forced to go to plenty of parties at the Reservation where there was nothing else but meat, and since those puppies couldn't even put a hot dog on the barbecue without burning it, I never ate there."
Victoria smiled at me as pressed a kiss to my cheek. "Given your preference for home made burgers as of late, I'm not surprised. Who in their right mind would ever want to eat charred hot dogs, and have them cooked by puppies at that."
I grinned at that. "Oh they could make mean steaks, but that's all they could properly make and as I have told Charlie on many an occasion, you can't live on steak alone."
"How on earth did you survive to seventeen sweetie? From what I remember you telling me your mother also wasn't the best cook." Esme said softly.
I smiled at her. "I learned how to cook for myself at a very young age, Mom. It is also the only reason I wasn't an orphan at six. Renee only believed in microwaved dinners and Charlie was all steak and potatoes. So if I didn't want to die of either high cholesterol or be five hundred pounds, I needed to learn how to cook. Which is why I loathe it now. They really took all the fun out of it."
Esme smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. "I understand sweetie, and I am always happy to cook you whatever you want. Because no matter what happens, you will always be my baby girl."
"I know Mom, and I love you for it. Maybe in the future I might want to cook something with you, but that'll be at least a few decades away." I said with a soft smile.
She just smiled at me as she took a seat next to me and gathered me into her arms. "I'll eagerly be waiting for that sweetie. Although we probably should get through tonight first. Halloween can be a bit… rowdy at times."
"I'm sure it'll be fine Mom. If there is one thing I've noticed, it's that everyone seems to be adamant on making me feel as comfortable as possible for my first Halloween with the family. Rosalie has promised me that she is going to try and contain Emmett as much as possible, and Jasper said he's going to try and do the same with Alice." I said with a soft smile.
"We'll see sweetie, but you haven't told me what you plan to go as. I'm awfully curious." Esme said with a soft smile.
I shared a look with Victoria and smiled at her. "Vicky and I are going as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy from the Batman comics, although I will admit that my costume is a bit of a more modern interpretation of the character. I don't think I could pull off a full bodysuit all night, nor do I have any inclination to look like a harlequin for a night. I don't know how Vicky has sorted out her outfit though."
"I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise baby. What I can say is that it will be a very accurate depiction of the Poison Ivy we agreed on." Victoria said with an almost predatory grin.
I blushed a little from what that grin did to me and quickly changed the subject. "What about you Mom? What will you be going as?"
Esme smiled at me. "I'll be going as a witch, sweetie. It's my go to costume on Halloween, since I believe I wear it quite well."
I smiled at that. "I can see it. Your Volturi robes alone gave you a very witchy appearance."
"Trust me that my costume will be a lot sexier than that sweetie. All of us have a tendency to go for somewhat sexy outfits. Why hide what we have among family after all."
I smiled at that. "That at least makes me feel a bit better about my choice of going without a bra tonight. None of them fit right and I don't want to be uncomfortable on my last night as a human."
Esme just smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. "While you know how I feel about you going any form of commando, I understand why. As long as the vital areas are somewhat covered."
"From what I saw it's only a little bit see through, but my nipples are covered by the smears of paint. Alice and Rosalie both said that while it is unmistakable that I'm not wearing a bra, nothing indecent in showing." I said honestly.
She smiled and nodded. "Then it's okay sweetie, but please for my own sanity, promise me that you will go and buy some new bras once you and Victoria have worked through your urges."
We both nodded and smiled as Emmett barreled in through the garage door carrying several bags that were obviously filled with bottles, while Jasper entered a bit more demure with even more bags.
Victoria's POV
By the time we were ready to put on our costumes, Bella was basically kidnapped to Alice's atelier since the three had made the agreement to help each other with their costumes very early on.
I didn't really mind though. My costume was easy enough to put on and barely had accessories. From what I had understood Bella would go for quite the sexy outfit, and I'll be honest and say that I had expected that to happen, which led me to my back up costume, which was a pair of green shorts and a green top that I had decorated with vines I had found recently on one of my art runs.
The most work would be the full body make up that I was planning on applying, which was a light green almost identical to the character's color in the comics, with which Esme had agreed to help me. I also knew full well that it would take a while to wash off, which would be a good form of foreplay tonight before I turned Bella.
That alone had my stomach in knots but also made me very excited, because while it would technically be end of Bella's life, it was also the start of a whole new phase in our lives, one I honestly couldn't wait to discover everything about.
Esme and I had also made sure to have a special surprise for her when she woke up. Jane, Anne and Didyme would be here to greet her when she had fed for the first time, which I hoped she would like.
It still surprised me how good of a friendship Bella had struck up with my sister's mate, the two often texting each other at near all hours of the day if they could get away with it, having become more akin to sisters than friends in the last couple of months, and that's why I think she would love to see her when she woke up.
A soft knock on the door shook me out of my thoughts. "Come in mother."
Esme smiled at me as she stepped into the room. "Are you still sure about this Victoria, because I don't know how our bodies react to this type of body paint."
I smiled at her. "I did a few tests in the last couple of days, and from I what I saw, it'll last the evening and will come off with a shower, which was my initial plan anyway."
She smiled at me. "I'm not going to lie and say that I'm okay with what you're going to do tonight, even though I know you would not hurt Bella and that it needs to happen. I just worry for my baby girl."
"I know mother, and I promise to make it as painless as I possibly can, just think of it like this. In three days time you have all the time in the world to cuddle with your favorite daughter." I said with a soft smile.
"Don't get me wrong Victoria, but while I'm beyond excited to have Bella with us forever, but that doesn't lessen the nerves I feel about her wellbeing. We all know how much the change hurts, and while we all expect that Bella's will be different from most changes, I still fear for my reaction when I hear her scream." She said softly.
I smiled and pulled her into a hug, since neither of us had our make-up on yet. "I have a feeling she will surprise us tonight Esme. I don't think she will scream in pain because she wouldn't want to put either of us through that pain."
She smiled and nodded at that. "Let's hope so, but I think we should fix our make-up for tonight. I don't think Bella will expect me to go as Maleficent, even though she knows it was my favorite Disney character."
Victoria smiled at me as we undressed and applied the make-up to each other's bodies, and while Esme didn't need as much as I did, I took some pleasure of helping my mother with this.
I also never thought that I could ever get to this point where I would be comfortable with calling anyone mother. I had hardly done so with my own after all, but Esme had somehow broken through all of those barriers with nothing more than a warm smile, patience and motherly love that I hadn't even realized I needed so desperately. "I don't think I have ever thanked you for everything you have done for me over the last months. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you mother."
The matriarch smiled at me. "Don't mention it Victoria. I saw that you needed a mother just as much as Bella did, and I hope you know that no matter what happens or what is going on, you can always come to me if you need someone to talk to."
"I know that, and I promise that I will if I need it." I said with a soft smile.
Esme smiled at me as she motioned for me to turn around so she could do my back. "I know it's hard for you to trust people after everything that has happened to you, and I just want you to know that I am very proud of you for opening up like you have done. I know I may come across as an overbearing mother sometimes, but it is just something that is ingrained for me. I used to be known as the mother hen of the Volturi."
I smiled at her. "It comes natural to you though, something we all appreciate, might I add. Even though most of us don't show it, you're a mother to all of us."
"That's what happens when you have a home filled with eternal teenagers, forever hormonal and rebellious." She said with a wink.
I just laughed lightly at that as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. "I think you're ready for your costume Victoria, but I do hope you remember what I asked of you. No sexing up my daughter during the party."
"I won't mother, we'll keep it chaste. I also have a surprise for everyone when we're all downstairs and in costume. I think Bella would like a reminder of her last night as a human, so I plan on taking a few pictures." I said with a smile.
"I think she will love that, even though I suspect this is going to be an annual event from now on. It's a great time for family to bond after all." Esme said with a soft smile.
I nodded and smiled at her as she put on her costume, which I zipped up for her. "I'll leave you to your outfit Victoria. Don't take too long though, because I don't think we can distract Bella for too long." She said before taking her leave.
"I will mother. I won't be long. There's not much to put on after all." I said with a soft smile before doing exactly that.
Bella's POV
The moment I saw Victoria walk down the stairs I had to check myself that I wasn't drooling, because seriously she was the hottest woman I had ever seen, and given the fact that my usual first sight every day was her being naked next to me that was quite the accomplishment.
She merely smiled sultrily at me as she gathered me in her arms. "Hey baby. You make a very sexy Harley Quinn."
"And you're probably the best version of Poison Ivy I've ever seen, although you didn't have to go this far." I said softly.
She smiled and kissed me softly. "Didn't I though? You deserve the best, my Bella, and you also know that I am very much a perfectionist, and besides, you also went all out, since you got a wig and everything."
"Well, I had to, a brunette Harley would just look wrong. Everything else is just my interpretation of a sexy version of the character." I said with a soft smile.
She smiled at me as we made our way to the living room, where we would wait for Esme, who would kick off the party properly.
I took that moment to look at what my siblings had gone for. Alice and Jasper were dressed in shockingly accurate Victorian costumes, and I had to admit that Alice looked downright adorable in her dress, and I could swear they both stepped straight out of Pride and Prejudice, and one look at the Pixie told me that was exactly what she had been going for.
Rosalie and Emmett also looked amazing in their outfits, and to see Rosalie's usually free flowing hair in a bun looked almost natural, and Emmett looked almost comical with his faced smudged with soot and the jacket that looked appropriately threadbare and above all tight on his huge frame.
"You know, I'm sensing a pattern here." I said with a soft smile.
"You would sense correctly dear sister. It is a common occurrence in this house where we all follow a similar theme, and of course we try to avoid it, but since we literally spend every moment together, it is unavoidable that this happens. I wouldn't be surprised if Esme followed the same line again." Alice said with her usual bright smile.
I smiled at her as their heads snapped to the stairs, while mine followed their path at a more demure pace, and I just couldn't help but gasp softly as I saw Esme descending the stairs. She was dressed up as Maleficent, including the horns and staff that came with it. "Wow, you look amazing Mom."
"Thank you sweetie. I try to stay as close to one of my favorite characters as possible, and I have to say that you make a good Harley Quinn, although I don't know if blonde is your color." She said as she almost glided down the stairs.
I smiled and had to resist the urge to go and hug her, since I knew there were pictures to be taken first. "Don't worry Mom. It's a wig. When you see me again, I will be the brunette I've always been."
She smiled and came up to hug me, and I just couldn't help but relax in her loving embrace. "I'm glad for that, it's hard enough to come to terms with the fact that my baby girl is turned tonight. I don't think I could handle it if you would change that much on top of everything."
"Don't worry Mom, I wasn't planning on changing that much." I said with a wink.
Esme smiled at me. "Good, because the change itself is enough to fill my heart with worry, even though I know it is inescapable."
I just smiled and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek before Victoria gathered our attention. "After another Hallmark moment between mother and daughter, I would like every to gather in the living room, so we can commemorate this wonderful night forever."
We all smiled as we took up our spots near the kitchen, since that had the best light at this time of day, and of course she had me in her arms next to Esme, who had quite the wicked grin on her lips as Victoria took the picture, after which Esme took up a spot where she could see us all. "Since tonight is Bella's last night as a human, I thought it was only fair to let her decide what we do tonight."
"Well, we've talked about a party for months, so I think it's only fair if we actually have a party." I said with a smile.
Everyone smiled and nodded as Emmett went to put on some music and Rosalie handed me a glass of champagne. "I know you're technically not supposed to drink, but I don't think one glass will hurt." The blonde said with a soft smile.
I just smiled at her and gave her a hug. "As long as this does actually not make Vicky drunk when she turns me, I don't think it will either."
"A vampire's resistance to alcohol is pretty high Bella, something you should be thankful for with Alice. She's hyper on any given day, just think of what happens when she's tipsy. I'll give you a hint, it's more of the same but laced with sexual innuendo." She said with a soft smile.
I smiled at that. "I figured as much, but I also don't believe you're an exact saint when you're tipsy, sister. Your husband has told me all about it during our game time."
Rosalie grinned at that. "Has he now? I think I need to have a talk with my husband on what to divulge to our baby sister, but he is also quite right. I'm a lot more loose lipped when I've had something to drink, which is why I rarely indulge myself. Tonight though, I don't mind letting go a little."
I just smiled and hugged her as Victoria draped herself over my shoulders. "I think that goes for everyone Rose, but I do have to ask you not to get my mate too drunk. Her blood is sweet enough as it is and doesn't need extra flavor."
"It's one glass baby, you know I can't handle much more than that anyway. But is there any particular reason you are doing your best cat impression?" I asked cheekily.
"Because this is a party and I am determined to get at least one dance with my Harley before I whisk her away to my lair." She said with a soft smile.
Both Rosalie and I smiled at her. "Go, you two are way too sugary sweet for me anyway. I'll go and see if that big bear of mine is up for a dance too."
We smiled at her as Victoria pulled me to the small dance floor we had created for tonight, and as we slowly swung to the music, I just couldn't help but fall in love with her all over again, knowing that in a few days, I would be with her forever.