75 Godiva, Tuesday morning

[vdistinctive]

Eliot loved Halloween. The island was always nice enough to keep things nice and dark all day, which not only meant his vampire boyfriend didn't have to worry about catching fire, it also confused the hell out of all the prey on the preserve. He came home from his morning hunt today with half a dozen rabbits, a sack of fresh venison, and a large quantity of deer blood for Hardison.

Who didn't like a little blood sausage to brighten up their fall mornings?

He set the whole haul onto the kitchen island and looked it over with a wolfish grin, then whistled for the only other canine member of his pack. Val came trotting right up, tail wagging a mile a minute, and Eliot was half-tempted to shift just so he could wag his back. But paws were not meant for wielding butcher knives, and if these rabbits resembled their living selves too much by the time Parker swooped in, she'd be moaning about it until next week. Besides, he had a party to cater!

He tossed Val a couple vertebrae to gnaw on, and set to work, whistling a cheerful tune as he went.

[ooc: open for pack mates or visitors!]

Comments

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Hardison woke in the bed, rather than his coffin, which was a common enough occurrence, though he felt a sliver of weariness that said he should definitely sleep in his coffin tonight. Every few days or so, he needed the comfort of resting amid his native soil to truly help him sleep.

"Dahhhhliiink," he called, fangs sharpening as the scent of fresh blood hit his nostrils. "What is that delectable thing I smell for breakfast."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot grinned, his own teeth deliberately still a bit bloody from the hunt, and went in for a kiss. "Depends. You want a liquid breakfast this morning, or are you patient enough for me to finish the sausage?"

Or both. Eliot would not tell Hardison he wasn't allowed to go with both.

[geniuswithasmartphone]

It was Halloween! Of course he was going in for both!

But first, he was going in for a kiss, tongue sliding over Eliot's deliciously-bloody fangs and not missing a single drop. "Well, good mornin' to me," he said, his hands resting on Eliot's hips. "Hard to complain 'bout wakin' up an' findin' you gone when I get breakfast outta the deal."

[vdistinctive]

"You don't want me on an extended hunt in the mornings, don't sign me up to cater parties," Eliot said, mock-primly. "You seen Parker yet this morning? Was half expecting to find her haunting the pantry again."

That was where the chocolate was kept, after all.

[spin_kick_snap]

A hand slammed against the kitchen window, fingers splayed and palm pressed against the glass. A face broke through the fog a moment later, chalky gray eyes pale set in a face that was fishbelly pale. "Braaaaaaaains," Kathy croaked. "Braaaaaaaains."

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Not yet, but then, no one sees Parker till she wants 'em, too." Hardison snuck Val another vertebrae. It was Halloween, treats for all! "Maybe she's off hauntin' the money instead?"

[vdistinctive]

"Aww, she went to her happy place without us," Eliot said. "Ah well, we'll just have to entertain ourselves till she gets back."

[vdistinctive]

"Good morning to you, too, darlin'," Eliot greeted. He opened the back door for her and left a trail of rabbit heads to make sure she could find her way inside. "Eat anything good on the way over?"

[whoisalicewhite]

A ghostly, ghastly moan started from under the table. So of course Parker descended from the ceiling.

"Is there any cereal for me?" She stopped and disappeared the mask she'd been wearing. "I just want to smell it."

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker wafted through him, bringing a chill with her, her version of a hug. Or something close to it. "Halloween Halloween Halloween!"

Yes, she was thrilled. And was bringing the chills.

[vdistinctive]

Eliot looked over to make sure Hardison wasn't looking and pulled a box of Count Chocula out from one of the cabinets under the kitchen island. "Bought it special for you yesterday," he said, giving her a broad, fanged grin. "Don't tell Hardison."

There were plenty of other chocolate cereals on the market that didn't have terrible cartoon vampires on them, but what fun were they?

[spin_kick_snap]

"Braaaains!" Kathy intoned cheerfully, her movements slow and ponderous as she bent over to pick up the rabbit heads. One immediately went into her mouth, teeth easily biting through bones to get to the sweet within, the rest carefully gathered into her arms. "Looooong."

The walk had been very long, considering her stilted pace. "Braaaains."

And made longer still by her hunt for a few brains to tide her over, as seen by the smear of fresh blood around her mouth even before the first rabbit head found its way inside.

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Hardison, his own body temperature much lower than a living humans', still shivered in greeting. "Happy Halloween, mama," he said, his lips brushing over the air where her lips were. "Eliot an' I were just wonderin' where you'd gone."

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"An' where's your happy place, hmm?" Hardison asked, his cold hands slipping up underneath Eliot's shirt.

Ahhh, bless werewolves and their elevated body temperatures.

[vdistinctive]

"Hang on, hon, you've got a little something. . . ." Eliot licked his thumb and reached out to wipe that little extra smear of blood off her cheek.

And then probably lick his thumb again. What? Who didn't love an extra little taste of blood now and again?

"Take it Raven couldn't give you a lift today, huh? Or is she in one of her 'hide in the water for days on end' moods?"

Or, you know, Raven had work. That happened sometimes too.

[vdistinctive]

And Eliot did love a good belly rub.

He let out a little growly yelp at Hardison's cold hands, but didn't pull away. "How long we been together now and you still have to ask that?"

[whoisalicewhite]

"I had to check out the graveyard, and see what was shaking." Parker snickered into the back of his neck, trailing a finger down his spine. "And if anyone was going to try some dumb kind of Ouija board thing there. But so far, nobody! So no getting summoned by dumb Satanists on the Island for me this year." She laughed a laugh that was more a breath than a sound. "You aren't expecting any unwanted guests this year, are you?"

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker's squeak was either too quiet or too high-pitched for anyone not a werewolf or vampire to hear. "THANK YOU." The cereal bowls in the cabinet rattled in happiness. "You are the best werewolf boyfriend ever." Her fingers trailed through his arm, stopped, then slowly withdrew. "Oooo. I think I might be getting a little more solid tonight."

[vdistinctive]

"You have a lot of other werewolf boyfriends?" Eliot asked. He leaned into her touch, even as all the hair stood up on his arm. "You think? 'Cause we've got that party at Steve and Tony's, but we can make more plans for after. . . ."

[whoisalicewhite]

Yesssss Parker breathed, too scattered and excited to stay cohered together for a minute. She re-formed, and grinned brightly at Eliot. "I think I'll go in my period outfit! With the cats-eye glasses and stuff. Are you going to dress up special?"

[vdistinctive]

"Guess so. Hardison says I'm not allowed to just go all wolfy."

Apparently that was 'cheating'.

[whoisalicewhite]

"He's so particular," Parker said, with a large side of affection. "I swear, he'd have us both dress up like Victorian era or Napoleonic sometime just to get that vampire nest vibe going." She cocked her head. "I think I could imagine that. And you'd look good with a ruffly shirt."

[vdistinctive]

Eliot shook his head. "You know I don't do fancy." For one thing, he tended to shred through shirts when he shifted. "I'll just find some stuff in my closet. And maybe use some face paint." He smiled. "So what do you think, should I go scary or pretty?"

[whoisalicewhite]

Parker draped herself on him like a chilly-but-affectionate cloak. "You can't help being pretty," she whispered. "So I think you're going to have to try for scary."

[vdistinctive]

Like a welcome chilly breeze, she was.

"Flatterer," he said. "You can help advise me when it's time to get ready. Make sure I get something scary enough."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy shook her head, concentrated and eventually groaned out. "Woooooooooork."

But she'd be super-excited to see that Kathy had lunch for her, wouldn't she?

[spin_kick_snap]

"Braaaaaaaaaaaains?" Kathy offered, holding up a small chunk of rabbit brains for Parker to share if she wanted some.

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"How long we been together now an' you still have to question why I like hearin' you say it?"

Especially in that low almost-growl, right in Hardison's ear...

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Man, I'll be mad as hell we gotta leave the party early to hunt down some idiot cultists who think draggin' you into a circle is a good thing to do," Hardison said, fangs sharpening at the idea. "An' anyone even thinks of interruptin' our afterparty..."

He'd noticed Parker's growing corporeality, yes.

[vdistinctive]

"Well then," Eliot said, voice rumbling deep and low. "Lemme finish cleanin' up my morning kills, and I'll show ya."

But seriously, no one wanted that blood congealing on the tiles. There were so many better uses for it.

[vdistinctive]

"Ah, right," Eliot said. "Tuesdays. You wanna help me out around here for a little bit? I got a lot of prep to do for the party tonight."

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy gave him a happy smile and nodded. She wouldn't be a lot of help, but she could be trusted with simple tasks that didn't require much manual dexterity.

Then she had a thought and a suspicious expression crossed her face. "Braaaaaaaaaains," she said, hugging the rabbit heads to her chest. Those were hers, Eliot. Not for the party.

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Right? Like in Hardison's morning drinks! Or whatever Eliot was making for breakfast!

"Gonna get all growly an' alpha on me?" Hardison teased, nipping at Eliot's ear with one sharp fang while his other hand slid up to play with Eliot's hair.

His mate sure did love pettings, in whichever form.