"Excellent," I said. "Andrea brought pie without knowing all the rules. I'm glad we can enjoy it."
We hit play together. Beth had to fumble on her end slightly, but she got her copy of the movie more or less in sync with ours.
Everyone cried.
Later, after we'd hung up on Erika and Beth, I said, "Halloween is next Saturday. I don't have a party invitation yet, so unless I get one in the next fifteen seconds, I'm going to plan one here."
"My place," said Andrea. "No one trick or treats here. My place will be better."
"Will it be decorated?" I asked.
She laughed. "Yes. But there are conditions. You have to bring a carved pumpkin with you. And you have to come in a costume, a traditional scary costume. No princesses or ninjas!"
She glared at Petra, who laughed. "I only came as a ninja once. No one told me the rules."
"I'll invite maybe a dozen more people or so." She paused. "Karen and Felicia..."
"I'll help," I offered immediately. "But I'll want time and privacy to put on my costume."
"Me too," Karen said. "Fifteen minutes will do it for me."
After that, I chased them out, cleaned our small mess, and went to bed.
* * *
Dream Petra was waiting for me.
"Please don't stop singing," I told her. She smiled and shook her head.
She tossed a blanket over my shoulders and pointed to the wall. I made a door. We stepped through and I closed it. Then we walked quickly to her tower, my feet getting cold. When we got to the base of her tower, I tried to make a door. It didn't work.
She let me try a few times.
I turned to her. "I can't make one here."
She shook her head. She pointed to me and to my tower. She pointed to herself and her tower.
"I can only make one at my own tower?"
She nodded.
"But you can make one at my tower."
She nodded. Then she pointed to me and put her hand on her chest.
"What is yours is yours," I said. "And what is mine is yours."
She grinned at me then opened the door. We stepped through and she closed it. Then she pointed to the wall.
"Make a door?" she nodded. And I made a door. "I can leave, but I can't enter?" She nodded again.
She let me in to the top of her tower and stole the blanket from me. She launched herself at me and spent an hour making love to me.
Until I woke up.
* * *
I cooked again for Petra on Tuesday. On Wednesday evening I carved two pumpkins and set them in the hall outside my door. I carved two more and set them in the window. On Friday, Petra invited several people to her apartment for pumpkin carving. I carved two more pumpkins.
Everyone told what her costume would be, but I refused to answer. Petra became quite vexed with me, but I told her she was going to have to wait.
I love Halloween.
* * *
Monday night, Dream Petra was waiting for me holding two sheathed swords. She pointed to my rack of clothes. I got dressed. Then she handed me one of the swords and showed me how to wear it.
We'd been working with swords in the dojo, but they were wood with dull edges. The one she gave me weighed about the same, but when I pulled it partially from its sheath, I saw that it was real.
She moved to a point in my room six feet in front of me, turned her back on me, and drew her sword. She looked over her shoulder at me and pointed to my own sword, so I drew it.
It was a two-handed sword. I could possibly have used it with one hand, but I'm a small woman, and I'd been learning two-handed swords to make up for my size. It held a slight curve to it, and I'd been taught to use a slicing motion with it, not a hacking motion.
"Hacking doesn't work very well," Petra had said. "You would be better with a big hammer if you're going to hack."
Petra took a starting position then led me through a slow exercise. I recognized the sequence of moves and followed along with her. The sword had a different balance than the ones we practiced with at the dojo, so I was a little clumsy.
We finished the kata and Petra turned around, sheathing her sword and setting it aside. She pulled me to the center of the room and stood back.
"Again?"
She nodded.
I went through it again at half pace. When I made a mistake, she would stomp her foot to get my attention, then step forward and adjust my stance.
She made me run through that kata a total of ten times, increasing the speed slightly each time, but then holding me when I was about three quarters speed. She then mimed the opening moves of another kata, and I ran through that, receiving corrections along the way.
When she mimed a third one, I told her, "All right, but I hope you'll leave time for at least a little cuddling before I wake up."
She smiled and nodded.
By the time I finished ten runs of the third one, I was winded and my arms were sore. I was rubbing one. She cocked her head.
"My arms are tired," I said. "The sword is heavy." I paused. "Why are my arms tired in a dream."
She shrugged and took the sword from me, sheathing it. She pulled me to the edge of the room and we sat down, leaning against the wall. I got a few kisses and a nice little cuddle before I woke up.
* * *
The rest of the week with Dream Petra went the same. Some nights we worked with the swords or practice aikido. Some nights she helped me refine the doors and windows I made. And some of the nights she gave me mind-blowing orgasms, but only if I spent the entire time telling her, "Yours, yours, yours."
One of the nights I asked her, "Are you mine?"
She frowned. Then she nodded followed by shaking her head. She pointed to the floor in front of her and I walked to face her. She put her hands on my shoulders and pushed down.
"I don't understand."
She pushed harder. It too me a moment, but I asked, "You want me to kneel?" She nodded. So I knelt. She adjusted my position until she was satisfied, then put her hand on her chest.
"Yours." She nodded.
"Slave?" I asked.
She violently shook her head "no". "Servant?" No. "Love-slave?" she smiled and nodded, then made a keep going gesture. I tossed out more words, she agreed with some, but I think I frustrated her. I never reached the one she wanted.
She sighed and had me stand up. Then I smiled. "Squire?"
She nodded enthusiastically and hugged me.
* * *
I'd used a portion of my costume in the past. Several years ago I'd found a very expensive cat costume that included a mechanical tail. I'd worn it that way for a while but decided to change it. So two years ago I started playing with it. It had taken time, but I had redone the tail in bright red latex and gave it a forked end. It was now a proper devil's tail. I'd worn it for the last two years as a devil, but this year I was feeling playful and modified my costume again.
The corset I wore was required because the tail required support. It actually fit up inside the corset between the corset and my skin. This gave it enough support. There were little motors in it that let the tail swish back and forth. It was further rigged so I could make it curl around me on the right. There was a little switch I could hide just underneath the bottom of the corset on my left side, so I could touch the switch with the fingers of my left hand, and the tail would swish around to the right and point ahead of me.
It was a marvel.
Karen drove the two of us to Andrea's house, arriving at noon. I had both a garment bag and a large suitcase for my costume, plus I brought the two pumpkins I'd carved Friday night at Petra's.
Karen and I spent the afternoon helping Andrea prepare for the party. "I love theme parties," she said.
We set up more decorations and made a bunch of food. Then Andrea and I both rearranged the decorations. She caught me moving some after she had just moved them, and I offered a meek look. But then she decided my choices were better.
At four she declared the p
lace ready to go. I adjusted two pumpkins on her staircase and agreed with her. She laughed.
"People are arriving at five," she said. "Everyone has an hour to get ready."
"Andrea," I said. "I'm, well. I want to make an entrance. Can I get ready and hide somewhere at least until Petra gets here?"
She laughed. "You can use the guest bathroom and bedroom upstairs, although you will have to use the hallway to move between them. I can text you when Petra arrives and will keep her somewhere she'll see you when you start down the stairs."
She showed me the rooms I could use then she and Karen went to the master bedroom to get ready.
I started with a shower. I powdered and primped the parts that needed powder or primping then started on my makeup. I did very elaborate eyes and felt I had achieved a proper dark and alluring look when I was done. I applied makeup all the way down over my shoulders and chest, very light and subtle, but it gave a unified look.
Then I did the hair and horns. The horns were elaborate and were built into an almost skull cap. It used my own hair for bangs and in back, but had hair towards the middle. I set it in place the messed with my hair for twenty minutes before I felt it had the right shape. I used a spray on grey to add some streaks then more hair spray to hold everything in a properly demonic shape.
Between the hair and the makeup, no one would recognize me if they weren't expecting me, at least not until they heard my voice.
While working on makeup and hair, I'd heard the doorbell several times. It sounded like children were already out trick-or-treating.
After that it was time to dress. I poked my nose out of the bathroom to make sure it was clear, then dashed to the bedroom, closing and locking the door behind me.
In the past, I'd gone with red, but not at all sultry. I switched this year to black. Patterned nylons, black leather skirt, specially adjusted for the tail, a black corset and black boots. I put everything on and tested the tail. It all worked. Then, to tone it down from total slut, I added a black pashmina. I added one more prop: a black leather bullwhip, which I curled up and hung from a loop on the corset.
I checked myself in the mirror on the back of the door, making adjustments. I wasn't sure about the pashmina, but without it I felt it was too much a cliché. Oh look, another overly-sexy Halloween costume. On the other hand, I decided it was a damned good Halloween costume.
I grabbed a book and leaned against the dresser to wait. The tail made sitting difficult, although not impossible. For now, I would stand.
There was a knock at the door. "Felicia," I heard. "It's Andrea. I want to see."
I walked to the door. "No," I said.
"Are you dressed?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm waiting for my grand entrance."
"Felicia, darling, your boss wants to see your costume."
"You did not just play the boss card!"
"Yes, Felicia, I did."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
I sighed and unlocked the door, then turned on the tail and stepped back. "It's just you?"
"Yes," she said.
"Then you can come in. Close the door."
She opened the door and slipped in, closing it. She was dressed as a witch complete with black robe, dark makeup, and pointy hated. She looked at me.
"Holy shit!" she said.
"I kind of get into Halloween," I said. "Is it too slutty?"
"It's amazing, but lose the pashmina."
"I don't want to be slutty."
She walked around me. "Oh my god, the tail is moving." I looked over my shoulder at her and grinned. She stepped up behind me, avoiding the tail, and carefully removed the pashmina.
"Don't be a wimp," she said. "If you're going to dress like this, don't tone it down."
She walked around me a few more times. "Okay, that is definitely worthy of a grand entrance. You're going to be fighting a few people off."
"I have my whip."
She laughed.
"Are you going to be in character?" she asked.
I smiled at her, then turned it into a leer. I looked her up and down and licked my lips. "Thank you can handle it?"
She didn't say anything. I pulled the whip from my belt and threw it over her, pulling her towards me. She put a hand between us, but didn't stop me. I reached up and firmly kissed her neck, leaving a very visible lipstick mark.
Then I pulled away and giggled before refreshing the lipstick for the next victim.
"I have lipstick all over my neck now, don't I?" she asked.
"Not all over," I said. "Just a very clear pair of lips." She stepped to the mirror and looked at her neck, laughing.
"Is that too much in character?" I asked. "It's not very professional behavior."
"It's a Halloween party," she said. "Just be careful you don't bite off more than you can chew." She paused. "Am I going to see lipstick marks on all my guests by the time the evening is over?"
"Just the ones I like, and who act like they won't be offended. Anyone who tries to get dirty with me is going to get ignored."
She laughed and said she'd text me when I should come down. She left, and I locked the door behind her and grabbed my book again.
She'd taken my pashmina with her. She was so getting another lipstick mark.
I stayed upstairs for another thirty minutes. From the noise, I could tell the house was starting to fill up. I could also hear kids coming to trick or treat. My phone buzzed, and there was a text from Andrea. "Petra here. Come down in three minutes." I started a timer and texted back, "Ok."
I checked everything one more time, making sure my lipstick was good, my hair was good, and the tail was turned on.
When the timer went off, I silenced the phone, unlocked the door, and turned the light off. I opened the door and stepped to the top of the stairs.
It took a moment for people to start to notice me. A few glanced my direction and turned away. Others saw me and began to stare.
I searched the crowd and made eye contact with several people. I licked my lips for one of them.
Petra finally noticed me. Andrea was standing next to her. I stared straight into Petra's eyes and began walking down the stairs.
Petra had come as a vampire. She looked pretty hot, I had to admit. There was a white streak running through her hair, and she was dressed all in leather with stark makeup and a line of red running from the corner of her mouth.
I stalked straight towards her, slowly, and she watched me the entire way. When I was about four feet from her, I veered to her side and said in a husky voice, "There you are, my pet. I was getting... lonely." I tossed the whip over Andrea and pulled her to me again. She was still sporting my lipstick mark on her left side, so I leaned forward and gave it a matching mark on her right.
I let her go and looked around. "I see you have brought me more pets to play with."
I turned to Petra and pointedly looked her up and down, being incredibly obvious about it. "I may decide to play with this one," I said, glancing over at Andrea. I looked around the room. "And perhaps others."
And then I walked away with my tail slowly swishing back and forth.
Petra never said a word.
I worked the room. The entire house, actually. I stepped into the powder room for a moment and refreshed my lipstick, then went looking for Karen. She was also a witch. Her costume wasn't bad. When I found her, she was manning the door, letting guests in and passing out candy to the kids. She had her back to me when I approached her, so I reached out with the end of the whip and tickled her ear.
She turned around and stared.
"Felicia?"
I wrapped my whip around her waist and pulled her closer.
"Hello, pet," I told her.
She began to blush.
I stepped closer and adorned her neck with my lips. She stood there, stunned, when I stepped away.
The doorbell rang. I answered it. Three little kids were being taken around by their mom. The kids shrieked at my cost
ume. I handed out candy to the kids and leered at their mom. I think she blushed before she hurried away with her charges.
I answered the doorbell twice more. The first was another set of kids, a little older, and no one with them old enough to tease. The third was a client with her husband. I looked them both up and down before letting them in.
Karen has a glass of wine and kept staring at me over the rim of it. I turned to her, then reached out and pulled on her hand holding the wine. I left a clear set of lip prints when I drank from her glass, my eyes never leaving hers.
When no one was looking, I applied a fresh supply of lipstick.
Karen finally pulled herself together enough to say, "Holy shit, Felicia."
I leered at her then stepped closer to her and said, "I'll find you again later, my pet."
She giggled when I stepped away.
I found my own glass of wine, then went back to finding people to tease.
Renea Impressions isn't long on men, but there were three at the party I'd met before. They were standing together talking. I walked up to them and they all turned and stared at me. Two of them were cocky and I hadn't really liked them at work, but the last one was kind of quiet. I walked straight to him and said, "I had a nice time the other night." Then I adorned his neck before walking away. I completely ignored the other two.
I kept my hands off the clients, but I eventually got my ass pinched. I turned around and there was what is best described as a little old lady standing there trying to look innocent. I kissed her cheek then fixed my makeup.
"If I were forty years younger," she said as I walked away. I grinned.
I completely ignored Petra for the first two hours, although I made sure she saw me. At one point I found her in the living room talking to someone I didn't know. I walked past her then stepped up to Ben, one of our clients I knew was gay, and flirted my ass off with him.
Halfway through the conversation he stepped very close to me and quietly asked me with whom I was really flirting. I laughed and asked if anyone was watching me. He scanned the room over my shoulder and said, "I'm not sure. Some of the guys have been checking out your tail. Or your ass. I'm not sure which."
I laughed.
"Petra keeps glancing at you."
I smiled.
"Petra? Really?"
Pulled to the Dark (The Siriena Series) Page 11