VEE

Ghosts and vampires roam the streets amongst the neat lawns adorned with plastic gravestones and skeletons dangling from fences. Families pass along the street and the air is filled with chatter and laughter. Some parents’ costumes are as impressive as their kids. A woman dressed as Catgirl holds a tiny demon's hand as he trots alongside holding the pumpkin-shaped plastic bowl and a huge smile. Witches and ghosts are joined by superheroes and villains and a plethora of princesses as family groups wander the street.

I rub my arms, regretting my costume decision and follow the zombie and Frankenstein towards Portia's house. Heath's werewolf costume includes furry arms and a frighteningly realistic werewolf mask complete with hair. They are definitely aiming at scaring.

Xander wears a black dress suit and white shirt. He topped his costume off with a cape, and a white mask covering half his face, and claims he's the Phantom of the Opera. Total cop out in my opinion, although there’s something sexy and mysterious about his costume that heightens Xander’s usual overwhelming presence. Certainly a lot sexier than the other guys’ outfits.

Perfectly arranged and colour co-ordinated decorations hang outside Portia's house but are restricted to pumpkins, cobwebs and the childish versions of ghosts that look like bedsheets. There're no demons or vampires represented at this home.

The loud music and shrieking inside causes more grimaces and muttering from the guys. I pat Heath's head. “Good doggy.”

Ewan splutters with laughter.

“We didn't need to dress up,” Heath says, voice muffled behind the latex mask. “We're the Four Horsemen, for fuck's sake.”

Joss rings the doorbell, which has been changed to sound like an evil laugh to fit the occasion. “Yeah, well Death's easy to dress up as. Just buy a scythe. What the hell does Famine look like?”

“A skeleton?” I suggest.

“You should've been the zombie,” says Xander and points at Ewan.

“And you could've been a warrior. We completely missed the opportunity,” I say.

“Yeah but that goes against keeping a low profile, doesn't it?” replies Xander.

Heath wraps a furry arm around my waist and attempts to kiss my head, forgetting his mask is in the way. “Your costume is freaking amazing, Vee.”

“So you all keep telling me.”

The other three guys fail to hide their careful examination. Again. I don't think they're looking at the quality.

A girl in her late teens, dressed as Wonder Woman answers the door. She barely registers me as she stares open-mouthed at the guys.

“We were invited,” says Joss with a smile and takes the girl's arm to move her to one side.

“Teens are here as well?” mumbles Heath. “Why can't they supervise?”

“Hello!” A little blonde girl, dressed as a fairy in a pink chiffon and tulle dress with rainbow wings, rushes towards us, eyes shining to match the glowing wand which she waves in the air. A familiar chime sounds.

“Told you, Xander, you should've brought your wand,” says Joss with a snicker.

“Trick or treat!” she enthuses.

“Hello, Kailey.” When we've visited Portia's home since the night of the attack, I haven't seen Kailey. Each time, Portia told us Kailey was with friends, or at school activities. How difficult is it to balance living in both the fae and human worlds? Unlike her sister, Elyssia, Kailey is half-human. Does Portia parent her half-human daughter differently? The conflict she has with teen Elyssia is bad enough; perhaps she wants to avoid that with her younger daughter.

A woman in her mid-twenties appears and rests a hand on the little girl's bare shoulder. “Jamie's mum, these are the Pony Boys!” exclaims Kailey as she looks up at her.

I bet the Horsemen are delighted Portia's nickname for them continues across the generations.

“I'm Ellen,” she says and receives a nod in response. She plainly has no clue who the four men, crowded into the small hallway, are.

“Has Portia left yet?” Heath asks Ellen.

“Yes. She had to visit family in London at the last minute. There's a family crisis, but she didn't say what.”

That's not true. Portia never intended to be here—she asked the boys a week ago. Portia's reluctance to take part in the human tradition led her to ask the boys to keep an eye on her daughters, paranoid that someone may use Halloween as an opportunity for disguised enemies to approach her house. The issue here is this isn't an overreaction; the possibility is real. Elyssia has been instructed to stay and help too, but Portia doesn't trust her supervision. Portia's enlisted help from other mothers but believes the Horsemen are needed.

Kailey strokes Heath's furry arm. “You look funny.”

“So do you,” he says.

She switches her attention. “Will you play some games with me, Xander?”

Xander's mask partially hides his shocked look at her singling him out. “Uh. No. Joss likes silly games.” He gives Joss a light shove.

Kailey's voice takes on a tone to match Portia's. “My mum says you will look after me. So you have to play a game.”

The girl takes Joss's painted pale hand and pulls him toward the next room; Joss looks back and pulls a face.

“Let's join the poor guy,” I say and step after them.

“Nope,” mutters Xander, backing up. “I'm out of here. I'll patrol for real vampires and werewolves?”

“You don't need to,” I whisper. “Real vampires and werewolves don't attack. Or that's what you told me.”

Joss and Xander glance at each other with their bloody annoying 'should we say something' look.

I make a mental note to ask the guys to elaborate as soon as there's a quiet moment, although I'm unsure I want them to.

“You have to endure this too, Xander,” replies Ewan. “Move.”

We walk into the room Joss and Kailey entered. The huge table we dined at with Portia and her advisers has been removed along with the chairs. Cheap Halloween decorations cover the expensively furnished room. Black and orange balloons intermingle with bat garlands and spiders on webs, and a banner printed 'Trick or Treat' stretches across a smaller table covered in party food. A skeleton is propped up on a chair in front of a black cauldron filled with sugary treats.

Boys with faces in frightening masks, or with horror makeup, chase screeching and giggling girls around the room. A small group of mothers stand nearby chatting and drinking blood coloured drinks. One or two have dressed in sexy witch or vampire costumes, not unlike mine, and watch with smiles, but most look bored.

Unsurprisingly, nudges and whispers happen when we walk into the room. And, as usual, the guys are sized up, and curious looks hit me. Heath rests his masked chin on my shoulder. “Okay?”

“I'm fine. I like Halloween.”

Or I did until I discovered how much horror lives in reality.

“You do?” asks Ewan in surprise.

“It's fun seeing how excited kids get,” I say to him beside me. “When I was a kid, I—”

Ewan turns his head away, unable to meet my eyes as the reality of my words hits. When I thought I was a kid. I swallow. The memories and emotion at the thought are why I don't want to be human. Why won't Joss help remove that part of me?

“Oh well!” I say in a light tone. “Kailey, show me your favourite game.”