“Now where’s my baton, boys? I must get on out the door.” I said in a panic as I anxiously searched for the missing part of my naughty lady cop costume.
As corny as I felt buying the costume it immediately was smothered by a solid glow of confidence as I watched myself transform in my bathroom mirror.
“Mama, Toby got it.” My pre-teen son Omar yelled from most likely his room while the sound of gunshots blazed from the speakers of his television.
I shook my head as Toby raced from his brother's room into the living room behaving as if he was a teenage ninja turtle at 6 years old.
“Come on Toby. Give me my baton. Y’all babysitter is on the way here and I need to be ready to see her as I’m walking out the door.” I stumbled while leaning on my sofa to put on my second black leather platform stiletto. Toby laughed as he playfully tossed my baton my way and said sorry as he raced back up the hallway.
My best friend was on FaceTime adding the finishing touches to her makeup and hair.
“We are going to be two of the worst patrol officers in the city tonight!” She teased while adjusting her titties for more lift. My girl Audrey was right. We haven’t been out together in months. Being single mothers with little to no help from our families or ex-husbands to take the kids for a weekend came with a lot of mental, physical, and emotional demands.
The city of Baton Rouge was going to be more swamped than Bayou Lafourche with adults after hours who enjoyed tricks and treats. The location was a local bar called Hide & Seek. They had a Spooky Speed dating event where all the attendees had to wear a carnival mask with their outfits. Drinks were in heavy rotation and all attendees must be 21 plus and in costume to enter.
“Ima give you a call right back or a text before I make it in the building tonight, sis.” I reminded Audrey while she was shuffling keys around to get inside her car.
“Love you, see you there!” She sang before ending our FaceTime.
The ring camera alerted my phone that my baby had arrived, and it was 9:45 p.m. I placed my baton on my hip and went to my front door. “Hi, Ms. Sanae”, my bright-eyed babysitter said as she reached out to shake my hand.
“Hey, Randy. I’m so glad you are on time and not a minute late.” I extended myself for a hug instead and gently escorted her into my home after closing the door.
“Well, you know my kid; Omar is in his room. I’m sure you can hear his game.” I joked looking down the hallway for any sign of Toby. “I’m also sure that Toby isn’t far. He is a little quiet, so Imma go check on him before I go and give him and his brother some sugar before I head out.
As I danced up the hallway Randy said, “You are such a baddie tonight Ms. Halie.” I turned around and smiled with a side nod. My silk press jet black bob cut swayed along with every step.
“Thank you, Randy.” I playfully blushed as I looked into Toby’s room and saw him asleep in his bed with Legos scattered throughout.
I yelled bye to Omar over the noise that blared from his television before letting Randy know to pick up the Lego exposition in Toby’s room. Within a few minutes, I was pulling out of the driveway of my townhouse heading to the Hide & Seek bar.
*****
The crisp fall night breeze in Baton Rouge was enough to wake up anyone who may had a little bit too much to drink as I walked through the upscale bar with Audrey. We commanded the attention of those among us. Our IDs were checked upon entry. There was an enchanting and inviting ambiance that captivated all who entered. The dimly lit establishment is awash in warm, golden hues, casting a cozy and intimate glow over the well-masked guests in Halloween costumes. The soft R&B melodies wafting through the air created a sultry soundtrack for the evening. There was a weaving tapestry of sophistication and spookiness. Guests sip on carefully crafted cocktails. Their laughter and conversations harmonized with the smooth tunes that formed a symphony of refined indulgence.
The furniture that decorated the bar was of rich mahogany glossed wood and black leather. It was coupled with the panoramic view of the city's glittering lights. There were four flat-screen televisions mirroring one another with a Freddy Krueger movie playing. There was a feeling of urban mystique to this upscale haven tonight. Audrey and I were greeted and served shimmery orchard-colored cocktails with dry ice that added a bit of anticipation to the sip. Our waitress said with a twinkle in her eyes behind her mask, “These drinks are called ‘Ghoul Me Baby’ and they came from the two gentlemen to our left dressed as vampires.”
I looked at Audrey and laughed. “Ghoul, Me Baby, is that right?” Aubry questioned as we toasted and took the first sips of our drinks. She loved surprises and even more being flirted with from afar. The essence of Halloween seamlessly melds with the city's vibrant nightlife tonight. I looked over at the mysterious black men who were dressed as vampires. For some reason, I felt instantly horny as I glued my eyes to one of the men. His chocolate skin glowed in the low lights and his floor-length cape could have been long enough to wisp me away from across the bar. But I wasn’t going to be an easy catch for the night.
After socializing with a few other women and Audrey, speed dating started.
“Greetings to all that have come out to join our first year of Spook-Tastic speed dating here at the one and only Hide & Seek! I am your host and instant matcher, Jude Da Goon. All 16 participants tonight have the chance to find love in our backyard grill seating area. You will have 5 minutes to cupcake over two of our mystery festive Halloween drinks and shots. The rules are simple. Match and chat with drinks or match and duel it out over a game of Apple Bobbing for one night in an expensive paid hotel in our lovely city for the night on us. Room Service and condoms are covered as well! So, if y’all are ready let’s all head to the back through the glass doors to your right and watch your step.”
I grabbed Audrey by one of her arms and leaned into her hip-length goddess locs nervously making our way to the area.
There were eight round metal tables with high chairs and eight glass cyclers of what looked like ice water buckets with an array of green and red apples behind each table. The air was electric with anticipation as singles in their most creative costumes gathered masked. There were naughty nurses, warlocks, and captivating vampires, ready to find a love potion of their own. Each table was adorned with eerie decorations. The decor cast shadows that added an extra layer of mystique to the event.
As participants rotated from one mysterious conversation to the next, laughter and flirtatious banter filled the air. I enjoyed two conversations over drinks. One was with a black man dressed as a postal worker. The other black man was dressed as an old-school rapper. Both conversations provided a delightful respite from the eerie ambiance. It was a night where souls might connect in ways that transcended the boundaries of the living. It made it a Halloween to remember for all who dared to seek love's magic in the back location of the bar.
In the blink of an eye, I found myself seated across from a captivating chocolate man who had chosen a vampire persona for this whirlwind 5-minute Halloween speed dating session. He was in fact the same man who sent drinks to Audrey and me earlier upon arrival. His mask concealed most of his face which added an extra layer of allure to his already intriguing demeanor. As he leaned forward, his eyes sparkled with an enigmatic charm that drew me in.
“So, what your name is, Ms. Lady Cop?” He joked as he picked up one of the filled shot glasses and took a sniff of it.
“My name is Halie. What’s yours? You are sniffing that drink as if it was blood or something.” I teased as I followed his lead by grabbing the second filled shot glass.
“Halie, huh? That’s cute for a woman like yourself. Something proper for a naughty cop around my way. My name is Siren. Maybe I like the smell of blood and the taste. Let’s toast.”
“Oh really, how old you are Siren? You might be able to sound my alarm. What are we to toast to?
“I’m 38, Ms. Halie. How about you? You keep it up, within these next few minutes, I’m going to sink my teeth in places I can only imagine seeing at this moment in time. Let’s toast to making love underneath a full moon tonight.”
“Okay, I’m 35 and if you keep talking all that talk you are going to find out.”
I dared to take a sip of a mysterious shot of alcohol offered by my date. It was like no libation I would ever encounter before. The taste was an exquisite enigma. It was a fusion of dark and alluring flavors that left my taste buds dancing in the shadows. There was an initial burst of smoky sweetness instantly followed by a hint of something spicy and elusive. The lingering aftertaste was a delicate balance of warmth and intrigue that lingered on my taste buds like a secret whispered in the night.
It was the perfect elixir for a night of unknown connections and thrilling mysteries. The shot alone had me craving not only another taste of that tantalizing concoction but also a deeper connection with the one who had introduced me to this beguiling sip of the unknown.
With a devilish smile, he playfully inquired about my single status, a question that broke the ice with its humor and warmth. Then, with a wickedly playful glint in his eye, he asked if I'd ever been bitten by a real-life vampire before midnight. His tone dripping with mischievous fascination. Our brief encounter kept me both intrigued and wanting more, as his magnetic presence.
“Spooky lovers, y'all now have 2 minutes left!” Jude the Goon called over the mic swinging a plastic knife in his adult Chunky custom playfully.
I scanned the area and saw my homegirl waving at me as she was exiting with the other brother who was dressed as a vampire. I looked back at my date and walked closely to him after allowing the shot to grasp me mentally. Siren smiled devilishly and said, “Kiss me and show me what you about?”
He raised his mask as I embraced him feeling warm and slightly intoxicated from the blend of mysterious drinks I had. The intoxicating kiss that I experienced along with the embrace with the allure of a chocolate-dipped vampire in costume was intense. As our lips met, there was an enchanting chemistry that set the night on fire. His kiss was both tender and passionate, a tantalizing blend of sweetness and mystery that left me spellbound. He gently tilted my head to the side and whispered in my ear with greed for my body. He nibbled on my ear lobe and said, “You ain't never been bit by a real vampire, but I’ma show you how it feels, baby.”
At that moment, as his teeth sank deep within my flesh the boundary between fantasy and reality seemed to blur, and I felt a rush of desire and intrigue. I let out a moan that was muffled from his cape. His fangs sank deeper and deeper into my flesh as he grunted through the bite. He removed his fangs from my neck and stared deeply into my eyes. The intensity lingered, as I wiped a bit of my blood from his bottom lip scared and still captivated by what just happened.
“You’re mine, Halie. Let’s go and make love underneath this full moon now.”
I smiled and obeyed his every word as if I were underneath a spell that only the clock striking 12 a.m. could break. I looked back at the table and the drinks and asked,
“What was the name of the shots we just drank?”
“I thought you read the card next to the shot glasses before you drank it, love.”
I flipped the black glossy index card that rea Mystic Kiss and the contents of the drink in the shot glasses. I nodded and smiled as I looked him deep into his eyes and touched the fresh pulsing piercing in my neck.”
Siren grabbed one of my hands as I reached for my purse and said, “Come on, I promise to take good care of you if you allow me to. We just shared a mystic kiss and now it’s you’re the opportunity to feast on me if you ever, so dare to on this blood moon.”
THE END FOR NOW
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