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“Don’t be impatient, Skully.” Cham chided. “You’d think this was his first feast, Them’l! We always have a little chat and a snack to hold us through the festivities. It’s how it’s always been done.”
“Actually,” Laurel interjected, “I think this is Skully’s first feast. Don’t you come from Romania?”
For a wonder, the dark man smiled, exposing one thick fang. “Yes. Though I hehv treveled far, I hold to my country’s… tred-ijons. I... hehv held?” he chuckled. “I will live anoder twelve centuries and I will not be learning right this fucking English.”
We all laughed at that.
“So, they don’t celebrate much in Romania, I’m assuming…” Col began.
“What do you think?” Skull grinned, this time exposing both canines. “Chil’drin hehv been hunted there for generay-juns. Started wit fucking Vlad the Impaler. He was mouse in cat clothi-gh. I am glad to being finally in paradise.” He opened his thick arms wide…
and for a moment I considered what it would be like to be enfolded in those arms… to be mounted by such a large alpha male… feel those thick fangs sink into my shoulder as he sunk into me… I cleared my throat, taking a gulp of the dry vintage.
Later, mayhap… later, after the feasting.

I looked up to see that Cham and Col were already losing themselves in the excitement. He was taking her mouth with his hungrily, her claws were unsheathed into the tablecloth. I cleared my throat more loudly, startling them from their heated fumbling.
“As hostess, I must insist you refrain. For now.”
They sat back in their seats, looking sheepish and sly simultaneously.
Laurel grinned toothily, his fangs visibly more slender than Skullscap’s.
“I’m not so sure we can, Fress…” he reached over and stroked my thigh. My skin tingled under his touch, and I almost dropped my goblet.
“If those mice take much longer… I might have my way with a pretty Child early…”

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I willed myself to remove his hand. “You may have to fight for that right later. Who knows how the evening will progress.” I glanced briefly toward Skull, who raised his eyebrows in surprise. As if he hadn’t just been undressing me with his eyes.

And then, blessedly, the doorbell resounded in a chiming tune. We Children joined hands, and bowed our heads to the statue of Themal which was the great table’s centerpiece. We then took our leave, and welcomed in the prey.

At most human Halloween parties, they offer a bowl of candy. At our Full Moon Feast, we offered the guests a bowl of sweets of a more interesting variety. The young and festive mouse will oft dress colorfully and go to an underground party of sorts… one with loud, monotonous music and a smorgasbord of mind-altering substances with which to experiment. This is the sort of party these particular mice were expecting. The promise of free pills brought them by the bushel. These pills, however, were very specially formulated. The effect was much like that of what they know as ecstasy, with a few exceptions. All were of equal potency, and there were no side effects of nausea or paranoia. No compulsion to gnaw at one’s own mouth. No hangover.
One pill was given per guest, and one is all a mouse ever needs. The Children, of course, refrained.

The ball room was the location of part two of the Samhain feast. This was festooned with all manner of blacklight-reflective décor. The false spider webs glowed blue and green, plastic jack-o-lanterns glared vivid orange with color-changing LEDs in their mouths. The mice all scintillated their own festive rainbow of color under purple tubes and green lasers. The music blasted from multiple unseen speakers. I insisted that the night’s mixes all include classic nuances. If one listened closely, they could hear Sinatra and Darin. Even a selection with the immortal Marilyn Monroe. Most of the original allure of these timeless voices was drowned in relentless tempo, electronic whine, and booming bass. I don’t believe I’ll ever have a taste for techno music while sober. Thus, I held out my goblet to be refilled by a passing tuxedo whilst waiting at the ballroom door.