Enjoying Halloween with Vampire Monika

>You are in the kitchen, preparing the mansion for Halloween as Vampire Monika is on the landline, having a spirited conversation
"Monika, I'm trying to concentrate on some pumpkin carving here. Can you quiet down?"
>"-...I'll call you later, Esmerelda." She puts down the phone louder then she should. "Happy?"
"Yes, thank you."
>"So how many little gremlins do you think will be ringing our doorbell the day after?"
"Who knows? Maybe 30, 40 kids?"
>She leans into the counter and her crimson eyes zone in to your face,
>"And Anon, pray tell, do you get some sort of morbid pleasure out of fattening up those young, impressionable souls?"
>You roll your eyes as you plunge your knife into the orange vegetable
>"And have you also thought about how much garbage all those little candies make?"
"Ye-"
>"Future generations will be the ones paying for your festivities, you know? And me!"
>You set down the kitchen knife to properly discuss with the mistress
"Yes, I know, Monika. I already told you I'm giving the kids homemade granola bars. It's healthy, and I'm wrapping them up in paper bags. No complaints, right?"
>"As long as you clean up the toilet paper and eggs they'll throw at the mansion, then no, I don't. Anon, those devils will riot if you give them 'granola'. Why not just give them apples why don't you?"
"...Just help me carve another pumpkin, okay?"
>She scoffs and sets a small pumpkin onto her cutting board
>"Children these days are quite rotten, don't you think?" she says as she makes the first incision at the top
"Are they."
>"They think they can just waltz onto our property and expect candy for wearing a ill-fitting, ghastly looking costume. Sometimes they don't even wear the costume at all!"
"And sometimes the kids are 20 years old."
>"Tsk. You know, back in my day the peasants would actually work for those treats - giving prayers, singing songs..."
"That sounds nice."
>"Hold your breath, those hymns were dreadful and make my skin crawl. And from what I heard, the treats - they called them soul cakes, they were quite rubbish."
"You never had?"
>"Ach, no. Just the sight of the crude crosses they would slice on the top of them was enough to stir my stomach..."
>You grin as you carve one into your pumpkin, making rectangular indents for the creature's two front teeth
"I never thought you would dislike this holiday so much."
>"Well!" She grunts as she pulls a wad of pumpkin guts and seed from it's head
>"If I must be truthful, there is one part of Halloween I've grown to enjoy..."
"What is it?"
>Monika lowly chuckles as she digs her hand in again to pull out more of the carcass
"Monika? What is it?"
>She starts whistling, but her playful secrecy only stirs annoyance
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>It's Halloween now and you scratch your forehead, gazing down at the empty streets surrounding the mansion
>Monika has been gone for two days at this point. While her trips were not uncommon, it was strange of her to leave now, of all times
>When she left, she rubbed your chin and told you she would bring back a nice "surprise", and would be back in time for Halloween, but still..
>What could be so important?
>And where were the kids? This is optimal trick or treating time!
>The night passes. One or two kids show up wearing baggy superhero outfits, but otherwise...
>You break open a paper bag and munch on your granola. What happened to trick or treating?
>Past midnight, you hear some rumbling from upstairs, and you bolt towards the noise
>You open the door to the guest bedroom, and find a pleasant sight
>"How have you been, my sweet? I'm terribly sorry about my tardiness...France is quite the flight. How does it look?"
>Her figure illuminated by the faint moonlight, she donned a maid dress in black
>The top clung to her bewitching curves, and exposed pale, slender shoulders, a collarbone ripe for suckling
>The skirt floated as if it were the tentacles of a jellyfish in mid-stroke
>And her legs, those immaculately shaped legs were covered in fishnet stockings, whose purpose only served to engross your pupils
"Breathtaking."
>"Then the trip was well worth it. It was quite an expense to get tailoring there, but, you know how I feel about ill-fitting attire." She says, with a swipe with her hand
>Tailoring in France?
"So I presume the thing you enjoyed about Halloween most was the costumes?"
>"Yes...yes!. It is fun to be play another role once in a while, I suppose. And I was thinking..."
>Monika steps towards you, and drags a finger along your chest
>"Well, you know how I always get you to run errands for me?"
"Yes, I am well aware I am basically your butler at this point."
>"Ahaha, yes, well, wouldn't it be fun if...for today, you get to order me around instead?"
"Oh? In what way?"
>"..Shan't that be up to you...my Master?"
>You freeze up hearing the honorific, and Monika bites her lip, her face growing more sultry as she rocks back and forth on her feet
>The blush on her cheeks contrasts with her paling face, as does her youth and her timelessness, two sides of a forged coin
"Well madam, the kitchen is in need of a dire clean up. You ought to begin there."
>"Ah, yes sir." She bows, and sternly steps past you
>But before she gets away, you grab her by the hip and drag her back, her butt landing into your lecherous left hand
"And, Monika? Being late to a shift is inexcusable. While you do the dishes, I think I am going to have to "lecture" you on tardiness."
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>Vampire Monika announces her arrival in the kitchen with a loud, jeerful yawn
>"Haaaah, oh, Anon! Up already?"
"Yes, I made breakfast. Your favorite."
>"Splendid!" She jumps into her seat and opens the plate cover and takes in the gorgeous spread of pancakes, bacon and sausage
>"Oh, you spoil me. Rightfully so, considering our time last night, don't you think? Ahaha!"
>A foot starts brushing against your thigh but it doesn't deter what you are about to say
>You plant a elbow onto the table and lean in, your eyes boring into Monika's face
"Monika, what do you know about bubble parenting?"
>The sectioned off pancake freezes just before it enters her mouth. Monika's eyebrows crease. "Sorry?"
"How parents these days are super overprotective with their kids? Won't let them do anything without their supervision?"
>"Ah, yes, well, It's too bad but I guess it's understandable right?" She states dismissively as she turns her attention back to her food
"Lots of dangerous stuff out there these days. Gangs, thieves, monsters..."
>Monika swallows her food down, and begins cutting another part of the pancake
"What were you doing last night?"
>"What do you mean? We played around an-"
"No. Before that."
>She sighs, putting down her fork and knife. "I wish you would have let me enjoy the meal before interrogating me..."
"So what were you doing?"
>"I told you, preparing the costume. France is a long fligh-"
"But all of your dresses get tailored here. You let no one but Esmerelda touch you."
>"C-considering that it was a french maid dress though, would it not make sense for me to have it made in France?"
"Explain this, then."
>You slide your smartphone across the table
>On the screen is a news video of happy trick or treaters from yesterday walking along a nearby neighborhood
>"Cute."
"Play it again, look in the sky."
>She replays it, and her face grows as still as the dead
"A single, lone bat flying straight passed a streetlight without being drawn to it? A bat that huge? There's only one bat in this town that acts that way."
>You pick a piece of bacon from her plate and use it to point at her
>"S-so what of it?" Monika, haughty, crosses her legs and shifts her hips so she can escape your gaze
"So why were you flying around those kids? Waiting for the perfect chance to strike?"
>"Quiet! You know nothing!" She covers her face
"How many Monika. How many lost their lives the past few days because of you!?"
"Enough! We need not discuss this!" About to sob, she gets up from the table and walks away
>With a sigh you chase her and place a gentle hand upon her shoulder
"Look, I'm sorry."
>"What?" The admittance of guilt confuses the accused
"I must've sounded angry, or seemed like I was trying to shame you for what you did, but I'm not. I just want the truth from you."
>"It's none of your concern I don't want you fretting over such unpleasantness that only I have to deal with. Please, let's just make more fun memories, like last night, yes?" She grips your hand, looking up at you with pleading eyes
"No, I can not. Monika, I am not just your lover, but I am your partner too, am I not?"
>Your other hand is placed atop hers. Monika looks down dejectedly. "Yes, you are."
"So then I need to know about these other things you have to do to get by. I need to have your trust."
>She turns again, hearing her quivering back converse with you "The things I've done Anon, if you knew everything...I don't want you to think of me as a monster."
"I won't. You'll always be Monika, before anything. I don't want you to be ashamed of who you are. Not in front of me."
>"Really?!" She turns around, and her eyes flash a tempest red. "Will you tell me I need not be ashamed when you finally see me commit that sin, like you so desire? When you watch me selfishly take a babe's life, will you applaud like I performed a trick?!"
"I..."
>Monika shakes her head in frustration. "Agggh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that. I'm such a decrepid-"
"No, no, it's...look. I don't have to be witnessing...that right away. I just want you to know that I love you, and no matter what you do, you will never scare me off."
>Monika sniffles. "Truly?"
"Yes. Don't be afraid to let me in."
>"...There are days Anon, when I look into that mirror, and see nothing. I see nothing, and I am thankful, for I would detest it's reflection. It's a curse, Anon. I wish we could actually have breakfast at breakfast time, I wish we could have picnics by the beach, I wish we could watch the sunset go down, I, I..."
>Vampire Monika's knees tremble, and you catch her, bringing her into your arms. Her face buries into your chest
>That cold, stale, dead body. You warm it up with your life
"I would trade a million sunsets for this moment right now."
>Her shoulders tremble, and she chokes on her tears
>"Hahaha, what? Whatever does that mean?"
"I-I don't know, I just thought it sounded like the right thing to say."
>"No. Not even close." She chuckles, and rests her forehead against yours. "You adorable dunce."
>A moment passes. Your feet start shifting, and eventually you lead her into a slow, graceful sway
>Monika, the poltergeist of her domain, drops a needle onto a spinning vinyl record.
>Count Basie.
>"Anon. Would you like to know how long I've kept up this Halloween tradition?"
"This is a tradition?!"
>Monika's smile, exposing her two front fangs, returns once again as she detects your surprise
>"Aha, yes. You see it all started in the two centuries ago when locals began believing in souls returning for vengeance..."