He wrapped his cloak around him and raised an arm underneath it, obscuring his face. He glanced at the girl beside him. “Bryony, summon the residents to their fate.”

The girl raised her eyebrows and rang the bell. “You can be such a dork, Dad.”

The door was opened by a woman wearing a figure-hugging, long black dress. “Anything evil coming here will find I’m way scarier,” she growled.

The man in the cape sniffed. “I’m the sneakiest, evilest thing around here.”

Another girl appeared in the doorway and giggled. “Hey, Bryony. Taking your dad trick or treating?”

Bryony grinned. “Hi, Natasha. Yeah, well, he might have got scared. Let’s go scrounge chocolates.” She gave her father a kiss and her overnight bag, then the two girls walked down the path, teenage vampires in miniskirts and ripped stockings.

“Won’t be late, Mum,” Natasha called out.

The woman stood back. “Enter, Count Priaprism.”

“Shouldn’t I say trick or treat?”

She leaned close. “Come inside and we’ll treat each other to all sorts of naughty tricks.”

At the gate, Natasha turned. “Hey, Mum. We’re cool that you two are an item, but can you keep it quieter tonight? We’ve got school tomorrow.”

© 2014 Ian D Smith. All rights reserved. Content may not be copied or used in whole or part without written permission from the author.

About the Author: I live in the South-West of the UK, with my wife, our dogs and horses. I am a professional scientist who has recently started writing non-fiction and fiction as a creative hobby, with some modest success in being published. Non-fiction is an outlet for my butterfly mind, fiction for my vivid imagination. I enjoy reading and trying to write romantic and realistic erotica.