**Ch 289: Trick or Treat

"Trick or treat!"

I giggled at the eight kids coming up to the mansion's front doors. The Butler held out the huge bucket of candy, and the older kids took a piece. "Take as many as you like," he said, having a benevolent smile.

"Thank you!" a few kids chanted happily.

The younger ones were too shy to talk, so I gave them each a Hershey's bar. "Bye now." I waved them goodbye before they ran back to their parents.

Afterwards, I went back inside while the butler sat down on the lawn chair to wait for the next trick-or-treaters to stop by.

October 31st finally arrived, and I was now 18 weeks pregnant and showing like a soccer ball at that. Sharlene was also showing a little more, but she was much smaller than me because I have three little vamp biscuits baking in my oven over her cooking one.

"Happy birthday, Victoria!" Mia chimed as she came through the living room to hug me.

Officially I am 25 years old. Today was the day my teenage mother birthed me and passed away minutes later after naming me, Melody. It's a bittersweet moment, you could say, however, it's the symbol of any mother's true love.

"Are you still going trick or treating with Chester and Zoey?" Mia asked.

"Yes, once everyone is ready, we'll be leaving," I replied when I saw that Glenn and Jack were watching the news. The news broadcast started talking about that devastating sinkhole that happened in Springwood.

Two weeks have passed since that tragic devastation occurred in the Springwood community. Countless were dead, so many people were missing, and a mere handful had been found alive. One tall building sank into the sinkhole, killing over seventeen hundred people. Part of the hospital went into the sinkhole as well, including the maternity suite. Over a hundred people died in the hospital, but the maternity suite was empty, so there weren't any newborns inside it. But that didn't change the fact that children and babies still died from being on the streets, which was heartbreaking.

Because the tragedy was so severe, Mr. Collin donated over a million dollars for any supplies their community may need to help them. I also heard over the news that Mr. Mill gave a million-dollar donation as well. More surprisingly, Mr. Collin and Mr. Mill sent in rescue teams to find survivors. Between both rivals, they each seemingly worked together with providing any help that was needed. They even contributed to pay for the reconstruction of the damaged buildings and the streets.

"Is Kai going with you?" Mia asked, which pulled me from my train of thoughts just when Glenn turned the TV off.

"I think I talked him into it," I replied, giggling.

"Don't forget about the party after trick or treating!" Sharlene happily exclaimed when she randomly pounced in from out of thin air, which nearly startled me to death. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok, and yes, we'll be at the Halloween party after trick or treating, which ends at 7:30," I informed her. "We'll get ready at the mansion before we leave for the party. Hopefully, I'll be there before Nora arrives."

"Is Nora still coming?" Mia chippered since she knew I had to persuade Kai to invite her to the Halloween party Mr. Collin was having at his Plaza Hotel.

As anyone could imagine, it took a lot of persuasion on my part to convince Kai to allow my friend to come, and for him to promise me she won't end up being a snack.

So he better keep his promise, I thought as I reflected on that conversation from a week ago. "Can I please invite Nora to the party without you or any of your friends eating her?"

"No guys and I give you my word as a vampire, no harm will come to Nora," was Kai's reply during that time.

"Yes, she's still coming. In case I'm late, make sure you watch out for her. This way, I know she's safe." I informed the vampiresses with a tiny request since I knew I could trust them.

"No worries, Princess!" Rome popped in aside from me as he overlapped his arm over my shoulders. "Nora will be in good hands."

"No funny business!" I teasingly warned, removing his arm from my body, while everyone, including me, were laughing at this point.

"Let's go trick or treating!" Coraline's cute voice pearled over our laughter. Everyone looked over toward the living room, and we saw Chester and Zoey coming over with their vamp kids. Joshua and their youngest son Colton were pirates like their parents. They matched perfectly and adorably like a cute pirate family. Coraline was the only one dressed up like a butterfly. She wore cute black stockings and had a beautiful rainbow-colored dress on. Zoey braided her hair in high pigtails, which enhanced her cuteness.

"You guys look incredible!" Sharlene fawned at them. "Coraline, you are the most beautiful butterfly I've ever seen."

"I'm the princess of all the butterflies in the world!" Coraline chimed before twirling her dress like an angel.

"First, your daddy's little princess." Chester declared, picking her up to kiss her on the cheek.

"Daddy, you're going to kiss away my makeup!" Coraline fussed cutely, and it had us laughing.

Chester laughed the loudest. "You sound like your mother," he said, giving Zoey a flirtatious wink before he put Coraline back on her feet.

Of course, Zoey rolled her eyes, attempting not to give in to his flattering. "That's because Daddy gives wet sloppy kisses," she giggled.

Chester chuckled for a second before he glanced at me, saying. "What do we say to Aunt Victoria?"

"Happy birthday!" all three kids shout together.

"Thank you." I smiled before Chester hugged me as my baby belly bumped into his rock-hard abs.

"They're really growing," Chester commented after he felt a few excited fluttering kicks before he pulled away.

"They sure are." I giggled as Coraline touched my stomach.

"I don't feel anything," she spoke with a puzzled expression that was more than adorable.

So I moved her tiny palm around. "Feel that?" I pointed out, feeling one bubble-like movement as Coraline nodded, fascinated to feel it.

"It feels like bubbles," she giggled as her two older brothers joined in to feel the babies kicking.

"They feel weird," said Colton as he expressed a strange face.

"Awe, how cute!" Rome chippered as he took a few memorable pictures from his phone. "I'll send those to you and Kai."

"Sounds good," I chuckled as the kids were done playing with their unborn baby cousins.