Chapter 18

In passing, my pirate says to Dracula, “You know you want to suck me.”

Dracula responds, “I can’t wait to get my teeth inside you, among other things.”

I share daggers with Dracula, ready for battle.

Jory pulls me away and clarifies, “Don’t get huffy, we were only messing around.”

Now inside, he and I take in the massive living room decorated for the holiday. A grossly pale human is positioned across a coffee table with its entrails leaking onto the maple floor. Cherry-flavored vodka mixed with rum is served out of a skull. Rabid bats hang down from the ceiling, letting out intimidating shrieks, scaring guests. And hired ghouls move from one room to the next, groping bodies, startling those who are sensitive or timid, while attending the party.

Joseph is dressed as Marie Antoinette. He curtsies and serves us eyeballs in clam shells, which we both decline. Doing a once-over on my pirate friend, he leans into me and asks, “Is that who I think it is?”

“Johnny Depp?”