Candy From Strangers

Leaves scuttled across the damp pavement as if they too were hurrying to their own predetermined affairs regardless of their own desires. Claudia hunched further into her black hooded sweatshirt, her eyes scanning the street for approaching children. She'd been accosted thrice already by rug rats looking for candy, and she thought she might just snap if another clown, faerie, or superhero came calling.

Usually, she liked this time of year. In fact, Halloween had been one of her favorite holidays since she was a child. But this year was different. She was on the verge of failing her freshman year at university, and her parents were furious with what they saw as her laziness and party girl attitude.

In truth, the only partying she did was with nerds and geeks, because nerds and geeks were helpful. But Christ, could they party with the best of them. It had come as a surprise to her in the beginning, but the engineers in the group often made experimental and wonderful bongs, while the chemistry majors made the most aesthetically amazing drinks. If she didn't understand a problem in her statistics class, she could call Laurel or Tamara up and get an immediate answer. Geoffrey, the guy she met in basic programming, had fallen hard for her, and she knew if she were ever in a technical bind, she could promise him pizza and a snuggle, and he'd be sure to help out.

Another aspect of her unhappiness was the hard realization that she would never be one of the typical Midwestern Girls that populated the part of the country where she'd grown up. She'd escaped high school and gone off to the bigger world of higher learning hoping to find more girls like herself. Instead, she was met with the older ranks of prototypical blondes in the college town, who were clearly defined and heartily appreciated by the men. She knew she could never dream of fitting in with the more popular girls, no matter the bleach she bought and pinks she added to her wardrobe. She wasn't sporty, like the tanned girls with their golden bobs, practical frosted pink nails, weekend camping trips, and beer addictions. Nor was she arctically beautiful and unattainable like the more rare natural blondes. Nor was she quite trashy enough to run with the bottle blondes that arrived from the wrong side of the tracks to pledge sororities and chase footballers.

She was dark of hair and eye, curvy and solid, and she definitely was not perky, even during her best moments and hopped up on Starbucks. She knew she was attractive to certain kinds of boys, but none of them really seemed to have their shit together. But with her own crowd, she was never the odd one out, because there were plenty of odd ones who could easily commiserate with her situation for various reasons.

The chill autumn air pried its way down the front of her sweatshirt and passed her tiny tank top beneath it like the determined fingers of an ardent lover, and she quickened her step as her nipples stiffened under the gusty onslaught.

Laurel's house wasn't too much farther, and the sooner she arrived, the sooner she could leave. How she regretted being so polite and accommodating sometimes! It had cost her many opportunities to get in the last bitchy and insulting word, and now, it was going to cost her a decent Halloween. The night would suck, and nothing she could do would change that.

Laurel lived on a winding street in one of the more historic neighborhoods. Like a lot of the other brainy girls in their class, she came from money. A great deal of it. But her parents hadn't indulged her every caprice like some of the other rich kids. They had used their endless means to encourage a love of learning, and Laurel had a wealth of knowledge and a decadent desire for information that could never be satiated.

Instead of spending summers on the east coast, the Oliviers spent weeks in Italy, touring the ancient ruins and marveling at the decrepit architecture in the old cities. They went to France to stay with relatives and tour museums and vineyards, rather than spending endless days on the Riviera beaches or attending Cannes parties. Laurel's first treasured and costly gift had been a top-of-the-line telescope when she was four, so she and her father could stargaze and plot the solar system from their backyard. She had been content to spend hours in the library instead of perfecting her look in the mirror, and had never known the ennui and tension Claudia felt concerning dating.

When she had invited Claudia over for a night of movies, drinking, and plain old company, Claudia had been tempted to refuse. But one look in Laurel's stunning azure eyes and she had been hard pressed to say no. Laurel also informed her that one of her male cousins from France would be visiting, and Claudia's hopes of salvaging the night had been permanently dashed. The language barrier, chaste interests of her friend, and her politeness would ruin the evening for certain.

Finally reaching the cobblestone drive to Laurel's huge house, Claudia heaved a sigh of resignation, then passed under the wrought iron arch and marched up the front walk as the prisoner to the gallows.

She spied the warm glow of lamplight through the bay window off the den and saw Laurel bound out of an enormous armchair and then heard her feet as she ran to open the door even before Claudia's fingers had closed around the brass knocker.

"Hi!" Laurel's smile was radiant. She took Claudia's hand and pulled her in, offering a friendly hug as she reached for the girl's sweatshirt. Beneath it, Claudia wore a spaghetti strap tank top, and she felt a little risqué in such attire surrounded by the opulent and tastefully decorated house. "Come in! Dinner's almost ready!"

The tantalizing aroma of cooking meat, onion, and garlic filled the foyer, and as Laurel took her by the elbow and pulled her toward the kitchen, Claudia's stomach covetously growled.

"Yves! She's here!" Laurel exclaimed, tugging Laurel around a corner into the thoroughly modern kitchen. Whatever Claudia had expected Laurel's cousin to look like was completely different than who stood before her. The man was fucking gorgeous!

"Hello," Yves smiled, extending one long, pale hand. He was painfully handsome in an almost delicate way, and Claudia wondered at the similarities between the cousins. Both had the same shade of blue eyes, both were delicately built, and both were quite easy on the eye. But Yves possessed a confidence and casual warmth that dwarfed Laurel's chirpy personality and somewhat fidgety manner. "I'm Yves. And you?" His English wasn't flawless, but really quite good.

"Claudia Morris." She extended a hand, and Yves took it delicately, pressing his lips to her curled fingertips before releasing it with a squeeze. "What are you cooking? It smells wonderful."

"Rabbit braised in merlot with asparagus," Yves said nonchalantly, as if Claudia were used to such a dish every day of the week. "And a cherry clafoutis to follow." Offering a soft smile, he turned back to the pans over which he presided, and Laurel lead her friend away.

"He's a magnificent cook," she whispered in Claudia's ear. "Whenever he comes to visit, I think I gain five pounds! Come on. Let's go in the media room and pick out what to watch."

The media room was what would have passed for an extremely well-appointed living room in an average upper class home, but which appeared as casual as an old, cramped, dusty den in the Olivier household. A huge plasma television, various gaming systems, shelves of CDs and DVDs, and a computer were all arranged amid half a dozen pieces of cushy leather furniture.

Laurel strode to the bar and immediately began to fix drinks, returning in short order with a glass of limoncello on the rocks for each of them. She settled back on the same sectional as Claudia and began flipping through a meticulously categorized catalog of movies in a leather binder, a corresponding number beside each to indicate their position in the player.

"Re-Animator!" Laurel chuckled, taking a long sip of her drink. "That will be perfect right before dinner!"

Dinner was served about halfway through the film in the formal dining room. The three sat at one end of the large three-leaf dining table, dining by candlelight with something Baroque playing through the excellent wireless speakers installed throughout the house. Claudia was thoroughly impressed with Yves's cooking, and the girls did a fair bit more than pick at their entrees while Yves took a few bites here and there but mostly appraised their dinner guest with an enigmatic expression. There were a few interruptions from trick or treaters, and Yves and Laurel happily handed out two piece gourmet candy collections to each child from a large box on a nearby accent table.

After dinner and dessert, they returned to the media room and the disturbing comedy concerning the mad doctor and his ghastly experiments. Laurel began to giggle during some of the more graphic scenes while helping herself to more citrus liqueur. Yves merely watched the movie with a modicum of amusement until he left the room for a while, and then returned with a large rectangular box covered in green paper with a lovely black floral pattern. Laurel glanced over at what he held as he seated himself on the sofa between the girls, and her eyes widened as her lips pursed.

"Yves, I thought you weren't going to bring those damned things here again."

"Settle yourself, chérie. We want to have a party tonight, and we shall!"

With a flourish, he pulled the top off the box, and Claudia leaned in to see what lay inside. She was close enough to feel the brush of Yves's sleeve against her bare shoulder and catch a hint of his cologne. It was unfamiliar yet pleasant. It suited its wearer, being aloof yet provocative, very refined and with a strong touch of iris.

The strong intermingled aroma of chocolate and anis emanating from within the box caused her to wrinkle her nose, and she backed up, unable to get past the intense smell. There, nestled in black plastic compartments, were row upon row of chocolate truffles. Laurel's expression grew more irritated, and she quickly refilled her glass.

"What are they?" Claudia hesitated a second, then moved in for a closer look. Each piece of candy was oval-shaped, and engraved on each was a delicate fairy in mid-flight.

"La Fée Vert Truffles. Our grandfathers made them for decades," Laurel explained.

Claudia's eyes widened, and she gingerly reached over Yves's lap to pick a candy up from the tray. Sniffing the confection with both curiosity and trepidation, she moved it to her mouth, not believing what she had just heard.

"No!" Laurel dove across her cousin's lap to knock the treat back into the box. Sighing with resignation, Laurel got to her feet and left the room.

While she was gone, Claudia studied Yves, who was intentionally not looking in her direction.

"Are they really made with absinthe? They're just candy. I've had tons of rum and liqueur filled candies with no problems."

"Yes. My grandfather is a friend with a Swiss absinthe maker who went underground during the ban. They found it was a clever way to still sell the absinthe without being caught. And when he made friends with a very good chocolatier, it just went from there."

"Wow." For the first time that evening, Claudia was truly interested in what the future might hold at this gathering. She didn't believe all the Hollywood hype concerning the mysterious jade green beverage, but she loved chocolates, and anything would be better than getting drunk and watching silly horror movies.

Laurel returned with a pitcher of ice water, crystal tumblers, a dessert bowl, and a spoon. The bowl was heaped high with a fine white powder, and she put the items down on the coffee table with a resigned sigh, barely avoiding dropping a glass tucked beneath her left elbow in the process.

"Ooh! Laurel, have you been holding out on me all this time, or what? Are you dating Tony Montana?" Laurel, puzzled by Claudia's statement, only offered her a wide-open and innocent gaze. "You know. Scarface! Say hello to my little friend? Don't tell me you ... No, of course not. Anyway. What is that?"

"Sugar. We'll need it."

"Allow me." Yves picked up the bowl, took a spoonful of the confectioner's sugar, delicately spooning some into his mouth, then hurriedly replaced the bowl and grabbed a truffle. Closing his eyes, he popped the chocolate into his mouth, chewed, grimaced, and swallowed. "You see? Easy as that. Now Laurel," he practically purred, leaning close to his cousin's ear and tickling her cheek. "Don't be an infante. You go next."

A tense look passed between the two, and Claudia turned her eyes to the movie, trying to act as if she wasn't intrigued. Laurel leaned close to her cousin, whispering something in a venomous tone. Yves laughed and then ruffled the girl's hair before reaching for the bowl once more. And though it was quick, Claudia could have sworn he squeezed Laurel's right breast. But Laurel didn't blush. She merely poured herself some water and contemplated the placid surface of the liquid in her glass.

"Grandfather can't sell these here because of the thujone content," Laurel explained, picking up a truffle and taking the proffered spoon from Yves. "The quality of the cacao is excellent, which makes the chocolate a little bitter, so the sugar helps. It also tames the herbs a bit." She closed her eyes, downed the sugar and candy, and chased it with a hearty swig of water, then sighed, flopping back against the sofa. "Your turn, Claudia the Brave."

Yves was flipping through the movie list, apparently bored with the current selection. Claudia reached for the bowl and box, a flicker of excitement coloring her cheeks as Yves courteously poured her a glass of water and held it for her as she readied herself.

"God, Laurel. Lighten up. It's just candy, and it's Halloween. I'm not a lightweight. I can hold my alcohol."

The velvety spoonful of sugar on her tongue immediately began to melt. Claudia popped the chocolate into her mouth and bit down, closing her eyes to savor the experience.

An extremely intense burst of herbal liquid flooded her mouth, mingling with the shattered slivers of smooth chocolate, and she grimaced at the strength of both flavors in her mouth, blindly putting out a hand as Yves pressed the glass into her questing fingers.

Raising it to her lips, she gratefully swallowed the cool water, her eyes tearing at the burn that blazed down her throat.

"Fuck," she choked, taking another long drink. Laurel squirmed a bit, glancing at the next movie Yves had selected.

Yves patted Claudia's arm, offering an understanding smile.

"It's different, nés pas? You get used to it, and they're quite delicious. Grandfather has customers from all over the world."

"I love this part!" Laurel exclaimed. On the screen, a red-haired Lucy Westenra was thrashing about in bed, awaiting the final fatal visit of her nocturnal lover. "It's so gross!"

Somehow, an hour had passed, and the first layer of the truffles had been depleted between the three of them. Claudia wasn't sure precisely how time had passed so quickly. And she wasn't sure if it was the lemon-flavored alcohol or the gourmet candies, but she was really drunk, despite indulging in such a heavy meal. She owned a copy of this movie and didn't recall it being so vivid and voluptuous as it seemed to her now. She regretted the need to use the ladies room for fear she'd miss some of the film, not certain of the location of the nearest bathroom in such a huge house.

"Laurel?" Laurel and Yves were at the bar, engaged in a playful argument about whether Midori actually counted as real alcohol.

"Yeah?" Laurel whirled toward Claudia, her eyes glittering and her hair a soft golden cloud around her rosy cheeks.

"Um, I need to use your bathroom."

"Oh sure!" Laurel put down the bottle she held, practically dancing across the room to grab her friend's hand. "It's this way, silly! Don't you remember?"

They traversed a few dim hallways before Laurel flipped a switch to illuminate a small yet lavishly decorated bathroom. "Can you find your way back or should I drop bread crumbs?"

Leaning against the doorframe, Claudia offered a confident smile.

"I'm fine, smart ass."

Laurel nodded, turned and disappeared back toward the media room.

To be completely honest, Claudia didn't feel fine—she felt fantastic. This was turning out to be a halfway decent Halloween, even if it wasn't at a huge party with costumes and mysterious vats of almost lethally potent alcohol.

Claudia gazed into the mirror at her reflection, noting the slight ruddiness in her cheeks, the glint in her hazel eyes, and, most obvious over all else, her nipples poking through her tank top. She padded across the mauve carpeting to the toilet, unfastened her jeans, and slipped her tiny black panties down to relieve herself, amazed at how clear-headed she felt even though she knew she was quite drunk.

As she finished in the bathroom, flipping off the tulip-shaped crystal sconces that flanked the oval mirror, she ran right into Yves.

"Laurel had to go upstairs and asked me to help you find your way back." In the near dark of the hall, his eyes were almost sapphire blue. When he extended a hand to take her elbow, Claudia reached for his hand instead.

Off in the distance, the movie played on. But here in the hall, it was only the two of them, and his hand was warm in hers. It must have been something on her face or a furtive look in her eye, for Yves suddenly caught her by the shoulder and their lips collided in a mutual, ravishing kiss.

The cool surface of the wall buffeted by Claudia's hair tried to bring her back to reality, but her arms were around his neck and his tongue was feverishly exploring her mouth. Her breath escaped her nose in hot little puffs against his cheek as she pressed her tits against his well-muscled chest.

"Come on," Claudia urged, taking one of Yves's hands and pressing it roughly against her denim-covered crotch. "In here." She tugged him toward the dark bathroom.

They didn't even bother to close the door before Yves had her pants down around her hips and an expert hand beneath the elastic leg band of her panties. Fearing she'd collapse in a swoon, Claudia gripped the edge of the sink with both hands as they kissed, and Yves brought her dangerously close to coming by rubbing her clit with light yet rapid strokes.

The kiss was broken as he dove for her breasts, tugging her top up over them to hungrily suckle her nipples. Her hips thrust as his hands and tongue brought out warm prickles of gooseflesh all over her body.

"Fuck me, baby," she moaned. She arched her back and rested her head against the mirror. "Please..."

The sensations were all becoming too intense. The warm throbbing and clenching of her pussy, the slickness it exuded which Yves was using with great expertise, the pull of his teeth on her right nipple, and the chilly edge of the basin against her lower back were all vying for her attention. But the sudden explosion of her orgasm obliterated all else. She was so overtaken she almost fell.

His arms were around her waist, holding her close enough for her to feel the stabbing pressure of his erect cock against her torso.

"We must go back," he managed, helping her put her clothes right and taking her arm to guide her back to Laurel and the movie.

Somehow, she found herself sitting on the sectional again, her limoncello in one hand and another candy in the other. Laurel sat beside her, and Yves beside Laurel. Claudia's legs felt like rubber, and her mind was racing. No, she hadn't imagined it. Her friend's foreign cousin had just fingered her in the bathroom, and it had been fucking remarkable! How was she supposed to pay attention to anything else tonight except how to get his cock inside her?