7/7/2021 0 Comments Chapter NineSunday June 25, 2017TW: SEXUAL ASSAULT Roarke instinctively stood still as a statue as he processed what exactly was happening. He had just purchased donuts and coffee to surprise Antoinette with, but he’d been interrupted almost as soon as he’d left the shop. He could feel something hard and heavy being pushed against the back of his head and wagered it was probably a gun. However, he had absolutely no idea who the person holding it was, and he didn’t particularly care. The guy was a minor inconvenience he could get rid of easily. “What do you want?” he asked boredly after an awkward silence passed.
“You, actually.” He sighed. “Can you be more specific?” “Look, even if the boss explained anything to me, do you think I’d tell you? I’m not that dumb. All you need to know is that Eve wants you alive, so don’t make any stupid moves.” Roarke froze once more, this time in fright. Eve? This guy was working with Eve? But that meant… His shoulders sagged in defeat. He should have figured this was coming. He only really had himself to blame, especially because he’d gone out without Antoinette to protect him. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a heavy pit of sadness creep into his gut. Why hadn’t he just waited for her to wake up? If he hadn’t been so romantically stupid, he wouldn’t be in this situation. “Hey, hey, come on, don’t be so sad. I promise you, this is nothing personal. It’s just business, you know?” The man sighed. “I do feel kinda bad about that girl of yours, but I gotta look out for number one, you get me?” “Look,” Roarke started, “as weird as it sounds, if you had done this three weeks ago, I probably would have just asked you to shoot me. But now… If you take me, then there’s a very sweet, gorgeous woman who is going to be completely broken-hearted. Please don’t do this, man. For her. I get it if you hate my guts. I can’t really say I blame you, but please don’t break her like that. She didn’t do anything wrong.” He had no idea if any of this was actually going to get through to the guy, but he meant every word. The thought of leaving Antoinette behind shattered every piece of his being. His assailant went quiet for a long while before finally replying. “Tell you what? Why don’t we go say bye to your girlfriend at least and give her those donuts. And hey! Maybe the boss will take pity on you and let you join the coven, and you can get your girl in, too.” “Yeah, okay,” he whispered miserably. If he’d known this would have happened, he would have stolen an extra kiss or two and maybe stayed in her bed, snuggled close to her warm body, just a few minutes longer before sneaking out. The man withdrew the gun from the back of his head and instead jabbed him in the back. “Alright, come on, let’s do this.” Quietly, the two walked through the city, which was oddly empty in the early morning hours. Even if someone had seen them, they likely wouldn’t step in and interfere. Crime was way too common in Rhine, so hardly anyone blinked an eye anymore when they witnessed it. With each step, Roarke felt the sadness weigh him down more and more. Would Antoinette be okay? Would she be able to move on after losing him so soon? For all he knew, he was going to be tortured and eventually killed. Why would the enemy of his coven keep him alive? He was a nobody. He couldn’t fight, and his power was nearly useless. He had no hope of getting out of this, which only made his guilt worse. He had been warned more than once how dangerous it was to walk around alone. He had no one to blame but himself, and he wouldn’t be hurt in the slightest if Antoinette blamed him, too. Eventually, the walk was over as they neared Antoinette’s bakery. He tried to open the door, but it was locked. Of course, he mentally sighed at himself. It was locked from the inside, and he didn’t have a key. Reluctantly, he knocked loudly on the door, hoping she was up by now. “Wait, shit, you have to knock?” “Yeah,” he replied quietly. “I don’t have a key.” “But wh—“ Before his attempted kidnapper could reply any further, the door swung open to reveal Antoinette wearing a very skimpy and revealing bathrobe. She leaned against the doorway and twirled a strand of her blonde hair around her finger playfully. “Hey, hun. Who’s your friend?” she asked coyly, though there was a hint of concern in her eyes. If the guy didn’t have a gun (which was probably loaded with silver bullets) pointed at his back, Roarke would be tempted to tell her exactly what he thought of her in that bathrobe. “Hey, sweet thing. He’s, uh… just an acquaintance.” “Uhhhhhh…” his captor stammered. He sounded completely dumbfounded. “Er, uh, hey there, miss. Met him at the donut shop. Nice guy. We’re getting along real well and all that. Yeah.” He coughed loudly. Roarke half expected something else to jab him in the back judging by how distracted his voice sounded. “Oh, that’s swell! Makin’ friends wherever you go, I see!” Antoinette winked at Roarke. “You gonna invite him in so we can eat those donuts, then?” God, did he want to, especially when she looked like that. “I, uh… just wanted to drop these off. I’m headed out to do… guy stuff.” That probably sounded like the world’s worst excuse, but he didn’t want to raise the guy’s suspicions and risk getting shot. Antoinette opened her mouth to reply, but the man holding him hostage cut her off before she could speak. “I think we can put that on hold for a bit. You’re not saying no to your girl, man. What kind of significant other just runs off and ditches their partner when they clearly need them around?” There was a hint of genuine bitterness to his voice as he said this. Roarke bristled with irritation. What exactly was he trying to imply? On the other hand, the more reasonable part of him realized this was the best chance for him to get out of this alive. If the guy was honestly stupid enough to walk into Antoinette’s bakery, then he probably had no idea she was a Silverwing. Absolutely aware the guy couldn’t see his face, Roarke quickly mouthed to Antoinette, “He has a gun.” Then, verbally, he answered, “Yeah, I guess that would be kind of a dick thing to do. Is it okay if we come in?” Antoinette nodded slowly, a sly smile sneaking across her face. “Well, you two get cozy in the lobby, alright? I’m gonna go slip into somethin’ a bit less revealin’, how’s that?” “Fine by me, I ain’t trying to look at another man’s girl,” his captor muttered. Better not be, Roarke mentally shot back. The two walked into the bakery as Antoinette went upstairs to change. Like usual, the nearly overwhelming scent of sugar hit him in the face. It was comforting and reminded him the guy was in their territory now. Roarke got the sense this would turn out in their favor if he just continued to play along until Antoinette could pull off whatever she was planning. The man whistled. “Damn, this place is cute. Suits your girl there. You’re one lucky bastard.” He nudged him in the back with his gun. “Hey, pass me a donut.” Roarke set the beverage carrier on the register counter and opened the box. He’d gotten a half dozen for the two of them and felt mildly irritated that the donuts he’d carefully picked out would now have to be shared with the enemy. With an internalized sigh, he picked up a chocolate glazed one and turned around to hand it to the guy. “You might wanna hide the gun for now unless you plan on telling her why you’re really here,” he quietly suggested, hoping if he followed his advice, it would give Antoinette the advantage. This was the first time Roarke was actually able to look at his captor since they’d unceremoniously met. He was a somewhat disheveled-looking man in a black leather jacket and dark shades with his messy hair smoothed back down against his head. To his disappointment, the guy didn’t seem to consider what he’d said at all. Instead, he took a bite of the donut, then said with his mouth full, “Yeah, sure, whatever. Look, I really don’t wanna do this man, I hope you know that. I’m actually feeling pretty torn up about it.” “Then why do it at all?” “Because when you’ve hit rock bottom as hard as I have, the only way to get back up is to climb over someone else. Maybe I should have gone for the spaz in the top hat that I tailed into the city, bet you’d rather I be pointing this at her, huh?” The man chuckled as he took another bite of the donut. Roarke narrowed his eyes. “Not really, no.” “Huh, really? From what I hear she’s some weird psychic freak who reads people’s minds just by being near them. You’d think people wouldn’t want someone like that around, especially not when you’re a bunch of horny vampires.” “I’m sure your mind is on the bottom of her list of ones to tune into,” he monotonously replied. Unfortunately, the insult seemed to go right over his head. “I sure hope so. I don’t need anyone seeing my shitty life in high definition,” he grumbled. He went to take a bite yet again, but paused. “I’m sure she probably heard me thinking about how nice her ass is, though.” “Great.” “What, you don’t agree? Have you seen it? I mean, I’m sure your girl’s ass is better, but still no harm in window sh—” The tell-tale click of a shotgun sounded from nearby. “Put the fuckin’ gun down, Jerrod Carter,” snarled Antoinette. The man, Jerrod, whirled around and held up his hands. Antoinette, now fully dressed in Silverwing regalia, was glaring down the barrel of a shotgun at him. “You know, I’ve seen lots of pigs in my time, but you? Hoo boy.” Relief washed over Roarke. Now it was his turn to be cocky. With a grin, he said, “Did anyone ever tell you how hot you look with a gun?” “A couple people,” she smirked. “Mind kickin’ his ass for me, hun? I was gonna go easy on him… but I heard what he was sayin’ about Rose. Think he could use a spankin’ for that.” Roarke wasn’t much of a fighter, but that didn’t mean he was worthless. He shot her a quick thumbs-up before kicking Jerrod right in the ass, forcing him onto the ground. The gun, which Jerrod had lost his grip on, clattered onto the floor and slid several feet away. Antoinette moved forward, keeping her shotgun trained on Jerrod at all times. “You’re a right fool for this one, Jerrod. Ain’t your brother warned you not to mess with little ol’ Antoinette LeBlanc?” “Antoinette?” Jerrod gasped. “Are you fucking kidding? You helped take down the Chupacabra?! And I fucking tried to…?” He slammed his head against the floor and groaned, “I should have fucking expected this. Just my goddamn luck.” “Wait, you know each other?” Roarke asked, completely puzzled. “I know his brother, Charlie,” Antoinette explained. “He’s the one who recruited Levi and I after we helped him deal with a rampagin’ bloodfiend, the Chupacabra. That’s a long story, and one I imagine Charlie told his little brother, am I right?” “Yeah, yeah…” Jerrod muttered miserably. “Hold on…” Roarke glanced at Jerrod. “Your brother is a Silverwing, and you’re siding with the enemy? Does he know that?” “Probably not since those fucks in Europe don’t give one single shit about what goes on here,” Jerrod spat. “They never have. Even if he did, I’m sure he’d expect this from me seeing as he’s rubbing elbows with those stuck-up bastards at the top of the food chain.” As much as he hated to admit it, Roarke felt like he could relate to how Jerrod felt on some level. “Look, man, I get it. You wanna make a name for yourself, right? Be somebody? I get it, but this isn’t the way to do it.” Jerrod seemed to consider this for a moment before replying. “Maybe not. But I’m out of options, man.” He sighed. “Whatever. I’m glad I didn’t fuck up a happy couple at least. Though I’m sure if I pulled this off, Marianna would’ve noticed me finally…” “Marianna?” Antoientte asked, her voice sounding like it was on the verge of bursting into a fit of giggles. “You were tryin’ to impress Marianna Cross?” “Yeah? What of it?” “Nothin’, nothin’,” she snorted. “So, uh, what are we doing with him?” Roarke interjected curiously. “I’m gonna call the Silverwings and have them come take this boy into custody. Do you mind restrainin’ him until someone can come pick him up? You got a lot of strength, and if you need a recharge…” She gave him a sultry wink. “…you can get one once he’s gone.” “Lucky bastard,” Jerrod grumbled. “Not a problem, sweet thing.” He walked forward and crouched down to sit on Jerrod’s back, awkwardly straddling him. For extra support, he leaned over the man’s head and forcibly held his arms to the ground. “Comfortable?” he teased. “No,” Jerrod replied indignantly. “I could’ve gotten some duct tape for you,” Antoinette teased. “Treat you like a werewolf.” “Oh, fuck you Charlie, telling everyone the goddamn story… That’s my story…” Jerrod whined. Roarke lifted an eyebrow curiously, but he decided not to ask. Chances were high he’d hear it later at some point anyway. “I’m gonna go call Mr. Luna and Miss Yang, I’ll be right back!” Antoinette kissed Roarke on the cheek before darting off, leaving him alone with the miserable, grumbling vampire killer. Silence filled the bakery after she’d hurried up the stairs again. Roarke quietly pleaded with Antoinette to be quick as his current position wasn’t entirely comfortable. There was only one person he wanted to be this close with, and it certainly wasn’t another guy. Still, he felt sorry for Jerrod. Even if what he had done was pretty shitty, he wasn’t really a bad guy. After all, he had given him a chance to say goodbye to Antoinette (even if that had ultimately been his demise). “I’m sorry,” he quietly apologized after a few moments. “That you got caught, I mean. I’m not really sorry that I wasn’t kidnapped and probably killed. Thank you for… bringing me back. I know it didn’t really play out well for you, but… I appreciate it.” Jerrod just gave him a long, miserable sigh. “Like I said, man: I’m not a complete dick. I know what you vampires are like when it comes to romance, and I know what it’s like to have your heart broken by one. No matter what, she didn’t deserve to go through that.” “Not again, anyway,” he agreed. “You better treat that girl right. I don’t think you have any idea what she’s capable of,” Jerrod laughed weakly. “She did the equivalent of taking down a raging elephant with a slingshot. Don’t play around with her.” With a smirk, he admitted, “The only playing around I’ll do with her is in bed.” “Thanks for sharing.” Antoinette finally returned, interrupting their conversation with a satisfied smile on her face. “Mr. Luna and Miss Yang are on the way!” Roarke smiled at her, relieved once again he didn’t have to lose her. God, she’s beautiful. He wanted to embrace her and kiss her over and over to tell her how much she really meant to him, but he remembered from a previous conversation they’d had that her Silverwings uniform was threaded with genuine silver. Unless he wanted to suffer serious burns, he’d have to resist until she took it off, which he hoped was soon because he wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight. She was the best thing that had happened to him since he’d been turned, and he’d almost lost her completely. He’d been an idiot that morning, and he knew it. “Baby, tell me what I did was stupid.” “I wanna, but it was sweet of you to get us breakfast.” She glanced over at the coffee and the remaining donuts. “But you should’ve woken me up first.” “I know,” he frowned. “I know, I shouldn’t have gone out alone. I knew that, and I still did and…” His throat tightened. “I almost lost you.” “I think I could say the same, hun.” “I was so worried about you. I didn’t know if you’d be okay if we never saw each other again. I just… I felt so…” His throat tightened painfully again. Things could have gone so much worse, but they didn’t. This wasn’t goodbye. “Shh,” she reassured him with a gentle smile, “it’s alright, hun. I’m here, you’re here, we’re okay. We handled it. We can handle anythin’, alright?” “I really hope so.” He sighed and shook his head, trying to clear away the fright of never seeing her dazzling blue eyes again or feeling her soft skin on his. “I love you, sweet thing, and I never, ever want to lose you.” Antoinette’s eyes widened and her entire face turned red. “P-Pardon, hun? Did you just say…?” The realization of what he’d said didn’t hit him for a few seconds, but when it did, he felt his face flush with heat, likely matching hers. “Shit, I’m… I’m sorry, that was…” That was what? A mistake? Considering how it had spilled out of his mouth without him even thinking about it, he was willing to bet that wasn’t the case at all. The events of that morning had made one thing very clear to him: He did not want to live without her in his life. She meant the world to him, and the mere thought of never being able to see her again terrified him. A smile broke on his lips and, speaking gently, he said, “That was true, and I’m sorry if it was way too soon. When you know, you know, right?” “I guess so,” she whispered, a smile creeping its way across her face. “Vampires really do know pretty quick, huh? Seein’ how Eric was lookin’ at that man of his, maybe I should’ve expected this. But it still caught me by surprise.” He laughed and shrugged. “I can’t really say I know from experience or anything. All I know is I’m crazy about you, and I’m serious about us.” A knock at the door interrupted their tender moment. Antoinette hurried to answer it and a moment later, she returned with two older people in tow, presumably the Mr. Luna and Miss Yang she had mentioned earlier. Roarke finally got off of Jerrod, probably to the man’s relief as much as his. Mr. Luna pulled Jerrod up onto his feet, and Miss Yang fastened a set of handcuffs around his wrists. “If it ain’t too much trouble, can you make sure Victoria knows it was Roarke who caught Jerrod?” Antoinette asked. Roarke stared at her in surprise as Miss Yang replied, “Of course, Miss LeBlanc. And, do not fear, we will ensure to deliver his blood to her as well, just as promised.” “Thank you both. And, well, be gentle with that one, alright?” She gestured her head at Jerrod. “He’s a dope and a perv, but he is Charlie’s brother, and I don’t rightfully think he’s all bad.” “Of course,” Miss Yang nodded. She smiled mysteriously at Roarke and said, “You’re a lucky man, Mr. Higgens.” He smiled back and replied, “Yeah, I know.” “As long as you know, then you are sure to thrive,” Mr. Luna nodded. “Now come along, Mr. Carter. We will get you settled into one of the prison cells at the base.” Jerrod grumbled in irritation, but otherwise went along quietly with the Silverwings as they left. As soon as they were gone, Roarke sighed in relief. “Finally. It’s just the two of us.” “It sure is,” Antoinette replied seductively. “And you know what that means.” She unbuttoned the front of her uniform. “Wanna go upstairs and take advantage of our free time, hun?” “Our coffee might get cold,” he pointed out almost in disbelief that this was his first thought when being propositioned. She laughed. “Today’s the perfect day for an iced coffee, I think. Get a few ice cubes and it’ll work out just fine.” “Then what are we waiting for?” he grinned. Antoinette quickly grabbed both Jerrod’s abandoned gun from the floor and her shotgun before leading Roarke up the stairs to her apartment. As soon as she had put both away and had stripped off her uniform, Roarke embraced and kissed her. They stayed like this, exchanging passionate kiss after passionate kiss, for several minutes, his desire for her only growing more intensely with each passing second. Maybe he’d fallen too quickly for her, but if that meant being able to love her with everything he had, he didn’t care. He needed her, and he wasn’t afraid to admit it. When he eventually broke away, he whispered, “Do I have permission to take you to bed, Miss LeBlanc?” “I’m thinkin’ that you do, Mr. Roarke,” she replied. That was all he needed to bend down, pick her up bridal style, and lay her on top of her messy covers. Some might criticize him and say they were having way too much sex this early in their relationship, but he didn’t care. He loved Antoinette more than anything else in the world, and he fully intended on showing her just how thankful he was to have her in his life. ****** “Marianna.” Marianna opened her eyes to see a sight she had seen a thousand times over the past hundred years in dreams—no, nightmares—just like this one. Kneeling before her on the floor was the wounded, exhausted man who had been nothing but kind to her—a man who had been more of a father to her than her own. Dracula looked up at her with tired, pleading crimson eyes. She shook her head, that familiar old fear and misery coursing through her just as it had that night. “I… I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I can’t, I can’t let her—” “I know,” Dracula whispered. “It is me, or my family. Let it, then, be me. And let it be by your hands because if it is not, I am certain you will not survive this night either.” She so desperately wished she could make herself turn and flee from the room, fight through all of the vampire killers, and get everyone away from Eve, but that was not what happened that night. Try as she might, she couldn’t keep herself from stepping forward, the silver of her gauntlets glinting in the light of the candles. The Silverwings shouting outside was intensifying. She could hear the hissing of the Lovetts as they attacked the hunters who had been guarding this hideout. The inhuman noises they made caused her hands to tremble as she readied to strike. Dracula tilted his head upwards, revealing his throat to her. “This is the only way.” “She’ll never forgive me for this, will she?” Marianna whimpered, her hand shaking. “Is it better to live in a world without her?” “Either way is torture, but… a world without Nadia is not a world worth living in…” Dracula closed his eyes. “There you have it. Now… Go on.” Her trembling hand slowly steadied, and her entire body steeled itself. She knew what was coming next. With a newfound determination, she swung, and it was then that her eyes shot open once more. This time, however, she was lying in her bed. She was back in the reality her actions that night had left her in. She’d dreamt of her murder of Dracula many, many times, leading to countless guilty, restless nights, but this time it stung far worse than usual. The gauntlets she had used to kill her former teacher had been a gift to her from Rhiannon Rhydderch. And who had her daughter coincidentally decided to summon to the mansion the previous night? Rhiannon. She wasn’t mad at Gabby. How could she be? The poor girl loved Jojo so much, she and her friend, Flynn, had pieced together that it was Rhiannon who had made the wretched collar Jack had put on Jojo. Now she was going to find a way to get it off of him. Marianna was filled with pride that her child was so smart and resourceful; even she had no idea how to summon Rhiannon. But with that being said, seeing the woman again was very distressing. Marianna was certainly fond of Rhiannon. She was sweet, pleasant, and fun to be around. But looking at her made her feel an intense, burning guilt at having betrayed the woman’s good graces and using something she had lovingly crafted for such a wicked purpose. What’s more, she was well aware Rhiannon had feelings a bit stronger than mere friendship in regards to Marianna. The letters she’d sent over the years, each written lovingly and poetically, had made that abundantly clear; Rhiannon had not missed sending one on Marianna’s birthday once since the day they’d met. If her guilt was bad, then the ache her heart felt at being simply unable to return the woman’s clear affections was perhaps worse. She just could not find it within herself to give up entirely on Nadia. She’d tried many, many times to move on, though none had ever been quite as enchanting as Rhiannon. Would that I could open my heart to you, you sweet enchantress, Marianna thought bitterly as she rolled over in bed to check her phone. She noticed she had quite a few unread text messages from Jerrod, which she let out an irritated sigh at, before shutting her phone off and flopping back onto the bed. She truly regretted giving the man her number, and right now she was in absolutely no mental state to deal with whatever it was he had seen fit to babble about in the middle of the night. She took a deep breath. If Rhiannon was going to be here, then Marianna had to come clean and tell her the truth. Even if she hated her (a very likely result, all things considered), she was certain that the woman would still happily help Gabby and Jojo. In their brief time talking last night, she had expressed frustration and disgust that someone would misuse her creation as Jack did, something that had bolstered Marianna’s resolve even more. If there was any one person she didn’t want to be compared to on a moral level, or really any level at all, it was Jack Fairchild. Marianna quickly rolled out of bed and got dressed, stopping to look at her reflection in the mirror on the door. It was times like these that she wished that the old myth about vampires having no reflection was true. She looked tired and miserable, the exhaustion on her face betraying her youthful exterior and showing a woman well over a century and a half old. She moved out into the hallway, where she could hear the TV downstairs. The sounds of cartoonish violence were a sure sign Rex was watching that ridiculous show with the talking hands again. As she passed the bathroom on her way to the stairs, she heard someone showering and humming to themselves. She strained her hearing to discover that it was Rhapsody. She continued onwards until she arrived at the door of the room Rhiannon was staying in. As she raised her hand to knock, the lovely Welsh lilt of Rhiannon’s voice sang out, “Come in.” Marianna flinched at how genuinely happy Rhiannon sounded that she was there. Steeling herself, she pushed the door open. Rhiannon was sitting cross-legged on her bed meditating with her eyes closed and a peaceful smile on her face. A large, beautiful moth that she recognized as Rhiannon’s familiar was flitting about, occasionally landing gently on Rhiannon’s head to rest before fluttering away around the woman’s head again. Marianna cleared her throat. “Good morning, Rhiannon. Did you, um, sleep well?” “I did not sleep at all, Mary,” the woman replied, “as I have much work to do. Devising a way out of the collar for that young gentleman is tricky business, you know. This isn’t child’s play. This isn’t rotting the members of the royal family’s bodies while they’re still alive. This is delicate business to save a life that actually matters. Removing it improperly could cause damage, even to a vampire like him.” “Right, right…” Marianna muttered nervously. “Well, you know, I just wanted to check up on you, see how you’re doing, see if you settled in alright…” “I did, indeed. Although I certainly wished I could have seen you again under better circumstances.” Guilt was building up in Marianna’s throat. She knew she had to come clean, but it wasn’t going to be easy. “Well… you can blame Jack for that.” “I can hardly believe it,” Rhiannon sighed. “He seemed such a sweet, charming young man when I first met him. How did he end up like this?” “He didn’t end up that way; he was always like that,” Marianna hissed. “It disgusts me so much he would… he would betray you like that.” Rhiannon shrugged and slid off her bed. “I imagine many have used my gifts for nefarious purposes. I suppose it’s silly to imagine everyone asking for a weapon wants it for noble reasons, right?” She let out a small laugh before snapping her fingers. “I must make Gabby something. A woman like her deserves a special gift. You truly raised her well, Marianna. I see so much of you in her.” Tears welled up in Marianna’s eyes. “Th-Thank you,” she replied softly, her voice trembling. “Knock knock,” came Rhapsody’s voice. Marianna turned to see the woman had leaned into the bedroom, a towel wrapped around her head. “Hey Rhiannon. Shower’s all yours.” “Lovely, lovely!” Rhiannon moved by, giving a sly, sideways glance to Marianna. “Care to keep me company?” Marianna’s face flushed. “Oh! Um, of course, I mean… I showered last night, so I—“ “Don’t think she meant it like that, babe,” Rhapsody yawned. “Or did you?” Rhiannon smiled sweetly. “Oh, my, no. I’m not here to pressure Mary. Although I certainly won’t say no if she wishes to come in with me.” She opened her hands, her familiar gently alighting on her palm. She leaned in and gave the moth a loving smile. “You stay here now, Heulwen,” she whispered lovingly to the creature before it once more flew away, circling the light on the ceiling. Marianna’s face grew ever more red as she genuinely considered entering the shower with the enchantress. Ultimately, her lingering desire to try and reconcile with Nadia held her tongue. Frankly, she didn’t understand what Rhiannon saw in her to begin with. The woman was lovely and powerful enough to do far better than some miserable aristocrat like herself. She followed Rhiannon to the bathroom, waiting outside patiently until she called her in. The woman sang in a gentle, haunting voice as she showered, the steam from the hot water swirling around in the air and fogging up the mirror. Marianna sat on the toilet, quietly running through how exactly to phrase what she wanted to say. Eventually, Rhiannon paused her singing. “I may be in here longer than expected, I’m afraid,” she sighed happily. “I appreciate your company, Mary, but perhaps you could see about finding us some breakfast?” “Oh, of course! I’ll meet you in the dining room, then.” Feeling slightly relieved, but still all too nervous, Marianna hurried down to the kitchen. She could hear Rex still laughing at the TV show from all the way in here. She almost wished she could just drop what she was doing, run out there, and enjoy the mindless television show he was watching, but she was not about to back down. She was telling Rhiannon the horrible thing she had done, no question about it. She flung the fridge open and began rummaging around inside, pulling out some eggs and some bacon. “I suppose some pancakes would be nice,” she mumbled to herself as she began preparing the food. It wasn’t long before Rhiannon strolled in, inhaling deeply as she did so. “My, my, my, Mary. Something smells delicious,” Rhiannon cooed, her moth, Heulwen, fluttering in after her. “It’s just pancakes and bacon,” Marianna muttered sheepishly. “It’s nothing too special.” “It’s not about what you make, but how you make it,” Rhiannon replied. With a shy smile, Marianna gathered up their food and brought it to the dining room. It was a large, spacious room, decorated with paintings on the wall and featuring an ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It was a bit too gaudy for Marianna’s taste, bringing up unpleasant memories of her childhood as she looked at it, but the house wasn’t exactly her decision. She wouldn’t have picked Rhine City to set up shop in if she’d had a choice in the matter, but Eve was dead set on this mission, even if it broke the promise she’d made to Marianna so long ago. Marianna clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. She’d long since come to realize the woman she called “Mother” was not as trustworthy as she’d once believed as a frustrated young woman, but it still stung especially hard. Her love for Eve was genuine and honest, as the angel had been kind to her for a long time before offering up that cruel choice to her so long ago. But Eve had made a promise that Victoria, Dahlia, and Nadia were to be left alone in return for slaying Dracula, a promise that the woman had seemingly gone back on. Eve had said she simply wished to take them hostage, but Marianna had a nagging suspicion that whatever it was she had planned, it was far worse than simply killing them. “Rhiannon,” Marianna began as she snapped back to the present and sat down at the table, “there is something I need to tell you. Something… Something very difficult.” “Oh?” Rhiannon tilted her head curiously as she put a piece of pancake in her mouth. “What might it be, Mary?” “Well… You see…” She swallowed hard. “I appreciate you very much Rhiannon. I appreciate your skill and your wisdom, and the gift you made for me, Airgetlám. It’s incredible how useful those gauntlets are. I’ve told you how they helped back in World War Two, and the whole thing with the Genovese girl’s killer...” “You flatter me,” Rhiannon winked. “But there’s no need to. I can feel it, that I’ve done well by you with that gift.” “But there’s someone you didn’t do well by with it,” Marianna whispered. Rhiannon gave her a curious look. “What do you mean?” “Dracula,” Marianna muttered in reply. Saying it out loud was the hard part, but she was nearly there. “I… I killed him. I killed him with the gift you made me.” It was dead silent in the room for a long moment, tension hanging heavily in the air. Marianna steeled herself for the worst: A barrage of insults and swearing, maybe even a curse or two lobbed in her direction. But when Rhiannon finally opened her mouth to speak, she said something that was far more shocking than anything she could have imagined. “Oh, you poor thing… You’re the one who was tricked into it?” The enchantress reached across the table and put a gentle hand over Marianna’s own, smiling sympathetically at her. “Marianna, Dracula isn’t dead.” Marianna froze. “Pardon?” she choked out. How could that be possible? She had been the one to kill him. She saw him die with her own eyes! Granted, her eyes had been filled with tears, and she had felt rather sick, so maybe she had missed something, but certainly Eve wouldn’t be so casual all this time if she knew Dracula was still alive. “He’s not dead,” Rhiannon repeated. “In fact, I can feel him more strongly than before, so he may well be in the city. I made a ring for him, you see. A soulcatcher ring. Commissioned by someone who warned me of what might happen, though who it was I still do not know.” The world around her seemed to darken and dull as Marianna withdrew into herself trying to comprehend this. He’s alive? Dracula is alive? It was utterly unbelievable and yet, she knew for a fact that it had to be true if Rhiannon could say it with such confidence. Rhiannon was not one to mince words or make up outlandish tales. If she said it, then it was so. She stood up abruptly, stumbling back from the table. “I-I need, I need to… I must find… Amon. Amon, I need to…” Rhiannon stood up, holding out a hand. “Mary, I’m so sorry, this must be a lot to take in. I wish I’d known sooner, I would have done more to ease your worries. I know how much the man meant to you.” The fact Rhiannon was now apologizing to her only served to make her more disoriented. “I have… I’ve spent a hundred years, over a hundred years, thinking I killed a man who treated me as one of his own! And now, now you tell me…” She shook her head. “Amon, I must find Amon. I have to tell him this, I have to.” She whirled around before Rhiannon could reply and stumbled down the front hall, calling out for Amon. Rex peered out of the living room as Marianna stumbled by. “Mary, what the fuck are you doing?” “Where is Amon, Rex?” she snapped. “Where!” Rex actually jumped a bit, a sight she would have surely found more amusing if she wasn’t reeling from what she’d just been told. “Uh, outside, in the pool.” “Thank you,” she shakily replied as she made her way to the back door, stumbling out onto the patio surrounding the pool. Just as Rex had said, there was Amon, effortlessly swimming laps around the pool, cutting through the water as if he were a shark. His swimming skills had always impressed Marianna, which made her happy the mansion had such a spacious pool for him to swim in. Then again, it would be absurd to imagine Eve not doing all she could to spoil the man; the angel’s emotions were all too often unfathomable, but her utter adoration of Amon was plain to see by all. “Amon!” she shouted hoarsely. In a single, swift motion, Amon leapt out of the pool and landed gracefully before her, dressed only in dark purple swim trunks. The thick, light blue lines tattooed across his body and forming an angular heart-shaped symbol on his chest appeared to be faintly glowing as he stood before her, water dripping off of his body onto the pavement below. “Marianna? What are you d—” “Dracula is alive!” she shouted breathlessly and a bit louder than she’d meant to. Amon stared at her. “Marianna. We both know that cannot be true.” “Rhiannon, she made him a ring, some kind of—” “A soulcatcher ring, Amon,” came Rhiannon’s voice from the doorway. The enchantress strolled confidently out into the yard, Heulwen fluttering behind her. “Very powerful blood magic. Very hard to craft. Very potent stuff… And it’s here in the city, and I’m quite certain Dracula will live again. Should we inform Eve? I imagine she’d like to know, Dracula was in her Order, correct?” “Why are we talking about Dracula?” Eve stepped out into the backyard, slowly approaching the gathered vampires. “I haven’t the foggiest, my friend,” Amon responded as he moved to grab a white robe off of a nearby chair. “Rhiannon was just telling some rather peculiar fantasies to Marianna, that’s all.” Eve’s eyes flitted over to Rhiannon, a grin spreading across her face. “Why, hello there, Rhiannon! How lovely to see you! Now, what exactly are you telling my sweet little Marianna that is distressing her so?” Eve reached out and gently brushed Marianna’s hair, something that was not nearly as calming as the angel imagined it was. “Dracula’s alive,” Rhiannon stated bluntly. Marianna could see Amon was just as stunned as she was, a rare sight indeed. Rhiannon was perhaps a bit too frank sometimes. Thankfully, all Eve did was throw back her head and laugh hysterically at this. “Oh, you are hilarious! That just can’t be! Dracula met a rather unfortunate demise after he betrayed me. He’s gone, he can’t come back…” She turned to Amon, a pleading look flashing in her eyes. “Right?” Amon closed his eyes and was silent. “Well…” Eve’s demeanor changed in almost an instant. Frenzied anger replaced her cheerful affability as she picked up a nearby chair and tossed it into the pool. “Tell me it can’t be true!” she screeched. “Tell me there’s no possible way Dracula could still exist! He’s dead! He’s dead because he betrayed me. He tried to kill me! He’s gone!” “It’s absolutely possible,” Rhiannon stated proudly. “A soulcatcher ring, it trapped his soul on the moment of death and now, he continues to live from within, but he will ge—” She did not finish her sentence because in a moment, Eve was upon her, throttling her with one hand, an apple materializing in the other. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t shove this apple down your throat, Rhiannon,” Eve hissed. “You’ve betrayed me, you know. Why should you live if you’re aiding someone who tried to kill me?” “Mother, please!” Marianna cried out as she rushed over and grabbed the arm holding the apple. “Please, clearly she was coerced into doing it! She wouldn’t betray you! And Gabby needs her help!” Eve stiffened. “Gabby… We care about Gabby… We…” She let Rhiannon go and angrily bit into the apple. “You tell me everything about this ring, Rhiannon. Do you understand me?” “Very well,” Rhiannon huffed indignantly. And then she explained, in great detail, what the ring was all about. It apparently needed the blood of those who helped kill Dracula. If he obtained all the drops of blood, he would be able to return to life. She could feel his soul somewhere in the city due to the blood she used for the magic to create the ring being her own, and she assumed whoever had it knew what it was. Eve was stunned to silence for a long moment. “But…” she finally muttered, “Amon… You called all the killers together… And they’re all the descendants... It’s just too perfect. How? How could things align like this? Is he truly meant to plague me yet again?” Amon folded his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. “I’ll bet it was Rasputin, one of his tricks. He must have used some sort of subliminal spell when Marianna and I met him at the door to implant the idea in our heads to gather these people. Perhaps after he saw Mina, it gave him such an idea.” Eve nodded, stunned. “Yes, yes, that makes… sense… “ It didn’t make much sense to Marianna, but before she could ruminate further on it, a thought occurred to her. She pulled out her phone and turned it on to look at the messages from Jerrod. As it turned out, he had apparently found members of Dracula’s coven, yet had never stated if he caught them or not. His last text was from the early hours of the morning. “Oh dear,” she muttered. “Oh dear?” Eve huffed. “What is this ‘oh dear’ about, my child? Please, enlighten me!” “Jerrod… He found someone earlier,” Marianna responded quietly. “Found someone? As in Dracula’s coven? Please, Marianna. Please tell me this is good news he’s giving me.” “I, um… I think, perhaps, he was…” She trailed off, knowing that whatever she finished the sentence with was not going to make Eve’s response any better. More patio furniture flying through the air into the pool while Eve shrieked in frustration confirmed her suspicion that nothing she could've said would have helped. “Amon! You are to order all of these killers to stay in the house until further notice! All of them!” Eve shouted. “I’m going to have a few words with someone who isn’t keeping me as informed as he should be!” She whirled around and stormed off, kicking the door open so roughly that the glass pane on it shattered, causing her to roar in frustration yet again. Amon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Rhiannon. Could you have perhaps held your tongue?” “Absolutely not,” Rhiannon retorted, folding her arms across her chest. “It seems, though, that I have not been informed about a great many things.” She gave a hard look to Marianna. “I hope you’ll catch me up to speed.” “Mom?” came Gabby’s gentle, worried voice from the doorway Eve had just stormed through. She looked frightened despite being dressed in a cheerful white floral summer jumper. “Is everything okay?” Marianna looked at her daughter, her heart aching from the palpable terror on her face. She couldn’t lie to her. “I… I don’t know, Gabby.” Slowly, Gabby walked out of the house and into the backyard. She took in the chaos Eve had created in her fit of rage before asking, “What happened?” “Your grandmother was not happy to find out that Dracula is still alive and will come back if she’s not careful,” Amon explained. “Why doesn’t she want him back?” Rhiannon demanded. “I was under the impression the two liked each other. Why does no one bother to fill me in on anything? First Jack and now this! What else don’t I know?” “Dracula is alive?” Gabby squeaked nervously, her eyes wide like a doe’s. “Apparently,” Marianna muttered, still in disbelief. “What is she so afraid for?” Rhiannon asked, waving a hand at Gabby. “She looks like she’s seen a ghost!” “Mother has told stories, a lot of stories. None of them nice,” Marianna replied. “I suppose I can do my best to explain things, if you’ll let me,” Amon said to Rhiannon. The woman hesitated for a moment, but gave a slow nod in response. Satisfied, Amon continued, “I think it may be best to give these two privacy for now.” With a polite nod, Amon led Rhiannon into the house, leaving Marianna alone with her daughter, her head hung low, as she tried to think of something, anything to say. “Will we be okay?” Gabby asked in a small voice. “I wish I could answer that, but I just don’t know. I’m not sure how Mother will handle this. She’s so… erratic.” “Will Dracula come after us?” She shook her head. “No, he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t do that.” “But Grandma said he was dangerous and wanted to kill her.” “Mother says a great many things that are true in her own mind,” Marianna sighed. “She’s not wrong, but… he wouldn’t hurt me or you. I think he’d love you, if he met you.” She gently caressed Gabby’s cheek, smiling through the tears welling up in her eyes. “How could anyone not, though?” Gabby’s fear visually subsided, but it was evident she was still worried. “But isn’t he the enemy? Why would he like me?” She wished she could explain better, but with Eve already in a foul mood over the news about Dracula, she feared elaborating. On top of that, undoing nearly fifty years of feeding her Eve’s narrative would take far longer than she supposed she had at the moment. “He’s not your enemy,” she simply said after much deliberation. “Promise?” “I promise,” Marianna replied, leaning in and kissing Gabby on the forehead. Her daughter hugged her in return. “I just don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Or Grandma.” “I know, dear,” Marianna whispered as she squeezed her daughter gently. “You’re such a sweet girl. You have so much love in your heart, I know you want us to be okay.” “Will you be?” Marianna paused to consider this, but she already knew the answer. Still, her daughter wasn’t there to be her therapist, so she simply said, “As long as I have you, I can survive.” Gabby squeezed her again before letting her go. “We’ll always be together, right?” Marianna nodded. “Always, Gabby. I will always be here for you. I promise.” Finally, her smile returned, and she seemed to genuinely relax. “I love you, Mom.” “I love you too, Gabby.” With a sense of relief easing her mind (if only a little), she waved her hand towards the house, a knowing smile spreading across her face. “Now that all that excitement is over with... Why not go spend some time with Jojo? I’m sure he’d appreciate your company.” Gabby’s smile grew even wider and she nodded in agreement. “Okay. Thanks, Mom.” She waved excitedly before rushing back towards the house. Marianna watched her go, her heart feeling a bit lighter. Things were incredibly fraught and stressful now, what with Rhiannon’s presence and Eve now more paranoid and irrational than ever. But Gabby was in love for the first time, and seeing her daughter so happy and vibrant like this warmed her. “It will be okay,” she quietly reassured herself. “Everything will be okay.” ****** Jemima sighed and leaned back in her desk chair as she observed her planner. It had taken nearly two hours of her day, during which she had holed herself up in her office, but she had finally orchestrated the perfect schedule to convince the press and Nadia’s ex-lover that their faux relationship was genuine. “For a woman who has been celibate for years, I think I’ve done a fine job,” she smiled to herself. She would, of course, need to review it with the Countess to ensure it was to her approval, but she felt certain her plan was perfect. “Only fine? Oh dear, you slipping up, boss?” Startled, she spun her chair around and saw Macavity standing in the doorway giving her a teasing grin. “You scared me half to death!” Macavity’s expression shifted into an apologetic one, and he bowed his head. “Sorry. Guess I don’t know how quiet I can be sometimes.” With a sigh, she dismissively replied, “It’s fine, I know you mean well.” “Thought you might want to know if you haven’t already heard: Some crooked lawyer was jumped last night,” Macavity said as he stepped into her office. “Some vigilante with dirt on him got him on his way out of a bar. Guy assaulted a homeless man, too. The lawyer, I mean. Vigilante man just beat up the lawyer.” Jemima cocked an eyebrow. This certainly had flown under her radar (not that it was particularly hard as she had been preoccupied for the entirety of the morning). “Who is this lawyer and what, precisely, did he do?” Macavity snorted. “What didn’t he do more like it. Name’s Snyder. Robert Snyder.” “The name sounds familiar,” she admitted. “I believe I’m acquainted with his law firm. I am curious how something like this wasn’t reported to me sooner, especially if Mr. Synder is as bad as you say.” “You know how lawyers are,” Macavity shrugged. “Weaselly punks, those ones.” “Perhaps,” she agreed. “Tell me, then, about this vigilante you mentioned.” “Calls himself Loveless. Cuz he doesn’t love crime or something like that. Maybe he’s just a big fan of My Bloody Valentine. Can’t really judge anyone on that front considering my name,” he chuckled. “Your name is intimidating considering its namesake. ‘Loveless’ sounds…” She scoffed, unsure exactly how to end her statement. “Well, whatever he calls himself, certainly got results. Snyder is being grilled from what I’ve heard. Cops are all over him.” Jemima lifted both of her brows this time in surprise. If the police were actually taking action for once, then Mr. Synder had to be in serious trouble. Ignoring her slight irritation at being left entirely clueless about the man’s questionable habits, she neatly folded her hands in her lap. “Is there anything else I need to know?” “Well, Kenzo and I have been discussing security for your outings, thinking maybe Mickey and his crew could be of help for that. Ryo was seeing what restaurants he could reserve for you two. Gusto del Paradiso was top of the list, apparently.” The edges of her lips curved upwards into a smile. “Ah, what a restaurant for a first date. I think that will do just fine.” “In all my years, never thought I’d see the day where the heroine of Rhine went out for a pasta dinner with a German countess. Guess this is the sort of thing you can only see in this city.” “Hush,” she scolded him, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “This is simply for show. I hold up my end of the bargain, and she shall do the same. It’s a simple business transaction and nothing more.” Macavity gave a playful shrug. “Oh, I know that well as anyone, boss.” “Then don’t forget it.” With yet another sigh, she stood up from her seat and glanced at her watch. 11:24 A.M. “I believe it is time for a lunch break before my afternoon appointments. Shall I have something prepared for us, or have you eaten already?” “Think we could all use something, to be honest. I know I’m right famished. Not sure how Kenzo and Ryo are doing.” Jemima sighed. She had forgotten Ryo was visiting today. She was almost surprised he hadn’t insisted on seeing her immediately, but her bodyguard had likely put a stop to that considering how she’d asked not to be bothered that morning. “Are we to all eat together, then?” “I suppose we are. Oh, one thing. Ryo seems a bit… off. Not sure what his issue is, but he’s a bit quieter than usual.” This was rather concerning. Ryo being quiet wasn’t a good sign considering he was almost always hyperactive. “I’ll speak with him, then. Can I trust you to arrange for lunch to be prepared with haste?” “Does Rhine City have the highest crime rate on the East coast?” Macavity snorted. Jemima sighed again and shook her head, fighting the urge to smile. “I shall see you shortly, then.” With a nod in Macavity’s direction, she walked out of her office and made her way to the living room where she suspected Ryo and Kenzo were lounging. A moment later, just as she’d expected, she found Ryo sitting stiffly on the couch with Kenzo standing watch over him, the bodyguard’s hands folded neatly behind his back. True to Macavity’s word, Ryo seemed quite off today; he was staring at his phone, an ashy, haunted expression on his face, almost as if he’d seen a ghost. Most unnerving of all, though, was how he hardly seemed to notice Jemima as she entered. Kenzo at least gave a polite nod, but Ryo remained frozen. Ryo was many things, but impolite was not one of them. “Is everything alright?” she asked with genuine concern. As much as the man drove her crazy at times, she did care for him. Seeing him like this was eerie, and it made her skin prickle. He was silent for a long moment before finally asking in a shaky voice, “So. Have you heard the news? Vigilante guy beat up a lawyer.” “I’ve heard, yes.” She sat next to him on the couch. She couldn’t comprehend in the slightest why this might frighten him so. “Did you hear about what else happened that night? The homeless guy the lawyer punched looked like he had a heart attack or something. Someone saved him.” He seemed to be trembling as he held up his phone. “Tell me. Who does the woman there look like?” On the screen, there was an Asian woman with a waist-length ponytail that appeared to be dyed a shade of red that was a massive eyesore. Jemima peered closer at the photo. Something about the woman struck her as familiar, but she couldn’t quite place how or why. “I apologize, Ryo. I’m not quite certain,” she finally admitted after a long minute passed. “That hairstyle,” he said, his voice trembling even more than before, “is a dead ringer for my father’s. Do you… Do you understand what that means?” With a sigh, she rubbed her forehead. “I assume this means your sister did not leave the city as requested.” “So it would seem,” Kenzo replied. “I need… I need to,” Ryo began, his hand shaking so badly that his phone tumbled to the ground, causing him to utter a series of profanities. “Why now! Why right when we’re about to finally fucking get the edge we need! It’s bad enough your little pal Minerva won’t just leave the damn city!” “Ryo,” she said sternly. “I will take care of this.” How, she wasn’t entirely sure, but she hoped her words were enough to at least get him to relax before he did something he regretted. “Just… I… Do we have any… any fucking… someone, anyone who could get her out of the city? Fuck, how are we even going to find her!” He put his shaking hand to his head and leaned back on the couch. He was a disaster. His anger could, at times, be unstable, and she wasn’t certain she wanted to find out what it was like when he was scared out of his mind like this. “You trust me, do you not?” “Yes, yes, of course I do!” he protested. “Then let me handle this. You’ve enough on your plate with the restaurant.” He laughed weakly. “On my plate. Restaurant. Funny, funny… Mom used to say shit like that.” “Miss Mathers, I would be happy to make a few calls myself. I believe I know a few people who may be interested in this news,” Kenzo suggested. “Speak with Macavity later,” she replied. “He’ll be the head of this… ‘project’. However, for now, I believe it is time for lunch.” She turned her attention to Ryo again and asked, “Would you care to join me?” He nodded. “Yeah. Think I need to eat. Stress… getting to me.” “Good food and excellent company is wonderful medicine,” she joked with a smile as they stood up. “Juan is preparing a meal as we speak.” Ryo pulled himself up off the couch and cracked his neck. “Well, at least lunch will be good. Last thing I need is a crappy meal on top of this.” “I don’t think Juan’s is capable of making a subpar meal.” The trio left the living room and walked across the foyer towards the dining room. When they arrived, Macavity was already there lingering behind a chair waiting for them. As Ryo and Kenzo took their seats, Jemima approached her bodyguard. Under her breath, she whispered, “Ensure someone is searching for the vigilante at all times. He must be found.” Macavity responded with a slight nod; she knew she didn’t need to tell him twice. Satisfied, she took her seat at the head of the table. She was uncertain if this vigilante was a friend or a foe, but either way, she would track him down. She wanted answers, particularly to her questions about his intentions and what exactly Ryo’s sister was doing that night and why she found it fit not to leave the city as instructed. ****** Jojo sat on the bus next to Gabby, gently squeezing her hand as the vehicle rumbled off to its destination. Their escape from the house had gone easier than expected, namely because Eve had stormed off and left the house early in the day. All of the vampire killers being banished to their rooms for the time being—apparently Jerrod was missing, either dead or captured—helped them avoid detection as well. Only Mina had been lingering about when they’d left, but she’d either hadn’t noticed or chose to ignore them. While sneaking out, he’d noticed Gabby was abnormally quiet and far less cheery than usual. He’d wondered if it had something to do with whatever had happened that morning with Eve, but he hadn’t pried while they’d made their great escape. However, now seemed a good time to try and talk to her seeing as the bus was mostly empty. He gave her hand a squeeze. “What is on that mind of yours, liebling?” he whispered. Gabby looked guilty and quietly admitted, “Dracula is still alive, and I’m worried about what will happen to us.” Jojo’s eyebrows shot right up and his eyes widened. This certainly went a long way towards explaining the commotion with Eve. “That is… quite the bombshell. But I promise you, no matter what, I will do everything I can to keep you safe. I swear it. I won’t let any harm come to you, Gabby.” A smile grew on her face, and she squeezed his hand back. “I guess I’m mostly just confused. Grandma always said he was bad and would have come after her eventually if he wasn’t killed, but Mom says he’s not the enemy. Or not mine anyway. But I’m still worried about her and Grandma.” “I suppose that is understandable,” he nodded. He couldn’t deny he was a bit concerned for Marianna; he had always known, despite everything that had happened, that she was a good woman. Gabby sighed. “I’m sorry. I finally get to go out with you alone, and I’m acting all sour.” She beamed at him. “I’ll worry about all that later. Today is just us.” “Just us,” Jojo repeated. He was glad they could finally spend some time alone. He felt a pang of guilt over leaving Flynn behind, but he quickly pushed these feelings aside. Dear to him though Flynn was, he did want some alone time with his girlfriend now and then. “I wonder what the mall here is like. Do you think they have good food?” “God, I hope so,” Jojo laughed. “Malls can be so hit or miss with their food courts. I went to one with Dallas back in the late 60’s, and we hadn’t, ah, had a drink yet that day, so we both ended up getting food poisoning.” “Oh.” Gabby’s eyes widened. “I forgot that’s possible. We should be okay, right?” “Ja!” he nodded reassuringly. “We both had a drink last night, so we should be ok.” She visibly relaxed again. She opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by an automated voice that announced over the speakers, “Now approaching Paradise Mall.” With a gasp of excitement, she reached for the yellow cord hanging above the window and pulled it to request a stop. The large vehicle slowed down until it stopped moving, and the driver opened the doors. They, along with the few other riders, quietly walked off of the bus. Gabby cheerfully thanked the driver before hopping onto the pavement below. A large sign across the street said “Paradise Mall” in bright blue letters. It was a cheesy name, but so were the names of most shopping malls in America. Gabby and Jojo, along with the other bus passengers, crossed to the opposite side of the street when the crosswalk light signaled it was their turn. The parking lot was full, but that was likely normal considering it was a weekend. Holding hands, the two excitedly raced across the hot pavement to reach one of the main entrances. The air conditioning inside hit Jojo’s bare skin instantly, and he shivered involuntarily. It was quite cold compared to the summer heat outside. He could hear a Katy Perry song echoing through the vast interior. There were people walking around with their hands full of plastic shopping bags, teenagers standing together in a large group in one corridor laughing loudly, and enthusiastic children running away from their mothers who were either desperately trying to get them to stay close or not paying attention to them in the slightest. Almost immediately, Jojo realized they’d entered through the food court doors as the two of them were surrounded by an array of different restaurants. The delicious aromas of pizza, hamburgers, Chinese, and fried chicken all hit him at once. He took a deep breath, inhaling all of the delectable aromas, before turning to Gabby and smirking. “Looks like we get to see if the food here is good or not, ja? Or do you want to wait on eating?” “I’m actually kind of hungry.” With a bright grin, she asked, “What would you like? It’s my treat.” He pouted. “Aw, you won’t let me be a gentleman and buy you lunch? You are already far too kind to me. Can’t I do something nice for you?” She seemed genuinely conflicted by this, if the thoughtful frown on her face was any indication. “But you bought me food at the movie theater. It’s my turn to pay.” “But you have given me something more valuable than any gift in the world, and I wish to spoil you besides,” Jojo retorted cheerily. “What did I give you?” “Hope? Compassion? Lots of kisses?” Jojo batted his eyelashes playfully at her. “And so because of that, I must spoil you. Fair is fair.” Gabby huffed, but finally gave in. “Okay, fine. Just this once.” He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and then asked, “What would you like to eat, liebling?” “I think I might have pizza. I kinda want some real pizza, not the frozen stuff.” “Then I will have pizza too!” He winked at her. “Makes things nice and easy, ja?” With a nod, Gabby led him through the food court to a restaurant called Mama Bianchi’s. They had several pizzas full of cheese and various toppings on display under red heat lights. A cheerful woman with short brunette hair stood behind the counter and greeted them. After a polite greeting in turn, Jojo began to browse the available varieties of pizza. “What to get, what to get…” Jojo muttered to himself as he perused the options before him. “What are you feeling, liebling?” Gabby scrunched her nose in deep thought as she looked at the options. “I think I want sausage,” she declared a few seconds later. “I think that will be two sausage then, please!” Jojo said to the cashier. The woman prepared their order, placing each slice on a paper plate. Jojo also ordered two drinks, then paid for their meal. Once everything was neatly placed on a tray, he picked it up, and the two found an empty table in the dining area. They each ate their pizza quietly as people around them talked, their voices loud enough to make the food court a bit noisy. “So,” Jojo eventually began, “where shall we go first after we eat?” “Maybe a bookstore? They might have movies!” Her face lit up, but almost immediately grew dim. “Oh… They probably don’t have tapes, though.” “Probably not,” Jojo admitted. “But there’s no harm in looking, ja?” He gave her a sweet smile, one of surely thousands he would give her that day. She nodded, looking less disappointed now. “Maybe I can find a book I’ll like instead.” “That’s the spirit! So, what else do you think we could do? Or,” he tapped his chin thoughtfully, “I should ask, what do you usually like to do at malls?” Gabby was quiet a moment, chewing a bite of pizza as she stared at the table’s black and grey speckled surface. When she spoke, her voice sounded nervous. “Have I told you about my power yet?” “You know, I don’t believe you have.” He leaned forward excitedly onto the table. “What can you do, liebling?” She set her piece of pizza down on the plate and quickly wiped off her hands with a brown paper napkin decorated with the Mama Bianchi’s logo. She looked around the food court, her eyes darting from person to person. She seemed to settle on someone after a few seconds. Lifting her hand, she pointed to someone. “See that woman over there? The one in the green floral dress?” Jojo turned to look in the same direction and spotted a blonde woman strutting past the food court with an air of superiority. She was rolling her eyes and carrying several bags in her hands, the clip-clop of her heels clear as day as they hit the polished mall floor with each step. He nodded, his curiosity piqued. “I do indeed.” “Okay, keep your eyes on her.” Gabby grew quiet as he watched the woman, just as instructed. Nothing happened for several seconds as the woman continued walking, occasionally scoffing or rolling her eyes at someone. Then, without warning, the woman tripped, dropping several of her bags in the process. A groan of irritation could be heard as she stopped to pick them up off of the floor. As soon as she was standing upright, she dropped them again. Jojo put a hand up to his mouth to suppress an oncoming fit of laughter. “How are you doing that?” “That’s my power,” she admitted. “I can make people do things.” “I hope it’s just for lighthearted pranks like that.” He already knew the answer would be a yes; if he was certain of anything, it was that Gabby was a kind soul who would never cause anyone serious harm. The woman continued on her way, and Gabby turned her attention back towards him. “Yes. I never do anything to hurt someone.” She frowned. “I know it isn’t very nice, but… Some people just act like they’re so entitled. I know it isn’t right to judge others, but she was being rude. Did you see her rolling her eyes at other people?” “I did,” Jojo nodded. “I can’t say I feel very sorry for her, she seemed like a—“ A realization dawned on him and a huge grin spread across his face. “Wait. Back in Germany, when Kristoph kicked Cyrus in the balls out of the blue… Was that…?” She giggled quietly and tried to hide a smile as she answered, “Maybe.” He couldn’t help but burst out laughing, attracting a few odd looks from the mall goers eating nearby. “Oh Gabby, you are bad. I love it!” “You don’t mind that I, um, mess with people?” she asked, looking surprised. “When I was little, my big sister would always say, ‘There’s nothing wrong with some pranks at the expense of jerks.’ She used to mess with bullies in the neighborhood to entertain me, so I love a good bit of tomfoolery. In fact…” He gave her a sly, mischievous grin. “You showed me yours, how about I show you mine? Keep an eye out for a real nasty shopper, ok?” Gabby nodded enthusiastically. She looked around the food court again with a concentrated frown. Before she could find someone, however, a loud shriek caught their attention. “I want it fresh!” screeched a woman standing at Mama Bianchi’s. Her hands were on her hips. Although they couldn’t see her face from where they were sitting, she was likely glaring at the poor employee, who looked stressed and frazzled. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but these are all fresh! They were prepared just an hour ag—“ “No! I want you to make a brand new one right now! I will not pay $3.50 for a stale piece of pizza!” “They’re not stale,” Gabby whispered to him. Jojo wrinkled his nose in disgust. People who verbally abused fast food workers were some of the last people he ever would feel sympathy for. “Well, seems I have a target.” He felt a warm, safe feeling wash over him like a protective jacket as his power activated. Under the table, he slipped his foot out of his shoe and whispered to Gabby, “Stomp on my foot as hard as you can.” “But I don’t want to hurt you,” she replied with distinct worry in her voice. He stared at the raging customer. “Oh, trust me liebling, you won’t.” He heard an uncertain whimper from her, then felt her foot nudge his as though she was trying to find it. She took a breath, and a second later, he felt her foot slam down onto his. But that was all he felt. He didn’t even flinch or wipe the smug smile off of his face. There was no pain, no stinging in his toes… for him, at least. The screaming woman, on the other hand, yelped in pain and fell onto her rear. Gabby barked out a giggle before slapping her hand over her mouth in minor shame. Through her fingers, she asked, “What happened?” “My power is what happened,” Jojo replied as he slipped his foot back into his shoe. “I redirect pain. So I felt nothing when you stomped on my foot… but she certainly did.” He gestured over to the screeching woman again, who was now being escorted away by a portly, mustachioed mall cop while a crowd of onlookers filming on their phones laughed. “Why don’t you use it when Jack…?” She didn’t finish her question, but she didn’t have to. He knew exactly what she meant. He looked down at the table. “He just… orders me not to. Simple as that, ja? But…” He clenched his fists on the table trembling with anger. “I always imagined it, using my power so I could hurt him as much as he hurt me.” Warmth covered one of his hands, and when he glanced up, he saw Gabby’s hand over his. “I’m so sorry,” she gently said with a sympathetic frown. “You’re going to be free really soon. Rhiannon will make sure to get the collar off, and then he can’t hurt you anymore.” The joyful tingling of her skin against his caused his tension to melt away. She was right; soon enough, the collar would be off, and if Jack ever tried anything again, he would fight back. And he knew if he did, Jack would fold. As terrifying as the man was, he was also a pathetic coward. “Thank you, liebling,” Jojo murmured softly. “How is it you always know what to say? Are you certain the puppet thing is your only power?” “I think so,” she smiled shyly. “Mom didn’t say we could have more than one.” “Unless your one power is a lot of things. Like Amon. Or Dracula, from what Rex has told me.” Hesitantly, she asked, “What can Dracula do?” “Apparently, he could copy the power of any other vampire, just not as strong. Rex said he barely ever used other people’s powers, though.” Gabby nearly paled when she heard this, her honey golden eyes wide with fear. “Oh.” Now it was Jojo’s turn to hold onto her hand. “Liebling, Rex knew the man and has never said a bad word about him. He’s even told me that Dracula is part of why his sister gained so much confidence in herself: Because he befriended her. Do you think Rex would lie to me?” He decided to make a little joke to ease the tension a bit. “I’m far too pretty to lie to, you know.” It seemed to work as she relaxed and gave him a small smile. “I guess not. I’m sorry, I said I’d stop worrying about this, and I meant it.” She sighed and withdrew her hand to pick up her pizza again. “But, um, I don’t think I can do anything else. I think it’s just the… puppet thing.” “That’s okay,” Jojo smiled, making a mental note not to bring up Dracula again (and to make sure they stayed away from any books with him in it when they were in the bookstore). “I am very much okay with you how you are. You’re perfect that way.” Her bright smile was back accompanied with a blush dusted across her cheeks as she finished her slice of pizza. He knew even if he lived another ten thousand years, he would never get tired of that smile of hers. It was so beautiful, so gentle, so sweet; it suited her face perfectly and seeing it made him want to ensure it stayed on there for as long as possible. He could feel his own cheeks heating up just looking at her. They sat in a comfortable silence while they finished their lunch, unbothered by the noise around them. When they were done, Jojo graciously scooped up the trash and threw it out before extending a hand to help Gabby up from her seat. “Are you ready for the bookstore, liebling?” he asked. She nodded her head as she stood up. With her hand in his, they walked together through the food court and down one of the wings of the mall. Since neither of them had visited it before, they weren’t sure where the bookstore was exactly. They ended up wandering around window shopping and taking in the sights of the mall. Jojo had always loved wandering around American malls, and with Gabby by his side, it just seemed all the more magical. They found an old, worn out stand of vending machines that dispensed toys for a quarter, and Jojo fished out some change and acquired a little plastic cheeseburger with googly eyes for Gabby and a tiny alien with a ray gun for himself. After that, they stared into some of the windows, admiring the displays. Jojo sighed forlornly as he looked at some of the expensive summer outfits wishing he had the sort of cash to afford them. He knew his wardrobe was a bit lacking, what with it mostly being comfy shorts, t-shirts, and tank tops. He wanted to look nicer so he didn’t embarrass Gabby when they went out together. “What’s wrong?” she inquired gently from beside him. “Oh, nothing,” Jojo replied hurriedly before internally facepalming. Lying was not a good way to keep a relationship healthy. “Alright, so it is something,” he immediately admitted. “I’m a bit sad I don’t have the money for a wardrobe change. I, uh, don’t really… work. I basically live off the kindness of my coven mates.” Gabby tugged him towards the entrance of the shop with renewed excitement. “Come on!” “What?!” he exclaimed. “Liebling, no, you don’t have to—” “I want to,” she interrupted, pausing just inside the store. She smiled at him. “You deserve nice clothes. Everyone does.” “Well, I suppose I can’t argue with that,” he grinned. Gabby truly was too sweet for words. She seemed satisfied with his response and started taking him around the store. She helped him pick out a few shirts and shorts that she said might look nice on him. She didn’t seem worried about the cost in the slightest considering the amount of clothing she handed him to try on. She waited patiently outside of the dressing room while he tried on the clothing. It wasn’t long at all before he picked out an impressive lineup and sheepishly handed his selections to Gabby. “Ja, so, this is pricey… Are you really okay with getting me this?” She nodded. “Mom gives me lots of money. Like an allowance, I guess. I don’t really get to spend it, but this seems like a good use for it.” He beamed gratefully at her. “Danke, liebling.” A few minutes later, they exited the store, bags in hand, as they continued their quest to find the bookstore. Jojo realized they could probably check a directory, but decided it was far more fun to wander aimlessly about with Gabby by his side. Eventually, they found one. It was one of the bigger, modern ones. Jojo always preferred the more cozy, independent bookstores you would find in towns run by people who clearly loved books as opposed to the big chains that sold everything from books to action figures and had a cafe inside, but beggars couldn’t be choosers at the mall. As they approached the front of the store, his eyes darted over to the books on display in the front window. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at what he saw: A tacky romance novel about Jack the Ripper. The cover showed a bloodied (yet still alive) woman with an ample bosom lying in a back-breaking position in the arms of a handsome, muscular man in a trench coat and top hat. Not only is it offensive, they weren’t even close with what he looked like, Jojo gagged internally. “Wow,” Gabby exclaimed, not noticing the display whatsoever as she peered inside. “This is huge!” He turned his attention back to his girlfriend, pushing the terrible book out of his mind. “I guarantee you we will find something you’ll like in here!” Still holding his hand, she excitedly rushed inside and started perusing the shelves of books. Occasionally, she pointed out a title she thought was funny or would wonder aloud why someone would write a book on a certain subject. Jojo browsed a bit as well, but he was more engaged with Gabby’s palpable excitement. It was a joy to watch her cheerfully browsing the shelves. Jojo threw in his two cents when he felt it necessary or when he saw a book he liked. A few times, he mentioned how he wished he could write a book like one they’d come across, but he was more than content to let Gabby take the lead. She eventually found a book about movie secrets that she wanted. “I probably haven’t seen a bunch of them, but when I can watch them, I’ll know a bunch of cool things to look for!” “And even better, it will give me a shopping list of movies to buy for you,” Jojo winked. “If you can find them on a VHS tape,” she sighed. “I probably should stop being so stubborn and just get a DVD player or something newer.” “There’s nothing wrong with being retro,” Jojo said, wagging his finger. “Although with some of these newer films… Ja, DVDs or Blu-Rays may be the way to go.” She clearly wasn’t happy by that, if the scrunched up frown on her face was any indication, but regardless, she wandered to the registers with the book in her hands. While they were waiting in line, she asked, “Did you see anything you want?” He smirked playfully. “Ja, but I think I already have it.” To his amusement, she seemed confused. “What do you mean?” “I mean you, liebling,” he laughed. “You are the only thing in this store I want.” “Oh,” she replied with a shy smile. A cashier called them forward, and Gabby happily approached the register with her book. When she was paying, Jojo got a peek at her wallet. There were numerous bills stuffed inside, though he couldn’t tell exactly how much cash she possessed. This wasn’t much of a shock to him as Marianna was rather affluent (to say nothing of Amon and his seemingly bottomless wealth). He really hoped Gabby didn’t think he liked her for her money because he frankly couldn’t care less about that. When she finished paying, they walked out of the bookstore, hand-in-hand again. “Where should we go next?” she asked, sparks of excitement glinting in her eyes. “Hmm,” Jojo pondered as he surveyed the surrounding stores. He set his sights on a cute little gift shop nearby. “That store looks cute.” “I wonder what they have inside. Come on!” She practically ran to the store in excitement, giggling as she pulled Jojo with her. As they entered, a little electronic ding sounded when they passed over the store’s threshold. The store was much simpler than the bookstore with all sorts of cute little ceramic figures, house decor, scented candles, and stuffed animals. It was much cozier and more leisurely in its atmosphere. They wandered through the aisles for a few minutes before Gabby gasped. She pointed to a display of picture frames and said, “I should get that for Mom!” Upon looking closer, Jojo spotted a wooden one that said “I Love My Mom” in dark brown cursive lettering. Jojo grinned. “I think she would love that.” Gabby reached forward to grab it, but hesitated. “Wait, but… Where am I going to get a picture printed?” “I can help with that,” a voice piped up from the next aisle. Three seconds later, a cheerful older woman with short blonde hair was smiling at them with something covered in bubble wrap in her hand. “You can send photos to Harold’s to be printed within the hour.” “Harold’s?” she asked, confused. “It’s a drug store,” the employee explained. “It’s local and pretty well known for being a great last minute stop for photos.” “Thank you, ma’am!” Gabby chirped. The woman waved in response with her free hand and disappeared back into the aisle she’d previously been in. “Well, there you have it!” Jojo proclaimed. “Seems like a perfect gift for her, ja?” She nodded enthusiastically, then pulled her phone out of her pocket. “But first, I need to ask if Flynn could pick up the picture for me.” She took a minute to quickly type out a text, then smiled again. “Want to help me pick out a picture while I wait for him to answer?” Jojo nodded enthusiastically. “Sure!” She tapped on her phone again, then passed it to him. “These are all of the photos of Mom and me.” He took it and started looking through it. It appeared to be a folder she’d created specifically for this purpose as, like she’d said, all of the photos were of her and Marianna. In all of the pictures, he noted how happy and relaxed Marianna seemed as opposed to how exhausted and high-strung she was as of late. He stopped at a picture of the two in front of a windmill and a field of flowers in what looked like the Netherlands. The two were all smiles, and Marianna in particular seemed to be radiating joy as she hugged her daughter and smiled for the camera. “This one is pretty,” he suggested. Gabby took her phone back to look. A smile immediately grew on her face. “This is a super old one. I, um, had to scan a bunch of pictures so I could have them on my phone. This really nice librarian in England helped me do it a few years ago.” She paused and added gently, “I really like this one. It’s a good choice.” “Well, I’m glad to be of help!” Jojo grinned, before adding, “You both look so happy in this one. I think she’ll like being reminded of it.” “Yeah, me too.” She glanced at her phone again, and her smile widened. “Oh, yay! He said he’d get it for me!” She grabbed the picture frame. “I think Mom is really going to like this.” “I don’t doubt she will,” Jojo nodded. Despite her excitement, Gabby sighed. “But we don’t have anything for Flynn. What am I supposed to get him?” This was a bit tricky. In his time talking with him, he’d found Flynn seemed to really only like things having to do with being a vampire killer, such as swords and books on magic—these were in rather short supply in such a store. “I’m certain he’d be happy with a simple, thoughtful gift, you know?” “Like what?” “Hmmm…” He looked around, noticing a rotating display of jewelry on a nearby shelf. “Perhaps a friendship bracelet?” Gabby looked confused. “He doesn’t wear bracelets, does he?” “He doesn’t wear cowboy hats, but I’m fairly certain if you got him one, he would never take it off,” Jojo said. She considered this and thoughtfully commented, “Maybe I should get him a cowboy hat…” “I think a bracelet is more his style, liebling,” Jojo laughed. “A cowboy with a sword? It seems a bit silly.” “I guess you’re right,” she agreed. “What color do you think would look best on him?” “Green, red, black… Any of those would suit him.” Just like at the pizza restaurant, Gabby’s nose scrunched up as she pondered the choices. A smile crossed her face when she made her decision, and she picked up a matching set of green woven paracord friendship bracelets with gold charms shaped like half of a heart. One said “BE FRI” and the other said “ST ENDS”. After picking out gift bags and tissue paper, they took the gifts to the cash register to pay. The cashier had started neatly wrapping up the frame in white tissue paper when Gabby gasped suddenly. “Hold on one second.” She rushed towards one of the nearby displays, grabbed something, and returned. Triumphantly, she showed Jojo a white ceramic mug with “Best Grandma Ever” written on it in bold purple cursive with small flowers adorning each side. “Do you think Grandma would like this?” Jojo was a bit flabbergasted at how Gabby could think Eve could ever deserve such a mug, but he wasn’t about to say that. Instead, he smiled and replied, “Ja, definitely.” With a big grin, she set it on the counter. “I’d like this, too, please.” The cashier wrapped the mug as well and neatly packed both in a small brown paper bag. Once Gabby paid, they walked out of the gift shop and continued wandering through the mall. Peering at the numerous stores around them, Jojo asked, “Well, where shall we go next?” “You can pick!” she answered cheerfully. He eyed a few store fronts before he finally settled his gaze on a chocolate store. “Question: What sort of chocolate do you like?” “Everything!” she giggled. “Why?” “Because I think I’m going to buy you a whole bunch of chocolates,” Jojo replied, “and don’t argue, because you deserve it.” Gabby gasped and sheepishly smiled. “Really? Are you sure? You don’t have to…” “Well I want to, so there,” he retorted. Before Gabby could respond, he gave her hand a squeeze and gently pulled her towards the chocolate store. As soon as they entered, he was hit by the familiar, comforting aroma of milk chocolate. The store was filled to the brim with displays of all sorts of candies, both fancy and cheap. There was even a display for Lost Paradise chocolates, the winged deer logo standing out in the sea of displays. “Hmm, you like Tony’s chocolates, ja?” “Yeah,” she nodded. “I used to work in his shop when Mom first adopted me.” With a sigh, she quietly admitted, “I miss him.” “I’m sorry,” he said. He felt bad that he’d brought the mood down by reminding her of the friends she hadn’t seen in a long time, but on the other hand, it did make him all the more eager to buy her as much chocolate as she wanted. “It’s okay,” she shrugged. “I know he’s busy with his company. I just wish he could visit more.” “That would be nice,” Jojo agreed. “I don’t know him quite so well as you, but I know he is a sweet man, if you’ll pardon the pun. I know you had a lot of his candies recently, but would you like some more to eat in his honor?” Her smile returned, and she nodded enthusiastically. “I’d really like that.” Without further deliberation, Jojo began picking out all sorts of chocolates, from the Mellified Milk and Honey to Percy’s Peanut Butter to the Crispy Crunchy S’mores Bar. While he was doing that, Gabby spoke up. “I, um, forgot to get something at the gift shop for Amon. I’ll be right back. Can I meet you here?” “Oh, uh, of course!” He hadn’t even considered Amon as someone she’d want to get a gift for. The man seemed so distant and so mysterious, it was nearly unthinkable to him that someone would be able to connect with the vampire. Then again, if anyone could, it would be Gabby. “I won’t be long, I promise!” She reached up, standing on her tiptoes, to kiss his cheek before hurrying out of the store. Jojo made his way up to the register with all the chocolates he’d picked out and paid. He was very grateful Rex was willing to toss so much money his way (in the man’s own words, “What the fuck do I need all this money for? All I buy is booze and pizza”), even if he did feel a bit like a moocher considering he hadn’t had a job in a long time. That needs to change, Jojo thought as the cashier bagged the chocolates up. He did not want Gabby to feel like he was using her, and he badly wished to spoil her. With candy in hand, he stepped outside the store and waited by a nearby bench for Gabby to return. As promised, she was back soon with a second paper bag in her hand identical to the first. “Thank you for waiting,” she apologized. “I didn’t want to leave Amon out.” “I suppose that’s fair. You are around him a lot, after all.” Timidly, she asked, “Do you think it’s weird to give him a mug that says ‘Best Uncle’? I guess he isn’t really my uncle, but…” She frowned hesitantly. “I think if that’s how you see him, he will appreciate it,” Jojo smiled. Gabby looked relieved. Taking her hand, Jojo led her around the mall once more. They didn’t go into any other stores, but the time he spent with her was still unbelievably pleasant. Eventually, though, they left, caught and boarded the bus, and began their trip back home. Gabby was quiet on the ride back, though she leaned against him. He could hear the items in their bags rattling softly from the vibrations of the bus. Unlike the ride to the mall, this was a cozy, comfortable silence, one he did not feel the need to break. Their return was rather uneventful, though as they approached the door, his apprehension grew. “Do you think your grandmother is back yet?” he asked nervously. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But, um, wait a second. Don’t open the door yet.” She set her bags on the ground and ruffled through them. She appeared to be looking for something, which was revealed to him a few seconds later when she pulled out a grey, oval-shaped stone in her hand. Painted on it were white letters that spelled out one word: Hope. “This is for you. I know it’s kind of dumb, but, well…” She smiled shyly. “I just want you to always have hope that things will get better, no matter how bad they seem.” It was so simple, yet so sweet. Jojo’s eyes began to well up with tears. “Danke, liebling,” he whispered, “You… I don’t know what to say, really. You are just so sweet.” She placed it in his hand, then hugged him. “I had lots of fun with you today. And I wish we could do this all the time, but…” She sighed and pulled away. “Who knows how long we have together before Grandma needs to go somewhere new.” He hugged her back. “Wherever you go, I will follow. I promise you.” “What if she won’t let you?” she frowned. “Not even your grandmother could hope to get rid of me,” he joked. “When I’m free, I can do as I please.” She smiled again. “And you’re almost free. Just as soon as Rhiannon can get the collar off.” “And hopefully, she can do that sooner than later,” came a familiar voice from behind them. The two nervously turned around to see Amon, dressed in his usual dark purple suit, arms folded across his chest and a stern look on his face. “Hi, Amon,” Gabby said quietly. She sounded guilty, which was understandable since they’d been caught. “You know,” Amon began with a sigh, “believe it or not, I was like you two once. Sneaking off with my girlfriend, causing all sorts of mischief…” He smiled wistfully for a moment before his mood turned serious again. “But there is a time and place. I’m not mad at you two, and normally I wouldn’t mind covering for you, but your mother is stressed out at the moment, Gabriella. She doesn’t need to be worrying about your whereabouts.” “I’m sorry,” she apologized. Her head was hung in shame. “I didn’t mean to make her upset.” “It isn’t you who’s making her upset,” Amon sighed yet again. “It’s just…” His sentence hung in the air unfinished as his gaze fixed upon the stone in Jojo’s hand. “Hm, Johan, what is that you’ve got there in your hand? Something from the mall, I imagine?” Jojo nodded and held the rock Gabby had given him up to see. “It’s just a sweet little trinket Gabby bought me as a gift.” Amon’s eyes seemed to widen as he looked at it. “Does that say… ‘Hope’?” “Um, ja. Ja it does, sir,” Jojo replied nervously. Amon grinned, a rather odd sight from a man as stoic and collected as him. “You know, I think I may order us dinner tonight. I think that will cheer Marianna up. And perhaps you should talk to her later, Gabriella. Now… why don’t you two go in, alright? And don’t worry, I’m not going to tell your grandmother you snuck out.” Gabby almost deflated beside Jojo with relief. “Thank you, Amon. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.” She turned towards the door before pausing and reaching into one of her bags. Carefully, she pulled out a small brown gift box. “This is for you, by the way.” Once again, Amon surprised Jojo by giving Gabby a genuinely heartfelt look. “Oh my. You didn’t have to get me anything, my dear. But I appreciate it nonetheless, whatever it might be.” He carefully took the box and opened it, and somehow his smile widened. “You really are your mother’s daughter, I hope you know that, Gabby.” “You like it?” she naively asked, grinning from ear-to-ear. He gently patted her head. “I am quite touched you think of me that way. Now, run along, I’m sure you have better things to do than talk to me. I think your friend, Mr. Dangerfield, may miss you a fair bit… Or perhaps not, considering what I’ve heard of his day.” Jojo’s eyebrow arched. What did that mean? Before he could ask, Amon gave them a wave and strolled on into the house. Gabby stared at Jojo with wide eyes. “Do you think Flynn is okay?” “I think, or at least hope, Amon would be a bit more urgent with telling us that if he wasn’t,” Jojo replied. “I’m sure he’s alright.” But what had Amon meant? Did something happen to Flynn? “Should we check on him?” “Ja, of course!” As fun a time as he had had with Gabby, a time he wouldn’t have traded for the world, he did feel a desire to be in Flynn’s company again. It was amazing being alone with Gabby, but when the three of them were together, something just felt right. Taking her hand, he pulled her onwards into the house to search for Flynn, hoping whatever it was that Amon had mentioned was nothing too serious. ****** Flynn wasn’t having the best morning. So far, he’d been woken up by Eve having the mother of all hissy fits, then he found out that Gabby and Jojo had run off without him (which he only knew about because he’d received a text from Gabby explaining the situation). They were a couple, and they didn’t always need or want him to come along. He knew this. He was just their friend. Still, understanding this didn’t make him feel any less jealous (though of who, he couldn’t quite say). He’d sat in his room for a while, staring at the ceiling, before finally deciding to head out and see if the Quinceys wanted to do anything. He hadn’t gotten super close to those two or anything, but they’d been pretty nice so far. Almost as soon as Flynn stepped out into the hallway, however, Hannah appeared in front of him dressed in her usual wizard robes. They were a brilliant purple that seemed to illuminate the redness of her hair. “Greetings, Mr. Dangerfield!” she exclaimed. “Uh… hi,” Flynn mumbled. Hannah didn’t seem so bad, but she came off as a bit haughty and intimidating. He wasn’t entirely sure what this was all about, but he was concerned it would grate on his already frayed nerves. “So, have you heard that we’re basically on lockdown now?” she asked in an oddly cheery tone. “Seems Jerrod got caught or maybe killed. So, we’re all stuck inside now!” “Why are you so happy about that?” Flynn asked, absolutely confused. Jerrod certainly wasn’t his favorite person, but the worst he’d done was hit on Gabby’s mom. He certainly hoped the poor guy wasn’t dead. Hannah seemed to flinch a bit at this before stammering, “I-I’m not happy, I just, you know. Wanted to deliver the news to you in a way that isn’t… awful, you know?” “Well… thanks, I guess?” Flynn shrugged. “Say,” Hannah began, “are you… busy right now?” Flynn raised an eyebrow. “Um… No, not really. I was gonna see if the Quinceys wanted to hang out. Do you know where they are?” Hannah nodded. “Yes, I have, they’re downstairs watching that weird show with the talking hands.” Flynn perked up. “Oh, sweet. Well… I think I’m gonna join them, so… Did you want to come, or…” “Actually,” Hannah asked shyly, turning away, “do you think maybe we could hang out for a bit? Just the two of us?” Flynn was beyond confused now. “Uh… Why?” “Well, I guess I’d like to get to know you better, is all,” she mumbled. “You know, on a personal basis. Seeing as you’re the bodyguard of Bloody Mary’s daughter.” Flynn gestured back towards his room with a sigh. “I mean, we can hang out in there for a little bit, bu—” He had no time to finish his sentence as Hannah had already grabbed him by the hand and dragged him into his room, slamming the door shut behind him. “Okay,” Flynn gasped, “what’s the hurry?” She took a deep breath before saying, “I guess I just… I want to get to know you. And I haven’t really had a chance since you’ve been spending so much time with Gabby and Jojo.” Flynn noticed a hint of bitterness in her voice, though she didn’t seem to be aware of it. Flynn sighed. “I’m not that interesting, you know.” “Then why did Gabby pick you over me?” Hannah asked, the bitterness coming out enough that she clapped her hands over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” “Look Hannah, I didn’t mean to steal your thunder or anything,” Flynn explained, his voice getting more and more irritated as he continued. “Gabby chose me, and I have no idea why, and you know what? I’m not exactly sorry about it either. This is the first time in my life I’ve actually been allowed to have friends because people didn’t like being around me when I was with my mom and my dad didn’t let me have any freedom when I was with him. So it sucks you don’t get to show off your damn Merlin magic and fight Dracula’s coven or whatever bullshit you were promised by Gabby’s grandma, and it sure is a shame that you don’t get to suck up to Marianna—who I’m pretty sure isn’t too happy you keep referring to her by ‘Bloody Mary,’ by the way—but you’re not going to drag me into my room and make me feel bad about being happy for the first time in years. So if that’s what this is, do me a favor and fuck off.” Flynn was surprised by the harshness of his voice, but considering how frustrated he already was, he couldn’t help letting this all out. Even more surprising was how Hannah simply slowly sank to the floor on her knees with a defeated look on her face as she put her head in her hands. “I just… I’ve been training my whole life. I wanted a chance to prove the college wrong, to put the Starrs back on the map, and I know it isn’t fair but…” Hannah trailed off, sighing miserably. “And it frustrated me even more because, well, my parents wanted me to try and… You know, win you over. Get engaged. The Dangerfields have ‘good’ prospects, at least financially… I already wasn’t interested, but then you got picked over me, and it was just eating at me.” “Well…” Flynn didn’t know what to say. This was a hell of a lot to have dumped on him so early in the day. He hesitated for a moment before moving over and sitting beside Hannah on the floor. “I’m sorry I snapped at you. I’m having a shitty morning, okay? I have… a lot of feelings I’m working through myself so I get it. I get what you’re dealing with.” She turned and gave him a tearful look. “You do?” He shrugged. “Sort of. I kind of feel a bit jealous of… I don’t know.” “Jojo?” Hannah asked. “Yes. And no. I’m not sure what’s wrong with me…” Hannah wiped her eyes dry on her sleeve and gave him a knowing smile. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you, Flynn.” “Well… Thanks.” “I think, maybe, you’ve got things you need to sort out because this is the first time you’ve been around other people like this… And I do too.” She gave him a shy smile. “I’ve really only spent time with Vincent and Randall while I was homeschooled.” “Really?” Flynn recalled some very odd looks Vincent had given him during Hannah’s attempts to cozy up to him. Suddenly, they made perfect sense. “Well, that explains a lot.” “A lot of what?” Hannah asked. “You’ll find out sooner or later,” he laughed. “Can’t I find out now?” she huffed. “Nope,” Flynn laughed again. “Fine!” She crossed her arms in annoyance. “Then what will we talk about?” “What do you like to talk about?” he asked. “Um, well… Mostly magical history.” “Well, then why not talk to me about that? My mom loved that stuff, so I’ve heard a lot. Let’s see if you have anything new for me.” And so, for a while, they sat there with Hannah talking all about famous wizards and witches throughout history. Some he’d heard of, like Rasputin and Magnum Stardust, and others he’d never heard of before, like Sebastian Darke or the man who authored the Necronomicon (which was apparently not the same as the other Necronomicons he’d seen in passing). It was fairly interesting stuff and by the end, he’d felt like he’d actually learned a few things about magical history. It was clear to him that Hannah had a lot of energy and passion about the topic, judging by how her impromptu lesson lit up her face as she spoke. She’s pretty beautiful, Flynn thought, but at the same time he knew he wasn’t attracted to her like that. She wasn’t Gabby, or Jojo… or Rex. He couldn’t come between Gabby and Jojo, he knew that, but if he ever thought he had a snowball’s chance in Hell, he might’ve gone for Rex. At this point, he wasn’t even trying to deny it internally anymore: He was bisexual. And maybe if he’d felt more confident, he’d have gone for that handsome, profane, frequently shirtless vampire earlier. But he was absolutely too terrified to try. Eventually his conversation with Hannah ended, and the two headed to the door. As they stepped out into the hallway, Hannah turned to Flynn and nodded. “Well… I suppose I’ll be off, then. Thank you for listening to me ramble.” “No problem,” Flynn replied softly. As she turned to walk away, he called out. “You know, I think maybe you should try talking to Gabby yourself sometime. I think you could use a girl friend, and I think she’d appreciate it. She spends too much time with guys, you know?” Hannah paused and cocked her head as if considering this. “Maybe I will, Flynn. Maybe I will.” With that, she strutted down the hallway and disappeared around a corner, leaving Flynn alone and feeling marginally better than before. Hannah was a bit odd and haughty, but she wasn’t all bad. Seems to be a running theme with people here, huh? he thought as he headed down to the kitchen. All the talking had made him rather hungry, but he hoped there was something other than frozen pizzas. Truth be told, he was getting rather sick of them. As he walked into the kitchen, he immediately froze. Standing by the counter and sipping on a cold beer was Rex. He was actually wearing something today, a white tank top, but it was so snug on his torso that he might as well have been shirtless. Flynn could feel his face heat up as he looked at the man. Of all the places to be, he had to be in the kitchen right now. Rex chugged down the rest of his beer before crushing the can against his head and nodding in Flynn’s direction. “Hey Red. How’s it hanging?” “R-Red?” he asked, pointing at himself. “You’re the only other fucking person in here,” Rex snorted. “So yeah. Between your face and your hair, you’re Red. Unless you don’t want a little nickname.” “No, no, it’s fine,” Flynn replied a bit more hurriedly than he meant to. “So, uh, there anything to eat besides pizza? I’m getting kind of sick of it.” “You fucking kidding?” he asked incredulously before smacking his forehead. ”Shit, I forgot you mortals need to watch what you eat. It slips my mind a whole fucking lot because I drink enough booze to kill an elephant. Plus I haven’t been a mortal in a few hundred years.” “I-It’s fine! I can deal!” He hurried over to the freezer and flung it open, staring in awe at the sheer amount of frozen pizza boxes crammed into it. He carefully pulled out a meat lover’s, put it on a pan, and threw it in the oven. Then he leaned back against the counter and tried his hardest not to stare at Rex like a complete weirdo. After a few minutes, the vampire man broke the silence. “You’re getting pretty chummy with Jojo, huh?” Flynn simply nodded in response. He wasn’t really sure what else to say beyond that. “Good,” Rex sighed. “He needs better fucking friends.” He turned to Rex curiously. “What do you mean?” “I mean he spends all his fucking time with me, and he needs to spend time around better people,” Rex snorted. “And considering you’ve made it your personal mission in life to keep him and his girlfriend safe, I’d say you’re pretty fucking good.” Flynn felt a bit flustered. “Well, you are too. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You do a lot for him. I know that much.” “True enough,” Rex shrugged. “Not gonna pretend like I haven’t kept his ass out of trouble as best I can. But you’re a nice guy, or seem like one, and I am not fucking nice in the least. “ “If you say so,” Flynn mumbled. He stared at the oven, trying to think of something to say, but his mind went completely blank. A few minutes passed before Rex loudly broke the silence once more. “Boy,” he groaned dramatically, “it sure is fucking hot in here, huh? Might wanna turn the oven down, Red. Me? I think I’m gonna get myself a nice, cold glass of water to cool myself down.” He moved over to the sink, grabbing a glass from a cabinet above it and filling it up with water, casting a sidelong glance at Flynn as he did so and giving him a playful smirk. As soon as his glass was filled, he whirled around towards Flynn, who had moved over to the oven to make sure the temperature really wasn’t too high. “Bottoms up!” Rex exclaimed before leaning his head back and tilting the cup over his face. More of the water ended up on his shirt and the floor than it did in his mouth. “Oh, darn,” he whined, shaking his head at the mess he’d made. “I completely soaked my fucking shirt. What a goddamn moron I am! Guess I’m gonna have to take it off. You don’t mind, do ya, Red?” Flynn certainly didn’t mind, but he wasn’t really sure he wanted to say that out loud. Instead, he muttered, “Yeah, sure, go ahead,” before staring back at the oven and desperately trying not to see Rex peel off his wet shirt and toss it off into a corner. “Hey, you okay there?” Rex asked in a teasing tone of voice. “You’re looking really uncomfortable. You want me to leave? You know I’m an accommodating guy.” “No!” Flynn blurted out. His face grew redder still as he stammered out, “U-Um, I mean, no. It’s fine, you don’t have to, I’m, just… I’m having a bad day is all. Stressful morning. It’s getting to me. And the hunger.” He could hear Rex move closer, but he just continued to nervously stare into the oven. “That fucking sucks, man,” Rex’s voice said, inches from his ear. “Anything I can do to make it better?” He flinched and straightened up, backing away a bit. “What are you up to, Rex?” Rex gave a nonchalant shrug. “Look, I may be fucking stupid, but I’m not oblivious. I’ve seen you getting all blushy around me and checking me out. I just wanted to see if you were, y’know, actually into it and not just intimidated by me. I fucking hate hitting on people with incompatible orientations. What do I look like, Jerrod?” He laughed, then gave Flynn a pointed look. “So, Red. You like guys, or what?” Flynn froze. He’d internally accepted it, but could he vocally admit it? ”I’m… not exactly sure.” Rex’s hands gently grabbed hold of his shoulders and moved him back until he was pressed up against the fridge. Even though Rex couldn’t have been more than an inch or so taller than he was, he still couldn’t help but feel small and awkward in his presence. He leaned in close to Flynn’s face, the man’s lips mere inches away from his own. “Well, there’s only one way to find out, Red,” he breathed. His breath was warm and smelled like beer. “The question is, do you wanna?” Flynn was paralyzed with indecision. This was so sudden, so out of nowhere. This had to be a dream, a mistake, anything but real. “You… You barely know me…” he finally whispered. Rex shrugged. “Who fucking cares? Is it so wrong to wanna kiss a cute guy every now and then?” “No, of course not!” Flynn exclaimed. “But… Cute? I’m not cute. I’m not. My scar, it—“ “Oh, shut the fuck up, Flynn,” Rex sighed in exasperation as he leaned in and pressed his lips against his. Flynn could still taste the beer on Rex’s breath, but he honestly couldn’t care less. Almost of their own accord, his hands moved up and gently caressed Rex’s face. This was better than he ever could have hoped for, but there was still a tiny sting of guilt eating at him for reasons he couldn’t understand. Perhaps it was because the heat rushing through his body from this interaction had caused a new issue to arise. Shit, he whimpered internally, embarrassment mixing in with the joy from the kiss. Rex pulled away with a smirk. “Well I can tell you enjoyed that,” he snarked. Flynn looked down in shame. “I’m sorry,” he muttered before being distracted by Rex tilting his chin up and kissing him yet again. The second time was even better than the first as a rush of confidence filled him. He kissed back this time, wrapping his hands around Rex’s head and pulling him close. This was so strange and so sudden, but he liked this a lot. Eventually, Rex pulled away, running his hand through Flynn’s hair. “Fuck, Red. You’re really pent-up, aren’t you?” “I guess so,” he laughed nervously. “You’re gonna make some lucky motherfucker real happy someday, I bet,” Rex winked. “But before that, maybe we could, you know…” Flynn was about to teasingly reply how he didn’t know and that he would like it if Rex explained it to him, but the rhythmic tapping of a cane against the tile floor interrupted them, letting him know that Rhapsody was approaching. “Don’t mind me,” she yawned as she approached the fridge. “Just here to get some milk. You two can keep making out or whatever.” “Nah, I think we’re good for now.” Rex pulled Flynn off the fridge to let Rhapsody get in, guiding him back towards the oven. With a gentle pat to his back, Rex leaned in close and whispered, “I think we both needed that, huh? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna fuck off. I think I need to cool down in the pool after that.” Flynn just nodded sheepishly, his newfound confidence having evaporated at being caught by Rhapsody. With another wink, Rex strolled out of the room, whistling a rather cheerful song to himself as he disappeared. “Darn. He forgot his shirt,” Rhapsody pointed out as she opened a carton of milk. “Oh well. Not like he needs it that much.” With a shrug, she started drinking the milk straight from the carton, downing at least half of it in record time. She held it out towards Flynn after giving a satisfied burp. “Want some?” “N-No… Thanks, though.” He suddenly realized he should pull out the pizza and scrambled about to grab the oven mitts to retrieve it. “Suit yourself,” Rhapsody said, followed by the sound of more chugging and ending with a satisfied sigh. Flynn turned to look at her with the pizza in hand. The now-empty milk carton was sitting on the counter next to the fridge, and she was bobbing her head as if she were listening to music. “You, uh, alright there?” “I’m fine,” she nodded. “Sorry I cockblocked you, Flynn.” His face heated up for about the thousandth time that day. “It’s fine. You didn’t do anything. It was just, uh…” Rhapsody waved her hand. “Don’t stress yourself out. I’ll see you around, okay? Gotta go talk to Amon. He’s probably bored out of his mind.” Before he could respond, she cheerfully limped out of the kitchen, leaving nothing but an empty carton of milk behind. Flustered, confused, and more than a little aroused (much to his chagrin), Flynn took a few minutes to cool off, grabbing some ice from the freezer to try and calm himself down. When he finally felt he was presentable, he wandered to the living room holding a plate with half of the freshly cooked pizza on it to find Vincent and Randall on the couch watching The Handy & Ydnah Show. The two main characters were on screen discussing the arrival of unwanted visitors with Blue the cat. “Ugh, I just hate dealing with my family! They really do suck, meow meow meow,” Blue whined. “Ti gnisu rof demahsa eb dluohs uoy, ehcilc derit dna etirt a si taht,” Ydnah retorted. “Yeah, come on, they can’t be that bad!” chimed in Handy. “You’ve never met my uncle! He’s a real piece of work. He’s completely crazy!” “Is something actually going to happen in this episode, or is this going to be like the one where they went to the DMV?” Vincent mumbled. “Don’t worry, it gets a lot better once her crazy uncle shows up,” Flynn said as he took a seat in one of the comfy armchairs. “Things get really exciting, and there’s a lot more action.” “Told you,” Randall smirked. “What do you people see in this garbage?” Vincent sighed. “Oh, and hi, Flynn. Weird to see you away from Gabby and Jojo.” “They wanted some time alone,” Flynn replied cautiously. “Are they d-d-dating?” Randall asked. He shrugged. He didn’t think these two were bad, but he wasn’t entirely positive they could be trusted—not to mention Gabby had asked him to keep the relationship under wraps until Jojo was free. “Well if he doesn’t know, no one does,” Vincent yawned. “He’s practically glued to them.” Flynn slumped further into the chair. He kind of resented being seen as an accessory to Gabby and Jojo, though at the same time, it’s not like he could be too mad about it. He wanted to be with them. It’s like they’d said at the movie theater: When the three of them were together, it just felt right. A couple of hours flew by as the men watched the show together, witnessing as most problems the hands had in the episodes were buried under a barrage of coconuts or cartoonish mischief. For a while, Flynn was able to relax and soak in the events of the morning all while enjoying some cheap laughs and cheesy effects. Eventually, though, he glanced at his phone, noticing he got a text from Gabby asking him to pick up a picture that she wanted to have printed. He excused himself and snuck out. The entire trip to the store was a blur as he couldn’t stop thinking about Rex, Gabby, and Jojo. It wasn’t long at all before he found himself back home. Immediately, he went up to his room, deciding to lie down and think about everything. As much as he tried to stay focused, his mind invariably drifted back to Rex. He thought about how his lips felt against his and how he could taste the beer still fresh on his breath. Flynn’s body heated up once more, and he again felt a pang of guilt he couldn’t quite explain. He had no idea how long he was laying in bed before he heard a knock on his door. “Hello?” he called out. “Flynn?” came Gabby’s voice from the other side. “Are you okay?” Gabby! “Uh, yeah! I’m… I’m fine, why?” “Amon said something, and he was really mysterious, and I was really worried something bad happened!” she blurted out in a rush. “Can we come in?” Flynn glanced down and, after throwing a pillow over his lap, called out, “Sure, sure! Come on in!” The door swung open, and she hurried inside, her hands full of shopping bags. She was frowning and looked almost frantic. “You’re sure you’re okay?” “Ja, you seem a bit… flustered,” Jojo added as he followed her into the room. “Y-Yeah, yeah, I’m… I’ve just had a weird day, is all.” Gabby’s brow furrowed. “Why? What happened?” Flynn opened his mouth, unsure how to respond. Eventually, he just let it all out and explained everything that had happened to him that day. He couldn’t lie to these two even if he tried. By the end, Gabby was speechless and staring at him in disbelief with her mouth hanging open. Jojo looked at Gabby, then at Flynn, then back at Gabby. “Well. Seems like Flynn had quite a day!” “Yeah, I did. But I don’t know if I can say it’s a good or bad one,” he huffed. “I’m just… I don’t know. This is so weird.” “Oh,” Gabby finally said in a very quiet, almost inaudible voice. “Are you alright, liebling?” Jojo asked worriedly. She nodded her head in reply before muttering with a hint of bitterness, “Why Rex?” “What do you mean by that?” Flynn asked, growing more confused by her odd responses by the minute. “Sometimes he’s just in the mood to kiss a boy, that’s all,” Jojo chimed in. “And I’m off the market now, ja?” She didn’t say anything, but Flynn noticed her gripping the handles of her bags tighter, her knuckles growing white with the effort. He gestured at her. “What’s that all about? Why are you getting so angry over this?” “I’m not angry,” she retorted, even though the tone of her voice made it very clear she was. “Liebling, is it so wrong for Flynn to kiss boys?” Jojo asked, wagging his finger. “Let Flynn have some fun; we can’t hog all the romance in this house.” An awkward silence fell between them as Gabby stared down at the carpeted floor with a conflicted frown on her face. “Did I do something wrong here?” Flynn asked with irritation, finally breaking the silence. “I mean, was I supposed to ask for permission or something? I really don’t get what this is all about.” “No, you’re… You can do whatever you want,” she replied. She sounded less angry and almost hurt. Jojo clearly heard the pain in her voice as he wrapped an arm around her protectively. “Okay, good,” Flynn huffed, his earlier irritation bubbling back up in full force now. “Not sure what you’re so upset about anyway, not like Rex is my soulmate. I didn’t get to have some magical vampire bullshit where I suddenly know he’s the one for me like you did. So this was probably a one-time thing.” “You can like whoever you want,” she mumbled. “I just… think you could do better.” “Oh, yeah because I’m sure there’s someone better than the guy who spent almost a hundred years keeping your boyfriend from getting ra—” “Alright, alright, enough!” Jojo shouted, moving in between the two of them. “What is this, you two? We’re having some silly little argument over Rex, for what? What are we accomplishing here? Let’s talk through this like adults, ja? There’s no need for this quarrelling.” “Look, it’s… whatever. Rex was pretty upfront about just being in the mood for a guy, and at least he helped me figure out things about myself. So, you know…” The issue was he didn’t know. Flynn was entirely unsure about everything at the moment. He almost regretted telling these two what happened because the way Gabby was reacting really stung. Still, a more reasonable part of him was saying openness and honesty with these two was what would be best. Gabby didn’t reply, but her shoulders sagged in what almost seemed like defeat. She didn’t appear mad, but her reaction was entirely out-of-character and baffling. “Liebling,” Jojo said gently, “come on. Going quiet isn’t going to help.” “What am I supposed to say?” she whined. “Why are you being so hostile?” Jojo asked. “What’s eating at you here? I thought you were okay with Rex now. Why does it bother you if Flynn likes him?” “It doesn’t,” she argued. It would be funny how much she sounded like a little kid if it didn’t seem like their friendship was on the line. Jojo sighed. “Something is afoot here, and it’s going to eat at our friendship if we can’t work through it. I don’t want to see you two at each other’s throats. You both mean the world to me as does Rex. You’re my dearest friends.” “I’m not mad,” she promised. A second later, she started crying and repeated, “I’m not mad.” He didn’t even need to think about what he did next; in a moment, Flynn rushed off of the bed and pulled Gabby into a tight embrace. “Hey, hey, come on, don’t cry, okay? I’m sorry I got so snippy. I’m just… I’m working through some feelings. I’ve never really had friends before, so everything with you two is pretty new. I’m not handling things well.” Gabby gently dropped her bags—thankfully, they were already so close to the ground that nothing inside, particularly what sounded like something made of glass rattling softly, was likely to be broken—and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m sorry… I thought something bad happened, and… I don’t know…” Jojo joined in the hug, wrapping his arms around both of them. “See, all you needed to do was hug it out! We just need to communicate better, ja? We’re the best of friends, after all! We can’t let silly squabbles come between us!” “Y-Yeah, you’re right,” Flynn agreed. Still hugging him tightly, Gabby nodded, sniffling as she started calming down. “I don’t want to stop being friends because of Rex.” “I promise, we won’t. Nothing will ever make me stop being friends with you,” Flynn replied. She laughed and joked, “Why can’t you like Tony? He’d give you free candy.” “Introduce me and we’ll see how it goes,” he playfully retorted. Gabby pulled away from the hug and wiped the wetness from her eyes. “I promise he’s really nice.” “See, this is more like it!” Jojo exclaimed with relief. “Oh, what about Dallas? He’s still single! Though I do not think you’re his type, exactly.” Flynn laughed at how things had shifted from being tense and painful to his friends gossiping about what vampire to set him up with. Then, out of the blue, he remembered the pictures he’d picked up at the store earlier. “Let’s talk about who you want me to date later. I just remembered I got that picture printed out for you. It’s in the bag in the corner over there,” he said, gesturing to where he’d left it sitting on the floor earlier. This seemed to make Gabby happy as she rushed to fetch the photo. She carefully pulled it out of the protective envelope it was placed inside and smiled brightly. “It’s perfect! Thank you so, so much Flynn. Mom is going to love her gift!” He smiled back. “I’m just glad to be a help.” Gabby’s smile faded slightly, and she looked guilty. “I’m really, really sorry we snuck out without you.” “Ja, I felt guilty too,” Jojo muttered as he rubbed the back of his head. “But, I, well…” Flynn shook his head and gave a small smile. “You two don’t need me around all the time, I know that. You’re a couple. You deserve time for yourself.” “I still should have told you,” Gabby pointed out. “It’s really not a big deal, okay?” he sighed. “I’m just glad you two had a good time. Here’s hoping it’s the first of many to come.” “But we can still hang out together, right?” she asked nervously. “Of course!” Flynn promised. “I already told you, nothing will ever make me stop being your friend. I’ll hang out with you any time, anywhere.” She seemed completely relieved. “Okay, good.” He smiled at her again. Why was she so worried, though? He wasn’t going to ever want to stop spending time with them, he knew that much. For as long as he lived, he wanted to be with them and keep them safe from people like Moore. She spoke again, interrupting his brief thoughts. “We got you something, by the way.” “Huh? What?” he asked in surprise. She grinned and skipped back to where she’d set down her bags, reaching inside of one. A second later, she pulled out something small and handed it to him. He took it and saw it was a set of green handwoven friendship bracelets. He immediately felt his eyes begin to water as he looked at them. “You didn't have to get me anything, you know.” “Yes, I did. Because of you, Jojo is finally going to be free. I never could have gotten Rhiannon here so quickly without you.” “Thank you,” he murmured as he picked up one of the bracelets. “I hope you know I’m probably never taking this off.” “Then I won’t either,” she vowed. “Which, um, is probably a good thing I chose the one with gold charms and not the silver ones.” “Definitely,” he laughed in agreement. Jojo clapped his hands together. “You know what I think? I think we should do something together tonight, just us three. Maybe a movie night? That would be a nice way to unwind, ja?” “Yeah, I’d like that,” Flynn grinned. He was glad he’d managed to work through this confusing little spat with Gabby and come out feeling even closer to these two than ever before. They truly were the best friends he could ask for. If he wasn’t already, then he was absolutely certain of it now: He would do anything to keep these two safe. ****** Chastity was gripping Venus’s hand so tightly, she was surprised the redhead wasn’t wincing in pain. Truth be told, she was extremely nervous. She was sitting on a couch coincidentally squished between two redheads in a house she had believed to be abandoned up until about an hour ago. How long had vampires been living in Hawthorne Manor? Had no one in Rhine City seriously discovered this? Considering the rundown state of the living room (with torn, faded wallpaper and furniture that looked like they came from another time period), she wasn’t sure they’d been there long at all. Had Venus not received a phone call from her sister, who had excitedly proclaimed she knew someone who could teach Chastity more about vampirism, she likely would not have even left her apartment as she and her new girlfriend were getting to know each other on a more intimate level (and a more intimate level). The redhead she wasn’t familiar with cleared her throat and turned to her. “So, uh, you’re Lilith’s sister’s girlfriend, right? I’m Rika. I’m a friend of hers. Have you been a vampire very long?” “No,” she answered, shaking her head for emphasis. “This is my second day.” “Oh, cool,” Rika sighed. “I can’t believe that the vampires have been living here this whole time… I’d always hear stories about this place being haunted. I guess they’re kinda true, huh?” “Makes me wonder what other weird urban legends are true,” Venus added. “Like what if there really is a giant alligator living in the sewers?” “There’s no way that’s real,” Chastity snorted. At least she hoped not. “Yeah, that’s what they said about Hawthorne Manor being haunted,” Venus retorted, gesturing her hand around. “Does this look haunted to you? It looks pretty damn cozy to me!” “I wonder how they avoid being noticed?” Rika said as she looked around. “Cozy?” Chastity asked in disbelief. “It’s—“ “The best we can do,” sighed a voice from the doorway. All three of them turned to see a tired woman standing there with her hands folded before her. She was wearing an elegant dark blue gown that Chastity was pretty sure could have belonged in a museum. They watched as the woman entered the room and gently sat down in a red velvet armchair. “It is not ideal, but it serves its purpose as a safe haven for us for the time being.” She smiled kindly at the trio. “My name is Victoria Akdemir. I am the current head of the coven, albeit not it’s true leader. But that is a story for another time.” “Hey,” Venus waved. “I’m Venus. I’m not a cool vampire. I’m just here for my girlfriend.” “I’m Rika, Rika Paine,” Rika said politely. “Chastity Collins,” she nervously introduced herself. “A pleasure to meet you. You are quite fortunate to have someone so supportive, Miss Collins. Not all mortals take kindly to learning about our kind.” “Yeah,” she murmured with a smile. “She’s really been great so far.” Nearly tucking one foot behind the other, Victoria asked, “How long have you been a vampire, ladies?” “Just a little under a year now,” Rika explained. “My ex turned me. He was a bit… too excited and turned me without asking.” Victoria nodded sympathetically. “Many turnings are involuntary.” Her eyes shifted to Chastity. “Are you in a similar situation, my dear?” “Yeah,” she admitted, tucking her hair behind her ear with her left hand (specifically not the one holding Venus’s). “I was turned two nights ago, actually.” “Oh, goodness.” The coven leader seemed surprised by this. “You appear to have recovered quite quickly from the turning. I suspect you don’t know very much?” “Only what I was told by E—“ “Don’t!” Rika shouted, startling everyone in the room. “Don’t say her name! I don’t know who this person is, but Victoria freaked out when you said her name!” “Uhhh… What?” Venus asked, sounding as confused as Chastity felt. “I can rewind time by a few seconds,” Rika explained, rubbing her arm nervously. “I figured it’s better this lady didn’t get mentioned.” “Please, Miss Paine, perhaps you can spell out the name?” Victoria’s voice sounded patient, but she looked rather shaken. “E-V-E,” Rika said. With a sharp intake of breath, Victoria closed her amber brown eyes. “Miss Collins, I fear you are in grave danger.” Chastity frowned. “What do you mean?” “The woman who turned you is the mother of all vampires.” Victoria opened her eyes again and looked rather sympathetic as she spoke. “It is because of her we exist. Perhaps most shocking is that she is an angel, though she is one cast out by her peers. However, her reasons for turning any mortal, yourself included, are far from sincere.” She paused for a short moment and rubbed a ring that was on her finger, one Chastity hadn’t noticed until now. “She has become corrupt over time and is the reason why my betrothed, the true leader of this coven, is dead.” “Oh,” was all Chastity could manage to say. Eve did that? But she seemed so nice and caring. Had it all been an act? “Okay, if this lady is so corrupt, how come she helped our friend out, huh?” Venus asked. “Like, if she’s so bad, why not just cram the apple down her throat or brainwash her or something? Why go through all this trouble of pretending to be helpful?” “I do not fully understand her motivations,” Victoria admitted. “But from what my beloved shared with me before he died, she believes she is truly helping others. I’m sorry, Miss Collins. The woman is wicked, and I truly fear for your safety if you join her side.” Hearing this was a stab to the gut. She’d trusted Eve, but she’d been played. But hadn’t it been worth it? Morag would be okay, and she’d be able to protect her now. Wasn’t she the one who ended up winning in the end? With a sigh, she asked, “Then what do I do?” Victoria shifted in her seat and considered the question for a moment. “I would greatly advise you to join a coven, whether this or another, to protect yourself.” “Another? There is no better coven you could find than that of Dracula,” came a voice from the doorway. A woman with silvery hair (despite barely looking older than Chastity) strolled into the room slowly, looking the gathered newcomers up and down before slumping onto a couch near Victoria and lounging comfortably. “These ones show great promise, Mother,” the woman stated matter-of-factly. Victoria, who had seemed to brighten significantly once the woman entered the room, nodded in reply. “I do agree, my dear. Of course, I do not wish to influence their decision one way or another.” She turned back to Chastity and Rika with another gentle smile. “Our doors are always open to those seeking acceptance and safety, but we respect your decision no matter what you choose.” Chastity glanced at Venus hesitantly. Admittedly, having support from other vampires might make the transition easier, but was that what she really wanted? She wasn’t entirely sure. Beside her, Rika sighed with relief. “Okay, maybe this is too soon to say, but… this is really a load off my mind. My friends and I really didn’t want to have to fight evil vampires, but you guys seem nice.” “I dunno,” Venus muttered cautiously, “the angel lady seemed nice too, but apparently she’s evil? Like, no offense, but I’m not totally sure what to believe right now. I just don’t want Chastity to get hurt.” “Ah, young love,” Victoria’s daughter sighed from the couch. “In a city such as this, it is wonderful to see.” With a small laugh, Victoria shook her head. “You have always been quite the romantic, my dear.” She leaned back in her chair and tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I quite understand your hesitation. It is difficult to know who to trust. Such things do not end when you become acquainted with vampires. I would dare to go so far to say it becomes all the more difficult; many tend to have their own agendas and care little for others. Perhaps we could introduce you to some of our members? You should not make such a decision on my word alone.” “I guess that’s reasonable,” Venus nodded warily. “There’s an Eric in this coven, right?” Rika asked. “He’s dating a friend of mine, and I think he was asked to set this up. Is he around?” “I believe he may be,” the coven leader nodded. “Nadia, perhaps you can escort them to his bedroom.” She stood up, her gown flowing into place around her as she did so. “Are any of you hungry? I can prepare something if so. We have plenty to eat, whether it be food or blood.” A cold sweat began to form on Chastity’s skin. “Blood…?” She had yet to feed since being turned and was dreading the moment when she’d have to. “Indeed. We have plenty of blood bags in storage. We prefer to feed as humanely as possible.” Her smile faded slightly as she admitted, “Mortals may not agree with our methods, but it is far easier and less cruel than hunting like we did so many years ago.” She felt slightly relieved. At least she didn’t have to bite anyone. Maybe a blood bag wouldn’t be that bad. Maybe it’d be more like a juice box? But still, how would she get over the taste or drinking blood as a whole? “Well, I think I’ll have normal food, but I think the two lovely ladies with me could go for a baggie of the red stuff,” Venus said, squeezing Chastity close. “Yeah, I could go for a recharge, honestly,” Rika admitted. The lounging woman, Nadia, slid off the couch and stretched. “Ah, go inform Dahlia we will need food, she was in the kitchen last I saw her… I shall give the guests the grand tour and bring them to Mr. Madden, yes?” “Yes, please. I shall meet you in the kitchen when you are finished, then.” Victoria smiled at the trio before exiting the room. Chastity stood as well, keeping her fingers intertwined with Venus’s. Admittedly, though they hadn’t quite learned much about their vampirism, the coven was already rather friendly and welcoming. There was a sense of comfort with them that she hadn’t quite felt with her interactions with Eve, and she couldn’t place her finger on why that was. “Come, come,” Nadia gestured. “I do wonder who might be up at this hour… Perhaps you will see more of the family.” They followed Nadia out of the living room and up an old, dusty set of stairs that desperately needed cleaning and probably a fresh coat of varnish. Maybe by keeping the house looking old, it helped them avoid any suspicion. Chastity briefly wondered if they were living here legally or not. Did the city even know the house was occupied? As they moved through the manor, Nadia explained a few things and pointed out interesting tidbits about the house, proudly proclaiming her mother had recently told her all of these facts. She also spoke a bit about her own life; it was shocking to hear that this gorgeous woman was over two hundred years old. Eventually, they stopped outside of a door that Chastity assumed was Eric’s. The trio waited patiently while Nadia knocked gently. “Just a moment!” came a reply from inside the room. There was a series of soft thuds on the other side of the door, as if something was being thrown at it, and then a moment later a young (at least, he appeared to be young) man with soft brown hair wearing a pair of thick-rimmed glasses opened the door. “Hello there, Miss Shibani. I’m guessing these are the guests I was asked to invite in?” “Indeed, Mr. Madden,” Nadia said, gesturing to the small group. Chastity waved, smiling at the man. Truthfully, he was kind of cute. “Hi, I’m Chastity. It’s nice to meet you!” “Nice to meet you, too!” the man replied cheerfully. He turned to Venus next. “And you…” He froze, staring at her in confusion. “Have we… met?” Venus shrugged. “I dunno. You ever come to one of my autograph signings? I’m Scarlet Love.” He snapped his fingers. “Ah, okay! That must be where I know you from! I loved you in that Mercenaries sequel!” He finally turned to Rika. “And that means, by process of elimination, you must be Aiden’s friend, Rika.” “Guilty as charged,” Rika replied with a smile. Chastity tucked her hair behind her ear again. “So, do you know Lilith?” “Aiden’s friend? No, not aside from being told she drives like a madwoman.” With a laugh, she replied, “Yeah, that’s for sure. So does this one.” She tilted her head in Venus’s direction. “I think it’s genetic.” Eric raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you’re related?” “Yep! Twin sister, baby!” “Twin…” Eric muttered before shaking his head. “Well, anyway, welcome to our humble, rundown, haunted house! Did you just stop by to say hello, or did you need me for anything?” Nervously, Chastity admitted, “Actually… Would it be okay to ask you a few questions?” “Of course! Ask away!” Feeling relieved, she began with an easy one. “What is it like here?” “Oh boy,” Eric laughed, “if you’d asked me a week or two ago, I’d be a little less positive. But ever since this one girl, Rose, showed up, this place has just steadily gotten better. Victoria’s been happier since Miss Shibani came, Roarke and I both found love, we’ve made a lot of new friends because of the Silverwing trainees… Things are really looking up, honestly.” It sounded, at the least, that the coven was improving, which was always a good sign. Her curiosity piqued, she asked, “What was it like before all that?” He frowned. “Let me put it like this: I’ve been in the coven since 1999. Before all this, I could count the number of times I saw Victoria smile on one hand.” Chastity was surprised by this considering how friendly and caring the coven leader had seemed when they’d spoken just moments before. “Really? But… Why?” “It is because of the one who sired you,” Nadia explained. “Mother did not go into detail… You see, long ago, your sire and my father were friends. She loved him as a son, and he loved her in turn. All was well… Until he found she planned to sacrifice his students for some dark purpose. He stopped her, but at great cost… She turned one of his pupils into a madman who butchered his students, and then…” Nadia closed her eyes and was silent for a long moment, the pain on her face evident. “...She took my sweet Marianna from me… took her and made her kill Father. So what reason did Mother have to smile until now, when she has found there is a way for him to return?” “Wait…” Chastity frowned, feeling confused. “How can he come back from the dead?” “I mean, if vampires exist, why not something like that?” Rika shrugged. “It is kind of funny you’re questioning that when you’re already a magical vampire in a house filled with them,” Eric pointed out. She shifted from one foot to the other nervously. “How does it work?” “It is blood magic, as I understand,” Nadia nodded. “His soul was trapped in a vessel upon the death of his body. This is the only way… Life cannot truly return to a body once the soul has moved on… A soul in the afterlife cannot return.” “Wait, hold on,” Venus began, a look of shock spreading across her face, “Does this mean… Jesus was a vampire?” Ignoring the disappointment she felt at the small hope that maybe, just maybe, she could learn a way to bring her parents back, Chastity sighed and shook her head. “Venus…” Rika and Eric both had to cover their mouths to stifle laughter. Nadia, meanwhile, shook her head. “That is not the case. No one knows what that man was, truly… But he was certainly not a vampire.” “Oh,” Venus mumbled, clearly embarrassed. Chastity patted her shoulder. “It was a good theory, babe.” “I have a question,” Rika asked, raising her hand. “How does getting a job or whatever work for you guys? Nadia mentioned how old she was; do you have someone forge documents for you guys?” “Oh, absolutely,” Eric nodded enthusiastically. “Vampires tend to utilize the services of hunter groups. We’re helped by a European one called the Silverwings, who are a bit of a mess from what I’ve been told. Still, they’ve given us all jobs, or those of us who feel like working, anyway. Dahlia works at a flower shop, Sunny is a journalist, Farrah works at a local greenhouse…” Chastity felt her heart sink as she realized she would, eventually, have to get a different job. She couldn’t work at the Den forever. It was inevitable that someone would realize she wasn’t aging. It was promising, at least, that if she joined the coven, she would have assistance in finding something new. “Well hey, at least in a hundred years I’ll still be able to, you know… live my life, right?” Rika laughed, though the way she was once more rubbing her arm did a lot to say how nervous and depressed she was by the thought. “Yeah,” Eric sighed, “but I know what you’re thinking. I know that you probably have friends and family who are mortals, and… not every mortal wants this sort of life. My mother and father, they don’t. I’ve been watching them grow older for years now while I’m frozen in time. But considering my circumstances, we’ve all made our peace with it.” “It is… very hard, yes?” Nadia agreed. “And that is why we need covens. We need the love and support of others like us to thrive. Our lives are both a blessing and a curse so make it more the former than the latter.” Truthfully, aside from her “family” at the Den, Morag, Lilith, and now Venus, Chastity didn’t really have anyone else. Her sister and aunt hadn’t been in the picture for several years. Maybe a coven was exactly what she needed to feel less alone. But what Eric said, the warning about not everyone wanting to become a vampire, frightened her. She’d have to say goodbye to Morag someday at the very least. What about Venus? Hesitantly, she glanced at her. Would she even want to be turned someday? Or would Chastity have to watch her grow old and say goodbye to her, too? Her worries were alleviated somewhat when Venus squeezed her hand gently and gave her a small smile. “So, anything else you ladies want to know?” Eric asked. Chastity turned her attention towards him again. “Be completely honest with me. Do you think I should join?” “Oh, absolutely,” Eric said. “Father would say yes as well, and so I say yes,” Nadia agreed. She was already leaning towards doing so, but hearing this from Eric was valuable to her decision. “Thank you. That really helps me figure out what to do next.” “Well, I’m glad to be a help!” Eric exclaimed. “It’s really nice to finally see new faces coming around.” The group said their goodbyes and continued to walk through the manor. Chastity still held Venus’s hand, walking beside her and behind Nadia and Rika. Eventually, after they’d gone through the two upper floors, they descended down the stairs again and walked into the kitchen where Victoria was standing with a freckled woman who was twirling her sandy blonde hair in her fingers. There was a plate with freshly made sandwiches sitting on a counter next to various ingredients, like mayonnaise and lettuce. There were also two small red bags that looked eerily similar to ones that might be found at a hospital. “Hello again,” the coven leader smiled warmly. “Dahlia has prepared turkey sandwiches if you are hungry. Miss Collins, Miss Paine, I have blood for you both. If you are in need of more, we have plenty in storage.” “Thank you,” Chastity replied quietly. She couldn’t avoid it anymore. She’d need to finally suck it up and drink blood if she wanted to survive. “And if you don’t much like the sandwiches, I can make you something else!” Dahlia grinned as she looked over the newcomers. “I’m in a good mood and I love coo—“ The color seemed to drain from Dahlia’s face as she looked at Rika, and her hands went over her mouth. Her eyes, which a moment before had been sparkling with joy, were now brimming with tears. A mumbled “excuse me” later and she had fled the room, leaving no time for anyone to react. Chastity felt as confused as Victoria appeared. “Perhaps I should check on her. Nadia, can I trust you to keep our guests entertained?” “Of course, Mother,” Nadia nodded. As Victoria left the room, Nadia put a gentle hand on Rika’s shoulder as and guided her to a wooden chair. The poor girl looked extremely distraught and confused. “Did… I do something wrong?” Rika asked nervously. “I do not think so,” Nadia replied. “Is she okay?” Chastity asked as she grabbed the blood bags. They were cold as though they had just come from the fridge. She and Venus sat down at the small kitchen table, and Chastity handed one to Rika. How am I supposed to drink this? she thought miserably. Nadia looked over Rika. “Perhaps… I am uncertain what my sister’s feelings here are.” An awkward silence fell over the table. Chastity stared at the bag of blood uncomfortably, trying to figure out what the best way to drink from it was. Should she twist off one of the plastic tabs on the top, or was it better to bite into it? Rika, thankfully, led by example by tearing the top off and drinking it down as though it were a juice box. “Ah!” she gasped as she pulled her mouth back from a long gulp, “That’s refreshing!” “It is?” she squeaked meekly. She felt sick. How was this refreshing in the slightest? “It is, I must admit, an acquired taste,” Nadia said. “It will take time to get used to… But used to it you will get, and it will be the sweetest nectar you could ever hope to taste. Particularly…” She fixed her gaze on Venus, a sly smile on her face. “...from one who holds the key to your heart.” Chastity felt her cheeks glow with heat as she reluctantly held up the blood bag. Thinking about drinking Venus’s blood made her feel guilty. Should she? Was it supposed to be something more intimate and special? Venus had offered at least once already, so she clearly was into it. It wasn’t as though she was preying on the redhead. “I guess here goes nothing,” Chastity sighed before copying what Rika did a moment ago. She tore off one of the tabs on the top of the bag with surprising ease before lifting it to her mouth and starting to drink. She winced as the chilled liquid passed over her tongue, but she was quickly surprised by how well she was able to tolerate the taste. It had a light metallic flavor, but it wasn’t unpleasant. This made it fairly easy to guzzle down the contents, and Chastity had emptied her bag before she knew it. “How was it? What did it taste like?” Venus asked eagerly. “It was thick and kind of tasted like metal. But it wasn’t… bad?” It was almost as though being turned had changed her taste buds to welcome the need. “It gets better the more you drink it,” Rika chimed in. “That’s promising, I guess,” she sighed. Maybe eventually it would seem natural and she’d stop feeling so gross about it. “My apologies, ladies,” Victoria declared as she returned to the kitchen. “Thank you, Nadia, for entertaining our guests.” “Oh, it is my pleasure, Mother,” the woman beamed. “Though might I ask what troubles my sister?” The coven leader shook her head. “She simply needs time. It is nothing to fret over for the moment.” Folding her hands in front of her neatly, she turned her attention to Chastity and Rika. “As you two are rather young as far as your vampiric ages are concerned, would I be correct in assuming you have questions?” Chastity nodded. “Just… a few.” “I definitely think Eric and Nadia cleared up a lot,” Rika admitted, “but I’m interested in learning more. You guys seem pretty friendly and welcoming… for the most part.” She rubbed her arm nervously for what must have been the hundredth time that day. “I am more than happy to educate,” Victoria smiled. “I should be able to answer most, if not all, of your questions as I have been a vampire for over 200 years.” “That long?” Chastity whispered. With a small laugh, she admitted, “That is rather young in the grand scheme of things. My husband was at least 900.” “I know only one older than he,” Nadia added. “Although I do not doubt that there are equally ancient vampires out there.” “Of that, I have no doubt,” Victoria nodded. “If I am to be entirely honest, I believe my husband would be a much better resource when it comes to understanding vampirism. Unfortunately, I am the oldest currently living in this coven. But, alas, that does not mean I am not knowledgeable.” “Do not sell yourself short,” Nadia huffed. “You are a teacher, and a brilliant one at that.” “Once, long ago… But now is a different time with different circumstances.” She shook her head again. “Nevertheless… What are your questions? I will answer them to the best of my abilities.” Chastity hesitated and waited to see if Rika would ask something first. When she didn’t, she set her now-empty blood bag on the table and nervously ran her hand through her blonde hair. “So, um… How do I figure out what this power I’m supposed to get is?” “A difficult one to begin with,” Victoria murmured. “The answer is not quite so simple. You see, your power will be a representation of yourself. It may take time for you to understand exactly what it means. In fact, you may never understand it. Vampirism works in its own ways. Many often discover their powers by chance. It is a waiting game. You will know it when you discover it, and it will come naturally.” With a laugh, she added, “Of course, for some, learning to control it takes training. It all depends on what sort of power you possess. Some have physical powers that enhance their abilities to fight while others have a mental power of sorts that require them to concentrate in order to use it. In certain circumstances, understanding and accepting yourself better will give you better control and use of your power.” Victoria smiled apologetically. “I’m sure this doesn’t quite answer your question. However, there will be no doubt in your mind once you’ve discovered it. And if you question yourself…” She gestured to Venus. “...you can always try it around your companion. There is a telltale sign that will answer any of your fears. A flash of light will cross your eyes. Similar to this…” She trailed off and held up her hand. Chastity watched Victoria’s eyes closely. Just as she had said, a brief flash of light, almost like lightning, rushed through her brown eyes. A second later, a very small swarm of bees hovered in her hand. “Whoa…” “Regardless of the source of your power, whether physical or psychological, the light will always be present when activating its use.” “Ah, a little fun fact!” Nadia exclaimed, holding up a finger. “Mother has what is called a soul power, in that she manifests something that reflects her soul in some way. In this coven, she is the queen bee, yes? And so she has bees that come forth and can never truly die. Our friends, Mr. Jones and Mr. Varney, have such powers as well, as does Miss Sakura Himura as I have come to find.” She turned and beamed at Victoria. “I always remembered your lessons, Mother. Thinking back on them comforted me many a night at the castle.” “I may be biased,” she said in reply, “but I always believed you were one of my best students.” Chastity nodded outwardly to show her understanding of this answer, but like Victoria had said, it wasn’t particularly what she had been hoping for. What if it took months for her to figure it out? I’m a dancer at an adult nightclub. What kind of power is that going to give me? “I bet your power is something really cool,” Venus whispered to her cheerfully. “Oh, shit! If powers really are a reflection of you, maybe I could summon Lady anywhere and ride her up walls or something!” “Wait… You want to become a vampire?” she asked, feeling a small glimmer of hope. “I see literally no downside,” Venus nodded. “I mean… watching my parents and grandpa grow old and die would suck… but I’d have you, and I’m pretty sure Lily would become a vampire in a heartbeat. I dunno. I’d be down for it.” That was promising, and it brought a small smile to her face. If they ended up getting serious, then at least it wasn’t something she’d have to be worried about. There was something else she was curious about though, something she hadn’t exactly talked about with Venus (understandably considering their relationship was still very fresh). It wasn’t something Eve had mentioned, but she still wanted to know. “Um… So… How exactly does having kids work?” Victoria’s smile quickly faded, and her face looked pained. She closed her hand, and the soft humming of her bees disappeared. “That is a very good question and a difficult one to answer. The truth, Miss Collins, is that vampire women cannot have children.” Chastity’s heart sank as she tried to comprehend what she’d just heard. “What?” With a sympathetic nod, Victoria explained, “Vampirism, in a sense, works like a broken clock. It keeps our bodies frozen in time. As such, it does all it can to keep us in the same condition as we were when we were turned. If we are injured, our bodies will correct the injury by healing quickly. This is also why we cannot obtain serious illnesses or disease with the small exception of mental illnesses. “In a similar sense, for vampire women, our bodies… Well, we are unsure exactly how it works, but from what we can understand, conception is impossible. The body seems to… eradicate a baby when it is created, if it even allows that to happen. We have had women in the coven who had children prior to being turned who found it impossible to have another after. “Vampire men, however, have the capability to conceive. Similarly to women, their… parts work to… restore the condition they were in when the man was turned. As the…” She paused to wave her hand to indicate what she was talking about. “As it leaves their body, it has the capability to conceive a child with a woman so long as the woman is a mortal. Their bodies will simply replace what was… spent. It is uncommon for half-vampire children to exist, but not impossible.” Chastity carefully listened to all this, but she felt like her heart had shattered. She was trying to hold it together, but her mind and body had other ideas as her eyes were already watering. “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Collins… Nadia, Miss Paine, perhaps we shall retire to the living room and give them a moment.” After the three women had left, Venus looked at Chastity with concern. “Babe? Are you okay?” She shook her head. Her throat was tight, and it was taking everything she had not to start crying right then and there. Why hadn’t Eve told her this before? “You wanna talk about it?” She could feel her hands, clenched into tight fists, trembling. “I… I just wanted… another chance and now…” A hot tear dropped on her cheek. “Another?” Venus gasped. She wrapped an arm around Chastity and pulled her close. “Let it all out, ok? I’m here for you.” She buried her face in Venus’s shirt and did just that. She hated crying in front of her, but it was too hard to hold it together. She let everything out, her sadness, her frustration, her despair… She wanted so badly to be a mom when she was ready, and now she’d never get that chance. Eventually, she calmed down and shifted her head so it was laying on Venus’s shoulder. She knew she’d have to tell her what “another” meant eventually, but she wasn’t ready in the slightest to have that conversation right then. It was hard enough trying to accept the reality that she could never have children. “I’m gonna kick that angel lady’s ass,” Venus hissed. “I’ll find a way, I promise. No one gets to make you cry like that.” “I just… Why didn’t she tell me?” she whimpered. “Isn’t that kind of important to know?” “Who cares? She didn’t, so I’m gonna beat the shit out of her.” “I don’t want you to get hurt…” She lifted her head and wiped at her eyes. There was a large wet spot on Venus’s shirt where she’d been crying. “Shit, I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t mean to get you all wet.” “That’s not something I ever want to hear from my girlfriend,” she teased gently. “You wanna go join the others now, or you still need a minute?” “I think I’m okay now. Or as okay as I can be, anyway.” She wiped at her eyes again, thankful she hadn’t put on any makeup yet. The two stood up, and Chastity slipped her hand into Venus’s. She picked up her empty blood bag and tossed it into the plastic trash can resting next to an island counter as they left the kitchen. The living room was across the front hallway, and she could hear the women talking as well as a man’s voice she didn’t quite recognize. “Oh neat, is that another coven member come to join us?” Venus asked. “Maybe, I don’t know,” she admitted before they entered the room. Everyone was seated the same way as they had been earlier, and they turned to smile at Chastity and Venus. “Are you feeling better, Miss Collins?” Victoria asked gently. “Yeah, thanks for…” Her eyes connected with the man whose voice she had heard just a minute ago. She knew exactly who he was, and she felt frozen in place. Was the universe out to get her? Why? Of all days to cross paths with him, why now? The man, Norman Grieves, looked at her with bewilderment. “Chastity? What… What are you doing here?” She couldn’t speak. What could she say? What was he even doing here? Was he a vampire too? “Miss Collins?” Victoria called, worry evident in her voice. “Are you alright?” “What’s going on here? Who is this guy?” Venus asked. “I’m Norman Grieves,” Norman introduced himself. “I work with the Silverwings, and I also run the library.” “The… what?” she finally managed to squeak out. “Our allies,” Nadia reminded her. “Oh.” Chastity lowered her head and stared in shame at the intricate red and gold carpet on the floor. “Then… you know exactly why I’m here.” “Well, this explains why Behiti was so insistent I come,” he sighed. “She must have seen you’d be here.” “I wish she hadn’t,” she whispered. She felt embarrassed that, of all people, Mr. and Mrs. Grieves were the ones to find out she’d been turned into a vampire. “You need not worry, Miss Collins,” Victoria reassured her. “Mr. Grieves is our ally, as is his wife. Your secret is safe with them.” Chastity nodded, though this didn’t do much to comfort her. I must look like an utter failure in their eyes, she thought miserably. Norman gave her a warm, friendly smile. “Well, don’t look so glum! You’re a vampire, sure, but you’re here with the best coven on the East coast! Maybe even in all of America! Definitely better than the one in New York at any rate… I really can’t stand Harold. Anyway! The coven’s about to get even better! This seemed to catch Victoria’s attention. “Oh? And how might that be?” “Well, for starters, if Chastity is joining you, you’re adding one of the biggest sweethearts in Rhine City to your roster!” he winked, causing Chastity to lift her head and Venus to turn to her with a look of sheer confusion. He turned back to Victoria after, his hand going into his pocket. “But also…!” He produced a small vial full of what Chastity recognized immediately as blood. “The blood of Jerrod Carter, descendant of Rupert Carter, one of the men who… well, you know.” A small gasp came from Victoria as she stood from her armchair. With wide, surprised eyes, she whispered, “Is it truly?” “Mr. Luna’s an honest man, Victoria. Seems Jerrod tried jumping Antoinette and Roarke, and Roarke fought him off and got the blood. We’ve currently got the guy in custody, I think they’ll be interrogating him tomorrow.” If it was at all possible, Victoria looked even more shocked. “Roarke? That can’t be possible. You must be mistaken.” “No, Luna and Amber definitely said it was Roarke.” “This is Roarke we are talking about, yes? Roarke Higgens?” “There’s not another Roarke, is there? Especially not one with Antoinette.” Victoria rubbed her forehead. “Please forgive me, Mr. Grieves. I simply find it hard to believe he assisted in anything to benefit the coven without direction.” “I’m thinking Antoinette is bringing out the best in him,” Norman cheerily replied. “Now, I think you have something important to do.” “Feed the ring, yes?” Nadia said excitedly. “Yep!” Norman replied. “Just pour this right over the ruby is my understanding.” Chastity watched with curiosity as Victoria took the vial of blood from Mr. Grieves. She carefully pulled the cork from the top with a small pop. Everyone watched with bated breath as she slowly tipped the vial towards the black ring she wore on her hand. The dark red contents inside slid down to the opening and dripped onto the ruby. As soon as it made contact, the blood sizzled away and vanished in a small wisp of red smoke. Victoria pulled back the vial. For the first time since Chastity had met her that day, the coven leader looked genuinely nervous and almost afraid as she watched the ring. Was she expecting something to happen? Answering that question was a loud yawn from the ring. “Victoria?” came a softly echoing voice emanating from the ring, the ruby glowing as the voice spoke. “I feel… energized.” Victoria’s eyes widened. “Is… Is that really you?” she asked in disbelief. Chastity exchanged a confused expression with Venus. What exactly was going on? “I certainly hope it is me. I’d be rather distressed if I were not myself.” “That is most definitely Father,” Nadia noted dryly, a smile on her face. “Between this and that winged guy I saw last night, I think just about anything is possible now,” Rika muttered. “Maybe the Rhine City sewer gator is real after all…” “See!” Venus smirked. “That girl gets it.” Victoria slowly sank into her chair. She looked like she could start crying at any moment. “It’s been so long since I’ve heard your voice… Ah, but my dear, we do have guests at the moment.” “Do we?” the ring replied. “Sadly, I cannot see them. I do not have eyes. But I shall greet them! Welcome to my humble coven. I am Amalric Leofwin Dracula, but please, simply ‘Dracula’ will suffice.” Chastity’s eyes widened in surprise. Dracula was coming back after all, and she’d been lucky enough to witness the first step of it (assuming there was much more needed in order to bring him back fully). “A member of the Silverwings is here, as are two young women who have come to learn about vampirism,” Victoria explained. “Well, there is no one better to teach them of such things than you, my dear! Have at it! I must conserve my energy, but we will speak again soon. Know that I am with you again, though.” The ruby on the ring dulled, and it went silent once more. Victoria sighed and lifted her head. With an apologetic smile, she said, “Today certainly has not gone quite as planned. I apologize, Miss Collins, Miss Paine. Please consider me a resource, as I am more than happy to help you further understand vampirism.” Chastity nodded and shifted nervously where she stood. “Um… Is… Is the offer to join still available?” Her smile widened. “Of course, Miss Collins. We would be honored to have you join our coven.” “I don’t have to live here, do I?” “Of course not,” Victoria answered. “Living here is entirely optional, although at the moment, every member does. But it does not make you any less of a member than anyone else who is a part of this coven.” Chastity glanced at Venus for reassurance before saying, “Then… I think I’d like to join.” “And that answers my next question,” Rika added. “If I can join this coven and still live with my friends, I’m all for it.” “How wonderful!” Victoria stood again, clasping her hands together before her. “You are both most welcome, and we are blessed to have you with us. Please, feel free to come and go as you wish. Ah, but use the backdoor if you would. It attracts much less attention, which is beneficial to our safety. And, of course, you are welcome to feed as needed whenever you are here.” “Geez, these two are the first new members in a while! Excluding Rose and Nadia, these are the first people to join since the Himura sisters in the early 2000's!” Norman exclaimed. “Father’s reawakening is heralding good fortune for this coven,” Nadia agreed. “Gravity pulls those who are lost and in need of a home to him as always.” Chastity felt her shoulders, which she realized had been tense up until that point, finally relax. When they’d first arrived, she wasn’t sure if joining a coven was what she’d wanted, but now she felt like this was where she belonged. She wasn’t alone, and now she had a place she could go to be with other vampires who would accept her for who she was. ****** The Sleeping Gull Inn would have been silent if not for the sounds of David Wake’s nieces playing a few rooms away. Since Jemima’s goons had been snooping around lately, Minerva had told her crew to avoid stopping by for the next few days, save for Akina and Cora. Aside from Wake, who visited daily to help keep the place running and hopefully ward off any suspicion, the only other person around regularly was Debra since she lived there with Minerva. Wake had also ordered dock security to keep an eye out for suspicious activity around his Inn; it was unlikely Jemima would do anything to anger him, but he had claimed it was better to be safe than sorry. Minerva sat on the couch while the girls played, quietly reading a fantasy novel one of her crew had recommended her called Hour of the Black Witch. Her nose wrinkled in disgust as she read it. Author Frida Spinney’s biases shined through even as they were buried under overwrought dialogue and half-hearted attempts to appeal to equality and justice. I may have to speak to Gertrude if this is the sort of thing she thinks I’d like, Minerva thought. “Hey Minerva,” Debra’s voice called from the kitchen. “You want any coffee? Just brewed some hazelnut.” “Oh, absolutely,” she sighed in exasperation. “I think I need some to deal with this garbage.” She could hear the faint sounds of Debra shuffling about and the clinking of what she guessed was a spoon stirring around before her friend trudged into the living room with two mugs of coffee in her hand. She passed one to Minerva before plopping down on the couch next to her. “What’s that?” “This terrible fantasy novel Gertrude thought I’d like. This author is either a closet racist or just completely ignorant to the garbage she’s writing.” Gertrude was a very useful ally seeing as she worked for the banks and was easily able to ensure Minerva’s funds were safe, secure, and plentiful, but little things like this made Minerva concerned. “So why are you reading it?” she asked before sipping from her mug. “It’s hard to look away from a disaster like this,” she admitted. “It reminds me of when I was young and my father would buy atrocious B-movies from the 50s to watch with me. I’ve seen Plan 9 so many times I could practically recite the script…” She smiled wistfully. Her father’s love of things no one else seemed to care for, be it movies, books, or people, was one of the things she missed most about him. He might draw the line at something like this book, though, she laughed internally. Debra rolled her eyes and snorted. “You’re weird. I ever tell you that?” “Quite a few times, yes,” Minerva replied as she shut the book. “Maybe we should watch some TV instead while we wait to see if Cora has any news. Unless you’d rather go play with the kids?” The sound of laser onomatopoeias echoed down the hall. With a shudder, Debra answered, “Hell no. I’m not a kid type of woman. You know this.” “I do. So let’s see what’s on TV.” She turned it on to some kind of weird animal sighting show that was featuring tourists and locals discussing recent sightings of a so-called vampire dolphin in the Caribbean. Huh, didn’t Rita talk about that on her show this month? she pondered. “What the fuck?” Debra snorted. “Do people actually believe that shit?” “It’s a strange world we live in, Debra,” Minerva replied as she flipped through the channels. There were movies, cartoons, cooking shows, nature documentaries, and more, but nothing really captured her interest until she hit the news channel. A tanned, blonde woman in a bright yellow blouse was standing in a bakery holding a large microphone with the news station’s logo on the handle. “The Great Rhine Bake-Off will take place on Saturday July 1st. Don’t forget to sign up at City Hall before the deadline this Friday. Back to you, Rick.” The image on the screen changed to what appeared to be inside the news station. A Latino man with a dark thin mustache sat behind a desk. There was a slight delay before he began talking. “Thanks, Alice. And now onto our top story of the evening. Early this morning, police received a phone call about two masked vigilantes holding a reputable lawyer hostage just ten feet from The Golden Rose. A video capturing the incident has gone viral online. Here’s a quick clip.” “Vigilantes?” Minerva muttered as she sipped at her coffee. “No one has bothered trying vigilantism in this city in ages.” “Well, thank fuck you didn’t go this route,” her friend laughed. “They look ridiculous.” “They seem young,” Minerva said as she watched the clip unfold. “It’s pretty reassuring to see people their age care so much about the c—“ Minerva spit out her coffee and leapt off the couch, staring at the screen. A woman had walked into frame on the clip, one she’d never imagined she’d see again. Were it not for the bright red ponytail hanging down to her waist, she might not have even recognized her, but there was no doubt in her mind: The woman in the clip was none other than the long-lost Rika Amano. “You okay?” Debra asked, any trace of earlier jesting gone from her voice. “No,” Minerva squeaked as she stared at Rika even as she was relegated to the background. “I’ve just seen a ghost.” “In that video?” “Did you not see the redheaded Japanese girl?” Minerva asked. “Yeah…?” she answered, sounding fairly confused. “Pretty sure everyone else that was there saw her too. Don’t think that was a ghost.” “That was Rika Amano, Debra,” Minerva replied. “Wait, what? Are you sure?” By now, the news anchor was talking again, and the video was over. “That was her. I’m positive,” Minerva whispered. “She’s alive, and she’s here in Rhine City. This… This is…” She had no idea how to even coherently summarize what this meant. This was an opportunity to make amends, a shot at their true goal, and a terrifying fear for this poor girl all rolled into one. “Okay. So what are you going to do?” “I… I don’t know, Debra,” she admitted. “I can’t do nothing, that’s all I can say. I did that once before, and look where it got us.” Her friend sighed in response. “Do you want me to find her?” Minerva turned to her and nodded in response. “Absolutely. And I want everyone else working with us to know too. I’m going to tell Rita to have her friends keep an eye out for her as well. I need everyone trying to find her.” “I’ll find her,” Debra reassured her. “I promise. Even if it means I have to wake up early every morning.” With a grumble, she added, “And you know I like my sleep, damnit.” “I know you do,” Minerva gently laughed. “Really, Debra. I appreciate it.” “Yeah, yeah,” she sighed. “I know. You better buy me a coffee when I find something.” “I’ll buy you a hundred coffees,” Minerva teased. “Just… please. Find her so that I can figure out how to proceed. I have ideas, but I would never do anything without her consent first.” “I’ll start tomorrow,” she promised. “Good,” Minerva muttered as she slowly sank back onto the couch. “Good, that’s… good.” “It’s going to be okay,” her friend said gently. “I promise. I know what this means to you, and it’s going to be okay.” Minerva couldn’t be entirely certain this would be okay, but she did know that if she could find some way to get in contact with Rika Amano, she might have some semblance of a chance of getting through to Jemima. But the first and biggest priority was finding a way to ensure that Rika was safe because if there was one thing that Minerva was all too aware of, it was that Jemima did not take too kindly to people disobeying her. And Rika being back in Rhine was most certainly a disobeyal of the message she had sent the poor girl years ago. ****** Chastity hopped off of Lady in the parking lot adjacent to the Den of Sin. She’d had a great night off the day before, but now it was back to business. Thankfully, Venus was going to be there the whole time watching her, so dealing with Remy and his sleaziness was more tolerable. “I’m going to be completely honest, babe,” Chastity said as she handed her helmet to Venus. “I’m kinda dying to know if Ryker says yes to Lilith or not. Like, he’s so quiet, you know?” Tonight was the night Venus’s sister was going to finally ask out her crush, and Chastity was super excited for her. “I sure hope he does,” Venus admitted. “I wonder if he remembers her. I mean, it’s hard to forget Lily, and I don’t just mean because she drives like a lunatic and has white hair in her mid-twenties.” “Whenever she asks him, my dancing is going to definitely suck because I’ll be watching them instead,” she laughed. “Like, how are we coordinating this? When is his break? I need to send Lily the deets so she can do this right!” “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “It depends on everyone else’s shifts, usually. Like, you know how mine are all over the place. Probably around ten or eleven?” It was an estimate based on when he usually started working and when she could remember him going on break in the past. “You did warn her he’s, like, crazy quiet, right? I mean, he’s been so sweet to me, but I’ve hardly heard him say ten words since he started.” “Babe, what part of ‘she knew him in high school’ didn’t you get? He was always quiet. I think Bruce used to joke about him being a school shooter waiting to happen, so, you know, another reason I’m glad he caught on fire.” She nearly stopped in her tracks on the way to the Den’s front door. “What? Ryker’s too sweet to do anything like that!” He was a complete gentleman and, in her honest opinion, deserved to be at a better job than the Den. He was a good actor, but she could tell he wasn’t into it the same way she was. “The guy who said that is the same one who assaulted my sister, so you know he was a real piece of shit,” Venus scowled as she held open the door. “The only thing I’m sad about is he’s not around for Lily’s pal, Jason, to kick the shit out of like he did to that la… Uh, well, actually, never mind!” She gestured inside. “After you, babe!” Chastity raised an eyebrow at the redhead suspiciously, but she didn’t say anything as she went inside. If it was something she was supposed to know about, Venus would tell her. As usual, the Den was beginning to fill up, and the music was playing loud. Painfully loud. Wincing, Chastity covered her ears with her hands. “Was it always this loud in here?” “I don’t know if it’s louder than usual,” Venus admitted. “Maybe you’ve got super hearing now so it’s worse. Want me to beat up Remy until he turns it down?” She shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to make him pissed off at her anymore than he probably already was. “I’ll… talk to him before I start. Maybe I can convince him to turn the music down just a little bit.” Otherwise, she had no idea how she was going to make it through her eight hour shift. “Fine, fine,” Venus grumbled. “I’ll throw a couple Ben Franklins your way to make things better, how’s that?” “You spoil me,” she winked. “I’ll be on in a few, okay? Don’t miss me too much.” She blew her girlfriend a kiss before heading to the locker room. Once she was in there, she quickly changed into a skimpy red bikini set that barely covered her parts—with it being summer, many of the dancers were going for a “beach theme” with their outfits—and a pair of fishnet stockings. Going barefoot the other night had proven to be pretty popular with her patrons, so she was going to try it again tonight. While she was applying her makeup in the bathroom mirror, she debated how exactly to approach Remy about the volume of the music. It had never been a problem before, but like Venus had said, her hearing was a little better than usual. Since being turned, she had been able to pick up things she’d never noticed before. She figured the answer would be no, but it was worth a shot. Maybe he’d be in a good mood today and would be willing to cooperate. She ultimately decided to use her pouty face and ask as sweetly as she could. Since she had a few minutes before her shift started, she spritzed herself with her favorite strawberry scented body mist, shoved her things into her locker, and hurried out of the locker room and upstairs to Remy’s office. The door was closed over, so she politely knocked to get his attention. “Come in,” came a somewhat irritated reply from her boss. Chastity pushed the door open to find Remy standing with his back turned to her, looking out the large windows that gave him a perfect view of the Den. The way he watched them while they worked made her feel more creeped out than usual, especially since learning about how he’d taken advantage of her. “Hey, boss,” she started, walking a few steps inside his office. He turned towards her, a scowl on his bruised face. “Well look who the fuck decided to turn up for work today.” She was instantly annoyed, but tried her best to keep her cool. Apparently, this was going to be one of his bad days (not that she could necessarily blame him considering he still looked like shit). “I was sick,” she calmly stated. “You don’t seriously want me coming in and puking on the guests, do you?” “Guess not,” he grumbled. “You sure got cured up real quick, though.” With a shrug, she quickly replied, “It was, like, one of those one-day stomach flu things. Nothing soup and orange juice can’t fix!” A cheery attitude was usually better when dealing with Remy, so she flashed him a grin. He stared at her for a moment before turning back to observing the floor. “Yeah, sure, whatever. So you fuckin’ need anything else? Cuz I gotta find out who’s goin’ in the back until Morag gets back. Boy, am I missin’ her right now…” A wave of disgust hit Chastity so hard, she almost physically gagged. Her suspicions were true; he used Morag just like he used her. Does she know about that? she wondered. She made a mental note to tell her about it as soon as she could. For now, though, she needed to stay focused on the task at hand. “Actually, yeah. I’ve still got a massive headache today, and I was wondering if maybe you could turn down the music just a little bit?” She was trying not to wince, but she knew whatever his response was going to be, it was not going to be a good one if his current mood was any indication. “So, let me get this straight,” he began as he whirled around again. “You’re gonna get me beat up, call in sick, and leave me scramblin’ to find a replacement, and then you’re gonna waltz on in and tell me my music is too loud? That right?” Chastity felt like she’d been slapped. Tears sprang to her eyes subconsciously. How was it her fault he got his ass beat up? Maybe if he wasn’t such a selfish pervert… No, it was time to try pouting. She’d played nice, but now she felt desperate. There was no way she’d be at her best if the music was making her head pound. Standing her ground, she looked directly into his furious brown eyes and slipped her bottom lip out just a little. “Please, Remy… I don’t want to let my fans down. Please just turn the music down a little?” She felt an odd tingling at the base of her head near her neck. What was that all about? Maybe his pissy attitude was getting to her more than she’d realized. “Fans?” he laughed. “You got some ego, Chastity. No one gives two shits about your ‘fans.’ It’s all about the fans of that lesbo you hang out with all the time. Get your head outta your ass. She starts droolin’ over someone else, I'll toss you right in the back.” The more he talked, the harder it was for her to hold back the urge to cry. How could he be so utterly cruel? Why was she getting punished for Venus having the hots for her? How, in any way, was that her fault? And, perhaps even worse than that, she could feel an old fear of abandonment raise its ugly head. Venus wouldn’t really leave her for someone else, would she? “Remy, please,” she uselessly pleaded. She could feel the tingling increasing in intensity. “Just a little bit, that’s all I’m asking.” As she pleaded, she could see Remy’s eyes glaze over, his jaw go slack, and his cheeks flush. “Just… a little…?” That was weird… but if it was working, who was she to argue? “Yes, just a little bit,” she pressed. “That’s all I need. It’ll help my headache, I swear. And… And that means I can do as well as usual, right? Which is good because they’ll spend lots of money?” “Money… I like money… Yeah, okay, I’ll have ‘em turn the music down. It’s shit, anyway.” Chastity’s mouth nearly dropped open in surprise. Was he being serious? “Really?” she asked. The odd tingling she’d felt was starting to subside. “You know it, baby! Now get on out there. I’ll tell the boys to lower the volume for ya.” “Thank you, Remy!” She felt so relieved, she blew him a kiss and practically skipped out of his office with happiness. She had absolutely no idea how the hell she’d convinced him to change his mind, but at least now she wouldn’t have to deal with such a massive headache. She hurried down the stairs to the main floor, feeling ready as ever to start dancing the night away. She almost instantly regretted how quickly she was rushing, however, as she bumped into someone almost as soon as she’d gotten off of the staircase. “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry!” “Why, hello there,” came a chillingly familiar voice. “No need to apologize, Chastity. In fact, I was just looking for you.” She frowned as her brain tried to process who was standing in front of her. “Eve?” “That’s my name!” the woman exclaimed merrily as she spread her arms wide. “What are you doing here?” she asked slowly. Eve was here again? Was it a coincidence? She supposed she could have come to support her, but an uncomfortable feeling in her gut told her that wasn’t the case. “Well,” Eve began, “I’m having a bit of a predicament, and I would love it if you could help me.” “I can try my best?” she offered with a smile. “What do you need?” She leaned down close. “Someone I sired long, long ago and who tried to kill me is somehow alive. I need as much help as I can get to stay safe until I can call in the rest of my coven.” “How am I supposed to help?” she frowned again, feeling oddly wary. “Stay by my side and protect me until I can ensure the issue is dealt with, and then you will be free to do as you wish! And, of course, you’d have a permanent place in my coven! You could meet my daughter, granddaughter, my son… and you could meet Amon.” Chastity nervously darted her eyes away. “Oh, I… Um, I kind of already joined one?” There was a long, uncomfortable silence before Eve finally spoke again. “Oh. Did you? And whose coven might it be, Chastity?” In a small voice, she admitted, “Um, Dracula’s?” Eve’s hands clamped onto her shoulders. “I leave you alone for, what, a single day? And you are consorting with the coven of a man who tried to kill me. Oh, but you didn’t know, did you? You didn’t know the truth. This is just a little mistake, isn’t it, Chastity?” Fear shot through every bone in her body as she violently shook her head. “I didn’t! I didn’t know you had a coven or… or anything like that!” She felt extremely confused in addition to being afraid. Victoria claimed Eve was the real evil, yet Eve was saying Dracula had tried to kill her. But hadn’t she killed him? She wasn’t sure what the truth was anymore or if she’d even made the right decision. Eve’s grip lightened on her shoulders as her hands moved to Chastity’s cheeks, cupping her face in her hands. “Oh, you sweet girl. I knew you wouldn’t betray me. I hope I didn’t scare you, I’m so on edge and so very worried for my family. Surely you understand.” She nodded slowly, too afraid to speak. “So, tell me everything about the little coven, hmm? Tell me what they’re up to, and I’ll help you out again. That’s what family does, right? And you’re family, Chastity. Or you can be. All I ask is for your love, and I will make all things possible for you.” “There’s not really much to tell,” she admitted. “Eve, I’m really sorry, but I have to get to work. I really don’t want my boss mad at me…” “Boss?” she asked. “Would he really be so mad with you speaking to me?” “If I’m not working and making him money? Yeah,” she answered bitterly. Eve smiled sweetly. “Why don’t I talk to him?” She frowned. “I don’t really know if that’s such a good idea… I just got him to agree to turn the music down. I don’t really want him to be mad at me again.” “Oh, he won’t get mad, I promise. But tell me, how does he treat you here? Did he really get mad over being asked to turn the music down?” “At first, yeah. Then… I dunno, I guess I managed to convince him.” She shrugged. Eve squeezed her face gently. “Take me to him, dear.” Chastity’s eyes widened. “Right now? I don’t think he wants to really see anyone…” He barely wanted her bothering him. “He’ll want to see us,” Eve reassured her. “Trust me.” She felt like this was a terrible idea. Deep down, she knew it was, but even knowing this, she sighed and said, “Okay. His office is upstairs.” “Would you like to come with me dear?” Eve smiled. “I think you might like to see this.” Chastity glanced out towards the floor. She knew Venus was waiting for her, but she couldn’t deny that she was curious about what Eve was going to do. “Okay, sure,” she agreed. “But then I really do need to get to work.” “Of course, of course,” Eve reassured. “Now, lead the way.” Chastity nodded again and spun on her heel, heading back up the staircase she had pranced down just a moment ago. Unsurprisingly, Remy was still in his office, so for the second time that night, Chastity knocked on his door. “I’m comin’,” Remy grumbled as he flung the door open, his face still slightly flushed as it had been before and his eyes still a bit glazed. “Chastity? Ain’t it quiet enough for you? And…” His eyes widened as he took in Eve, licking his lips in excitement as he did so. “Who’s your friend?” She swallowed her disgust and said, “This is Eve.” Eve chuckled beside her. “Sweet little Chastity, did you do this to him?” “No, that was… someone else.” “No, no, not the bruises… The eyes, dear. It looks like he was hit with a mind control spell.” “A… what?” She was completely confused. “Tell me how your previous conversation with this creature went,” Eve smiled. “Creature…?” Remy muttered, clearly still out of it. “I just asked him to turn the music down. And, well, I guess sort of… begged him to?” It was probably better not to explain that he’d berated and insulted her several times before she’d finally gotten through to him. “Show me. Show me exactly what you did, dear.” “Well… Okay.” She took a deep breath and, like before, looked directly into Remy’s eyes. She stuck her bottom lip out like she had before. Almost instantly, the tingling started up again. “You turned the music down, right Remy? For my headache?” His eyes glazed over completely once more, and his face flushed a bright pink. “Guh… Uh huh… Anything for you, Chastity…” “Oh, this is cute!” Eve giggled. “You have the power to influence minds! Just like Amon’s little friend, Maddox. I love it!” Chastity turned towards her feeling completely stunned. “That’s my power?” “Unless you are a rather accomplished sorceress and neglected to tell me,” Eve replied. “It can take years to become strong enough to master mind control, even for creatures as weak as this one.” She tapped Remy’s forehead with her finger. “Hmmm… Let’s try to have some fun! Make him spill his secrets.” Admittedly, she was curious about the other disgusting things her boss had done. She turned her attention towards him again. She was beginning to get used to the tingling, almost like it was an old friend. “Tell me everything you’re too scared for anyone to find out.” Without missing a beat, Remy began to ramble. “I frequent the back rooms a lot, especially when Morag’s in; sometimes I skim a few bucks off the girl’s tips; I had cameras installed in the changing rooms without permission; I cheat at poker all the time; I sometimes pick my nose and wipe it under the tables; I used to sneak into the girl’s locker room in school and steal girl’s clothes out of their lockers; I have a severe Oedipus complex.” Eve’s eyes widened. “This was rather enlightening, but not in a good way.” Chastity felt beyond sick. He was absolutely disgusting. How could Remy do that to her? To all of the girls? To Morag? She felt utterly betrayed and used. “You were supposed to protect us,” she whimpered, crossing her arms over her chest. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to run and never look back. “We’re not just… just play toys. We deserve respect.” Eve leaned down close to Remy, grabbing his face and glaring right into his eyes. “I have seen such horrors in my time. I saw the obliteration of Atlantis firsthand, and I was powerless to stop it. I saw my heart torn from my chest, leaving me scarred and broken. I once fought against things this creature’s pathetic mortal mind could never comprehend. But the one thing, the single thing I have always found most abhorrent in this world, is betrayal. Betraying those around you, betraying trust, is a sin of the highest order... And you, you miserable, greasy creature, are quite the Judas.” She glanced over at Chastity. “Well? Would you like to do something with him? His pathetic little mind is putty in your hands.” Chastity knew she needed to go downstairs and start working. She knew she owed it to at least Venus, who had been waiting patiently, but the thought of trying to shake her ass for a bunch of men who saw her the same way Remy did right at that moment filled her with even more disgust. She couldn’t stand to look at him anymore. Without another word, she fled back down the stairs. She didn’t stop until she was safely in the locker room where she sat down on the bench. She pulled her legs up onto it, hugging them close to her, and started crying. So what if she ruined her makeup? So what if she was late to her shift? What did it matter anymore? Her own boss saw her as nothing more than a means to make money and something to get off to. She couldn’t believe she’d ever defended him. How could he treat the girls like that? Or Morag? After everything that woman had done for him… A gentle hand touched her head. “Shh, dear,” Eve whispered, “you don’t have to worry about anything anymore. You have the power to make him bend to your will.” Despite her confusion about Eve and Dracula and the whole coven bullshit at that moment, Chastity needed some sort of comfort, so she leaned against Eve. The crying subsided, and her voice shook as she admitted, “I just want to go as far away from him as possible. How can someone be so disgusting?” “Pathetic creatures like him always believe they have the right to inflict their twisted, disgusting minds on others,” Eve replied, her voice shaking ever so slightly (something Chastity might not have noticed if not for her new, improved hearing). “Men like him… need guidance from someone with a better head on their shoulders. They need to be taught what is right, and what is wrong. They can be fixed. I know it. It must be true.” “I don’t know if he can,” she muttered. He seemed way too set in his ways. “He can, if you are the one to command him,” Eve said gently. “Me?” she squeaked nervously. “I know you can,” Eve smiled. “You are capable of incredible things, dear. You need only put your mind to it.” “I wish I believed that.” But the truth was she didn’t. “Well, I believe it. That’s why I chose you, and why I want you by my side in my new Order. With a power like yours, I may yet achieve my goals with little resistance!” She straightened herself and sighed, her hair falling in front of her face. “I… think I need some time. To think and figure things out. There’s just been so much going on the past two days, and I don’t know what to believe anymore.” “Believe me,” Eve said, a bit of forcefulness creeping into her voice. “I do suppose I ought to let you get to work, though! I’ve eaten up so much of your time already!” “Yeah,” she replied quietly. “Work…” With another sigh, she stood up and opened her locker. She’d need to fix her makeup before she got out on the floor. “I’ll be seeing you, Chastity!” With a final wave, Eve vanished out of the room in a puff of purple smoke. Even though she knew she shouldn’t be surprised by this, she stared at the space where Eve had been a moment ago. “Oh. I…” She shook her head and continued into the bathroom. It took a few minutes of carefully removing what had become smudged when she had been crying, but eventually, she’d fixed it enough to look convincing. “Okay, Chastity. Take two.” She quickly placed her things back into her locker, then strolled out onto the main floor. As expected, Venus was waiting for her at her normal spot. The redhead waved at her enthusiastically as she moved up to the stage. Chastity didn’t want to make her worried as she’d planned on telling her what had happened long after they were snuggling under her covers, so she smiled and blew a kiss before getting started. Thankfully, Remy had actually turned the music down, so her only real challenge was ignoring what had happened in the past twenty minutes and giving it her all for the next eight hours or so. At one point, when she glanced at Ryker dancing just a few feet away from her, she noticed he looked concerned. She mustered as convincing a smile as she could and mouthed, “I’m okay.” He didn’t look convinced, but he slyly nodded before returning his attention to the few guests who were watching him. When she looked back, she noticed Venus had a curious, concerned look on her face as well. Crap. She had no intention of lying to the redhead, so she simply whispered, “Later.” Venus gave a slight nod, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. Even though it was hard to muster the same energy she usually had when she was at work, Chastity was determined to make it through the shift. You can do this, Chastity. Just get through this shift, and you can spend the rest of the night safely in Venus’s arms. This, at the very least, comforted her and gave her something to look forward to when she could finally let her guard down. ****** It was no shock to Aiden that Lilith screeched to a stop in front of his house exactly on time. He’d come to find that, despite her recklessness, she was uncannily punctual, always arriving either early or on time. He felt a sense of nervousness as he entered her car, likely because she was going to be meeting his boyfriend for the first time. “Hey,” he said in greeting as he fastened his seatbelt. “So, uh, I guess this is it.” “I guess so!” Lilith exclaimed. “You said he’s at some wedding reception hall, right? Wonder what he’s doing there?” “He’s singing at a wedding, I guess?” It was something new he’d learned about that morning. It wasn’t all that surprising since he’d heard the man sing the night before. He was definitely talented, and Aiden was glad he was sharing that talent with others. “Oh nice! Does he look like Adam Sandler?” “Er… Who?” “I’m glad I’m not driving yet because I would have braked hard,” Lilith said incredulously. “You’re fucking with me, right?” Nervously, he answered, “No.” He had absolutely no idea who that was. Lilith stared at him, bewildered. “The Wedding Singer? 50 First Dates? Happy Gilmore? Little Nicky? How do you not know the king of lowbrow comedy when your life is basically Hotel Transylvania right now?” He shrugged sheepishly, slumping in his seat. “I don’t know. I just watch whatever is on tv with my mom.” For all he knew, he could’ve seen this actor in a movie before and not known it. “That’s it!” Lilith shouted, slapping her steering wheel. “We are having a movie night, and you’re watching Adam Sandler’s greatest hits!” “Oh, uh… Okay.” He shrugged. “Sounds like fun.” “Maybe I’ll even show you some of his good movies,” she laughed as she hit the pedal and zoomed off. They sped through the city so quickly, Aiden barely had time to process how nervous he was about introducing Lilith to Eric. They arrived at the reception hall before the butterflies had time to take off in his stomach. Unsurprisingly, the parking lot was pretty packed with cars, so they waited by the front doors. Aiden sent a quick text to Eric to let him know they had arrived. “Be right out, sweetie,” was his almost immediate reply. “He’s on his way,” he told Lilith. What if she hated him? What if Eric didn’t like the way she drove? He stared out the passenger side window trying to calm his anxiety. Soon enough, Eric strolled out, looking as handsome as ever in a dark blue suit. He tapped on Aiden’s window. Immediately, a smile cracked on his face. Aiden unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door. “Hey,” he breathed. Damn, he looked good. “Hello, you,” Eric grinned, his fangs peeking out a bit. “You almost look as happy as the newlyweds in there.” Sheepishly, he admitted, “I’m just happy to see you again.” “And I’m happy to see you! I’m surprised you’re dragging me to a strip club of all places! Ah, and this must be your friend, Li—“ Eric froze, staring past Aiden with confusion. “Wait, hold on… I know you, don’t I?” Aiden turned around to see Lilith had gotten out of the car as well and was standing just outside the driver’s side door. “Th-This is your boyfriend?” Lilith stammered. “Yeah…?” Aiden felt worried. “Is something wrong?” “No, I just, I…” Lilith trailed off for a moment before answering, “Uh. I met him once before.” Eric snapped his fingers. “I knew your sister looked familiar! That’s where I knew her from!” “Wait,” Aiden cut in, still dumbfounded. “Lilith, you knew him, and you didn’t tell me?” “I didn’t know his name,” she explained, “just what he looked like.” “We didn’t think to exchange names when last we met,” Eric added. “Oh.” He paused a beat before curiously asking, “Where did you meet?” “A bar,” the two said in unison. “Oh,” he repeated, nodding slowly. An awkward silence fell between the three. Why were they being so weird? “So, uh… We gonna… go?” Lilith asked nervously. “I think that’s a good idea,” Eric nodded. “Can’t have you late for meeting this guy, and I think my new coven mate needs support. She seemed a bit tense when she visited.” “Oh, did she join?” Aiden asked before slipping back into the front seat. “I think so!” Eric replied as he slid into the seat behind Aiden. “I think I helped convince her.” “You kind of make the whole vampire thing less weird,” he admitted, buckling his seat belt. “Um, just so you know, Lilith’s driving is… fast.” “You’ve told me,” Eric snorted. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he laughed as Lilith got back into the car. “Yeah, uh, I might just go the speed limit from here,” she mumbled. “Sorry to disappoint.” “Oh.” He watched her curiously. Was she okay? She seemed off. Did she not like Eric? Lilith quietly and carefully pulled out of the parking lot and began the drive to the Den. True to her word, she went far, far slower than she usually did. He wasn’t sure what was more uncomfortable: Lilith’s safe driving or the silence in the car. Something wasn’t right, but he didn’t want to make her feel pressured by asking what was wrong in front of Eric, so instead he stayed quiet. He never thought he’d be so grateful to set eyes on the Den of Sin of all places, but he felt a sense of relief when Lilith pulled into the parking lot. “Hoo boy, here we go,” Lilith sighed. “This is it. Do I look good, boys?” She gave a very awkward smile and a thumbs up. “You look great,” Aiden assured her. “You’re okay, right?” “Yeah, shit man, I just… I’ve got a lot on my mind, and it’s never a good idea to speed when you’re weighed down by thoughts, right?” “She’s not wrong,” Eric agreed. “I imagine you’re just a bit tensed up from going to meet this guy.” “Yeah, that must be it,” Lilith muttered. Aiden wasn’t entirely convinced, but he gave her a smile regardless. “If he doesn’t say yes, then he doesn’t know what he’s missing.” “I mean, he could probably guess, but thanks for saying that,” Lilith sighed. “Alright, enough of this, let’s rip that bandage off.” Without a moment’s hesitation, she unbuckled her seatbelt and slid out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her. Aiden followed, though he hung back with Eric and let Lilith take the lead. Quietly, he whispered to his boyfriend, “She’s not usually like this. I wonder if something is wrong…” “I think it may just be nerves,” Eric whispered back. “I can’t imagine it’s easy asking out a stripper at a strip club.” “Yeah, I guess that’s true…” He had a nagging feeling something else was going on, but he decided to let it go for now. He and Eric were there to support her, and he planned on fully doing that. That was until they stepped into the Den. Aiden wasn’t exactly sure what he’d expected to see, but it wasn’t nearly naked people dancing all around with crowds practically drooling and tossing money their way. He instantly felt heat rising up his neck and quickly grabbed Eric’s hand for comfort. Eric squeezed his hand gently. “They’re just working, sweetie. Don’t worry. There’s nothing wrong with it… Though, considering what I’ve heard about this place, there may be some things wrong with it.” “What do you mean?” “I’m fairly certain there’s a criminal organization hiding out under here, and the man who owns this place has a less-than-savory reputation.” “Oh.” “I’m surprised that Jemima woman hasn’t tried to shut this place down, but I imagine she has better things to do with her time,” Eric shrugged. “Now come on, let’s go find a seat.” “Okay,” he agreed. They followed Lilith, who seemed to be expertly navigating her way through the Den despite never having actually watched her crush perform before. Eventually, she stopped in one area where a man was dancing on a raised platform. There were a few people lounging around nearby while others chose to watch from a distance. “Is that him?” Aiden asked Lilith once he was standing beside her. “That sure is,” she sighed. “He’s just as gorgeous as I remember.” He followed her gaze to actually look at the guy closer. Immediately, he understood, and the heat that was already all over his face intensified. The man was rather tall with long dark hair tied behind his back in a ponytail. He had sharp cheekbones and toned muscles that flexed deliciously as he moved. “Oh… Yeah, he’s… pretty attractive…” “He’s pretty attractive the same way Reagan was just a pretty bad president,” Eric smirked. “That is to say, it’s an incredible understatement.” “Exactly, you guys get it! And, like, I’m just…” She dragged a finger down her scar. “Like, I know I’m hot and all, but is he gonna think so?” Aiden tore his eyes away, feeling embarrassed for eyeing the guy his best friend had the hots for. “There’s only one way to find out, right?” “Yep. Thank fuck you guys are here, I don’t think I’d have the balls to do this without wingmen. I’m, uh, really, honestly afraid, for once in my life.” His voice softened. “Hey, you got this. Why not, um, give him a tip or something. That’ll get his attention, right?” He hoped this sounded legitimate as he’d honestly never been anywhere like this before and had no idea what he was talking about. “Well, I guess it worked for my sister,” she snorted as she pulled some bills out of her pocket and tossed them onstage. Aiden didn’t see how big the bills were, but he could guess by the way the man onstage looked at them. He watched with interest as the guy glanced at Lilith and smiled. “Well, okay! Step one, complete! This is the easy part, though.” “You’ve got this,” Aiden reminded her. “I’ve got this,” she parroted. “Yeah, I’ve got this…” “Do you want us to sit with you?” “Yeah, I’d appreciate it,” she sighed with relief. “Just until I get a shot.” He glanced at Eric and asked, “That’s okay with you, right?” “Of course it is!” Eric laughed. They sat down together with Aiden and Eric sitting on a couch and Lilith sitting on a chair next to them. Aiden, still holding Eric’s hand, squeezed it. “It’s okay to look… right?” He felt guilty in a way as the guy Lilith liked was pretty attractive. Was it cheating to watch him dance? “Absolutely,” Eric chuckled. “That’s his job, sweetie. There’s nothing wrong with looking respectfully at the man doing his job. Just don’t be creepy like those guys.” He gestured over to a group of men whooping and catcalling a woman onstage. A woman who looked very much like Lilith, only with red hair, looked like she was about to throttle them. “I won’t,” Aiden promised. And, with a sly smile, he added, “And, well… I guess it doesn’t matter how hot he might be. You’re the only one I want to be with.” Much to his surprise, Eric blushed. “You have no idea how much it means to hear that. And, well, I hope you know I feel the same, Aiden.” He felt like he was glowing inside. “I… really like you. If, um, that wasn’t obvious.” “I really like you too. But I think that should be obvious after last night. I think I kissed you more than I’ve kissed anyone in years.” Now it was his turn to blush. “I… really liked that.” “Well, there’s plenty more where that came from. You have full rights to these lips now.” He glanced quickly at Lilith and was partially relieved to see she was seemingly entranced by her crush. Slyly, he turned back to Eric and asked, “Can I have one now?” Eric smirked. “I thought you’d never ask.” He leaned in and, putting a gentle hand on Aiden’s cheek, kissed him. He kissed back, feeling happy despite the setting they were in. Maybe this isn’t so bad, he grinned to himself. As long as Eric is with me, I think I can handle anything.
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7/6/2021 0 Comments Home Sweet HomeFriday November 3, 1972 Winter was coming, if the chilly breeze blowing through the loose threads in Gabby’s worn clothing was any indication. She’d long since lost track of what day it was, but she knew she’d been at the homeless shelter for well over a year. Over a year, and I still haven’t found a job, she thought bitterly. Not for a lack of trying, anyway. Almost since she’d taken residence there when she turned eighteen, Gabby had been looking for a job on a daily basis. Whether it was pounding the pavement or flipping through the newspaper, she was always looking for something. She’d applied to numerous businesses several times, but thus far had no luck. Most didn’t call her back or give her the time of day, but others told her exactly why they would never consider hiring her: Either it was because she was too young, she was a woman, or her appearance didn’t meet up to their standards. The first two often irritated her, but the last one she couldn’t argue with since they were right. Her clothes were too dirty and too worn, and despite showering every other day at the homeless shelter, she knew she looked like an unbathed mess.
A year ago, she had been so determined to start her life. She was on her own, and she knew that once she’d found a job, she could find a place to live and build the life she’d always wanted. She’d learned long ago that she couldn’t rely on anyone else but herself. Unfortunately, reality slapped her in the face, and she’d learned quickly that it was more difficult than it seemed. Another cold gust of wind blew past her, dragging her thoughts back to the present as goosebumps raised on nearly every inch of her skin as a result. She picked up her pace as she walked along the sidewalk. The homeless shelter was still seven blocks away, and if she didn’t want her fingers and toes going numb, she’d have to hurry. The one positive thing about the shelter was that it was heated in the winter, and it offered indoor plumbing and daily meals (not that they gave anyone much food). Still, it was better than living on the street. She was thankful she had a roof over her head, even if the conditions were subpar. When she was three blocks away from the shelter, Gabby passed by two well-dressed people: A blonde woman in a blue and white fur coat and a dark-skinned man in a purple winter coat. She couldn’t help but feel envious of the warmth the two were feeling in the bitter cold. She tried to push these negative thoughts from her mind, but a woman’s voice called out to her, drawing her attention. “Excuse me!” Worry immediately filled her, and she picked up her pace. The last thing she needed was to find herself in trouble with someone she didn’t even know. She knew she didn’t do anything wrong, but others looked down on her (and others like her) simply for being below them. All she wanted was to return to the shelter to warm up and get a bowl of soup for dinner. There was a gentle tap on her shoulder, and she turned to see the blonde woman in the fur coat. The woman slipped the coat off and held it out, a gentle smile on her face. “It’s so cold out, dear. Here. You need this far more than I ever could.” Gabby stared at her warily. No one ever offered her anything nice. This had to be some kind of mean trick, or a way to get her to do something. “What do you want?” she asked cautiously. The woman shook her head. “Nothing. Just for you to be warm.” “Your parents ought to be ashamed of themselves, sending you out in rags in this weather,” the man with her fumed in a deep voice that was almost mesmerizing despite the anger in it. Quietly, Gabby answered, “I don’t have any parents, sir.” His entire demeanor seemed to shift from anger to something more gentle. “Ah. Forgive me, child.” “All the more reason to take my coat,” the woman persisted. “If there’s no one else to make sure you’re warm, I’ll do it.” She wanted to. She really wanted to. She was so cold, and it looked incredibly toasty and warm. Still, she shook her head. “Thanks, but I can’t.” “You absolutely can,” the woman insisted. “Please. It’s really not anything I’ll miss.” The man put a gentle hand on the blonde woman’s shoulder. “Marianna…” “Hush, Amon,” the woman, Marianna, whispered before giving the kindest smile Gabby had ever seen. “You need to be warm, dear. If you won’t take my coat, can I at least buy you a nice, hot meal?” Gabby hesitated. “Why? Why are you being nice to me?” Marianna frowned. “Is there some reason I shouldn’t be?” She hung her head, feeling embarrassed as she mumbled, “No one is nice to me.” Something warm and cozy wrapped itself around Gabby’s shoulders as Marianna draped the coat over her. “Well, I’m not no one. I’m going to be nice to you.” The man, Amon, chuckled. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen this side of you, Marianna. All things considered, it’s a welcome sight.” Gabby tried to maintain her cautious, tough exterior, but her eyes filled with tears anyway. “I can’t accept this. You can’t have nice things in the shelter.” “Why not?” Marianna asked, moving around to face Gabby again. “Because someone will take it. Everyone there wants nice things.” There was a long pause before Marianna said, “Well… will you at least let me get you something to eat? After that, we can take you home.” “How do I know I can trust you?” she asked hesitantly. She’d heard stories about what happened to young women in the city if they weren’t careful whispered amongst the others at the shelter. It wasn’t unreasonable to be untrusting. She didn’t know these people, and they didn’t know her. “Good, good, she’s smart,” Amon nodded. “I’m not sure I’d trust strangers myself if I was a young woman, especially not with things like that whole Zodiac nonsense in San Francisco happening.” “It never seems to be a good time to be a woman in this country,” Marianna sighed. Though she agreed, Gabby calmly stated, “You never answered my question.” “You’re right, you’re right,” Marianna sighed again. “Is there anyone at the shelter we could contact? Or an employer? Someone we could call so that we could tell them where you are?” Subconsciously pulling the coat tighter around her, she shook her head. “No one cares about me.” Amon pulled out a pen and a piece of paper from within his coat and wrote something down. He then held the paper out to Gabby. “There’s a pay phone nearby. Call this number, say you would like an interview tomorrow, and tell them specifically Amon told you to call. If you don’t show up, Tony will most certainly have my head. He hates his time being wasted.” She took the piece of paper feeling bewildered and stared at the number on it. She wanted so badly to hope that this might be what she’d been looking for, but she knew deep down she wasn’t good enough. She didn’t have the right clothes, and she wasn’t clean enough. “Oh! And here,” Marianna added, reaching into her purse. “Here’s twenty cents for the phone.” “You really should ask her her name,” Amon noted dryly. “Oh, I’m so rude, forgive me,” Marianna said, hanging her head in embarrassment. “What is your name, dear?” Gabby stared at the coins in her hand for a moment. She hadn’t held money in so long, she’d forgotten what it felt like. “Gabriella Heindrichs.” “Gabriella,” Marianna murmured. “Such a pretty name.” “You’d best hurry, Gabriella,” Amon said, gesturing to a nearby phone booth. “Tony is likely getting ready to go out to one of those disco clubs. Call him, quickly.” She still felt wary, but she nodded regardless and quickly rushed towards the beige phone booth just a few feet away. She wasn’t entirely sure this wasn’t an absurd dream as she stepped inside. Before she dropped her coins in, she glanced at the man and woman. They were still standing in the same place, though they were looking back at her. Even though her head told her not to, she knew her heart wanted to trust them. She’d never encountered anyone like them who genuinely cared about her, a total stranger. She quickly pushed these thoughts out of her mind and hurriedly picked up the receiver, dropping the coins into the slot. Cradling the phone against her shoulder, she slowly dialed the number the man had written on the piece of paper. On the third ring, someone picked up the call. “Tony Sugar of Lost Paradise Candy speaking,” came a flamboyant yet professional voice from the other end. “To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to?” “Um, h-hello,” she stuttered nervously. “My name is Gabriella Heindrichs. I… Um, A… Amon? He told me to call you.” Her hand was trembling, though she fought to keep the phone (and her voice) steady. “Oooooh, Namor asked you to call?” he cooed. “Well then honey, what can Tony Sugar do for you? I’m guessing you’re talent he scouted out for my new store in town?” She paused, unsure how to answer. What did he mean by that? “I… think so.” “Well, you tell him to bring you to my store tomorrow so I can meet you, hmm? I always like to meet potential new recruits face-to-face.” “Of course. Um, thank you, sir!” A small smile appeared on her face. This would be her first interview ever. She wasn’t confident she’d get the job, especially when he saw her in-person, but it was better than being turned away by just asking for an application. “Honey, no need to be so formal. Call me Mr. Sugar, alright? And if I like you, you can call me Tony. And don’t you worry yourself, alright? I promise I don’t bite. Usually.” With a laugh and a kissing sound, Tony Sugar hung up. She hung the phone up and walked out of the phone booth feeling dazed. Things like this didn’t happen to her. People didn’t help her. People didn’t care about her. So why were these strangers caring about her now? “Are you alright, Gabriella?” Marianna asked as she returned. “How did it go? Is Tony willing to see you?” “What a question,” Amon snorted. “Tony will see just about anyone who asks. That man is as sweet as his name implies.” Gabby nodded slowly. “He said to bring me to his store tomorrow.” Marianna’s face seemed to light up. “Well then, I insist you stay with us tonight so you can get all cleaned up to meet him! I’ll cook you breakfast in the morning!” “I suppose I will entertain you-know-who, then,” Amon said. “She’ll be bored otherwise. The Deerings and Giorgio have yet to arrive, after all.” Gabby stared at them in disbelief. She could feel wetness at the edges of her eyes again, and she blinked rapidly to clear it. Stay in a house? Eat a normal breakfast? She had to be dreaming. “Thank you, Amon,” Marianna sighed gratefully. “Now come, come, Gabriella! Let’s get you some dinner! You look so hungry, you poor dear.” She nodded slowly before meekly asking, “What about my things at the shelter?” Granted, it wasn’t much, but it was all she had. If she didn’t return that night, there was a good chance someone would steal them as they would be assumed to be abandoned. “We can stop by, of course,” Amon reassured. “Truly, it is no trouble.” “It’s not too far,” she promised. “I won’t be long.” While they walked the rest of the way there, Marianna asked Gabby about her life. Gabby told them about how she was left on a church’s doorstep as an infant, how she’d spent her life in foster care, and how she’d ended up at the homeless shelter. She was surprised by how oddly comfortable she felt with them despite barely knowing them. When they got to the shelter, Gabby promised not to be long. She hurried inside and saw that most people staying there had returned for the night. She kept her head down and made her way through the building until she was beside the bed she’d called hers for the last year or so. Beneath it was a large black plastic garbage bag full of her few possessions. It was mostly full of torn and ragged clothing, but it was still something. With her bag in her hand, she made her way to the front doors. She spotted Mary, one of the volunteers, sitting at the front desk. “Hi, Mary,” she quietly said as she approached the desk. “I, um, won’t be here tonight, so someone else should take my bed.” The plump woman looked surprised, but nodded. “Have a good night, dear.” With a small smile, Gabby continued out the front doors where the man and the woman, who had patiently waited while she was inside, were standing. “Are you ready?” Marianna asked cheerfully. With a nod, she answered, “I think so.” It felt weird to be leaving the shelter for the first time in over a year, even if for just one night. “We will be staying at a manor Tony has purchased for use by our family,” Amon explained. “Marianna will show you where you’re staying and all that, but I do request you stay out of the west wing.” “Mother’s there,” Marianna mumbled nervously. “Meeting her would be too much too soon. You need rest, food, and warmth, and that’s what I’ll give you.” Gabby’s eyes nearly bugged out of her skull. “A… manor?” It sounded huge, especially if it had wings. “Yes,” Amon nodded. “I apologize if that’s a bit overwhelming. All the more reason not to burden Gabriella with meeting Eve.” “Of course, of course,” Marianna agreed. “Oh, but before we head home, is there anything in particular you’d like to eat? I’ll get you whatever you’d like!” She honestly had no idea what her options were. She also didn’t want to seem greedy, so she simply replied, “Anything would be much appreciated, miss.” “Oh, I know!” Marianna exclaimed. “How about Pizzeria Uno? I’ve wanted to try that Chicago-style deep dish pizza since we arrived! Does that sound good, Gabriella?” She nodded in agreement, and the three walked to the restaurant, which was thankfully only a few blocks away. Gabby had been there a few times before in hopes of finding a job. It was for this reason she wasn’t surprised the employees tensed up when they saw her walk in the door. However, they relaxed once they realized she was there as a customer. The pizza was absolutely heavenly. It had been some time since she’d eaten food this good, and her tastebuds were singing their praises. Marianna and Amon seemed to enjoy it as well. Perhaps the best part of it was how the two treated her like anyone else and didn’t seem to cringe by her appearance. They genuinely seemed to take interest in her. She wasn’t fully convinced this wasn’t a dream, but she decided to enjoy every minute of it just in case. After they finished eating, Marianna and Amon hailed a cab, and soon the group were traveling to the manor. Upon arrival, Gabby was stunned by the size of the place. Her awe only increased as they went inside, and she witnessed the sort of luxurious interior she’d never dared dream of ever seeing. “Is this real?” she whispered, feeling incredibly out of place in such a beautiful home. Surely, she soiled it by her sheer presence alone. “Absolutely,” Marianna whispered back. “Let me show you where you’ll be sleeping. There should be a bathtub, too, so you can take a nice, hot bath and relax yourself before bed.” “I’ll leave you to it, then,” Amon stated. “If you two need me, I will be with Eve… So please, don’t need me.” He chuckled before waving politely and saying, “Good evening to you, Gabriella. I do hope you enjoy your stay.” Amon whirled his coat and made his way to the other side of the house, leaving the two women behind. “Your husband is really nice, miss,” Gabby politely complimented once he’d left. Marianna turned and looked at her with confusion before giving her an amused smile. “My husband?” she laughed, “Oh, dear, no. We aren’t married. He’s just a very good friend of mine.” She felt her face burning as embarrassment settled in. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to assume or offend you.” “There’s no need to apologize, Gabriella! You didn’t know!” She let out another more reassuring laugh. “Though I certainly hope he marries someday. He’s such a sweet, kind, patient man. Any woman would be lucky to have him.” She nodded politely, though part of her was curious why Marianna wasn’t interested. She ultimately decided it was none of her business and that speculating on someone else’s personal life was rude. Marianna gestured at her to follow up the stairs. “Come, come! Let me show you your room!” She guided Gabby down the halls, pausing to point out a few rooms of note, such as a lounge and a kitchen, before finally showing her to the bedroom. The bed was very large and decorated with sheets that seemed to be patterned after bees with their yellow and black stripes. Nearby, there was a simple dresser with a mirror. “It’s rather simple, but I hope you like it. There’s a bathroom across the hall so you can clean up, and don’t worry, I have some spare clothes you can wear,” Marianna said. “It’s…” She trailed off as her eyes welled up with tears again. “Why are you being so nice to me?” “Because,” Marianna began, her voice soft, “a long time ago, someone I love showed compassion to a sad, lonely girl… That girl was me. If I didn’t do the same, I’d be disrespecting her memory.” She nodded her head slowly and murmured, “Thank you, miss. For everything.” “You’re welcome, Gabriella.” Marianna reached out her hand for a moment before hesitating and turning around. “Please, get comfortable! I’m going to find you something to wear! I’m sure I have a few things you’ll look lovely in! I’ll be back in a bit!” With startling speed, the woman darted out of the room. Once she was gone, Gabby decided it would be a good time for a shower. She set her bag of things on the floor in the bedroom, then made her way to the bathroom. It was bigger and nicer than the shelter’s bathroom, with a clean floor and an even cleaner shower and toilet. If that wasn’t impressive enough, the water pouring out of the showerhead was warm. Warm! She could practically feel the filth running off of her skin. She stood in the water for several long minutes—or perhaps longer than that. It felt so nice to be warm and clean again and to wash her hair and body with products that weren't rationed out in small amounts. When she turned the shower off and opened the curtain, she was surprised to see clothing neatly folded and sitting on the sink counter. She hadn’t even heard Marianna enter the room. Quickly wrapping a fresh white towel around her body, she stepped out of the shower. A silk pink nightgown and a green floral dress had been left for her. She dressed herself in the nightgown once she’d dried off and discarded the towel in the hamper. With both her old and new clothes in her hand, she started for her bedroom. Or, she was going to. When she opened the door, she could hear two voices that sounded like they belonged to Marianna and Amon coming from down the hall. She followed the sound by walking as quietly as she could on the dark hardwood floor. She discovered they were in the lounge Marianna had showed her earlier. Feeling guilty, she quietly leaned close to the closed door to listen. She hated eavesdropping, especially when these two had been so nice to her, but her curiosity got the better of her. She could hear Marianna rambling. “—glad Mother likes her, that’s reassuring… I just hope Giorgio gets here soon. Maybe Gabriella can spend time with Juno? Ugh, but the Deerings, why them?” “She hasn’t seen them in a while,” came Amon’s reply. “She misses them. I miss them a fair bit as well which is why I suggested their presence to her.” “I suppose they aren’t so bad, but must they be so… uncomfortably close?” Amon chuckled. “Oh, you have no idea, Marianna.” “Oh, please don’t tell me that they’re—” “I hate to cut you off, but you are avoiding my question, you know.” There was a long pause. “I just… I want to help her, Amon. Is that so wrong?” “Absolutely not. But you are going quite above and beyond what you usually do. Giving her your coat, buying her dinner… I expected all that… But to invite her here? To give her your clothes, offer to cook for her… What are your plans for her, Marianna?” “It’s not the same for you, is it? When you see her smile, when her eyes light up when she talks… You probably didn’t feel the same joy I did, did you?” “What are you saying, Marianna?” “Gravity. It’s like she always said to me. The pull between two people… I feel it, stronger than I ever have before.” “I would like to believe this, truly. Gabriella seems such a wonderful, strong young woman. But the others seemed wonderful as well, and yet they rejected you all the same. It hurts me to see you suffer.” “So am I not supposed to try, Amon? Am I just supposed to give up and never be happy? You’d ask me to do that? I have… I have so, so much love in my heart, and I need to share it. I… I suppose if she ends up rejecting me, I’ll take it as a sign that I’m just not meant to be a mother. I’ll find her a home if she’ll let me, and I’ll just move on.” “Marianna…” “I can’t keep doing it, again and again and again, where they all just hate me and fear me and run away,” Marianna sobbed. “It’s either who I love, or what I am, and they just…” “Come here.” There was a brief pause before Amon continued. “It will be alright. Perhaps you are correct about the gravity. You did learn from the best about it, didn’t you?” There was a soft, strained chuckle from Marianna, which Amon joined in with. “You know,” he continued, “I must wonder… Would she handle you preferring woman, or you being a vampire better?” Gabby’s skin prickled with cold fear. She must have heard him wrong. A vampire? There was no way… He must have said something else, she thought with weary determination. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe in such things. “I don’t want to think about that yet,” Marianna whimpered. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. I need to focus on ensuring her day tomorrow goes well.” “As if it were possible for it to not.” “I wonder if she’s in bed yet… I hope she sleeps well. She seems so tired.” Amon was quiet for a moment. “I’m certain she is. Perhaps, in a few minutes, you could go check and make sure she’s comfortable?” “Right, of course, of course, just… let me compose myself. I’m a mess.” Gabby stepped back from the doorway. She didn’t want them to know she’d been eavesdropping, so in a short moment of panic, she rushed down the hallway as quietly as she could until she reached the bedroom Marianna had picked out for her. Once she was inside, she breathed a sigh of relief and quietly closed the door. She set her clean clothes over a green velvet armchair and neatly tucked her dirty clothing into the plastic garbage bag she’d brought with her. Marianna had been right, unfortunately; Gabby was exhausted. Even though she knew the woman would be in to check on her shortly, she found it difficult to stay awake once she was under the soft covers of the bed. She’d taken such comforts for granted when she was still part of the foster care system. Regardless of how poorly the families had taken care of her, she’d had a roof over her head and food to eat. And now, finally, even if for only one night, she had it again. Some time later, she awoke easily to the sound of her bedroom door creaking open. She kept her eyes shut, but she listened intently as she heard someone enter the room. She felt her sheets pull up slightly over her shoulders and a gentle hand stroke her hair. “Sleep well, Gabriella,” Marianna spoke softly, answering her unspoken question about who had entered the room. In a moment, her hand was gone, and soon after, her door creaked shut yet again. A small, content smile grew on her face. Gabby fell asleep again once more and was undisturbed for the rest of the night. When she awoke the next morning to the sound of birds chirping just outside the window, she was surprised by how energetic she felt. She sat up in bed feeling ready for the day, something she couldn’t recall feeling since she’d been a young child. At first, she was confused as she didn’t recognize her surroundings, but the previous day’s events came back quickly. She crawled out of bed and approached the chair where she’d left her new clothing. Folded in with the green dress, she found a fresh pair of underwear and a new bra, two items she desperately needed as her others were all quite old. The shelter had washing machines, but she rarely got a chance to do her laundry as there were so few machines and so many people wanting to use them. Surprisingly, the dress fit quite well, though it was a little loose. Still, she felt like a hundred bucks as she opened her door and skipped through the hallway. She was hungry, and she remembered Marianna had offered to make her breakfast. As she moved down the hall, the smell of bacon hit her as did the sound of laughter. She recognized Marianna’s voice, but there was someone else with her whose voice she didn’t recognize. Still, the smell of fresh food prompted her to continue on her way. She found the kitchen easily and when she entered, she saw Marianna in a light blue apron standing over the stove, smiling and talking to a tall, tan, handsome man with slick black hair in a dapper red suit who was sipping a cup of coffee. The unfamiliar man looked at her as she entered and politely raised his mug in greeting. “Buongiorno, ragazzina.” Marianna turned and beamed at her. “Good morning, Gabriella! You’re just in time for breakfast! This man here,” she gestured to the unfamiliar man with the spatula in her hand, “is my friend Giorgio.” “Hello,” she said politely with a smile. “It’s very nice to meet you!” Giorgio took a sip of his coffee yet again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Gabriella. Very pretty name, I might say. Marianna has been talking my ear off about you all morning, so it’s very nice to finally see you.” Gabby glanced at Marianna in surprise, but she didn’t say anything as she took a seat in one of the wooden chairs next to where Giorgio stood. She had a feeling what she’d heard last night meant something, but she wasn’t sure what yet. “You know,” Marianna began, “Giorgio has an, um, an…” “Child, Marianna,” Giorgio chuckled. “Just child, no need to make it more difficult. Their name is Juno, and they are the light of my life. Perhaps you’ll get along with them. They could use more friends their own age. So to speak.” He smirked as he sipped his coffee yet again. “My age?” She couldn’t deny that it would be nice to have someone to talk to that might understand her better. “They’re nineteen, you around that age?” Giorgio asked. She nodded. “Yes, sir.” Giorgio glanced past her and gestured with his head. “Come on in, kiddo. She won’t bite.” A sound of shuffling came from behind Gabby, and soon a lanky person who did in fact seem around her age sank into the chair across from her. They wore a long, dark green coat and their face was almost entirely obscured by white bandages, but their shiny, nervous eyes were visible, as were their lips, which mouthed, “Hello,” as they raised a hand in greeting. “Hello,” she replied with a smile. Though she was quite inquisitive about their odd appearance, she knew it was rude to ask. “I know you’re curious,” Giorgio nodded, seeming to pick up on her thoughts. “Juno is very shy. They are also mute, so if you don’t know sign language…” He produced a pen and a pad of paper from his pocket. “...Juno will gladly write down a response for you. They may be shy, but they love to talk. You’re my favorite little irony, aren’t you?” He leaned over and kissed Juno on top of their head. A long-forgotten pang of jealousy hit Gabby’s chest, but she mentally shoved it away. She’d learned long ago that she wasn’t meant to be part of a family. People had made it very clear to her she was unwanted. She instead decided to talk to Juno. “What kind of stuff do you like to do?” Juno quickly scribbled down, “Bowling, roller skating, movies. Papa takes me to the drive-in sometimes. What do you like to do?” Gabby paused. She wasn’t sure how to answer the question. She hadn’t done much besides trying to find a job and survive for the past year. Her mind drifted back to when she was still a foster child. “I like to read. And I like to watch movies and tv.” “Maybe if we stay a while, I can ask my dad to bring us to a movie,” Juno wrote. “I’d rather someone like you come than Dee.” “Oh, I don’t know if I will be here that long,” she answered with melancholy honesty. Not that it didn’t sound fun (which it did). She’d never been to a movie theater before. “Oh, did you want to leave?” Marianna asked sadly. “After we get you a job, I mean? It’s… I mean, it’s not, it’s really not a problem, staying here, you know…” Marianna placed a plate in front of Gabby with pancakes and bacon arranged into a little smiley face with some sausage and eggs on the side. Gabby’s stomach growled happily in response. “I really don’t want to be an inconvenience,” she quietly stated before picking up the fork laying on the table next to her plate. “Trust me, Gabriella,” Giorgio said as he downed the rest of his coffee. “The last thing you could be is an inconvenience.” She quietly started eating as she considered this. Wasn’t that what she was? What she’d always been? An unwanted inconvenience? That’s what her mom must have thought. That’s what nearly every family she was placed with seemed to think. That’s what the state thought. That’s what everyone who turned her away from the opportunity to apply for a job thought. “I hope the food came out good,” Marianna muttered nervously as she placed a plate of food in front of Juno. “Does it taste alright, Gabriella?” “Yes, miss!” she answered earnestly. “It tastes amazing!” Juno nodded in agreement as they chewed on their own food. “Are you underselling your culinary skills again, Marianna?” came Amon’s voice. Gabby glanced towards the doorway, but immediately recoiled a bit in shock at the person who entered with him. It was a short, angry-looking woman with a shaved head, her face painted to look like a skull. She was shooting Gabby a truly venomous look as she entered. “Ah, Dee, finally joining us I see!” Giorgio laughed. “Come, come, have some coffee.” Juno doodled something on the paper and surreptitiously slid it over to Gabby. She looked down at it and saw it was a crude drawing of Dee’s head with a large arrow pointing at it that said, “BITCH.” Gabby tried her best to suppress her laughter, but she did smile to tell Juno she was amused. “Are the twins going to be joining our little kitchen party?” Marianna asked. “Perhaps,” Amon replied. He glanced at Gabby and smiled. “Perhaps you can meet them when you’re done eating. They’re interesting, to say the least.” “They’re certainly something,” Marianna muttered. “You’re not talking about me, are you?” came a feminine British voice. A second later, a grinning brunette had poked her head into the kitchen. “Absolutely,” came another British voice, this one masculine. A brunette man who looked rather similar to the woman peered in. “In fact…” His eyes seemed to flash for a moment before he continued. “The next thing she’s going to say is ‘Yes, I was Tantomile. I suppose if you speak of the devil, he will come, right?’” “Yes, I was Tantomile. I suppose if you speak of the devil, he will come, right?” Marianna sighed before pausing and shaking her head. “Oh, come on in you two. We have a… I mean, this is Gabriella! Gabriella, these two are Tantomile and Aleister Deering.” Gabby waved politely with her fork-free hand. She swallowed a bite of sausage before saying, “Hello.” The twins entered the kitchen. Tantomile grinned with eerie delight at Gabby. “You didn’t tell us you recruited someone new, Marianna!” “She’s not a ‘recruit,’ you two,” Amon stated, folding his arms over his chest. “She is currently a guest, one not privy to what we do. So, please, mind your tongues.” “Oh, you’re no fun,” Tantomile sighed before grinning again. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t see, right?” “Which of us will go first, sister?” Aleister asked. “You or I?” Juno glanced at Gabby and twirled their finger around the side of their head. Gabby fought back the urge to laugh again, but was immediately distracted by the feeling of someone’s hand on the top of her head. She flinched backwards and saw that Tantomile had crossed the distance between them in mere seconds and was standing beside her. “How interesting,” the twin grinned, removing her hand and stepping backwards. “What is?” Aleister asked excitedly. “She’s a homeless orphan.” “Just like us, then? A kindred spirit of sorts?” Tantomile shook her head. “She’s too… innocent.” “What?” Aleister gasped, his voice filled with faux shock. “Are you saying we’re not the picture of innocence, dear sister?” Gabby stared at them bewildered. How did she know that? And what did she mean by “too innocent”? Aleister extended a hand towards her, a playful smile on his face. “Well, regardless, it’s nice to meet you.” “You too,” she replied, still completely confused. These two were indeed odd, just like she’d been warned. Aleister glanced at his hand, then back to Gabby. “Well? Are you going to shake my hand?” Embarrassment colored her face, and she nodded. She lifted her hand and shook it politely. His eyes seemed to spark again, and a curious look came over his face, his eyes widening. He glanced over to Marianna, then to Amon, and finally back to Gabby. “Well. That’s interesting…” She pulled her hand away and watched him wearily. “What is…?” Aleister smiled mischievously. “Well, I’m not going to spoil it. Where’s the fun in that? But I do hope you stick around, Gabriella. I think you might have quite the future ahead of you if you do.” Gentle hands were on Gabby’s shoulders in an instant. “Alright, Aleister, let’s not overwhelm her,” Marianna said gently yet firmly. “Go ahead and eat, alright?” With a wink, Aleister took his sister’s hand in his and led her over to the chairs at the opposite end of the table. An uncomfortable feeling settled over Gabby as she quietly continued to eat her breakfast. How did Tantomile know about her past? And what did Aleister mean? What was in store for her future? As if sensing her unease, Marianna gently squeezed her shoulders. “It’s alright, Gabriella. Just relax. You have your big interview coming up this afternoon!” She tensed up at this reminder. She’d completely forgotten about the interview until now. Marianna seemed to immediately sense this and gave another reassuring squeeze to her shoulders. “You’ve got this!” Beside her, Juno gave her two thumbs up. Gabby smiled in response. “I hope so…” “Just be yourself,” Amon replied as he walked by, biting into an apple. “I have known Tony a long, long time. He hates phoniness. Just be genuine.” She inhaled again and nodded before finishing her breakfast. When she was done, Marianna sat at the kitchen table with her and, throughout the morning, helped her prepare for the interview. She told her what questions she could expect, and the best way to answer them. This helped ease the butterflies in Gabby’s stomach and made her feel more prepared. Marianna was patient, calm, and supportive, and her belief in Gabby made her believe in herself too. About a half hour before the interview, Marianna, Amon, and Gabby left the house. A maroon sedan sat waiting for them in the driveway. Gabby was surprised that she hadn’t noticed it the day before, but she chalked it up to her exhaustion. She trailed behind the two with her black garbage bag in her hand. Marianna looked at her as they slid into the car. “Whatever is the bag for?” “It’s my stuff,” she replied, just as confused. Didn’t she see her with it the night before? “I don’t know if Tony is going to need to see all your worldly possessions, Gabriella,” Amon pointed out as he started up the car. “I can just leave them in the car when we go inside,” she said as she set it in the middle seat, closing the door beside her. The car was much nicer than the taxi they’d taken the night before with cream-colored seats and a light linen scent lingering inside. “But why bring it at all?” Marianna asked. “It would be okay to leave it in your room.” Gabby paused a beat before asking meekly, “But aren’t I going back to the shelter after the interview?” “Oh… Did you want to go back…?” Marianna whispered miserably. “Is it because of what you overheard last night, Gabriella?” Amon sighed. “Wh-What? Oh no, what did you hear?” Marianna gasped. Her face quickly grew warm. “Um, nothing!” “I should have been paying more attention to our surroundings. I’m sorry, Marianna,” Amon said. “But Gabriella, I want to make something clear to you: Marianna and I, we are not bad people. Or she is not, at any rate. She has made some terrible mistakes, but she is as kind and loving a soul as could exist on this Earth.” “I was going to surprise you, after your interview,” Marianna muttered. “If you want, you’re… you’re welcome to stay with us. But if you’d rather leave, it’s fine. I promise I’ll help you find a good home, Gabriella. You deserve it.” Gabby lowered her head and stared at her hands. Her fingernails were the cleanest she’d seen them in awhile. “I don’t want to be an inconvenience.” “You absolutely wouldn’t be. At all,” Marianna insisted. “Everyone else has said I am,” she whispered. She felt ashamed even though it wasn’t her fault. “Well, I’m not everyone else. I’m Marianna Cross, and I’d love if you would stay with us, Gabriella.” Slowly, she lifted her head in surprise. She wasn’t sure what to think. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. “Do you mean it?” she finally asked, not daring to breathe in case it changed her mind. Marianna was smiling, tears welling up in her eyes. “Mhmm. I really do mean it.” Gabby exhaled with stressed relief and she, too, felt her eyes filling with happy tears. “I’d like that, miss.” “We can… We can discuss it more tonight, alright? We have to get you a job first.” Gabby nodded. She’d momentarily forgotten about the interview. She buckled her seat belt and folded her hands neatly in her lap. “Let’s not keep Tony waiting any more than we have to. He called this morning saying he had guests he wanted to entertain later this afternoon, so no time for dilly-dallying,” Amon said as he pulled out of the driveway. Gabby was quiet the whole way there. Mentally, she ran through the questions Marianna had helped her with earlier. You can do this, Gabriella, she told herself. Soon enough, the colorful, shiny front of the Lost Paradise Specialty Store came into view, the logo depicting a winged stag standing proudly above the store’s name. As Amon pulled into the parking lot around the back, he let out a small laugh. “Marianna, look!” He gestured his head towards an orange RV with a white stripe on it. “I’d know that thing anywhere. It seems Tony really does have some guests to entertain!” “Dallas is here?” she gasped. “Well that’s certainly a nice surprise!” Gabby unbuckled her seat belt and slowly exited the car, leaving her bag of worn clothing in the back seat. Being at the location released a brand new cage full of butterflies into her stomach. “It’s okay, Gabriella,” Marianna reassured her with a gentle smile, “I believe in you.” Grateful for the way she was able to sense her anxiety, Gabby smiled back at Marianna. Together, the group of three walked into the store through the back door. As they made their way through the back hallway, she could hear sounds of merriment coming from what she guessed was the main store. When they entered the front, her eyes widened. There were various kinds of candy as far as the eye could see in jars, boxes, and containers all along the walls and in displays on the sales floor. It was more candy than she’d ever seen in her life. The noise she’d heard when they’d first walked in seemed to come from a few people milling about. There was a massive man in a fur coat with a black beard standing with his arms folded by the counter, a heavily scarred woman with an eyepatch in a black shawl looking over the lollipops, a bald man with an hourglass tattoo on the back of his head wearing sunglasses perusing the chocolates, and a man with sandy blonde hair dressed like a cowboy chatted animatedly with a black man dressed in black pants that seemed to go up to his stomach, partially covering the yellow shirt he was wearing. The cowboy was the first to notice them. He waved before stepping on over, greeting them with a, “Well howdy, you two! Fancy meetin’ you here!” He turned to Gabby and tipped his hat politely. “And who might this little lady be?” “My name is Gabriella Heindrichs,” she greeted. His friendliness made her feel more relaxed. “Dallas Ryder, at your service,” he said, pulling off his hat and giving a bow. He glanced up at Marianna. “She a new member?” Marianna nodded, then paused. “Well… Yes, and no. She’s new to the house, yes. She’s not…” She glanced at Gabby. “She’s not like us.” “Oh, I disagree,” said the black man who had been talking to Dallas. “This cutie pie is definitely like us: gorgeous. How old are you, honey? Nineteen? Twenty?” “Nineteen,” she answered meekly. “I have decades on you, and you look this good naturally,” he sighed. He gingerly held out his hand. “Tony Sugar, honey. Nice to finally meet you in person, even though it’s been barely a day since we talked on the phone. But I’m a busy man, so it’s nice when things fall into place quickly, you get me?” She wasn’t entirely sure she followed, but she nodded regardless. Tony had an outgoing, friendly vibe that eased her previous worries. “Now, Gabriella… Gab-ri-ell-a. That’s four syllables, you like that? Or you got a nickname that’s a bit shorter, honey?” With a nod, she answered, “Gabby would be fine.” “Gabby, Gabby,” Tony said, waving a finger. “I like it! It suits you. So, anyway, you ain’t here for anything but a job, so why don’t we figure this out. You wanna do the boring part here, or in my office?” “Whichever is best for you,” she answered with honesty. She didn’t know which setting would be more “professional”. “Let’s not bore all the guests with the minutiae of the hiring process, hm?” Tony waved her along. “You lot wait out here while we get this done.” He sauntered off towards his office, and Gabby followed. Two men in nice suits and sunglasses stood guard outside the office, barely reacting as they walked past, though Gabby did get an overwhelming whiff of honey as she moved past them. The office was rather simple, much to her surprise. It was sparsely decorated and unpainted, but the boxes scattered about told her it wasn’t quite finished just yet. During the whole process, Tony seemed rather bored, but he wasn’t impolite, listening intently as Gabby answered the questions he read off of a clipboard on the desk. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally said, “Alright, honey, I think you and I both know I’m gonna hire you. I don’t think I ever had any doubt. But I gotta ask, why did no one hire you before? You’re a cute little white girl with a pretty smile. You’re what America loves!” Timidly, she admitted, “My appearance didn’t meet their expectations.” It was glossing over the truth, but it wasn’t a lie. “Mo-ther-fuck-ers. Well, their loss is my gain!” He waved his hand dramatically. “There’s another reason I’m hiring you though, one way more personal to me, beyond loyalty to Namor and the others. You wanna know what it is?” She nodded with honest interest. She was trying to stay focused, which was challenging considering how excited she was that she’d actually gotten the job. He pulled a book out from under the desk—a copy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory--and pointed at the cover. “You see this book? When this came out, I was just in love with it. I even auditioned for that movie that came out last year, but I didn’t get the part. The world isn’t ready for a black Willy Wonka.” He sighed forlornly. “But the story just hits with me, you dig? An eccentric candy maker offering a dream come true to a down-on-his-luck kid… I wanted to do that. I’m all about helping people, you know, cuz I’m the sort of guy who knows what struggling is.” He gestured at himself. “I ain’t straight, I ain’t white, and I don’t fuck around. So if you’re okay with all that, then I’m okay with that smile of yours greeting the customers at the counter. How’s that sound, honey?” Gabby considered this. She knew it was generally frowned upon to be gay, and this made her concerned for Tony as he seemed like an honest, good man. He also seemed to be doing well, so she didn’t think she needed to be worried. With a small smile, she nodded. He clapped his hands together excitedly. “Well then, welcome aboard, Gabby! Why don’t you go trick-or-treating with my pals, find yourself some sweets so you can get a taste and sucker people into buying them at the grand opening. How’s that sound?” With a bright smile, Gabby nodded again. “Thank you, Mr. Sugar!” She was practically bubbling with excitement as she hurried out of his office and back into the shop. She saw that Dallas and his friends had all gathered around Amon and Marianna by the counter. All of them turned to look at her when she rejoined them. “Well now, this little lady the new addition to our little coven, that right?” said the bald man in a thick Cajun accent. “No Pierre, not yet. I don’t even know if…” Marianna shook her head and beamed at Gabby. “Judging by your smile, I trust everything went well?” Gabby was momentarily confused by the word “coven,” but continued to smile at Marianna anyway. “Yes! I, um, I have a job now!” “As I knew you would,” Amon nodded. “Let me guess: He pulled out Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?” With a small giggle, she nodded. “That boy’s gettin’ predictable as all Hell,” Dallas laughed. “Oh, anyhow! Little lady, figgered I’d introduce you to my crew here proper now that you’re all employed and whatnot! This here’s Pierre.” He gestured towards the bald man, who gave a big smile. “That lovely lady is Michelle.” He gestured to the woman with the eyepatch, who gave a small, friendly wave. “And the big guy here? That’s my boy Kane, my brother for life. He don’t talk much, though. Think I’ve heard him say ‘bout five words in all the time I’ve known him.” Kane just smirked and gave a small nod. “It’s very nice to meet all of you,” Gabby said. She was quickly adjusting to being someone people liked rather than annoying people sheerly by existing. “She’s cute, Marianna,” Michelle said in a British accent. “A little tense, but I mean, if I was a stranger around these blokes,” she gestured to Kane and Pierre, “I’d be a bit tense as well.” “Aw, come on, mon amie,” Pierre snorted. “I’m harmless as an itsy-bitsy spider, you know that! Less you a rich man, and you ain’t doin’ right by the common folk. Which case I’m nasty as a full-grown cococdril.” “So, who else is in town, anyhow?” Dallas asked. “I mean… I know Rex ain’t.” Amon sighed. “Yes, he’s… He’s still dealing with the heartbreak right now. I’m giving him space. Giorgio is here to deal with any trouble at the grand opening. And the Deering twins are here as well.” “Fabulous! Guess I only need to spare four guest rooms then,” Tony chimed in as he sauntered over. “Not sure I like having Dee around, that woman would be fine in my book if she took off that scowl and maybe didn’t glare at every new man and woman in existence who so much as looks at Giorgio.” He smirked at Gabby. “Honey, didn’t I tell you to go get some candy? Why don’t you go help her out, cowboy? You know the good stuff.” “I reckon it’d be my pleasure,” Dallas said as he gestured with his head for Gabby to follow him. “Come on, little miss, let’s find you somethin’ good!” For the next ten minutes, Dallas and Gabby wandered around the shop with a plastic bag. They filled it up with as much candy as it could possibly hold. It was more than she’d ever eaten in her life, which naturally made her worried about getting a cavity. She didn’t have the best dental hygiene (more because of a lack of supplies than a lack of trying), but she had a feeling she’d soon have access to plenty of toothpaste and a toothbrush with bristles that weren’t worn and frayed. “Well looks like you’re makin’ off like a bandit here, Gabby!” Dallas laughed when they were finished. “I don’t know how I’m going to eat all of this,” she admitted. The bag was heavy and had well over fifty different pieces of candy. “One at a time would be the best way,” winked the cowboy. With a giggle, she nodded. “So you stayin’ with Marianna, then?” Dallas asked. “Mmhm!” she replied with a big grin. “Well then, I reckon I oughta give you a little somethin’ to welcome you to the family.” He flipped his hat off his head and onto hers with one quick motion. “That looks good on you I reckon. You take good care of it, y’hear?” Gabby’s eyes widened, and she smiled even bigger. “I will. I promise!” “Also, one thing I wanna tell you, and it’s real important, alright?” He gently put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “There might be things you’re gonna learn if you stick around that are mighty scary, but I wanna tell you that no matter what, you can trust Amon and Marianna. Amon saved my life, and Marianna’s as good a girl as they come. They’re good people, even if neither of ‘em think they are.” This worried her, especially considering what little of their conversation she’d heard the previous night. However, Dallas’s encouragement helped ease her concerns. “Gabri… Er, Gabby?” Marianna called out. “Is, um, do you prefer Gabby?” Both she and Dallas turned their attention towards her. With a smile, she answered, “Gabby is fine.” Marianna smiled back. “Alright, good. I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner, I, well, I’m sorry. I’m just a bit… overwhelmed. Now that we have you a job, is there anything you’d like to do for the rest of the day?” Truthfully, she hadn’t considered this as she’d been so worried about the interview itself. “I don’t mind what we do,” she replied. Anything would be better than walking on the sidewalk in worn shoes with miniscule hopes of ever building a better life for herself. “Would you like to go shopping? I think you could do with a new wardrobe. I’d hate to just give you hand-me-downs,” Marianna asked. Even though she desperately needed new clothes, she quietly declined. “I don’t have any money.” “Lucky for you, we have enough money to last us several lifetimes,” Amon chuckled as he came over. “Trust me, it will be no trouble at all to revamp your wardrobe.” “Listen to the nice man, honey!” Tony called from across the store. “As your new boss, I demand you look fabulous!” Gabby nervously shifted from one foot to the other. “I couldn’t ask you to do anything like that.” “Well, you don’t have to ask,” Marianna stated firmly. “I insist.” Her eyes welled up with tears for the second time that afternoon, and she stared at Marianna in surprise. “Are you sure?” “Absolutely,” Marianna smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered. Finally, she’d have clothing she could wear that she wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen in. She could probably throw away almost everything she owned as it was likely she wouldn’t need it anymore. For the rest of the day, Gabby and Marianna searched for a brand new wardrobe at the shopping mall. Marianna didn’t seem to be concerned with how much she was spending, which was something Gabby wasn’t used to. She had been to the mall a few times before, though usually it was for a specific purpose (like an outfit to wear for a school concert). She’d never been spoiled like this before. Though she felt bad about how much money was being spent, she had to admit that it felt amazing to have clothes that fit her, were stylish, and weren’t full of holes and stains. When they finally got home in the early evening, after Gabby had put away all of her new clothes in the room that had officially become hers, Marianna entered her room and asked if she could speak to her privately for a moment. “It’s… It’s important, especially if you’re going to be staying with us.” Gabby nodded. “Of course.” Marianna wrung her hands nervously as she sat down on Gabby’s bed. “This is rather hard for me to say.” Standing by her dresser, Gabby felt anxious and full of concern. “Did I do something wrong?” “Absolutely not!” Marianna insisted, “But… there’s something I need to tell you, if you’re going to stay. I guess this is going to determine if you’ll want to stay at all. Tell me, what did you overhear Amon and I discussing last night? I promise I’m not angry.” She nervously stared at the floor. “You said something about gravity and wanting to be a mom.” She nodded. “Well, then I suppose I may as well cutcut right to it, yes?” She gestured around the room. “I understand you’re technically an adult and all, but I’d like to give you a real family and… be a mother to you. If you want that, I mean. Again, I know you’re an adult, legally.” For what felt like the hundredth time in less than twenty-four hours, Gabby’s eyes widened with surprise. For years, she’d believed no one would ever adopt her. She’d survive in the homes she was placed in, but she knew they were all temporary. The families wanted the monthly paycheck, not her. Now, though, she had a chance at having a family. A real family who seemed to actually care about her and want her around. “When I was a little girl,” she started quietly, “all I wanted was to be wanted and loved.” “Well, I can give you that, Gabby,” Marianna replied softly. “A long time ago, I was nothing but a trophy daughter for high-class parents. I felt trapped and miserable… And then…” A wistful smile appeared on her face. “...Nadia found me. She showed me so, so much I never would have understood otherwise. She changed my life. And when I saw you the other day, I saw in that frustrated, hurting young woman… myself. I saw me. And I knew, I knew I had to change your life.” “You already have,” she reassured her. Marianna sighed. “Though, with Nadia, it was different. I loved her. We were together nearly ten years… so long ago, it was.” She slumped back against the wall, her hand over her heart, her eyes tearing up a bit. “It’s so easy to tell you that, even in this time, when they kill people like me just for existing. But there is something far more difficult I have to tell you.” Just like she had been with Tony, Gabby was concerned for Marianna. She didn’t personally mind it, but other people didn’t think the way she did. She didn’t want the woman to get in any kind of trouble. But she also couldn’t imagine what possibly could be even more difficult than that. Still, she patiently waited. “Please, don’t hate me for this,” Marianna whispered tearfully before giving her a big smile, showing a pair of fangs. Gabby stared in confusion for the longest moment. What was Marianna trying to show her? That her teeth were longer than normal? Why was that bad? Then it hit her: Marianna was a vampire. Her eyes widened, and she wrapped her arms around herself protectively. She hadn’t misheard them last night after all. But how was that possible? Marianna flinched, her eyes filled with hurt. “Do you want to leave? I won’t stop you.” Gabby didn’t answer right away. She wasn’t sure how to. How was she supposed to react? She was being told something that was only supposed to be in movies and books was actually real. But what confused her the most was how Marianna didn’t seem anything like the vampires in the few movies she’d seen. In those movies, vampires were horrible, bloodthirsty monsters who didn’t care about who they were killing so long as they could drink their blood. She hadn’t seen Marianna do anything like this. In fact, she seemed entirely normal. Her face softened as she realized this. Marianna was normal. She wasn’t a monster; she was kind and compassionate. Was Gabby afraid? A little bit, but knowing that not once did the woman before her try to inflict any kind of pain on her eased her fear. Not once had she done anything cruel. Maybe the movies were wrong. Maybe vampires weren’t monsters. At least Marianna wasn’t. “Are you frightened?” Marianna asked quietly. “A little bit,” she whispered. “That’s… fair,” she sighed. “But… are you frightened enough that you’d rather not stay? I want you to be happy, and I’ll do all I can to make sure you are. Even if it means letting you go and helping you find a home elsewhere.” She considered this question for a short moment, but she realized the answer quickly and shook her head. “I like it here.” “You’re really okay with this then?” Marianna asked, her voice filled with disbelief yet tinged with excitement. Gabby nodded, a small smile growing on her face. She trusted Marianna wholeheartedly. There was no doubt about that. Marianna visibly seemed to ease up, a smile spreading across her face. “Then… I was right. After all these years of searching, I’ve finally found you.” She slowly crossed the room and pulled Gabby into a gentle hug. “My daughter,” she murmured. Joy bubbled up within her, and she wrapped her arms around Marianna. Finally, she had a place she belonged. Finally, she had a home and a family. With a bright smile, she replied, “My mom.” |
AuthorsMichael & Tierney Ford Archives
July 2023
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