5/12/2021 0 Comments Chapter SevenSaturday June 24, 2017 Roarke was exhausted. He’d barely slept at all the previous night, though not for a lack of trying. It was hard for him to get any rest after getting a cryptic text message from Antoinette on Friday. “Please come by tomorrow morning. Need to talk.” What was that supposed to mean? Did she want to be someone else’s bodyguard? Did she want to keep things professional? Was she leaving the Silverwings? The unknown answer had kept his brain running in circles. Eventually, at 4:34 A.M., he’d given up trying to sleep and had made the journey alone across the city to her bakery.
Though, once he’do arrived, he’d realized it was still extremely early and she was likely asleep. He wasn’t going to wake her up just because he couldn’t get any shut-eye. He’d tried sitting outside on the doorstep, but he’d felt jittery and impatient and had proceeded to pace nervously in a circle. If anyone had seen him, they’d surely think he was a lunatic. Thankfully, though, time passed quickly enough, and the sun started to rise. Roarke stood at the back door, trying to work up the courage to knock. Would she be mad at him for waking her up this early? That wouldn’t help the situation at all. Maybe he should leave and come back with donuts and coffee. Though, if this was bad news for him, that might end up being a little awkward. Plus, he wasn’t entirely sure how she liked her coffee or what donuts she preferred. He finally told himself he was being ridiculous and without thinking about it any longer, he knocked loudly on the door. To his surprise, it swung open almost immediately. Standing in the doorway, looking exhausted and dressed in a soft cream-colored bathrobe, was Antoinette. “Took you long enough to knock,” she laughed weakly. “Been waitin’ for… an hour? Lost track of time, to be honest.” Roarke felt breathless for a long moment. Even looking as tired as he felt, she was still gorgeous as hell. He fought back the urge to wrap her up in his arms and kiss her over and over again until they had to break away to catch a breath. “Sorry,” he eventually apologized. “I didn’t want to wake you.” She shook her head. “You’re sweet, but I had trouble sleepin’.” “Yeah, me too,” he quietly admitted. “I wanna say we both know why,” she sighed, “but I don’t know for sure at this point. I guess that’s why I wanted to talk to you.” She stepped aside and gestured into the bakery. “Come on in, hun.” He stepped inside and just like his first visit, he was hit by a concoction of warm, sweet scents filling the air. It was comforting and familiar, making the hurricane in his stomach calm ever-so-slightly. Antoinette waved her hand towards the stairs to her apartment. “Well, let’s head on up and get comfy. I don’t know how this is gonna go, if I’m bein’ honest.” That didn’t make him any less worried, but he nodded quietly and followed her up the stairs. He stared at his feet as they ascended, worry clouding his thoughts. One part of him wanted to bolt right back out the door. Another part of him wanted to tell her to forget about whatever she had to say and spend the day with him instead. The louder, more reasonable, bigger part of him knew that this conversation needed to happen. It’s time to put your big boy pants on, Roarke. You got yourself into this mess, whatever this is, so you need to be responsible for once in your damn life. She led him up to her small living room and sat down on the yellow couch, pointing to a comfy matching yellow chair for him to sit in. As he took a seat, she took a deep breath. “Thought I’d need all weekend to mull over this, but after gettin’ yelled at and insulted by Levi and gettin’ advice from Miss Yang, I figured I’d just bite the bullet.” Roarke wasn’t entirely sure if he was supposed to respond, so he nodded quietly, hoping it came off as supportive and not uncaring. “I took on the job lookin’ out for you for the same reason as everyone else, but not just cuz of sex. I wanted to see for myself how you are, cuz I never believed you were really bad. I don’t believe anyone who is one-hundred percent bad could even exist, and already in the short time I’ve known you, I can tell you ain’t bad. And, well…” She sighed. “I started fallin’ for you, and that sure as sugar wasn’t my intention. I honestly just wanted to have fun again after what happened to me before I moved here…” She ran her hand over her face. “So I just wanna know, and please, please be honest… How do you feel about me?” Roarke’s face paled, and he dropped his head so he could stare at the floor instead of her. Of all the things she could have said or asked, why did she have to bring up a question like that? It was the one question he couldn’t answer. Miserably, he mumbled, “I don’t know.” “You… you don’t?” she asked, sounding more confused (and even a bit relieved) than angry or upset. “No,” he admitted. He ran a hand through his hair, feeling frustrated. “I don’t think about it because I can’t.” “Why not?” “It’s a long story, sweet thing,” he sighed. More specifically, it was one he wasn’t sure he wanted to tell. “Well, I’m always willin’ to listen.” He reluctantly lifted his head again and felt a pang as he saw her patient smile. How could he say no when she was sitting there looking so supportive and earnest? Despite how emotional she was, she was willing to listen to him and put him first. He ached to hold her, which made him all the more confused and upset. With another sigh, he sat up straight. He wasn’t prepared for this, but maybe he never really would be. “How much have I told you about my, um… turning?” “Mostly just that your sire was a piece of work and only left you a note,” she replied. Which, in other words, meant nothing. “Yeah… I… didn’t get asked about turning. I was drunk, and the next morning, I was alone in a house I didn’t recognize with a note telling me the basics and stressing how important it was that I stay hidden. I was told not to contact my family or friends for their safety as much as my own.” “What?” she gasped softly. “What’s do dangerous about bein’ turned? It’s only a danger if you ain’t taught the ropes…” He shrugged. “I don’t know, and I doubt I’ll ever find out. But at that time in my life, I was terrified. I was so scared of someone I loved getting hurt. So I stayed in the house, only leaving at night every few days to feed because I had no choice.” His hands balled into tight fists. His nails dug deep into his skin. For years, he’d kept his past bottled up; talking about it now was bringing back strong and uncomfortable emotions he’d long ignored. “I was in college when this happened, so when I didn’t show up for my classes, the administration contacted my roommates at the dorm to find out where I was. When they found out I hadn’t returned to the room since the party, they contacted my parents.” He swallowed hard. “I had to watch them on the television pleading for my safe return more than once. Volunteers searched for me for months hoping to at least find a body so they’d have something to give to my parents.” “Sweet mercy, Roarke… I had no idea…” He took in a few slow, deep breaths to steady himself before continuing. “I never got to say goodbye. My parents died thinking I’d been kidnapped and murdered, or something like that. My girlfriend and friends thought I was dead. I lost everything that night.” Antoinette was quiet for a long time as a nervous silence fell between them. Finally, she whispered, “I’m so sorry, hun. I can’t even imagine what that must have been like for you.” She stood up and moved over to the chair Roarke was in, perching herself on the arm. “You never told anyone this, huh?” “No,” he answered. “Not until now.” She gently stroked his hair. “That explains so much. Like why you’re the only vampire they don’t have any background on. Why you’re so lonesome. Why…” She trailed off, leaving the unfinished sentence hanging in the air. “Why what?” He both loved and hated how every muscle in his body, which was so tense while telling her his story, relaxed merely at her touch. Without even realizing he was doing it, he leaned his head against her. “Just… everythin’. I understand now. But I don’t get why you’d want to keep bein’ alone, hun. Why you’d wanna keep everyone away…” She continued gently stroking his hair. “You’d think after bein’ forced into hidin’ you’d want to be around others again.” “I can’t go through that again,” he quietly answered. His throat felt tight. This, too, was the first time he’d ever admitted it out loud. “I can’t get close to someone I’ll just end up losing later. It’s better to be alone. I can’t lose someone I don’t care about that way.” “That ain’t no way to live, hun,” she gently retorted. “Everybody needs people. We ain’t made to make it through this world alone.” “I’m doing just fine,” he argued. He ignored the voice in the back of his head pointing a finger at Antoinette with a huge question mark. “Are you?” she whispered. “Are you really, hun?” He paused for a short moment before answering, “Yeah.” But even he wasn’t convinced by this answer. She held his head close to her. “You don’t gotta lie to me, Roarke. I’m the last person who’d ever judge you.” He was quiet for several long moments. He thought about how he felt isolated and disliked by everyone else in the coven. He thought about how meaningless sex sometimes felt boring and repetitive. He thought about how many times he’d woken up feeling empty, something he’d ignored (along with everything else he’d kept shoved in a closet in the back of his mind). When he finally spoke again, his voice was just above a whisper and his throat was painfully tight once more. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t, sweet thing. I can’t do that again.” “You can, Roarke,” she replied. “You got a whole eternity ahead of you. You can’t let what your sire did ruin it for you. You deserve so much better.” He swallowed hard, closing his eyes. “I really don’t. I’m not a good person, sweet thing. I’m just a dick who sleeps around. I told you, what they say about me is true.” “If you really were all that, I wouldn’t have called you. I’ve had enough boys who sleep around in my life, like my ex-fiancé.” His eyes popped open and he blurted out, “You were engaged?” Yeah, before I moved out here and got involved in supernatural stuff. He was a boy who’d been sweet on me since high school… Or that’s what I thought. Guess he just wanted to get close to my best friend,” she sighed. “Why’d he have to propose to you to do that?” he asked with confusion. “I ain’t got a clue why he did anythin’ he did, hun. Probably thought he could get two for the price of one. All I know is, I caught him with my best friend rollin’ in the hay at his family’s farm.” “I’m sorry.” He didn’t know much, but he did know Antoinette deserved better than that. “It’s in the past, hun. And I’m tired of lettin’ him rule my life, especially since he’s dead and gone. I ain’t been with anyone in years all cuz of what that jackass did, but that ain’t how it should be. You can’t let your past control your present.” Roarke lifted his head off of her shoulder and sat up straight. He stared into her mesmerizing, blue eyes and asked, “Then what do you think I should do?” She looked back. “What do you want to do?” He was taken aback by this question. His life since being turned never really had been a case of what he wanted to do (other than to drink and have occasional sex, that was). Everything had mainly been for survival. Feed to survive. Move to Rhine City to survive. Stay with the coven to survive. Do odd jobs to survive. “I don’t know,” he admitted. She put a hand on his cheek. “Maybe that’s ok. Maybe it’s alright not to have it all figured out. Maybe you can just take things day by day… And maybe I can be there with you while you do.” He felt extremely pained. “I can’t, sweet thing.” “You can if you want.” “I can’t go through it again.” His voice was wavering with the fear he was trying so hard not to show. The last thing he wanted to do was look weak in front of Antoinette. “If something happened to you…” “Then don’t let it,” she replied. “Not that you need to worry much. First thing I ever encountered was a bloodfiend, and me and Levi survived it. I ain’t just some little damsel, you know.” “But you’re mortal.” And that meant if something happened to her, that was it. She couldn’t heal like he could. “I am for now,” she smirked. “It don’t always gotta be that way, though.” “No,” he immediately said. “This isn’t something you should want.” She sighed once more. “Well… shoot. But still, you really don’t gotta worry about my well-bein’.” “But I would,” he sighed, feeling irritated. “After losing everyone I cared about in one night, I would be worried about you every second of every day. You and anyone else I allowed myself to get close to.” “That ain’t so bad, though, is it? Carin’ about others, I mean.” Antoinette was slowly breaking down the walls he’d built years ago to protect himself, and he wasn’t sure if he was comfortable with that or not. She challenged everything he’d thought he’d known about himself, which made him feel both nervous and exhilarated. Quietly, he asked, “But what if I lose you?” “What if? What if? You can’t be sittin’ around thinkin’ about what if’s all the time. If you do, you’re just gonna be existin’, not livin’. And then what’s the point?” “I don’t know,” he admitted. Nothing in his life had gone the way he’d thought it would. If he hadn’t been turned, he would be in his 60’s spending his golden years with his grandchildren and preparing for his upcoming retirement, not sitting here forever trapped in his 20’s as a supernatural creature that wasn’t supposed to exist. What was the point of living? He hadn’t considered this since being turned. He’d only focused on surviving, but what was he really surviving for if there wasn’t a reason for living? And that’s when he realized he didn’t have a purpose for living. He’d simply been existing for forty years. His life had been frozen in time just as much as his aging was. “I’m afraid, Antoinette,” he finally said. “It’s okay to be afraid,” she replied. “But you can’t let it hold you back from gettin’ what you want, what you deserve. I’m dead set on makin’ you realize you’re worth more than you think you are and that you need to start livin’ again. Even if I ain’t in that life, I wanna help you get there.” Her smile reassured him. Maybe it was the exhaustion, or maybe it was the way her eyes twinkled at him, but he felt enchanted by her. He leaned towards her and finally giving in, gently kissed her. “Roarke…” she murmured contentedly. He slowly pulled away. “I’m so sorry. I’m a damn mess, and you deserve so much better than that.” “That’s true,” she agreed. “So let’s help you be less of one. We can start by goin’ to Eric’s party tonight so you can get to know your coven a bit better, and if Rose is there, you ought to spend some time with her seein’ as she wants to be your friend.” “You still want to go?” he asked in surprise. She nodded. “I think we both could use some fun.” “Yeah,” he agreed with a soft chuckle. He lifted a hand to gently caress her cheek. “You asked me to be honest with you, but I need to be honest with myself too,” he began. “I’ve been denying how I feel because I’ve been too afraid to let myself get close to anyone. I kept telling myself we’re just a fling and none of this means anything, but I don’t know how I could have ever believed that when I feel happier every time I’m around you. I just want to wrap my arms around you and kiss you. I want to stare into your eyes for hours. I want to lie in bed with you to just to be close to you for as long as I can.” As he said this, he felt the last wall crumbling to dust. He was vulnerable now, and it frightened him, but he trusted Antoinette. She was too honest and too sweet to ever hurt him on purpose. Her eyes began to well up with tears as she smiled gently at him. “Well, now’s your chance. I’m dang tired. I’m sure you are too, and we oughta rest up for tonight… so if you wanna lie with me for hours… no better time than now.” A smile grew on his face, matching hers. “I’d love that, sweet thing.” “Got enough strength to carry me there, hun?” Roarke replied with a playful grin. He stood up and, carefully wrapping an arm around Antoinette’s back and another beneath her legs, he lifted her bridal-style and carried her through her cozy apartment to her bed, where he gently laid her down. “How’s that?” “Perfect,” she murmured. “Now hurry up and lay down with me.” He did just that, wrapping his arm around her and laying as close as physically possible. He kissed her neck and murmured, “You’re so warm.” “So are you,” she softly giggled. “Think that’s the thing I’m most glad ain’t true. Vampires ain’t cold, they’re so warm…” “There are a dozen reasons why I’m thankful for that,” he laughed. “But I think the most important is that it means I can keep you warm.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek and whispered, “Sleep well, Antoinette.” “You too, hun,” she whispered back as she shut her eyes, a content smile on her face. He wasn’t sure what they were now, but acknowledging how he felt made him realize one thing very clearly: He was crazy about Antoinette. He was still afraid of losing her in the blink of an eye, but she had been right about one thing: Living in fear was not a way to live at all, and Roarke was ready to live again. His sire had taken his old life away from him, but he was ready to finally build a new life for himself. The best part was that he wouldn’t be alone in this. Antoinette would be by his side every step of the way encouraging him. As long as she was smiling at him and holding his hand, he had a feeling he’d be okay no matter where life took him. ****** Chastity probably would have slept until early afternoon if she wasn’t awoken by loud, obnoxious bird chirping just outside the window. With a groan, she opened her eyes and blinked to clear the sleepiness. She was surprised to discover her arm was wrapped around Venus and she was snuggled close to her body. The events of the previous night suddenly rushed back and curiously, she glanced at the redhead. Just like she’d observed in her overly tired state hours earlier, she found a strange desire to be near her. Sure, she liked spending time with Venus, but she’d never felt like this before. What was even more bizarre was how badly she wanted to lean forward and kiss her cheek. What the hell is wrong with you? she chastised herself. You’re straight. You’re not into other women. With a confused and frustrated sigh, Chastity pulled away from the redhead and flopped onto her back. She wanted so badly to go back to sleep, but everything outside sounded so loud. She could hear squirrels chattering and a lawn mower roaring as it cut blades of grass. The noise was starting to give her a headache, and she put a hand to her forehead with a groan. “You okay?” Venus mumbled from beside her. “Yeah,” she sighed. “I’m fine, go back to sleep.” She felt guilty for waking her up, especially since she knew the redhead had to be as exhausted as she was. “I dunno if I can,” Venus yawned. “I shouldn’t have fallen asleep anyway. You were all feverish and delirious.” “I’m okay now,” she promised. “Thanks for coming to my rescue last night.” “Don’t mention it,” she said as she stretched and sat up. “What the hell even happened? You stepped outside for, like, ten minutes and somehow ended up delirious and rambling about vampires or something.” Her eyes widened at this. That’s right, I’m a vampire now, I guess. She lifted her tongue to a canine tooth and pressed it against the tip. She immediately felt pain as it dug into her tongue. Turning towards Venus and grinning, she opened her mouth and showed off her teeth. Venus stared for a long time, seemingly trying to process what she was seeing in her groggy, half-awoken state. Eventually though, her eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped. “No fucking way.” Chastity nodded excitedly. “I told you! I know it’s crazy, and obviously it means there are others out there too. But I did it to protect Morag.” Her smile faded and nervously, she asked, “You’re not mad at me, are you?” “Should I be? I mean, I’m kinda jealous, not gonna lie, but why would I be mad?” “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I just didn’t want you to hate me for making a rash decision or something.” She ran her hand through her hair, which felt greasy. “Ugh, I need a shower.” “Same, girl. Hey, we can save water by showering together, you know,” Venus joked with a wink. Feeling abnormally cocky and bold, she smirked and lifted a blonde eyebrow. “And what if I said yes?” “But you won’t,” Venus smugly retorted. Challenge accepted, she thought as she climbed out of bed. Coyly, she started for the door, asking, “Well? Are you coming?” If Venus’s jaw could have dropped any further, it would have. “Wh-What?! Girl, are you sure? I mean, you know, I uhhh…” Chastity smiled innocently. “What’s wrong? We’re both girls, aren’t we? It’s nothing we haven’t seen before.” She left Venus with that and exited the room. As quietly as she could, Chastity opened Morag’s bedroom door, which was still closed. She wasn’t surprised to see her friend was still fast asleep, though she was grateful for it. Morag needed the rest. It was better to sleep than to be awake and trying to drink. Chastity quickly grabbed her backpack, which still sat against the wall next to the door, and retreated out of the room, gently shutting the door closed again behind her. “Okay,” Venus said quietly from the hallway, “I’m not sure what you’re playing at, but I’ll play along for now.” Her coy smile was back as she walked into the bathroom. “Who says I’m playing at anything?” “I says!” Venus huffed. “You’re being all… flirty and shit! But you’re straight, as you’ve pointed out many, many times. Being a vampire doesn’t make you gay, I’m pretty sure. Or does it?” She sighed in frustration. “This is fucking confusing.” Chastity felt her smile disappear. Venus was right. She was straight, so what the hell was she doing? She felt embarrassed, and her cheeks burned. “I… I think I forgot something in Morag’s room,” she lied. “You go ahead and shower without me, okay?” She set her backpack on the counter and rushed out of the room, brushing past Venus as she left. What is wrong with me? Like Venus said, she wasn’t gay. So why was she suddenly overly flirty with another woman? Maybe she was still delirious from the turning process. “You’re such an idiot,” she muttered to herself as she walked back into the guest bedroom and sat down at the edge of the bed. Chastity buried her head in her hands, feeling embarrassed, upset, and confused all at once. She had no idea what was going on with her. Ever since she’d bitten into the apple the night before, nothing in her life had made any sense. She wanted desperately to wake Morag up and talk to her, but considering what the woman was going through, she knew that it wouldn't be fair to dump her own problems on her friend. The only other person she had in her life to talk to about something like this was Venus, and she was directly involved in whatever this was. Chastity pulled her feet onto the bed and wrapped her arms around her legs to hide her face in her thighs. It was a time like this that she wished her sister was still a part of her life. She needed her right now, but she had no idea how to contact her. She didn’t know if her twin was still living with their Aunt Fiona or not, and Chastity was too proud to go back to find out. For the first time in three years, she felt completely and utterly alone. She wasn’t sure how much time had passed while she sat like this, but eventually, Venus poked her head into the bedroom. “Shower’s all yours.” Reluctantly, she lifted her head. Venus’s hair was still slightly wet indicating she’d bathed alone. “Oh, okay,” she quietly answered. “Thanks.” “Yeah, whatever,” Venus mumbled. “You still need me here?” She wanted to say yes and beg her to stay, but she could hear the irritation in her voice. Could she really blame her? From her end of things, it probably looked like Chastity was playing with her feelings. But how could she even begin to explain what was really going on when she didn’t understand herself? Still, in a small, meek voice, she asked, “Do you have to go?” Her friend’s expression and tone immediately softened. “Not really, but… I need to go for a ride. I want to clear my head a bit, you know.” Her heart sank, but she simply replied, “Okay.” Then, quickly, she added, “I’m sorry.” Venus sighed. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’ll be back in like twenty minutes, okay?” She quietly nodded and stared at the floor instead. Despite what she’d said, Chastity felt like she’d made a mistake (though not intentionally). “Don’t look so glum, I’ll be back. You want me to pick you up some sunscreen, Nosferatu?” she teased gently. “The sun won’t bother me,” she answered, remembering what Eve had told her. “Well hey, that’s good at least! See ya in a bit, then.” She pulled her head out of the doorway and made her way out of the house. Chastity could hear her footsteps, even once she was on the first floor. She listened until eventually Lady’s engine roared to life, and Venus zoomed away. For a few minutes, she sat there feeling empty and alone. She didn’t understand any of this, and realizing she really didn’t have anyone to talk to about it left her feeling lost all over again. She eventually stood up and walked back to the bathroom. She really wanted to just bury herself beneath the covers, but she had work to do. Morag needed her help, and it was irresponsible of her to slack just because her feelings got hurt. The roar of the water pouring out of the showerhead was much louder than she’d remembered, but she did her best to tune it out as she robotically washed her body and her hair in the refreshing hot water. When she was done, she turned the shower off (much to her ears’ delight) and wrapped her body in a towel. She stood on the light grey bath mat and stared at her muddled reflection in the foggy mirror that hung over the sink. The hopelessness rushed back without warning and, before she could do anything to suppress it, she started crying. “What is wrong with me?” she wailed as she stood, water dripping off of her body and onto the mat below. A gentle knock came on the bathroom door. “Dearie? Are you alright?” Chastity turned her head towards the door, feeling panicked. “Morag?” “That’s me,” she chuckled softly. “I woke up and heard you. Is everything okay?” “I’m sorry,” she apologized as she hurriedly wiped her eyes. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.” Clutching the towel tightly around her, she crossed the bathroom to open the door. Her friend looked far less exhausted and a lot cheerier despite the bandages on her head, which had been administered the previous day during the doctor’s visit. “Dearie, there is absolutely nothing for you to be apologizing for, especially when you’re going out of your way to help me.” “I know, but I still feel bad.” She put on a smile that she hoped was convincing. “I’m fine, really. I just felt kind of sick last night, and I didn’t get much sleep. But forget about me. How are you? You look better, but…” Morag shrugged. “I feel alright for the moment. I do appreciate you girls staying with me. It made it far easier to sleep well.” “And that’s what’s important,” she said, feeling relieved. “I hope you’re hungry, because I’m starving. I can make pancakes or something, if you want.” “Pancakes would be lovely,” Morag agreed. “Is Venus still here? Shall I make some for her?” “She, um, left, but she’ll be back.” She hoped, anyway. “I’ll make sure to cook enough pancakes for the three of us.” “Oh, you’ll make them then? My, you’re spoiling me, dearie. Now come, come, let’s head on down!” Chastity laughed. “Babe, I’ve got to get dressed first!” She retrieved her backpack from where she’d discarded it on the sink’s counter. “I’ll meet you down there, okay?” “Don’t keep me waiting too long!” She blew her friend a kiss before they parted ways, with Morag walking downstairs and Chastity returning to the guest bedroom. The empty loneliness she’d felt just a moment ago returned, but Morag needed her now, so she pushed it to a back corner of her mind and focused on the task at hand. She dried her hair, then pulled on the fresh outfit she’d packed: A pale yellow loose cotton tank top and a pair of light blue jean shorts. She slipped on a pair of white ankle socks, carefully shoved her dirty clothes into her bag, and headed downstairs. She could smell freshly cracked eggs and realized Morag had started working on the pancake batter. Pretending to pout, she strolled into the kitchen while saying, “You started without me?” “Yes, yes, I’m sorry, dearie,” she said. “Oh, and I hope that apple on the counter wasn’t yours. I had the urge to eat it as soon as I saw it, and I was feeling rather peckish…” She gestured at the apple core she’d left on the counter sheepishly. As tightly as she had clung to the apple last night, Chastity had forgotten all about it. How it had ended up on the counter, she didn’t know, but she was thankful it did. With a reassuring smile, she explained, “It was for you, actually. You know, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, or something like that.” “I’d certainly wished I had it yesterday, then,” she sighed. “You know… I feel truly dreadful with what my life has come to. I’ve been drinking and living in terror, and that’s no way to live, is it? I need to get joy back in my life, I think.” “And you will,” she promised. “You just need to start talking to someone again, okay? And you know Venus and I will stay here however often you need us to.” Chastity wished she could tell Morag what was going on, but she didn’t want to stress her out more than she already was. “I appreciate it, truly. I’m so blessed to know you two.” She hummed to herself as she stirred the batter. “You know, I do wish I could work at a bakery. I’ve always loved baking. I only ever got into all this sex work because I needed to pay off my college debt and, well, I just never left… Maybe all this is a sign it’s time for me to pursue my dreams.” Chastity was completely surprised by this. She knew Morag very well, but her friend had never shared this with her before. “Babe, you’d be an amazing baker! You know I support you no matter what, so I say go for it!” “I might, I might… You know, there’s a newish bakery called Whipped Dream… I wonder if they might need help with management or some such.” “That’s the spirit!” Chastity cheered. “That sounds like a cute little place. You’d fit right in!” “I suppose I’ll see what I can do,” Morag smiled. “You know what?” She grinned. “I say fuck the Den. Go find a new job and forget about going back there.” She shook her head. “I cannot do that in good conscience so long as you're there, dearie!” “Babe, no, you are not staying for me!” Chastity frowned. “Go live your life! You deserve to be happy!” “And how can you expect me to be happy when you’re working for that greasy git?” Morag demanded. “I’ll hear nothing more from you on the subject! So long as you’re there, I’m there, and that’s that.” Chastity gave her a smile, but inside, she felt horrible. She loved dancing at the Den, and she was willing to put up with the fact that her boss was a creep if it meant being there. If she wanted Morag to find a job that would make her truly happy, then she’d have to leave, too. But where would she go? What could she possibly do with a measly high school diploma that would make her the kind of money she made at the Den? The sound of a motorcycle roaring into the driveway signalled the return of Venus from her morning drive. Chastity felt nervous and unprepared to face her again. To distract herself, she asked, “So, uh, how can I help? Do you want me to start cooking the pancakes?” “Oh, yes! Of course! That would be a big help!” Chastity reached for the plastic bowl from Morag, which was full of pancake batter. “Can you grab a pan and some oil?” “Way ahead of you!” Morag grinned as she held up a frying pan. “Perfect! Let’s get these things going!” She grabbed the spoon Morag had left in the batter. The second her skin touched it, she felt an agonizing burning sensation. Immediately, she flinched and dropped it. “Ow! Fuck!” She pulled her hand back towards her body, curling it up in an attempt to protect the burn. Why had there been smoke rising from her skin? What the hell? “You okay?” Venus asked as she walked into the kitchen. She seemed slightly less upset than before she’d left. The pain almost immediately forgotten, Chastity glanced at Venus and nodded. She looked down at her hand and opened it to discover there was no wound. But… how? She shifted her gaze to the spoon again. Then it hit her: She couldn’t touch silver. Eve had explained this during one of her fever dreams. How was she supposed to make pancakes now? “Hey, uh, Morag? Do you have a wooden spoon by chance?” “Of course I do,” her friend said as she reached into a nearby drawer. She pulled one out and handed it to Chastity. “Thanks!” She took it and used it to stir around the batter. When Morag turned her attention to the stove and started heating up the pan, Chastity quietly asked Venus, “Can you take the other spoon out of the bowl for me?” “Uh, sure?” Venus said, confusion all over her face as she did what Chastity asked. She, in turn, mouthed, “Silver.” This did not seem to help whatsoever, though, as Venus looked even more confused than before. She suppressed a sigh and reached for the metal spoon. She was prepared for the pain, this time, so she didn’t cry out in surprise, but it didn’t make it any easier, especially since she was holding on to it longer. Wispy curls of smoke rose from where her skin touched the metal, and she could smell her flesh burning. This time, when she pulled her hand away, there was a raw red wound present. She glanced at Venus and lifted her eyebrows expectantly. Venus stared in horror, mouthing, “What the fuck.” “Silver,” she mouthed back. They both watched as her skin healed itself, which answered her question about how it had appeared uninjured earlier. Venus nodded as if some sort of understanding dawned on her, but she still looked rather perplexed and nervous. Chastity shrugged and started making the pancakes. The pan heated up quickly, and the kitchen was soon filled with the delicious scent of the pan-fried dough. She could still feel the awkward tension from earlier that morning between her and Venus, and she didn’t know if she was really ready to talk about it (if they were going to at all, that was). When she was finished cooking, there was a large stack with more than enough for the three of them. “I hope you two are hungry,” she joked. “I’m famished,” Venus whined. “And you know it’s true because I just used a word like ‘famished!’” Chastity smirked and rolled her eyes before passing Venus a ceramic plate. The three women created piles of pancakes with maple syrup dripping down the sides before sitting down at the white oak dining table. Chastity made sure to sneak a plastic fork from the stash of disposable silverware tucked in Morag’s pantry to avoid harming herself further. Thankfully, only the cutlery in her kitchen seemed to be made of silver as far as she could tell. “You’re looking really happy today, Morag!” Venus chirped as she jabbed her fork into her pancakes. “I’m glad to see it!” “I’m glad to feel it! It’s so lovely… Everything feels so vibrant today, and I’m feeling a tad hopeful! Life just doesn’t seem so dreary for some reason!” The apple really did work, Chastity thought to herself with a small smile as she hungrily shoveled her pancakes into her mouth. Morag finally seemed normal again, which gave her hope that she could get through the trauma she’d experienced. “I’m still going to install a security system for you so you can feel safe again,” she promised after swallowing a large bite. Just in case she couldn’t reach her fast enough if something happened. “That’s an excellent idea, honestly,” Morag agreed. “Rather foolish of me to think I’d be safe in Rhine City. It’s a very bad place.” “Babe, it’s not foolish,” she insisted. “No one should have to feel unsafe, and that includes you.” “You’re right, of course, but I should have been more cautious. This may be a good neighborhood, but this is still Rhine City, after all. Oh, but don’t think I blame myself! That creep is a creep no matter what, and I am certainly glad I played some role in getting him arrested!” “You’re kind of a hero, you know?” Chastity nodded. “If it wasn’t for you, who knows how many more women he’d have hurt!” She hoped putting a positive spin on it would make Morag feel better. “Certainly more of a hero than that man who went on the news and tried to pretend he did anything noteworthy,” she huffed. “I imagine Aurelio had quite a few words to say to him.” The name didn’t strike her as being familiar, so she asked in confusion, “Who?” “Aurelio Acquafredda. He and his men protect the Den in return for a cut of the profits.” Morag sighed. “All the more reason I want out, even if Aurelio is a rather sweet man… aside from the, you know, numerous crimes he commits.” Chastity’s jaw dropped. “Wait, he is part of the mafia?” She thought Venus had been joking. How had she worked at the Den for three years and had never noticed him before? “I fucking knew it!” Venus exclaimed. “Uh… Yes. He usually stays… Well, I’m not much at liberty to say, but as a manager, I have met him from time to time,” Morag admitted. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?” she pouted as she stood up from the table, feeling stuffed. “Pretty sure it’s not a good idea to tell your employees you work for the mafia,” Venus said through a mouthful of pancakes. “She’s right,” Morag sighed. “And besides, Aurelio really hasn’t kicked up much of a fuss before this. He’s the one who made Remy give me time off as I was told.” Maybe he wasn’t so bad, then, especially if he was keeping Remy in line. “I guess you have a point. But some of the girls last night were a little freaked out by his men lingering around in the locker room. They should at least be told who he is, even if it’s only a half-truth.” She picked up her plate. “I’ll do the dishes, by the way. You should treat yourself to a nice, hot shower!” Morag smiled gratefully. “Oh, thank you, that would be lovely.” Flashing a bright smile back at her, Chastity carried the dirty dishes to the sink. She was careful not to touch the silverware Morag and Venus used. Even if her skin healed afterwards, she didn’t want to make a habit of hurting herself on purpose. She could hear Morag and Venus making light conversation while she turned the sink on and got the peach-colored washcloth soapy. Having a moment alone again, Chastity let her cheery façade fade. She still felt miserable deep down, but she didn’t know why. Morag was okay again, and Chastity would be able to keep her safe now, so why was she so upset? Sure, she’d have to adjust to her new life, but that couldn’t possibly be it, could it? “Need some help?” Venus appeared beside her with a cheesy grin, slipping her dirty plates into the sink. “Oh, um, yes actually.” Sheepishly, she asked, “Could you wash the silverware for me?” “Yeah, sure. What the fuck is up with that? I thought you were a vampire, not a werewolf!” She tried to remember what Eve had said the night before. Most of the things she’d seen were still hazy, so recounting specifics was difficult. “It’s, like, something that happened to the creator, so I guess vampires have to suffer now. If that makes any sense.” Which it probably didn’t. “That’s lame,” Venus snorted. “If I created something, I’d give them no weaknesses, especially if it was something that hurt me.” “I don’t think she had much of a choice,” she quietly commented as she turned back to the sink and started washing a plate. “Well, still, it’s pretty lame,” Venus insisted. “Any other weaknesses I should know about so I don’t kill you accidentally?” You? she immediately thought without thinking. She cringed inwardly as a result. What is wrong with me? She forced herself to focus on Venus’s question with a sense of seriousness. “Not that I can really remember. Unless you count not, um, drinking blood that much, but to be honest, I have no idea how that’s supposed to work.” “You got fangs, right? I’m sure you can work it out. Or ask my sister, she once let a vampire drink her blood.” Chastity scrunched her nose in disgust. “That would be so weird to do that from someone I know.” “You gonna be, like, some evil freak who drinks from the homeless?” Venus retorted. “Of course not! You’re a sweetheart! So, you know… Yeah.” Venus rubbed the back of her head nervously. “I’d be willing to donate some blood, you know.” She felt her face flush red hot at the very thought. “I don’t know…” she mumbled. “You do too much for me already.” Venus shrugged. “It’s no big deal, I promise. Who needs all this blood anyway? Not me, that’s for sure!” Shyly, she asked, “So if I needed some right now, you’d let me?” “Of course!” Venus grinned. “That’s what friends are for! Hanging out, partying, drinking their blood… You need it, go for it, girl.” Chastity fell quiet and continued washing the dishes. Truthfully, she had no idea how she would know when she needed blood, much less how to actually drink it. What if she took too much? She didn’t want to accidentally kill Venus. The mere thought of it scared her. Eve didn’t exactly tell her how to do it. “Did I say something wrong again?” Venus asked quietly. “What? No. I’m sorry, I was just thinking,” she apologized. “This is just… more complicated than I really realized when I agreed to this last night. I guess I didn’t think it through very well.” With a sigh, she added, “I was so worried about Morag that I was desperate to do anything to keep her safe.” “Well, I mean, this still seems like a positive thing aside from the fact you’re gonna have to use plastic spoons from now on,” Venus joked. “If only we could research this more, cuz I dunno what to expect what with that silver bit…” She slapped her hands to her cheeks. “Oh my god! Do you still have a reflection?” “I’m pretty sure I do,” she answered. She hadn’t actually stopped to notice her reflection that morning, but she didn’t remember it being missing from the foggy bathroom mirror. “Ok, well, that’s a plus! What else do you know?” “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I was really out of it last night. I think I get, like, some kind of special ability or something?” She rinsed off the plate she’d been overcleaning for the past two minutes and set it in the dish rack on the counter next to the sink to dry. “Sweeeeeeeeeet!” Venus exclaimed as she grabbed a nearby towel and began polishing the dish. “Do you know what it is?” Chastity shook her head. “I don’t really know how to find out, either.” “Well, who turned you?” “Um, well…” She glanced at Venus and answered, “It was an apple, actually.” Venus stared at her. “Oooooookay… And who gave you the apple? Or is there a vampire apple tree somewhere I should know about?” With a snort, she replied, “No, that woman from the Den gave it to me. Eve? I guess she’s, like, the creator?” “What the fuck?” Venus gasped. “I mean… She looks pretty good for, like, ten thousand years old or whenever vampires were invented. But how did she even find you here?” “I, uh, still don’t understand that. Something with her name?” She shrugged again as she rinsed off another plate she’d washed. “She, like, teleports or something if you say her name? Her real name, that is.” “Is Eve not her real name?” “No, it’s some… weird name. I don’t know, it’s on the back of her card. I honestly can’t remember without looking, and I’m not sure where it ended up.” Though, if she had to guess, probably in the backyard. She’d probably dropped it at some point during her hallucinations. “Where’s the card?” “Why?” she asked suspiciously. She set the second plate in the drying rack and picked up the third one. “Cuz maybe she has some answers for you!” Venus pushed. “If you called her once, call her again!” “I don’t know,” she admitted. Not that she was necessarily afraid of her, but Chastity didn’t really want Morag finding out about all of this. Honestly, asking the mother of vampires for help wasn’t that bad of an idea, especially since she’d been so kind and caring through it all the previous night. “Maybe I’ll call her when I get home later. You know, when I’m alone and there aren’t witnesses around.” “Probably a good idea, no need to give Morag a heart attack,” Venus agreed. “You sure you didn’t get turned and get some mind-reading ability? Because that’s pretty much what I was thinking,” she teased as she set the third clean plate on the rack to dry. She only had a few more dishes before she’d need to swap places with Venus. “Yuck, I don’t wanna read minds! That would probably suck hearing what all the weirdos around me are thinking. Especially dudes.” She made a gagging motion. “No, you know what I’d want? I’d want to be like Nicolas Cage in that movie where he turns into a flaming skeleton! I want Lady to come when I call her and drive up walls and shit! That would be the raddest power ever!” She paused. “Can vampires have crazy powers like that? Do you know? If they can, please tell Eve to turn me, too.” “I honestly have no idea.” Even if she did know, she wasn’t sure if she was so keen on Venus being turned. Even if things were okay now, she knew adjusting to everything, including immortality, wouldn’t exactly be bright and sunny. “It’s honestly crazy this is all happening,” Venus sighed. “It must be a lot for you to take in, huh?” Again, she could swear the redhead was reading her mind. Still, she answered, “Yeah, kind of. Maybe I’m in denial right now. Or, you know, in that honeymoon phase. It all seems great at first, but it’ll probably come crashing down eventually.” “Oh come on, what’s the worst that could happen?” Venus snorted. “Van Helsing comes knocking on your door? He’s fake! Vampire-werewolf war? I don’t see any werewolves around here! And that Eve lady seems nice, so I doubt she’d try and get you to assassinate the president or anything, so, I dunno, go and dangle Remy off a rooftop or something cool like that.” “Don’t tempt me,” she joked as she started scrubbing the pan she’d used to cook pancakes on earlier. “Oh my god, speaking of tempting, isn’t it, like, really hilarious that a lady named Eve gave you some apple? And the apple had magic powers?” Venus laughed. “I guess so? Maybe she did it on purpose. It is her fake name, after all.” “That’s super funny. Too bad she’s gay, otherwise I’d introduce her to my Grandpa Adam,” Venus joked. “Adam and Eve, what a duo they’d be. Weird old vampire lady and horse-riding fortune teller who loves playing chess.” “Sounds like a match made in heaven,” Chastity snorted as she watched water run down the steel pan, carrying the soapy residue with it. “You should meet my Grandpa sometime. I bet he’d be able to tell what sort of crazy vampire crap you’re gonna get up to,” Venus said as she finally put down the plate she’d been polishing. “He’s coming up soon for my big summer stunt show since mom and dad aren’t gonna be here.” “So is this my informal invitation to go watch you perform, huh?” “I’m not very subtle, am I?” Venus winked. “Not in the slightest,” she laughed as a rush of heat zoomed to her cheeks again. “I guess stuntwomen don’t really get to be subtle,” Venus shrugged. “But, uh, yeah. I’d really like it if you came. I think it’d be cool to actually show you the sort of crazy stuff I do for a living.” “I’ll be there,” she promised. She set the pan carefully next to the drying rack as it was too big to fit inside it. “I’ll, you know, get you tickets and whatever,” Venus added. “As an apology for last night. And this morning.” “You don’t have to do that,” she mumbled. She had tried her best to forget about the awkwardness that morning, but she’d known it was bound to come up again. “No, I do. I’ve been a crabby bitch.” “Babe, it’s okay. Really. Things have been stressful. You really don’t have to make anything up to me.” Especially since she was pretty sure she was the guilty one here. Chastity set the washcloth in the sink and turned off the water. All that remained were the utensils. She grabbed the hand towel hanging off of one of the drawers by the sink and dried her hands. “You’re up, by the way.” “Right, right, I’ll get on that,” Venus said as she hurried over to the sink and began scrubbing the forks and spoons Chastity could no longer touch. Not knowing what to do or say, she awkwardly stood nearby. She was impressed by how quickly Venus could wash the silverware as in no time at all, she was done. “So, uh, I guess I should get ready to go,” Chastity said, breaking the silence. “Since I need to get cameras and stuff for Morag.” “Need a ride to the store?” “I can just take the bus,” she shrugged. “It’s fine. You’ve already done too much.” She needed to stop relying on Venus all the time, especially because she didn’t want to lead her on anymore. “Oh. Alright,” Venus replied, her disappointment clear as day. Damnit, she thought, feeling guilty. “What, you really want to go buy this stuff with me? It’s not really all that exciting.” “I have nothing better to do,” Venus admitted. She shrugged. “Fine, I guess. I’m going to go get all of my stuff together.” She left Venus in the kitchen and headed for the guest bedroom where she found her backpack sitting on the bed where she’d left it. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom, which made her glad Morag was returning to some sort of normality. Still, being back upstairs brought back the loneliness and sadness she’d felt earlier. She sank down on the edge of the bed and ran a hand through her damp blonde hair. She still couldn’t figure out why she was acting so weird or why she was so upset. Venus hadn’t done anything but point out the truth, so why had she wanted to cry? “Are you okay?” Venus appeared in the doorway, once more looking concerned. “Yeah,” she immediately lied, feeling embarrassed about being caught. Then, a second later, she mumbled, “Well, no, not really.” Venus plopped down onto the bed next to her. “Talk to me, girl.” “I don’t even know what’s wrong.” She tucked her hair behind her right ear and stared down at her hands, which she was nervously wringing in her lap. “I’m just… confused, I guess.” “About what?” “About… this morning.” She refused to look at Venus, especially as the shame filled her from her head to her toes. “Look, don’t… don’t worry about it, okay? It’s whatever.” Irritated, she muttered, “Because that totally makes me feel any less confused, thanks.” Immediately, she felt bad. She wasn’t annoyed with Venus. Rather, she was annoyed with herself, and it wasn’t fair to take it out on the redhead. “What? Confused about… what?” Venus asked nervously. “About why I’m so upset about nothing!” she exclaimed in exasperation, throwing her hands into the air. “Maybe it’s a vampire thing?” Venus offered. “To be over-emotional?” she asked skeptically, finally lifting her head to glance at her. “Yeah! I mean, I don’t know, only Lily has met a vampire before. But maybe it’s, like, a thing? Like vampires are always so dramatic in the movies, like that one with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, or, like, Twilight or something.” “I’m not being dramatic just because I’m upset!” “That’s not what I mean!” Venus groaned. “You’re the one saying you’re being over-emotional!” “Yeah, because I am! I have no reason to be so fucking hurt when all you did was point out the truth. I’m straight, so it’s not fair of me to start flirting with you.” “Well… What if you aren’t straight after all?” Chastity frowned. “What? No, I’m definitely a guy kind of girl.” “Then why, exactly, are you confused? If you’re so sure, there’s nothing to be confused about.” “I don’t know…” Her logic made sense, but she’d only been interested in men. “I mean, um… You know, it’s never too late to experiment and figure out things.” Venus added awkwardly, shifting away a bit. “Like, um, maybe you could try kissing a girl or something. Or, uh, going out with one, or… uh…” The boldness from earlier started to creep back, and she simply said, “Okay, kiss me, then. Unless you’re really not into me.” “Okay, one, are you being serious? And two, the whole reason I scooted away was because I didn’t want you thinking I’m taking advantage of your emotional state here, so do you really want me to kiss you? Like, I’m not pressuring you, right?” “Venus,” she replied, cocking her head to the right, “kiss me.” “Ok,” she replied simply, and without a moment’s hesitation or further protest, she pulled Chastity in close and did just that. Her confusion and uncertainty was washed away with clear-cut answers as soon as their lips met. She needed Venus. She needed her to be a part of her life. And though she was still unsure about what this all meant, she couldn’t deny that she felt so elated, she could float on air. Venus pulled away after a few blissful moments. “So, um… you were kissing back pretty hard… You, uh, figure something out…?” She nodded before wrapping her arms around Venus’s neck. “I didn’t say you could stop,” she murmured before kissing her again. She needed this. She didn’t know what it meant, but she didn’t care right at that moment. Venus didn’t stop this time, wrapping her arms tightly around Chastity as well and holding her close as she pulled her down onto the bed and kissed her with the sort of eager passion someone who had been wanting this for a long time would. For several long amazing minutes, they stayed like this, fervently kissing as though they couldn’t get enough of each other. Despite how confused and lost Chastity had felt that morning, she now felt like she was where she belonged. Everything around them disappeared; nothing mattered but this shared moment. When they broke away to each catch their breath, Chastity whispered, “Wow…” That’s all she could say. Wow. “Yeah. Wow,” Venus replied breathlessly, her face flushed. “You were really repressing that, huh?” “I don’t know,” she admitted. Had she been? If so, she hadn’t even realized it. “I guess my gaydar wasn’t busted after all,” Venus joked. Chastity rolled her eyes. “Shut up,” she laughed before sighing. “But… This still doesn’t make any sense. I like dick, so why…?” “So there’s this thing, dunno if you heard of it, it’s called ‘being bisexual.’ That means you like girls, guys, and everything else.” “But I’ve never liked girls before,” she pointed out. “Well, I mean, before you.” Venus shrugged. “Did you ever think about it, or experiment, or anything? I mean, I kissed a couple of boys before I realized I didn’t like guys.” “Not really,” she sheepishly admitted. “I never really thought about doing anything with another girl before.” “Are you telling me being a vampire turns you queer?” Venus asked. “Oh fuck! If I became a vampire, would it make me straight?!” “What? No, I don’t… I don’t think so?” Not that she was actually sure. She’d never met a vampire before as far as she knew, and it wasn’t something Eve mentioned. She shrugged and tucked her hair behind her ear again. “So what happens now?” Chastity asked. She was very aware that she was still laying on top of Venus and their lips were inches away from each other. “Well, I know what I want to happen,” Venus admitted. “But, like, it’s up to you, girl. I don’t wanna be that bitch.” “Tell me what you want, then I’ll make a decision. Fair?” “I wanna be your girlfriend?” Venus replied sheepishly. “Like, I thought it was pretty obvious, and all that..” “Well,” she started in a joking tone, “it’s not like anyone else is interested in me right now. Not anyone who matters, anyway.” “Look, I… I seriously don’t want you to feel obligated, okay? I’m thirsty, I get it. And you’re just coming out and all.” With a smirk, she asked, “Do I have to kiss you again?” Venus nodded. “Please.” She pressed her lips to Venus’s and once more, they were exchanging passionate kiss after passionate kiss. The familiar, comfortable feeling returned, and again, she felt like she was exactly where she was supposed to be. When she pulled away, she declared, “I want to be your girlfriend, Venus.” “I’ve wanted to hear you say that for, like, a year now,” Venus whispered. “Are you sure I’m not dreaming? Or concussed? Or that this is a dying dream cuz I crashed my motorcycle?” “No, babe. This is really happening.” Even though it did seem like a crazy dream. To prove it to her, she grinned and lightly pinched her cheek. “See?” Venus laughed. “Oh my god, Lily is gonna flip her shit when she hears about this.” “Maybe someday, you can finally tell her she’s not the only who has fucked a vampire.” She smirked and lifted an eyebrow. “Hey, she just fucked one, I’m dating one!” Venus smirked back. “Which is even better, right?” she laughed, brushing her thumb across Venus’s cheek. “Yep! Though maybe I should throw her a bone. Think you can introduce that Ryker guy to her? She’s been thirsting over him for a while. And by a while, I mean since she knew him in high school.” “What? Really? He’s not a vampire, though. Well, I think?” Maybe he was for all she knew. Ryker was extremely quiet and rarely talked. Maybe there was a reason for that. Or maybe he was just shy. “She used to have a crush on him back in high school but never said anything, and then she ended up going out with Bruce, and then, well…” Venus sighed. “I want Lily to be happy, too.” “Yeah, me too,” she agreed. She’d come to really like Venus’s sister, and she wanted her to have a happy ending. “Maybe I can talk to him? Or set something up?” “That would be nice, but she’s busy tomorrow, so don’t set something up for then.” Venus squeezed Chastity close. “It’s weird thinking about Lily right now. But like, I never feel like I should be happy if she isn’t too, y’know? And I know she’s gonna be bummed out I have a vampire girlfriend.” “You’re allowed to be happy, babe. And she’s going to find happiness, too, because she’s got you for a sister.” “You’re sweet,” Venus muttered. “So, uh, what now, then?” “Now we go get Morag some real security. Vampire or not, I’m not always going to be by her side, so I need to make sure she will still be safe. And then…” She grinned. “...then we go on a date.” Venus grinned. “Alright. Sounds good to me.” Chastity kissed her cheek before finally rolling off of her and sliding off of the bed. “You know what? Fuck Remy. I’m calling in sick.” “Do it!” Venus cheered. “We gotta celebrate. That greasy cunt can deal without you for a day!” “Exactly!” she grinned. “Fuck him. I haven’t called in once since I started working there, so I think I deserve this. We can have the whole day to ourselves.” “Well, what do you wanna do today then?” “I don’t care. I’m happy as long as I’m with you.” She smiled at Venus and was reminded about how she’d felt safe with the redhead during her turning. “You know… Last night, I saw things that scared the shit out of me. I had no idea what was happening, but you were there for me, and I knew I would be okay as long as I was with you.” Venus smiled. “That’s… Well, I’m glad I was there for you.” “You’ve always been there when I needed you, no matter what it was. I feel so stupid for not noticing you sooner.” Chastity frowned. “I’m so sorry for making you wait. I was just… so confident that I was only into men. I mean, I’ve never really looked at a girl and, like, wanted to kiss her or anything. Not until last night.” With a laugh, she added, “Maybe this whole vampire shit is exactly what I needed to give me a push.” “Maybe being a vampire makes you gay after all,” Venus joked. She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile. “Whatever it does, it worked. And, well… I just really hope we work.” “I think we will,” Venus said as she put a hand on Chastity’s cheek. “We’re too pretty for it not to.” She felt happiness coursing through every inch of her body. Venus made her happy, and she felt positive about their new relationship. She gave her a quick kiss, then with a grin, she said, “Come on, you’ve got a date to take me on!” ****** The past few days of settling into their new base in The Sleeping Gull Inn had gone far smoother than Minerva had anticipated. Her crew had moved in and set up shop unmolested, Jemima’s forces a few steps behind at every turn. Of course, she wasn’t going to let her guard down for a moment; she knew better than anyone that thinking you’d outsmarted Jemima was a recipe for disaster. In fact, from what she’d heard, there were already suspicious goons lurking around Brightside’s, no doubt hoping to catch her sneaking back in. This certainly worked in Minerva’s favor and helped Akina and Rita avoid suspicion since Jemima’s people were most likely not all that concerned with what two young women were doing. The girls had managed to travel without issue and filled Minerva in daily with what was going on at her old restaurant. She was still a bit uneasy about them helping out with such a dangerous mission, but could she really talk? She’d been doing things like this at their age, and Minerva was no hypocrite. Of course, them flying under the radar was a plus as well. Minerva mulled all this over as she sat at the kitchen table, sipping at the coffee Debra had brewed immediately upon waking. She had her earphones in, listening to the latest episode of Rita’s podcast, Tales from Rhine City. Minerva had always had a soft spot for mysteries and myths, and so she had frequently tuned in to Rita’s show to hear what bizarre topics her and her friends would talk about. This episode’s topic, however, gave her pause. June 30th. The day that many in Rhine City believed was more jinxed than Friday the 13th, a superstition Minerva was almost inclined to believe. She knew the day was hard for Rita. It was the day her mother vanished, only to turn up dead a few days later. Even though Ellen Rigby has been a rather aloof parent, the lack of any real closure to the mystery bothered Rita to no end. Minerva knew this is why Rita wanted to help; helping meant she’d get access to the resources of Minerva’s gang, meaning she might have a chance of getting answers. And then there was Minerva’s history with the day. Seventeen years ago, on June 30th, her father, Balthazar Bright, had been locking up the diner for the night when he was gunned down in cold blood by an unknown assailant. From that moment forward, Minerva’s life had changed. Her mother pushed forward as best she could, but almost a year to the day, she vanished under mysterious circumstances; the police ended up ruling it a suicide as she was last seen by the river, but Minerva refused to believe this. Whatever the truth was, the loss of her parents was what had pushed Minerva into fighting for the city, joining with Jemima, leaving her when it seemed she’d lost her way, and then hiding for ten years as her former friend tried to run her out of the city. She could already feel the frustrated, angry tears coming to her eyes as she thought back on everything life had thrown at her for nearly twenty years. A tap on her shoulder made her pause the podcast and pull out her earbuds. Debra, looking as tired as ever dressed in her pajamas, was standing behind her chair. “I know that look. What’s on your mind?” Minerva shook her head. “Listening to Rita’s podcast. She’s talking about June 30th.” She didn’t need to elaborate; Debra knew exactly what she meant. “Ah, shit,” she sighed. Her friend sat down in the chair next to her. “Still not even a lead, huh?” Minerva shook her head yet again, letting out a forlorn sigh as she did so. “Seventeen years and still nothing for what happened to my father, and Rita’s mother was so disliked that there is little to go off of to begin with. It’s just… frustrating.” “Let’s focus on Jemima first, then we can work on cold cases. Deal?” Despite the yawn that followed, Debra's words were sincere. In the ten years they’d worked together, Debra had always been supportive of Minerva. She was a loyal friend who did whatever was needed of her, no matter how tired she was. She was probably the only person in the world who really knew Minerva (including most of the secrets she hid from others). “You’re right,” Minerva sighed. “Is there any new information on what she’s up to? Has Cora heard anything?” “You could ask her yourself. Pretty sure she’s on the way over.” Debra patted Minerva’s shoulder before shuffling off to refill her coffee mug. “Debra… Can I ask you something?” She paused and glanced back at her. “Yeah, sure.” Minerva paused for a moment herself before continuing, “I… Do you think that I made the right decision? Would it have been better if I’d just done as I was asked and not put so many of my friends through all this?” She’d grappled with this thought many, many times over the years, that maybe if she’d just done as Jemima asked then maybe so many problems could have been avoided and she could still be behind the counter of her diner. Considering what was asked of her, it was a terrible thought to have, but she still felt guilt for all the danger she brought upon Debra, Cora, and the other members of her crew. Debra sighed and rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. “Doing what was asked would have meant going against your own morals. So even though life is a little rough right now… Yeah, I think you made the right decision.” “I’m sorry, it’s too early to be dumping all this on you,” Minerva muttered. “I just have too much on my mind.” With a shrug, her lethargic friend replied, “It’s okay. Better to talk about it than bottle it up, right?” A familiar sing-songy voice trilled from the front hallway, interrupting their conversation. “Good morning!” The sound of the front door closing followed and a short moment later, Cora West strolled into the kitchen. Despite being in her forties, the woman looked good for her age with a minimal amount of wrinkles. Cora was perky and excitable, and she was often found with a big grin on her face. She had silver-white hair that floated past her shoulders and down her back and sea green eyes that shimmered with delight and energy. On this particular day, Cora was carrying a large pink cardboard box, which she placed on one of the kitchen counters. “I brought breakfast! Hope you’re hungry for donuts!” “I could always go for donuts,” Minerva smiled. “They pair very well with coffee. I’m sure the others will appreciate them too.” Debra quietly shrugged and made her way towards the box. Curiously, she lifted the lid and peeked inside, eventually pulling out a glazed donut before crossing the kitchen to pour herself another cup of coffee. “Are you two the only ones up?” Cora asked, clapping her hands together. “Goodness, how hard did everyone party last night?” “Very hard,” Minerva snorted. “It’s been a while since we’ve all been able to catch our breath like this.” “Lord knows that’s true, dearie,” Cora nodded solemnly. “You’d think she would give up after ten years. I don’t like the woman, but I admire her perseverance.” She pulled out a chocolate frosted donut and, leaning against the counter, took a bite. “I can’t say I hate her, even after everything,” Minerva admitted. “She’s just become horribly misguided. Some people just can’t handle the pressure of protecting the city for years. You start to get doubts, you slip, you lose your morals…” “And that’s exactly why my birds and I do what we do,” Cora pointed out. “There are too many in power who are misguided and corrupt. The city is bad enough without them making things worse.” Cora worked in secrecy and intel. She and her associates (or birds, as she called them) were flies on the wall. They watched those who wished not to be watched and sold their dirty little secrets to help bring them down. Like many of those she’d befriended over the years, Cora and Minerva had met at Brightside’s before things went south with Jemima. Cora had been a regular, stopping in for a coffee and a friendly chat each morning. When Minerva had stopped showing up at the diner, Cora had become concerned and had tracked her down. When she’d found out what Jemima had done, she offered her services, free of charge, and promised to help Minerva find a solution to get her life back. “Speaking of your birds,” Minerva began, “have they told you anything about what Jemima is up to lately, aside from staking out Brightside’s?” “I can tell you what restaurants she frequents, who she’s been dining with, and what she usually orders at each, but none of this is what you’re looking for.” Cora frowned, her expression turning into one of sympathy. “We’re trying, dearie. Jemima has been playing the game for a long time, and she’s a smart one. She covers her tracks well. Even the best of the best can only provide us with words and no tangible proof. His position is…” She hesitated while she searched for a word. “...delicate.” “And the way you say that implies you can’t reveal said position,” Minerva noted. “Correct,” she nodded before taking another bite of her pastry. “Hmm,” Minerva muttered as she grabbed a jelly donut for herself. “This is really making me uncertain what the next order of business is. I’ve been running so long, I never really had time to stop and consider what we’d do when we finally got a solid position to work from.” “Jemima thinks she’s so damn powerful, but what can she really do?” Debra piped up as she stood beside Minerva, a fresh cup of coffee steaming in her hand. “Make her thugs loom outside like freaky stalkers?” “I wish that was all she could do,” Minerva replied grimly. “I suppose we need to monitor what she’s doing in the coming week and try and go from there. Now that we’re settled in, this shouldn’t be too hard to do.” Debra nodded. “Well, you know I will—“ “My birds will continue watching her,” Cora enthusiastically interrupted, not realizing Debra had been speaking at all. “We’ll gather intel and hopefully get an idea about what her plans are now that she thinks she knows where you are.” One glance at Debra told Minerva she was not happy about being overshadowed, but she stayed quiet and simply sipped her coffee. Her venomous glare, though, spoke volumes. Minerva nodded. “Thank you, Cora. If it’s not too much trouble, may I speak with Debra privately for a moment?” “Of course, dearie!” Having finished her first donut, she grabbed another. “I’ll be in the living room watching the news!” With a wave, she wandered off to do just that. The tv could be heard a moment later. Debra was silent, but her brows were lifted curiously beneath her messy hair. “Don’t think I’m having Cora supplant you. I just need a general sense of my next move,” Minerva explained. “I have ideas, but I need more information before I send you into the thick of things.” “I don’t know why you can’t trust me to get the information you need,” she grumbled, clearly displeased. “But I guess I’m not really running the show.” “No, you’re not,” Minerva agreed, “but you are my right hand woman, and I need you by my side right now. You’re going in as soon as I have more of an idea of what I’m doing. I promise.” “Great. So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Sit around and look pretty?” “Yes. You’re doing a great job of it so far, I’d say,” Minerva teased. “Oh, shut up.” Debra rolled her eyes, but there was a smirk on her face as she lifted her mug to her lips and took a sip. Minerva smirked confidently. Now might be the time to press onward, she thought. “You know,” Minerva began, “perhaps I can make it up to you? Anything in particular you’re craving to eat? I’ll make it for you.” “We got donuts, don’t we?” she asked, seeming confused. “I don’t mean just for breakfast, although are donuts really that filling?” She shrugged. “Guess not, but you know I’m more coffee than food.” With a yawn, she asked, “You gonna make lunch or something?” “You know what? I think I will. Do you mind texting Akina a grocery list? I just need a few things, and I have a feeling she’d rather get orders from you.” “Do I have to?” she grumbled. “She’s so… clingy.” “She has a little schoolgirl crush on you, of course she’s clingy,” Minerva joked. “But it’s okay, I’ll text her so you don’t have to deal with that this early in the day.” “Thank you,” she sighed in relief. “I know I’m being an ass. You can say so.” She shrugged and finished off the rest of her coffee cup, setting it down on the kitchen table with a clink. “I guess I mostly just don’t really understand what about me is so… attractive to her.” “I can guess a few things she might like,” Minerva noted slyly, “but I’m impressed she’s so persistent even with your lack of interest.” “Hold on…” Debra cocked an eyebrow. “What exactly do you think she likes? Like, does she need glasses?” She gestured at herself. “I’m probably the least attractive woman in the city. I mean, not like I care, but seriously… What exactly does she see?” “You’re strong, you’re loyal, you’re determined…” Minerva pointed at her. “And don’t sell yourself short. I just told you that you’re pretty a minute ago.” Debra snorted and teasingly replied. “Well, you clearly need glasses, so I don’t think your word counts.” “I’m the boss. My word counts most of all,” Minerva retorted. She rolled her eyes before slowly making her way towards the coffee machine for yet another refill. “Would you mind getting me a cup while you’re over there?” Minerva asked. She wasn't the biggest coffee drinker in the world, but she figured she needed a cup today. “Sure,” she answered. “Lots of milk and two teaspoons of sugar, right?” It was unsurprising she had her coffee “order” memorized considering they’d been living together for the past ten years. “Absolutely,” Minerva nodded. She watched as Debra fetched a second coffee mug and carefully poured the hot liquid from the glass pot into each cup, emptying the rest of the contents between them. Then she pulled out a gallon of milk from the fridge and poured a fair amount into Minerva’s mug. After she stirred sugar into both of their coffees, she slowly carried the cups to the table, careful not to spill any onto the white linoleum floor below. A satisfied grin appeared on Debra’s face after she set Minerva’s mug in front of her. “Tada! I’m almost good enough to work at the diner.” “Would you like a job when I finally go back?” Minerva asked. “I think you’d look good in a Brightside’s apron.” Staring at her with incredulous disbelief, she replied, “You can’t seriously tell me you can see me on my feet for nine hours a day serving food.” “I see you doing anything you set your mind to, Debra,” Minerva smirked. “And that’s definitely not serving a bunch of people food.” Debra slipped into the chair next to Minerva. “That’s getting intel. You know, my whole job here?” “That’s only part of your job. The other part is to keep me from going insane.” “I never agreed to this,” she snorted before taking a sip of her coffee. “Sorry. It was implied when you came with me on this mission,” Minerva playfully retorted as she sipped her own coffee. Things were looking a lot more ideal for her and her group, so much so that she was easing up and openly flirting with Debra. She knew it was frustrating for her friend, but she wanted to keep the grouchy woman nearby for just a little longer before putting her back out in the field. Soon, Debra, Minerva thought to herself as she drank her hot coffee. Soon. ****** Gabby’s room was quiet, save for the soft tapping of her fingers on her phone screen as she scrolled through various social media accounts and Jojo’s quiet breathing as he slept. It made her heart happier than it had been in a long time to have him in her life. Even though Mr. Moore was well aware there was a team of people ready to jump to Jojo’s defense (some more dangerous than others), Jojo still felt uncomfortable returning to his room longer than it took to change into fresh clothes. Gabby certainly didn’t blame him. She feared Mr. Moore would try something, and Jojo would have to suffer again. She had offered the safety of her room when he mentioned he needed a nap and Rex couldn’t be found anywhere (as his room was where Jojo had mainly been sleeping). Even though it was the middle of the day, he quickly fell asleep, and Gabby had been passing time laying on the floor next to her bed exploring the internet. She was mainly restricted to adding only members of the coven (for her safety, according to her mom), so anything she posted or shared was only seen by them. Still, at least she could feel somewhat normal in this aspect. It was during this time she received a text message from a friend. As soon as she saw Juno Nero’s name, her face lit up. She and Juno didn’t talk often, but when they did, she enjoyed their conversations. They were casual friends, but they both seemed to enjoy the other’s company when they spent time together, whether that be in person during a rare moment of time where Juno’s father, Giorgio, was called forth by Eve, or when they exchanged messages (either through a chat service or, nowadays, texting). “Hey Gooby,” the text read. “How’s the big city treating you?” With a grin, she excitedly tapped out a reply. “Its been fun! I went to a real movie theater!! And I have a bf now too!” Juno responded with multiple exclamation points and then replied with, “No way!!! What’s he like??” Practically melting as she replied, she sent, “He’s really sweet and really really cute. I cant believe I’ve never met him before! I don’t feel so lonely w/him.” “I’m so happy for you Goob <3 wait u never met him BEFORE? Omg is it that boy Gem & I saw talking to u in the woods???” With a soft giggle, she typed out her next reply. “Yeah!! Im sorry I didnt come talk to u guys that night. :( I was mad at Mom.” “It’s ok. The Bitch was in one of her moods. Thought she was gonna puke acid on Tantomile at one point.“ This piqued Gabby’s curiosity. Tantomile Deering had a reputation for pushing people’s buttons, but she wasn’t a bad person. “What did she do???” “She’s a woman & existed in Dad’s presence and you know how The Bitch is bout that!! So T started being extra sweet to Dad.” Gabby could barely hold back a giggle and sent several laughing emojis to Juno. She could completely believe that Tantomile did that, and she wished she had been there to see it. Juno replied with a few laughing emojis of their own followed by, “tbh I think you got the better deal here. Oh Dad says hi btw.” “Hi Giorgio!! :)” Gabby wished they were part of the “mission”, too. Even though that meant she’d have to deal with Dee, who Juno so kindly called “The Bitch,” it would be worth it to be able to spend time with them again. She hadn’t seen them in several years and missed watching movies with her friend. “We miss u Gooby. U gotta get your mom and Amon to convince E to bring u to Venezia.” That was quite a task, especially since she had so little say in anything they did. “I will try my best. I miss u guys too :(“ And she did. There weren't too many in the coven she got along with, so it was hard when she was kept away from those she did like. “<3 I think I gotta go. Dad says he got *dinner.* some creep who was trying to take pics up girls skirts. Guy is prob going for a swim after we get our drink. u know how Dad is.” Juno followed this up with a shrugging emoji. Gabby knew exactly what this meant. She didn’t agree with it, but it was unfortunately the norm for Juno’s dad. Vampires didn’t have to kill when they fed, though some still did. Giorgio’s habit of doing so, however, was likely a result of once being a member of Cosa Nostra, the Sicillian mafia. Juno had told Gabby about this when they’d first met. Surprisingly, Giorgio was rather open about his past and didn’t mind who knew. He was a good man, but he still did things Gabby didn’t exactly approve of (not that it was her place to say). “Ttys! Miss u!” “Miss u2 Goob! Tell your mom we say hi!” She wished they could talk longer, but it was hard when they were living in different parts of the world and doing different things with their lives. Still, she was happy to hear Juno was doing well, even if Dee was (unfortunately) still in the picture. Instead of resuming her social network browsing, Gabby stood up and stretched. Jojo had been asleep for a few hours, but she didn’t want to wake him up. He needed the rest, especially because he wasn’t sleeping well at night, even in the safety of Rex’s room. Curiously, she turned towards the bed and peeked at him. A small smile grew on her face as she watched him sleep for a moment. Despite all the trauma he’d experienced in his life, he looked peaceful. I hope he’s having a good dream, she thought to herself. Not waking him limited her options for entertainment, however. She couldn’t put a movie in as it might wake him up, and she didn’t want to leave the room to find Flynn, Randall, Vincent, or Hannah. Leaving Jojo alone left him in danger; she wouldn’t put it past Mr. Moore to intrude into her bedroom if he knew she’d left the man alone in there. However, maybe Flynn would be willing to come in so they could quietly start plotting how to summon Rhiannon. She quickly tapped a text to him and sent it. “How good r u at whispering?” Almost immediately he replied. “Very.” “Come to my room. Pls be quiet, Jojo is sleeping. :)” A few moments later, Flynn quietly slipped into her bedroom. “Hey,” he whispered as he glanced at Jojo. “He’s doing okay, right?” “I think so,” she whispered back. She, too, looked at her boyfriend. Was he doing okay? He seemed to be in decent spirits when he’d found her earlier that day and asked her if he could sleep in her room. She turned back to Flynn. “Why?” “I just… just wanted to make sure,” Flynn quietly replied. “I’m worried. I really hope this works.” “Me too,” she agreed. “And it will. I know it will.” She sat down on the floor by the foot of her bed, leaning against it and crossing her legs. “What do we need to do?” Flynn sat down across from her. “Well, I know we need a clay bowl, we need pure spring water, we need a very sharp blade, and, well… we need mortal blood. So, you know, two outta four ain’t bad to start with, right?” He gave her a confident grin. “Yeah,” she admitted, but she felt hopeless almost immediately. “Where are we going to find pure spring water and a clay bowl, though?” “Hey, don’t you give up that quick,” Flynn chided. “We just need some help. I, uh, had an idea of who might be able to help, actually.” “Who?” she asked curiously. Flynn’s face flushed a bit. “...Rex.” Gabby had noticed Flynn seemed embarrassed and sheepish around Rex lately. She was pretty sure he had a crush on him, though she couldn’t comprehend why. What was exactly so attractive about the man? Still, she wasn’t about to make fun of Flynn. He was her best friend (something she was sure of even though they hadn’t known each other long), and she supported him no matter what. She was completely confused, however, as to why they needed his help. “What do we need him for?” she scoffed, probably a little too loudly. “Mmm… right there, please…” Jojo groaned from the bed. Gabby heard the shuffling of sheets followed by the continued gentle snoring of her boyfriend. She was confused and felt slightly panicked. Who was he dreaming about? Was it Rex? She was immediately distracted as Flynn replied, insisting, “He really cares about Jojo too, you know. Besides, um, this might be a good chance to get to know him. I really don’t think he’s all that bad, even if they call him the Suicide King.” “Says you,” she grumbled quietly. “You’ve only known him for, like, a week.” “That’s the problem, I, um… I don’t know him. I haven’t, uh, really had any chance to talk to him. But Jojo has, and he’s Jojo’s friend, so, you know… Maybe getting to know him and getting his help wouldn’t be so bad?” Flynn was wringing his hands and desperately trying not to look Gabby in the eyes. “Then you go talk to him,” she huffed. She knew she was being unreasonable, especially since she promised herself she’d give Rex a chance, but she didn’t know why they had to involve him in their plans. They didn’t need his help. She and Flynn could do this all by themselves. Besides, the more people that knew, the greater the chance that someone would find out what they were doing. The last thing she needed was to put Jojo in greater danger. What if Eve found out and called Jack in to stop them? “Actually, I was wondering if… maybe… you could?” Flynn squeaked out nervously. “Why?” Gabby groaned, immediately feeling guilty. She hadn’t been quiet in the slightest, and she was sure she’d woken up Jojo. “Hrrrm?” Jojo grumbled groggily. “No… not yet… ten more minutes…” He was snoring shortly after, much to her relief. “Because, I, uh… Because someone needs to guard Jojo. And, you know, you’ve done it so much so far, and, you know… Yeah.” Gabby felt increasingly angry for reasons she couldn’t understand. This was the first time she’d ever really been mad at Flynn, and she wasn’t sure how to react. Deciding she needed to step away to calm herself down before she said something she didn’t really mean, she stood up and muttered, “Fine, whatever.” Then she stormed out of her room, quietly closing the door even though she really wanted to slam it shut because there was no way she was going to wake up her boyfriend just because she was in a mood. She had no idea where to really begin looking for Rex. He could be anywhere, and the house was too big to randomly wander around. She decided to start with his bedroom and headed in that direction. Maybe if he wasn’t in there, Mina would be and could tell her where to find him. When she got to his room, she knocked four times on the door before crossing her arms over her chest. She could hear a heavy sigh and shuffling from within. A very tired Mina wrapped in a bathrobe answered the door a moment later. Even as covered up as she was, Gabby could see all sorts of scars crossing over her arms, legs, and chest. “Oh, hello there Gabby,” she gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. “What are you doing here?” She softened a little bit. As weird as Mina was, Gabby had no ill will towards her. “Do you know where I can find Rex?” she asked. She sighed. “What day is it, again?” Confused, Gabby answered, “Saturday?” “No, no, luv. The date. I can’t rightfully remember.” She wasn’t entirely sure either, so she lifted her phone, which she’d held tightly in her hand throughout the entire conversation she’d previously had with Flynn, and checked the screen. “June 24th.” Mina nodded solemnly. “He’s prolly outside, then. Either putting cigarettes out on his arm, or singing to himself sadly. Or killing himself.” She said this with an unnerving air of casualness as if she were merely stating his favorite color. “Oh.” A brief awkward silence fell between them. “Well, um, thanks, Mina.” With a polite wave, she started down the hallway again, this time her destination being the front porch. She wasn’t fully cooled off from her brief spat with Flynn, so she passed her bedroom without checking in. As she headed downstairs, she could hear light conversation between a few people, but she didn’t pay it much mind as she skipped down the stairway and wandered outside. She could smell cigarettes from somewhere nearby, and she could hear the sound of Rex singing to himself sadly, just as Mina had predicted. It took her a moment to recognize the song, but it dawned on her rather quickly that it was “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac. She knew the song fairly well because her mother often listened to it when they went for drives together. Worry filled her, and she rushed around the house towards the sound of his voice. She found him leaning against the wall, a revolver pressed against the side of his head. His right hand was shaking a fair bit to the point where he reached up with his left hand to steady himself. “Fuck’s sake,” he muttered angrily before singing again. “Rex?” she called out quietly as she approached him. The man practically jumped out of his skin, dropping the gun to the ground and looking at Gabby with shock. “Shit! Uh, hey, Gabby. What… brings you out here?” “I came to find you. Rex, please don’t… don’t do that.” Regardless of how she felt about him, she still didn’t want him to suffer. “Huh? Oh, uh… That.” He bent down and picked up his gun. “I’d be fine, you know. I’m just as immortal as you are. It’s really not that big of a deal. I do it all the time. Why the fuck do you think they call me Suicide King?” Feeling completely embarrassed as she had actually forgotten that he’d be just fine if he did something drastic like that, she stammered, “I-I know that, I’m just… You shouldn’t do something like that anyway! Why would you want to hurt yourself?” He snorted. “There’s about a million reasons I have to want to blow my fucking brains out.” Gabby hesitated. There was obviously something bothering him, but she wasn’t sure if he wanted company. “Do you want to talk about it?” she finally asked him. For the first time, the typical hardened, manic look she’d come to expect from him vanished, and Rex seemed very tired and vulnerable. “Yeah, well… Do you seriously want to? Like, I get it. You fucking hate me. Most people do. You don’t need to listen to me whine.” Gabby sat down on the grass next to him and crossed her legs. Did she? To be entirely honest, she wasn’t sure. But considering the change in his demeanor, he needed to get this off of his chest. And she did promise herself she’d give him a chance, so it was a perfect opportunity to do that. “Yeah.” Rex took a deep breath. “Well, you heard the snake bitch in the woods. My sister’s here in the city, and she’s in fucking danger. That’s constantly at the front of my mind; Rose has been through enough bullshit without having to worry she’s gonna get fucking shot by that balding prick or the douchebag in the scorpion jacket…” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “And then it’s almost June 30th.” “What’s so important about June 30th?” she asked perplexed. He glanced at her. “How much do you know about Mina, or my relationship with her?” She shrugged and answered, “Not much, really.” She didn’t know anything about any of the vampire killers, except for Flynn, but even that knowledge was limited. “Well, hey, do you like romantic fairy tales?” Rex asked sarcastically. “Because I’ve got one hell of a fairy tale for you. It’s about an ungodly handsome vampire and how he got his heart obliterated.” “That doesn’t sound very romantic,” she noted. “That’s because it really fucking isn’t,” he sighed. “But I guess if you wanna understand, I gotta fucking start from the start. So… It all started way back in December of 1953. Oh, what a night that was! New Year’s Eve, I’d gotten into a big bar fight trying to get a bounty on a guy. Got to knock out a lot of teeth. What a way to usher in a new year! But, as it turns out, Mina was after the same guy, and we ended up getting into a fight ourselves. I think we tore down that whole building with our little spat.” He smiled wistfully. “Oh, yeah, we ended up getting the guy, several broken bones later. And then we, well, guess what we did later that night.” Gabby wrinkled her nose in disgust and muttered, “Ew.” Rex laughed, but it quickly faded as he frowned. “You know, aside from the Glasgow grin, she had way fewer scars back then… God, she was so pretty. We kind of became a thing after that, even though we weren’t together all the time. We had our own business to attend to, y’know? I was helping Amon and your mom find weirdos to join the coven, she was off doing whatever that cannibal cunt of a mom of hers asked, you know how it is. But, eventually, around 1965, she stuck around for good, and I got to spend time with her for years on end. It was great. Jojo was so happy for me, I was so fucking happy… And it eventually clicked for me. Mina was my one. That magical fucking vampire bullshit we all got cuz that snake bitch doesn’t have a heart anymore.” “Mina?” she asked in disbelief. She supposed it made sense considering how they were always together lately. Rex nodded. “That’s right. And then, in 1969, I got the best news I could ever have possibly hoped to hear: Mina was pregnant. God, I was so fucking excited. I was going to be a dad!” He gave a genuine, tearful smile. “We were really hoping for a girl. We had a name picked out and everything: Desdemona. You know, like the chick in Othello. We both love Shakespeare. DD for short.” She was trying to follow along, but it came as a huge shock to her that Rex had a kid. Rex of all people. Was he really dad material? He turned to her and gave another laugh. “Oh, surprised? I don’t blame you. I don’t seem like the dad type, do I?” He gritted his teeth. “Well, don’t worry. I never got the chance. After the due date, I found out… Mina lost it. Told me she didn’t make it. Doctors tried everything, but nothing worked.” Gabby felt immediately guilty. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “God, I was just… I was so crushed. Fuck’s sake. All I wanted to do was make up for my dad. He was a fucking cunt. He was so bad, Mom cheated on him with someone who actually treated her like a human being, and that’s where Rosie came from. But, you know, being the fucking moron that I am, I thought hey, we can make this work! So, I proposed to Mina, and I promised her we could make it through this! And she just… She broke down crying. And she told me everything.” The manic look she’d come to expect from him returned to Rex’s eyes. “Tell me, what do you know about the Lovett family? Anything?” Gabby shook her head. She had a feeling whatever Rex was going to tell her wasn’t going to be good. “Well, let me tell you all about them. A long time ago, there was this crazy fucking bitch named Nellie Lovett. She helped her barber buddy, Sweeney Todd, kill people so she could cook them into pies and feed them to hapless saps. And as you can imagine, people didn’t take too kind to that when word got out. So she gets locked up, and she prays for help. And who fucking answers? Yorick, king of the Unseelie Fae. Or, I dunno, one of his lackeys, I guess he is kinda stuck in that fucking tree.” Gabby hesitantly asked, “He’s real?” “Well, fairies sure fucking are,” Rex growled. “Him, I dunno for sure. But someone made a deal with Lovett. She could be free, and she could have power beyond her wildest dreams and live for a long, long time. And do you know what the price for this was?” Gabby shook her head again. “Their firstborn children!” Rex sneered. “So the Lovetts would go out, and they’d find unsuspecting men and women, and they’d either get knocked up or knock them up so they could get their family’s special privileges! Do you… Do you see where I’m going with this, Gabby?” She meekly nodded. She knew exactly what he was saying. “She gave DD away, just like her mom wanted. But her mom hadn’t counted on Mina actually falling in love with me, and boy did Mina feel guilty. I was fucking crushed. I can’t… I can’t even begin to describe how I felt. I avoided her for ten years after that. That’s when she got most of her scars, mommy and her scores of siblings figured she was too weak and sentimental, and so they decided to punish her. It took just about everyone in my life telling me to at least talk to her again to… well, talk to her again. And we kind of mended things a little. But that magic was gone, and it never came back.” He clenched his fists. “I don’t look at her anymore and see that radiant woman I fell in love with after she knocked out my teeth and stabbed me in the ribs. I just see… a woman. A woman who sold our baby away because it’s what she was expected to do.” She couldn’t even imagine the pain he’d gone through (not that she wanted to try). “I’m so sorry, Rex,” she softly said with complete honesty. “I just wanted to prove I wasn’t gonna be like my dad. That’s all,” he whispered. “My final act of spiting him. I’d be a good father while he’s rotting in Hell. But I couldn’t even have that.” Gabby slowly reached her hand out to grasp his, surprising both of them. She squeezed it gently, hoping to somewhat comfort him. “You would have been a great dad. But you’re still proving you’re nothing like your dad because you’re trying to keep your sister safe.” He flinched, but he nodded his head slightly. “Thank you… But… One thing. There’s no ‘would have.’ I’m a great dad. She’s still alive somewhere. I know it.” He slowly reached up and tapped his heart-shaped earring. “You see this? When I forgave Mina, we each got one. It’s a promise that we’re gonna get DD back from those fucking fairies someday. Maybe it’s stupid, but it gives me hope, y’know?” “I don’t think it’s stupid. I think it’s brave.” Rex gave her a genuine, tearful smile. “Why the fuck haven’t you bothered talking to me before, huh? I feel a little better already. Or at any rate, I probably won’t shoot myself today.” Guilt returned and crept up her neck, coloring her cheeks with shame. She released his hand and returned hers to her lap. “I dunno,” she lied, knowing exactly why she hadn’t bothered talking to him earlier. He snorted. “You do too. I’m not very fucking approachable, am I?” She quietly shook her head. “Well… Now you sort of know why. I don’t really want to be in this coven. How could I want to be in the coven with the bitch who ruined my sister’s chance at a good family? Or the freak who broke her heart? Wish I could just fuck off. But…” He sighed. “I gotta stay. I owe it to your mom and Amon.” Ten minutes ago, Gabby would have happily agreed that he should leave. But now, knowing a little more about him, she felt bad. “You can watch movies with us if you want. To, um, pass the time.” “No shit?” Rex asked incredulously. He paused for a moment before saying, “I think I’d like that.” A smile grew on her face, which surprised her, but maybe Flynn had been right. Maybe Rex really wasn’t that bad of a guy, and all she needed to do was to get to know him. Oh shoot. Flynn! Gabby had completely forgotten about him and the plan to summon Rhiannon. Awkwardly, she tucked her hair behind her right ear and asked, “Um, do you happen to have a clay bowl? Or know where I could get pure spring water?” Rex blinked. “Uh… Well, that’s fucking random. What do you need that for?” “No reason,” she quickly answered. “Just, um, a project.” Rex raised his eyebrow. “Ooooookay… Well if you’re hoping to do some sort of ritual, you’re in luck! Bottled spring water works, and I’ve got a fuckload in my room. As for the bowl, give me two hours, and I can get you one.” Gabby’s eyes widened. “Really?” She hated to admit it, but Flynn had been right again. Asking Rex had been the key to getting their missing ingredients. He shrugged. “Yeah. You just listened to me bitch about my life, and I’m pretty sure you’re up to something good. And on top of all that, I know about you and Jojo. I wanna thank you for that. He deserves to be happy.” Gabby was, again, surprised. She fought back the urge to smile. Rex was not who she thought he was, that was for sure. Quietly, she asked, “Can I trust you not to tell anyone a secret?” “Abso-fucking-lutely.” With her mind made up, she stood up and held out her hand. “Come with me. But put your gun away, and be really quiet. Jojo was still sleeping when I left.” He gently took her hand and grumbled, “Alright, fine. I’ll do my best.” With renewed excitement, she raced inside, dragging Rex behind her. They zoomed through the large foyer, up the stairs, and down the hallway to her bedroom. She skidded to a stop just outside to catch her breath and calm herself before she went inside. “You okay there?” Rex asked. “Uh-huh,” she answered before opening the door. She nervously glanced at Flynn, who turned around to look at her and scooted back in surprise. “Oh!” he exclaimed quietly. “H-hi Rex!” “Sup?” Rex muttered. Gabby sheepishly waved and glanced at her bed. Jojo was still sound asleep, a soft smile on his face, clinging to a pillow tightly. She immediately smiled as well. Seeing him safe and happy made her happy too. Taking a deep breath, she closed her bedroom door and sat down on the floor across from Flynn. Patting the space next to her to invite Rex to sit down, she said to Flynn, “He’s going to help us with the last two things we need. What’s next?” “Well, we just need to wait for midnight,” Flynn explained. “You know how rituals are. They always have very specific time frames.” Gabby nodded. “Then what?” “Rhiannon will show up.” “Oh hey, you’re summoning Rhiannon?” Rex exclaimed. “Haven’t seen her in fucking ages!” She snapped her head in Rex’s direction. “Shhh!” Rex covered his mouth. “Shit. Sorry,” he mumbled. She huffed, but she couldn’t help but give him a small smile. His loudness wasn’t as annoying as it used to be. Turning back to Flynn, she asked, “Okay, so once she’s here, we ask her to help us free Jojo, right?” “That’s what you’re doing?!” Rex exclaimed as quietly as possible. He immediately stood up. “I gotta go get that fucking bowl ASAP, then.” Her small smile turned into a grin. “And you won’t tell anyone, right?” “Who the fuck would I tell?” “I don’t know,” she shrugged. “Mina?” “She doesn’t need to know this,” he retorted. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep my mouth shut. Cross my heart and hope to die.” With a nod, she said, “Then we’ll meet back here before midnight, right?” He nodded. “Right. Keep Jojo safe until then, you two. I’m gonna go find you that bowl.” “Thank you, Rex,” she grinned with relief. She waited until he had left the room before turning back to Flynn and quietly apologizing. “I’m sorry about earlier. You were right, and… and I was being dumb.” “What do you mean?” he asked. “We need Rex’s help. And…” She sighed. “...he’s not as bad as I thought he was.” “Of course he’s not,” Jojo mumbled as he pulled himself up and leaned over the foot of the bed. “Would I be friends with anyone who is not a good person?” Gabby beamed at Jojo. “Morning, sleepyhead,” she teased. “Did you sleep okay? We didn’t wake you up, did we?” “You didn’t, but Rex did,” he laughed. “It’s fine, though. I don’t need to sleep that long. Though I’m a bit sad I didn’t get to finish my dream…” “Was it a good dream?” she asked. His face flushed a bit. “You were in it, so yes.” For a short moment, she completely forgot about Flynn being in the room as she smiled shyly at Jojo. He wasn’t dreaming about Rex after all, she thought happily. Flynn cleared his throat nervously, silently reminding her he was still there. “So, uh, what do you guys want to do while we wait for Rex? Or did you two want some time alone now. I can, you know, go see what Randall, Vincent, and Hannah are up to.” Feeling embarrassed, Gabby tucked her hair behind her ears. “Um, what do you want to do, Jojo? I’m okay with watching more of my new movies.” “I’d be fine with that, honestly. But maybe Flynn’s right. Why not see what the others are doing? The more the merrier, ja?” “Okay,” she nodded with a smile. The only downside to being anywhere outside of her room was that she and Jojo had to hide their relationship (not that she’d made much of an effort when she was watching movies with the other vampire killers the previous day). Gabby stood up and stretched. “They might be downstairs. I heard some people talking down there when I went to find Rex.” “Shall we all go and fetch them, then?” Jojo asked. “Oh, one of us could go make a frozen pizza or two! I think your mother and Rex grabbed some more.” With renewed excitement, Gabby nodded and grabbed Jojo’s hand. “That sounds like fun! Come on!” “I’ll go and get everyone together if you wanna go start getting some food ready,” Flynn offered. “Though, you know, I don’t think any of us mortals would complain if you got some fruit or something. Pizza all the time isn’t so good for us.” “Sounds like a plan!” Gabby grinned, having forgotten entirely that Flynn and the others couldn’t eat whatever they wanted without consequences (unlike the vampires). With their plan set, Gabby waited until Flynn left the room to turn to Jojo and give him a hug. They were alone, even if just for a moment, and she was going to take advantage of it. “We’re going to call Rhiannon here tonight, and you’re finally going to be free.” “I honestly can’t believe it’s actually happening. You… You are simply a living miracle, Gabby,” he grinned, his eyes watering a bit. “You and Flynn are a blessing in my life that I just don’t deserve.” “Yes, you do,” she insisted. “You’re a good person, and you deserve to be happy.” Jojo sighed. “I’ve made mistakes in my life, Gabby. Mistakes that made me wonder if maybe I deserved all the awful things that happened to me.” “Everyone makes mistakes,” Gabby quietly told him. “I do too. Like…” She hesitated. Rex was Jojo’s friend, and she didn’t want him to think less of her. Still, she wanted to be honest, so taking a deep breath, she admitted, “I wasn’t very nice to Rex, even though I knew he’s your friend. But I got to know him a little bit today, and I realized he’s not as bad as I thought. And I feel really bad about judging a book by it’s cover.” She chewed her bottom lip nervously. Would Jojo be mad at her? Thankfully not as he laughed softly before saying, “I’m not sure I blame you for disliking him at first. He can be a bit much, ja? But I told you, he’s a sweetheart under it all.” He paused and looked away nervously. “But our mistakes aren’t equal, I don’t think. I… I once turned someone without their consent because I wanted to save their life.” Gabby’s eyes widened. She certainly hadn’t expected this. “What happened?” “It is an embarrassing story. The short version is that a long time ago, I came on too strongly to an uninterested man when we were both drunk, and he fled from me and fell down a flight of stairs. And in my drunken state… I thought of only one solution. Though even if I was sober, there are wounds even our venom cannot heal. Stab wounds, gunshots, those are easy… A cracked skull? A broken neck? Maybe a more powerful and sober vampire like Amon or your mother could have done it. But me?” He shook his head sadly. “This was life or death. I felt I had no choice.” Gabby was quiet for a moment as she processed this information. Turning someone without their consent was something she’d always believed was wrong, but Jojo hadn’t done it to be malicious. “You saved his life,” she finally told him softly. “He understands that, right?” “I wouldn’t know,” he said quietly. “I have not seen him since he was turned. Your mother and I picked a house he could hide in until we moved on, and we left him instructions so he wouldn’t totally be in the dark. It was at a time when Jack was staying with the coven, and he would not have taken well to any vampire I sired.” “You did the best you could, Jojo. You saved his life.” “Maybe…” Jojo muttered miserably, “But I can’t help but feel guilty.” He turned back towards Gabby and gave her a small, nervous smile. “Does that make you feel any better, that my screw up was worse?” “A little bit,” she admitted with a shy smile of her own. His grew even bigger. “Good. Making you feel better is never a bad thing, ja?” “I guess not.” She slipped her hand into his and leaned against him. Jojo set butterflies free in her stomach just by smiling at her, and she couldn’t get enough of it (and him). He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. “Now that you know what a fool I am, shall we go make pizza?” “Mmhm!” She beamed excitedly at him and dragged him out of her bedroom. “What kind is your favorite?” “Probably one with bacon and onions on it,” he shrugged cheerfully. “It’s as close as I can get to flammkuchen—which is sort of like a pizza—when I’m not back home in Germany.” “Maybe they have a bacon cheeseburger one!” she chirped as they left her room and started walking down the hallway. Unlike her fears about someone seeing the two share affectionate moments with each other, she wasn’t afraid of being caught holding hands with him as she often did so with others, like Flynn. As they got closer to the kitchen, the sound of quiet speaking could be heard from a nearby room. Gabby recognized one of the voices as being her mother’s. Curiously, she slowed and put a finger to her lips, wordlessly asking Jojo to be quiet. She knew it was disrespectful to eavesdrop, but she’d barely seen her mom since they’d arrived at the house, and she was curious about what she was up to. Gabby strained her hearing to listen to what was being said. “—don’t understand her at all,” came her mother’s voice. “Like that speech she had me give in the forest? Breaking her promise to leave Victoria alone? I’m so lost.” “She’s baffling even I,” came a reply from Amon. “I’m not entirely sure what she’s doing anymore. The mood swings, her bizarre plan… I’ve seen it coming for a long time now, but it doesn’t make it any easier to watch it unfold.” “I think she’s lost it,” chimed in a third voice, Rhapsody’s. Gabby glanced at Jojo with a concerned frown. Who were they talking about? Jojo shrugged in response, though after a moment he did wiggle a finger in a snake-like fashion. Grandma? she thought in surprise. “Is she going to make Ruthven stay with us?” her mother asked after a moment of awkward silence. “Not if I have any say in the matter,” Amon scoffed. “We don’t need a serial killer in the house. I think we have enough problems with Mr. Moore.” “Isn’t Mina technically a serial killer?” Rhapsody asked. “I mean, she’s killed vampires, humans, her own baby—“ “Her child is not dead, Rhapsody,” Amon stated sternly. “For Rex’s sake, I hope not,” Marianna sighed. “This is stressful, you two. So stressful. I don’t want to hurt Victoria any more than I have. She promised we wouldn’t do this! But here we are! And now there’s a serial killer regrowing in the side room, a rapist patrolling the halls, and Gabby… I’m quite certain she hates me now.” “Whatever would give you that idea?” Amon asked incredulously. “I don’t think your kid knows how to hate,” Rhapsody added. “I know she hates how we move around so much, and how she rarely gets to spend time with the few friends she’s made, so why wouldn’t I assume it when we’re in a house with someone like Moore on some assassination mission—because no matter what Mother says that’s what this is—where the promise Mother made to me is being broken!” her mother cried out. Another uncomfortable pause followed before she added, “And then there’s how I didn’t do enough for Jojo.” Gabby’s heart sank. She had no idea her mom felt this way. Should she have tried to spend more time with her? She had kept her distance because she thought her mom had important work to do, and she didn’t want to get in the way. She’d been a little distracted, too, with spending time with Jojo, Flynn, and the others. She wasn’t sure what to make of everything she was hearing, though. Only half of it really made sense, so she was a little confused, but there was one thing she knew for sure: There were things happening behind closed doors that were being kept from her. “We did the best we could given the circumstances,” Amon sighed. “I’ve done my best to ensure he is kept away from Jack as much as possible, but you know how that freak can be. That incident with the Silverwing woman… That was a difficult situation. I am eternally grateful Rex got out of his funk long enough to take Jojo away from there.” “If I weren’t such a coward, I could tell Rhiannon…” Gabby perked up at this. She squeezed Jojo’s hand gently in silent excitement. Would her mom approve of her summoning Rhiannon to help him? Would she be proud of her? “The collar is Rhiannon’s doing?” Amon asked, his tone a bit more shocked than Gabby was used to hearing. “That doesn’t make any sense. It can’t be her power; she already made that blasphemous knife for him, and why would she make a depraved item like that? I just don’t—” “Ok,” interjected Rhapsody, “I’m lost. Who’s Rhiannon?” “A blood mage and enchantress,” her mother replied, “and someone I… I can’t look her in the eye, Amon. Not knowing what I did with her gift to me, and… Oh, you don’t know the letters she sends me, or how I can hear her singing my name through the mirror sometimes… I don’t want to hurt her.” Her mother let out an exasperated growl. “I simply cannot do anything without causing more problems for the people I care about! If only Nadia—“ “Oh, here we go,” Rhapsody muttered. “—if she were here,” Marianna continued, “I could, I could focus, I could handle this, I could—” “Marianna...” Amon said softly. “I know it’s foolish, but my heart still aches for her, and—Oh, Rhapsody, just give me more of that.” “Alright, but I dunno if it’ll help you too much. You feed more regularly than me, don’t you?” “It’ll help ease my nerves. Marijuana is calming, isn’t it?” Gabby involuntarily let out a soft gasp. Her mom was using a drug? She felt entirely overwhelmed and decided that was enough eavesdropping for now, quietly continued towards the kitchen with Jojo worriedly following her. She had no idea what to make of all this. More than anything, she felt for her mom. Gabby had no idea she was hurting so much. If I’d known, I would have spent more time with her the past few days… “That was…” Jojo began before falling silent. Remembering that some of the conversation had been about him, Gabby asked, “Are you okay?” He nodded. “Yes, I… I never really doubted that they did, but it is nice having vocal confirmation that your mother and Amon care. It’s nice to know.” “Yeah,” she agreed. She let go of Jojo’s hand and wandered to the large refrigerator, opening the freezer door. She started looking through the frozen meals for the pizzas, but her mind wandered back to what she’d overheard. She wanted to do something to make her mom feel better, but what could she do? She couldn’t make Nadia forgive her (especially because she had no idea where to find the woman much less what she was supposed to forgive her mother for). She couldn’t turn back time and give her mom the chance to undo whatever it was she was so ashamed of. What could possibly be good enough to cheer her up? “You don’t hate her, do you?” Jojo asked her. Surprised, she turned around with wide eyes. “Of course not! I love my mom!” Jojo jumped back, holding his hands up defensively. “Good! Good! I just, you know, wanted to be sure… She sounded like she really believes you must.” “I don’t know why…” She nervously wrung her hands together. “Does it seem like I do? Did I do something wrong?” “I don’t think it’s you,” Jojo reassured her as he came forward and put his hands on her shoulders. “I think she is under a lot of pressure, and she is stressed and doubting herself. If there is one thing I am sure of, she loves you more than anything, and she is feeling she’s not good enough.” “I want to cheer her up, but I don’t know how,” she admitted. “She’s usually so busy on missions, so I don’t really get to spend much time with her.” “I promise you, Gabby, once we have this Rhiannon situation sorted out, I will do all I can to help you cheer up your mother,” Jojo vowed. She smiled at him, appreciating how supportive and kind he was. How had she gotten so lucky? Not that she’d ever had a boyfriend before, but she was pretty sure he was the best one in the whole world. “Thank you, Jojo,” she sighed with relief. “Um, I guess we should cook the pizza now, huh?” “Ja,” he laughed, “and I will make a nice fruit salad! Now let’s get to it, it’s not nice to keep our mortal friends waiting!” With a grin, she turned back to the freezer and pulled out two boxes of frozen pizza, one of which was bacon cheeseburger (thankfully). She started cooking them, which was a good thing because she could feel her stomach starting to growl. They’d have a fun day of watching movies, then at night, they’d summon Rhiannon and finally grant Jojo the freedom he deserved. After that, Gabby would do something special for her mom to cheer her up, and hopefully, things would be okay for the time being. For the first time in a long time, life seemed to be okay. ****** Jason had spent the past few days getting ready for Saturday night (technically Sunday morning, since they’d planned on their target leaving the bar at some point after midnight), and now that the day was finally upon them, he felt like he could relax. They’d gotten all the equipment they’d need to pull this off, especially the masks. Lilith and Valentine both had desperately tried to convince him to to wear a hockey mask for his big debut, but he’d shut that down rather quickly with an eyeroll. Val had also tried to insist he wear a red cloth mask so that, in his own words, “There can be another criminal-crushing vigilante named Jason wearing red out there!” Jason eventually settled for a bandana adorned with hearts, much to the chagrin of his brother and Lilith. After that, he mostly just reiterated the plan to the crew. Rika, David, Lilith, and Aiden all seemed on the same page, but Anna had seemed a bit uncomfortable and distant. He didn’t blame her; this was a very personal mission, and even though these guys had hurt her, there was clearly history there. That was why he was sitting on the couch while everyone else was preparing themselves (except Val, who was watching a video game streamer instead of being productive), patiently waiting for a chance to talk to Anna before the big night. We gotta work through this, he thought to himself. We’re a team, and we all gotta be on the same page here or we’re screwed. Anna was in the kitchen making something, if the whirl of the blender was any indication. She had gotten quite comfortable with the gang quickly and had eventually moved in. She’d told Jason that she loved her dad, but she wanted to be on her own and start living like an adult. “Dad was happy I’m stretching my wings, or something like that,” she’d explained. It had only taken two trips to move her stuff from her dad’s house to theirs, and it had gone smoothly mostly thanks to Lilith’s help. Eventually, the blender stopped, and he could hear Anna humming an unrecognizable tune. A minute later, she walked into the living room with a cup full of thick pink liquid. A smile grew on her face when she saw him sitting on the couch. “How long have you been out here?” “A while,” he admitted, before gesturing to her beverage. “That looks good. You learn that at work, or you just like making smoothies for fun?” It was kind of a lame question, sure, but he wanted to ease into the serious stuff. “Both,” she admitted. “Can’t drink coffee all the time.” She cocked her head to the right and asked, “Do you want some? I put strawberries and bananas in it.” He grinned. “Sure. Sounds healthy and refreshing, and I need to keep in good shape somehow. There’s a lot more and a lot better food outside of prison, so I gotta be careful, or I’m gonna look as chunky as I did when I was six.” She walked towards where he was sitting and held out her glass as an offering. “Here, you can just drink some of mine. I hope you know I’m dying to know what you looked like as a kid now, though.” He took the smoothie and sipped it; it was just as sweet and refreshing as he’d imagined it would be. “Well, like I said, I was a bit chubby, but I grew out of that. Me and my sister would run around outside until it was dark, burned a lot of calories like that just running around the yard here when we visited our grandparents.” She laughed softly and sat down next to him. “That sounds adorable, honestly. I wish I had a sibling when I was a kid. Imaginary friends just aren’t the same.” “Least with imaginary friends you don’t gotta worry about them hating you,” Jason sighed. “Your sister hates you? But why?” He paused. “I haven’t told you yet, huh? Guess I wanted to make sure you’d stick around to fight crime first.” He took a deep breath; telling people this never got any easier, no matter how many times he told it. “I killed my dad, seven years ago.” Anna’s brown eyes grew wide with shock. “Wait, what? That’s what you were in jail for?” Jason nodded. “Yeah. Manslaughter. I managed to only get a year because police chief Rigby screwed up with the evidence, but I still went in for it.” In a whisper, she asked, “Why did you do it?” “Remember how I said we all have scars in this gang?” he replied, the bitterness seeping into his voice. “Dad gave me mine. I took a lot of punishment so Val and Sierra didn’t have to. And then, before I left for college, he came at me, and I ended up killing him to save my own ass.” Anna’s expression shifted from surprise to sympathy. “I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine… Wasn’t there anyone you could have gone to? To tell them about the abuse?” “We tried. We really did. But after mom died, and then our grandparents too, we didn’t have much else. Dad’s family wasn’t gonna help us, and the cops in this city are as useless as anywhere else. The best any of us could do is keep each other safe until we could get out… That’s what my sister Sierra did.” “She left? I mean, I guess I can’t blame her. I’d probably leave too.” “I don’t blame her either. I’m proud of her,” Jason sighed. “Val and I haven’t seen her since I got out. She figured he’d be safer with me than with her, and then…” He didn’t actually know how to continue. He really couldn’t explain to her why Val was too afraid to see her again. “Shit, sorry,” he finally, awkwardly laughed. “Lost my train of thought there. But, yeah. Now you know.” Anna nodded her head. “Thank you for telling me. Seriously, that’s some really personal stuff.” “Well, hey, I guess that works out well cuz I have to get a bit personal with you now. I noticed you’ve been a bit off ever since you found out who we’re going after. You wanna talk about it?” Her demeanor changed, and she became uncharacteristically quiet, similar to how she was every time the gang talked about the plan. “It’s just… Mr. Synder was my dad’s best friend. He was around a bunch when I was a kid.” Jason simply closed his eyes and nodded, waiting for her to continue on. “I guess I should have realized he wasn’t as good of a guy as I thought when he stopped coming around after Dad got hurt. The other guys I knew and saw sometimes, but Mr. Snyder was always around. But we have to do this.” The tone of her voice became serious. “I can do this, Jason. I promise. I’m not going to let how I feel interfere with any of this.” He opened his eyes and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I believe in you, Anna. I could tell from the moment I saw you kicking the shit out of that creep you had the fire and conviction in you. I just wanted to make sure you were okay cuz I know something like this can’t be easy.” Her cheeks were dusted a light pink, and she smiled at him. “Not really, no. So, like, he definitely can’t see my face because that will blow the whole thing.” She held her hand out for the cup, which he was still holding. “Don’t worry,” Jason laughed as he handed her smoothie back to her, “I got enough bandanas to go around, so you can take your pick.” Anna turned the cup to a different spot from where he’d drank from and took a long gulp. “Mmm! This turned out really well!” She grinned with pride before asking, “So, like, are we going to match?” Jason raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to match? I mean, I’m probably wearing black and red. Rika was gonna help me dye the tips of my hair red, too.” Her face lit up. “Can we? If that’s not weird, I mean. Since we’re pretty much working together for this whole thing, I think it’d be fitting.” She smirked as she drank more of her smoothie. “Nah, I’m cool with it! Though I think you might look better in blue than red, you know?” “Does that mean you like my hair like this?” She seemed all the more intrigued. “Yeah! It suits you! Makes you look cool.” He smirked back. “Like a popsicle.” Man that is dorky as shit, if she punches me for bringing that back I won’t blame her. However, to his surprise, her grin grew even bigger, and she looked like she was blushing again. “Then I guess I’ll have to settle for a red wig or something.” He paused, an idea coming over him. “Well hey, maybe my brother has something. That kid goes all out with his Halloween costumes, and he went as the Wendy’s mascot last year. I bet he still has the wig he used lying around.” "Please tell me you have a picture of that!” Anna laughed. “I bet he looked amazing!” Before he could respond to Anna, his brother appeared in the doorway and exclaimed, “You’re damn right I did!” “I can’t wait to see what you do next Halloween,” Anna said as she turned towards Val. “Any chance you still have that wig so I can match Jason on the big mission tonight?” Val gave a sly, knowing smile. “Aw, you wanna match? That’s so cute! I definitely still have it around somewhere, so don’t you worry! I’ll get it dusted off and freshened up, just for you!” What’s that all about? Jason wondered as he looked at the smug look on Val’s face. “What are you doing down here? I thought you were ‘doing your civic duty’ or whatever you call it.” “His what now?” Anna asked from beside him. “He donates money to this streamer,” Jason chuckled. “Look,” Val huffed, “Lil Jazzy is gay and black, and I gotta support my people, bro. Plus, she deals with so much crap on her streams cuz she’s not a skinny white girl. No offence, Anna.” With a shrug, she replied, “None taken.” “Look, you do whatever makes you happy, man. You’re a good kid. I’m just wondering why you cut things short today. Isn’t her stream still on for, like, another half hour?” Val shifted nervously in the doorway, looking down at the floor as he responded, “Well, see… There’s something I wanted to tell you, Jay.” “What is it?” Jason asked, concerned by the worry in his brother’s voice. “Well… If all goes well tonight, I… I’m getting in touch with Sierra.” Jason’s eyes widened. “You sure, bro?” Val nodded. “Positive. It’s been too long, and I can’t just… I can’t run from her forever.” Anna stood up and said, “I should go get ready for tonight. Gotta look cute for my big debut, right?” She winked at Jason before handing him her glass. “Here, you can have the rest. I’ll wash out the blender before we leave. See you later.” With a wave, she left the living room and, from the sound of her footsteps, headed up the stairs to her bedroom. Jason gave Val a concerned look. There was no point in arguing with Val about this; truth be told, he missed Sierra too. But he knew this probably wasn’t going to go as smoothly as either of them would like. “If you’re sure you can handle it, Val.” “I can. I promise. I think, if we can prove ourselves out there on the mission, that’s my sign that maybe we can fix this. Like, if we can fight crime, we can mend this family, right?” Jason grinned. That’s what he loved most about his brother. He was eternally optimistic no matter how rough things seemed to be. “Yeah, you got a point. Now go, get Anna that wig, and maybe ready her a couple outfits, alright?” As Valentine ran off to help Anna, Jason couldn’t help but wonder how things would go. Neither of them had kept in frequent contact with Sierra for years—Val because of guilt and Jason because Sierra had given him a rather chilly reception after he was arrested. He’d always known it was only a matter of time before they had to face up to this, and he just hoped Val was ready. ****** “A friendly reminder that this is a business meeting, Mr. Amano,” Jemima politely informed her colleague as she folded her hands neatly in her lap, the soft cotton fabric of her black gown a cushion on her skin. She typically wore business suits to such events, but she wanted to appeal to the Countess’s regal side. How better to do such than to don a dress and an elegant pearl necklace (with matching earrings, of course)? It wasn’t as though she didn’t trust Ryo. He knew her expectations well, but the man could get… excited. Especially in his own home (so to speak). Considering she had chosen Gin’noken Sushi for her meeting with the Countess, chances were high he’d forget his place and quickly derail the entire evening. That was a chance she was not willing to take, especially with someone of high status. “I understand completely,” he replied. “What, did you think I was going to hit on the Countess or something? Come on, I have more class than that. I had a pretty good teacher, I think.” He gave Jemima a wink before pulling his ornate pocket watch out of his jacket. “It’s almost time for dinner to begin. You think she’s gonna arrive on time, or be fashionably late?” “I certainly hope she will be on time,” she scoffed. Being royalty was no excuse for tardiness. “I don’t think you have to worry about lateness,” Ryo’s bodyguard, Kenzo, informed them from down the table, his hand hovering by his earpiece. “Staff just informed me that a rather regal-looking woman identifying herself as Nadia Shibani has just arrived with an entourage. Shall I go escort them in?” Ryo waved his hand. “Yes, yes, get her in here! And have the kitchen at the ready for everything these people want!” With a slight nod, Kenzo quickly exited the room. Jemima straightened her back and lifted her head high. Mentally, she was shifting from a more casual demeanor to a professional one. If this was to go well, she needed to ensure everything she did was perfect. Not long at all passed before Kenzo reentered the private dining room, ushering the Countess and her companions in ahead of her. They were a rather peculiar group to say the least. There was an older, muscular man with silver hair, an eyepatch, and a silver brace wrapped around his leg, a dark-skinned man with a long, white ponytail tied neatly behind him, and an Asian woman who seemed the least conspicuous of the trio. Behind them all, entering after these three had sat down, was who could only be Nadia Shibani. Admittedly, the Countess was quite beautiful. In the back of her mind, Jemima felt relieved that she had indeed decided to wear a dress tonight as the Countess had done the same, though hers was infinitely more glamorous with dazzling red sequins that twinkled in the light and seemed to illuminate her face. She had smooth skin that was just a shade or two lighter than Jemima’s and short, almost silver hair that was neatly cut in layers around her head. Jemima stood and politely smiled at the Countess, her hands still folded before her. “Miss Shibani. A pleasure to finally meet you.” The Countess gave a slow, deep bow. “The pleasure is all mine, I think.” She gestured to a chair strategically placed directly across from her own. “Please, make yourself comfortable. I have been assured the kitchen is preparing the best of the best for dinner this evening.” “I am looking forward to it,” the Countess admitted as she sunk into her seat. “It has been so long since I have had quality Eastern cuisine… My village is in short supply of such restaurants.” As Jemima returned to her own seat, she curiously asked, “Where is it you are from, Countess?” “If you mean where I live, Silberstadt in Germany. It is the land I own that makes me a Countess, land I inherited from my father. If you mean my origins, my family is Palestinian on my mother’s side… I do not know where my biological father was from, however. He vanished long before I was born.” “First part checks out at least,” Macavity chimed in. “Did a bit of research. Very superstitious little town in Bavaria. Got legends of vampires up to the late 19th century. Hear they have wild festivals in autumn.” The Countess raised an eyebrow. “Ah, who is this? An associate of yours? Oh!” She waved her hand nervously in front of her face as though fanning herself. “It is so rude of me to not do introductions. I, of course, am Countess Nadia Shibani.” She gestured to the man with the eyepatch. “This is a dear family friend, Harlan Silver.” She next gestured to the dark-skinned man. “This is Enrico Luna.” Finally, she gestured to the Asian woman. “And this is Amber Yang.” Jemima politely nodded at each in greeting. “A pleasure to meet you all. I believe it is now my turn.” She lifted a hand to the man sitting on her right. “This is Macavity, my personal bodyguard and assistant. And this,” she said as she gestured to Ryo, “is Mr. Amano, a dear friend and owner of this restaurant. Seated beside him is Mr. Mochizuki, Mr. Amano’s bodyguard.” “A pleasure to meet all of you,” the Countess smiled. At that moment, a blonde-haired waiter that looked a tad out of place serving at a Japanese restaurant entered the private room in which they were dining. With him was a tray full of eight glasses of cold, icy water, one for each person present. “Waiter,” Ryo demanded, “have the kitchen bring us a round of the appetizers now.” The waiter nodded and, when he had delivered every glass, scurried off to do as ordered. “The food here is quite divine. I do hope it will appease your palate,” Jemima smiled. “Oh, I imagine so,” the Countess sighed happily before turning her eyes to Ryo. “By any chance, Ryo, do you serve fugu here?” “Yes indeed, imported from Japan and everything! Not quite as fresh as if served there, unfortunately, but it’s absolutely as safe as any restaurant overseas could manage. I spared no expense in rigorously training my chefs how to handle it.” “I’d know,” Macavity snarked. Ryo gave him an annoyed look—he never had much tolerated Macavity’s sarcasm—before continuing, “So, what type of dish might I have prepared? I didn’t expect you to be into pufferfish.” “Fugu sashimi. I will keep it simple, yes?” “A woman who tempts fate,” Jemima quietly noted with a sly smile. She was admittedly impressed. “I have always dared to do such a thing, even when I put little stock in such things as fate,” the Countess replied, with a smile of her own. “Even simply being here, in this town, is tempting fate. But a force more powerful than such a thing has brought me here… Gravity.” “Gravity?” Jemima frowned. “I’m afraid I don’t follow.” “I speak of a powerful force beyond our control that pulls us in. Gravity is not simply what keeps us to this planet; it is also what draws people together. And gravity has drawn me here, to Rhine City, for matters most dire, for the people I love the most are in danger.” This was quite the development, even if she wasn’t particularly certain if she believed in gravity the way the Countess did. “If I recall correctly, you asked for my assistance, yes? Tell me of your plight, and I shall see what I can do.” The Countess sat up straight and cleared her throat. “My father, who I have long believed dead, is in grave danger. An enemy of his, a very dangerous and powerful one, has decided to move against my family, and she unfortunately has a person I very much need the assistance of in her grasp… and I know that our enemy will not let her out of her grasp for just any reason.” A game of politics, it seemed. Jemima nodded to demonstrate she was following. “And what do you need of me, Countess?” Nadia folded her hands neatly in front of her on the table. “I am in need of someone who has great power, influence, and an eye for extravagance to assist me in a display that will enrage my enemy. Something that will catch the eye of the one whose assistance I need…” “Well you sure came to the right place!” Ryo exclaimed, slamming a fist on the table and causing nearly everyone to flinch in surprise. “Jemima lives and breathes power and extravagance! She’s the hero of Rhine, for crying out loud!” Jemima snapped her head in his direction and glared. As she’d anticipated, he had gotten far too excited too quickly. As politely as she could, with an undertone that would, with luck, tell Ryo to regain his composure, she said, “You sing far too many praises, Mr. Amano.” “Deep breath, Ryo. Do not frighten our esteemed guest,” Kenzo stated sternly. Ryo sank back in his chair sheepishly, seeming to get the message. He did not, however, take a deep breath as instructed. “A flair for the extravagant I do possess at times,” she laughed softly to ease the tension in the room. “Perhaps I can arrange for something to catch the attention of your… acquaintance.” “The question is… what?” Nadia sighed. “I am rather uncertain.” “Think we might need a little more info, yeah?” Macavity probed. “Bit on the vague side here. Doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to tell you’re keeping quite a bit from us.” While he was correct, the last thing Jemima wanted to do was pressure the Countess or make her feel uncomfortable. “Now, Macavity,” she began, giving him a friendly smile, “I’m more than certain there is good reason for any information being withheld. The Countess is experiencing great difficulty at the present moment. Let us not make it any more difficult for her.” “There are about a dozen good reasons, honestly,” Harlan agreed, his thick Australian accent readily apparent. “We need your help, but the last thing we want is to put you or your associates in harm’s way. This enemy of ours is… Well, she’s slippery as a snake, let’s put it like that.” “Mr. Macavity speaks the truth,” Nadia said, holding up a finger. “I am far too vague for my own good… The person I seek an audience with… She is my ex-lover. I am to demand help from her, for it is partly her who is to blame for my father’s long absence.” Unable to stop herself, Jemima’s eyebrows raised in blatant curiosity. Things had certainly escalated quickly with that bit of information. “I see.” The Countess took a long, slow sip of her water. As she gently lowered her glass back to the table, she said, “As Harlan has said, this could be dangerous, though I do not wish for you to be in danger. And I do not ask for charity; I am willing to aid you in turn if you aid me.” “I shall help wherever I can,” she assured her. Winning favor with someone of such status would be valuable to her cause. “I am uncertain as to how to help, I am afraid. What course of action would see fit to bring this woman to you?” “That is the question,” the man named Enrico Luna spoke. His voice was deep and rich, with a hint of an Italian accent. “Nadia’s enemy likely hopes to return Nadia to her ex in some manner… But how to weaponize that in a way that ensures Nadia’s safety and Marianna’s cooperation? It has stumped us.” Before she could respond, the waiter returned with a tray once more, this time filled with plates holding delicious appetizers. Jemima smiled politely, though her head was already working in overtime to find the perfect solution. How could she assist in catching the Countess’s ex-lover’s attention without putting anyone in danger? Her go-to would be something in public, particularly in the eye of the local media, but would that be too risky? Ryo spoke with the waiter about beginning preparation of the fugu sashimi for a moment before sending him off. He then leaned forward onto the table, a rather smug expression on his face. “You know, call me crazy, but I don’t think we are all on the same page here.” Jemima felt slightly irritated at his forwardness. Had he learned nothing from her? Regardless, she smiled politely at him. “I’m afraid I am uncertain what you mean, Mr. Amano.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “What I mean is, I think there’s something more going on here. A countess coming all the way from Bavaria just to ask you for help with a family matter… That’s a little much, don’t you think? There’s something here we’re not being told. I can tell.” Jemima noted that he was gripping his pocket watch tightly in the hand that he wasn’t using to lean on the table. “Don’t you think you’re a bit outta line there, Ryo?” Macavity noted. Kenzo nodded in agreement, putting a hand on Ryo’s shoulder. “I think it best to let Ms. Mathers handle this. There’s no need to doubt the intentions of our guest.” “I appreciate your concern, Mr. Amano,” she said through a very, very tight smile. Couldn’t he see how inappropriate he was being? Was it his intention to make a fool of her in front of royalty? “Ah, do not be too cross with him,” the Countess replied. “He is absolutely correct, after all.” “That may be,” Jemima kindly retorted, “however, it is quite inappropriate for my friend to be so… hasty.” “You are a busy woman, yes? He is only looking out for you. Surely you have better things to do than to entertain an old woman and hear her family drama.” Old? How could she possibly be any older than Jemima herself? She looked so young, after all. “I am here, aren’t I?” she gently laughed. “And, as you have requested, I am offering my assistance in any way I can.” “And I do so appreciate that,” the Countess replied with a mysterious smile. “So, let me ask something, Countess. If we come up with something to get your ex out, will you fill us in on what we’re missing?” Ryo probed. The Countess took another sip of her water. When she once more put her glass down, she replied simply, “Absolutely.” Her entourage exchanged surprised glances. “You, ah, you sure about that, Nadia?” Harlan asked carefully. Nadia waved her hand at him. “My friend, I cannot make an allyship on deceit and half truths. If they are to help, I will gladly inform them of the truth…” She paused, leveling her gaze at Jemima. “…even if it may change their worlds forever.” The Countess was full of surprises it seemed. Jemima couldn’t deny she was practically bursting at the seams with curiosity. “Well then,” she said, lifting her cold glass of water, “I believe we have plans to create. You know your ex-lover well, I would presume. What would serve best to gather her attention?” “I have only thought of two ideas…” sighed the Countess. “One might think to threaten her daughter… but such a thing is utterly abhorrent. I sicken even thinking of it.” Her voice wavered a bit as she said this, and she did indeed seem a bit uncomfortable even speaking the idea. Jemima nodded sympathetically as she set her water down again. “I believe this to be a last resort,” she replied. “It certainly would put all involved in danger as I presume she would not take the news of such an action lightly.” “Absolutely not,” the Countess admitted. “My only other thought was… Well, she still pines for me, you see. If I were to make her jealous, I do not doubt this would potentially lead to an opening to her.” Jemima lifted her right eyebrow suspiciously. “A public display of affection, I presume?” “Yes, but a grand one, and one that might convince her and her mother.” “We know any celebs we could set her up with?” Macavity asked. “Maybe Mr. Ford could see if that stuntwoman from his park would be game for it.” She nodded thoughtfully. Scarlet Love had quite a reputation, particularly in Rhine City considering her rapidly growing fame. Whether she’d be willing to pull off such a stunt, however, she wasn’t entirely certain. “That would make quite the headline.” “Ah, Jemima,” Ryo interjected. “You forget that there’s a major issue with the Scarlet Love idea: She frequents the Den. That brings in business for the Den. And, need I remind you just who runs the Den?” With a heavy sigh, she lifted a hand to rub her temple. “Wonderful,” she muttered, forgetting for a moment about their guests. The last thing she wanted to do was cross the mafia (at least, not in such an obvious way). “Must that man insist on making everything more difficult for me?” Ryo nodded his head sympathetically. “Aurelio’s a real piece of work thinking he stands a snowball's chance in Hell against the likes of y—” He froze mid-sentence, an enthusiastic look dawning on his face. “You know what? I think I have an option even better than Scarlet Love!” She lowered her hand and placed it back into her lap. Her curiosity piqued once again, she asked, “And who might that be?” “Oh boy, can’t wait to hear this brilliant idea,” Macavity chuckled as he reached for his glass of water. “It’s someone way more famous, someone who it would be literally impossible to ignore, someone who would be astonishingly easy to get in contact with and iron out details with!” Ryo went on, growing more and more excited as he continued. “Oooh, do tell who this is, for perhaps this idea can work with their help,” the Countess said excitedly as she leaned forward. “Indeed,” Jemima agreed. “Who is it?” Ryo grinned and gestured right in her direction. “You.” Macavity choked on his water, sending it dripping down his face and shirt. “Excuse me? I can’t be hearing right.” “You must be joking,” Jemima replied deadpan. “Am I wrong?” he insisted. “Would this not be incredibly easy if you were doing all the planning without any third parties?” She sighed heavily and returned her hand to her temple. “Mr. Amano, this is a highly inappropriate suggestion.” “Indeed,” agreed the Countess, “and yet, I believe there is some truth in what he says.” Her polite demeanor fading completely, she stared at the Countess in disbelief. “Surely you can’t be on board with this.” “Ah, do not misunderstand. I would never dream to impose such a task on you. But you are powerful, distinguished, beautiful... If one could drive Marianna’s mother to act, it might well be you.” The Countess once more fanned herself. “So please, do not be too harsh on the boy. It is a good idea, albeit an overzealous one.” Jemima sighed again. As much as she despised the idea, it seemed to be one the Countess was intrigued with. “What would be required of me?” “You just need to make this as convincing as possible!” Ryo exclaimed. “And I’ll help, don’t you worry! I’ve got some ideas.” Returning her hand to her lap for the second time, Jemima disregarded Ryo for the moment and instead directed her attention to the Countess. “How much do you foresee being necessary? One dinner date? Several? Staged public displays of affection?” “Let us take it slow and steady, yes? We must build up to a grand display of public affection, I feel.” An entire false relationship? It wasn’t the most appealing option as she’d sworn off dating long ago, but if it would assist the Countess (and bring her a valuable alliance), then she would swallow her pride. “I believe I can organize a perfect schedule. What is our time frame, Countess? Two weeks? Three?” “That’s the big question, ain’t it?” Harlan laughed. “I’ve got my people monitoring the enemy best I can, but I’m short on info on what her actual plans are. Best I can say? The sooner, the better.” “Perhaps a week and a half then,” she murmured with a nod. “I can quite easily make adjustments if necessary. Shall we plan on such? I will call you as soon as an itinerary has been developed.” “That would be perfectly acceptable,” the Countess agreed. “Ah, and before your friend asks… I will explain myself. Perhaps somewhere more private, however.” “In that case, ought to give you my number too,” Harlan sighed. “I’ll be able to help you out with whatever she ends up telling you.” With another nod, Jemima gestured to Macavity. “You may give it to him. He will ensure it finds its way on my desk.” With relief, she smiled. This was not as difficult a meeting as it had seemed. “Now then, shall we enjoy ourselves with fine Japanese cuisine for the rest of the evening?” “Yes,” the Countess nodded, “that would be excellent.” Jemima lifted her glass of water. “A toast, then, to our new alliance. May this work in your favor, and may everything go according to plan.” The Countess raised her glass as well. “Indeed.” The rest followed suit a moment later. The remainder of the evening, once business was settled, was rather enjoyable. The Countess regaled all with tales from her homeland, and Jemima shared stories of her own in turn. The food, as expected, was divine. All were pleased, which naturally made Ryo quite elated. To our new alliance, Jemima thought to herself with a small smile. ****** Aiden was beyond anxious. On the outside, it appeared he was simply nervous about meeting a bunch of new vampires. While this was true, it wasn’t the only reason why his stomach was tightly twisted into an impossible mess of knots. Tonight was the night he was going to tell Eric he was transgender. Even though Lilith had encouraged him and made him feel a little braver, he couldn’t stop the fear from taking over his mind. What if he hates me for lying to him? What if he’s disgusted by me? What if he freaks out at me in front of everyone? He was so afraid that he could feel his hands trembling. “Sweetie, are you alright?” came Eric’s voice, cutting through his paranoid thoughts. The man was looking at him with concern in his gentle green eyes. They were at Rhyme or Reason again, the same location where their unofficial first date had taken place. Eric and Marina (his bodyguard) had picked up Aiden at his house after he had helped his mom get ready for bed. Even with Marina tagging along, the two men still held hands as they walked through the city, and Eric had briefed Aiden again on everyone he was going to meet at the big get-together. But now that they were at the bar, standing at the counter with Armstong, time was running out. Aiden wanted to tell Eric the truth before anyone started arriving just in case he didn’t take it well. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine,” he stammered, trying to convince himself as much as his boyfriend. My boyfriend, he thought to himself. But would Eric be that much longer? A new wave of fear crashed over him. Eric narrowed his eyes. “Sweetie. You don't need to lie to me. I can tell something is bothering you. Talk to me, please?” With a small nod, he reluctantly led Eric a few feet away, not really wanting Armstrong to overhear the conversation as he wasn’t entirely ready to come out to everyone else he knew just yet. It’s now or never, he told himself. “I, um… I haven’t been completely honest with you.” Eric raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” The knots were so tight, his stomach hurt. He wrapped his arms around it protectively and stared at the worn, stained wooden floor beneath their feet. “I was really afraid you’d hate me, and I don’t blame you if you do. I should have said something earlier.” He paused to take a deep breath, but it did little to calm his anxiety. “I’m… I’m transgender.” Eric gently took his hands. “I can see why you’ve been stressing out now. Aiden, I appreciate you telling me that, but I want you to know that doesn’t change in the slightest that you are the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.” Surprised, and almost in disbelief, he lifted his head again with widened eyes. “Really? You’re not mad?” Eric was smiling at him with gentle kindness. “Why on Earth would I be mad?” Aiden wanted to tell him about all of the people who didn’t accept him in high school and instead went out of their way to harass and bully him. He wanted to tell him about the people at the grocery store who gave him dirty looks when he was shopping for food for the month. He wanted to tell him about the things people said on the bus when the subject of transgender people came up and how ashamed of himself it made him feel. Instead, he engulfed Eric in a tight hug and felt tears rush to his eyes with pure joy. Eric accepted him for him. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.” “I have some idea,” Eric murmured. Aiden pulled back to smile at him, laughing softly. He wiped the wetness from his eyes and couldn’t stop happiness from seeping into every inch of his body. He didn’t have to be afraid anymore, and that freedom was exhilarating. He could be with Eric now knowing he understood him on a new, personal level. This meant he could share his insecurities and his fears with him and know that, no matter what, his boyfriend would be there to support him. I must be the luckiest guy in the world. “Aww, this him, Eric?” came a voice with a clear Irish lilt to it. “Think he might be a bit too cute for you, aye?” Aiden turned towards the source of the voice to see a woman with dark eyeshadow and long black curls. She was dressed in a very stereotypical gothic lolita style and smelled of cigarette smoke. Her dark blue eyes seemed very tired. “Prim!” Eric exclaimed, quickly moving over to her and immediately launching into what looked like some sort of elaborate secret handshake between the two. After this odd display, Eric wrapped his arm around the girl’s shoulder. “Aiden, I want you to meet my soul sister and best friend in the world, Primrose Beirne.” “Call me Prim,” she added. “I preferred it even before we got a Rose in the coven, and now I like it all the more.” With a genuine smile, Aiden politely said, “It’s nice to meet you.” “Nice to meet you too, boyo,” she replied. “Glad this dumbass finally decided to stop acting like a fool and settle down a bit. You want a smoke later, I’m your girl, ‘kay?” “Oh, um, sure,” he nodded, even though smoking wasn’t his thing in the least. Still, he didn’t want to be rude as she seemed pretty cool. “Don’t let me catch you smoking in my bar again,” Armstrong growled. “Aye, I got it,” Prim grumbled. “Do you have any idea who might be coming tonight?” Eric asked. “I had a few people say they weren’t sure, but…” “Well, let me see…” Prim began, tapping her chin thoughtfully, “I know Rose is gonna be here for sure, Bach said he’d be here, Sunny is coming because of course he is, don’t have to tell you the Himuras will be here, and that means Carlos will be too.” She paused as Eric wrinkled his nose in disgust, smirking in amusement before continuing listing off the remaining members of the coven and whether or not they would be showing up. She finally ended with “…and no one’s seen Roarke all day, so who knows with that man?” Eric nodded. “Alright. You ready for this, Aiden?” “Yeah,” he answered, slipping his hand into Eric’s and squeezing it gently. He wasn’t nearly as nervous as he had been earlier, but considering how he would soon be surrounded by a bunch of unfamiliar vampires, it was a big deal (especially since he would be introduced as Eric’s boyfriend). The only thing more nerve-racking would be when he had to finally introduce Eric to his mom. The door rang gently as two Japanese women entered the bar. The shorter one was wearing a bright red floral kimono; her hair was neatly tied back in a bun and despite the fact that it was dark out, she was wearing a pair of sunglasses with dark red lenses. She also had one arm looped through her companion’s while her free hand held on to a white cane. The woman beside her was far more modest in her attire. She was wearing jeans and a dark green blouse, and her long black hair tumbled loosely over her shoulders. She was very calm and patient with the woman she was guiding, who was grumbling under her breath as they approached. “Hello there,” the taller woman politely greeted, waving at Aiden. “You must be the mortal Eric saved at the park recently.” He nodded. “Yeah, that’s me.” “I’m Yuriko, and this is Sakura, my big sister.” “Awww, he’s so cute, Eric! What a catch!” Sakura cooed. Aiden glanced at Eric in confusion. While much of what Eric had told him about the other vampires hadn’t stuck in his memory (though not for a lack of trying; there were a ton of names thrown his way at once), he was pretty certain he had mentioned Sakura was blind. Was she trying to be polite? “Be nice,” Yuriko said firmly. Sakura pulled her arm out from around Yuriko’s and waved her hand as she faced the wrong direction (whether accidentally or on purpose, he wasn’t sure), gesturing towards the bar. “Okay, okay. I’m fucking with you. I’m sure Eric told you I’m blind already. But I’m sure you do look fine. Don’t mind me, I’m a bitch.” “You’re not a bitch. You’re just a little much sometimes,” Eric pointed out. She shrugged and began tapping about with her cane. “Help me find a seat, Yuri. I’m fucking thirsty.” “I hope we’ll get to talk more later, Mr. Aiden,” Yuriko smiled as she followed after her sister. Aiden waited until they’d found a seat before quietly commenting, “They seem nice.” Though, admittedly, Yuriko more so than Sakura. Mack entered the bar next; they were wearing a short black dress and had on lavender lipstick that matched the color of their hair. Much like Sakura, they seemed a bit too dressed up for a simple night at the bar, but the seductive glance they threw towards the inattentive Armstrong seemed to readily explain why they were dressed in their best. They approached Aiden and smiled warmly. “Well, look who it is. It’s good to see you again, Aiden. Eric’s treating you well, I trust?” “Yeah,” he smiled. “He is. You, um, look really nice.” “Yeah, the fuck is that about?” snorted the dark-skinned woman he had seen at the bar the week prior. She had strolled in right after Mack apparently and was now standing next to them with a raised eyebrow. “This your new uniform?” “Oh no,” Mack smirked. “Just thought I’d look really pretty for Aiden and Eric’s big night and all.” “Right…” A knowing smirk crossed her face before she rolled her eyes and continued towards the bar. Confused, Aiden glanced at Eric. “Who was that?” “That’s Sierra, one of Armstrong’s regulars. She’s been coming here for years now.” “That stool of hers is actually reserved seating,” Mack chuckled. “Carved her name in the bottom of it and everything.” “Is she part of, um, the coven, too?” He didn’t recognize her name, but he may have simply forgotten by accident. “Oh no, she lives on her own. Think she prefers the solitary life,” explained Mack. Aiden nodded in understanding. It would make sense then that she would be here if she was a regular. He felt bad for her; she probably hadn’t come expecting the place to be full. More and more vampires began to come in and say hello before settling in with their bodyguards and milling about nearby. Eric happily spouted trivia about everyone who came in—from the suave Spaniard, Carlos, whose history involved him being a secret hero of World War II to an Asian man named Bach who was known for making a mean chili to the chiseled, heroic-looking Sunny being the man who first came up with the idea for the Rhine Park Angel. Eric seemed surprised when someone named Farrah came in and was equally shocked when a blonde girl he identified as Dahlia came in wearing a pretty light green dress. Even though Aiden felt increasingly overwhelmed the busier the bar got, he still smiled and greeted everyone all the same. Occasionally, he’d silently squeeze Eric’s hand for reassurance and would be comforted by a gentle squeeze in return. Eventually, as everyone was ordering drinks and arguing about who should go first on the karaoke stage, Eric turned to Aiden. “So, what do you want me to sing?” “You’re going to sing?” he asked in surprise. “Aye, you heard the pipes on this man?” Prim chimed in. “Boyo could’ve been a pop star if he tried. Better than fucking Dog Police, at any rate.” “I can’t believe you remember Dog Police,” Eric snorted. “Only thing worse than that damn duck song your mum listened to all the time,” Prim said, her nose wrinkling in disgust. “Love her to bits, but dear lord. No wonder everyone hated disco.” Aiden tried to follow their conversation, but he felt completely lost. It was an unfortunate reminder of their age difference. Even if Eric was biologically in his twenties, he was still much, much older. It’s not weird, is it? he wondered. He’d never really thought about it that way before. How did vampires see it? “Eric, he’s lost, he is,” said the vampire who’d introduced herself earlier as Rose as she strolled up towards them. “Aiden’s all c-o-n-f-u-s-e-d.” Eric cursed under his breath. “Shit, I’m sorry Aiden. You weren’t alive in the 80’s.” “You’re better off, honest,” Prim sighed. “It was a real shitty time for people like us.” “Why?” Prim and Eric exchanged a sad, knowing look, but neither seemed to particularly want to elaborate. Rose, on the other hand, bowed her head and sadly mumbled, “Oh… I’m sorry.” Aiden felt even more confused, but he didn’t say anything. If Eric felt comfortable telling him about it, Aiden knew he would. As if sensing his confusion, Eric nodded at him and said, “I promise I’ll explain all that later. But let’s have a good night, okay? Now, back to the question at hand: What do you want me to sing, sweetie?” With a small smile, he answered, “How about a Prince song?” “Ooh, already gushed to him about Prince, aye?” Prim smirked. “I think you might pull it off, boyo. You’re white, but you’ve got the range.” Eric shrugged with a smile. “I think I know just the song, to be honest.” Aiden grinned at him with what he hoped was encouragement. With a flirtatious wink that sent a delightful warmness through his body, Eric got in line for the karaoke machine. There were a couple of people ahead of him, but it felt like no time at all before he was up on stage. Eric leaned forward to speak into the microphone. “I’d like to dedicate this song to my boyfriend, Aiden.” There was a round of polite applause and cheering before the very funky instrumental of his chosen song kicked in. “Ooh, he picked ‘Kiss,’” Prim snickered. “You’re really in for it, boyo.” She wasn’t wrong. Eric’s movements were hypnotizing; he danced about the stage with such confidence and sang with such conviction, it made Aiden’s face heat up. It didn’t help how he both tossed his jacket aside halfway through the song (his lean body was mesmerizing to watch) and maintained eye contact with Aiden the entire time. Even as shy as it made him feel, Aiden couldn’t help but smile throughout the song. Eric’s confidence was almost hard for Aiden to comprehend as he couldn’t ever imagine himself being brave enough to stand up there and sing anything in front of people. The way he performed without any fear about what someone might say about him made Aiden all the more attracted to him. He’s really hot, he admitted to himself. When the song was over, Eric was greeted with an eruption of applause. He strutted off of the stage, his previously discarded coat slung over his shoulder, to where Aiden still felt partially paralyzed by his boyfriend’s sheer sex appeal. “So. How was that?” “You’re a really good singer,” Aiden breathed, aware that his cheeks were probably still burning bright red. Eric made him feel hot and bothered like no one ever had before. “Thank you, sweetie. I just wish I could get my voice as high as Prince could,” Eric sighed. “I think you sounded great regardless,” he promised. “He means it, means it, means it,” Rose mumbled nervously. She looked a bit more stressed and embarrassed than she had earlier. “Hey, Rose, I think there might be someone over there you’ll want to see,” Eric said excitedly, pointing across the room. Both Aiden and Rose turned to look at the same time. There, chatting happily and animatedly with the guests, was Roarke, who was holding the hand of an unfamiliar blonde girl, who seemed over the moon with happiness. Rose seemed to perk right up at this. “Oh! Puppy’s here! And Antoinette!” She scooted off across the room before anyone could reply. “Well, I’ll be damned. He’s brought the same girl twice,” Mack muttered, nodding their head in approval. “Guess you’re setting a good precedent, Eric. Now if only Carlos would follow suit…” “Oh, are they, um, together?” Aiden asked, feeling a little confused. He’d been under the impression that Roarke was a no-commitment kind of guy. “I’m not sure,” Eric admitted, “but the way they’re looking at each other tells me they’re more than a bodyguard and their ward.” Almost as if they’d heard their conversation, Roarke and his female companion headed their way with Rose in tow. Roarke lifted the hand not holding the woman’s in greeting. “Hey, sorry we’re late.” His blue eyes glanced at Aiden and he smiled. “Hey, nice to meet you.” “Y-Yeah, you too,” Aiden replied. “You a mortal too, huh?” the woman giggled. “Don’t worry, gets easier the more you’re around ‘em. From what I hear your first meetin’ with a vampire went a heck of a lot better than mine!” “I don’t know about that,” he admitted sheepishly, remembering how he’d flipped out at both Eric and Mack when he’d found out. “How bad could it have been?” Roarke teased with a grin. “You’re dating now, right?” Trying to hide a smile, Aiden glanced at Eric. “Yeah, that’s true.” “You two are right cute together, and I’m real glad we could make it,” the blonde woman beamed. “I’m glad too!” Rose chirped. “Well, honestly, I’m glad you came, Roarke,” Eric admitted. “And it’s really nice to see you in such high spirits.” Letting go of the blonde’s hand and instead wrapping his arm around her waist, Roarke admitted, “It feels nice, actually. Hey, you two need a drink? I’m buying.” “I’d love a drink. You want some more punch, sweetie?” Eric asked. “Sure,” he smiled. There was no way he could say no to that stuff. It was a delicious addiction. “Armstrong’s specialty?” Roarke asked with a knowing grin. He lifted his free hand to get the bartender’s attention. Armstrong saw him almost immediately and came over, an actual, genuine smile on his face. “Well Roarke, never thought I’d see this day in all the years I’ve known you. No bullshit, I’m happy for you, kid. But you better make sure you treat Antoinette right.” “Love’s really in the air tonight, eh boss?” Mack said, batting their eyelashes at Armstrong. “It sure is,” he nodded obliviously. Mack rolled their eyes and grumbled something before stalking back off to the bar. Roarke, meanwhile, looked rather happy as he pulled out a faded, worn brown leather wallet and opened it to retrieve a bundle of cash. He handed it to Armstrong and said, “Hope this covers whatever Eric and his guy want.” Armstrong glanced at the money. “It definitely does, Roarke. Hell, I’ll throw in some appetizers too. I feel like contributing to the good vibes here.” “You’re kind of a lucky charm,” the blonde man grinned at Antoinette before kissing the top of her head. “Guess I’ve gotta keep you around now.” Eric wrapped an arm around Aiden. “Well, I guess this is a double celebration now, isn’t it?” Leaning against him and feeling an unfamiliar, but not unwelcome, sense of comfort, he murmured, “Yeah, looks like it!” The small group chatted while Armstrong prepared their drinks and appetizers. Aiden stayed mostly silent, feeling a little worn out after meeting so many people in a short period of time, though he listened to Eric, Roarke, Antoinette, and Rose talk for a few minutes. He faintly remembered Eric had mentioned Roarke was a bit of a loner, but he was rather animated and seemed happy to be around people. Maybe he hadn’t really wanted to be alone. He seemed to fit in well with the small group, at least. He’s pretty cool. Definitely not what I thought he was like at first. Aiden’s attention wandered towards the others in the bar eventually. There were a few gathered in a small group, drinking and listening to an albino vampire (who Eric had introduced as Mara) energetically telling stories. The rugged country guy sitting next to where she was standing was laughing along and occasionally casting wary glares in Roarke’s direction. There was still a small line by the karaoke stage where Dahlia was singing a slow pop song and looking quite sullen. Carlos was chatting up Sakura at her table while Carlos’s bodyguard, Talia, and Yuriko exchanged glances at the two. Over at the bar, Eric’s bodyguard, Marina, looked like she was openly flirting with Prim, who appeared to be rather receptive to the attention. As he took in all the sights and sounds, Eric gestured with his head towards the door. “Want to come outside with me for a minute?” “Sure,” he answered quietly. Truthfully, he could use a short break from the noise. The two excused themselves from the conversation and headed outside. The quietness of the night was almost jarring at first compared to how loud it was inside, but Aiden quickly felt relieved. He breathed in the warm summer night air and felt his muscles relax. He wasn’t used to being around so many people for so long. “I figured you needed a break,” Eric laughed. “There’s a lot going on in there. A lot of people showed up…” He looked down at the ground. “And seeing as you told me something that was very difficult to say, I think I should do the same. Quid pro quo and all that.” “What do you mean?” “I mean, you told me something, so I’ll tell you something. Fair’s fair.” Eric took a deep breath. “So, Aiden. How much do you know about what the queer community had to go through in the 80’s?” He hesitated. “Um, well… Not really much. Or, um, anything at all.” “Well then, let me start off with the scumbag who let us suffer: Reagan,” Eric hissed. “I fully believe he is one of the single most evil men in the history of the world. I would quite honestly put him up there with someone like Hitler; I could spend all night listing the horrible crimes he committed, but there is one—” he held up a single finger “—that is relevant to me. Reagan allowed the AIDS crisis to spiral out of control, and countless scores of people died because we weren’t the pretty picture perfect American family. And… I was one of those people. I had AIDS, and I was going to die.” Aiden’s eyes widened. “What?” Eric nodded. “It’s a long story. I don’t want to get into all of it tonight, but… I was dying before I was turned. I was in the hospital, Prim and my parents were constantly on the verge of tears whenever they visited me, I was planning my own funeral… I don’t think I can begin to describe how absolutely miserable that all was.” “I can’t even imagine,” he replied quietly. “But how did…?” He wasn’t sure what the proper way to ask Eric how he got to where he was now would be, so he let the question hang unanswered, hoping he’d pick up on what wasn’t asked. Eric smiled wistfully. “Mimi. Mimi Shipton. I met her in what I thought were my last days, and we just… We hit it off, immediately. And after a single night, she offered me this.” He gestured to himself. “No disease, sickness, or virus can survive in a vampire’s body. She had to do things slower than they’re usually done. I had to get in shape again because neither of us wanted me to be stuck looking sick forever.” “But it worked, right? I mean, I didn’t even… I wouldn’t have guessed.” He was still surprised by it, especially considering how healthy Eric looked now (vampiric benefits aside). “It did indeed. God, you should have seen my mother when she found out. What a turnaround! She went from being a broken mess, thinking she was about to bury her own son, to a ray of sunshine over the moon with the fact her baby just couldn’t die now. She… handled it really well, honestly. Dad, too. Not having to worry about attending your child’s funeral really tends to brighten a parent’s mood.” “Yeah, I bet,” Aiden replied quietly. He slipped his hand in Eric’s, lacing their fingers together, and squeezed it. “I’m really, really glad you met her.” “I am too.” He frowned. “I just… I wish you could meet her too. She’s the only reason I’m here with you.” He leaned his head against Eric’s chest and admitted, “I wish I could tell her thank you. I don’t even want to imagine what my life would be like without you in it.” “Maybe someday, you’ll be able to,” Eric sighed. “God only knows how many things I have to thank her for now. Though especially for you.” Aiden squeezed his hand again. “Thank you for telling me about that. I don’t know how to even begin to understand what you went through, but I’m just… I’m just so glad you’re here right now.” He knew he sounded beyond corny and was repeating himself, but he could say it a thousand times and never be able to fully express in words how utterly thankful he was that Eric had survived and was with him. He didn’t want to imagine a life without him. They’d only been officially together for a few days, but he was already head-over-heels for Eric. “You know, I think I’m starting to realize why, exactly, I so badly wanted to save you,” Eric said slyly. Aiden lifted his head to glance up at Eric, who stood just a few inches taller than him. “When? In the park?” Eric put a finger under Aiden’s chin and leaned in close. “Mhmm. I’m almost ready to tell you. But I think there’s something else I want to do first.” “What’s that?” he whispered. His body was quickly heating up again with Eric so close. He was pretty sure he knew exactly what it was, which only made his cheeks burn hot with desire. “You want to find out?” Eric breathed, his lips mere inches away from Aiden’s own. “Yes,” he barely managed to answer. He wanted this. He needed this. Eric leaned forward and kissed him. His lips were warm and soft, and for that one moment, absolutely nothing else mattered but how close they were. Movies and tv shows made first kisses always seem so magical, and Aiden had always thought they were just dramatizing it, but now he understood. His first kiss with Eric was so much better than he ever could have imagined, and it left him craving even more. When he finally broke away, Eric gasped, “Who gave you the right to be so perfect?” “I’m not perfect,” he replied. He didn’t feel even close to being perfect, but even so, Eric had a way of making him feel completely special. Eric grinned playfully, dragging his tongue across his fangs. “Tell that to my heart, Aiden. It won’t believe it.” “What do you mean?” he asked, trying desperately to ignore how Eric was sending even more delightful shivers down his spine. “There’s something about vampires I didn’t explain before: We can always tell when we’ve found our perfect match, the person who will make us happiest. I’m pretty sure now that that’s you.” His eyes widened with surprise. “Me…?” Eric gently caressed his cheek. “You.” He smiled shyly. As crazy as it sounded, he believed it. He and Eric were meant to be. “I guess that’s why I feel so comfortable and safe with you,” he murmured, leaning into his touch. “I guess that’s why I decided to just out myself like I did.” Aiden laughed and said, “Well, it worked. Even if I, um, kind of freaked out at first.” “An understandable reaction,” Eric laughed in return. “I’m just… really, really glad I met you,” he admitted. And he meant it wholeheartedly. Meeting Eric had changed his life for the better so much already, and he didn’t regret any of it for a second. Life was better with Eric, and he had a feeling they’d be together for a long, long time.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorsMichael & Tierney Ford Archives
July 2023
|