For once the weather channel was right. The rays of sun were swallowed by thick clouds and the rain had started to fall. As Lilith pulled her boots on, Melinda turned to her. “Please can I take some of those packs with me?”
“Of course,” Lilith walked to the kitchen, Melinda in tow, “you can take as much as you’d like.” She opened the pantry and paused. “Do you think April and Faith might want some?”
Melinda nodded. “If that’s OK. I don’t want you to starve because of us.”
“I’ll survive.”
–
The pair navigated the pathway back to the house. With the slightly increased light levels, Melinda could see that it was a fairly straight-forward route and tried to commit it to memory.
The path once again opened up and the creepy house became visible along with the frantic, purple-lipped vamp on the porch.
“Mel! Oh my god!” Faith came running towards her. “April! She’s here! She’s OK!” She grabbed Melinda and pulled her into a tight embrace as sun started to break through the clouds. “Mel, I was so worried. Why didn’t you take your phone? Where have you been? And who are you?” she asked, noticing Lilith for the first time.
“This is… um… this is…” How do I introduce you, Lilith? The sister of the guy who ruined our lives?
Lilith sighed, stepped forward and extended her hand. “I’m Lilith.”
Faith reached out to take it but their palms had barely touched before she recoiled.
“Well, fuck me. You’re one of us.”
April had appeared on the porch, beckoning them over. Faith looked between Lilith and Melinda, her mind racing with questions.
“I can explain,” Melinda offered as she headed towards the house.
“So you saw a cat, followed it, got lost in the woods and just happened to find yourself at a fellow vampire’s house?” April settled back in her chair and laughed to herself. “Wow. You’ve had quite a night.”
“Haven’t I just,” Melinda said.
Faith narrowed her eyes but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to, Lilith still heard her. Just happened upon a vampire? What are the odds…
“And you make these pack things, Lilith? You don’t drink directly from people at all?” April was looking at Lilith with wide, fascinated eyes.
“No.”
Faith turned a pack over in her hands feeling the contents slide about suspiciously. “What is it?”
Why do I really wanna bite it? Don’t bite it, look unimpressed.
“It’s a mixture of blood and body tissues,” Lilith explained. “It takes a bit of getting used to, but it scratches the itch and it means no hunting.”
“Huh.” Faith placed the packet back on the table. “Interesting.” I kinda enjoyed my method. I guess I can still bang strangers for fun. Plus, if it’ll stop any more fatalities…
Lilith smiled, “When you need more, just come find me, if you can remember the way?”
Melinda laughed, “I might need to follow the cat.”
Lilith looked up to see April still staring at her like she was an attraction at the zoo.
April said, “Melinda really likes cats.”
Caleb was right. She is very strange, Lilith thought to herself, leaving Faith’s mind and listening carefully now to April’s.
There aren’t supposed to be any others. Lilith’s really pretty. Is she prettier than me?
April clapped her hands. “I have so many questions!” she squealed. “Where shall we start? Ooh! How long have you been a vampire?”
How many other vampires are there? Why didn’t he tell me about her?
“Over three hundred years,” Lilith responded. Her tone had changed, her smile gone.
“Three hundred?” April’s mouth dropped open. “So you were alive when the vampire hunts were going on? Do you know Caleb Vatore?” He lied to me! He said he didn’t have anybody.
Melinda went to speak but Lilith quickly interjected, her voice strained. “I did… at least, I used to. How do you know him?”
Melinda took this cue and stayed silent.
“He was the one who turned me into a vampire, against my will,” April said gravely. She looked between Faith and Melinda. “But I forgive him.”
And I’m still here if he still needs someone.
Lilith got to her feet, tried to smile. “It was great meeting you all. I think I’d better be going. Melinda, come by again soon, very soon. Yes?”
“I will. Let me see you out.”
Melinda bid farewell to Lilith and was lingering just outside the front door, overhearing the tail-end of a hushed, angry conversation.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” Faith said.
“Do what?” Melinda asked.
“Talk to Caleb,” Faith smirked.
“That’s not—” April began.
“Why do you want Faith to talk to him? Talk to him about what? How can you even forgive him?” Melinda asked. “He destroyed our lives!” She was relieved that April did not seem to notice the doubt in her voice.
Faith laughed, bitterly. “She won’t be able to control her loins around him.”
“Faith!” April felt the heat rise to her face as she stumbled for words. “I would! I just think he’s a bit… misunderstood, is all. We should give him a chance. Lilith however—“
“He attacked you!” Melinda reminded her.
“Allegedly,” Faith mumbled.
“What can I say? I’m a forgiving person. Besides, we need to talk about Lilith—” April stressed, looking intently at Faith.
Faith snorted. If April wanted to play games now, she was playing them her way. “You finally get away from one lunatic who ruined your life and immediately go for another. Do you just enjoy the pain, Blondie?”
April rounded on Faith, her eyes glowing with rage. “Too far!”
Melinda managed to step between the two as April lunged at Faith. With strength that defied her tiny frame, she caught April’s wrists and managed to restrain her.
April’s irises were so light that Melinda could barely see them. She looked over to Faith, noticing that she appeared to be the same.
Was this what thirst looked like?
“I think you both need to feed,” Melinda said calmly, picking up a couple of packs off the table. “Let me get these warmed up for you.”
April looked to Faith and mouthed do something!
Faith got to her feet and slapped the pouches out of Melinda’s hands, hating herself. “I don’t want that weird juice, Melinda.”
“Something we can agree on,” April said quietly.
Melinda looked between the two of them, confused. “But I thought…”
Faith sighed, “We need to feed on live people. Besides, you can hardly protest after what you did to Paul.”
“Paul? No, I didn’t do anything to Paul—“
“It’s OK, we dealt with it. But please, Mel. Come back to your senses.”
“I never lost my senses!”
“You’re stalking the woods at night! Befriending deadly strangers! Trying to make us drink unknown liquids!”
“Lilith’s nice! She doesn’t even drink from people and she has lots of chance to!”
“Then are you completely sure she doesn’t?” Faith took Melinda’s hands, her voice softening. “You’ve only just met her. And you’re really vulnerable right now. She could have really hurt you.”
April had appeared beside Faith. “We care about you Mel.” She brushed Melinda’s fringe from her eyes. “You shouldn’t have gone in her house. Think what could have happened! And there could be anything in these pouches.”
“But—“
“We’re competition for her, Mel. She could be trying to poison us.”
Melinda’s lip quivered. “But… but…” she whimpered, feeling foolish. “She said… and he—“
April pulled Melinda into her arms. “I’m really sorry, Mel. I wish I could tell you what you want to hear. You need to stay away from Lilith. We’ll look after you.”
Melinda started to cry as April soothed her, rocked her.
Faith had to turn away.
She didn’t mind being the bad guy, if she had to be. If it protected someone she loved.
She just wasn’t sure who this was protecting.
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Almost Eternal 
Hmm, I wonder where this “she thinks we’re competition” talk is coming from. Certainly wouldn’t be the girls projecting their own feelings about Lilith, or them having seen each other as competition long before they even turned into vampires, would it?
I hope Melinda leaves them and just goes to Lilith. At this point in time, there’s not much the other two can do for her, they’re far too focused on themselves – which is fair for someone just being thrust into a vampire life, and normal for someone like April. Maybe they should just take some time apart, meet again when they’re more mature. Though I’d suspect they’d be even more different by then.
April of course keeps insistong on her story. If Faith ever meets Caleb, she’ll jump right at his throat. And April will be confused and hurt about it. Ugh. Teenagers 😂
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Certainly projection. This pretty new vamp all up in their space, stealing what’s theirs…
Something has to break soon. Very, very soon. 😉
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Oh yeah. My question was definitely rhetorical. Err, I mean, the girls are being sensible and rational about this 😆
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So who exactly are they trying to protect?
I think Faith is so driven by her own lust and her delight in seducing men.
April has finally been allowed to feel the sweetness of power after a hard childhood in oppression. She is not willing to give up power again …. which only makes her a lousy copy of her mother … the woman she is trying to win over.
Neither of the two is willing to replace the blood hunt with a boring plasma juice.
Now Melinda’s so-called girlfriends are trying to make her believe that they will only protect her from the evil of the world.
It made me so happy to see that Lilith showed Melinda so much care and help.
Should I now believe that she will annihilate Melinda? I have a hard time believing that.
… but it’s not my story so I think anything is possible.
As for Caleb … it’s still a mystery, but maybe the truth is somewhere in between.
I’m anxiously waiting to get wiser 🙂
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The girls convince themselves that they are protecting Melinda from this unknown, potentially deadly, vampire but you are right, they have their own motivations for continuing to do things their own way and these may be stronger…
Unfortunately, this is one situation where Melinda allows their judgement to cloud her own. Going into the Vatore’s house by herself was reckless and could have ended very badly and despite not seeing Lilith as a threat now, having her foolishness pointed out to her has made Melinda question her own decision-making ability.
Something will happen this week that will bring Melinda (and yourself) some clarity.
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Oooooffffffff Faith’s and April’s manipulation of Melinda reaaaaallly doesn’t sit well with me. Even if they’re not completely aware of what they’re doing. They weren’t even willing to hear her out. Just bulldozed right over her and made her doubt herself to the point of crying. That is not friendship. I don’t think they even heard a signle word of what she was trying to say. Too busy with themselves, it seems. This whole friend group is on the verge of breaking.
Gah, I feel so bad for Mel now. C’mere, honey, forget about those two and let Yimi find you some real friends.
“We should give him a chance. Lilith however—“
And what’s up with you instantly seeing Lilith as a threat, April? I know you’re insecure and not exactly mentally stable, but do you have to add obsessive jealousy to the list, too? xD
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This facade of friendship is definitely at breaking point.
Aww, Melinda. There must be someone out there for you. But will you go find them?
A threat? Lilith? You mean that ‘pretty’ vamp who just turned up at the door, claiming she’s known a guy you’re slightly obsessed with for 300 years and he neglected to mention her? Why would that make April jealous?
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Turf war anyone?
Melly just needs to go back to Lilith. They have the same mindset, and she would make a good mentor for her. Of course, Mel would have to grow a backbone and leave friends she’s known for much longer, even though those “friends” are manipulating her.
Ugh, what a lovely mess. 🙂
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Melinda’s already stormed into a stranger’s house and berated the vampire within, so maybe there’s more of a backbone developing in the little vamp then she realises…
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Have to say, I’m enjoying the ambiguity here. Faith, April, and Melinda are each acting in line with their own value systems, and they’re already established enough so that someone who’s read this far could already guess what they were going to do. Faith being violently skeptical of Lilith and the evil Capri Suns (I REFUSE TO SAY ‘PLASMA PACKS’)? I mean… yeah. Melinda being totally trusting of Lilith and hoping immediately to work together while respecting each other’s boundaries? For sure. April bypassing the entire conflict to chase dick? Spot-on.
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Nope, can’t change my mind. Caleb is trash. Also, a picture of events is starting to emerge that is…whew boy.
God, I forgot that teenage girls are literal monsters to each other.
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I’m sure it’s a very pretty picture, not at all full of despair and disaster, right?
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Hmmm. Faith seems to be under April’s influence right now. I wonder if it matters in your world who turned who. I’m working with the assumtion that it does and that it is how April gained a better control over Faith than she ever had as a human. Or it may be that becoming a vampire brought out the worse of Faith. There’s definitely some serious power struggle going on underneath.
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“There’s definitely some serious power struggle going on underneath” hold on to this. Hee hee hee.
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Uh ok I see where Faith and April are coming from, mistrusting the next best stranger. Lilith doesn’t sport a dick and 2005s emo haircut (alternatively man bun) which would immediately raise trustworthiness I suppose, so better watch out! Not good if Betty Page sucked dry all available dudes in the neighborhood before Faith and April could!
Anyway I’d second Mel to change residence, she can’t do worse than her friends are now I guess.
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Just don’t trust anyone with a weird haircut and you’re good. Or do trust them. I’m not sure. I should probably not try and reply to comments when I’ve had gin.
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So Faith and April both have the same glowy eyes. Cool! Also, why am I not surprised that Faith is instantly against the weird juice? I´d said it before, I´ll say it again. The girl has some strong instincts. She ain´t gonna take this.
And while, yes, I see how April is being jealous of Lilith… that doesn´t make her words exactly wrong. If I were a young fledgeling, I´d be afraid of older, more powerful vampires, too. I mean, those and vampire hunters are some of the very few living beings still able to hurt you, right? And while Lilith wouldn´t (maybe, I still remember her considering “just killing the stupid girl”) exactly get rid of them now, they have no way to be sure.
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Strong instincts indeed. 😁
Who do you trust when everything has gone bum up? Stick with your kind, safety in numbers? Yes, Lilith did say that Caleb should have ‘killed the stupid girl’ and Melinda heard that. All rather foolish on Melinda’s part, perhaps, no wonder her friends are concerned. Definitely no ulterior motives there, just concern for Mel. Probably.
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Oh, I have my theory, here. But even I know I should not poke that. Yet.
Psh… no. There is ulterior motives galore. I just mean to say, the craftiest way to convince someone to do what you want them to do is to use arguments that make perfect sense. April isn´t as… lost, as she might sometimes seem. Not completely, at least.
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