by Dylan Keefer
“It was sweet. And I might have said yes, but I feel that right now, with my brain the way it is, I can’t dedicate any time to things like that, even in a casual form. You understand what I mean?”
John smiled. "Yeah, I do. So, how about, we stay friends for now? And when you feel better, if I'm single and you don't discover you have a partner waiting for you somewhere, we can give this a try?" He was still close to her, but now he started to back away. She let go of his wrist.
"Sure, I'd like that." Prudence tried to smile, but just as her lips moved, she felt her fangs had started extending. She quickly closed her mouth. It might have been too quick because one of her fangs scraped the inside of her mouth and lower gums. Prudence's eyes widened. She quickly swallowed whatever blood she had in her mouth. The blood was a faint mix of sour and bitter.
“Well, if you need help again ask.” John put his hands in his pocket. “Bye.”
Prudence knew she couldn't open her mouth. The panic overwhelmed her, and she no longer thought of the fuzzy feelings in her stomach. Her fangs were not retracting. She wanted to run away. In her frantic search, she saw a stack of napkins on John's table. She grabbed one and covered her mouth and nose with it.
“Sorry, I think I have a cold.” She mumbled through the napkin, hoping blood didn’t drip anywhere.
John nodded, walking even further away, but his posture was still relaxed, and he didn’t seem offended. “That’s okay.”
“Bye.” Prudence turned and headed for the door.
Charlotte, who was already in the car waiting, raised her eyebrows when Prudence got inside and sighed. That was when her fangs retracted up into her gums.
“Do I need to be worried?” Charlotte seemed to be smirking. “Did ya eat him? Do I need to go and get the first aid kit?”
“No, he’s fine. But I need to learn how to control these things. I almost blew it.” Prudence allowed herself to laugh and be pleased with how well she handled it despite the problem.
After a short recap, Charlotte lit a cigarette. “So, they torched the place. Figures. Also, good job on the park idea. I used to think ya were good at pretending because ya had to hide the vampireness, but now I think ya were a calculating woman. Also, no you’re not too big of a monster to be in a relationship, or even knock boots with someone.”
“Thanks.” Prudence smiled. While it did make her feel better, she didn’t believe Charlotte’s words. “What about the heartbeat thing?”
“Well, we knew the guy that brought you here was a vampire, so maybe ya grew up in that world? Maybe ya saw humans as snacks.”
“I don’t feel that way about you. Or Milo, which I am glad about. And I don’t think I feel that way about John.”
“Well, we didn’t flirt with you. And I have seen the way ya look at people, so ya’re definitely into guys. Only maybe they need to be undead for you not to feel weird about being with them. I am certain that ya didn’t stay a virgin for all of that time. Ya are a creature of the night; ya don’t follow our dumb rules. I bet you had all kinds of wonderful, toe curling experiences.”
“Which I do not remember. So, it’s the same as if I never had those experiences. All I have is a vague feeling that I have experienced something like that before.” Prudence thought back at her familiarity with flirting. She shook her head to stop thinking about it and focused on Charlotte's cigarette. "You know, you said you smoke, but this is only the second or third time I've seen you with a cigarette. You smoke one and then stop. That's the same package you had a few days ago."
“I smoke when I’m stressed. And I smoked two on the balcony yesterday after we came home.” Charlotte blew the smoke out of the window. “I prefer destroying my lungs over drinking myself into a stupor and losing a few brain cells.”
“And this impairs you far less in the short run.” Prudence imagined Charlotte facing a vampire hunter drunk. It was over pretty quickly and not the least bit funny. She did not know how she would feel if someone she knew got hurt.
“Tomorrow I don’t have work. So, I’ll go get your IDs, finish some errands, and I’ll then take what the good doctor needs to the hospital, then take him out. Means ya can do whatever you want tomorrow.”
"I think I'll walk around town a bit." Prudence was not only feeling cramped; she felt bored. She knew the sun didn't really bother her if she wore a hat and long sleeves, so walking around would be perfectly fine. While she didn’t mind spending time alone or with Milo, she wanted to see what the town had to offer.
“Sure, I’ll leave ya some money, and explain the currency. I know ya must hate being at home all the time. I know I do. Just don’t come and say hi if ya see me and the doc.” Charlotte pulled into the driveway.
“I am perfectly capable of not ruining a dinner. And whatever that dinner leads to.” Prudence got out of the car.
Milo had been cooking again. This time, Prudence sat down and ate immediately. The food didn’t nourish her nearly as much as blood did, but it filled a need blood never could.
She ignored the spicy sauce in the bowl on the table, while Charlotte took it and liberally poured it over her food. Prudence figured that if her scent and sight were better than a human’s, maybe her taste buds were too. She didn’t want to overwhelm herself.
After the dinner, Milo heard the explanation for Charlotte’s phone call.
“There hasn’t been anything off here, and maybe there won’t be, but I’ll be careful either way.” He shrugged.
“I’m not risking anyone. If this whole conspiracy exists, then the people who killed off everyone else in our family are the same people who now know we’re here.” Charlotte lit another cigarette.
Milo turned and studied Prudence’s face. She knitted her eyebrows, unable to decipher his expression.
“Anything you want to say, Milo?” She asked him directly. She quickly dismissed the idea he was angry at her because he did not look it.
“I don’t want you to feel like you’re the reason this is happening.” Milo reached over and held Prudence’s hand. She found the warmth comforting.
“I’m not. According to what we know, I didn’t really have a choice in the matter.” Prudence shrugged. “If we were to blame anyone, I would more turn to the man who brought me here or the ones after me.”
Charlotte smirked. “She’s not like ya Milo.”
Milo rolled his eyes at Charlotte. "It's normal for people to feel bad even if it's not their fault. You focus on the case; I focus on other things, like making sure our new friend doesn’t feel bad about herself."
“I appreciate it anyway.” Prudence squeezed his hand in return. Deep inside she was happy he cared enough to say it.
Milo and Charlotte soon retreated to their rooms. Prudence didn't really understand what Milo specifically did, but she knew it involved a lot of books, reading, and writing. He was hunched over on his bed, his floor and sheets covered with paper, books, and pens. He looked really peaceful and almost beautiful like that, she thought. He seemed to be right at home and at peace, his breathing was steady. His face was furrowed in concentration. Prudence had never really seen someone concentrate that much on something.
She didn’t really like standing to the side and observing people, it felt too odd, so she investigated the rest of the rooms.
Charlotte was asleep in her bed, on her stomach, face full of a pillow, her covers and sheets bunched around as if she had a fight in the bed. Prudence quickly closed the door, not wanting to wake Charlotte.
The other rooms have not been touched since their occupants died. Which meant everything was in the same place, and there was a thick layer of dust everywhere. She could tell which rooms belonged to older people, and which to younger ones.
She opened drawers, rummaged through notebooks and diaries, but didn’t find anything too interesting. There was nothing about her, even in Uncle Tim’s room. There were date books and diaries with random details about their life. And while the visits to the graveyard were mentioned, nothin
g else was. Prudence was amazed at the level of secrecy.
In a few rooms, she found ledgers with payments and names, which she assumed was the only thing showing the family’s criminal past. She couldn’t understand what the acronyms meant, or if the different pen colors meant different things, or if the person lost their pens a lot.
There were various weapons as well. There was a whole cabinet filled with rifles and guns. In a drawer she found knives.
Prudence stopped and thought of how the vampire hunter had caught her off guard. After a few seconds of thought, she picked a small switchblade out of the bunch. After checking she knew how to use it, and that it was sharp, she put it in her pants pocket. While she wasn't sure she was ever going to use it, the fact it was there made her feel safer. And she didn’t really want Milo or Charlotte to have to save her all the time.
When she made her way down the stairs, she stopped at a cabinet. It was light and reminded her of the one in her dream. She opened it. The inside had a bunch of old photos of the Davenports. She picked up album by album, and envelope after envelope, looking through them but didn’t recognize anyone. No photographs of the time she came here would exist, so she didn’t bother looking for the man that brought her here. Though she did find a photo of the woman whose grave she was in and whose name she was using.
That Prudence couldn’t be more different. She had a round smiley face and light hair. She seemed nice and cheery. Her smile lit up all the other faces around her. As the photos went on, that Prudence aged but never lost her light. The vampire Prudence looked at the photos with an expression of longing. The smile reminded her of things she might never have. She didn’t know if she aged. And the prospect of living forever, watching everything around you age and break apart suddenly seemed like a very real possibility. She didn’t know if she could handle losing people she cared about, even if they have lived a full life.
She started wondering if she had anyone out there that cared for her. Was she a product of a banned romance, or something more twisted? Was she unwanted? Or did her parents spend their nights guarding her? Was her mother a vampire, or her father? Is one of them still alive? If they are, would they cheer her hunters on, or try and stop them?
She put the photos back and focused on the feelings cropping up in her head, trying to see if they would jog something. She wished she could remember why that man had put her to sleep, leaving her alone. And did he actually plan on coming back and explaining himself, or did he lie? Or was he already dead? If she had her memories, would she feel sad about it? Did the person Prudence was before care about that man?
Prudence hugged her knees and watched the sunrise. Later, she went downstairs for her daily dose of blood.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Milo had woken up first. Prudence found him in the kitchen.
“Want breakfast?” He smiled at her. Prudence nodded. He gave her what he said was toast and a cup of coffee, and then watched her carefully as she heated up her blood in the microwave. Prudence noticed how softly he always observed her. It was something she couldn’t fathom. Didn’t he know she was a monster that fed on his kind?
“You’re catching up quickly.” He beamed at her. Prudence felt better.
Prudence hadn’t tried coffee before, but considering Milo and Charlotte had it every morning, she could guess what it did.
“I drink it with a lot of milk, while Charlotte adds a lot of sugar. Try and see how you like it.”
Prudence decided to try drinking it plain then adding milk, then sugar. She didn’t like it at all, but she did find it gave her a lot of energy. She finally realized how Milo could sleep so little and still function.
Charlotte came in and scarfed down the food without blinking. “I’ll be leaving right away because I want to kick our little friend’s butt into gear. Plus, I’m excited about getting everything I need to do done.”
Prudence didn’t really pay attention to the rush. She slowly got ready, putting on clothes she assumed would be comfortable in all day, which wound up being a long dress. She brushed her hair and put on a floppy hat. She liked her freedom of choosing whatever she wanted to wear. She picked up a jacket and some shoes by the door.
Charlotte gave her a wallet with money, writing down the currencies. Prudence found she didn’t need a lot of time to remember them. After the first time she saw them they were engraved in her mind.
“What do ya want to do? There is a museum, and a movie theater, and a lot of shops and some restaurants, but not a lot else.” Charlotte was running a brush through her hair.
“I’ll see. I have all day.” Prudence shrugged.
“Okay… well, here.” Charlotte gave Prudence a cell phone. “This is an old phone I had. If ya want to call me, just press and hold the number two button until the thing starts ringing. If ya want to call Milo, press the number three button the same way. Then put it to your ear and talk.” Charlotte mimicked a phone call.
“I understand, thanks. But I don’t know where to put all these things.”
"Here." Charlotte gave Prudence a smaller brown bag hanging on a hook. "Just toss anything in there. I'll ring ya, to give ya your ID so that ya can go anywhere."
“Thank you.” Prudence gave Charlotte a smile.
Outside, it was loud and crowded. Prudence navigated the street. It looked filled with people, but considering she knew the town held around 500,000 residents, she would bet it was a slow day. She walked along the street, trying to figure out which building and store were for what just by glance. The more she walked, the more it seemed she understood the way the world worked better. The way people whizzed around fast but stopped to greet everyone anyway. People rarely bumped into her, but when they did, they apologized. One of those people was an old man. Prudence was certain he couldn't see very well, and he tipped his hat to her after she helped him with his dropped grocery bag and his cane.
She stopped at a store that had a pair of shears on the window, with a silhouette of a woman’s face. She had just come close to it when an older woman came out of there and started talking.
“Hello, dear are you here for an appointment?” The woman seemed very excited.
When Prudence shook her head, the woman waved it off. “No matter, I got a cancellation, and I know you’re Charlotte’s cousin, and that makes you an important client.” The woman linked her arm to Prudence’s and dragged her into the store.
“I’m Gladys, and oh dear, I can’t imagine how you must feel, having that horrible experience. Well, I know just the thing to help. A little pampering never hurts, and always calms the nerves. Let’s see if we can make that hair of yours easier to manage and beautiful to boot.”
Prudence was intrigued by the woman’s energy, so she let her do whatever she wanted. Gladys washed Prudence’s hair, which Prudence found very relaxing and then sat Prudence in a chair facing a large mirror. Prudence sat there as Gladys described what she was going to do. She also paid attention to a gaggle of women in the back of the store, their hair wrapped in foil, talking about rumors in the town.
“I heard they thought it was a mugging gone wrong.”
“But what mugger needs a cop uniform?”
“I still think it’s some kids being dragged into one of those fads, trying to break into places and mess with things. I swear people have gone crazy.”
“Well, we won’t know. The government picked it up.”
“Good, maybe they’ll find out what is it really, and stop it.”
“Or maybe just cover it up.”
“Oh, please Muriel.”
"What? I watch those television shows; I know how government types can be. Who cares about a few deaths in a tiny little town?"
“Well, he was definitely not a local.”
“Maybe whoever it was left.”
One of the women saw her and nudged the others. Prudence was glad she had been staring directly in front of her instead of at them. The women started whispering, and Prudence thanked her advanced hearing
again.
“That girl there… she’s the new Davenport isn’t she?”
“Oh, poor dear, she doesn’t know who she is, doesn't she?”
“You can never trust what that family says.”
"Oh, who would lie about that? Plus, my niece saw her in the hospital. It seems she had a car accident."
“Poor thing. I wonder which side she’s from. She doesn’t look a lot like the boy or girl, and I haven’t seen her before.”
“I bet she’s from Charlotte’s father’s side. There are a lot of people on that side who hadn’t been seen here a long time. And a lot of them traveled abroad.”
“I wonder if her crash had anything to do with all the deaths.”
“Don’t start again with the curse talk, Muriel.”
“You don’t find it odd? So many Davenports dead and this young woman in a car accident.”
“It’s not a curse. Their past caught up with them, and their spawn covered it up.”
“Oh, the young Davenports can’t cover up so many deaths. Plus, she was the one pushing for a bigger investigation. My son said so. There were screaming matches.” Prudence struggled not to react at the memory of Charlotte reacting to the news.
“What about that young man?”
“He’s the nice one. Polite, never hurt a fly, only spending time with his books. He tutored my daughter. His mother raised him well. He didn’t even know about his family reputation. He’d never do it.” Prudence raised her eyebrow, trying to not move because Gladys had scissors. She never knew that Milo didn’t know about the bad things. She wondered if he felt the same way she did when she found out what she was. Yes, he didn’t do anything, unlike Prudence, but it must have been hard. Was that why he was so comfortable with her?
“Plus, the girl is the one with the knowledge.”
"I still think it's a curse. They have so much bad karma; it's bound to come back at them."
“Oh, speaking of that, did you hear, the Smith boy found out his wife was going at it with the handyman.”
Prudence stopped listening when the conversation turned. She focused on Gladys and how the light shined off her silver hair.
