Mom: It's dark, why are you outside? You ain't seen what's going on on the news?
Madeline: Momma, will you bring me to B&S?
Mom: It's a little late, don't you think?
Madeline: They're still opened, I checked.
Madeline: I wanna let them know I put in an application.
Mom: Baby, you don't wanna work there, that's a bad area.
Lilith: [ sighs ]
Breanna: Lilith?
Lilith: [ gasps ] Breanna?!
Lilith: W-What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!
Breanna: You're here too you know...
Breanna: I gotta ask you something important.
Lilith: That's not—that's no excuse to stray so far!
Breanna: So what are you doing here then?
Lilith: I should be asking you that question!
Breanna: [ groaning ] Are you dumb? You're not even listening to me! I just told you!
Breanna: You're just like him. You got big ears but you don't fucking listen. Pay attention! I said I have a serious question to ask, goddamn it!
Lilith: [ giggling ] Of course. Where are my manners? Come, my friend. What will you have of me?
Breanna: There was this guy, and he... uh...
Lilith: Is something the matter?
Breanna: Huh. Well shit. I forgot.
Lilith: Hmm. Sounds very serious.
Breanna: That's so weird. I thought about it the whole walk over.
Breanna: Oh well. I guess it wasn't that important after all.
Breanna: Where's Lilith?
Caleb: Hello to you too, Breanna.
Breanna: Sorry, is Lilith home? I gotta talk to her, it's important.
Caleb: I thought she was with you.
Caleb: It's getting late. She'll be home soon I reckon. You can wait with me, if you like.
Caleb: I never congratulated you on your transformation. Vampirism looks good on you. It's really rather impressive how quickly you adapted.
Breanna: Huh? Oh. You really think so?
Caleb: Honestly, I thought I wouldn't see you 'til winter, I did.
Breanna: I guess I'm pretty strong, huh? Was it, like, hard for you?
Caleb: Ah... hard is an understatement.
Caleb: Lilith got it bad, too. We had her locked in the basement for months.
Caleb: Used to throw chunks of meat down the hatch and listen to her catch 'em. Sometimes she'd ram into the door so hard it'd shake on the hinges.
Caleb: God, and that noise—that growling. You could hear it through the pipes like the house was groaning.
Caleb: Vladislaus would make this face, like he was terrified the wood would splinter. He'd tell me, it's alright, it's all under control, but he was right scared, he was.
Caleb: [ sighs ] Always lying through his teeth...
Breanna: Do you know him well?
Caleb: Who, Vladislaus? Sure, maybe. I only known him practically my whole life. Why?
Breanna: Do you know if he's... seeing anybody?
Caleb: Why? Did he say something?
Breanna: No... but there was this guy earlier. They seemed close.
Caleb: Oh. Ah. I dunno. You tried asking him?
Breanna: He said they're associates.
Caleb: Maybe it's true.
Breanna: Yeah, right. Associates. That's such bullshit.
Caleb: [ sighs ] You know, I get the impulse, I really do, but Vladislaus is the wrong choice.
Breanna: Huh?
Caleb: You're young, and you got eternity now. You got your life back.
Caleb: Why not go see the world?
Caleb: If I were you, I'd be traveling. Not wasting my time pining after some old man.
Breanna: ...I like it here. Maybe you don't, but I do. I don't gotta stress. I don't gotta worry.
Breanna: Out here, I can forget. At least here... he's... nice to me.
Caleb: Don't think it's right, bedding your sire, but if you want the headache, have at it. Careful you don't break his hips. He is ancient, after all.
Breanna: Huh? Who said anything about—I'm not—I never said—what makes you think that?!
Caleb: You're the one asking about his relationships.
Breanna: A girl can't ask questions?!
Breanna: Like I'd ever care who Vlad's dating! I'd never want to—ugh. With him?! Ugh! I wasn't even talking about that, I'd never ask about that! You fucking pervert!
Breanna: Stop asking me questions you pervert!
Caleb: I didn't ask nothing.
Breanna: Ugh, I'm going to find Lilith!
Breanna: [ thinking to herself ] Shit... that was close.
Breanna: [ thinking to herself ] ...He can't tell, can he?
Breanna: [ thinking to herself ] Nah, I'm good, he definitely can't tell.
after stumbling upon the world of supernaturals and befriending a powerful and enigmatic vampire, she realizes the choice is simple. she could abandon her humanity, or she could go back home. and breanna realizes, more than anything, that she can never go back home.
Breanna: It don't hurt, does it?
Vladislaus: It is healed, mostly. I am grateful you only took one bite.
Breanna: [ slurping ] You want some of this?
Vladislaus: No. Thank you.
Breanna: Uhuh. Hey, so is cannibalism a thing with vampires?
Vladislaus: Of course. Cannibalism is found within many species. It is only natural it occurs in our kind as well.
Breanna: Oh. I bet that's a big problem. Hey, what about restaurants?
Vladislaus: What about them?
Breanna: Do vampires got restaurants? I bet that would help with the cannibalism thing.
Vladislaus: There is an entire city at our disposal. There are many such opportunities for fine dining experiences.
Breanna: Huh? Oh. You could've just said yes, but okay. I bet you read a lot.
Breanna: Hey, so do vampires have libraries?
Vladislaus: Yes, Breanna. We have libraries.
Breanna: Yeah, you sound like you read a lot.
Vladislaus: Thank you.
Breanna: That wasn't a compliment.
Breanna: Hey, by the way, where are we going?
Vladislaus: To the headmaster. She wishes to meet you.
Breanna: Oh, right. Hey, so I got another question.
Vladislaus: Yes, I'm sure you do.
Breanna: What's that supposed to mean?
Vladislaus: Nothing at all.
Breanna: I feel like you're making fun of me.
Vladislaus: What is your question, my dear?
Breanna: It was—uh—oh. Yeah. About when I bit you. You were bleeding. And last night, when you cut your hand—you bled then too. How's that work? How do you bleed if you're dead?
Vladislaus: You are mistaken. We are not dead. It is the opposite. As vampires, we are made to live. We experience life in its most concentrated form. Food tastes better, music sounds sweeter, and my God, Breanna, the sex.
Breanna: ...
Vladislaus: ...
Vladislaus: [ clears throat ] My point is, we are not dead, we are more alive than any other.
Breanna: That's... good? Right?
Frankie: Hey! Heyyyyy! HEEEYYYYYY! HEYY VLADDY DADDY! [ coughs ] ah shit, HEY VLAD! C'MON LITTLE MAN, I KNOW YOU SEE ME!!!!!!! HEYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vladislaus: Of course. If you pay no mind to the minor setbacks.
Breanna: Huh? What setbacks?
Vladislaus: The part where we eat the flesh of innocents, my sweet summer child.
Breanna: Oh. How'd you know my birthday's in the summer?
Frankie: C'mon peepaw! Get some fuckin' hearin' aids! [ whistles ] Yoohoo! Over hereee!
Breanna: Who's that guy over there? I think he's calling for you.
Breanna: Hello? Mr. Straud? Are you listening to me?
Breanna: Do you know that guy?
Vladislaus: [ clears throat ] No.
Vladislaus: [ in Frankie's mind ] Leave me alone.
Frankie: Aww, c'mon, you don't gotta be like—
Vladislaus: [ in Frankie's mind ] I SAID LEAVE.
Frankie: Agh, get outta my head ya pervert.
Breanna: It kinda seems like you know him.
Vladislaus: [ clears throat, louder this time ] As I was saying--our powers come at a great cost. You will do well to remember that.
Breanna: Huh? Oh. You're still on that. I don't really care to be honest.
Vladislaus: You should. You were human not 24 hours ago. Would you turn your back on your people so quickly?
Breanna: Who's my people? They're lucky I'm nice enough to stick to blood packs.
Vladislaus: The blood packs are a byproduct of our sin.
Vladislaus: For every blood pack you consume, someone must die. Someone must be slaughtered.
Breanna: Get off your high horse dude, you're a vampire too. If you think it's so bad you shouldn't have asked to be turned.
Vladislaus: Is that what you believe?
Vladislaus: [ sighs ] Forgive me. I am being haughty. Truthfully, I envy your nature. You are suited for this life. This world was not made for me, and every interaction I have reminds me so.
Vladislaus: You, however, seem very good at enjoying yourself. You seek decadence, do you not? Vampirism is a decadent lifestyle. You will thrive. I can already tell.
Breanna: ...Oh.
Breanna: [ giggles ] That sounds fun.
Breanna: You make me sound like I put some thought into it.
picture 1
Samra: Hi Caleb! You're back already? Did you need something?
picture 2
Caleb: You seem busy. Do you need help?
Samra: Hey, I'll always take free help!
picture 3
Samra: You know, this is, like, the third time you've shown up this week alone.
Caleb: Is it really? I hadn't noticed.
picture 4
Samra: Wouldn't you rather be on the payroll? You're here all the time anyways.
Caleb: Ah... I don't know if that's a good idea.
Samra: Why not?
picture 5
Caleb: Lilith doesn't want me to burn out. She says I'm still adjusting to Forgotten Hollow. I reckon she's right.
Samra: How long does it take to adjust? You've been back for years!
picture 6
Caleb: She's just trying to look out for me. That's all.
picture 7
Caleb: Besides, we'll have our hands full with the new blood, come tomorrow.
picture 19
Breanna: [ gasping as she startles awake ]
picture 20
Breanna: [ groaning ]
picture 21
[ the faucet runs, obscuring the sound of her retching ]
Breanna: You like to drink, huh?
Vladislaus: I was planning to clean...
Breanna: Uhuh, I bet.
Vladislaus: [ clears throat ] It is no matter, we must continue our training.
Breanna: Training? We can't count all that walking we did as training?
Vladislaus: Training one's powers is very different from training one's legs, my dear.
Breanna: To be honest, I think I got the hang of it.
Vladislaus: What makes you say that?
Breanna: I dunno, I just do.
Vladislaus: Very well, then. Perhaps our training can wait. It's dawned upon me I know very little about you.
Breanna: I dunno nothing about you.
Vladislaus: Tell me something about yourself.
Breanna: You tell me.
Vladislaus: About... yourself?
Breanna: About you, dumbie.
Vladislaus: ...What would you care to know?
Breanna: Where you from?
Vladislaus: I can't say.
Breanna: What, it's a secret?
Vladislaus: I have no memory of my origins.
Breanna: Oh. Oopsies. Well I'm from Louisiana, I lived in Evangeline parish most my life.
Vladislaus: What about your family?
Breanna: ...What about them?
Vladislaus: You must have someone worth mentioning.
Breanna: I got a mom and a sister. That's it.
Vladislaus: That's it?
Breanna: Well, I used to date this one guy...
Vladislaus: What of your father?
Breanna: He died when I was little.
Vladislaus: I'm sorry.
Breanna: It's fine, I don't even think about him honestly. What about you? Do you got any family?
Vladislaus: None that I remember.
Vladislaus: I have spent two centuries here. It is only here that I have any meaningful memories. My spawn are my family, now. Caleb, Lilith... and you.
Breanna: Huh? Oh. Cool.
Vladislaus: [ chuckles ] Perhaps cool is not the word I would use to describe one losing their memories to the passage of time, but to each their own.
Breanna: Nah dude, I hope I lose every last one.
Vladislaus: You say this, but when your past begins to feel like a distant dream, I think you will feel differently.
Breanna: I think you got a big fuckin' head.
Vladislaus: All I ask is you pace yourself. The transition from human to vampire is more overwhelming than you give credit.
Breanna: I'm being careful, you don't have to remind me. I'm not stupid.
Vladislaus: I am urging caution, that is all. I realize your quick progress has emboldened you, but that is all the more reason to heed my warning, girl.
Vladislaus: You cut it very close today.
Breanna: ...It really was an accident.
Vladislaus: I never said it wasn't.
Vladislaus: You are only a fledgling. Of course, it is so that your powers... escape you at times. That is why I urge you to be cautious, my dear.
Vladislaus: [ snickers ] And that is why we have a rigorous training routine!
Breanna: Rigorous, my ass. We haven't done shit today.
Vladislaus: Nothing escapes you.
Breanna: Uhuh. You're alright Mr. Straud.
Vladislaus: Vladislaus, please.
Breanna: My momma always told me to respect my elders.
Vladislaus: Thank you for that.
Breanna: So how old are you anyways?
Vladislaus: [ sighs ] Old enough to know better.
Breanna: I'm 21 by the way.
Vladislaus: Good to know.
Breanna: So you're like 30?
Vladislaus: Is that a serious question?
Breanna: Yes?
Vladislaus: I am well over two centuries old, my dear.
Breanna: Oh. I meant, like, your body.
Vladislaus: Isn't it rude to pry a man about his age?
Breanna: That's only for women dumbass.
Vladislaus: Where do you think you're going?
Breanna: Oh, nowhere. Just going to find Lily. I gotta ask her something important.
Vladislaus: Have you forgotten your training?
Breanna: We're vampires, why would we train in the sun?
Breanna: Shouldn't we train at night?
Vladislaus: I hear your point.
Breanna: It's pretty sad you need me to tell you how to do your job dude.
Vladislaus: It is, isn't it?
Vladislaus: Farewell, little creature. Stay out of trouble.
Breanna: Always!! ❤
