Friday, June 26, 1998

After the long night she’d had, the last thing Vicky wanted was a cold meal. Calling the house, she spoke with Lucas, who suggested that she visit the Colby sisters. This sounded like a fine idea to Vicky, who took down the address, and then called a cab.

Having a random thought, she told the cab dispatcher, “Oh, and tell the driver I’m a very tall albino. I swear, if he leaves me stranded over my looks, I’m going to sue you for discrimination.”

This threat worked, and she took the cab to the house of the Colby triplets, Lucas’ favorite pets. It wasn’t their taste so much as their odd behavioral quirks that he adored.

But at the door, she was greeted by a male voice who grumbled, “Oh, good Christ. Aren’t you people supposed to hate sunlight?”

Offering a close-lipped smile, Vicky said, “We do, but it’s not fatal. I’m sorry for stopping by so early, but I need to speak to…your daughters.”

The old man sighed. “Yeah, come on in. They’re probably not in bed yet.” The gruff tone of his voice softened as she stepped inside. “At least you got a normal job. I don’t care for your punk friend, the talent manager.”

Vicky almost asked who, but realized Lucas must have had to lie to explain his frequent visits. “Oh, Lucas isn’t so bad.”

When the old man shut the door, the windowless hallway made it possible for Vicky to see Mr. Colby. In his youth, he had probably been a very attractive man. Now he was just old and balding, probably in his early sixties, judging from his scent and his wrinkled face.

He said, “I guess so, but I don’t like seeing my girls making themselves up like you people.” Vicky flinched, and he added, “I got nothin’ against you goths, but the fangs? They’re a little much.”

“Oh, um…okay.” Relaxing, Vicky slipped off her sunglasses and put them in her pocket.

Turning away from her, Mr. Colby talked as he went up the stairs in the hall. “People ought to be okay with how they look without modifying themselves. Good grief, how long does it take you to put on make-up?”

“Uh…I don’t wear make-up.”

Mr. Colby stopped and turned around near the top of the stairs. Vicky stopped too, saying nothing while he examined her face.

A glimmer of recognition came to him, and he said, “Those aren’t contact lenses?”

“No, sir, and the fangs aren’t implants.” Vicky offered a tiny smile. “I agree with you that people shouldn’t be ashamed of how they look, but I’m afraid this isn’t an act for me, or for Lucas.”

“Huh.” Mr. Colby turned around and finished climbing the stairs while he said, “Knowing that, I think I’m even more disturbed that the girls are imitating you.”

Vicky huffed a laugh. “I am too.”

Mr. Colby opened a bedroom door, where Vicky expected something similar to the disaster are that Lucas called a room. She did find a few similar band posters on the walls, but there was an order to the posters, each one tacked neatly to line up with a gap its neighbors.

The sisters lounged on the bed in matching black nightgowns, flipping through textbooks. Apparently all three were just getting around to doing homework.

Since she’d last seen them, the triplets had dyed their golden blonde hair raven black, even dyeing their eyebrows to match. If not for their healthy, human-pink skin tones and narrow faces, they could almost pass for starving vampires.

Patricia Colby got up from the bed and smiled at Vicky wide enough to expose her dental implant fangs, but all three sister spoke at the same time. Monica and Lisa watched her with curious expressions as all three sisters asked, “What are you doing here?”

They almost always spoke in unison, and it was damned creepy how synchronized they were. This was the main reason Lucas adored them. But as their coven mate Charles had pointed out on several occasions, sipping from triplets was almost like getting a full hot meal from one person.

“I, um…I started a new job today.” Mr. Colby hadn’t left yet, so Vicky was reluctant to explain her visit. Her reluctance further piqued his curiosity, and he hung at the door. “So…um, Lucas suggested that I visit you about…a hot meal?”

Laughing, Mr. Colby said, “When did you three learn to cook?”

An awkward silence followed before the sisters said, “Dad, we need to talk.”

***

Vicky sighed as she slipped into the bedroom and found Amber already asleep. Then she had a reason to dislike work again. She never got to spend any time with her partner. She pushed the problem away. There would be time to talk after they got up at sunset, and even time for them to speak with Ramona, since Vicky had asked her to stay late.

As she peeled out of her uniform, she thought of breakfast with the Colby sisters. First she’d had to sit and keep her mouth shut while the sisters came out to their father, in more ways than one. But the surprise was how their confessions to being vampire pets didn’t bother Mr. Colby so much as their admission that they were all three trying to seduce Lucas.

As it turned out, Lucas had very little experience drinking blood, so he’d assumed the sisters were completely human. Vicky would have assumed so from their scents, but she’d never fed from them before. All three were mutants, and as she cleaned up after herself and gathered gauze pads for tea, they explained how their synchronized behavior was a weak form of telepathy. They couldn’t read other people, but they shared thoughts even in their sleep.

This last confession didn’t bother Mr. Colby, who had sat through Vicky’s entire breakfast, watching with mild horror as she nicked the forearms of Patricia, Lisa, and then Monica. And as she was finishing up, he asked, “Can you tell if I’m a mutant by sampling my blood?”

She did, and he was. The taste of mutant was actually stronger in him, even though he had no obvious powers. The revelation had unsettled him, but in some ways it helped Vicky to relax. Mr. Colby wouldn’t be calling the police any time soon.

Amber woke up when Vicky slipped into bed, rolling on her side and propping herself up on her arm long enough to offer Vicky a kiss. She slumped back onto her pillow, whispering, “How was work?”

Vicky started with the first visit from the wraiths, working her way up to the second visit from the police, who had thankfully teased her to stop messing with the lights.

Amber listened without interrupting, though this was because she was still trying to wake up.

By the time Vicky finished, Amber was propped on one arm, her head tilted up while she gaped at her partner. “Are you sure this isn’t some kind of trap to take us both out at the same time?”

“No, I don’t think so. This constant hunger is painful for them, and I’m sure they’re desperate for a cure.” Vicky frowned once she spotted a flaw in her plan. “However, once we’ve cured them all bets are off. They are evil creatures by nature.”

“So we need to appeal to their greedy nature by offering something they need.”

“Like what?”

“I’m not sure yet, but I suppose I’ll have to come up with something before you go to work tomorrow night.”

Vicky settled back on her pillow, pushing her arms under the sides to raise her head. “At least I don’t have to go in until 8, by then it should be near dusk, and I’ll only be half blind on my way to work.”

“No, don’t worry, I’ll drive us in the BMW. The Colby triplets brought it back last night.”

“I visited them for dinner.”

Amber laughed several times during Vicky’s retelling of the awkward visit, but her last quiet laugh turned into a yawn. Her eyes fluttered, and her voice was softer as she said, “I have no idea what they’re up to, but unless he’s boffing them, why would he just give up his car?”

“Amber, you can’t tease him for taking interest in his pets.” Vicky smiled and pulled an arm free, reaching across her body to rub the side of Amber’s stomach. “It’s hypocritical.”

“I can tease him because he said I was repulsive, but he lets those three walk all over him.”

“Sure, but be fair. The Colby sisters look like Swedish supermodels, and you look like the psychotic version of a Victorian doll.”

Amber huffed, and Vicky laughed. “Creampuff, you know I adore how you look, but Lucas wanted something else, something taller. Besides, look at how much the sisters changed to suit his taste, and he still hasn’t taken them up on their offers to go on a road trip.”

Laughing, Vicky closed her eyes. “I wonder what they’ll do to him if he ever says yes.” She was starting to drift off when she felt a thump under her hand. She exhaled a soft laugh. “Hey squirt, there you are. Please, don’t tell us you’ve going to be a morning person.”

“Oh, hush.” Amber giggled and set her hand over Vicky’s, letting her partner rub her stomach. “Be grateful that he woke up to visit with you before bed.”

Vicky smiled and closed her eyes. A nagging thought insisted that she was forgetting something important, but she was so tired by then that she couldn’t think straight to remember the rest of her day.

***

Ramona smiled and got up from her desk to offer her hand to Amber. “Hello. Are you applying for a job too?”

Amber shook Romans hand. “No, I’m the stay at home mom and the designated driver.” Ramona let go of her hand, and Amber lowered her sunglasses. “I’m not really one of her people, so daylight doesn’t blind me.”

Ramona nodded and looked at Vicky. “Well, then this is your…partner?”

“Yes, and tonight, I need to bring her in to work with me.” Vicky sat down in the chair in front to Ramona’s desk, and her boss again chose to sit on the edge of the desk. “That’s why I ask you to stay late, so I could run this by you first.”

Ramona’s face fell into a slack look of confusion. “Have you already figured out what’s taking the supplies?”

“Yeah, but if I’m right and Amber performs this spell properly, I’ll be putting myself out of a job.”

Ramona frowned, but her mouth flattened into a thoughtful straight line once she understood. “Whatever is visiting to take the stocks wouldn’t be returning.”

“No, ma’am. There might be others later who come up with the same idea, but I know some things you can do to keep them out of the stock in the refrigerators.”

“Holy water?” Ramona asked.

Vicky smirked, shaking her head. “No, iron.”

“Come again?”

“In the old days, humans kept iron nails in front of their windows, and they hung iron horseshoes over their doors. Over time, they forgot why they did this, but there are many mystical creatures who either have an allergy to iron, or they dislike the smell of the metal, for lack of a better term.”

Vicky shifted in her seat, waving her arm out in a gesture toward Amber. “I want her help in dealing with the first three creatures, because this could set the tone for something less…confrontational.”

Ramona sighed. “You’re dancing around mentioning what this is.”

“They’re wraiths, ma’am. You have three of them, and if Amber and I can deal with them quietly tonight, I don’t think the others will visit this building again.”

Ramona snorted. “The mage on TV was right. They are wraiths.”

Vicky blinked and glanced at Amber. “There’s a mage on TV?”

“Yes, some old man, a real crackpot with a thick accent that keeps failing.” Ramona’s smile fell. “He’s been showing up on TV a lot because people are reporting that his suggestions are working. Still, no one wants to call these creatures wraiths or banshees yet.”

“It’s a gender issue,” Vicky said. “Wraiths are the male offspring of a male wyrm. A female wyrm produces banshees. There’s a minor pitch difference between the two genders, and it affects their breeding habits.”

“And these wyrms—?”

“Wyrm,” Amber said. “Plural or singular, it’s still the same word, like fish.”

“I see,” Ramona said, trying to gather her line of thoughts again. “These wyrm don’t reproduce with each other?”

“They can try ma’am. But the wyrm had to develop this method of magical reproduction because they can’t stand each other.”

Ramona smirked. “That sounds like me and my first husband. We couldn’t get any kids out of that marriage either.”

Vicky snorted. “We’re losing the point, and I’d like to go home and take a nap before work. I need your permission to have Amber here, but after tonight, I don’t think you’ll need me.”

Ramona considered the deal for a minute before she came to a decision. “If you get rid of the wraiths, I’m sure we can hold onto you until I can find you a night job with someone.”

“You don’t have to, ma’am.” Vicky smiled. “I realize this is going to sound cheesy, but just knowing we’ve averted a disaster will be good enough for us.”

Ramona smiled at a stray thought. “You’re not doing this because it’s the right thing. You’re just clearing your people to make sure we don’t suspect you.”

“Yes,” Vicky agreed, pointing at Amber’s stomach. “With a kid on the way, I can’t afford to become a suspect.”

***

Amber leaned back in the rolling chair, staring at the ceiling while she waited for Vicky to complete another patrol. She stretched her legs out, propping her boots on the reception desk.

Vicky returned to the front of the building, and Amber rolled her head left to beam a wide grin.

“You know what we ought to do to really expose ourselves?”

“Porn?”

Amber laughed, almost tipping her chair too far back. “We could try that too, but I was thinking about hosting some kind of dinner party for our neighbors. You know, something like what we did for Marcus’ family. We can hire the same caterers to come out and make barbecue, and instead of having a sit down meal, we’ll make it a buffet so people can eat whenever they like.”

Vicky sat down on the edge of the desk next to Amber legs, and she laid a hand on Amber’s shin. “That would also free us from looking odd by not eating.”

“Yeah, that too.”

“Yeah, but…” Vicky snapped her fingers. “That’s right! I almost forgot about—”

But before she could explain Bethany’s invitation to meet with her family, the lights flicked off.

Amber sat up and dropped her feet to the floor. “That’s our cue.”

Vicky got up and led the way to the back hall.

The three shadows rose from the floor, and one slipped closer to Vicky first. It projected its thought to both of them at the same time. You will heal me first.

Amber stepped around Vicky, “I’ll heal you only if you accept the terms of my offer.”

“What?” Vicky asked.

At the same time, the wraith also asked the same question.

Amber said, “You’re children of Dimitri, and once I cure you, you will feel no obligations toward me, my partner, or your kin. Therefore, it’s in my best interest to offer my terms before I heal even one of you.”

The wraiths moved together to the end of the hall, locked in a debate for some time before the leader returned to float in front of Amber. Your bluntness intrigues us, and we will not deny your claims. Name your terms.

“You will be free to roam at night and feed however you like. But each morning, you will return to me. I will keep you contained inside a shadow portal to protect you from the sun. All I ask in return is that you try to seek out your kin during your nightly travels, and you will try to convince them to come to me.”

Do you think to build an army against our father?

“No, you couldn’t defy him, and despite the danger his plans put us in, I’m not ready to declare war on someone I know I can’t beat. By the same token, I need to convince you of the same thing. You can’t raise enough numbers to win against the humans, and you don’t want to provoke them into a fight. All you’ll do is get yourself and a lot of other blood drinkers killed.”

Why should we care about them?

Amber folded her arms over her chest. “I don’t expect you to care about other races, only to respect your own survival instinct. Do you want to die so soon after being born?”

No, of course not.

“So take the offer. I’m not going to lead you to a life of good or force you to act against your own nature. I’m only going to curb your appetite and get you started on a healthier diet.” Amber smiled and leaned her head to one side. “Do we have a deal or not?”

Barely a second passed before the wraith answered, We do.

Amber held out her hand. “Come to me, and I will heal you.”

The shadow floated closer, its chest sinking onto her hand as the body began to compress. Soon, Amber’s hand and wrist were coated in a thick layer of oily black liquid.

She closed her eyes to focus her mind. The crude healing spell she began with was a brute force attempt to heal the damage done by the lingering unicorn blood. But even as she healed tissue, the blood moved through the inky form of the wraith to leach vitality from every cell.

She isolated the blood by the scent, and then she focused her powers on expelling the toxic fluid.

The wraith began to screech, the oily creature pulsating before beads of silver swelled on the surface of his body. The cursed blood resisted, trying to remain bonded with the wraith. She could not dispel it, as Ellen had dispelled the nightmare blood. This cursed blood would return to the host if she did.

She drew the blood away, and then she opened a shadow portal to store the globe of silver blood.

The scent of it was maddeningly intoxicating, but Amber had already learned her lesson that not everything that smelled good was good for her.

The wraith spilled away from her hand, laying in a tiny pool on the floor for a few seconds before it sent a thought: It worked.

Amber wiped sweat from her brow and looked toward the other two wraiths. “We don’t have long before the cops show up, so who’s next?”

Bonus Blog Fiction: Job Interview With a Vampire - Part 6, 4.4 out of 5 based on 5 ratings

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... I write dark fiction in a variety of genres. My blog contains my rants and rambles, and some short fiction that can only be found here. I can be pretty fucking offensive, so viewer discretion is advised.

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