"Yeah," Zoey said, hanging her head. "I was normal a month ago."
"I'm just saying, we can still enjoy certain things. Like the scent of a fresh pitcher of tea." She stopped Zoey in the hallway. "Go ahead. Smell."
Zoey closed her eyes and lifted her nose, inhaling deeply. Victoria was more curious as to how she was adjusting to her newly-enhanced senses. Like she said, she'd only been a vampire a month. Not all newborns could make the transition. She remembered her first conversation with her on the phone. Zoey was lost, afraid, unsure of what to do. She didn't even know she could drink blood cold.
"I smell it," Zoey said. "Real strong. I think I even smell Alex. I can hear him, pouring a glass. He almost smells like…fire, a little. I like it." She trailed off for a moment. "But sorry, the tea smells horrible."
Victoria laughed and squeezed her shoulder. "To each their own."
Alex was in the middle of a gulp when Victoria and Zoey joined him. He finished the glass in seconds. Sliding open the dishwasher, he hesitated when he saw Victoria's used glasses, all stained with blood. He gingerly found an empty spot and closed the appliance.
"Okay, guys," he said. "I think my duty is done. If we're all good, I think I'm going to go home."
"Thank you," Zoey said, approaching him. "For everything."
"No problem. Kylie? Nate? Are you ready to go?"
Victoria arched an eyebrow at the names. She wasn't aware they had other company. Alex could see ghosts, a detail he sometimes forgot could create an odd experience for others in his presence. She met Kylie and Nate one time before, at his Halloween party.
"Wait," Zoey said. "Can I say goodbye?"
"Sure."
Alex took Zoey's hand, which let her see the two ghosts in the kitchen. Victoria watched as Zoey shared a tearful goodbye with a presence she couldn't see. Zoey nearly rambled, apologizing to Kylie, telling her she loved her, missed her, all while begging for forgiveness. Victoria didn't know the history between the two, but could tell they were close. Zoey concluded by telling Nate to look after her best friend.
Victoria walked Alex, and presumably Kylie and Nate, to the door. They shared a quick hug on the porch.
"We have to make plans," she said. "Get everyone together sometime."
"I'm all for that. But Cindy wants to have a girls' night out, too. Alicia, you, and her."
"That sounds like fun."
Alex and Zoey shared another quick hug before he trotted off the porch toward his truck. Both vampires heard him speaking to Kylie and Nate as he climbed behind the wheel. Victoria waved at the most unique supernatural creature as he drove down the driveway and turned right, disappearing out of sight.
There was a moment of awkward silence as Victoria and Zoey shared their first private moment. Victoria had no doubt there would be many awkward moments, until the two got to know one another. Awkwardness didn't bother her at all. Perhaps it was her age.
"So," she said. "Are you thirsty?"
She already knew the answer.
"Yes, very much."
Zoey followed Victoria into the kitchen. She unlocked the refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of blood.
"Uh," Zoey said. "Why do you have a safe in the kitchen?"
Victoria smiled. "To lock up my ketchup and mustard."
"There's not even a dial on the thing. Does it open?"
She ignored the questions. They weren't important.
"Go ahead and have a seat."
"Holy shit," Zoey said. "Your blood comes in a plastic bottle?"
Victoria laughed quietly as she poured two glasses.
"Warm or cold?"
"You can microwave blood?"
"Or stovetop. Whichever you prefer."
"Uhhh, warm is always better, right?"
"That depends. From a soft, silky neck, you won't get any better than warm. But in a glass, it depends on my mood."
"Warm, please."
"Coming right up."
She heated both their glasses and sat across from Zoey at the table. Victoria took a quick sip, whereas Zoey could barely contain herself. She drank nearly half the glass in one gulp, and only stopped because she was embarrassed. She set the glass down and pushed it away slightly.
"How long has it been since you had a drink?" Victoria asked.
Zoey lowered her gaze, afraid to make eye contact for a moment. She realized Victoria saw right through her.
"It's been about a week. I drank everything a little too fast."
"Why didn't you call me for more blood?"
"Because you've done so much. Sending me blood, flying me out here. I couldn't ask for any more."
Victoria went back to the refrigerator and retrieved the previously opened bottle. She set it on the table next to her half-empty glass.
"Drink up."
Zoey sighed, but didn't object. She finished her glass and started on the bottle.
"You saved my life," Zoey said. "You and Alex. I could say thank you a million times, and I don't think that would be enough."
The remark was heartfelt and unexpected. It revealed a bit more into Zoey's character, and Victoria smiled.
"I, uh, was attacked," Zoey continued, her eyes darting across the table. "Said his name was Steven. He, uh…." A tear rolled down her cheek. "We met at a club, and he was cute. That's about as far as I thought things through. We left out the back door. I wanted to have sex with him. He attacked me. Kylie tried to stop him, but he—" The one tear was now several. "He killed her. And I came back as this." She gestured to herself.
Zoey struggled to keep her composure. Victoria said nothing, just waited patiently. She reached out and took Zoey's hand.
"I stayed in my basement, trying to figure out if I should just go out in the sun and end it all. Then Alex came. If it weren't for you both, I think I'd be dead now."
"And Steven?"
"He said he'd watch out for me, but I told him to fuck off." The last admission was the hardest. "I…helped him get rid of Kylie's body."
Zoey cried for a moment, unable to speak. She took deep, sobbing breaths.
"You and Alex. You showed me there were still good people in the world."
"You should meet my brother."
"You have a brother? That's possible?"
"A brother by bond, not blood. It's a long story."
At that moment, Victoria knew what kind of young woman Zoey was, and whatever fear she had of taking her in vanished.
She didn't have tissues nearby, but ripped off a paper towel from the kitchen counter. Zoey accepted it with a small smile.
"Sorry. I don't mean to be crying my eyes out ten minutes after we finally meet."
"It's quite alright. I'll be honest, this all started as a favor for Alex. He said you needed help, that you were a good person, and I'd do anything for him."
"Alex is amazing."
Victoria recognized more than a compliment in her words. Zoey had fallen under Alex's spell, just like Cindy.
"It's the wings, isn't it?" Victoria said. "Just something about a man with wings. I'll admit, when we first met, I might have flirted with him. Just a little bit. But he was already in love with Cindy. I didn't have a chance."
Zoey laughed. "I don't think there's a guy out there you don't have a chance with."
"Have you met Cindy? I can't compete with her."
Zoey took another sip of blood. Finally, her drinking was slow and controlled.
"I don't know about the wings. I just think he's cute."
They shared a laugh, and more tension in the room faded away.
"So, what now?" Zoey asked. "What do we do now?"
"I have no idea," Victoria said, smiling. "Believe it or not, this is all new to me, too. How do you feel right now? Be honest."
The younger vampire took a deep breath.
"Excited. Terrified. Confused. Happy. Sad. I think I'm feeling pretty much everything right now." She looked at the kitchen around her. "Definitely in awe."
"In awe? Why?"
/>
"Alex told me the house was big. The jerk. Does he always play things down like that?"
"He definitely has a different view."
"And there's you. I hope you don't freak out, but he didn't tell me you were so pretty. And…it's a little intimidating."
Victoria took the compliment in stride. Zoey was going to be in awe herself when she discovered what a normal, steady diet of blood would accomplish.
"Thank you. But don't be intimidated. I watch TV and surf the Internet, just like everyone else. Sometimes I even dance on occasion. My life can be just as normal and boring as anyone's."
"I doubt that."
She shook her head. Modern-day media had created a certain image when one thought of the word vampire. Everyone always assumed she lived an exotic lifestyle. Wild sex, underground raves, vampires feeding off one another, loud music and parties. Nothing could be further from the truth. Sometimes it was exciting to simply share a bottle of blood with a handsome Irishman at a restaurant.
"Okay, well, we've been talking off and on for a few weeks. I'm sure you have a lot of questions."
"Damn right. I should have written them down."
"Good. Fire away."
"Oh God. Where to start?" She thought for a moment. "Can I cut my hair?"
"What?" Victoria said, confused.
"Can I cut my hair? Are we like…frozen in time? If I cut my hair, will it just magically grow back to the length it is now?"
She couldn't help but laugh.
"You can cut your hair. Your body will never age, but your hair and fingernails will grow. So I actually recommend visiting the salon every now and then. You'll still have to shave…whatever it is you shave."
"How about dying it? Or getting a tattoo? I've been thinking about getting a tattoo."
"You can dye your hair. A tattoo, I'm afraid not."
"Okay, good to know. Will I ever be able to have sex again?"
Victoria was surprised that question wasn't number one.
"Vampires, male and female, can definitely have sex."
There was more to it than that. But the combination of feeding and sex wasn't a lesson Zoey was ready for.
"I'll never be able to go to the beach again, will I?" She glanced at her arms. "I used to have such a good tan."
Victoria could feel her patience ebbing. She wasn't sure what she expected, but Zoey's questions weren't what she had in mind.
"You can certainly go to the beach, just not during the day."
She left out the part about a witch's magic.
"What about clubs? My hearing—"
"Zoey," Victoria said, rubbing her temples. "I don't mean to be rude, but do you have questions about anything other than sex, beaches, tans, twerking, or whatever it is you kids do now?"
Zoey smiled. "You sound like an old woman."
"I am an old woman. Very old. And guess what? In one-hundred years, you're going to sound exactly like me. You're going to look just like you do now, but you won't be able to completely relate to others in their late teens, early twenties. Your posture, speech, everything will be different. You'll have to learn to blend in, act like someone else. You probably won't even be able to twerk, assuming it still exists in a century."
Zoey chewed on her words, and only had one thing to say.
"I don't twerk."
Victoria laughed. "Not in those jeans, you're not. Do you have any other real questions?"
Zoey was afraid to speak, taking several false starts, but finally opened her mouth.
"Are you lonely?"
She nearly scolded her again, but held her tongue. Despite the simplicity of the question, it was a very good one.
"I mean…how do you handle knowing you're going to outlive your friends?"
Victoria thought very carefully on how to answer.
"A month ago, you thought you were going to outlive your parents. Did that bother you at all? Or did you not think about it much? Be honest."
"I didn't really think about it a whole lot."
"Of course. It's something that's with you, but you don't let it define you. Alex, Cindy, Leese, all my friends, they are going to die one day." She shook her head at the thought of Jack. "Well, most of them. But we could also all die tomorrow. The important thing is to live. Enjoy yourself, enjoy your friends. Being a vampire, at times, can be lonely, in a way mortals will never understand. We're cut off from half the world. While they're out basking in the sun's love, we're hiding in our coffins."
"You have a coffin?" Zoey joked.
Victoria rolled her eyes and smiled. "Shut up. There will be times when you're sad, lonely. We can feel these things, too, like any mortal. But I choose to surround myself with wonderful people. My friends are everything to me."
"I don't have any friends," Zoey said, glancing down. "None that are alive, at least."
"You do now. I'll teach you everything you need to know."
"Can we braid each other's hair, too?"
At that moment, Victoria knew she liked her.
"Smartass." She rose from the table, certain there would be many more questions later. "Let's get you settled. I'll show you your room."
"Okay." Zoey peered out into the hallway. "How many rooms do you have here?"
"Oh, a lot. Follow me."
Victoria led the way to the basement. They stopped for a moment so Zoey could grab her bag. The older vampire recited the security code for the door, which Zoey took note of in her smartphone. She had no way of knowing what an honor it was simply to know the code. Very few people did.
Zoey had the reaction Victoria expected when they reached the bottom of the stairs.
"What the fuck?"
Victoria laughed and leaned against the wall. Chaz and his crew did a wonderful job, not only with the basement, but the entire house. She couldn't imagine Zoey having a single complaint.
"Welcome to your coffin."
Zoey was awestruck. She said nothing, just glanced around the basement. Victoria gave her the thirty-second tour.
"The bathroom's over there. TV way over there. King-sized bed, so you should be comfortable. No windows, as you can see." Victoria strolled to the refrigerator and opened the door. "Plenty of blood. Bottles on top, bags on bottom."
Zoey eyed the many shelves of nectar.
"The bags," she said. "They're so we can pretend it's a neck, isn't it? Bite into it?"
Victoria nodded. "It does help with the…aggression that pops up."
"Yeah. I figured that one out on my own."
Victoria eyed her bag, and then the empty racks near the king-sized bed. Whatever she brought with her wouldn't fill half a rack.
"What do you got in there?"
"Not much." Zoey set her bag on the dining table and emptied its contents. "Just a few pair of jeans. Some PJs to lounge around in. My makeup. Not a whole lot."
Victoria noticed a sketchpad peeking out. Zoey was working on a portrait of an unknown man. It was stunning work, and she'd seen a large amount of art over four centuries.
"You're an artist?" she asked.
Zoey was embarrassed as she closed the bag just enough to hide the work.
"I draw. I wouldn't say an artist."
"Well, I would. That's incredible."
Victoria moved to open the bag, only to be stopped by Zoey. The teenager moved in the way, keeping her head low.
"It's…it's not done yet."
Surprised at the resistance, all Victoria could do was shrug.
"Okay. Fair enough." She gestured to her clothes. "You're going to need more to wear than that. Tomorrow night we'll head to the mall."
Zoey frowned. "Victoria, I'm not going shopping with you."
"Why not? Vampire or not, you're a woman, right? I love shopping."
"No, I mean…I'm not going to let you buy me clothes."
"Good luck trying to stop me. Ah, I forgot to ask. How are your parents? They seemed a little tense when I talked to them on the phone. I know their world is being wrecked,
too."
Zoey collapsed into a dining chair.
"Yeah, they're tense. Their daughter isn't human anymore. That causes tension. And…I think they'll be getting a divorce soon. I think that might be the big reason why they let me come up here. They need some time to themselves right now. They had their problems, even before all of this."
Victoria was wise enough to know that sometimes there were no words of comfort. The only thing to do was a simple pat on the back. Victoria wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed.
"Let me get something to drink, and I'll show you how to use all this tech."
"Where do you sleep?"
"I have a master bedroom on the top floor. We won't be seeing each other much during the day, for obvious reasons."
Victoria and Zoey spent most of the night together in the basement. It was two in the morning when they finally settled down in the living area and watched television. Sleepiness was starting to take a hold of Victoria. She was used to sleeping in the late hours. Zoey was still going strong until about four. Victoria jumped from the couch, one of many cat naps, to see Zoey curled up in the recliner.
She smiled at the sight. The power of the recliner was difficult to resist. She wasn't completely sure if Kevin didn't sneak into the basement from time to time, to sprinkle the recliner with one of his magical potions.
Victoria stretched her arms over her head as she rose to her feet. She crossed the fifty feet to the bed and grabbed the light blanket. She covered Zoey gently, who sighed from within her dream and pulled the blanket to her chin.
The future was always a mystery, but Victoria felt it could only be a good thing, having another vampire in the house.
*****
It was mid-morning as Victoria stood on her back deck. Leaning against the wooden railing, she poked at her smartphone as Chaz's cousin and his crew worked on installing the first of two hot tubs. Some of them weren't happy with the client watching over their shoulders. Others couldn't get enough of the shapely redhead, nearly straining their necks every few minutes to get a look at her.
"If you don't mind me asking," Chaz's cousin, Paulie, asked. "Why install the other tub at night?"
"I have a house-guest on the night shift, sleeps all day. I don't want to wake her." She looked up from her phone and flashed a smile. "Is that okay?"
"With the money you're paying, it's quite okay."
Damned and Cursed (Book 7): Four Centuries Page 11