Hazel was staring at her mother, who had taken her vampiric form, and was the blonde-haired Sarah currently. She couldn’t exactly go running around with her real face in Port Royal. Hazel tried to speak a few times and pointed at the ship then to her mother.
“Mom, you’re a real pirate?”
“I was a pirate.”
“No, you are a pirate.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well, you stole that Silwrath ship.”
Enid laughed.
“You’re right. I guess old habits die hard.”
Enid grinned and looked back at the port where four ships were docked. She pointed at them.
“Crews look happy, they had a good haul. This is going to be fun girls.”
“Fun? You just dumped Matilda and Miko in statis pods God knows where…and you’re going to have fun.”
Enid turned around.
“It was for their own safety. They are children and the future isn’t safe we all saw that. Lighten up. We’re in Port Royal in the 1680’s. You will not find a place that is more fun and exciting in the whole world at this time. And the rum.”
Hazel frowned.
“I remember the rum. You got drunk in Egypt on it and passed out.”
“Good rum. I’m glad I can replace it.”
Hazel frowned at her mother.
“Sometimes it’s like I’m the parent and you’re the kid.”
“Sometimes you remind me of your sister. You know the old red haired one with the silver streak who has a stick crammed up her ass half the time. We are in a town filled with pirates, privateers sorry. Relax, live a little and fit in. Demons won’t notice us that way and we can hunt them easier.”
Hazel pointed out to the ship.
“Mom, you’re here already.”
“Which is why I look like this.”
Enid motioned to herself.
“Yes, but she can see a lie a mile away.”
“So don’t lie.”
Hazel pointed at Helen.
“She’s a newbie vampire. You’ll…she’ll… young you will pick that up easy. Don’t you vampires do this thing where you stay with your creator for centuries.”
“Not necessarily. Look getting past my gift is simple. Tell the truth, but not the whole truth.”
“What’s that supposed to me, we’re here with an angel hunting demons?”
“That will work. When we finish I’ll wipe her memory of us and we’ll be good to go. Port Royal can be pretty rough. Use your holo-webs and keep your armor on until you can get some good local replacements for the dresses. Keep comm links open and established. If you find a demon call it in. Do not engage on your own.”
Hazel scoffed at that notion. Enid grabbed her wrist.
“Hazel, demons are dangerous. I know you are capable, but, but… there are three of us and if we fight them together there is less chance anyone will be hurt.”
Hazel frowned and snatched her holo-web from her pack and put it on tapping it and a dress shimmered into existence over her armor.
“That being said. Do not take shit from the mortals. If one gets handsy you have my permission to break any part of them. Helen be discrete but blood’s pretty easy to get here.”
Enid dug into her pack and pulled out two pouches of Spanish doubloons.
“Keep an eye out for demons, enjoy yourselves and we’ll meet at the Salty Teat. I know. Just don’t ask. Best tavern in town. At say eight pm. It is almost dawn. Goodbye and good luck. Oh, and this should go without saying, no claws, teeth, shapeshifting, vampiric abilities, spirit summoning, and for the love of God no Atlantean swords. Any of the above and you will incur the wrath of she who must be named.”
Helen and Hazel both blinked at Enid.
“My younger self kids. She’s dangerous.”
“See you both in fourteen hours. Stay out of trouble.”
*****
Enid
Enid waved and started off towards her first destination. The dressmaker’s shop that belonged to a vampire. Even at this hour it would be open if for no other reason than it catered to the vampires of Port Royal. She knew who she’d find there. Roseilund. She was a woman who at this time Enid recalled would be in her thirties and if she’d been willing to admit it to herself when she was here originally she had a bit of a crush on her. She was a larger woman. Finally, that she was not opposed to women suitors. Enid also knew she could make a hell of a dress. She looked down at her holo-web dress and nibbled on her bottom lip. This was so much easier when she wasn’t prone to mortal whims while in sunlight. She took a deep breath and walked inside.
Roseilund with her curly brown hair stood behind the wooden desk. Enid was thankful the shop had no windows to speak of glass was expensive and this place did cater to vampires. She smiled at Roseilund and met the woman’s hazel eyes.
“Hello, I’m looking for a dress or two.”
Roseilund smiled.
“Welcome to the shop. I haven’t seen you around before.”
“I just arrived, and I don’t have a thing to wear.”
“Well, I can get you measured, and we can get you some dresses made. Though we’re sort of behind as it were. The ball coming up and all.”
“Surely you have some dresses hanging around that were made and never picked up.”
“Yes, we do. Let’s get you measured up and we’ll see what we can do.”
Enid provided her measurements from memory. She had after all designed every facet of the body she now possessed.
“Truly? Come now. We all want perfect measurements but let’s not fool ourselves.”
Enid was slightly amused.
“Trust me those are my measurements, so do you have anything?”
“While yes we do have dresses in that size, three in fact. Ordered and deposits placed but never picked up. Poor lass died of some ailment. However, I would much prefer we measure you just to make sure of the fit. We can’t have you walking around in an ill-fitted dress, we have a reputation to uphold.”
Enid snickered.
“A reputation in Port Royal?”
Roseilund covered her mouth as she let out the beginnings of a laugh.
“Still my employer would be very upset if I sent you out looking dumpy. Please.”
She motioned to the back room where a woman can be measured in privacy. Enid nodded and started towards it. The front door opened and another woman walked in Roseilund motioned for Enid to continue.
“Just get your dress off and I’ll attend you as soon as possible.”
Enid walked into the back room and closed the door behind her. She quickly put her holo-web in her pack and peeled off the Atlantean armor and placed it there as well. She looked down at her twenty-ninth century underwear and grimaced. She pulled her bra and underwear off as well leaving her naked as the day she was born. Eventually Roseilund walked in and stopped dead for a few seconds before closing the door behind her. Her eyes drifted over Enid’s perfect form. Or well in this case Sarah’s perfect form. She looked a bit flush. Enid thought quickly and spoke.
“I didn’t take off too much did I?”
Enid looked Roseilund up and down. She was a bit on the peckish side. It would be bad form to take a drink from another vampire’s pet. However, she was feeling like being a bit of a bad girl. Maybe it was the repressed crush she’d had on her while she was here originally, maybe it was a small rebellion against her angelic nature which she still felt forced into, either way she was going to bite this woman taste her at least once. And maybe today would be that day.
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Roseilund’s breathing quickened as she started to measure Enid who would be doing much the same thing if she was mortal at the moment. Enid had to appreciate Roseilund’s professionalism she took each measurement and wrote them down. As she was taking her chest measurement Enid let her natural vampiric magnetism loose and she heard Roseilund catch her breath. Roseilund eyes drifted up to Enid’s face. Enid touched her chin and kissed her full on the lips. Roseilund returned the kiss passionately. Once it broke she blinked in disbelief at what she’d just done.
“I am so sorry that was unprofessional.”
Enid lowed her arms and smiled. Roseilund’s was flush now. She wrote the chest measurement with her shaking hand. She took a few deep breaths casting shy glances back at her client.
“I…umm… so your measurements were right. Of course, they were.”
Enid approached her and looked over her shoulder. Letting her breath hit the back of Roseilund’s neck. Which caused a shudder to go through the woman.
“You’re a very beautiful woman, you know that Roseilund?”
Roseilund spun around and looked at her.
“How do you know my name?”
Enid smiled.
“I have had a massive crush on you for years. But you were someone else’s.”
“Are you… a vampire?”
Enid smiled showing her fangs. Roseilund rather then looking fearful almost leaned into those teeth. Enid was familiar with the type. Mortals addicted to being bitten. She licked her lips. Roseilund shook her head as if to clear it and try to maintain her professionalism. She extricated herself from Enid and walked to a rack of dresses and started separating out dresses. Enid followed her and leaned down teasing the woman with her fangs on her neck. Roseilund shuddered again and tried to maintain focus.
“We have four dresses here; One is even ball ready. The other three are more casual. These are them.”
“Are dresses what you really want to be talking about now, Roseilund? Be honest, you wanted to measure me because you wanted to see what I looked like under that dress.”
Roseilund nodded without turning. Enid started to unlace Roseilund’s dress at the back. She slipped the dress down her arms and started kissing her shoulders letting her fangs slide across her pale soft skin. Roseilund leaned back into Enid.
“I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“But you desperately want to, don’t you?”
Roseilund nodded.
“No one will know, and even if they do, do you really care? I am the eldest vampire in this city. I have seen the rise and fall of empires. Walked the streets of Egypt. I watched the red sea be parted… Your master is a child to me.”
Roseilund shivered again as Enid slid her fangs across her skin again gently.
“Why me?”
“Must I list off your qualities beyond that you’re beautiful to me?”
Roseilund grasped the rack’s pole tightly and started shaking her head.
“I really must not do this.”
“Your heartbeat is telling me differently as is the scent of your arousal. But if your answer is no, I will respect that.”
Enid reached out and grabbed one of the casual dresses Roseilund had indicated and backed away letting her fangs sink back in. She turned her back to Roseilund and laid the dress out inspecting the workmanship. Roseilund was silent for several moments then Enid felt her arms around her abdomen and Roseilund’s bare chest pressed against her back. Enid smiled and let the arm of the dress fall and turned around and kissed Roseilund full on the lips. She extended her fangs once the kiss released and suck them into the woman’s neck. Taking a small sip before healing the wound. Roseilund turned into mush in her arms. Enid lowered the larger woman onto her own dress that lay discard behind the pair.
Enid kissed her again and the taste of her own blood on the vampire’s lips seemed to drive Roseliund to another level of arousal. Enid move down Roseilund her lips tracing a path to between the woman’s legs. She kept Roseilund writhing in pleasure for at least half an hour until it seemed like the woman couldn’t handle it anymore then she suck her fangs into the woman’s thigh and drank in the blood rich with the woman’s arousal. As a vampire it was the one sure way to share your partners enjoyment. The bite send a shiver through Roseilund who screamed out. Enid held her leg steady as not to tear the flesh too much but the rest of Roseilund was vibrating. Once Enid had drank her fill she released the leg and healed the wound. She noticed scars from less conscientious vampires and frowned. Poor Roseilund’s dress was soaked from their antics. Enid slid up beside her kissing her cheek while Roseilund still shuddered. Roseilund’s eyes eventually fluttered open and she looked at Enid.
“I have never felt anything like that.”
Enid smiled and kissed her lips again her fingers tracing circles around Roseilund’s nipples.
“I should let you get back to work. Someone’s been knocking for ten minutes.”
Roseilund grabbed Enid as she tried to pull away.
“Don’t go!”
Enid smiled.
“I’ll be in town for a while. Don’t you worry. Staying at the Inn by the mansion.”
Roseilund shook her head.
“No, stay with me. I can keep you safe during the day…”
Roseilund blinked a few times.
“Wait it is during the day…how…”
“I was made by the first vampire. We’re very special.”
Her eyes went wide again.
“I will stay with you, if you insist, but you barely know me.”
Roseilund grabbed Enid and kissed her again with tongue.
“I know enough.”
Enid pulled away after the kiss and started pulling together some of the undergarments that the shop also had back here.
“I was not joking Roseilund someone has been quite insistent on getting into the shop.”
Roseilund blinked at her surroundings and went to put on her dress but noticed the massive wet spot on it. She grabbed another dress and started pulling it on with nothing underneath. Enid helped her. The pair left the back room after adjusting their hair. Roseilund unlocked the door and outside of it was another woman Enid recognized immediately. She despised her and her husband. When she was first here she didn’t know the term ‘a Karen’ but this woman would be picture of one in the urban dictionary. She was in her forties and the most rotund woman in Port Royal. She started unleashing on Enid and Roseilund immediately. Mostly Roseilund.
“Your shop was closed, during the day, people have things to do and places to go! Where do you get off?”
Enid gave the sweetest smile she could muster.
“Sorry, it takes me forever to pick anything out. And alterations had to be made. Apparently, they make most of their dresses for old cows like you.”
The woman’s face turned beat red.
“Do you know who my husband is you… you whore!”
Enid kept her sweet smile on.
“Henry Tanner. Biggest crook in this pirate filled cesspool. And if I spread my legs for him he’d never want to look at your wrinkled blotchy face again. Fanny Tanner. Who names their kid Fanny? It was like they knew your ass would take up half the island of Jamaica ever time you sat it down. Is there enough fabric left in the world to cover you?”
“I’ll…I’ll have you run out of town harlot!”
“Tell me, Fanny, has your husband managed to replace the last fine men he sent after someone you thought should be more respectful to your family yet? If so, please feel free to send more I will be happy to reduce your business costs again.”
Enid laughed at her and blew her a kiss. The last time she was here Henry Tanner had tried to demand a cut of her haul when she’d make port here. She told him no very publicly. He offered her to give him sexual favors instead. She also declined by putting Bloodseeker to his throat. That was that until his wife told him he can’t look weak so they sent some of his biggest and baddest men after her. Her response was to drop the five heads on his desk after kicking her way into his house and office. That was the end of that. Unfortunately, not using her old face meant she’d have to deal with it all over again.
Throughout the exchange Rose’s face had showed more and more horror at Enid’s antics. Several men who had observed it were laughing. The women who’d seen it looked like they wanted to laugh but were afraid of incurring the old wind bag’s wrath. Enid curtsied to the men.
“Thank you, I’ll be here all week.”
This caused more laughter. Fanny and her two brow beaten daughters pushed their way into the shop. Enid glanced back and felt bad for Roseilund but she’d only make things worse if she went inside. Though using her ability to influence mortals to implant a suggestion that Fanny should march around the square crouched and flapping her arms and squawking like a chicken was somewhat appealing. She sighed and shrugged.
*****
Hazel and Helen
Hazel frowned when she saw Helen leaning on a wooden wall at the dress shop she was heading towards.
“This my shop!”
Helen uncrossed her arms and stood up.
“Hey, I found it first. Besides we can both use it.”
Hazel sighed.
“I guess. I was hoping for a vacation from you.”
“Is it really that bad having me around, sis?”
“I don’t know is it really that bad having a piece of gravel in your shoe?”
Helen frowned at Hazel.
“I thought we were starting to get along.”
“I tolerate you. I still don’t know why mother bothered to turn you and drag you along.”
“Because I share her gift and I can sense our targets.”
“So, anyone like me could do that too.”
“Yes, but they’ll go insane.”
Hazel crossed her arms and grunted.
“So what is the hold up here?”
“Sign says closed for a fitting. I’m just wondering what they’re fitting for, the entire crew of a ship?”
Hazel snickered in spite of herself.
“Well I’m going to get some food before some half-wit tries to hire us for sex work.”
Helen nodded.
“You make a valid point.”
The pair walked across the street to a tavern and ordered drinks and food. As they sat, they heard the story of a new blonde woman who had dressed down Fanny Tanner. Apparently, this was big news. Hazel being less shy and more curious than Helen motioned to one of the barmaid’s who was gossiping. The woman approached.
“Who is Fanny Tanner?”
The woman blinked at her.
“She’s Henry Tanner’s wife…he’s an important man.”
Hazel closed her eyes and sighed.
“And this blonde woman, did she have eyes like mine? Very good looking?”
The barmaid nodded.
“How did you know?”
Hazel sighed.
“She is our mother.”
The barmaid’s face became very sympathetic.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. You should warn her, Fanny will not take that well.”
Hazel nodded.
“Thank you.”
The barmaid wandered off and Hazel facepalmed.
“What is up with mom? Ever since she got back to the mall, she’s been acting weird. Like she’s trying to get her affairs into order. And mouthy off to someone that important? What about keeping a low profile?”
Helen shrugged.
“Mother is an enigma to me. How could either of us possibly understand what goes on in her head? She’s like thousands of years old. Well actually older than creation itself she’s…an angel.”
“I hardly think angels go around insulting random women.”
“We need to assume she knows something we don’t Hazel. She never tells us everything. She tells us what she needs us to know.”
“She used to tell me more but as this has gone on she’s become more and more closed off.”
“Hazel, her gift makes mine look like a parlor trick. For all we know she knows exactly what is going to happen for the next six hundred years. She just isn’t telling us because she’s trying to manipulate things.”
Hazel frowned at her sister.
“No, stop making excuses for her. She doesn’t know anything more then we do and she’s acting out. Seriously sometimes it feels like I’m the adult in the relationship. And she’s being reckless. You saw what she did to the Earth. What sane person blows up half a planet and kills billions?”
“She said that it would all be erased when we fixed the timeline.”
“And you believed her? My mother lies, a lot. Though she claims to never lie. I know she’s lying when her lips are moving.”
Helen sighed and finished off her ale.
“Look the shop door just opened.”
She pointed. The pair watched as Fanny Tanner and her two daughters left the shop and Hazel raised an eyebrow.
“Okay, maybe I see why mom let loose on her, she looks like a Karen.”
Helen looked at her.
“A ‘Karen’.”
“You know what, it will take way longer to explain then its worth. Lets go get fitted for dresses.”
Helen nodded.
“I agree this armor keeps riding up and pinching parts I don’t want pinched and during the day it is worse.”
Hazel stood up and followed her across the street.
“Uh, didn’t you put underwear on?”
“It feels weird. Especially the top part…what did you call it?”
“A bra. It is so gross you’re wearing that armor without underwear. You really are a primitive bumpkin.”
The pair walked into the shop and the smell hit Hazel immediately. Someone was naughty here and it saturated the place. She rolled her eyes. And cursed under her breath.
“Damn it, mom.”