Violet felt like her heart was going to explode. This was dumb, so dumb. Scarlet was a vampire. An evil, terrible creature of the night. A predator. A ruthless creature of wicked cruelty and fiendish sadism. She’d heard all the stories. Seduction, lies. Every manner of deceit and cruelty imaginable.
Yet Scarlet’s words were so, so seductive. She’d had vampires try things like that on her before. But their seduction was usually so much more direct. They always cheated and tried to hypnotize her when they did it. Promised her ‘pleasures beyond imagination’ and other such things. It was kind of a waste. She wanted to believe it was just the fact that the vampire was mesmerizing her, but she knew that wasn’t it. Of course it wasn't. She’d know. Her grandmother had taught her dozens of tricks to identify and break them.
The vampire was crafty, just using her words and natural charms and she did NOT like knowing any vampire could read her that well. She was supposed to be a badass hunter, like her grandma. She couldn’t want to be dressed up like some kind of fairy tale princess and forced to dance for a vampire’s pleasure. Could she?
Okay, Violet did and that was so, so wrong. Sure, she knew some girls wanted to do that, but she couldn’t. She was tough. She was strong. She fought werewolves and golems and spirits of the dead. She couldn’t do all that AND want to be all dainty and pretty and cute and dressed up. Could she?
The hip hopping of her stomach told her that yes, she could. And the silly goofy grin on her face and the longing look she now gave the empty air where Scarlet had stood told her that she definitely did. Scarlet couldn’t really intend to do that, could she? Would she? Was it all just mind games, something to make her lose her control of the situation? Right before betraying her? Maybe.
But Scarlet was a massive dork. A total fanged mess. She was so out of touch with everything going on around her that her house was all but falling apart on her head. How could she be so clueless about some things and then some kind of magical, breathtaking seductress in other ways?
Oh gosh she wanted to be a vampire’s dolly. What was WRONG with her? If her grandma ever found out she--
GRANDMA! OH SHIT!
Violet snapped out of her daze and leaped to her feet. Oh shit. If Scarlet came out without Violet, her grandma might assume the worst and SHIT SHIT SHIT! She ran up the stairs and raced towards the kitchen.
“Grandma! I’m fine!” Violet said before bursting into the kitchen. “I’m fine, okay? I just needed a second, that’s all.”
“What?” Scarlet asked, a confused look on her face.
Violet gave a sigh of relief. Of course, her grandma’s sword was already out, but at least she hadn’t swung it yet. “Grandma, meet Scarlet. She’s a dork, harmless though. Scarlet, meet my grandmother, Sofia.”
Scarlet just gave a light squeak and a very, very small wave.
“Harmless, huh? We’ll see,” Sofia said, her eyes narrowed on the vampire.
Violet walked over and collapsed into one of the chairs.
“Dear? Are you okay?” Sofia asked.
“I’m fine,” Violet said. “Scarlet was just being a brat. A harmless one, but one nonetheless. Sorry for worrying you.”
“I wasn’t worried,” Sofia said. “I know you can take care of yourself.”
Violet slightly doubted that when she watched her grandmother sheath her sword. It still felt nice to hear her say it, though. At least somebody in her family pretended to trust her. “Thanks, grandma.”
“Now then,” Sofia said. “Scarlet, was it? Take a seat. I’d like to ask you some things. Violet, you can call me Sofia right now. This is work, not family time.”
“Yes ma’am,” Scarlet said, her eyes wide and, honestly, she looked a bit dazed. She took a seat across from Sofia, one of the chairs furthest from the light from the window.
“Okay, Sofia,” Violet said with a small smile of her own. It was kind of nice seeing the vampire squirming again. Not that she blamed her. Her grandmother could be absolutely terrifying when she was in business mode. But the woman had borderline raised her and was more her mother than her own mom most days. She could march straight into hell with a broadsword screaming for the devil to bring his red fiery ass out, but she was also the same woman who gushed about her lil finger drawings from when she was in kindergarten and STILL had some of them on the fridge to this day.
“Now then,” Sofia said. “Violet says she doesn’t know so I’m going to get straight to the point. Tell me, how were you sired?”
Violet cringed. Oof, right to the heart of the matter. Judging by the way Scarlet cringed, she felt the same way.
“It’s not a very interesting st--”
“I didn’t ask for an interesting story,” Sofia said, cutting her off. “I told you to tell me. Don’t try any games, either. I want all of the details.”
Scarlet gave a nod, her eyes lowering. “I was a vampire servant first, to Ca--” She cringed when she said the name. She actually looked afraid. “I was a servant first. When she died, I almost died with her. I was… turned in order to survive. That’s all there is to it.”
“I know about your lineage,” Sofia said. “Fourth generation from Dracula. Don’t lie. Details. Now.”
Scarlet whimpered and sunk in her chair before nodding. “Fine. It’s not a pretty story, though. I was… it was a long time ago. I don’t know how long ago. But long ago. I had left home. For some reason or another, it’s not really important to this. I’d ended up joining this kind of… I guess these days it would be called a traveling band? It wasn’t the easiest life, but it was mostly nice. I wasn’t truly a part of them, I was more of a servant. But there was food, a simple home. We were kind of a family. We saw a lot of different places. Eventually I started telling stories and some of them were popular. Mostly stories I had picked up from people we met, at first. But over time I started making some up. Different bits and pieces, legends I crafted of my own. It was peaceful.”
“Then I met Ca-- then I met my mistress. She was… a second generation. Everything you know about them is true, at least for her. She was cruel. Vicious,” Scarlet said, her voice getting softer. Violet struggled to suppress the urge to reach out and hug the woman. She looked so much smaller now, huddled in the chair. She half expected the vampire to transform into a bat. “I didn’t know what she was when I met her, though. We thought she was just the wife to the lord of the lands. But she was so much more. She had all of us perform for her. We didn’t realize why until after…” Scarlet took a soft, deep breath. “When the leader of our little group was given a bag of coin and left, but we weren’t permitted to. He sold us off. All of us. Like we were cattle. Some of us she just fed on. Others she just killed. We were trapped there.”
“Some of us, though, she took a special interest in,” Scarlet said softly, the small flickers of tears starting to form in her eyes. “She made me one of her many servants. She altered me, over time. To fit her desires. Not in a sexual manner, though. But more in a…” She took a small, deep breath. “She liked herself. A lot. She was obsessed with her own image. So she changed us. Made us look more like her. But one might say not quite. Close enough to be like her, but not as good. Like a flawed mirror.” Scarlet’s arms went over her chest and Violet cringed. She wondered if that was why she’d made mention of her chest, earlier. She thought the vampire had fine breasts, but she could understand feeling a little self conscious about that part of herself. Especially if she had been left smaller there intentionally. Having been pushed against them once, she didn’t mind. They felt fine to her. Her cheeks turned red when she realized she was probably focusing a bit too much on that.
“But her cruelty was limitless. She was merciless. She rarely actually hurt me, though. It was always others,” Scarlet said, her voice getting shaky again. “She wanted to… nurture… my talent, she said. So she’d often give me a challenge. Tell me a subject and demand I make a story by the end of the day… And when I, when I performed it, told it…” She choked on the words, now, the tears starting to fall. Violet had to cross her own arms and dig her nails into her side to restrain herself from reaching out and hugging the poor thing.
“There was always her and at least an audience of one. Never anyone I knew. Sometimes it was a man, a woman, a child. She’d… she’d tell me that their life held in the balance. She told me that, if my story was good enough. If it caught her attention, she’d… she’d let them live. She’d spare them…” Scarlet stopped and took a deep, deep breath. “I tried… I tried s-so hard. I tried with everything I could. I t-tried to create the best masterpieces I could. I tried to figure out what things she wanted to hear. W-what made her happiest…”
“I never saved anyone,” Scarlet said softly. “M-my stories were never good enough. O-or maybe they were. I-I don’t think Candice--” That word made Scarlet jump and the color drain from her face. “I don’t think my mistress e-ever intended to spare anyone. B-but I thought she would. I hoped she would. I-I thought if I just tried harder… if I just…” The vampire took a slow, deep breath. “C-can I have a moment?”
“No,” Sofia said, her voice cold as ice. “This doesn’t explain how you were sired. Get to the point.”
Violet had to resist the urge to snap at her grandmother. She was experienced in this, though. There had to be a point to this. She hoped. As it was, she just wanted to grab Scarlet and hug her.
“M-my mistress had others she sired. Her harem. Men only. Those she found… attractive. Or could m-make attractive. Some were as cruel as her. S-some she enjoyed tormenting, like me. Some kind. S-some vicious. M-my sire was amongst them. Percival. Though, she called him P-Piggy. He wasn’t… the best man. In fact, he was kind of annoying. H-he’d always snort when he laughed and he’d been a bit of a glutton in life. But she’d changed him as well. Unlife in her care, well, it changed him. Broke him, in some ways. Like it did a-all of us. He was… kinder than the others. One of the few who spoke out about my stories, but… he didn’t dare object to her. A-after all, my mistress ruled. She had final say, always.”
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Scarlet paused for a few moments, reaching up to wipe the tears from her eyes. “Then the Huntress c-came.”
Violet sat up straighter. “Wait, the Huntress? As in THE Huntress? She’s a myth!”
Scarlet shook her head. “No, she isn’t. She’s real and she was… amazing. Horrifying. But amazing.”
Violet stared at Scarlet, her mouth open. She’d heard of the Huntress, but really just thought she was some fairy tale hunters told. A legendary immortal hunter, some said she was the first of them and would be the last. Wreathed in darkness, she carried an ancient fae weapon that could slay even a dragon in a single swing. Stronger than a werewolf, faster than a vampire. Sometimes one hunter or another would get the idea of pretending to be her, but that was honestly considered reckless and stupid. Who knew if she was even real or, if she was, what she was? Had Scarlet really met her? Or was it an imposter? Oh, what she wouldn’t give to find out.
“She walked into my mistress’ court and just… my mistress laughed at her. Mocked her. Called her a servant who had forgotten her place. The Huntress didn’t even stop, she just walked towards her, cutting through all who got in her way. I couldn’t do anything but stare. Even as… even as my mistress began to show fear. She tried to run, but it was too late. She perished like the others. But… when she perished…” Scarlet took another deep breath. “Once she was dead, the Huntress just left. Some tried to stop her, some tried to oppose her, but they met their end as well. When it was all done, there were only a few left alive. She just came and left, like some kind of strange, vengeful force of nature. I don’t even know if she noticed any of us aside from those who got in her way and our mistress.”
“When a servant’s mistress dies, though, our lives are bound to her,” Scarlet said softly. “I felt the moment the connection was broken. I… I finally thought I would die. I was… scared. Of course I was scared, who wouldn’t be? But Percival, he took me away from there. In the confusion. While others tried to fight over what remained, he took us away. Some of us. Me and…” Scarlet trailed off and glanced up. “I’m sorry. I can’t… I won’t tell you the others. For their safety. I won’t betray them.”
Sofia frowned, but gave a nod. “I’ll keep that in mind. This is about you, however. Carry on.”
Scarlet gave another soft sigh before wiping the tears off. “He turned me. Me and others. It wasn’t easy for him. But I think he wanted to try and make up for what he’d done. What had been done to us. Maybe he thought it’d make things feel better. If he could fix some of it. It was a new life, this time. Different. There were difficulties. Problems. We had to hide from many. We made a few allies, but many more enemies. Some of us tried to return to our families, our lives before. But that was rarely an option. Over time, we made a new life. It was… years before I could tell stories again. Before I could ever even try.”
“It took encouragement. Care,” Scarlet said softly. “Times changed. The world changed. Sometimes it felt like the world was rushing around us, years passing in moments. At other times it felt like the world dragged on, as if minutes lasted for days. But we recovered. We grew. We found ways to survive, create new lives for ourselves. As the world changed, so did we. We found places we were allowed to go, to live.”
“And why here?” Sofia asked. “There are places you’d be safer. So why come here?”
Scarlet gave another soft sigh. “I left my new family, after a time. My sire. My brothers and sisters. I wanted to be alone. Thanks to their help I was able to create again. This time in the form of books. I wrote, and I wrote and I… escaped. This world. I made new worlds and I used them to escape. I lost myself in them. It wasn’t that hard, you know. If you’re careful. If you don’t make a huge deal about it. If you don’t hurt people. A few mind tricks here or there. Pen names are easy to create. Let a few people in on your secret. Pay proper tribute to the current lords of the land. Then you can be left alone. This manor, for example. I didn’t always live here alone. There was a family here. They’re gone now. But they were nice. They offered me peace. In return, I offered them… well. A home, I suppose. Wealth. It was a transaction. But eventually they left or died. Some of age. Others just left. And I never saw them again. There were a few issues. The occasional close call. But I’ve gotten pretty good at understanding how to make myself scarce. Well… I thought I had.” She glanced at Violet.
“I taught Violet everything she knows,” Sofia said, pride in her voice. Violet couldn’t help feeling a small swelling of pride in herself at that. “I’m not surprised she was able to track you down. Complacency makes even the best flounder.”
“I’ve probably become far too dependent on Jasmine,” Scarlet said softly. “Spending too much time lost in my worlds, I forget how to survive in this one.”
“I like your worlds,” Violet mumbled before glancing to Sofia. “So, um, what do you think?”
Sofia eyed Scarlet for a few moments before leaning back and giving a soft sigh. “Fourth generation is a bit of a problem, it’s not going to be easy. But maybe you can do it. You don’t seem to entirely be lying, Scarlet.”
“Wait, she was lying?” Violet asked.
Sofia gave a small nod. “At some times.” Violet noticed the way the vampire tensed up. “Or at least not giving the full story. But I imagine it’s about more personal things, isn’t it Scarlet?”
“Yes ma’am,” Scarlet said softly. “Is that the information you wanted?”
“It is,” Sofia said softly. “I am sorry that I had to make you go through that. But I imagine considering your mistress, you can understand why I had to find out why you were like this.”
“I do,” Scarlet said softly.
“Fortunately for you, I’ve run into Percival in the past,” Sofia said. “So your story checks out pretty well.”
Silence reigned in the room for a while after that.
Violet just stared at her grandmother, her mouth open. Wait, she KNEW Scarlet’s sire? “When? Where? Why? HOW?”
Sofia glanced over to her. “What? I don’t slay every vampire I meet. Just most of them. You’ll probably have met quite a few as well, once you’re my age. The ones who aren’t as bad tend to stick out fairly well, if only so they can ensure they don’t get caught in the crossfire.”
Violet glared at her grandma. “You never told me about him.”
“I probably have,” Sofia said with a shrug. “I’ve told you most of my stories. Why, I remember every time I’d come home from a hunt you’d almost tackle me at the door, begging and pleading for me to tell you allllll about my adventure. ‘Granny, Granny, did you kill the wendigo?’ ‘Granny, did you bring me home any treasure?’ Such a greedy little grandchild you were,” Sofia said with a snicker.
Violet flushed and squirmed a little in her seat. “W-well, uhhh, I mean, I was just a little curious.”
“A little curious my foot,” Sofia said with a roll of her eyes. “You were a right terror. Especially once you learned how to start lockpicking. I didn’t tell you about those cursed items so you could play with them.”
“I only took one,” Violet said sheepishly. “I gave it back.”
“Curses?” Scarlet asked.
“Oh? Violet never told you about why everyone calls her the ‘Hunter of Curses’?” Sofia asked.
Violet squeaked and felt her cheeks going bright red. “Granny, no! She doesn’t know about that!”
“What? It’s a cute story,” Sofia said with a light chuckle.
“Pleeeeeease,” Violet said, her cheeks burning bright red. “Not everyone finds it cute.”
“Oh, come on, now I have to know,” Scarlet said. “I had to tell my story, isn’t it fair I get to hear yours?”
Violet whimpered, scrunching up in her chair a little bit. Oh gosh, this wasn’t… wasn’t…
Why didn’t she want Scarlet to know? It wasn’t like she could use the information against her. Everyone already knew. So why did it matter if Scarlet knew? Besides, Jasmine knew. And Jasmine had probably told her. If Scarlet had a problem with it, who cared? Her grandma could beat her up. She took a deep breath. “Well, fine. But I’m going to tell it if anyone is. Okay?”
Sofia snickered, an amused grin on her lips. “If you insist.”
Violet gave another soft sigh. As much as she loved her grandma, she wished sometimes the woman could be a bit more aware of WHY this might be trouble for others to find out. Not everyone was quite as caring as her grandmother or found it to be so ‘cute’ a story. “Well, my grandmother has collected a lot of old treasures over the years. After me and my mother moved in with her, well, she showed me a lot of them. She had some of them hidden away in this special case, with a padlock. She’d tell me about them, though. All of them were ‘cursed’ items. Dangerous, hard to destroy, but not so dangerous she was afraid to have them as trophies. At first,” Violet said softly. “Then she showed me them and, well, one of them was a bracelet that turned whoever wore it into a girl.”
Scarlet went entirely still, her eyes going wide.
“So, needless to say, she came back from her trip and I’d learned how to pick locks,” Violet said softly. “Mom was less than pleased.”
“It was absolutely precious,” Sofia said, her voice filled with pride. “‘Granny, Granny, look, I’m beautiful!’ Such a talented little thing. I don’t know how she managed to figure out how to pick locks. You couldn’t have been older than, what, Eight? Nine?”
“Mom almost stabbed you,” Violet said softly.
“It wasn’t the first time,” Sofia said with a shrug.
“Fair,” Violet said. “But yeah. Mom was pissed. They got the bracelet off but the curse stuck. Turns out you kind of have to want to remove a curse to get rid of it. There’s a few other issues that creep up from time to time, makes me more susceptible to other curses and all that. But also makes me a bit better able to use magic. Well, supposedly. I’ve never been the best at it even with the edge. So that’s why my nickname amongst hunters is ‘Hunter of Curses’. There, happy?” she asked.
Scarlet was staring at her and Violet felt a knot forming in her stomach. Oh, great. Here it came. So much for the pretty dress and-- no. Stop. STOP. She struggled to bury those thoughts. This was a job. Just a job. Nothing more than a--
And then that wicked, predatory grin formed on the vampire’s lips and the look she gave her turned Violet’s stomach into putty. “Well, well, well. This explains quite a few things, princess. You shouldn’t look so nervous, though. I don’t think this changes anything.”
Violet squeaked and felt her stomach do another little jump. Oh of all the things she could have said, it was simultaneously the best and worst thing ever.
Except a moment later Sofia was on her feet and behind Scarlet. A hand on the back of her throat and her voice deathly calm and threatening. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?” Sofia asked.
Scarlet went entirely still and the color dropped from her cheeks. “N-nothing, ma’am.”
“Good,” Sofia said before leaning in. “Because that is my granddaughter you are talking to. If you ever do anything to hurt her, I will find you. And I will make the rest of your very, very short existence… well. You’re a big girl. You’ve been around the block a few times and seen things that can be done. I’m pretty sure you can imagine what I would do to you.”
Violet sighed and shook her head. This was part of the reason she never dated.
“Y-yes ma’am, no hurting the nice little hunter,” Scarlet managed to squeak out. “Please don’t hurt me.”
“Wonderful,” Sofia said. “Now then, since that’s cleared up I’ve brought some nice tea from my trip overseas. I’ll be right back.” She then turned and walked out from the room, as if she hadn’t just threatened the manor’s owner.
Violet eyed Scarlet. The vampire wasn’t moving. “Are you okay?”
“Your grandma is so hot,” Scarlet managed to say. “I may never wash my neck again. Is that weird? That sounded weird once I said it.”
Violet sighed and just leaned forward, resting her forehead on the table. How was this woman the one who could twist her stomach into such knots? What was wrong with her? With both of them?