After Arundel (RP)

The old gray Volkswagen’s engine sputtered as Emma put it into park. The rusty car was the only reason Emma believed some sort of higher power was looking after her- she was convinced her daily prayers were the only reason it didn't move on to the great beyond.

"Hi!" she greeted benji with a warm smile as he climbed into the car. She was wearing her coat, but the faint scent of her perfume still lingered in the air "How have you been? Hope this isn’t too late for you" she checked the rearview mirror, though the only thing she could hope to make out were the incoming headlights of approaching cars through the heavy rain. "Where are we headed?"

"I wrote that book before I knew the first thing about vampires" she offered Benji an apologetic half-smile. "So, you know, it was pretty popular... with women" Her first book had been a bit on the raunchy side, leaning into the vampires-as-seducers-of-maidens trope. But her second one was shaping up to be more of a true horror story. She was sure it would do even better than the first—if she could ever finish it.

The problem was, if anything, that her second novel was starting to feel a little… lacking. It was missing the "erotic" part of the "erotic-horror" genre. She had been thinking about spicing it up with a few sex scenes, but she wasn’t sure which of the characters would hook up. She sighed inwardly to herself. Honestly, adding romance was the least of her problems. There was just too much going on. So many plots were spinning out of control, and she wasn’t sure how to keep track of it all. She might need to split them into separate books. Hell, maybe a series. But that meant editing would be an absolute nightmare. She hardly had time to write it all down, let alone clean it up later.

Take Eliot, for instance. She introduced him in the first chapter, but now he was missing, and she wasn’t sure whether to write him out or make sure he reappeared. Benji told her it would be easier for if he stayed missing, but it wouldn’t be good for her book. She had to find him, at least for the sake of the plot, but the more she focused on her writing, the more it felt like she was living in a story herself. A story that didn’t always go the way she wanted. She’d been so caught up in documenting her supernatural encounters that sometimes she didn’t stop to think if it was good for her. She was acting more like a character in her own book than someone who was living her life.

"I’m getting a much better portrayal this time, though" she finally said "I’ll send you some drafts if you’re interested. See what you think."

She glanced through the rearview mirror, hoping to catch a glimpse of any car tailing them. The downpour made it nearly impossible to see beyond the headlights of the vehicle behind them. She couldn’t even tell if they were being followed, though she had a feeling Benji might be right. If he said not to worry, maybe she shouldn’t. But then again, what a centuries-old vampire considered to be 'harmless' could still mess up the life of a mortal like her. There wasn't anything she could do about it, however, except put her trust in him.

"Had dinner with my ex and his business associates earlier this evening" she tried to keep her voice light "Henry was worried about my association with Eliot, but turned out he and his friends all think he is some kind of a mobster. They didn't even know he had gone missing. So, all their advice was pretty much worthless. Still, the food was fantastic!"


The mention of food reminded her of something she’d been meaning to ask for a while. It was a bit personal, but she was genuinely curious, and this seemed like as good a time as any to ask "How often do vampires have to eat? Like, is it every night?"

"Sex and Death are huge existential forces for humans" she tried to justify the appeal of erotic horror "But I guess not so much for someone who doesn’t need sex, or is basically immortal" She paused to wonder how Benji viewed death. He had lived for centuries. Seen friends, lovers, acquaintances fade away, entire civilizations vanish into the pages of history. Did that make him numb to human life, considering they were all bound to die eventually? Or did it make him more sensitive to how precious it was? She glanced at him briefly, but didn’t ask. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

She turned her mind back to his words. Every day. Every single day. She imagined what it must be like for Sarah. How often the vampire must have fed from her. But now she was starting to realize that Sarah couldn’t have been the only one. How many others were there? How many men and women served as unwilling vessels for vampires? Did Benji have a similar... 'arrangement' with someone? Did he ever feed from someone against their will, over the course of all those centuries?

Did he ever kill?

She already knew the answer. He called it an ‘accident.’ Just like Mr. Christobal warned her about, back in Arundel.

The thought unsettled her more than she’d like to admit, and she visibly tensed as they reached Miriam’s door. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to think too deeply about vampires' feeding habits. Better to think of Benji as a kindly sweet gentleman, than someone who preyed upon humans for substance. But for a moment there, she couldn't help but feel like she was standing in the presence of a monster.

Emma took a moment to take it all in with her usual attentiveness to detail. Like Sarah, Miriam lived on a schedule most would find unnatural – awake when the rest of the world was asleep. Their lives mirrored those of nocturnal predators, and it was more than just a matter of habit. It was survival. These women stayed up, because the dangers of the night demanded them to be vigilant.

But there was more. All the clutter and reliance on take-outs, not taking care of the space she occupied hinted Miriam was suffering from some sort of depression; chaos in her mind manifesting itself physically. She obviously didn’t host guests very often, if at all. She imagined her loneliness was a choice born out of necessity. Being a vampire hunter was a very dangerous job, one that could put people close to her in great danger. Shutting herself out of the world might have been the best way to avoid vampires targeting people she cared about – because she didn’t have any to worry about.

The disparaging remarks about her book took on a different light in that context. It was as if Miriam was pushing her away, keeping her at arm’s length so she wouldn’t get too close.

The unease Emma had been feeling grew. What was at stake here; the danger to the lives of the people she cared about, was starting to feel more and more urgent.

" - but it sells well" she murmured, deciding against contradicting Miriam. She didn’t feel angry, only empathetic. She couldn’t begin to imagine the amount of willpower and sacrifice it took to lead the life she has chosen.

"Sorry to call on you at such late hour, but we have some sensitive things to talk to you about" She hoped Miriam would get the hint. She really didn’t want to go out in the pouring rain for coffee, especially at this hour. Aside from the practicality of discussing vampire-related matters in a McDonald's, she still hoped to get some sleep tonight, and more travel meant less time in her bed.

Emma bites her lip, and exchanges a quick look with Benji. She doesn’t want to press Miriam. It wasn’t fair to show up the middle of the night with a problem that could put her at risk, to expect her to drop everything and help a total stranger, no matter what the cost to her might be.

She had half a mind to turn away and let the woman be, except Emma has faced this same dilemma a couple of nights ago. She could have turned Sarah away. And she could, even now, throw her out to the streets and let her fend for herself, while she and David slept soundly in their bed. But she couldn’t. Maybe it was because was being naïve, and didn’t have the same life experience as Miriam, but she couldn’t find it in her heart to leave Sarah to her fate.

"Please" she merely added to Benji’s appeal for help