Hera, Love & Revenge

Hera #04

"So meat is going to be fine?" I ask while Cata seems overjoyed to prepare it for me.

"Red meat is usually the easiest." Cata nods. "Whatever is closest to our actual diet anyway... With time, most vampires learn to eat pretty much anything, we just get used to the taste. It doesn't kill us, and some taste surprisingly good at times. Oh, and alcohol doesn't affect us!"

I'm not sure if that's going to be a good thing or a bad thing... Cata seems absorbed in her cooking again, preparing the wine sauce from scratch, even the shallots. I get mesmerized by her movements, and my eyes go to the batch of cookies she was preparing just before. Why does she bake so much if she can't really eat it then? Is it just a hobby?

Meanwhile, I just rest quietly, listening to her hum. I glance outside. Looks like wherever this house is located, we're surrounded by bushes and trees. As Cata said, the sun's going down behind the windows. Is it alright that I'm awake during the day? Cata looks like she's been up for hours too. If I didn't know any better, I would have never suspected she isn't human. I'd probably just feel like there's something off about her. I have so many questions... I sigh. I guess I have an eternity to answer them now. I simply rest. I feel a lot better than before, at least. Like... just good. Not hot, nor cold. Not tired, not hungry. A bit thirsty, but I'm learning that's going to be a lasting sensation. My body still feels a bit strange to me, but I am now starting to get curious about the changes that occurred... like my hearing. I realize Cata's movements are mindful of each noise she makes and swift. I can hear her spatula on the pan, but also the bird outside the window, and a squirrel running through the leaves. If I close my eyes and really focus, I can also hear water running through the plumbing, the wooden floor creaking, and even more street noises from afar. That makes me realize that this house is probably bigger than what I've seen. My room was on the ground floor, but from what I heard, there are at least two or three floors, maybe more. And the only noise I can hear from above is Bart taking that shower... I hear nothing of Richard, but I guess vampires don't snore or even need to breathe while sleeping?

"...Cata, how many people are coming over, exactly?"

"Hm... some of them we haven't heard from in a few decades, so I'd be surprised if they showed up. Plus, some really don't get along, so they avoid each other... Well, like any large family, I guess! But I'd estimate about a dozen of them will come?"

"How many people did Richard, uh... turn?"

"Oh, I wouldn't know! Probably dozens and dozens over the centuries... but not many have survived. In fact, many vampires don't make it past their first years."

"...Really?" I frown. "Why?"

"Many things." She sighs. "... You'll see when you go hunting with Bart tonight. Just be sure to listen to him, alright, darling?"

I nod, but I'm still confused. What the heck would vampires be worried about? Catherina doesn't seem to want to expand on the matter, and I don't dare ask; as she said, I guess I'll have to find out later... She finally puts the plate in front of me. The steak is bloody, covered with a red sauce and, I have to say, smelling and looking appealing.

"There you go!" She smiles.

I smile back and grab the fork and knife to try it. Oh... That's much better, actually. Not quite the taste I'd expect it to be, but combined with the red wine sauce, it's more flavorful and palatable.

"Thanks, Cata, it's delicious." I nod.

"Glad to hear that." She smiles. "...You know, I'm thinking we're going to have to do something about your appearance."

I grimace. I suppose so... I can't just go out in the streets. News of my death probably reached this part of the world too, thanks to technology. If someone out there recognizes me, it's going to be quite a mess...

"I'm open to anything," I tell her honestly.

In fact, I'm open to completely erasing everything. I'm never going back to being June Starr again... I'm a bit surprised Bart and Cata didn't ask more about my death either. Perhaps vampires have learned to be respectful of others' circumstances. I'm so used to people tearing apart every aspect of my life to speculate, this is actually quite a nice change; I won't complain. For once, I'm the one with all the questions. I eat my steak slowly, but after a while, I realize I wasn't hungry to begin with; I'm just mechanically feeding my organs, or so it feels. The thirst in my throat doesn't disappear, no matter how much of that sauce I have. I'm even starting to reconsider the glass from earlier...

"You probably don't need to do anything tonight as you and Bart won't be going out for too long, but... I will contact Riki!"

"...Riki?"

"A friend of the family!" She smiles. "She's helped us with a couple of... transformations before. I mean, things used to be so much easier a while back, before all of this new technology. All we had to do was move overseas and relocate to a new city for a few decades! Nowadays, we have to be careful with all these cameras and everything. It's quite bothersome, really..."

That explains a couple of things... like why this house seems low-tech. They probably prefer a not-too-old mansion over some penthouse place where there would be more cameras. It also explains why the entire family doesn’t live here. I could barely stand my own family, and I'm just twenty-five. I can't imagine seeing the same faces for decades, let alone centuries. I'd want to move to a remote corner of the world too. And I can't say I've never dreamed of being far away from all the cameras...

"So most of... the others live elsewhere?"

Cata nods.

"Everyone has their own life... We see them from time to time! But only a few of us still live in London. Most of the others are scattered all over Europe, a few overseas. They don't need to report to us either, it's all up to personal affinities now."

"So, even if Richard summons them... not everyone comes?"

Cata shrugs.

"It depends on the occasion. If they are curious about their newest little sister, they will!"

So, if it was something more serious, it would perhaps be enough to bring more home. I guess a new vampire isn't much news if they've all been around for a few centuries... Now I'm a bit intrigued to meet those who will show up.

"So it's just you, Bart, and Richard here?"

"Oh, there's Agnes too, but she doesn't really come out of her room often. You'll be lucky if you run into her! I'll introduce you to her sometime. Claude also comes here often, but he's been moving around a lot, so there's no telling when he'll show up next. Maybe tomorrow, since Richard contacted him... He's a bit of a loner, otherwise; you'll see he's a bit... different. Oh, John and Juliet also live not too far from here, they bought a house in Canterbury about ten years ago. Those two will definitely come!"

"A couple?" I ask, intrigued.

"Oh, yes! John and Juliet have been together basically since they met, and have been stuck together for a while now... Juliet was actually the youngest before you!"

The youngest, hm... I wonder what year she got turned and why. I won't ask though. From Cata and Bart's interaction earlier, I understand asking about one's circumstances isn't considered polite. Vampire rules, I guess. I need to get familiar with those soon. I feel like I've left everything from my previous life behind without regret, but now I have a puzzle lying before me that I need to solve and master quickly to fit in. I finish my plate and lean back against the chair. I realize Cata doesn't really push me for conversation either; whether I talk or not, she just does her baking thing, which seems to be taking an amazing amount of time. That being said, I genuinely have no idea how long it takes to make cookies. I glance around, still a bit curious about this place. It seems like they've opted for furniture that would fit in any century. Everything is wooden and in tones of white or beige. There are plants here and there, but a lot are dried ones that haven’t grown over the years. Once again, there is literally no sign of any personal items, not even a hint of color that could pop out. Not a single photo anywhere, not even a clue about the residents' favorite hobbies... In fact, it feels like a picture from a furniture magazine or one of those places you can rent for a short stay; literally anyone could be living here. Cata cleans up after herself as she finishes each dish, putting everything back in its place as soon as she's done with it. In ten seconds, everything will be spotless, I bet.

"So this mansion is about as empty as it sounds..." I mutter to myself.

"Most of the rooms are occupied though," smiles Cata. "...Richard bought this house after the bombings of London."

"...You mean the Blitz? World War II?"

She nods.

"The wars were hard on vampires too... We don't die from natural causes, we aren't affected by disease outbreaks that affect humans, but bullets and bombs? That was chaos. We didn't have the means we have today to communicate either. A lot of vampires simply fled the main cities and remained in hiding for years. So, Richard thought we would need a place... where everyone could always come back to, at any time."

"...Your home."

"Yes." Cata smiles. "It's a big, empty house, but every Heartgraves has a room here, even if most only sleep in it a couple of times a year at best... usually for Christmas!"

"Vampires celebrate Christmas?"

"We're a family, and it's an occasion like any other! …Plus, I think some just like to regroup here when something happens. Or to make sure the others are alright, for those who aren't really up to date with technology… and to see Richard too. He's the one thing we all have in common, after all."

So this is the patriarch's house everybody still has a room in... It's odd to think that the woman baking cookies in front of me lived through an actual war. That means she and Richard were in London in the 40s? I wonder how it was... Suddenly, I hear Bart's steps coming to join us; he appears, a towel wrapped around his waist and another drying his hair. His upper half is exposed, and on his rather thin torso, I can't help but notice the impressively large burn scar.

"Hey, Baby," he says. "If you want to go and hunt, you'd better start getting ready!"

Oh, right, I'm still in some sort of nightgown... I turn to Cata.

"Are there any clothes I can borrow?"

"Naturally!"

I follow her light step out of the kitchen and two floors up. She keeps looking at each door, clearly unsure which one to open.

"Hm... You look about Juliet's size, but she doesn't keep a lot of clothes here. Susan or Anne's would definitely be too big for you... Becca’s is probably not a fit either... Oh, let's try Grace's!"

She tries a room, but it's locked. Cata rolls her eyes.

"Oh, Grace, seriously…? Nevermind. Let's try Juliet's."

We go back to another room, which opens without issue this time. Cata simply walks in and I follow. It’s a bedroom with much more personality than I've seen in any other room. There are pretty flower paintings on the walls, nothing like those old museum paintings, but simple pastels and soft watercolors. The light green bed sheets seem clean and all the furniture is white with a soft feminine touch to it. The vanity has a pile of romantic books on it, as well as a couple of notebooks and a rather recent makeup palette from a brand I know. There are also a couple of DVDs on a shelf and a small TV on the side. Cata walks up to the large wardrobe, opening it wide. Everything is perfectly arranged.

"I don't know if there's going to be anything fitting for a hunt," sighs Cata, quickly going through the clothes that are hung up. "Juliet always hunts with John... Oh, this isn't bad!"

Yikes. She takes out a short, very tight piece of black fabric that's meant to be a dress with thin straps. I'd wear this on a summer night to sleep, but seriously, to go hunt? I was thinking more like a black leather ensemble...

"No offense to Juliet," I mutter, "but this is..."

"Just put it on," Bart suddenly says, walking by at the same time, now wearing black jeans and a black shirt, still with a towel on his head. "We're going hunting, Baby, and you're the prey!"

I turn to Cata, who gives me a little apologetic smile and hands it to me anyway.

"I'll go and find some makeup, alright?"

She moves on to Juliet's bathroom while I'm left with that thing in my hands… Is that even going to fit?

To my surprise, it does. A double-check in the mirror confirms I'm definitely more slender than ever, but the dress is a bit short on me. I don't understand how a girl who paints watercolor flowers can wear such a thing at all.

"Oh, it fits you!" exclaims Cata, reappearing. "Here, some makeup... and I found a hat for your hair too. I mean, you and Bart are probably not going to show yourselves but it's better you make sure no one recognizes you, darling."

"What look am I going for, exactly?" I ask, wrapping my arms around my body and the tight dress covering barely a third of it.

"Just make yourself pretty, but not June Starr pretty," says Cata, giving me a wink.

What's that supposed to mean…?

I don't think she realizes I haven't done my own makeup in a long, long time. Although, that's perhaps a good thing. I'm not as talented as the makeup artists I was used to, and I don't give two shits about what I look like anymore. I'm a vampire now... I decide to go for something simple, but a bit heavy on the kohl and mascara. Cata lets me play with the makeup while brushing my hair for me, quickly arranging it in waves with a little satisfied smile. I also grab the reddest, darkest lipstick I can find, something no one would have let me wear before. I was known as the little doll of the agency... I had to maintain the image of the blue-eyed, pretty, innocent, and cute blonde. Even when I tried to graduate from that reputation by acting in a risky role, people only loved my "dangerous lolita charms" even more. I guess I really had to be reborn to finally decide what else I could be…

Once I'm done, I do look different. On top of what I'd witnessed earlier, I now look like a sexy, dark version of myself. The little cap hides my forehead, and Cata gave me a pair of high-heeled boots.

"Hello there." Bart whistles, checking me out up and down.

"Is this okay?" I ask, still utterly confused about the heels.

"It's great." He chuckles. "I haven't had a date this hot since 1982."

I chuckle. Okay, I might start to like that old man. Bart underwent some changes too for our date. He actually cut his hair, so his short white hair looks somewhat cool now. He's revealed a bunch of his silver piercings, and with the black outfit giving a decent frame to his skinny body, I'm kind of digging his modern vampire look. Compared to him, I look like an emo teenager trying to act sexy for once. I definitely need to upgrade my game someday.

He offers me his hand.

"Ready to hunt, Baby?"

"There's a first for everything." I nod, taking his hand.