"Fiat Tenebra (Let Darkness be)", by Bloodwitch Luz Oscuria

Only fields as far as the eye could see presented themselves to her. Her only option was to stay at the farm where the naked, lifeless body of Victor's prey lay, for the day. She had no choice. So she pushed open the door to enter. She tried in vain to not look in the direction of the bed. Even though the smell of death was already emanating from the corpse. To protect her eyes and nose, she grabbed a blanket which was lying around nearby, and covered the woman.

She then took a seat at the table. Her eyes riveting on the nearly full glass of alcohol sitting there. There was a bottle a little further away, empty. She took the glass and smelt it. But she didn't dare put it to her mouth. She finally put it down when suddenly someone knocked on the door. She remained dumbfounded. Not knowing whether it was better to open or not. The voice of a man, apparently young, was heard. He was calling his great aunt. Bloodwitch turned towards the bed.

"Of course. She had a family…"

While she was careful not to make a sound, hoping the young man would go. He turned the doorknob and opened. His gaze met that of the Vampire.

- Oh sorry, am I disturbing? he politely apologized.

- Um, no.

Bloodwitch had answered in such a natural way that he entered without hesitating for a second. The Vampire didn't understand why she had given such an answer. And so quickly. She thought of the corpse under the sheet. It was not to be discovered. But the young man did not pay attention to the mass which was on the bed, and took place around the table, facing her.

"I've never seen you before," he began. Have you known my great aunt for a long time?

Bloodwitch's eyes left those of his interlocutor to rest slightly lower. She saw the jugular vein on his almost immaculate white neck. Seeing her lack of response - she was so obsessed with this detail - he sought her attention. When Bloodwitch finally realized that, she stood up abruptly and walked decisively towards the exit.

- Where are you going? asked the young mortal.

She walked silently through the door and ran away. She had had the kind of thought Victor told her about. And that displeased her to the highest point. Yet when she thought of him, an overwhelming urge to be like him seized her. He was the type of Vampire she should have been. And she secretly hoped that in the event that she got to his level, he would no doubt allow her to take further this beginning of the relationship that had settled between them. But this mortal who entered the farm, she didn't mean harm to him. He didn't do anything to her. How could she?

As she moved away from the farm, the pain in her chest grew stronger. The wound inflicted by Elonia hadn't been bleeding for a while. Blood was now leaking out again. The Vampire presumed her strength. Her eyesight blurred as she brought a hand to her wound, desperately pressing on it to stop the bleeding which was getting more abundant. In vain. After a few minutes, she collapsed, exhausted.

When she regained consciousness, she was in a damp cave. Someone had stripped her of her corset and she was stretched out on a makeshift bed. She was covered with a sheet. And her wound which made her suffer so much was healed. The place was bright enough that she quickly realized she was not alone. Someone was busy nearby. She tried to stand up. She didn’t manage to. She was still at the end of her strength. She let out a moan which caught the attention of the person next to her. He approached. It was Victor.

"You could say you got away with it," he said impartially. You were lucky that I came back that way.
- What happened? Bloodwitch weakly implored.

- You saw me disappear. But I wasn't really gone. I was watching you. I saw you let the mortal into the farm. And I thought you understood my lesson. I saw you come out of the place, triumphant. Instead, you left with that cowardice which suited your Sire so well. Now, I wonder if you can change. The habits of that bastard Valek seem so ingrained in you that I doubt it.

- Where did you know him from?

- Whatever. I know what he was. It's enough. You need not know more.

He walked over to her. A clean bandage in one hand. He directed his other hand towards the sheet, which Bloodwitch held back before his interlocutor had time to pull.

"So stop your manners," said Victor. Your corset didn't come off on its own. Would you have preferred that I leave you in the middle of the path?

She released the fabric without a word. And he lifted it up immediately. She looked away. She didn't want to fall into a trap similar to that of their last meeting. And as he busied himself with removing the bandage he had placed on the lesion, he continued his monologue. He explained to her that she mustn't believe he was acting out of compassion for her. That she had to be like him to be led by that sort of thing. And that he only came to the aid of a Vampire in need. Even if the characteristics of this one did not please him. He went on to comment on the stupidity she showed by narrowly failing to be surprised by the rays of the sun.

"It's not the first time," she said finally.