The Succubus's Plaything

Chapter 55: I'm Going to be a Vampire!?

"Why are you.. two.. here?" Inesa's confused look on her face is obvious when she opens the door to let Sara and I in. I guess she wasn't consulted when Valorie decided to set her latest scheme in motion.

"Dinner." Sara states gleefully. I'm surprised by how quick my sister's mood switches from downcast to bubbly. She takes a step inside, and wraps Inesa in a bear hug. "You've been missing all week! I'm so happy you're feeling better again!"

"Too.. Hard.." Inesa taps Sara on the back in rapid succession to signal that the hug is over.

"Your mom invited us." I decide to be a little bit more clear than my sister was.

"You did?" Inesa turns to her mother questioningly, who is leaning against the railing, waiting for an opportunity to greet us.

"I did. I thought it could be fun. Welcome over!" I can't help but try looking past her words in order to find the underlying plan, but don't find anything.

"Thanks for having us! It's been quite a while hasn't it?"

"It has been. Too long." Valorie smiles.

"So.." Inesa glances uneasily at me, before turning her gaze back to Sara. She looks as if she were going to ask something, but changes her mind.

"Hey Inesa, how about you show Sara your room? You've rearranged since last time, right?" Valorie suggests suspiciously.

"Yeah.. I have?" Inesa tilts her head, trying to get what her mother is getting at.

Is Valorie trying to get me alone or what?

"Oo, you have?" Sara breaks Inesa out of her thoughts.

"Uhm.. Yes. Do you wanna see it?.."

"Sure!"

Inesa hesitates, but ultimately leads my sister up the stairs to show off her apparently new room arrangement.

When me and Valorie are left alone, she gestures for me to follow her into the kitchen.

"So.. You want to speak to me about something?.." I ask her. It's the only real explanation for this weird behavior.

"Yes.. So.. I assume you've.. Noticed something.. Off about yourself recently?.."

I think back to this morning when I looked at myself in the mirror. "You could say that.. Last night, did you or Inesa use some sort of power to heal my wounds?"

She pauses, deciding how much she should say. "No.. And yes?.. That depends how you want to look at things.."

I narrow my eyes. Never before have I seen Valorie act so unsure of herself. Is whatever that is going on really that serious?.. "What are the different ways of looking at it?"

"So.. Either you can look at it like Inesa's power flowed into you and healed you.." She stops her sentence and glances over at the stairs. "Or.. It's your own energy activating and healing yourself.."

"Huh? My own energy? What do you mean?"

"So.. I haven't told you this.. And in fact Inesa isn't aware of this herself. But the other half of her.. That isn't succubus.. Is vampire. It's the main reason why she's so obsessed with stealing your energy through blood rather than.. The method she used last night."

I can feel my cheeks warm up at the reminder, and I'm briefly distracted from the subject at hand. "So.. It's her vampire side that wants to suck my blood? What does that have to do with me though?"

"Just.. Confirm a couple things for me real quick.." Putting her hand on the kitchen island she softly leans her weight on it.

"Ok.." I'm put on alert from her hesitance to share information.

"You are.. a virgin right?.."

Heh? Why does she want to know that?.. I mean.. "Yes.."

"And.. Forgive me for the obvious questions.. But you're developing feelings for my daughter?.."

My cheeks warm up even further, and I subconsciously bring my shoulders up from embarrassment. "I guess.. Yes?"

"So that's definitely it.." Valorie puts her free hand over her forehead and sighs deeply.

"W-why do you need to know the answer for those questions!?" I can tell that there is something incredibly serious going on that I'm not fully grasping.

"When someone who has feelings for a vampire get's their blood sucked by that vampire.. They have a tendency.. To become one themselves.."

My jaw drops and I am rendered speechless. Racing through every possible thing that she could be getting at, I can't come to any conclusion other than the obvious. "I-I.. You mean?.." I think I need to sit down..

"I'm afraid so.. Although it tends to happen slowly until the point of no return.. You are showing symptoms of transforming.. I am sorry." She suddenly bows in a perfect ninety-degree bow. "I was careless. If you want to distance yourself from my daughter, you should do it now before the change is irreversible."

Wait.. Aside from the obviously alarming news, Valorie is giving me a way out!? She just said that I can leave right!? Although.. I can't bring myself to jump at the unexpected opportunity..

"So it is reversible?.." I ask, uncomfortable with Valorie's current position.

She returns to standing straight just before a delay followed by her answer. "If you continue to have feelings for Inesa, and she continues to drink your blood. Then you'll gradually become more and more vampirish, until you finally grow fangs. Once your fangs come in.. Then you will permanently be a vampire. But if you two were to stop before that happens, you'll eventually go back to normal."

"Do you mind if I have a seat?.. I'm feeling a bit dizzy.." Me? Becoming a vampire!?

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Lupus: I'm amused. 

Valorie: I'm glad to hear it. That's at least one of us then..

Lupus: But you get to witness all of this first hand! You should be kicking back and enjoying this show just as much, or even more than I am!

Valorie: You know, you should be feeling just as guilty for this boy as I am. 

Lupus: Why's that? It isn't as if I'm actually present..

Valorie: Because.. Well you know. 

Lupus: Well.. I don't feel guilty, and that's that. 

Valorie: Hmf. 

Lupus: Don't be like that. Tell you what. I'll visit sometime. How about that? 

Valorie: Do whatever you like. It isn't as if I have the energy to stop you anyway. You're just too stubborn. 

Lupus: I guess I am.