Bloody roses

8: Aberrant

“Here’s your coffee, docteur! Lord Vlad, you can’t just eat strawberries! No, you can’t just put the strawberries on bread!”
“Faust, those are my strawberries. Don’t touch them.”

Lacrimă was confused. She had expected them to go hunting together, but instead, they just ate human food. They even seemed to enjoy it. Why would they eat something these pesky humans did, too? Weren’t they ashamed?
Charles left the room and returned with some vials containing red or white liquid. She continued sitting normally until he opened a red one.
Immediately, she recognized the scent. Blood, human blood. Her body became numb to anything but the delicious scent. The flavour of blood became present on her tongue, and then her mouth dried out. It called out for her.

Suddenly, she was pulled out of her trance by strong arms gripping hers. “Lacrimă, are you alright?”
She hissed.
“Your excellency, this looks a lot like bloodlust.”
“It can’t be! Purebloods don’t have this kind of craving!”
“Well, this one does.”
“Stop spouting nonsense, Faust!”
“Close the rouge, Charl.”
Charles obeyed. The cute girl sitting in front of him changing into a bloodthirsty monster even his Lord had trouble restraining was very intimidating to the lesser vampire.

Lacrimă slowly calmed down. Her throat still felt incredibly dry, but she did not feel the desire to jump on anyone anymore.
“What an interesting specimen. Are you two related?”
“Faust, this is my granddaughter Lacrimă. Do refrain from referring to her as a specimen. And, no, you will not be using her in any of our experiments.”
“It can’t be avoided. Don’t you want to know what caused her to suffer from bloodlust as a pureblood, my lord?”
“Fine. But you’re only allowed to ask her questions, nothing physical. Dissect her, and I’ll publically dissect you.”
“How disappointing. Where are you from?”
“I was born in the Transylvanian Saxon town of Sighișoara, then lived near Timișoara.”
“Why did you come here?”
“My father was killed. He left me a letter telling me to come here.”
“So you travelled by foot.”
“Correct.”

“Faust, why exactly are these questions relevant?”
“Remember the serial killer you obsessed over in the past weeks? That was her.”
“She wouldn't-"
“She can’t control herself.”
Vlad gritted his teeth, then smiled. He had sworn to eradicate crime all over the world. As much as he wanted to deny it, Faust had a point. There was one thing he did not know, however. Vlad had not just been wanting to kill the murderer. He had planned to turn him and have him join his group. If they taught Lacrimă to control herself, she would be a strong ally. Still, part of him wanted to leave her out of his plans and have her live a life as normal as an immortal life can be. Well, he could let her decide. Who was he to take a decision this important from her?
Something similar to a god. But she was, too.

“Before you started travelling, what did you eat or drink?” “I don’t know exactly. My father gave me a glass filled with a red liquid. It looked and had a consistency like blood, but it tasted disgusting.”
“Sounds like animal blood, Faust.”
“Does that have an effect on vampires, my lord?”
“I don’t know. It is just like human blood, just way less nutritious. I’ve heard of no vampires drinking it for a long time.”
“She’s the first then. How interesting. As for her bloodlust, my theory is that she has been starved with animal blood for so long she wasn’t able to develop the ability of controlling herself, because she simply did not need it.”
“I-I don’t believe it.”
“Well, old geezer, it’s the only explanation you have.”
“I guess you’re right. But that doesn’t give you the right to touch my strawberries!”

“What are you going to do now?” Faust asked.
“I suppose I’ll have to teach Lacrimă how to control her bloodlust.”
Lacrimă did not understand. Bloodlust was a central part of being a vampire, why did they all repress it?
“May I help with that, my lord?”
“I suppose I do need your help as a scientist with her, but you are not allowed to use her as a test subject.”
“How disappointing. But I didn’t expect anything else from such an old man.”
Why was he allowed to disrespect his sire in such a way?
“I will help too, if you need me! It would make me more than happy to be used as a test subject if it helps the Voivoide’s granddaughter!”