𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 {𝐀 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜} - 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 [1] ✔️

17. SAD MEMORIES

AS I DESCENDED THE STAIRS, ONCE AGAIN, MY EARS WERE met with an eerie silence that permeated the living room. The stillness was so palpable that I could almost hear the dust particles settling on the furniture. My heart began to race as I scanned the room, searching for any sign of life. But alas, it was empty.

My mind raced with questions. Where has everyone gone? It couldn't be a hunting trip, for Alana and Rhona had returned earlier with a fresh kill, their faces smeared with blood. So where could they be? The mystery hung heavy in the air, taunting me with its enigmatic presence.

With a flicker of my amber eyes, I scanned the spacious living room, searching for any sign of their presence. And yet, there was none. Perhaps they were indulging in a feast of venison, which would certainly explain their conspicuous absence. As I pondered this possibility, a movement caught my attention from the corner of my vision. It was Rhona, sauntering towards me with a cup in hand.

Just the woman I needed to see.

"Hello, Vi," Rhona greeted me with a sly smile. "How's your immortal soul?"

"I'm doing quite well," I replied, my voice dripping with the honeyed tones of the undead. "And yourself?"

"I am as fine as one can be in this eternal existence," she said, handing me a cup. I took it from her, my eyes flickering to the crimson liquid within. "It's from the deer. A rare delicacy these days, as everyone seems to have a taste for their blood. But I managed to save some for you."

"Thanks," I murmured, bringing the cup to my lips.

The blood was sweet and tender, a sensation that sent shivers down my spine. It was a far cry from my days as a human, when I wore black every day and was mocked for my gothic appearance.

"Your eyes are amber," Rhona observed.

I shrugged, taking another sip. "Is that a good thing?"

"Yes it is," she replied. "It means your diet is working. Give it a couple more months, and you'll see the gold."

I continued to drink, savouring the taste of the blood. It was a far cry from my old life, but I couldn't imagine going back. The thought of being a vampire had once been a joke to my classmates, but now it was my reality. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

My gaze fell upon Rhona, and I couldn't help but wonder, "How on earth did you come across this coven? Your accent doesn't exactly scream British."

Rhona's lips curved into a gentle smile as she replied, "California, darling. Los Angeles, to be precise." Her voice was soft, yet carried a hint of sorrow. "I had to leave my home behind after I was turned into a vampire. I couldn't bear the thought of reliving that nightmare all over again."

"What happened to you?" I inquired of her.

"I was born in 1899," Rhona commenced her tale, "My mother, Sylvia, was a woman of colour who worked as a maid, while my father, John Frederick, was a white man of means. But, their union was not sanctified by the bonds of matrimony, and as you can well imagine, the life of a mixed-race child in those days was fraught with difficulties."

As she spoke, I could feel the weight of her words, and I pitied for the struggles she must have faced.

"I had a great relationship with her mother, " she continued," But my relationship with my father was estranged. I was just an innocent girl who came from a broken family. Suddenly, it changed when my father started verbally and physically abusing me and my mother; I was young. I couldn't tell anyone at the time, because it was common. The other person I felt safe with, other than my mum, was my older half-brother, Daniel. That was until I was abused by him for four years. Physically and sexually."