Vampire lore - Carmilla/First Kill

Chapter 47

Juliette stepped inside her home, her arms still cradling Calliope, while Carmilla followed close behind. The house felt eerily quiet, the thick air of tension clinging to every corner. Theo led them down a set of wooden stairs, the sound of their footsteps muted on the carpeted steps.

As they reached the basement, the space opened up into a large, expansive room. A sprawling couch sat facing a massive TV mounted on the wall. A sleek, built-in bar lined one side, its polished surface reflecting the soft glow of the ambient lights. Bookshelves covered the walls, filled with volumes of knowledge, history, and probably a few secrets Juliette had never had the chance to learn.

In the center of the room, sitting on the couch, was Talia Burns. Her face was pale, the lines of stress etched deeply into her skin, making her appear older than Juliette remembered. Talia's usually sharp eyes were clouded with worry, her body tense as if every fiber of her being was waiting for the worst to happen. She looked up the moment Theo descended the stairs, her expression shifting from anguish to something else—relief, fear, and an overwhelming sense of guilt.

Talia rose slowly from the couch, her eyes locking on Calliope's unconscious form in Juliette's arms. Her lips trembled slightly, but no words came out.

Juliette, hesitant, gently laid Calliope down on the couch, her heart pounding in her chest. She stood back, trying to give the family space, but her eyes never left Calliope. The weight of the room was unbearable.

— She's fine, Mrs. Burns - Juliette said softly, her voice breaking the silence. - She just needs time to recover. She'll be okay.

Talia's eyes filled with tears as she reached for her daughter, her hands hovering over Calliope's still form. She barely nodded, her voice choked with emotion.

— Thank you, Juliette.

Her voice was soft but filled with a depth of gratitude that words couldn't quite convey. She pulled away from Calliope for a moment, looking at Theo, who had been standing silently, his hands balled into fists at his sides. She could see the tension in his body, the way his muscles tensed as if ready for a fight he knew he couldn't win.

— It's all my fault, isn't it? - Talia whispered, barely loud enough for anyone to hear. Her voice was ragged, the guilt she carried more obvious now that she was no longer hiding behind the walls she'd built to protect her son.

Theo's expression softened, and he moved closer to his mother.

— You did what you had to, Mom, - Theo said, his voice steady. - You saved me. We'll figure this out.

The words seemed to weigh heavy in the air as Talia took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She had made impossible choices, and though she had saved Theo from the hunters, the price was high. She had left behind Apollo, Calliope, and her husband, all to protect Theo from the family she had once called her own.

Juliette shifted her weight, feeling the tension between them all. Her own emotions were raw—fear, guilt, love, and confusion. But above all, she wanted to see Calliope wake up, to see her eyes open and know that the girl she loved was still there, even after everything.

— What happened to her? - Talia's voice was low, strained with the fear only a mother could feel. Her eyes, sharp but filled with concern, bore into Juliette's, searching for the truth.

Juliette swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper as she answered.

— Mrs. Burns, there were... two women standing over her. One was pressing a white cloth over her face, I could smell it. Chloroform, or something like it. The other... she was chanting something. It sounded ancient. Dark. It made my skin crawl.