Vampire lore - Carmilla/First Kill

Chapter 49

As Carmilla pulled up to the safe house, the weight of the last few hours pressed heavily on her mind. The situation with Juliette and Calliope still felt raw, unresolved, like a knot she couldn't untangle. The urgency of their predicament, the hunters' twisted attempts to erase Calliope's memories of Juliette, still haunted her. She could feel the tendrils of it tightening around her thoughts, but she couldn't afford to linger on it now. There was another storm brewing here, one that demanded her attention.

The van's engine rumbled softly before falling into an unsettling silence. Outside, the early morning air was crisp, unnervingly still. The sun hadn't fully risen yet, casting long, pale shadows across the gravel driveway. As Carmilla stepped out, the crunch of gravel beneath her boots seemed too loud in the eerie quiet. She paused at the door, her senses prickling with unease. Something felt off, like the house itself was holding its breath, as if waiting for something to happen. The air was thick with tension, and for a moment, Carmilla considered turning back, giving herself another few moments of calm before facing whatever waited inside.

But there was no time for hesitation.

She pushed open the door, the hinges creaking slightly in the oppressive silence, and was immediately met with the unmistakable sound of heavy, angry footsteps coming from below. Laura.

Carmilla's stomach twisted. She recognized that sound too well—Laura only moved like that when she was teetering on the edge, caught between fury and helplessness. It sent a surge of urgency through Carmilla. Without even thinking, she quickened her pace, heading straight for the basement. If Elinor had pushed Laura to this point, things could spiral out of control quickly.

As she descended the stairs, the tension thickened, wrapping itself around her like a vise. Her boots echoed against the hardwood floor, each step heightening the sense of foreboding. By the time Carmilla reached the bottom, Laura was already storming up the basement steps, her face twisted in a raw combination of rage and exhaustion. Sunlight filtered through the windows, casting long beams of light that starkly highlighted the dark circles beneath Laura's eyes, her expression haunted by something Carmilla couldn't yet place.

— Laura - Carmilla called softly, her voice slicing through the suffocating tension like a knife. It was meant to ground her wife, to pull her back from whatever edge she was standing on.

Laura's head snapped up, her wild, glassy eyes locking onto Carmilla's. For a long moment, she didn't speak, the silence between them heavy with unsaid things. Laura's lips parted, but no words came. Her expression was a maelstrom of emotions—anger, hurt, exhaustion—and for a brief second, something else. Relief, maybe, at seeing Carmilla standing there. But it was quickly overshadowed by frustration.

— She's awake - Laura finally muttered, her voice hoarse from whatever confrontation had taken place. The words were weighed down by too much emotion, barely holding together. - Elinor's awake.

Carmilla frowned, stepping closer. She could sense something more was wrong, something deeper than just Elinor. Laura's face told a story that her words hadn't yet revealed.

— Did she say something about the Malkia? - Carmilla asked, trying to understand the urgency that seemed to cling to Laura's every movement.

— The Malkia? - Laura spat the words out like they were irrelevant, her eyes flashing with incredulity. - I'm not worried about the Malkia right now.

Carmilla's confusion deepened, her mind racing to catch up.

— Then why were you down there with her? - She didn't understand. If Elinor wasn't the immediate threat, why the urgency? Why the fury?

Laura's frustration boiled over, her eyes narrowing as she took a step toward Carmilla.

— Because while you were off in the middle of the night, to God knows where, something happened to Danny!

The words hit Carmilla like a punch. Danny? Her mind reeled as she tried to process what Laura was saying.

— What happened? Is she okay? - The concern in Carmilla's voice was immediate, her heart pounding in her chest.

Laura's shoulders sagged slightly, as if the weight of the past few hours was finally catching up to her.

— Physically, yes...I think - she said, her voice strained and heavy. - But she's been out cold, like she's in a coma, I think. She won't wake up, Carmilla.

Carmilla's breath caught in her throat, a knot of fear forming in her stomach.

— How did this happen? - she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. - And why were you talking to Elinor? Did she do this?

— I don't know! - Laura snapped, her frustration spilling over. - I don't know anything right now! Danny just, collapsed. And I thought, maybe, Elinor could give me answers. But she didn't. Or she couldn't. I don't know!

Carmilla moved toward her, wanting to reach out, to comfort her, but Laura took a step back, avoiding her touch. The rejection stung, and the guilt that had been gnawing at Carmilla's insides since she walked in deepened.

— You weren't here - Laura whispered, her voice raw with emotion. - We needed you, Carmilla. I needed you, and you weren't here.

Carmilla swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She had known this was coming, had felt the distance between them growing since their argument the day before.

—I'm so sorry, Cupcake - she said softly, her voice thick with guilt. - Juliette needed my help, and...I needed time. I didn't want to make things worse between us after what happened yesterday.

Laura's eyes flashed with hurt, the tension between them palpable. But finally, she met Carmilla's gaze.

— What happened with Juliette? - she asked, the slightest hint of worry creeping into her voice.

— The hunters - Carmilla began, her voice steadying as she explained. - They were trying to force Calliope into a spell. They wanted to make her forget everything. We stopped them in time, but...I don't know if we did enough.

Laura's brow furrowed, her expression softening as concern for Juliette briefly overpowered her own frustrations.

— Where are they now?

— At Juliette's family house - Carmilla said, her voice calming as she recounted the events. - Juliette thought it would be better for Calliope to recover there.

Laura bit her lip, processing the information. She let out a slow, steady breath, her shoulders finally easing a fraction.

— So, you didn't have an easy morning either. - she murmured, the anger in her voice dissipating, replaced by a quiet understanding.

They stood there for a long moment, just looking at each other. No words were needed now. The silence between them was heavy, laden with unspoken apologies, hurt, and the slow realization that things weren't going to be resolved easily. Yesterday's argument had been different. It felt real. Important. Like something between them had shifted, and they were still trying to find their way back to each other.

Before either of them could say anything more, a voice broke the silence.

— Laura! - Laf's voice rang out from the top of the stairs, breathless and urgent. They appeared, wide-eyed, their gaze flicking between Laura and Carmilla. - Oh, Carmilla's back. Great.

— Hey, Laf - Laura said, turning toward them, though her worry immediately resurfaced. - Is Danny okay? - Her voice was taut with concern.

Laf nodded quickly, a small smile tugging at their lips.

— Yeah. She just woke up.

Laura's breath hitched, and Carmilla's gaze flickered with cautious relief. But even as the tension in the room lessened slightly, the weight of the unknown still lingered.

Danny was awake, but the looming question remained:

What had happened to her—and what would it mean for all of them?