Vampire Residence

XXIII

Daciana sat on the bakery rooftop, staring up into the night sky. The moon was high tonight, surrounded by a small handful of twinkling stars. It was a cold and clear night, the air crisp and still, a hint of a distant snow in the air.

She was still waiting for Morgana to awaken.

It seemed like she, too, was lost in her thoughts, her mind filled with a quiet kind of tension as she waited. Would the girl awaken soon? And what would she do when she did? Would she even remember what had happened?

Daciana felt a pang of curiosity. The whole situation was unlike any she'd experienced before.

She waited a few moments more before finally growing too impatient, lifting her foot and nudging the girl in the side.

Morgana's eyes fluttered open. She immediately felt the ache in her neck, reaching up to touch it, eyes going wide when bits of dried blood flaked off onto her fingers. But the most terrifying thing was that she could no longer feel her heartbeat.

Her eyes went wide and she looked up at the woman standing above her. "You... what did you do to me..?" Morgana asked, both in awe and in terror.

Daciana, however, just gave a soft, satisfied smile. A faint hint of pride.

"I made you better."

Morgana opened her mouth and closed it once more. She was at a loss for words. A few minutes passed as Morgana looked around at the buildings surrounding them, processing her newly enhanced surroundings.

"What's wrong with my teeth?" She asked suddenly, her hand flying up to her mouth.

Just as quickly, Daciana chuckled in response, her eyes still fixed on the girl.

"What's wrong with them?" She questioned, her tone mostly teasing. "They are just... sharper now, that is all."

Morgana freezes. A look of mortification crossed her face.

She couldn't feel her heart.

She looked to Daciana, desperate for some sort of understanding.

Despite the girl's expression, Daciana still smiled, her tone almost reassuring as she spoke again.

"You won't feel it anymore," she explained as if the girl should have already known. "Your heart doesn't beat anymore. Your blood doesn't flow anymore."

Morgana should've panicked. She should've run and screamed. But she made a promise, and she felt somehow... lighter. Did she feel... better?

Daciana nodded faintly, leaning down a little, her eyes never leaving Morgana's face. "You do feel better, don't you," she said quietly, her tone not quite a question. "I knew you would. You are stronger than you ever were before. Faster. Smarter. More resilient. Safe."

"Why are we back at the bakery..?" Morgana asked, peering over the brick edge of the rooftop onto the street below.

Daciana shrugged, her smile still faintly present. She moved closer, taking a seat next to Morgana on the rooftop, her eyes following the girl's gaze out across the alleyways below.

"I figured it would be better for you to wake up somewhere familiar," she replied quietly. "Just until you've... adjusted."

Morgana's eyes flashed with a murderous light. "When you said stronger... how strong am I?"

Daciana's smile grew wider. "Very," she said simply, an almost smug kind of satisfaction in her voice. "Stronger than any man. Faster. Almost impossible to hurt."

For emphasis, she tugged a stray brick from the edge of the rooftop, crushing it in her hands until there was nothing but dust.

Morgana looked down at her hands. It was finally her turn. "It's Daciana... right?"

Daciana nodded, her gaze fixing itself on Morgana once more, her expression softening a little.

"Yes, Daciana," she said quietly, a hint of a smile on her lips. "And you can call me 'Daci'. It is what the others call me."

Morgana nodded. "Will you wait for me? There's something I must do... and the window is right there." She pointed down at a lower roof.

Daciana's head tilted to the side ever so slightly, a hint of curiosity flitting across her face. She stayed quiet for a few moments, just watching the girl, studying her as if trying to figure out her thoughts.

"I will wait," she said finally, her tone calm and steady, "What is it that you must do?"

Morgana's answer was simple.

"There's one last pie I need to bake."