Dusk

LV

When she finally finished, she sat back in the uncomfortable seat, exhausted having to answer their questions for clarification and give long-winded explanations for nearly everything she said. She knew it sounded made-up but it wasn't. This was reality. Val and Blake just kept giving each other looks until Blake spoke up, "you're half human, half vampire?"

"Dhampir, yeah." Orion nodded, trying to make it stick in his brain.

"You're warm, need food and water and um blood," her nodding made him continue, "your heart still beats even though Orpheus killed you?"

"The venom was always in my veins so even when I died naturally from old age or jumped off a bridge, I would've become this."

"You can only be changed when a person is practically drained of their blood. Then the venom can revive them?" Val asked, genuinely intrigued by the venom and vampire blood because of it's healing properties. She imagined the miracles that could occur with this stocked in hospitals.

"Yup, that's the only way."

"Except for you and very few others like you?"

"Mhmm."

"Technically anyone can be a new age vampire." Blake asked changing the subject, slightly. Nodding to answer his question, he spun around and eyed everyone suspiciously, his eyes landing on Nora, "she's-?"

"Yessir and a ruthless one too. I've seen her fight." Orion smiled in her direction, "but she's a really good friend." Nora nodded in response and smiled back. Glad to have made a trusting friendship with her. Orion just sat to appreciate their presence and company after all of this time apart. Never fully realizing how much she needed them until they had forgotten her. "I think that's pretty good for tonight right?" Orion asked, content with the progress.

"I mean you covered everything, I think?" Blake looked to Val, who agreed with a few quick nods.

"Ok quick quiz time then," smiling she began feeling less exhausted having to discuss some of the hardest times of her life, "ancient?"

"Old ass vampire," Val laughed.

"Good. New age?"

"A fresh one," Blake blurted before his competitor as they lightly shoved one another.

"Orpheus?"

"Dead asshole bitchface dick," Val bluntly and blandly bursted out.

"Perfect," they all laughed, "Alessandro and Kharis?"

"Leaders. Well just Kharis now," some of the guard's shuffling and Nora lowered her gaze. The energy in the room shifting to something sad and dark. Noticing they both uncomfortably fidgeted to readjust their stances. Orion cleared her throat before they could apologize, "what about me? What am I?"

"Dhampir," they said in unison.

"Lilith, Melania, and Kali?"

After taking a few moments, Blake finally figured out who was who and they both privately discussed how they hated all of those women, somehow forgetting Orion was involved in the discussion. Their vivid memories with all three disturbing to hear aloud by Orion.

Especially as guilt swelled inside of her.

"I think you're about caught up on the vampires in all of our lives and the important fun facts." Orion clapped as she stood, shaking off her horrible mood, "let's all get some sleep and finish talking tomorrow."

"Wait," Blake stopped her. The neurons firing rapidly inside of his brain as he recalled all of his lost memories. Specific faces popping up that he could finally name but another recurred with no name.