One Big Happy Family

Chapter 12: How To Be a Good Vampire

"Where are we going?"  Lorie descended the stairs, following Viktor as he stepped outside of the mansion.

It was a beautiful May evening, and the sky was turning from bright blue into various shades of red, orange, pink and purple.  The birds were chirping as they got ready to settle into their cozy nests for the night.  A cool breeze was blowing — it gently twirled the little girl's loose blonde curls.  Lorie stopped in her tracks, waiting for an explanation from her father.

"Lorie.  You are a vampire now," Viktor placed both hands on her shoulders.  "There are certain things you need to learn... such as how to obtain blood."

Lorie pouted.  "Can't I just drink the blood you get for me?"

Viktor shook his head.  "No.  That's not the way this works.  You have to become a hunter and find your own food."

Lorie looked around.  There wasn't a soul around their property.  "Where?"

"That's why I brought you out here," Viktor replied.  "You will first learn how to hunt animals, in the woods."

"And then?"  Lorie arched an eyebrow, looking slightly worried.

"Eventually... you will learn how to feed off of humans," Viktor replied.

"Ewww... that sounds gross," Lorie grimaced.

Viktor sighed.  "It isn't.  It's what vampires eat.  Don't worry... you'll get used to it.  We all did."

"I highly doubt it," Lorie mumbled under her breath.

Viktor stared at her through narrowed eyes.  "Are you going to make this difficult?"

Lorie sighed.  "No.  I'm sorry Papa... it's just so... different..."

Viktor laughed.  "Yes.  That it is.  Come with me," he headed toward the forest behind the mansion.  Lorie quietly followed.

"You know... there are a lot of things about being a vampire that you will like," Viktor began talking as they walked together.

"Like what?"

"Like... here... watch this," Viktor winked at her.  He crouched down and jumped... twenty feet straight up into the air.

Lorie's mouth fell open. When Viktor landed back, she asked, still agape:  "How did you do that?"

"Go ahead and try doing it yourself," Viktor encouraged her.

"I don't know...," Lorie hesitated, looking up toward the sky.  "Won't it hurt to fall back down?"

"Do I look like I'm in pain?"  Viktor arched a dark eyebrow.

Lorie shook her head from side to side.

"Alright then," Viktor smirked.  "Do it."

Lorie crouched down.  She gave Viktor a sideways glance, and he nodded encouragingly.  She took a deep breath and launched herself upwards... and kept on going.  Viktor looked at her incredulously:  instead of landing back down, Lorie was flying straight toward the tree line, her arms stiffly held out in front of her.

"Oh, drat," Viktor muttered as he quickly flew after her.

Lorie looked behind.  "How do I stop?"  She asked, flailing her arms and legs about.

"Just think about a bird landing on a tree branch, and do the same thing," Viktor yelled so she could hear him.

"A bird on a tree branch," Lorie murmured to herself as she neared a massive oak tree.  "Bird on a branch... bird on a branch," she kept repeating over and over, like a mantra.