Jolyne stared up at Father Higgins, a mixture of anger and fear flickering about in her eyes. This was him. This was the man, no, vampire that had turned her! And he happened to be the same person who ran the church her mother and father went to?
"This has to be some kind of joke," Jolyne thought bitterly, as her mother's voice rang throughout the house.
"Hello, Father Higgins! Please, come in!"
As soon as her mother said that, Father Higgins stepped into the house, adjusting his collar a little bit as he placed his shoes next to the door. All Jolyne did was stare at him as he passed her by, but not before he winked at her.
"H-hey! Wait a minute!" Jolyne cried out, following after him and into the kitchen.
"Ah, it's very good to see you again, Susan. Tell me, how is Karl doing? I can tell he's at work right now. Otherwise he would've had me in a bear hug by now," Father Higgins remarked, ignoring Jolyne completely as her mother giggled.
"Oh, well, you know how he is with you Father," Susan said, walking out from behind the counter. The two shook hands before her mother turned to face Jolyne. "Jolyne, this is Father Higgins. He's the man who runs the church."
"And he's a blood sucking vampire!" Jolyne thought, but decided against saying it in fear of looking crazy in front of her mother. Father Higgins nodded, chuckling to himself.
"Oh, I've met Jolyne once already. It was a brief encounter, but I assure you, we've met," Father Higgins said as her mother raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Since when?"
"Oh, it was a simple passing by. Nothing more than that," Father Higgins continued, lying through his teeth. Jolyne glared at him, not that he cared to notice. Or, if he did, he simply didn't react. Father Higgins sniffed the air, before looking over to what her mother was making. "Is that key lime pie you're making?"
"Why yes! It's Jolyne's favourite, and her birthday is coming up. Isn't that right, Jojo?"
"Mom…" Jolyne groaned, a tinge of embarrassment creeping up on her face in the form of a pink hue overtaking her cheeks.
"Jojo? My, what a clever nickname," Father Higgins said, before bowing his head in Jolyne's direction. "A proper introduction is needed, I believe. My name is Father Theodore Higgins. I was born in a noble family in Transylvania, but came here to spread the word of God. I do hope you do not mind my intrusion into your family home, Jolyne."
Father Higgins voice was polite, and his body language was well mannered. Although his mannerisms were extremely weird. Like he was picked out of his time era and placed in the modern day. Though, given he was a vampire from who-knows-how-long-ago, it made sense, even if it was still a little trippy to think that.
And with her mother smiling and all happy… She wanted to say that she didn't mind, but this was the guy that turned her into a vampire. While that was cool and all, she had been terrified when it had happened. What if it hadn't turned her into one, too? She could've died that night—hell, she had died. She was only alive now because she was a vampire!
Granted, she hadn't felt any real changes in her body since her transformation. She felt like a human, although she was getting hungrier by the minute. She had no idea what was going to happen if she didn't eat soon, and whatever it was that entailed.
If she had to guess, she was going to need to drink someone's blood…
"Jojo? Are you alright?" Her mother asked, as Jolyne blinked. Father Higgins was looking at her now, his expression mostly blank.
"Ah, have you eaten yet today, Jolyne?" A loaded question, but an honest one. He wanted to know if she had sunk her fangs in anyone. His expression was tight, but his eyes twinkled with a tinge of concern, and the crease in his eyebrows had made it clear he was also curious.
"No, not yet," Jolyne answered as her mother gasped.
"Oh my, do you want me to make you some breakfast? Eggs and toast?" Her mother asked as Father Higgins waved his hand in dismissal.
"Don't bother yourself. You're busy enough as is already. I'll take Jolyne out to get something to eat. Besides, I'm sure she has a few questions for me, seeing as she'll be attending tomorrow's congregation and all."
"O-Oh! But, I wouldn't want to burden you, Father. I—"
"Nonsense," Father Higgins interrupted calmly, a smile plastered on his lips. "You have been faithful to my congregation for many a year, and I figured it's been high-time I do something for you. You and your family have done more than enough for me, and now I need to repay you."
"If you say so, Father. Thank you," her mother said as Father Higgins gestured toward the door, as Jolyne sighed. All she wanted to do was lay down in bed and get some sleep. But, considering she all but had been forced into this situation by Father Higgins convincing her mother to allow it, she would look and feel bad for denying him.
And so, without arguing, Jolyne followed Father Higgins out the door. Putting on their shoes, the pair stepped out of the house as Jolyne closed the door behind them. Walking down the walkway and over to the driveway, they continued forward and onto the sidewalk, where they began to wander.
The walk was relatively silent, up until they left the neighbourhood. When they did, Father Higgins finally spoke. "Firstly, I feel as if I should apologize for last night. I was… well, to put it bluntly, I was starving, and you happened to be the first person I came across. My apologies, Jolyne." As those words came out of Father Higgins mouth, Jolyne shot him a glare.
"You tore my throat out. My parents and doctor thought I was dead," Jolyne said as Father Higgins hummed.
"Like I said, I was starving. Usually I'm more careful, but hopefully this can be water under the bridge, so to speak. After all, I did say you would not die," Father Higgins said, glancing back at her with a wry smile on his face. "You are what I am now. A vampire."
"Yeah, and I have no clue what that means for me now! What if I can't eat normal food anymore! My parents will start to get worried, you know?! And I can't just tell them I'm a vampire!" Jolyne ranted as Father Higgins huffed. Not dismissively, but rather in the sort of what that made it seem as if he's done this sort of thing before.
"Well, for starters, you can eat human food. It simply won't sate your hunger. Your taste will also remain. Your body simply breaks it down completely. Meaning that yes, you won't have to use the bathroom anymore. Well, aside from what women usually do. That doesn't change, much to my wife's chagrin," Father Higgins replied as Jolyne scowled.
"Okay… But what about, ya know, everything else?" Jolyne stressed as Father Higgins looked from side to side. They were at an intersection now, heading toward the direction of Pealows Super Market.
"Well, for starters, you do still age. Just extremely slowly. You're… how old are you?" Father Higgins asked as Jolyne sighed.
"I'm 18 years old," Jolyne said as Father Higgins smiled.
"Well, that makes things a little less complicated then," Father Higgins began. "Simply put, if you wished to reach full human maturity, it would take you… I'd say another 50 years for you to do so. Take me, for example. I'm 187 years old. I turned when I was 9 years old. For me, I'm technically nothing more than a 25 year old human, if that. The wrinkles are from stress, before you ask."
Jolyne paled. 50 years until she looked like a fully mature adult? Sure, she was 18 now, but that didn't change anything for her. She was going to be stuck looking like she did right now until she was technically in her late 50s! But Father Higgins was not done his explanation.
"Technically speaking, vampires are Immortal. Death is not a very common thing for us. The only way we can succumb to death is either by having our heads cut off by holy-water infused steel, or if we have a blessed-wooden stake rammed through our heart and have our bodies burnt by holy magic."
"Whoa, hold on, pause. Did you just say magic?" Jolyne asked as Father Higgins nodded.
"Yes, I did. Though, from what I am aware, only those who are a part of The Helsing Organization can use it. They had a particular fondness for holy magic. They kept it largely a secret from most people, and for good reason. The same reason why they keep our kind a secret," Father Higgins continued as Jolyne's eyes sparkled.
"Oh my God! Magic is real, hahaha! That's so damn cool!" She stopped, blinking, before turning her head over to Father Higgins sharply, getting in his face, much to his apparent annoyance. "Does that mean vampires can use magic?!"
"Hush, don't speak too loudly," Father Higgins warned, as Jolyne shrunk back into herself, sheepishly scratching the back of her neck.
"O-Oh… um, my bad," Jolyne muttered as Father Higgins frowned.
"To answer your question," Father Higgins began, as the pair began walking down the crosswalk. "Yes, we vampires have access to hemokinesis, among other things. However, it is entirely dependent on how much blood you have consumed, or if you are simply gifted with figuring out your own biology. For most vampires, it can take centuries to figure out how todo half the things that others older than you can."
"For example, our King, Vlad Dracula Tepes, has been alive for just about 500 years. He is the strongest Vampire there is, without a shadow of a doubt. But before him, there was another. Their name has been lost to time, but according to our King, he had the capability of bending the very fabric of time at his leisure."
Jolyne blinked, confusion taking up her expression. "That just sounds like DIO from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure."
"Ah, you know about Mister Araki? I've had tea with him once. He's a very pleasant man, and his family is very kind. Although, I don't know if his family are aware of his status as a Vampire…"
"Wait, you mean all of those jokes were true?!"
"Come now, don't be ridiculous. No one who ages that gracefully is a regular human. Although, I suppose there is a chance that his character of DIO is inspired off of the legends. Anyhow. Rumor has it that this individual vampire sired over 10,000 children on his own due to the length of time he had lived. Our King has been trying to track them down, but he has been unable to do so."
"Why are you telling me this?" Jolyne asked as Father Higgins shrugged.
"Well, you wished to know the powers we Vampires are able to obtain. Although, I will be honest, aside from hemokinesis, and from a glimpse of a few others I've met, cryokinesis and hypnosis, I don't know much else than that. I myself have a limited form of the latter, but not much else," Father Higgins said, before clearing his throat.
"Now then, more to the point, the reason I brought you out here. You need to feed, else you will fall victim to your hunger, and most likely attack someone you don't intend to. Believe me, it's not an amazing thing to have happen. Especially when that person is your mother…."
"Speaking from experience?"
"Yes," Father Higgins replied, his tone blunt and rigid. A topic he clearly didn't like talking about. "And I wish to prevent you from repeating my mistake. So…" He stopped, before pointing out a man leaning against a light poll, smoking a cigarette. "There. That man, right there. He will be your target."
Jolyne blinked, staring at the man. He looked to be in his thirties, and he looked a little disheveled. She looked around, spotting a few people walking in their direction. She gulped, a little nervous. "Um… so, what do I do?"
"Ideally, we get him somewhere more discreet. But, without the cover of the night to help us, we must be more… decisive." With that, he snapped his fingers. When he did, the man seemed to seize up, before falling in a heap. Father Higgins sprung into action, catching him before he hit his head. The group of people—a couple of middle schoolers—freaked out at seeing the man falling for seemingly no reason. That was, of course, until Father Higgins eased them. "
There's no need to fear, this man simply passed out. He'll be fine." The children left regardless, a few of them immediately joking about something that Jolyne couldn't overhear. She walked over to Father Higgins, and when she did, he gestured for her to do something.
"Um…"
"First, we need to move him elsewhere. Somewhere more hidden," Father Higgins instructed, so that was exactly what they did. Both he and Jolyne took the unconscious man over to and behind someone's parked vehicle just up ahead. No one was around, and they had enough cover so that it wouldn't look suspicious.
"So… Now what?" Jolyne asked as Father Higgins nudged his head in the man's direction.
"Bite him."
"But—"
"Do it. Unless you want to hurt your mother, I suggest you do it now, while no one is watching."
Jolyne froze briefly, before exhaling. She had no real choice, did she? She really, really didn't want to. It just felt wrong. But… she was hungry. Very, very hungry. The man's neck was right there, and it was open, unprotected. So…
Jolyne shuddered, as instinct took over, before kneeling down next to him. Father Higgins positioned himself to hide Jolyne from public view, allowing her some semblance of privacy. When he did, Jolyne opened her mouth and the moment she did, she made a move on the man's exposed neck.
Like a viper's strike, she snapped into position, as her fangs pierced the man's neck, stabbing into a vein. It felt just like drinking from a juice pouch. With each new splash of the crimson liquid hitting the back of her throat, she sucked. Strangely enough, it tasted like strawberry juice of all things, and with each passing second, she felt more and more rejuvenated.
Hunger overwhelmed her, as she took and took without stopping. She didn't even need to breath, as weird as it felt. Even as the man beneath her groaned and was starting to become aware, she did not stop. Father Higgins did not stop her, either. He simply allowed her to drink as she saw fit. This was her prey, even if Father Higgins had helped her, it had been in the pursuit to not hurt someone she didn't mean to.
And as far as Father Higgins was concerned, that was more than worth allowing Jolyne the entirety of the hunt. "That's it. Drink your fill, until you needn't anymore," Father Higgins said, his voice low and comforting, as her hands slowly moved to crane the man's head away from her neck, to give her a better opening.
She wanted more.
Needed more. As seconds passed, and as she felt her skin prickle with excitement, a warmness spread throughout her body. She felt whole, she felt complete. Like something in the back of her mind faded away. An inhibition that had laid dorment for years. It was only when the man coughed and wheezed, that Jolyne backed away, as did Father Higgins.
Wiping the spilt blood around her lips away, Jolyne stared at the man on the floor. He did not move, his eyes were still wide with shock, only now they looked hazy.
After a moment, Father Higgins spoke. "Ah… You killed him. A shame. It happens, don't worry about it," Father Higgins said, his tone casual as Jolyne looked over at him with wide, alarmed eyes.
"W-What?!"
"There's no need to worry about it. It happens all the time, especially for a first meal. But, the good news is, you just consumed 10 pints of blood, meaning that you won't need to feed for a few days," Father Higgins stated as Jolyne balked.
"I killed a man!"
"Quiet!" Father Higgins hissed, slapping a hand over her mouth. "People are listening," Father Higgins whispered, gesturing over to a few people standing over by the crosswalk light. They weren't looking at them, and they were talking about something, and hadn't noticed them yet.
"Let's go. We don't need anyone seeing us with the body." Without another word, the pair of vampires left. Jolyne felt awful for having killed the man. She hadn't even meant to. She was just… really hungry. She glanced over at Father Higgins, as the realization set in.
She was going to have to do this again.
She was going to have to drink more blood.
But she didn't want to kill other people.
"I can tell you are conflicted," Father Higgins said, as they began to approach the crosswalk near where the main town of Creston was at. "But do not worry. Now that you have fed for the first time, your body will begin to adjust more. You will eventually learn how not to kill. It takes time. But you'll get used to it."
"I… I just… that person had a family. They had friends… and I killed him…" Jolyne said as Father Higgins placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Think of it like this. It was either that man, or, your mother, or perhaps even your father, should you have delayed any longer. Mayhaps even a friend from school? Or in the middle of class? To be a vampire is to be inherently evil; something that I struggle with to this day. As a devout member of the church, I know my actions will send me to hell, and all of my kind there with me. But that does not mean I do not deserve some form of happiness," Father Higgins said, looking over to Jolyne, an earnest gleam in his eyes.
"You may not want to accept it, but being what you are now… There are certain moral instincts you have to let go. Killing is one of those things, but that does not mean you have to kill every time. Think of it as if you were managing a cow farm, and you're simply harvesting milk. A pint here, a pint there, but never too much. If you start thinking about it like that, things will get easier." Jolyne frowned, staring at the pavement as they lingered in front of a crosswalk.
At first, she was excited to be a Vampire. To have any form of supernatural power was something akin to a dream! She never thought that there would be a cost to it.
"How about we bring your mood up," Father Higgins said, smiling as they began to cross the road. "You wouldn't happen to be a fan of Dairy Queen, would you?"
"Dairy Queen?"
"Yes. You look like you would be a fan of a strawberry cake blizzard. Am I right?" Father Higgins said, his tone jovial.
Maybe it was the contrast of the situation and the glee he took in his offer, but Jolyne wouldn't help but smile. That, and she couldn't lie, she was a pretty big fan of strawberry flavoured things.
"Sure, why not."
"Good! It'll be my treat."