What choice do they have?

[Theresa's POV]

Theresa looks over Charlotte up and down, sizing her up. Her fight-or-flight reflex has kicked into high gear, and she consciously tries to gather her senses and relax. I had felt invincible...until now she thinks bitterly. But there is always a bigger fish I guess...or shark… Theresa looks over at Holly, who appears to be frozen in fear. And Charlotte is imposing, in a hard-to-define way. She isn’t particularly big or strong looking. Her features are quite fair and soft. But there is a formidable aura about her. Despite her frequent smiles and chuckles, this is not someone to be trifled with.

In the blink of an eye, Theresa bends and snaps the neck of the anonymous, soon-to-be-forgotten businesswoman. She sees Holly flinch at the crack sound and rolls her eyes. Charlotte just smiles, nodding. Snapping her neck felt good Theresa thinks, but not as good as draining them…

Charlotte claps her hands together. “Good. Then let’s be off. Another animal-attack head-scratcher for the pigs I guess” Charlotte jokes callously. Almost as if her clapping summoned it, a large black stretch SUV pulls up to the entrance to the alley, blocking it. The windows are opaque. How did she…? Theresa wonders. Charlotte spins on her heel almost impossibly gracefully, and heads towards the SUVs. Theresa and Holly follow her...into the unknown.

Holly and Theresa sit next to one another in the back of the SUV. It’s bigger than it looks from the outside with plush black leather seats and a thick opaque divider separating the passengers from the driver. The suspension is so smooth it almost doesn’t even feel like they are moving. Magic? Technology? Both? Theresa wonders. Theresa looks around the cabin - in addition to Charlotte, there are two other vampiresses who have yet to be introduced. One has vaguely asian features and is stunningly beautiful, with a lithe frame and gorgeous long black hair. She wears a loose-fitting evening dress - almost a nightgown, and Theresa lingers on her chest. The other is taller and thicker, with blonde hair and glasses. She wears a well-pressed black blouse tucked neatly into black trousers.

Sitting between them, her wrists chained to the roof of the cabin, naked, is a pregnant human. Her mouth is gagged, but it is unneeded - her head is slumped forward, passed out. Her swollen breasts, thighs, arms and neck are riddled with bite marks. The human’s smell is driving Theresa wild with desire. A more complicated expression rests on Holly’s face - hunger intertwined with disgust.

“Pregnant cows are a delicacy” Charlotte says, scratching the human’s cheek and bringing the blood to her mouth on her long fingernail. “Something about the hormones in the blood - it’s irresistible.” She closes her eyes and lets a soft moan escape her lips, but there is something about the act that Theresa finds a little performative. Cow...I like that Theresa thinks, chuckling internally.

“Who are you friends?” Theresa asks, and Charlotte’s eyes snap open.

“Nicole and Lauren” Charlotte says, nodding at the Asian-looking one and blonde one in turn. “My most treasured daughters.” Theresa detects genuine pride in Charlotte’s tone. It could be affectation though - everything seems just a little fake with Charlotte.

“So are we just going to sit here and watch that human bleed to ****, or are you going to tell us what you want?” Theresa says bluntly. She puts every ounce of courage she has into her words, but they crack at the end, revealing her unease. Charlotte just smiles silently, not responding and forcing an awkward silence.

Finally, Charlotte breaks the silence and Theresa hears Holly audibly exhale.

“Let’s just say I have certain...mystical tripwires...in the cities in which my family and I reside. Your little spell tripped those wires. Fairly amateur dabbling...” Charlotte says, but Theresa senses her derogation is driven by what sounds like envy. “...but the results are certainly fascinating” Charlotte says, leaning forward, her chin on her fists, eyes sparkling. “You - I think it was you, Theresa, yes?” Charlotte says “bumbled your way into giving yourself our gift...without receiving the dark kiss...or our blood. What an intriguing accident!” Charlotte’s tone is mirthful but her eyes are cold as ice. Theresa senses a decided annoyance in Charlotte.

Did I skip my place in the vampire line or something? she wonders. She looks across to see that Nicole has bitten into the pregnant human’s arm, just above the armpit, and is feeding on the artery there.

“We can discuss more at home” Charlotte says abruptly, waving her hand. In the meantime, why don’t you ladies have a drink? My treat” she grins, her eyes still frigid. Theresa is unsure about accepting blood from a stranger like this, but my god the human smells delectable. She crosses the cabin, her fangs descending, her mouth watering, and stabs her teeth into the human’s breast, cupping it from below and holding it to her mouth. The warm blood pulses into her mouth, but by this point the human’s pulse is already weak. Charlotte wasn’t lying (about this) Theresa thinks, this bitch is fucking delicious. She gulps down the blood, when she feels a cool hand on her back. She turns her head to see Charlotte bending next to her, patting her back.

“Don’t worry, we've already dealt with….Tabitha, was it?” Charlotte says sweetly, her eyes still icy and menacing. “Can’t have too many rogue vampires running around now can we?” Theresa's blood runs even colder.