Calm Before the Storm

Over the next several weeks, things return back to “normal”, if you can call Jessica and Linda’s relationship normal. Linda does her best to act like she’s forgotten about Jessica’s **** of Ying. Jessica does her best to confine her more violent meals to outside the home, far from Linda. On the surface, they are in love. But bubbling under the façade, Jessica can sense that something has changed. Linda does not look at her the same way, not after her gratuitous exsanguination of Ying.

Despite her conflicted feelings about her true nature, Jessica recognizes that Linda is her tether to humanity. As much as she enjoys the hunt, the kill, she doesn’t want to lose that last connection to her former self. She loves Linda; at least, she thinks she does. But the hunger is getting stronger. As Jessica matures, her empathy is getting weaker. In the quietest moments, she worries about what she is becoming. She wonders if there will come a day when she is as dead inside as Elizabeth--the only joy in life coming from blood and domination.

The doorbell rings. Jessica goes to greet Linda at the door, who is juggling a few grocery bags. They decided to cook together tonight, as an in-apartment date. Jessica won’t eat the food, of course, she has some blood bags from the hospital. Jessica can’t remember the last time she cooked human food. So complicated, so much prep, so much chewing she thinks, not really missing it.

Jessica pecks Linda on the cheek. Despite their problems, this still brings a smile to Linda’s face. Jessica takes a bag, and pulls Linda in for a deeper kiss. Jessica slips her tongue inside Linda’s mouth, her hand cups Linda’s full ass. “I love you” Jessica softly whispers. Linda moans a bit, but doesn’t say the same back. Jessica is hurt, but brushes it off.

“Let’s start cooking” Linda says, “I got steak and some veggies, I thought we’d do a stir fry”.

“Sounds lovely” Jessica says insincerely.

The vampire and her human begin to cook. Going through what Jessica considers drudgery: washing vegetables, slicing meat, chopping onions, greasing pans, setting a table. Jessica wants to be on the streets, with her fangs deep in the breast of a twenty-something bombshell. But she knows this is important to Linda, so she continues to play along: sauteing peppers she won’t eat, pouring wine she won’t drink.

They sit down to eat. Jessica pours a bag of blood in a glass. Jessica reaches across the small table, taking Linda’s hand in her own. She looks Linda in the eyes.

“I really do love you, you know” Jessica says affectionately, hoping her own uncertainty hasn’t crept into her tone. Linda looks at her, clearly thinking hard. Her expression softens.

“I love you too, Jessica” Linda says after a pause. Jessica can’t tell if she means it.

The doorbell rings, and the intimate moment passes. Linda gets up to open the door as Jessica watches from the table. Who could we possibly be expecting she thinks.

Linda opens the door. Standing in the doorway is a smiling Sally.

Sally? MY SALLY?? Jessica thinks, stunned.