The Vampire's Apprentice

"So," Clancy said once they were settled, "what is it you would like to talk to me about?"
Mrs. Mooney cleared her throat. "About last night... I don't want you to think..."
Clancy lifted his hand slightly. "Mrs. Mooney, I understand. You had a very difficult day and you needed someone to turn to. If circumstances were different, I might consider asking you out on a date, but I am not the kind of man you need, not that I think you have need of any man, but if you were in the position to open your heart to a new partner, I fear it would not be me." He sighed regretfully. "I only wished to offer a bit of comfort, and as long as we are neighbors, it would be my honor to be here should you need anything."
 
Kitty nodded in agreement, though it was a bit curious to her how the Mrs. only spoke two half-phrases before Clancy cut in. It seems like he'd seen this before, or was simply very good at reading people—the latter she assumed to be more true, as she had observed it personally. Perhaps it was both. One would never know without asking, but for the moment, asking is what she refrained from doing.
 
Mrs. Mooney nodded slowly. "Thank you. I just wanted to make certain we were clear," she said with a note of her old firmness. "I didn't want any misunderstandings or weirdness."
Clancy smiled. "No weirdness. I thank you for coming to talk to me."
"Right... well, I need to get home... thank you again," she said, standing awkwardly.
"Come by any time," Clancy said, rising smoothly.
 
The girl moved to get the door for her, figuring it was the polite thing to be doing. "Do have a lovely rest of your night," she offered.
 
"You too," Mrs. Mooney said automatically. She glanced at Clancy and almost said something then hurried away.
"Poor thing," Clancy remarked before turning away.
 
"She loves her children, she would die for her children, and while they do not appreciate her as much as they perhaps should, she understands they will someday. Still, she wishes she could give herself over to passion and freedom," Clancy says.
 
Clancy glanced at her. "You can see it in her eyes. They beg and scream to be able to run away, to go on a trip, to remember who she is, but her responsibilities call her back to reality. If she followed her dreams, she would destroy the lives of four children."
 
The was a moment of silence before Kitty nodded solemnly. "That... makes sense, I suppose." It seemed like there was something more to say, but she wasn't exactly sure what it was, so the girl pushed the notion aside and sat back down on the couch. "Do you think she'll be alright?"
 
"She's a strong one, I think she'll be fine, and I did what I could to make the evening as pleasurable as possible," Clancy said. "Most likely, in her mind, it was some... what is the word used nowadays? Canoodling?"
 
"I doubt that's what they say 'nowadays' since this is the first time I've heard that term." Kitty shrugged. "But I get the gist. As long as it's not... weird." She smiled slightly, half-joking. "I believe I have another question to ask, while we're on the subject."
 
"I wanted to know about your teeth." She replied, tapping at her own. "Though I admit, I'm not quite sure how to phrase that as a question."
 
"My teeth?" Clancy repeated rather blankly. "I am not certain to answer this question as you seem uncertain what it is you are asking."
 
"Your fangs," she specified. "I can see them sometimes when you smile, but they look more like small pointy teeth and not really fangs. Other times, they do look like fangs...." Kitty trailed off. That in itself was likely a question, yet she had so many more to ask concerning his teeth alone. It was a great mystery to her; one she wished to understand even just a little bit better.
 
"Oh, those," Clancy said dismissively. "They retract, like claws." He opened his mouth, took hold of one, and gently pulled so that it fully extended, then let it go. "Mostly they come when I am angry or hungry," he told her. "The rest of the time, they nestle up in the gums and wait to be needed."
 
Fascinating and useful. She'd have to keep that in mind.
With trace amounts of hesitance, Kitty made another inquiry. "Why didn't it... hurt when you bit me?" She asked. "Besides initially... it was blissful." A wistful sigh crept into her tone by the last word.
 
"Poison," Clancy said with a shrug. "Well, I do not like to call it a poison as poisons kill, but it is a chemical released by said fangs that induce a mild sensation of euphoria. It helps to bring peace and temporarily reduces clotting to help you bleed easier, then after a short time, it reverses to aid clotting and close the wound. Also, my saliva has a numbing property." He paused to think about what he'd just said. "Unless the saliva is the clotting agent? I do not know. There is probably a lot more science behind it, but I do not understand it or really care so long as it keeps my dinner happy."
 
Kitty wasn't sure what to think of that, but nodded anyways. It explained a lot... possibly.

"I suppose that's all the questions I have to ask for the night...." Not that she didn't have more inquiries—she most certainly did—but the girl would rather not overstep her bounds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top