Static Reflections: Book 1 of The M... - Chapter 63: Chapter 63

Days passed at Downing Manor, filled with resting and hanging around while Leah continued preparing for the ritual. Tyler talked with Adam about his past life, learning various things about the 80s while, in turn, Adam was shown various movies and games from this time period. Pierce felt better, and they bonded more with the group as a whole, becoming good friends with Tyler, and even Adam.
Everyone had to consistently avoid Molly and Gerald, who was still trying to hire new caretakers after all of the others "quit." When something of the supernatural nature did slip, Leah had to alter their minds after each subsequent freakout. This happened three separate times.
One particular night, Pierce was lying wide awake in bed while Tyler slept curled up beside them. The lemur stared at the ornate ceiling, their mind wandering to what their life used to be like before the whole vampire incident. If all of these supernatural beings had never come into their life, they probably would have kept making videos for MyTube, their channel would have reached 500 subscribers, and they might have even become a well-known content creator.
Sadly, it was only a faded fantasy that crept up in their mind every once in a while. Reality was much harsher. They were something they had only read about, always wondering if creatures of the night were prowling around out there, but never quite believing it. Now, a normal life was out of the question. They had to find a new normal.
Their eyes shifted to the wood that covered the windows, nails implanted within each plank so they'd stay in place. Tyler and Adam had helped them put them up one of the nights, ensuring that sunlight would never be able to enter the room and reduce them to a pile of ash. It was Tyler's idea, and they were thankful. It allowed them to sleep comfortably during the day in a normal room.
Speaking of the room, something about it felt off. Pierce knew that it was Boris's room. The otter's body may have been with them, but his energy and personality were void, creating a lingering ghost within the space. The lemur was sure they could imagine the real Boris walking around, and they were certain Tyler did that often.
The middle-sized box was a little messy when they first took refuge there, but all it took was a little time to get it cleaned up. Hopefully, Boris would appreciate that. Still, there was something in the corner that Pierce's red eyes stayed focused on.
The unfinished portrait of Leah.
They weren't quite sure why it made them feel sad, but Pierce could feel a kind of potential energy from the art. It was unfinished business, and the nightcrawler wondered if the artist would ever return to see it to its completion.
As Pierce fixated on dark-colored eyes of Leah, their mind drifted to think about their own and how they had been changing. Originally, their eyes were an amber color, but ever since they began drinking their own blood, their corneas had slowly been shifting to a dark red. It unsettled them but seemed harmless. The day before, they had almost completely turned.
Pierce's sudden impulse turned to action as they sat up, glancing at the two boys fast asleep on the mattress. There was Tyler, who snored when he slept, and then Adam, who was as quiet as can be. The animal was just glad that everyone could trust him again. It seemed like trying to kill Tyler was a genuine mistake. Pierce worried about what would happen if they didn't have Leah to turn to. Tyler might have been a goner, for sure.
The lemur got up, feeling wide-awake as it was the middle of the night. They were wearing clothes that they borrowed from Molly. It seemed like everyone borrowed from Molly. Pierce grabbed their phone from beside Tyler's on the nightstand and shuffled in their socks to the door, pulling it open and slipping out.
The nonbinary animal felt a buzz against their hand, and then another. They flipped their phone over to look at the screen, seeing that, for some reason, their mom was calling from Portland. It was an unusual time, but without really thinking, Pierce answered, wondering if Absalom would even let them speak to her. "Um, hello?"
"Hi, Piercey, it's mommy. Sorry if I woke you up," the high-pitched voice on the line said.
"Hi, mommy. What's up?" Pierce asked. "You didn't wake me. I'm having trouble sleeping, anyway. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay, sugar. I just had a little bit of a nightmare, that's all."
"A nightmare about me?" Pierce asked curiously, realizing they were standing too close to the door of the bedroom where their friends were sleeping. They walked down the carpeted hallway and leaned against the wall.
"Yes. Is . . . is everything alright? I just have this bad feeling like you . . . died or something. I know, it's terrible of me as a mother to say that! But I can't help how I feel, Piercey!"
Pierce maneuvered their tongue against their very sharp fangs. "I am still alive. You don't need to worry. I'm actually doing something really good right now."
"Really? What is it?"
"Um . . . It's a surprise, actually! You'll see, but it may take a while, heheh!" They couldn't let any sensitive information slip.
"Can't wait, then! How is Clive's? I know you're off today but I can't imagine staying awake at night and sleeping during the day! It sounds like torture! Nights are for sleeping!"
Pierce chuckled. "I like the night. The stars are pretty and I feel like there's some air of mystery about it. Like the world becomes abandoned. My friend Tyler told me about his friend Nora Lynn and how she likes to go exploring really early in the morning. Like, 4 AM."
"Oh, heavens!" their mom squawked. "Could never be me!"
"Haha. How's dad been? Or the family, in general."
Pierce could hear a smile in their mother's voice. "We've all been really good. But we miss you! When are you gonna fly back home and see us?"
Pierce blinked. They took a moment to collect themselves and respond. "I've just been really busy with work lately. Plus, it's expensive to travel!"
"We can pay for it," their mother offered. "Easy!"
"It's just not a good time," Pierce answered heavily. "I'm wrapped up right now. I'll come home soon."
"Promise?"
"Um . . . "
"Wuh, is that Pierce . . . ?" a groggy voice on the other side mumbled.
"Yes! I had a nightmare so I called them," their mother explained.
"Hi, Dad," Pierce smiled, sliding down the wall and bending their knees, planting their feet on the floor. "How's the job at Sleep, Inc. going?"
"Was hoping to put in some overtime," their dad yawned. "How're you?"
"Good. Just busy. Same ol', same ol'. Adulting. Blegh."
"How's the MyTube channel coming?" asked their dad.
Pierce looked up at one of the antique lights on the wall, staring at the brightest part of the bulb. "Almost to 500. Doing pretty great. But I'm so busy right now, I'll, uh, probably have to take a break for a bit."
"What! I was looking forward to your reaction to Kill or Be Killed!" their dad complained.
"Forever their number 1 fan," Pierce's mother giggled.
"A father should always support their kid!" her husband argued.
"Are you saying I don't?!"
"You don't watch their videos," said their dad.
"I can't see myself sitting down and watching twenty-minute-long videos every day. I'm proud of you, Pierce, but you have to understand!"
Pierce laughed, licking their fangs more. "Don't worry, I understand. It's cool!"
"By the way, your dumbass dad cut his hand at work today," their mom relayed, some shuffling heard on the line.
"Oh yeah! Got a big ol' bandage on my hand," their father revealed. "You should have seen it. It was super bloody. Kinda crazy."
At that, Pierce's own blood ran cold, and they found themself staring forward. "Bloody . . . " Their stomach tumbled and grumbled as their head tilted slightly, imagining the image of a hand with a fresh wound across it, open and spilling blood onto the palm. It was a perfect red color and dripped so precariously off the limb. "Sounds delicious . . . "
"Uh, what?" their mother answered.
"Yeah, what?" their dad added.
"Um, sorry! You know how much I like gore and stuff. It's just weird slang and stuff! Actually, I am getting tired so I'm gonna get going, okay? Bye!" Before their parents could even respond, Pierce hung up the phone and dropped it on the floor with a thud, burying their head in their hands.
There it was, the image of the hand again, bleeding as if calling out to them. It was only imaginary, but it was so enticing, and Pierce was so hungry. Without even thinking about it, they began sliding their tongue up their arm and along their hand and fingers. There was food inside them, waiting.
Pierce panted gently as they turned their hand around and brought it to their lips and opened their maw. There were two sharp stabbing sensations, and then their fans sunk slightly into their flesh. The lemur used their lips to begin sucking the blood from their hand, letting the sweet life nectar slide through their fur and leak onto the carpet below.
The vampire shut their eyes tightly as they ate, the hunger consuming them as blood covered their muzzle. They had the urge to bite harder so their teeth would sink deeper, but their hand was only so thin. There were limits. Of course, they could have picked a meatier place to eat from, but the craving was too strong.
Power flowed through their veins and they felt even more awake than before like they had just consumed an energy drink. Of course, this blood would never bring them to full power, it satisfied enough for now. They hadn't even realized that they had curled into such a strange, feral position on the ground, hunched over their own hand as if it were prey they had caught.
Vampire instinct was dangerous.
Pierce pulled their sharp teeth from their food-covered hand and stared at it for a moment, watching the red honey drip to the floor. Something was so satisfying about it. Strangely, it felt like such a beautiful, unexplainable thing. Though Pierce wondered what their dad's blood might taste like under the bandage . . .
"What did you do with your hand?" someone said from nearby.
Pierce's mind was still buzzing and fuzzy from the high they got from consuming. They looked up as their vision cleared, seeing Leah standing there, startling them. They hissed and jumped back. "Wh-what are you doing out here?!"
"It's my mansion," Leah answered. "Control yourself and stand up."
Pierce blinked, looking down at their crouched position, then pushing off the floor to stand up. Their injured hand continued to stain the carpet below. "Hahh..."
Leah uncrossed her arms and came closer. "Very interesting. Never seen a vampire in action up close before. Very feral."
The other animal's head reared back as their tail brushed the floor. "I couldn't help it!"
The witch tilted her head as she closed the space between them. "Wow. You should come see this."
Pierce stared at her small face as their nose wiggled and they sniffed the air. What was that delectable scent? Their head moved this way and that until they realized it had to be Leah's blood they were smelling. Witch's blood . . .
The vampire's mind was flooded with absolute avariciousness as they suddenly grabbed Leah's shoulder, pinning her against the wall. "I have to try you!"
Leah's eyes widened and she swallowed. "Pierce! Get a hold of yourself! You don't want to do this!"
"But I do! I do want to do this! I'm so hungry and I'm already tired of my own blood! Come on . . ." they whispered, leaning in. "Just one bite."
"You can't!" the otter panicked, struggling to move against their grasp, held steady by the previous feeding.
Pierce sniffed her neck and it felt like a drug. The absolute power coursing within her was enough to make them want to suck her dry. They had never felt this way in their entire life and it felt . . . good. They liked this feeling of power over someone so weak and little. They couldn't help it when their tongue found her fur, their pointed fangs growing closer to the flesh.
"STOP!" Leah screamed, grabbing their muzzle swiftly and holding it shut as tight as she could. "Pierce, if you drink my blood you'll turn into a hemogoblin!"
Pierce could feel a slight hiss escape them. "Mm?"
"Just calm down and let me explain in the room, please. I'm not going to let your muzzle go until your head is clear again."
The lemur's breath heaved as the scent of her sweet nectarine juices flowed within her. They tried to take their mind off of it, even though it was one of the hardest things they had ever had to do. Finally, the fog cleared once more, and they nodded their head at Leah softly.
Leah wearily pulled her hand back, sighing. "And you need to look in the mirror, too."
"Why?"
"Come find out," she responded, moving toward her brightly colored room.
Pierce looked at the blood on their hand and on the floor for a moment, knowing full well what had come over them in the hall. After pushing down all the negative thoughts about what it could mean, they trailed the witch to the entrance of the door and shut it behind them.