History Report

Emma started playing with the poison ring on her right hand when she noticed her fidgeting had put several creases in her dress. She spent a lot of time last night picking out the perfect things to wear today and didn’t want anything to spoil them. 

She had chosen to arm herself with the pearl earrings Mother had given her after her first kill, her grandmother’s poison ring, her midnight blue dress with embroidered moon phases on the hem and of course a pin bearing the image of Synestra Nightjoy Dracul. The ache in her scalp from brushing and pulling her blonde hair into a razor sharp part before tying each side up into pigtails had finally abated, but the feeling like a hundred moths beating their wings against the inside of her head was still there.

“Miss DelSangre, it’s your turn,” Miss Garrote said, her smile pulling the bleached parchment of her skin even more tightly across her skull.

Gripping her papers, Emma walked up to the front of the class.  She looked at the picture of Torrance Dracul, mounted in the corner the teacher had claimed for her desk, took a deep breath, and started her presentation.

“My report is on Torrance Dracul, a famous prince from the noble house of Dracul. I know I’m supposed to tell you about all the important things he’s done. But that would be dumb. Besides the book Miss Garrote assigned me to read, I read a couple of others in my Mother’s library and have decided that Torrance Dracul is pretty much a disgrace to vampires everywhere.”

“Miss DelSangre,” her teacher said, glaring, with her pale skin pulling even more tautly, so that her veins stood out like the dark purple netting of a widow's mourning cap across her face.

Emma didn’t bother to glare back, but continued in an even louder voice. “It was his wife, Synestra Nightjoy Dracul, who deserves all of the credit for Torrance Dracul’s most famous deeds. The only thing he deserved was to have his blood drained out in front of a crowd.”

Emma’s delight at the gasps from her class was cut short as Miss Garrote dug her bony fingers into Emma’s arm and dragged her to the principal’s office. She shoved Emma onto the couch outside the office door, and slammed the door behind her as she swept in. The secretary, looked down at Emma from behind her desk, shook her head and went back to typing.

That small motion drained the last of her satisfaction in telling the truth about Synestra, and magnified one hundred times all the unease she had felt before getting up to speak. Not that the secretary had ever been especially nice to her, but she’d never just ignored her either. Her normally jolly principal even looked at Emma sternly when she finally opened her door to let Miss Garrote out and Emma in.

Emma barely remembered the rest of that evening at school, only that she said “yes” and “no” at the spots she knew she should say them until the principal was satisfied enough to let Emma sit on the couch outside her office again.  Eventually Bradford, her Grandmother’s butler, came to pick her up.
Emma clutched and twisted her skirt up in her hands on the ride home. Was Mother so angry that she didn’t want to come for her, so she called Grandmother to get her instead? Was Grandmother so angry she sent Bradford? Emma was afraid to ask, and Bradford didn’t volunteer any information on the drive back home. He silently let her into the house, and drove off again.

Emma ran directly to the great room, found the thickest, fluffiest, most blood red throw blanket there and cocooned herself up in it, not saying anything, until she heard her brother's footsteps walking up the hall.

“There you are,” Xander, face settling on what Emma recognized as his usual I-would-rather-be-tearing-throats-than-talking-to-you scowl. “Where were you? I was supposed to walk you home because Mother and Grandmother are at some sort of event until dinner.”

“I forgot,” Emma whispered. At Xander’s snort she said. “I got sent home from school early. Bradford had to pick me up.”

“You?” Xander arched a pale blonde eyebrow. “Are you sick or something? It’s not like you’d ever be sent home for getting in trouble.”

At that Emma started bawling, telling a flustered Xander about her plans to redeem Synestra Nightjoy Dracul’s good name and how they had gone so wrong.

“I don’t know if you’re brave or just crazy,” Xander said, putting his school bag down and sitting next to his sister. “Old Garrote would pour holy water on herself if the ghost of Torrance Dracul asked her to. Why would you do that in the middle of class?”

“To make sure everyone would hear me. Do you think Mother will be mad?” Emma said, curling further into the shelter of her blanket.

“She never got that mad at me and I’ve done way worse,” Xander said.

“Really?” She said, eyes widening. “But you never do anything wrong.”

“Shows what you know. Don’t you remember a bunch of times I was home before you and Mother said to let me be because I needed to dismember things on my own? It was because I got sent home, for way dumber things.”


“Was it because of a girl?”

“None of your business. Anyway, Torrance Dracul really was a mediocre vampire, just like you said. A rock shoved off the side of the mountain is a more inspired master of darkness than he was. But I would have left out the part about the blood draining though.” Xander paused a moment. “At least in front of Garrote.”

Emma hugged Xander who promptly squirmed away. “You really think Mother won’t be mad?” she said.

“Those were her books about Synestra that you read to write your paper weren’t they? I’ll bet you even get an extra helping of eyeballs at dinner.”

____________

Emma belched as she got off the bus. Both Mother and Father had slid her an extra serving of eyeballs at dinner last night. Even Xander, who ate enough eyeballs and innards for a flock of vampires said he was too full to finish his portion and suggested Emma take it to school with her as a snack. She couldn’t help eating a couple on the bus.

She was trying to decide if she should eat one more or save them for lunch when a girl from her class, Vincenzia, came up to her.

“Emma, I liked what you said yesterday. About Synestra. Where did you get that pin with her on it?” Vincenzia said.

“I made it,” Emma said. “And if you’d like, I’ll make you one too.”

“I’d like one,” said another girl, and several other children started asking for one of their own as well.

“I’ll make enough for all of you,” Emma said, baring her fangs in a broad grin.

Song Choice: One Girl Revolution by Superchick

This short story was created for Holly's Horrorland's Vampire's Day Soiree. Go fly over and enjoy more vampiric delights at the main page.

Now In Stereo!

My blog has hit the 100 likes mark on Facebook. To celebrate I decided to record myself reading, not one, but two stories in the Halloween spirit. For my first one, I've chosen Fangs, Sheathed because a.) vampire children seem like a natural for Halloween and b.) I had too much fun playing around with the different voices.

Enjoy and have a Happy Halloween and/or Blessed Samhain!


For the second story, tune into Inciting a Riot's special Hallowed Riot Show, coming soon!

Fangs, Sheathed

The scratch of colored pencil on paper was the only sound in Grandmother Amaryllis’s conservatory. Xander sat beside one the massive pillars that framed the center of the indoor garden. The moonlight shone through the glass ceiling on hundreds of exotic night blooming flowers from around the world, but he only had eyes for the Arctia caja he was sketching.

Xander stopped to examine the shadow of the moth’s wing as it sat on the flower of a sprawling Queen of Night plant. He pulled out 5 different hues of purple, appraising each until he settled on one and blended it into the matching shadow in his sketchbook. Satisfied, he flipped to an earlier attempt to draw the same moth, before Mother noticed his interest and gifted him with the professional quality colored pencils. There was no doubt; he had grown better, just as she said he would.

He started contemplating shades of cream when a howl shattered the peace of the conservatory.

Emma, he thought, gritting his teeth. She and Grandmother must have returned from their outing. There went any chance of finishing this properly – unless Grandmother distracted her with something. Maybe she would. He took a deep breath, went back to his drawing when a second howl knifed through his ears, followed by an agitated Grandmother Amaryllis.

Her dark eyes found Xander’s. “I cannot believe how ungrateful your sister is!”

Xander didn’t say a word. He wondered why adults said these things. It’s not as if Emma hatched from a cocoon last night and the whole family hadn’t endured a century’s worth of her tantrums, her whining, or her leaving half eaten body parts lying about.

Grandmother Amaryllis cleared her throat, letting Xander know a response was expected. “What has she done now?” he asked.

“Well, I had such a lovely evening planned. We went to her favorite café. I bought her a doll.”

Spoiled brat, thought Xander.

“And then when we arrived at the dentist’s office, she just about embarrassed me completely!” Grandmother said.

“The dentist?”

“Yes,” she said. “I know she can be difficult there, so I just didn’t tell her until we arrived.”

“Um, Grandmother, are you sure that was wise?”

She gave him a withering look. “What was I supposed to do? Emma tantrums even when it’s a normal appointment. I could only imagine what she would have done if she knew she was getting braces. Thank goodness I told them to have extra sedative on hand. I had to pay extra for the sharpshooters, but it was worth it. She was out for the whole thing.”

Another howl interrupted Grandmother Amaryllis.

“But she’s awake now,” Xander said.

“She’ll thank me later – I told her that – when she has a nice smile like yours she’ll be properly grateful.”

Xander started packing away his art supplies.

“Xander, darling, if you are leaving could you find Bradford and have him bring me a restorative? I am simply worn out. Tell him to bring it to my sitting room”

Xander nodded and then went to look for his sister.

She was slumped, sobbing by the statue of Vlad the Impaler in the foyer. Xander reached out and touched her shoulder. She drew away snarling.

“Braces, Xander, braces! They’re awful and they hurt and how am ever going to bite anything again? I’ll have to have blood in a cup, like some kind of toddler and I’ll never strike fear into anything like that!” She howled again.

“Emma, take it easy. Yeah, Grandmother should have told you first but –“

“But what? She just wants me to be just like you, and I’m not. I’m me. And I don’t want braces!”

“There’s nothing in the world, not braces, not even Grandmother that can stop you from being you. You’re kind of annoying like that. And you’ll be able to hunt again. There’s a bit of a trick to getting the blood out, and it will be messy at first, but I’ll show you how. We can go hunting tonight even,” Xander said.

“Will it be terribly messy?” she asked, sitting up. “With blood everywhere? And screaming?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes," he said. "It will take a little longer so there will be a lot of mess and screaming.”

“Let’s go now!”

“No, first I have to tell Bradford to get Grandmother a snack. Then I am I going to finish up my drawing.”

Emma crossed her arms. “Weird bug pictures again?” she said.

“Moths. And they’re not weird they’re awesome. And no complaining while I finish or we won’t go anywhere.”

“I guess that’s fair. As long as you don’t to talk me about them until I fall asleep. No more naps tonight.”

“Actually, I was going to talk to them and you won’t fall asleep, you’ll learn something,” he said, offering his hand to help her stand up. “Did you know some of the moths in the Saturniidae family are considered pests, while some make silk? One genus is poison to the touch.”

Emma took Xander's hand and got up. “OK, you can tell me about the poison one, but that’s it," she said. And together they walked back to the conservatory.



Song Choice: Dance Little Sister by Terrence Trent D'Arby

Author's Note: This story can certainly be read alone, but readers might find the earlier installments in Xander and Emma's story, Like Kids in a Candy Store and Tea With Grandmother, enjoyable as well.

Tea With Grandmother

For Sarah, who wanted more of the story and for Max, who approved

Xander and Emma approached the door of the sprawling mansion carefully. The ragged looking human thrall at the gate let them pass without a question. Even if his tongue hadn’t been ripped out, he would have done so; Grandmother taught all of her servants to recognize her beloved grandbabies.

Xander ran a hand through his hair, hoping it would achieve the careless yet fashionable look his grandmother favored.

“Relax,” Emma said, catching the motion. “She’ll definitely help. She probably won’t even tell Mother. Are my pigtails straight?”

“Pigtails? You’re worried about your stupid pigtails. It’s not as if she wouldn’t take you out to any place you wanted to get your hair done.”

“But that’s so boring! Besides, anytime we go out together she’s always the scariest one. No one even pays attention to me.”

“Is that all you care about?”

The door opened, silencing their argument instantly. The servant that escorted them in was of a higher mental caliber than the one that greeted them at the gate. The creases in his butler’s uniform looked sharp enough to cut skin.

“Master Xander, Mistress Emma your Grandmother is waiting in the conservatory for you.”

“Thank you Bradford,” Xander snapped, all his nervousness replaced with impatient surliness.

The children walked through the foyer and down the long corridor towards the conservatory at the back of the manor. Emma stopped to look at the paintings. They were one of her favorite parts of Grandmother’s house. Every wall bore multiple images of Grandmother enjoying some great triumph. Emma had been told that she favored her Grandmother in looks, so she loved to imagine them as future glories of her own. She was particularly fond of the one where a very youthful Grandmother was caressing the head of a recently deceased American colonialist. A dainty trickle of blood highlighted Grandmother’s serene, deep ruby colored smile, her content look deeply contrasting with the agonized expression of the head in her lap.

A cough from Bradford pulled Emma out of her reverie. Bradford’s face showed no trace of annoyance but Xander’s expressed enough for the both of them. Emma just smiled and skipped to catch up with them.

The tea table was set up in the center of Grandmother’s conservatory filled with night blooming flowers from all over the world. Vines twined themselves around four large pillars around the center area and up to form a canopy of green dotted with pale pink blooms. Emma ran to the table when she saw her favorite included among the delights displayed.

“Eyeballs!” she shouted.

“Come give us a hug my darling before you start gobbling things up like a wild creature! Really dear, you need to compose yourself more as you get older,” Grandmother said.

“Grandmother Amaryllis,” Xander with a formal bow. He hugged his Grandmother with more restraint than his sister had. After an enthusiastic hug Emma sat down and began scooping eyeballs onto her plate.

“Xander, you’ve gotten so tall and handsome."

Xander just nodded. He never knew what to say to things like that and thought it’d just be easier to agree with her until he got around to asking her his question. He sat down. Emma had already poured herself half a cup of Earl Grey tea and was beginning to fill the other half with milk and sugar. 

Xander saw his Grandmother’s right eye twitch ever so slightly at the 5^th cube of sugar Emma added to her cup. He supposed he’d have to have some tea to make his Grandmother happy, but Earl Grey tasted like perfume to him and the surrounding scents from all the night blooming flowers didn’t help. He was about to reach for it when a maid came to the table bearing a small teapot and placed it besides his setting.

“It’s a special lemon blend,” his Grandmother explained. “Your mother said you much prefer it. Honey with your tea Xander dear? Emma darling, stop putting the eyeballs into your teacup.”

Xander turned to thank the maid, letting his eyes linger a bit longer on her than he intended. It wouldn’t do to let his Grandmother see that! He hoped that she was too busy scolding Emma to notice (her pigtails were in fact not straight enough for Grandmother’s standards). He poured tea into his cup and took a scone, spreading it thickly with Grandmother’s special clotted jam. Its warm metallic taste always settled him a bit when he was tense. Now if he could just think of a good way to ask Grandmother Amaryllis for help…

“Xander has something to ask you,” Emma said with a mouthful of ladyfingers and cream.

“Emma, you jerk!”

“What?” Emma said, crunching on the remains of a last ladyfinger. “You need help and Grandmother won’t say no.”

“What’s this Xander?” Grandmother asked. “Darling, you musn’t keep things from me. You know I will always help if I can. Now what is making my sweet boy look so sour?”

“Emma,” he growled. Emma laughed.

“Manners Emma. No laughing with your mouth full.”

“But if I laugh with my mouth closed and full of food I could choke and die.”

“Nonsense sweeting, you’re already dead. Xander, I mean it. I will find out sooner or later so you had best tell me now.”

Xander looked at his plate and mumbled. “Back at our house. In the basement.”

Grandmother Amaryllis called for Bradford to bring the car around and soon she, Xander and Emma arrived at the children’s house.

Together they looked at the corpulent, trembling man bound in the basement.

“That’s a senator,” his Grandmother said.

“I know,” Xander replied, his scowl intensifying.

“This is not a good idea. Do you know why?” his Grandmother asked.

“Ooh! Ooh! Because he’s still alive and it’s bad to waste food. You should let me eat him while Xander watches as punishment,” Emma said.

“No dummy,” Xander yelled. “By the night, stop speaking. It’s infuriating!”

He calmed himself down and looked at his Grandmother. “Because we have to choose our victims carefully so that no one notices too much and a senator going missing is big news.” Xander looked at the man with disgust. “But Grandmother, he told lies!”

“My pet, all politicians do! You can’t go about killing them every time they do.”

“Xander lost his temper. Xander lost his temper,” Emma sang.

“Shut up Emma!”

“That will do Emma,” Grandmother said and Emma fell silent. “Alright, I can settle this matter quite easily. Bradford, take the children back to the manor so they can enjoy the rest of their tea snacks. Oh and call my personal stylist. Emma, it’s time to get your hair trimmed again, it’s looking scraggily.”

Xander smirked at Emma’s pout. “Thank you Grandmother.”

She waved him off. “Of course sweeting. That’s what grandmothers are for! Now run along with Bradford and enjoy your tea. This won’t take too long.”

After they left, Grandmother smiled at the senator. “My grandson is right. You tell a great deal of lies. I was going to have some of my people contact you to see if there were some mutually beneficial arrangements we could come to. Nothing too outrageous. I have several ongoing agreements with many of politicians. But I’m afraid this will complicate things.” She smiled, showing her fangs off to full advantage. “You have two choices. One you chose to work with me as I originally intended. I shall still have to punish you for my dear Xander of course. I’ll just remove your right arm so I can give it to him as a gift. Don’t worry. I have mages on retainer that can conjure you a new one. Of course, it won’t really work as well as your original one, but it will do. Refuse me, and your head will be found in some desert somewhere after I have evidence planted that you were secretly dealing with a drug cartel. It will look as if you meant to cross them so they had to retaliate. Which do you chose?”

The senator’s eyes were blank and glassy. Grandmother put her ear to his chest. “How dare you have a heart attack while I am speaking to you!”

Grandmother Amaryllis contemplated the body. Emma was right. It was a shame to waste good food and the senator looked like he held plenty of blood. She barely touched any of her tea snacks and was rather hungry. Yes, it would be easiest to just arrange for his body to be found someplace since he expired of natural causes, more or less, but it would also be quite helpful to carry out her head in the desert scenario as a warning to some of her other human associates. Plus there was that issue at lunch she needed to deal with.

She rummaged through her purse to pull out her cellphone. “Bradford, please come back around and bring my machete. Oh and please bring the maid that attended us at tea today. No, no, I don’t mean to kill her. If she had flirted with Xander it would be a different thing completely. I just would like her to help me with this body so she understands what happens to people who vex me. My grandson will marry a vampire with wealth and impeccable standing if I have anything to say about it. Thank you.”



This post is part of Holly's Horrorland's Blog Party, Vampire Day Soiree and is the second story about Xander and Emma. You don't need to have read the first to enjoy this one, but if you'd like to check it out, it's here.

Song Choice: Look at Grandma by Bo Diddley