The Ranger

  Myla was relieved. Still a little scared, she hadn't even made Kasia flex when she tried to get her arm free, but it was finally something that wasn't a mystery about the girl in her car. It didn't explain the clothes or gun or anything, but maybe it would get her to start explaining them. Currently she seemed more worried about her fangs so Myla cleared her throat, “Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I just… well I have a ton of questions but can I ask why you're so dangerous? Other than being strong I mean.” The vampire looked away from the mirror looking annoyed with her fangs.

  Actually that was a question too, weren't vampires supposed to not be visible in mirrors? “Right sorry, my fangs just… well they used to retract more. I think they've gotten longer. Maybe I should file them… no important part first.” She focused on Myla and she felt her pulse pick up speed, “It's because I'm hungry. I've been living off deer for a couple weeks now, and animal blood isn't… well it isn't filling exactly? Like living off bread and beans alone, you'll survive but when a real meal is in front of you, it's hard to say no.”

  Myla leaned back slightly, “Oh. Oh and I offered you a hot meal…” Kasia shrugged, embarrassed, “I don't expect you to honor that, you didn't know. But yeah. I know what you were thinking before, but I wasn't grabbed and brought here. Well kinda but not the way you thought. I was… basically I was trapped in a sort of coma for a long time. Near as I can tell I was being used for my blood for experiments while I was out, I don't know what kind but it was a lab I woke up in so I can't think of what else they would have been doing. The lab was in an old bunker in the middle of the exclusion zone, so after I got out I just… picked a direction and started walking. I got all my stuff from that bunker too but there wasn't much there so…”

  Myla slowly nodded, “So it's all ex military gear. What about the backpack? That looks new.” Kasia looked away, “There was a poacher out there. It was his.” She didn't elaborate and Myla decided not to ask about it. At least not right now, “Okay. Well if you're bullshiting me then you picked a hell of a story to do it with. But then again, truth tends to be stranger than fiction. Do you know how long you were out?” She shrugged, “Hundred years? Probably more?” Myla whistled and sat back. She had missed the entire world changing. “Damn… hey, aren't you supposed to not have a reflection?”

  Kasia blinked, “A reflect- Oh. Um no I have one, that's a different kind of vampire.” Myla sat up eagerly, “There's more than one kind? Are they all human? Are there fae ones? Can you turn into mist or bats or something?” Kasia laughed suddenly and shifted to face her more, “This is what you want to talk about right now? I thought you might have more concerns about the hungry vampire in your truck.” Myla shrugged sheepishly, “Well… don't take this the wrong way, but you aren't the only predator in town. Actually we have several, including a pack of werewolves.”

  This time the vampire looked excited, “Really? What breed? Which clan? Are they transplants or local?” Myla laughed this time and grinned at her, “Now who's distracted? Their clan is from Britain I think but they don't answer a lot of questions about themselves. They like to just be left alone.” Kasia rubbed her chin, “Hmm. Probably Clan Drunar then, they've got an isolationist streak in them. At least it's not Clan Donnet, they're pretty famous for being vampire hunters.” Myla listened to her musings thoughtfully, “You know a lot about werewolves?”

  She got a shrug in answer, “Not specifically, I just like to learn about the supernatural. It's fascinating to see how different creatures change based on the people they're born from. No one knows if it's genetic or just a manifestation of societal beliefs either, I kinda want to find out but it's not exactly an easy thing to test. Hey, so if me being a vampire isn't an issue after all, do you mind if we stop talking in the truck and go inside instead?”

  Myla nodded and got out, “Sorry yeah, just got caught up in things for a second. Do you need an invitation to cross thresholds or is that a myth?” Kasia stretched as she got out and grabbed her backpack, “No and no, it's just true for a different kind of vampire from me. There's a few of us too, different ways we get made and different bloodlines on top of that. Like Upiór, they're ghosts processing their own dead body. They drink blood like me but it has to be human, they couldn't do deer like I did. They're where stories about vampires needing to count beans and stuff come from.”

  Myla nodded along, “So what about you? Are you allergic to religion or anything?” Kasia laughed, “No. I've even been to confession several times since turning. Besides, that myth exists mainly because a lot of vampire breeds use black magic to exist. Black magic and holy energies don't play well with each other.” Myla suddenly wished she had cleaned up her place that morning as she opened the door for them and a mess consisting of takeout containers and beer bottles was their first sight in the living room.

  The Vampire

  Kasia felt unexpected nostalgia wash over her at the mess in the house. She was constantly having to remind her boys to pick up after a night of drinking, and half the time had help if she wanted it done. She missed them, they were idiots sure but they were her idiots. And probably long dead. She banished the depressing thought, “Thank you for letting me stay here. I promise that I won't overstay my welcome, I just need enough time to get some work and make some money.”

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  Myla started picking up trash hurriedly as she spoke, “Don't worry about it, stay as long as you need to. I'm sure after a couple weeks outside, you probably want to wash up. I can toss your clothes into the laundry while you shower if you want.” Kasia smiled slightly, “Yeah? I uh… only have two sets of clothes and both are dirty so that would be good.” Myla frowned but then understanding dawned, “There wasn't a lot that fit you huh.” She shrugged, “Certainly nothing in womans sizes. If I wasn't so small I might not have found anything.”

  She gestured at her chest with a wan smile. Then that smile became coy, “But it does mean I won't really have anything to wear at that point. Was that your plan all along? Devious.” Myla blushed and Kasia felt a flutter in her stomach. She liked flustering this one, it was easier than she thought it would be. Myla found her words quick enough as she cleared her throat and gave Kasia a once over with her eyes, “I uh, I guess you'll just have to borrow one of my shirts. Until yours are clean.”

  Kasia smirked when her eyes lingered longer than they needed to on her body, “It's gonna basically be a dress on you so it'll work for tonight. I'll show you to the bathroom.” The mobile home wasn't large so it wasn't exactly hard to figure out which room was the bathroom, but the way Myla clearly wanted to get there first made Kasia take her time and study the living room on her way over. She probably wanted to make sure she didn't leave anything embarrassing out.

  The living room had a regular collection of furniture, a couch, coffee table, and a couple easy chairs. She had one of the odd boxes that Kasia had seen in the lab, minus the typewriter keyboard and massive too. Based off where it was, it had to be a television. Kasia had never owned one herself but she remembered seeing some in a shop and this one was both larger and far thinner. Technology marches on.

  She had posters up on her walls for movies that Kasia didn't recognize and a shelf full of small statues of people in colorful outfits. She would investigate those when she had time later. She caught a glimpse of the kitchen too, it wasn't a lot cleaner than the living room and the sink looked full. She didn't get guests much did she? She spotted a hunting rifle next to the door, a belt with a pistol holster and pouches along with a dark green jacket hung on coat hangers just next to it. A soldier? Maybe police? Did she say if she was police or not?

  It didn't matter anyway. She caught up to Myla and couldn't help but notice she carefully hiding something behind her back less subtly than she thought she was. Kasia didn't comment as Myla pointed at the combination bathtub and shower, “The towel’s clean and there's shampoo and conditioner on that shelf. Leave you clothes by the door and I'll grab them after you're in the shower.” Kasia smiled, “Thanks Myla. This is… more help than I expected anyone to give me really. So thank you.” The taller woman smiled, “Don't worry about it, really. Enjoy the shower.”

  She slipped out and left Kasia alone in the bathroom. She stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the shower, starting to pull the shower curtain closed before pausing. She studied the bathroom mirror thoughtfully, then stepped in front of the door. She always thought she wasn't much to look at, but Myla had been looking anyway. Was it going too far? Was it going too fast? Was she being too… she didn't finish the thought. Men would take anything they could bend over.

  Women had always been more discerning and more discreet. It wouldn't be the first time she spent a night flirting just to be disappointed either. So she carefully pulled the shower curtain closed before checking the view from the door again. An adjustment and she was satisfied. It was heavenly to finally bathe again. It had felt like all those years had stuck to her. She heard the door open after a bit, she shifted under the water spray for a more advantageous position.

  Myla called out, “I'll toss this into the wash and leave the shirt for you on the counter.” She heard the movement outside the shower curtain and had an urge to just pull it open and ask Myla to join her. Instead she spoke, “Thanks. Hey, I saw the gun belt and rifle by the door. Are you police or something?” Myla sounded amused as she started to answer, “Those? Sort of, I'm actually…” Her voice caught and Kasia couldn't help but smile.

  If that didn't tell her exactly what she wanted to know, then nothing would. She could picture it, the changelings eyes locked on glimpses of pale skin and hands running across it in the mirror as she let the water wash over her. She had been worried the mirror would be too steamed up by the shower for it, but the reaction told her she could see enough. But there would be time for more of that later so she pretended not to know. “You’re actually what? A soldier? A hunter? Is this twenty questions now?”

  Myla caught up a bit slower this time, “I'm wha? Oh um yeah sorry I- n-no I'm a ranger. Er a forest ranger, we uh mainly make sure people are following the rules when out in the preserve. We sometimes have to arrest people, but most of it's dealing with drunks and idiots littering or starting fires.” It sounded like she had moved back towards the door, “Even then we have to turn them over to the police because we aren't actual law enforcement. We also deal with poachers, which happens more often than I like.”

  She wondered if Myla was still peeping. She shifted the view in case she was as the other woman kept talking, “It does mean we work closely with the sheriff a lot though. I was military once so you called that fairly, but that was me being a young idiot.” She was going to tease her more but a shiver went up her spine and she found herself thinking of the poacher she had killed. Ah. So he was still here. “Oh. It sounds like it can get dangerous, if you're dealing with poachers.”

  There was a pause, “Yeah. Poachers in the preserve can be nasty people, they did come to hunt creatures they know are sentient after all. We get shot at some times because of that.” Another pause, “Oh um, you forgot to take your spare clothes out of your pack…” Kasia had forgotten about that, “Sorry, things slip my mind sometimes. Do you mind getting them out? There's actually not much in there really. Er there is a bunch of old ammunition from the bunker though. So you aren't surprised by it.”

  Myla made a noise of acknowledgement and shut the door. Kasia stood in the water, just letting it run down her. She couldn't tell Myla what happened. Poacher or not, she had killed a man while drinking him dry. She didn't look at the dark shape slowly rising behind the shower curtain, “So what? You were starving Dove. You just did what was natural.” She bit her lip and tasted blood, “It was still wrong. It's not how I do things. How it should be done.” Her fangs cut deeper in with each word, “Oh yes, you just crack shower curtains and shake your ass instead. Hunting’s hunting dove.” She had no answer and watched red run down the drain until the wound healed.