Bathory Blood

Undying Love

Anna was a lot smarter than everyone thought and, although still mainly in the dark, had already pieced some bits together. She knew that the blood was obviously not blood at all and was actually some kind of drug, possibly more potent than ecstasy or any drug out there. It had to be, right? Otherwise, why such a high price, and why was Lucius so angry at losing it? Glen had obviously stolen the blood and likely knew about it all along.

Going to her mother and asking for information would likely be pointless, Anna assumed, as she mulled things over while lying atop her bed, listening to ambient techno. The lights in her disco room still swirled from the previous night, and they put her in mind of Glen. Had she been genuinely interested in Anna, or did she only interact to use her to steal the blood? As much as Anna hated to admit it, she believed the latter. Yet, Glen was likely the only person she could go to for information. Lucius would just laugh at her, so there was no point asking him at all.

Without understanding her desire to know more, Anna sprayed red dye into her hair, dressed in a knee-length black cotton frock, and pulled on her orange and purple-laced Dr. Marten's boots. She was tired of being left out of everything. Even her job at the clinic, which was sold to her as being of such great importance, was merely to fob her off. Her brother Lucius was always Minerva's favorite. Maybe if Anna could get the blood back, this might change. She doubted it, but it was worth a shot.

Of course, she knew precisely where Glen lived; she had walked by her apartment block many times in the hope of 'accidentally' bumping into her. It had almost worked once, but Anna had lost her nerve and ducked out of the way until Glen had passed. She knew she was stupid for chasing after a girl who would never love her back, but she couldn't help herself. Even now, as she plotted to bring Glen down, she'd change her mind instantly if Glen professed her undying love.

Anna called an Uber and asked it to pick her up outside the grounds. The last thing she wanted was her mother and nosy brother asking her questions - she never was a very good liar. Before leaving, Anna removed a roll of money from her drawer. She never had to buy anything, so the cash she got from friends and relatives ended up in the drawer. Anna had never counted it, but she would know that there were six hundred and eighty dollars if she had.

"Where you going?" asked Lucius, who was prostrate in the middle of the drive, startling her. Anna hadn't thought to look down as she left.

"What are you doing there?" Anna shivered, wondering how Lucius could just lie in the middle of the drive wearing only a t-shirt and a thin pair of joggers.

"What's it look like?"

"I don't know, that's why I'm asking, idiot." Anna sneered, pleased at being able to insult Lucius for a change. He looked rough, and he was feeling every inch as bad as he looked. The comedown from vampire blood could be brutal, especially when mixed with other drugs like alcohol and cocaine.

"You got any painkillers, sis?" Lucius asked, making a veiled attempt at being friendly. Being nice to Anna was never something he could be fully committed to.

"f**k you, Lucius," Anna jeered, "Even if I did, I wouldn't give you any." Anna scooted past his hand as he reached out, trying to snatch her ankle. She laughed and jogged away to the main gate.

"You won't be so f*****g smart tomorrow, b***h!" Lucius called after her. "I'll be one hundred percent tomorrow, trust me."

"f**k you, Lucius, f**k you, f**k you," Anna sang at the top of her lungs, "f**k yoooooou!"

The buzzer rang, and Glen barely thought about it. Assuming that it must be Erzsebet returning, she pressed to release the lock on the main door and then waited for her own to knock. So it came as a huge surprise when, after opening her front door, she found Anna standing on the other side with red hair dye dribbling down the side of her head.

"There was a shower." Anna shrugged.

"This, uhm, isn't really a good time," Glen began, but Anna pushed past her into the flat.

"We have to talk, Glen."

"Social media? Email?"

"Lucius wants the blood back." No point beating about the bush thought Anna. She had decided that she wasn't going to listen to people's bullshit any longer. Not even from people she loved. "I know you took it." Glen closed the front door slowly. She knew Erzsebet would be back soon, and she dreaded to think what would happen to Anna if she was still there. It was apparent the game was up, so Glen decided to play it straight.

"Yeah, I did. I'm so sorry, Anna, I was high as s**t," Glen stopped when she realized Anna was grinning broadly. "What?"

"I knew it," Anna squealed, "You didn't plan to steal it."

"Of course not," Glen lied, "Anna come on, we're friends. Friends don't do that to each other."

"Is that all we are, Glen?" Anna moved to within kissing distance, "Just friends?" Glen scooted away and almost fell onto her bed. Anna closed her down. "Do you have any of it left?"

"What?" Glen asked, beginning to get a little worried that she wouldn't be able to fight Anna off if she tried to get heavy.

"The blood, silly, what else?" Anna pulled the roll of money out of her purse. "I can buy it back from you. If I bring it back, then Mommy will love me again."

"Wait, did you tell them about me?"

"No, not yet. I mean... I don't want to."

"Well, well, well," Erzsebet remarked, appearing at the open window. Anna screamed and made a run for the front door, but Erzsebet leaped in front and blocked her escape. "And just who do we have here?"