Blood Ties

Chapter 2: What Am I?

Arienne felt numb as she checked into the hotel, earning a suspicious look from the front clerk on account of her soaking wet clothing. After drying herself the best she could, the poor thing sat in the lobby for just a little while, wondering what her next move should be.

It was evident that she couldn't stay in the United States, but where should she go?

And her money, although it was still good for now – was no doubt going to dry up, and soon. She had no parents to consult on her next move, no family to ask, and no remaining friends who would not have questions about her newfound healthiness, so she was at a loss as to what to do.

She drew in a shaky breath, and looked up to see someone staring at her. A woman with dark hair wearing a business suit was sitting across from her, watching the blonde with concern.

“Oh, excuse me," she gasped, “I don't mean to stare." Arienne offered an awkward, terrified smile, trying very hard not to show off her canines. The woman looked over the top of her glasses at Arienne, before getting up to move and sit beside her.

“Is everything alright?" the stranger asked, and Arienne debated on what to say next.

“No, not really. I've run into a problem, and I'm not sure what to do next," Arienne answered quietly.

“You do look out of sorts," the woman said, “But before we get to talking, my name is Cheong Haneul." She held out a hand for Arienne to shake, and so she did.

“I'm …" she thought for a moment, wondering if she should use her given name or a new one. “Arienne."

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Arienne," stated Haneul, “Now, about your problem. Talking to a stranger may help you come to terms with how to solve it, no? So, talk away."

Arienne bit her bottom lip in thought, brow furrowing as she pulled her hand back onto her lap. “To put it bluntly, I died just a few hours ago. And now I'm here, and I'm …"

“Different," Haneul finished her sentence for her, and Arienne looked up. The woman's eyes flashed red, and Arienne gasped softly. “Is that right? You've got a hunger, never-ending, and your heart beats no longer?"

“How do you –" the blonde began to ask, but Haneul held up a hand, and she fell silent.

“Because I am just like you. A vampire, Miss Arienne. Don't you hear them, my dear? The heartbeats that thrum throughout this hotel, the breath moving through lungs, the vital parts of life that you and I lack," Haneul explained, with a gentle smile on her face.

“I don't understand … is that what I am now? A vampire?" Arienne asked in a hushed voice, “How is that possible? I didn't even think they were real until …"

“Until you died?" Haneul reached over, and patted the blonde's hand with her own. “I understand completely. I didn't think that we were real creatures either, until the day I was in your shoes."

Arienne fell silent again, a question on her mind. “If you don't mind my asking, Miss Cheong … how did it happen for you?"

Haneul fell silent for just a minute or two, before staring off at the rain falling against the windows. “It was on my twenty-sixth birthday. I had gotten into a terrible accident, you see … and I was barely clinging to life. That was when she bit me, and gave me a second chance at life."

“I'm sorry it happened like that. Is it always traumatic?" Arienne asked, brow furrowing as she listened.

“In most cases? Yes, it is. There's just a handful of people who I know that are born vampires, and they're all members of the elite houses." Haneul added, “Most of which are located in France, which brings me to my suggestion to you. You should travel to Paris, and search for Arabella Bardot, or perhaps Nora Berry. Both of them are elites, and they could possibly help you re-acclimate to your new life."

“Is that what you did?" Arienne asked, with genuine curiosity in her voice.

“It is. I'm lucky in that I had a lot of money before this, so all I needed to really do was change my name, since the previous me was dead and all."

Haneul pulled out her phone, and then seemed to get an idea. “Since you're in need of help, why don't I give you enough money to get to France?"

Arienne gasped, grabbing her own phone that she had managed to salvage from the apartment prior to her fleeing. “Are you sure? That's so much money and I cannot possibly pay you back."

“I am sure," Haneul said a little firmly, “I have been alive for 100 years, darling. I have a fortune I am not spending. Let me get you set up with my bank, so I can approve the transfer of funds directly."

Arienne nodded, meekly saying a thank-you before taking Haneul's phone to put her information in. One hundred years… She wondered if it had passed for her in the blink of an eye. Would she live as long as Cheong Haneul had? Or would she be alive for even longer?

She thought of outliving Fleur and her future children, and her eyes watered a little. “Here, and thank you again. Can I ask – what sort of people are Nora and Arabella?" she asked, handing the phone back.

Haneul began to work away at her phone, before looking up to answer the blonde's question. “Arabella Bardot is one of the first elites to ever rise to power, so she's very, very strict about who she helps. However, she is also known for her generosity in helping smaller houses - such as the one you must come from, if you've turned so suddenly - rise back into power."

“As for Nora Berry, she's known to help vampires acclimate to their newfound abilities and powers. She is, however, very much a flirt. She's a handsome sort; her hair is cropped short and she even has a few tattoos. Her house hails from England, and she's known to teach vampires how to defend themselves against hunters."

Arienne felt like she was learning a lot in a short amount of time. Her phone dinged, and she checked the new app that Haneul had installed for her, almost fainting dead away when she saw the numbers present in the account they'd set up together.

It was more than she'd seen in her entire life; How ironic that in death, she was wealthy!

“H-hunters? There's vampire hunters?" she asked, eyes widening. “Whom do they hunt? Anyone?"

“Either they hunt smaller vampires for elite houses, or they hunt larger heads of houses for power," Haneul explained, expression unchanging. “It depends on who is fueling their wallets. They're very dangerous, so I pray that you won't run into any."

“There's so much to remember …" Arienne felt a little dizzy with the sheer knowledge of it all. “And you said you changed your name, right? Should I do that, too?"

“I would recommend it. Go by another name for a little while, until you can get your affairs sorted," said Haneul.

She thought about what name to use for quite a while before deciding on her mother's name, Colette. “I think I have one. Colette Monet. My mama's first name, and papa's last."

“Well, 'Colette.' I wish you luck in your endeavors. And if you need anything else, you can call me." Haneul stood, tucking her phone into her pocket. “And a word of advice, just for you: Never, EVER feed in broad daylight. Humans don't know we exist, and it's for the better, that way."

“Understood … and thank you, again." Arienne stood as well, before heading back to her room with questions swirling in her mind.

What did it mean to be a vampire? And furthermore, was she an elite vampire, like the kind that Haneul had told her about? Or was she a second-class citizen …?

So many questions, and not enough answers. As she lay on her hotel bed, Arienne ordered a one-way ticket to Paris, France. There was nothing for her here, after all.

Fleur never wanted to see her again, her parents were long dead, and any friends she had left would likely have the same reaction as her sister.

There was only one thing that Arienne could do now, and that was to begin a new life as Colette Monet. With her heart aching with sadness, she rolled over into the bedsheets and fell into an uneasy slumber. Come morning, she would be in another country entirely.

And she wasn't sure if she was elated, or terrified.