Eclipsed Bloodlines: Tales of Shadow and betrayal

Chapter 11

Chris

Well, this has been an interesting turn of events. Who knew that the mysterious booth in the corner was a trap? I looked around and saw that I was in a birdcage. Weird. I noticed a band around my arms. I tried to use my powers, but I couldn't. The band had somehow neutralized my abilities.

Sitting down in resignation, I pondered the peculiar behavior of Victoria and Hailey. Their oddities were becoming more conspicuous with each passing day. They never seemed to eat, possessed an uncanny knowledge of things they shouldn't, and their mannerisms hinted at a bygone era. Victoria's presence in our basement, their enigmatic discussions about being "Supervillains"—it all felt like pieces of a cryptic puzzle I couldn't decipher.

Lost in contemplation, I was startled when Victoria appeared before me. "Hey," she murmured, offering a plate of mac n' cheese. As I looked up at her, a gasp escaped my lips. Her once ordinary features had transformed. Her eyes gleamed with a crimson hue, her teeth elongated like menacing fangs, and her pallor took on a ghostly complexion. Dark circles underscored her altered gaze.

"Did I scare you?" she inquired, a hint of hesitance creeping into her voice. Despite her unearthly appearance, there was an underlying vulnerability in her demeanor that caught me off guard.

At that moment, the truth dawned upon me. As she didn't want to be like this, I hesitated before responding "No." She eyed me suspiciously. I continued, "I think I kind of knew what you were."

"Really? How?" She inquired.

"Well, you never eat, you know things that no one's told you, you talk like you're from another time, you appear in our basement, you all of a sudden are a supervillain, and I saw you one night, drinking blood." I shivered.

She nodded, "You're very observant," she acknowledged.

"But you haven't told me what you think I am." I looked straight into her red eyes and said, "Vampire." She winced at the word but then nodded.

"Whoa. I have so many questions." I thought.

She sat down, "What do you want to know?" she asked.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

She chuckled, sending shivers down my spine. "I read your mind," she announced with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"You can do that?" I asked, my voice filled with disbelief.

She met my gaze steadily and replied, "I can create powers."

I felt a rush of excitement. "So that makes you the most powerful vampire alive!" I exclaimed, my curiosity piqued.

She let out a laugh but remained silent. "How old are you?" I inquired, eager to learn more about her.

"160," she responded, her tone serious.

My jaw dropped in shock. "You're kidding," I uttered, finding it hard to believe.

"Do you sleep in a coffin?" I probed, half-jokingly.

"No, I don't sleep," she replied simply, her expression unreadable.

"Wait, so when you mentioned it this morning, you weren't joking?" I pressed further, seeking clarification.

She nodded in confirmation. "Do you turn into a bat?" I questioned, recalling vampire lore.

Her answer was a firm, "No."

I thought for a second then asked. "How come you can come out during the day?"

She laughed. "We don't shrivel up, if that's what you're asking." She paused for a moment then said. "We just glow a tiny bit. It makes us look interesting so we try to avoid it a much a possible."