Vivienne

Richmond, Virginia.  Spring 1995.

“I am unsure why I allowed you to talk me into this ridiculous meeting, Miss Addison.”  Vivienne called out from her bedroom, while hastily removing her dark bodysuit. “Unlike the others, I have one final exam tomorrow night, and it is prudent that I study.”  Vivienne casually lied.

Heather looked around Vivienne’s oddly decorated apartment. “It is like you live in a dungeon.”  the young woman mentioned as she looked at the decorations on the shelves. “I knew I had to corner you just before it got dark..”  Heather walked over to Vivienne’s rather large computer desk with half written and half typed pages all around it. “I have tried multiple times to come by when it was early evening, but you are never home.”

Sliding on a pair of old stoned washed jeans, Vivienne fastened the buttons gluing the pants to her shapely frame. “I have endeavored to explain to you on multiple occasions that I am busy at night, before and after class.”  Vivienne grabbed a purple v-neck tiny blouse and hastily pulled it over her bare breasts. “Which leads me to my next inquiry.”  Grabbing a couple hair bands, Vivienne quickly started braiding her long black hair. “How did you get my address, Miss Addison?”

Walking over to the shelves in Vivienne’s small living room, Heather picked up the various medical instruments and inspected them. “I followed you last week.”  Heather spun and jumped when she saw Vivienne standing less than two feet from her. “Ahh!”  Dropping the item she held, Heather’s frightful brown eyes wide. “I..I…”  Heather took a couple moments to get her breath. “I..we..all of the other g-g-girls wanted to know more about our valedictorian.”  After regaining her composure, Heather bent over and picked up the metal rod. “I have never…um..ever held a real orbitoclast.” 

-How did this human follow you?-  Vivienne stood unmoving and considered Heather’s words carefully. “I have informed the various deans that I have refused the elaborate title and so called honor of being valedictorian.  I will not be attending graduation.”  Vivienne pointed to the orbitoclast. “The hammer is beside it.  They belonged to..”  Vivienne swiftly and gracefully walked to the shelf without making a sound. “...my father.  He was a rather macabre doctor and worked in a mental facility.”

Heather looked at her watch nervously and then replaced the items on the shelf. “I..I know you aren’t attending.  The dean offered me your spot on the podium.”  Still feeling a bit nervous, Heather almost felt the temperature in the room drop. “I turned it down as well.”  Tucking some of her brown hair behind her ears, Heather side-stepped away from Vivienne and headed for the apartment door. “The others will be meeting us down at the diner on forty-fifth street in like thirty minutes.”

“You are welcome to keep the items, Miss Addison.”  Vivienne picked up the twin instruments and gave Heather a warm smile as she handed them over. “Consider this a keepsake, an heirloom if you will.”  Vivienne studied the young woman’s features for a couple seconds.  Vivienne noted that Heather was a head over five feet tall and estimated that she weighed about one hundred and thirty pounds.  Slowly taking a deep breath, Vivienne looked hungrily at the pulsing veins in Heather’s neck but quickly dismissed the idea of feeding. “Why did you turn down the dean’s offer, Miss Addison?”

Heather quickly stuffed the two parts into the bag she was carrying. “Why?” She nervously repeated and opened the door to the well lit hallway. “I didn’t want to slide into first place.”  Heather almost sprinted to the elevator. “If I was going to be valedictorian, I would have liked to actually earned it, not just become a substitute.”  Her nerves still on edge, Heather quickly changed the subject and focused on Vivienne’s blood red fingernails. “Please..”  She stammered and grabbed Vivienne’s hand. “Heather.  Please c-call me Heather…I um…Wow, that shade of red is amazing.”

“What are you doing..Heather?”  Vivienne asked and raised one of her black, slender eyebrows and politely pulled her hand away. “The red..”  Vivienne looked at her hand briefly, “A custom color that my family had made in France.”

Looking at the numbers on the elevator, Heather took a step forward when the bell chimed on the first floor. “Sorry.”  Heading for the spinning door, “When I get nervous, I start touching things.”  Heather walked into the angular door and playfully walked around in a circle a few times before exiting on the city street into the cool night. “That was fun.  Have you ever done that?”

“No.”  Vivienne said flatly and pointed to the parking deck. “Unless you want to pay a taxi, we can drive.”

Heather waved down a taxi, “In case we decide to go out or have a few drinks.”  She climbed in the back seat of the yellow car that stopped. “You just might decide to have a good time.”  Tapping the cabby on his shoulder, “Corner of forty-fifth and Patrick Henry, please.”

Without a sound, Vivienne slid into the back seat with Heather. “I will politely pass on the drinks.  I indicated that I have one final exam tomorrow night.”  The cabby froze when he saw Vivienne’s sparkling blue eyes. “Good evening sir.”  Vivienne politely commented and smiled. “How long will it take you to get us to our destination?”

Coming out of his stupor with the sound of Vivienne’s French accent, the man’s cheeks flushed and he wiped his forehead. “Um..I think.”  He flipped the meter on and looked at his watch. “P-probably twenty minutes, depending on t-traffic.  Ma’am.”

Vivienne turned to Heather, “You said we would have to meet them in thirty minutes, correct?”

Chuckling lightly to herself, Heather nodded. “Right, about thirty minutes.”  She leaned over to Vivienne’s ear. “I think he is staring at your nipples.”  Heather made a quick little gesture as the cab pulled into traffic. “You did get dressed fast.”

Spotting a myriad of colors on Heather’s wrist, Vivienne reached out and held Heather’s arm. “Interesting choice of a tattoo.”

“Oh, that is my comet.”  Heather giggled and twisted her forearm and opened her hand to give Vivienne a good look. “I turned eighteen when Haley’s comet passed over.  It was my first real, adult act.”  Heather stated while making air quotes for the latter half of what she’d said. “I had a wicked scar on my hand from something that my mom told me I did with a window when I was about four years old.”  She shrugged. “I don’t remember much.”  Heather instinctively rubbed her palm and the meaty part of her thumb. “Thankfully I am left handed, because sometimes my right hand doesn’t work right.”  Looking up, Heather connected with Vivienne’s entrancing expressive blue eyes, “Blue.”  She stammered, “I..I think your eyes match the blue on the i-ink.”  Leaning closer, Heather felt herself suddenly dreaming of kissing Vivienne. 

“Miss Addison.”  Vivienne cleared her throat and poked a thin nail into Heather’s forearm, breaking her from her enamor. “I was unaware that a tattoo artist could make silver paint.”

Sucking in through her teeth, Heather straightened up and jerked her arm. “Ouch.”  She softly commented and shook off the attraction she’d been feeling. “Sorry about that, Vivienne.”  Heather looked at her forearm. “That isn’t real silver.”  She shrugged, “According to the guy who did it, the ink is something fancy that makes it look metallic.”  Turning her arm so it reflected with the night lights, the silver illusion seemed to sparkle. “When the artist showed me this, I knew I had it right.”  Heather curled her eyebrows, “I don’t know what came over me.”  She leaned over so the cab driver couldn’t hear, “I almost kissed you.”

“Alas, Heather.  I am not the one you want to kiss.”  Vivienne released Heather’s arm, “Trust me.  It is in your best interest to clear your head of that thought.”  The vampiress pointed to the window, “Perhaps a breath of fresh air will help you clear your head.”  Coming to the conclusion that it was just her natural ability that made Heather follow her, Vivienne dismissed the concern she’d had in her apartment. “Miss Addison.”  Vivienne touched the cab driver on the shoulder, then held up her finger. “Due to recent events, I have rethought this gathering of friends.”  Vivienne opened her purse and handed the cab driver two hundred dollars. “Be sure to take Miss Addison where she wishes to go.”

Wide eyed and smiling, The driver tucked the money in his shirt pocket and pulled to the side of the street. “I am good with that.”

Seeing Vivienne reach for the door handle, Heather grabbed the vampire’s hand. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.  I would really like it if you stayed.”

-Humans are all the same.-  Vivienne heard her dark voice taunting her. -Kill them both and walk away, why leave without feeding?-  Pushing the voice back to her subconscious, Vivienne shook her head. “Miss Addison, rest assured that I am not offended.”  She pointed to her apartment complex. “I indicated before your subtle attempt at flirting, I have another exam.”  Vivienne flashed her pearl white and comforting smile. “I have just reassessed my priority this evening.”  She patted Heather’s arm. “Consider yourself lucky.”

Heather opened her mouth to speak when the sound of gunfire erupted, followed by screams from all sides.  Dropping to the floorboard, Heather started breathing heavily and pulled on Vivienne. “Get down!”  She screeched and started to mumble.