LH Short Story: Vampire Daughter

Lost Humanity Short Story

This story is provided for free by H.S. Kallinger as part of the Lost Humanity universe.
Timing: after World of Lost Souls.
Content Warnings: discussions of domestic violence and stalking

Vampire Daughter

“Dad, why do vampires make contracts with pets?” Eva looked down at her tablet, scrolling through the arrangement she'd just made with her new pet.

“That one's older than I am,” I answered, trying to remember everything. “Originally, they served as a kind of prenuptial agreement, only obviously not marriage-related. They would list everything the pet owned and if they got to keep whatever the vampire gave them. But it was also because there were pets suing vampires—and vice versa—over breach of verbal contracts. Pets saying that the vampire didn't provide full shelter costs or vampires saying that pets were feeding other vampires, robbing them of what they were essentially paying for, that sort of thing.”

“But why do we do it with all pets, then? None of yours ever complained.”

“I'm really picky about pets. Not all vampires are. Also, when it ends badly, it's a lot like a bad breakup. You can't predict the other person's behavior,” I explained. “But do you really think I was going to tell you about those? You were a kid.”

“What? Dad! Did you have a bad end with a pet?” Eva tossed herself down on the couch and stared at me. “Or someone you dated? Did you date people I didn't know about?”

“Uh, yes, yes, and yes?” I answered, leaning away from the intensity in her gaze. She was such a young vampire that she tended to be volatile in her reactions. I couldn't even predict if she would be angry, sad, or understanding that I withheld adult information from her child self.

“I'm not a child now. Tell me.” Her eyes narrowed. Angry. She was angry. That wasn't fair. But I knew that she couldn't help it, either. It wasn't long enough ago that I was her age for me to have forgotten how easy it was to overreact to everything.

“I guess the dating thing is what's pissing you off? Yeah, okay, well, I've dated Himura Katsuo off and on since... Uh, remember when you got to meet Uncle Tony's other kids and grandkids for the first time? Yeah, it was right before that. Garret... got upset over it. He didn't know he would, and he had said he was fine with it, but he reacted really badly. Between that and how much work it was juggling Vati, Mom and Garret in the first place, I just never put the time and energy into Katsuo that he deserved. So he dumped me.”

“Oh, wow, I'm sorry,” Eva put her hand on my arm and I shook my head, trying to laugh it off.

“I saw it coming a mile away. I always kept him at arm's length, so it didn't hurt... a lot. But it affected things we did together for vampire territory stuff, and that led to... consequences that are not your business. I still would rather you stayed out of vampire politics.”

“I hate that, you know,” Eva sulked. “I know why, but I don't agree. I think the whole vampire justice system is even shittier than the human one, but from what I've heard, it's not as bad as it was when you changed, let alone before you met Vati. I feel like a freeloader. Other vampires who don't get involved choose not to get involved, and they do it in ignorance. I not only know but am choosing it under duress, and I still benefit from the privileges of being the Master's daughter, the Commander's daughter, the Captain of the Guard's niece... I'm still complicit in the system because of those benefits and my knowledge of them. I should face the same consequences as anyone else in it.”

“Ultimately, that is your choice,” I answered, my own guilt rising up to heat my face. “You're not exiled. I know you participate in San Francisco when you're down there.”

“You—”

“I'm not just the Commander, you know. I'm a territorial spouse, and I have my own spies, thank you very much. I know what happens down there, just like Paula knows what happens up here.”

“Paula's as much Master as Emidio,” Eva said, and I nodded.

“She prefers Mistress, but I knew that before you ever met them,” I reminded her, letting her evade the subject, hoping that we could avoid the rest of my yeses. “Hell, I'm still not wrong on that comparison with how much power Lukas shares with me. Lukas didn't want to have a Commander position here. It's what he was with his last master, and it ended badly for him.”

“Is it true that you're half-rogue?” Eva asked.

“What? No! Where the hell did you hear that?”

“Maybe don't send the slaves you free down to San Francisco if you don't want me knowing about it?” She gave me a look that came one hundred percent from Sarah. Pursed lips, eyebrows up, and hell, even her voice took on the same quality as her mother's. I sighed in irritation.

“I don't have the time or energy for a rehab program like Paula runs,” I muttered.

“But slaves aren't against our territory rules, and freeing them is. So, you regularly commit a crime that everyone knows you aren't going to be held responsible for. Like a rogue.”

“Vati's last master was also his... ex. They were together for two hundred years. When they overthrew their master, they were supposed to rule together, but his ex betrayed him and took the power for himself. After I found out how strong Vati was, I wondered how that was possible. Like, I know he loved him, but ultimately, what stopped him from attacking and demanding what they'd agreed to at any point? It turns out his ex was immensely strong. Like, could fight Vati and Uncle Tony together and win, and they're two of the strongest vampires without gifts in the world.

“So, he kept Vati in line, charged him with any territorial crime he committed just like anyone else. No mercy. Vati won't do that to me. So, yes, I take advantage of it. The idea got planted in my head by Uncle Tony when I refused to feed on a slave after a territorial battle, and he told the handler to get her away from me if he didn't want to lose her. It was... like that set up the permission I needed to do just that. Yes, I free every slave I find out about. When I became a territory doctor, I didn't plan to. I wanted the chance to treat them. But no one trusted me with them and didn't call, so I decided that I was free to do what I wanted.”

“That's kind of amazing, Dad,” Eva said, grinning at me. “Do you actually beat up their owners, too?”

“That's not 'amazing.' That's shitty, and yes, I do if they're there. I yeeted one right into the fucking bay.”

“Dad. How many times do I have to tell you not to say yeet?”

“What? I use it correctly!” I stuck my tongue out at her and she rolled her eyes.

“That word is so old!”

“It was 'so old' two years after white people got their hands on it,” I pointed out. “I picked it up from some combination of Chris, Rory and the internet. The number of 'Peter Parker teaches Thor to yeet' memes was ridiculous.”

“But it was Gen Z Peter, so it was cool for him. And Thor, who's always cool, even when fighting depression. He was still worthy.” Eva flipped around and leaned her back against me. “Now tell me about the bad pet endings.”

“There was only one,” I said, disappointed that I'd failed to stop this conversation in its tracks. “Her name was Jessica.”

“Wait, Jessica was a bad pet end?” Eva asked, twisting around.

“Not the Jessica you met. A different one,” I clarified. “The Jessica you met ended our contract because she moved back to the East Coast to nanny for her brother. Anyway, this Jessica got really clingy and stalker-y. She started out cool, but the no sex thing became a problem for her. At first, I didn't realize how inappropriate she was getting, and by the time I did, she'd gotten lowkey dangerous. I terminated our contract after she got pushy for sex, and she started tracking me down at clubs, the bookstore, the VU, and eventually the hospital. I had to have security remove her and get a restraining order after that.”

“Whoa.”

“Yeah. Um, she violated it.”

“What?”

“She didn't get past the first gate, but she showed up at the house. This was when you were a senior in high school. She was screaming and cutting herself with a knife. Thankfully, all of you guys were at school at the time, so the police came and got her, and you never had to know about it.”

“What if she'd gone after one of us?” Eva asked.

“If I'd thought that was a possibility...” I trailed off. The things I would do to someone who would hurt my children were not something I was willing to admit to to Eva. “Just trust me that I didn't. She was obsessed with me, and she knew me well enough to know that touching one of my kids would guarantee I would never forgive her for anything, ever. She wanted me to forgive her. She kept promising to do anything if I'd just take her back. At the end, she was screaming that if I wouldn't, then she'd just die.”

“Gross,” Eva said, wrinkling her nose. “That's the kind of crap abusive assholes pull.”

“All of it was,” I said softly, trying to ignore that I knew what it felt like to want to die when separated from someone I loved. I wondered how I would have reacted if Lukas had dumped me when I got down to Florida instead of welcoming me back. I wouldn't have told him that I had nothing to live for after that. I would have accepted it and then gone off to die quietly, I think. Or maybe I would have just gone back to Ohio and lived out the rest of my life as a zombie who'd had a taste of a life in full color and would never have it again. What would Sarah have done if he'd taken her and not me? I was the one who fucked everything up, after all...

“Dad!” Eva pulled me from my reverie, and I shook my head. “Were you having a flashback?”

“No?” I checked my head to make sure it was just a daydream. “Did I lose time?”

“No, I just had to say your name, like, five times,” Eva said, shaking her head. “Where were you?”

“Just thinking,” I said. I turned so I could hug her, and she hugged me back.

“It wasn't a happy thought,” she pointed out.

“No. I won't be flying with that one.”

“What were you thinking?” she persisted.

“About how unbearable my life would have been without all of you,” I answered. That seemed a safe answer.

“How did you get there from an abusive ex pet? Scheiße. Pets can be the abusive ones?”

“I was remembering being a pet and falling in love,” I answered, telling my body it was close enough to the truth. “And yes. They absolutely can be.”

“That isn't love,” Eva said, frowning.

“It's not showing love. It's not respecting love. It's being a terrible person, but that doesn't mean that the abuser is absent the feeling of love. I'm not even talking about Jessica. She might have loved me, but it seemed more like obsession. That can start out as love, though, and... degrade. You can't tell another person how they feel, and honestly, pretending that abusers can't love? That's really dangerous. Victims can tell that their abuser feels love for them, so it can lead to them justifying the abuse,” I had to stop. This was too close to home.

“'Kay, I see what you're saying. Basically, you don't deny another person's experiences, but they don't justify shitty behavior?”

“Yes, exactly. And it also makes it harder for the victim in separating—someone else loving you don't mean you owe them anything. You are not responsible for someone else's feelings, you got that?”

“I know, Dad.” Eva looked thoughtful. “All right, maybe I didn't think of that.”

“But also, being in love with someone doesn't give you the right to hurt them, even in socially acceptable ways. Like all the romcoms that glorify stalking or our persistence predator natures where one person just keeps violating the other's boundaries to 'prove' their love. Which also comes back to the first lesson—no one owes you anything just because you fell in love with them, or made yourself a better person 'for them.' Any of that.” And now I couldn't handle the conversation at all. I knew all of this. Lukas hadn't hurt me in years. He had genuinely become a better person, and he promised that it was for himself as much as us. But this whole topic hurt.

“Or how often girls beat the crap out of their crushes in anime?” Eva said. “I remember when I thought that was funny.”

“Having been the boy with the girl who casually hits him whenever she's mad, I never thought it was funny,” I said. I remembered talking about what a tsundere Lukas was and repressed a sigh.

“Hey, you've got your political face on, Dad. Was it Mom? It was Mom, wasn't it?” Eva asked.

“Not just Mom,” I evaded when I realized Eva had probably seen Sarah hit me. “My first high school girlfriend was worse about it. But yeah, before we changed, Mom... she didn't really think about it. She'd just always been like that. Because she was always smaller than her male partners and never actually hurt anyone, she didn't make the connection.”

“I get it, actually,” Eva said. “It's immature, I think, and some people don't realize it before it becomes a habit. And like you said, it used to be socially acceptable. In, like, middle school, it was common? But then by high school, we were starting to see memes and articles that explained why it wasn't okay, and you folks didn't have that, yeah?”

“I love you and your generation so much,” I said before I hugged her until she squeaked.

“Nice to know someone does,” Eva said when I let her breathe again.

“At least they're aware of how old you are,” I grumbled. “I was in my late thirties hearing about how my generation was supposed to be your age. We were all adults, our support of vampires and social justice had saved the damn economy and slowed the collapse of the environment, with the financial and political support of old vampires who didn't want to live through awful parts of history again behind us to stop us from destroying ourselves. But we were still infantilized by the press and our parents' generation, dismissed as basement dwelling gamers who wanted a free ride through life.”

“The media is always on its bullshit,” Eva said. “So, for all of that, let me thank your generation for saving us from... you? Your parents? Your older siblings? All of the above? Ye. So, anyway, did you end up needing your contract to prove anything?”

“Yeah, no, having the contract meant that she couldn't even pretend to get legal against me. I filed the cancellation the night I did it—thank you, internet—so she couldn't pretend I was in breach of it, either. That's why they're important, though. Probably ninety-nine percent of pets you have, you'll never need to worry about it. It provides a safety net, gives you this sense of officialness, all that. Yeah, there are vampires who still don't use them. You talked about privilege, well, we're wealthy. I've never had to think about not being able to afford committing to a contract or needing legal advice in creating one, since your Vati helped me with all of them.”

“Vati? Not Garret? He helped with mine.”

“Garret wasn't a lawyer when I met Frieda, Chris, Rory or Aria. Vati has to know a lot about legal documents with his work as an art dealer, and that bleeds into the ones he deals with as Master, et cetera. I didn't realize you had Garret help you.”

“Asking the Master to do it is too intimidating, even as his daughter,” Eva said. “Besides. I'm not supposed to be involved with vampire stuff with you guys for that.”

“Garret's the official Emissary and my official consort. He's in the upper hierarchy.”

“I dunno. It was just easier to ask him,” Eva said. “He's still not the Master.”

“I can see that.”

“Can I attend a petitioner meeting?” Eva asked.

“You're a member of the community. Of course you can. Want to sit in for me so I don't have to?” I teased.

“Bet.” Eva smirked. I shook my head.

“I'm sure you would,” I said. “Like I said. I'm not stopping you. I just really would rather you lived as normal a life as possible.”

“Then you shouldn't have married into money,” she said, making a ridiculous face at me.

“And give up my free ride and unlimited gaming?” I joked, making Eva laugh.

“For real, for real,” she said, laughing. “A-a-a-nd for real, what would I be giving up? Gabby said that she chose to go full vampire citizen because you told her she would be giving up a safety net if she didn't.”

“Being a loophole,” I answered. “You'd give up being a loophole where you get to be a regular citizen while getting that safety net through nepotism. Fine. You win. You're right. It's unethical. I'll support you if you choose to join the community in full. I'm being ludicrous. You're already one down in Emidio's territory, even if he does protect the hell out of you—yes, your freedom of choice is blunted down there, too, sorry.”

“Argh! You suck!” She threw herself back against the couch and lightly kicked at my leg.

“Fine, fine. We're being overprotective jerks. And you're right—it's not fair to you, and it may actually hurt you in the long run. Shit. You win!” I turned and grabbed her hands, pulling her up into a sitting position. She was grinning. “But if anyone starts bullying you over who your dads are, please, please use us. Not as a first resort or in a spoiled rich kid way, but if it is more than obnoxious, if you are unable to make it stop on your own, and/or it violates the rules, sick us, or better yet, Uncle Tony on them. They will regret all their life choices at that point and no risk of being accused of being a princess.”

“But don't Young Adult protagonist it and do it all on my own?”

“Right. We went through that when you were in second, third grade. You have resources, allies. Use them.”

“So, does this mean I'm all grown up as a vampire? I've got a pet, I'm gonna do vampire adulting stuff?” Eva grinned so wide it looked like it hurt.

“Sure. Congratulations. Now get a job.”

“Pfft. I'm two years old. Do you know what people say when I have to put that down on my applications?” Eva asked.

“I can't believe you found your first pet at only two years old.”

“Weren't you ten months?”

“Well, yeah.”

“I transitioned just as fast as you did.”

“I know. You've made a point of saying that it proves you were right all along about being meant to be a vampire.” I rolled my eyes.

“I had five vampire parents. Five. Six if you count Vincent, but he's really always been more of a big brother type.”

“And yet, Mia has no desire to become a vampire,” I pointed out.

“True, true, 'cause we're hella different. But I mean that I've always wanted to be one. Always. I don't remember a time in my life where I didn't think of living out a human life and get depressed. I never wanted to get pregnant and have kids. Nothing I really want to do requires me to be human.”

“You wanted to be an EMT once upon a time,” I said.

“Bet I could if I wanted to now. Bein' a vampire doesn't prevent you from training, and I could join the VU. But I don't wanna. I just... I thought your job was cool when I was a kid. I liked telling people my dad saved people. You were always my hero—you still are. Shut up and stop making that face. But I'm not into healthcare and all that. I realized that in sixth grade biology. Then you complained about being puked on by patients, and fuck that. Gross.”

“So, do you have any ideas of what you do want to do?” I asked as soon as I stopped laughing.

“I'm going back to acting,” she said. “I can figure it out from there.”

“What was that about not marrying into money?”

“Hey, I never said that's what I wanted. I said that's where you lost the 'normal life' thing.”

“You could have gone to college.”

“Why? The only reason I can think of is to get Kimi-chan to stop calling me a neet.”

“You could have figured it out while you were there.”

“Wa-a-a-a-ste of money,” she sang.

“Says the girl who had a luxury nest.”

“All of you refused to nest me!” Eva said, throwing her hands up. She cringed. “And now I know why and want to thank you profusely. I also get why it was a hard pass on changing me and why you couldn't explain that when I was little.”

“Yeah. Gross.”

“For real.”

“I'm teasing, by the way. Your nest was fine. I'd much rather you were with Sandy. Not that I have any idea how Samiya runs a nest, but Mason is the only one of her scions I know, and they were in love.”

“She didn't really have the time for it. She offered, and I don't think it would have bothered me being thirsty around her and Mason and Abessa, but it was nice enough of her to change me so it didn't need to be some rando I picked up at a club or something.”

“I had a list of twenty vampires willing to change you. It never would have been a rando,” I said, mildly offended.

“And I had people down in the neighborhood in the city who would've too. I'm teasing,” she said.

“Samiya still put her plans on hold to watch over you, you know,” I pointed out.

“Ye. She turned into a big sister right away.”

“Well, she's my flock sister, so I know how that is.”

“Does she boss you around, too?”

“Uh, she doesn't need to? I never really thought of it that way, but I've always done whatever she tells me or asks me to. She's a council member. It's my job to carry out any orders she has for me.” I spaced out for a moment as I mulled that over. “And any advice she offered was always welcome.”

“Mm. I guess it is all good advice. Ellie always needed my help, so I've always been the big sister even then.”

“She's Lukas's pet, not your sister,” I protested.

“If you say so. She was a mess. She's doing better now, 'cause I'm a good big sister.”

“Oh, it was totally you, mmhmm.”

“Of course it was.” Eva giggled and then looked serious. “My pet isn't a mess. She's got plans. She's the same age as I am, and I think her life is more together than mine.”

“Ah, you pick up a pet who just needed a financial sponsor?”

“And a friend. She's an actress, too.”

“Oh, lovely. Theatre kids.”

“Dad!” Eva hopped off the couch, laughing. “We're going to move in together.”

“What?” I looked up in surprise. Eva had moved back home after nesting. “Hold up. You're not old enough to live with humans on your own.”

“I'm not?”

“No.”

“Not even in one of the condos on the street?”

“No. It's too risky. You can move her into one of those, but you can't move in with her. If you want to move out, may I suggest moving in with Bonnie and Wendy? Or into a vampire apartment complex if you want to be sans parental or familial roommates, but safe to be out of your nest is not safe to live with humans on your own.

“Verdammt noch mal,” she swore in German.

“Sorry. I hope that wasn't in the contract.”

“It wasn't. We were just talking about it after Garret left,” Eva said.

“I was thinking Garret would have warned you if you'd mentioned it.”

“Welp, I guess you're stuck with me.”

“No, I'm pretty sure I just decided to shove you off onto Bonnie.”

“She's two houses down. That's still stuck with me,” Eva teased as she danced over to the front door. “Thanks, Dad. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” I waved as she left and then returned to the video game I was playing while waiting for anyone else to get home. Eva had been welcome company. I still enjoyed the calm nights.