Chapter 7

When I got back to the apartment that afternoon, my mother told me, "I got a call from your Aunt Josephine a few hours ago. Your Cousin Diana is now undead, and she wants to talk to you."

"Diana wants to talk?"

Mom nodded. "Over the phone." She sighed, "Vampires can't bite you over the phone."

I went into my room, took out my cell phone, switched it on and dialed my cousin's number. I put the device to my ear and listened to it ring a few times. Then I heard her voice.

"Hello." Diana spoke. Her voice sounded no different than it had before. "Who is this?"

"Hi Diana." I told her, "This is Elaine, your cousin."

"Hi Elaine."

I said, "So how are you doing?"

"How am I doing?"

"Well, I'm not sure what to say. What do I ask?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well...how about...What's it like being undead?"

"What's it like? Well, not really all that different than when I was alive, except that I can't go outside in daylight, and that right now I'm really hungry."

I asked, "But you're not hungry for anything that normally comes with fries, are you?"

"That's right." She told me, "My appetite has changed. I'd prefer the warm, pumping blood of a dying human now."

"Is that including mine?"

"Don't worry. My mom went to the butcher shop and got me some pig's blood to drink. Everybody'll safe from me." Her voice now had a sad tone. "I'd still like us to be friends Elaine."

"Friends? So would I Diana, but just how safe would I be?"

"Safe as before." She told me, "I'm just gonna nibble and sip guys who I bite at fang-bangs, when there are people around to count up to 'one thousand-ten'. I'm not gonna violate the Truce. And don't worry. My vampire appetite is heterosexual. I only want to bite studly guys to death."

"That's good to know. I think."

"Of course it would be nice if Mr. Goodbite had made you into my vampire buddy, so we could go hunting studs together."

"Thank you Diana, but I'd prefer to spend the rest of my life here in Sangreville alive."

"Sure Elaine. I understand that, but things might not be that easy. Now that you're a hellmouth gal, you're expected to continue taking part in helping keep the Truce."

"Forget that!" I told her, "On Saturday night I was a fang-bang gal, but just that once. I've decided not attend any more fang-bangs."

"Oh don't wimp out Elaine! No matter how horny or hungry the vampire guys are, they're not gonna violate the Truce."

"Does that really matter?" I said, "Paula didn't violate the truce when she nibbled and sipped out Nathan, and Mr. Goodbite didn't violate it either, when he did the same to you, but you and Nathan are now vampires anyway."

"Nathan too?" She sounded distressed.

"Oh." I asked her, "You didn't know? This is the first time you've heard about it?"

"Yeah." Now she sounded even more distressed. "I just un-deaded a few hours ago. All I know is what my Mom told me. And Paula's gonna come over and talk to me after it gets dark. Tell me Elaine. Did it happen to anyone else; Roxanna, or Loretta, or any of the other guys or girls at the fang-bang?"

"No. They're all okay and alive. It's just you and Nathan who are undead."

After we hung up, I continued wondering if Loretta had been right, about me having provoked demonic forces who caused Diana and Nathan to die as sacrifices.

Later that evening, I came out of my room, wearing ankle length slacks and a halter-top, along with a necklace that had a small cross dangling between the tops of my boobs.

I told my mother, "I'm going to be meeting a girl named Loretta at the Bouncing Casket."

She gasped.

"It's okay Mom. This isn't a fang-bang night. That's reserved for weekends. Nobody gets nibbled and sipped on Monday nights."

"But are you sure you'll be safe anyway? Are you sure some vampire won't attack you, no matter what night it is?"

I touched the necklace and pointed to the cross. "This should be enough protection, as long as I keep it in plain sight."

"Are you sure of that?" She asked, "Now that you've been engaging in carnal sin?"

I let go of the cross and lowered my hand.

"I've repented." I told her. "I won't be attending any more fang-bangs."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"And the next time I get fkd, it'll be by my husband on my wedding night."

She made a joke choking sound. "Yeah-right."

"Well," I told her, "at least I won't tonight. We'll be in a well-lighted public place, and tonight it'll be just us repentant heterosexual gals."

Around 8 o'clock that evening, I arrived at the Bouncing Casket, a typical teen hangout, with a counter, tables and chairs, and booths alongside the walls. Recorded music was playing. This was a Monday night. The place was only about half filled with Sangreville High kids.

I looked around, searching through the familiar faces. Some of the kids were making out. I saw Loretta in a booth, making out with Nathan. They were actually tongue kissing. She was licking his new fangs with her tongue, and she wasn't holding back?

Roxanna was seated at one of the tables. She raised her arm and waved at me. I went over to her. I stood beside the table and pointed.

"Do you see that? Loretta's making out with Nathan?"

Roxanna nodded. "Fang-bang's over. The random fking around only happens then. If you want to fk him again, or any other girl's boyfriend, that's the only chance any of us have."

"Forget it." I shook my head. "Not any more, at least for me, now that he's a vampire. Loretta's tasting his fangs? What is she suicidal?"

"No. Neither of them are gonna violate the Truce. He'll just be giving her nibble and sip later. She'll count up to 'One-thousand-ten' and he'll stop."

"But if he's a brand new vampire, who knows how hungry he'll be? He might be too hungry to keep the Truce, and just give her a hicky. That was all that Paula gave him, and now he's a vampire."

Roxanna raised her hand and made a patting down gesture. "Relax. That won't happen here tonight. They're not gonna violate the truce."

I now sat down in the seat across the table from her. Roxanna was again wearing the necklace, with Vampirania's idol dangling between her now halter-covered boobs.

I told her, "During the fang-bang, you had a large poster of Vampirania taped to the wall of your basement," I pointed, "and you were wearing that idol, which is worn by her worshipers."

She stiffened up slightly. Then she said, "That's right. She is the one I worship."

I nodded, "That might lead some people to think that while we took part in the fang-bang, we were also unknowingly engaging in idol worship."

"I was." she told me. "I don't know about the rest of you."

"I worship the Lord my God, and only Him. Tell me Roxanna, was the blood that was shed during the fang-bang, used as a sacrifice to satisfy Vampirania?"

"My blood was," She told me "as was the blood of everybody; while it was also satisfying the vampires who were sucking us out." She laughed, "And you were very satisfied yourself."

"Yeah. We all were, but now the fang-bang is over, and my cousin and the guy who fkd me then are now both undead. Is that what it took to 'appease the power of evil'?"

Roxanna said nothing. She just sat there, looking around nervously.

I asked, "Tell me Roxanna. Did Diana and Nathan die as sacrifices to Vampirania?"

She put her finger to her lips. "There are some things I'm not permitted to say."

I said, "Then I'm right about that, aren't I?"

She warned firmly, "Keep your mouth shut, Miss Harris. If you don't, you might have an accident yourself at the next fang-bang, and not come back undead."

"Are you threatening me?"

"No. It's just good advice, that you should pay attention to."

"I agree," I told her, "and I won't be attending any more fang-bangs."

"Good idea."