Doob’s Bar was originally a hole in the wall. The place where one could go and sit in the gloom and enjoy a drink. It was the kind of place that was normally quiet and relaxing. That is until a college had been built nearby and it became one of the hotspots for the studying youth. Today, the bar was filled with loud music, people, and lights. There wasn;t much left of the once quiet bar to drink alone in a corner.

Screaming girls and rowdy frat boys made the atmosphere less than desirable. Vallerie hated a place like this. She liked the dark and gloomy, though she wasn’t a goth. She was just an average girl who had taken a pill offered to her from the man that now employed her. Employed her and the three other people that were at the table with her. Three women and one man. Not the best of company, being that under normal circumstance before she took the pill, she would never have hung out with these other three individuals. In fact, she probably would have been in a library or bookstore, reading in a darker corner. Like her, they had taken the pill, and the four of them worked at a place they lovingly referred to as “The Facility.”

After taking the shimmering pill offered to her bay a man who went by X, Vallerie had chosen a vampire bat at her animal for the pill. Then there Melissa, a mountain girl who had chosen a squirrel as hers. She was looking uncomfortable in her blue jeans and green flannel shirt. Probably because she was wearing clothes and the all of them knew that she preferred not to. The girl loved to have her bushy tail out and more than once, Vallerie had walked in on the girl doing some interesting things with it. Melissa was too sweet for the vampire’s tastes and too reserved.

The third girl was Sandra. More predator than Vallerie herself was, the woman had chosen a hawk. Since they had arrived, her head wandered the bar in quick jerks, which made her kind of comical to Vallerie. She had been the most nervous to come out to the bar, worried that humanity would sense something was off about them. After much deliberation, she agreed but only if she was sober one and could keep an eye out for the group’s safety. At least the woman’s eyes were giant pools of black. That is how life was, just darkness staring back.

The fourth member was the male of the group. A man named Mitchell. Mitchell was on Vallerie’s mind. He was an enigma to the three women. He did work in “The Facility” but was rarely seen and it had taken a full three days to track him down for the invite. No one knew what he did in the facility and conversations with him were strained. None of the women even knew if he had taken the pill or not.

Mitchell wasn’t a bad looking guy. A little chubby, but Vallerie knew that fat guys made the best lovers. They had to work more to get the hot girl; it was in their nature to aim to please to keep them. That’s why she wanted him besides his stoical mystery. Plus, the men here were more boys. College thugs who were going to be too self-centered to give her what she wanted. Another issue is that Vallerie’s nature came out with her sexual arousal. The fangs in her mouth were always present, much like the sharp eyes and bushy tail of her two female companions.

“How’d you hide it?” Vallerie asked.

“My tail?” Mellissa asked.

“You shouldn’t be talking about that at here,” Sandra said. Here gaze had fallen on Vallerie.

“You guys got to stop being so uptight,” Vallerie said.

“She is right Val,” Mitchell said. Vallerie like that he had taken it

upon himself to cut her name short. Its what a man did.

Sandra began sipping her girl drink, a virgin of course. Val had a beer and Melissa had ordered some wine. Mitchell, well no one knew what mitchell was drinking. It looked like water, but it was garnished with an orange.

“What would you know there?” Vallerie asked.

“What if someone hears?” Sandra countered.

“You guys seriously need to lighten up. This is supposed to be fun.”

The music changed volume and caused Vallerie;s chest to thump itself now to the bass. Vallerie drank the rest of her beer before ordering another one. Melissa was already swaying, and Vallerie could make out that her front teeth were pushing out her top lip.Mitchell, well Mitchell was just sitting in his seat, leaning up against the wall sipping his unknown drink. Even amongst themselves, the conversation was strained.

“Sandra, so where are you from?” She asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Mellissa?”

There was no reply there. The girl looked down and avoided eye contact. Everyone was so traumatized.

“What about you Mitchell?”

He perked up and looked at her surprised.

“I’m from Massachusetts. How bout you?”

“Flordia.”

“Dressed like a goth? Out of place everywhere ain’t you?”

“I am not goth.”

“Just dress like it huh?”

“I like the Victorian look.”

“Relax Val; it’s hot.”

“You think so?”

At least to her, she hoped so for real. Would suck if it was just a compliment to calm her down. She wasn’t even dressed that gothy. Granted she was wearing a black cocktail dress. It was the best thing to and the raciest outfit out of the group. The others were just to scared to reveal themselves. She wasn’t and when she was even aroused, it took a long time for her alter self to manifest itself.

“What do you like to do?” she asked Mitchell.

“What?”

The music was so loud again. The thumping killed any hope of further conversation. Vallerie was disappointed. She had drawn Mitchell out of his shell a bit and now by the time she got to chat with him more, chances were one of the other women would try for him. It was an unfounded fear, Vallerie knew they had no interest in him, but she did, and competition was something she always had been on the lookout for.

Vallerie’s life before the pill was especially tragic. Married three times in six years, each of her husbands had cheated on her and left her distraught and alone. She knew better. It wasn’t their fault, but everywhere she looked, women were trying to catch the eye of each of her husbands. The vampress hadn’t been bad looking. Honestly she was just skinny. Blue eyes and brown hair, she was attractive enough. Her issue, she was just clingy.

Being honest with herself had been a tumultuous affair. X had started it when he had offered her the pill. Vallerie hated him for such a solution, but now, she would never go back. The pill had given her a deadly beauty, and allure that people couldn’t describe. Maybe it was her eyes, the ruby red lips. She had dyed her hair black to look more menacingly. X had joked that she looked like Morticia from the Addams Family. Her sharp canines proved otherwise on that notion. But she had found her look, and as weird as it was, it did get her some attention. Often, it wasn’t the kind she wanted.

Liking herself to one of the smartest people she knew, Vallerie had noticed that almost every person she had met who had taken the pill was looking for love. Herself included. It was a stretch, but she felt X was fixing the world in this way. Trying to at least, but she knew his secret at “The Facility.” His wife was the monster living in the see-through arrangements. Whatever had been done to her was sad. The woman was a real monster and each of them avoided contact with her as much as possible.

“Vallerie, what are you thinking about?” Melissa asked suddenly. The squirrel girl had leaned close to her to ask the question.

“Men,” she said. “Hot men with hot bodies making a girl into a sexual plaything.”

Melissa pulled away sharply, eyes wide and blushing. Vallerie laughed. They all went back to drinking their drinks in silence. Vallerie was contemplating on how to get the group to open up. Then the opportunity showed itself in an unexpected way.

“Hey ladies, how bout you hang with us?”

Two frat boys were addressing the group, the women that is. Tall, the two boys were wearing ball caps of matching red; one of Vallerie’s favorite colors. Too bad for the boys they weren’t her type. Even before they walked up, they had worn out their welcome. One of them was beginning to chat with Sandra, who looked uncomfortable. She was just getting ready to say something when someone beat her to it.

“Why don’t you children go play with the other kids. We’re busy,” Mitchell said.

“Who was that?”

“The bald headed fuck in the back, you see him?”

“Yeah.”

“You got something to say?”

“Yes,” Mitchell said.

Vallerie watched Mitchell as he came out to address the two boys. He had been sitting in the corner, a spot Vallerie herself would have wanted but he beat her to it when seats were being grabbed. Mitchell was docile looking as he stepped up to the two interlopers.

“You got something to say?” one of them asked yet again.

“Yes, you’re ruining my time.”

“Your time? We just felt sorry for the ladies here. Must be boring with a guy like you.”

The air was tense, but then the two guys just walked off, leaving Mitchell to look pitiful at the front of the table. He turned to look at the three of them.

“I think we have had enough fun. This is gonna get worse.”

He was right. They all knew it. Outcasts before they had become the bombshell beauties they were now, none of them particularly had the social skills to navigate what was going on. Mitchell standing up for them and taking the lead was going to save them from having to deal with some issues. He offered to pay the tab and left to do so.

“Man, this night ended too soon,” she said.

“You’re just a slut Vallerie. Give it a rest,” Sandra said.

“Am I? You guys have the urges too. I know. Super hearing you know.”

The hawk girl looked at her with piercing eyes.

“We can’t make ourselves known,” Sandra said cooly.

“I know, but it isn’t like there is a dating website for us.”

It was true. Vallerie had only ever heard of a few men even surviving the pill. Rare were ones that managed to stay sane after the change. Very few, like not even a handful. Vallerie had been lucky that Mitchell was one of the few, but the man was hard to get to. Always scarce. All she wanted was to get to know him, and of course, make him screw her brains out. Such a simple request for a girl, but unfulfilled. Mitchell came back, and the group started leaving the bar.

Interweaving through people was an issue for Vallerie. Her nature especially got out with skin contact, and as the crowd bustled her, hunger for blood began. The close people flared her knowledge of fresh blood and like a real vampire, Vallerie often craved the crimson drink flowing through those around her. By the time the three women made it to the front, Vallerie’s skin had turned pale.

“You okay Vallerie?” Melissa asked. She nodded in response, but in truth, the correct answer was no. Sandra sensed the urgency in leaving and so pulled her out of the bar.

“Hold it together girl,” Sandra spoke, trying to reassure her.

“Trying.”

“This was a bad idea,” Melissa said.

Vallerie just nodded.

The three women waited in the cold air, outside, trying to keep themselves away from humanity as it passed by in laughter and good times. Each knew that taking the pill would make them less human. With new looks and new abilities, their insecurities had only been heightened. All three perked up when Mitchell walked out of the bar. He was smiling at them.

“Don’t look now, but it is gonna escalate,” he said.

His words rang true when the two boys from earlier walked up to the group.

“Come on ladies, leave the loser. We’ll show you guys a better time than him. Look at ya, look depressed.”

Vallerie was up for taking up the offer. She could see his neck pulsate while blood flowed through it. All she wanted was to sink her teeth into him.

“Look, lads, go away,” Mitchell said. He held up a fold of bills. The second boy looked offended.

“You see this; fat perv wants to bribe us to keep his ladies.”

“We don’t want your money fatso, just the women.”

Vallerie watched as Sandra’s eyes locked with Mellissa’s. The situation was escalating. Mitchell put the fold of bill away.

“So what about it ladies?”

“Fuck off,” Melissa said. Her words surprised the whole group.

“Mitchell is a man; we don’t want boys.”

“A man huh?”

The swing from the man on the right connected with Mitchell’s face. There was a crack and a scream. The boy who punched Mitchell was holding his hand. As the second got ready to swing on Mitchell, he suddenly stepped up faster and hit the second boy hard in the stomach.

“Its time to go,” Mitchell said. He looked at the girls and then walked away. The three women followed him. Vallerie looked back to see both boys helping each other. No doubt each was gonna need a doctor. It got her wet.

“What the hell was that?” Melissa blurted out suddenly.

“Yeah I want to know too,” added Sandra.

Vallerie already knew, though. He had taken the pill. Male takers of the pill were blessed in the same ways women were. They got youth; they got the sex drive, and they got strength. Men got a lot of strength, much more than women, but women also seemed to get smarter. Whatever animal Mitchell had picked, it had served him tonight and protected the three girls from harassment at the least. The group made their way to the sole vehicle between the four of them. Mitchell drove, and the group sat in silence.

“The Facility” was located up in the woods. The small house, which looked like something built for a zombie apocalypse, sat at the end of a secluded road. The house was just the comfort portion of the actual place. There was an elevator that went into the bowels of “The Facility” which is where everyone worked and lived. X rarely visited so most of the time, it was a quiet place. Headlights fell upon the dark surface of that house, and the vehicle stopped. Sandra and Melissa got out and headed into the house. Vallerie stayed with Mitchell.

“It was awesome what you did. Thank you,” she said.

“No problem.”

Shifting uncomfortably, she tried to think about how to start another conversation with him.

“You know, I hate men like that. Whole life, everyone put me down. I used to be scrawny.”

“What happened?” he asked.

“Same thing as you, I took the pill,” she said. “What was your poison?”

He laughed shaking his head.

“I didn’t have one at first. I waited three days to think of one.”

“You can do that?”

“The pill will activate, but until an animal is thought of, it remains dormant in the bloodstream for up to a week.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

“Neither did X. I was the one that discovered it.”

The car reversed.

“Taking me to your lair?”

“Can’t leave the car out.”

The conversation stopped and fell into awkward silence. Vallerie was struggling, and so was he.

“My father was a taxidermist. That’s how I chose my animal.”

“What like a bear?”

“No. See, my father, had passed away, and that is why X came to me. Without the man, I was lost. I could perform tasks in a lab without any issues, but once my father died, I just felt, well, like there was nothing left. He was all I had.”

“So what did you choose?”

The car turned and went around the house. Though the lights were on, Vallerie had excellent eyesight. She could see the tree trunks in the dark.

“So my father had converted the house int a museum of sorts. Filled every room except the one I grew up in. There, he had left the one animal I had killed out in the yard one day with my .22.”

“A bird?”

“Armadillo.”

She laughed uncontrollably.

“It isn’t funny.”

“But it is. That’s how that guy’s arm broke, the armor huh?”

The car stopped suddenly.

“Hey now, don’t get upset. It’s adorable and very flattering. That explains what you were saying about the weight gain. I got skinny, well, except my chest.”

“That is hard not to notice?”

“My weight?”

“Your chest…”

“Careful there Mitchell, that could be sexual harassment.”

“I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.”

The car started moving again, and Vallerie huffed in frustration. He

missed the teasing. She needed to be direct with him to get what she wanted. It was a plus too now that he had armored skin. There was a chance that her teeth couldn’t pierce it.

“You know Mitchell; you should be rewarded for tonight.”

“Just a thank you is enough.”

She reached over and placed her hand on his leg. The car lurched and stopped again. He turned and looked at her.

“Now look here-“

She kissed him. He returned it vigorously, and as they made out,

both of their natures began to manifest more. Vallerie’s manifestations involved fingers growing exceptionally longer. A thin membrane formed on her arms, which she thought was an attempt at wings. Then her ears grew long, and her nose became more flat, allowing for the echolocation organ to form. Lastly, she grew a tail and had soft brown fur sprout. As they kissed, Vallerie found what Mitchell’s change was. His skin became padded and tough at first. His hand tried to feel her up, but his nails began cutting into the fabric of her dress. He broke the kiss off.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s park this thing and then work on

parking something else into tight spaces.”

“Aren’t you a lady?”

“Trust me; you can’t see me in the dark. I’m a nightmare.”

“What did you pick?”

“Vampire bat.”

He laughed and the car began moving again.

“Hey now, there was this real love story that came out in a book.

They made a movie too. When I took the pill, that’s what I thought of.”

“Nosferatu, I say, I bet you’re horrifically beautiful.”

“I’m not sure that is a compliment.”

“It was. It seems your chest is bigger.”

The joys of being a mammal, but he was right. The small spheres of flesh had grown at least to be handfuls now. Thinking about it made her wiggle.

“Thank you, would you like to see them?” she asked.

“In the dark?”

“Can’t armadillos see okay in the night?”

“If that’s your rebuttal, then yes, I would love to see them.”

Not needing to be told twice, she pulled down the top of her dress and pulled each breast out.

“There you go. What do you think?”

“I think I want to suck on them.”

“What’s stopping you?”

It was like Vallerie was purposefully trying to make sure the car never made it to the garage. Tires even skidded on the gravel road this time when the car stopped. Vallerie giggled when the shifter to the car was thrown into park. She moaned when he leaned over, and a mouth found her nipple. Sighing she grabbed his other hand to encourage him to show attention to her other breast.

It had been too long for Vallerie. Ever since her change, she hadn’t even been felt up. The one man she wanted before the change had been killed hours before she took the pill. Unbeknownst to her, she had spent almost a week looking for him before giving up and calling X. That had been a year ago, and now, sex was possible. X had warned about her teeth and even now, she wanted to sink them into Mitchell. Hopefully, this night would end in mutual fun, not a ton of blood and tears.

“That’s so nice.”

He moaned in response. That made her shake and wiggle. His one hand pulled away and thrust itself between her legs. She spread, giving him access to her fruit, which was swollen and dripping in nectar. The vampress sighed in happiness. It felt so good to be wanted again.

“We need more room, Mitchell.”

He pulled away suddenly and everything just stopped.

“We can’t have sex.”

“What why not?”

He was silent. Just went back to driving. Wouldn’t even meet her gaze. Feeling fed up, she decided to attack him. First, a hand shot to his crotch, and he wasn’t even hard. That stopped her.

“Do you not want me?”

He looked over at her, something weird in his eyes.

“More than anything, but it not what you think.”

“What? Can’t get it up?”

“What!? No, I can I’m keeping it down right now.”

“Why?”

The car rolled up to the garage. The door came up, and the car pulled in. Parked he turned the engine off before addressing her again.

“So when I took the pill, one of the side effects was an extreme enlargement.”

“Same story every man gives.”

“Yeah, well, mine will kill you.”

“With a promise like that I have to see.”

Sighing, he got out of the car. Vallerie almost expected him to turn around and drop his pants. Maybe show her the grower, but he didn’t. The door closed and then she got out.

“Mitchell.”

He stopped. He was already making what looked like a beeline for

the open garage door.

“Val…”

She walked up to him, making sure the tatters of her black dress fell away. Naked, she threw herself into him. He caught her, and the two started again. This time, Vallerie had no intention of stopping. He grunted once as her claws dug into the fabric of his clothes, ripping them off in no time. Naked with her, Vallerie dropped to her knees suddenly. He tried to stop her by reaching down, but as soon as her mouth opened, revealing the two long canines, Mitchell froze.

“Not a sight to be used to huh?” she said. She knew the look was terrifying. The hours she had spent looking in the mirror. Vallerie prided herself on her geekiness and even had a cape she liked to wear.

“Looks like I’m about to be devoured by a monster.”

“Well, let’s see if your monster can fight mine then.”

Vallerie engulfed his cock. It was savory, and she could almost taste the blood flowing in it. Mitchell was, in fact, flaccid and even as she worked vigorously to get it hard, the thing refused to jerk up suddenly and fill her mouth. Pulling off, she looked up at him.

“Girl is gonna be insulted if you don’t start giving a reaction.”

“You don’t understand; this is bad.”

Growling, Vallerie stood up.

“Look Mitchell, I want you. Either fuck me or leave. But if you leave, I’ll never speak to you again.”

At that, she leaned over the trunk of the car, reaching up the glass and presenting herself to him.

“I want to thank you for earlier, so please, fuck me as your award.”

She got her answer when walked up and slapped her ass. The slap was loud and hot. She screeched just a bit.

“Wow, that is a change,” she sighed.

“Just wait, you’ll be screaming soon.”

“I hope so.”

If he was hard or not, Valerie couldn’t say. She felt him push himself into her which was disappointing, but she hoped his earlier threat would be followed through.

“One sec, it takes a sec.”

“To get it up?”

“Yes,” he hissed.

Then he pulled out.

“That wasn’t it was it?”

“Hold on.”

He pushed the head of his cock back into her. The nectar from her fruit was flowing, but as he slid in, it did notice that he was thicker and longer.

“There we go.”

She sighed as it spread her. She moaned when it reached her cervix. She screeched when it stretched her out more than she had ever been.

“God this is such a tight fit,” he commented.

“It feels so good. please, fuck me.”

“I can’t yet. It isn’t done.”

She gasped and then growled in appreciation as she stretched even more. It had been too long, and she was happy that so far, the sex had overridden her need to suck blood.

“All done I think, but the armor hasn’t fully formed. When it does, its gonna hurt you.”

“Look, Mitchell, it’s been too long. Just fuck me. We will cross that bridge…”

Mitchell slapped her ass again before pulling himself out of her greasy pussy. The length was ridiculous, and so was his thickness, but her cunt accepted the cock as hard as he could give it. She was screeching, and her nails left scratches in the paint on the car. Mitchell was grunting, and sweat was beginning to pool on his brow, but he couldn’t stop now if he wanted to wipe it off. Just like Valerie, it had been too long for him. As they each frantically worked towards release, they became rutting animals; their sounds replaced now by the animals they had chosen. It didn’t matter to them.

Vallerie felt sweet release like never before. The stress, the tension, and the frustration all came flooding out of her at the same time. She screeched louder too, which caused the glass to the car to shatter as she left gouges in the metal of the body. As she calmed and while he didn’t, she realized that Mitchell was the one for her. A mate finally found in Mitchell. Feeling overwhelmed, she started crying while he destroyed her cunt.

“Are you crying?” Mitchell asked. His voice was deeper, raspier.

Vallerie wasn’t able to communicate right now. Her voice only came out in shrieks and so she reached back and grabbed a cheek. Pulling her ass cheeks apart, she allowed Mitchell to get in just a bit more of him meat into her. It was there, at her womb and with a push, she felt that to give way to accommodate his cock. Damn thing was still growing, but Vallerie didn’t mind it at all. Now that it had begun, she was curious to see just how big he could get and how much her body could take.

“Tears-of-joy, keep going. I-want-more.”

While he pulled himself out for a good stroke back in, Vallerie expertly twisted and soon was sitting on the car instead of bending over it. She had just gotten situated when he rammed his length back into her. Another shrill shriek escaped her, and she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck to steady herself. It was then that her nature of wanting blood took over.

Mitchell yowled in pain when she bit into his shoulder. Her teeth sank right into his flesh, and she was rewarded with the crimson drink that she so craved. Her lover continued to scream in pain, but his cock got bigger while it increased in ramming speed.

Vallerie got full on the blood quickly, and as her teeth pulled out, she realized she was drunk. Her pussy was barely holding on, no longer even able to grip his dick. The room swayed and finally she had a second orgasm. It was better than being high and having sex. So much better that as she came, she blacked out, but not before registering that Mitchell himself, was blasting hot cum into her hungry pussy. The world turned black as she smiled.

When Vallerie awoke, she was actually in a bed. Not her bed, but Mitchell’s. He was next to her snoring. Feeling loved, she decided to cuddle up to him, which woke him up.

“Who, what’s going on?”

“Relax Mitchell. It’s just me.”

“Oh, you okay?”

“Yes, you?”

“You left some holes.”

“Well, you did stretch one mine out.”

And it was stretched. She could feel it aching, but she loved it so much that she even contemplated trying for some more. What stopped her was that Mitchell fell back asleep, his snores growing loudly. Smiling and having her head on his chest, she fell asleep feeling safe and content. An alarm woke both of them up, and Mitchell suddenly lurched out of bed.

“Not good, that’s not a good alarm.”

He ran out of the room naked. Vallerie, still groggy, actually got up and used his bathroom. The lavatory was clean, much more so than her own which was new. A super clean man? What was going on with the world? The alarm had stopped by the time she wandered naked out of his room. She had no clothes and found nothing to wear in his. Feeling alone, she sought out Mitchell, who had left the apartment.

“The Facility” lights were on. All of them. That meant that something had happened and abandoning thoughts of finding her lover, Vallerie searched out her quarters. There, she showered quickly and found something to wear. Another dress, but this one was colorful flower prints. A change and it did go with her pale skin.

Now, Vallerie and Sandra were the security of the place. It wasn’t late, but the two women worked in eight-hour shifts during the late day and night. There was no security while Mitchell worked in the labs and Melissa had her duties. The work area for the two security guards was located in the labs in a room full of cameras. Sandra was there.

“What’s going on?”

Sandra looked to Vallerie from the monitors.

“There was a break-in.”

“What?”

“Yeah. We found the intruder.”

“Did you notify X?”

“Yes, he will be here soon.”

X was coming. The man who had created everything with the pill was on his way. The boss in a sense, though X didn’t act like one.

“Where is the intruder?”

“Mitchell has them cornered in a room in the house.”

“I’ll go look.”

VAllerie left and headed towards the house. The elevator ride up seemed to take forever and when the silver doors she rushed out to find Mitchell. She found him on the second floor.

“Mitchell, what’s going on?”

“She’s in there.”

He pointed to a room. One of the rooms that they weren’t supposed to enter. That’s why Mitchell hadn’t apprehended to intruder.

“Have you seen her?”

“No.”

“I’m going in.”

“No, wait.”

“I know, but we can’t leave them in there. I’ll flush them out.”

“No, what if they are armed?”

“Hopefully if they are the weapon is big enough. You weren’t even able to slay me last night.”

He blushed and turned away. She walked up to him and grabbed his face.

“You are an amazing man,” she said right before kissing him. He returned the kiss and Vallerie left him standing in the hallway. Moving into the room, she called out.

“Hello?”

No answer, but she knew someone was in there. She could smell them. And not by any animal standard the person just reeked.

“Look, you are trespassing, whoever you are, just come out. We will let you leave in peace.”

There was movement in the corner, and Vallerie sprang at it. There was a cry, and she found herself standing over a sobbing teenage girl.

“Don’t hurt me.”

“We aren’t going to hurt you. Might bathe you, though.”

The girl buried her dirty face into her hands, sobbing even more.

“Hey now…” Vallerie said. She reached out, and the girl flinched away.

“Please…”

“Look at me.”

The girl did. Poor thing was scared.

“Come on; it’ll be okay. Let’s get you a bath and we can get you fed.”

At the mention of food, the girl perked up.

“Ah, are you homeless?”

“I ran away.”

“Oh no, well we can help.”

Holding her hand out, the girl reluctantly took it. Valerie studied the room, realizing it was a bedroom. It had to be X’s, and everything was dusty. Even Melissa wasn’t allowed in here.

“Where are we going?”

“To my room. We won’t be bothered at all. There you can shower, and I can make us some breakfast.”

When the two walked into the hall, Mitchell wasn’t there. She was glad that he had heard her about not being bothered. The walk was quick, and the girl practically freaked out in the elevator. They made it to Vallerie’s living quarters nut barely.

“Okay, so go into the bedroom, the bathroom is in there. I’ll make us some chow.”

The girl followed her directions. Though she closed the bedroom door, Vallerie went in as soon as she heard the bathroom door shut. She took the girl’s clothes and laid out a beautiful robe for her. There was a pair of panties, which is the best she could do for undergarments. The closed reeked and Vallerie rushed to get them into a washer down the hall. When finished, she began to cook.

Now, Vallerie preferred to drink blood over eating regular food. She had stashes of blood pouches in a unique fridge, but the blood wasn’t enough for her to live on. It was a tasty dessert when she decided to eat it. Eggs sizzled, over medium. Water boiled for oatmeal and fruit was chopped up for them. She had the breakfast done and on the table before the girl was done showering. When she did come out, she was in the robe.

“Where are my clothes?”

“Washing them. Come and eat.”

That girl didn’t need to be told twice. As soon as she sat down, food disappeared faster than Vallerie could eye it. She joined in feasting and soon all of the food had been consumed.

“Was it good?”

“Yes, thank you…”

The girl was looking at the table.

“Hey now, what’s wrong?”

“When are the cops gonna be here?”

Getting up, Vallerie headed over and sat next to the girl.

“No cops. How old are you?”

“Almost eighteen. My family kicked me out.”

“For what? Screwing the football star?”

“No, for refusing to be married.”

“What?”

“My family is Asia and my parents follow some of the old traditions.”

“You don’t look Asian.”

“I know, I get that a lot. My grandfather was white.”

“The war?”

“Vietnam.”

Vallerie smiled. The girl was opening up at least.

“So what is gonna happen to me?”

“All that depends on two things. The owner and you I suppose. Speaking of which, He will be here soon.”

“Is he mad?”

“I don’t know. I hope not.”

There was a chime.

“That’s him.”

Vallerie rushed over to the door. Nervous as hell. X could be pissed off. No one had seen him angry yet, but they were sure he had a nasty temper. When someone messed up badly after taking the pill, they ended up being put into the cage with the guy’s wife. No one came out of there except X and X was too scared to go into it. The door slid open, and Vallerie greeted X.

“Hey X.”

“Where is she?”

“In here, she is scared.”

“How’d she get in?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t on shift. I did take care of her, though, she is clean and fed.”

He smiled. X was easy with his laughter, but everyone knew he had enough to be sad about. He was middle-aged and had a thing for changing his appearance. Today he had blond hair and was wearing glasses. He looked like a surfer with his white t-shirt and colorful swim trunks.

“May I come in?”

“Anytime you want,” she said winking at him. Every girl wanted X. He was the biggest mystery. He brushed past her and sat at the table, the furthest seat away from the homeless girl.

“Hey there, I’m X.”

“Just the letter?”

“Yeah, it’s weird.”

She giggled.

“So what bring you here?”

“I thought the place was abandoned. Please don’t call the cops.”

“I won’t, but where are you gonna go?”

“I don’t know. I can’t go home.”

“I understand. Well, there is an issue.”

Vallerie left her room to the two. The conversation was too private, and besides, she wanted to find Mitchell. She rounded a corner to the labs and practically ran into him.

“Hey, I was just looking for you.”

“Everything okay with the girl?”

“X is talking to her.”

“He is gonna giver her the pill.”

“So?”

“She is underage.”

“If she stays, it will be a danger to us.”

“True.”

“So what about us?”

Mitchell looked at her.

“Couple?” he said.

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