Inferno

Inferno

Freshman year. The time to make new best friends, learn tons of new things and go to parties every weekend. Or at least that’s what Laura thought it was supposed to be like. This was her first time being on her own, away from the ever watchful eye of her father and it was a breath of fresh air. He’d sent her off with bear spray, of all things, she’d promptly thrown that away when she got to school.

When she’d gotten to her room, her roommate had already been there and had shown her party side right off the bat with her leopard print sheets. Betty had been nice and they’d become quick friends. Betty was a year older than her and had really taken Laura under her wing and introduced her to her friends. Now weeks later, Betty and Laura were often party buddies at the Zeta Omega Mu parties. Right now though, Laura had a journalism project to get started.

Laura clicked on her webcam and hit record, “Welcome gentle viewers. Silas University, in picturesque Styria, where nothing, not even the homecoming goat sacrifice, disturbs the pursuit of knowledge. But under the surface of this placid institute of higher learning, you’ll find mystery after mystery. Just last week, students using the catalogue reported the search window claiming it was lost, begging for help to find Dudley Chapel, which burnt down in 1904. So, harmless prank or terrifying myster-“

The dorm room door swung open, and Betty strolled in. “I passed.” She sang out.

Laura made a grand gesture towards the camera to introduce Betty. “Betty Speilsdorf, everybody. Roommate extraordinaire and best friend for the last several weeks.” She turned to Betty, “So, how’d you do?”

Betty was sitting on the edge of her bed. “62…which is a gentle-woman’s “C” Hey, are you going to the Zeta party? I heard that TA Danny was gonna be there.”
“Betty, you’re so much better than a “C”. Maybe if there was a little less partying and a little more studying-“

“Boring! It’s Friday night, what are you doing right now?”

Laura looked back to the camera. “I’m doing my Journalism project.”

“No. No, no, no. We’re going out. Stand up, let’s see what we’re working with here.” Betty grabbed onto Laura’s chair arm, rolling Laura in front of her.
Laura stood up. She was dressed in a light blue button up shirt and red plaid pajama pants. Betty could’ve cried in horror.

“Oh, this bad. Real bad.” Betty stood up. She grabbed Laura and marched her over to the wardrobe. After a few seconds of digging through it and holding up potential outfits against Laura, Betty handed her a small cream colored dress with a miniature arrow design on it. She pushed Laura back past the camera and into the bathroom to change.

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Kirsch met them when they made it to the Zeta Omega Mu frat house. It was still early in the night by party standards but already the house was filled to the brim with co-eds.

“Blonde hottie and little nerd hottie! You made it!” Kirsch yelled as soon as they walked through the door. He managed to grab two beers on his way to meet them. He handed them the drinks.

“Hey Kirsch, how’s SJ?” Laura asked, struggling to get the cap off her bottle.

Kirsch dramatically looked around the room. Not that he’d be able to distinguish anyone in the crowded dance floor in the middle of the lounge room. “She’s somewhere around here. We made it official last week.” He faced the girls again.

Betty touched his arm, “Kirsch, that’s great! How’d you ask her?”

Kirsch started telling Betty about their date, meanwhile Laura continued to struggle with opening her bottle. She tried to twist it off one more time, she pouted when it didn’t even budge. She perked up when she heard Betty mention her name.

“Laura’s here looking for Danny. Major crush going on there. Hey! Ow! What?” Betty rubbed her arm where Laura had smacked her.

“Don’t tell everyone that! Danny might hear you!” Laura yelled so Betty could hear over the loud music.

“Who could hear what?”

Laura turned to see Danny standing before her. “Danny! Hey!”

“Hey, Laura. So what are we talking about?” Danny waved to Betty and glared at Kirsch. “Betty. Kirsch.”

“Psycho Society.” Kirsch took a swig of his drink. Laura hit him and he spilled his drink on himself. “Party foul, nerd hottie.”

“Be nice.”

Kirsch looked only slightly chastised and excused himself for a new drink. Betty made eyes at Laura and slipped away. Once they were alone, Danny gave her a funny look.

“So…that was awkward.”

“Uh. Hmm, yeah, don’t mind them. They’re their own brand of special.”

“That’s for sure.”

Laura subtly tried to open her bottle. Danny chuckled when she saw her and took the bottle from her. She gave the cap a quick twist and it came right off. She handed it back to Laura.

“Thanks.” Laura could feel her blush spreading across her face. “How’s Summer Society?”

“We’re good. Some of the girls are at a meet right now.”

“Well I hope they do good. So you guys do all sports right?”

“Yeah, all women’s sports at least. I’m pretty sure the guys teams are all Zetas.

“Yeah…” Laura looked around the room awkwardly. On the walls were several marine items. Tridents crossed over the entertainment center. Large pictures of fish decorated the walls. One wall had a large fishing net draped across it with what looked like pictures from various Zeta events clipped on it.

Danny touched Laura’s back. “Do you want to go outside? It’s a little crowded in here.” Danny’s breath tickled Laura’s ear and sent shivers down her spine.

“Yeah, lead the way.”

Danny slipped her hand into Laura’s. The crowd parted easily for the tall woman. Much easier than they would’ve for Laura and her short stature. Danny lead them to the backyard. On the way out, Laura caught Betty’s sight and she gave her a double thumbs up.

Outside the air was much cooler than the house. There were still a bunch of co-eds doing drunken shenanigans. There was a group of about ten guys playing beer pong, occasionally a loud shout came from them when the ball landed in a cup. In another part of the backyard, people were doing keg stands. Closer by the house where the music was still ridiculously loud, couples were dancing.

Danny led them to where they could talk but also watch the beer pong game from afar. “This good?”

Laura looked up at Danny. “Yeah, perfect.” She earned a grin from Danny.

“Awesome. You know, I’m glad I ran into you.”

“Yeah, me too. I mean, running into you- not running into myself- you can’t do that-“

“Laura, Laura, Laura.” Danny was failing at not laughing at Laura’s embarrassed ramblings. “I got it.”

“Oh, good. Heh.” Laura looked away to the beer pong game.

“How are your classes going?” Danny drew Laura’s attention back to her.

“Well, you know how I’m doing in Lit. My other classes are doing okay, I guess. I’m no math genius and I was trying to do my journalism project for Dr. Cochrane before Betty dragged me here.”

“Hey, crushes-on-TAs!”

Laura looked back at the house and saw a couple of people standing by it. They both had red hair, one had it in curls that seemed to defy physics and the other had the sides of their head shaved close but left their hair longer on the top and was constantly brushing it out of their eyes. Lola Perry, curls, was dressed in her usual turtleneck sweater that was tucked into mom jeans. Susan Lafontaine had on jeans and a t-shirt with a science pun on it, Laura didn’t understand it. Lafontaine was waving at her. She waved back and turned to Danny.

“Hey, there’s Laf and Perry.”

“Yep. Great.” Danny looked disappointed when she noticed the duo was walking over to them.

“Hello, Laura. Danny. How is everyone this even- Laura! are you drinking? You’re not suppo-“ Perry’s eyes got wide.

“Per, chill, we’re at a party.” Lafontaine cut off Perry’s mini-freakout. Laura hid her beer behind her back and gave them a sheepish look.

“Blame Kirsch?”

“What brand is it?” Lafontaine looked around Laura’s back. “Oh, Per… It’s not even strong. It’s barely above water in alcohol content.”

Laura pouted and brought the bottle in front of her. “Really?” She read the label. “Dang you. You bio major, ruining my fun.”

“Sorry, L. But see Per, let frosh have her fun.”

Perry huffed and crossed her arms. “Fine. I’ll condone it this time. However, as your floor don, Laura, I won’t tolerate any alcohol in the dorm rooms.” Lafontaine and Laura high-fived as though they’d won some sort of argument. Danny just face-palmed. Perry pulled out her phone and gasped at the time. “Susan! It’s nearly 2 in the morning!” She wrapped her arm around Lafontaine’s. “If you’ll excuse us, we need to go.”

Lafontaine rolled their eyes. “Later Laura, Danny.” They turn and leave, Perry more or less dragging Lafontaine passed the beer pong table when they start trying to explain the physics of the game to the frat brothers.

Danny sighs. “I swear you’re a ginger magnet.” She runs her hand through her own flame colored locks.

Laura looks up at Danny. “I must be, but hey, I hate to say this but-“

“You need to go? yeah, it’s getting to be about that time where I need to head out too. Want me to walk you back?”

“Yeah! I mean, if it’s not too much trouble. Let me just go tell Betty I’m going.”

“Sure, come on.” Danny was able to once again part the crowd like Moses. However, after several minutes they’d gone throughout the entire house but hadn’t been able to find Betty. They stepped into the kitchen where they ran into Kirsch, in Laura’s case, literally.

“Little hottie, do you have something against me drinking tonight or something?” Kirsch slung his hand back and forth sending droplets flying.

“Oh, God. Sorry, Kirsch. But since you’re here, have you seen Betty?”

Kirsch scratched his head. SJ, tall, thin, brunette, appeared behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Betty, I think I saw her disappear with one of the Zetas or some guy.”

Kirsch shrugged and put his arm around SJ’s shoulder. “I haven’t seen her since you all got here.”

Laura frowned. “Well I guess I don’t need to tell her I’m gone then.”

“You headed out with psycho society? Ow!” Sj and Laura smacked him. Danny glared.

“Goodbye, Kirsch. Night, SJ.” Danny wrapped her arm around Laura and lead her out of the kitchen. They made a quick stop at the coat closet and grabbed Danny’s Silas U letterman, then they left the house.

In just moments, the air outside dropped several degrees. Laura’s thin dress offered no defense against the cold. Danny, ever watchful over Laura, shrugged off her jacket and draped it across Laura’s shoulders.

“Danny! You’ll get cold!” Laura half-heartedly protested as she snuggled further into the jacket. It was still warm from Danny.

“I’ll be fine. It’s a short walk from your building to the Society’s place.”

“Short for you. It takes me at least 20 minutes to get there. Must be nice to have such long… legs.” Laura sputtered, blushing again as she thought about what she said.

Danny just grinned and held Laura closer to her. “It is nice, but there are perks to being smaller.”

Laura scrunched up her face. “Oh, yeah? Like that I can save money by buying child-size clothes?”

Danny snorted. “Is that- Did you actually do that?” Laura elbowed her. “So violent for someone so small.”

“I’ll have you know, I did buy some gloves recently. And what I lost in dignity, I saved in dollars.”

Danny had to stop walking, she was laughing so hard.

“Jerk. Weren’t you just complaining about how hard it was for you to find pants in class the other day?”

Danny reigned in her laughing, leaving a small smile to play on her lips. “You remember that?”

“I remember everything you say. And… I just gave myself cavities. Gross.’ Laura started walking again.

Danny easily caught up to her and slipped her arm around Laura’s. “It was cute. If it had come from anyone but you, it would’ve been a little creepy. But you’re too cute to be creepy.”

Laura leaned her head against Danny’s arm. They walked the remainder of the way in silence.

When they reached the door to Laura’s building, they stopped but didn’t disconnect from each other. “Well this is me.” Laura swung their arms.

“So it is.” Danny watched Laura in amusement.

Laura felt like she was in a cartoon or a movie. She was certain that if she looked at Danny that she’d have heart eyes coming out of her face. She giggled at the mental image. Danny gave her a cute confused face complete with a head tilt.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just thought of something. Do you want your jacket back?” Laura started slipping it off.

“No, just keep hold of it until I see you next. It looks better on you.”

Laura looked down at herself. The jacket reached to her mid-thighs and the arms had to be almost 6 inches past her hands. “Like a glove. So is this your way of claiming me?”

“Maybe.”

Laura faked a cough to cover the large blush covering her face. Danny saw it anyway. “I had a really good time tonight.”

“Me too. Sadly, it has to come to an end. We do have class in the morning.”

Laura pouted. “Yeah, yeah.”

Danny laughed and bent down and kissed Laura on the cheek. “Goodnight, Hollis.” She turned and left.

“Night, Danny!” Laura half-yelled, there were people sleeping after all. When she got back to her room, she did a dorky celebration dance before getting ready for bed. She crashed a minute after her head hit the pillow.

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Laura woke up the next morning and made her first of many cups of hot chocolate. She saw Betty was still asleep, she must have really been tired if she didn’t hear Betty slip back in the room. Laura sat at her desk and noticed the green light on her camera was still on. “Oh, crap. Don’t tell me you’ve been on all night.” She got an idea. Looking from the camera to Betty and back, “Let’s do a little before and after?, shall we?”

She rolled to the head of Betty’s bed and with an exaggerated flourish, “And how is the jager-bombinatrix?” She pulled back the covers only to find: no Betty? “Uh….Betty?” She dropped the covers and took a step back. Regretting that step when she step in some sort of yellow goop. Looking down at it with disgust, she noticed there was a card from the school laying on the top of it. She picked it up and watched as some of the goop fell to the floor with a sickening splat.

Reading it over, “What…What the what?”

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“You have reached the Office of Student affairs at Silas University. If you know your prior extension, please dial in at any time.” Laura’s fingers flew over the keypad. At this point, dialing was muscle memory. She’d been attempting to reach Student Affairs for the entire day after finding the card in the goop. Which, strangely, started growing mushrooms after an hour. Laura heard a click at the end of the line.

“Hello? I’m calling about my missing roommate…Yes, there was a card…Seriously? There’s no chance in hell or Hogwarts that Betty magically decided to drop out at 2 in the morning, especially, not with an ‘official’ multiple choice card…Like literally multiple choice. ‘Dear student: Your roommate no longer attends Silas University. He or She A) lost his or her scholarship and decided to go home, B) has elected to attend another school due to your extreme incompatibility C) experienced a psychological event that has left him or her unfit for student life or D) cited personal reasons and really why does anyone do anything? Exit procedures have commenced. No action on your part is required.’ I mean, really?” Click.

Laura groaned and hung up. She picked up her cellphone from the desk and flipped it open. Her father, being the paranoid man he is, wouldn’t allow her to get a newer phone so she could send high resolution selfies to “potential stalkers”. She tried to text Betty, muttering, “Come on Betty, please have just spent the night with some sub-literate Zeta bro and this is just some elaborate prank by Laf.”

Her phone rang in her hands. “Ah! Hello?... Yes, I am the girl with the missing roommate…What? No, I don’t need a new one… But what about Betty?...Hello?” She threw her phone on the bed. “This is crazy.” She looked at the time on her computer. It would be useless to try calling again at time when campus offices were about to close. It was also getting dark outside and Laura hadn’t gotten dinner yet and campus got weird after dark. She rolled away from her desk and went to her wardrobe to change before she headed out.

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The sun was long past set when Laura returned to the room. She got changed into her usual tank top and plaid pajama pants. She was once again sitting at her desk. She could feel her brain cells catching fire as she attempted to do her math homework.

The door swinging open broke Laura’s concentration. The girl walking in though was what actually drew her attention. She was a small girl, she was probably a little taller than herself. She had long, curly black hair and dark eyes. She was wearing a black and white striped sheer shirt that was slightly see-through and leather pants. Her black combat boots completed the picture. Drawing her gaze back up, Laura saw studded bracelets on her wrists. She was carrying a large canvas duffel bag that easily dwarfed her.

“Hey.” Her voice was low and raspy.

“Hey.”

The girl dropped her bag by the head of Betty’s bed and immediately turned on Betty’s stereo system.

“Um, excuse me, but who the hell are you?”

The girl looked at Laura and shot her a flirting grin. “Carmilla. I’m your new roommate, sweetheart.”

Laura watched as the girl moved from the now blasting radio to the mini-fridge tucked in the corner of the room next to the sink. “I already have a roommate.”
Carmilla opened the fridge and pulled out one of Laura’s cans of grape soda. “Well don’t you catch on fast?”

“No, I mean, Betty’s my roommate.”

“Yeah? Where’s she?” Carmilla put the soda can on top of the bookcase that served as a headboard for the bed.

“She’s… just missing right now. Hey! What are you doing?! That’s Betty’s stuff!”

Carmilla had moved on to standing in front of Betty’s bed and was rooting through the clothes left there from last night. She pocketed some cash she found. She held up a shirt in front of her chest and turned to face Laura. “Possession is nine-tenths and since I have a note from the Dean saying I live here now…”

“That’s still not yours!’ Laura snatched the shirt from Carmilla. Why would this dark –loving girl want a bright pink half shirt with ‘Betty’ on it anyway?

“Fine, cough up your roomie and I’ll leave. Until then…” Carmilla cleared off a space on the bed and draped herself on top of it.

“Betty will be back soon and you’ll be out of here so fast there’ll be scorch marks on those leather pants of yours!” Really nice leather pants, Laura shook her head, not the time.

Carmilla simply laid there and closed her eyes, ending the discussion. Laura turned back to her math homework.

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Laura clicked on her camera. She was alone in the room. She was wearing a simple white and dark blue striped shirt with a scoop neck. She had on a pair of dark jeans but they were blocked from the camera’s view by the desk. Laura took a deep breath, “Welcome to day three of the incursion with the roommate from hell.”

Laura went on to recount how Carmilla found every opportunity to exploit any way to annoy Laura. Carmilla stays out until all hours of the night waking Laura up in the middle of the night. Laura comes in with a to-go food container, Carmilla leaves with said food container when Laura isn’t looking. Laura comes into the room from class only to trip over a pair of Carmilla’s leather pants. Carmilla steals Laura’s favorite yellow pillow. Carmilla steps in something gross on the floor, looks around for something to wipe it off on and chose Laura’s bed. “And my favorite,” Laura’s voice oozed with sarcasm. “Coming back after class to find Carmilla and her ‘study buddy’ ‘studying’ in my bed!”

Laura took a deep breath, frustration clear as day on her face. “But that’s fine because when the latest study buddy stopped by I might’ve mentioned something about the super contagious Carmy cold sores. BOOM! Revenge complete.” Laura made an exploding gesture with her arms. She was the epitome of being a dork. She tilted the camera lower and brought a bowl of cereal and a carton of milk into frame. The milk carton claimed it was soy milk but the ominously written “MINE” begged a differ.

“Since Carmilla is adamant about her continued theft of my grape soda, I figure a single bowl of cereal using her super special soy milk ‘that I’m not supposed to touch, cause that’s just the way the world works, cutie’ would be fair.” Laura flashed a grin at the camera as she dramatically poured the milk into her bowl. She screamed when instead of milk, a thick red liquid poured into her Chocoa Crunch.

Her door swung open barely a moment later. Perry and Lafontaine bustled in, looking anxiously around the room. “Laura, are you okay? We heard you scream.” Lafontaine walked over to Laura and caught sight of the bloody cereal. “What the hell, frosh? Feeling a bit anemic?”

Laura looked up at them with wide eyes. “There’s…blood in…the milk container!”

Perry walked over and peeked over Laura’s other shoulder. “Okay, well that’s…a little odd.” She put her hands on her hips.

Lafontaine gave Perry a funny look over Laura. “Odd? That’s where you’re with this? Odd is the Alchemy Club press ganging students in the caf for test subjects. This is just creepy.”

Perry sent Lafontaine a chastising look. They quirked an eyebrow in response. “Maybe it’s just a prank. Don’t some people do that to develop a relationship?”

Laura grabbed the bowl and squeezed through the duo. “I think you usually have to be talking to the person to develop the relationship, Per.” She placed the bowl in the sink. I’ll figure out what to do with that later.

“Well, just talk to her. Communication is a great way to form a lasting friendship.”

Laura and Lafontaine looked at each other. “Yeah, for normal people. Look, Laura, I can take a sample and run some tests. Then you’ll know how crazy your roomie is.” Lafontaine pulled a syringe from their pocket.

“That’s…fine. Do you just carry those things around?”

“Apparently that’s a bio major thing. Or that’s what Susan-“

“Lafontaine.”

“Lafontaine tells me.” Perry said while straightening Laura’s bed covers.

Laura walked back over to her desk. “Right.” She gave Lafontaine a skeptical look.

Before anything else could be said, Carmilla strolled through the door. Carmilla was surprisingly wearing the pink ‘Betty’ shirt with leather pants and boots. Perry was the first to greet her, “Ah! You must be Carmilla.”

Carmilla threw her bag on the ground. “Must I be?”

Laura sat back down in her chair, pointedly ignoring the looks from Lafontaine and Perry were shooting her. All of their eyes shifted to Carmilla when she started lifting her shirt off. Perry’s eyes widened almost comically. Lafontaine found a very interesting spot on Laura’s wall, Laura however didn’t avert her gaze.

“Look any harder, cupcake, and I’ll catch on fire.” Carmilla said with a lilt. She was standing in just her bra with her back to the room’s occupants. She scrounged around for a new shirt on her bed. She still hadn’t cleaned it off since moving in.

Perry opened her mouth to say something before just clapping her hands together lightly in an attempt to collect herself, “Right, well Susan and I have other student things to go handle.”

“Lafontaine.” Laura heard Lafontaine mumble under their breath.

Perry leaned over to Laura and mouthed “Communication.” She tilted her head to Carmilla, who’d finally found a new black shirt. Lafontaine offered to take a sample again before following Perry out of the room when Laura refused.

Carmilla ran her hands over her new shirt, smoothing any wrinkles, and walked over to the fridge.

Laura turned back to face her computer and camera.”Yeah, you’re not going to find your soy milk in there.” She watched through the monitor as Carmilla, briefly looked up with a look of fear? Maybe? But the look was quickly erased back to Carmilla’s usual blank face.

“That…it was just a joke. You know, corn syrup and food coloring.” She grabbed a grape soda out of the fridge, standing back up.

Laura narrowed her eyes in disbelief, but sighed and felt a weight lift off her shoulders. “Well as far as pranks go, that one sucked.

Carmilla rolled her eyes as she took a swig of her soda. She picked up a book from her bookcase and sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ll try harder next time.”

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Later that night, Laura was sitting on her bed. Surrounding her were various papers and books. Her knees were acting as a desk as she furiously highlighted in her notebook. Carmilla was asleep on the top of her bed. A loud bang in the distance startled both of the women. Laura jumped so bad she threw her notebook on the floor. Carmilla just snorted and rolled over.

Their door swung open and Danny burst in. “Laura! You okay?”

Laura narrowed her eyes at Danny and raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?” She looked at Carmilla then back at Danny. “Why? What’s going on?”

Danny walked in from the doorway and sat in front of Laura on her bed. “Sarah Jane, an honor girl named Natalie and a Summer Society member, Elsie have disappeared.”

“Have you tried calling or texting them? Maybe they just went home or something?”

Danny gave her a “duh” look. “Of Course we did all that. And when we went to there rooms all we found were the Silas transfer-dropout-whatever cards and goop.”

Laura reached out and grabbed Danny’s arm. “You found what?”

“This card,” Danny pulled out a crumpled piece of cardstock, “and some wicked nasty goop. I think Lafontaine took a sample.”

“Danny, that’s what I found when Betty went missing. These disappearances might be connected.”

“Stunning connection there, Lauranica Mars.

Danny and Laura broke out of their bubble to see Carmilla sitting up on her bed. She was bending over, lacing up her boots. “Got something to say, Eyeliner?”

Carmilla made a face and rolled her eyes. “Not to you, Clifford.” She stood up.

Laura could see Danny tense up at the insinuation. She stroked her arm and whispered, “Hey, don’t let her get to you.”

Danny looked at Laura and her features softened. She still eyed Carmilla as she skulked out of the room. “Anyway, there’s something going on here. Something weird.”

“But what connects the missing girls?”

Danny leaned back against the wall, thinking. “Well…They all went missing after parties.”

Laura’s brow furrowed. “But not the same one, right?”

Danny frowned. “Right. They weren’t even necessarily parties. Betty and SJ went missing at that Zeta party.”

“SJ disappeared then? Kirsch never said anything.” Laura shifted so she was sitting next to Danny.

“Kirsch is an idiot.”

“He’s more like a big puppy.”

Danny rolled her eyes. “Sure.” She clapped her hands on her legs. “Okay, back to the girls. Natalie went missing at a psychology wine and cheese. And Elsie at a rush party.”

Laura picked up one of the stray notebooks and flipped to a new page, writing everything down. “Well there has to be something linking them. What are we missing?”

Danny rested her head back against the wall and looked at Laura. She was trying to connect the information and had her tongue sticking out in concentration. Danny smiled to herself when Laura bit her lip and started drawing figures instead. Danny put her hand over Laura’s. She looked up at Danny. “Let’s take a break. Go get some pies and hot chocolate.”

Laura jumped up and stood, waiting for Danny. “Well come on! There’s pies waiting to be eaten!”

Danny chuckled as Laura practically pulled her up and out of the room.

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“Ugh, I ate too much pie.” Laura groaned, holding her stomach as she and Danny walked back to campus.

“You’re the one that asked for the third piece.” Danny’s voice was filled with mirth. Laura looked up with a pout, attempting to look sad but Danny found her completely adorable. She reached for Laura’s hand. “How about this, I’ll give you a piggy back ride to campus.”

Laura’s face lit up like a child at Christmas. She quickly clambered onto Danny’s back when the taller girl knelt down. Danny stood up, Laura’s arms locked securely around her neck and legs held in place by strong forearms. Laura pointed forward and adopted a bad faux-English accent. “Onward, steed!”

Danny pinched her leg and Laura laughed into her neck. Danny started walking. They were quiet for a few moments before, “Hey, Hollis?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m glad you didn’t go missing.”

Laura hid her blush in Danny’s hair. “Me too.” She hugged Danny from her position and sighed. “I just wish we knew what happened to the other girls.”

Danny turned her head to look at Laura. “We’ll figure it out. We’re on the case.” She adjusted Laura’s position, accidentally bringing her face closer to her own. She stared into Laura’s hazel eyes. Her eyes dropped to Laura’s lips.

“Ahem.”

Danny and Laura whipped their heads to the intruder. Lafontaine stood in front of them with a smug look on their face.

“Hey there, Laf.” Laura choked out.

“I got the results back. But I can show you later?” They joked.

“No, what’d you find?” Danny asked as Laura slid down her back to stand next to her.

“Lafontaine wrung their hands together. “Well…about that. It’s probably easier to show you.” They motioned for the two girls to follow them into the dorm building.

Danny looked at Laura, who looked concerned now, shrugged and they started walking behind Lafontaine. Lafontaine brought them back to Laura’s room. Danny sat on Laura’s bed while the other two messed around with the computer. Laura clicked on the USB icon and opened the file.

“Hol- Oh my God. What is that?” Laura recoiled from the monitor.

“That…would be cerebral fluid.”

Danny leaned forward on her elbows. “The fluid in your brain?”

Lafontaine looked back and nodded. “That’s not even the best part.” They reached forward and zoomed in on the picture.

“What is that? Are they…moving?” Laura leaned in for a closer look.

“Yep. From what I can tell they’re some sort of parasite. And definitely not your normal run of the mill kind either.”

“So how did they-whatever they are- get there?” Danny looked between the monitor and the two friends.

“No clue. But I did find the missing link between all the parties.” Danny and Laura looked at them.

Before Lafontaine could say more, the door creaked open and Carmilla strolled in. She eyed the intruders as she walked to the fridge and started making one of her “Protein drinks”.

Laura nudged Lafontaine. “Oh, right. So it turns out that a lot of the party favors were from the Alchemy Club.”

“Those freakazoids? No way.”

“They’re the only common connection for these parties. It’s worth at least checking out.” Lafontaine’s phone beeped in their pocket. They quickly checked it and put it back in their pocket. “That was Per, she gets worried if I’m out too late, what with all the disappearances. So, Alchemy Club tomorrow?” Danny and Laura nodded, to which Lafontaine gave a thumbs up before leaving.

“I should probably head out as well. The stupid Zetas are doing these ‘security’ patrols and I really don’t want to get stopped by them.” Danny said standing up. Laura hopped out of her chair and followed Danny to the door. Danny leaned down to hug Laura. She was warm against her body and she could smell Laura’s coconut shampoo and light perfume from earlier that day. She pulled back slightly so she could see Laura’s face. Laura wore a look of pure adoration on her face. Danny watched as Laura’s eyes flitted between her own and down to her lips. She leaned in, pausing an inch before Laura’s lips. “May I?” Later she would recall hearing Carmilla making gagging noises from her bed, but right now Danny was only focused on how a grin spread across Laura’s face as she nodded. She closed the distance. It was a quick sweet kiss that tasted faintly of the pies they shared together earlier. Danny pulled away whispering, “Bye, see you in class tomorrow,” as she walked away.

Laura closed the door and leaned against it. She took a deep breath and did a little dance.

“So are you dating Xena now?” Carmilla eyed her over Laura’s Tardis mug. Laura stuck out her tongue as she bounced to her bed.

“Nothing you say right now can bring me down.” She started collecting the papers and books off her bed. Carmilla raised an eyebrow to Laura’s back. That’s what you think, cutie.

“I was at the parties. All of them.”

Laura dropped everything she was hold, sending loose papers flying everywhere. “You were what?”

Carmilla gave her a tenebrific smirk. “I didn’t stutter.”

“You know something, don’t you?”

“Maybe. However I’m simply exhausted, so goodnight, cupcake.” Carmilla set her drink down on the bookcase and laid down with the covers pulled over her head.

Laura shook in uncontrollable frustration before taking a deep breath and gathering up her dropped items. “You just got up. Ugh, stupid roommate.” She mumbled under her breath.

The lump in the bed chuckled.

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Laura laid there in her bed. She felt her body tingling and her heart racing. She was surrounded by darkness but could feel she wasn’t alone. She tried moving but her eyes were all she could move. She caught sight of glowing golden eyes next to her bed. She wanted to scream but couldn’t. As she continued to look at the eyes, she began to see it’s figure. It looked like a giant cat or lizard but it was faceless except for those eyes. Laura was enthralled by its eyes. She could see the creature getting closer to her when suddenly a bright light blinded her from the foot of her bed. The bright light seemed to release her body from it’s hold and she sat up blocking out the light with a hand in front of her eyes. She looked back towards the creature but it was gone.

“Laura…” an ethereal voice called out from the light.

Laura looked forward and saw the light had been replaced by a girl about her age, dressed in a Victorian night dress. “Hello?”

“Laura…” The girl reached out towards her.

“Who- Who are you? What do you want?!”

“Be wary of the Bagheera.” The girl’s voice echoed in the darkness.

“The Bagheera?”

“Beware…” The girl was fading away.

“Who’s Bagheera?!” Laura tried to climb across her bed to reach the girl. As she faded away, blood began to seep from under Laura’s bed. It quickly began to rise around her as she kept calling out to the girl who was completely enveloped by the shadows. “Who’s Bagheera?” The blood was now at her chest. “Who’s Baghe-“ The blood drowned out Laura’s words.

Laura shot up in her bed. Her breathing was quick and shallow. She could feel a cold sweat covering her body and warm hands on her shoulder and knee. She turned her head and looked to see Carmilla standing over her.

“Hey.” Carmilla said softly.

Laura took a few more breaths and swallowed. “Hey.” Her heartbeat was returning to its normal rhythm.

“You were having a nightmare.” Carmilla slid her hand off Laura’s knee.

Laura nodded and ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah, no more pie before bed, I guess.” She tried to joke but it didn’t reach her eyes.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow. “Or maybe you’re freaking yourself out with this missing girls crap.” Her hand fell from Laura’s shoulder.

“No…maybe…but even so. I’m not gonna just quit because of a simple nightmare. And don’t think I’ve forgotten about your little confession from last night.”

Carmilla rolled her eyes and walked back to her bed. “Well you’re back to normal-well, normal for you.” She plopped back down onto her bed.

Laura watched as Carmilla rolled over and then she noticed how bright the room was. “Oh my God, what time is it?” She started scrambling to get dressed.

“Relax creampuff, it’s only 7.”

“Oh.” Laura continued getting dressed for the day albeit at a slower pace. “We’re still going to talk later.”

“Oh, joy.” Carmilla mumbled as Laura slipped out of the room. The door creaked back open a few seconds later and Laura groaned as she heard Carmilla
laughing at her for forgetting her backpack.

————————————————————————————————---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Laura sat between Perry and Danny as Lafontaine set up a large projection screen across from them. Earlier, Laura and the ginger squad, as Lafontaine had dubbed them much to Petty and Danny’s chagrin, had gone to talk to the Alchemy Club only to find out that they had nothing to do with the disappearances. However, they were doing some creepy weird communications project involving student’s dandruff and mushrooms. The Alchemy Club did give them a USB full of pictures from all the parties that the girl’s had gone missing at that they’d taken for “research purposes”, in exchange for the not ratting them out to administration. So here they sat in Lafontaine and Perry’s room getting ready to go through the USB. Laura fidgeted as she debated whether she should mention what Carmilla told her before or after they started going through the photos. Danny reached over and covered Laura’s hand.

“What’s wrong?” Danny asked, bringing Perry and Lafontaine’s attention to Laura.

Well that decides it. “Carmilla told me something last night after you two left.” Laura’s eyes stayed locked with Danny’s blue eyes. “She was all the parties.”

“What?” Lafontaine bursts out. “That means she could be behind all this!”

Laura looked between Danny and Lafontaine. “I don’t think she is.”

“Why are you defending her? Didn’t you says she stays out half the night all the time? That’s plenty of time to kidnap the girls and store them somewhere.”

Laura bit her lip. “Well, yeah but it’s Carmilla. She’s not much bigger than me and she’s lazy.”

“Well maybe she is just involved in a lot of things.” They all shot Perry looks of doubt. Perry just smiled back at them, her eyes pleading for that statement to be true. Lafontaine’s look softened.

“Fine, let’s say she isn’t involved. That her being there at all of the parties is purely coincidental.” Lafontaine sat down on the other side of Perry. “Maybe she wasn’t the only one who was at all of them.” They pointed the projector’s remote at the machine and started it up. Perry patted their leg as the first picture came up.

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After hours of going through the thousands of pictures on the USB found Laura asleep, leaning on Danny who was holding her there with an arm around her shoulders. Perry had gotten up around picture #2459 to start making cookies downstairs in the dorm kitchen. Lafontaine and Danny somehow made it through the entire list.

Lafontaine clicked to the last picture. “Hey…has this guy been in a ton of the pictures?”

Danny looked up from watching Laura mumble things in her sleep. She took a closer look at the projection. “Yeah… I think that’s Kirsch’s friend will. Do you think he could be a lead?”

Lafontaine shrugged. “Maybe? But honestly between him and Carmilla… They kind of have the same creepy vibe. I wonder if they know each other.”

“We can get Laura to ask her later.” Danny said.

Perry backed into the door to open it since her hands were full with a tray of cookies. She looked at the screen as she sat the tray down on her desk. “Oh, are we through all the pictures all ready?”

Lafontaine gives her a half-smile as those they didn’t know she “happened” to be gone for the last hour and a half on purpose. “Yeah, Per. We think Will, the guy in the picture, might be out guy.” They pointed them out to Perry.

“Oh. He looks mean.”

Laura snorted and woke herself up. She felt Danny’s body shake in laughter. “Oh, no. I fell asleep, didn’t I?”

“Yeah, you did, Miss snores-a-lot.”

Laura frowned at them. “I don’t snore…do I?”

Danny stroked Laura’s back. “No. You just talk.” Lafontaine laughed as Laura’s frown deepened.

Perry lightly hit Lafontaine’s shoulder in reprimand. “Laura, honey, do you want a cookie?”

“Oh, that’s the wrong question to ask this one.” Danny joked as she joined Lafontaine in laughing.

Laura hopped from the bed and practically sprinted to Perry.

“Hey, Laura.” She turned to face them with half a cookie stuffed in her mouth. “Come look at this.” Laura grabbed another cookie before joining Lafontaine and Danny as they filled her in on their findings.

“So you want me to talk to Carmilla about him? You do know she’s the mistress of snark and never gives me a straight answer, right?”

They nodded and Laura slumped.

She groaned, “Fine. I still need to talk to her about her comments anyway. What time is it?”

Danny pulled her phone from her back pocket. “Quarter after 11.”

Laura nodded and took a deep breath. “Okay, she might still be in our room so I’m going to go now.” Laura quickly hugged everyone, lingering with Danny, and left the room.

She looked down the flyer ridden hallway towards her room. She was determined to get answers from Carmilla. But why would she do it? If she even did it. I think I’m letting Danny’s dislike for her get to me. She slowly opened their door, revealing Carmilla reading an old tourist book from Paris.

“Have fun with your ginger collection?” Carmilla’s eyes never left the book as Laura slipped into the room.

“You could’ve joined us, you know. And clear your name.”

“And what make you think I’d want to do that, cutie?” Carmilla raised an eyebrow.

“So you want people to think you’re behind this?”

“As if you and your band of merry misfits don’t already think that.”

“Actually, we found a new suspect.”

Carmilla’s brow furrowed. “What? Who?”

“Danny said it was this Zeta bro named Will.”

“That one that follows the beefcake around everywhere?”

Laura ran a hand through her hair. “If by beefcake, you mean Kirsch, yes.”

Carmilla hummed. “Didn’t think her had it in him.” She said more to herself than to Laura. She could feel her staring at her in confusion. She waved her hand at Laura in a dismissing fashion. “I’ve run into him at a few parties. He always seemed like the dependent type.”

Before Laura could say anything else, a scream tore through the dorm building. Laura and Carmilla looked at each other before the raced for the door. Carmilla threw the door open and looked down the hall. Other residents were also poking their heads out and the girl Laura referred to as Pear? Perry was going down the hall, shushing the residents and getting them back in their rooms. Laura ducked under Carmilla’s arm that was blocking the pathway to the hallway.

“Perry! What happened?” She whisper-yelled.

“Oh…Laura. You need to be back in your room.”

Laura scrunched up her face in distaste and stepped further out into the hallway. “Perry, just tell us what’s going on.” She gave Perry an investigative look. Her journalist side came out in full force.

Perry’s eyes got more frantic as she stood in the hallway, wringing her hands together. She opened and closed her mouth several times, words just wouldn’t come out. She was saved from Laura’s increasingly intense gaze when Lafontaine stumbled around the corner.

“Per! I got samples before the cops-“ Lafontaine spotted Laura and now Carmilla had joined in the questioning with a raised brow. “Uh…Hey L, Carmilla.”

Carmilla’s nostrils flared and she took a deep breath. She looked Lafontaine over. “Ginger Two, why is there blood on your shoes?”

Perry and Lafontaine’s eyes widened and focused on the soles of Lafontaine’s shoes, where sure enough there were spots of blood. Laura looked between the shoes and Carmilla. How did she-

“You left footprints.” Carmilla folded her arms in front of her chest and nodded towards where Lafontaine had come from.

“Oh.” They looked at Perry. “Sorry.”

“Okay, now you definitely have to tell us what’s going on.” Laura put her hands on her hips. Carmilla brushed by her and the ginger duo and walked around the
corner.

“Carmilla! Come back here! You can’t go there!” Perry freaked out, leading the three to rush after her. Just as Laura was rounding the corner, Carmilla crashed into her, pushing her back around it. Carmilla grabbed her hips to keep her upright and slid her hands around to the small of Laura’s back.

“Carm, what-“

“Shh. You don’t need to see this. Just go back to the room.” Carmilla said looking Laura dead in the eye.

Laura frowned and tried to break free of Carmilla’s hold.

“Laura.”

She froze.

“Trust me.”

From over Carmilla’s shoulder, she could see a pair of feet. They were and unnatural pale. Laura looked at Carmilla and saw a foreign tenderness in her eyes. “Is it- is it Betty?”

“No. But…just go back to the room, cupcake. Carmilla whispered in Laura’s ear as her head fell against Carmilla’s shoulder. She felt Laura nod and loosened her grip. Laura turned to leave but Carmilla grabbed her wrist. “We’ll talk in the room before the ginger twins come in.”

Laura gave her a grimaced smile and went back to the room. Carmilla turned back around and looked down at the body. He’s getting arrogant and messy. She looked at the two gingers, One was hovering over Two, who was collecting more samples from the scene. Imbeciles. She scowled as she heard footsteps rushing to join them. She hissed when she caught sight of Danny and took that as her cue to leave.

Back in room 307, Laura sat in somberness. The only light in the room came from the red fairy lights above the sink, the owl lamp on Laura’s bookcase/headboard, and her desk lamp. The door opened, the hall light piercing through the dark room. Laura looked up as Carmilla dragged into the room.

“I thought I was supposed to be the dark and gloomy one.” Carmilla teased drawing a half-grin from Laura as she sat down on her bed. “Clifford will probably bust in here in a moment, but…what you saw…”

“Who was it?”

Carmilla locked eyes with Laura. “Are you sure you want to know?” Laura bit her lip and nodded. Carmilla’s gaze softened. Why did you have to get all caught up in this, cupcake? You’re too good for this. Carmilla closed her eyes and took a breath. She released it and opened her eyes, “It was that girl-“

Their door swung open with a violent force. “Laura?! You didn’t see her, right?!” Danny almost hurdled Laura’s bookcase in her haste to get to her.

Laura looked up at Danny then back at Carmilla. “No, Carmilla stopped and she was about to tell me who it was.”

Danny turned and looked at Carmilla, “Thanks.” Carmilla quirked an eyebrow at the tall girl’s almost thankful tone. Danny turned back to Laura and knelt down in front of her. She took Laura’s hands in hers. “Laura, honey, it was SJ.”

Tears immediately welled in Laura’s eyes and her hand flew to muffle sobs as they came pouring out. She reached out and pulled Danny into a fierce hold. She looked at Carmilla over Danny’s shoulder, or at least what she could see of Carmilla through her tears. She looked unsettled. Did she know SJ? Does Kirsch know about SJ? “Oh my God, Kirsch!” Laura pulled back. “Has anyone told him?”

Danny shook her head. “Not yet, I don’t think.”

Carmilla stood up. “I’ll tell the overgrown puppy.”

Danny looked at her. “No offense, but I think someone who actually cares about people’s feelings should tell him. Besides you’re not going anywhere, you’re still a suspect.”

“Whatever.” Carmilla sat back down on her bed. “Why don’t you go tell him, Clifford, mutt to bitc-“

“Seriously, you two?” Laura wiped her eyes. “A girl was just found dead. And you two are being petty?”

Danny mumbled an apology and Carmilla rolled her eyes. The door opened again, gently this time, and Perry and Lafontaine walked in. “Oh. Danny, you’ve
already told. Okay.”

Carmilla glared at the new addition to the room. “Well now that the ginger squad is fully assembled, I’ll take my leave now.” She motioned to get up.

Perry’s head snapped to Carmilla. “You can’t leave. The police have blocked off the hallway.”

Carmilla smirked. “I’ll find a way around.” She left the room after pushing through Perry and Lafontaine, who still stood in front of the door.

Danny turned back to Laura. “I don’t trust her.’ She looked to Perry and Lafontaine for agreement. Lafontaine nodded from behind Perry who was shaking her head.

“She may be a little sketchy and broody, but she hasn’t given us any reason to distrust her.” She ended with a pointed nod.

Laura sighed. “We can just call Kirsch. I’d rather tell him in person but…”

Danny frowned. “I’ll tell him. An old Summer Society alum is one of the responding officers. She’ll let me through.” She stood up and gave Laura one last squeeze on the shoulder before leaving. Perry and Lafontaine followed her out of the room.

Laura flopped back on her bed, tear tracks lined her face. She curled into herself, reaching for her favorite yellow pillow only to groan when she noticed it on Carmilla’s bed. She sullenly climbed under the covers, not having the energy to change out of her day clothes and buried her face into her pillow.

————————————————————————————————---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a few days since the discovery of SJ’s body and the mystery behind her death was only growing. The “official” coroner’s report said that she fell and broke her neck, but Lafontaine’s samples from the scene differed. They shared their findings that stated that somehow SJ’s blood had been drained before they found her. Even more peculiar was that the blood on the ground by SJ’s body wasn’t hers, and wasn’t even human. Lafontaine said they were running more tests to learn exactly what kind of blood it was.

When Kirsch heard the news about SJ, he crumbled. He became more reserved, but he didn’t lose his innate Kirsch-ness. So in typical Zeta fashion, tonight there was going to be a party thrown in SJ’s memory. Laura had rolled her eyes when she got the text invite but Lafontaine anthem girls figured this would be a good way to learn more information about Will. Carmilla had hrrmped when Laura told her of their plan and when asked if she would be going, stated, “I’d rather claw my eyes out than spend more time with those testosterone filled ingrates.” Laura took that as a no.

The party was dismal. There was a blown up picture of SJ in front of the DJ’s stage and the music was depressing. Even though the alcohol flowed as much as usual, the party goers were much more subdued and were for the most part just standing around, if they couldn’t grab a seat on a couch, murmuring to each other.

Laura sat on the arm of a couch, next to Danny and ignoring the pointed glares from Perry every time she took a sip from the drink Lafontaine had mixed for her. Lafontaine was subtly going from person to person asking about Will. After an hour of hearing Alanis Morrisette crooning about lost love for the hundredth time, Laura stood up and got ready to leave. Danny followed suit and linked hands with her. As they were about to go give their condolences to Kirsch and leave, Lafontaine meanders over to them.

“Scoop is, that Will was mysteriously missing at the time of SJ’s discovery. One of the bros has class with him at that time and says he wasn’t there. Then others say he goes out in the middle of the night all the time, like another broody friend of ours,” Lafontaine looked at Laura, who frowned. “And reappears in the middle of the day.”

Laura looked around the room. A shadow on the staircase caught her attention, and she gasped after looking closer and saw it was Will. He had a murderous look in his eye and was looking towards their group. Laura looked away.

She gave Lafontaine a tight-lipped smile and squeezed Danny’s hand. “Well, that’s great, Laf. But uh…we really have to get going. Test tomorrow and all that jazz.”

Lafontaine and Danny shared a confused look before Laura dragged Danny to Kirsch . They said their goodbyes and rushed out of the house. Danny set her feet, pulling Laura to a stop.

“Okay, mind telling me what the hell that was all about?”

Laura looked around, her terror readable on her face. “I think Will is on to us being on to him.”

Danny raised an eyebrow. “How? None of us have talked to him since he became a suspect. Unless Morticia said something to him.”

Laura shook her head. “She didn’t…wouldn’t. But I saw him at the party and he looked ready to kill someone.”

Danny rolled her eyes earning a frustrated glare from Laura. ‘Maybe that’s just his mourning face. All this stress is getting to you, L.”

Laura crossed her arms. She was torn between being pissed off and hurt at Danny trying to just brush off her feelings. “If you’re not going to take me seriously, I’ll just walk back by myself.” She turned on her heel and took off for the dorm rooms.

Good going, Lawrence. Danny took a deep sigh as she watched Laura walk away from her. She just needs space. Danny turned and walked off in a different direction, taking a short-cut to the Summer Society house.

Laura got back to the dorm room, slamming the door open. Carmilla looked up from her book on Freud, “Rough memorial shindig?”

“Shut up.” Laura bit back at her. She grab clothes for bed and quickly changed in the bathroom. When she came back, she turned out all the lights, cloaking Carmilla and her book in Darkness. Laura swore she heard a quiet “Goodnight, cream puff,” from Carmilla’s side of the room as she climbed into her bed. She fell into a restless sleep with everything running through her mind.

————————————————————————————————---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carmilla was pulled from her reading by the door creaking open. She quickly eliminated the ginger twins and Clifford because the door wasn’t simply burst open. She marked her place in the book and put it to the side. She slumped down as a figure slipped through the door.

Laura rolled over, facing Carmilla and the figure. They stilled.

Carmilla raised an eyebrow. She squinted through the dark at the figure. She was able to get a basic idea of who it was. He was a little taller than her but not as tall as the man-puppy. He was muscular but still small.

The figure turned and Carmilla could see his face. She smirked but kept quiet.

He lunged at Laura. Carmilla watched as he pulled Laura from the bed with difficulty. Laura always managed to turn herself into a burrito during the night without fail.

Laura tried screaming but Will silenced her mid-yell with a hand over her mouth. Not one to let years of Krav Maga go to waste, Laura bit his hand and swung her elbow into his sternum. When he let her go, she delivered a nasty jab to his adam’s apple. She turned and ducked into the bathroom.

Will, groaning in pain, “Okay. The hell was that?” He glared at Carmilla who’s chuckling.

“Welcome to 2014, fresh meat.”

Will rolled his eyes, “Whatever, old woman.” He looked back at the bathroom door.

Laura had her back braced against the door. She recognized Will’s voice. He and Carmilla seemed to know each other better than just the occasional run-in at a Zeta party.

“Your choc sui nonsense isn’t going to help you.” She heard Will call out through the door.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Don’t worry about that. It’s nothing personal.” He sounded closer and clearer. Laura’s breathing and heart rate quickened.

She felt the door explode behind her and she was sent sprawling to the floor. She scrambled to her feet but Will was already on her. He easily got her in a hold she couldn’t break out of. He marched her back into the room. Carmilla was now sitting on the edge of her bed.

Will tightened his hold as Laura continued to struggle. “Stop that.” He met Carmilla’s eyes. “You know I miss the old days when they didn’t fight back. Sure, you’d get an occasional gal who’d sign up for the ROTC but none of this kung-fu bullshit.

“Oh right, because targets that fight back are such a chore.” Carmilla leans forward with her hands on her knees.

Laura’s attention flitted between Will and lingered on Carmilla. “Carm-“ Will tightened his grip causing Laura to gasp in pain.

Carmilla watched with a tightened jaw.

“She smells delicious, doesn’t she? All sugared up?” Will grinned as he dug his nails into Laura’s arm, making her bleed.

Carmilla snarled when the scent reached her. Her pupils dilated and she felt her fangs extend. “We don’t hurt them.”

“Mother doesn’t care. As long as they’re alive.” Will grinned antagonizingly at Carmilla. He laughed when he saw her jaw tighten. “Then again, maybe I’ll just take her as a snack. You wouldn’t mind, would you?”

Carmilla stood up and got in Will’s space. Laura nearly squashed between the two. Carmilla spared a glance at Laura and saw the absolute fear in her eyes. She could easily hear Laura’s heart trying desperately to beat out of her chest. Carmilla returned her attention to Will.

He opened his mouth, baring his fangs. “Just a little taste? You can have her after?”

Carmilla didn’t think about her actions as she drew back her fist and hurled it at Will’s face, breaking his hold on Laura. Laura fell into Carmilla and was quickly, gently pushed onto Carmilla’s bed.

Will recovered and after a glare, “You’re going to regret that, bitch.” He took off in a flash, the door swinging open was the only sign of movement.

Carmilla looked between the open door and Laura, who was still splayed out on her bed. “Go back to sleep, Laura.”

Laura leaned up on her elbows. “What-“

Carmilla silenced her with a look. When Laura backed down, her face softened, “Go back to sleep, creampuff. You’re safe now.”

When Laura blinked, Carmilla was gone. The door was closed.

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“So Will attacked you? And Carmilla kicked his ass?” Lafontaine leaned more over the cafeteria table towards Laura. Perry sat next to them with a concerned look on her face. Danny slumped in her seat on the other side of Lafontaine in guilt.

Laura gave them a tight lipped smile and nodded. “And I must’ve still been asleep cause it was like I blinked and she was gone.”

“Laura, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you earlier.” Danny reached across the table for Laura but she pulled her hand out of Danny’s reach. Lafontaine and Perry shared a confused look.

“You knew Will was going to attack you?” Lafontaine looked between the two.

“I didn’t know for sure.” Laura looked at Lafontaine. “But I saw him at the party and got scared. However, when I told Danny, she thought I was just overreacting.” She cut her eyes to Danny in an angry glare.

“And I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you.”

“Why didn’t you? I know I get excited and get over-dramatic sometimes, hush it Laf,” Lafontaine smirked. “But I needed you to believe me about this and instead you blew me off like a kid!”

Danny shrunk as she looked around the cafeteria and saw a few students looking their way. She looked down at her plate. “I didn’t want Will to be the guy doing this.”

“No, you didn’t. You wanted it to be Carmilla.”

“Before last night, could you blame me? Hell, Laura, you don’t even like her.”

Laura sighed and took a moment to collect herself. “Just because she’s a horrible person to live with doesn’t mean she’s a horrible person.” She turned her
attention to Lafontaine and Perry, who were decidedly not paying attention to her and Danny’s squabble. “Besides, I don’t think this is any normal case. Will seemed really intent on eating me and kept taunting Carm with eating me.”

“Sure that not code for something else? Ow!” Perry elbowed Lafontaine in the side, “We still have those samples from the scene. Maybe we could go to the library later.” Lafontaine suggested as Perry’s eyes bugged out.

“The library?! Sus-Lafontaine, have you lost your mind?’ Perry latched onto their arm.

“Per, we’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, it can’t be that bad.”

Danny sat up in her seat. “You two have no idea how bad of an idea that is, do you? There’s a reason no one is in the library after 6:45.”

Laura and Lafontaine shared a glance and shrugged. “It’s the only time the sub-basements appear and I can almost guarantee there will be information we
need down there.” Perry looked sadly at Lafontaine as they spoke.

“I still don’t want you to go down there.” Lafontaine patted Perry’s hand on their arm. Lafontaine gave her a placating look.

“Someone has to make sure Frosh doesn’t get herself killed. And we might not be able to find answers about the weird blood samples anywhere else.”

Perry unwrapped herself from them and clasped her hands together. “Fine. Go get yourself maimed or dismembered. Just don’t come home bleeding all over the floor.” Perry pushed herself up from her seat and left the cafeteria, leaving Lafontaine to look after her retreating figure.

“Damn…” They muttered to themselves.

Laura looked sadly at Lafontaine. “If you don’t want to go now, I’d understand.”

Lafontaine shook their head, their resolve hardening. “No. We need to find answers before anyone else gets taken or hurt.” They looked at Danny. “You in?”

Danny looked at her plate. “Well someone has to make sure you idiots don’t die.” Laura frowned at her insinuation.

Lafontaine smirked. “Looks like we’re going studying later, frosh.”

Laura rolled her eyes and went back to poking her mystery lunch.

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So maybe this wasn’t the best idea. Laura swung her wooden bat at was that a flying book?! She shook her head. Of course it was. Lafontaine was spraying some chemical at the books flying around them. Danny had brought a flamethrower, need to ask her where she got that, which had been helpful when the lights cut out on their way back out of the third sub-basement, but was now a problem when the fire set the books Lafontaine had sprayed on fire instead of acting as a deterrent. So now they were trapped in a spinning vortex of fiery books, some of which may have had teeth. They quickly scrambled up the stairs until they reached the basement and managed to get through a window. Lafontaine nearly lost the book they came for but managed to grab it before the window pane closed. They stood huddled in a circle, doubled over breathing hard.

"Did…Did you drop that…on purpose?” Danny said between breaths.

Lafontaine shook their head. “No. Why would I do that?”

Laura chuckled. “We’ve seen your collection of Indiana Jones, Laf. Give it up.” Lafontaine cracked a grin.

“You asshat! We-you could’ve lost that!” Danny looked like she was ready to pull out her hair.

“But I didn’t! And it looked awesome! And what exactly did you get that was helpful?” Lafontaine clenched their fists. Laura pulled out her own findings. She
pulled out a long picture frame from her backpack. In the picture were four women. One of them looked suspiciously like Carmilla.

While the two gingers continued bickering, Laura sat down with her legs crossed and investigated the picture closer. She flipped it over to see the back and saw that the only available info on the photo was that it was from the 1950s. She tried removing the actual photo from the frame but there was no latch. Laura scowled.
“Hey, Laf?”

Lafontaine turned to Laura. “Yeah?”

“You think you could do a search of past students?”

“Let’s see, probably illegal and definitely unethical. Count me in. The school’s database has the worst firewall. This will be a piece of cake. Who are we searching for?”

Laura stood back up and brushed herself off. “Anyone with the last name ‘Karnstein’.”

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Bagheera. “Bagheera.” Beware. “Beware what?” Laura. Beware. Laura! Beware the Bagheera!

“Laura! Wake up!”

Laura shot up in her bed. She once again found herself covered in sweat with Carmilla standing over her. “Hey.”

“Hey. You were having another nightmare.”

Laura brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “Yeah.”

Carmilla delicately sat down next to her and reached out to stroke Laura’s back. “Do you…want to talk about it?”

Laura looked at Carmilla’s grimacing face and laughed. “You look like you’re in pain.”

“I am. This feeling’s crap is hell.”

Laura smiled and leaned her head on Carmilla’s shoulder. “We don’t have to talk about it then.”

Carmilla put a hand to Laura’s forehead. “Are you ill?” Laura elbowed her. “We can talk…just this once- and the dimwit squad isn’t allowed to know.”

Laura sighed. “A few weeks ago, I had this dream. There was a girl in a white nightgown warning me about something called… Bagheera.” She felt Carmilla stiffen.

“A girl in white?”

Laura sat up. “Yeah, she had a mole right here.” She pointed to a spot under her right eye. “But do you know anything of what a Bagheera is?”

Carmilla nearly jumped out of Laura’s bed. “I...have to go. Read some Kipling, creampuff.” She grabbed her duffel bag and left the room.

“What? Carm!” Laura turned towards the door as Carmilla left. She huffed and turned back around as the door slammed closed. “Stupid roommate-Ah!” Laura was startled when the door opened again.

“Hey, L, w-why are you screaming?” Lafontaine poked their head through the door.

“Uh… you just startled me.”

“Right. So I did that search you asked for.” Lafontaine stood at the head of Laura’s bed. “And it looks like every twenty years someone with the name Karnstein has been enrolled here-“

“I’m sorry, what? That doesn’t even make sense mathematically.” Laura eyed Lafontaine and then the paper in their hands.

“That’s not even the best part. Take a look at this.” Lafontaine shoved the paper in front of Laura’s face.

“Mircalla Karnstein, Millarca Karnstein, Mirllaca Karnstein…what…these aren’t even good anagrams! Who wrote this, Tina?!”

Lafontaine cocked their head. “Did you just quote Glee?”

Laura untangled herself from her bedsheets as she got out of bed. “Not the point.” She went to her desk and turned on her computer. “If these are all anagrams and not some weird eastern European family thing then…” She hit a few keys and clicked on some images. “We have a much bigger problem than missing girls.”

Lafontaine joined Laura at the desk and leaned over the back of her chair. “Those are definitely all Carmilla.” They said looking at the images Laura had pulled up on the screen. “The names were just the tip of the iceberg, L, and Silas is the Titanic. Every twenty years, girls go missing, just like they are right now.”

Laura slouched in her chair. “So…Carmilla is probably behind all this, with Will.”

Lafontaine put a hand on her shoulder. “Sorry, L. I know you didn’t want Carmilla involved in all this.” They felt Laura sigh.

“Did you find anything from that book you grabbed?” Laura looked up at Lafontaine.

“Oh! Right. Actually, yeah. But it’s weird, even for me.”

“What could be that bad?”

“Think Dracula, Miss Summers.”

Laura almost fell out of her chair. “Vampires? But…they’re not real.”

“That’s what I thought, but science doesn’t lie.”

“Holy crap.” Laura ran a hand through her hair. I almost got eaten. But Carmilla saved me. “Wait-if Carmilla is behind this…why would she save me from Will?”

Lafontaine shrugged. “Maybe with all the sugar you inhale she thought you’d give her diabetes.”

Laura swatted at them. “This is serious.”

Lafontaine put their hands up in surrender. “I don’t know, maybe she has a thing for you.”

Laura scrunched up her face. “Carmilla have a thing for me? Now I know you’ve lost your mind.”

“Hasn’t she been leaving you mugs of hot chocolate lately?”

“Along with dirty dishes, clothes all over the floor and a clogged shower drain.” Laura crossed her arms.

Lafontaine went to say something but the door opened to reveal Carmilla walking in with her duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Laura watched her as she slowly made it to her bed. Was she limping? She looked to Lafontaine, who noticed the same thing. “Uh…hey, Carmilla? Are you okay?”

Carmilla sunk into her bed. “Just peachy, science nerd.”

Lafontaine looked back at Laura, their brows furrowed. “Okay that was a lame one, talk to her.” They whispered. “Well, I have to go do some bio homework. So I’ll see you later, frosh.”

Laura turned in her chair to watch them leave. “Tell Perry ‘hey’ for me.”

Lafontaine waved as they left. “Will do. Bye Carmilla.” The door closed behind them.

Laura immediately turned to Carmilla. “What happened?”

Carmilla closed her eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, buttercup.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Whatever Carm, I thought we were past this but I guess not.”

Carmilla leaned up on her elbows and looked at Laura. “Past what? I talk to you once and we’re buddy-buddy? Not in this lifetime.”

“Clearly. Ugh. I don’t know why I even try with you.”

“No one asked you to.”

Laura bit her lip. “Sorry for caring about you!” She got out of her chair and went to the bathroom to get ready for class. As she walked out of the dorm room, she heard Carmilla mutter, “It’s better if you don’t.” Her heart clenched.

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The dorm room was cold in the days after their argument. Laura found herself sneaking glances at Carmilla in the reflection of her computer’s screen as the silence stretched between them. Today, Laura sat at her desk typing yet and other Lit paper and heard Carmilla sigh. She heard the book Carmilla was reading rustle and close and the bed springs shift. She swore she could feel Carmilla’s gaze on her back.

“Cupcake?”

Laura continued typing. She had written two sentences when, “Creampuff?” She rolled her eyes.

The bed squeaked as Carmilla stood. Laura paused her typing and took a deep breath. “What, Carmilla?” Her tone was uncharacteristically cold. She kept her eyes on the screen.

Carmilla hesitated. “I-” Laura spun around in her chair, facing Carmilla.

“No. Carmilla, I’ve tried with you. I defended you to everyone. I just don’t get it. You’ve been lying to me this whole time!” Laura stood up and got in Carmilla’s face. She could see the shock and confusion reflected in Carmilla’s eyes.

The door swung open and Lafontaine and Perry fell in. “Laura! It’s the Dean! The Dean is coming!” Perry waved her hands frantically at the two room occupants while Lafontaine stood in the doorway awaiting the Dean.

Laura looked back at Carmilla and saw a look of panic on her face. “I-I have to go.” Carmilla’s voice was small and broken.

“I’m here for Ms. Karnstein.” A powerful voice travelled through the room and froze Carmilla. She slowly turned to face the Dean.

The other three students stood paralyzed by the imposing aura cast by the Dean. Carmilla shrunk into herself under the Dean’s gaze.

“Come with me, Carmilla.” The Dean did an about face and headed back down the hallway. Carmilla took a shaky breath and glanced back one last time at Laura before quickly following the Dean out of the room. Lafontaine closed the door after the two women left.

Laura let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “So she’s kind of intense, yeah?” She sunk back down into her chair.

“We didn’t disrupt anything when we came in here, did we?” A smirk grew on Lafontaine’s face as they leaned back against the door.

Laura rolled her eyes. “No, just me and Carmilla fighting again.”

Perry stood in the middle of the room with her arms crossed. “Well, at least the two of you are communicating.”

“Just don’t make her mad or…” Lafontaine imitated sucking on a straw. Perry shot them a sour look and they laughed.

“No one like schadenfreude, Lafontaine.”

“Aw, Per, it was a joke.”

Perry glared at them and they hung their head. The room was silent for a few moments until Lafontaine’s head snapped up.

“I think I can hear them…” They turned and pressed their ear against the door. “Yeah…I didn’t got through all this to get you accepted…for you to act like this…take care of this or I will?” Lafontaine looked to Perry and Laura. “You don’t think the Dean’s in on this, do you?”

Laura turned back to her computer and pulled up the search window. “What’s her name?”

Perry put her hands on her hips, “Did you not read your student handbook?”

“Oh, Laura. Hang on, plug this in first.” Lafontaine dug through their pocket and pulled out a USB. Laura watched confused as they plugged it in. “Meet JP Armitage. I found him when we went to the library.” A small box with what looked like a school photo from the 1800s popped up on the screen.

“Who the- Oh my God!” Laura jerked back from the computer in shock when a word box opened next to the picture and started forming words.

Hello Laura! I hope I am able to assist you in your search.

Laura looked at Lafontaine. “It knows my name.”

Of course, I do, Laura. Lafontaine has updated me on everything happening at Silas.

Laura’s mouth hung open. “And it’s sentient?!”

Lafontaine laughed. “Yeah, JP here was a student back in 1872. Somehow he was sucked into the library’s catalogue a hundred years before computers. We’re still working on how that happened.”

Well I was in the library looking at-

“JP, can you find out how long the Dean has been here?”

Right! Searching Lilita Morgan…Searching…She appears to have been here for many decades. She first got her position in the 1950s.

“And she looks the way she did a few minutes ago? No way.” Laura rested her chin on her hand.

“Unless she’s a vamp, too.” Lafontaine deadpanned.

“Now, Lafontaine, you know there’s no such thing as vampires.” Perry had started on the dishes in the sink.

“So blood in the milk container and Laura’s work order for a new bathroom door are just normal things?” Lafontaine shot back. Perry huffed in response.

“Guys, them being vampires still doesn’t explain what happened to the rest of the girls. Or why Will and Carmilla talked about ‘kidnapping and targets’.” Laura
looked at the time on the computer. “But this will have to wait because I have a date with Danny.” Laura did an excited jig.

“Well, we’ll head out then and see what else we can find out about the connection between the Dean, Will and Carmilla.” Lafontaine unplugged JP and reached out for Perry. She took their hand and they left.

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“I think you should change rooms. Especially if you think the Dean is involved.” Danny said as she sipped her coffee.

Mulling over her thoughts, Laura slowly chewed on her muffin. “Why? I wouldn’t be any safer anywhere else. Heck, I’m probably safer with Carmilla, as temperamental as she is.”

“I just-“

“Don’t trust her. I know.” Laura balled up her wrapper.

“It’s not just that.” Danny reached across the table and took Laura’s hand. “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

A frown pulls at Laura’s mouth. “Like at the library? When you came to make sure little Laura didn’t get hurt?” Laura felt her anger boiling inside her. “Because I’m obviously not capable of handling myself, right?!”

Danny’s eyes widened. “Whoa. Laura, no. I’m just doing my job.”

Laura slammed her hands down on the table. “Your job? Are you kidding me? What job?”

“To protect you!”

Laura froze. When she spoke, her tone was bitingly cold. “Protect me? Danny, I already have one over protective father who doesn’t think I can handle myself without him. I don’t need another one. Hell, I moved continents to be away from that. I care about you Danny, a whole lot, but I can’t be with you f you think being with me means you have to protect me.” Laura swallowed as she saw tears well up in Danny’s eyes.

“Laura…This is who I am. I-”

“Then we’re done. I’m sorry but I just can’t live like that anymore.” Laura began picking up her trash. Danny tried to subtly wipe her face. “Bye Danny. See you
in class.” Laura got up from their table and left the coffee shop.

Danny was pulled from her crying when, “Yo, Psycho Society.” She groaned. “Dammit, Kirsch. Now isn’t the time.” She looked over her shoulder at the Zeta.

“Whoa. Serious time.” He reached out and put his hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Danny wiped her face, erasing any tear tracks before she clapped her hands on her legs. “Yep. No, I’m good.”

Kirsch eyed her as he removed his hand. “You sure? Cause I just saw little nerd hottie leave a few minutes ago and she was upset, too.”

“You know she hates that name.” Danny bit her lip to keep a smile from breaking through.

Kirsch laughed. “I know, but it made you smile even though you’re holding it back.”

Danny rolled her eyes and shook her head. “You’re an idiot. How you got involved with Will, I’ll never understand.”

Kirsch took Laura’s vacated seat. “What do you mean ‘involved with Will’?”

She met his gaze. Looking around the coffee shop, she waved him closer.

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Laura bumped into another student as she made her way back to her room. Normally she’d stop and apologize but today she kept trekking. Her eyes were downcast and she felt weighed down by the events at lunch. After what felt like miles of walking, Laura stopped in front of her door. She dug in her pocket for her key. Her hands were shaking as she tried to fit it into the keyhole.

A pale hand covered her own and led the key into the hole. Laura looked up at Carmilla as she opened their door. “Allow me, cupcake. Carmilla whispered.

Laura gave her a watery smile. She sniffed. “Ugh, gross. Sorry.” Red blossomed over her face.

Carmilla chuckled quietly as they entered their room, separating to go to their beds. She watched as Laura sat on her bed, defeated. Carmilla found herself
frowning as Laura brought her hands up to cover her face. “Who upset you?”

Drawing a sharp breath, Laura lowered her hands. “No one. I…I just broke up with Danny.”

Carmilla pressed her lips together and turned to dig in her duffel bag. She stood back up having found what she was looking for and walked to stand in front of Laura. “I may be crap with feelings, but I can at least help with the nightmares. Hold out your arm.”

Laura looked up at Carmilla as she offered her arm. Her eyes fell to the item Carmilla was tying around her wrist. “Is that dried up bat wing?” Laura tried pulling her arm away but Carmilla’s grip held firm.

“Trust me.”

Laura met Carmilla’s eyes again. “I want to. But…I don’t know if I can.”

The dark girl sighed. “I realize I’ve given you no reason to but…” Carmilla slid her hand into Laura’s after she tied the charm on. “I need you to. There are things going on here that could really hurt you.”

Laura pulled her hand back. “God, what is it with everyone thinking they need to protect me? First my father from across the world, then Danny and now you, too? Give me a break.”

Carmilla smirked. “Okay, calm down. First of all, never group me together with the Jolly Ginger Giant,” Carmilla faked gagging. “Second, I’m helping you. You’re
too stubborn for me to try and stop you from doing whatever you’re going to do. But that doesn’t mean you need to go in blind.” Carmilla kneeled down, clasping Laura’s hands in hers.

Laura cracked a grin and held up her wrist. “So how does this help?”

Carmilla rocked back on the balls of her feet. “Well, if I’m right about what’s causing your nightmares, this should act as a repellant.”

“What, no creepy fratbro repellant spray?” Laura dropped her hand back into her lap.

“Afraid not, cutie.” Carmilla whispered her tone a mix of amusement and something else Laura couldn’t identify.

Squeezing the hand still in her lap Laura asked, “Why are you helping me? And what happened with the Dean?”

Carmilla’s eyes shifted from their hands at Laura’s squeeze back to her face. “Because against my better judgment, you’ve grown on me. And what happened with her doesn’t matter. “A shadow fell across Carmilla’s face. There was more to it, Laura knew it, but why was she hiding it?

Laura opened her mouth to question Carmilla more when the door swung open. She giggled at Carmilla’s “We really need a better lock on that door,” before scrunching her face up in confusion as Danny and Kirsch stood in the doorway.

“Hey Laura and Carm-sexy. There’s a party this Friday, you two hotties should come.” Kirsch said leaning one arm against the door frame, while Danny stood there with her arms crossed.

“Well that sounds like a blast beefcake but my schedule is all booked up.” Carmilla said in a sultry voice.

“Didn’t know the undead had a schedule.” Danny snarked after her gaze landed on their still linked hands.

Laura watched as what Danny said washed over Carmilla. She gave Carmilla a small grin hidden from the two jocks as she squeezed her hand.

She’s not Elle. Carmilla smirked and brought her free hand to land on Laura’s knee. “You’d be surprised what’s in my schedule to do, mutt.” She ran her eyes
up and down Laura. She felt a funny flutter in her long still chest as a blush colored Laura’s face.

Danny let out a frustrated groan and pulled a clueless Kirsch away. Carmilla chuckled and moved to get up but Laura’s hold kept Carmilla standing over her. Blush fading, Laura bit her lip and took a deep breath. “Thanks, for…you know.”

If she could, Carmilla was sure she’d be the one blushing now. “It was nothing.” The look Laura gave her told Carmilla she knew she was lying. “Don’t wait up for me, cutie.” She leaned forward and gave Laura a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.

What the hell?

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The kiss played over and over in Laura’s head the next day as she sat in class. She’d given up focusing in her Advanced Algebra class and was doodling in her notebook. Why did she do it? What did it mean? Was I next? No. Carmilla said she was helping me. But it’s not like she hasn’t lied to me before...fake blood in the milk carton, pfft, can’t believe I fell for that one. She started tapping her pencil on her desk eyeing the clock that displayed the wrong time. Her phone buzzed.

Danny: Vamp takedown meeting in Laf’s room after your class.

Laura sighed. was it too soon to see Danny again after their break up? Not counting whatever yesterday was with Kirsch. The professor dismissed them Laura quickly packed up her things and darted out of the room. As she was walking across campus back to the dorms, she noticed multiple flyers for the party that Friday. Usually Zeta parties were announced via word of mouth, why was this one different? She stopped at the next flyer to read it over before pulling it off the bench it was taped to and continuing her march to Lafontaine’s room.

“A masquerade? What’s going on?” Laura burst through their door. Three gingers and Kirsch whipped their heads to face Laura.

Kirsch was the first to speak, “Dude, totally. Summer Psycho, here, came up with it yesterday.” Danny glared at the nickname.

“Yes, Danny was just going over the plan she and Kirsch thought of. Though, I think it’s too risky.” Perry said in a timid voice. Lafontaine slid their hand over hers.

Laura looked to Danny for explanation. “So what is this so-called plan?”

Danny wouldn’t meet Laura’s eyes, Kirsch nudged her to get her talking. “Carmilla likes you.”

Jaw clenched, “What does that ‘assumption’ have to do with this plan I still haven’t heard?”

Danny took a deep breath. “I think you’re forgetting that Carmilla is involved in all this.”

“I haven’t forgotten. I just don’t think she’s as bad as you want to make her out to be.” Laura took a step closer to Danny. If this was a movie, she was certain steam would be coming out of her ears.

“Whoa. Okay, before there’s any bloodshed and you two give Perry a stroke, let’s actually discuss the plan?” Lafontaine waved their hands between the pair.

“Yeah, nerd hottie, Psycho,” They turned their angry glares to Kirsch. “I mean, Laura, Danny, if my bro Will and Carmilla are behind the kidnapping and SJ’s…” he swallowed, “SJ’s murder then we should focus our anger on them and not like each other, right?”

Danny raised an eyebrow. “Who are you and what have you done with Kirsch?”

Kirsch brought a hand to splay on his chest. “Lawrence, I’m offended. I can get deep every now and then.”

The tension in the room broke when Lafontaine mumbled, “That’s what she said” earning a scandalized look from PErry.

“So far, Danny and Kirsch’s plan has been to lure Carmilla to the party and get her alone and trap her.” Lafontaine said.

Laura blinked. “That’s it? That’s the entire plan?”

“Well it’s not fully fleshed out just yet.” Danny shrugged.

“And how are you going to get her alone? If she even goes.” Laura crossed her arms looking at her friends for answers.

“Well I have a plan, but you’re not gonna like it.” Lafontaine got a raised eyebrow as Laura’s response. “Like Danny said, Carmilla likes you-”

“Again, an assumption.”

“Yeah, okay. Anyway, Laura, you’re her weakness-”

“There’s no proof of that!” Laura squeaked.

:You need to get her to the party and alone. Then the rest of us will get her, which we’ll need to figure out how to do later. Think you can do that?” Lafontaine finished.

Laura looked down, Carmilla’s forehead kiss flashing through her mind for the nth time. Did it even mean anything? Ugh. She’s gonna hate me for this. “So I’m the bait.”

“Essentially.” Lafontaine muttered.

“Well I for one do not like this plan.” Perry disagreed.

You and me both, Perry. Laura thought. “She already turned down an invitation to the party.”

“That’s because it didn’t come from you.” Danny cringed.

Laura fell silent. “I think...I need to think about this.”

Lafontaine looked at her, their face inquisitive. “Did something happen after Danny and Kirsch left?”

Laura’s silence and reddening cheeks was all the answer they needed. “Spill it, Hollis.”

Danny stood up. “I -uh- just remembered I have a meeting to get to.” She brushed past a guilty looking Laura out of the room.

“Tact, Lafontaine, tact.” Perry chastised.

“Wait, did something happen between you and her?” Lafontaine asked Laura.

“Yeah...we broke up. Um… and Carmilla might’ve kissed me” Laura’s voice tapered off.

“What?!” The three that were left exclaimed.

With a full blown blush covering her face, Laura clarified, “On the forehead!”

“Oh.” Lafontaine said in disappointment, getting a funny look from Laura. “Anyway, go think on the plan and text one of us later, crushes-on-vampires.”

Laura rolled her eyes as she turned and left the room.

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She bit her lip in nervousness as she turned the doorknob, entering her room. Laura sucked in a breath at finding Carmilla sacked out on her bed, naturally she’d stolen Laura’s yellow pillow again. She let out a shaky breath and moved to her bed. Laying her backpack next to her headboard, Laura dropped down onto her bed. This is a mess. She pinched the bridge of her nose and frowned. I don’t know what to think or feel anymore. On one hand, I know Carmilla is behind whatever this is but she also seems to care about me? Or at least is pretending to. And I’d be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t the least bit attracted to her. Laura’s eyes traced the slope of Carmilla’s nose and down the curve of her jaw, to her lips still covered in dark lipstick. Carmilla’s eyes were but their darkness that was comforting or terrifying depending on Carmilla’s mood flashed through Laura’s mind. They’ve been comforting towards me lately. Maybe she..

“Creampuff, you’re about to set off the fire alarms with all that smoke coming out of your ears.”

Laura returned from her thoughts. She shook her head and a tight smile played at her lips.

Carmilla sat up stretching like a cat, her covers sliding down her side to pool into her lap. “Seriously,” she yawned. “What’s got you bugging out over there?”

“It’s nothing.” Laura fidgeted with her hands in her lap.

Carmilla eyed her before getting up and going to the refrigerator. Laura felt her eyes on her as Carmilla poured her blood, protein drink, in a mug. “Whatever. I did my obligatory asking.” Carmilla shrugged and turned to look out the window.

Laura thought back to the plan as she watched Carmilla star gaze. She can totally overpower all of us. “Hey Carm?”

“Hmm?” drifted over a mug.

“Why do you like the stars so much?”

Carmilla sighed and hugged herself, “They’re comforting, to think how small we are in comparison, all the lives we’ve led, the people we’ve been, nothing to that light.”

“You are definitely a philosophy major.” Laura quirked.

Carmilla gave a soft chuckle. “I guess I am.”

“Carm?”

“Another question? You might want to look into majoring in journalism.”

Laura stuck her tongue out at Carmilla’s back. “Would you go with me to the Zeta party?”

Carmilla turned to face Laura. “That’s what was nearly causing your head to explode a few minutes ago?”

Laura nodded, biting her lip.

Carmilla dropped her mug into the sink and moved to sit on her bed, facing Laura. She could tell that there was more to it from how Laura was avoiding looking at her. “What else is there?”

Laura looked down at the floor. “Nothing. Just asking you to the party.” Silence filled the room as Laura waited on Carmilla’s answer.

She held out on answering in hopes that Laura would come clean about whatever she was hiding. “I think…” She smiled as Laura leaned forward, hanging onto her words. “That I’ll go but only on one condition.”

Laura shot up from her bed and stood in front of Carmilla. When Carmilla met her eyes after dragging them up her body, she beamed and asked, “What’s the condition?”

Carmilla gave Laura a feral smile. “I’ll tell you at the party.” Her voice was raspy and sent shivers down Laura’s spine. Laura lunged at Carmilla, hugging her, before she bounced back to her bed. “I wouldn’t be that excited just yet, creampuff, you haven’t seen my dancing.”

Laura rolled her eyes playfully as she dug her homework out of her backpack. “I’m sure you’ll manage just fine.”

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Laura sighed and checked her phone again. It was 20 minutes past the time Carmilla said she’d meet her outside the student union’s ballroom. She had to hand it to Danny and the Zetas for being able to book and decorate the ballroom on extremely short notice. Kirsch had mentioned offhandedly a cancellation opening up a spot thanks to some Swim Team incident at the lake. She shuddered at the thought of what had been deemed an ‘incident’. Laura checked her phone again.

“Waiting on someone, cutie?” Carmilla’s low voice in her ear sent electricity through Laura as she turned to face her. Laura punched her in arm. “I die, I die!” Carmilla exclaimed with dramatic flare.

“Oh, shut up. You barely felt that.” Laura said, getting a cheeky grin from Carmilla.

“I believe that was more of a loving tap.” She laughed when Laura scrunched up her face then pouted. She’s adorable. Ugh, did I really just think that? Someone please stake me. “Okay, God, put that face away before you hurt someone.”

Laura grinned, “Come on, everyone is waiting for us inside.” She grabbed Carmilla’s hand and began dragging her inside.

“Oh, joy.” Carmilla sounded dead inside.

At the door, they were given matching masks, which led to Carmilla saying, just over the bumping music, “Seriously, cupcake?” only to be silenced by a look from Laura as the slipped their masks on. After taking a cursory look around the large room, they quickly figured out the masks weren’t just given out at random and that all couples had matching masks.

“Oh, no. Don’t tell me that lackwit at the door thinks you and I are together.”

“Why? What’s wrong with that? I’m a catch.” Laura huffed.

“With such keen fashion, too.” Carmilla looked her up and down. “Speaking of, where’d you get this dress? It’s not one of your usual conservative schoolgirl get-ups.”

Laura rolled her eyes. “And lose my air of mystery?”

Carmilla laughed at Laura’s imitation of her. “Dork. Let’s go find your dimwit squad and get this torture over with.” She took Laura’s hand and led her through the crowd.

Laura took this time to really look at Carmilla. Sure, she was more beautiful than Laura had ever seen her but she was always beautiful. What captivated her tonight was how Carmilla was carrying herself as she wove them through masked party goers. Her head was held high, shoulders back and she was standing tall. Laura spied a grin playing at her lips before a frat bro ran into her, nearly spilling beer on her. Her lips then lifted to a snarl and her grip on Laura’s hand loosened before Laura took that opportunity to lace their fingers together. She saw Carmilla stiffen before relaxing and continuing to walk.

“Do you see them anywhere? I can’t tell who anyone is in these masks.”

Carmilla looked back at her, slowing. She let go of Laura’s hand and slipped it past her to rest on her lower back. Applying a slight push, Carmilla began leading her towards one side of the room. “I saw the Jolly Ginger Giant when we first came in. “I assume below her somewhere are Tweedledee and Tweedledum.”

Laura pushed her lips together to refrain from laughing. Carmilla’s hand at her back served as distraction enough, she didn’t need to add Carmilla’s wit into the mix. I’m so screwed.

After another few minutes of crowd dodging, Laura saw her friends standing awkwardly at a round table. The two young women approached them under heavy scrutiny from the gingers. Danny eyed Carmilla’s hand placement with laser focus. Lafontaine studied Laura’s body language compared to Carmilla’s and smirked as he plan was working out so far. Perry…well, Perry wanted this to be a normal party where nothing weird happened.

Laura smiled in greeting, “Hey guys.” She looked over Lafontaine and Perry’s matching masks and looked up at Danny. She grimaced when out of the corner of her eye she saw Carmilla smirk and knew nothing good was about to come out of her mouth.

“Hey, Clifford, who’s your other half?” Carmilla said, looking past their group. Laura leaned into her and followed her eyeline. In doing so, Laura caused the hand at her back to slide farther around her and find a new home on her hip.

“Is that…no way.” Laura looked back at Danny’s mask and then back at the person she spotted. “Oh my God. They paired you and Kirsch together, didn’t they?”
Danny clenching her hands into fist and face palming were all the confirmation Laura needed to start giggling at Danny’s turn of fate.

“Shut up.” Danny’s face, that wasn’t covered by the mask, began to match her hair. “I told them to give us different masks but apparently they’re only issued in pairs.”

“Yo, hotties! You made it.” Kirsch looked and sounded like he was already three sheets to the wind. He threw his arms over Danny and Lafontaine’s shoulders. Danny instantly shrugged him off. Lafontaine was more focused on Perry to take notice of Kirsch’s arm.

The six of them, Carmilla just grimacing and frowning, fell into small talk about classes and meetings and just general catching up from the week. Lafontaine was in the middle of describing some experiment gone wrong when Laura felt warm breath hitting her neck. Her heartbeat quickened. Dammit, Carmilla.

“I’m going to get something to drink, want anything?”

Laura felt herself nod and barely kept herself from saying, “Yeah, you.”

A nose traced the edge of her ear, “Be back before you know it, cutie.” Carmilla left, dragging her hand across Laura’s back. Laura sucked in a shaky breath and watched the dark girl disappear into the crowd.

“Laura?”

She looked to Lafontaine.

“Are you okay?” They put their hand on her shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m good.” Laura tapped her hands on the table to the beat of the song blasting from the speakers. “I wanna dance. Who’s coming with?”

The gingers shared a looked among the three of them, shrugged and moved to follow Laura as she led them into the makeshift dance floor. Kirsch stayed behind talking to one of his frat bros. Lafontaine and Perry naturally paired up when Laura found space enough for the four of them, leaving Danny and Laura to dance together. They danced together for a couple of songs after the initial awkwardness of dancing with your recent ex, then joined Lafontaine and Perry, switching partners back and
forth. The song Beautiful Monster by NeYo began pumping through the speakers when Laura and Danny were paired back up. Laura’s back flushed with Danny’s front as they danced. Her arms were reached back around Danny’s neck and her eyes closed, letting the bass vibrate through her.

She opened her eyes just as the crowd parted, giving her a clear view to Carmilla leaning against the bar watching her dance. Something came over Laura and she ground harder against Danny while maintaining Carmilla’s eye contact. She watched as a smirk grew on Carmilla’s face as she took a sip of her drink, The song’s lyrics brought Laura back to her startling reality. “She’s a monster/ Beautiful monster…” Carmilla was pushing herself off the bar. Laura felt her breath get caught in her chest.

“Remember the plan.” Danny’s breath brushed her ear before the taller girl stepped back as Carmilla approached them.

Giving Danny a look, Carmilla held out her hand to Laura. “Might I have this dance, sweetheart?”

Laura took a slow deep breath as her hand slid into Carmilla’s cold one. The vampire’s coldness was felt through her dress as she pulled her into her. She smiled,
making Carmilla smile in return and Laura caught a hint of a fang.

She’s a monster/ Beautiful monster

This time, Laura frowned at the words. They were in direct contrast with the woman before her now. Carmilla was gently guiding Laura’s hip to the beat of the bass. For grinding against her, she was treating her like porcelain.

But I don’t mind/ No I don’t mind

Laura shook her head to clear her thoughts. Sure, Carmilla was a vampire. And technically that made her a monster. But her heart was what made her lovable. Wait,
lovable?

Before Laura could start arguing with herself, Carmilla spoke in her ear. “What ever you’re thinking about can wait.”

Laura hummed to herself. She met Carmilla’s gaze through her lashes. “Sorry. I was deciding if I liked this song or not.” As she spoke, the song changed into a slower song.

“Do you know this one?” Carmilla pulled her in closer and wrapped her arms around Laura’s waist.

“No, do you?” Laura teased as she moved her hands to Carmilla’s neck.

Carmilla began leading them in a sway, surprisingly humming along with it. Soon the song got to the chorus and Carmilla turned Laura into a puddle as she began singing along with it. “So I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you. I’m gonna hold you, like I’m saying goodbye wherever we’re . I won’t take you for granted ‘cause we’ll never know when, when we’ll run out of time. So I’m gonna love you, like I’m gonna lose you.”

Laura laid her head on her shoulder as Carmilla continued singing to her. She looked back up at her when the song ended and she realized they weren’t moving anymore. Carmilla’s gaze made her catch her breath in her throat. She watched as Carmilla’s eyes fell to her lips and returned to her eyes several times.

They weren’t sure who leaned in first, but they both felt the sparks that shot through their bodies as their lips connected. Carmilla’s lips fit hers better than Danny’s ever did. She was was the just right amount of gentle and rough. Laura nearly lost feeling in her knees when she felt Carmilla’s tongue swipe at her lips.

Laura gasped as Carmilla pulled away, her eyes slowly opening. Her shallow breaths blew across the other girl’s face as she traced the slope of Laura’s nose with her own. Laura pulled her closer. She leaned in eager for another taste of Carmilla’s lips but Carmilla held back.

“Take a walk with me.” She softly commanded. Laura was helpless to even try to protest. Carmilla slid her hand from Laura’s waist up to her arms still wrapped around her neck. She kissed her knuckles and led Laura away from the mass of bodies surrounding them. They were so wrapped up in each other that they missed Danny watching them from the far wall.

With one of the most genuine smiles Laura’s ever seen, Carmilla led her out a side door. Laura giggled as Carmilla scowled when she saw another couple had beaten them to the balcony that overlooked Lake Sheridan. The couple must’ve felt Carmilla’s glare because they quickly left. Carmilla pulled Laura over to the marble banister. Only with the aid of her heels, Laura put her chin on Carmilla’s shoulder and wrapped her arms around the other girl’s middle. She felt Carmilla hum in approval.

“It’s beautiful out here, Carm.” Laura nuzzled into her neck. Carmilla tugged on her hand, wanting Laura to stand next to her. She overlapped their hand s on the cool banister. The cold shocked Laura who was still warm from the dancing.

“There’s no light pollution out here. You can see thousands of stars from here, even more on the roof.”

Laura watched her lips from the words. Half of Carmilla’s face was covered by shadow, while the other half bathed in the bright moonlight. “How did you find this area?” It was normally hidden from view during the day.

“This is where I come most nights.” She looked at Laura.

“Cause you find comfort in the stars…” Laura’s thumb stroked Carmilla’s hand above hers.

She bit her lip and nodded. “They remind me that I’m free.” Carmilla looked down, laughing darkly to herself. “I guess you’re going to get that tragic backstory after all, cupcake.” Her hand was squeezed by Laura, making her look up at the girl.

“Whatever you want to tell me. Nothing more, okay?” Laura looked her in the eye, sincerity shining through.

Carmilla swallowed her nerves and began speaking. “I was born Mircalla, Daughter of the Count Karnstein in 1680. I lived a polished life until I was 18. I was attending my birthday ball when a crazed man claiming that my father had wronged him murdered me.”

Laura gasped and put her free hand over their clasped ones.

Carmilla looked at her and swallowed. “It was after that that I met Mother, not my birth mother mind you, but the one I knew after death. I knew nothing of her, except that she was very old and very wise and had pried apart the jaws of death to enact my rescue.” Carmilla looked out at the stars. “The wide world...opened before me as it never had been in life. We danced in the mirrored halls of Versailles, watched the stars whirl over seas no man had named. We saw the birth of a new world in science and philosophy and revolution. Every night was a grand ball… a hunt...a feast. But, every 20 years we would return here and preform a strange ritual.”
Carmilla’s eyes fell to the marble railing.

Laura reached up and brushed her hair out of her face. She gave the vampire a reassuring smile.

“Mother would arrange for me to meet a young girl. I’d be abandoned at a ball or there would be a carriage wreck. And some kind stranger and his ward, usually a niece or daughter, would be gallant enough to take me in. Pretty soon, she and I would become fast friends. But, of course, she would fall ill...And before long it was time to rejoin my mother in search of my next friend. I was never an abductor...just-just a lure. And that was how I met Ell.”

Laura watched as tears caught the mooonlight and reflected off Carmilla’s face as they fell onto the stone below. She brought a hand around her waist and pulled her closer, still holding tightly to her hand.

Carmilla coughed and cleared her throat. “It was 1872, and the Modern Museum of Art had just opened in New York and I wanted more than anything to sail to see it. But Maman insisted. The game started off the same. Carriage wreck, promise of shelter, fast friendship...Only this time none of it was a lie. And when the time came to take Ell to my mother, I couldn’t bear to give her up. So I planned our escape and went ahead to make preparations. But when the time came for me to meet Ell, disaster struck. I had...taken great lengths to hide what I was to from her. But Maman got to her before I did and revealed my true nature in the most horrifying light. Ell believed me to be a monster and Maman to be her savior. And so, my price for disobedience was to watch Ell be led away to certain doom and to be sealed in a coffin of blood so that I might waste away my long centuries in the dark. It wasn’t until the last great war of the modern world that I was dset free. Maman found me in Paris in the 19502 and didn’t have the heart to reinter me. I was of more use here, where the details had changed but the game had not. I was to meet girls and make friends and see to it that the blossoms were ready to be plucked when Maman decided. ANd I never knew what use Maman had for the girls. I was a always a secret she had kept from me but I could afford to bide my time and help girls escape when I could, so I watched and waited...until I learned what I had truly been apart of all along. What I had betrayed Ell to before she betrayed me.”

Laura’s fingers clutched at the fabric of Carmilla’s dress as she slammed her fist down in anger. Laura leaned her head on Carmilla’s shoulder. “I was gonna be next, wasn’t I?” Carmilla’s jaw brushed the side of her head as she nodded.

“You were, until I punched Will. Thanks for that by the way.” Carmilla laughed, Laura grinned and wrapped her arm around the vampire’s. “You’re taking this considerably well. You do understand I’m not one of those TV vampires, yes?”

Laura lifted her head and face Carmilla. “I knew, you know? About the vampire thing, but I never felt threatened around you.”

“I must be losing my edge.”

Laura smirked, “Sure you are. That’s why you were badass enough to save me from Will.”

Carmilla rolled her eyes and looked back over the campus. “Whatever you think…Laura.” She earned a confused head tilt from the girl beside her.

“You never call me by my name.”

Carmilla face Laura, her eyes mapping out her features. “You’re different from all those other girls.”

“You mean, you don’t take all the ladies out here?”

Carmilla smirked. “Only the ones who insist on finding trouble and rambling all the time.”

“I don’t ramble all the ti-“ Laura was cut off by Carmilla’s lips on hers. When they parted, “Shut up.” Carmilla leaned back in. She lead them over to a more secluded part of the balcony, far away from wandering eyes.

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Laura laid there looking up at the night sky. In the distance she could hear the fireworks the Zetas were setting off. She smiled remembering how she was seeing her own fireworks only moments ago. Carmilla was lying next to her, running her hand over Laura’s stomach. She shivered. Whether from the night air or Carmilla’s touch, she couldn’t decide.

“Cold creampuff?” Carmilla’s hand stilled on her stomach.

Laura turned her head and looked into her chocolate eyes. She went to burrow into Carmilla’s neck after nodding yes, but Carmilla was pushing her back down. “Wait here for a second.” And then she was gone in a puff of smoke. Seconds later, she returned with clothes for Laura.

“That was fast.” Laura murmured as she took the clothes from Carmilla.

“There are a few perks to being a vampire. Super speed is just one of them. Along with animal shifting.”

“What? What’s your animal form?”

“Don’t know. Haven’t been able to shift yet.” Carmilla had already changed into one of her usual outfits. Laura finished buttoning her pants and reached out for her shirt. All of a sudden she remembered the plan to capture Carmilla.

“Carm, I need to tell you something.” Laura didn’t get a chance to tell her as her friends jumped out of nowhere, swarming Carmilla. Kirsch and Lafontaine held Carmilla down as Danny checked over the still shirtless Laura.

“Are you okay?” Danny asked, paying primary attention to the dark blemishes now adorning Laura’s neck, looking for puncture wounds.

“I’m fine.” Laura said looking at the defeated Carmilla, guilt weighing down her words. She grabbed Danny’s arm and pleaded, “We need to let her go.”

“Laura! Have you lost your mind?! Think of all the girls she’s taken.” Lafontaine shouted from their place on top of Carmilla.

Laura worried her lips as she looked between her friends and the angry Carmilla. When she met Carmilla’s eyes, she saw a fiery hatred reflected back. Carmilla jerked and sent Lafontaine and Kirsch flying off her.

“Fuck you, Laura. I thought you were different. Congratulations on just becoming another notch in my belt, cupcake.” Carmilla was gone in a second. Her words were like frozen stakes piercing Laura’s heart and turning her blood to ice. She collapsed to her knees, sobs wracking her body instantly. Danny tried to reach out to comfort her but Laura pulled back like her touch burned her. The stars continues to burn brightly in the sky.

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It’d been two weeks. Two weeks since Carmilla ran away. Can’t say I blame her. Laura knew she hadn’t snuck back in the room during the middle of the night since she’d left her webcam on for the first few nights, giving up as it sunk in that Carmilla wasn’t coming back. It’s all my fault. I should’ve told her about the plan. Or better yet not gone through with it.

Tears began making their way down Laura’s face as she layed in her bed. I was foolish to think she’d just come back. Especially with what Ell put her through. Her friends had tried to get Laura up, but only Danny had managed a temporary fix by making her go out for food with her after barging into her room. In the two weeks span, another girl had been taken. The Dean and her vampires were only one girl shy of completing whatever it was they were doing with them. J.P. was now constantly searching through tons of information to figure out who or what the Dean was working for after Laura relayed what Carmilla had told her before locking herself up in self isolation.

Laura wiped her face and sniffed. Girl the hell up, Hollis. These girls are still in danger. She ran her hand through her hair. Think, Laura, think. Carmilla said there was some sort of light. Laura groaned. J.P. had sent a lot of articles about being with ‘light’ but none of them fit what was going on at Silas. I bet the library has what we need. She checked her alarm clock and saw it was only a quarter to 8AM. Laura sullenly rolled out of bed, making a game plan for hitting up the library while attempting to erase any signs of crying off her face before class.

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Carmilla trudged through the snow of the mountains that surrounded a small village only a handful of miles away from the Silas campus. She could only go so far from the school thanks to Maman’s orders. Fucking vampirical hierarchy. Carmilla swallowed, the animal blood she’d been surviving on just wasn’t working anymore. She’d have to venture back down to the village at least sometime soon. She frowned at the idea. Surely she could hold out for a few more days until after the full moon. Her Mother was nothing, if not traditional. Just once she’d like there to be some ritual sacrifice on a quarter moon or half moon.

Carmilla ducked into the cove she’d been calling home for the last few days as the wind began to pick up. The cold itself didn’t affect her, it was just an uncomfortable feeling. Still she wrapped her arms around herself and hunkered down against the wall. As the wind howled past the cave’s mouth, Carmilla fell victim to her thoughts.

Laura was supposed to be different.

The wind howled louder as if in protest.

Mother is going to love this. Mircalla fell for another mortal. She slammed her fist into the cave wall. Rock and dirt fell around her as the cave shook from the force. Carmilla didn’t notice the dark figures standing out in the snow.

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In the hours, Laura had been down in the basement pourin through book after book, She’d developed as system with the books. Turned out that if you showed them that you weren’t there to hurt the library, they wouldn’t attack you. They were the library’s defense system. Maybe bringing Danny here with her guns blazing hadn’t been the best idea. But now that Laura had befriended them, they were helping her by finding books on different monsters and omens and prophecies, along with some sumerian to english translation books. She looked away from one of the books as her phone buzzed.

Lafontaine: What’d you find?

Laura: I think it’s this thing called Lophiformes.

Lafontaine: WTH is a Lophiformes?

Laura: A big scary thing. I’ll tell you more when I get back, I’m about done here.

Laura hit send and began picking up her books. A shadow move among the bookcases. Laura brushed it off as just another one of the library’s guardians and continued packing up. Her phone buzzed on the desk.

Lafontaine: Okay, text me when you get back.

A gust of wind brushed by Laura. She took in a breath and felt something behind her. Something predatory. Her breath caught in her throat. “Oh, crap.” She turned and faced Will. He smirked and knocked her out. The books she was holding fell to the ground as he easily drug her out of the library.

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Trees whizzed by as Carmilla chased her next blood source. The deer didn’t have a chance. She smoothly caught up to it, wrapping her arms around it’s neck and sinking her fangs in. It fell limp as she drained it quickly. Her ears prickled at a crunch in the snow behind her. Footsteps. Two people. She sniffed the air. Correction. Two vampires. Carmilla dropped the deer carcass and stood up from leaning over it.

“Bit old to be drinkin’ deer blood, aren’t ya?” A female voice snarled through the frozen forest.

Carmilla turned to face the vampires behind her. She immediately recognized them as two of her mother’s lower minions. Eddard was turned twenty years after her mother had found her, and the one who’d spoken, Natalia, was a snobby princess who was turned sometime long before Carmilla. She’d turned out to be an even bigger disappointment than Carmilla, even with her human loving ways. Natalia hated how Carmilla became Lilita’s favortie after she’d spent decades grooming Natalia to take that position. Eddard stood silently next to the fuming vampire. He had no quarrel with Carmilla and sympathized her when she fell for that first mortal girl. He remembered his loving family. He’d been lucky to be born poor and was able to marry out of love rather than strategy. After 200 years, he’d grown weary of the vampiric
lifestyle.

Carmilla eyed them and crossed her arms. “Little old to be playing babysitter?” She growled back. Natalia bared her fangs before her lips curled into a smirk.

“How long have you been up here, I wonder?” Natalia cocked her hip.

“What are you going on about?” Carmilla knew that if her mother was sending these two after her, something was up. “What did mommy dearest want now?”

Natalia chuckled darkly. “You’re really good at losing human lovers, aren’t you?

Carmilla narrowed her eyes. Laura. She looked to Eddard, his pained face confirming her unasked questions. In less than a blink of an eye, Carmilla slammed Natalia against a tree by her neck, splintering the trunk. “What happened to her?” she hissed through gritted teeth.

Natalia choked on a laugh. “Take a guess, Karnstein.”

Carmilla let out a frustrated yell and put her fist through the tree next to Natalia’s head. “What happened to her?” She emphasised each word with a tighter grip on Natalia’s neck.

“Lilita had Will take her now that you were out of the way.” Eddard broke his silence. “Then she sent us to kill you.” His voice was filled with reluctance. Carmilla looked back at him and let go of Natalia.

“She sent you two to kill me?”

Eddard stepped forward. “Mircalla…” He reached out to her.

She glared at him. “That’s not my name anymore. That’s not me anymore.”

“Good, Mircalla was a snotty little thing.” Eddard smiled before sobering up. “Carmilla, you still have time to save her.”

Natalia stood back up. “Not if I kill this bitch first.” She lunged at Carmilla, tackling her into the snow. She began clawing at Carmilla, who easily blocked her strikes. Carmilla bucked her hips and flipped them. She wasted no time in her attempt to rearrange Natalia’s face. Eddard watched as Carmilla’s knuckles became bloodier and bloodier. He dropped his gaze to Natalia briefly before bellowing, “Carmilla, enough!” When Carmilla didn’t respond, he walked over and pulled her off Natalia. She snarled as she hit the ground feet first. She went to lunge back at Natalia but Eddard stepped in front of her. “She’s stalling you.” He drew his sword. It instilled fear in Carmilla as she looked at its blade. It was the darkest dark she’d ever seen, it swallowed the light surrounding it.

Natalia stood up behind Eddard, smirking with bloody lips. “Oh, you’re gonna get it now, you bitch.” Carmilla bared her fangs in response.

“This sword kills whoever uses it.” Eddard said waving it in front of himself, “But for you Carmilla, I give my life.” He spun the sword under his arm and into Natalia’s gut. She screamed and he began seizing. “Go save your lover.” He said before falling to the ground, lifeless. Carmilla hesitated, in shock at how quickly things happened. She stepped over to Eddard.

“Have a good sleep, bruder.” She leant down and closed his eyes, grabbing the sword as she stood. This could be useful against Mother. She took the sword’s sheath and sped back to the school. She’d made it through the village outside of Silas before her adrenalin wore off and her thoughts came rushing back to her. Laura...her Laura...no, not her Laura, had been taken. Mother was going to kill her. “Argh!” Carmilla collapsed in the snow. It was as though every cell of her being was violently shifted and reformed. She dropped her hands to the ground, now on all fours and screamed into the night, eyes closed. Everything went black.

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It had been nearly four hours since Lafontaine had heard from Laura. They looked at the black screen of their phone, then looked at Perry, who was beginning a new batch of stress brownies. “Uh, hey, Perr?”

Perry hummed in acknowledgement as she spread the brownie mix in a pan.

“I think something happened to Laura.” Lafontaine clutched their phone and began looking for their baseball bat. “I’m gonna call Kirsch and Danny. Hopefully, she just fell asleep.”

Danny arrived to the dorm room a few minutes later, Kirsch appeared shortly afterwards. Lafontaine eyed the two of them before looking back at their phone. Danny stepped forward and joined Lafontaine on the bed. “So what’s the ‘SOS’ about?”

They fiddled with the phone, turning it off and on, not really looking at it. “Laura’s been unreachable-”

“What do you mean unreachable?” Danny screeched.

Lafontaine opened their mouth to answer before biting their lip. “Well she hasn’t, uh, exactly responded to texts.” They nearly ended up on the floor when Danny shot up from the bed. “That’s not to say she didn’t just fall asleep.”

Danny turned on them. “Where was she?”

Lafontaine quickly weighed how hurt they’d be if they answered Danny. “Hmm?” Play dumb it was.

Danny pulled them up by their collar. “Where was she?”

Perry whacked Danny’s hands, making her drop Lafontaine. “Library. Don’t do that again.” She eyed Danny until the tall girl stepped away from Lafontaine. She grinned and turned back to her pan. She picked it up and headed for the door. “Well, aren’t you going to get Laura?” She left the room. “Oh, and Su-Lafontaine, no mud!” she called out down the hall.

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What the frilly hell? Carmilla slowly blinked her eyes open. She brought her hand to her head as she sat up, nearly taking her head off when a large black paw came flying at her. She jumped back to avoid the paw and fell over herself. What the hell is going on? Looking around in the forest she didn’t see anyone or anything around her. She took a calming breath, she could almost taste the smoke from the village. Then it hit her. She looked down at herself and let out a strangled yelp of a growl. She was a cat. A fucking black cat. Carmilla stood up, revealing how big she really was. The top of her head would easily be level with that ginger giant. So somehow I’m a big cat. She let out a growl. With her new heightened senses, she can even more easily hear all the animals’ heartbeats speed up. No, not a cat. Panther. She chuckled mentally. Oh, cupcake, Bagheera’s got nothing on me. Cupcake… Laura! With a twitch of her tail, Carmilla scooped up the sword with her teeth and galloped to Silas.

Within minutes Carmilla was looking at the coral gates, she snarled and walked through them. Pausing and looking around the campus and smelling all the vampiric
minions, Carmilla snuck back to her dorm room. As she expected, the ginger squad plus the overgrown puppy had made themselves at home in her and Laura’s room. Whatever they were looking at on the computer must have had their full attention for none of them to notice a giant panther entering the room. It wasn’t until she dropped the sword with a clack, clack and growled that they turned around. Perry promptly fainted into Lafontaine’s arms, while Kirsch and Danny fought over who was protecting whom. Carmilla rolled her eyes. Okay… Now how do I-oh okay. Carmilla shifted back to her human form. Looking at herself, “Well at least the clothes are still on.” she muttered to herself.

“What the hell was that fangface?” Danny yelled as she pushed Kirsch away from her. Lafontaine had woken Perry up and she was standing next to them.
Carmilla ignored Danny’s question and honed in on Lafontaine. “Before she was taken, I’m sure Lauronica Mars found out what Maman is up to,” She stepped past Danny and kirsch to get in Lafontaine’s face. “What did she find?”

“Well…” Lafontaine spun to look at the computer. “When we got to the library…”

Dany led the way into the sub-basement, batting away attacking books with her bat. “I should bring some of the softball girls down here! This is great batting practice.”

Lafontaine ducked under Pride and Prejudice. “I don’t think now’s the time to be thinking about that?” A book flapping nearby caught their attention. Unlike the rest of the books, it was just hovering near them. As the covers bobbed up and down, Lafontaine saw it’s title The Helper. “Uh, guys? I think this one is trying to get our attention.”

Danny homered one last book before looking behind her. The Helper led them through the bookcases and even defended Kirsch when he toppled over a stack of sleeping books. It finally brought them to a desk, piled high with books and papers. Most importantly was Laura’s phone on the floor nearby. Kirsch stepped forward first and picked up Laura’s phone. “Little hottie…” he whispered cradling the phone in careful hands. He turned to Lafontaine and Danny leaning over the desk and picking up the dropped books.

After a few moments of shuffling books and papers alike and getting nowhere, Danny yelled in frustration. “This is hopeless. Laura had hours! We don’t have that kind of time.” The Helper fluttered around the trio in an agitated manner and the humans had to step back as the books came alive, pages ruffling. The books calmed and Danny read what pages they’d landed on. “Holy shit.” In front of her all the books were open to pages about or related to the thing that was Lophiiformes. Lafontaine and Danny immediately jumped at the books, Kirsch high fived-paged The Helper. “Alright book bro!”

Carmilla sat on her bed, arms crossed. “So what is Lophiiformes?” She sank more into her bed. Laura’s yellow pillow peaking out from under her own. Lafontaine turned back to the room.

“It’s a giant fish god that feeds on the souls of girls, well- people...it didn’t specify.”

Carmilla frowned, “Mother always was one for tradition.” She stood up from her bed and started pacing. “But where would she hide that thing on campus?”

“I’ve had J.P. searching…”

“Searching what? ‘Hey google, where would I hide a god?’”

“Look fangface, you’re not exactly spouting out answers.” Danny towered over Carmilla.

“And what are you doing, dog breath? Fighting with beefcake over who tops w-”

“The Lustig!”

Danny and Carmilla whipped their heads to Perry.

“What? It’s the only building off limits to students. That’s where I’d hide a god.”

Lafontaine side eyed her. “We’ll talk about why you’ve thought about that later… So the Lustig?” They looked at the others. “So let’s grab our weapons and meet back in five?”

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Carmilla laid on her bed, picking at her nails, the Blade of Hastur rested next to her. She sighed and looked at the clock on Laura’s headboard. The dimwit squad had left twenty minutes ago, promising to return in five. The vampire rolled her eyes and continued picking at her fingernails. She ran a tongue over a fang and felt her hunger spike. Shit. She closed her eyes. Maybe there’s still some in the… Carmilla rolled off the bed and walked to the fridge. Yanking the door open, her eyes immediately landed on the milk container. Her lips curled to a smirk as she brought the container to cover them.

Carmilla rolled her eyes back in pleasure as the blood slid down her throat. Monster or not, there was nothing like quenching a thirst. A growl escaped her when she heard the door creak open as the last drop passed her lips. She grunted at Lafontaine when she noticed they had vials slung across their chest. “What. Are. Those?”

Lafontaine tapped the vials, “They’re holy water grenades! Per has the stakes.” They grinned. Carmilla hissed in annoyance at them and dropped the milk carton in the trash.

“Where’s Sasquatch and the mutt?” Carmilla crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Right here, Elvira.” Danny stepped in the doorway behind Lafontaine. Her face had warpaint on it and a bow and quiver were slung over her shoulder. Kirsch poked
his head in next to her, he appeared to be carrying a trident. “We have the Summers and bros ready to go outside.”

Carmilla traced her fangs with her tongue, wiping away the remnants of blood. “Let’s go get Laura.”

“And the other girls!”

The vampire rolled her eyes at Danny’s comment as she went to her bed to grab the sword. “Whatever. Lead the way Clifford.”

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Pain. There was pain everywhere. Laura groaned and opened her eyes. She coughed and breathed in the damp air. She blinked her eyes to clear them. The room was dark with a single light bulb dangling from the ceiling. She tried to sit up better only to find her hands were bound behind her. Great. She heard a door open behind her.

“Oh good. You’re awake.” The voice sent shivers down Laura’s spine. The Dean, or Lilita, she didn’t deserve to be called the Dean, stepped in front of her. If Laura thought she was scary before, seeing Lilita up this close was downright terrifying. Her eyes were a bright red. Her breath smelled of iron, she must have just fed before coming to see Laura. “My apologies for the soreness you probably feel. William said you were a fighter. Even unconscious.” She clicked her tongue as she leaned down and moved a piece of hair from Laura’s face. “Mircalla really isn’t going to like that black eye.” Her fingers traced the edge of the bruise.

Laura’s skin crawled everywhere her fingers touched and she kept down the urge to move her head away as she glared at Lilita. “Her name is Carmilla.” She spat out.

“Hmm. For now. She always was a slow learner.” Lilita dragged her hand along Laura’s jaw before stepping away from her back towards the door. It creaked open again. “Maybe some more time in the coffin will teach her.” The door closed.

Laura shut her eyes and took a deep breath as she let herself breakdown at the thought of Carmilla going through that again.
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Carmilla motioned to the humans that the coast was clear as they snuck their way to the Lustig building. There was a click behind her. Schiebe.

“Tell them to scram, Carmilla. They don’t have to get killed.” When she didn’t respond, the minion pushed the gun to the back of her head. She heard a shick and the vampire was laying on the ground next to her.

“You okay, Carm-sexy?” Kirsch stands behind her when she turned around. They eyes the body. “Is he dead?”

Carmilla gave him a kick. “Not completely, but enough for us. Grab that gun, though. It has holy water bullets. One shot will take out a vamp for good regardless of where they’re hit.” She looked back at Kirsch. “What the hell is that?”

“This?” He pulled a black ski mask over his head. “My bro found. Thought it would make me more stealthy.”

Carmilla barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Just barely. “Whatever. Lets keep moving.” They rejoined the gingers and shared the news about the guns. The summers were steadfast in only using their bows, but the Zetas jumped at the use of guns. They began going after the vampires instead of avoiding them, upping their ammunition and gun supply. The Summers would snipe the vampires, while the Zetas moved in to finish the job if need be, and to retrieve the guns and arrows. Soon there was a clear path to the Lustig.

When they entered to old theater building, Danny spread the Summers and Zetas through the top floors. She turned to Carmilla. “Alright, where would your mother have Laura?”

Carmilla ran a hand through her hair. “Mother always was one for theatrics.”

“So the stage?” They looked at Lafontaine. “I mean come on. What’s more theatrical than the main stage?”

“Only problem, the stage collapsed in a sinkhole a hundred years...ago. Of course that’s where she’d put the damn thing.” Carmilla nodded to the pair of double doors in front of them. “Those are the doors to the stage but she’ll be expecting that. Split up and go around the stage with the doors there.” She pointed to single doors just past the doubles. As the humans began heading to one door, Carmilla grabbed Lafontaine. “I have special plans for you. Hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

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After taking care of Lafontaine, Carmilla stepped into the quiet hallway. It was lined with lockers the former actor’s used to put their personal belongings in. The moon offered the only light. She took a deep breath and gripped the sword harder. “You can show yourself, Victoria.”

A woman stepped out from leaning against the wall past the last row of lockers. “Darn, I wanted the humans/ But I’ll take you too Mircalla.” Victoria teased. She was a woman forever trapped in her 20s. She was originally from Spain and was turned in the late 1800s.

“I really don’t have time for this.” Carmilla sighed.

Victoria smirked and tilted her head. In the blink of an eye, she was charging towards Carmilla. She grasped Carmilla by the shoulders and heaved her into the lockers. “Don’t worry, it won’t take long.” Victoria bared her fangs as she stood over her.

Carmilla reached for the sword and that she’d dropped when she was thrown into the lockers. She snarled at Victoria. Standing up to face Victoria, Carmilla didn’t notice the sword beginning to glow.

Victoria noticed, however. A flash of recognition flashed over her face. “That- that’s Eddard’s sword. You killed him, you bitch! He was mine!” Victoria’s fangs and nails grew and turned into claws.

“Shit.” Carmilla muttered as Victoria lunged at her. She brought the sword up to block Victoria’s swipes at her. “Technically. I didn’t kill him. The sword did.” She pushed Victoria back.

Victoria just screamed at her.

“Well no need to be rude about it.” Victoria came at her again. Carmilla deflected her claws and spun, bringing the sword to slice through Victoria’s neck. Victoria caught it but not before it had already gone halfway through her neck. She sputtered and spit out blood before falling to the ground. Carmilla looked at her for a moment before readjusting her grip on the sword and continuing through to the stage.

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When she walked in, she looked at the crater. Around the edge stood Lilita, a dozen more vampires, and the sacrifices. Laura. They were all facing the crater and hadn’t noticed her yet. Laura turned her head to one of the other girls, showing her black eye. Carmilla saw red and took a deep breath, smelling Laura’s sweet blood from her other injuries. Her vision shifted and then ext thing she knew she was mauling the dozen vampires. She’d made quick work of them by the time Lilita looked at her. Carmilla ran her eyes over Laura. Her eyes were glazed over like the other girls.

“Ah, Mircalla. I was wondering when you’d show up.” A growl vibrated from Carmilla’s throat.

“Her name is Carmilla.”Laura’s voice broke the vampire’s stares. Her eyes were full of fire.

“Fang face! You started without us! Oh.” Danny yelled as the humans finally joined them at the crater.

Lilita glanced at the group before looking back at Laura, who now stood next to the panther. “Figures that would be your form.” She sneered.

Carmilla did the panther equivalent of rolling her eyes and butted her head against Laura’s hand. Laura grinned down at her and began reaching for the dropped sword as the ginger squad and Kirsch joined them.

“Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn’t pick that up if I were you, my little moppet.” Lilita smirked, “Unless you are so eager to die a much more painful fate that what I had planned for you.”

Laura hesitated, hand hovering over the sword. “But Carmilla was able to hold it.”

Lilitia froze. Then looked at Carmilla with a curious eye. “How were you able to use it? Eddard wouldn’t have parted with it easily. And I felt you use on Victoria. So how is it you’re still walking?” She took a step towards the two.

Carmilla snarled and move in front of Laura. Her tail swishing violently. Laura reached out and touched her side, her fingers lightly brushing her fur as they watched the Dean approach them.

“Hey Dean Lady, stay back! We’re warning you!” Kirsch yelled out, aiming his gun at her.

Lilita smirk and waved her hand at him, sending him flying back.

“Kirsch!” Danny screamed and ran to check on him.

Lilita glared at Perry until she back away, stakes shaking in her hands. She looked back at Carmilla. “Honestly, darling, where do you find these humans?”

Carmilla leaned back, pushing Laura further back. When Laura didn’t keep moving, Carmilla turned to look at her and used her head to push her away.

“Okay, okay.” Laura moved to join Perry away from the vampires. Carmilla looked back at her mother and shifted back to her human form.

“I’m not going to let you hurt anyone else. I’m tired of being your puppet.” She bent down and picked up the sword. “As for why I’m not dead. Well, maybe the sword just likes me better.” She smirked at her.

Lilita stopped walking towards her now that she had the sword. “It’s too late for you to stop me now. The Great One will rise tonight.”

Before Carmilla could roll her eyes at her mother’s theatrics, the ground began to shake. Looking to the crater, they could see a light rising from within it. Carmilla looked up to where Lafontaine had been getting into position high above the crater on the old catwalk of the stage. “Lafontaine, bomb the hell out of here!” Carmilla ran to the humans and started pushing them out of the building, as Lafontaine began hurling their vials of holy water down on Lilita.

Laura clutched at Carmilla’s arm as she drug her away, “What about the other girls?? Carm, we can’t just leave them there!”

“Seriously, cupcake?” Carmilla groaned. But she passed Laura off to Danny to keep getting her out of there. She took a deep breath and ran back out into the maelstrom of holy water. She quickly reached the other sacrifices and ran them back to the exit, dodging the vials that were incapacitating Lilita.

“Lafontaine, get out of here! I’ll take care of the rest!” Lafontaine shot her a salute and threw the last of their vials at Lilita in a hail mary before scrambling out of there.

Lilita slowly stood, steam coming off her as the holy water burned her. “Oh, dear, you are going to regret that.” She whispered. She began shrinking and a cloud of crows were suddenly swarming Carmilla.

She brought her hands up to defend herself, occasionally swinging the sword at the birds when there was a lull in the swarm. “Fight me like a vampire! Not like a coward!” Carmilla yelled into the birds. She cast a quick glance at the crater. The light was getting more and more intense. Shit. Still need to handle that. With her mother still flying around, Carmilla ran to the crater and looked in. She could see a large bulb that seemed to the source of the light.

“I’d be careful of the edges if I were you, Mircalla.”

Carmilla felt a hand at her back, before there was a quick push against it. She caught herself before she fell into the crater and swung her sword. Lilita switched back into her crows to dodge it. By this time the bulb was cresting the edge of the crater, below it Carmilla couldn’t see anything under it. Carmilla looked between her mother who was now standing a few meters away from her and the bulb steadily rising. The ground was still shaking as the god rose. Fuck it. Carmilla back away from the edge of the crater and took a running leap at the bulb. She brought the sword down on the bulb. When the sword pierced it, it unleashed an explosive wave that sent Carmilla flying back into the seats of the theater. She didn’t get up and the sword clattered to the ground.

“Carmilla!” Laura screamed at the top of the stairs leading to the crater. Danny looked up as she regrabbed Laura and saw the roof beginning to cave.

“Laura, we have to go, now.” She hoisted Laura over her shoulder.

“We can’t leave her!”

“We have to, it’s what she would want.” Danny spared one last look as the Dean screamed as the light disappeared and pieces of the roof were falling now. Danny gathered the remaining humans and they exited the building. Moments later the entire building collapsed into a sinkhole.

Laura fainted.

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Weeks past. Laura was almost catatonic. She was just going through the motions of going to class, doing homework, actively avoiding looking at half her room. Perry and Lafontaine made sure to come over and check on her often. Danny came around once or twice, Laura didn’t really notice. She barely noticed when Perry and Lafontaine came in, only because Perry was hounding her to eat something. Professor Cochrane passed her on Danny’s insistence and Kirsch talked to their English professor covering for her sub-par papers she was now turning in, telling him there had been a death in the family. And honestly, he didn’t feel like he was really lying. He knew they all felt it, the absence of Carmilla in all their lives.

He brought some of the Zetas to the sinkhole. He told Danny they were going to honor Carmilla in traditional ‘bro’ fashion, by throwing cherry bombs into the pit. When he came running back, freaking out, Danny could only sigh. Leave it to the Zetas to have probably unleashed Lilita again. She followed him to the pit and looked where he was pointing. She reached for her phone.

“Oh shit.” Lafontaine muttered as they looked into the pit. Perry nudged their side. “So who’s gonna tell Laura?”

“How about one of you just grab me some blood and I’ll tell the damn cupcake.”

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Laura sat her mug down on her headboard when their was a knock on her door. She sighed. These visits from Laf and Perry were getting irritating. They just didn’t get it. They still had each other, their person. She...she didn’t. And Carmilla wouldn’t know how she felt. Kirsch would try to reassure her, “Little nerd hottie, Carm-sexy totally knew how you felt.” She clutched her yellow pillow to her chest. “Go away! I don’t want to see anyone.” She said at the door and buried her head in her pillow.

The door creaked open.

“Seriously, just go.” Her voice was muffled by the pillow.

“I’m your roommate sweetheart, where else would I go?” Carmilla chuckled as Laura launched herself from the bed into her arms.