Chapter 3
Lenore’s cauldron lived in an old warehouse decorated with worn-down furniture. Ada had been laid onto a shabby couch. Her boots and jacket were removed and laid next to her, while her weaponry was pitched in a dumpster. Lenore was seated in a cushy chair, reading a book as she waited for the vampire hunter to awaken.
Morella had chosen to watch over Ada as well, because, uh… What if she had some hidden weapon? Yeah! That’s why! It’s not like Morella just wanted to watch Ada sleep and listen to her cute little snores. That’d be creepy, right?
Evidently, Lenore noticed Morella mooning over the sleeping girl with a dreamy smile on her face.
“Does someone have a little crush?” Lenore teased.
“N-n-no! I’m just… curious about her.”
“You think she’s preeeetty,” the raven-haired vampire singsonged.
Morella blushed. “She’s so pretty.”
Lenore shrugged. “I’m more into blondes myself.”
“It’s weird, isn’t it?” Morella mumbled. “A vampire carrying a torch for a hunter? One who tried to kill me, no less.”
“I don’t think it’s weird,” Lenore replied casually.
“Really?”
“Sure. After all, I’m not a hypocrite.”
Morella’s eyes practically popped out of her head. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Pink dusted Lenore’s cheeks. “I’ve said too much.”
A grunt reminded the two vampires of the third person in their presence.
“Well, well,” Lenore chuckled. “Looks like our guest is waking up.”
Ada sat up, rubbing her eyes.
When her blurry vision cleared, she saw two young women in front of her. One was Morella, the vampire who had put her to sleep. The other was a tall girl with raven hair.
“Mornin’, sleepyhead,” the dark-haired girl said with a smug smile.
“Hi, Ada!” Morella chirped. “This is my friend Lenore!”
Ada screamed at the top of lungs as she scrambled to her feet.
“Calm down, sweetheart,” Lenore chuckled.
“V-v-v-vam-v-vampire!” Ada sputtered.
Lenore rolled her eyes. “You’re observant.”
Ada felt at her neck and shoulders, but she felt no holes or bite marks.
“Nobody bit you!” assured Morella.
“Why not?” Ada asked suspiciously.
“We’re not thirsty,” Lenore snarked. “Besides, you probably taste like dirt.”
Ada scanned the room, noticing one exit — an entryway leading to a hallway. Slowly, she began edging towards it. It was a long shot, but if she kept the vamps talking, maybe…
“So, you weren’t thirsty,” Ada babbled. “You still could’ve turned me, right? Made me a vampire like you?”
“We don’t…” Morella’s eyebrows knit together. “Are you…?”
Lenore raised a hand, silencing the redhead. “It’s true that we could’ve turned you, but why would we when you’re so valuable to us like this?”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?”
The raven-haired vamp grinned wickedly. “Oh, I am so glad you asked! You see, I happen to know that you are an apprentice to the infamous Annabel Lee, vampire hunter extraordinaire.”
“You know her?” gasped Ada.
Lenore laughed. “I probably know her better than you do. She’s a lovely girl, but I do wish she would stop trying to kill me and the rest of my cauldron—”
“Cauldron? You mean, like, a big pot?”
“A cauldron is a group of bats.”
“I’ve never heard of that. Isn’t a group of bats just called a flock?”
“I refuse to explain this again. Anyways, Annabel is a threat to my cauldron, so my best option is to come to some sort of agreement with her. If only I could gain an audience with her somehow.”
“I get it,” Ada snarled. “I’m a bargaining chip. A hostage.”
“Yep. Whereya going, by the way?”
Ada bolted for the hallway. In a blink, Lenore was standing in the doorway. Ada nearly tripped over herself coming to a stop.
“Ada, dear,” Lenore cooed, “please look at my eyes.”
The vampire’s icy blue irises turned red. Ada immediately tried to look away, but found herself unable to resist Lenore’s gaze. A fog settled over her mind. The vampire hunter became a prisoner within her own body.
“Good girl,” purred Lenore. “Sit back down.”
“Yes, Sire,” Ada heard her own voice say. She sat cross-legged on the floor.
“On the couch, stupid.”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Why is she calling you Sire?” Morella asked as Ada marched back to the couch and took a seat. “Ada, why are you calling Lenore Sire?”
“I don’t know,” Ada replied. “It just feels right, Milady.”
Morella blushed. “Milady?”
“Sometimes hypnotized people throw in some sort of title for the vampires controlling them,” Lenore explained. “I’ve heard ‘Sire’, ‘master’, ‘lord’, one guy even called me ‘mommy’. Never heard ‘Milady’, though. How chivalrous of her.”
Behind the haze clouding her mind, Ada felt embarrassment rise inside her.
“Now, Ada, I want you to listen very closely,” Lenore instructed. “You will not leave this warehouse without explicit permission from myself or another member of my cauldron. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Sire.”
“Good.”
Ada jolted as Lenore released her mind.
“Monsters,” she growled.
“We’re not monsters,” Lenore hissed back. “We just want to live freely, like anyone else.”
“And you’ve taken me prisoner to do that?”
“Yep. Morella, give our guest the grand tour. I have a date to attend.”
It had been ten hours since Annabel had returned from the nightclub. In all that time, she hadn’t slept. She just lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
She had lost someone. For the first time, Annabel had lost a member of her squad.
Ada had been… well, infuriating, but she’d had potential. And passion. And enthusiasm.
Oh, who was she kidding? Ada had been an awful hunter. Naive, clumsy, and frankly kind of dim. Annabel never should have recruited her.
A shuffling noise caused Annabel to sit up. A dark figure was outside her bedroom, pulling her window open.
Annabel sprang out of bed, snatching up a wooden stake that she kept on her bedside table. The enigma pulled back as she approached.
“Hey now,” the figure cautioned.
Annabel recognized the voice. “Lady Lenore.”
“That’s what they call me. May I come in?”
“Of course not!” Annabel spat. “I know the rules.”
“You sure?” Two red eyes lit up the darkness outside, illuminating Lenore’s sharp features. “I might be able to change your mind.”
Annabel felt the pull of the vampire’s gaze, but shook it off.
“Did you really think that would work on me?”
“No,” Lenore admitted. “I was a little curious, though. After all, any worthwhile hunter has the willpower to resist vampiric hypnosis, and yet, your pal Ada doesn’t put up any fight against it.”
“Keep her name out of your mouth!” Annabel roared.
“Ease up,” said Lenore calmly. “She’s not dead, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“You know I wouldn’t lie to you, lover.”
Annabel’s treacherous cheeks reddened. “D-don’t call me that. We’re not lovers.”
Lenore’s face fell. Annabel Lee felt a pang of sadness, but pushed it down.
“What have you done to Ada?”
“She’s safe,” Lenore assured. “I won’t hurt her. When the two of us work out some sort of ceasefire, you’ll get Ada back, safe and sound.”
“I don’t make deals with monsters!” Annabel snarled.
“Fine!” Lenore snapped back. “Then your girl is still mine!”
With a dramatic twirl, Lenore poofed into a bat, flying off through the sky.
Annabel Lee sighed, returning to bed. At least she knew Ada was alive. Maybe now she could get some sleep.