#tghwg

Lilith: We need to stop meeting like this...people will start to talk.

Carmen: I don't want to talk to you, either, but I need some answers. Maybe if you tell me what I want to know we can make this our last meeting.

Lilith: Fine. Ask your pesky questions and be done with it.

Carmen: What was Violet's relationship to Vlad like? Were they lovers? Did Vlad turn her into a vampire?

Lilith: *laughs* Don't you know? People with magic in their blood cannot be turned. They have some sort of immunity. Oh, Vlad wanted to make her immortal, but it was impossible. Besides, Violet didn't want to become a vampire. I can't imagine why.

Lilith: As for Violet's relationship with Vlad, you'd be better off asking him about that. We all assumed they were lovers, but they were very discreet. It took many years for Violet to get over her anger with him for keeping her here. I think she finally came around once she saw what a great leader Vlad is to our community. Vlad has done a lot in the past few decades to bring vampires into the current century.

Carmen: Hmm. That doesn't sound like the whole story, though. How do you change from hating someone to being their probable lover?

Lilith: Like I said, I don't know the whole story. Why don't you just ask Vlad directly?

Carmen: What? I’m serious. How’d you become a vampire, anyway?

Lilith: Asking the hard-hitting questions, aren’t we? Well, if you must know, Vlad turned me and my brother Caleb many years ago. We were camping in Granite Falls and got turned around in the forest one night. Vlad came and gave us the gift of immortality.

Carmen: Oh...well...that doesn’t sound exactly consensual. Were you angry with him?

Cherry: A vampire!! I can’t believe this. So what happened after she left? Did Vlad follow her? Did she get bitten?

Marcella: You’re getting ahead of the story, my dear. Vlad did not follow her that night, nor did she get bitten. After Violet left Vladislaus’ mansion, he asked me to meet him.

Caleb: And what about you, Carmen? What’s your story?

Vlad: Thank you all for coming on such short notice. We’re here tonight to welcome into our community Cherry and Carmen, the newest inhabitants of Forgotten Hollow.

Carmen: We’re...uh...charmed to be here. Right, Ch-Cherry?

When Violet first arrived in Forgotten Hollow she was determined to get to know her neighbors. She decided that since no one had called on her, she would go to them. She began at the house on top of the hill.

Violet knocked on the door and it slowly creaked open, blasting her with a puff of icy air. It seemed colder inside than out in the winter weather. Violet spoke a few “hello”s but didn’t get any answer.

Suddenly a swirling black mist appeared from thin air and inside there appeared to be a person.