ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪɴᴅᴜꜱᴛʀʏ ꜱᴜᴄᴋꜱ [𝓢𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓻 & 𝓙𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓵𝔂𝓷]

[Saber]

It was amusing how the world had reacted when vampires reclaimed the light in the bustling city of Rockvale. In this era, this…age of modern technology, it was rare that anything was a surprise. People had been expecting something, anything, to interrupt their mundane, monotonous lives. What they got was an ancient darkness that was exhausted of living in the shadows, instead of the bloodthirsty monsters they’d fantasized of. Vampires wanted to be seen, to be known, and the world was finally ready to accept them.

They had been operating in the darkest corners of the world for thousands of years. Crime lords, drug dealers, war mongers, anything they could do to make a living for themselves during the nighttime hours. But after centuries of obscurity, they wanted more. That was made possible with the wondrous creation of UV Blockers. A pill that worked in a fashion akin to an antihistamine. The early trials of the pill were…hit and miss, to say the least. New vampires were created solely to test it for the first couple decades. In the early stages, it would only last a couple hours in fragmented sunlight, but fortunately time was something vampires had an over abundance of.

So as the formula was altered over and over, almost fifty years into the future, it was perfected. One pill in the morning could keep a vampire protected for nearly twelve hours. Two, well, they could practically get a whole twenty-four. The only downside of UVBL, was that if too much was ingested, it affected the vampire’s mental stability. They would become inebriated, in a sense, and were more susceptible to death with decreased reaction time and lowered inhibitions. So the recommended dosage was never more than three pills within twenty-four hours.

Of course, there were ancient vampires that despised this creation. What need did they have to dwell in the sunlight? To expose themselves to humans? What could they possibly gain from stepping out of their shroud? Those that thought that way kept to themselves. Isolating their covens and eventually, were lost to history. Who knew if they were even still alive. Others embraced their newly offered gift of 'life'. Blood Banks now dotted the city where humans could donate blood, it was almost nonsensical how eager some were to offer it. Others drank animal blood, before a human, of all things, created an artificially engineered blood replacement called Amrita. It was satisfactory, but of course ancient beings craved the real thing, and most of them were in positions to get whatever they wanted.

So as Lexa Wyatt sat back on her plush, leather couch in her penthouse at the apex of the building she owned, dressed in black slacks and a white button up, a wicked smile grew on her lips. The moon was full and high in the cloudless night sky, the city lights sparkling below like stars. The moonlight shone dreamily through the floor to ceiling windows that replaced a whole wall of her penthouse, illuminating anything it touched. It was the only light source in her living room at the moment, of course, vampires didn’t need light. They could see perfectly fine in the darkness. Humans however, did need a light source since their eyes were so weak, suited best for daylight. So the bright, celestial body was offering what it could as Lexa had been insistent that the artificial lights were to remain extinguished. It was more…picturesque that way. Watching the two young women who were poised in front of her caused her mouth water. Her sanguine eyes glowing dimly as the predator gazed at her prey, but who to choose?

Though she wasn’t hunting. These bunnies had come willingly into her den knowing the risks, offered themselves like virgin sacrifices (though she was certain they weren’t virgins). She could hear their hearts beating in their chests and it was enough to make the ancient being lick her lips in anticipation. Lexa raised her hand, gesturing for the young women to approach her. They couldn’t be older than twenty-one years old, old enough to know better, but still, when Lexa beckoned, they obeyed like attention starved puppies. The taller woman, a blonde, sauntered over to the vampire before her shorter, shyer counterpart could even take two steps. This wasn’t her first time at all.

“Neck or wrist, honey?” The blonde asked as she sat down next to Lexa, flipping her golden waves over her shoulder as the skirt of her red dress shimmied up her thighs. Blue eyes roamed the vampire’s body as her tongue peeked out between her candy apple lips. “I’ve never fed a woman before.” Her hand reached out and glided along the vampire’s neck down to her collarbone, relishing in the smooth, pale skin that was cool to the touch.

“Your friend looks a little scared.” Lexa said as her scarlet eyes flicked over to the shorter woman who had bright red hair, probably dyed, that was as straight as could be. “Do you think she can cut it here?”

“She’ll be all right.” The blonde answered as her hand slid up Lexa’s neck to carefully grab her face. “But I want your attention right now.” She leaned in, lips parted and the vampire smirked before grabbing the woman’s wrist and guiding it away.

“That’s not how this works, sweetheart.” Lexa rose to her feet, tilting her head a bit as she approached the red head. “What’s your name, doll?” She asked quietly as she began to walk circles around the woman. Lexa could smell her fear, her anxiety. It was rolling off her like a dense morning fog, but damn, was it delectable. She inhaled deeply through her nose before looking down at the woman again. Lexa was close to six foot tall, this woman had to be maybe five feet and two inches, not tall enough for any agencies she worked with, but she was sure she could find her something. When the red head didn’t answer, the vampire stopped in front of her and gently lifted her chin with the tips of her fingers. “Your name?”

“C-Claire!” The red head yelped as her hazel eyes met crimson. “My n-name’s Claire.”

“Claire.” Lexa hummed softly as her fingertips brushed against soft, warm skin. “Is this your first time?” The woman nodded, breaking eye contact and fidgeting with the hem of her tank top. “You don’t need to be scared, I promise it won’t hurt,” Lexa ducked her head to catch the woman’s eyes once more. “Unless you want it to.”

Claire flinched slightly, clearing her throat as she tried to keep the vampire’s gaze. Was that a hint of arousal Lexa detected? The silver haired woman stood up tall, taking another, more subtle breath in before circling Claire once more. It was just a faint undertone, but it was there. Vampires had that effect on humans if they were willing...and even if they weren’t. It helped them ease into feeding and focus on something other than the insignificant pain of the initial bite. Lexa smirked and chuckled softly as she walked away from Claire and took her place back on the couch, settling against the cushions and resting her arms along the back.

Not a word was uttered this time and Claire was walking cautiously toward to her. Even though Lexa had a more than willing participant next to her, she wanted the pristine delicacy that was flowing rapidly in Claire’s veins. The potent mixture of fear that was seasoned gingerly with arousal was all she could focus on. The blonde could wait until later. After all, this was technically an audition. As Claire neared, Lexa tilted her head and gently patted her thigh. Claire was compliant, which the vampire liked. She ignored the blonde whose name she hadn’t bothered to learn as she huffed and folded her arms over her chest. She was a dime a dozen in this city. Lexa could practically walk down Mainstreet Boulevard and pluck a carbon copy that had more talent than her.

“I-is this ok?” Claire asked timidly as she sat herself down on the vampire’s lap. “I’m not too heavy?”

“Light as a feather.” Lexa mused as she let her eyes lock on the woman’s neck, her pulse thrumming a bit faster than before. “Not so bad, right?” Claire just nodded as she tried to keep from making eye contact. Lexa slid her hand along the red head’s waist and pulled her close, a high pitched squeak of surprise escaping her. “Wrist or neck, Miss Claire?” Lexa ignored the grunt of annoyance from the blonde who was almost forgotten at this point.

Lexa felt the woman fidget on her lap and she smirked, exposing her now elongated fangs. She had this effect on everyone. Well, every human...and some weaker vampires. The sound of her voice, the way she looked, even her touch could sway the most tenacious human. The game was agonizing. Even though she was a hunter, and a well seasoned one at that, she never wanted to traumatize her prey. Fighting back was all good and fine, but in the end, she wanted them to want her fangs to sink into their delicate flesh. She wanted them to need it.

“Can we start with my wrist?” Claire asked as she glanced at Lexa from the corner of her eye. “And then we can see how I feel?”

Humans. Lexa exhaled slowly as she closed her eyes and nodded. Claire sighed as well, as she cautiously offered her arm to the vampire who gently cradled it with her hand before bringing it to her lips. Glittering rubies peered up at Claire once more before she opened her mouth, her fangs effortlessly piercing the woman’s porcelain skin. Claire recoiled at the bite before exhaling, the whisper of a moan catching in her throat as her other hand came up to cover her mouth.

The vampire groaned quietly when that first drop of life giving elixir caressed her tongue and she began sucking lightly on Claire’s wrist. Her tongue kneaded her heated flesh tenderly, savoring the hint of arousal that was lacing through the red head’s blood. The zest was growing more prominent the longer Lexa fed and she could hear Claire’s breath escaping in arduous pants behind her dainty hand.

“When is it my turn?” The blonde whined as she began running her hands along Lexa’s muscled arms. “Please.” She begged and Lexa drew herself away from Claire’s wrist, lazily dragging her tongue over the bite wound to savor the flavor which caused the woman to visibly shiver.

Lexa eyed the blonde before she leaned forward, her fangs barely grazing the skin on the blonde’s neck before stopping. “I’m sorry, love.” She whispered and the vampire could hear the ache in the woman’s whimper. “But you can go now. I don't think you'll fit in here.”

The blonde pulled away, her eyes wide with shock and her mouth gaping open like a fish. “Excuse me?” She uttered, almost breathless as she stood and glared down at the vampire. “If I’m leaving, so is Claire!” She reached out to grab her friend’s hand, but Lexa stopped her. Her hungry gaze shifted to a threatening stare as she held onto the blonde’s wrist, maybe a little tighter than she should’ve to get her point across.

“Claire is staying with me.” Lexa said calmly as she pushed the blonde’s hand away. With lightning speed, the vampire threw the woman over her shoulder and whisked her to the door. She set the blonde down over the threshold before glaring at the exasperated human. “Sorry, darlin’. It’s just business.”

“You suck, you asshole!” The blonde shouted as the door slammed shut in her face and she screeched in frustration, stomping her foot for good measure. Lexa chuckled to herself before turning her attention back to Claire, unbuttoning her shirt as she swaggered back to the couch.

“Don’t I know it.”

 

[Jennilyn]

It still made Melissa's head spin how quickly the world had changed. Everything seemed fine one day and the next everything had gone to shit. These monsters from myth were the only thing that anyone could talk about. They hadn't just taken over the conversation, they'd essentially taken over the world. The bloodsuckers had been hiding for centuries, possibly millennia. Most were still very secretive about their past, and their ways. That was Mel's experience with them at any rate, the little experience she had. The world as a whole was still adjusting but a lot had changed since the big reveal, so to speak.

Frankly, it started out slow. Vampires made themselves known. The rumors online of real-life vampires. For several long hours, the world dismissed it as a hoax. Melissa would come to wonder in the days since whether or not one rogue vampire had inspired others or whether or not it was a planned thing. The reports started coming in all around the world. These vampires were real and the laughing turned into screams. People panicked, there were riots. Nobody felt safe, but ironically that had less to do with the vampires than the general human panic. Even years later, looking through those initial reports there were hardly any attacks on humans from the vampires. It was humans, panicking and slaughtering each other.

That didn't mean all the vampires were innocent - but their goals didn't seem to have anything to do with attacking.

That simple revelation, the proof of their existence was all the world needed to be turned on its head. From there, things got scary. Humans weren't really prepared for how much of the world these vampires controlled. They had their hand in everything. From crime to more legitimate businesses. Some high-profile actresses had been revealed as vampires. It wasn't plastic surgery, these vain fiends simply weren't aging. When it got too suspicious they would mysteriously disappear or die and reappear, having changed their features just enough to not be recognized. The only reason Melissa was even aware of it, however, was because that industry was where she herself worked.

The most important thing she'd learned since the big vampire reveal? This industry really sucked if you were competing against a bloodsucker.

These fucking vampires were better than humans at most things. It was simply indisputable. After they'd found a way to hang out in the sun, there was basically no reason to pick a human over a vampire. And yes, Melissa was well aware of the way they'd infiltrated everything from drugs to films, to politics. Melissa knew about all the strange, weird vampire cults that had sprung up in the last few years. These weird freaks worshipped vampires in the hopes that they too could achieve immortality. Melissa just really didn't give a fuck.

Melissa knew exactly how she wanted her life to turn out from a young age. She wanted to be an actress, famous and rich. She was selfish, and something of a bitch. Somehow that usually worked in her favor. She was manipulative, good at it, and she knew it. She wasn't some kind of emotionless psychopath - she just knew how to get what she wanted. Usually, anyway. Do you know who's had a long time to perfect devious manipulation tactics? Fucking vampires. Not only that, but physically they were practically perfect and when you combine that with the weird obsession the world had developed with them... well, Melissa hadn't worked in almost a year now. She kept losing jobs to fucking vampires!

Left with very few options, she'd managed to secure an interview. The problem was that the entire operation was run by one of them. She wasn't a racist, really, she wasn't. She just... wasn't a fan of the beasts. They all seemed to think of humans as lesser than them There were also very few reports of humans ever successfully killing one of them. Well, unless they'd drugged themselves up on those UV blockers. They were cooperating with human law enforcement too. The bulk of the vampires who attacked humans was dealt with by their own kind and usually harshly. With droves of humans lining up to have the blood taken from them, vampires nary had a need to hunt in this day and age,

Under normal circumstances, Melissa would never force herself to go through this. She'd heard the rumors - this entire agency was known for some pretty shady shit. Part of her wanted to believe it was nothing more than that: pure speculation. Another part of her just couldn't let it go. There had to be some truth to it, or the rumors wouldn't be truly prevailing. A friend of a friend, someone who did an interview there in the last week had described the interview process as horrible. Allegedly, the fanged monster that had interviewed her was a real bitch. Well, two could play that game, so Melissa thought.

As the week went on and her own interview approached she considered canceling. She tried telling herself it just wasn't worth it - she could wait a little longer to find a job. Except, the truth was that she couldn't. She was about to lose her apartment and a lot of the habits she'd picked up in this industry weren't exactly cheap. Drugs, sex, alcohol, and good times were always available to her. For a price, and that price was quickly becoming too high. She never had a problem, though, no. She could stop at any time. At the very least she wasn't like one of those trashy junkies, Melissa was perfectly functional. Most people were shocked to discover she partook in any of those kinds of party favors.

Having her shirt together in every way other than financially didn't pay the bills though. That was how she found herself standing outside the imposing "talent agency" before her. An interview was just a game and Melissa loved playing games. That was only because she always won, and the dark-haired woman had no intention of losing today no matter what it took. She'd impress her potential boss and secure some kind of gig. She certainly looked the part, if nothing else.

Melissa wasn't delusional enough to think she was some kind of oscar deserving actress. She was fairly talented, though. She could sing too and had spent a lot of time modeling. A jack of all trades, master of none, as it were. Was modeling really a skill, though? She felt like her body did all the work and that was one thing she was confident in at least. She might not have perfect features like the undead, but as far as humans went she had to be a contender for the top bracket? When she tried, anyway.

Today she'd tried.

The makeup alone had taken at least an hour, her hair another forty-five minutes. She got it just the way she liked it though, with long waves of black cascading down her back like some kind of dark, inviting river. The lipstick was in perfect contrast to her dark hair, light, and red which always brought attention to her lips. Her eyelashes were real and long enough to not need any of those fake bullshit ones. They just needed a curl and with a bit of mascara, the blue in her eyes really popped, giving the impression of looking far out on the horizon for whoever was lucky enough to meet her gaze. Her body? Well, that was all self-explanatory, really. She was fit, her tits weren't too big, and she had those long legs men fawned over. She was clean, groomed, and absolutely ready to dazzle as she pushed her way through the foreboding entrance, heels clicking as she approached the desk.

As she approached it the receptionist raised a hand - a clear indication to stop and Melissa furrowed her brows. Already she was annoyed.

"Mmhm, yeah." the receptionist said, only briefly glancing toward Melissa. "Give me a second, sweetie, I'll be right with you."

Melissa glanced behind her, towards the clock on the wall. She was right on time, and her annoyed expression only furrowed her brow deeper, and she cleared her throat. "I have an interview, now. You see, I'd rather not be late." and though her voice was cheery enough there was just enough edge hidden underneath it. She also glanced over the woman, trying to figure out if she too were a vampire.

"Yes, of course, thank you." followed by the click of her hanging up the phone. This receptionist - and now that Melissa had a chance to look over the desk properly she noticed a nameplate that labeled her as Dorothy - spun to face Melissa completely. "Thank you for waiting. You'd be miss Walker, correct?"

"Mmhm."

"Thank you, miss Wyatt will be ready for you shortly. Take a seat and I'll call you when she's ready."

"Could I get through faster if I made myself bleed, a little?" she offered with a quirk of her brow. Dorothy did not seem amused.

"No, miss Walker. You wouldn't, but I'll let miss Wyatt know how very funny you are. It shouldn't be too long." and poor Dorothy clearly had no intention of carrying on the invitation any further, as she spun to face her computer and the only sound in the entire area were the sounds of her keyboard.

Rather miffed, Melissa took a seat nearby, digging through her purse. It was something to pass the time at least, making sure she'd brought everything. Headshots, previous modeling photos. She even brought a demo reel of the few acting gigs she'd gotten - including a few voices acting gigs as well. Seconds turned to minutes, and a couple of those further turned into at least fifteen. The pre-interview anxiety wasn't usually a big issue for Melissa, but today she was feeling it a little. Those rumors played through her mind and she wondered if she'd be expected to provide a... donation in order to get hired. This 'miss Wyatt' also wasn't an actual agent, she didn't think. Agents usually dealt with a client personally so she wondered if after the interviews the prospective employees were all given to a third party. So many questions and so few answers.

Twenty minutes had gone by, and Melissa's annoyance turned to anger. Another ten and it might turn into righteous fury. The honest to God truth was that at this point she was considering leaving.

 

[Saber]

Lexa sighed as the sun filtered over her eyes, her wall of windows systematically darkened with a UV blocking veil that was timed with the sunrise. She sat up in bed, her satin sheets slipping off her nude form like water as a quiet groan fluttered into the silence of the morning. Her golden eyes roamed over the slumbering woman in her king sized bed, several bite marks spattered the woman’s naked curves and some lightly bruised wrists. The vampire smirked as she rose and walked into the bathroom. It was strange having a "human" sleeping schedule. Centuries upon centuries she had been forced to darkness, sulking away in some cave or abandoned building when she was newly born. UVBL really had reformed their shadowed lives.

Lexa entered her bathroom that was attached to her room, flipping the handle up in her shower before meandering to the sink. She glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Still the perfect image of a twenty-seven year old Nord, a smirk blossomed on her lips as she cracked her neck and opened the mirror to the medicine cabinet. Of course she had no use for medicine. She had only a handful of things in there in case of emergency. Some NSAIDS for her hungover human guests, band-aids, and of course, her UV Blockers. She grabbed the black pill bottle and popped it open, one singular scarlet pill landing in her palm. Lexa stared at it for a moment before tossing it into her mouth and stepping into her glass encased shower. She opened her mouth to the steaming spray and swallowed. UVBL didn't have any physical effects that she could tell, but within a few moments of showering, it almost felt like her skin had gotten…thicker.

"Mind if I join you?" A melodic voice hummed through the hiss of the shower and Lexa looked out the glass door to see her companion waiting patiently for an answer. The woman was gorgeous for human standards, but for the life of her, Lexa couldn't recall her name.

"If you can be quick." Lexa replied as she opened the door. "I have a meeting in half an hour."

"Well that's plenty of time for me." The woman's alluring gaze kept Lexa hyper focused as she slipped past and into the heated spray. "But you," She gently poked Lexa's chest. "You almost kept me up all night." The woman's hand ghosting over a very fresh bite on her backside as she turned again. "You're lucky I'm not modeling a swimsuit today."

"I'm aware of the jobs my clients have." Lexa mused as she stepped in close to the woman, her arms draping over her shoulders. "Besides, they could always edit the photos." The vampire let her cool hand slide up the woman's neck, the woman swallowing against Lexa's palm. The woman shuddered, the temperature difference of Lexa’s skin causing her nipples to peak. "You're going to make me late…" Fuck, what was her name.

"Are you being gentle?" The woman asked as she peered up and over her shoulder at Lexa. "That's sweet." Sweet? Sweet…Caroline! "You know I much prefer your grip a little tighter."

Lexa smirked as she flexed her fingers, moving from behind Caroline to push her up against the black marble wall which elicited an excited gasp from the shorter woman. Perks were perks, and Lexa had many. If being a vampire wasn't enough, she was also running a very successful talent agency that had women literally throwing themselves at her feet. What more could she ask for?

---

After her morning escapades, Lexa headed down to the main office where her next potential client was waiting. Sure she was almost half an hour late, but who cares? She owned the place. She could arrive on her own time and her potential clients would still wait for her. Lexa was adjusting her tie as the elevator doors opened and her secretary forced a smile as she approached.

“Miss Walker has been waiting quite a long time, Miss Wyatt.” Dorothy was a patient woman, but she did like keeping Lexa on schedule as much as she possibly could. That was usually hard in the mornings since she always had a someone staying the night. “You did remember you had an interview, right?”

“Of course I did, Dorothy.” Lexa combed her fingers through her hair and grinned. “But, I am the boss, aren’t I?” Dorothy just nodded, physically trying not to roll her eyes, but Lexa noticed. “Miss Walker must really want the job if she’s waited around this long.” Lexa’s golden eyes peered over at the woman sitting in the lobby. She was stunning. Crystal blue eyes, dark hair, and perfect, porcelain skin. If Lexa couldn’t smell her blood pumping through her veins, she would’ve assumed she was a vampire. “You can follow me to my office, Miss Walker.” Dorothy handed Lexa a file and she headed back towards the elevator. “Please follow me.”

Lexa headed back to the elevator, holding the door for…she glanced down at the file. Melissa, to enter. Her office was on the ninth floor of the ten story building, so as the doors closed, Lexa started flipping through her file. She was late after all, at this point it was all about saving time. No better time than the present, or something like that was what humans said.

“So, I see you’ve had some experience.” Lexa’s eyes scanned the resume and references. “Some commercials, amateur modeling, singing as well, hm…” She glanced down at the dark haired woman as the elevator doors opened and the vampire glided out and headed towards the bronze plated door that led to her office.

Ever since UV Blockers had proven to be effective, Lexa had a minor obsession with windows. She’d never been able to appreciate them in architecture before, but now, she wanted walls and walls of windows so she could look out over the world that she’d never been able to experience. In comparable fashion to her penthouse, the wall behind her desk was replaced with floor to ceiling windows that were slightly tinted so the glaring sun wouldn’t blind her guests. The rest of her office was decorated in deep reds with gold accents.

“Have a seat, Miss Walker.” Lexa said calmly as she sat down in the luxurious leather desk chair, resting her elbows on the mahogany desk and folding her hands under her chin. “So, tell me why I should take you on as a client?”

 

[Jennilyn]

Melissa was done. She was shoving the file she'd brought with her back into her purse, and scowling all the while. She was muttering under her breath, finding no sense in hiding her annoyance. Oh, she was unimpressed and she hoped by the time this woman showed up, her overly friendly secretary made a point of telling her. She was even considering leaving some message for the bloodsucker who'd been meant to interview her. Something rude, and sassy. Something that would even encourage her to call her back, If that failed, Melissa was sure she could at least infuriate the woman - a little payback for being kept waiting. After all, Melissa was nothing if not petty.

Of course that had to be the moment she showed up. She overheard the entire conversation as she approached, and at least Dorothy had some manners. Or, at least it certainly seemed like she possessed more than her boss did. She wondered, briefly, if this receptionist was happy with her job, or if she was forced into it somehow. Melissa simply couldn't imagine anyone wanting to work for someone with so little regard for other people's time. Melissa wondered if Lexa respected anyone, and though she was jumping to conclusions, she decided right then and there that she didn't like this woman very much. She would have to play nice if she wanted a job.

"But, I am the boss, aren't I?"

The words sent Melissa's blood to a boil, and if she was irritated before now she was downright furious. She wasn't a vampire, clearly, so she didn't know exactly how it worked. Most of her information came from online and secondhand accounts, but there was so much misinformation out there that she couldn't be sure what was true and what wasn't. Some stuff was more obvious, but something that nobody could agree on was how much about a person's blood they could discern. A lot of people suspected they could at least smell it, but could they hear it? Feel it? Could they tell the blood type just through taste? In Melissa's case, could she tell that Lexa's words were causing her blood to pump faster through her body and bringing a very slight, reddish tint to her cheeks?

Before Melissa could even open her mouth to make some kind of comment she was being told to follow her, and that comment about how she must really want the job got under her skin, too. Despite all this, she trailed behind and was glad she'd dressed appropriately. Her black heels lacked against the floor, echoing loudly while she followed Lexa towards her office. The pants she chose were professional-looking, black, of course. Despite choosing to dress professionally, the pants hugged her curves in all of the right places and showed off enough of her figure that Lexa would know what she was getting signing her on. The same applied to the white blouse, tucked into her pants and hugging her chest, mostly buttoned-up but showing slightly more skin in the collarbone area.

Ha, maybe that would improve her chances.

She stepped into the elevator, having fallen slightly behind. Lexa walked fast, and she inhaled a deep breath as she stood beside Lexa, doing her best to keep up. As the elevator doors closed Melissa remembered the receptionist and called out as they shut, "Thank you, Dorothy!" even though she was probably overplaying in her mind how kind Dorothy had been, which had nothing to do with the whole 'her boss is a vampire' thing.

Melissa wasn't sure if that was a question or merely a comment. Probably the latter, with Lexa looking through the file she should have looked at the night before, or earlier this morning. She shouldn't be glancing over it for the first time when the person it was about was already in the office. The 'boss' entered her office and left Melissa to follow after her again, something that was growing increasingly more frustrating each time she was left behind by this stuck-up bitch. These shoes weren't particularly built for walking quickly either.

Melissa was also finally seeing the room for the first time and she actually scoffed, audibly. Okay, it wasn't really a scoff - not completely. It was something that more closely resembled a scoff combined with a laugh, one that she'd tried to keep in but couldn't. Melissa recovered quickly, bringing her hand up and clearing her throat, as though she'd been about to cough or something. How was she supposed to have any reaction when Lexa's office looked like something out of a bad vampire film? Seriously, if she didn't know any better Melissa would swear she was on a set right now. If not for some cheesy vampire film then a superhero one, what with those windows. This could easily double as a supervillain's office - was Lexa really so far off from that, though?

Not to her.

Now, normally Melissa was a very warm person. Everyone said so - if a little self-centered. Her voice dripped like honey, sticky and sweet, and coating everyone in graced in this impression that she was such a sweet, good girl. She tried her best to channel that here, and though it worked to an extent that honey had some spice to it as she lashed out verbally - in as calm a manner as she could.

There was usually a protocol to these things. A handshake, an acknowledgment, something that Melissa was supposed to do to be polite. With the complete lack of respect she'd been displayed already, however, she had no intention of indulging in such formalities. She'd followed Lexa closely, stopping short of the chair, which she glanced at for a mere moment before walking past it, choosing to stand for the simple fact that Lexa had asked her to sit.

"I think I deserve the job for the sheer lack of respect I've been displayed this morning, Miss Wyatt.", Melissa managed to get out through gritted teeth. "But I'm certain that won't be enough for someone like you." she went on. Just as she had closed the distance between herself and the chair she did so again with the desk. She could have done anything here, shown her the headshots, talked about her resume of the fact she'd done... decently pre-vampire reveal. Lexa didn't care about any of that, and Melissa was about to, quite literally, stake her career on it. Her palms came down on the beautiful desk, carefully, and she leaned forward as much as she could without climbing onto the desk and keeping her gaze fixed solely on Lexa's. "So how about you do it because I am the best person for the job? If you expect me to sit here and suck up, then I'm not the right person. If you want someone confident, strong, and who knows what they're worth, then you want me. Anyone in this industry can act or model - but I'm the person you'll meet with this kind of fire under their ass."

She should stop there, it was a pretty good speech all things considered.

"Or perhaps you really do prefer the string of kissass, vampire fanatics you get passing through here?" Melissa inquired with a quirk of her brow. She flipped her hair to one side and exposed the side of her neck, another clear act of defiance. "Because if blood is all it takes to get hired is a little bit of blood, go ahead, I have tons - but either way I'm not leaving here without a job."

 

[Saber]

Humans were emotional, aberrant, when it came to things they thought they needed. In this case, Miss Walker thought she needed to find work and from the haughty tone she was giving, she thought she was going to get it. By the end of her…impassioned dialogue, Lexa remained silent for a moment, just staring at the dark haired woman. This human thought she deserved her help just because she had to wait a measly thirty minutes for her interview? The implication alone was almost laughable. No one deserved Lexa's services, her connections, her money. It didn't matter how beautiful or talented a person was, they didn't deserve to be under Lexa's name.

"Bold of you to assume I have respect for any of my clients really." Lexa hummed as she sat back in her chair. "You all come crawling to me, after all. Fawning to be represented by Lexa Wyatt at Icarus Productions." She added with a bit of mirth in her satiny smooth voice. "So I can't say I'd sign you just because I've shown you no respect."

This was amusing. The sun filtering in behind the vampire was casting golden swatches of light on Melissa's face, accenting the…almost malice, that was brimming in her crystalline eyes. Most of her potential clients were weak. Desperate zealots who would do almost anything to be shadowed under Lexa's vast reach in this business. Even though she found Melissa's performance diverting, it wouldn't sway her decision either way.

"Time is nothing to a vampire, Miss Walker." Lexa answered finally as she stood from her chair and smiled kindly, or mockingly, she had a hard time controlling her expressions. "If your time were such an important matter, would you still be here? Surely, if your time was more valuable than my own, you would have walked out the door before I arrived." Cattle and their nonsensical mountains of fragile pride. Ridiculous. "You should consider yourself lucky I am still speaking with you as a potential client and not requesting you remove yourself from my presence. I have larger fish to fry than a would-be actor with a 'fire under their ass'."

The vampire's eyes roamed the woman's body once more before halting, her golden irises locking with pallid blue. She couldn't deny the woman's potential, but her attitude, it could use an adjustment or three. An adjustment she might get if Lexa decided to sign her on. Though that would always come later. Regardless, Lexa had a process for these sorts of situations and she was nothing but meticulous when it came to her business. She turned to the window before folding her hands behind her back, the skyline of the city seemingly still in the morning haze.

"Lisa," A small, transparent cube on her desk chimed before a small, lavender light sparked inside it. "Please call Dorothy at the front desk." The cube chimed before the familiar ring of the phone echoed in the office.

"Yes, Miss Wyatt?" Dorothy's voice came through crisp and clear, though a bit exasperated.

"Will you check and see if studio four is free?" Lexa spun then and continued to keep her eyes trained on Melissa.

“Hm, it will be in about ten minutes.” Dorothy answered and the clacking of computer keys could be heard through the phone. “Elizabeth and Rolan are using it right now, but after that, the room is clear for the day.”

“Thank you.” The vampire smiled as the line went dead and she walked to the door, opening it with ease. “Follow me, Miss Walker. Even with your…dramatic outburst, this is a talent agency, and you will have to prove that you can actually do the jobs you might be hired for. Especially since I didn't see a screen test.”

Lexa propped the door open, not really concerned if Melissa was following her or not, and made her way to the elevator again. This time, the button for the fourth floor was lit up and as soon as the doors closed, the elevator descended at a surprising pace. Even though she had all the time in the word, Lexa was stubbornly impatient.

"I don't know what you've heard about me, Miss Walker." Actually, Lexa was pretty positive what most people heard about her and her...process of elimination, but she didn't care. She was an immortal being. The thoughts of such shortlived specks of dust were irrelevant. "But blood won't get you anywhere with me, personally." She peered down at Melissa with indifference in her gilded gaze as the elevator glided down. "Though, if you'd like to venture into other methods of coercion, I'd be interested to see how creative you can be."

The remainder of the ride was mainly spent in silence as Lexa hummed cheerily along with the music after her facetious proposal, indecent even, if you'd been a bystander. But the thought didn't linger in her mind. After all, she didn't care, she just knew the comment would get under Miss Walker's skin and sting her pride. Most of what Lexa actually strove for was a reaction, good or bad, she wasn't picky.

When the doors opened once more, a long hallway came into view with red lights above each door. A couple of the lights were on, while the other four were dimmed. Lexa approached a door with a large number four stenciled onto it, its red light humming quietly and she walked in as silently as possible.

The room was basically an empty studio that had a few lights, a green screen, and a camera that was being operated by a young woman. There were a few chairs around for others to come in and observe, or if a coach wanted to come in and critique, but really, other than that the mulripurpose studio was basically barren.

“Good morning, Miss Wyatt.” The blonde woman, very plain with thick rimmed glasses, greeted without taking her eyes off the screen of the camera. “Rolan and Elizabeth are almost done.”

“He’s really been working with her a lot.” Lexa stood behind the blonde and watched the two actors play out their scenes. “She’s greatly improved with his help.”

A few moments later, the pair finished their scene and exited the room. “I’ll get this reel put together so they can study it later.” The blonde murmured as she adjusted her glasses.

“All right, Miss Walker.” Lexa flourished her arm towards the green screen. “You may act out any scene you’d like, but I need to see what I’m going to work with.”

Vampires were more or less, observers. Watching from the shadows, cloaked in veils of darkness, yadda, yadda, yadda. This was a true fact decades ago, but Lexa couldn't deny the almost tangible desire to watch humans. Their whole existence was an immersive sitcom and she would happily pay to keep watching. Even to play an extra, now and again.

"Actually," Lexa and her ever changing mind. "I'd like you to come up with something original. Since you're so talented at what you do. Maybe play a character the opposite of how you acted today. Someone...subservient, perhaps."

 

[Jennilyn]

Melissa had, once again, made a grave mistake. It looked like everything she'd just done had been a gross miscalculation, and she might be about to pay the price. It only took Lexa one sentence to, more or less, shut her down. The only reason she didn't turn tail and run was because she was fairly certain Lexa, at the very least, wouldn't hurt her. Being honest with herself, Melissa was a little embarrassed that she thought she could intimidate Lexa. She'd dealt with much scarier people than Melissa before. She stood by everything she'd said, though. She'd been shown a fundamental lack of respect - and she was sure she had the talent to back up her claims. She just needed to land the fucking job.

The silence was deafening. It sounded cliché, but it was true. The only noise that echoed in the room for a few moments were the silent heartbeats of Melissa's heart. She felt like Lexa could hear it. In fact, she would have been surprised if she couldn't. Fucking bloodsuckers.

As Lexa moved time seemed to slow. It was, again, like something out of a movie. Everything about Lexa was, in fact. This room, her meticulous appearance, even the way she walked. Everything just looked like it was calculated, down to the very last hair on her head. She chose to portray herself in a certain way, and Melissa suspected that she never broke character. Not that she was acting, so to speak... but she looked like a supervillain as she peered out her insanely large window and made a phone call. Melissa wouldn't be surprised if Lexa hit a button and she found herself falling into the floor, down to some kind of dungeon.

Vampires didn't really have dungeons, did they?

When Lexa's phone call ended, Melissa actually breathed a sigh of relief. Then they were off again, and once more, Lexa didn't seem to give a damn whether her potential client was following her. This was a problem, since Melissa was lagging behind again. She took sharp breaths and just, once more, barely made it into the elevator. It nearly closed on her ankle but she was able to avoid any injury. She even avoided breaking her shoe - which, in her opinion, was a miracle all on its own. Melissa did her best to catch her breath while also trying to hide the fact that she was panting slightly. She was almost tempted to just take her shoes off, but that wouldn't necessarily look good either. She raised a hand, and pressed it to the side of the elevator, using the additional leverage to take some of the pressure off of her feet.

It was taking all of Melissa's willpower to remind herself that she sincerely believed everything she'd told Lexa Walker, but it was what she said in the elevator that confused her. Not about the coercion - it wasn't uncommon for people to secure these jobs using sex or money. It wasn't something that Melissa had ever considered but she also wasn't particularly against it. She just knew she had the talent to get the job legitimately. It was only now starting to dawn on her that if she didn't get this job she was going to be in serious trouble.

That wasn't what she focused on though, her morbid curiosity and fear surrounding vampires controlled her in that moment. "You don't want my blood?" and it was telling that she'd specified her blood. It wasn't like her feelings were hurt, but it did make her wonder if something was wrong with her. Did she smell bad or something. Hoping Lexa wasn't looking quite directly at her she tilted her head to the side and sniffed, not finding any offensive odor. Would smelling even affect blood?

Then when she realized she sounded like a pathetic loser she pointedly turned her head away and her face scrunched up. "I don't need to coerce you into anything," and the prideful smnugness of her voice had been knocked down at least several pegs. "I'm talented, and your agency would be lucky to have me. If I don't convince you with whatever you want me to do, I'll convince you another way then." and she fell silent for the rest of the elevator ride, silently fuming at the sting her ego was experiencing. Not to mention she couldn't keep wondering what was wrong with her blood.

By the time they'd entered the studio, Melissa felt like she was being asked to do the impossible. She didn't really consider anyone else here, there was only her and Lexa. Almost literally. Melissa was left with absolutely nothing to work with. It wasn't like there was an actual set here. She wasn't even behind the camera and the green screen was useless. But if all of that wasn't bad enough, Lexa's final request was particularly unreasonable. She wanted Melissa to portray some kind of... subservient character, and the fucking vampire knew exactly what she was doing. Melissa had stepped into the ring with a fish much bigger than she and from the moment they'd left Lexa's office she was paying for her outburst.

Her face scrunched up and she put her bag down, shuffling slowly away to stand several feet away from Lexa. Her mind was racing, as she tried to figure out exactly she could do here. When she turned to face Lexa, and anyone else who had chosen to remain, she called out "Something original and... subservient?" she repeated Lexa's words, like they were foreign to her. As if those words strung together lost their individual meanings and became something totally incomprehensible.

The repeating of the question was just a ruse to buy time because she hadn't come prepared to do something like this. How was she supposed to come up with an original scene on the spot. Acting unlike herself wasn't particularly difficult, but the lack of preparation meant she didn't have much time to come up with something that could impress Lexa.

Melissa took a very deep, shaky breath that rattled her entire body and soul. She kicked her shoes off and quickly tousled her hair up. When she finally looked up towards Lexa her entire facial features had changed, and the fire she had so proudly displayed in the bloodsucker's office was gone, hidden so well that most people would believe it had never been there to begin with.

"Y-you're right..." she whimpered out, adding just the perfect amount of tremor to her voice. She swallowed nervous, inching herself forward and just as her eyes met Lexa's she averted her gaze, like a shy schoolgirl. "I should have been more... respectful, and I apologize for whatever specific actions offended you."

None of what she was saying was true, and she knew it. She'd never convince Lexa it was real either, and she knew that as well. This wasn't about convincing Lexa she was truly sorry and more about showing her that she could act sorry. The vampire also seemed to want to hurt Melissa's pride - and this would certainly do that. She granted to herself that she was making some seriously big assumptions about Lexa again. It hadn't gone so well last time, but this was the only idea she had. This fake, acted out apology would have to suffice. At the very least she'd put on an act she could be proud of - if only with her abilities and not its content.

"I just... really believed in myself," she went on, and when she reached Lexa she started circling her. One of her hands even dared to reach out and run along Lexa's shoulders and the back of her neck. She was the one who'd mentioned different methods of convincing her to hire her. This wasn't a real proposal but... maybe she'd get a kick out of it? "But if you don't believe me, I'd be happy to show you how much I want this job. I'm willing to do..." she leaned in, whispering directly into Lexa's ear so low only she would hear it "Whatever you want?"

From behind Lexa she took several steps back, holding her arms out on either side of her. She tilted her head to the side, an obvious sign of offering her neck. Her eyes were hooded, like she was trying to convince Lexa to follow her, but she came to a stop several feet away and tilted her head. It wasn't... much. Would it be enough? If Lexa gave her more direction she'd do whatever the vampire wanted.

"I can be subservient, I can be a badass, I can be whatever you need me to be."

 

[Saber]

Acting was an interesting talent. Some people had it, some people didn't. Ever since becoming a vampire, Lexa had to act her way through her entire existence or she would starve. Fooling unsuspecting humans into believing that she loved them or could make their lives substantially better, it had always been a ruse. So when Lexa said she could recognize talent, she wasn't bluffing. Standing here now, watching Melissa try and appease her more predatory desires, was a bit surreal. She'd had a number of men and women try and seduce her in different ways. Money, blood, sex, it didn't matter when most humans seeking fame were rather shameless. It seemed Melissa wasn't much different.

"Are you quite finished?" Lexa asked as she folded her arms over her chest and began circling the shorter woman. "You have some talent, Miss Walker, though it's quite laden with unnecessary praxis from whomever tried to teach you to act. They definitely gave you some bad habits." Her golden eyes locked on Melissa. "Overconfidence being one of them. Your vainglory will impede your ability to learn."

Lexa hardly ever made a habit of critiquing her clients too harshly, but sometimes, a good appraisal of one's negative proclivities was helpful. Though, admittedly, the vampire hardly ever did that herself, that's what the coaches were for. Something about Melissa wanted Lexa to say yes. To sign this young woman on and get her working, but the dark haired 'actress' had already left a sour taste on the back of her tongue. Still, natural beauty was hard to come by. At the very least, Lexa could probably get her started with modeling or get her a job as an extra in some B film. With the correct coaching, perhaps Melissa could bring in some money. But first, maybe a small lesson.

"You say you can give me whatever I need you to be." Lexa's stalking came to a halt and she turned to face Melissa and glare down as apathetic as she could. A test she liked to give to all of her new clients, but knowing Melissa had a mild hatred for her kind, this would be much more entertaining than normal. "What if I need you to be collared?"

Lexa enjoyed playing the villain. It was a costume she was more than comfortable wearing and a role she could find herself slipping into unintentionally. This time, it was completely by choice that she began treating Melissa as her prey. Humans that were too eager were boring. The fire that Miss Walker had mentioned before, although there, was definitely...lacking.

"If I do sign you on, I need you to be obedient." Her choice of words was achaic, at best, but what else was to be expected from an ancient vampire? What was a show without a little over-the-top theatrics? "My assistance is valuable and I have connections all over the city that could get you jobs you aren't even worthy of having." Lexa's voice lowered as she tilted her head and bent forward, leaning closer to Melissa. "If you want those jobs, you have to adhere to every request and order given. Can you manage to do that?"

Subservient humans were entertaining, though banal, in the long run. Someone who would crumble at Lexa's feet was a fleeting fancy in a world where she could physically compel someone to grovel. Games were appreciated in her old age, and she wasn't particularly picky on what sort of game that was. Admittedly in her youth, cat and mouse was her favorite. Stalking; hunting; killing; those were her favorite past times in the era of her bloodlust, but now, she much preferred mind games. Breaking Melissa of her domineering nature would be an enticing goal, in her mind at least.

"If you can't manage that." Lexa continued as she stood up straight, staring down at the dark haired woman. "Then it doesn't matter how good you are. You won't fit in here. So," A small grin grew on pale pink lips as the vampire extended an icy hand. Being as old fashioned as she was, Lexa finalized all of her contracts with a hand shake. Though the official paperwork would come later. In the ancient eras, that's all one needed to bind another to their will and service. This was no different in the vampire's eyes. "Do we have a deal?"

 

[Jennilyn]

Why was Lexa able to make her feel like a rowdy child with nothing but a glance? From the moment she had folded her arms over her chest, Melissa had known that she'd, once again, taken the wrong approach. She must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed or something because she couldn't seem to get anything right. Could Melissa truly have been taught wrong? Was that possible? She'd never thought of herself as overconfident, but people could have been blowing smoke up her ass this whole time. Accepting she was wrong wasn't something the aspiring actress wanted to consider - but she might have to.

The thoughts of prey began racing through Melissa's mind once again. That was what she felt like - that was what she actually was. There was absolutely nothing else she could be compared to, not in this instance. She swallowed, and the room was so silent she was certain that everyone could hear it. That along with her heartbeat which was hammering behind her chest threatened to break free and reveal how she truly felt about everything the entire twisted, desperate situation. She swore, too, that the tension between the two could be felt. Her eyes followed Lexa as she circled her, the vampire in complete control. Like a spark of lightning linking her to the vampire and whether it was pure adrenaline or simply fear she couldn't be sure.

One thing she was certain of was that Lexa certainly wasn't overthinking any of this. This was most likely a game to her, and nothing more. It made Melissa feel that much more foolish.

Though Lexa might enjoy playing the villain, to Melissa there was no playing involved. As far as the more normal, human girl was concerned Lexa was completely serious which was cause for alarm. A shudder went through her when Lexa finally opened her mouth again to speak. Though, nothing in this world could have prepared Melissa for the words that graced her ears.

Collared? Melissa's cheeks reddened at the mere thought. What did Lexa take her for? A dog? Some common mutt? Perhaps she'd come up short in certain regards but surely she couldn't have been that bad. The thought was annoyingly intrusive, however, and she could see herself with a collar around her neck. Though the details were lost on her - she couldn't imagine what exactly Lexa would want her to do - she at least saw herself on her hands and knees and did not enjoy the thought one bit.

Her face would betray as much, too.

With Lexa getting closer - dangerously so - the entire situation was spiraling beyond what Melissa could handle. Her brain was screaming at her to take a step back, retreat, and end this entire pathetic affair now while she could. Her pride prevented her from doing so - the same thing that had gotten her into this mess in the first place. With her cheeks all red she planted her feet firmly on the ground, not moving an inch even as Lexa got up in her face. With that being said, her face had scrunched up in a disgusted expression, and her bottom lip trembled slightly with the nervous energy coursing through her. It was a wonder her knees weren't shaking too - but she held the shakes back for now.

The aspiring actress considered Lexa's words carefully, averting her gaze as she started to finish making her point. "You'll never get a collar on me," she retorted back, bravery coming through thanks to not looking directly at Lexa. That and no small amount of righteous (in her opinion) fury. "Sorry, but I'm not in the habit of being someone's bitch..." and she allowed the words to trail off while she considered how best to end this interaction. "but," she added after only a few breaths "I can be obedient. I can listen and take advice and I understand your..." Melissa grit her teeth, "assistance would be valuable in securing jobs. "

Melissa felt confident she couldn't have fucked this up any further with her words - after all, there was no way Lexa was asking to literally put a collar on her. Sure, she was an old as shit vampire, and kind of a villain... but she wasn't unhinged. Unhinged people didn't end up in the position Lexa was in, and Melissa would learn everything she could from her new boss before moving on. Until she'd gotten what she wanted, Melissa could swallow her pride and play nice and obey any ridiculous order Lexa gave her. It would be temporary anyway... so he didn't really have to worry.

Melissa turned her face back towards the Vampire - her new boss - and reached out. She gripped Lexa's hand firmly, shaking it up and down a couple of times before releasing it. Her eyes locked with the bloodsucker's and she forced a smile to her lips as evidence she could play nice. "Thank you for the opportunity Ms. Wyatt."

**
​

Lexa hadn't been kidding. Within twenty-four hours of her interview and subsequent hire, Melissa had already been booked with an acting coach. Not just any acting coach, but Gwen. Whatever her last name was must be kept confidential, because if it existed Melissa had never heard of it. Neither had anyone she'd ever spoken to. Most people never even got to meet Gwen in person - much less take lessons from her. If you got some privately the prices were ludicrous - or so she'd been told. You had to be someone to even learn that much. The bigger problem was that Melissa wasn't exactly thrilled to take acting lessons.

She thought it might be fine - alas, it was anything but fine. Gwen was... abrasive. And that was putting it mildly. Melissa had been working with her every day since the interview and she was already sick of this. What was she supposed to be learning from this? Part of her thought this might be some kind of test, to test she would do anything that Lexa said. She hadn't ruled it out, but the way Gwen acted did bring questions as to why Lexa tolerated her. Surely this woman didn't act like this with her... whatever their connection was, Melissa, no matter how much she pressed, couldn't get any information on Lexa whatsoever.

For someone who wanted to be in the industry, Melissa knew frighteningly little about acting coaches. She thought they would be classes - similar to acting school. That was not the case. Whereas classes taught you the basics coaches were there to help you refine your work. Gwen had said, on their first day, that thankfully Melissa knew basics and she was quite good at them. What she lacked, what made her rough around the edges, was the lack of soul in her performances.

As one may imagine, if one knew Melissa, she was crushed to hear this.

The problem was that a week in and she didn't seem to be making any progress. It was humiliating and frustrating... but she'd been told to keep coming, so she did. For the last hour, she kept being told she needed to connect with the material, it would help bring out the innate talent she already possessed. All the material she was given though, frankly, sucked. If she at least had someone to play off of, perhaps it would help... but all her coaching had been solo.

"Look," Melissa snapped, "if you tell me to connect with the material one more time, my fist is going to connect with your face!" and took a deep breath. Gone was the elegance and professional demeanor she'd tried to display at her interview. She felt... beaten down. Part of her thought she'd actually been learning a lot - but whenever she felt like she was making progress or learning something she would be told differently. And it was always in such a backhanded way.

"Bah!" Gwen retorted, walking back and forth in front of Melissa. "If you put the same emotion into your work you wouldn't need me here!"

Melissa's fist legitimately clenched, but she took a deep breath. Instead, she reached for the nearby water bottle she'd brought with her, thankful no one she knew was here to see her looking like a mess (no fancy dress today, nor any makeup. Just a plain tank top and sweat pants. Still - thanks to her natural beauty at least she looked good.). She'd have died if anyone in the industry - especially Lexa - saw her looking like this. She chugged down the water, guzzling until the bottle emptied, and tossed it aside.

"Alright," she wiped her mouth "Just... let me try one more time."

Gwen nodded.

If the coach hadn't given up on her, then Melissa wouldn't give up either. And oh, how she wanted to rub her new skills and success right in Lexa's smug, vampire face. Ironic, when you consider that all of this would be thanks to her in the end. Lexa wouldn't have the last laugh. Melissa didn't care how pretty, rich or scary she was - and no matter what the bloodsucker did to her she'd always find a way to rise above it without embarrassment or complaining.

At least, that was her plan.