The Perfect Gift
Holly had never heard of this shop before.
It wasn’t somewhere she’d normally go. She usually did her shopping online, but Valentine’s Day was tomorrow and she didn’t have time to wait for delivery. Her girlfriend, as much as she loved her, was a bit weird, and her tastes made her difficult to shop for. She could just get her chocolate or flowers, but those were boring. And Holly loved shopping for gifts! She wasn’t very good at it, but seeing the smile on someone’s face when she gave them what they wanted always warmed her heart more than anything else. This year she’d get Daphne the perfect gift.
But she didn’t really understand goth stuff. She thought Daphne was really cool, though. She was smart, and funny, and tall, and beautiful, and she always seemed to know what she was doing. She loved how she dressed all the time, she was like a witch. It was Daphne’s… other interests that didn’t make sense to her. Holly had never been a fan of Halloween, but that was Daphne’s entire aesthetic. She loved scary movies, and she liked to collect weird ornaments that made Holly really uncomfortable. The music she listened to freaked her out a lot, she could never be in the same room as it for very long. But it was okay for them to be different. And she was sure that some of her interests put Daphne off too. Her teddy bear collection, for one. But she was always buying her more, and Holly loved every single one she got. If Daphne could do that for her then she could make an effort to understand her, too. She couldn’t just magically become a perfect match for her girlfriend, but she could try her best.
Unfortunately her best hadn’t been going well. February wasn’t a very good month for buying spooky things. All the Valentine’s day stuff she’d seen had been bright pink and covered in hearts. If only she were shopping for herself! That would be so much easier. In a last minute attempt to find something she had searched “goth stuff” into Google Maps and tried every store she found. It had all been clothes so far—she was no good at shopping for clothes for others, she always got the sizes wrong. This place was her last resort. “The Sanguine Goblet”, it was called. The name sounded like something Daphne would like. It was a tiny little shop, tucked away in a side alley in the shadow of two larger buildings like it was hiding. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was. Some kind of antique place? Looking through the windows it was hard to tell if the place was even open. Behind the displays the rest of the store was obscured by black curtains. But what she could see inside made her heart sink. A beautiful jet black necklace in the shape of a spider… and the price tag was in the thousands. A shame, Daphne probably would have loved it. But perhaps she could find something cheaper inside. She had been told she often looked a little bit helpless when shopping, maybe the owner would take pity on her.
She turned the handle and opened the door. She shut it behind her as soon as she could to keep the winter weather out, but when it closed her eyes had to take a second to adjust to the darkness. Dark curtains blocking out the sun, there were only candles to light the interior, flickering from the draft she had briefly let in. With a stone floor and shelves of dark mahogany it felt like she had stepped back in time. If she didn’t know better she’d assume this place was haunted. Daphne really would have loved this place, Holly thought. Hopefully she hadn’t been here before. She’d have to tell her all about it, after she gave her the gift...
“Hello?” a woman’s voice spoke softly. Holly jumped, it was so dark and quiet in here that she had almost forgotten there would be anyone else in the building.
“Hello!” she said back, giving a nervous wave in the direction she assumed the voice had came from. “Um, I’m looking to buy a gift…?”
“A gift?” The woman stepped out from the shadows. Holly was taken aback by her appearance. She had expected the shopkeeper to be a little old lady, a crone hunched over the counter, as old and as twisted as the wares she sold. But this woman was beautiful. Tall and slender, her skin as pale as the driven snow, in contrast to her raven coloured hair and black gown. She looked a lot like her girlfriend, actually. Holly couldn’t help but feel a little flustered. The only part of her outfit she couldn’t imagine Daphne wearing were her little round sunglasses. Who would wear shades in a place as dark as this? This shop really was weird.
“Yes.” Holly answered meekly. She wasn’t quite afraid, but she was a little intimidated. She hoped the shopkeeper wasn’t judging her for not knowing what she was doing. “It’s for Valentines. I know I’m leaving it a little late…I just don’t know what to get, I don’t usually buy this sort of stuff.”
“Oh? Well, now that’s hardly a surprise. You don’t look like the sort I usually see in here.” Holly could only assume that was true. With her red hair and bright pink cat ear hoodie she looked very out of place. She felt a little self conscious. The woman walked closer to her, her heels clacking on the stone floor. “A Valentine’s Day gift, you say? Somewhat of an unusual place to be shopping for that. Your sweetheart must have very unusual tastes, musn’t she?”
Holly nodded. “Yeah. She’s really weird. I never know what to get her. She really likes, umm, y’know. Goth stuff. Do you have any recommendations?”
Something about her reply seemed to tickle the shopkeeper. “Perhaps. But you’ll have to be a little more specific than ‘goth stuff’, I’m afraid. Do you know where exactly her interests lie? Ancient artifacts? Dark jewelry? Or perhaps she would prefer something a little magical? I do have some very… potent wares.”
“Magical… haha.” Holly laughed, but she wasn’t sure if that was a joke. She backed away from the nearest shelf just in case. Some of the masks and miniature gargoyles almost seemed to be looking at her. “I guess she likes… vampires? She reads a lot of books about them. Do you have any vampire… things?”
“Vampire things.” The shopkeep bit her lip, like she was holding back a laugh. “As it happens I do have ‘vampire things’, yes. Tell me, girl, how much are you looking to spend?”
“Well, I don’t have a lot…” Holly reached for her purse. She was on a tight budget, and the taxi here cost more than she had expected. And she didn’t have her credit card on her…”Um.” she said, opening her purse up. “About five pounds?”
“Five pounds. I see.” She looked disappointed. But then she started to smile again… “I think I might have something within your… price range. It will be in the back room. Can you come with me for a second?”
Holly felt dumb for not bringing more. Would five pounds be enough for anything worthwhile? “I mean, I can always go back and get more cash. It’s for my girlfriend after all…”
“Oh, no no no!” The shopkeep put her hand on Holly’s shoulder as she motioned towards the door. “It’s fine, don’t you worry! I don’t want you to leave and not come back. It would be a shame to let a customer such as you walk away. Just come with me for a second, it won’t take long. You’ll love it, I’m sure!”
Holly laughed nervously as the strange woman put a hand on her shoulder and ushered her into the back of the shop. At least she wouldn’t have to spend much longer in this place. And if this thing was in the back of the shop then it wouldn’t be anything Daphne would know about… Thinking about it, the shopkeep had seemed to know that it was a girlfriend she was shopping for, not a boyfriend. It was somewhat of an odd thing to assume, especially for someone who ran an old-fashioned looking place such as this…Daphne must have been here before. Maybe had talked about her and the shopkeep recognised her from her description? Oh well. Sometimes people just knew things she didn’t expect them to.
The shopkeeper shut the door behind them as the girl stepped in the room with her. Her red-headed customer didn’t look at all suspicious, just a little confused. Perfect. It seemed almost too easy, but she didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth. This girl wasn’t going to be able to afford anything of real value, even if she did come back. She’d read enough of her mind to gather that.
To be honest there wasn’t much else in her mind to read. She was a sweet young thing, bless her, but she was not very bright. Some prey would get suspicious after she led them this far, but this girl didn’t have a clue.
“Wow” she said. “I’ve never been in the back room of a shop before. Is this where you keep the stuff you don’t have on display? It’s not as big as I expected…”
The room was bare, save for a few cabinets and a chair right in the middle, positioned over a tarp. The shopkeep rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses at her own carelessness. Was she going to fool anyone with this? It had been months since her last feeding, she had plenty of time to decorate. At least the cabinets looked like they might have something inside. The girl was looking over one right now. She would have to be quick before she cottoned on.
“I’d rather you didn’t touch those” the shopkeep said “they’re quite old. Why don’t you have a seat?”
The girl made her way to the chair, the tarp crinkling from the footsteps of her pink sneakers. She was starting to look confused. “Umm… What was it you wanted to show me?”
“You hang on just one moment…” The shopkeeper rummaged through one of the cabinets, humouring the girl’s assumption that this was where she kept her wares. She found an old hairband with a vampire bat insignia. Perhaps she could make this work.
“Ah, here we are!” she said, holding up the hairband. “Your ‘vampire thing’. It’s rather nice, isn’t it? Very ornate. Your girlfriend will love it, and I’m willing to part with it for even less than five pounds.”
“Looks… nice?” the girl said. She didn’t seem hugely impressed, and for good reason. It was cheap and tacky when it was made and had only become worse with age.
The shopkeep pretended not to notice the tone of her reaction. “Yes it does, doesn’t it? How would you like to try it on? Just to make sure it… works.”
The girl started to stand up but the shopkeep gently pushed her back down. “No no, stay seated! You don’t have to make yourself get up for this, I can bring you a mirror.”
The shopkeeper stood over the girl as she slowly slipped the hairband onto her head and pushed her hair back. “How do I look…?” she asked.
“Good, good…” The shopkeeper studied her victim and almost swore under her breath when she remembered that her hoodie was still covering her neck. She was being too careless. She had to hurry it up. “Actually, hmm. I think your hoodie clashes with it a little. How about you take it off first? It’s making it hard for me to judge.”
“Okay…” the girl said, removing the hairband and gingerly pulling the hoodie over her head. “But wait, this gift isn’t going to be for me. Does it matter how I look in it?”
“Yes.” the shopkeep said flatly. She wished she hadn’t bothered with the sunglasses. She could have had the girl in a trance by now if she had just used her eyes. “Now put the hairband back on.”
The girl was visibly nervous, but she still complied. Gently, she slid it back on, pushing back her hair… and exposing her neck. “Is that better?” she asked. “How do I look now…?”
“Oh”, the shopkeeper replied, licking her lips. “You look delicious.”
She tore off her sunglasses and bared her fangs wide, and for a split second she saw the girl look back at her in horror before she plunged her teeth into her neck At first she screamed, for a moment. Then she whimpered. And then she settled into a dazed and steady moan as the shopkeep lapped at the blood pouring from her neck.
It had been far too long since Kassandra’s last drink. This shop was a terrible lure for human prey, she didn’t know why she still bothered with it. Most mortals weren’t as easy as this girl. Neither did they taste so good. She clawed hungrily at her skin as she drank, the pleasure of her feeding too much to contain. It wasn’t as if she was going to get any other customers today. She could feed as messily as she liked.
She had every intent to kill the girl, at least at first. Nobody would have saw her come here. Disposing of her would be easy enough. And she had no need to worry about her fighting back. Her mind was as good as gone the moment she bit her. The girl would die slowly, but in ecstasy. Just conscious enough to drift off her mortal coil in pure bliss.
But Kassandra did feel a little sorry for her. She may have been a time waster, but the shopkeeper did have a soft spot for dumb girls. Arrogant and disrespectful prey she felt no pity for; her last victim she had wrestled to the ground and devoured after she dared accuse her of forging her antiques. But this young girl’s only misdeed was being too stupid for her own good. Her girlfriend would miss her, and what a shame that would be on Valentines day. Kassandra could see why she might have chosen this girl. So naive, so trusting. She was rather adorable. It would be a waste to kill her.
It would also be a waste to pass up on such a meal as this. Kassandra groaned with pleasure as she mopped up a discharge of blood with her tongue. Perhaps it was just the time since her last feeding, but this girl’s blood tasted divine. She could smell it through her skin when she first came in, but she hadn’t imagined it being this good. The girl’s arm dropped to her side as she dropped further out of consciousness. Kassandra had been rather greedy. There was no way the girl could walk out of here alive now, no matter what she did. But perhaps she still had enough left for a transformation…
Grudgingly, she pulled herself away from the girl’s neck. She resisted the urge to lick her lips. If she tasted blood again she’d tear the girl to pieces. Instead she pinched shut the wound on her neck with her fingers, slowing the flow of blood to a crawl. Wincing in anticipation, Kassandra held up her own wrist and bit into it. The pain made her shudder and curse out loud. She could make mortals feel any sensation she desired with the power of her bite, but her tricks wouldn’t work on herself. Slowly she raised her bleeding wrist to the girl’s mouth, black ichor oozing from the wound.
“Drink” she said. In her current state the girl would obey her every command. She moaned louder and opened her mouth. It seemed she wasn’t completely gone. Kassandra pushed her hand into the girl’s face, making sure none of her blood was wasted. It was easier to let it drip into her open mouth than expect any dexterity from a half-dead mortal. A few seconds later Kassandra pulled her arm back, licking what was left of the ichor from her wrist. Ugh. She shuddered again. For her own sake she hoped the girl wasn’t able to taste it.
“How do you feel?” Kassandra asked. Not that she expected much of an answer. Panting and moaning and dripping with sweat, the girl was in a complete state. Her eyes were glazed and her expression contorted with throes of passion, still recovering from the hypnotic powers of her bite. She grunted with the barest hint of lucidity, enough to confirm she understood. Kassandra couldn’t help but grin to herself. She bet her mortal girlfriend had never done this to her before, although she wasn’t quite sure why she’d chosen to make her bite affect the girl like this. She had told herself it was an act of mercy, but going to this extreme wasn’t necessary. A vampire’s bite could also induce sleep in its victim, which would have been a much more dignified death. Perhaps she was a little jealous? She would have loved a girl like this for herself.
Not that she needed to be jealous. That was exactly what she had now. The girl had lost too much blood to survive as a mortal, but with a vampire’s blood now corrupting her from the inside she would soon rise again as one of the living dead. The magic coursing through her was already enough to sustain her in some facsimile of life, Kassandra’s power enough to prop her body and control her mind as a thrall. She could keep her this way as long as she pleased, even after she had finished her transformation. Perhaps a second pair of hands was what she needed to restore this place to its former glory. The girl wasn’t very smart but her mind could be tapped for some sort of understanding of what it was young mortals shopped for these days. And those lonely days spent with no customers at all would be much more… enjoyable with a thrall. It wouldn’t be purely selfish. She could make what little that remained of the girl’s mind experience pleasure far beyond what she could possibly have experienced as a mortal. It was hardly immoral to keep her.
But no, somehow Kassandra’s thoughts drifted back to her victim’s girlfriend. She had experience losing a lover and she wouldn’t wish that upon anyone, even a mortal. Families she cared nothing for, she had long outlived hers and felt nothing for it. But letting a romance end in tragedy felt too cruel even for her.
But the girl could hardly be set free in this state. Unleashing a new vampire on the outside world could be… problematic. But, thinking about it, wasn’t she already the perfect Valentine’s gift for her girlfriend? “Vampire stuff”, that’s all the redhead had been told of her girlfriend’s interests. It was fitting, in a deliciously ironic way. Kassandra cackled to herself. She had all sorts out fun gothic outfits with big ribbons and bows. She could gift wrap the girl and let her deliver herself! Oh, and she could even send her home with a bill…
“Girl.” She said, rubbing her hands with delight. “Girl, what is your name? I need to write a card.”
“Holly…” the girl slurred. The question roused her just a little, although she was still under control. Slowly, she straightened herself in her chair.
“Holly...” Kassandra replied, writing it down.” Oh, that’s a pretty name. Now what was your girlfriend’s name? Do you remember who you were shopping for?”
“Umm… Daphne…” She was still out of breath. Soon she wouldn’t need to breathe at all.
“Mhm. Alright. I’ll make this out to her. From you, of course.” Kassandra showed her the card. “You will make the perfect gift, won’t you?”
“Yes… I’m... the perfect gift…” she recited back in montone. Kassandra rolled her eyes. Thralls weren’t exactly great for conversation.
“Now all I need to do is clean you up, and… Hmm. I suppose I’ll have to relinquish control of you over to her.” She stood up and rummaged through one of her cabinets. “There should be an amulet for this somewhere in here. ...ah yes, here we are.” She held up a steel rune. It glowed faintly in the darkness, its metal surface reacting to the vampire’s touch. Kassandra scribbled down an incantation on a scrap of paper along with some basic instructions to bring Holly in and out of her thrall state at will, and tucked it into the rune. All she would have to do is snap her fingers and repeat the incantation and her gift would be ready for use. Daphne was a lucky girl.
“I’ll have to train you with some basic behaviours” Kassandra said. “Your girlfriend can’t control you quite like I can. But don’t worry, I’ll ensure there’s lots of fun for her to have playing with her new toy...”
Kassandra stepped back from the cabinet and towards Holly. She kneeled in front of her, holding the steel rune and positioning herself at eye level. Holly stared forward, her attention solely on her.
“Thrall” Kassandra began. In this state she could program Holly to do or believe anything. Addressing her by her name when issuing commands would risk her new behaviours persisting with her normal state of mind, not just her enthralled self. It would be so easy, it was almost a shame not to. But it was for Daphne’s sake, as much as the idea of a girlfriend stuck in a state of permanent slavish obedience appealed to her personally.
“The words I speak to you are an objective truth, thrall. Anything I tell you, about yourself or the world, that is how things are. Do you understand?”
“Words you speak… truth...” Holly droned. Kassandra shook her head.
“Quiet, thrall. I want you to learn, not repeat. “Do you understand?.”
Holly nodded slowly.
“Excellent” Kassandra grinned, edging closer. “I’ll begin now. You are very submissive, thrall. You are very submissive and you just love to follow orders. It gives you great pleasure to do as you are told. All you want to do is please your mistress. You love her very much, thrall. You live for Daphne. You live for her, you exist to fulfill her ever desire. You feel very happy to be used by her.”
Holly’s eyes slowly widened as she absorbed every word as fact. Kassandra licked her lips. Such a good subject. What did Daphne do to deserve her?
“She might not know this yet, so you’ll have to show her. You’ll come home to her, and you’ll demonstrate this new form of yours, the obedient little toy, eager to please. Give yourself to her. Tell her how she can summon you so that she may use you whenever she wants. Show her how good it feels to have a thrall to do her bidding, to satisfy her every need…”
Holly continued to nod, taking it all in. And then suddenly she looked confused. “...how?” she asked. Kassandra stared back at her, surprised. Holly continued to speak. “How do I show her...”
“Well…” Kassandra clapped her hands with glee. She hadn’t expected that to hear that, but it was more than okay. Valentine’s Day was tomorrow. She had more than a few hours left before she needed to send Holly on her way, and there was no chance of her getting two customers in one day. She could still have some fun with her. After all, she had to make sure her gift was of utmost quality…
“I can’t speak for your girlfriend, but there are some things I just love. Let me show you how a thrall can please her mistress...”