"What…are…you?" Laura distressfully questions, propping herself up by her elbows on the bed.

"I'm Carmilla Karnstein, honey. I'm a vampire." Carmilla says with a Devil may care attitude. What else could she possibly lose at this point?

"You were a cat. My cat." Laura says, evident sorrow spreading across her face that her beloved pet is actually a strange demon girl who is probably going to eat her now.

"My mother drained me of blood and had my Oedipus complex brother lock me up in a storage container. Luckily the night guard is a thief and was raiding the locker for anything he could make a quick buck on. I heard him rummaging around and used what little energy I had remaining to shift into feline form, he lifted the lid and pulled me out. Criminal with a heart of gold called animal services, your dad showed up and well the rest you know." She finished, staring down at the little human who was gazing up at her wide eyed.

"Your family tried to kill you?" Laura surmised, shocked.

"No, they didn't want me dead, just as near to it as possible. We had a falling out of sorts… and I have no idea why I'm telling you all this. Must be the starvation affecting my head." Carmilla estimated, pushing Laura's legs over to sit on the edge of the bed. "You're probably thinking of ways to kill me right now. That's normally how people react." The vampire broods, staring down at her bootlaces.

"You can stay." Laura offers confidently.

"Excuse me?"

"You can stay here, until you find somewhere else safe to go. I'm not going to throw you out on the street for your psychopathic family to snatch you up again. I know if you were going to hurt me you would have already." She finishes, looking Carmilla straight in the eye.

"You aren't afraid of me?"

"I mean, I'm not saying I won't sleep with a sharp pointy stake under my pillow but a stray is not just for Christmas." The smaller girl replies, a slight smile teasing at her lips.

"You're one of those girls who sticks her hand in the fire just to see if it's hot aren't you?" Carmilla smirks back. "Well I guess this is home then."

Carmilla lies back on the bed stretching out her slender, toned arms and then folding them under her head on the yellow pillow. Laura immediately jumps up off the bed. She may be compassionate to the melancholy girl's story but she's still a vampire and that means keeping a clear six foot safety perimeter between Carmilla's fangs and her neck at all times.

Carmilla laughs at the jumpy girl. "Don't worry, I just ate. I can't consume too much at once, lest I overload my system. I have to build up my strength gradually."

Laura's brow creases. "Wait…was that was happened to Tommy?" You ate my neighbour? That's so not cool!"

"What do you expect me to do, starve? I need to feed cupcake."

"I'm a med student. I can get you blood bags, so please just chill on the eating people while you're here. Also, get your boots off the bed." Laura cautions sternly.

Carmilla obeys, even though she could snap the bossy little human like a twig if she wanted to.

Laura's phone rings. "Oh hi Danny. I'm at home *cough*. Yeah I'm not feeling great *cough*. No, no, you don't need to come over. Honestly I'll be fi... Oh yeah? The kind with the little noodles in? Ok, thanks baby, you're the best. See you soon."

Laura hangs up and looks down at Carmilla who is rolling her eyes.

"Do you think you could act like a normal person if my girlfriend comes over?"

"Won't she be mad when she gets here and finds a beautiful woman in your bed?"

"No, I don't think that will be a problem cousin Carm."

Danny, this is my cousin Carmilla, she's staying with us for a few days.

"Wow, you're pale." Danny states bluntly, eyeing her girlfriends new house guest.

Carmilla looks peeved. "Yeah Danny, that's what happens when you're a…"

"Alaskan! She's visiting from Alaska, very not with the sun there." Laura cuts her off. "Who wants coffee? No actually probably not a good idea. How about camomile tea? That's nice and calming. Carm, will you help me with it?" Laura asks but more so demands, dragging Carmilla into the kitchen by the arm.

"Ok, why don't you stay here and Danny and I will go to the bedroom. I'll find you some Judge Judy on tv, I bet you love her."

"Fiiiine." Carmilla begrudgingly agrees.

"Danny, let's go watch tv in my room."

"Sure babe. I'll give you a nice relaxing back massage." She smiles, already kneading at Laura's shoulders as they make their way to the bedroom.

"Oh my God, your fingers are magic." Laura squeals.

Carmilla sits on the couch shaking her head.