It's been a long time. Feels like it. Sorry about that. Anyway, I got another review questioning the pace of the initial reveal to Sherlock that she's a vampire. I figured I shouldn't post a whole chapter note thing cuz it wasn't as big or as much of an insult, but still. It was rude. Not exactly friendly flames or constructive criticism. So I know most of you guys don't give me any advice or critical feedback at all, and I guess that's great that you like the story how it is, but if or when you do criticize an author's work, not just mine, the author will probably receive it better if you are polite and courteous about it, not just raving about the mistakes you found.
Okay, now that that's out of my system, enjoy this next chapter! I really like mind palace things that people write, but maybe that's just me. This is kind of a short chapter, but I feel like it helps develop some things and I just really like writing mind palace stuff. Sorry about my mini-rant.
About a month an a half has passed since Caterine moved into 221C.
Sherlock walked through the halls of his mind palace, slowly, carefully. There was the door to her room, right in front of him. All he had to do was open it. But he couldn't. He'd never admit it, but Sherlock was still spooked from the last time he was in her room. But surely there was new information. Surely her representation had changed. Surely he saw her differently now. She wasn't a threat. She wouldn't murder him in the middle of the night. She was intelligent, wise, and ever so intriguing. She was a vampire who had lived for a very, very long time; why wouldn't she peak his curiosity? The consulting detective crept closer to her door, the hall darkening as he did so. It grew colder, somehow. His own trepidation reflecting back at him, warning him not to venture inside. Perhaps she would sink her fangs into his neck and kill him if he entered. Perhaps not.
Sherlock gripped the door knob and turned, slowly. He eased the door open, slowly. And he slipped into the room.
Caterine's room was a calming shade of green. It was bright and warm, despite the lack of windows, and Sherlock immediately relaxed. It smelled of vanilla and ginger and chai and coffee and there was a slight metallic scent of blood. Faint, but there. A stack of books now took up one corner of the room. Upon further inspection, these books were Caterine's favorites: the Count of Monte Cristo, Antigone, Frankenstein, a book of Shakespeare, HG Wells, Edgar A Poe, and many other classics with a box set of Harry Potter set on top. On Caterine's table sat a platter displaying artistically arranged, dead white mice. Her lime green teacup was again in her grasp, filled with blood. Mind palace Caterine sat with her legs crossed, back straight, and shoulders back, her hair loose and ruffled slightly by a nonexistent breeze. The songs Sherlock always heard her humming or listening to were playing quietly. More facts floated around the room than before, now joined by more of her likes and dislikes and a few opinions he had formed about her.
In short, the room was pleasant. He should have come back sooner. Sherlock worried that mind palace Caterine would bare her fangs to him if he stayed too long, so he turned to leave. That was when he saw the shelf, next to the door. The pitcher filled with his poisoned blood, the blood bag he had found in the lab where he discovered her vampiric identity, the tray of frozen white mice, and every other negative experience he'd had with her, all on the shelf. One would think that after a month and a half and her being undead there would be more on the shelf. Or maybe another shelf or two. But, surprisingly, there were many more good things in the room than bad.
And now, Sherlock, having reviewed everything about the occupant of 221C, could exit the room in his mind palace and move on to thinking about this current, impossible, magical case.
Alright, remember, guys, no flames! Be polite about how you bring a mistake or concern to my or another author's attention. As always, kind constructive criticism is appreciated. Actually, reviews in general are appreciated, as long as they're nice.
