The Sisters find Agatha and advise her that the husband is looking for her (LOL)

"Something smells good," said Stefan when he entered the room.

"I hope so," she said. "I can't really tell. I've been averse to actual food these days…"

Her newer, stronger vampire traits were a double-edged sword of sorts. The soup smelled fine but not as good as the one the Count had made. This annoyed her immensely.

"I'm sure it's wonderful," he said, trying some of it with a spoon. "It is. The garlic adds a nice taste too."

"Thank you."

Stefan offered a small smile as Agatha quickly served him some of it along with some of the other food she made. She was trying to keep busy, not much in the mood for conversation.

"How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said, though she didn't feel that way at all. "I got some sleep at least."

"That's good. Are you sure you're ok? Maybe you need more blood?" he said very casually.

"No." She knew it wasn't that at all. It was a combination of many things, and the Count was still affecting her state of mind, intentionally or not. Part of her wanted to crawl back to him, cave into bad habits.

"it's none of that. Don't worry about me. Just eat," she said, with a quick forced smile.

Stefan sat down on the small table and ate as Agatha cleaned up and put away some of the extra ingredients she had left over. He insisted on helping her, but she was keen on staying busy.

"How was your day?" she said after a quick sigh, trying to be polite and get in better spirits.

"Not as productive as I would've hoped," he said. "We discovered another body. The corpses are becoming more, well…grotesque."

He ate and spoke very casually, apparently used to seeing so many crimes in his life. It was a normal part of his work. It was something else that seemed to be bothering him.

"…Agatha," he said, "Did you know there have been reports of the dead rising? Rising, as in from their graves?"

She looked at him, knowing where the conversation was headed. She had warned him about it. She didn't think it was a good idea if he were to see the person who was once his wife, changed and tied down to the will of the Count.

"Meaning the transitions…may have gone unnoticed. And Catherine may not be gone."

It was the first time he had mentioned her name. Agatha sat down across him.

"Stefan, if it's true…" she sighed, trying to be simultaneously as sympathetic and straightforward as possible. Something she sometimes had trouble with.

"She isn't here anymore. It wouldn't be her, as she was when she was alive."

"How could you say that?"

"I am saying it because it is the truth. Don't you agree that it is?"

"But look at you. You're—You're doing fine." he frowned, looking angry for once, and it surprised her. "He perfected you. What makes you think you can have what she doesn't?"

"Stefan," she said, unmoved. "Listen to me. That is not what I am saying."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," he said meekly as he avoided her gaze.

She sighed, touching his arm to provide some sort of comfort.

"I know it is painful to accept what happened. But what I am saying is…it is likely much too late to save her. If she is a vampire, then she has been years under Dracula's control. And seeing her again may hinder your judgement. It could kill you."

A knock on the door interrupted them.

"Are you expecting someone?" Stefan asked her but she nodded.

He went to open the door and the innkeeper was there, holding an oil lamp.

"Hello sir…and Sister Agatha, correct?" he said, as he looked past the Detective to the nun. "I'm sorry to disturb you but there are, well, three nuns downstairs looking for you…Is there some sort of Catholic festival in town?"

"Well…It would seem so," answered Stefan.

"And I don't know how serious you nuns are, but I thought you should know. They weren't as rigid about to the rules. They walked in without any invitation," he said accusingly.

"Oh," Agatha laughed. "Yes, they are still in training."

"Are you to have all these nuns in this one room? It is spacious enough, but is it…well…appropriate…"

"Sir," said Agatha, standing abruptly and walking up next to the Detective. "Can you please send them up, or would you need me to go downstairs?"

"I'll send them up, of course. One moment," he said, and Agatha was relieved to see him go on his way.

When the Sisters arrived, Agatha gave them all a quick hug and they greeted Stefan.

"What are you all doing here? Is everything ok? How are the others?" she asked.

"Everyone is ok," said Maria. "Well, I don't know about Emily. She was still very sick when we left her, but everyone knows to take precautions. And, uh…"

The three looked back to Stefan.

"Uh, Detective, can you please excuse us for a moment?"

"Florence, it's his room," whispered Lily.

"It's alright. I'll take a walk and be back," he smiled. "I'll try to see if there's a spare room. Otherwise you ladies can stay here."

"Thank you," they muttered.

Once he left, Agatha went over to her bed, and sat down. Lily, Florence, and Maria seemed to relax and they sat at the table nearby, where the Detective had just been dining at.

"You shouldn't have left the convent," Agatha continued. "There have been more murders. It isn't safe."

"Agatha, it's ok. Wits and weapons, remember? We brought both. And we had an exciting journey," said Florence. "We've brought stakes and everything. And…we saw one of them, you know. Well, more than one…"

"A vampire?"

"Yes, a vampire," replied Maria. "When we went to the cemetery to leave flowers for Lily's father-"

"Look," said Florence, interrupting as she took out a stake from the small bag she brought with her. It was stained with blood. Florence seemed giddy and excited over it, and Agatha wasn't sure how to feel about that, but she could relate to the younger nun's enthusiasm.

"He tried to attack Maria, and I got him."

"Oh, Agatha, it was terrible and he looked like an animal, nothing human," said Maria.

Agatha took the stake from Florence and inspected it, before putting it down.

"Was it immediate? The death?" she asked.

"No," said Florence as she went to sit beside Agatha. Florence proceeded to begin braiding her hair, something she had always seemed to like to do at the convent. Agatha, not very reserved in the slightest herself, never really minded it.

"He screamed when I did it, and he fell, coughed out blood. But in about less than a minute or so he was dead. Double dead, anyway."

"Enough with the gory details Florence," said Lily. "Agatha, we're here for you, and also because…well…someone came to the convent to see you."

"What?"

"Yes, he said his name was Mr. Balaur?"

The Sisters saw Agatha's face redden in a combination of horror and fury.

"Did anyone invite him inside the convent?"

"No, no of course not. He was at the gates…" continued Lily. "That was…Count Dracula, wasn't it?"

"Yes," she said. "What happened? You must tell me everything."

"We sent him away," said Maria. "Don't worry, he didn't enter and nobody was hurt. He said he was a friend of yours and the Detective's. Agatha, he seemed very eager to find you."

"I told him very clearly not to every come back to the convent. But of course, he goes back without a second thought. He needs to be taught obedience," Agatha remarked, and she quickly slammed a fist on the nightstand, breaking the wood. It infuriated her that he disobeyed the last request she made of him. The nuns were quiet for a moment as Agatha saw what she had done and quickly regretted it.

"The super strength is very much alive, isn't it…" chuckled Florence nervously, a natural reaction to Agatha's sudden display of physical power.

"I apologize. I've been irritable lately, and this news isn't helping."

"Well he didn't seem intent on entering the convent. He was just very interested in getting to you," said Maria. "He asked where we could find you, and of course, we didn't say a word about it. But there was something severely wrong with him."

"Yes," Agatha responded. "there are many things severely wrong with him. But never mind that for now. Thank you for being here."

She smiled genuinely.

"Of course."

"So Agatha," said Florence, as she finished the braid on her Sister's hair. "What else can you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"The fun vampire tricks."

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. I haven't practiced much. And no," she smiled, practically reading Florence's mind. "I will not show you any fangs."

"Fine, but you should practice—"

"Florence," said Maria and Lily simultaneously. "No."

"She should! Wouldn't it be good to practice your…skills? Sometimes at least," Florence shrugged, raising her eyebrows.

Agatha gave that a thought before responding.

"Well I'll show you something I can do."

"What?" said Maria curiously.

"Wait and I'll show you."

"What is it?" said Florence. "Nothing's happening."

"Wait a moment, I am a vampire, not a magician," said Agatha.

A few more moments passed.

"It is getting misty in here isn't it?" said Lily, with a small cough.

"Exactly," said Agatha, as the whole room flooded with fog so thick they could hardly see eachother now.

The Sisters were all wide eyed and trying to put their hands through the fog, as if it were some falsity. Florence gasped in excitement.

"Oh my goodness! That's so strange."

Agatha smiled.

"Yes. Always carry the weather with you," she said, before frowning at the words. They were not her own, and Dracula's blood in her veins seemed to bring evidence of him to the surface sometimes. Agatha changed the subject as she focused on eliminating the fog.

"Are you ladies hungry?" she asked, changing the subject.

The Sisters feigned feeling just fine, but as soon as Agatha served them plates of food they devoured it all. Agatha was glad to see nothing had gone to waste.

"Who taught you this? The soup is particularly good. I don't recall having had this at the convent," said Maria between mouthfuls.

"A friend," she smiled, though she knew who she spoke of was no friend at all.

By the end of the night, Stefan had gotten a room for the nuns, but Agatha insisted on sleeping away from them for their own protection. So she stayed with Stefan, and tried to get some more rest.

Florence was right in some way—she should make use of whatever power she had gained along with her vampirism, and become a master of it.

And Agatha was tired of allowing dreams or memories harbor any control over her or her feelings.

Determined to calm herself, she caved in-determined to test her own control over herself, and her control over this bond with him, maybe even Dracula himself. She was too curious not to try, and it was becoming all too tempting to deny herself the opportunity. So she relaxed back in bed that night and tried her best to do what she did best-Focus.

Note from the author here - Please read! - post/623461597859414016/note-from-the-author-listen-the-2-things-i-suck