The vampire was still sleeping when Laura returned to her room. She had brought Elizabeth with her not only to one class, but to three, which was basically another way of saying that she spent the whole day wishing she was someone else. The girl was practically a saint. Not once did she mention anything that made Laura feel intimidated or of a lower stature, which made Laura feel even worse because she really wanted a reason to dislike her. The girl quoted Shakespeare so accurately that Laura was sure she had artificial intelligence. No one was that perfect.

Laura had dropped her book bag on its proper location (unlike a certain roommate of hers) and made herself some cocoa. As she walked towards her laptop it did not miss her attention that her yellow pillow was missing again. She gave an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. How predictable.

Choosing to ignore Carmilla's mess, Laura proceeded to turn on her laptop and check on doing more research. And also probably work more on that paper. She gave off a disgusted grunt.

Carmilla awoke from the bustling in the room. The resident nerd was back. For a moment she studied the shadows of the light from the windows and deduced that it was more than ample enough time for her to get up. She rolled herself out of her bed and poured a glass of 'soy milk' on a cup. Nothing like a little bit of hemoglobin to get your day started, right?

"Hey, buttercup." She greeted after she's had a few sips of the sweet nectar of the devil on her way to the bathroom.

"Hey," Laura answered without looking up. Carmilla gave her a small glance but ultimately brushed her mood off. She wasn't in a state yet that she can handle someone else's day not going so well.

When she was finally finished in the bathroom, she returned, her blood cup empty.

"So why is that pout on your face?"

"What? I'm not pouting." The blonde responded, pouting even more.

"Sure."

"Don't you have somewhere else to be? Someone else to bug? Another 'study partner' to mess with?" Alright. She wasn't giving up the goods. Carmilla couldn't be bothered to look even further.

"Alright, bye." And with that, she walked out of the room.

She put her hands in the pockets of her leather jacket, walking aimlessly, studying the hallway. She thought of all the little lives of all the girls who lived in these small rooms. Their lifetimes were insignificant in comparison to theirs but at least they move on. Her? Different setting, different scheme, still the same role. She hated it. She didn't want to do it but what choice does she really have? Her enemy was so ancient she could compare to gods, what else is she supposed to do?

Carmilla's eyes flicked sideways for a second, her peripherals having caught sight of a ghost. She could swear what she saw was Elle, but that's impossible. She may not know what her mother did to the girls she took, but sending them to a university to pursue higher education was definitely not one of them. Carmilla did not see the girl emerge again and so she kept walking. Maybe she was just crazy.

It was past 3 am when Carmilla reappeared in her domicile. She smirked at the hunched over form of Laura in front of her laptop. The poor girl doesn't even have enough energy to fight off sleep. Thankfully, Carmilla's heard nothing from her mother yet. But 'no news is good news' only exists in the military. Radio silence from an enemy means an even bigger heist. Damn it.

She got herself a glass of 'soy milk' and carefully approached Laura. "Hey, sweetheart," she whispered, giving the girl a little caress to wake her up. Laura grunted but she stirred.

"Hey, cupcake," Carmilla cooed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Go to bed. It's pretty late." Laura nodded, eyes half-open, and complied. The vampire led her to her bed and tucked her in.

Moments like these are moments she shouldn't have. These are the stolen moments that will haunt her as long as she lives and that is proving to be an incredibly long time. Another mournful sigh took her as she finished the rest of her drink and decided to let slumber entrap her for the night.

The music echoed through the whole theater as young women danced with sharp precision and grace on stage. The audience sat in awe and admiration as the music tempo changed to mark the finale of the play. Carmilla sat amongst them, her eyes only trained to a single person. The performance was timeless and perhaps the best yet.

Lights and shadows danced on her skin as they touched them. Her back curved perfectly in an arch, dropping with such confidence of not falling. She performed her moves; a bourrée, chaînés tournes, a chassé. Words Carmilla had begun to pick up and learn during her private rehearsals where she watched her lover say these words out loud to herself. Another dancer emerged, gracefully taking her into his arms before raising her and spinning her, as if rescuing her from the tides of ballerinas reaching for her. The arch of her neck beckoned to Carmilla as she knew exactly which spot it was she liked to be kissed. Her partner had placed his lips on her perfect neck as he lowered her, their arms wrapped around each other as they were captured by the tide.

She emerged again from the group of ballerinas surrounding her but before she could escape they have captured her again. The last image to be seen was that of her being swallowed and her dainty hands reaching for a safety that never came. Then slowly, the group began to move again, gently turning around a figure who began to rise. It was the male dancer and the group of ballerinas gradually loosened their hold on him and eventually, leaving him standing alone on stage.

The lights went dark. The curtain dropped. The crowd stood in unison as they clapped and cheered their praises. The curtain reopened and the stars returned for their final bow. Carmilla wiped an escaped tear from her eyes. It was damnably beautiful. But it also made her a nervous wreck. How could she possibly take the love of her life from the life she loved? God damn it.

Carmilla waited outside the theater as the crown thinned out, a huge bouquet of red roses tucked in her arms. The coat she wore made her look even smaller than she is. As time passed by she wondered if she had changed her mind. Maybe she backed away. Maybe she was right to. Running off with her was crazy. How could she make her drop everything she loved and run away with her then let her know that she had been lying all along? Jesus fucking Christ. Carmilla should just walk away for the both of them. For a brief moment she had the courage to leave this poor girl alone and she knew she had to move now or else she never will. How could she be so selfish?

But just as Carmilla started walking—

"Carmilla!" The way her named rolled off her tongue was sweeter than any chocolate ever concocted. Carmilla caught her perfectly and spun her around in the snow. "Cara mia," she whispered before capturing the vampire's cold lips in a searing kiss. In 1872 in Paris, such things didn't happen. But the night was cold and dark and she was so, so beautiful and that is why Carmilla was selfish.

"Mi belle," she whispered in return as she offered her the half-crushed roses. A small laughter elicited from Lenore's lips before she accepted the roses and kissed her again. Carmilla could not imagine ever spending a day without those lips.

"Are you ready?" Carmilla asked, their foreheads meeting. Lenore smiled and nodded vigorously. Whatever she had to sacrifice to be with Carmilla, she was ready. "Yes," she answered breathlessly as they both began to walk towards the Beaufort estate.

They were bound to take a ship sailing towards the New World at dawn, where they would live a happy life away from her mother. Where Lenore would be safe. Once they reached the Beaufort estate, she broke away from her lover. "Wait for me," she advised as she ran towards her manor entrance from the garden, but not before giving her a kiss.

"Forever, my love," Carmilla whispered in return as she watched her go towards the door. What she didn't know was that she was making a promise, true in itself. The vampire looked around and noted how the garden felt emptier, somehow. As if they knew that the most beautiful flower to ever grace them is about to leave. But before she could think any further, her thoughts were disturbed by a blood curdling scream that came from Lenore's room. Her senses suddenly heightened. She looked up towards her bedroom window and ran. Carmilla burst through the door and the spectacle that met her eyes has sent her to paralysis.

"Hello, Mircalla." The sight of her mother was enough to make the hair on her back stand up in fear. Her skin crawled and her insides wanted to churn themselves.

Her mother had Lenore hanging by her hair, a sadistic sneer on her face as Lenore cried for help and mercy. Lenore's feet hung above the floor as she futilely attempted to reach them. Tears stained her beautiful face, slowly turning red from the pressure. Her silent screams tore apart Carmilla's heart. Her small hands tried reaching for Carmilla's mother's but to no avail. Her green eyes met Carmilla's dark ones and all they screamed to her was fear.

"Mother, please!" Carmilla begged but before she could move an inch, her mother had sunk her teeth deep in Lenore's throat and two of her brothers had trapped her. Carmilla had fought to the claw, her vision turning red, as Lenore's scream shook the whole night.

Carmilla felt the weight of a body waning slowly in her arms but the taste of the blood was far too sweet for her to just stop. "Carmi-" her victim gasped with her last breath, her hold on the vampire finally loosening. Carmilla's vision slowly began to clear up, sound of blood pounding through her eardrums ebbed.

But the image in front of her switched Carmilla's head back in gear. Staring back at her were two pools lifeless green eyes, the eyes that brought the sun back into her dark life.

Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. There was blood on her hands and she could still feel taste the tang of blood on her mouth as they lay in the bed where they made love. How could she have done it? How? There was no way. How did she do it?

No, no, no, no. She shook Lenore, willing the life of her eyes to come back but there was nothing. Once again, she was alone in this world and the only woman she's ever loved has been taken by her own hands. Her silent cries turned into angry sobs that racked her body as she screamed her heart out into the night.

"No!"

Carmilla shot up in her bed, eyes bloodshot, throat raw from screaming. She looked at her bare, bloodless hands that glowed pale against the moonlight.

"Hey," a voice cooed in the darkness and a pair of arms began to draw comforting motions on her back, drawing her closer. The brunette slumped herself against the warmth around her.

"Shhh, just a dream, Carm. It's just a dream." Thank heavens for the birth of Laura Hollis. Just this time, in the comforts of their room, Carmilla allowed herself to be held by someone else. It's been centuries since anyone has held her like this. And she wasn't about to deny herself this one tiny sliver of heaven. This was one piece of heaven she will get to keep for the rest of her existence.

"Thank you," she whispered against Laura's chest, wiping away the stray tear that escaped her eyes. Was this nightmare the beginning of Mother's revenge? Or was this just a reminder for Carmilla to not be so foolish?