Chapter 3: Her First Kill
December 28th, Evening
Paddle Paddle Paddle. The sound of a paddle ball could be heard in Cat's apartment, which was in the hands of said shiki.
"So tomorrow evening my first victim will stop by the house?" Cat said in boredom.
"Yes, SIHA's processing only a takes a couple of evenings. Did you get your new ID?" Sunako asked. Cat reached over her shoulder and pulled a card off the counter top.
"I did. Who ever did the photoshop job is really good" Cat answered before placing the card on the table.
"I am sure when dealing with newly risen on a constant basis" Sunako quirped. Cat stopped paddling and place it on the table.
"Ok, let's review the procedure once more. I would like to keep things clean as much as possible" Cat spoke up.
"Ok, well like I said the best place to sink your fangs is at the base of the neck. It's where you will have the most stability. Once you had your fill, you should cover the wounds with your tongue for a few seconds. Our saliva acts like a closing agent, thus preventing blood spurting everywhere. Lick up the excess from the lips. If it's a killing bite, which your first will be, then you should stake the body in a bath tub. Finally, you will need to place the body in the provided body bag and lay it out flat on a bed or couch. SIHA workers will pick up the body in the morning" Sunako went over once more.
"Won't they need an invitation?" Cat question. Sunako shook her head.
"Their mortician team is made up of humans, so they won't need it" Sunako stated.
"I see" Cat sighed. She got up from her seat and went to get herself a blood pack.
"Did your workplace ever get back to you on changing your schedule?" Seishin asked.
"Mmm...Yes they did. Turns out the graveyard shift employees at the warehouse are all shikis" Cat said in between gulps of blood.
"Well, that certainly makes things more convenient" Seishin responded.
"Indeed, now if you excuse me there's some stuff I want to check on" Cat said as she left for her room. She returned back to the living room with a laptop in her hands. She began opening up tabs and started browsing her favorite sites, including one of her favorite anime series: Shokugeki no Soma.
"Oh, what an interesting drawing" Sunako said hovering over Cat. Cat gave the girl a sleek smile.
"Yeah, the author of this series is really good at what he does" Cat laughed.
"What is the series about?" Sunako asked.
"It's about a clueless boy making his way through cooking school, do you wish watch it with me?" Cat asked. Sunako place a finger to her lip, as if in thought.
"Sure, that sounds interesting" Sunako answered. They spent the rest of the night binge watching the series, sharing many laughs and inside jokes along the way. It was a good bonding moment since the evening Cat rose as a shiki.A night before Cat experienced the pleasure of being a predator.
Dec. 29
It was a quiet evening in Cat's apartment, to an eerie extent. She finally made the final preparations for her first kill and levitated above the doorway. The victim should be here any second now.
Knock, Knock.
"Come in, the door is unlocked" Cat called out. Slowly the door opened wide and footsteps could be heard.
"Hello, Miss McHall?" a male voice called out.
"Right behind you" Cat said in a evil tone. Before the man could turn around, he was tackled to the floor. He felt a sharp pain as Cat latched her fangs. Slurping was the only noise that could be heard while the man slowly died. Within minutes Cat's hunger was sated.
"Alright, let's move you to the bathroom" Cat groaned as she lifted and carried the limp body to the tub. Once the body was laid down, she grabbed the stake and hammer on the sink top.
Wham! In a single blow, Cat drove the stake through the man's heart. She turned on the water and let the remaining blood drain out.
Knock, Knock.
"Hmm? Who could that be?" Cat thought as she turned off the water and leaving the body unattended. She hummed a song from her past as she approached the door. What stood behind the door left her speechless. In front of her were two women, one looked to be in her fifties while the other was a teenager. The elderly woman wore a casual winter dress and had straight brown hair. The teenager was a redhead and wore her hair in a side pigtail, had hazel blue eyes, and wore the latest in women's fashion.
"Mom...Grace" Cat hoarsely said.
"Sister! I've missed you" Grace screamed as she tackled her elder sister.
"Grace I..." Cat began to say before she witness a frown on Grace's face.
"You're so cold...and your eyes are a hollow hell" Grace bit her lip.
"Honey, what happened to you?" her mom asked with a frightened look. Cat grimaced at the sight.
"How about we sit down and talk?" Cat advised. Her mother nodded slowly and lifted Grace off her. The three women walked to the couch and immediately started chatting.
"So should I begin or shall you begin?" Cat asked.
"Why don't you ask us a question first?" her mother suggested.
"Since you guys came down to visit me, I assume they caught him?" Cat asked.
"Yes, he's gone for good" her mother answered.
"When?" It was a simple question, as she wasn't aware of the news...which was odd.
"He was caught on the 24th, didn't you get my email?" her mother questioned. Cat sighed at the statement, of course it had to be the day she died.
"I haven't read my messages since the 22nd. I came down with a serious illness" Cat sadly stated. Grace gasped loudly.
"Did your anemia flair up?" Grace asked.
"Yes...severely so" Cat bitterly said, "Grace, do you remember my obsession with vampires?"
"Uh huh, especially that Hellsing series and the Shiki novel, but what does that have to do with anything?" Grace questioned.
"What if I told you I became a vampire?" Cat asked. A silence grew in the room, interrupted by a passing Sunako.
"Oh, I see we have company" Sunako said with a surprised face. Cat motioned her to pull up a chair.
"Um, who is she? And can you run that again, dear?" her mother said in disbelief.
"My name is Sunako Kirishiki, nice to meet you" Sunako said with a warm smile while extending her hand out.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sunako" Miss McHall said while grabbing her hand. The coldness of the touch ran down her spine.
"I said I became a vampire, just like Sunako over there" Cat spoke up. Grace and her mother eyes grew wider.
"Honey...that sounds a bit far fetched..." her mother began to say before Cat interrupted her.
"Is it? Then explain why my skin is snow white or why my eyes are a solid black?" Cat pointed out, "Grace... you said I was cold, which means the blood in my body has stopped moving."
"But...how? I don't understand...does that me you're..." Grace stammered as tears rolled down her cheek.
"Undead? Yes, I'm an undead. More accurately, I'm a Shiki or Demon Corpse" she remorsefully answered, shedding a single tear. Her mother couldn't believe her ears... her baby girl was now a talking corpse?
"I refuse...I refuse to believe this...I'm sorry, this doesn't make sense" her mother begin to sob.
"I'm not sure what other proof you need, mother" Cat said.
"I don't know...hold up, I need to use the powder room" her mother thought. Cat mindlessly pointed towards the bathroom, which her mother walked towards.
"Oh Cat, is the draining process done?" Sunako called out.
"Draining process...Oh shit! Mom, wait..." Cat called out.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Too Late. Cat made haste to the bathroom, finding her mother shaking violently while leaning against the wall.
"Bl...Bl...Bloood...Body...Body..." Miss McHall stammered. Cat gently place her cold hand on her mother's shoulder.
"I'm sorry you had to see that" Cat said while trying to relax.
"Cat...why is there a body in the bath tub?" her mother whimpered Cat gave her a regretful frown.
"He was my meal today... I drained him of his blood" Cat while baring her fangs. Her mother put her hands over her face.
"You...You...You're..." her mother muttered.
"a Shiki" Cat finished, "I suggest you take Grace home and never return here. I will not endanger your lives any further, as the only residents in this home are blood sucking creatures." She let her mother go and headed back to the living room.
"Is everything alright, sis?" Grace asked.
"She found the evidence she needed" Cat grimly replied, "I suggest you make haste and leave this place immediately."
"But..." Grace began to protest.
"No, you must leave. This is not a safe place for a human being. I do not wish to hurt you" Cat coldly said. Grace frowned, but understood. Miss McHall finally made it back to the living room, holding a neutral composure.
"Grace, let's go" her mother commanded, "Honey...what should I tell your father?"
"Just tell him that I was killed in an accident and my body was never recovered" Cat suggested.
"Then I shall forget about this meeting and mourn my dead daughter" her mother sadly said before grabbing Grace's hand and moving towards the door.
"I'm sorry it came to this...but I will always remember the goodwill you showed me. Goodbye mother" Cat remorsefully said.
"Goodbye, my child" Miss McHall said before heading out the door with Grace in tow. Sunako grabbed Cat's hand.
"I'm sorry" she attempted to comfort. A soft smile formed on Cat's lips.
"As long as I have you and Seishin, I will always have some form a family" Cat said, "Now let's prepare the body before the night is up." Cat and Sunako headed back to bathroom to retrieve the body.
A/N: And that was the last time Cat saw her mother and Grace...Or was it?