The Lost Girls:

Three female teen vampires search for blood. While the story is about the three teens, it primarily centers on Chloe and her reluctance as a vampire.

My inspiration comes primarily from the film and TV series; “What We Do in The Shadows.”

All characters in the story are eighteen years of age and older.

THE MALL:

Najae woke first as the last rays of sunlight faded behind the hills. She was going shopping as soon as the others were up to several clothing stores at the King of Prussia Mall. She preferred J. Crew, Banana Republic, and Hollister to name a few. Her wardrobe needed updating and while she liked the styles, the sales help was attractive and mouthwatering.

Chloe was up next and stretched her body as she yawned.

“Do we have ta go Naj?”

“Why don’t you want to go?”

“I’m kinda hungry and…”

“What better place than the mall to ah…get something to “eat”?”

Chloe was the most reluctant vampire of the group. She didn’t enjoy feeding and only did it out of necessity.

“Ok…but the last time, I was drinking from this Hot guy, and somebody walked in on us…ruined the night for me. I was gonna ask him to the movies when he woke up…”

“The next time, lock the door!”

Emily walked into the room holding a book.

“What’s all the commotion, Naj?”

“Chloe, as usual.”

Emily put her arm around Chloe’s shoulders.

“What’s wrong? Why so sad?”

“Usually, the only sales help I get is from girls. I prefer guys. I don’t like feeding from girls.”

“Look, I’ll make sure you get a guy to help you, ok?”

“Ok, if you say so…”

“I say so…”

Each girl’s conversion had conformed to their personality when they were human.

Najae was caring, outgoing, intelligent, and gorgeous. As a human she’d been the daughter of a white mother and black father which gave her a gleaming café au lait skin color. Her lithe, sleek physique was extraordinary, and she had very little trouble attracting partners of either Sex. She didn’t have a mean bone in her body, and it was the same for her undead personality. Her preference for both sexes gave her ample opportunity to discover blood. Unofficially, she was the leader of their small group because of her fair-minded attitude. If she would have remained a human, she’d most likely have been a lawyer, championing fairness causes for the ACLU or similar organization. Chloe and Emily looked to her for guidance and she gave it impartially. She had no favorites. On the very rare occasion that she took a human life, it was justified.

Chloe wouldn’t hurt a flea as a human, and she found feeding very difficult. In the fifty plus years as a vampire, she had not taken one human life. Usually, she didn’t drink enough and was partially hungry on many occasions. She was generally classified as an air head but was far from it. Her demeanor was considerate, loving, sweet and gentle. Her moniker of “most reluctant vampire” fit her to a T. However, to complicate her undead existence, she exclusively fed from young men and was solely attracted to them. She could best be described as a hetero sexual vampire if that term had any relevance. However, her shimmering blonde hair, lush full-figured body (think a svelte Marilyn Monroe) with large breasts and glittering blue eyes appealed more toward women. Of the three, her teeth while extremely sharp, were smaller and not as obvious. Even in the brightest lighting conditions she could almost pass as a living person. One of the giveaways was her very pale, translucent skin tone or pallor.

Emily was the brainiac of the group and a lesbian. She strictly preferred females for feeding. Of the three, her conversion to vampire was identical to her characteristics as a human being. She was gifted with high intelligence, wit, and dry sense of humor. A book lover, she all the time had one with her and took night courses at the various universities in the Philadelphia area. While she might have been classified as attractive, conversion enhanced her features to one of beauty. Her Irish/Scottish heritage left her with long black glossy hair, glistening green fiery eyes, willowy lean body with large breasts, much like the actress Jolene Blaylock, and alabaster white skin color. The least likely of the three to pass for human, her teeth were long, pointy, and the eye teeth needle sharp. Like the others, she abhorred taking a human life.

In fact, all three were empathetic to human causes and respected human life. Only when threatened or cornered would they eager take a life. But their vampire sensibilities generally alerted them well before any trouble started.

Each took the time to look her best. Surprisingly they used make-up, bought tasteful clothes, and did their level best to blend in. The mirror myth, that vampire’s cast no reflection was just that, a myth.

“Come on Chloe, get in the car.”

“Why can’t we take the bus, Naj?”

“Because it’ll take too long. We want to get there before they close.”

“Let Emily drive…”

“She doesn’t have a driver’s license, and if we get stopped by the police…”

“Come on Chloe…get in…I’ll sit in the back with you…”

“Oh, ok.”

“Why are you so grumpy?”

“I’m hungry…”

“When you feed, you never take enough, why?”

“I don’t want to hurt them; I’ll feel horrible if I hurt them…”

“I’ll stay in the room with you when you feed, ok?”

“Ok.”

Chloe stared out the window at the passing houses. Emily had her arm around her shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Poor Chloe, she never wanted her undead existence, and it was a burden. The hunger for blood and finding fresh prey was a issue because she only wanted young men.

As the teen vampires walked to their destination, they kept to the shadows but once they were in the brightly lit store, remaining inconspicuous was a challenge. Luckily for Chloe, a handsome young salesman approached her.

“Can I help you find something?’

Chloe immediately appraised him and smiled.

“Yes, I’m looking for a new outfit to wear to a Harry Styles concert…”

As they were looking through a rack of garments, she entranced him and with Emily’s help, guided him to a vacant fitting room. He was on the bench seat looking blankly at the wall. Chloe knelt and took him in her arms.

“Wow, Em…he smells delicious…he might be a virgin…” she said hopefully.

She opened his collar and brought her lips to his throbbing vein. As she opened her mouth, razor sharp eye teeth glistened with saliva. When she brought the points to his skin, they easily sank in. Like usual, she carefully drank as spurts of his essence landed on her tongue, and she swallowed. He was most definitely a virgin, and the pangs of hunger were lessening. But she stopped too soon.

“Come on Chloe…take some more…a few mouthfuls…”

When she resumed feeding, she ascertained that his heartbeat was strong. He was less than a pint lower and her hunger better, almost satisfied. When she stopped, Emily was smiling at her.

“Feel better?”

“Yeah.”

“Lick the wound…”

Chloe licked the two miniscule puncture marks and watched them slowly close. After Chloe and Emily emerged from the room, the salesclerk woke up and wondered why he was in a dressing room. The beautiful girl he’d been assisting was near a rack of clearance items.

“Hi, did you discover what you were looking for?”

“Oh yes, thanks…ah…what time are you done work?”

Chloe invited him to a movie, and he accepted. Emily was in a different changing room feeding from a pretty coed while Najae perused the racks of garments. She disliked paying full retail and looked for sale items.

Since the dawn of the internet, money had ceased to be a problem for the three teen vampires. It was Najae’s business acumen and Emily’s knowledge of computers that allowed them to run several internet businesses bringing in revenue.

Prior to that, taking items without paying for them, while very easy, went against their human principals, that was stealing. But without a source of income, it was a necessity.

Chloe arrived home after midnight and had a big smile on her pretty face.

“You look happy” Najae said gazing up from her laptop.

“Yeah, Kyle was such a gentleman, polite, holding doors open for me, insisted I get something at the snack bar, he was shy but halfway thru the movie, he put his arm around me…”

“So, you had a good time?”

“Yeah, I went to kiss him, and he smelled so darn delicious, that I had to bite him again and well…I took a few mouthfuls…he’s strong and virile, so I don’t think he’ll miss it…I’m not hungry at all now…If I was still a hum…”

Chloe’s smile disappeared as she looked lost in thought.

“I’m sorry Chloe…”

“Oh, it’s ok…I can not change what I am…”

If tears were possible, Chloe would have cried.

“Why did she do it Naj?” I’d never do this to a human…unless they really wanted it and even then…”

“I don’t know, and I don’t think I’ll ever understand why Ingrid did it.”

“Anyway, I asked Kyle out on a date next Wednesday after he gets done work. I suggested mini golf and he was enthusiastic about it. Do you think that’s enough time for me to feed from him again?”

“Yeah, that’s over a week…”

“Just before he dropped me off, we made out in his car…the boy can kiss! I was dying to have Sex with him, but I don’t want him to think I’m a slut.”

Najae shook her head. Chloe was reacting just like her human side would. She was chronologically almost seventy years old but mentally, she was still eighteen and it was the summer of 1969.

THE PAST:

It was the summer of 1969, the three best friends had graduated high college and turned eighteen. Emily heard about a music festival being held in upstate New York and wanted to go. Najae was the only one with a car, a Ford Fairlane with a lot of miles on it. The auto tended to overheat, and they were past the edge of town, in a rural area when it did. It was very dark outside with no traffic on the road.

“Damn, gotta get some water for the radiator.” Najae said wistfully.

“There’s a house over there…I don’t see any others.”

“Looks kind of spooky…see any lights on?” Chloe asked.

“Em…come with me.”

“Wait! Yer not leavin me alone.” Chloe said with fear.

“Ok, we’ll all go…”

With a big water can, all three went and knocked on the front door. When no one answered, they were about to leave when the door opened very slowly. An extraordinarily gorgeous woman stood in the doorway.

“Yes, may I help you?” she asked in a musical sounding voice.

Najae explained about the radiator.

“Of course, I can help you. Please come in.”

The mysterious woman turned on a few lights and left to fill the can. The home was tastefully decorated but in a very old style, that was out of date. Emily gasped.

“That looks like Miss Casselman…you remember her…taught English at the Junior High School, disappeared a few years ago. Rumor has it she went to a Halloween Party and was never heard from again.”

“That can’t be her…what would she be doing in a strange house like this?”

“I dunno, but I swear that’s her.”

“Look Em, don’t say anything to offend her, ok?”

“You guys are scaring me…” Chloe said fearfully.

The strange woman returned without the can.

“Would you girls like some tea?”

“Oh, ah…we don’t want to be any trouble.”

“Nonsense, a nice cup will do you girls a world of good. I’ll put a kettle on. By the way, my names Ingrid, what are yours?”

The terrified look on Emily’s face alarmed Najae.

“Oh, I’m Najae, that’s Emily and Chloe over there. But please don’t go to any trouble…we’re on our way to a music festival in New York…called Woodstock…”

“Oh, I insist.”

When Ingrid smiled, her sharp pointy teeth, especially the eye teeth were readily noticeable. When she left to get the tea, Emily was having a hissy fit.

“That’s her…her first name was Ingrid…”

Ingrid came back with a large silver tea service.

“I have condensed milk and sugar. Will that be ok, girls?”

They all looked at each other and Najae answered.

“Yes…that’s fine…”

By now the three best friends were frightened but they sat politely drinking their beverage and soon finished. Ingrid said nothing but regraded the young women with a predatory gaze.

“Well, we really should be going…thank you…can I get my watering can?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t let any of you lovely young things leave. I heard you and yes, I was Ingrid Casselman, but I just go by Ingrid now.”

She stepped into the light of a bright lamp, the flaming red hair, unnatural beauty, glittering eyes, and those extremely sharp looking teeth had the girls in a panic.

They tried to run to the front door but in a flash, Ingrid stood in front of them.

“Please come back to the parlor, I assure you I’m much faster and stronger than the three of you.”

‘Please don’t hurt us!” Chloe begged.

“I’m not gonna hurt you but…you see, I’m lonely and three…shall we say companions would fill that void.”

The girls looked at each other skeptically.

“I’ll make sure that you get to your destination but I’m going with you.”

“Why…would you want to go to a music festival with…us?”

“Let’s just say that all those tasty young men and women will…satisfy my hunger…”

“Tasty…are you some sort of cannibal?” Chloe asked indelicately with a shaky voice.

“Oh no my dear…it’s their…umm blood that interests me.”

All three panicked when the word vampire flashed across their minds, but Ingrid blocked any route for escape.

“Now ladies, let’s sit in the parlor and play a game. Let’s see if I can hypnotize you. On the sofa…”

Najae, Emily and Chloe sat side by side and the last thing they remembered were Ingrid’s dazzling eyes.

All three awoke in darkness, on a large bed. But something was dramatically different. Their senses were greatly enhanced. They could see without any light on.

Emily jumped up and turned a lamp on anyway. When she looked at Chloe, two small wounds on her neck were visible. But there was more, an unnatural beauty, dazzling blue eyes, shimmering blonde hair and when she opened her mouth, the teeth.

Najae was next and the results were similar, same wounds on her neck, human features greatly enhanced, the exception, the very sharp teeth.

Chloe gasped.

“Emily, you look like a…” she shrieked.

“Oh my god, she turned us into vampires!”

“What the hell for?” Najae was undead and angry.

“I don’t wanna be a vampire.” Chloe whined.

“Where is she?” I want an explanation.”

Najae was incensed.

“One minute we’re on our way to Woodstock and the next we’re undead…shit! This sucks!”

“Oh, but you will, my three lovelies. You will want to suck…” Ingrid said in her very musical voice.

“Why? Why did you do this?”

“I told you. I wanted some companionship.”

“Turn us back!” Chloe yelled.

“I’m afraid that’s impossible…there is no reversal. In time you will embrace your new existence. All of you will look the same many, many years from now. Our aging process is incredibly slow, apparently takes centuries.”

“You’re telling me I’ll look eighteen…indefinitely?” Najae asked.

“Yes, I’m afraid so.”

“I have a boyfriend…Chuck, I Love him…” Chloe moaned.

But no one paid any attention to her.

“Ingrid, why us?” Najae asked petulantly.

“I told you, I was lonely and now I have three lovely disciples.”

“Why disciples? Why can’t we just up and leave. The way I feel, I don’t think you can stop me.”

“That’s a good question. You must have been a very good student in school. As your maker, I control you until I willingly relinquish that control.”

“Damn Naj…I feel hungry for…blood…” Emily said warily.

“All of you will soon enough and I’ll guide you.”

“Looks like we have no choice! You turned us into something like you without taking into consideration our thoughts, our feelings, or desires. When the day comes that we can Free ourselves from your power, we will!” Najae said heatedly.

“Bravely spoken my dear but that will only happen, as I said before, I willingly release all or one of you or I am killed, which is highly unlikely. The only thing that can kill a vampire is sunlight, fire, and ah, losing one’s head.”

That last bit of information gave Najae some hope. One day and with Emily’s brilliant mind, she’d discover a way to make Ingrid release all of them. In the meantime, she’d plot and plan.

Ingrid insisted that they go to Woodstock, but the cranky Ford was problematic, and they could only travel at night. At an all-night gas station, the need to feed took precedent, the teens were very hungry. The attendant was an older man along with his assistant and a cashier.

“Fill er up?” he asked.

“Yes, and can you add some water to the radiator.”

“Sure thing…”

Ingrid entranced the assistant and cashier. With Emily and Chloe in tow, she took them into the repair portion of the shop and instructed the girls on how to feed.

“Take just enough to satisfy your hunger…they’ll wake up feeling a little feeble, woozy, but none the worse for wear. Lick the wound and your saliva will heal it.”

Emily and Chloe followed her instructions. Meanwhile, Najae was feeling extremely hungry for blood.

“Hey, miss? Ya got a slow leak in the radiator. I can put a sealant in that will control it until you get it fixed properly.”

“Ok.”

When he turned to look at Najae, her gleaming eyes drew him in like a moth to a flame. There on the fender of the car, she fed from her first human. It was all instinctual, finding the vein, piercing to the correct distance with her needle-sharp eye teeth, extracting the essence at a leisurely pace, knowing to take only enough to satisfy her hunger.

As she was finishing, Ingrid was at her elbow.

“Excellent, my dear. Now lick the wounds.”

Chloe and Emily joined her as her donor was slowly coming out of his induced stupor.

“You were going to put the sealant in?” Najae remined him.

The attendant shook his wonky head and wondered, I gotta stop workin’ nights.

The three best friends enjoyed the festival but since they could only attend after dark, they missed many of their favorite acts. Hiding during daytime was difficult with all the open fields and then the rains came and turned everything into a sea of mud.

With Ingrid’s guidance, they fed judiciously, and it relieved the gnawing hunger. Only Chloe, who detested feeding, was hungry most of the time and it made her grumpy and whiny.

“Chloe, drink until your senses tell you to stop.” Ingrid explained again.

“I won’t hurt them…” Chloe said defiantly.

Ingrid shook her head, unable to figure out why Chloe was being difficult. It surprised her that all three were in her mind, ungrateful for the gift she’d given them. Fate brought them to her door and while her intention was to build an esprit de corps, they were hostile, especially the blonde bombshell. She hoped that over time, their harsh appraisal of her would soften into friendship.

When the festival ended, they waited until dark and left for home. During the long journey, Ingrid spoke a lot about the rules and regulations governing the undead:

Feeding from a human or causing their death did not turn them into a vampire, only consumption of a vampire’s essence would turn the mortal into one of the undead; the mirror, coffin and stake through the heart were fallacies; bright sunlight, fire and beheading were lethal; a vampire could cause the death of another vampire in a pitched battle of wills; the hunger for blood was universal and an all-consuming desire, it was the sole source of nourishment and while any blood would work, human blood was the most sought after for its regenerative properties; not all vampires were cold to the touch, Ingrid and the three teens had warm bodies which Ingrid could not explain; Hot and cold temperatures had no effect on them.