Affinity

Chapter 6: Church with a Vampire

"Fine. Let's see what I have. Maybe i have something that will fit you."

Most of Savannah's clothes were too small for Nastia. Anastasia wasn't big by any definition, but she did have curves and longer legs. She settled on a black dress adorned with a pink rose pattern. She had to stretch the tight ruffled neckline a bit to make it a double off shoulder dress. It was shorter than what Nastia liked, but she figured if she just didn't bend over it wouldn't be a problem.

Savannah whistled. "Wow. You wear that so much better than me. Cute meets sexy."

"Thank you." Feeling better about it, she gave a twirl. "But are you sure it doesn't show too much skin?"

"Of course not! What shoes do you have?"

"The red sneakers."

"If those roses were red, that would be cute, but we'll just ask my mom if she has some black sandals for you to wear."

"Good idea." Savannah's lolita black heels would've been ideal, but there was no way Nastia was squeezing her feet in them, not without bleeding heels.

They went downstairs to eat their breakfast. When Savannah asked her mom for the shoes, Mrs. Wicker turned and scrutinized the two girls. "Oh. I don't mind at all. Take whatever ones you want... and Anastasia, dear, if you see something in my closet you like, feel free to change into it."

"Thank you, but just sandals will be fine," she said, making a conscious effort not to correct the mispronunciation of her name.

"You're a beautiful girl, Ana. I just don't want people to get the wrong idea about you. That's all."

The vampire gave a smile, determined to wear the dress more than ever. "Whatever do you mean, Mrs. Wicker?"

"Mom, Nastia isn't like that!" Savannah groaned.

"I am not saying she is. The dress looks fine. Hurry and finish up before we're late." She left them in the dining room to wash the dishes.

Savannah began apologizing to Nastia for her mother's remarks. Nastia told her it was alright. It was the reminder Nastia needed that she didn't care what her mother or the people at the church thought about her.

She was disappointed to find the biscuits and gravy tasted blend, but it could've just been their cooking. They were old and didn't like lots of flavor in anything. Savannah complained quite often how deprived of sugar and flavor and artery-blocking cholesterol she was, so she overdid it at school.

Still, Nastia was worried she might be catching something. She had never been sick before. Vampires were naturally resistant to illnesses, but unawakened vampires, like herself, were not completely invincible to some viral infections. Being sick was the worst. It was the closest to being human, weak, dependent and vulnerable.

As the church steeple came into view, Nastia sighed, already anxious to leave and eat lunch. She had nothing against religion. In fact, she found the idea of some holy presence comforting. She went to some youth events with Pam and Savannah in the last few years. She had fun, but she also listened to the Christian messages for the first time in her life. And when she presented what she had learned to her parents, they were not hateful of her developing new faith. They were, however, discouraging as it did not apply to them. They were not one of the children of the human's God.

Vampires had no religion. They have lived long enough to know that the question of faith and the argument of what is or isn't in the afterlife has caused countless wars and death. It has given influence over the masses to power-hungry tyrants and white-robbed snakes lurking in their cathedrals of opulence whilst they preach to the destitute.