The Lady of the Valley

TLotV Chapter 3

3.

Astrid smiled at him two days later in class, and he couldn't help smiling back. Of course she smiled at each person she handed a flyer to, which was everyone. A few people waved her offer away. Most accepted the flyer with a smile back.

"The Art Department is hosting a back to school mixer tomorrow night," she told him, pushing the flyer at him. "You should come."

He tried not to notice if she made the same invitation to everyone else. She didn't.

That hour of class was dedicated to campus resources like on campus clinics, food bank help, and where to find the bursar's office. Things he didn't need, so he was safe watching her draw in a notebook in the corner.

He didn't understand why he kept looking for her as he walked around, or flew over campus. She wasn't like his last love, nothing at all. And the pull didn't feel like the intoxicating obsession that vampires sometimes fell into. It was that moment in the cemetery. It was that hint of a feeling he hadn't felt in so very long--peace.

It didn't help that she was the only person who directly addressed him in days. Not to point him in a direction, or dodge him in the quad. Just to talk to him.

Derek groaned inwardly. Vampires, they said, were community people, and he'd abandoned his willfully. For the first time since he left he wondered if he'd made a mistake.

When the class was over he intercepted her before she could reach the door. He had to end this now, disillusion himself before she became what...a human connection?

"What were you drawing?" spilled out of his mouth, though that wasn't what he'd wanted to say.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she hadn't put the notebook away yet. "It's not really related to class."

She flipped the notebook open. On the page a crow peered back at him in bold black ink. Its--his--head tilted in curiosity, eyes glittering with a bemused look.

"That's--you're really good," he managed to get out.

"Thanks. So is, like, sixty percent of the school. It's easier when you find a good model." She shoved the notebook in her bag. "There's been this huge, handsome devil hanging out on campus lately, just watching people. He doesn't seem as shy as some of the other birds. That makes him easier to draw."

He wasn't sure what to say to that.

"What did you mean when you said I should come to the mixer tomorrow?"

They began walking out, him following her lead.

"You're new to the valley, right? I mean, I grew up here and I don't remember you here before."

"Yeah, I came from Chicago," he answered.

She nodded. "I bet you were hot stuff in high school, too, one of the popular boys. It can be hard to move away from what you're used to too. Especially when you're a big fish in the little pond. Suddenly being someplace you don't know, surrounded by people you don't know..." She shrugged. "Making new friends is hard.

"There are lots of cliques on campus, but most people pop into the Art Department mixer. We tend to attract a little of everyone. So you should come, make a friend or two. Find out where you belong, you know?"

He didn't know. She was making a lot of assumptions. Not all of them were wrong. Growing up his position and wealth did make him fairly popular. But that wasn't who he was now.

She stopped suddenly, beneath a ginkgo tree just starting to show a touch of gold in its fan-shaped leaves. "Look, I know what social anxiety and depression look like. You have that mysterious outsider thing going on. But it's only a step from mysterious outsider to isolated loner. Especially if you're used to," she waved her arms as if trying to snatch a word out of thin air, "followers."

"Followers?" He sputtered.

"Lackeys?" She offered. "Anyway, adjusting to college can be hard as hell. Building a support system from a bunch of random strangers can be harder.

"I'm just trying to give you an in, okay?"

"Do I really come off that bad?" He still felt like he was sputtering. Lackeys and followers?

The corner of her lips turned up. "Sweetie, you look shell shocked and like you'd fly away this moment if you could. Like someone is holding a gun to your dog and forcing you to be here."

Well that was just ridiculous. He literally fought to get here. This was his choice. Before, that was him being whoever others wanted him to be.

"That bad, huh?"

Astrid nodded. "But it's okay. Everyone has a little problem adjusting. Find your people."

He let her go. Maybe she was right that he needed to find his people. But how would it help anything if his people were monsters?

***

Astrid growled.

The conversation went like this:

Ari: So what now?

Astrid: (shrugged) The counsel is investigating and they have more experience and resources than us.

Ari: Yes, but what are we going to do about a ravenous vampire killing people on our streets?

Then came the growl.

Ari and Astrid sat in Astrid's living room, Ari sprawled on the couch and Astrid at her drafting desk, this semester's batch of syllabi and a treasure trove of markers and highlighters scattered around. Ari floated through school work like it might not matter, like low grades didn't really affect her. Astrid went into each class like she was min-maxing a D&D character and a new supplement just landed in her hands.

"I don't know." Astrid threw up her hands. "Do you want to patrol the streets? Start shaking down randos in our spare time? Maybe go door to door?" she snapped.

Ari huffed and pointed pink sock-covered toes at Astrid accusingly. "Of course not. I just need to do something."

Ari chewed on her lower lip.

Astrid sighed. "We can keep a lookout. Maybe we can help." She let silence grow between them for a long moment. "How bad was it?"

"That's a matter of opinion. There wasn't much of a fight. She didn't have much fight in her. I think that's sad. She didn't even think she was worth fighting for. I think she is worth fighting for. Being okay with dying that way is just...wrong."

"She was probably compelled," Astrid said. She couldn't help fiddling with her pens. A habit she picked up from Ari, who was frenetic energy at her worst.

"Yeah, maybe." Ari answered. "Maybe. Come to the art meet up with me."

Astrid groaned. She wasn't a fan of big crowds. Her duties were supposed to end at passing out flyers.

"Let me dress you up! And I'll put you behind the bar. You can keep a literal wall between you and everyone else. Half of a wall, at least." Ari gave Astrid a puppy dog look, still upside down from where she hung on the couch. "Please? If you bartend for me, I can work the crowd. It'll be fun, and that way I'll be safe. And it'll help me feel like I'm actually doing something to help."

"Okay, fine." Astrid threw her hands up and relented. "But no frills!"

Ari squeed. "One hundred percent bad ass bitch, I promise!"

"Please don't make me regret this," Astrid begged.