My Sister's a Vampire!

The knife moved smoothly in his hands as he carved up the tomato, dicing it and sliding it into the water quickly. The soup wouldn't be quite as nice as what the bakery offered, but he figured that inviting Ginger around for a delivery was like as not to irritate his sister.

Something about seeing her ex had made her feel under attack, and like Scott might take off running. Which he found amusing. He'd found out his sister was dead, and literally feeding off him, and he hadn't run away.

He was still very disturbed she'd tried to make up for it by giving him sexual favours. But, he doubted that clear thinking went hand-in-hand with being dead and craving someone else's blood.

"Watcha doing?"

"Cooking." Scott replied, "Show, over?"

Ellie stepped up behind him, slipping her arms around his waist and hugging him. "No... But... I've got a lot to say sorry for. I... Felt too guilty to watch."

"We're starting over. Clean slate." Scott replied, and started peeling the potatoes, "So... I accept your apology. And I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, haven't been understanding. Stuff like not immediately inviting you in. I'm sure that's something that rubs you the wrong way."

She sighed and pushed her head between his shoulder blades, "A... Bit... Um... Scott? Can I... Can I not glamour? Around the house?"

"You mean... Let me see your teeth and eyes?"

"Mmm."

He shrugged, "Sure. It'll take me a bit to get used to, but sure. This is your home, too, Ellie. Do what makes you feel most comfortable."

"The teeth make me feel ugly." She whispered, "So... Brutal, honest, guy's opinion? Did being a vampire make me ugly?"

Scott laughed, "Oh, for fuck's sake. El, you couldn't look ugly, if you tried. If you grew a damn wart on the end of your nose, people would say it looked cute on you. So, no. The teeth don't make you look ugly. Different, yeah, but still gorgeous. The eyes... They scare me. But they're still beautiful. Seductive, maybe?"

"They look hungry." She said with disappointment.

He sighed, "Well, you sound depressed. So, I guess I'll ruin the surprise. The soup is for me. It's supposed to be good for rehydrating, according to our grandma. So, once it's cooked, you can have dinner, and then I will."

Ellie jumped back from him, "Scott... You... You can't... Just... Say things like that!"

He shrugged and looked over at her, "I'm not going to have my little sister starve. So long as we take precautions, I think... I think I'm okay being your feedbag."

"Oh my god." She shivered, looking at him with her bright red eyes, "Scott. Feeding is... It's..."

"Sexual? Yeah. Got that. Trying to forget that bit."

"It's personal!" Ellie said loudly, and flinched at her own response. "It's personal. I shouldn't have... Been... Fuck's sake. I really don't want to tell you. Really, really. But you're going to keep trying to be sweet, aren't you?"

He shrugged, "Is being sweet, a problem, El? You've been in this on your own. Actually up and died. Isn't it about time that you had someone in your corner?"

She slid up onto the kitchen bench, looking at him glumly, "Not entirely on my own. Ginger's a witch. And unlike the White Witch she doesn't just threaten to kill me if I step out of line. So I've got friends who know about this world."

"Why is it a problem, El?"

His sister scratched idly at one of her overly long fangs, "Uhm... Because... Because... Damn it. I knew I was going to have to tell you... One day... But... Can you step away from the stove? And the hot liquids? You're gonna freak. Again."

Scott walked around to the other side of his sister, and took her hand in his. Her rather cold hand. "Just tell me, El."

"I... Started to. Earlier." She habitually swallowed, "I chickened out, halfway through. Um... I... I said I died a virgin? And that feeding makes me..."

"Wet." Scott nodded, "Yeah. Not exactly comfortable with that part. But I'm consenting to you feeding off me. We're family, we look out for each other."

"Oh, shut up, for fuck's sake." She clenched her eyes shut, and took two nervous breaths. "Scott... I'm a virgin... Because I had a crush. On someone in particular."

He nodded, "Makes sense. And now, you feel like you've missed your shot?"

"Nope, nope. You're too dumb to work it out, so shut up." She shook her head, still not opening her eyes. "Scott... It... It wasn't a romance that... I was allowed to have."

"Huh?"

She opened her eyes and looked at him pityingly, "You. Moron. I'm in love with you."

Scott's heart thundered in his ears, and he felt slightly dizzy. He stumbled back, looking at her in confusion as his mind screamed out all of the clues. He'd never considered it, even after she'd outright told him she wanted to fuck him.

He'd just assumed it was the bite that made her want it. Except that wasn't what Ellie was telling him, right here and now. His cute little sister, dead little sister, was telling him that he was the world that she wanted. The world she'd lost when she'd died.

She nodded slowly, "Yeah. That'd be my life's regret. Never telling you... I love you. I... I've told you, every day. Since I moved in. I love you, Scott. It's wrong. It's cruel of me to even tell you. But... I do."

"You... Love... Me?" He said weakly, confused.

Ellie nodded, "Yeah. Moron. I... There's never been anyone else. That's why Vlad was messing with you. He knows. Ginger knows, too. I... Uh... When I turned, I was a mess. Lotta fevers. Lotta... Visions. I said things I can't admit to myself, even now."

"Dracula is jealous of me." Scott said slowly and shivered, "Aaand I officially hate your world, El. Is it going to get me killed?"

"I nearly turned you into a vampire, this morning." She said flatly.

He winced, "Don't you have to feed me your blood or something for that to happen?"

"Nope. Just gotta drain you." She shook her head. "You die, with my fang marks in your neck... You don't die forever. Is that really your only concern? I nearly killed you! My own brother. The guy I'm crazy about."

He shrugged, "I'm not reporting you to the White Witch, or whatever, if that's what you're worried about. And I can't say that I'm not afraid that you might, by accident. But I'm more worried that it's a sign that... You're... Hungry?"

"Like you'd know how." Ellie said grumpily, and then winced, "Sorry. Bitchy is... Easier. Than terrified. It's just... How do you... Not hate me? I nearly killed you. I did things you... Didn't like?"

Scott shook his head, "No, no I really did. You have no reason to be as good at... What you did... As you are, El. If it was anybody else, then I'd be begging for more. But we're family. You're off limits."

"Why!? Why am I fucking off limits!?" Ellie yelled, clenching her hands on the edge of the bench, "Kids? I can't have kids. I'm fuckin' dead. I missed out on that. I... I don't understand why we have these stupid rules! Not anymore. Not after going to hell. I... I want you. Only you. Work, life, whatever. None of it matters. My only regret... Is you. Please. Tell me you get it. Please?"

He took a deep breath, and then shook his head, "I don't. I don't think I can, unless I go through it. I think... I think I need more time, El. This morning, supernatural crap was just crap. Not crap that could kill me if I misstepped. I need... Time."

"I guess that's my answer." She slid off the bench, and went to walk away.

Scott grabbed her wrist, "Hey! That's not fair! You said you went through shit, when you turned. I might not be feverish, but give me at least as long."

She shook him off, "Enjoy your soup. I'm going to go cry in my room for the next week. Don't open the door unless you want me to hurt you."

"Ellie!"

%2%3%2%2%8%

"Why does I get the feeling that you didn't order this, ta eat it?" The redhead on his doorstep held up a paper bag.

Scott frowned, "You... Know, don't you?"

"Dat you know that magic is real? Yah. Any witch can tell." Ginger nodded, and lowered the bag, "Exactly why... I'm only guessing. Something to do with... Ellie?"

He took the bag and put it beside him in the hallway, "Can... I know you probably have other deliveries or something world-threatening... But can you spare five minutes? To talk?"

"S'fine." Ginger smiled and stepped by him, patting his shoulder. "That's part of the job, too. The real job. Witchin'. So. What happened wit' you and Ellie?"

"She's crying. And jammed a chair under the door handle." Scott sighed heavily. "Ellie's... First, promise me you're not going to sell her out to the Council, or whatever. She seemed afraid of that."

Ginger sat down on his couch, and shrugged, "Ah, Lils is me best friend, so that's probably a bit of a problem. But... Unless you decide to press charges, then whatever Ellie has done will probably be fine. Unless you have a pair o' fangs."

"Nearly."

The baker went white, staring at him, "S'cuse me?"

"She lost control. Needed... Vlad's... Help." Scott sat down beside her. "And if you tell... Lils? Whoever. I will get a bit mad. That's not what's eating at me, right now. It's the... Other stuff."

Ginger blinked, "Ya sister is a vampire... Almost killed you and turned you into a gorram freak... And you're more concerned that she has a crush on you? Da fuck is wrong with you, Scott?"

"She's not a monster. She's my sister." He replied and then shrugged, "And honestly, I'm not coming up with a lot of reasons why she shouldn't have a crush on me, right now. She knows life's short. Or is it infinite, now? Or... Something? I don't know. I'm lost."

The redhead rolled her eyes, "Nah. Ya sister is a bloodsucking monster. One hundred percent. That doesn't mean she's not the girl we both love, though. So... What exactly did Ellie do, dat's got you in such a twist?"

"Ellie asked me... Why not. I said I needed space to think, after nearly dying this morning." Scott said slowly, "You know what she's like. Jumps right into things."

Ginger nodded, "Yah. Yah, that's our gal. Well, fuck. Sounds like Ellie's broken a lot o' major laws. I'm kinda obligated to tell you, that you could press charges."

"Obligated to tell you, to shove it up ya ass."

She laughed, "Yup. You love her. So. Ask away, hot stuff. How can dis witch help you?"

"There's a lot I don't get." Scott shrugged, "I was going to let El bite me, but it freaked her out. Also, um... Vlad? He seemed kinda obsessed with her. Isn't it supposed to work the other way around? He turned her."

Ginger covered her mouth as she laughed, "Ya offer to let her bite you? Holy shit. Wow... Um... Let's start with the easy bit. Ellie probably didn't tell you that she's different. She's no an ordinary vamp. She can handle sunlight. She a daywalker."

"She did say she could... But she kinda implied any... V-vampire... Could." He shrugged, "If they fed, regularly. So... That's not true?"

The witch frowned, "Huh. Eh... Half and half. It's weird as fuck that Ellie can handle sunlight. But she does need to eat regularly to do it, pain free. Um... Most vampires can't, at the all. Not even the royal ones, like Dracula. It's a mutation, that sometimes pops up. But rare."

"Rare?"

Ginger sighed, "Did she tell you... How it happened?"

"You two were drunk? Got attacked by a... Werewolf? Which is a wolf that got taught how to pretend to be human?"

Ginger nodded, "Yah. Pretty much. Wolf wanted me, 'cos I'm a witch, 'n been a bit o' a bitch to his family. Anyways, Ellie died with two bites. Wolf 'n bat. She's a hybrid. Which puts her in a really awkward place, in the supernatural community. She's tougher than most witches. But she's so far beneath the kind of thing that Lils usually has to deal with, that she's barely even a concern. So long as she stays away from Ryker, I doubt you'll ever really have to worry."

"Ryker?" Scott asked, "Should I know who that is?"

"Brother of a friend." Ginger said with a small smile, "He... Attracts things. Don't worry about it. Anyways... Vlad's crazy about your sister, 'cos she be a daywalker. She's tougher than he'll ever be. She's what he wishes he could be."

He nodded slowly, "Huh. So Ellie's a super-tough vampire. She's... Important? But she's not important enough to be on your Council's radar? That's me guessing."

She nodded, "Pretty much. Now, backing up to ya other world-shattering comment... You offered to... Let her eat you."

"I know." Scott rolled his eyes, "It's kinda sexual. Not comfortable with that. But I'm not having my sister starve, either."

"Not kinda!" Ginger laughed loudly, "It's super, duper, very sexual! Ya basically asked her to fuck you, sweet! Like... How do I put this? I'm guessing ya told her the sex side of things made you uncomfortable, too?"

"... Yeah?"

The witch shook her head, "Wow. Okay... Let me rephrase what you told her into normal terms. I kinda like you. Can I blow your dick? Also, I'm not into you. Won't mean anything."

"I... Asked my sister for a fuck-buddy thing, didn't I?" Scott groaned.

Ginger nodded, grinning, "Pretty much. Though, just to make you feel a bit better about all this shit... The witching community doesn't have a thing about incest. We don't care. That's a mundane thing."

"Ellie's been your friend for a long time." Scott moved the conversation away from that awkwardness, "She's locked me out of her room. How do I... Make up for this?"

Ginger shrugged and jumped to her feet, "Ya could try kissing her. Always worked for me."

"You... You kissed my sister?"

The witch nodded and sniggered, "Whenever she got drunk. She'd say something about practising, for the guy she liked. Tryin' to pretend she wasn't trying to get a pity fuck. I don't take advantage of drunk girls, but she was pretty tore up about you."

"You knew."

Ginger shrugged as she headed for the door, "Duh. Witches can read ya thoughts. And unlike vamps, we don't need ya eyes to do it."

"Can you read Ellie's, right now?"

The witch paused, "Huh. Um... So... No? She's dead. Can't really read her at all. But I can read yours. And you're freaking sweet, how everything is about El. If I were you? I'd actually kiss her. Who the fuck cares if you're family? That was her last life. No reason to waste time on wondering if you're gonna hurt her."

Scott sighed, "Yeah. But asking her on a date after rejecting her... That's going to be a problem."

"Mmm. She'll get upset." Ginger shrugged, "But she'll also get over it. Anyways, see you around, Scott. Hope we can gossip about your sister, soon. I'm a bit busy with work, but do no be a stranger."

%6%3%2%9%4%

"Knock, knock."

"Piss off!"

Scott sighed and leaned against her door, "Miss Vampire Hearing, you were listening, weren't you?"

"Fuck off!" Ellie's voice sounded like it was shaking.

He slid down and sat on the ground, "Talking with Ginger... I think it just helped me process things, a bit. Things I already knew. Things like knowing that I've always wanted more of you than I was allowed. That falling asleep beside you is the best thing in this world. That I love being able to give you a massage. That I don't like being called yours... Because you're mine."

There was a small scuffle on the other side of the door, and Ellie whispered, "Strike that last one. That wasn't romantic."

"Agree to own each other?"

She didn't respond.

He sighed, and rubbed his face, "Yeah. I fucked that up. I just... I know that you've never needed it, and now I can't really hope to be it... But I've always wanted to be the one who protected you. Guess that's an impossible dream. You could break me without even noticing, couldn't you?"

Nothing.

"I guess... I guess I'm feeling protective. I lost my sister, and I never even knew it." Scott sighed, "We almost lost touch, before you asked to move in with me. We actually lost each other. I think that's what hurts the most. I don't care if you're a vampire, Ellie. I care that you died. I lost you."

He really wished she still breathed, even habitually, so that he could tell if she was still listening to him, if nothing else. Listening to nothing but his own stupid voice sucked. Reminded him how dumb he sounded.

"I'm not really okay with any of this, El." He shook his head, "Not with the feeding. Not with the lack of consent, stuff. Not with you dying. Really not with your ex being motherfucking Dracula! But... The one thing I'm fine with? Is your feelings for me. You're right. Life's short. Who cares? I love you, Ellie. I love... You."

A loud sniff came from behind the door.

"Your bite is one of the most amazing feelings in the world." Scott admitted, "But... That was just lust, not love. You... You deserve love. I don't know if I can give you that. You dumbfound me. Leave me as the breathless one. Which is... Shallow of me. I think that's what upset me. That you could make it about checks and balances. You deserve someone to truly love you, El. I don't know if that's me. You blow my freaking mind."

She still hadn't opened the door. Whatever he was saying was missing the mark, somehow. Not that he'd blame her if she insisted on having some space, like he had. He'd needed someone to use as a sounding board. It wasn't like their relationship was a normal one.

He wanted to be able to be a source of sustenance for her. No more skipped meals. However, that was intractably linked to also maybe taking her virginity. The kind of thing that no woman should offer up lightly, even if it was to someone they somewhat wanted to take it.

He was also completely oblivious to what a vampire might want. What parts of Ellie were the same? And what were different? She'd got bit by a werewolf on her way home and it was just some kind of mild irritation. Something to make a bad day, worse.

There was also going to be a little bit of discovery. When she wasn't hiding what she was, her breath was cold. He'd found that to be a major turn-on, during the feverish moments she'd given him, but there was no guarantee that the response wasn't programmed into him. He'd been powerless and a complete dolt when Vlad had messed with his head. How much could Ellie do the same?

His little sister wasn't the cute girl who needed a big brother to stand up for her, anymore. She could probably stop a moving car with her bare hands. He wasn't sure exactly what his role around her would be. There'd always been a little bit of tension, where she didn't like him acting overprotective... But at the same time she'd used to like it if he cooked for her, or threw together fun events like watching movies in a tent, or whatever.

Add in the fact that Ellie could now read his thoughts if she looked him in the eye, and she'd be more of an enigma than ever. Scott would be more lost than ever. Walking on eggshells, but with the reward of having her fall asleep in his arms. Every night.

"Do you... Could we..." He hesitated, trying to work his stupid tongue, "El? Would you like to go on a... Date with me?"

"Yes." Her voice whispered in his ear.

Scott fell over sideways, looking up as his heart thundered like crazy, to find his sister standing on the roof of the hallway. She dropped like a shadow, briefly becoming nothing but a pair of glistening red eyes, before smiling sheepishly at him.

Ellie wiped at twin streaks of tears, smiling at him broadly, "A... Date? Could it be... Tonight? Is that too much? I... I'm sorry. I just... Thought... I'd lost you. I love you."

"Am I having a heart attack?" Scott wheezed, holding his chest.

She smiled through the tears as she shook her head, "Your heart's fine. Actually kinda healthier than most guys your age."

He took a moment to calm down from her sudden appearance, trying not to think about how long Ellie had been suspended from the ceiling above him, and not on the other side of the door he'd been pouring his heart out to.