Clara had her suspicions that this had been planned. That was confirmed when the volunteer returned with a slight wobble and the scent of arousal. Hunters first learned that feeding was a sexual experience for the victim. Three minutes later, Evelyn returned with more spring in her step and freshly applied lipstick.

“Hit the spot?” Clara confirmed.

“Simply decadent,” Evelyn replied. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Clara asked.

“For accepting my nature,” Evelyn said.

“That will take some getting used to,” Clara admitted.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

“Pardonnez-moi,” Evelyn replied. “I think it’s time for my main course.”

“No worries. This is rather new to me,” Clara said.

Evelyn’s smile grew as her eyes were filled with hunger. Had Clara been armed, she might have drawn her pistol, but guessed that Evelyn might enjoy the situation. Vampires rarely admitted they were going to feed, especially around a hunter.

“I won’t be long,” Evelyn said. “I have a willing donor nearby.”

“I just need to know that she’ll be alive and well after,” Clara said bluntly.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“When did you find out about Ada?” Clara asked.

“You mean more than rumours and innuendo?” Evelyn confirmed. “I think we were formally introduced in the seventies. We are both considered new to this life, so we seldomly include our lineage into the mix.”

“You mean you didn’t start off as the daughter of a king?” Clara asked.

She was curious on how high society for vampires worked. The Tower focused on anatomy, tactics and how to kill vampires, even when disadvantaged by their humanity. That was the reason why hunters generally hunted in pairs at first, to improve their odds and better fend off a foe.

“A duc actually,” Evelyn said flatly. “He died in my arms, by my own hand, but that’s not the point. Ada and I did not exchange family history or vampiric lineage. First names were enough.”

“You didn’t notice a family resemblance?” Clara asked before taking another sip.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“In fact,” Evelyn said. “When I let you go free after dealing with one of our problem children, relations soured significantly.”

“Let me guess,” Clara said. “She never bothered to tell you why?”

“Exactement,” Evelyn said. “It was years after she died that I made the connection.”

Clara took a sip of her wine and nearly moaned. It had been a very long time since she indulged in such a vintage. The last time she  splurged like this was with Elizabeth after striking a deal, with this very hostess, to establish herself within the modern world. Hope hung in the air that evening.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

“I still find it hard to believe that Drusilla went through that much trouble for me,” Clara said.

“It’s not when you consider how vindictive she was,” Evelyn said before taking a sip of wine.

Evelyn had ordered the appetisers and wine pairings, but permitted Clara to select her meal from the menu. The last time they met under these circumstances, the vampire had ordered every item on the menu. While that worked to set the tone of an encounter, this was an overt show of respect, and meant more for Clara.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

“I dare say that a large portion of the public would recognise your wings, while another portion would identify you in the nude, all without seeing your face,” Evelyn said.

Clara furrowed her brows and stopped moving entirely. As her mind attempted to figure out what to do with that little gem of knowledge, her eyes went glassy as though no one was home.

When she came to, Evelyn was hovering nearby, while snapping her fingers. She must have been out of it a while to get that level of attention.

“Sorry,” Clara said. “That was a bit much to take in. Why weren’t the videos suppressed?”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

“The Internet has changed the narrative,” Evelyn said. “Are you aware how famous you became after your fight with the werewolf in broad daylight?”

“I’ve heard a video was leaked,” Clara said.

Evelyn’s eyes widened and her head went back. After a pause she genuinely laughed, so hard that she teared up. Clara could not help but follow along but she was still in the dark.

“Try an internet sensation,” Evelyn said. “Dozens of videos were submitted. Several liked, remixed, reposted and commented upon.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Clara remained in the elevator a moment, her eyes wide and mouth agape. Out in the distance there were windows and visible was the rising sun. Evelyn stood there as though there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“What?” Evelyn asked.

Evelyn turned around and realised why Clara was staying in place. Vampires exposed to direct sunlight had a tendency to spontaneously combust, and rapid deflagration made a mess of things.

“Oh that,” Evelyn said. “Latest commercial technology. The walls are nothing more than seamless large screen displays arrayed to show an image. There is a sister array on the other side, to create the illusion that someone is having a normal life here.”

“So, that’s not the sun?” Clara asked.

“Not the real one,” Evelyn replied. “I’m not a fan of sunburns.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

As Clara left the vehicle, she noted several large pipes fitted with heads similar to those used to fight fires. However, the area was made of concrete and steel. Evelyn looked up and found what the other was staring at.

“In case a vehicle catches fire with a full tank of fuel or their battery cells are damaged to the point of a thermal runaway,” Evelyn said.

“Those look designed to flood,” Clara said.

“Very astute of you, ma chère,” Evelyn replied. “Marc wanted a way to seal off the main entrance to our new home in case of an attack.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.