Pasta-Gal

  The sungsses were an instant boon; much more so than Lucas was anticipating. Despite the weaker evening sun he found the immediate relief liberating. Now at the very least his whole body wasn't pained, and he could see without looking like someone three times his age.

  Lucas arrived at Agatha's door shortly past six. There was a fluttering sense in his stomach as he stood there, it was different from the pain he had been experiencing the rest of that day and it was light and almost pleasant. Lucas considered knocking again but before he could the door swung open.

  "You actually showed up," Agatha said, her words a little stunned. She looked at his face for a moment which confused Lucas. "Nice sungsses."

  "Thanks? And yes... why, did you think I wouldn't?" Lucas said both concerned and crestfallen. "Was I not supposed to?"

  "No you were, obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have invited you back. It's just I figured with the time to settle you would realize you hated me and not want to see me again. I did assault you," Agatha said glumly.

  "Well I'm not exactly thrilled about that, I've barely been able to move all day. But I must admit part of me is a little grateful," Lucas stared off at the ground.

  Lucas was unable to really formute into words why he didn't hate Agatha over what she did. All things considered he should. On one hand becoming a vampire has utterly ruined his outlook on life. But at the same time practically nothing has become different aside from his new rather unfortunate diet. There was something crawling in his head that was once buried deep within his subconscious, now being brought slowly forward thanks in part to Agatha.

  "Really?" Agatha looks at Lucas in a bit of shock.

  "Not sure how to expin it but it's forcing me to think about a lot of things, for better or worse," Lucas said. "And you seem pretty genuine about it being a mistake."

  "Well its good one of us has a positive attitude because I sure haven't been in one," Agatha said. Lucas was terrible at reading people, but even he could tell her mistake has been beating her up inside.

  As Lucas was welcomed into the apartment he felt a pain reverberate through him. Was he not allowed to do anything?

  "Ugh," Lucas reeled in pain clutching his stomach.

  "Are you ok?" Agatha asked, a concerned look on her face.

  "Do you have some blood I can have?" Lucas asked. He had somehow forgotten he hadn't eaten anything all day. It was a miracle he was even standing up. Thankfully where he had no more blood to drink from in his apartment Agatha was sure to have some he could borrow.

  "You're need more? I should have given you more than enough what happened?" Agatha asked.

  "One of the bags you gave me was absolutely disgusting, couldn't keep it down. I think it might have expired or something," Lucas sprawled himself on the floor heaving rge breaths.

  "It shouldn't have I gave you the most recent stuff I had. Should have kept for another three weeks at least," Agatha was perplexed. "What did it taste like?"

  "Like biting into a lemon or something, but worse. It was way more intense than the previous stuff," Lucas said.

  "Are you sure? Because in my experience that's not what rotting blood tastes like," that was not what Agatha was expecting to hear and was a little taken aback but his response. "Only time it ever tastes sour like that is during my... well," Agatha trailed assuming that Lucas would pick up on what she meant.

  "Your... what?" Lucas asked.

  "You know that thing that happens regurly for one such as myself," Agatha said skittishly.

  "Is this some weird vampire thing? I really don't understand what you're talking about," Lucas was incredibly lost.

  "My period," Agatha said quietly hissed. "But obviously that's not the reason why it'd taste off to you... Right?"

  "No, no no no," Lucas got a little squeamish at the mentioning of the bloody cycles. And then even more squeamish at the implication that he was capable of having a period. "Those still happen? Aren't we like dead or something?"

  "Unfortunately they do, It's awful. Any other woman my age would have stopped having them decades ago. But lucky me I've still got another century or so to go," Agatha said.

  "That sucks," Lucas said calmly. There was a dey between when Lucas responded and words that Agatha had said afterwards sunk in. "Wait how old are you?"

  "I don't know like a hundred twenty-ish," Agatha said trying to do the mental math to figure her age.

  "Oh wow, ok," Lucas was thrown back. Despite knowing that she very well could have been way older than him, until than it hadn't registered. Agatha looked to be in her te twenties and so that's what Lucas rolled with. "I don't know I just sort of assumed you were actually around my age."

  "Crazy to believe I know, but a little moisturizing can go a long way," Agatha joked. Her expression became a little more serious. "But right, you're probably starving I'll grab a bag and then we can be off, good?"

  "I suppose," Lucas said.

  "Speaking of bags I don't see the one I lent you," Agatha said from the kitchen. "You better not have damaged it,"

  "Sorry, I completely forgot about it." Lucas suddenly bnched remembering the hole that was in the bottom of the bag. "I swear I didn't mean to put a hole in it."

  "There's a hole?" Agatha's voice defted a little. "Is it fixable?"

  "I don't know, probably?" Lucas said.

  "It'd better be, it's very important to me. Anyway here," Agatha came back with a gss of blood and gave it over to Lucas. "I double checked this bag, nothing weird about it. Good 'ole O-negative."

  Lucas took a small sip and was struck with the same vile taste as earlier.

  "Are you sure? Because that is absolutely repugnant," Lucas pushed the gss back into Agatha's hand.

  "Oh no, you can't be avoiding eating. That's what got us in this mess to begin with, and we can not have you running around feral," Agatha insisted the gss onto Lucas. "You're drinking."

  "I can't drink that," Lucas insisted.

  "Look, I don't care what it takes. Plug your nose or whatever but you need to drink this. Please," Agatha pleaded. There was guilt and warmth behind her eyes.

  "Fine," Lucas brought the cup to his lips and took as rge of a gulp as he could and quickly swallowed it, trying his best to avoid the taste. His body immediately squirmed and recoiled. It took all his effort not to stain Agatha's carpet. After regaining his composure he repeated downing the rest of the blood with equal displeasure.

  "Thank you," Agatha took the cup from Lucas and haphazardly rinsed it out before leaving it in the sink to deal with properly ter.

  "I still feel like crap, I thought it was just because I was hungry," Lucas said.

  "Well give it a minute it's only been like ten seconds," Agatha said. "And at least now you won't be at risk of biting anyone."

  "I guess," Lucas groaned his body a murky mess.

  "Are you sure you don't get... cycles." Agatha waved around before realizing Lucas wouldn't catch on. "Because you look and sound exactly how I feel every time," Agatha said. "If you're worried about me being transphobic or whatever I get it I'm 'old' or whatever, but I can assure you I'm not."

  "What? No! Why does everyone keep thinking I'm trans," Lucas threw his hands into the air.

  "Huh?" Agatha cocked her head to the side.

  "Yesterday it was my coworker, today it's you. I am not trans..." Lucas stated. "...Probably," he looked off embarrassedly .

  "Probably?"

  "Look, I don't know. Can we just go please, whatever you had pnned I'm sure is infinitely more fun than this conversation," Lucas was defensive.

  "Sorry, I didn't realize it was a touchy subject," Agatha said.

  "It's fine, you couldn't have known I suppose. Just a weird coincidence," Lucas said.

  "Well come along, we've got a long walk to go," Agatha pushed Lucas out of the door. "First stop, the blood bank."

  Agatha dragged Lucas northbound for quite a while. The sun was still up and the streets had a moderate amount of people mulling about. Lucas did feel a little weird with Agatha guiding him but he didn't really mind too much.

  After about ten minutes Agatha turned down an alley. Agatha stopped at a door before letting out an exasperated sigh. They walked a little further and emerged on the other side of the alley.

  "Main door's locked need to go through the front," she said looking back.

  The building they had walked up to had a sign on the outside reading "Chicago Blood Services". Agatha shuffled Lucas inside. It was a very sterile looking pce. It looked very ordinary, totally not what he had envisioned. There was a waiting area opposite a receptionists desk. There was a young man sitting behind the desk staring into a computer screen.

  "Sorry madam but were currently closed," The man said. The two approached the desk a little further gleaming the name pinned on his shirt, Michael.

  "We're not here to donate," Agatha said.

  "Is that so? Then why are you here?" Michael said innocently.

  "Really Michael? Come on you know why I'm here," Agatha said.

  "And him? I'm just following protocol," Michael had a mischievous grin growing on his face.

  "If you were following 'protocol' the door would've been unlocked," Agatha said.

  "Hmm, well I don't know if we're open to taking new patients," Michael said.

  "Stop being an ass and lets us in already,"

  "Fine, you're no fun anyway," Michael got up from the desk and pulled a key out from his pocket. "So who's the new guy."

  "Lucas, we met at a bar... I may have accidentally turned him," Agatha said.

  "Damn that sucks, there goes your perfect record," Michael said. "And I suppose it is also inconvenient to you. My condolences," he pointed towards Lucas.

  Michael walked them down a hallway which branched off into two paths, an open room that looked like it was where they drew the blood, and a closed door that Michael was currently unlocking.

  "You know where you're going have fun," Michael said motioning the pair through the door into another hallway.

  They turned another corner and the space opened up into another rger space with a pair of gss doors beside another receptionist desk. The doors were fogged up but Lucas was just able to see through and saw shelves all filled with bags of blood.

  "That's quite the cooler," Lucas said.

  "Impressive I know, you look new. Is this your first time with us?" an older looking dy behind the desk said.

  "Not me, I already have an account. Under Agatha Campbell," Agatha said.

  "Ah yes, Ms. Campbell. Lucky coincidence you coming in today, looks like you're favorite, August Smith just donated earlier today," the dy said.

  "It's about time, its been weeks since I st had his stuff. Don't know what it is about him but his blood is divine," Agatha said.

  "And you... sir?" the dy hesitated for a moment. "I can register you into our system real quick, if you'd like," the dy said looking at Lucas.

  "I guess?" Lucas said.

  "Proof of vampirism?" the receptionist said.

  "Uh... Agatha?" Lucas leans over to her.

  "Just show your fangs, nothing else has really developed yet," Agatha replied.

  Lucas walks up and slides his finger, pulling his mouth back to reveal the pointed teeth.

  "Wonderful, now just a few quick questions," She said. "Name? Any blood preferences or allergies?"

  "My name?" Lucas said.

  "Yep, pretty standard, you do have a name right?" the old dy asked.

  "Pshh, of course I have a name," Lucas didn't know why he was hesitating to say his name but the word just refused to leave his mouth. Choosing instead, to prod around his insides a little more.

  "And that would be..." the dy's patience was beginning to run out.

  "Lucas Wilson, I guess," he finally managed to push out, with considerable effort. Why was that so difficult. He'd given his name out perfectly fine his whole life. Well not perfectly fine... but never in such an awkward manner as this.

  "Thank you, preferences?" She asked.

  "None," Lucas said.

  "Okay, all good to go Mr. Wilson," Lucas winced a little. It wasn't enough for either Agatha or the receptionist to have noticed but Lucas did. Stupid honorifics, he thought.

  "Now what?" Lucas asked.

  "We get to go shopping," Agatha tugged on Lucas' shirt. "Into the cooler."

  As soon as Agatha opened the chilled doors the warmth was sapped from Lucas' body. He was now able to get a better look around. There were about a dozen aisles stretching all the way up the to the ceiling filled with shelves upon shelves of blood. Each shelf and aisle was meticulously beled and everything was sorted by blood type, then alphabetically.

  She took him down into the expansive O-negative aisle and walked straight to the S's.

  "Wonderful," Agatha said giddily, taking the bag with August's name on it. She looked over at Lucas. "You don't have to follow me you know. Take a look around grab some bags and what not. I'm here for you not the other way around."

  Lucas wandered up and down mesmerized by the scale of it all. This one pce probably served hundreds of vampires in Chicago alone. There were probably countless pces just like this around the world. Lucas had given blood a few times in the past for a work blood drive a while back. Did his blood ever end up in a pce like this? Had some vampire fed on him before? Better yet did he taste good?

  "Hey Agatha," Lucas without thinking began to speak.

  "Yeah what is it," she said a bit mindless, her eyes scanning the shelves, collecting a few more bags for herself.

  "Did I taste good?" Lucas asked. Had Agatha had a liquid in her mouth she would have executed a fwless spit-take.

  "I'm sorry what?" Agatha looked at Lucas like he had just said the most bizarre thing in the world. Which was odd because it shouldn't be that strange given the circumstances. Agatha and now Lucas have tasted people. He knows certain people taste certain ways. It was a natural question to ask in his mind.

  "What?" Lucas said completely earnest. "When you bit me, did I taste good?"

  Agatha's eyes began to dart around as she thought about what to say to such a question.

  "Maybe? I don't know, I didn't exactly get all that much. I think it was kind of sweet? Like a strawberry. I'd have needed more to really have an opinion on it."

  "Well you're welcome to if you'd like," The words slipped out of Lucas' mouth just before he could stop them. His hand flew to cover his mouth, to stop him from saying anything else.

  "Is that so?" The corners of Agatha's mouth twitched into an amused smile. She stared at Lucas and blinked a few times, dragging the moment out as long as she could.

  "Hmm, is what so?" Lucas broke the silence, pivoting to pretend what he just said didn't happen.

  "Well sorry to disappoint you but I'm not going to bite you again," Agatha teased a bit pyfully and pulled the conversation back in refusing to let Lucas get away with such a comment.

  "Right, obviously. That would be stupid," Lucas whispered just loud enough for Agatha to hear.

  "So how much is this all going to cost me?" Lucas leaned over towards Agatha. "As far as I'm aware blood isn't cheap."

  "Ridiculously, they're able to sell a bit cheaper than usual since they get a decent chunk from...'after market' sources. But it only helps a little. Don't worry about today I'll cover you," Agatha said. "Least I can do."

  "After market sources? That really doesn't sound good," Lucas said.

  "Don't worry it's just fancy buzz words for someone that's already dead." Agatha said. "It's like organ donations, drain the blood before it spoils and you're good to go no harm no fowl."

  "I don't think I wanted to know that," Lucas said getting light headed.

  "Why? it's no different than eating farmed meat. And besides if this system didn't exist we'd still just be just eating random people. This way our hands are clean and I'm quite happy not having to kill anymore," Agatha let a out quick sigh.

  "You've killed before? Why?" Lucas looked at Agatha. She didn't look like a killer. She just seemed too innocent for it all.

  "I was born over a hundred years ago, we didn't have this kind of technology yet. This," Agatha motioned to everything around her. "Is only about forty years old. I'm sure you can do the math."

  After rounding the corner of the st aisle they emerged from the cooler with two baskets full of dozens of bags of blood. The dy at the desk packaged the blood up in portable coolers and rang up the prices.

  "You can combine them, I'm paying for both," Agatha interjected quickly before the final prices came up.

  "Final total then is looking to be... twenty-two eighty-five," the dy said.

  "Oh well that's not so bad," Lucas looked at the computer and his eyes widened a little. "Hold on I'm sorry how much did you just say?" Lucas stared at the price, that was far more than he made in a week. Before anyone could answer a new voice cut through the room.

  "Agatha?" a man with shoulder length hair walks in from the main door. "What a wonderful coincidence meeting you here."

  Agatha, having just finished scanning her card, spins around to look at the voice.

  "William? What are you doing here," Agatha said, slight disdain and surprise in her voice.

  "Oh well I got bored and decided I'd finally come check out this America thing." William stood just inside of the doorway, his hands casually resting in his pockets. "It's alright."

  "I see," Agatha said. Her voice was ft now, only her face was giving away any dislike towards whoever this William was.

  "Who's you're friend here? Care to introduce us." William said. He looked Lucas up and down, scanning him.

  "Lucas meet William. William, Lucas" Agatha says passing her focus between the two people.

  "Mhmm, Lucas... so you two are fucking right?" William pointed back and forth from Agatha to Lucas.

  "Jesus Christ, no." Agatha said, a little pissed off at the question.

  "Really? I mean with everything," William gestures towards Lucas. "I can certainly see why you would. Its uncanny really."

  "What are you talking about?" Lucas asks.

  "Nothing," Agatha says quickly.

  "Figures you wouldn't tell him, I however have no such qualms about it. Please, allow me," William said devilishly.

  "Don't you dare, It's none of your business," Agatha spat.

  "Surely he deserves to know?" William asked. "I insist."

  "No. Lucas were leaving," Agatha picked up their containers of blood and pulled Lucas out into the alleyway.

  "Suit yourself, have fun with your ghost," William shouted out just before the door closed behind them.

  "What was that about?" Lucas asks.

  "Nothing, genuinely."

  "How do you know that guy, seems like a total prick?" Lucas asked.

  "Oh he certainly is. We had a few flings back when I lived in Irend. I was going through a lot and well... I wouldn't exactly say he helped but lets just say it was as cathartic as it was miserable. I'd hoped moving meant I'd never have to see him again," Agatha said.

  "I'm sorry,"

  "Don't be, you've got nothing to be sorry for. Besides we've got better things to be doing right now than moping about my mistakes. Come on there's a few more things I'd like to show you tonight,"

  "And these?" Lucas pointed at the coolers.

  "My pce is on the way we can drop them off," Agatha said.

  Pasta-Gal