ON THE ROAD
GLIMMERBROOK
CALEB
Caleb hated driving, but Bella didn’t seem in any shape to get herself out of the city or travel by his preferred methods. He felt bad for running out on Bob with no explanation, but every time he glanced over, he knew it was the right decision.
She had no fight left in her.
“Do you want more water?” he asked, his voice purposefully gentle. He only asked questions he thought she could handle—ones that would give her some agency but ultimately didn’t matter.
“N-no,” she cleared her throat. “I’m okay…you said Salim is a vampire?”
Caleb hesitated, but he thought it was good that she was asking questions. “There’s no record of him before 15 years ago. He lied to you. He didn’t know Eliza when they were kids; he didn’t meet her until he was casing an electronics store with Alice.”
Bella nodded and rubbed her hands on her pants. “Who killed Eliza? You found out, didn’t you?”
“I—”
“Your shoulders are always tight when you know something but don’t want to say it.”
Caleb sighed, flipping on the turn signal and passing a few slower-moving vehicles. There was no hiding from her, but the sensation wasn’t pleasant.
Probably because it was one-sided.
“Johnny was running his own side job and planning to use the Focus No. 9 potion on Alice,” he explained, referencing the email he sent her after leaving Darrel’s house. “Eliza wrote about it. She was in love with Salim.” He nodded at the console, “Look at the photos on my phone.”
He knew the exact moment Bella found the image of Eliza’s last journey entry. After a sharp intake of breath, she began to read it out loud.
“Johnny gives me a hard time, but he wants to help me. He told me about the potion. I thought it was bad, but he promised it would just make Salim’s real feelings stronger. I know Bob is going to be heartbroken, but this is for the best. He can find someone who wants the life he wants to live,” Bella took a breath and tried to regain her composure. “Salim does love me. I just know it. Johnny always said more magic was better. I want this work, so I got a few extra bottles…”
The silence stretched. “She did it to herself,” Bella finally whispered.
“It was an accident,” Caleb stared out at the road. “A horrible, painful accident. Helped along by Johnny, who had no business giving a sim access to that kind of magic.”
“Does this mean it’s over? Is there anything else I should know? I…I’m going to lose my job,” she turned her bright green eyes on Caleb, but they looked hollow. “It’s probably for the best.”
He didn’t think less of her. Caleb didn’t know a single immortal who hadn’t stood on the precipe of life and death and wondered—himself included. But he also didn’t trust her judgment. Even at her best, Bella made decisions that were driven by an alarming lack of self-awareness. He could see that now, and it would be insane of him to ignore it.
Gazing forward, he kept his shoulders loose. “Yes, everything is solved. It’s over.”
ANASTASIA’S PENTHOUSE
SAN MYSHUNO
PENNY
Finally getting around to this chapter! ~
‘“There’s a monster inside me,” she told him, tears flowing until he let loose the beast beneath his skin and replied, “There’s a monster inside me too, and I promise we will learn to control it together.” THIS HIT ME LIKE A FUCKING SHOVEL. A SHOVEL MADE OF GOLD. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. ‘ I love her bringing up Ethren again XD
Oof, the fight between Penny and Ana…and a lot of words that Penny might come to regret later on being thrown around as well as throwing hands. The complete lack of control over such a thing as well, where even trying to control your emotions won’t work because the moon’s influence is too powerful…There’s so much conflict going on between these two, they both have a lot to work out within themselves, but with not being able to resist werewolf fury, and vampirism and a long life of awful events for Ana dulling her emotions, it’s rough.
HOOOOO BOY Penny and Ana on the sofa X_X OuO I want to hug Gwendolyn ;-; Not sure how Lil will get on as babysitter, but we’ll see XD So Eliza killed herself by mistake? Still, even if Caleb thinks the case is solved, there’s still so much shit going on that they’ll both have to deal with. I really hope Alice can get out of this, but I don’t see it happening without Vlad doing a little sliver of murder.
WOAH the end shot on the video…though i can’t make out which of 2 characters the guy is… excited for tomorrow after work!
Thank you 😭 even though I hit you with a shovel!!! Haha I loved writing this scene and yes, the specter of Ethren is always hanging around 😈 I’m sure that won’t come back in anyway.
Yeah, Penny and Ana are not in a good place at the moment. I mean I would not throw hands against Ana but you know, I’m not a werewolf on the full moon.
Ummm I will not apologize for Ana and Penny on the sofa. This story is 98% thirst traps 😂
Umm I think Ben and Grim should be more worried about Lilith than Gwendolyn 😈
Lololol “a little sliver of murder” I am deadddddd
Vlad and Lilith’s relationship is a lot of things, but it’s not hatred. She seems to like ruffling his feathers and grows jealous every time she doesn’t immediately get the attention she’s hoping for, but she wouldn’t do either of those things if she actually hated him. You’re just fine, Vl- aaaaand Alice is in jail. Hoo boy. This will not be pretty.
Lots of people feeling like monsters in this chapter. Penny is trying so hard to keep a grip on her “normal” and the only way she knows how to do that is to push people away and fix other people’s problems. I feel for Ana here – she’s trying so hard, and it’s all falling on deaf ears because Penny is stonewalling herself. Everything she does, Penny interprets in the worst way. Of course she’s not taking her to the accolades, it’s a full moon and Penny can’t control her werewolf side yet. But all Penny feels is rejection. And everything she accuses Ana of are things that she’s feeling about herself. X.x
Whoa. Hol’ on. That “I’ll put a fire inside you” is what Miko said when she carved up Akira, isn’t it? Why does Vlad have that in his head? Did she do the same to him?
Alice is amazing. It’s survival mode and she’s hanging on by a thread but it’s incredible that she’s even able to reassure her cell mate a little. The burglar getup from TS2 made me laugh 😆 Oof, yup, the sight of Vlad coming to her rescue was enough to make her crack. They’ve both gone through hell just now, for different reasons. I’m glad that they have each other.
YES to so many things in this comment! I think you really nailed the theme: Lots of people feeling like monsters, and not because they are literal monsters.
The Penny section was so hard because man, is she being awful right now. LOL thank you for also seeing how insane it was for Penny to complain that Ana wasn’t taking her to the Starlight Accolades…on the full moon…when she is a new wolf…and said she didn’t want to go.
SIGH.
“I’ll put a fire inside you.” – Ooh you have sharp eyes. Yes, it is exactly what she said to Vlad! Vlad and Akira have both been under Miko’s thrall—though in Akira’s case there was a torrid love affair before she carved him open. Now as for “what” she put into them? Well, we know Vlad is a monster far beyond a vampire. And Akira? Well, I could tell you but spoilers 😈
Alice in survival mode needed the TS2 burglar to give our hearts a break LOLOLOL.
Seriously though, her and Vlad are 😍😍😍😍😍