Page 23 of Black Hollow: Awakening

“I don’t know!” Will grumbled again. “And yeah, okay, I get that you all handle things on your own and you can’t help me, but you promised it would get easier, and it’s not. I can’t control these… abilities, even though I’m trying. Sometimes I feel like I have no control over them at all! That it all just happens randomly. Danny has already called an electrician twice because he’s convinced there’s something wrong with the wiring. And I can’t even tell him what’s going on! In fact, I barely talk to him at all because I’m afraid I’ll let something slip. And that’s not fine.”

Norma was silent for a long moment, then replied gently, “Okay.” Will raised an eyebrow. He had expected to start a fight. Or for Norma to just blow him off. “I get it. Like you said, everyone has to handle this stuff on their own, but you’re right, we should have handled it better. Each of us had support during our Awakening. My aunt is a witch. My mom was fully aware of it, so when weird things started happening to me, she knew who to call. It was the same with Abby. Blake… well, that’s pretty obvious.”

“Obvious,” Will repeated sarcastically.

“Oh. Right,” Norma said, as if only now realizing that nothing was obvious to Will. “Vampires have vampire parents, right? Or a parent. So Blake knew from the very beginning.”

“So he wasn’t turned?”

“No. Vampires can’t turn anyone. They’re just a different species. They’re faster and stronger than humans. And ageless. Plus, they have more sensitive senses and they release these… equivalents of pheromones or something.”

“What?”

“Well, if you think all those girls are chasing after Blake because of his killer cheekbones and silky hair, you’re in for a bit of a disappointment. Vampires have… something you could call a natural allure. It affects some people very intensely. Just an evolutionary mechanism to lure in prey.”

“So it’s a tactic to get food?” Will asked, frowning.

“It’s not a tactic; he has no control over it. Modern vampires don’t feed like their ancestors did. They don’t have to. Besides, you shouldn’t be talking to me about this.”

Will was silent for a moment, mulling over what he’d heard, then asked, “What about Liam? He wasn’t turned either?”

“Nope. He’s also a member of a different species,” Norma explained calmly. “But while the vampire gene is dominant, with werewolves, it’s more complex. It’s actually similar to witches. It manifests in some, but not in others. Liam has three brothers, and only one of them likes to howl at the moon.”

Will didn’t answer. Throughout the conversation, he tried to fight the feeling of absurdity that accompanied him whenever he thought about such topics.

“My point is, we all had support,” Norma continued. “And it sucks that you don’t. So I’m thinking… Yes,” she said suddenly, smiling broadly. “Yes, that’s a great idea.”

“What is?”

“I’ve just decided to throw a spooky party, just in time for Halloween. You in?”

“You just decided?”

“That’s what I said. I have the house to myself. It’ll be interesting.”

“But that’s in two days.”

“And?” Norma didn’t seem concerned. “It’s my party. There’ll be plenty of guests, for sure.”

They exchanged numbers. Will promised he would come, and Norma said she would text him the address and time once she figured out the details.

The rest of Will’s classes passed in relative peace, and although the conversation with Norma hadn’t changed anything in practice, he felt much better.

He got home a little after three. Danny ambushed him at the door.

“Werewolves or vampires?” he asked in a tone that suggested the fate of the universe depended on his friend’s answer.

Will turned pale.

“What?”

“For Halloween,” Danny explained. “We can either watch The Last Fang or Bloody Feast. And I need to know now because I plan to dress accordingly. You have to, as well,” he added seriously. “We might be staying in, but Halloween is Halloween, right?”

“I thought you were working.”

“Hm? Oh, that job at the haunted house? It fell through. The guy I was supposed to cover for is coming in after all. So, what’ll it be?”

Will didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to be a dick and ditch his friend for a party, but this wasn’t just any party. He had made it clear that he wanted to meet people like him. He couldn’t pass up an opportunity like this. But what was he going to tell Danny?