k_a_webb | The Donor House: Alice: A Death at the Donor House

Alice looked into the room, hating how empty it was, before closing and locking the door. There was always the possibility that some day it would happen, but she’d hoped that it wouldn’t. After five years it didn’t seem like it ever would. The rules appeared to be working well, all the donors and vampires were happy, so the news that someone had been hurt was a total shock. She shook her head. It was something the detractors had been waiting for. A death at the donor house. One death was more than enough to close the place permanently, which was a terrifying thought.

Wiping a tear off her cheek, Alice turned to find a couple of donors stood behind her, watching her. “Did you want something?” she asked, looking at them.

“What happens now?” one of them asked, as Alice tried to remember his name. He was new so she hadn’t yet had time to get to know him. “Is the donor house going to be closed?”

“I honestly don’t know right now. People have been trying to get us closed down for years and losing someone might be enough for it to finally happen.” Alice sighed. “I understand totally if either of you want to leave.”

The other donor, Dominic, looked at her. Dominic had been the first donor to enter the house, the first long term donor they had and over the years he’d become a huge part of the community at the house. Alice had come to think of him as a friend, so she wanted to know what he was thinking but at the same time she didn’t want to ask. She knew that they’d let all the donors down.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, smiling weakly. “When we entered the house we were all told that it was possible that something like this might happen and I know that you have done all that you could to make sure that it never did.” He reached out and touched Alice’s shoulder gently. “There will be those who want to leave because it does make the whole thing more real, but I’m not one of them. We’ll work together to make sure this place stays open.”

“Dominic…” she started, and then ran out of words because she didn’t know what to say to him. “Thank you.”

“Maybe this will be hard for you to believe, Alice, but being here has made me into a better person. Before I walked into the donor house I saw vampires in the same way that every other human did and it been meeting the vampires here, the good vampires, that has made me understand that you’re people too.”

Alice smiled. “That was what we were hoping for.” As she looked at the other donor her smile faded. “How do you feel? You’ve only been here a couple of weeks.”

“I don’t know. It hasn’t been that long since it happened and I’m going to need some time to think about what I want to do.” He looked at Alice, and she wished she could remember his name. “?Are you going to hold a whole house meeting?”

“Yes, we will, once we have some idea of what is going to happen.” She shook her head. “If I can then I’ll try to get one set up for the day after tomorrow. Would that be enough time for people to think about what they want to do?”

“It will be enough time for me but I can’t speak for anyone else in the house,” he replied. “I think some people might wait until after the meeting to make up their minds.”

Alice nodded. “You’re right. I’ll get that set up then and hopefully by then we’ll have spoken to the council.”

“What will happen if the donor house is closed down?” Dominic asked.

For a moment all Alice could do was stare at him, trying not to think of the worst case scenario. “We’ll do our best to look after you.”

Dominic raised an eyebrow. “Is it possible?”

“It’s always possible. Until the auctions are shut down then it could happen to anyone. You may be more attractive to them, but I know at least Nick and I will be staying here if the house is closed down so if you’re worried then we’ll work something out.”

“Explain that to the fools who want to close the donor house down. I really don’t think they have any understanding of what you do here.”

Alice shrugged. “Maybe they don’t, but I don’t know if even that knowledge would change some people’s minds about wanting to close the house down.” She ran a hand through her hair, feeling a hundred years older than she actually was. “It’s not about what we do, Dominic, but what we are and nothing will change everyone’s belief that vampires are innately evil because they feed from human blood.” She glanced up at the clock on the wall. “I’ve got to go for now. I’ll make sure a notice is posted about a full house meeting after Nick, Issac and I have talked about where we go from here.”

“When was the last time you fed?” Dominic asked, looking at Alice.

“A couple of days ago.”

“Don’t let yourself go hungry because of what’s happened.”

Alice found herself smiling properly for the first time since Georgina’s death. “I’m not going to, Dominic.” She shook her head, trying not to laugh. “I appreciate your concern, but I have been a vampire for a long time and I know what will happen to me if I don’t feed regularly.”

“You know where I am if you need me.”

“Thank you.”

Still smiling, Alice turned and walked down the corridor towards the life. She wasn’t quite sure what she’d been expecting from the donors but it hadn’t even crossed her mind that one of the donors might worry about her. It meant that the donors in the house really did learn to care about the vampires. As she got to the top floor, where the room they used for meetings was, she sobered, knowing that all the hard work they had put in might end up being destroyed.

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.

The Donor House: Alice: A Death at the Donor House

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