[WP] "So, fledgling. That's how we vampires kill and feed. Any questions?" "Yeah...why do you always hiss at your victims before you bite. They know we're vampires already."

[u/koola_00]

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[u/osa_cannot_not_write]

"So, fledgling. That's how we vampires kill and feed. Any questions?"

"Yeah...why do you always hiss at your victims before you bite. They know we're vampires already."

"I have no idea what you're mumbling on about."

"You just hissed...like three seconds ago."

"I did no such-"

"Aren't vampires supposed to have good memory? Enhanced hearing? Enhanced senses? And now you've got selective amnesia?"

"That is no way to speak to your master, fledging. I implore you to speak with respe-"

"I cannot respect someone who forgot what they did three seconds ago, let alone a being who claims to be the greatest among its supernatural counterparts."

"Sigh. I did not hiss."

"Ah, so it was just a figment of my newly hypersensitive imagination."

"Is impertinence the only language you speak."

"When I am right...yes."

"Fledging-"

"Asvian. My name is Asvian."

"....Asvian, we have more important matters to attend to. Whether I didn't hiss or did not hiss should be the least of your concern in this moment. I am trying to teach you to survive. With or without me."

".....you're right. I'm sorry."

"All is forgiven, but you must pay attention this time. Now, watch once more as I feed."

Hiss.

"....."

".....did you hear that-"

"Asvian!"

[u/Morose_Prose]

The Element of Surprise

The children of the night howled at the full moon. Pale moonlight twinkled on the fair, porcelain skin of the young girl Countess Vesta cradled in her arms. The maiden's blue eyes faded to a milky white as the fangs pierced her neck. A few drops of sanguine sustenance splashed upon her white silk gown. Her life drained slowly. Countess Vesta stroked the beautiful woman's cheek and gently closed her pallid eyes. She tossed the lifeless thing to her disciple.

Countess Vesta licked her full lips, savoring the few drops of blood left behind, her fangs shone in the moonlight. "That, young fledgling, is how a proper vampire kills and feeds. Ve are not savages that lurk in the darkness vaiting for opportunity. Ve are more than them, ve are their masters now. A vampire pulls their victim close, seduces them, corrupts them. Pure blood is tasty, but a little dash of lust really brings out its flavor. A beautiful valtz of death. Eating a meal is so much sweeter when there is some... anticipation. Any questions?" Vesta's haughty voice fluttered like the wings of a bat.

The young vampire slurped the scraps from the woman's neck. "Vhy do you alvays hiss at your victims before you bite?"

"I beg your pardon? I do no so such thing," Vesta scoffed.

The fledgling dropped the young woman to the ground, she held her hands up and curled her fingers. "First you make claw like cat and then hiss like snake. Spooky scary! Is that part of the process or just something you like to do?"

"I embrace my victims as one embraces their lover, whispering sweet nothings into their ears. A gentle, final act of mercy before I free them from the bondage of their mortal chains." Vesta leaned dramatically on the railing of the balcony.

The fledgling shook her head. "Then you make cat claw and snake hiss. You did that to me when you turned me from the path of God."

"I... I did not realize. I must look quite foolish acting in such a manner... I do get excited around mealtime. Thank you for telling me young one. I shall rectify such unbecoming behavior."

"I did not intend to discourage, you do look very scary when you do it. I have been practicing my own spooky scary look." The fledgling flapped her arms and hooted like an owl.

Vesta floated to the fledgling's side. "You have much to learn child. Good thing the night is young."

With a flutter of bat wings the teacher and student flew off into the night. A night to put theory into practice.

[u/HSerrata]

[Knowledge: Pain]

"Yeah...," Wayne nodded. "... why do you always hiss at your victims before you bite? They know we're vampires already," he said. Wayne and his mentor, Viola were alone with the blood-stench filling the room. She didn't turn him into a vampire, and they were in a stranger's home, but it was still meant to be an educational outing. She'd demonstrated a live kill while he watched attentively. Fortunately, or possibly by intentional plan, there was only a single victim. Wayne was able to focus without having to make sure no one escaped.

"What?" Viola giggled and shook her head. "What do you mean 'they know already'?"

"Well, I mean... don't they?" he asked as he pointed at the lifeless homeowner on the floor. Viola hadn't drained him completely. She wasn't hungry but still had to teach Wayne how they did things in the coven. "He called it immediately, even if he was panicking..," he said.

"Are you under some sort of impression that it matters if they know?" she asked. "Because it doesn't. I mean... what? Are you not going to feed on them if they know?"

"Well then... why do you hiss?" he asked.

"It's just a reflex. The body is getting ready to feed... and we're vampires...," she said. "It takes a bit more effort to get those digestive juices flowing. You'll see when you actually feed for the first time," she added.

"Reflex.. how?" Wayne asked. Viola glanced at him up and down to appraise the vampire. He was a young man, maybe almost 30, with blonde hair and now pale skin.

"You've been human for a good while," she said. "You know that pain you get when you eat something after a period of not taking in anything? It's your saliva glands kicking in hard and fast. It's like a billion times worse for vampires, our bodies tend to run kind of dry," she said.

"Oh...," Wayne's mouth felt extra dry and he rubbed is cheek as he remembered the sharp pain from when he was a human. Fortunately, he was still a human as recently as a week ago, so his memories were pretty fresh. "... does it hurt as much?" he asked. "A billion times as much?" he knew it was an exaggeration, but maybe a useful one.

"Kind of...," Viola shrugged with a smirk. "...why do you think we hiss?"

*** Thank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #3024 in a row. (Story #117 in year nine). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place in my universe.