With a nod, and more confused than ever, I entered the closet after her, trying not to bump into her… or so I thought. A gasp escaped me the instant I realized the closet was the size ofour cabin back in the village. Rows and rows of clothes in every color and style hung from the cabinets, organized like a rainbow. There were dresses, coats, handbags, and even shoes in what seemed like glass displays. To say that I was overwhelmed by it all, was an understatement.
“Everything should fit you here, but if you need anything at all, just call me. No need to shout, simply say my name and I will hear you.”
Before I could ask what I was supposed to wear, Vanessa turned around and walked out of the space—the clicking of the bathroom door announcing I was alone.
For several moments I just stood there, looking at the never-ending clothes that surrounded me. I’d never had to pick clothes in my life. The only thing different from the white pants and shirt the shifters wore were the clothes Isis got for me, and the outfits were already put together by her. When my gaze fell on an armchair nearby, and I suddenly realized there was an outfit left there for me.
Thank the Goddess.
Reaching for it, I took the pair of leggings, underwear, and the soft sweater that reminded me of the pretty clothes in Isis’ suitcase, then returned to the bathroom. The towels, I discovered, were in the cabinet next to the vanity, so I took one of those too. Dropping the fuzzy shorts and top on the floor, I opened the shower door and turned on the water.
“Eeee!” I screeched a second later as scolding hot water poured onto my body from several places on the wall, jumping out of the way.
“Are you okay?” Vanessa immediately asked, worry dripping from her voice.
“The water,” I panted. “It’s so hot.”
I might as well have said the water spoke to me given the perplexed look on her face.
“Yeah… it’s a shower,” she replied as the bathroom filled with swirling steam. Her look suddenly turned to concern. “You didn’t have hot water in the village?”
“No! Why would I—?” I was about to ask why I would have heated water if it was just there to wash our bodies, but her expression stopped me.
Understanding filtered into the Vampire girl’s eyes, and she offered me another small smile. “No worries. I’ll show you how it works.”
Awkwardly avoiding looking at my bare body, she came to my side, her behavior filling me with confusion. It was normal for everyone to see each other naked in the shifter village, wasn’t it the same way in the human world?
Remaining silent, I watched her turn the lever from the end of the red side, taking it much closer to the blue side.
“There, it should be nice and hot but without peeling your skin off. Trust me, you want the hot water, it melts all your troubles away.”
Sighing as though she could feel it working its supposed magic on her, she grinned and pointed to some contraption on the wall with two fancy bottles on it.
“This one is the shampoo, and this one is the conditioner… to wash your hair,” she clarified, noticing the confusion on my face. “The shampoo goes first. You rub it on your scalp until it makes bubbles and after you rinse it out, you add the conditioner to your hair, leaving it on for a bit to soften it.”
Although I had no idea what Vanessa was talking about, I nodded.
“And this is the soap for your?—”
“I know what to do with soap,” I confirmed.
“Of course.” She nodded, stepping out once more. “I’ll be out here if you need me.”
I tentatively stepped back into the shower. The warm water poured over my body instantly, and the most amazing sensation I had ever experienced spread along my skin, melting my entire being.
How had I ever lived without hot water?!
After several moments of basking in the indescribable feeling, I reached for the soap, ready to lather my hair and body with it as I’d done my whole life. My gaze lingered on the fancy bottles Vanessa showed me, but I figured if the hot water had been exactly what she’d promised, then I might as well give shampoo and conditioner a chance.
The moment I stepped out, I found the Vampire girl standing in the corner of the room, next to a desk I hadn’t yet noticed. She had a brush and something else in her hand that I couldn’t quite recognize.
“Oh, you look so cute. Purple it’s totally your color. It suits you,” she offered, referring to the sweater she’d chosen for me from the closet.
“Thanks…”
“I can help you blow dry your hair if you want. It’s getting colder in the city now and though we are warm and toasty in here, it’s better if you don’t leave it wet. I know you are more vulnerable without shifting, and I wouldn’t like you to get sick or anything.”
My attention went to the tool in her hand, trying to figure out what the hell it was. I didn’t answer, not fully knowing what to say. Silence extended between us while my mind and my instincts fought each other. Something inside wanted me to accept the seemingly sincere friendship Vanessa was offering, but my mind and everything I thought to know about her kind wouldn’t let me.
