[Begin Excerpt]

Dr. Stoica: So, let’s talk about your relationship with your thralls. Just to note it for the record, how many do you have?

M: Oh, well, y'know… twelve, for now~

Dr. Stoica: Mhm. And how would you say you feel about them?

M: I love them, of course! Just like I love you, silly~

Dr. Stoica: [Strained] I see. So when you rob them of their free will, is that an expression of this love, or is it in spite of it?

M: Obviously the first one? Like, what, am I just going to fall for a cute yummy girl and not take her? That’s not the kind of girl I am anymore!

Dr. Stoica: Anymore?

M: Whatever. Any more loaded questions?

Dr. Stoica: Just a few. Have you ever considered other options for subsistence besides violating the autonomy of the ones you love most?

M: What, like drinking animal blood? Come on, Luma, I know you know better than that.

Dr. Stoica: I was thinking more along the lines of releasing your thralls after drinking from them.

M: Why would I do that? They’d probably run away if I did that.

Dr. Stoica: You answered your own question.

M: Look, thralls are just useful, okay? They protect you, they feed you, they get stuff from the store for you, they talk to people for you, they worship you, they love you… And I love them, too, just like I love you!

Dr. Stoica: And you know what they say about what to do when you love something…

M: Oh, shush. Okay, if I’m being realistic, half of them would totally still just run back to me, I bet. But probably one or two would run off to hunters, and I already get enough of those.

Dr. Stoica: Do you think they’d still do that if you hadn’t forced them into eternal servitude?

M: Well, they won’t if I keep them in eternal servitude, will they?

Dr. Stoica: Sure. Though, their loved ones might. For example.

M: Yeah, yeah, I told you, [Name Redacted] was actually originally [Name Redacted]’s partner before I took her, and they went after me when they found out I did that.

Dr. Stoica: And I did the same thing with the one who took me. It seems to me that upending the life of someone you do not know out of ‘love’ is a rather risky proposition for all parties. Not to mention horrifically unethical.

M: Yeah, well, they’re mine too now, and they love me sooo much, so it all worked out!

Dr. Stoica: Until it doesn’t.

M: You’ll feel so much happier when you’re mine, too, Luma~

Dr. Stoica: Hnng… Good to hear.

M: Oh my Lilith, can you learn to take a hint? Seriously, I'm telling you, I love you, Luma!

Dr. Stoica: I heard you. It's a bit off-topic, though.

M: Ugh, shut up. You are such an ice queen, I swear.

Dr. Stoica: It's my job, as is getting you to take this seriously. And I'm very good at that, even with people as manipulative as you. So don't—

M: Oh my— How could I not try to manipulate you like this? You're so pretty! I love you so much! I just wanna show you that love, okay?

Dr. Stoica: The…feeling…isn't…mutual.

M: But I can make it mutual~

Dr. Stoica: I’m aware, and I don’t—

M: You will want it, and I want to! Don’t you get it? I just love you so—

Dr. Stoica: Shut up.

M: What?

Dr. Stoica: Just fucking shut up about love already. You don’t love me. You love my blood. Stop acting like it’s anything more than that.

M: But I haven’t even tasted—

Dr. Stoica: Do you know how many heartfelt confessions of ‘love’ I’ve gotten over these past decades? Are you truly so oblivious that you’re incapable of seeing how this falls flat to me?

M: I… I guess not? It’s just… I dunno, it’s kinda what I’m used to.

Dr. Stoica: …Well, that’s something. I’ve seen people who couldn’t even say that much. I just feel bad for them at a certain point.

M: Do… you feel bad for me?

Dr. Stoica: I feel… it would be unprofessional of me to answer that.

M: …Okay.

[Nothing is said for eight seconds]

Dr. Stoica: I apologize for the outburst. The topic of enthrallment is very… charged for me.

M: Because of your mistress?

Dr. Stoica: Yes, because of her, and what she did to me. What she did to my girlfriend.

M: Oh, come on, she probably wasn’t even so bad. Especially not compared to— er…

Dr. Stoica: Compared to what?

M: Huh? Oh, no, I was, like, um, talking about nothing.

Dr. Stoica: It sounded like you were talking about your begetter.

M: Well I wasn’t! My goddess is a perfect being, and she persists within me where my heart still awaits her words, and… my… my goddess… I…

Dr. Stoica: How do you feel about your thralls, M?

M: My… My thralls? Like I said, I love them all so much!

Dr. Stoica: Would you ever hit them?

M: N-no, why do you—

Dr. Stoica: Would you force them to cut off all ties to the outside world?

M: No! What are you—

Dr. Stoica: Interesting that it was acceptable for your begetter to do those things.

M: She didn’t hit me! And it would’ve been okay if she wanted to, but she didn’t!

Dr. Stoica: One of the first things I learned about recovery was to pay attention to what I wasn’t saying. Do you still remember any of the people who she took from—

M: Shut up! I don’t care, it was all just a bunch of weak human stuff, because I was just a stupid weak human. I have the right to hurt my thralls, I just choose not to.

Dr. Stoica: Do you truly think it would be ethical to hit your thralls?

M: No! I mean— I mean, I… I guess not? But—

Dr. Stoica: But she did. Is it not wrong for her, too?

M: Of course not! Besides, she didn’t hurt me, and— And it was her right, okay? I’m just… just one of her things…

Dr. Stoica: She’s been dead for ten years, M.

M: No she’s not. I can feel her. Goddesses can’t die, they just go away for a while, and I could never abandon her, I… my undeath is only by her grace, I…

Dr. Stoica: You died by her fangs, and she never got around to freeing you.

M: She freed me from my human delusions, my guilt, my compulsions… even starving myself wasn’t enough to subvert her, for in her wisdom, she knew the solution to my obstinance was to show me the error of my ways…

Dr. Stoica: And it seems she ‘freed’ you from your ability to comprehend the nature of the abuse you’re describing.

M: Exactly! Oh, Lilith, I’m so brainwashed… My goddess…

[Luminita sighs]

M: Oh, what are you on about? Do you want some, too?

Dr. Stoica: No, just… old urges, I suppose.

M: Old?

Dr. Stoica: You… asked if I feel bad for you?

M: Yeah?

Dr. Stoica: I suppose I must, if I’m finding myself wanting to kill your begetter this severely.

M: What does that have to do with feeling bad for me?

Dr. Stoica: …It’s another example of ‘attacking vampires for revenge’, if nothing else.

M: Wait. Wait… Are you saying I count as a ‘loved one’? Do you love me too?

[No Response]

M: Aww, that’s so sweet! Now, if you just invite me in, we can exchange cell numbers and—

Dr. Stoica: I think we should move on to a different question.

[End Excerpt]