As her babies began to grow, Vanessa decided to document them in art. These aren’t professional works of art, just pictures she’s taken with her phone. She is, however, rather proud of them.
They are busy children, who keep going despite the uniqueness of their heritage. As children, sunlight does not bother them yet as it does her. Vanessa marvels at this. Her own childhood was so far removed that she does not remember if she was like this, or if she and her brother were always more vampiric in nature. The tomes are vague on this point.
From her art class, Ted Roswell became her newest donor/victim.
Ted… well, he was an interesting sort. He, like the others, was/is a married man from Strangeville. A bit of a conspiracy nut… and sometimes, quite odd. Often, during class, he would wander off and talk to himself in a strange language. His eyes would glaze of go weird and… well, it was a chance Vanessa took in turning him. But once it was done, there was no turning back.
In the meantime, little Morticia was growing into an even more beautiful little girl. She was bright and adorable, and such a quick learner, who loved to play with her siblings and follow everyone around.
Ted returns for his transition and first vampiric training. Vanessa has serious misgivings about him. Especially when he goes into one of his fits shortly after the training. She only hopes that the baby growing inside her did not in any way take after its father.
As her pregnancy progressed, Vanessa focused on her children.
Both Donovan and Dominique became teenagers, and they also began to help out with the younger children. They cooked meals, helped clean and train the babies.
They now began to struggle to eat mortal foods and needed plasma to quench the growing thirst inside them. Vanessa began growing Plasma Fruit in the back yard to help feed her family in a place where it wasn’t safe to let them learn to hunt the population.
The plasma fruit trees were both a blessing and a bain. Tending them was hard work, and at least once, Vanessa found herself out in the sun too long, and once, it nearly even cost her her life. She sometimes considers higher a gardener, but then worries that the gardener might see more around their home than they should. To reveal her secrets could put her family and her mission in danger.
And now that little Theodore was born, she had too much to protect to make rash decisions which could become bad mistakes.
In the meantime, it was time to find a new mate, too.
This time, Gunther Munch presents himself as the next one in line. Gunther is a young adult, and this time, surprisingly unmarried. He’s young and a little nerdy, but shows enthusiasm for the class.
Vanessa wastes little time in getting to know him.
Very… very well, in fact.
Vanessa gave him his rose and sent him on his way, knowing that someday soon, he would be back to complete his transition and become one of her vampiric children.
In the meantime, life marched on for her other children. Donovan and Dominque graduated high school and became young adults. They stayed with her for a while, helping, but soon began to talk about moving out into their own place.
Dominique wanted see the world, especially San Myshuno. Donovan said that he would go with her.
“Your uncle Victor and I lived in San Myshuno together years ago,” Vanessa told them as she gave her blessing.
They stayed until they found a good apartment, and were able to help celebrate birthdays for their little sister, Morticia.
It was only fitting, considering how much time they spent helping to raise her.
Soon enough, it was time for Gunther to make his final transition.
It was a risk in giving him the first training, as Vanessa was still pregnant with his child. But when he showed up at her doorstep, she knew that she could not turn him away without the vital knowledge.
She invited him and began the training.
It was a risk… she knew it. Hours later, after he had returned to his own home to rest, she felt drained and weak in a way she had not before.
In a panic, she called her brother, Victor.
“What did you?” Victor asked when he arrived and saw her. He ran to the refrigerator and grabbed several plasma packs, a handful of plasma fruit and a blender.
“Drink this,” he said, shoving a plasma pack into her hands. The smell of the plasma made him sick, and he grew paler and paler as he blended several fruits with a second pack. It would boost the potency.
“Vic!” Vanessa called out when she heard the wretching sounds from the kitchen as her brother puked into the sink.
“Sorry, I –” he vomited again and then wiped his mouth.
He finished the blending and poured the power smoothy into a tall glass.
“Just drink it quickly!” he told her.
When she was more stable, Victor told her that she’d better go get the baby checked out. He’d watch the kids til she came home.
It was days later when she came home… with a new, although slightly early, baby boy. Whom she named Gunnar.