chefhuff

[chefhuff]

Alice realized almost immediately that she probably shouldn't have asked a complete stranger for advice on something like this, but in fairness, she was running low on options — her only other option being finding out who this Pretorius person was, and she wasn't particularly inclined to look for someone that probably killed her.

Still, she listened to the other woman and grabbed the piece of wood that she offered, lightly nodding along to what she had to say. It was somehow bleaker than what she was expecting.

"Both are shit? I was hoping we'd enjoy the blood part after a while. Which I realize is selfish but... I've only ever had my meat well done."

She hated everything about this; her urges, how it was disrupting her life, the overwhelming feeling of loss, of not knowing what to do next. More than anything, though, she hated how pathetic it made her feel. She needed to fight back.

"No, thank you," Alice handed back the steak with a huff, "I see you're not talking your own advice, so I refuse to believe there's not something better. I've adjusted before, I can do it again. And if I can't, well, I guess I won't be needing this anyway."

She can't expect girlie here to know her story, and there's something very kicked puppy about her, head-to-toe. This keeps Bridget from her usual fair of flying off the handle at any stranger brave or unlucky enough to get too close to her. "A few days?"

Birdie shakes her head, looks at her two feet for a second while this girl talks. That she survived the first morning seems almost impressive, and she's not sure if its her underestimating this woman or being a realist. There isn't a handbook, after all.

Alice's question shakes her out of deep thought, the expression on her face speaking more than her mouth; "I don't think you wanna take coping advice from me."

Sitting back on the truck. "All I can say is get used to it, because there's only one way out. If you want my personal recommendation, here."

She reaches into her truck, and tosses something to Alice. It's a iece of sharpened wood.

"You drink blood now, yeah? You got two options; figure out how to hurt people or sucking on rats and pigeons til your chest stops screaming at you to fill it up. Both are shit."

[chefhuff]

Alice dropped her shoulders at the comment, "I resent that, there's nothing wrong with preparing a treat for yourself in the middle of the week, and I happen to have a luxurious taste, and-"

Alice's train of thought vanished with the dark realization that her taste might now extend to people. How would that even manifest as she had no idea, but it seemed like a particularly evil twist of destiny that this would happen to someone who had always been so concerned with her food.

"Yeah, I'm a few days fresh," by this point Alice had already made peace she would never be able to hide her reality from others like her — which at this point seemed to be just about everyone in the city. "I haven't... eaten yet. I know I have to, I'm very hungry, but uh..." she shifted, very clearly uncomfortable.

"How does it taste?"

Aria's eyes narrowed a bit - mostly in confusion towards the other vampire. She was a vampire, right? There was no human smell about her, a distinct undead smell that she'd started to realize was herself and others like her. And the telltale sign - no heartbeat. Blinking a bit, she cleared her throat. "It's - Okay, foie gras is insane to eat on a regular day of the week but also, uh."

She scratches the back of her neck, and tries not to laugh, but she can't help a little chuckle.

"I do eat. Just not as often." At that, she glances towards most of the people wandering around ahead of them - out of earshot. "I was more talking about.. the humans?" Nervous laughter bubbles up out of her, "But I do eat food, too. Are you new, too?"

[chefhuff]

Alice furrowed her brow. Her entire life she heard similar accusations from, well, everyone. For a moment she wondered if that was a good thing — that in her unlife she still had the very same shortcomings as when she was alive. Alice never really knew how to be human, and having that pointed out to her was always the thing she hated the most. To have that repeated under new circumstances was humiliating.

She nods at the question, trying not to think too much about for how long she would be considered 'new' given her new lifespan. "A few days. I don't remember most of it, just that I was working and then... I wasn't," she shrugged. "I didn't even believe what happened at first. I mean, this is fantastical. Literally. I don't know how anyone is supposed to cope."

"...How do you do it? If I can ask. I haven't met anyone else."

She shakes her head just so, looking off into nowhere, incredulous. Eventually her head spins back to Alice's. "S'just say you aren't very subtle." But the next question hits like a truck, and Birdie's brow furrows, her cigarette stuck between two fingers, hanging out in space, still as a stone. Her face, however is contorted into something between questioning uncertainty and temporary insanity. "Wow, you really're new huh."

In that moment, she decides she might not like this girl - not for any good reason, but for pure jealousy. Her entrance into this entire nightmare was so jarring and vicious and violent that the notion that somebody could slip so sleepily into it almost sends the stolen blood in her veins to a boil.

[chefhuff]

Alice had always hated this place. It was the first place she stopped at when she first arrived in the city — they were hungrier than she'd anticipated and it looked fun from the outside, but her curiosity lasted less than a minute. She hated the smell.

Smell which felt much stronger now for whatever reason.

Still, she owed her boyfriend for being so patient with her that past week, and he was still a fan of the place. How, she had no idea.

She was caught by surprise by the woman approaching her and instantly turned defensive, almost as if offended by the implication, "no, I'm grabbing dinner for my boyfriend. He doesn't like my foie gras," an insult that almost led to the end of their relationship, but she didn't have time to find another partner. "I don't eat anymore..."

The last bit slips out before she knows and she quickly shakes her head to explain herself, "I mean, I eat - everyone eats, I don't eat this food anymore, in particular. Because I don't like it and not for any other reason. ...Do you? ...eat?" Nailed it.

closed for @chefhuff

205 Drive-In didn't hold much for her anymore. Before, she'd stop by during the evening rush before heading home to grab a burger or a chicken tender plate. She still could do that. But it didn't satisfy her the same way. All that was left was the taste - and even it paled in comparison to the taste of blood.

The sun fully set, Aria stared out at the variety of people milling around and wondered if maybe she could drag one of them away quietly enough to try and --

Would she lose control again? Probably.

Stepping forward to try and put her plan into motion, she caught sight of an unfamiliar face with - maybe? - a familiar hunger? Hearing no heartbeat, she changed course towards them. "Hey, uh - You here for food?"

[chefhuff]

Alice was more than surprised by the other's (astute, granted), accusation, and that reflected very clearly on the girl's face. She wouldn't be able to lie as much as she wanted to. "I'm - how did you know?"

It could be a secret power, she thought. Alice tried to watch vampire media since she came to terms with her new reality and see what was accurate and what wasn't, but she'd had little success thus far. How much easier would this be if they'd just gotten her a guidebook.

"Wait, you're not the person who did this to me, are you? Because this is not funny, it's ruining my life." Alice had never been very good at hiding her frustration, nor did she care much to do so in that moment. "I would like it to stop. Now."

"Well, thank God for that." Birdie says, churlish. There's a scent, there's the lack of heartbeat. There's a look she's learned to pick up on, and she figures if this little bug is out doing what she thinks she is, well, best to nip it in the bud. "If you're looking for food, you're at the wrong restaurant." She takes another long drag on the cigarette, ashing it down, and expels acrid fog in a long plume.

"You fresh off the bite?" She asks - its just a hunch, given, well... everything.

[chefhuff]

Alice half-fumbles it and almost drops it, but eventually secures the goods - it turns out her newfound undead agility was good for something after all. She'd never been the most dexterous person, she was forced to quit tennis in sophomore year because, quote, she was gonna cost someone an eye with that racket. Well, look at her now Mrs. Wilson.

"I'm not religious," she muttered a reply without thinking much of the other's comment, "and I'm not lost, I live a few blocks away ...but I am a very skilled baker, I can give you some cookies for the cigarette if that's what you want."

Right, the cigarette. Alice lights it with perhaps surprising mastery for someone of her demeanor - she tried it in college for her bucket list and continued to smoke on and off the following years; frankly the only thing that stopped her was the fear of it affecting her palate. She moved a couple of steps away from the other privacy but as soon as she took a drag... disaster. Alice hadn't anticipated how the lack of air in her lungs would affect the entire operation, which caused her to instantly start coughing smoke. "Fudge!" She let out in frustration, looking up at the sky for a moment before switching back to her current company, a sheepish look taking over her face. "I guess I'm a little lost."

Birdie is staring at this girl, all cute and bug-eyed and... there's a beat as she hears it, or rather, doesn't. It's empty space in the street and the parking lot right now, save the odd passing car or stumbling drunk making their way back to their car or the sidewalk.

So the absence of a heartbeat in the stuttering young woman approaching her is telltale, and it makes her look over her lenses and down the bridge of her nose, thoughts passing to the bundle of sharpened rosewood hidden on the other side of her tailgate. But she doesn't smell like Reardon stock, and so the thought stays a thought, and she snatches the pack and lighter from the bumper and tosses it to the girl. "You look lost." She says, with double meaning. "Didn't know church bakesales ran this late."

[chefhuff]

Relax, breathe, calm down. ...Well, maybe not breathe.

Alice had been sitting in that bar all night, drinking how panic away, hoping the alcohol would magically make sense of everything that had happened to her the previous week. After a while she figured she couldn't get drunk anymore - or at least it would take a lot more than the half glass of wine that used to do the trick.

Frustrated, she decided to count her losses and get out of there before she was surprised by the sunrise. Again. She could call her boyfriend to go pick her up, but truth be told she didn't trust herself around him anymore. Walking was fine; it was a beautiful night and she didn't live that far anyway. Also, she was starving.

Ali didn't plan on doing anything about it, of course. She couldn't, she wasn't like that. But then she saw that girl alone and, well, frankly she didn't look like the type that would be missed by many. Maybe...

She walked confidently. At first. All of her courage vanished when the girl looked back at her. What was she even doing?

"Cigarette." Really? One word? "I need it." Almost there. "Please." Ugh. This is why she didn't improvise. "Sorry, I was just... drinking. May I borrow a cigarette? I just realized I'm out and it appears I really need one right now."

time: night place: at a downtown bar, near closing

She's waiting. She's been waiting all night, she'll wait longer. B' needs an in with the locals, and as sick as the city is with them, she's a non-entity, an unknown quantity. She's not looking to endear herself, or even make herself known one way or the other, but she doesn't know the rules or the sanctuaries or the powers in play, so best to slow burn until she's got the fuel for a fire.

Outside, leaning on her truck's bed, smoking for show, waiting for the closing crowd to start filing out, she's watching, waiting. Hungry. A passing couple draws dark thoughts and precedes a mental slap on her wrist at the though of passing throats and the satisfaction they carry. She can't. She won't. Birdie feasted on squirrel two days ago, and she's feeling the itch in her teeth already. But she's not here to feed, though depending on the evening's track she may be here to hunt. Somebody approaches her and she blows out a long plume, a perplexed but bemused expression portraying that she isn't used to being approached quite so boldly.

[chefhuff]

Name: Alice Huff Occupation: Chef Age: 25 Sexuality: Questioning, presumed straight Species: Vampire Clan/Pack/Coven?: Pretorius Hometown: Allagash, Maine Relationship Status: In a serious relationship Personality Traits: Clever / Insightful / Trustworthy / Perfectionist / Objective Uptight / Controlling / Compulsive / Irritable / Rigid

Biography 

Alice Huff has planned every moment of her life since she was old enough to write a schedule.

That wasn't something she learned from anyone, mind you. Her parents gave her plenty of freedom for her and her sister to engage in almost any activity they want — ironically, it was the freedom that she found stressful.

Schedules were easy, safe. She had piano lessons on Wednesdays at 5. No mystery there. She would prepare herself for her lesson, practice how she would speak to her teacher, or any questions she might have, and rush upstairs to finish her homework once she was done. It was comfortable.

That rigidity extended to other aspects of her life; she'd study other kids at school to decide who was the best option to be her best friend that year; she'd plan out meals for the entire house a week in advance; she'd go over her teacher's lesson plans to organize study hours.

Unsurprisingly, that wasn't a very popular was to live her life. Alice grew up lonely — though she claimed it was by choice. Of the few friends she made, few could keep up with her demanding the personality and, unfortunately, Alice didn't react well to those who didn't.

Failure wasn't something she dealt with well.

Alice progressed with her life with relative success — her plan to find a boyfriend in her senior year went surprisingly well (David isn't ideal but he's traditionally attractive, and doesn't run when she's stressed), and her academic life was right on schedule (actually, she received her acceptance letter for her favorite out-of-state college 3 days before she figured she would, so she's actually ahead).

She had wanted to study culinary arts since she was 7 and took all the steps necessary to make sure she would be a great at it. It was natural, then, that she would exceed her professor's expectations from fairly early on. Socially, she still struggled, but at least now she had David with her keeping her company.

Life after graduation was scary at first, knowing she would no longer have the rigidity of a class schedule to keep her day-to-day organized, but she her initial success in her career was a good enough motivator. Alice worked as a chef de partie in a small but brilliant restaurant just outside of Boston to high praise of the guests.

Well, one guest in particular.

He was a regular who had taken a very particular interest in her work. To her surprise, when they finally met face to face, he not only complimented her abilities, but offered her a job.

She'd have to relocate to a city called Port Leiry, and she'd be second in command of an entire kitchen. She couldn't say no - although she did have a panic attack first... Things were simply moving much faster than she had planned.

She hadn't even made David propose to her yet.

Her new life in Port Leiry feels like a dream for the first two months; The restaurant is perfect, huge, beautiful, attracting the most important people in town... her staff respected and appreciated her, her guests seemed to love the food, and it barely felt like work. In fact, she couldn't remember most of what happened during work hours.

It was perfect... outside of the bugs who seemed to only attack her neck.

Alice thought she could live like that forever. Oh, the irony.

The dream snapped in an instant one night. The beautifully lit restaurant turned dark, the food had vanished, and the irony taste of blood in her mouth was overwhelming. She was awake just long enough to understand that she was dinner. And then... nothing.

She wakes up alone the following night with a note containing an address and a set of instructions (avoid sunlight, verbena, and find someone to invite you home). Garbage.

Obviously, she knew what it sounded like, but it couldn't be. More likely someone had drugged something at the restaurant, she couldn't be a ...v-word.

Except, sunlight did burn, and she couldn't walk into her own apartment without David welcoming her in.

Alice remained in denial for as long as she could until the evidence is overwhelming — she couldn't be undead but... she was. And she was terrified.

Still, there was only one thing she could do: she found the note she had woken up with to look for the address and the sender: Clan Pretorius.

Wanted Plots 

DAVID HUFF (TO BE) - Alice's high school boyfriend whom she dragged along for years. One of the few people who can actually stand her perfectionism. Midgame only.

THE SIRE - The man who first lured her in and turned her, whether because he saw something in her, or simply because he wanted to torture her.

THE BROTHER - Alice's much more relaxed brother. He needed a place to stay and Alice had just invited him over before she was turned. Presumably still human.

[chefhuff]