CHAPTER 20 Visit from Rutfen and Emelia
Later that night, just at bedtime, they heard a knock on the front door. Alex went to answer it, but Mikhail beat her to it. He swung back the door and discovered Rutfen and Emelia looking up at them from the base of the steps like baby birds waiting to be fed by their mother.
"Would you like to come in?" asked Alex.
Rutfen wouldn't, and Emelia came into the entryway but no farther. Jaklin greeted her, but their guest was nervous.
"Would you be free for a couple of minutes?" Emelia asked Alex.
Alex turned to her two friends. "I'll be right back," she said.
"No way," said Jaklin. "You're not going anywhere without us."
"You'll have to chain me to the wall," said Mikhail. "Weren't these two vampires, at one time?"
"I'm concerned for your safety," Alex said. Though worried about both, she was especially uneasy about Jaklin.
"And what about yours?" said Mikhail.
With that, they all stepped out the door into the night air. "Stay behind me," said Alex.
"It's not far," said Rutfen. "We'd like you to meet someone."
They walked to a rundown section of Sinaia, and Alex wondered what she'd gotten herself and her companions into.
"We've leased a home," Rutfen said.
"We now have day jobs," added Emelia. "Just a Laundromat, but we've not been so happy in decades."
"Yes, Lord Rutfen is now a clothes cleaner," said Rutfen.
"You're a Lord?" asked Jaklin.
"Many decades ago," he answered. "Not by the name Rutfen. They turned me two centuries ago in Missolonghi. Perhaps someday I'll returned to merry old England and see if they recognize me."
"I just wish we could have children," said Emelia. "Love to have a couple to take care of."
"Who is this I'm to meet?" asked Alex.
"Someone who doesn't care for the vampire lifestyle," said Lord Rutfen.
They'd already come to the house. It was unlit inside, and Alex felt a little natural fear of the dark. She thought they'd turn on a light, but they didn't. What did their lifestyle have to do with her?
"Not enjoying this," said Mikhail.
"So we're about to see a vampire?" asked Jaklin in a squeaky little voice.
"And... how does this involve me?" asked Alex.
"When did you learn you could do it?" asked Rutfen.
"Do what?"
"Turn back vampires."
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"Turn 'm back. Make a vampire human again."
Alex stopped walking. "I can't do that."
"Of course you can," said Emelia. "You did it for us."
"I did?"
"Yes. That day in the cavern. Once we tasted you, it was immediate, and we had to leave in a hurry."
"So that was what happened to you?"
"And now we have another seeking conversion," said Emelia.
"Where is he?"
"Right in front of you," said Rutfen.
Alex felt Jaklin move up close and put her arm around her. Alex's eyes had adjusted to the dark, but it was pitch black inside. "Couldn't we have just a little light?" she asked.
"He has an acute aversion to it," said Emelia. "That's why he wants to be turned back."
A gruff voice came out of the darkness, uncomfortably close. "Not either. I was a monk. Want my old job back."
And then Alex saw him, a huge vampire, so tall he had to stoop to get into the room. She was greatly afraid of him.
"Turn him," said Rutfen. "Turn him back."
"So he's going to bite me?"
"I don't think so," said Mikhail, and he stepped in front of Alex.
The vampire was already advancing and seemed to have a bad attitude. He pushed Mikhail up against the wall and pulled Alex away from Jaklin and into his massive arms. She could feel his breath on her, and he smelled so bad she wondered if he wasn't rotting. Caught by surprise, Alex panicked. They struggled, she broke free, and as he reached for her arm again, she grabbed his with both her hands and, surprising even herself, threw him up against the wall. She'd never felt such a charge of energy.
"Wow!" said Rutfen. "You are one strong sister."
The vampire was already up and grabbing for her again, but she ducked, grabbed an arm and bent it behind his back while grabbing a handful of hair and pulling his head back. She felt the training her previous victims had provided.
"We'll do this my way or not at all," she said. She bent his neck farther back and brought hers forward to allow his massive mouth to touch her throat. "Just a little," she said, but he'd already broken the skin and was drinking. She shoved him away, and into the corner with a thud. He slumped to the floor.
"Could have made him bathe first," she said. But the truth was, she got a buzz from him feeding off her. She liked his neediness, that she could satisfy it. Good thing she wasn't alone with him.
"Striking!" he said. "Marvelous!" He smacked his lips. "A little disgusting at the end."
"Philosophically, he disagreed with the entire vampire existence," said Rutfen. "Not many want to be human again. He's one of the few. Strangely, he was violent, and uncooperative."
"I had more power in the Church." he said. "Now, instead of feeling guilty myself, I'll make others."
"There's more to turn back, if you can handle it," said Rutfen.
"I shouldn't until I get this figured out," said Alex.
"I'll not have anyone else biting her," said Mikhail. "You've put her through enough."
But Alex had already spotted a female vampire entering the room. She was a cute little thing, gorgeous girl even younger than herself. Alex felt an immediate affection for her, so much so that she felt she would be betraying Jaklin and Mikhail. She wished they hadn't come with her. She was so pretty.
"Maybe just one more," she said.
"Missy," said Jaklin. "Do you think it's wise?"
The girl came forward as Alex went to her. "This'll take just a second," she said.
Alex let the girl bite her, and she held her close and felt the warmth flow back into the young body. She didn't want her to quit feeding, but the girl did, seemingly having lost her taste for blood. Alex then showed her the cross, and the girl took it into her hands and kissed it. She cried. She clung to Alex, and Alex couldn't help but comfort her. She kissed her and had to hold herself off the girl.
Jaklin separated them. "Enough!" she said.
"That was sexual," said Mikhail.
"Really hot," said Jaklin.
"No, you can't take her home with you," said Mikhail. "We better get you out of here before you let them suck you dry."
But Alex had a question before they left. "Does Alu realize I turned you two back?"
"No. We were just visiting the colony. Vampires come and go there. No one questioned our leaving."
"I'd prefer no one know I have this talent."
"Don't worry. No one you've seen tonight will divulge your secret. We'll see to that."
"By the way," said Alex, turning to Emelia, "I thought you said vampires can't have kids."
"That's true."
"But I'm pregnant."
"Then you were pregnant before you became a vampire."
"Will my baby be a vampire?"
"You're not a true vampire. We're not sure what you are. How did you get turned?"
"Special circumstances." Alex knew better than to get into that now.
They left, the three of them together, all very quiet with their own perceptions and reservations of what had just happened. Mikhail whispered incessantly to himself. Jaklin was also quiet but held Alex's hand and put her other arm about her waist. Once home, Mikhail was really excited, over-the-top impressed. He talked about what Alex could do for the world. Alex was afraid to tell him the full story, that she also had to feed.
Jaklin was concerned for her. "The unknown is rarely all good," she said.
Then they tore into each other, all three so filled with passion that
sleep was not an issue for a good while.