Ian rose and started to clear the table with Cosette joining him. They cleared it at vampire speed, and then they sat to wait for Marie to return. She returned at vampire speed and said “I’m going to my room. The servants will be here early tomorrow to clean the kitchen and to prepare meals again. Good night.” She departed at vampire speed.
Ian turned to Cosette saying “Would you like to take a walk?” She looked at him with a smile and nodded.
Arm in arm they walked out into the moonlight and began to stroll slowly out towards the outbuildings. The smell of jasmine hung in the night air. Crickets and cicadas sang as they strolled along, arm in arm. She would lean her head onto his shoulder at times. They walked about the grounds for over two hours, during which time he had a weak spell. He told her about his family, his childhood and all about Scotland. She related her life up to being orphaned and falling gravely ill and ending with her rescue by Marie who brought her over.
“Ian, I missed you these two days, even being only on a short errand.”
“I thought often of you as well.” He thought that is not a lie.
“Marie tells me that you’re progressing well.”
“Thanks to you and her, it seems that I am.”
“Ian, is it crazy to think that I have loved you maybe even the first time I saw you, when our eyes met outside of the inn?”
“I’ve wondered the same thing, Cosette.” Stopping he held both of her shoulders and looked gravely at her. “I had a dream of being attacked by a wild creature the night before it happened. In that same dream, I saw your face Cosette, right before I awakened.” At this her lovely gray eyes widened greatly. “There is more. I could tell the difference between when you were looking at me and when the creature was looking at me.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Right before I was attacked, I felt you looking at me, and then I felt an icy prickling go all of the way down my back. That was how I came to turn at the very last second. It’s why I had a knife in my hand as he knocked me down. I thought I heard you shout my name.”
“I did, just after I saw him jump from the building. I was well back from you so as not to be seen. I was in a conflict, but wanted to come and thank you in person for protecting Louis. I might have killed that man had you not intervened when you did. I thought that I would step forward and take Louis right then, before you left the Red Dolphin. I heard all that Angus said, so I knew that Louis would be safe. Something told me I was to stay with you that night.”
“Thank God for that and for you, Cosette.” He slowly drew her to him and tenderly kissed her lips. Parting then, Ian kissed her gently about the face and neck. She took his face between her hands then and kissed him gently in return. She parted her lips as he did his, and then each tongue caressed the other gently. Her faint lilac scent washed over him as he was overcome by her nearness. Both felt a fiery thrill course through their bodies. He pulled back from her and both looked at each other in wonderment. Her lovely gray eyes were aglow, pulsing softly.
He murmured her name as he kissed her eyelids and around her cheek and down on the side of her neck as she tilted her head to one side saying “Mmmm….that is so nice….don’t stop.” He continued to trace the lovely curve of her throat and up along the side of her face with his lips as she pressed herself against him passionately. Again they kissed, a bit more urgently this time, each pressing against the other. The incredible fire now coursed through both of them as their eyes glowed softly, pulsating slightly. Suddenly Cosette reached around and took his arms from around her and stepped back. “Ian, the caretaker’s house…come my love.”
She led him the short distance to the door of the building and opened it. He picked her up and even in the dark, he could easily make out the stairs. He bore her up to the second floor in three gentle bounds, and turned into a bedroom. There he set her upon her feet and immediately she was in his arms, her lips caressing his throat and chest as she undid his shirt. They undressed each other then, but slowly, stopping to kiss and caress as they were led by their passion. A shaft of moonlight extended into the room from the window. Ian lowered her gently to the bed and sank to be with her. They completely abandoned themselves in ecstasy and wonderment, softly murmuring each other’s name over and over again.
The night passed with each of them only aware of the other and of their desire for each other. It was as nothing Ian had even imagined, let alone experienced. This time he was not constrained, not bound to be passive to avoid hurting his partner. He loved freely with abandon, heedless of anything but Cosette and his desire for her and to please her.
Later they lay resting, both on their left side. She with her back to him, and he fitted himself against her, his arm draped over her abdomen. The sounds of the night outside drifted in, the darkness somehow amplifying the intimacy of the setting. He raised his hand and brushed her hair back, nuzzling her neck and kissing her ear. “Ah, Cosette. I never knew it could be this way. I’ve never felt as…complete as I do now, being with you like this. I canna put words to this…this…feeling… this… this…wonder.”
“Nor can I, mon cheri. I’ve not imagined such a thing as this, not ever my love.” They lay like that for a while, and then Cosette murmured “Ian, if you don’t stop kissing my ear and neck like that, I’m going to get the wrong idea.” Just as she finished speaking her hand snaked back towards him and she laughed low, throaty. “It seems that I’m not the only one getting an idea my love.”
They melted into each other, unknowing and uncaring of the world outside of that very place they occupied. It was a night of torrid lovemaking, unlike anything either had ever experienced.
Chapter 19
The little girl was so terrified that she had wet herself as the vampire carried her along at a great speed. She couldn’t shake herself free from his grip of iron, nor make a sound for the gag in her mouth. Her innocent brown eyes were wide with terror. Finally they came to a lane and turned off of the road. It led back through some trees to a large dilapidated house. Large trees and dank vegetation surrounded the place. The child suddenly was borne upward in a tremendous leap to the front porch roof, then to a large window that had been broken out. Shortly she had been lowered inside and dropped a short distance.
She was then taken downstairs to a room which was divided in two by a wall of iron bars. The vampire produced a key and opened a barred door and set her down. He produced a knife from which the girl recoiled in terror, but he only used it to cut her bonds. The floor was covered with moldy straw that stank of urine and feces. The gag was removed and the cords cut from her hands and feet. Two apples were tossed into the cage and the vampire added some water to the bucket before he walked from the cell and locked it. Then he darted up the stairs and slammed the door, locking it from the outside, then shaking it to be certain it had locked. The little girl whimpered in the dim light, then began to sob.
She heard a sound nearby and froze, sniffling. A voice came out of the darkness “Don’t be afraid. It’s only me, Celeste.”
“Where am I?”
“We’re where the Bad Man lives.”
“Who is he?”
“I don’t know, Juliet. He brought me here.”
“Why?”
There was no answer for a while, and then the voice said “I know some songs. Would you like to hear one?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll have to sing softly lest the Bad Man hear me. He can hear and see very well, but won’t bother with us if we’re quiet.” She then sang sweetly in the dim light and gradually the fear and trembling left Juliet. Celeste seemed to have the voice of an angel. After a while, Juliet learned some words and softly sang along with Celeste. They talked about different games they liked to play, then sang some more songs.
Much later she got drowsy and began to drift off to sleep. Celeste rose and walked over to her, and sat beside her. She put her arm around Juliet
and held her. As Juliet began to spiral down into sleep, she wondered how it was that Celeste had known her name. Or maybe she had told her, and then had forgotten?
Chapter 20
“Ian?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go and hunt for our breakfast. Wait here, I must return to the house to get something.” She stood and dressed at vampire speed and vanished down the stairs. It couldn’t have been two minutes when she returned with her wide-brimmed hat, tan colored riding pantaloons, a pair of very well made outdoor boots, of a type which lace up the front for a firm fit. She wore a loose fitting dark gray blouse, and had her rucksack. Ian had already dressed, but wasn’t wearing his boots and socks.
They stepped out into the dusky pre-dawn dewy grass and ran at vampire speed for the tree line across the pasture. Cosette adjusted her speed to allow him to catch up, and they ran until they came to the second stream not far from the rock spires. They stopped near it in a thicket and froze. She signed for silence. The minutes slipped past, and a faint rustling came to Ian’s ears. A buck stepped into the clearing, walking to the edge of the water. Warily it looked about, then lowered its’ head for a drink. Cosette leapt from the undergrowth and landed astride the hapless buck. She reached around its neck in a blur of motion and taking its head, she broke its neck instantly.
Standing above her kill, she said “Bring my rucksack Ian.” As he handed it to her, she said “Bend down now and get its scent.” While he took in the scent of the deer, she took a length of rope from her rucksack and quickly tied its two hind legs together. Then she effortlessly slung its carcass over one of her shoulders and in two leaps was under a large Sycamore with a large low-hanging branch. Turning to Ian she indicated a place on its’ neck saying “Take the knife, and cut here, deeply.” She reached into the bag and produced a copper bowl with a pour spout fashioned on one edge. As the deer’s blood ran into the bowl, she walked to the stream and washed the knife, and then wrapped it in a towel and stowed it in her rucksack.
Ian said “I see hoof prints here, more than were made just now.”
She replied “Yes, we vampires must be observant of such things. Go now and smell around the hoof prints and see if you can identify the scent.” He did so and immediately could smell the deer scent. He looked up at her and nodded. She said “You’ve memorized the smell of deer, Ian, just as you did with the scent of that rabbit. You’ll be able to remember and identify both forever now. Each thing that you identify after smelling it will be something that you can recall for as long as you live.”
“That is…amazing.”
“It makes our existence easier to hunt where humans can’t observe us. Best really to hunt at night, but I knew no one would be here. This is Marie’s estate.” She walked over to Ian and kissing him she drew back and said “Good morning love.” Then, tipping her head to one side “Shall we dine?”
She offered the bowl to him so he drank half, and then handed it to her. She drained it, and then sat it beneath her kill to catch more blood. Ian felt the familiar surge of energy. Rummaging in the rucksack she produced two packets. “Come, love.” She walked to the stream and squatting next to it, cupped both hands and taking water, repeatedly rinsed her mouth. Then she looked at him and nodded towards the stream. When he was done, she took the two packets and took a pinch of lilac blossom and chewed it, allowing it to sit in her mouth for some minutes. Ian, after rinsing, did likewise, his packet having the clove and cinnamon which Marie had prepared for him.
“Shall we bathe, Ian?”
“I was just thinking that very thing.”
“Follow me then.” and she set off downstream.
“What of our kill?”
“We’ll return for it. Marie will love to have fresh deer’s blood, and we’ll roast the venison for a tasty stew, maybe tomorrow.”
She leapt across the thirty five foot span of water to a clear place on the other side, then out to a flat rock in the middle, then again to another clear place on the opposite shore some forty feet distant, and so on, just leaping from place to place instead of picking through the vegetation alongside the stream. Ian followed, slipping into the stream twice, but keeping close behind her. Within a quarter mile, he heard the sound of a waterfall. They came to it shortly, and Cosette was already naked when he arrived. It was no more than twenty feet high, and shaded by great overhanging sycamores with myriad vines, as was the pool below. She dove off the falls as he removed his clothes at vampire speed. In seconds he was diving in behind her. They swam and cavorted like two dolphins.
There was a low slung sycamore that grew nearly parallel to the surface of the water. She suddenly shot out of the water and landed on her feet, turning and beckoning to him. He reached the place where she had jumped out and putting everything he had into it, he flew clear over both her and the tree, crashing into the undergrowth on the bank. She threw back her head and squealed with laughter, a sound he’d never heard her make before. Laughing at himself he jumped into the water and tried again, this time landing squarely on the tree trunk beside her.
“Let’s dry ourselves.” She turned and leapt across the stream to land upon a flat rock and leapt from it to a long stretch of long grass which was growing along both sides of the river. She ran along the length of it at vampire speed, turned abruptly and sprang across to the other side, he following. They reversed direction along the other bank then repeated that about eight times. Then they were dry.
Taking him by the hand she led him to a place of deep shade and green grass and a thick carpeting of violets. Then sitting, she pulled him down beside her. She pushed him back onto the grass and they made love there. He thought it was like paradise. Her presence, the beauty of the place and the sound of the waterfall were enchanting. They lay together afterwards, she taking his hand and kissing it as he stroked her hair tenderly with his other hand.
“Ah lass, never have I been happier than with you.” Cosette laughed her lovely throaty laugh, then murmured “And I, with you, my love.”
After a bit, she said, “We must return. Marie and the others will have eaten by now. Besides she wants us all to go horseback riding today.” She got up and in three leaps, was atop the waterfall and dressing at vampire speed.
When he was dressed, they leaped and sprang here and there back to their kill. She wrapped its head although the bleeding had stopped, securing the rag with the rope. She took several copper flasks from her rucksack and poured the blood into them. Rinsing the bowl, she put it in the rucksack and they were about to set off, Ian carrying the kill.
He collapsed and she quickly came to him, holding a flask so that he could drink. He felt revived in some ten minutes. During that time his bones ached and he had some aching in his upper mouth. He asked her about it and she replied “Likely that is because your venom glands are growing.”
“Venom glands?”
Yes. They’re needed for helping us to digest human food that we can safely eat, as well as for initiating a human to cross over.” The pains passed and he rinsed his mouth out and again shouldered the kill. They bounded away, heading for the chateau.
Chapter 21
Eduardo Vasquez arrived at his home in Barcelona. He stepped out of the carriage to greet his wife and daughter, Alandra. The servants were all lined up standing behind Alandra and his wife. He hugged and kissed his wife. Alandra came and hugged him, kissing his cheek.
‘Papa, I’m so glad you’re home.”
“As am I Alandra, as am I.” He was tired after all of the traveling, and truth to tell, he was tired of being Ambassador to France. He knew that he couldn’t resign though for bringing shame to those who had supported his appointment, not the least being the King himself. He resolved to enjoy his two months stay here and just ignore all political happenings if that was possible. He hoped not to be summoned to Madrid soon.
At supper that night, he noticed a despondent air about A
landra. She was impeccable and polite, but the vivaciousness had left her. She seemed…..hollow. It was puzzling to him.
Later, after supper he told his wife his observations regarding Alandra. She then explained that Alandra had met a young Scottish sailor among the crew of those who had rescued her. She had been despondent ever since arriving home for worrying over whether he had survived the recent storm. At that, Ambassador Eduardo remembered the letter from the young man that he had brought with him. He quickly got it and went to his daughter who was outside looking towards the incredibly blue Mediterranean from their terraced portico. The view was simply stunning from the Vasquez villa. She sat on a low stone retaining wall, her legs drawn under her, elbows resting on a higher portion of the wall and her lovely face cradled in her hands.
“Alandra, I’ve brought you something.” Turning she took it from him. Opening it she read:
Dear Alandra,
I hope this letter finds you well and happy. The entire crew and I are alive and well in Marseille. We’re now going to be making repairs to Tico. I can’t stop thinking of you. I hope to see you, maybe when we leave Marseille. I’ll try to persuade Angus to stop at Barcelona for a day or two.
All of my love,
Ian
“Oh Papa! Read it to me, please.” He read it to her then folded it and handed it to her. She said “Papa! Ian is alive, he is alive! She suddenly was radiant, like a flower opening to receive light. She hugged him and twirled around twice, before noticing that he was looking somber. He handed a folded newspaper to her.
“What is this, Papa? It looks like a newspaper from Marseille.” She read it and learned of the newspaper’s account of her rescue by the daring and courageous crew of the merchantman ship Elsie’s Cloud. She hugged the newspaper to her breast and beamed radiantly, then noticed that her father wasn’t smiling with her.
“Papa, what is it?” He handed her the other newspaper detailing the attack of a mysterious wild beast on one Ian McCloud of the merchantman ship Elsie’s Cloud and his subsequent disappearance. She visibly wilted and paled so quickly that he was alarmed and reached out to steady her. That she was stricken to her soul was plain to see.