That night, Alyssa had asked Ian to come home with her to her apartment. It was not very big, but just big enough for Alyssa and had a place with good light for her to design. It was as much of a design shop as an apartment.
She and Ian made love that night. It was sweet and intense. She had really had little male companionship since arriving in Paris and Ian had had no female companionship since Anna had driven him away. She awoke during the night and they made love again twice.
During breakfast, Alyssa confessed that she was so grateful for being asked along on the trip and concluded that it was the experience of a lifetime. Ian stayed at her place for the rest of that week and into the next one until they all departed for the chateau. He promised to come and see her the next time he was in Paris. She was invited to the chateau and promised to get time to visit there.
Before leaving, Ian lay with her the last night and said “Alyssa, you can choose to cross over whenever you want. Henri and Marie are in agreement about this. You’re old enough now and it’s your choice. Celeste must wait a few more years. You should know that you’ll never bear a child if you become one of us, and you’ll never walk uncovered in sunlight. Only you and Celeste have this open invitation to become one of us.”
“I… I’m honored, really.”
“It would be best done at the chateau near Marseille. I’d be there to go through it with you until you’ve completed the process.” Here he took her hand and kissed it tenderly. Then he concluded “I’ll never press you on this issue, nor will I make mention of it again. You only have to tell one of us when you’re ready. I love you, and I’ll still love you either way.” He kissed her tenderly then, and gently kissed both of her eyes. Neither Alyssa nor Ian knew that she was at a pivotal place in her life at that moment, but she would recall it all too well later.
“Ian?”
“Mmmm?”
“I’ve wanted to ask you about this…um….thing…” Here she paused to laugh as she blushed a bit. “You have so much…stamina regarding love making. Is it…is it something that has to do with your…change? With your crossing over?”
Laughing softly he nodded his head. “Yes. I have more stamina that way than before.”
“Oh, I believe that all right! she exclaimed with a giddy laugh. “Mon Dieu! Do I ever!”
Ian laughed softly as she continued running her hand up and down his hairy torso slowly as they talked. Leaning in close and nibbling at his ear she peppered his neck with kisses, ending with a passionate kiss on his lips. She then nuzzled his neck and after kissing his ear, she whispered “If I cross over, will you bite me then, love?”
Laughing again he said “I’m no biter, but I’ve been known to nibble a bit.” He allowed his eyes to glow a bit, a slight pulsating glow, and then he nibbled lightly at one of her ears as he nuzzled her neck. She laughed delightedly and squirmed a bit, then she said “Mmmmm…show me how you feel again, cheri.” Chuckling softly, he took her in his arms and did just that.
***
Ian stopped at the Blue Oyster as soon as they all got to Marseille. He told the others that he would be along later on after learning that Lorn and Corinne were now married and worked at the inn. They were happy and in love. Lorn’s first wife in Scotland had died in childbirth years earlier and he had no family remaining who were alive.
Ian had them to sit down at a table there and he presented a piece of paper to Lorn that was the deed to the Red Dolphin. The two were speechless. Corinne covered her mouth and cried tears of joy. She got up from her chair and came around to Ian to hug and kiss him.
After thanking him, Lorn told Ian that Tom McBride had gone to Barcelona to marry Celita. Ian was shocked. He hadn’t heard the name nor had he even thought of Celita or even of Alandra for so long. Pondering this development he sat silent for a while; so much so that the couple asked him if anything was wrong. He smiled and reassured them that it wasn’t and parted from them with the reminder that the chateau was open to them to come any time. Innkeepers didn’t ever get invited to the home of the Lafayettes, so they felt privileged. After leaving he opened a line of credit via a draft at the Banque de Lafayette Marseille so that they could start remodeling as soon as possible.
Chapter 65
The chateau had filled somewhat later that year. Celeste and Alyssa came to visit and Ian was there. Alyssa gave him a passionate kiss which he gladly returned. They all got to do the usual things such as fishing, swimming, and horseback riding. Marie sang the song ‘Aloutte’ to call the horses in from their pasture. This delighted Alyssa, having never seen Marie’s playful side. Marie said “See Alyssa, Celeste isn’t the only one in our family who can sing.”
Henri replied “Yes, but Celeste sings to Kings and you sing to horses.” Everyone including Marie laughed long and loud at that.
Again Alyssa thought what marvelous people. No wonder Celeste loves to come here so much! She noticed that Celeste was thought of as family to the Lafayettes, and secretly hoped that she could earn that distinction. Ian and she stayed at his home near the chateau. They made love as often as they could get away from the others which was not often, but they had a nightly date that they kept nonetheless, and Alyssa got little sleep. Ian excused himself from her to take Celeste running three different times. She had made him promise to do so and held him to it, enjoying it as much as ever.
Alyssa prevailed upon him to take her running as he had Celeste. So one morning they did so, leaving from Ian’s house. It was breathtaking beyond her expectations. He showed her how he hand-fished and they had roast fish for lunch. Using his knife he dug up some wild onions, washing and mincing them in tiny pieces, his knife flashing so rapidly that Alyssa couldn’t even see it moving. She enjoyed the simplicity of it all.
Ian never fed nor hunted nor refreshed himself in her or Celeste’s presence. After they had made love beside the stream, he held her and said “Alyssa, I’m so glad that you came here. I can’t tell you how much I love it that I don’t have to conceal things from you. I’ve not had that since I was with Cosette and I’ve missed it so very much.” Alyssa was just happy to be there with him and snuggled contentedly in his arms, kissing one of his hands, as they lay talking of different events in their lives.
Ian’s old shipmate Lorn Barnes and his new wife came out for three days and got the grand tour of the home and grounds. It was like a luxury vacation for the couple, and Ian was happy that the Lafayettes treated them so well. Alyssa and the others bonded well with them and Lorn got to catch up on Li’s life since he had settled in Marseille when Ian had. The two were thrilled with their time there and every evening they got to hear Celeste perform for them in several languages.
Alyssa thought that Henri and Marie, as well as Li and Sophia were ideal couples. She tried to imagine how it was when Cosette was alive. Drawn to this group of people, she could see why they considered themselves a family. All too soon she had to return to Paris. For the first time, she began to regret her decision to live there. Her life had been good, but it was all filled with her work. She had seen something special while traveling to England and in visiting the chateau she had come to realize it. Her life wasn’t all that she wanted it to be. Ian promised to look in on her the next time he was in Paris. After she departed, she pondered his open invitation to join the Lafayettes as one of ‘the others’ and wondered if she shouldn’t have just set everything aside and done it while at the chateau. As it turned out this wasn’t the last time she would ponder this.
As her carriage drove out of sight Ian stared at the last place he could see it even after it disappeared thinking her work is truly everything to her after all. I suppose I waited too late to ask her to join us. I wonder if I should have asked her to marry me. Could I expect her to make me the center of her life after she’s had such success on her own? I love her, but wouldn’t I be putting an unfair burden on her by proposing marriage now? He sighed deeply an
d returned to the Chateau to rejoin the others who had already gone inside.
As her carriage rocked along the road to Arles, Alyssa turned over the recent events in her mind. Then she thought back to their last night in Paris, and about her asking Ian about his love making stamina. She sat bolt upright suddenly as something occurred to her.
He always had that stamina, even from the first night we made love when we first met years ago. So hadn’t he already crossed over by the time we first met? Did he tell me everything about that, or did he hold something back? God, I love him so! But I do wonder about that part of his story. Still, how can I ask him about that? How can I ask any of them about it really?
She sighed deeply, staring out the window at the French countryside but not seeing it as her carriage traveled along.
Henri came to Ian later that day with some disturbing news. It was suspected that there was a serious rogue vampire problem in Vienna, Austria. Most of the assets of the Supreme Council were occupied with still another problem in the Balkans. He had been asked if he could persuade Ian to help with the problem. People were missing around Vienna and Judge Wilhelm Hoffmeister had determined that it was vampire related. If Ian accepted, he would be put in charge of the whole thing.
“It is an honor, Ian. I suppose it’s one that most of us could do without though. You are to get whatever you need to do the job.”
“Sounds like they’re really worried.”
“Vienna has been a center of culture since the renaissance period. News from Vienna travels all over Europe. The situation is more serious than the Balkans given that Vienna by contrast is not a place of violence. That raises questions in the minds of those who hear of the missing people. In the Balkans, such a thing wouldn’t be as significant since it is a more volatile area.”
“Whose territory is Austria?”
“Wilhelm Hoffmeister.”
“Hoffmeister? I like him. He invited me to come and visit his home in Vienna. He wanted me to show him some techniques with firearms.”
“He thinks highly of you, Ian. I count him as one of my most valued colleagues.”
“That’s good enough for me. What about the Inquisitor, Moreau?”
“No one knows right now.”
“Do you think he’s involved?”
“He may be, but I can’t understand why.”
“Well, you did find his name in Francoises’ journal. He was involved with that one. Money?”
“He’s been known to gamble. It could be that simple. I would have thought though that he would just kill his creditor. There has to be something to that which we don’t see.” Suddenly he looked at Ian and said “You know, I own a gambling establishment near Nice. I wonder if he fell into debt while gambling there.”
“That makes sense. In any event, if we do this I want Hoffmeister to take part in it also.”
“He’ll come. I’ll talk to Marie about staying home. You know how she is if children are involved. A Council judge has never been brought in on one of these things in recent memory excepting for me.”
“This is an unusual situation, and we’re the ones doing a favor for them after all. If something goes amiss, I want at least to know that the Council judge for that area was in on it from the beginning. I don’t want for this to go bad and then for the council to have a sour taste in their mouths due to my actions. That can have a lasting bad effect for you and Marie. We’ll tell him that he is to find several good fighters from Austria or nearby. They can’t be from the Vienna area though. Who knows but what one of them might be involved?”
“Good point.”
In the kitchen, Marie spoke to Sophia. “We’re all going to Austria very soon. We’re likely going to raid a vampire coven there which has been kidnapping people. Ian was asked to put a team together to take care of the situation.”
“So I’m going too?”
“Yes; you were left in Paris for some nine days the last time we had to do this. You’ll recall that you were still human then.”
‘Yes. I’m glad that you think enough of me to include me. I’m ready for this. It’s what we trained for, isn’t it?
“It is, and you’ll do well. I’m well pleased with your becoming one of us. You’ve adapted well and you fit in with us well too. We’re lucky to have you.”
“Marie, that is so important to me.” She stepped to Marie and hugged her warmly. “I’ve felt it, but it’s good to hear you say it. Is there anything that I can do before we leave?”
“Yes. We should make up four fighting suits, similar to the one Ian made. You can help me make them. We’ll also make up a few extra hoods for whoever helps us over there. It isn’t like we can take plans to Picard the tailor for something like this, is it?”
Sophia threw back her head and laughed heartily, shaking back her wavy black hair as Marie laughed with her. In seconds then she giggled and said “Can’t you just see old Picard’s face if you asked him to make up those outfits?” Then she did her best imitation of his whining nasal accent saying “What did you say these suits are for, Madam Lafayette?” The two than laughed raucously, prompting the men to come to the kitchen, which made them just look at each other then and laugh all the louder as the men stood staring at the two.
***
“What have you idiots done here? Do you not know better than to take local merchants and such people? You should have only taken peasants from the countryside. This is the kind of thing that will bring trouble that you don’t want. What do you expect me to do for you now?”
“We don’t know, Herr Moreau. We hoped that you could invent an explanation for this. We have three young vampires who don’t take direction well at all. We’ll pay well, as you saw by the retainer we paid you. We got the young girls you wanted too.”
“I no longer need them. The one who wanted them is dead. Getting back to this thing, the authorities are involved, so I’ll have to persuade them with a believable lie. I’ll think of something. You’re making more trouble for me than you’re worth. Your coven has more money than brains! If not for my younger brother, I’d have nothing to do with the lot of you.”
Chapter 66
The five of them departed on foot. It was entirely too slow to go to Vienna via conventional human transportation using horse-drawn carriages. They got there in five days easy running, going cross country just south of the Italian Alps. Maria being the slowest was the pace setter. They sometimes would stay out of the sun if necessary in the valleys for short spells. The mountain weather was cloudy at this time, so they didn’t have to do that too much but they made better time by night.
After arriving, they waited at a large home three miles outside of Vienna which was property of the Council judge for the area of Austria, Wilhelm Hoffmeister. Henri and Marie had visited the place twice previously as his guests.
Marie came up with an idea to sling two pistols under their arms and that way only three would be in their belt sash. She and Sophia had completed five of those dual under arm holsters and had made them before they had departed. They were custom made for each of the team. The two had also made short sword slings for each to keep a short sword hanging down their backs between their shoulder-blades. They copied Ian’s and took time to alter them until they fit perfectly.
Now in Vienna, they all practiced drawing and cocking the unloaded pistols from their waist band sash as well as from their under-arm holsters. They had gotten very used to them and all could have pistols out in a flash after only one afternoon of practice. They also went out by twos to roam the city at night in the hopes of getting a lead on their targets.
Nothing of any consequence was seen after two days of looking. Henri thought that they should split up into four groups to just look around until the Council judge and his men would arrive. If nothing else, they would learn the lay of the land, including roads and landmarks. Ian, Henri, and Li separated while Marie and Sophia stayed toget
her.
Council judge Hoffmeister arrived the fifth day. Henri told him what was needed and he departed to get help. He thought he could get two on short notice who weren’t from that area and return in three days. There had been no further reports of citizens missing in the area.
Three days later while in town, Ian felt a prickling at the base of his neck. It was only brief and he had had several others since arriving. He casually scanned everywhere and his gaze passed over a tall husky man wearing a black broad-brimmed hat with a peculiar looking feather in its hat band. He let his eyes keep drifting and then he snapped his gaze back to the man, remembering seeing that hat once where he had gotten a prickly alarm. Shadowing the man, he stayed a half-block behind him and the man turned into a building after a bit. It was a building which housed the newspaper for Vienna.
By good fortune, Henri happened along and soon they were paralleling him, while staying separate.
Ian sat down on a bench as Henri pretended to look at some merchandise in a storefront. He said “That’s Moreau and we need to stay with him.”
“I saw him in Lausanne one winter. Li and Sophia have him.”
“He’s a devious one. We need to take care that he doesn’t realize we’re following him.”
“They know it. We’re going to take turns.”
After buying a box of vegetables including some apples as well, Moreau continued, moving away from the center of Vienna. As he walked along, Ian realized that they were leaving the city toward the east. He signed to Sophia to stop following Moreau as he and Henri quickly separated and went to where they both could parallel him. First they did so by simply walking behind houses on either side of the road. Once they reached a partially forested area they had an easier time of it. Li and Sophia were now following Ian from at least a block away.
They went about another mile when they saw Moreau walk over a little hill with a lot of bushes on each side of the road. Ian signed to Henri to stop as he crouched down too. They waited a bit and then Ian detected some movement in the bushes alongside the little hilltop. He had doubled back to see if he was being followed. Ian knew then that he was going somewhere that he wanted no one to know about.