“Who is that?”
“She is my best friend…..more like a mother to me. I told her about you after bringing you here last night. This is her home, and I live here too.”
“How did you bring me here? I thought we were flying…..I must have been out of my mind…..that beast bit me.”
She laughed then, a little bit of a husky laugh for a woman, but with an exotic musical quality. “You were weak, but not out of your mind.”
“You…..you really …..carried…..me here, Cosette?”
“Yes.”
“How did you do that? I mean where are we now?”
“It is easy for us. We are some thirty five miles from where you were attacked.”
“But how…..you said it is easy for us? Who else helped you? I only remember you.”
Laughing that husky laugh again she said “It’s easy for my kind.”
“Your kind, Cosette? What do you mean?”
She sat silent for a moment, her beautiful eyes fixed on his. Finally she said “I am a vampire, Ian.”
At that, Ian sat as still as Cosette, staring at her. Neither spoke. Ian became conscious of a clock ticking somewhere in the house, and he could hear sounds outside both near and some far. Finally he said “There are no such things.”
“There are, Ian. I am one, as is Madame Lafayette. Now you’re one too, mon ami.”
“I’m a vampire? How is that?
“You were bitten last night by a vampire. He was sent to kill you because of the way you beat LeBlanc last night, when you stopped him from beating my brother.”
‘The lad…he is your brother?”
“Yes. You were very brave Ian, and also very kind. I was….impressed, more than that, I was moved mon ami. And I was very impressed with the way you fought LeBlanc.”
“What is ‘mon ami’? I don’t speak French.”
“It means ‘my friend’. Ian, I’ve never seen such fighting. Where did you learn that?”
“My friend, Li Hong taught me. Why do you say I’m a vampire? I feel no different today.”
“You would have died but for my blood.”
“That was what you gave me when we stopped for a while?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“If I hadn’t, you’d have died instead of crossing over.”
“Cross over?”
“That’s what we call it when a human becomes a vampire, Ian. You’ve crossed over. You are no longer human, mon ami.”
He shook his head and sat in silence as that sunk in, and then he said. “You were watching me many times before I ever helped your brother. Why was that?” She looked away, then back at Ian and smiled shyly “I was looking for my brother and saw you with your friends one day at the Blue Oyster. You looked directly at me, Ian. I ……..somehow knew that you…… felt me looking at you, and that we……were supposed to ……meet. It was almost as if you drew me with your eyes, mon ami. So I followed you inside and again, you knew I was looking at you. I could sense it, but I just couldn’t believe it.”
At that, Ian laughed saying “Ah lassie, you’re not the only one in this room having trouble believing something.” At that Cosette again laughed that marvelous husky, but musical laugh. “You have a wonderful sense of humor, Ian.”
“Cosette, you…..seemed to not be able to talk last night. I….remember you speaking…..but…maybe I remember wrong?”
“You remember correctly, Ian. After arriving here last night, Marie took time to teach me to speak English.”
He let that one sink in for a bit, then said “You learned to speak English last night?”
“Yes. Vampires learn very fast, Ian. It took several hours, all night really. She taught me in this room, over in the corner on the sofa. She wanted to teach me somewhere else, but I wouldn’t leave you. You’ll soon be able to speak many languages. Marie is an excellent teacher.”
“Ah, lassie! She’s driven her ducks to a poor market the day she tries to teach me a language. I’m a Scot. The English canna understand my version of English.”
Again Cosette laughed, saying “Ian, I’ve not laughed like this since living here. What magic do you use?”
“Och lassie! Magic ye say? You carried me thirty five miles and I am using magic?”
At this, Cosette threw back her head and laughed all the more as Ian stared at her in wonderment.
“So our guest is feeling better today?” Ian looked towards the door and saw a petite, beautiful, regal looking lady, maybe forty years old looking at him with remarkable violet-blue colored eyes. She was immaculately attired in a simple but elegant dress and her glossy raven hair was done up in a style that he’d seen in London. Like Cosette, her skin seemingly had a glow about it, similar to polished porcelain. She was carrying a silver tray with a silver cup on it.
“I am Marie Lafayette, Ian.”
“I’m pleased and honored to meet you, Madame Lafayette.”
“Please do call me Marie, Ian. My husband Henri is not here at this time. I’ve brought your breakfast.” She crossed to his bedside, and Ian couldn’t help but notice how gracefully she moved.
“I’m feeling weak, Madame….I …..Marie. I could eat a horse.” Suddenly he doubled up in pain. “What’s happening?”
They came to his side. Marie said “This is something that happens as your body imprints. It will sometimes be worse than this, but will grow less severe over time. You must drink now Ian.”
The two looked at each other and Cosette nodded. Marie said “Ian this is blood. It is what you’ll have to drink for the rest of your life. Without it you would die, unless in hibernation.”
Writhing in pain, Ian said “Blood? I must drink blood? Nah Madame, I will na drink blood, by Heaven!”
“You drank blood last night or by now you would be dead. Ian, this is rabbit blood, and yes, you’ll drink it or die.” She stood smiling at him, still holding the tray. He looked towards Cosette. She was watching gravely, nodding her assent.
“I’ll die without it?”
Both of them nodded gravely as he stared stupidly. Finally he said “Well, I can do that.” Marie bent and lifted him gently up with no effort at all. He tried to assist her, but couldn’t hold himself up. “Now my bones ache.” he said. She lifted him with no effort at all and steadied the cup, holding it as he drank two sips of the warm slightly salty liquid. It was but a moment and he suddenly felt a surge of energy.
“Why, I feel strong already, and the pain’s gone.”
“That is the blood, Ian.” He took the cup then and drank it all.
“You don’t drink human blood then?”
Both women shook their heads gravely, and then Marie said “We never drink human blood, Ian. It’s an abomination to us.”
“But that thing… that vampire…..”
“He’s an abomination and should die. We didn’t know until this….incident that this vampire is somehow connected to LeBlanc. We think he is Renaud Leclerc; a dangerous villain if ever there was one. I’ll be telling Henri about this when he returns. Ian, some vampires drink human blood, while some don’t. There’s no difference in us other than that. We all have vampire ………characteristics… strengths…. weaknesses too….. no matter what kind of blood we drink. There’s no advantage to drinking human blood. That is a myth.”
“You said something about hibernation. Do you hibernate?” Both ladies looked at each other with raised eyebrows and laughed. Their laughter combined had a pleasant musical quality.
“No, we don’t hibernate. Vampire hibernation is supposed to be a way to survive for long periods of time without blood. I suppose that you could say it’s an unproven legend about our kind.”
“Well, I feel so good that I want to get up.” He began to swing his legs from bed saying “So if you ladies will excuse me….” Here he stopped, realizing that he was naked under the covers. “God’s eyes! I’m nake
d as a babe!” he said, turning red with embarrassment. “Who did that?”
At this, both Cosette and Marie threw back their heads and laughed merrily, to his even greater embarrassment. “We’re sorry Ian, but you were such a mess last night that we both stripped and washed you.”
His eyes widened “Both of ye ladies?”
Still laughing they nodded in unison. “Cosette will find you some clothes Ian.” Then turning, Marie left the room.
Cosette got up and at vampire speed, left the room. Ian blinked in disbelief. She had vanished like wind-blown smoke. In under a minute she returned at vampire speed with some clean workman’s clothes, underclothing, socks, and with Ian’s boots. He sat mouth agape on the side of the bed but modestly, with the blankets over his lap. Cosette smiled sweetly and left, closing the door. He could have sworn that he heard laughter from the two women shortly after.
Chapter 12
Now dressed, Ian came out of the room. Nearly instantaneously it seemed, Cosette appeared at the bottom of the staircase and in one bound was at the top next to him. “You might have a faint spell and fall down the stairs. Walk down with me now.” She smiled sweetly then and put her arm around him as he took hold of the handrail and descended to the grand foyer. He found Marie sitting demurely in a large chair in the cavernous parlor. “Sit down and be at ease. You’ll have your own clothes back as soon as they’re dry.” Marie smiled sweetly, continuing “May I get you another drink?” Ian declined politely. Then she went on, “I’ve sent for Monsieur Picard, a tailor. He’ll be here before midday. You’ll have the beginning of a new wardrobe in two days’ time.”
“Why Marie, thank you, but I have clothes aboard our ship.”
“Ian, your sailing days have ended. You’ll learn to dress as people do in France so as to not attract undue attention wherever we are. You’ll learn to speak our language while you live here.”
“Why would I live here?”
“You are now undergoing a great change within your body. This change will take three weeks to a month to complete itself. We call this period of development imprinting. You’re to do everything we tell you to do. What we do during this time will so arrange things within your body so as to define most of your limitations for as long as you live.”
“How long will I live?”
“For as long as you like.”
“I canna die?”
“No, but you can be killed.”
He sat in silence, taking all of that in. “What can kill me? A wooden stake?”
Both of them laughed then, shaking their heads as Marie replied “Direct sunlight will cause you to burn to death. You can be beheaded and your head burnt by leaving it in sunlight. You can be blown apart by artillery or cut into pieces and your body parts separated and burnt.”
“You mean that other than sunlight, even mortal wounds can be healed?”
“Yes.”
“Ah….you said beheaded. What…”
“Ian, if you were to be decapitated, yet your head placed back upon your neck, it would re-attach itself, as would any other part of your body so done. This would take some time and assistance. If you are cut, a wound can close in a minute or a little more.”
“That fast?”
Nodding her head, she continued. “If you are shot, your body will eventually expel the bullet and the wound close as if it never happened. The cuts you suffered in that knife attack last night are healed already. They didn’t leave a scar. You’ll still feel pain, but it can’t incapacitate you.”
“What about poison, or snakebites?” he asked as he examined his chest to see no signs of the cuts he had received in the fight.
“Poisons have no effect on us, nor do snakebites or stings of insects. Insects cannot sting us because of our skin, and their venom has no effect on us anyway. You’ll need little rest, but some is good.”
“I won’t need sleep?”
“No. Neither heat nor cold will have a lot of effect on you. You can’t drown, but you’ll be able to swim as fast as a dolphin. If not swimming, you’ll sink. You’ll be able to outrun a deer or horse with ease and jump higher too. We vampires needn’t breathe at all, but we do so to speak and to blend in with humans we may be near. You’ll require practice while you’re imprinting to make that skill second nature.”
“Practice…to breathe?”
Laughing, she nodded and continued. “We don’t perspire ever. You’ll do best to drink blood daily, but can do without for a while before weakening. We’ll condition you to enhance that ability. It is wise to ease into the blood drinking the first day. You’ll need more though as you imprint.”
“So I’ll always have to drink blood to live?”
“Yes, but if you don’t learn to do without it also during imprinting, you’ll have more of a thirst for it. That can be a hard thing to manage. It’s dangerous for humans or animals to be near a non-mentored vampire; or one who is imprinting and not being mentored and watched over. You’ll have periods of feeling weak and maybe even sick during imprinting.”
“Why?”
“Your body is changing. Your muscles, bones, and tendons are becoming tougher and denser. This is necessary because of the greater strength you’ll have. Your human body would otherwise soon be torn apart by that strength you will have when you’re done imprinting. When these weak or sick spells come, you must drink blood.”
“So I’m to become dependent on blood then?”
“Yes and no. This part is vital, Ian. When you’re feeling stronger while imprinting, it’s best to not drink blood. This will be near the end of your imprinting. That will forever condition you to do without blood for periods and yet still be able to function. This is a vital part of a successful imprinting. During the blood fast, blood must be denied to create the desired effect.”
“So I don’t drink it then for… what, days ?”
“For as many days as you can stand. That will cause great pain, but it is well worth it. Most of our kind don’t go through with it because of the pain. It also will make it so that the smell of blood won‘t affect your ability to control yourself at all times. The human part of you lives on in your mind.”
“Human part of me?”
“Yes. The human part must always govern the vampire. That is the essence of a responsible vampire who can peacefully coexist with humans.”
“Then I can never again eat…as I did before this?”
“Not so. “You’ll be able to eat what humans eat, but it’s imperative that we condition you for that and other things as well starting today. You must drink water too while imprinting. Humans need it to live and you must appear to be human so as to not be discovered.”
“So I’ll eat and drink as I did?”
“Yes. If you eat food that humans eat, you’ll expel waste as you did when you were human. If you don’t, you’ll never expel any waste. When you’re traveling it is obviously more convenient to not consume human food. The time of your imprinting has begun. As much as can be done regarding these things must be done within this time.”
“Why eat human food at all?”
“Consuming food that humans consume allows us Adepts to blend in. This is imperative if you’re to become an Adept. And besides, it tastes good. We Adept vampires love good food, and we never gain weight.”
“Adept?”
“An Adept is a vampire who has had superior mentoring so as to live undetected among humans.
“I see. You mentioned vampire venom. I can’t even kiss a human then for fear of them dying of venom?”
“No. We only make venom if we bite. We don’t make it by kissing.”
“So my training will make me into an Adept?”
“Yes. To be an Adept guarantees that unless you do something stupid, you’ll be accepted as human by humans themselves, and even by some vampires should you develop some finer skills of deception. Those can be learned after you are thro
ugh imprinting. An Adept can walk freely in daylight as long as they keep in shady areas, or wear protective clothing. A high level Adept can walk freely in daylight without protective clothing if it is cloudy. This all must be achieved within your imprinting period. Most of our kind never become Adepts.”
“Why is that?”
“They never receive proper mentoring. Many are just ill-fated people who have fallen victim to the unscrupulous of our kind. In my case, I was brought over because I was sick and at death’s door. I was known by the one who brought me over regarding my character and personality.”
“Can I, can our kind have children?”
“No.”
“No children?”
“We’re sterile, and we females don’t have a monthly cycle.”
Ian blushed a bit and then hung his head for a while. “It all seems so…..empty….no children…I thought that one day I’d be a father when I had met and married the right woman. I…I thought that I had just met her last week.” He left off there, thinking now about Alandra and the life they might have had. His spirit dampened visibly from inquisitive to that of being demoralized. Both women saw it and sympathized. They came to him and got on bended knees before him, taking his hands gently in theirs.
“Ian, we’re here to help you to live the best life possible. You’ll be an honored and cherished guest and if you stay with us, you’ll be a member of our family forever. We welcome you with open arms, mon ami.”
Ian bent his head and sat silently, stunned, shaking his head from side to side. The novelty of it had worn off to when the enormity of it had finally hit him. The two women were moved and comforted him. Cosette rose up and sat on the sofa beside him, encircling him gently with her arms. “Ian, Mon ami, it is all right. This too, this loss must be gotten out, must be dealt with. You’ve lost much Ian, but at least you’re with friends.”
“I should send word to my ship mates.”
“That will happen today, but we have to be cautious about who knows all of the facts. Think long and well about who you trust with this knowledge. Their lives are at risk.”
After a short time, Ian raised his head and wiped a few tears from his eyes. “Ah ladies, please excuse that.” Cosette tenderly took his hand saying “Ian mon ami, even grief such as this will pass. Trust us regarding that.” Marie still knelt at his feet now holding his other hand, and then said “Come now, we must feed you some breakfast and get to work. Every day counts and time is our enemy.” She stood and gently drew him to his feet and led him to the kitchen. She had prepared breakfast, and had it covered and staying hot in one of three ovens.