"So when you came back, how did you feed?" I asked as we continued our walk around the grounds.
"I arranged to have the blood that is deemed infected for humans to be delivered here. I'm a scientist, you see, and I have made others believe I have been carrying out experiments on infected blood to cure diseases for many years. It worked up until the point when Ben became the delivery boy. His own natural curiosity got him into trouble. He revealed our secret, but he is a good boy and has kept his word of honour not to betray us, and for that, we will all lay down our lives and protect him."
"I can almost feel the sorrow and the pain that must have been forced on you. Didn't you want to be a vampire?" I asked hesitantly.
"Indeed, my past is a part of me. I can never forgive myself for my monstrous acts, but I have learned to live with them. My maker was looking for his feed when he stumbled across me on my hunting trip. My comrades had already gone on ahead while I had stayed behind. I never wanted this way of life, but still, I find myself here, a vampire and powerful in my own right. We must make the most of what we are given and enjoy immortality. The others of the coven joined at different times and have each found their mate to stay with throughout time while I still await the one vampire who will remain at my side."
"Who is your maker?" I asked.
"His name is Hervidor Tellis. I believe he now resides with his wife and the rest of their homemade, handpicked coven some miles from here," he answered.
I suddenly stopped walking. My feet remained glued to the spot as I stared up at Charles. I couldn't quite believe what he was telling me. We were both bitten by the same vampire, but where he had gone out and taken lives to feed his thirst, I had resisted with the powerful will that I had always possessed since I was a human.
"Nessy? What's wrong?" Charles asked gently, moving to my side.
"What? No, nothing. I'm fine. Shall we get back inside?" I asked while suddenly shivering.
This was another part of me that had remained human; I could still feel the changes in the temperature. Charles' body was ice cold compared to mine, which seemed warm of its own accord, and no vampire I had encountered ever understood why I was so freakishly made.
"Are you cold?" he asked, his voice etched with concern.
"Funnily enough, a little. I feel the cold, even now. I was born three hundred years ago, and still, I feel the changes in the temperature."
Charles rubbed my upper arms. "You are a unique vampire, Nessy. I haven't met anyone quite like you. What will you do?" he asked as we headed back towards the house.
"W-when?" I asked in return, shakily. The horror I was running from almost slipped out of my mouth. My state of mind and our close proximity caused my thoughts to become erratic, and I nearly began talking about my past.
"Soon, you will leave. I know you won't stay. Will you come and walk with me on the beach? It's beautiful at this time of night."
He was still smiling. He had a slow, sweet and sexy smile that would make you melt, and had I been in a different situation, I probably would have done so.
"Yes, okay," I said.
Charles led me around an unlit hidden bend along the pathway.
Using only our vampire skills and senses, we made our way down the beach. I was wholly unprepared for the breathtaking scene that met me. The waves lapped the shore and whispered to us as they teased their way back to the ocean. The moon lit the water as it gently floated further into the distance.
"It's beautiful," I gasped as we stepped onto the sand.
"I know, and this is one of the reasons I brought you here. When are you leaving?" Charles asked again as we walked along the beach, close yet keeping our distance from one another. It was a strange companionship, like nothing I had ever felt before.
Tomorrow, I guess," I shrugged. "I can't stay here, Charles," I answered, staring at the stunning moonlit ocean.
"Why not? We can protect you here; no one will know you came this way. Your friends, the Gulons, will they help head off whoever you're running from?"
"Heracio? Yes, they might. But I wouldn't want to impose that on anyone . . ." I stopped when I heard the sound of running feet behind us, and before I could even ask him how he knew that I was running away, Melody appeared.
"Hi," Melody said, appearing in the darkness barefoot with a radiant glow on her face.
"Melody, you've been busy today," Charles commented, raising his brows.
As I watched Melody approach, I noticed a shadow moving silently in the undergrowth. It seemed too large to be a typical cat and could only be one of the Gulons. But why were they watching?
And there was something suspicious about Melody's appearance and the shadow hiding in the undergrowth. If it was one of the Gulons, then it was evident that he escorted her along the beach and was her protector. Perhaps he was displaying some form of ownership. If that was the case, she must somehow be clandestinely involved with the Gulons, and Charles was clearly none the wiser. Hmm, things were becoming more and more enjoyable by the minute.
I listened while Melody described her day to Charles in great detail, mentioning her walks through the village and beyond. Her descriptions were vivid and true to life, but the Gulons were not mentioned once.
"Nessy, are you staying with us for a while?" Melody asked.
"No, I cannot but thank you all for your hospitality tonight. It is very kind of you," I stressed.
I gave my answer as honestly as possible while thinking there was no way I would get involved in something as complicated as the Gulons. However, they were my friends and had been there for me in my darkest hour. Hera had always honoured my request for rat blood and had delivered when my hunger had driven me to the point of madness, almost deranged. His thoughtful ways had more than once saved me from complete insanity.
And unlike Melody, I wouldn't get involved in the Gulons' affairs. It was her business. My biggest threat was Hervidor, and I needed to run as far as possible from him. He was dangerous and posed a significant danger to the humans in the nearby village, not to mention this coven.
"Please consider our offer; we have invited you to stay under our protection. Whatever it is that you are running from, we can provide the protection you need," Charles said gently as he watched me closely.
Each coven member had been kind, and even though I sensed some hostility, I understood their plight. I only wish they could understand mine.
If only Charles knew what, or rather who, I was running from, he would certainly send me on my way. His perception of how a vampire should live without destroying mankind was in total contrast to that of Hervidor.
Becoming the next female in line to rule had long been sought after for centuries. It was unheard of for a vampire to refuse or run away from Hervidor. But after choosing me, he made me into the monster I had become. He underestimated my strength and resolve then and later as a vampire. Making a mockery of his power, he would want my head displayed outside his door as a scare tactic for anyone who might cross his path.
"No, I cannot stay. Please take me back to my room. I'm going to make an early departure before the sun rises. I must leave as soon as I can," I answer quickly.
I suddenly felt strange, almost as if I was deprived of something, but unsure of what I had lost or was missing. I knew it was important, and I didn't want to let it go.
"As you wish, Nessy," Charles replied. "Melody, please return to the house and meet the others in my study. We shall be along shortly," Charles ordered.
"Okay, Mr Bossy," Melody chimed as she skipped off along the beach and disappeared out of our sight.
"You see, I have the power of being the head of this coven. You will be safe with us," Charles turned to face me, his eyes pleading with me to stay. "Who are you running from? Trust me when I say you will be protected by us. You're not a full vampire, and you couldn't possibly expect to fight whoever you are running from. It would be near impossible unless you plan on running for the rest of your life,"
His questions made me wonder what to do once I left his coven. The safety they offered me was undeniable. Charles had promised protection and security, but if I were to stay, I would only bring them pain and misery, not to mention certain death, and I know I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.
"I'm not running from anyone," I lied. "I prefer to be alone; loneliness has worked for me for centuries. Leave me alone; please return me to my room," I said.
"As you wish, Nessy. Follow me," Charles strode off, retracing our earlier steps down to the path leading to the house.
"It's nothing personal. I just like to be alone," I tried to explain, anxious to clarify why I wouldn't stay with him.
"You know, there is one thing that I dislike more than anything: people who don't tell the truth. In all my years of watching the world change around me and trying to keep up, I have never managed to stomach anyone who doesn't seem to want to tell the truth. It's obvious that you are hiding something, and whatever it is, it must have scared you pretty badly. You can trust me and this coven, become a part of us, and give us that chance," Charles' voice had risen to a shout, and he spun around to face me.
His words might have had the desired effect if they somehow could have penetrated my thoughts and how I felt. But thanks to Hervidor, he made sure my heart would never be the same after he made me one of the undead. That human heart, my soul, had been silenced on the very day I was turned into a monstrous, blood-sucking freak of nature.
"Fine, Charles. Yes, the whole idea of staying here with you and your coven scares me, but I must leave. My maker is who I'm running from. It's not safe here for me until I have enough distance between him and me. Still, I won't divulge such information as to his name to you because that would surely bring anguish and death for you and your coven. I cannot allow that to happen," I manage to squeeze my words out between gasps of anger and this sudden overwhelming desire to stay.
Why did I suddenly desire to stay, I didn't know? Maybe it was the strange magnetic connection between Charles and me. Whatever it was, I knew I had to shake it off. I didn't want anyone else to die.
"Nessy, please. Talk to me, trust me. Whoever it is, we can protect you from him," Charles pleaded.
"No. Let that be the end of this. Trying to save or protect me won't be worth your time and effort. Leave me be," I begged quietly.
Charles stood before me; he had a look on his face as if searching my eyes for answers—answers he knew I wouldn't give. He finally gave in to my wish to be left alone and not ask about my origins or where I was going.
I watched helplessly as he turned away and walked to the house. I followed closely behind. I could sense the fury coming from him. As a leader, he had expected me to yield and give him the answers he had demanded. He was bitterly disappointed by my response.
For that reason alone, I felt something akin to guilt, and if vampires had feelings, I was sure that Charles was more than a little upset by my reluctance.
"Here, you know the way?" Charles said as he stood before the door that led into the house.
"Yes. Thank you, Charles, for your hospitality and concerns. I will never forget the protection you have offered."
Charles sighed and stood aside to pass him and enter the house. The house seemed oddly quiet compared to earlier, where the topic of conversation was about the mysterious vampire that had turned up wandering in the forest. I walked as quickly as I could to the room I had been shown earlier, not taking any notice of where Charles had gone or the corridors and pictures that I passed in my hurry to reach the sanctuary of my room.
Why, why, why, why! I muttered to myself as I entered my room and closed the door.
It was clear they had heard me, but I didn't care. They could listen to all they wanted; our supernatural hearing seemed more like a curse when nothing you said was private.
"Because you need to be safe somewhere," came the reply from Charles.
"You certainly shouldn't be listening to anything I have to say," I muttered as quietly as possible; the only response I heard was a quiet chuckling from somewhere in the distance.
I sat on the edge of my bed, thinking deeply of everything that had transpired since I decided to flee the Tellis coven. It had felt exhilarating when the opportunity to escape had presented itself. Scarlet would tease me with human blood, and on several occasions, she used a child as bait. She did this hoping to persuade me to bite—quite literally. At this point, nothing they did seemed to move or disgust me anymore. Their persistent mockery only strengthened my resolve as I tended to smile and nod. This, in fact, caused them to notice that I had closed my eyes and my mind to the pathetic horror show; they acted out almost every night. As the years passed, the ridicule became more unbearable.
Scarlet had left the door open and had been preoccupied with the child she was about to devour. It had been the opportunity I had been waiting for for some time. I sped towards the door and snatched the child from her grasp, knocking her to the floor in the process.
I had quickly pounced on top of her before she had time to retaliate and had locked her in the same dark room that she had been instrumental in ensuring had been my prison. I flew like I had never flown before, and as I looked back at the great house, the pain and the misery I endured during my years there overwhelmed me. Only the whimpering of the little boy clinging to me brought me back to the present and what I would be up against in the future. I spoke softly to the child and tried to coax him into revealing where he lived.
"Shhhh . . . You're safe. Where's your mummy and daddy?" I had asked him as I slowly descended.
It had been many years since I'd had the chance to hold anyone that close to me, and I felt the child's discontent as he winced in pain from my grip on him.
"Sorry, I shall not hurt you. I would like very much to take you back home. Do you know where you live?" I asked gently, bending down and looking him in the eyes.
"Yes, over the hill," he said as he pointed in the direction. "That lady took me from my bed. I'm Henry." Such innocence from a small child.
"Hi, Henry, I'm Nessy. She isn't a nice lady and no lady at all. Now come, hold onto me while I fly with you. We must be quick now, or we shall be caught," I smiled gently at Henry and allowed him to wrap his arms around my neck and hold on tightly.
I had lifted into the skies, careful not to be seen by anyone.
Henry had pointed toward his house, and to my relief, he was right.
In front of me, the white house loomed over the hill, the trees and fields running for miles around, providing the place with great coverage and privacy.
"That window," Henry said, "that one right there," as he pointed to a smaller window at the side of the house.
"Listen, Henry, I need you to go straight to your parents. Wake them up and tell them what has happened. They need to stay with you tonight. Can you do that for me?" I asked as I hurriedly placed his small, fragile body through the open window.
Henry nodded solemnly and dropped quietly to the floor, his small smile showing the relief that his nightmare was finally over.
"You're a nice lady. Thank you for bringing me home," he smiled and kissed me lightly.
Being locked away for as long as I had made me forget the beautiful things that awaited me. It was refreshing, to say the least. Indeed, I was surprised as I rubbed my cheek and thought about the wonder of youth and the innocence of the young. At that moment, I started to run as far and as fast as I could. I knew entering the land of the Gulons was a dangerous and unforgivable thing to do. Yet I was willing to take the chance to escape and place as much distance between me and the Tellis coven as possible.
Of course, Heracio had been watching me the entire time. He'd been secretly protecting me with his own Gulon pack, their watchful eyes making sure I didn't harm anyone or come to any harm. They were both shocked and happy for me, knowing that I had finally escaped the ridicule and torture. It was a night that I would never forget. It had been filled with the wonder of a child's innocence and the exhilaration of finally finding my freedom.
"Goodnight," I whisper to no one in particular.
The memories I had of my own family began to cause me pain. My mother had always been happy with my father; her beautiful brown eyes would light up whenever he entered the room.
My father had always tried to spend time with the two extraordinary women in his life—those had always been his words whenever describing us. His gentleness and kindness towards my mother and I had always been loving and caring until the night Hervidor took my soul and stole my human life.
Hervidor's expectations of me had been very high, and being as cunning and manipulative as he was, he had easily won over my parents' hearts.
The betrothal ball had been the ultimate undoing for me. Hervidor was his usual charming self that night, and he had kept his eyes on me. I looked gorgeous in my ball gown as the men clamoured for my attention. Still, Hervidor's eyes had captivated and mesmerised me. I felt like the belle of the ball, mainly whenever I danced in the arms of Hervidor.
We had danced a lot that night, and I was tired and perspiring, so when Hervidor suggested we go for a walk around the gardens under the stars, I was more than willing. I thought it was pretty romantic, and as he reached for my hand, my heart began to race as we walked alone under the starlit night.
As we walked down the pathway to the hidden gardens behind my parents' great trees, Hervidor insisted on taking me to an obscure part of the garden, telling me it was away from prying eyes. We entered the garden's quieter, more secret section and sat down. He had spoken about his family and the things he liked most. He had boasted about his accomplishments and the adventures he would like to conquer. I wasn't aware of it then, but this was a typical vampire trait designed to pull you into a world of splendour, wealth and high living. Still, the ultimate objective is to have you spend eternity in the dark abyss of the undead.
I was mesmerised by his elegant charm and hadn't expected his kiss until I felt my lips quiver beneath his. It wasn't breathtaking, but my head spun from the pleasure of his mouth on mine. His lips worked their way down to my throat, gentle and caressing. He had nibbled his way down the trail that led to my flesh exposed from my dress. Then, I felt the sharp, searing pain of being bitten. I had tried to scream and pummel his chest with my tiny fists, but he was too strong. Hervidor clamped his hand over my mouth, suffocating my screams. The memories of that fateful night haunted my dreams. They gave me the most horrendous and vivid nightmares I had ever experienced.
I hadn't known until some days later, after experiencing a fever and excruciating pain, that I was turning into a monster. Hervidor had carried me to his house, where he cared for me and saw me through the worst. When I had eventually woken up, Hervidor's wife, Scarlet, had stood over my bed, sneering at me. She had a pained expression on her face, reeking of jealousy and hate.
My parents had been worried about me, but Scarlet, with permission from Hervidor, told my mother we had eloped and that I was okay. It had crossed my mind more than once to visit my parents, but I never did. I wanted to fight but didn't know how to fight Hervidor. If I had fought at any point, the rest of the Tellis coven would have killed me. It had taken me many years to realise that Hervidor wasn't the suave, sophisticated man I had thought he was. It was then that I started to despise him.