Blaise's voice was low as he recounted the memories, his gaze fixed on Lucien. His words flowed, painting a vivid picture.
"We were in Azure Cove, have you heard of it?" Lucien shook his head. "It's picturesque coastal town," Blaise said. "My father, mother were lounging on towels under a big striped umbrella, while Troy, and Maisy, and I were building sandcastles near the water's edge. It was such a beautiful day, I remember it just like it happened yesterday. We were having fun. I remember the sound of crashing waves, and enjoying the sun on my sun. But then, as we played, the atmosphere shifted," Blaise recalled. "I looked up and saw a figure approaching us from down the beach. He looked a little familiar, but it took me a few minutes to realize it was my uncle Raphael."
As Blaise spoke, he closed his eyes, bringing forth the details etched into his mind.
"He began walking toward us. Raphael was a vision to me, like something from another world," Blaise described, his voice almost reverent. "He had an air of mystery, his presence commanding attention. He wore his hair incredibly long, down to his waist, and just looked like no one I had ever seen before. The last rays of fading sunlight seemed to cling to his skin, casting an otherworldly glow upon him. Even though I had met him once or twice in the past, this was my first time really seeing him.
"'Impressive sandcastle you're building there. Quite the architect, aren't you?' Raphael said to me, bringing my attention away from the sand castle.
"I looked up at him, meeting his gaze. He was almost ignoring the others, and seemed to only have eyes for me.
"'Thank you,' is all I really said in return. I was very shy back then, and Raphael was nearly a stranger to me.
"Raphael smiled so kindly at me, and I felt like I was already special to him. 'It's a fantastic castle. You're Blaise, aren't you? Tell me, Blaise, do you often find yourself drawn to the mysteries of the world?' he asked and knelt in the sand beside me.
"I paused, considering the question. I told him that I did, and I told him I thought it would be nice if I could live in a castle myself. I told him I'd like nothing more than to be a prince and read books all day and go on adventures.
"Raphael leaned closer to me, cutting the other two out of our conversation entirely. 'Ah, the thirst for knowledge and adventure. That's what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary, my dear boy. I can tell just by looking at you that you're aren't average or ordinary. You deserve to live an exciting life. One full of magic and fanstasy. You belong in a different world, really.'
"Of course, I was intrigued by what he was saying. 'Really? What kind of world?' I asked him.
"With a touch of secrecy in his tone, Raphael told me, 'A world where you can unlock your true potential, where limitations cease to exist. Imagine living a life of eternal youth, of boundless power and passion.'
"The words spoke directly to my heart. Who wouldn't want that sort of life? But it all seemed too good to be true. 'Is that even possible?' I asked him.
"Raphael leaned closer still, his voice a mere whisper. 'Oh, Blaise, anything is possible if you dare to believe. I can show you wonders beyond your wildest imagination, but first, you must trust me. Your mother and your father sometimes speak badly of me, but that's because they are jealous.'
"I didn't really know what to say to all of this, but Raphael didn't mind my silence. He smiled, and said, 'Of course I understand that trust is earned, dear Blaise. In time, you will see that I only want what's best for you. Together, we can transcend the ordinary and embrace a life of extraordinary beauty.'
"My father walked over then, and his face was so troubled. He began asking Raphael a lot of questions - why he was here, how he knew we were here, what we were talking about... I could see clearly that my father didn't like his brother. Well, his half-brother, to be more accurate. Growing up I picked up that they weren't close, and that my father wasn't close with his father's side of the family at all. In fact, I never met my paternal grandfather. But anyway, I could see how much my father disliked him, but for the life of me, I couldn't understand why."
Blaise sighed, then continued. "From that moment, I couldn't tear my gaze away from him. He possessed a magnetic pull, a dangerous charm that drew me closer, despite my mother and father's reservations. My father reluctantly allowed Raphael to continue to interact with us during that beach vacation. In fact my mother is the one who urged my father to allow it. She seemed to hope he could reconcile with his brother, and maybe bring that side of the family more into our lives. She probably regrets this choice now, to say the least."
"He paid me special attention during that vacation," Blaise recounted. "It was as if the world revolved around us, and he barely acknowledged the presence of my siblings. We would spend hours together, talking, exploring, and dreaming of the extraordinary. But the vacation eventually ended, and reality beckoned us back to our ordinary lives. My family returned home, to our boring, ordinary life. I wanted more, and I wanted it badly. I thought that vacation might be the last time I ever saw Raphael, too, and missed him dearly. But he visited the house soon after, and after that he kept coming to see me. Bringing gifts, listening to my childish ramblings, and filling my head with dreams of eternal life, power, and glamour."
"As the visits became more frequent, my parents began to dislike the closeness between me and Raphael. They saw the hold Raphael had on me, the way he monopolized my attention, and they began to question his intentions." Blaise smirked to himself, and shook his head slightly.
"After the suspicions grew too strong, my father, at my mother's pleading, forbade Raphael from coming to see me," Blaise said. "I thought that was the end of it, that I had lost him forever."
He paused for a moment, his gaze fixated on a distant memory. Then, he turned his attention back to Lucien.
"I didn't though. He would sneak back to me under the cloak of night and visit me. And the words he said... they cast a spell over me, and I eventually ran away to be with him. I want you to understand, Lucien," Blaise said,"Raphael... he wasn't just my uncle. He became the catalyst that changed everything. He was the one who turned me into a vampire."
So, this uncle Raphael was a vampire too? Lucien felt like some of the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. A very unsettling thought nagged at the back of his mind, though. Blaise's words carried a peculiar undercurrent, an eerie infatuation that seemed to seep through the lines when he spoke about Raphael.
It's almost as if Blaise... loves Raphael, Lucien pondered, his brow furrowing. He did not like many of the things that were said in Blaise's tale, and feared even more the things that were unsaid. What had Raphael done to his nephew? And did Blaise think of Raphael as something more than he should?
A sickening feeling gnawed at Lucien's gut as he contemplated the possibility. The mere thought of it was abhorrent, a dark cloud casting a shadow over Blaise. But he kept his mouth shut, letting Blaise continue his narrative.
"The first time I ran away, I was gone for 2 weeks with Raphael," Blaise continued, his voice growing softer, as if haunted by the memories. "My father was furious at Raphael and stormed into the little townhouse we were staying in, and physically dragged me away. My mother seemed to blame me more for the incident, and told my father that I must take after his father - that there was something twisted and evil in my soul that predisposed me to aligning myself with Raphael and his ilk. My father was determined to keep Raphael and I apart, and even locked my window from the outside. Still, we found ways to see each other after that. Not long after, a tragic accident took my father from us. The loss was devastating, and in the midst of our grief, Raphael... he returned once again."
Lucien's suspicion deepened, his heart heavy with an unsettling mix of concern and dread. The reappearance of Raphael following the untimely demise of Blaise's father seemed too conveniently timed.
The story Blaise was telling so far was deeply disturbing. And Raphael was behind it all. As Lucien watched Blaise gaze wistfully up at the stars, he wondered if Blaise understood that Raphael was evil.