who won’t be vampires before this year is over. You’re a snack to them. The only reason they haven’t killed you yet is because of me. I make sure they stay in one place, eat what I provide, practice what I preach.” He dumped a long bit of ash into the ashtray.
“You’re kind of young to be running this place, aren’t you?” I couldn’t help myself from asking. He raised his brow and I was quick to add, “Not that it’s bad to be young and independent, of course! But I’m curious how you are able to run such a big house.”
He relaxed at that. “My father taught me everything. That’s him there.” He pointed to a picture of an older man on the wall. It was basically an older version of Vince from his warm eyes down to his strong jaw. Unlike Vince, he looked a little more friendly. “I’ve been learning about vampires before I could even walk. They’ve always been a part of my life.”
“They’ve been a part of mine since Alexis and I started dating,” I explained. “It’s vampires this and vampires that. I don’t know when she started believing they were real, but...”
“You don’t believe they are real?”
“Oh, it’s just that... ,” I sighed. “No, I don’t. I’m trying to, but it’s hard.”
“I’m not surprised.” He put out his cigar and stood up. “I come from a family that believes in nothing but vampires. They believe in the fear and danger they bring. They believe they can be tamed. They believe in bringing a balance to this world.”
“So all vampires live here?”
“No, the number here is small. These are the ones who wish to be saved. The ones who don’t think they are monsters underneath it all,” he went on. “Sadly, that’s not the majority. I can only help those that want to be helped.”
“And you believe there’s a vampire who can change my girlfriend?”
“Yes, but this is a process that’ll take time. I have to bring him over here.”
“He’s not even here?” My face fell. Our trip was obviously for nothing.
“Calm down, my friend. Keep your chin up. The vampire I chose for this job is doing another job for me. He should be done soon, though, and he’ll be here before it’s time for you guys to go,” he explained. “But you are welcome to stay here until he arrives. I must warn you, though. Be careful of where you go and who you talk to.”
“Why? Will they suck my blood out if I get to close?” I joked.
“They might.” He wasn’t joking. “I know your kind, Ian. You’re a skeptic and it’s understandable. I mean, vampires are not creatures you expect to be friendly or close with anyone. You don’t think they’re real. But just because you’ve read about them in fiction doesn’t make them fiction. Are you following me?”
“Sort of. Are you trying to convince me that the vampires here really drink blood?”
“They do a lot of things. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Now knowing this,” he leaned across the table, “are you sure you want to stay here?”
I sunk back and wanted to say “no”. I wanted to run from this place and this well-dressed fool and his band of “vampires”. I didn’t care if they were real or not. I didn’t care if Alexis got turned. A premonition had appeared before me and I could tell this wouldn’t end well. I wanted to go home and go back to school and go back to the life I had before. I wanted to call my father and tell him that I had changed my mind. I wanted to finish my degree early and become a vet as soon as possible. All of that sounded pleasant compared to where I was. Even the statues here were giving me looks. Each one accused me of a different crime and I felt like slipping through the crack on the floor and disappearing.
But then there was Alexis. My Alexis. She only wanted this, and I promised to give her all that she wanted. As ridiculous as all this sounded, I had to give in and let her have it. She wanted to be a vampire, so that’s what she would get.
“You’re kind of young to be running this place, aren’t you?” I couldn’t help myself from asking. He raised his brow and I was quick to add, “Not that it’s bad to be young and independent, of course! But I’m curious how you are able to run such a big house.”
He relaxed at that. “My father taught me everything. That’s him there.” He pointed to a picture of an older man on the wall. It was basically an older version of Vince from his warm eyes down to his strong jaw. Unlike Vince, he looked a little more friendly. “I’ve been learning about vampires before I could even walk. They’ve always been a part of my life.”
“They’ve been a part of mine since Alexis and I started dating,” I explained. “It’s vampires this and vampires that. I don’t know when she started believing they were real, but...”
“You don’t believe they are real?”
“Oh, it’s just that... ,” I sighed. “No, I don’t. I’m trying to, but it’s hard.”
“I’m not surprised.” He put out his cigar and stood up. “I come from a family that believes in nothing but vampires. They believe in the fear and danger they bring. They believe they can be tamed. They believe in bringing a balance to this world.”
“So all vampires live here?”
“No, the number here is small. These are the ones who wish to be saved. The ones who don’t think they are monsters underneath it all,” he went on. “Sadly, that’s not the majority. I can only help those that want to be helped.”
“And you believe there’s a vampire who can change my girlfriend?”
“Yes, but this is a process that’ll take time. I have to bring him over here.”
“He’s not even here?” My face fell. Our trip was obviously for nothing.
“Calm down, my friend. Keep your chin up. The vampire I chose for this job is doing another job for me. He should be done soon, though, and he’ll be here before it’s time for you guys to go,” he explained. “But you are welcome to stay here until he arrives. I must warn you, though. Be careful of where you go and who you talk to.”
“Why? Will they suck my blood out if I get to close?” I joked.
“They might.” He wasn’t joking. “I know your kind, Ian. You’re a skeptic and it’s understandable. I mean, vampires are not creatures you expect to be friendly or close with anyone. You don’t think they’re real. But just because you’ve read about them in fiction doesn’t make them fiction. Are you following me?”
“Sort of. Are you trying to convince me that the vampires here really drink blood?”
“They do a lot of things. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Now knowing this,” he leaned across the table, “are you sure you want to stay here?”
I sunk back and wanted to say “no”. I wanted to run from this place and this well-dressed fool and his band of “vampires”. I didn’t care if they were real or not. I didn’t care if Alexis got turned. A premonition had appeared before me and I could tell this wouldn’t end well. I wanted to go home and go back to school and go back to the life I had before. I wanted to call my father and tell him that I had changed my mind. I wanted to finish my degree early and become a vet as soon as possible. All of that sounded pleasant compared to where I was. Even the statues here were giving me looks. Each one accused me of a different crime and I felt like slipping through the crack on the floor and disappearing.
But then there was Alexis. My Alexis. She only wanted this, and I promised to give her all that she wanted. As ridiculous as all this sounded, I had to give in and let her have it. She wanted to be a vampire, so that’s what she would get.
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