The house wasn’t large. Not like I’d imagined a plantation should be from watching movies. There was a living and dining room, separated by a hallway, the kitchen and a small parlor on either side behind them, with the staircase at the far end. All were in excellent condition, with hardwood floors, papered or painted walls, and oak woodwork. There were granite fireplaces in the dining and living rooms as well. The furniture, while not modern, was comfortable. At least the sofa was, as I discovered when I tested it.
On the second floor, there were four bedrooms and a single bathroom, other than Justin’s personal one in his bedroom. There was even an attic, although it wasn’t something to write home about. It was empty, except for a few boxes at the top of the stairs, and home to numerous spiders if the number of cobwebs was any indication.
Every window was covered by heavy shutters as well as thick drapes. “To keep out the sun, and intimidate the nosy-parkers,” Justin explained.
Until that moment I hadn’t truly though about the fact that sunlight would kill me. Not something that made me happy as I was, or had been, a day person who loved to run and swim whenever I had free time. I said as much to Justin.
“You can still do that,” he replied. “Well, running. Swimming is out of the question I’m afraid. Moving water will drain you of your powers and I’m afraid there are no lakes or ponds nearby, only a deep stream.”
“Well, hell,” I muttered, getting a commiserating look from him.
When we left the house by the back entrance, I turned to look at it. No wonder people thought it was haunted. The exterior was definitely in need of major repairs as the paint was peeling and the columns holding up the second floor balconies as well as any other exposed wood was cracked and gray with age.
“Don’t worry,” Justin said. “It may look horrible, but the house is structurally sound. The roof won’t fall in on us during a heavy rainstorm. I leave the exterior like this on purpose.”
“Another way to keep nosy people from wanting to explore.”
“Exactly.”
As I began to stroll around the area behind the house I became aware that, in spite of the fact there was almost no light other than that cast by the waning moon, I could see the plants that lined the narrow path leading toward the trees surrounding the yard. Although I didn’t know what they were, I could smell them, heavy and dark, not the scents you’d find in a well-tended city garden.
When I reached the trees, I realized the house stood on the edge of a bayou which emitted an earthy, leafy aroma. I could hear bullfrogs and what I thought were owls. I would have stepped into the trees if it hadn’t been for the mist which hid the ground from sight. I had never been a big fan of bayous despite having grown up in New Orleans. I left exploring them to the tourists who paid through the nose to go out on one of the swamp boat tours. I preferred solid ground, and said as much when Justin joined me.
“There’s nothing in there we need to fear,” he replied.
“Moving water,” I pointed out, recalling what he’d told me earlier.
“True, if you go in too far. Not as dangerous as the stream, however.” He pointed to the east side of the grounds. I could hear it, now, and saw the bank limned by the moonlight.
“Everything is so sharp and clear, and…and…” I said, astonished.
“As if a whole new world has opened up for you?” He smiled knowingly.
“Yes, exactly.”
“Well, it has. A very different one than what you’re used to.”
“With rules and regulations I’d better learn if I’m going to survive.” That didn’t sit too well with me, now that I thought about it. I’d never been one to toe the line—not in school, not at home, or with my relatives when I was living with them. Not even in the jobs I’d held after graduating high school—until I finally fell into one that worked for me, bartending at a club on Bourbon. Not the one where I’d met Justin. I kept my private life, such as it was, private…more or less.
“Definitely,” Justin replied, putting his arm around my shoulders.
We stood that way for a long moment before I asked, “When do we start?”
“Tomorrow’s soon enough. For now, come back inside. My delivery is about to arrive, which will give you a chance to meet another one of us.”
I wondered how he knew, until I picked up on the sound of a vehicle on the main road about a half mile from the house. That much I did remember from our arrival on the first night, although I couldn’t say exactly where the house was. I had been more interested in Justin than my whereabouts. I did recall that we’d turned off the main road and had driven along a long lane that ended in front of the garage at the side of the house.
“You hear it, too,” Justin said as we made our way back from the bayou.
I nodded. “It sounds, well, much closer than it probably is.”
“Which is just as well. Knowing when someone’s approaching will keep you alive.”
I shot him a dour look. “It’s all about survival, isn’t it?”
“Yes and no. There will be times when your life will be entertaining. When you can relax your guard and live it to the fullest.”
“Damn, I hope so.”
He laughed heartily as he let us into the house. “Why don’t you wait here?” He pointed to the sofa. “Or better yet, go upstairs and finish dressing, then come back.”
I’d forgotten that all I had on was my jeans, so I did as he suggested. When I returned to the living room a man—well, a vampire, I knew instinctively—was deep in conversation with Justin. I wondered if that was another part of being what we are—knowing who was and wasn’t one of us. I supposed I’d find out in time.
The man looked over when he heard me enter. “So you’re Justin’s newest protégé,” he said. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Roland, an old friend of Justin’s from way back.”
“Lucas,” I replied, dipping my head. “How ‘way back’?”
He laughed. “Close to three hundred years. We met right before the Revolutionary War.”
That took me aback. I mean, I knew three hundred years was a long time ago, but that put it in perspective. “Were you both, you know, vampires when you met?”
“Indeed we were,” Roland said. “Mere fledglings, although we were free of our Sires by then.”
“Did you fight in the war?”
“Lucas, now is not the time to discuss our past history,” Justin said before Roland could reply. “He brought along an excellent wine which I’ll decant so that we can celebrate your rebirth.” Going to the tall oak cabinet along one wall, he opened it to reveal a rack of wines as well as at least a dozen crystal glasses. Taking three glasses, he handed them to us and then opened the bottle of wine on the mantelpiece. After filling our glasses, he took his from Roland and lifted it. “To Lucas. May you live long—”
“If you say, ‘and prosper’,” Roland broke in, rolling his eyes.
“I am not a Vulcan,” Justin retorted with a laugh before taking a drink.
Roland and I followed suit. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked it, not being a fan of the stuff in general. Or I hadn’t been, before I’d been turned. Perhaps being a vampire had changed my tastes. I snorted to myself. That’s a given since they now run to blood and more blood.
“How are you adjusting?” Roland asked me.
“It’s been three days. How do you think I’m adjusting?” I replied furiously, tamping it down when Roland scowled, saying, “I’m still scared shitless, but as I told Justin, I’m a pragmatist. I know there’s not a damned thing I can do about it so I’m trying to get used to the new me.”
“It will take a while.” There wasn’t an ounce of sympathy in Roland’s expression or tone of voice, so I took it that he was being literal.
“But it will happen,” I stated. “I’ve got no other choice.”
“Not unless you decide to take a walk in the sun.”
It took me a second to get what he meant. Then I said, dryly, “The vampire version of suicide?”
“Exactly. Don’t do it, though. There’s a lot to be said for being what you are now, even if you don’t believe it at the moment.”
“Yeah, if you say so.” I tossed back the rest of my wine, wishing it affected me the way alcohol used to. Being at least a bit drunk might make his interrogation easier to handle.
Justin must have sensed my emotions because he said, “Go easy on him, Roland. He’s barely begun to find out what his new life is all about.”
Roland bristled momentarily and then smiled at me. “He’s correct. I do tend to push ahead without taking everything into account. I’ll try to do better the next time I visit. For now, I must leave. I have two more deliveries to make before sunrise.”
“Is it that late?” I asked.
“No, my young friend. One of them is on the other side of the city from here and as I have to drive there…” He lifted one shoulder.
I wasn’t sure I’d consider him a friend. Not yet, anyway, if ever, but I kept my peace, replying, “It was nice to meet you.”
“You, as well.” He turned to say to Justin, “Would you mind accompanying me to my van?”
“Of course not,” Justin replied. I had the feeling Roland was going to tell him what he really thought about me. Not that I gave a damn. He had no control over me or how Justin trained me when the time came.
While Justin was gone, I went into the kitchen to get a bag of blood as my hunger was peaking again. I’d just drained it and tossed the empty into the trash when he appeared.
“Do you want one?” I asked while taking out a second bag.
“No thank you.”
I studied him. “So far, I’ve never seen you drink from one.”
“Not too surprising. First off, I’m old enough that I only need blood every four to five days. Also, I don’t drink bagged blood unless it’s an emergency.”
“Huh?”
“I drink from the source. I find the taste is much richer and more fulfilling.”
“You’re shitting me. You go out hunting for some human, like in the movies?”
He chuckled. “Yes, although I’m not violent about it the way vampires are portrayed in them, and in most books. I certainly don’t tear out their throats. When I find a suitable donor I enthrall them, take what I need, and then seal the wound and wipe their memories of our encounter.”
I thought about it then asked, “Can I do that?”
“Not yet, but in time you’ll learn how to.”
“So sometime soon you’re going to disappear for a few hours to find your next victim…umm, donor.”
“It won’t take that long, as I’ll fly rather than driving.”
“Right. Turning into a bat, first.”
“Oh, Lucas.” He shook his head, obviously amused at my naiveté. “No. Flying is one of the attributes you gain when you become a vampire. One of many. You’ve already discovered some of them, enhanced hearing, sight, and smell.”
“How soon before I’ll be able to fly?”
“We’ll work on it next week, along with misting and how to speak telepathically with me and any other vampires you might run into.”
I’d emptied the bag as we talked. Now I tossed it into the trash while I tried to grasp what I’d be able to do, in time. “Is there more?”
“We’ll find out as your training continues. Each vampire has his own abilities above and beyond the basic ones. It will take time to determine what yours are.”
Something else occurred to me, so I asked, “Does it have to be human blood?”
“Oh, yes. Animal blood will do little for you, although in an emergency it’s better than nothing at all.”
“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned emergencies. Do they happen often? Am I going to have to be on my guard twenty-four-seven?”
He smiled, shaking his head. “They are few and far between, thankfully, but they can happen. Especially if you do something foolish that reveals what you are. But enough of this for now, before you mind explodes from overload.”
I wasn’t about to argue. While I was curious and still had a lot more questions, I definitely felt as if learning one more thing right now would definitely do that. He suggested we go into the parlor—which was in fact a media room slash library no matter what he called it—and watch a movie. “And not a vampire one,” he added with a grin.
That’s how we ended the night before going to bed. Not a bad thing, I decided, as it gave a bit of normalcy to what had become my very chaotic new life.