by Lisa Moore
I arrived home well after 4 am. I showered off the remaining evidence of the evening’s adventure, burnt my ruined clothes in the fire place and got dressed. I would still have a few hours until class and with everything that has gone on I sort of forgot that Lily was going to start her lecture on the legend of the vampire today. There were too many thoughts swirling through my crowded mind. I decided to go out to the barn and meditate. Vampires, when well fed, don’t actually require much sleep. After feeding on human blood a vampire is in peak form. Every cell of his body is infused with all it needs for survival. Only when a vampire is in a weakened state, hungry or injured, does he require sleep. When sleeping, all the bodily functions shut down. It would appear as if you were looking at a corpse. All the cells in the body work in a coordinated effort at repair. After the repairs are complete the vampire will wake.
It takes much practice to interrupt this process making a sleeping vampire vulnerable. It is possible to be caught off guard and bested by a much weaker adversary. My friend Han once told me that many vampires used coffins as a safe resting place. It was thought that few people would open a closed coffin. This was especially true during time of widespread disease. A closed coffin often meant that the deceased died of disease. Today it is unnecessary to use a coffin when technology enables us to have a safe haven in our own home. I sleep in a bed, about an hour a day works for me though I have gone months without sleeping.
Out in the barn with the sounds of the resident barn owls and remaining crickets and insects providing nature’s sound track, I sat on the barn floor inhaling the natural fragrance of my surroundings. This is a working farm. I have paid to maintain my old family farm since I re-obtained it 32 years ago. Around that time, I had a sudden urge to reconnect with my history. I was bouncing around Europe at the time. I had no agenda, no direction. One day while traveling the English country side, I came across a woman at a small farm house. It was like being transported back in time to a day in my early human youth. I remembered my mother Genevieve bringing me a plate of fresh made cookies and glass of milk. We sat in the cool barn atop a soft layer of hay while we ate and talked about school and everyday things. As I sit here now, I can almost smell the cookies and the bath powder my mother always used. Something about the woman or the barn made me feel an urgent need to get back my mother’s home.
I arranged for the anonymous purchase through a real estate company in New York. In my early years after transitioning, I took more than just blood from my victims. What ever I needed I took or persuaded someone to give me. As I gained control over my new self and reconnected with my humanity, I obtained what I needed through more conventional means. Through sound investments and the time to wait out trends in the stock market, I have acquired significant wealth. I have procured many homes and property over the years of my existence and have places set up all over the world. Castles in England, a tropical paradise in St. Lucia, a barn in upstate New York, procuring land is something that I enjoy. It also provides me with easy retreats when I need to start a new chapter in my life. But that day with the barn was different. It was as if all of a sudden, in that instant, something happened to change my destiny and I was compelled to act on the sudden urge to get back this special place in which I now meditate. As I sit here now thinking of this bit of my history, it dawns on me that Lily is about 32 years old. Could there be some kind of connection or just coincidence?
Chapter 6
Intro to Vampires 101
Humans are creatures of habit. I have made a point to study human behavior at every opportunity. In my experiences, I have found that in a large lecture hall like this one, students will search for a seat on the first day of class and more often than not will sit in the same location for the duration of that semester. I have taken to this same practice, but today I was in the mood for some clarification of Lily’s feelings about me. A simple test would do. Today I will sit two rows back and 10 seats to the left of my normal seat. The individual who had been occupying this seat for the past weeks was obviously unhappy to see me in “his” spot, but one look into my eyes and the suggestion he take the empty seat two rows down had him moving quickly to his new location. The power of suggestion is a potent and extremely useful ability. I don’t, as a rule, manipulate people for sport but the look on that freshman’s face made me laugh. It was just what I needed to distract me until class began.
My simple test was to see if Lily would glance in the area where I typically sat when she came in. I wanted to know if she would be looking for me. I also wanted to know if she did not see me, would she be visibly disappointed. I know how I feel about her, my obsession growing steadier each day, but did she feel the same connection to me? I thought she might. However, I was also aware of how much I wanted it to be true so I couldn’t objectively judge. I sat anxiously watching the door, the ticking of the clock at the back of the lecture hall like a gong ringing in my ears. As the clock struck 8:25, the lecture hall door opened and I smelled her now familiar scent before I even saw her. Earth and deodorant, soap and perfume, a delicious mingling of aromas that make up her scent preceded her into the lecture hall. As had been the case each class, Lily entered the room with a flurry of excitement. A look of pleasant anticipation molded her perfect features.
The moment of my test arrived. I sat anxiously waiting for her reaction or lack thereof and was rewarded with my answer immediately. Lily looked directly at my previously occupied seat and for a split second registered disappointment on her lips. As her eyes continued to scan the lecture hall, I willed her to look in my direction. When her eyes found mine, I knew in that instant that my future was about to change forever. As our eyes locked, I was sure she felt a connection to me and the smile that lit her face sent my mind reeling. In that split second, I knew we would somehow be together. I returned a smile in her direction and, as if she had found what she was looking for, her smile widened and she prepared to begin her lecture.
“Good morning. Welcome to a new week of exploring the myths and mysteries of the natural world. Before we begin, I want you all to know I graded your essays. Some of you will see from my notes that your writing needs work. For those of you that I have written “see me” on your papers, please find a time during my office hours to meet with me so that I may discuss your writing with you. This may be out of concern for your effort or lack of effort and in some cases it is because I was intrigued by your topic and would like to discuss your ideas further. At the end of class please come and retrieve your paper. They will be in alphabetical piles over on this desk, last names beginning with A through G here, H through N in this pile and O through Z over here.” I remembered her face as I sat in the maple tree and watched her reading my paper. Was it “Please see me” that she wrote across the top margin of my paper? It was going to be a long hour and a half as I waited to see those words.
“Ok. As you know today we start on one of my favorite topics: the myth of the vampire. I would like to start out getting an idea of what you all think about when you think of vampires. Raise your hand if you would like to tell the class your ideas of what a vampire might be like.” As hands began to rise Lily wrote on the board the title “Vampire myths”. The first girl chosen declared “evil blood suckers”. I instantly disliked her. Lily simply wrote each person’s ideas on the board without comment. “Burn up in the presence of sunlight” another girl mentioned, “Aversion to garlic and silver”, “Wooden stake in the heart to kill them”, “Crosses and holy water will defend against them”. On and on the list grew with the typical Bram Stoker ideas. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud at some of the more ridiculous notions.
I decided to raise my hand, and when Lily saw me she called me by name. “Mr. VanderCreek?” My name on her lips was like music. I replied “misunderstood”. Lily paused, hand halfway to the board and turned with a sly smile. “Excuse me Mr. Vander Creek what do you mean?” I answered that the first thing I thought of when I thought o
f vampires was that they were misunderstood. She chuckled, the sound like an aphrodisiac for my soul. “Very interesting Mr. VanderCreek, in all my years teaching this class that is the first time I have heard anyone say that.” She added my comment to the board as a number of heads turned in my direction with questioning looks on their faces. The process continued for a few minutes longer and when no more hands were raised she turned and faced the group. “Very good ladies and gentleman, on the left side of the board are your ideas about vampires, now I would like to give you my take on the myth.”
“I have had the opportunity over the last 10 years or so to travel around the world in my search to study vampire lore. I have gone to churches and libraries in Rome, England, and of course Transylvania to see what was written in the historical archives on the subject. I have traveled to remote villages in Africa, parts of Europe and Asia to talk to villagers who have said they have seen vampires in their villages. I have talked to mothers who tell of children being abducted by vampires and never seen again.” The “myth”, she said making quotation marks in the air with her fingers, “can be found across every demographic. From the wealthy Europeans to the secluded and uneducated villagers in the most remote areas of Africa, each separate culture has their own take on the subject. Many different cultures have their own list of vampire traits. Some of those traits are similar to the list we have compiled and others directly contradict traits we have listed. The one trait that all the cultures I have talked to have in common, is about how vampires feed on blood. It is this common thread that has been the focus of my research on the topic.”
“Let me give you my hypothesis on the subject.” Here was the moment of truth. Lily was about to share with us her ideas about vampires. It felt as if every cell in my body was frozen in anticipation of her next words. What she said next made me swell with emotion. “Actually I tend to side with Mr. VanderCreek on the topic of vampires. I too feel that they are a misunderstood creature. First of all, since people from all walks of life have had some type of “vampire experience” it makes me wonder how such a diverse population of individuals, each with such similar descriptions, could all be wrong. Every one can not be dismissed as a hoax. This has led me to look at the similarities in the stories I have learned. As I said, a common thread seems to be ingestion of blood. Why the blood? It is my current theory that there is a genetic component to Vampirism, and whatever causes an individual to become a vampire, a genetic mutation perhaps, might also necessitate the need for blood. Is it possible that some component of blood, a protein or other factor or even the cells themselves need to be replenished regularly in an affected individual? Could these vampires have a cellular structure different from ours which would have them crave blood for survival? Since I have yet to have my own vampire experience, I can only base my hypotheses on the accounts of others. Let us now deconstruct some possible explanations of some of the traits of a vampire that seem to exist across various cultures.”
My thoughts flickered from amazement, to awe, to fear and fascination. This woman, whose incredible insights into my world, held the potential to unlock the possibility of me connecting to another soul on this earth. With the exception of Genevieve and Han, I have had a very solitary existence up to now. I suddenly want that connection very much. Lily continued with her lecture. “First let’s talk about the aversion to sunlight. Is it possible for a vampire to be exposed to light without harm?” Inwardly I screamed a resounding yes! “Wouldn’t it make sense for vampires to live under the veil of darkness, because people see less in the dark? It would be easier hiding one’s abilities in a darkened setting, people don’t trust what they see, blame the darkness for not being sure what they see.”
It is true, in broad daylight it is harder to hide, that is why I have in the past, cultivated a slightly foreboding and uninviting outward persona. I do not typically let people see me, when they do they often instinctively want to look away and subconsciously fear me. However, outwardly I would not yet express my thoughts on this, since I was too intrigued to know Lily’s thoughts on this rhetorical question. “Could it be vampires walk among us every day hiding in plain sight?” Again, I wanted to scream yes! And again, I held my tongue. “It makes sense that vampires would satisfy their need for blood away from prying eyes, the night is a thieves ally. And this need for blood does not seem to be limited to human blood, for many cultures that I have researched talk of livestock, and local game left exsanguinated. The only evidence of trauma being puncture wounds at the site of major arteries. What about the aversion to garlic, how many of you have eaten a particularly spicy meal, laden with garlic or curry, and later sweat out those spices? Could it be a matter of personal preference that a vampire would avoid blood tainted by the flavor of those spices?”
Her insight into the true nature of vampires was astounding. I hoped with all my being to one day enlighten her about how right she was in many of her hypotheses. As Lily was about to discuss her theories behind another supposed vampire trait, she glanced at the clock and realized, lecture time was up. She said she wanted the class to try to come up with possible explanations to the remaining traits on our list and that we would continue to discuss the topic in greater detail at Wednesday’s lecture. She reminded us to pick up our papers on the way out and to make office appointments as needed.
I was shocked to realize the hour and a half had passed, being so enthralled by the discussion it seemed like only a few minutes had passed. I was disappointed to have the lecture end so abruptly but then I remembered the paper. I waited eagerly behind three students in the O to Z line and, when it was my turn, I rifled through the small stack of papers on the pile. In green ink across the top of my paper it said “Excellent job! Please see me to discuss your insights further.” Next to the simple sentence that made my entire body hum with excitement was my grade of an A+. I expected to receive the grade; I knew I was an excellent writer. My many years of experience enabled me to hone my skills, but it was her desire to hear more of my ideas on the subject that gave me a sense of pride mixed with the excitement of the opportunity to be alone with her again.
As I was preparing to leave the lecture hall, Lily was packing up her backpack. She paused to call me over. “Mr. VanderCreek, do you have a moment?” I wanted to say, “For you I have eternity”; instead I walked casually over to where she stood. “I really enjoyed your paper Mr. VanderCreek.” Call me Max, I insisted. “Well Max, I look forward to discussing your theories further if you have time.” I inwardly chuckled since a vampire certainly has an abundance of time. To Lily I said “I will stop by your office today and set up an appointment.” The next thing she said gave me such a thrill I had difficulty maintaining my previous casual air. “If you’re not busy now, I have a few hours between classes. We could head over to the dining hall and grab a cup of coffee if you would like.” “I would like nothing better”, I said. And off we walked to the dining hall. I could feel my body hum with excitement as I fell into step beside her, trying hard to maintain a cool exterior.
Chapter 7
An Interesting Breakfast
For Lily, coffee was joined by a tray piled with pancakes, sausage, two eggs, hash browns, toast, and a Boston cream donut. She certainly liked to eat! When she saw me looking at her tray, a sheepish grin spread across her face. “I’m famished” she replied, “Are you going to eat?” I told her “No, just coffee for me. I had a large meal before class.” The taste of bear still lingered on my tongue. “That was a very interesting lecture”, I started. “I look forward to hearing more on Wednesday.”
“I could spend the entire eight weeks of class on the myth of the vampire” she said between bites of pancake and sausage. “It is a topic I am quite passionate about. My great grandfather from my mother’s side, Augustine Angelone, was a scholar who devoted much of his career to the study of vampire lore. His work was passed down to my mother, who was the only one in the family to ever show an interest in the old st
ories. I think my mother always thought of her grandfather as a bit of an eccentric, but I do know she enjoyed the tales of his travels and definitely liked the diversion his stories provided. When my mother noticed the interest I had in the topic as a child, she found her grandfather’s work and passed it down to me. It was his work that I followed. I visited some of the locations he mentioned in his research and it has gotten me to where I am today. As a matter of fact, over winter break I plan to go to New Zealand to follow another one of my great grandfather’s trails. I plan on bringing a few students who are taking an independent study course with me. You should think about signing up for the course. It’s obvious from your paper and your insight in class that it is a topic that interests you.”
“New Zealand? That is a very beautiful place”, I replied. The images that came to mind at the mention of New Zealand were anything but beautiful. I couldn’t tell her of the time I spent there, not now. Perhaps one day I would be able to let this woman into my world, but if I did eventually tell her, I wanted to tell her the whole story. Now was not the time for a discussion such as that. Instead, I said I would look into the class. For myself I now knew where I would be spending winter break. As she continued to polish off her food and I took perfunctory sips of my coffee, she brought up the topic of my essay on dragons. I told her that, like her, I had a passion for the mysteries and myths of the natural world since I was a child. Here I had to fib a little to accommodate the difference between my actual age and the age at which my body stopped aging. I did not like lying to this woman and wanted to be as honest as I could up until the time I could tell her everything. Would I be able to do that? Would she be able to handle the truth? Time would tell. Until then I was definitely going to learn as much as I could about this woman. I also wanted to find out about her great grandfather.