by K. T. Tomb
Nora was out of questions for the time being. She simply sat in the seat beside Alfred and watched the dark shadows of the Southern English countryside pass by. There was a mixture of anxiety and anticipation tangled into a tight ball inside of her. Sorting it out wasn’t going to be an easy thing. She considered Alfred. He’d seen something in her from the first moment he’d laid eyes upon her. What had he seen? Was there unrealized potential in her? Did she have some special gift? After giving her a ride to her home, why had he returned later? Why had he given her the cream, made promises to her, rescued her, and helped start her on a path with purpose? For whatever reasons he’d done what he’d done, she was glad that he had stuck with her and helped her rise up out of the life which had held her prisoner. Well, for now. Indeed, she still wasn’t sure what she would do. How could she know? All of this was so new to her!
“Hamworthy!” the conductor called out as he passed through the car and the train began to slow to a stop.
“Well,” Alfred smiled. “It seems that we have arrived. We’ll rent a carriage to take us to the docks and then complete the last leg of our journey in a boat. I would imagine that someone will be waiting for us at the docks.”
Chapter Fourteen
Lost in thought and trying to keep her nerves intact, Nora watched a moth as it danced between the lanterns on the rented carriage. The moth had caught her attention because, at one point, it had alighted on her gloved hand, exercised its wings a bit and then flew back to the lanterns again. It had repeated the same actions several times.
“What a unique moth,” she commented.
“Unique indeed,” Alfred chuckled. “He seems to have taken an interest in you.”
“I’ve never seen one act this way before. They’re usually drawn to the light when it’s dark. Have you ever seen such?”
“A few times.”
Hamworthy Station wasn’t far from the docks, so their ride was a short one. When they arrived, Alfred helped her down from the carriage. Without knowing why, she glanced back toward the lanterns in search of the moth. He was no longer there. He’s only a moth, she reminded herself.
“This way,” Alfred said, guiding her with his hand on the small of her back as they stepped upon the boards of the dock. “Watch your step.”
Just as she stepped onto the dock, a small, red fox dashed out from behind a shed and hurried out in front of them.
“Did you see that fox, Mister Covington?” she asked.
“I did,” he laughed. “He was a little hard to miss.”
“We’ve got foxes, rats, owls and all sorts of critters runnin’ about here,” a dockworker, who had overheard her, commented. “Don’t mind them. They won’t bother ye.”
“Thank you,” she said.
“Where ye headed?” he asked.
“We need a boat to Branksea,” Alfred responded.
“There’s one kept at the end of the pier there, just for that purpose. The oarsmen are here abouts somewhere. You jus’ head on out and make yourselves comfortable and I’ll go hunt ‘em down.”
Alfred led her forward in the dim light that the reflection of the lanterns on the water made. It was peaceful and still, and reminded her of the lights at Christmas time. She was enjoying the moment, when her eye caught movement out ahead of them.
“It’s that little fox again. He’s acting like he’s waiting for us,” she giggled.
“Perhaps he was,” Alfred laughed.
The creature repeated the same pattern of turning to look back at them, starting ahead in a trot for a few paces and turning to look back again.
“What odd behavior? Have you ever seen such?”
“A few times,” Alfred responded.
As they came to the end of the pier, the fox leapt into the boat.
“Is that our boat?” she asked, aghast.
“I believe so.”
“Is it safe for us to board it with the fox? Perhaps he is rabid or wild.”
“Doubtful, my lady,” a voice answered from the boat as a man lit a lantern and held it over his head. Dark disheveled hair, pale skin and eyes so green they seemed to cut through the darkness, took her in as the man spoke. He had a silky baritone voice. Nora felt a flutter in her stomach, perhaps the first time in a long, long time.
“Do watch your step. I am Andrik,” he said, introducing himself as soon as Nora and Alfred were in the boat. He reached for her hand, bowed, and brushed his lips against the back of her glove.
“Nora Kelly,” she replied. She fought down a blush that was already making her face feel warm.
“Alfred,” he said, turning away from her. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”
“Likewise, Andrik. You look well.”
“Never been better,” he beamed.
“You know him?” asked Alfred.
“Of course,” said Alfred, chuckling. “This is the recruit I was telling you about.”
Nora was unsure about the proper etiquette involving the meeting of a vampire.
“I see the curiosity in your eyes, my lady. Indeed, I am a mortal/immortal,” Andrik said, winking. “If it’s easier for you, just refer to us as MIs. And yes, it wasn’t long ago that I was a mortal like yourself.”
“Your skills have advanced quite nicely,” Alfred laughed. “You seem to have perfected the fox, but the moth is a nice addition.”
“I’ve only just experimented with the little bugger,” Andrik responded. “Convincing?”
“Very,” said Alfred.
“You were the moth in the carriage?” Nora asked, and now she was certain she was losing her mind.
“I was,” he beamed. The way his eyes danced as he looked at her made her forget the madness she was certain had gripped her. Perhaps she was still in the opium room, high and hungover. This was a real possibility.
“And the fox?” she asked, pushing through her thoughts.
“Guilty as charged.” He turned away from her and cast off the line.
“Don’t we need to wait for the oarsmen?” she asked.
“Here they come now.”
Nora screeched and scrambled to stand upon one of the seats in the boat as four plump rats scurried down the dock toward them and then jumped into the boat.
“Take it easy, Miss Kelly,” Andrik laughed. He had no sooner spoken the words before the four rats transformed into men. “Our oarsmen.”
“Oh, wow,” she said, marveling at the transmutation, which included clothing and all. This only further fed her conclusion that she was in the opium house, perhaps as high as she had ever been, and hallucinating to no end.
“Your eyes are not deceiving you, miss,” said Andrik. “And you are not lost in your mind either, or high in an opium den.”
She snapped her eyes around at him, and he smiled warmly. She said, “This is going to take some getting used to.”
“I imagine so. But before long, you’ll be transforming from one form into another.”
“I’ll never be a rat,” she hissed.
“Never say never, Miss Kelly,” Andrik responded.
The MI oarsmen wasted little time in moving the boat across the open water toward the dark outline on the horizon. Nora took a deep breath and tried to swallow the thick lump in her throat as the boat left the docks where the lanterns glimmered and cast their light to hold back the darkness. After some minutes, they became little more than small glowing dots on the horizon. At the same time, she could feel the sinister façade of Branksea looming over her.
What have I gotten myself into?
***
“It is a distinct pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Kelly.”
The phrase had been repeated numerous times as each of the members of the coven greeted her. To her surprise, there was no recognizable difference between them and anyone else she’d ever known.
Andrik, to her delight, had helped her from the boat and taken charge of escorting her into the castle at Branksea. She had glanced back at Alfred, feeling a bit guilty to
be leaving him behind. He smiled and nodded his encouragement to her.
Andrik introduced her to each of the dozen coven members in turn as they circled the ornate drawing room. Her mind was in such a whirl, that she wasn’t sure she would ever recall a single one of them. They had been cordial, without a hint of snobbishness like Alfred had alluded to earlier. In fact, for the most part, they seemed to be quite accommodating and interested in her.
“Miss Kelly,” a voice boomed as she and Andrik approached the last of the members. “It is my distinct pleasure to make your acquaintance and to welcome you to Branksea.”
“I am happy to be here,” she responded with a nervous giggle.
“This is Sir Augustus John Foster, the Coven Master and owner of Branksea,” Andrik announced.
Nora bowed slightly. “You have a beautiful home, Sir Foster.”
“Call me August,” he replied with a broad smile.
“Very well then,” she smiled. “Call me Nora.”
Chapter Fifteen
“There will be a festival tonight in your honor, Miss Kelly,” Alfred told her, clearly not following the Coven Master’s protocol by using her surname. They had seen little of each other over the two days that she’d been at Branksea. Nora was certain she could already divine the festival’s purpose.
“You will need my decision at that time?” she asked.
“Yes. Depending on what you choose, it will either be a party to wish you farewell or to welcome you into the coven. Should you choose to stay, your transformation and ascension ceremony will be carried out at midnight. Should you choose to depart, the boat will be waiting to take us back to the docks at Hamworthy.”
“I understand.” The words barely came out of her mouth. They were in a side sitting room. It was after sundown and those within the coven were particularly lively tonight. She could hear voices and the clanking of glass and silverware from the great hall.
“It is a very difficult decision to make,” Alfred continued in a low tone. “But I am certain that you will choose the right thing for you.”
“What do you think I should do?”
“I’m not in any position to give you that advice.” He paused a moment and searched Nora’s face before continuing. “From what I have seen, I believe that you will be an extraordinary asset to MI-6, but I will be equally proud of you if you turn us away. You’ve come a very long way, already. Whatever you choose to do, I have no doubt you will be highly successful at it.”
“MI-6?”
“That is what we call the agency,” he chuckled, realizing that no one had told her the name earlier. “Her Majesty came up with it actually. We were commissioned to have six agents and the MI stands for mortal/immortal.”
Nora took in the information. She was astonished that Queen Victoria knew so much about vampires and what, in fact, goes on within Her Majesty’s Realm. Perhaps the Queen is an MI too? A giggle started up from her throat, but it was interrupted by Alfred.
“Allow me to explain the ceremony and the transformation and ascension themselves. This is not to pressure or affect your decision in any way, but I do want you to know what you will go through. I assume you’ve asked some questions of the others about the methods of transformation?”
“I have.”
“When the moment arrives, the Coven Master will call for you to join him at the stone table. The other members of the coven will form a circle around the two of you. He will ask if you will be transformed or bid them farewell. If you respond that you will be transformed, then he will ask by what means. If you are to take your own life, then you will need to have a method prepared to do so. If you will be transformed by another, then the Coven Master will ask you to name your guide. Your guide will assist in performing the transformation. You are aware of that process as well?”
“I am.”
“Very well,” Alfred responded. “When you are transformed, you will be fed, be shown to your new quarters, and allowed to rest. The following night, you’ll begin your training. Do you understand?”
“I understand.”
“Should you decide to be transformed, you will not see me again until your training is complete or the Duke calls you into service. We are pressed for time on a particular matter, so your training might, in fact, be cut short. It isn’t the preferred scenario, but it might be necessary.
“Who will be my trainer?”
“The entire coven will take part in some of your training, but Andrik will handle the bulk of it. Are there any more questions?”
There were dozens, but they weren’t questions she wanted to ask aloud. “No.”
“I will see you later this evening,” Alfred said with a gentle smile as he rose up and left the room.
***
“An exciting evening, don’t you think?” Andrik had joined her on the balcony overlooking the tumbling surf, dimly lit by the light of the moon. “If you’re thinking of jumping, you need to wait until the proper time.”
Even though she knew he was only teasing, Nora didn’t respond. She was much too pensive to produce a response.
“I was only kidding, Nora,” he said in a softer tone.
“I know,” she replied.
There was silence for several minutes before Nora finally spoke.
“I don’t think I could do it,” she said.
“You don’t think you could do what?”
“I don’t think I could jump.”
“It wasn’t easy for me either.”
“Was it worth it?”
“You mean, was being transformed worth it? For me, yes, but it’s not for everyone.”
“I’m afraid.”
“Naturally. Taking one’s own life is something that ought to be feared. We were born to survive and that’s the manner in which we live.”
“That’s not why I’m afraid. I’m afraid because once I make this decision there’s no going back...”
“What if you make the wrong choice?” he asked, finishing her thought.
“Yes. What if I make the wrong choice?”
“I don’t think it’s a choice of good or bad. It’s really a choice of better or best. One choice is a better choice and the other is the best.”
Nora turned to face him. The intensity of his florescent eyes burned through her, but they offered no answer. What they did was to draw something else out of her. They drew out a longing she hadn’t felt in a very long time. It was not an erotic desire, but a desire to live and to thrive. She wanted to have meaning and purpose. She wanted to leave her life of torment and failure behind. In many ways, she’d already put off the burdens which had kept her weighed down, kept her miserable and made her want to escape. She was ready to face a new life. She was ready to move forward. But was she ready to become a vampire to achieve that?
“The hour has come, Miss Kelly,” Alfred announced as he stepped out onto the balcony.
Nora looked at him and nodded. She glanced at Andrik as well. The vampire turned and extended his elbow for her. “Shall we, then?”
Chapter Sixteen
“Coven!” Sir Augustus John Foster, the Coven Master called out, clapping his hands together sharply to draw everyone’s attention. “Gather round please.”
He guided Nora to the stone table in the center of the room, where the coven members formed a circle around them. Nora looked at their faces, recalling the names that accompanied each, even though a few days ago, she’d been certain she wouldn’t be able to recall them again. Each had spoken kindly to her and had been quite honest without pushing her toward one decision or the other. Now, as she completed her scan of the circle, she noted that Alfred was absent, as he warned he would be. No, not quite. Through a window, she spotted him standing alone against a low stone wall, his hair whipped into a frenzy by the stiff winds. She wanted him close, even right beside her, just as he’d been there for her for the past several weeks. But, alas, it was not to be. Not tonight.
“It has been a great pleasure for me, personally
, to get to know Nora over these past days. I’m sure you would all agree,” said Sir Augustus.
Those in the circle expressed their agreement briefly. Nora smiled at them and nodded several times as she turned to look at them again.
“Selfishly speaking, of course, I would be devastated if she left us, but I know that all must choose their own path to follow. Each of us has chosen ours for various reasons. We will respect whatever path Nora chooses.”
Again, those in the circle expressed their agreement.
“Very well then, Nora Kelly,” he began. “Do you desire to be transformed?”
It was the moment of reckoning. Her mind whirled in every which direction. There was no moisture in her mouth and something was stuck in her throat. Her heart thundered a rhythm in her chest, which mocked her as she repeated the question in her mind. What do I want? What do I want? What do I want? She looked outside the circle toward Alfred, hoping that some help might come from him. When she saw him smile, turn away slowly, and disappear beyond the window, she knew she had his answer. But was it the right answer?
She swallowed the lump in her throat and finally nodded. She kept nodding as she said, “I do.”
“Very well then,” the Coven Master replied, and she noted the relief in his voice. “Will you give your own life or do you wish to be transformed by another?”
“By another,” she replied.
“Please name your guide.”
“Andrik.”
“Andrik, please enter the circle and join us here.”
Andrik stepped forward, and walked with solemn purpose toward her. Although his face was expressionless, his eyes danced with merriment. Nora felt her knees weaken. The thundering in her chest, though it seemed impossible, had picked up in pace and intensity as he stopped before her.
“According to the desire of Nora Kelly, Andrik will guide her to her transformation,” the Coven Master announced, glancing at the coven’s most recent vampire. “Please proceed.”
Andrik nodded, took her hands, and stepped in closer to her. No other being existed within the room than the two of them as he released her hands and his arms moved up behind her; at least, that’s what it seemed to Nora. One hand was on the small of her back and the other reached between the blades of her shoulders. He drew her body into his. Nora felt herself growing faint.