Savor

by Duncan, Megan

  Chapter 6

  Fox led me back to the main room where I had met the entire vampire family just a day ago. To my surprise, Edgar, Robin’s Dad was eagerly awaiting us. His pale skin seemed to glow as the frantic flames of the fireplace cast an orange light throughout the room. He looked much like any father should, or perhaps what I had always envisioned what a father should look like since I never got to meet mine.

  Edgar was speedily setting up one of the large tables with books, papers and pens among many other objects of study that I mentally described as his torture devices. I was never particularly fond of school or studying, which Robin had blatantly pointed out on occasion by my lack of vampire knowledge. However, now that I was going to become a vampire, hopefully studying about them would be more interesting. Especially since I already liked the teacher.

  “Oh Claire, this is going to be an exciting evening!” Edgar bubbled with enthusiasm as he rushed toward me in a flash of speed. He stopped in front of me suddenly and with a slow movement he held his hand out for mine.

  I smiled at him and offered my hand. Edgar shook it calmly this time without jostling it at all and winked at me. Then again, in another flourish of speed he was suddenly back at the table he had set up for me and I couldn’t help but laugh at him. He looked like an excited hummingbird.

  “Wow, you’re fast,” I said as I walked toward the table. I could hear Fox stifle a grumble as he followed behind me. I had almost forgotten he was there.

  “Yes, thank you. That is but one of the many talents we vampires share. Some are stronger than others.”

  Edgar pulled the chair out for me and I seated myself as I grew more and more interested in this crash course in vampirism that I was about to receive.

  “The King has asked that I prepare you as quickly as possible, so you are ready for the changes that are soon to come. As you are well aware, I’m sure Robin has told you, we will be hosting a coronation ball in your honor to celebrate your joining this family. However, there are many things you must prepare for other than what you will be wearing.”

  Edgar smiled at me as he walked back and forth across the room. I got the feeling he was a bit nervous and I first thought that it might be because of me, but then I saw Edgar’s eyes frequently steal a quick glance toward Fox and I realized I wasn’t the only one who felt uneasy around Fox. He was certainly foreboding, even when he wasn’t saying anything at all.

  Fox just stood behind me silently, obviously over-seeing that I was taught the correct information. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. Was Fox there because Nicolae didn’t trust that Edgar would tell me everything he should or was Fox there because there were things that Edgar shouldn’t say? I decided that any information was good information considering I didn’t know much at all and maybe I would even shock Robin or Dmitry with the fact that I actually knew something about vampires.

  “In order to attend the coronation ball, you must be completely changed into a vampire,” Edgar paused to watch my reaction and I only stared at him blankly.

  I knew he was going to tell me that at some point, what I really wanted to know was how it was going to happen. Robin wouldn’t tell me any details and I was curious if her Dad was going to do the same.

  “Now, I cannot tell you exactly what will occur as the transformation is performed, but I will tell you what to expect afterward so that you can prepare yourself. To begin…”

  I interrupted Edgar as he began to explain. “Why can’t I be told how the transformation is performed? Isn’t that something I should know?” The fact that they wouldn’t tell me was starting to worry me. It had to be an even more horrible experience than I could imagine if they wouldn’t speak of it. I expected it would be painful, in fact, I was most definitely certain that it would be otherwise everyone would be vampires.

  “The ceremony of transformation is a sacred tradition and only those who perform it or have experienced it may choose to speak of it. We have also found it to be a… far less pleasant event for those who have had time to dwell on what will take place,” Fox said with pride. I almost expected him to add that I should be honored to get to experience such a magnificent event.

  Edgar cleared his throat, clearly rattled by Fox’s description. “Yes, thank you Foxworth, although I may have worded it a bit differently, that is correct.”

  Robin’s Dad steadily walked toward me and placed a comforting yet cold hand on my shoulder. “Do not let this trouble you, Claire. Think of it as a rite-of-passage to an honorable and tremendous journey you are about to embark on.”

  His words did comfort me, even if only a little. “Now, let me move on to what I can tell you.”

  I found that I became fixated on the way in which Edgar’s eyebrows seemed to dance atop his forehead as he spoke. “Are you listening, Claire?”

  “Yes, sorry. It’s just a lot to take in, that’s all. I haven’t really had a lot of time to process it all.” It was the truth. Everything felt like it was moving at lightning speed. One day I was an average teenage girl celebrating my eighteenth birthday and the next day I was being chosen by the vampire royal family to be a Princess.

  “It is not the typical way we do things, but times like these call for… adjustments in protocol, so to speak.” I thought for a moment that Edgar had almost accidently said more but then he continued. “As I was saying, after the change you will find yourself to be ill for a day or two. I found these two days to be the most unpleasant part of the entire transformation, but as my wife would say I am a vambaby.” Edgar laughed whole-heartedly until he made eye contact with Fox and it turned into a nervous laugh. I joined in the laughter with him in hopes to ease some of the tension and started to become truly annoyed with Fox. I really felt like this whole night would have gone better if he wasn’t around.

  “Once that subsides, you will immediately notice changes in your body and in your senses. It is a very exciting moment, I must say. Queen Evilyn will be by your side as you awaken in your new vampire life, as is tradition. She will help you balance yourself and provide you with your first taste of blood. Then comes the fun part.”

  I was comforted by the fact that the Queen would be by my side when I woke up, but a little nervous about drinking blood although I knew I would probably think much differently later. “What’s the fun part?”

  “Being a vampire, of course!”

  After sitting through over an hour of a somewhat embarrassing discussion about the changes my body would make in the next few days I nearly ran out of the room when Edgar finished. Luckily, Fox was content to let me leave, but only after he informed me that the Queen would be calling on me later in the evening, so I should be prepared to expect her.

  I tried my best at walking back to my room from memory and I truly thought I was getting close until Dmitry seemed to materialize at my side.

  “Where are you going?” he asked in controlled amusement.

  I gasped in surprise at his sudden appearance. “Geez, Dmitry, you scared me. You shouldn’t creep up on people like that.” Vampires apparently like to sneak up on me.

  “I didn’t creep. You probably wouldn’t have noticed me if I hadn’t stopped. Besides vampires move too quickly to creep up on a human,” he said as he kept in step with me smiling all the while. “Please do tell, where are you going?”

  I wanted to sound as confident as possible. I knew if I gave even a hint of doubt, Dmitry would tease me. I was quickly learning that was something he loved to do. “I’m going to my room.”

  “Hmm,” Dmitry thought on my comment a moment and I tried my best not to be obvious that I was waiting for his reaction. “I hear you got the talk this evening. How did that go?”

  “Well…” I wasn’t sure how to explain it. The changes Edgar described, although they were obviously things every vampire went through, made me a little too embarrassed to repeat, especially to Dmitry. Talking about changes happening to my body, no matter what their nature weren’t things I needed to discuss with a guy.
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  “That bad, eh?” Dmitry nudged me with his elbow as we continued walking through the maze of hallways that was the palace. “Don’t worry, Claire. We all had to listen to that talk. I’d say it was just as terrible as the Birds and Bees talk I had with my parents back when I was human. You should consider yourself lucky though.”

  “Oh, really? Why is that?”

  “At least you had Edgar to council you. You’ve met Fox right?”

  “Mhm,” I answered, trying to hold back the obvious dislike in my tone, but apparently failed when Dmitry let out a small laugh.

  “I really am going to miss having a human around; you’re so easy to read.” I huffed at his comment. I hated that vampires could read me like an open book, it was a terrible feeling to think you didn’t have any privacy, even in your own mind.

  “I didn’t mean any offense. Vampires are just hard to read. You can never tell what they are thinking or feeling, or if they are being honest or not. It takes years and years of knowing a vampire to understand their character and mannerisms to be able to read them, and even then you can only make a best guess. But with humans, there are no secrets, no disguises.” Dmitry glanced over at me and his expression was genuine which softened my temper.

  “I don’t always like to be so easy to read,” I admitted. “I guess I can see where you are coming from though. Sometimes it feels like I don’t have any privacy.”

  “I guess I’ve never thought of it that way.” Dmitry pondered on the thought for a moment while we continued on in silence. I thought I noticed a few paintings and worried for a moment that we may have been going in circles but I didn’t want to admit it.

  “Well Claire, I had better get going. There are many things to be done in preparation for your coronation. We can’t have a Princess with an unfinished ball, now can we?”

  I giggled at Dmitry as he made a grand bow and took my hand in his. He placed the gentlest of kisses that caused a wave of electricity to prickle over my skin. “Adieu, Princess Claire.”

  Dmitry then vanished in a flash, sending my hair a flutter as if a breeze had blown in through an open window. He stopped at the end of the hallway and grinned widely at me. “Oh and Claire, your room is four hallways that way second door on your left.”

  I rolled my eyes as he took off in the blink of an eye. Dmitry was the most charmingly irritating guy I had ever met, but he was starting to grow on me. “Unfortunately,” I mumbled to myself.

  When I finally made it back to my room I was sad to see that I wouldn’t be alone. As much as I liked Robin I wanted some time to myself to really think about things. This was going to be my last night as a human and I was honestly feeling a little sad about it.

  “There you are!” Robin smiled as she fluttered to my side at the amazing speed and grace of a humming bird. “How did it go? I hope my dad wasn’t too eccentric for you. I gave him a stern talking to beforehand.”

  “No, no your dad was great. Probably the best teacher I have ever had even though it got a little embarrassing at some points.”

  Robin giggled, “I can imagine. Normally a female vampire would have instructed you, but my mom had to help make preparations for your… well for tomorrow night. She’s much better at it than my dad. Anyway, I won’t keep you long, I’m sure you have a lot on your mind and I know the Queen wanted some time with you, but I have a present for you.”

  I gaped in surprise as Robin pulled a small box out from under a pillow on the sofa. It was wrapped in beautiful ruby red paper that had a metallic sheen as it reflected the glow of the lights in the room. She’d topped it with a silky black ribbon.

  She handed it to me with her child-like enthusiasm and practically vibrated with excitement as she waited for me to open it. I was still so completely shocked by her generosity that I simply stared at the small package in my hand. “Robin, you didn’t have to get me anything. It’s not even my birthday.”

  “I know that. Technically tomorrow night will be your new birthday, but tonight is going to be your last night as a human. It is customary to give gifts to new vampires and even though you haven’t changed yet I wanted to be the first to give you something. Open it! You’re going to love it.”

  I smiled at her and with a heavy sigh, gently unraveling the ribbon on the package. Robin’s words hit me hard. Not in a negative way, but they truly laid out what fate had in store for my destiny.

  As I lifted the lid from the small crimson box and saw what lay inside my knees buckled and I fell onto the sofa behind me. My heart dropped into my stomach and the pillar of strength I had been trying to build came crashing down on me. Tears came freely and I wept into my hands as my cold tears dropped into the box on my lap.

  “Oh, Claire, I’m sorry! You don’t like it. I shouldn’t have, I’m sorry,” Robin fumbled in a very unvampire-like manner and quickly tried to pull the box from off my lap.

  With unnatural speed, my hand flew to her arm and I squeezed her cold wrist. “No Robin. It’s perfect.” I looked down into the box and gazed at two familiar faces from within a small gold locket. A picture of my mom and a picture of Liz smiled up at me.

  “I can see how much you miss them. I thought you’d like to have something to remember your human life. We believe… well my parents and I, believe that even after you change, that life can never be washed away. That you’ll carry those experiences with you for all eternity.” Not wanting to burst into another fit of tears I leapt into Robin’s unsuspecting arms. Her cold embrace seemed to calm the fire of emotion that had started to burn inside me.

  Almost breathlessly, Robin released me and smiled at my obviously flushed and snotty face. “I had better get going before you get me to start crying and you should probably clean yourself up before the Queen gets here.”

  I grabbed a tissue from a nearby table and started to wipe the tears from my face. As I pulled the tissue away I saw the black smears of my mascara and realized I must have looked a mess.

  Robin winked at me with her limitless dark eyes as she started to exit my room. “Hey, Claire.”

  “Yeah?”

  “We’re all going to watch a movie later. The new Johnny Sky flick, if you’re up to it, you’re welcome to join us.”

  I wondered who she meant by everyone. I was certain Ana would not want me hanging out in the same room with her, but not going would give her too much satisfaction. The thought of making her night that much less enjoyable was very tempting.

  “I’d like that,” I said as I smiled through my remaining tears. Robin displayed her angelic smile and swiftly left after shutting the door with such speed I thought it would surely slam loudly, but I barely heard the latch click.

  I stood in the room for a long moment breathing deeply and holding the locket tightly in my fist against my heart. I was grateful to finally have another moment alone, even though it made me feel terribly lonely.

  Emotional exhaustion started to kick in so I made my way to my bed and saw Louie waiting for me. He meowed at my approach and lazily rolled over as he begged to be petted. His presence was so comforting and I curled up next to him, listening to his steady, deep purr as I scratched his head.

  “Oh, Louie, I’m glad you’re here with me. You won’t be scared of me after I change will you?” He meowed at me in response and turned his head so I could scratch under his chin.

  We laid in bed for a while and I saw that someone had set up a small sleeping area for Louie. He had crystal feeding dishes and a fluffy cat bed. I made a mental note to find out who had set it up and yelled at myself for being so careless.

  I dragged myself out of bed and forced myself to look in the mirror. Dark tracks of tears ran down my red face. I knew I couldn’t meet with the Queen looking like this, so I quickly tried my best at cleaning myself up. I dug out my favorite sweats and camisole from my bags, relishing the comfort they provided. After changing, I tied my auburn hair into a messy bun and washed my face thoroughly, with the coldest water I could stand.

  I stared at
myself in the mirror for a while, trying to decide what I would look like after the change. Would I still look like myself, or would I not recognize my reflection? My light eyes would turn to the infinite darkness that all vampires shared.

  Thinking of that made me think of something I had heard a protestor say once during a news report. The man’s name was Tony something and he was well known for his hatred of vampire rule. He always preached that eyes were the window to one’s soul, and since vampire’s eyes were empty pools of night that was proof they were soulless beings.

  “Am I going to lose my soul?” I whispered to myself. I wasn’t sure if I believed it, but it was a scary thought. I sifted through the collective memories of the recent experiences I had had with vampires and decided it held no weight. There was no way Robin or her family, or even Dmitry couldn’t have souls. Could they?

  I didn’t want to spend any more time caught up in such thoughts. It would only make the transformation that much scarier. Dwelling on things that I couldn’t change wouldn’t help me at all. What I could do, was go through this change and continue Nicolae and Evilyn’s work.

  Feeling renewed after having slightly organized some of the worries on my mind, I curled up on the sofa in my sitting room with Louie and flipped on the television while I waited for Evilyn to arrive. I purposefully avoided any news programs and settled on a campy sitcom.

  I felt myself starting to drift off to sleep until the sound of my bedroom door opening startled me. The Queen looking as regal and poised as always took two steady steps into the room.

  “May I come in, Claire?” she asked sounding very proper.