Sponsored by the Rotary Club
Chapter 20
Fertilizing the Flowers
Bluebell Kildare: May 28, 2022, Red Ages
As I walk up to Maud’s house, I wonder what in the world possessed her to replace the zinnia with marigolds.
Maud is holding the door open impatiently. “Would you hurry up, chicky? Hot rollers take a little time, you know.”
I quicken my pace and leap up on the stoop with Varg following behind.
“Maud, this is Varg. Varg, this is Maud.”
Maud raises her eyebrows, making them look like golden arches under her sherbet colored hair. The fuchsia appears to have faded to a soft pink, and new streaks of gold have been added. Her subtle peach kimono style dress perfectly complements her hair, and both do wonders for her complexion.
Somehow, I’m hardly shocked at all when Maud responds to a wolf in her home with a practical, “Well hello, Varg. I’m sorry I haven’t got any steak for you.”
Then she proceeds to ignore him completely, glaring at me instead. “I have the rollers heating up. Why in the world aren’t you wearing your dress yet?”
“I’m changing here.” I dash into her bathroom, dress and bag in hand.
A few minutes later, I emerge wearing a blue satin confection, trimmed about the waist and halter straps in black piping. I swish my hips, and when the full skirt twirls around my thighs I give a delighted peal of laughter. “I haven’t worn a dress in ages!”
Maud looks at me with narrow eyes. “That is your own fault, chicky.”
I protest, “It is not. I never get asked out!”
Maud throws back her head and laughs throatily. “You have it all mixed up, Blue. First you wear the dresses. Then you get asked out!”
Hmm, she might have a point there.
Maud pulls out a chair at the table next to where the hot rollers are sitting. “Well, let’s get to this.” I obediently sit down as she starts rolling my plain, straight as a board, dark brown hair into rollers.
“So, you’re going with your boss, Jack?” she asks.
I knew I wouldn’t be able to avoid this conversation. It figures she waits until I’m pinned underneath her agile fingers to drill me.
“It’s just a work thing!”
Maud tugs a little harder than necessary. “Uh huh. Men don’t let themselves be seen with a woman at a social event like this unless they think she’s beautiful.”
I ponder this for a moment. She might have another point. However, in an effort to deflect her questions, I make a point myself. “Maud, do you honestly think that marigolds are an adequate replacement for zinnia?”
Maud jerks my hair this time as she gathers the strand for the next roller.
“Ouch!”
She goes a little more gently now. “Sorry. You just brought up a sore subject. I did not, let me repeat, not replace my zinnia with marigolds. It was that damn Harry Pickets again.”
I flinch under another strong hair tug. “Ow! Really? How do you know it was him?”
“Be still, girl. Beauty is pain. I know because I caught his gardener this morning just as he was finishing up. He gave me a message from Harry,” Maud says as she deftly sections another portion of my hair.
I clench my teeth through the next few tugs. “What was the message?”
“Your hair is an inspiration,” Maud says as she rolls another section up.
I huff in exasperation. “What do you mean my hair is an inspiration? It has got to look ridiculous in these rollers!”
“Not your hair, chicky. My hair! That was Harry’s message.”
“Oh! He must have meant that your hair looked like the marigolds! Maud, maybe Harry has a thing for you. What did you say to that?” I flinch again as she nears the tender hair at my neck.
Maud clicks her tongue with annoyance. “I decided one favor deserved another. So I paid the gardener to dump a load of manure in Harry’s yard.”
I bust out laughing.
Maud chuckles softly. “The gardener, of course, thought it was a great gift. I do hope Harry gets the message behind it.”
Maud does a circle around me and leans back, appraising her work. She nods in satisfaction and says, “Now we wait. So tell me about this animal of yours.”
Maud and I chat awhile as the rollers cool. I tell her all about Varg’s adventures so far and his potential magical abilities. Maud is enthralled. She has a thing for strays, me included, I think.
When the rollers are cool, she starts to pull them out, and her green eyes soften. “Hold on. I have the perfect things to go with this!”
She runs to her bedroom and returns moments later with her hands behind her back. She says in a sing-song voice, “Now close your eyes!”
I obey and can feel her placing barrettes in my hair, a necklace on my neck, and some clip-on earrings on my ears.
“Okay, you can open your eyes now. Go look in the mirror.”
I walk to the mirror in her foyer, and holy smokes! I look like an old Hollywood starlet! Black crystal barrettes glitter in my hair, holding the waves in elegant swoops. My blue streak is tucked in a wave down the side of my head. The necklace has a large, black, pear-shaped crystal that dangles just above my cleavage. It’s surrounded by smaller dangling crystal beads alternating in glistening blue and black. The earrings are matching blue drops hanging from a black crystal flower clip. The colors tie in perfectly with the blue dress and black trim. The dress, the hair, the jewelry—I don’t even look like myself. I don’t even feel like myself! I feel luxurious and beautiful.
Maud stands to the side, admiring me. “You look stunning. Any man who had you on his arm tonight would be lucky.”
“Oh, Maud!” I throw my arms around her in a big hug. “Thank you so much! You are so good to me.”
Maud hugs me back, then slips some money into my hands. “That is for the auction so you can try to win a little something for yourself. Don’t worry about paying me back. It’s for charity.”
Her small gift means so much to me. She’s on a fixed income, so I know money is tight. I lean back to look at Maud, still clasping her hands and smile at her. I kiss her on both cheeks and she smiles back.
“Go on, get out of here. You will be late, late, for a very important date!” She chants that all the way to the door as she ushers me out.
Chapter 21
Short Drive Down Memory Lane
Jack Tanner: May 28, 2022, Red Ages
I bound up the steps toward Blue’s apartment at inhuman speed. Coming to a halt just inches before the door, I listen for a moment to the soft sounds of her movements within. Varg knows I’ve arrived, and his scent and the sound of his padded feet move closer to the door. I knock before he alerts Blue to my arrival.
“Coming!” Blue yells through the door.
A few moments later, the door swings opens and my eyes drink her in. She is a vision in a blue silk halter gown that molds perfectly to the curves of her breasts, narrows with her waist, and flares out around her hips. Sparkling crystals gracefully adorn her ears and neck. But it’s her skin that holds me prisoner. It smells of coconut and lavender, and it shimmers under her aura, giving her an ethereal glow. Large expanses of her beautiful skin are visible, from the tantalizing curves of her breasts to her long, graceful neck. Crystal pins catch her hair in elegant waves. The blue streak of her hair is pulled in with the waves and brings my gaze up to her eyes. And finally, her soft, pink, rounded lips are lightly glossed and slightly parted as she takes in my attire with rounded eyes.
I suppress a smile as she seems to realize herself and wraps her shawl more tightly around her shoulders. I inquire, “Are you going to let me in?”
“Ohh!” she stammers nervously. “I’m sorry. I just have to grab my purse. Come on in.”
She steps back and quickly retreats behind the sheer curtain that separates her bedroom from the rest of the apartment. As she moves, I can’t help but admire the soft swishing of her skirt around her hips and th
e beautiful bare legs stretching from her strappy black heels to the hem of her skirt. I suck in my breath at the long expanse of bare skin on her back, and desire hits me hard.
She picks up a tiny, black beaded bag hanging from a silver chain and heads back my way. I avert my gaze from her enticing form by examining her apartment. It’s a small but comfortably furnished space, and her feminine touches are pleasant without being overpowering. I frown as I ponder the sliding glass doors to the terrace. Anyone could break in there. Maybe I should have Xavier assess her apartment for security. How could I legitimately approach her on the subject?
When I’ve finished pondering her security and perusing her abode, I allow my eyes to settle back on Blue. She squirms a bit under my gaze and asks, “Am I dressed alright?” She looks too perfect for words.
I say, “Turn around.”
She slowly spins around, and her skirt flares out, lifting slightly and then settling back down around her thighs like a gentle mist. She is so beautiful, I can feel myself hardening just from looking at her across the room. I catch her eyes with my gaze, and her lips part slightly again. Christ! I’m acting like a schoolboy on his first date.
I quickly move to her patio window and look outside to reign in my lust. I check my emotions so she can’t tell how she’s making me react. When I’ve wrestled my feelings down, I respond as coolly as I can, “You’ll do nicely.”
Blue looks down at Varg and says, “I think I might have a problem with him. He’s gotten out of my car twice by himself, and one of those times I know for sure the doors were locked. I’m afraid he’s going to try to follow us.”
I look closely at Varg, who has his gaze fixed on me in return. I walk toward Blue while looking directly at Varg and put my arm around her shoulders, leaning in close. I try not to think of her soft skin beneath my hand as I firmly say, “Varg, Blue is with me. I’ll stay by her and keep her safe. You stay and guard the place.”
Varg looks away and walks toward the sofa to spread out on the shag rug. With that, I pull Blue out of the apartment, reluctantly dropping my arm as soon as we close the door.
I let Blue into my car and watch her settle back comfortably before closing the door. She takes a moment to look around and lightly runs her fingers across the exposed leather seat. She takes in a deep breath of air, obviously enjoying the aroma of leather that surrounds her.
I decide it’s wise to put my eyes on the road and move to a neutral topic. I inquire, “Did you learn anything else about the case today?”
She takes a minute to respond, her eyebrows furrow and her upper teeth bite gently into her lower lip. It drives me crazy when she does that.
“I’m chasing some information that Jason’s best friend gave me.”
This statement is so woefully slim on details, leading me to assume she doesn’t want to discuss it right now. I nod at this and repeat my new mantra in my mind: eyes on the road, eyes on the road.
Blue angles herself toward me in her seat, and I can feel her gaze on me. She asks, “Do you do a lot of charity events like this?”
I look at her quickly, then remembering my mantra, I return my eyes to the road. “I try to.”
She says, “I didn’t realize you were so philanthropic.”
Yikes, I don’t want her to start imagining me as some prince charming and forget who I am. I need to put this in perspective for her, but I don’t want to shock or scare her either. I try to respond in an easy tone. “You know, Blue, I am a Vampire, and that means I drink blood to survive. It is always donated freely, but it doesn’t always come from a bag.”
Out of my peripheral vision, I see Blue wince a bit at that last part. Good. She needs a dose of reality.
“I carry Lilith’s dark mark on my soul, and my craving for human blood will never go away. I have known many Daylight Vampires, friends even, who always seemed totally in control. They lived perfectly normal lives, drinking only donated blood, then suddenly gave into their bloodlust one day. I don’t know why they stopped fighting the desire, but they did. So while I’m still in control, I want to do as much good as I can. I am not a saint for doing good things. I am simply trying to make up for the inevitable.”
She stares at her hands quietly for a minute, thinking about this. Then she asks in a small voice, “Do you ever feel out of control?”
I can feel her gaze on me again, and I frown slightly. “I’ve been alive for hundreds of years, Blue.” I let this fact settle in her mind before going on. “There are times the bloodlust rises stronger, times of passionate emotion and rage or times of physical need. Yet I’m in full control of the choices I make, and I think that if after all this time a situation hasn’t happened to cause me to lose control, it’s not going to happen. I have to assume it’s the same with other Daylight Vampires. The only time I can see that giving into bloodlust is not a conscious choice is when a Daylight Vampire has been harmed or starved to the point of mindless thirst.”
Ever the inspector, Blue asks, “Do you have any guesses as to why Vampires suddenly give into bloodlust?”
“I don’t know for sure, but perhaps they are tired of being in control. Certainly the fact that the Plane of Fire is an inevitability for us plays an important role in the decision to give up the fight. It would be better if we could die an honorable death in some way and go to the Plane of Light. However, I’m in no danger of giving up any time soon.”
I look over at her to judge how she’s taking this news. She shocks me by briefly touching my arm. Her elegant, thin fingers are as light as a butterfly on my forearm, which she caresses in one long motion. Jesus Christ, she’s soothing me! She should be scared out of her mind, but instead she’s soothing me!
She returns her hand to her lap and says, “I trust you, Jack.”
My chest is oddly tight as I keep my eyes firmly on the road and press my lips together. I don’t know what to think of her.
She apparently decides a change of subject is in order. She suddenly says, “I grew up at the Green Tree Orphanage. Did you know that?”
Now my chest feels even tighter and I nod slightly. I know very well that she grew up in that orphanage.
“The housemothers were mostly kind, but when I was younger, the kids were not. They called me a Witch, and they were afraid of me. I learned that what you are isn’t the same as who you are, Jack. I learned that who you are is more important.”
Right now, my heart feels like it’s going through a vice. I can’t believe she just told me that to make me feel better about being a Vampire. I glance at her, and she seems lost in thought now. I’m so glad because I don’t think I could speak right now without my voice cracking. I keep my hands on the wheel and try to ignore the presence of one of the kindest and most beautiful people I’ve ever met who is sitting just inches away from me, doing nothing at all, yet slicing my control into ribbons with ease. Focus on the road, focus on the road.
Just then, in the middle of a commercial area downtown, traffic slows to a stop. A small crowd of Dilectus Deo march back and forth in front of a blood bank, protesting the giving of blood.
As we drive by, Blue says in a sad voice, “That man’s sign says ‘Purify the human race.’ We spend all of our time trying to protect the people, and it seems like half of them hate us.”
For me, human hate means little because I know what it was like before the Great Pact, and I understand that humans have no chance against Vampires if the bonds of the Great Pact are broken. Suddenly, though, I want to know how it feels to someone who is Gifted and doesn’t have our strength.
“Blue, you said the kids were cruel to you at the orphanage. Exactly what did you mean by that? How were they cruel?”
Blue takes a deep breath and begins talking in a soft voice, hardly a whisper. I keep my eyes on the road, this time to afford her some privacy and comfort as she starts to tell me her story.
“I remember one time when I was playing on the jungle gym, I noticed one of the girls, Melanie, standing on a platform loo
king over the edge. I could feel that she was very sad, a feeling of deep desolation. I went up to her and asked her why she was so sad. She looked at me in anger and denied it. ‘I’m not sad!’ She was lying.
“One of the older boys, Billy, was standing nearby, and when he heard her he got in my face and yelled, ‘Stay away from her, you freak! You’re making her sad!’ Then he shoved me hard. I lost my balance and fell off the platform, down about eight feet onto the grass.”
I draw my breath in sharply, and my heart feels pressed again as I listen to this story. I knew about her fall at the orphanage from the reports I’d received, but I had no idea that the event was surrounded with so much hatred.
Blue continues. “I cried and cried, but none of the kids helped me up or called for the housemothers. I lay there for what seemed an eternity with blood flowing out of my nose and sticks stabbing into my back. When I was able to stand and made it inside, the housemothers called the doctor. He said I had a mild concussion and was very lucky not to have broken my neck.
“Later I learned that Melanie was sad because a family had come to pick a child to adopt. She had been one of the girls they were thinking of adopting, but they picked another girl instead. I imagine she was mad at me because I knew how heartbroken she was, and she didn’t want anyone to know.”
My heart beats wildly in my chest as I think of Blue as a little girl and how hurt she must have been. Knowing Blue, though, she didn’t tell me the worst of it at the outset. So I prod the wound with a hot poker, determined to learn the extent of the injury. I ask as casually as I can, “Was that the worst thing that happened in the orphanage?”
Blue sighs and looks out the window at the houses running past us. She says in a small voice, “No.”
Just as I suspected. “Would you tell me about the worst of it? I know it’s personal, so of course you don’t have to.” I struggle for a reason that she will accept as being good enough to share her childhood pain. “It will help me to understand how the Norms’ hatred of the Gifted impact their lives. That is important for me to know.”
The Light Who Shines Page 16