by L. M. Justus
I was trying to figure out what we were supposed to do–bow, or kneel on the floor or what–when the King thrust his hand out to shake mine. I held out my hand, and he grasped it firmly, giving it a forceful shake. I hoped he didn’t shake Sarah’s hand quite as hard or he risked doing some real damage. Instead, he lifted her outstretched hand very gently and raised it to his lips for a kiss.
“It is wonderful to meet you both,” he purred, although he was looking only at Sarah. “Please, be seated.” He stepped back and swept his arm out to indicate the arrangement of old-fashioned looking couches and chairs.
We picked out our seats and sat down, but the King remained standing. The chairs were probably antiques worth a fortune, but they weren’t very comfortable. I squirmed in my seat, unsure what the King wanted from us.
“You must be tired from your journey,” he said. “Allow me to regale you with a tune or two to help you relax.”
Huh? I snuck a glance at Sarah, but she looked as confused as I was. The King strolled over to the grand piano sitting in the corner of the room and plunked his bulky form onto the piano bench. He stretched his arms out, cracked his knuckles, and then began to play. This guy was a certified, eccentric weirdo.
I sat stoically and listened while he played a classical song I didn’t recognize. It had crashing loud parts and barely audible quiet parts, and I wondered if he wasn’t making it up as he went along. The whole situation was so surreal, I thought maybe I was dreaming. I’d heard about dreams where people became aware they were dreaming: lucid dreams. You were supposed to check your watch to see whether the second hand was moving. I checked my wrist, but then remembered my watch had gotten smashed back in California.
Suddenly, the King stopped playing and I sat up straighter. He stood up and came closer to where we were sitting, but didn’t sit down himself. “Your accommodations are to your liking, I hope?” he asked, as though we hadn’t just spent ten minutes awkwardly sitting here listening to him play the piano.
“Yes, of course, Sire,” Nathaniel replied.
“Yes, thank you,” Sarah said.
The King turned to me, waiting.
“Oh . . . sure, absolutely,” I said and tried to smile.
“Good, good!” the King replied, clapping his hands together like a happy kid. “Feel free to explore the manor building and grounds as you please. You are welcome to stay indefinitely, of course. What is it they say in this country? Oh yes, mi casa es su casa. We have nothing to hide from you. In fact, I should like to take you on a tour of our research facilities. We have made some fascinating discoveries since you were last in my service, Nathaniel.” The King’s eyes glittered with delight and he looked at each of us in turn.
“That would be lovely,” Nathaniel replied. Sarah and I nodded our agreement.
“I would like to hear of your journey here, if you don’t mind sharing,” the King continued.
A sudden knock on the door made me jump.
“I hope you do not object to having my sister join us,” the King said.
The door cracked open, swinging slowly towards us, and I caught a glimpse of blood red satin peeking out: part of an extravagant ball gown. Apparently, overdressing ran in the family.
Sarah swore and my jaw hit the floor. With her ice-blue eyes full of hatred, in walked none other than the Queen of San Jose.
Nathaniel
Reed spun and glared at Nathaniel. “You could have mentioned the King’s sister was the frigging Queen, you moron!”
Nathaniel’s heart rate increased though he attempted to remain calm. “I assure you, I was unaware of their exact relationship.”
“But you knew they had a relationship?” Sarah asked incredulously.
They turned as one to look at the King, who chuckled with merriment. His chuckles grew to loud guffaws and he shook with laughter, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Your reactions,” he choked out. “Absolutely . . . priceless!”
The King wiped his eyes on his sleeves, struggling to compose himself. “I do love a touch of drama,” he added. “It is difficult to keep life interesting after four centuries. Come forward,” he said to the Queen. “Sit,” he commanded her, like a dog. She sat.
“Now, where were we?” the King said.
“I’m not sitting here with her!” Reed shouted. “She sent people to kill us!”
“She had me kidnapped!” Sarah added.
“You killed my men,” the Queen retorted.
“I wouldn’t have killed them if they hadn’t kidnapped me,” Sarah argued.
“You destroyed my lair! Half of my contingent has been annihilated!” the Queen growled, her fangs extended.
“Now, now, sister dearest,” the King said, interrupting. “You know you bring this type of problem on yourself. I am sure you can put your differences aside and behave like civilized adults. I shall be most displeased if any of our guests come to harm,” he added, giving the Queen a pointed look.
Nathaniel wondered how he could have missed the fact they were siblings. He knew they had been acquaintances for centuries although their relationship had always been precarious at the best of times. The King was the one who had sent Nathaniel to join the Queen’s contingent in the first place, over forty years ago. He had been a gift, essentially: a peace offering.
The Queen and Nathaniel were the only ones who remained seated. It did not appear as though Sarah or Reed would calm down any time soon.
The King cleared his throat and said, “Perhaps a change of scenery is in order. My sister will return to her quarters while I take you on a tour of our laboratory.” He gestured for her to leave and she stomped out of the room, her billowing skirts swishing around her in an angry storm.
Nathaniel was rather curious about the King’s updated research facilities, but the tension in the room was almost tangible. This was not the most prudent time for a tour. Reed gave Sarah a questioning look, but refrained from saying anything. At least Reed had learned to hold his tongue rather than voice his objections.
“This way, if you will,” the King said with a flourish. He stepped toward the door of the drawing room. His manner was so jovial, one could easily be misled into thinking they had the option of refusing his invitation. Nathaniel knew otherwise.
They followed the King out of the room and turned left down a dark hallway. After a second left turn, they rounded a corner and came to a stop. They stood in front of a shiny gold door with a seam down its center. The entrance to an elevator, Nathaniel thought, as the King pressed a small button set into the wall. Just one of many modifications that had been added since he’d last been here.
The doors opened and they followed the King inside the cramped space of the elevator. They stood in silence for the duration of their descent. Either the elevator was very slow, or they were headed deep into the earth. At last, the doors opened and they stepped into a brightly lit hallway. Sleek corridors of white marble stretched off to their left and right, while in front of them was a long wall of glass. The lab behind the glass was a picture of modern sophistication: the equipment looked to be top notch, as though no expense had been spared. It did not resemble the lab Nathaniel had seen four decades earlier.
There were two technicians at work in the lab. Each looked up and nodded at them before continuing with their tasks. The King stepped closer to the glass and an automatic door slid to the side. They walked further into the room and scanned the various machines and equipment lining the walls. Reed’s gaze froze when he spied a skull resting on a shelf.
The King, noting the focus of Reed’s attention, retrieved the item in question and turned to face them. “Behold, the skull of a vampire,” he said with dramatic flair. Reed and Sarah both took a step backward. The King chuckled while he regarded them.
“Take a look, and I will teach you a thing or two,” he said, beckoning them to come closer. “Here, and here . . . you can see the extended canine teeth.” He glanced up and smiled when he was sure he had their attention.
“But . . . observe here,” he continued and turned the skull sideways. “The canines, or fangs if you prefer, are in actual fact separate teeth from the original, human canines. They are quite thin, and slightly curved: perfectly fitted to extend down in front of the existing teeth. The vampire canines are extraordinarily sharp,” the King added, nicking the tip of his finger to illustrate. A drop of blood welled up and the King licked it off with relish.
“Now you may be wondering, if our saliva heals a wound so quickly,” he began, holding up his finger to prove his point, “how does a vampire feed off the blood of his victim, without the wound instantly healing over? How does one drink more than a mouthful or two before the wound closes?”
Mute silence met the King, and Reed and Sarah both stared with morbid curiosity. Nathaniel, who knew the answer to these questions already, waited patiently for the King to continue his lesson.
“Pay close attention at your next feeding, Reed, and you will observe the action I am about to describe firsthand. When you bite down, the canines puncture the skin, the blood starts to flow, and you begin to drink. Yes?” He looked at Reed, who nodded. “Next, you pull back, the teeth not quite exiting the skin and the wound starts to heal. Then, you plunge the canines back down, reopening the wound. You continue this motion repeatedly until you are sated. You can see how some consider the act of feeding to be sensual in nature,” he finished with a wink.
Reed’s face fell with a look of disgust, and it was clear that sensuality was the last thing on his mind at the moment.
The King replaced the skull on the shelf with some reverence, and Nathaniel wondered if he’d known the vampire whose skull it was. “Shall we continue?” the King asked and moved toward the exit.
They followed him a short way down the hall, and he opened the first door on their right. The room held a long meeting table with ten chairs arranged around it, two large filing cabinets and a whiteboard. The King indicated they should sit down, so they each took a seat around the table. He then picked up a remote control from the top of one of the filing cabinets. After a few button presses, a screen lowered from the ceiling in front of the whiteboard, and a projector rose from the center of the table. The lights dimmed and he proceeded with his presentation.
“Our researchers have been endeavoring to isolate certain anomalies in both human and vampire DNA, and to use these anomalies to cure our greatest weaknesses. Much the same as human scientists search for cures to cancer and other diseases, we too aim to improve upon some of our most significant physical limitations. A case in point,” he said and brought the first slide into view, “our efforts at lessening or even eliminating the need for vampires to fall into a state of death after feeding. This, of course, is a significant problem, for we have very little time to sequester ourselves in a place of safety before dying. We are defenseless during this time.”
Nathaniel scanned the slide, which contained lists of numbers, but it was unclear to him how the data illustrated the King’s point. After a brief pause, the King continued.
“This chart tracks the effect of our latest drug on the length of death sleep required after feeding in Subject A. Notice how the time shrinks to less than half after only five doses.” The King stood a bit taller and started to speak more quickly as his excitement grew. “What this means is that Subject A cut his length of death in half in just five days: an achievement that would ordinarily take four centuries.”
Nathaniel couldn’t help but feel impressed. His mind started spinning and he considered the ramifications of such a discovery. “Is this drug currently in use?” he asked the King.
“Not yet, but soon . . . soon, Nathaniel. Can you imagine how our lives will change for the better with this one difference? My scientists assure me the drug will be ready any day now. And this is only the beginning. With our new addition to the family,” he smiled at Reed with fondness, “we shall unlock the secrets to walking in sunlight and immunity to silver!” He brought his hands down on the table in triumph, and Reed jumped.
“Perhaps our human guest holds the key to psychic powers as well,” the King purred, eyeing Sarah. He was like a cat with two massive bowls of cream. “We could be like gods,” he whispered, looking lost in the fantasy of his thoughts.
The King snapped out of his reverie and turned to Reed. “Would you be willing to make a small donation of blood right now?” he asked.
“What? Uh . . .” Reed floundered.
“It is more complicated taking a blood sample from a vampire than a human, but certainly not impossible. Vampires are very protective of their blood, so they tend to fight back. We can restrain you without too much effort I think, and replenish the lost blood immediately, of course.”
“But–” Reed started, although he was clearly afraid to argue with the King.
“The sooner we get started, the sooner we can find a cure. You do want to help us find a solution, do you not? I know you are a generous, considerate young man. Full of integrity. A hero. Born into this life for a reason: to fulfill your destiny.”
Reed’s face pinched into a frown, and Nathaniel thought the King was trying to milk the poor boy far too aggressively. “Perhaps after they have had a chance to settle in a while longer?” Nathaniel suggested. “We have been through much lately, and could use a short period to rest and recuperate, Sire,” he added.
The King sighed, looking deflated, although he nodded in agreement. “Yes, yes you are wise. I have always appreciated your counsel, Nathaniel. Let us retire for the day. I am feeling a tad peckish, and you could probably do with a meal yourselves. I shall have something sent to your rooms straight away. My apologies for being a poor host, but to be so close to the solution we have sought for so long . . .” He shrugged, unable or unwilling to explain further.
They made their way back to their own rooms, and Nathaniel wondered if he had made the right choice in bringing Reed and Sarah to New York. He sat on the edge of his bed in the dark. He hadn’t turned on the light, and there were no windows in his room at the interior of the mansion, to keep him safe from the sun’s rays. He was accustomed to the King’s eccentric ways, but his behavior seemed more erratic than ever. The image of the King dressed in his flowing royal robes whilst standing amidst the sterile modern laboratory was almost enough to make him laugh. Reed, on the other hand, had looked ready to run away screaming in terror.
A sharp knock at the door startled him out of his thoughts, and he rose, padding over to see who awaited him. One of the vampires from the King’s entourage stood with a human female who stared blankly into space. “Your dinner, Sir,” the vampire said, steering the woman into the room.
“Thank you,” Nathaniel replied, and shut the door. The woman was about twenty-five or so, and dressed in a casual outfit of jeans and a navy blue long-sleeved shirt. She had long, wavy dark hair, with thick eyebrows and a prominent chin. Essentially, she bore a striking resemblance to Nathaniel’s late wife, which he knew was no accident. The King delighted in sending women like this for him to feed from although it drove Nathaniel to near madness. He knew better than to speak against the King’s hospitality however, and accepted the situation with a sad sigh. God only knew whom Reed’s ‘dinner’ would resemble.
Nathaniel attempted to capture the woman’s gaze, but she was so deeply mesmerized already, it proved unnecessary. His fangs elongated and he leaned into the nape of her neck and bit down. Warm blood flowed into his mouth and he closed his eyes, trying to savor the moment. Unfortunately, as he drank, the strains of Sinatra’s version of “New York, New York” filled his head.
Reed
Sarah and I didn’t say a word to each other on our way back to our room. My thoughts flipped from one strange experience to another. I stepped into the room, flicked on the light and walked over to the bed and sat down. The mattress sank lower when Sarah joined me. We stared at the gaudy-looking wallpaper for a minute before Sarah spoke.
“That was . . . really . . .” she began.
; “Screwed up,” I finished.
“Yeah.”
We turned to look at each other. “Is this really happening?” Sarah asked.
I snorted in amusement. “I’ve been asking myself the same thing for days,” I answered. “You know, I recognized the King when I first saw him. Now I know why.”
“Had you seen a picture of him or something?”
“No, I saw him when the Queen–” I almost said ‘kissed me’, but then thought Sarah might not approve. Not that it was in any way a romantic type of kiss. “When the Queen sucked out my memories, I saw her memories too. From when she was still human. The King was there, and he treated her like garbage. I think he was some kind of power-hungry lord, and he was eccentric and weird even then. I’m not sure, but I think he might have been the one that turned the Queen into a vampire too. It’s all a fuzzy blur of images in my head. It’s hard to make sense out of it all.”
“The Queen ‘sucked out’ your memories?” Sarah’s brow crinkled. God, she was beautiful. I wanted to kiss that cute little wrinkle on her forehead.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “Yeah, it’s a long story,” I mumbled. “Anyway, what do you think about this whole thing? I mean, I don’t want them to strap me down and steal my blood for their stupid research. I don’t even know if I want them to be able to go out in the sun. That’s the only time it’s safe for me to go out without a goddamn chaperone. Or when I don’t have to worry about those brothers we ran into outside of Vegas who said they’re going to come after me and rip me limb from limb.”
“I’d almost forgotten about them,” Sarah admitted.
“Me too, which is a bad sign. There are so many other things to worry about, those guys getting their messed up version of revenge slipped my mind.” I sighed. “I wish I could sleep. Then I could forget about everything for a while. I don’t want to think about vampire crap right now.”