“A baby? What baby?” I swear I saw Alice’s determined expression shift but it wasn’t a heartwarming sight. I couldn’t read her face. Her eyes glittered and her pretty mouth turned up in a tight, mocking smile. Virgil honked at us again. Alice moved past us as if we weren’t there at all. She didn’t come for me after all; she got into the van and closed the door.
“I was going to tell you, Levi, before all this, I swear! I wasn’t sure how. Please don’t go. You can’t go. Don’t leave me!” To my surprise, the van half circled us. I wasn’t sure what was happening.
Hey wait, Alice!
The vampire queen did not speak to me. All was quiet.
“This one is on me, son. Take care of Lisa.”
Alice watched me without expression.
We had a deal. You can’t have Virgil. Me for her.
He would say otherwise. He wants to come with me.
No, Alice.
She frowned at me, obviously displeased with my presumption to tell her no about anything. She clearly wasn’t the kind of being who heard no very often.
Yes, Levi. The world needs more Sustainers. Goodbye, Levi. Until we meet again.
Clutching one another’s hands, we watched as the stolen van disappeared down the narrow street behind the auditorium. I wasn’t worried that the Agency or the cops would catch them. They wouldn’t, for sure. They would never catch Queen Alice. And I wasn’t worried about Virgil.
He was all hers. In the end, Alice hadn’t chosen me. She found a better subject for her attention. Not me. I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Not me. Not Rex Teaser.
Alice chose Virgil Wallace. He couldn’t be in a safer position.
Alice would see to that.
Long live the new king.
Epilogue--Virgil
“Please don’t move,” I asked as I glanced up from my sketch pad. “You must be very still.”
My subject was wearing a Grecian style dress, off one shoulder and long. It clung to her figure in all the right places and I found myself feeling aroused, which I hadn’t expected. For this practice in drawing, she’d worn her hair up, curled and in the ancient Grecian style. Or so she said. I would have to take her word for it. A few touches of gold ribbon brought it all together.
“I am as still as a statue, Virgil. I have been told that many times. It is you that is moving.”
My teeth clenched the tobacco-less pipe and I tilted my head at her. One didn't argue with vampires especially one as powerful as this one.
"So I was, forgive me."
I glanced up with a raised eyebrow and continued to sketch. I certainly wasn’t stupid enough to argue with Alice. My drawing improved with each session; she always encouraged me to continue. Because of her I resumed this half-forgotten pastime and she adored being stared for hours on end. Apparently, a vampire’s pride knew no ends.
“It seems silly to have a pipe with no tobacco. I would certainly love a good smoke--and this is such a lovely gift." I was careful to offer my observation moderately. This was not a precursor to any argument. I would certainly adhere to whatever Alice commanded but I did long for the taste of tobacco.
"It will kill you and you are no good to me dead. Are you finished? I am famished and the hour is growing late."
“Yes, almost finished.” I studied the picture and then turned my eyes to the living example that I attempted to capture with my feeble strokes. Alice was perched on the balcony’s edge. One leg straight before her, a bare foot peeping out from the hem of her fabric. Her other knee was drawn up and her hands were in her lap. The balcony was made of white stone; she seemed a part of it with her ghost white skin. We remained in Italy. I assumed this had been her homeland, or maybe merely a place she loved at some point in her long life. We spent many a night exploring ruins and scouring the countryside for markers she once knew quite well. I could not read her mind but I sensed unhappiness in her, dissatisfaction with her current status. Did she regret choosing me over Levi? It had not been easy to convince her to do so in the back of that van but I gave my argument for it and clearly I made a good impression. I was here with Alice.
The sky was dark purple and in the distance, there was one lone star hanging low on the horizon. Mellow lights from the city below shone warmly and a light breeze caught her curls and caused them to softly move. Even her gown fluttered perfectly and I, for a moment, was lost in the beauty of it all.
The beauty of her.
As so many other fools had been before me. I was no vampire king; there would be no kingship or immortality for this human. I was merely her companion. Not quite a friend; vampires did not have friends, as she reminded me often.
Just a temporary companion.
It had been three months since my separation from Levi and Naomi and my previous life. Oh, I still went about in it but not as before. I was no longer a citizen of the sun. I was no longer allowed to walk the streets alone or be a part of the great sweltering mass of humanity. I belonged to Alice now and she was mine alone.
She was my everything.
We had found a strange peace with one another.
She had not killed Debbie. I could not believe for one minute that she had anything to do with Debbie's death. That had been the Creep’s doing. When he could not lay hands upon Levi he kidnapped and killed my daughter. But Debbie did not have the blood I had. She had not inherited whatever gene made me so useful to the Frenzied. The Creep had drained her uncaring that it would steal her life.
I couldn’t think about it. I couldn’t or else I would weep and get lost in my own head and then what would happen to Levi?
The Creep made the wrong call and killed my daughter but Alice would kill him. The Creep was as good as dead--long live the queen! I would never have my daughter back. My son had been lost to me a long time ago but at least I could do this one thing for him. This one thing.
And unlike before when the Creep stalked me and buzzed my mind and filled it with atrocious thoughts, Alice did not invade the space between my ears. I could not hear her thoughts nor could she hear mine. Maybe because we were not connected in the way the Creep and I had been connected. I wondered again what kind of creature he truly was and if I would ever see him again. I hoped not. I couldn’t say why what the reason for the silence between us but I was glad for it.
It was good to have privacy; I think we both craved that. But for how long? How long would Queen Alice be entertained by a pottering old fool who fancied drawing, playing cards and learning ancient languages?
Alice must be curious about her Frenzied children but if she was she said nothing about it. As far as I knew she wasn't planning to return to them and it felt good and natural that at least for now I became the focus of her attention and she mine.
Yes, there was pain involved in this new relationship but pain had been involved in all of the relationships I had ever known. Why would this one be so different?
Alice was wealthy beyond measure and there was no place off-limits to us except for the fact that she could only travel during certain times of the day or preferably at night. We had traveled far and wide already. Sometimes my joints hurt and I felt weak and feeble but I did not complain. I would not do that. I would be grateful for the time I had left and I would never again take life for granted.
But from time to time, I missed my son.
He had been such a good boy when he was little. His mother fawned over him when he was a baby. Levi had been her favorite. He was such a good looking boy with a halo of golden curls and easily tanned skin. He was busy, always moving but sweet and everything a man could want in a son. I had been a fool to have been so distant from him and Debbie. It was only because I didn’t want them to see the truth about me. That I had been such an epic failure. They would know the truth if they were with me for too long. I never wanted to see the resentment in their eyes but in the end, that’s all I saw. Levi would never forgive me I think. How stupid of me to blame the very ones I loved for my own shortcomings!
Suddenly, Alice swung her legs over the side of the ledge and slid down. “Come, Virgil. It is time. I am famished, so hungry. It has been a week, I think. Too long.”
“It has been only five days,” I smiled as I put down the pipe and began rolling up my sleeve.
“But you are so delicious, my Virgil.” She cuddled up close to me; surprisingly, her cold body warmed mine up even more. I would of course never act upon such feelings. I walked over to the settee and lay down politely. She preferred my other arm; the vein was sweeter as she’d told me once. The bruising, however, was too ghastly at the moment. I needed time for it to heal before I offered her that arm again. Soon, she might have to tap other parts of my body.
But what parts? I blushed at my own thoughts.
“Are you comfortable?” she asked sweetly, her eyes glittering with excitement.
“Quite comfortable,” I promised as I patted her hand like the old man I was. How ridiculous! “At your pleasure, madam.”
She smiled to show her approval of my willingness to serve her but her fangs had sprouted and a shot of fear and adrenalin hit me. Without another word, she was on my arm and I felt the dual stings of her teeth piercing my tough flesh. This would only last a minute, if that long, my blood satisfied her quickly but I would be weak afterward and she would be ready to conquer the world. Another reason for postponing tonight’s dinner. It would be dawn soon and I would need time to fully recuperate. Her body pulsed as she took in my blood. I watched the skin on the back of her neck and arms. A warm pinkness appeared making her almost lifelike. It was an amazing effect; every time I witnessed it I was amazed.
Oh, I needed something to drink. Perhaps some water. Alice removed her grip and placed a cloth over the wound. Normally I held it in place myself and let her enjoy the rush of my transfusion but I was overcome with dizziness. As I had been the last few times she’d feasted on me.
“Virgil, are you dying?” She sounded very put out by the prospect.
“Of course not. I am old, Alice. Something you wouldn’t understand with your eternal youth.” I smiled at her pretending all was well. A little longer. I could do this a little longer. For Levi and his son. Yes, it would be a boy. At least I hoped it would be.
“I cannot make you immortal, Virgil. As you said, you are too old. My blood is for the young. My blood would not reverse the hands of time and your hair is silver. It would only make you mad, I think.”
“I know this, my queen. But if I may be allowed to rest for a moment?”
“Of course, I have other matters to attend to. You rest tonight but tomorrow we go. We go to…” and she began telling me all the places where she wanted to go and I pretended to listen and feign excitement. She went about sorting her clothing, talking animatedly about select portions of her personal history. I interjected occasionally with the appropriate questions until I could rise off the settee. The blood had stopped flowing, thankfully. I went to get a glass of water and dug in my own travel bag for the iron pills. Taking iron helped offset the anemia I’d been developing.
How long until she knows the truth?
I watched and listened as she took her hair down and brushed out the curls. Her hair was so long and luxurious. So shiny, now that she’d feasted on me.
“Are you listening, Virgil?”
“To every word, dear. I mean, madam. To every word.”
I wouldn’t be able to keep the truth from her for long. She would taste my blood one day and know it. The disease would certainly have a negative effect on the taste and texture of it. But until that day came, I would be present for every moment. For the pain and the pleasure, mostly for the pain, for that is what I deserved.
I just hoped it gave my son enough time.
That’s all I need, a little time.
Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading ELEGANT DEATH, The Vampires of Rock and Roll Book Two. If you have read my other books, like Seven Sisters or Wife of the Left Hand you probably know all about my love for the paranormal. I do love ghost stories but I have a sweet spot for vampires too. I guess it all began with my obsession with The Lost Boys. (Man, I miss the 1980s.) But I also love rock and roll particularly the music of the seventies and eighties. So why not put the two together? That was my idea for this set of books.
Because of some unexpected detours in my personal life, it took me a little longer than I first anticipated getting back to this story but I am so glad I did. I am reminded again about those gritty summer days of the 1970s when everyone blared rock and roll on their black transistor radios. I’m not talking about Cliff Richards. I mean what we now call “classic” rock.
The Rolling Stones was always a personal favorite of mine. Mick Jagger has long been a fascinating and wild character who to me, embodies the vampire spirit. What if vampires and rock and roll truly met? You know Mr. Jagger would be all up in that meeting. At any rate, it has been so much fun creating this fictional narrative with him as my inspiration. There are two more to come, Velvet Rope and Velvet Spider. It’s going to be a wild ride!
If this is the first book of mine that you’ve read, please consider moving on to another one of my books. Seven Sisters is a spooky saga about a haunted plantation in Alabama. If you prefer a book featuring larger casts and paranormal investigation, check out the Gulf Coast Paranormal Series. (Who doesn’t love ghost hunters?)
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M.L. Bullock
Elegant Death Page 9