The Purity of Blood: Volume I

by Jennifer Geoghan

  The wind blew and I pulled my coat closer around my neck to keep the chill away.

  “I was hoping to see you today, but it’s getting late now. How about tomorrow?”

  “Sure. I’m really beat so I think I’d like to sleep in. How about after lunch?”

  “Okay, I’ll be by at one.” I think he sounded disappointed but was trying to hide it.

  I went back inside. I was the disappointed one. He hadn’t even tried to explain where he’d been. When I got back I was thankful Darcy was still there to distract me from my growing pessimistic thoughts. Darcy was indeed many things, including the infallible cure to my melancholy. Her crazy outfit alone made me smile. I was sure if I worked up the courage to ask her about her attire, there’d be a long and humorous story to hear in reply.

  When I woke in the morning, Darcy was already gone. My alarm hadn’t gone off and it took me a minute to remember that I hadn’t set it so I could enjoy a few precious hours of extra sleep. In the end, they didn’t seem very precious. Listless was probably a better adjective to describe them. After rolling out of bed, I took a long hot soothing shower. I took my time doing everything, drying my hair, picking out clothes, arranging my hair. Not because I was trying to look especially good, but just because I could. I had time to kill and wanted to enjoy the sensation of it. I wanted to enjoy the illusion that I was happy, and not the reality that for some reason I felt like I had a ticking time bomb inside me.

  I didn’t call anyone to see if they were going to lunch at Hasbrouck. I figured no one was, but I kinda thought a little more alone time this morning even for lunch might be preferable. Putting on my sneakers and coat, I headed on over only to find it relatively empty just as I’d expected it would be this early on a Sunday. I suspected most of the student body were still in bed recovering from a Saturday night on the town.

  Deciding to treat myself to more of a brunch than a lunch, I piled waffles, bacon and a grilled cheese sandwich on my tray along with a fruit cup. It felt like an odd combination at first, but somehow it seemed to match my mood.

  I even decided to further disassociate myself from the mundane and chose not to sit at our usual table, opting instead for one next to the large windows with a better view of the room. After I smothered my waffles in butter and syrup, I dug in. I was about half way through my feast when Ben showed up to drop down in the seat opposite mine.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked, pleasantly surprised.

  “I was about to ask you the same thing. Where’s everybody else this morning?”

  “I don’t know. I never called them. I just felt like winging it.”

  As we ate our lunches, we bounced around ideas he’d come up with last night for the project. When the topic exhausted itself, he told me about a few other places he said he’d like to take me hiking, some more caves and falls he’d discovered last year while out with some buddies.

  We’d finished the last of our food but found ourselves lost in the enjoyment of the easy flow of our conversation. Sipping on our drinks and laughing about something one of his professors had said, I looked up to see Daniel appear over the top of Ben’s shoulder. He smiled at me, but I could tell it was forced over gritted teeth.

  “Daniel!” I got to my feet as he walked around the table and gave me a polite hug. “You’re early.”

  “Actually, you’re late.”

  I looked at my watch. It was 1:15.

  “Oh, sorry about that, I must have lost track of time. I’m finished eating, we can go.”

  Daniel reached down to take my tray, but Ben put his hand on it first.

  “Don’t worry, I got it covered,” he said in a low tone. For a moment, the two of them stared each other down in stony silence. Daniel finally turned back to me only to possessively take my arm in his and walk me out of the hall without a word.

  When we got outside, he said “I thought I told you I didn’t want you to spend time with that guy,” while still retaining a tight grip on my arm. It hurt a little, but what hurt more was the absolute ice cold passiveness in his tone and the way he held me.

  I could think of a few choice words I’d have liked to have said in response, but decided to hold my tongue instead – for the time being.

  “We’re working on a project together now so I have to. Besides, he’s part of my circle of friends here. Despite what you might think, it’s not up to you who I associate with.”

  Daniel bristled at this, but perhaps sensing that a tactical retreat would allow him to fight another day, didn’t say anything else. When I glanced down at his hand on my arm, he released it and I watched as he closed his eyes for a moment, I think internally trying to control his temper.

  “So what are we doing this afternoon?” I asked, looking to change the subject.

  “I wanted to introduce you to Lucy. She’s back at the house.”

  “Yes, you mentioned her before. She’s your …”

  “She’s part of our family. She’s a little older than I am. Randall found her before me and by the time he took me in, she’d already left the house. But she comes back every now and then and stays with us for a while. Don’t mention that I went to get her when you see her. She was in a bad way when I arrived. She kind of fell off the wagon so to speak. That’s why she came home to spend some time with us. She’s a little sensitive about it.”

  I looked at him with trepidation in my eyes. “Is it safe for me to be around her?”

  Exactly what happens when a vampire falls off the wagon anyway?

  “Don’t worry” he smiled. “I’ll make sure you stay safe. So will Randall.”

  “What about the Professor? Is he going to want me around?”

  He paused before answering. “He’d probably say no if I asked him, but he has to start getting used to the idea of us being together – and he might as well start right now.”

  Daniel didn’t say much on the drive up to the house. He seemed to fidget about a lot which made me think he was nervous about something. I was pretty sure I knew what it was. When he pulled into the garage, he turned off the motor, but before he opened his door he reached over and put his hand on mine. When I looked over at him, he smiled as if to reassure me that everything was going to be alright. I had to admit, I was nervous. I was more or less used to Daniel being a vampire, but I had yet to reconcile the Professor as one, let alone meeting this Lucy.

  When we entered the house, I could hear soft music playing and that same high pitched laughter. Turning the corner, I saw the Professor sitting out on the balcony with a dark haired woman whose back was to me. The Professor looked up at our entrance. He didn’t appear surprised to see me, but he certainly didn’t look happy about it either. It was hard to tell at this distance, but I think he may have rolled his eyes before they really locked onto mine like a vice.

  I froze when our eyes met. Beside me I could feel Daniel take my hand and start to pull me forward. As we walked onto the balcony, the Professor gracefully rose from his seat to come greet us.

  “I see you brought more company, Daniel.” He was smiling, but I could feel Daniel grimace at his words. “Sara, so nice to see you out of class. Here. Please, take a seat.” He gestured toward the chair next to the dark haired woman.

  As he spoke she followed his voice and turned towards me. She was beautiful, as beautiful as Daniel was handsome. Older than him, she looked to be in her mid to late thirties. I’d never seen a movie star in person, but she looked like one. Not from the current day, but back from a time when glamour really meant something. Her lovely face was only marred by the haughty expression that clung to it. She looked at me through dark eyes like an uninvited guest, or a bug she wanted to crush under her spiky high heels.

  She opened her mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. Finally, she said “She’s –”

  “Yes, she’s human,” Daniel continued her thought for her. “Sara, this is Lucy.”

  I hesitantly raised my hand to offer it to her, but was interrupted by Pro
fessor Walker. “Better not do that, Sara. You might not get it back,” he warned as he took his seat again.

  Lucy leaned over and lightly hit him on the arm.

  “I’m sorry, Sara, I was only kidding. Lucy is house broken – most of the time,” the Professor said, his eyes full of amusement.

  “How can you stand to be around them?” Lucy said. At first I thought she was talking to them, but soon realized she was actually addressing me.

  “Men! Human – vampire, they’re all the same.” She leaned in toward Randall and whispered “Does she know?”

  “What, that we’re vampires? Yes, she knows.”

  “How unusual. What in heaven’s name for?” she asked him.

  “You’ll have to ask Daniel that. She’s sort of a pet of his.” They both turned in unison to look at him.

  “I love her. She’s not a pet,” he said defensively as I felt his hand tighten around mine.

  “Really?” she asked in astonishment. “I need a drink. Tell me you have something better than pig in this house.”

  The Professor got up and disappeared into the house leaving just the three of us out on the deck. Almost as if she was pretending Daniel and I weren’t there, Lucy stretched out her long bare legs and rested them on the ottoman in front of her. Her indecently short skirt revealed the full length of her perfectly toned, if a little pale legs, and leaning her head back, she closed her eyes for a few moments and let the sun fall warm on her face. I had to wonder if she could really feel it, or if like Daniel she didn’t really feel heat or cold. She must have felt something because she smiled contentedly for a moment. She looked dazzlingly beautiful when her face was freed of her scowl.

  Where I usually felt frumpy compared to Daniel, sitting there beside Lucy, I felt like a homeless street urchin wandering the bowels of some nameless inner city slum.

  A few minutes later Randall returned with a dark glass and handed it to her. She took a sip and made a face.

  “Horse?”

  “Cow,” he answered. She rolled her eyes and quickly drained the glass. I couldn’t see through the glass to know what it was, but the trickle of red that came down her chin as she set the amber glass down told me all I needed to know.

  “She’s not easy to be around is she,” Lucy commented dryly.

  “No, she isn’t,” the Professor said. “She’s a pure.”

  “Well, that much was obvious the moment they got out of the car. No, she’s a bit more than that. Potent, very potent.”

  I shifted my weight in the chair, more than a little uncomfortable with the way she turned and looked at me as if she was waiting for the dinner bell to ring.

  “That’s enough, Lucy,” Daniel said beside me. His tone was a clipped warning.

  “I wouldn’t mind so much if she’d just do something decent with her hair.”

  I followed her gaze as it left the top of my head. It lingered on my face for only a moment, but long enough for me to see the disdain in her eyes. It left me to wonder if it was me she didn’t like or just humans in general.

  Professor Walker shook his head. “Now Lucy, if you can’t be civil to my guests you can just go inside.”

  At which she got up, smiled at him and without another word gracefully traipsed into the house. But not before walking past Daniel and gently running her fingers through his hair on the way. I carefully watched his response. It was not what I would have hoped for. He didn’t recoil, but instead leaned into her touch ever so slightly.

  “I apologize for Lucy,” the Professor said as he pulled me away from my wondering what exactly Daniel’s relationship was or had been with Lucy. I looked over to see the Professor lean back in his chair.

  “She’s not used to interacting with humans as much as Daniel and I are. I’m sure he’s explained to you that most vampires don’t live the way we do.”

  He paused for a moment as if waiting for me to react, then continued.

  “I’m sure he’s also told you that I was disappointed he’d told you the truth about who we are, even if you did figure out some of it on your own. Slicing open your hand, Sara? Now really.”

  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was scolding me like my father would.

  “It does no good to let humans know who we are. In my time I’ve only seen bad things come of it. Our kind only survives because the truth about us is unknown to the general public. Even the most animalistic of our kind hold this one rule sacred.”

  Daniel got to his feet and walked over to the railing. He paused for a moment as if considering the Professor’s words then leaned against it, seemingly deep in thought.

  “Daniel, let’s not be rude. Get Sara a beverage.” The Professor turned to me. “What would you like?”

  “Water’s fine.”

  Daniel smiled my way then walked off into the house.

  “So, now that you know the truth, what do you think of us?” Professor Walker asked, smiling at me. His smile didn’t put me at ease, but somehow made me feel even more uncomfortable if that was even possible.

  “I’m not sure. I guess that will take some time. I’m not entirely sure I’ve been able to wrap my mind around it fully yet.”

  “A reasonable answer. I would have expected no less from you, my dear. I knew from the first day I saw you in class that you were a cut above the rest. That was why I singled you out. I like to see if the ones like you can survive under the pressure. I’m pleased to see that you did.”

  “Thanks, but I thought it was the orange juice.”

  At this he tried to stifle a laugh as he held his hand up to his mouth as if he’d coughed.

  “So I hope you’ve started on your project with your partner. I’d be disappointed if you got anything less than an A. I paired you with someone I thought would complement you well in many ways. I hope it works out for the both of you.”

  “I think so. He’s actually a friend of mine.”

  “That’s good.” He paused, staring into my eyes in a way that made me uncomfortable again. “Daniel is the best of us you know. He is everything I wished I could have been in this life. He deserves nothing less than the best.”

  At that moment I heard voices in the house and looked over my shoulder to see Daniel and Lucy laughing in the kitchen.

  “And I know he’ll have it someday when she’s ready. I think it will be soon. – And you.” He turned from the window and looked at me. “You have much to look forward to in life as well. I’m sure after graduation you’ll find that life holds everything you’ve ever expected and more. I only hope you realize that we all have limitations in life. Some things are just beyond our grasp. I guess you could say some people are on a different level. We all need to realize our level and stay within it to be truly happy. Wouldn’t you agree?”

  A moment later Daniel came back, placed the glass down on the arm of my chair and returned to his spot on the railing. He was smiling. She must have said something to make him laugh. I could only wonder if it had been at my expense.

  Turning away from my unpleasant thought, I watched the Professor’s gaze shift to Daniel and then back to me. With something of a frown on his face, he stood up and walked over to pat Daniel on the shoulder before following after Lucy into the house.

  When I looked up at Daniel, he was staring at the chair the Professor had just vacated, pondering something. If I had to guess, I’d say he was thinking how crazy he was to think I’d ever be able to join his circle of friends with any degree of success.

  Without saying a word, he walked over, sat down next to me and took my hand in his own. Instinctually, I leaned over and placed my head on his shoulder. I wished I hadn’t come and I wanted to understand why he’d brought me here. Surely he must have known this was how it would play out. After a few minutes, he stood and gestured for me to go inside and followed me through the door into the living room.

  After leading me over to the sofa he said “I’ll be right back,” and disappeared down the hallway headed towards the back of
the house.

  Lucy came from the direction of the kitchen with an ultra-slinky walk and glided down into the seat across from mine, only to stare at me for a long, disconcerting minute.

  “I think you should try some kind of styling product on your hair to take some of the frizz out. Maybe a flat iron.”

  A shaky “Okay,” was all I could manage in response.

  “Daniel was such a dear to come and get me. Once he got up there I really didn’t want to leave. Then again I don’t think he did either. But he’d promised Randall to bring me back with him so off we went. I have to say I’ve really missed him. We had a spat a few years back and I wasn’t sure if he’d forgiven me yet, but now I know he’s back to his old loveable self.”

  When we heard the sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway, she leaned in close and whispered “I should probably warn you, Sara, Daniel has something of a reputation. I don’t mind, but then again that’s my type. But you need to be on your guard he doesn’t try anything with you. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My fellow is a bit of a cad.”

  Then she winked at me just as Daniel came around the corner. He produced a little white box and handed it to me.

  “Open it,” he said with a smile.

  I did. Inside was a snow globe, but instead of snow it had little fall leaves and said New Hampshire inside with a log cabin in the middle.

  “I had to go up to New Hampshire to get Lucy. I saw it and thought of you. All those tumbling leaves. It just needed you going down the hill.”

  He smiled again as if he was seeing me with leaves and twigs tangled in my hair. Reflexively, I smiled back and said thank you, but Lucy’s words were still echoing around in my ears.

  After he sat down beside me, I listened as the three of them laughed over stories of things that happened long ago, long before I was even born truth be told. Their conversation went by so quickly, it was hard for me to follow along. I was finding it difficult to imagine what it would be like to have friendships that endured for over a hundred years. It was obvious they all shared a great affection for one another and just as obvious that Professor Walker and Lucy were a little too polite to me. Well, the Professor at least. He was all politeness. Lucy was polite on the surface, but I could tell, underneath it all, she really saw me as a snack or just some inanimate thing with bad hair.