Celeste let go and cried in Kate's arms, grieving for Kent. Kate soon found herself crying with her cousin. When they both finally got a grip, Kate stepped back and said firmly, “Why don't you go to bed? I'll be fine."
Celeste nodded. “It's been a rough day. You're sure you'll be okay?"
"Yes."
Gently, Kate turned Celeste toward the bedroom and gave her a gentle push. “Now go."
Waiting until she heard the guestroom door shut, Kate turned off all the lights, including the porch light. The moon shone so brightly that she knew the outside light would not be needed.
Leaning against the porch railing, Kate closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She let the warm breeze wrap her in its arms. The intoxicating scent of magnolias once again claimed her senses.
So luxurious, my Louisiana, my friend. Many people hated the hot and humid nights. Kate loved it. Often, even in the very middle of summer, she would sleep on the porch. There was a deep green lounge chair reserved for just those nights.
Yet, as much as Kate loved the heat of night, the daytime temperature killed her. It suddenly dawned on her how her life now resembled the life she had lived before, as a vampire. She loved the sun but rarely stayed out in it for long periods of time. Her skin always burned unless she used sunblock, and her eyes were super-sensitive to the sun.
Sighing, Kate shook her head and laughed softly. Stop rambling like a stressed out looney.
She looked up at the sky as Vincent's name crossed her mind. In the blink of an eye, the air around her swirled in a frenzy. Strong hands grasped her shoulders. He pulled her close and nuzzled his head close to hers, breathing in deeply.
Exhaling slowly, Vincent carefully made Kate face him. “Ye even have the same wonderful smell. It's mixed in with the scent of human, but it's there."
Kate smiled, unsure of what to say. Vincent whispered. “I am very grateful for whomever gave us this second chance."
Startled, Kate stepped back. “For whom? Don't you know? It's God. It has to be. Who else would it be?"
Vincent's mood darkened. “Ye speak as if ye know him."
"I do. He's in my heart. He's in my soul. He's all around us."
Vincent shook his head in disbelief. “I can't see Him. All I see with my vampire eyes are lost souls, demons, and angels."
Kate laughed and shook her head. “Don't you realize the angels are His messengers?"
"They aren't all His,” Vincent said quietly. “Some belong to Satan."
Kate grew silent as a dark image rose in her mind's eye. It was a terrifying shadow of a figure. The creature's red wings were clipped, to keep it from Heaven's gates. Earthbound, its evil haunted the living. A shiver ran up her spine as a feeling of foreboding descended upon her.
Vincent broke Kate's thoughts by grabbing her hand and softly kissing her upturned palm. Pulling her closer, his blue eyes caught hers, and she became lost in his.
She felt as if belonged with him. Their souls were entwined, and it felt natural and good to be with him. They were soul mates who were fortunate to find one another again.
Vincent's head slowly lowered, and he pressed his warm soft lips against Kate's. As the kiss grew deeper, she found herself relaxing against him. He absorbed her weight completely.
He placed soft, lingering kisses all over her face and throat. As his lips touched the madly thumping vein below her jawbone, he hesitated. Time stood still as they both listened to the pounding of her heart.
Coming to her senses, Kate gasped and pushed him away. She knew what he was thinking. She placed one hand on the porch rail to catch her breath while she held the other up as if to stop him.
Vincent's eyes glowed softly, like an animal's caught in the headlights of a car. They sparkled, mesmerizing her, and she found herself losing control.
"Katherine, I want ye with me always. Please, let me make ye a vampire once more. I cannot bear the thought of losing ye again. I need ye so much."
Kate panicked. “No, oh, God, no. Please, Vincent, there has to be another way."
"What other way is there?” he whispered.
She forced herself to look up at the sky and away from his powerful gaze. To look in his beautiful, ruby eyes would be to lose a battle that had just begun. She chose her words carefully.
"God is most infinite and most wise. His love is beyond comparison.” She grew desperate. “I need to pray, Vincent. You have to stay away from me. The temptation is too great. You have to give me some time."
She sensed his anger rising as he thought of what she asked of him. Her apprehension grew when he turned his back on her. She could feel the rage emanating from him.
Quietly, he asked, “Do ye remember anything of our past life?"
Caught off-guard by his question, Kate searched for some memory, however faint it was, but her mind drew only a blank. She shook her head negatively.
"I killed the vampire that took ye away from me, but I have seen his spirit. He roams the earth, and he haunts me."
Kate saw again the dark image of Satan's angel, and she knew it was this spirit. Vincent continued speaking. “He taunts me most horribly. There is nothing I can do to stop him. The devil follows me wherever I go, making me existence a true Hell. He often appears to me as an image of ye. He reenacts yer death over and over like some horrible play that I can't get out of me mind. Me only sanction is the Church, believe it or not. For some reason, he refuses to follow me there. I know not why. I am positive that he could enter if he wished, but I think he does not like it. Perhaps it is the symbol of love that discourages him."
"How was I slain?” Kate held her breath fearfully.
"He captured ye. He knew ye were weak. Ye only fed on humans once a month. The other nights ye feasted on animals, which didn't give ye much strength. The fiend decapitated you and destroyed that which gave ye vampire life."
Kate looked at him quizzically. “Huh?"
"He took your fangs from you."
"But I thought—"
Vincent smiled, looking so handsome she melted despite her inner turmoil. “Thank God for the misconception brought on by this age's movies and books."
Feeling embarrassed for being so naive, Kate stumbled for something to say. “Where were you, Vincent?"
Years of pain were etched in his face as he lowered his gaze to the floor. “He had tricked me into drinking from a poisoned hag. I fell into a healing sleep. By the time I woke, it was too late. The deed had been done.” He paused, swallowing over a lump in his throat, refusing to detail any further. “Ye were dead."
Kate could not bring these memories to surface, but she knew he spoke the truth. Realizing the information was proving too much for her, Vincent quietly picked her up and carried her to the lounge chair. He held her tightly, allowing her the luxury of immersing herself in her private thoughts. Respectively, he refrained from reading her mind.
Her eyes soon grew heavy, and sleep overcame her. When Kate woke, the sun had risen, and Vincent was gone.
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Seventeen
Kate stared at herself in the bathroom mirror, trying to figure out what Vincent saw in her. She had never thought of herself as a great beauty, mostly an average Jo. Every now and then she'd get the occasional catcall from men, but she never paid much attention to it.
She had applied fresh make-up this evening and silently chided herself about it. She tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her ear and shook her head. Glancing at her watch, she noted that the sun had just set. She pulled open the bathroom door and nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Kent, damn it, don't do that,” Kate growled, pushing roughly past him.
He followed close behind her. “Don't let him in here."
"Don't tell me what to do, big brother."
"He won't be here yet. He's gone to feed,” Kent informed her. He stopped in the middle of the living room and stared at his twin's back. She hesitated at the French doors before facing him defiantly.
"I went to church today and talked to Pastor Ricky."
Kent's jaw dropped. “You told him?"
Kate rolled her eyes. “Don't be stupid, Kent. I'm not interested in a trip to the local looney bin."
She crossed her arms. “Besides, you know Ricky. He's cool, for a pastor. I just figured he'd know something. I mean, after all, he does watch that crazy vampire show every Tuesday night."
Silence hung heavy in the air. “Well,” Kent said. “What did he have to say?"
Kate sighed reluctantly. “Not a lot. He pretty much said that all that stuff was fantasy, but I got the impression that he knows more than he's willing to say."
"How's that?"
Kate shrugged. “I watched his facial expressions. You know I'm good at that. I could practically see the veil drop over his face when I started asking deeper questions about vampirism."
"He probably thought you were nuts. I can't believe you actually went and talked to him. That was stupid,” Kent said, tossing his head back to get his hair out of his eyes.
Kate's eyes flashed with a touch of anger. “I'm trying to understand all this, Kent. I mean, first you get sick. Then you die. Then you show up on the porch when you're supposed to be six feet under the ground. Who am I supposed to turn to?"
His face softened with hurt. “Me. You're supposed to turn to me. We've been each other's rock for the past ten years now. Mom and Dad—"
He stumbled over the words. Even after all this time had passed, he still couldn't say that they were dead. In his mind, they were vacationing somewhere.
The doorbell rang, and Kate jumped. Aggravated at herself, she rolled her eyes. “Get a grip, Kate,” she growled to herself. It wouldn't be long, and she reckoned she'd be seeing a doctor for her nerves.
She pulled open the front door, wondering who on earth was calling now. A bouquet of flowers filled the doorway. Vincent shifted uncomfortably as he waited for her to take them.
Her face relaxed, and shyly, she reached for them. However, Kent's hand grabbed her arm, and he pulled her back into the room.
"Kent, what is your problem?” Kate yelled. Her brother held her arm tightly, and although she tugged, she couldn't get loose.
Regretfully, she looked at Vincent, who stood pitifully in the doorway. Kent pointed his finger at the vampire.
"You're not getting her."
Vincent looked from Kate and focused on his fledgling. The pup actually thought he had any say so in the matter. His lip curled up.
"Come here, Kent."
The urge to walk out of the house was so strong, Kent didn't realize he was obeying until he had stepped out onto the front porch and stood in front of Vincent. Then he put on the brakes and shook his head.
"What the hell,” Kent whispered. Confused, he looked at Vincent uncertainly.
Grabbing Kent's shirt, Vincent pulled the shorter man close to his face. His blue eyes held a faint touch of blood as he exerted his influence over his fledgling.
"Do nay interfere with yer sister and me again,” Vincent murmured just loud enough for Kent to hear.
Then he politely let go of Kent and straightened his fledgling's shirt. “I have naught but good intentions. I'll not force her as I did ye."
Vincent stepped to his left, giving Kent room to pass. “Now go."
The sudden desire to feed came over Kent, though he had sustained himself before coming to the house. He glanced at Kate before humbly taking his leave.
"Wow,” Kate mumbled. “Wish he'd listen to me that way."
Once more, Vincent offered the flowers. She hesitated briefly before accepting them. They stood awkwardly in the doorway. He wanted to enter, but she wasn't sure she should let him. Quickly gathering her purse, Kate rushed out of the house. One step at a time.
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Eighteen
Wisely, Kate refrained from commenting about the power Vincent held over Kent, but it was never far from her thoughts. It dawned on her that if Vincent could so influence Kent, he could so influence her.
She stared at her computer screen, lost in thought. The night before, Vincent had taken her to a restaurant. She had been secretly amazed that he actually ate food. Another misconception thrown to the wind.
Her search on the Internet was proving fruitless. Everything she pulled up was either nonsense or stuff she already knew. All the information for becoming a vampire was out there. However, data for redeeming a vampire was nowhere to be found.
Her head turned to the French doors seconds before there was a light tap. Briefly wondering how she knew he was there before he knocked, she answered his call. He leaned against the porch rail with a flame-red tropical flower in his hand.
"It is called an amaryllis,” he whispered as he placed it above her delicate ear. “A beautiful flower for a beautiful soul."
She smiled. “Such a poet."
His lips gently touched hers. Her body responded to his touch, and she melted against him. He swooped her off her feet and into his arms. “I have something I want to show you."
Within seconds, they were flying. Kate's arms wrapped around Vincent's neck, and she buried her face in his chest. She was not exactly a lover of high altitudes.
The wind was freezing, and Kate suddenly remembered that it was Halloween night. Shivering, she snuggled closer to her vampire courtier as an eerie feeling descended on her. All Hallows Eve was a spooky night for adventures. A short time later, the two were on the ground again. He set her on her feet, and taking her by the shoulders, he made her face him.
"This is home. Not long after I lost ye, I took up residence here. We're on an isolated island in the Caribbean. At first, I had servants from a nearby village. It didn't take them long to realize there was a vampire among them. I managed to spirit them off the island. Unfortunately, some of them returned, and, well, I was forced to dispose of them before their voodoo magic could harm me."
Then Vincent turned Kate around. At first, she saw nothing but jungle. Then it slowly dawned on her that they stood before a large plantation house. The jungle had claimed it as its own. Thus, access to the house was almost impossible. She realized that he had planned for this to happen as part of his protection.
The sounds of the night suddenly seemed loud and ominous. Scared, she stepped closer to him. He placed his arm protectively around her. As they slowly approached the front porch, the vegetation opened before them like a curtain, allowing them to pass unhindered before rustling closed behind them.
They climbed steps that magically appeared before them. Upon reaching the porch, they stepped not on grass, as Kate had expected, but wood. Looking around, she saw that the jungle's fingers didn't reach inside the house. The vegetation simply hung over it.
The roar of a jungle cat caused Kate to jump in alarm. Her breath stuck in her throat as she met yet another of Vincent's protection devices. Before the double door sat a huge black panther casually licking its huge paw. Her eyes grew wide when Vincent approached the animal and stroked its head. Purring, it walked around him, rubbing against his legs. It reacted just as a house cat would. She was surprised. His control even extended to animals.
Vincent's eyes met hers. “Come here, Katherine."
When Kate hesitated in fear, he patiently walked back to her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her to the jungle cat. Its fur was soft, and soon it was treating her as it had Vincent. But she was still wary of the animal.
"Don't be afraid, Katherine. There are many panthers walking around here. I won't let them harm ye,” Vincent said, ushering her inside.
The grand hallway was spread out before them. Years of neglect had caused the house to slowly decay. Grimy cobwebs hung from the ceiling, in doorways, and all over the stairs. The hot moist air had caused mildew to appear on the walls.
Kate looked reproachfully at Vincent. “Don't think I'm cleaning this place just because you're a vampire."
Vincent just smiled and took her hand. He led her from room to room. Panthers were
everywhere: playing, sleeping, and eating. Despite his insistence that they were harmless, she was careful to avoid them.
The entire right side of the first floor was dedicated to the ballroom. Kate imagined for a brief moment the dark wood floor as it once must have been: polished and shiny, ready for dancers. Now, however, the floor was covered with dirt and grime, disturbed only by huge paw prints.
There were three sets of French doors on two sides of the room; one group led to the front porch, the other to the back. Dirt streaked windows lined the entire wall on the north side of the house. It was impossible to see either in or out.
The study was at the front of the house on the left side. Here, too, were three sets of French doors leading to the front porch. A huge antique desk occupied one side of the room. Behind it was a wall filled with books. Before the desk were two chairs for visitors. The desktop was cluttered with papers and books. Kate looked at Vincent with a questioning face.
"Before I found ye again, I dabbled in writing stories, works of fiction, mostly horror.” He smiled grimly. “One must write what one knows."
Nervously, he pulled out a cigar from his pocket and toyed with it. “I have published several best-selling books, under a false name, of course. Some have been made into movies. I had to hire an actor to pretend that he was I. I set him up in a fancy house with plenty of money. He's made a fine deal with the devil, I guess ye could say."
Kate raised her eyebrows at this. “Really? Which author?"
He whispered the name in her ear, and she couldn't believe it. The world would be shocked to learn that a certain best-selling author was actually a vampire.
Taking her by the arm, he moved her into the dining room. A long oak table took up most of the room. There was a big bay window on the south side. The opposite wall held a beautiful portrait of the Lord's Supper.
There was a small door on the east side of the room. It was boarded up now, but it was once used by servants to bring in the food. When the plantation had been built, the kitchen was not part of the main house. The open flames of the stoves often caught the kitchen on fire, and it was safer to build it apart from the main house.
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