Delivered to Eternity, An Alesta the Vampire Book

by Yirak, Laura

  “Claire’s been in there all day. She’s cooking up a storm,” Judy said to Patrick who had quickly changed into his work uniform after returning home.

  “Good. Then you and I can go turn over the beds, if you haven’t already done so.”

  “No not yet.” Judy had been running after the wedding group.

  “All the guests have left for a while and there’s another couple coming. We’ll be full.” Judy followed Patrick upstairs.

  They started with the Blue room. Allister’s room was quite disorderly. They pulled down his top comforter and stripped off the sheets. As Judy bundled them up she let out a loud exclamation.

  “Blood! What’s all this?” she looked up at Patrick.

  “He had a cut or something. Don’t know.”

  But maybe he did as he thought about how Allister seemed so taken with the Lady of the Manor as Allister liked to call her. Was Alesta feeding off the guests? Patrick tried to push the thought away. She couldn’t be doing that. It seemed unnatural and frankly creepy.

  “Oh and Allister asked to get these suits dry cleaned. I wasn’t sure what we did with that.”

  Patrick pulled some tags out of the cleaning cart with and a large garment bag, “Just write his name on this, room, date, and we’ll have the laundry truck take them with all the other dirty linens.”

  “Right, easy enough.” Judy tagged and bagged the suits.

  The next room wasn’t as messy. All they needed to do was replace the towels and make up the beds.

  “How’s the Father?” Patrick asked, “I heard you check on him.”

  “You were there. I didn’t see you.”

  “I was in the bathroom.”

  “Oh, you should have said hello.”

  “I know. I was tired still. It was a long night.”

  “It was, wasn’t it?” Judy felt a little guilt for not assisting with the Father. “I was with Cara. I don’t want her to know. She’s doesn’t need to.”

  “I understand. Don’t worry about it. Alesta had a handle on it all. He came without a fight. Not what I was expecting. I don’t know what Alesta said or did, but whatever she did it worked. I thought I’d have to fight my way through the crowd to rescue her,” Patrick said knowing that his judgments and expectations of Alesta would be different now considering that she probably wasn’t as delicate as she appeared, she’d pinned him down earlier with quite some force.

  “I’m glad, well not glad, more like relieved. He’s here with us now and we can watch him, but someone will come looking. After that wild of a night with the town Priest now missing, whatever Alesta comes up with it better happen soon,” Judy said. “Sister Ellen is a nice young girl, but she’s just that young and new and probably not accustomed to lying.”

  “You think she’ll tell?” Patrick asked.

  “No, not yet, she’s pretty loyal. At least that was my impression of her. Some of those old nuns are, well they’re righteous old …..will take any opportunity to set you down the straight and narrow. I don’t want to speak poorly of them though, sacrilege.”

  “Let’s hope Sister Ellen doesn’t give in for all our sakes,” Patrick said as he finished folding the last towel and placing it by the bath tub. “I’m not in the mood for more clergy coming over. I’ve tried hard to avoid all that.”

  Judy gave Patrick a look, “I’m not going to judge. Some folks just aren’t into church.”

  That answer surprised him, “You have experience with this?”

  “There was a time I felt the same, felt I wasn’t worthy to go.” Judy said no more. “And your name is Judy Worth. Ironic.” Patrick didn’t prod any further.

  “Come on then, one more and we’re done.” Judy opened the last room up, “Crumbs everywhere!” Judy went back out to get the vacuum cleaner.

  She rolled it in and cleaned up the mess while Patrick tidied the bathroom.

  “And tea on the sheets. Some people,” Judy said.

  “Ahhhh now! We don’t judge the guests, as long as they don’t break or steal anything,” Patrick teased. “But I think the same things sometimes. How did he look?”

  “Who?”

  “You know.”

  “The Father! Like he’s had the night of his life. Like he’s been to a wild stag-do and done things that should never be repeated,” Judy said.

  Patrick laughed, “Bloody hell. I wonder if all Priests want to just let go and do whatever.”

  “Oh no. Never. I can’t imagine it. They are devoted in ways we can’t understand just like the Sisterhood. I never realized it till I started working at the church just how devoted they are.” Judy’s tone got all serious.

  “I still wonder though. They’re human like us,” Patrick said taking one last look at the finished room.

  The image of Alesta and her little fangs flashed in his mind. He quickly tried to push it away. She wasn’t human like them nor would she ever be.

  They tucked away the cart and vacuum and returned to the front desk.

  “Now before we go back in I want to let you in on something,” Patrick whispered. “Alesta wants me to keep an eye on Claire. She’s thinking about hiring her full time.”

  “Oh really,” Judy responded; she was taken aback. “So what do I do?”

  “Nothing, but I may need your opinion when the time gets closer.”

  “Like what,” Judy asked.

  “Anything,” Patrick said and pushed through the kitchen doors.

  Judy wanted to stop him and tell him about the boyfriend being in the kitchen the other night but was too late.

  “Claire! We’re full yet again. It’s good to have you.”

  Claire smiled, “Patrick! You don’t have to say that.”

  “Yes I do. Now fill me in on the menu.”

  It was very detailed and Judy watched the two chat back and forth with familiar rapport. She had to do something about Claire, whatever she had to, she decided. The Manor was her home now and she liked everything just the way it was.

  “What’s he doing out there?” Patrick interrupted the conversation and leaned into the window.

  Judy followed behind trying to poke her head around his great torso, “I don’t know. I left him a note to call me when he woke up.”

  “Who? Who’s there?”

  “Oh no one.” Patrick snapped; he was getting tired of the routine.

  Claire, slightly offended at the tone took a peek out the window herself, all she could see was a man dressed all in black standing at the water’s edge. Patrick followed after him.

  “Father, it’s freezing, you’re in no shape to be out here.” Patrick stood beside him looking out too.

  “I needed the air. I just don’t feel very good.”

  “Well you had a wild one.”

  “Yes, I’m beginning to recall, but just a flash or two.”

  “Father, the town won’t forget it.”

  “My reputation……it’s……ruined.”

  “Father, Judy should never have called you here in the first place. I don’t know what to say other than sorry.” Patrick turned to look at Father Mac Namara who just focused intently at the horizon.”

  “This loch, this place, I know it. I can feel it,” said the Father. “It gives me peace, or the thing inside me likes it here. I’m not sure, just that when I look around, I see things as they used to be, like long ago in the past, not this time.”

  “And what do you see?”

  “Horses. I think it liked horses. And a woman dressed in white, though I’m not sure who she is, she’s dark-haired, but no face.”

  Patrick looked at him to keep going.

  “He cares for her and has watched her for years.”

  “You mean Alesta?” Patrick asked.

  “I think so.” The Priest stopped talking and took another look around. “There!” he pointed to the barn which once was the stables. “There used be many horses and up there.” He looked at the Manor, “That’s the Laird’s home and her home. Something happened between th
em and Ian lost his life, here in this spot.” The Father looked down.

  It was just as he said the last words that he fell to the ground, convulsing violently.

  Patrick jumped to his aid, “Father!”

  Judy came running out of the house yelling in a thick Scottish brogue. “Father, Father.”

  But it wasn’t Father Mac Namara and they both realized it when he opened up those dark eyes.

  “You!” Ian jumped up and pushed Patrick into the dark sand. “I know who you are. I know what’s been happening here. You’re trying to take her from me.”

  There was no reply as Patrick couldn’t push back against his strength. It was just enough to try and breathe under the pressure. Ian wrapped his fingers tighter and tighter around Patrick’s neck watching his victim’s face turn redder and redder. Patrick closed his eyes and his body relaxed.

  All Judy could do was scream, she ran up to the house and grabbed a shovel, Ian was so focused on suffocating Patrick that he didn’t notice when Judy struck him over the head with it. The Priest toppled over.

  Patrick rolled over gasping for air, any little bit he could get.

  “Bloody hell,” Patrick choked out the words, “I need to get paid more.”

  “Patrick….. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I canny believe I just did that,” Judy said as she dropped the shovel.

  “Come on we need to get him back to Alesta’s before anyone notices.” But it was too late for that as Claire had been watching everything at the kitchen door.

  Judy whispered, “Christ’s sake. That’s all we need.”

  “Go to her, make something up. I don’t care what and I’ll take care of him.”

  Patrick tried to pick the Father up, but ended up just dragging him along.

  “What’s all this? “ Claire asked watching Patrick hauling off the body. “Is that who I think it is?”

  “No, just one of the guests, he’s been a bit rowdy.” Judy closed the door, “Come on then don’t stare.”

  “But why?” Claire wasn’t going to let go of the excitement. “What did Patrick say? The man looked like he was going to commit bloody murder in broad day light. I’ve never seen anything like it. This place is a mad house and where’s he taking him?”

  “I don’t know,” Judy said she bustling about the kitchen frantically, “I need a cuppa.”

  “How can you drink tea after what you just did?” Claire asked raising her voice a little.

  “Just shut it.” Judy slapped the metal kettle hard on top of the stove, “I can’t take anymore. You’re a red-headed little…..”

  “What did you just call me? I don’t….”

  “Shhhhhhhh!” Judy put her finger to her own lips. “Now Claire, we’ve had an incident. We need to gather ourselves for the guests. Zip it!” Judy put her shaking hands behind her back.

  Claire rolled her eyes, “It’s a bloody mad house, a bloody…..”

  But she stopped again in mid sentence as Judy let out a firm sound.

  “All right, all right,” Claire said and started to chop some veggies vigorously.

  The sun finally set upon the softly clouded horizon and Alesta awoke to the image of Patrick’s lost face. How could she have let that happen, of all the people in the world? He just had to be there and she just had to have a bite.

  “What were you supposed to do?” The Count answered her thoughts. “It was an intruder. You did the right thing regardless of whom. What if it had been Ro?”

  “But how can I look at him after what I have done.” Alesta stepped out from the coffin and entered her dressing room through the secret side door.

  The Count followed, “You should always follow your instincts. It was him who was out of place. It’s not your fault.”

  “Nicholas, I didn’t want him to find out that way. Not like that. I was about to devour him.”

  “And you wanted more. I could smell it.”

  “Aw…..don’t say that.” Alesta looked away, “I did though. It was like heaven.”

  “That’s because you knew it was him on some level. It’s because of the way you feel about him. It’s even more blissful…..to feed on the ones you love.”

  She gave him a glance that acknowledged the previous and true insight, “You’re terrible.”

  “I know.”

  “I can’t think of Patrick like that. He’s Patrick. He’s good, simple. He’s never wronged me in any way. He just is and does and more.”

  “It’s better that he knows the truth regardless of the circumstances. As I said before you can’t be involved with him if he didn’t know the truth. It would have been doomed.”

  “Maybe it already is doomed.” Alesta undressed then pulled on a dress for the night, this one a little more conservative, just a pale green gown with everything covered and pinned up her hair tightly.

  “You’re hiding.” The Count looked through all the racks of clothes looking for something. “I see you still have my things.”

  “Of course. There’s new stuff there too. I always think of you when I’m out shopping. And I’m not hiding.”

  “Why cover up when everything has been revealed?”

  “But it hasn’t. All he knows is that I am a vampire and that’s all and it’s my mood. Yes, I feel like I need to cover up. Just let be comfortable please. God you know it all don’t you.”

  “Yes,” he replied confidently.

  Alesta walked over to Nicholas who had discovered a nice pair of black slacks and a black shirt to go with.

  “I’m nervous,” she said. “When have I ever been so nervous?”

  “Just last night. A kiss,” the Count said.

  “Now you’re teasing me.” Alesta applied some light makeup. “You’re a tease…..there!” she pressed her lips together. “Let’s go and see the damage I’ve done.”

  “Drama. My favorite.” Nicholas took her hand and escorted her out of her lair.

  They entered the wine cellar to the sound of footsteps above.

  “It’s him,” Alesta said. “I know that hard step.”

  The scene looked familiar; a body on the sofa, but it wasn’t Patrick. He was just sitting in a red plump chair next to it by the sleeping fireplace. The look on his face when he saw Alesta walk in was bland to say the least. Patrick tried hard to cover up his true emotions. Alesta noticed and followed his lead. So he’s ignoring it, she thought to herself. It was the easy way out for both of them.

  “Father Mac Namara? Still passed out drunk?” Alesta took a seat across from Patrick but then noticed a smell of blood.”

  “No, more like knocked out,” Patrick said, “Judy bashed him in the head with a shovel. I stopped the bleeding. I don’t think it’s too bad.”

  “A shovel?” The Count joined in.

  “Yes. A shovel,” Patrick repeated and awkwardly tried not to glance up at the two vampires standing before him, their paleness seemed more obvious now.

  He felt uneasy all of a sudden realizing that the two of them could probably eat him for dinner if they wanted, “I should say, it was Ian that she did it to. He tried to suffocate me out by the loch. She bloody well did it just in time for Claire to see and who else knows.”

  “My Lord.” Alesta said realizing it wasn’t her Lord. “Claire?”

  “Yes.” Patrick felt like he was giving some sort of formal report now, “Anyways, I’ve been waiting for you. He’s all yours,” Patrick said looking at the Count. “I need to get back to the Manor and help out, it’s a full house as you know and, well, dinner is almost ready I’m sure; everyone will be back for the big meal.”

  “Patrick!” Alesta said softly, “You don’t have to go so soon.”

  “That I do,” Patrick said and did just that.

  It was quiet in the living room after he had left.

  “Doomed.” Alesta sighed with regret.

  “Give him some time. He’s just in shock,” the Count reassured her but it somehow didn’t do the job.

  It took everything not to go back out
and chase Patrick down. She just wanted to touch him, anything.

  She sighed, “So there’s a knocked out, hung over, Priest on my sofa? And I haven’t a clue as to what we should do with him.”

  “I thought about it some more and I don’t quite think exorcism will work on him,” the Count said.

  “Why?” Alesta’s thoughts were still with Patrick.

  “Cause he’s already a Priest. If we bring in another Priest Ian could just jump back and forth between them. It’s not like a demon, where it would just be sent back from whence it came. Ian is a shadow vampire, different properties involved. He’s like us except not of the flesh.”

  “If he’s like us then how can he walk in daylight?”

  “He’s not of the physical flesh, our flesh burns in the sun and he feeds like us but not blood, he feeds off of energy, human energy, our energy, but he can’t enter our vessel because he has no soul and neither do we. He is energy, just pure energy. I’m not quite sure the extent to what he could do to us. Kill us?” The Count leaned over the body for a closer look.

  “He wouldn’t dare try that,” Alesta remarked.

  “We don’t know, really. I think we should try something different with him.”

  “What?” Alesta was growing tired.

  “Lock him up with Ro.”

  “In the same cell? You’ve got to be joking!” Alesta coughed as she inhaled a little too quickly.

  “No, separate cells of course. We don’t want Ro to get his strength back by feeding off the Father.”

  Mitsy joined them in the living room to check out the debacle.

  “There you are, my kitty.” Alesta picked up the Siamese and stroked its soft creamy fur with chocolate tail whipping side to side, “And what would this plan accomplish?”

  “Think about it? Ian can leave the body whenever he deems. If we imprison the Priest, we imprison Ian. He won’t like that. He’ll probably leave.”