“I seem to hear and to see more clearly. I can see dust hanging in the air in that sunlight coming in that window there. I never saw a thing like that before.”
‘Yes, your sight, sense of smell, and hearing will improve markedly. Reflected sunlight will bother you, and even may be painful. There is no way to avoid that. You’ll be able to see very well at night too. You’ll learn to identify game and also people by smell alone. Your hearing will be a thing which you can adjust with practice.”
“Adjust?”
“Yes. You’ll learn to adjust your sensitivity to be most comfortable with your surroundings. Humans live in noisy places. You wouldn’t be able to stand it for long if you imprinted in a totally quiet place and didn’t have some practice adjusting your hearing. It’s one of the easiest skills to learn, but is very important. Your breakfast is ready.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“That doesn’t matter. You’ll eat anyway. Be seated.” He took a seat at the oversize oak kitchen table, one of three in the large kitchen. Marie brought him a plate with three eggs and three pieces of crisp bacon. She also brought him a steaming cup of Arabic coffee and ladled it with a bit of cream. There were strawberries and blueberries in a bowl. He ate slowly and did notice that though the food was good, it did taste different. He sipped the coffee too, and decided that he liked it.
Finished, he looked up at Marie who, seated across from him with Cosette, said “Now you’ll clean your mouth.” She produced a carved ivory toothbrush. It was finely crafted and had carving on its handle. Ian had only heard of such things. Cosette produced baking soda and salt mixed in a cup and Ian proceeded to brush his teeth on the back veranda, where a bowl and pitcher of water waited. Marie watched closely and gave several instructions. Then after he rinsed, she had him open his mouth and peered inside. He was made to repeat the process twice more and then rinse with some alcohol and finally water. After peering about once more, Marie nodded her head and handed Ian a small packet of ground powder.
“You all take this?”
“It is dried ground clove and cinnamon. It’s hot. Leave it in your mouth a while and then swallow it.”
“Why?”
“This way you won’t have the breath of a pig, Ian. Eventually you’ll always have this odor about your mouth.” He recalled the foul breath of the vampire who had bitten him then. “Imprinting somehow conditions our bodies to reproduce it, but some needs be taken from time to time to keep it active, as a part of us. Cosette uses crushed lilac blossoms. I use crushed rose petals, while my husband uses spearmint leaves. Now join Cosette. She’ll take you for a walk outside.” He noticed that Cosette had already donned a pair of well-fitting long gloves and a wide-brimmed hat. As they walked to the kitchen door, she picked up a parasol and opened it as they stepped out to the covered back veranda.
“Now Ian, I’ll tell you something vital to know about the blood fast.”
“Blood fast? Oh yes.”
“Yes. After two weeks of imprinting, you’ll be required to do a blood fast. You’ll get no blood for any reason for a minimum of three days. You will hurt more each day when your body adjusts itself. By then, the most drastic adjustments will have already been made. Your body will be making less critical adjustments the last week. That is why we like to wait until the last week to do the blood fast training. You’ll be in pain, mon ami, and you can have no blood to alleviate that until your blood fast is completed. So be prepared for it. You won’t be alone for a minute until this imprinting is done, but especially during the blood fast training.”
“I understand.”
They walked about then and Ian saw that the buildings and grounds were in top condition, well-maintained. Cosette explained about the help and how couriers kept the Lafayettes in touch with their friends and current with their businesses.
As they walked about in the sunshine, Cosette said “You’re taking this sunshine very well. Some have to give up by now, according to Marie.”
“I’ve lived all of my life outdoors, and much of that at sea.”
“Yes, we saw that when we washed you. You are like bronze all over, well, almost all over.” At this she chuckled a bit.
Red-faced now, Ian replied “Och lassie. Ye embarrass me again with your talk.” She laughed that delightful laugh and he just looked away.
“You’ll always look this way, Ian. Even though you don’t go out in the sun, the imprinting will lock in your color forever. You might become more pale should you not get enough blood for a long period, but otherwise you’ll look as you do now.”
He pondered that as they walked for a while. “Why so many rabbits” he said, indicating a long double row of rabbit hutches connected to a spacious central run.
“You already saw why this morning before breakfast. Stop here a moment.” She undid the latch on a cage and handed Ian a rabbit, saying “Get the scent of it, Ian.”
He smelled it then, and could easily detect a distinct scent.
She said “You’ll now always be able to identify that scent. We don’t feed from our cattle or horses. It wouldn’t harm them, but the scars would cause talk if seen by laborers or servants or neighbors. Marie is very cautious about protecting our privacy. That is a thing of great importance.”
“Do you drink any other blood?”
“Yes, deer mostly, but wolf, fish, bear and some rodents if we’re in a hurry. There is always food in the wild for a vampire. There’s no excuse whatsoever to feed on humans.”
The had circled back toward the Chateau and Marie was coming towards them carrying a parasol and wearing gloves, broad-brimmed hat, and a light weight long-sleeve blouse to cover her arms. They met beneath a great oak and stood in its’ shade. “I see you can stand the sun this first day very well.”
“Yes, Marie. It feels good.” She arched her eyebrows and looked toward Cosette. “Sit down quickly, Ian.”
“What?”
“Just do it please.”
After sitting on the pathway, the two kneeled beside Ian and pushed him flat on his back, pulling off both of his boots and socks, and then Marie undid his sash and began to tug at his pants.”
“Och, ladies, ladies, what is this?” he protested.
“Hush Ian; if you can tolerate sun this well, you must take as much of it all over your body as you can get.” Laughing then she said “We’ll leave your underwear on if you like.”
“If I like? If I like?” He said, wide-eyed as he frantically held on to his underwear with both hands. The two women threw back their heads and laughed hard and long, even until tears came to their eyes. Marie said “Oh, Ian, you’re such a good thing for the two of us.” Cosette chimed in “I may never have laughed so since I was a child!”
“Well by Heaven, I’m glad you two are having a good time of it!” At that the two erupted in peals of laughter, falling back onto the grass. Then Marie started to fold up Ian’s pants when Cosette grabbed them saying “No Marie, those are mine”, and she made as if to tug them away from Marie, who caught up in the spirit of the whole silly episode tugged back on them saying “No you saucy wench, this is my…..my trophy” At this both of them squealed in delight and just rolled about on the grass laughing uncontrollably. Ian just sat there wide-eyed in disbelief, his mouth agape.
About the time the two had finished laughing, Cosette looked again at Ian and pointed to him and began to laugh again. Seeing Ian’s face, Marie joined in, laughing with her once again. Blushing, he finally shook his head and chuckled a bit while the other two lay there in the shade laughing for the longest time.
Finally he said “Och lassies! I thought you said this imprinting thing would be hard to bear!” At this the women began to laugh again. Marie said “Truly if I’d known that helping another become imprinted was this much fun, I would have been doing it for three hundred years!” The two again erupted in peals of laughter as Ian looked at the two wide-eyed in
astonishment, even as he began to blush once again.
Ian suddenly saw a carriage in the distance approaching up the long driveway, saying “Marie, you have a visitor.”
“Indeed we do. It’s the tailor. Best we get inside lest he gossip that we are lunatics. Quickly now Ian!”
“Aye. If he gets a gander at the goings-on back here, he may want to stay all night long!” The two women burst into laughter again. The three ran into the house, with Marie waving her trophy pants. She and Cosette were laughing like children while Ian followed, shaking his head.
Chapter 13
The tailor had finished measuring Ian and Marie was giving him instructions on several suits of clothing and sundry other things such as shirts, pants, socks, underwear and the like. Cosette approached them and said “I wanted Ian and you to know that I’ll go back to Marseille with the tailor and see my brother. I can stay in Marseille and delay my return until some of the clothing is done and bring it with me.”
Ian spoke up and said “Marie, you can cut that order to two changes of clothes and I will be in your debt.”
“Nonsense; what good is money if not used well?”
“Marie, you’re too generous, but one thing I do ask then.”
“What is that?”
“Please, no lace or frillies. I canna stand the stuff.”
Marie laughed and said “Picard, you heard the man. No lace or frillies!”
Picard replied in his nasal whine “as Madame wishes.”
Then Cosette laughed and nodded to Ian saying “Who should we bring to see you?”
“Mmmm, Angus, Li Hong, and Armando.”
“Then I’ll return in a few days. I’ve packed already.”
“I’ll get your bags.” said Ian, and brought them moments later. The two walked to the leased carriage together. Ian handed her a note saying “This is for Angus. You may read it if you like.” Ian handed the bags to the driver to stow, and turning to her said “Please stay away from the Red Dolphin.” She saw the worried look in his eyes, and stood demurely, gazing up at him from under the broad-brimmed hat she wore. “I will. And I’ll return safely with your friends mon ami.” She then stretched upwards and kissed him on his cheek. He felt a slight bit of something like electricity in her touch. “Goodbye Ian.”
He stood in the late afternoon sun and watched the coach until it turned out of sight. Turning he saw Marie standing on the veranda, well back in the shade. As he approached her she said “She’ll be safe Ian. Come inside. We have something to discuss.” Ian followed her inside the chateau into the kitchen. She had prepared some beef stew and there was assorted fruit in a large bowl. The tailor had brought a few pastries as she had instructed one of her servants to tell him. She said “Sit and eat now, but first drink this.” It was a cup of blood on a silver tray on the table. He sat and drained the cup saying “Thank you, Marie.” Shortly he felt a surge of energy. Then he bowed his head and silently offered thanks to God as was his habit, and began to eat the food she had prepared.
“I’ve sent for a woman I know. She’ll arrive this night, Ian. During your time of imprinting, you must make love. If you don’t do so, you’ll lose that ability for eternity mon ami. This is a thing which affects male vampires only.”
He locked his eyes with hers, and she could feel the force of his will merely by that gaze. “I…..I love another, Marie.”
“I know mon ami. You called the name of ‘Alandra’ twice last night. Ian, she is lost to you. She’s a fragile human and it’s dangerous for a mature vampire to make love to a human. It is possible, but dangerous. You must think now about what you would be asking her to give up by being with you.
“Ah Marie.” he sighed then, hesitating as he paced a bit….”How can I ask Alandra to become a monster like I am?”
“Ian, you’re not a monster, nor are we!”
“I meant no offense, Marie……it is just that………….I canna ask such a thing to a girl of seventeen years. I brought this on myself, whereas she’s done nothing to……deserve this……….happening to her. She should have the opportunity to be married and have her own children.”
He fastened his eyes upon Maries’ and said “Truth to tell, I don’t know if I could bear to see how she would look at me, knowing what I’ve become.” Again, Marie felt the power of Ian’s frosty blue eyes. It appeared to her that the man could peer into her very soul. No wonder Cosette followed him!
“Eat, Ian. Your human food will be cold. You’ve had a good first day.”
As he ate, she went over the things he would have to master while imprinting once again, and as he took his last bite of fruit she said “Now that you’re finished; brush your teeth again for me.” So that ritual was repeated, and the ground cloves consumed last as before.
Ian spoke then, “You say that only male vampires can lose their ability to make love, to feel….?”
“Yes. That doesn’t happen to women who imprint. We keep our libido, and that can be a problem being that there is always a shortage of males among our kind with their libido intact. It is due to ignorance among some of us, not knowing to take care of that during the time of a male’s imprinting.”
“You mean that can cause the women of your kind to seek male companionship among humans?”
“Don’t you mean ‘of our kind’ Ian?”
“Och! Of course I do.”
“Yes it’s as dangerous for a human male to make love with one of us as it is for a human female. Human men are killed this way sometimes.” Ian sat and contemplated this revelation.
“It’s nearly dusk mon ami. Let’s see how well you do in the dark. Come.” She led him out the kitchen door to the rear veranda and down the steps into the twilight. Going out the door, Ian felt so weak that he collapsed in the doorway. Acute pain shot through his shoulders and chest. Marie was there instantly with her flask of fresh blood. Soon he began to feel better.
“My bones ache, Marie, and I feel fiery pains in my shoulders.”
“This will happen, but will be mostly less and less crippling each time. This was a good one for someone at such an early stage. Not severe at all. Let’s go outside now.”
Presently they were out back in the gathering dusk. “What do you see, Ian?”
“I can make out the barn and the outbuildings quite well. Look, there is a deer standing at the tree line beyond the barn.”
Marie turned to look towards that direction, saying “Hah, you’re right! There is no way you could have seen that before this evening is there?”
Ian pondered that, then “No, Marie, I wouldn’t have seen that. I can tell a difference.”
“There is something about our eyes that you should know. Emotions can make our eyes to appear to glow. It can be quite noticeable in conditions of low light and must be guarded against. Like adjusting our hearing, we Adepts must learn to suppress this trait when in the company of humans. Your eyes and Cosette’s are both pale and in darkness they can be easily noticed if not controlled. Look and see for yourself.”
She faced Ian and he saw her eyes begin to glow a blue-violet color. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished. She then said “We’ll work on that as you imprint.”
“So much to learn….”
“Not to worry, Ian. We’ll teach you what you need to know. Come. Let’s chase the deer, but not to kill. You are recovered now, no?” She grabbed his hand and pulled him to run with her, slowly at first, then faster. She had changed into loose fitting riding pants and a loose fitting blouse earlier that day.
Ian felt the power surge to his legs and he easily kept up for a good space. Marie kept increasing her speed across the meadow until Ian began to fall behind. She adjusted her speed to his and they approached a stream about twenty five feet wide. Marie simply seemed to flow across it being that her stride was easily more than the width of it. Ian made to leap it and rose to a height of some fifteen feet, hitting a large
branch of a tree growing on the bank. He was spun backwards and crashed upside down in the stream.
Marie quickly pulled him upright and dragged him out of the stream to sit on the bank. She was laughing, then said “I’m sorry Ian, but it looked so comical….let’s go to the house. You’re wet and need dry clothing, mon ami.” They stood up and Ian said “I took a hard knock on my head.”
“We’ll look at that inside.” She assisted him…. “Come now.”
Back in the house, Marie looked at his forehead, and exclaimed “Ian, I can barely see the injury! Your healing power has already taken hold! This is a good thing!”
“Ah, Marie………..if this is good, I fear to see the bad.” He said as he sat holding his head with both hands. At this Marie laughed, and then she became serious and said “Your stride is already greater than the span of that stream. You shouldn’t have jumped. That was your human instincts overriding your vampire strength. That is mostly good Ian. Your human intellect must nearly always control your vampire strength. However there are times like just now, when you need to rely on your new strength…..at other times, even to unleash it if needed.”
“So many details….”
“It’s an important part of your training, but is not a necessary part of imprinting. It is a continual learning and refining process. You must control emotions when in the presence of humans and never allow your anger or emotion to override your control of your vampire powers. This is how we blend in with society and keep from revealing our existence. And equally important it’s how we keep from harming humans.”
Turning her head she said, “A carriage approaches, two horses I think.”
Ian heard nothing, and then he heard it too.
“Quickly! Upstairs and change into some dry clothing.” Then adding; “After all, you’ve had a bath already, mon ami.” At this she laughed heartily at her own joke. Ian finally began to laugh with her as he went to the stairs. He went to take the steps two at a time and took six instead. Stopping, he repeated it, and then curbed his strength until he appeared to only be hurrying up the stairs like any young man. I can do this he thought as he hurriedly changed.