Forever Young The Beginning (50 page)

“
Brought over?”

Ian took a deep breath and let it out
slowly. “Yes. There is a process to properly do that. It’s not to
be taken lightly. It’s very painful and permanent. And there are
important things lost as well as some unique things gained. For one
thing, if you choose to live among humans, you’ll have to live a
lie every day you’re with them. Cosette and I lied to every human
friend and I lie to my own family in Scotland, just as I lied to
you, Alyssa. It’s the price we pay to keep our human friends and
loved ones safe.”

Alyssa nodded, looking to Ian and then
to Celeste who nodded in agreement.

Ian continued “Some of our
kind don’t associate with humans at all. Some don’t like always
pretending to be human. Some of our kind will kill humans for no
reason. Those are the kind that I kill, and I’ve killed more than
my share of them.” At this he stopped and fastened his icy stare on
them both. Alyssa and Celeste both shrank inwardly as Alyssa
thought
I’m sure of that!

His unique eyes softened
then as he continued “I didn’t choose to be this way. It happened
to me because I defended a young boy from a bully. He had a friend
among the
others
who attacked me later that night. That is as much, no, more
than you need know for now.”

“
But there were six of them.
Did you know that?”

“
Yes. I spied on them the
night before it happened. No matter, I wasn’t going to let that
happen to anyone. I didn’t know it was you until I entered that
room, Alyssa.”

“
But that mask, you looked
like…. like…. an apparition.”

“
I did that in case one
escaped so that he wouldn’t recognize me some day somewhere. I also
didn’t want the human there to see my face.”

Alyssa put both arms around his neck
and kissed him then, saying “I owe you my life, Cheri.”

Returning her kiss affectionately he
pulled back with a bright smile and said “What you both owe me is
to honor what you’ve promised me. God, I couldn’t bear it if either
of you were killed because of knowing about me! Just please keep
your promise. Is that clear?”

Both nodded and said “Yes.”

“
Good.” He stood then and
gave both of them another big smile, his eyes now merry, a
sparkling turquoise blue. Then he said “Now let’s go and see that
gown your aunt has made for you, little one. And later we’ll dine
at whatever place you two choose. Did I forget to tell you that
we
others
have
very good hearing? I’ve heard both of your stomachs growling for
over a half hour now.”

Both Alyssa and Celeste looked at each
other wide-eyed and then burst out giggling like two little
girls.

The young man thanked the carriage
driver after paying him. He took his two bags and began to walk up
the winding driveway toward the Villa overlooking the city of
Barcelona. Walking to the servant’s entrance he knocked and a
servant answered. He asked for Celita.

“
She is at
Barcelona House
with
Alandra, senor. They will return later this evening.”

“
Can you tell me how to find
that place, please, senora?”

The servant said yes, and gave the man
directions.

Alandra had just arrived from being at
court that day. She had changed from her black dress and hat into
pantaloons and a long-sleeved blouse and riding boots. Inspecting a
repair of the front staircase, she was going to look for a broom to
clean up after the workers. She turned around to see a man
silhouetted in the doorway, his tri-corner hat in hand.

“
May I help you?”

“
Senorita
Vasquez?”

“
Yes.”

“
I’m not sure you remember
me. I’m Tom McBride. We sailed together on
Elsie’s Cloud
and on
Tico
.”

***

Ian, Caryn, and Alyssa sat
in the very front row in the center. Ian had noticed several times
that he felt the prickly feeling very briefly.
S
o I’m still not the only vampire in
Paris who goes to the opera.
The buzz of
conversation quieted as the curtain rose. Standing in a stark white
formal gown was Celeste. She was poised and smiling radiantly. The
applause rose to a crescendo as the conductor turned and introduced
her as The French Nightingale. She gave a brief talk, describing
her life as an orphaned child taken in by Marie Lafayette’s
institution. She told the audience that her gowns were all made by
Caryn’s Fashions and reminded them that she was supported by Banque
de Lafayette.

After a stellar performance the
audience demanded an encore song which she agreed to.

At the end she bowed her head and
stood humbly while the audience showered praise on her and flowers
were strewn on the stage by those close enough to throw them. Ian
and Alyssa stood applauding with the rest of them, radiant smiles
on both of their faces. She raised her head then and blew them a
kiss again. This was unheard of behavior at that time, and the
audience was in love with it. Each seemed to think she was blowing
a kiss to them. They were captivated by her style as well as her
technique.

Afterward, Ian and Alyssa met her
backstage. She was excited and animated. Running to Ian she threw
herself into his arms laughing for joy. He hugged her to himself
and picking her up, he whirled around while holding her, then set
her down, both of them laughing. “That was wonderful, Celeste, just
wonderful!” Alyssa praised her too, flushed in excitement herself,
as they embraced and exchanged kisses.

They went out to dine and celebrate
Celeste’s success and popularity then, and Ian asked Caryn to think
about allowing Celeste to come to Britain with Marie, Henri, and
him. He also asked if Alyssa could get away long enough to
accompany them. Caryn started to protest Alyssa’s leaving, but when
she saw how happy she was to be included she relented. “You’ve
worked very hard Alyssa, and you deserve to have some time off.
We’ll make do while you’re gone.”

Turning to Ian she said “I’m
selling these new sun glasses to more people than I thought
possible. I’ve been surprised by that.” Ian laughed while
thinking
maybe you are, but as many
vampires as there are in Paris, I’m not surprised at
all.

The next day, a bank courier
brought a note to Ian from his old shipmate, Lorn. He was coming to
France and was on the way now. He had sold everything and was going
to go to Marseille and marry his girlfriend from the
Blue Oyster
inn. She’d
given birth to a son by him and he was going to try to make a go of
it with her.

This was news to Ian and he
resolved to help them as much as possible. He would request Marie
and Henri to investigate to see if LeBlanc’s estate would sell
the
Red Dolphin
.
Suspecting that it might not bring a very good price, he thought it
would be a place that the new couple could operate and make a good
living. He thought to make it a wedding gift to them so he sent a
reply via the bank’s courier that Lorn could come to the chateau or
that Ian would stop by the
Blue
Oyster
. He gave no certain date because
they were going to England.

***

They met Henri and Marie in
two more days and departed for Calais the day after. Some five days
later they sailed for Dover on a large packet. Ian was amused to
hear Celeste launch into a narrative to Alyssa about the great
chalk cliffs since she had only seen them for her first time not
that long ago. They disembarked in Dover and then took another
packet south to London the next day. They were staying in a large
place nearer to the northern limits of London proper. It was the
home of an Adept vampire friend of Robert Milliken, the Judge of
the
Supreme Council
for the territory of Britain, Scotland, and Ireland. The owner
was gone and often lived in the southern Netherlands and northern
France as well. After hearing of them coming to Britain via
courier, Robert had summoned the staff to prepare the place for a
short occupancy.

Ian went to see Sir Haversham, a
cousin of his Uncle Angus who had paid for Ian to receive
swordsmanship instruction some six years earlier. He was asked to
give an account of the pirate affair in the Mediterranean involving
the ambassador’s daughter. Haversham was keen on learning if the
oversized rudder he had recommended had worked and was most keen on
learning at how well the bow-rudders had worked. He was delighted
to hear how they had been able to turn so fast on the smaller
pirate craft and to successfully lay down a full broadside fire
against them. Regretfully he couldn’t visit them while they were
there, but he also arranged to have them meet with the head of the
royal symphony orchestra the next day.

The next day they met with the head of
the royal symphony and introduced him to Celeste. The upshot of it
was that he determined that she could sing two numbers for the
Royal Family in a week, and was enthusiastic about her
performing.

They left him to tour London for the
rest of that day. Marie liked that the sunlight was not as harsh as
it was in Southern France on the Mediterranean. Ian had felt six
prickly sensations during the day and concluded that it was likely
that there were as many vampires in London as there were in Paris.
He knew that he had been asked by no fewer than six Adepts within
that week about his sun glasses.

***

Assistant deputy to the chief of
King’s Gendarmes Claude Rousseau surveyed his new office in Paris.
It was easily three times bigger than the office he had as head of
the Marseille King’s Gendarmerie. He had a large window with a nice
view of the Seine and could see Notre Dame Cathedral. Louise and he
had just moved into a nice home not a mile from his office in a
very nice district, near to where some embassies were. Louise was
expecting a child soon, their second, and he hoped for a boy this
time. Every year a congratulations letter with some money came to
them near the time of their wedding anniversary and each member of
the family received a birthday gift a bit before their birthday
each year as well. He had no doubt that when their baby was born,
he would start to receive a gift for him or her as well every year.
By now, he had gotten used to it.

He had a driver who picked
him up each day and took him home each evening. The driver had been
assigned by the Chief of the Ministry of King’s Gendarmerie
himself. Rousseau didn’t know it, but that driver was a former
orphan who had grown up in the
Angels’
Care
orphanage near Paris. He’d been
selected by Henri Lafayette and had been groomed for such a
position several years before he got the job. He reported to a man
whose name he didn’t know, and his reports consisted mostly of
where Assistant Deputy Inspector Rousseau went and with whom. The
extra pay for doing that on top of his salary was a welcome source
of revenue. He was more than happy to have the extra income for
such a simple task, and considered himself to be fortunate to have
a stable job with extra income.

He could even do a bit of
extra work on Sundays and holidays taking wealthy people from place
to place on those days. He had saved his extra money and had bought
a single horse carriage and his own horse. He leased his rig out
for five days a week and then used it himself on Sundays for extra
income. The only thing he had to remember is that he never could
reveal that he had been raised at
Angels’
Care
or that he reported the whereabouts,
travels and companions of Monsieur Claude Rousseau.

The man whom he reported to
was from the
Angels’ Care
orphanage in Strasbourg. He too was never allowed
to reveal where he was raised, and he always had to use an assumed
name when with any of the nine men whom he took reports from each
month. His job was one that he really liked. It involved traveling,
but was easy. He only had to take the reports from eight other men
like this driver who he was now finished with. He was assistant
manager of production of toothbrushes and sun glasses at the
Lafayette facility in Dijon, and he made his monthly trip to Paris
to collect the reports from the nine men like this carriage driver.
The reports had to be taken to Banque de Lafayette and given to one
who worked in the rear of the bank in a room that was always
locked. It was the nerve center of the Lafayette’s communication
system. The reports were put in a specific pouch to deliver via a
bank courier. The assistant manager was paid extra for this easy
assignment and he didn’t mind at all dallying at the apartment of a
certain young prostitute while he was away from his wife and family
on his monthly trip. He had a standing appointment and thought that
no one knew about it. Thinking himself clever, he never knew that
he would never rise above his current position at Dijon because of
his wandering eye. He thought life was good, and to him it
was.

But his dalliance was known to another
who had dutifully relayed it along to another. It became known to
Henri and Marie finally. He would never run the newer ceramics
business that Henri had bought near Versailles not too long ago. He
would never make near the money in his lifetime as he could have
had he only been faithful to his wife. The Lafayette’s reasoned
that if his own wife couldn’t trust him out of her sight then they
couldn’t either. He would never know that.