The Vampire (THE VAMPIRE Book 1) (16 page)

The next morning he was retrieving his mail from the mailbox at his private entrance to the house when his neighbor Seraphine Westenra walked by and paused to greet him.

“Hi Jason! How are things?”

“Fine, thanks. How are you?”

“I have been crazy busy getting ready for a gallery opening…hey, I haven’t seen your companion lately—is everything okay with you two?”

“Uhmm, yeah… actually, I think there has been a little misunderstanding. We are—he is—my employer.”

She gave him a quizzical look. “So…then…he pays you?”

“Yes.”

“Well…it looks like you’ve done quite well for yourself.”

Jason wasn’t quite sure she had gotten it straight yet, but before he could make further clarification, she changed the subject with intriguing comments.

“My husband and I remember attending some great events here.” She sighed, scanning the building as she reminisced. “They threw great parties.”

They?
Jason wondered. “Here?” Jason asked. “When was that?”

“When the Crenshaws lived here. That ballroom was just beautiful. I hope you’ve kept that exquisite chandelier? We had marvelous dinner parties here too, quite often; such wonderful witty company.” She sighed. “I can’t believe he is gone. It all happened so fast, and so tragically. Such a lovely couple. I heard she moved to Europe right after the building sold.” Her face held a wistful expression. “I really miss both of them. Such dear people.” She sighed. “Well, I won’t keep you. I still hope to have the two of you over sometime—don’t forget.” She winked at him. “I can’t imagine having him, this house,
and getting paid!
Well done, sir!”

She was on her way before he could comment. He shook his head. He rather liked her. It still seemed as if he really needed to clarify a few things with her though. He began to wonder what time frame she was speaking about. Had Augere been connected to these Crenshaw people? But how? No. It couldn’t be. Maybe she was talking about quite a while ago—though Jason had just assumed the house had been in Augere’s family. But—so what if it had been purchased recently. That in itself had no special significance…right?

Jason had been able to register for the class—Themes in Cinema—for September. The positive experience of the current class was recommendation enough. And besides, that intriguing girl was going to be in the class too.

When he got home from school he made himself a sandwich and as he was heading back to his quarters, his mind still preoccupied with the topic of that day’s discussion, he paused at the open doors to the library. He was delighted to see Augere, who had once again been absent for days. He was watching a movie on DVD.

He boldly entered and said hello, with one eye on the screen. The opening credits for Groundhog Day were rolling by.

“I’ve seen this many times” Jason stated. “It’s probably one of my favorites.”

“I quite enjoy it as well.”

They had just been discussing this film in his class today. An amazing coincidence, Jason thought. He was still brimming with enthusiasm from the class discussion.

“Personally I think it’s one of Bill Murray’s best. It is such an interesting idea, don’t you think? Having to live the same day over and over again until you finally get it right.”

Augere nodded once. Jason thought he seemed amenable to conversation just now but he was on a roll and probably would have continued anyway, carried away with his own enthusiasm.

“Apparently the intended time frame was ten years. That he was trapped I mean. My thought was—why was he motivated to change? He was a boorish, self-centered person; but being trapped in time there were no consequences for his behavior; every day the slate was wiped clean. So then why did he want to change? Maybe because he was unable to kill himself, though he certainly tried to do so. Maybe he began to realize the only way out of the time trap was for something different to occur, and that difference had to involve him. Or did he really just want to be a better person—because he realized he was attracted to someone he could not have otherwise? I guess that was a possibility.”

“Perhaps.” Augere regarded him with a thoughtful expression. It prompted Jason to continue.

“I remember reading something…not directly related to this, but this movie reminds me of it—a feeling of having your soul caught on a nail and you cannot get free.”

Augere looked at him with more intense interest.

“I’ve just learned that a psychiatrist, Massimo Lanzaro, did a Jungian analysis of this movie. The film uses the metaphor of the ground hog’s shadow to represent that part of Bill Murray’s character—who is also called Phil—” Jason paused to see if Augere was following—and if he was interested. Augere wore a blank expression. Jason decided to continue anyway.

“…Punxatawney Phil? The groundhog’s name?”

Augere nodded once.

“—the Shadow being that part of us that we fail to see or to know; it is all we would not want to be and the sum of all the unpleasant parts of our personality we prefer to keep well hidden—the private, primitive self.” Jason paused. “Anyway, it was a great article and I just happened to read it.”
In my class,
he was careful not to mention.

Augere seemed attentive and interested and Jason loved sharing such ideas with him. He continued rambling.

“Did you know that Danny Rubin, who wrote the story and screenplay of this, was intrigued with the idea of living forever? He said he was influenced by reading
Interview With the Vampire
—this cinema studies class I’ve been taking has just been a wealth of details and information about the backgrounds of so many films—

Jason paused, seeing Augere’s expression become tense; his eyes narrowed and he appeared wary. It caught Jason off guard. Augere was scrutinizing him intently now. Was he angry? Upset?

And then Jason realized: in his enthusiasm to share with Augere what he had learned he had blurted out about taking the cinema class. Of course. That had to be it.

Well, it was out in the open now. Full confession was called for.

“I am sorry, Mr. Augere. I had wanted to tell you, several times, about taking this class, but the right moment never seemed to come up.” Augere was regarding him with such intensity Jason almost involuntarily thought of getting up and leaving the room. But he remained frozen to the spot. After several painfully long moments, Augere dropped his gaze.

“Continue,” he said softly.

“I know I should have asked you first. My obligation is to you, and I always have my phone with me. I was prepared to leave class right away if you called.”

Augere looked at him again. Jason thought he had gotten used to the long pauses and those long steady gazes from Augere, but this felt quite different somehow. Jason almost felt ill this time.

“Is that where you go early in the morning?”

Jason nodded slowly. So—he had already suspected something.

There was uncomfortable silence again. Jason began rambling once more, out of nervousness.

“From 8:00 to 11:00 three days a week. I am always back by noon. I thought…since I never see you before 11:00 anyway, and there’s no class on Thursday, that it might be okay—”

“You believe I do not approve of how you spend your free time?”

“I know I should have asked you first. You are paying for my time. I should not have made plans like these without consulting you first. Since it did not conflict with the meetings on Thursdays, and I could respond quickly if needed, I just thought maybe—”

Augere picked up a glass of crushed ice from his desk and began to crunch on several small pieces with a thoughtful expression.

“I suppose the only way you may continue then, since I am paying you, is for you to be willing to share information obtained from this class. I do not see another alternative. Are you amenable to this?”

Jason did not see that coming. “Yes, of course. I will do that.” He felt a surge of exhilaration. “There is another cinema class coming up soon. I would love to take that one too.”

Augere nodded once.

“Actually, I had wanted to take some classes in paranormal studies. That was my first choice. But there aren’t any. So I hooked up with a local paranormal group. I might as well confess to that now too, just to keep everything out in the open.

“We will do investigations, visit haunted locations, that sort of thing, so I really hope that will be okay too—” Jason stopped himself. He was rambling again. But he wanted to get all of it out now; he wanted no secrets between them.

Jason saw a flicker of amusement in Augere’s eyes. Augere leaned back in his chair and seemed to be reflecting for a moment. Then he leaned toward the desk again. He rested his elbows on the desk, and brought a knuckle up to his lower lip. It looked to Jason as if he were trying to suppress a smile.

“Do I understand correctly you desire to study the paranormal—the supernatural?”

“Yes.” Jason nodded for emphasis. He was definitely sensing that Augere found this amusing.

Augere picked up his glass and was crunching ice again with a thoughtful expression.

“And what type of activity would that involve?”

Jason was a little surprised at the question. His interest in the paranormal had been gone over extensively, exhaustively in fact, by Matthew Genier, during the employment screening process. Surely Augere knew that. Didn’t he?

“Research using different types of equipment. EMF readers, digital voice recorders; possibly some infrared devices. Tri-field meter and K II meters; the Oracle and shack hack—” He paused, seeing Augere’s uncomprehending expression. “There is quite a variety of technology used, from simple to more sophisticated. I have a range of equipment and I study and investigate all kinds of anomalies and paranormal phenomena. I am always hopeful of capturing data to provide definitive proof of the existence of paranormal and supernatural occurrences and entities.”

“You will discover the presence of supernatural beings? With—your equipment? You will be able to study these?” Augere asked, his voice definitely carrying a hint of amusement now.

His tone began to irritate Jason a little. He had shown such empathy for Augere, and now it appeared Augere was one of those skeptics who could not open their minds, even a little, to the possibility of the existence of anything from the supernatural realm. Jason wasn’t interested in trying to convince anyone or to convert anyone’s opinion or beliefs. People are skeptics until something happens to them they cannot explain otherwise, he believed. But if Augere viewed this topic with derision it meant one less thing they could share and discuss. And this topic was important to him. Augere’s doubt was a big let-down.

“Yes; I hope to be able to obtain proof that many of these things do exist. Even if the proof is just for myself. For my own personal experience.”

“Do you mean…like Supernatural…on the television?” Augere asked. His expression became serious now. Jason was too surprised to reply for several moments.

“No…I mean, yes, but not exactly like that—how do you even know about that though? I thought you hated television.”

“I do hate television,” Augere replied in a serious tone.

Now Jason suppressed a laugh of his own.

“You would have a break in your studies, would you not?”

“Uhm…during the semester? Yes, there would be.”

“Provide me with the details of the dates of your class then. I have several trips in mind and you must accompany me on these travels.”

“Yes! I will! And—thank you.”

Travel? This is great! I wonder where we are going? Who cares,
he thought,
I’m ready!
Suddenly things were turning out better than he could have expected.

“Well—this could prove to be quite interesting,” Augere said thoughtfully, looking steadily at Jason as he began to crunch more ice.

“I know it is none of my business, but I have been noticing you taking a lot of ice lately. Just curious, what’s up with that?”

Augere quickly dropped his gaze and then became quite still, almost in that way he had when he suddenly “wasn’t there.” Then he turned his gaze fully upon Jason. His eyes were a light grey this time.
How many pairs of contacts does he really own?
Jason wondered yet again.

“I do not take enough…fluids…sometimes. Biting on ice helps…a little.” The words were spoken so softly it was hard to know if he was meant to hear them.

“Oh. Okay. Well, thanks again, Mr. Augere. If the class begins to interfere in any way, I will drop it. I want to be clear I know my first obligation is to you.”

Augere nodded once.

Chapter 8

September

Jason began his new class, Themes in Cinema, right after Labor Day. Already it looked to be at least as interesting, if not more, than the previous class. And he had the extra pleasure of having his new friend Zavi beside him.

He arrived home at noon after the first class, having emerged from the subway into pouring rain.
Rain? In New England? In the fall? Who would have imagined
. He laughed. He had forgotten to take his umbrella that morning.

He was thoroughly soaked as he walked in the front door, but at least his messenger bag had managed to keep his book and papers dry. He did not want to track water and dirt across the gleaming hardwood floor in the foyer, so he removed his wet outer clothes and shoes, and hung the items on the coat rack he had recently installed near the main door.

As he walked across the floor to his quarters in his damp socks, it occurred to him: how
was
the floor always clean and gleaming? And the table in the foyer was always dust free; always looked polished, he realized now. And hadn’t there been purplish flowers in the hall vase yesterday? When had these pink and white carnations arrived, and who had arranged them in the vase? He supposed Augere could have done it. But the rest of the tidying raised questions.

Even the kitchen always looked spotless. He was used to picking up after himself, but he had never once mopped the floor there; yet it always looked clean. In fact, all of the common areas always looked cared for, picked up, vacuumed, and polished.
Do we have a maid?