Vampire - Chapter 7

Hi and welcome,

I have a couple of treats today because not only am I sharing the seventh chapter of, Vampire - In the Beginning, but I'm also sharing a couple of book cover previews. One is for the third book in the Mary Howard Supernatural Mysteries Series, which is going to be called, Distant Chant. And the other is for an historical work about Henry VIII, and is called, To be A King.

Let me know what you think - I love hearing from you :-)

Until next week,

Ta ra,

Charmain x

Now for the seventh chapter of Vampire - In the Beginning - enjoy :-)

Chapter Seven

Surprisingly, the days pass quickly. Some days I awoke in a panic because I could no longer remember Tom’s face, and I bury my head in the velvet cover until his face fills my vision, and then I cry. Of course, I never shared my feelings with anyone in Vanike Manor, I had no friends, but even if I did I would never have shared my fear and grief with them. 

Sometimes I would catch a glimpse of Robert, but apart from the odd smile, he rarely talked to me. I think he had decided to avoid me due to Matilda’s jealousy. In fact, none of the vampires talked to me, and on my approach many of them would simply look straight through me, it was as if I didn’t exist and if they could not prey on my blood, they had decided not to bother with me at all.

Strangely enough the servants were the same, none of them seemed to speak unless spoken to, and then it was just to answer a question with either a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. It was as if someone had put a spell on them. I was later to learn that vampires can bewitch humans and make them do their bidding, after I had discovered this I often wondered if Robert had bewitched me into accepting his offer. This discovery played on my mind to such an extent that I finally decided that I would waylay Robert at the earliest opportunity and ask him.

The opportunity arose unexpectedly. I had taken to walking by a small brook that ran through the woods behind the manor. I liked to take the exercise, although I had no need of it, for it seemed to be that the combined blood of Robert and Matilda had worked its magic, and I felt and looked in the best of glowing health. I would walk in the summer sun, and sometimes imagine that life had not changed, I would daydream that I still lived in the shelter of my parents’ and Tom’s love, and imagine that our fortunes had changed and we all lived in the manor. It was on a day such as this that Robert disturbed me with his soft tread on the mossy ground.

“I was told I would find you here,” he said as he pushed through the shrubbery to sit by my side. I was surprised by this revelation as I believed that no one knew that I walked by the brook.

“Who told you of this?” I asked. Robert just looked at me and smiled, and I said in a sarcastic tone, “Oh yes, I forgot I am a prisoner, and I am watched!”

“You know that you are not a prisoner, this is your home.” I laughed a mirthless laugh.

“Oh yes I forgot, I am not a prisoner because if I choose to leave I shall be food, and if I stay this is my home, but then again I am watched…you make me laugh, Robert.”

“Well, it is not my intention to make you feel like a prisoner, I fear only for your safety.”

“Well I guess I should be grateful for that at least!” My voice was pert and antagonistic, but Robert did not respond and we both lapsed into silence.

At last, unable to bear the silence any longer, I said, “Well it’s obvious that you wish to speak to me of something, so may I ask what it is so that I may return to my thoughts?”

“Yes of course….sorry, I was lost for the moment in the beauty and peace of this place.” His eyes rose to mine, and I saw a deep sadness in their depths. My antagonistic mood deteriorated in an instant, sadness was not an emotion I was able to connect with Robert - I found the discovery startling.

“Yes, it is lovely,” I said softly.

“I have come to talk to you about the coming weeks, we are to have some guests in the manor, and it is of course imperative that you do not let our secret out.”

“Well it must be a very important guest?” I replied. Robert looked at me with a quizzical expression on his face.

“Why do you say that?” he asked. I laughed, not in joy, but more in a sarcastic burst of contempt.

“Well, Robert, I am sure you would not feel the need to talk to me personally when you have all your minions to do the task for you…I therefore conclude that your guest must be very important, you could of course always bewitch me, just as you do the servants!”

Robert looked at me intently, the sadness wiped away by an amused glint.

“So you have discovered how we acquire our faithful servants?” he said with a chuckle.

“Yes, and I wondered if you bewitched me into accepting your offer? It is logical that you would use this power to satisfy your whims!” This time Robert threw his head back and laughed.

“So you have concluded that I have bewitched you? Ah my poor little Gwen, does your conscience disturb you so much that you wish to find a reason why you decided to live rather than die?”

“It is not that at all!” I snap at him, “I would like to know if you used your powers in order to influence my decision?”

Quite unexpectedly, Robert reached out and tucked a stray curl of hair behind my ear. The feel of his fingers gently touching the skin on my neck caused the betrayal of my body, which shook in response to his touch.

Suddenly dropping his hand, he said in a gentle tone, “I believe that the belief that I have as you say ‘bewitched’ you, would make it easier for you to accept your position. Alas I cannot tell you a lie, Gwen, I have never bewitched you, and I never would, the decision was yours and yours alone.”

My head dropped onto my chest, and the realization hit me that I did in fact, just as Robert had stated, want the guilt of my decision lifted from my shoulders. I felt immense guilt because of my decision, and I wanted to rid myself of that guilt by finding a better reason than choosing to live whilst the people I loved died.

Robert placed his finger under my chin and tilted my head up so that I was looking directly into his eyes.

“It took courage to choose the path you have, Gwen, many are so afraid to live that they would choose to die, others would choose to live but be unable to face the reality of the life of living with a colony of vampires. You chose to live; you chose not to let Tom’s and your own life be lived in vain, by not allowing your son to die, and you have stuck to your decision…that takes guts and determination!”

A tear made its way down my cheek as I noticed the admiration radiating from his beautiful, arrogant face.

“But I had no choice, you held the fate of mine and my son’s life in your hand…it is unfair that you should have the power to do that.” Robert wiped the tear from my cheek, and once more, I felt my body’s betrayal in the form of a shudder.

“Of course it is unfair, life is unfair, Gwen. After all, if you lived a normal life on the farm, you would still have people who hold power over you: the farmer’s wife, the farmer, your husband, the bailiff whom collects the taxes, and the local lord; that is life, Gwen!”

Of course, he was correct, none of us is truly in charge of our own destiny, and there is always someone higher to order our lives, unless of course you are the king. This thought returned me to the reason why Robert had sought me out and I said, “So who is the important guest?”

Robert smiled, I could tell by the relaxing of his shoulders that he was relieved that I had, he had decided, come to terms with my guilt.

“A man who is a very good friend of mine, Gwen,” he said as he rose to his feet, he then continued, “A human who in some ways can be compared with a vampire…you are to meet your lord and king, Gwen.”

I gasped in shock, and I heard Robert’s responding chuckle as he walked away from me. I could not believe it. A common maiden would in the coming weeks be entertaining the highest lord in the land, our good king Henry the Eighth, and not only that but I would at last be able to talk to normal humans – for the first time in months I was not only happy but excited – life was starting to get a lot better!