by Jeff Schanz
Brandt nodded back and closed the lid.
He took a moment to examine the other coffin, wondering if it was for Lia or the long-dead body of her mother. The coffin was covered with a thick layer of dust and had no marks on it to indicate that it had been opened, or even touched, in a very long time. Brandt carefully lifted the edge and looked inside. It was empty.
Her father had probably brought it in case Lia ever became undead.
Well, it didn’t happen today.
Brandt had somehow managed to do the right thing and save two people. For the first time in a long time, he was glad God had left him on this earth.
CHAPTER 21
Brandt sat with Lia for a while. Though he doubted there was anything else he could do for her, it didn’t feel right to leave.
Lia was still sleeping soundly and was recovering well. The redness in her face was almost gone. He hadn’t checked the injuries to her legs since he put the blanket on her, and felt like he shouldn’t lift the blanket up to expose her nearly naked body without good cause. “Just checking” didn’t seem like a good enough reason. He assumed her vampyre healing abilities were running full blast and he was letting them do their work. It seemed like there was something else he should do to help, he simply didn’t know enough about vampyre injuries and healing.
Maybe Lia had written something else he could use in all that data she recorded in her book. He had skipped over a lot of the details when he read it before. Brandt got out of his chair and went into the library.
He flipped through the pages of the “Vampyrism” book and got to the section on healing and effects of the sun. The summaries were the only things he read before, so now he looked through her recorded data and technical findings. Most of it he didn't understand, but he tried anyway. He dug through the pages, thinking there was something in there somewhere that might give him a better clue of what he could do to help. All he found was what he already knew, or thought he knew, that Lia's body was going to do everything itself. It would heal her back to full health and all she really needed was two things: blood and rest. She had taken a whole lot of blood from Brandt, so she should be fine there. And as for rest, she was in a deep trance-like sleep as her body did its thing. So there really was nothing else to do but wait and be there for her if she needed anything when she woke.
Brandt closed the book. He went to put it back on the shelf and briefly forgot which shelf it belonged. Far left, on the bottom? He walked to that shelf. No. One shelf over, I think. He didn’t want her to find anything out of place. It was the least he could do. As he replaced the book, he noticed a slender cabinet that was ajar next to where he was standing. There was no lock on it, but it looked like it might contain something special. What book would she want to be separated above the other books in this library? Hoping it might be some other special book about her condition, he opened the cabinet and reached inside.
He pulled out a leather-bound book that had no title. It was smaller than her other old leather-bound volumes and looked like the book he had seen her resting her head on when he was still under her care. He gently pried open the cover and looked inside. It was handwritten in Lia's recognizable neat cursive. The first page was an introduction to her lineage. He flipped a few pages forward and noticed it was a detailed history of her family's life. She had written a family history, too?
Besides sheer curiosity, maybe there was something in there that chronicled some similar situation and could highlight an additional solution. He had nothing else better to do so he sat down on one of the chairs and began to read.
A lot of it was a more detailed account of what she had already told him. He caught some interesting details like the fact that Lia’s mother was also born a vampyre, and that her blood was believed to be more powerful than the other women of the family. And Lia’s was suspected to be the most powerful yet if born vampyres increased the blood effectiveness with each new generation. Cool. Although it didn’t offer any additional help, it gave him more confidence that she would recover well.
He was definitely interested in going through this in detail, but he was looking for something specific about injuries or burns, so he skimmed and passed on a lot of stuff like the family disputes, persecution, lineage ramblings, etc. As the book progressed, Lia’s own personal experiences seemed to become more prominent, and she tried to summarize whole years into single pages like she was writing for a yearbook. She didn’t seem to have the same obsession with writing at whatever stage this was in her life. There still wasn’t a documented event that had to do with someone recovering from sun radiation or severe injury. He had gotten somewhere around the story she had told him about the father and son who had capsized in the trawler when he turned a page and was surprised to see a blank page. And then another one. Weird. There were at least thirty years between that story and current day. He flipped another page and found some new writing. But this writing looked different. It was dated like a daily log, and it was also narrated to the reader of the book, or the book itself.
It was her diary. And the entries were recent.
Brandt wasn’t one to peek into people’s diaries, so reading this part may be going too far. He was about to close the book, but his eyes had already caught a few paragraphs of her first entry. He couldn’t close the book. The first entry was about him.
There was something in it that turned his blood cold. Something she had kept hidden from him. The book stayed open and he read.
Day 1
I have not written in a journal for a very long time, mainly because there is nothing worthy to write about. But today is different, and I shall endeavor to record it from this point on.
An amazing man has come to the island. He was in a critical state when Father brought him here. The man’s boat exploded at sea and his body was gravely injured. Father saw that the man was young and thought I might find him attractive and willing to take him as a husband. Father assumed that the man was dying and wanted me to turn him so he would stay and be my companion when Father eventually dies. Papa can be so infuriating. I told Father that the man was not badly injured and would fully recover if given rest. Father was not happy about this. He argued, but since I am the one with the extensive medical knowledge, Father relented and sulked away, leaving me alone with the man.
I lied to Father. I have done it so seldom I am surprised I didn’t give myself away. But the man was indeed dying. He was bleeding internally, had several broken ribs that may have punctured his lungs, and without true medical attention, and possibly surgery, he would have died. Since I wanted the man to live, I did something else I would never normally do. I gave the man five drops of my blood.
It would be just enough to keep him alive. It would not be enough to turn him and the effects would disappear in about a day. In that time, it should be enough to help heal his internal injuries and possibly his bones. It will not heal him completely, but by the time he wakes up, he’ll just be happy to be alive. And since the effects will have worn off, there should be no risk to his human system. It will be like I gave him a magic healing pill for a day. My blood is exceptionally powerful, even amongst other vampyres, and five drops will help him tremendously, although possibly not enough. His injuries are extensive.
I want to help him. He has given his life to helping others. I have listened to his mind and it tells me that he has sacrificed himself for his friends, his family, and his country. He deserves to live, though he does not believe so. And if he would only share some of his stories with me, it will be worth the effort. Father thinks the man should be made to stay here, but I cannot allow that. No human could stay here. The isolation of this island would eventually wear down the will and soul of a human, and would be like caging someone. I am caged here, but that is my fate. I will not do that to someone else.
Brandt re-read the entry. He had been dying. He had been given vampyre blood and was healed. And he wasn’t turned. But he came close, perhaps. And once again he s
hould’ve died, but was saved instead.
He read on.
Day 2
The man awoke! He has been asleep for a full day. He scared me at first. I think I sensed he was awake, yet I misjudged it because it has been a long time since I was in tune with a human. But I was able to connect quickly enough. He has a very easy, open mind.
We finally got to talk. It was exhilarating! I laugh at myself because we discussed very little. Probably nothing interesting to anyone else. But to me? It has been so long. Just the sound of his voice is like hearing music again. I probably was acting like some little girl with a crush, I was so forward and enraptured. I hope I haven’t frightened him in any way.
His name is Brandt. He is named after the Dutch painter, Rembrandt, but shortens it. I liked that idea and he decided to shorten mine. He calls me Lia. I can’t help smiling when he does. He is very nice, patient, and sweet. And, yes, he is attractive. I may not agree with Father’s intentions, but I find myself imagining for a moment what it would be like to be with him. As I said before, it could never work, and I would not want to subject anyone to this isolation.
His injuries healed surprisingly well, much better than I expected, and he will fully recover. He is still badly bruised and that is all he knows. When he was asleep, I had to inspect his injuries, and I’m afraid I saw quite a lot of his body. I feel so guilty. I know I should not look at a man that way, though it was necessary. And if I were a real doctor I would be professional enough not to enjoy looking at him. But I did. So help me, I enjoyed the sight of his body, even bruised as it was. Oh, what a terrible person I am! If Father knew, he’d erupt.
I look forward to talking with Brandt again. If nothing else ever happens except that I get to listen to his voice and hear a new story or two, I will be ecstatic. That is all I can dare ask for.
Brandt read through the next few entries and was amused by her recollections of their third day. Those were straight forward with no new information. And then he came across the entry just before he had kissed her. His throat clenched as he read.
Day 4
I cannot justify my wishes. I would feel guilty if he decided to stay, like I seduced him. Father argues I should let Brandt decide, but how can I legitimately ask? Brandt doesn’t know about my affliction yet. And when he does I think he will choose to leave, as he should. I only hope he will not see me as a monster, and that he may come back and visit me. But I will not get my hopes up.
I am going to tell him today. The chips will fall where they may. But before I do, I think I’m going to risk being forward. It has been so long since I have kissed a man. Whoever reads this, please don’t judge me harshly. I understand I will never be married, never be intimate with a man again, and live my life in isolation until I end my days. But perhaps Brandt will grant me one request before he goes. Just a kiss. I will hold onto it. It will have to be enough.
Tonight I will tell him, and that will likely end our relationship. But I should kiss him before I do.
Brandt wasn’t too excited to read the entries that followed, which was a reiteration of his poor behavior regarding her confession as a vampyre. But she was actually fairer to him than he would’ve been. He skipped past his regrettable actions until he got to yesterday.
Day 7
I continue my work on the cure. I am beyond frustrated and decided to take a short break to record my data. But I find myself writing in the journal instead.
Brandt is nearly done with his repairs to the boat. He will be leaving soon. For his safety and ours, he is correct that he should not stay. And I understand. I have been resigned to it since he came to this island. But every day I wish more and more there is a way to change the situation. I have been working fruitlessly on this cure for years, and am re-inspired now. I began to wonder to myself: Can I ever be anything other than a vampyre living in solitude?
What if I could become human again? What if I could go anywhere I choose, talk to other people, see a show, dance with someone, swim, shop, just walk in the sun? What if I could love someone, and they could love me back, and we could live our lives without worry of persecution? What if I could have a family of my own?
It's an unlikely dream, but I am becoming more determined. Brandt will leave here, but what if he came back? And what if I had found my cure by then? Allow me my silly fantasy: We could set out a picnic before sunset since I no longer had to worry about the sun. We could eat a wonderful meal and drink some wine. He could ask for my hand and I would accept. Hopefully, my father would allow a less formal courtship. We would sail to the mainland and live happily. I love Father, but I have felt alone for nearly a century. I would gladly trade three hundred lonely years for fifty with Brandt. I would die happy.
Though I know this dream is unrealistic, it is something to drive me on. My samples are corrupted. Brandt has given me his own blood, which I found out it won’t work as a control. I have to find a way to make the experiments work.
For his sake, he can never know my love for him until I find the cure. He would do well to find someone else and live out a happy life. If so, I will still have his memory and that will have to be enough.
Brandt closed the book. His self-satisfaction was washing away like a passing breeze.
He had sacrificed some blood and effort to get her to safety, but Lia had sacrificed her happiness for a hundred years plus an extra week. She was never going to have anything she wanted. Ever.
And yet somehow his kiss made up for it? No. No one’s kiss was that good, and certainly not his. He didn’t deserve anything she had given him, and though he saved her life, it would only consign her to a remaining lifetime of isolation. And once again, he will walk away leaving question marks behind.
He put the book back in the cabinet and left the library.
Brandt woke with a start. He had fallen asleep in the chair in Lia’s room.
When he had gone back to her room, she had still been asleep. He sat in her chair and tried to sort through the tornado of emotions and new information. Lia loved him, yet wouldn’t act on it because she didn’t want to trap him here. Now he felt even guiltier for the false vampire love clichés he spouted on the mountain. He didn’t have a response ready to her feelings, but he did agree with her conclusion. She couldn’t come with him, and he couldn’t stay here, and how the hell would it work in general? Besides attraction, the rest of it wouldn’t make a lot of sense. Some things were starting to make sense, however, like why his body recovered quicker from the mountain ordeal than he was expecting. Lia’s blood. Just five drops had apparently been enough to heal him when he was near death, and he was sure he had tasted a little blood on her lips when he had kissed her in the failed attempt to coax out her fangs. According to what she wrote, it wouldn’t be enough to turn him, but he had ingested vampyre blood twice now. Surely it had some kind of an effect? Maybe that was why his blood seemed tainted for her experiments? There was a lot of stuff bouncing around his head and his brain was burning the cerebral diesel fast.
The delayed effects of his blood donation had also caught up to him. Eventually, he had drifted off. And now something had awakened him. It was a hand on his shoulder.
Viktor stood there in his projected human form, and after his rest, he looked more like the strong figure Brandt remembered. Only Viktor’s eyes were dull and weary. The father was apparently worried about his daughter, even though he was likely not fully healed himself. He would’ve known her vampyre metabolism would heal her, though he may not have seen it happen to her before. Brandt could understand the anxiety that would be gnawing at Viktor until he knew Lia would be all right. She already looked all right, but who knew what was happening internally?
Outside the curtains, the dim light told Brandt that it was just after sundown. And not a minute afterward, Viktor had come to see Lia.
“I will watch over her now,” said Viktor, without room for argument. “You must rest.”
Brandt wasn’t in the
mood to disagree, especially since he had already been sleeping involuntarily. The previous pride in his heroics had drained away, and the loss of blood had finally taken its toll. Brandt had nothing he could do but sleep it off. He nodded at Viktor and got up slowly. He staggered toward the door.
“I thank you,” said Viktor, in a vulnerable tone. It was an odd sound coming from his normally intimidating voice.
Brandt wasn’t in the mood to be thanked. He nodded curtly and made his way back to his room.
* * * *
The cabin door shut behind the broad-shouldered man in the tailored suit. He stepped closer to the long-haired man known to many as The Russian.
“Sir,” said the broad-shouldered man.
“What, Alex?” said The Russian. He cocked his head only slightly to hear whatever news Alex had brought.
“I’m pretty sure Dekker has spotted us now. We caught a glimpse of him climbing the mountain, with what looked like binoculars in his hands. He looked right at us.”
The Russian wasn’t impressed. “We’re the only non-commercial boat for miles. Of course, he’d stare at us.”
“Yes, sir. Should we move our timetable up as a precaution?”
“No. He’s a smart little shit, but he’s not smart enough to guess it’s us just based on one day. His binoculars can’t see detail this far. Our telescope is far more powerful than anything he’s got. For now, we’ll head out to international waters and keep our timetable as is. We’ve got plenty of time.”
