Love and Magic

by B. A. Stretke

  LOVE AND MAGIC

  A Crimson Vampire Christmas

  Crimson Coven Book 16

  By B.A. Stretke

  Copyright © 2018 by B.A. Stretke

  Published by Superiorland Publishing

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any person (living or dead), place, or event is purely coincidence.

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Leroy Thibodaux Sheriff of Crimson, Virginia.” He introduced himself to the congregation of the Crimson Methodist Church. He wasn’t a regular church goer, but he decided this Christmas season was his opportunity to try to become more approachable to the people. He planned to attend each church in the county and reintroduce himself and his mission for Crimson and the surrounding area and so far, it has been going well.

  Master Stone had urged him to step out more in the community and accept invitations to dinner and events. He had a habit of keeping his own company or sticking with his friends which can make a man less in tune with the people whose safety he has been entrusted. He’s been Sheriff now for just over a year, the people seem to trust him and believe he is doing a good job from the feedback he’s received. But he understood Master Stone’s concern, Crimson was constantly growing, and it was important for him to stay connected.

  Leroy liked his job and his Coven and Crimson City. For the first time in a long time, he was feeling a sense of home. His life was settling down, and he was looking forward to someday finding his chosen, a thought he hadn't seriously entertained before. It was a consideration of course and was on the edges of every vampire's desires but hadn't become a longing until he arrived in Crimson.

  He joined the Crimson Coven shortly after the Great Vampire War. He had been loaned to Crimson by his former coven to serve as a soldier in the Crimson Army. His best friend Evan Papineau moved to Crimson decades ago from their coven in Louisiana. He'd tried to get Leroy to come too, but it wasn't until he fought with them side by side that he realized that Crimson was where he belonged.

  The position of Sheriff was open when he arrived, and Master Stone arranged for him to be appointed. He was an enforcer in his old coven, and he found he excelled at that type of work. Evan was more the diplomat and was rising in the ranks of the Coven proper. Leroy, on the other hand, liked getting dirty and preferred to deal with problems in a more direct manner.

  Little by little over the years the Crimson Coven had been working its way into city and county government so as to be a buffer against anyone finding out what the Crimson Plantation was really hiding. As Sheriff, he became the first line of defense when people came nosing around. His staff was primarily made up of vampires like himself which also helped to make him feel comfortable and at home.

  “That was a very informative presentation, Sheriff. You and your deputies have been keeping this town safe and I for one support you one hundred percent.” The young lady reached out her hand and Leroy took it and smiled.

  He stood with Rev. Bridger outside on the walkway and shook every hand as the congregation left the church. He found the ritual pleasant and for most people present, the sentiment was genuine. There were the few troublemakers and pains in the ass in the lot, as is true of any community, but they were in the minority.

  Leroy had lunch with Rev. Bridger and his family and then headed home to spend the rest of his day off with his good friend Evan Papineau. He looked forward to a little tv, a few beers, and some good conversation. It was the perfect Sunday evening.

  …

  Dr. Daniel Culpepper had just gotten to town and was heading for the Heritage Hotel in downtown Crimson. He’d made reservations months ago after he decided to include the Crimson Plantation in his current research. He was quite well known in the field of Historic American Architecture and rarely had difficulty gaining access to locations, but Crimson Plantation had proven to be particularly difficult.

  Even with his academic credentials neither his assistant nor the University were able to get an agreement from the Crimson Corporation which owned the plantation. Daniel hoped that if he showed up and demonstrated his intention and his professionalism that perhaps the owners would give him access.

  At the very least he could get some local history and local flavor and add the fact that the location was unattainable to his piece. From what he'd discovered in his research there was already a fair amount of myth and intrigue surrounding the place. A little added mystery within the body of his work could make it even more interesting. Daniel didn't like to deal in myth as a rule, but the plantation needed a mention in his new work either facts or myth, Crimson Corp. would decide.

  After he checked in and changed into jeans and a comfortable sweater, he grabbed his coat and headed out to explore the town. It was a cool yet sunny Sunday afternoon in

  December, so he decided to walk to get a more hands-on feel of the area. The town was mid-sized which was surprising considering such a large corporation as Crimson called this home.

  It appeared urban in some respects and rural in others, it seemed a very pleasant city when observed by an outsider. Daniel wondered what it was like to actually live and work here on the day today. The urban side was large buildings, creative little shops, and interesting restaurants and coffee shops. Crimson held the usual array of mid-eighteenth-century brick or wood storefronts of a varying degree of ornamentation, as one usually finds in Eastern American cities, but in Crimson they were clearly better maintained. The green space was considerable and included a large open square near the waterfront surround by lovely brick buildings, church spires, and storefronts. The Crimson Courthouse stood here with its imposing Georgian brick and white trim façade and Victorian clocktower, a later ornamental addition. The public areas of the town appeared well balanced against the industrial and what he saw of the residential was very nicely laid out.

  From what he’d read, the town came into existence shortly after the plantation was built and slowly began to flourish. The town seemed to be an extension of the plantation at first but then grew into its own entity over time. The connection between the two was still strong and could be felt in the number of locals employed by Crimson owned businesses and properties.

  He stopped into one of the small cafés and ordered coffee and a confection and started to make some calls. A local historian agreed to meet with him on Monday, so that was a beginning at least.

  Daniel sat back and observed the area for a while before pulling his tablet out of his messenger bag to read the additional research his assistant had gathered on the plantation. It still wasn’t much considering the number of years it had been in existence and the amount of influence the plantation wielded. He smiled when he saw that it was more eyewitness accounts that purported magic and mayhem on the plantation grounds. It was an interesting read but nothing he could prove. He chuckled at the thought.

  His assistant had also included an article about a prominent real estate developer, Nolan Prescot who was reported to have traveled to Crimson just before he disappeared. The man was located days later wondering a park in his hometown with no memory of ever being in Crimson and actually no memory left at all. He was currently hospitalized and being treated for neurological problems.

  Prescot reportedly had come to Crimson looking for his two step-sons who had supposedly been abducted by their older brother. Then somehow the boys end up in Crimson custody and guardianship at the end of th
e story. There were a lot of things to consider in this report, but the police and the family were satisfied so who was Daniel to question. It was baffling, but he probably only had half the story anyway.

  After a few minutes of pondering how to gain access to Crimson Plantation, he decided to complete his walk around and then head back to the hotel for dinner. He had a few sketches of the Plantation house that were dated centuries ago, a written description and a blurred aerial view, so he had that at least. None of it was detailed enough, and he wasn't satisfied by far. He didn't want to have to walk away from this, he had to find someone who would talk or would get him inside.

  He would do everything in his power to get an accurate rendering of the house and property. If the owners shied away from photographs, he was willing to go with just a written detailing of the place. He was driven at this point simply because it was turning into such a well-kept secret. Normally he would have made a small reference to the place and moved on by now, but the Crimson Plantation seemed to call to him like no other structure ever had.

  …

  “Dr. Daniel Culpepper checked into the Heritage this afternoon. He has been thwarted at every attempt over the past four months to access the plantation and yet he continues to pursue us. Marilee Castor called, and he’s meeting with her tomorrow to discuss the Plantation.” Cullen reported.

  The Coven has been following Dr. Daniel Culpepper since he first showed an interest in including the Crimson Plantation in his new book. Their anonymity and their secrecy were paramount to their safety and survival, so any probing interest was dissuaded immediately. Unfortunately, they had failed to dissuade, and Dr. Culpepper was now in town asking questions.

  “What are his credentials?” Master Alexander Stone asked.

  “Ph.D., Architectural Historian, a scholar in the field of landscape architecture and an international lecturer. Has authored two books on the subject and is in the process of writing number three. He is quite revered in his field of study and is associated with the University of Pennsylvania.” Cullen looked down at this tablet and then added. “He is also a language scholar with a specialty in dead and extinct languages.”

  "Impressive considering, he's only twenty-seven," Alexander commented. He stopped and looked around at the people he had called together for this meeting. Cullen Volakis, his Second and head of security, Tobias Yates, supervisor of corporate security, and Levar Ralls, mayor of Crimson City.

  “What about influencing his mind? I know you sent someone to the University when this first came to our attention, Cullen, what became of that attempt?” Alexander turned his attention back to Cullen.

  “Yes, I sent Michael McShane to infiltrate the department and get close to Culpepper. He was not successful. Dr. Culpepper is a rather isolated individual with little time for anyone or anything apart from his academic pursuits.” Cullen looked mildly irritated at the failure. “He stated in his report that he was not able to enter the man’s mind and after three attempts backed away fearing that his behavior was becoming suspicious.”

  “Is he paranormal?” Alexander asked.

  “No he is not, and it isn’t the same situation we had with the Dragon King and his mate." Cullen clarified. "Lachlan was not aware of his paranormal beginnings, but upon investigation, it was easy enough to discover. With that said, I have completed an extensive background and DNA check on Dr. Daniel Culpepper. He is one hundred percent human, primarily English, Irish, and Scottish to be specific."

  "I had David at the airport, Russell in the taxi, and Deborah at the hotel and they all tried to influence Dr. Culpepper to no avail," Levar informed. "There is something special about this man."

  “He hasn’t come to the offices but has called asking for an appointment with you Master Stone. We’ve put him off so far.” Tobias added.

  “I will drop in during his meeting with Marilee tomorrow and try to change his mind.” Cullen’s words were dark enough that Alexander felt the need to interject limitations.

  "Within acceptable reason, we don't want to make any unnecessary enemies. If you cannot get into his subconscious, then there has to be a reason for that, and I want to know what it is."

  “Of course.” Cullen conceded.

  …

  Daniel worked through the evening reviewing his research and organizing his notes. The work was starting to take shape, and all he needed was to get a look at Crimson Plantation. It was a pure fluke that he even found out the place even existed. He knew nothing about it until he was looking through a magazine while waiting for the dentist and happened on a story that included Alexander Stone the President and CEO of Crimson Corporation. The article made a brief mention of a centuries-old plantation house and extensive property. It was just a couple of words, but it piqued his interest.

  He then looked into Alexander Stone further, after finding his life and pursuits appealing. Daniel had a passion for historical restoration. That led him to the Crimson Plantation settled in the mid-sixteen-hundreds by Alexander Stone's ancestors no less. This was a true dynasty, and that home had been in the hands of one family for the past approximately three hundred and fifty years, and yet there were no true records of this structure.

  After that Daniel was obsessed with getting a look at Crimson Plantation and including it in his new work. Unfortunately, he was met with difficulties and roadblocks every step of the way. No one he knew had any connections or clout to get him inside, and that had never happened to him before. This place was like Area 51, no one got close and no one had answers. But unlike Area 51 very few people knew this place even existed and if they did, they soon forgot like Nolan Prescot. No, he wasn't going to let his thoughts veer to such a place. Nolan Prescot was just an unfortunate man who had a mental breakdown. His thoughts then went to the memory of another he tried to interview who, at one time, had said they'd visited the plantation.

  The man had claimed in a business briefing that he'd seen the plantation, two days later completely forgot he was ever there and insisted he never saw the place and that it was just a myth. He even got belligerent when Daniel showed him the briefing and refused to ever speak with him again.

  A small nagging insistence in the back of Daniel’s mind questioned whether it was wise to push forward on this, but his curiosity kept him going. Now that he was in Crimson, Virginia he again wondered why he needed to know, why he needed to see this place, but he had no answer.

  After dinner which he’d ordered through room service, he set his work aside and stepped out onto the small balcony that overlooked the main street and the town square. He thought about the people he'd met throughout the day. They were pleasant and courteous, but there existed a distance and distrust that confused him. It wasn't the usual newcomer suspicion, it was personal and he felt it.

  This wasn’t a small town where everyone knew everyone else and he wasn’t the only stranger by far, but he felt singled out as the interloper from the get-go. Also, why was he getting so many, in your face pointed stares? It felt like they were trying to read his mind.

  The guy at the airport, the taxi driver, the lady who checked him in at the hotel desk, and even Toby who brought him his dinner, they all looked at him like he was from Mars or something. Why the intensity in their assessment? He asked Toby what the problem was, but he shook it off like, no problem and if there is one it’s your imagination.

  Daniel stopped his wild conspiracy theory frame of mind and focused on the city before him. It was like any other mid-sized city he'd visited along the East Coast, nothing out of the ordinary other than its residents. When he started to garner too much attention from the sidewalk below, he stepped back inside his room. Will the people of this town ever stop staring?

  “Who in the hell stops on the sidewalk in order to stare up at a man on his balcony?” Daniel groused. “And he just stands there, not hiding, just ill-mannered blatant staring.” He added as he peeked out his window. Daniel closed his curtains and went back to sit down at the small table where h
e’d set up his laptop.

  He ran through his information on Alexander Stone one more time. The plantation was built by his great-great-grandfather when he came to this still new Virginia Colony with his family and several others that were a part of his household apparently. The history was spotty on anything that was personal to the Stone family.

  The Plantation was added to over the centuries, but the actual size is unknown. Daniel estimated the size to be somewhere in the neighborhood of eight or nine hundred thousand square feet. There was a massive garden which existed from the beginning, but it was decorative apart from some fruit trees. They never grew crops. The garden wasn’t income driven it was there strictly for pleasure and appreciation. The Plantation never had to support itself. Never had an outside staff.

  Based on the old drawings and half-assed accounts over the years he believed the structure to be positioned within a six-hundred-and-twenty-acre section approximately fifteen miles outside of town. This was all pretty sketchy, but it was the best he could pin together based on hours of research by himself and his assistant. It was all so frustrating, why couldn't he just drive out there and look at it? He closed his computer and threw himself onto the bed.

  …

  Sheriff Thibodaux was standing out in front of Angelo's Italian Restaurant waiting for his date to arrive when his attention was drawn the hotel across the street. There on the fourth-floor balcony was a man standing quietly taking in the night and the city below him. He looked serene, and for some reason, Leroy could not stop watching him. His presence was alluring in a way that had Leroy puzzled.

  Just as the man looked down at him and suddenly turned and walked back inside, Leroy's date walked up beside him. He met Simon, who was human, through his deputy Jarod Marks and this was their second date. Nothing serious just looking for short-term comfort and companionship. Leroy was a firm believer in destiny, and he knew that he had a chosen bond out there somewhere waiting for him. Only his chosen would own his heart.