by Kurup, P. L.
She jolted as she pricked her finger on the needle. In seconds, blood rushed from the lesion and dripped on the floor. She had ‘O negative’ blood, his favourite. The resulting deluge made him edge closer to her.
“What are you doing?” she questioned, drawing back.
Samuel grabbed her injured finger and put it in his mouth. His eyes closed on tasting the heavenly fluid, and he resisted her efforts to free herself by tightening his grip.
“Samuel, please let go,” she hollered.
Snapping out of his trance, he saw her weeping and on the verge of collapse. Samuel released her hand, unaware of how long he’d held her captive.
“Isabella, forgive me.”
She thrust him away and raced out of the room as he sat stupefied at what he’d done.
“I am so sorry,” he whispered.
His eyes fell on the crumpled mass of garments on the floor, and he picked out the tattered shirt and trousers and put them on. Isabella was in her room. Not wanting to upset her anymore, he sat back on the sofa and stared into space.
xxx
When night fell, he still sat on the sofa and Isabella remained upstairs. He cringed at her ongoing sobs and felt helpless.
“Enough is enough!” he declared, rising from his seat.
He strode to the kitchen in the rear determined to cheer her up.
The kitchen had grey walls and a small circular table in the middle. He opened a pantry door and pulled out some carrots, potatoes, herbs, chicken, salt, and other spices and tossed them on the table. After filling a large pot with water, he added the ingredients he’d snatched from the pantry, lit a fire in the hearth, and secured the pot onto the rudimentary cooker. The brew bubbled, and a divine aroma wafted through the house. He didn’t taste the mixture, but he knew how long the broth needed to cook, having watched the chefs prepare meals at the chateau.
Once the broth was prepared, he ladled it into a large bowl, dropped a china spoon into the dish, and stepped out of the smoke-filled kitchen. He made the short journey to the dining whilst clutching the bowl full of broth, and placed it at the head of a rosewood table. Samuel took a seat on the opposite end and drummed his fingers on his wrist. The soup’s aroma spread throughout the house, when it reached Isabella’s room, her crying ceased. He heard her negotiate her way downstairs, the rustling of her taffeta dress growing louder as she drew near.
She shuffled in and took a seat at the top of the table as he wanted her to. He noticed her injured finger was bandaged with linen cloth, and it no longer captivated him. Her eyes were red from crying, her face pale and drawn. The blithe girl no longer there.
“I hope you like chicken broth,” he said, knowing it was her favourite.
Isabella tasted the food and remarked, “It’s delicious. Exactly the way my mother used to make it… It’s almost as if you knew what I wanted.” She shoved the bowl away and interlocked her fingers. “I saw you feed on the birds this morning. On the ship, I never saw you eat or drink anything. When you tasted my blood, your eyes rolled back in your head as if you relished it... You’re not human, are you?”
“No,” he answered. “Someone made me this way, and I can’t consume anything other than blood.”
“Is that why you don’t like me? Because I’m not like you?” she posed.
“I like you very much. You’re the only one who has shown me kindness.”
“Then why do you keep leaving me?” she demanded furiously.
“The longer I stay in one place, the more dangerous I become to those around me. That’s why I stayed away from you on the ship, why I left you the night of the party, why I must leave again.”
“At least stay one more day,” she said, swapping to the chair next to him. “After that, you can abandon me forever.”
Samuel frowned at her statement. Wanting him to stay was the last thing he expected. He touched her face and stared into her lonely, brown eyes. “I will stay until the sun sets tomorrow.”
Isabella rested her head on his hand and he saw her beaming with happiness.
Chapter 13
They woke up in the same bed, though nothing happened during the night.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked her.
“Like the dead.” Samuel frowned at her response. “So today’s the day you leave me for good.”
“Apparently so.”
Samuel had mixed feelings about the day. Unlike some vampires, he didn’t have the gift of second sight. It was fine saying he would leave, but he had no idea where he was heading. Returning to a life of vagrancy seemed unbearable.
“I’ll get dressed, and we’ll go out,” she said.
“I’ll wait downstairs,” Samuel replied.
She undressed before he left the room, and he saw a glimpse of her nakedness.
He went downstairs and sat on the drawing room sofa. She took her time getting ready, and when she finally came downstairs, his eyes widened because she looked fabulous. Her outfit of choice was a pale green dress that reinforced her petite frame and a yellow ribbon in her hair. Her expression shone despite it being the last day she would spend with him.
“You look wonderful,” Samuel said.
“I look satisfactory for a stroll through the city. Nothing more. Shall we go?”
“By all means.”
Samuel joined her, and they walked out into a crisp, sunny morning. He made a detour for the outskirts of the city where he’d spent much of his time.
“Are we going to the fields?” she asked him.
“I want to show you something special. Unless you want to go elsewhere?”
“No, the fields are fine.”
Samuel knew that all she wanted was to be at his side. Where they went and how they filled their time was unimportant. He treated her by taking her to a place strewn with wildflowers, where the air was fresh and clean.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been here,” she said.
“Ten years,” he blurted out.
“I don’t know whether to be intrigued or terrified by your ability to read my mind.”
“You don’t have to be scared of me, Isabella. I will never hurt you.”
“If you leave me, that’s exactly what you’ll be doing.”
“I know you’re upset that I’m going, but I can’t live like a normal human being. I need boundaries,” Samuel explained.
“You made me fall in love with you,” she said as her eyes swelled with tears. “I don’t care that you’re different from me. I don’t care that you’re…”
“A vampire.” He held her on either side. “An evil being. You look at me, and you see a good-looking man. But in a few hours’ time, I will be so hungry that I will strike you down and drink your blood. I’m leaving because I care about you.”
“I don’t regret meeting you. In fact, the time we had together was the happiest of my life.”
He responded by kissing her on the lips, but she shoved him back.
They returned to the city, and passed the theatre without giving it a second glance. The town was busy as always, and she bought some roasted chestnuts and wolfed them down one at a time. She offered one to Samuel, who moved her hand away, repulsed by the food’s odour. Her gesture convinced him she was in denial about what he was. He didn’t blame her for being skeptical. Until Lucas ploughed his fangs into his neck, even he didn’t believe such creatures existed.
Isabella walked into a popular clothing establishment packed with people. Samuel followed her in and hoped he wouldn’t get peckish. The premises overflowed with suits, dresses, shoes, and hats. Five shop assistants looked exhausted as they rushed about, serving the demanding clientele. A plain-looking female worker with brunette hair sashayed over to Samuel.
“Is there anything here that interests you, senor?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. You see, I’m not one for fashion,” he answered.
“Then allow me to assist. Since your complexion is so pale and your eyes so blue, I would recommend a vi
brant red suit.”
She pulled a crimson suit from the shelf, tossed it on the counter, and caressed it with her fingers whilst staring at him.
“It looks so nice, but I really can’t decide,” Samuel said.
“I can. The outfit’s so garish it’ll look like you’ve been soaked in blood if you wore it,” snapped Isabella.
Glaring at the saleswoman, she grabbed his arm and pulled him deeper into the shop. Samuel suspected that her generous nature was on overdrive and that she was about to spend a lot of money on him.
“I don’t need you to buy me anything. I’ve taken too much from you already,” he repeated.
“Nonsense. I won’t have you leaving me in such a bedraggled state.”
The back of the shop was stacked with an assortment of suits, hats, cloaks, and shoes. While Samuel remained unmoved by the selection, Isabella yanked several pieces from the shelves and handed them to him.
“Try them on,” she said.
He wandered behind a wooden screen, took off his tainted and torn clothes, and put on the white shirt, breeches, jacket, socks, cravat, and shoes she gave him. If he were mortal, the mirror in front of him would’ve revealed that the taupe jacket and breeches dampened his opaqueness, boosted his majestic figure, and made him look a touch less ethereal.
“Come out, then,” Isabella called out.
He shuffled out from behind the screen, and she gasped in amazement.
“You look astounding,” she declared.
“Thank you for doing this for me, Isabella.”
“It’s no trouble. You may leave your old clothes here. The staff will get rid of them.”
She swiveled round and returned to the front of the shop with Samuel trailing behind her.
The place still overflowed with people, but as staff and customers set eyes on the ludicrously attractive Samuel d’Orleans, conversations stopped and faces lit up.
“Senor, you are marvelous,” cried an overzealous debutante.
“Gracias,” he said, offering her a lopsided grin.
“Please visit us again at your earliest convenience,” said the brunette sales girl.
“I’d love to,” Samuel replied.
Isabella cleared her throat, forcing the girl to look her way. After paying for the items, Isabella hooked her arm around his, and they strode outside with a confident air.
xxx
The hours flittered by and the one day he promised her would soon come to an end. By the time they reached the other side of town, the evening drew in and an array of golds, yellows, and pinks blanketed the sky. She rested her head on his shoulder, and they stared ahead until the last scraps of light had disappeared.
“Is there no way you can stay?” she asked him.
“I’m afraid not. I swear my decision has nothing to do with you.”
“First my parents, then my brother, and now you. I seem to lose anyone I ever care about.” Samuel felt all her sorrows at once and was chocked by grief. “I want you to know that I will be all right. I have my house and my legions of friends. So you don’t have to worry about me.”
“What about Raul?” he suggested.
Isabella chuckled for half a minute.
“Raul is too serious for my taste. Anyway, I think he’d want someone a little less controlling.”
“I happen to know that he adores you.”
“How do you know that?” Isabella quizzed.
“Because the night of the party, I saw… I heard him…” Isabella’s forehead creased. “Never mind, I will take you home.”
They walked through the darkened streets, and she had an unhappy look in her eyes. He blamed himself for her state, but knew that an apology would be pointless.
The couple entered the manor courtyard, and he saw a carriage standing by the entranceway.
“That’s Raul’s carriage,” she exclaimed. “What’s he doing here?”
Raul stepped down from the coach and stared at Isabella like he hadn’t seen her in months.
“I will never forget you,” Samuel said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“Nor I you.” Her voice quivered.
Isabella walked to Raul, who clutched her hands and gushed out every feeling he had for her. Samuel watched them briefly, then turned round, and strolled out of Isabella Diaz’s life forever.
He roamed the streets all night, absorbing the sights and smells of town. Before dawn came, he settled on an alley step.
xxx
One year to the day he arrived in the city, Samuel wandered to the port and stared at the tall ships moored there. The morning breeze, calm and soothing, was perforated with the heady stench of seaweed and wet sand. He watched children playing on the beach and threw back a ball that had gone astray. His eyes followed the ball’s path, and he saw a man of Sicilian origin carrying a crate full of supplies to a ship. Samuel followed him and boarded the vessel with no misgivings. He noticed that the interior was not as luxurious as the one he sailed to Spain in. There were no mahogany staircases or lavish paintings on the walls. The floor was filthy. The smell of seaweed overpowered by the stench of rotting fish. Samuel approached the man and said, “I am looking for passage on board your ship. I can work for the fare.”
The man turned and snorted at Samuel’s fine clothes.
“Go back the way you came.” He grunted.
“I will not. I’m not leaving until you give me a job,” Samuel stated defiantly.
“Carry those crates on board and you can sail with us.”
Samuel looked left and saw seventy wooden crates scattered in a remote part of the beach. “I will start immediately.”
Striding to the far side of the shore, he shifted the heavy crates onto the ship, making sure he worked at a slow pace so as not to rouse suspicion. He paused occasionally and pretended to wipe his brow. Hours later, he had secured all seventy crates on board the ship. The captain, a tall man, of Moroccan descent, approached him.
“What is your name?” the captain asked.
“Samuel, sir.”
“Welcome aboard, Samuel. I hope you like long journeys. It’ll be months before we arrive in China,” the captain said, walking away.
“China,” Samuel mimed with delight.
The crew prepared the ship for sea, and Samuel sensed that they were wary of his presence. There were nine in total, the majority no more than thirty years of age. Each carrying a dubious past they needed to keep secret. Samuel nodded to them, but all he got back was a haughty aloofness.
The ship pulled away from the dock, and he bid farewell to the wide-open streets of Madrid, to his ‘bed’ under the bridge, to the countless citizens who treated him with honour, and to his tenacious Isabella.
Chapter 14
As in the previous ship journey, he was so respectful and courteous to everyone that no one suspected that he was lethal enough to murder everyone on board. Like before, he kept to himself and never ate or drank with anyone, but the crew failed to challenge him about it.
Samuel lent a hand by working seventeen hours a day without complaint. At daybreak, he made breakfast for the crew, swabbed the decks, pumped away any excess water, and took the first watch. By midmorning, he mended the holes in the sails and caught fish to bolster food reserves. As the weeks went by, he became good friends with the captain, who appreciated his hardworking nature.
“We will reach shore in a few days’ time,” the captain told him one day. “You have been a great help to us, but your place is not amongst the people on this ship. You must go your own way.”
“Thank you for all that you and your crew have done for me. I am truly grateful,” Samuel replied.
xxx
One misty afternoon, Samuel stood on deck and saw the ocean view make way for mountain ranges. He had only read about such places in books, and his spirit soared with the prospect of adventure. The ship stopped a fair distance from land, and while the crew toasted their safe arrival with a swig of whisky, the captain spoke to Samuel in confide
nce.
“Be careful how you go,” he told him. “There are those who don’t take kindly to vampires.”
Samuel looked at him curiously and deduced the captain knew what he was from day one. Five crew members lowered a rowboat into the water and climbed on board. As they did, Samuel snuck to the other end of the ship, and jumped over the side. Like before, he levitated above the water as the sea churned below. Grinning at his talent, he walked across the ocean submerging no part of himself, and reached the beach long before the boat full of men did.
The landscape comprised white sandy shores that spread for miles. The legendary mountain range he deemed close was a hefty fifty miles away. He trod across the coast, collecting sand in his shoes, and came to a wall of Banyan trees. Samuel peered through the gaps in the foliage and saw a vast and mythical forest that reminded him of the fairy tales he’d read as a child.
“I have nothing to lose,” he said, striding into the wilderness.
His superhuman senses were inundated by a muddle of sounds and smells. He not only heard the insects burrowing underground, but the roar of jaguars a hundred miles away. He hiked all day, gorging himself on exotic creatures that satisfied his relentless thirst.
By nightfall, he arrived at a dusty road with a fork in it and took the left path without giving it another thought. Something odd was happening. In that, the further he walked, the more surreal the surroundings became. Skeletal-shaped trees lined the road, the cries of peculiar beasts filled the air. In the early hours, a mist swelled above his knees, making it look as if he floated midair. It seemed like civilization came to a halt there, yet he plodded on. He was stopped by the screams of a young girl echoing from the bushes. The shouts were too subtle for human ears to detect, but Samuel heard them as clearly as if she were standing in front of him. He dashed to the noise, covering miles in seconds, and ended in the thickest part of the woods. Samuel listened for the girl again, but all he heard were the rustling of branches. Then, in the distance, he glimpsed the image of a man wearing tattered clothes.
