SEX
BLOOD
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL
and
VAMPYR
Book 1
The Bloodline Trilogy
K. M. McFARLAND
Sex, Blood, Rock ‘N’ Roll, & Vampyr is a work of fiction. While locations are referred to in terms of existing New Orleans streets, the businesses, houses, and the characters that inhabit them are fictitious and exist solely in the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2016 by K. M. McFarland
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by: Act4Publishing
New Orleans, Louisiana
[email protected]
Cover Design: Julie Mirishka Nicholls
Smashwords Edition
ALSO BY K. M. MCFARLAND
Song of the Vampire
Under a Bourbon Street Moon
Masquerade
CONTENTS
Life Imitates Art
1
The City of the Dead
2
Big Dreams Little Vampire
3
Wives and Lovers
4
One Wild and Crazy Night
5
Auld Lang Syne My Friends
6
Vampyr Thursday Night
7
Myths, Legends, and Real Vampires
8
Downtown Saturday Night
9
A Comedy of Vampires
10
True Vampire
11
Blood is Thicker than Plasma
12
To Miss New Orleans
13
Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler
LIFE IMITATES ART
Life imitates art, or is it art imitates life?
As the sun set on the Vieux Carre, the artist dipped her brush into the paint and stroked it across the canvas creating her newest masterpiece depicting her favorite creatures of the night. As the images became more defined, the beauty of their faces and bodies began to shine through. She stopped painting and gazed upon her accomplishment with a smile thinking sometimes one person’s fantasy is another’s reality.
The artist is aware that there are individuals in this world who identify as vampires. Many of them have noticeable fangs, but their fangs are prosthetic. They can’t fly or control the human mind, they require a mortal diet, they age the same as humans, and they will die a mortal death.
She also knows that, on the other hand, contrary to what the majority of people believe, there are real vampires who can fly. They have the ability to control the human mind, they live on blood alone, they don’t age as mortals do, and their fangs are barely noticeable.
They’re still in physical form, so, yes, they can still see their reflections. Why wouldn’t they? They’re not ghosts.
Garlic, crosses, and religious articles don’t repel real vampires, and many enjoy wearing crosses.
They don’t sleep in coffins; they sleep in beds, sometimes with their significant others. They’re particular about the beds they sleep in. No vampire would want to spend the day crammed up in a casket. A comfortable mattress equals a good day’s sleep for a vampire.
Most of us wouldn’t know how to tell a vampire from anyone else in the crowd. We wouldn’t without getting close enough to feel that their body temperature is significantly lower than a human. But if the vampire has just fed, he or she would feel warmer, so it may not be noticeable then either.
Real vampires don’t exist in significant numbers as fiction would have us believe, but there are a few thousand undead scattered throughout the world. Their origin is as uncertain as man’s beginnings, but they have inhabited the earth for thousands of years.
There are many myths and legends about vampires that portray them as evil monsters who drain and kill their victims. Folklore has given the creatures of the night a much worse reputation than they deserve forcing the real vampires to live in secret.
The artist summons you into her vampire world. She asks you to forget all of the horror stories you have ever heard about vampires and open your mind as you discover the secret society of the undead.
Is it life that imitates art, or is it art that imitates life? We shall see.
1
THE CITY OF THE DEAD
On August 3, 2015, at 9:59 post meridiem, Lilly Brooks closed her eyes for the last time. Years of excessive alcohol consumption finally did her in. Her daughter, Randi, stood by her hospital bed while she was pronounced dead.
Those who knew Lilly well referred to her as a religious drunk. An appropriate title for a woman who spent the last twenty years of her life clenching a bottle of vodka in one hand and the bible in the other. From the time Lilly got up in the morning until she went to bed at night, she had a cocktail in her hand while preaching the word of the Lord.
The funeral home seemed to be taking their sweet time getting to the hospital to collect her remains, so Randi had plenty of time to reflect on their past while she waited.
She glanced over at her mother’s body while brushing her hand through her long pale blond hair. Her blue eyes filled with blood tears; something she’s had to get used to now that she’s a vampire. She quickly wiped them away as they rolled down her cheeks.
She and her mother were not exactly what you would call close. In fact, they barely had any contact from the time Randi left home until Lilly’s diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver. Her condition was too far advanced, and there wasn’t anything the doctors could do. The worst part was Lilly wasn’t going to stop drinking. It was sad watching her deteriorate, but Randi realized there’s no way to help those who don’t want to help themselves. God knows she tried many times. She wiped the tears from her face.
Randi moved back with Lilly for a short time after her divorce from her first husband, Brian, but there was a constant tension between them. Lilly didn’t approve of Randi’s friends, and Randi didn’t embrace her mother’s religious beliefs. After numerous disagreements, Randi moved out to begin a new life on her own.
She landed a job as PA for one of the most successful entrepreneurs in New Orleans, Quinn Forrester. Randi was attracted to Quinn from the moment they met. They soon fell in love and were married in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Randi called her mother from the wedding chapel to give her the news. Lilly was not happy about her daughter’s marriage and did not react well. Randi could still hear her shouting, “They’re all sinners; they’re all going to hell, and you’re going to hell with them.”
“Thanks, Mom, for the good wishes.” She hung up, and that was the last time they spoke until she got the call that Lilly had taken ill. As difficult as her mother was, she still loved her, and she would see her through her illness.
Randi wiped tears from her cheek and leaned over the bed. She noticed her mother’s jewelry and thought it would be best to remove it from her lifeless body. Randi wanted to keep her mother’s favorite possessions for sentimental reasons. Having heard stories of funeral homes stealing jewelry from the bodies of the deceased, she reached down and gently pulled the rings from her fingers; one emerald set in 14K gold and one diamond set in platinum. She unclasped the 14K gold and diamond pendant from around her neck.
She inspected the jewelry pieces as her mind drifted. They belonged to her mother, and they were gifts from her father given to her years ago before they divorced.
She wasn’t sure what she thought about her father. She understood her parent’s divorce, but she always felt that even though he lived in another city, he could have maintained some contact with her over the years. She couldn’t comprehend why he took care of her financially, but never once called or visited her.
Strangely enough, she even saw him in the audience at her high school and college graduation, but he left without even speaking to her. She didn’t mention anything to her mother about him being there. Since Lilly hadn’t said anything, she was certain she hadn’t seen him.
Maybe he kept his distance because of Lilly, but apparently, he cared about his daughter enough to show up at two of the most important events in her life. Whatever his reasons, she didn’t feel it would be fair to judge him when she didn’t know the facts. She closed her hand around the pendant and rings and dropped them into the zipper compartment in her purse zipping it up.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the creaking of the heavy wooden door. At first, she thought it was the funeral home, but the sight of her handsome husband put a smile on her face. His long golden curls seemed to glisten in the artificial light. She looked into his deep blue eyes. The corners of his full lips turned up into a beautiful smile. He stepped close to her and hugged her.
“My favorite vampire,” she said, wrapping her arms around him.
“How are you holding up, baby?”
“I’m okay. We’ll get through it.” She let out a sigh looking over at the corpse shaking her head. “She would never have approved of me being a vampire.”
He looked over at the body and held up his palm. “Not guilty. I didn’t do it.”
Randi chuckled gliding her hand over his chest. “I know, honey. In a way, I wish you had, but at least we’re the same bloodline.”
Quinn shook his head. “Just because she didn’t know we’re vampires doesn’t mean she didn’t have her issues with me. She didn’t approve of me because, as she used to say, I’m from a family of sinners.”
“My mother was judgmental. She didn’t like anybody. Would you want to be the only person she liked?”
The funeral home finally arrived. They exchanged greetings with Randi and Quinn and went right to work. Randi and Quinn stood in a corner in the background away from the two mortals while they transferred Lilly’s body from the hospital bed to the gurney and rolled her out.
As Lilly’s closest surviving relative, it would be up to Randi to make the funeral arrangements. She was thankful for being lucky enough to possess one of the limited numbers of amulets that allow vampires to walk in daylight. Being married to the second in command of the vampire council had its advantages.
The board is made up of seven of the most honorable vampires in the world. All have worked for the greater good and have earned their status as council members. They preside over the clandestine society of vampires. Their purpose is to make and uphold the laws and rules that vampires must live by to ensure their survival in the modern world.
For centuries, there were only seven small amulets in existence with the largest one locked in the council chambers in London. Only the seven board members guarded an amulet, but that has recently changed. The board agreed there was no purpose in having the large one locked up, and it seemed one of the council members was always trying to borrow one for their vampire family members, so they decided the more practical thing to do would be to have it cut into smaller pieces. It would be a greater advantage to the members for their vampire significant others and vampire children to possess one. Now Randi has her own along with Quinn’s daughter, Nadia.
Nadia had been living in Destin, Florida since her marriage to Chad Devereaux. Since Nadia and Randi have been best friends since they were children, Quinn called his daughter and gave her the news that Lilly had passed away. She immediately came home to help with the arrangements.
The next morning, with a little help from their amulets, Randi and Quinn met with the funeral home to take care of the details. They decided there would be an evening wake with a short service and burial the following morning.
Lilly had an insurance policy valued at seven thousand dollars, but when the funeral director began going over costs, it wasn’t going to be nearly enough. Quinn assured Randi whatever it didn’t cover; he would pick up. He told her to get whatever she wanted and not to worry about the cost.
Lilly was being laid to rest in the family tomb with her parents and an older brother. Both had passed away years ago, so clearing their remains to make room for Lilly would be no problem.
The ground under the city of New Orleans is swampland. Sometimes you can even feel the ground shake when a large vehicle passes on the street. If the people of New Orleans buried the dead six feet under, their coffins would wash up in the next hard rain. Since nobody wants to meet up with their deceased loved ones once interred, above ground burial is the only option.
Tombs are designed to hold several family members sealed with a plaque inscribed with the names of the deceased and their dates of birth and death. Once a body has decomposed, the remains can be pushed back freeing the space for the next person.
The tombs look like little houses made of concrete or marble set in a row. The cemeteries are laid out like city blocks with named streets identified with street signs. Because of the cemeteries resemblance to cities, they came to be known as cities of the dead.
Randi couldn’t believe it when the funeral director told her how much it was going to cost to open the tomb.
“How does the average person afford to die?” she asked. “Not everyone has a rich husband to pick up the tab. It’s ridiculous. A thousand dollars to open a tomb is outrageous.”
“If they don’t have enough insurance, they go into debt,” said Quinn. “Death is a money making business. It’s unfortunate, but true.”
After selecting a casket and wrapping up the details, Randi and Quinn retired for the day.
That evening, Nadia helped Randi choose a dress for her mother to wear, and they sorted through her clothes and belongings. They placed everything in large bags. Randi called and made arrangements to have everything picked up and donated to charity.
The house; a two bedroom, one bath, shotgun double on Annunciation Street in uptown New Orleans, was owned by Lilly. As her only surviving child, it will go to her daughter. Randi felt it was her duty to inform the tenant next door. Inez Galiano, a sweet lady from the ninth ward, had been the only occupant Randi could ever remember, and Miss Inez was like family to her. She planned to keep the house and was anxious to let her know.
She and Nadia stepped out onto the porch. Randi locked the deadbolt with her key and dropped her keys into her purse. They stepped over to the other door and rang the doorbell.
“Does the same lady still live there?” asked Nadia.
“Yes. Miss Inez has been living there ever since I can remember, and she’s like a grandmother to me.”
A stocky, elderly lady with a dyed blond helmet haircut in a floral print, loose fitting house dress with slip on bedroom slippers opened the door. She peered over her glasses and immediately recognized Randi. She unlocked the storm door and opened it. “Hi dawlin, Come in.” She hugged Randi and said slowly in a high nasal tone, “I’m so sorry ‘bout your mama.”
“Thank you, Miss Inez. I just wanted you to know that I’m planning to keep the house, and everything will remain the same.”
Inez breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, my dawlin, that was so sweet of you to come and tell me. I have to admit; I was a little worried about having to move after all these years.”
“You don’t.” She gestured at Nadia. “You remember my friend, Nadia, from a long time ago. We were always together when we were kids.”
Inez squinted at Nadia adjusting her glasses and said, “Oh, yeah. My goodness. You two were the cutest kids. Oh, my. You’re both all grown up and so beautiful now.”
“Thank you, Miss Inez,” said Randi, taking her by the hand. “I appreciate the way you have looked after
my mother and me.”
“Yeah, dawlin. Your mama had a problem. We all knew she drank too much, and I don’t think she ate properly, so I tried to help in whatever way I could. She was feeling bad for a long time, and I kept telling her to go to the doctor. By the time she felt bad enough to make an appointment, it was too late. I’m just so sorry ‘bout her passing.”
Randi smiled and said, “Believe it or not, you helped more than you know. I’m planning to rent my mother’s side, so if there’s anybody you know that you could recommend, I’d be grateful.”
“Oh, bebe, I don’t know anybody looking right now. I wish I could help, but I think if you list it, you won’t have any problem renting it. Look at you two skinny girls. Come in the kitchen. I just made a fresh batch of pralines. I remember how much you used to love my pralines when you were a little girl. Come. Have some.”
Randi and Nadia looked at each other and shrugged. Even though vampires don’t eat, they decided to play along. They followed her into the kitchen.
The smell would have been scrumptious for Randi when she was mortal, but as a vampire; not so appealing. “Miss Inez, thank you so much. Nadia and I just had dinner. We’re so full right now, but we’ll take some to go.”
“I’m stuffed,” said Nadia with her hand over her stomach being careful not to overplay it. “I couldn’t eat another bite right now, but I’ll look forward to them later.”
Sex, Blood, Rock 'N' Roll, and Vampyr (The Bloodline Series Book 1) Page 1
