Jamie

by I D Johnson

  Jamie

  A Vampire Hunter’s Tale Book 2

  ID Johnson

  Copyright © 2018 by ID Johnson All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  For my friend Margie who inspired Jamie’s sister with her ability to stay forever young.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  Also by ID Johnson

  Chapter 1

  Boston, Massachusetts, USA, 1874

  The alleyway was always dark and menacing, even on the brightest of spring days. It ran between two rows of houses just a few blocks from James’s house, almost equidistant to his best friend Timmy’s. Though he enjoyed running through the neighborhood with his friend, coming back home in the afternoon was always a frightening experience. No matter how many times he managed to get past the obstacle, whether coming or going, he always assumed each time he approached the chasm it would be his last as something would burst forth from the shadows and drag him away, never to be seen or heard from again.

  This particular day, James had left Timmy’s a bit early as his friend’s older brother had stayed home from school with a cough and was constantly interfering in the younger boys’ attempts at playing with Timmy’s new baseball. Once Steven had tossed it in the bushes for the sixth or seventh time, James had had enough and told Timmy he might see him tomorrow, taking off for home.

  Now, as he approached the last of the row houses on this side of the alleyway, he felt his breath catch in his throat. Even from here, the darkness seemed to spill out to the walkway, encroaching on the otherwise cheery spring day. He took two more short steps and then froze in place.

  He had developed a few strategies for getting past the alleyway, though none of them were particularly helpful. The one that he liked least was to close his eyes and run. Even though it stood to reason this would be the least terrifying way to cross, it failed him every time. While he knew not being able to look down the alley should prevent him from seeing anything horrific, it might also prevent him from escaping capture. Rarely did he employ this tactic.

  Another method had been to step to the edge of the shadows and twist his head as much as possible so that he could check for predators before proceeding into the realm of darkness. This way, should there be anything menacing lurking along the edges of the bordering homes, amidst the unkempt ivies and weeds that clung to the fences and siding, the garbage cans and other residents who never left the bleakness of the alley, he could retreat before he fell into their clutches. This was his usual way of checking to make sure he was safe to sprint to the light on the other side of the walkway.

  One more way, one he had only used once before after his older sister, Marjorie, had called him a “sissy pants” was to turn so that he was facing the alley head on and draw upon all the courage he could muster so that he could make his face as fierce as possible. He had stood in the splash of darkness for a moment, his hands resolutely fisted on his hips, looking his antagonists in the eyes, should they dare to face him, and then slowly step to the other side. This was certainly the best strategy he had come up with, although it was faulty in that the one time he had used it, he’d nearly wet his pants when a leaf caught in the wind seemed to lurch at him.

  Today, he decided to use what he had nicknamed the “look and leap” approach, where he would turn his head and check the alleyway before taking off across to safety as fast as his little legs could carry him. With a deep breath, he took one more step, and then straining his neck so that his head stretched into the danger zone, he peered into the un-trustable space, hoping to see nothing more than the shadows of known objects he’d become familiar with in previous treks.

  At first, James saw nothing out of the ordinary—only a few taller weeds stretching out into the wind, catching his eye with their unexpected movement. Two garbage receptacles stood in their usual places. The small piece of siding that had been flapping in the breeze ever since that snowstorm last January continued to rock back and forth as usual. Though he felt relieved, he still didn’t completely trust all was well. One could never tell when evil might rear its ugly head. Yet, with nothing visually imposing before him, he took a step into the shadows.

  Then, something moved. He was sure of it. Out of the corner of his eye, as he began to turn his head so that he could see where he was going as he sprinted along the sidewalk, he noticed it—a quick, sudden shadow rising up in his peripheral vision. He turned his head back toward the alleyway to see a figure retreating into the darkness, fading into the edges of the back of the corridor where there was not enough light to see from James’s position. It was a human form, of that he was sure, but the rapidity of its departure seemed impossible. Even though he wasn’t quite sure exactly what he was looking at, a gleam seemed to catch his eye as the figure initially rose from its crouched position behind the trash receptacle. He couldn’t be certain, but James thought it may have been the glint of the sun off of razor sharp teeth!

  Without another thought, he took off running as fast as he could up Chestnut Street toward his home. He passed an elderly neighbor woman, Mrs. O’Neal, but he didn’t even acknowledge her greeting as he sprinted the next two blocks to the safety of his own home. He knew for sure he wouldn’t be visiting Timmy’s house again the next day—nor any other, for that matter.

  Felicity Joplin was hard at work in her attached kitchen, making several loaves of bread to share with the patients at the hospital where her husband, Dr. Wallace Joplin, worked. Alongside her, the housekeeper, Sadie, the daughter of a man Felicity’s own father had helped rescue along the Underground Railroad twenty years previously, helped prepare the dough. Even though Felicity could’ve left this task to the hired help, she enjoyed baking and often prepared the family meals herself.

  “I’m just sayin’,” Sadie continued in her usual manner, “I think telling the boy so much about spooks at his age is gonna turn him soft, that’s all. He’s a’scared of everything.”

  Felicity used the back of her hand to wipe a bead of sweat off of her brow. It was a nice spring day and the windows were open, but with the fire going, it was still hot in the kitchen. Sadie’s insistence that she was damaging her son’s psyche by telling him the truth also seemed to be raising her core temperature. “As I’ve explained,” Felicity began, attempting to keep her voice calm and even, “Wallace and I believe it is best for our children to know the truth as young as possible. Telling them untruths is no way to raise respectable citizens who value honesty and have high moral constitutions.”

  “I ain’t saying lie to them,” Sadie continued, kneading a loaf with practiced hands, “but that boy is scared of his own shadow. And he’s got a mouth on him, too. He’s likely already told half his Sunday school class about his uncle who can’t die and things that go bump in the night.”

 
A soft chuckle escaped Felicity’s lips. “I doubt that. James and Marjorie have both been instructed to keep our family secrets to themselves. I don’t think he’s told anyone.”

  “Hmmm,” Sadie replied, and Felicity braced herself for a story that would prove her wrong. “I was down at the market t’other day and ran into Hallie—she works for the Thrashers, over on Beacon.”

  “Yes, I know,” Felicity assured her, adding some flour to the loaf she was working on.

  “She told me the little Thrasher boy came back from church tellin’ his whole family about the insides of a chicken—all the parts and what they do. Said your boy was tellin’ the whole world all about dissecting that chicken Dr. Joplin butchered. Your boy is a talker, Mrs.”

  The image of James’s excited face as her husband had walked him through the internal workings of the fowl came to mind, and Felicity couldn’t help but smile. As good of a physician as her husband was, she was certain her son would be even more talented. He took such interest in learning about anatomy and all other areas of science.

  Her memories momentarily took her away from the kitchen, and it wasn’t until Sadie cleared her throat that she realized she hadn’t replied. “Telling his friends about an exciting scientific discovery isn’t the same as spreading information we’ve assured him needs to stay secret.”

  “Well, all I know is, he’s woken me up every night since you told him makin’ a fuss about shadows and noises outside of his window.”

  Felicity’s eyebrows raised as she looked at Sadie, the bread momentarily forgotten. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

  “Yes’m. I tell him it ain’t nothin’ to be a’feared of, but I don’t think he believes me.”

  Inhaling deeply, Felicity digested this new information. Sadie had been against telling the children the truth all along, but when Marjorie had asked why Uncle Culpepper looked as young now as he did in his portrait dated 1852, she and Wallace had decided to be forthcoming with their daughter, who was nearly eleven. It wasn’t long before they determined James needed to know the truth as well, even though he was only six. They thought they could explain things in a way that would make him understand he was in no danger, but that their family was different, special.

  After a lengthy pause, Felicity said, “I will speak to James when he gets home. I’m sure he’s fine.”

  “Umm hmm,” Sadie replied, but Felicity knew that sound well enough. Her friend and hired help was not agreeing with her.

  The women continued with their task in silence for a few moments, and Felicity reflected on Sadie’s words, wondering what she might say to James to calm his fear. He was a young boy, and most of them were prone to vivid imaginations. Her child was no exception. Surely, another assurance by his parents that there was nothing to be afraid of would put his nightmares to rest. She resolved to speak to Wallace about it as soon as he got home.

  The thought had only just formulated when the back door came bursting open. Sadie nearly dropped the bread pan she was placing over the fire, and the scoop of flour Felicity had been about to pour into the loaf she was making ended up on the counter.

  “Mother!” James shouted, slamming the door behind him and securing the latch. “Mother, help! I’ve seen one of them!” he proclaimed, rushing across the room and ramming his head into her flour-covered apron.

  “James, calm down,” Felicity insisted, prying him off of her so that she could stoop to his level. “Whatever are you talking about?”

  “On the way back from Timmy’s house! I saw one of them, lurking in the alleyway, down the street, near Mrs. O’Neal’s place.”

  “Saw one of what?” Felicity asked, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear what he had to say.

  “You know, Mother. A Vampire! It was standing in the shadows, making a menacing face at me. I saw it’s long, sharp teeth, Mother!”

  Before Felicity could even begin to comfort her frantic child, a peel of laughter rang through the air from the direction of the adjoining dining room. “Jamie!” Marjorie, Felicity’s oldest child, called. “You can’t be serious! You don’t actually think you saw a Vampire in broad daylight on Chestnut Street, do you?”

  James pulled himself out of Felicity’s arms and turned to face his newest assailant. “It wasn’t on the street, Largey Margie! It was down the alley. And yes, I did see it you old, fat sow!”

  “James!” Felicity scolded. “We do not call each other names in this household.”

  “She’s always calling me names!” he retorted. “Like sissy pants and baby Jamie.”

  “You are a baby,” Marjorie continued, crossing her arms. “You’re frightened of your own shadow.”

  “Am not!” James shouted back, though the look on his face seemed to show otherwise.

  Before he could call his sister another name, Felicity stood. “Marjorie—go finish your schoolwork. Where is your governess?”

  The sound of rushed footsteps on the stairs answered that question, as Ms. Whipple came down in a hurry, likely to investigate the noise. “Miss Marjorie, I said you may come to the kitchen for a piece of fruit and a drink, not to upset the entire household.”

  Marjorie uncrossed her arms and clasped them behind her back at the stern voice of her governess before the middle-aged woman with the sharp nose even appeared from the stairwell. “Yes, Ms. Whipple,” Marjorie replied, any trace of insolence gone from her voice.

  “Go along then,” Ms. Whipple insisted, jabbing a finger in the direction of the kitchen. Marjorie obliged immediately, her downcast eyes not daring glimpse her brother or her mother, and Felicity kept her arms wrapped around James who was fighting tears.

  Ms. Whipple had come highly recommended from some of Wallace’s friends in the Brahmin elite, as the particularly astute group of upper class citizens in their city was known, and even though the Joplins were not affluent enough to be considered part of that group, Wallace’s practice had gained him enough notice that he occasionally rubbed elbows with those who were considered both influential, and in many ways, chosen. In instance like this one, however, Felicity questioned her husband’s decision to hire the demanding governess. She didn’t like to see fear in either of her children’s eyes, and while her youngest was clearly afraid of shadows, the object of her oldest child’s fears was more obvious.

  As soon as Marjorie had returned upstairs with Ms. Whipple, Felicity stood and removed her apron. The bread would have to wait. She poured a glass of milk and took James by the hand. He hadn’t moved since she’d scolded him about name calling, and it took him a moment to stagger forward when she pulled on his dirty fingers. Eventually, his feet followed direction, and she led him into the parlor.

  Taking a seat in her favorite rocking chair, she set the milk on a nearby table and collected her child into her lap. Despite her husband’s medical expertise, Felicity had lost three children between Marjorie and James, and even now, six years later, the memory of her baby boy’s cries filling the bedroom upstairs still made her catch her breath. She loved both of her children immensely, and seeing her son this upset was troubling.

  He had always been gentle, tenderhearted, and, even though he was curious about animals and plants, anything related to science, he had a way about him that was both cautious and protective. While he did love to play ball with the other boys, she knew he preferred exploration and learning. She was afraid that, if they eventually sent him off to school, he would end up the focus of some bully or prankster’s disdain because of his soft heart.

  Despite feelings that she may be encouraging him to be more kindhearted than might be good for him, Felicity relished these opportunities to hold her son, and as she rocked the chair back and forth slowly, she felt his tense shoulders relax. He had his head on her shoulder, and she ran her fingers through his fine brown hair. The idea that she wouldn’t be able to do this for too much longer made her eyes tear up, and she pushed the thought away, determined to stay in the current moment.

  “Mother,” his small voice sai
d after a while, “do you believe me?”

  The question was an innocent one, and even though Felicity was most certain James had not seen a Vampire on Chestnut Street in the middle of a spring day, telling him so might well crush his soul. After all, if his own mother didn’t have faith in him, who would?

  On the other hand, Sadie’s warning that he was having trouble sleeping played back in her mind as well. This might be a good opportunity to assure him that he was safe.

  James tilted his head to look up at her, as if he didn’t understand why she wasn’t answering. Felicity smiled down at him, and taking a deep breath, she asked, “What exactly did you see, my boy?”

  “I told you,” he replied, though his voice was still uneven. “In the alleyway, down near Mrs. O’Neal’s house, between the rows of houses. You know the place?”

  “I do.” There was only one alleyway between their home and Timmy’s.

  “I saw a black figure, in the shadows. It had gleaming, sharp, white teeth.”

  “And what did it do?” Felicity asked, still stroking his head.

  James sighed and scrunched up his forehead. “It looked at me, but then it backed away, down deeper into the darkness, until I couldn’t see it any longer.”

  Clearing her throat, Felicity asked, “Why do you suppose a Vampire would do such a thing?”

  Her child puckered his lips, a face Felicity recognized he often made when deep in thought. “I’m not sure, Mother. Perhaps he was afraid to approach me in the daylight. Maybe he thought someone might see.”