Fire Nectar 2 (14 page)

I
t wasn’t
easy getting William to commit to an interview. I had to offer him extra pages in his book, a novelette I’m writing now. The vampires won’t let me sleep, you see. They’re anxious for me to tell their stories, to clear the air and tell the truth of who they are.

First let me describe him. His life was that of a warrior, like his Viking blood dictated. At the age of twenty seven, human, he took the life of King Herald in The Battle at Hastings, a battle still spoken about to this day. On Christmas day, he was crowned King of England. William is – William The Conqueror. He never died. During a battle when he was forty-two years old, a vampire saved his life by giving him the immortal gift. Vampires are very select with who they turn – and William had passed many tests.

His looks bear no feminine qualities. He is all male, very tall and broad of shoulder. His hands are thick and his nail beds are wide. His eyes are the wisest I have ever seen; deep brown, deep set and intense. His nose is powerful, as is his jaw. His hair is dark and worn like they wore it in the eleventh century, rather short with small sideburns. He has a trimmed beard, just like he had when he was turned in the year 1070. He is the oldest of the vampires. That I know of.

F
.M Hopkins
:
William, why is it you were reluctant to answer questions in an interview, but you have no problem with letting me write your auto-biography?

William The Conqueror:
You should know the answer to that by now.

F.M:
I’m only just learning about you. With Joshua or Daniella, I might know. But you and Elizabeth are still enigmas to me.

William:
I am in control when I tell you my history. I reveal only the parts of myself that I wish for you to share.

F.M:
Do you know that there are some parts of you that I am learning about, that I don’t think
you
even know, about yourself?

William:
Impossible.

F.M:
Hmm. You’re probably right. Let’s skip it.

William:
If you think you can use reverse psychology with me, you are wrong.
(smirks)

F.M:
Ha. Okay. Well, let me say that it has been an honor to get to know you. Even though you were French, your rule as Kind of England still reverberates to this day. Just in the last ten days there have been 14 news articles that mentioned William The Conqueror.

William:
Is that so? You’d think there would be better men to have come forth as time rolled on, to have washed away the memory a bit.

F.M:
You’re kind of hard to forget.

William:
Merci Beaucoup.
(bows his head, with a devilish glint.)

F.M:
Yes. Several articles on history, one on a castle you ordered built in 1084 which they called “Britain’s Ultimate Castle–

William:
I know the one you mean. That devil “Warwick” attached his name to it... and it stuck.

F.M:
Yes, that’s what it was called. Also, a ring believed to have belonged to your son, Robert was sold at auction.

William:
Robert was an ass.

F.M:
Oh?

William:
Yes. He was spoiled and lazy and did us no service by his existence.

F.M:
That’s a bit harsh.

William:
I do not suffer fools lightly, Ms. Hopkins. You know this.

F.M:
Yes, I do. I find it very sexy about you.

William:
Do you?

F.M:
Yes. I hope you don’t mind my saying so, but I keep hoping you might kiss me.

William:
I might.
(The way he looks at me now explodes goosebumps all over my body. I love a manly man. It’s my weakness.)

F.M:
You are the one who started the Vampire Creed. Can you tell me what that is?

William:
It’s simple. We don’t kill good people. They make the world better by being in it, and if you live as long as we do, you want to be around people who add to your existence, and to the existence of those around you.

F.M:
That makes sense. So no good people? None?

William:
Over the centuries, some mistakes have been made.

F.M:
What else is in the creed.

William:
Keep our numbers small. Few get the gift. It is easier to control a smaller number. And we are picky about who we select.

F.M:
Why is this?

William:
The same reason we do not kill the good. If someone is to live forever, that person should be exceptional, for over time they will impact the world.

F.M:
I love that. Anything else?

William:
Yes. Keep our secret safe. No one is to know. If a human is told, they must be worthy of trust. This rule is not always kept.

F.M:
Well, you can’t always know if someone is trustworthy. They can seem so, and then they change.

William:
Precisely. But do your best. Also, We must respect each other. Do our best to get along. You do not want an enemy for eternity. We may not like everyone, but we can follow the rules as well as leave each other alone. Because we have been selective with who we give the gift to, we can be certain respect will be honored.

F.M:
There’s one other thing that you’ve not mentioned.

William:
What is that? (He leans back and looks at me with a challenge. It’s unnerving.)

F.M:
You help each other when… trouble comes.

William:
Yes, but that is not the creed, so much as what
family
does.

F.M:
I was thinking you’re like a family.

William:
Not “like” - we are. Very much so. When one needs assistance, we come together.

F.M:
And when one…

William:
I know what you are about to say and I must request that you keep your voice quiet on this subject. Joshua and I are on our way to Los Angeles now, and it is a matter of privacy. You live there, do you not?

F.M:
You know where I live?

William:
I know a great many things, Ms. Hopkins. And a great many things about you.
(His knowing smile lights up his eyes… and only his eyes. He is so large a man, in stature and in power that I feel myself feeling very tiny and feminine. And rattled.)

F.M:
I think we can stop there.

William:
Must we?

F.M:
You’re toying with me now.

William:
I am not the sort to “toy.”

F.M:
Okay, well, This has been good, though. Good interview. Okay. Haha. Is there anything you’d like to say in closing?

William:
Yes. I would like to thank the beautiful Lindsey for having us. Please let her know that I visited her once, to make sure we could trust her. I watched her typing. She did not see me. Her eyes reminded me of an Egyptian princess I spent time with long ago.

F.M:
An Egyptian princess? I thought Matilda held your heart?

(at the mention of his human wife who died, human, in 1083, his playful demeanor darkens. I don’t know him that well yet, but what I do know has taught me this: behind that darkness is an underlying sadness.)

William:
Matilda has my heart, eternally.

F.M:
Sorry, I didn’t mean…

William:
We are done here.

F.M:
Yes, of course.

W
ith that
, he flashed out of the room so fast that I couldn’t see him. We were supposed to write tonight, but I know I hit a nerve. Dammit. Maybe by the time this interview comes out, he will have returned.

W
hen you read his novelette
, you’ll fall as deeply in love with him as I have. He shared stories with me that betrayed a raw vulnerability that on sight, you’d never know he has. He seems impenetrable, but we all have our Achilles heel.

I
know
Daniella and Elizabeth need him, so I won’t be selfish. If you’ve read the novel, FIRE NECTAR, you know what has happened to them. Godspeed, William. Godspeed.

I
was
reticent to interview Marion, Joshua’s love. I can’t be sure if she tells the truth, so what can you believe… and what must you toss away as lies? But she insisted. She is merely mentioned in FIRE NECTAR, and this made her angry, but it’s because the vampires Daniella and Elizabeth are not fans of Marion. But in Joshua’s story, of course, she plays a major role. How could I refuse her – her importance in who he has evolved into, alone gives her license to have her say.

But do not blame me if she leads you astray. I am merely quoting her. And I had to employ a translator because she is, as you may already know, French. I’ve laced in some French words she used to keep the flavor of what I experienced sitting across from her. It should also be noted that she is drinking Burgundy during this. I may, or may not, be joining her. I don’t want to be rude…and it’s hard to say no to a ghost who doesn’t know she is a ghost. You’d think her being aware of current times, and talking as if it is still 1812 would give her a clue about her predicament; maybe help her move into the light (or dark, as is more probably the case) but alas… she has no idea.

F
.M
.
Hopkins:
You’re looking lovely this evening, Marion.

MARION:
Merci, F. Tio aussi
. (Thank you, F. You too.)

F.M:
It’s amazing how wide-set your eyes are. You remind me of a lamb.

MARION:
A baby lamb?
(bats eyelashes and looks very sweet. Don’t be deceived, I warn myself)

F.M:
Yes. A baby lamb. So, how long have you been working at le Chabanais?
(a brothel in Paris, 1812)

MARION:
I have just begun my first night.

F.M:
Really? When was this?

MARION:
Tonight, silly.

F.M:
But you met Joshua a week ago.

MARION:
And?

F.M:
And you met him working at le Chabanais.

MARION:
Oui.

F.M:
So how can you say tonight is your first night?

MARION:
It feels as though it is so. I’ve not yet been touched by a man’s jewels, you see. I am still “new.”

F.M:
No? But Ludovico said…

MARION:
What does Ludovico know of who has touched my little girl.

F.M:
Your little girl?

MARION:
My peach.

(
Her voice reminds me of the French actress who was in Pulp Fiction. The one who was with Bruce Willis and said “I want a pot-belly” and “Who’s chopper is this?”)

F.M:
Your peach. I kind of like that.

MARION:
I like it, too. My peach. Je l'aime beaucoup
(I like it very much.)

F.M:
Okay – let’s keep this clean. I’m not sure who’s going to read this.

MARION:
Is a peach not clean? It is a fruit, est-ce pas?
(is it not?)

F.M:
Yes. Okay. But people have vivid imaginations.

MARION:
Then that is on them.

F.M:
Huh. I guess it is. I’m afraid not everyone would agree with you.

MARION:
Why worry about things you cannot control, F?

(she bats her long eyelashes at me as if she’s saying, Why can’t I have a cookie, mommy? Or when do I get my diamond ring, you big strong man, you?)

F.M:
How do you do that? You’re so good at that flirty thing you are doing to me right now. No wonder why Joshua fell so hard for you.

MARION:
I love Joshua.

F.M.
My ass you do.

MARION:
Pardon et moi? I do not understand what “My ass you do” means. Is this an American saying?

(
She takes another very large sip of her Burgandy. Ummm…I’m being kind. She downs it and pours herself another. Her little frame cannot hold as much as she has chugged since we sat down. But that’s not my business. She’s not showing signs of intoxication. Weird.)

F.M:
Okay, we’ll leave that alone then for a minute.

MARION:
Let’s make this more interesting, oui? I can show you how to master men, if you wish, F.

F.M:
Can you?
(She’s got my full attention now. This makes her happy and she comes to the edge of her chair, reaches out and touches my knee. I look down at her hand as it very lightly pets me.)

MARION:
You must touch the man, like this. Always touching him absently, like you do not know you are doing it. And you must then tilt your chin down like this and look up from underneath your eyelashes. Always remember to widen your eyes as if what he is saying is the most amazing thing you have ever heard.

(The way she is touching my leg is very comforting. If I were a man, I’m sure it would be turning me on, but I prefer a rougher touch. I won’t lie.)

MARION:
Remember that even if you have much knowledge on the subject they are speaking of - you must pretend complete ignorance. Be the
student
to their wise
teacher
. This will make them feel very grand.

F.M:
That’s genius.

MARION:
Merci.
(She looks away shyly smiling, like receiving a compliment is hard for her, when I know that it is not. Or is it? Damn, she is good.)

F.M:
I’m not sure if I can do all of that.

MARION:
You must. It makes men happy. Do you not want to make men happy?

F.M:
Of course I do.

MARION:
I don’t believe you do. Modern women… you have lost the ability to use your greatest asset for its greatest good because you are trying so hard to prove yourselves. What has it gotten you?

F.M:
What is our greatest asset, Marion?

MARION:
Your femininity. It alone is the key.

F.M:
To happiness? Because we’ll make them happy? And then we can have happy relationships where the sex doesn’t go stale and where we don’t hate each other?

MARION:
No. To power. You will own them. You will not be slave to them any longer, for they will become your slave.

F.M:
I’m not sure if that’s cool.

MARION:
I do not understand how temperature has anything to do with this matter.

F.M:
Never mind. But I think I’m beginning to understand you better.

MARION:
Oh?

F.M:
Yes.

MARION:
S'il vous plait, explain to me.

F.M:
You’re a woman living in a time where you have few options and you seek to get out of the cage society has put you in. It’s that simple.

(
She leans back and looks at me as though I am a simpleton. Or maybe she’s wondering if I see who she, better than anyone ever has. She is unreadable.)

F.M.
What did you think of William? I’m curious…

MARION:
William.
(her eyes darken at the name.)

F.M:
Ohhhh…I see you’ve met our warrior.
(She drinks from her Burgandy, finishing it as she looks away and avoids my eyes.)
Hmm… well… okay. Don’t worry. I plan to tell more of your story.

MARION:
Do you? When?

F.M:
Soon, little wolf.

MARION:
You said I looked like a little lamb.

F.M:
I did.

(And with this I stand to leave. As I turn, she doesn’t know I see it but her eyes narrow, betraying her razor sharp intelligence. If looks could kill.