The Falstaff Vampire Files (12 page)

“You wanted it gone. It’s gone.” Hal pulled me over close to the building, out of the flow of foot traffic, and knelt down on the sidewalk in front of me, keeping hold of my hand. “I swear to you, Mina, the moment I first laid eyes on you, I loved you. Remember how I came up to you on the sidewalk. It was right outside of Kris’s gate?”

“Of course I remember the first time we met.” I started to cry. “You’re saying you were on your way to see Kristin?”

“I was on the way to spend the rest of my life with you—I just didn’t know it yet. I didn’t know she was your therapist. But Mina, I fell in love with you that moment. From the first time I saw you, it’s always been you.”

A huge shadow fell over us. It was the security guard from the building. His name was Rafe. He always flirted with me. He’d probably enjoy telling Hal to get lost. “Is this guy bothering you, Mina?”

I looked down at Hal. His eyes were pleading. Somehow having the power to get him in trouble with Rafe made me feel better. I sighed. “No, Rafe, it’s okay. But thanks for paying attention.”

“Just doing my job.” He gave Hal a hard look. “Let me know if you need help.” Rafe went back into the building, but I could see him hovering near the glass door.

“Let’s go somewhere quiet to talk,” Hal said softly, getting to his feet. “I really need you. I’m all alone now and I don’t know where to turn.”

He was hard to resist when he begged. I made him get up and we went to dinner. The least I could do was let him explain.

Chapter 34

Kristin Marlowe’s typed notes

August 7th continued

When I got back home
I lay down to nap and woke up, shuddering after less than an hour. Fear and exhaustion kept me in a daze. So I got up and took a container of yogurt over to the computer to check my email. Someone had answered my personal ad. Right. Romance. I closed the email program without reading it. I didn’t delete it, though. Maybe tomorrow I’d feel like reading it. If our little experiment with Sir John didn’t land us in jail or worse. Bram had a good point about preparing our strategy in case Sir John did not arise at dusk. Policemen take a dim view of unidentified corpses lying around the apartment all day. I’d have to amend the ad—
Accused murderess, former licensed psychologist seeks soul mate.

I went looking online for information about this Oldcastle person Vi mentioned as Shakespeare’s model for Falstaff. I printed up the relevant parts and put them in a folder. The historical record didn’t offer any answers that I could see, no connections with vampires.

If it hadn’t been for Sir John’s death and instant rigor mortis, I might have imagined that he was simply a very well-informed English history buff who was operating an elaborate con or possibly living out a delusion. But there was no denying what happened in Vi’s back bedroom at dawn. That froze my theories cold.

Then my first client arrived and the rest of the afternoon was spent drinking coffee and forcing myself to stay awake and pay attention to other people’s problems.

Vi called in late afternoon and we had soup and sandwiches together. She was so excited about Sir John that it scared me. She didn’t seem to see any down side.

“He’s a treasure trove of stories,” she said. “I could get half a dozen books from the stories he’s told me so far.”

“I just wonder how safe it is.”

“He’s harmless, can’t you see?”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Bram showed up at around sunset, bringing a black bag and a small tape recorder.

“What’s in the bag?”

“I brought my vampire killing kit.” The way he ducked his head when he said it telegraphed his embarrassment. “You know, with the stake and holy water and all.”

“Maybe you should put that away. He’ll be awake—”

Too late, a strident coughing announced Sir John’s arising.

Chapter 35

Sir John Falstaff’s words

on black digital recorder, undated

Times I awoke awash in blood and slaughter
and thought I was back in battle. But it was just mine hosts. They fed on blood, pain, life force and death. My natural gift to charm fascinated them. They could not learn from me, and everything I learned from them took longer, flavored by their cruel sport. Once I dug out the truth beneath their games I had the lesson and could make my own way.

A hundred years to perfect the illusion of life. To come and go invisible, unnoted and untouched by creatures that stalk the undead. A hundred years to learn debauchery by proxy. A chance encounter in a tavern and I find myself maligned as a glutton, coward and a drunkard. I who have not tasted ale firsthand in nigh 600 years.

But now, the drape pulled aside, I greet a new dusk and the ladies have a male companion.

“Good evening, Mistress Kit and my Hostess Violet. Some new blood, I see.”

“I’ll be damned.” the man says.

“I hope not so, but you must better know the state of your own soul.” The man has many a gray hair on his head, yet I can taste his awe.

“I saw you dead, stiff and unbreathing in the coffin this morning.”

“If you look in my coffin after dawn, that is what you must expect to see. Now, after dusk, you see me live and breathe and hasten out into the world to break my day long fast.”

They know not how they tempt me with their blood running rich, so close to the surface, and I just risen from the grave to feed.

Chapter 36

Kristin Marlowe’s typed notes

August 5th continued

Bram looked stunned
after exchanging a few words with Sir John.

The old rogue clambered out of his box. He leaned against the edge and coughed a few more times. “Pardon, gentles all. I lost a bit of substance to the sun and breathed in my own dust on rising. And who are you, sir?”

“I am Bram Van Helsing.”

Sir John stopped in mid cough. “A branch from the famous vampire hunter’s tree?”

“Only in fiction.”

“Ah. Fiction—that holds the mirror up to nature.”

“That reminds me—you have a reflection.” Vi pointed to a mirror in the twilit room. It reflected all four of us. “They say vampires don’t show up in mirrors.” She took her notebook and small pen out of her pocket.

“A mere myth.” He coughed again, “Some lose ourselves, and then become well nigh invisible. ‘Tis a long road for the undead.” He pointed at the black bag Bram carried. “What have you there?”

“Uh, it’s a vampire kit.” Involuntarily Bram moved it further away from Sir John.

“Vampire kit.” The tilt of Sir John’s head expressed his skepticism. “You mean a vampire-killing kit, do you not? Show me.”

Glancing at me, Bram opened the black case, laying it flat on the bedside table. We all gathered round to examine it. In separate compartments it held a stake over two feet long with a wicked metal tip, a wooden crucifix, a few labeled bottles, and a small derringer pistol with what looked like silver bullets.

Sir John laughed.

Bram reached for the stake, but Sir John snatched it out of the box quicker than I would have thought possible.

“Hey!”

“This, sir, could do some damage.” Sir John dropped the stake into his pocket and patted it. “Can’t have it falling into the wrong hands.”

“So it worries you, does it?” Bram’s voice was tight.

Sir John ignored him and bent over the case, his nose close to the crucifix and vials marked
Garlic
and
Holy Water.

“It’s a replica of an antique kit that sold on eBay for $12,000.” Bram’s voice betrayed his anger. “The real kit was made in the early 1900s when Bram Stoker’s
Dracula
was popular.”

Sir John picked up the crucifix without cringing, and held the vial marked
Holy Water
up to the light.

Curiosity overcame Bram’s irritation. “I thought vampires couldn’t handle holy objects.”

“So they say. But so you see.” Sir John put the cross down in the case and held up one of the bottles. “Where did you get the holy water?”

“That came from eBay too.”

“Holy water comes from a font, not a bay.”

“This eBay is more of an electronic marketplace.”

Sir John shook his head mournfully. “Holy water bought and sold in the marketplace.”

Vi scribbled notes, leaning forward to catch everything, utterly fascinated.

“Do you believe in this?” Sir John reached out and tapped the vial of water against Bram’s nose. All of us jumped, and Bram stepped back out of reach a second too late. “I see. Water from this eBay you speak of inspires no awe.”

Vi and I laughed. Bram’s face grew red.

Sir John pointed to the crucifix without a hint of his usual twinkle. “This cross. Do you have faith in this?”

“Um—” We looked at one another. Clearly none of us were seriously involved in any religion.

“I see you do not. You probably have more faith in the garlic. But I use it to perfume the blood of those I drink from. I am no threat to your life.” His voice sank to an eerie whisper. “There are things. Right outside your window, if you had the eyes to see them. Things undreamed of that frighten even vampires. Ponder this—what do you believe in? What can protect you?” He picked up the derringer gingerly between his thumb and forefinger. He didn’t touch the bullets, though.

Bram recovered enough to ask. “What about silver bullets?”

“Better. Pricey. Invest in some. These are silver plate. If you want to at least slow down a vampire, get thicker plate. But there are those who stop at none of these toys. Never invite any of the Others in.”

“Others?” I asked.

“Never mind.” His stomach rumbled loudly. “Just don’t invite anyone, or any unknown thing, into your home.”

“Sir John—” Vi held up her hand as if in class. “I’ve been meaning to ask you—”

“Can a man break his fast before the inquisition?”

Vi’s smile dimmed. “Do you have to go out?”

“I must feed and soon.”

“Could I offer you a snack here?”

“Violet!” I was shocked.

“Indeed?” Sir John examined her with interest. His voice, already deep, seemed to go down another octave.

“Vi, that’s a bad idea. Sir John, isn’t that some kind of violation of hospitality?”

“If my hostess freely offers—” He raised his bushy white eyebrows with such entreaty that it was very hard not to laugh.

“Come on, Kit, he drank your blood. Why should you have all the fun?”

“Fun! It was terrifying.”

“You wound me, madam. I had the distinct impression you enjoyed our interlude.”

“He drank your blood?” Bram looked from me to Sir John and back to me again.

“Yes.” I held my collar aside.

Bram came close and examined the scar. “Wow.”

“He jumped me with no warning. I didn’t know what happened till I got home and saw the mark.”

Sir John turned to me. “I never drink without permission.”

“You never asked me. You just, blanked out my mind and—you know—?

“This lady bid me enter her small car—” Sir John took a step back and seemed to cast back in his memory. His deep rumbling voice was hypnotic. As he described it, I found my memory of the event had grown fuzzy. Surely I never offered him my blood. “We sat so close we almost touched. Famished and faint with hunger, as I am now—” He held up a hand. “A sip, I took a sip. I do confess it.”

“So he drank your blood without your consent?” Bram’s hand hovered around the scar on my neck. My hand went to pull up my collar to cover it.

“I’d hardly agree to it.” My voice sounded strange to me. “I had no idea that such a thing was possible. I never offered him anything but a ride up to the VA.”

“Madam, I trespassed, but ‘twas your beauty that drove me to it, and the closeness of your lovely neck.” Sir John bowed his head. “But you know I have not touched my hostess or yourself since being here.”

“That is true.” I admitted.

“It’s hard to separate the fiction from your reality.” Bram’s eyes were on Sir John. “If you drink their blood, will it turn them into vampires?”

“That is no such easy matter.” Sir John looked away as if to avoid the subject.

Vi’s eyes were shining. “Come on, he drank blood from Kit, and she didn’t turn into a vampire.” She moved very close to Sir John, like a flirtatious toddler. “Will drinking my blood give you the strength to go on and answer our questions?”

“Yes.” His voice deepened to the point where I could feel the vibrations in the pit of my stomach. “I will be yours to command the whole night long.”

“Come on, let’s go in the front room.” She took his hand and led him there. Bram and I followed, leaving the vampire kit open on the table in the room with the casket.

Once we reached the front room, Sir John drew Vi into a corner next to the fireplace and put his arms around her in an embrace that slightly lifted her feet off the ground. He held her as lightly as if she were a small bird rather than a full bodied woman. I wanted to look away, but I couldn’t seem to move.

Sir John turned his massive back to us so that Vi seemed to disappear into his embrace. We could not see how he was piercing her neck. There might have been a faint sucking sound, but Vi’s breathing changed. First she took in deep, sighing breaths, then quickened into short, panting gasps. There was no other sound in the room.

A breath near my ear made me turn to find myself looking directly into Bram’s eyes. Green with streaks of yellow. His nearness made my breath catch, and I noticed he seemed short of breath as well. A wave of heat washed over both of us. Pulses of lust radiated from Sir John and Vi.

No more able to resist than a flower can resist seeking the sun, we stood together, managing not to embrace by sheer force of will.

Bram took my chin in his hand and turned my head till he could look into my eyes. Then he ran his hand over the small scars on my neck and my knees got as weak as if he had touched me much more deeply. “He did that to you?”

“He must have,” I sighed. “Frankly, I don’t remember what happened, but I didn’t invite him. I think he hypnotized me. Then the next night when he came to Vi’s, I took him to a restaurant and a woman sneaked off with him to the restroom.”