William (8 page)

Merrick looked just like his old self. The
shadows and fine lines beneath his eyes had disappeared, and his
skin had regained its silky smoothness. For a moment he looked at
me with his usual solemn calm. But then a smile broke like dawn
upon his face, and it spread so wide that his eyes crinkled.

My heart exploded.

"We have a strange night ahead." Merrick took
my hand to hold it against his chest. "But I’ll be with you now, at
last."

A hundred tons had been lifted from my
shoulders, but I could not yet speak. I was still overwhelmed by
the sensations that had just roared through me, and still overjoyed
by the warmth and purity of his smile. I laced my fingers through
his, biting my lip.

"Careful." He lightly touched the corner of
my mouth. "Your teeth will be sharp by night’s end."

"Good," I replied, and the word came out in a
drunken slur.

The smile returned, and when he gathered me
into his arms I had no doubt that his burden had been lifted,
too.

A strange night, indeed. Delightfully so. I
lay in happy silence against his side, my hand still clasped
against his chest, wanting nothing but to breathe in the night and
listen to the beat of his heart. The windows were open, and now and
again the warm breeze brushed over my cheek like silk. The street
below us was lively, a steady hum of voices and footsteps, cart
wheels and livery bells, horse hooves on the cobblestones. It all
had a musical quality of a kind I'd never heard before, like a folk
symphony of the night. Beneath my arm and cheek and thigh,
Merrick's body was firm and solid. He smelled divine, and I
realized with wonderful surprise that I could detect the fragrance
of his blood, now that I had tasted it. I turned my nose into his
chest and inhaled deeply.

Merrick smoothed his hand up my spine and
looked down at me. I turned my face up to meet his gaze, smiling
when I remembered how beautiful he was. My thoughts were still too
scattered for words. Merrick didn't seem to mind, and I was content
to lie back down and drift a while in this strange, calm daze,
tranquil as a pond in the forest.

Was that all there was to it? Was I a vampire
now? To think a year of torment could be swept aside so smoothly,
so pleasantly. Why, I wouldn't even mind doing it again. The last
part, at least. I looked up at Merrick once more, and once more, at
the sight of his perfect face, I smiled. Merrick smiled back and
shifted me in his arms so that he could press a kiss to my
forehead. Pleasure bloomed there like a flower. Christ, it was
Heaven.

"You look very well," he murmured, stroking
my back.

"I thought it would be more like death." Even
my own voice was novel to my ears—smooth and sure, much smokier
than I remembered.

"How brave you were, then."

"Brave," I laughed softly, and stretched up
to kiss him. A surprised moan escaped me as my lips and tongue
tingled with delight, and I had to stop for a breath.

Merrick turned so that we lay face to face.
Lord, I was thrilled to be close to him again! In fact I was nearly
in disbelief that we had finally attained this...well, whatever it
was. So far, it was very nice.

"Am I a vampire now?" I asked.

"I suppose you are," Merrick replied, his
smile giving way to a more pensive look. "But there are changes yet
to come."

"Merrick." My senses seemed somewhat
warped—the coppery fractals of his eyes seemed to bend and shift
and swirl as I watched. Yes, reality was doing very interesting
things. But somehow I felt anchored to him, and surprisingly sure
of my words. "Merrick, I’m so happy this is done. And I do hope
you’ll forgive me for thrusting myself upon you like this."

"Thrusting yourself upon me?" Merrick studied
me, his brow furrowed.

"Yes." I was using words correctly, wasn't I?
I was fairly certain I was. In fact I felt much sharper of mind
than usual, though perhaps that was some intoxicated delusion.
"Defying your wishes and intruding upon your life—"

"William, no." It was unlike Merrick to
interrupt, but he was quick to dismiss my suggestion in his firmest
tone. "You bear no responsibility for this. It was out of your
hands the moment you set foot in my house."

"But I know you were angry when I sided with
Theo."

"I’ve never been angry with you.” Merrick
traced the edge of my jaw. “And that matter is behind us.” Seeing
that I was not convinced, he murmured, “William, you’ve only
brought me happiness. There’s nothing for me to forgive.”

I didn’t want to be stubborn about it, but my
doubts remained, and I wanted to be rid of them. "Why did you
resist for so long?”

“So long?” Merrick smiled ruefully. “I had
intended to last another year. Perhaps two.”

There was a horrid thought. "But why? That
would hardly have been for my benefit."

"No," he admitted. "Indeed. I told myself it
was, but that was false. My own demons had a hold of me.”

“What demons?”

The solemn gaze had returned, his shimmering
eyes gone distant for a moment. “Old habits,” he said at length.
“And memories not easily laid to rest.” Meeting my eyes again, his
expression cleared. “I’m the one who should ask for forgiveness. I
made this an even more arduous ordeal for you. I’m sorry,
William.”

“All’s well that ends well,” I offered,
appreciating the apology but wanting to shake him for arousing
further questions. What habits, damn it? What memories? Still, his
eyes were so full of contrition that I couldn’t help but want to
calm them with a kiss—an effort that was cut short once again by my
gasp of surprise. "What is this?” I asked, and licked my tingling
lips. “Am I drunk on your blood?"

"Something like that," Merrick said,
recovering his smile. "And you've yet to adjust to the
pleasure."

"The pleasure?"

"There's a great deal of pleasure in it." He
traced my lower lip with his finger, sending a shiver through me.
"An opening of the senses."

"It's exquisite." God, I had missed that
steady gaze, those quiet smiles, his gentle manner!

"I'm pleased you think so."

"Are you pleased?" I asked, looking into his
eyes again. "Has it done the job, so to speak?"

"I am much refreshed.”

“Thank God.” I could believe it by the sight
of him, to my relief; and the more I looked at him, the more
captivating he seemed to me. God help me, was I really in for a
lifetime with this man, this beautiful, fascinating man, this
extravagantly elegant man? It was almost impossible to believe.

"Do not worry," Merrick said, perhaps
noticing a dazed look on my face. "It will seem natural before
long."

"I am not worried," I said with something
like surprise. "How could I worry now? This is better than anything
I imagined." I held my hand up before my eyes, turning it slowly
toward to admire the gleaming shells of my nails, the smooth
lengths of my fingers, the intricate lines of my palm. “It’s
astounding.”

"There are many changes yet to come," Merrick
warned gently. "You will see. I will show you," he corrected, and
smoothed my hair with a fond look "Ah, William."

The pleasure in his voice warmed me through
and through. After all the dread and gloom that had led to this, I
had intended to extract some heap of proof that he didn’t feel I’d
done him wrong. But perhaps words were unnecessary if he was so
obviously content to have me at his side. Questions lingered, yes.
But they could wait. There was time, now, to let them wait. And I
had a whole world of new diversions to help me bear the mysteries
he still held close.

As if to underscore the point, the breeze
blew over my cheek again and drew my attention to the open
doors.

"Shall we step outside?" Merrick asked.

"Yes, let’s." I sat up more quickly than I
intended, and then, perplexed, I stretched my arms in front of me
and turned them up and down. My muscles had never responded so
neatly! My feet were so light I felt I was walking on air as I
followed him to the balcony. I reached out to touch the edge of a
curtain as I passed through the doors, transfixed by the texture
beneath my fingertip.

And then, by the world!

Leaning against the bannister, I looked down
in delight at the bustle of life below. We were in the heart of
Boston, and it was as lively as New York—noisier, perhaps, or did
it only seem that way to me now? No matter! The clatter was
spectacular. Every noise pricked my ears so that I could hardly
decide where to look. My eyes flitted from figure to figure,
lantern to brick, moving over the shining glass windows of the
coffee shop across the street and lingering on two men loitering by
a hitching post nearby beneath its sign. One had caught sight of us
above him and was staring absently; when I caught his gaze he
looked back at his companion. Both were bedecked in felt hats and
neat frock coats; the one facing us stood with a hip slightly
cocked, idly swinging a satchel. When a sturdy woman with painted
cheeks sauntered past them, he swatted his companion so they could
both take a gander; I followed their eyes, admiring the bold red
hue of her coat and the womanly way she moved. Moments later,
across the street, a trio of young men came rushing out of a
building and raced off up the block, their laughter echoing to the
rooftops.

At length I tilted my head, puzzled, for
there was something strange about them all. The whole world, of
course, seemed new to me, from the beautifully crisp edges of the
buildings to the silky texture of the night air and the polished
grain of the railing beneath my palms. But the people,
particularly, were distinctly changed. I could not quite put my
finger on exactly how...

"I hope the noise is not too much for
you."

"Not at all." I smiled. "It's delightful."
Tearing my eyes from the crowd below, I looked back into the room
and around the stately veranda. "'Tis a fine house."

"I'm pleased you like it."

Forgetting we were in plain view, I reached
for his hand. With evident amusement, he turned from the street and
led me back inside, behind the screen of the curtains. "If you feel
refreshed," he said, "shall we take a walk?"

"A walk, yes!"

Laughing under his breath, Merrick drew me
into his arms for a long and tender kiss. I yielded entirely,
allowing it to rake over my senses until I shivered and broke free
with a gasp.

There was more to that, I recalled now with a
rumble of excitement. There was more to him beneath those elegant
clothes. There was more to us. Impulsively I pulled his head down
again.

Merrick indulged me heartily, and then sighed
against my lips. "You'll ruin my senses."

"Very well."

"No," Merrick smiled, unwinding my arms from
his shoulders and pressing his lips to my hand. "Not tonight. I
must keep my wits if I'm to be your guide."

"Then I'm your apprentice once more," I said,
grinning before I invoked the name I'd once called him by: "Master
Merrick."

His amber gaze was patiently amused. "If it
pleases you."

"It does indeed, sir."

Merrick shook his head, but the smile
remained on his lips. If I had ever seen him so happy, it was not
since back in those peaceful days at the cottage under the guise of
master and apprentice, when he was as pleased to teach me as I was
to learn. Yes, let us return to that little game; only now we had
more than herbs and medicines to discuss. Now the veil was lifted,
and he had a whole new world to show me.

I straightened from the washbasin with a soft
gasp, sloughing the cool water from my face. It felt divine.
Rubbing my face dry on a clean towel—ah, the smell of cotton!—I had
the triumphant notion that at this very moment, no one on the face
of the earth was merrier about the gills than I was.

Just to look at myself in the mirror was
proof. I was the picture of health and happiness, as though I'd
never been burned by the sun or lost an hour of sleep in my life.
My skin was smoother and firmer than ever before, and my warm
coloring had returned with vigor. More striking still, however,
were my eyes, which gave off a strangely jewel-like gleam when they
caught the light of the candle. I leaned in closely to examine
them, and at once I blinked in surprise. The brown of my eyes had
taken on an understated sparkle, like a shallow stream shimmering
in the sunlight. But more amazing were the fragments of cobalt blue
that had appeared in wreaths around my pupils. How queer, I
thought, but it certainly wasn't disagreeable.

I pulled myself away from the mirror and
donned a new shirt, merrily looking forward to stepping out on the
streets of Boston. Forward, at last! My new life had begun! I had
never felt such delicious anticipation. It was as though this dark
and lovely house was the antechamber to a grand and glittering
paradise, and we were adventurers about to behold its wonders for
the first time. Yes, I was in a fine mood. What on earth could
trouble me?

Outfitted in a fresh suit of brown and black,
I went to join Merrick downstairs. I took my time, admiring the
elegant fixtures of the house on the way and vaguely remembering,
in the stairwell, what a strange experience it had been to dream
myself outside of my body. It certainly wouldn't be easy to
rationalize.

Merrick was standing at ease in the study,
and I made an effort to corral the daft smile that threatened to
spring up every time I looked at him. After all, at a certain point
one had to practice decorum. It was, however, quite difficult to
contain my pleasure at the sight of him, and to think that we were
about to walk through the city together gave me an almost
embarrassing degree of excitement. I wanted to punch the air for
joy. Not once had Merrick and I been out in the world
together—unless one counted the time I had assisted him in helping
a village woman deliver a child upstate, but that was hardly a
night on the town, and he had been hidden all the while in his old
disguise.