History of the Vampire (The Vanderlind Castle Series Book 4) by Gayla Twist Read Free Book Online Page A

whole situation. Herschel, on the other hand, did not appear to enjoy the show. He did not laugh once during the entire movie and frequently looked quite bored.
    On the walk home, I took the lead, trailing Herschel in my wake. I’d actually enjoyed myself more than on my date with Lev. But I didn’t want to prolong Herschel’s agony, so that speeded my steps. Lilly and Walter were walking at a leisurely pace, of course. They obviously did not want their date to end.
    When I got to our front porch, I took a seat on the step. The weather was warming up a little, but the flagstones still chilled my bottom. I couldn’t exactly go inside without my sister, and Papa hadn’t put the porch swing back up since taking it down in the fall, so there was no other place to wait. Herschel eventually wandered up and sat beside me. He said nothing, so I said nothing. I did steal a glance at my watch. If my sister and her beau did not step lively, then we would be late getting home and that would be the end of Walter Bennett.
    “I apologize for not purchasing your ticket,” Herschel eventually said, breaking the silence. “I must save every penny I have for college next fall, And Walter said this wouldn’t really be a date, so I saw no reason to incur the expenditure.”
    “That’s alright,” I told him. “I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the picture.”
    “I enjoyed it,” Herschel told me.
    “Really?” I was surprised. “I don’t think I heard you laugh once during the whole film.”
    Herschel chewed over this observation. “I don’t…” he began and then he thought it over some more. “I don’t believe guffawing loudly in a public place is an accurate assessment of enjoyment.”
    Guffawing? I thought to myself. Herschel was certainly more intellectual than Lev, but he wasn’t exactly a pleasant person to be around. Fortunately for me, Lilly and Walter came into view at that exact moment, walking arm-in-arm. It was a relief because I knew Papa would scold both of us if we were late, and I really didn’t want to spend any more time speaking with Herschel Tuft.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
    Jessie
     
    I woke to a hunger that I never imagined was possible. The urge to feed was overwhelming. It literally crippled any other thought that entered my head. I could smell odors that would have never registered in my mortal nose. I knew the chambermaid had been in the room recently to change my linen. My mother must have sent her away immediately because the smell of her was very faint, but my urge to rip out the girl’s throat and feast on her red juices was overwhelming.
    Fortunately, Mother was right there with a large jug of blood. “It’s alright, my darling. Everything is going to be alright,” she said, handing me cup after cup of the red nectar until I just grabbed the entire jug and gulped it down.
    It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. It was ambrosia in my mouth. I could feel the blood coursing through my body, making every part of me tingle with satisfaction. There was only a small part of my brain that wondered how the liquid I was drinking had been acquired. Did some poor soul sacrifice his life for the precious elixir? I was ashamed to admit it, but a large portion of me didn’t care. All I wanted was more.
    After the jug was gone, I was a little better. I felt saner. I still had horrible pangs of hunger, but not the kind of pangs that drove a person to do depraved things. I took notice of my hands. The red rash from my illness was gone and my skin looked extraordinarily pale. A small scar that I had been at the base of my thumb for as long as I could remember had vanished.
    “Are you better now?” Mother asked, clasping my hands and pulling them to her cheek. “Do you feel under control?”
    I looked at her, but suddenly I couldn’t speak. There was bile filling my throat. I felt like beetles and slugs were trying to crawl out of my mouth. I hated everyone and