My Vampire Lover by J. P. Bowie Read Free Book Online Page A
Authors: J. P. Bowie
suggested we go to the countryside until I regained my strength." He smiled sadly at the memory. "He was very sweet for the first day or two, but then, when I could not join him outside in the daytime, spending most of the day in a darkened room, he grew bored and demanded we return to Paris."
"Nice guy," I murmured.
"A beautiful guy, Ron, but not very nice. He attended my funeral, and cried, just a little." He squeezed my hand. "He was not in your class at all." 53
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"Thanks." I felt myself blush under his steadfast gaze. I cleared my throat. "So you came to the States a hundred years ago?"
"Yes ... to New York, where I was fortunate enough to meet Marcus Verano, a vampire who befriended me and gave me the encouragement I needed to see me through those first dark days. He is the one to whom I would have turned for help had he still been in LA."
"This Marcus guy," I said, feeling a twinge of jealousy.
"You're close friends?"
"Extremely close. He was, and still is, my mentor. If it had not been for him, I doubt whether I would have survived very long as a vampire. I was filled with bitterness towards my state of existence. He made me see that fighting what I had become was useless. There was no going back—no redemption from this half-life—but it could, given the proper perspective, be more than I had thought, at first."
"Were you lovers?" I asked, wanting him to say no.
"Not in the strict sense of the word. We loved each other—
we still do—but we did not have sex, if that is what you are asking."
I blushed again. Yep, that's what I was asking.
Jean-Claude leaned over and kissed my lips. "You will love him, too, when you meet him."
"You said he left town."
"Yes. He and his mortal lover had business to attend to in Rome. He would not tell me the nature of it, but he seemed troubled. My talent for mind reading is primitive next to his—
54
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
even if I were his equal, he could block all his thoughts from me. He is very powerful."
"You said he helped you."
"More than helped. He schooled me in vampire lore and made me aware of the myths and the truths of our culture.
More than anything, he taught me to treat those who gave their lifeblood to us, either willingly or unwillingly, with compassion and gratitude. 'Never kill a mortal,' he said,
'unless your own life is in danger—and even then, make it a very last resort. We are stronger and quicker than mortal men,' he reminded me. 'We can disable and escape, at lightning speed.' I have always lived by that creed, Ron ... but tonight, it failed me."
"Do you have any idea why were you attacked tonight?" I asked. "Had you been threatened?"
"Yes." He stroked my hair as he answered. "Some weeks ago, I received a phone call from someone I did not know. He said I should leave LA at once, or my life would be forfeit. I tried to contact Marcus, but he had already gone to Rome. He still, as yet, has not returned. Of course, I had no intentions of leaving, and when I received the second threatening call tonight, I told the person just that.
"The caller ranted at me, saying I was a vile poison on this earth, and that I, and the likes of me, would be eradicated by all means at his disposal. I took his threats seriously, Ron, and I have been careful and wary when on my own. But tonight, on my way to see you, my guard was down. They came at me from the darkness before I could defend myself.
They dragged me down the alley to finish me off, but they 55
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
were panicked and clumsy when they drove the stake into me. I knew they had missed my heart, but I feigned death, and they fled, thinking their work was done."
"But you don't know who the caller was?"
"One of the attackers mentioned a name, saying they had to call him as soon as I was dead."
"What was the name?"
He hesitated for a moment. "I'm not exactly sure, but I think it was something like Delaney."
"Do you know anyone by that
"Nice guy," I murmured.
"A beautiful guy, Ron, but not very nice. He attended my funeral, and cried, just a little." He squeezed my hand. "He was not in your class at all." 53
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
"Thanks." I felt myself blush under his steadfast gaze. I cleared my throat. "So you came to the States a hundred years ago?"
"Yes ... to New York, where I was fortunate enough to meet Marcus Verano, a vampire who befriended me and gave me the encouragement I needed to see me through those first dark days. He is the one to whom I would have turned for help had he still been in LA."
"This Marcus guy," I said, feeling a twinge of jealousy.
"You're close friends?"
"Extremely close. He was, and still is, my mentor. If it had not been for him, I doubt whether I would have survived very long as a vampire. I was filled with bitterness towards my state of existence. He made me see that fighting what I had become was useless. There was no going back—no redemption from this half-life—but it could, given the proper perspective, be more than I had thought, at first."
"Were you lovers?" I asked, wanting him to say no.
"Not in the strict sense of the word. We loved each other—
we still do—but we did not have sex, if that is what you are asking."
I blushed again. Yep, that's what I was asking.
Jean-Claude leaned over and kissed my lips. "You will love him, too, when you meet him."
"You said he left town."
"Yes. He and his mortal lover had business to attend to in Rome. He would not tell me the nature of it, but he seemed troubled. My talent for mind reading is primitive next to his—
54
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
even if I were his equal, he could block all his thoughts from me. He is very powerful."
"You said he helped you."
"More than helped. He schooled me in vampire lore and made me aware of the myths and the truths of our culture.
More than anything, he taught me to treat those who gave their lifeblood to us, either willingly or unwillingly, with compassion and gratitude. 'Never kill a mortal,' he said,
'unless your own life is in danger—and even then, make it a very last resort. We are stronger and quicker than mortal men,' he reminded me. 'We can disable and escape, at lightning speed.' I have always lived by that creed, Ron ... but tonight, it failed me."
"Do you have any idea why were you attacked tonight?" I asked. "Had you been threatened?"
"Yes." He stroked my hair as he answered. "Some weeks ago, I received a phone call from someone I did not know. He said I should leave LA at once, or my life would be forfeit. I tried to contact Marcus, but he had already gone to Rome. He still, as yet, has not returned. Of course, I had no intentions of leaving, and when I received the second threatening call tonight, I told the person just that.
"The caller ranted at me, saying I was a vile poison on this earth, and that I, and the likes of me, would be eradicated by all means at his disposal. I took his threats seriously, Ron, and I have been careful and wary when on my own. But tonight, on my way to see you, my guard was down. They came at me from the darkness before I could defend myself.
They dragged me down the alley to finish me off, but they 55
My Vampire Lover
by J. P. Bowie
were panicked and clumsy when they drove the stake into me. I knew they had missed my heart, but I feigned death, and they fled, thinking their work was done."
"But you don't know who the caller was?"
"One of the attackers mentioned a name, saying they had to call him as soon as I was dead."
"What was the name?"
He hesitated for a moment. "I'm not exactly sure, but I think it was something like Delaney."
"Do you know anyone by that