I was digging through some of the books on the shelf when I spotted an old sketch book. When I began to
absent-mindedly thumb through it, I found something that I had forgotten about. It was a sketch of me, but it was from
an era long past. Written on the bottom, in French, was the beautiful inscription: "In hopes that you might grace my
garden with your beauty". It was unsigned, but I knew who had written it.
The year was 1741, and I had been living in what would later be called the French Quarter of New Orleans.
The house that I owned was of a decent size, but not really palatial. The one thing it did have was a substantial garden,
within which bloomed the most beautiful Jasmine in the parish. Across from the garden gate was a small bistro with
outdoor seating. Remmy was still mortal then; at twenty-two, a rake of a man with the habits of a river rat. His family
owned several large plantations. He had come to New Orleans to avoid the arranged marriage his parents had chosen
for him. The only way to do that had been to enroll in a medical college. There were few of those in that day and age.
He had taken to sitting out in the evening, watching the various whores that cruised the boulevards. He had seen me
over the weeks leaving the house. I thought, at that time, he thought I too was a whore. He had no idea that I was on
my way to hunt in the back alleys and wharves of New Orleans. I was always careful to take a new route out, and on
the way home. It was becoming harder and harder to hunt. People tended to be suspicious of a woman walking alone
in the night. Their suspicions were well founded; several men, over the last few months, had been robbed and nearly
beaten to death. The only thing that was common to each robbery was that there had been a woman seen walking
alone.
I had not replied to his invitation, again, and was well on my way one evening when I heard the sounds of
muffled cries. There was Remmy, being beaten by four men. I could hear the sound of soft tissue rupturing. I am not
sure what made me stop to save him. The four men were easily taken care of, and the woman that had been their bait, I
made to forget seeing me. That had been my one mistake, but I wouldn't find out till much later. I took Remmy, and all
the money that I could find on them, back to the house. I was glad that there had been no moon that night, so that I
could fly without being seen. I knew he was bleeding internally very badly. I took a great risk then, giving him a quart of
my blood. I knew that he was in danger of dying, but I prayed that he wouldn't, and that I had not given him enough to
turn.
He would lay unconscious in my bed for three days before waking. I was asleep in the rocking chair next to the
bed when he got up and made a beeline for the chamber pot. Or at least tried to. He managed to get about three steps
before he tripped. I had not heard him wake, but was wide awake when he opened the curtains to the western setting
sun. I fled from the room, giving Remmy a bigger scare then he would ever admit. He was still not sure what he had
seen, and I wasn't too happy. My face had been badly burned, and I had not fed since finding him. I had gone straight
to the basement in hopes of finding a rat or two. The pain was nearly unbearable. I wasn't paying attention and hadn't
noticed that I had been followed. I was forced to hunt the rats blind with only my speed. Remmy must have heard my
stumbling and gotten himself a candle.
I was hungrily slurping on a rat when he asked me, in a rather startled tone, "Mademoiselle, what in heavens
name are you doing?"
I snarled like a wounded animal, dropping the first rat, then started on the second. It was at that moment that a
third wandered into my reach. I stood up after the third, and began to walk over to Remmy. He back pedaled, fell
over, and hit this head, giving himself a grand concussion.
I hauled him once again upstairs, and proceeded to nail the damn door shut. Then for an extra precaution, I
nailed the curtains to the window. He was unconscious for another two days, and once again woke without waking me.
I woke with his hands gently touching my face. Plastic wasn't invented yet, but my face resembled a melted pile that
was vaguely face shaped. "Who are you?" he asked me. I didn't answer him. Then he asked, "Mademoiselle, what are
you?"
"Who I am and what I am is of no consequence. Leave now and do not return. You have no understanding of
the world around you." I rasped. He got dressed and left. He did not go to his flat, though. Instead, he went to a
plantation in the bayou. He had chosen it for the house he would have when he was married.
I would return to my normal routine, until one night five years later. I was walking the streets looking for a kill
when I literally ran into Remmy. I was healed, and he did not recognize me at first. He excused himself and proceeded
to go on his way. I read his thoughts. He didn't have time to do anything more, because he was trying to find a
competent medical person, because his wife was having a difficult pregnancy. I followed him to the medical college. He
visited one of his professors. He spoke with him, then left. The professor left shortly thereafter.
I was once again on my way when I heard his cries for help. The four men were there once again, beating him.
"You not so tough now, are you?" they were saying.
It was then that I noticed that they had stabbed him, at least once, maybe more. I lost it. I killed the first two
right out. I then looked at the female, who was standing there in horror. I used the voice on her. "You're Blind." She
began to scream and stumble about the alley. I grabbed Remmy then. He was bleeding badly, and I moved to where
we could not be seen. His heart was still strong, so instead of making him drink the blood, I poured it into his wounds.
They closed within a few moments of contact. I knew once again that he was having soft tissue damage and needed
more help. So, I drained the other two and collected their wallets, along with the first two dead. I then grabbed the
woman and removed what money she had. Then, I took an unconscious Remmy once again back to my house. It
would take him nearly four days to return to consciousness. I was awake when he woke this time.
"So, finally decided to join the land of the living, did you?" I asked.
The first words out of his mouth were, "Where am I, and how is Lisette?"
"You are in my home, Monsieur LeClaire, and as to your wife, I have no idea."
"I must return home immediately."
"Then you must look appropriate. You were expected later that night, were you not?"
"Yes."
"Well then, we will have to make it worth you being detained." With that, I punched him a few times, using qi
gong, so that the bruises would be ugly, but not too painful. I also used what limited magic I had to make them appear
quickly. I had two strong horses in the stable, ready for the ride to the plantation just outside the city.
We rode to the plantation under the light of the full moon. We arrived just after midnight. The house was dark
when we entered. We were met by the butler. "Jacob, where is everyone?" Remmy asked.
"Asleep, master, and the mistress of the house is asleep with the little one, but Dr. Cristoph is fearful for the
mistress' health. She lost a lot of blood in the labor, and she is still bleeding much." Jacob responded.
I looked at the slave. "You have a wise woman on the plantation, do you not?" I asked.
He looked first at his master, then at the floor. "Jacob, answer the woman." Remmy ordered.
"Yes, ma'am, we do."
"Then go to her. Gather from her mandrake, coltsfoot and henbane." I ordered.
"But ma'am, those are poison." Jacob protested.
"Yes, but a little poison can heal." I said.
Remmy could only look at me strangely. "You have not even given me your name, yet you have saved me
twice." he said.
"I have many names, Monsieur. For now, call me Monique." I said. I went into the kitchen and found what I
needed, taking it in my skirts.
Jacob met me at the stairs. He spoke, in his native tongue, "Say, witch woman."
I replied in kind. "No, I am not one of the priestesses, but only a simple healer."
He would only stand there in disbelief until I had cleared the stairs. When I reached the room, Remmy was
already there. I sat in the chair, then began mixing the herbs I needed. "Do you not need light?" asked Remmy.
"No, monsieur, I do not. I do not want to wake her, anyway. She need her sleep." I told him. I mixed the
herbs, then walked over to the water pitcher. I made it look as though I was mixing them with the water, but instead I
mixed them with my blood. I then sat his wife up and made her drink so that the drugs would help her.
I then turned, taking the supplies to the kitchen. He followed me. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Cleaning up after myself. Before you ask, I will return each night, until your wife is well. Keep her quiet, and
make sure she drinks plenty of water. Your wise woman will have something for the pain that will not hurt the baby.
Trust her." I said to him.
I returned to the plantation every night for a fortnight. Lisselle made a dramatic recovery, much to the doctor's
surprise. The last night that I was to make a visit, I entered the room to a surprise. Lisselle was there, along with the old
wise woman. Both were awake, and there were three candles lit. It was the wise woman that spoke first. "Come out of
the darkness and let us see you. I know that you are not what you seem, and the mistress has felt it too."
I walked over to the women, not knowing what to expect. When I reached them, the wise woman's hand
snaked out faster then I was expecting. She had a knife in her hand, and cut my palm with lightning speed. I pulled my
hand away, but she only grabbed it again. She then opened my healed hand, wiping away the excess blood. "You were
right, mistress. It is her blood that heals." she said.
Lisselle then spoke. "You are the one who was burned. Remmy told me of you. You are not human, are you?"
I could only answer, "No. I never have been."
"Why have you come each night?"
"You were near death, and I felt how much he loves you." I told her. She then reached out, touching my chest
and closing her eyes. She let out a small gasp, moving her hand away, but then she put it back.
"You are old and you have killed many. Yet, you only kill now to save yourself or others. I will keep your
secret. Annanaya of Ur, may you find love again." Lisselle said to me.
I could only look at her. "You must never say that name again. It is someone that I have not been in many
years." I said.
"Very well, then what do we call you?"
"I am using the name Monique."
Then Ruth spoke. "What do your friends call you?"
"They call me Raven."
"Then we too will call you Raven." Ruth stated.
I would come to find out that Ruth had been Lisselle's nanny as a child. Ruth was brought to this household
when Lisselle married Remmy. I would come often in those first years. When Rebecca was nearly six, Lisselle tried to
have another child. The day she gave birth, I was not there. She and the baby died in childbirth. I too mourned the loss,
along with Remmy. He never remarried, nor did he ever forget her.
I came to Remmy every night of the full moon in those first months. His heart ached for her, and only the love of
his daughter kept him from ending his own life in those first few years. Lisselle had a gift, but through her, I found that so
did Remmy. It was her that showed me just how powerful the swamp rat was. I had drawn the outlines of the cards as
she had seen them in her mind. She had taken a whole year to paint them, then with what little magic I had, I did a
preserve spell on them. I still remember the feeling I had the first time he held the cards and read them. Lisselle also
taught me one thing. My foresight has always been weak, but if I don't focus directly on it, I can use it in drawing. She
helped me hone this to its full potential. She also helped me hone my intuition to the point that I have it now. I think I
returned as often as I did not only for Remmy, but for myself. She was the first real female friend that I didn't feel was a
rival or a threat. In those first years, he and I both cried many a night over a bottle of wine.
Rebecca grew into a beautiful woman. She would marry, and at age twenty, have Caroline. Rebecca would
have no more live children, either miscarrying, or the babies being stillborn. I continued to come to visit Remmy every
full moon. We would talk all night, leaving me just enough time to find a place in the woods to hide sometimes.
I continued my visits all through Rebecca's life, until her death at age forty two. She died from the strain of
trying to have children. Caroline would also only bear one child, Esther. Remmy was seventy-six years old when Ester
was born, and in poor heath.
I was coming every full moon till shortly after Esther's tenth birthday. I entered the room as I had so many times
before, on the first night of the full moon, to see Caleb leaving with a priest. Remmy was not going to make it to sunrise.
I could feel it in my very bones. This was going to be his last night on earth.
It was then that I saw her ghost. She walked over to her dying husband and kissed him. She then walked over
to me. She stretched out her hand and touched my face. She only smiled at me. It was then that I felt something that
was different and profound. "Make him as you, my friend. He has much to do, and this is not his time."
I closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them, she was gone. When Caleb returned, I asked him if he
knew who I was. His answer was simple. "You are the old one."
I nodded my head. "Leave me. I wish to pay my final respects." I brought him across in the hours before dawn.
He was buried, and I dug him up. He awoke in my home to a new life.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"You are with me, Remmy. As I promised Lisselle, I will look after you." I told him.
We lived in the bayou together, sometimes staying in my house in New Orleans. Remmy always watched over
the women. Esther had one daughter, Charlotte. Her brother Malcolm never reached adulthood, dying of appendicitis
at age twelve. Charlotte gave birth to Genevieve in eighteen thirty-one. Remmy watched her grow up into womanhood.
When Gen was seventeen, she was raped and left for dead. Remmy and I found her, nursing her back to
health. Lisette was born in the cold of winter in eighteen forty-eight. A feisty child from the very beginning. The slaves of
the plantation knew we were among them, and they kept our secret. Remmy was always good to the slaves that
remained, and if an overseer was too harsh, they tended to develop fatal anemia.
The plantation was a refuge for many. So, the slaves were willing to protect us, as much as we protected them.
We watched Lisette grow and flourish. She knew Remmy's secret, as did her mother. It had been passed to them by
Esther. To them, I was the old one and Remmy was their Papa.
When Lisette was four, Doctor Jacques Benois Dupuis married her mother. Many looks were passed to them
on the streets. Jacques didn't care, he loved Gen and that was enough. Gen and Jacques had a set of twins when
Lisette was six. They did not live long though, dying of crib death separately, but both before ten months old.
Gen and Jacques had been reducing the amount of slaves that they had since their marriage, when the Civil War
broke out in eighteen sixty. Remmy, in the thirty years preceding the war had other passions. Being a conductor. That
is, a conductor of the underground railroad. We helped many slaves escape, this included those that were Gen and
Jacques's, who had decided to leave when they were freed. Gen and Jacques knew that they could be killed by their
neighbors for letting them go. So, a story was arranged, saying that they were selling off their slaves because they didn't
need so many. Remmy also finally finished his medical training, with Jacques's help.
When the war broke out, Jacques was forced into the Army Medical Corps. He was killed less then six months
after the heavy fighting started. Gen died six weeks after we had found out that Jacques was dead. She fell down the
stairs in the middle of the night, trying to save the barn and horses. Remmy and I saved the barn, but we failed to save
her. That left Lisette an orphan on a still sizable plantation. By this time though, it was getting too hard to find places to
hide during the day. That was when we began to seriously work on the tunnels. There were already large caves below
the property. We began to connect them. This would become our hiding place, and the eventual cause of Lisette's
death in eighteen sixty-four.
It was late May. The battle for Yellow Bayou had happened only a week earlier. Vampires that had been
taking to the bayous themselves were driven out when the fires started. Many had made their way to the plantation and
to safe ground.
We had no idea at the time that the group had been followed. They had led the group of looters right to the
plantation itself. We had been caring for Lisette for the last three years, and Remmy was not going to abandon his
home. It was daylight when the looters came. Remmy and the others were doing the corpse thing, when I woke from
my own sleep to a scream. I dressed in the men's clothes and headed for the hidden entrance. I looked through the
peephole to see a large group of men. Then I saw Lisette. She had been badly beaten. They had also raped her, trying
to find where we were hidden. I concentrated, trying to see just how bad the girl was. It only took seconds to realize
that the girl was dying.
I made contact with her mind. 'Mistress, you must not reveal yourself. They know what you are, and have
been looking for you. One of the others was captured some months ago. The Confederate General wants to
capture one of the stronger ones. They want to force one of you to turn a bunch of soldiers. They are desperate.
Protect Papa and avenge me.'
Remmy was standing next to me when the girl did the one thing I hadn't expected. She reached for one of her
captor's guns, then shot the leader of the group and his second before they shot her. Remmy went mad and lost himself
to the beast right then and there. Had I not used the blood to hold him in place and silent, we all would have died.
We left the tunnels by the other ways out that night, surrounding the house. The slaves knew to go into the
swamp. We feasted that night on the terror we caused in the nearly one hundred looters. They were drained, and fed to
the gators in the hours before dawn. Lisette was also laid to rest in the hours before dawn. It would be the death of his
four times great granddaughter that would drive him into the little death. For with her, died the last of his mortal line, and
the last remnant of his beautiful Lisselle. I nursed him through that, and have been watching over him since that first
night. Lisselle, where ever you are, I hope that you approve of Alice. No one should be alone forever.