“It’s not really prepared or anything, considering I didn’t expect to have anyone staying permanently,” explained Bouquet to his protégé, showing him the guest room he would sleep in. “For now, however, it will have to do.”

Yawning, the young vampire said “No, it’s very nice, thank you. If it’s all the same, I think I’d just like to retire now.”

“Yes, of course,” agreed Bouquet, yawning himself. “Well, good morning then.”

With that, he left the room, shutting the door, walking with the swift, silent step of a vampire, to his own room.

Chauvelin, despite his exhaustion, managed to double check that the curtains were tightly closed, before collapsing onto the large, soft bed. He decided he didn’t have the energy, to bother getting undressed. Collapsing onto the pillow, he yawned once more, settling under the sheets. He was asleep within moments.

The night started with a very quick feed, lasting only long enough to get a meager breakfast. It then continued with training, often upon the large rocks by the shore, before, a larger meal.

“Wrong, try again.”

Chauvelin was glaring daggers at the man, a white hand covering a spot on his hip where a bruise would soon be going. To teach him balance and stealth, Bouquet had had him jumping across the large boulders. Careless, the young son slipped from the rock, to the ground with a thud, landing on his hip in a most painful way.

“Can’t you give me a minute?” he snarled.

“That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” chided Bouquet, hoisting the young vampire to his feet. “Get back on the rock and try again.” Noticing that Chauvelin was still glaring, he added “You are getting better at it. Now try again.”

The second attempt, though slightly jerky since it hurt to move the hip, was executed with quite a bit more caution. What was worse was that Bouquet demanded it be done silently. Since his hearing was far better than any mortal, he allowed some noise, but too much brought forth a reprimand. “How will you ever catch anything if you’re making all that bloody noise?”

Glaring hotly, Chauvelin turned mid-jump, beginning to fall for a moment once he landed, but managing to right himself. “Look, if all you’re going to do is criticize-”

“Answer the question!” demanded the elder.

After a pause, the younger replied “I’ll use my mind to attract them to me.” Bouquet laughed. “Well, you do it!”

“Yes, but I’m quite a bit older than you. You don’t know how.”

“So teach me.”

“Later.”

“Now.”

“Later,” Bouquet firmly refused. “We must learn to walk before we run; basics before accessories.”

Chauvelin stood and tried the rocks again. Gracefully, he almost danced across the rocks, nearly silent. He was doing far better than he’d ever done before, and was finally onto the rock he’d never reached before. However, in his excitement, he lost his footing, and began to fall again. Only this time, Bouquet raced to catch him. The elder laughed as the two collided into each other, falling to the ground.

“Very good, very good!” he praised, hugging the vampire the way a proud father would a son, and that was very understandable; Chauvelin was his child, in just about every respect. True, physically, he was a full grown man, but as a vampire, he was a child. By creating another vampire was the only way to pass on a lineage, the only way to have an heir, the only way to have a child, and Bouquet was shaping up to be an excellent father.

Still laughing, Bouquet tussled the young vampire’s hair, who was also grinning. “Come on, we’ll get something extravagant to eat tonight!”

And that is why Bouquet had lived in Dieppe for so long; he had servants to go out and do things for him; he could live unnoticed while it seemed like generations were living in his mansion.

The year seemed to go by very quickly as Chauvelin was trained. For a vampire it was more like a few months. Chauvelin was astounded to realize he hadn’t seen his mortal family in a year, that he’d walked the night for twelve months.

To celebrate the monumental first year, Jean Claude Meaux and his younger sister Jacqueline had arrived from Beauvais, making a small, happy party.

“Yes, thank you. It doesn’t feel like it has been a year.”

And so, they walked on in complete silence, and because he was looking out at the ocean, he did not notice that she was watching him intently. And then, impulsively, she stood on tip toe, and kissed his cheek. Shocked, he turned back from the sea and stared down at her. She was smiling, her green eyes glowing. She reached up, and kissed him again.

“Not allowed to kiss back?” she pouted prettily. She gave him another peck, to entice a reaction, which she got, but it wasn’t the one she’d wanted.

“Jacqueline, don’t,” he said, taking a step away from her for a moment.

“Why not? Vampires are lustful creatures, it’s completely natural.”

“You’re too young for me,” he protested.

“That’s a joke! I will remind you that it is you who are the baby between us. I’m 190, remember? You’re only one.”

“I meant in appearance.”

“Armand, just because you were made a vampire later than I was is no basis to refuse a romantic relationship. Vampires do this all the time. We don’t pay attention to mortal society rules. Unless,” she teased, “you just don’t like me.”

He laughed, and kissed her hand. “Hardly,” he assured.

“Good. Then give me a kiss.”

“Jacqueline….”

“I’m not asking you to have an affair with me, I’m asking for a little kiss. Please, Armand?” He rolled his eyes and gave her a quick kiss. She smiled up at him, taking his arm, and continuing the walk with him.

“Happy Birthday, Armand.”

“That’s nothing,” assured Bouquet. “Vampires often go decades without seeing another vampire. You get used to it.”

“But, Andre,” protested Chauvelin. “Don’t you get, well, lonely?”

He shrugged. “When you are young, you would feel lonely when there is no one around. But you never do, because there’s always someone around. And if no mortals are near that interest you, you still have the energy to travel and meet vampires. Or new mortals, or what have you.”

Bouquet settled into his chair by the roaring fire, glass of blood in hand.

“When you are old, then all the mortals have died, and you no longer are interested in them. And then you don’t have the energy to travel as much as you used to in order to see other vampires. So, there are a couple of options.”

Chauvelin had settled into a chair opposite his “father,” and noted without pleasure that, though near the blazing hearth, he was still cold. “What are the options?” he asked.

“When you are young, you find a mortal that interests you, and you make them a vampire. Or, if you’re a little younger than I am, you make a vampire simply to have a protégé.”

“And you didn’t do either,” the younger commented.

“No, I had resigned myself to being lonely. But accidents happen.” Chauvelin hated being referred to as an accident. It made him feel so worthless. Bouquet was quick to notice this, and really, though he’d never tell Chauvelin this, he was glad he had the company. Instead, he said “I don’t regret it, mind you. Lord, no, quite the contrary. It’s good to have the company.”

And they sat in silence for a moment before Chauvelin suddenly realized: “Andre, you didn’t really answer my question.”

“Pardon moi, in my old age, I forget what the question was. Would you repeat it?”

“Weren’t you ever lonely?

“Ah, yes, that’s right. No,” he said simply.

Surprised, Chauvelin asked “No?”

“No,” he replied. “No, you see, because I was a member of the lucky group.”

“The what?”

Andre settled into his chair, drinking some more blood. “Lord, I suppose there’s still plenty to teach you, isn’t there? Of course there is, you’re only five years old! Well, you see, Armand, there are two types of vampires; those who fall in love, and those who don’t. I was one of the lucky ones: I didn’t fall in love.”

This did not clear up anything for Bouquet’s young “son.” “I wouldn’t think that would be so lucky.”

“Are you kidding? Lord, it’s the best stroke of luck a common vampire could have! You see, among the type that fall in love, there are four sub categories; the ones who fall in love with a fellow vampire, the ones that fall in love with a mortal and make them a vampire – to their happiness, the ones who fall in love with a mortal and make them a vampire – to their despair, and finally, the ones who fall in love with a mortal, but never make them a vampire.

“Now, the first group ends up being happy 99% of the time, because if they’re in love, they can stay with each other for all eternity. It is these sort of vampires that generally live the longest; they lean on each other for support.

“The second category, either through trickery or honesty, make their mortal companions vampires and stay with them though all eternity. The second made a mistake in forcing their beloved in to eternal life, and the second party abandons them. Thirdly, the saddest and bravest of all, have enough respect and love for their partner to let them live a mortal life, and die a mortal death. They end up being alone for the rest of eternity.”

Touched, Chauvelin asked “But why?”

“Because, Armand, a vampire never falls in love twice.”

Next Chapter