The Vampire Keeper (19 page)

Jezalyn wandered along the shopping strip mindlessly glancing into the windows. She had re-composed herself rather well after the disintegration of her relationship with Blaise. The only semblances to her previous distress were the cherry splotches under her eyes that had not yet faded. She had wandered several blocks from her vehicle. When Jezalyn realized the distance, she abruptly spun around stumbling directly into someone. “Excuse me,” she said trying to catch her balance as she clutched onto him for stability. Once Jezalyn regained her poise, she pressed her body and lips against his.

After recollecting they were in public, she pulled away and asked, “Hey, Larkin, I thought you were at the shop?”

He smiled and before he could answer, a clerk ran out the shop and interrupted them. “Mr. Drythe, you forgot your walking stick.”

“Thank you,” he said, taking the elegant stick out of the clerks grasp. Jezalyn’s eyes fixated on the stick, taking in its magnificent details. The body of the stick appeared to be carved out of a dark wood, but the part of the stick she gawked at was the top, where the hand would rest. The top was a silver ill-shaped ball with something engraved in the center of it. Jezalyn’s inspection of the engraving revealed that it was a crest with two symbols in the center; however, she could not quite make out the shapes.

He broke her gaze, when he forcefully tapped the ground before thrusting the stick under his arm.

“Wow, that’s a nice walking stick,” said Jezalyn.

“I am glad you like it.”

Trying to avert her eyes, she asked again, “So, what are you doing here?”

“I came to get this,” he said as he held the stick out for her to examine.

“It looks remarkably detailed,” said Jezalyn. She raised her finger, to match her focal point, and asked, “What’s that symbol on top?”

“Oh, nothing,” he replied pulling the engraving back out of view. “Are you busy? Can we go somewhere?”

“Um,” with a short glance at the coffee shop she responded, “Sure. Let’s go. I’m done here.”

She held his hand as he guided her to an old black car. He opened her door, and she remarked on his vehicle, “What kind of car is this?” as she willingly climbed in.

Entering the driver side door he responded, “It’s a 1973 Chevy Corvette.”

“It’s really nice.”

“I obtained it fully restored.”

After giving him a smile she asked, “So, where are we off to?”

“It’s a surprise,” he said holding up a handkerchief.

Jezalyn said, “What’s that for?” as she pointed at the blindfold with an alarmed expression on her face.

“It’s so the surprise isn’t ruined,” he said trying to hide his irritation at having to convince her to comply.

She reluctantly agreed as he slipped the blindfold over her eyes. Blaise trudged out the shop, just as the old black Chevy passed before him. It was not the model of the vehicle that caught Blaise’s eye, but the sight of the woman he loved blindfolded and being kidnapped. He strained to see, but could not make out the driver, so he ran behind the car screaming Jezalyn’s name as they sped away. He pulled out his phone as he ran toward his truck. “We have a problem. I think she has been kidnapped, permission to follow in pursuit.”

The masculine voice on the other end replied, “Granted, but do not engage. Check back in, when the alleged kidnapper arrives at a fixed destination, on how to proceed.”

“Yes, sir,” was his response and the line went dead.

They rode in silence for a while, before Jezalyn said, “Drythe, I can’t believe after all these months I never thought to ask you your last name.”

“I guess it wasn’t important to you.”

Jezalyn nervously laughed at his response before continuing, “It does sound familiar though.”

“Perhaps, you heard someone at the shop mention it,” was his only response.

He cranked up the radio and said, “We’ll be there in about forty minutes.”

She sat there silently trying to process the opera that blared in her ears, and when they finally reached their destination, Jezalyn happily welcomed the overwhelming silence when he killed the roar of his engine. She had always assumed she liked all music, but today she discovered that opera was almost as unbearable as her grandfather’s constant protective hovering.

Soon, Jezalyn heard the phrase “Here we are,” so he reached up and ripped off her blindfold. There was a decorative sign to the left that read, The Fowler House Country Inn.

A bed and breakfast, how sweet,
she thought and kissed his cheek.

As they entered the full front porch, she said, “Maybe, we could have some tea out here later.”

He barely cracked a smile as he guided her into the house.

“I wonder where everyone’s at,” Jezalyn pondered aloud.

“They are gone. I rented out the place for the night. Do you like it?”

“Yes,” she said with a beaming face that faded once she found herself unintentionally deliberating on the sleeping arrangements.
I wonder if we are going to be in the same room
.
Should I be spending the night with him on technically our second date? Maybe I should ask if we will be staying in separate rooms, but I also don’t want to come off uninterested. Perhaps, I should wait and see how I feel later tonight,
was her last thought as she heard him ask her if she would take pleasure in a tour of the inn.

“Yes,” she said as she slipped her arm around his. She noticed the old wood frame gray couch as they passed through to the kitchen, where she rubbed her hand down the island bar, before being guided back and around to the hall that led to the bedrooms.

He said, as he opened the door, “This is your room.” She was happy to hear the words ‘your room’ and not ‘ours’. Now she wouldn’t have to feel awkward for the rest of the evening wondering about the sleeping arrangements.
Besides
, she thought,
I could always ask him to spoon with me later, if I change my mind.

Jezalyn charged into the room, beaming full of relief, and immediately noticed a hutch in the far corner of one wall and on the other was an old fashion washbasin elegantly placed under an antique mirror. Jezalyn found the inn charming, which made her feel relaxed and comfortable. She checked her watch. It was close to five-thirty, so she suggested they go outside and watch the sun go down.

“Go ahead up front to the porch swing; I’ll meet you out there,” he said.

Jezalyn grabbed the throw off the end of her bed, and bundled up on the swing.

“I got us some tea,” he said as he handed her a glass. She lifted the covers, and he slid in next to her. They watched the sky streak long rays of pink that faded into a dark purple, which inevitably turned midnight blue before becoming a shade of dreary obsidian.

Their tea dwindled with the sun. “Beautiful,” she whispered hugging up next to his arm.

“Here take some covers. Your arm feels frosty.”

He snickered at her and pulled the covers higher as she rested her head on his arm and he whispered something into her ear, Before long, she was sound asleep.

***

Earlier that day, while Jezalyn was meeting with Blaise, Larkin had arrived at Julius’s house before any emergency personal came on the scene. He had run carefully into the house avoiding the flames. After Larkin discovering several bodies, he ripped open the metal trap door and hurled several corpses down the shaft before dragging Wyler out to safety. Out on the lawn, Larkin had discreetly fed Wyler some blood so that his body could recover faster. After his medical release, Wyler drove Larkin back to the shop.

“I am sorry, I didn’t wait as you ordered. When I arrived, I spotted Theron leaving and I saw smoke. I don’t know what happened. All I can conclude is that my war response took over and before I knew it, I was inside battling smoke and slitting wrists,” said Wyler never taking his eyes off the road.

“It’s okay. I understand,” replied Larkin.

“I don’t,” said Wyler shaking his head. “I just put my life in jeopardy for someone who was already dead. We can’t tell Ana; this has to be our secret.”

“Your defiance might have saved Julius.”

“Not likely! When I arrived, he was motionless gripping the heart that was torn from his own chest.”

“There is a possibility Julius can make it, since you stuffed his heart back in his chest and drained your blood over it.”

“I don’t understand. I thought once the heart was removed that was it for vampires.”

“Not exactly. The only way to truly kill a vampire is to destroy the heart.”

“So Julius is still alive?”

“Yes, but he is vulnerable. We need to get him some fresh blood and close up that hole in his chest.” With that last response from Larkin, Wyler forgot about the speed limit and drove directly to the bookstore.

It was almost five when they arrived. They needed to pick up some supplies and return to Epps before anyone could discover Julius.

As they entered the underground apartment, Ana rushed hysterically toward them. “Word is your brother is in town, and we need to find him before he finds us. We need to retreat to another safe house!”

“Too late,” replied Wyler as he snatched his medical bag off the refrigerator.

“What do you mean?” asked Ana nervously rubbing at her hands.

“He torched Julius’s house earlier today.”

Ana gasped as she cupped her hands over her mouth, and shook her head in disbelief. “How touching,” said Larkin, “I didn’t think you cared for him much.”

Wyler cut his eyes at Larkin and thought,
now’s not the time for this shit
, but in all actuality, Larkin was not wrong. She gasped not out of sympathy, but because she knew if Theron got Julius, he could just as easily get them also.

“Let’s go,” said Larkin as he grabbed several pouches of blood from the refrigerator.

“Where are we going?” cried Ana.

“We have to go back and check on Julius.”

“Where is Jezalyn? I don’t think we should leave her behind with Theron on the loose.”

Wyler and Larkin stared at each other. “Is she still silent?”

“Yes,” responded Larkin as he dashed up the stairs into the shop.

“What does that mean? I thought the connection couldn’t be broken.”

“It can’t,” replied Wyler.

“Then, why can’t he hear her?” asked Ana with intensity bordering on anger. She did not know how attached she had actually gotten to Jezalyn until that moment.

“Perhaps she is asleep, Bunny. Don’t worry I’m sure he’ll get a read on her soon.” With that response Wyler ran upstairs to meet Larkin.

After gathering some supplies and Ana, they rushed back to Julius’s house. Ana stood silent as she realized a charred shell was all that remained of Julius’s house. The cindered walls smoked as Larkin and Wyler tossed the debris off the steel flap that led to Julius’s body. After clearing the debris, Larkin looked at Wyler and said, “Take Ana and go to the old Epps Memorial Graveyard. Walk toward the back and down to the left. There will be several burial vaults. Search for the one titled Grimshaw; I will be waiting inside with Julius.”

Wyler and Ana ran back to the car, and Larkin flipped open the lid and jumped into the hole. He cradled Julius in his arms like an infant and ran down the narrow shaft. When he reached the end, he pressed with his right shoulder against a rectangular stone that arched at the top. Once the secret passageway opened, he gently laid Julius down and unbolted the crypt for Wyler, but his speed afforded him enough time to retrieve the other two bodies and seal the secret passage before they arrived.

Larkin stood in a defensive posture as the door swung open to the burial tomb. “Where’s he at?” asked Wyler going through the motions as he rushed to Julius’s body.

Ana’s eyes grew big. “Who is that?” questioned Ana as she pointed to the two lifeless female bodies resting next to Larkin’s foot.

“Casualties,” replied Larkin. “Inspect those crypts over here and see if there is any room.”

Ana did as Larkin requested and turned her flashlight toward the wall. “No, not the wall crypts, those over there.” Larkin pointed to several stone coffins positioned against the far left corner where darkness embraced them.

Ana edged forward, until she reached the first tomb. She pushed on the lid, but it would not budge. “I can’t get it open,” replied Ana as she threw her hands up in frustration.

Grabbing one of the corpses, Larkin said, “I got it.” He pushed it back releasing an overwhelming stench, and Ana instantly brought both her hands to her face dropping her light into the crypt.

Ana held her nose as she tried to retrieve her light, but with every attempt she gagged. It was not until her third unsuccessful retrieval that Larkin said, “I got it,” before demanding that she go get the other body. Consequently as he brought the light up, he saw a shimmer. He tilted the light forward and discovered that the glint was a large diamond engagement ring on the finger of a somewhat decomposed body. Upon seeing the ring Larkin mumbled dryly, “Figures, Julius always had fine taste.” After retrieving Ana’s flashlight, he resealed the concrete tomb since there was not enough room to store another body. Larkin moved on to the next, all the while insisting that Ana drag the other body over while he lifted the lid and threw the body in. Larkin had resealed the stone coffin, and waited with the fourth open for Ana to bring him the body.

After dumping the remains, Larkin returned to Wyler. “How is he doing?”