CHAPTER 8

She dropped the papers on the floor. Her head was spinning. Gene was a vampire and her grandmother was his true love? Did that mean he wanted her blood? Was this what it was all about?

The walls started to close in on her. This was all too much for her to handle right now. She had to escape this madness. He was crazy and he was trying to drive her crazy. Cautiously she turned the door knob, fully expecting it to be locked but surprised to discover she could open the door. Finding the hall empty she crept toward the staircase aware of every little noise around her. She had to make her escape. Silently she went down the stairs, afraid she would be caught at any second.

Just as she reached the front door, "Alex are you going out?" Paul had caught her. She turned to face him and her legs gave way causing her to collapse at the door tears streaming down her face.

"Alex, what is wrong?" there was genuine concern in his voice.

"Please don't kill me. Please." she begged.

Paul rushed to her side. Helping her to stand he held her trembling body in his arms. "No one wants to kill you Alex." He whispered softly in her ear. He held her close as he stroked her hair and continued to whisper words of comfort to her. He helped her into the living room and sat down on the couch with her, never letting her go.

She was babbling incoherently about rape, murder, curses, The Blood and dieing. Paul held her and let her ramble until she was worn out. They sat together on the couch for a long time as Paul continued speaking quietly to her trying to calm her down.

Gene watched from the door. It was finally over and he had lost. She would never accept him. For years he had expected to be greeted by fear and loathing for what he was and finally, now it had happened.

He turned and left the room. When she was calm he would have Paul take her back. He had amassed a small fortune over his lifetime; he would make sure she was well taken care of. He would give her the other house and all the money she would ever need. He was tired; it was time to give up.

"Are you better now?" Paul still held her close to him.

"Yes, I'm sorry." she stammered, still clinging to Paul.

"There is nothing for you to be sorry about."

"I feel so foolish." she admitted reluctantly.

"Why? Because you saw a dead body? Because you were kidnapped? Because you found out a vampire wants your blood?"

"When you put it like that it doesn't sound so foolish after all." she giggled.

"There now, I think the patient is much better." Paul smiled; glad she had calmed down and could speak and think rationally.

"Are you going to tell me the rest?"

"The rest?" Paul asked cautiously.

Alex looked him in the eye. "Well, let's start with the woman I saw."

"Oh that." Paul fidgeted. "You know most the story so I guess you deserve to know the rest. When Gene is around you the hunger gets worse. He can smell The Blood and that is what he needs. If he doesn't get The Blood his hunger intensifies, when the hunger is not fed the madness begins. Usually I gathered some of the homeless to live with us on the pretense of giving them a job. They did household chores and we gave them food and shelter. When the hunger came upon him, well let's just say food was in the house. Having you in the house and so close he had to feed twice a day and…well… he exhausted our supply."

"How can you talk like that about people? Calling them food?" Alex shuddered at the callousness in his voice.

"I know I must sound uncaring to you but after all these years it has become a way of life. I can't get attached to people. I've watched so many people die, and not just by Gene but from old age, from disease. Some of these were people I've loved. It is just easier to separate myself from Gene's victims. It is the only way I can keep from going mad myself."

Paul looked at Alex and knew from the look in her eyes that she understood and didn't condemn him.

"To continue, I needed to find food quickly. She was a prostitute from the next town. It might sound horrible to you but I tried to find people that no one would miss, the homeless, prostitutes, someone with no family. You weren't supposed to wake up when you did. Just five more minutes and I would have been out of the house and you would have never known. But that is all behind us now. What's done is done."

"What about Scott?" she asked hesitantly.

"You have to listen with an open mind Alex." Paul stated. "Can you do that with all you know so far?"

"I'll try."

"Gene needs The Blood which only comes from his true love and her female descendants."

"I understand that, but what does it have to do with Scott?"

"Patience Alex. When Alexandra died she had two daughters, each more than willing to supply The Blood. The oldest daughter married but only had one son. Over the years his descendants were all male so that supply was no longer available to us. The younger daughter had two girls. Just as their mother had done they both supplied The Blood. The line was thinning out. I won’t go over every generation but it finally came down to only 1 female descendant. Are you following me?"

"I think so, go on."

"This one female descendant, your grandmother had a daughter, your mother."

"Did my mother supply The Blood?" Alex was surprised. Her mother had never mentioned anything of this to her.

"Yes she did. I liked your mother. She was a very caring woman. She didn't want to tell you about Gene since she was still young enough to supply what he needed and you had just met Scott."

"You knew about Scott?" she was surprised at this information.

"We knew about many things in your life. Your mother always kept us informed of what was going on in your life. She even sent us pictures of you as you grew up. Your employer at the publishing company works for one of Gene's companies. Someone was always watching out for your needs whether you knew it or not."

"The raises and bonuses always came when I need them the most. That was Gene?"

Paul nodded. "Then your parents' sudden death changed everything. You didn't know anything about us and we had no way of getting information about you with your mother gone. We believed everything was fine and when Gene decided to approach you with our story that is when we found out about the problems with Scott. Gene was furious."

"Was he the one that called that night?"

"Yes. The only other time I've seen him kill with that much anger was when he killed my brother." Paul stopped and let out a long sigh as if he was remembering.

"I had forgotten he was your brother. I'm sorry." She gently touched his arm.

He looked at her and smiled. "It was a long time ago. He and I were nothing alike. He was mean and I hated the things he did. I couldn't bear what he did to Holly and he had to be punished. But, back to my story. Gene gave you a hypnotic suggestion, which caused you to come to that little town. We believed if we could get you in the house to live with us, it would be easier for you to understand and accept. It didn't quite work that way. If only…."

"I hadn't seen you with that woman." she finished for him.

"Yes. Well now I think you know the whole story. Do you hate us?" he couldn't look her in the eye for fear of her answer.

Alex paused, collecting her thoughts. The silence was deafening.

"No. I don’t hate you. I only wish my mother would have told me." she sighed.

"It would have been much easier." Paul agreed with her. "Now, why don't you go upstairs and wash your face and change your clothes. I will fix lunch. I know you must be hungry."

"Still the chef?"

"Always."

Alex went back upstairs to freshen up and Paul went into the kitchen.

"I've made a decision." Gene sounded very serious.

"Decision about what?" Paul sounded confused.

"Take her back. It's over."

"Wait…"

"No. I'm tired I want to rest by my betrothed." Gene looked at his friend and continued sadly. "We never found out what happens to you when I die. I'm sorry my friend."

"You aren't going to die."

"No, I will go mad first then I will die. Bury me next to my betrothed." Gene walked out the back door.

Alex came downstairs. "So great chef, what is for lunch?" She stopped when she saw the look of sorrow on Paul's face. "What is wrong? You look like you lost your best friend."

"Gene is sending you back."

"I thought he need The Blood to survive."

"He does but now he just wants to die."

"Where is he?"

"Out back."

Alex headed out the back door in search of Gene. What she found was a small cemetery with 4 graves. She walked over to look at the headstones. 'They look new.' she thought. 'Those two must be his parents. Holly, this is his sister.' Reverently she went to the last grave and gently traced the name, her name.

"I loved her you know." Gene said quietly as he put flowers in the vase at her grave.

"I know."

"It was difficult with you, you look just like her."

"I do?"

"Would you like to see? Her portrait hangs in my room."

"Yes, I would very much like to see."

Gene escorted her to the house, through the kitchen, past a surprised Paul, and up the stairs to his room. There hanging on the wall was a portrait that she herself could have posed for.

"It's like looking in a mirror." she whispered.

"She was beautiful. She still is." Gene looked longingly at Alex.

Alex suddenly became very shy. Here was a man over 350 years old, someone who loved her ancient grandmother and he was flirting with her.

"My necklace. She is wearing my necklace."

"Yes. I gave that to her as a gift."

She fingered the necklace at her throat. "Then I suppose I should thank you for this gift."

"You are welcome."

There was a comfortable silence between them as they both stared at the portrait each lost in their own thoughts.

Gene finally broke the silence. "I will have Paul take you back when you are ready." He said it without looking at her.

"You're sending me away?" she questioned.

"You believe my story?"

"Yes."

"And it repulses you. I understand. I won't make you stay, I couldn't."

"Does it hurt?"

A confused Gene looked at Alex, "What?"

"When you take The Blood. Does it hurt?"

"Just the first time and then only for a moment."

"What do I have to do?"

"I don't understand. I thought…"

"You thought that I believed you were a monster? No, I never believed that. There was jus so much, so quickly…it was difficult to sort out. But I have."

"And you agree?"

"If I said I was a little afraid I hope you would understand. But I am the last. I don't know what you will do when I'm gone."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there."

"Is there something I have to do?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want to do this." Looking at the portrait, "She would want me to do this."

Gene took her in his arms and held her close.

"It's been almost a year since I've had The Blood. It will require that I feed more often in the beginning."

"Is Paul still going to cook for me?"

"Of course."

"Then I think I can handle it."

Gene smiled then kissed her gently on the lips, he caressed her cheek and then proceeded to drink The Blood. It lasted but a few moments then Gene laid her down on the bed to rest from her ordeal. Gene doubled over in pain but it quickly passed. He lay down next to her; tired from the purging his body had gone through. He wrapped his arms around her and smiled. He brought his face close to her and kissed her again.

"Besides, Paul can still father children…."