Chương 19: Night Hours

Ch 19. Night Hours John yawned and forced himself to stand up from his chair and stretch a bit. There was a heavy storm roaring outside of his office window and the sound of the rain hitting the roof kept nearly lulling him to sleep. He cracked his back and took a long sip of his coffee. Due to the large number of nocturnal residents in Avalon he took at least one day of overnight hours in his office per month.

He leaned back and rubbed his eyes, as he opened them there was a flash of light as a bolt of lightning struck nearby followed by a massive cracka-thoom of thunder.

"Good evening," said a suave voice from somewhere in front of him. John sighed, looked up above the couch where a man with long black hair and red eyes was hanging upside down, his long black cloak somehow staying perfectly in place along with his blood red vest covered in golden thread.

"Good evening Radu, how are you tonight?" Radu gently fell down to the couch, his body slowly spinning until he landed in such a way that he could lounge languidly across it." Bored as is the reason I made this appointment. Thank you for sending me a formal invitation ahead of time. I would've hated to be stuck out in the rain." John smiled. The vampire didn't have a drop on him despite the torrential downpour outside and he doubted he would've even if he'd had to stand still long enough to knock on the door.

"Well, you're not my first vampiric client."" Ohhhh, anyone I'd know?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that."

"That's fine, now that I know I can maybe keep myself entertained for a night or two by ferreting out who and why myself." John frowned, but decided to push forward.

"So, per your appointment request and your last statement you seem to be dealing with a fair amount of boredom and ennui. Why don't you take me through a regular day in your life… or unlife, as it were." Radu let out a long dramatic sigh and stretched languidly.

"I awake at twilight every morning, pushing my way out of the pile of brides I'd gotten myself tangled in the previous evening. After that I go outside for a flight and a hunt to stretch my wings and fill my stomach for the evening. Yesterday I made a meal of a particularly tasty dwarven virgin… can't say I enjoyed picking his neck hairs out of my teeth though." John grimaced a bit at the visual. There were rules in Avalon about that kind of thing.

A number of people volunteered to be blood donors and they usually didn't need to be revived afterward. He tried not to judge too harshly; everybody needed to eat. His duty was to his clients anyway and often his therapy led to a pretty large reduction in deaths when he was successful with a client.

"After that there's usually some kind of ball or masquerade to attend with the other vampires. Typically there's some kind of betrayal, or coup to have fun with mixed in. After the factions are drawn and redrawn a few dozen times I go back to my castle to spend the rest of the night engaged in increasingly complex debauchery with my brides."

"And that's your typical night?" asked John. He shrugged.

"Sometimes I engage in some kind of byzantine courtship with another vampire that starts a cycle of love and hate that goes on for a few centuries. It can spice things up for a while, but after the time with the bitch of Lioncourt it really hasn't had the same appeal. I doubt anyone could be as messy as that vapid blonde devil." John made a few quick notes.

"Can I ask what you did before you became a vampire? Or were you born one?"

"Oh no, I was turned. I was a noble. Back in those days I would be awoken around noon by one of my servants. I would extricate myself from the clutches of whatever count or countess I'd spent the night with. After that I'd go for a hunt and have whatever I slaughtered prepared for my brunch. Once that was done I'd attend some social function or another. Sometimes there'd be a fun new piece of gossip or a fresh young thing being introduced to society that we'd fight to seduce.

Then I'd retire back to the manor with whatever conquest I'd managed and after a night of mutual satisfaction I'd fall asleep." Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings. John looked at him with a frown.

"It uh… sounds like you have been living much the same life in your new unlife as you did before you were turned. I mean, the scale has changed, but the activities are almost exactly the same."

"Of course they are. What better life is there than one of leisure, pleasure, and seduction? The entire reason I was turned was so that I could drink life straight from the vein and send that blood straight to my cock to ravish anyone and everyone I could for the rest of eternity."

"Well, I certainly admire your clarity of purpose," said John.

"Thank you," replied Radu.

"In either of your lives, have you ever had a hobby? A job? Anything like that?"

"Hunting and whoring have always been my hobbies."

"Have you never thought of making something with your hands? Or even learning to play a game of some kind at a high level?"

"Like a commoner? Or a mortal?"

"I've met more than a few immortal craftsmen, artists, and hobbyists. I'm actually surprised that you haven't taken up something in all of your existence so far."

"You really believe a single hobby would help to cure me of the infinite well of emptiness within my soul?"

"No, but I believe it's a good first step. Making something with your hands and being able to look at it after you've made it is a very satisfying thing. They're also a good way to meet new people outside your usual social circle. I get the impression that you've only really spent time with other vampires recently."

"Well I could consider spending more time with mortals," he said as he eyed John hungrily for a moment.

"At least for a night or two."

"What you're doing there is deflecting. It's a flattering deflection, but I want to stay on task here." Radu leaned back and sighed.

"So what? I should take up sculpting, or painting, or sewing? That odd little game where men move strange little plastic soldiers across miniaturized terrain?" John shrugged.

"There's no reason to settle on just one. Maybe dabble in a few that seem the most interesting to you and see how they make you feel. The infinite library has night hours. I'm sure it could help guide you into something new." Radu tapped one of his fangs with a long sharp fingernail for a moment as if deep in thought.

"No, I think I'll just keep fucking and drinking blood as much as possible. I don't think I'm the type to…hobby." John nodded.

"I can only give advice and make recommendations. What you do with what I tell you, is your business." He said it in a calm and even tone, but he had more than a little frustration bubbling up.

"Is there anyone among your…vampiric coven that you feel close to. Someone you could spend more time with to try and keep yourself occupied? Someone you share an intimate relationship with?"

"There are few I have not been intimate with at this point." John sighed. He'd walked right into that one.

"I mean emotionally. Based on what you told me I'm worried you don't have any strong connections. That can often lead to feelings of hopelessness and emptiness."

"To let one of them close would be foolish. I'd soon find myself in thrall to them and licking their boots. Which would be fun for a little while, but would get dull quickly."

"What about a mortal?" Radu scoffed.

"What about one?" John sighed and stood up from his desk, walking to the door and opening it.

"I don't really get the impression that there's anything I can do for you, at least while you're unwilling to hear what I'm saying to you. I have a few other clients that should arrive in a little while. I hope you have a nice night." Radu levitated to his feet and walked toward the door.

"It may be nicer with some additional company?" he said with a fanged grin. John shook his head.

"Afraid I don't date clients. Even ones I may never see again."

"Such a shame." Lightning struck again, followed by a peal of thunder and Radu was gone. John was unsurprised, letting the door to his office swing closed as he went back to his desk. Thinking about it, was he so different from Radu? Every day he got up at the same time, he wore the same suit, went to the same bakery, walked the same streets. That was exactly why Katrina had left him. He let out an audible groan and leaned back in his chair.

He hoped the next client would show up soon so he could focus on someone else's problems instead of his own.