Blood Legacy: The Story of Ryan (17 page)

“I am no more a monster than are you.”

She was preparing a scathing retort but something in his words made her pause. He still looked at her with desire, but it was a much different type of desire than that which had caused him to attack her. It was not like the desire of men who had tried to rape her, thinking she was a young boy, nor was it like the desire of men who took women forcibly. It was not like that of his mother and father in their crude wooden hut, nor was it like the lust of the priest in all his wants.

It was a desire that had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with power. And she looked within herself and saw the same longing, although she had no idea what she was longing for.

She turned away from him, swallowing hard, but he had seen what was in her eyes. He placed his hand beneath her chin and turned her head so that she was again looking at him. She could feel her heart in her chest, although beating weakly, beating rapidly.

“Ah, little one, I have waited so long for you I cannot wait any longer.”

Victor took the knife from the bedstand and in one quick movement, sliced a thin cut through his neck. Blood began to seep from the wound.

She was startled by the self-infliction of the wound, but her eyes were drawn to the blood that began to run down his shirt. She dragged her eyes away from the wound to look in his.

“I cannot do this, this abomination.”

Victor shook his head. “It is too late, my dear. It is already done.”

She looked away, at the floor, at the wall, at the ceiling, at anything but the blood on his shirt. He kneeled at her feet and she swayed towards him, catching herself. She tried to stand but he grabbed her wrists, pulling her to her knees as well. She could not resist now, the blood was too close to her mouth and all she had to do was lean ever so slightly forward…

And then her mouth was on his neck and he was holding her tightly as she fed. But this time it was different. Sensations raced through her body as his blood coursed through her veins. Pictures, disjointed and nonsensical fluttered through her mind. Pictures of things she had never seen and places she had never been.

Her hand rested languidly on his cheek and he gently turned her wrist. She felt a slight pain and knew that he was now feeding off her as she fed on him. But again, this time it was different. She had felt only pain before at his touch, but now a flush of pleasure spread out over her body, radiating from the wrist he held so tightly in his grasp.

The sensations that went tearing through the girl were extraordinary. Her entire being was flushed with blood, first with his and then with her own as he returned what he had taken. She had no concept of how long they were locked in their deadly embrace. She only knew that the sensations continued to build and pulsate until the pleasure became unbearable, and she broke from his grasp.

He released her, sated for the first time in centuries, and reveled in the power coursing through his veins. Nothing in all the known world provided such completeness, such satisfaction. He gazed down at his unholy child, knowing all had come to fruition.

Susan shook her head, trying to clear it. She felt as if she were coming out of a trance. She and the woman had been having a conversation, but at some point in time she forgot that they were talking. It seemed almost that she stopped listening and began seeing, although that of course was preposterous.

Susan glanced around the study. The images were so vivid the study seemed strange, incongruous. But when she tried to picture faces or details, the vividness of the picture faded away until all she could see, or rather hear, were the words that had obviously passed between them.

Ryan gazed at her. It appeared she herself was unaffected by the conversation, but not surprised by Susan’s numb state. Susan wondered if she had placed her in some type of hypnotic state.

 “So,” Susan began carefully, “what you’re telling me is that you’re a vampire.”

Ryan’s hand stopped in mid-air, not quite reaching her wineglass. Susan heard a muffled chuckle behind her and glanced back. She had forgotten about Edward.

Ryan had a look of exasperation and annoyance on her face. She seemed completely surprised at the reference. “Of course not. What an idiotic suggestion.”

Susan was taken aback. She felt compelled to apologize without really knowing why.

“I’m sorry. But from what you were describing—”

“Dr. Ryerson,” Ryan interrupted smoothly, “do you believe in vampires?”

Susan was slow to reply. “No, no I don’t.”

“Well neither do I,” Ryan said, “and I’ve been around quite a bit longer than you have. Vampires are a result of over-active human imaginations. People of my time believed in them, but people of my time held trials in which kitchen appliances were charged with witchcraft. I thought you were a little more sophisticated than that.”

Again, Edward’s attempt to muffle his laughter failed. Ryan shot him a dark look. Susan did not know how she had ended up on the defensive end of this conversation. “Well, of course. But from what you were describing, it seemed a logical conclusion.”

“What I was describing was what happened,” Ryan said, “whatever conclusions you drew were your own.”

Susan felt oddly chastised as Ryan continued, now speaking almost to herself. “Besides, I could eat Dracula for dinner.”

 The words were spoken so casually and with such confidence that Susan abruptly raised her head. There was a subtle sense of danger around this woman that at times could be extremely unsubtle. Ryan glanced up at the antique clock, which now read 4 am. “You should be leaving.”

Because the sun will be up soon, Susan thought before she could stop herself.

Ryan smiled knowingly at Susan’s expression. Susan noticed Ryan did not show her teeth when she smiled, another thought she attempted to brush off.

The thought of leaving, however, brought her reasons for coming back into focus.

“I’m not certain I believe even a word of what you’re saying,” Susan began, “but that doesn’t change the fact that my son is in the hospital, and that you’re responsible.”

Ryan did not deny the responsibility although Edward cleared his throat. Ryan’s eyes shifted to him once more and he quieted. She turned her attention to Susan.

“How exactly,” Ryan asked slowly, “would you have me absolve myself?”

Oddly, this momentarily silenced Susan. She was careful in framing her reply. “You have self-healing abilities I’ve never seen before, “ She felt a tinge of desperation in her voice which she tried to disguise. “I would like to continue studying you.”

Ryan was silent for a long moment. Susan was hopeful that the silence meant contemplation. Her hopes were dashed by Ryan’s reply.

“No.”

Susan tried to reason with her. “Why not? You have things in your blood that could change the world.”

Ryan took a sip of her wine. “I don’t want to change the world.”

The tinge of desperation was a little more obvious. “Why not? Your body chemistry could provide all sorts of insight into immunology. If I could recreate your blood chemistry, I could conquer disease. You could save the human race.”

This appeared to amuse Ryan. “It’s been my experience that the human race is not particularly worth saving.”

The scathing indictment caused Susan to spring to her feet in anger. Edward was instantly there. Susan tried to calm herself, tried to sound reasonable.

“Then let me study you for myself. I’ve spent my entire life looking for something like this.”

“Ah,” Ryan said, sitting back, “The truth at last. I fail to see how this would benefit me in any way. I’m not motivated by altruism.”

Susan controlled her anger. She knew she was about to be dismissed and grabbed at one last final straw. “Then do it for yourself.”

Susan saw a flicker in Ryan’s eye and pressed on. “You’re curious. I saw you hesitate in front of the MRI image. You were studying yourself. I can help you.”

Edward took a step back, still guarding his master. Ryan smiled a slight smile, twirling the stem of the wineglass between her fingers. “Self-interest. The last appeal.”

Ryan glanced down at the desk in front of her. Her reply startled Edward. “I will consider it,” she said.

Susan released her breath, unaware she had been holding it. Up until that moment, she had not known how important an affirmative response was to her. Although Ryan had not said “yes,” she had not ruled out the possibility.

Edward moved to Susan’s side, and she realized it was time for her to leave. Ryan confirmed this realization. “Please ensure Dr. Ryerson is given safe passage to the hospital.”

Susan simply nodded because there was nothing left to say. Edward began escorting her out. She felt self-doubt and a little guilt gnaw at her as she left the study. She wasn’t certain if her desire to study Ryan was entirely due to her concern for the human race.

Ryan sat gazing into the fire. She wondered if Edward would personally escort the doctor back to the hospital. Her question was answered when a few moments later Edward returned. Although normally restrained, on this occasion he would not hold back.

“You cannot possibly be serious.”

Ryan glanced up at him, then returned to her contemplation of the fire. “I see little harm in it, as long as she does not publish anything.”

“I see little benefit in it. And surely you realize Dr. Ryerson is exceedingly ambitious.”

Ryan turned to him, and although her demeanor was calm and her features expressionless, Edward knew he had crossed a line.

“Are you doubting my judgment, Edward?”

Edward bowed his head, immediately repentant. He was truly regretful. “I apologize, my lord. Of course not.”

Ryan began to turn back in her seat.

“But—”

She raised an eyebrow.

“—You often act without due self-regard.”

Ryan hid a smile. Edward was stubborn, but few could deliver so clever an admonishment. It reaffirmed the reason he had been her personal servant for nearly three centuries. She allowed him to wait in silence for what seemed an interminable amount of time.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Edward bowed stiffly from the waist, then left the room. Ryan glanced out the window. It would be dawn soon. She stood, stretching, then followed Edward’s path. She took the sweeping marble staircase into her suite. She switched on the soft lights, only slightly disturbing the Cockatoo who was sleeping on his perch. He opened one eye sleepily, then yawned. Ryan scratched his head and he fluffed himself, settling back down. It was far too early for any respectable bird to be rising.

Ryan switched off the light and then stripped off her clothes, grabbing a robe from the bathroom. She went onto the balcony, then down another sweeping set of stairs into the pool area.  She reveled in the cold on her skin; there had been snow out here a few days earlier, but the groundskeepers had cleared the area. She removed the robe and dove into the water.

By the time she was done, the sun was peeking over the hills in the distance. She wrapped herself in the robe and eyed the sun without concern. She reentered the house, then returned with the newspaper, settling into one of the cushioned chairs poolside. She glanced through the paper, wincing a little as the sun cleared the distant hills. It had that cold morning glare only a winter sun can have.

She reached for her sunglasses that were lying on the nearby table. She remembered the look on Dr. Ryerson’s face when she had begun discussing vampires. Ryan laughed as she put the glasses on, her only concession to the daylight.

CHAPTER 15

 SUSAN WATCHED AS JASON’S PUPPY chased him through the park. He ran through the dewy grass, squealing as the tiny beast caught up with him and nipped at his heels. Jason had a bandage on his forehead, the only reminder of their recent ordeal.

And the puppy, Susan thought to herself with irony. She had capitulated on that almost immediately. She knew it was mostly from guilt. In the last few days she had begun to feel a heavy responsibility for recent events. Although initially she blamed Ryan, she finally admitted to herself that it was her own breach of ethics that had endangered her son.

Susan became aware of the concern in Jason’s voice.