The Seducer: A Gone From Daylight Inspired Story - 37. William Harker’s Journal: Entry 37

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Sunday, December 17, 1989

I slept the day away, still feeling this strange tiredness during the day, a tiredness I now figured was a first taste of the Death Sleep Vlad spoke of last night. But, when I awoke this evening around 7 PM after the sun had set, I felt strangely refreshed! I had a particular hunger, though…or maybe thirst is a better way to describe it…for that strange delicious broth Vlad had been making for me.

I found it waiting for me at the dining table inside a crystal goblet this time instead of a bowl. I drank it down like the starving man I guess I was! As soon as it was down, I felt instantly full like I’d just eaten a big meal. I got this giddy energy all over and really felt the need to go out and do something tonight!

Unfortunately, Vlad did not seem into it. He looked a little…depleted, I guess. I found that surprising since he had only fed upon me a couple of nights ago. He was sitting in his armchair by the fire reading and I couldn’t help but notice he had a cut on his wrist and that it was still red. It looked painful!

“Are you ok? You look like you cut yourself! I hope you didn’t hurt yourself cooking! Thank you for the broth again, by the way. As usual…it was absolutely delicious!” I remarked.

“I am perfectly well, my dear one. It is a trifling. It will soon heal in a few hours and then you will not even see it.” Vlad assured me as he turned a page.

“Are you up to going out tonight? I’m feeling a lot better and I’m up for anything!” I asked, hoping.

“Yes. I…actually…will need to go out tonight. I am in need of a ‘donor’, as it were. Making a vampire is thirsty work, young William.” Vlad smiled at me with tired fondness. I could see the darkness that had settled around his eyes and he looked older again.

“I…I could be ready for the second bite, um…if you need a donor.” I offered with a little uncertainty.

“Not yet, William. You are ‘getting there’ as far as your blood returning, but you need to be fully replenished before we can go to the second phase of your transition.” Vlad said in a professorial way.

“Ok. Well, do you need to hunt and may I come with you?” I asked with a little more eagerness than I felt I should have for, basically, being a witness to murder, if murder this could be called.

“I insist. You need to learn all I have to teach you about finding ‘donors’. They will, literally, be your lifesblood once the transition is complete. It is our primary nature and, at least according to legend, why we exist. We must hunt to survive. We become like the wolf or the lion…an apex predator. The only predator strong enough to prey upon the human race successfully. So has it been for millennia and so shall it remain until either our races fail or the world ends.” Professor Vlad instructed.

I nodded, sort of understanding, though this brought more questions than answers to my mind. There was so much to learn about this world I was becoming a part of.

~

The hunt was more of the same from the night before.

We went to a different venue this time. A place called The Twin Peaks Tavern. This place seemed to be some kind of historical monument in the gay part of town and had more of a mix of patrons from the club we had gone to before.

Older patrons were in the tavern along with younger ones. There were some women too, which I found a bit strange for a gay bar.

But, what I found far more remarkable than the place was how I was seeing it! All the colors and lights seemed to be more vibrant for some reason. People were in sharper contrast to their surroundings and I could pick up on individual conversations easier inside the loud bar atmosphere.

“mmMMm? Who’s the new dish with his Daddy?” Came one conversation and I somehow knew instantly it was about me and Vlad.

“Lucky bastard! I would just die if I could get my hands on something that pretty!” The companion to the first patron answered.

The comment caused me to snap my head over to catch the couple talking about me and Vlad.

“Oooo! He heard us! How did he manage that? He’s clear across the room!” The first patron said. Both patrons looked to be in their forties. Both started to snicker a bit at what must have been the look on my face.

That’s when something strange happened. I felt this feeling. This strong feeling of flirtatiousness, I guess. I could feel this feeling of sexiness and confidence blossom in me and I think my face conveyed that because both patrons looked stunned and then they smiled at one another like two hungry wolves who had just found their bunny rabbit.

I looked away and leaned into Vlad’s shoulder and whispered, “Two guys are looking at us. They’re a little older…but they might do!” I felt a bit conspiratorial mentioning this to Vlad knowing what his mission here was, but, then again, I was there to learn how to hunt for later.

“You managed to pick up on those two, eh? Very good! Your senses are starting to come in already. They will become sharper as you continue your transition. For instance, you have picked up on those two…but I will be happy to inform you that no less than fifty patrons in this establishment have noticed us and have become beguiled by you. If I did not know better, I’d say your special vampiric power had already presented itself!” Vlad said, turning to me with a slight smirk.

That shocked me, but as I tuned my perception a bit wider I could pick up on a few more conversations concerning us. Fifty I wasn’t certain about, but certainly five or ten. I had to wonder had how much more powerful this perception would become as I made the full transition into a vampire!

We found a booth toward the back in the shadows of the bar which seemed to be Vlad’s preferred seating arrangement while hunting. I came to understand that this was all part of his little web that he’d weave to catch his flies. I made note of this. I figured it would be a very useful thing to remember for later.

As expected, drinks appeared at our table that the tightly clad waiter delivered saying, “Compliments of two gentlemen.” He left us with a playful wink.

I found I had lost my taste for alcohol. I had enjoyed drinking before, but now I find I don’t as much. I played at sipping it politely. I noticed that Vlad didn’t touch his. He simple sat back and cast that eagle sharp vision of his around the room. As I was to find, he had a type. Usually, younger with a well developed body and usually tall and on the large size. Large as in muscular rather than fat.

Perhaps it was part of the typical interest of certain men at gay bars. It was very ordinary for such men to go home with other men so it wouldn’t raise any suspicions when they never came back. I surprised myself at thinking of that so coldly, but there was a part of me that was already seeing these people as ‘other’. They were becoming, I guess, non-persons to me. I couldn’t tell if this was an effect of my transition or if, after seeing Vlad hunt and consume his prey before, I’d become desensitized to what was to happen to one of these men.

“Hello! How are you two fine gentlemen this evening?” One of the patrons from earlier greeted us. His companion stood next to him with a pleasant if knowing smile.

“Good evening. Who would I have to pleasure of addressing?” Vlad asked with a courteous if guarded smile. I got the feeling these two were not what he was looking for.

“Oh, of course! My name is Harry and this is Jimmy. We noticed you as you both came in and didn’t recognize you so we thought we’d introduce ourselves. We tend to be regulars here and love the sight of new blood in this old, historic tavern.” The one called Harry explained.

Before I could say anything, Vlad made our introductions for us, “Ah, it is a pleasure to meet such local custom. My companion and I are indeed new to this establishment. May I introduce to you Jonathan and I am called Fernando.” Vlad lied and I picked up on his cue to keep our cover. These two were probably not the targets for this evening and Vlad wanted no connection between our true identities and who we would finally be going to the Salon Rouge with.

It was then that I had an idea. Something of a distraction for Vlad so that he could conduct his business without having to deal with these two.

“I am supposing that you guys are responsible for our drinks. Thanks! I’d love to return the…favor…if you’d let me.” I told the gentlemen with that flirtatious edge I had from before.

“Would you mind, Fernando?” I have a feeling Vlad knew exactly what I was doing because he smiled at me and waved me off with a friendly ‘go on’ gesture.

“That won’t be necessary, but we would certainly love the company…Jonathan.” Jimmy said, returning the flirtation.

I joined them at their table and actually had a fun time with them while I waited for Vlad to make his move. Before long, however, I saw that Vlad had met his ‘type’. Soon, I heard and felt a mental summons from him in my mind! I remembered having a similar experience before at the Salon Rouge when I’d heard Vlad’s voice, but then noticed he was far across the room from me.

“If you gentlemen would excuse me…there goes my ride.” I nodded over at Vlad as he moved with his selection for the evening toward the door.

“Awww…but we’re going to miss you, Johnny! You’re so ~hiccup~ cute! Couldn’t you stay with us for just a little while longer?” Harry swayed as he said it, his speech slurred a bit.

“Sorry, but I’ll look you guys up when we come back! It was a great time! Thanks for having me!” I said as I stood to leave.

Unfortunately, for Jimmy, he didn’t want me to leave so he grabbed my hand to try and pull me back. It was a meant to be a playful gesture from a drunken man, but I guess Vlad didn’t see it that way. Jimmy suddenly got this stupefied look on his face, released me, and then looked like he passed out.

I looked over at Vlad and saw his eyes glitter in the tavern’s light in a mysterious way. He then beckoned me to join him. The young guy he had behind him looked to me and smiled. Typically, he was gorgeous.

Joining Vlad, he introduced his mark for the evening as ‘Rich’. I greeted Rich who then made some kind of joke about me managing to escape the clutches of the local old lechers of the tavern. I laughed at the genuinely funny comment, but part of me felt bad for indulging Rich. It was all part of the deception that this wouldn’t be the guy’s last night on earth.

We took Rich to the Salon Rouge as was the plan and this time Vlad had me involve myself with Rich’s seduction. I allowed myself to become a focus for Rich’s affection as Vlad made love to Rich. When it came time for the bite, I noticed that Rich went into a similar stupor as Jimmy had at the tavern. I managed to get myself out from under Rich with Vlad’s help and put my robe on.

In the short time it took me to do that, Vlad had made his bite and had Rich nearly half drained dry. It was remarkable how quickly Vlad could take his bloody drink and do so without inflicting a bit of misery on his poor victim.

’The master at work.’ I thought with a bit of dark humor.

Darkness…this is what it is and I have started to thoroughly embrace it.