Blueblood 2: The World - 6. Edwin Takes the Plunge

It was the next day when I got to really see Thornwood. When I did, I was impressed. We had arrived at night and then early next morning we were back on the road to London to check out of the Four Seasons and today we weren’t going anywhere. Edwin said they had a lot of weddings and corporate parties here and now I understood why. The house was very elegant, but the yard was spectacular. The gardens and yard were beyond beautiful. We had breakfast out on the terrace that overlooked a very well-manicured garden surrounded the house. Decorative plants were bordering pathways that lined the paths. The Autumn season was beginning and it wasn’t cold, but cool in the morning air. This was a formal English Garden befitting a king or queen.

“I know you don’t want to hear it,” I said as Colin drank his beloved coffee. “But this almost feels like a palace.”

Colin chuckled. “I’m over it now. You’re right, it looks very elegant and sculpted, but it’s not a home.” He sighed as he looked over the countryside. “It is beautiful.”

I smiled as I saw my mother and Willie strolling in the garden. I chuckled as I saw Willie reach out and take her hand as they walked. “I think Willie will make a nice addition to the family.”

Colin smiled at what we saw. “He’s been through so much. Taking those things out of his head he seems much sharper and he can retain things.” He nodded as he took my hand. “He was already a part of the family.”

“Hello, gentlemen,” George said happily coming from inside.

I looked back to where I saw him and Burke standing together. “Why are you so happy?” I asked sitting back in my chair.

George looked around the grounds as he put an arm around Burke. “I feel like things are beginning to come together for us.”

Colin nodded. “Us as in vampires, or us as in you and Burke?” He grinned.

George shrugged. “Both?”

Chuck came from inside the house along with Shelly. “Good morning!” He slapped George on the back. “Just the man I wanted to speak with.”

George looked puzzled. “Me? Why?”

Chuck sat at the table Colin and I was. “Question. What happens if a vampire gets the serum, but not in the heart at first?”

George frowned. “It wouldn’t work,” George said sitting down with us.

Chuck nodded. “I got that, but what happens?”

George thought a second. “It would just hurt, but the heart needs to be started again. There would be pain…”

Chuck nodded. “Would it stop a vampire?”

George thought again. “It wouldn’t kill them, but yes, it would be very…painful.”

Chuck smiled with a nod. “It would be a little disabling?”

Colin smiled. “You want to use the serum as a weapon?”

Chuck nodded a little excited. “The delivery system might have to change, but yeah…” he nodded. “If injected in the arm or shoulder…would it stop a vampire?”

George nodded. “Sure. It would slow them down due to the pain and depending on where its inserted…the leg would stop pursuit on foot, in the arm would make the arm pretty useless.”

Chuck nodded. “Would a dart work?”

George frowned. “I didn’t create the serum to use as a weapon. It was to help.”

Shelly sat drinking a newly poured cup of coffee. “Don’t you see that would help us? We’re not talking about ending a life, but it would slow them down.”

Chuck nodded. “You think like a doctor.” He said to George.

George looked somewhat surprised. “I am a doctor.”

Shelly nodded. “And we don’t want you to change, but…we think a little more aggressively.” She waved between her and Chuck. “Do you have enough serum to make some of those darts, like the ones used by wildlife conservationists…that can be fired from a gun?”

George thought. “I guess…it wouldn’t take much. The venom in a vampire’s body would fight it. Sure, I can do that.”

Chuck smiled. “It doesn’t have to be refrigerated or anything does it?”

George shook his head. “No.”

Chuck smiled in this minor triumph. “Great, I’ll get on making it work.” He glanced over at Colin. “Are you leaving any coffee for anyone else?”

Colin grinned. “There’s more, you know?” But he passed the pot of coffee.

Chuck poured himself a cup. “Just needed to know if I needed to go and get some more.”

We rested again that day because we were sure we’d be up a long time that night. Colin and I had our luggage now and we had what was needed if we desired to become more affectionate. We were also more conscious of keeping any mess down so as not to create problems with anyone doing laundry. I had napped but felt a little restless. Colin was still asleep so I get up to walk around the house that afternoon. We were all in the western part of the house. When I came out of Colin’s and my room I heard Mom speaking to Willie.

“…I know, but there are times I wish you weren’t…such a gentleman!” Mom said closing the door gently on Willie who was now standing in the hall, minus his shirt which he was holding.

Willie was looked absolutely lost at what he needed to do as he stared at the now closed door to my mother’s room. He was turning to walk away and saw me. Now that he had blood flowing in his veins, he was able to blush. “I guess you heard that.” He said sadly.

I smiled at Willie as I approached him. “I’m afraid so.” I nodded. I stopped him as he was about to come by me. “Willie…” I began softly as I touched his arm to stop him. “…I’m not going to give you advice.” I smiled. “I certainly don’t know how to attract a woman.” I chuckled. “But I know my mother. She was born in the late 20^th Century, it’s now the 21^st Century. Relationships are hard, I know that. From what I just heard, and I can only guess what happened." I waved at his shirt he was holding. "You may be treating her too…” I grinned, “…nice.”

Willie looked startled. “I’ve not done this in a long time,” Willie said. “I don’t know what to do.”

“You said the other day she was exciting,” I said. “I don’t know what rules you followed back at the turn of the 20^th century, but things have changed. Women have changed. Part of her excitement is that change.” I thought about how to say what I wanted to. “Be polite, be courteous, but don’t treat her as this…delicate flower or something that will break.” I pointed to his shirt. “Did you take that off? Or did she do it?”

Now Willie was blushing even more. “She did.”

I smiled. “That means she likes you, Willie and wants to be close to you.” I had to move so I could look in his eyes. “You’re a handsome man, Willie. She’s a beautiful woman…and yes, she may want something more…like sex?”

Willie looked away. “But we’re not married…or even getting married!” He looked frustrated. “I’m treating her like she’s important, but…I’ve not done this in a while…I’m not sure I can.”

I hugged Willie. “I think your body will remember.” I smiled. “Do you love her?”

Willie smiled and nodded. “Oh, yes.”

I grinned. “What you lack is confidence. Mother won’t judge you. I know she feels the same for you.”

His eyes widened. “She does?”

I pulled on the shirt he was carrying. “Oh, yes. The thing about Colin and me was he had the same issue with me. You won’t accidentally turn her into a vampire because you have sex. The venom won’t work that way. What I insisted on with Colin was he talk to me. Tell me what he was feeling, what he was afraid of. I liked knowing how he felt and what he was thinking about.” I rubbed Willie's arm. “Do that with Mom. If you’re scared, tell her. If you don’t think you can operate, tell her. Tell her how you feel. She’ll be patient and she will even help you.” I smiled at him. “I do like you, Willie.” I looked at him again so he could see I was being honest. “Believe me, I do like you. Like as with Colin, the feeling I have for you is about a dear friend I think of almost like a father. I’m thrilled that you and Mom might become more than just friends.” I hugged him again. “I love you, as well. You’ve become important and the idea that you and Mom would become more. I support that, but it’s your call. Just be honest with Mom. She’ll listen and she’ll help you.” I patted his arm. “You’re a welcomed member of the family already, I’d welcome you more if you become more of a member of the family with Mom. You’re a good man. You need to decide what to do next, but whatever it is…I’ll support you.” I said as I walked on. Looking back, I saw Willie think a minute and then walk back to Mom’s room. He knocked but didn’t wait for her to answer as he walked in.

That evening, we opted to have our meal a little early. Tonight, we would meet the other vampires that Edwin had invited, but because of their need to feed when they wake up, feeding and then getting here, it would be much later when they arrived. I wasn’t worried about them coming. I wasn’t scared of them. Once we were presented to them, they should be okay to listen more receptively. They would see and sense we were vampires and want to help. It was an hour after sunset Edwin came in the Dining Room having showered and dressed to receive his guests. Sitting at his place at the head of the table, he smiled at Nigel as he was given his goblet of blood. Sipping it, I saw his eyes closed as the hunger was abated.

Edwin lowered his goblet with a sad smile. “When can I get this serum?”

George smiled. “We can do it tonight if you like.” He looked at Edwin. “I say again…it will hurt.”

Edwin sipped his blood again and shook his head. “I’m tired of depending on this.” He said sadly. “It was our conversation the other night about food that helped me reach my decision.” He sighed as he toyed with his goblet. “I can’t even really remember what a good meal is like. I don’t remember how it tastes or feels.” He held the goblet up as he looked at it. “I won’t miss it.” He looked at us. “I want to get rid of this and be more like you.”

George nodded. “Then, that’s what we’ll do; tonight, before dawn.” He smiled. “In a couple of days, you’ll see the sunrise again.”

We were gathering in the Gallery. It was the biggest room in Thornwood. Edwin had invited a hundred from the surrounding towns. A hundred!? These vampires would be arriving on their own; or brought by other family members to be here and Edwin didn’t know how many would show up. I had never seen someone set up drinks for vampires. There were two places set up. One that would the containers with blood and another with regular drinks of wine or punch for the family members that brought them.

I leaned into Colin as we waited. “I wonder if he’s come up with a punch with blood.”

Colin’s reply was a roll of the eyes.

It was about 10:30 when I suddenly felt…more. I looked out the windows at the darkened outsides of the house. Edwin had not turned on the outside lights as vampires could see well in low lights. I had felt Edwin as a vampire. What I was feeling now, was more of that feeling. More. My sense told me where I was getting that from and looked in the direction it was approaching. Then the feeling just grew.

“What’s needed for this part of the movie?” Colin whispered to me as he grinned.

“Thunder and lightning,” I said simply. “A good ghost story or vampire story always has that house with the sound of thunder and flash of lightning.” I waved. “It’s a nice evening out now. No drama.”

Then some people were coming in. The first vampire to arrive was a woman who looked to be in her mid-twenties, but with brown hair. She wore nice clothes and accompanied by two other men. They must have been her family as I felt nothing from them. Edwin walked over to her and greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. He brought her over to us as she looked at us.

“This is Sarah Bennett,” Edwin said. “She is my nearest neighbor who suffers as we do.” He waved to us. “This is Colin Wentworth.”

Sarah smiled and offered her hand. “It’s true.” She said relieved. “You’re really a vampire.” She looked at me. “And so are you.”

Colin nodded. “We really are.”

Sarah looked at my mother, then to Shelly and Chuck. “They…aren’t vampires, but I don’t get the feeling I should with other people. I’m not drawn to their blood.”

That’s how it started. First was Sarah and slowly the numbers increased. They each wanted to meet us, see that it was real and then waited to hear what we offered. It was about 2 am when the last vampire arrived. Edwin introduced George as the man that found out what the true condition was and came up with the serum to offer life back to everyone. He also offered his Disflavor to the others that would keep them off future menus. They were an interesting assortment of people from the area composed of other miners that had been bitten while under the earth and the occasional professionals, housewives, and general laborers. These were just people. They ranged from a few years turned to nearly a century as a vampire. There were the questions which we answered.

“Okay.” A young man said. His name was Matthew something…too many names for me to remember. He was turned at about eighteen when he was bitten, but that was in the 1950s. “It worked for them. How do we know it will work for us?”

Edwin nodded. “Because you’ll see it.” He said. “I’m getting the serum tonight.” There were murmurs from them. “In a week…?” he confirmed with George who nodded. “…I will be standing with them and you’ll see that it will work.”

“Even if it does.” Matthew continued. “How will we get back into the world? We don’t belong here. We have pasts that can’t be reconciled with today.”

Colin nodded as he stepped forward. “It will be difficult. I am over two hundred years old. The identification I have is a lie. There are things we don’t have solutions for. That you will have to work out with your government. We are working with ours…or at least a branch of that government.” He waved at Chuck and Shelly. “They’re here with us.” He sighed. “You can go back home and not do this. Stay a vampire and nothing will change. What happened to us was not our choosing. We’re offering a way to get some life back.” There were murmurs again. “You have to choose. Do this and enjoy daylight and have a good meal that doesn’t cost someone's life. We’re offering a way out.”

Edwin nodded as he walked to stand next to Colin. “I’ve chosen. If you want this and want to see that it works. Come back in a week. You’ll see for yourselves.”

George walked up and leaned to Edwin. “It’s getting late. If we’re going to do this, we need to start soon.”

Edwin nodded. “Okay.” He looked at everyone. “I’m going to receive my first injection of serum. So, forgive me if I don’t see you out. Nigel and Edward will see you out.” He looked a little scared at George, Colin and me. “Where are we doing this?”

George smiled. “We’ll be right with you, but for your safety and security, we can do it below the first night. After this is done, you can pick a room up here. You’ll just need to stay out of direct sunshine until the levels are right in your system.” George looked at Burke. “We all will be there. You’ll be fine.”

I smiled at Edwin. “You won’t be alone anymore,” I assured.

Edwin nodded and we went to the library to take the stairs to his apartment. There would just be enough time before sunrise for the serum to restart his heart. We advised him to get ready for bed, that way when the fatigue hits after the serum had worked, he wouldn’t have to go anywhere. Edwin came out in only pajama bottoms. Naturally, I appreciate the human form, especially the male human form. Now that he was without a shirt I saw he was indeed a man that had been turned when he was well built. Unlike Colin though, his chest had very little hair but was smooth. He had the musculature of well-developed pecs and arms. He had the hair under his arms like all men. I could see he would be appealing to others. Colin’s skin color was a little darker, not because of the sun necessarily, but that was just his skin tone. We would have to get Edwin in the sun.

George prepared Edwin’s chest and had the serum ready. He smiled at Edwin. “We’ve all been through this, Edwin. We’ll be right here. We’re kind…of a family. We welcome you to that family.”

Edwin smiled and nodded. “Okay.” He sighed. “I’m ready.”

George nodded. “Here we go.” He inserted the needle in Edwin’s heart and it began.

I hated this part. Seeing a man suffer so much to get any sort of life back was horrible to watch. I understood it needed to be done, but hated what we had to do. Then we saw the first pulse in his neck. His heart had begun to beat again. Colin smiled at me and took my hand squeezing it. He more than I did understood the pain and why. He did it for decades before George got the serum right. It was just about sunrise when Edwin stopped writhing in pain and went to sleep.

George looked at his watch. “Just in the nick of time.” He said wiping sweat from Edwin’s face. “We just need to wait, but day one is done.” He said letting out a breath of relief.

I felt Colin touch my shoulders from behind me. “We should catch some sleep while he’s out. It will be about six or seven hours before he wakes up.” Colin said softly.

I just nodded and we went back upstairs.

After a few hours of sleep…and, some other activities…we woke up and Colin again was hungry. Big surprise there?

As we were coming out of our room, I noticed Mom shutting her door quietly. Was she being quiet to not wake someone up? She looked at me and smiled at me and Colin. She even let out a soft squeal as she hurried over to us.

“He said it!” She said to me. “He finally said he loved me!!”

I was grinning more about her reaction to that than the fact that Willie had told her. “Duh,” I said smiling. “The man’s been following you like a puppy!” I hugged. “I’m glad he finally told you.” I looked at the door she closed quietly. “He was worried he might have forgotten how to…you know.”

She smiled. “He didn’t.” She said and then she looked concerned. “How did Edwin do?”

Colin frowned. “It hurt, but he came through the first night.”

She looked a little uncertain. “If I become one of you…I’ll have to do the same thing, won’t I?”

I nodded. “That’s why you need to be certain Willie is what you want and this is what you want.”

She looked back at her door. “I do…” she said. “I don’t want to lose him.”

Colin took her hand. “He’s very important to me, Mom,” Colin said. “Please, be sure. He does need someone in his life. I’d love it if it was you, but…he can’t be hurt.”

She nodded. “I would never do that.” She smiled and kissed Colin on the cheek. “He’s a good man.” She sighed. “Now, he will have to do it, too, to bite me.”

Colin nodded. “He’ll have to get off the serum, become a vampire again and do what I did to Devon. Then he’ll have to go through it again.” He smiled. “Talk to Willie about it. Decide together.”

“We’re going to check on Edwin,” I said.

“I was going to get something to eat.” Mom said. “I’ll talk to you later.”

I felt Colin take my hand. I smiled at him and said. “I will admit, having her around longer is very appealing to me on a personal level.”

Colin nodded. “I know. That’s why you didn’t have to really talk me into it. I wanted you around, too.” He grinned kissing me.

I remembered the books and the order in which to pull them to open the secret door. Going down the steps I heard George talking with Edwin, who was awake and talking as he sat on the side of the bed.

“Hello, Edwin.” Colin greeted.

Edwin nodded to us and laughed lightly. “Hello.” He shook his head and rubbed his chest. “You weren’t kidding. That really hurt!”

George assured again. “I told you, just a few more treatments, and I will make you the disc to insert and you won’t have that anymore.”

“Good.” Edwin chuckled. “When can I see the sunrise?”

“Day after tomorrow,” George said rising from a chair. “Now, if you two will stay here...” He said to Colin and me. “…I am going back to John.”

“You mean to bed?” Colin asked.

George smiled. “That’s what I said, back to John.” He grinned and went upstairs.

Colin and I smiled as George left, but looking at Edwin, he was puzzled.

“Are we all…?” Edwin asked hesitantly. “Do we become homosexual?”

Colin shook his head. “No.”

“No one can be made homosexual. Bitten or not.” I smiled at Edwin. “Willie sure isn’t.”

Colin sat in a chair near Edwin. “Devon and I were homosexual before we became vampires. I prefer to think we’re all…just…more enlightened.” He thought of the best way to explain it. “George was engaged.” He took a breath as he wanted to explain carefully. “We are so alone…” he explained. “…but we’re still human. We don’t do well by ourselves. The shame we feel about being vampire…it makes it even harder. We lose people we care about. George was alone a lot until he met John Burke. So was John. Meeting someone that is like you, having a soul to share your life with…that you won’t lose…makes the idea that it’s someone you share the gender with becomes unimportant. They find that loving someone doesn’t require a certain gender, but they want to be with you as well. Like George, there are female vampires you could share your life with. Sarah for instance; you sort of like her.”

He nodded. “But she only likes me because I can give her the needed blood without hunting.” He smiled. “And really, I wouldn’t be interested.” He said scratching an ear.

I grinned. “Basil was more than your adopted father, wasn’t he?”

Edwin chuckled. “Figured that out, did you?” He shrugged a nod. “I loved Ellie.” He said quickly about his wife. “She was a great woman…but…”

Colin nodded with a chuckle. “I was raised in a similar world. I married because I was supposed to.” He shrugged. “I never lied to her, I told her I had loved someone other than her before we married and until I met Devon, there was no one else.” He said bringing me closer to him.

“What gave me away?” Edwin asked.

“There were a couple of things.” I waved at the bed. “Now, you could have changed the bed, but I don’t know how as there’s no space to bring a bed down here. It’s a double bed and I knew there were two vampires in this house at one time and unless there was somewhere else...” I smiled. “And your voice and eyes change when you talk about Basil. You loved him.”

Edwin nodded. “Yeah, I did.” He sighed. “I wish he was here.”

“So, it was more than just companionship and sex,” Colin said.

“Not at first.” Edwin grinned and looked a little sheepish. “I was shy.”

I chuckled. “No way!”

Edwin laughed back. “Yes, way.” He shook his head. “I wasn’t…that way! I liked a few men…but, the Church and everyone else…” He protested. “I couldn’t admit it to myself. We could be sent to the gallows! I knew it happened. We had some guys in the mines doing…” he waved his head. “…well, they weren’t digging for minerals!”

I grinned. “I don’t think there is a human being that is one or the other,” I said. “People have sex for a number of reasons, only one has to do with love. There’s power, control and just because it’s fun. There are men, claiming to straight that will have sex with other men.”

Colin frowned. “Where did you see that?”

“On the Internet.” I grinned at him. “Straight college men were having sex to make money.” I shrugged. “They seemed to be enjoying it.”

“How can they be straight?” Colin asked.

“That’s the point!” I said loudly. “Are they straight, gay or just open?”

“I really need to monitor your viewing habits,” Colin muttered, but he was smiling and I knew he wasn’t mad.

I kissed him quickly. “I don’t need it now. I have you!”

Colin shook his head as he turned back to Edwin. “As I was going to say…in the 19^th Century, we didn’t do things like that,” Colin said. “You might have an affair or do something questionable, but…” he shook his head. “Never man to man.”

“And certainly not a white man to a black man,” I added. “We have restrictions on who we could love and have relationships with.”

Colin nodded. “But our brains are made for sex. That’s why we do it so much. It’s what humans do.”

“If there is love and the other is old enough to understand what they’re doing, it’s probably okay,” I said. “I think what we do is not perverted and it’s okay.”

Edwin nodded. “So, you said you were different. You were bitten. How was it different?”

“It was shortly after our wedding, that night,” Colin explained. “I refused to let him be bitten, by me or anyone else…”

“We were kidnapped by a vampire that wanted to know if Colin was a vampire,” I said. “We had no serum and Colin did become a full vampire again.”

Edwin’s eyes widened. “Oh, my god!”

“When his hunger started,” I smiled, “I gave myself to him. It would have been cruel to have him suffer. He did it because I loved him and he loved me.”

Edwin smiled. “I guess you do love each other.” He shook his head. “I love Basil. I knew he loved me. He was so kind and just the nicest man.” He smiled again as he remembered fondly. “He took it slow. I finally thought, I was going to Hell anyway as a vampire, so why not?”

Colin frowned. “You know that’s not true. We aren’t evil.”

Edwin nodded. “I do now, but at the time…” he shrugged. “So, I surrendered to him.” He leaned forward and spoke like it would be overheard if he didn’t whisper. “The truth is…I liked it.” He brightened. “Never have I felt so loved!” He jumped up. “You want a picture of him?” He went to his desk and pulled up a sketch that was framed. “I did this from memory when I was feeling lonely for him.” He gave a sideways shrug. “Think I caught his likeness pretty well.”

We looked at Basil. He was without that wig, but you could see the laughter in Basil’s dark eyes. There were little creases in the corner of his eyes, but they were sharp. He was looking at Edwin from in the bed! His shoulders were bare like they were coming from under covers as he was smiling at…whoever was drawing this, which was Edwin! The hair was a bit messed up as he’d just woken up; Edwin had that drawn well, but it was black and short. There was gray in the temples and a little around the ears, but Basil was very handsome! I was gawking at the great job Edwin had done.

“Edwin,” I said holding the picture. “This is very good!”

Edwin smiled and nodded a little embarrassed. “Thanks.”

I allowed Colin to see it better. “No, Edwin, this is really, really very good!” I stressed to make Edwin see I wasn’t just being nice. “This is a damned good picture.” I grinned as, now that Edwin had blood flowing, he was blushing!

Edwin nodded again. “Well, thank you.” He said humbly.

Colin grinned at the picture. “And Basil was a hunk!”

Edwin was now smiling more. “Yes, he was.” He waved at the picture. “How could I not fall in love with him?”

Colin nodded. “How could you not?” He smiled at me. “What was the term? Phat?”

I shrugged. “I haven’t lived that long, how do I know?”

“Phat?” Edwin chuckled. “You mean pretty, hot and tempting?”

Colin shook his head. “He is pretty hot and he is tempting. No comma between pretty and hot.” Colin chuckled.

Edwin nodded. “I’ll show you a painting I was doing. That way you can see the color of his eyes all that.”

“How long were you together?” I asked, smiling at his enthusiasm to show us what he’d done. He was excited to share his love of Basil.

Edwin grinned as he got the picture. “Just over fifty years.”

I shook my head. “Wow,” I said before seeing the picture.

Edwin smiled as he showed us the picture. Again, no wig, but in color, we saw the different shades of black. His hair was well groomed in this and we could see the gray there, but not a lot. His eyes were a deep brown and his features were sharp. Not a heavy man at all, and he was very handsome. Edwin had captured Basil's character while sitting in a chair in the Library looking again at Edwin with a smile that was charming.

“I’d love to have met him,” I said honestly. “He looks…like he had a good life.”

“Even as a vampire?” Edwin asked.

I shook my head. “As a man.” I frowned. “I miss him now myself.”

Colin nodded. “So, do I.”

I smiled at Edwin. “What you two had was good, Edwin. I hope you cherish those memories for a long time. To do less, would be a disservice to Basil.”

Colin agreed. “You’re human. It is possible someone may come around to make you feel good again. If that happens. Whether they are male or female, don’t deny yourself love.”

Edwin looked at the picture again. He nodded. “When I’m ready.” He said softly. “Maybe.” He was still mourning Basil.

“You’re a great artist, Edwin. I wouldn’t mind seeing more.” I said. That made Edwin smile as he nodded. He was relaxed as he was now trusting us a whole lot more.