His Voice on the Radio
Chapter 1
By Cassandra Terra
I heard his voice on the radio. I was driving through the New World. I will always think of Canada and the Americas as the New World. They were not a speck on the horizon when I was still alive. The Romans had been in our lands for almost 200 years by the time I was born. But that was another time, long ago. I've never gone back to the Isles. People have always said I looked Irish. I have the red hair and the green eyes. I used to have freckles but they went with my death. That was unusual when I was born. People looked at me as an ill omen. I guess they were right. I'm a Celt. I was born in what the Romans called Britannia. My mother was Irish. My father was Welsh. I was a fighter at age 15. I never lived past my 20th birthday.
I was driving in Quebec now. This was my first time in the New World. I'd first arrived in Nova Scotia and then Newfoundland. I wasn't too fond of big cities—too many people. Not enough green or space to breathe.
His voice sent a shiver though me. It always did. Sultry and alluring with just a touch of cruelty that made it all the more intoxicating. I hadn't heard his voice in well over a few hundred years. What in the gods names was he doing over here? It hardly seemed his taste.
I pulled over to the side of the highway and just listened, entranced by the way he mocking and playing with his audience. His voice was hypnotic. Where was it coming from? Finally there was a break. Toronto. A placed called The Raven. Lucien was in Toronto. I pulled the car back onto the highway and headed south as soon as I found the next off ramp.
We'd never been close, so to speak. We had passion, desire, lust, surely. But not love. This wasn't about love. Thank the gods. If I had fallen in love with him he'd have broken my heart a few hundred times over by now. No, we had a more primal connection. He was after all, my maker. There was no denying we had chemistry together. From the second we laid eyes on each other we were drawn to each other. He was dangerous and I had wanted to see if I could play with fire. It turned out to be good for the both of us.
Now, some thousand and so many years later, here we were. How much we have changed. And still remained the same. Over the years we'd met every now and then. No questions were asked about personal lives. Many personal interests, but that was it. I'd never asked and he'd never offered up much. I saw into him more then he would have liked. He could never fool me. I caught his lies and tossed them off as foolishness. I saw him grow even more reckless and more aloof. It saddened me that he put up such walls around him. Why did he think he needed to be protected? I could never understand his loathing of showing emotions.
The morning forecast was for gray skies. Winter was the best time for me. It took well over 1000 years to get my body to adapt to sunlight. A horrible and painful process. But now with the high proof sun block and a pair of sunglasses I can be out during the day. I still can't be out in direct sunlight for long. Maybe a few minutes. It makes me ill. And then I burst into flames. It was much easier to get over food allergies and holy symbols. Well, not really. I can eat rare beef now, most liquids and a few vegetables. I can pass as human now. Truly an amazing feat. I doubt many of my kind try to achieve it.
I pulled into Toronto around five in the morning. You can't get lost if you have no destination. It only took me a few hours to find a nice but small apartment complex. I only needed running water and a few pieces of furniture. I travel light. My laptop (how I became so addicted!), some clothes, a few books. Music. It can all fit into my car. The person before me left some very thick drapes to use on my bedroom window. How kind of them.
Soon I was settled into my apartment. Got my phone set up, utilities, internet, groceries. Money was always so easy to get. Just as easy and becoming someone else. I had adapted to this age of stocks and bonds. You invest quite a lot over the years. Money was a luxury. I could have bought a house for half a million dollars. I'd never have felt comfortable in it. Middle class suited me just fine.
Toronto. Such a vast and magical city. From atop a tall building it looks as if the stars themselves have fallen to earth. They light the city aglow. Who knew humans could create such wonders?
It is afternoon now, even with the clouds I feel the sun's harsh presence. I gladly stay indoors. Night will come soon enough. Will we rekindle our feelings for one another? Has time vanquished our lust? He never taught me much. Just to stay away from the sun and holy objects. Blood was life. He taught me to fly. And fly I did. And then he let me go. At first I did not understand why he left me. But realization hit and I knew it was for the best. We'd be self destructive if we stayed together. Lust is far better a word to describe us.
Lucien.
Méabh.