I hated London. The stench of waste in the streets assaulting my senses, the overwhelming ugliness of the city, drab and gray, the over-crowded pulse of the city throbbing against your back. It was uncomfortable enough to be mired in the middle of throngs of humans pushing past you, the scent and heat of their blood radiating from them to stir up a hot burn in the back of my throat. I had been trying since I was changed to better control this burn. I didn't want to feed off these humans, I had made it my life's work to try to save them in any way I could in my training as a doctor, but the undeniable fact was that these humans could be a food source for me. No matter how much I tried to control myself or built up this incredible compassion for them for them, the fact remained I was a vampire. And vampires drank blood .
I pushed my way through the early morning crowd of streey vendors setting up market stalls of vegetables, live animals and flowers and ragged men, women and children on their way to work in the local textile and iron work factories that were now spewing giant plumes of smoke over the city. The smoke and debris from these large plumes settled over London, blanketing it in a thick haze. I held my breath as I walked, even I was not immune to the choking effects of this thick layer of sludge from the start of the London's Industrial Revolution.
John kept a small apartment here amongst the lowest of the low classes. It afforded him a sense of ironic privacy. The buildings were close together, dingy with the grime of poverty. Dirty, malnourished children stood in the doorways of the buildings, a dead look in their eyes as they eyed me and my clothes for a mere moment before rushing out to thrust waving hands my way begging for coin. I didn't give them anything, not because I was cruel, but because I was kind. Any money they got from me would not buy them a loaf of bread, but would undoubtedly go straight to their mother or father and the purchase of ale. Ale to keep the feelings of despair of unstoppable poverty from overtaking their minds.
I found John's apartment and discovered that he was already here. I entered the small but tidy space. He was hunched over a ledger book. I sank into the nearest chair and let out a sigh. "I hate this city. It's like God himself has his back to it."
John didn't look up from his ledger, he was too busy making calculations. I wondered what he was doing.
"I'm a relatively wealthy man, Carlisle. But I'm always worried about the future." he sighed as he pushed away from the table. "I want to make sure I can provide Bess with the life she deserves for as long as our kind lives. Money doesn't last forever like we can you know."
I smiled. This was true. It did take quite a bit of money to keep ourselves accustomed to our forever lifestyle. "Investments John. Investments. If your money is properly invested, you have no reason to worry."
"I don't trust banks or men I don't know to control my money. I still think you are foolish for allowing that."
I laughed out loud now. "You know, once you are married to Bess, she won't allow your extracurricular job anymore. Why don't you think about finding a real trade John? Like I have?"
He looked at me with piercing eyes. "I haven't got your kind of compassion for humans. I have no desire to blend in with them."
"Yet, you have no problem stealing their money from them, is that right?" I met his glance.
"Don't judge me Carlisle Cullen. You know as well as I do, the people I... liberate goods from are the worst scum of the scum. Bloodsucking politicians, excuse my pun. Crooked aristocrats. Lawless businessmen. I feel nothing stealing from these men because they felt the same way stealing from others."
"So you're playing God then? Or perhaps Robin Hood? But you aren't giving any of the spoils away, are you? Instead, the money is squirreled away, just yours." I lifted my eyebrow at him to raise my point.
"I don't plan to do this forever. Something else will fall into place. Maybe Bess and I can strike out for the American Colonies like you have? Make our mark there? I imagine there is all kinds of opportunities to be had there." He went back to scribbling in his ledger.
I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. I worried about my dear friend. He had always been a loose cannon, never giving much thought to the next day. If he planned to make Bess his wife and then changing her, he would have to start thinking about his future life.
His voice broke through my thoughts. "Right. I'm done here. Want to go see Bess with me? I would love for you to meet her." John turned in his chair and looked at me, one arm across the back of his chair.
I might as well go. What else was there to do in this godforsaken city?
I again ran, no more horses for me. I didn't run as fast as I could've have, John was behind me, his horse galloping at a steady but slow run. Outside the city, I opened my lungs and let the fresh air wash over me, filling my nose and lungs with the scent of the clean forest and rich earth.
We stole out of the darkness of the night, once again back in the courtyard of the Toads Wallop Inn. This time, Bess was waiting for us. Leaning out of her window, she waved as she saw us approach and then very carefully, she made her way down the lattice, falling into John's arms near the bottom. He placed a long kiss on her lips before he put he on the ground.
A new scent made me turn slightly and I caught sight of someone rushing out of view in the stables.
"John!" I hissed through clenched teeth. The spy had made me uneasy. "Someone is there in the stable."
Bess started to laugh and John and I both looked at her. We found nothing funny about this potential spy who had just witnessed her climb down from her bedroom window.
"That's just Tim, the stable boy. He won't be any trouble." Her black eyes danced in the dim light of moonlight. 'He has always had a slight crush on me, he thinks John will be the death of me. He threatens to tell my father but I just laugh at him."
I turned back to look at the stable. There was no sign of Tim now, but I still could smell him. I didn't like it, I felt we were being spied on.
"Bess, I want you to meet my good friend Carlisle Cullen. Cullen here has seen me through some pretty thick times and I have repaid that favor several times for him as well." John swept his hands my way and Bess nodded her head at me.
"I've heard John tell me quite a few of your adventures. I'm glad to meet the man who has saved his neck more than once." Her cheeks rounded as she smiled at me.
"It is indeed a pleasure to meet you as well. John was not lying for once when he described your beauty." I bent down and picked up her pale hand and kissed the back. A cardinal blush danced over her cheeks.
"One kiss, my darling sweetheart? I'm after a rather large prize tonight" he said as he swept her up in his arms. "I shall be back with the prize before morning light even reaches your beautiful eyes. But of course, should I run into any problems, have no fear, I will be back by nightfall. Hell itself couldn't keep me from you." He took her face between his hands and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead before letting a lingering kiss stay on her red, full lips.
I had sauntered off in the woods to give them some privacy. Well, as much privacy as my eyes and ears would allow.
"Where is your friends horse at?" Bess asked John, looking around.
"It's in the woods, Carlisle doesn't get along with animals much." John lied for me, covering the fact I had ran.
John got up on his horse and leaned down and placed a kiss on top of her head. Her black curls danced in the light wind. "I shall be back for you. And then we will leave. I promise you that my love."
My eyes shifted again as I caught the sight of Tim peering out of the stables. He had a look in his eyes of pure jealousy as he watched the interaction of Bess and John. This wasn't good. His look didn't feel right to me. It was a possessive look.
John leaned back in his saddle and caught his spurs in the side of the horse. The horse neighed under the feeling and kicked up dirt and rocks as it sped away from the Inn. I easily caught up with him.
"Did you see the stable boy? He was looking at you two in a very menacing way, John. Are not you worried he will tell her father?" I said as I ran along his horse.
"It doesn't matter, after tonight, it's all over. I will be back here before the sun rises. I am expecting the Duke of Albergton's carriage to pass through and I've been told it holds a very nice prize from his trip to Europe."
I sighed. So like John to be thinking of only the present. I separated myself from him, I going back to London, John, taking another course heading for the carriage of the Duke of Albergton.
