Looking Back
3
There seemed to be less activity at the spaceport. Cargo vehicles pulled away and didn't return. Lights were being shut down throughout the complex.
Henry looked at Vicki and said, "It will be soon now. Let's talk about one more memory. What would you like to talk about?"
Vicki thought back over the centuries they had been together, "Cats. Our first cats. Xenethia left them at our place after a surprise visit."
"Ah yes. The oldest living vampire. Crap and Damn, I almost forgot about her. She tried to get vampires to raise cats and use them as a food source. It almost made sense. But picking fur from the teeth was such a pain. But we did love our cats."
"I don't think you ever got used to Mom cat washing your ears. She loved you. You were her baby. You got such a funny look on your face when she would start pawing at your knees. A resigned look, but you would pick her up and screwed up your face as she checked each ear. She did that until she died. We got up one evening and found her curled in a ball. Her breathing had stopped, but she looked so peaceful. We buried her in the garden of the house by the odd little town. How many years did we have her?"
"Almost twenty. But you were just as bad with baby. You would cook chicken or fish and hand feed him. I swear you spoiled that cat. Most of the time it wouldn't eat the kibble or canned stuff. It wanted mommy to cook for him. I hated the smell of food cooking in our house. You told me to shut up and deal."
"Yes, but I gave Mom cat her share. And I think on cooking nights, if I remember correctly I was extra nice to you in bed."
"In bed Vicki, you are always extra nice. It's been a good life old girl."
"Who are you calling old? You have five centuries over me old man. What happened to Mischief. We let her out last night. She didn't come home. I wonder if we will ever see her again."
Laughing they held tight and shared another time stopping kiss. So intent on their pleasure they didn't hear the hover craft until the spot light shown in their eyes. They heard a voice calling out, "Well Fitzroys are you coming or not. We don't have much time left. The ship is scheduled for lift off just after dawn."
Vicki's mouth fell open and Henry stood shielding his eyes from the light while trying to see who was talking.
A young man in space center uniform stepped in front of the light so that Henry could see. "Come on then. Get in. We can't leave you behind."
Henry spoke, "We aren't going. There's no place for us in your future."
"I beg to differ. It's all arranged."
Vicki shrugged. Henry shrugged in return, "Why not. Nothing much matters now."
They walked over to the craft that had its entrance ramp lowered. Henry stopped before the first step and asked, "Your name is?"
"Justin sir. I've been sent to fetch you. Please, there is not much time left." He pointed to the steps, waited and came in after them.
Henry asked, "You know what we are?"
Justin kept his eyes on the spaceship looming ever larger and laughed, "Vampires. The last vampires living on earth. Now you will be the first vampires living on a sweet little planet that looks and is just like earth. Humans are thriving there. Your existence has been monitored for the last hundred years. We voted and agreed that we want you. The whole planet is ready to welcome you. As for feeding on ship, anyone wearing a red band around the left upper arm is willing to share their blood with you. All that is asked of you is that you keep your famous vampire passion to yourselves."
Vicki and Henry were too stunned to comment as they were led into the ship and to their quarters.
Justin turned to leave them and said, "Your cat is in cryostasis until we land. Space travel is too hard on small animals."
"What about the sun? Our pattern of existence?"
"Not sure. After the first 8 hours of lift off you may wander around on this level. The main recreation facility is here. Your room is secure from the inside. No portholes or UV lamps on this level. So sunlight should not be a problem. As to others of your kind that went into space earlier, some died on other planets because of imbalances in natural elements. Some chose to go into cryostasis until more could be learned about vampires. Why do we want you? Because you are an important part of our history and legends. We may have to give up earth, but we don't have to give up our stories."
He turned and left them standing in the small cabin. When the door closed Vicki started laughing, "Oh no Henry, he followed us here." Henry turned to see what was so funny and fought to keep from choking on his own laughter as he said, "Well Pops who thought you would make it into space?" A very famous portrait of a very famous English king hung on the wall, and a sword encased in plastic was mounted below it.
The new world welcomed the old vampires. There came a time when both Henry and Vicki decided to raise a pair of new vampires. They remained true to their love for each other, but younger generations of vampires were needed if the race was to survive. No one or nothing could or would break the bond between Henry and Vicki.
This little bit of nonsense now ends.
Other stories about our favorite vampires will follow as ideas develop.
