Chapter 4

Josef was in the den, sitting in a comfortable armchair, effectively brooding. Polly had gone in to help Sara get cleaned up, and had told him she would call him when Sara was ready to have her meal. God bless her soul, but Polly always referred to his dietary requirements as if it were 'normal'.

After a lengthy discussion with Thomas, he was now only realising that this wasn't some kind of sick joke. It was real. Despite having no sound medical explanation for why this was happening now, Thomas was sure it was permanent, although Josef knew he couldn't be sure. The doctor had advised that they play it by ear.

Vampire physiology wasn't a perfect science after all, and although the vampire community had kin who worked among humans as doctors and surgeons, there was no rulebook for what had happened to Sara. She wasn't the first; there were many documented cases of the conversion not working. But the reasons were still unknown.

Josef flipped his mobile open and saw a message from Mick. He hadn't called him back. His best friend had left him a voicemail explaining that he was on his way to New York. He should be landing soon, and he was bringing Beth with him. The new message confirmed that Beth had collected him and duo was on their way from the airport.

Despite his predicament, this amused him. Mick was truly whipped. But he wasn't sorry. Beth was human, but she was a woman. He imagined that perhaps Sara would find it calming to have another woman around.

Polly walked into the room carrying a silver tray. The tray was lined with a lacy overlay and atop it were two crystal glasses, and a long bottle of dark red liquid. "I called Jimmy at St Andrews. He had a couple packs of the O positive you like sent over. I figured Miss Whitley would like her first drink to be really civilised."

Josef rose and took the tray from her. "Thank you, Polly."

She patted his arm affectionately. "I sent out for some clothes yesterday, just in case. We'll have to see about getting Miss Whitley some other garments. I also had your spare cold chest cleaned out. It's been moved into the bedroom. Mr. Kostan, I have to say, I've been looking after the young Miss for twenty years. I can't say that I'm not happy to see her wake up and experience the world again."

When Josef didn't comment, but instead looked thoughtful, she said, "She's in the lounge."

Josef Konstan, vampire, businessman, CEO, MD, entrepreneur could not remember the last time he was nervous. He made a little disgusted face. But that didn't hide the truth. Walking towards a room, where the woman he had once loved completely, but thought he had lost forever waited, carrying her first real drink as a conscious vampire was a big deal. And he felt nervous.

Josef walked into the room and laid the tray on the table. He remained silent, just looking at her, as she stood across the room. She wore black sweatpants, the kind with wide pant legs, and a black sweater. Her hair was pulled back from her face in an easy ponytail. Her feet were bare.

Sara was standing at the window, looking out. The blinds were drawn so that the rays didn't catch her directly. She spoke without looking at him. "I just realised how many habits I'm going to have to unlearn. I rushed towards the sunlight now, and immediately realised that my body doesn't like the sun anymore. I used to love it. Do you remember?" she turned and smiled openly.

Josef was lost for a moment. She was lovely.

"Yes, I remember. I didn't want you to give it up."

"And I would have given up anything to be with you."

An awkward stillness descended. Josef turned back to the table and swept his arm. "Lunch is served."

She stepped forward self-consciously and took in the crystal and blood. She looked more nervous than he was.

She closed her eyes and sniffed. "I can smell it. Its like my senses have taken on a whole new life."

Josef leaned against the table and watched her. "What does it smell like?"

"Sweet. Musky. Really pungent." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "Is this supposed to feel weird? Or is it even weirder that blood isn't grossing me out right now?"

Josef smiled, a genuine smile. "It will be strange for a while. But believe me, you get used to it pretty quickly. Shall I?" he made a move to pour the liquid and she nodded her assent.

"The way you used to take your coffee – with crème, or with sugar – is almost the way it works when it comes to the way you like your new drink of choice, blood. The type will matter. Some vampires prefer AB negative, or B positive. Each has a distinctive taste that will appeal to your pallet."

"Which do you like?"

He smiled again. "The really, really fresh kind."

"Feeding from humans? I remember we talked about that."

Josef nodded. "Things haven't changed much in the last couple of decades. There are still humans who are intrigued by our kind, and because they are, they are willing to feed us in return for being close to us. They're called freshies."

She raised her eyebrow. "And you like your freshies?"

Josef smiled mischievously. "Yes ma'm. Nothing quite like it."

"I'll bet," she muttered.

Josef chuckled. It felt so normal being with her. Almost like nothing had changed. Josef sobered slightly. But things had changed.

He offered her a crystal glass filled with blood and took one for himself. He struggled to find the right words. Sara saved him the trouble. "To new beginnings," she said and clinked her glass with his.

She brought the glass to her nose and sniffed appreciatively before taking a sip. She looked at him self-consciously. "Am I supposed to feel this embarrassed?"

Josef chucked. "Drink Sara."

She sipped some more, swirling the liquid around in her mouth before swallowing. For an instant, her pale skin flushed, her fangs protruded, and she hissed with pleasure.

Josef nodded his approval and she took another drink.

"Its quite good actually."

"It better be. You can't eat anything else."

Josef refilled her glass and watched as she wondered back over to the window. "Everything is so different to the way I remember. The way people are dressed, the streets, cars. Even things in this house!"

"It's going to take a lot of getting used to."

"Charl-" she made a face, "Josef, will you tell me about everything? What's happened in the world? What have you been doing? Who succeeded President Eisenhower? Where exactly are we? Is this your home?"

"It seems like some things never change. You always did manage to fire a million questions at me at the same time."

"I'm glad some things haven't changed."

Josef caught her whisper and felt a pang of regret. It wasn't her fault things were this way. It wasn't even his fault. Things were just such a mess.

"Well, firstly, we're in New York. I know you loved the city, and I didn't want to move you from here. This is where you grew up."

Sara smiled tremulously.

"A president by the name of John F. Kennedy succeeded Eisenhower. One of America's most recognised presidents. I met him once. Completely over-rated if you ask me. But he was assassinated. It seems there's a curse on the entire Kennedy family. But anyway, I digress… the world is pretty much as it was. A few more wars, famine still rages, the greed of man reigns supreme. All the usual stuff. We have made advances on all major technological fronts. Telephones, air travel, road travel. 1969 saw the American's and Russian's go at each other when the American's happened to land the first man on the moon. Can't say I blame the Russian's though."

"Space travel? Wow. Impressive."

Josef laughed. "Yeah. Some conspiracy theorists say it never happened. It was all a giant cover-up for a mission that failed dismally."

"What do you think?"

"I'm a pessimist. And I like to believe the Russian's got there first."

"The Charles I knew wasn't a pessimist. He was optimistic about almost everything."

"Yeah," he whispered with a weak smile. "The Charles you knew no longer exists."

Sara looked back out of the window. "I'm beginning to realise that."

"Josef! Where are you?"

"Mick! Sure, no need to announce yourself."

"Beth this is Josef's place. If I can't announce myself here, where can I?"

Josef rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the fact that he was glad for the interruption.

"In here!"

Sara looked at him enquiringly. He smiled reassuringly and extended his hand. She looked surprised, but came forward and placed her hand in his. For a moment, Josef looked at their touching hands and again suffered an intense bout of dejavu.

He looked up as Mick and Beth came into the room.

"Damnit Jos-" Mick stopped mid sentence.

Beth seemed equally stuck for words. Both of them were staring at Sara as if they couldn't believe their eyes. Perfectly understandable considering the first and only time they had seen her, she had been in a permanent coma!

Josef tugged her forward. "Mick, Beth. This is Sara Whitley. Sara, this is my best friend Mick St. John, and his lady-love Beth Turner."