A/N: This is the last of the short chapters for a little while. I know 15,16, and 17 are a bit longer. Everything is set in motion now. so, hopefully, this story will be getting intersting soon.
I had to post this chapter real soon, because my other stories on Fictionpress are stuck on lucky 13 for right now.
Chapter 14: The Meeting with Rafael
Rafael
November 6, 2000
I have become most fascinated with this girl, who had the key to the rodent. So, I choose to investigate. I have been watching her over the last few nights. She is not like the other women that I usually go for. She is not exactly pretty nor petite. She does not seem interested in me or even notice me. She has been quite good at ignoring me. I wonder how I might be able to break through her barrier. Do I really want to put up such an effort for such a plain little Juanita? It may be intriguing to win her. The fact that she is not completely enthralled by me and begging at my feet for notice is intriguing. The pursuit of a woman's heart with some effort may be a rewarding experience for me.
I corner her in a store. She smiles at me and politely excuses herself to get out my way. She does not take the subtle hint that I would like to get to know her. I pull back confused by her lack of instant attraction. I recover, but she is gone. I find her, and she riddles her way through the streets with the familiarity of one who has lived here all her life. If I gave more effort to the pursuit, I could have found her, but why bother. I know where she lives. There is always another night.
The next night I follow her to class. She smiles and tries to avoid me. Maybe it is not because it is her idea. I have never been so ignored in all of my existence. I corner her again.
"I only want to talk to you. I mean no harm. You are an awfully hard person to get close to. My name is Rafael del Castille, Miss Carter."
"How do you know who I am?"
"I have my way to such information, especially when I want to know someone," I answer her with a sly and winning smile.
"What do you want?" she demands. Ooo, such spirit! No one ever challenges me!
"I have been wanting to make your acquaintance for some time now. You are a special person. I knew that the moment I came into New Orleans."
Her brow furrows and she asks, "Why did you come here then?"
"Oh, I am looking for my cousin. I think she came here to live awhile," I lie conveniently. Well, Carmen and I are both first link vampires. We are kind of related in that manner. "She has always wanted to come to New Orleans." A thought struck me, and I might as well follow it up. "Have you seen her? She is tall thin with dark hair and eyes. She has a very pale complexion. She has a definite French accent, and she travels with her sister, who is sadly insane. It is said that her sister was attacked by a wild animal that killed her husband. She has never been the same since."
"I have a new French professor, who sort of fits your description, but she may not be the one you look for. She says that she has a roommate, who is not quite right, but many people come and go out of New Orleans."
I think for a moment, then I remember the crazy ones name. "Lucy should be committed, and she was at one time, but my sister Carmen rescued her from the institution. I only want to help convince her to bring her sister back for the medical treatment that she needs."
"My professor's name is Camilla Hufner. She lives out somewhere far away. She is a very private woman, and she has no phone or mailing address that I know of."
"That's Carmen alright. It is how she carries on and hides her sister."
"Eccentric bunch, aren't you?"
"Sometimes. Ah, some of us are quite downright strange, you may say. But me, what is wrong with me?" I ask, feeling rather offended by her reaction to me.
"Oh, nothing. I don't know why you would want to follow me around and talk to me," she answers with a blush. Ah, I still have it.
"You have some problems yourself. You are quite a lovely woman. You only need to believe in yourself. Trust your inner beauty. I would like you to go out with me some night, because I really do rather fancy you. You are intelligent, and that does say much about a woman."
"Don't try and flatter me. I have had enough of false flattery in my life," she spats back at me, as she tries to escape.
I shake my head sadly. "And it has ruined a lot of you. I do not mean to offend you. Of course, I know nothing of false flattery. I guess, I may have given out some of it at one time or other," I answer her. I sigh and drop my chin in my palm. I will have to play this just right. I will ask her out again. I think for a moment. "Here," I say, as I scribble my number on a piece of paper. "If you should change your mind, I still would like to take you out on the town sometime."
I leave her. I don't know why I should go through so much effort to please this woman, but I want to. I guess I shouldn't question the way that I am, and besides, I like women who say 'no'. It is a new twist. The next night I follow her to school and back again. I will call her tomorrow night.
I send one of my daykeepers in search of my piece of power, that I discovered in my journals of the time. He is returning to Spain, and I hope he will hurry since I am drawing close to meeting with "Camilla". I will be glad to get this whole thing over with so that I can go back to the enjoyment of my social life.