It was strange for Jean, going back to normal life. Just a Thursday like any other. Mattie was off doing her rounds and came home for lunch. Lucien was off on police business, consulting with the pathologist in the morgue and going to the police station and investigating or whatever else kept him away from home all day. Jean was left mostly on her own to tend to her flowers in the sunroom, vacuum the parlor, start on the roast for dinner.
It was just like any other day. Only it wasn't. It wasn't any other day. Because from when Jean had woken yesterday to now, her entire world had been turned upside down. She had been confronted, for the first time since Christopher, with another vampire. And in meeting another vampire, Jean had learned of the reason she could not read Lucien's mind and why she felt herself so drawn to him. Jean had gone from being a lonely, confused vampire all on her own in the world to learning of another vampire in her midst and having a soulmate. And not only did she and Lucien learn that they were soulmates, but they had gratefully accepted it.
She smiled to herself, unable to prevent it. He was her soulmate. He loved her as she loved him. He loved her so well. So beautifully. They had made love in a manner so exquisite, she had nearly wept at the depth and glory of it. Christopher had been her first love, and she would never forget him; he had been the first man she loved and the first who had loved her, and he had turned her so that they would be able to spend eternity together. An eternity that never happened. Lucien, though, was her soulmate. And she would love him until the end of time.
Jean recalled the absolutely adorable way he had asked this morning if he could kiss her goodbye. It had surprised her, that he had asked such a thing. But it reminded her that only yesterday she had just been his housekeeper. They were closer than just employer and employee, for he was the only person that knew the truth of her. They had been friends. Perhaps more than friends. Their attraction to one another was undeniable, of course, for they had nearly lost control together before really knowing why. And, of course, she had fed off of him. He kept her alive and strong. Alice's thoughts had told Jean that her feeding from him was perhaps a mistake—a soulmate's blood was apparently quite intoxicating and irresistible to a vampire. No wonder Jean often felt slightly drunk when she fed from him. He really did have the most delicious blood she had ever tasted. But she had not had trouble controlling herself when feeding from him, not since that first time when he'd found her passed out and half dead.
Now, like with Lucien kissing her goodbye when he left in the mornings, Jean hoped that they would have other affectionate habits they could share from now on. One of which would be her feedings. The first time she had bit his neck and then kissed him had been the most exciting, erotic, marvelous experience of her life to that point. She would very much like to repeat that, if he was agreeable. He seemed to not mind when she fed off him. She'd have to ask him. Perhaps he would enjoy her biting him elsewhere sometime. He had offered her his neck to bite in the midst of foreplay just last night. Perhaps something to explore together soon.
Her smile turned to a blush as she thought of some possibilities that might come from such exploration. But she regained her control when a knock at the front door revealed Agnes Clasby arriving for her prescription.
"Doctor Blake is out on police business, I'm afraid, but I made sure he wrote out the prescription for you. Would you like to have a cup of tea, Mrs. Clasby?" Jean offered, inviting the older woman inside.
"That would be lovely, Jean, thank you."
Jean went to get the prescription off Lucien's desk so that they wouldn't forget, and then she led Agnes into the kitchen to sit as Jean put the kettle on.
"You seem in good spirits today, Jean," Agnes noted. "I hope that means our Lucien has been behaving himself."
That blush returned to Jean's cheeks. "He's been very well," Jean replied diplomatically.
"Oh come now, there's more to it than that." Leave it to Agnes Clasby to pry.
Jean decided that, for the fun of it, she would say more than was strictly necessary or prudent. If it was too much, she could always alter the memories as she'd done a few times before when she'd caught a glimpse of Mrs. Clasby's thoughts wondering about Jean's strangeness. Jean said, "There's been a very upsetting death that Doctor Blake has been working on, but he has been making use of my help much more, and I find I enjoy working with him on police matters. It is very interesting and important work."
"Quite grisly work," Agnes noted.
"It can be. I've never shied away from a bit of bloodshed," Jean remarked.
"You and your husband were farm people, weren't you?"
"Yes," Jean lied.
"And he died in the war?"
"He did." That wasn't exactly a lie. Christopher was not her husband, nor had he died in World War II as Agnes assumed. But he had died in a battle, so that was as close to the truth as she could allow.
Agnes went on, "I suppose police work might appeal to you. I've seen plenty in my time, but never violence like that. An odd thing for two people to share, but I suppose if you and Lucien are happy…"
"We are," Jean assured her. She poured the tea and came to sit with Agnes, curious as to what might come from the woman's mind next.
Jean decided to push in a little bit as Agnes sipped her tea. The thoughts were surprisingly clear. Well she's certainly in love with the man. I hope he can stop running about to notice it. They could be good for each other, as Genevieve and Thomas were for each other.
That was certainly interesting. Agnes thought Jean and Lucien were like Lucien's parents? Gently, she probed further. She saw the old Doctor Blake and his young bride through Agnes Clasby's eyes. Genevieve Etienne Blake, so full of life and joy and creative magic. A bit too much fun sometimes, apt to like a bit of drink and flirting more than a doctor's wife really should. Agnes saw Lucien as his mother's son. Jean knew that much already. But she also saw what Agnes had seen all those years ago, the way Thomas Blake came alive through the love of his wife. They fought often when she perhaps went too far and embarrassed him in public, but she was able to pull him away from his seriousness in a way no one else ever could. Agnes apparently hoped for the same for Jean, for Lucien to drag her away from seriousness just as much as she knew Jean had already dragged Lucien closer to the line of propriety.
It made her heart warm, actually, to see herself and Lucien as well as his parents through Agnes Clasby's eyes. If not for Genevieve Blake's untimely death, she and Thomas would have been wonderfully happy and in love for all their days. Jean and Lucien stood the same chance.
Jean needed some time to herself after that. She rearranged some memories so that Agnes Clasby would believe that she and Jean had discussed the weather and the upcoming begonia festival while sharing a cup of tea.
"I won't take up any more of your time, Jean," Agnes said, standing up.
Jean stood as well and led Mrs. Clasby to the door, wishing her a good day. And Jean was alone again. A little tired but very happy. She was eager for Lucien to return home. She wanted to hear about his progress on the case and to continue their newfound romance. Perhaps she would tell him what she'd seen in Agnes Clasby's head. Or perhaps she would keep that to herself.
But when Lucien did come home, very shortly after Agnes left and long before Mattie was due back from her afternoon rounds, he was not in the mood for romance. Well, not in the way Jean had expected.
"We need to talk," he said, not even saying hello when he appeared in the kitchen where Jean was cleaning up the tea things.
He looked very serious. Jean knew to take that seriously. She turned off the sink and left the rest of the dishes for later. "Alright," she said, turning her attention to him. "Is there something wrong?"
The tension filling his body evaporated at her words. "No," he assured her. He took a step forward and placed his hands gently on her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Nothing is wrong. Not really. But I did…well, shall we sit down?" he suggested.
Brow furrowed in confusion, Jean sat at the kitchen table beside Lucien. They were in the same configuration they'd had this morning at breakfast. "Well?" she prompted.
Lucien searched her face for a moment. His expression was grave. He gave a sigh of slight frustration and said, "You need to turn me into a vampire."
Jean was wholly taken aback by that. "I beg your pardon?"
"I need to be turned into a vampire, and it's only right that you're the one to do it," he clarified, though it provided no clarity at all.
"What are you talking about?"
He reached out, offering his hand. Tentatively, she gave her his. He gave her a little squeeze and explained, "Jean, we are soulmates. I know we've not known for long, but it feels right, doesn't it? It's…it's exactly right that we are soulmates. I love you very much, and I loved you before I even knew about soulmates. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives, but my life is still a mortal one. Yours isn't. And if we want to have our happiness together, it just stands to reason that I'll need to be a vampire."
Jean suddenly felt foolish for not having put the pieces together before this moment. Of course she would have to turn him. Of course he would have to be a vampire. They were soulmates, and that would mean being together for all eternity. An eternity that they would share together. The only way to do that would be for Lucien to be a vampire with her. It all made perfect sense, and she knew it did. But… "No," she said.
"What!?"
"I…I can't turn you. Not yet. We need more time. Or, well, you need more time," she said. Her heart pounded in her chest. She took her hand away from him.
"Jean…" he begged.
She shook her head, knowing she needed to stand firm on this. "Lucien, I know you know the truth of vampirism and what all it entails from what I've told you. I'm sure Alice has told you more. But you must understand that it is a curse. Vampires are cursed to walk this earth and never die and to be living nightmares. We are predators who survive by harming others. You are a doctor, Lucien. You live your life healing people. And with the police, you find the villains and put them away. Vampires are the villains. It is a curse to live this way, and I…I can't curse you."
"Do you believe that Christopher cursed you by turning you?"
"Yes!"
"Did you believe that before he died?"
That forced her to hesitate. "It was different," she protested weakly.
"Why? You loved him. He loved you. He told you the truth and wanted you to be with him forever. Why is what I'm asking any different?"
Jean just shook her head. "It's different. Please don't ask me to explain, but it is." She was not prepared to have this conversation with him. Not now. Possibly not ever. In her darker moments, perhaps she had blamed Christopher for cursing her—for that is exactly what he had done. But to say it out loud? To admit aloud that her first love had been tainted by this curse? That the man to whom she'd given her heart was a selfish monster and turned Jean into a monster just like him? She would not betray his memory that way. Her feelings about Christopher were one thing. She would not harm him aloud, not even for the sake of her soulmate.
But Lucien would not back down so easily. "Jean, if we're to be together, I'll have to be turned. I accept that. I think I understand what it means better than you did when you were turned. Don't you want us to be together?"
"Of course I do," she snapped. "But it's…Lucien, we learned we were soulmates only yesterday! Isn't this all a little fast?"
"We're soulmates," he repeated back to her. "Why should we wait?"
"Even if I agreed to turn you—and we will keep that conversation for another time—I won't do it now."
"Why not?"
This was much easier for her to explain, and Jean felt herself relax slightly. This excuse would be effective, she knew. "Turning requires a lot of time. The actual process does not take too long. It is painful and exhausting, and the recovery time is extensive. But after that, you'll need to learn how to feed, how to hunt, how to use your powers, how to recharge them with the moon, and more than anything, you'll need to learn to control yourself. I had already been turned for two full months by the time Christopher died, and even by then, the barest hint of blood within a hundred feet of me would make me mad with bloodlust. I couldn't be near the slaughtering on the farm. One of the children I looked after pricked her finger doing needlepoint and Christopher thankfully was walking by and heard my thoughts and rescued me before I devoured that little girl. I couldn't stop. It takes time. And you're a doctor, Lucien. You've got too much to do that keeps you around blood. You'd need to take time away to adjust so you don't risk discovery or harm to anyone else. Do you really think now is the time? With a girl drained of blood sitting in the morgue? Do you want to do that to someone? Because you will if you're not careful."
As Jean predicted, that argument got through. His eyes went wide with fear over the possible consequences. "I…yes, you're right. We've got a vampire killer on the loose, and I can't afford distraction until after we solve it."
Jean nodded. "Precisely. After we figure out who killed that girl, after they're brought to justice, then we can have this conversation again."
Lucien sighed and slumped in his chair in resignation. "Alright," he conceded.
Her heart ached for him. "I do love you, Lucien," she assured him gently. "And I do intend on sharing eternity with you as your soulmate. We just…we need a little time."
He nodded. He was sulking, she knew, but it was because he knew she was right and it was not the outcome he wanted.
Jean stood up and went to stand beside him. "Now then, this morning you asked if you could kiss me goodbye. Might I kiss you hello?"
A beautiful smile spread over his face. "I should have thought of it myself," he said, grinning up at her.
She leaned down to kiss him but was interrupted when his enormous hands grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into his lap. They both laughed until their lips met. And everything felt wonderful and right.