Disclaimer – None of my blood sweat and/or tears went into the creation of True Blood.
3. Real World
Although many were surprised by Libitina's presence in the nest, her novelty soon wore off. Most surprising was how easily she was accepted by the vampires in the Area. After the initial shock, most vampires either openly accepted her or ignored her and the few who reacted with hostility, like Stan, were quickly dealt with by Isobel who had developed a strong attachment to the small cat. Despite this, she still slept the day away in my rooms; none were foolish enough to comment however.
The most gratifying effect of having the cat in the house was the way that she put the human companions that visited the nest almost completely at ease. I had never seen this before. Certainly, I had encountered the odd 'brave' human who was seemingly unafraid to approach and interact with us, but their calm facade was always betrayed by their heart rate and the amount of adrenaline their heart was rapidly pumping through their system.
Absorbed in thoughts about the positive effects of Isobel convincing me to keep Libitina, not by the literature on how to keep you cat from endangering the local wildlife sent by the American Cat Fancier's Association, was how Isobel found me.
"Godric?" she tentatively interrupted me.
"Isobel," I responded distractedly.
"Anything that would interest me?" she asked, gesturing to the leaflet in my hand.
"Apparently, in order to be a responsible pet owner, we need to furnish Libitina's collar with a bell so that she cannot endanger the local wildlife," I replied, discarding the folded leaflet on my desk.
"I'll ring Tiffany's. They're bound to have something appropriate, maybe something originally intended for a charm bracelet?"
"No doubt they will."
"Surely this is something you would have learned had you actually attended the council's responsible pet ownership course."
"Indeed," I responded with a slight edge to my voice, irritated by Isobel's mirth.
My shortness had silenced the conversation, allowing a pregnant pause to engulf the office.
"Although you needn't go to such lengths, the American Cat Fancier's Association assures me that you can purchase a bell for your cat's collar at any pet store or Wal-Mart," I gesture towards the leaflet on my desk and looked up just in time to see a wave of abject horror wash across her face before she schooled her features.
"No no, I will be able to get something that matches her collar from Tiffany's," Isobel stuttered and I couldn't help but smile in triumph; it was not often that one could fluster a vampire, certainly not Isobel.
"Is there something in particular that I can help you with?" I ask, leaning back in my chair and making a grand sweeping gesture around my office with my arms. I'm delighted by Isobel's livid reaction to the amused smile that is tugging at the corner of my mouth.
"There is actually," she ground out, our banter having temporarily banished the polite deference with which she usually addresses me; it was quite refreshing.
"Do tell," I encouraged her. I know that I am smiling now and could not care less that my behaviour is not becoming of a two thousand year old vampire Sheriff.
"For the last few weeks we have been receiving these," Isobel says as she thrusts a small collection of letters into my hands, already choosing to ignore my unusual behaviour. "I have been ignoring them, but they keep coming and there is no indication that they will abate any time soon."
"What are they?" I ask without even troubling to glance at the papers in my hands.
"Requests for interviews," Isobel tells me bluntly. "It appears that someone's human companion has leaked the fact that there is a cat residing in your nest."
"And why are you telling me this now?"
"Because when you add the four requests that we received today we now have such a number that we are required to notify the AVL."
"I'll take care of it," I assure her with a mental sigh.
Our conversation had roused Libitina who had been curled up asleep atop a decree sent by the King of Texas, a document that I had been reading, but which had been abandoned in favour of the American Cat Fancier's Association leaflet which Libitina appeared to find vastly less comfortable. Despite Libitina's renewed interest, I quickly managed to send a short email to the AVL informing them that I had attracted the media's interest.
Less than an hour later I received a phone call from Nan Flanagan, I hadn't realised that receiving her personal attention was such an honour until I heard her voice bearing down on me through the receiver; she certainly thought her attention a privilege. It took maybe five minutes for me to explain the cause of the interview requests to her and then it took less than five seconds for her to decide that an interview would be excellent publicity. Three hours after that an interview had been scheduled for the following evening.
The interview was completed in less than three hours with a young human female whose parents had named her Monique. Despite her fearful start, the young woman was only trembling slightly by the close of the interview. I felt that the interview went quite well and was pleasantly surprised by the fact that rather than simply asking me a series of questions the human merely encouraged me to speak, only interrupting for clarification or to shift my focus to a new topic. I easily hadn't spoken so many words together for centuries.
Two weeks after the interview the article was published.
xxx
TEXAN VAMPIRE
An exclusive interview with Dallas' Vampire Sheriff, Godric
Monique Saunders
Over the years popular culture has depicted vampires as anything from clawed monsters and greasy haired Romanians to cultured French aristocrats; we associate vampires with darkness, bats, cobwebs, dungeons and coffins. This modern Texan mansion, situated in an affluent neighbourhood in Dallas, is one of the last places where you would expect to meet a vampire. Yet that is exactly what you will find here.
Contemporary and modern, this house defies every single vampire stereotype that exists; the house itself exemplifying modern chic, however, if one were inclined to be surprised by the house that is home to the Dallas Vampire Sheriff that fades into the background when you are confronted with the Sheriff himself. While the American Vampire League (AVL) has been busy these past few years assuring the American public that vampires are just like us, Godric sits in sharp contrast to the carefully coifed and styled AVL spokesvampire, Nan Flanagan.
The Sheriff in no way encapsulates the leather clad stereotype that plagues the modern vampire, but neither does he belong in the same category as Ms. Flanagan. This vampire appears to be no older than fifteen or sixteen, yet as he sits in a designer chair the power that emanates from him is palpable, belying his apparent physical age. The most startling thing about this vampire, however, are his eyes. The eyes are often described as the window to the soul and this vampire is no exception. When you look into his eyes, something that anti-vampire groups strongly recommend against, you can quite clearly see the weight of the volume of years and events that they have seen. It is difficult to reconcile the eyes with his youthful appearance.
After being offered a choice of tea or coffee I am invited to ask my questions and despite having prepared many, I find myself blurting out the first thing that comes to mind: why do you have four types of coffee and six varieties of tea on hand if you only drink blood? The smile I receive is not unlike the one an adult would give a three year old when indulgently listening to their nonsensical ramblings. While my first response is to be insulted, once I learn that Godric is over two thousand years old I find that I cannot begrudge him his bemused smile. Now why would a vampire keep his kitchen stocked with a selection of tea and coffee you ask. Well, the answer is quite simple. Since the Great Revelation vampires have been increasingly able to socialise with humans and as Dallas Sheriff Godric's nest often serves as a gathering place.
"Common courtesy dictates that I keep
something on hand to offer my guests as
refreshment," he explains with a boyish smile.
But beyond good Southern manners Godric also enjoys the scent, apparently bergamot is particularly refreshing he tells me with a nod towards my cup of Earl Grey; the particular blend I'm drinking is specially imported from Britain.
While this explanation easily explains my cup of tea, it does not explain his mug of coffee and I'm forced to ask after it. To answer my question I am invited to smell his coffee and at his prompting I am able to pick out a number of different scents, aromas that Godric assures me are infinitely more complex to a vampire's heightened sense of smell.
"I also enjoy the warmth," Godric elaborates
as he cups his coffee mug between his hands.
Unlike humans vampires do not have any body heat, but they are able to absorb it in a way similar to a lizard when it basks in the sun.
Filing that interesting titbit of information away, I again strayed from my prepared questions to discover why Godric would refer to his beautiful home as a 'nest.' After all, when I heard him say this I immediately thought of a bird's nest made of twigs or a rat's nest fashioned from trash, not a Texan mansion.
"I suppose it stems from our past,"
Godric explains after a moment's thought.
Before the Great Revelation it was difficult for vampires to move in the human world. Purchasing property was a complex process, let alone living in it, and even then it was not possible to stay in the one area for too long because vampires do not age. Many vampires lived in sewers or in the basements of abandoned buildings and these places where vampires congregated were called nests.
I must admit that by this point I was extremely surprised by how seemingly open to answering my questions this ancient vampire was; despite the fact that this interview was sanctioned by the AVL. It is relatively common knowledge that while vampires are quite willing to boast about their age, something that is a symbol of status amongst other vampires, they rarely reveal any personal information. Godric again surprised me by quite happily explaining this to me.
At this point I completely abandoned the list of questions that I had memorised before arriving at 'the nest.' I'm sure readers will agree that when you happen across a vampire who is happy to answer questions you ask questions; and they don't necessarily come from the list of questions pre-approved by the AVL. To my delight Godric seems more than happy to answer any and every question that I ask him.
"What exactly do you want to know?"
Godric asks, clearly amused by my question.
When I elaborate on my question, by telling him that I want to know everything I am greeted by the most beautiful sound that I have ever heard; Godric's laughter. Now, I'm certain that many people have heard a vampire growl, it's a terrifying sound, and that slightly less have heard a vampire speak, but you'll agree that it's a beautiful sound. The reason for this, Godric explains, is because traditionally vampires are predators; before the discovery of TruBlood they had to hunt for their food. A vampire is, by design, beautiful and alluring to their prey. Put simply, this explains all of the vampire models out there, but back to the voice. Not all vampires have a hauntingly beautiful voice; personally I find Nan Flanagan's voice to be rather grating. Although some vampires have a naturally seductive tone to their speech, for most, it is a learned skill. Therefore, the older the vampire the more likely they are to possess a distractingly melodic voice.
Determined not to get sidetracked again I timidly ask Godric about when he was human, does he remember anything? Everything appears to be the answer as he launches into a description of a time and place that is difficult to comprehend.
"You have to remember that many you would
consider children were considered men in my time."
Pulling at his shirt to reveal a jagged tattoo that appears to encircle his neck he tells me that at sixteen he had already been chief of his tribe for several years. While I attempt to process this information, the ancient vampire continues his narrative, describing how from a young age he had been one of the best hunters, trackers and warriors in his tribe. It was only natural that he would rise to the rank of chief. During his final years as a human he was forced to defend his village from Roman soldiers. His people were victorious many times, but eventually they were overwhelmed. Many of his kin were killed by the Romans; those who were captured or purposely kept alive were taken as slaves.
"I was gifted to a powerful General, I forget
his name, branded with the Roman seal and
transported to his home."
In response to the look of horror on my face, the vampire smiled gently at me and explained that he was actually luckier than many others. The General was a kind and fair master, often asking Godric for his opinion on matters of war once his previous station was discovered. Godric was the first to teach the General's son swordplay and later when political machinations caused the family to fall from favour, he ensured the escape of the General's wife and son. It was after he had gotten the pair to the safety of a relative's home that the woman granted him his freedom something that should have been a fortunate turn of events. However, a few days later he was nearly beaten to death by a group of drunken Roman soldiers. That night he was discovered by a vampire and everything changed forever; it was just before his sixteenth birthday. He spent the next two centuries travelling, learning what it meant to be a vampire.
"I may not have consented, but I was never
bitter. I would have perished without the
vampire's intervention."
Rather than asking what Godric's favourite blood type is, a question approved by the AVL, I asked what the differences were between being a vampire two thousand years ago and being a vampire now. He smiled sadly at my question before answering candidly. To be a vampire now is much easier than it was even a few centuries ago, firstly, because of TruBlood making it easy to keep sated and secondly, because it is not necessary to hide. A modern vampire has the opportunity to seek their human family and friends out for closure and even maintain contact with them if they aren't too horrified. In the past, however, it was necessary to sever all ties and consequently vampires were consigned to a very lonely existence.
When I pointed out that he could surely have socialised with other vampires, he snorted; a reaction greatly at odds with the persona he projected. Godric explained that in the past there weren't as many humans for vampires to feed from, and TruBlood certainly wasn't an option, so there were often fights over feeding grounds. As a result it is still extremely rare to meet a vampire who is more than a few centuries old. Those that are are feared and respected because it takes a great deal of strength to stand the test of time. When Godric tells me that of 95% of vampires are less than two hundred years old, I have a much greater appreciation of his immense age.
At this point of the interview I am well aware that no vampire has ever spoken this candidly about how vampires lived before the discovery of TruBlood and the Great Revelation. It doesn't take much prompting from me to get him to regale me with stories from his length existence. Most of the stories he recounts are truly horrific and I can tell that he monitors my reactions carefully, but when
I don't interrupt, he continues to speak. In rapt attention, I listen to tales of travelling from village to village, always moving on before there is a danger of discovery, of taking shelter in the earth during the day and of feasting on the blood of dying soldiers on the battlefield.
Despite the gruesome nature of many of the stories, I am entranced as he describes the exhilaration of fighting alongside humans in the many wars and battles he has witnessed. His fondness for battle reminding me that he was a warrior in his human life. One story in particular about a giant golden haired warrior catches my attention; Godric's admiration palpable.
"He is the only vampire that I have created
in my two thousand years on this Earth."
The story of the most beautiful and skilled fighter that Godric had ever laid eyes on caused goosebumps to form on my skin – so vivid was his description. It was heartbreaking to hear him describe how he had given the great Viking chieftain the choice he himself had been denied on his deathbed.
Yes, if you're wondering, the Viking Godric is describing is one and the same as the owner of the aptly named Fangtasia bar in Louisiana.
Shifting from the past to the present I ask the question that is on the minds of almost every American: if vampires have such a bloody and violent history, how can we trust them? (A question most definitely not pre-approved by the AVL). I feel that it is important to convey the unusually frank answer that the two thousand year old vampire gave me verbatim:
"While I cannot sympathise, I can try to understand why humans fear us and are so distrustful. Really, it is not a great mystery; we are scary. Vampires have fangs; we are natural predators and are significantly faster and stronger than humans. I would be concerned if humans didn't fear us. However, the threat that we pose to humans is the same threat that a lion poses to a gazelle; predator to prey. TruBlood and the simple fact that there are humans that willingly allow vampires to feed from them greatly reduce this risk. In Texas alone the number of missing persons reports has dropped from around 17,000 a year to less than 3,500 a year since the introduction of TruBlood."
"Also, I think popular culture misrepresents how much blood vampires need; in reality we require very little. A newly turned vampire requires roughly two to four bottles of TruBlood a day and this amount reduces as the vampire ages. After a decade a vampire only needs one bottle every other day and by my age very little at all; I go months in between feedings."
"The one thing that I don't think is adequately communicated is how much vampires have benefited from being able to emerge from the shadows and the fringes of society. We can now live in one place without wondering whether the people will notice that we are not aging and we can own businesses or work jobs allowing us to live comfortable lives. The benefits of being able to live out in the open far outweigh the consequences; it is very refreshing to not have to conceal what I am."
While I have such an honest vampire seemingly at my mercy, willing to answer my questions, I hazard to ask one more question that the AVL carefully avoids.
"Oh yes, it tastes revolting, but it is
a small price to pay. Humans sacrifice one thing
to gain another all the time."
That answers that question.
The strange report that initiated this interview turns the conversation to much lighter, AVL approved topics. The small grey cat who, just now, decides to occupy the ancient vampire's lap is adorable. Completely at odds with what us ignorant humans would expect, Godric immediately starts to stroke the animal eliciting a loud purr. Such a tiny, innocent action makes me confident that not all vampires are indiscriminate killers as anti-vampire groups would have us believe. My next observation confirms it; the cat's collar is definitely from Tiffany's.
xxx
Isobel sets the glossy magazine down on my desk when she had finished reading. "That seems to have gone surprisingly well," she commented.
"Yes," I nodded my agreement.
"Nan Flanagan is probably going to have a few choice words to say though. I think you spent too much time reminiscing over your more bloodthirsty years."
I had to agree with her, but I thought my truthfulness was more important. The AVL had not had much success simply glossing over the fact that less than ten years ago humans were our primary food source.
A/N: This is a completed story, but I still love reading reviews so drop me a line.
This story hasn't been beta'd, that means there are mistakes. If/when you find one send me a message and I'll fix it up.
Note: those missing persons statistics are totally made up (I did a quick search but actual stats weren't easy to find) I have no idea whether they're close to the truth or totally outlandish – I did read somewhere that 4,900 people are reported missing every day in the US though so who knows?