sensed another vampire around me. I tensed up. You never know who you can trust.
But when I finally saw him from a distance, he just smiled. He was a doctor, and he was running a free medical clinic in the lobby of an old office building. It was just him with a bunch of poor humans, so I felt like I could relax. I don’t know why, but he saw me through the glass and motioned me over to ask if I could help.
See, when I touch people now, I can get a sense of their general health. That, and their smell makes me able to tell if they’re sick. I guess he just wanted some company…and some help. The line of people was out the door and it was almost eleven o’clock.
He didn’t ask much about me. Just if I was American and if I was visiting anyone in town. I think he could tell from talking to me that I was trying to lay low, so he didn’t pry. He asked if I needed any help. He was so nice, I was tempted to spill the whole crazy story, but something held me back. I didn’t want to get him involved. Knowing that there was someone good out there, that maybe I could eventually do something useful with this life was enough. It made me grateful to have met him.
After the clinic, he asked if he could pay me for my time. It was nice to say no and just feel good about myself for the first time in years. All the humans that I’ve fed from since I was turned, I finally felt like I gave something back without taking.
He gave me his card and told me to call him if I ever needed any help. I hope I won’t have to use it, but I took it, just in case.
Love,
Dad
Dear Beatrice,
I found a friend today.
Sounds silly, right? Like I’m the new kid at school. But in the last seven years, I’ve discovered how rare it is to find a friend you can trust. Do you have those kind of people around you? Do you have good friends? I hope so. You’re nineteen now. Maybe you have a boyfriend. You better be going to college. I wonder what you’ll study. Probably not Dante.
Do you still love Greek myths? Maybe you’ll study literature. Or archeology. I’m sure you’d be good at anything, you were always so smart. I bet you’re beautiful, too. The last time I saw you, you had that gawky, uncomfortable look that kids have when they’re teenagers, but you were only fifteen. I bet you’re beautiful now. You always looked like Mom, and she’s so lovely.
This new friend of mine is teaching me how to hide better. He’s old. Older than you can even imagine. I’m not sure they even measured time when he was human. He’s also incredibly powerful. He can control water like me, but much better. He’s a good friend, and I feel like I might finally have time to study this book and not spend all my time running around trying to hide.
Love,
Dad
Dear Beatrice,
I’m writing to you from my home. After eight years of running, I finally feel like I’ve found a new home. It’s quiet here. No one pays attention to me. With all the tourists around, I can feed without bothering anyone, and no one even remembers me.
I feel strange talking to you about feeding, even though I know you’ll probably never read this. I tried feeding from animals, but after a while, it got to be too much work. I have to feed a lot more often and drink a lot more blood than if I just take a quick sip from a human.
Forgive any unfortunate juice box comparisons.
I don’t look down on people like most vampires do, but it’s the easiest way for me to survive. If it makes you feel better, I always pay them. They don’t remember where the money came from, but hopefully they just think they forgot about it in their pocket.
It’s not all bad. I’m learning so much faster now. I wish I knew a neurobiologist who could study it. It’s like my brain can absorb information and my memory-which was always good-is amazing now. I’ve become fluent in Portuguese, French, Ancient Greek, Old Arabic, Old Persian, Mandarin, and my Latin and Italian are much better, too. My recall and processing are faster; it’s easier to make connections. I’m simply smarter than I was as a human. Honestly, I can see why some vampires, after hundreds of years, do feel superior to them.
I’m much stronger. I’ve been told that if I was in better physical condition when I was turned it would be even better, but my sire was old, so that helped. But he also made a lot of ‘children,’ which depletes their strength. So unless I find a much stronger vampire who is willing to exchange blood with me, which is unlikely, I’ll always be weaker than him.
I think I’m starting to understand this book. I still can’t figure out why he wants it, though.
Love,
Dad
Dear Beatrice,
I got a letter from a contact in Rome today.
How can you ever forgive me?
This is my fault.
Please forgive me.
If I didn’t need to keep this book safe, I would walk into the sun on his sick little island right now, just to make him leave you alone.
Maybe he’s dead. I hope like hell he’s dead.
This vampire that petitioned for you in Rome…he’s frightening, Beatrice. I don’t know why he wants you, but he’s Lorenzo’s sire, and the stories I’ve heard make my blood curdle.
A fire vampire?
What does he want from you?
They all want something.
Forgive me!
I can only hope what I’ve heard is wrong. My contact said di Spada was ‘uncharacteristically impassioned’ in his claim, that he offered a lot in exchange for you. At least this makes me hopeful his intentions toward you are good. It is hard to imagine, from what I have heard, but I can hope.
Forgive me,
Dad
You’re in L.A.
You’re in grad school.
You’re safe.
From what I hear, you’re
I’m not sure what Giovanni Vecchio is to you, but whatever he is, he’s protecting you more than any human I’ve ever heard of.
Maybe he can be trusted. He’s powerful enough.
I don’t know if I can trust him.
But I think I can trust you.
