Mine...Yours Pt. 07

"Finally?" Will offered.

"Finally...yeah, that works. Finally...I need your help with figuring out if I am a mage or not." I finished.

Will nodded his head and poured me a glass of white wine. I promptly picked it up and set it in front of Nancy who looked around in surprise. She stood up on her hind legs to take a sniff of the drink, and a tentative lap with her tongue.

Will laughed. "I'm sorry I wasn't thinking!" He stepped back into the kitchen and returned with a nice crystal cut decanter filled with a green liquid. I nodded my thanks and poured myself a small flute of mountain dew. He shuddered as he saw me take a sip.

"I work my fingers to the bone and you can't even drink a good wine with your meal." He muttered half in jest.

"You know why. I don't drink alcohol." I returned.

"Why not Master?" Lucretia asked.

I waited for William to take the first bite of his meal, then took a bite of my own...I had to admit it. The vampire really was getting good at cooking. Actually no, not a vampire...vampyre is what Lucretia called him.

"Lucretia, I turn into a real fool when I drink." I told her.

"That's not what I would call it!" Will smirked. I glowered at him.

"What would you call it?" Nancy asked.

"I turn into an outrageous flirt...let's leave it at that!" I stated.

"What?" Will asked. "You're not going to tell them of last year's New Years Eve party debacle? That wonderful soiree at my office?"

"Nope, and it would be very...VERY good for you not to do so either!" I retorted.

William dissolved into a fit of chuckles while Nancy pressed him for more information.

"I will tell you later after he has gone!" I heard William say to Nancy in a stage whisper.

Nancy seemed surprised by William saying that. "After they're...? Why would I...?" She held still and scampered across the table to stand on her rear paws to get a good look at William.

"Sir, are you offering to let me stay with you?" Nancy asked in surprise.

"Why not? No one else lives with me! I even offered Greg one of my rooms and he turned up his nose like he was too good to live with me. Outrageous!" He leaned closer to the table so his eyes were only a few inches from Nancy's.

"Wouldn't you like to live with me? Hmmm? I am just a lonely single vampire, living alone, having too much time on my hands to think about...being alone. I would love to have such an adorable and conscientious companion stay with me. Please accept my offer?"

Poor Nancy didn't know which way to turn or what to say. She just sat their quivering her whiskers and sputtering!

"My! Oh My! I...I...Uh! Mr. Abernathy I don't know what to...Oh my!"

"Please, my dear. Call me...William. I insist!" He said in his deep baritone voice.

Nancy now looked like she was going to swoon!

"Hey Will?" I interrupted with a lazy smirk. I had my chin propped up in my hand as I stared in fascination at this master charmer at work. He glanced over and grinned at my expression.

"If you lay it on any thicker buddy, I'm going to need a mop and bucket to clean it up." I drawled.

Nancy seemed to break out of whatever trance Will had put her under.

"Mr. Abernathy...William! You are incorrigible!" She stated in a mildly shocked tone. I couldn't help but notice she was still preening a little and giving him sidelong glances.

Will laughed. "See? This is what I need. A caretaker to help keep me on the straight and narrow! Pinocchio had his cricket conscience, I shall have a reproachful rat!"

"I am not sure I like being classified as reproachful!" Nancy said with a little heat.

"Were you or were you not full of reproach when lecturing me on manners not a half-hour past?" Will returned.

"Well, there is that." Nancy acquiesced. She looked over at me. "What do you think Gregory?"

I shrugged, "Honestly, William is probably the safest place in the entire city that you could stay. You certainly won't lack for food."

I turned my attention back to Will, "Before we get too far into this subject, I need to ask you something." I wasn't actually sure how to ask. I didn't know if this was a taboo subject, or if it was too personal...like when you go to a public bathroom. You always leave at least one urinal space between you and the other guy when you go to take a leak if you can. I figured I would just ask it then, hopefully William knew me well enough by now to not be offended.

"Vampyre? Or Vampire?" I asked.

He waggled his hand back and forth in the air.

"Alchemist." He responded.

"You're a scientist?" I clarified.

"Remember how I told you that I began to mix animal blood? Well...I tried mixing other things as well. You see, vampires are..." His voice trailed off and he sighed.

Lucretia spoke up then, "You smell like one of the Old Ones. One of those before the Ice covered this Plane." He glanced at her and nodded. I did some quick math.

"You're older than 700 years?" I asked.

"A little. I will be 723 in a few more weeks. That was one of the reasons I was glad to see you. I wanted to have a little party on my birthday."

Lucretia looked confused, "You have to be older than that! My nose does not lie."

"It could be broken? Or are there other scents that are confusing it?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No, he smells like one of the Old Ones...sometimes they come to our Plane. Vampires, being dead can cross the Veil fairly easily. That is why there always is one as a member of the Gatewatch."

William was nodding in agreement. "Let me explain Gregory, understand I am not too proud of what I have done to get this way..." He rubbed his hands together slowly, then steepled his fingers.

"The human mind is not equipped to handle long life. Whatever we are now, we once were human. I have learned over the course of time to compartmentalize my own mind into life spans as it were. I have lived seven different lifetimes, eight actually to be honest. In my first life, shortly after I was turned I was filled with diablerie. I reveled in the occult aspect of being a vampire. I rebelled against many of the traditions and teachings of my Master and the other Elders. For example, mixing and consuming animal blood."

He stood and began to pace back and forth in the dining area, he didn't appear nervous as much as he just seemed to be reluctant to talk.

"Will, if this bothers you we can do it another time if you want, or never..." I said. Will interrupted me with a small smile and a wave of his hand.

"No...no, it's quite all right. You asked a fair question and I am sure Lucretia's curious nature would keep poking until she found a suitable explanation."

He slicked back his hair with one hand, and then continued his story. "Vampires do not turn to ash as Bram Stoker wrote it. Our flesh disintegrates yes, but our bones are left behind. I went in search of these remains, always trying to find older and older remains. The reason for this...is rather embarrassing actually. I wanted to liquefy these remnants and make, well, a potion."

"You mean like those mixed drinks you make with animal blood?" I guessed.

"Precisely. I had tried it on some other bones of freshly killed vampires, a few feral ones that I helped my master hunt down. Using a basic base of...well, doesn't matter. I succeeded in turning the bones to jelly and then mixed it with a base concoction of mine." He shrugged.

"I drank it, and felt...different. Some how I had taken the knowledge and skill sets of that being into myself." His fingers caressed his lips and he gave a small shudder.

I already could tell where this was going and I wasn't sure if I was horrified or happy. I mean, think about it. Those dead vampires didn't need their bones anymore. If there was a way to get something cool to happen out of it, it was like the ultimate recycling job! William began to talk again, so I paid attention.

"I went in search of older and older remains, obviously. I found a full skeleton of one of my predecessors, he had been alive for a little over two millennia, and passed away in a forest fire 500 years before I was born. I quickly began the alchemical process and soon had three potions ready for consumption."

He stopped talking to open his blood cabinet back up, I thought he was going to get another drink...I was half right. He pulled out what looked to be a glazed clay jug that looked to be about two gallons in size. It was sealed with a thick white wax and had paper wrapped around the bottleneck.

"I drank the first two but saved this one." He said softly, running his fingers up and down the earthenware container almost reverently.

"After consuming the first potion I was astounded at how I could view the world...I had the insight of one who was far wiser than I, and the fortitude to investigate the questions that I had. After drinking the second I had memories and thoughts that were from a different time and place. I understood what a Vampyre was...how different a vampire is by comparison." He appeared lost in his thoughts as he gently placed the container back in his cabinet and locked it again.

"What is the difference?" I asked. Almost instantly I felt sorry to say it, to interrupt his thoughts, but he seemed so melancholy.

"Put simply, it is power. Vampyres generally are older, and being older they have grown stronger and faster and more durable. By drinking the first two potions and, I assume, the third I will be almost as strong as my predecessor. But it is more than that. The true Vampyres walked among humans, they were teachers, historians, architects. They passed on the knowledge that came from their longevity to others. They were great men and women." He sighed and sat back down.

"Even if I was to drink that last potion I would not be a Vampyre...I would be a hollow imitation of what they were. That is why I do not drink it. I would be more powerful...oh yes! Each time I looked in a mirror though it would be a reminder, that try as I might, I could never reach that level of nobility. I just don't have it in me to do so."

I was stunned! William was one of the nicest and most honorable vampires, no...vampyres...no...DANG IT! Men...William was one of the best men I knew. He looked past my labels at who I was as a person. He used his discernment on me, not his judgment...

"Oh please!" I snorted. Will jerked up at the noise and glared at me.

"I share my deepest secret with you and you mock me?" He said, raising his voice.

"All I have heard so far is that you were able to capture a little bit of what those old vamps had from way back when...I have heard nothing for you to be upset about. So you drank a blood and bone smoothie and it woke you up more to the whole wide world? Good!" I said and stood up to walk over to him. I could see Lucretia and Nancy exchange nervous glances. Not sure what they had to be nervous about. I was the one poking a stick at sad sack of a vampire...vampyre...whatever!

I looked down at my friend and crossed my arms giving him that half smile he found so annoying.

"From my perspective everything you have received from doing this...this thing has been a benefit. So what really has your knickers in a twist?" I asked. He slowly began to stand up, keeping his eyes on mine. He was doing that thing I hate. Direct eye contact with a little snarl thrown in for good measure. I personally couldn't care less.

I was having that same adrenaline rush I got when I was confronting Jemima at work...I almost felt drunk!

"You don't know what you're talking about...boy!" he hissed.

"Enlighten me then...geezer!" I said with a smile.

"I took power from another, I didn't earn it!" he snarled.

"So...who gives a shit? Did your master, or any of your other friends say anything?" His expression gave him away. "Yeah, I didn't think they would. You didn't tell them...probably kept it a secret because you found a way to gain more power." I tapped my lips in thought.

"So besides you, who else knows about vampyres and how snazzy cool they were?" I asked. He thought about it.

"Less than a handful. Mostly passed on through stories by word of mouth."

I chuckled, "Let me get this straight...you are all upset, and have been kicking yourself for a long time because you "took" power that you didn't earn?" He nodded once and I could see the slight flush of shame rise in his cheeks.

"Will, I really do like you man, you are a good friend but sometimes you are an idiot!" I put a hand on his shoulder, which made him stiffen.

"You earned the right to this "power" as you call it by coming up with your blood concoctions in the first place! Who else would have thought of it hmmm? Oh, and lets not forget that you have actual MEMORIES of these vampyres floating around in your brain while your old vampire buddies only have STORIES." I smiled at my friend.

"Whether you call yourself a vampire, vampire, man or mortality challenged...don't ever let me hear you talk down about yourself again. You hear me? If you do I will take strap you to a chair and force you to watch the Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline!"

Will made a face of disgust and looked like he needed to spit.

"I feel like I have some of those leaves in my mouth that you put in yours willingly!"

"Oh, you mean wintergreen chew? Would you like some?"

"Good gracious NO!" Will actually recoiled away from me. Then he smiled.

"Thank you Gregory...it helps to see things from a different perspective sometimes." He admitted.

"I like to think of it as a better perspective myself." I said airily.

"This coming from someone who thinks Mt. Dew is an appropriate drink selection for a fish dinner?" He returned dryly.

Well, I am certainly glad to have this whole vampire/vampire thing sorted out. Telling him about the gold coins I realized something...this man is a genius. First off he got some of the people he works with to begin investing the gold quietly. Investing is a multi-faceted word I found out. I thought it meant something like stocks and bonds and so forth. William was quick to assure me that those words were applicable, but there were many more words as well.

So I sat back and let William do what he did best...direct, balance and supervise. He saw the amount of gold I had, did a double take and after a doing some quick math he got to work. He asked me if I trusted him, I told him I did.

"Wise decision my dear boy...welcome to being wealthy!"

Several phone calls later at least 14 different faxes that I had to sign and a couple hundred copied emails later we had a notary at the door who left after I signed documents that gave William power of attorney for me. I was in a whirlwind that left me with several thousand dollars in my pocket and a new preloaded credit card in my wallet. Lucretia had her own wallet which she made as a copy of Williams since she liked the tri-fold look better. She even nicely made him another copy of his original wallet since his was getting a little worn around the edges.

Then I was talking with some general contractors that came over shortly after William dismissed the notary and I found the other aspect of investing. Maintaining what you already have. Found out with the housing market picking up my foreclosure house was actually worth a lot more than my dad had originally paid for it! After discussing repairs and finishing the rooms I signed yet another document that hired them to begin work on finishing my house.

I honestly didn't care that much. As long as I had a mattress to sleep on, a place to cook and a place to get clean I was happy. Lucretia though seemed to be learning a lot as she paid attention to all that was going on. I caught some of the people coming through, especially the men, giving her sidelong appreciative glances. I made sure to stand near her and make a little bit of physical contact each time they did. I wasn't sure if it was to protect them from the danger they were in, or if I was being a little bit possessive.

Let's just say I was confused and leave it at that shall we?

When the last person left, Will stretched with his arms over his head making his back pop in several places.

"Well, that's two down on the list Gregory...what was the third thing?" William asked.

I looked at Nancy who was using Lucretia's advantage of having thumbs to look through the linen closet for appropriate bedding and so forth. Yep, problem one was taken care of it seemed. Nancy seemed excited to live with the older vampire. I had watched, as between phone calls Nancy fetched paper and pad as Will worked at his computer. They discussed the merits of different food, authors and classical music between emails and phone calls. She even got a pot of tea boiling! I wished I could have seen how she did that! It looked like they actually would be a good match as roommates. Almost as good as the one I have.

Lucretia came over to me and said, "Nancy has finally decided on a place to sleep."

"Really? Where?" I asked. William chortled.

"I have three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, plenty of storage space, a garage, basement and an attic! The young lady can sleep where she wishes." He said grandly.

Lucretia frowned in thought and then said, "She said that she found a nice pair of...saddle-tip shoes? I think that is what she called them. They were very old and have..." she trailed off as William tore out of the room!

"That cheeky trollop! NANCY! Stay out of my closet!" He thundered as he marched down the hallway to his bedroom!

I started laughing! William is at his best when he starts calling people those odd British curse words like trollop and bollock and nutter. I don't know what they mean, but they are funny to listen to!

I could hear them arguing, well, I could hear her high-pitched voice compared to William's baritone going back and forth in the other room. It sounded like he was having the time of his life!

"Gregory?" Lucretia said, stepping front of me to get my attention.

"Yes?" I answered. She fixed me with a frank gaze, and almost looked a little upset with me.

"Why did you need to ask William about your magic?" she asked. I wondered what she was getting at.

"He's the only one I know who uses magic besides Gwen. I thought he would be good to ask." I replied.

Lucretia now did look upset. She even put her hands on her hips to glare at me!

"Master!" she said hotly, "...did it ever occur to you to ask me if you were a mage, or how to use your abilities? Or did you think that since you are my teacher that I wasn't worth asking a question like that?"

My mouth dropped open and I was rendered speechless! Of course! Mother had told me Lucretia used magic. I saw her use magic on a number of occasions, why didn't I think...? Crap, she was right. I never thought to ask her about it. I just assumed that since she was so innocent of our world and the things in it that she was just that, an innocent and naive person.

I needed to remember that she is basically royalty. Her world may be alien to me, and everything is different here for her...but she is 220 years old! She has survived much and has years of experience over me in a lot of areas in all probability.

I am a fool.

"Lucretia? I am sorry..." I said contritely.

"For what?" she asked, crossing her arms and tapping a booted foot on the floor.

"I am sorry for not treating you like an equal. I apologize." I said.

"Oh...I see..." she said. Her tone of voice was still frosty enough to chill beer. "So how do we fix this situation...Maybe some bowing and scraping would be in..." she stopped talking as I glared at her.

"I bow to no one!" I muttered darkly. Lucretia smiled at that.

"Looks like we found out one way to call up your power Greg!" She told me with a bright smile. I looked down to see that odd flowing blue color on my chest and hands. Why that sneaky little succubus! She planned to get a rise out of me to see what it took to wake up my abilities!