Louise a Vampire's Story Chapter Eighteen

Two days had passed since I had visited my home, two days had passed since I had to come to the ultimate conclusion of what Alexandrie was ultimately after. If Edmond was alight with it, I would have little to no objections. Well, mostly.

But since her incessant bothering had reached all of our last nerves Alexandrie was ultimately put under a form of house arrest. Or at least, sleep arrest if you could call it. Having her on a strict time schedule of when she would go to bed and leave the rest of us night dwellers in peace. It was something she needed. What I needed.

And it seemed to work somewhat. Her agitation seemed to lessen, but only a bit. But soon that would change, whether Alexandrie wanted it or not. I could only hope it to be soon.
But my initial thoughts were broken when the door to my office came almost crashing open and in stepped a woman I honestly didn’t expect to see. One of which I hadn’t seen for several months. Yet it was more of a welcome sight then anything else.

“Louise sweetie, how have you been!” Mercedes proclaimed as she entered my office. And before I could even respond with a question or surprise by her sudden appearance the woman sauntered over to me before pulling me into a tight unrelenting hug.

“Mercedes why are you here?” I asked when she, finally, let go of me.

She smiled warmly at me in response. “It’s been months since I’ve seen you dear, cannot a friend come to say hello every now and again?”

“No, of course, I’m just a little surprised is all.”

Mercedes continued to smile as she then sat down in the chair across from me, her hands in her lap as she leaned forward with deep interest, and much like her style of dress, her ample bust was on almost full display. “Well with how busy you have been it should be no surprise. First with school and now your job. Though if I’m honest I’m also here for work purposes.” She then laughed when I gave her an arched stare, since we both knew exactly what kind of work Mercedes took on. At least right now, who knew what kind of work she had done in the past, or if any at all. But what she did had no change on our relationship what so ever, not to mention both Mercedes and Abigale were wonderful friends to have.

“So, you just stopped by to say hello before going off with a patron,” I said before smiling just a bit sadly, in truth I would have liked her to stay longer, and with my current work I hadn’t the time to go and visit them. But my thoughts stopped short when she suddenly shook her head and proclaimed.

“I wish to open an account with your bank.”

It took me a moment for it to fully register her words in my mind.  “You want… to open an account.” I repeated slowly, as her words took root to registered in my mind. “Here? Why?”

She leaned back, lounging in the chair. “Well in truth, the one who previously handled all of our finances at another bank keeps threatening to close our accounts and not return any of our money to us.”

“He can’t do that!” I snapped. “Regardless of what has happened here in France such an action is illegal. Why is he threatening to even do such a thing?”

“Not in view when dealing with a prostitute.” She told me simply. “He’s demanding that I sleep with him for every deposit, and all because of the colour of my skin. He see’s my exotic looks, and demands such a thing. The disgusting pervert.” She sighed and shook her head before continuing on. “Abigale and I hadn’t even gotten involved in that of the banking system until fifty years ago. So, you can somewhat understand our dilemma. We need that money but I haven’t the slightest intention in sleeping with a pig of a man for every single transaction.”

I was silent for a moment. “Have you closed your accounts with this other bank?”

“We have, we did it when he wasn’t there to stop it, closed our accounts and took all of our investments. All of our holdings are currently in an old underground vault,” when I gave a confused look she added. “It was what we used before getting involved with actual bankers. We had to put our money somewhere and not look suspicious. Besides, before this we were still using that space. Where do you think we put Selina after the stunt she pulled on you?”

Somehow or another it made a bit too much sense. Back when I was with Mercedes and Abigale, and was told that this other vampire had been locked away. I understood why, but they never did mention the where. Now I received that piece of information.

“But why with me?” I asked. “Surely Edmond would be a better candidate then myself.”

“That is true,” she agreed. “But, it makes more of a logical sense to have you do it. I say this not to be shady, but to help. Not many people would think twice of a woman who works in the sex trade being assisted by a man who works at the bank. If anything, they would assume that the man is being compensated for doing such a thing. But if it’s you then it becomes a completely different story.”

She was right, I understood the moment she told me. No one would look twice if it was a man, but if it was a woman who worked at my level in the bank, then things would be seen in a different light. Instead of being looked at as though that person is getting sextual favors, it would be seen as an act of humility and kindness. At least that is what I believed, since I also knew an exuberant number of women would instantly look down at a woman willing to sell her body for the sake of money. Even though in many cases there was more to it then that. And with how so many people refused to be taken on by me as a client simply for my gender, I wasn’t about to complain or say no.

“So?” Mercedes asked leaning in close. “Do you think you would be willing?”

After a brief moment of thought I nodded. “Yes,” I told her. “I will be more then willing to assist you with this.”

She clapped her hands together. “Wonderful, I’m so happy to hear. Then since I’m already here let’s start by establishing an account.”

“If that’s the case I assume you have the correct documentation?”

The two of us continued on for about an hour, though in truth, it didn’t take all that long to establish a new account for Mercedes and her business. The rest of the time we spoke catching up, like that of old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years, even though it had only been a few months. Still, it was good to speak with her, I wish I could have spoken to Abigale as well, but as it had been said: Business is still business.

But I felt extremely grateful to see her in such a crucial time when having to deal with Alexandrie and her pestering.

“Why not just kick her out?” Mercedes offered as she drank the glass of animal blood that I offered her, one that she seemed to graciously accept. Her whole body now slouched and relaxed as her left arm was propped on the back of the chair, the glass in her right.
“It’s not that simple,” I told her, as I cast a glance away averting eye contact.

“Sure, it is. But if you feel like you cannot then I’d be glad to do it for you. I’ll even be sure to toss her in the dirtiest of puddles that I can come across.”

I smiled despite myself. “Again, it’s not that easy. Alexandrie was my brother’s fiancé, and as such she feels as though she wishes to reconnect with myself and Edmond.”

“From the sounds of it, it seems more akin to her wanting to bed Edmond and kick you out the front door.”

“Yes, I’m more then aware of that.” I said with a sigh. “And I’ve told her countless times that I do not see him in such a way but she does not believe me. As well as her bringing up marriage on more then one occasion. Even to Edmond after my mother died.”

This seemed to disgust Mercedes her whole body going ridged before she seemed to boil with anger. “No forget the puddle, a lake. The coldest lake we can bloody well find. Or better yet the river since we are so far north. She has no right to control your life like that, regardless of her position or what she once was in your family. Even more so in how she tried to marry you off after your mother died!” she practically seethed the last word through clenched teeth.

This was the least thing I had expected from her. She always held an exuberant amount of humor and energy, with great kindness and concern for someone like myself. I could only suspect whatever life she lived before she took great strength in honoring the dead. But seeing her in anger to this extent made me think that perhaps there was more to it then that.

“It’s complete and utter sacrilege, has she no understanding or meaning of mourning the dead? Is she that bloody dense in the head? Had I been there instead of Edmond I would have strung her up like the witch that she is!”

She stilled when I placed a hand over her’s, in her raging tangent I had gotten up from my seat to be closer to her. She grasped it, grip tight, not enough to hurt, but in the attempts to receive some form of soothing. In the hopes to calm her anger slightly as she stared up to me.

“I know, and that’s why I’ve handled it. But I have done so tactfully, it has taken a few days for it to come through. So hopefully it will be resolved soon enough.”

“Then until it is done I will be staying at Edmond’s home with you.” Her tone unmoving. “Even though you are with Edmond, and those whom he trusts deeply, I do not hold it to them in being able to stop a little witch like her from getting what she wants. Edmond should have just tossed her out the moment he realized her intentions. That man is too soft sometimes.”

“He is,” I agreed. “But it’s why my mother fell for him, and why I trust him so even after all of this that has happened to me. Though I must ask Mercedes, please do not eat that woman. It wouldn’t be good for any of us.” Though I added that last bit in the attempt for humor.

Her expression changed, the feeling of anger diminished like a flame blown out by the wind, as she stood up and then cupped her hands along my face and smiled once more. “I only promise to try…”

It was in a slight humours tone before she once again pulled me into a hug, she let out a slow breath before letting me go. “Well then, with that squared away, I shall go speak to Edmond about this. And in letting him know that there shall be one more unwanted houseguest staying the morn and a few days. I’ll also have to speak with Abigale, but given the circumstances I am sure she will not mind in the least.”

“You’re not unwanted,” I told her as she reached the door. “At least not by me.”

Mercedes then gave me one of her warm endearing smiles, only to open the door and stop dead in her tracks. “Oh…” she said. “I’m sorry young lady, I did not see you there.”

I looked past her to see another girl, one whom I also knew. It was Anna Dyer, and she currently seemed almost like that of a statue as she stared up at Mercedes.

“No, it’s alright,” Anna said in a slight nervous tone before fidgeting slightly. “Um…”
“Yes, what is it? Is something wrong?”

“N-no it’s just… you’re very beautiful.”

Mercedes seemed to be rather happy from this. “Thank you,”

To brake the slight awkward tension that began to grow I stepped in and added. “This is Anna Dyer, she’s an artist. And a very good one I might add.” This seemed to give the girl a rather embarrassed expression. I merely offered her a smile. “What brings you here today Anna?” I asked.

“Yes, well, there is something I would like to ask of you, I hope I am not interrupting anything important.”

“You’re not, Love,” Mercedes said before looking back to me. “I’ll speak with you later this evening, I believe Edmond will understand when we converse.”

With Mercedes going to speak with Edmond I motioned Anna once again into the office where she spoke almost in an airy tone.

“She’s such a beautiful woman,” she said. “I don’t think I have ever met a woman like her before. Are you both friends?”

“Yes, I dare say we are. I was dealing with some personal issues this spring when my mother passed away, Mercedes and another named Abigale helped me to cope with what I had to deal with.”

“Death is a difficult thing to cope with,” Anna told me. “Not many seem to understand that at all sadly.”

True enough. I could tell she took my words in such a way, nor could I blame her, I never truly spoke openly of my mother’s death, at least not with a total stranger. But it felt so common place to me now. Perhaps it was due to talking about it over and over that had stopped me from being depressed, or that the realities of my situation outweighed the shock of loss.

Even now I am not sure.

“Pardon me,” she said suddenly. “I did not mean to bring up such a grim topic.”

“It is no harm done,” she then sat down as I silently offered her a drink of water which she declined. “So, what is it that you’ve come to speak to me about this time? More of your art perhaps? Or something else?”

Anna was quite for a moment. “The man I work for has decided not to fire me, and on top of that he… he gave me a raise and told me we shall be remaining in France for a few years.”
I frowned slightly. Something in her tone didn’t seem right with the topic at hand. “Well that’s good, isn’t it? You sound almost grim.”

She gave an almost wary smile. “It took some persuading for me to stay on his payroll. I’d rather not discuss it.”

“What about your family?” I asked her. “If you are not happy with working with such a man then you could return home could you not?”

Anna shook her head slowly. “No, I have no family, I’m an orphan Miss Bellerose.” A feeling of dread crept through me, as though I had broken up the inner depths of her soul to gain this knowledge that I did not need to know. “Not that I mind, I was given up because my mother could no longer support a child, and she had no means to do so herself. And she didn’t abandon me on the side of the road, I was even left with this at an orphanage.” She then pulled out a silver locket from underneath her blouse and handed it to me. It held the carving of a lily on the front.

Taking it to have a better look I asked. “How old were you?”

“I was eight, my mother was ill but with no family of her own and I with no father she did what she thought was best. A year later I had been told that my mother had finally succumbed to her illness and passed away in hospital. Whatever earnings she did still have were left to me, and I did the very best I could. I sold it all but that, it was something she gave me, saying that it had been given to her by my father.”

“It must have been difficult.”

Yet her smile remained. “It was, but I would not be here if it did not happen. I wish my mother was still here, at least to see how far I have come on my own.”

I could feel my throat become tight, yet not from thirst. We were oddly similar, different, but similar. “I’m sure she would,” I said, then noticing something along the back, turning it further I saw what looked to be a faint engraving of a Fleur-de-lis, I couldn’t help but look back to Anna and ask. “You say you know nothing of your father, but are you sure about that?”

She nodded in response. “My mother is English, but from what she tells me, my father is French.” She laughed slightly. “It’s funny, that I ended up in this country where my father is supposedly from. Makes me wonder about the world.”

“Yes, it would,” I said faintly as I looked to the marking on the back. I felt as though there was more too it, to this necklace. A necklace, though simple in it’s design showed the clear monogram of those in nobility. Could her father have been someone of such a rank? But what right did I have to ask that, and seeing how contented she was I felt as though it wasn’t my place to pry. “It is a lovely necklace.” I said as I handed it back to her.

“I always have it on me. Sadly though, there is no photo, even after all this time I still look inside as though thinking I would see my mother’s picture. But there isn’t one there.”

“You could always draw one and place it inside.” I offered.

This seemed to give her an even greater smile then before to come to her face. “I could, couldn’t I?”

“Now then, I believe we have gotten off topic a bit, so you say that you are still working with your employer correct?”

“Yes, and the reason I have come by today is to see if it is at all possible to open an account with you Miss Bellerose. I was to start saving the money I earn for school as soon as possible.”

“Very well then, it will take some time be we’ll get it done, Mademoiselle Dyer.”

It was the second time in one day that someone had requested this of me, and I wasn’t about to turn Anna away either, she seemed rather unhappy about remaining in her employer’s care, but happy that with her current funds she would be one step closer to her dream of going to an art school.

When it was done it had become rather late, so much so that Anna apologized for taking up so much of my time in the evening. I told her it was no bother and she was welcome any time to visit if she so wished.

“Thank you again,” Anna said. “I hope none of this will be at all difficult for you to manage with it being so late into the night.”

“It is no problem Anna, if we continue down this path I’m sure you’ll have more then enough for school. But you have to be sure to work on that portfolio, to show all of these teachers that you have more talent then they can imagen.”

“That would be something wouldn’t it?” Anna chuckled at the mention of her art and turned to leave. “Although,” she said pausing at the door and looking back at me with a smile. “I do hope I get to meet that woman again. I’d like to draw her some day.”

“I am sure Mercedes will be more then thrilled at the offer.” I smiled. “She would probably pull off some eccentric pose too if I were to wager.”

Anna laughed slightly at my faint attempt at humor. I believe I was finally getting better at it to some degree. “Now that would be a sight to see, thank you so much for helping me Louise, I’ll be sure to come by again soon.”

I merely smiled in response, left alone once again in my office, I honestly hoped that whatever it was that bother Anna was something that wouldn’t be dwelled upon.

Close to dawn Mercedes joined Edmond and I home, winning him over, as she put it, though seeing the look on Edmond’s face at the mere mention of it made me think that Mercedes had completely demanded to come over in fear of Alexandrie doing something to me.

Which is a probable exaggeration on my part, but I could understand her worry. With how angry Alexandrie seemed to be with me, almost going so far as to openly mock me at the decisions I had made with my job. As if she knew the ways of the banking trade. Though, she didn’t seem to get away with it much with how Francis and her two granddaughters and other maids who worked for Edmond would porously ruin her food blaming it on the stove or some spice shaker coming loose and adding more then intended.

It wasn’t something that I expected, but I could only assume it as there way of revenge in how she had been treating them as though they were slaves. Something of which that Edmond told Alexandrie, time and time again to stop, in which she had, only in front of him.

Thankfully, we returned to Edmond’s home Alexandrie was still asleep, so I quickly took the chance to bring Mercedes up to the room that I was in.

“You’re sure you don’t mind sharing?” She asked me when she entered.

“You slept in the same bed with me during the first night in that brothel, it’s no different here.” I said as I closed the door. Before feeling Mercedes resting her hands on my shoulders and placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

“You truly are a dear, I’m sure Edmond would become heartbroken if you were to ever wed a man.”

“I don’t see that happening any time soon.”

She let out a soft chuckle before moving away to get a better look of the room that I called my own. “So, this is the room that you’ve been living in, it’s rather lovely. It gives off an elegant feel to it. Was your bedroom in your home anything like this?”

A slight sad smile came to my face at the mere mention of my home. “No, if anything this room is probably closer to that of my mother’s, mine was more like that of a child’s, but it was comforting none the less.” Then quickly changed the topic to something a little light hearted. “I actually went to my old home and brought several books back. They were from my father’s study. You can look at them if you’d like while I bathe.”

She cast a knowing smile. “No peaking, am I right?” I merely gave her blank stare giving my silent answer that caused her to laugh. “I know dear, go, I’ll change and look at the books you brought.”

I left her alone so I could bathe while she to change, and upon my return she sat in a chair with a bottle of blood and empty glass, now dressed in a long-sleeved gown, her hair falling in waves as a lamp was lit on the table where I had placed the books. Her golden amber eyes locked on one particular book that she was currently going through.

It was the one which Edmond had given to me in the hopes to learn more of vampire kind and the like, yet seeing her with a pen made me question something.

“What are you doing Mercedes?”

“Making some adjustment’s I realized after looking it over again that some parts of this needed to be fixed.”

I stopped short and stared at her, I had assumed that it was something she had, not something that she herself had written. “You wrote this book?”

Her eyes remained on the book as she continued to go through it slowly. “Of course. I did, after Edmond told me what happened I began working on it. Thinking it would be of use to you. Have you read through it fully yet?”

“No,” I admitted, slightly ashamed that I hadn’t. “With my constant work, I had only brief instances to look at some of it.”

“Good, then it gives me the chance to fix some things that were bothering me.”

I merely looked at her as she wrote, recalling some of the things that was written, and yet something about it kept nagging me. The part which involved the Pure, and how detailed it seemed.

Could it be possible that Mercedes be one of the Pure? Was it possible? It might have been since the times I had seen her in the brothel she always wore something sheer, nearly see-through clothing and yet there were no signs of a bite that I could see. And with the few other vampires I had seen in that place, those who did, would clearly go out of their way to hide it, or ones who didn’t were clearly human. I could tell the difference from the sound and pacing of the heart, yet with Mercedes, her heartbeat was like that of a normal human, a steady beat unlike mine, Abigale or Edmond’s whose were very slow. And only sped to normal when drinking blood.

But then again in regard to the bite, I had never seen Edmond’s, not to mention it would feel almost intrusive to even ask the man, where he was bitten. Yet asking was far from my mind, for all I knew, Mercedes’s heart was like that now because she had just drunk blood, with the empty glass and bottle being apparent on the table. And if she was bit in an odd place, I would feel awkward for just asking where.

“You seem to have something on your mind.” Mercedes spoke softly, drawing me from my thoughts. “Is something wrong? Or do you have a question about this book?”

“Edmond told me how the Pure came into existence at least in what he knew, but I was wondering if you know how all this started? How vampires came into being.”

She was silent for a moment, her eyes moving across the pages but not directly looking at anything in particular, as though her mind was deep in thought, searching for something. “In all honesty my dear I do not know.” She said as she closed the book and placed it on the table with the fountain pen. “I have been on this earth for a very long time and even I cannot answer that. I’m sorry Louise.”

“No apologise needed, part of me anticipated you might not know.” Then another thought popped into my head. “Then what about the Lord of Vampires? Would he know?”

“I doubt it, but the previous one might yet no one has seen him for decades, many believe him dead but even still I would not ask him if he is alive. He is not the sort you should deal with. But it’s hard to know, for many, they just become what they are and they live with it. Some can’t accept it, while other’s embrace it. But I felt reluctant.” She looked to her hands as a faint smile came to her lips. “Before I became this, I was much like you Louise. Just an average woman of my time, yet I could not help as though I had been born in the wrong era. But I had accepted my role then. And when I became this, I had no other choice but to accept the role that was forced on me then. Loved and yet feared…”

“What do you mean?”

Slowly Mercedes rose from her seat and walked to me, with her soft kind smile she looked down at me and asked. “Do you believe in gods?”

I looked away. “Had you asked me that before anyone in my family died I would have said yes but…” I stopped. Her hand resting on my chin as she turned my face to her’s once more.

“No Louise, not one god. Not the True God, they spout, many gods. More then you can imagen, could you believe in such a thing?”

“I do not know.” I said with a shake of my head, and still with that smile the woman drew me into her arms and held me close.

“It’s alright if you don’t. My feelings for it is mixed as well. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, even though I know the truth of it and what had been done long ago. Many call us monsters, because we drink blood and can no longer age. But it brings the question if truly look at what humanity has done through the ages, both the good. And the bad… are we really the monster in all of this?”

“Mercedes?”

She pulled away from me. “It’s late, we should rest. But before we do, I have one more question for you.”

“What is it?”

“What’s this book?”

I stilled when she held it up. The book, the book which I had brought without knowing, was the one which held my family history. My mother’s family history. Of his history. The decedents of the Grim Reaper of Paris.