Page 39 of Desperately Seeking Vampire
“What sort of things?” I asked, taking Ivo’s good arm and gently steering him inside. I had a need to get him into his room, not so I could molest him, but to make sure he was not hiding hurt from me.
That’s a shame. I could do with the molesting.
OK, this is going to take a bit of getting used to, I told him.
“Things he’d do with his left hand,” Finch said, following us. “Holding things. Using tools. Driving my uncle’s motorcycle.”
“Piloting the machine!” Ivo said, his eyes lighting up with joy despite the situation.
I marveled at him, amazed he could be so happy given the fact that he’d just lost a hand.
Sweet, you are worth infinitely more to me than a mere hand. You are my sun. My stars. My moon. I have composed a few lines that I think will express just how much you mean to me. Shall I recite them to you?
“Yes,” I said, laughing despite the horrible events of the last few minutes. “Go ahead, and recite away. And after that, I’m going to carefully, very carefully make love to you. Because you are the most amazing man, and I need to show you in a very tangible way just how glad I am that fate sent you into my life.”
“That’s completely illogical. Beloveds and Dark Ones are made for each other. There’s no matter of fate involved,” Finch said with a hint of an eye roll, and took himself off to the pub, where no doubt he would end up paying a small fortune.
“Don’t listen to him,” Ivo told me, opening the door to his room with a grand gesture. “He’s jaded. Always has been.”
“He’ll feel differently when he finds his Beloved,” I told the love of my life, my heart so full I wanted to sing.
“I doubt if he has one. His parents were Joined when he was born, so he doesn’t need one to save him, the way you did me. Now, if you would make yourself comfortable on the bed, I will recite for you a poem I call ‘Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom Who Has Claimed My Heart and Makes My Loins Throb in a Manner Wholly Unconnected with Infection or Disease.’ Ready?”
I giggled as I took a seat on the bed, thanking the fates for setting my path to cross Ivo’s a second time. I’m ready, my sweet, adorable vampire.
Dark One. “‘O Minerva, goddess with the shining breasts that fit so perfectly in my hands, your spirit has claimed mine just as I have claimed your thighs, and ne’er shall we be parted, unlike your luscious previously aforementioned thighs ...’”
It was a very long poem.
EPILOGUE
To: Finch ([email protected])
From: Ivo ([email protected])
Finch, Minerva has asked me to let you know that we are settled in a house in British Columbia, Canada. She grew up here, and claims I will like it because it rains quite a bit. She doesn’t understand that I don’t care where we live, since anywhere would be a home so long as she is present, although I admit the gloomy, damp skies are strangely pleasing to my newly found soul.
You really must look into finding a Beloved, even though you don’t strictly need one. It is very satisfying. On many levels.
How is your book going? Did Christian get his mausoleum fixed once the Faire and accompanying festival left? It was very kind of him to offer us his machine, but Minerva has promised us that we will learn how to pilot two of our own, once she has ascertained a person to provide necessary lessons. We both know that such things are not needed on my part, but she is adamant that we can’t have a license to pilot the motorcycles unless we have training, and I am loath to ruin anything she has her heart set on.
Did you ever receive confirmation of your uncle’s suspicions that it was Bael himself who sent the thief takers to look for his spell? I hesitate to tell Minerva that such a being was behind the attack on her, but I would like to know. Regardless, I am most vigilant in making sure no one else seeks to find her.
Minerva has reminded me to thank you for the news of her ex-employer, and her things, which we received yesterday. She is particularly glad that the police have committed to charging him for the embezzlement, although given that he was obviously terrified upon hearing that demons had been sent to find him, I suspect he will consider himself luckier to be in prison than out in the world where Bael could take repercussions on him.
I am also to pass along thanks to your uncle for his invitation to visit when GothFaire and the festival return next year. I would not hesitate to commit us to attending, but Minerva thinks it would be a good opportunity for me to join a local college, for as she says, one is never too old to learn. Naturally, she intends for me to teach poetry and related subjects, not attend classes themselves. I have considered her proposal, and think it has much merit. I am in the process of composing a few lines to tell her the good news.
Do not hesitate to visit us when you next come to Canada. We would be delighted to have you stay with us as long as you like, and of course, the offer extends to your uncle, should he wish to head to this side of the world.
I am truly grateful for everything that you both have done for me. You are the truest of friends, and I count myself infinitely lucky to have had you to watch over me until such time as Minerva found me again.
Ah. Minerva has just placed before me a catalog of offerings by the local college, and she’s circled a class on writing poetry that she said would be perfect for me. I shall study the synopsis, but I’m sure that I will have no problem in working up my own syllabus for a master class. There are few poets who have been writing as long as I have, after all.
My best wishes to you and Christian.
Ivo (and Minerva)
