They took their leave, and outside, Thomas and Xavier said nothing, embracing the quiet night. The air was still, temperate, and even the common smells were masked for the moment. As thoughts of wanting to stay with Thomas forever drifted through Xavier’s mind, Thomas grabbed his hand. They kept walking silently with this intimate contact. Xavier at first wanted to pull his hand away. It scared him, but it was wonderful, Thomas’s warm, powerful grasp leading Xavier through the night. What did it matter, Xavier wondered, if he indulged in this one pleasure?
Thomas stepped in front of him before he closed the church door.
“One more thing,” he said. Xavier’s heart pounded. “Thank you for tonight.”
“It was nothing.”
“No, it was profound, and I know it.”
“Thomas, you know, I mean—” He could not release the emotions flooding through him because there would be no return. Better to hide in the misery and denial than banish himself from the only world he knew. Oh, that he could run into those strong arms and feel the wetness of those lips. If only he could relinquish control of his body to the one he desperately loved.
“Good night, Thomas. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Thomas smiled faintly and brushed Xavier’s cheek with his hand. “Of course.”
20 June 1789 Immediately after
XAVIER’S BEAUTIFUL HAZEL eyes, those sparkling gems that Thomas often dreamt about as he drifted to sleep, had flooded with tears. Thomas had wanted to say so much more when Xavier asked if he would see him tomorrow but bit his tongue. He understood the magnitude of Xavier taking him to Anne and holding Thomas’s hand spoke volumes. But that damnable church!
This warped religion scared Thomas more than ever. He might ultimately overpower Xavier’s sexual fears, but how would he explain the vampirism?
Though he had left Xavier at the church, the night was young for a vampire, and Thomas had to occupy himself or risk another tirade. He needed help, and remarkably Xavier had given him a new option. He retraced their steps and went right back to Anne, another outsider in Paris, another outcast from society. If anyone could help, she could, especially with her powers and knowledge about Xavier. And who would believe such a person, even if she decided to try to reveal Thomas’s secrets to the rest of the world?
The light from the fire flooded out of her rooms even brighter. He heard her scurrying around and then knocked.
“Come in, you fool.”
“Mademoiselle—”
“Anne,” she said impatiently. “And how did I know you were headed back here this evening? You gentlemen and your hearts.” She shrugged, as if such things were self-evident.
“I need to speak to you about Xavier.”
“I know. Sit down and relax for a minute, though. I can see that you’re always in a fuss, always hurrying things along. The whole world’s asleep so we can take our time. I knew when you left that you were coming back here. Don’t be so surprised. And I told you to sit.”
Thomas reluctantly followed her orders.
“I know about your other secrets, too, even if you’re too afraid to tell him. What do you call yourselves these days?”
“I assume you mean vampires,” Thomas said carefully, uncertain why he had chosen to reveal this much to her.
She howled. “That’s it, that’s it. Undead. Demons. I’ve heard it all. I heard lots of people talking about your kind but I never met one before. Can’t say that I ever wanted to.”
“I won’t harm you,” Thomas said, trying to reassure her.
“Believe me, I already know that or you wouldn’t be sitting here. I can hide. I know where to go to get away. You never signaled a threat. I figured as much when the two of you first came in. I looked in your eyes and knew you were no longer human. Then I realized that poor Xavier has no idea so I kept my mouth shut. You’re indebted to me, because I don’t like keeping secrets like that from a friend. What I don’t know is your desires, but I know you’re not evil.”
Thomas stared at her for a moment, assessing. “Thank you, I suppose. I wasn’t sure what to expect.”
“I’ve seen all sorts of things in life, good and bad, evil and holy, all kinds of people. I know enough not to judge. So now that we have that cleared up, what brings you back?”
“Since you seem to have known I’d return, why don’t you tell me?” he pushed, testing her.
Her body rumbled with laughter. “I did sense it. And though I can read people’s emotions, I can’t read their minds. You’ll have to talk if you want help.”
Thomas slumped. “I love him. Desperately. I want to spend eternity with him and know that he wants the same. In a million ways he tells me so. By bringing me here, for example. But he’s afraid, and the Catholic Church has poisoned his mind. He’s too trusting, too pure, too worried about helping others and what the rest of the world thinks to ignore the alleged sinfulness of his attraction. I’m American, I’ve been to New Orleans. I know about your religion. I know that you can make a spell to lure him to me.”
She laughed.
“Please, help me.” He wondered if he sounded as insane as he felt. Asking someone to cast a spell for him? What was he thinking? As he had when he went to Catherine, he violated the ethic and had gone too far in his quest to win Xavier.
“I’d love to help you in matters of the heart—believe me I would. I care about Xavier a lot myself. Not like you do, but I care a lot about him. I wish I could help. But I don’t know any such magic.”
Anger and frustration roiled in Thomas’s gut. “You’re lying.”
She shook her head. “Even saying that I knew something like that could get me killed. In case it somehow escaped your attention, this is a Catholic country. They don’t take kindly to other beliefs. I accept you, and I’m not trying to condemn anyone. But I can’t go around doing these things. Don’t you know what they’d do to some poor nigger woman who went around practicing evil? They claim to have stopped the witch trials but such things go on every day. They’d throw me out in a second. And maybe you haven’t seen this revolution heating up, and the people saying things publicly about the church. What do you think it’d do to me in this climate? I’d become an easy target. Besides, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Spells, potions, love. Nonsense to me.” She waved her hand in the air, as if dismissing him.
He leaned forward, trying not to allow his anger to cloud his judgment. “As much as you claimed to read me, I understood you more than you suspected when I walked through the door. You do practice a faith or religion, whatever you call it. You were doing it when I arrived tonight but hurried to hide things. And if your powers of perception were so great, then you’d know that all of those things that you told me mean absolutely nothing in my world. I could not care less about the Catholic Church. No one from that vile institution would ever find out what you did. As for the revolution, it fascinates me and little else.”
She pursed her lips and leaned back, studying him. “I imagine you don’t care about any gods, either?”
“Not really.”
“Well, then, neither do I.”
He glanced around the room and sensed a life form behind a pile of clothes. Not human, he would have known that instantly, but important to her. He stood and peered behind the mound when she burst into hysterics. While she laughed, he grabbed the enormous snake.
“Do all laundresses house snakes for their protection?”
“You put him down. He has no quarrel with you.”
He didn’t. “I need your help. Please stop playing games.”
“All right, then. Listen to me. No more playing with the vampire, no more hiding. Just put my snake down.”
Thomas set it on the floor and returned to the fire.
“I never imagined in the wildest visions the scene before my eyes. A vampire, eternal life and all that nonsense, all the power to kill any living being, and he’s groveling at my feet in love. All your abilities and you want my silly magic.” Then she became serious. “I can’t do a spell, or give you magic, or a potion for this. I admit I know such things and have done them in the past. But it’s not right, trust me. And I’m not concerned that it’s with another man. Don’t flatter yourself into thinking I have such concerns. Magic is dangerous, and you don’t just throw it around with no care or without a great deal of thought. These powers that you want to dabble in can do great good and tremendous harm. And this isn’t the situation to call upon them.
“I’ve heard it all before. You don’t need these higher powers. You listen here to a woman and forget those spells. Thomas, you already have his heart. Can’t you see how smitten he is with you? He may claim to worship Jesus Christ but his eyes worship you. Maybe he can’t do it now. He has a lot of problems from that church, but he cares for you more than you even imagine. If you’re so confident that you want to spend eternity with him, what’s a few more months or even years waiting for him to come around? Xavier’s too worldly to hide in that church forever, believe me. Mixing magic into this can do no good.”
She stood then and walked to Thomas, then grasped him by the neck and stared into his eyes. After a moment, she shook her head slowly. “Nah, the old tales about your kind aren’t true, are they? Just like us, good and bad, and this one here’s a good one. Though I sense an anger in you. You better get that under control, because I won’t tolerate it. Especially if you aim it at him.“ She patted his shoulder “Give him time. Don’t risk all this other nonsense. You don’t need it. He loves you and you can’t expect anything more too soon. And watch that temper. Now get outta here. You can come back another time if you want, but there’s only so much darkness left and I have to finish something. Never mind what. Your damn dead essence is going to chase away my spirits.” And with that, she bustled him out the door.
His head spun in a million directions. Relief that she had offered advice. Dread that she knew about his anger, and moreso that she was right about it. And concern that he had once again violated the ethic and become intimately involved with humans with whom he interacted because he loved Xavier. Anthony would be furious. Could he never get anything right? He had a lot to think about on this night.
20 June 1789 Immediately following
THOMAS WALKED SLOWLY back to Paris after Anne pushed him out the door. She was absolutely correct. If he planned on eternity with Xavier, then waiting for even a couple of years meant little. The only risk was Xavier’s mortal safety, but Thomas could protect him.
Still, he hated that Xavier fought his true nature, and, despite the peace within him, his passion against the church intensified. Against his better judgment (he heard Anthony scolding him in his head), he headed for the Seine and the glorious Notre Dame Cathedral. It took no effort to locate the bishop that he wanted. They marked everything well because of their hierarchical pride. He scaled a wall, opened a window, and seated himself on the end of a bed in seconds. The figure at its head slept soundly so Thomas wiggled the mattress.
The man woke and screamed in terror. With superhuman haste, Thomas covered his mouth and ordered him to stop. “I won’t kill you if you obey,” he said. He slowly let go of the bishop, who cowered under his sheet.
“I won’t murder you if you have an open mind about our conversation, understand?”
The man nodded his head up and down.
“Are you mute?”
“No.”
“Good, because we need to chat.” Thomas got up and walked around, taking in the room’s opulence: the expensive furniture, the ornate china left from dinner, the silk vestments, all the finery that one would find in the homes of Paris’s elite. He compared it to the sparse conditions of Xavier’s room: the blank walls and broken desk. Thomas ran his hand along the crucifix, mocking its inability to protect this allegedly holy man. After a grand pause, he turned back to the bishop.
“I know I woke you and it’s late, but I didn’t think that you’d accept my request for a regular visit.”
“What do you want? Take anything.” The bishop’s voice shook.
“Are you afraid?”
“Take all of it.”
“Do I look like a common thief? Does it look as if I needed to steal these clothes?” Thomas waved his hand at the articles in question. “You and I have other business.” He took a seat on the bed next to the quivering man and ran his fingers along the wrinkled cheek, delighting in the bishop’s terror. People like this—bishops who sat in lofty positions and judged people as if they themselves were God—deserved such a trial. They needed humbling.
“It’s about a mutual friend. But I warn you, my appearance here is no accident and our friend has no idea that I’m doing this. If you utter one word to him, I’ll return. There’ll be no stopping me, and I’ll break your neck. The same will happen if you speak of this to any other soul or seek retribution. You’ll never mention this again, agreed?”
The man nodded, hands trembling on the sheet.
“I need you to write a letter of retraction regarding the things that you’ve said about Abbé Saint-Laurent. You must admit that you were incorrect and commend him for his fine work.”
“Why do you come about him?”
“Because you unjustly torment him.”
“He defies the laws of the church.”
“That’s not why you harass him,” Thomas said, leaning forward, tone dangerous. “I couldn’t understand it before I saw you. Why would someone insult a priest who serves a parish few others would willingly enter? But I see it now. I see it in your eyes. You tried to seduce Xavier and he rebuked you.”
The bishop’s pallor faded even more at Thomas’s words.
“I thought it was about wealth, greed, and jealously, but when I saw that longing, even through your terror, as you looked at me, I realized what had happened.”
“I don’t know what—”
Thomas nestled up to the man, put his face nearby, and massaged his leg. Though Thomas glared, the bishop refused to look at the vampire. Thomas blew into his ear and then grabbed his genitals. After a second, he released them and jumped off the bed. “Still want to deny it, Father?”