Bleeding Heart

“Hi Daph, it’s me. You’ll never guess what came in the mail today. It’s a gold envelope with an invitation inside on salmon colored, embossed stationary.”

“For what? From whom?”

“It says, ’Please dine with me this Saturday evening at 8 o’clock for an evening of getting better acquainted and for the discussion of a business proposition. I look forward to our time together. Cordially, Ben Cojocaru.”

“What?! Are you gonna go?”

“Not me, we.”

“Ooooo! What are we gonna wear? What are we gonna say?!”

“I’m thinking of bringing Cela and Maddi along, too, I don’t trust this guy. Let’s keep our attire to casual but nice, I don’t know what to expect. Let’s hear what he has to say and then we’ll decide what to say to him.”

Ben invitation came at the beginning of spring. New foliage was making its presence known. As they pulled into the circular driveway, they were met by Kert. He was a sight in an ill-fitting black suit and his fly away grey hair and ashen complexion. He opened the car doors for them and parked their car in the garage. Why in the garage, they garage thought?

Petra opened the door before they could knock. She looked apprehensive; she was forcing a smile. She took their coats and showed them into the study.

“The Maestru will be down shortly. The invitation specified Ms. Victoria, but I will make do for the other three. I am to serve you drinks per his wishes and see to your needs. Please, sit.”

As they were seated, Petra briefly left the room. When she returned, she busied herself making dry martinis with two olives. Her back was to them and they noticed her right foot extend out and press a button on the floor. Moments later, music began to play; She’s Not There by the Zombies.

Petra promptly served them their drinks. They took a sip and looked at each other; ’what kind of vodka is this?’

“It’s made with Kauffman Luxury Vintage Vodka. You are not going to find this on the shelf

of any of the local liquor stores or bars.”

Daphne glanced at Victoria, “Was that a shot?”

Time of the Season by the Zombies was playing, “what’s your name, who’s your daddy,” Ben sang along as he walked into the study; looking a bit like James Bond in an elegant black suit. The sisters began to wonder if they were under dressed; if not underdressed, unprepared. He sure knew how to set a mood.

“Good evening, ladies. How are your drinks?”

“Excellent! I’ve never ha…” Victoria pinched Daphne on the thigh.

“Quite to our liking, Ben,” Victoria interjected.

“I’m glad. We can enjoy our drinks and chat a little before dinner. It’s so nice that you’ve extended my invitation to your sister and your friends, Victoria. This may just be to my advantage, this could prove to be a productive evening.”

Mrs. Pallor brought Ben’s drink on a silver platter. He looked at her and gave her his half smile that always made her blush. Ben sat in a high wing back chair facing them as they chatted. Victoria giving Daphne little pinches when she thought she was being too agreeable. Victoria glanced frequently at Cela and Maddi; they looked perplexed. Mrs. Pallor made frequent appearances in the study to freshen their drinks and attend to their needs. Too frequently for Victoria and Daphne.

Mrs. Pallor announced to them that dinner was being served. The music was changed up to some sultry, samba beats. Suzanne assisted with serving, wearing an all too tight and too low cut dress. She was very attentive to Ben, making sure he got the best cleavage shots as she offered up the evening’s delicacies. The first course was oysters served with a vanilla vodka. The main course was salmon topped with a walnut pesto, asparagus, and saffron scented pomegranate couscous. The wine was from Ben’s private label selection. It was a luscious pinot noir which bore the name Heritage Ben. For desert, a chocolate soufflé and a lovely port. The dinner was a veritable orgy of aphrodisiacs and the ladies were going with the flow.

“It’s a shame and an odd coincidence that both of your husbands are so ill, withering away in a nursing home with no apparent hope for recovery. I hope Cela and Maddi don’t mind the talk of personals regarding… husbands. Just curious, who’s the man in your relationship?”

“Oh, I don’ know; who’s the man in yours?”

“Well! Aren’t we sharp witted, Ms. Di Geronimo! This is going to be a delightful evening!”

“I didn’t know that you were aware of our husbands’ conditions, Ben.”

“You know, Daphne, Dr. Le Fleur is an old, family friend. I could be of some help by say, making a sizable donation to their care. We could be of use to each other.”

“That’s very generous,” said Victoria. “But how could we be of use to you?”

“We are very alike. I think we all want the same things out of life. I have my boutique wines and a few local businesses but those are small potatoes. Don’t you tire of the banality of the ordinary people around you? Wouldn’t you like to see some real change, some real progress in the quality of your lives?”

“What are you driving at?” asked Victoria.

“Let’s retire to my drawing room. We can discuss things in detail in a more intimate setting.”

Ben’s drawing room was quite a departure from the study. There were large, comfortable sectional couches partially covered with silky drapery, half dome shaped chairs hanging from the ceiling, Asian inspired tapestries on the walls and hanging globe shaped light fixtures. Dragon’s blood resin incense filled the room.

“Make yourselves comfortable. Suzanne, bring in the Durban Poison.”

Victoria could see Daphne’s eyes sparkling with delight. “We have to keep our wits about us,” she whispered.

“I know, but that is some good shit. We don’t want him to suspect that our intentions are anything less than admirable and we don’t want to be lousy guests, do we.”

When Suzanne returned with the weed, she had certainly made herself more comfortable. She was wearing a see-through, yellow caftan and sporting nothing but a gold thong underneath. She was pushing the goods in on an ornate serving cart.

As they smoked, they became more relaxed and less guarded. The urban chill beats that were playing enhanced the mood. Daphne kept repeating, ‘oh god, oh god.’

“So, ladies, as I was saying, there is so much more to this life. We were meant for something… extraordinary. Don’t you feel it? Haven’t you always felt it? You’re not like the rest?”

“My writing has set me apart,” Victoria surprised herself. “It scares me. I can write something down and a situation will unfold around me or something will happen to someone else… soon. It’s forced me to move… or give it up.”

“Yes, Victoria, exactly.”

“It’s the same with my paintings; they take on a life of their own.”

“You see; I knew you were different. I am different and I think together, we can own this town. We’ll start small, with city government…”

“Wait, what? What are you talking about?”

“Forgive me, Cela, Maddi; I didn’t mean to exclude you from the conversation, but I have a connection with Victoria and Daphne. We can make Bleeding Heart anything we want it to be. Those mere mortals can do our bidding. We can build our own society. We’ll start with Bleeding Heart and go on from there.”

“Hey, I’m one of those mere mortals! But you’re not! We know what you are!”

“And what am I Victoria?”

“You’re the one behind all of the disappearances from the nursing home; probably murders! And I’ll bet you have something to do with our husbands being as sick as they are!”

“So, you’re calling me a murderer, Victoria? Is that all?”

Daphne finally perked up enough to join the conversation. “A vampire! A blood sucking vampire! That’s what you are!”

“And what, Daphne, do you propose to do about that?”

“We’ll go to the cops and have you arrested!”

Ben laughed wickedly. “The cops? You would go to the cops and have me arrested?!”

The sisters thought they were getting unusually stoned. What was in this stuff?

“Ladies, you can be with me or against me. I do not recommend the latter.”

“Just hold on a minute, Cela and I wanna know what this connection is.”

“I’m glad you asked, Maddi. Mrs. Pallor!”

Petra’s footsteps could be heard quickly tapping down the hall. “Yes, Maestru?”

“Would you please bring your son in.”

She furrowed her brow but moved quickly out of the room to fetch Kert.

Kert was practically shoved into the room by his mother. His head was down and he did not make eye contact with anyone in the room.

“Kert, Kert! Look at me, I’m talking to you. Do you know who these ladies are?”

“They’re your guests, the Collinson sisters and their friends.”

“Yes, quite right but the Collinson sisters, take a good look at them.”

Kert stiffened and turned slowly to look at them.

“Now, Kert, what do you see?”

“Maestru? I don’t understand?”

“Alright, artless man-child, I’ll make it easy for you. Victoria and Daphne Collinson are your cousins. Your first cousins.”

Kert struggled to speak, Victoria and Daphne sat up, Cela grabbed Maddi’s arm and Petra went completely grey.

“Is the connection clear now to everyone? Kert, I am your father. Victoria and Daphne, I am your uncle, your father’s brother.”

A thud broke everyone’s gaze on Ben to the doorway, where Petra lie in a heap on the floor. Kert ran to his mother while Ben snickered.

“But you’re a vampire? How could you be our father’s brother?”

“Chew on that for a while, Daphne, or should I say, ‘niece.’

“Our father…”

“Victoria’s got it, don’t you; your father owes his immortality to me. And ladies, you have tons of half siblings and cousins. Tons! I can’t get but a few sperm to take and look what I get! I get Kert! But no matter, I’ve found you, my long, lost nieces and we will form an alliance. The world is our oyster.”

No one spoke, no one moved… except for Suzanne, who was doing some weird, swirling dance as the music grew louder and the beats more intense.

“What does that make us? We can’t be vampires, we were born, we grew up and we’re getting older.”

“The thing is, Daphne, I don’t know. I’ve been chasing my brother through the centuries, from country to country and he keeps eluding me. The closest I’ve gotten to him was back in 1963 and he managed to slip from my grasp yet again. But now, I have you two.”

“And you mean to use us to flush him out.”

“Use; that’s an unkind word, Victoria. You could say that but think of the fun we’ll have shaking down this little village.”

“But why do you want to find him? What’s the deal?”

Ben rose to his feet and walked over to Maddi. “Because I am the older brother. That’s why.”

“What, did mom always like him best?”

“Don’t make me sorry you said that.”

Suzanne danced over to Ben and rubbed up against him. “This party is starting to drag, Ben. C’mon and dance with me.”

“Go and assist Kert with Mrs. Pallor. Now.”

Suzanne grudgingly went to get smelling salts. Victoria tried to concentrate to absorb what she had been told. Ben Cojocaru was her uncle; Uncle Ben.