Bleeding Heart

The news reported the names of the survivors of the fire, some of whom were the elderly patients that were listed as missing from Whole Care, the rest were party goers from the first-floor disco. The intensity of the fire incinerated anyone else trapped inside. The news stations were inundated with calls from the families of those who were still missing their loved ones.

News anchor, Laurel Porter from KGW, made numerous requests to Dr. Le Fleur for an interview. All requests for interviews had been declined by Dr. Le Fleur. All requests except for one; Basilio Capello.

Basilio introduced himself and took her hand in both of his, then kissed it. Dr. Le Fleur giggled with delight. “Mr. Capello, won’t you come with me to my office. I haven’t granted many interviews; in fact, yours is the only one. You’re from Novella 2000?”

“Sì, il dottor Le Fleur, I imagine your profession takes away much of your time from your husband.”

She blushed and lowered her eyes, “Oh, I’m not married.”

“Such a shame, American men are blind. Italian men would not let have left you one, lonely, night.”

Her eyes became transfixed by his; his black eyes were like smoldering embers, waiting to be stoked. She winced.

“It’s a terrible thing, the fire. So many perished but some of your missing patients have been returned to you, that is good news. What happened to them, how did they become missing?”

“Security. We had a security breach. The guard on that shift has been fired. Someone altered the surveillance tapes, we don’t know who yet; Nurse Immerhoch was seen on one of the tapes with the last patients to go missing, and then… she just disappeared. Ben is so angry, I can’t be near him when he’s angry. He’s a vampire, you know.”

“Yes, Dr. Le Fleur. I know him well. He is my older brother. Now, tell me about your patients, Cosimo Abandonato and Leonard Cleese.”

“Oh, they’re special to Ben. He says they were bitten by a vampire, an unusual vampire. Their blood is different; they should be dead, you know. The blood their wives donated to them does give them a boost, quite a phenomenal boost.”

“Yes, it would. They are my offspring, as are their sons and daughters. Had they remained long enough to donate their blood, you would have seen the same results. But only from the girls, I’m afraid. The male children have thus far proved weak and inferior.”

“Their blood is what gives us hope that Ben can endure daylight hours without repeated transfusions. I still haven’t been able to isolate the component that gives them the edge. I’ve placed their specimen tubes in a centrifuge to separate the cells from the serum or plasma. Ben’s wine, the Gamay, some batches contain the serum while others contain the plasma. Only a select clientele can purchase the Gamay.”

“For example?”

“Oh, like the mayor, the police chief, city council members and a few restaurants. After they drink it, their blood becomes enhanced, it gives Ben longer durations in sunlight. That’s his preferred method over transfusions.”

“Why only those people?”

“It’s part of Ben’s plan for the takeover of Bleeding Heart.”

“A militia of vampires, that’s his plan? How… unoriginal. You and Ben will never find the component that makes me what I am, I will see to that. Now, you will get me all the records for Abandonato and Cleese; when next you see Victoria and Daphne, you will release them into their custody. Is that understood?”

“Yes.”

“And now, this conversation is over; you will have no memory of ever meeting me or having any part of this conversation.”

Bela Cojocaru kissed her hand, then, he was gone.