Subj: Love's Familiar Face ch5
Date: 5/8/99 12:26:57 PM Central Daylight Time
From: miranda

Chapter Five

Deep in the night Josette told Barnabas her story of where she had spent the last one hundred and seventy-four years:

1796

The first night Josette awakened to her new life she found herself lying in a silky lined coffin. The darkness frightened her at first, but she reminded herself that Barnabas explained this is where she would find herself when she woke. After the initial shock wore off she realized she was hungry. Not just hungry, she was ravenous. Josette realized that the only thing that would satisfy that hunger was living blood. The thought both excited and repulsed her at the same time. She calmed herself with thoughts of Barnabas. He would show her the way. He would teach her everything she needed to know in order to live this new and wonderful life.

Josette raised the lid of her coffin and sat up. She was confused at the sight that met her. There stood Joshua, her father, and Aunt Natalie. Natalie had tears streaming down her face. "Oh my sweet Josette," she said softly. Josette's eyes focused on Barnabas' coffin. There it silently stood with its lid open, revealing Barnabas' body lying inside with a bloody stake sitting out of his chest. Josette
screamed until she was hoarse. She couldn't comprehend how this could have happened. Barnabas was supposed to be here with her right now. He was to be her teacher, lover, husband, and friend. How could she go on in this new life without him?

Later, after Josette curled up in the corner of the mausoleum, Natalie softly explained what had happened. "Ma Cherie, please, please stop crying. Angelique came to Joshua and your father and told them what both you and Barnabas had become. They decided the most humane thing to do would be to put you both out of the misery of being the living dead."

"The witch! They listened to that witch who cursed Barnabas!" Josette cried out.

"Je ne comprends pas. How could this be? Angelique was the witch and not Phyillis Wick?" Natalie said incredulously. No one knew. Oh what have we done?"

"Why was I spared?" Josette whispered. "Why did they kill Barnabas and not me?"

"It was my doing. Andre confided in me before he and Joshua came here. I could not bear the thought of losing you, my sweet Josette. I came here moments after they put the stake in Barnabas' heart and begged them not to do the same to you. I finally persuaded them to let you live. Please do not think your father really wanted you to die. He only did not want to have to live by…by"

"By drinking blood," Josette said bitterly.

Natalie winced at the thought, but was determined to be strong, "We will take you back to Martinique. As far as history is concerned, you and Barnabas were married and went to live abroad in England."

Josette pulled herself up to her feet. She slowly walked over to Barnabas' coffin and opened the lid that her father or Joshua must have shut during her hysterics. She gazed down at his face and whispered, "Goodbye my love."

The voyage home was the first time she satisfied her desire for human blood. Andre and Natalie had chickens and other small animals bought aboard for Josette. She feed on them half-heartedly, wishing she could die and join Barnabas. Her depressed mood made the night feel endless and she yearned for the life she left behind. Josette entertained such thoughts as these while standing alone on the bridge. She watched the pale moon as it reflected its beauty on the dark waters and lamented that she would never again behold the majestic light of the sun.

"Dear lady, would you like some company," a male voice said from behind. Josette mused that such an intrusion would have startled her in her old life, but now that she was a vampire her acute senses had warned her of his approach.

"No thank you, Monsieur," she replied without turning around.

"Ahh, but no lady as beautiful as you should be alone."

"I would like to be alone," Josette said in a low voice.

"I cannot in good faith leave you looking so sad."

Josette clutched the edge of the boat. She could smell this man's blood flowing in his veins and this excited her. Her fangs descended. "Leave me now," she grumbled.

"I will not leave until you at least turn around and look at me."

"Very well," Josette said as she turned to face him. He cried out in fear at the sight of the long white fangs in her mouth. She pounced on him and ripped open his throat. She drank what she had desired for so long. Her mind was spinning, her body experiencing such pleasure she thought she would explode. Never had she felt such an overwhelming pleasure course through every inch of her body. Once satisfied she released him and looked up. There was Natalie staring open mouthed at her niece. Natalie beheld the awful sight. There was her sweet Josette, with blood dripping down her face, her dress soaked in the same, and a dead sailor on her lap. Natalie shook her head from side to side as she backed away. Alone again Josette looked down at the man she attacked moments earlier and she loathed the horrible creature she had become.