Chapter Twenty
Laetitia Janequin stayed in bed for most of the next two days. Joshua took care of her as he wiped her head with a cool towel, kept the lights low, and allowed her to feed from his arm. He stayed out of the clubs and his liquor cabinet while tending to his beloved. She would often touch his face with her soft hand, to make sure that it was not a dream. He would kiss her, hold her, and comfort her as best he could. They made love on her second night in Joshua’s home. There was no spells, candles, or shattering mirrors. The kisses were tender; their embraces, delicate. It was passionate, but reserved. Joshua was afraid she would be too weak for anything else. He loved having Laetitia back in his life and had planned to ask her to move in with him the following morning.
He woke to a note in his bed:
My dearest Joshua,
You have rescued me too many times to count and I know not how to thank you. I have followed you all these years since New Orleans but have kept my distance for fear that your love for me had expired. I know now that it has not, that your love continues still. Without such love I would have died in New Orleans all those many years ago and would have never lived to see your eyes look upon mine once more in Chicago. If you had not rescued me I would have never gotten the chance to kiss your lips again and to look into your eyes of forever. You are my angel, Joshua, and I am but a devil, a taker of life. I know that I could feed off of you until the end of time but I must repent and suffer for my sins. I do not deserve you, my love, and you do not deserve a monster to traipse your halls. I do not make this decision lightly and I know not where I am going. I do know, however, that I want you to not attempt to find me on this journey. When I am complete, I will find you. Do not worry for me, my king, for we shall meet again in the distant future. Until then, I want you to live happily, to keep playing your piano, and to love again. Do not let my life hold you back. When fate calls us together once more, I will be a better person for you.
I love you now and always,
Laetitia
Joshua sat in his bed, holding the tear-drenched letter in his hands, as he stared, despondent at the draped window. He felt his breathing slow down to an almost halt. His body tingled from numbness. Has she really just walked out on me? He let the note slip from his fingers and fall silently onto the floor. His eyes peered to her side of the bed, at the indentation of her head on the pillow. He lay down once more and took her pillow in his arms, letting her perfumed aroma penetrate his nose. He curled into a ball, holding the pillow tightly. I have slaughtered many a man for her and would do it all again to have her back in my arms. He exhaled a long-held breath into her pillow and tried unsuccessfully to focus on a thought or plan of any kind.
His eyes closed as many images passes through his head; pictures of Laetitia smiling at him, touching him, kissing him, snuggling up to him throughout their short romance. He thought about chasing after her, most likely back to New Orleans. He heard her silence in his head as he had found her bound and gagged in the warehouse where she had been raped and tortured. He imagined running away with her to the mountains in Colorado, distant from the populace. They could have stayed there and enjoyed the serenity and the untouched nature. She could have fed off him until the end of time. His mind stopped processing for a minute then. No ideas, pictures, or dreams came into view. She has betrayed me again. Joshua pushed the pillow aside and stared angrily at it. Why should I care for her anymore? She turned into a vampire and has now forsaken my love. To give chase to her would be foolish, indeed!
