The Angel of Death

Chapter 1

1645, New France

       So this is how it ends. I kneel in front of the headstone, trying not to sob again. Men do not cry; that is what my father said. He said many things. Men do not cry, men are strong, men do not look at other boys that way. I can feel the scars across my back as tears begin to fall. I made sure to look sad at his funeral, then I smiled at home. I am not smiling now. Odette was so young, just nine this winter. And now she is gone, so sick near the end. No one has been able to help. Those that did not abandon me after my wife died and I chose not to wed again can offer only empty words. Father Gilles insists that she is in a better place. All I know for sure is that she is in the ground. I stand up and gather my things, the rope I place in a large sack so no one will see it as I walk through the village. Today I commit a sin, today shall be my last day on this Earth. Even if I do suffer in Hell, it cannot be worse than this. 

       The villagers wave as I walk by, I do not wave back. They do not expect me too, my daughter has only been dead a week. Only Father Gilles stops me. If I were a stronger man I would wring the priest's neck. 

        "Good morning, Julien. And what a fine morning it is." He says with a smile. I grit my teeth. The sun does not rise as long as she is gone. 

       "Good morning, Father. I am just on my way Vicaut's. He wishes to buy my corn." I offer as an excuse for the sack. He nods.

        "Good, good. I am glad to see you not dwelling on Odette's passing. It is good to grieve, but not for too long." Damn him! I force the anger down as he goes on his way and I on mine. I walk far into the woods and find a large tree with a suitable limb. I ready the noose and step up on the rock that is nearby. I pull the rope tight around my neck and prepare to jump.

       "Stop!" I hear a voice. "I think I may be able to help you." I open my eyes to see a well dressed man standing at the foot of the tree. He spoke in French but his accent is English. 

       "Vous parlez Francais?" I ask him. He nods.

        "Oui. Now come down from there. I have a proposition for you." I am shocked to say the least. But I remove the noose and walk down to meet him. "Now, I won't ask what has brought you so low. But I shall make you an offer. You see, I am not merely a man." Suddenly his eyes turn a bright shade of red and he smiles, revealing fangs. 

         "Vampire!" I hiss. I have heard the legends of course. But I never thought them to be true. 

          "Indeed. I mean you no harm, in fact quite the opposite. You see I have recently arrived from England and I am looking to make a mark in this land. Creating another Vampire will do nicely, and based on my estimate you would be the first born on the continent." I am too stunned to speak. But soon I find my words.

         "And what help would this be to me?" I ask. He shrugs.

         "It would give you time. All the time in the world, to deal with your pain and move past it. It would certainly change your perspective." I glance at the noose still hanging in the tree. I know that I can do this or I can die. I cannot go on as I was before. 

         "I will do it. I can't be this anymore." He nods. 

         "Hold out your wrist." I do as he says and he sinks his teeth deep into my arm. I wince from the pain, but I do not cry out. He drinks for long minutes until I can hardly stand. He pulls back and drags his claws over his own arm.

         "Drink." He tells me. I lean down, nearly delirious and bring my mouth to his skin.  I drink the hot blood in. It tastes like iron and copper, but somehow different from my own on the occasions when Father struck me hard enough to split my lip. As I drink I can feel heat spreading through my body. "Keep drinking, you are not done yet. When this is done you will feel strange, then you will sleep. When you wake up you will be a new man." I drink until my legs give out and I fall back on to the forest floor. I feel stranger than I could have imagined. My muscles are on fire, my skin is crawling, I can even feel my bones changing.