Chapter 9
Julia began to run the water for her bath. The sound of the water in the pipes was quite loud. She made the water quite hot. The steam fogged up the windows and the mirror. When it was close to overflowing, Julia turned the water off. She was about to undress when she heard something. Something she wouldn't have been able to hear when the water was running.
Something that didn't sound like Mortimer.
Julia burst through the door. She stopped in her tracks, horrified by what she saw.
Something that didn't sound like Mortimer.
Julia burst through the door. She stopped in her tracks, horrified by what she saw.
The vampire pulled his fangs out of Mortimer. A drop of blood splattered on the carpet.
Mortimer swayed before falling onto the floor. He was even paler than usual. Julia could tell he'd lost a lot of blood. She moved towards Mortimer but was stopped by the vampire.
He smiled grimly, his eyes glittering. “Hello Julia.”
Julia could not comprehend much beyond the fact that Mortimer was laying on the floor with what amounted to an open wound.
Julia could not comprehend much beyond the fact that Mortimer was laying on the floor with what amounted to an open wound.
The vampire was obviously displeased by the lack of attention. “I'd expect more of a reaction when meeting your father for the first time.”
Julia's face was blank. “Mother said you didn't know I existed.”
The vampire smiled a long-toothed smile.
“I didn't until she told me. She wants to talk to you, by the way.” He licked his lips, glancing over at Mortimer.
“How did you find me?”
“Aren't you hungry? I'm surprised he didn't become food a long time ago.” He replied, avoiding the question.
His comment sparked a reaction in Julia. Her face flushed. Her father was obviously not the brightest bulb in the box. But maybe he wasn't her father. he looked enough like Julia that it was possible.
“I wouldn't. I couldn't.”
Julia's face was blank. “Mother said you didn't know I existed.”
The vampire smiled a long-toothed smile.
“I didn't until she told me. She wants to talk to you, by the way.” He licked his lips, glancing over at Mortimer.
“How did you find me?”
“Aren't you hungry? I'm surprised he didn't become food a long time ago.” He replied, avoiding the question.
His comment sparked a reaction in Julia. Her face flushed. Her father was obviously not the brightest bulb in the box. But maybe he wasn't her father. he looked enough like Julia that it was possible.
“I wouldn't. I couldn't.”
Julia's father took a closer look at her His eyes widened.
“You're not a vampire.”
“No.” Julia tried to push past him again, but he stopped her.
“But you were born one.”
"I was."
“No.” Julia tried to push past him again, but he stopped her.
“But you were born one.”
"I was."
Julia pulled out her phone and called 911. She spoke quickly to the operator, her hands shaking harder than she thought possible. When she hung up the phone, her father was staring at Mortimer.
“You love him?”
Julia turned even more red.
“You love him?”
Julia turned even more red.
Get out."
He looked surprised. “I'm your father.”
“I don't care. If he dies, I will kill you.”
The vampire looked at Julia for a long time.
“You really are my daughter.”
And then he was gone. Julia hoped that he would never come back.
He looked surprised. “I'm your father.”
“I don't care. If he dies, I will kill you.”
The vampire looked at Julia for a long time.
“You really are my daughter.”
And then he was gone. Julia hoped that he would never come back.
That night was the longest night of Julia's life. She sat in the waiting room at the hospital. When Mortimer arrived Julia was forced to wait in the waiting room. After a few minutes, the nurse came out and told Julia they were waiting for the surgeon on call to come. Julia scowled. Apparently the hospital wasn't very well organized.
“He is the surgeon on call.”
“Who? Oh!” The nurse exclaimed, hurrying off.
“He is the surgeon on call.”
“Who? Oh!” The nurse exclaimed, hurrying off.
After a couple nights at the hospital, Mortimer was allowed to go home with two weeks off of work, a giant bottle of iron supplements, and orders for bed rest. Julia felt awful. It was her fault. When she voiced her concerns to Mortimer, he thought she was being ridiculous.
“How were you supposed to know your crazy father was going to show up and try to kill me?”
“That's just it. He could have killed you.”
“But he didn't.”
“How were you supposed to know your crazy father was going to show up and try to kill me?”
“That's just it. He could have killed you.”
“But he didn't.”
Julia got up and wordlessly left the room. She needed to think. Jinx looked excited when Julia headed for the door, but Julia ignored her. Julia needed to take a walk by herself.
Julia went home after a few hours. Her mind was perfectly clear. Julia knew what she needed to do.
Mortimer was laying on their bed, reading a book. He put it down when Julia walked in. “Where were you?” he asked, slowly getting up off of the bed.
“I took a walk. I needed to clear my head.”
Mortimer nodded. He knew how that felt.
“I took a walk. I needed to clear my head.”
Mortimer nodded. He knew how that felt.
“Do you want to get married?” Julia asked. The question caught Mortimer off guard.
“Isn't this rather sudden?” He asked.
“Yes, rather. But what happened the other day scared me. It reminded me of how I won't live forever. When I was a vampire, even though I didn't know I was a vampire, time went by extremely slowly. I didn't feel hurried about anything because I had all the time I could ever want. Now time moves so quickly. I don't want to waste any of it. We may be the same age, but my body is younger than yours. If I have my way you'll live another forty years, but sometimes life doesn't work that way. I want you to be able to see your grandchildren. I know I want to marry you, so why not sooner rather than later?”
“Isn't this rather sudden?” He asked.
“Yes, rather. But what happened the other day scared me. It reminded me of how I won't live forever. When I was a vampire, even though I didn't know I was a vampire, time went by extremely slowly. I didn't feel hurried about anything because I had all the time I could ever want. Now time moves so quickly. I don't want to waste any of it. We may be the same age, but my body is younger than yours. If I have my way you'll live another forty years, but sometimes life doesn't work that way. I want you to be able to see your grandchildren. I know I want to marry you, so why not sooner rather than later?”
"What have I got to lose?" Mortimer replied.
"So is that a yes?" Julia said, a tremor in her voice.
"What a silly question. Of course it's a yes."