Midnight in the savage garden Part 5

  New Orleans November 2023

Christian’s plane landed at 9pm at Louis Armstrong airport.  He hailed a cab to his hotel from the airport, exhausted from the flights he had 2 lay overs until he reached New Orleans.  Switching planes twice.  Once in New York, and once in Florida.  He wanted a shower and bed.  When he checked into the hotel he quickly showered, and went to bed.  Slept most of the night, and woke the next morning ready for breakfast.  Eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, muffins, the  hotel had quite the spread for the free continental breakfast.  Buffet style so you could grab whatever you wanted and eat.  After filling up on eggs, sausage bacon and coffee he went back up to his room to get ready for the day.  

He had contacted Desi via email before he had left Montreal for New Orleans to set up another meeting with her.  They agreed to have lunch together the day after Christian arrived in New Orleans again.  

He sat the the courtyard of Napoleon house. He had heard the food there was pretty good.  The place was full of old New Orlean’s ambiance, old decaying plaster walls, with writing on them, paintings or copies of paintings of Napoleon Bonaparte everywhere, and a sculptured bust of Napoleon behind the bar.  Apparently Napoleon wanted to escape to New Olreans after the last exile but he never made it, he died a prisoner on that island.  Or so the story is.  

Desdemona arrived at the Napoleon house and found where Christian was sitting, saving a table for them.  They ordered lunch.  Gumbo and po’boys. 

“ I met with Voltaire, he came to Montreal and let me interview  him for a podcast I do” I said.  

“ You-Met Voltaire?!  Is he-you know-A vampire?  I mean I know him from the forum but I never met him in person.”  She was very interested.  

“ He claims to be a vampire, yes.  Is he one?  I don’t know, As far as I am aware vampires do not exist.  Or  they didn’t until-Yeah well he’s odd-He’s an odd character Voltaire.  He claims to have lived in France during the French Revolution.  I don’t know if I believe him or not to tell you the truth.  I did not come here for him, I came here for you.  Your house, if you were not aware, is haunted, I recorded your ghosts. They are young and something bad happened in your house a long time ago.  Something doesn’t want you there either and you should get out.”  I didn’t want to frighten her but her situation demanded she take this thing seriously before she got hurt or worse killed.  

“ What is haunting me?”  

“ The story behind your house, do you know it?  It was once owned by 2 brothers, the Carter brothers and they kidnapped people, women and children and reportedly drank their blood, they would keep them tied up in a chair and tap their veins every night until they were dead.  One of them escaped and ran to authorities who eventually came for the Carter brothers and arrested them, story is they were set to be executed for their crimes and buried in a tomb, but on the day of execution their bodies disappeared and were never found.  Years later reports have continued of sightings of them in the French Quarter at night.  I-Think someone or thing is stalking you-It could be their ghosts-It could be just a human but you need to leave-”  

“ I am not leaving my home.” She said determined to stay there.  ‘ Can you get rid of this thing?  Do an exorcism or something?”  She asked.  

“ I don’t know if this thing can be driven away.  I don’t even know what we are dealing with.  If you are determined to stay there then you will need to take precautions.  Voltaire has been watching your house too which is why I think these Carter brother ghosts or whatever they are haven’t done anything beyond tapping on your windows. I don’t know how much longer Voltaire is willing to watch over you though and you can’t have him there either, he is not exactly safe either although he promises not to harm you-But he still could-”  

“ Voltaire, what does he look like?  I never saw him, not even a picture, well not a real picture, sure they used avatars but they used models' faces or actors.”  She said,  

“ Look, that forum is run by human fools, " Voltaire told me he no longer posts much there anymore and no longer is the admin of the site.  The humans there are playing a sick game with people, you need to get off that forum, they’re manipulative ass holes.”  

“ OK fine.  But Voltaire, what does he look like?  I-need to know-I have my reasons.”  

“ Well he’s got blond shoulder length hair that he often clips short and spiky, kind of looks like a young Billy Idol, he’s a little over 6ft tall, lithe of build-Blue violet eyes.  Just another 80s wanna be rockstar.”  

She laughed.  

“ I don’t know what is so funny about someone pretending to be a vampire 80s Billy Idol wanna be but ok-Look you need to take this more seriously you are in danger.”  

She looked at me smiling.” I know.  Don’t worry I know the danger.  I saw Voltaire after all I think-It was completely by accident I kind of just-Bumped into him I guess-Or rather he bumped into us. Long story really, it happened a long time ago before all this craziness started happening, back when the forum was still very young.”  

“ Oh?  You met Voltaire?”  

“ Yes.  It was a night shortly after I moved here from Boston.  I had spoken to him on the forum a few times and we had some interesting conversations.  I am somewhat of a history buff. You might say it is a hobby of mine.  Especially the French Revolution History.  Anyway after I moved here to New Orleans, Halloween  night in fact, I had gone out to take in some of the Halloween festivities that this city is infamous for.  We throw one hell of a party here.  I had gone out to enjoy some of it with some friends.  I was dressed in this black gown, face painted pale, plastic vampire teeth, and I had these black faery wings some drunk fool handed to me earlier on I was carrying them in my hand when I saw Voltaire.  He was sitting on a bench in Jackson Square in front of St Louis Cathedral, drink in his hand a Martini glass-He smiles at me and says ‘ What are you supposed to be? Death?” I smiled back, staring at him-’ Oh the wings-Yeah some dude just handed them to me on Bourbon street..’ I walked away from him, Never seeing him again after that.  So you are saying Voltaire has been watching my house?”  She asked.

“ Yes, he told me so when I interviewed him, He told me a lot of things.”  I said

“ Yes I listened in on your podcast, He has quite the story doesn’t he?” She said,  

“ Yes either he is a really good con artist, a lunatic who is good at spinning a tale or he is telling the truth, I can’t really decide which he is, or if he is indeed a dangerous psychopath who has killed before, maybe you are his next victim-I don’t know and I don’t want to frighten you but you need to take this seriously and protect yourself.”  I said

“ Oh believe me I am taking this seriously, and I will protect myself.  I have the means to do so without leaving my home, which I can’t really afford to leave anyway even if I should leave.  In cast you did not notice the economy here is shit.  I barely scrape by working in Jackson Square reading tarot for drunk tourists, and also part time in a witchy shop near my house.  I get by, also have a book in the works hoping to get that published soon.  I’d like to talk to Voltaire myself, however it seems only right that I meet him face to face since he has already been watching me like some creeper.  Can you contact him again and arrange a meeting with him?  ”  She said.  

I was hesitant to do this for her. He was dangerous, but she had a right to meet her stalker I suppose.  I mean if I set it up in a public place and I came along maybe we could arrange something, maybe convince him to leave her alone..It was worth a shot I guess.  “ Alright.  Although it goes against my better judgment I will see if he will agree to meet you somewhere public. Perhaps at the Cafe Du Monde?”  

“ Yes, that would be fine with Cafe Du Monde, thank-you Christian.  I really appreciate this.”  

“ Don’t thank me yet, I said I would talk to him and see what he says to the idea, I will contact you with the night and time of the meeting”  

I left her to go back to my hotel.  

I had Strange dreams that night.  Wolves were in the walls, growling and snarling.  Blood.  There was blood.  “ Blood is life-”  Where have I heard that before?  “ More.  I want more. Give me more.”  Who said that?  “ I am ancient, I lived before humanity was even conceived by your God. Before there was light and dark.  “In a beginning-”

“Isn’t that how all stories start-No-Once upon a time…Same thing isn’t it?”

  “No.”  

“ Little red riding hood.  My what big teeth you have”  

“ All the best to bite you my dear..”  

“ blood, heart pumping fast then slowing..”  

“Death” 

I woke up in a cold sweat.  

I need a coffee.  

I sent a message to Voltaire on the forum he was still a member of, proposing a meet up with myself and Desdemona.  Then I went out for coffee and to take in some of the sites of the French Quarter, maybe later I would take the streetcar into the Garden district.  

Voltaire had responded to my message and agreed to meet Desdemona at the Cafe Du Monde the night after tomorrow Wednesday.  9pm.  So here we were Desdemona and I sitting in the Cafe Du Monde on a Wednesday night sipping on a Cafe Au Lait awaiting our Billy Idol wanna be to arrive.  

We sat in seats close to the street, it wasn’t crowded that evening, but then it was the middle of the week, so the only people around us I assumed were tourists.”  

“Good evening” As if out of some ether there stood Voltaire dressed in leather blond hair longer this time and not clipped short tied back in a ponytail with a ridiculous grin on his face.  

“ Hell-O, well are you going to stand there grinning or are you going to sit with us to discuss things or what are you doing?”  I said to him,  

“ Ah Ha ha ha.  Oh Christian.  Hello darling Desdemona at last we meet.  Although we have met before briefly-” 

“ I KNEW it! That was You…I mean hello Voltaire.” Desdemona stuttered.  I think she was becoming spell bound by him  honestly.  Or maybe that was him doing that to her.  I couldn’t really tell for sure.  

“ Alright man cut the crap, and come sit down so we can get this done and over with.”  I snapped.  I am not sure why I was so snappy, maybe it was because I had been up since 5am because of these strange dreams.  Lack of sleep will make one a little cranky.  

“ Very well.  Let us have another discussion then” Voltaire’s grin faded away.  

“ I assume you told Desdemona I had been watching her house of late and that this is what this is about yes?  You came to warn me to leave her alone-I will not.  I do what I want and at the moment I want to keep an eye on  her and these two rogue vampires that are a danger to  her.  I assure you darling I will not harm you-Not yet.  I must say after watching you these few nights I have grown to like you so maybe I will allow you to live.  Maybe  not.  I  haven’t decided.  Or I suppose I could turn you.  There is that distinct possibility turning around in my head.”  He basically just spilled it all out.  

Did he just say-He did-

“ Listen you crazy son of a bitch!  You stay away from her, you hear me?!” I was becoming very angry. He would not harm Desdemona on my watch.  

“ Oh calm down boy, you do realize I could snap you like a twig if I wanted.  Who do you think you are talking to? Have I not given you the truth of everything in our little interview?  I am what I say I am.  I did not tell any lies to you. Look ok I will behave but there are two rogues out there who likely will kill your precious Desdemona, they don’t seem to have any morals or conscience, which to tell the truth very few of us have at the best of times.  I really wouldn’t have interfered with their plans had I not become fond of Desdemona here.  So rest assured I will protect her from them.  It may actually be of benefit to her to become one of us is all I am saying.  I have toyed with the idea not saying I will do it.  If some other solution should present itself I will defer to that.  So relax.”  

“ Relax?! You are telling me to relax when you have just said you would make Desdemona one of you?! Relax?! Fuck that!”         

“ Boys.  Boys.  Hello- I am right here, do I get a say in any of this or are you two idiots going to continue arguing over me as if I were not sitting right here?”  Desdemona finally decided to chime in.  

“ Idiots?  Ok well maybe HE is an idiot” I pointed my finger at Voltaire who glared at me angrily. 

“ Yes, idiots.  Both of you.  Now Since this is my life we are discussing I think I should have the final say on what happens to me. Don’t you agree?”  

“ I will respect your wishes Desdemona, forgive me I am being a fool.” Voltaire said apologetically 

“ Alright yes afterall it is your life we are all here to discuss.  I apologize too.” I said.  

“ Good now that we have all calmed down, let's brainstorm this thing. “ She said.

“ I will speak to these two-brothers and they will agree to leave you alone or be destroyed,” Voltaire suddenly said.  

“  You can do that? Destroy them?” 

“ I can, although I would prefer it not come to that.” 

“ Hm, but why?  Do you know these two monsters?  Do you have a past with them?”  

“ I Know them, yes.  They know me too.  I will speak to them.  No more questions about them please. I do not wish to discuss them or my relationship to them.  Perhaps one day I will tell you that tale but for now just know I will take care of this.  Good evening.” 

With that Voltaire vanished, he was gone, no trace.  

“ Well that was odd.” I said.  

“ Yes.  Odd that is one way of putting it. This whole thing is odd.”  

“ Do you want me to walk you back to your place?”  

“ Yes,please.” She was visibly frightened.  

“ Alright then.Lead the way.”  

I walked Desdemona back to her little flat in the French Quarter.  I knew Voltaire was outside the place keeping an eye on things and he would stay until morning.  So I would not have to spend the night there.  I offered to come back in the morning and take her out for coffee and breakfast.  There was this charming breakfast place in the French Quarter I wanted to try, “ Ye old coffee pot”.  Apparently they had a good breakfast of bacon eggs , biscuits and grits.  

Meanwhile…

Voltaire was indeed at Desdemona’s and had spent most of the evening there keeping an eye on things. He was contemplating his sudden idea, and it was sudden, he is still not even sure why he thought of it.  It was a foolish idea-Make another vampire-Out of this young child of a woman-Still he couldn’t help but think that maybe her being so young that perhaps the change would not be so hard on her.  Maybe they could be companions in eternity?  He was desperate for a companion these last few decades especially had been lonely for him.  He didn’t understand this modern age either, not really. Oh he was an expert at mimicking and pretending he knew the lingo and the fads.  He had many personas over the centuries, masks he would put on to better fit into society.  The 80s were fun, he had to admit.  The 1980s were the decade of hedonism.  He loved it.  He missed the 80s.  The hair styles, the leather, the lace.  The neon.  Sparkle and shine.  Things were simpler then.  No one cared about politics, they cared about art, about creating something, there was hope.  Now everyone was becoming humorless.  Everything was covered in this gray communist cast.  Everyone were these automations of something that is nothing.  To be nothing.  Honestly he hated it and was contemplating going to ground for the next century and sleeping it away.  Perhaps he’d wake up at the next alien invasion-But his thoughts were getting dark.  He needed a companion to bring color back into his life and perhaps this young mortal woman could be his savior just as he would be  hers.  Interesting idea.  Even for a monster such as himself.  These times were like immersed into this existential identity crisis thrust in by some force more evil then even himself.  Afterall he only killed the killers of this realm, they killed the most innocent.   Darkness upon darkness.  The ground was looking very good.  No one really laughed anymore.  Everyone was concerned only with destruction not creation.  He could create.  He could create an army of monsters to fight the monsters.  Starting with Desdemona.  Ah but-There is always a “ but” isn’t there?  And a “ What if?” What if  this darkness of his consumed her?  That he would have to find a way to prevent it.  He did not want to add to the darkness she already was in.  Stay in the light darling.  Create something beautiful.  Stay away from the monsters.  

But the monsters could not stay away from her.  

Suddenly Voltaire felt a presence nearby.  Very close.  Something “ other” like himself.  

“ Hello Voltaire.  To what do we owe this little visit to our home?”  

“ Your home? Ah yes this was once your house wasn’t it, Lucien? Yours and your brother’s Sebastiens.  Where is your brother?  Ah here he is..” Sebastien suddenly appeared by Lucien’s side.  “ Where there is one the other is never far behind.  Hello gentlemen of the republic. Citizens.  Ah but what are they calling you now in these times?  I mean the revolution was centuries ago in a land far removed from this new world.  Oh yes John and Wayne Carter is it? Hm common enough names I suppose.  So what brings you to haunting this poor innocent woman child?”  

“ This is our home, Voltaire or do we call you Billy now?  She is in OUR home, an unwelcome guest and also she is food.  Our next victim.  We do like them innocent.  Their blood tastes better.”  

“ You-Leave her alone-” Voltaire was becoming enraged.  

“ Why should we? What will you do if we don’t?  She is ours Voltaire.  We will do what we please in our house.”  

Voltaire was becoming enraged by these two, and something else-This presence he felt near him felt familiar for some reason that he could not pinpoint.  Which added to his rage.  

“ One final chance boys-Leave now or suffer my wrath”  

“ We will not leave our home Voltaire.”  

“ Very well.  You have chosen then?”  

“ We  have”  

“ Voltaire.  Stop.”  a Female voice one he had not heard in centuries.  Voltaire turned to see who had commanded him.  

The mysterious stranger looked at the other two “ Leave us”  

“ This is OUR home” Lucien spat at the women standing there. 

“ I Will not say it again.  Leave us for a few moments. You may return once Voltaire and I have spoken.  Now leave.”  

Lucien snarled something under his breath as he walked past her.  

“ I heard that Citizen”  

Lucien and Sebastien left.  

“ Lilith?  

“ What is this woman to you Voltaire?  Let the fools have her and come with me.  We can be together again like it was before you left us”.  

“ No, I will not let them harm her.”  

Lilith laughed.  “ Are you going to make her your fledgling Voltaire?  Honestly darling she is a fool certainly not one fit for eternity.”  

“ No-Yes-I don’t know but I will not harm her and she is stronger than you think Lilth.”  

“ Voltaire, listen to me.  Come, we can go back to France and live in a castle or a lavish flat in Paris if you wish.  We can feed on high society, without fear.  These times are our time Voltaire.  No one cares about anything, and all they do is destroy or sit back and watch it happen.  There will be  no witch hunts for our kind, they don’t even believe in our existence.  To them we are nothing but some romantic sparkle court  jester.”  

“ Well, you have learned alot-Where have you been hiding all these centuries?”  

“ We can discuss all that over the King of England if you wish.” She chuckled 

“ I will not leave her, I told you.”  

Lilith sighed.  “ Stubborn as ever. Very well I will let you play the sparkle court jester to this child and when you are ready you can come find me.”  

“ I will go take care of the two brothers.  You run along to your Bella.”  Lilith left Voltaire standing in the dark.  Desdemona was inside the house safe for the moment.  Voltaire knocked on her door.  

Desdemona was sitting reading a book when she heard the knock at the door, she glanced at the clock 11:11 pm.  Who was knocking at her door at this late hour, Christian had left hours ago, with the promise to return tomorrow.  They were going to do some research into these Carter brothers and their connection to her house.  She got up to answer the door.  

Voltaire was becoming frantic, he had to get Desdemona out of here, and tonight.  He could take her to New England. He had a house where she could stay there with him hell he might even give her the house.  

Desdemona looked through the window of the door.  Voltaire?! What was he doing here?  She opened the door.  

“ What do you want, Voltaire?  What’s wrong?  Are the Carter brothers here?” She looked past him, and saw no one.  

“ No, the boys left, You need to come with me.  Now.  I am taking you out of here, out of New Orleans.  It is not safe here for you. I do not know when or if the boys will be back but you can’t be here when they return.”  

“ I am not going anywhere with you!  I am staying here, this is MY house.”  

Voltaire grabbed her by the arm forcing her to look him in the eyes. “ You will come with me  now, we are leaving.  You need to leave now.”  

“ Yes I need to leave now. Ok let's go then.” 

He had not used that little trick in decades and never on an innocent more often then not it was something he did to convince his meals to go along with him into the dark alley for a bite.  

Desdemona passed out during the night  flight on Air Voltaire.  

He picked Desdemona up and took to the sky.  They were soon at his Colonial style mansion in New Hampshire in the matter of an hour.  He set her down on a chair in one of the sitting rooms.  The room was a bit dusty having not been lived in for a few years.  Voltaire had a cleaning staff but they had left a long time ago.  Desdemona came to.  

“ Where-How did I get here?  Voltaire, what the hell is going on?!  I demand answers.  I did not agree to leave my home and yet here I am.”  She was becoming hysterical.  

Voltaire looked at her and smiled.  

“ What is so God damned Funny man?!  You brought me here against my will, I don’t even know where here is, or how we got here, I am for some weird reason drawing a blank, last thing I remember we were standing in my hallway and you telling me we had to leave, and the rest is darkness.  Literal darkness and now here I am.  Voltaire I want answers.  NOW.  Start fucking talking or or-I don’t know but it’ll hurt I am sure.”  

“ Calm down human, I did not harm you.  I saved you, don't be so ungrateful.  I will explain as much as I can to you but you have to calm down.”  

“ Calm down?!  Start talking mister and we will see about calming down if I like what comes out your mouth.”  

Voltaire grinned.  

“ You are in New Hampshire darling.  In my house, or rather one of my houses.  I apologize for the dusty state of things but I have not been here myself in quite some time.  You will be safe here however.   You can stay here as long as you like but must remain here until I know those two fools are no longer a threat to you.”  

“ New Hampshire?!  How in the Hell did I get here?!”  

“ I will explain it all to you but for now you must rest, and I must go to sleep.  I will return tomorrow night.  Feel free to explore the house during the day, but do not leave New Hampshire. I would hate to have to go searching for you, you may of course go out to get supplies and food in the morning but you must return here.  I will give explanations tomorrow night.  Please do not leave the state.  I am trying to keep you safe, you may return to New Orleans once I know that the Carter brothers are no longer an issue.”  

“ Christian-He will be worried when he does not find me home tomorrow morning, we were going to go research the Carter brothers to see if we could find out more and perhaps come up with a plan to secure my safety without leaving.”  

“ Ah. Christian. I had forgotten.  You will need to contact him and tell him you are safe, and not to come looking for you.  You will return to him soon. Do not tell him where you are.  It is best that no one knows for the moment.”  

“ Right.  I have been kidnapped by a madman vampire.  I want to go home.  Take me home.  If you can zap me here you can damn well zap me back.”  

“ I can’t. I won’t.”  

“ You can’t?”  

“ Look Desdemona, I will not harm you, I am actually trying to save you.  For once in this crazy long existence of mine I am trying to do the right thing here.”  

“ The right thing?!  You kidnap me, drug me ( Probably, yes that is it you drugged me and put me on a plane..)  and now you want me to just go along with this?” She waved her hands around to indicate the current situation.  

“ Hm, more or less, Yes. Although there were no drugs involved.”  

“ You are mad.  Alright, for the moment I go along with this, say I am really in danger from these two brothers, why can’t I stay home and do the research with Christian so we can all come up with a plan to get rid of this problem?”  

“ The problem is too complicated to be solved by mere research.  Far too complicated.  Complications compounded by the appearance of-Listen just stay here I will I promise you figure out how to make it safe for you to return home.  Give me a few nights.  I will explain everything to you but you must give me time.  Alright?” 

Desdemona sighed.  “ Very well, I will entertain this madness lest you come up with some madder scheme if I try to escape.  Yes I will stay put for now.  You better hurry up with those explanations though or I will run.”  

“ Fair enough.  Now it is getting close to 3am. I must feed and get to my safe spot out of the daylight to sleep.  I will meet you back here tonight ok?”  

“ Alright.  Fine.  Yes, I will meet you here tomorrow night.”