Read Online The Vampiric Housewife by Kristen Marquette - Free Book Online
Authors: Kristen Marquette
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body . . . it was ungodly and wrong. In a tight voice he asked, “What would I tell Valerie?”
“As I stated, we can hold off on John. He’s on a good path with Lisa. But Amelia will become extremely ill. She will be quarantined here at the hospital. That will be the story you tell your wife.”
“And what will we tell Amelia?”
“That she is ill and that these tests will help her and help her own race.”
“She’s a smart girl. When she starts having babies—“
“We will cross that bridge when we get there. She will be out of the social and moral studies so perhaps we can tell her the truth, or some version of it. Can you see the bigger picture, Charlie? How many other couples we’ll be able to help once we understand what is so different about your offspring? The genes we’ll be able to follow and isolate? The key to a vampire’s strength and speed can be located. To your immortality.” Charlie swore the doctor’s eyes grew large with a wet look of excitement when he said the word immortality . “If Valerie was younger, we could have learned more from her. But given her age and her difficulty with Harry . . . the time has passed. Her children’s contribution will be historic however. Monumental. Of course, there will be a few other girls in the study, Jett Wilson’s daughter, Lemuel Anderson’s daughter, but your Amelia will be our star.”
Charlie’s anger had reached such a stage that his shaking had become visible. Unafraid, Venjamin touched his shoulder to calm him down. “Now Charlie, I know you’re emotionally involved with the Romanian subjects. I wouldn’t have guessed it of you when we first met. But the fact that married life and fatherhood has brought this kind of emotion out in you is extraordinary to our research as well. It tells of the growth that your kind is capable of under certain controlled circumstances. But you must get back into a different state of mind to continue on to the next phase. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but you must. They are not your family. They are subjects. Once you distance yourself, it’ll get easier.”
Charlie did not answer. Could not answer. He could smell Dr. Venjamin’s defunct, earthy scent, hear his heart beating with excitement and anticipation. He could hear the blood coursing through his veins like rapids. He wanted to rip out his jugular and feel that hot blood course down his throat. He wanted to tell Venjamin not to take that personally.
Dr. Venjamin removed his hand. “If you do not think that is possible, you can and will be removed from the project and Sangre Valley. Of course your help will be invaluable to us, but by no means necessary. Nothing will ever compromise this experiment.” His voice had grown cold and hard.
“I do not want to be left out. I want to be part of this. It would be an honor. I will need some time to . . . adjust.”
Venjamin smiled. “Of course. You were cold blooded—no pun intended—when I met you twenty years ago. That was why you were chosen to participate in our little experiment. Our little community. And that’s why I know I can count on you now. You’ve invested eighteen years into the Romanian Project. Of course you’d get attached. But I always knew you, of all vampires, would be able to unattached himself.”
“What of Harry, when he comes of age?”
“Ah, Harry. I think I’m more fond of him than any other child in Sangre Valley. There are big things in his future, though maybe different from his siblings. He might be more special than any of you. I can’t wait to watch him grow.”
Charlie felt the chills run down his spine for the first time in his vampiric life. He knew without a doubt what he’d have to do. He just had no idea of how he was going to do it. “So where do we start?”
Dr. Venjamin smiled.
Chapter
“As I stated, we can hold off on John. He’s on a good path with Lisa. But Amelia will become extremely ill. She will be quarantined here at the hospital. That will be the story you tell your wife.”
“And what will we tell Amelia?”
“That she is ill and that these tests will help her and help her own race.”
“She’s a smart girl. When she starts having babies—“
“We will cross that bridge when we get there. She will be out of the social and moral studies so perhaps we can tell her the truth, or some version of it. Can you see the bigger picture, Charlie? How many other couples we’ll be able to help once we understand what is so different about your offspring? The genes we’ll be able to follow and isolate? The key to a vampire’s strength and speed can be located. To your immortality.” Charlie swore the doctor’s eyes grew large with a wet look of excitement when he said the word immortality . “If Valerie was younger, we could have learned more from her. But given her age and her difficulty with Harry . . . the time has passed. Her children’s contribution will be historic however. Monumental. Of course, there will be a few other girls in the study, Jett Wilson’s daughter, Lemuel Anderson’s daughter, but your Amelia will be our star.”
Charlie’s anger had reached such a stage that his shaking had become visible. Unafraid, Venjamin touched his shoulder to calm him down. “Now Charlie, I know you’re emotionally involved with the Romanian subjects. I wouldn’t have guessed it of you when we first met. But the fact that married life and fatherhood has brought this kind of emotion out in you is extraordinary to our research as well. It tells of the growth that your kind is capable of under certain controlled circumstances. But you must get back into a different state of mind to continue on to the next phase. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but you must. They are not your family. They are subjects. Once you distance yourself, it’ll get easier.”
Charlie did not answer. Could not answer. He could smell Dr. Venjamin’s defunct, earthy scent, hear his heart beating with excitement and anticipation. He could hear the blood coursing through his veins like rapids. He wanted to rip out his jugular and feel that hot blood course down his throat. He wanted to tell Venjamin not to take that personally.
Dr. Venjamin removed his hand. “If you do not think that is possible, you can and will be removed from the project and Sangre Valley. Of course your help will be invaluable to us, but by no means necessary. Nothing will ever compromise this experiment.” His voice had grown cold and hard.
“I do not want to be left out. I want to be part of this. It would be an honor. I will need some time to . . . adjust.”
Venjamin smiled. “Of course. You were cold blooded—no pun intended—when I met you twenty years ago. That was why you were chosen to participate in our little experiment. Our little community. And that’s why I know I can count on you now. You’ve invested eighteen years into the Romanian Project. Of course you’d get attached. But I always knew you, of all vampires, would be able to unattached himself.”
“What of Harry, when he comes of age?”
“Ah, Harry. I think I’m more fond of him than any other child in Sangre Valley. There are big things in his future, though maybe different from his siblings. He might be more special than any of you. I can’t wait to watch him grow.”
Charlie felt the chills run down his spine for the first time in his vampiric life. He knew without a doubt what he’d have to do. He just had no idea of how he was going to do it. “So where do we start?”
Dr. Venjamin smiled.
Chapter
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