New Orleans Nights

Chapter 1

It was a hot muggy night. Typical for New Orleans. You could hear jazz coming out into the streets from almost from every street corner. Everywhere you looked, you saw couples walking arm in arm. Larger groups of men or women were running around laughing or calling to other groups trying to gain some attention.

No where could be found in the French Quarters that you could be alone, for long, this summer night. Even if you did come to the Quarter alone, in no time at all, you would be picked up by some group . Forgetting why you came alone.

Kay had been in New Orleans for couple of days now. She had come here to try to regroup after her divorce. She had always wanted to come here. Now that she didn't have to answer to anyone, she came here on the spur of the moment with no plans on what she was going to do when she get here.

Kay had explored the French Quarter some the day before, but left before it got dark. Kay was not sure whether or not she wanted to be there at night alone.

The day before she had picked up some pamphlets on some walking tours that she could only go on after dark. What could go on after dark? What would happen on one of these tours? She would be in a well organized group. No one would bother her with a group of people. Their organizers couldn't allow anything to happen because of the effect it would have on their business for a long time to come.

Tonight she was on a haunted tour that would take her to see some of the haunted places in town. It would also take her through one of cemeteries in town. Kay was looking forward to this. Now she was going to see some of the places she had only read about in the novels that had been her only outlet for the past thirteen years. She would be able to be a part of the night life she had seen on T.V. and still be safe.

She had made up her mind to stay on the outside edge of the tour group so she would not intrude on any of the groups or couples that she was walking with.

Kay was really enjoying herself by the end of the tour. She had heard a lot of great stories. Everyone had tried to include her in things that were happening. She was not allowed to feel like a fifth wheel.

The tour was winding down now that it was close to midnight. It hadn't seemed that late. She really had fun. The first in a long time. Everything had ended after walking outside the cemetery in the center of town. A bar stood across the walkway.

As the tour started going their own way to see what more could be found on their own, Kay was invited to join a few couples she had meet. They were going over to the bar that the tour had ended at. Kay told them to go ahead and she would catch up with them in a few minutes.

She had seen a few crypts that had peeked her interest. One in particular had caused a strange feeling to go thru her. She had not had time to try to figure out why earlier. Now she had to go back and try to find out why.

Standing in front of the crypt, she had the same feeling. Nothing about it struck her as familiar. The name on the front didn't ring a bell either. All it said was Callaway....

Chapter 2

He had seen her walk past during the tour she was with. Tours were no big thing. He had at least three come by every night. Nothing had stirred him like she had tonight.

Mark had to find out why. It had been at least seventy five years since he had felt anything like this. It was fifty years before that. One hundred and fifty years had passed since he seen the light of day.

It was easy to pinpoint where the feeling had come from. When he had seen Kay, he knew he needed to know more about her. Mark reached out to Kay with his mind, putting the desire in her to return to the cemetery alone. He guided her to the front of his crypt so it would be easier to get a feel about her. He had to know why she was able to wake him now when no one else had been able to stir him so completely.

The feeling came to him again. She was here. Mark kept himself hidden in the shadows until he felt it was right to let himself be known.

Standing in front of the Callaway crypt, she kept wondering why this one. This was not something she would do normally. This was crazy, to come into a cemetery after midnight, especially in a city she knew nothing about.

After another few minutes she shook herself out of the trance she was in. This was crazy she told herself again. When she turned away, she nicked her arm on one of the corner stones. A drop of blood was left, just enough for what he needed.

As Kay walked away, a pang of loneliness struck Mark. He knew it was not time yet.

When he knew it was safe, he stepped out of the shadows and walked over to where Kay had nicked her arm. There he found what he wanted. Blood. Collecting it on his finger, he brought it up to his nose before taking it to his lips. She smelled so sweet to him. Like a chocolate cake his cook made him when he was still alive.

This drop of blood was more than he needed to make his connection to her stronger. Now he could go into her mind with a lot more ease. He could plant suggestions there that he wished. He would also be able to find out more about her before he made her his.

The first thing he left in her mind was the desire to return to the cemetery the following night. The second was to show up dressed more to his liking. He wanted to see her more provocative and in black. He wanted to see the woman that laid hidden within the lady.

Chapter 3

The next morning Kay went to the court house to see if she could find out more about the name on the crypt. She didn't know why it meant so much, but she felt she had to know more.

The last record that had the Callaway name was a wealthy plantation owner that had died one hundred and fifty years ago. His name was Mark Callaway. That was all they could tell her. Most of the records from that time had been lost either in fire or flood. Maybe the library had more.

At the library they had a little more. He had been one of the founding patrons of the city's main library. He had been a gentle soul to everyone in the area and to the workers at his plantation. Even though his family had owned slaves, he did not believe in the institution. When he had taken over the plantation he had freed everyone. He would make sure that families stayed together. He was very well loved. He had not married at the time of his death.

Yellow fever had hit the city the year he died. He did not come into town much and no one went to the country during this time. By the time the fever past and someone when out to check on him, the plantation had started falling into disrepair. No one was left that could tell the town folk what had happened. They knew that Mark Callaway was not the type to up and leave. All they could do was to declare him dead after a couple of years.

While the town folk looked around the plantation they came across a document on Mark's desk that looked like he had been working on a will before he had disappeared. In it was instructions to keep the plantation up and to make the payment on the family crypt for the next twenty five years. The rest of his money was to stay in the bank to keep drawing interest until his heir came to claim it. The bank would be able to identify the heir by the family crest ring that they would have.

He had found someone to act as his heir twenty years later. They went to the bank and withdrew money to make the crypt payment for the following thirty years and some extra for further repairs on the plantation. This person the had the bank keep the same arrangements for future generations. After enough time had passed, Mark was able to do some of this himself because no one was left alive that would remember him. He would make arrangements to meet the bank president after hours to do his banking. If things had to be done during the day light, Mark had his assistant take care of this.

Mark had gone into a deep sleep inside the crypt the past forty years. He was still aware of what was going on in the outside world but chose not to be apart of it. It hurt him to see what the world was like now. He had also had his heart broken fifty years ago. The last woman that had caught his interest had died in a car accident. He just did not want to go through that kind of pain anymore.

So he had slept until Kay had showed up. He had felt something special in her. Now that he could find thing out easier he could prepare himself if their was any possibility of heartache. So far he knew that she had a good heart in her and cared for others before herself. She was heart sore from something in her past. He needed to find out why.

It was a few hours before he could go leave the crypt. He would take this time to find out more about Kay. She was in her early thirties and had been married before. Her husband did not take care of her. She was left to take care of everything for him and his family. All he seemed to do was take what they were to live on and give it to his first wife. He even took her money and gave it to his family. He had even let his first wife move into Kay's home causing her to be confined to her bedroom while she was home. Kay did meet someone else and have an affair for a short while. That the first step of her getting enough courage to leave and try it on her own. She did not seem the type to do well on her own though.

In all that Mark had seen, he felt compassion for her. She had been thru so much. She needed to find someone to take care of her. He wanted to do that for her. Kay was like the women in his time. Very agreeable and gentle, but she had a passion that had not been tapped as of yet. He wanted to be the one to do that. He had a few ideas on how to bring her out of herself.

Chapter 4

Kay had done quiet a bit of research during the day. She had returned to her room when all of a sudden she needed to lay down. She shouldn't be that tired because all she hadn't done anything but read all day . She felt like she needed a nap before she went out to get herself something to eat.

Now that she was asleep he should have an easier time reading her mind. He saw everything she had gone thru the past few years. Rage went thru him at what he ex-husband had put her thru. He needed to calm that emotion so he would not pass it on to her. She needed peace and self-confidence. He gave her this feeling in her dreams.

Kay woke up just as the sun was setting. She felt so refreshed that she made up her mind to go back to the Quarter for the evening. For some reason she was not afraid to go alone. Going over to her clothes, she picked out a black halter and skirt with low heals. She took extra time to fix her hair. She didn't need make up because of the tan she had got over the summer. Picking up her purse, she went out front to catch the van to the shuttle going across the river.

She walked to the town square located in the French Quarter. The street performers had started setting up for the night. Seeing a restaurant that was next to the bar she went to the night before, she went in and requested a table next to the window so she could watch everything outside.

Kay sat there staring into the cemetery. She didn't know why she was drawn there. While looking, she started running everything she had read in her mind again. She had seen a couple of pictures of Mr. Callaway in her research. He was so handsome. She could tell that he had lighter colored hair and light eyes, but of course nothing ever said what color. Also, he was not afraid of work. You could tell that by his build.

A very erotic thought passed thru her mind at that very moment evolving him. Where did that come from? Well, it didn't hurt anything to let it play out. She sat looking out the window with a very soft look on her face. She didn't see anything outside her mind's eye.

Mark saw her sitting in the window looking his way. He stayed behind a tree so she would not see him. All of a sudden he started getting hot. It was at that time he saw what flashed in her mind. She was so distracted he could have stood in front of her and she wouldn't have seen him. Well he could come out and take a closer look.

A waiter brought her food out bringing her back to the present. At that moment, she thought she had seen a ghost. Someone who looked like Mr. Callaway was standing in front of the cemetery. She turned quickly to make sure someone was there. The entrance was open and no one was around. Shaking her head she turned to her food to start eating. Maybe a glass of wine would be good.

He had moved out of her sight just in time. Needing a little more time, Mark stayed out her sight while she walked around the street. He wanted to stay close by just incase she needed any help. As Kay walked by one bar next to an adult shop, a rough looking man stumbled out the door and bumped into her. Mark started to go up to them to remove the offender when he saw how she laughed it off and helped him back in the door. She went on her way. stopping in a few shops that sold t-shirts.

Mark had crossed the street to keep a close watch. As she started walking toward her shuttle, Mark saw the same guy from the bar fall in behind Kay to follow her into the darkening area. Walking closer, he saw the man start running up to Kay. When the guy had reached her, he had his arm out and caught her around the waist, pulling her into a darken alley way.

Kay started screaming for help. She was thrown up against a wall with her top being ripped off of her body. It felt like someone else had hold of her skirt ripping at it the same time. All of sudden she dropped to the ground in time to see her attackers flying threw the air and a giant walking toward her.

She was lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. A long coat was placed around her shoulders and she was then carried away from the alley. By the time they were in the light she looked up to see a familiar face. Kay had gone into shock and passed out before they had got onto the shuttle. What was Mark going to do now?

Chapter 5

Mark had found out where Kay was staying earlier that day. He also knew what room was hers. He took the key from her purse that he picked up before he had carried her away from the alley. He opened the door and carried her into the room laying her on the bed. He went into the bathroom so he could get a cool rag to help clean the scrapes Kay had received. She had several on her arms and back. Being careful not to wake her, rolled her over to clean what he needed to do.

After he had finished, Mark pulled the cover over her and started to leave. He did not want to do anything else that would startle her even more. It was getting late and he had a few things that needed taken care of before sunrise.

Waking up, Kay found that she was very soar. How had she got back to her room? She remembered that she had been attacked and then a giant coming toward her. That was all she knew. Sitting up, she found she had a strange coat on. Unsure of anything, she lifted the sheet to see that she was still dress in her torn clothes. Well at least that was something good.

Starting to get out of bed she saw that the message light was blinking on the phone. Beside it was a note. "I will see you later tonight. Don't worry. You will be safe. Mark" was all it said. Calling the front desk she was told that her attackers had been picked up last night and were in custody. They had received a call saying that a car would be there to pick her up at 8:00 that night.

Kay went to take a long bath and try to relax. She saw that someone had also been in there last night. Not knowing what had happened or who had done things for her had her feeling uneasy. Common since told her that if they had wanted to hurt her, they would have done so while she was still out of it. They had been nice enough to leave her dressed and left a note for her, so if she wanted to she could get the police involved to try to find out who it was.

While soaking in the tub, a face flashed thru her mind. She knew she had seen it before, but she was not sure where. Kay didn't want to think to much about it. She would meet who ever it was that had saved her and thank them. If she felt uncomfortable afterwards she would then leave. The one thing she would insist on was that they stayed in a very public place.

Mark heard all of this going thru her head. He wouldn't do anything to spook her after last night. He had let his driver know where to take her when he picked her up. They would join another one of the tours that she had wanted to go on, that way they would be with a group most of the night.

This tour started in front of a church. She felt better seeing that there was a group there standing around. The driver had pulled up in front of the square and stopped the car. He got out and escorted her to the tour group. This one was a vampire tour. The driver stopped in front of a man that stood about 7' tall and had red hair. She could see the driver talking to this man and then leave. The man turned around causing Kay to loose her breath. In front of her stood a man that looked just like Mark Callaway. Then the note next to her phone flashed in front of her eyes. Mark. No, it couldn't be him. That Mark would have been almost two hundred years old.

"I know what you are going to say. I am descendant from him."

"But how did you know what I was going to say?"

"I could see it on your face. I hear it all the time. How are you doing, by the way?"

"Still shook up, but none the worse for wear."

"That is why I thought we would stay with this group for a while. I know you would feel better tonight in a large crowd."

They went along listening to the stories the guide told. Some of the things they said made him laugh because they did not know what they were talking about. Some made him feel uncomfortable because they did not know how close to the truth they were.

This tour took them thru his cemetery again. They had stopped by a tree that was in front of his crypt. Seeing where they were, Kay turned to try to ask Mark about it. He put his finger to his lips to let her know that they would talk later.

The tour ended in the upstairs room of a bar that the tour guide called a vampire bar. No one knew how true the name was. The bartenders knew who to serve special drinks to. There were a few vampires in there that knew Mark. He let them know not to say a word or even act like they knew him. They saw Kay and went along with what he said.

Upstairs stories started again after everyone had got a drink. The story teller had signaled out Kay for one of her stories pointing out her long neck. Mark broke out in a sweat seeing where the lady had pointed out. He took a long drink and sent for another one. He needed to take the edge off of his hunger.

When the stories ended, Mark and Kay stayed for a while to talk. She thanked him for saving her last night. They talked about what she had found in her research. Mark told her that he still owned the plantation and if she would like to see it he would have the driver take her out the next afternoon. She could explore all she wanted to but he wouldn't be there until after dark, having business to take care of during the day.

He would bring supper for them to have out in the terrace. Someone would be there to see to her needs while she waited.

Kay said she would love to see his home. With a kiss on the cheek, she left him for the night.

Chapter 6

The car arrived a little after lunch. It took them about an hour to get to the plantation. When she got there all she could think of was 'Gone With The Wind'. There she saw so much open land that it would take almost all day to walk it.

She was let out in front of the house. A large entrance was opened up for her by a elderly woman with a very pleasant face. She was very cheery seeing that it was a woman exiting the car. The driver introduced them afterward the house keeper lead Kay into the morning room. She was brought a large glass of iced tea and some snacks to hold her over until the Lord of the house returned.