Maurice Ch. 01

It occurred to me that the only cell phone that I had was my business one. Personally, I hate the damned things but because so many of my clients and employees are human, I need a phone. I needed another cell phone that I would use just to communicate with Regina and for nothing else. After I bought the cell phone, I planned to go home and start my research, I had one week to figure out what had happened to my Regina. Yes, that is how I thought of her, as mine because that is exactly what she was-mine.

*******

I didn't want to come to New Orleans but I promised my cousin Annie that I would go with her on vacation no matter where she chose, I just didn't think that it would be here. In retrospect, I shouldn't have been surprised; Annie loved reading about vampires and anything paranormal while it scared the hell out of me. That's why I always act so.... What's the word... skeptical? I'm too proud to admit that I'm scared so I act as if I don't believe and belittle those who do.

Annie had already gone online to buy the tickets for all of the tours that she thought we would like without asking me first. If she had, I would have skipped the 'ghost walk' and 'vampire tour' and when I offered to pay her for the tickets that she had purchased on my behalf, she pouted and reminded me that I promised to do whatever she wanted to do on this vacation. Reluctantly, I gave in but I was more than petrified. Why? I don't know, I remember coming to New Orleans when I was around fourteen or fifteen with my family. I remember most of the trip but there's a day or two that I can't remember, I only know that something horrible happened here.

So here we are on this damned vampire tour, my heart is pounding as the guide is talking about Comte Saint Germaine, my mouth is dry as we stand in front of the convent where it is said vampires are guarded on the top floor. For some reason this place terrifies me and I react in the only way that I know, with skepticism and ridicule. I know that I should keep my mouth shut but I can't. I looked around the group hoping to spot an easy target relieved when I spotted him.

He was a short, balding man who could have been anywhere from late thirties to mid-forties. He had a mild manner about him that made him ideal for my outburst. He was actually shocked when I spoke to him, questioning his intelligence because of the possibility that he believed in vampires.

He was going to answer me when Annie interrupted him. Damn her! I really wanted to hear what he had to say because usually, people just walked away from me, but not him. When Annie suggested that I go back to the hotel, I took her up on the suggestion, I didn't want to be here anyway; a nice hot shower and a glass of wine sounded much better.

I remember stomping off in the direction of the hotel and coming upon an alley. Thinking that it was a shortcut, I started to enter it when I heard a voice. It was a very nice voice calling my name; I was surprised to see that it was the man that I had targeted from the group. If I had been asked to describe what he looked like just from the sound of his voice, I would have been so far off the mark that it wouldn't have been funny. What did I think he would look like? Tall, handsome and very sexy. He was none of those things, wait let me amend that-he wasn't ugly but what I would call interesting, the word sexy didn't apply here but average was a better word. In other words, I could have passed him on the street and he wouldn't have made an impression on me.

He didn't want me to go down the alley for some reason and once again, I ridiculed him by asking what was down there. I thought that for just a second, his eyes flashed and I felt a stab of fear but I went into the alley anyway with him calling my name. The next thing I know, I'm having coffee with him but why can't I remember his name? Why can't I remember anything that we talked about? And why am I so scared?

I lay on the bed still fully dressed, this wasn't making sense to me and it felt too much like the way I felt the last time that I was in this city and I didn't like it one bit.

******

After I left the hotel, I realized that I had left some holes in the planted memory. I should have told her my name and where we had coffee, too late now, hopefully Regina won't be in too much distress. It was much too early for the 'Verizon' store to be open so I drove around enjoying my ability to be able to be out during the day. I located a coffee shop, parked and got out to go in. An old man sat outside by the door with an empty cup in his hand, I didn't speak to him as I walked by and I gave him no money. It was my practice not to give money but to buy food instead, that was something that I started years ago.

The man was still sitting by the door where he had been when I went in, I handed him a cup of large coffee along with several creams and sugars and a sack filled with sweet rolls and croissants.

"Thank ya sir." he said as he took the coffee and sack.

I went back into the coffee shop to purchase my own beverage and then left. I sat in my car enjoying the feel of the sun on my face and thought about Regina and what could have possibly happened to her here. I took a moment to reflect on the history of my kind here, according to history, during the early colonization of New Orleans, the French were having a difficult time getting females to come here. Why? Because most of the men sent here were of the most unsavory types of characters, they were murderers, rapists and everything in between and let us not forget the creatures of the wild, the alligators, mosquitoes and snakes.

At any rate, eventually some women did come, what kind of woman would come here? Some say that they were nuns, some say prostitutes; maybe it was a mixture. I don't know because I wasn't here at the time, this place was to backwoods for me as I am a creature of comfort. Supposedly, it wasn't until the ship reached Mobile, Alabama that the women were told what kind of men lived here and in Mobile most of them stayed.

Imagine the disappointment the men of New Orleans felt when instead of women, 300 hundred coffin like suitcases were unloaded. The reports on what was in them varied, some say that they were empty while others say that they contained the bodies of the undead. It is these coffins that are supposed to be kept under guard at the very convent where Regina first spoke to me. It is said that the windows to the convent are nailed shut as they seemed to be able to open by themselves. What do I believe? I believe that it is entirely possible if not probable that there are vampires in those coffins; do I want to find out? Not particularly.

New Orleans is filled with stories of vampires, parts of the movie 'Interview with a Vampire' was set here. Are there many of us here? I believe so but I make a point of keeping to myself, live and let live is my motto as long as it doesn't interfere with my well being or the well being of those that I care about.

I looked at the position of the sun; the 'Verizon' store would be opening soon. I finished my coffee and threw the empty cup into the trash before driving off. The store was empty which is why I like coming as soon as the doors opened. It didn't take me long to pick out another phone, it didn't have all of the bells and whistles of my business phone but I didn't need those. After my purchase, I headed home to begin my research.

******

I looked over at Annie; she was asleep on the bed fully clothed as I was. That struck me as wrong because Annie was the self appointed queen of the "I hate clothes" society. I've often wondered why she doesn't move to a nudist colony somewhere where she could dance around naked to her hearts content. I sat up slowly and when I found that I wasn't dizzy or anything I stood up and went to the bathroom closing the door behind me. Something was happening that I didn't understand or maybe it was that I didn't want to understand it but somehow it was related to my last trip here. Even thinking about that trip made my heart pound, what the fuck had happened here? I wondered.

I stripped, turned on the shower and stepped in letting the hot water wash away the cobwebs in my head, afterwards, I did feel better and I was hungry. Annie was sitting on the side of her bed with a confused look on her face.

"I actually slept with my clothes on?" she asked.

"Looks that way." I replied.

"I never sleep with my clothes on!" she exclaimed.

I knew this but didn't reply, I had no answers for her but I did ask if she wanted me to order breakfast.

"Sure and how was your coffee date?" she replied.

"You know about that?" I asked hoping that she could fill in the empty blanks.

"Sure, you went with the man that you tried to put on the spot during the tour." Annie said.

"Was I here when you got home?" I asked because I'm usually a light sleeper and I didn't hear her come in.

Annie gave me a curious look, "You don't remember?" she asked.

"Ummm, not really. " I replied. "I don't remember coming back to the room."

"Damn girl, what was in that coffee? Are you alright? You don't think that he slipped you anything do you?" she asked.

The thing was I didn't think so, actually; I was sure that he hadn't. While I showered I checked myself out and none of the telltale signs that I had had sex with anyone was present. Like what? Well the obvious, there were no body fluids on me and by that I mean come-dried or otherwise unless he used a condom. My nipples weren't sore- I like my sex a little on the rough side and as a matter of fact, none of me was sore so what in the hell was happening here?

I assured Annie that I was fine and that I was sure that my virtue was still intact, in a way it would have been easier had I been drugged and molested, it would have explained the holes in my memory of last night. I almost asked Annie if she knew the name of the man that I had gone with but if I did, she would have dragged me off to the closest hospital and insist that they do a rape kit, did I mention that she watches way too many of those police shows? Anyway, I ordered breakfast as she showered. I wonder what delightful things she had planned for us today.

******

As soon as I got home, I took care of a few business matters and then stripped. I find that I do my best thinking in the nude, I don't know why that is but it's true. Now, I'm sure that you're thinking that I'm nothing much to look at but let me remind you of what I said earlier, I don't give a fuck what you think. Anyway, now that we understand each other let me get back to my story which contrary to what I said at the beginning is going to be longer than I had originally thought.

I turned on my laptop, the personal one- I keep my business and personal life completely separate and Googled New Orleans, 1994. I don't know why I started there for but I found out that the New Orleans Saints won only seven games that year and that it was the second straight year that they failed to qualify for the playoffs. As interesting as that was, it wasn't what I was looking for. I was almost certain that whatever had happened to Regina was of a supernatural nature so I changed my search to 1989 and came up with...nothing, at least nothing that was of any help. It was beginning to look like the internet wasn't going to be of much help to me, I was going to have to find things out in the good old fashioned way- I was going to have to talk to other supernatural beings that were still here and had been here in 1989.