The Donor House: Jack: An Asexual Vampire (part 2)
Part 1
“It’s nice to meet you, Jack,” Blake said. “What brings you to the donor house?”
Jack bit his lip. He didn’t really want to tell Blake, because it wasn’t something Jack usually talked about, but he knew he needed to be honest with himself, as well as other people. It was easier to just not think about his… he thought for a moment and the only word he could think of was disability. Normally not having any interest in someone sexually wouldn’t be thought of as a disability, and he felt bad for using the world, but for a vampire it really did feel like he was disabled because he couldn’t act in the right way.
“Hunting isn’t really something I’m very good at,” Jack replied, trying to tell the truth without giving too much away. He couldn’t stop thinking that, maybe, they would throw him out. “I thought coming here would mean that I don’t have to do that any more.”
Blake smiled. “You’ll find a lot of vampires here don’t like hunting.”
“Why are you here?”
“I was bought at an auction, became an addict, and the only way out I found was to become a vampire, but being a vampire isn’t that easy when you’ve been through something like that. The house is helpful.”
“That sounds…” Jack shrugged. “I don’t think there’s a word in the English language that quite describes what I’m thinking right now.”
“It sounds worse than it is. I’m lucky, because I’m not dead and I’m not still an addict. The donor house exists, so I don’t have to hunt, and we’re starting up a rehabilitation system for addicts, which is something I could never have done if I didn’t make the choices I did after my owner decided he didn’t want me any longer.”
“Who do you know here?”
“I hate that question. I always sound like I’m bragging when I’m answering it, but I’m good friends with Alice and Nick, then there’s Nadia who has become a close friend, and John. There are other vampires I’m friends with or know as a passing aquaintance, because it does get to that point where you pretty much know everyone.”
“How do you know Nick and Alice?”
“Nick is the vampire who changed me and Alice is his other child.” Blake shook his head. “I hate using that phrase because we’re not children, but it’s the only logically word for what we are.”
Jack sighed. “I don’t know the name of the vampire who changed me. She wasn’t very pleased when she found out I wasn’t who she wanted me to be, so we never actually exchanged names.”
“Unfortunately some vampires are like that. I know other vampires who have been through the same thing and some who were only changed because a young vampire accidentally drank too much during one of their early feeds.” Blake smiled. “It seems like all the unusual vampires end up here because we try to be accepting of everyone.”
“What is it like here?”
“It’s probably easier if you see what things are like. I can tell you, but words really can’t describe what it’s like here. The relationship between the vampires and donors here is something you won’t see anywhere else.”
“Okay.” Jack looked down at the rule book and then back at Blake. “Where would you suggest we go?”
“Where’s Morgan?” Blake asked, looking over Jack’s shoulder at Nadia.
There was few seconds of silence and then Nadia replied, “At this time she’s probably in the cafeteria.”
“I thought so.” Blake smiled at Jack. “Morgan should, if things work out the way I’d like them to, be with Georgina, Caleb, and possibly Dominic if we’re especially lucky. The doorway behind you will lead you to the cafeteria.”
Jack turned and started walking towards the doorway. Moments later Blake was beside him, and continued, “Actually the doorway we’re heading towards leads to pretty much everything on this floor apart from the shop, which is through the opposite door. Upstairs we have rooms for all of the donors and a few of the vampires who are happier living here than anywhere else. If you don’t have anywhere to go tonight then I suggest you book a room here.”
Jack looked at Blake. “That wasn’t mentioned on the website.”
“Not all the vampires who visit the house will be offered the chance to book a room. Often they aren’t ever permitted into the house again, because they aren’t the right people for somewhere like this. Alice told me to always go with my instincts when it comes to vampires, and I think you’re a good person, so I’m not worried about you being around the donors overnight.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“I’ve met a lot of vampires over the years, so I can usually tell pretty quickly whether you’re a good person or not. When I looked at you I could see that you haven’t had a good time as a vampire and…” Blake sighed. “I’m sure I’ve picked this up from Alice, but I want to look after you.”
There was a moment when Jack wasn’t quite sure how to reply to that. He looked at Blake and in the direction they were walking in, attempting to work out some sort of reply that wasn’t totally stupid.
“No one’s ever wanted to look after me before,” Jack said finally.
“I felt like that when I first met Alice. There were some vampires who would take blood from me, but not enough, and I expected her to be like the others. She would either do what I needed her to or she would walk away. Instead she offered to take me home with her.” Blake laughed. “I was so shocked the only thing I could do was go with her, because no one had said anything like that to me in the whole time I was living on the streets.”
“Why do you feel like that about me?”
“Your eyes, Jack. I can see the loneliness in them and I know what it’s like to be a lonely vampire.”
Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.