by the air of command that had come over le Comte, but he had many years’ experience in concealing any awe he might feel, and so he clasped his hands behind his back and took a few steps away from the fire as if to compensate for the strength he sensed in Saint-Germain. “Okay; okay. Go on.”
Saint-Germain’s smile was so swift that it might not have occurred at all—there was a lift at the corners of his mouth and his expression was once again somber. “Madelaine took you as her lover sometime around 1920, as I recall, and it was in 1925 that she tried to explain to you what would become of you after you died.” He saw James flinch at the last few words, but did not soften them. “Like Madelaine, you would rise from death and walk again, vampiric. As long as your nervous system is intact, you will have a kind of life in you, one that exerts a few unusual demands. You have some experience of them already. You are hungry, are you not? And yet you cannot bring yourself to eat. The notion of food is repulsive. We’re very … specific in our nourishment, Mister Tree, and you must become accustomed to the new requirements …”
“You’re as bad as she is,” James muttered, looking once toward the door as if he wanted to bolt from the room. He wanted to convince himself that the other man was a dangerous lunatic, or a charlatan enjoying himself at James’ expense, but there was undoubted sincerity in Saint-Germain’s manner, and a pragmatic attitude that was terribly convincing.
“Oh, I am much worse than Madelaine, Mister Tree. It was I who made her a vampire, back in the autumn of 1743.” He frowned as James turned swiftly, violently away. “Your change was assured possibly as early as 1922, but Madelaine was so fearful of your hatred that it took her over two years to gather her courage to explain the hazard to you. You see, she loves you, and the thought of your detestation was agony for her. She could not leave you unprepared, however, and eventually revealed …”
“This is crazy,” James insisted to the ceiling; he could not bring himself to look at Saint-Germain. “Crazy.”
“Do you appreciate the depth of her love?” Saint-Germain went on as if he had not heard James’ outburst. “Your protection was more important to her than your good opinion. She risked being loathed so that you would not have to face your change in ignorance.” He folded his arms. “And you make a paltry thing of her gift by refusing to admit that the change has happened.”
James threw up his hands and strode away from the fireplace toward the farthest corner of the room. “This doesn’t make any sense. Not any of it. You’re talking like a madman.” He could hear the unsteadiness of his voice and with an effort of will lowered and calmed it. “I remember what she told me about being a vampire. I didn’t believe it then, you’re right. I don’t believe it now. And you keep talking as if something has happened to me. True enough. My jeep was shot out from under me, I’ve lost a lot of blood and I’ve been wandering without food for over three days. No wonder I feel so … peculiar.”
Slowly Saint-Germain got out of the chair and crossed the room toward James. His compelling eyes never left James’ face, and the quiet command of his well-modulated voice was the more authoritative for its lack of emotion. “Mister Tree, stop deluding yourself. When that jeep turned over, when you were thrown through the air, you suffered fatal injuries. You lay on the ground and bled to death. But death is a disease to which we are, in part, immune. When the sun set, you woke into … Mad-elaine’s life, if you will.” He stopped less than two strides from James. “Whether you wish to believe it or not, you are a vampire, Mister Tree.”
“Hey, no …” James began, taking an awkward step back from Saint-Germain.
“And you must learn to … survive.”
“NO!” He flung himself away from le Comte, bringing his arms up to shield his face as if from blows.
“Mister Tree….”
“It’s crazy!” With an inarticulate cry, he rushed toward the door.
Before he could reach it, Saint-Germain had moved with remarkable speed and blocked James’ path. “Sit down, Mister Tree.”
“I …” James said, raising one hand to threaten the smaller man.
“I would advise