coarse commoners cheering at a public guillotining passed before my eyes. "Not so, as you say, 'cool.' I was lucky to escape the guillotine myself. The Committee of Public Safety took none too kindly to any members of the aristocracy, French or otherwise."
She raised both eyebrows. "Of course!" She laughed loudly. "Count Farkus. You really are a count, aren't you?"
"Technically, yes. Centuries ago, I was able to purchase title from an unfortunate Hungarian nobleman, but that was long ago, and now I am a lord with no manor."
"I wondered about that. Why are you working? I'd think someone would have to be a total idiot to not be filthy rich after a thousand years."
I smiled shyly. "Onewould have to be an idiot to not be wealthy after all that time. I was wealthy, but your nation's stock market crash last autumn took care of that. My perception was clouded by greed, and I had not properly hedged my portfolio. An incompetent financial manager prevented any semblance of a recovery. There was still some money left, but he embezzled nearly all that remained."
"But I'd think there must be plenty of ways to get money without having to work."
"Perhaps I truly desire to work."
"You can't really mean that."
"Why can I not?"
"Well, I wouldn't work if I didn't have to."
"Ah, but that is precisely my point. I do not actually have to work."
"But you don't have any money."
"I could live in the woods and subsist like an animal."
Her laughter echoed loudly. "Oh, pu-leeze. I think you like us humans too much to hang out in the woods with all those dumb animals."
"True." I gazed at her, admiring the way the flickering candlelight made her raven tresses shimmer. "But, if I were not to work, what would you have me do?"
"You could use your powers and hypnotize people into giving you their money."
"Simple thievery? How dishonorable. How...common."
"Maybe you might turn yourself into mist and rematerialize inside a bank. You could take a buncha money and be set and not have to work."
"That is still thievery, my dear."
"Well, what if you just borrowed the money?"
I shook my head, perhaps feeling a certain disdain at what seemed a bit of amorality on her part, but the moment passed quickly. "This is penance for my poor judgment, for being lazy. I am striving to relearn how to fend for myself. Besides, I would not want to abuse my abilities for monetary gain. I have made my peace with mortals - "
"Sounds a bit haughty there, Count, almost like you meant to say, 'mere mortals.'"
I lightly patted her hand. "There are exceptions, but generally, I do not consider myself superior, just different. I need your species, and I learned long ago that it is best not to kill the goose that lays the proverbial golden eggs. My outlook has certainly changed over the centuries, but certainly the Judeo-Christian notion of loving thy neighbor as thyself is still well ingrained within my being."
She grinned broadly, shaking her head. "This is sofucking unbelievable. I mean, this is great. A real vampire! And here I am just chatting with him, just like he was anybody else."
"Quite a curiosity, is it not?"
"Quite! So many questions. I don't know where to begin."
"Understandable. You grow up hearing stories at your grandmother's knee, but most of your perception is based on books and movies."
Nicole pulled her knees to her chest. "I hear when the Hiring Committee asked you who would play you in a movie, you said Frank Langella because of the 'sensitive sensuality' he brought to the role of Dracula. Do you actually watch vampire movies?"
"I find them amusing. And I've read many vampire books as well. Most of the movies are ridiculous, but I liked Langella because he did capture the sheer sexuality of the role. Bram Stoker's book really had little to do with vampirism. Actually, it was more a metaphor of Victorian sexuality."
"Yeah." Nicole's head bobbed up and down. "I would agree with that. So,Hollywood 's done a pretty abysmal job portraying your kind?"
"Well,Love At First Bite was not bad."
"Love At First Bite?! You're kidding me, aren't you?"
"Well, the film does make a mockery of the Dracula legend, but in terms of what real life is like for a vampire, it is not too far off the mark."
"Ever read Ann Rice?"
"Of course. I find her writing quite enjoyable, especiallyThe Vampire Lestat . The story was touching, and the prose was lush and passionate."