Capítulo 25: The Choice
Anais chose not to take my offer, we went to the doctor the next day anyways. The doctor confirmed that she was terminally ill. Consumption was fairly common at the time and she had contracted the disease from her husband. It had been a miracle that she had survived nearly a decade without medical treatment. I had Amelie tested soon after, her results came back clear. Anais told me that she was very careful not to pass it to her daughter. Often only eating or drinking after Amelie had her share.
"So what will you do, you know my offer still stands."
"Seth, you are a kind man. But my answer is still no. I wish to die as a human. No mother should have to watch their child grow old and die."
She kept my vampirism a secret from Amelie, who still baffled me at how she had found out that her mother had been sick. She often told me that her teddy bear told her these things. Being in a world where magic was real, vampires prowled the night, hell I was one, and the supernatural was woven into the very roots of the town I was in. I had a very hard time not believing that the stuffed toy was indeed conversing with Amelie. I had even caught the girl having a full conversation with her bear at one point.
"Papa is a very nice man, Maman tells me so."
"He takes me out for sweets when I come home from school."
"No I don't think he's evil, why do you think so?"
"Mon dieu, that cannot be right. Do not say such things Monsieur Lupin."
"No I will not have it, papa is very kind."
'Hmm was she having an argument with her bear?'
I shook my head and closed the door to her room. Walking back to my study I picked up the written reports from my businesses. The banks had taken in over a few hundred thousand dollars in profits last year. My farm was supplying a large distillery with barley and hops. The corn was distributed to various markets. With my profits I could pay my workers handsomely ensuring that they remained loyal. Many of my workers had passed on their jobs to their children who also appreciated the salary they got. I tried to keep things fair and normal however. There was no point in building up wealth if I ended up inflating the economy.
I poured myself a glass of bourbon and added a few drops of blood. Sipping my drink I read through my outline book. Klaus, Stefan, and Rebekah should be in Chicago at the moment. With Mikael out of the picture and unable to drive the family out of New Orleans I wasn't ultimately sure however. I could have sent spies but a human could only do so much to a thousand year old vampire that could compel them. I was shaken from my musing by a knock on my door.
"Come in."
Amelie opened my door and skipped into my study. I couldn't help but to feel warm as I watched the girl I saw as my daughter in all but blood. She reminded me that I didn't have to be a monster all the time. I guess she brought the humanity in me back from the brink.
"Papa, can I ask you something?"
"What is it my dear?"
"Monsieur Lupin, he told me something about you."
"And what does he say about me?"
She looks at me with big innocent eyes.
"He says that you are Buveur du Sang."
"And what if he's right? Would you be scared?"
"No! I mean, no papa. I am not afraid of you. You are kind to me and Maman, even if you are not my real papa. You will always be my papa."
I felt my heart skip a beat, 'fuck me she's so adorable. She has no right being this cute.'
I took a knee and pulled her into an embrace that she returned. Pushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear I gestured towards the seat.
"Take a seat sweetheart. It's time I told you a story."
The truth would have come out eventually. I knew that keeping it a secret from Amelie would only hurt her in the long run. So I told her the truth, about what I was, what I've done. Of course I left out the gory details, and to my surprise. She didn't even bat an eye.
"So you stopped all those evil people papa?"
"In a way yes, I guess I did."
"I was right," she smiles brightly at me. "You are like the heros in those stories Maman tells me."
"But I'm no hero. I've hurt people."
"Those were bad people, you stopped them papa. You are a hero."
"When did you get so wise my little princess."
I picked her up and hugged her, she giggled and wrapped her arms around my neck. I set her back down and played with her, chasing her around the home playfully threatening to eat her if she misbehaved. We ran past Anais who joined in and tried to protect her little baby from the big scary monster. They fell to the floor laughing and out of breath a moment later, Amelie skipped back off to her room to draw and I sat next to Anais as she lay in the grass.
"Promise me you'll care for her when I'm gone."
"Ana, she's as much my daughter now. She hasn't stopped calling me 'papa' since I responded to the name the first time."
"You make a great father Seth, I never expected the stranger who came into my home would be the one to raise my little baby."
"My offer still stands, Ana. Watch her grow up, she needs you too."
"You already know my answer. I have been away from my Jules for far too long. I wish to see him so I can tell him about our little girl."
"I think he would be happy, proud of the both of you for having made it this far."
She doesn't reply, she just smiles as we watch the sun begin to set in the horizon.
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