“I’ll just leave you three to get reacquainted.”
With that, Jasper left through his front door, leaving Petra, Jacqueline and Jett to catch up.
“So how does it feel to be free of Penhallow?” Petra asked.
“Oh my god, you have no idea. It’s such a relief.”
“Was he really that bad?”
“Let’s just say he’s a very stereotypical Ventrue.”
“So noted.”
“How do you two know each other?” Jett asked.
“Well, the estate burned down in 1863, and I was in about my fourth month of pregnancy, and alone. As you know, I didn’t live inside the city proper, so I didn’t know my way around. It was evident I came from money, so I was being targeted by some unsavory types who wanted to steal from me. Fortunately, Nikolai found me, chased them off, and brought me to his and Petra’s home to keep me safe, promising me my safety, in fact.”
“I was admittedly upset with Nikolai at first, until I learned her situation. Her husband was dead, killed by one of the slaves. Fearing for her life and that of her child, she fled as her home burned. I admired her for her courage, and extended my protection. Being the intelligent woman that she is, it didn’t take her long to figure out what I was, and to ask questions. Apparently, she knew about our existence already.” Petra smirked at Jett as she continued.
“I offered to ghoul her after her pregnancy, but she declined. I offered again after the birth and she declined again. She never took me up on it because she wanted to experience the world. She waited for that chance until after Josephine married, and I funded her journey.” Jacqueline picked up where Petra left off.
“I got to visit my parents’ home in France, and travel to other places, thanks to Petra. Ultimately, I found myself in New York City, and again found myself struggling to get by. Penhallow had gotten wind of me somehow, and offered me a job. I took him up on it, and I ended up being his accountant since I was good with numbers and finances. That’s what I did for my husband in the first place. He was completely inept.”
Jett coughed and muttered something under his breath, and Jacqueline smiled. “Yes, he was inept in other areas as well. There are stories I could tell about him, but that’s not what we’re here to discuss, are we? In any event, that was 1882 and I kept in touch with Petra periodically. Fortunately, her address didn’t change over the years. Though I wonder why you didn’t respond to a lot of them?” she looked to Petra.
“I responded to every one that I received.”
“Hmmm…that suggests someone infiltrated my mail. Well, the important thing is we’re here together now.”
“I’ve a question for you. How on earth did you and Jett ever meet? Let alone fall in love. I’ve been under the impression he was gay.”
Jett opened his mouth to talk, but Jacqueline silenced him with a finger to his lips.
“He was found by one of the slaves, passed out in the fields. He’d been badly injured, and was covered in cuts and scrapes and dried blood. It caused a commotion, and eventually my husband was summoned to figure out what to do with him. I realize now that he was a terrible racist, even for those times. Had Jett not been white, he would have been left to die.” she bit her lower lip slightly at the thought. Petra urged her to continue.
“Go on.”
“My husband had Jett brought to the house and sent for a doctor to see to the wounds, and one of the slave girls, Christina, I think it was, nursed him back to health. I checked in from time to time to oversee her, but it wasn’t appropriate for me to tend to him myself. When Jett was better and able to get up and around, he offered his thanks to my husband and I, and wanted to repay the kindness, though he had no money. He offered his services to work on the plantation, should it be needed, but we had slaves to tend to that.
“It was my husband who asked Jett is by chance he spoke French. Since he did, he asked him to help me with my English. At that time, I hadn’t been in the country for very long and spoke only French and some Spanish. Jett turned out to be a wonderful and patient teacher. As for us falling in love…well…it just sort of happened, gradually. We didn’t even realize we had fallen for each other, until my husband was away on a business venture. We’d gotten into a playful argument over a game of cards, and resolved it with a kiss. It awoke feelings in me I’d never felt before.”
“Not even with your husband?”
“No – our marriage was an arrangement. We didn’t even share a marriage bed. Separate rooms left him to be free to have his way with the slave girls. I’m fairly certain he fathered several children with them. He just didn’t seem to be attracted to me, and it was hurtful to think I wasn’t wanted. That first kiss with Jett opened up a whole world to me in an instant, and at every chance we got we were in each other’s arms, tasting each other’s lips. When we could manage to be rid of even the house slaves he would come to my bed. Every one of those nights was, and still is, precious to me.” she walked over and gave Jett a gentle kiss.
“I knew I loved you. I worried for you when my husband decided you needed to repay him for the months you’d boarded in our home, and ‘requested’ you join the Confederate army and fight for his right to keep the slaves, among other things. You did, and I was both proud and fearful. The last I saw of you was after you’d come to say your good-byes, dressed in your uniform.”
“Yeah, there’s more to that story.” Jett said.
“Oh?”
He nodded. “Your husband started noticing the looks I was giving you, and he wanted to cut me out of the picture before things got further than looks. He didn’t know how far things had gone between us.”
“Bastard.”
“I’ll agree to that.”
Petra looked to Jett. “However did you end up in their fields in the first place?”
Jett sighed. “I had been running. At that time, I was ghouled to a Gangrel by the name of Kaleb. He’d grown tired of me, for some reason, and sicced these monstrous dogs on me. I ran as far and as fast as I could to get away, eventually passing out in a field. When I awoke, my wounds were being tended to.”
“Now for my next question – how did you manage to get the blood you needed to survive?”
“Once a month, I’d go into town and hunt up a vampire – offer to do him or her a solid in exchange for one drink of their blood. It wasn’t too hard – greedy vampire are open to favors like that. I had to do some things I’m not proud of, but I got what I needed to survive.”
“Have you done that often?”
“I’ve had to. Every time I fought, I had to find someone. I got good at killing because of it.”
“What do you mean ‘every time you fought’?” Jacqueline asked, honestly not knowing. Jett turned to look at her.
“I fought in the Civil War and the Indian Wars that came after. I fought in World War I and World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Afghanistan.”
“Oh my sweet baby.” Jacqueline said, and held him tight. “I’m so sorry you went through all of that.”
“It’s alright. Believe it or not, those were the better times. After the Indian Wars, I was a pawn of Derrek’s. I escaped him during the Depression, when Marcus found me again, and kept a very tight leash on me ever since. He would let me have my reprieve’s – and while I could have done just about anything, I went to war in order to work out my rage and frustration on the enemy.”
“I heard about what Marcus put you though. You’ve been through an awful lot.”
“He has, but I think that’s what makes him a strong person. Possibly why he’s good friend with my lover Vince, and his boyfriend Brandon.”
“That reminds me…we should probably speak of this ‘gay’ thing.” Jacqueline said, looking at Jett.
“I suppose you can’t call me strictly gay, though men are largely my preference. There’s only been two women I’ve loved and had relations with. One was my wife, back during the Colony days. I’d had three children with her, but she never loved me back. I didn’t find this out until I came back from the Revolution to find she’d hooked up with my brother. She wouldn’t even let me see my own kids. The second is you.” he put his hand son her shoulders and looked at her with a smile. “You were my love, my light, my life. The memory of you kept me going in very hard times, even if you were gone.”
“Tell me about the one in your life now.”
“Brandon is…hard to put into words. He’s got more money than god, but isn’t as ostentatious about it as he could be. He owns and rules his own country, and he practices law. I get the impression that he can be ruthless and deceitful, but he’s never been like that with me. With me Brandon is gentle, patient, and a good lover. He’s a hedonist, so lovemaking can be…interesting. But he’s meant the most to me since you.”
Jett and Jacqueline held each other tight, and kissed for several minutes. “He won’t mind?”
“No, I don’t think he will. He doesn’t mind Lucas, after all.”
“Lucas?”
“Lucas is a friend with benefits. Not a bad guy.”
Jacqueline turned to Petra then. “What about you? You said you had a lover? What’s he like? Or she.”
“His name is Vince and he’s a simple guy. Likes his Heineken, likes his Slim Jim’s. He likes to be lazy, and take things easy. But you couldn’t have a better friend. He’s fiercely loyal and protective to those he cares about, and will go to any lengths for them.”
“How did you meet?”
“Oh, he was trying to kill me at the time.”
Jacqueline blinked. “Kill you? Why on earth would he want to do that?”
“I think it was the sixteenth century. At the time, he believed all vampires to be evil, and was out to kill them all, and then finally himself, if I recall properly. I taught him that not all vampires are evil. I taught him that some try to do good.”
“Did that meeting end well?”
“Very well.” she said, looking as though she ought to be blushing.
“I should like to meet both these men. The two of you are important to me, and I want to meet those important to you.”
“What about you, Jacqueline?”
“No one in my life. No one since Jett. No one ever seemed half as interesting. Beyond that. Penhallow didn’t really allow for me or any of his other ghouls to have relationships.”
“That sucks.”
“Tell me about it.”
Petra glanced at her phone. “I wonder when Jasper will be back?”
“Who knows with him.” Jett said.
“Is he trustworthy?” Jacqueline asked.
“I don’t know much about him, but I do trust him.” Petra said. “Why do you ask?”
“He’s offered to let me stay here, but I’m not certain how comfortable I am with that.”
“Well, if you prefer, I just live next door, so you can stay with me. I still have Nikolai, so there will be someone familiar for you during the day.”
“That might be nice. Thank you.”
“Of course.”