Warring Logics (Book 1 of The Institute of Fantasiological Studies)

“You’re not going to stay away from Weiß coven, are you?”

I press my lips together, my mind still taken by von Graf’s presence.

“Alexis?”

I turn to Albert, “No, I need them for my Ph.D.” and also their primus might be the love of my life.

Albert frowns and looks at the door “I’m sorry about him, he shouldn’t be here”

I shrug. Von Graf might be weird, but he didn’t do anything harmful. I step towards the kitchen, “I’m going to make myself some peppermint tea and then hop on a call with Tobias, would you like some?”

“Sure” he follows me towards the kitchen, “I really am sorry, Alexis. I know my presence is disruptive enough, you don’t need the primus’ drama”

I turn the water boiler on and grab mugs out of the cupboards. I still don’t know why I accepted Albert’s presence so easily. A strange vampire now lives in my living room, isn’t that weird? Isn’t it weird that I feel safer having him around?

“I don’t mind having you around, Albert. I don’t understand von Graf though” I grab tea bags from a drawer.

He nods as he watches me, “The Weiß coven is not strict about who becomes a vampire which can be dangerous. Giving someone with bad morals extra strength, the ability to kill, and an immortal life has led to problems between humans and vampires in the past”

I hum agreement, “understandable”

“This is why I told you to be careful with them. I will try to be as close as I can to save you if needed, but I know your work requires some degree of privacy and I am only one man- I cannot fight a whole coven on my own”

My eyes float over to him and I give him a small smile, “thank you for watching out for me”

“No problem.”

We are silent for a few moments as the water boils. There is something that has been bothering me, something on my mind that I’m not quite sure how to bring up with Albert, but he is the only one I know I can ask.

“Um, Albert, do you have a beloved?”

His eyes momentarily widen, but it’s so brief I almost miss it, “no, I um… haven’t met her yet”

“I’m sorry, does it make you uncomfortable talking about it?” The boiler clicks off and I fill the mugs with water. I hand one to Albert.

“No, not at all. I’m just eager to find her. I’m only 52 so it’s not really surprising I haven’t found her yet”

I nod as I dunk my teabag into the hot water in my mug a few times. I then lean my hip against the counter, so I can face Albert where he is standing. To be 52 and not look a day over 30, I just can’t imagine. In a few years, I will look older than him and I’m only 29- yay wrinkles!

“Why do you ask?” his eyes search mine.

“Uh, no reason.” I just have a random vampire declaring I am his one true love, “I was just wondering what it was like when a vampire meets his beloved”

I look up at Albert to see him pursing his lips and looking elsewhere. Maybe it really is a sore subject for him; I can’t imagine having to live an immortal life wondering if and when you will finally meet the ‘one.’ It has to get lonely waiting.

When he remains silent I decide that maybe it’s time for me to call Tobias who has no doubt been ‘waiting patiently for so very long.’ I push against the counter with my hip to go back to my room for my call.

“It’s not that different from humans at least in the beginning, or so I hear” I stop and lean back on the counter to listen to Albert. His eyes are unfocused, thinking. “You are unusually attracted to someone. You want to be near them. Nothing unusual”

“Oh” I am disappointed. There isn’t anything unusual or supernatural there- just the plain old attraction that Hollywood writes in every chick flick.

“But when you bite them, it’s supposed to be overwhelming- you can’t control your actions anymore. Young vampires can sometimes lose control and that is why it’s so important that they are guided by an older vampire… but this is different. The pull to be with the beloved overpowers the vampire’s ability to stop the turning process- some of the blood bunnies are hoping for that when they offer themselves. After the bite the relationship is sealed, the vampire will be overprotective and cannot be away from their beloved for long. It’s a lifelong partnership until one of them dies”

“Sounds intense” Oh my God, do I actually want to be in such a relationship? I can feel my heart pumping in panic at the thought alone. I think of Weiß, I need to get to know him better before I let him go anywhere near my neck.

“It is. It isn’t something you should enter into lightly because there is no backing out once done.” Albert takes a sip of the tea, “why do you want to know about beloveds?”

“No reason” I squeak out. Shit, I’m not ready for something so serious. I really hope I can convince Weiß to take things slowly, or maybe… maybe he is wrong and we are not beloveds at all? “I better go call Tobias now”

“Okay” Albert takes another sip as he walks back towards the couch.

I head back towards my bedroom. My mind and heart racing. I almost claw the handle on my bedroom door as I go to turn it.

“Alexis” I spin towards Albert who has now folded himself onto my couch “don’t worry too much. Beloveds are meant to be”

“Right” I mumble and then enter my room.

What the hell does that mean?

*****

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