“Hades would never allow you to keep that many memories.”
“Well, he did.” I looked at the convent. “And they never bothered me in the Blessed Isles.”
“Because you didn't have a physical form there.”
“What has that got to do with it?”
“The body translates emotions into physical sensations. Without that, memories are less haunting. They can't make you throw up when you don't have a stomach. But in a body, memories can play havoc on your heart, stomach, and, well, everything. If they're bad memories, that is.”
“You could say that.” I looked at the convent. “You ever hear of the casket girls?”
“I live here. So yes, of course.”
I looked back at him. “I was one of them. Except I didn't have a choice in the matter. I was abducted and woke up on a ship.”
“Why?”
“Because I fucked a king.” I started walking again.
“Blessed Isles,” he muttered. Then he caught up to me. “You must have done something really kind after that king betrayed you.”
“Nope. I'm a bit of a rebel actually. It was me who started the vampire rumor.”
“Excuse me?”
“You know, the rumor that the casket girls were vampires. That journey was rough. A lot of us got sick. All of us got real pale and thin. We came off the ship looking like shit—recedinggums, emaciated, pale as the dead. Some of us even had blood on our lips from coughing it up. The men were put off by our appearance, but those nuns were shocked. I don't think they were treated the same way that we were on their voyage over.” I looked back at the convent. “This place wasn't built until after I left New Orleans, but myths get messed up. People get the times wrong.”
“So, what's the truth?”
“The truth is that those nuns were evil bitches who tormented us. Me especially because I didn't want to be there. I hadn't chosen it. So, I decided to play on their fears. I told them I was a vampire—a monster who preyed on blood. And that's why Louis sent me away. I told them my casket was full of dirt from my homeland.”
“Louis? King Louis? That was your king?”
“Yeah. The younger one, not the old man.”
“At least there's that.” He rolled his eyes.
“Hey! I loved him and that fucker betrayed me. No reason to either. He could have just ended things. I mean, the asshole went on to fuck a whole family of sisters and never got rid of any of them. He just moved on to the younger ones. But then, they were nobles.”
“Yes, I recall the rumors.”
“Oh, right. You've been alive a long time. Have you been here for all that time? Maybe our paths have crossed before.”
“Yup. This is our territory. We were here before the French came and named the place after their king. But I know we've never met. If we had, you'd already be ours.”
“Yeah, sure.” I stepped past him.
“Hold on! Stop running off. Sheesh. You're a slippery one.” He kept pace with me. “Tell me more about the nuns and the King.”
“Nope.”
“Nope?”
“Nope. Don't want to. We're already getting too familiar.”
“We're supposed to get very familiar.”
I looked over when I heard his eager tone. “You're hot. I'll give you that. But as a soul who got to choose her own body, hotness doesn't impress me. My hotness level is higher than yours. And I can have anyone I want. So, I'll get to you. Eventually.”
