Evaline | L. Lioncourt ✔

[03] Thread And Needle

After that unexpected visit, Lestat's senses had switched into a highly vigilant mode, perking up each time even the slightest of sound emerged from the streets outside. Each time footsteps passed by the corroded gate of the mansion, he would sit up hoping that she had returned. And by each second passing futilely in her wait, his patience was slowly running out.

A day and a night had passed since the lovely woman had stepped out of his mansion. Though he could not help but think that she was never going to return and he had indeed been foolish to let her go. He should have preyed upon her when he had the chance and yet he had let such a fine opportunity slip from his fingers.

He knew well that if he had preyed upon her that night, he would have gained enough strength to venture out at last and hunt enough to get restored to his former health. But what had been done could not be reversed and he was still stuck in the mansion, feeding on nothing but rodents.

He had slept during the entire day, his shawl covering his face from the dim sunlight that filtered in negligibly through the thick foliage of ivy vines. And only when night tightened its hold over the city did he finally peel open his eyes, removing the ragged fabric from his face as he sat up.

Though he was rather startled to see that his room looked nothing like it had when he had closed his eyes for his daytime slumber. It had been swept clean and the carcasses of his previous hunts had been thrown away as well.

A faint yet pleasant scent lingered in the air and as he concentrated further, he realized that it was indeed the scent of the lovely woman, Evaline. He stood up from his chair, a bit shakily at first but then steadied himself as he edged towards a small bundle placed in the corner.

Bending down he undid the knots on the package and to his surprise, he found a new set of clothes complete with a frilled shirt, trousers and a blanket placed inside. Beside that bundle was a pot that held vegetable stew which had gone cold by then.

A small smile flickered on his face as he realized that Evaline had visited during the day while he had been sleeping unaware, and she had been responsible for clearing up the mess in his room as well as leaving the clothes and food for him. His smile widened for the food was inedible to him but her concern showed through that act of kindness.

And though earlier he had been cursing himself for not preying on her, yet again he resisted, thinking that a kind woman as her did not deserve to meet such a gruesome end.

Taking the clothes, he descended to the other end of the mansion where a bedroom was located along with an attached bath. Turning on the tap he was relieved when he figured out that the plumbing was still intact as after a few spurts, water gushed through it.

For the first time in years, he let the water pour over him, cleansing off the dirt as he discarded the ragged clothes. He relished the sensation as he had kept himself deprived of it for years and though the water was cold itself, still it felt considerably warm against his deathly cold skin.

He had no idea how long he spent in the bath for years of rubbish clung to him akin to a thick layer which he had had to scrub off and it did take long enough. But when he was fully refreshed, he closed the tap and allowed himself to dry off for he lacked the luxury of a towel, before putting on the clothes she had brought for him.

He had stepped out of the bathroom, tying the knots on the frilled shirt as he made his way back to the room he had inhabited. Wearing those clothes, he felt a little closer to how he used to be and a comforting feeling bloomed in his otherwise dead heart.

The white cotton shirt fit him perfectly as he arranged the lace on the sleeves that buttoned up on his wrist. Tying up the knots, he observed that it was hand sewn; each frill and lace was attached by thread manually.

At that he couldn't help but think of her slender fingers clutching the garment, working with the thread and needle deftly. His mind once again wandered to the thought of her and he dropped down to his armchair again, grey eyes fixed on the doorway where he had last seen her.

His eyes fluttered shut as his brain painted a rather vivid picture of the fair maiden with her rosy complexion and enchanting blue eyes. And he couldn't help but wonder had the needle punctured through her skin while she was sewing the frills on the shirt he wore.

And just the thought of the red droplets on her fingertips was enough to test his patience further. He longed to lay eyes on her again, though he wasn't certain whether she would ever come during the night for that could be the only time he would be able to see her.

During the days, he hid from the sunlight and slept so that his body could heal. While during the dark nights, he awakened from his slumber and his senses worked better than ever.

His hand shot out and grabbed the rat that had dashed past his armchair, bringing it closer to his mouth as he sank his fangs in, wringing out each drop of blood from the poor creature. Though he made sure not to let even a single drop stain his clothes as he cautiously devoured the prey, leaving nothing but a mere carcass that he tossed out the window.

Insatiable but enough for survival, he thought as he prowled in the wilderness of the mansion's garden, hoping to find a cat or some creature with more blood in it as compared to the rats he had been feeding on.

Luck had been with him that time as he caught a family of raccoons hiding away in a hollow of one of the ancient trees that were in abundance in the backside of the mansion. In a matter of seconds, he had hunted enough to keep him going till the next day so covering the carcasses with the dried leaves, he wiped his hands off, ensuring that he had not ruined his clothes during the hunt.

Satisfied to some extent, he stepped back in the mansion, waiting for the sun to rise again so that he could slip back to a peaceful sleep at last. For the first time in fifteen years of suffering, he felt a bit closer to how he used to be before he had been driven to his demise. And that sense of knowing that he was indeed getting comparatively better made him feel slightly at peace.

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