“I try.”
“I’m serious. Do you mind answering more questions?” I asked.
“You should never have to ask that, my pet.”
“Can you father children?”
“Why? Are you looking to make babies?”
“Leo.” I scolded.
He laughed. “Not in the traditional sense. When a vampire becomes a Sire, they sometimes to refer to the fledgling as their child.
“Have you ever sired another?” I took a bite of my eggs.
“Yes.” He replied.
“How many?” Do I really want to know the answer to this question?
“I have sired dozens of vampires throughout my existence, but never against their will.”
“Were they your lovers, like your maker was?”
“Yes.” He smiled.
“When was the last time you did it?” I asked.
“Sired someone?”
“Yes.” I replied, finding myself awfully curious about the answer.
“Close to thirty years ago.”
“Oh.” I said.
“Does that make you uncomfortable?” He asked.
“No, of course not.” I replied. “I mean, I don’t enjoy thinking about all the women out there who know you as intimately as possible, but it is what it is. I was actually surprised because I was expecting you to say something more recent. Why did you stop?”
“I wouldn’t say I’ve stopped per se.” He paused. “I just haven’t felt the desire to do it since the last time.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“I used to turn anyone who asked because I enjoyed giving the gift of immortality.” He looked away from me as he said, “I learned the hard way that I must be more selective with my generosity. The last woman I converted brought a lot of pain to others.”
“What do you mean?”
“Perhaps that is a story for another time. To be quite frank my darling, it is not something I enjoy discussing. I’d much rather focus on more pleasant subjects. What other questions do you have?”
“How does one become a vampire?” Okay, I had some idea from Vance’s story, but I wanted a first-hand view.
“To change someone into a vampire,” he said. “The body must be drained nearly dry, the heart must be slowed to nearly stopping. Once the human’s body is to the point of near death, they must drink their Sire’s blood. It only takes a small amount to initiate the change.”
“Then what?”
“Then, they go into a deep sleep while their body reinvents itself. When they wake, they find themselves equipped with fangs and all of their vampire abilities.”
“What about the fangs?” I asked.