Vampire Bonding

By J.M. Thompson

Sylvia's dad unbeknown to her is a vampire. She possesses an undisciplined psychic power prying her friend's minds looking for hidden secretes. She uses her power to build a network of friends. She is popular with boys, however, she tries to conceal her psychical intimations fearing that some of her friends might unfriend her on social media platforms...
Her boyfriend, David is a popular sports archetype fellow. He intrigues her because she cannot read his mind, his future or his past. This makes him a person of interest, someone with whom she feels comfortable. His parents are just as mysterious but slightly weird. He has a cousin who claims to know stuff about vampires but David does not believe her...
Meanwhile, a pale blue-eyed, red-lipped, black- haired cousin of hers, William is a regional health official responsible for all hospitals in her region. Whenever, he came to carry out his official duty at the hospital, she would try to avoid him. She did not want anyone to know that her cousin was a vampire.She feared that her friends might isolate her. William decided to cut off all ties with his family only to reappear later as a successful entrepreneur. He was with a beautiful woman by his side. Beatrice was a wealthy owner of a thriving tennis academy...

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.M. Thompson
• Release date: Aug 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463109434

J.M. Thompson

I am a first-time writer. I have several unpublished manuscripts. Started writing almost ten years ago and publishers seem not to be interested in unknown writers. I am the eldest child with three siblings, but two have since passed on.Writing has become a hobby or a platform for connecting with myself. So many things happened in my life and most of the stuff about which I write has something to do with my life story.I am presently retired taking it real easy, but old age has its own complications yet that is how life is.

Book preview

VAMPIRE BONDING

By JM Thompson

Published by Smashwords

ISBN 9780463109434

Copyright 2018 JM Thompson

Smashwords edition

Smashwords edition licence notes.

The licence for this e-book is for your personal enjoyment only. You may not re-sell this e-book or give it to any other person in whatever form. If you would like to share this e-book with any other person, please purchase additional copies for each recipient. If you are reading this e-book and you did not purchase it for your use only, please return it to smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. I would appreciate a sincere review.

Chapter 1

Brian was one of four kids in a family of six. His father seemed to be fond of him. He was trying to maintain coherence in the family. He knew from the moment he laid his eyes on the boy that someone else was his father. Something about him was weird even ominous. That subject never came up for discussion. Their father had no reason to suspect anything about the other kids. His brother, Maxwell was a little eccentric and a source of sick jokes.

His decision making process was almost delusional. He was damn sarcastic of everything. No one seemed to understand him. He never seemed to do anything right. Yet he never doubted himself. He sometimes demonstrated a little pride after achieving something. He had lots of self-confidence. Nothing could derail his plans. His mother was always drumming something into his head humiliating him.

Whenever, he had a problem, he would rather go to his aunt for advice on family issues or his best friend David for personal stuff. He always envied the relationship David had with his father. They were like friends. He sometimes thought that his own family was dysfunctional. He did not think that something could be wrong with him. He began to distance himself emotionally from the family causing the rift to widen further.

Feeling isolated, he allowed doubts to creep into his mind. He imagined that maybe the nurses or doctors made a mistake. He felt as if his real parents were somewhere out there growing up his assumed parent’s child. He knew though that he could not walk away in search of his real parents. He felt deprived and rejected. He felt alone even though there were people around him. He was heading for depression. He sought solace from the outside world especially women. He became an occasional drinker of alcohol increasing the number of ghost friends. He realised soon enough that his life was losing value.

He decided to move out of his parents' home. He chose to live with his uncle and his aunt. They did not have children of their own. There was a girl living with them. Her name was Eunice. Her biological mother was living somewhere in Potchefstroom. She never bothered herself about her daughter. His aunt, Gloria welcomed him but his uncle, George was a little sceptical. He had a skewed sense of humour.

He too made fun of him regularly; teasing him about his father pointing out that his eyes would always be bloodshot. Maybe he knew who his real father was. Maxwell remained obedient despite all the negativity surrounding him. He wished then that he had a job. He was about to turn thirty then. He never really bothered to seek permanent employment until then.

Fortunately, George was friendly with many people. All of his friends were popular socialites. He told some of his friends about Maxwell seeking employment. Weeks and months went by and one evening, George told him that he had to go to a certain address in town for a job interview. He did not feel excited about the prospects of finding a job. Sometimes he would let negative emotions interfere with his soul. However, he was careful enough not to let such emotions take residence in his being. He never even tried to justify such emotions. Blaming changes nothing.

Such emotions were not for him to entertain. He simply thanked his uncle and he continued studying. He wanted to be an architectural draughtsman. His concentration seemed to waver after a few minutes. His brain refused to absorb any more information. He put away his study material and he went to bed. He silently said a prayer of protection. He believed in the protection by his guardian angel, not in ancestors having certain powers. He was not a superstitious person neither did he believe in myths and black magic. However, life has a way of changing perceptions.

The next day, Maxwell boarded a train heading to town. He seldom rode in a train to anywhere. The people he saw in the coach did not seem relaxed. He got off at Jeppe station and started looking for the address written on a piece of paper. A kind Samaritan helped him find the place for which he was looking. Walking into the building seeking a Mr Krause still did not excite him. The building was old but clean. Someone pointed the way to Mr Clause’s factory. He saw a brass plate with bold engraved letters, ‘Embossed Labels.’ He went into the factory and he heard machines humming. There was a strong smell of printer’s ink.

He saw people working on the machines. He somehow felt intimidated by the unfamiliar surroundings. Walking towards him was a young woman looking at him displaying a faint smile. She had an attractive facial expression with smiling eyes. Her raven hair hung over her shoulders like a cape creating an awesome impression in his mind. Some of the workers stood staring at him as if he was intruding. Maybe that woman never smiled with anyone.

Hello, can I help you?

I am looking for Mr Krause.

Where are you from? She asked knotting her brow.

I am looking for a job, apparently he has a vacancy.

Wait here, I am going to call him.

She walked away towards an open door. He was looking at her rear, thinking that she was exposing too much flesh. Even so, the sight was pleasing to his eyes. Observing her swinging hips and sexy legs, he felt a dull excitement in his chest. Standing by the open door, she said something to whoever was inside that office. A short man with cropped hair came to him, wanting to know why he was in the factory.

Excuse me sir, are you Mr Krause, my uncle sent me here because you said that you need someone to work for you.

My friend needs someone at his factory, go to his place and tell him that I sent you. What is your name?

My name is Maxwell.

Where did you work before?

I have not been employed before.

What have you been doing all these years?

I was studying sir.

The girl was within hearing distance. She heard him tell Krause his name and his ambition in life. She thought that he was handsome. She did not care about his skin colour. She began to allow her mind to create images and scenes involving him. She was hoping that he could fit in her scheme of things if not she would dispose of him.

Krause had no idea how mischievous she could be. Maxwell was looking in her direction and he saw her winking at him. His heart skipped a beat. A few sweat beads appeared on his brow. Krause noticed his nervousness and he wondered if he would be able to work with his friend.

Krause then gave him a written piece of paper. Looking at the street name, he had no idea how to find the place. Krause then explained to him how to get to Suburban Street in Marshalltown. He thanked Krause and he walked out. The girl thought that she was not going to let him walk away without doing something about the situation.

After saying something to her stepfather, she walked out with quick but solid soundless footsteps. She displayed enough confidence in her to face anything life could throw at her. Stopping in his tracks, he looked at her smiling face. His body tensed wondering why she followed him. For the first time in his life, a girl managed to confuse his emotions. Her blue piercing eyes seemed to make him uncomfortable.

She said, I am going to buy me something to eat, do you mind if I buy you something.

That is kind of you but you do not know me, so why are you being nice to me.

Why do you want to know that, is it because of my skin colour?

Your boss might be angry with you.

Do not worry about that.

They were outside the building walking towards the corner shop. He could smell the aroma of fried fish. He always tried to rationalise everything that happened to him. The girl walking beside him was an unsolved puzzle. Something about her made him feel curious about her. His being began to relax as no one even looked at them or commented. Mixed relationships were no longer taboo on any progressive mind. Maxwell’s mind was hovering somewhere in the grey area where nothing was real.

The girl said, My name is Barbra and I would like you to be my friend.

My name is Maxwell but my friends call me Max.

Can I call you Max then?

That is fine with me.

Her offer to be his friend stunned him for a few seconds. How could he be friends with a white girl? However, his heart accepted her as his friend but his brain was struggling to come to terms with the decision. A few names or faces of girls that actually professed their love for him came to mind. However, none of them was white they were all black or coloured faces. He could not understand why his family seemed to reject him while strangers favoured him. Walking into the shop, he saw several people having their meals.

Barbra ordered 2 plates of fried fish and two cups of coffee. Then she led him to an empty table. They sat on the chairs by an empty table. No one bothered to look at them. His mind was slowly trying to relax and accept Barbra as a friend. It was possible that she could become his girlfriend. No one in his circle of friends had such an experience with a hot young white girl. He did not have the habit of boasting about anything but he was sure to tell David about Barbra. He thought that she was a fascinating open-minded human being.

You seem to be anxious about something. Someone brought their food to their table.

How can I relax, life is full of surprises.

Do you feel intimidated by my presence?

I am trying to adjust my mind to accept you as my friend even though I am not sure where this might lead.

Do you have a girlfriend?

No, I do not have a girlfriend.

She asked, Are you afraid of girls?

I am not afraid but I had a bad experience before.

I am not going to bite you or do something bad to you.

He was enjoying the spicy taste of the fish sprinkled with lemon juice. Fried fish was one of his favourite meals. His eyes were on her attractive glowing face with no make-up on it not even earrings.

She said, If Mr Schroeder employs you, I want you to let me know.

How will I do that?

I will give you my contact number.

We do not have a phone at home.

Are you trying to say that you do not want to be my friend?

That is not what I meant, as you know I am without a job and making phone calls costs money.

You can call me as soon as you receive your first wage.

In that case, I will surely call you.

She looked at him do you like me?

Yes, I would like to see you again.

She then walked away. She seemed to be happy about something. She was walking with light confident steps. Entering the building, she went to the factory to continue with her work. Maxwell did not know that she was Clause’s stepdaughter. She was the only child; Krause had no kids of his own. Some of the employees suspected that she went chasing after Maxwell; they knew a thing or two about her, most of that were spiteful allegations.

Krause called his friend, Mr Schroeder and he told him about Maxwell. Maxwell was walking all the way from Jeppestown to Marshalltown. He arrived at Marshalltown after a long walk. He found Misanco house and he ascended the stairs to the first floor. He saw a white plastic sign with black lettering. He saw ‘Diesinkers and Engravers’ on the plastic sign.

Knocking twice on the closed door, he entered the office. He saw a middle-aged brown-haired woman sitting behind a desk. She was wearing glasses with thick lenses. She looked at him thinking that he was a messenger from one of the firm’s clients. Then she noticed that his eyes were on her cleavage. Why was she wearing such a low cut dress in the office? She had a right to wear anything she liked.

She showed no reaction to his interest in her cleavage or sexuality but her inner being accepted the silent compliment. Something about him was different from every other black face she ever saw. He was different all right he was a damn vampire. Something inside her being recognised his lineage through his eyes and became jubilant. She wondered if Sylvester had anything to do with his presence in the factory.

Mr Krause sent me here.

The woman asked him in a husky voice are you looking for a job?

Yes, I am looking for a job.

Where did you work before?

This will be my first place of employment.

A tall well-built man appeared wearing a grey dustcoat. Maxwell looked at him wondering if he was one of the employees. The man looked at him and he seemed to smile. The man asked him are you from Clause’s place?

He spoke in an accent but Maxwell was not aware of that. It was the same accent as Barbra had. They were both German nationals. He did not notice the similarity even then. He did not have much information about foreign accents. He noticed that he had dark brown eyes. He knew of many black people with similar coloured eyes, which was very confusing to him.

He previously thought that all white people had blue or green eyes. He looked at the woman again. Her eyes were of a greyish colour, which was an unusual colour to him. He thought that maybe she was a rare species. She appeared to be smiling noticing his uneasiness, she too was a little perturbed by his personality. He remembered that Barbra had blue piercing eyes. He was experiencing and learning something new about white people. ‘To hell with the superiority attitude and no inferior complex either,’ his mind concluded.

He said that you need someone to work for you.

Come into the workshop.

Maxwell followed him. They were in a small workshop. He saw another man operating a machine he never saw before. The man looked at him; he did not seem to appreciate his presence. Well, Max did not give a damn about his miserable feelings and stupid reactions.

The tall man said Willie, I want you to show Maxwell how to operate that machine. Willie was nodding his head as if they were wasting his time, which was not his to claim anyway. The man then walked away.

Willie asked, Where did you work before?

This will be my first job.

How old are you?

I will be twenty nine years old in October.

Okay, you will be making tea for the boss and his wife. Yvonne will give you money for milk.

Who is Yvonne?

She is the bitch you saw sitting in that office.

What is his name?

His name is Mr Schroeder; you will have to sweep the floor every morning.

Is that all I will be doing here?

You will also learn the names of the tools we use here.

He then showed him the different tools and machines. Maxwell understood the word ‘engrave’ but he was seeing engraving machines for the first time. Willie told him to try his luck. Maxwell seemed to learn fast. The boss came in later to see if he was doing anything useful. Maxwell seemed to be a natural. He walked away thinking that he found someone he could train. His working relationship with Willie was turning sour.

I think that we can use that new boy.

Are you going to keep Willie as well?

Yeah, why should we get rid of him?

Remember the problem he gave us demanding more money.

She really wanted Willie out of the picture; she knew that she had to find a way of getting rid of him. She was certain that Max would make the cut. She knew in her bone marrow that he was the right chap. Something in his eyes allowed her to conclude that he possessed something different even supernatural. His presence in her factory was definitely not a coincidence. She needed to discuss the matter with Sandra; she might have more information about Max.

Well, if he makes another move like that he will be out of here.

What is his name?

His name is Maxwell but we can call him Max.

Do not get too close to him as you did with Willie.

Do not blame me for Willie’s behaviour.

He seems to be respectful though Willie is not.

Inside the workshop, Willie was showing Max how to engrave, grind cutters and different types of lettering. Then at precisely 12.30, he showed him how to make tea. Max took the tray to the office. Thereafter, he went to sit in the change room because it was lunchtime. He had no money to buy anything on that day. He was glad that Barbra bought him fish earlier. Willie offered him a slice of bread. He began bad-mouthing Yvonne and her daughter. Max did not care for gossip especially coming from a man gossiping about women

Thereafter, they went to continue with their work. At 17.00 hours, they all stopped working and they went to the train station. They boarded the train and Max got off the train at Phomolong station. He went to tell his aunt that he found a job. She told him to tell his parents as well. That was a tough decision for him but he decided to go to his parent’s home over the weekend.

His mother seemed to be happy for him. She told him to open a savings account. His first wages amounted to nine hundred and fifty rand. He kept on going to work but by then he was back with his parents. He noticed that Yvonne was being too nice with him. No one was making fun of him then. Maybe his family was beginning to accept him with his faults. One day he remembered to call Barbra. He heard a strange voice and he nearly ended the call. Barbra’s mother was on the other end of the line.

Maxwell asked, May I speak with Barbra please.

Do you have a name?

My name is Maxwell.

The woman asked, Why do you want to speak with her?

She said that I should call her.

He heard the woman calling Barbra in a loud croaky voice. He heard Barbra responding in her sweet melodic voice. The woman told her that a Maxwell was on the line. She seemed not to remember anyone by that name. She took the receiver from her mother.

Hello Maxwell said Barbra.

Hi Barbra, did I call at the wrong time.

I have a problem remembering you, how did you get this number.

You gave it to me because you said that you wanted to be my friend.

I say that to many people, when was that and where were we.

I was at Clause’s factory looking for a job, and then you took me to that shop.

And I bought us fish and coffee.

I am glad you remember.

Can you come over on Saturday?

I am not familiar with town and suburbs.

You can come by taxi and I will pick you up at the taxi rank, where do you live?

I live in Dube.

Take a taxi to Randburg and get off at Long Street; I will be there from 12.00hrs to 14.00hrs.

Barbra ended the call after telling him not to disappoint her. He then went to visit his friend David. David was listening as Max was telling him about his appointment with Barbra expecting him to say something interesting. He expressed his concerns about the friendship. He did not think that Barbra was a decent woman.

David asked, Are you worried because she is white.

Someone told me that white women are crazy about sex.

That is bull, women of all races are the same, some like it others are not so crazy about it.

I think I will have to buy condoms in case she is one of the crazy ones.

Do you mind if I come along.

Why should I mind? Anyway, I should go home now.

He then stood up and David walked with him to his gate. They stood there talking about girls and their common habits. Max asked him about Sylvia. David suspected that something was going on between her and the preacher. Max let that one slide. People were still walking around as if they had nothing else to do. Some of them greeted them, others simply walked past. Maxwell joined the jaywalkers and he went to his home.

Where is your brother?

I have no idea where he is.

Are you upset about something?

No mum, I am not upset just tired.

He walked past to his room. He needed to sleep. His mind switched to Barbra wondering if she had a boyfriend. He read a few paragraphs from a book he kept on his pedestal. His eyes became tired and he closed the book. He fell asleep soon afterwards.

He woke up in the morning and he washed his body. He then wore his weekend clothes. He seldom wore leather shoes. His toes were problematic and he preferred sneakers. He had his breakfast with the family as usual. The family always had breakfast together on Saturdays. Any other day was out of the question. His father asked him about his job. They always shared ideas and advices after their Saturday breakfast.

That man is so friendly that I sometimes forget that he is my boss.

Do not take advantage of that, you might lose your job.

Brian said, Borrow me one hundred rand I will pay you at the end of the month.

His mother said, What are you doing with your money, are you saving something?

Everything is expensive these days, how can anyone save anything.

Obviously, Brian was spending his money on other things. Maybe he was not being honest. He loved buying expensive clothes and entertaining women. As it was, he was eager to get out of the house, his friends were waiting for him to show up. He went to his bedroom to prepare himself for the weekend.

He applied a deodorant spray before he put on his golf shirt. Then he checked his wallet to make sure that he had enough money. He came out looking as if he had loads of money. He bade his mother good-bye and he drove off in his new car. He picked up his girlfriend at her home. She looked smashing in her new outfit. She was ready for a sizzling night out.

She put her overnight bag in the boot of the car. They sat in the car for a while talking. Then he drove off to his best friend’s house. He parked his car and the couple went into the house. His friend Ben was with his latest girlfriend. She looked at Brian and she quickly looked away. Was that a sign of guilt or shock? She had no idea that he was Ben’s friend.

Brian recognised her but he decided not to let anyone know that he knew her very well. She too played the innocent game. Ben introduced her to his visitors. Her name was Lucille. She was a pretty girl with dimples and smiling bluish eyes. Soon the girls were chatting in their own lingo. They knew each other as showstoppers at any party. They owned the dance floor. Yet there they were pretending to be strangers.

Ben and Brian went outside to discuss their strategy for the weekend. They obviously had to make sure that they had enough funds. Lucille worried that Brian might tell Ben something dirty about her. For that reason, she was a little on worried fearing the worst. Ben decided that they would go to Thembisa. One of his friends was having a weekend party.

Back at home, Maxwell was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. Afterwards, he corrected his collar looking at his reflection in the mirror. By then, David was already sitting in the lounge waiting for him. They walked out of the house leaving his mother and two sisters in the house. His father was always out there doing whatever. They went to the main road and hailed a passing taxi.

Arriving in town, they climbed into another taxi that would take them to Randburg. Maxwell told the driver that they were going to Long Street in Randburg. Soon the taxi was on its way to Randburg. It seemed to take long and Maxwell realised how far Randburg was from Jo’burg. He was hoping that Barbra would be there waiting for them. He had enough time to think about Barbra as his possible girlfriend. The idea made him feel