Will you Invite me in?

People have unrealistic expectations. Not just of others, but mostly of themselves. I believe it comes from living in a cocoon from truth, from reality, until they are forced to face life or death in all its glory or horror. I remember when I was one of you, long before I returned to this island called Trinidad to begin this memoir of my existence. I am called Nicolas de Bourbon, but I am not truly known by most others that walk the earth. Perhaps this is why I do this, so that you can know that your fear of the shadows and things that go bump in the night pale in comparison to the truth. That I exist is far worse than anything you can imagine.

I can recall my human beginnings, before I became what I am now. It was my fortieth year and I was a wealthy, French aristocrat without a fear or need. I was fortunate enough to be the benefactor of years of studies in the arts and philosophy and arrogantly and ignorantly thought that wealth and power was my birthright. But within the span of six months I lost my parents and my pregnant wife to the plague. Everything I considered sacred and safe slipped through my hands like sand and I looked to alcohol and faceless lovers for answers.

Consumed by self-pity, and at my lowest point, I cursed God and prayed for death. Henry de la Safer answered my request. It was with la Safer, or as I have suspected ever since, Lucifer, that I made the deal that has sealed my fate. It is because of me that people on this island, named for the Trinity, have told stories of supernatural occurrences, banshees, deranged old women called soucouyants who can peel off their skin and turn into balls of fire at night, to drain the blood of their victims.

I am the first of my kind, but there are others that can be called vampire. Even more who have made their own bargains and are cursed with other paranormal afflictions. I have much more to tell you of my makings and my experience, but dusk beckons and I must heed her call. Just as you non-believers should heed mine…there are forces of good and evil at work and they require neither your permission nor your belief to exist.