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the excitement in the air. Even for those who had been on an airship before, it was still quite the experience. I stepped out of my carriage and turned to Thomas, who sat with his mouth gaping open in disbelief as he beheld the colossal ship.

    “Jealous?” I said up to him still perched on the coachman’s seat. His feet propped upon the footboard made his gangling legs bend at a comical angle. His knees seemed as high as his own shoulders.
    “Not at all, m’lord. It’s unnatural, it is. To go up in that thing? Unnatural.” He let his pointy chin relax again in astonishment. No matter how ‘unnatural’ he thought it was, he couldn’t take his eyes off of the immense thing.
    “Quite true, Thomas. However, I do know something about the unnatural.”
    “Of course, m’lord,” Thomas replied, remembering himself.
    “Return for me by 10 o’clock. We should be landing around then."
    “Very good, m’lord.”
    I turned toward the great vessel and started towards it. I hadn’t felt this excited since my Spring-Heeled Jack days. It was what they called me back then. I had taken delight, for a few years, showing my true form and frightening villagers in Sheffield, Liverpool, and even parts of Scotland. Some I’d kill, but some I’d leave alive to tell the tale. When a decree came down to shoot Spring-Heeled Jack on site, I had figured it was time for a change. I had started to lay low in 1872, revising my routine, as I did every few decades just to avoid death by boredom. In fact, last night’s act of luscious debauchery was the most conspicuous I’d been since then. Loved to see that the papers reported ‘vampire’ instead of some other silly explanation like a phantom monster who could leap onto high buildings and over fences, although I can. I just had gotten too excited last night, as it was quite obvious from the tooth marks I left. What other conclusion but
    ‘vampire’ could they make?
    Yes. I definitely had to be more careful for awhile. After all, it was quite the hassle to move to another country, and I quite like this one. Perhaps I should turn to prostitutes and such for a bit. Still, the long seduction that I begin tonight will be well worth another high-profile kill. Will it be Emily or Hazel? Ah, the unknown. I should just let nature take its course and see what opportunity best presented itself.
    “Good evening, sir,” a man dressed in uniform said as I approached the ramp. He had gold braids hanging from each shoulder and three golden buttons lining each cuff. He wore a baldric stretched across the front of his double-breasted brown uniform from one shoulder to the other hip. It contained all sorts of tools kept in special-made loops and pouches for easy access. Ten golden buttons down each seam fastened the smart uniform beneath his black leather baldric. He had to be part of the ship’s crew.
    The area all around the ship was roped off and constables were stationed every ten yards or so to keep ruffians out.
    “Yes. It is a good evening, good sir. Permission to come aboard,” I replied, smiling. After all, I had been on a ship or two in my time, even if they had been the kind that floated rather than flew.
    “Of course, sir, but I must see your invitation.”
    “By all means,” I said, reaching into my inner pocket and producing the gold leaf, embossed invitation.
    “Thank you, sir. Once on board, please make yourself at home. There are complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres on the second deck and the views from the top deck are quite breathtaking.”

    I tipped my hat to him and proceeded up the long ramp to the ship. The ship itself was golden in color, which just served to increase its majesty. Suspended above it with countless ropes was a huge balloon that seemed twice the size of the vessel. It extended slightly past the bow and stern and over either side, and it was at least three times as high as the ship to which it was tied. The ramp led up onto the hull’s lowest deck,