Embrace of the Nosferatu

Chapter One

The night was quiet as the early winter snowflakes fell onto a dirty road.

A carriage rushed across it. A lamp on its front – like a spectacle of light moving between the trees that constantly tried to consume it with the menacing darkness hidden somewhere in the shadows. Its rusty wheels squeaked with every spin, leaving a trail that was supposed to stretch all the way to London from the very far reaches of the Carpathian Mountains.

The shadows followed that very trail for quite some time, trying to pierce the veil of the warm light that the man held while trying to steer the two horses pulling the carriage. Beside the man sat a woman. There was something different about her. The shadows seemed to follow and spy on them both, but as they got closer, she seemed to stare at them back. A confident gaze that made the demons fall back into the tall woods in fear of being perceived.

A spectacle of light continued to move... for now.

"What are you looking at, dear?" asked Joseph, an oil lamp bathing his face in warm light.

"Ah... What?" Adelia murmured.

"You look like you saw a ghost in those woods." he smiled.

Looking around, there was clearly nothing to see. Nothing but thick fog that swirled across the ground, hiding whatever insects or little animals could wander around.

"And what if I did see one?" Adelia smiled back.

"I don't know. It just made me afraid a bit."

"What's there to be afraid of?" she laughed with a playful smile.

"I can't see anything even with the lamp on. We could get eaten by something."

"That won't happen, Joseph." she said. "Even if some ghosts were out there stalking us, I'm sure they'll love me, and I won't let them eat you, dear."

Joseph blushed, looking into Adelia's beautiful green eyes. He sometimes felt like he could drown in that piercing gaze.

The lamp squeaked as he hung it in front of the coach box so that the light was only the bluish aura of moonlight around them. Joseph looked at the road, making sure the horses steered right, and leaned back to sit face to face with Adelia. Their cat, Henry, slept unbothered on her lap, purring softly.

"I can't believe how he does that." Joseph whispered, scratching the little creature's forehead. He seemed to succumb to sleep even more now. Unbothered, untethered, and calm. Henry even yawned, stretching one of his front legs out, paw gently pressing against Joseph's thigh.

"You have much to learn about calming down." Adelia said to her recently wed husband.

"From him?" Joseph said. "Oh, I know." "There's much I have to learn from you, too."

She placed her hand on Joseph's cheek and whispered. "I love you."

He placed his hand on hers and leaned into the comforting touch. Soft palm brushing through his soft beard, up to his temple. Blood in his veins rushed from the joyful feelings. He felt safe.

"I love you, too." He said, as the night was their witness.

Why did Joseph feel shame in those words? Being the second one to say them, blushing as they affect him deeply with joy?

While they embraced in the dark - the carriage rushing, shaking slightly on the uneven road - something else was creeping back in from the misty woods. Now that the warm veil of light was gone...

Joseph and Adelia traveled for barely a few days from their honeymoon destination – a city of Bucharest in deep Romania. The journey was tiring, but keeping each other's company while visiting many interesting locations on their way home made them treat this long journey home like an integral part of their trip.