Son of Dracula ||Book Two||

Prologue

THIS IS A SEQUEL. FOR A SPOILER-FREE EXPERIENCE, PLEASE READ WIFE OF VLADIMIR & SUNSHINE FIRST. THANK YOU. ENJOY.

I can remember that awful night better than I can remember any morning, afternoon, evening, or any pattern of stars in the sky. I see each detail and I relive it in any nightmare I get, and sometimes even while I'm awake.

My brothers and I had been in the library, all lost in our own book. We had found a corner to curl into it, all leaning against each other as we usually did. This night wasn't supposed to be different than any other.

The library was grander than the three of us boys could ever wish for. With shelves that towered dozens of feet over us that were endlessly filled with knowledge and walls that were covered in paintings gathered by our ancestors, it was very easy to lose track of time in there.

The silence was interrupted by mother's footsteps echoing down the hall. I looked up first, anxious to see her face. I loved my mother. My father was great as well, but my mother was unlike anyone I had ever seen before. She was enchanting and warm and always knew what to do. She was fearless.

Even at six, however, I knew something was wrong as she began to approach us. Her pace was quicker than normal and her jaw was tightly clenched together. "Hi momma," I spoke up, noticing my brothers perk up and begin to pay attention to her as well.

Mother said nothing, instead kneeling down in front of us. Her lips curled into a sad smile and her eyes traveled across us slowly. It was as though she was searching for something at that moment, maybe even searching for answers.

Alistair was the first of us to comment on mother's strange behavior. "Mother?" He reached towards her with an elegance I dreamed of one day being able to copy. When it came to us brothers, I wanted to be just like him. I nearly looked like him too, but our slight facial differences set us apart. "Are you alright?" His fingers gently touched her cheek.

She hesitated, which was unusual for her. Mother took his hand and began to kiss it, glancing between us boys. "I need you boys to listen to me, and listen very carefully."

Shivers ran down my spine and my entire body began to freeze. Mother was rarely serious or stern with us, leaving most of that to father. Even then, they perfectly balanced each other out.

"There are bad people in this world, people that want to be incredibly mean to people like us. There are bad people coming for us now. We're okay, but we need to move. We're going to go to your rooms and get your favorite things together, and together the four of us with your father are going to leave. We're going to be safe, but I need you three to listen to everything we tell you to do and you must not argue. It's imperative that you listen and look out for one another. Do you understand?"

But I didn't. It didn't make any sense why she spoke so seriously, or why Alistair suddenly spoke with a shaky voice and grabbed Caelum's hand. "M-Mother?"

It was frightening to see my mother, someone who feared nothing, and my older brother, someone who could take on anything, both tremble around me. I wanted to ask more about the situation, but nothing came to my mouth. My body began to move on its own as mother lifted Caelum onto her hip.

"We're going to go to Caelum's room first. Leo, grab your brother's hand. We're running."

Running?

I didn't have time to comprehend it fully. Alistair was quick to grab my hand and secure his fingers around mine. Even back then, he was the greatest older brother. He was like father in nearly every way I thought possible. For that, I was thankful.

But when I refocused on reality, we were running down the halls. It was strange, as we weren't normally allowed to run like this, but this situation seemed different. I was left to watch as the mansion walls blurred together in colors of all kinds. That wasn't all, however.