"The following weeks passed by in a blur for Rosetta and I. We had found our rhythm again and things became stable once more. She would spend the majority of her day in the library or in the garden, simply living as peacefully as she could. Sometimes, she'd even help me with the work that piled up in my office much too often.
She had decided days after our conversation that she, truly, was ready for bringing a child into the world; our child. So, when night came, I would go to our bedroom where we kept hope for that child. Once she fell asleep, I'd sneak into the night of the forest to keep the burning in my throat away. If we had a child, they would be half-human at the very least. It wouldn't just be Rosetta that I'd have to be careful around, it would be them too.
Morning would rise shortly after. I always woke Rosetta and spent a few hours away with her, hiding away in the darkest parts of the mansion while sunshine poured in through every gap. When she would leave for the day, I'd return to my cave and take my turn at sleeping. Somewhere in between there, I managed my work load. It wasn't always ideal, but it was a system that worked for us and that was far better than what we had been doing beforehand.
It wasn't the only new routine in our home that we were getting used to. Because of what I had become, we had to find a loophole around facing our people. I wasn't certain about letting them see what I was, but knew I couldn't just abandon them. I wasn't against the people knowing what creature I was, as it was part of my identity now. According to Trevor's journals, nor him or his father ever uttered a word of their transformation to their people. I didn't want to be known as the Count that hid something so important from his people, but I hadn't any idea on how to bring it up to them.
My biggest concern was how they would handle the news. While Transylvania was widely accepting of everyone, I had heard the stories of other countries and what they did with people that were different. Images would flicker across my mind whenever I thought on the subject, especially of Romania as a whole. Witch hunts were common and those deemed to be witches were killed in the most brutal ways imaginable. Would my fate be the same as theirs?
When I was a boy, my father had taken me to another city within Romania on business matters. It was there that I witnessed my first witch hunt. I don't remember being very old, but I was old enough to remember the details of what they did to that woman. The horrors became my nightmares for many nights afterwards. Whenever I asked my father about it and what it happened, he'd put on the best smile he could manage and tell me that other parts of our land weren't as forgiving as Transylvania.
My father had ruled over our people with a kind heart. Whenever someone was accused of something that seemed out of a fairytale or a myth, he never convicted them to a harsh sentence. He'd do his best to prove them innocent, but if it didn't work he would send them away. Even now, I'm not sure where he sent them. My father said that wherever they were, they were safe.
To keep up with my father's excellent work as Count, I had the servants swear to secrecy. They'd travel down to the village during the day, collecting concerns, compliments, and complaints from anyone willing to talk. They wrote them all down and would take notes of the condition of the village. Essentially, they were my eyes.
There were times Rosetta would join them, but I never did. Often, the people asked about me, but the subject was always changed before an answer was given. It had become proper protocol until we could figure something else out. I longed to be with them, but knew I had to be patient.
When the day was over, the servants would return, with Rosetta if she had gone with them that day, and leave the parchments with the notes of that day in my office. I'd find them after Rosetta had fallen asleep, reading them over while I journeyed into the forest for that night. Some were as simple as a complaint about a neighbor or as complicated as crops not growing properly. After I would find something to hold myself over in the forest, I'd go into the sleeping village and fix what I could.
Sometimes, it was hard taking care of the people. Doubt filled the hearts of several villagers due to my absence in their public eye and I hardly blamed them. Even as I fixed the problems at night, building sheds, gates, leaving notes about plants that needed to be switched to another plot of land, checking the water and the animals; none of it was enough. I valued each note like it was precious gold. Until I could find a way to present myself to them, it would have to be good enough.
Sometimes, there would be a complaint or suggestion that I agreed with but was out of my power. I'd research it the best I could before finishing the task. That, or I'd find a solution and give it to my servants to deliver on their next return to the village.
I wanted to think that despite my lack of appearances, I still kept my people happy and content with their lives. I hadn't quite gotten over my small fear of revealing myself to them, not knowing how they would take it. It wasn't as if I could lie about it either. Anyone would notice that I had changed in appearances. There was no lying my way around that. Nothing I could say in that moment would be able to convince them. When it eventually came out, if it ever did, it would have to be slow and steady.
For the most part, those several weeks stayed simple. Routines were staying on track and nobody's suspicion had been raised.
One night in particular, an hour or so before the sun was supposed to rise, I found myself in pain. The list from that week had been unusually long and I had devoted my entire night to fixing what I could and giving my silent help where it was needed. I had strayed away from feeding each night, as I had read in the journals that it wasn't required. I simply had to find my tolerance; my balance of how long I'd be okay without the blood. It had only been a week to that night when I felt the intense burning, similar to how it had felt during my transformation.
The tingling had started at the bottom of my throat, going around my skin like a whirlwind. My neck started to feel tight as the sensations made their way upwards, eventually reaching my mouth. The feeling didn't stop there, as I had wished. It began moving into my head, giving me what I can only explain as a massive headache. My teeth started to ache, especially my dangs. The colors of the night began to blend together into grey and black images, and I could feel myself slipping away from reality.
In the same section I had read about not needing to feed each night had been a section of what to expect when I had gone too far. My reaction was normal to one that was deprived for too long. If I didn't find something soon, I would give into instincts out of my control and become the monster I so feared.
I wandered the streets until I came upon one of the farms I visited frequently. I was afraid of not making it to the forest to find a creature that could satisfy the monster away. I eyed the animals from the outside of their enclosures, my guilt lessening with each step closer I got. I hated the thought of stealing from my people, but this alternative was better than turning on them and killing them in their sleep. This seemed like the safest path I could take.
I didn't need anything big, I didn't want to be greedy.
This farmer in particular had more sheep than a person could count. Surely, if one were to go missing they wouldn't be noticed. Even better? They were freshly sheared. It was better this way than to kill an animal he had few of, like the chickens and cows lingering on the other side of the farm. I made a silent vow that I would repay him the following night with the money needed to replace the sheep that I would take from him.
I climbed over the farmer's fence, taking slow steps. I saw one in the corner that I could get out of the enclosure quickly. I stopped in front of it, watching it sleep. There were thick trees nearby. If I was smart about it, I could easily hide behind the trees and do what I needed to do without being noticed. I could feel another wave of guilt wash over, but it was quickly pushed aside by my current needs.
I had tried to take it slow, like I usually did, but I was too far gone for that. Before I had the chance to think about anything else, I found myself grabbing the sheep by the sides and jumping over the fence. I darted for the trees, all the meanwhile the sheep I had grabbed began to cry out in fear as I had startled it. I failed to see the backdoor of the farm open as I ran.
I knelt behind the tree, muttering an apology to the poor animal. I placed my hands around the neck of the sheep and broke it before it could call out anymore. I was a shell of the person I usually was in that moment, my thirst driving me to rush and not focus. If I'd been paying attention, I might have been able to hear the frantic heartbeat that stood out from among the sheep.
I lowered my head to the animal, finding the perfect place to sink my mouth around. I didn't hesitate to begin drinking from the animal. As soon as the blood hit my mouth, I felt at peace again. The burning disappeared, as did my headache. The world became as colorful as night could be. I felt in control again. I felt normal. I finished off the animal and pulled my head away, the guilt finally settling upon my chest in a full force. The emotion had been muted before, but now it weighed on my shoulders in a way I imagined Atlas felt as he held the celestial heavens. The very people I had sworn to take care of were becoming the people who were helping me feed the monster within.
I reminded myself that it had been an emergency and I would never do it again, and that I was going to pay the poor farmer for what I had done. I stood and brushed myself clean of any debris I had picked up, noticing the blood on my hands and clothes. I had never made that much of a mess before, only on my first hunt.
I stepped out from behind the tree, planning on returning home before anyone could see me. As soon as I stepped, fear consumed me as I noticed the one heartbeat that stood out among the sheep. I brought my eyes back to the fenced in animals to search for what I was hearing, my heart dropping as I noticed the farmer with a lantern in his hand. His eyes were wide and upon me.
'Count Vladimir? Is... Is that you?' He opened the fence and began closing the distance between us.
I wanted to panic. I hadn't exactly prepared for anything like this happening, but my actions had given me grave consequences. I hid my hands in my pockets and approached the man slowly so as to not let him discover the body of the sheep just yet. He was an older man, so I could properly rely on him not remembering where he had seen me come from when he would discover the body later. I wanted badly to run away, but knew how badly it would reflect. I just needed to stay calm. 'Good morning my old friend. What stirs you so early today?' I offered a gentle smile, wincing as he brought the lantern closer. I could feel the light burning at my exposed skin, but I dared not move a single muscle. I had to fight it to protect my identity.
He said nothing, only stared at me in a mixture of surprise and confusion. His dark eyes moved across my body, finally provoking speech from him. 'You... You're covered in blood. Count, are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you-' His eyes locked on mine, his face instantly becoming pale.
I attempted to calm the panic raging through my body and quickly averted my eyes, remembering the intense red they had become since my transformation. 'I'm perfectly fine. There's no blood upon me, you must be seeing things. Just go back inside and sleep while you can. The time to wake will be upon us soon and you don't want to be tired.' I walked the stiff man back to the gate and opened it for him, gently ushering him inside before closing the gate. 'Sleep well.' I waited until he had hurried inside before I left the scene. When I was sure I was out of distance from his home, I began to run as quickly as I could back to the mansion.
The world blurred around me as I focused on home, not knowing how to feel about what had just happened. I had known the farmer had seen my eyes, but had he known what it meant? Would I be able to play it off as his mind playing tricks on him?
It wasn't until I came home to Rosetta that I discovered my eyes had only been part of what frightened the poor old man.
'Vladimir! Your... Your face.' Rosetta had gasped as soon as I walked into the bedroom, her eyes instantly growing wide. 'What happened?' She was quick to stand and reach her hand out towards my cheek.
'Nothing out of the ordinary. What's wrong with my face?' I stood still, sighing in content at the feel of her hand upon my skin. I could always count on Rosetta to bring me so much peace after a stressful night.
She carefully pulled her hand away from my face, revealing her fingers to me. Each finger now had a layer of blood upon them. 'It's all over your face, and your eyes are so much brighter than normal. What did you do?' That old glimmer of fear began to take hold of her eyes. She took several steps away from me, as if she were afraid I had done something drastic.
I wiped my face clean with my sleeve, seeing the red evidence over my white sleeves. It was everywhere. I let out a sigh, knowing I had to confess. 'I haven't been feeding as much as usual. Right when I was finishing things in the village, I lost myself and had to feed. I killed a sheep that belonged to one of the local farmers.' I examined my shirt and pants in the dim candlelight, just now seeing how much blood I was covered in. No wonder the farmer had been so afraid.
'Vladimir,' Rosetta sighed as she squeezed my wrist, trying to avoid touching my blood-stained hands. 'But why? The forest would have been a better open for you. The farmer will know.'
'I wasn't thinking clearly. That state...' I trailed off, remembering how the color had faded from all around me. I did my best to not think of how close I had been to losing myself entirely. Would I have snapped back to myself afterwards? I shuddered at the thought. 'All of reality slipped away from me. I didn't think I'd have enough time to make it to the forest. I was afraid that I'd kill one of the townspeople instead.' I focused on her hand, pausing as I thought of the farmer. 'I'm afraid he already knows, actually. He almost caught me in the moment. He was outside after it happened, I hadn't even noticed him come outside. I made him go back inside. Usually, I'm not this... Stained, afterwards.' My shoulders slumped as I spoke of my failure. 'He saw me. I didn't realize there was so much on me. He told me I was covered and I tried to tell him he was seeing things.'
Rosetta's eyes became wide again as they locked upon mine while I spoke. She knew how hard I had been trying to keep this life a secret. She, also, came from a kingdom that had similar beliefs to those that I had nightmares about as a child. She was far more worried than I was. Her heart confirmed that as it began spiraling off into a new pace. 'Then you hurry and get cleaned up. We'll create witnesses that will protect you from being accused. It will be the word of an old farmer against yours. It will stand.'
'Rosetta, I believe it's alright. He was the only one who saw me and he's the eldest of all our farmers. If he took my advice, he went back to bed. I bet he'll wake up in a matter of hours believing he dreamed the entire thing up. If he finds the body of the sheep, no doubt he'll believe it's the work of a wolf or some other wild animal. It was just one incident. I'll be more careful. I've more than learned my lesson,' I assured in an attempt to calm her, but it did little. I wasn't even sure of what I had said. It was merely my hope for what had happened.
'Please don't pass this off as being so simple. Vladimir, this is serious. If they find out, there's no telling what they'll do to you!' Rosetta turned away from me and sat upon her side of the bed with her arms crossed, her face scrunched in worry and thought as if she were trying to plan every outcome for this situation. It was frightening how similar we had found out we were.
I walked into our bathroom and found a damp washcloth near a bucket of water. I carried it into the bedroom, taking a seat at her vanity as I dipped the cloth into the water. I brought it back to my hands, beginning to wipe the blood away.
It was enough to stir her again. Rosetta got up from her pouted position and sat on the ground before me, taking the washcloth from me. She dipped it into the water and squeezed the excess water out before starting to wipe the blood off of my face. 'I worry about you far too much.'
I smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her forehead once I was sure my lips were clean. 'I know, I'm sorry. Trust me on this one, though, Rosetta. It was only one person. I'll be more careful, just for you.'
She fought a smile, instead shaking her head as she continued to remove the blood from my skin. Rosetta made me feel like a child in danger of a scolding from their mother.
As I recalled the way I felt, I further cemented the idea that I didn't want to transform Rosetta. I could never watch her go through something like that and remain a sane man on the other side.
I forced myself to believe the incident would go unnoticed. I did my best to not think of it again.
After Rosetta finished cleaning the blood off my face, I retired to my cave where I would finally rest for the day. I dreamt only of my wife that night.
When I eventually woke, I hurried to meet Rosetta back in our bedroom to spend what little time I had with her before she would fall asleep. She informed me of the day she had and we carried out the routine of the decision we made the month before.
I laid beside her afterwards, running my fingers through her hair. I had begged her to stop braiding it with the promise I would brush it for her when she woke. I had promised it to her, as I adored feeling her hair. It carried the strongest scent for her and the color brought my comfort. It was unique entirely to my beloved.
'Goodnight, Vladimir,' she smiled up at me as her eyes began to flutter close.
I returned the smile, about to reply to her when I heard the swarm of frantic hearts beating together. I tore my gaze away from Rosetta, instead looking towards our window where moonlight was already beginning to creep inside.
'What is it?' Her smile began to fade as she noticed the confusion upon my face. Rosetta sat up on her elbows to follow my gaze.
I carefully got out of the bed and made my way towards the window. I didn't reply to her just yet, worried that I would frighten her over nothing. The hearts grew stronger, but the way they jumped around told me that those they belonged to were frightened. Voices became clear to me as the group got closer, though not everything they said fully registered.
...Get... Count!
...Pay!
I held a finger to Rosetta as I pulled the doors open, walking onto the balcony attached to our room. I stepped into the night, soon thankful that I had dressed myself before walking out into the night. I froze in place as I understood what the mass of heartbeats had been.
In the distance, just barely coming out of the forest, were a mob of villagers armed with fire, pitchforks, and any other tools they could use for fighting.
I swallowed, my mind reverting back to the sights I saw as a boy. In that moment, I relieved the event with a new fear weighing down on my chest; fears that I didn't even know had existed beforehand.
The woman's skin was pale beneath the twilight sky. Tears poured down her face like rivers. She was dressed in a plain tanned dress that was stained with dirt and blood.
The village my father and I were visiting had sounded bells out throughout to alert us all of what was happening in the town square. We stood among the other officials who had been visiting for the same event as my father.
I held his hand tightly, unable to tell what was happening just yet. I raised my gaze to look at my father and saw the stone cold expression he wore, anger flaming out from behind his eyes. 'Father? What's happening? Why is that woman crying?'
Father sighed and pulled me closer to his waist, turning my head away from what was happening in the middle of the crowd that had formed. 'Man is showing how evil they can be; how twisted and dark. This is not for young eyes, my dear Vladimir. Don't watch. Cover your ears.'
While he gave me the instruction, I didn't fully listen. I'm sure he noticed, but he didn't correct the action. I kept my head against his side, able to peek through the bodies of the people in front of us. Many of the people directly surrounding the woman carried torches that burned brightly and weapons I had never seen before. They were all chanting in a language I didn't understand while the woman cried out.
'Please! I'm innocent!' The woman wept as men stepped forward, pulling her away from the ground. They dragged her to a shrine of wood and rope, beginning to tie her to the tallest pieces of wood all while she screamed, cried, and fought.
Two more shrines were on either side of her. An older man and an older woman were pulled forward. Tears stained their faces, but they didn't scream out like the younger woman who looked like their child did. They quietly accepted their fate by association as they were tied to their own wood.
'Samantha Evers, you cannot fool us any longer! You and your family will be burned at the stake for your crimes against this village!' One man shouted above the already yelling crowd.
'No!' She shrieked, trying to pull away from her ropes but it was no use. They held her tightly in place.
Several people with torches stepped forward, beginning to lower the fire.
When I realized what was happening, I was quick to bury my face into my father's shirt. I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist, to which he replied by lifting me off the ground. Father held me to his chest, his hand securely holding the back of my head.
As the screams of burning innocents filled the air, father held me tighter.
I swallowed as I watched the mob walking in the direction of the mansion. I didn't have to guess who they were coming for.
'Vladimir, what is it?' Rosetta repeated, her trembling voice pulling me back to reality.
I hurried back into our bedroom, closing and locking the balcony doors. Fear had grabbed me at every angle possible. I saw images of the poor woman and her family flickering across my vision, new images of what could be coming soon after. I saw myself and Rosetta burning this time. I saw our future fade away. I went back to the bed, kneeling before her on her side of the bed. I took her hands into mine, staring directly into her eyes. I needed her to understand how important this was. Even if I didn't survive, the least I could do was protect her; was to protect my beloved. 'It's the villagers. I want you to get dressed and get into the cave. You are not to leave until I come for you, no one else.'
'The villagers?' She threw back the covers and left the bed, causing relief to flood through me as I saw she was listening. Rosetta gasped, spinning on her heels. 'Vladimir, it's the farmer! I told you it was something to worry about!' Her face began to pale and I felt her heart pick up the pace.
I knew the truth, but didn't want her to know. I didn't want her to worry more than she already had. I wanted her to be at peace. She deserved it. 'Now, calm down. We can't assume that's what they're here for. They could be here for many things, surely.' It was a straight lie. Judging by the gleam in her eyes, she saw directly through it. The incident with the farmer replayed itself in my mind. I should have ran away before he had the chance to see me. I placed a gentle kiss upon her lips. 'I'll be back.' The mob had to be dealt with, one way or another.
'Vladimir, be safe. Okay?' Though she fought it, tears were already beginning to swell in her eyes. It could have been that she was frightened, but the tears felt strange to me. Rosetta was brave. She had been able to look me in the face when I first transformed within minutes without fear. It was a little overly emotional for her, but it didn't matter. Better that my wife was worried about me than not.
'I will, I promise.' I slipped on my jacket and shoes, hurrying out of the bedroom. I ran down the halls and staircases, eventually reaching the front entrance where my servants and guards already stood with anxious eyes. I found Franklin first.
'Vladimir, what did you do? Why are they coming for us?' Despite his upfront voice, there was no anger in his tone or eyes; only concern.
'A farmer caught me feeding.' The story could be detailed later. We didn't have time for it. I looked at all the people I had grown up with, looking at their frightened and worried features. These people had protected generations of Dracula family members. They had lived through it all. I didn't want them getting hurt due to my rash decision. 'I want you all to stay inside, no matter what happens. Rosetta is hiding in the cave. If things don't go well outside and the mob threatens to come in, do what you can to ensure your safety and her own.'
There was silence among the people around me, the people that had become my extended family.
Franklin reached his hand out, settling it down upon my shoulder. With a weak smile, he spoke. 'I am with you. We do this together.' While it was a little change, it brought me courage and hope.
We nodded together, watching as the rest of the group began hurrying away to their own hiding spots where they would be listening to every word we said.
'Are you ready for this?' Franklin asked as he adjusted his robe, eyes nervously glancing towards the front door as the shouts and footsteps of the mob grew louder.
'I'm not sure,' I answered honestly, trying to swallow my fear. Was anyone ever ready to face an angry mob like this? I just had to hope they'd let me defend myself before they resorted to violence. Memories of the poor woman flickered through my head. They hadn't let her speak her innocence. I prayed my luck would be better than hers. 'Thank you, Franklin.' I whispered, trying to manage a smile through my fear, and swung open the doors.
We walked out together, standing upon the front stairs to create a small blockade. I wanted to make it clear that they wouldn't have anyone inside the mansion. I stood my ground, trying to act as if I wasn't swayed by the mob, and carefully placed my hands behind my back as we watched them come up the path to the mansion.
As soon as they saw me, the anger flared further in their eyes. They hadn't seen me since before I had gotten sick. It had been months, and that time had changed me. I knew my eyes would be shining through the darkness. It was the only feature I couldn't hide.
The mob surrounded the bottom of the stairs, screaming and chanting words I didn't quite understand.
'My good people!' I held out my hands, hoping to reach some kind of solution with them. The sound of my voice stunned several people. Rosetta had told me that after the transformation, all of me became intensed; especially my voice. She said it had a unique sound that made her feel more drawn to me. I wondered if it had the same effect upon the villagers. 'Why are you here at this hour when you should all be sleeping?' I kept myself calm. Fighting anger with anger was far from a good idea.
'You are!' A woman spat.
'You aren't our Count!' Another shouted.
'What did you do with Vladimir?!'
'Monster!'
The voices all came at once. I took a deep breath to prevent myself from being overwhelmed. Franklin's hand upon my shoulder steadied me through the moment.
The farmer I had seen the night before stepped forward, pointing at me with a shaky hand. 'That's him! I saw him last night!' He turned towards the crowd as all the eyes fell upon him. They were all paler than usual. I could sense their fear in their trembling hearts. 'He was covered in blood and his eyes glowed brighter than the blood itself! He smiled and I could see fangs. This man is a monster!"
'Now, good sir,' I focused my attention on him, frowning as Franklin's hand fell away. 'It was early in the morning. Perhaps you were still a bit groggy. I was at your farm, yes, but I was simply ensuring everything was alright. I do that every night.' I hoped it would convince him, but I knew it would never be that easy. I just needed to maintain my own innocence.
'But it's not every night you murder a sheep!' A few men threw something over the crowd. It landed upon the stairs, revealing the body of the sheep I had killed. The sheep's neck was covered in blood with two holes piercing through the skin.
I swallowed and tightened my knuckles as I heard Franklin gasp. I glanced his way, but saw him regain his composure. 'I did no such thing.'
'You came from behind that very tree I found my sheep!' The man accused, pointing his finger directly towards my face.
Franklin stepped forward in an attempt to speak, but was quickly interrupted. I admired his ability to remain calm. Just as I had wondered with the other servants, I began to wonder what Franklin had seen in his own lifetime. What had he faced that made him so brave in this moment?
'This isn't the only animal we've found like this. The hunters bring back animals that look like this every night. You've been caught! Tell us where our Count and Countess are!' The people began to scream and shout all over each other again, growing angrier by the second. I was losing them.
I spared another glance towards Franklin, but saw the same worry in his expression that I felt in mine. I realized he hadn't offered to come with because he knew what to do, but because he was my friend.
'We don't know what you are, but we sure don't want you around us! You're a demon!'
I hadn't wanted them to find out what I was, what had become of me. I had wanted it to remain a secret for as long as possible, which meant longer than the few months it had already been. The people were falling from me and I needed to try everything I had to get them to back down. I couldn't keep pleading my innocence, they already had too much evidence upon me. I prayed they'd believe the real truth.
'Please! Might I have silence? I have something to tell you all!' I held my hands up again as I tried to silence the crowd. They fell quiet with their eyes focused upon me, none looking at me with delighted gazes. If looks could kill, I would have been dead hundreds of times over. 'I am your Count, I promise you. This is going to sound insane, but please believe me. Not by my own choice, I have been turned into what is known in my family as a vampire. They are creatures of the night who, unfortunately, feed off of any kind of blood.'
Horrified gasps and looks moved through the crowd. My chest sunk and trembled as I realized how easily my words could backfire. I had to be careful. I swallowed and looked back to Franklin for reassurance. I found myself even more relieved that he had come out with me. I found strength with him by my side. With his nod, I continued. 'I know, it's terrible. However, I am the exact man you knew before this consumed me. So long as I keep myself properly fed, I will remain true and loyal to myself. I promise that no harm will come to any of you by my own hands. I would much rather perish a terrible death than harm one of you,' I told them, searching their faces for the anger and fear to disappear. There weren't many.
'Last night, I nearly lost myself. I focused too much on getting things for you all done instead of what I needed. By the time I realized what was happening, I had already found the sheep. I sincerely apologize for your sheep, good sir, and will pay you generously to make up for the loss to your herd.' I focused on the farmer, offering what little smile I could manage.
Silence filled the once angry air as I finished speaking. I couldn't tell if it was a good sign or a sign that I was about to live my last moments.
'What of Countess Rosetta?' A woman in the middle of the crowd brought up.
'My wife is perfectly safe and happy. She is, and will forever remain, a human.' I saw Franklin look my way from the corner of my gaze. I realized what I had said. I had taken the choice from Rosetta. I pushed it aside to deal with one situation at a time.
'That's how he can keep us safe! The poor girl! He probably married her to get her blood and drain her!' A man shouted from the back of the crowd.
I frowned, taking personal insult to the words. 'I've never laid a hand upon Rosetta, nor will I ever. I love my wife more than life itself. If I would have harmed her, you would not see me before you today, for I would have passed from grief.' If only it were that easy. If only grief could take a person away from this life. 'She is my entire world.'
They began to talk among each other in whispers that they thought I couldn't hear. I averted my eyes to act as if I weren't listening. They threw glares and glances in my direction, proving that they weren't easily convinced.
What if he kills one of us next?
What of the children? And our women?
He could take all our animals if we wanted to! What would we have to eat then? He'll starve us!
What if we give him a chance? He is our Count, after all.
'I have had this curse plaguing me for a few months now. Don't you think that if I were dangerous to you and your families, that I would have already attacked? That I would have already revealed myself? I've been sticking to secrecy to keep you all calm and fearless of me. I hope you understand. You are my people and it is my duty as Count to keep you all protected under the law. I would never break my family's promises to the King. Please, understand that I will keep my habits further from you if I must. Life will go on and you all will be safe. You have my honest word.' I spoke truly and from the heart, watching as their expressions began to soften with realization. Had I done it?
'...Very well.' The farmer that had led the mob bowed his head in my direction, then turned to look at the crowd. 'Let us leave the Count alone.'
Another man cleared his throat. 'We will have a town meeting in the upcoming week about the issue and discuss it properly there. We all have our concerns. However, we know from previous interactions that Countess Rosetta has been safe. She hasn't had any marks upon her. The Count must be telling the truth. The best we can do for now is keep an eye upon him and trust his word.' He glanced at me over his shoulder. 'Forgive us for interrupting your night.'
'No, forgive me for frightening you. You all have a wonderful night.' I watched as they slowly started making their way back towards the village. I stood in place upon the stairs, refusing to move until they were out of sight. It had felt like it was too easy to convince them. I spared a glance at Franklin. 'They are gone, and yet I don't feel at ease. That felt too easy, did it not?'
The man had deep circles beneath his eyes. He offered another smile, this one stronger than before. 'There are many things you don't know about me, Vladimir. All your servants are of special and unique species and abilities. The power to influence the moods of others is rarely used, but is a huge upper hand in the moments it is needed.'
I found my eyes widening as the truth was revealed. 'You did that?' The relief I had been waiting for now rested upon me. I understood the true reason why Franklin had come with. I relaxed and began to return the smile as we walked back into the mansion. 'Thank you.'
'You're very welcome, my dear friend.' Franklin glanced around the inside of the mansion, searching for the hiding places of the other servants. 'It would be best if you and Rosetta kept your distance from the villages until this boils over. While I was able to help them be convinced, some stronger personalities might try to push it.'
I nodded, agreeing with the statement. We said our goodbyes and I made sure the doors were locked tightly behind me. I headed back to my bedroom, giving little nods to all the white faced servants to let them know all was well again. Our extended family would live another day.
I found my Rosetta in the cave just as I had asked of her, pacing the floor. 'Vladimir!' She gasped as she saw me, running directly into me. She threw her arms around my neck and squeezed as much as she was able.
Naturally, my arms fell around her shape effortlessly. 'It's okay, Rosetta. They know now. They left the grounds. I explained my side of the story and with Franklin's help, they seem to understand. It's okay now.' I whispered into her ear, resting my head upon her shoulder as I let the stress fade away.
'How can you be so sure? You were positive last night that the farmer wouldn't remember and look where that got us.' She brought up, refusing to loosen her hold upon me.
'I saw it in their eyes. We're safe.'
That night, she slept in the cave for the first time. Rosetta hadn't wanted to leave my side, which I hardly minded. I was quick to make her a bed beside the desk. While she slept, I worked through the stack of papers that needed to be signed.
It was a silent night, only the crackling flames of my candle, her breathing, and her heartbeat filling the air.
And yet, I was anything but relaxed. I looked over my shoulder at Rosetta's sleeping form and felt fear climb over my mind. Surely, the villagers wouldn't harm her would they? She had nothing to do with this.
I pushed the thought away and walked away from my paperwork. I sat beside the area she had slept in and rested a hand into her hair, carefully seperating the strands with my fingers.
No harm was to ever befell my Rosetta.
That was a vow."