After all those centuries I never thought my cursed life would have a turn such as this. I always did my best to avoid anyone's business and kept my opinions to myself. Until one vampire thought killing an innocent young woman only because she knew too much of our existence and magic. Not for her blood or something that motivates to turn her into vampire.
Spilling more innocent blood? No.
Naturally it is difficult to see some other shade of red when it already is red. It suffices that we vampire draw of the living just to survive. Why more? Did my rage and hate spread along with the venom? Are many blinded by that same rage as I did many centuries ago in my human days?
Why did I ever agree to that cursed offer of the damned demon? I should have let it all go and rest in peace with my beloved. No, I was too stubborn and determined to avenge the death of my father and brother and to do what is right for my country, my people.
I should not look into the past too often or I would not look forward. I have now after many years, centuries found few good friends. Including discovered that I have a destiny that was worth struggling so far in my cursed life. Becoming a protector and ally of a Guardian. What Guardians are you will know soon enough because it is no ordinary Guardian as you know it…
With this story that you are about to read it dates back a few years where it all started in Brasov, Romania. You are surly wondering whom am I? I am Vlad III Dracul. Yes, Dracul but not 'the' Dracula from Bram Stoker. I can assure you my appearance is different from what you have seen in movies or computer games nowadays. I look nearly as I did when I was human. Only the details have been changed for my own good. I do not wear a moustache anymore, cut my hair to shoulder length and look now about 15 years younger.
It started all then on one night as I was standing close to the edge of a roof watching over a deserted street…
A warm summer breeze passed through the entire town. In the distance I heard few cars honk, a siren of the police and a few drunken people singing. Not far away I heard a usual sound and a familiar one, clack, clack, clack. Someone was walking in a quick pace towards the street where I watch. Without a doubt a woman wearing high-heels. After a few moments the woman paced down the street. Always throwing a brief and worried glance over her shoulder. Shortly after her followed a dark hooded man at a certain distance. His blue-eyes stayed focused on the woman, which looked very suspicious. As he passed I leaped down landing silently as always. I have decided to follow the man. I know the woman made a wrong turn because this street leads to a dead end and a suspicious man following. You get the picture of how it can turn out.
It was a cry of a woman. I ran to where it came from. The blue-eyed hooded man held a knife to the woman's neck and pushed her against the wall. "Now stop shouting. The night is young to share and have small pleasures, zahăr (sugar)." Spoke the man in Romanian with an evil grin.
"Indeed the night is young but for different pleasures flăcău (lad)." I interrupted.
He looked at me for a moment as if he had seen a ghost.
Always the same expression when I catch them red-handed. It looks a bit hilarious to me. I could laugh but from the situation there is nothing to be laughing about actually.
"You'd better be walking home or I'll have something to cut." Noted the man aggressively while pressing the blade closer to the woman's neck.
"On the contrary." I sighed with a grin. "It will be I who'll do the cutting here."
"Are you the police?" He demanded what sounded pathetic to my ears.
"No. I'll let you live if you let the woman go unharmed." I responded truthfully.
"How will you kill me? I see no weapons in your hands." He remarked with a mocking laugh.
I said nothing. His question will be answered sooner than he will think.
He slowly made space from the woman yet keeping his sharp knife pointed to her. He senses there is more than to what meets the eye with me, although my appearance is normal like any human with pale fair skin, dark thick eyebrows and short dark hair. What many women oddly attractive about me but it is all with the vampirism in me.
In my vampiric speed, which is fast as lightening to human's eye, I ran towards the woman grabbing her by the waist and brought her over to the save side. She immediately sprinted out of sight.
"Why you devil!" He shouted angered and threw his knife aiming at my stomach.
If I stood still it would have pierced my stomach. As a vampire with extremely high senses and reflexes the knife came at a slower speed like a ball in a game. I dodged the knife with a backward duck like you might have seen it in the movie 'Matrix'.
The blue-eyed man was astounded as I stood up right again. I smiled and with my great speed I leaped on him like a tiger. Before he realized what was happening my fangs pierced into the warm flesh on the neck.
Dear readers, you are surly wondering I as a vampire enjoy this. NO! As a matter fact not at all! I am a vampire who does not like killing. No matter whom it is. That is why I gave the man a chance to run. If there were another way how to gain strength without killing as a vampire, I would be using that other method without hesitation and delay. Alas there is no other way; not even animal blood helps, I need human blood.
Therefore, I have three rules when I hunt: Firstly, never take an innocent soul or a child. Secondly, take only the life of lawbreakers and thirdly, keep my real identity deep within me. Let no one know that I am the first vampire and my that my name is Dracula.
After all the usual procedure I quickly disposed the body by burning it and left the alley, heading towards the Town-Hall Square. I felt his blood coursing through my ancient veins and new providing strength. You have no idea how awful I feel at this moment. Every move that I make, in every step, I feel ashamed with unimaginable weight of guilt on my shoulders, in my cold unbeating heart and in my mind. There is no escape from this otherwise I would not be here for a long time.
At the Town-Hall Square I sat on an empty bench and closed my eyes, hearing things more intense around me than any other human. Chatter from other people, the warm summer wind and the splashing water from a fountain. Trying to focus on those sounds and let myself distract from the heavy guilt. A church tolled, it's now midnight. I opened my eyes and stood up. Walking away to a different direction to be precise to my office. Because I have night shift every night from midnight till eight in the morning. Well tonight I might be a bit late for work.
Not to my surprise I found my boss standing in my office. He does his work well but is an annoying perfectionist. He barely speaks unless something is not right such as now my tardiness. "Mr. Darnel, you're late."
"My apologies, Mr. Harrison." I apologised with a suppressed sigh. Mr. Harrison is an Englishman and a bit taller than me. He wears a red thick moustache and short red hair with black Diesel glasses like in the 60s and 70s used to wear only with thick glasses. He takes many things very serious, astoundingly more serious than I, and when he gets angry his face flushes red nearly like his moustache and hair. Everyone makes fun out of him when he is not around. I do see the point why, he does look hilarious, but I never make fun out of him. Although he is annoying and may cost my nerves at certain nights.
Darnel is a cover up of my true identity. Yes, I am a simple worker here in this company. No one knows who I really am. For them I am a stranger with a strange attitude working at night without a cup of coffee or have something to eat. Oddly though they sometimes come to me seeking for advice. Otherwise I always work on my own, minding my own business. This time the first time that I arrive five minutes late after ten years of punctuality. Mr. Harrison argues with me about coming late. Meaning I will be wasting half an hour listening to his complaints, giving out hot air for nothing.
Finally, as the whole 'shebang' was over I started working with grinding teeth. Knowing all too well how easily I could frighten him and make him show some more respect but I have my rules and it stays put. I focused on the amount of paperwork that always cheers a worker.
Now I could go on here in detail how my work looks like but I believe that is the least important in this story. We will skip till there were my work was done for the night and I went home by foot. I do not rest like humans do or what you think of me as a vampire. I do not sleep at all; not even lying in a coffin during daytime. As a matter of fact, I withstand the sun easily like any human only my appearance shows clearly what I am. A moving shadow in total black with sharp visible eyes and draining slightly my strength after a certain time. Also if I were in a desert I would survive but with an extreme thirst, compared to other vampires they will all fall. Either fall directly into ashes or dry out and then turn to dust. Not all vampires can withstand the sun; I can not tell why but it has to do with magic so far as I know.
Once in my modern apartment, I took a shower to freshen myself up and afterwards watched television. My apartment is not big but comfortable and luxurious around these quarters. The living room is connected with the kitchen and then there are two rooms separate, one is my office and the other my library. There is only one bathroom and no balcony. Working at night and bore myself to death during daytime. Well, that is my routine for about ten years now. How exciting is that?
You are wondering when does it all change? It begins sooner than you think…
On the following night while I was walking down town before heading to my office I was sunk deep in my thoughts.
NNNOOO!
Interrupted a helpless cry of a man. I followed as quickly as possible from where it came. In a dark alley lay a man on hisback, staring awe struck to the sky. On his neck were the familiar marks and the air carried an interesting scent. A vampire with a considerable age but younger than me and is very close-
"Closer than you think." Spoke a manly voice with an Oxford, London accent from above on the roof. He leaped down and walked slowly towards me with an evil smile, which looked very suspicious to me. As if he had something in his mind with me. "Vlad, it's an honor to meet you personally. The Eldest, the first vampire." He spoke cheerily like as if we were old friends.
"You know me well but I don't know your name." I spoke firmly and kept my distance from him. He must have the ability to read minds to know this much.
"Call me Richard. I have hoped to meet you someday." He continued to smile the same evil smile. He has short, straight, blonde hair reaching to his slightly pointed ears. The slight pointed ears is an obvious mark of a vampire, allow to hear better, like with bats. Including the sapphire blue eyes with sliced pupils of a cat's and pale complexion like every vampire has, only the shaved yaw is by him so. He was about same as tall as I am. "There is something I'd like to discuss with you privately." He noted to me with a calmer tone.
I nodded in response. "Where would you suggest a suitable place to discuss privately?"
"Follow me. It's not far from here." He answered with a broad grin and jumped up to the roof again. He looked back, waiting for me to follow.
With a sigh I followed him. I am not the social type as you have noticed. Richard led me to the courtyard of the castle Bran where I once spend a night in my human days. We will definitely have our privacy till breaking dawn.
"You've surly noticed that I have the ability to read minds." Started Richard leaning against the stony wall with crossed arms and still grinning annoyingly to me.
"I never would have come to that thought." I said sarcastically.
He chuckled. "Well, two days ago I was in the airport of Bucharest to check out when I saw an interesting young woman waiting for her bags. She had long flaming red hair, pale complexion with freckles, grass green eyes and carrying a mouthwatering perfume. What really caught my attention was not only the perfume but the reason why she came here to Romania." He paused. "She believes there is such thing as vampires and above all magic. Holding a very clear proof what she had witnessed the other day in northern England."
I understood what was explained but I did not clearly see the problem out of all this.
"What I'm trying to say is that we don't exist to the human eye, right?" He stole my very words! "She is a threat to us with her knowledge. The best option that I see would be killing her."
What? That is not how I see it and thus I remained neutral before him but I know he can read my mind easily like a book.
Richard gave a smirk. "Oh, how funny you can think Vlad. I have to comment your opinion. Yet you are the eldest, you still think naïvely like a youngling."
"At least I know what I am doing while I think you've lost your mind. Having this terrible pleasure to kill innocent livings or even destroy them!" I remarked seriously. I know what is justice and this is not what I see.
"Well, I've had a rough childhood. Where everything was taken away from me that was precious and time changes a man."
Yes, Richard. Time does change a man but having a difficult childhood is no excuse. No one is too old to learn something new. No matter as an immortal or not. "Killing or mainly violence is never the right answer. You will never have anything that is precious in your hands ever again if you continue like this. Things never come the same way twice." I noted.
"Quite on the contrary Vlad, it's what brings me closer to. Don't be so melancholy. You yourself did nice 'impalement' when you were human once. Just a small deed and then we have no more problems. It's all over within a heartbeat." Explained Richard cheerfully.
I shook my head and without another word I left him. I did not want to hear of it anymore. Yet arguing with him seems hopeless. He is too stubborn. I agree upon my dreadful deeds that I have done as a human but now it is different. I am a vampire living in the 21st century and have learned over the centuries many things. I have become wiser and more cautious including more serious at certain situations such as now.
Since that night meeting Richard I kept a sharp eye amongst the humans incase I might find a red haired woman. I even ventured during daytime and never saw Richard or the woman he described of since. To be honest for a good reason, I do not want to be a part of it. Only hoping that the woman gets on alive. Few days passed when I received a letter by the post. It held again that familiar scent, it was from Richard reminding me again about that woman. He noted few other facts and details that he should never have. Out of anger I tore the letter into many small shreds and burned them. How dare he tries to pull me into this situation when he knows my answer perfectly. How dare him!
After burning the letter my mind could not stop pondering about the situation. Having this damnable hope that the woman will get away somehow from all this. One fine afternoon I have decided to take a long walk in the forests. The weather was alright at times the sun was behind clouds and a gentle breeze blew by. Deep in the forest I tried to forget by focusing on the sounds I heard and the scents I smelled around me. The familiar earthly smelled revived in me old memories of the past that I too wanted to forget; painful memories. I sighed and halted. Slowly looking up beyond the tree's branches onward to the grey sky. I closed my eyes to focus harder on what was around me.
Somehow from afar I heard someone running, breathing heavily and short but not only one person there were more. There is plenty of movement, one in particular is louder than all the others. I opened my eyes and climbed up a tree to get better view. In the distance coming closer towards my direction I saw within a flash amongst the green leaves something red. Suddenly a breeze blew against my face. I collected many mixed scents but one made it all clear. Quickly I jumped from tree to tree get a bit closer. Suddenly out of the bushes jumped a red haired woman. Running as fast as her legs can carry and behind her quite close men or to be precise vampires.
This is exactly what I had hoped it would never come to happen, alas my hopes had been in vain. The only way I see it to change or at least to stop is to interfere. I went ahead and waited for the right moment in a tree for her to pass. At the right moment I jumped at her. Taking hold her round her slim waist and landing swiftly few meters farther, due to the acceleration of my jump. I looked into her eyes. They were green as Richard described. No! Is it her? "Are you alright?" I asked worried.
"Yes." She answered shortly in English and placing a hand to her head as if to keep it steady. It must have been the speed that made her dizzy.
"What is all this?" Demanded a familiar voice I knew too well. If I had a beating heart it would have raced in rage.
"I was about to ask the same question, Richard." I recalled sternly.
Richard was not alone; obviously. It seems he was the leader of a small group of vampires. From their faces and the minimal scent of age, told clearly that they all were from a different century and hence younger than me.
Richard chuckled, "Oh Vlad, always being serious and curious now is it? You knowperfectly what I was doing, I've even mentioned to you in a letter few days ago."
"Then you know what I've mentioned the other night about your opinion. You can read minds so read mine." I reminded, stepping in front of the woman to protect. My eyebrows narrowed and I held my head up.
Her head moved from Richard to me with a confused look. Trying to follow our conversation.
Richard began to grin very broad and devilish. His typical grin. "Why don't you just hand her over and I won't bother you anymore."
"Why do you want her besides her knowledge?"
"I believe you see it clearly." Answered Richard grinning and looking to the woman's eyes.
She retreated few steps closer behind me. I felt her fear. "That is no reason-"
"Why don't you do it yourself if you don't accept my way of doing it." Interrupted Richard angered.
"Enough! You see it as clear as I do. There is another way!"
"What? Changing her?"
"You know what I mean." I reminded to him sternly through clenched teeth, keeping my temper under control.
"Yes, I see. Do your thing to the woman and after that I would be much obliged you give her to me."
"Leave Richard! You're wasting your time here." My hands balled into fists.
"Damn right you are! I won't leave without the girl!"
"I'm afraid you have to, Richard."
"Very well. Tell me how it went and tasted." The last word came over in a whisper from Richard's lips. Alas loud enough that the woman heard it too.
Once he and his men left and were out of sight. She made immediately space from me. I remained on the spot and bit my lower lip while looking down in shame. There is now no turning back. I can not just leave her here on her own. Richard will surely return soon for her again. His stubborn mind is set for the one and the other. slowly I looked up, our eyes met.
She truly has those rare green eyes and that mouthwatering perfume as Richard described. In her eyes I saw fear and for a good reason too. "Miss, I wish I could explain to you that there is no reason to be afraid of me but there is. All vampires are nightmarish creatures, made to kill and place fear into other people's hearts. I am not here to kill you nor do I expect to gain your trust."
Her eyes widened, standing frozen to the ground.
I wish there was a simple way to prove that I mean no harm. "I mean you no harm. I'm one of those who believe that solving a problem can be done without harming or killing." I explained in a calm and soft tone. Taking few steps away from her.
"You- you're one of them aren't you?" She stuttered quietly with a thin Irish accent. I hope she is not a member of Bram Stoker's family tree?
"Yes, a vampire." I responded.
"Are- are you going to kill me?" She asked frightened.
"No." I shook my head. If I had that in mind, she would have been dead by now. She looks different than I have imagined. She possesses a special beauty, long, curly, red hair rolling over her slim shoulders. Her pale complexion is nearly as fair like a vampire's only with freckles. I have to admit she is beautiful; her figure is slim and is almost a head smaller than me by height.
"So, you know why I am here?" She wondered.
"Yes, I know why you are here. That's also a reason why I saved you from Richard." I explained.
She took a step closer. I was surprised that she dares to come closer. She looked closer at my face. "I don't know why. Strangely, I have this feeling that we've already met before."
Don't let it be reincarnation of one of my family members! I hope she is just a bit in a shock after what happened.
"We've never met before." I reminded and kept a good distance from her.
She blinked. Placing a hand to her forehead. Took another uneasy step towards me. From the way of her walking, I began to worry about her. I heard her pulse regular as well as her breathing. Suddenly she lost her balance. I was fast enough to catch her from falling. Her eyes were closed and the rest of her body was relaxed. She must have fainted.
Luckily I know where she stays in a village not far from here. I carried her in my arms to that village. She stays by a farmer called Moari who offers few rooms with a meal at a fair price. With a 'made up' story I was able to get the key to her room. In her room I placed her gently upon the bed, checking quickly again her pulse and how she breathes, perfectly normal. I will wait until she is awake. While waiting I looked around. Her room was clean and tidy. It had its own bathroom and a balcony facing the city. I took the liberty to open a door of the balcony to let in fresh air. I continued looking around and my eyes stopped at the writing desk. There lay many sheets of A4 paper format some of them were photographs. Not only the photos but also what she wrote by hand and by her laptop was very intriguing. Because it was not only about vampires there was more. Something about 'The Great Magic'? Now what can that be? It sounds somehow ridiculous but I have heard more terrible names. More questions began to rise in my mind as I leaved through more paper. After about an hour she finally awoke from her faint. As she saw me her eyes widened, quickly touching her neck. To be sure she was not bitten.
I could have laughed to her reaction but I kept it within me, alas a smirk got away nevertheless. "Don't worry. You're not bitten. You're perfectly fine, alive and human. You fainted and I carried you back here." I leaned against the desk and held with my hands at the edge of the desk.
"How do you know where I live?"
"It's not relevant at the moment." I responded.
"Have I been bitten?"
Humans nowadays barely acknowledges what one says and thus asks the same questions twice. "No. You're still human. Thank god." I explained in a calm tone.
She quickly gasped to a remembering thought. "The chase! What happened to the others?"
"They're gone at the moment."
"At the moment? Will they come again?"
Now she is getting hang of it. "I'm afraid so."
"Is my life in danger?"
With vampires? Always. "Since you started seeking after vampires and more about 'The Great Magic'."
Her eyes widened again.
"There is one question that has been in my mind since I learned that you would be here because of vampires. Why are you seeking after vampires, one of the worst and most dangerous kinds?"
"You're right. I do owe an explanation to you. First, I want to thank you for saving my life."
I bet she would have done the same. I gave a nod.
"It all started six months ago in Scotland. I am a hobby archeologist in the Celtic culture. There was a new ruin discovered. Built at about the same time like the stone hedge. It was a new sort of 'stone hedge'; the circle is smaller than the real one. Those stones were engraved everywhere with spirals in different sizes. In total there were two circles. The outer had twelve long single stones. The inner circle had very small stones at about the size of a soccer-ball.
One day as everything went according to plan and schedule, I decided to work a bit longer than the others did close before evening. As I wanted to tidy up and leave something extraordinary occurred.
A strong wind blew, blowing all the plastic duvets away that lay over some stones for research reasons. I heard a roll of thunder from above. Suddenly a lightening hit the center of the circle. The spirals on the great stones began to glow very bright, like lightening itself. Out of curiosity, I dared a few steps closer. Four stones of the outer circle glowed the brightest. One in blue as the sea, one in green as leave, in orange as a hot blaze from the fire and last was in yellow as the sun. I believe they represented the four elements. Oddly I had this feeling it won't do any harm to me. So I came closer. A strong wind blew around me suddenly pushing me with considerable strength towards the center. As if a person was pushing me. I got frightened and wanted to run but the wind was too strong. The lights of the stones collected all together to one huge bundle, floating in the air like a ghost above the stones.
Never in my life was I ever so scared and helpless. The wind pushed especially my left arm forward. Pulling the sleeve up from my jumper. Quickly the floating light formed into some sort of a feather. Floating closer to my arm. As it touched my skin it burned like fire. Drawing the threefold of the Celtic symbols." She paused and showed the mark what she described on her left lower arm on the inner side. Three spirals were connected together by a small triangle in the center. It looked like an ordinary tattoo only scared rather than with ink.
She continued. "It burnt like hell and once it was finished I fainted. As I came to everything was dark. At first I thought I dreamt all this but as I looked at my left arm. I realized this was no dream. I had witnessed with my own eyes true magic! After that day I wanted to see more of it naturally. The ruin made no reaction since. Yet I began to wonder and still now, why would it draw this symbol on my left arm? Why me? Do you know?" She asked.
I shook my head. "No. I don't have a deep connection with magic like you. All I know is I myself am only a part of magic but that's all." I answered truthfully.
"As I mentioned, I wanted to see more. The only question was, after what? What sort of creature? I thought it over very hard, so hard I had few sleepless nights. Just at the point when I was about to give up to think about it. Like lightening, came an idea, to be honest an absurd idea. I must have been crazy now when I look back. After that digging excavation where I had the opportunity to take pictures and write long reports. I came back home to my old town in Dublin, Ireland. I went back to my old routine. One day, knowing that a good friend has in a few days her birthday. I decided to buy a book. With no difficulty I found the right book for her in a bookstore. I was then in no rush, so I looked around in case I might find an interesting book to read once in a while. As I came to the fantasy section, the idea came to me and here's how it went. The first book that comes into my hand will be that what I'll go after. No matter if it will be dangerous I'll go for it. But I only judge the books by their covers and colours, not the title. After looking round that section, I stood in front of one shelf that was very colourful. I turned my head away and took one book from the shelf. As I saw what was in my hands, I was utterly surprised. It was the classical 'Bram Stoker's Dracula'. I thought about it. In my teen-age years I was a vampire-fan. What do I really know of vampires? It turned out not much, just those that everyone knows. Like luring during night, drinking blood, have a horrible look and glare or detest garlic and can kill them by striking a wooden stave into their hearts. Well, I bought the book and read it. I wasn't exactly sure where to start, so I decided to follow like in the book, to Romania. I booked a flight and now here I am." She paused.
So this explains everything. Good thing she told me the entire story and have now a better picture. I can follow now a few things from Richard but few facts do not match logically. It must be Richard's way of thinking and proof that is losing his mind.
"Thank you again for saving my life. I wish I could give you something in return." She thanked.
"Saying 'thank you' already suffices it. Alas, I have a feeling this is just the beginning."
"You know how that other vampire thinks? What was his name? Richard?"
"Yes, Richard. I can not read minds but have a good mind for logical thinking, strategies and I know what his plan is."
"What is his plan?" She asked curiously.
I explained to her everything I knew from Richard and shared for the first time my own opinion since I became a vampire. "Our existence is of vital importance. We vampires have to stay anonymous to the human eye because the humans won't take us seriously if one tells. They would see us as dangerous mad person who is ready to go to the sanatorium. Plus, we keep instinctively for ourselves what we are. That's why many people say 'there is no such thing as vampires'. Except for you. "I paused. "You are one of the very few people who know of this, of magic. But why would 'The Great Magic' make a mark on your arm? I do not know. For Richard it is a threat that a human knows all this, that is why he is after you. He is afraid that you might try to convince more human's that magic and vampires exists. I see it differently. I believe that you can keep it all a secret." As I finished explaining everywhere around me was quiet except the beating heart of the woman.
She took a deep breath. "How could I be such a fool? What was going through my head? I'd best be leaving as soon as possible." She thought out loud and was about to stand up.
I halted her by holding up my hands. "I'm afraid you can't do that. Richard would follow to the ends of the world if necessary to get you. His stubbornness is what makes him dangerous and secondly he is losing his mind. I won't allow that you fall into his hands. You need protection while I, a vampire, can offer it. Therefore, I will protect you until it is over." I explained in a calm tone.
She looked at me astonished. "You're. Helping. Me?" She stuttered in amazement.
I nodded, what choice do I have if I want her save and alive? Somehow a voice from within me says it clear this is the right thing to do and that I can trust her. For a moment there was silence again. From downstairs I heard movement; someone was walking now up the stairs. The following there was a knock.
"Shall I open the door?" I asked politely.
"No thank you. I can do it." She answered while jumping off from her bed and went to open the door. A young man told her that dinner would be ready if she is hungry in Romanian tongue. To my astounding, she answered in Romanian quite fluently back that she would come down in about 20 minutes and closed the door.
"It would be best that I leave now. I don't want to keep you away from dinner." I noted heading to the balcony.
She looked at me surprised. "You're leaving?"
I nodded and held out a hand. "I wish you a good night miss …"
She took my hand and shook. "Megan O'Brian, please call me Megan and you are?"
"Vlad." I answered while shaking her hand.
"Thank you for saving my life, Vlad. When will I see you again?" Megan asked.
"Soon." I responded with a smirk and leapt off the balcony.
And it will be; actually I'm not leaving at all. Just being out of sight and keeping a very, very sharp eye. The first thing I did was quitting my job, which is no big deal. You never know when Richard returns. So the best is when I am always, and I mean always stay close to Megan without her knowing and remaining cautious.