A pile of fresh snow was no match for the roar of the train as it zoomed its way along the frozen tracks, toward the white-capped fangs of the Carpathian Mountains. From my cabin in first class, a digital clock counted down the hours, minutes and seconds until sunrise. Not that it would have mattered anyway. The windows are reinforced and heavily tinted so that no amount of sunlight may enter when I'm aboard. Though sunlight for a vampire like me does not make for a perfect combination.
Suffice it to say it involves highly spontaneous combustible flames followed by death and eventually ash. And then there's my daughter Astrid. The very first of her kind. A vampire by nature yet still manages to retain a hint of human compassion and the soul-wrenching ability to survive out in the daylight. But that's the beauty of it all, isn't it? The mystery, the secrecy, the hidden piece of the puzzle. A puzzle that has now come full circle has been transformed into a more complicated problem. Only this time the pieces are nonexistent.
As my mind wandered, I pressed my head back against the plush high-backed seat, while focusing all of my attention and energy on the smooth ride coming from the train. With today's advances in modern technology. Trains now had the ability to move from one city to the next in just a few short hours. And that's how I ended up here. I was on holiday in Paris when I received a phone call from Nicholas, a former police detective turned vampire who told me that someone broke into the crypt and stole Nathan's body.
I was furious beyond words as I opened my eyes to the light of our compartment. Astrid slept soundly in the seat across from me with an old copy of a Romanian newspaper folded as a pillow underneath her lavish hair. In the top rack above her was my sword. A powerful weapon and a dangerous one at that. One swing can take a man's head clean off without so much as a drop of blood on the blade. Leaving it there, for now, I decided it was time to stretch my legs for a bit as I went to the door and slipped out.
In the pale light of the corridor. A bay of windows showed the beauty of what meant to travel through the Carpathian Mountains by train. Bare branches dipped in white gold sparkled under the cover of the silvery moon that shined overhead. I leaned forward, even though I didn't have to thanks to my supernatural eyesight, as I watched a pack of wolves run freely through the countryside. While the storm raging outside proved to be no match for their heightened senses as I listened to them howl in the dead of night.
Listen to them. The children of the night. What music they make! That's from a book or a movie. I don't really remember which. Not that I care. I just like saying it.
As I made my way down the narrow corridor, I headed for the dining car. It was here that I caught the scent of alcohol being poured freely into a pair of shot glasses. But as I looked around, I noticed that not too many people were out this time of night. A man stood behind the bar dressed in a white buttoned-down shirt and black slacks, wearing a vest. He was handsome and his eyes were gray, the color of smoke. And as I approached I knew that I would catch his attention. No one could resist me after all. Not even my mate.
Nathan. His name would forever be burned in my brain until life ceased to exist. I sighed in defeat and sat down. Hoping to drown my sorrows with a drink from the finest collection of bottles sitting on the shelf behind the bartender. A red napkin with black embroidery was placed in front of me as I looked up and stared into his eyes. I smiled, my teeth gleaming in the dim light of the car as I sensed his body relax under my spell. He was an easy target. For his mind was already revealing secrets about himself that even made me surprised.
"What can I get for you?" He asked a slight stutter on his lips.
"A shot of Tequila with some salt and a lime wedge, please."
"Coming right up."
I watched as he worked his hands into a frenzy. From the shot the glass, to the cutting of the lime, my drink was served in under ten seconds. A dash of salt coated around the edges of my tongue followed by a quick swallow from the Tequila before finally sucking the juice from the lime to ameliorate the raw, burning taste. The liquid may have burned, but it didn't last for long. And when I asked for another, the bartender seemed quite pleased. While another throwback ensured that it would help curb the cravings as I hungered for blood.
The shot glass clinked as I turned it upside down and leaned back away from the bar. In a moment I was getting ready to leave again. But a quick glimpse into the man's mind told me a very different story. I knew for sure that he wanted me. That much was clear. I could smell it on him. Smell the desperation radiating off his skin. See the look of hunger in his eyes as he licked his lips and leaned slightly forward. I smirked and he blushed. Busted. In short, I was still very thirsty and since no one else was around, I figured why not.
"Give me your hand," I said and he obeyed. "Don't be afraid. You're safe with me."
"Yes. I am safe with you."
My fangs elongated as I pushed back the sleeve of his shirt, revealing his wrist. I leaned in close, kissing the spot at first, exposing the throbbing vein just underneath the skin. My lips parted and my fangs scratched the surface before puncturing and allowing the first few drops of blood to seep into my eagerly awaiting mouth. His blood was warm and perfectly aged, like a fine wine. I drank some more, tugging at the vein as I heard the bartender moan. Ah, I thought to myself, he likes this. Then I noticed something different amongst the blood. Living and breathing, like the Black Plague or worst cancer.
Now whether he knew he was diagnosed with it or not. I could tell that the cancer was at an all-time high. He would be dead within a few months I imagined. Poor bastard. Stopping the flow of blood, for now, I retracted my fangs and sealed the wound with a few drops of my own blood from the tip of my tongue. A smear coated along the corner of my bottom lip as I wiped it off with the napkin. As for the bartender, his eyes were bewildered, his skin a softer white then what it was before I indulged myself.
Shit. What a waste of life this one will truly be. I decided that by ending his life this very night, that I would be doing him a favor. And before I knew it, I was walking behind the bar before my brain had already made up its mind. Then I touched his face with one hand. While pulling his body in close with the other. I could hear his heart pounding in his chest, noticing the subtle difference between a healthy one and one that was doomed to die. I grasped his neck and leaned in, exposing my fangs once more when I heard his voice in my ear.
"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you."
I closed my eyes then. Having to spare him the heartache surrounding his untimely death by doing it for him. I would deliver him unto death pain-free and with no regrets. His time on this earth might've been short-lived. But his death would be a peaceful one. He tilted his head back like he wanted me to do it. His throat bare and inviting. I kissed the spot a little longer than necessary as I worked on easing his thoughts and filling them with happy memories along with the possibility that his next life might be even better.
The strike was strong and swift as I took my first gulp. His blood flowed more freely like a broken dam with no shut-off valve. I cradled him in my arms like a lover's embrace as our bodies joined at the hip, his arms wrapped around me. More and more I kept sucking. Listening to the delicate sound of his heart as it struggled to pump what little blood there was left by the time it was nearly over. And when he took his last breath at 2:30 AM this morning. I laid him down on the floor and draped his body with a white sheet.
"A vampire with compassion," said a voice from behind. "What a pathetic picture."
I turned to face the female standing before me. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"That's too many questions and not enough time to answer them I'm afraid. But shall we sit down in the meantime? I think you'll find what I have to say to be quite interesting."
I grunted. "You're not human. I can tell by that much. So that makes you a witch."
She smiled as she sat down in the center booth across from the bar. I sat opposite her, taking in her timeless features. A face that resembled to be more feline than human. Her hair was straight and shoulder-length, the color of chocolate. And her eyes were Jade green. I glanced down at her hands and noticed several rings on each finger while a metal cuff depicting a skull and crossbones graced her wrist. Our eyes remained locked on each other for the better part of a few minutes as electronic voice appeared overhead.
As we begin our final approach into Bucharest, we want to thank everyone for traveling with this evening. We hope you've enjoyed your trip.
I was the first to break eye contact with the witch as I looked at the TV screen above the bar that counted down the final minutes until we arrived in Bucharest. Less than half an hour and with sunrise just beyond the horizon I wondered if we would be able to make back to the castle in time. But a look outside the tempered glass told me a different story. The sky was losing its lustful darkness and giving way to the warm of the light that would surely burn me alive if this train didn't make it into town fast enough.
"I'm listening witch," I said, placing my hands on the table. "Start talking."
"Very well. My name is Luciana and I'm the coven leader for The Nightshade Circle based in New Orleans. I'd heard about your brief battle here in Romania not to mention the tragic loss of a mate. You have my deepest sympathies. I also know that he's missing and with my magic, I think I'd like to help you."
"Why would you want to help me? You don't even know me."
"I know enough. I know that you were turned into a vampire after cheating on your fiance. Then her mother who was also a witch put you to sleep and locked you away in a catacomb underneath your castle until the day came twenty years ago when a single drop of blood restarted your heart. Afterwards, you fell in love, madly in love by the looks of it. In the end, you turned your mate into a vampire and together you two defeated your father who was interested in your daughter because of her supernatural powers."
"Stop! Stop talking, please. I don't like to dwell on the past."
"Then you must know that you believe me," she reached across and touched my hand. "I know how much Nathan meant you and your daughter. And I know that you haven't slept a day in the last twenty years because you think that somehow, someway you might actually be able to bring him back. Well, that's why I'm here. I want to help you. I know that your enemies are on the move and that they are destined to try and end your life."
I nodded, running my fingers through my hair. "I'd heard rumors. But so far, nothing's set in stone."
"Rumors can be deceiving, Dracula. Never forget that."
In truth, she was right. I received word about a surprise attack a few times before, but it was nothing serious. Mostly just death threats here and there. Deep down I knew that they would never act on it. Not unless it meant a gruesome death by yours truly. However, times are changing and the rest of the world has moved on, onto better and brighter things. And for those like me a vampire, I have always stayed the same. Except maybe this time, I'd learned how not to take innocent life for granted and how quickly it can pass them by.
I turned away from my thoughts, staring at Luciana when I noticed a change in the air. A shift in balance. The air pulsed with electricity, crackling and sparking like a fuse before the big bang. Something wasn't right. As I motioned to get up, Luciana did the same. Except there were no parting words, only a friendly smile. And just like that, she vanished into thin air like a ghost leaving behind in her wake, a scent of her perfume. I followed the trail through the remaining cars until I got to the lead car where the conductor sat.
But a quick peek inside the window followed by the scent of fresh blood. Told me that the man had been killed, his throat slashed from left to right. I grabbed the handle and with a strong tug, broke the lock as the door swung open revealing an oversized bomb. At a glance, a group of wires stuck out as they appeared to be intertwined with the train's electrical operating system. Even if I could manage to disarm it, sudden death was highly possible. All these people on board are going to die. And for what? Because of me?
Someone, most likely an unforeseen enemy, had to have known about my sudden return to Transylvania. Suddenly a beep sounded as I stared at the screen of a digital timer. Counting down the minutes and seconds until catastrophe struck. Not good, I thought, not good. I bolted from the room, kicking the door shut behind me as I ran back to the first class car. Inside, Astrid was awake and alert, sitting upright as she folded the newspaper in hands. While her eyes were on me as I reached for my sword and kicked out the window.
"What the hell are you doing, Dad?" She asked, against the roar of the wind.
"There's a bomb onboard! We need to get off this train now!"
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"You're just gonna have to trust me, Astrid. Now, let's go."
"Okay. Okay. Don't get your fangs in a knot."
Her face frowned in a confusion, but there wasn't any more time to explain. I grabbed her by the arm as I threw her on my back and climbed out the window onto the roof. Between the fierce wind and pelting snow that ruffled the edges of my trench coat. It sure was cold this time of night. With my sword in hand and Astrid securely fastened around my body, I looked out amongst the vibrant snowy landscape and learned that a bridge was nearby with a lake running underneath it. I think I have an idea.
A further scan of the land revealed a boulder sitting near the edge of a precipice not far from where the bridge ended. I asked Astrid to get down for a moment and to hold my sword as I jumped into the air and transformed into a swarm of bats as I flew towards the boulder. From there I pushed with all my strength, cursing the damn thing to move as I felt it start to give way and roll down the hill and onto the tracks. In the end, it landed perfectly. Exactly the way that I wanted it to. I just hope it was enough to contain the blast.
So I raced back towards the train just in time to see it start to pass under the bridge. Astrid climbed up on my back once more as I took my sword in hand and with baited breath, stepped off the roof and fell away from the bridge. The contact was instantaneous, the explosion powerful enough to weaken the bridge but not destroy it completely. Flaming debris fell all around us as I transformed into a swarm of bats once again, flying high against the backdrop of the night sky while racing against the impending sun.
But far off in the distance, I could see my beloved home, Castle Dracula. At one time it forever laid in ruins until my mate appeared and started doing major renovations thanks to his great-great aunt's wealth. His aunt who was a witch. Who turned me into a vampire. Whose mission was to destroy me because of what I did to her daughter by breaking her heart. And yet how was I to know that I would fall in love with a member of the same sex. I didn't plan on it. It just sort of happened that way. And I've never regretted it.
The city of Bucharest dazzled in the early morning glow thanks to the reflection of the sun. For I feared that I would not make it back in time unless the sun's harmful rays got to me first. I changed course halfway through town, staying low between buildings that still managed to contain even the slightest bit of cover. Then the sky gave way to a lighter, more softer side while my thoughts were preoccupied with getting me home. This was one time that luck was definitely not on my side.
And that's when I felt the sting, the burning, the overall countdown of my demise. I was almost home by now for I could see the backyard still covered in fresh white snow. And as the sun rose higher, I flew lower. Though it wasn't until I reached the property limits that I forced myself to change back as I rolled into a skid with Astrid by side, along for the ride. When it was over, Astrid gave me a dirty look and brushed the snow off her clothes before walking across the lawn and heading for the back door.
But as I followed, I remembered the last time I stood in this exact spot. It was when Nathan sacrificed for me, for our daughter. He had saved us both. And for the last twenty years, I have avoided this place so to speak. However, I could never truly stay away from it for too long. Because this was his home. A home for us. A home for my family. A family who in the beginning suffered from a traumatic loss. Might have just found the strength and power to one day finally be able to set things right.
Author's Note: Good morning everyone! I hope you guys enjoyed the Prologue and first chapter of Dracula Reborn! Now keep in mind that these are going to be the only two updates as of right now. But once I finish a few more chapters, then the updates will resume. That I can promise you. :) So in the meantime, tell me what you think of it so far in the comments below. I hope I did you guys proud with this one. I love you all!