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Lucy’s POV
Draven and I walk together without saying anything until we reach a park bench. We sit down taking in what we have done to Michael. I look up above me, seeing all of the stars. This is one of the things I will never get tired of seeing as a vampire; the whole night sky.
“What happens now?” Draven asks.
“We wait until we see the results of what has occurred. If he remembers all he saw and still decides to come after Mina, then that is when the fun truly begins. The things we did today are nothing more than child play.” I say to him.
I make sure to be careful with my words in case if anyone is by chance listening to our talk. Draven knows this but he is not so much careful in his choice of words.
“Is it wrong for me to want the fun to truly begin?”
“Why in the hell would you want that?” I ask him.
“So I can kill him. He may not be Sultan Mehmed but he carries his face. You and I both know the terrible of his kind; The Turks have done to our lord before he ever became Dracula. His face should not be allowed another day to walk this earth.” Draven growls in anger when mentioning Sultan Mehmed and the Turks.
“Understandable however I have a question to ask. Does the same go for Mina who looks like Mirena? You gave Vlad that impression when you recently paid a visit to him.” I growl in response.
“Never! Mirena is the mother blood of vampire! She is the reason vampire blood runs through the world. She has now returned again to Dracula. He needs to make her immortal, a vampire!” Draven speaks of Mirena like she is a Goddess.
“Keep your voice down.” A sharp, dark familiar voice says to him.
Draven immediately stands and sees that Vlad is here. Draven does not give a second thought as he gets on one knee, bowing his head to Vlad. I try not to chuckle in how Draven looks before Vlad. Draven still treats him like he is still the Vampire Lord he was centuries ago. However those days are long gone for Vlad but it never will be for Draven. Draven accepting change is basic the offense of silver in our presence.
“Do not ever bring up Mirena again. She died years ago. Mina may look like Mirena however she is not my wife. Do not ever speak of Mirena again.” Vlad growls to him.
“Yes, Lord Dracula…” Draven says with a slight tremble in his voice.
Vlad glares down at him in some regretting of allowing him to be here. Vlad is still unsure if he wants Draven in his current 21st century life due to Draven never letting go of their past centuries. Vlad tells Draven to stand. He does so. I even stand up to see them face to face. These two are vampire father and vampire son who were basically two long lost souls when they first met one another.
Vlad saw himself in Draven. Their fathers gave them up without fight when it came down to it. They both lost their homes, loved ones to selfish reasons done by enemies. Even by some of their own flesh and blood. Dracula and Draven are fighters. They have more history compared to any other vampire father and son in the world.
“Draven, I asked Lucy to get in contact with you. I need a favor from you. And in return for this favor, we will go out and feed. However the feeding has one condition and the condition is simple, my rules.” Vlad says to Draven.
I walk over to stand by Vlad’s right side like I have always done. Draven gives a smile like it is the most glorious night of his long life. He rubs his hands together like we are about to party together like we use to. It will not happen though.
“What is the favor you need of me, Dracula?”
“You mentioned that the whole Supernatural world is in the knowing of Mina.”
“There is no stopping him from learning about her, no matter what you do.” He says speaking about the Master Vampire.
“I know. Eventually the Master Vampire will learn of her, there is hardly anything that will stop him from knowing except killing him. But we three know it is impossible to get within a sniffing distance of him. However there is something you else you can do. And when you do, only then is when we will drink together by my rules.”
“Done. What is it?” He does not hesitate in taking Vlad’s deal. He would never miss an opportunity to feed on blood with him again.
“For a few weeks now, I have seen the same wolf about five times now. It has appeared when I was hiking with Mina, outside my house and a few times when I was out in the pasture horseback riding.”
“What? A wolf?” I ask Vlad in shock. He never told me about this wolf he has been seeing.
“This wolf is no ordinary wolf of any kind I have ever seen. I have seen several different kinds but not one like this. Whenever the wolf would disappear, there were no tracks; no scent almost like the wolf was never there. I’m starting to think someone is playing mind tricks with me. If this wolf is a danger to me or Mina, then this wolf needs to be dealt with. Can you be my ears? Maybe even track down this wolf or whoever is playing these mind tricks?”
“I can however if it is a mind trick, there are only very few casters with the power to do what you are describing. Especially since you found nothing to track it back to. What did the wolf look like?”
I stare at Vlad while he recalls details of the wolf. Vlad tells Draven that the wolf is the dark grey wolf breed, with the colored eyes of sunrise yellow with a hint of blood red eyes. But the more he saw the wolf, the more its eyes became full blood red, no more sunrise yellow in the eyes. The more he describes the more death like chills I get. The wolf is the height of Vlad which is 6 feet tall. There is no record of any wolf to get close to five feet tall, let alone six feet due to the amount of strength the wolf could have. The bigger they are, the stronger they are.
“I’ll see what I can find but I have to be honest with you. There are not many wolves out in the public due to the Supernatural Council recruiting them as mercenaries, mindless killers. Those mercenary wolves come close to what your Monstrous Love turned to be centuries ago due to your methods. And to the wolves of any kind refusing to join them, you know what happens to them. And that is partly due to you.” Draven tells him.
Vlad appears to have a look on his face knowing what Draven is speaking of. I know it as well. If this wolf is one of the wolves that Vlad destroyed in pleasure like he did many things then this wolf will give him a lifetime of pain. This wolf may wait to go after Mina as well. Sadly there is no other option than to wait and see. I know Vlad will be ready whenever the wolf will strike.
“Anybody want some wine? It’s on me.” I tell them.
Draven and Vlad both lightly smile and say yes. The three of us head down to one of the bars that I know. It is known as House of Ellixirz which is located in Sibiu. For humans, it would take about an hour and a half to two hours to drive. With all three of our vampire flight speed, we get three within maybe 3 minutes.
There are a few people in the bar. We walk in and ask the host for a corner, quiet table. The host leads us to one and tells us that the server will be with us soon. Draven and Vlad’s eyes go around studying the place. This place is a cocktail bar. It was built with some passion and attention to each small detail. It is a lovely atmosphere compared to some bars these days.
The whole entire back of the bar is stocked with Scotch Whisky, Signature & Classic cocktails, American & Japanese Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye, Cognac, Brandy, Armagnac, Calvados, Tequila & Mezcal, Irish Whiskey, Rums & Cachaca, Gins and Vintage & Rare Rums. A small part of me wishes they had wine options however their cocktails are good. I have yet to have a bad one here.
The server comes over with a smile on her face when greeting us. “Hello. How is your night going?”
I see that she is shoulder length dirty blonde hair and she is a pretty thing with a nice voice. I can already tell that she seems like a fun person and a hard worker. I see her name tag on her work shirt. “It is going well. How about you, Gabriela?”
“Going decent. What can I get you started with?”
“I will get my usual. Ching Shish & the Red Fleet Army. And for these two gentlemen, they will try the drink, 1884.”
“All good choices. Is there anything else I can get for you?”
“Any chance you are on the menu, darling? You have a lovely neck.” Draven asks while giving her his charming smile.
“Thank you, I think.” She says unsure of how to fully respond to his words about her neck.
Vlad and I glare at him with hatred as he tells her, “Forgive me. I often notice a woman’s neck. I am somewhat of a neck person. So is this man right next to me.” He puts his hand on Vlad’s shoulder. Vlad does not want to be a part of what Draven is doing right now with the server.
Gabriela blushes a bit in what Draven just said to her. I immediately stare at Draven. He stops smiling when he sees the look on my face. He knows that I will snap him in two if he tries anything with her. I tell her to ignore him since he speaks like that to many women. Gabriela listens to me and walks away from our table.
“Do not go near her, Draven. If you do, I will kick your ass from here to Black Sea Resort then back here. And if that is not enough for you to understand, maybe these words will go through your skull. Nooooo! No. No. No. No. Did I mention nooo?!”
Vlad chuckles when he sees Draven knows that I am not messing around. Aside from Vlad, I am the only one who can get Draven in line when it comes down of who he cannot drink from. Draven lightly growls to me in frustration.
The server comes back over with our drinks and sets them down. Draven does not even look at the server anymore while we drink our drinks. The three of us speak in Turkish about what has been done to Michael. Vlad taught us how to speak Turkish so if we ever needed to speak it without anyone knowing what we are talking about such as now. We tell Vlad all of it.
However Vlad does not seem fazed by it. He looks down into his drink. I know that he is thinking of Mina. “There was a time that I would enjoy details but I no longer care. As long as it went according to plan, good especially for Mina.”
“How is Mina doing?” I ask him.
“As well as can be expected; she is staying with her coworker, Emily tonight. I recommended that she turn off her phone for the rest of the day and night. She already has some blue and purple bruises on her face from where he hit her.” He takes a sip of his drink.
“Did you know that they were engaged?”
“I do not care about what their relationship was. He is so far out of the picture that it is no longer even funny. And in high beliefs of what has happened today, he will be put into permanent restraints once he is well enough for the authorities.”
“Let’s drink to that.” I hold up my drink.
The three of us lightly tap our drinks together. Draven and Vlad catch up a bit in what he has been doing over the past few decades. Draven even mentions that he has been seeing someone for a while. However he wants to make sure that she is the right one for him. I find it hard to believe that he has found the right one due to the countless women he has been with.
We get another round of drinks when I reach into my purse to show what Draven and I found earlier. I pull out the photos for Vlad to see. I set them down in front of him. Vlad sets down his drink when he sees the photos of him and Mina. Vlad picks up a few of them to take a closer look.
“Michael had these. He put a P.I on Mina. He knew when the two of you first met.” I say before I take more of my drink.
“This is not me.”
“What are you talking about?” Draven asks.
I am even a little thrown off in what Vlad said. I know that is him even if it is just the back side of him in the photos. Vlad shakes his head no to the both of us and tells us again that he is not the one in the photos.
“At first glance, I can see how you would think that is me but look at the height difference. I am taller than Mina. This person is Mina’s height. And take a closer look. There is more green grass on the ground when this was taken. It was more likely in spring or summer when this was taken. I never saw Mina until almost two months ago. Also look at the date when the photo was taken.”
Draven and I see the date on the back of the photo. April 14th, 2014. The few others on them have same date of April 14th, 2013 and 2012. We all look at one another in thinking the same thing now. We all know that the man in the photo is not Michael. This man must be important enough to Mina for Michael to have these photos in the file on her. Since it is not Michael or Vlad, who is the man in this photo with Mina?
“Was this all of the photos you found?”
“Yes.”
“Is there a way to get your hands back on that file? I want to know who this man is.” Vlad says with a bit of anger in his voice.
I can already see hundreds of thoughts running through his mind. He must be wondering if she is seeing someone else without him knowing. However Vlad does not need to jump to any conclusions yet. For all we know, it could just be an old friend that she meets up with every now and then.
“Right now, I cannot due to what has happened. Maybe when things settle a little, I can get my hands on the file. Vlad, before you get any thoughts of what those photos could mean, it is possibly nothing or just an old acquaintance. Michael is a deranged and psychotic manic of a blood bag. Anything that he didn’t like her doing, he had added to her file and maybe even threatened anyone who she cared about. Or a guy she started to see until Michael got his way and she couldn’t leave him at the time these were taken.”
Vlad leans back in his seat drinking the rest of his drink then nods in what I am telling him. “You’re right. I don’t need to automatically think something. It is most likely nothing. So let’s have another round of drinks and give cheers to that blood bag, Michael whom didn’t withstand the eruption. And absolute, blissful joy in his destruction tonight.”
Draven and I cheer in his words and we get a third round enjoying ourselves for the remaining time we are here at the cocktail bar. Vlad wants to get back home so we part ways with Draven and he keeps his word to see about the wolf Vlad has been seeing lately. I lean up against a pole in seeing that Vlad is thinking. I know the look on his face. He is thinking of who that man with Mina was in the photos.
“Vlad, whoever that man in those photos, do not give it another thought. Mina has had to completely change up her life in order to stay clear of Michael but nothing worked. Mina cut off so many people in her life for their safety or due to the fact they believed Michael over her. She literally just has a few coworkers in her life. And a mother who doesn’t believe the terrible awful Michael has done. If that man is in her life, they probably see each other here and there; an old friend.”
“I know. There is no need to get your hands on that file. Forget it. I do not know why I had the slightest bit of doubt when I saw those photos.”
“Honesty, please do not doubt what you two have. I see the way she looks at you. She really cares for you and given with everything that is going on, it is hard for her to put her mind on other things. I recommend that you two disconnect from the world again then focus on meeting her charming mother for Thanksgiving. I know that is going to be a tough one to handle.”
His eyes study the night sky and I know what it reminds him of. It is similar to the very night we meet centuries ago. Vlad nods his head to me then takes my hand. “Did you know that the night I turned you, you were the first one I turned since 1476 and prayed to God since my son, Ingeras passing?”
I froze in what he asked and I recall his words just before my human world went black so long ago. I was unsure if he said something at all due to how my world changed that night. However it does explain why Vlad was particular in his choice of who to be turned into a vampire such as me and the rare few others.
“I did not know that. It does explain some of your decisions in who to turn and not to turn immortal.”
“I shall never turn another into what we are.” Vlad says with sorrow and regret in his voice.
“Be careful in what you say. You may have to end up breaking your words.” I honesty tell him.
“No. I never will, Lucy.”
“Not even for Mina?” I ask him the most brutal but yet most important question that Vlad will have to face head on if he continues to be in her life. He dodged what Draven said earlier about making Mina immortal.
His hand lets go of mine when I spoke those words out loud. He stands face to face with me. I knew he would react this way however it is something that needs to be spoken of now rather than later. I stare into his dark brown eyes.
“No. I will never turn her into a vampire. Not ever, no matter the circumstances.” He says with a hint of anger to me.
“Look, with everything going on with you, maybe things will change for you. However if nothing happens with you any further and remain as you are then what? Will you turn her yourself?” I question him.
“I will not be questioned by you about turning Mina.” He growls.
“I only ask because she is human. If no harm becomes her, lives a full human life, and dies an ordinary death, what about you? You do not age. Do you plan on still being with her when she is old? I know it is a few decades down the road for her. But for us, decades are a short time. I know you want to denounce the choice not to turn Mina. I know you’ll try to keep your word. However with all of the possible enemies coming your way to hurt her to get to you, you may want to consider it down the road.” I am not fazed by his fury red eyes glaring at me.
“I say that Mina should have the choice if you tell her who you are fully. Let her decide for herself since it is her life. That is all I have to say and I will leave the rest for you to think about.”
Vlad sinks my words in as he takes a step back and turns his back to me. I hope my words sink to his heart because it’s important especially if he doesn’t want to lose her the way he lost his wife, Mirena. I know he would never be able to endure it a second time. He would rather stake himself than harm Mina. I would stake him as well if he attempted to harm her. I have grown to care for Mina just as much as he has.
“I will rethink it due to how you put it. You are not wrong. Have a good night, Lucy.”
“You too, Vlad.” I tell him.
He transforms into a swarm of bats, flying into the night sky before my eyes. I keep my eyes to the sky until he is no longer within my senses. 295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyNIIc6utw
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