Bitten by Love (The Vampire Genesis

Chronicles Book 3) Lara Bronson

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Bitten by Love

Lara Bronson

Tacit Press, LLC

 Contents

Title Page
Recap
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Glossary
Afterword
About The Author
The Vampire Genesis Chronicles
 Recap
The meeting with Muma Pădurii leads Petra and Gabriel on a new journey through the Forest of
Celestial Rites.
First, they meet Solomonarul, who helps them find Tiberiu, the werewolf pack leader. Once they
meet, he tells them about the moon eclipse ritual, which will secure the Eye of the Dragon stone's
powers. Except they must retrieve a feather from Zburătorul and convince the nymphs to dance that
night.
Difficult tasks away them, but with the help of their friends, they succeed in their quests and aid in
forging a new love story between Solomonarul and Teodora.
Except when Petra is kidnapped by Turkish mercenaries, she realizes a larger evil is out to get her.
And the only way to escape it is by traveling with Gabriel back in the future. While all the
paranormal beings are preoccupied with the proceedings during the eclipse ritual, a mob of strigoi
attacks them.
Petra and Gabriel prepare to get to the castle and time travel when Gabriel's brother is attacked by
the undead creatures. Torn between helping or leaving, Gabriel chooses to aid his brother and asks
Petra to leave first.
Once at the castle, forced to say the spell, Petra already feels her body transcending. While this
happens, she hears Gabriel's voice and tries to grab his hand. Unfortunately, they cannot connect, and
he remains in the past while she enters the time continuum.
After reaching her present, to Petra’s surprise, someone is waiting for her. Someone closely
resembling Gabriel.
 Chapter 1

"Welcome back, Milady,” the doppelgänger said with a suave accent.

I didn’t have time to recover from the shock when he took my hand and pulled me up too fast for
my weakened state. My knees buckled, and I crashed into his chest. He smelled of cedar wood,
expensive soaps, and a light whiff of frankincense. It took me a second to recover from my olfactory
overload. The outline of his chest felt familiar, but, at the same time, it didn’t feel exactly like
Gabriel’s body, just as I remembered not several hours ago.
“Are you okay, Milady?” he asked, displaying the same playful smile I remembered. “Did you miss
me already? You have been in my embrace not too long ago. If you already feel such anguish, how
should I react when I waited to see your sweet face and supple mouth for five hundred years.” He
cupped my chin and caressed my lips with his thumb. The impostor still wore the wedding ring on his
finger.
Startled, I pushed him away. “That is not possible. You cannot be Gabriel,” I said fretfully.
“And what made you reach such a conclusion, Milady?” asked the doppelgänger with open arms as
he walked closer. “Was it my improved style compared to my medieval counterpart or that I am half a
millennium old?”
I tried to utter something, anything, but my vocal cords decided to bail on me. I could hardly blame
them.
He stepped closer, took my hand in his, and kissed it. All the while, he maintained eye contact. “If
only you knew how many times I dreamed of this very moment. Alas, I expected such a reaction, so I
came prepared.” The Gabriel impersonator shoved his arm into his perfectly steamed trousers and
pulled out a handkerchief. The handkerchief with our initials I made for him in Wallachia. “I also
have your phone, pocketknife, and white bag, but unfortunately, the latter has seen better days, and I
had it framed in glass.”
I completely forgot I had left my bag back in the past. There was no way this man could be anyone
else except Gabriel. “But how did this happen?”
“Ah, now that is a question that must be answered at dinner,” he said, grabbing my hand. “You must
be famished. Let’s go. I made a reservation for a nice restaurant close by.”
“You made a reservation? Restaurant?” I asked, dumbfounded. Was I finally going to eat something
else besides cheese and bread? This was not the time to think about food, Petra. I made a few steps
and accidentally knocked something. When I looked, I saw the water bottle I had left before traveling.
What was it doing here? I rushed to grab it. It didn’t look tarnished, broken, or anything.
“How much time did it pass since I left and returned?” I asked.
“Well,” Gabriel said, looking at his very expensive watch, “from the moment you traveled and
returned, it’s been about twenty-four hours.”
“What?” I interjected. I worried so much about my parents thinking I had been gone missing for two
years, and they just had their morning coffee. Time really did a number on me. “But how is that
possible? Wouldn’t time work the same no matter what year?”
“The present takes longer to permeate the cloth of time. But once it’s embedded in history, it
resembles more like a slope. In other words, it takes a long time for history to happen and much less
to relive it.”
“I remember the seer saying something similar. So, you’re saying one cannot travel into the future?”
I asked.
 “What is a future but a perpetual present?” he said as he glanced and smiled radiantly at me.
Several tourists turned to us after hearing our talk. “It is best to continue our discussion in a more
private place. Come. My car is parked next to the palace.”
I ran to take my warmed-up water bottle and returned to grab his hand. We walked through the gates
and out into the sidewalk. Suddenly, I was hit by the culture shock of modern times. The smell of hot
tar from the nearby repairers fixing the road, the honks of passing cars, and the rapid pace of life
overwhelmed my senses. Without even noticing, I halted.
“Is everything all right?” The doppelgänger’s voice awoke me from my dazed state.
“Everything that previously seemed normal is too much to take now,” I said.
“We only have a short walk till we reach the alley where the car is parked. Can you walk? For
there is always the option for me to carry you,” he said and smiled.
“No, I can walk.” I wasn’t sure I could trust him yet, though my gut feeling told me it was indeed
him, if only in a different stance. If medieval Gabriel leaned forward, always ready for attack, the
modern one had a relaxed and assured poise to his walk.
While he still held my hand, probably to make sure I wouldn’t disappear again, we crossed the
road and entered a dark, secluded alley. For a moment, I began fearing for my life. How could I
believe he could be Gabriel? No one lived for hundreds of years. And the stone turned to dust when I
time-traveled. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. This had to be an impostor, and I was knee-
deep in trouble. Then he stopped next to a luxurious, black Mercedes and opened the door to the back
seats.
“Is this your car?” I asked.
“It is our car, Milady,” he said.
“Are you sure you’re not a kidnapper?” Nervousness always made me ask stupid questions.
He laughed with his signature radiancy and said, “I’m surprised it took you this long to question
me. But I’m glad the doubting historian researcher in you has once again resurfaced. I realize that your
handkerchief could’ve been stolen, but the knowledge of you I hold dearly in my mind could dispel
any form of reluctance. Come, ask me any question,” he said.
And just like my stare, my brain went blank.
“If you wish, I could help you,” he said. “The first time we met was when His Majesty held his
first speech in the Great Hall.” He made a step closer. “Our first date was at the river where animals
sent by Muma Pădurii accosted you. I’ll always keep the memory of you in your most vulnerable
state, clutching onto me as we returned to the castle.” He made another step. “Our first kiss was the
same night, under an oak tree in the courtyard. Remember? You ran away afterward.” On his last step,
we were mere inches from one another. “Are you going to run away now as well?” He whispered into
my lips and then gave me a short peck.
A wave of memories flooded my mind. Even though he looked slightly different, his lips still tasted
like cherries dipped in honey. “It is you,” I said, still recovering from the kiss. “But how is it possible
for you to be alive after all this time?”
A corner of his mouth rose as he said, “As much as I wish to appease your curiosity, at the moment,
I cannot risk being in The Ordinary Realm for long. So, if you feel confident enough that I am your
husband, please enter the car.” He once more moved toward the backseat door.
My hesitation didn’t hold me back this time, and I got in the car. The opulence of the car’s interior
stunned me. Never in my life had I stepped inside such luxury. The smell of black leather and the
motor’s soft purr gave me another modern-time culture shock. The luxurious kind.
“Are you comfortable?” Gabriel asked as he sat next to me.
 “How could I not be? Last time I rode a vehicle, it had four legs,” I said.
He laughed. “I’m glad we can accommodate to your needs, Milady.”
“Wait, if you are sitting here next to me. Who’s going to drive the car?”
“Milady deserves my undivided attention. Thus, we have a chauffeur for such cases.” Gabriel
pointed to the front seats.
Only then it dawned on me that we were not the only people in the car. “You can afford a
chauffeur? What do you do for a living?”
“Ah, more questions. But first things first. Troy,” Gabriel said as he turned toward a black man in
the passenger’s seat. “The goods, please.”
The man, looking like a bodybuilder, handed him a tray with four coffee cups of various sizes. I
wanted to ask who he was, but the coffee smell completely overtook me.
“I didn’t know what kind of coffee you preferred, so, I took the risk and chose for you. We have
espresso, Americano, latte, and mocha. And if these don’t suit your taste, Troy, my second-in-
command, is holding another tray of four cups for you to choose from,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel had a second-in-command? I wanted to find answers to the incessant questions popping in
my mind but first, coffee. “After living in medieval times for two years, I could drink coffee-washed
water, and it would still taste amazing. But I’ll go with the Americano.”
“Let’s not forget dessert. Troy, give us the box,” said Gabriel.
Troy handed him a white box, and when Gabriel opened it, heaven sparkled before my eyes. The
box contained an assortment of bite-sized cakes topped with pink frosting, chocolate, or sprinkles.
“We searched through the entire town to find an American-style bakery,” said Gabriel while I
chomped on my first dessert in two years and chugged it with coffee. The tender taste of sponge cake
with the bold and rich contrast of chocolate threw me into a dream of sugary indulgence. Only after
gobbling several more cakes and drinking my second coffee, I noticed Gabriel observing my every
move. With two full cheeks of cake, I looked at him and realized my unrestrained behavior. So much
for being a sophisticated medieval princess. “Excuse me,” I said as crumbles fell out of my mouth.
He chuckled. “If I were in your shoes, I would’ve behaved the same,” he said as I swallowed the
last cake bites. “You have a crumb on your lips. Let me help you.” He wiped the escaped crumb with
his thumb and then licked it in the most sensual way without even realizing it.
I lost the ability to speak. This Gabriel had a new vibe to him, and I didn’t know how to react to it.
He noticed me ogling and asked, “You wish to join in on the treat?”
My brain went blank again. It seemed to act this way only in the presence of modern-day Gabriel.
Then again, he didn’t offer me much time to think as he leaned and kissed me fiercely. The fusion of
tastes between chocolate cake, coffee, and his tender lips threw me into a spiral. I wished to care
about the audience in the car, but the need to kiss Gabriel, the man I married and loved so dearly,
outweighed any other argument my mind could conjure. My desperate wish to live with Gabriel in my
time had been fulfilled. Now, the only thing I had to do was find out how it had happened.
 Chapter 2
The more he kissed me, the more I lost myself in his embrace. When Gabriel stood in front of me,
the sense of time became distorted, and things seemed to always disappear in the background.
Eternity never had so much meaning as when I bathed in his presence. I do not know how long we let
ourselves become enthralled with each other’s mouths, but a short cough woke us both up from our
passion.
“Troy, now it’s not the time,” said Gabriel, seething with anger.
“It is unsafe to remain here, Sire,” said Troy with a slight French accent.
Sire? He had a second-in-command who called him a Sire?
“Fine. Roger, drive us to the hotel,” said Gabriel as he helped me straighten my clothes.
“Wait. I still have my medieval dress on.”
“Do not fret, Milady. There’s a whole wardrobe waiting for you at the hotel,” said Gabriel.
“But didn’t you say we were going to the restaurant?” I asked.
“This hotel has one of the best restaurants in town. I made a reservation for tonight. But if you are
still hungry, we can drive to any place you desire and buy some food.”
“No, no. After such a feast of desserts, I feel like I couldn’t ever eat again.”
“Give it a couple of hours, and you might start feeling hungry once more.” He peered at me with a
naughty look.
This new Gabriel knew how to make me blush in an instant. But it somehow still felt weird to
consider him my husband.
At the hotel, he escorted me to the penthouse. I wasn’t sure what Gabriel did for a living, but he
was definitely rich. Inside, we were welcomed by two hotel staffers who handed us two key cards
and left. The living room was decorated in a modern, minimalist way with sleek furniture, a marble
fireplace, and a panoramic view. I entered the bedroom painted with white and grey walls and a
massive black bed. The bedsheets were crisp white like the ceiling-to-floor curtains. One simple
black and white canvas of the town’s view hung above the bed. Only after getting accustomed to the
lavishness of the bedroom did I notice the dark wood walk-in closet filled to the brim with clothes.
“From what I gathered, you like a more casual attire. Still, I preferred to give you options. Then
again you look stunning in anything, medieval or modern styles,” said Gabriel.
Hearing those words, I finally recognized my Gabriel. He loved to lavish me with kind words.
“You must tell me what happened,” I said as I sat on the bed.
“All in due time. I can only tell you that I did everything in my power to keep my promise. But now,
you must rest. I will come for you in the evening,” he said as he approached me and kissed my hand.
The man decided to keep me intrigued till the very end. But truth be told, I was indeed exhausted
from not sleeping an entire night during the ritual and then time-traveling afterward. So, after Gabriel
left, I snuggled under the white comforter and tried my best to keep my eyes closed and fall asleep. It
seemed like a futile endeavor for a moment, but the next time I opened my eyes, it was already dark. I
sprinted out of bed, nervous I might be late for dinner. Then the hotel phone rang. I picked it up, and a
female voice told me Mr. Stoica said to take my time and whenever I was ready to come downstairs.
He would be waiting in the hotel lobby. I thanked her but also became suspicious of cameras hidden
in the penthouse.
I walked to the bathroom and halted for a second to admire the extravagance of the interior. The
freestanding tub was the centerpiece, with black fixtures mirroring the floor. Next to it, the massive
glass-enclosed shower had multiple showerheads all around. In the right corner stood a steam room
built from light wood, which emanated a eucalyptus mist. Luxury floated across the entire room
through the vapors of steam. It took me some time to accept these surroundings as real, given that my
last bathing experiences consisted of wooden barrels and lukewarm water. I searched the sink cabinet
for shampoo or a shower gel and found an entire department section of bathing products, from bath
salts and essential oils to expensive body scrubs and lotions. I turned on the water in the bathtub,
poured a lavender bubble bath gel and a bath bomb, and jumped straight into it. I was too eager to
way any longer. I felt my muscles relax as I leaned slowly onto the tub. Quickly, the water and foam
covered my body. Finally, I rediscovered how bliss felt.
After so much time, I finally got home safe and sound. And on top of that, I had Gabriel with me.
We fought for this outcome, but I still got a weird feeling of disbelief from it all. Was it a dream, or
was it a nightmare? “Come on, Petra. Stop worrying about everything. Even if you do not know the
details, the love of your life found a way to be with you, and you should be grateful for it.” My trip
taught me that everything was possible as long as I knew how. Gabriel must’ve found a way. He was
always so resourceful. And now we could be together in the present. Truly unbelievable.
I soaked in the tub for around half an hour, then dried my hair and went into the closet to find
something to wear. Besides the enormous amount of clothes, shoes, I found several exquisite sets of
lingerie were in the drawers. Was Gabriel the one to pick them? I had to recognize his tastes were
impeccable. But I didn’t care about clothes as much anymore. So I went with whatever caught my eye
first, a short lavender dress, (finally, I could see my legs while walking,) tied my hair in a low bun,
and was ready for dinner. Anything else except bread, milk, and cheese sounded delicious.
After I got out of the elevator and into the lobby, I noticed Gabriel instantly. He sat on a red leather
couch, contemplating something in front. For the first time since I returned, I could observe his
features from afar without feeling embarrassed. He removed the blazer but stayed in the same black
shirt and slim-fitting pants as before. With his immaculate style and dark hair, the man exuded so
much charisma that if I didn’t know better, I would assume he was the hero of a billionaire romance.
But I knew better. He was Gabriel. The man who stood by me even in the worst of times. The man
who sacrificed so much just so we could be together. The one whose heart valued more than all the
treasures in the world.
As I approached him, he turned and saw me. The stunned look on his face gave me confidence that I
had made a good choice with the dress. Still, after wearing loose-fitted dresses for so much time, it
felt too tight on my body.
“This dress has done your beauty justice. Your body and face look as if carved by gods,” he said.
“Come, let’s eat. You must be famished.”
“Not really. But I would love to eat something I dreamed about since my days in medieval
Wallachia,” I said as he led me to our secluded booth in the restaurant across the lobby.
“And what is that?” he asked curiously.
“A burger and fries,” I said.
He laughed with zeal. “We can order as many as you like.”
The restaurant felt quite cozy, given it was part of a hotel. The main illumination came from the
glow of candlelight. Not something I missed per se, but in such an ambiance, it felt romantic and
calming. Jazz music played in the background adding to the feel-good mood.
A server approached us and asked what we would like to drink. Gabriel gazed at me, but I gave
him an unsure look. “We’ll have champagne. The most expensive one you have,” he said in Romanian
and closed the menu. “The lady will have a burger and fries, and I’ll have a steak.”
 Gabriel, in a modern environment, had a special effect on me. He could whisper modern words
into my ears, and I would simply swoon while floating on a cloud of fascination.
“A penny for your thoughts?” he asked.
“The way you speak, English or Romanian, is different from before.”
“Many years of living in various parts of the world could do that to you,” Gabriel said.
“Many? But how? I’ve never heard of humans living so long,” I said.
“Humans, no.”
“Are you saying you are not human?” My eyes widened.
“Indeed so,” said Gabriel calmly.
“Then what are you?” I asked.
“Here is your champagne, madam,” said the server and handed me a champagne flute.
Just my luck. Right when I was getting some answers, someone had to come in and ruin it.
“Let’s drink to our reunion,” said Gabriel as he raised his glass.
I cheered with him and downed the glass, taking Gabriel by surprise.
“I never knew you loved champagne so much,” he said.
“I don’t, but my nerves are killing me. I left my husband in the fifteen Century, and now hundreds of
years later, he stands in front of me looking just the same. I need answers, or I’ll go crazy,” I said.
“Your meals are here,” the server said and placed the burger and fries in front of me.
“Let’s eat first, and then everything will be clear,” said Gabriel.
“You must be doing this on purpose.” I looked at him inquisitively.
But before he answered me, he looked at the server for a few seconds. The man bowed and left
without saying a word. “Not quite. But I would prefer to see you well-fed before I tell you
everything,” Gabriel said.
“Fine,” I said and shoved half a burger in my mouth.
Taken aback, Gabriel chuckled at my childish behavior, but I didn’t care. I needed answers now.
After the second half, plus the fries, I felt drained, the food coma calming some of my worries.
“I’m glad you’re enjoying your meal,” he said, cheering his champagne glass and sipping from it.
“Let’s get straight to the chase. What are you? Did you actually live so long? Or did you find
another way to travel through time?”
“When I couldn’t grab your hand, misery spread through my body faster than a deadly disease.
Months after, I still didn’t know what to do with myself. I questioned my existence and my will to
live. The loss of you hurt more than the loss of me. How could I not hold you close again? To never
see your sweet smile? Or feel your tender caresses? I didn’t want to experience the glacial sensation
of your lost embrace. I said to myself, if death were to meet me sooner rather than later here on the
land of our ancestors, then so be it. Because there could never be me without you in any epoch. No
amount of time would heal my loss. Thus, death would be the merciful way out.”
I swallowed shallowly, overwhelmed by the pain he had to endure.
“Months had passed, but death didn’t plan to take me anytime soon. I brawled with anyone willing
to throw a punch, leaped from cliffs into rivers, slept wherever I could, and starved myself into
nonexistence. But as much as humans fear death’s coming, the same fear envelops those who wish for
its arrival. In the end, someone took pity and shared an ancestral secret with me. Given my intense
will to live for you, there was a way to get to you, though, in hindsight, it came at a steep price. Thus,
through a harsh ritual, I became what you see today,” said Gabriel.
“What?” I asked, still unable to comprehend what he meant.
“A vampire,” he said.
 Chapter 3
Ilooked once more into his eyes and saw another silver streak passing through. I couldn’t believe
what he was saying. We all knew vampires didn’t exist. Most of the time, when Wallachian people
talked about vampires, they usually meant strigoi. And strigoi were rogue brutes with limited mental
capabilities. Whatever I saw in front of me was a much-elevated version of whatever I saw back in
the Wallachian woods.
“Are you telling me you’re a strigoi?”
“Yes and no. I am part of their genus. But I’m also the most superior specimen.”
“Superior specimen?” I echoed his words.
“Besides keeping my intelligence, I have gained additional supernatural powers, and most
importantly, I am immortal,” he answered the questions I had in my mind but didn’t know how to
verbalize.
“Unless you don’t drink human blood or get stabbed by a wooden stake?” I asked.
“Any blood would suffice. But no, I remain alive even if I don’t drink blood for a thousand years. I
simply become weaker and slowly dry out. Also, the wooden stake feels more like a toothpick to me.
If you wish to impose some damage on my body, the silver-coated stake would usually do the trick.
But again, it won’t kill me.”
“Then, is there a way for you to die?”
“No, unless I decide to die. The powers kept within my body protect me from dying.”
“Then you are truly immortal.”
“Becoming an unnatural being was never in my plans. The disdain I harbored before becoming one
still plagued my soul even when I decided to take the plunge. But I couldn’t let go of…” He lowered
his head.
I knew what he wanted to say. He meant he couldn’t let go of us and of never being together again.
“You did this for me.” I extended my hand toward his.
He raised his head. “For the longest time, I tried to find another way to get to you. I went to
Solomonarul, the werewolf, the nymphs, but no one had an answer for me. I knew there were other
traveling stones, but they were lost to time or hidden far beyond my knowledge. Then at my most
desperate of times, someone approached me. They knew of a way to become immortal, and I accepted
it. One thing the person didn’t tell me was once I chose this path, I would never be able to time-
travel.”
“You sealed your fate.” I gasped.
“Not only. The fate of unnatural beings does not embed in the cloth of time. The Other Realm can
always change its history separately from The Ordinary one and cannot influence matters of history.
We are the shadows of the world. Some believe in us, and some don’t. Few have seen us, and even
less understood what they saw.”
“So, after you transformed, even if you found another stone, you wouldn’t have been able to time-
travel?”
He nodded, keeping a somber demeanor.
“Did you find another stone?” I asked.
“I found one in the hands of someone I trusted. But it didn’t matter anymore. Their betrayal didn’t
change the outcome. I had to live throughout a good part of history to reach you. But it was worth it. I
finally have you in front of me. My princess, my goddess, my wife.” He clutched both hands.
 The number of questions swirling in my mind made me dizzy. Still, I had to find out more. “How
was it to live throughout so many historical events?”
“At first, I was delighted. Even with the rocky start of becoming a vampire, I relished in the idea
that I would experience firsthand everything you told me about the future. Unfortunately, the good
parts were scarce, and the hardships were endless. I’ve seen more death and suffering than I wish to
divulge. I watched my family die one by one. I’ve seen His Majesty go through numerous betrayals
and an unjust murder….”
“Wait. Did His Majesty find out about your transformation?”
“After I turned into a vampire, I was at my weakest. I struggled to find acceptance from either
Realms until I reached the castle. His Majesty took mercy on me and let me live. He ordered me to be
confined in the prison under Chindia Tower. No one knew what to do with whatever meek powers I
had gained. They have never seen anyone become a strigoi while still alive. Then Sultan Mehmed II
attacked our lands.”
“Did you help him during the war?”
“No.” He smiled with a sad tinge. “His Majesty would never let an unnatural being help him in his
battle of freeing his nation. Plus, I was too weak to fight. You see, I wasn’t the only one to become a
vampyr along the years. There were many before me. But I was the only one to survive. When one
first becomes a vampire, they are easily killed. Vulnerable like a fawn, I became a target hunted by
other creatures in The Other Realm. The potential of becoming the strongest being in the Realm
triggered great rebuttals. His Majesty saved my life unknowingly by imprisoning me in The Ordinary
Realm. Few unnatural beings would risk entering his castle. I got released only afterward when his
greatest plan took place. And once again, His Majesty inadvertently helped me by providing many
slain soldiers. For even I didn’t know that to become a vampire, I needed to drink a massive amount
of human blood in one go. Thus, after draining all their blood, I gained my powers.”
“So the person in all those defamatory pamphlets about Vlad the Impaler eating and drinking next to
his victims were you?”
“Trust me, I did not look as refined as His Majesty’s portrayal in that pamphlet. But yes. I was the
one they saw drinking blood. The fact that they assumed His Majesty was the vampire turned my life
for the better. It helped me assimilate into society far easier from then on. His Majesty lived but a few
more years before being murdered in his bed by unscrupulous nobles. While I had to live a long life
and, in such instances, anonymity becomes your friend.”
“So in some convoluted way you are the hero I admired.”
“The human version of your hero will always remain His Majesty Vlad III. I’m his myth. At least,
that’s what humanity deems me to be.”
“Then Bram Stocker’s book and all those other books about vampires are about you? The cape, the
fangs, the dreadful castle?”
“I dropped the cape a few decades ago,” he said and laughed.
“You did?” I gasped.
“I jest. Humans need patterns. If they needed to imagine a vampire as a crude, aggressive being
while I could enjoy my life in peace, then why not? Stereotypes have a certain role in society. It may
garner a bad or good reputation, but I used it to my advantage.” He took another sip from his
champagne glass and began cutting his steak.
“If you only need blood to live, how can you drink or eat?” I asked.
“I noticed early on that humans felt intimidated when I didn’t eat with them at the table. They
foolishly assumed sharing food was meant to be a form of trust. Regular food or drinks don’t hurt me.
Few things do. My body simply dissipates anything I ingest. I cannot feel their taste or absorb any of
their nutrients. The only way I can taste steak is by feeding on a human who just had one. I can taste
burgers and fries too.” He raised a brow and smiled mischievously.
“Are you going to feed on me?” My eyes widened.
“You are cute when you behave so humanly,” he said. “The only thing I need from you is you:
Princess Petra, my wife, the sole reason for me being here. Not for you to become my feeding station.
Of those, I have plenty.”
“Wait. But what if you didn’t decide to become a vampire? Would history change? Would those
historical pamphlets never be made? And would Bram Stoker never write his novel?”
“Not quite. Both His Majesty and Bram Stocker’s fates were sealed. His Majesty’s was sealed the
moment he stepped the second time on the Wallachian throne, and Stoker’s fate was sealed when he
decided to write his book. Maybe not the same book, but a similar story, nonetheless. You must
understand that once a fate is sealed, one can only rearrange minor details. One can die an easy or
brutal death, but his fate would still lead them to a certain death at a specific moment in time based on
their previous choices.”
After Gabriel instilled in me a good amount of existential dread, I realized we were in a public
place. I glanced at all the people in the restaurant, unsure of what they had already heard. “Isn’t it
dangerous to talk about this subject in a public restaurant?” I whispered.
“Look closely. All these people, including the servers, are entranced. One of the perks of being the
strongest of my kind,” he said as he leaned back on his chair.
Indeed, even though they all behaved normally, upon further inspection, I noticed everyone had a
blank stare and moved slower than usual.
“I would never risk divulging confidential matters in The Ordinary Realm. But too much
information regarding this subject could’ve spooked you. I had to do the necessary and use my
powers to introduce you slowly to my world. Even so, my greatest fear might still come true. After
living for a hundred years, I realized that maybe you wouldn’t want to be with an unnatural being.
Maybe you would still prefer Gabriel’s dead human version rather than his undead counterpart. So
please, dissipate my fears, and tell me if you still want me this way. A bloodsucking beast who has
killed in order to survive in this cruel world,” Gabriel said with pleading eyes as he took both my
hands into his.
“I’ll be honest. It is hard for me to process this information all at once,” I said, and I could see his
face contort in pain. “But not in a million years would I give up the chance of being with you in any
form I could get you.”
He leaped from the chair, cupped my face, and kissed me with abandon. “So many nights I’ve
dreamed of you saying these words,” he whispered close to my lips, then went on to kiss me again,
deeper than before. He shoved all the plates and glasses off the table. While I was still taken aback
by the rattling noises, he pulled me closer and onto the table. As I climbed on it, his face was the
same height as my chest. Gabriel did not hesitate and began kissing the uncovered part above the
neckline of my dress. Pure sensuality emanated from him, and I couldn’t do anything else but succumb
to his alluring snares.
His kisses spread across my upper body (especially my collarbone) as if tracing a map. He had to
make sure it was indeed me in all forms possible. But I missed his mouth, so I bent to meet his face,
and for a second, I thought his eyes were silver. When I blinked, I could only see his dark, yearning
eyes. I threw myself into his embrace and began exploring his mouth in depth. The taste of him
expanded into a million particles of flavor. Sometimes sweet, sometimes tart, sometimes savory, but
every time oh-so-delicious. Gabriel reached for one of my short sleeves and lowered it to access my
shoulder. He gave it a few pecks as if marking it. But I wondered if he planned on going further in a
public place. I did not enjoy the idea of bonding physically in the presence of an audience, even if
they were hypnotized. And what if someone new entered?
Gabriel felt my anxiety and stopped. “Do not worry, Milady. This was just a lapse in my judgment.
I would never do anything to make you uncomfortable,” he said, enveloping his arms around my waist
and dragging me onto his lap. He gave me a short kiss on the lips and another on the cheek. “I hadn’t
marked your cheeks yet,” he said.
“So you WERE marking my body?” I asked.
“Only for the first time, then I’ll simply devour you,” he said and smiled playfully.
I chuckled nervously. “You’re joking, right?” I asked.
“We’ll wait and see,” he said. His cell phone rang before I could say something. “Yes?” he
answered. “We’ll be at the car in a few minutes.”
Car? A few minutes? Weren’t we staying at the hotel for the night?
When he hung up the phone, he looked at my inquisitive eyes and said, “Now that you know who I
am, would you like to see the home I built for us?”
 Chapter 4
After he helped me stand, he came from behind and brought a sleeve back to its original state, but
not before marking the space between the neck and shoulder. The unexpected wave of sensations sent
shivers across my entire body.
“I’ve spent many waking moments thinking of ways to ravish you,” he whispered into my ear as he
made a trail of kisses from the top of my neck to my shoulder. “But all that must wait till we get to
Brașov.”
I turned toward him. “Are we leaving for Brașov tonight?”
“Indeed. If you wish to change into something more comfortable for the car ride, you should do so
right now. My men are already waiting for us outside.”
“So the myth is true. Dracula does live in Transylvania,” I said, bewildered.
“I’d prefer Stoica instead of Dracula, but you would be correct.”
“Unbelievable,” I said. “I’ve been preaching the wrong information all along. As a historian, I
should be ashamed of myself.”
“Or you should be proud for finding out the truth,” he said. “I will be able to answer more of your
burning questions if you choose to hurry and get ready for the ride. But first, I must finish something.”
He snapped his fingers, and all the surrounding people reverted to a natural pace and behavior.
Gabriel then approached the server, whispered something in his ear, and slipped a coin in his
pocket.
As we reached the lobby, I said, “I’ve never seen a coin like the one you tipped the server. What is
it?”
“Once he finds out, he’ll be a very happy man,” Gabriel said. “Now, it’s your turn to finish
something. Go change. The faster you return, the more questions I can answer.”
At the sound of his words, I jumped into the elevator and started pressing the penthouse button
incessantly. “I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
He chuckled and said, “Always thirsty for information. I’ll wait for you outside.”
As I entered the penthouse, I sprinted straight into the closet. I placed the dress back on the
hanger, put on a black lounge set, and out the door I went.
Once I exited the hotel, right in front of me stood Gabriel, magnificent as ever, waiting to open the
car door for me. I could’ve told him I was capable of doing it myself, but since medieval chivalry
still flowed through his veins, I knew my efforts would lead nowhere. When he saw me, he smiled
boyishly.
“Please do enter, Milady, he said as he opened the car door.
“Why, thank you, Milord,” I said as I entered the car and gained another sweet smile from Gabriel.
Inside, in the cup holder, stood my UW water bottle, already filled. I took a sip while Gabriel sat
next to me. “I hope you like the best mountain spring water Romania could give,” he said.
“Is it as good as the water from the stream close to Tiberiu’s pack?” I asked.
“Better,” he said.
“How much time will it take to reach Brașov?” I asked as I heard the engine’s roar.
“Quite soon, but you can relax now. Trust I’ll take care of everything, so you don’t need to worry
anymore. It’s what I’ve been preparing to do up until now. If you wish to sleep, you can do so as
well.” He took my hand in his.
“I’d rather admire the town for a while.”
 “As you wish,” he said calmly.
The peaceful, starry night alongside the monotone ride enveloped me in a deep sense of serenity.
The soothing hum of the engine lulled me into a meditative state. I yearned so much for this when I
lived in medieval Wallachia. And now I was finally back, welcomed by the warm glow of the
streetlights and perfectly paved roads. Though I fought to keep my eyes open, slumber still managed
to whisk me away. When I opened my eyes for a bit, I found myself in Gabriel’s lap, with him
guarding my sleep. I knew I lay in safe hands, so I went back to sleep.
The next time I woke up, I found myself in a bedroom. At first, I got startled. I’d never seen the
place before, but then I remembered Gabriel and yesterday’s crazy events. I fell back on the pillow.
The softest pillow in the universe. I closed my eyes, but sleep decided to bail on me. I turned to the
left side of the bed to see if Gabriel slept next to me, but he was nowhere to be found. Then I decided
to inspect the room. The mahogany, four-poster bed that could fit ten of me was covered in black silk
bed sheets. All the bed sheets had our initials monogrammed. On each side of the bed were two
nightstands carved in intricate patterns similar to the dresser and the armchair in front. Besides the
plasterwork, which was painted in gold, all the walls, including the ceiling, were painted in dark
grey. The only accent in the room was the rug and the curtains, which were of a burgundy color. If I
didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed I woke up in Count Dracula’s lair. Oh wait, I did. Except he
was Count Stoica, and he was my husband of five hundred years. What would this kind of marriage be
called? Our carbon dated anniversary?
As much as I wished to dwell more on this peculiar situation, my stomach’s growl insisted on
finding sustenance soon. I cracked open the tall, wooden door and saw Gabriel coming toward me
with a food tray. “You’re awake,” he said with enthusiasm. “I was just bringing you coffee, chocolate
cake, and other treats.”
“Is this your house?” I asked.
“You mean our house,” he said as he entered the bedroom and placed the tray on the dresser. “Let’s
get you back under those sheets and have a proper breakfast in bed.” Before he could place the tray
on the nightstand, a fury passed next to his legs, almost tipping my breakfast.
“Shadow. Not now,” he said, but I didn’t see to whom he was talking.
“Who’s Shadow?” I asked in confusion.
“Hey, boy, stop. Come meet your mistress,” said Gabriel, but the tornado didn’t listen. It went
several rounds in and out of the bedroom and then sprinted toward me. The terror I felt at that moment
got released in the form of a shriek.
“No, Shadow. She’s human,” Gabriel yelled.
The fury tried to slow down, but it was too late. It knocked me off my feet. Then I felt something
licking my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw an overly-excited black and white mastiff wiggling his
tail. “You have a dog?”
“Indeed. He’s just as happy to meet his mistress as me.”
“Does he bite?”
“Only the bad ones,” Gabriel said.
“How does he know who is bad and who isn’t?” I asked.
“He lived long enough to tell the difference, even when I don’t give him clear instruction,” he said.
“Wait. He lived long enough?”
“He’s a few decades younger than me,” Gabriel said.
“That’s not possible. I’ve never heard of vampire dogs.”
Gabriel placed the tray on the nightstand and then helped me stand. “In my world, everything is
possible, Milady.” He cut the distance between us. “Good morning, my love. Did you have a
rejuvenating night’s sleep?” He raised my chin with a finger.
“I did. Thank you for asking,” I said shyly.
“Good, you might need it for later.” He grinned playfully. “But first, we must replenish your energy.
Open wide.” I did as told, and he placed a cookie in my mouth.
“Umm, chocolate chip cookie. I haven’t eaten one in so long.” I looked down and saw the
mammoth of a dog eyeing my cookie. “Does Shadow eat regular food?”
“No, but he still thinks he’s a regular dog somewhere deep inside though he’s been fed blood for
many centuries,” Gabriel said and sat on the bed next to me.
“Is this your only dog?” I asked as I took a sip from my coffee.
“Yes. Immortality is a gift and a curse at the same time. He has earned the ability to live forever,
but only next to a master who is also immortal. Having too many dogs could wreak havoc on the
entire ecosystem of the world and even lead to the extinction of species. Shadow doesn’t care whom
to kill and who’s blood he drains. Thus anyone or anything is at risk. Granted, I trained him to be only
fed by me and attack those I deem necessary. He also knows about you. I showed him your picture
many times. That’s why he was so excited to see you.”
“You have a picture of me?” I asked.
He went to the nightstand and pulled a frame out of it. Inside it was a picture of my family. The one
I kept in my wallet.
“You kept it all these years?”
“Not only that. Come, let me show you,” he said.
Curious, I took the last bite of the cake and went with him. Just like his name implied, Shadow
followed us behind. The hallways maintained the same style as the bedroom. A bit gloomy and a bit
mysterious. From the pointed ceilings hung candelabras which reflected a warm, incandescent light.
Half of the wall was covered in dark wood panels. The other half hosted numerous paintings and
sculptures. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to the subjects of those paintings, but once I took a
closer look, I realized it was me. Every portrait had a distinct painting style, from Renaissance to
modern, but all of them have a singular subject––me.
“This is madness,” I said.
“You say it’s madness. I say it’s my favorite gallery in the world. If anyone knew about the
existence of these paintings and who their creators were, their value would soar. Though, in my
opinion, their real worth hides in their subject. Come, we have so much more to see,” he said with
boyish excitement and grabbed my hand.
We entered the room at the end of the hallway, only for me to discover a study inside. But not an
ordinary study, an antiquated floor-to-ceiling library filled to the brim with books. The frankincense
incense mixed with the natural, earthy smell of wood conjured a special kind of fragrance.
“This is the most beautiful home study I’ve ever seen,” I said.
“You should see the library downstairs,” he said.
“Why do you have two libraries?” I asked.
“The one downstairs is for all the books I ever read. This study incorporates a first-edition
library.”
 Chapter 5
What do you mean by a first-edition library?” I asked.
“Every single book you see here is a first edition. Many are also signed by the author, though I
wasn’t able to do so with every single book.”
I looked around, mesmerized by the unique allure of the books. As I entered the room, I noticed a
rather unusual bookcase. “This one is a bit different. How so?” I asked as I approached an ornate
piece of furniture behind a wooden desk.
“Ah, you have a keen sense of observation. These are the first editions of every vampire book ever
written. Up there is your favorite author, Bram Stoker’s book. I was deeply disappointed to learn he
had never visited my lands before. Since I knew his fate was to become a famous writer, I went to
impart a few details about being a vampire. And though some of his descriptions were close to
reality, he still chose to ignore my advice and wrote the book in his own vision. For example,
vampires not being able to enter houses unless invited. As if someone could stop me from entering
their humble abode. Alas, one cannot expect a fiction author to portray historical facts accurately.
Still, after the publication, I swallowed my pride and brought a copy for him to sign. The second time
we met, he didn’t even remember me. I entertained the idea of grabbing a helper of his and give him a
demonstration on how one becomes a vampire, but it wouldn’t matter to history, and he risked being
labeled a mad man till death. Too many such cases occurred before.” Gabriel took out the book and
presented it to me.
The book was in pristine condition. The yellow cover, as well as the ink, looked fresh off the
press. I opened it to admire Stoker’s signature. The book was worth thousands.
“It is my gift to you. Actually, the entire study is my gift to you,” Gabriel said.
“You remembered my delusional daydream and turned it into life?”
“My only regret was not asking more about your wishes, for I had plenty of time to bring them all to
life.”
“Trust me. This is more than enough. Did you read all of these books?” I asked.
“When you have infinite time at your disposal, knowledge becomes the only light at the end of the
tunnel.”
“Which one is your favorite?”
“I prefer not to pick favorites, as all have gifted me something through their pages. But I do have a
favorite quote.”
“Which one?”
“He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby becomes a monster. And if you gaze
for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”
“I’ve never heard of this one. Who’s the author?”
“Nietzsche. Philosophy has played a great role in my life up until now.” Gabriel turned toward
what I assumed was the philosophy bookcase.
“It doesn’t come as a surprise, given your last name is based on an entire philosophical school. Do
you have a favorite stoic philosopher?”
“Epictetus,” he said.
“Interesting. I would’ve pinned you for a Marcus Aurelius fan.”
“Based on their mark on philosophy, it would be difficult to choose any of them. The reason I
picked Epictetus is because of his terrible upbringing. He’s been through all and still chose to live.
Not only live but also teach others how to do it.”
I felt a tinge of sadness in his tone and felt curious to delve deeper, but Gabriel spoke first. “Let’s
not talk about the gloomy parts of history and continue our tour.”
I looked once more around the room and noticed a door. “Where does this door lead to?”
“I thoroughly enjoy the curious historian dwelling within you. Let me show you,” he said as he led
me to the entry. When he opened, my jaw dropped (an often occurrence as of late). It was a Petra
Mini-Museum. My phone was displayed in a glass enclosure in the center. All my chemises and
dresses hung around the room. The pocketknife had its own display, as well as my wallet, my
entrance ticket to the castle, the Glinting Book, and my dagger. Everything else was plastered with
photographs of me. Gabriel noticed my confused demeanor and said, “They’re all from your phone.
You cannot imagine my joy when they first came out with phones similar to yours. I could finally
charge it and look through all your beautiful pictures.”
“But you knew where I lived. You could’ve found me anytime you wished.”
“And risk scaring you off or, worse, changing the trajectory of time? Your fate is not yet sealed, and
you have the freedom to walk away anytime. I waited for hundreds of years. I could wait for another
two decades. Though I can’t say it was easy. When you first arrived in Brașov, I couldn’t help but
follow you around. At least, to get a glimpse of the love of my life.”
“Do not tell me you were the one who gave me the umbrella and entered my hotel room at night.”
He smiled shyly. “Indeed, but then, the closer you got to the palace, the more paranoid you became.
I feared you would be too rattled to find the Eye of the Dragon.”
I turned toward the end of the room and saw my medieval dress. “Why is the dress I time-traveled
recently in a glass box?” I asked.
“Your dress is beyond important as a relic of our past, but also because it is the last dress I saw
you in before you disappeared.” The pain in his voice resounded across the room.
I rushed to hug him. “I’m sorry. You’ve been through so much.”
“Do not fret, Milady. I did it for myself as well. I wished to live through time and experience its
history, but I never imagined it would be so difficult without you by my side.”
As a small compensation, I kissed his sweet lips, to which he reacted with greediness and
deepened our kiss. Unaware of where our legs took us, I stumbled onto a wall, where he pressed a
button and plunged us into a secret room. It got so dark I couldn’t even see my hands. “Where are
we?” I asked.
“It is a place I made for both of us when we want to escape the world.” I heard his footsteps
coming closer. He caressed my lips with his thumb.
“Don’t tell me you can also see in the dark,” I said.
He chuckled and kissed me once more, greedier than before. His hands traveled dexterously on my
body. The scoundrel definitely could see in the dark while I was at the mercy of his actions. Gabriel
pinned me to a wall and began ravishing me. Vulnerable but also curious, I let his every move
surprise me. He kissed my neck and whispered in my ear, “Will I ever have enough of you? I’m ready
to devour you completely.”
I wasn’t sure I was ready to become his morning feast, though I didn’t have to, for in the next
moment, his phone rang.
“Saved by the bell,” I said.
“Nothing can save you from my snares, but it is morning, and work must be done,” he said as he
checked his phone.
“I never got to ask you what you do for a living,” I said.
 “I run an international antique art business,” he said.
“That seems logical.”
“How about I answer this call while you enjoy your morning with a bath or whatever you like?”
“I’d like to call my mom and dad. And also, Mei. They might’ve spoken to me a few days ago, but I
didn’t speak to them in more than two years.”
“Great idea. I’ll have someone from our staff bring you a phone. Come, let’s step into the light.” He
took my hand and led me out of the obscure passage.
Now I became blinded by the light while he didn’t even blink.
“Let’s get you back to your room.”
Once I sat on my bed, he gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek. He called Shadow to follow him and
left. I crashed onto the bed, still uncertain if my life was real. It was nothing short of a fairy tale. We
went through many sacrifices, especially Gabriel, but in the end, our wish came true. We were
together. The other stuff were bonuses, as I felt just as happy in our little cottage in Wallachia as in
this Victorian castle.
A knock at the door woke me from my reverie.
“Come in,” I said.
A lady dressed in a maid's uniform entered and brought me a phone on a tray.
“If you wish anything else, like tea or coffee, I will gladly bring it to you,” she said with a gentle
voice.
“No, thank you. Maybe later,” I said as she excused herself.
I unlocked the phone and realized I didn’t have my parents’ phone numbers. When I scrolled
through the contacts, they were already there. As per usual, the man thought of everything. I dialed my
dad’s number, and when I heard a raspy voice, I almost burst out crying. “Dad, it’s me, Petra.”
“Oh, hi, dovlecel. How’s Romania treating you?”

“Good. I’m having a lot of fun. How are you? How is Mom? I haven’t spoken in so many––I mean,
I missed you both.”
“We missed you more when you left for college, but I’m glad you’re returning the favor now,” he
said and chuckled.
“Mom’s doing great. She got the summer off, so she’s forcing me to go with her on several Mount
Rainier trails. As if she hasn’t seen that dang mountain a thousand times.”
“What about you? Did you sell any cars recently?” I asked, holding my breath in excitement.
“Not much, but summer has just begun. I’m sure it’ll get better,” he said. Then I heard Mom’s
voice. “Hey Sharon, it’s Petra calling from Romania,” Dad yelled so loud my ear drum took a hit.
“Petra, sweety. How are you? Did you have any problems finding the hotel? Are you eating well?
How’s the weather?” Mom asked anxiously.
“I’m good. The weather’s great. I did find the hotel, and I’m well taken care of,” I said.
“Who’s taking care of you?” my ever so quick-witted mom asked. “Did you find someone there?”
“Um, I guess you could say that,” I said.
“Stop beating around the bush. Who is he?” she asked. The woman had a talent, and that was to
decipher her daughter’s thoughts in less than a minute.
I exhaled deeply and said, “His name is Gabriel. He’s from Târgoviște.”
“A Romanian man? Interesting. Were we the inspiration for your choice?”
“There were several factors, Mom,” I said, already embarrassed by her incessant questions.
“Let me put you on speaker. Is he handsome? Does he have a job? When is he able to come to
America?”
“Mom,” I retorted in frustration.
“Come on. This is the first boy my daughter has ever mentioned, and what am I supposed to do?
Just sit here and keep my mouth shut?”
“Does Gabriel like fishing?” my dad asked.
“I’m not sure,” I said, questioning why I missed my parents so much in the first place.
“Okay, just be careful. Make sure he’s a nice guy first,” Mom said.
“I already made sure of that,” I said, remembering our two years of marriage. But how was I to
explain that to them?
“Tell him I’ll fly over there and beat him up if he dares to hurt you. I know the streets of Brașov
like the back of my hand,” he said.
“Don’t get so animated, or your blood pressure will go up,” Mom said.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’m fine. He’s fine (‘in more ways than I could say’). Relax and enjoy your
summer vacation, Mom. And Dad, I hope you get a few more sales by the end of the month.”
“Okay, honey. Have fun. We love you,” Mom said.
“I love you too.”
After the call to my parents, I called Mei. The squeal she made when I told her I found someone
reverberated across the entire bedroom. I told her a few more details about Gabriel, but not much, as
usually any additional information led to more questions, and I simply said she’d find out more when
I returned to the US.
In a way, I still had to find out about Gabriel just as much as my close ones. Yes, he was my
husband, but he also had lived far more than any being on Earth. It was hard to imagine what he went
through. This became my mission. I had to find out everything he went through, if not to share the
experience, at least to imagine it. I had to find out more about Gabriel.
 Chapter 6
After a couple of hours, Gabriel returned and told me he had a surprise for me.
“I’d like to see the rest of your house and its surroundings. I hadn’t been outside since I arrived
here, and the windows are all mosaics,” I said.
“Of course, Milady. Though it is more of a castle than a house, I still hope it will be to your
liking,” he said.
“A castle?” I asked.
“Indeed. This hallway which includes a master bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, a kitchen, a
dining room, several guest rooms, and a study, is considered the East wing of the castle located on the
second floor. Everything regarding other aspects of my life is located on the first floor. Come, I’ll
show you.”
We walked out of the bedroom, passed the study, and stopped in front of a massive, marbled
staircase. The marble was of a dark color with grey streaks here and there.
We climbed down one staircase and encountered two more. I assumed one led to the West wing and
the other to the first floor. We continued our path down the stairs and found dozens of people
scurrying to and fro. Some were in suits, and others in maid and butler uniforms.
“Are you truly in need of so many people?” I asked.
“The company has been expanding since 1897. It is to be expected to hire more people. Large
enterprises require large investments.”
“But does your house staff need uniforms?”
“Some of them have been here for so long, it stuck,” he said as he turned to give me a hand to climb
off the last stair.
“Do not tell me they’re all vampires,” I said.
A sudden silence encompassed the building, and all eyes turned to me.
“Please continue your hard work. Don’t mind us. Milady is learning about our history,” Gabriel
said.
“Did I say something wrong?” I asked.
“You are the first human who entered the castle and stayed as such. It is your smell that they're
admiring. But they will have to get used to it. You are their queen, and they must obey any word you
utter.”
“Since when am I their queen?”
“Since the moment I became their king,” Gabriel said.
“Sire, Sire. I have a question regarding the Louvre transaction. Also, I need permission to enter the
West Wing.” A young woman with white hair approached us.
It took one look from Gabriel for the worker to step back. She looked at me, bowed, and said, “It is
a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”
“Likewise, what is your name?” I asked.
“Kira, Your Majesty,” the white-haired woman said.
“A pleasure to meet you. I hope my husband treats you well,” I said.
“Quite well,” she said and then left without a word.
“They’ve been informed I’m taking the day off.” He returned to face me. “If one or two
might forget, it is their king’s duty to remind them.”
“Why do they need permission to enter the West Wing?” I asked.
 Gabriel smiled. “It is nothing to concern yourself with. The West Wing is just a storage of archived
documents.”
His words would’ve convinced me, but his demeanor made me more suspicious. “What kind of
documents?”
“Let’s focus on the tour, and then we can talk boring details,” he said.
The first floor consisted of a grand dining room able to fit at least two hundred people, a meeting
room, a massive kitchen, multiple guest rooms, and a gallery. All the rooms had the same ornate,
Gothic style. Even though the color choices leaned dark, they still felt inviting and evoked a sense of
elegance.
In the end, he brought me to the ballroom. With dark tones and velvety materials spread throughout,
it felt like I entered a scene in a Gothic movie. While the chandelier, which was made of immaculate
crystals, illuminated the contrasting dark interior.
Gabriel took my hand and guided me to the middle of the room.
“Wait here,” he said as he rushed to an old-timey phonograph. At first, I thought it was actually old,
but then he took the remote, and with the press of a button, he put on a waltz and returned.
“I thought the phonograph was real.”
“I believe it is best to combine old and new,” he said and took my arms in a position of dance.
“Are you sure you want to dance with me? Maybe you didn’t get the memo the last time we danced,
but to remind you, I’m not good at dancing.”
“We don’t have to do anything complicated. Just follow the rhythm.”
“It’s easy for you to say. You’ve had rhythm before you became a vampire. I fear if I ever turn into
one, I will still have two left feet.”
“You are too harsh on yourself,” he said and began moving slowly. “Look only at me, and
everything will be fine.”
I did as he suggested and followed his smooth movements. At first, we didn’t step past several feet,
but once Gabriel saw me getting used to the tempo, he advanced further and further from the initial
spot. With an elegant pose and sweeping twirls, I found myself almost flying in his embrace across
the entire ballroom. I almost lost my footing when I looked around us, but one glimpse at him brought
me back into his mesmerizing presence. When you had a vampire for a dance partner, you didn’t need
dance lessons. And if there was anyone who could convince me I could dance, it was Gabriel. After
circling the entire room, Gabriel got even bolder and began twirling me from one side to another and
then leaned me on my back. Though dizzy, I didn’t back down. Once I got a taste of something I felt
good at, I didn’t want to stop. Gabriel was happy to oblige. He took me for another spin around the
room. Sometimes twirling me, sometimes lifting me when I would lose my step. Then he would slow
down to a simple two-step movement, lift me face up, place me on his shoulder, and spin us around.
The breeze fluttering my hair, and his strong arms sent me into a bliss of sensations. Toward the end
of the song, he went for a few more sweeping steps, after which he wrapped his arms around my
waist, lifted me halfway, and began spinning. The euphoric emotions compelled me to kiss this master
of all trades. Gabriel put me down and leaned me on my back while still enraptured in the kiss.
Once the dance was over, I felt like I flew to the moon and back without a rocket. “I never
imagined you could be such a good ballroom dancer. You could’ve won many competitions.”
“Many years ago, this was a lifestyle. People considered dancing part of their social skills,”
Gabriel said.
“True. Well, I approve of all the social skills you acquired over the years,” I said.
“Thank you, Milady,” he said and kissed my hand. “We will return to dancing another time, but for
now, I believe we should continue our walk through the castle.”
After our castle tour, we returned to the main entrance.
“There’s one more thing to do. Wait here.” He sprinted to what I assumed was a kitchen while I
admired the two massive front doors. He returned with a picnic basket and a blanket. “Are you ready
for your surprise?”
We exited the castle, and what I saw in front astonished me. It was a garden of indescribable
beauty. What in the Versailles Gardens was this? Butterflies, bees, and bunnies roamed freely
between the rows of clean-cut bushes, roses, gardenias, and other blooms.
“Do you like the garden?” Gabriel asked.
I was speechless, but he inferred I did from my stunned facial expression.
“Let’s not stop here. There is more to see,” he said.
We walked through the gardens, then headed toward a grove up on a hill. As we climbed the hill, I
got to admire a different perspective of the picturesque castle and garden. The deeper we went into
the woods, the more it reminded me of our past adventures. Somehow, they had a nostalgic effect on
me.
“Here it is,” Gabriel said and looked at me, expecting me to notice something.
“What? Where?” I asked.
“Look around. Is there something familiar you see?”
I looked around, but I could only see oaks. Some were old, some freshly planted. Then on one of
the oldest trees, I saw our initials carved. “Is this the same tree?”
“No, but I gathered that tree’s acorns and made a small forest here. This one is the first one to catch
root. Let’s sit under it, like the old times,” Gabriel said.
Once seated, he took a champagne bottle, two glasses, and two plates filled with mini sandwiches
out of the basket. Gabriel opened the bottle, poured some champagne into the glasses, and handed one
to me. “Cheers! To my beloved wife.”
While basking in the sun in the arms of the love of my life, I couldn’t help but ask, “Tell me more
about the life you had all these years?”
“What is there to tell? Many things have been great, though some have made me grasp the edge of a
cliff. After becoming a vampire and claiming all my powers, my longing for you intensified ten folds.
There were times I wandered for days trying to find consolation in the Wallachian woods. Then I
realized the powers I had within, and with such a vast world, there had to be someone who had
answers. Thus, I began my worldwide travels. I’ve visited every corner of this planet and found
numerous supernatural beings just like me. From the Japanese Kyuuketsuki, Indian Vetala, and
Indonesian Pocong to the Turkish Mhachkaya, the Brazilian Asema, and the Caribbean Loogaroo, all
told me the same. Time could never be applied to those who wielded otherworldly powers. Dejected,
I returned to my lands and returned to the same routine, wandering and consoling myself that even
though I was going through this anguish, at least you would be spared of it. I fed mostly on animals or
on those lost in the woods.
One time, I fed on a man who was so drunk he couldn’t stand up. The rush of alcohol running
through my vein sent me on a different level of escapism. For several hours I could enjoy some peace.
Then I discovered I could taste whatever humans consumed before I fed on them. The first time I
tasted drug-infused blood, it was indescribable. Unfortunately, just like regular people, vampires can
become addicted. But no drug or alcohol could extinguish the burning desire to see your face again
and, for sure, wouldn’t change the course of time. I still had to live through it and might as well make
the best of my exceptional abilities, for I was the strongest being in The Other Realm.
 So I began learning about the human world. I studied art, literature, philosophy, business,
medicine, and any science book I could get my hands on. I traveled across Europe and entered elite
circles, learning about some of the greatest inventions of those times from some of the smartest people
to exist. Then something happened, and I had to return to Transylvania. At first, I lived at Bran castle
and later, here, where I established our vampire kingdom and began trading antique pieces I collected
around the world. The longer I lived, the more expensive they became. Thus, my subjects and I built
what you see today. But do not get me wrong, the garnered wealth and prosperity wasn’t done only for
me but for you or, better said, for our family.”
I rushed to hug him, hoping to ease some of the pain he had suffered throughout the years.
“Now that we touched on the family subject. I must tell you something that might disappoint you,”
Gabriel said.
“After you told me how much hardship you went through, I don’t believe I could ever be
disappointed in you,” I said.
“You see, once I became a vampire, I could no longer have kids.”
His words hit me harder than I imagined. Though I never gave it much thought, I never imagined
myself not having kids in the future. But if this meant I could be with Gabriel, then it was something I
was willing to sacrifice. “I always assumed I would have at least one child, but being with you is far
more important. We can always adopt.”
He beamed at me with his signature smile and hugged me so tight I began gasping for air. “You are
indeed the perfect woman,” Gabriel said.
“I wouldn’t go as far as perfect. But you kind of are, though, given your abilities. Which reminds
me, how come you are able to sit in the sun so comfortably? And why do so many legends say
vampires burn in the sun? Are they wrong in their assumptions?”
“Yes and no,” answered Gabriel. “It depends on their blood dilution.”
“Blood dilution? What does that mean?”
“If a human becomes a vampire through the help of The Source, then they are considered Once
Diluted. If a human is bitten by a Once Diluted vampire, they become Twice Diluted. The dilution
process could’ve gone forever, but Twice Diluted vampires cannot turn humans. So it stops there. But
Twice Diluted will always be stronger than a strigoi as they were turned while still alive.
“The more a vampire’s blood is diluted, the weaker they are. Thus a Once Diluted can stay in the
sun for an hour before burning, while a Twice Diluted will burn to ash immediately. The same with
sleep. A Once Diluted vampire might not need to sleep for a few days, but a Twice Diluted will need
it every day. The weaker the blood, the more they will need to feed and will be easier to kill.”
“Then who is The Source?”
Gabriel smiled and said, “You’re looking at him.”
 Chapter 7
Icouldn’t believe my ears. “What? You mean you turned every vampire ever?” I asked.
“Only the Once Diluted,” Gabriel said.
“And you don’t need to sleep at all?”
“I need sleep sometimes. Usually, during times of battle or after I turn someone into a vampire.”
“I’ve seen so many staff members in the castle. Why did you turn so many? To not feel lonely?”
“There were many factors. Many of them wished to escape political persecution or a violent
husband. Never once did I turn an unwilling subject.”
“Do you feed often?”
“Not so much right now. I usually pick several of the healthiest individuals and drink a bit from
each. That lasts me months.”
“Do you hypnotize them?”
“I do. I cannot risk being found. My subjects usually take care of such trivial matters.”
“So all the books on vampires are somewhat true,” I said in amazement.
“Humans are quite gullible creatures, we can feign any imagery, and they will believe it. Even the
weakest of us can convince a human of anything.”
“What happened to the strigoi?”
“A long time ago, when we established our kingdom, they were assigned physical and repetitive
work. Now they dwell in these woods, free to do whatever they want. They usually feed on animals.”
“Wait. What about the other magical creatures in The Other Realm? Like Solomonarul, Tiberiu and
his pack, and even Zburătorul.”
“Though their lifespan is much longer than that of mortals some still have died of old age. But most
of their progeny perished during the Wallachian Wars,” Gabriel said somberly.
“Oh no. How is that possible?”
“They were against our new species. They made a coalition from which they created an army and
attacked us. We had no choice but to defend ourselves. Ultimately, we vanquished our enemies.”
“I cannot believe Solomonarul or Tiberiu would do such a thing.”
“Tiberiu’s son was the one to lead the army.” I could see the pain in Gabriel’s eyes.
“Truly devastating,” I said.
“But let’s not reminisce on the past. What has happened, has happened, and it wouldn’t do us any
good in stirring up painful memories.”
“You are right.” Still thinking of my friends and mourning their demise.
“Would you like to drink in their honor?” asked Gabriel. “Yes, I would.” As we sipped from
the champagne glass,
silence befell. “I still cannot believe this is real. You, us, our marriage. Wait. I am married to the
strongest vampire ever to exist. That’s mindboggling.”
“We were married in the past, not yet in the present. But no worries, we will rectify this
insignificant blunder quite soon. However, I’ll need to meet your parents first. Have you spoken to
them?” He asked all excitedly.
“I did. They were quite curious to meet you. My mom figured it out in less than ten seconds. The
woman is a mind reader.”
“I cannot wait to meet her.”
“You and her both. But I’ll have to warm them up to the idea of marriage, even though I’ve been
married for two years now.”
“You might need to add a few more hundreds of years to that, but indeed you’ve been taken for
quite some time.” Gabriel smiled playfully.
“I forgot my husband is an immortal being. A sexy immortal at that.” I peered into his eyes.
“And my wife has the great talent to travel through time and to hold my heart captive for centuries.”
He kissed my palm.
“It wasn’t intentional.” I tried to defend myself.
“If I were given a choice, I would meet you all over again. I might be immortal, but I believe only
you have the power to kill me.”
“If only with my magnificent rendition of Three Blind Mice played on the recorder.”
“You should’ve seen my stunned face when I found out this melody was a nursery rhyme.”
“You say nursery rhyme. I say an elevated piece of music.”
Gabriel burst into laughter at my failed impersonation of a distinguished lady and didn’t hesitate to
tickle me.
“No, no. I hate being tickled,” I said as I tried to suppress my laughter.
“I will stop only if you say yes,” he said.
“Yes to what?”
“Just say it.” He increased the tickles.
“Okay, okay. Yes, yes to whatever,” I said, and he suddenly stopped and hugged me. After returning
to my normal breathing, I asked, “What did I agree to?”
“To a trip to Transfăgărășan,” he said.
“Is that the infamous serpentine road up a mountain?”
“That’s the one.”
“I thought you had something else in mind.”
“What did Milady assume I had in mind?” he asked with piqued interest.
“Well, I didn’t agree to tell you,” I said.
“Was it something naughty?” He searched for the answer on my face.
“Um, maybe, maybe not. You’ll never find out unless you plan on hypnotizing me.”
“I don’t need to. Your beautiful face tells me everything without the need to use my powers. You
are an open book I love to read over and over. And since Your Majesty’s message was received, I do
not have a choice but to obey.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You didn’t have to. Your wishful thoughts are my command,” he said and swept me off my feet.
Then without giving me time to adjust, he went supersonic, and the next moment, we found ourselves
in the bedroom. The speed made a mess out of my hair and mind. Gabriel put me down and hid the
wild strands behind my ears. “Were you scared?” he asked, searching for answers in my eyes.
“Only the first second,” I said.
He laughed. “I’m glad you’re taking the changes so well.” He made a step closer, cutting the
distance between us. One hand went around my body, and the other raised my chin to witness once
more his seductive eyes. Smitten by his aura of sensuality, I let him guide me toward whatever he had
in mind. First, he kissed me. The intensity increased the longer we stayed connected. He and I
relished in each other’s mouths. Slowly, I felt his tongue increase in length. Was this another of his
supernatural enhancements? Perplexed, I looked at Gabriel, but the only thing I saw was the corner of
his mouth rising. He continued to devour my mouth, forcing me to get lost in the new sensations and
not pay heed to the unusual occurrence. I feared thinking about what more he could do with this new
enhancement, so I changed tactics.
I began undressing him. I started with his black button-up shirt and trousers but left the underwear.
He stood in front of me, the same Adonis as the one I went swimming with for the first time. The
frankincense imbued with cedar wood emanated naturally from him. I couldn’t wait to touch every
nook and cranny of his amazing body. “You are gorgeous,” I blurted out.
My words took him aback, but then it was followed by a look to the side and a shy smile. “You
know, I fought in too many wars to count, led thousands of subjects, and ruled over my lands with an
iron fist. But you have the power to disarm me with three words.” He walked closer, cupped my chin,
and pressed his lips to mine. Mmm, the same cherry and honey, sweet with a bit of tartness. As of
late, it has become my favorite dessert. Would I ever get enough? I preferred not to ruminate on it but
rather indulge in what this man, the love of my life, had to offer.
While still kissing, he pushed me slowly toward the bed and let me fall on it. He kneeled, took off
my shoes and then slowly moved his hands underneath my dress's hem till the material's edge
followed his movements. Once he reached my hips, he pulled the dress over my head, revealing the
lingerie I had underneath.
Astonished but satisfied, he said, “Only in my dreams I imagined lace and silk adorn your divine
body. Too bad it will have to go away.” Before I could say anything in protest, he ripped the panties
and bra. In that moment, I realized the strength he possessed and how much control he maintained by
touching me so lightly. His eyes became aflame with passion. The air grew denser as he pushed me
toward the headboard. I felt too revealed, so I tried to cover my body with the bed sheet.
Unfortunately, my effort proved in vain as he walked around the bed, stopped at its center, and
entranced me with his predator gaze. I knew he wouldn’t use his powers on me, so this was all
natural. Gabriel kneeled on the bed like a predator on a hunt: smoothly, collected, and focused. I tried
to hide under the sheets one more time when he pulled my legs to the edge of the bed. He slid off the
bed, pulled and raised my legs apart, and did the one thing I feared he would do, drop between my
legs. “No, no.” I tried to protest. But it was too late as a gasp escaped my mouth. “What are you
do––” A new wave of sensation interrupted my words. The man was on a mission and didn’t plan on
stopping until I reached the finish line.
For the longest time, Gabriel held me captive to sensations no ordinary woman could ever expect. I
succumbed to every kiss, to every stroke, or graze till I couldn’t take it anymore. My voice released
sounds with a force I never knew I had within me. Only after several guttural screams was Gabriel
satisfied enough to let go of me. With a cocky smile, he lay next to me, admiring my disheveled state.
It took a minute to even turn toward him. “How? Why?” I whispered while still grasping for air.
“Always at your service, Milady,” he said as his obscenely long tongue licked his lips.
It could’ve been a long time since he saw me and maybe he forgot, but I wasn’t one to not
counteract, especially in such situations. I exhaled deeply and turned to straddle him, taking Gabriel
by surprise.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Retaliation,” I said. I pinned his arms to his sides and began tasting some of his most vulnerable
parts. Gabriel might’ve been a vampire, but he was still Gabriel. In medieval Wallachia, I had the
opportunity to explore his body numerous times. I knew how he ticked. I began nibbling on his ear
lobe, then lowered myself to his neck, where with long strokes, I devoured him. He laughed several
times as I was tickling him more than anything. Slowly, I lowered myself below his belly button along
with his underwear. He froze immediately. I deemed it a good sign and began tasting him up and down
his length. He lay silently without uttering a sound. Maybe I wasn’t doing a good job at it, so I
intensified my strokes, from which I was finally granted a low, sensual moan.
“Now you’re going to surrender to––” I wanted to say he was going to surrender to my charms, but
before I could say it, he pulled me up onto the pillows, rolled on top of me, and pinned my arms
above my head. He’d done all of this in the blink of an eye. The only thing clueing me in about what
happened was Gabriel’s deep heaving. When I looked at him, I saw flaming silver irises boring into
my eyes. His face contorted, resembling a beast rather than a man.
Terror engulfed me. “Please don’t hurt me,” I pleaded.
At the sight of my fear-stricken eyes, Gabriel reverted to his usual self and wrapped me in his
arms. “I would never hurt you, even if my life depended on it.” His strong embrace assured me and
helped me relax. Gabriel loosened his hug and glanced at me. “I’ve missed you so much. Even my
beast reemerged from the depths of my being. I hadn’t experienced such a predicament since my early
days as a vampire. It should be a testament to the power you hold upon me. But please, my love, do
not fear me. It is the one thing I dread the most. I promise to keep my beast locked away and never
show it in your presence again.”
“No, don’t do that. The beast is part of you. I agreed to love you entirely, for this is the sacrifice
you made for us to be together. It is reasonable for me to accept all aspects of you, even the ones I
might not deem conventional,” I said as my fingers brushed through his hair.
I could see a new magnitude of love swelling in him. Not long after, with a newly discovered
fierceness, he plunged his mouth into mine. A feat I never thought possible. After, he laid me gently on
the pillow, caressed my hair, and began devouring my body, careful not to omit even an inch.
“Brace yourself, my love,” Gabriel said, “for I do not plan on stopping until I see you writhing
underneath me.”
Any protest went obsolete when my formal verbal complaint got disrupted by his slithery tongue.
After the intense exploration of my mouth, his next target became my breasts. He nibbled, suckled,
and blew on them to the point of no return. It had to happen now. “Please, Gabriel. I can no
longer…”
He smiled mischievously. “Oh, but I believe you can,” he said as he lowered himself to my belly
button. Each kiss sent electrical currents through my body.
“No, I can’t. This is too much. I beg you,” I said as I cupped his face.
“I do love hearing you pleading, my love. And as you know, your wish is always my command,” he
said. He adjusted himself between my legs and moved his hips in mock thrusts. I wished for him to
hurry, but the ever-so-teasing Gabriel decided to torture me a bit more.
“I do appreciate the level of control you’re displaying, but I need you NOW,” I said.
He smiled playfully and plunged into me with a precise force that sent me into an immediate
blissful exaltation. I thought he would stop to let me adjust, but Gabriel had other ideas. Instead, he
continued his thrusts, slowly increasing the speed to superhuman capabilities. No human could
control their reactions to such vigor, so I chose to not fight it. I let myself be led by his sensual
mastery, like a leaf guided by the wind’s force. The next climactic bliss followed the first one closely.
Then he would slow down, to which my body reacted with soft trembles. Then he would speed up
and bring me on the verge of collapse, sending my senses into the stratosphere. And again, he would
reduce the intensity.
“How long are you going to torment me like this?” I asked in despair.
He smirked but didn’t answer me. Instead, he rolled me on top of him in a straddling position, as he
once more decided to take my mouth. At this point, he could do anything to me as my body was at the
mercy of his mischievous intentions.
 “I want to hear your sweet voice,” he whispered in my ear as he deepened his thrusts. “Sing for
me, my love.”
I wasn’t sure how my vocal cords would act upon his request, until he trapped my upper body and
arms in his embrace and began driving into me with a supernatural speed and intensity. I didn’t have a
choice but to succumb to an explosion of senses and cries. He was two steps ahead of whatever I
would undergo. The man loved to play chess with my body. He bore his gaze in mine with his half-
closed, sensual eyes as he reached his own climax.
Panting and removing sweaty strands of hair off my forehead, I noticed the unperturbed demeanor
in front. “You didn’t even get tired,” I said, exasperated.
“I’ve been preparing to feast on you for years, Milady,” he said as he lay next to me.
“So every time we make love, you’ll resemble a model from a magazine cover while I look like a
sweaty mess?”
“I’m planning on it.”
I punched his chest, though my fist was too limp to make a difference.
“I believe it is time for you to get your slumber. Otherwise, I won’t have anyone to ravish
tomorrow.”
“You plan on doing the same thing tomorrow?”
“Only if you beg,” he said.
“You cocky scoundrel.” I pushed his chest, this time with less strength than before, if that was even
possible.
“I love when you call me endearing names. But now it is time to sleep,” Gabriel said and kissed
my forehead. “I must tend to a few matters downstairs.”
“I will not sleep until you return,” I said stubbornly.
“As you wish, my love,” he said.
I wasn’t sure if he said anything afterward as sleep whisked me away.
When I woke up, my sleepless knight wasn’t there. I cracked the door open and heard clamor
downstairs. I tiptoed to the study, but I didn’t find him there. Only Shadow lay curled up in a fancy
dog bed. He raised his head, barked at me once, and went back to rest. I went my merry way down the
stairs, and once I stopped at the three-way conjunction of the staircase, I stopped. Something serious
was happening. Many of the workers were debating fiercely over something I couldn’t discern. I felt
unsure if I could bother them to ask about Gabriel, so I made a move to return. Then I remembered I
had never visited the West Wing, and it seemed like Gabriel didn’t quite wish for me to look inside. It
only made me more curious. Could it be one of his many surprises?
I tiptoed up the stairs leading to the West Wing and was greeted by a massive vault twice my
height. “What did they hide inside it?” To my surprise, the vault’s door was open. I didn’t hesitate at
the opportunity and entered. Inside, the massive room was filled with antique paintings, statues, and
artifacts. Some looked decently new, but most looked old and in need of restoration. In the middle of
it all, stood a curly-haired woman with her back turned, writing something on an iPad.
“Sire, I heard the Swiss Bank didn’t agree with our request. I’ll call them right away and sort it
out. But first, I must verify the number of Rembrandts we have,” the curly-haired woman said and
turned to face me.
Nothing could’ve prepared me to see the person standing before me. “Smaranda?” I asked,
perplexed.
 Chapter 8

"Good to see you once again, Milady. Or should I call you Your Majesty?” Smaranda asked as
she approached me.
“What are you doing here?”
“What any of us are doing here? Doing the bidding of His Majesty, Gabriel, The Immortal, Stoica,”
she said, snickering.
“Are you a vampire as well?”
“Good thing you’ve been made royal. It compensates for the lack of common sense. Think about it,
would I be standing here if I wasn’t a vampire? Not many of us are as lucky as you to be able to take
shortcuts.”
“But how?” I felt my knees buckle.
“How what? How did I escape the castle on that dreadful Sunday? How did I manage to survive as
an outcast in Wallachia? Or how did I come to work for your dear husband?” She strutted closer,
indulging in my discomfort. “Just so you know, Gabriel and I have a far longer history than you can
even imagine. Your sweet husband has lived through many human lives, and I was the one standing
next to him. Through the tough times and through the good times. Oh, Milady, I wished for so long to
see the face you’re making right now.” Smaranda cackled.
“Milady, I’ve been looking all over for you,” said Gabriel. “Why are you here?”
“Good morning, Sire,” said Smaranda with a sweet voice and languorous eyes.
“Good morning,” he said curtly.
And I felt like I walked in on something more than my brain could handle. So I did what anyone
would do in this situation: I fled. Though no matter how fast I ran, in seconds, Gabriel stood right in
front of me.
“Move away,” I said.
“I asked you not to come to the West Wing. Why didn’t you listen to me?” he asked pleadingly.
I sidestepped him and rushed to the bedroom. He caught me by my wrist and pulled me into his
embrace. It was clear he won’t let me go, so I defied him with the little power I had. I avoided his
gaze.
“Look at me.” He searched for my eyes. “I said, look at me.”
I refused to listen.
“Would you at least let me explain?” he asked.
I looked at him, furious, “Be my guest.”
“But let’s not do it here. My staff’s hearing is advanced enough I would feel like I’ll be explaining
to an audience. Let’s go to the bedroom.”
I crossed my arms, “Do as you please.”
He lifted me and went supersonic till we reached the bedroom. He placed me on the bed and
asked, “Would you like some coffee?”
“Trust me, I already had my morning awakening,” I said, keeping my arms crossed.
Kneeling at my feet, he lowered his head. For the longest time, he stood in silence. “I wanted this
to happen differently. A simple explanation before your encounter would’ve prevented any
misunderstanding.”
“How would you telling me something prior would change anything? She’s been our enemy since
day one. Because of her and that perverted boyar, we lost the ability to time-travel.”
 “If I said she was a changed woman, would you believe me?”
“No, I would simply assume you’ve slept with her.”
His face became transfixed. “Is this what you believe?”
“After seeing how she looks at you, it was hardly a difficult conclusion to reach.”
“But did you see how I looked at her?” His eyes portrayed an indescribable pain.
“Listen, I realize living through a long-distance relationship for hundreds of years meant you
needed some form of alleviation, and I am completely fine with a stranger whom I will never meet in
my life. But Smaranda was below the belt.”
“It is understandable,” he said and kissed my hands. “But you must believe me. I would never sully
your honor in such an abominable way. I did indeed turn her though somewhat against my will. But I
never had sex with her. I never mix turning with mating, and even at my weakest, I was able to shove
her aside. You must believe me, my love. The only time I succumbed to carnal temptations was when
I couldn’t control my beast. Most were tavern girls, and I made sure to erase their memory and find
them an appropriate suitor. At the moment, Smaranda is a simple worker like any other at the castle.
And nothing can make me cross the line with her or anybody else.” He bowed to my knees. “Still, I
have deceived the trust you have bestowed on me, Milady.”
I cupped his face, lifted it to make eye contact, and said, “I believe you.”
He looked like a man who saw the light after years of living in darkness. “Thank you, Milady. I
haven’t yet known of such a gift as your forgiveness,” he said and launched himself at me. He began
kissing me desperately as if tomorrow might never come and rolled us both across the bed. I broke
the kiss to take some air before he commenced another, a more intense one. Gabriel then embraced me
close to his chest and simply relished the moment. “Are you ready for our trip?”
“Was it today? I thought we had another week?”
“I’m too eager to spend every waking moment with you. At the same time, I want to experience the
world with you by my side. We have so much to catch up with,” he said. “But I don’t want to rush
you. If you wish, we can wake up tomorrow morning and be there in an hour.”
“You mean when I wake up.” I still needed to discover present Gabriel’s sleeping face.
He chuckled. “I can sleep next to you tonight.”
“I wouldn’t mind it. I wouldn’t mind it at all.”
“Then we have a deal.” He kissed me on my forehead.

∞∞∞

That evening, Gabriel followed through with his promise. First, he ensured the entire staff left the
castle so we could enjoy our privacy. Then we had dinner at the downstairs fifty-foot dining table. We
had burgers and fries in the fanciest setting possible. After, we went to our bedroom and put on
pajamas. I wore silky lace short shorts and a camisole. And he wore silk black pajama pants and a
black tank top. A perfect opportunity to ogle and marvel at his toned arms while lying in bed. In
medieval times, we mostly lived on a day-by-day basis. Adventures called upon us with or without
our consent. We simply had to face them. But now, between the walls of this bedroom, I could enjoy a
sense of relief. A deep, victorious exhale. For we won against all odds. What we were left with was
to enjoy it. Gabriel looked at me with earnest eyes but didn’t say anything. I did the same. Tonight, we
wanted to immerse ourselves in each other’s presence. We played the staring game for the longest
time until I lost by succumbing to sleep.
 The moment I woke up, I saw Gabriel again, lying next to me. Except he was already dressed for
our outing in a deep navy button-up and trousers of the same color.
“I always thought vampires preferred to dress in black. Look at you, breaking stereotypes,” I said
with a raspy, morning voice.
He laughed and said, “It is because of my princess that I feel more confident to loosen up the grips
of vampire fashion.”
I laughed at his answer while Gabriel decided to make use of my vulnerable state and kiss me.
“No, wait. I didn’t brush my teeth.” I pushed him away and ran to the bathroom.
“I’m willing to devour you in any circumstance,” he said.
I blushed and locked the bathroom door at the sound of those words.
“Do you believe a measly door could stop me?” he asked nonchalantly.
“Not unless you wish to ruin your décor,” I said behind the door.
“All this was done for you. I could live just as well in a cave, which I did. On numerous occasions.
But I’ll be nice and rip the door at its hinges slowly and then ravish you some more.”
“The more you talk, the more it will take me to get ready, and we might be late for our drive,” I
said and began to brush my teeth.
“Who said we’re going to drive? It would take us almost four hours. I’m planning to arrive there in
less than an hour,” said Gabriel.
I couldn’t finish brushing my teeth. I spat out the excess and asked, “How are we going to get
there?”
“You will find out in due time, my love. Now hurry up and get ready. I’ll go get you a coffee,” he
said and left the room.
After I took a shower and put on a white dress, Gabriel met me in the hallway and said, “You look
stunning, Milady. A perfect outfit for today.”
I saw he also took a navy jacket, so I couldn’t help but ask, “Do not tell me vampires get cold
too?”
“You never know when you might need it,” he said.
When would he need it, though? Sometimes, this man did not make sense, but questioning his every
move would overwhelm any historian researcher. “Where are we going now?” I asked.
“On the roof,” Gabriel said and led the way.
“On the roof? Don’t tell me you finally fulfilled humanity’s most desired but most flawed invention,
the flying car.”
“Every time I feel I get a clear sense of who you are, you still manage to amaze me one way or
another,” Gabriel said and helped me climb the stairs to the roof.
“It’s all part of the Petra package, you know,” I said. On the last step, I got mesmerized by the
surrounding beauty. The castle stood in the middle of the deepest Brașov forest, thus I could enjoy a
unique view of nature’s exquisite creations. “Is this still The Other Realm? Just like in Târgoviște?”
“The Other Realm is everywhere where supernatural beings live. Though once I became king, this
is considered our headquarters.” He said and walked to a corner of the roof.
“What happens if a human enters The Other Realm?”
“They wouldn’t see it. We have a protective dome in place. They would only feel something
unusual, but their eyes would tell them it is still part of the forest.”
“For whom are we waiting?” I asked.
“Any minute now, Milady,” he said, looking at the horizon.
Suddenly, I heard a whirling sound from afar. At first, it looked like a dot in the sky, but the closer
it got to us, I realized it was a helicopter. The moment the helicopter reached us and hovered above
the roof, I stopped breathing properly. Not only because of the shock but because the amount of air
swirling around overwhelmed every sense of my body. Though I didn’t realize it initially, it
resembled close to my time-travel experience.
Gabriel enveloped me in an embrace and said, “It’s almost done.”
Once it landed, I could take a better look at it. The helicopter, as well as its blades, were of a dark
color, like everything surrounding Gabriel. On the helicopter’s body, the words Alterum Regnum
were inscribed.
“Are you going to fly us?” I asked curious if he also knew how to fly helicopters.
“And be forced to take my eyes off you? Never. There is staff for that. Come, let me help you get
in.”
 Chapter 9
Once inside the helicopter, Gabriel helped me put on the straps and the headphones. But he didn’t
do the same for himself, instead he asked, “Are you ready, my love?”
“I’m not sure,” I said.
“Remember, you are safest when you are with me,” he said as a matter of fact.
The interior resembled a luxurious car salon rather than a typical helicopter cabin. With beige
leather seats and champagne glasses at every corner. It seemed like this man wanted to keep me tipsy
at all times.
While flying above the fog-covered mountains, I could enjoy the serpentine roads, the forests, and
the towns even more. As I kept looking out the small window, trying to take in the panoramic view, I
felt an eerie vibe. When I turned around, instead of joining me in admiring nature’s beauty, Gabriel
kept his gaze on me.
“Why are you looking at me instead of outside?” I asked.
“I’ve imagined this moment thousands of times. I wanted to relish in it a bit longer. Your beauty
could only be compared to the Romanian mountains.”
The trip took far less than I expected, and the helicopter began descending in no time. After
landing, Gabriel helped me unbuckle my straps and exit.
Even though Dad told me many times about Transfăgărășan, I could not fully comprehend its beauty
until I saw it with my very own eyes. In essence, it was a long serpentine road that led to the peak of a
mountain. But compared to all other roads, this one had an open landscape. You could see the lowest
point filled with tourists and cars. Then ascend with your gaze to the top, where the land intermittently
changed from rock, then greenery, and lastly, snow. Close to the top, I saw a flock of sheep grazing on
grass. They were standing at such a steep angle that it seemed they risked a tumble any minute.
As we ambled further from the helicopter, Gabriel was approached by a Romanian police officer. I
thought we might be in trouble for landing a helicopter in the middle of a grassy area, but to my
surprise, the officer bowed slightly to Gabriel. After, the police officer hopped into his patrol car and
turned on the lights, effectively stopping any car planning to ascend on the serpentine road.
Gabriel returned to me and said, “We have the road all to ourselves. Let’s go.”
“The police are working with you as well?”
“Not the entire police force. This police officer is one of us. Come,” he grabbed my hand
enthusiastically and led me toward the asphalted road.
Beyond where the police car was parked on the road, I saw another car. With a sleek design, it was
the most luxurious car I’ve ever seen. Not a car I could imagine my dad selling anytime soon. The
closer I got, the more its distinct curved lines, black color, and long profile reminded me of a
villain’s car. “What is this car?”
“It’s a Bugatti La Voiture Noire,” Gabriel said.
“Doesn’t ring a bell. Is it fast?”
“It’s fast enough,” he said though I felt he was being humble. Gabriel helped open the door from the
passenger’s seat. But before I could enter, a curious onlooker approached us and asked Gabriel
something about the car in French. To my surprise, Gabriel answered in perfect French (whatever I
understood as being perfect). The onlooker thanked Gabriel and left.
Once inside, I asked him, “Since when you speak French so eloquently?”
“I speak most world languages,” he said.
 “Is this another power you gained from being a vampire?” I asked.
“No, I just had a lot of time on my hands.” He grinned.
Yep, the man was perfect. The problem was he also knew it. The cheeky bastard.
Once I took my eyes off the perfect man, I could observe the stunning car we were in. The suede
seats provided so much cushion to my back, I felt weirdly pampered it. The front panel reminded me
more of a spaceship, while the black color gave its smooth lines an elegant and alluring appearance.
Gabriel ignited the car’s roaring engine, which made me feel at the mercy of the car’s performance
and Gabriel’s decisions. The roar resounded across the whole valley, scaring a few birds along the
way.
“If you wish a more encompassing view, the car has the Sky View feature,” Gabriel said and
pressed a button that opened a panoramic glass roof.
“I never got to ask you, but how rich are you?” I asked, amazed at all the surrounding luxury.
He smiled his signature radiant smile and said, “Enough to last me a lifetime.”
“But you’re immor–” Before I could finish my words, the engine roared once more, and the next
thing I knew was my back being glued to the seat. I squealed like a five-year-old, but Gabriel didn’t
acknowledge my embarrassing reaction. No. He sped up even faster. If that was even possible.
Though it took us several seconds to reach the serpentine roads, I already saw my entire life flash
before my eyes. “Maybe we could slow down a bit?” I pleaded.
“I am here to give you the thrill of your life, my love,” Gabriel said, forcing another roar from the
engine.
What in the billionaire romance on steroids was this? “I enjoy my life at a comfortable speed.
Thank you very much.”
He, of course, didn’t listen. But to my relief, the drive up the mountain was a bit different. Gabriel
would slow down at the curvature and then speed up on the straight road. Good thing I didn’t get
nauseous easily. Otherwise, Gabriel would need to speed up to the fancy car cleaners. I took a deep
breath and let myself enjoy whatever was coming. The rollercoaster ride was decorated with nature’s
most stunning features. The waterfall and the yellow, white, and purple flowers were displayed in
front of me like a timelapse video. Several times the car veered too close to the edge giving me a
mini heart attack. But even with too much uncertainty for my life’s preservation, I still could bask in
the picturesque view.
Gabriel looked at me and said, “Do not worry, Milady. If you fall off the edge of the cliff, there is
no doubt I will be the one to catch you.”
Though the trip up the mountain should’ve taken maybe twenty minutes, we were there in five.
Once there, Gabriel helped my shaky self get out of the death trap.
On top of the mountain, the temperature suddenly dropped, making me tremble. Gabriel took off his
jacket and draped it around my shoulders. The smell of frankincense and cedar wood cologne
enveloped and transported me back to the olden days.
“You never know when one might need it,” he said.
He knew and didn’t tell me we would be entering a fridge. Going to such extents to show off his
perfect husband skills. Well, the joke’s on him. I enjoyed being pampered.
We walked through stalls with trinkets for tourists, but no one was there to sell us any. I
approached one of the stalls, where I saw a cute wooden goat in a knitted sweater.
“Take it,” he said.
“But there is no seller to buy it from,” I said.
“Everything is paid for, my love. Come, you must be starving.”
 I didn’t have the energy to react to every surprise he sent my way and simply took the cute toy.
“Where is the restaurant?” I asked before I noticed the wooden building in front of us. “This must
be it.”
When we entered, there was no one except a server who walked us to the table. We were seated
close to the massive windows that displayed a stunning lake encircled by mountain tops.
“What would you like?” he asked.
“How about you?” I asked, forgetting for a moment he wasn’t human anymore.
“I’ll have whatever you’ll have.” He turned toward the view, not even skimming through the menu.
The waiter brought a tiny basket filled with bread and asked, “What would you like to drink?”
“Unless the lady desires something else, we’ll have your most expensive champagne.”
I nodded in agreement.
“Champagne it is,” said the server and left.
“But first, bring me some palinca as well,” Gabriel said.
Within two minutes, the server brought a small pitcher of palinca, the Romanian moonshine, and
poured a shot. Gabriel smelled it and downed it in one go. The scene was mesmerizing.
Does it taste the same?” I asked.
“The taste is lost, but the smell is intensified. Though I do not feel bad about it since the best taste
comes from other things,” he said with a mischievous smile.
I blushed at the boldness my husband exuded and chuckled like a schoolgirl. “You’ve changed so
much from the man I left in Wallachia.”
He looked at me astonished, trying to hide an alarming sensation. “I hope in a good way.”
“It is not comparable, but I cannot say it is bad. That’s for sure”, I said.
He smiled like I took a great burden off his chest. “I do everything to please my queen,” he said and
kissed my hand. “Let’s eat lunch and leave, for we have more to do today.”
“Wasn’t driving on the brink of death the entire point of our trip?”
“That’s just the beginning.”
The server came and placed our salad plates in front. As I grabbed a fork, ready to dig in, Gabriel
asked, “Can I see your left hand?”
His request confused me, but I obliged. He took my hand and inspected my ring finger. “Is this my
mother’s ring on top of the wedding one?”
“Yes, your mother gifted it to me before I time-traveled.”
“It is a stunning ring. I’m glad you’re wearing such a precious Stoica family heirloom.” His eyes
became darker and somewhat pensive. Even after so many years, the memory of his parents still lived
in his soul.
After lunch, Gabriel paid the server and led the way to whatever he had in plan. He stopped in
front of the restaurant, where I could see another police car holding off the incoming cars from the
other side.
“I would like to request an embrace from my queen,” Gabriel said solemnly.
“They’re not that expensive, you know,” I said and came closer to him.
Once in his arms, he held me tighter than usual. “Brace yourself,” he said.
Before I could ask what he meant, he went supersonic, and in the next two seconds, we were on top
of the highest mountain peak.
“What are we doing here?” I asked, fearful I might tumble down given the edge’s proximity. After I
felt a bit more comfortable with my surroundings, I turned to Gabriel, who suddenly began kneeling
on one knee.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
He presented me with a small velvety box and said, “Petra Costin, will you marry me?”
 Chapter 10
Though I was already married to him, I still lost my footing and almost fell to my guaranteed
death. Fortunately, Gabriel stood up, caught me in time, and held me close in his arms. “Once, I had
failed to take your hand and lost you. It will never happen again,” he whispered and showed me the
little box.
I took it with trembling fingers, not only because I was excited to see what was inside but also
because one little slip and the box would end in a ravine somewhere at the bottom of the mountain. I
opened it, and to my astonishment, I saw a black, teardrop diamond ring. The contrasting play of light
and darkness conferred the center stone great depth. It reminded me of old mirrors. Surrounding the
black diamond was a halo of white diamonds which extended around the white gold band.
Gabriel saw me ogling at the jewelry piece and decided to help me. He took the ring out of the box,
moved the ruby ring my mother-in-law gifted to me on the other hand, and placed the engagement ring
instead. “Now your fingers hold two chapters of our love story: the past on your right hand and the
present on your left.”
“You didn’t have to do this, you know? When we got married, these traditions didn’t even exist,” I
said as I admired the ring on my finger.
“Once I learned about the American way of engagement, I wanted to gift you the same experience,”
he said. “If you wish, I can get on my knee again.”
“I prefer to be proposed to in the safety of your embrace.” I snuggled closer to him.
He chuckled. “We can stay like this for as long as you want.”
I turned around to witness the picturesque view while Gabriel kept his arms interlaced around me.
For the longest time, we didn’t speak. There wasn’t the need for it. We simply basked in each other’s
presence while surrounded by exquisite scenery. The low temperatures didn’t bother me as Gabriel’s
body warmed me up like a blanket. We could’ve enjoyed this moment in time forever, but my stomach
growled at the most inopportune times like it usually did.
“Do not tell me you are hungry again?” he said, trying to hide a smile.
“You try experiencing the mix between a near-death experience and an engagement proposal and
not get hungry.”
“Then we must squash Milady’s hunger monster as soon as possible.” He lifted me into his arms
and did another supersonic number till we reached the food stalls. Again, no one was there, but the
freshly-prepared food waiting for its customers.
As I nibbled at my ham sandwich, Gabriel went to the side to take a phone call. The surrounding
atmosphere felt eerie when people were removed from the scene. I realized he did it for our privacy,
more so for his, but I never expected to miss the tourist clamor I usually despised. It felt like
something was missing. Before I finished my sandwich, Gabriel came to me after his phone
conversation and said, “we have some unexpected guests. We must leave.”
“Why? Are we being followed?” I almost choked on the last bite.
“Not yet, but I would prefer not to involve you in this encounter,” he said as I followed him to the
car.
Once inside the car, he strapped my seat belt with the speed of sound, omitting his.
“Aren’t you going to put on your seat belt?” I asked, almost forgetting he was immortal. Thankfully
he didn’t dismiss my question.
“For those who cannot die, seat belts represent a higher risk of entrapment. A fraction of a second
makes a massive difference in my world.”
The now familiar sound of the engine roar resounded, and we were back on the serpentine road in
no time. At first, I remained somewhat calm as Gabriel’s driving maneuvers were smooth, but then he
sped up and began cutting corners, sometimes inches from the cliff. Only when I turned around and
saw two black SUV’s chasing us, I realized the threat was much closer than expected.
“The cars look government-like. Why are they chasing us?”
“Because of me,” he said, always focused on the road.
“Why would the local FBI want to arrest you?”
“They’re not an FBI type of organization, and they’re definitely not local,” he said, and he made
another steep turn. “Please hold tight, Milady.”
If it weren’t for the adrenaline flooding my body, I would’ve long ago graced Gabriel’s car with
the remnants of my ham sandwich. I already considered that an achievement. But the proud moment
ended when I turned again and saw the black cars drive mere inches away from us. If we were on a
straight road, this monster of a car would’ve been long gone. But the steep turns forced Gabriel to
slow down at every curvature. The people behind knew exactly when to follow us.
“They’re getting close, and we’re not even halfway through the curves,” I said.
“I wished to avoid this, but I see no other way,” he said and pressed the gas pedal and jumped off
the road and into the open ravine. What in the British spy movie was this? While still in the air,
Gabriel placed his hand on my lap and pressed hard while the other held the wheel in one place. The
landing was as rough as I expected, but Gabriel’s strong arm held me on the spot, and the straightened
wheels simply continued to move as if we didn’t just jump off a massive cliff. For a moment, it felt
like he had already done this before. Suddenly, his villainous-looking car became an offroad king and
began to conquer uneven terrain at crazy speed.
I looked at Gabriel’s aloof demeanor and realized that maybe there was something more to him
than I assumed at the beginning. He chose to leave out some parts of his life, or he didn’t have time to
tell me all. Still, I was sure the story didn’t end with him just being the king of vampires living in the
depths of Romanian forests.
His phone rang. Gabriel answered it and pressed the speaker button. “Yes, Troy,” Gabriel said.
“The two black vehicles in active pursuit are at a good distance from your car. But there are two
more on a stake out at the foot of the mountain near the helicopter,” Troy said.
“What do you recommend?”
“Continue with the current position. Once you pass the helicopter, return to the main road, and
drive to the nearest airport.”
“Understood,” Gabriel said and hung up.
“Airport?” I asked.
“It is the only safe way to get out of this mess. Plus, I always wanted to meet your parents,” he
said.
“Wait, what? We’re flying to the US?”
“The plane is equipped to fly us anywhere. I thought you would be more interested in a trip to visit
your family,” Gabriel said.
I would’ve squealed in happiness if not for the massive amount of tension I felt at the moment.
After several more minutes, we passed the helicopter and the giant line of awaiting cars. When we
reached a good distance from them, I felt a sliver of relief, but not for long, as someone began to
shoot at us. I looked to my right, and there they were, the other two black cars. These ones were more
aggressive and determined to kill whoever or whatever was inside the car. Luckily, the bullets would
ricochet back and not even leave a mark. That is until another type of weapon appeared out of one of
the cars and began spewing a storm of bullets.
“Duck, Milady,” Gabriel yelled. “The car is bulletproof, but I won’t take a risk with you in it.”
The bullets slowly moved from the front of the car to the back, making me assume Gabriel passed
the vehicles and began increasing the distance between them and us. After a few more minutes, he
drove onto the main road and went turbo, leaving a trail of dust behind for the pursuers to inhale.
Once at a good distance, Gabriel said it was safe, and I reemerged from my hideout. After a long
sigh of relief, I asked, “Do they know you are a vampire?”
“Unfortunately,” Gabriel said with a wry expression.
“Do they want to capture you because of it? I thought the two realms didn’t interconnect.”
“That was before. Now our existence is a matter of interest to about anyone with governmental
power.”
“Is that why you avoid entering The Ordinary Realm?”
He didn’t answer.
“Wait. Don’t tell me they’re on our tails because of me?”
“No. It will never be because of you. Everything I did, including using my powers in The Ordinary
Realm, was of my own volition.”
“They can detect your powers, I assume.”
“It’s the only way they can be sure it’s me.”
“But what do they want from you? Are they looking to recruit you as a superhero?” I asked,
genuinely concerned.
He laughed with so much gusto I felt a bit embarrassed about my question. “Not quite. They’re after
my blood.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Your blood would probably be invaluable to anyone looking for the fountain
of youth.”
“They’ve captured many of my brethren, and I’m sure they already found out my blood would never
maintain its properties outside my body. Still, they choose to pursue me like an escaped animal.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to travel to the US, given you’ve already been found?”
“It’ll take them some time before they realize I’m in the US. If something happens, I can always
find shelter with my American brethren in the Washington State forests. Plus, I’m eager to see where
you grew up. And I want to know all the funny moments of your childhood.”
“Are you sure you want to hear everything about me? Because my mom could babble a six-hour
presentation on my sister and me.”
“If it takes a week, I’ll be more than happy to walk down memory lane with your mother.”
“Did Troy buy the plane tickets already?”
“Plane tickets? Yes, of course, he bought the tickets,” he said with a tinge of sarcasm. “We’ll be
there in less than an hour. You can take a rest, Milady.”
After the numerous events that happened in the morning, my eyes closed on their own, and sleep
took over all my senses without realizing it.
I woke up to a cacophony of sounds. When I rubbed my eyes open, I realized we were at the
airport, but not on the main side. In front of us stood a black Boeing with its door open and large
stairs as if waiting for the president. The inscription on the plane said Alterum Regnum. “Why are we
here?” I asked in confusion.
“This is our flight, Milady. We must hurry.”
“Do not tell me you own a plane as well,” I said.
“I own several. This is the one we had at the Sibiu location,” he said.
“Um, and we get on it just like that? Without any TSA or passport control?” I asked.
“If you want, I can offer you a personal TSA pat down.”
 Chapter 11
The interior of the plane took me by surprise. It looked more like a glamorous living room than a
typical airplane. The black leather seats and couches with dark wood armrests looked pristine. And
next to each side in the sitting area stood bottles of champagne in a rose color and a small golden
bowl holding wrapped candy. Based on their color, I supposed it had to be berry flavored. The
massive windows would probably convince anyone outside was but a movie screen. The subtle
aroma of perfume spread across the entire area, combined with a tinge of frankincense. The low
ambient light slowly started to calm my nerves after the recent car chase.
“Take a seat, Milady,” said the flight attendant, who apparently knew me. She wore a black uniform
with a red silk scarf around her neck. I wondered if the woman was one of their own or a hypnotized
human. I hesitated to move, but Gabriel gave me a nudge by placing his hand at my waist.
I took a seat on the loveseat couch next to Gabriel. “Is the flight attendant one of yours, or is she a
human?” I asked.
“I would never bring a human up in the air. Our society is proud to include all sorts of professions,
but we rarely mix species.”
“What about me?” I asked. “I’m human. They’re probably struggling to sit next to me.”
“What movie inspired you to come to such a conclusion? Many years ago, when famine was indeed
an issue for my subjects, a human’s precarious life would’ve been a matter of discussion. Now we
have systems in place to avoid unnecessary contact with humans in the wild.”
“You mean to say vampires do not go hunting for human blood?”
“Some still do. Especially in remote places where our societal norms haven’t reached yet.”
“So, where do vampires get blood?”
“At the grocery store.”
“No way.”
“It doesn’t resemble your regular supermarket. Though a common misconception, vampires do not
need to feed whenever they see a hot-blooded individual in front of them. And since we have only
one product we are interested in, our stores are usually camouflaged as pizza huts or donut shops. A
brethren will always recognize another.”
“You mean to say vampires are not enthralled by blood?”
“Oh, we definitely are, but we do our best to control our urges.” Gabriel enveloped an arm around
my back.
“Are you also interested in my blood?” I peered at him.
Gabriel paused while gazing at me. “Since the day you returned.”
“What? You’ve been struggling not to bite me since then?”
“When one becomes a vampire, all our senses become stronger. Sight…” He traced his finger on
my temple. “Hearing…” His finger moved to my ear. “Smell…” He traced his finger above my lips.
“Touch…” His hand cupped my chin. “And lastly, taste…” He gave me a short kiss. The most
delectable short kiss ever.
Gabriel didn’t have to use his entrancing powers. I was already mesmerized by his eyes, lips,
voice, and body. Well, pretty much everything.
“Then I should be more careful and not get a scratch or something,” I said.
“You shouldn’t worry about it much. We’re all used to human blood by now,” Gabriel said and
raised his eyes toward the door.
 “Sire, we commenced our journey as soon as we found out. Excuse the delay,” said Troy upon
entering the plane.
“Do not fret, Troy. I had Milady to keep me company.”
Though small, I sensed a sigh of relief coming from Troy. Gabriel must be a strict ruler but had
become mellower since my arrival.
“I have ordered the fulfillment of your request. They were given to the plane handlers.”
“Very well, Troy. Take a seat,” Gabriel said.
Troy, plus two other staff members, a man, and a woman, took a seat close to Gabriel.
“What did you request for Troy to bring?” I asked.
“Our luggage, Milady.” Gabriel looked at me as if it was obvious.
“Ah, the traveling wardrobe I never get to wear?”
“And what is the harm in that? My preferred outfit dates the beginning of time.”
He meant he preferred me naked in the most confusing way possible, but it didn’t take long for
everyone else to figure it out as well. My red lobster days of embarrassment have returned, and I
wished to hide inside this couch and reemerge upon the plane’s arrival in the US.
“Sire, the plane is prepared for lift-off. Let us know when you are ready,” said the pilot.
“I believe we are ready,” said Gabriel.
“Must the pilot always ask permission?” I asked.
“If they want to continue enjoying their immortality.”
That was harsh. “You remind me of His Majesty, Vlad the Impaler.”
“Well, I learned from the best. In a society of predators, it is not enough to be the strongest or the
most difficult to kill. Character stands above all.”
“Sire, the deal with London must be taken care of today,” said the blonde woman. Most likely, one
of his assistants.
“One moment, please,” Gabriel said. He then turned toward me. “Do you mind if I talk business for
some time?”
Surprised by the sudden attention, my mind went blank for a moment. But Gabriel didn’t seem to be
bothered by it.
“Um, I don’t mind.” I turned to the small table next to me. “Look, I’ll take this magazine and
skim through it. And
I’ll eat this berry candy.”
“No,” all of them interjected.
I dropped the candy.
“Excuse our reaction, but this treat is not meant for humans, Milady,” Gabriel said.
“Why? It looks just like a gummy.” And then it dawned on me.
“It is indeed a gummy, but it is infused with blood. You might get away with eating one, but more
will hurt your stomach,” said Gabriel.
“What about the rose champagne? Is it also mixed with…”
“Yes. Our planes have always catered to our specific needs. But do not worry. We will remedy
that,” said Gabriel. “Bella, please bring an ordinary champagne bottle and some snacks for Milady.”
He addressed the flight attendant.
“You know her name?” I asked.
“I know all my subjects’ names.”
The man had assumed the best parts of being a ruler.
After the flight attendant brought my glass, I downed it and requested another.
 “You might want to take it a bit slower, Milady. The flight is another ten hours. We wouldn’t want
you to get sick.”
“I was just thirsty,” I said. “I forgot my UW water bottle at home,” I said without realizing I used
the word “home” to describe the Brașov castle.
Gabriel grinned. “Bella, Milady forgot her water bottle at home. Can you bring her a cup of water
as well?”
“Right this minute, Sire,” Bella said.
Once I was given all my human sources of survival: water, snacks, and alcohol, I settled with my
magazine and began reading. Gabriel took the opportunity and began his business meeting. Of course,
I couldn’t resist not eavesdropping on whatever they were saying.
“The London office client is unsure of the painting’s authenticity,” said the blonde woman.
“Did you give them a sample of the paint?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes, Sire.”
“Did you send them the authentication papers?” Gabriel asked.
“Indeed, Sire.”
“Then what else do I need to do to convince them the Rembrandt is real? Send them on a trip in
time? If they refuse to buy it, plenty of others will. Give them another day, then cut ties with them
completely,” Gabriel said.
“Yes, Sire,” the blonde woman said as her companion scribbled something in her notes.
“Anything else?” Gabriel asked.
“The empress has returned sooner than expected,” said the male staffer.
The air in the cabin suddenly became glacial. Who was this empress? And from where did she
return?
“All matters concerning the empress are to be discussed only at the castle,” Gabriel said
somberly.
“Excuse us, Sire, but she has requested a meeting with Your Majesty,” said the blonde woman.
“What did you not understand from what I said previously? All necessary information she can
gather from Smaranda. From now on, I will be unable to meet or answer questions. Milady and I will
be busy with our wedding,” Gabriel said.
“With what?” I asked, and without notice, I gave myself a paper cut. A bead of blood began oozing
out of it. At first, I was mostly concerned with how to avoid staining everything with my blood, but
when I raised my head, Gabriel’s staffers held their hands to their noses. They began slowly
transforming from normal-looking humans to vampires with silver eyes, rough skin, and long pointy
claws. Gabriel was the only one still keeping his cool. He took my finger and placed it into my mouth.
This single action relaxed the sudden tense mood.
“Please excuse us,” said Gabriel. “We have a situation on our hands, and since we’re in the air, I
believe we should keep our cool till we land.” He helped me stand and led me to another room.
When we passed the door, I realized the dark room was a bedroom.
“Why do you need a bedroom here?” I asked.
“Even if I don’t need to sleep, all my staffers do. Plus, the Twice Diluted cannot stay in the sun.
Why? Did your train of thought lead you to a different conclusion?” He asked. But then he stopped in
his tracks and inhaled deeply.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, but then I looked at my hand and saw blood trickling down my finger. “It
is that bad?”
“No, it is that good,” he said as he wrapped a tissue around my finger.
Another random document with
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office, to take up his station before the door, full in the public eye, to
enable the populace to scrutinize and to admire. It was a campaign
such as no political election ever had brought to Gibeon.
Yesterday, Carmel learned from Tubal, it had come to personal
conflict. As the pair of candidates occupied their stations, each on
his side of the post-office door, Bogardus had spoken in a manner
highly derogatory of a new hat displayed by his rival for the first time.
It was a hat of Leghorn straw, wide and floppy of brim. The under
side of this brim was lined with green cloth, either for decorative
purposes or to soften the light reflected to the eyes. About the crown
was folded a scarf, and the colors in this scarf were such as to detain
the eye even as the sound of an ambulance gong takes possession
of the ear. It was a master stroke. It quite upset Bogardus to the
extent that he forgot the amenities and, sotto voce, asked the world
to tell him where Lancelot Bangs got hold of the merry-go-round he
was wearing on his head. “All it needs, by Jove!” said George in his
best British manner, “to make a feller know it’s a merry-go-round is to
have Lance’s brain start playin’ a hurdy-gurdy tune. Eh? What?”
Battle ensued, and spectators estimated that no less than forty
dollars’ worth of haberdashery was destroyed by the fury of it. The
gladiators were torn apart—but not until Gibeon had enjoyed the
spectacle to the full. But the spark was lighted. Rivalry had grown to
jealousy; now jealousy had become hatred. In the hearts of each of
these Beau Brummels burned a fire of malice.... Each was now
determined, in some manner or another, to eliminate his rival.
Presently George Bogardus peered through the office door and,
seeing Carmel, entered, bringing with him a sartorial effulgence
overpowering. He rested his malacca cane against the rail, pulled
down his lavender waistcoat, straightened his tie, lifted his hat, and
bowed from the waist.
“Miss Lee,” he said, “aw—I say, now—d’you mind if I have a bit of a
word with you. Eh? What?”
“Certainly, Mr. Bogardus. What can I do for you?”
“It’s private. I—aw—fawncy you wouldn’t wish to be overheard. Not
by a darn sight you wouldn’t.”
“Come in, then, and sit here. No one will overhear us.”
He passed the gate and took the indicated chair, leaning his elbow
on Carmel’s desk and pointing the tip of his long and almost
prehensile nose at her most convenient ear.
“Nothin’ was said in the rules of this here contest,” said he, “aw—
about the character of the—aw—contestants.”
“No.”
“But suthin’ must ’a’ been intended. You wouldn’t want no crim’nal,
nor no wife-beater, nor no—aw—person addicted to intoxicants to
enter, now would you. Eh?... What?”
“Naturally not.”
“If a contestant was sich, what would happen?”
“It would be necessary to eliminate him.”
“Cheerio! What price the elimination!”
“What do you mean, Mr. Bogardus?”
“I mean,” said he, “there’s a feller goin’ to be eliminated doggone
quick. An’ mebby go to jail to boot.”
“This is rather a serious thing to say.”
“Meant serious. Nobody kin claw me and git away with it. Nobody kin
set up to be better dressed ’n I be, by Jove!—aw—and git away with
it. I been watchin’, I have, and what I suspected I found out. And I’ll
swear to it. Eh? What say? Now what, Lancelot, old dear?”
“You are talking about Mr. Bangs!”
“Lancelot Bangs—that’s him.”
“What has he done?”
“Him? What ho! Oh, I say! Blime if the bloody blighter hain’t a
bootlegger!” Here George became a trifle confused in his British, but
what does Gibeon know of distinctions between Whitechapel and the
Hotel Cecil?
Carmel was alert at once. This touched the business in hand. “A
bootlegger. You mean he is selling whisky?”
“Is and has been.... Hain’t bothered much with photographs for a
long spell back. Makes his livin’ that way. It’s how he can afford them
handsome cravats from the city.”
“You’re sure?”
“Take my oath to it in court. I’ve heard and saw. I’ve tasted out of a
bottle.”
Here was something tangible at last, a hand on a minor tentacle of
the affair, but, if clung to and followed diligently, it must lead
sometime to the octopus head.
“Where does he get it?” Carmel asked.
Bogardus shook his head. “That’s all I know. He gits it and sells it.
Makes him a criminal, don’t it? Eh? What?”
“It would seem to....”
“Disqualifies him, don’t it?”
“If I can verify what you have told me.”
“Calc’late I kin fetch you proof,” said George.
“Very well. Do that and he shall be disqualified.”
George arose, bowed, took his cane, and moved with stateliness to
the door. There he paused, turned, and smirked.
“Cheerio!” he said.
Here was something tangible, a commencement, a man who had
seen and heard and would take his oath! It had not come in an
admirable way, but it had come—had come as a direct result of the
things she had printed in the paper. The end of a thread which would
pass through many snarls before she could arrive at the spool, but it
would arrive.... If George Bogardus knew so much, other people
knew more. In Gibeon were men willing to talk if she could attract
them to her. But this was slow. She felt time would not be given her
laboriously to follow clues. She must overleap spaces; must arrive at
something bigger then a petty bootlegger. Already, as she knew,
Gibeon was aware that Deputy Jenney was deputy no longer, but
sheriff, full fledged and unassailable.... She must act, and act quickly
—or action would be made impossible for her.
Bogardus would fetch her proof. She would not wait for Bogardus....
Impulse sat in the driver’s seat again. Lancelot Bangs was no strong
man; he would not be difficult to handle. Impulse urged her to the
attack. She did not stop to reason, for when one feels something
must be done, it is so easy to seize upon the first matter which offers
action. She was on her feet.
“I’ll be back in an hour,” she called to Tubal, and stepped out upon
the street.
Her heart beat a trifle more quickly as she climbed the stairs to
Lancelot Bangs’ photographic parlors—and as she climbed, she
remembered that other visit, that mysterious conversation in the
back room, overheard by her but not comprehended.... She
comprehended it now.
As she opened the door a bell rang somewhere in the mysterious
depths of those rooms where Lancelot carried on the rites of
photography, and the young man appeared, a wet print in his fingers.
“Ah, Miss Lee,” he said, and preened himself. It is difficult to preen
oneself with a black alpaca apron on which reaches from chest to
knees, but Lancelot was conscious his shoes and necktie were
visible. It gave him assurance.
“I want to talk to you, Mr. Bangs,” she said.
“Certainly! Certainly! Time’s your’n. Hain’t many visitors like you
comes here.... Hain’t never had the pleasure of makin’ your portrait.”
“I didn’t come,” said Carmel, with that disconcerting directness of
which she was mistress, “to talk about photographs. I came to talk
about whisky.”
Lancelot reared back upon his heels and his Adam’s apple took a
mighty heave upward.
“Whisky?”
“Exactly. I am going to print in the Free Press the story of how you
sell whisky in your back room. I shall tell whom you have sold whisky
to, how much you have sold, give the dates.” Carmel was pretending
to more knowledge than she possessed, which, of course, is the first
rule in the game.
“I—You—’Tain’t so. I never sold a drop. Mebby I give a friend a drink
—jest sociable like. But I hain’t sold.”
“Don’t lie to me, Mr. Bangs. I know.” She allowed her voice to
become less cold. “I don’t want to be hard on you, but it looks as if I
would have to.... There’s just one way you can save yourself from
going to jail.” She dropped that and let it lay while he looked it over.
“Jail!” he said, feebly.
“Exactly.... If you will make a clean breast of the whole thing to me,
tell me where you get the liquor, who smuggles it in, all about it, I will
give you forty-eight hours to get away.... I’m not after you, Mr. Bangs
—but I may have to take you—if you aren’t reasonable.”
“I tell you I never——”
Carmel stood up and turned to the door. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve
given you your chance.... Good-by.”
He clutched her arm. “Hey!—wait! Where you going?”
“To lay my information before the authorities.”
“They—they said the authorities was fixed.”
Carmel laughed. “That’s better,” she said. “Who said the authorities
were fixed?”
“I—I didn’t say that—I didn’t——” He sank on a red-plush sofa and
covered his face.
“Now, Mr. Bangs, just tell what you know. You don’t want to go to jail.
In forty-eight hours you can be a long ways from here—and nobody
will bother about you—if they get hold of somebody more
important.... It’s your last chance. Will you talk or not?” Her hand was
on the doorknob again.
“I—I——”
“Yes?”
“They’ll kill me.”
“Like they did Sheriff Churchill,” she said.
He stared at her goggle-eyed. “Did they do that?” he asked, in
sudden terror. “They didn’t do that. I didn’t know nothin’ about it. I
thought he run off. I——”
“They won’t kill you if you get away,” she said. “Now tell me what you
know. Quickly!” she snapped out the last word of command as a
school-teacher might speak to a refractory child.
“I—I been sellin’.... Not much. Jest a few cases—once in a while—
when I could git it.”
“How much?”
“I—I don’t know exactly. Sometimes I’d git a dozen cases.
Sometimes less.”
“Made quite a nice living for you?”
“I didn’t git it all. I jest got my commission.... I had to pay back most
of the profit.”
“How did you get the whisky?”
“A feller would come and tell me the’ was a shipment comin’. Then
I’d git in my car and go out to git what was assigned to me.”
“Who would tell you?”
“Sometimes one man, sometimes another.”
“Who?” her voice was inexorable.
“Peewee—mostly.”
“Peewee Bangs—your cousin, is he?”
“That’s him.”
“So he would tell you, and you would go to get it? Where?”
“Out to his place.”
“The Lakeside Hotel?”
“Yes.”
“That was headquarters?”
“Yes.”
“Other folks went there to get whisky?”
“I calc’late so. There’d be a lot of cases. I’d run my car into the shed,
and go in, and when I come back she’d be packed.”
“What others went there?”
“Different ones. Folks buyin’ private. Peewee he’d telephone folks he
knowed was buyin’ and they’d drive out and leave their cars a-
standin’. When they come ag’in, there’d be the whisky. They wouldn’t
never see who put it there.”
“Who did you sell to?”
“I don’t want to tell.”
“You’ve got to tell.”
He moaned, and then, surrendering utterly, gave her a list of his
customers.
“Who did you pay money to?” she asked.
“Peewee.”
“Anybody else?”
“Jest him.”
“Who else did you see at the Lakeside Hotel when you went to get
whisky—who else was selling besides Peewee?”
“I never saw anybody.”
“Did you ever see Deputy Jenney there?”
Lancelot’s face turned more ashen. “I never see him. I dunno nothin’
about him.”
“You’ve heard he was in it?”
“Jest whispers. But nothin’ I can say.”
“When was the last time you got whisky?”
He gave her the date, which coincided with her finding of the cache
in the woods.
“When do you expect to go again?”
He hesitated. “I—— A feller come to-day. Said I could run out to-
night. Said the’ was a special-sized shipment comin’....”
“To-night?”
“To-night.”
“Is that all you know?”
“Every last thing.”
“Very well, then. Come with me.”
“Where?... You promised——”
“I’ll keep my promise. Just to my office. Please hurry.”
He followed her with docility, sat by while she put his confession into
type, signed it, and accompanied her to a notary, where he took his
oath to the truth of the statements therein contained.
“Now,” said Carmel, “I guess you’d better be moving along toward
the distance.”
Lancelot, in abject terror, started for the door, but Carmel arrested
him. “Wait,” she said, and from its hiding place in her desk she took
the match box made from a brass shell which she had found beside
the whisky cache. She held it before Lancelot’s eyes.
“Whose is this?” she asked.
“B’longs to Deputy Jenney,” he said. “Ol’ Slim Toomey made it fer
him out of a shell.”
 CHAPTER XXI
“HASN’T Mr. Pell come in yet?” Carmel called to Tubal.
“Hain’t seen hide nor hair of him since last night.”
“Did he say anything about staying away?”
“Not a word. Mos’ likely he’s all het up learnin’ the Chinee language
backward, or suthin’, and clean forgot the’ was sich a thing as a
paper.”
She thought it queer, but, so occupied was her mind with the
disclosures of Lancelot Bangs and with the events of last night, that
the fact of Evan Pell’s unexplained absence did not present itself to
her as a thing demanding immediate investigation.... She was
wondering what to do with the evidence in hand. Where to go for
more was a question easy to answer. She possessed a list of
names, any one of whom could be forced to testify, and nobody
could tell which one of them might assay some pure gold of fact
which would lead her to her destination. She had reached Deputy
Jenney. The match box was damning, yet it must be corroborated by
other evidence.... Past Jenney the trail did not lead. So far it was a
blind alley, blocked by the bulk of the newly appointed sheriff. In
some manner she must go around or through him to reach Abner
Fownes.
But Abner Fownes was not a man to permit himself to be reached.
The county was his own now, held in the hollow of his hand. Its law-
enforcing machinery was his private property to turn on or to turn off
as his needs required. Suppose she did find evidence which would
touch him with the pitch of this affair? Who would make use of the
evidence? Who make the arrest?
Could she get to the sheriff’s office to lay before Jenney information
which would result in his imprisonment and in Abner Fownes’s
destruction? Suppose she went, as she must go, to the prosecuting
attorney. Suppose warrants were issued? What then? Jenney’s
office must make the service and the arrests.... It was more thinkable
that the sun would start suddenly to travel from west to east than that
such warrants should become efficacious.
She called Jared Whitefield on the telephone, desirous of his advice
and assistance in this emergency, but Jared, she was informed, had
gone away from town. He left suddenly after midnight, and had
stated no destination.... Carmel felt terribly alone. She felt a need for
Evan Pell—some one upon whom she could depend, some one to
talk with, to discuss this thing with. Whitefield was gone.... Perhaps
Evan had accompanied him. But why? She had a feeling Jared’s
going away was in some manner connected with the telegram she
sent him from the capital. But why had he taken Evan, and why had
Evan left no word for her.... Her sensation was of one suddenly
deserted by all the world. She felt young, inadequate, frightened.
If pride had not held back her tears she would have cried. It would be
a wonderful comfort to cry—but a young woman engaged on a
perilous enterprise such as hers could not afford the weakness of
tears.... If only Evan Pell were there!
She was arrested by that thought, by the sharpness of her desire for
Evan’s presence. For the first time she perceived how important was
the position he had assumed in her affairs. She reviewed their
association from its inception, recalled how she had patronized him,
almost despised him. She had pitied him for his inadequacy, for his
dry pedantry.... Step by step she reviewed the changes which had
taken place in him, dating these changes from that brutal scene
before her door, when Jenney had beaten him to insensibility.... Her
sympathy had commenced there; admiration had dawned, for it had
been given her to see that a man who could conduct himself as Evan
Pell conducted himself on that day contained in himself the elements
which made up a man. Submerged they might have been, but they
were present—and not too deep below the surface. She saw again
that unequal fight; perceived the dauntlessness of the young man;
the oaken heart of him which would fight until it died, fearless,
struggling with its last throb to reach and tear down its enemy.
She saw now how he had struggled to perceive; how, led by her acid
tongue, he had perceived the futility of his life, and how he had
sought to alter it. His manner, his very appearance, had changed....
And he loved her! Never before had she given more than reluctant,
pitying thought to his love for her, but now it assumed other
proportions.... She was aware of wanting him—not as he wanted her
—but of wanting him near her, to lean upon, to feel the strength of
him....
Until he returned she could do nothing!... It was strange that she,
who always had been so self-reliant, so sure, so ready to act by
herself, should require the upholding of another. She could not
understand it, fancied she had grown weak. She rather despised
herself.... Yet it was a fact. She did not strive to overthrow it. It was
not to be assailed. She could not go on until Evan Pell returned to
help her!
It was an uneasy, unhappy day, crowded with apprehensions and
questionings.... With events impending, with peril darkening the
immediate future, she could do nothing but putter with detail. Yet she
welcomed the detail—it took her mind off herself and her problems.
Noon came, and then suppertime.... It was not her usual custom to
return to the office after supper, but to-night she did return—to wait
for Evan, though she did not admit it. He might come back, and she
wanted to be there to receive him.
To occupy her mind she took out the books of her concern and
opened them to study progress. The circulation book came first, and
she opened it at the last entried page. As she spread it before her an
envelope lay under her eyes, and upon its face, in Evan Pell’s
handwriting, was her name.
Miss Carmel Lee!
It was the first time she had ever seen her name in his handwriting,
and she gazed at it with a strange, stifled feeling in her breast.... A
letter to her from Evan Pell, left in this place where she must find it!
She lifted it and held it in her fingers.... Why had he written? Why left
his message in this place? She drew a sudden breath of fright. Could
it be he had deserted her? Could it be he had found his position
unbearable and, ashamed to face her, had taken this means of
telling her?... She was overmastered by foreboding, feared to open
the letter.
“I must open it,” she said to herself. “I must.”
She compelled her fingers to tear the flap and to withdraw the letter
—even to unfold it so that its contents were visible. Her eyes saw
Evan’s neat, flawless handwriting, but her mind seemed suddenly
numb, unable to make sense of the symbols set down upon the
paper. She shook her head as if to clear it of something damp and
heavy and obscuring, and forced herself to read.
“My Dear:” (The letter began, and she read over and over those two
intimate words)—“My dear: If you find this letter—if I have not
returned to take it from the place in which I have hidden it for you, I
am quite sure I shall not see you again. In view of this possibility I
am presuming to say good-by.” Even now, she saw, something of his
pedantic precision must creep in. It would not have crept in, she felt
sure, had he not been under some strong emotion, had he not felt
the necessity for concealing his emotion. “I have told you before,” the
letter continued, “that I love you. I have not told you how I have come
willingly, eagerly to love you. You, and you alone—the fact of your
existence, your loveliness—have made what I fancy are notable
changes in me. I even go so far as to imagine I might, with time and
persistence, become the sort of man who would be entitled to your
friendship, if nothing more. But, if this letter reaches your eyes, that
is, I fear, no longer possible. I think I have done as I should, although
I have practiced deception. When you remember I did this because I
loved you, I trust you will find it in your heart to forgive me.
“To-day there came a note to you which I intercepted. It purported to
come from some disgruntled man, telling you how you could obtain
evidence against these liquor smugglers by going to the Lakeside
Hotel. I rather fancied it was not genuine, and was meant rather to
induce your presence than to betray confederates. On the other
hand, it might be authentic. I therefore urged you to make the
journey upon which you have just been engaged, and, because it
seemed right to do so, I am going to-night to test the authenticity of
the letter.”
She saw, she understood!
“If it prove to be a lure, such as was used to the undoing of Sheriff
Churchill, there is some small chance I shall not return. Naturally I
shall observe every caution. But if precautions fail and I do not
return, you will find in a box in my room such evidence and
information as I have collected. It does not reach the man we wish to
reach, but it moves toward him. I hope you will be able to make use
of it.”
He could write so stiltedly of making use of his work when he was,
open-eyed, going out to walk into the trap prepared for her!
“Therefore,” the letter concluded, “good-by. My going will mean little
to you; it means little to me, except the parting from you. If you find
time to think of me at all, I hope you will think of me as continuing
always to love you wherever it may be I have journeyed. Good-by.”
At the end he had signed his name.
She sat for a moment as though turned to stone. Her heart was
dead, her faculties benumbed.... He was dead! She had found and
read the letter, so he must be dead—vanished as Sheriff Churchill
had vanished, never to be seen again by mortal eye.... And for her!
He had gone out calmly, serenely, to face whatever might beset his
path—for her. He had given his life for her, to preserve her life!
She sat very still. Her cheeks were white and she was cold, cold as
death. No sound came from her compressed lips. Dead!... Evan Pell
was dead!
Then something not of her own consciousness, something deep
within the machinery of her soul, moved and controlled her. She
acted, but not as one acts of his own volition, rather as one acts in a
mesmeric trance.... Her impulse was to go to find him—to find him,
to weep over him ... to avenge him!
She snatched the receiver from its hook and telephoned Jared
Whitefield again. He would help. He would know what to do. But
Jared Whitefield had not returned.... She must act alone.
Calmly, like an automaton, she put on her hat, extinguished the
lights, locked the door, and walked up the street. The direction she
took was toward the Lakeside Hotel. She reached the fringe of the
village which bordered upon the black woods, but did not pause.
Steadily, urged on by some inexorable force, she continued down
that gloomy avenue, between woodland banks of inky blackness....
She neither hesitated nor paused nor looked behind her.
Had she looked behind it may have been she would have seen the
shadowy figures of two men who followed, followed stealthily
keeping always a stated distance, drawing no nearer, flitting at the
edge of the blackness.
 CHAPTER XXII
ABNER FOWNES was apprehensive. Notwithstanding his success
in obtaining the appointment of Deputy Jenney as sheriff and the
utter discomfiture of Carmel Lee, uneasiness possessed him. He felt
driven, pursued. Events marshaled their forces against him with a
sort of sinister inexorability. Being a man of superior intelligence, he
was able to see the intricacies and dangers of his position more
surely than a lesser man could have done; and as he sat in the train
on his return to Gibeon he took stock of himself, reviewed the past,
and prepared himself for the future.
To see Carmel Lee in the capital was a shock. He had not expected
to see her, but, on the contrary, was awaiting reports on the success
of his plan to eliminate her.... It was his first piece of bad luck; the
first time things had worked out crookedly for him, and it alarmed
him. Every successful man believes in his luck, and now Fownes
was apprehensive lest luck had deserted him.
That Carmel had accused him of crimes in the Governor’s presence
did not alarm him especially—except for this: that anybody would
dare to speak such words concerning him. It was not the thing
uttered, the person who listened, but that fact of the utterance.
Hitherto people had been afraid of him, but this girl was unafraid.... It
must mean something, some turning of the tide. He felt a trembling
of his foundations.
It is at such a moment that a man of Fownes’s type is most to be
feared. He was vain; his position in the world meant more to him
than any other consideration. To have that position assailed, to face
the possibility of being thrust from his eminence in ignominy, was an
eventuality he would avert by any means within reach of his hand.
Indeed, he had already reached for the weapon—but luck had
intervened.
He felt stifled by adversities. Never before had he doubted his ability
to come through this emergency with satisfaction to himself. He had
believed in himself. Even when he had been forced outside the law
to protect his position, he regarded it only as a makeshift,
undesirable, perhaps, but necessary to him, and therefore
permissible. It had been his intention to stabilize his business again,
and then to withdraw to lawful practices and a life of conscious
rectitude.... But adversities, of late, erected themselves with such
rapidity! Money was required of him when he had hoped promises to
pay would have sufficed; he was rushed into expedients
endangering the whole edifice of his life. So far there had been no
slip, but he was intelligent enough to perceive there might be a
slip....
A slip would not be so dangerous if it were not that Carmel Lee were
standing, watching always, ready to pounce upon any mishap. She
and that professor fellow!... Evan Pell, with a natural adaptability for
snooping. Fownes had him dismissed from the schools because he
snooped into his affairs.... It was therefore essential that both these
individuals should be rendered no longer a menace.
There was Sheriff Churchill.... Well, there was something which
could never be brought home to him. It had been well and
successfully managed.... But he wanted no more of that—unless
absolute necessity demanded.
If he could have married the girl! That would have shut her mouth
and at the same time have given him a desirable wife—one whom
he would have taken pride in introducing into such functions as that
which he had attended at the capital.... But he could not marry her....
She could be made to disappear as Churchill had disappeared—but
three disappearances would be rather too many. If three persons
vanished, folks would regard it as rather more than a coincidence.
Therefore Carmel and Pell would not vanish unless all other
expedients failed.
If, however, he could keep his word to her; if he could smash her life,
place her in a position which would overwhelm her, destroy her self-
respect, send her crashing down in some infamous way—that would
serve so much better.... He had found the way to do it, but luck
intervened. Instead of being where he intended she should be,
Carmel appeared safely in the capital—and multiplied the danger
she represented.
He wondered if the whole scheme had gone awry. There was no
word from Jenney. Nothing as to the whereabouts of Evan Pell. Pell
was of importance in Fownes’s plan—indispensable to it. Deputy
Jenney was indispensable to it, as were Peewee Bangs and his
Lakeside Hotel.... The plan had been so simple and would have
been so effective.
If Carmel had not gone to the capital, but, instead, had adventured to
the Lakeside Hotel to investigate the mysterious note—the rest was
simple. She would have been followed; Pell would have been
followed. To seize and imprison the pair in a room in the unsavory
Lakeside Hotel would have been a mere matter of a couple of strong
arms.... To imprison them in the same room! Following that, the room
being set according to the demands of the occasion, the hotel would
have been raided. Deputy Jenney, that public-spirited official, would
have conducted the raid.... The posse would have found Carmel and
Pell in their room, surrounded by evidences of such orgies as the
Lakeside was famous for. They would have been arrested together,
taken to the jail.... That was all, but it would have sufficed. Never
again could Carmel hold up her head; she would be destroyed
utterly, driven out of Gibeon, made forever ineffective. It was really
better than killing her outright....
Abner alighted at Gibeon’s depot and was driven to his office. He
summoned Jenney, who came with alacrity.
“Well, Sheriff?” said Abner, jocularly.
“Much obleeged,” said Jenney.
“What happened?”
“The girl went off some’eres in Whitefield’s auto. Didn’t git back till
some time in the mornin’.... But we got him.”
“Eh?”
“We got him—the perfessor.”
Fownes considered that. They had the professor—but he was worse
than useless alone, he was a menace. So long as Carmel Lee was
at liberty, Evan Pell, as a prisoner, was a constant danger. No telling
what the girl would do. Besides, she was allied with Jared Whitefield
—and Whitefield was no man to overlook. Abner scowled.
“Where is he?”
“Out to Peewee’s.”
“He went out there?”
“Came spyin’ around. Kind of clever about it, too. We almost missed
him.... But we didn’t?”
“Is he hurt?”
“Mussed up some. No hurt to speak of.”
“And to-night the big shipment comes in.”
“Your orders.”
“We’ve got to get the girl,” Abner said. “Have her watched every
instant. Have everything in readiness. If she puts her foot in a spot
where you and your men can take her, don’t lose a minute.” His
voice lifted with excitement. “Get her. Do you hear?... Get her!”
“Where’s Whitefield?” Jenney said.
“How should I know?”
“I want to know.... You can’t handle him like you can this girl. He’s
gone some’eres, and I want to know where and why.”
Fownes scowled, but made no rejoinder.
“I don’t like the way things is goin’,” Jenney said, sulkily. “I feel like I
was gittin’ cornered.”
“You’re sheriff, aren’t you? Who’ll corner you. You’re frightened,
Jenney. Men who get frightened aren’t useful to me. Now, get out of
here. You know what you’ve got to do. Do it.”
“Town meetin’ to-morrer. I got to be there.”
“You’ll be some place beside at a town meeting, Sheriff, if that girl is
allowed to run around another twenty-four hours.... Git!”
Jenney went out slowly, much perturbed. He was a man of
consequence to-day. Yesterday he had been nobody but Deputy
Jenney, a political henchman, a nobody. To-day his life’s ambition
was realized; he bestrode the pinnacle of his hopes. He had
achieved the position toward which he had labored and schemed for
a dozen years. What happened to Deputy Jenney was more or less
inconsequential. As Deputy Jenney he dared take chances—for
money or for advancement. But as Sheriff Jenney!... That was a
different matter. Very gladly, now, would he have extricated himself
from his entanglements and conducted himself as, according to his
system of ethics, a man of mark should do. Why, he was the biggest
man in the county—with a salary and fees and patronage!... Well, he
was in it and he must protect himself.... Damn Fownes, anyhow.
He did not pause to consider that without Fownes and his connection
with the whisky-smuggling industry he would never have become
sheriff.... That was forgotten. Like many men, he ignored the ladder
by which he had climbed. In this case, however, the ladder declined
to ignore him. If Jenney had ever heard the word sardonic he would
have made telling use of it now.... How many men are trammeled by
inadequate vocabularies!
His first step was cautiously to call Peewee Bangs by telephone, and
in his conversation Jenney disclosed a kind of apt and helpful humor
of which few would have accused him.
“Hello, Peewee!” he said. “That you?”
“It’s me, Sheriff.”
“H’m!... Got that bundle of school books safe?” Jenney chuckled a
little at this. He considered it very acute indeed—to describe Evan
Pell as a bundle of school books.
“Got ’em tight,” said Peewee. “And the bookcase door’s locked. Was
jest lookin’ ’em over. Gittin’ me an eddication, so to say.”
“Was the bindin’s injured much?”
“Not to speak of. One of the covers was tore off, but it kin be patched
on ag’in with glue, seems as though. Hain’t no pages tore.”
“It’s too bad we got to keep ’em alone,” said Jenney. “I’m figgerin’ on
addin’ to the lib’rary.... Durin’ the day or night. You be ready to take
care of another volume. ’Tain’t so educational as the other figgers to
be, but it’s put up in a dum sight pertier cover.”
“I git you,” said Peewee. “The librarian’ll be on the job. Got any idee
what hour you’ll deliver?”
“May be any hour. Sit tight, and don’t on no account lose what we
got. What we want, Peewee, is a nice, complete eddication, and we
can’t git it ’less we have both them books to study side by side.”
“Uh huh.... An’ say, Sheriff, the pantry’s all ready fer that shipment of
catchup. Quite a consignment, eh? Never had so much catchup in
the house before.”
“Too doggone much. I was ag’in it.... But it’s comin’, and we got to
look out f’r it.”
“Five loads,” said Peewee.
“Comin’ different roads.”
“Mebby ye kin dispose of some of it if the order’s too big fer your own
use.”
“I kind of arranged to,” said Peewee. “Everythin’s all right this end.”
“For Gawd’s sake,” said Jenney, betraying for a moment his anxiety,
“don’t let nothin’ slip.”
“I’ll tend to my end if you tend to your’n,” snapped Mr. Bangs.
Directly following this conversation, Jenney detailed two trustworthy
gentlemen to keep an eye on Carmel Lee. It was pointed out to them
to be their duty not to lose sight of her an instant, and, on pain of
certain severe penalties, to let no opportunity slip to induce her to
join Evan Pell at the Lakeside Hotel.... It was these two gentlemen
who, gratefully, saw her take her way out of town in the late evening,
following the very road they would have chosen for her. They made
sure she was alone, that no one was coming after her, and then took