The Shadow Box: Paranormal Suspense and Dark Fantasy Thriller Novels

by Travis Luedke

  Theirs had been a marriage arranged by her cousin, King Matthias. In spite of that and the bad spoken about her husband, she had loved him. They went on to make two children together. He had always treated her and their boys with love and tenderness. So when she looked into his bright green eyes, all her old feelings came flooding back.

  “We heard stories,” she said in a whisper. “Of that night at Snagov. I never believed any of it. I thought it only superstition and foolish peasant talk.”

  Another brief silence passed between them. She looked down at her hands, and, as he touched them with his, the first tears rolled down her cheeks.

  She fell into his arms. “Oh, Vlad,” she said, crying in his ear. “How I have missed you.”

  “I have missed you as much,” he assured her, holding her tight.

  “And how I love you. I have always loved you.”

  They kissed for the first time in fourteen long years, arousing the old passions in both of them. She closed her eyes and dropped her head back when he moved his lips to the side of her neck. He felt an urge to drink from her, but resisted it.

  She broke from his embrace and lay back on the bed. He ripped her nightgown away in his hands. She sucked in a deep breath, and smiled, as he took a moment to study her naked form. He stooped down to kiss the cleft between her breasts. She gasped when he sucked on one of them and grabbed handfuls of her long auburn hair. Her dark pink nipples hardened to the touch of his tongue.

  He stroked the inside of her thigh. She parted them to allow his fingers easy access to her. He found her already moist to his touch. Her musky scent reached out to him, making him ache for her in a way he had not ached in years.

  His tongue traced its way down, inducing a long groan from her when he licked the area between her thighs. He had never done this to her before, and the sensations she felt were incredible. After the shortest time, her orgasm began to well inside her. Not since he left Buda had she had one. When she came, she had to bite into her pillow so as not to wake the whole palace.

  “I thought of you often this day,” she said, after several deep breaths.

  He smiled. “You remembered my birthing day?”

  “How could I not? It is always the day I miss you the most.”

  “It is the same for me. We always enjoyed them in our times together.”

  “Every night, I close my eyes and pray you might come to me in my dreams, but you never have. Not till this night, that is.”

  “This is no dream, my love. I am really here. You see me as I am.”

  “How I wish that were so.”

  He laughed. “Ilona, you are not dreaming.”

  “Then make love to me, Vlad. Be my husband once more.”

  “I have always been your husband. I still am he.”

  “It is fourteen long years since I have felt you inside me. I want to feel that once more.”

  “I want that, too.”

  She sensed he was not going to, and it frustrated her. “I need it, my love, so much.”

  “I cannot, my love. Not in this moment.”

  She sat up. “Why not? I am giving myself to you, as your wife.”

  “I have not fed this night. I need fresh blood in my veins to be able to make love to you. Without it, I fear I cannot function in that way.”

  Several thoughts raced through her mind. She remembered the things he told her about his life as a vampire. Whatever he had to do, she did not care. She needed him, and had to have him. “Then go, Vlad, and make haste. Do what you must and then come back to me.”

  She watched him leave by the open window, before he disappeared from sight and rose high above the rooftops of Buda. Below, he read the dreams of those who lay asleep. He dropped lower. With his keen sense of smell, he could select the right victim.

  It did not take him long to find the house he wanted. He smashed through the shutters of the room where the scent was at its most powerful. On entry, he woke a young married couple from their sleep.

  The husband reacted quickly to the intrusion. Though startled, he jumped from the bed to meet the intruder who had entered his home. Dracula moved across him in the darkness, and delivered a strong blow to the chest that rendered the man unconscious.

  His wife screamed at the attack, but the intruder ignored her. In his excited state, his claws were out. He considered driving them into the man’s chest and ripping out his heart, but he elected not to. Instead, he allowed the man to drop to the floor.

  The woman tried to scream again. Dracula moved fast and sat down on the bed beside her. He clamped a hand over her mouth to silence her. “Be quiet, woman. Lest I shall have to kill you, and your husband.”

  When he removed his hand from her mouth, she did not make a sound. Dracula could barely contain himself, with a rare and unexpected treat awaiting him. It was the second one in only a few months. He ripped away her scant clothing and ran his tongue the length of her pregnant stomach. She did not offer a struggle, but whimpered in fear at his actions. She expected she was about to be raped, not realising the true fate that awaited her.

  Dracula was alive to her fears and hesitated a moment. The last occasion he had consumed a foetus, he had done so to preserve his life. He had no such need right now, and though it was a delicacy he savoured, he preferred to take one only out of necessity. A sound from nearby in the small house further distracted him.

  He gazed down at the pregnant woman, his eyes glowing a bright and luminous green. The effect of this hypnotised the woman to such an extent that her own eyes lost focus. He touched his hand against them and ordered her, “Sleep.”

  Dracula left her and moved from the bed. The pregnant woman’s teenage sister walked in after the commotion had woken her too. Still half asleep, she did not see him there. She moved towards him like an innocent mouse in the path of a predatory snake.

  He waited as the girl walked blindly towards him, and kept quiet so as not to frighten her. She would have to fulfil his needs. The couple in the room had enjoyed a very fortunate escape from death.

  “Clara? What was that noise?” the girl asked, looking for her sister.

  Dracula stood only a few inches away, like any predator ready to pounce on its prey. Ilona was waiting for him and he wanted to return to her. First, he needed blood so that he might have the capacity to give his wife what she so desperately wanted from him.

  Just from her smell, Dracula knew the girl had virginal blood. It was the most potent variety, and one he savoured. He snatched her from the darkness and flew back out through the window with her in his arms.

  He moved with lightning precision out into the night. So swift was his motion that he had his fangs buried in her neck before she even had time to cry out. Her body tensed as he quickly sucked the life out of her. He then tossed it into the dark waters of the Danube far below. Without changing direction, he arrived at Ilona’s window. The body of the girl had not even struck the surface of the water. As he heard the distant splash, he joined his wife once more.

  His wife gazed at him with the deepest affection. She tried not to think of what he had done in his absence, but watched him undress and sit down on the bed. Smiling at him, she moved over to allow him enough room beside her.

  Her jaw dropped when she saw the size of his manhood. It was nothing like she remembered, and she worried that it would cause her great pain. His torso, too, looked different than before. He had always had a very well-toned body and muscular physique, even in his forties. Now, though, it resembled something chiselled from stone.

  “Do not be afraid,” he whispered. “I shall be gentle.”

  He leaned over her. Where his skin had earlier felt cold, it now radiated heat. The room was already freezing from the open window, but when their bodies touched, he warmed her at once. They kissed until she could wait no longer. She gripped his erection in both hands and guided him inside her.

  Her face contorted with pain at first, so he moved against her with great care. She parted her legs as
wide as they would allow. Closing her eyes, she inhaled and exhaled in quick bursts. The penetration pushed her vaginal walls farther apart than she could manage without the tissue tearing a little.

  They remained still for a moment. Then, slowly, he inched his way inside. Her erratic breathing continued. Impaled as she was to him, her muscles soon began to contract, and she accommodated him with a little more ease.

  Her legs felt so weak she could not move them. He raised them in his hands and moved them about until she felt comfortable. With great care, he spread them a little farther, allowing him the room to slide in deeper. Despite her initial discomfort, it was the most beautiful feeling she had ever known. The tingling sensation extended all the way from the nape of her neck to her knees.

  He paused to gaze down at her. She looked so beautiful to him as she lay there with her eyes closed. He withdrew with care, his fear of hurting her playing on his mind. She gripped his biceps with both hands to brace herself for his next thrust.

  Slowly, but with great deliberation, he pushed in again. Her breath caught in her throat before she moaned out loud. To him, it was the most beautiful sound, though he feared someone might hear her. She bit hard into his neck as her second orgasm already welled inside. Her teeth cut through the skin and the taste of his blood trickled onto her tongue, a taste she found both pleasant and arousing.

  She dug her nails hard into his chest and cried out, “I love you.”

  He continued to move in slow and gentle motions as she exploded against him. Before she could recover, he pushed her left leg down and lifted the other high to turn her over. Until that moment, he had not known himself capable of such an emotion. This was different even to Piera. “And I love you,” he replied.

  “Do not stop,” she gasped. “It feels incredible.”

  He pushed a pillow under her belly and parted her thighs with his knees. Her breasts, though small, swelled to his touch when he held them in his hands. He squeezed hard on her erect nipples before grinding into her from behind.

  Ilona buried her face into her other pillow, the only way she could stifle her cries. It encouraged him to be bolder and he threw caution to the wind. His thrusts gathered momentum, pushing deep against her womb. It left her to lie there, helpless, drowning in the sensations as wave after wave of pure ecstasy washed over her.

  He, too, groaned louder than before. She pushed herself back against him, sensing his orgasm was close. Soon their movements became so frantic, she feared he would break her in half. She squeezed her muscles as hard as she could around him, drawing a long groan from deep in his throat. “Come on, my love,” she gasped, tearing at the bed sheet with both hands. “Let it all go.”

  He shot the first stream into her. It hit her so hard she felt it in almost every fibre of her body. When he withdrew the next time, it triggered her third orgasm.

  She delighted in the feeling of his hot sperm as it splashed against her crotch and inner thighs. Reaching down, she took a little on her index finger and placed it on her tongue. He watched as she closed her lips around it, savouring his taste. Her eyes remained closed, though the expression on her face was one of great satisfaction.

  He lay down beside her, satisfied himself like on no other occasion he could remember. She sighed a happy sigh and snuggled into him. He wrapped an arm around her to draw her closer. The sounds of the night caught his ear. They told him the dawn was only a couple of hours away.

  “Vlad,” she whispered. “That was beautiful. I never knew I could feel this way.”

  “Then how would you like to feel this for all eternity?”

  “I cannot think of anything better,” she groaned, feeling sleepy.

  “It is possible. You can have that.”

  “Mmm,” she whispered, closing her eyes. “That would be wonderful.”

  “That is why I came, Ilona. I want to take you with me, over to the other side.”

  She opened her eyes again. The implications of what he was saying had just registered with her. “How do you mean?” she asked, her tone serious.

  He read her thoughts and sensed her worries about their son. “Young Vlad does not need you anymore,” he advised. “He is almost a man. It is I who needs you, Ilona. I, your husband.”

  “But I do not want to die, Vlad,” she said, her fear evident in her tone.

  “It is but mortal death, Ilona,” he argued. “The pain is momentary, and it shall pass. For those few moments, the rewards are far greater than you can imagine.”

  She still seemed hesitant.

  “I want you to see what I can see, hear what I can hear, and feel what I can feel. Ilona, how I wish you had the power to be able to read the minds of men. To know what it is to possess the strength of twenty. What it is to fly in the night skies and see the world from above. But to also change your form or move faster than the human eye. To be able to see the world as I have.”

  “It all sounds so wonderful.”

  “It is, Ilona. Most of all, I want you to experience the thrill of the hunt, the kill, and then the taste. The taste, my love, far exceeds anything you have experienced here with me this night.”

  “I do not know that I could do those things.”

  “Yes, you can. I only wish words could describe them, so you might know. I want to share all this with you, but for that to happen, there is only one way.”

  “I am afraid.”

  “It means we would be together forever. For always, Ilona, my darling.”

  “For always, Vlad?”

  “Yes, you would never age after this day. You shall discover a world beyond your dreams. The real world is the night. I promise you shall never regret it or be alone again.”

  She thought about it long and hard. “How would you do this for me?”

  “First, I must drink from you. Then, when you feel the thirst build inside, you must drink from me. After that you shall suffer mortal death. But you shall awaken, so that we can always be together.”

  “Very well, my love. Take me with you.”

  His fangs pierced her neck, causing her to cry out in shock and pain. Both her head and heart throbbed as her husband sucked her lifeblood from her. He knew when she had weakened enough and he pulled away, waiting for the cramps to hit her.

  It was only moments before Ilona clutched at her stomach. She emitted her first agonising cries. He watched anxiously as she vomited and foamed at the mouth. Then, the first convulsions seized her.

  Once they had subsided, she lay quiet again. He cut his wrist and held it under her nose. The scent of his blood aroused her at once. Her transition passed the same as his. Before she disembowelled and suffered mortal death, her soul released the same inhuman cry as his had.

  The palace guards smashed their way into the room. They saw Dracula drape a blanket over their mistress before lifting her up in his arms. He offered them a hateful glance as they moved toward him. Then, turning to the open window, he flew out into the darkness of the night.

  Chapter 15

  TRANSYLVANIA. THE FIELDS NEAR BRASOV.

  OCTOBER, 1494.

  The soldiers from the garrison at Brasov had a good day’s hunting. For hours, they tested their archery skills. They sparred with each other, too, and placed wagers as they raced their horses through the fields.

  Their captain enjoyed the greatest success with the bow and did not waste a single arrow. His deadly accuracy frowned upon the efforts of the others. He killed a wild boar, three deer, several rabbits, and one or two game birds. They would sit down to a great feast this coming night. It was his boyar’s birthday, and he wanted it to be a good one. The ruling landowner in the area was sure to want to celebrate it.

  The servants arrived to sort the game. They tied the dead animals to strong branches they had cut from trees. Soon, they would carry these on their shoulders to the kitchens at the nearby fortress.

  The captain grew restless in the saddle. He enjoyed hunting, but had a greater liking for other pursuits. Only one thing coul
d make his day complete. He knew exactly what he wanted, and where to find it. First, though, he would need to be free of his men.

  “I am riding back into the forest,” he informed his lieutenant. “Take the men back to the garrison. Give them leave for the evening.”

  The officer bowed to acknowledge the order. “Yes, Captain.”

  The captain then rode off into the trees. He did not hear the array of insults and choice words directed after him. It would not have bothered him if he had. He knew his men did not like him. Their boyar had given him possession of a lucrative farm, which his status commanded. It was a property many others coveted, and the man he had just spoken to was one of them.

  He cared little for what they thought of him. They feared him for his prowess with the sword and the mean streak he often showed. By reputation, he enjoyed the status of the finest swordsman and archer in the region. However, his other traits made him wholly unpopular.

  His men felt he bullied them, and to a large extent, he did. It was his appetite, though, for wine and women that caused the most resentment in his social circles. He did not care with whose wife he satisfied his cravings. These included the wives and daughters of some of the richest men in the city. Those women were often only too happy to indulge him. He was not a handsome man, but he still had appeal. They saw an arrogant and ruthless man full of confidence and ambition. In their social circles, they spoke his name often. Many talked of his ability as a lover, and they sought his favour for that reason. It made him many enemies, and more than any other man in the region, their husbands despised him.

  The boyar tolerated his outlandish behaviour in spite of what others whispered in his ear. His captain led his men well. He kept order and protected his interests. But on occasion, his captain tested even his patience.