Bride of Blood:: First Kiss

by Anthony E. Ventrello

  “Vercie, why don’t you keep him company,” Anton said, getting up. “I want to visit a friend while I’m here.”

  Anton got up from his seat and walked away from them. He headed to a door to the left of the bar. He turned to JR and asked, “How is he?”

  “He has his good days and bad days,” JR answered. “Today’s one of those good days.”

  About that time Anton noticed that Sante Muerte had been hiding in the shadows. She must have wanted to stay clear of Anzalone and his taunts, but still remain in The Way Station. Anton could see her eyes glowing in her empty sockets. Her cloak swirled about her, mostly for dramatic effect which didn’t impress Anton at all.

  “Don’t worry, Anton,” she called to him. “His body and his mind will be reunited…someday!” She started to laugh. No one else did. She laughed one last time and then she walked into the shadows again, but this time she actually left.

  Anton’s uncomfortable feelings were replaced with annoyance. How he prayed that he outlived her. Hopefully Anzalone’s taunts would eventually make her go away and not return to The Way Station. She seemed to get more snarky each time he saw her. He wasn’t sure if it was her growing cult in the mortal world or the fact that her time was almost up. Whatever it was, he would be glad to see her gone.

  Anton touched the door. It was warm. That was a good sign. If it were cold, it would be best to come back another day. He slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open.

  This day the room was bare. There were no dancing lights or strange colorful projections on the walls. No new ideas today, Sam, Anton thought.

  He saw only an armchair and a television in the center of the room. The large radio that once sat next to the chair was gone. Last time Anton was here, it had been kicked in.

  The bare light bulb that hang from the ceiling barely lit up the room, but Anton could see all that he needed. Upon closer inspection, he saw a small, gangly man in the armchair and the TV was turned on in front of him.

  Anton coughed and walked slowly toward the man. He heard the click of a remote and the channel on the TV changed. Now the screen showed a test pattern. He heard a long sigh come from the chair. His friend knew that he was in the room.

  Anton approached the left side of the chair and smiled down at his friend. The man was very thin and gaunt. His hair was long and scraggly and seemed to fall wherever it wanted. A pair of dark, empty eyes peered out from behind the hair. A cloud of smoke came out of a mouth that was surrounded by 3 or 4 days growth of beard. The man wore a plain, white t-shirt, with purple velvet pants and no shoes or socks.

  “Hi, Sam,” said Anton, just above a whisper.

  “That stopped being funny almost 40 years ago, Anton,” said Sam in a voice that sounded like it came from an English frog.

  Anton laughed and knelt down next to Sam. He pulled a cigarette out of the pack that was resting on the arm of the chair. He took the cigarette out of Sam’s mouth which had burned down to the filter, and placed it in the ashtray next to the pack. He quickly lit the cigarette, took a few puffs and put it between Sam’s lips. Sam took a deep drag and expelled the smoke through his nose. He muttered something that sounded like “Thanks” and set the cigarette on the ashtray.

  Neither spoke for several moments. Finally Anton said, “You know I’m going to reunite with Velara soon…”

  Sam almost smiled, but not quite. He acted like he hadn’t heard a word Anton had just said. “Have you been to see me, lately?”

  “Not for about six months or so,”

  “I didn’t recognize you, did I?”

  Anton was quiet for a few moments before shaking his head.

  Sam nodded, “It’s not easy being separated from your body. I’m here with all my ideas and creations and my body is over there without me.”

  Anton smiled and said, “The old lady says it won’t be too much longer.” That wasn’t what she really had said, but Sam didn’t know that.

  “Fuck her,” Sam said with exhaustion. “She’s been saying that for years.”

  Sam changed the channel again and this time there was a soccer game on. Anton took this as a sign that it was time for him to leave.

  He stood up and said, “I’m off, Lucifer Sam,” Sam smiled at that. A real genuine smile. “At least I didn’t call you Arnold.”

  Sam chuckled.

  Anton started to walk towards the door. Sam suddenly said, “I’m happy for you and Velara. I hope it all works out.”

  Anton nodded and kept walking. He stopped and said over his shoulder, “You know, next time I see you, you will be on the other side of the door.”

  “Don’t count on it,” was all Sam said, not even looking at Anton.

  Anton opened the door and started to say, “Shine on you…” but he cut himself off, “I know, that also stopped being funny about 40 years ago!” Anton chuckled and left the room.

  Sam sighed and stared blankly at the TV again. Yep, he thought. It won’t be long now. He thought of Anton’s last words before he left. He suddenly felt the urge to finish the sentence, so he whispered, “… you crazy diamond.” He picked up the remote and switched off the TV.

  Anton walked back over to the table where Vercie was sitting alone. The young vampire had apparently awakened because he was nowhere to be seen. Anton was glad to see that he was gone and prayed to himself that he wouldn’t have to keep company with him anytime soon.

  He sat down next to Vercie and neither spoke for a while. Finally Vercie said, “You know, sugar, sometimes death is the worst experience for some. I mean for me it was a relief, just like falling asleep and never having to bother to wake up.” She sat her empty glass down on the table and it was immediately refilled as if by magic. She picked it up again and continued, “I mean all the pain I felt from the cancer was gone, and now I never have to worry about getting sick or anything like that again. But that poor man.” She looked in the direction of the door Anton had just exited. “I mean to have your soul in one place and your body someplace else…..”

  Anton sighed and stood up. He began to massage Vercie’s shoulders. She purred like a kitten as Anton loosened the tightness in her muscles. He was still amazed at how the dead acted and felt like they were still alive. It was just one of the mysteries of The Way Station.

  Anton started to feel himself turn to vapor and he was unable to hold on to Vercie. He bent down and whispered in her ear, “Goodnight, sweetheart. I will see you soon.”

  She whispered back, “See you in your dreams, sugar.” And then she and The Way Station disappeared. The next thing he saw was a dusty, old kitchen cooler. It was nighttime; time to move on.

  Chapter 10 The Prince

  The woods themselves held no life or light. The moment Anton’s foot stepped into the trees he felt a sudden void. The birds stopped singing, the crickets stopped chirping, and he could no longer hear creatures scurrying in the underbrush. It was as if he totally stepped out of Earth and into The Land of the Dead. Though vampires were always permitted to visit The Way Station anytime they wanted to, that was a place they didn’t go. Anton suddenly thought that this was what it would be like.

  A mortal would have not tread on the ground upon which he was walking. In fact, most immortals who knew of its existence dared not enter this place. It was enchanted much like the property around Anton’s home, but there was something or someone who lived there that kept anyone out.

  In that forest lived one of the oldest vampires in the world. In his heyday he was the subject of stories, films, and legends. His name inspired both admiration and fear. Once he was the head of The Order of the Dragon, which was The Order that was currently at war with Anton’s clan, The Order of Nephthys. The Order of the Dragon started in The Middle Ages, somewhere around the 900s or so. The Order was supposed to have died out when The Prince himself was supposed to have died, but mortals didn’t know any of the ways of the vampire. Up until recently, The Prince and his brother Radu had been head of The Order of the Dragon for more
than 600 years.

  But now he spent his remaining days in an enchanted forest where no daylight or life existed. Soon, Anton knew that The Prince would walk into the light and enter the afterlife. His demise was foretold at The Way Station, and it seemed that Lady Death was being sincere. Anton wanted to speak to The Prince once more before that happened.

  Anton walked slowly and carefully in the woods. The bewitched air was hot and stifling, an obvious enchantment designed to keep mortals out. The average mortal would have either succumbed or fled for daylight or fresh air. The darkness itself was almost total and only vampiric eyes could keep one from getting lost. And that was a strain, too. Anton felt a headache coming on from having to focus so totally on where he was going in a place where no light was available.

  Although he entered the woods only once before, he knew the way. As he trudged on, he suddenly felt stepping stones under his feet. There was a stir in the darkness, a sign of someone waking up. Anton was several feet away from The Prince’s tomb, but his presence was already felt. Even with his eyes, Anton could barely make out the outline of the property. There were several headstones and crypts around the extremely large one that The Prince occupied. It had once been a very old, pre-Colonial cemetery. The Prince had used his waning powers to erect a large wood all around and place the infernal enchantment on it. Many of the stones were worn down to almost nothing. Of course nothing grew in the ground around them, but there still remained a stone path that led Anton to his destination.

  At first, The Prince was annoyed by the intrusion. Had he possessed even a slight will to live, he would have leapt from his stone throne and tore out the interloper’s throat. But he caught Anton’s scent and the anger was gone. Actually a hint of a smile crossed his lips for the first time in a really long time.

  Anton walked into the tomb and suddenly torches came to light. The room was filled with an almost unnatural light. The room itself didn’t look anything like a crypt; rather, it resembled what could have been a throne room in a castle. There were worn tapestries on the walls, faded and damaged paintings, and a large carpet that was so moth-eaten that it was barely even there. One painting that was in the best shape was that of The Prince himself. This was the original work of art that mortals all over the world recognized from having seen the 200-year-old copy made after The Prince’s disappearance from their world. Anton looked at his friend. It had been a long time. Anton smiled at The Prince and a pain of sorrow hit him like a punch in the gut.

  The Prince was a shell of who he once was. His skin was terribly ashen and gray. His long, greasy hair fell about his face and shoulders. His clothes, once regal were torn and dirty. Any resemblance to the once handsome prince in the well-known painting was gone.

  What bothered Anton the most was the Prince’s eyes. Once fierce and powerful they were now hollow, bloodshot and defeated. This was all that was left of The Prince of Vampires. Tired of his life, he now sought only death.

  Anton came back to himself and approached the throne. He respectfully knelt on one knee and averted his eyes.

  “Arise, Anton of The Order of Nephthys,” said The Prince.

  Anton dutifully obeyed and approached the throne. He knelt again at the feet of his master and held up his right arm, dutifully offering a taste of his blood. The Prince shook his head, declining. “Sit with me, Anton,” he said pointing to the throne next to his. Anton did as he was told. “The day draws near and my time on Earth draws to a close.”

  “I know, your highness,” said Anton looking down. He only glanced at The Prince now and then since it was considered disrespectful to look a Legendary Vampire directly in the eyes.

  “What is it you wish to discuss?” asked The Prince in almost a sigh.

  “I am on a quest to find the Lady Velara.”

  “Your offspring?”

  “Yes.”

  “She is special, and I know that she holds your heart.”

  Anton nodded in agreement.

  “I myself have had many lovers, but have only truly loved two. And yourself?”

  “Many lovers, too, my lord, but truly I’ve loved only a few.”

  “The Korean?”

  “Yes,” Anton said, brightening at the memory of Charlotte. “She serves Lady Bernadine now and for the remainder of her days.”

  “What was your reaction when she made this decision?”

  “Sadness since I had truly planned to spend the remainder of my immortal existence with her. But one cannot ignore a calling can one?”

  “One shouldn’t,” The Prince said as he straightened himself up.

  “And The Rescuers?” he asked. This was the name that all the vampires of the world called Christina Michelle and Virginia.

  Again Anton smiled as he thought of Christina Michelle and the promise that he had made to her. He began to consider her words again. Why did he bother to waste so much of his time on a fool’s errand when he had the loving and willing arms of Michelle waiting for him? Was the whole concept of soulmate something that Velara told him because it was some fairytale that she had heard when she was a mortal slave? No, she was the love of his life. He knew that while he loved Velara the most, a place in his heart was still reserved for Christina Michelle and Charlotte.

  “There are those who take the selfish road. That road will always lead to destruction. And when we take that path, we destroy ourselves and those around us, especially those we love.”

  There was silence for several moments until The Prince spoke again, “I had an apprentice. You know him as Drago. He was next in line to be head of our order, but I saw too much evil and lawlessness in him. I wanted to have him destroyed for corrupting my order, but he rallied several of my own against me, including my brother Radu. I was banished and Drago took over The Order. The result has been total disarray. He killed several of those who brought him to power and even exiled Radu. He continues to break every law that we as vampires have. I fear that we will all be doomed because of him.”

  “I will destroy him myself, your highness,” said Anton looking into his eyes. He trembled. “I promise you that.”

  The Prince nodded, “I know that you believe that you will. It is the only way to save our way of life. I hope and pray that that my brother has come to his senses and will join the fight against him. I hope that Radu will take his place as the leader of my order. Remember this, Anton, some of us have no choice in becoming vampires. But we all have the choice to either become a monster or an angel. Always remember that.”

  The Prince moved slightly on the throne and a look of pain shot across his face. Anton looked at him with concern, but was waved off. The Prince asked, “How is Anzalone?”

  Anton almost made a snorting sound, but held it in, “He’s fine, I guess. Lady Bernadine is fond of him, although most of us are not.”

  “He has much anger and much to learn, but he is devoted to your Lady Bernadine.”

  They sat again in silence for several moments until Anton spoke up, “Who were the two women that you loved, Your Highness? Was one of them your late wife?”

  “Indeed,” The Prince said with a sad smile. “She committed suicide because she thought I was dead. If she only had known that I could not die.” He pointed to a painting on the wall that Anton had not noticed before.

  “She’s beautiful, your highness,” Anton said, studying the painting. She was just as beautiful as Anton imagined she would be. She had the longest hair he’d ever seen on a woman. But it was her eyes that really shook him. She appeared so sad. The same look that The Prince had in his eyes.

  “And what of your other great love?” asked Anton.

  “She will come today,” said The Prince, as he brightened at the thought. “You will not see her because it is not your time, yet. I have prayed to both God and her for her presence here, and this morning she will finally arrive.”

  “So, she is…”

  “Yes,” said The Prince in a loud voice, “It is time for Lady Death, my long lost love.
I have wanted and loved her for many years. Now she is coming to me. I will finally be reunited with my wife, and I can leave this world for good.”

  He put his hand on Anton’s shoulder, “Don’t be sad, my friend. I have come to understand that there is a place between worlds where we can meet from time to time.”

  The Prince stood up and motioned for Anton to do the same. Then the two walked over to the painting of his late wife. “Soon, my love, we will be together,” said The Prince. He turned to Anton and said, “And you will soon be reunited with your love.”

  Anton smiled and nodded. “Now, my friend,” said The Prince, taking Anton by the arm and leading him away, “it is time for you to sleep. Take my coffin. When you wake, you will find this place has changed. In due time, this place will fall and be no more, just like me.”

  “Whether this place decays and falls, it doesn’t matter,” said Anton. “No one will ever forget you or your name. Prince Vlad Dracula.”

  The Prince smiled and embraced Anton. “Farewell, my friend. Have a long and happy life and don’t forget your promise.”

  “I won’t, Your Highness,” said Anton, fighting back tears.

  The Prince waved his hand and the thrones suddenly disappeared through a trapdoor and were replaced by a large coffin. The dark wooden coffin was covered with carvings of dragons and impaled people, for which The Prince was most well-known. Although time and treachery had changed and cowed him, The Prince never made excuses for the things he’d done and never would.

  Anton walked up to the coffin and ran his hand over the fine woodwork. He turned to say something to The Prince, but he was gone. Within seconds, the torches extinguished themselves and he was plunged into darkness again. He could already feel the sun beginning to rise and suddenly became aware that he was exhausted.

  He climbed into the coffin and closed the lid. A few bloody tears ran down his cheeks as he thought of Prince Vlad and his wife. His thoughts then passed to Velara and how they were to be reunited. The Prince was never wrong with his predictions.