Bride of Blood:: First Kiss (22 page)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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.