Draco sat alone in the castle’s library thinking over what he had just heard. For the first time ever, his uncle allowed others to hear his side as to what happened that day when Zoltan drowned. Yet, it was altogether different from the story told to him by Antonio and Zoltan. Sighing heavily, Draco gazed at the flames dancing in the hearth and closed his eyes as he remembered that day at Antonio’s loft.
Antonio’s Loft…London
“It’s about time the two of you got here,” Antonio complained from his sofa. “There is much to discuss and not enough hours in the night to allow for it.”
“Well,” Zoltan bragged “this genius just finished beating five straight opponents in the chess tournament sponsored by the International Chess Federation’s Junior Chess Players Association. For the first time ever, students from the premiere academies are permitted to take place in a multi level competition with the winner of this competition going on to play in the upcoming Grand Master’s Tournament. If a student makes it to the Grand Master’s Finals, regardless of whether or not he or she wins the title, their academy receives a large endowment from the Chess Federation. Our boy is qualified for the finals against the reigning junior champion in one week.”
“Good for you Draco,” Antonio said unimpressed. “Though you must pardon my lack of enthusiasm. I never had a fondness for that game. To me it was just too time consuming and to put it bluntly…boring.”
Draco took a seat in a wing-back armchair and just shrugged off Antonio’s comment. As he watched Zoltan take a seat next to Antonio and promptly placed his muddy booted feet on the coffee table, Draco had a feeling he was in for a long night.
“Since time is short,” Antonio said “let’s cut to the chase. You came to us for advice on how to win over the fair Lady Alice di Dracula. After much discussion with each other, we have decided to bring you hear to hear our stories on dealings with Count Vladimir Dracula II when it came to love of very special and beautiful woman named Maria and the horrific fate of my dear sister Lucy.”
“When we were kids,” Zoltan said sharply “I fell in love with the daughter of the first Count Dracula. He name is Maria. Yes…it is your mother Draco of whom I speak. Anyway, since my father was only a lesser Baron and my mother was of gypsy blood it was deemed by your dear uncle that I was not good enough to court your mother. Time and again I would try to win your mother’s affections but the hold your uncle had over her was so great that my attempts failed. One Christmas, my parents and I were invited to the castle and it was then that everything happened to me. I had made arrangements to speak to your grandfather alone of my deep love for Maria and ask her hand in marriage. I knew that if her father ordered it to be so, there would be no way that your uncle could interfere. Well, I was wrong. The servants of the castle lived in fear of the young Count and informed him of the discussion I had had with your grandfather. So he came to my room in the middle of the night and offered me a king’s ransom if I would go to your grandfather in the morning and renounce my decision and desire for your mother. When I refused, he rode with all haste to the gypsy camp about five miles from the castle. There he found those that hated my father and mother and ordered a woman amongst them to cast a curse upon me that should I speak my intentions to your grandfather of wanting to marry your mother that I should meet an icy death and come back after I was placed in the earth as a vampire. When I scoffed at this, I went forward and at the dinner table on Christmas Eve, I announced to all that I wished to have your mother’s hand in marriage to which your uncle rose and challenged me right then and there to a duel. Not being a coward, I accepted and we left the castle. As we crossed the bridge, I was met by two of his servants who pushed me into the nearly frozen mote. All were aware that I did not possess the skill to swim and thus I drown despite my cries for help and struggle to save my own life. Two nights later, I awoke in the cold dark of my coffin that had been placed in the family crypt. Kicking my way out of the coffin, I walked to my father’s room where he cursed me as a demon and drove me from his house under penalty of death. Having heard of my plight from servants that feared Dracula, Antonio came to my rescue and brought me to London.”
“After having learned of Zoltan’s fate,” Antonio said seeing the gears working in Draco’s mind “I brought him to London and offered him sanctuary in my home. He would be safe from the daylight and at the same time, I could provide him with a constant supply of blood as I worked in a local slaughter house. Feeling for him, I returned to place where I was raised by the priest Don Anselmo Alemida di Cappadochia. I told my father of the events surrounding Zoltan being cursed. However, since the Count was a huge benefactor of the church, he refused to believe me. So I implored my sister Lucy to speak to our father on Zoltan’s behalf. It was then that I learned that my father had been speaking to the Count and pledged her hand to the very monster that had Zoltan cursed. Unable to win the acceptance of my family, I raced to the gypsy camp and found the woman that cursed Zoltan had been murdered by servants from the castle. When I was racing back to London, I was met on the train by an elderly man who asked if I might help him retrieve a heavy box from the luggage car and bring it to his compartment. I agreed and found there amidst the suitcases a black coffin with the Dracula family crest upon it. As I tried to race for the door, the coffin lid opened and your uncle emerged with eyes like flames, sharp white fangs like a wolf and he was upon me as if all the devils of hell gave him unnatural speed. I had no strength to fight him off and the next thing I knew…a sharp pain was in my neck and a taste of copper was in my mouth. He made me what he was so I could not get help for either Zoltan or my dear sister.”
“This is alot to take in at once,” Draco said fighting an uneasy feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. “Yet, I am left with the need to ask one question…does this mean that if I pursue Alice that he will turn me into a vampire to prevent our marriage?”
“No,” Antonio said gravely “it means that if he decides you are not worthy of his daughter then he might find some way to eliminate you or have cast aside under the penalty of being cursed. However, if he decides that you will have his daughter’s hand in marriage he will make you as he is so that he can control you as a mindless slave. So we have a way to ensure your marriage and prevent his interference. The final time you return home you will do so as a vampire. Once a full vampire, you must take Alice and make her one of us. This way, you can break his influence over you both.”
Hearing the library door creak open, Draco’s thoughts faded. In silence, he watched as Klove put more logs on the fire before leaving once more. This usually was a sign that the Count would coming in soon to read a bit before dawn. Getting up, he took a book from the shelf and headed back to his room. In the morning he knew what he needed to do even it would cost him his life. He would have to go to the gypsy camp and see what the truth was based upon what they were willing to tell him.
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