Slowly the sun began to set as the shadows of evening lengthened. In
the coolness of the evening, Alice began to stir.
“Are you alright my daughter,” Dracula asked with a gentle concern.
“Mmmmm,” she moaned softly. “I’m fine. Just trying to shake the
sleep.”
“In that you are so much like your mother. She too had a hard time
waking when sleeping soundly,” he laughed softly.
Getting up and stretching, Alice looked at her father who was even
more pale than normal.
“You need to hunt don’t you,” she asked softly.
“Unfortunately, ” he said sighing heavily. “I cannot begin to tell
you how sorry I am for what I have become.”
“You do not need to apologize,” she said embracing him
tenderly. “What you have become was not your choice or doing. It
was the pain of a grieving mother that caused you to change. In time
I have a feeling that it will be love that saves you.”
Smiling softly, Dracula sighed.
“You have no idea how much I wish you were right. Only…” he began
than stopped.
“Please father,” she said softly “don’t say that only a stake through
the heart and your head being taken will be the only ways to free
you. I can’t believe that. I won’t believe that. As long as life
or death is mine I will find a way to set you free of this curse even
it cost me my life.”
Holding Alice close, Dracula kissed her forehead.
“Go now to the kitchens and get something to eat while I hunt. When
I come back we will be expecting a visitor. Don Rosario will be
stopping by this evening and can fill in other areas of the story I
have told you of the past,” he said extending his hand to her.
“I’ll be happy to see Don Rossario again,” Alice smiled warmly. “Be
safe father.”
Once at the main hall, they parted company for a short while, but to
Alice, it felt like a lifetime.