AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Better,” he said.
“How much time will it take to reach Bra?ov?” I asked as I heard the engine’s roar.
“Quite soon, but you can relax now. Trust I’ll take care of everything, so you don’t need to worry anymore. It’s what I’ve been preparing to do up until now. If you wish to sleep, you can do so as well.” He took my hand in his.
“I’d rather admire the town for a while.”
“As you wish,” he said calmly.
The peaceful, starry night alongside the monotone ride enveloped me in a deep sense of serenity. The soothing hum of the engine lulled me into a meditative state. I yearned so much for this when I lived in medieval Wallachia. And now I was finally back, welcomed by the warm glow of the streetlights and perfectly paved roads. Though I fought to keep my eyes open, slumber still managed to whisk me away. When I opened my eyes for a bit, I found myself in Gabriel’s lap, with him guarding my sleep. I knew I lay in safe hands, so I went back to sleep.
The next time I woke up, I found myself in a bedroom. At first, I got startled. I’d never seen the place before, but then I remembered Gabriel and yesterday’s crazy events. I fell back on the pillow. The softest pillow in the universe. I closed my eyes, but sleep decided to bail on me. I turned to the left side of the bed to see if Gabriel slept next to me, but he was nowhere to be found. Then I decided to inspect the room. The mahogany, four-poster bed that could fit ten of me was covered in black silk bed sheets. All the bed sheets had our initials monogrammed. On each side of the bed were two nightstands carved in intricate patterns similar to the dresser and the armchair in front. Besides the plasterwork, which was painted in gold, all the walls, including the ceiling, were painted in dark grey. The only accent in the room was the rug and the curtains, which were of a burgundy color. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed I woke up in Count Dracula’s lair. Oh wait, I did. Except he was Count Stoica, and he was my husband of five hundred years. What would this kind of marriage be called? Our carbon dated anniversary?
As much as I wished to dwell more on this peculiar situation, my stomach’s growl insisted on finding sustenance soon. I cracked open the tall, wooden door and saw Gabriel coming toward me with a food tray. “You’re awake,” he said with enthusiasm. “I was just bringing you coffee, chocolate cake, and other treats.”
“Is this your house?” I asked.
“You mean our house,” he said as he entered the bedroom and placed the tray on the dresser. “Let’s get you back under those sheets and have a proper breakfast in bed.” Before he could place the tray on the nightstand, a fury passed next to his legs, almost tipping my breakfast.
“Shadow. Not now,” he said, but I didn’t see to whom he was talking.
“Who’s Shadow?” I asked in confusion.
“Hey, boy, stop. Come meet your mistress,” said Gabriel, but the tornado didn’t listen. It went several rounds in and out of the bedroom and then sprinted toward me. The terror I felt at that moment got released in the form of a shriek.
“No, Shadow. She’s human,” Gabriel yelled.
The fury tried to slow down, but it was too late. It knocked me off my feet. Then I felt something licking my face. When I opened my eyes, I saw an overly-excited black and white mastiff wiggling his tail. “You have a dog?”
“Indeed. He’s just as happy to meet his mistress as me.”
“Does he bite?”
“Only the bad ones,” Gabriel said.
“How does he know who is bad and who isn’t?” I asked.
“He lived long enough to tell the difference, even when I don’t give him clear instruction,” he said.
“Wait. He lived long enough?”
“He’s a few decades younger than me,” Gabriel said.
“That’s not possible. I’ve never heard of vampire dogs.”
Gabriel placed the tray on the nightstand and then helped me stand. “In my world, everything is possible, Milady.” He cut the distance between us. “Good morning, my love. Did you have a rejuvenating night’s sleep?” He raised my chin with a finger.
“I did. Thank you for asking,” I said shyly.
“Good, you might need it for later.” He grinned playfully. “But first, we must replenish your energy. Open wide.” I did as told, and he placed a cookie in my mouth.
“Umm, chocolate chip cookie. I haven’t eaten one in so long.” I looked down and saw the mammoth of a dog eyeing my cookie. “Does Shadow eat regular food?”
“No, but he still thinks he’s a regular dog somewhere deep inside though he’s been fed blood for many centuries,” Gabriel said and sat on the bed next to me.
“Is this your only dog?” I asked as I took a sip from my coffee.
“Yes. Immortality is a gift and a curse at the same time. He has earned the ability to live forever, but only next to a master who is also immortal. Having too many dogs could wreak havoc on the entire ecosystem of the world and even lead to the extinction of species. Shadow doesn’t care whom to kill and who’s blood he drains. Thus anyone or anything is at risk. Granted, I trained him to be only fed by me and attack those I deem necessary. He also knows about you. I showed him your picture many times. That’s why he was so excited to see you.”
