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“Do we really have to do this again?”
The vampire hunter had skillfully used stealth to wind her way through the vampire’s gigantic castle. She held her breath for a moment as she looked down from her perch in the sill of a massive stained glass window and spied her prey. The vampire lord and master of this accursed castle.
She leaped up as silently as she could and grabbed a wooden beam overhead. Hand over hand she swung silently through the darkness until she reached the chain of a large chandelier. She quickly slid down the linked rings, her boots barely tapping upon the brass fixture.
“COME DOWN FROM THERE, YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL!”
She gasped at the booming voice and slipped, losing her grip for a moment. Sliding down the side of the chandelier she caught onto the edge and swung down to land almost silently on the thick red carpet below. The gleaming futuristic crossbow strapped to her back clattered softly against her dark enameled armor as her long red braid slipped from beneath her cloak.
Vlad Tepes Dracula sat lazily on his throne. He was leaned to one side, his white hair slightly disheveled, His cape was tossed lazily over a corner of his throne and his ruffled silk shirt was only buttoned part of the way. He breathed a heavy sigh as he looked at her.
“Do we really have to do this again?”
Anita blinked as she stood, momentarily speechless. She had come into this prepared for almost anything. This, however, she most certainly was not.
“Do you know how long I have been alive, child?”
She nodded tilting her head as she stammered out, “Over five thousand years.”
He smiled a bit. She had done her research. There was actually a mind to go with her skills, “Very good. Do you know what living for five thousand years means?”
“It means that you have amassed great power.” She looked stern as she reached for the crossbow at her back.
He made no movement to stop her. He merely watched, a droll expression on his face as she aimed the weapon at him. "It means boredom. Hideous boredom everlasting. Then every hundred years or so, I summon my castle and minions to the land of the living and one of you lot show up, defeat me in combat, and destroy my castle for another century. You know, at first it was nice, it broke up the monotony. Now, even this is boring to me.“
Anita looked offended as she spat through her gritted teeth, "Boring? I trained my entire life for this…”
“And your entire life is little more than a moment in time to me! Don’t you see? Did you not notice there were no attacks on villages this time? No raids? No disappearing girls? No monsters roaming the wilds?” He did not so much stand as he seemed to flow to his feet. "Do you really think it was so easy to sneak into my throne room? None of the monsters in this castle will attack without my command, and I have not given it!“
She thinks for a moment and realizes that indeed, there had been no attacks this time, no murders, nothing. The castle itself was mostly quiet. She had thought it was her training that had allowed her inside with such ease, but now she had her doubts. "Why? What is so different about this time?” She asked as she kept her weapon aimed straight at the vampire’s heart.
He suddenly snapped out, “Because I am SICK of it. Because it’s the same routine again and again. Because I want to do something, ANYTHING different.”
His words echoed off of the walls, ringing in her ears as she slowly lowered her weapon. "Have you considered helping people instead?“
Now it was his turn to look confused as he met her gaze, "I beg your pardon?”
“Help people. I mean, with your great power and resources our country could pull itself out of the past at last and join the modern world. We could defend ourselves against other countries, use your wealth to establish trade routes and educate the people. Become a benevolent ruler, rather than a bloodthirsty dictator.”
Vlad Dracula was dumbfounded. In all of his years, nobody had ever once suggested that he help anyone. A smile slowly curled his lips. This was new. This was different. Above all else, it was an exciting prospect. Use his power and wealth for the good of his country. He found himself nodding in agreement without realizing it.
“Yes,” he laughed, smiling at the vampire hunter, “I will do this, and you shall help me. You, Anita Belmont shall be my ambassador among the living and together we shall rebuild this country into something the rest of the world will envy.”
He glided across the floor towards her, placing the strap of her crossbow over her shoulder before wrapping his cool arm around her upper back. "Come, my new friend. We have much work to do.“
She leaped up as silently as she could and grabbed a wooden beam overhead. Hand over hand she swung silently through the darkness until she reached the chain of a large chandelier. She quickly slid down the linked rings, her boots barely tapping upon the brass fixture.
“COME DOWN FROM THERE, YOU LOOK LIKE A FOOL!”
She gasped at the booming voice and slipped, losing her grip for a moment. Sliding down the side of the chandelier she caught onto the edge and swung down to land almost silently on the thick red carpet below. The gleaming futuristic crossbow strapped to her back clattered softly against her dark enameled armor as her long red braid slipped from beneath her cloak.
Vlad Tepes Dracula sat lazily on his throne. He was leaned to one side, his white hair slightly disheveled, His cape was tossed lazily over a corner of his throne and his ruffled silk shirt was only buttoned part of the way. He breathed a heavy sigh as he looked at her.
“Do we really have to do this again?”
Anita blinked as she stood, momentarily speechless. She had come into this prepared for almost anything. This, however, she most certainly was not.
“Do you know how long I have been alive, child?”
She nodded tilting her head as she stammered out, “Over five thousand years.”
He smiled a bit. She had done her research. There was actually a mind to go with her skills, “Very good. Do you know what living for five thousand years means?”
“It means that you have amassed great power.” She looked stern as she reached for the crossbow at her back.
He made no movement to stop her. He merely watched, a droll expression on his face as she aimed the weapon at him. "It means boredom. Hideous boredom everlasting. Then every hundred years or so, I summon my castle and minions to the land of the living and one of you lot show up, defeat me in combat, and destroy my castle for another century. You know, at first it was nice, it broke up the monotony. Now, even this is boring to me.“
Anita looked offended as she spat through her gritted teeth, "Boring? I trained my entire life for this…”
“And your entire life is little more than a moment in time to me! Don’t you see? Did you not notice there were no attacks on villages this time? No raids? No disappearing girls? No monsters roaming the wilds?” He did not so much stand as he seemed to flow to his feet. "Do you really think it was so easy to sneak into my throne room? None of the monsters in this castle will attack without my command, and I have not given it!“
She thinks for a moment and realizes that indeed, there had been no attacks this time, no murders, nothing. The castle itself was mostly quiet. She had thought it was her training that had allowed her inside with such ease, but now she had her doubts. "Why? What is so different about this time?” She asked as she kept her weapon aimed straight at the vampire’s heart.
He suddenly snapped out, “Because I am SICK of it. Because it’s the same routine again and again. Because I want to do something, ANYTHING different.”
His words echoed off of the walls, ringing in her ears as she slowly lowered her weapon. "Have you considered helping people instead?“
Now it was his turn to look confused as he met her gaze, "I beg your pardon?”
“Help people. I mean, with your great power and resources our country could pull itself out of the past at last and join the modern world. We could defend ourselves against other countries, use your wealth to establish trade routes and educate the people. Become a benevolent ruler, rather than a bloodthirsty dictator.”
Vlad Dracula was dumbfounded. In all of his years, nobody had ever once suggested that he help anyone. A smile slowly curled his lips. This was new. This was different. Above all else, it was an exciting prospect. Use his power and wealth for the good of his country. He found himself nodding in agreement without realizing it.
“Yes,” he laughed, smiling at the vampire hunter, “I will do this, and you shall help me. You, Anita Belmont shall be my ambassador among the living and together we shall rebuild this country into something the rest of the world will envy.”
He glided across the floor towards her, placing the strap of her crossbow over her shoulder before wrapping his cool arm around her upper back. "Come, my new friend. We have much work to do.“
Category Story / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 113px
File Size 22.8 kB
“Wow, I’d never thought about that before!” XD;;
I love it! It reminds me a bit of the Mercy Thompson series of urban fantasy books. The vampire character you know best makes no bones about the fact that he’s a monster, but he’s trying to find a way to portray them in the best light - exchanging blood to keep those who are terminally ill alive for longer, testing for diabetes by taste, etc. It seems like this would fit in well with that sort of scenario.
I love it! It reminds me a bit of the Mercy Thompson series of urban fantasy books. The vampire character you know best makes no bones about the fact that he’s a monster, but he’s trying to find a way to portray them in the best light - exchanging blood to keep those who are terminally ill alive for longer, testing for diabetes by taste, etc. It seems like this would fit in well with that sort of scenario.
It gets a little SVU around the third one; so, unfortunately I didn’t get any farther than that. But the first couple were quite good. They also handle her assault and recovery in a respectful and realistic way, which I appreciated, but I’m a bit worn out by the “assault survivor” urban fantasy trope.
Thank you. I have pondered long on immortal characters and have written a fair few.
I always imagine the greatest failing of living forever, even moreso than the pain of outliving friends and loved ones would be boredom. Eventually you would have seen and done everything you wish to do and nothing would be new or exciting anymore.
You would just be numb and unfeeling, a listless walking shell of your former self.
*shivers*
I always imagine the greatest failing of living forever, even moreso than the pain of outliving friends and loved ones would be boredom. Eventually you would have seen and done everything you wish to do and nothing would be new or exciting anymore.
You would just be numb and unfeeling, a listless walking shell of your former self.
*shivers*
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