This is a modern-day vampire story including a vampire who feasts on other vampires (crusnik, inspired from the anime Trinty Blood) that has been around for hundreds of years. Very classic style of blood and vampiric powers. Breccan happens to be the descendant of a lineage of vampire hunters that Elenore has aided anytime Dracula has been risen again. 

Photos on page are of me. I am 31 years of age where nudity is not wrong in the bible and vampires are often associated with sex appeal, as I have and don't even try. Others try and will never have. 

This would have and should have been my 24th completed in full. It is 51st story started. 

I began this summer of 2024. A bunch of things happened and a domestic violence between my ex and cops called where he ran off with one of my rings my grandpa gave me; I never got back. People help his POS self. 

For now, in 2025 I am back in college to not like writing things when doing writing for school because it dilutes my style. I prefer to write things one a month. As things like The Writers Guild of America hated I wrote 10 things in 2020 and them say no possible have to work with others. For my school, The Academy of Art University (online) never has us write in groups. I still hate half my classes and have a teacher again I had before I disagree with her teachings and opinions to gladly take lower grades. I am happy deep down inside and have read things I write and other students to people to never have mine not be chosen over theirs. And those people were not being nice to me for me to state they chose mine to make me smile and them feel good about it. 

Not sure when, but I will get back to this and finish it. 

I did type this one with a new style than my normal storytelling formatting. Mostly, to make it easier to convert into a screenplay using my Final Draft Software I received from my school. It was fun and felt good to just go back to writing as my brain pleases. With school I have to always follow outlines and told this wasn't in it and me type it because I was just in the writing flow. Same with the screenwriting, doing that pulls away from my thinking to stop and do scenes and formatting. I prefer to write them, then go back as my school is so anti doing that and me always told can't use something you had already and me state how do I learn the correct way then? 

The year 1399 

Streets of a village.  

Nighttime. The moon is full, and clouds are scarce in the sky.  

A man pulls a carriage with tears dripping from his eyes.  

Looking down he makes no eye contact with people watching him as they hear him pass by. Some barricaded their doors and closed shutters. As others ignore.  

The man begins to weep. More tears fall as he lets out a scream falling to his knees dropping the ropes to the cart.  

“Ahhhh! Marie! My lovely Marie.” He grabs his hair and falls to the ground fully. Slamming his fists on the ground, “Curse those vampires! I pray every single one of them is slain!” He cries and lays on the ground. “I sware...” 

Footsteps are heard approaching.  

“What’s in the cart?” A man leading a group of others with matchlock guns and torches. They all stop to glare at the man sobbing on the ground.  

The man stops crying to rise to his knees and grovel to the men.  

“My wife! They killed her! They killed her!” Frantic, he grabs the clothes of the man in charge to be shoved back and hit the ground. 

“What killed her?” The leader asks. 

The man sits up grabbing his chest in pain. Stuttering he replies. 

“Uh...Uh-Uh a Vampire!”  

Some people in the village slam their doors and windows shut. A gust of wind sweeps through the town burning out all torches. 

It is dark with only the moonlight that is being covered by clouds making it more dark. 

The man weeps, as the group of men all stand back-to-back arming their guns.  

“What just happened?” One man asked. 

“Prepare yourself. This fuck-up lead them right to us.” 

The leader aims his gun at the crying man. 

“Please! No.” he grovels again. “I was just passing through. T-to the graveyard. To bury my Marie. Properly.” 

“Shut up!” The leader aims his gun at the man’s forehead and shoots his brain out. 

As soon as the bullet echoed, laughter could be heard from a variety of people.  

“Whose there!” The group of men look around all over with their guns aimed.  

“You don’t know?”  

“Why’d you kill that poor sweet man then?” 

“What do we do with these ones?” 

Many voices are heard. The group of men are scared. 

“Back down! Right now! Or we’ll open fire!” The leader shouts. 

“Back down?” 

“What does that mean?” 

“That’s easy. It means, back down!” A woman swoops down from the roof snarling with vicious fangs right on one of the men biting his neck. 

Blood begins to spew and the group of men all fire killing the woman. The leader looks around. 

“Be ready! That was a decoy!” The man fires his gun into the head of another trying to leap him. “Set the fire!” 

The outskirts of the village, men hear the gunfire and leader’s demand to smash a torch to the ground full of hay. Quickly it ignites and it lights up a wall of fire around the village. 

The leader pulls out an axe to smash it in the throat of another vampire attacking.  

“You want me! Come and get me!” The leader defends himself with the axe as only two of his men are remaining to pull out their axes.  

"Aghhh!” The vampires hiss and shriek as the fire ignites. 

“I have no problem burning this whole village down to ash! Cease and leave!” The leader picked up a torch to run to the wall of fire and ignite it. He holds it near a house. “By the power of God, you shalt not feed on these souls!” 

The remaining vampire hiss and retreats. One stood atop a building looking down at the leader. 

“Leave this place, you foul creatures!” The leader pulls out a gun to fire a lamp under the vampire on the building causing an explosion.

“Curse you! We shall leave. But! Know! We place a curse upon you and your decedents! Your life will be ours!” A vampire shouted and flew off. 

“And I take that curse to be stuck with ending all life of Vampires!” The leader shouted and watched the vampires fly off.  

The leader breaths heavily as his two remaining men join him.  

“Are they gone?” the one asked. 

“No.” The leader spoke. “As long as they have food, they will live.” 

“Food.” One asked. 

“Us, you dim-wit.” The other responded smacking his chest.  

The leader pulled out a silver cross and kneeled praying. 

“I pray that I, Daegal Howard, will seek out all vampires and their death. By the watch of god on my side, they shall not overrule humanity!” The leader prayed. 

The clouds part allowing the moon to shine.  

Daegal looks up toward it. 

“I give my life, that my words succeed.” he smiles. 

A vampire had leapt down from the shadows toward one of the men for Daegal to leap upwards and thrash his axe into its throat. He slowly grabs the vampire and rests it on the ground. 

“You’re a vampire slayer!” The vampire struggled to speak. 

“And Marie was my sister.” Daegal spoke. “My only family. Gone.” He stands up looking down at the vampire. “I only have one life now.” 

The vampire attempts to sit up and fly. Daegal kicks him down. 

“Drats!” The vampire shouted. “Let me go!” 

“No. I only kill vampires now.” Daegal took his axe and smashed it downwards into the vampire's skull. Blood spills everywhere as the vampire twitches for a moment and dies being dead still not moving.  

The moon is full and clouds pass by.  

A young man is listening to music with ear buds on. His head bobs as he makes breakfast. Bacon sits on a towel upon a plate. He flipped eggs in a pan, poured milk, and grabbed toast popping out of a toaster. He butters the toast to slide the eggs on a plate. Adding bacon, he moves his hand to a bowl of fruit. Deciding over bananas, orange, or apple, he grabs the banana and sets it on the plate. He cracked 2 more eggs into the pan and let them fry. Waiting, he danced over to the trashcan to toss eggshells away. Looking out the window he saw kids walking to school. Smiling, he pulled out his phone to see a couple dozen notifications and smiled. Sometime later, he flipped the eggs. Placing bread into the toaster he took a selfie.  

Posting it on his social media it read: Daily fulfillment!  

A dozen likes and reactions came in right away.  The young man smiled and licked his lips. 

He sees his eggs ready. Sliding them onto a plate, he removes his ear buds. 

Taking the two plates in hand he leaves a kitchen. 

He uses his shoulder to open a bedroom door. 

“Rise and shine, grandpa.” He spoke. 

“Breccan! Right on time.” An old man looked up sitting in a bed to turn off the TV. 

“Yeah. You know, I have to work.” Breccan sets a plate on a TV tray and takes a seat in a lounger beside the bed.  “Same thing every day, grandpa.” He starts to eat. 

“I know. One day it will be different. I know it. I feel it. You’re not a young boy no more.” The old man states. He grabs his fork and slowly breaks his eggs.  

“I love you grandpa. Every day, that’s why I care for you.” Breccan spoke. 

“Yes. And I took you in.” The old man takes a bite of egg. “Knowing you are right for our family.” His hand shook slowly placing the fork down. 

Breccan grabbed his grandfather’s wrist to help him set the fork down. 

“And one day I will know what that means.” Breccan smiles. “I don’t think I need to know. You gave me a better life than my parents could.” He removed his hand to grab bacon and start to eat it. “I’ve been thinking about inviting them.” 

“Heh... Your father is no Howard.” The old man grunted to grab bacon and eat.  

“I know...” Breccan took a bite of his toast to chew. A minute goes by for him to lower his plate from his face. “I still don’t know what being a Howard means.” 

“Soon. I can feel it.” The old man smiles to eat. 

“Yeah, yeah... I used to feel great about that. Now... I try my best to hold onto.” Breccan smiles at his grandpa to keep eating as his grandpa smiles at him eating.  

“The day is near. I know it. Feel it. Go have a good day. I’ll still be here when you get back.” The old man told Breccan. 

Breccan finished his plate. “Alright.” He stood up. “But you know the rules. You give me your plate no or leave it here for me to fetch later.” 

“Done. As always.” The old man smiled looking up at his grandson.  

“Okay. I’m out then. Love ya’ grandpa!” Breccan set his plate down to walk out of the room placing his headphones in.  

As soon as the old man heard Breccan exit the home, he reached below his bed to pull out a wooden box. He coughs. Placing the box between his thighs sitting up in bed. 

Opening the box, “I know you well, Breccan.” He pulls out a silver cross slowly. The end has a slight tip of old blood. “Please succeed where I failed.” He looked about the room feeling eerie. Taking his gaze back to the cross, he rotates it. Looking at the back a hidden compartment could be seen. “I know they will be here soon... Just like when I was younger than you.” 

The old man began to shake and place the cross back in the box fast and grab his chest laying down in bed.  

Breccan makes his way to work.  

(Skateboard, as my high school class some still do and I pick up passengers with who are happy I didn’t drive by to decline of them holding and in my head I am like, you seem old to skateboard. Adding in being a millennial, was such our gen and back then girls didn’t want who are with now and girls such with not guys then, as crazed Colorado is today.) 

Breccan takes a light. (Cross walk or red/yellow) 

Another crashes into him. 

Breccan comes to a complete stop. 

They roll and a person was kicking to stop kicking. 

Breccan demands, “Hey! What-the-hell!” 

The other person was atop another as their legs kicked to stop and drop to the ground. 

Wiping their face with their sleeve they look up at Breccan quickly, “flee or take responsibility.” They hiss and jump up, more normal than the human, to run off quickly and jump a fence. 

“God! What-the...”Breccan flinches when cars start to honk. The body turn black and blue bruised and very skinny. He returns to heading to work. Looking around, he glances at the body on the ground to feel eerie.  

Breccan leaves the scene. Cars are honking and driving around the dead man in the street. 

One watches from a porch. She stands up, seeing steam from the carcass. Looking down the road, her vision zooms in on Breccan, like a hawk.  

Breccan looks back at the next light. He sees the man in the road. Making a U-turn, he rushes. 

The woman on the porch smiles. She sees a clear intersection. Timing just right. Breccan approaches and she zooms forth the carcass disintegrating in the morning sunlight. Breccan stops harshly. She smiles with only her lips and nose showing from her hoodie at him. Breccan’s face is shocked.  

She kneeled down to bring the torso to her. 

“Please, help me.” The man begged. 

“I can’t do that.” She pulls him close, with neck to face and uses her eyes to look at Breccan. Whispering to the man, “I haven’t ate in weeks.” 

“No. No!” The man attempts to break free, to weak. She takes a bite into his neck. 

Breccan watches, with no one else around. She bites his neck to absorb his life essence and suck his blood. Within minutes, Breccan was frozen watching, she shoved the man back into the street as a dead body.  

Breccan combs his hair, uncertain how to feel or react to what he witnessed. 

“Don’t worry! He is dead and not a problem to you.” She shouts to Breccan standing tall gazing at him. “You look like a Howard!” She smiles and takes two steps as the body returns to human-like. “I’ve been waiting for this day.” Another few steps toward him. 

“I saw nothing!”  Breccan turns around and escapes the area fast. 

The woman stops. With a smile, to herself, “exactly a Howard.”  

More Cars reach the intersection to either pass on or stare at her. She waves some on to halt another and picks up the body. Walking to the sidewalk she sets the man down. 

“What do you want from me?” He asked. 

“Do you want peace now? Quickly. Or let the hospitals think they can help you?” She knelt next to the man brushing hair behind his ear. “I am not them.” She leans over cupping her head behind his leaning down, “I hate what they do.” 

“You mean?” He hesitates with a dying body. 

“Yep.” She leans down and bites the other side of his neck. “I gave you the choice and this is the result.”  

“No!” the man screams and wails. 

“Too late now. You die by sun, or me. And i will make this have less pain.” the woman consumes the blood ad his soul till his body burns by the sun and turns to ash. 

She stands up looking down at the body no longer there of ash disappearing in the wind as a group of cars drive by. 

Looking down, “one must live.” She looks down in the direction Breccan fled. “I can’t believe his bloodline lives.” She starts to walk down the sidewalk. “Maybe a figment.” She stops hearing sirens. Smiling, she looks back at the intersection. Scoffing, “Even today they are clueless.” She continues to walk with confidence putting on gloves and puller her hood over down on the more. “The vampires predicted this wrong. I know it.” 

It’s night. 

Breccan leaves his work carrying multiple bags of trash to a dumpster.  

He slams the dumpster lid shut to pull out his ear buds.  

Walking away, he hears the dumpster lid re-open.  

Turning around he walks over and closes the lid again. Looking around a bit nervous. 

He walks away to stop when one of the bags of trash lands in front of him. 

“Jesus!” Breccan is startled.  

“Jesus can’t help you.” A woman’s voice is heard.  

“What?” Breccan is alert and looking around. 

He hears footsteps behind him to turn around and see nothing. 

“Jesus is dead anyways. At least on this Earth.” The woman spoke. 

Breccan turned around hearing the voice to see no one. The footsteps are heard again for him to turn once more.  

“Where are you?” He asked, breathing nervously. 

Whispering into his ear, “who am I?” 

Breccan turns around fast backing away to see no one. He starts to shake as he feels cold and can see his own breath. 

“Fine! Who are you? What are you?” He hugs himself.  

“I’m around you. Feel my cold soul?” She spoke. 

“You’re around me? I am cold.” Breccan is confused. “Am I dead?” 

Laughing, “ahahahahah! You are very much alive. Warm sweet blood.” She answered. Breccan stared forward to watch what looked like a black mist exit his body and form to the shape of a woman. “Howard blood.” 

“What the!” Breccan stumbles backwards tripping over the trash bag.  

“Careful. I guess I shouldn’t have left that there.” She removes her hood to revel yellow glowing eyes.  

Breccan starts to run away. She flies beside him. 

“Please talk with me.” She spoke softly. 

“Why? So you can eat me?” Breccan stopped running. 

“If I wanted to eat you, I would have. But that’s not really my thing.” She said. 

“Fine. What are you? What is, Howard blood?” He asked catching his breath. 

“You don’t know? Jacob never told you about me?” She asked. 

“Jacob? You mean my grandpa? No. I mean, not of you, but he has rambled on about how my dad isn’t a Howard and I am. I don’t know what that means.” Breccan is confused. “Just get to the point or wake me up from this dream.” 

“Dream? I can put you in one if you like. Although, I’d rather have your help with something.” She started to walk off. 

“Help with what?” Breccan is confused.  

“I need you to let me in somewhere.” She waved him to follow, “This way.” 

“I’m not breaking into anything! Nuh-uh! No way! I’m no crook.” He replied. 

“Not breaking in.” She turned to a mist to be up close to him and bop his nose with her finger that had long nails, “I know you’re a good boy. You’re a Howard.” She disappeared to reappear a distance away. “Come on! It will be fun. Or I can just go ask Jacob. What is he? Like 80 now? He got too old for this decades ago.” 

“Leave him out of this!” Breccan yelled. He hurried to her. 

“Fine. Calm down. All I need is for you to walk into a place and invite me in. That’s all. Easy peasy.” She asked. 

“Why do I have to invite you in? What are you? A Vampire?” Breccan asked. 

“Yes. But, not like the ones you’re familiar with.” She walked off. “This way.” 

“Wait? What?” Breccan followed. “For real? Like, you drink blood, I saw you fly, your eyes are normal now. Why did they glow before? How old are you? Wait? How do you know my grandpa? Does he know? Is it true you can’t be in sunlight? Can I be a Vampire?” 

“Shhh!” She placed her finger over his lips. “I’ll answer questions somewhere private. For now, let’s get to our destination.” She continued to walk.  

Breccan walks beside her looking at her face profile in a slight aw.  

Breccan followed the woman. To a nearby street with houses.  

“Hey, look. A party.” Breccan pointed and nodded.  

“Yes! That is where I need you to invite me in.” The woman spoke. 

“What if they don’t let me in?” Breccan asked. 

“They will. It has a barrier, you can’t see it, but I can’t enter unless invited in.” She explained. 

“Yeah, cause you’re a vampire, oooooo” Breccan swayed his hands. 

“Yeah, not a ghost. Hisssss!” She hissed at him showing her teeth. 

“Ah! Yeah. Those are vampire teeth. Yep... I’m still dreaming.” Breccan was startled. 

“Let’s go.” She started to walk. 

“What do I do when inside?” Breccan asked. 

“You’ve never been to a party before?” She smiled and hurried off. 

“Of course I have. Pshh.” He followed. 

Breccan knocked on the door hearing loud music inside. 

“Just go in.” She demanded. 

Breccan opened the door, “hello?” 

A man walked by, “Hey dude! Come on in, oh and bring your friend too!” He stumbled and chugged his drink. 

“Thank you.” The woman walked in smiling. “and thank you. That’s all I needed.” 

“So, uh... now what?” Breccan asked.  

“Whatever your sweet blood desires.” She kissed his cheek. “Just be careful.” 

“Careful of what?” Breccan touched his cheek with his hand gazing at her. 

“Who knows? Thanks!” The woman ran up the stairs fast.  

Breccan was confused to look around. He entered the kitchen seeing a keg, 

Upstairs, the woman looks in a room where people were smoking. Another she can hear people are have sex on the other side. A girl comes out of a bathroom for her to enter it. She turned into mist and entered the vent to turn into a bat. Flying through the ducts, she makes her way to the basement. Turning into mist to reform behind furniture all pushed in a corner she watches a coven. 

“We are gathered here to initiate our newest member.” A man spoke to a group. “as you all know, our master’s birthday is nearing. 100 years since his original birth, we shall rise him once again to bask in his glory! Our numbers have been growing, but also decreasing. The Crusnik (Crew-snick) must be stopped.”  

The woman starts to laugh, “ahahahah!” She walks out from hiding. “What do you think will happen if you bring him back?”  

“The Crusnik! Kill her!” The man shouted and fled.  

The people are turned into vampires having monstrous looks of grey skin, red eyes, and clawed hands.  

“Very well.” Her eyes turned red and her hair silver with longer sharp fingernails.  

One vampire leapt at her and she slit his throat with her nail. Another shot a cross bolt to impale her shoulder. She ripped it out to lick the blood and stab it into the brain of another vampire. The next, she punched in the chest to rip his heart out. The others all fled following the leader out of the basement. 

Breccan was drinking to see the man run out the front door. Soon after the others. The woman was last for him to drop his dink and follow.  

Outside, the woman had leapt and tackled one of the vampires to pick him up and toss him at one trying to fly away. They both hit the ground and the woman walked over to be tackled by the leader and pulled into the sky. 

“Stay out of our business!” The man demanded.  

“Too late!” She bit into his neck and began to drain his blood. 

The man wails and feels weak to drop them to the ground. The other two got up from the ground to run toward her drinking his blood on the ground.  

“Hey!” Breccan shouted for the vampires to fly at him quick and grab him. “No! No! I’m sorry! Stop!”  

Breccan struggled for the woman to hurry over tackle him out of their hold.  

“Leave them. Save me.” The man begged.  

The two vampires grabbed the man to fly off.  

The woman flew after them to be hit with a crossbolt. She fell to pull it out of her leg. Seeing the person shooting at her, she turned to mist and appeared right at them to pull the cross bow out of their grip and hit them hard with it. Breccan ran over.  

“Are you going to kill him?” Breccan looked at the person’s head bleeding. 

“I don’t kill humans. Even if they are my enemies. Instead, I give them time to think. Some survive and some don’t.” She picked the person up to walk to a car and open the trunk. 

“How did you open that without the key?” Breccan was fascinated. 

“Telepathically, I guess. Unless it’s made from silver, gold, or bronze I can open or lock anything I want.” She placed the person in the trunk to close it. “I have to go. I suggest you do the same.” 

The woman put her hood on to start running. Breccan ran after. She turned into a bat and flew off in the direction of the other vampires. 

“Wait!” Breccan stopped watching the bat fly off. “Man. I wish I could fly.”   

Breccan walked off. 

Breccan returned home late at night.  

He checked on his grandpa, who was sleeping and took his try of plates to the kitchen with other trash.  

He walks by a wall of photos he has seen before over and over to stop and walk back looking at sketch drawing of a woman. He takes it off the wall to hurry to the kitchen.  

Setting the plates in the sink, he focuses on the sketching. 

“It-it's her.” Breccan softly said aloud. 

He ran down the hall to look at some of the photos to see the weird ones he never understood why he grandpa had. Shaking hands with nobody, standing near a cake that read 588 years, and him under an umbrella with an arm around nobody.  

Returning to the kitchen, he removed the frame from the sketching. A letter fell out with another sketch. 

“What is this? A map? And a letter.” Breccan carefully opened the old letter to find the start and read, “September 1535. Dear Mr. Howard, I have found what thy asked and after our last encounter have no choice than to help thou who stands right with what I call a soul.  In the past your ancestors have never wronged me, but in the recent events seen I was forced to flee and truly find my enemy. Our enemy. Dracula. Hezekiah Howard, your first, a hundred years ago, I helped him put the Lord Count Dracula to rest. Seems after a century he was able to rise once more. As our last encounter confirmed. I know the vampires praise him and will risk their own lives and numbers to bring him back. Where my kind has drastically diminished. If anything, I ask, is not to kill every vampire you encounter, as I must feed myself and though they take the form of human, I was not keeping slaves, but simple livestock so to speak. The remains of the one you refer to as Sweetums has been recovered and placed in the cemetery by the time you ask waiting to be buried by your hands from eyes to verify. I must make my way to finish the vile Dracula with my own brood. The journey will be fast, but the accomplishment could be days of fighting to the death. If you hear from me again, we have succeeded. If not... I leave it to you and the churches to protect mankind. Kindness and love are not divided between human and animal. I know this and reflect what I have been shown to who I am. Take care of yourself. Forever, Elenor Catty Elminngton.” Breccan sets the letter down to pick up the sketching. “So, your name is Elenor? My dad always said my grandpa ranted of an old man. I will see what he says tomorrow about what happened tonight.”  

Breccan began to yawn. He set the sketch down and walked to his room and laid down in his bed.  

That night, Breccan began to toss and turn in his bed while sleeping and dreaming. Sweat is upon his face while he grabs and squeezes his blankets.  

When his alarm goes off, he wakes up frantic and panicked. 

“Don’t eat me!” He breathes heavily. Grabbing his body and checking his neck. He relaxes.  

Making breakfast, oatmeal with fruit, and coffee, he is overhyped to bring it to his grandpa. 

He opens his grandpa’s room door fast. 

“Gooooood morning, Grandpa!” Breccan excitedly shouted.  

He set the food down and pulled the tray to the bed as his grandpa turned off the TV.  

“Did you sleep good? How was yesterday? Sorry, I came home late. Did you eat the chicken TV dinner? What were you watching? What do you want to do today?” Breccan spoke fast to sit and start chowing down the oatmeal. 

“Breccan...” The old man glares at him, “why are you talking like you are hiding a lie from me?” 

“Lie? I haven’t told you any lies. What did I lie about?” Breccan continued to eat. 

“I’m not sure. What secret did you learn?” Jacob asked. 

“Secret, psshh.” Breccan put his bowl down empty. “Maybe, you’re the one with the secret I am trying to find out.”  

Jacob smiled and crossed his arms, “you can ask me anything. I’ve been waiting for a certain topic to speculate.” he sighed. “One your father rejected.” 

“Oh...” Breccan hesitated, to pull out his phone and pretend to look at social media, “you mean about vampires.” 

“There back!” The old man reached under his bed pulling out the box and cross.  

“What is that!” Breccan stood up.  

“I have the house protected! You may not enter!” Jacob screamed, looking around up at the ceiling. 

“Relax. Here, take your meds.” Breccan handed pills and water to his grandfather. “So, they are real, and-” Breccan took a deep breath, “and Elenor is trustworthy?” 

“Elenor!” The old man smiled and put his hand to his mouth blushing kissing it. A tear ran from his eye. 

“Grandpa!” Breccan leaned forth to grab his grandpa’s shoulder. 

His grandpa grabbed his forearm smiling to look at him in the eyes, “please tell me she’s alive.”  

“Yeah. Maybe. I’m not sure. I met someone last night. She looks like that sketching you had on the wall. I opened it up, sorry, and read the letter.” Breccan explained. 

“The letter. It’s been so long. Tell me about last night.” Jacob asked his grandson. 

“Not much to say. She needed help to get into this party. Just asked inside. Some barrier. I was drinking, then a bunch ran out, she after. Blood, bats, and stuff I thought I was drunk and was not.” Breccan. 

“Oh boy! It has to be her!” Jacob rolled away from Breccan to stand happy giddy. 

“Grandpa! You should stay in bed. You just took your meds.” Breccan was worried. 

Jacob, the grandpa, stood tall and raises his arms slowly to the side and out above the side of his head in a cross shape, “Oh, Elenor! You are not banned, you may enter. Make this old man, happy and my grandson your protector!” He clapped his hands above his head.  

A slight gust of wind could be felt. 

“What did you do?” Breccan asked. 

Jacob was laughing and smiling, to start coughing and lay back in bed, “saved our family name.” Breccan grabs his hand and the back of his head to set down slowly. “Let me rest. Just be home by sundown.”  

“Ummm, if you say so.” Breccan walked out of the room. Before closing the door he leaned his head in, “I didn’t think vampires were real. And, as a young man, I will be sad if the lady I met is, like, hundreds of years old or did you or something.” 

The old man laughs, “that’s what you say now. You’re a Howard. I love you, Breccan. I know you will be great.” 

“I love you too, grandpa.” Breccan closes the door to stand and listen.  

Jacob lays in bed, “Elenor! Oh, my Elenor. Please grant this old man an easy passing with your presence. I’m sorry for what Vance did. My son is his mother. But please... Breccan is good! So, good! He can help you. I may be an old man now, but the curse is still upon us.” He starts to cough, “or you say luck. Destiny as always. I wish... I wish I could have been with you all these years. I want to hear everything I’ve missed.” He falls asleep. 

Breccan steps away when he hears his grandpa snore.  

Returning to the kitchen, Breccan looks at the sketching. 

“You’ll be here tonight, won’t you?” Breccan walks off, “ugh, the waiting.” 

Breccan puts his headphones in to go outside and mow the lawn, clean the house, and sit around anticipating sundown searching times online all day.  

The year 1421 

Hezekiah Howard rides horseback with a group of men and one woman carrying a baby.   

The sun is setting, and they rush their horses to the town seen in the distance.  

Hezekiah halts his horse to point out the sun and shout to the group. 

“Hurry! The horses will forgive us!” Hezekiah kicks his horse to move once again and pulls out a whip with a silver handle and multiple leather ends having silver tips. He whacks the butt of his horse, and it runs faster. “We need to cross sacred grounds before them!”  

Hezekaih’s horse took off running fast.  

Another man pulled his whip out to grab the reins of the woman with the baby and whack both horses to increase their movement. 

Hezekaih watched the sun set fast as his horse moved quickly.  

The sun sets and Hezekiah thrusts his reins to keep his horse moving on the edge of a small town surrounded by graves. 

“Keep up! We’re here!” He shouted. 

Moving past some homes he stops his horse to turn it looking back at his group. 

The man who followed first pulling the lady with the baby arrived first. 

“Go! Go now! To the church!” Hezekiah shouted and pointed for the pair to listen. 

Hezekiah dismounted his horse to hand the reins of his horse to another crossing into the village. 

“To the church! Now!” He pulled out a silver axe in one hand. Walking to a nearby home, he grabbed the burning torch aside the doorway. Stepping slowly, he walked to the edge of the village with the rest of his group following. 

In the near distance he sees multiple shadows approaching. 

Arming himself, he waits till they all halt sensing and seeing the protective and sacred barrier of the church and graveyard around the area.  

“You shall not enter!” He shouts. 

The shadows all halt or recoil. 

As they all cyclone together, one disperses to take human form and walk close to the barrier. 

A magical field is between the vampire showing his teeth, hissing, and Hezekaih stands his ground with the torch and axe in hand.  

“Leave now! Or I will end thy life!” Hezekiah screams. He thrusts the torch and slashes the axes to barely trim the barrier. 

The vampire takes a step back. 

“We are hungry and need to feed. Wolves and hawks are permitted to be what nature intended.” The vampire pleads. 

“Not here!” Hezekiah shouts. “Go about elsewhere!” He steps into the barrier. The vampire steps back showing fear of his actions. “I am not afraid to step past this!” He takes another step to be half in and outside the barrier. “I have killed a thousand of your kind and will not stop till you all are gone!” he spits! “Fowl beasts! Back!” He spits and takes another step to be fully out of the barrier. “Leave at once!” 

“Why?” The vampire laughs. “I am quite hungry and you are now prey!” The vampire lunges at him. 

Hezekiah quickly upper cutted his axes into the chest of the vampire and twisted to toss it into the barrier. The vampire squealed and squirmed and began to burn turning to dust within the barrier. 

“Leave now! Leave my group alone! Or face death!” Hezekiah shouted and slashed the torch and axe. 

Some of the other vampires attempted to attack and stop evading death by him. 

Two thought they could take him by pincer attack from the sides and crossbow bolts impaled their movements and Hezekiah ran over to thrash his axe into their bodies and burn them with his torch. 

The rest fled. 

“I mean it!” Hezekiah shouted with axe and torch flown about. “Leave us alone! I bound myself and family to terminate all of you!”  

Hezekiah smiles as the vampires fly off in shadow form. 

"They will all perish.” He spits on the ground again.

Walks to the church will people watching him.  

Breccan was sitting outside on the step into the home watching the sunset. He didn’t know what he was doing or what to expect. 

“What am I doing? Why do I want to see her again. Why does my grandpa have a sketching of her.” He looks around. 

“Breccan.” Jacob says for Breccan to hear through an open window. 

Breccan walks to the window to cup his hands on the screen and look in, “what grandpa?” 

“I have a sketching of her because she does not show up on cameras.” Jacob spoke looking toward the window as his grandson.  

“Oh, right. You could hear me out here.” Breccan stepped away. “So... you’re saying she’s a real vampire. Like the movies, TV, comics, books, whatever? No sunlight, garlic, drinks blood, silver steak through the heart, and seductive.” 

“Hahahahha!” Jacob laughs. “Seductive.” He smiles looking away taking a deep breath. “You are my grandson. But!” He looks back through the window, “still a Howard, where not all of us fell for her charm.” 

“Charm? She did make me cold or I don’t know, said she could put me to sleep. Vampire powers, I guess.” Breccan responded. 

“Charm, yes. Beautiful, always. It may be the end of me when she comes.” Jacob grabbed his cross off the nightstand beside his bed.  

“End! Do I need to ahh set a fire or something!” Breccan replaced his hands on the screen of the window cupped.  

“Calm down. I wish you to help her. I’m too old now. You’re young still. Seeing a woman... you never forget... to- never find again or match in anyway...”Jacob spoke slow. 

“What do you mean help her? What do you mean woman you never forget or find?” Breccan inquisitively asked to step back thinking. 

“I think you will know in time. Sad, if you face what I went, but happy to know you will understand me. It may be tonight, it may not be, but when she arrives, I’d rather listen in on you talking then you wake me to raise my heart rate too much and keel over before I see her again.” Jacob explained. 

“What?” Breccan was confused still thinking. 

“If you stand outside, she will not show. She will watch, but wait till you give up depleting energy to use to her advantage. Just come inside and watch TV or play your games.” Jacob suggested.  

“Ok, Grandpa.” Breccan heads inside. 

Once inside the home he looked around the kitchen at his mess from dinner.  

Ignoring the mess, Breccan went to the living room to sit down and play video games. 

Hours went by...  

Morning came. Breccan was passed out with his game controller in hand. 

Elenor was standing beside him to smile and chuckle speaking, “just like the Howards. Item in hand, passed out, but this one... this day in age.” She grabbed the controller from his hand. Breccan woke up panicked looking around fast. “Not an axe or torch. Ah! You’re awake.” 

“It’s you! Elenor!” Breccan stood up. He went to hug her and step back to clear his throat and hold his hand out for a shake, “Elenor, welcome to our home.” 

“Elenor looked at his hand, “This again? You have lots of traits not Howard, but still very Howard.”  

“Oh, right.” Breccan pulled his hand away unsure how to respond.  

“Decent place, a lot of this stuff I’ve seen before.” She walked to a mantel on the wall behind the TV, “oh! He still has this!” She picked up a black rock. 

“That’s my grandpa’s lucky rock. You should put it down. I’m not supposed to touch it.” Breccan was nervous. 

“Lucky rock? I suppose.” Elenor crouched down to rub it hard on the carpet leaving black smudges. 

“No! What are you doing. I’ll have to clean for hours!” Breccan worried, to try and grab her arm to be pushed back sitting on the couch. 

“It’s fine.” She stood up looking at a dark blue gemstone. “It’s a sapphire. From a fire we started. Who knew he got out with it.” Elenor stopped gazing at the gem to see Breccan nervous on the couch. She placed a hand on her hip to gesture her hand with the gem as she spoke, “you seem nervous. Don’t tell me you’re a virgin and I get to de-flower yet another Howard.” 

“What! No! Vir-” Breccan stood up. He grabbed the gem from her hand. “Holy crap! My grandpa had this on our shelf the whole time and made me work, like, this whole time!” 

“Breccan! I hear voices.” Jacob shouted. 

“Oh, yeah,” Breccan shouted back, “we have our visitor! Uh... Do you want to meet her?”  

“Yes! Please!” Jacob responded. 

Elenor began to walk. Breccan ran in front, “Hey, hey, hey!” He placed his hand under her neck stopping her. 

“Oh, now you have a backbone. You heard the man.” She smiled. 

“Yeah, I know. It’s just...” Breccan looked back toward the hall and direction of his grandfather’s room and then back at her. “I love my grandpa. I’m just not... I’m-” Elenor grabbed his wrist to slide it down her chest. Breccan backed off fast. “Stop that!” 

“A gentleman!” She laughed and stepped back, “only teasing. I get it. I read your mind. You’re not ready for him to die. I promise you he will not. I trust you and he wants you to trust me. The longer I am here, the worse things get. My time is better out there and not here. Where I will tell you know, the last time I saw Jacob, your grandfather, I was nearly starved to have to leave. It lead me on this journey I wish would end now.” She walked passed him, “I chose to save you that night instead of killing who I had sought for years.” 

Elenor walked down the hall and smiled looking at the photos of young Jacob alone and awkward or unusual.  

Breccan hurried to be right behind her. She reached for the door. “Careful, he said.” Elenore raised her other hand into a fist to knock while grabbing the doorknob.  

“Knock, knock.” She said softly to not open the door and lean her head down listening in. 

“Let me see, either my worst nightmare or if I said who’s there, in your underwear!” Jacob responded. 

Elenor smiled to open the door. 

“I won’t do that to you this time.” Elenor had a tear drop from her face as she stood at the end of the bed gazing into Jacobs eyes. 

Breccan looked back and forth between his grandpa smiling in awe and her. He stepped aside to sit in his chair near the beside. 

“You look more radiant than ever!” Jacob adjusted a tie in a suit he had on. “I am honored to be graced.” 

“Jacob.” She stepped around the corner of the bedside, opposite of the side Breccan was on, to sit and bring one leg bent on the bed and leave other with foot touching the floor. “I will treasure this moment forever.” She leaned some to place her hands on the bed each side of her bent knee. “You look ravishing as always in that attire. I hadn’t seen one in such in a long time. Even weddings are so plain today.” 

Jacob leans forward into her to him, “I only have for you.” He looked at Breccan, “I made him once for a relative's funeral and he hated it. It didn’t fit me for a long time. I was happy it did today.”  

“Well If you told me it was so special and all this supernatural...” Breccan was ignored to slouch back in his chair watching them. 

“I could die happy right now!” Jacob shouted. 

“No!” Breccan stood up. 

“It’s okay.” Elenor halted Breccan to look back at Jacob. “I could also give you eternal life, as I know you never wanted.” She looked away from both and upwards, “the destiny we all hold. Or life God has laid upon us.” 

“Still side with the churches? I had to stop going when my health...” Jacob grabbed the sheets beside his legs to squeeze them. 

Elenor looked back to grab one of his hands, “that is humans. I am blessed to see you now and share all our life again. In our memories.” She picked up one hand to send magic into his head. Both closed their eyes to experience flashbacks of their previous encounter with one another. 

“Whoa. More vampire magic. Guess I will sit here and watch.” Breccan waited. 

Over and hour went by with Breccan timing before Jacob and Elenor pulled out of the magical memory sharing state.  

Jacob was weak, for Elenor to shift into mist and stand beside the bed near him as close as possible between him and Breccan. She placed one hand on his chest and other behind his head to lay him down gently, “shhh, just sleep and we can chat later. I shouldn’t have drained you so much.” 

Jacob’s eyes fluttered and he gazed into Elenor helping him lay into bed, “better than life. Take care of Breccan. Find the run off by the coff... coff... eee” He fell asleep. 

“What did you do?” Breccan stood up. 

Elenor turned around fast to grab his shirt by the chest and turn them both into mist. “You will see!” 

Out the window, she turned into a bat and carried him by her tiny claws. He flayed around worrying. 

“Wh-what, where- how?” He panicked. 

“Relax!” She dropped 10 ft from the air in a slight struggle. 

“Ahh! Fine!” He stopped moving. She dropped him. “ahhh!” He fell. 

He flipped around for her to grab his shirt by the back and allow him to face the ground. “Shhh! Don't draw attention. I need your help with this. It is your grandfather’s will.” 

“Can’t we walk? Take a car? Skateboard with you on my shoulder. Hell! I’ll even pay for a damned Lyft ride!” Breccan shouted. “I hate heights!”  

“Very well.” Elenor, lowered him to the ground. She took her human form to face him face-to-face. “This is a first Howard trait not had.” She walked off. 

“My last name may b e Howard. But I was raised that vampires weren't real. I need to adjust and learn. I’ve never been on a plane or to a theme park.” He leaned over with hands on his knees breathing hard. “It’s my first. Give me a sec.” 

“Now you sound like a Howard.” Elenor raised her eyebrows to bite her lip turning around walking off. “I will walk slow. I only have till sunrise. After the sunset and sharing happy memories with Jacob to fly carrying you...” She turned around, “I do feel drained. I’m not used to eating so much and having such energy. The work out is great. The same time, I always love a Howard...” She continued.  

Breccan ran off to catch up beside her. 

“I do enjoy your courage unarmed. That is a first for me and new Howard.” She looked to her side looking at Breccan up and down. 

“Psh...Unarmed. This is 2025. Everyone’s stoned today. I’ve never seen a gun or hear of it around here.” Breccan gave with confidence. 

“Good.” Elenor looked forward as they walked. “Guns are useless. And today, nobody owns anything silver in their homes. Barely more than rings of gold.” 

Elenor walks fast with Breccan keeping up. 

Eventually, she stops at a drainage that splits the neighborhood with the city. 

Elnore looks down to look against the direction of the flow of water. Then, opposite with. 

“Look for the, *cough* cough* eee... The Coffee shop is that way.” Breccan spoke with a cough to point. 

“Coffee shop?” Elnore asked smiling at Breccan looking toward and up at him. 

“I know my grandpa well. Never understood why he liked their crap to make me make it at home very different.” Breccan explained.  

“Very well.” Elenor stepped off the edge to float and fly across the water to the other side with ease. 

“Hey! What about me!” Breccan shouted watching. 

“Can you not cross?” Elenor stopped before landing to turn and face him. Landing gently, backwards facing him across the drainage making a shape of a cross with her body and arms. “The night is draining.” 

“Well! Why don’t you take me over there! If not... I have to walk 10 mins that way and- like- another 10 back and that way behind you.” Breccan worried to state. 

“Very well.” Elenor turned into mist and moved across the drainage fast. She passed through Brecan, who felt it, moving about. She appeared behind him, to lean up and whispers into his ear, “here we go.” 

“Wait!” Breccan was scared, “Ahhhh!” Elenor grabbed him and carried him across the drainage fast. She dropped him and he squirmed around on the ground. Standing up fast, “I didn’t mean like that!” 

“You asked to be brought across.” Elenor walks past him, “So, I accepted.” 

“Well...” Breccan watched her walk off to catch up. “Maybe I was just testing you.” 

“Testing me?” Elenor stopped to look at him under a streetlight.  

“Yeah... Umm.” Breccan gazed at her to then walk off fast. “This way.” 

“Right-” Elenor followed. 

The two walked for a bit.  

Breccan halted them. 

Pointing, “I think that’s the place my grandpa was talking about.” 

“Coffee me? With a cat logo. Like, copycat?” Elenore read.  

“Yeah, coffee shops with cats in a thing today.” Breccan walked to open the door. 

“I don’t mind cats, most don’t like me cause of their primitive instincts to guardians of the underworld.” Elenore walks in. “Odd this would be open at night. Guess it would have what we seek.” She looks around at many scattered around at various tables, couches, and counters.  

“That’s true about cats?” Breccan walked to a table and pulled a chair out. 

Elenore smiled, “yeah, where I am not of that world. To be- strain of- less common.” She sits and removes her hood to look up at Breccan scooting the chair in for her. “You really are a Howard.”   

Breccan smiles. He hurries opposite side of table to sit. He pulls the chair below his bum and leans across the table making eye contact with Elenore, “you keep saying that.” He sits and folds his hands below his chin with elbows on the table, “I’m just Breccan.” 

Elenore squints her eyes raising her head at a tilt and up smiling at him, “Alright. Breccan.” 

They meet eye gaze.   

A loud noise of pots, pans, plates, cups, and utensils is hear falling from the kitchen behind the bar. 

A man begins to yell at a boy, “what-the-hell is wrong with you! Clean this up.” 

“Sorry.” They boy began to clean up. 

The man walked through the kitchen with two men dressed in suits to exit and look around the coffee shop. 

Elenore looks away and down to scan the QR code on the table for a menu. 

“Isn’t this a coffee place? Why a kitchen? At this time of night?” Elenore barely glanced to the side to see the men taking a seat in a booth in the corner.  

Breccan scanned the QR code using his phone, “isn’t that exactly what you’re looking for? I know my grandpa pretty well. I get why he kpet me away from here and talked so ill of it.” 

“Ill?” Elenore looks up from her phone at Breccan. “Is that a word used today?” 

“You don’t know it?” Breccan looks at her. 

“I know it. Just nothing I hear.” Elenore looked back at her phone menu. 

A waitress walks over to place drink napkins down. 

Looking at Elenore first, then Breccan, “Hi! Welcome in. Sorry, our kitchen maybe behind 20 mins or so, but not down. Can I start you with something to drink?” She pulls out a tablet with the menu; ready to order.  

“I will start with the after mid-night thirst quencher.” Elenore looked at the waitress to go from happy to a blank stare. 

The waitress hesitated, “the-the... the Phag or the basic?” 

Breccan was confused, “phag? The menu says it is vodka and tomato juice with a celery stick. What’s the difference?” 

“Breccan- just order.” Elenore looked at him to look at the waitress, “I will go with the phag. He’s never been to a place like this.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a $10 bill and hand it to her. “Our first date.” She winked at the waitress, “I’m just passing through and couldn’t deny his offer.” 

“V-Very well.” The waitress was nervous. 

Elenore could see the men across the room notice her, as she could see beyond looking at the waitress. 

“Okay? I can wait, let’s have 50 wings; all sauces. An order of onion rings. With a pitcher of beer; house. And... Whatever she ordered.” Breccan sets his phone down smiling biting his lip looking at Elenore. 

“Very well. Welcome in” The waitress walked away. 

Breccan leaned forth to Elenore and whispered, “what is phag? She was off about it.”  

Elenore grabbed his hands to pull them close to her chin and rub them. “It’s for my kind, not yours.” She watched the men in the booth whisper to one another. “Please don’t drink it. Be a Howard, as you were ordering.” 

Breccan sat up and pulled there hands flat center of the table, “hey. What did I just say? I’m Breccan.”  

“Yes. Breccan.” Elenore sat upright in her chair to pull her hands away and gaze at him. She feels a cat brush against her leg. “Oh.” 

“Looks like you got one to like you! I heard that is good luck.” Breccan was happy. 

“Maybe...” She reached down to pick the cat up and hug and pet. 

She used the cat love to nuzzle and look around the room at the men, other patrons, and the waitress in the kitchen talking to the boy cleaning up the mess.  

The boy and waitress both seemed nervous to walk off. 

“You don’t feel off in any way here?” Elenore asked looking at Breccan. 

“I’m not sure what to think no more. I had a great routine. Then... last, what? 48 to 72 hours, no longer and my grandpa is well way above my grandpa. I’m hooked.” 

Breccan sat back as a glass of a red drink, foaming, was set in front of him. 

A man dressed old-fashioned sat both drinks down. 

“Rather a classic! Not ordered often.” He stepped back to lower the tray and close his eyes. “I was told the lady of the table requested such.” 

“Yeah. Where I ordered one too. She won’t tell me what’s in it.” Breccan answered. 

The man smiled, “wonderful.” His eyes opened to look at Elenore. “Let’s just say it’s quite the- Bloody Mary. With our own specialty.” 

Elenore grabbed the drink with both hands around the glass and took a drink. He gazed at her, almost infatuated and turned on by. 

She drank a third of it and sat it down to look at him, “good. But, not quite my tastebuds.” She licked her lips for him. 

The man squirmed some licking his lips, “then you have good taste.” He looked at Breccan. “And what do you think?” 

“ Oh... we just got here. An-and it’s our first date. Where, I ordered all those wings,” He grabbed his stomach, “I need to eat before drinking anything.” He gestured his finger to bring the man close and whisper in hie ear, “I’m just impressing her my man.” He patted the man’s chest. 

The man stood upright to gaze at Elenore, “I shall see your night is well.” He bowed slightly and walked off. 

“He seems to like you.” Breccan leaned in his chair with an elbow hanging off the back of his chair, slightly slouching.  

“Not me, but what me can he gain.” She lowered herself to her glass and took another drink. Softly speaking, “This is pigs blood. Old. Blended. And if they can lure me...” 

“Aw man!” Breccan looked around. 

“Shhh.” Elenore sat up. 

“Right! We just met, and I’m not as experienced.” Breccan looked around and was loud enough for many to hear. 

Elenore leaned down to drink again speaking quietly, “If a human drinks blood with certain things, they can have thrall symptoms. More susceptible to becoming one.”  

“Really? Why a certain combo?” Breccan asked. 

Elenore sat back up, “not here, but I will tell you, my past. One lust is different from others. If they start one way, you longer for such.” 

“Oh. I think I get it.” Breccan snapped his fingers looking around, “Waitress! Pitcher! Please!” 

The waitress was filling the pitcher to hurry over and place it down with 2 glasses. “Here you go. Enjoy.” 

“Right. I forgot how much I hate tomatoes.” Breccan poured both glasses full. He raised one to toast, “toast to us, my grandpa that brought us together, and...” He reached down to pick up a fluffy, chubby, tabby cat and nuzzle it, “this cat!” 

Elenore laughed covering her mouth. Breccan saw some fangs, briefly as she rubbed her lip together grabbing her glass and clink it with his, “cheers to you!” 

Some time goes by for Elenore and Breccan to be laughing and enjoying their time.  

Elenore has kept an eye on the men at the table who have been glaring at her most of the time. While the kitchen staff has been nervous watching them both. 

“What’s the plan?” Breccan asked as he piled a bone on top of other eaten wings.  

Elenore stands, “excuse me, I must use the lavatory.”  She walks away from the table.  

The men sitting in the corner booth look at Elenore as the waitress who is behind the counter of pastries and register.  

Elenore continues toward the hall beside the counter to the bathroom looking straight forward and ignoring all of the surroundings. She enters the hallway to stop and glance at the kitchen door. Her eyes glow for a moment to hear only people standing around and one person making one dish at a stove. As Elenore proceeded forth, she began emitting shadows off her being. Pushing the bathroom door open her whole body turned into shadow and disappeared.  

The men at the corner table stood up. They walked over the Breccan. 

Breccan had picked up his phag and cringed to set it down.  

One of the men pushed the back of his shoulder and walked around, “what’s wrong with the drink, boy!” He leaned in close to his face as the other guys walked around the table to surround him.   

Breccan sat back shifting his eyes some looking at them all,” oh, well, you know.” He coughed into his hand. The one man stood up and Breccan looked at him. Using his arms to add to his words, “I’m just trying to get with this broad. Ya’ know how it is! Ahahah.” Breccan taps the guy in the stomach to lean forth on the table and gobble down one of the chicken wings. 

One of the men takes the chair from across and reverses it to sit backwards leaning down on the back of the chair toward Breccan. “It’s not a common drink ordered. Do you know why she ordered it?”  

Breccan sits back and upright chewing big and drops the bone on top of the pile without care. The bone rolls and falls to the table and ground, “I haven’t gotten that far. Sheesh. It’s our first date. I don’t who you guys are, but she kept lokoing behind me and I felt like it was me to make her look away. Now, I feel like maybe she dated one of you.” He points to another, “Or was it you?”  

****** 

Elenore was moving around invisible. She pushed the kitchen door open. The employees inside all looked to be still and look around. Looking around and avoiding the kitchen staff, Elenore sees the other exit door to the kitchen. She stands near it and looks around to feel energy and close her eyes. Concentrating, she sees a glowing doorlike entry, invisible to mortals within the kitchen and leaps into it.  

****** 

Breccan was laughing slamming his hands on the table. 

One of the men, “Stop laughing!” 

“Ahahahah! Why?” Breccan crosses his arms to sit looking around at the guys, “you asked if she had fangs? I just met her. I picked her cause I seen her all alone for so long to not go for those conniving bitches. Actually...” He pulls out his phone to open social media, “if that is what you dudes are wanting, I can bring you a dozen easy. Maybe not right now, but easier if I just send you to them and me not talk to them.”  

****** 

Elenore had her invisibility striped from her entering the other realm door. She lands to take a stand fast glaring with her claws showing with fangs hissing at a man sitting at a podium. 

“I-I-I am Juler. Welcome. Please, I-I like my job and life. You seem.... uh... I think you want Master Embryoan. He’s that way. Please!” Juler plead and coward. 

Elenore relaxed to look normal. She walked to his podium and slammed her hand down with eyes glowing and claw, he shrieked, she spoke in a low raspy voice with fangs and shadows around her, “best keep up the good work. I get why your here. I don’t know why I am.” She moved her face around toward him. 

Juler relaxed some to take deep breath. He pulled out a key and slid it across the podium, “you are stronger.” He licked his lips. Elenore relaxed human form picking up the key glaring at him. “My master isn’t bad. He may be old, older than you, I can tell, but not bad.  Down the ways. Take some stops if you like, but I wish I could be up there.” He points above them. “Not down in this realm. I just ate, so weak and stuck like this.” He smiles. 

“Right.” Elenore walks off. “I haven’t been in this realm for a while.” 

“Do try to take in the sights of the bloodfalls!” Juler shouts as Elenore walks away. 

“Right. The Bloodfalls...” Elnore’s eyes glow and she walks away into another realm door. TO herself, “Breccan... I’m sorry. Time is lost when I am here.” 

****** 

Breccan was laughing again! 

“Ahahahahah! I keep telling you, this is our first date. In fact I am too drunk for this. I feel like my date has been in the bathroom for too long. Think she ditched me? Or did she really date one of ya’ll as I have said to do this jealous shit? Man!” He stands up. 

The men all react standing with arms out to him. 

“What is this? Can I just go home? I thought she was great and now just feel where I was before.” Breccan looks down sad. 

The men look at him.  

*WOMAN SCREAM* 

They all look! 

The waitress was being drained of her blood in the kitchen. 

“What the hell was that?” Breccan clinged and grabbed his face and crouched. 

The men ran off. Breccan stood up and ran down the hallway. He knocked and opened the women’s bathroom door and search to find nothing. He searched the men's. He walked back to his table and pretended to drink his phag hearing a noise from the kitchen. He falls from his chair when a loud boom emits with magical energy destroy the kitchen exposing it. 

Elenore was in the other realm. She walked down a hall to leap through another door leading her to other places of the realm. A group of people were startled by her entrance. Elenore quickly exited to pass through another, and another, continuing through various areas of the realm. 

A man was sipping blood standing by a fireplace in an extravagant office. He turns around as Elenore entered. “I’ve been waiting for you.” 

Elenore hissed and showed her fangs and claws. “What do you want!” 

“Please.” The man turned around, to be the owner of the coffee shop. He gestured at his desk and stepped slowly setting his glass down upon it. “Sit.”  

Elenore relaxes. “Civil of you.” She approached a chair to sit and glare at the man. 

“My name is Josiah Embryoan.” He opens a drawer and pulls out a bottle corked with magic around it with another glass like his. “I have been saving this.” His eyes glow red for a moment and magic barrier disperses around the glass and he pulls out the cork to pour a glass and sit across from Elenore at the desk. “I know what you are. I have heard of who you are. But...” He stops pouring the glass to set the bottle down and cork within it. Sitting he looks right at Elenore and clasps his hands. “Who and what you want? Pray tell.” 

“Curious.” Elenore takes the glass and smells it. “Human?” She inhales deep holding back, “I don’t know this magic. Human blood is tainted more quickly than animals. I did enjoy your phag.” 

Josiah grabs his glass to chug it. Spinning some remainder in the glass looking at it, “Most would see you as us. I’m not a fool.” He looks up at her to set the glass down. “I know to fear you.” 

“Fear me?” Elenore smells the glass in her hand again to set down. 

“I know you are vampire. Not like me and most. You feed amongst other vampires. Very rare.” Josiah grabs the bottle of human blood to pour himself a glass. “I do wish a toast to our futures.” He raises the glass. “I know not quite what you need, but I can easily provide. Not a lifetime, but a short time.” 

Elenore raises her glass. She hesitates, to clink it with his, “A toast then. I will not kill you right here. And we both get something out of this.” 

“Cheers!” Josiah and Elenore take a drink from their glasses. “Hmmm... Human is always best. Why I cower down here.” 

“Why?” Elnore licked her lips not feeling satisfied.  

“What else can I do? I just pick and choose the best way to keep me.” Josiah drank some blood to have his eyes glow. 

“Best way? You seem ancient enough.” Elenore drinks some to set her glass down. 

“Ancient. Ha! Maybe.” Josiah stands and walks to the fireplace. “I have once too many exhausted my energy. Leaving what I have to appear such.” He glances back, “You know how it is, maybe not by your own self, but we vampires facing near death or even death can restore ourselves. Usually, resorting us to our primal selves.” 

“I can’t say I know such personally but have witnessed and... eradicated twice.” Elenore looks around the room.  

“No harm here. I sense your observations.” Josiah turns to walk to Elenore and look down at her. “Are you really going to destroy him?”  

“By him...” Elenore stands to look face to face with Josiah. “I have one I have chased for hundreds or years. I don’t feel you are the one tainting that coffee shop. Even if it is yours.’ 

“Splendid!” Josiah walked over to a painting of himself with curtains around. “Then, I shall aid you. Even if I come off otherwise, know I give you this gift for such.” He pulled a rope on the curtain to expose a caged behind a wall with vampire in bat-creature-human form. “Take this one’s life. For me! I will go help your friend up above.” 

“Breccan!” Elenore hugged herself. 

“A lineal tie? He did seem young, but I saw some bond between you to. He is young and dumb, but something as old as I surrounded him.” Josiah walked to the portal door and looked back at Elenore biting her lip looking at the vampire captive. 

“Go ahead, eat up! Why would I give you strength? If I saw us enemies? Night has almost ended. And... the one I fear... I need you.” Josiah entered the portal to exit. 

Elenore watched Josiah exit. The vampire captive wailed and hissed shifting between human and bat-creature form. Elenore looked back fast with her eyes glowing yellow and mist all around her body. Fangs and claws appeared as she released it from its cage to bite into its neck. Her bat-creature wings appeared to wrap around it. Slowly they lowered to the floor and her wings around. As she drained all its blood, she stood wiping her mouth to see a skin and bone creature start to fade to dust.  

“I needed that.” Elenore ran to the portal door. “I’m coming Breccan!” She passed through to think about the way she came. “I know Josiah seeks help. He is older than Drac. Don’t know if I can trust him.”  

Elenore stops in the hall as she sees many underworld beings at the end of the hall. She turns around to see others gathering. Closing her eyes she allows her bat-creature wings to extend while she places her left hand on her right shoulder and right hand on her left shoulder. Red magic expels from her body and thrust her hands out to the side making a T shape parallel with her wings to jump upwards and burst through the other realm straight into the kitchen of the coffee shop kitchen.  

This is one of my fav songs, Born To Love You By Elodie Adams.

I feel it is a great song for Elenor and Breccan.