My Vampires

Chapter 25

Gabriel
"So let me make myself clear. I will not allow you to hurt my family."

Vlad
"...Haha."

Gabriel
"Vlad...?"

Vlad
"You won't allow me to hurt the residents of your mansion, hm? Vacek said the same thing.

Gabriel
"Lennon did?"

Vlad
"Yes. He was very serious about it, too. Good for you that you have such a nice family, Comte."

Gabriel
"......"

Vlad
"Isn't it natural that I would want to break up a family with strong bonds if they stand in the way of my plans?"  "I realize that others don't understand what I'm trying to do." "But if I just sit around and do nothing, then the future will not change." "Someone has to do something.
Someone has to change it!"

Gabriel
"And you are that 'someone'?"

Le Comte asked. Vlad answered with a beautiful smile. Why is he smiling like that?  His smile was completely clear without hesitation. Vlad stood there quietly, as if he had accepted everything.

Vlad
"I wish I could've lived without shouldering this burden." "I wish I could've been accepted for who I am, treated kindly, and loved forever." "And then maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this between us."

Gabriel
"......"

Vlad
"But 'that's just the way the world is', right?"

Vlad's eyes suddenly looked achingly sorrowful.  But it lasted only a split-second, then he reverted to its picture-perfect smile.

Vlad
"This mansion sure is big, Comte." "When we both lived here together, do you remember how I teased you for building such a large mansion?"  "But now it seems just the perfect size."

He looked up at the mansion, smiling even more.

Gabriel
"What are you trying to say?"

Vlad
"That this is who you really are."  "You revived historical greats, had them live here in your mansion, and continue to protect them. That's who you are." "But..."  "Will that change anything?"

Vlad and le Comte looked like they were standing on opposite sides of a chasm, neither taking one step. The icy wind tousled Vlad's silver hair. He gave a little chuckle that sounded as if he'd given up on something.

Vlad
"You've been indecisive for centuries, Comte."  "You're kind. Cruelly so."

Gabriel
"...Vlad."

Le Comte's back that stood protectively in front of me seemed to be screaming out with sadness.   Finally he spoke, forcing the words out.

Gabriel
"...Go home. Go home before I put my hands around your neck and strangle you."

Vlad
"Fine, I will. Let's go, Marshmallow."

Marshmallow looked up at me with his big eyes as if he didn't want to go home at all....Vlad scooped him up and looked at me with the same look in his eyes. I suppressed the urge to run into his arms, tearing my gaze away from him.

Vlad
"Until next time, Comte. Kira." 

And then he vanished, disappearing into the night.  The red rose dropped from his hand onto the ground. I picked it up. The beautiful flower was broken.  Even if I picked up the scattered petals, it would never be made whole again.  Just like Vlad and I could never go back to the days when we were innocently chatting and laughing with each other.

~~~~~

...A carriage raced through the dark night.  The man looked up at the sky, the moon covered by thick clouds, then glanced back down at his lap.  An expensive wine bottle lay on Sander's lap, tied with a ribbon.  One of his patrons had asked him to deliver it to le Comte.