The Heart Of A Vampire

oneshot #2

Rome was beautiful.

From its cobblestone streets to its beautiful architecture and welcoming people, Evangeline found herself lost.

The two of them were now roughly a month into their honeymoon, and yet still managed to find something new and exciting to do every day.

Both dreaded the day they'd leave, returning to Romania and settling into a more peaceful life.

But regardless, Evangeline was set on living it up for the dwindling time that they had left.

Vlad, on the other hand, was happy only to be by her side- he couldn't have cared less as to where they went.

So most of the time, he found himself simply tagging along like a puppy, following his wife around the city.

And tonight would be no different.

_______________

"Oh, let's see what that man is selling!" Evangeline piped up, pointing over to one of the stands in the marketplace they'd been making their way through.

Vlad silently pulled out his coin purse, accompanying her over to said stand.

Upon arriving, they found that the man was selling sandwiches, freshly cooked.

To the left, however, was a small cage of what appeared to be... rats?

"How much for a sandwich?" Vlad asked, fingering a couple of coins before sliding them onto the stand.

The man reached over, picking out a couple. Vlad returned the remaining coins into his bag.

"What's with the rats?" Evangeline asked.

He raised an eyebrow at her, appearing to immediately clock her as a tourist.

"What do you mean?"

"I just... rats? Are they your pets?"

"Of course not. Pets? You must be jesting. I'm making sandwiches."

Evangeline's brow furrowed in confusion, and Vlad followed.

"I- you're- rat sandwiches?"

"They're a delicacy," he grunted. "I take it you're not from around here, huh, lass?"

"Rat sandwiches?" Evangeline repeated, clearly flabbergasted.

She looked up at the slabs of meat hanging above the stand, only then realizing how... rat shaped, they were.

Vlad, clearly realizing his wife's disgust, placed a hand on her shoulder and angled her away from the sight.

"We'll take our business elsewhere," he piped up quietly, clearing his throat.

"Damn foreigners..." the man grumbled to himself.

"Let's go, dear," Vlad murmured to Evangeline, trying to gently pull her away.

"No," she suddenly proclaimed. "I wish to try it. We only live once."

Her husbands eyes widened.

"Evangeline," he whispered quietly, trying to urge her with his eyes alone to leave.

She shot him a look, and he immediately became silent.

"Uh... get us the sandwich. Then we'll leave."

The smile returned to her face, and she began patiently waiting.

Soon enough, she was handed a slice of bread with a slab of meat on it, seasoned with a variety of spices.

"Are you really going to eat that?" Vlad asked after guiding her away from the stand and out of earshot of the man.

"Why wouldn't I?" She asked innocently. "Who knows when I'll next get to try such... foreign cuisine."

"There's a difference between wanting to immerse yourself in other cultures and eating a rat, darling."

"Well you've already spent the money," she retorted "So why not try it? Do you really wish to see your coins go down the drain?"

He faltered, going silent for a moment.

"Well... I suppose I cannot stop you."

She smiled triumphantly, wasting no more time before digging into the sandwich, much to her husbands disgust.

Once she was finished, he eyed her warily before speaking.

"How was it?"

"Surprisingly good, considering it came from a rat," she mused. "If you try to ignore that, it tastes even better. You should try one."

Vlads face took on a greenish hue at the thought.

"I... I think I'll pass."

(A.N: I recently read that historically, people in Rome used to eat rat sandwiches, and I immediately decided I wanted to try and implement it into the book! I thought it was super interesting lol. The more you know!"