A Strigoi doesn't have to be alone

Chapter 1

Bram's Point of View

"Dearest friend

Congratulations on the release of you book.

I find myself unable to join you for the time being due to matters out of my control. If you check the papers you will probably find out all about it.

Meanwhile and after our latest adventure together, I've found myself worried about you being all by yourself. In your condition you shouldn't have to worry about blackmailing from a servant and after taking some time to think about it I reached for a contact done years ago.

She will be an asset for you, I'm sure of it. Be so kind as to receive her and proceed to a full interview to see if she can meet your standards.

She is called Marianne Coatlane and already worked under special circumstances before. Rest assured that whatever you choose to talk with her will not leave your house walls. Her conduct code is nothing short of impeccable.

Your friend forever,

Arthur Conan Doyle"

Such was the content of the letter received at Bram Stoker's house in a morning, less than a week after his almost fatal adventure with Arthur and his other friends.

He had scarcely left the house since unless to visit his publisher or run errands. The invitations for parties, dinners and other sorts of events and receptions had been piling on top of a table. Anything and everything seemed to be a good excuse to send him an invitation.

Meanwhile it had indeed crossed his mind the thought about hiring a new maid several times. Glynnis however had never left his mind as a terrible example of what could happen if someone was to know about his problem. Especially after the official release of his book, when every newspaper would pay in gold to have gossip real or not about his person. The recent events had been dangerous enough to his name and career not to mention his life.

Bram Stoker considered himself a very private man in all senses, to the point that to any outsider it sounded like pure eccentricity. He had his habits, his schedules and they gave him a sense of security, even if only him could understand that. They were the constant in his uncertain life. They were tangible even when he struggled to get out of the bed in the morning due to his health.

Of course he had seen the reaction of Mr. Houdini and Constable Stratton to him. They couldn't understand. Even Arthur sometimes had dismissed his behaviour as plain eccentricity, friends as they were.

He distrusted people, to put it plainly. Now more than ever. Professor Havensling had been the last drop and he had found himself in a battle of life and death from which he had escaped by pure miracle of God's will.

Nevertheless he found himself agreeing that his old friend was indeed right. He shouldn't have to be constantly worrying about the secrecy of whoever worked for him. And he needed a maid. That or his house will soon become a total mess which was against his very nature.

Even if Bram found his brow furrowing with the well-intentioned intromission, Arthur mentioned that this woman's conduct was impeccable and that coming from Arthur was enough to serenade some of his fears. His friend was one of the few people that had never betrayed him and even when his life had been in immediate danger he had gone in his rescue.

It was then with some tension that he listened to a loud knock on his front door sometime in the afternoon. He swallowed loudly and spent a moment at the mirror checking if his makeup was still in place, before reaching for the door. He opened just a little crack of it.