Precious bride [WattAwards2019]

Research

2989 words

Floarea's fatigue was highly noticeable when she came into the dining room. Her Aunt gaped at the black circles under her eyes.

"What have you done to your face?!" She explained.

"I didn't sleep well" Floarea murmured as she sat down.

The cook, had made tomato soup to start. Floarea sipped it quitley though her mind wasn't on food. She'd been up half the night worrying about the vampire. She had managed to get a few hours sleep, but only to be plagued with nightmares.

"The morning paper, domnă" Simon said as he set it down.

She took it and read it. She rolled her eyes in boredom. "Another murder" she groaned as she turned the page.

Amelia took away the empty bowls. "Everyone has been talking about it all morning. This is the third man this month that has been found dead with punture in his neck, drained of blood!"

Floarea looked up in horror. "Drained of blood?"

Cecila huffed "Amelia, is this really a topic to be discussed while eating?"

"Sorry, doamnă" the maid said, bowing her head before going out the room.

Nicolas brought the second course: scrambled eggs with a side of leeks. Floarea took little interest in the food.

Had the vampire choosen to feed on someone else after letting her go? Had the death of that man been her fault?

If this vampire was coming back, how was she going to defend herself?

After breakfast, she approached Amelia.

"Vampires?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know about vampires?"

Floarea was about to answer but then remembered the vampire's warning. "Just curious".

Amelia shrugged, "people in this country have been telling stories about vampires ever since Vlad the impaler ruled. Maybe even when Dracula was born. They only come out at night because they burn in the sunlight. Some say they have super strength and speed, like the ability to have black bat wings on their backs".

"Do they look unusual?"

"Don't know. Never seen one myself. If I did I'd be dead. Some say they look like regular people, only more handsome or beautiful. That's how they're able to lure their vitiums".

"But do they have horns or animal fur?"

Amila shook her head. "Haven't heard that one before". She rubbed her chin  with an interesting smile,"that would be scary".
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Floarea resorted to the mansion library. Unfortunately, because her aunt had picked out most of the books, there was nothing on vampires or urban legends. At lunch, she decided to ask her aunt permission to go to the town library.

"Whatever for?" Cecila questioned.

"Since Count Valtin Roman will be coming soon, I would like to know more about his family and Buarchest, because showing my interest in his background will arouse his interest in me?"

Cecila smiled inapprovel. "Good idea. But you'll need an escort into town".

Half an hour later, Floarea and Nicholas were at the library. The librarian had: pale skin, tangled red hair and spectacles. She looked up from her book with a sour expression.

"Excuse me, Domnişoară but do you have any books on-" she glanced back at Nicolas before whispering "vampires?"

The librarian raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected a noble to be interested in a gruesome subject. She pointed to the left. "You'll find them in the Mythology section" she replied.