The life and death of Nicolae Roman

Chapter 29: Vampire

Irina shuddered with fear when she saw Nicolae.  His canines were long and sharp, and his eyes had turned red, like Viktor's.  As soon as Nicolae saw his sister, he growled at her.  Irina shrank back into the chair, unable to move.  Viktor placed a hand firmly on Nicolae's shoulder.

"Get a hold of yourself," Viktor whispered to Nicolae, as his eyes willed him into submission. "You don't want to attack your sister."

Nicolae's canines retracted and his eyes turned their normal grey.  He wiped the blood off his chin with the back of his hand.  But he still looked threatening as he stood up and approached Irina.

"Why are you here?"  Nicolae asked her in a low voice.  "You were supposed to be visiting Aunt Amelia."

"I was...." Irina stuttered, "...but then, Ludwig wrote to me and asked me to come to London.  I only got here two days ago."

"So you were at his beck and call? Just waiting for Ludwig to snap his fingers so you could come running to him?"  Nicolae sneered.

"I... I love him," Irina murmured.

"You mean... you loved him," Nicolae pointed to Ludwig's inert body.  He seemed to rejoice in his sister's pain.

Irina nodded, as tears pooled in her eyes.  "Why Nicolae?  Why did you kill him?" She spoke timidly and didn't dare look at her brother.

"Because he was evil," Nicolae answered curtly.

Irina looked shocked.  "What are you talking about?  Ludwig was kind."

"You didn't know him at all," Nicolae told her.  "He was... a monster.  He killed my beloved."

"I'm sorry... but I don't understand any of this," Irina spoke.  "Your beloved?"

"I forgot... you weren't in Cluj when I returned," Nicolae said.  "It's a long story... But the point is, Ludwig didn't love you.  He never did.  He only used you to lure me... so that he could get to me too."

"But you didn't even know I was here," Irina said.  "How could Ludwig lure you with something you weren't aware of?"

"He hadn't gotten around to it yet," Nicolae said.  "But trust me... that was your sole purpose here."

Irina started to sob.  "I can't believe you," she said between tears.  "I won't!"

Nicolae grasped her shoulders and shook her.  "Wake up, you fool!  Ludwig was in love with Elizabeth!  Not with you!  He told me so!"

But Irina kept crying and pulling away from her brother.  "I don't know who that is.  You're scaring me, Nicolae.  What happened to you?"

Nicolae brusquely let go of her and walked away.  "You make me sick," he sneered.
"It doesn't matter what I say... you'll still think that Ludwig was a good man."  He paced angrily around the room.  "Ludwig was a werewolf. He attacked and killed Elizabeth because she loved me.  Elizabeth and I... we were going to get married.  When I faced Ludwig with the facts, he attacked me too... and almost killed me.  I barely made it out alive.  Just ask Viktor..."

Nicolae then stopped in front of Irina and leaned over her.  "He would've killed you too.  You should be grateful I saved you."

But Irina kept shaking her head.  "No... Ludwig loved me.  He would've never hurt me."

Nicolae turned to Viktor.  He looked disgusted by his sister's attitude.

"So what happens now?"  Nicolae asked Count Bartholy putting his hands in the air.

"You mean... following your change?"  Viktor asked.

"Yes... what am I?"  Nicolae looked bewildered.  "Am I alive?  Or did I die?"