Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.
After a hard night's work, Dracula sleeps while Andrei and Avram converse. See what's happening in this chapter of Dracula. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!
“Someday
I’ll be married, I suppose. My brothers too.” Andrei didn’t sound overly
excited at the prospect, more resigned to its inevitability. What society
expected, even in such a small place as Bistritz. “Still, it would be nice to
know some of those ladies,” he added wistfully.
“Some of
them are nice,” Avram admitted. To be honest, his acquaintance with the ladies
who frequented the seamier sides of Vienna was limited and was usually on
Nico’s behalf, never his own. Not in a sexual way, either. But occasionally,
his needs weren’t easily met by other methods, and there were women who didn’t
mind being paid for their blood. Avram let them believe his employer was a bit
eccentric but harmless, and Dracula always blurred their minds so that their
time together was a fond memory. He never harmed them or took more than he
needed. He never availed himself of their services, but sometimes, while he
waited for Nico, Avram found himself in conversation with other young ladies of
the same ilk, a not unpleasant experience.
Thoughts
of Nico led him to wonder when he should wake him. Or should he let sleeping
vampires lie?
While
debating the matter with himself, Avram was surprised to notice that Andrei had
lowered the sail and was poling the boat toward a wooded area on the north side
of the river. Once he maneuvered the vessel into position near a huge Hungarian
oak near the water’s edge, he dropped the anchor. “I have to make a stop,
Avram, I won’t be long.”
Avram
understood immediately. Andrei had more business to conduct. Not surprising
that he should have arrangements with other villages along his route toward the
Danube. So far, they had not crossed paths with anyone else on the river. This
place seemed secure enough, and he was sure the smuggler would return soon.
They were far enough from Bistritz now that he didn’t believe anyone had
followed them.
He watched
Andrei until his figure disappeared among the many trees that sheltered them
from view, hiding whatever homes might be nearby, if any. These oaks were so
magnificent, he couldn’t help but admire them. Many such trees were to be found
in the area around Bistritz. He and Gunther had spent many pleasant hours as
boys beneath their shade, talking or reading. Sharing a meal, or flasks of ale,
whenever they could acquire them. Sometimes evading Nico, when Avram was less
than inclined to study, which was often enough. He had to chuckle, remembering
how much of a pain in his guardian’s tuchus he must have been in his youth. Ah
well, that was a long time ago. Those days were well behind him now. He yawned and turned his gaze away from the
shore then almost jumped in fright to discover Nico standing there.
“Oy vey,
Nico! Do I need to bell you? Or do you just want to give me a heart attack?”
The
vampire chuckled in amusement. “Be grateful I wasn’t an enemy with foul intent.
You’d be dead by now for all the attention you’re paying to your surroundings.”
To his
chagrin, Avram couldn’t argue with that, much as he would have liked to. He did
need to be more aware of his surroundings. This was no pleasure cruise they
were taking.
“You’re
right. I’ll be more careful in future.”
to be continued
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