Chapter Text
“And in my twisted face
There's not the slightest trace
Of anything that even hints of kindness
And from my tortured shape
No comfort, no escape
I see, but deep within is utter blindness
Hopeless, As my dream dies
As the time flies
Love a lost illusion
Helpless, Unforgiven
Cold and driven
To this sad conclusion
No beauty could move me
No goodness improve me
No power on earth, if I can't love her
No passion could reach me
No lesson could teach me
How I could have loved her and make her love me too
If I can't love her, then who?
Long ago I should have seen
All the things I could have been
Careless and unthinking, I moved onward
No pain could be deeper,
No life could be cheaper
No point anymore, if I can't love her
No spirit could win me, No hope left within me
Hope I could have loved her and that she'd set me free
But it's not to be
If I can't love her
Let the world be done with me.”
-Alan Menken, Beauty and the Beast
Lupu Village, Wallachia, 1455 AD
“You’re an idiot! A blasted fool,” the man at the bar berated loudly, turning around. “Spinnin’ fancies and stupid stories like that. Don’t tell this young lady such nonsense, you’ll send her off searching through the woods for some mysterious lord that doesn’t exist, and she’ll probably freeze to death on the way.”
He burped unapologetically afterward, making the woman in question cringe, turning away from him and back to the ‘idiot’ telling her stories at the small tavern they were all drinking in. She pursed her pink lips in distaste and took a breath, hoping the brutish man would leave them alone, for she eagerly wanted to hear the rest of the story.
“I’m not an idiot!” Christian yelled back defiantly. The lanky teenager took another swig of his ale before he focused back on the young woman across from him at the table. “I know it sounds strange, but there are things in this world that are hard to believe. And this place— it does exist. I’m sure of it, Lisa. Positive. My grandfather saw the castle with his own eyes!” He insisted, brown eyes blown wide.
Lisa sat a little straighter, her elegant hands gripped around her cup of watery ale.
“Are you really certain it exists, Christian?” She whispered, not wanting to draw the attention of the other patrons at the tavern.
The yelling man had thankfully turned around and resumed chugging his ale.
“My grandpa isn’t the lying sort. Everyone in town knows he doesn’t have a fibbing bone in his body. He saw it, that’s for sure. The only part you can’t be sure of is who or what is inside that castle... but there are lots of stories.”
“Tell me again, how is this castle described?”
Lisa wasn't convinced of anything yet. She wasn’t even sure if it was real.
“It’s a huge stone castle, very tall, with turrets and a hundred rooms, at least. My grandfather said it was larger than the church in Târgoviște but much taller and narrower. He said there were hundreds of glass windows, and the most incredible door he had ever seen, made entirely of metal. But in front of the castle there were many, many pikes. Perhaps a hundred pikes.” His face turned sour when he remembered that part.
“Pikes?” Lisa scowled in confusion.
Chris took another gulp of ale and nodded, disturbed at the thought. It was such a cruel way to kill people.
“Yeah. Skeletons on pikes. They were impaled while still alive, you see, so they died slowly on the pike, bleeding out through their midsection. My grandfather was terrified. He said that as he came up the hill at first he was happy, because he thought he could ask for directions and food. But then as he came closer down, he saw the horrible display of skeletons. The army of the dead, as he said. On the castle’s front lawn.”
Lisa tried to picture such a scene. “Like the Ottomans do to their enemies sometimes?”
She had heard of impalement before. An awful punishment. Whoever had received that torture had surely angered someone serious.
“Exactly. There was a lot of ‘em, my grandpa said. When he finally got to the nearest town he asked the locals about the castle and who lived there. The barkeep and the villagers said that it was Vlad Dracula’s castle, the voivode who sold his soul to Satan for unimaginable powers. The barkeep there said that his own father saw him, in person, years past.”
“Vlad Dracula? ” Lisa scoffed, finding it ridiculous.
The ruler of Wallachia’s old history was surely dead. But Christian nodded, totally serious.
“Aye! Dracula himself. He matched the descriptions of old: he is a most terrifying and giant monster. Pale as death. He used to be a man, centuries ago when he was voivode, but he went mad after he was betrayed. People say he sold his soul to Satan so he could gain all the powers to destroy his enemies. That’s how he defeated the Turks," he began to whisper, "with demon armies given to him by Satan. And because he sold his soul to the Devil, he gained eternal life. Every so often, he reappears, makin’ havoc and killing pretty much anyone who disturbs him. That’s why the army of the dead is there: to keep people away... That’s the legend, anyway.” He shrugged.
Lisa rolled her eyes, because, of course, it was a legend.
“That’s ridiculous, Christian. Of course it couldn't be the original Vlad Dracula. He died hundreds of years ago.”
“But the monster of a man identified himself as Vlad Dracula!” He insisted.
Lisa made a face that meant she wasn’t convinced.
“Isn't it true that Vlad the Impaler’s father was named Vlad, too? And his brother? And his cousin? They’re all named Vladislav. If this is a real person, he is almost definitely the descendant of Vlad the Impaler. The original Vlad the Impaler cannot possibly be alive! He would have to be centuries old," she whisper-yelled.
Lisa was not so superstitious. In fact, she wasn’t superstitious at all. Lisa had never in her life seen anything really supernatural. She had only heard whispers and nightmarish tales of people claiming they had seen them on the roads, but she had never encountered any monsters herself. Christian leaned forward on his skinny elbows, scratching his stubbly chin.
“The barkeep said he thinks he’s a vampire,” he muttered under his breath.
“Of course he did. What a story that makes. Everyone tells tales of vampires, but I’m not sure they're even real. Have you ever seen them? I've never seen one, or known someone who has claimed to see one. They’re probably not real.”
The lanky teenager shrugged. Lisa had thought Chris was one of the most reasonable in town, and quite kind, but she was annoyed to learn that he believed in such ridiculous things as vampires. She did not.
“Probably not. But my grandfather said that the barkeep’s father saw someone come out of there. It’s definitely not abandoned. Someone lives within the castle walls.”
Lisa thought for a moment.
“Maybe this man is a descendant of Vlad the Impaler...”
“Could be. There’s definitely someone in there because my grandfather saw lights and smoke rising from the chimneys. It’s not abandoned. Anyway, there are many stories of what's inside, which is why I’m telling you this. I think you would be interested to know.”
“What is supposed to be inside, then?” Lisa wondered, taking a small sip of ale.
“The castle’s filled with all sorts of wonders, completely unlike anything you’ve ever seen before,” Christian animated, eyes shining, invested in the legend. “Wondrous things.”
“What? Chests filled with gold and rubies?” She snarked sarcastically.
The daydreams of peasants finding gold in old palaces did not interest her. She was no treasure hunter.
“No, no. The barkeep said his father saw the inside and it was filled with thousands of books! Lots of secret knowledge.”
Well, that's new, she thought. The mention of books piqued Lisa’s interest. An individual having a large collection of books was very rare. Usually the rich only had a few— a bookshelf at most, not thousands. Not even a monastery had that many. Even if the story was a hyperbole, it was still a start.
"The stories say he has hundreds of thousands of books in there."
“Really? What else?” She leaned closer so they could whisper.
Chris' eyes lit up. “Amazing things! Strange machines and lightning in cages. Genius inventions.”
Science, perhaps. She was very intrigued, then. A few patrons at nearby tables began listening in to their conversation. Tales of mad scientists with tons of books and machines was unusual in Wallachia.
“Hm... Why would the barkeep’s father enter the castle, despite the stories?”
“Well, he had seen some people come up to the castle when he was traveling from town, and so he knew that it wasn’t abandoned. Someone was there, and the owner of the castle was clearly having rich guests who came by carriages. The tavern owner’s wife was very sick, and they were poor, so he thought maybe the owner of the castle would give him some gold or medicine. They were desperate because there weren’t any healers in town, you see. So, the man went to the castle and ventured inside, looking for the owner. Inside, he saw all sorts of things. The castle was filled with magic, he said, and glass everywhere. There were mirrors and books and wild inventions. Things moved on their own...”
Lisa perked up, delighted to hear of such things. Maybe they're scientific instruments, she thought. This man could be a prominent scholar. Perhaps he's simply a recluse or something like that. Not a monster. Monsters didn’t have homes full of books as far as Lisa was concerned. To Lisa, monsters were rogue beasts in the woods. Not men who read and made inventions.
“And lightning danced in glass cages. The lighting lanterns lit themselves.”
“Oh!” That idea captivated Lisa. To have such inventions, the man must be a scientist or an intellectual.
“Are you talking about the castle by Micăsasa, Christian?” Another man whispered, sitting down beside them, ale in hand.
“Aye. My grandfather saw it. Didn’t your folks see the castle, too?” He wondered, speaking lowly so they wouldn’t attract attention.
The other man nodded, unwashed hair falling over his shoulder.
“It’s true, what he’s sayin’. My family did see it and heard stories of people who had ventured inside, years ago. My father found the castle once when he went to Micăsasa and got lost getting back. It’s huge, he says, insanely huge. My father said he’d never seen anything like it. The man inside is said to be an immortal lord who knows everything, including the future. He has secret books and devices- all kinds o’ things. I wish I could have seen ‘em with my own eyes. What did your grandfather hear about the man who lives there?” He asked, turning to Christian beside him.
“He figured the man to be a genius, a scholar of rare intelligence because of his thousands of books and inventions. And perhaps a warlord, too, given the people on pikes out front. Probably his enemies from years past. That seems more likely than a monster. I’ve never heard of a monster who collects books and machines.”
She huffed. “Yes, of course, he’s not a monster. Probably an old warlord. That’s interesting. What happened to the tavern owner of your story?”
“The owner of the castle said he wouldn’t help him. And he told him to beg for coins elsewhere. He kicked him out of the palace.” Chris coughed over his shoulder abruptly.
“But he didn’t kill him?” Lisa asked, brow quirked.
“No. He lived to tell the tale, obviously. He said that he thought the man was Dracula, and that he was a vampire. Whoever he was, he was incredibly tall and pale, like a ghost.”
“Well, it seems like this man never leaves his castle, so of course he would be pale. That doesn’t mean he’s a vampire. Probably just a solitary man…. And this was how long ago? This story?” She tilted her head, considering the tale.
“Uh, my grandfather saw the castle— let me think... About thirty years ago. It’s not too far from here. He said you have to follow the river to Micăsasa and then travel south another few miles or so.”
Lisa considered the story and directions. She would have to travel with a merchant caravan to Micăsasa and then walk the rest on foot, but she could do it.
“My father saw it twenty years ago. I’m sure it’s still there.”
“Maybe I’ll try to go. Perhaps I can convince whoever is inside to let me have access to their knowledge…” she drifted off, thinking about the prospect. She had nowhere else to turn, really. And it was the only lead she had of a scholar in the vicinity anymore. The last lead had denied her most vehemently, literally pushing her out of his house by force, refusing to teach her anything because of her sex.
“You’re crazy, girl. That lord is not to be messed with. Even my father didn’t dare to reach the door. The road to the castle is lined with a hundred or more people on pikes, left to rot. ‘s a fool’s errand, tryin’ to reach the master.” He shook his head at her.
“I know you’re desperate Lisa, but it might be dangerous,” Christian warned. “Think of all the people he impaled on his front lawn. If you anger him, he might kill you too.”
“Then I simply won’t anger him,” she declared, like it was obvious. “If I stay here, I might be killed by the church anyway. They’re beginning to think I’m a heretic in these parts.”
She already had her troubles with the Church, and that wasn't going to change.
He scowled. “Because you want to learn how to be a doctor?”
“Because I’m interested in learning in general. Yes, it’s because I want to be a doctor, but these priests— they don’t really care.” She lowered her voice to a soft whisper so no one else could hear them. “They’ve killed women for less. I’m not safe now, Chris. I’m already in danger. The abbey kicked me out, and the scholar in town won’t teach me because I’m a woman. I can’t afford to go to Italy or England for school. I’m out of a job. I’ll be out of money very soon. What else am I to do? This may be my only option.”
“You could get married,” Christian muttered, looking up at her.
The other man chuckled beside him.
That was the obvious choice. The reasonable choice. The choice which most women would make in her orphaned situation. Lisa was a renowned beauty. It was hard to tell she was a poor woman at all, for all her fine manners and elegant features. She looked like a princess, not a peasant.
Her features were fair and lovely, and her heart-shaped face was enough to capture any man's attention. When excited, her blue eyes would sparkle, making her a charming and entrancing vision. Lovely blonde hair spilled in elegant waves down her shoulders. No man could deny she was a sight to behold, but her personality wasn't exactly conducive to matrimony.
“I don’t want to get married!” She huffed in anger. “My dreams would die. I'd never become a doctor. I would be told to stay at home, and then I’d be pregnant and caring for my own children, and I’d never get around to learning. No, no, I can’t do that." She shook her head. "I have to try to become a physician. Really try. If he kicks me out, whoever the man is who owns the castle, then perhaps I’ll give up and get married. But marriage is the last resort for me.”
She was set on the matter, and Christian laughed in bafflement across the table along with the other man.
“You’d rather travel to a castle inhabited by a man claimed to be an immortal monster just so you can look at some books and inventions, rather than get married? You’re an odd woman," he chuckled before growing serious again. "He could kill you.”
Lisa shrugged, not phased by the idea very much.
“So could the church. They could accuse me of witchcraft any day, tie a bag over my head, and drown me in the river... It’s worth a try to seek him out, I think. The man in your grandfather’s tale survived. He’s probably just a rich and ornery noble, secluding himself in his castle. Or possibly an old warlord with a love of books. Whatever or whoever he is, I think he could help me. I’m not asking for gold. I’m asking for knowledge. It’s different. Since he seems so dedicated to science and study, then perhaps he will understand my plea. The plea of a fellow scholar.”
Christian sighed, his expression full of concern.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, Lisa.”
After a full day’s travel, and quite the journey, Lisa found the infamous castle of Christian’s grandfather’s story. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, and she couldn’t help but think that the story did not do it justice. It shocked her. The castle was an edifice of terrifying magnitude and construction. The structure was unbelievably large, and composed in the strangest manner she had ever seen, jutting out in odd places, and much taller than it was wide. Narrow turrets and long hallways stuck out of the towers, and it almost appeared like a giant weapon, somehow, with all its points and sharp edges. She boggled at it, finding it hard to tear her eyes away. But nightfall was approaching, and she wanted to reach the castle’s doors before the last of the light.
She was delighted that it was real, and not just a myth, but the walk through the legion of the dead was most unsettling. The valley in front of the mysterious man’s castle was full of skeletons. She tried very hard not to let it phase her. Or think about the scenario that must have led to its creation. A hundred or so people had been very violently impaled, some decades ago. Probably in a fight over land. Some battle between competing warlords. Lisa hoped that the current owner of the castle was not responsible. The castle was real. Hopefully the man inside really was a scholar, too.
After reaching the top of the wide and impressive staircase, a flurry of bats flew at her head, the black blur punctuated by their piercing screeches. The swarm overcame her and Lisa huffed, annoyed as they seemed almost to attack her as a group. She struck one down and grunted as it fell upon the ground. Their screeches faded as the mass drifted away from her before flying off into the valley, causing Lisa to look over the mass array of skeletons again. The sun set on the horizon, with the lane of the dead stretching to it, and Lisa had nowhere else to go. The heavy orange and golden light to the west was beginning to fade away, reminding her that finding shelter in the palace was probably her last resort unless she wanted to brave the woods at night. And she did not. The freeze could do her in, she knew.
When she regained her composure, she finally was able to take in the castle up close. The door was magnificent, as described, made of fine metal and embossed in elegant designs. She had never seen such a massive door. But, then again, she had never seen such a massive building. It was hard to believe. She gasped as she looked further up and realized she could barely see the top of the doors, they were so high. Unimaginably high.
My God.
Pistons fired above, and gears turned in synchronous movement, all proof that the man inside had science. Technology. Things Lisa had never seen, but always dreamt of seeing. She heard a buzz of electricity, a strange noise to her, in the distance. And, with bravery, she went to the door. For all the trepidation in her heart, there was twice as much courage, and she did not want to be defeated. Not by her own worries. She purposefully swallowed down any inkling of fear in herself and made it her goal to not show an ounce of the emotion on her face. This was her last chance, and she knew she couldn't ruin the opportunity, no matter what was inside.
Lisa knocked on the door with the pommel of her knife, twice. Quickly, the gargantuan doors opened, and she heard the heavy noise of their movement along with the creaking of hinges. Lisa walked inside at once, encouraged by the doors being opened. Someone had already noticed her. She tried to take in her surroundings logically, but the magnificence and cold beauty of the room distracted her for a moment.
The entrance hall was huge, larger even than a cathedral, with smooth gothic architecture and an aura of dark supremacy about it. Candelabras illuminated the lower half of the impossibly tall room, on the stone floor and in suspension off the walls. Above, strange light lanterns glowed in an unnatural bluish-white. The lightning cages from the stories, Lisa thought. She walked down the red and gold runner decorated with beautiful and geometric designs. And as she ventured further inside, she realized the walls weren’t simple stone, but instead some sort of polished metal, embossed and decorated.
The hall's perplexing elegance was not appreciated, however, because Lisa knew for certain that she was being watched. She could feel it. Eyes were upon her, somewhere, and it was unsettling because she could see no people. No one at all yet. But she suspected whoever was watching her was hiding, unannounced in the shadows.
She decided to start by introducing herself, but before she could, the huge doors shut inexplicably behind her, drawing her attention. Someone was there, someone unbeknownst to her. Only, she couldn't see them. When she turned back to the impressive double staircase, at the apex of it there stood a figure. A man, she realized. A very tall man. The man in the shadows, she surmised, but it was still too far for her eyes to see clearly. It was an intimidating staircase, and whoever this person was, an intimidating man already, shrouded in black finery. She sheathed her dagger very obviously, a sign of her intent not to harm.
"My name is Lisa," she announced in a confident voice, steady and sure. "I am from the village of Lupu. I want to be a doctor."
Instead of responding, the man, or creature, walked off and drifted back into the shadows. A moment later Lisa was quite sure she heard him in the shadows to her right, just behind her. Impossible! A chill ran up her spine despite her attempt to stop it. She realized that perhaps she was foolish for thinking there was nothing supernatural going on.
"You bang on my front door because you want to daub chicken blood on peasants," he mused darkly, an assumption Lisa did not take well.
"Don't mistake me for a witch! Everybody out there already does that! I believe in science, but—"
A sudden noise startled her from the left, which she suspected was his cloak fluttering. He moved very unnaturally, as if he was totally weightless. Perhaps he really was a specter, she wondered.
"—I need to know more.” She was desperate to. When he said nothing again, she continued, trying her best to state her point and gain his trust. "I've exhausted my other options. And all the stories say the man who lives here has secret knowledge."
She froze when he suddenly appeared close behind her and leaned in, bending down and raising his large hand over her left side. The mysterious figure spoke into her ear, soft breath tickling her ever so gently.
"I am Vlad Dracula Țepeș. And I do not get many visitors. What do you have to trade for my knowledge, Lisa from Lupu?"
He leaned even closer, his soft exhale of breath tickling the hairs at the nape of her neck. Her eyes went wide when she realized that he may in fact be the real Dracula from centuries ago, and very dangerous, like the stories had warned. However, that fact did not justify such behavior.
She would not cower, not to him or any man.
She was not afraid. He was the rude one, after all.
"Perhaps I could help you relearn some manners! " She quipped, as he had offended her.
Lisa turned around quickly, confidently. She looked up to meet his red gaze. She would not allow some recluse to try and scare her, monstrous or not. The towering figure of Dracula raised a brow in surprise. He hadn’t expected that.
"I've crossed the threshold of your home, and you haven't offered me a drink, or even to take my coat."
What did she think he was? He wondered if his name didn’t carry weight any longer. If it no longer invoked fear. But, he thought the legion of impaled skeletons outside should have done that for him. He decided to test her— this apparently brave human who had ventured into his realm bearing only a dagger to defend herself. A dagger and her own wit, he supposed. But he wondered if it would last.
"What if I took a drink from you?" The immortal teased, voice soft and treacherous. "Or have you loaded yourself with silver, crosses, and garlic in superstitious fear?"
Lisa’s eyes went wide in mock horror. "I might have eaten some roasted garlic earlier," she teased back, playing with him.
"Was that rude?" She feigned guilt, sarcastic in her reply. "It was all I had left."
Vlad laughed at that. She was funny, and not as he had expected. Not at all. Other humans carried crosses and garlic and amulets on their person, trying to ward off the devil. Lisa seemed not to care at all. In fact, she was making fun of him in return.
"I'm really not interested in superstition, or being some muttering wise woman cheating people with boiled nettles and entrails," she insisted passionately as he looked her over, walking around her much smaller form.
He realized quickly that she was very pretty, despite her peasant garb.
"I want to heal people. I want to learn."
Dracula heard no tell of a lie in her voice or her heartbeat. In fact, she was not afraid at all. He seemed to be more unsure of her than she was of him.
Lisa was surprised to hear that the stories had checked out so far, but that still didn’t deter her from asking. Nothing would. So what if he was really a vampire?
"Will you help me?" She asked, determined to get his knowledge.
Vlad considered her. He could teach her. He found her complete lack of fear and superstition refreshing, and idly he wondered how long it had been since he had made long conversation with a human being. Perhaps a decade or more. He usually just drained them and went on his way. But here, this strange and beautiful human came to him claiming she wanted to learn about science. How interesting.
"You are definitely different to most humans I have met in recent times,” he decided, and Lisa took encouragement at that.
Maybe all he needed was a push in the right direction, and to spend time with a human who would not fear him. Perhaps his horrible experience with humans had ruined his perception of them.
"Maybe I can teach you to like people again," Lisa suggested, although she quickly realized that would be a very difficult feat. "Or at least tolerate them... Or stop putting them on sticks!" She mused, making light of the horrible situation on his front porch.
He chuckled at that, a nice sound, and began walking further down the hall. Lisa had to run to catch up with his long legs. He moved very gracefully, as if he was weightless.
"I gave that up a long time ago...” He explained casually, and Lisa wondered how long he had been in his grand castle.
She wondered if he was all alone inside. Christian had said it had been some thirty years since his grandfather saw the palace.
"Where is Lupu Village?" Vlad asked curiously. He had never heard of it.
Lisa made an assumption before she could stop herself.
"You don't travel much.”
Lupu wasn’t that far from his castle, not really. He should know the name. Vlad turned to look down at her. He was so tall she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. It seemed everything in the castle was tall and imposing, Dracula included.
"I can travel—” he rebuked, “this entire structure is a traveling machine."
Lisa had no idea what he was talking about, or if it was even true, but she knew from the stories that he hadn’t left in decades. Probably thirty years at least.
"But…you don't. Do you?" She wondered, searching the darkness and sadness of his pale features.
His eyes were so lonely. And he said nothing to the contrary, as she expected. Perhaps he could change. Perhaps she could change his mind.
"Maybe you should. The world is changing. Travel like people do: you might like it!" Lisa encouraged him, this monstrous stranger who impaled people on his front lawn.
Vlad found it most amusing, raising his brow again in shock of her unusual nature. He had never met a mortal quite like her. Never before had a beautiful young peasant knocked on his front door and insisted he travel and teach them science. He debated whether she was a naïve optimist or foolishly overconfident. Perhaps both, but he found that he liked that for some reason. She was pure youth and beauty, fierce passion, and sincerity. Nothing like he had expected.
"I've known you for two minutes. And you offer for me to walk the earth like an ordinary peasant, while I give you the knowledge of immortals." They stopped walking and he raised his hand, gesticulating to show the room in front of them, glowing in golden majesty. "The true science."
She gasped loudly. It was unlike anything Lisa had ever seen. Unlike anything she had imagined. A grand model of the solar system hung from the ceiling, and the planets moved on their own around the sun. On the far side of the room there was a huge object, like a golden cannon, set up towards the heavens. Christian was right! He was right! Oh, such wondrous things she had found! The space was huge, with two open floors. The bottom, an elaborate laboratory, and the upper, a wrap-around library with thousands and thousands of books. The whole room was full of the ‘secret knowledge’ as so claimed, and she could hardly believe it was real. There were glass cages and domes, metal rods and bubbling liquids in alembics.
"My! " Lisa swooned.
She was dazzled, impressed, and inspired beyond measure. Nothing had ever stunned her so wonderfully before. He has so much knowledge! All these instruments. All these machines and devices! Why did he keep them to himself?
"They won't be peasants anymore if you teach them. They won't live such short, scared lives if they have real medicine!" She pleaded with confidence, stepping towards him.
Everything could be so much better if he just learned to get along with humans. If he just gave people a second chance. All their guesses in the dark would give way to real knowledge.
"They won't be superstitious if they learn how the world really works."
"Why should I do that?" He huffed sardonically, quirking a brow to say he thought the idea ridiculous.
"To make the world better!” She was insistent, determined.
Lisa challenged him. She could help him. She could teach him kindness.
"Start with me,” she suggested, placing a hand on her chest, "and I’ll start with you.”
No human had ever surprised him as she did. No human ever had the gall or the courage to burst into his castle, unannounced, insisting that he teach them science and care about humans. No one had dared to. Before, they came for money. The knowledge they desired was for the purpose of defeating their enemies. They came because of petty disputes and pathetic wars, and they begged at his feet like worms.
Not Lisa. No. She was strong, independent, intuitive, and young. Full of wit and charm. It had been so long since he had witnessed the beauty and youth of mortals who had not yet become disillusioned to the world. Vlad considered himself. How many years had he been secluded inside his castle keep, his realm of darkness? As the nights slipped by infinitely and he was unaware of the world around him?
His realm was a void— dark and joyless. He had lived that way for a long time. He had made the lonely prison himself. But she was pure light. And he was drawn to her.
“I think I might like you,” he admitted, smiling in earnest and meeting her gaze with newfound mirth glittering in his red eyes.
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