Bride of Blood:: First Kiss

  Bride of Blood:

  First Kiss

  Anthony E. Ventrello

  Bride of Blood:

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover photo by Vassil, available under a Public Domain license

  Copyright © 2015 Anthony E. Ventrello

  All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Booktango

  1663 Liberty Drive

  Bloomington, IN 47403

  www.booktango.com

  877.445.8822

  ISBN: 978-1-4689-6798-2 (ebook)

  Contents

  Chapter 1 Introducing Anton the Vampire

  Chapter 2 Meet Alexander

  Chapter 3 The Legend of Velara

  Chapter 4 The Way Station

  Chapter 5 The Ceremony

  Chapter 6 Crystal

  Chapter 7 Lady Bernadine

  Chapter 8 The Boardwalk

  Chapter 9 The Return to the Way Station

  Chapter 10 The Prince

  Chapter 11 The Love of Alexander and Rachael

  Chapter 12 The Legend of Theodosia

  Chapter 13 Battle in the Club

  Chapter 14 Blissful Reunion

  Chapter 15 Shortened Honeymoon

  Chapter 1 Introducing Anton the Vampire

  The night was cold and the wind was cutting like a knife. It was the dead of winter, and there was no visible life on the outside. If there were any life at all in the town of Maldeen, it was to be found inside of its many businesses. But at that time of night, the only businesses that even entertained living souls were the three or four bars and The Truckstop.

  The Truckstop was one of the few mainstays of the area. It had been in business for nearly 50 years, changing owners, but never its name. What kept it going was the fact that it was on the crossroads of Highway 431 and Interstate 35. So there many travelers. It was a favorite for truck drivers passing through because of its huge truck yard that afforded both quiet and privacy. Traveling families enjoyed the cheap food at the restaurant and the souvenirs in the gift shop. The current owner was a quiet gentleman named Hugh, who had lived his entire life in Maldeen. He and his family had purchased The Truckstop and the adjoining motel about 5 years earlier. Although everyone in the area and those that came through simply called it The Truckstop, he put up a new sign out front that read Hugh’s Family Restaurant. Being as Hugh didn’t like truckers and he really wanted to make it into a family restaurant, it lacked the usual benefits of most truck stops such as a TV room and a lounge. There was a small game room where customers could play slot machines that paid out tickets for free food in the restaurant and showers for weary travelers. The restaurant itself was set up like most truck stops, with a bar area where truckers usually sat and booths and tables for families. The booths had telephones that were as ancient as time itself and hadn’t worked in decades. The jukebox in the corner only played country music and half the time it simply stole people’s quarters. There were the usual tacky paintings hanging on the walls that had probably come with the place or were purchased at the nearly endless garage and yard sales that were held in the spring and summer in Maldeen. And to the side of the bar area was the place where the waitresses would hang out for brief moments to drink coffee, talk about customers, or grab a quick smoke.

  That night there were not too many patrons inside or outside of The Truckstop. Only one waitress was on duty for the graveyard shift, as Wednesday nights were usually slow that time of year. On that particular night one patron enjoyed the truck stop for two different reasons: the beautiful waitress in the restaurant and the steady flow of evil patrons that came in. His name was Anton and he was a vampire.

  Anton was a 300 year-old Swedish vampire. He had traveled the world and amassed a large fortune in a variety of business deals in several countries. Like all vampires, he would look the age he was when he was made forever. To those that didn’t know, he appeared to be 25 or so. Actually, he was 23 when he was made. His skin was pale and flawless. He had striking, almost piercing blue eyes and honey blonde hair that fell well past his shoulders. He was lean and muscular, having the appearance of a football wide-receiver. His voice was soft and soothing, although his accent was unrecognizable from his many travels.

  Like all vampires, he could not go out in the sunlight. He had not seen the sun for almost 300 years and really had no desire to. He did sleep in a coffin, like a Hollywood vampire, but it was more for security than for image. He could not eat or drink regular food or beverages, human blood was his only sustenance. He was a killer who could not die. Only the sun or another vampire could destroy him, and very few had ever tried.

  ***

  Anton had originally been born Ynve Hanson in the small Swedish town of Sigtuna, which was one of the oldest towns in the history of Sweden. It had been founded in 980 allegedly by the Viking king, Erik the Victorious. Then Anton had been living the life of a beggar since his parents had died when he was young, and he had no family or anyone to take care of him. Although the town was picturesque and hadn’t changed much since its inception, there were still poor and hungry people. Anton had been one of them. He basically survived by means of stealing and sometimes even robbing. That is until he was found by Duke Nicolas Anderson. The young Duke found Anton trying to steal from his estate. Rather than have the boy killed or beaten, he requested that Anton be kept on as his footman.

  Anton had no way of knowing the truth behind The Duke. Although he claimed a title, he was not related to the Swedish royal family. He had acquired much land, wealth, and a large home, but he was not a Duke at all. Back then, there was little to no way of being able to check a person’s background to be certain, and besides he had all of the other qualifications of aristocracy, so no one questioned him. The Duke was very striking, as he appeared to be in his mid to late 40’s with long blonde hair that he always kept pulled back into a ponytail. His skin was very light, almost white. He had ice-blue eyes that seemed to stare right through a person. He was tall and lean, but very muscular. He appeared to have a lot of money since his home was a grand mansion that was surrounded by a wrought iron fences and was attended to by many servants. He could only be seen in town in the twilight hours or in the dark of night. While the townspeople were leery of his mysterious nature, they also respected him because he seemed to have a good heart, being generous with both his money and his time.

  The Duke gave Anton a place to live and began to tutor him. Anton was a surprisingly good student, even though he had no previous education. He was taught many things, not only the necessary education, but the ways of a gentleman. The Duke had tutors teach him during the day when he unavailable. He even adopted Anton, formally changing his name from Ynve to Anton after his favorite Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi. In a matter of a few years, Anton was groomed to be a true Swedish gentleman. Or so he thought.

  The Duke had always struck Anton as peculiar. For one thing he never was to be found during the day. Anton would ask the servants where their master was, but he would never be given a straight answer. He would usually kept extra busy with tutoring during the day, scrupulously kept away from his benefactor. Anton was also confused as to why the Duke never dined with him. Usually he would see his master in the evenings when they would talk by firelight on many subjects of the day like politics or the Colonies in the New World. But then, as the evening grew late, his master would excuse himself, and Anton would not see him again until possibly the next night. It was not uncommon for Anton to spend solitary h
ours walking about the mansion or the grounds taking in the sights and sounds around him. The Duke had a large collection of artwork ranging from painting to sculptures. And then there was the vast library that held books both ancient and new in several different languages. It would not be uncommon for Anton to go several days without hearing or seeing the Duke. But then there were the times when the elegant noble would suddenly appear next to Anton while he was studying or unexpectedly arrive astride one of his magnificent stallions to join Anton for his early evening ride on the grounds. Anton loved the Duke and was grateful for all the advantages he was given; however, there was a thought in the back of his mind that something was off about him and about the estate.

  Finally, one night Anton confronted the Duke about his strange behavior. The Duke bluntly asked him, “Do you wish to inherit my estate someday, my son?”

  “Of course, sir,” was Anton’s reply.

  They discussed a few other odds and ends when the Duke asked him, “Do you wish to be a part of my true bloodline and therefore live forever?”

  It was a strange question. Anton had always wondered about what it would be like to live forever. When he was a suffering child, he sometimes dreamed longingly of death. Now that he was an aristocrat, he couldn’t imagine leaving all of this behind. Many years later, he would look back on his answer and to this day, he still believes he made the right choice.

  “Yes, sir,” he answered. “I want to live forever.”

  With those words Anton suddenly felt himself fall backwards in his chair and crash to the floor. The Duke was upon him, and Anton struggled and tried to break free from his iron grasp. Panic-stricken, he fought wildly, trying to ask the Duke what was he doing. Suddenly Anton felt a pain in his neck unlike any he’d ever experienced before. It felt as if his very soul was being sucked from his body. He started to spasm and tried to cry out, but nothing came.

  Then he felt himself being gently laid on the floor. He was barely conscious. His breathing was slow and shallow. The pain in his neck had increased tenfold, but he didn’t have the strength to cry out or even move. He felt his life slipping away. Then he saw an arm being thrust into his mouth, a forearm to be exact. He couldn’t breathe and he wanted to struggle again. A voice that seemed to be from far away ordered him to bite and drink. With the last ounce of strength that he possessed, Anton obeyed. He opened his mouth and bit down on the smooth white arm.

  He could feel the hot blood begin to flow into his mouth and down his throat. His strength began to return and so did his hunger. He drank deeper and feeling his strength grow. Suddenly, the arm was torn from his greedy grasp.

  A searing pain began to consume Anton’s body. It was if his entire being were dying as the sickening torment of rigor mortis settled within in him without mercy. He cried out in pain and when he did, several of his internal organs issued from his mouth like black vomit. He suddenly felt his limbs and torso stretch as if several strong men were having a tug-of-war with his body or that he was lashed and pulled on the rack. He actually sensed the hair on his head begin to grow quickly while his scalp burned like it was on fire. The layers of fat on his body suddenly turned rigid as lean muscle grew in their place. This pain was so excruciating that he was sure that he would die in a matter of minutes. Then as one last great surge of pain washed over him from head to toe, it was over.

  Anton lay on the ground feeling tired and exhilarated at the same time. He was breathing, but strangely enough he felt as if he didn’t need to. He looked down and saw guts and gore all around him, and knew it had once been his. His body was no longer rigid and painful, it felt strong and almost like that of a Greek athlete. He sat up and noticed that all of his clothes had been torn from his body. He felt neither cold nor hot, but somehow comfortably warm.

  The Duke reached his hand out and helped him to his feet. Anton stood up and wiped the remaining gore from his lips. The Duke put an arm around him and led him over to a large mirror. Anton looked into it and didn’t recognize who he saw. He was about 4 inches taller than he had been and his hair was much longer. His body and face were flawless, every blemish or mark were gone. His skin was much paler than it had been as if he’d never seen the sun. As he ran his tongue over unfamiliar teeth, he opened his mouth and to his amazement, saw elongated teeth…. fangs.

  With astonishment he looked over at the Duke who smiled and said, “Welcome to eternity, Anton the Vampire.” That had been how it all started.

  ***

  Anton had many things to get used to as all of his senses were increased. As a fledging, which is what a newly reborn vampire was called, he had an insatiable appetite for blood that needed to be curbed and controlled until his body fully adjusted to the change. The Duke helped him to do so. He taught Anton many things about the vampire world. The Duke explained about the various levels that a vampire achieved with time and blood. The first was Fledgling and then Acolyte, Vampire, Master Vampire and finally Legend. To move up in levels was accomplished by surviving, learning about one’s powers, and being able to control them to achieve true immortality. He explained the importance of being able to hide in plain sight in the world of mortals, how to accumulate wealth and power, and most importantly how to kill and not be caught by mortals. Finally, he even taught him about the different vampires of the world and the clan system. Vampires throughout the world were sometimes different from each other in physical and psychological ways, but they always traced their bloodline back to a specific clan.

  Anton was the member of the vampire clan The Order of Nephthys which was the oldest known clan in the world. It began in Egypt long before written language. It was rumored that the goddess Nephthys herself created their race, although most didn’t even believe in the existence of such things. According to their code, there were to only kill and feed on bad people, although what was considered bad was very subjective. All vampires could read the thoughts of mortals, so they knew exactly who they were killing. The exact number of their clan was rumored to be a few hundred spread out across the world. The only one who knew for sure was the head of the clan, Lady Bernadine, whose compound was hidden deep in the African jungle.

  Lady Bernadine herself was a mystery to all the world’s vampires. No one was exactly sure of her age, some estimated it as old as time itself. She appeared to be in her 40’s, and had red hair that was fell to her knees. She had flawless skin that was so pale that at times it almost seemed transparent. She was very short, not even 5’ tall. Her eyes were so green, they glistened like emeralds even in the dimmest light. She had a very soft, almost haunting voice that sounded as if she were talking in a dream. All of her clan would visit her from time to time to enhance their powers, learn new powers, and to receive her advice or comfort.

  The only other clan left in existence was The Order of the Dragon. It was a little more than 500 years old. Although young, they were a lawless group who killed indiscriminately, including other vampires. For as long as Anton had been a vampire there had been no other clans, although rumors persisted that once there were many. Whether they were killed off by carelessness or even by the Dragons was not known or even rumored. The original leaders of the Dragons were two brothers, both princes from Eastern Europe. But they were overthrown by an evil renegade vampire who called himself Drago. He sought to destroy all those he considered to be enemies of his order, including a few of his own kinsmen. He also wanted to kill as many mortals as possible. For some reason, he had a particular grudge against Anton, but never dared to face him directly.

  Unlike some vampires, Anton considered himself a Christian. He didn’t believe in the existence of Nephthys or any other pagan gods. He believed in God and Jesus Christ and still was a practicing Catholic. He even went to confession occasionally at the cathedral of St. Philomena, although he couldn’t take communion.

  On this particular night, Anton sat at the table in the restaurant area of The Truckstop. For about the last six months, he visited this establishment to see the midnight waitres
s named Shannon.

  Shannon was not Anton’s typical type of girl as she was of Irish descent with very fair skin and bright red hair. She was tall, but had just enough breasts and butt to keep just about any fellow interested. She was very pretty, though not what he would call beautiful. She had green eyes, like Lady Bernadine, and a million dollar smile that was useful in getting tips. Shannon had a joking side and enjoyed laughing at jokes even if she had heard them hundreds of times. Still she was kind and really enjoyed Anton’s company, appreciating his watchful eye.

  She had no idea at all that he was a vampire. All she knew was that he was a handsome man who was sweet and respectful to her. He never drank the hot coffee she served him. He would bring the cup up to his lips and pretend to drink, but would never put any in his mouth. When the coffee got cold she would replenish it and the cycle would begin again. She never knew when he would come in or how long he would stay. But she always brightened up a little when he did visit her. Besides, he always left her a nice tip.

  She also didn’t know that Anton could read her thoughts, which he did quite a bit. He knew, for instance, that she was living with the man who was the father of her two kids. Not only would this man not marry her or show the slightest interest in getting a job, but he didn’t mind spending Shannon’s hard-earned money. He also hit her a few times, although being verbally abusive was his forte. Once he gave her a black eye because Anton tipped her $20 on her birthday, and he believed that she did must have done something “extra” to get the money. For all his faults, she was true to him even though she had many offers from patrons. Anton couldn’t understand her loyalty, but Shannon herself believed that she had nowhere else to go. She didn’t think that anyone would want a single mother with two kids. If it were possible, Anton would have gladly killed her boyfriend, taken her for himself, but he knew it was not practical. He could never fall in love with a mortal, and it was now forbidden to make any new vampires. He could only admire her from afar.