Chapter 1
Notes:
Welcome everyone! I'm so excited to share this story!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
In the center of the ancient forest sleeps a maiden. She is as beautiful as spring and as benevolent as the harvest. She is frozen in an eternal slumber, awaiting her summer. Her summer will come in the form of a prince, who will kiss the lips of the maiden, awakening her from the winter. They will go on to live side by side for all eternity in happiness.
---
Blood spilled from the vampire's chest. The vampire tried to clutch his chest and hold onto what little life he had left. He collapsed to the ground into a pile of dust. Lute smiled and tucked her stake into her sheath. It was certainly an outdated method, but it was effective. Her favorite motto was "If it's not broke, don't fix it."
"Another one down," She walked out of the dark alley. It was around 4 am. The sun would be up soon. She decided to call it a night and report back to Sera. Sera was her boss, who provided all the assignments on whom to eliminate. Lute initially thought Sera was full of herself, but came to realize Sera had to be ready for everything.
The headquarters was a small house in the heart of the city. Lute walked to the HQ, not minding how quiet it was outside. Despite not being a vampire, Lute did enjoy the nighttime more than the day. Lute was soon at the house. It was a simple Neoclassical home with hints of Local/Wallachian Gothic Revival surrounded by other Neoclassical homes. It recently got electricity, which was fascinating to everyone. The idea that one didn't need magic for light was amazing. Lute opened the door and was met with the living area and kitchen. Sera was sitting at the kitchen table, looking serious. "Good evening, Sera," Lute said to get her attention.
"Oh, Lute," Sera looked up at her from her worn notebooks. "How did it go?".
Lute pulled her hood down and removed her metal mask. The metal mask resembled a Venetian mask, with black-painted lips and tear-filled eyes. White swirls adorned the sides. The Exorcist could create a mask that seemed fit for them. Lute smoothed down her short white hair. "Good, fucker didn't know what hit him."
"Excellent. The other exorcists have retired for the night. I'll give you a new assignment tomorrow. Please go get some rest," Sera told her and resumed her paperwork.
"What are you working on?" Lute asked and sat across from Sera. Lute saw how tired Sera looked, but Sera never rested. Lute couldn't even remember the last time Sera had an off day. As one of the most powerful witches in Europe, Lute guessed Sera couldn't relax often.
"We might have found a way to track down Adam," Sera said and looked up at Lute.
Lute's eyes lit up. Adam was an original vampire—an old one. Killing him would be the holy grail. Not much was known about him. "Seriously, how?" Lute's golden eyes lit up in excitement.
"Well, first, he's been here in the city and the outskirts as long as anyone can remember. Therefore, he's somewhere around here. Second, I created a spell that might be able to track him. I've been testing it on other vampires, and so far it works." Sera wanted to track down Adam once and for all. He caused good, honest people to live in fear. Fairytales and warnings bore his name. "We just need to get close to Adam for once. The spell is a smoke bomb of sorts. You throw it at the vampire, and it leaves a smell on them. The smell can only be smelled through a human or a witch's nose."
"He hasn't been spotted for about two years," Lute remembered the last time she saw Adam. However, it was always from a distance. He was only known due to his haunting mask. It had two horns sticking out at curved angles, almost like a goat. It was impossible to miss. "How do you propose we find him?" No one knew what his face looked like. He was always wearing a mask. He could easily hide in plain sight.
Sera had a weak smile. "I don't know Lute. I've been sitting here for hours thinking about it." Sera set down the pen and sighed. "We need to rest. I think better when I'm rested. I've been here all night."
"I agree, ma'am. I'll see you tomorrow evening," Lute nodded. She threw her hood back on but tied her mask to her side. She walked home to her apartment. Sera paid well to hunt down vampires; therefore, exorcists could live where they pleased. As she walked home, she enjoyed the summer air. Soon, fall would be here, and then winter. Lute loved the cold. She was excited to try out her new weapons for the cold. She had been working on them for months.
Lute decided to live on the outskirts of town. She hated living in the heart of the city. She figured it was too close to work, and Lute did need to rest from time to time. She arrived at the small apartment complex. It was only six stories, and Lute lived at the top. She walked up the creaky stairs and entered her apartment. Her apartment was smaller, but Lute didn't need much. It had a bedroom and bathroom, which was so nice. Plumbing was hard to come by in some buildings; therefore, Lute was blessed to have it. It had a small kitchen and living area. Lute converted the living area into an office for research. She had a huge research journal she kept on how Vampires operated. She tried to keep a journal on specific vampires; however, she usually killed them before she could find out more. There were a few vampire overlords, such as Adam, who were known to the exorcist. Lute wanted to hunt them all down. Lute wished she had a library to keep all her work, yet the living area would have to do.
Lute went to the bathroom, washed her face, and changed into her nightclothes. She shut the curtain to block out the sunlight. Lute needed all the sleep she could get. She was excited about the idea of hunting down Adam.
Hours later, Lute awoke. She had slept well and was pleased it was near sundown. She would meet Sera back at HQ in two hours. She got out of bed and was ready for the day. She ate breakfast, or really dinner. Lute opened her journal and flipped to Adam's page. She figured she should brush up on him.
Vampire Name: Adam
Age: ??
Home: ??
Powers: Shapeshifting, Superhuman strength, Immortality, Hypnotics, Teleportation, Flight
Weakness: Garlic, Sunlight, Holy Water, Crucifixes, Stake, Silver
NOTE: Adam is considered an original vampire due to being around for centuries. He's had a stable hold in the region, unlike other Vampires. He keeps to himself and does not operate in a clan. Very slippery and hard to find.
Adam was last spotted in the woods of Pădurea Pustnicu in 1862.
Lute sighed. She remembered that night well. She was working with her partner and happened to have found Adam in the woods. They were supposed to be hunting down a werewolf clan, yet Adam beat them to it. They watched him tear down six fully grown werewolves in minutes. That's how Lute knew about his powers and what he was truly capable of.
They went after him, but he saw them and vanished into the night. Despite being powerful, he was not confrontational. Yes, he killed Exorcist in the past, but only when they went after him.
Lute put her journal away. She grabbed her weapons. She got her stake, axe, crucifix, garlic, and other miscellaneous items.
She walked through her beloved city. She could see people were retiring for the night. Fewer and fewer people were staying out late anymore. Lute arrived at HQ. Sera was passing out the assignments to her fellow Exorcists. Lute tied her mask to her face. She approached Sera. "What do you have for me?" Lute was excited. She loved her job.
"Lute, I want you to stay behind for a moment. I have a special assignment for you." Sera directed her to a seat while the others left, ready to defeat the darkness. Lute sat down excited. She was one of Sera's best; therefore, she was handed the best jobs.
Sera finally wrapped up and sat in front of Lute. Lute slipped her mask off to be more polite. "Sera, what can I do?"
"Prostitutes have gone missing recently." Sera went on to explain. "As you are aware, we have eyes and ears all over the city. One of my scouts heard a brothel owner complain that every full moon, one of his girls goes missing. I want you to investigate this." Sera's ice blue eyes bore into Lute.
"I agree, but what if they are running off?" Lute pointed out. "They don't exactly have a good life." Lute was surprised that Sera had given her such a menial job. Usually, Lute was hunting powerful vampires or protecting Boyars. This was for beginners.
"Prostitutes may be seen as low on the ladder for society, but we are all of God's creatures, and we must protect his flock." Sera could see that Lute was being judgmental. She loved her like a mother would a child, but Lute did need to learn more about kindness instead of being ruthless.
Lute bit her cheek to keep from lashing out. "Very well, I will be off." She slipped her mask back on and stood up.
"Oh, and Lute." Sera stood up and grabbed a small leather sack. "Take this. It has the tracking bomb if we see Adam." Sera knew the odds were low; however, they were always there.
Lute grabbed the tracking bomb and left HQ. "I deserve better." She mumbled. Lute made her way across the city and found the brothel on the outskirts. The building looked dilapidated. "Charming." Lute's eyes followed a painted sign of a woman pleasing a man. She shook her head. She slipped her mask off to appear more friendly and walked in. She was immediately hit with a cheap perfume and sweat smell. The front parlor was dark and empty. Only a small candle lit the way. Lute walked up to the front desk. "Hello!" She called out.
A few moments later, a burly man in a yellow and green suit walked out. "What can I do for you, darling?" He smiled at her with his yellow teeth.
"I'm here about your problem." Lute always made sure to keep talk of Vampires to a minimum with regular folks. Panic attracted the creatures of the night. The fewer people who knew of Vampires, the better.
"Yes, my merchandise keeps disappearing," The man complained. Lute shivered when he called the women his merchandise. "Every full moon, one of my girls goes missing. Oddly, a handsome stranger comes in, but no one remembers him, and someone goes missing. See the connection." The man's eyes clouded up as he struggled to remember.
Lute knew all too well what this meant. "Let me disguise myself as one of your own. I can find the stranger and put an end to this." Lute knew she was well known in the Vampire world with her iconic mask and gear. She needed this death to be quiet and painless; therefore, she had to hide in plain sight.
The man looked her up and down. She felt disgusted as he gazed upon her body. "Alright, just don't ruin anything."
Lute found herself in a tight corset and a long skirt. She was able to hide weapons underneath her corset and boots. The next few hours were pure hell. The brothel owner, who was named Mammon, kept flirting with Lute. It was disgusting to her the way he looked at her. The brothel wasn't too popular. Only a few men popped in and out. Compared to other brothels, Lute had seen that this one was on the lower end.
Lute sat on a plush couch watching the door like a hawk when it swung open. Lute felt a chill settle into her bones. A man wearing a long dark cloak that obscured his face walked in. She wanted to grab her stake, but she had to make sure that the man was a man.
Mammon ran up to the man immediately. "Can I help you, sir?"
"Line all the women up. I want to pick one to take with me." His voice was hypnotically sounding. Lute was enthralled. She instinctively moved her hand away from her boot.
"LADIES!" Mammon bellowed out. "Line up!" he walked around the small Brothel collecting everyone, even if they were on a job.
Lute blended into the line, thankful she was second to last. She leaned over to see the man some more. He was tall and strong-looking from what she could see. He walked up to each woman and leaned into them with fascination. Lute knew that he had to be a vampire. He was using some type of hypnosis. He walked closer, and Lute wrinkled her nose. He smelled of death. He finally arrived at Lute. She could only see his chin and lips. He had a small amount of stubble. He got closer to her and held her face. He was wearing thick leather gloves that felt cold. "Not bad," he whispered. Lute was frozen. She had never been frozen in her entire life. She couldn't move or anything. She wanted to stab this man. He leaned in closer, his hot breath warmed her neck. Lute could now see that he had fangs! He pulled away in disgust. "You smell weird." He took several steps back, taking his frozen spell with him.
Lute now looked offended. "Excuse me, I smell normal." Lute wouldn't say she smelled great, but she didn't reek of death like the man in front of her.
The man smiled, his fangs prominent as ever. "Whatever you say, babe." He walked closer to the woman next to Lute. She had long blonde hair. "I'll take her." he grabbed her hand and was gone in the night. Only a cloud of smoke remained.
Lute was in a daze. She tried to reach out, but the man was far too fast. Everyone started to cough as the cloud consumed the room. Lute knew what it was and was thankful for Sera's protection spells. It was a memory loss spell. No one would remember except for Lute.
Lute threw on her gear and ran off into the night. She was able to follow the scent of death to the forest that surrounded the city. She had been in these woods millions of times and felt comfortable. She arrived at a small clearing where she could see a lantern and the man holding something. This time, though, Lute could see two very distinct horns. It was Adam of all Vampires to cross paths with. Lute was in utter shock. Two years, and here he was in the flesh again.
"Ugh, dammit, this one is ugly!" The man was hunched over the prostitute. "I can't see shit in that dimly lit shit hole! Guess I'll just drink her blood." He sounded more upset than evil. It was like his soup was ordered wrong instead of killing a human being.
"Leave her alone!" Lute ran forward, stake in hand. She wanted to end him once and for all.
"Oh shit!" Adam yelled and vanished into the trees. He was still holding the prostitute. She was in a daze and unaware of the danger she was in. "Leave me alone!" He called out. "I have stuff I need to do."
Lute loaded her crossbow and immediately aimed where the voice was coming from. "You don't belong in this world!" She shot at him. He vanished again but accidentally dropped the poor woman. She fell to the ground with a loud thud. Lute ran to the woman to make sure she was okay.
"Great, now you ruined my dinner!" Adam complained. Lute knelt down and tried to inspect her. "Oh well, five-second rule," Adam whispered into Lute's ear. He placed his cold hand on her shoulder and threw her body into the woods.
Lute felt herself propelled back into an oak tree and was stunned upon impact. Her back slammed into it hard, and she sank down. Her vision was blurry; nevertheless, she could see Adam devouring his dinner. She wanted to stab him, but the smart thing was to throw the bomb. That bomb would lead to so much. Lute wasn't far at all and could make the throw. Lute took a deep breath and regained her senses. She carefully pulled it out of her satchel and stood up. She walked as silently as she could. There was a disgusting wet noise as Adam drank from her. The poor prostitute's throat was ripped out. She had a look of horror etched onto her face that Lute wouldn't forget anytime soon. Lute grabbed the bomb and threw it hard at Adam. It hit Adam square on the head.
"Oww," He rubbed the back of his head and turned around aggressively. Lute could see that the top part of his mask was metal with the horns. The bottom part was a neck gaiter that could be pulled down for consumption, which it was. Blood soaked the entire bottom half of his face. The bomb exploded into a green smoke. "What the fuck!" He shuddered in disgust.
Adam immediately flew off into the night. Little did he know his smell was leading Lute right to his home. The smell was pungent yet sweet. Lute smiled and started her journey into the wild wilderness of Romania.
Notes:
Thanks for getting here! Castlevania is one of my favorite games and TV shows, which has inspired me a lot. I also love Romania and its history; the name of the story comes from an actual Romanian fairy tale.
Don't worry, my comedy is still going to be in my stories. I've taken inspo from What We Do in the Shadows. I can write drama and angst, but comedy is where I truly shine, haha.
Chapter 2
Notes:
Playing the dangerous game of updating my fanfic while sitting with my family during a Football game haha
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Adam flew over the dark woods, wondering what the hell had just happened. He replayed the last hour in his head.
Adam saw the exorcist. He knew it was one of Sera's girls. The exorcist had the mask and black cloak. He wished they'd dress sexier; that would at least keep Adam interested. They all annoyed him so much. They tried so hard to fight, yet could never get close until now. Adam was trying to enjoy dinner, and BOOM, his head was assaulted with a bomb. It didn't hurt him as far as he could tell. Maybe it was a dud?
"Fucking Sera and her stupid ass creations." He mumbled. He simply wanted to live his life in the Romanian countryside, yet these stupid exorcists wanted to kill him. That one was the reason Adam rarely visited Bucharest, and if he did, it was only for what he needed.
Adam's castle finally came into view. The castle sat atop a hill with a long staircase leading up to the massive oak doors. It was a mix of Gothic and Renaissance elements, surrounded by imposing towers, thick stone walls, and red-tiled roofs. Adam loved his castle and was happy to be home.
---
Lute was beyond happy for Sera's spell. Following Adam was easy except that the wilderness was not fun to navigate at all. She wished she could turn into a bat and fly. Lute checked her pocket watch and was thankful it was only midnight. She was planning on camping out if she had to.
The woods seemed to have grown thicker. The trees grew older and more mossy. Lute could feel coarse woody debris on the forest floor. She kept marching forward, though. She knew finding Adam wouldn't be hard, but getting back might prove some difficulty. As long as she killed Adam, she could die happy. If she died marching back, so be it.
"I've been in these woods a million times." Lute looked around. She was holding her lantern. "Why does it all look different?" She was thankful the moon was out and the canopy of leaves allowed a generous amount of moonlight. After another half hour of walking, Lute arrived at a clearing. She walked into the field, and her breath was taken away. Standing tall above the trees was one of the most magnificent castles she had ever seen. "Why haven't I seen this before?" Lute knew this should be familiar or known about. The closest castle like this was all the way in Transylvania, known as Hunedoara Castle. "I can't be that far from Bucharest." She walked closer and saw all the stairs she would have to climb. "Dammit." She started her climb.
The climb up was long, especially after walking through an ancient forest. She was finally at the top and breathing heavy. She sat down for a moment; she would have to be ready to fight when she entered. She looked at the nighttime view and was a little jealous that she didn't have anything like this. The Romanian forest was stunning, unlike the stifling city. She decided she would take Adam's castle when she killed him. She wanted it; therefore, it was going to be hers.
Lute stood up and got ready. She grabbed her stake in one hand and her loaded crossbow in the other. She hung her lantern on the side of her. She took a deep breath and slowly opened the massive oak door. She saw a long hallway and slowly walked in. Chandeliers hung above her. Items and antiques were lining the walls. It was tasteful for an old castle. Lute thought it would look more like a tomb in here, but it appeared the castle was lived in. Lute was in a trance when a voice yelled out behind her.
"Who the fuck are you?" Adam was standing at the oak doors. He was in utter shock at seeing a human being in his castle. He was wearing his mask and cloak. He looked terrifying, but to Lute, he was nothing.
Lute turned around and lunged forward. "Prepare to die!"
"Oh shit!" Adam was caught off guard. He was so shocked that someone was here? How did they find his hidden world? Adam quickly ducked from Lute's stake. They started to fight. Adam had to keep dodging punches. "Stop!" Lute's stake narrowly missed Adam as he backed away abruptly. "For fucks sake, can we at least talk!" He needed answers now.
"You've had centuries to talk, now you die!" Lute kept swinging at him, going deeper and deeper into the castle.
"Oh my god! Stop!" Adam was now complaining. He was ducking and dodging Lute. She was a little too good at her job.
She used her crossbow and aimed at Adam. Adam quickly turned into a bat. She shot her stake at Adam, and it ricocheted off the wall and shattered a vase.
Adam turned into a human. His mask mimicked someone who looked mildly annoyed. "Seriously, I got that vase half off back when Istanbul was Constantinople. I can't get that back!"
Lute, not caring, lunged forward again. Adam vanished, and Lute was on the other side. She had to catch her breath. She looked around and realized she was in the most ornate library she had ever seen. She was stunned by its beauty. Huge stained-glass windows of the Romanian countryside shone in the moonlight. The banister leading to the second floor was hand-carved with intricate designs. A giant dome shone in the middle.
Adam appeared next to her. "I know, right? I had to hypnotize like ten Ottoman architects." Adam was happy she at least appreciated his library. He worked hard on abducting workers to create his perfect castle.
Lute turned aggressively and tried to stab him. He turned into a bat and flew up to the second-floor banister. He turned back and looked down on her. Lute knew he was far too fast and experienced to go after. She needed to bring him to her. She looked over at another vase. It was a porcelain with a red floral design. "What are you doing?" Adam asked nervously.
Lute grabbed the vase and made direct eye contact. She slammed it down hard. The vase shattered into a million pieces. "Seriously, why? That vase came from the Republic of Venice! I almost died trying to get across those damn canals!"
"So is that where the whole Vampires can't cross running water came from?" Lute asked earnestly. She could add that to her journal as an official weakness.
Adam was frustrated that she was asking him questions. "Yes, it's not because god hates me, though, it's because I'm fucking stupid and got lost. There's like a million canals there." Adam hated Venice. It was a small island that caused him a lot of confusion.
Now Lute was confused. Adam didn't seem to have it together despite being an original. She grabbed an old manuscript off a desk. It was dark blue and was written in a language she didn't know. "What are you doing?" Adam sounded on edge.
Lute pulled out a match from her satchel. She struck the match, and a small orange flame appeared. Adam had never teleported that fast. He was not going to let this lowly human ruin his home. Adam grabbed the match and extinguished the flame. Lute was pushed violently to the ground. Her mask tumbled to the other side of the room. She and Adam made direct eye contact. Adam thought she looked familiar, but he didn't have time to place the face. Lute was furious. She hopped up at an impossibly fast speed and ran at Adam with a determination that could conquer the world.
"Don't kill me." Adam pleaded. He put his hands up to block her. "I have a lot of shit I need to do."
"You've been alive for centuries!" Lute exclaimed. She swung the stake at him. "If you haven't done it now, you're never going to get to it."
"Trust me, it's not like that!" Adam shot back. "You want to kill vampires, and I want to live." He ducked away.
"You can't live, you're dead." Lute retorted.
"Can... you... Just shut up." Adam was beyond annoyed. He took a deep breath. He was in the center of the library. The moonlight shone off of him. "What if we work together to achieve our goals?" Adam did not want the rest of his castle destroyed. He worked so hard for it. He saw how powerful Lute was. Maybe he could use her. "I have intel on powerful vampires. I can give you information, and you can take them down." Lute stopped trying to kill him.
"What's in it for you?" Lute narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't trust him at all.
Adam looked off and back at Lute. "I remain powerful without worrying about who will try to take me down. Believe it or not, vampires don't get along all that well. They're very clicky."
"If I get rid of every single vampire, can I kill you last?" At least she was being honest; she wanted him to die.
Adam snorted. "Good luck, babe, there's a lot out there."
"So you're not going to rip my throat out; instead, you want to team up?" Lute asked for clarification. She never thought that Adam, of all vampires, wanted to team up.
Adam scoffed. "Absolutely not on this carpet and walls will I get your blood smeared. Look at this carpet!" He pointed down to it. It was beautifully woven together. "I had to smuggle that when Baghdad was breached by the Mongols. It's a Persian carpet, the best of the best. I'm not getting your nasty peasant blood on it."
Lute was a little offended. "My blood's not that gross."
"Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart, you reek of a peasant." Adam snapped at her.
Lute gripped her stake. "I don't do teamwork well." Everything was telling her not to work with Adam, but she didn't have a choice. She had to take down the top vampires.
"Well, we aren't a team. This is more of mutually helping one another out until we inevitably kill each other." Adam explained. "What do you say..."
"Lute, my name is Lute." She introduced herself. She got a better look at Adam. He was wearing his devlish mask. He had a dark cloak trimmed in gold wrapped around him. He was wearing a suit that a Boyar would wear.
"You're the whore!" Adam said excitedly. "I knew I'd seen your face before." Adam connected the dots on why she smelled awful. She was a vampire hunter.
"I don't work there." She defended herself. "I was trying to find the vampire who was stealing them."
"That was me," Adam bragged and pointed to himself. Despite not seeing his face, Lute knew he was smiling under his mask.
"Okay, let's say we team up." Lute started to ask questions. "How am I supposed to contact you and vice versa? How do I even leave or get to this castle-"
Before Lute could say more, Adam interrupted her. "How did you get here?" He sounded on edge more than angry.
"I followed you."
"Yeah, no shit!" Adam exclaimed. "I have a spell surrounding the area that keeps me hidden from the world." It was one of Adam's most powerful spells. It was one reason he was so successful; no one could find him until Lute. "Now answer again, how did you find me?" Adam did not entertain the idea that there was an opening to enter his domain.
Lute was aware that lying wasn't a good idea. Therefore, she relented. "My boss Sera made a spell bomb that could release an odor that can track vampires, yourself included. I guess the spell was more powerful than your hidden spell." It now made sense why Lute had never seen or heard about this castle. She gazed around some more in awe of its beauty. She wanted to ask Adam for a tour, but refrained for the moment.
"Ahh, so that's why you threw that at me." Now, Adam was upset with himself for leading Lute here. "Alright, I can give you a necklace that can lead you here. The closer you get, the brighter it gets. To leave, just walk west towards Bucharest. The forest will dump you." Adam knew this from releasing his builders and other people he had hypnotized over the centuries to upkeep his home.
Lute nodded. "Easy enough now, on to the harder part. You have to stay away from us, Exorcist and Sera. She can't know we are working together." She knew Sera would flip out. She would lecture Lute for hours, which would be worse than dealing with death.
"Eww, I hate Sera and you guys. Easy enough." Adam agreed. "Still, I need to feed, so I don't want to hear how that's wrong." Adam hated it when his meals would complain about how wrong it was to consume blood. Half the country ate pork and other meat products, which was the same thing to Adam.
"Can't you drink animal blood? Such as swine." Lute suggested.
"Swine gives me the shits," Adam told her. "I'm old, so I don't feed often anymore. The prostitute should last me a week."
Lute relented. "Fine, however, when you feed, you can't do it around me." That went against everything she had been told.
"That works for me." Adam was interested in how this odd partnership would work. "We should meet once a week. We can take down the vampire ourselves. You're going to need my help." Adam knew Lute wasn't experienced when it came to overlords. She was good at fighting but lacked a clear head. She was a fighter, not a tactician.
Lute knew it was dangerous to go alone after Overlords. "Very well, we can meet on Sunday night." That was her off day, as Sera wanted everyone to attend church.
"Not like I have anything going on." Adam shrugged. "Follow me to retrieve the necklace." He started to glide out of the library.
Lute put her mask on and followed Adam. She probably shouldn't have followed an undead creature deeper into its castle, but she was tempted. His castle was stunning with all his artifacts and portraits.
"I killed that guy." Adam pointed to the 1400s portrait of a young man. "And stole his stuff."
"Lovely." Lute instinctively touched her stake on her side.
"This room is my spell room." Adam opened the glass doors and glided in. Lute knew if Sera saw this, she would have a field day. Cabinets and cabinets of ingredients lined the walls. Shelves of books were at anyone's disposal. A table with worn notebooks was out. Finally, in the center was a giant cauldron.
"Are you part warlock?" Lute was now confused about what Adam was truly capable of.
Adam looked around at all the items he had collected over the years. "Not really, I hire witches time to time to do stuff for me. Sure, I've dabbled, like with my home protection spell. It's just so much work, and I'm awful at chemistry and math." Adam gagged. He would sit for hours just so confused. He once burnt his eyebrows off as well.
"I could see that," Lute mumbled.
"What was that?" Adam turned around.
"Nothing. So where's the necklace?" Lute asked.
"I gotta look for it, give me a second." Adam sighed. For the next ten minutes, Lute watched Adam tear apart the room. She finally sat on a chair since he was taking so long.
"Found it!" Adam exclaimed. He had opened up a book, and the box fell out. "Here's the necklace." Adam handed her a tiny box.
Lute opened the box and made a face of disgust. "It's hideous." She held up a giant amulet with a Canary Diamond in the middle. It was adorned with a gold pendant and chain. It was a blob of yellows and golds. She thought vampires had style, yet Adam proved her wrong with this ugly piece.
"I worked hard on that diamond." Adam now sounded upset. "I had to steal it from a French Aristocrat; it was so much work."
"Why did you steal it?" Lute touched the necklace. It felt warm.
"Because he was mean to me. He said my coach is not up to par." Adam mocked his French accent. "Joke's on him, he was guillotined in the revolution." Adam laughed. "It was so funny seeing his head swing around on a pike."
Lute rolled her eyes. "Okay, well, this was fun, but I need to go." She saw it was now around 3 am. She put the necklace into the box and tucked it away in her satchel.
"It was fun!" Adam sounded cheery. "I'm glad you didn't kill me." They started to walk to the front.
"Not yet, I will kill you one day." Lute looked ahead. She had gained so much insight tonight. This was the start of something.
Adam made a noise with his throat. "Okay, sure."
They finally arrived at the familiar doors. Lute started her walk down the stairs. It was a long walk, and she could feel Adam's eyes on her. She guessed he didn't want her to explore the outside of the castle. From the looks of it, there was a massive garden that seemed to go on and on. Lute was interested but didn't want to die tonight.
Lute walked into the treeline and felt at ease. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She knew Adam was no longer watching her. After a twenty-minute walk, the air felt warmer. Lute figured she had crossed the threshold. Another ten minutes and the woods looked normal. Lute was finally back in her world. She opened her bag and pulled out the necklace. She took a few steps into the woods, and it dimly lit up. "Not bad." She put it away and made her way back home.
Lute couldn't believe what she had done. The gravity of the situation sank as she got closer to Bucharest. "What am I thinking?!" Lute stopped in the middle of the dead road. "Why did I do that?" She put her hand on her mask as if it were her face. She was defying her beliefs, Sera, and God.
She took a deep breath. What she did was smart. She could kill higher up Vampires and make the world a better place. Sure, Adam would be there, and he was the worst; however, she was killing more. Once she eliminated them all, she could take down Adam. She could also study him more in the process. Find out his weakness and put an end to all the wickedness.
Lute checked in with Sera at HQ. She lied that it was a lowly vampire, and he was no more. Lute felt a little guilty that she lied. She was being dishonest, but it was for the greater good.
Lute was finally home around 6 am. The sun was just starting to rise. Before Lute did anything else, she pulled out her journal and jotted down what she knew of Adam.
Vampire Name: Adam
Age: ??
Home: In a hidden pocket in the Pădurea Pustnicu Woods
Powers: Shapeshifting, Superhuman strength, Immortality, Hypnotics, Teleportation, Flight, Witchcraft (Not very good)
Weakness: Garlic, Sunlight, Holy Water, Crucifixes, Stake, Silver, Moving Water
NOTE: Adam is considered an original vampire due to being around for centuries. He's had a stable hold in the region, unlike other Vampires. He keeps to himself and does not operate in a clan. Very slippery and hard to find.
Adam was last spotted in the woods of Pădurea Pustnicu in 1862.
Adam and I are teaming up now. The year is 1864.
Lute knew her life was going to change permanently with working for Adam. She didn't know what to expect from him and didn't trust him. She had to hope he was leading in the right direction. Sera was never to know about this; if she did, it would ruin everything between them, and Lute owed her everything.
Notes:
I am a huge history nerd, therefore, get ready for some history lessons.
Chapter Text
Lute's eyes gazed upon an abandoned chateau in front of her. At one time, it must have hosted grand parties and events. Its architecture represented the Gothic/Renaissance style of the past and consisted of only two stories. The windows had been boarded up, and tall grass and vines hugged the mini-castle. The chateau sat in the middle of a grassy, unkept field. The soft rumbling of thunder was heard in the distance.
The chateau sat several miles outside of Bucharest, alone and quiet. Lute was told that a vampire was squatting out here, trying to set up a base. Lute, armed with her crossbow and stake, entered. Lute's lantern was attached to her belt, lighting the way. Whomever lived here last left in a hurry. Old furniture caked in dust was still intact. Lute looked around at the shelves and saw that many books were left to rot. It frustrated her how nobles didn't care about education and knowledge since it was so common to them.
She slowly walked to the kitchen. There were no signs of anything living here, not even a vampire. The kitchen was just as dusty as the rest of the house. Lute touched the countertops when she felt a chill. Something ran behind her. She pointed her crossbow, ready to aim. It was very quiet. Lute could only hear her breathing. She swallowed hard and found the entrance to the cellar. It was in the pantry.
Lute slowly pushed the door open. It groaned as she was met with a dark staircase leading down. Lute took a deep breath and started her descent. The air smelled dank and musty. She finally reached the bottom and was met with a long, winding hallway. She hated how dark it was. She could only see so many feet in front of her before she was met with a wall of blackness.
Lute walked slowly, trying her best to listen for anything. She felt so vulnerable. After walking for another minute, she found a wooden door. She went to push on it.
"What are you doing?" A voice whispered behind.
Lute almost let out a scream. She had to clamp her mouth with her hand. "What the hell are you doing here?" She turned around and saw Adam. His eyes were glowing in the dark. His mask was even creepier. It was like the devil was standing behind her, ready to take her soul to hell.
"I'm bored."
"Okay, well, I'm working!" Lute snapped at him. "It's not even Sunday." Lute was angry at Adam. If she had screamed, she could have attracted a vampire to her presence. One of her advantages was the element of surprise.
"Just cause I'm dead doesn't mean I don't know the days of the week." Adam snapped back. "There's no one in this room anyway." Adam pushed past Lute and yanked the door open. Trash was littered in the dark room. If anyone had been squatting, they were long gone.
"Good to know. Now we check upstairs." Lute shoved him away. She was furious at Adam for visiting her while she was on the job. She couldn't afford distractions. She marched towards the main level. Adam appeared in front of her, causing her to jump back. "Fuck! Don't do that!" She snapped at him.
"No one is upstairs by the way." Adam's voice was light. "I went ahead and did your job."
"I don't believe you!" Lute wanted to kill him now. She held onto her stake, wanting to stab. She aggressively walked upstairs. It was dark and dusty like the rest of the chateau. She went inside each room only to be met by nothing.
"Told you so," Adam whispered into her ear.
Lute shivered and turned around. "What do you want?"
Adam backed away. "I just told you I'm bored," He repeated. "Come on, let's walk around." He grabbed her hand.
Despite wearing gloves, his hand was freezing. Lute yanked her hand away. "Hold on, who says I'm coming with you?" She didn't trust Adam at all. The last thing she needed was to be turned. She would kill herself before she became a vampire.
"Lute, you are annoying me." Adam sounded inconvenienced. "If you want to stay here in this ugly shack, be my guest." He started to glide away.
"Fine, I'll join you." Lute relented. She had nothing better to do at this point. She figured she could at least study Adam. She took her mask off to get some fresh air. She felt like she was rarely outside anymore.
They walked outside to the beaten pathway. The moon was only half out in the middle of the sky, much to Lute's annoyance. Thunder was still heard in the distance. It was quiet as they walked. Every animal seemed to distance itself from Adam. "No full moon, so no werewolves." Adam pointed out.
"Most of them fled to the Americas," Lute told him. "Only a handful have remained here in Eastern Europe." She had killed only a dozen or so. They usually stuck to themselves, seldom bothering humans.
"True, it's because of us vampires." Adam hated werewolves. They were messy and smelly creatures. He wasn't above killing them. "We have most of Europe."
"Not till we kill you all." Lute's golden eyes shone towards Adam's. He knew she meant every word.
"Once again, good luck." Adam looked up at the moon, happy he didn't have to worry about werewolves. "So why do you want to kill me?" Adam knew he should at least get to know Lute better. She was a skilled fighter and kept Adam on his toes. She was fast, and Adam was out of shape with his skills. However, he wouldn't let her know that.
Lute stopped walking and looked at Adam. Adam was happy he was wearing his mask. Lutre's gaze was so intense. "You are an abomination to God. Everything that he isn't. You are nothing more than a parasite that feeds off the innocent. Your bloodlust will never be satisfied. The only cure is a stake in your heart." She balled up her fist. "I will never stop until every one of your kind has been eradicated or I am killed. Dying for a worthy cause is an honor." Lute was going to make it clear she didn't tolerate vampires. She would keep going until her last breath.
"Geesh." Adam put his hands up. "Okay, okay, I get it, calm down." Lute was a little much for him. He hated it when people took their jobs too seriously. Lute, despite being alive, had never lived.
Lute continued to walk. She had no idea where she and Adam were going. She didn't mind talking to him. She could tell she made him uncomfortable. "When did you become a vampire?"
Adam almost stopped walking. He was not going to give her any personal information. "I am not telling you that."
"Why?" Lute's face scrunched up in confusion.
Adam now quit walking. He looked at Lute. Her hair was so white in the moonlight, and her eyes were so golden. She was actually pretty to Adam, much to his surprise. He usually had a type, yet Lute wasn't bad. "Let's make a deal. No personal shit or stories about ourselves."
Lute had some baggage as well; she'd rather not have Adam unpack. "Deal." She put her hand out, and Adam shook it.
"Perfect. So I guess you're wondering why I'm here." Adam looked ahead.
"'Cause you're bored," Lute told him.
"Yes, and I want to go on a hunt with you tonight." Adam sounded excited.
Lute wasn't sure what that meant. "What do you mean?"
"Listen, there are these cannibal vampires." Adam went on to explain. "Not only do they eat people, they eat other vampires. They've been living in the woods east of Bucharest, around the Pasărea river. I've been wanting to kill them for a while, but there are two of them and an assistant. We abduct the assistant. Get information on where her masters are, and then you kill her."
"Is the assistant a vampire?" Lute asked.
Adam nodded. "Yes, she goes around Europe telling newer vampires of success in Bucharest, she lures them for her masters. She turns people as well. They ambush and eat the new vampires." Adam hated how vampires killed their own kind. It seemed taboo to him.
"Eating new vampires is easier than eating old, powerful ones." Lute pointed out the obvious. It also kept the power balanced in Europe.
"The assistant will be at this Tavern tonight. I've been tracking her for some time." The assistant would spend time in Bucharest and then move to Transylvania, spreading out into the Austrian Empire and Barvaira, finally ending in France and circulating back. The whole time, she would amass a small following for the cannibals. Adam only knew this after he was vacationing in France, and he heard a Romanian accent. He quietly followed the woman around, and she was sprouting lies.
"How long has this been going on?" Lute asked. She had never heard of the cannibal vampires. Yet vampires eating other vampires made her life way easier. Nevertheless, they were eating people as well and needed to be stopped. "How come I've never heard of them?"
"It's been going on for about fifty years, not too long in the grand scheme of things." In those short fifty years, the cannibals had created a reputation for themselves. Most feared them and kept away. "They move around often and are more known to vampires. The people who go missing are usually the ones unimportant to society. The cannibals are extremely tricky and clever." Adam explained.
"Do you have names?" Lute asked. She was nervous to go against these two. She had no idea how the vampire social structure worked, but instilling fear in only fifty years was intimidating.
"I don't know for sure, but from what I've gathered, their names are Rosie and Alastor," Adam told her. "Are you ready?"
"How are we going to get over there. It's a two-hour walk minimum." Lute told him.
"I'm flying, dumb ass, now grab my hand." He held it out to her.
"What if you drop me?" Lute accused him. It would be so pathetic for her to fall to her death.
"I'm not going to do that, Lute!" Adam started to sound upset. "Please just trust me." He said quietly. "Trust me." His mask looked like it was pleading.
"Fine. But if I die, I'll come back as a ghost and kill you." She held out her hand.
Adam grabbed it with glee. "Oh, I have no doubt." He grabbed her hand and they soared over Bucharest. Lute was terrified at first. The floor sank away, and her head got dizzy. She looked at the city ahead and was in awe. The mixture of electricity and candlelight created a warm glow. The dark sky created a rich navy canvas that painted the land. She was so blessed to see this view. No one around her could appreciate the scenery like she could at this moment.
"I know, right!" Adam turned to her. Her hand felt so warm in his. He thought it was cute how her face was in awe as they flew over the city. For once, she didn't look angry or upset. Adam knew he took the view for granted. He would hate to travel around like a mere mortal. He slowly landed and let go of Lute's hand. She was a little sad it was over.
"Alright, so is this the tavern?" Lute looked at an old, run-down building. Several patrons were staggering in and out. The town they were in was small, as only several buildings sat around. It would be easy to live here as a vampire.
"Yup. Lute, you go in and lure the assistant out here. I'll be waiting for us to ambush her." Adam was excited to see Lute in action.
"What does she look like? What's their name?" Lute asked. She had to make sure it was the correct person.
"I don't know her name; she changes it." Adam shrugged. "She has short brown hair that covers up one of her eyes. She wears peasant clothes with a white, stained apron. Her eyes are yellow like yours, and she's very short."
"Easy enough, go stand by that large oak tree." Lute pointed to it. It sat diagonally across the tavern. It was far enough for no one to see and close enough for Lute to lead her there without suspicion.
"Good luck." Adam walked off.
Lute took her mask off and threw her hood up. She walked in and was hit with the smell of alcohol and piss. Her eyes followed the room, and she saw the woman at the corner table. She was wearing what Adam said she would be. She was flirting with a large human man. It was somewhat quiet in the tavern. Lute walked in and sat close to the table. She ordered a mug of beer.
"So are you a bad boy?" The woman's squeaky voice rang out. Uneaten food sat on the table with empty beer mugs.
The man was drunk and flustered. "Umm, I guess."
"Well, why don't you join me in the woods later tonight?" She leaned in close to him. Her eyes had a sickly glow to them.
"Niffty, I'm married." He was trying to get away.
"If you loved your wife, you wouldn't be here." She told him in a more normal voice. Lute hated agreeing with a vampire, but she was right.
"I need to piss." The man got up and left abruptly. Niffty sat there pouting. Lute knew it was time to slide in across the table.
"Hey," Lute sat down across from her. She kept her head down and hood up.
"What do you want?" Niffty sounded annoyed.
Lute looked around and leaned forward. "I heard you can turn people."
Niffty looked surprised for a moment but held it together. "Yes, I can do that."
Lute knew Niffty wasn't expecting to bring dinner to her masters tonight. The man she was flirting with was probably a plaything to her. "Let's do it now. I owe people money by dawn."
"So you're desperate." Niffty inquired.
"Extremely," Lute lied.
Niffty smiled, letting all her pointy teeth shine. "Perfect, let's get out of here."
Lute and Niffty left the tavern. "Over here." Lute led Niffty. They walked to the oak tree.
"This will be quick," Niffty said. Before she could do anything else, though, Adam slammed her into a tree. He put his hand around her neck.
"Hello," Adam smiled at her. He had his gaiter down with all his teeth showing.
"Her name is Niffty," Lute told Adam.
"What is this!" She rasped out. "Vampires aren't supposed to attack others." Her face was contorting into fear.
"Ironic coming from you." Adam seethed. "We know you lure vampires and humans to your masters."
Niffty couldn't hide her surprise this time. "You don't understand. He owns my soul." She tried to get out of Adam's grasp, but she was too weak. "I owe him everything. I have to work for him." She sounded erratic. Lute wondered what this meant. Did vampires have slavery or contracts with one another?
"You're lying." Adam's eyes were glowing. "Now tell me where he is." He tightened his grasp.
Niffty was struggling for air. "They live...south stream....of the river... in a cottage...surrounded by woods."
"Alright, Lute, do the honors." Adam sounded gleeful. He dropped Niffty. She slammed to the ground with a hard thud.
Lute stood above her and shoved the stake into the dead heart. The vampire started to shriek out. Lute, though, had no mercy. She pulled the stake out and repeatedly stabbed Niffty over and over again. Adam was horrified. After two minutes of violent stabbing. Lute stopped and looked up at Adam. She was covered in blood. "She's dead now."
"Yeah, no shit! Calm down, no need to be so brutal." Adam was disgusted. She was truly a weapon carved from Sera.
"She deserves no mercy." Lute spat onto her body. Niffty was slowly crumbling away.
Adam shook his head. He looked up and saw the moon in the west. "We'd better hurry, it's around three. We only have two and a half hours till daybreak." They followed the river, and Lute cleaned up a little. She rinsed the blood off her. They continued to walk. Civilization shrank behind them.
"Adam, what did Niffty mean by he owes my soul?" Lute asked. She was a little cold from the river water. She secretly wanted Adam's warm-looking cloak.
Niffty's words terrified Lute. She hated the idea of bargaining her own soul. Nothing was worth the price of eternal damnation.
"Trust me when I say vampires can't trap each other's souls," Adam told her. He looked ahead for the cottage.
"Why is that?" Lute question.
Adam shrugged. "Simple, we don't have them anymore."
It made Lute a little sad that Adam didn't care. A soul was how one connected with the earth, God, and others around them. A soul was a gift from God. To take that gift and disrespect it infuriated Lute. Not having one was terrible to her.
"Vampires can hypnotize one another. I'm assuming Alastor hypnotized Niffty into thinking he owned her soul." Adam explained. They took a left into the patch of woods.
The woods started to turn into a swamp. Lute could sense they were close. She dropped the talk of souls and navigated through the thick brush. She started to smell something. It smelled like a meat soup. "Is that?"
"Vampire soup," Adam said with disgust. They followed the smell and arrived at a small cottage. It appeared normal to the human eye. However, Adam and Lute knew what they were looking at. They were at the Cannibals' home.
Notes:
I've been writing this story a lot faster than expected!