When Harald met Lauran, a vampire story (standard:fantasy, 7913 words)
Author: Bogey	Added: Oct 27 2000	Views/Reads: 4031/2555	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
It's a dark place we're going, but hold my hand; I think where to go.

When Harald met Lauran, a vampire story 

This story is dedicated to a woman with a button-nose and seven
freckles. I hope she likes it and I live up to her expectations. 

As always, the following proclamation: We, me and fellow-writers, really
enjoy some response from our highest judge: The Reader. This can be 
done by an anonymous reply, a vote and even a regular e-mail. So 
there's no excuse for none-response. We sincerely hope that you, The 
Reader, will return to read another tale. After finishing this one, of 
course. 

Finally finished, I couldn't stop, just feeling that there's more to be
told. And now, after forcing my fingers off the keyboard, I still feel 
that some loose ends are floating and waiting to be tied. But, the 
word-count says 7913 and twelve pages. Time to stop. My advise: grab a 
bottle of red wine, light a cigar and start early in the night, with 
your feet pointing at your fireplace (instruct someone else to keep it 
burning) and... Enjoy. 

Bogey. 

Standing on the balcony outside my bedroom, I watch the sun rise. The
sky above me is dark blue, almost black. As my eyes drift towards to 
horizon, the sky turns into lighter blue, and then orange, red and 
yellow as the sun bursts out. A few clouds with silver and red lining 
are drifting slowly far above my head. I admire the view as, although I 
enjoy sunrises, I rarely see them. After half an hour the morning 
breeze is getting too chilly for me and my eyes start to hurt. I turn 
around and step inside my bedroom. There, on my king-size bed, lies 
Lauran. She is asleep. Gently, I pull the sheets up a bit higher, 
making sure she doesn't catch a cold. I walk to my bathroom and 
silently open the door. A quick shower and I'm ready for the day. Still 
sleeping, Lauran doesn't notice my departure. I instruct my servants 
for the usual on my way out. 

My number one is already waiting outside the sleeping quarters. The
rising sun begins her attack on the castle. A battle the darkness will 
lose. But only for a brief moment, as already long before sunset, the 
shadows will regain control over the hallways in my castle yet again. I 
would love to see the battle end for the day, but I can't. The price is 
too high. Together with my oldest and most trusted servant, my number 
one, I set in a high paced walk downstairs. There, we make myself 
ready. I close my eyes and begin the long wait for the next sunset. 
Slowly, my feet and hands are feeling more and more like big lumps, 
unwilling to move. My head feels heavier and my legs and arms are less 
and less able to move. Stiffness creeps upon me as time slowly passes. 

After an hour, my body is completely in a motionless rest. I'm ready to
wait. My number one knows and waits till this is finished. Only after I 
don't move anymore, he shakes his head and leaves. For the next hours, 
I'm alone. Alone with my memories and thoughts. Will Lauran be here 
after I wake up? I truly do not know. She has no idea of my true 
identity, yet. My servants will tell her that I'm out for business. She 
is allowed to enter most of the rooms in my castle. Except, of course, 
my study and a few cellars and hidden rooms. I hope I will find her 
tonight at the pool, dressed in that lovely dark green dress I gave 
her. Or, maybe, I walk with her in the garden, where she is dressed in 
blue jeans and sweater. If I could, I would smile by now. I have to let 
her know. I let my mind wander to the evening we met. It is now a month 
ago that one of my friends talked me into going to a party. It was a 
costume party so I could be free to go as I was. Since I had little 
mood for work, I decided to go. 

A cold September evening, eight sharp. My Rolls Royce crushes the gravel
with light cracking sounds. The car stops in front of the monumental 
stairs of the old mansion, located just outside the village. As I'm 
helped outside, I am looking around. Clearly, my Rolls isn't the only 
high prized car. I see several dark colored, expensive cars parked 
beside the stairs. The house lights up the driveway. All the windows 
are shining with candlelight. In this light the old mansion, built two 
centuries ago, looks more like a romantic castle where an ancient dance 
takes place. Three levels high and all built in that old brick stone 
type. It looks Victorian to me, but I'm not an expert. The music drifts 
on a breeze towards me and as I am walking up the stairs, I have eye 


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