Chapter 2 The Curse of a Vampire

"YOU DID WHAT?!"

"You found a what?"

Lariel and Dracyan cried in unison. After realising that she was a vampire, Iafleur fled the scene and finds her way to Lariel's house who immediately called Dracyan after she mentioned "vampire". Among them, Lariel is the expert when it comes to beliefs, curses and their consequences.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" she added effusively, rubbing her forehead as though what she had told them had greatly brought her pain in the head. "How are you so naive to have touched a vampire? Really? A vampire?"

"But shouldn't we be grateful that she was unharmed?" Dracyan queued.

"The vampire's dead, Dracyan. How harmful could it be? But that's not the important thing here. She might now be subjected to the Curse of a Vampire." She turned to her with a grave look. "For all we know, touching a vampire's body shortly after death is called unwise in our past--- even today that belief is still followed by some people. Our modern generation is not quite a fan of such existence but we know they are real. Still, I was surprised to know that there are vampires living in the city."

Dracyan clicked his tongue. "She must've somehow managed to escape from the Sacred Woods."

"That is suggestive. But I don't think that an ordinary human being is what killed her."

Iafleur's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "What do you mean, Lariel?"

"Because if it were an ordinary human, that person might have run in horror and stirred panic in the public or he would likely end up dead. I don't want to think it but it seems that poor vampire died in the hands of someone who knows more about the history."

Lariel's words brought more confusion to Iafleur. Apparently, Iafleur thinks otherwise. If indeed a person with full knowledge of the history killed her, why would they leave her body out there like that? Graydel Woods is often visited by people for it is one of the small tourist spots in the city. People will surely see her. She gasped.

Yet again her thoughts were halted when Lariel spoke again, "Are you really certain that it was a vampire?"

The image of that vampire flashed into her mind like recalling an old photo. Everything seems like a blur and the only thing she did not forget was her blood-red eyes. They nearly appeared like they were alive, warm yet full of wickedness and evil. Iafleur furtively clenches her fist and responded in her most calm voice, "I am certain of what I saw. I know it was dark but I'm not stupid enough to not know the reality before me. I know everything about them, thanks to the Human Council."

"I am certain that it was a vampire in our modern day," she declared firmly.

Lariel asserted her eyes but they seemed certain and genuine enough. Iafleur is not also the type of person to lie. When she told them what happened, like Iafleur, Lariel was also in the state of being surprised. She knew they existed and believes that they were real. But she never had expected that she would ever hear about a vampire existing today. For they all knew that their kind has been eradicated during the Great Slaughter.

Dracyan sighed and suggested, "If that is true, I think we should give her a proper burial before anyone else sees her. I've read them in books and seen them in films. But now I get to see a real one! I never thought this could be so exciting," he added.

Iafleur made an eye-roll. "This is not the time to be amazed, Dracyan."

Iafleur, Dracyan and Lariel indeed went to Graydel Woods, carrying their shovels. To avoid attention, they had to wait until it closes at half past 7.

When the crowd ceased, the trio proceeded, undetected by anyone. But as they approach the river where Iafleur had found the body, her heart suddenly began to thump wildly. 'I have a bad feeling about this.' she mentally pondered.

Her intuition did not fail her when they were greeted by an empty space from which Iafleur supposedly found the body.

"What is the meaning of this? S-someone already took her b-body?" Iafleur's voice trailed.

"Who could it be?" Lariel pondered. "Everyone still seems to be calm."

"W-what's gonna happen to me then?" Iafleur's hands were visibly shaking and the darkness could not hide it. What is she going to do now? "I know that touching a vampire's body shortly after death is dangerous for their restless spirit could possess you, take over your body to bring terror once more. H-how could I be so stupid for carelessly touching a random stranger's body?"

The worse of things could happen to her. She might end up hurting her friends if that legend is proven true. No case has been reported yet, not even from the past. The fear was too great that every human being would purposely avoid helping someone in need when they were unconscious by the side of the road. But this doesn't mean that it's not real. Iafleur might be the first one to experience--- and it doesn't excite her at all.

For she might actually end up hurting the people she cares about. She was absorbed in her thoughts but she was quick to snap back when she felt a palm landing on her shoulder. It was Dracyan. And the small and innocent smile on his face somehow calmed her raging heart.

"Nothing bad will happen to you, Iafleur. And if something did, I will protect you. Lariel and I will do our best."

Iafleur looks at Lariel. "What if that vampire's spirit really possesses me?"

Lariel scoffed. "They can only possess if the human is weak--- something you do not fit in."

"No one has ever even been possessed by a vampire before," Dracyan pointed out. "It could be just a false belief. It might not be real at all."

"We still don't know for certain," Lariel gravely added. "Even our country, England itself, hides many mysteries, just like Eibrellion City's history. But if it makes you feel better, I can cast on you a spell in which you'll be indicated if someone 'is' trying to possess you."

"And what would the indication be?" Iafleur softly inquired.

She clicked her tongue. "You'll feel nauseated."

Iafleur frowned at the answer. "Is that all?"

"Yes. Now stay still. I'll cast the spell."

Lariel Herald comes from a family of witches. This is also the reason why Iafleur was confident about their existence in the first place, aside from her knowledge as a Secretary to the Human Council. Before the two of them crossed paths, Lariel revealed that she has been practising magic since she was only little. She also shares that she'd often snuck herself into her grandmother's private room and learn about spells.

Apparently, Lariel's expertise in that field is only limited to healing wounds and extinguishing pains. Iafleur knew of Lariel's desire to unfold the depths of magic and learn more but that desire does come without a price to pay. A price not everyone could afford. To avoid the chaos that might come along with her desire to learn, Lariel decided to draw the line and instead perfected Healing Magic.

After Lariel cast the spell, Iafleur felt her body getting lighter for a moment or two before returning to normal.

"Is there any way you could prevent the possession?" Dracyan inquired. Iafleur pondered his question and realises that there must be some way she could stop herself from being possessed by the vampire's spirit.

Lariel turns to Iafleur instead with a regretful expression. "Unfortunately, no spell can counterpart the Curse of a Vampire. The only one who can the possession is yourself. If you believe you are strong and you know who you really are, then no spirit can take over you."

Iafleur and Dracyan bid their farewell after expressing their gratitude to Lariel. As the two friends stroll in the dark streets of Eibrellion City, Dracyan unknowingly leads them both to Central Lake. It is one of the famous lakes in the city and many people go there during the night because of the scenic decorations all over the woods surrounding it. It's not a wide lake and one can actually make a run around it.

As expected, many people can be seen in the area. The spacious field after the entrance was quite filled with people, most of them are pairs of couples and groups of friends. Colourful lights are lit and gave off a mildly romantic ambience.

Iafleur and Dracyan decided to take a seat on the grass, their view overlooking the lake's fence before them. The fences are only up during the night for the government prohibits anyone from taking late-night swims and skinny dippings.

Iafleur merely snapped when Dracyan spoke to her.

"How are you feeling?" he softly inquired.

She sighed. "A bit tired I guess. I couldn't get my mind from thinking what might happen if ever I do get possessed by a vampire. What do you think will I do? Will I go on a killing spree and kill humans and drink their blood?" She scoffed. "I never thought I'd get myself involved with a vampire in my entire life. I mean, imagine seeing live--- I mean, a dead one, who'd have thought that some of the people living here in the city are vampires?"

To her disappointment, Dracyan only chuckled at her remark. She frowned.

"It's quite amazing that only some people get to see the things that other people badly want to see," Dracyan replied. Iafleur turns to him with a curious look, prompting him to continue, "I'm a believer myself and honestly, I wanted to see one for myself. Since our history depicted them as monsters who attacked and killed the first Human King, I am intrigued to know if those comments are proven accurate. Since it's not easy to go and hunt vampires in the city, let alone England itself, I could only have those facts proven by the stories I hear from other people."

"I see. That's why you suggested immediately burying the body so, you can see it personally," Iafleur added. Dracyan confirmed by nodding his head. "And what happens if you finally get to see one?" she added.

Dracyan was silent for a moment or two until his lips stretched to form a small smile. But amidst the mildly dark environment, Iafleur perceived the sadness that swirled in his coal-black eyes. Despite their colour, they often express effusive emotions as Iafleur had noticed over the past years.

He finally spoke, "Then I could finally get to scratch one thing from my bucket list."

"I see." She nodded thoughtfully. "Well, they are quite certainly real, Dracyan. At least most of them I think."

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

"I mean about the Vampire Queen."

He pulled his head back in confusion. "The legendary Vampire Queen? What about her?"

She chuckled. "I must have heard that title once or twice from the Council. The members don't often acknowledge her existence in the past. I've only heard a few stories about her from the Council and it seems like not many people knew or even believe she existed."

"And you don't?"

Iafleur shook her head for confirmation. "I can believe in hybrids but I can't believe a vampire using black magic."

"They're called Umbran," Dracyan corrected.

Iafleur snorted to mock Dracyan. "I can also believe in witches using black magic but vampires? That's an exaggerated fact. That just goes way beyond against nature. That's not how vampires are supposed to be. I guess I should no longer wonder why her existence was not preached to the people, it's because the Council itself doubts her very existence."

"How many members of the Council do you think have seen an actual vampire?"

Dracyan's question made Iafleur ponder. 'How many indeed? I know they spoke of them often but they never mentioned anything about meeting a live one.' She heard Dracyan's soft laugh and halted her thoughts.

"Maybe the Council purposely hid the truth about her existence because they feared it might stir panic, not just in the city but in the entire country of England. Imagine a vampire so powerful, has no weaknesses, doesn't burn under the sun, could not be killed with a stake through the heart and can use black magic--- the most perilous form of magic. A fearsome creature could not be carelessly passed through a bedtime story. A legend like that has to be kept a secret for the safety of everyone. For even knowing the dangers of that creature may cost someone's life."

"I worked for the Council as a Secretary for many years but you seem to know more than I do." She softly scoffed. "I'm quite embarrassed."

Dracyan chuckled at her remark. But even that sound of his joyful tone could not hide the sorrow hiding behind his eyes. 'What could be the reason for that sadness?' Iafleur mentally uttered. His knowledge about the Vampire Queen was quite something else but Iafleur just concluded that his obsession to see a live one might have pushed him to dig for more information.

But as fast as the running millisecond that Dracyan's smile disappeared when Iafleur asked, "Do you really believe that such a creature as the Vampire Queen exists?"

He turns to her with a grave look, it nearly startled her had he not spoken in a calm tone.

"I believe in many things, Iafleur. But until I have proven their existence with my own eyes and did not just hear them from the stories of other people, I'd like to keep them in my head."

"I see." Iafleur nodded thoughtfully.

They enjoyed the rest of the night in silence when Dracyan no longer spoke of the matter. Though he asked of her reason for exploring Graydel Woods alone, she delightedly satisfied his curiosity. As the night grows late they finally headed back home to their individual flats.

Upon reaching her flat, Iafleur did not bother turning the lights in her room. Sometimes she'd just prefer to move around in the darkness and her vision eventually adapted to dark environments. Her bundle of keys merely clanged when she laid them on her study table.

Iafleur's heart feels uneasy at the moment. She decided to pour herself a glass of wine. She stared at herself in front of the mirror while mixing the wine in her glass before taking a sip. But after a moment or two, she hurled the wine glass across the room, it hit the wall and shards of glasses scattered on the floor and wine spilt on the carpet.

Her tight clenched fist indicates her anger and her unfathomable hatred against vampires and all other beings that are not human only added to her fury.

"Those beings don't even deserve to exist! Why were they even created in the first place? Who created them?" she muttered to herself. "What monstrous being could have created such monsters?"

Iafleur was very absorbed in her thoughts that the annoying ringing of her telephone greatly startled her. It was then that she realised how her nails were buried under her skin that it caused a wound. She paid it ignorance when the telephone rang again.

It was still in her pocket, she bared it out and the caller ID's name was registered as Lariel. She slid up her thumb to answer.

"What is it?"

- "I called in to check on you. How are you feeling now? Didn't you feel nauseated yet?" -

Iafleur smiled at her friend's concern. 'Indeed it is a wonderful feeling to have someone care for you. It reminds me of something again.' Before her thoughts could fly away, Iafleur immediately responded to Lariel.

"Your concern is much appreciated. Thank you. I'm actually feeling a bit better now." she softly chuckled.

- "That's good to hear. Are you sure you'll be alright on your own tonight? Do you want me to stay with you and keep you company?" -

"It's alright. I'll be fine, Lariel. And if I do feel a bit different, I'll call you immediately."

- "You better keep that word, miss, or I'm putting a tracker on you to keep an eye on you in case you get possessed." -

Iafleur nearly burst into laughter but she held back. "I believe you're overreacting, my friend. I'm still me."

Iafleur turns to face the mirror again, only to discover her reflection slowly vanishing. But even in that fleeting moment, her playful smirk was displayed well.