Free Abby's Vampire by Anjela Renee

sitting with two prostitutes, no doubt buying their company. Enri watched as the provocatively dressed women hung on Mary's father, whom he now knew was named Herald. He could see Herald didn’t even bother to try and show even a little bit of propriety; everyone in town must know of his philandering. The thought made Enri clench his fist in anger—the shame her mother must feel at his behavior. Enri decided, since he didn’t know him or anyone else in the village, a personal approach would be okay. As Enri approached the Tavern, he noticed the stench of stale ale and urine. The place stood for everything he hated about humans; lack of self-control and gluttony.
    He sat in the corner, obscured by the shadows with the hood of his cloak pulled over his face. The bar wench approached to take his order; he ordered an Ale just so he wouldn’t stand out too badly. He had no intention of drinking anything in this disgusting place. He watched as Mary’s father ordered another drink. He whispered to the prostitute and she nodded her head and she left with him. Enri knew where they were headed. There was a hotel across the street where prostitutes often took their customers. He waited a moment and followed, knowing he would have to use his Vampire gifts to ensure no one would remember him.
    Enri waited in the shadows until he thought it was safe. The fewer people that saw him, the better off he would be. He entered the hotel, put the clerk in a trance, and found out what room Mary’s father was in. He put the suggestion in the clerk’s head that he was never there.
    Stopping outside the door of the room, he could hear moaning and grunting, suggesting that he and the prostitute were already engaged in activity of a carnal nature. Enri waited around the corner until they were finished, and the prostitute left. Enri then entered the room.
    “What are you doing in here?” Mary’s father yelled.
    He was unable to utter another word—Enri was on him in a flash. His hand covered his mouth while he tore into his neck, drinking down his blood as quickly as he could. Mary’s father quickly passed out as Enri continued to feed until his heart stopped beating. Enri licked his lips, feeling a bit woozy from all the alcohol that was in the blood. He decided leaving Mary’s father in the hotel would be bad for the family name so he dressed the body and put his arm around him. Suggesting he was merely drunk and getting help from a friend, Enri pulled his hood down and walked out of the hotel. The clerk waved, barely looking up from his book. Enri took the body into a nearby alley where he took his money and watch, making it look like a robbery gone wrong. Enri left quite pleased with himself; it had been awhile since he’d helped mankind.
    ***
    It had been a month since the problem of Mary’s father had been taken care of. He was found and everyone assumed that he had too much to drink and was mugged and murdered. It wasn't uncommon in that part of town. Enri watched Mary every night through her bedroom window. Once she was asleep, he would enter her room and watch her and listen to her breathe as she slept. Mary was so beautiful and he desperately wanted to touch her, to feel her skin against his as he held her in her time of need. With the additional loss of Mary's father, she was falling deeper into a depression; he feared what she may do next.
    He watched as Mary brushed her golden brown hair and took care to tie it with a blue ribbon. She dressed in a white nightgown with matching blue trim. Mary walked down the stairs and out the servant's entrance. Enri followed her from a discreet distance. He was puzzled as to what she was doing out in the middle of the night in her nightclothes. He stayed back as she lit a candle for light. He waited a few minutes and then approached the stables. He looked inside and was horrified. Mary’s lifeless body was hanging from the rafters. He quickly released her, put his ear to her heart, and could