The Sacrifice (Legends Of Transylvania) (4 page)

On returning to the house he took his guitar and wearing just his black shirt and trousers
because he no longer needed extra clothing as cold no longer had any effect on him, he set on the journey towards the city where he will search for Ariana.

5.Reunited

   
Ariana had also chosen an artistic line of work. She lived with her aunt and uncle in a beautiful old house with much character, surrounded by a garden of roses and other colorful flowers. It was the house and the garden which gave her the inspiration to start painting, and over the years the walls have become almost alive with her vibrant pictures. Some were of the garden and house, while others were paintings of children laughing at play, which were brought to her mind by memories of her childhood before her parents lost their lives. Many more represented her vivid dreams.

  “I would like to put one of your pictures on that bare wall over there.” Aunt Clara suggested as she prepared two cups of tea at the kitchen table.

“I haven’t been able to see my dreams very clearly just lately.” Ariana answered with a forlorn sigh “...And they seem kind of sad!”

Clara picked up the two cups of tea and went into the garden, inviting
Ariana to join her. The sun was shining brightly and she wanted to take advantage of the lovely weather. They sat down on the garden bench and began to talk.

Ariana
became a beautiful young woman who was feminine in every way. With long dark hair and big brown eyes contrasting perfectly with her natural white skin, and her lips were as pink as the roses growing nearby. Her smile was just as innocent as it had been when she was young. She was always wearing the necklace her mother had given to her, which sparkled around her soft neck as it was reflecting in the sunlight. As she listened to her Aunt she held her chin with her long delicate fingers. She looked lovely in a blue dress which showed off her tiny waist and soft movement.

“As a matter of interest, what would you paint for the wall in the kitchen?” Clara asked curiously. “Did you not have one of your bright dreams lately dear? When you do we will bring life onto those dull walls, and it would certainly bring a smile to your uncle’s serious face.”

“My dreams have been very dark and weird.” Ariana replied with a look of thoughtful disappointment.” If I were to put my dreams on canvas at the moment the picture would be mostly grey.”

Aunt Clara frowned with concern while listening to
Ariana's words.

“I dreamt about Alexander a few nights ago. It has been a while since he wrote to me, and I am curious to know how he is and what he looks like now. Perhaps he got married?”

She gave a little smile, and then became serious in thought.

“I wish I could change the past aunt...”

“Life goes on regardless and we can’t change what has happened, Ariana!” Clara interrupted, not wishing her to mope about the past and continued:

“Everyone lives the destiny chosen for them, but we must not forget those who have gone before us and prepared the path on which we walk!”

“You and your wise words.” Ariana laughed admiringly. “Well, one thing is for sure… you will never change!”

  As she ended her words her mind wondered into deep thought – as if she “was” waiting for someone to come and change her world!

  When Clara woke up and came down next morning she was surprised to see that Ariana is already in the garden working.

  “Do you like my new painting?” the girl asked.

  “Yes, I do.” Her Aunt replied “But it is very different from the things you usually paint. Does it have any meaning?”

  “I dreamt about a mysterious boy last night” said
Ariana “and I have not been able to get him out of my mind. He was sitting with his back to me on a tree stump among some trees in the forest like he is in the picture. I called to him but he didn’t respond and he didn’t show his face. I have no idea who he is, but I wanted to capture the image in a painting.”

  “But why is the image so grey?” Clara asked with a frown “You usually paint a bright sky with vibrant colors.”

  “Even though I didn’t see his face I could tell that he was sad and lonely “Ariana replied solemnly “He didn’t move and he looked cold, almost like ice! Anyway, I would like to go and see the sunlight near the forest. I’ll be back soon so don’t worry.”

  She kissed her Aunt on the cheek as she put on her coat and left.  

  Alexander had no idea what impact Ariana might have on him. He had become bored with walking the streets, so to find his peace he threw his guitar on his back and went to the forest where the shadows of the trees helped to shield the setting sun from bothering his eyes. When he got there he sat on a tree stump and began to play. He admired the view, although beautiful things had become rare and strange to his soul. His guitar playing was the only thing that reminded him that he was once a normal person who smiled and enjoyed life. He began to sing the song that his father had sung on that fateful day. The sun has almost disappeared by the time Ariana reached the forest, so she sat down to rest her legs before starting on the journey home. As she did so she heard a strange sound echoing through the trees. She had been there many times before and had never heard such a sound before, and realizing it was not birdsong she became curious to know exactly what it was. She got to her feet and walked in the direction from which the sound seemed to be coming, and as she got nearer it became louder and much clearer and she realized it was the sound of a guitar being played by talented fingers. As she walked and listened trying to identify the song, her arms began to tremble and her heart beat faster as she thought she recognized the song.

“Oh my God, it can’t be?” she gasped to herself “But, I know this song.”

She stopped in her tracks and listened more carefully. She tried to walk on but her legs seemed to carry stones.

“The last time I heard this song it was…” she hesitated and sighed with emotion …” It was thirteen years ago!”

Time seemed to stop, and as she gazed through the trees she saw a man in dark clothes sat playing the beautiful song that brought many memories flooding back into her mind.

“Who are you?” she called out to him in a trembling nervous voice “And why are you playing that tune?”

  Alexander stopped playing on hearing her voice, and he kept his face looking away from her, but he knew it was the girl he had been waiting for and had missed terribly for many years. He became apprehensive as he knew the end might be near for her if he could not control himself.

“I asked why you are playing that song.”
Ariana repeated as she became a little agitated at the strange situation '' Look at me and tell me what it is called.''

  Still Alexander did not look round.

  “Why do you ignore me? Did your parents not teach you the manners to answer when you are spoken to?”

  “My parents didn’t have time to teach me too many things before they were taken away from me.”Alexander responded, still keeping his identity hidden from
Ariana’s eyes. “The last time I heard their voices was thirteen years ago. So I am sorry if I seem rude.”

Hearing his deep, calm voice,
Ariana began to realize who this man might be. Her legs became heavy and she had to sit down in shock.

  “The song is called: “Memory Remains”, Alexander announced, “And I promised I would learn it and sing it to you one day!”

  As he finished the sentence he turned to face Ariana and their eyes met. Hers filled with the tears brought by emotion, and his red and troubled. But they widened when he saw her – just as they used to do when they were young and innocent.

  “You are amazingly beautiful,
Ariana “he said “You have become what I was afraid of “

He stopped his words at that point, stood up and walked towards her “…and I can devour your fresh smell!” he continued

  Ariana became wary of his advances and took a step back.

“Alexander was my best friend and I knew him well. He was a sweet and honest boy with a sparkle in his eyes. But in your eyes…”

“…you can see an animal” Alexander interrupted, and finished off her sentence.

  As he got even closer to her he began to glare lustfully at her, struggling to hold back his desires. She smelt good and he was hungry for her. He looked longingly at her neck, but as he was about to pounce he noticed the necklace around it which
Ariana’s mother had given to her and he began to re-live the events on the day of the accident which took his parents away from him. He turned immediately, and disappeared into the dark shadows of the forest.  Ariana was left in shock, and with a lot of unanswered questions going through her mind.

   Alexander had been a lovely boy 13 years ago, but now he is a real man. The warm friendly eyes he used to have now seem cold and scary… like an animal. Touching her cheek she remembered how cold his breath had been on her face… but she had an amazing attraction for him! She made her way home with these thoughts racing through her mind, and a yearning to meet him again.

  On the following day Ariana decided to spend the early evening out in the lovely garden to try to find some inspiration for her painting. Feeling the warm breeze playing softly in her hair and caressing her face helped her relax her mind and put her wonderful imagination into colors. She began to paint vividly when she sensed something else in the air. It was something unusual but at the same time intriguing. She was unaware of his presence at first, but Alexander was close by watching her slender arms and long fingers move the brush slowly across the canvass. He moved closer, admiring the girl he used to know when she was ten, who had now become a beautiful and sensual woman he was finding hard to hold back from. Her long dark hair flowing in the soft wind and her slim waist making her look like a character he had seen in a book of fairy tales. He had never touched her before, but now he was struggling with his feelings. Knowing he was becoming powerfully aroused by her he was scared not to hurt her, but at the same time he was hungry for her. Suddenly sensing he was behind her, without looking around she knew who it was and closed her eyes in expectation. Alexander moved her hair to the side at the back of her neck and touched her inviting skin. Now trembling with excitement Ariana’s breathing became faster and stronger. The cold touch of his hands made her body tingle as he moved in front of her with slow meaningful steps. Their eyes met and he got close to her face and the warm breath from her mouth began to drive him crazy. Her half-opened eyes still seemed innocent like an angel. She touched his cold pale face and he touched her lips gently with his. The sky became dark as he did so, which seemed to acknowledge that good and bad belong to each other and Heaven and Hell were one and the same – like there was just the two of them in existence and nobody else mattered. Her moist lips made him want her like a hunted animal – a predator about to take its pray, and the vampire in him wanted to devour her soul and eat her alive until he gets enough of her – if that was possible, but suddenly the human still inside him began to surface and the memory of their childhood together and the love he still holds for her in his heart pushed away his dark thoughts. He shook himself and came to his senses and stepped back from her.

He turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Ariana to follow him with her eyes full of desire. As Alexander walked on into the night not knowing or caring where he was heading to, he could still feel the sensation of Ariana’s soft lips on his, her hair on his fingers and her warm breath on his cold cheeks. The feeling of the veins in her neck still throbbed at his fingertips. He was exhausted from fatigue, thirst and hunger. With tears in his tired red eyes and painful stones in his body he dropped to his knees and looked up to the sky.

“If there is a God, where was he when I needed him?” he pleaded to an invisible savior. “I am half-human and half-vampire. My heart wants her so badly but if I am to have a future with her I must break this curse on me.” Holding his head down in desperation he cried out in sorrow “How I wish I had died in that car crash too!”

6. Tenderness

Alexander has woken up feelings inside Ariana that she thought she had lost forever and she was full of life and inspiration. She desperately wanted to go to find him again and talk about their good times as children… and other things. Throughout the day she saw only his face in everything she looked at ,so she made her determined mind up to go and look for him.  However, it was early evening and she knew Clara might not approve so she needed to think of a good excuse.

“Aunt Clara, I can’t seem to find any inspiration for my work “ she said, trying to sound sincere “ And I have the big important exhibition soon. Can I go up to the hill near the forest from where I can see the whole town and get some ideas to paint?”

“Okay, dear” Clara replied, after looking out of the window to check the sky “I am pleased to see you in better spirits and you don’t seem to have the grey and dark thoughts any more, but please don’t be too late and try to get  back before darkness falls, okay?”

  “Sure I will” Ariana assured her, as she kissed her on the forehead. She quickly got together her canvas board and painting things and rushed out of the door. Her thoughts were not really of painting of course as she climbed the hill towards the forest. Arriving at the same place where she had previously met Alexander she sat down and closed her eyes. The warm wind in her hair made her tingle, and in her mind she could still hear the guitar playing and imagine Alexander standing next to her.  After some time she thought that maybe he won’t show up and she set up her painting things to try to put some colors on the canvas in case her aunt is curious to know what she did. As she moved the brush, not really concentrating on what she was doing, she heard the sound of someone brushing through the grass approaching from behind her. She felt who it is, and a wide smile of anticipation came across her face.