They had been walking only half an hour when Violeta started to cry. "Come and take your Violeta home!"

"Ssh," Mariana said, wrapping her arm protectively around the older woman´s stooped shoulders. "We're not in the madhouse anymore. I will take care of you."

While they walked, Mariana glanced constantly over her shoulder. No one followed them. Filthy, spineless scum, who tormented poor lunatics, but were frightened to endanger their own skins in the forest full of vampires... even in daylight!

"Not far now," Mariana said. "I heard there is old empty house nearby."

She did not mention that no one would come there because they feared the vampires. She was not sure what Violeta´s simple, confused brain understood, but Mariana was certain that vampires, lusting mindlessly for blood, were more merciful than clever humans with their depraved torments.

Somewhere, a wolf howled.

And then another.

"Wolves!" Violeta whispered.

"They're better than humans," Mariana said just before something knocked her to the ground, amidst the autumn leaves. She heard Violeta scream and, fearing the poor old woman had been attacked by wolves, she spun quickly around.

There were no wolves, only stocky, ruddy-faced peasants, staring mindlessly at the two women.

Mariana started to shudder.

"Violeta, come here!" she cried and struggled to her feet.

Hopefully they just drink our blood as quickly as possibly. Anything is better than going back to the madhouse.

Violeta pressed herself against Mariana who embraced her and waited.

---

AN; This story, like Dracula, uses authentic Mid- and Eastern European folklore, so vampires are not pale or thin (except Dracula), they walk happily in sunlight.