Nora Brightly had been the event coordinator for the Dracula Society for fifteen years. Her task was to organize societal events from the monthly meetings, yearly group trips to historical, Dracula centered sites and even the Symposium of the Vampire which was hosted in honor of the anniversary of the publishing of the novel that started it all. The symposium was one of her favorite accomplishments; it drew in a few thousand attendees and a dozen speakers, scholars, with topics ranging from vampires in modern society, the cultural mythos of vampires from around the world, to Bram Stoker and Vlad Tepes. Membership skyrocketed afterwards.
Tonight was to be simple a monthly meeting of mostly local members. The society was a worldwide organization with members all over the globe and headquartered in London. She expected a few foreign stragglers, but the bigger events drew in more of the society. These meetings where mostly housekeeping business and planning of the larger events. If time allowed, a lively discussion would follow after.
Although their society was purely factual and academic, only focusing on the vampire folklore in culture and literature, members did have fun speculating and indulging conspiracy theories over a pint after a meeting.
A favorite conspiracy of the society was that of the Van Helsing family, or now, the Hellsing family. Abraham van Helsing was a real person, who existed at the same time of the of the novel's setting, even a doctor at that who dabbled in the occult. The family was never one to make waves or appear in the news after Abraham, though they remained English nobility, which added to the air of mystery around them. Only a few years ago, a decade or so, one of his descendants, a female, became the world's youngest to be knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and the details of her knighting ceremony were kept private. It has never been clarified what sort of business the family is in, only that they live in a heavily guarded (perhaps, too guarded) manor just outside of the city. For some, it was just too perfect. Nora herself had no opinion on the matter, but it was fun to see how heated the debates became on both sides and the elaborate explanations that were purposed.
It was a chilly winters evening with the sky darkening as members began to filter in to warmth of a meeting room of the London Library. The room filled with warmth of jovial greetings of old friends and new and with spirited conversations.
Nora noticed new attendees, a man and a woman, in the very backrow of the seating area, partially obscured by shadow and those in front of them. The man was tall and lanky but still powerfully built. His hair was short and dark, his skin very pale. He was strikingly handsome but his eyes we hidden behind dark sunglasses. He was dressed in a finely tailored charcoal suit with a blood red tie. He seemed engrossed in the conversations going on around him, but not included in.
The woman was beautiful, with a sharpness to her, like a finely crafted knife; beautiful, but deadly. She was almost as tall as the man, but was dressed slightly more casually in dark blue jeans, designer leather riding boots over them and a nice white blouse under a black pea coat. Her hair was long and blonde, her skin tawny. Her eyes were cerulean, covered by round, wire framed glasses. Her nose was buried in the society's magazine, Tales from the Dark. While neither looked like it, Nora had the feeling that these two people were in incognito. There was something off about them.
Nora was shook out of her reverie by a buzzing in her pocket, her phone alerting to the time, signaling her to start the meeting. She gathered her needed material and approached the lectern at the front of the room. All the standing attendees took their seats. Nora looked out to the room and saw many old, and dear, faces and a handful of new ones. She would estimate about fifty had shown up. She careful placed her notes on the lectern to refer to during her announcements.
"Welcome everyone!" She greeted brightly. "It's good to see you all again and to meet anyone new! Thank you all every much for coming! Now, our first order of business, I would like to take this time to allow our new members to introduce themselves."
One by one, the newbies stood up. Men and women, young and old, doctors, authors, historians, housewives, retirees, students, English, American, Australian, Asian, African. It was a well-rounded mix. The couple in the back did not make a move to stand and introduce themselves. No one else noticed but Nora, everyone looking at her expectantly, to go on with her announcements. It left her wondering if she was only one who could see them.
Dismissing the idea, Nora resumed her duties. "Next is to announce the plans for our next formal meeting in the summer. We decided at our last informal meeting that we will host an author for a reading. You may start submitting your suggestions."
"Stephenie Meyer!" Someone from the back exclaimed.
The suggestion either gained an eye roll, a scoff or a laugh from the membership. Nora did not see who it came from, but she wondered if it was from the strange man in the back.
Nora laughed politely and continued on. "Please have your funds for the trip to Transylvania by the end of the month. I must caution our new members to venture off and attempt to visit Poenari Citadel. I think by now most of you have heard what happened to Carlisle and Nicolas in 2005 when they tried to visit, alone, at midnight."
The man in the back began to snicker gleefully.
"It was the Dracula curse!" The society conspiracy theorist, Russell Welling, his face turned red exclaimed. "Who mysteriously comes down with unexplainable internal bleeding, only to stop the next day, after he is rushed from the Citadel, just as freakishly as it came on?"
The man in back was fighting to keep his laughter in check, his pale hand over his mouth. The woman noticed Nora was watching them and jabbed him with her elbow, silencing him.
Russell and the resident skeptic, Jacoby Buckingham, began a debate, "The route to the Citadel is treacherous and completely wild. Carlisle was on blood thinners and Nicolas couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time! They easily could have taken a misstep and hurt themselves that way." Buckingham argued.
"Gentlemen!" Nora called. The men stopped and looked at her. She gave them a look and they sat down. Both men looked at each other, silently communicating that the debate was not over.
"Now, then. We have covered all that we needed to and have ample time remaining. I believe do have time for a discussion." Russell and Jacoby opened their mouths to speak, but Nora silenced them, her hand stopping them.
"May I remind everyone that we are an academic society. The fantastical is reserved for the pub crawl afterwards." The room laughed appreciatively. She looked down and shuffled through her notes momentarily, finding the list of discussion topics members had previously suggested but had yet to use. She read the very first on the list.
"Tonight's topic is the relationship between Dracula and Van Helsing, as chosen by Catherine Miller. Cathy? Are you here?" The woman in question popped up from the middle of the seating area.
"Well, I just thought it was interesting how the two seemed to know each other when they met in the novel." Catherine explained, wringing her hands slightly as she spoke. "I think most of us have seen the movie 'Van Helsing' with Kate Beckinsale? So I know I'm not the only one who thinks this." She laughed airily.
The woman in back leaned forward in interest. Nora watched as the younger woman's blue eyes darted from speaker to speaker as the discussion waged. Nora had to force herself back to the task at hand, moderating the discussion.
Every now and then, the couple in the back would quietly laugh to each other as though they were in a joke that the rest of the room was not. They whispered to each other in what sounded to Romanian. Having been to Romania several times with the society, Nora understood some of the words and recognized the language but could not completely understand what they were saying. She could pick out the words, 'you' in reference to the man, and 'they' in reference to the speakers and the word 'wrong.' They were, however, respectful and kept their commentary to themselves. They were not bothering the other attendees so Nora let them be.
By the end of the night, the room was filled with life. Voices tinged with varying accents spoke excitedly to another. Theories were discussed and new friendships were forged as old ones grew closer. Nora stood at the lectern, watching everyone. The discussion had splintered off into groups by happenstance. It never ceased to amaze Nora how a simple work of fiction brought all these people together.
Nora flickered the lights to grab everyone's attention. "I'm afraid it's time to wrap everything up. It was very good seeing you all and I look forward to seeing everyone at the next meeting! Until then, don't let the vampire bite!" Nora and the room chuckled at the silly joke used to close out the meeting.
"Who's join' me for a round at Sam's?" Called one of the members, followed by several affirmatives.
Nora was one of the last to leave, returning the room to as it was by library standards and collected her things. Walking to the door, she saw the couple again. The woman grasped the arm of her companion, just above his elbow and her other on his forearm. A glint of silver caught her eye. On the woman's slender ring finger, on her left hand, was a signet ring with the Dracula crest. She turned her head to Nora, noticing that the other woman noticed her ring. She gave a small, knowing grin.
The man nodded to Nora, "Goodnight," He smiled a knowing smile, sharp canines clearly visible, his voice eerily without accent. Nora was visibly taken aback, but remained silent, realization dawning upon her. The woman chuckled as they left.
Just a little piece in celebration of my joining of the Dracula Society. I would like to thank all of you who have supported my work! A very special thank you goes to SaphiraBluFire who has recommended my Hellsing works to her followers!