Billy The Kid Meets Dracula's Daughter

It was late in the summer of 1881 as a dark stage coach made it's way across the lonesome dessert landscape of the New Mexico Territory in the southwestern part of America. It carried in it only one passenger, a young man who sat slouched in his seat with his head leaning against the coach's side wall and his hat pulled down over his face in order to better get some shut-eye during the long journey from La Junta to Fort Sumner.

Just after nine'o'clock in the evening, the coach pulled up to a station in the small town of Roswell, though, to pick up one more passenger before going on to its final destination. The coach driver brought his horses to a stop next to the old wooden building and then dismounted to assist the lone woman who stood outside waiting, noting as he did so that she was dressed all in black, including a black cloak with a hood that was pulled over her head. A widow, he figured, and so he didn't question it. All he asked her was, "Any luggage?"

The woman, whose young, lovely face was as pale as the moon, shook her head no.

The driver shrugged and then opened the door to the coach and helped her inside.

"Thank you," the woman said, once she had climbed aboard and taken her seat across from the sleeping man. She had an accent that was hard to place. The old driver tipped his hat to her and then shut the door.

"We'll be in Fort Sumner in a few hours," he announced, and then he climbed back up to the driver's box and yelled, "Yah!" which urged the horses onward.

For about an hour the mysterious woman sat in silence, looking out her window at the desolate landscape passing her by. There was something about the way the moonlight made the rocks and dead trees cast eerie shadows on the dessert sand that made her feel comfortable and at peace. This place reminded her of her homeland far, far away. She was so lost in the beauty and decay of the southwest, plus her own far away thoughts that she didn't even pay any attention to her sleeping traveling companion. That is until somewhere off in the distance there could be heard a plaintive howling.

"Children of the night," the woman said to herself in a dreamy kind of way.

"Coyotes," said the man sitting across from her, suddenly, and with certainty. "What sweet music they make, huh?"

He pushed his hat up with one finger. "How do you do, ma'am," he said and then yawned.

"Greetings," said the woman formally. "I am Countess Zaleska. Marya Zaleska."

"The name's William Bonn- er, Roberts. William Roberts. You can call me Bill, though," said the man with a polite tip of his hat.

Countess Zaleska studied him for a moment. Sticking out from underneath his dark colored hat was short, wavy blonde hair which looked like it was as soft as down feathers. His eyes were a clear baby blue that looked innocent, yet intelligent at the same time, and he had a crooked smile that made her smile slightly herself. Everything about the man gave her the impression of a little boy. In fact, he couldn't possibly be more than nineteen or twenty, Zaleska thought.

"Pleasure to meet you, Bill," she said.

"You French?" Bill asked, bluntly.

The countess gave a small laugh. "No, I am from Transylvania." she said. "In central Europe."

"You're a long way from home," said Billy, almost threateningly.

Countess Zaleska could tell that that was unintentional. She could sense when someone was being hostile or not.

"I've come to... to visit an old friend," she said.

"In Fort Sumner?" Bill asked. "What's their name. I might know them."

"It is doubtful. His name is Dr. Jeffrey Garth. He has not lived in this country for very long."

"Ah. I see," said Bill. "Well, I'm not one to pry into other people's business." He leaned back and looked out his own window for a moment.

There was an awkward silence.

"Beautiful country," said Countess Zaleska, suddenly, trying to break it. "Are you from Fort Sumner?"

"Silver City," Bill said, looking back at her.

"Pretty name," she said. "Though I am not especially fond of silver."

Bill happened to glance down at the countess's pale hands, which she held in her lap. She wore a large, ornate, gold ring with a jewel in it on one finger.

"Prefer gold, do yuh?" Bill asked.

The countess looked down at the ring herself.

"Oh, yes, an old family heirloom," she said. "So what brings you to make this trip?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I'm visiting an old friend too... of sorts," said Bill. "Name o' Pete."

Bill furrowed his brow and then looked out the window again with a sad expression on his face that Zaleska immediately recognized.

Countess Zaleska was a woman with many secrets and so could easily tell when others were keeping some of their own. This Bill was a friendly, outgoing type, but she could sense there were many things, many dark things, about himself that he must keep hidden from others. She could relate.

"I'm not one to pry either," she said, wondering is she should continue, "But I get the sense that you are in some kind of trouble."

Bill gave her a an angry look that quickly turned to curious.

"Ain't everybody in one way or another?" he said.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to be so forward," said Zaleska. "It's just that you seem awfully burdened for one so young."

"I'm twenty-one, I''ll have you know," said Bill, indignantly. "And you can't be all that much older than me."

"Appearances can be deceiving," said Zaleska.

Bill gave her a sideways glance. Something about her, maybe her foreignness, made her incredibly appealing and he couldn't be too offended by what she said even if he wanted to be.

"If I seem burdened it's because I am," he said. "My mother died six years ago come September, my stepfather abandoned me. Now here I am out in the dessert alone trying to make my own way with life trying to thwart me at every turn."

"I am sorry," said Zaleska. "My father also died. Recently."

"Seems like that's all parents are good for, eh?" said Bill, bitterly. Then he laughed a humorless laugh.

Countess Zaleska was a cold woman, but she could still feel some things like passion, pain, and even pity under the right circumstances. At this moment she wasn't quite sure what she felt, but she felt it very strongly for this lonely orphan boy sitting across from her trying so hard to be a tough guy.

"My ring," she said, suddenly, holding it up. "You commented on it. Would you like to get a closer look?" she held it out to Bill, who gave her a questioning glance and then took her hand in his and looked at the ring. He suddenly began to feel very warm and content. The anger that had been building up inside him since he'd started thinking about his life began to slip away to be replaced by a blank nothingness that felt good.

"Bill," Countess Zaleska whispered. Bill looked up into her deep brown eyes with his dazed blue ones. "Bill, how would you like to never be alone again? How would you like to be forever young and have power beyond your wildest dreams?"

"Okay," Bill said in a small, far away voice.

The countess leaned down and at the same time pulled Bill's neck towards her mouth.

Several hours later the stage coach pulled into the Fort Sumner station. The driver climbed down from his box again and opened the door for his passengers. Countess Zaleska stepped out looking alert and refreshed. Her hood was pulled down and she greeted the late night air like an old friend. Stumbling behind her out of the coach came Bill looking happy, yet dizzy, like he'd just spent the night at a saloon with a brothel above it.

After they had both disembarked and made their way out of the driver's earshot, the countess took Bill by the shoulders and looked him over. He wore a red scarf around his neck and she pulled that up to hide the two puncture marks she had made in his jugular.

"I'm not usually so impetuous," she said to him. "I feel like a young maiden again."

"I tend to bring that out in ladies," Bill said with cockiness.

Zaleska gave him a stern look. "Now don't go getting too full of yourself. You're only half way there. Tomorrow night after I've completed my business here, I will come for you at your friend's house and we will leave this place together."

"I know, I know," said Bill, annoyed. "I ain't a kid, you don't have to keep after me like that."

Countess Zaleska looked at him and again was brought to smile just by his boyish charm alone. It must be your young blood," she said and then leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. To spite himself, he blushed.

"Goodbye, Bill," said the countess. Then she turned and walked away.

"Hasta que nos volvamos a ver," Bill whispered after her.

Then they went their separate ways.

To Be Continued