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Chapter Four - The Ye Olde Tavern

(Be warned: This chapter is slightly more serious compared to the previous ones.)

I'm going to pull a William Goldman here, and say that the original plan of this storyline was to show the change of days between Niff and Dracula's meeting and what happened between then and now. However, what was written was very long and boring (especially to the author of this story who is very lazy and ADD), so I left it out. ::wink wink::

So! Let's all imagine that it's now late December and Niff has been living in a room above a store within the village, for the past week. Sick of answering questions about her appearance,

(Villager: Where did you get your shoes, and what is this "mall" you speak of?)

she has discarded all of her 21st century styled clothing and has found a new wardrobe for herself. Though, unlike the female villagers in this story, Niff now wears a long sleeved shirt under a corset, pants, and strapped boots; all of which ofcourse, are black.

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We now find our two characters, Niff and Dracula, walking down a snow-covered dirt road together. Both are in dark cloaks; Niff in one for warmth, Dracula in one to keep the sun off of him and for not wanting to cause mass hysteria among the village people.

(The Cop: Oh my gosh! Is that Count Dracula?

The Native American: No, I don't think so.

The Cop: Ok good, for a second there I thought we'd all have to break into mass hysteria...

All Village People: (singing) Macho, macho mahhhhn... )

Dracula was a bit nervous because in all 440 years of his life, he had never taken anyone on a date; he claimed that all of the women in his life came to him and then they just kinda stayed there... Niff was also nervous. Not only that, but she was still quite beside herself at the thought of dating a tall, pale, dead-

(Dracula: UN-dead, thank you; there's an enormous difference.)

(Narrator: Sorry. I swear, you're becoming worse than Niff...)

(Dracula: (Clearly insulted) I demand you take that back!)

(Narrator: ::rolls eyes:: Moving on...)

-undead man, who happened to be incredibly hott.

Niff: Alright, so, I'm confused.

Dracula: About what?

Niff: Why in the world have you not drained my blood yet? I mean, you're Count Dracula; you're not supposed to show mercy and all of that other crap. Don't you normally just seduce a woman, turn her into a vampire, and then you just kind of move on?

Dracula: Well, yeah actually. But that would completely change the planned plot of this whole fanfic.

Niff: Oh. Yeah, I forgot about that. It'd just be another Drac/OC fic written by a crazed fan girl.

Dracula: Life's a bitch ain't it?

Niff: ::stops walking:: ...since when do you say "ain't"?...

Ignoring the fact that he went completely OOC as well as the question being presented, Dracula stopped walking and stood in front of the "Ye Olde Tavern". Niff scurried up next to him.

Niff: (looking at the building) It's very....

Dracula: Cliche?

Niff: Yeah.

Dracula: ::nods:: Let's go in.

Niff walked up the short stairs and in through the door with Dracula right behind her. She had never seen a place quite like this before, atleast in person. Inside was a bar at the back, and many tables scattered throughout. There were many shifty looking characters that only took brief notice of their appearance. Dracula had his cloak hood up that cast a shadow over his face, as not to give away his cover.

They had only waited a few moments before a waitress came up to them with a forced cheery smile.

Waitress: So how are you folks this afternoon?

As she said this, a loud noise came from the bar area behind the waitress.

Niff: God, what was that?!

A glass had fallen to the floor.

Dracula: God had nothing to do with it...

He said it with hatred in his voice at the thought of God. But as he said it, all of the lights flickered and a man at a nearby table spontaneously combusted.

The waitress spun around at hearing the man screaming and then quickly turned back around with wide eyes. The burnt man was still smoldering and giving off a stream of black smoke.

Waitress: So! I see you'll want the smoking section... Right this way!

Niff rolled her eyes at both of them and grabbed Dracula's arm as the waitress lead them to a table.

Dracula: (whispering) Since when has the Ye Olde Tavern been a sit-down type restraunt?

Niff: ::shrugging:: How the hell should I know?

Waitress: (Overhearing) It's not. I was just forced this job because I lost a bet with the manager.

Figuring it was best not to say anything, Niff and Dracula sat down at their booth and just kind of stared at each other until the waitress had left. Since it was dark where they were sitting, Dracula took off his cloak and set it down next to him.

Niff: Well, wait... So, is she coming back or is anyone coming over here to take our order?

Dracula was a bit perplexed himself and merely shrugged.

Dracula: I think we should just wait a little while before making any action.

Niff: Good idea. You know, it's really sweet of you to take me out in the middle of the day like this. I mean, with you being a vampire and all.

Dracula: Don't mention it. ::winks::

Niff gave a small smile back at him and blushed. It wasn't like her to be all mushy over a guy but she couldn't help herself. Trying not to just completely stare at him, she continued on with their short, current conversation.

Niff: I'm serious though, because won't you die if you get in the sunlight?

Dracula: No, it'll turn me into ashes but as soon as the sun comes off of me I'll go back to my normal state. Plus, I've already died twice.

Niff: (quite shocked) ::raises an eyebrow:: Twice?

Dracula: ::Smirking:: Yes, twice. The first time I was a human and made a pact with the Devil and such and such.. (Kind of waving it away) But the second time, I was killed by a man named Van Helsing... Well actually, come to think of it, both times I was killed by Gabriel... ::Incoherent muttering::

He had loathing in his voice as he said the name and there was hatred in his eyes. Niff had only once heard of this man that Dracula spoke of, but she couldn't put a name to a face. The look of anger and inner torment slid off his face as he continued on with his story.

Dracula: ...my weakness was the bite of a werewolf; somehow he managed to find out and use it to his advantage. But ofcourse, I went back to Hell after that. Fortunately, the Devil found it more amusing for him to watch me suffer up here, rather than down there. So, now I'm on Earth again, and werewolves have no affect on me anymore.

He said this almost proudly, and wore a dark grin that made him look even more devilish than before, especially for whomever heard the conversation. Dracula had a feeling of superiority and power over Niff in his mind as he revealed to her what had happened to him before their first encounter with eachother.

Now granted, Niff knew that she was in the presence of a creature who happened to be quite evil, but I guess it hadn't really dawned on her until now that he was infact, well, evil. She had always had a thing for creepy guys but every once in a while there'd be a guy who'd come around and she wouldn't be sure if he was "creepy-hott" or just "creepy". But up until this very moment, she never had a "scary-as-fuck" catagory; but like I said, up until this point...

-Zoom to the opposite side of the Ye Olde Tavern-

Woman: Yeah I hear yah there... ::Takes a drink from her glass::

A woman sat at a booth drinking what seemed to be a glass of liquor, most likely absinthe. Apparently agreeing with a previous comment made by the creature opposite of her, she nodded along with the response. She had shoulder length brown hair, which was tied back into a bun, and blue eyes. She looked around the age of 30 and yet her real age was only about 18. The woman was actually quite pretty, which was why it was hard to explain why she seemed to be on a date with an armadillo. Strange fetish perhaps?

From the other side of the table sat a large armadillo. It's common knowledge that all armadillos are alcoholics, and are all named Joshua. That's just the way it is. Anyway, this is the point in the story where the author somehow has to fit in her friend's strange request for being in the story as a drug-addicted armadillo, so beware the personification.

Joshua: ::Takes a sip of his drink:: You know Britt, I know we just met but-.

Britt: (Interrupting) Josh, I told you, we can only be friends if that. I think that maybe I should leave...

Josh having no friends was quite desperate for company and quite often bribed people for their time with drugs or alcohol.

Joshua: NO! Please stay... I'll buy you another drink? Please?

-Zoom back to Dracula and Niff-

Niff was terrified. What had she gotten herself into? She was on a date with Vlad the Impaler. Vlad the Impaler for godsakes! Oh no, and this wasn't just Vlad the Impaler either, this was Vlad the Impaler on steroids. A man who impaled people on sticks for amusement while he was alive, killed, re-born by Satan into a vampire, killed again, once again re-born by the Devil, and now sitting infront of her on a dinner date in the Ye Olde Freaking Tavern! Her mouth went dry and she began trembling. The worst feeling Niff could ever feel was the combination of fear and worry, the feeling she had right now. If she could have moved her legs, she'd probably have run, but in her current state of fear there wasn't much she could do.

Dracula watched as fear took over the girl sitting before him. It amused him to a point, but then realized that he actually liked Niff. She wasn't like anyone he had been with before, and she was especially not like his last three brides, who happened to be way too melodramatic. In other words, he didn't want to make her flee in terror on the first date.

Niff started to say something but it only came out as a nervous squeak. Smiling gently, Dracula lightly put his hand over hers on the table. She jumped a bit and looked at it. Surprising she felt a little better, and started to look up at him. Dracula sat up and leaned over the table towards her. Still leaving his hand on hers, he took his other hand and slowly put it against the side of her face, under her chin to raise her face to meet his. Their eyes met, blue on blue.

Looking into his eyes, Niff felt calmed and safe. She opened her mouth to say something, but he put his thumb over her mouth to quiet her. Still smiling, he tried to think of something romantic to say, but sadly all he could come up with was,

Dracula: (Seriously) If you and I were Squirrels, I'd store my nuts in your hole.

Dracula moved his thumb away from her lips and at that same moment Niff started laughing at the sheer stupidity and inuendo of his comment. This made him giggle a little bit as well as he moved closer and planted a soft kiss on her lips. He pulled away and took his hand off her face. Niff blushed but gently gripped his hand that was still on hers.

-Zoom back to Britt and Joshua-

He was really pleading at this point. Being an armadillo in Northern Transylvania was a hard life, and Britt was the only person who had even talked to him this long. Apparently they had met at an AA meeting and it was quite obvious that neither of them was getting anything out of it.

Britt: ::Sigh:: ...Alright. One more drink, but that's it!

Truth be told, Britt was only on this "date" because she felt bad for the plated rodent. That and the fact she was getting free absinthe. Even though Joshua was from the area, Britt was not, and was a bit concerned of her surroundings. She never fit in well at taverns.

Joshua: (Relieved) Great! I'll be right back with our drinks!

He jumped down from the booth seat and scurried towards the bar. being careful not to get stepped on.

-Zoom back to Dracula and Niff-

They just sat there and stared at eachother for a while, both with small smiles. "Maybe he's just misunderstood", thought Niff after thinking about her previous ideas of him. Though after a short while, wanting to break the tension, and realizing that no one had come to their table yet, Dracula decided it would be a good time to head to the bar.

Dracula: I guess I'll to go to the bar to get us something. What'd you like?

Niff, surprised at the sudden question, snapped back into reality. She, not even knowing what the Ye Olde Tavern served, looked around at the other tables in the room to see what everyone else was eatting. Unfortunately, nothing looked remotely appetizing.

Niff: I'll just have what you're having.

Thinking better of it...

Niff: Wait! No! Bad idea. Umm... I'll just have some sort of chicken sandwich.

Dracula: ::Snickering to himself:: Alright, I'll be right back.

After giving her a quick grin. He let go of her hand, got up, and strode over to the bar, trying not to make notice of himself. The room was filled with people who seemed to be the usual mix of gruff, mildly evil, and mythical people along with some traveling strangers who wouldn't know the difference between a hell beast and an iMac; knowing this, he didn't bother putting his cloak back on. Granted, the people in the tavern who were regulars to the area would recognize him, but for the most part they wouldn't care; it's not like vampires just randomly attack anything that moves.

BUT, speaking of things that do randomly attack anything that moves, the door of the Ye Olde Tavern swung open, and in stepped a tall man with a large coat, a brown hat, and quite an array of weapons attached to him. Van Helsing.

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Please feel free to review or comment on anything. I don't appreciate flaming, but if you have any ideas, please feel free to express them. (Or,if the case may be, need anything explained. )

I'm not sure when Chapter 5 will be up, but probably within the month.