The characters featured do not belong to me. This work is not for profit and meant as artistic expression inspired by the original work.
Novem (Three by Three by Three)
by Beth
It took Dracula three nights to rise. Three nights to regain his strength. And three nights to find the hunter again.
Before the ninth dawn, his Gabriel stood at the shore of the Adriatic. The dim light woke blue and grey traces in the dark waters. The rocks of the coastline were uneven and sharp, forcing Dracula to pay attention to each step as he approached the other.
Gabriel kept his eyes on the west, imagining perhaps the faded grandeur that was Rome, on the far side of the sea. Dracula knew there were a hundred things he could say, from hurtful barbs to simple questions on memories lost, but he did not want to be the one to break the silence.
"Then the tales were true." Gabriel's voice was tight, brittle. "About vampires rising-"
"Yes." Dracula let his hand rest on Gabriel's shoulder.
Gabriel's hand covered his. The ring was a darker shadow in the pre-dawn mist. "Don't make me kill you again."
"If you do it three times, it becomes truth."