The Heart of Dracula.

Gabriela POV:

I grabbed the manila envelope from my desk and ran out the door. I hurried down the stairs and came to a dead stop at the building’s rear entrance. I opened the door cautiously, checking if anyone was in the alleyway. I could feel his watchful eyes burning a hole in the back of my head these past few days, and my suspicions were only confirmed when I received warning that Zayn knows I have the map. That’s why I needed to send it somewhere safe before they got ahold of it.

I walked out the door, glancing around at my surroundings as I made my way to the main street. I hurried down the sidewalk, checking over my shoulder every few seconds, always wondering how close they were. I had never thought things would end up this way when I came to Romania. I thought it was all a story and that I wouldn’t find anything on my trip, but what I discovered changes history.

When Luke first told me the “story” about the heart of Dracula existing, I called bullshit, thinking this was another one of his crazy treasure hunts. But here I am today, walking down the streets of Romania with an envelope that contains the very clues to finding the supposed heart of Dracula.

Flashback:

Luke burst through the doors abruptly, the push bar crashed into the wall, and I dropped my brush as the bang startled me. I glared at him, but he cared nonetheless as he hurried towards me and slammed a stack of papers on the desk.

He threw his bag on the floor and stared at me with a wild look in his eyes. “Guess what I found?” Luke said in a frenzied tone.

Closing my eyes, I shook my head at his dramatic demeanour. “What?” I questioned, turning my attention back to my work.

Luke grabbed the brush from my hand and threw it over his shoulder. “You’ve heard the stories about Dracula and Van Helsing, right?” He asked me in a rush, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head now.

I raised my head and looked into his eyes, a scowl on my face. I gestured toward my brush that lay on the floor. “What the fuck? That was rude, and who hasn’t.” I told him, irritation in my tone. Luke had a tendency to get overly excited at times, and although I adored the man, he truly knew how to test my patience.

He slid the papers toward me, a sly smile gracing his thin lips. “Well, what if I told you that there is another version to the story, one not written in the history books and that everything we thought we knew about folklore is all bullshit,” Luke said without taking a breath, his eagerness to tell me more evident in the way he tapped his foot.

I rolled my eyes and sighed heavily. “I would probably think you are on drugs,” I told Luke as I walked over to grab my brush from the floor.

He gripped my hand and turned me to face him. “I’m serious, Gabby. The other night when I was at the club, I overheard some dude telling his buddy that Van Helsing was unsuccessful in killing Dracula. He went on to say that according to his sources, Van Helsing had to cut out Dracula’s heart, separating it from his body as it was the only way to detain him permanently. Van Helsing then cut up his body, discarded the parts worldwide, and hid the heart in a secret location only known to the Van Helsing bloodline.” For added dramatics, Luke stepped closer to me, peering around the room as if we weren’t the only two in here. “The man also said that there is a map which leads to the heart, and if found, Dracula will rise again, granting his saviour the riches of the world.” He told me in a hushed tone, and I rolled my eyes at the prospect of this even being true.

I pulled my arm from his grasp, and my shoulders slumped. “Luke, this is...” I began to say, but Luke cut me off before I could continue.

Luke shook his head rapidly, his eyes nearly bulging out of his eye sockets. “No, Gab, it’s all real. I’ve been doing my own research, and it all makes sense. The devil is in the details, and he stands before you.” Luke told me cryptically as he put the papers in front of my face, urging me to read them.

End of flashback.

Taking those papers from Luke and agreeing to go on this hunt was one of the worst things I had ever done. Now, everything is a mess, Luke is gone, and my very life now hangs in the balance for what I discovered.

I walked into the post office, the sound of the bell ringing loudly as I pushed the door open. The few people inside the building stopped to stare upon my entry, and I froze as the door slammed shut behind me, feeling anxious under the scrutiny of their wary gaze. Then, I stood in line and waited impatiently for my turn. I peered over my shoulder every few seconds, nearly giving myself whiplash, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the next person to walk through the door would be here for me.

I approached the counter after waiting for what felt like an hour. “Hello, I need to send this to New York City,” I told the woman as I held out the envelope. The only person I felt like I could trust anymore was Theodora, my little sister and the further I could send this away, the better.

The woman ripped the envelope from my hand with a scowl and an attitude to match. She weighed the package and punched the numbers into her computer before turning back to me with a frown. “Regular or express?” The woman questioned, her tone impatient.

I looked at the envelope briefly, then turned back to the woman. “Express,” I said, needing the envelope to be in Theo’s hands as soon as possible.

The woman looked at her computer and the sound of her nails clicking against the keys rang throughout the air. “100 Leu.” She said shortly, and I reached into my bag, retrieving my wallet.

I handed the money to the woman, and she printed out a sticker, slapping it onto the envelope before throwing it into the bin behind her. She then handed me the receipt and gave me a curt smile. “Come again.” The woman said in a tone that was anything less than welcoming.

I grabbed the receipt. “Thanks,” I said, then left the post office, feeling a sense of ease wash over me and knowing that no matter what happens now, at least the envelope is in good hands. I looked up and down the streets, scanning for any familiar faces.

I watched as everyone casually strolled the sidewalk, going about their day and minding their business. I walked down the street, my eyes wandering all around me for anyone that could be following, but I seemed to be in the clear.

I continued down the sidewalk, watching as the snow covered the concrete and a cold breeze nipped at my exposed skin. I stopped to zip up my coat, and that’s when I noticed a man following closely behind me. His watchful gaze was set on me, and he stayed within a short distance, careful to turn a blind eye when I looked his way. My heart raced in my chest, and I did my best to act normal, but my shaky hands gave me away.

My throat dipped in fear, and I continued down the street cautiously. Finally, I slipped down a random alley to see if my assumptions were correct and waited impatiently for the man to show his face. Moments passed, and no one followed after me. I ran a hand through my hair, thinking that maybe I was overthinking things and I was just losing my mind.

I closed my eyes and let out an exhausted breath of air. I chuckled and shook my head, feeling silly for hiding out in an alleyway. I turned around and came face to face with a towering man. He glared down at me, a sinister grin placating his thin lips and my muscles tensed at the fierce look in his eyes.

He stepped closer to me. “Got you.” The man said, the cynicism in his tone creeping along my spine, and I took a weary step back.

The man raised a hand and waved his finger. “I wouldn’t run if I were you.” He warned, and I considered his words for a moment.

I smiled and threw my belongings in his face before taking off in the opposite direction. However, I barely put a car’s length between us when he roughly gripped me by the hair and tossed me to the ground like garbage. My head bounced off the concrete, and a thousand black dots clouded my vision.

The man stood over me, looking down with satisfaction. “Night, night.” He whispered before raising his boot above my head, and I rolled onto my side, shielding my face with my arms.