Irish Vampire Stalks Prague!

Elizabeth wandered the streets of the Little Town of Prague. She had said good night to Alessandro in the hotel lobby, having given him a quick kiss on the cheek. They had been flirting on the Charles Bridge when he seemed suddenly taken ill and had retreated to his room for the night. But she was awake. She was hungry.

She made her way back out into the night air. Prague was surprisingly lively. People filled the streets despite the hour. She stood in the darkness and breathed deeply. She knew the air at this time of year was humid but the city smelled remarkably fresh. She had never been to Prague and was eager to enjoy the delights it offered. She made her way back to the Charles Bridge.

Jazz was still playing at the other end of the bridge, the music swirling through the air. Couples walked along the bridge while small knots of tourists stopped to admire the views of the brightly illuminated castle from the causeway. Some people made their way to the base of St. John’s statue to rub the brass plates for luck. Teenage boys whooped and hollered, darting between the more staid adults. Elizabeth stepped onto the bridge and into the happy stream of humanity making their way through the night.

She walked along the bridge a short distance and then made her way down a staircase leading to a cobblestone plaza spread out along the river. The plaza was less crowded than the bridge, but the doors to the taverns and restaurants all stood open, filling the plaza with laughter and chatter.

She strolled along the plaza, smiling at the people she passed. Several of the men paused and smiled in return, nodding their acknowledgement of her presence to the consternation of their girlfriends and wives.

“Interesting,” she said to herself. “Several interesting possibilities here, but… No, none are quite right.” She paused and closed her eyes. She breathed deeply and caught the fragrance she was searching for. The whisper of a scent beckoned her and she followed it, continuing unhurriedly through the plaza and into the grassy park area beyond. The river was always beside her as she walked along the dark path. Fewer people were along the river here, all couples arm in arm in the moonlight. As she passed, nearly all the men turned their heads without even being aware there might be a choice to do otherwise.

Then she saw the one she sought ahead.

A man sat alone on a park bench, hunched forward with his elbows on his knees, leaning towards the water. He was in his mid-thirties, and swarthy. The sports jacket he wore was stretched tight across his broad shoulders. She made her way to his side and sat beside him. She put her elbows on her own knees. Their shoulders brushed.

Startled, the man looked up at Elizabeth. She could see his eyes glitter.

“Hello,” she purred in her Irish accent. “Do you speak in English?”

“A bit,” he acknowledged, smiling in return. The rough stubble on his cheeks was darkly etched in the stark light of the streetlamp beside them. This close to him and at this angle, Elizabeth could see that the top buttons of his shirt were undone. Elizabeth shook her long tresses to catch his attention.

“Where are you from?” she asked.

“Turkey,” he answered, his English decorated with the ripple of an accent. “Istanbul. You?” He pulled a cigarette pack from a pocket and offered her one.

“Dublin,” she replied, shaking her head gently to decline his offer. He took a cigarette from the pack and replaced the pack in his pocket. He lit the cigarette and turned towards her. He blew a stream of smoke up and away from Elizabeth’s face. “Have you come to Prague before?” he asked.

“No,” she admitted. “Have you?” She smiled again, resting the tip of her tongue against her teeth. She could feel the man’s nervousness dissolving as tension of another sort built.