Page 1 of The Neighborhood Vampire

The First Sonata Movement

“ADAGIO SOSTENUTO”

Chapter 1

La Vie En Vino

Two wineglasses clinked together in the ethereal glow of the autumn moon. The whitish-blue hue bathed the trees of Wildgrove Park in light, fighting against the darkness of the night. It was still. Calm. Not a cloud in the sky. To Alice Primrose, it was perfect.

Alice and Hugo sat on a blanket in a clearing. A small picnic basket nestled between them. They each took a sip of their wine, sloshing it around in their mouths before drinking. Alice basked in the glow of the moon. She breathed in deeply. The smell of the crisp autumn air. The mustiness of the fallen leaves. It was heaven.

“So, Mr. Wine Connoisseur, what are your thoughts?” she asked Hugo.

“Well, it’s bold and fruity,” he replied.

“Bold and fruity, huh? You always say bold and fruity,” Alice teased.

“Let me finish,” Hugo responded with a sly smile. “It’s bold and fruity?—”

“We’ve established that,” Alice interjected.

“With a hint of sweetness that conjures the image of passion. Sexiness,” he said with a sultry gaze.

She lost herself in the gaze of his icy blue eyes. His eyebrows arched to complement his seductive smile. Alice bit her lips and blushed.

She averted her eyes, peering into her glass before asking, “Sexiness? Did you put it on the label?”

“No,” Hugo replied. “But Oliver wanted to put it on the label. Right under your silhouette. He said it would sell more wine.” Hugo took another sip.

“Did you? Please tell me you didn’t.”

“Carol wouldn’t let us,” Hugo said. “Are you sure you didn’t add anything magical to this wine? It’s making me feel something.”

Alice took another sip. “Other than how it was made, nope. It’s pure wine.” Alice paused. With a hint of panic in her voice, she asked, “Why? Is something wrong? What are you feeling?”

Hugo finished his glass and set it in the picnic basket. He moved the basket back, removing all barriers between him and Alice. He leaned in. The smell of his vanilla and cedar cologne, combined with the worn leather of his jacket, tantalized Alice’s senses. An unseen force emanated from Alice to Hugo, beckoning him to move closer to her, to touch her. He stopped short, teasing her, torturing her. She loved it.

“My stomach is twisted in knots. My heart beats uncontrollably. Madness runs through my mind. My soul aches for you. It’s driving me crazy. Surely, you put a spell on me,” Hugo proclaimed in a low, husky voice.

Alice leaned in, inviting, daring him to kiss her. Their lips hovered mere inches away, ready to remove the gap which separated them from their desires.

She whispered, “What if I did? Would that make me a bad witch? We’re in the woods, after all. Don’t bad witches live in the woods?”

Hugo removed Alice’s wide-brimmed, curvy, pointed hat and tossed it onto the ground. “I don’t think you’re a bad witch.”

“Be careful. I may lure you to my house,” Alice whispered.

“And then what?”

“You’ll just have to find out.”

“I look forward to it,” he replied.

His hand traced the contours of her jaw as it worked its way behind. His hand cradled the back of her head. His fingers entwined in her purple hair. He leaned in.

Their lips finally met in soft, tender embraces. Their tongues danced a familiar tango. A passionate union of two souls melded together by the fires of twin flames. Alice closed her eyes. The world faded away, leaving only the two of them behind. They lost themselves in all reality, time, and space. There was nothing else, only their love.

Alice leaned back to the ground and Hugo followed, never breaking their union. He caressed her head so it met the ground softly and safely. He leaned over her. Their hearts beat as one. His body shielded her from the night sky.

---