It was as if some primal instincts were being aroused and the heat inside Ben flared up further. The dance, the laughter, the euphoria seemed to unshackle centuries of restraint built into his psyche, ever so slowly yet surely. It then dawned on him that if it was doing so much to him it must be overwhelming Joelle. 

“Agnes, snap out. I think we are drifting. Joelle may lose it any moment now,” Ben shook his wife out of her trance. 

“Oh dear, yes, we need to get out.” 

Ben snaked through the crowd without losing sight of Joelle or his demeanor. It would be unbecoming of him if he let his forefathers’ centuries of good work slip away. Ben was about to get him but the enlivened crowd and the salty fragrance from their sweat were muddling his senses.  

Then it happened. 

Joelle lost control and his canines emerged beyond his pursed lips. It would just be a matter of time before the wolf started preying on the sheep. At the moment though, Ben was nervous if any of the sheep had seen Joelle. There were two and he witnessed their nervous gaze at Joelle.  

“Damn it. Why did I not see this coming?” Ben pulled Joelle towards him, clasped him, and covered his face. The momentary relief from the euphoric seizure pulled Joelle back to his restrained senses. By then Agnes was close by too. 

“Agnes take him out of here.” 

“I will. Did anyone see?”

“Yes, two of them. There they are,” Ben noticed that both of them were running in the opposite direction, maybe to their homes. That was good news because it meant only two things. One, their family is not here and two, it gave Ben time to neutralize them.  

“Ben, get them. They cannot speak,” with that Agnes ran towards the car. Ben did not like doing it but he had no choice. The secret had to remain a secret. 

Ben ran behind the first one, an eleven-year-old lad, and once away from the crowd he flew and landed right in front of the kid. His canines grew and then a painful shrill followed. The boy fell to the ground. Then in no time, Ben caught up with the other man who tried to put up a fight but then winning against a vampire was not the chores of a weakling. He too fell to the ground with a shrill dampening the distant cling and clang of the festivities.

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Part 2

“So, was it taken care of?” Agnes asked. 

“Yes, wiped both their minds. They wouldn’t remember a thing from the festival.” 

“Good. Did not harm them, right?” 

“Why would I?” 

“Just checking,” Agnes smiled and then the door opened. 

“Will you ever get my daughter and grand-son any place in time?” Ben’s father – in – law had the choicest of accusation for him, as he had expected. He then moved in with Joelle jumping into his arms. 

“Your father sucks the blood out of my life,” Ben told Agnes. 

“Why, thanks, darling! You are a sweetheart,” Agnes said. 

“I meant in human terms,” Ben said it ever so gently that even a vampire couldn’t have heard. With a big sigh, he followed Agnes in. 

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This story is written in response to @bananafish’s Finish the story contest which can be found here. 

Image Courtesy: Pixabay