Bitten by Time

Bitten by TimeLara BronsonTacit Press, LLC Copyright © 2023 Tacit Press, LLCAll rights reservedThe characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.Printed in the United States of America To my readers “Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks on this earth is the one who finds… true love?”Dracula, Bram Stoker Chapter 1“You’re never more aware of your surroundings than when you plan on traveling to a new corner of the world.” The thought brought me back to the Sea-Tac airport café, where I was waiting for my friend and roommate Mei to get us some coffee. Since the numbers on the clock neared two a.m., everything seemed a bit slower than usual, as if time or the perception of it resembled a disoriented sleepwalker’s steps. The barista, in a daze, kept moving the same cup from one place to another, a neighboring coffee drinker missed the sipping hole repetitively, and another traveler gave up entirely as he collapsed in the middle of an airport path. Yes, everyone felt the pressure of sleeplessness—everyone except Mei.When Mei approached the barista and squeaked her hello, it startled him out of his slumber. She then gave a glorious smile, making him blush though still in a daze, till he heard her order: “I’d like a Venti latte with one vanilla, two pumps of caramel syrup, three pumps of mocha, one pump of raspberry, double blended, with low fat whipped cream, caramel, and mocha drizzle.” Mei knew her favorite recipe so well that she could recite it like an incantation. She turned toward me and mouthed: “What do you want?”I answered in the same mime style, “an Americano, please. Thank you.” I didn’t want to torment the poor guy even more. He had had enough with one exuberant UW student.When the barista received my order request, the relief lowered his shoulders. But that’s how Mei was. Her jovial enthusiasm knew no limit, especially since her best friend, aka me, planned on traveling across the ocean to her dream destination. Since Mei and I were roommates at the University of Washington campus, she knew more about me than I learned about myself. So, when she heard I finally took the plunge and bought tickets to Romania, she jumped up and down in excitement.For some, Romania didn’t seem like a dream destination, but given that my father was Romanian and my Bachelor’s degree was in History, the trip’s significance became apparent. When my dad heard the news, he couldn’t contain his tears as if his daughter planned to become the first solo woman to embark on some kind of ancestral archeological exploration. But let’s be honest, everything they could find on those lands had already been discovered. Nonetheless, Mom had to calm him numerous times until she provided one of her “rejuvenating” teas, and suddenly he got better.They didn’t think much of the reason behind my decision, considering it a graduation present. But there was a second reason why I chose to leave for a while.It happened when I least expected it. He was my boyfriend at the time, the one who finally stuck. All prior dates ghosted me like shadows in the night right after our first date, as if something about me spooked them, so they never returned to ask for a second date. But not Elijah. He stayed with me even during finals or when I had a fight with my mom about not coming home for Spring break. We had been dating for several months, and all was so dream-like, but he came on to me one night after a drunken party. I refused to sleep with him because I still wasn’t ready. He tried to force himself on me. He ripped the buttons off my flannel shirt and scratched me while trying to remove my bra. I hit back hard, to the point where he was too drunk to fight, and I was too fired up to stop. I continued to slap him, which proved less effective. Kicking him in the shins produced far greater results. Afterward, he fell to the side, and I could finally breathe freely as his body weight had been lifted. He lay there half-asleep, defenseless, and I knew this was my only opportunity to take control of what had happened to me. I hit him a few more times as if he were a pillow, releasing all the anger, fear, and disappointment. The following day, I texted him to never look for me again and forget we were ever a thing.He listened and never contacted me for a while, but then started stalking me. Several times, I felt a shadow lurking behind me. Sometimes it seemed like my imagination was at work. Other times, I could distinctly hear footsteps. So, I took control of the situation again, and I bought tickets to Romania the following week. I had never felt as strong before. I always feared the consequences of my actions, except when it came to Elijah.Suddenly, the airport voice spoke, “Ladies and gentlemen, flight 76D to Frankfurt will be delayed for another hour. Excuse the inconvenience. We appreciate your patience. Thank you.”Just when I decided to embark on the journey of my life, my flight got delayed for more than eight hours. The delay wasn’t because of a big storm ravishing the land or unexpected high winds blasting the windows. No, just human error, which no one wished to divulge through the speakers. Everyone reacted to the news the same way, with a plenitude of disappointment.For a second, I wished to return to my cozy bed filled