by Amy Cross
Showing no sign of any reaction, Edgar continued to stare straight ahead.
"Perhaps the vampire does not care," Alderman Petrov said, stopping directly behind Edgar. "Perhaps, to the vampire, death is just an inconvenience. After all, the world must seem very different to one who has such powers. An ungodly heretic, born of the Devil's mind. Does not this lack of emotion serve to remind us why we should show no care for the life of such a beast? His own sister, a mortal girl drawn into his sickening world, and he cares not for her death. What cold blood must flow through this monster's veins, that he utters not one word of sorrow at her passing." Leaning closer, Alderman Petrov smiled as he admired Edgar's pale skin. "Is that why you desire human blood? For its warmth?"
"Kill him!" a voice called from the crowd. "Don't give him a chance to run!"
"He won't run," Alderman Petrov replied. "God is holding him in place."
Slowly, a smile crept across Edgar's lips.
"You find something amusing?" Alderman Petrov asked. He waited for a response. "This game has gone on long enough," he continued eventually, placing the tip of the stake against Edgar's back. "Rest assured, we shall ensure that your body is never again able to rise from its grave. We know how to make a vampire stay dead, Mr. LeCompte. Your villainy shall not rise from the grave. The line of your evil shall end here."
With that, he forced the stake into Edgar's back until the tip emerged through his chest.
"Scream," Alderman Petrov whispered. "Show your pain."
Still staring straight ahead, Edgar showed no reaction to the stake that had been driven through his heart. There was still a smile on his lips, and his eyes held a dark glare that seemed to already contain a hint of death.
"Worthless sinner," Alderman Petrov continued, slowly twisting the stake. "Had you lived a virtuous life, you would now feel God guiding you through the pain of death. Instead, it is Satan who prepares to welcome you. I'm sure you realize that you will burn for all eternity. Perhaps, finally, you will one day realize that you should never have turned your back on the Lord."
As he finally pulled the stake from Edgar's back, the alderman stepped away and waited for the final moment. After a minute had passed, however, he realized that no blood was flowing from the wound. Turning to look at the crowd, he saw worried looks on the faces of those who had gathered to witness the execution of the two monsters. Although they had faith in God, the people clearly worried that the power of Satan might prove to be too strong.
Realizing that he must take the lead, Alderman Petrov walked around to look at Edgar's face, and he quickly saw that the wretch was dead. He had died on his knees, without buckling or falling, without calling out or bleeding more than a couple of drops.
"Is he dead?" asked a nearby voice from the crowd.
Alderman Petrov nodded, although in truth he was concerned that some kind of trickery might be at play. Finally, removing a knife from around his waist, he approached the body. Without saying a word, he placed the blade against Edgar's neck and began to hack away. It took a few minutes for the job to be finished, but finally, as two other men held the corpse's shoulders, Alderman Petrov tore the head away and dropped it to the ground.
"Can there be any doubt now?" he asked the assembled crowd.
A hush fell upon the crowd. Most of the men stared in shocked awe at the horrific scene, while the women and children looked away.
"Take the bodies," Alderman Petrov said to his assistants. "Ensure that they're buried deep, in unmarked graves on the edge of town. And bind their hands and feet together. The male in particular is a wicked creature, and he might yet try to force his way back into our world. We shall have to remain vigilant."
Turning, he walked past the crowd and made his way toward the town. With the bloodied stake in his hand, he reminded himself that God would surely be pleased that such sinful wretches had been executed. Filled with a sense of his own self-importance, Alderman Petrov finally reached the edge of town and looked back to see that the crowd was slowly following him, while his assistants were carrying the two dead bodies away.
With the sinners having been killed, Alderman Petrov was convinced that the town would soon return to prosperity, and that God would allow the people of the region to once again feel the warmth of his love. His only concern was that the graves would not hold such vile bodies, although he felt that God would surely help to press down the soil.
Chapter Two
Bulgaria, 350 years ago
"Was he really a vampire, father?" asked the young girl as she gathered plates from the table. "I mean... do such things exist?"
"It pains me that you even ask such a question," Alderman Petrov replied, glancing with disdain at his youngest child. "Have I not taught you that evil dwells in many parts of the world, and shows its faces in many forms?"
"But why would God create such monstrosities?" the girl continued. "The Bible makes no mention of these creatures."
"Such passages have been excised," Alderman Petrov explained. "The story of Lilith was deemed too horrific to be relayed to honest men and women, but the book of Genesis once explained with great clarity how Lilith seduced Adam before becoming the queen of all those who have taken on demonic form. You should be glad that the Bible has had such dark secrets removed, else the whole world would remain in permanent and rapt fear. These dark creatures have been driven back to the shadows, but they still exist and only our faith will prevent them from returning."
"Yes, father," the girl replied, carefully taking the plates out of the room.
"You mustn't scare the child," Alderman Petrov's wife said after a moment. "She's very impressionable."
"I don't mean to scare her," he replied, "but I do mean to make her aware of the dangers that exist in the world. It's all very well for us to sit and claim that vampires don't exist, but such ideas will not help us when the creatures are climbing through our windows. You saw the famine that came to our land when those two wretches came to the town. Edgar LeCompte was no ordinary man. He was a creature of the night, and he possessed his sister's undying loyalty. We have done the world a great service by cutting short their miserable lives."
"But did it have to be in such a violent manner?" his wife asked. "It seems most distasteful to hack the head from a man's shoulders."
"He was no man," Alderman Petrov replied darkly. "He was a beast."
"But still -"
"I'm afraid there is no other way to deal with such vile creatures. They cannot be killed by normal means, but they can be cut down and buried in such a way as to prevent them ever returning. Even if Edgar LeCompte is not entirely dead, he shall never be able to trouble us again. With his head removed, the vampire can cause no further harm."
"And you're sure of that?"
Alderman Petrov nodded. "I have studied texts, Sarah, and I have heard tales from other towns. I know of these creatures, and I know their weaknesses. There have been others in the world, and there will perhaps be others again. They are powerful, but it is God's will that they must be destroyed. And that is precisely what I have done today. I have obeyed the Lord." He paused for a moment. "Someone had to step up, my dear," he added eventually, with a hint of pride. "I saw no other man in the town show signs of the necessary strength and faith. We must all be thankful that I knew how to deal with the vampire threat."
Smiling politely, his wife rose and left the table, just as the daughter returned.
"Are you sure they can't rise again?" his daughter asked after a moment, loitering in the doorway. "If they're stronger -"
"Put such thoughts from your mind!" Alderman Petrov replied quickly, raising his voice a little. "Edgar LeCompte cannot act against the will of God. Precautions have been taken to ensure that there is no way he is able to return to our world, while his sister was a mere human and thus has passed on to meet her fate in the next world. As we speak, Madeleine LeCompte is burning in the fires of Hell. Does that not make you feel a little better, my dear?"
"Ve
ry good, father," the girl said. "Would it be okay if I go and play outside?"
"Not tonight. It's clear that you need to study the Bible more closely. No good can come of constantly playing childish games. Instead, you must work to improve your mind. Go to your room and I shall come through shortly and set you some instructions for the evening. No daughter of mine shall waste her time playing foolish games when there is important work to be done." He paused for a moment, recognizing the disappointment in his daughter's face. "You'll thank me one day, my dear. When your mind is strong and your love of God is unbending, you'll understand that I have always had your best interests at heart."
There was an awkward pause, and although Alderman Petrov was waiting patiently for his daughter to leave the room, the girl seemed reluctant to depart.
"Is something else troubling you?" Alderman Petrov asked impatiently.
"No, father," she replied, "it's just..."
"Go on, child."
"You'll think me foolish, but... I'm frightened, father."
"Frightened?" Alderman Petrov replied, raising an eyebrow. "Of what?"
The girl turned and looked over at the window.
"Of the vampire and his sister?" Alderman Petrov continued. "My dear, you must have more faith in your father. Have I not already explained that the pair of them are dead?"
"Yes, father, but... Are you sure that you can kill them? I mean, if he's a vampire, surely he has..." She paused for a moment. "Well, doesn't he have powers that might be greater than..."
Alderman Petrov waited for her to finish the sentence, although he knew deep down that she probably had more sense than to question her father's abilities too closely.
"I'm sorry, father," the girl said eventually. "I don't know what came over me."
"I am the senior figure in this town," Alderman Petrov replied. "I have held my position for more than twenty years, and I have learned more than a little about how to deal with dangers. Do you honestly believe, child, that I would tell the people of this town that they can sleep securely, if I was not absolutely certain that those beasts had been slaughtered?"
"No, father."
"And do you think that a lowly beast, a child of Satan, would be able to trick me?"
"No, father."
"And do you suspect that I might be some kind of pompous fool?"
She shook her head.
"Then surely your worries are groundless," he continued. "I am telling you, child, that I have banished the danger from this town. Almost single-handedly, in fact. You won't be seeing such creatures around here again. I did what was necessary, and although I certainly did not enjoy slaughtering Edgar LeCompte and his sister, I stepped up and did what needed to be done, at a time when no-one else was willing. Does that not tell you a little, my dear child, about the nature of your father and his mettle?"
"Yes, father," the girl said. "Might I go now? I should like to begin my evening's work."
Alderman Petrov nodded and watched as his daughter hurried through to the far end of the house. Although he was a little disappointed that the girl lacked faith in his abilities, he was aware that she was still very much a child. She would learn, though, and one day she would understand the true nature of evil. Alderman Petrov was firmly of the opinion that he was the most powerful man in the town, and he felt that all the citizens would recognize his strength now that he had dispatched the vampire. More than ever, he felt truly secure in his position.
Taking a deep breath, Alderman Petrov sat back and reflected upon the day's events. The town had been saved from the scourge of a vampire and his vile sister, and now the healing process could begin. There was hard work ahead, but Alderman Petrov was convinced that with faith and discipline, God's favor would return and provide bounties for everyone. In fact, he was quite certain that one day he would be hailed as the man who had brought peace and sanity back to the town by ridding it of the cursed vampire. God had surely been watching on this fine day, Alderman Petrov reminded himself, and order had been restored.
Chapter Three
Bulgaria, 350 years ago
"Alright!" Alderman Petrov shouted, struggling to get dressed as he made his way to the door. It was well past midnight, and he had been fast asleep until some lunatic had begun hammering on the front of the house and demanding his attention. He was used to such interruptions, of course, since he was widely considered to be the leader of the local community. Still, after the day's exertions, he'd been hoping for a full night's sleep. "I'm coming!" he called out as he slid the latch across and pulled the door open. "What do you -"
He stopped speaking as soon as he saw the panicked face of the innkeeper.
"What's come over you, man?" he asked, peering out into the dark street. "Can't it wait until morning?"
"The graves!" the innkeeper said, grabbing Alderman Petrov by the shoulder and pulling him outside. "The graves have been disturbed!"
"Which graves?" Alderman Petrov snapped back at him, pulling himself free. Before he could get an answer, however, he realized exactly which graves must be the cause of the commotion. A feeling of dread began to spread through his body as he thought of Edgar LeCompte's hands reaching up through the soil. "What exactly has happened?" he asked, beginning to fear that the vampire must have found a way to rise from the darkness.
"There are two empty graves," the innkeeper gabbled, "and strange noises. Laughter. I swear to the Lord, there's something devilish happening in town tonight! I thought you said you knew how to stop them!"
"I do!" Alderman Petrov replied.
"Then why is he back?" the innkeeper shouted. "Why is he out of his grave? And why has he pulled up the body of his sister?"
"It's impossible," Alderman Petrov stammered. "I consulted widely. I read texts. We removed his head. There's simply no way he could possibly have risen!"
"And yet he has risen," the innkeeper replied. "I assure you, he has climbed out of that grave, and even now he's probably determined to gain his revenge. None of us can be safe tonight, not with an angry vampire roaming the land."
"I removed his head!" Alderman Petrov shouted, becoming increasingly angry.
"Father?" asked a nearby voice.
Looking back into the house, Alderman Petrov saw that his daughter had come to the bottom of the stairs.
"Go back to bed," he said firmly.
"But you -"
"Go back to bed!" he shouted, causing his daughter to immediately turn and run back up the stairs.
"You'll have to come and see for yourself," the innkeeper continued. "There's no-one in this whole town who'd do something like this for a joke. Everyone's too scared."
"Nonsense," Alderman Petrov replied. "Someone is merely playing a disgusting, deceitful and ungodly practical joke. When we find out who is responsible, they must be driven from this town and prevented from ever returning. This is..." His voice trailed off as he thought of the possibilities. While there was certainly a chance that some local fool was using recent events in order to strike fear into the hearts of the residents, Alderman Petrov was also very much aware that Edgar LeCompte might be capable of raising himself from the dead. Although he'd hoped that decapitation would be enough to prevent LeCompte from returning, he was now starting to realize that he had perhaps underestimated the vampire. Was it possible? Deep in his grave, had LeCompte reached down, taken his head from between his legs, and placed it back on his shoulders?
After pulling his door shut, Alderman Petrov agreed to accompany the innkeeper to the site just outside town where the bodies had been buried earlier in the day. The streets were mostly empty, although once or twice an anguished face peered out from behind a pair of curtains, and it quickly became clear that news of the incident was beginning to spread. The town, which had thought itself finally free of this nightmare, was suddenly finding itself dragged back into the darkness. Everyone was looking to the alderman to find a solution.
"You should have buried the head far from the body," the innkeeper muttered a
s they made their way through the streets.
"A body must be buried whole!" Alderman Petrov replied firmly. "It is ungodly to take a man and bury him in two graves."
"Still," the innkeeper continued, "there are surely times when God would understand our need to be more certain. This creature, whatever he is, stands for everything evil and vile in the world. Surely we could have begged for God's understanding if we'd simply placed the head far away."
"We will not be swayed from God's work," the alderman said. "That is most certainly not the way to deal with the threat of this vampire. Instead, we must show our faith, and we must trust in God to watch over us. He won't let us suffer. He'll see that we're good people, and he'll -"
"There!" the innkeeper shouted as they reached the clearing at the edge of the forest. "Two graves, dug up and their contents removed! Do you see? The bodies have been stolen. Tell me, who would do that? Who would willingly bring LeCompte and his wretched sister back into the world?"
Stepping forward, Alderman Petrov saw that it was true. Both graves had been emptied, but the soil had not been cleanly dug up; rather, it was as if some force had torn itself from the ground. Although he desperately tried to think of an alternative explanation, Alderman Petrov was forced to acknowledge that the body of Edgar LeCompte must have forced its way out from its resting place.
"We must gather as many men as possible," the alderman said darkly. "We must prepare a force, and we must set out after this vile creature. I'm quite certain that he won't go far, not if he wants to gain his revenge on this town. We must ensure that he learns the full extent of our determination to end his evil. We'll form a perimeter, and we'll find his trail and then we'll track him. He's probably hiding while his wounds heal. We'll follow him night and day until we catch him, and then we'll finish him off. He might have escaped from one grave, but I'll make damn sure he can't escape from another."