The Tormented Goddess

by Sarah Saint-Hilaire

  “Let’s go outside for some air.” suggested Venus.

  “What about the blood suckers?” Asked Edwards

  “They're asleep by now.” reassured Venus.

  They both covered themselves warmly before venturing in the cold. Swiftly down the corridors Venus secretly grabbed a bow and some arrows she had an idea in mind. Once outside she told Edward what they shall do in the time being. “Let’s go hunting!” she exclaimed.

  “How?” ask Edward shyly in a firm tone.

  “Don't tell me you've never hunted before, how pathetic. We will hunt with our brains Junior.”

  “Don't call me that.”

  “Pardon my little apprentice.”

  “Well how do we hunt, misses know it all?”

  “With our brains and a little luck…” Venus spotted a heard of deer galloping in the distance. “…There is our dear deer.” hushed Venus as she stabled her bow before striking the final blow. She aimed with perfect precision at an impressive distance, keeping her prey alive in a dormant coma. They raced down the hill to gather their prize; Edward could not believe how clean the cut turned out on the helpless animal.

  “Alright I admit you're better at me in archery.”

  “Archery Edward is every feminine lethal sport, thus making it quite alright for you to have difficulties with it.”

  “I can hunt.” sighed back Edward.

  “Of course you can, our primal instincts are those of a hunter, everyone can kill it is only a matter of restraint.” Replied Venus shocking Edward how cruelly truthful was what she said.

  As they tried to move the animal up the hill Venus suggested another pathway which was less steep. As they walked they encountered the carcass of a black horse. Edward asked “Is that our horse?” Looking at the tainted dark red snow around its neck Venus nodded. Giving it a last good look they finally manage to make their way back. They Carried the deer into a stone courtyard and then into an empty kitchen where they dropped the beast onto the floor. As Venus was about to leave Edward asked “Why aren't we keeping it, I'm sure it could make a decent Christmas Eve dinner?”

  “It's a gift; now let’s make our way back before the early birds spot us.” instructed Venus. Tonight was once again a full moon; she always had the misfortune to be needed while the lunar light was at its peak.

  Chapter Eleven

  The warm fire kindly made a sublime welcome, but soon enough the clear blue sky died into the midst of the dark ages of the night. Behind a Japanese folding screen Venus dressed into a sublime décolleté for the soirée. Instead of shoes she slipped on two ravishing bright luminous rose slippers. As gracefully walking out the door she begged once more to her companion. “Never open the door to any one, not even me for I have the key. Make the leas noise as possible and pray, for you'll need it.” Off the left, Edward immediately locked every lock on the door and placed an old massive cupboard in front of it as double checking that every possible exit was inaccessible to his paranoia.

  Step by step Venus delicately walked towards the stage room seats of honor veranda and stood frigid waiting for her heart to crumble. Out of nowhere appeared a tall handsome young man. At the speed of light he already had his hands wrapped around her waist. His face was impeccably close as he scented her tender neck. Exclaiming softly into her ear “You still where my favorite perfume.”

  “I got rather attached to it.”

  “I'm delighted that you have accepted my invitation.” He turned her around to face her. “Your heart is beating at such speed my goddess. That is the rhythm of desire, might you still love me?” He pondered.

  “You have betrayed me Vlad, you have broken my heart forever.” She accused him.

  “Forever is a very long time, only you and I know its real significance.”

  “I have loved you and only you loyally for more than a century dedicated my heart for you but your action will never be forgotten.”

  “You have to admit I desired you more than any other, so much that I could not control my action. Never did I imagine your immortal energy to be a deadly poison.”

  “You still bit me.” She whispered, he reached for her neck and embraced it.

  The music began, the romanticism of the ballet was inexplicable, for the sounds of the ringing violins were so striking that they shivered your very insides. Throughout the whole performance the hearted killer could never lay his eyes elsewhere then on his desirable stabbing prey. At the high tense pike of the grand finally the harmonious melody could be heard right into Edwards’s chamber with the power of thunder. Everyone stood up to applaud, the counts servants appeared onto the stage carrying the living carcass od Venuses hunt. The ferocious eyes softened when Venus at last spoke out. “Do you like my gift?”

  “I adore it.” He swiftly said. “I know you haven't come here just for me, you are too innocent for that. What is it that you wish for?”

  She turned around and firmly stated to Vlad “I want to die.”

  In that split second she felt a horrid pain and fainted again falling deeply onto the darkness of the forbidden palace of the underworld. A fearsome fire surrounded her as the echoing voice of Pluto screamed with rage. “You want to die, are you mad?” He pushed her on the ground. “An immortal that dies, disappears forever.”

  Venus fearfully contested in a determined frightened voice “You fear to loose me, aren't I right.”

  “You selfish girl, I care for no one not even ...” He hesitated.

  “Not even who?” asked Venus.

  “I have no choice but to keep you locked up here forever.” He concluded.

  “You cannot keep me here forever; I have committed no crimes, nothing.”

  “You wish to die.”

  “Yes, I wish to live, not rot in my flesh for eternity.”

  “Besides I'll put another crime at your hands, Dracula would be absolutely furious once he hears he has an uninvited guest logging in his castle.” He roared with laughter.

  “You wouldn't, he's innocent, please.” begged Venus hoping that Edward's presence would go unheard-of in Vlad's ears.

  “Oh you underestimate my will, and now I wish to render you as miserable as possible like that you'll learn to appreciate your current status.”

  “You are powerless when it comes to me outside of the full moons.”

  “Since only a human voice can wake you up, and other then your little friend who will soon perish in the most inhumane manner, there will be no one to rend you from my company for all of the inhabitants of the castle are either dead or immortal.” He giggled “Thus you shall be the sleeping beauty of above and my faithful wife her below.”

  Venus enraged attempted to attack the devil with all her might, but the heartless demon threw the poor divine pearl once again on the hard stone floor and whipped her without any remorse.

  In the world of above, Vlad carefully placed his long lost love onto a velvet roman bed. He rushed towards his grand fireplace in the hall and pulled on a torch where a stair case appeared running deep into the mystical feared realm of the underworld. Rushing towards Pluto's palace, he passed an old guard draped in black and entered the home of torture. As he was announced he rushed in to discover his beloved beaten to the ground. The devil laughed in content, as he slit her hand leaving her blood drop onto the floor. Vlad looked vainly at the richness before him, he was tempted when all the sudden he recalled the distant memories of it taste. How could he resist her, her blood was like dark honey. But as beautiful can an exotic frog may appear to be its touch it instantaneously mortal.

  “Pluto, restore her to me!” commanded Dracula.

  “Are you aware that your prey has another lover...” mentioned Pluto.

  “...and?”

  “The mortal is presently awaiting her in the very room you bit her.” declared the Pluto.

  Dracula suddenly looked up and raced back to his castle, Pluto laughed in relief believing Edward almost dead. He thought it an adequate revenge to Venus for contradicting
him. Vlad rushed towards the towering room were his greatest regret took place. Edward hearing the footsteps stepped back from the door, hopping that the cupboard could hold his fear, but Vlad pushed the door open with ease. Edwards’s heart raced as he came face to face with Dracula. He thought himself already dead when all the sudden Vlad grabbed his arm and dragged him to Venus. Edward rushed over to Venus afraid of the worst crying in vain he held her close to his heart and miserably wept. Vlad watched in pain the love Edward had for her, though blinded by jealousy he could not imagine her lost for ever and stood there helplessly incapable of achieving anything. He knew that somehow a mortal was the key to restoring her and waited hoping for what seemed impossible.

  Seconds seemed like minutes, minutes as hours and hours as days. The moment all was to be concluded as hopeless a spark of life could be seen in her clear golden eyes. A heart beat started, she was revived. Edward noticed that her cold hands were beginning to warm up, not long after she was conscious again. Though severely imbalanced she smiled and looked up at Edward. Edward got off her side as Dracula approached her. He kissed her forehead so tenderly that Edwards’s jealousy resonated wildly from his heart, but to see her alive kept him delighted. After parting his lips from Venus's forehead Vlad gave her a small chest and then disappeared out of the room.

  Chapter Twelve

  Together Edward and Venus awaited the rising sun to run rapidly back to the town. Their enduring effort of escaping reddened their faces. Once arrived in the town square and after stumbling several times in the snow they halted their race to catch their breath. Safe within the city wall Venus began to laugh as brushing the snow off Edward’s hat. “We should probably consider of getting another horse, if we want to get anywhere. At this rate we'll be back in Paris in a year.” suggested Edward.

  “You mortals are in such a hurry it's sickening, but I'm tired of you trying to outrun me, so I'll agree, we need a new horse.” replied Venus with charisma.

  Walking down the little village they saw it come to life in broad day light, where they finally found someone to buy a horse from. This time it was from a pure white Arabian breed, quite unusual for such a remote area. A beauty to match the white coated landscape in exchange to the ruby bracelet Venus wore on her wrist. Trotting away back to civilisation Venus rested her head on Edwards back as he geared the horse.

  When she fell asleep a smile formed on Edwards lips, to have her so close, so near emerged his conscience in another world. Hasn't one ever wondered about the beauty of a burning candle, the warmth and angelic charm it propels as it enlightens its surrounding? The Burning mortal heart of Edward shone beyond imagination, as it drummed in torment within his chest. The yearn he had for his love was so unspeakably rare, an event still not yet understood by the world’s greatest scholars. But who can fully comprehend the divine sentiment of a boy in love.

  Once arrived Edward lifted Venus into the inn, delicately placing her into her bed as a porcelain doll. He slept beside her on the ground dreaming of a world where loving her would be humanly possible. Edward awoke discovering a thick blanket covering his back. On Venus's empty bed he spotted a note indicating that she was awaiting him in the café. Venus was having a generous cup of a strong black coffee as examining the content of the little chest she was given by her former lover. She realised as unfolding a papyrus map onto of Mr. Dubois maps the locating of her life's conquest: Atlantis...

  A hidden Island in the Mediterranean sea, far off the coast of Cyprus off of Episkopi bay, was where laid her destiny. As folding the map she realised that there was a secret compartment in the little box. In it was a beautiful pendant holding a diamond cut ruby. As the morning light shined threw the stone it shaded a message onto the white table nap. “For my eternal love: Venus, yours Dracula.” A little note accompanied the pendent stating:

  Dear Venus,

  Heartless have I been to ever have let you leave, but my enduring love for you is stronger than any other existing force I possess. I have discovered where the manuscripts lay, a mile off the coast of Atlantis. Under the sea sleeps your mothers’ ship, off the eastern side of the island. Venus I have always loved you, you are wright to leave me for I do not deserve your humble purity. Forgive me for what I have done, for my end will most certainly come one day or the other, and I must know before I meet my fate that someone still sees me as who I am than the degrading monster that I have become. Never will I forget; your sweet smell, your divine beauty. You are truly a goddess in my eyes.

  P.S. The one who wears this pendant shall be spared, but please keep it close to your heart for as long as you are with us.

  Yours truly,

  Count Dracula.

  Tears where falling from her cheeks, the moment she spotted Edward she hid Vlad's letter back into its secret compartment and roughly wiped her tears as forcing a smile for Edward's kindness. Noticing her humid face Edward asked “Your eyes are red, have you been...” but he was interrupted by Venus.

  “I found Atlantis.” She declared.

  “Atlantis sounds fun!” Told Edward hoping he could still accompany her.

  “You cannot...” started Venus.

  “So you’re leaving me.” Edward concluded as interrupting her from her cold response.

  “Edward you must understand.” Venus helplessly attempted to reason him.

  “What, that you prefer to let me die in agony then let me by your side? Venus I am madly in love of you.” He declared.

  “Edward...”

  “Marry me!”

  “For heaven’s sake Edward, don't you understand, I am dead, you on the other side are full of life and cannot deny that you are aging before my very eyes. While only when I met you were a boy, but now you have grown into a man and deserve to live. You ...” Incapable to retain her Venus ran outside of the café.

  Edward still sitting in astonishment from her refusal saw Venus from the window running into the cold. He immediately got up to chase her, following her into an empty chapel where she clasped into tears drenching her face. Edward sat by her side and handed over to her his tissue. Out of nowhere she asked him “Are you religious?”

  Puzzled by the question he obviously answered that he was. “Most certainly I am.”

  “Why?”

  “First of all I would never question faith there is always a force on the other side of the balance to restore humanity and secondly aren't you proof yourself.” He Thought.

  “What you lived with me wasn't the grace of god, it was pure evil, you must save yourself. Think of me mad if you wish but within all this chaos I still believe, believe in hope and mercy, in good. Being immortal is not a gift it is a curse, one which creates fear.”

  “What do you fear?”

  “I fear for what is to become of me when my life ceases, I fear I have fallen in love of you! It torments me to even imagine dragging you miserably till you death.” Venus stood up and walked slowly back outside towards a frozen fountain. Edward followed her, she exclaimed “Merry late Christmas.”

  “You are going to catch a cold, let's head back.” Placing his scarf over her shoulders he took her arm and brought her back to their inn. Together when her sanity was restored they concluded to travel south towards Cyprus the next morning.

  Chapter Thirteen

  After the galloping stallions where the thundering trains, followed by the steaming speedy vessel heading to the vast island of Cyprus. They arrived at Limassol, to visit the ruins of the temple of Apollo. Venus approached her hand towards a fallen pillar and touched it gently feeling the warmth of its sun baked stone. Edward still holding the leached to the mules asked “Have you already been here?”

  “Yes, did you know that Cyprus is the birthplace of Aphrodite the Greek goddess of beauty?”

  “No, why did you ask?” He pondered firmly.

  “Only testing your meager acquired knowledge.” she replied happily.

  The mules suddenly out of nowhere began howling. Edward tightly held onto the leaches but
the animals pulled so stubbornly that they eventually liberated themselves, running madly into the distance. “We should take cover beneath those pillars.” exclaimed Venus.

  “Shouldn't we just hurry back?” He contested.

  “Mules Edward do not just go nuts.” Letting go from the pillar warmth she rapidly made her way to shelter.

  Edward called out saying “It's not even raining.” But once he finished his phrase a deluge fell upon him, soaking him entirely. Venus removed his hat as mocking his deliberate lack of judgement. Attempting to dry his face wiping off the rain water with her cotton embroidered tissue enlightened him. Looking down at her he took a perilous risk and kissed her lips, he had finally succeeded. She passionately held onto his nuke with her hand running through his hair as the lightning met the earth.

  The following morning Edward was awakened by the shining sun, with Venus's head resting on his chest. After seeing at her he smiled towards the blazing morning. Venus awoke with Edward wrapping his arm around her. She began to speak to him. “No force on earth is stronger than love. Edward you may demise hurrying to continue my quest but it is of the utmost importance that I complete it before the next full moon.” Nodding in agreement they both made their way hand in hand to the bay.

  Bargaining with the locals to get them to sell them a ship was quite a challenge, all they managed to scramble was a small wooden sky blue boat. The fisherman insisted on knowing where they were off to, once Venus told the man he wanted to cancel the bargain, but what was done was done. Episkopi bay chanted the fisherman was a filed with lethal sea creatures. Legends of big hard backed monsters who destroyed every ship in its path. The man’s ranting got Edward so terrified that as he tried to speak up all that came out of his mouth was an enormous gulp.