by Syrie James
“Exactly.”
“But…you said you have been lonely for centuries.”
“I would be lonely no longer if I had you.”
“You are feared and hunted.”
“We will live where we are unknown.”
“What if I turned out like Lucy and your sisters? I would never wish to hurt any one.”
“You will not. You will be the sweetest, loveliest, most benevolent vampire who ever graced the earth.”
“How can you know that?”
“Because I will guide you every step of the way, my darling, and teach you everything I know. In time, you will become as powerful as I.”
I studied his face, so beautiful, so perfect in every detail. Until a week ago, I did not even believe that vampires existed. Now I understood that they were not only very real, but they were not all the vile, evil, remorseless creatures the professor had described. Dracula had evil within him, but he struggled against it; he had a heart and a conscience. Was that really so different from many of the human beings I knew? He required blood to exist, but he had found a way to take his nourishment without killing any one—and in most cases, without the person even remembering it. Would it be such a bad thing, I wondered, to live for ever in such a manner? Particularly if I had such a man at my side?
“Would you really wait ninety-nine years for me?” I asked.
“What are nine decades when you have eternity?”
“If I die an old woman—will you still want me?”
“You forget: I am an old man. I will always want you.”
“If I become Un-Dead, would it be safe to share each other’s blood again?”
“Perfectly safe. We could indulge any time we liked, just for the pleasure of it.”
That was an enticement I could not ignore.
“You said, before, that the Devil changed you. What did you mean? How old are you? Who were you before you became a vampire?”
“Ah. Now that is a very long story, which I will reserve for another time.” He kissed me and said with reluctance: “I must go. I have work to do.”
He helped me to my feet and, with a flick of his hand, removed the invisible dome that had been protecting us. The rain had stopped, although the moisture from the overlying trees spit at us as we hurried through the woods, taking a short-cut which he said led directly to the village. Knowing that he planned to make an appearance before the men that very afternoon, I expressed my concern for his safety and for the safety of my husband and the others. Dracula reassured me that no harm would come to any one.
“Will the others see you as I do?” I asked.
“No. It is vital that they recognise me as the old man they saw last night and the one your husband knew in Transylvania.”
“Jonathan has already seen you looking younger—although not this young, perhaps: once in the chapel of your castle, when you had grey hair instead of white. And again two weeks ago in Piccadilly. We saw you outside a jewellery shop.”
“What was I doing?”
“You were staring very intently at a beautiful woman who was sitting in an open carriage, and wearing a cart-wheel hat.”
“Ah—yes. The woman in the cart-wheel hat. She was indeed very beautiful. Had I known you were there, however, I would have been staring intently at you.”
“I did not think it was you. You looked fifty, at least. And your face—it frightened me.”
“I was not so particular that day about the form I took. I was steeped in bitterness. I thought I had lost you for ever.”
We had reached the edge of the trees by then. He touched my face, gazing at me with such affection, I could not imagine that he could ever be cruel.
“A tout a l’heure,4 my love. I must return to Carfax to prepare for my train ride into London.” He kissed me good-bye. “I will see you as soon as it is safe; and I will always be close in thought.”
AT THE VILLAGE TELEGRAPH OFFICE, I SENT THE WIRE DRACULA had requested, addressed to Dr. Van Helsing at the Piccadilly house, where I knew the group to be:
PURFLEET 3 OCTOBER 1890
VAN HELSING ET AL.
LOOK OUT FOR D. HE HAS JUST NOW, 12:45, COME FROM CARFAX HURRIEDLY AND HASTENED TOWARDS THE SOUTH. HE SEEMS TO BE GOING THE ROUND.
MINA
I then returned to the asylum. I knew I must keep occupied or go mad with worry. All afternoon, I busied myself transcribing the latest contents of Jonathan’s and Dr. Seward’s journals, which proved to be voluminous.
It gave me pause to listen to Dr. Seward’s horrified phonographic rendition of the previous night’s events, when the men had broken into my chamber and found me with Dracula. I blanched with dismay as he recounted my fabricated tale of what had occurred between us, which depicted Nicolae as such a horrendous monster. It was all untrue; yet I’d had no choice but to type it all up for the record.
Before I knew it, the clock in the hall was striking four. The men had promised to return from their quest before sunset, which would be in an hour or two. I got up and began to pace anxiously, wondering what had happened. Just then, I heard Dracula’s voice in my mind:
Rest easy, Mina. Phase One went precisely as planned.
Is everyone all right? I thought in reply.
Not a scratch on me or any one. Your telegram did the trick. The group was at my house at Piccadilly, lying in wait. May I always meet such ill-trained enemies! I made quite a show for them before I fled.
Where are you now?
I am off to take care of Phase Two. Be well. I love you.
THE MEN FILED BACK INTO THE HOUSE JUST AS THE SUN WAS making its final descent. As I met them at the front door, I saw in their faces a mix of emotions. Dr. Van Helsing appeared the most upbeat of all, but Jonathan looked positively broken down. It pained me to see it. Just the night before, he had been a happy man with a strong, optimistic, youthful face. To-day Jonathan looked drawn, old, and haggard, his eyes hollow, and his face lined with grief. His energy remained intact, however; I felt as if he were a flint or cannon, barely containing his inner force, ready to explode into action at the slightest provocation.
“What happened?” I asked, my heartfelt concern for him overwhelming the innocence that I endeavoured to convey.
“He came, but he got away,” Jonathan replied with a defeated frown. Upon catching sight of the scar on my forehead, he looked quickly away. I understood why: it was a visible reminder of what he deemed to be my unclean state and his failure to protect me.
“The villain flee, yes,” Dr. Van Helsing said, “but we learn much to-day and have great success: we find and destroy all his boxes but one.”
“You must tell me everything,” I said.
Over dinner, the men regaled me with the story of their adventure that afternoon.
“We took care of all the boxes in the Carfax chapel,” said Dr. Seward. “They’re full of Host, and useless to him now.”
“I employed a locksmith to get us into the Count’s house at Piccadilly,” Lord Godalming explained, “pretending it was mine and that I had lost my key. We found eight boxes of earth there. Quincey and I found six more boxes each at his places at Mile End and Bermondsey, and destroyed them all. That is—we destroyed them for him.”
“Then we rushed back to Piccadilly and learned of the telegram you had sent, Mrs. Harker,” put in Mr. Morris.
“You said the Count go south from Carfax,” explained Dr. Van Helsing, “so we believe he visit his other houses first, to check their status. We lie in wait. At last he come.”
“Count Dracula seemed to be prepared for some surprise—at least he feared it,” Jonathan said. “It was a pity we had not organised some better plan of attack—but I went right at him with my kukri knife.”
“Oh!” I cried, alarmed, for I had seen that knife, which he had inherited from his father. It had a long, curved blade that could function equally as a knife or an axe, and it would be a fearsome weapon of war.
“Only the Count’s diabolical quicknes
s saved him,” said Dr. Seward. “A second less, and that trenchant blade would have shorn through his heart.”
“As it was, it slashed the fiend’s coat-pocket,” said Mr. Morris, “and a great stream of bank-notes and gold coins scattered to the floor.”
“We advanced on him with crucifixes and holy wafers,” said Lord Godalming. “The Count cowered back and threw himself straight through a window, then hurled some choice words at us from below.”
“We took off after him, but lost sight of him,” Jonathan cried angrily, stabbing the meat on his plate with his fork. “He was gone. Gone! And the earth-boxes did not total up. There is still one remaining somewhere. If the Count chooses to lie hidden, he may baffle us for years!”
“He will not baffle us, my friend,” said Dr. Van Helsing firmly. “We will find that missing box, and all will be well. I tell you: this was a good day. We have made all of the Count’s lairs uninhabitable to him, but one; and we have learned something—much, in fact! He fears us! Let us now wait and see what he does next.”
THAT NIGHT, THE PROFESSOR FIXED UP MY BEDROOM WITH garlic—as he put it—“to guard against any coming of the vampire,” and assured me that I might enjoy a peaceful sleep. He also placed a bell at my disposal, which I was to sound in case of emergency. As a further precaution, Lord Godalming, Mr. Morris, and Dr. Seward took turns keeping watch outside our chamber door, despite my insistence that this seemed unnecessary.
The moment my head touched my pillow, I heard Nicolae in my mind:
So: my little theatricals were well received?
You made an excellent impression, I replied in thought, with a little smile.
I feel you smiling. I wish I was there to see it.
I stifled a surprised gasp. How does this bond work between us? Can you read my thoughts at any time, or only if I send them to you?
I can read your mind at any time now, my darling.
I was taken aback by this. Did I really want all of my thoughts known by another? And yet…did I now have any other choice? Why do I not hear everything you are thinking?
You are new at this. It takes time. You will hear me when you need to, I promise. Now I must go. I have much to arrange. You know what to do?
Yes.
Until later, then. Sleep well. I shall wake you when the time comes.
AT THREE O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, NICOLAE’S THOUGHTS AWAKENED me from a deep slumber. I sat up in bed, wiping sleep from my eyes as I recalled the task at hand. Heart pounding with anticipation, I touched my husband on the shoulder, then whispered hurriedly in his ear:
“Jonathan: wake up.”
“What is it?” He sat up, groggy yet alarmed. “Is something wrong?”
“No. But I need you to call the professor. I have an idea. I want to see him at once.”
Jonathan gave the message to Dr. Seward, who was sitting sentry. A few minutes later, the doctor returned with the entire party, all clad in their dressing-gowns. While the men waited in the doorway, filled with curiosity, the professor said, “What am I to do for you, Madam Mina?”
“You said I have a mental connection to Count Dracula. Let us see if that is so. I want you to hypnotise me.”
EIGHTEEN
HYPNOTISE YOU?” JONATHAN REPEATED WITH CONCERN.
“Yes. Perhaps I can help us by learning something of his whereabouts.”
Dr. Van Helsing’s face lit up. “Excellent, Madam Mina. Excellent.” He motioned for Jonathan and the others to stay back and for me to sit up on the edge of the bed. Without another word, he stared down fixedly at me and began to make slow passes in front of my eyes with his hands. He looked so comical, standing there in his dark purple satin dressing-gown, and waving his hands about like some crazed medium, that it was all I could do not to laugh. I reminded myself of the seriousness of my mission, however, and gazed at him steadily, as I listened to Dracula’s reassuring thoughts in my mind. I then closed my eyes and sat very still, pretending to be under the professor’s influence.
“You may open your eyes now, Madam Mina,” I heard him say gently.
I did so, feigning a far-away look which I hoped was credible. Dr. Van Helsing indicated to the other men to come in. They silently gathered at the foot of the bed.
“Where are you?” Dr. Van Helsing asked in a low tone.
“I do not know,” I replied, in a voice as dreamy as I could make it. “It is all strange to me.”
“What do you see?”
“I see nothing; it is all dark.”
Dr. Van Helsing nodded to Jonathan to pull up the blind. The day was just upon us, and a rosy light diffused itself through the room.
“What do you hear?” the professor asked very patiently.
“The lapping of water. It is gurgling by, and little waves leap. I can hear them on the outside.”
“Then you are on a ship?” he said in surprise.
“Oh, yes!”
The men all gasped. Even as I stared forward with glazed, unfocused eyes, I could see the eager glances they exchanged.
“What else do you hear?” the professor prodded.
“I hear the sound of men stamping overhead as they run about,” I replied, drawing on the memories of my recent sea-voyage to the Continent. “There is the creaking of a chain, and the loud tinkle as the check of the capstan falls into the ratchet.”
“What are you doing?”
“I am still—oh, so still. It is like death!” I noticed that the sun had now fully risen—the moment when Dr. Van Helsing supposed my mental connection with Dracula would end—and so I stopped, closed my eyes, and began to breathe softly and deeply, as if I were asleep.
Dr. Van Helsing placed his hands on my shoulders and gently guided me down onto the bed, until my head lay upon my pillow. I pretended to sleep for a few moments; and then, with a long sigh, I stretched and sat up, as if awakening in wonder at finding the others all gathered around me. “Have I been talking in my sleep?” I said innocently.
“You were hypnotised, my dear,” Jonathan said, “just as you suggested. And it worked wonderfully well.”
“Oh! What did I say?”
The professor quickly repeated the conversation; then the men all started to speak excitedly at once.
“He’s on a ship!” Mr. Morris cried.
“He is getting away!” added Lord Godalming, and the two men immediately started for the door; but the professor’s calm voice called them back.
“Stay, my friends. That ship, wherever it was, was weighing anchor whilst she spoke. There are many ships weighing anchor at this moment in your great Port of London, and we know not yet which one to seek. But God be thanked that we now have a clue! It is as I suspect: he meant escape! With one earth-box left, and a pack of men following like dogs after a fox, he saw that London was no place for him, and he leave the land. He have prepare for it in some way, and that last earth-box of his was ready to ship somewhere. For this he took all that money, which we saw spill from his pockets! For this he hurry so the last time we see him, lest we catch him in his weakness before the sun go down! Our enemy have gone back to his castle in Transylvania. Of this I am as certain as if a great hand of fire wrote it on the wall!”
I hid a little smile of satisfaction at hearing this, for it was precisely what Nicolae and I wanted them to think. However, Jonathan immediately cried:
“We cannot let him escape! We must go after him!”
“Indeed we must,” said Dr. Van Helsing, “but our old fox is wily, and we must follow him with wile. There is no rush at present. There are waters between us, which I believe he cannot pass even if he would, unless the ship were to touch the land—for the Vampire cannot cross moving water on his own, or so it is said. Therefore, he remain on this ship until it reach safe harbour. This give us time to find out the name of the ship and by what route it takes. Then we can make our plan and follow him.”
I had anticipated this reaction, and had prepared my appeal. “But why need we seek him further, when he
is gone away from us?” I said sweetly. “He has fled to the Continent. He is gone. Cannot we just let him go?”
“Never!” returned Dr. Van Helsing.
“But why? He is finished here. There is nothing more to fear.”
“There is much to fear, my dear Madam Mina. He can live for centuries, and you are but mortal woman. Do you not see the stain upon your forehead? He has marked you. Time is now to be dreaded, for you drank his blood.”
This I knew to be untrue. Unconsciously, my hand went up to touch my scar, which was still red and tender. “Perhaps your theory is wrong, Professor.”
“It is not wrong.”
I had more to say, but was cut off when Dr. Van Helsing rang for breakfast, and then launched into a discussion with the men about the best means to seek information about Dracula’s embarkation, which they intended to confirm that very morning. I would have to wait, I realised, and seek an opportunity to discuss the topic further.
AFTER BREAKFAST, THE PROFESSOR SET OUT FOR THE PORT OF London, accompanied by the others—all except Jonathan, who insisted on staying home to watch over me and keep me company. I felt a bit awkward at first in my husband’s presence, concerned that I might make some remark which would give away my complicity in the affair with Dracula. Yet at the same time, I was most grateful for this opportunity to be together. It was the first time—other than a few moments in the privacy of our bedroom—that we had been alone to really talk, since the day we had left Exeter.
The two of us spent the morning going over the papers again. While I typed up the most recent journal entries and reports, he placed everything in order, reviewing them to make certain that we had not missed anything. When this was accomplished, we agreed that we needed some diversion and decided to take a walk into the village.
As we walked down the wooded lane, the crisp autumn air seemed to revive us. With the birds singing in the trees, and the distant bleating of the sheep, it seemed impossible to believe that we were embroiled in the strange, unearthly drama which had so altered our lives. From Jonathan’s easy gait and relaxed features, I saw that he too was appreciating this moment of reprieve from our collective anxiety.