Edouard seized the moment and ventured forth. “Who are you afraid of?” He waited. “What is his name?”
Eternal turned from the window with a look of death. “Knowing his ancient name will do you no good, Edouard.” Her voice trailed off as another flash of lightning blanched the room chalk white. “His name is as old as the creation ... it dwelled in the dark place waiting to be invited.” She growled. “Only to be released by the Great Pyramid ... the gateway to Oblivion.”
Henri shook his head with obvious disbelief. He pulled Edouard aside and stood in front her. Henri sounded quite angry. “Were you involved in the murders at the chateau?” Henri raised a hand to stop Edouard’s protests.
Henri whispered to Edouard, “I believe she is faking her amnesia and she may have been a party to the killings.”
Edouard’s legs turned to jelly. He leaned against a wall to prevent collapse.
Eternal continued, “I ... I remember running for my life ... now I am here ... back at the chateau ... His chateau.” She became blank-faced and chanted, “Eternal ... Eternal ... Eternal.”
“You must try harder,” Edouard pleaded. “Who or what are you afraid of?”
Eternal shook her head no with such ferocity that Edouard reached out and gripped her shoulders.
She calmed down with his touch. “I cannot say its name ... but when the moon is next full ... then I will be ready. Nothing must stop me. Nothing must stop the blood of the Eternal Moon.”
Henri interjected. “You must tell us your name, right now.” Henri looked angered. “Saying your name out loud will help you remember the rest.”
Eternal stared blankly at Henri. A thin smile parted her lips. “But, you already know my name.”
Edouard knew this was hopeless with Henri present. He thought about telling Henri the patient’s strange, otherworldly name, and dual personality but hesitated when she whirled around to glare at him.
Edouard was transfixed by her power and visibly jolted when Eternal used her mind – “No my true love, you must not reveal my name to a stranger for then He will find me.” He wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her. A furtive look at Henri told him all was lost. His heart almost stopped beating with this crushing defeat.
Henri placed a hand on Edouard’s shoulder. “Enough for now.” He knocked the door. Once opened, he stepped into the corridor and spoke in whispers to Nurse Collette.
Nurse Collette nodded yes and waited for Henri to enter the room before bolting the door.
Eternal stared in horror at Henri. “No ... not the harness.” She scrambled away from Edouard and crawled into the corner of the bed by the window. “Not ever. Never! He will take my blood if I am trapped.”
Henri gave Edouard a puzzled look. “How could she have possibly overheard me whispering to Nurse Collette?”
Edouard gave Henri a non-committal shrug. He looked into Eternal’s tormented face. “You said we already know your name. If you remind us what it is we will be able to help you remember everything. Do you remember the rose?”
Eternal shook her head in anger. “The rose ... what about the rose?”
“It’s best you don’t force her in this state,” Henri said, sounding resigned to defeat.
The door opened and Nurse Collette entered with a straightjacket and another blanket.
“Is there any need for such drastic measures?” Edouard pleaded. The thought of Eternal strapped inside that thing made him sick to his stomach.
Henri apologized to Edouard with a kind smile. “She’s currently in a high state of emotion. I believe it is for the best until she settles down.” Henri grimaced. “Perhaps then she will be more willing to reveal the truth.”
Eternal saw the straightjacket and embraced Edouard around the waist.
Edouard immediately sprouted an erection, her love enrapturing him. He tingled all over with a fine surge of dark passion.
Nurse Collette gave Doctor Clavet a look to remove himself so she could apply the straightjacket.
Edouard didn’t want to stop their embrace. He felt absolutely wonderful with her sweet dark symphony washing over his soul. He was home.
“Please Doctor Clavet?” Nurse Collette implored, looking to Henri for help.
Henri cleared his throat, saying quite sternly, “That’s quite enough, Doctor Clavet?”
Edouard gradually released his patient’s grip from around his waist on hearing his superior’s stern voice.
“I know you will protect me, my sweet Edouard?” She cried out, “No! Please don’t go ... don’t leave me like this.”
“I’ll be back in a short while. I promise,” he reassured. He was rewarded by her sad smile. He frowned for she seemed to be in another place, perhaps drifting through the centuries searching for something beyond her grasp.
Eternal did not struggle when she was gently wrapped into the straightjacket by Nurse Collette.
“Don’t let the demons in here ... please Edouard ... they will feed on my flesh and satisfy their cravings on my ... on my essence ... on my blood.”
Edouard gave her an encouraging look. “You have nothing to fear.” But he didn’t believe that for a second and was dismayed to see her eyes reflect the same. He sighed with regret when her dark lullaby diminished to a mere whisper.
Eternal looked into Nurse Collette’s kind face and spoke ever so softly. “This one is free of their evil influence ... but she is hiding the truth about the demons ... she knows they are here but fear holds her tongue.”
Nurse Collette gasped and gave Doctor Vernier a perplexed look, continuing to wrap the jacket around the patient.
The more the jacket tightened, so Eternal’s power diminished.
Edouard shuddered from Eternal’s control and was reluctantly pulled to the door by Henri’s strong grip. He regretted leaving her to Nurse Collette’s tender mercies, walking back to Henri’s private quarters in sullen silence, contemplating how to escape this fortress with Eternal.
Chapter 35
Edouard nervously watched Henri who seemed in a contemplative mood. His superior stood sipping brandy at the window looking out into the late afternoon gloom. The storm had lost its impetus and was now drifting to the horizon.
Henri turned with a smile. “Thank God for that. I hate storms ... always reminds me of the Great War.” He sighed. “But the damage has been done.” He shrugged and continued, “More work for my staff.” Henri casually sipped his cognac and looked lost in deep thought.
Edouard sat on the couch watching him with mounting dread at being found out. He nervously placed his lips to his Armagnac, not daring to drink.
Henri stabbed Edouard with a steely glare. “Well, she’s clearly troubled by her past traumatic experience. That much is obvious.” He grimaced. “I wonder if we should force her to remember her past so abruptly. The damage may be irreparable.” He gave Edouard a quizzical look to continue the conversation.
Edouard wasn’t listening, he was thinking about demons hiding in the asylum.
Henri grunted and said, “Well?”
“Often in cases like this, coercing a patient to remember something they are desperately blocking out can result in drastic consequences. The mind, if forced to confront such events, has a built in defense mechanism that will only damage their fragile sanity.”
Henri nodded in agreement. “Indeed, I have had several hypnotherapy cases result in permanent catatonia upon revealing the patient’s reason for their reality disconnection ... but I ....”
Edouard was adamant and interrupted. “I strongly feel the longer we wait, the deeper will be her psychosis. I am eager to try hypnotherapy. It is the most logical approach.” He only wanted to be near her, to love and protect her, to escape with her and become eternal. His destiny waited in that tiny room.
Henri remained silent while he sipped his cognac. He seemed to be judging Edouard.
Edouard suspected Henri was biding his time to broach the subject of his obvious affliction d’amour. He pretended to sip his brandy an
d waited for the inevitable.
He prompted Henri. “What do you think?”
Henri gave a weary sigh while scrutinizing Edouard. “Perhaps we should go forward with hypnosis. In light of the murders, it is a risk worth taking.” He studied Edouard’s face and dangled the bait. “Of course, if you would prefer, I’ll take over her treatment.”
Edouard jumped to his feet, spilling his cognac. “Oh no, that won’t be necessary.”
“I merely suggested it because I think you are more than empathizing with the woman. You are, perhaps attracted to her? I think this is becoming too personal for objectivity. After all, she is beautiful, yes?” Henri watched Edouard like a hawk.
Edouard hesitated to speak. His stomach soured with anxiety. He didn’t want to lie to his new friend.
“Well, doctor?” Henri insisted.
Panic gripped him. He had to continue with the therapy at all costs. “You are mistaken, sir. I assure you I am up to the task.” He gripped his empty glass with white knuckles. “I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to continue treatment with this intriguing patient.”
Henri smiled amiably and continued, “No need to panic, dear fellow ... we shall see how you fare.” He finished his cognac. “What do you make of all this superstitious claptrap ... vampires and demonic possession ... utter nonsense?”
Edouard shrugged. “She seems to believe in such creatures.” A sudden thought invaded his eager brain. “She mentioned being at the chateau ... a flashback, perhaps?”
Henri replenished their glasses. “Possibly ... but I am more concerned with her seeming guilt.” He looked momentarily lost in thought. “There’s something about this case I am missing ... something on the tip of my tongue. Ah well ... it can’t be that important.”
Edouard found Henri’s accusations disturbing. He knew deep down she was innocent of such an atrocity but there was also something about her that frightened him. It was obvious he had always known her. More than that, he knew he was meant to be with her. Had he once existed as Paris and Lancelot in some kind of past life? He had heard of past-life regression attempts through hypnosis. It had always been declared the work of charlatans – but perhaps not.
Edouard plunged head first into the deep end. “Did you notice her scratches ... they have completely healed.” He thought of mentioning her eyes and hair changing color with each personality but waited to see if Henri had noticed.
Henri nodded yes. “That has been bothering me, too.”
“Have you ever seen anything like that before?”
“Can’t say that I have but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. The power of the mind is as mysterious as the vast expanse of the universe.”
“It could be nothing more than a peculiar ability to heal at a faster rate.” Edouard didn’t believe his own words for one second, but instinctively knew the comment would please Henri. Apparently it did.
“Perhaps but why do you think she insists you know her?” Henri looked very troubled now. “Have you met her before?”
“I wish I had, Henri ... but I must remind her of someone she once loved.” Edouard replied too quickly. Damn it! Calm down.
“That’s possible ... but I get the distinct impression your connection goes beyond mere false attachment.” Henri studied Edouard for signs of unease. “And you must know giving your first name to a patient is strictly taboo?”
Edouard’s panic escalated. How could he explain to Henri’s satisfaction? “She must have overheard one of the nurses talking about me. You witnessed her powers of hearing yourself.”
Henri grunted at the brilliant and feasible reply.
Edouard inwardly breathed a massive sigh of relief. His heart pounded in his chest. His aching need to escape with Eternal made him fidget and jumpy.
Chapter 36
Eternal awoke with a terrified scream, still trapped in her cruel harness. She looked around the drab grey room with resignation to her fate. She struggled to be free but soon gave up. She muttered, “Life is blood ... blood is life.”
She heard keys jangling in a door, further down the corridor. Footsteps echoed from hard tiles. In a moment of terror, she thought the bloated demon was making good its promises. She used all her senses to detect the vile creature.
Eternal smirked for the demon was in no fit state to inflict its own personal reign of terror on any of the female patients. Its testicles had swollen to the size of pomegranates. The evil creature had to lie motionless on its back to ease the crippling pain. It was thinking how it would make up for this lack of attention on its raging libido and came to the inevitable conclusion it would enjoy snapping Eternal’s neck.
Eternal wondered exactly how long she had before the demon made good its promise. The footsteps grew louder. She recognized them. They were the familiar footsteps of Edouard. She turned her head to see the pair of black and white patent leather brogues belonging to her eternal lover enter the room.
~~~~
Edouard bent down and smiled into Eternal’s beautiful face. He reached out and touched her bare foot. An electrifying jolt of dark animalistic lust surged through him while he dragged her by the feet from under the bed. He knelt and was instantly transfixed by the fathomless dark ocean depths of her eyes and hoped they wouldn’t change color for it was Eternal he needed.
“I’m going to remove your straightjacket now. Would you like that?” He did not need an answer, sensing her hatred of the vile contraption surge through him like ripples across a pond. His stomach squirmed when a more defined fear caused her to gasp. She trembled and struggled to be free. Heavy, rasping breathing chilled him to the bone. He whirled to see Nurse Marteau with arms crossed, watching with a look of hate etched upon her face.
For a split second Edouard saw a fetid old crone covered in rotting, pustule-ridden flesh, sagging flat breasts half eaten by crawling lice and grey hair, matted and filthy, partially concealing its hideous face. Within a blink of his eyes the demonic creature was once more her sweet self. He shuddered involuntarily and quickly looked away from the fearsome shrew and back to Eternal. “You must be very hungry?”
Eternal nodded her head, yes, keeping a wary eye on the evil witch’s spindly legs.
“What would you like to eat?” he offered.
Eternal’s eyes dilated with sanguineous hunger. “Something you cannot give me until the Eternal Hour.” She saw the confused look on his face and smiled. “A raw steak ... the biggest you have.”
“Don’t you mean a rare steak?” he asked, frowning.
Eternal shook her head no and snarled. “No. Raw.” She calmed. “It must be raw and bloody, dripping with blood.”
Edouard thought back to the previous session and wondered if she might actually be a vampire. Her fear of the sun and the blanket across the window added to the mystery. Images of the cemetery invaded his consciousness. Conventions or not, his mind was leaning in that direction. He looked over at the nurse and shrugged.
“Tell the cook to prepare some raw steak and vegetables.”
“No vegetables!” Eternal blurted out.
Nurse Marteau nodded her head and quickly left the room. The door was slammed shut and bolted with her usual vehemence.
Eternal jumped at the loud noise and tried to put her hands to her ears but they were still shackled within the jacket.
Edouard experienced her pain, his head shot through with molten steel. He flinched too and had a good mind for a stern chat with Henri about that nurse while fumbling with the last of the buckles and straps of the straightjacket. Was that gruesome visage of the witch real or had he merely succumbed to Eternal’s suggestions of demons?
He removed the jacket by turning her this way and that then tossed the loathsome thing to the door. He helped his true love to her feet and gently placed her on the bed. He snatched the fresh blanket and draped it across the window.
Eternal looked deeply into his eyes of jade and swam in his tranquil sea. It was so wonderful to be caressed by her true lov
e’s adoration. This she passed on to him with a feeling of gratitude and smiled into his soul, making love to it with her ancient music.
“I have no use for vegetables,” she said, continuing where they had left off.
Edouard became excited at this moment of lucidity. “Excellent. You’re starting to remember something.”
Eternal shook her head and laughed for the first time with pure joy. “I didn’t need to remember that. I know they cannot sustain me.” She sent a mind message to Edouard.
He gasped at a little girl eating a plate of raw beetroot. She drank the dark red juice squeezed from the beet in her hand. “I’ll fetch some raw beetroot if you like?”
Eternal giggled. “I am not a child anymore, Edouard. My tastes have matured.”
His heart soared when she giggled. “Do you remember what you said in our last session?”
Eternal cocked her head to one side and smiled serenely. “Oh yes ... but I sense you do not believe me but you want to ... you need to.”
Edouard frowned. “Really ... can you sense what I am thinking right now?”
She grinned coquettishly. “Enough of this child’s play, Edouard.” She became serious, deadly serious. “We need to escape before The Count comes for me.” She turned away from his transfixed face and lifted a corner of the blanket to peek out of the window. The dim late afternoon light was just bearable.
He felt dejected now that his investigations were halted, just as things looked promising. He watched her staring out of the window into the gloom left by the receding storm and wondered if another storm was brewing, one from hell.
He was intrigued. “This is not a game. Come on ... what am I thinking right now?”
Eternal sighed irritably. “Why do men love to play games ... such silly games? I’m not in the mood.” She turned from the window and trapped his soul with her aura. “Very well ... you are thinking of the red rose I plucked from you back in Paris. There, satisfied?”
Edouard gasped in surprise. “That’s amazing. How did you do that?” Her reply was not necessary.
Eternal stayed at the window, waiting for the inevitable, waiting for him. “You are easy to probe, Edouard. You do not conceal your feelings with hatred, greed and deceit. You do not have a demon residing within.” She turned back to the window and sighed. She longed to be free, to hold him in a lover’s embrace until the end of eternity.
Voracious Vixens, 13 Novels of Sexy Horror and Hot Paranormal Romance Page 33