The Bathory Curse

by Renee Lake

  “Please, Mihail, I can’t wait,” she begged, her knees aching against the floor. She cried out in release as she felt his hand on her hips.

  “Are you sure?” he growled, her nod was all he needed, she was so slick, hot and tight, he slid into her, trying to control himself so he didn’t come before she did. She was trembling beneath him, wiggling her hips. Her bottom was flush against him as he began to move.

  He had been inside her less than a minute when she came, screaming against the floor, writhing alongside him, her hot heat clenching around his member.

  “Again,” she beseeched and he thrust into her, deep and harder, biting his lips, struggling against the waves and ecstasy that were spilling over him. He pushed inside her, enjoying her moans of pleasure and cries of pain as his engorged cock pulsed within her womb.

  Her next orgasm was more powerful than the first and he couldn’t control his own. He came, jerking within her flesh and when he thought he was done the climax continued, milking them both until the lay together in a loose, sweaty heap, covered in grime, their breathing labored.

  After a few minutes Mihail had enough strength left to move them to their bedroom. He laid them both in the cool sheets, ready for a long nap. Stasi sighed wrapping herself around Mihail, content, until she felt heat slowly crawl up her, her womanhood became swollen and wet again, she groaned, pressing herself against Mihail.

  “Stasi, what’s going on?” Mihail asked, his erection growing as the woman in the bed climbed on top of him, her skin rosy, and nipples hard. He took one in his mouth, enjoying her scent and taste, fingers digging into her sides.

  “I think Phoebe was serious when she said an hour,” Stasi whispered huskily as she lowered herself over Mihail, taking him within her moist heat and beginning to ride him. Throwing them both back into an intense erotic moment that would be the second round of an eventual five.

  Bendis stood outside the door to their room and as she heard the start of another bout of sex, she walked away unhappy. She knew that what these Strigoi had done was going to help break the Bathory curse, but she didn’t like being defied either. She had told Stasi years before she was not allowed to be with Mihail. Bendis did not need Nea distracted by a romance between her children. The Goddess had never been happy about Stasi choosing to become Strigoi instead of living out her life and die as the fates had planned. Bendis didn’t know if she actually liked Nea or not, she respected her, but hated the amount of change she had brought in her time as a Strega.

  “You were cruel to tell them they could not love each other.”

  Bendis turned hearing Phoebe’s voice, “I know. It was what I felt I needed to do at the time. They still don’t need to procreate, who knows what the child will be.”

  “Well, then you should have never made the loophole.”

  “I made it in a moment of weakness.” Bendis frowned at her great great grandmother.

  “Nothing to cry over now. What is done in done,” Phoebe said.

  “You could have refused them.”

  “I couldn’t and you know that. Stop acting like a child,” Phoebe admonished, she was leaning against the wall, watching the Goddess with her night sky eyes.

  “I know, I know…I’m doing the best I can.” Bendis rubbed a hand over her face; her foxes were rolling around the floor, playing as they always did, younger now that Bendis was the maiden. She kneeled down and they came to her, rubbing their little furry faces against her hands.

  “This is your fault,” Phoebe told her, “and there is a simple solution that you are refusing to see.”

  “I know; I am trying to fix it.”

  “Next time you fall in love with a mortal; do it with caution and less passion.” The scolding made Bendis feel like a young girl again, inside and out.

  “You could have told me no, you could have stopped me.”

  “I couldn’t. That’s not how my power works, you came for my help and prophecy demanded I do so.” Phoebe straightened and walked over to her great-great granddaughter.

  “I cannot say I am sorry enough. Nothing I do seems to fix this.” Bendis stood up, facing her imposing relative.

  “I know you think you have tried everything, but my darling you haven’t and it’s because you don’t want to see the answer, the truth. You have asked Nea to do an impossible task, to save yourself.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Bendis bristled.

  “That is unfortunate.” Phoebe placed a hand on her shoulder; she couldn’t tell Bendis more than she had, the curse of the powers of wisdom and prophecy, so instead she changed the subject, “how is your daughter?”

  “Which one?” Bendis voice was brittle. Gods had children all the time, sometimes with other Gods creating new ones, but mostly with humans. The demi gods usually had some small power but eventually aged and died. However there always had to be at least one, in case the god died…then the child would be tapped to take his or her parent’s place.

  “It does not matter; you should make sure she is trained.” Phoebe kissed Bendis on the cheek and vanished, her last words leaving a burning cold spot in the other goddess’ chest.

  Chapter 16

  Five Weeks Later

  “Gods, that garlic stench reeks,” Sabine said under her breath as they stood by Lucy’s bed, she seemed so weak and pale, with two vicious red bites at her throat.

  They had been called by Jack to come to the Westenra house first thing in the morning, the sun had barely come up when one of the Westenra servants had been dispatched to rouse them. During the night a large wolf had apparently broken into the house and attacked Lucy, the sight of the large wolf had been too much for poor Mrs. Western’s weak heart and she had perished during the night.

  “The garlic, it is necessary to ward off the evil of the vampire,” Van Helsing said, his thick Dutch accent hard to understand.

  “Please, a vampire? All the events of the past few days seem incredulous.” Quincy rolled his eyes.

  “I have told you that she is in the thrall of a creature of the undead, the vampire has sent the wolf to try and frighten us. The garlic and the crucifix will keep the vampire away.” Van Helsing wiped his brow with a white handkerchief; he was a thin, tall older man, with white hair and thick glasses. He didn’t look anything like his reputation.

  “I thought the garlic had been up all week? When I came to see Lucy a few days ago she was nauseated from the smell alone,” Sabine raised an eyebrow; they all made their way out of the room, hoping not to wake the girl.

  “It was, and with the blood transfusions she was getting better.” Jack sighed, sagging against the wall, his eyes haunted. Nea and Sabine made eye contact; the transfusions had only worked because of Marina’s gift.

  “That was why he sent the wolf!” Van Helsing exclaimed, “hoping to get to Miss Lucy, I fear he has succeeded.”

  “Don’t say that.” A new voice came from down the hallway. Nea put her guard up, over the weeks she’d had to endure Costica in his role of Arthur several times and the urge to simply kill him was ever present. They had stalked him through the streets at night but Costica was powerful and always gave them the slip. Sabine and Nea had discussed simply killing him in a group situation, where he could not use his powers or flee but they could not risk it and have these terrified people accuse them of being in league with the demon they thought praying on the populace.

  “I am sorry Arthur, but I fear she shall expire before tomorrow.” Van Helsing sounded sympathetic but there was a fire in his eyes. Nea understood this man. Lucy’s death would help him fuel these good men into a vampire hunting frenzy. She and Sabine had only been included because they didn’t argue against the cause.

  “May I see her?” Arthur asked, his eyes falling on Nea for a brief moment, anger and mischief in them, then they were back to the forlorn persona of the engaged man in despair.

  “Of course.” Jack motioned to the door and Arthur hurried towards it disappearing into the room.
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  “We should give them a moment.” Quincy said.

  “Do you think that is wise?” Nea asked, worried for Lucy’s safety. She had no doubt that the wolf, the bites and the blood loss were all Costica’s doing. She knew Vlad had not been anywhere near the girl since she had asked him to back off.

  “She is dying; they should have some private time,” Quincy countered. Their small group wandered down the stairs and into the parlor. Nea and Sabine quickly set about being female and ordering the staff to provide refreshments.

  “There is a vampire in England and I fear he will not stop his killing with just Lucy, I have seen reports from many towns of people, dead, from loss of blood…two small bites on their throats, I have seen it before, in my travels.” Van Helsing said, taking his tea and sitting, heavily, down.

  “It has to just be folklore,” Sabine sniffed. Nea smiled as she watched her friend add whiskey to her tea behind the backs of the men folk.

  “I wish it were Miss McLendon. Alas, this sort of creature doesn’t stop until it destroys all and leaves a path of bloodshed in its wake. We must find out who the creature is, hunt and kill it…before it is too late.”

  “If there is such a thing as a vampire then I agree with Abraham, it has killed poor Lucy, one of you fair ladies could be next, we cannot take such a risk.” Jack was standing by the window, looking out, stirring his tea, but not caring about whether he drank it or not.

  “I have a patient at the asylum that eats bugs and thinks they provide him with life, he often speaks of a master whose bidding he does. Until recently, I thought him just another patient with delusions…Abraham thinks he might be one of this vampire’s first victims.” Jack turned to them and Nea felt sorry for him, he truly was in love with Lucy and his heart was breaking over her condition.

  Nea couldn’t believe how fast Van Helsing had managed to persuade these men that a mythological creature was hurting Lucy and knew that Costica had helped give life to this small bout of mass hysteria. With this mysterious wolf attack and the death of Mrs. Westenra and the eventual demise of Lucy, all Nea and Sabine could do was watch the train wreck and try to make sure that no one else was hurt.

  They all started as a yell came from the upstairs, Nea schooled herself to seem horrified and stay sitting as the men all jumped up and ran out of the room.

  “What the hell is this now?” Sabine asked, sitting next to her friend, knowing that as a woman the men would not appreciate her following them.

  “Something from Costica, he is determined to have them hunt down and kill Vlad. He is killing poor Lucy to do so.”

  “We could stop him.” Sabine huffed, crossing her arms.

  “It would be too suspicious, he’s planned too well. If Lucy made an unnatural recovery he would just find another way to kill her, maybe something more horrible, blame us, call us out as witches, who knows. We can’t afford for these men to lose faith in us. If Arthur disappears or dies they will still hunt Vlad, thinking he killed him. We must play along until the timing is right.” Nea whispered. Sabine nodded and was about to add her normal sarcastic comment when the parlor door flew open and Jack and Quincy helped an injured Arthur into the room, he had a hand slapped over his neck.

  “Quick, Sabine, my bag,” Jack demanded. Sabine got up and grabbed his medical bag, as they sat Arthur down.

  “What happened?” Nea asked, trying not to sound bored with the theatrics.

  “What happened, Miss Bathory is that Lucy attacked Arthur, bit him in the neck before falling back on the bed, dead,” Van Helsing glared at her.

  “No, Lucy is dead!” Nea sank further into the couch, covering her eyes. Sabine handed Jack his bag and then wrapped an arm around Nea, both women were truly sorry for the loss of their friend, but couldn’t care less about Arthur’s “injury.”

  “This is proof then about what the good professor was saying,” Quincy said sadly, “I saw vampire bats go after a horse once, it wasn’t pretty.”

  “She was smiling at me, told me she wanted one last kiss before she died,” Arthur moaned as Jack bandaged his neck, “Before I knew it she was on me, it was so painful...”

  “It was only painful because she isn’t yet a vampire, but had the cravings of one,” Van Helsing explained.

  “I pushed her away and…she just fell back on the bed, staring at me, lifeless,” Arthur continued. Nea couldn’t believe she was hearing a tone in his voice, something like sincerity.

  “Common with vampire victims, we shall have to destroy her,” Van Helsing stated.

  “Destroy… Now see here gentlemen, I am more than willing to go along with most of what you have said, even if it sounds a bit silly. However, Lucy needs a proper burial and death rites.” Nea had enough, she stood, so angry her hands were shaking.

  “Yes, I will fetch the priest now, Lucy’s family was very Catholic, she will need to be buried right away.” Sabine fetched her coat and gloves and left the house quickly before another word could be said.

  “We all loved her Nea, of course she is to be buried like a Christian woman,” Quincy consoled as Jack fixed Arthur.

  “I advise against it, we must go up there now, cut off her head a drive a stake through her heart!” Van Helsing exclaimed, everyone, even Arthur, looked at him in shock.

  “Professor, as she is my fiancée, I agree with Miss Bathory, Lucy needs to be buried,” Arthur said calmly. Nea didn’t trust it, he must know that with the prior feedings from Vlad and not having enough time to recover, Lucy was doomed to rise as a revenant. Nea and Sabine had to get to her before the rest of them, after she was properly put in the ground. There was a specific way to kill a revenant and it wasn’t anything like killing a Strigoi or a vampire.

  “She may not rise at all, isn’t that what you said a few nights ago?” Jack leaned back, voice hopeful.

  “True, but it is unlikely.” Van Helsing seemed to give in, slouching down on his chair like a pouting child.

  “Let’s give it the benefit of the doubt, if she does become a vampire we can take care of it then.” Quincy was a little pale around the collar of his shirt. Nea got up and poured him a snifter, he looked at her gratefully as she handed it to him.

  Sabine came back within the hour and Lucy was given death rites and her body was taken away to be suitably cared for in preparation for burial. Nea and Sabine were able to duck out of more discussions about evil vampires. Being female in Victorian England had its pro and cons: the pro was that no one expected them to handle Lucy’s death with anything less than a woman’s grief and weak sensibilities.

  They went back to their cottage and began arranging what they would need to take care of Lucy when she eventually rose as a revenant. There was a ritual to observe and it had to be done within one month of Lucy being put in the ground.

  “There was an urgent message from home,” Marina said as they walked in the door, she took their shawls and bags.

  “An emergency?” Nea asked, alarmed.

  “It just said you were needed back home at once.” Marina shrugged and went back into the kitchen.

  “Well, you do need to feed, as do I,” Sabine stated, “I am supposed to meet one of my friends for the weekend, I shall feed at the same time. I doubt anyone will notice if we are gone for a few days.”

  “Costica will; he might even follow you.” Renata came out of the front parlor, holding a bone white tea cup; she looked at both women disapprovingly.

  “We can’t do much about that. Sabine is right, I feel the lack of energy and magic. I need to feed,” Nea told her.

  “It might disrupt things. So far he is content in this charade. If you leave he may fear you not coming back and escalate,” Renata advised.

  “Then I shall send a telegram to Jack informing him of a small family emergency that shall take us into London after the funeral, for the week, promising to be back as soon as possible.” Sabine walked over to the liquor cabinet, poured herself some brandy and swirled it in the glass, she did so love her spirits.


  “You think that will keep him from acting out?” Nea asked.

  “It might. I will keep an eye on him, but come home quickly.” Renata seemed agitated.

  “Is anything else wrong?”

  “He is quite different from others that I have hunted. He is the most unpredictable stalker, or killer I have come across. I never would have foreseen him killing and taking over a mortal’s life.”

  “I don’t think anyone could have predicted that, even Hecate was blind to his actions,” Sabine consoled.

  “Would you feel better if you went home and gathered modern day advice from your peers?” Nea realized that maybe Renata needed a vacation.

  “Yes, not long, a few days, but I would like to consult a few of my friends and see if anything has changed in how this type of person is profiled. I haven’t been home in ten years, there might be new information. I have a horrible feeling about this.” Renata was nervous, more nervous than Nea had ever seen her before, Costica’s actions really were getting to her.

  “Alright. I shall ask Bendis to send you the moment I get back from London,” Nea agreed.

  “But don’t fret all week while we are gone, you have done wonders for keeping this household out of trouble,” Nea warned, smiling at the other woman as she and Sabine crossed into the parlor to discuss their own trips.

  The funeral for Lucy was held two days later, it was a solemn, quiet graveside ceremony. Lucy was lowered into the ground and Nea found it depressing because the girl had been so young and in the prime of her youth. She stood, solemnly, in her black dress and matching veil, trying to mourn when Costica sidled up next to her.

  “Jack told me about Sabine’s telegram,” he whispered, head bowed. Nea’s eyes flitted up for a moment to make sure they portrayed the epitome of grief-stricken while they had their nasty little conversation. She reached over and placed a hand on his arm, patting gently and made a few cooing noises. Quincy, who was standing across from her, gave her a tight smile and nodded.