The Bathory Curse

by Renee Lake

  “How did he get it? How did he know you were looking for it.?”

  “I have not been quiet in my search, I didn’t feel I had any reason to keep it a secret, who could go up against me? I believe he must have searched Carfax before I even knew it was here last. Or maybe he planted that rumor himself and has had it for longer. I still do not think he is a good reason to flee, I will not be made out to be a coward.”

  “Yes, but in our homeland things are much different.” And she missed home, something dreadful, “we are on our own ground, we have better weapons. You could never be a coward.”

  “You wish to use my brides against them, the gypsies.” He caught on fast.

  “And the terrain.” She smiled, he sat back, contemplating.

  “Vlad you haven’t touched me since I got here, what’s wrong?” He might have been a man of little words, but physical affection had never been an issue. She wanted him to touch her, she knew she shouldn’t…but it happened so rarely part of her looked forward to their brief encounters.

  “I am ashamed.” He finally admitted after moments of silence.

  “Of what?”

  “You asked me to release my brides and I will do so once you break the curse, I swore to myself I would not taste their flesh again. I know since that fairy,” he said the word with disgust, “you have slept with no one else. I wanted to prove I was worthy of your word to come back to me.”

  “I know you haven’t lived like a monk, it’s fine.” She didn’t understand, what was he talking about?

  “I have been with another woman several times since you left to see to our children and the safety of our grandchild.” He stood and went to the fire place, giving her his back.

  An ache she wasn’t expecting filled her chest, it was silly to be jealous and to be hurt, she didn’t own him, not truly, not anymore…He could be with who he chose until the day she could be his wife in truth again. She felt a simmering rage fill her, making her queasy and her throat burn. She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

  “It is fine my love, I understand. I didn’t ask you to abstain.” Her voice was soft, he spun around and was at once kneeling by her side, clasping her hands.

  “It is not, when you said once your curse was broken you would come home to me. I vowed there would be no other women, because I know you, I know you will have no other men, I am weaker than I thought.” He bowed his head.

  “It’s true. I don’t plan on any romantic entanglements, but you and I are apart, it could happen, don’t place me on a pedestal.” Her words came our harsher than she wanted.

  “No, I won’t think about you with other men.”

  “Don’t growl at me Vlad Dracul, I am not the one who fucked some common tart. I am a strong woman. Do not think you can tell me what to do.” Nea didn’t know why she was so angry, she didn’t have any right to be, but she sure as hell wasn’t going to take any archaic crap from him.

  “You have always been a strong woman, Cneajna. I admire that. Ignore my jealousy, it gets the better of me.”

  “Now tell me, who?” Why did those words come out of her mouth? She didn’t really want to know!

  “Mina Harker.” His words were like ice in her soul.

  “Mina Harker? Vlad, I…I…don’t know what to say.” And she didn’t, how could he be with that horrible shrew? Especially now that she was married. He tried to touch her leg and she shook him off, she didn’t want him to touch her right now.

  “I slid into her room one night to take her blood, simply to keep an eye on them. When she woke she told me she knew I would come for her like I had Lucy. She stood and undressed and told me I could feed. I did and…” He wouldn’t even meet her eye.

  “And one thing led to another. I know that feeding is erotic, but how did this happen more than once?”

  “She sought me out. I know I should have wiped her mind and sent her home, but I have been isolated here. You know I created the girls because I don’t care for being alone.” Vlad’s eyes were pleading with her, Nea refused to meet them. Back when he was mortal Vlad had been locked up such a long time without company so it wasn’t a surprise it was a fear he had taken on into his new life. She motioned for him to continue.

  “She was beautiful and willing, such an uncommon combination once a woman finds out I am a vampire. Every time we shared blood I gained even more ability to access her thoughts and memories to see what my enemies saw. I enjoyed her company. It seemed like a fair trade, until she decided she wanted to be a vampire.” His head was in her lap, his words partially muffled by her warmth.

  “Tell me.”

  “The last time she asked to have some of my blood and I couldn’t say no, not with her spread beneath me, willing to give me her life force. I said yes but told her I would not turn her into a vampire. As she was feeding from me her door burst open, it was a trap.”

  “She betrayed you, I am not surprised.” Nea touched his face. She kissed his lips, even as possessiveness burned in her stomach at the image them together. She tried to squash the rage she felt.

  “No she didn’t, she had no idea the others knew about us, and she begged to go with me. Cneajna, I almost said yes.”

  Nea pulled back from him, he tried to stop her, made to grab her hands but she was too fast. Her mouth was a thin line of hurt and she took several steps back.

  “Go to her, I will not stop you.” The words made her feel sick inside. She had done this to herself, pushed him away for centuries due to Bendis rules. It was to be expected, but it still hurt.

  “No. I do not love her, I love you.”

  “Funny way of showing it.”

  “I had to be honest with you, it would be unfair to us both if I lied.” He was standing now, his face hidden by shadows.

  “Are you sure?” Nea took a step towards him, she still couldn’t be with him, not the way he wanted, but she needed to know, were they over, for good or could they salvage their relationship and move past this?

  “I was weak, it is my fault, and I know it, I am not proud of myself, Cneajna.”

  “I would have rather you bedded someone else,” she took a deep breath, but she couldn’t monopolize his affections, “but until I can come home for good do not worry about future dalliances. I don’t want to know about them, though.”

  “Then why should I release my brides?”

  “Because they shouldn’t be forced to stay with you.” She was about to say something else when Vlad jerked like electricity had run through his system.

  “What?” She gripped his hand.

  “They have found my last box of Earth, they think now to come at me, to put a stake through my heart at dawn.” His eyes had a faraway look and Nea realized he was still connected with Mina, her lip curled at the thought.

  “Let us go to home to Wallachia, we shall fight them there.” Nea stood, bringing him with her.

  “You are so old, wife, it has been Romania for at least twenty years now, Wallachia is no more.” There was humor in his eyes.

  “It will always be Wallachia in my heart.”

  “To Poenari Castle then, where I kept Jonathan Harker.” He swept her up in his arms.

  “Can you get a message to Sabine to have her meet us?” Nea asked, wishing one of her powers was telepathy.

  “Yes, now hold on to me.” He kissed the top of her head and it was like darkness swallowed them, she felt nothing, no emotion, no heat or cold, no movement, but when she opened her eyes they stood in the main foyer of Poenari Castle. It was almost in ruins, but she could see it how it looked when she first stepped through the doors, she could feel the earth beneath them calling her home and smell the sweet woods that was her children’s birth place. She hadn’t been home in years and the pain of missing it filled her with despair and joy.

  “I wish you hadn’t let this place fall to decay,” she mourned.

  “I had no choice; humans would not have left it alone had I spent time and money fixing it. As it is they leave it as
a great landmark. Come though, there is one wing furnished and salvaged.”

  He led her down one corridor and up another until they reached a large wooden door that seemed to be barricaded shut, it opened for Vlad and inside were many of the modern comforts of England, including several of their family treasures; art work and furniture.

  “What are you doing here?” They both turned at the voice, Siobhan stood, hands on her hips, glaring at them, Marisol, cowering behind her.

  “This is my home as much as yours,” Vlad shrugged.

  “Do not take offense My Lord, we just were not expecting you,” Marisol said, softly.

  “I have come home with a gift.” Vlad came forward hands out stretched, Marisol ran to him and grabbed one of his hands, kissing the knuckles, Siobhan came next, though slower and not happy about it.

  “Where is Lily?” He asked.

  “In the dungeon, like normal, she won’t be happy you brought her.” Siobhan motioned to Nea.

  “Then she will be very unhappy that we will have a few more coming in a day or so.” Vlad told them

  “What has happened?”

  “You spoke of a gift?”

  Both vampires spoke at the same time, curious as to what was going on and why their lord and master had come home unannounced.

  “There will be people coming here to kill me, should you defend this home and destroy them I will release you and let you go on your way, you never have to see me again.” He offered it like a choice piece of meat to a wolf.

  “Immediately?” Siobhan sounded suspicious.

  “Yes.”

  Nea was shocked, she had thought he would wait until she had broken the curse. Looking at the set of his jaw she realized this was him punishing himself for Mina. She wanted to take the superior road and shrug it off as his choice, but a part of her was still angry and took enjoyment in the action.

  “We would have nothing, where would we go, how would we live?” Marisol cried, intrigued by the thought of freedom.

  “I will provide you the financial support you need to be comfortable until you can figure it out on your own.” Vlad took his cape off and hung it up, choosing a seat and settling, he held a hand out to Nea who ignored it but sat beside him anyway.

  “Lily will be furious; you can’t let her out on her own,” Siobhan warned.

  “I do not expect her to survive the fight; if she does I will see she is cared for,” Vlad explained, he was frowning at Nea, she still wouldn’t voluntarily touch him, he realized he hurt her more than he thought he had.

  “Thank you my Lord. I will help rid you of your enemies. When should we expect trouble?” Siobhan asked, not fazed by his ruthless comment about her sister bride.

  “Within the next few weeks, we are laying a trap; they shall think they are only days behind me, instead of almost a month. These are very foolish mortals, but do not under estimate them; Abraham Van Helsing has killed many undead in his life time.” Vlad told them both.

  “We will all need to be careful for this to work,” Nea agreed.

  “Why are you here?” Marisol was nosy.

  “Some of my people are helping, there is a man, Costica, travelling with this group, he is a rogue Strigoi.”

  “We better go talk to Lily before she comes up here and destroys the furniture over your presence,” Siobhan sighed, she and Marisol left the room, almost floating.

  “You had to pick women who are psychologically unbalanced to spend immortality with, didn’t you?” Nea stated after they left, had he actually chosen Mina Nea was sure she would have been just as unhinged.

  “They were not always so, sometimes becoming a vampire changes a person.”

  “It has changed you, at least a little,” Nea acknowledged.

  “That it has, though some things have not changed…” he bent down to kiss her when a loud voice filled the room.

  “STOP.”

  They both looked up and were on their feet in seconds. Bendis stood, matronly and glowing in the room, furious. Vlad’s eyes burned red with anger, he hissed at the Goddess and pushed Nea behind him.

  “YOU DARE KEEP ME FROM MY STREGA?” Her voice boomed through the room, seeming to suck the oxygen out, the room grew dark and cold.

  “Vlad, it’s alright.” Nea gently touched his arm and stepped out from behind him, she addressed her Goddess, “I am here Bendis, he meant no offense.”

  Bendis glared at her Strega and the air around the room warmed as the Goddess cooled her temper, “Why are you here with this abomination, Nea?” She asked, her voice still harsh.

  “We have come up with a plan to kill Costica.”

  “Why was I not informed?” Bendis’ foxes circled her feet, growling.

  “You once told me not to bother you if it wasn’t important. I am a powerful and grown woman, Costica is my responsibility. I figured out a way to handle him, I didn’t realize I needed to run it by you,” Nea answered truthfully.

  “When it involves you consorting with demon spawn such as Dracula it does. You know I do not tolerate vampires.”

  “You thought I had abandoned your service for Vlad,” Nea countered, knowing her Goddess all too well.

  “Of course not.” There was hesitation in the Goddess’ voice.

  “If you say so.” But Nea knew better, the Goddess was like a mortal in some ways; not infallible.

  “You did not see fit to inform me that Stasi is pregnant either,” Bendis accused.

  “There simply hasn’t been the time. Sabine and Imre will be here soon, you are more than welcome to stay and I can fill you in.”

  “No, I must go. I have duties, but a warning Strega, you cannot stay with him, no matter what your hearts and bodies want. Try and remember you were gone less than a week when his heart strayed last.” It was a cruel jibe and Nea flinched.

  “Keep out of this.” Dracula said, he reached for Nea, again, and pain radiated in his chest when she stepped just out of reach.

  “When it concerns my Strega, it is my business.” Then the Goddess was gone, as quickly as she came.

  “Well, I am glad we showed up late for the party.” Now that the Goddess was gone Vlad and Nea could see Sabine, Renata and Imre standing near the door.

  “Good we can get started,” Nea said, ignoring the wounded look on Vlad’s face, and they began talking of plans and death.

  Chapter 18

  Three weeks later the battle began. The gypsies alerted them the moment the group of inept mortals made their way towards them. Dracula had staged a carriage to travel to Bran Castle, surrounded by gypsies and in the company of Imre. However, Van Helsing was smart, he chose to cover all his bases. He and Mina were making their way to Poenari Castle while the rest went to find the carriage. They were determined to kill Dracula, no matter what it took.

  Nea had no idea what any of them thought about Sabine’s and her permanent disappearance from Whitby, but knew that Costica must have been raving mad. He wasn’t a man who liked having his own plans turned on him.

  They left the Brides at Poenari to deal with Mina and Van Helsing. Siobhan was looking forward to a true fight, while Marisol stood in the shadows behind her, scared and timid. Lily paced restlessly near them, she could smell the humans’ blood and hear their heart beat, every molecule of her being was screaming to hunt and kill them, she was not good at the waiting game. Dracula’s instructions, however, had been very clear.

  They watched as Van Helsing led a shivering Mina, dressed in her English finery into the clearing near the entrance to the castle.

  “You wait here Mina, while I place the holy symbols.” Van Helsing set a circle of salt and holy water around her, giving her several host wafers, “stay within this circle and you will be safe.”

  “Oh, Professor, my head hurts so much, I can feel him in there, calling me to him.” Mina whined, her hand on her head, feeling faint.

  Siobhan snorted, “What a dramatic fool.”

  “Let’s kill her,” Lily hissed.

  �
��Any minute now.” Marisol gripped Lily, holding on tight to the unstable girl.

  Van Helsing glanced around stepped into the circle, closing it, they had to wait for morning to enter the castle and destroy any vampires lurking within.

  This was their cue, the brides. The three vampiresses floated out and surrounded Mina, they each wore a long white night dress, leaves in their hair, eyes red and skin pale, they had starved themselves simply for the appearance, like a human right before a large feast.

  “Mina, sister, you are one of us, join us,” Marisol pleaded. Mina felt frightened, she gripped the crucifix at her neck and simply shook her head.

  “I can smell our Master’s blood running through your veins, leave the circle and come with us, look at the night! All it has to offer you!” Siobhan held out a hand, her toes near the salt line. She could smell the girl’s fear.

  “Mina, you must resist!” Van Helsing thrust his cross close to Siobhan, she growled and backed up.

  “Don’t come any closer!” Mina shivered, looking pitiful, but Siobhan saw something else in her eyes, this one was crafty.

  “We won’t hurt you sister, leave the old man, and come with us. We can share him later,” Lily giggled. She could tell that the woman wanted to join them and was furiously fighting with herself.

  “No, please go away.” Mina turned and buried her face in the older man’s shoulder.

  They spent hours trying to entice Mina and frighten them, as the sun began to climb over the horizon Siobhan gave the order and they all fled back into the castle, to their coffins, in the basement.

  “Quickly, the sun!” Van Helsing shouted triumphantly. He broke the circle, “stay here, shout if you see anything, this will not take long. I will destroy those undead harlots and free their souls.”

  “Please, hurry back, I feel like something is wrong,” Mina begged. Van Helsing gave her a fatherly smile and grabbed his bag full of stakes, holy water and holy wafers.

  He crept into the castle, quietly making his way through the dirt and dust down into the murky and unkempt basement. It smelled like rot and mold. It was dim, with only a few rays of sunlight piercing the doom from cracks in the foundation. Van Helsing lit a torch near the wall and went farther in.