In my anger, I turned my back to him glancing over my shoulder.
“And as for betrayal, you have no right to speak of that to me, not now, not ever.”
“Leave us,” he shouted as I disappeared.
I knew he would strip Claudia of her clothing and examine her without regard for her feelings. I could hear her cries long after he had finished. I too wept for the indignity he forced her to endure. She is so pure, such an innocent creature. I adore her so deeply. I cannot understand what it is he punishes her for, if it is his own sins he puts upon her or those which he believes she has committed I do not know.
But this I do know, Ahbrim is mad and I cannot, with a good heart, leave Claudia in his care.
7 May 1897
I gave to him the time needed to collect his thoughts and make use of his medical devices to determine the state of Claudia’s condition. After many hours, he came to me as I sat alone in the cellar of this house where I felt safe, even though Claudia had long ago moved what few possessions I have to one of the upper rooms. I heard him approach long before he announced himself.
“I offer you my apologies, Vladimir.”
“It is not with me your kind words should be spoken. They should be with your daughter.”
“It was a necessary evil. I thought you would understand.”
“She may be your daughter, Ahbrim,” I explained. “But she is still a woman. You treat her no better than those I witnessed stand accused of crimes against the church. You should consider this when you force such indignities upon her.”
He sat next to me, a man troubled and guilt ridden. Empathy is not an emotion I am comfortable expressing, so I said nothing as I sat alongside him. I, instead, expressed only that which pertained to my considerations.
“I wish to return to my home, Ahbrim. It will no longer be safe for me to reside here in Budapesth with you and Claudia within the confines of this deplorable house. I can no longer rely on Claudia’s blood to staunch my growing hunger now that she is cured and will not require the bloodletting to continue. Let me return to where I belong, to where I have remained hidden.”
His expression was a curious one as he looked at me. He appeared filled with hope which was not directed toward Claudia any longer. It was now directed toward me.
“Do you not see the implications, Vladimir? If your blood could cure Claudia, God willing, she could be your cure as well. You would be released from this eternal damnation and could make penance.”
My laughter echoed through the house like thunder before I turned my gaze toward his.
“A cure is not in my interest, Ahbrim. I have come to accept my fate. It would be wise for you to do the same. I did not kill you, Ahbrim, all those years ago because of whom you are to me. Do not force me to revisit that decision.”
“At least listen to what I wish to tell you. Do not turn away from me now as you did then. I remained loyal to you. I broke my solemn word to God and the Pope, to save you, from the hands of those who would have killed you, countless times including Mr. Harker and his associates. I, too, live in eternal damnation for what I have done. Would you not want to be released from this affliction and from your guilt?
“I have no guilt, nor any remorse. That was lost to me long before I became what I am, long before the night they took her from me. Let me go, Ahbrim. Live your life and release me from the vow that bound you to me. Mordecai is long cold in his grave as is Pios and the others. Is it not enough that I abided by your wishes throughout the centuries, that I remained hidden as you wished? Let me go Ahbrim. Set me free.”
My words, I am certain, were unheard. He will never stop this pursuit to save my soul. Now that his beloved daughter is cured, his madness will turn toward me. Peace shall never be mine.
He finally left distressed that I would not listen to him. Ahbrim would not be difficult for me to overpower. Easily could I have at that moment influenced him to take leave with his daughter. Yet, I find the conflict I felt only yesterday continues to grow. I fear for Claudia’s safety in his care and what he might do to her. His obsession could turn toward experimenting on her blood to use to further his experiments. How could I, in good conscience, leave her to him without my protection? I must find the means by which I can convince him to return with me to Castle Baserab if she is to live.
Beneath her outer face, I existed for centuries, my lair secretly contained, emerging only as needed as a kindly benefactor who wished to restore the Castle to its former glory, often claiming to be a descendant of the Baserab family in the false pretenses showed. It has proved well over the years and allowed me to restore her to the glory she once held. Elisabeta’s belongings have long been stored beneath the Castle as a silent reminder of our love. I have never had the fortitude to destroy them, for in the simplest items she lives on for me. I built beneath the Castle a room in which they are kept as a continuous reminder of her beauty and the love I was once able to hold in my heart. It mirrors the room Nicolai had built for her, a constant reminder of how that which we love, that which makes us whole, can be taken from us in an instant.
Perhaps, if I agree with him under the façade that I will be his willing subject, I can convince Ahbrim to accompany me to Castle Baserab and save Claudia in the process.
Claudia Van Helsing’s Journal
8 May 1897
Budapesth
My Vladimir is sad this day. I cannot explain how it is I know this, I just do. I feel his longing, the deep ache within him to return to his home. We are strangely connected, he and I, since the day he cured me. I have memories I do not understand of Vladimir and my father as though they knew each other in another time, another place. His connection, an undeniable bond, to my father is profound to the point of being unfathomable. How could I possibly feel this?
Fleeting images of his life, a life filled with sorrow and despair play in my mind. In the shadows can be seen a man whose appearance seems to be that of my father, yet I do not understand how this could be. They seem so ephemeral, yet so real.
Father’s walk will not be long from now. I will speak with Vladimir and learn the truth behind how he became what he is and what happened to cause it.
Late Afternoon
I stood in the hallway, pacing, as I waited for father to leave. He spoke with Vladimir at the base of the staircase; Vladimir assuring him, as he always does, that he would watch over me in his absence. As soon as I knew father was safely gone, I rushed down the stairs.
“Who was she, Vladimir?” I asked.
“She was my wife.”
“She died, a long time ago, did she not?”
“I do not wish to speak of this with you, Claudia. It is a dark memory I do not wish to relive at this moment.”
I rushed toward him unafraid of what I knew him to be.
“You must tell me, Vladimir. I must know the truth. I do not understand what is happening to me. I see things I know cannot be true, and I believe them to be your memories. Yet how could my father be part of your life then? He is not as you are.”
He was silent as he dropped his head.
“Claudia, there is much you do not understand. Let the dead rest. Do not bring this to light.”
“If you will not tell me the truth, then I will be forced to confront father. Please, the truth from you I know I can have faith in to be the truth. I know not whether I can believe what he tells me anymore.”
“The history between us is long, Claudia, and troubled. Sit and I will tell you what I can, then he must tell you the rest.”
I sat with him for nearly two hours before father returned and could scarcely believe what he told me to be the truth, yet in my heart, I knew that Vladimir could not lie. He was not capable of it. His convictions were too strong. I knew, not only from the way he spoke, but because of what I felt and saw in his memories. By the time my father returned I swore an oath to Vladimir that I would do whatever was in my power to free him from my father’s grasp, including convincing my father that we mus
t return to Castle Baserab.
9 May 1897
I waited until this morning to approach my father, not letting him know about the previous evening’s conversation between myself and Vladimir. When he returned we were playing chess, so it would appear as though little conversation had occurred between us. At breakfast, I approached the subject with a certain amount of caution.
“Father, now that I am cured, and Vladimir is long past healed, how much longer must we remain here?” I asked.
“There is still much I can learn from the qualities of his blood, my sweet child. How can I allow Vladimir to linger on in this state? Would I be an honorable man if I did so?
“He is weary, Father, and broken. Is that not enough for you?” I pleaded.
“It is more difficult than just a single request.”
“Then let us take him somewhere, anywhere other than this place. Is there not a place that he calls his home? Perhaps if he were surrounded by that which is familiar to him, you could persuade him to allow you to at least try.”
My father, after listening to my argument on Vladimir’s behalf, agreed that perhaps if Vladimir were home he would be more agreeable. My heart soared when I stood at the bottom of the staircase and heard my father ask Vladimir to join us for dinner; he had a proposal he wished for Vladimir to entertain.
“Thank you, Claudia,” I heard whispered in the deep recesses of my thoughts. It was Vladimir. I know now that we will share a bond that time will never break, and that he will always care for me.
Vlad Dracul’s Journal
8 May 1897
Budapesth
How easy Ahbrim is still swayed. Our conversation lengthy as he and Claudia dined while I provided pleasant conversation. He is still naïve and believes this to be only the plea of his daughter on behalf of a man whom he once loved as his Viovode. I do not control Claudia as I did the others. She is different from them. Her will is too great for me to overcome, which I would not do even if the opportunity was presented. Claudia deserves the life she has been given. Perhaps it is the Baserab within her. I care only for her safety, especially now that she knows part of the truth about her father and I and our strange relationship.
Within the confines of the Castle I can keep a closer watch over her, protect her from this madness that infects Ahbrim if need be. I know the vow he took and how he came to be immortal. What I am unsure of is what would happen to Ahbrim if he did cure me. Once his vow was fulfilled, would his immortality end? Would he then age at an increased rate and crumble to dust in her arms as Claudia held him? Or would Ahbrim’s life just fade from him? What would become of Claudia? Would his God be so cruel as to condemn her to a life with me?
The Castle will provide me with a means of escape should I be in need. There are many hidden passageways within her walls, long ago constructed that still remain. Others, rebuilt by the Slavics, who remained loyal to me during the many reconstructions. Should I need to flee with Claudia to save her from his lunacy, at least I will be on familiar ground. I am not yet convinced his only interest lies in curing me. Claudia’s blood could be the cure to many illnesses born of this century. I am not confident that he would not use her to further his research. He may have been consumed with saving his daughter’s life but the man I once knew who would have viewed it as a miracle given by God is long gone. A lunatic remains whose sanity is questionable, at best.
I saw first the signs when he came to me at Carfax. He knew of my arrival and what was planned. Ahbrim made no attempts to stop me. He cared only that I would aid him and if he would be granted what he so desperately desired. Ahbrim bargains with a creature he considers evil, a contradiction of his faith and all that he embraces. He did so to save the life of his daughter. So now the question I pose is - what consumes him now? Why should he care so greatly about a single man long lost to him if it is not madness which prevails?
Abraham Van Helsing’s Journal
14 August 1897
Budapesth
We make ready this day to travel to his home, Castle Baserab, deep within the Carpathian Mountains. My work will be easier to complete there, as Claudia has said. If Vladimir feels at ease someplace familiar to him, I may find it easier to persuade him to consider my offer.
Many years has it been since last I saw her splendor. Vladimir says he has worked diligently on restoration. I remember vividly the day of her completion when he carried Elisabeta across the threshold into the Castle, his wedding gift to her, a gift that was later to become not only her curse but his.
The interior was completed to the exact specifications at his request to Nicolai and Velascon. Upon the ceiling of the main hall a large mural he commissioned so that all would see her beauty upon entering.
It was once home to us, when Vladimir was a man. I pray that he might find solace in returning to his home.
Claudia Van Helsing’s Journal
1 October 1897
Castle Baserab
The journey to my uncle’s home was a long one. The terrain leading to the castle was treacherous, and at times, I feared our carriage would slip from the narrow road into the deep ravine below. Vladimir assured me several times I should not worry; his driver was skilled and had navigated that road many, many times in his life.
The snow is deep here in the mountains, much deeper than any snow that I have ever seen. I wonder how often Vladimir had to send for provisions to last the long winters. But then I must remember he does not have to dine as we do.
From what I was able to see, Castle Baserab appears to be built into the mountainside. I am sure it once was impossible for anyone to lay siege given its location.
Though the outside was beautiful, I find I am overwhelmed at the interior beauty. I find myself wandering the corridors admiring the intricate work of the stonemasons and the inlaid decorative carved doors and doorways. Vladimir appears to be happier now that he has returned to his home. However, that lingering sadness remains still. I cannot imagine my life without my family. To think he has lived all this time alone with no one to care for him causes me such sorrow.
Two rooms within the castle are boarded and appear to have been so for a very long time. When we arrived, Vladimir told us that certain areas of the castle were dangerous, and we should not seek entry to them. What could possibly be behind those doors that would cause him to refrain from entering those rooms again?
A small village sits below the castle nestled between the snowcapped mountains. I made mention of it to my father, but he ignored me. I ventured to ask Vladimir about it. He said the village is quite old, a leftover relic from days long past. He says it was constructed by a relative of his who cared greatly for his people. Could this relative actually have been my Vladimir? Does he hide the truth from me when he trusted me in accepting what he truly is? I believe he wishes to protect me from his past, but I must know the entire truth about him and what happened between Vladimir and my father.
17 October 1897
I awoke to the sounds of my father screaming at Vladimir. It has become a constant since we arrived. I sense they care deeply for each other, yet an unknown force stands between them. I cannot discern if it is some past transgression well seeded or if my father is still angered by what Vladimir did that night. To me it appears to be an old wound that has never healed. How long the anger will last between them, I cannot say, but, for the good of all involved, they must learn how to make peace somehow.
Though I am not fluent in Romanian, the symbols outside one of the boarded doors are easily interpreted. It appears to have been a church or a place of worship. I wonder what happened in his life that angered him so greatly he would turn away from God. Was it the death of his beloved, the beautiful dark woman who haunts my dreams? I often wonder what happened to her but have not yet found the courage to ask Vladimir.
The second room, which is boarded, I believe to be hers. The wood surrounding the doorframe has inlaid roses and spiraling vines. The splendor of what surrounds us still leaves me in
awe. In the main entryway of the castle, upon the ceiling, is a great mural, the mural of a beautiful woman who appears to be floating in water. She is dressed in a lavender gown, the hem edged in gold and fastened to her bodice by a beautiful amethyst brooch. Her eyes are haunting as she stares down at me. I can only assume she is his beloved Elisabeta, and that her death was what caused Vladimir to become what he became. I know that it is for her that he cries, the woman I see in my dreams. How sad that he has lived an eternity with no one to care for him. How could a love so beautiful have ended so tragically? My father says there is good in all men, if only we take the time to seek it, yet I find his behavior toward Vladimir is the exception. I know my father will not tell me the truth; all that I can hope for now is that Vladimir will have the strength to tell me. I hope in the coming days to find the opportunity to speak with Vladimir alone and perhaps then I shall learn the truth. Until then, all I can do is keep the peace between them.
Vladimir keeps only a few trusted souls around him, those I believe he has known for many years who serve him faithfully and without question. I wonder how long they have been in his service. Are they the same type of creature as Vladimir?
At night, the castle is eerily quiet. I find it is so quiet it is difficult to sleep. Tomorrow Vladimir has promised to show me more of the castle and to tell me more of its history. Perhaps then, I can learn more about him and the life he once led, the life when he knew my father.
Claudia Van Helsing’s Journal
18 October 1897
Castle Baserab
Vladimir appears slightly more at ease now that he is home, yet the lingering sadness I witnessed when we were in Budapesth remains. It is the sadness that may never heal. I cannot imagine what it would feel like to have a love so deep that time itself could not erase the pain of its loss. His love for her transcends time. I wonder if in my life the privilege of knowing a life and a love so beautiful will ever be mine.
Memoirs of an Immortal Life Page 11