Realm of Night (Mina Murray Book 3)

by L. D. Goffigan

  We were reunited with Emma, who’d been hiding in a back cellar with an Order member; she wept at the sight of me and Gabriel, she feared we’d perished in the battle.

  With the knowledge that Bathory was dead and the manor secure, we raced back up to the room where I’d been held captive to find Anara with Seward’s body.

  Watching her with him now, I realized that what seemed like a flirtation between them had actually been love. For Anara, there seemed to be no one else in the room besides Seward.

  When Anara finally spoke, her voice was tinged with sorrow.

  “I know you are all surprised we cared for each other,” she said, her gaze never straying from Seward’s face. “It surprised me as well. I never imagined that I would grow to care…to love a human. But something drew me to Jack. I have known much darkness… and there was a lightness to him. An ability to find the good in everything and everyone. Somehow, he seemed to understand the pain of my past….he seemed to understand me,” she whispered. “I hoped we would have more time together. We never spoke of what would happen if he were to perish during this fight. I thought I was strong enough to keep him alive…to keep him safe.”

  She drew a pained breath. She raised her wrist to her mouth, sinking her fangs into her own flesh, watching as blood dripped from the fresh wound.

  Behind me, Emma gasped. Shock pulled me from my grief-stricken silence.

  “What—what are you doing?”

  “I cannot let him die. His body is not yet cold, there is still time,” she said, starting to lower her wrist to Seward’s mouth.

  “We don’t know if he would want this,” Gabriel protested.

  “I agree,” I said. “Anara, I mourn for him too, but it is not—“

  “Let her do it.”

  It was Abe who had spoken. He looked at me and Gabriel, conviction in his eyes.

  “We have lost too many. If Anara can save him—let her. When he is revived, and he chooses not to live as vampire, it is of course his right to die. But now…let Anara do what she must.”

  Anara had already pressed her wrist to Seward’s mouth, allowing her blood to flow into his throat, though she gave Abe a grateful smile.

  “Leave us,” she whispered.

  Though I felt conflicted about Anara’s decision to change Seward, I quietly obliged, leaving her alone and following the others out of the room.

  MOMENTS LATER, I stood in between Abe and Gabriel, watching as the flames of the fire consumed Bathory’s headless body, her flesh disintegrating with every lick of the flames. Nikolaus, Kudret, Noelle, and other members of the Order hovered around us. It was very much like an ancient burial ceremony, in the days when humans burned the bodies of their brethren on funeral pyres. Only Bathory was our enemy, and there was certainly no grief.

  I thought of the images I’d seen when I entered her mind. Bathory as a young girl, trained to be a killer by her father. Bathory falling in love with a human and then betraying him. And then I thought of that flicker of regret in her eyes before she died. I harbored no sympathy for her, but the brief images I’d seen of her life lifted the veil of her monstrosity to reveal the damaged creature that lay beneath; the creature who’d chosen hatred over love…which consumed her in the end.

  Soon Bathory's remains were nothing more than ash, and the others turned to file back towards the manor, until it was only me and Abe. He reached out to entwine his fingers through mine.

  There would be more stray followers to kill, the Order would have to be formally restructured and put back into place, a system would have to be set up to prevent further attacks on humans. But the largest part of the fight was over—Vlad Draculesti, Aurel Skala, and Elizabeth Bathory were now dead.

  Tears pricked at my eyes as I thought of all I had faced in the past few weeks, ever since the fateful day Abe approached me on the street to warn me of vampires in London.

  “It is over, Mina,” Abe murmured. “It is over.

  As if heeding his words, the breeze picked up, extinguishing the flames of the fire, and Bathory’s ashes scattered into the wind.

  27

  POSSIBILITY

  Several weeks later, a dozen members of the Order were gathered in the drawing room of my home in London. I sat in the rear of the room next to Abe. Gabriel presided over this meeting; he stood in front of the small group as he addressed them.

  I’d arranged to have the first meeting of the newly reinstated London branch of the Order in my home. Further meetings would take place at another member’s home just outside the city.

  Abe, Gabriel, Anara, and I were now honorary members of the Order, but we would only be peripherally involved with the group going forward. Bathory and Skala’s surviving followers had scattered; there were now only sporadic attacks on humans throughout Europe. You all have done more than enough, Noelle had gratefully told us, before we left Transylvania.

  We had returned to London several weeks earlier. I’d been reunited with a grateful and relieved Clara. She had burst into tears when I told her Abe and I were engaged. He had taken up residence with me, along with Gabriel, for whom Clara had already set up a room.

  Emma had initially come with us to London and met Clara as well. To our disappointment, she had not stayed for long, returning to the Ghyslaine home in France. She was eager to turn it into both an inn and a meeting place for the Parisian branch of the Order of the Dragon.

  “Are you quite certain?” I asked her. “You didn’t want to be involved in the war.”

  “The war is over. I can help in my own way by offering the home for the Order’s use. It is a way of honoring your mother…she would be happy to know that her home is being used as a meeting place for the Order. Promise me you will come to visit often. I will certainly visit you and Gabriel as often as I can.”

  I returned my focus to the present, as my brother continued to address the group.

  “Members of the Order in Prague were able to capture a group of vampires who were arranging attacks on humans. They have set up teams of patrols to work with local police. Several other police departments from other cities are working with the Order as well,” Gabriel said. “If no one has anything further, we will adjourn for the day. Thomas will lead the next meeting at his home.”

  Everyone began to disperse, bidding their farewells to me and Abe as they departed. Abe left my side to chat with several departing members of the Order, and Gabriel approached me.

  “I will be going away for awhile,” he quietly informed me.

  “What? Where?” I asked. “A mission for the Order? I hope that—“

  “No. It is…personal. One of the Order members has a close friend in Constantinople; he knows of my father’s family. He received information that revealed my father may be alive. I must see if it is true. I hope to only be gone for a fortnight.”

  “Oh, Gabriel,” I said, my hand flying to my heart. “Of course you must go. But please…stay in touch via wire and send letters. If I do not hear from you, then—“

  “You will come after me,” he interrupted, smiling. “I know.”

  “Clara will be the most upset about your departure,” I added, returning his smile. “Even if it is only for a fortnight.”

  The doorbell rang as Abe joined us. We turned towards the doorway as Clara led Anara into the drawing room.

  We froze at the sight of her, and my heart leapt into my throat in nervous anticipation.

  We hadn’t seen her or Seward since we left Transylvania. Anara had taken Seward with her to Budapest as he underwent the Change; our letters and wires to her inquiring about his progress had gone unanswered. Days ago, she had written to me and Abe, informing us that she was now in London with Seward, but she needed more time alone with him.

  Now, we all studied her anxiously as Clara left us alone. Anara smiled, her entire face luminescent with joy.

  “Jack is awake and well. He would like to see you all.”

  WHEN WE ARRIVED at Seward’s home, we found him in his draw
ing room, seated in an armchair by the unlit fireplace.

  I blinked at him in astonishment. The last time I was in a room with him…he had been lifeless. Though his skin was paler than before, his brown eyes brighter…he looked the same. It was like looking at a living ghost.

  Seward gave us a tentative smile as we stood in stunned silence, taking him in.

  “Christ,” Seward finally said, his smile fading. “Do I look that bloody awful?”

  “Jack,” Abe breathed. He had gone pale at the sight of Seward, but once he spoke, the color returned to his face. It was as if he didn’t believe his friend was real until he’d spoken.

  Seward beamed, getting to his feet, and Abe moved forward. They clasped hands; Abe looked down at their joined hands and winced.

  “Ah. The cold hands,” Seward muttered, looking down at his hand, before giving Abe an apologetic look. He dropped his hand back to his side. “I’m still not quite used to it.”

  “How do you feel?” I asked.

  “Honestly? Bloody fantastic,” he replied, with a wide grin. “I was a bit surprised to wake up. Once Bathory had her fangs in my throat…I surmised it was over for Jack Seward. Anara gave me a choice…I chose life, even if it is as vampire. Truly, Mina…you and Jonathan should have let yourself turn vampire. There are hundreds of colors and smells I didn’t know existed.”

  He sounded like the Jack Seward I’d come to know, and I smiled. I glanced back at Anara, who stood behind us. She was beaming, her eyes filled with love as she watched him.

  Seward informed us that he intended to work with the Order alongside Anara; Scotland Yard never appreciated his efforts, and he could hardly go back to work as a vampire, the other detectives would grow suspicious of him.

  We spent the remainder of the afternoon with Seward and Anara, reminiscing over our adventures together, and sharing our plans for the future.

  Abe and I planned to wed in the fall in Amsterdam; it would be a simple wedding with Clara and our friends, both human and vampire. We were going to travel for some time before he took a teaching post; his male pride would not allow him to live off the generous inheritance Father had left me, though as my husband he was more than entitled to it, and it was likely what Father would have wanted. But I wasn’t going to argue the point; I knew his independence was as important to him as mine was to me. Together, we wanted to complete my father’s biological research before working on our own research; we would publish our findings together.

  We spoke of the friends we’d lost; we planned to have a small memorial service for them all in the upcoming weeks. With the help of several Order members, we had brought Arthur and Lucy’s bodies back to England for burial. I had sent an anonymous note to the newspaper about Arthur’s bravery during the attack on the Demeter; I wanted some way to tell the world about his sacrifice, keeping the silent promise I’d made to him when we buried him on a beach in Holland weeks ago.

  For Szabina, I found a small garden in the city, where I planted lilies of the valley in her memory. I would plant a larger garden for her on the grounds of my father’s home in Matford.

  Evening had fallen by the time we bid farewell to Anara and Seward. We took a cab back to Highgate. As our cab meandered through the bustling streets, I realized I felt no sense of foreboding for the first time in weeks. It was an odd feeling, a wonderful feeling, one which I hoped to become accustomed to.

  When we arrived back at home, Clara informed me I had a visitor who wished to see me alone in the drawing room. We gave her curious looks, but she merely ushered me along.

  I froze when I entered the drawing room.

  My visitor was Jonathan. He stood next to the window, gazing out at the street. He turned when I entered. I surveyed his familiar face; the hazel eyes and warm smile.

  Without a word, we both stepped forward to embrace each other. There was none of the passion I felt when Abe was near; only the comforting warmth of friendship, and we stood silently in each other’s arms for several moments.

  “I heard what happened…Clara gave me an overview while you were out. I’ve been keeping track of the stories in the newspaper; my vampire guards told me what they knew. I do confess…I was worried when I read about the ‘Blood Plague.’ But somehow I knew you and your friends would succeed, no matter how grave the odds,” he said, when we pulled apart. “I heard about your engagement. Clara could hardly contain herself, she was so excited.”

  I nodded, lowering my gaze. I had planned to eventually write Jonathan to tell him of my engagement; I was unsure of how he would react.

  “Mina.”

  I looked up. He was looking at me with a bittersweet smile.

  “I am happy for you. Truly. After all you have been through…you deserve happiness. And I owe you my life, after all. I thought I could at least call on you to offer my congratulations…for everything.”

  “Thank you,” I said, beaming. I should have known that Jonathan would bear me no ill will about my engagement to Abe; he’d been the one to detect my feelings for Abe when I was still in denial about them myself. But it was still relieving to hear him say the words.

  Clara brought us tea while we talked. Jonathan told me his vampire guards had left the same week Bathory was killed; he thought his guards were unnecessary, Vlad’s remaining followers had been focused on me, not him.

  He was now in the process of founding a solo law practice, and he was courting a woman his mother didn’t approve of, though she was a society woman from a good family who spent her wealth helping the poor. I laughed when he told me this; I thought Mary’s dislike had been focused on me, it seemed she didn’t like anyone whom Jonathan courted.

  When it was time for him to leave, he stood, reaching out to grip my hand.

  “It was lovely seeing you, Mina. I’m sure you are off to some other adventure. Will you write?”

  “Of course.”

  After I walked Jonathan to the door, I found Abe in the study. He was seated by the window, pretending to read a book on geography.

  “That book is upside down,” I teasingly pointed out, as I entered the room.

  “Ah,” he said, flushing with embarrassment. He set the book down, not looking at me. “I take it Jonathan is well?”

  “He is well. Courting a woman whom he cares for, and genuinely happy for us. You do a poor job of hiding your jealousy, Doctor Van Helsing.”

  Abe’s flush deepened as he stood, and I drew him close, leaning in to press my lips against his in a gentle kiss.

  “Where shall we go next, my heart?” Abe asked, when we pulled apart.

  I thought for a moment, and then smiled.

  “Everywhere,” I replied.

  Now that the vampire threat in Europe had been eliminated, the future once again seemed alight with possibility. I recalled the words my father had written to me in his letter, and felt a meld of hope paired with love. I silently vowed to abide by his words, which now rang through my ears.

  I would urge you to focus on the light in the darkness, on the one thing that makes humanity worth fighting for: love.

  THE END

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  A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR

  I hope you enjoyed REALM OF NIGHT, the third book of the Mina Murray series.

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  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  L.D. Goffigan writes historical fantasy and dark fantasy novels. She studied film and dramatic writing at New York University. She grew up on the East Coast but now resi
des in a large city by the sea on the West Coast. When not writing, she enjoys traveling and dreaming of new fantastical tales to tell.

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  ALSO BY L.D. GOFFIGAN

  THE BEAST OF LONDON

  FORTRESS OF BLOOD

  Table of Contents

  Table of Contents

  Realm of Night

  Copyright

  Epigraph

  1. Blood Plague

  2. Destruction

  3. Rage and Bloodlust

  4. Rosalind

  5. The Trap

  6. Warning

  7. Berlin

  8. Pale Shadow

  9. Nightfall

  10. Dance of Pain

  11. Bloodlines

  12. The Order

  13. Dark Places

  14. Emma

  15. Blood of Monsters

  16. The Promise

  17. The Night Masquerade

  18. Prey

  19. My Queen

  20. Hunter

  21. Family

  22. Inferno

  23. Transylvania

  24. Fear

  25. The Choice

  26. Humanity

  27. Possibility

  Prequel Short Story Collection

  A Message from the Author

  About the Author

  Also by L.D. Goffigan