by D R Brooks
CHAPTER 5
As the carriage moved along the street IAN paused before he spoke, looking on in amusement while Betty played with her fangs. “The Ancient Ones, as they are called, were here first. They preyed on the humans for centuries and human worshipped them out of fear and awe. They drank their gods’ blood in ceremonies and after a few thousand years, evolution kicked in, birthing a new species; the vampire. Of course once they ate the apple, they decided it was far more fun to be gods than worship them, so they rebelled and they have been fighting ever since.”
Betty tried to adapt to her new set of teeth, but still ended up with a bit of a lisp. "Tho, the vampires are the Anthient's progeny? And how do you get the thing to go down anyway? Or up?"
No sooner had she spoken then she felt her fangs begin to tingle. She focused on the movement and they retracted. "Well, that's a blessing. It's obviously going to take some time to get used to."
Betty turned to face IAN directly. "Was that a chuckle?"
“Certainly not. Have you noticed any strange urges?
"A lady doesn't discuss such things." She cleared her parched throat to disguise the rumble from her stomach.
“I think you will find it hard to hold to your standards in morality.”
"I like my morals right where they are, thank you very much." Her stomach grumbled again "Though, perhaps, it would be wise to make our time in this Dimension a short one..."
As she spoke, the carriage jolted to a stop. Betty looked out to see a looming fortress.
IAN and Betty stepped out of the carriage to find Gabriella standing next to the gate. With her was a skinny, pale man. IAN and Betty walked over to them.
Gabriella spoke first. “It is about time you arrived.”
“We would have been here sooner but Betty had a run- in with one of your other guests.”
“Naughty little sissy. Onto the business at hand. This is Warden Herzog.”
“Warden.” IAN acknowledged.
The skinny man joined greeted him. “Professor Van Helsing, may I say it is honor to finally meet you?”
"P-, P-, Professor Van...?" Betty managed to stutter. To herself she muttered, "The stories are TRUE? I'm going to have go over all my calculations regarding dimension to dimension transfer. If it has been recorded in our literature, oh, dear me."
Madame Papillon grabbed Betty’s shoulders. “And this is my newest pet, Brigette.”
The warden took Betty’s hand and kissed it before she had a chance to yank it back from his wormy lips.
“And may I offer my congratulation on your ascension?”
This was about the time Betty would normally be blushing, but her cheeks felt as cool as hewn marble. She mumbled, "I really had no choice in the matter."
“If you are hungry, I have a cell block of humans that you could nibble on.”
It was Gabriella’s turn to be excited. “Any serial killers?” she asked, as she licked her lips.
"Well, I never." Betty rummaged in her bag. "I'm sure I put some digestives in here earlier. That will certainly be enough for me." She found the package and promptly popped a small piece in her mouth only to turn even more pale and run to the bushes on the side of the building and vomit.
“Newborns are so precious.” Gabriella cooed.
Betty stood up, making herself presentable, as they all entered the prison.
The warden addressed IAN. “By all accounts he has been a model prisoner. But even so we take every precaution in case he tries to escape.”
As the men walked ahead, Gabriella took Betty by the arm.
“So my beloved Brigette, how does it feel?”
Betty decided to be honest with her. "It just feels, hungry. I feel hungry. I thought there would be more moral outrage or I'd feel a sense of evil flowing through my veins. But it's more basic than that sort of..." She had a quick think. "Predatory. I really don't have time to be bothered with it right now, to be frank. Just, uh, please don't tell IAN. I don't want him to think he has to worry about me. I'm quite sure I can contain myself." Betty hurried ahead to join the men, but looked back at Gabriella, who had opted to stay by the entrance. "I do want to apologize, though, for my judgment of you. I had no idea. Sincerely." She gave a half-smile and turned back to the hallway.
Betty was amazed with how fast she caught up to the warden and IAN. They were standing in front of a large door secured by four rather large gentlemen. The warden motioned for the men to open the door. As they walked into the cell, Betty was taken aback by how uncell-like it actually was. More akin to a Victorian study and in the corner standing with his back to them was a slender man with long black hair.
The warden spoke with an almost imperceptible tremble in his voice. “Prisoner 1897, you have guests.”
The man in the cell spoke. “I am quite aware of that dear warden.” He turned and faced the company, addressing IAN specifically. “So my friend what are you calling yourself these days?”
“She calls me IAN.”
“Oh, does she? Well, my dear,” He said as he took his first real look at her. “What would you call me?
Betty fought a sudden and strong urge to kneel. "Living-challenged?"
He cracked a wicked smile. “I see you have been bitten by an Ancient One.”
"Is it that plain? What gave me away?"
“Your scent, of course.”
"Oh, yes, I suppose it's similar to the one I kenned when I first walked in the room. The musty smell of time with a decided tinge of copper."
Betty walked in a wide arc around him. "Are you he, the Nosferatu of literature?"
IAN rolled his eyes. “Leave it to you to use the name from a silent German film instead of the obvious one. Are you sure you are not a hipster?”
Betty cut a quick look at IAN. "Oh, why don't you just go ahead and ruin the moment, then? I'm sure the master, uh, Vlad, uh, Mr. Dracula Sir, has more important things to do than wait on us." She scanned the room again. "Actually...now that I think of it, what are you doing here? I thought no cell could hold you?"
“Don't believe everything you read, Betty,” IAN counseled.
Dracula sighed with appreciation. “Ah fiction; the gateway between the cracks of reality. What was once true becomes but a story.” Dracula gazed into Betty’s eyes.
Betty's thirst severely increased and she could feel her resolve slipping. "IAN? I don't think we should overstay our welcome." She tried to turn away and head out of the cell, but found she could not.
Ignoring her protestation, Dracula motioned for her to kneel before him. “So tell me, my dear, were did you find this creature that bit you?”
"The first time? I had arranged to meet this man, this anomaly, here, IAN. He asked me to meet him on a field case to examine what we call a Trans-dimensional Bleed. Even for my first case, things seemed to be strange. Long story short, there was what would call a 'Big Foot' whose dead body would not resolve and instead birthed what was apparently another Bleed." Betty realized what she was saying and turned to IAN. "Lordy, IAN. It was a Quantum Bleed. How could I have missed that?"
“Perhaps you just needed to see things from a new perspective?” IAN said pointedly.
Betty was confused by this statement until she realized that she was kneeling before Dracula.
"Aw, dammit. How did this happen?" She looked up at Dracula. "Am I supposed to ask what thy bidding is? That's usually what they ask in the books."
“’Yes, Master’ will be fine.”
"Well, tough figs. I'm not calling you 'master', Master." She cringed. "Oh, very well." Betty was obviously perturbed. "Why are we here? What do you want from us?" She again looked at IAN, light dawning. "Or...what do we want from you, Master?"
“That is the question, is it not?” Dracula looked over at IAN.
“Seeing how you are the only one of your kind who can cross over, it seemed reasonable to ask you how Ancient One had done the same.”
Dracula gave a small bark
of laughter, revealing his predatory fangs and an extraordinarily pink tongue. "Do you really expect me to reveal my secrets without the promise of something of equal value, IAN? Surely, you know me better than this." He leaned forward and slid a long, tapered finger over his lips, contemplating. "Or is this fledgling your offer?"
Dracula continued. "I accept. But only as an opening bid."
"What else can you give? I have no need of money and my life is eternal. Really, I do not think you have anything worth my time."
“You drive a hard bargain. Betty, do you have any sisters?”
Betty's eyes went wide. "Oh, yes! Like I would tell any of you that. I've gone and gotten myself in the soup this time. Think of another pawn if you would. And try to leave my family out of it!"
“Fine. Obviously, I can't give her permanently, but for one night in addition to your release from prison and the hand in marriage of Gabriella Papillon.”
Dracula tented his fingers. "Once you have lived as long as I have, you understand nothing is permanent. Yes. That seems fair."
Betty, still kneeling, "Fair to whom?!"
Dracula silenced her with a look. “I do believe we have a bargain, Van Helsing. It is not like you to give in to my demands so easily. So I am sure you will not mind if I take the night with the fledgling first and then tell all tomorrow evening?"
Betty swayed and forcibly whispered, "Surely IAN, you cannot be serious."
Dracula stood up, grabbing her hand and lifting her up as well. "Do not worry. Tonight you are my pet, but I am kind to animals. And after all, you must feed..." He looked at her eyes which were increasingly bloodshot. "I would say within the hour if you want to avoid eating yourself, which has no nutritional value, I can assure you, and certainly tonight if you do not want to lose consciousness and die." He smartly clapped his hands.
Immediately, a panel of stone slid back and four rather beautiful, if wan, men and women stepped out and smiled. "And they provide excellent meals here."
“I will leave you both to your dinner. I must go and inform Gabriella that she getting married. Again. I do hope she isn't close to any weapons when I tell her. Goodnight. And Betty remember, what happens in the Multiverse stays in the Multiverse, eh?”
IAN left, closing the cell behind him. Dracula led the bemused Betty to the humans. "Shall we, my dear?"