Dracula Theory, page 14
“What’s happening?” Renfield asked.
Instinct begged that I run. A quick glance around the tavern revealed no quick means of egress. We were trapped like mice with a starving feline approaching.
Men and women were tossed aside like rag dolls. All the while Mina didn’t take her eyes off me for a second. The nearer she drew, the harder it became for me to look away.
“Run.” My voice caught in my throat. I repeated the word until it finally came out whole, and both Renfield and Davith understood my intention.
Neither of my cohorts left my side. I wasn’t sure if I should commend their strength or condemn their stubbornness. Mina’s approach offered me no time to decide. She tossed the final patron aside and stood before me, her crimson-streaked breasts barely moving in their corsetry—even after exerting herself against the crowd.
“Jonathan. Just the man I’ve been looking for.”
Without another word, Mina grabbed me by the arm and dragged me through the crowd to the exit. Lucy picked up the other arm, and together they carried me out of the tavern. I could hear both Renfield and Davith calling after me.
“What are you doing?” I demanded.
“What I should have done from the moment I met you.” Mina opened her mouth wide to reveal the overlong and deadly canines I’d seen too much of these past few days.
Just as Mina was about to clamp her mouth over my neck, she arched her back and roared in agony. The change in position gave me a perfect view of what had happened. From his position a few feet behind Mina, Davith held a silver crucifix in one hand and a look of terror on his face.
I yanked my arm free from Mina’s grasp and ducked beyond her reach.
“Run!” I shouted.
Before I could utter another syllable, Davith, Renfield, and I were speeding down the cobblestone street, the sound of a raging Mina behind us.
“What do we do? Where do we go?” Renfield’s voice buzzed in my ears.
“Follow me,” Davith shouted.
I had no idea what the priest was planning, but it had to be better than the panic running rampant within my brain. And, thus, I complied. Together, we took a quick right and Davith’s scheme became all too obvious. At the end of the street stood a church. With a burst of energy, I sprinted past both Davith and Renfield, to reach the entryway ahead of them. I pulled open the doors, just in time for the men to rush through. As I turned in the threshold, Mina arrived, with Lucy at her side, both creatures hissing and spitting like cats in heat.
“Fie on you, Jonathan Harker,” Mina snapped. “You cannot remain within the confines of that holy asylum forever. At some point you will take your leave from that vile sanctity. When you do, I’ll be waiting.” Mina began caressing her breasts and stomach.” I know you too well, Jonathan, what you liked most about my body. Touch me, my love. It would bring me a world of pleasure to press flesh with you.”
The sound of Mina’s voice was a temptation to which I could not succumb. Giving in to her would most certainly be the death of me.
“Play with me, Mina.” Lucy wrapped her arms around Mina and pulled her into an embrace which led to a seductive kiss. As Lucy’s hands traced over Mina’s curves, lines were drawn in blood to remind me of the horror I beheld. This was not Mina Murray and Lucy Westenra. What stood before me were two creatures of the night, eaters of the flesh and drinkers of the blood.
Mina looked to me. “Wouldn’t you like to join us, Jonathan? I know your secrets. You always fancied Lucy. I don’t fault you for that transgression. She is an absolutely gorgeous specimen of woman. You wouldn’t believe how delicious she tastes.”
Lucy smiled and licked her lips. “I want you, Jonathan Harker.”
“I hate to disappoint you ladies, but we are standing within the sanctity of God's house. I’d hate to offend the Mother Mary.”
Before either woman could reply, I stepped back and slammed the doors closed. In an instant, the two hell-beasts began wailing in anger at the lost opportunity. I was fairly certain their displeasure had more to do with their inability to stop me from foiling Count Dracula’s plan than enjoying a blood-soaked ménage à trois. From the other side of the heavy doors, their relentless howling continued.
“God in heaven,” Davith shouted. “What do we do?”
“Quite obvious,” Renfield answered. “We wait. I assume those hell whores abide by the same rules as their master?”
“I don’t follow,” Davith prompted.
“Wouldn’t it stand to reason if Count Dracula sleeps during the day—for whatever inexplicable reason—that his brides would do the same? That being the case, all we have to do is wait inside the safety of this church until the sun comes up. They’ll cower back into the shadows, and we can make our escape.”
“I’m afraid Mr. Renfield is right.” I finally spoke up. “Until Mina and Lucy are gone, we aren’t safe outside these walls. Once daybreak arrives, we should be safe to leave.”
“And then what?” Davith’s voice was near snapping. “Do we continue living our lives afraid of the dark, hiding in the light of day?”
“No. We let the Baron’s machine of commerce bleed the Count to death, at which point Mina and Lucy will either revert back to their mortal selves, or…” I nearly choked on the thought, “they’ll die.”
Renfield raised a hand. “And what happens when the Baron’s fountain of youth goes wide-spread throughout London? We’ll be facing down hordes of vampires.”
This time, Davith replied. “There’s a bit of logic you’re missing there, my son. If Jonathan’s assumption is correct, and those who have been infected by Dracula’s blood are released from the spell upon his dying, it would stand to reason that the drained blood would be harmless.”
“Rendering the Baron’s elixir nothing more than snake oil.”
Renfield’s gaze danced from me, to Davith, and back. “So all we have to do is remain silent and away from the danger of night.”
I patted Renfield on the back. “Precisely, my good man.”
Mr. Renfield celebrated by scooping a fly out of the air and popping it into his mouth. As he swallowed, Mina and Lucy renewed their agonized siren songs. The sound of my love’s voice stirred up some heretofore untapped emotions, something primal and dark. I wanted nothing more than to open the church door, fall into her arms, and let her do with me what she would—my soul be damned. Instead, I did the only thing I could think of.
I prayed.
“Our father, who art in heaven…”
Davith joined me.
“Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, they will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven.”
From the door came a thunderous pounding, far heavier than a single human could inflict. The solid wall of wood rattled on its hinges, threatening to break free and fall to dust.
“Come,” Davith whispered. With silent steps, the priest guided Renfield and me to a stairwell that led downward.
“I have come to loathe these things,” Renfield mumbled.
“Below this house of worship is a safe room. It was built during a rather dangerous time for churches. Theft was rampant, so many clergymen decided it was best to add a room to hide away any valuables the church might own. Those devils might break down that door, but they won’t find this room, and if they do they won’t be able to make their way in.”
We reached the bottom of the stairs. Davith grabbed a torch and led us through a short maze of tunnels. At the end of a narrow hall, Davith pulled a brick from the wall, reached his hand inside, and twisted. To my great surprise, a massive section of the wall slid to the side, revealing an opening. Davith replaced the brick and gestured for Renfield and me to enter. Once inside the small room, Davith entered, grabbed a handle and gave it a twist. The door rumbled shut, sealing us in. The priest then lit an oil lamp, which cast just enough amber light for us to see the room was empty.
“This church has been struggling financially for some time. They’ve had to sell off their valuables to keep the doors open.” Davith wiped a finger over a dust-covered table. “This room was once filled with gold, art, jewelry, and religious relics worth a king’s ransom. It’s a tragedy what has happened.”
“If I may be so bold,” Renfield interrupted. “I don’t give a pot of piss how poor the church is, so long as it can save my hide in this moment.”
Davith turned on Renfield. “If we weren’t in such dire straits, I’d belt you one for that.”
“Gentlemen, please. We are on the same side here. All we have to do is wait out the storm in this claustrophobic little room, and we’ll be free to go about our merry way. I, for one, plan on giving a sizable donation to the church … should we survive.”
Renfield stood up from his usual slouch. “What do you mean should we survive? What do you think our chances are?”
“It was a figure of speech. Do you hear them?”
“No.”
I nodded. “So stop worrying and make yourself comfortable. We have a long night ahead of us.”
I didn’t have the heart to inform Renfield there was no way of knowing how safe we really were. Who could truly fathom how powerful Mina and Lucy were together? If they succeeded in breaking down the door of the church, could they enter into the holy structure? If so, would they find us in this room? And, more importantly, what would they do if they were to reach us? Separate limbs from bodies, or blood from vein? Either way, we would die.
My eyes wandered away from Renfield and stopped at Davith. The priest raised a single eyebrow, as though he knew exactly what defeatist thoughts were running rampant through my mind.
I leaned against a wall and let gravity take me to the floor. Precious energy need not have been wasted worrying about that which was out of my control. It was late, I was tired. Sleep was my only salvation.
*****
Dracula’s castle was cold, colder than I’d remembered. My breath came in puffs of translucent white mist, as I stood in a basement with an earthen floor. The smell of dirt permeated the room and filled my nostrils with its natural scent. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. When the blackness gave way to the slightest bit of vision, I realized I was surrounded by coffins—each of polished black wood, lids closed tightly. The flicker of lightning was immediately followed by a thunderous boom.
Curiosity took control of my resolve and I approached the nearest coffin. After a quick check on my bravado, I grabbed the lip of the lid and carefully pulled it open. Inside the dead sanctuary lay Mina, her arms crossed over her heart and her eyes shut tight. Her beautiful face was a mask of peace, no sign of stress or internal struggle, nor skin cast in the blue of death. The need for closure overwhelmed me, so I bent over and pressed my lips to hers. That mistake cost me dearly. Mina’s overlong canines pierced the flesh of my upper lip, sending a gush of blood overflowing my mouth. Mina drank from the scarlet fountain, refusing to release me from her bite. We remained locked together, Mina dining on my blood, until I became light-headed. The effect sent me twisting, Mina’s teeth tearing through my lip. A rush of pain stole my breath and pressed my pulse into a dangerous tempo.
I rolled onto another coffin, one that had opened during our tussle. Staring up at me, with bloodshot eyes and an unforgiving, downturned mouth, was the Baron. He sat up, shaking his head, shame and disgust the clear and present opinion on his face. The Baron opened his mouth to reveal a set of fangs to equal Mina’s.
In the next coffin rested Van Helsing. He, too, had a monstrous mouth and threatened to use it on me. The final coffin was empty. When I turned back, the trio of vampires were pointing bony fingers my way. The meaning of the gesture was all too clear. That coffin’s bell did toll for me. Instead of complying, I slammed the lid closed and turned to leave. In my haste, my foot slipped in the dirt. I crashed to the floor. My head smashed itself against the empty casket.
Mina grinned and whispered my name.
“Jonathan.”
“Go to hell, demon.” My voice cracked against a flood of fond memories.
“Jonathan,” Mina spoke louder.
“I refuse to join you in your bestial existence.”
“Jonathan!” This time around, Mina shouted my name.
I started awake, Renfield hovering over me, concern deeply lining his face.
“Mr. Harker.” Renfield’s voice was kind. “You must have been having a terrible nightmare. Are you okay?”
“Of course, I’m okay,” I lied. My heart was racing as the memory of the nightmare lingered in my mind. “How long was I asleep?”
Davith pulled out a pocket watch. “Not even an hour. We still have quite some time until sunup.”
“Goddamn it,” I whispered.
Renfield giggled like a school boy. “Might not be the best thing to say in a church, my friend.”
“God will forgive him this trespass … given the circumstances.” Davith tossed a wink my way. “A few Hail Marys wouldn’t hurt.”
“It’s nice to see you can retain your sense of humor, even while a pair of vampires are threatening to tear down the walls of your church.”
“As they say, the Lord works in mysterious ways.”
I huffed. “It would be much appreciated if the Lord could work on speeding up time a bit. I hate to confess this—”
“I am a priest, after all.”
“I have to urinate.”
Davith pointed to the opposite corner of the room. “I hereby designate that to be our toilet. Enjoy.”
“No thanks. I’ll wait.”
And with that, I closed my eyes and hoped the ensuing slumber wouldn’t carry with it another bout of vampiric nightmares.
FOURTEEN
Deus Ex Vampirica
The remainder of the night passed uneventfully. I was awakened by Davith’s gentle voice. In my transition state, my mind began to unpack our situation. One particular thought rose to the fore—why not just run a stake through the heart of Count Dracula? Or, in his sleeping state, carry him out into the midday sun? And then it dawned on me. The Baron. No matter how deadly and demonic Mina had become, should I bring about the death knell of her father’s enterprise, there’d be no hope for any joining of souls in holy—or unholy, for that matter—matrimony. Even if Mina’s chance of recovery was slim, I had to keep that hope alive and allow the Baron to see the vampire die from his indirect doing. Knowing people could perish because of my inaction made me want to run off to a monastery, sign away my life, and cleanse my soul. I felt weak, inadequate as a man or human. But my heart beat an inescapable rhythm for Mina Murray.
Love-induced guilt could be my undoing.
Or would it be guilt-induced love?
Either way, I could wind up complicit in the deaths of who knew how many people.
“It’s past ten, Jonathan.” Davith’s voice broke my reverie.
“In the morning?”
“Of course.”
“What are you saying?” Renfield chimed in.
“He’s saying it should be safe to leave.”
Davith crossed himself. “I am, indeed.”
Davith held a torch near to the door locking mechanism and gave it a twist. The stone slab shifted aside so we could make our exit. The priest made sure to close the room up, and replace the revealing brick.
Step by cautious step, we ascended to above ground. We were met in the nave by a pair of nuns, attending to candles and incense. Davith gave them a blessing before exchanging a few words with the sisters.
“The door to the church is almost in ruins,” one of the nuns announced.
“What manner of monster would do such a thing?” the second woman asked.
Davith wrapped his arms around the sisters and pulled them into a comforting embrace. “I will inform the constable. We’ll not rest until the vandals are caught and behind bars.”
With that, Davith escorted us to the door.
To my relief, there was no sign that Mina and Lucy had broken through the church entryway. Outside, however, a different story unfolded. The massive wooden doors were nearly splintered. What planks remained without cracks were etched in a language I couldn’t read.
Davith leaned in close to examine a passage, scratched deep into the wood. “These words are written in Aramaic.” Davith glanced at me. “Did Mina speak the language?”
“Not that I know of. But there’s much mystery to the woman, so I couldn’t say for sure.”
“Either way, whoever wrote this was proficient in calligraphy. That, in and of itself, is an oddity, as so few can write in this dead language. Even stranger is what has been written.”
“Care to translate?” Renfield prodded Davith.
“It simply says ‘We are legion’ over and over.”
“How could two be legion?” Renfield asked. “Am I mistaken in understanding the word to mean many?”
Davith drew up close to get a better look at one of the carved letters. “You are not mistaken.”
I wanted to take the time and be overly concerned about what Mina scratched into the church doors, but more pressing matters were at hand. The most important issue was making my way to Van Helsing’s home and assisting him with his Dracula Theory. One way or another, I had to make sure the Count was completely drained before nightfall—otherwise, Mina and Lucy would have another chance to seduce me over to the dark side of existence. Truth be told, I wasn’t ready to hand over my mortal soul. The added bonus being the slow death of Dracula might induce the release of his hold over my beloved.
“We have work to do,” I said before marching off toward Van Helsing’s estate.
Renfield was the first to catch up. “What are we doing, Mr. Harker?”
“Making sure Van Helsing follows through with his plan and drains the Count today.”
Renfield fell in lock step with me. “How do we do that?”
