Preys and Predator Part II; the monster and witches' Chapter 33

 

33.

Personal losses are handled alone or, at times, shared with others. At that moment, the mansion was dashed with woes. The Frankenstein had lost the patriarch, the next in line; Sven's missing son was deemed lost, Spielsdorf having felt the emptiness in him for his dead lover, and there was one other who felt the empty emotion of not seeing Henry.

“Master, where is Henry?” It asked.

“I do not know. He was last seen on the road.” Victor buried himself in the research papers. He was trying to document his works.

“You told him to pack your bags.” It looked at the creator.

‘Yes, I did. I did not travel. I returned …….” Victor stopped speaking. Why was he explaining to the creation his action? He had no need to do so.

“Go back to the chamber. I need to do my work…… alone.” Victor told the creation. He knew that it will not be harmed in there despite the coldness.

“I want to stay here. I want to wait for Henry.” The creation said. “I do not like it there. It is ……”

Victor had cleared the chamber of the body parts. It was not required anymore. He had done his creation.

“Please go.” Victor had then sounded apologetic to the creation. “Please go in.”

It took the slow steps to the chamber. It looked at the empty racks and then at the walls. It was all……empty. Victor heard the knock on the door. He walked towards it and saw the one who knocked was the inspector.

“I am busy, Inspector. Come back another time.” Victor stood at the doorway.

“I duly apologize, Sir. We were supposed to meet, but I was called away on other cases. I should have sent words to you, but…… duties are heavy, and work is piling.” The Chief Constable was finding words to explain his absence, “Whatever it was.”

“It is okay, Chief Constable, but not today, please.” Victor was insistent on being left alone.

“Only a minute.” Chief Constable Lestrade pushed his way in.

“Inspector! This is my …….” Victor protested.

“Working lab. Very interesting.” Chief Constable Lestrade looked around. He saw the tables and the apparatus there. “The Uni said you took leave for the semester…… Was it a back injury?”

“Yes, I did. I was injured from a bad fall. The injuries give me back pain.” Victor stepped past the Chief Constable, who was obviously not leaving. He walked to the working table and collected his notes.

“Doctor Victor, I presumed. I was told you do research into biology? I duly apologize. My knowledge of science is more of gazing at the stars.” Chief Constable Lestrade smiled. “I do not see any mice or rabbits. Do you not use them?”

“No, I do not. I am into human anatomy. I studied those.” Victor snapped back.

“Human anatomy? Well, I am too. More of peeking down the bodice.” Chief Constable Lestrade laughed. He saw the glare from the doctor. “Bad joke. Yes, I was informed by the university of your area of expertise. You worked on cadavers, I believe.”

“Yes, I do. At the university. I…”

“We had an investigation some weeks back on missing cadavers……well, on the parts. We investigated the UNI, the morgue, and the staff……. Do you know Silvus?”

“I cannot say I do, but I may have met him when he delivers the cadavers to the university. What happened to him?”

“Oh, nothing. No evidence to pin on him. He was released from detention.” Chief Constable Lestrade sighed. I can see you have electricity. Most wondrous that creation.”

“Yes, I do. I need that too for my cold chamber.” Victor regretted saying that.

“Cold chamber? Why that……. Oh, yes, I recalled. The Uni has one. Bloody cold. I was told that they had two breakdowns in the…… electricity power, and phew…… the stench of the place was overwhelming.”

“Inspector, I am busy. May we do the discussion another time and day?” Victor brushes the courtesy off.

“Yes, we should. Oh, have you seen Henry? He is missing.” Chief Constable Lestrade added that. “He is …… I was told.”

“No, Inspector. I have not. I knew he was missing from Sven, but he is not here.” Victor said.

“Obviously, unless he can stand the cold in that chamber.” Chief Constable Lestrade smiled with the smirk on his expression. “Off I am now.”

Victor locked the door after the inspector. He saw then the creature standing there at the chamber door.

“Henry is missing.” It spoke. “I must find him.”

“No, you cannot. You must stay here.” Victor said.

“I know where he can be found. He told me of his hiding places.” It approached Victor. “Please let me go.”

“No, you will not. I want you back in the chamber… now.”

“I…. I do not want to. I want to find Henry.” The creature was insistent on looking for Henry. “He could be hurt.”

“No.” Victor looked at the creation. “I am your master. Do as I say.”

“Do it now!” Victor raised his voice. “Please…… I will find Henry.”

It walked back to the chamber. It was listening to the master.

So was Ernest then, listening to his mother.

“Mother, I need help. I …” Ernest had set the herbs into the cauldron. He had used the wand to summon his mother. Her apparition appeared.

“I knew of it just. You are …… It was a mistake to tell you of the arts. It was my mistake.” Annabelle sighed.
“Ernest, my son. Listen to me. You must go to the lab, Victor’s lab. Get in there and remain there. The demon cannot reach you there. If it does, there is a creation there to protect you.”

“Do it now!’ Time is of the essence.” Annabelle looked at the child. “I cannot help you here. I am needed at the …… another place.”

“Mother!” Ernest called out, but his mother had left. He hobbled to the desk to collect his books. It was what he valued most. He also picked up the revolver loaded with the bullets. He was ready then.

Are we ever ready?

Spielberg watched his daughter sleep. They had spoken of their lives and then of the lady known as Carmilla. Soon, Lauren’s illness made her tired, and she slept. Spielberg sat there by the window, holding the cane in his left hand and the revolver in his right hand. He was to protect his daughter. He closed his eyes to rest as it was getting dark then.

“Rudolf, it's me.” The image of Lissa appeared. “I will be brief.”

“I love you. I did what I had to do to protect her. My …… link to the coven was before we met. Annabelle and I were of one, but we did hide our past to live the present. I should have told you, but you … may not understand.”

“Carmilla Karnstein is of another coven, and we are not friends. We have been battling each other for generations; till then, when she struck at Annabelle. She was with her son, who has suffered with crippled legs. The sisters were called to protect Annabelle, but we were late. We managed to salvage her soul, and then later Carmilla attacked me. I was salvaged in time and kept in limbo. Annabelle and I, with the other four sisters, were assigned to check on Carmilla at the mansion; similar tragedies like mine were assigned to check on Carmilla at the mansion. Our souls, or rather our beings, are kept there laying the siege, and for that we are unable to travel elsewhere far or use any power we hold far from the mansion.”

“I had always been protecting Lauren, but my powers are limited. Your only choice is to get her to safety. Take her to the lab where Victor works. There she may be safe.”

“Do it, Rudolf. Do it for our daughter.” Lissa wept. “I love you.”

Spielberg woke up with a start. He gazed towards his daughter.

“She did love you.” The voice was by his side. Spielberg looked towards it. It was Carmilla.

“Funny how things get complicated when it was simpler then with our forefathers. All they were to do was terminate each other, leave some survivors to add in new numbers, and the vicious cycle of vengeance resumed.” Carmilla smiled. “Were they monsters?”

Spielberg was to get up when Carmilla motioned him to stop.

“Please do not get up. You will wake up, Lauren.” Carmilla smiled. “I am not here to harm her or …… you.”

“The covens have been at war for a long time. It was …. A rift was then when I, Countess Carmilla Karnstein, broke alliance with them. It was over a personal issue. I was…… Love can be deadly…… with Vlad. He was a prince then, a handsome one. We knew each other through his young lover then, Justina. I knew she was his, but lust gave us cravings that we cannot ignore. The coven had protested my intentions, but I was not to be deterred. I rebelled, and the rest you may have known.”

“It was love then, but a mate scorned it, holding the fury that even the gods will shudder in fear.” Carmilla smiled. “The war was declared, and I, Carmilla Karnstein, have two enemies: the coven and the vampires.”

“Spielsdorf, you knew I removed his other bride, Allera. I will not be the fourth but only one. Man has the notion they can use for their pleasures; harem it was called, but I am a one man’s lady. I resented that, and Vlad had not stopped pursuing me.”

“What love can do to us, Spielsdorf? Misery, I am telling you. When Lissa died, you felt miserable. I felt miserable when I …… saw what my loved one did to Lauren. Yes, my love for Vlad triggered this war. I was targeting Lissa and not Lauren. She was …… collateral damage. You, as Общий, knew of these damages.”

“I …” Spielberg wanted to speak.

“Hush, Spielsdorf. Over the nights I had visited Lauren. My initial visit was to see her, my sister’s child……. But over the visits, I grew fond of her. I found myself knowing her. I learned more of…… myself from her.” Carmilla sighed. “I found love with her.”

“You are demented.” Spielberg uttered it out.

“I……am…... I confessed I fell in love with her. I lie down next to her, over her, I admit. I wanted to be with her.”

“You do not approach my daughter.” Spielberg hissed out.

“I did not harm her. I made her happy. Her heartbeats told me.” Carmilla smiled. “Do you know I have no heartbeats?”

“Bitch!”

“No, Spielsdorf, I am not, but do call me a monster.”