Preys & Predators IV; Monster and Witches Chapter 27

 

27.

 

Elizabeth Muriel sat in the dark in the living area of her home, nursing the half-empty glass of wine. She was brooding on the sight of her grown daughter, whom she had ignored that day. She felt no remorse but an emptiness inside her.

“William…” Elizabeth muttered to herself. “She… could have been ours. Yet……. She is not. Yes, she held the blood of Frankenstein inside but not yours.”

Her thoughts were frayed, and she kept on muttering. She knew that she did not love Victor, but he was the last of the kins there. She had the consummation on desperate terms; she was alone. She thought she was until she met Agathe.

“I am not a witch and will never be one.” Elizabeth having told Agathe. “Mother was not one.”

“She wedded…no, consummated with the witch.” Agathe bit her words. “It was her legacy, as it was ours for generations.”

“Mother was in love.” Elizabeth had defended her mother. “It was……”

“Love? A funny term for myself. I bore your mother and aunt from the needs of the coven.” Agathe looked at Elizabeth. “No sons, but daughters, as you did. You may deny yourself to be a witch, but you are one inside.”

“No, I am not. My ……. Ailments are ……”

“Medicine could not cure you. Only the coven could.” Agathe looked at the lady. “Fine, you will not be one. But you are my granddaughter. Be that for me.”

It was how she reconciled with Agathe, but her bouts of madness were a concern to Agathe. She hid that from Victor, and he was too occupied with his tasks and had attributed her moods to the pregnancy. He let her have her avoidance of him, and it was then she found Agathe to soothe her with the medicinal herbs and comfort.

Medicine that Elizabeth was unaware of.

“Ms. Muriel, I will be in my chamber.” "Lilith the witch," said Agathe when she saw Elizabeth seated there.

“Stay with me for a while. Lilith,” Elizabeth told the other. “Turn on the lamps if you want.”

“I am fine with the darkness.” Lilith took to the other armchair there. She sat there and watched the lady of the house. She was dressed in the dark dress, with the tight bodice buttoned to the neck.

“Who …… I meant, tell me of yourself.” Elizabeth changed her tone.

“Myself? I am with the Wiccan. I had been since I was five years of age, orphaned and taken care of by the Wiccan. I followed her, was trained by her, and served only her.” Lilith smiled in the dark. “I knew no others outside of the coven.’ Why do you ask?”

“I am just curious,” Elizabeth replied. “I am a sheltered child, and when my mother died, I was raised by an aunt, and then I went on to be with… a man and have a child. All of these were discarded to return here.”

Lilith remained silent.

“I am unsure now of what I am to do,” Elizabeth sighed.

“You saw your daughter. You are unsure of what to do next,” Lilith said. “I am unsure of what to do if I am you.”

“What was Agathe ……. In the mother’s role?” Elizabeth asked.

“Wiccan? She …… She was… like any mother. Stern and loving at times.” Lilith said. “She taught me well.”

“Will you die for her, Lilith?” Elizabeth asked. The other nodded.

“Will she die for you?” Elizabeth asked in a different tone.

“I think so.” Lilith nodded. “Our responsibility is the Wiccan’s well-being.”

“Lilith, were you here before? With the other missing girls? Ten years ago?”

“I… I cannot say, Elizabeth.” Lilith turned to leave. “There are things ……. I will not say. Good night.”

“Wait, Lilith. Assist me in one task,” Elizabeth asked. “I know it is late, but do help me.”

It was also late and dark then when Victor and Doctor Abraham took to the lab to work on the generator. They carried the required components there and assembled it. Rudolf and Lauren, with Abel, chose to stay back in the cottage after having barricaded the windows and doors. Only Sven was missing then.

“I can assemble these components, but we need those other items to connect it.” Doctor Abraham looked at the silent machine. “Are we to start? Or shall we fortify the lab from the demons?”

Victor, who was standing there, looking at the once proud lab of his, was lost in his thoughts once again. He could recall the maid on the wall and Ernest pinned by the metal cupboard. It was coming back to him then.

“Victor ……” Doctor Abraham whispered to the other. “Are we ……”

“Yes. I need that generator to start the tasks.” Victor nodded. He was clouded in his mind.

“Doctor, have you fought demons?” Victor asked. He changed the subject matter. “You seem to be……”

“Myself? I ……” Doctor Abraham hesitated to say. “I cannot … say. I have …… In my research at Metaphysics, I have explored many events, including the non-confirmative ones. I will say in my research, I will not disregard anything.”

“My question was, had you encountered… demons?” Victor pressed on.

“Had you?” Doctor Abraham asked back.

“I …… I have not till tonight.” Victor lied. “I never thought that demons existed.”

“Perhaps a monster?” Doctor Abraham probed the other.

“I am …… My creation was no monster, Doctor Abraham. It was a …… creation.” Victor blurted out in anger. “Maybe our collaboration will be a mistake.”

“No, sir. I do apologize. I would like to partake in your new experiment…. Perhaps a creation.” Doctor Abraham turned his tone. “I was…… I am just tired. And worried about the demons.”

Victor did not say anything. He stared at the generator. He could fix it, but with much work, as he was not with the knowledge on the machine. The doctor may speed up the repairs, and he could do his next creation.

A mate for Mary.

Loneliness is a sad feeling.

“Okay, let us wait for dawn and get the needed components. Steal if we must.” Victor begins to clean the lab.

Meanwhile, Sven stood there transfixed by the floating apparition, which was his mistress, Annabelle Frankenstein. He had encountered many unnatural forms and was fearful of what he saw. If it was truly his mistress, she will not harm him.

“Sven, stay with me. Do not fear me. I am back with my sister to assist Lauren. Is she safe here?” Annabelle asked. “Who did that?”

“That…… It was another.” Sven lied. “I know not whom it was.”

“You are not telling me, Sven. Be truthful, or I will read it from your mind.” Annabelle looked at the man. “Sven, I know you are a good man. I will help you.”

Sven resigned to his pain and explained it all. He told the mistress of Mary and his son, Henry. And, about Victor and Elizabeth and the granddaughter Mary Annabelle.

“My granddaughter… I am… why with her? I had……. I wished I was here. I could have stopped him.” Annabelle sighed. “Alf ……. Poor Alf. He came here because of me. Red too.”

Annabelle recalled the event that made her meet up with her lover. Carmilla was injured, and Annabell had a truce with Alf. She brought Carmilla to Alf’s home, and there she recuperated. Lissa had joined up with Rudolf. Alf bought the mansion then and held that as their home. It was all calm till Annabelle sensed the place was with its presence; the place held magical properties. She was alone and feared for Carmilla, who was injured.

Then came the Eastwick and Creek Circle.

They posed a danger to the sisters, and Annabelle had to act. Lissa was committed to her life with Rudolf, and with Carmilla injured, Annabelle held the challenge off from the other two covens.

“Annabelle, you are no match for me alone. Without sisters, I can defeat you.” William Katt had confronted the lady. “All I ask is you leave the area. This town belongs to the Circle Creek.”

It was a brazen challenge, but Annabelle was not to give it up. She challenged the other despite her condition and the child soon to be named. She fought hard against the witch but was too weak to continue.

“Give up, Annabelle. I will spare you and your unborn child.” William Katt told her. “I will spare your sister, Carmilla, who is in need of recovery, if she ever does.”

“I will accept defeat.” Annabelle surrendered. She returned to the mansion and met Carmilla. She told the other of the promise by William Katt.

“Lissa is selfish not to come to your call.” Carmilla sighed.

“No, Lissa had her reasons. She promised Rudolf that she will not practice witchcraft. It was her solemn oath to her lover.” Annabelle smiled. “I had no such pledge, and if I can give him a daughter, Alf will be contented.”

“You are hurt now, Annabelle. How sure are you that you could survive this pregnancy? It will take its toll on you.”

“Well, till death do we reunite once more, as spirits of the coven. And ……” Annabelle smiled.

“And a new witch will take on our powers and be the guardian of the Power of Three.” Carmilla affirmed their association. It did, and Annabelle passed on soon after the birth of Ernest.

“Sven,” Annabelle returned to the present then and asked of the other. “Where is this… Mary?”

“I do not know. She comes when she does. She is …… around.”

“We must protect Victor. He is all I have now.” Annabelle looked at Carmilla.

“And Lauren. She is the chosen one. We must protect her too.” Carmilla smiled.