Preys & Predators IV; Monster and Witches Chapter 29

 29.

 

Lauren approached the grave and stood there looking at the stones that lined the grave. She was attracted to the gleaming stones there, basking in the moonlight. It was near dawn, and her father was asleep, seated there by the window. Doctor Abraham and Victor have taken off to the town, citing that they need to get some supplies. Abel was at the other side of the cottage, standing guard or sleeping, for he was still recovering from the wounds.

“Hello, Henry. That is your name, I was told,” Lauren said. In all her training, she was told that the dead have a soul, like their spirit, who may stay on near the body till it has released all its obligations. She figured that Henry may have his unsettled obligations.

“I am Lauren.” The young lady said.

“And I am Mary.” The voice was from the trees. “Please do not scream. I am not here to harm you.”

Lauren held back her fear and looked towards the voice by the tree. She saw then the appearance of the figure. It was the creation, dressed in the shabby shirt and pants, and the hair dishevelled by the appearance.

“I am Mary. I am Henry’s …… lover.” The creation approached Lauren. “I’ve seen you before, but……”

“I am Lauren. Lauren Spielsdorf,” Lauren said. “I have seen you too, but……”

“I am a monster, which is why you screamed.” Mary stopped before the lady. It stood at almost twice the height of Lauren. “They have called me a monster.”

“Monster? No, I was not ……. Prepared to meet you. I am now.” Lauren looked up the creation. Somehow, her courage shouldered up, and she was not afraid then. “I …… I was not used to your appearance.”

“Am I not ……. Pretty?” It looked at Lauren.

“No…… I meant to say, not that you are not. You are like many of us, perhaps larger than most of us. And… you look untidy.” Lauren bit her lips. “Pardon me, if I am……”

“No, Lauren. I hear you and am not upset. Henry once told me I am ……. Simple, and he likes it that way.” Mary proceeded to sweep her hair back from her ears.

“Let me help you. I have a comb.” Lauren rushed back to the cottage and emerged with a cloth and basin with the comb in the other hand. “Here, sit yourself by the side.”

Mary sat by the grave on the root of the tree there, while Lauren fetched water from the nearby well. Lauren then sat behind Mary and combed the hair. She combed the dirt and leaves or whatnot that was there.

“You may wash your face with the towel. Wet it first,” Lauren said. Mary did the task while Lauren straightened the hair. She moved the strands of hair at the back of the neck and saw the stitches there that attached the head to the neck.

“My master created me,” Mary said. “I am …… glad towards him.”

“Master Frankenstein created you……. But how?” Lauren asked.

“I do not know. All I could remember was waking up and then meeting Henry. He understood me well.” Mary lowered her head. She was emotionally sad, but tears were not seen in her eyes. “Henry likes me…… No, he loved me. I want him here.”

Mary held her hands to her chest.

“I told Master to get him back. I am lonely and want Henry,” Mary sighed. “Why did they take him away?”

“I would not know. I was……. Away. I came back to find something of my own. Did you place those stones here?” Lauren asked.

“Yes. I got them from the creek. Henry likes it there.” Mary looked at the grave. “I also took from the other places.”

“The mansion? My chamber?” Lauren asked.

“The… I do not know.” Mary said. “If it is pretty, I will place it here.”

It was then Lauren heard the loud voice.

“Stay away from my daughter!” Rudolf had awakened and stepped out to the rear of the cottage. “I will kill you, abomination.”

Rudolf levelled the rifle at the creation and pulled the trigger. Mary had moved to the left side and then crouched up to run. The man struggled with the loading of the rifle, and it was then Abel arrived. He was hobbling on his good leg towards the grave. He had his crossbow and released the arrow there at the creation. The arrow pierced the left forearm, but the creature managed to run into the woods.

“Stop it, Father. She was ……. Not hurting me.” Lauren rushed at the older man. “You could have……”

“It is not ……. It is a monster.” Rudolf reached out to his daughter, but she stepped away.

“I hate you. She was to…….” Lauren turned to the grave. “The stones……”

“Are you hurt, Lauren?” Abel approached the lady. “I……”

“You rushed in like the fool you are.” Lauren hit her hands on the younger man. “Why are you so ……”

“I am sorry.” Abel took her blows on his chest and then reached out to hold the lady. Lauren took to his arms and sobbed her tears. Rudolf stood there looking at them and did not say anything.

“Lauren, I……” Rudolf tried to say some good words.

“Rudolf, you have done your part.” Rudolf heard the voice and turned to look. What he saw was disbelieving then. There was Sven, and behind him were the two ladies he once met.

“She needed another to hold her.”

“Annabelle…… Is that you?” Rudolf said.

“Yes, Rudolf. I am with Carmilla. We are here now.” Annabelle approached the man. “Hello, Lauren.”

“Annabelle. Carmilla.” Lauren greeted the other two figures.

“You ……. Both of you are ……” Abel was lost for words. He saw the ladies were dressed in the white gown laced at the front.

“Dead? Yes, we are. We are here in our other form. Our physical is at the other mansion.” Carmilla approached Abel. “We are Lauren’s mistresses. We are here to protect her.”

“Stand back, Lauren.” Abel rushed forth with the branch he picked up on the ground. He swung the branch at Carmilla, but she had deflected it with the wave of her right hand. Abel maintained his charge at Carmilla when Annabelle impacted on Kane’s face with her magical blow, causing him to fall to the side.

“Stop it, Abel,” Lauren called out.

“Are you mad to… protect them? They are demons.” Abel stood up. “I will kill you.”

“No, they are not demons. They are witches and ……” It was Lauren who stood in between the brothers. “They are my mistresses. I am to be a witch like them.”

 

 

 

Preys & Predators IV; Monster and Witches Chapter 28

 

28.

 

When one is the leader in the catacombs of Hell, one can be forgotten or be seen for ages, but bad news reached the demon leader.

“Who dares?” Beelzebub roared out. “First Beezer, and now Tareek… Before and what was his name…?”

“Tor, my master.” The senior demon there reminded the master. “You have hundreds if not thousands not at your side, and their names may not be at your lips.”

“My lips are for myself to suckle on the spirits of my minion and enemies; it’s my mind that fails me, but I valued loyalty.” Beelzebub looked at the senior demon, who had remained at his side ever since he took the mantle of being the leader. “I cannot let him go unpunished.”

“Why did they leave the mansion? Were they not to stay there and harass the sisters?”

“They did as the chosen one had fled the mansion. The new witch had taken to the road to return to the pinnacle of power.” The senior demon reported. “You do recall the pinnacle…”

“I do. The other covens are there. They will battle each other to get the source of the power during the event.” Beelzebub turned away. “They are the silly ones. Without her, that coven cannot harness the power.”

Beelzebub motioned to the figure chained to the wall.

“Sister Lissa, or shall I call you Mama? Your daughter cannot harness the power of Three without you. Even if she is there now, the source of the pinnacle of power will not be with her. She is too weak.”

“Master, what of the other two covens?” The senior demon asked.

“The other two will battle each other, and once the winner is confirmed, I will step in to defeat the winner.” The demon master laughed. “William Katt of Circle Creek held onto the area for some years now, waiting for this event, but little does he know that I am the true master of the power there.”

“William Katt thinks himself superior, but Wiccan Agathe is crafty. She had been here longer than William Katt, but sadly her coven fell in battle with the Frankenstein then. The issue with the Wiccan is that she was careless to let her witches on their own. She was too occupied with the conflict with William Katt, and when she realized her coven was shattered by Frankenstein, she chose to leave the town. Her departure strengthens William Katt in believing himself better.”

“The Wiccan as she is now,” The senior demon recalled. “Agathe was concerned about Elizabeth and her liaisons with the one named William Frankenstein. He died mysteriously…….”

“Damned you, minion. William’s death was no mystery, but the appearance of the creation was one. How did the son of Frankenstein create that… monster? It defied all reasonings.” Beelzebub sighed. “And yet the creature evades our senses. I valued that creation and wanted to know more of it.”

“See to the event and who wins the battle.” Beelzebub gave the command. “Do not act rashly. The demise of my demons ached me, but I will take on the final battle for the pinnacle of power.”

That command stopped the other demons from attacking the Frankenstein and Spielsdorf, but the words did not reach the covens.

It was near dawn when Mary Annabelle looked away from the window. She had not changed her clothes and even ignored the supper served. Her mother was not going to turn up. She felt disappointed at that, and with her father leaving her there, she felt the whole world had left her.

“Your father will not return, Mary.” Mary looked to the figure seated there by herself at the far corner. It was a lady, but she could not make out the identity.

“How did you get here?” Mary looked to the door that she had bolted. She was sure it was bolted.

“Through the front door. You were asleep.” The figure explained. “I am your mother. I am Elizabeth.”

Outside of the chamber, Lilith stood guard. She had helped Elizabeth to look for her daughter. While she stood there, she was uneasy. She had checked into the chamber down the corridor, but ever since then, she felt unsafe there. She knew the place well, having lived there during the early years. She was the little girl that led the guests to the chambers then. Ever gaily in her strides, she will walk them up. She was an adventurous girl, having to spend her free time in the woods. She was with the other girls, but due to her younger age, she was left out of much of their fun. More to that, she was helping her ailing mother then, who was the chambermaid to one family.

“Lilith, do your bit to get the linens down to the wash area.” Lilith was obliging, and it was that day she saw one of the girls take to the woods. Lilith heard of the missing girls who were said to be snatched by wolves or the nymphs in the woods, and she was forbidden to go there.

“Caroline!” Lilith called out, but the other girl did not hear her. She took to her task, and then saw the constable take the same trail. She did not like the constable, for his hands were always touching. She reckoned he was checking on the girls there. She ignored it and did her task. The words of the missing constable reached her ears, and she told no one. Her ailing mother soon fell very ill, and she was told to be with Aunt Agathe. It was her journey to be in the cove, protected by the Wiccan. When the constable was inducted into the coven, Brown was without his memories. He was not to remember her, but with the Wiccan at her side, Brown was not to approach her. He was assigned with the other two men, while Lilith was on the Wiccan side.

“Lilith, learn the crafts I am to teach you.” Wiccan Agathe told her. “You will succeed me when I am too old to hold the leadership.”

Lilith was trained well, and by then she did not fear Brown at all. That night was her first time that she acted on her own without telling the Wiccan. Suddenly, she had the scent on her nose.

It was unmistakably animal.

Lilith had that scent when they arrived, but it was faint then. She looked towards the dark corridor and saw the red glint there.

“Артемида, послушај го мојот повик. Дај ми го штитот за да се спротивставам на оваа закана. (Artemis, heed my call. Give me the shield to counter this menace. The small shield appeared on both her hands, from her fingertips to the wrist.

The red glints moved forth to reveal a dark wolf figure. It was huge, almost the dimension of a man, and the fangs seen then were long. The wolf had a dark scar on the left side of the snout. It crouched there to leap at Lilith.

It was then the door to the basement slammed at the corridor, hitting the wolf as it charged the corridor. The wolf fell back, and from the chamber stepped out Brown. He did not speak and faced the wolf. He was compatible with the wolf in the dimension. The wolf leapt at the man, and Brown raised his right arm to protect his face while his left arm lashed out with a swing at the wolf’s head. The wolf fell to the side from the blow and slunk back to the far end of the corridor. It was to charge once more when its ears twitched to the new command. It turned and rushed down the rear stairs. Brown was to take chase, but Lilith stopped him.

“Let it be. It is not call for ……,” Lilith called out. Brown stopped in his tracks. He turned to look at the lady. He was told to listen to her command, but a part of him denies that.

“Brown, I command you.” Lilith called out with a stern voice. “I am the ……”

“Brown, you are the fool here. Listen to her.” It was the Wiccan who appeared. The elder lady had appeared from the main stairs.

“Who are you to bring Elizabeth here?” The Wiccan looked at the witch. Just when Lilith was reprimanded then, Brown rushed down the back stairs. Lilith tried to intervene, but the Wiccan stopped her. Marcos was standing at the main stairs.

“Let him go. He is upset. Marcos, to stay with me.” The Wiccan looked at the witch. “I am upset that you brought Elizabeth here.”

“I told her.” Elizabeth appeared at the chamber doorway. Mary Annabelle was hugging her mother’s left leg. “I had to see Elizabeth.”

“You are ……. Adventurous but foolish.” The Wiccan picked her words when she saw the younger lady looked at her. “Hello, Mary Annabelle. You are as as your …… grandmother.”

“Who are you?” Mary Annabelle asked.

“I am… your other grandmother. Your mother’s side. I am named Agathe.”

“Are you a witch?” Mary Annabelle asked. “Mother told me you are one.”

“Witch? I am more than that. I am the Wiccan. I command the witches.” The Wiccan smiled. “Do you want to be one too?”

“I must ask my mother. And father.” Mary Annabelle looked to the mother. “She is not one, but she told me of you. I read of witches who are powerful, and they can heal others. I want to heal my mother.”

“Noble of you, Annabelle, but ……” The Wiccan looked at Elizabeth. “Not all of us can cure the ailments, but… we do try.”

“Lilith, take my family back to the house. They are in danger here.” The Wiccan moved the subject matter towards Lilith. “Watch them at all times.”

The Wiccan picked up the hair from the flooring.

“Wolves… I was suspicious. They are here but undetected.” The Wiccan sighed. “They are powerful to evade my detection. They must be here for the event. I am without many witches, but I can hold them off.”

At the backyard of the tavern, Howard walked to the shed where he holds the gardening tools. He walked to the rear and saw the form of a naked man crouched there.

“You are a fool, Alistair. You were to guard the tavern, not attack the witches.” Howard hissed out. “I am the Alpha, and you will obey or leave the pack.”

“I had his scent, Alpha. He was with Connie then. Earlier, I was unsure, but then…….”

“Alistair, whether he is or not does not matter. Your daughter died a long time ago.” Howard crouched to face the other. Alistair’s daughter Connie was in the woods that night when they were killed by the Frankenstein-led group.

“He has her scent on him. He was there.” Alistair was desperate. “I have the patch of his shirt with me. It’s faint, but I held his scent.”

“Stop your rantings now. We have a bigger task to complete. We had been in hiding for many years for this task. Once we are done, we will be prime pack. I will be the prime alpha. All the other packs will bow towards me. Our mistress will be proud of us.”

“For now, Alpha…” Alistair mumbled to himself.

“Now get back to the pack, and prepare for noon. There we will strike.” Howard returned to the tavern. He walked to the chamber where Kane was held.

“Where is he?” Howard was surprised at the empty chamber.