Lord of the Vampires (26 page)

My God!

For a time, neither of us spoke, and as we both stood studying Lucy in the early morning light, I saw that she looked even worse than she had the day before. Her cheeks had sunken so that her face appeared skeletal. She was that close to death, perhaps only minutes awayand the realisation struck so hard that I came close to weeping, and actually stumbled.

The professor put an amazingly strong hand on my arm and steadied me. She can be saved, John, but we must act swiftly; there is one thing I can do, but there is no time for explanation

Yes, yes, I answered, eager to focus on something other than my own grief. I thought the same! A transfusion

He sighed and shook his head. No; such is too risky. I have seen the operation perform miraclesbut I have more often seen it bring death. I do not know how to explain what it is I propose, except to say that it
is
a transfusion of sorts. But it is not on a physical level.

I was far too overwhelmed with emotion and confused by his words to reply. I merely blinked at him, waiting.

I must have complete privacy; tell Mrs. Westenra and the servantsno one is to come near. Tell themtell them that we
are
performing a transfusion of blood, and that the delicacy of the surgery is such that any interruption would endanger Miss Lucys life. He paused, apparently struggling to make a decision as I turned towards the door; his hesitation made me linger. John I hesitate to ask such a favour, but the operation I wish to perform does, in fact, require a donor.

Then I am he, I answered at once.

You should be aware, then, that this will drain some of the auras strength, and thus your ability to protect yourself, for some hours.

Doctor, I care not whether the cost is my own soul.

He nodded, clearly relieved. It is not impossible for me to use myselfbut it will likely be far less effective for our patient. Very well; I will go into the other room to prepare myself. Could you also fetch my medical bag from downstairs? It will enhance the illusion that we are indeed performing the act we claim.

I nodded, and we moved away from each otherI towards the hallway and stairs, he towards Lucys sitting-room. But sounds coming from downstairsthe sound of knocking, and the maids high-pitched replycaught our attention. The professor shot me a look, and said, I suspect Miss Lucy has a visitor.

So it was he followed me quickly down the stairs, and just as we arrived in the hall, we saw Art Holmwood stepping in. At the sight of me, Art rushed up and took my hand, professing that anxiety over my letter had brought him here. Is not that gentleman Dr. Van Helsing? he asked politely, for the professor stood by my side, rather guardedly studying this young intruder. I am so thankful to you, Doctor, for coming.

I knew that Van Helsing had no reason to trust Art, and was examining him on a psychic level to see if he posed a threat to us or Lucy. But I was confident my friend would pass inspection, and so he did. I saw a flicker of relief on Van Helsings face, followed quickly by an honest look of admiration and satisfied approval. At once he took Arthurs hand and, to my surprise, told him that we needed a donor for a blood transfusionto which Art of course quickly volunteered.

Van Helsing sternly informed the servants then of our requirement for privacy, and found his black bag (which was larger and heavier than the typical physicians bag; I cannot imagine what was hidden in it).

We three proceeded up to Lucys room. Art was, of course, stricken to see her so ghastly weak, and out of kindness, the professor permitted him a kiss before the operation. I was rather curious how he intended to pull it off with an outsider present, and Lucy now awake (though too exhausted even to speak).

He went into the other room, telling them both that he must prepare for the operation. He was gone no more than a handful of minutes, and when he returned, he bore in his hand a glass. This he said was a sleeping-draught for Lucy, and slipped an arm beneath her shoulders, lifting her up that she might drink it.

Perhaps it was indeed what he claimed, but I saw his gaze catch hers for an instantand swear now that a distinctly bluish glow surged forth from his eyes into hers. At the conclusion of this, she promptly fell asleep. He then moved over to Arthur (who sat beside the bed in the same chair where I had so often sat vigil), and, bringing forth a long bit of tubing from his bag, pretended to affix it to his patients arm. First, though, he stared into Holmwoods eyes with the same intensity he had used with Lucy, and within a matter of seconds, Art, too, was soundly unconscious.

I watched in fascination, scarcely breathing, as abruptly an egg-shaped glow enveloped the entire body of each patientLucys a feeble pale green, Arthurs a strong, virile orange. Van Helsing moved first to Holmwood, whose head had lolled back against the high-backed chair. I was still so amazed by the brightness of the patients auras that I did not realise, until the professor approached Art and reached a hand out towards the deep tiger-lily glow, that Van Helsing himself was surrounded by a larger and even more intense, brilliant blue shimmer.

The professor reached forth into the sparkling orange and withdrew a large globe-shaped portion of it from over Holmwoods heart. I could see the dark vacancy it left, and how the psychic wound immediately rushed to close itself and fill the void with shimmering orange; but the effect was that the entire aura paled and dimmed, as if diluted.

This orange globe the professor held between his hands for a moment. It did not mingle with Van Helsings bright blue, but instead seemed to grow ever stronger, ever deeper in hue, as he gazed calmly down upon it. And then, when he judged the moment to be right, he stepped over to where Lucy lay, and tenderly placed it upon her heart.

The reaction was fascinating to see: her feeble green aura at once surged forth like a hungry amoeba and consumed the orange glow, enveloping it until its distinctive colour disappeared completely. The union of the two did not yield a third hue; to the contrary, the pale green brightened to bold emerald, and its borders noticeably enlarged.

We are done now, Van Helsing said, and I looked up at him to see the blue aura quite gone. A quick glance back at the sleeping patients showed no trace of orange or greenonly Arts now wan-looking complexion, and Lucys cheeks kissed with a subtle trace of pink. It was as if I had been abruptly wakened from a strange dream, indeed.

When Art revived, we sent him home with instructions to sleep and eat as much as possible (though how he could with such worries about his ailing father and his fiancee, I cannot fathom). Lucy wakened vastly improved, which relieved me almost to public tears, for if she had died, her blood would have been on my head.

The professor then took me aside, and we two agreed that the best course of action would be for me to sit with Lucy the next few nights. Van Helsing himself will during the day keep to his cell at the asylum, and continue the research, as he calls it, that he began during his stay in the country cottage. By night, he will come in invisible guise to Hillingham, and remain here to see if he can unravel the mystery of how the vampire entered despite the protective talisman. He will also take steps to increase the security here, sealing off
all
windows and doors, and ordering blossoms of fresh garlic, which he says are more powerful repellents than the heads.

* * *

10 SEPTEMBER.

A terrible, terrible day. I had spent the entire night of 8 September keeping watch over Lucy; when morning came, I was quite done in. But there was work to be accomplished at the asylum, and a new patient to be admitted. By the time I had attended to it all, dusk was approaching, and once again, I hastened to Hillingham for another all-night vigil.

Happily, Lucy was up when I arrived, and in fine spirits. Her mother reported proudly that she had dressed for an early supper, come downstairs, and eaten heartily. This was the best news I had had in some several months, yet my cheerfulness could not entirely mask my exhaustion. Lucy noticed it, and insisted that I rest upon the couch in the room adjacent to hers, within earshot. In case of any trouble, she promised to call for me.

Such was my fatigue that I agreed, telling myself that my sweet charges improvement was due to the added measures the professor had taken against the vampire, and that we were now completely safe. And at any rate, the professor himself would also be silently and invisibly patrolling the rest of the house.

So I crawled upon the couch, fell fast asleep, and did not wake until a palm pressed against the crown of my head. I sat up with a start, and saw Van Helsing staring down at me with a faint smile.

You are well-rested, I trust, said he indulgently, then lifted a hand for silence as I began to make apology; I had certainly not intended to sleep through the night. No, John, explanation is not needed. You were tired and had earned the right. At any rate, I remained on watch around the servants quarters and Mrs. Westenras room. No disturbance there last night, nor on the main floor below. Shall we go see how our patient is faring?

I assented eagerly, and together we stole into Lucys room.

I (and the professor, I am sure) was confident that this would be a cheerful visit, that we would find Lucy ever more restored and blooming with health. The room was quite dark, so I moved to the window and opened the blind, letting the morning sunlight stream into the room.

God in Heaven, Van Helsing whispered. At the abject horror in his tone, a thrill of unutterable fear shot through me. I closed my eyes and remained facing the window, for I knew what I would see the instant I turned.

Alas, I could not remain so forever. So I faced at last the heartrending sight upon the bed: Lucy unconscious, grey as Hillinghams stone walls and just as lifeless. For a sickening instant, I honestly thought her dead.

And then, blessedly, her chest rose as she struggled for breath. Van Helsing addressed me at once. Friend John, now is the time to make your sacrifice. Lock the door, then sit; I shall go into the other room but a moment, and then when I return, I will do it swiftly.

I replied not a word, but moved directly to the door and locked it fast whilst the professor went into the adjacent room. Then I sat and tried to breathe slowly, evenly, in hopes of slowing my furiously racing heart. A miserable sense of failure washed over me, along with the irrational conviction that if Lucy died, I alone was to blame.

Directly Van Helsing came out, encompassed once again by the egg-shaped brilliant blue shield of his powerful aura. I glanced beside me to see that Lucy herself was radiating the pitifully dim emerald glow; as for myself, I spread my hand before me, curious to see what colour I might find therebut found nothing. (Van Helsing later reported to me that I have a very healthy blue aura with areas of gold.)

Beyond that, I remember virtually nothing of the exchange, except that it seemed over almost instantly, and the professor was directing me to the couch in the next room. I slept a time, then had a hearty breakfast; even so, the experience left me noticeably weakened.

As for poor Lucy, she was improved, though not as much as she had been by the operation with Arthur. When I returned to the professor, who was himself resting in the sitting-room, he confessed that he had not taken so much life-force, or
prana
, from me. After all, he said, Mr. Holmwood is not attempting to fight the vampire, and you are.

Then he sighed, and stared disconsolately into the cold fireplace which faced the sofa; in his blue
eyes
was a deep anguish that was painful to see. I am wrong, I think, to involve you in this any further, John. I thought I knew the danger we facedbut now I realise I know nothing at all. Until now, Vlad has been limited in how and where he can work his evil; yet in Miss Lucys case, the talismans which once repelled him now slow him not at all. And if he can come and go as he pleases, then Miss Lucyand all else whom he wisheshave no hope. Nor you and I, John. You, the one person on earth whom I had wanted to protect from him

An abrupt spasm of grief crossed his features; he carelessly tore off his spectacles and tossed them aside, then put his great square face into his hands and wept hoarsely.

The sight of his despair pulled at my heart as much as the sight of Lucy had, as did his profession of concern for my sake (though I wondered why he should feel more protective of me than of his own wife). I set a comforting hand upon his thick shoulder. Professor, I said gently. You are yourself exhausted, and the whole situation seems to you quite hopeless. But you have again saved Lucy today. Remember that, then sleep and eat well yourself, for neither one of us is any use if we do not tend ourselves.

At that, he looked up and said haggardly, I will rest and eat today, John. And this evening I will come and sit with Miss Lucy myself during the night while you go home. When I began to protest, he raised a hand. No no objections. Remember, you have been weakened in a most dangerous manner; by tomorrow, though, you will be fit again for duty, and then I will rest.

Very well, I agreed, and rose to go. But before I could take a step towards the door, he added softly:

In the country and at the asylum, I have sent out urgent call after urgent call for helpthis even before I knew how desperate was our case. Now I know that all the knowledge, all the power, I have acquired over the past quarter-century has been in vain. If that help does not come soon, my son, then you and I both are lost.

* * *

The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing

18 SEPTEMBER
.

Miss Lucy will soon leave us. This I know from looking down at her sweet face, still pale and drawn after the emergency transfusion Jack and I performed with an American, Mr. Quincey Morris, as donor. It is not so much the physical signs of anaemiaher bloodless complexion, the terrible blue-grey of her lips and gums, her weak, rapid breaththat convince me of her impending death. These alone are painful enough to see, but far worse are the signs of an imminent, insidious transformation: the elongated canines, the look of sinister voluptuousness which comes over her in sleep, and the subtle gleam of indigo I see behind her green gaze.