Lord of the Vampires (34 page)

And so we went away. Arthur and Quincey were headed to the asylum with John, so I made the pretense of going to the hotel instead, for we had been keeping the lie that I was staying elsewhere. From there, I returned instead to Purfleet, and crept to my lonely cell under the guise of invisibility.

* * *

Dr. Sewards Diary

29 SEPTEMBER, MORNING.

It is aggravating to have to keep writing this by hand, as it takes forever and makes me feel like Neddy Ludd; I had thought to keep a separate cylinder with my private entries, but the chance is too great that I might make a mistake and let the wrong ears listen to information they ought not to know.

Still, I
must
unburden myself this morning, or go mad as poor Renfield. Too many revelations, too many heartrending emotions

It was enough, last night, to see the dead woman that I loved turned into a slavering she-devil; that alone was more than any man could bear without going insane. And then, to see Vlad himselffar younger and stronger than described, ablaze with wicked gloryhurl my beloved professor to his death

More than I could bear, more than I could bear. And yet I bore it.

But when I saw the angelic figure save him less than a split second before his demise, I told myself:
There it is, Jack; after all this time, youve finally achieved total lunacy. How convenient that home is already an asylum

And I listened to them speak together like long-lost friends, or rather, long-lost teacher and student, with Van Helsing in
my
role, and the shining angel in his. Oh, it is one thing to read of the occult and toy with auras and discuss theories of vampires and other noncorporeal entities and how might one deal with one, but

Well, it is another thing altogether to
jee
such beings. And to then find time itself interrupted, ancj an event dispensed with. In this case, it was as though Vlad had never appeared, and I and the professor never been endangered; worse, when we had finished at the graveyard, I knew from Art and Quinceys expressions and speech that they had not seen the same impossible events as I. That was a dreadful instant, for I was convinced for the space of a few seconds that I
had
truly gone insane. Until, that is, I looked into the professors eyes, and saw that
he
knew too.

So then, it really had happened. Fortunately, neither Quince nor Art was in the mood for idle chatter after such a horribly painful evening; after I had the maid set them up in guest quarters in the private part of the house, they both went directly to their rooms.

Though by then it was almost three oclock in the morning, I knew sleep would be quite impossible until I had answers to some troubling questions. I had no way of knowing whether the professor had returned, but I was desperate; so after a bit, when I was sure that Art, Quince, and the maid had all settled into their beds, I crept back to the asylum and went directly to the professors cell. I knocked softly, calling: Its John. I must speak to you.

The door swung slowly open. I could see no one inside though the lamp was dimly lit, but a soft veil of blue wavered in the air just inside the threshold. Boldly, I entered and stepped through the cerulean glimmer to find the room just the sameexcept that now the professor was sitting cross-legged upon the floor in his stocking feet.

He had removed his spectacles and set them upon his lap, so that his dark blue eyes seemed somehow unclothed, and the greying red-gold hair was dishevelled, as if he had been worriedly running his fingers through it. At the sight of me he sighed, replaced the spectacles, and in a weary but kindly voice, said: Hello, John. I suspected you might come.

I could not help being somewhat cool with him, for I felt at best very awkward, and at worst, very betrayed. And do you also suspect what I am about to ask?

He sighed again. As the air escaped his lungs, all his cheer, all his strength, all his bravery, seemed to leave with it, until I realised, to my discomfort and dismay, that I was looking upon a frail, heartbroken man with shadows beneath his myopic eyes. I do not suspect; 1 know. And the answer to your question is yes, John.

I am your son, I said, my tone flat with disbelief, as I thought:
Then he is mistaken; he has forgotten all about what he shouted to Vlad, and he thinks I have come to ask about something else
.

You are my son, he said, with such quiet conviction, such tenderness, such heartfelt apology, that 1 believed him at once. Conflicting emotions assailed me: doubt, rage, love, relief. It seemed horribly, horribly wrong; it seemed horribly, horribly right.

At my distress, his expression grew concerned. You did know, John, that you were adopted?

Yes, I said, my voice strained almost to breaking; to my embarrassment, I was wavering on the precipice of tears. Yes, but thats not it. I want to know
why
And at that point, my voice
did
break; I could say no more.

Why I have been your friend and teacher all these years and have not told you.

I nodded blindly, blinking back tears, as he motioned me to sit.

I sat upon the cold floor. And he began to tell me a story which began long ago, when a prince named Vlad, who came to be known much later as the Impaler (Tsepesh) or the son of the Dragon (Dracula), made a bargain with the Dark Lord. Every generation that his family continued, he would offer up the soul of the eldest surviving son in exchange for continued immortality. But before that soul was offered, its owner had to have been
willingly
corrupted. If the sacrificial lamb died a good, honest man, then Vlad himself would lose his immortality, age, and die.

My father, Arkady, was the eldest son of his generation; he died uncorrupted, but in desperation, Vlad bit him, to trap his soul between heaven and earth. Then Arkady was destroyed and Vlad grew weaker, and olderbut for some reason, did not die.

I stared at him as a revelatory thunderbolt struck; I knew the professor had only one sibling, a brother who had long ago died. Then
you

I am Draculas heir, he said bitterly. And the eldest surviving son of my generation. You heard, I think, Arminius speak of the manuscript?

I nodded, once again dumbstruck.

He looked away. Only because of it did Vlad dare threaten me. John, he said, turning back to me abruptly and seizing my arms in desperation. I swear by everything good that I would never have come here had I known of Vlads increased powers. He was weak, failing;
I
was far more powerful than he, and believed my mission would be accomplished months before now. I would never have endangered you so

I signalled my acceptance by clasping his arms in return, but my mind had moved ahead, and was struggling to understand my own past, and my own destiny. II am your eldest son, am I not? You had a little boy, who died

He stared down at the floor and, for the first time since I have known him, spoke in a voice thick with tears. A little boy, whom I killed, he said, and a spasm of such intense and violent grief crossed his face that I looked away. My Jan. My little Jan And he broke into such raw, wrenching sobs that I could do nothing but stare down at my lap and watch my own tears spill.

After a time, we both collected ourselves, and he continued hoarsely, ZsuzsannaVlads niece and vampire matebit him, turned him into a tiny monster. I had no choice but to free him.

So when you had another son, you sent him away, I said. Far away, and told no one who he was.

To protect him. But see, Johnand he spread his hands in despairsee what has become of all my efforts to spare you the grief I have known. As the Buddhists say, it is your karma to suffer at Vlads hands; without the vampire even knowing of your existence, he sought out and murdered your lady love.

But your friend, Arminius, is here to help.

Yes. He gave a glum nod. He is here to help. And he will help us, I think, make sure Miss Lucy is freed from the curse. But he comes when he lists, and I cannot predict when help will come again.

Let us not worry any further until tomorrows work is done. I pushed myself to my feet, and helped him up. By then I felt nothing for him but compassion and gratitude, for I saw what a dreadful burden he has carried all his life, and carries now; I wanted nothing more at that moment than to ease it for him. I put my arms round him and said, You know, I trust, that I have always looked upon you as a father; and now, my affection for you is doubly justified. I realise that all you have done, you have done out of love.

He was too choked to speak with words, and so returned the embrace with a squeeze. We parted in silence, with tears in our eyes, and even deeper grief in our hearts.

For a long time, as I lay in bed, sleep would not come; and in the midst of my restless turning, the bittersweet thought seized me:
Dear God! That poor mad woman is my
mother!

I woke to the sunlight this morning a different man; more troubled, yes, but even more resolved to rid the world of the evil that is my heritage. We are off to Lucys tomb at mid-day, and so my first effort is almost begun.

* * *

The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing

29 SEPTEMBER, NIGHT.

It is done, thank God; dear Miss Lucy is at peace. John was right to make me let the three men who so loved Miss Lucy be present, and Arthur strike the blow that freed her. He did so with a resolve and couragedespite the gushing blood and shrieking of the vile creature in the coffinthat made us all proud, and gave me hope for the coming battle. I can see they are all the better for having aided me, and surely they are worthy. Our brave little group is expanding; before John took me to the station, he received a telegram from Madam Mina saying that she would arrive shortly to stay at the asylum, and that her husband would follow the next day.

I only pray Arminius does not desert us again.

I write this on the train. I told the others that I was bound for Amsterdam, and for once, I truly am. Arminius assistance notwithstanding, I know the most dangerous task is to come; so I go to spend a few hours at Mamas bedside, lest she survive me.

Chapter 15

The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing

1 OCTOBER.

Returned from Amsterdam yesterday, late afternoon, to find both the Harkers, and Arthur and Quincey, moved in. It makes little sense to continue the charade that I am staying at a hotel, so I declared that I was moving in as well (but when I sleep, Jonathan and the others will be hard-pressed to find me). Everyone, it seems, has fallen quite in love with Madam Minaincluding, I confess, myself. She has taken on the role of lady of the house, bringing us cups of tea and seeing to our comfort; this is all our fault, of course, because we have all lived as bachelors so long that such behaviour is irresistibly endearing. It makes Johns gloomy house, filled at times with the groans and shrieks of his patients mental anguish, seem like a cheerful homeand we the family.

As for Amsterdam: Poor Mama was no longer lucid, and barely able to sit up to eat. Most of the time she merely lies with eyes closed, and rarely converses, according to Frau Koehler. But she had been well cared for, as she had been freshly bathed, and her bedsores lovingly cleaned and salved. The good Frau has done the impossible in preventing their spread. I thanked her most sincerely for her marvellous carethanked her as though I might never see her again, and I think she somehow sensed it, for her eyes filled with tears. She has clearly come to love Mama, and I think it will grieve her greatly when her patient finally dies.

As I was leaving, Frau Koehler showed to me the accumulated mail, including a package which had arrived that very day from Buda-Pesth from an A. Vambery. I could not imagine what it might contain, and so I took it to my study and opened it in private.

The contents were wrapped within several layers of black silk; this both intrigued and troubled me, for I knew that only an educated occultist would take such particular care in order to prevent a magical charge from escaping the contents. Could this have been a trick of Vladsto expose me to some noxious spell? I decided not, for despite the protective layers, I felt a strong sense that the contents were intended not to harm, but to help.

And indeed they were: The instant I unfolded the last layer of silk, a burst of power from the contents filled the room with such pure white radiance that I actually stood and breathed deeply, feeling as though the very act cleansed lungs, body, soul.

The
A
. stood for Arminius, I decided, and though he had not appeared personally, he had again provided me with help. For within lay some twenty small silver crucifixes, and an equal number of sacred wafers wrapped within a thick padding of tissue. The heavy sorrow of seeing Mama so incapacitated lifted a bit, and indeed, as I took within my hand one of the crosses and felt its power surge tingling down my arm, I felt honest joy. Arminius must have personally charged each one, for these, I knew, would be sufficient to protect my friends from harm, and to keep the Impaler at bay.

I took them with me to England, and arrived in London much more confident than I had been in many months. On the way to Purfleet in the carriage, I gave John three of the talismans: one to wear always upon his person, one to put over his bedroom window, and one over the window in Renfields room. It was a deep relief to be able to provide protection for my friends.

That evening, the six of us met in Johns study and I told the others what I wished them to know about the vampire, bearing in mind that Jonathans loyalties were questionable. However, I am coming to think less and less that he is under Vlads control, for he relayed the outcome of his research: He had tracked the fifty boxes of earth spoken of in his Transylvania diary right here to Purfleet and the estate
next door
, Carfax!

The truth is sometimes too strange to believe; but when I learned of Vlads proximity, I was gladder than ever to have Arminius talismans in hand. Without explaining their origin or speaking of their special charge, I gave two each of the little crucifixes to Arthur and Quincey, bidding the men to hang one over their bedroom windows and wear one. I tried to do the same with the Harkersone for the window, two for each personbut they both demurred, revealing that they were already wearing crosses round their necks. Still, I managed to press one upon them for the window, and noted with interest that Harker waited for his wife to pick it up. (Was it a vampires influence, or merely chance?) The act did me a world of good, knowing that all would be protectedespecially now that we knew Dracula was so close at hand.