Lord of the Vampires (40 page)

The wounded man groaned, and fell forward, half into the coffin. Callously, Harker thrust an arm beneath him, groping for the key; fearful of further harming Morris if they fired upon his attacker, the other two men instead dashed up behind the pair. Gentle Seward, whom I had judged incapable of the slightest violence, lifted the butt of his rifle and brought it down with force upon Harkers skull. He then bent down to retrieve the keybut I was faster and, in a swift move, seized the shining object and at once sped towards the castle.

At once the sky deepenednot with night, but a burst of glittering indigo which reflected darkly off the fallen snow. Elisabeth had appeared, I knew, but I dared not look behind me. So long as the others did not yet possess the golden key, she would be too much involved in the search to do them harm.

I hurtled with the key towards the castle, with no plan other than instinct, no desire but to protect the others. In my heart, I knew I had to find the second key, and somehow hide it from Elisabeth but what my heart desired, my brain could find no way to produce.

Even so, I flew up the mountain towards the castle, key gripped tightly in my hand. All had grown silent as the men tended to Quincey; I heard nothing save utter stillness, and one sound that pursued me, echoing off the mountains:

Elisabeth laughing.

Elisabeth laughing

* * *

The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing

5 NOVEMBER, CONTINUED.

In horror, Madam Mina and I watched as Jonathan brutally stabbed Quincey; her horror continued as John came forward and struck her husband a solid blow upon the head with his rifle, but in truth, I felt only relief. As she wept silently into her hands, I gently took the field-glasses from her, and again watched.

Yet my hopeful emotion changed again to fear as John and Arthur searched futilely within the earth-box for the missing key. Had Elisabeth somehow stolen itor Arkady, or Zsuzsanna? Or had it never been within the box at all?

As Seward and Arthur gave up the search and knelt to attend their mortally wounded friend, the snow about them glittered indigo, with such intensity that I knew it could only herald Elisabeths arrival.

So it did. She appeared in radiant glory, brighter than the full moon and infinitely more compelling, and with the merest sweep of her hand, John and Arthur fell mute against the snow. The unconscious Harker evoked from her a shrug of disgust, but when she peered into the empty coffin, she bared her teeth in feral anger; and then she gazed up in the direction of the castle and began to laugh.

Zsuzsanna! she called, with malicious gaiety. My foolish love! The mortals can protect themselves from me for the momentwith their silly charms. But you, my darling, cannot. Certainly the key cannot protect you you have seen the good it has done Vlad!

Abruptly, she disappeared, and John and Arthur raised themselves slowly to their knees. I handed Madam Mina, who was still distraught, the field-glasses, and, taking her arms reassuringly, said:

Dear Madam Mina, do not be sorrowful. You are free from the vampires taintand soon your husband shall be too. Remain here in the circle, which shall protect you from all harm, and should Jonathan approach, do not heed him, but stay within!

And I ran upward towards the castle. What I could accomplish there, I did not know; but Elisabeth knew Zsuzsanna had gone there with the first key, and thus I was bound to follow. Yet the deepest panic I have ever known gripped heart and lungs, so that I struggled to draw in air. I had to find the first key somehow, and prevent Elisabeth from finding the secondbut how?

Over the castle above, a great looming shadow gathereda darkness blacker than the depths of night, a sign of the Dark Ones impending arrival. Beneath my coat, my skin prickled; this was the image I had been warned of in my dream, the dream where I had been utterly, irrevocably engulfed, devoured by that darkness.

On the way up the hillside, I prayed fervently with each ragged breath:

Arminius, help us! Arminius,
help
us

* * *

Zsuzsanna Tsepeshs Diary

5 OCTOBER, CONTINUED.

Key in hand, I entered the castle in desperate flightthough where I would find refuge, I knew not. So I raced wildly from place to place, searching; searching, without knowing what it was I sought. To Vlads throne room first, then to the room Dunya and I had shared, and the chambers I had enjoyed with Elisabeth

At last I went to the chapel, thinking of Carfax and the crossroads, perhaps, and that there I might find the second key, and deliver both treasures to Van Helsings hands. Yet as I wavered there, standing amid broken coffins and ruined earth, my eyes were pained by a dazzling, overwhelming radiancea brightness that was nonetheless dark.

I recoiled, but too late; Elisabeth stood beside me, more preternaturally beautiful than I had ever seen her and cruder. Her lips were fixed in a sneer, and her eyes the coldness, the emptiness, the
hatred
in them, I shall never forget! I felt I looked upon an exquisite jewelled viper, poised to strike.

She gripped my wrist, so hard that the bone snapped at once, and I cried out in pain; at this, her smile widened. Of the two of us, she said, I would say time has treated me more kindly; you are looking less than lovely, my dear.

I have better use for my power, I retorted, then cried out again as she twisted my hand
completely round
, and pulled back each finger one by one; grinning, she took from me the key.

A sudden brilliance shone from her bosom; she dropped the key within, then pulled forth from the same spot the gleaming white parchment. As she unfurled it, beneath the golden text another line of shining letters appeared:

In the keep amidst the bones lies the woman with the golden heart; the second key.

The bones! she demanded, shaking my arm with near-godlike strength. Where is the keep? Speak, my darling! You know this place better than I!

I was powerless in her presence, and ashamed of my helplessness; when she sank her dull teeth into my shoulder and tore away fabric and flesh, I could not hold back a shriek.
God
, I prayed silently,
or Dark One, I care not which! Do as you willinflict on me the worst torment for all eternity, only let me stop her

The keep! she shouted again, then fell silent; a look of inspiration eased the viciousness of her expression. Yes the place with the bones, where you took me to see Arkady Take me there at once!

I will lead you, I said, if you answer but one question for me. Who raised him?

Her eyes narrowed. So you have encountered him, I take it Bah! He was a waste, a total waste of effort. You
lied
you said he was intent on destroying Vlad. What good has he done me?

At the cost of Dunya, I remarked bitterly. You killed her to raise him

She did not deny it, but cuffed me roughly, saying, Lead! Take me nowand know that youll pay for this insolence later. For when I become as powerful as the Dark Lord tonight, I shall treat you to the cage and the Maiden for all eternity! And you, my darling, shall be the first to witness my transformation, and my vengeance; this you have earned by your betrayal.

I knew not what else to do. So I led her back up to the castles main entryway, for it was only by going up that we could make our way farther down to her destination. And as we passed there, she paused as the great front door flew open, and smiled at the sight of Bram, gasping, wild-eyed, upon the threshold.

Dr. Van Helsing, she said, with mock sweetness. How kind of you to visit us. Im afraid Im distracted at the moment with one of your relatives; but fear not! I shall return to youwhether you flee by boat or train or carriage, it matters not. I will find you, and see you and yours to a disagreeable end.

And she flicked her hand at him, as a cold lady might motion a servant away; at once he fell back, mute.

Bram
, I told him silently,
take the others and flee. You
must
find Arminius

I left him there and led her deep into the castles belly, to the dank cellar dug from earth, now thoroughly laced with the bones of the many who had died here in torment.

The woman, Elisabeth said, her voice muted with anticipation. Where would be the woman with the golden heart?

I honestly knew not. These are mostly men, I said, gesturing down at the bone-strewn earth, but a few are women. I cannot imagine where

My words were swallowed up by a mighty wind, which lifted up the packed ground and began to rotate it, until the room was filled with stinging, swirling sand. I covered my face until it had settled, then lowered my hands to see that my feet were resting upon an uneven platform of stacked skeletons, all so old that the bones had come apart and lay scattered in disarray. Thousands and thousands of skeletons, so many that I realised they, and not the earth, comprised the castles foundation.

Only one small spot stood out amidst the ghoulish tangle of yellowed ivory: the corner where Arkadys catafalque stood, from which Dunyas dust and coffin had now been swept away. The stone catafalque remained, but beneath itcenturies beneath, surrounded by legs and arms and hands of bone, and fleshless fingers that clawed its polished surfacewas a casket of shining steel.

Still clutching my arm, Elisabeth dragged me to it then slowly released me with a sly smile, for she knew I would not, could not, run from her now. With one hand clutching the manuscript, she used her other to push the solid stone catafalque aside, as easily as a mortal woman might push away a chair.

The stone toppled onto more bones, crushing them as it fell onto its side. We both bent over the coffin to read the etching there, in archaic Roumanian:

ANA, BELOVED CONSORT OF VLAD III

With a hiss of triumph, Elisabeth pulled away the lid and threw it aside; it clanged upon the stone, cracking it.

Within lay a small, fragile skeleton, the jawbone disintegrated so that the skull had fallen forward onto the neck bones and lay perpendicular to the ribs. Beneath the head was a long strip of black, liquefying hair; beneath the crossed arms was a tattered shred of yellowed silk.

And to the left of her breastbone rested a heart-shaped locket of beaten gold, slightly larger than the real ladys heart could ever have been. In the centre was a small keyhole, and above the keyhole, inscribed in Latin, were the words:

ETERNAL GODHOOD

Elisabeth at once snatched it up; and, with a hand that trembled, withdrew the small golden key from her bosom and slipped it into the lock.

It fit smoothly, with a click. And as she drew it slowly open, she looked up at me with a dark, dark smile.

* * *

The Diary of Abraham Van Helsing

5 NOVEMBER, CONTINUED.

As I staggered gasping into the castle, still overwhelmed by the sense of the Dark Ones proximity, I chanced to meet Zsuzsannacruelly trapped in the Countess of Bathorys powerful grip. The sight filled me with even greater despair; Elisabeth had in her possession the first key! Yet she had not discovered the second, and solved the mystery, for she appeared no more powerful than she had out in the snow. But how was I to stop her?

Zsuzsannas expression was calm, fearless; she said not a word as Elisabeth mocked me, threatened me. Struck me down as she had the others with the merest gesture. But before the countess dragged her captive away, promising to return to me later, Zsuzsanna caught my gaze.

And her silent words filled my head:
Bram, take the others and flee. Find Arminius

She was bound, we both knew, to the most unpleasant of dooms, yet seemed utterly resigned to her fate, as if it were her just due, and showed me naught but concern. And in that instant, I forgave her all.

Arminius! Damned Arminius! Once they had disappeared, I rose to my knees and sobbed, shaking my fist at the empty air, demanding that my protector appear and give us aid.

From somewhere beneath me, in the castles very bowels, I heard Zsuzsannas muffled shriek, and rose in anger. I would not sit by. I had seen the direction they had gone, and followed until I found a trapdoor that clearly led below. Yet it was stuck fast; I could not open it, could not enter, could do nothing but moan in helpless frustration. In moments, perhaps sooner, Elisabeth would emerge again, and no talisman in all the world would stop her.

So I sat upon the floor, head in hands, and, agnostic that I am, prayed to God.

And in my head, a voice spoke againthe blessed voice of Arminius.

Abraham, my son. We are close to defeat. Only one thing can stop her: to forge your own pact with the Dark Lord, and purchase our victory.

No! I pressed my hands against my skull, to blot the vile words out. No!

Again I prayed to God, and again God was silent; but Arminius spoke.
God cannot help you now. Only the Dark Lord can
.

The floor rumbled as with an earthquake, and from beneath came the howl of a mighty storm. I tried to stand, to gain my footing, but lost my balance, and fell to one knee. In my minds eye, I saw the great looming darkness of my dream, and saw myself devoured by it

And dien, stillness. Stillness so profound that I was filled with a different terror, waiting for the sound of Elisabeths voice beside me.

Dark Lord! I cried out. Hear me! I, Abraham Van Helsing, will make a pact with you!

Scarcely were the words uttered before the terrible darkness
did
appear, the great advancing shadow of my dream, and began to swirl: deeper than indigo, deeper than black; deeper than night or death or eternity.

Yet it was an entity, a being. As it approached, I felt its intelligence, and rose upon my two feet to greet it as a man. I mastered my fear; I hid my trembling. And called out sternly: I will make a pact. My life in exchange for Elisabeths destruction.

From the centre of the swirling darkness came a small, gentle voice.
The Dark Lord does not exchange life for life. Speak to me of souls. Speak to me of forever
.