The Bathory Curse (16 page)

“Did you kill her?” Nea winced as Marina used soap
and water to clean out the wound, it was on the back of her head
and pretty deep, a mortal might not have awoken from it.

“No, she chose to flee, it was a good choice.”
Sabine sat down and threw an arm around her friend’s shoulder.

“The past 48 hours have been horrible.” Nea closed
her eyes and took a deep breath as Marina threaded a needle and
prepared to sew her up, “where is Stasi?”

“Still in Hungary, I told her to
stay put.” Mihail said gently, he reached over and held his
mother’s hand while Marina sewed through her skin, tears leaked out
from under her eyes and it bothered Mihail. On many levels, even as
old as he was the thought,
moms don’t
cry,
was prevalent.

“How did she even know?” Nea asked, through gritted
teeth.

“Mihail went to enlist Ruxandra’s help if we needed
it.” Sabine patted her leg in commiseration.  As Marina put
the last stitch in place a howling wind rattled around the castle,
fierce and cold as it wormed its way inside the shuttered windows
and down several of the fire places, blowing out their flames.
Candles and torches blew out, but thankfully there was futuristic
electric light in the parlor which illuminated several confused
faces and one terrified housekeeper.

“I don’t know if I’m up for this.” Marina groaned.
She put away her gear, and scuttled into a corner, hiding behind a
chair.

“Coward.” Sabine murmured.

“Smart,” Mihail countered, “She doesn’t have any
defensive magic.” The wind kept up, and was replaced by an eerie
silence, and then a large banging sounded on the front door. It
echoed through the halls, a resounding BANG BANG BANG!

“Well, let’s go see who it is then.” Nea stood up,
feeling a little better, but in some pain. As they walked into the
dark foyer she could see panicked eyes watching from the dining
room and kitchen as other members of her staff came to see what was
going on.

“Hide.” She commanded and they all scattered.

“Like insects.” Sabine sniffed.

“Like prey.” Mihail’s words seemed to be more
exact.

“Are you sure this is a good idea? You have had a
rough few days.” Sabine cautioned.

“Lesson 12; this is my home, something is attacking
it so it’s my duty to protect it and my staff.” Nea shrugged, this
was her obligation, she had a mortal staff after all.

Nea went to the door and undid the locks, opening it
and stepped out into the pitch black of night. The moon was hidden
by clouds but she could still see well enough. A figure stood
several feet from the door, down the stairs and in the front court
yard. A tall imposing figure wrapped in shadows.

“Is that…” Mihail’s voice trailed away.

“Oh, nothing too exiting then, lovers’ squabble.”
Sabine laughed, “Have fun.” She fluttered her fingers and went back
inside. Mihail touched Nea’s shoulder and she shrugged him
away.

“Stay here.” She walked down the path towards the
figure, when she got closer she felt her heart speed up in her
chest and her stomach tie itself up with butterflies she hadn’t
felt in years. There was a tall man in a black cape watching her,
his face pale, eyes burning black. His hair was tied back, as black
as night, neatly trimmed beard matching. To say he was handsome was
not enough; she had never thought it a correct description of the
sharp edges of his face or the width of his shoulders.

“Vlad.” She sighed, stopping to stand before him.

“No one really calls me that anymore, Cneajna. I am
Dracula now, a more fitting name for what I have become.”

“No one calls me Cneajna either, simply Nea.”

“I don’t like it; your full name has always suited
you.”

His arms dropped from being wrapped around himself,
he took a step towards her and she couldn’t help but meet him. It
was stupid, it wasn’t logical, but it happened. He took her in his
arms and kissed her, rough against her tenderness, lips worshiping
and punishing her at once. He tasted like the night and death and
she tasted like magic and light.

Who knows how long it would have gone on, perhaps
until they were fucking in the middle of the lawn, but then one of
his fangs nipped her lips. Her powerful blood leaked into his mouth
and he growled, pressing himself up against her until the kiss
hurt. She stilled beneath him and began to push him away. He
resisted at first, but his love for Cneajna was greater than his
desire for her blood and he stopped and stepped back.

“Why didn’t you come to the Monastery when I asked?”
His accent was thick, eyes raking over her.

“You must know what I am now my love, I could
not.”

“Marisol told me what happened, I am sorry; my
brides will never bother you again.”

“It is fine, I am alright.” She took a deep breath
to steady herself, “how could you do this Vlad, sell your soul?
Become a vampire?”

“I had to be able to protect my people; I failed as
a human, now I protect them all,” he boasted.

“I have missed you.” Her smile was dim, she
understood why; she didn’t have to like it.

“I want you, come home with me,” he demanded.

“I cannot, appease your lust with one of your
brides.” It didn’t hurt, not really, it had been more than a
century, and he’d had no one to be faithful to. She did still want
him, but she wasn’t going to be used for sex.

“They are not you. I love
you
.” His answer was
simple enough.

“Then why did you create them?”

“I am lonely. I thought when I discovered you to be
immortal as well we could have what we did before, and then I saw
him.” Anger filled his words.

“Him who?” She was totally lost.

“The man you live in sin with.” He waved a hand
towards Mihail and a deep sadness filled her heart.

“It is sad you do not recognize your own son, my
love.”

“That is not Mihnea.” He squinted into the darkness,
but she knew he could see like it was daylight.

“It is Mihail.”

“He is not my son,” Dracula huffed. “I forgave that
infidelity because you are precious to me. I will not forgive you
fornicating with him. I cannot judge the sin but I can still hate
him.” The statement couldn’t have been worse had he slapped her
afterwards.

“Not your son? What are you talking about? Don’t be
disgusting!” She motioned for Mihail to come over to them, sick to
her stomach that he would accuse her of having relations with her
son.

“I was told you had been unfaithful and he was not
my son.” Vlad glared at Mihail, “Good friends and one of my
brothers swore oaths they had seen you with another man, that
Mihail could not be mine since no Dracul had ever been born with
the caul or those strange eyes.”

“That’s insane. Vlad, use your
eyes, see him!” She grabbed Mihail and dragged him towards his
father. “He looks just like you. I was never unfaithful, not once!
Maybe you should consider the source of those rumors since many of
your friends turned on you and one of your brothers
killed
me.” She had
never been so furious, or so disturbed.

“Radu paid for his crime against you.” Dracula
chuckled, but it wasn’t really humor.

“I know, how I wish I could have killed him myself,
but that isn’t the point. Look at your son! Your son!” She grabbed
his arm and gripped it tightly.

Dracula studied at the young man, one he hadn’t seen
in over 200 hundred years. A son that he had never even paid
attention to as a child, now he looked with his vampire senses. He
saw himself and Cneajna in the boy, the cheek bones. With his new
eyes he could see what he denied himself before, the family
resemblance. With a strangled cry Vlad Dracul stepped back,
refusing to believe, to hope. He considered her words,
carefully.

“What of the caul then? That his eyes are two
colors? Can you explain that?” He asked, but deep inside he knew it
was futile, he didn’t want to believe; he had spent years loving
her and hating her for being unfaithful and raising a bastard under
his roof.
“I have spoken with midwives; the caul is nothing more than
superstition. It has a medical explanation. His eyes are nothing
more than a joining of the two of us. You and I are there, in his
eyes. You are a vampire, I am a Strega, and your son is a Strigoi!
That part should not matter.” She was like an angry mama bear,
Dracula had always found that trait endearing. He looked at the boy
again, trying to prove she was lying and he could not. He dropped
his head in shame; he had been blinded by a lying brother and a
mortal’s stupidity, one he had let come with him into immortality
it seemed.

“Do you see now?” Nea shook her head and gathered
Mihail to her like she had when he was a boy and he felt like one.
Everything clicked into place with this knowledge, all the memories
of neglect could be seen in different light.

“My God, what have I done?” Dracula came closer, “he
is mine, truly? I can see it, but I spent so long...in denial.”

“Yes, of course. How could you think I would ever
lay with another man while I was alive? You stupid arse.” Nea felt
tears in her eyes, letting go of her son, she dashed them away.
Dracula then bowed low to Mihail.

“I am sorry my son, I wronged you as a mortal, let
me make it up to you as a vampire. Come with me; let me share some
of my riches and darkness.” It was the only thing he could think of
to do.

“Why should I believe you? My mortal years were
spent in fear of you,” Mihail said, angrily.

“I know and I would deserve it if you hated me for
eternity,” Vlad took a step back.

“Mihail.” Nea’s said, touching his arm. He looked
down at his mother and let out a deep breath.

“I accept your apology,” Mihail’s voice was soft.
This was something he had wanted his entire life, his father’s love
and approval, part of him wanted to hold on to the anger, but he
could not. He glanced at his mother, who nodded her head, “I will
come with you. But I am my mother’s Strigoi I cannot be gone for
long.”

“You shall come as well Cneajna,” Vlad said.

“No Vlad, I will not. You have new wives now and we
both have responsibilities. I cannot come.” A tingle went up her
spine, a warning that Bendis was near.

“You have to go; if my Goddess finds you here she
will kill you,” Nea reached up on tip toe and kissed his cheek, “Go
my love.”

“I will not let this be the end,” he warned as he
transformed into a large black bat and took off into the night,
Mihail grinned in her direction and then he too was gone.

“Why am I not surprised?” Nea yawned, what she
really needed now was a good night’s sleep, not a busybody goddess.
At least something good had come out of the evening.

She ran back inside to see Sabine laughing with a
normal, middle aged Bendis, she caught Nea’s eyes, seeming to ask,
“is everything ok?” Nea nodded and came to greet the Goddess.

“I have an idea that may help.” Bendis looked over
her Strega, “you are flushed, are you ok?”

“I am fine, another run in with a bride of Dracula,”
Nea laughed, “now what is this idea?”

“We might need to kill that vampire, but that is a
discussion for another day. I think we should cast a spell on the
rest of the Bathory line to prevent daughters from being born. A
counter curse, if you will.” Bendis had excitement written all over
her face.

“That’s brilliant! That gives you more time to work
on the curse and not worry about generations of Bathory kids adding
to an already crowded house in limbo!” Sabine was beaming. Nea
thought about it, no more female Bathory’s meant after Elizabeth’s
kids she wouldn’t have to worry about saving anyone but those
already passed on, the number would never increase.

“Isn’t using one curse against another like using
linen strips over a bad wound? It will help for a while but isn’t a
solution.” She wanted to be cautious.

“Yes, but like that linen it gives time to get the
proper help. Really Nea, what is there to lose?” Bendis said.

“So Elizabeth’s kids will be the last girls?” Sabine
asked.

“No, Zsofia has a daughter, she will be the last. We
are lucky the curse only affects the Esced branch of the Bathory
family and has not touched the Symlyo line.” Bendis seemed pleased
with herself.

“Yes I know, I have watched the other branch, there
are several women on that side that are normal and kind. It must
mean that the spell is an act of vengeance or revenge against
Mariska herself and has trickled on down the line.” Nea said,
Mariska was the daughter of Briccius Bathory, the founder of the
Esced line. She watched Bendis closely, noting how closed off she
became at Mariska’s name. Another piece to the puzzle.

“What about Stasi?” Sabine broke into their
conversation, worried about her goddaughter and trying to change
the subject.

“The spell will also effect Stasi.” Bendis said, “
She will not produce a girl child in this lifetime.”

“I think it’s worth a try.” Nea could handle one
more Bathory girl on top of Elizabeth’s brood, she had no
choice.

“I will put a clause in the spell that should the
original curse break, this one will too.” Bendis seemed satisfied
with the decision.

“Alright, let’s do it.” Nea didn’t even
hesitate.

Chapter 10

1611

“Can’t you help me?” Elizabeth was on her knees
begging her godmother to save her. They were in a room high in a
tower where Elizabeth had been locked away during her trial. The
stupid girl had moved on from killing peasants to a nobleman’s
daughter and now she had a good chance of being put to death.

Elizabeth had written Nea the moment she realized
she was going to be captured and Nea could not resist going to her.
She had helped raise her and still felt obligation and the guilt
that she had not done enough to sway her path.