The Bathory Curse (31 page)

“What the hell was that about? You being with him
again? What nonsense are you guys spewing?”

“I told him that once I broke the curse I would come
back to him. It was the only way to get him to leave Lucy alone and
release his Brides,” Nea admitted.

“Absurd! You can’t go back to him and that life Nea,
it’s not who you are!” Sabine exclaimed.

“I love him, always have. Once I have lifted the
curse why shouldn’t I be happy?” Nea didn’t understand her friend’s
anger.

“Hecate will never allow it. She will kill him
before she allows you to be with him. Her hate for the undead is a
powerful thing. You are going to get yourself killed alongside
him!” Sabine was shouting now.

“Lesson 10: We cannot die in a very literal sense.”
Nea was getting irate, why couldn’t her friend understand she
wanted to be with Vlad, had missed him for centuries.

“I wish I had mentioned this sooner,” Sabine took a
deep breath, trying to calm herself down, “Lesson 34; Hecate can
kill you, it’s the only way you can die.”

“Then she can kill me. I have made my decision.”
Nea’s words were harsh, no argument.

“And I cannot support it. I’m sorry Nea.” Sabine
stormed off.

Nea stood, silently, not understanding what had just
happened. Closing her eyes and praying for wisdom and peace, she
knew she couldn’t worry about Sabine, Vlad or even Hecate right
now. She had a pregnant daughter and anxious son to get back to. It
was time for her to live in America with them and prepare for the
birth.

Chapter 19

August 1903, New York

“What are you reading?” Nea asked coming into the
library of their town home in New York City. Mihail was perched on
the desk leafing through a novel.

“That book by Stoker.” He grunted, eyes focused.

“Looking for something interesting in that trash
heap?” Nea asked amused as she pulled on her gloves. She was taking
Daniela to see Jenica today, a present for her tenth birthday.

“Any mention of you.” He glanced up, eyes focused on
his mother dressed to go out.

“Stasi won’t like you taking her before her birthday
supper,” he warned.

“It’s been planned for years and your daughter is
anxious to meet her great grandmother, other members of her blood.”
Nea walked over and planted a kiss on Mihail’s forehead, “and there
isn’t any mention of me, I told you that when it came out in 1897.
Your father gave me an advanced copy.”

“You should be mentioned,” Mihail grumbled, he’d
never actually sat down and read the book. He had to admit it was a
little dry, nothing like the novels he and Stasi read to each other
during the day, during their down time.

“Well, that’s what happens when your father gets
drunk with a puffed up Irish man.” She pulled on her large hat, a
fashion she rather enjoyed, though she could do without the corsets
and bustles.

It was better that Bram Stoker had gotten most of
the details wrong, better that she and her fellow Stregas had been
left out. Mr. Stoker had screwed up most of the places because he
decided Transylvania, Borgo Pass and the Carpathian mountains
sounded so much darker and mysterious then where it all actually
went down. He chose to ignore his history in favor of romanticism
and fantasy, which was fine by Nea. He also made Dracula out to be
the villain and favored Jonathan Harker, Mina and the lot, oh well,
creative license.

“Put down that piece of fluffed up nonsense and grab
one of those other books you read… Who is it again? Arthur Conan
Doyle?” Nea didn’t care for mysteries. She and Daniela were
currently in the middle of wonderful magical novel by Frank L Baum
about a little girl who winds up in the fantastical land of Oz. Nea
much preferred light fantasy to what her children chose to
read.

“Yes Mom, Sherlock Holmes.” Mihail sighed, closed
the book and stood, stretching his tall lanky form.

“Go get Daniela please.”

“Okay, but promise you are not taking her to see
anyone but Grandma.”

“Of course not!” Nea frowned at her son’s tone,
“like I would scar my granddaughter with those monsters.” As he
left, Nea’s eyes drifted to the portrait above the fire place of
her granddaughter. Mihail had painted it last year. Nea enjoyed
every moment of the child’s life, just as she had Stasi’s and the
brief time she had with Mihail as a boy.  Watching the little
girl grow into a precocious almost adult was wonderful.

Moving to America had been a great idea, the last
ten years had been a wonderful adventure. She had taken the family
to the World Fair in Paris in 1900, to see the Chicago White Sox
play in 1901, and whisked them away for two months to Los Angeles
in 1902 to the Electric Theatre. However, Nea could tell the
adventure was at a close, it was time to get down to business.

It had started a week ago when Bendis appeared for
the first time since Daniela’s birth to tell her that her vacation
was up. That she had more bad news, apparently due to the nature of
Daniela’s birth, she was too mortal, unlike her parents, and should
she die she would wind up in Limbo, that the curse would most
likely affect her even though it hadn’t Nea or Stasi.

Nea wished she could speak to Sabine about her
worries, but ever since that night in Romania, Sabine had been out
of touch, refusing communication. She sent gifts to Stasi, Mihail
and Daniela, gave Ruxandra updates about where she was every few
months and Nea knew she was in contact with Renata, but there was
nothing but silence to Nea herself. It saddened her that her best
friend was still so angry, but it also made her furious that Sabine
had withdrawn her friendship over a man, and an event that hadn’t
even happened yet.

“Bunica, you are going to shred that book.”

Nea looked down at the book,
Dracula
, she hadn’t
realized she’d picked it up. She placed it down and focused her
attention at her great-granddaughter, “Ruxandra, you’re here.” She
smiled, she had been good to her word and given the girl and estate
of her own in California, thinking she would like to be around the
glittering throng of new people showing up there with their
countless ideas and inventions.

“You asked me to come.” The women embraced and Nea
felt a little more joy in her heart at the sight of Ruxandra’s
content face.

“I need to feed before seeing my mother and thought
you could stay here with Stasi and Mihail while I am away.”

“Happy to do both. Needed a bit of a vacation and
New York is a bustling city.” Ruxandra held out her hand and Nea
grasped it, feeling all the extra content and happiness Ruxandra
had been soaking in recently. She drew it away, like sipping good
tea with cream and sugar, feeling it warm her up.

“Thank you. Why don’t you go let Marina know you’re
here, I know you love her pot roast, maybe she’ll make it for
dinner,” Nea laughed.

“Have a good trip Bunica.” Ruxandra blew her a kiss
before leaving the room.

“Are you ready to go, Grandma?” A breathless little
voice bounced in the room ahead of its owner. The girl attached to
the voice was a thin dusky skinned girl, with straight strawberry
blonde hair cut into a bobbed style and large almost black eyes, a
stunning combination of mother and father.

“Yes, I am Ella, are you?” Nea asked, using her pet
name for the girl.

“Uh huh, but let’s be sure to be back in time for
cake.” She glanced behind her and Nea saw three adults, Mihail,
Stasi and Marina standing in the foyer. Marina was in an apron
wiping flour from her hands.

“You better be back for cake, I have been making it
all morning and the eggs for it were not cheap.” Marina sounded
harsh but there was a smile in her eyes. She was at home today so
she was wearing a shirt with the words Tears for Fears written
across the top, she said it was a band from her time, Nea just
shook her head.

“Did the Evanson’s have their baby?”

“Early this morning like I predicted, healthy and
large,” Marina grinned, “Any orders while you are gone?”

“None. Keep up the good work, let me know if the
clinic needs anything.” Nea had helped Marina open up a sort of
underground women’s clinic in their basement two years prior.
Marina did everything the term “women’s healthcare” could cover,
without giving away her magical powers or the fact she was from the
future. Nea had been surprised by how many women sought out illegal
abortions and birth control, especially non-married ones. Nea was
happy to lend her finances and magic to the cause.

“Now Stasi, don’t fret, we will be back soon. You
made this trip around the same age. We are going straight to my
mother’s rooms.”

“Okay, just, be back soon…” Stasi was worried, she
didn’t like the thought of her daughter travelling through
dimensions, or being in the house with all their insane
relatives.

“Eventually she has to go see the others, she needs
to know what she’s facing.” Mihail murmured to Stasi, who turned on
him, fire in her eyes.

“I know, stop bringing them up. Just not now!” She
snapped.

“Stop it, you know I’m not invisible, right?”
Daniela had gone to stand between her parents, in the past five
days things had been wound tightly in their household, she had
watched her very loving family bite and snap at each other and she
wasn’t happy about it. The only person not grumpy was her
Grandfather, but in truth Daniela hadn’t seen him in a few months.
He had sent a lovely doll house for her birthday, though.

“Oh, I’m sorry Princess.” Stasi leaned down and
gathered her daughter in a hug.

“Yes, sorry Sweet pea, things will be better after
this trip.” Mihail kissed the top of her head and wrapped an arm
around his wife.

“I want to go with Grandma, I’m looking forward to
it, don’t ruin it.”

Nea began to laugh, startling her children into their
own chuckles, “she is your daughter, attitude and all, calm down
Ella, let’s be off.” Nea took her hand, “Do you remember the
rules?”

“Yes, do not speak to Mariska directly and do not
leave Grandma Jenica’s rooms.”

“Good girl,” and with a thought whisked them away
into Jenica and Mariska’s private rooms in Limbo. When they arrived
Daniela wavered and had to be steadied, she placed a hand to her
mouth and barely had time to mumble, “sick” before she threw up all
over Jenica’s buttercup yellow carpet.

“I know, the first time is always the worse.” Nea
asked. “Mama?”

“Already on it.” Jenica’s cheerful voice was laced
with a bit of concern as she shoved a cup of tea into Daniela’s
hands. The heated smell of ginger did much to soothe the little
girl’s stomach, Jenica led her to the sofa while Nea cleaned up the
mess.

“So you’re,” Daniela slurped some tea, taking a big
calming breath, “Grandma Jenica.”

“Yes, and I am quite happy to finally meet you. My
daughter has spoken of you the last few times she was here.” Jenica
couldn’t help but love the child, she was everything a Bathory
daughter was meant to be, minus the crazy.

“I thought you two might like each other,” Nea said,
sitting on the other side of Daniela, “where is Mariska? We brought
her a present.”

“A present? For me?” The sing-song voice came from
behind the kitchen counter, Mariska’s pale, hollow face peered from
around the corner, she was sitting on the floor, playing with a
curl of red hair.

“Yes, a new doll.” Nea gave Daniela a package. The
child stood up and slowly made her way to her relative, hands
shaking she held out the brown paper wrapped gift. Mariska grabbed
and and ripped it open, cooing like a small child at the porcelain
head and beautiful lace dress of the new doll.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you.” She stood up
and danced around.

“I’m sorry, but what is wrong with you?” Daniela
blurted out before she could stop herself. She clapped a hand over
her mouth, and eyes wide in terror, Mariska froze as well, focusing
on the child. Both Nea and Jenica scrambled up, Nea reaching for
her granddaughter, terrified something horrible was about to
happen, Jenica placed herself directly in-between Daniela and
Mariska.

“I’m so sorry, that was so rude, I didn’t mean to
ask!” Daniela’s voice quivered.

“Poor little child, I cannot answer thee, but if you
want, you can see.” Mariska’s arm whipped out and she grabbed
Daniela’s hand. Nea caught her granddaughter as the little girl
sagged, fingers still tight around Mariska’s.

“
I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but I am in love
with someone else.” Mariska said, fear in every word. She stood
outside her home, hidden from sight by the dark, she didn’t want
anyone to call her out as a witch, and they would if they saw her
talking to someone only she could see.

“
I gave you everything, how could you do this?”
The voice was harsh and furious.

“
I know, and I am appreciative of it all, but I
never promised…that is I never said…I love Peter, I always
have….”Her fingers were so cold, she gripped her shawl tighter,
“we’re to be married in the spring.”

“
I am why you can get married to your stupid
male….your foul human mate.” The voice had pain in it now.

“
I know and I am thankful, you are my very best
friend!” Mariska cried, wishing she could fix things, wishing
things were different.

“
Your heart was so weakened by disease you would
never have left that bed again if I hadn’t healed you.”

“
And I paid for it, you asked me to devote the
next two years of my life to you and you alone…I have done so. I
kept Peter at arm’s length, it’s a miracle he waited, that he still
wants me…” She stomped her feet, trying to get the blood to flow.
The woman standing before her frowned and reached out a hand,
touching Mariska and warmth surged through her skin, she smiled,
grateful.