Still Cold

    Before we begin, I must admit that the topic of vampires has always intrigued me. With the modern age turning vampires into sparkling Hollywood sensations, many of the things that made vampires interesting are now a fading memory. For example, did you know that vampires only drink blood to keep the body’s tissues alive? Blood cells, or more specifically the hemoglobin, carry oxygen which keeps the vampire looking youthful. That is why when vampires do not drink blood for a long period of time, their appearance begins to look ghastly. The cells are being deprived of oxygen. 

I bet you didn’t know that! If you ask me the science behind vampires is far more interesting than the lore. In fact, I learned the other day that-

(Get on with it. They do not want to hear you ramble.) 

Oh! Please forgive me, we were discussing the Dark Prince and his newest bride.

(Start at the church.)

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Black boots thump along the church’s wooden floors, drawing out creaks and moans that echo in the cathedral. A thick brown overcoat flows from behind the person and catches the attention of the sisters standing on the second floor. At once they begin whispering to each other, each slightly in awe over the newest visitor. Standing in the middle of the atrium the visitor looks up at the sisters, green eyes piercing. Some of the sisters blush heavily while others begin to pray. "Zisters, bleaze forgiffe me," The women look down at the visitor. "Do any of vu know vere I can find ein Mr. Jonathan Harker?" The sisters glance at each other before a loud voice clears their throat.

"I believe you must be Lucille Westenra." Sister Agatha stands before the stained glass, her figure bathed in soft yellow light. 

"Ja, I am, put I razer vu call me Lucy." The German doctor says, removing her top hat to reveal her black curls.

Sister Agatha smiles stiffly when the sisters around her gasp dreamily. The German doctor's chestnut color skin glowed with youth, showing how beautiful she was. "Ladies! If you cannot control yourselves, I will have to ask you to leave!" Sister Agatha faces Lucy once more. "Doctor, if you will."

Lucy nods and walks to the staircase, her steps careful and measured.

"I am zurprized. I had nein itea zee Hunkarians vere zis friendly. Do all of vu act like zis?"

Lucy glides up the stairs fluidly and gives a small smile to the Mother Superior, who's plump face flushes spottily. Lucy hands the Mother her brown coat and top hat, items the woman takes with glee. "Only to the pretty ones." Sister Agatha remarks, leading the way towards the back hallway.

As the two walk away the sisterhood begins chattering, their voices becoming a symphony of longing. Sister Agatha folds her arms behind her back. "I would ask you to refrain from setting off the sisters. Just because they have sworn off men doesn't mean they need any more temptations." Sister Agatha's eyes gaze into Lucy's, watching how the doctor's green eyes depict her true age. 

Lucy chuckles, a velvet sound, and straightens up her vest. "It is ein old hapit." Lucy unbuttons her cuffs, rolling up her sleeves, only looking up at a figure pacing the end of the hallway.

"Mina?"

The small sister perks up and rushes towards the two, her blue eyes wet with unshed tears. "Lucy!" 

The two women hug tightly, Mina sobbing into her friend's shoulder.

Sister Agatha stands back and watches the two. Her thin lips purse into a curious look as Lucy brushes the golden cross around Mina's neck. "How is he?"

Mina grabs her friend's hand tightly. "He isn't well Lucy. H-he looks ghastly, almost like the dead. You would think he was a walking corpse."

Lucy hums and gives Mina a reassuring grin, her canines slightly elongated. "Do not fear, mein dear. Let me zee him und I vill zee vat I can do."

Lucy breaks away and Mina reaches out for her, pale fingers trembling. "Please, help him Lucy."

The doctor pauses and gives Mina a firm nod before grasping the doorknob. After a moment's pause, Lucy opens the wooden door. 

✪✬✮✬✪

Oh! You're back! Sorry, we were just working on our next big project.

(You mean you were. I was trying to schedule these meetings for the week.)

Aw, Ana. I know it's early for you. Do you want me to talk to them? They won't go away until I give them something.

(If you must Little Flower. I just need a few more hours of sleep. Who's idea was it to even get up this early?)

...Ana. It was yours…

(Ah. Of course. How foolish of me.)

...You should sleep Ana. As for you, did you know Dracula wanted offspring, a legacy? I know! He's already living forever, what more does he want? The guy cheats death and now wants to create life. He's dead in body and soul, how is he going to be able to procreate? This isn't some dumb series about sparkling vampires you know. Vampires are the deceased, and the dead rarely creates life.

(You said rarely.)

Did I? Huh.

(Hm.)

I say rarely because in this life nothing is impossible. 

(How exciting.)

Isn't it?

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Jonathan starts as the doorknob turns to reveal a woman wearing men's clothing, a huge contrast to the blue uniform of the nuns. He pushes a worn book off this lap onto the bed, subtly covering the title. "H-hello? May I ask who you are?"

The woman sits her doctor's bag on the small table as she looks around the room. 

"I am Lucille Westenra. Doktor Lucille Westenra. I came as ein request from Zister Akatha."

Jonathan straightens up and folds his hands. "You're German?"

Lucy nods and pulls up a chair to the side of the bed. "Forgive me. I haven't seen a German with skin as dark as yours before."

The doctor chuckles and leans back in the chair, crossing her long legs. "Not all heurobeans are pale like vu all are. Most of zee horiginal heurobeans vere darker zan me. Pale skin only came apout recently."

Jonathan gulps as the woman hooks her long fingers together. "Now. Tell me vat has occurred."

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Dracula slams down the goblet of blood with a hiss. Standing beside him is a woman with long brown hair and small breasts whimpers pathetically. Her babbling consists of broken English and Romanian, pleading for her life. Dracula pinches the bridge of his nose before slamming his fist on the table. "Hush!" 

The woman covers her mouth and sobs freely, her blue eyes filled with fear. "I swear, they get louder each time." The woman kneels over, trembling. 

Dracula sips from his goblet again before grabbing the woman's chains. "Come then pet. Let's set you free." The captive's eyes widen and she nods excitedly.

Perfect.

Dracula guides her along with a sinister smile as the woman thanks him in her mother tongue. She was a gypsy who was kidnapped by rough bandits who had their way with her. Despite her thin frame and protruding bones, she wasn't repulsive. Too bad she was nothing more than leftovers. From the scent of multiple men to the newest sounds of life coming from her midsection, the wrench was doomed from the start.  The woman continues to try to converse with him, her movements were stronger and more sure. Humans were so quick to relax in front of an apex predator. Dracula rolls his eyes and descends further into the bowels of the castle where not a single candle stands lit. The woman stumbles but reaches out to steady herself using his cape. "Almost there. Try not to fall."

The heavy thumps of Dracula's boots and the slapping of feet against stone echo loudly in the underbelly of the castle. The air was still and cold, leading the woman to shiver. Dracula unhooks a key from his side and unlocks the woman's chains, his eyes glowing red in the darkness. "Be free."

The woman lets out a noise of confusion before a dark blur tackles her from the side. Small lights like glowing eyes appear as the woman yowls in agony, her attempts at getting away futile. Her opponent slams her head against the stone, easily concussing the gypsy. "Better hurry up. You know how greedy she is." Two pairs of glowing eyes appear nearby, sounds of quiet hissing removing the silence from the room.

The first attacker giggles before slamming the woman's skull on the floor again. The other pairs of eyes launch themselves over to their feast before sounds of drinking and slurping could be heard. Dracula feels a splatter of warm fluid on his face, his eyes narrowing. He swipes a finger over the area and sniffs it. 

Blood.

Dracula snarls. "Waste this meal and you won't get another!"

The eyes whimper and get closer to Dracula, keening lowly. A hand grabs him and another hand grabs the waist of his pants. The last pair of hands gently wipes the blood on his face and licks the spot. "No, no Master." One voice cries out. "Please not that!"

"We will be good. We swear." They say together.

The hand on his waist begins to unbutton his pants, heavy pants coming from the creature down there. "So good."

Dracula closes his eyes as-

✪✬✮✬✪

(Whoa. Slow down.)

What?

(We can't tell them that.)

Why not?

(Little Flower, it is uncouth. They don't need to know what Dracula did with his brides.)

Ana...this whole story is about what Dracula did with his bride, Jonathan.

(Then talk about him, not the old brides.)

Sigh... Ana, you can be a real ninny sometimes. 

(If being called a ninny means not having to hear about Dracula's sexual habits, then I am fine with that. Continue.)

✪✬✮✬✪

Dracula rests in a lavish bed with three women surrounding him. Two relax underneath his arms while the other naps by his feet. The bride on the left, known as Majaa, presses a kiss to her Master's bare chest. Her red hair flows over her shoulders and falls nearly to the floor in length. "The gypsy tasted funny." She remarks quietly.

Her black eyes look up at Dracula's reaction as he caresses her head. "That was to be expected Majaa-"

The woman at the foot of the bed springs up, her black curls bouncing with the movement. "Majaa's only saying that because she's used to drinking from virgins!" The bride to the right nods in solidarity. 

Majaa makes a sound of offense before sitting up. "Forgive me, Eszter, for having good taste!"

Eszter rolls her eyes and flops on the bed. "Spare me the dramatics Majaa."

Majaa sneers and grabs a handful of Eszter's kinky curls, her eyes full of ire. Eszter shrieks and tries to bat her hands away, her face scrunching up in pain. 

"Enough."

The two stop and quickly separate, Eszter promising pain and suffering to Majaa in Russian. Dracula raises an eyebrow at the two. The woman on the right clears her throat delicately to gain the attention of the group. "I will not deny her taste to be odd, but that was simply from the unborn child in her belly. New mothers always taste strange. It is the cocktail of hormones running through their bodies that result in a peculiar flavor."

Dracula hums while the other two look towards the oldest bride. "You're so smart Chiyo!" Eszter gushes.

Majaa scoffs and slides out the bed, her red hair trailing after her. "Where are you going?" Chiyo asks after her.

Majaa grabs a deep red robe off a chair in the corner and angrily puts it on. "I am going to make sure our guest is dead. I would hate to have a repeat of last time." Eszter's eyes widen before looking away in shame, her short fingers twitching nervously.

Dracula reaches a hand out and beckons the woman to him. "She is weak Majaa, she won't end up like the last meal. She's probably dead by now."

Majaa shakes her head and grabs a hairpin from the pockets of the robe. "Harker got away. We need to be more careful. That means no more mistakes. Call me paranoid but I much rather be safe than sorry." With that Majaa sweeps out the room, her red visage like a flame.

✪✬✮✬✪

Jonathan sneezes as Lucy tries to listen to his heart. After a few moments of silence, she sighs and removes the instrument from his chest. "It is true. Vu are one of zee undead."

Jonathan bites his cracked lips and clenches the bedsheets. "Then why am I still breathing?"

Lucy sets the instrument on the bed and focuses her attention on the withered man. "It is ein hapit at zis boint. I, too, kebt many hapits like preazing und eating after turning. It vas ein small vay to retain mein humanity."

Jonathan leans forward, his blue eyes blazing into Lucy's own. "That doesn't explain the nosebleeds and nausea. I'm dead-"

"Untead."

"I'm dead- and the dead don't get sick! They don't bleed, or get dizzy, or feel the urge to eat dirt!"

Lucy holds a hand up, pushes Jonathan away from her. "How long has zis peen Hoccuring?"

Jonathan fumbles for a moment. "Nearly three and a half months now."

Lucy mumbles to herself. Her eyes narrow as she repeats his symptoms. It couldn't be, but more impossible things had happened. Lucy prayed to whatever deity was listening as she instructs Jonathan to lift his nightgown. He begins to protest but raises the thin fabric with bony hands. Something about her strict look made him quickly comply. She pressed the cold metal to his abdomen and listened real closely.

Th-ump. Th-ump.

Lucy grits her teeth and moves the stethoscope to the left. 

Th-ump. Th-ump. Th-ump.

"Braize pe to zee deffil. I can't pelieffe it."

Despite her denial, two solid heartbeats occupied Jonathan Harker's belly. Lucy draws back and tries her best not to break her tool. Jonathan lays the nightgown back over the two heartbeats with a worried look. "What's the matter?"

Lucy begins to speak and cuts herself off. "I must sbeak vith Zister Akatha. Excuze me!" With inhuman speed Lucy packs away her things and races to the door, her face never betraying the panic she feels.

Jonathan calls after her as the door shuts but Lucy was already down the hall, looking for Sister Agatha. Her hands trembled as her mind raced. Dracula really was a sick bastard, turning that man into the undead and then-!

"Doktor, I see you're looking well." Sister Agatha strolls by with Mina by her side, her face smug as hell.

"Vu knew! Vu knew vat Vlad did to zat boy!" Lucy grabs Sister Agatha and shakes her.

The Doktor's vivid green eyes flash yellow for a split second with anger. Mina knocks her friend's arm away and pushes her back. "Luc-! Lucy! Calm down!" The German woman shouts profanities at Sister Agatha, her canines growing longer and sharper.

Sister Agatha only crosses herself and mutters a prayer. "Tell me, Doktor, what hurts more? Knowing that Dracula had no need for you or knowing that he chose that man to be his bride?"

Lucy snarls and wraps a tense arm around Mina, shielding her from the Van Helsing. "Neizer Van Helzing. It vas zee fact zat Vlad vill kill vu all if he finds out!"

Mina looks up at Lucy and back at Sister Agatha, puzzlement written on her face. "Find out what?" She looks between the two again. "Lucy, find out what?"

The original bride of Dracula growls and clenches her fist, wrinkling Mina's dress. 

"Zat Jonathan is bregnant vith his Hoffsbring."

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(Oh, dear. Now's she's said it…)