The Blood Countess
DISCLAIMER: This story is based upon the series, Charmed, that was created by Constance M. Burge. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions.
THE PLACE: PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA
THE TIME: OCTOBER 5tht , 2013
When Rex Buckland arrived home at the apartment he shared with Hannah Webster, he found her glued to the computer screen in the study, with a look of horror on her face. "What is it, Hannah? Did something terrible happen?" Rex asked.
"I would say yes." Hannah replied. "It seems there may trouble in Europe. At least that is what the e-mail said."
"What e-mail?" Rex asked.
"We got this e-mail, it doesn't say who sent it, but it includes details of a series of unexplained murders in Europe. It may be a vampire."
"Vampire? What do you mean?"
"I mean that they found the body of a young woman, drained of blood. The e-mail said it's the tenth one in the last two months." Hannah replied.
"Really?" Rex said, becoming interested. "Just where are these mysterious deaths taking place."
"Slovakia." Hannah said. "Near the ruins of some castle called Cach... Cach... I can't pronounce the name."
"Cachtice?" Rex asked.
"Yeah, that's the name." Hannah replied and then noted the grim look on Rex's face. "What is it, Rex?"
"Well, it may be a coincidence, but I doubt it. Cachtice Castle, or Csejte in Hungarian, was the home of Elizabeth Bathory."
"I've heard the name before." Hannah said. "But I can't quite place it."
"Elizabeth Bathory was a Countess in the then Kingdom of Hungary. She lived from 1560 to 1614. She has garnered quite a sinister reputation in the nearly four hundred years since her death."
"How so?" Hannah asked.
"Because of what she supposedly did." Rex replied. "According to legend, Elizabeth feared growing old, and looked for ways to stay young. One day, she slapped a servant girl for some minor infraction. The slap was hard enough to draw blood, and some of the blood splattered on Elizabeth's face. When Elizabeth wiped the blood away, she claimed she looked more beautiful than ever."
"Ugh, I think I can see where this is going." Hannah said grimly.
"Exactly, Hannah. Elizabeth got it into her mind that the blood of young virgin girls was the secret to staying young forever. So she, and four of her servants, Dorotya Semtesz, Ilona Jo, Katerina Benicka, and Janos Ujvary, began luring young girls to Cachtice Castle, where said girls were tortured to death, so Elizabeth could have their blood. Some even said Elizabeth bathed in the blood, although most think that is only legend."
"How many girls did they do this to?" Hannah asked.
"Officially the count is eighty, but some put it as high as six hundred and fifty." Rex replied in a grim voice.
"But how could it happen?" Hannah asked. "I mean all these girls going missing? Wouldn't someone catch on?"
"Ah, but you have to remember the times all this happened, Hannah. Elizabeth preyed on poor peasant girls. The kind no one would miss or care about."
"Still, those poor girls." Hannah said. "They must have had families or friends that missed them."
"They did, but back then no one in power really listened to the poor." Rex replied. "This went on for many years, until one day, Elizabeth got careless."
"What happened?" Hannah asked.
"She decided to expand her range of victims." Rex said. "She had the daughter of a prominent minister kidnapped. She might have gotten away with it, but that daughter managed to escape and told her father what had happened. The minister got in touch with the authorities, who then began an investigation. When the authorities arrived at Cachtice Castle, it is said they found a few of the victims still alive there. Elizabeth and her four servant confederates were arrested. After their trial, Dorotya Semtesz, Ilona Jo, and Janos Ujvary were executed. Katerina Benicka was sentenced to life imprisonment, it was believe she had been bullied by the others into going along, so that is why her life was spared."
"And Elizabeth herself?" Hannah asked.
"Due to her rank, she was royalty, after all, she was neither tried nor convicted. However, that didn't mean she got a free pass. In 1610, she was walled up in a set of rooms at Cachtice Castle, with only a small slot open for ventilation and the passing of meals. She remained there until her death in 1614."
"So what do you think is going on over there now, Rex?" Hannah asked. "Clearly someone was worried enough to send us an e-mail about it."
"I don't know, Hannah." Rex replied. "Part of me is wondering just who sent us that e-mail in the first place. And why."
"Maybe a Warlock who knew us in the old days." Hannah suggested.
"Still, it would have been nice if they had given their name. However, I feel we should investigate this."
"I wonder why this is happening." Hannah said. "Could the spirit of Elizabeth Bathory be doing this?"
"It's possible, Hannah." Rex said. "Someone could have summoned her spirit, however, that doesn't explain the loss of blood in the bodies. Where did it go? What good would it do a spirit?"
"Yeah, and I suppose staying forever young would be kind of redundant too, considering she's been dead for four centuries." Hannah added. "So, what's our next move.
"I suggest you pack some stuff, Hannah, we're going on a little trip."
VICINITY OF CACHTICE CASTLE, SLOVAKIA
OCTOBER 6th
The following day found Rex and Hannah camped near the ruins of Cachtice Castle. "According to the local police chief we spoke to, the last body was found right around here." Rex said.
"So here we wait." Hannah said and looked around. "So, this was once part of Hungary."
"Indeed it was, Hannah." Rex replied. "Mind you, in Elizabeth Bathory's time, the borders in this region of Europe were constantly shifting, as one country attacked another and so on. In time this whole area came under the control of the Habsburg Empire, until the disintegration of said empire in the aftermath of World War I."
"Sounds like confusing times." Hannah said. "You go to sleep in one country and wake up in another."
"Yes, I guess it was. In fact, the longest period that this region has been stable was from the end of World War II until now, the unfortunate and bloody disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990's notwithstanding."
"Well, what do you..." Hannah began, but then stopped as Rex's cell phone went off.
Rex quickly took his cell phone out of his pocket and looked at the ID. "It's Cole."
"I wonder what he's calling about?"
"Let's find out." Rex said and answered the phone. "Yes, Cole, is there a problem?"
"Yes, there is." the voice of Cole Turner replied. "It's Kira, she's taken off."
"What do you mean?" Rex asked.
"She took off out of the apartment this morning." Cole said. A few months before, Cole and Kira, who had been dating for a few years now, decided to move into an apartment together. Both Rex and Hannah, along with the Halliwell sisters, had attended the housewarming party. At the time, everything seemed okay.
"Can you tell me why?" Rex asked.
"She had some kind of nightmare." Cole replied. "When she woke up, she kept saying 'It's gone wrong.' over and over again. Before I could ask her what she meant, she flew out of here like a bat out of Hell. I think she might be going to your place."
"Well, she won't find us there right now, Cole. Hannah and I are currently in Europe, looking into something. However, we'll try to get back as fast as we can." After a few moments, the call was ended.
"What's going on back home?" Hannah asked.
"It's Kira. Cole said she ran off after having some kind of nightmare. He thinks she might be looking for us."
"And we're over here." Hannah said. "What a time for this to happen."
"Yes, quite." Rex said and fell silent.
"What is it, Rex?"
"Oh, just wondering about what you just said, Hannah. It is strange that this is happening now."
"But what would the return of Elizabeth Bathory, if indeed that is what's going on over here, have to do with Kira having a nightmare. What's the connection?"
"That's just it, Hannah, there is no connection, at least not directly..." Rex trailed off for a few moments and then resumed. "Still, something just doesn't seem right. Kira is a seer, after all, and if she's having nightmares that frighten her, I'm prone to take that very seriously."
"So you want to go back?" Hannah asked.
"Yes, but not until we settle whatever is going on over here first. After all, something is killing innocent people, and it has to be stopped."
"So what's our next move?" Hannah asked.
"Let's explore the ruins of Cachtice Castle. Maybe we'll find some clues there." Rex said and the two former Warlocks made their way towards the nearby ruins.
Several hours later, both Rex and Hannah were growing frustrated, for not a single clue was to be found. "I don't get it." Hannah said. "No foot prints, no blood stains, nothing. How can something like this be going on without leaving a single clue?"
"That's just it, Hannah, it can't." Rex said. "Ever since this whole thing started, I've been getting the feeling that something is wrong. Have you ever heard of the term 'red herring' before."
"I think I have." Hannah said. "It's a literary term, isn't it."
"Yes, it is. In short, it means misdirection, false information leading to a false conclusion. Many old detective novels used it to keep their readers guessing as to the identity of the murderer, for example."
"And you think something like that is going on here?" Hannah asked.
"Well, look at the clues, Hannah. We get an anonymous e-mail, telling us about some murders in this area, but we find no trace of them. There is no indication that Elizabeth Bathory, whether ghost or vampire, walks these ruins. In short, there is no indication that anything here is out of the ordinary."
"What about that police chief we spoke to?" Hannah said. "He confirmed that there were murders going on around here."
"Yes, and I think we ought to have another chat with that fellow." Rex replied, getting the feeling that things were going to get even stranger.
Much to Rex and Hannah's surprise, the police chief was a totally different person than the one they had met before. The man they now saw was fat, middle aged, and bald. The previous man had been young, with dark hair, and thin. "I'm sorry, who are you?" Hannah said.
"Mikros Jakes, police chief of this area." the man replied. "What is this all about?"
"You're the police chief? No one else?" Rex asked.
"I've been police chief here for ten years. Why?" Jakes asked.
"Well, there was another fellow here." Rex said and went on to describe the man in detail to Jakes.
"No one around here like that working for us. Never has been." Jakes said.
"What about the murders?" Hannah asked.
"Murders?" Jakes asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"Yes, the ten young women found with their blood drained."
"Nothing like that happening around here, Miss." Jakes said. "I think you and your friend here have been victims of a sick prank."
"Thank you for your time, Mr. Jakes." Rex said slowly.
"Dammit, I was right." Rex said, once he and Hannah were outside. "This whole thing was a red herring."
"That other man we spoke to, he was an imposter." Hannah added. "But why? Who would go through all this trouble to send us on a wild goose chase like this."
"Someone that clearly wanted the two of us out of the San Francisco area." Rex replied. "We better get back home, I get a feeling that is where our real problem lies."
PALO ALTO
When Rex and Hannah got back to their apartment, they found a distraught Kira waiting for them. "Oh thank God." Kira said. "Where have you two been? Something terrible has happened."
"Kira, what is it? What's wrong?" Hannah asked as she helped Kira into the apartment and down onto the couch.
"She's gone, Hannah! She's gone!"
"Who's gone?"
"Ladybug." Kira sobbed.
"Ladybug?" the baffled Hannah said. "Kira, what on Earth are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry, I don't know her actual name." Kira replied, still sobbing.
"Kira, please slow down." Rex said soothingly. "Who, or what, is this 'Ladybug' you say is gone?"
"I'm sorry." Kira said as she tried to get herself under control. "Years ago, before Zankou sent me into the Wasteland, I showed Phoebe Halliwell a vision of her future. In that future, Phoebe had a little girl. The future Phoebe said 'my little ladybug', or something like that."
"I guess that's where you got the name 'Ladybug' from." Hannah said.
"Yes, and over the years I've kept that vision." Kira said. "Until now. I can't see Ladybug anymore. It's almost as if..."
"She doesn't exist anymore." Rex said slowly.
"Yes, that's it." Kira said. "I can't see her anymore because the future has changed!"
"Yes, that would fit." Rex said. "Well, Hannah, now we know why we were sent on that wild goose chase to Europe. Clearly somebody wanted us out of town so we wouldn't start asking too many questions about events going on back here."
"Who is doing this? And why?" Hannah asked.
"That is the question, Hannah, that is the question."
"But how..." Hannah began and stopped as Paige Matthews orbed into the room, looking very upset. "Paige, what is it? What's wrong?" Hannah asked.
"It's Henry, he's disappeared." Paige replied. "We can't find him anywhere, and now Coop's gone too."
"When did this happen?" Rex asked.
"Just today." Paige said and then noticed Kira was there too. "What's going on?"
"Kira here just told us that she can't see Phoebe's future daughter anymore." Hannah said. "Indicating that the future is changing."
" Now you and Phoebe both have your husbands disappear on the same day. There has to be a connection." Rex said and then asked Paige. "What about Piper and Leo, and their two sons. Are they okay?"
"Yeah, they've taken refuge in Magic School." Paige said. "As you know, it's protected."
"It's just as well." Rex said. "If what is going on is what I suspect is going on. I suggest we all..." However, before Rex could continued, the room was filled with a bright light, and when said light faded, two young men were standing there. One had blond hair, the other had dark hair.
"Uh, Rex, we have company." Hannah said. Beside her, both Kira and Paige's face were full of astonishment, like they recognized the newcomers.
"And who might you two be?" Rex asked the newcomers.
"Hello Uncle Rex, Aunt Hannah." the blond haired young man said. "Of course, you don't know us, at least not our adult selves. We're from the future, the year 2033 to be exact."
"Twenty years from now." the dark haired man added.
"Yes, Chris, I think they get that." the blond haired man replied.
"Excuse me, gentlemen." Rex said. "How about you tell us just who you two are and why you're here."
"Of course." the blond haired man said. "You already know our parents, Leo Wyatt and Piper Halliwell."
"But that would mean..." Hannah said.
"Yes, I'm Wyatt Matthew Halliwell." the blond haired man said.
"And I'm Christopher Perry Halliwell." the dark haired man said.
"The Charmed Sons." Hannah said slowly.
"Well, this day just got a lot more interesting." Rex said.
"And this is just the beginning." a new voice said. Everyone turned and saw another figure emerging from a time portal that had appeared in the middle of the living room.
"Kalu!" Rex said as he recognized the historian from the 34th Century whom he and Hannah had encountered before.
"Greetings from the 34th Century." Kalu said to the group. "I wish I could say this was a social call, but it isn't. Unless we move fast, the whole future as we know it could be changed forever!"
TO BE CONTINUED...