My Immortal: The Story of a Lost Soul

By: Tracy

I've always had this idea in my head and I always thought it was kinda cool. I hope you think so too. This is (at the moment) a one-shot fic. However…..I can make it into a "real" story. But that is up to you, the reader! Please read & enjoy & review!

Please tell me if I should write more.

Thanks!

-Tracy-

On an All Hallow's eve, in the year 1518, my life changed forever. I am writing down my sad and horrifying tale so that those in the future may be warned of a treachery unlike any I have ever seen before. Evils that the world must prepare to fight, even one such as myself...but I am getting ahead of my story. My name is Isabella De'Augurio, and I was born in the year 1500 in a village in Italy. To think...the horrifying thing that happened to me when I was only eighteen years old! Anyway, it all began one evening when my brother Lorenzo informed me about a certain trip that I had been dying to take...

"Isabella! Come down here immediately!"

"I'll be right down!"

"No! You must come now! It's very important!"

"I'M STILL GETTING DRESSED, LORENZO!!"

"Oh...well, hurry up then!"

"Okay..." I said with a sigh. Lorenzo was only two years older than me, yet he treated me like a baby sometimes! My maid Maria helped me with the finishing touches of my dress. It was seemingly an ordinary dress, but compared to other dresses of its stature, it was certainly the best. I beamed as I looked in the mirror at the long blue dress, and admired the short sleeves, which would be perfect for the briskness of late September.

"I don't know what I would do if mirrors didn't exist," I said to Maria," Or if I didn't have a reflection. Wouldn't that be odd?" Maria looked up at me, and her face was very pale. She was a middle aged woman, about forty-five years of age. Maria normally looked about ten years younger, and suddenly, she seemed to age many more.

"Begging your pardon, Miss Isabella, but vampires don't have reflections in mirrors..." her eyes cast to the side. I turned to the mirror. Maria had a reflection, so what was she talking about?

"Maria...what's wrong?" I asked. I had never seen her act this way, and I was deeply concerned.

"Nothing...it's just..." Maria began. Suddenly, her eyes lit up, and a shaky smile formed on her face. "You should be downstairs. Your brother called you five minutes ago. It's not good manners to keep a person waiting, much less a man."

"Maria, it's only my brother," I said, eyeing her curiously. Her smile disappeared, and she suddenly went out my bedroom door. A few seconds later, I heard her door slam, and the door lock. I stood frozen. What was wrong with her? I knew I should have investigated more, but instead I walked out my door and down our grand staircase. Lorenzo was leaning against the banister, tapping his foot in impatience. It appeared that he was very interested in the roaring fire going in the fireplace, which was located in the living room. Now, I don't mean to sound un-ladylike, but sometimes it is a relief to get away from all those rules! So, I positioned myself, and suddenly I was sliding down the banister. My brother turned around just in time to get knocked over by me. I was laughing so hard, and at first, Lorenzo looked very peeved, but after a minute he began laughing too.

"You shouldn't do things like that, Isabella. You're a grown woman. What will the men in the village think?" Lorenzo asked with a sly smile on his face.

"Never mind that. You said you had something to show me?" Lorenzo's smile suddenly disappeared, and he stood up. His hands were out, and I gratefully accepted them. As I stood, he began to slowly walk into the living room. I caught up to him, and was very curious as to what was going on. Lorenzo took a seat by the fire, and I followed suit. He poured himself a glass of wine, which looked very dark in the dimmed room. He offered me a glass (he only does that when our parents are away. They work for the king of Italy!), but I refused. For some reason, the thought of the dark liquid and vampires...well...it made it seem like the wine was blood! Of course, that was absurd, since I sniffed the wine just to make sure. Lorenzo sipped the wine quietly for a moment. Then, he put the glass down, and leaned forward, so that his elbows were resting on his knees.

"Isabella," he began softly, "Do you remember all the tales that come from Transylvania, about vampires? There is a leader of all these vampires, the one who was the first. He, of course, is the most powerful and can't be killed as easily as a regular vampire can, if you want to call that easy work. He goes by the name Count Dracula. He is a treacherous man who died, but made a deal with Satan himself to come back to life. No one is quite certain why he made such an unholy deal. Dracula was actually in the Holy Order itself!" My jaw dropped.

"The Holy Order?! What an honor! What happened?"

"Nobody is quite sure. It is a mystery that will hopefully be answered soon, perhaps by God Himself!" Lorenzo paused at this, and made the Sign of the Cross. I followed his actions.

"As I was saying, there is a hunt going on in Transylvania, where vampire hunters from different places are joining together to rid Dracula from the earth once and for all. The name of the hunt is La caccia per il fautore di Satan's, or The Hunt for Satan's Advocate. Now, I recall that you asked about this hunt, oh, I'd say about a few months ago. Our parents had obviously said no, but now that I am in charge of you..." He looked at me. My face was exploding in so many emotions from the other things he had talked about, but going on the hunt? That was my dream! Quite literally, actually. A few months ago, I had had a dream in which Jesus Christ came to me, and told me to go to Transylvania to slay Dracula. I was at first frightened, but seeing Him made me feel comforted. In His hands (I noticed that the punctures from the nails were there) were a box filled with silver stakes, holy water, and other things that vampires feared. He also presented me with a long sword, I was thankful for the necessary weapons, but was very confused. He just smiled and said that He would be with me through all of it. Suddenly, I had woken up, thinking it was just a dream. I realized, however, that it was not just a dream, but a reality, for in my hands when I awoke were the box and the sword. I realized, then and there, that I had to go to Transylvania, but my parents refused. But now that they were gone...

"Are you serious, Lorenzo?" I stuttered. His head nodded, and I noticed there seemed to be a sad look in his eyes.

"I can't go with you, Isabella."

"What?!?"

"I can't go, Isabella. I do not fear vampires, or their kisses of death. I do, however, fear for you, Isabella. You are my sister. If I went with you, I would just hold you back." A tear slid down his cheek.

"You must come! Lorenzo! Who would I go with?"

"There are a few men going to Transylvania tomorrow morning. One is a boy only a year older than you named Lou Marzio. He will take care of you."

"But...but..." Tears began running down my cheeks. Lorenzo rushed over to me, and embraced me.

"This is your mission from God. He needs you, Isabella. Answer to him. Your soul is willing, but your body is not. Do not give in to human needs. I will see you again, my sister." I hugged him tighter.

"Now, you must leave in the morning. Let us go get your things together," he stood, and put his arm around my shoulder. We slowly glided up the staircase, both crying, as if we would never see each other again.

I always noticed that horse-drawn carriages are not only very slow, but very smelly at some points. True, the carriage was very comfortable, but that smell! I slowly put my hand over my nose, and the five other men did the same.

It had been a very tearful good-bye for Lorenzo and me. He was truly the closest thing to family that I had. My parents were always working with the king...truly, it was an honor, but I never saw them! Anyway, I left only a week ago, and yet it seems like an eternity. The driver said that if we keep up the good pace, and if the weather is good, we should get to Transylvania in about another week. I sighed deeply, and glanced over at Lou Marzio. He was a good looking young man, and I felt myself blush as I looked at him. He was truly a gentleman. Suddenly, the carriage jerked violently, and the riders fell on top of one another.

"What was that?" one called. The carriage had stopped. The man stepped out, and talked with the driver. The driver looked terrified and said he had no idea what had happened. The two suddenly looked up, and the top of the carriage, although not ripped open, was virtually destroyed. The rest of us in the carriage stuck our heads out the window, and in the distance, we saw a huge black...creature...flying.

"Dracula can become a bat..." Lou whispered. All of us were obviously nervous, and the rest of the journey went on very slowly, and with extreme caution.

Finally, after two exhausting weeks of traveling, we arrived in Transylvania, to a village. I was unable to figure out the name of it. Weary as we all were, we knew we had a mission. The oldest man in our group suggested that we go to an inn and get some sleep for tomorrow. We began to walk towards the nearest one.

There was something very strange about the village, and Transylvania itself! It was very cloudy and very cold. There was snow falling to the ground, which I thought was strange. It was only mid-October! As we walked, the people of the village stared at us, and a shiver ran down my spine. Suddenly, a thought ran through my head, and I knew why they were so afraid. The vampires plagued Transylvania, and perhaps they terrorized this village the most. I felt so sorry for them, and was grateful that there were no vampires in Italy that I knew of.

The inn, called The Weary Traveler, was very nice and had cozy rooms. I was the only one who didn't share a bedroom with another person. As I entered my room, I sat down on the bed, for I felt very dizzy. I didn't like this feeling, and I almost wanted to go home, but I knew I couldn't fail God. I closed my eyes and laid back. I felt so sleepy, and for a moment, I was in a stage between reality and dreams. It was such a wonderful feeling.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. My eyes slowly opened, and I yawned.

"Come in," I said in a tired voice. Lou walked in, and he looked exhausted as well.

"Sorry to bother you, Isabella, but I have two things to tell you," he began, "One, we are probably going to be in this inn for the entire stay, unless we choose to move, so you may unpack your things. Two, there is a woman here to see you. I believe her name is Serafina." I looked up at Lou.

"What does she want?"

"I have absolutely no idea. If I were you, however, I'd make it a quick visit because you look very tired. In fact, everybody is tired. Well, good night Isabella." With that, he walked out of the room. I heard him murmur to someone. A woman about the age of twenty-five walked into my room. She was pretty, and as soon as she came into the room, I felt self-conscious.

"Good evening, Isabella," she began, with a very deep accent, "I am Serafina. I live here in the village, and I have heard of you and your dream." I stared at her. How could she have possibly known that? She smiled at me.

"You and your dream are very famous around here. I suppose your brother told some of the vampire hunters of it, for they often speak of it. That is not, however, why I came here to see you tonight. I was told that you are the only female in all the vampire hunts, much less in this one. I thought perhaps you could use a friendship from a woman, and I am here to offer it to you." I smiled up at her.

"Thank you. That's very considerate of you."

"It is my pleasure. I was also wondering if you would like to attend an All Hallow's Eve masquerade ball next week. There are plenty of young men in this village who would simply die to go with you. Please say that you'll come?" I began to chew my lip. Normally, I didn't accept invitations to places by strangers, but there was something about Serafina that made me feel relaxed in this tense atmosphere. I also was a bit nervous about who would take me to the ball...perhaps Lou could take me?

"May I take a friend with me?" I asked. Her eyes flashed.

"Certainly. There is, however, a gentleman whom I would like you to dance with at least once. He is around my age, and he is truly to die for."

"What is his name?"

"Alucard," she replied. I almost laughed. What a strange name!

"Alright," I said, "I'll come to the ball." Serafina smiled.

"Excellent. I shall have to tell Alucard that you are coming! He will be most pleased. Good night Isabella." Serafina walked out the door quickly. I wondered why she didn't stay longer. I yawned, and collapsed onto my bed. I fell into a dreamless sleep which seemed to last forever.

The week seemed to go by so quickly! We actually managed to find a vampire on our third night here! It was frightening. The vampire was a boy, perhaps a bit younger than me. He was going to drink the blood of a little girl playing outside, but we managed to stop him. I was so relieved that I didn't have to drive a stake through his heart! The men of the village informed us that recently Dracula had managed to get werewolves on his side. Not only did we have to worry about vampires, we had to worry about werewolves! Overall, the week has been very stressful, but we realize what we are facing as vampire hunters.

I was so excited about getting ready for the ball. My gown was a deep shade of red, and I noticed that Lou seemed deeply interested in my necklace. I had managed to ask him, although he claimed he hated balls. I loved my mask. Lou noted that it went well with my brown eyes (although the mask was not brown, but a deep golden color). As we walked to the ball, Lou and I talked over the situation we were in. I was very positive, but he seemed a bit negative. Lou said that he was especially nervous that Dracula was a man and that I was the only woman hunting him.

"It will attract him to you," he had whispered. I didn't think that Dracula would love anyone who wanted to kill him, but Lou disagreed. Finally, we arrived at the gates of a castle.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked Lou.

"That's what Serafina said," I replied. He slowly opened the gates, and we made our way to two huge doors, which opened as soon as we stood in front of them. We walked into the castle, and it was beautifully decorated. There were people performing and singing songs with no words. It was truly amazing. Lou and I walked to the dance floor, and began to dance. He was a wonderful dancer. At one point, I absent mindedly leaned my head on his shoulder, and he leaned his against mine! It was a lovely moment. The dance ended, and a new one began. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I turned my head and saw Serafina. She smiled.

"I'm so glad you made it!" she began, "If you don't mind, Isabella, may I steal your date for one dance?" I laughed

"He's all yours," I said with a wink. Lou gave me astrange glance, and I wondered what he really thought of me.

"May I have this dance, Isabella?" I spun around, and saw a man that had to be Alucard. He was taller than me, and had long, black hair which was pulled back. He wore black clothes trimmed with gold. He was so handsome that my breath was knocked away.

"You must be Alucard."

"Yes. May I?" I nodded, and we began to dance. I noticed that he seemed even better than Lou! As we spun, I stared into his eyes, and I suddenly had a strange feeling. It didn't have to do with him being handsome. It was something else...

"Have we met before?" I asked.

"Only in dreams, Isabella," Alucard replied. I shivered. I had such a strange combination of feelings! Suddenly, he spun us right in front of a huge mirror, and leaned me back.

"Don't we make a lovely couple?" He asked. I looked into the mirror, and saw only myself in the reflection. In the backround, I only saw Lou, dancing, as it appeared, by himself. I gasped and suddenly leaned back up and let go of him.

"You're a vampire! Everyone here is a vampire!" I shouted. Then suddenly, it all made sense. Alucard was Dracula spelt backwards. It had been a verbal trick. He laughed deeply.

"You catch on quickly, don't you Isabella? Well, it's too late now..." He suddenly turned around.

"Serafina! Let the boy go! Do not delay!" Serafina looked over toward Dracula, and nodded. Lou had a confused look on his face, and began thrashing violently, desperately trying to reach me. Serafina, however, was too strong for him, and dragged him to the front doors, and disappeared outside with him. Dracula turned towards me.

"Welcome to your new world," he whispered evilly. Dracula grabbed me, and leaned my neck backwards. The next thing I knew, I felt a sharp pain in my neck, and I felt like my life was being drained from me. After sucking my blood, he took a goblet and put it to my lips, and leaned my head back. The liquid went down my throat, and I slowly realized that it was blood. I was too weak to protest. And right there and then, I realized what had happened to me.

I had become a vampire.

It has been two years since that horrifying event, and I still get nightmares from it. I refuse to drink human blood. Rather, I survive on animal blood. It is such a struggle for me, for Dracula wants to finish his deed and make me his bride. But I won't give in. I will never surrender...

This is my tale. My curse. I am a vampire hunting the king of vampires. I will not rest until I drive a stake into Dracula's heart.

And to think, it all began on one Halloween night, two years ago...

I hope you enjoyedmyshort story! It doesn't really have much to do with Van Helsing himself...more with the Dracula from the movie. I was thinking about continuing it/adding more details. Please tell me if I should. Thanks!

-Tracy-