After that night, nothing mattered to Jekyll anymore. Not his work, not his companions, nothing at all. He didn't care when he transformed into Hyde, and he didn't care if he ever transformed back into Jekyll. He had become a shell, an emptiness took hold of him which nothing could fill.
The same could be said about the rest of the league members. Frankenstein, annoyed that his creation had regained speech but intimidated at the same time, shut himself up in his room to fix up the creature's mate, as his creation had demanded.
Erik did not leave his room either. Although occasionally, the sorrowful sounds of organ music could be heard, and often sobs. Christine too did not leave her room, and did not speak to anyone.
No one had seen Dracula since that night on the roof. He had locked himself in with Elizabeth's body. His crypt was bolted, and one occasionally heard sounds coming from therein. The halls of the house were empty, and the house itself was silent as the grave. It was as if since Elizabeth's death, no one in the league could live anymore.
At last, Dracula called a league meeting and all the members save Erik reluctantly attended. They were a different, silent, grim-looking bunch. Even Dracula looked much less suave and handsome, and was less enthusiastic and merry than he usually was when he said, "Good evening, gentlemen."
No one responded. Frankenstein looked put out, and scowled at his creation from time to time, and Jekyll was gazing into the distance, lost in his grief.
"Monsieur Erik has refused to leave his room, but it is understandable. I know we are all upset, for one reason or another," continued Dracula. "But we cannot change the facts, gentlemen. We must accept them and move on. Elizabeth is dead, and nothing we can do can bring her back."
"It's easy for you to move on, Dracula," spat Jekyll. "You've loved and lost before, it's no difference to you."
"Do not make the mistake in thinking that I did not care for Elizabeth, Dr. Jekyll," said Dracula quietly. "I am just as upset as you are about her passing. But, as my dear friend Dr. Frankenstein so elegantly put it, there are other women out there. We will all find other women to love in time."
Jekyll stood up and stormed out of the room. He slammed the door to his room and entered his laboratory. He was furious at Dracula, how could he even suggesting loving someone else? It was an insult to Elizabeth's memory. And yet, Jekyll had to admit, he was right about one point. They could not change the facts. Elizabeth was dead, and the dead cannot be brought back to life…
And then he stopped suddenly. His eyes glinted with a sudden light and he leapt to his feet, full of hope. He threw open his door and rushed down the hall to Frankenstein's room, beating loudly on the door.
The doctor opened it, looking very tired and haggard and annoyed "What?" he snapped. "We just had a meeting and you stormed out on us. And now you have something desperately urgent to tell me?"
"Frankenstein, you can reanimate the dead, you've done it before, haven't you?" asked Jekyll excitedly.
"Of course," retorted Frankenstein, pompously. "Almost twice now…"
"I want you to resurrect Elizabeth," interrupted Jekyll. "You're the only one who can."
Frankenstein stared blankly at him for a moment. Then he scoffed and said, "Jekyll, are you insane? First of all, I'd need the body. Second of all, Dracula would never let you get near the body and third of all, I'm already working on a mate for Frank…er…Adam."
"Postpone her," grumbled the monster who came up behind him, towering over him. "Nothing you can do can make her right, Frankenstein."
"Frankenstein, please," begged Jekyll. "You must do this, please!"
"And why should I?" asked Frankenstein.
"Because I want you to," said the monster, threateningly. "Now do it, Frankenstein," he growled.
Frankenstein sighed. "All right," he snapped, irritated. "But Jekyll must get me the body."
Jekyll nodded. "Thank you, Frankenstein!" he cried. "I shall return in success!"
And he tore back down the hall to the spiral stairs at the end of it. He raced down the stairs and then banged on the crypt door, yelling, "Dracula! I have to speak to you!"
The door opened slowly and Dracula stood in the doorway. He said, quite calmly and casually, "Yes, Dr. Jekyll? What do you want?"
"Dracula, I have an idea," said Jekyll. "Frankenstein can bring Elizabeth back to life, but he needs her body to imbue it with life again. I truly think he can do it, Dracula. Please," said Jekyll.
Dracula studied Jekyll for a long while and then said, holding open the door of the crypt, "Do come in, Dr. Jekyll."
Jekyll obliged and caught his breath at what he saw. Elizabeth's body had been laid in a coffin with white lining. She was clothed in a white shroud and candles were lit about her, illuminating her pale face. She held, clasped in her dead hands, a single red rose which made her white skin look even paler.
Dracula knelt down beside the coffin. "I do not know why she gave her life for me," he said. "She shouldn't have, she wanted me dead, she wanted you to murder me. But I suppose she couldn't bear to watch me die," he murmured softly.
He turned to look at Jekyll and said, "I would like to see her alive again. But I do not wish Dr. Frankenstein to tamper with her in any way because…look at her, Dr. Jekyll," he said, gesturing to the body in the coffin. "She is at peace. She is happy, wherever she is, and it is better that we leave her to rest in peace."
"You don't mean that," said Jekyll. "You loved her, and still you long for her, as I do."
"Yes," sighed Dracula, gazing at her. "She was…beautiful. She was my mate," he said, nuzzling the corpse's face. "I have had others before, of course, but she…was special. Oh, my Elizabeth!" he cried, gently stroking her cheek. "I cannot replace you! Not you!"
He turned to Dr. Jekyll. "Yes, Dr. Jekyll," he said, firmly. "She must be resurrected." He lifted the body from the coffin and carried it to the door. "And I must be there when she is."
The body was brought to Frankenstein's room by Dracula himself, where he lay her on a slab. Frankenstein sighed and rolled up his sleeves. "Well, let's get to work," he said.
"Dr. Frankenstein, you will not tamper with her body?" asked Dracula, hesitantly. "You will not cut into her?"
"I will not," replied Frankenstein. "I only need to hook her up to the machine, and then generate the proper amount of electricity to imbue the life into her."
"Will she come back as a vampire or as a human?" asked Jekyll, quietly.
"I have no idea," retorted Frankenstein. "I've never resurrected a vampire before. We'll find out, however." Frankenstein turned to Jekyll and said, solemnly, "On your head be it, Jekyll."
Jekyll nodded. He looked over at Dracula who gazed at Elizabeth and then turned back to Frankenstein. "Do it," he said.
The next few hours were torment for Jekyll, and he was sure Dracula was feeling exactly the same. Frankenstein worked like a madman, bustling to and fro with gadgets. His machines were powered up and beeped and transmitted electricity. Things fizzed and whirred and Jekyll could only watch in astonishment, and hope.
At last, after Elizabeth had been hooked up to several machines and the machines were running like mad, Frankenstein went over to a switch and said, "Here it goes."
He pulled the switch down, and the electricity flew down the wires. The bolts of electricity struck Elizabeth's body, coursed through her, the machines sputtered. The electricity seemed to possess the body, it jolted the corpse and the body shook. Jekyll closed his eyes, murmuring under his breath, "This must work. It must."
At last, the final ray of electricity shot through the body, and it rested still again. Nothing happened for a long while, Elizabeth lay with her eyes closed, not breathing, still as death. Jekyll felt his heart sink; it didn't work, she wasn't going to wake.
And then her pale eyelids flickered. She inhaled the air and let it out in a sigh, and began to breathe. Dracula rushed over to her, clasping her body in his arms.
"Elizabeth!" he exclaimed, clasping her tightly. "Oh, my darling Elizabeth!"
She reached a pale hand up to touch his face. Then she murmured, her voice soft, "Dracula?"
"Yes, Elizabeth, dearest," he murmured, stroking her hair. "I'm here."
"Oh, Dracula," she breathed, smiling softly. "I feel so very weak. Like a newborn child."
"That will pass in time," said Frankenstein, and his creation nodded.
"In a few minutes you'll feel normal again," added the creature.
"I was dead, wasn't I, Dracula?" she asked softly.
"No," he murmured softly. "No, no, you're alive, Elizabeth. And you always will be alive, with me."
"Yes," murmured Elizabeth, gazing up at him and smiling. "Yes, my love."
Dracula bent down and the two kissed passionately as lovers do after being reunited.
Jekyll watched, feeling his heart sink. Of course Elizabeth loved Dracula, she always would. But Jekyll had hoped that she might have loved him…he shook his head violently. No, no, no! She could never love him. He was about to slip out of the room when he heard Elizabeth say softly, "Henry."
He turned to see her smiling at him. "My Dracula tells me that it was you who suggested resurrecting me," she said softly.
"Oh, well, yes," said Jekyll, feeling his heart begin to beat faster as she looked at him, smiling gently. "I…couldn't bear to see you dead."
Elizabeth laughed melodiously, as she had the first time Jekyll had met her. Then she held out her hands and said, "Come here, Dr. Jekyll."
Jekyll obeyed, approaching her. She put her hand to his cheek and murmured, "Thank you." She then brought her lips to his and tenderly kissed him.
Jekyll felt his heart begin to beat wildly, threatening to burst from his chest. He wanted to make this kiss last as long as possible, for he had never felt happier in his life.
She broke at last and whispered, "I know you will always love me, Henry. And I will always have a special place in my heart for you. But you must understand that I love Dracula. I didn't realize it before but…when Larry was about to plunge that stake into his heart my love for him came rushing back and I saved his life at the cost of my own."
Jekyll nodded, clasping her hand. "I understand," he replied, sadly.
She smiled at him and said, "I guarantee, Dr. Jekyll, that someday you will find someone you will care for as much as you do me. And she will make you very happy. I promise."
Jekyll nodded again, not being able to reply as his throat had welled up. Elizabeth grinned and kissed his cheek. Jekyll backed away quickly, not wanting anyone, especially not Frankenstein, to see the tears forming in his eyes.
Dracula took Elizabeth in his arms again and said, "Can you walk, dearest?"
"I think I can manage," she replied, smiling at him. He helped her to her feet, as gently as one would a child.
"Come, my dearest," he said, clasping her hand and guiding her. "To the crypt. The dawn is almost nigh."
She smiled, clutching his hand. And the two left the room, hand in hand and eyes locked in the others, Dracula whispering words of undying love into her ear.
Frankenstein sighed. "Well, I think that's two successful resurrections for me," he said, proudly. "Victor, you're a genius," he said to himself. "You're sure to win first place at the convention next year, I guarantee it." He smiled to himself and then noticed Jekyll, who gazed after Dracula and Elizabeth forlornly.
"What's the matter, Jekyll?" asked Frankenstein, smiling. "She kissed you. What more do you want?"
"She'll never be mine," murmured Jekyll.
Frankenstein shrugged. "What did I tell you, Jekyll? She's much too good for the likes of us. Tell you what, I'll make a mate for you like I'm doing for Fra…Adam. You can design her and specify and everything."
"No, thank you, Frankenstein," sighed Jekyll. "The only partner for me is myself. Jekyll and Hyde, and no one else. That is how it must be forever."
"Cheer up, Jekyll," said Frankenstein, clapping him on the shoulder. "Here, tell you what. Let's go have a drink, and I can practice my speech for you. Adam can listen, if he wants to," he said, nodding to the creature.
The creature suddenly reached out a hand and caught Frankenstein's shoulder. "Just a moment, Dr. Frankenstein," he said. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"No," replied Frankenstein, raising an eyebrow. "What?"
"Victoria," growled the creature, nodding to a body wrapped in bandages on another work table. "Get to work on her."
"Oh," said Frankenstein, glumly. "Right." He turned to Jekyll and said, "Well, I do have other things to attend to at present. We can hear my speech later."
Jekyll nodded. "Goodnight, Frankenstein," he said, leaving the room. "Have fun working."
Jekyll shut the door and wandered down the hall to his room, lost in thought. He supposed that everyone was satisfied now, except him. And…
He passed Erik's room and knocked on the door. "Go away!" Erik shouted from within. "I don't want to see anyone!"
"Erik, you can't stay in that room forever," reasoned Jekyll. "You'll die of starvation."
"And who would care?" shouted Erik. "No one! So I might as well die and do the world a favor! It is obvious that no one will ever want me!"
"Erik, listen to me," said Jekyll. "Perhaps if you'd talk to Christine, she might change her mind about you."
"I have told her!" screamed the man inside. "Time and again I have told her of my devotion! She is ungrateful! She does not care!"
Jekyll sighed, exasperated and shouted, "Fine, then! Stay in there and sulk! You're acting like a child, Erik!"
The door was wrenched open and Erik glared at Jekyll. "And you never have, Dr. Jekyll?" snapped Erik.
"No, I haven't," replied Jekyll. "As a matter of fact, I just lost the woman I love forever. But you don't see me sulking about it."
Erik growled. "It's not the same thing."
"It is," retorted Jekyll. "Now come out of that room, it's unhealthy to be in there so long, and go over and talk to Christine."
"She will refuse me," spat Erik. "And who wouldn't? I am a monster, Dr. Jekyll."
"Aren't we all?" asked Jekyll. "Isn't this the League of Extraordinary Monsters?"
Erik growled again, his yellow eyes glaring daggers at Jekyll. But he stormed out of the room and across the hall to Christine's, where he knocked.
Christine opened the door, and she looked surprised and then relieved to see him. "Erik, please come in," she said, holding the door for him. "There's…something I need to speak with you about."
Erik too was astonished, but he entered the room and Christine shut the door behind him. Jekyll walked down the hall to his room, and opened the door and entered, closing the door and locking it behind him. He sat down at his laboratory table and sighed.
I know what we can do to cheer you up, Jekyll said Hyde's voice inside him. We can transform. You can release me. I'll cheer us both up, I promise you.
"No," said Jekyll, firmly. "I cannot let you out."
You can't refuse me, Jekyll growled Hyde. You know that you want to release me.
"I don't," replied Jekyll. "I never will again."
This isn't a choice, Jekyll said Hyde, threateningly. I want to be free!
"I'm sorry, Hyde, I simply can't allow it," said Jekyll.
Jekyll, you've had a great disappointment reasoned Hyde. You're feeling sad and alone. And I know what will cheer your spirits. We'll go for a few drinks at that excellent pub in Soho that will perk your spirits up, and then we'll find a few paid women to fill our loneliness and…
"No, Hyde," replied Jekyll. "I won't do it."
I'm going to be free, Jekyll growled Hyde. With or without your consent.
"I won't let you," growled Jekyll.
And then the pain came. Tremendous pain, such as Jekyll had never felt before. It was as if something was eating the way out of him from the inside. He fell to the ground with a cry, clutching his stomach, but his entire body was on fire. He gasped, choking for breath, feeling Hyde breaking out of him and consuming him.
With a final cry of agony, Dr. Jekyll disappeared and Mr. Hyde appeared.
Hyde was positively gleeful, and lusting for evil after being cooped up for so long. With a cackle he climbed out of the window and jumped to the ground, looking around gleefully. Now was his time to run wild.
"Christine, darling, do you mean it?" asked Erik, hopefully, clasping her hands.
She nodded. "I do, Erik. I must admit that I have grown rather fond of you, and as Raoul is dead, my devotion to you is complete, my angel of music."
"Oh, Christine!" cried Erik. "You've made me the happiest man in the whole world tonight!" He kissed her cheek and then said, "Come on, let's tell the others!"
He entered the hall, holding Christine's hand tightly and called, "Dracula, Elizabeth, Dr. Jekyll, Dr. Frankenstein, come here! I have an announcement to make!"
Dracula and Elizabeth appeared on the spiral stairs, arm-in-arm, with Elizabeth leaning against Dracula's shoulder.
"What is it, Monsieur Erik?" asked Dracula.
"Christine has consented to become my wife," said Erik, happily. "We are to be married before the week is out."
"Excellent," came Frankenstein's voice as he appeared from his room, striding down the hall with a large grin on his face. "We can have a double wedding. I've just imbued life into Victoria, and it's love at first sight for Adam and her. I've just left them alone to get acquainted."
"Well done, Dr. Frankenstein," said Dracula, shaking Frankenstein's hand. "May I congratulate you on a job well done, yet again."
"Thank you, Dracula," said Frankenstein proudly. "I think this will earn me first place at the convention next year, eh, Jekyll?" he asked. But he looked around and Jekyll was not there.
"I say, where is Jekyll?" asked Frankenstein, puzzled. "He was here a few moments ago."
"Perhaps he's in his room," suggested Dracula.
Frankenstein knocked loudly on Jekyll's door, calling, "Jekyll! Come out! Erik has some news for us!"
But there was no answer. Frankenstein tried the door and then turned to the others, confused. "It's locked," he said. "From the inside. Jekyll! Can you hear me? What the devil are you doing in there?"
Still there was no response. "Right, I'm breaking down the door," said Frankenstein, backing away and rolling up his sleeves. Dracula held out an arm to stop him.
"No need to exert yourself, Dr. Frankenstein," he said lightly. With one light push from Dracula, the door fell off its hinges inward. When the dust settled, it revealed an empty room. The window was open, and the curtains fluttered in the breeze.
"He's gone," said Frankenstein, confused. "But why out the window?"
"I have a feeling that it was not Dr. Jekyll who left by way of the window," said Dracula, quietly.
"You mean…Mr. Hyde?" asked Frankenstein.
Dracula nodded. "But…he'll be caught and hanged!" said Erik, suddenly. "Mr. Hyde is wanted for murder!"
"Good Lord, you're right," said Frankenstein, whistling. "Poor old Jekyll."
"Elizabeth and I will find him," said Dracula. "Come, my dearest," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the window. He bowed and said, "After you, my love."
She smiled at him, and then climbed to the windowsill and jumped. A black bat flew up from where she had disappeared, and Dracula did the same, a black bat also flying up and following the other into the night sky until they were lost to sight.
"Good luck!" called Frankenstein, waving. "I do hope they find him," he continued, turning to Erik and Christine. "Hanging is such a horrible way to go. Most undignified. Dangling there gurgling in front of all those people staring at you, cheering as you have the life choked out of you…" Frankenstein sighed. "Poor old Jekyll," he said again.
"I am sure Monsieur Dracula and Elizabeth will prevent anything terrible happening to him," said Erik, confidently. "But for now, my darling Christine," he said, kissing her hand. "I shall compose a piece to be played out our wedding. If you could sing for me?"
"Of course, my Erik," she said, smiling at him. The two left, hand in hand. Frankenstein turned back to the window, looking after where Elizabeth and Dracula had disappeared, and then turned away with a sigh. "I'd better get back in there and supervise Adam and Victoria," he said to himself. "We don't want any monster children. Not yet, at any rate…"
Edward Hyde ran through the streets of London, hearing his pursuers close behind him. "All right, you men take that end, and you there. We'll catch him!" shouted the police chief. The sound of more running footsteps closer to him caused Hyde to speed up, his heart beating wildly because of the chase and because of the burning desire to survive.
More shouts came, closer this time. Hyde ran faster, through the twisting alleys of London, hoping to lose his pursuers in the maze of streets and alleyways. Suddenly and abruptly, he halted, for he had come to the river Thames, and there was nowhere to cross it that was near enough to reach before his pursuers reached him. Growling with disappointment and rage, Hyde turned to face the gang of policemen who were closing in on him.
"Right," said the inspector, approaching him. "Mr. Edward Hyde, I'm arresting you for the murder of Dr. Christopher Lee, Dr. Peter Cushing, Dr. Vincent Price, Dr. William Pratt, Dr. Alonzo Chaney, Dr. Michael Crawford…"
"Shut up," growled Hyde, grinning evilly. "I know whom I've killed. And you'll never take me alive, inspector."
"Now Hyde, don't even think about jumping," said the inspector, sternly. "You might as well give yourself up and come with us to the station. You've got nowhere to run now."
"On the contrary, inspector," growled Hyde. "I've got the whole world."
"We've got men in every city in England who know your face," said the inspector. "You'd never be able to go anywhere without being recognized and caught."
"Oh, but I can," replied Hyde, smiling. "You don't understand. I have the perfect disguise. You'll never find me while I wear it. For you see, I don't exist, inspector. Not while I hide in his soul."
"Stop babbling, Hyde," said the inspector, approaching him with handcuffs. "You're coming with us."
Hyde grinned and took a step backward, closer to the edge. "Don't do it, Hyde," warned the inspector.
Hyde stepped backward again, he was on the edge now. One more step and he would be off. The inspector was close, he reached out a hand to handcuff Hyde, when suddenly he gave a shriek as something from above dropped down on him.
The something was a person, a woman, who bore him to the ground and sank her teeth into his throat. The inspector screamed as the blood was drained from him, and then was silent, his eyes wide open in shock and pain. A man dropped down from the sky beside her, growling at the police with his red eyes burning.
The police were hesitant, but they charged the man at last. He knocked several of them to the ground with one swipe of his hand and kicked them off into the river. Meanwhile the woman had straightened up, licking her lips, and now leapt on another policeman, sinking her teeth into him. He screamed and fought, but she was quite strong and held him down until he was dead.
The man was fighting like a madman, he grasped one policeman by the throat, lifting him off his feet. The man squeezed, grinning to reveal his sharp teeth, until the policeman's windpipe cracked and the man threw him into the Thames. He threw another man against a wall, killing him instantly, as the woman drained another man. The man lifted another policeman up by the throat and threw him to the ground, knocking the wind from him. Then the man hissed to the woman, who had come over, "Drain him dry, my darling."
The woman grinned at him, and then bit into the policeman's throat. He cried out as she sank her fangs in deeper, draining every last drop of blood from the man's body. Then she straightened up, her lips dripping and dribbling blood down her dress.
Hyde could not believe it, but he recognized the man and woman. It was Dracula and Elizabeth. He gazed, stunned at them for a moment and then Dracula said, smiling as he smoothed back his hair and turning to Hyde, "Mr. Hyde, I trust you are not hurt?"
Hyde managed to shake his head, still staring in awe at Elizabeth, who licked the blood from her lips, closing her eyes and sighing as she savored the taste. "Oh, Dracula," she breathed. "What a feast!"
"Was it pleasing to you, my love?" Dracula asked, smiling at her.
"Oh, yes," she replied, grinning. "I was so terribly thirsty since my resurrection."
Dracula touched her cheek, which had spots of blood on it. "You've missed some, darling," he murmured.
"I can't drink anymore," she said. "Not another drop."
Dracula grinned at her, and then licked the blood from her cheek. He kissed down to her mouth, and then planted his lips on hers, tasting the blood that was still fresh upon them. The two kissed ravenously, with a burning lust for flesh and blood.
Then Dracula broke and said, turning to Hyde and grinning, "Come, Mr. Hyde. Let us return home."
Hyde thought, on the way back to Carfax that, having watched that display with the policeman, he was quite glad actually that Elizabeth was no longer involved with him. It might be dangerous to his health.