Fright Night (1985)

Twist Of Fate

Chapter Ten

by

~GaGa4FrightNight~

~Vendehla~

"Yeah, it's gotta be her!" Charley stated to Aiden as he paced the floor of one of many sitting rooms throughout the manor.

"And what has brought you to this conclusion?" Aiden asked as he sat on the settee with his eyes following Charley's back and forth pacing.

"Well," Charley paused his pacing then stated, "Something is telling me it has to be her." he looked to Aiden, "I knew what I saw back home and I see it in her. Maybe she ain't exactly a vampire but there is something damned off about that chick."

"How can you truly be certain of this, Charley?" Aiden questioned, uncomfortable about accusing a lady such as Yolanda of being the root to the evil Charley claimed Jerry became, "These are quite the allegations, lad."

Charley rolled his eyes and turned and faced Aiden then said, "Dammit, Aiden, you've been with me up until this point. Why the hell are you having a hard time believing me now?"

"I had not said I did not believe you." Aiden slightly huffed then elaborated, "My dear boy, aye, your circumstances are most peculiar which for me gives me reason to believe for such peculiarities have but always interested me all my life."

"Yeah, what of it?" Charley asked, not getting Aiden's point.

Aiden again huffed with nervousness and frustration then confessed, "Yet, much you have told be quite unsettling, that I shall admit. I am but a simple physician of sorts and, in ways, this is possibly beyond my true capabilities."

"What, you're chickening out?" Charley asked with disbelief then grumbled, "Must be a damned family trait or something."

Aiden took immediate offense and commented, "And what might you mean by that? You dare call me a coward?"

Charley tossed his hands up in the air then stated, "Well, you're about to chicken out just like Peter had." he stepped up to Aiden, "Peter had the damned proof right in front of his face and he ran like a coward and left me, Ed, and Amy on Dandridge's radar as targets. Because Peter refused to help in that very moment, Ed was turned, Amy was kidnapped, and I was left with no choice but to go it alone."

"But you said Peter Vincent helped you." Aiden stated what he was told.

"Yeah, finally after I almost had to go walking into that bastard's house by myself!" Charley loudly explained, "So, yeah, Peter showed up but there also was a point he took off after I got knocked out by that thing Billy Cole!" he frustratingly crossed his arms over his chest, "It took Peter getting face to face with what was my best friend, again, to get the balls to return to help me." he leaned forward with his eyes aimed into Aiden's, "Is that what it's gonna take for you, Aiden, to find your balls? Huh? Gotta come face to face with death to finally grab your balls and help save someone's life and yours as well?"

Aiden's face drained of color as he reluctantly stared into Charley's. Almost painfully he swallowed. "I..." he mumbled, tried to find his courage, "I… I be terribly sorry Charley but…" his struggle was clear within his pale brown eyes, "But… but terrified I be."

"Yeah, well," Charley rose up, "So am I and I did this shit once already. Do you think I wanna go through it again, hell no! But I have no choice if I," he pointed at himself, "If I wanna find a way back to my girlfriend and my Mom!"

Aiden shamefully lowered his head.

In another room within the main floor of the manor Regina sat centered on a sofa as her brother impatiently paced the floor before her. She sat with proper posture, her hands neatly folded on her lap, and her eyes avoided looking at her brother. "I do not know what you expect that I say." she finally spoke, "How am I supposed to respond that my very own brother has decided to take a servant as a wife?"

Jerry continued to pace, his hands tucked behind his back. He had hoped there would be no questioning his decision to marry Thea but it was expected. Though truly he had no care for approval, he wanted his sister's understanding at the least. He assumed there would be protest of his decision but refused to allow such a protest to hinder he and Thea's relationship. He no longer desired to abide by societal rules where upper class only married upper class. In his eyes and heart there was no division or line that separated his life from Thea's. In his eyes Thea was his equal.

Regine forced herself to look to her brother then asked, "And might I ask, when had all this come about and exactly when?"

Jerry glanced at his sister but continued to pace then answered, "Five years ago."

Regine's eyes widened with surprise then commented, "Five years and you not once hinted to me of this affair."

"No," Jerry gave a simple reply.

Regine's eyes frowned with thought then it dawned, his illness and Thea's care of him. Again she looked to her brother, her eyes shifted and followed his pacing. "When you were ill," she stated, "When she cared for you that be when it all began, had it not?"

"Aye," he truthfully answer, "And no."

She shook her head then asked, "What be your meaning?"

He halted his pacing, turned his head and looked to his sister's troubled expression. "Aye, that be when I noticed Thea for who she is." he confessed then elaborated, "But no, acted I had not, yet months later I had." He shifted and faced her then explained, "Months I pondered about my feelings towards her, unsure of them but a decision, I had finally come to and let it be know to her my love."

"And then it began." she quickly commented with disapproval in her tone.

"No," he quickly retorted, "Be months afterwards until she finally came to her decision, not long after you had left to be with Kristof." he stood in a firm stance, kept his hands tucked behind his back, "What thoughts you may have towards Thea's conduct, I assure they be wrong."

"Wrong this be." she firmly stated, "A lord and his servant be wrong, improper, and highly inappropriate and this you know."

"Wrong you are." he protested then proclaimed his beliefs, "All you see be a lord and his servant but wrong you are, Sister. There be so much more than just an affair which what you had witnessed, would I had hoped proven so much more."

Her eyes steered from his and she commented, "An orphan and servant, that be all she is."

His brow tensed and defined the scowl of disapproval across his eyes. "Mistaken I have been about you, Regine." he said with his disappointment clear in his tone, "For many a year you had deceived my perspective towards the woman you are."

She looked to him with a scowl similar to his then stated, "Aye, mistaken as I in my perspective of the lord you are. Many a lord have taken servants as mistresses not wives."

His jaw flexed with a growth of tension then stated, "Your disapproval noted but your approval be not required for I will marry Thea."

"And a wedding I shall not attend." she firmly announced then rose up from the sofa and gave a proper curtsy, "Good night." She turned and with her chin held high she left the room.

Jerry's eyes were narrowed having watched Regine leave. His jaw again flexed as his nostrils slightly flared with a long exhale of frustration. He looked forward, took a few deep breaths in attempt to ease his frustration towards his sister's snobbish attitude towards his choice for a bride.

"Why had you not told me?" Tayte loudly asked looking down at her sister.

Thea sat on the edge of her bed within her room. Her eyes peered upward at her sister's upset expression as her head was lowered. "We let it be known to no one." she meekly responded, "The decision to wait the announcement was made which meant no one was to be told, including you."

Tayte tightly crossed her arms over her chest and made a quick huff.

"Sorry I am for not having told you." Thea sincerely said as her head slightly lifted, "Yet, tonight was as unexpected for me as was for you. I knew not that he would announce tonight."

Tayte turned around and sat down on the bed beside Thea. She looked to Thea and asked, "Marriage be what you want?"

Thea lifted her head more, a soft smile formed over her lips as she nodded then answered, "Aye, very much so."

"Honestly, you believe he would make you happy?" Tayte asked, wanted nothing more than Thea to be truly happy. She watched Thea's sweet smile broaden.

"Aye," Thea said with a nod, "Already happy he makes me." She saw a hope of possible approval show within the expression of Tayte's eyes.

Tayte sighed, for all those years she struggled and fought against the ideal of her sister being involved with the lord of that grand estate. She believed that nothing but heartbreak would be Thea's fate. She admitted to herself that perhaps it wouldn't be the Lord Dandridge who would cause Thea the heartbreak but a complication named Yolanda. Her dread was sourced by the memory of that evening when Yolanda had given her threats. And being seated there beside her mirrored image, a face so sweet and innocent and without an ounce of unkindness, she feared the worst. She feared what such a scorned woman would do to conduct her vengeance against the lord. And most of all, she was beyond fearful of her sister's innocent placement in path of that vengeance.

Tayte again sighed but smiled. Quickly she embraced Thea, wrapped her arms tightly around her dearest friend and identical sibling. "If you be happy then shall I." she promised, enjoyed the feel of Thea's grateful and tight embrace, "Your happiness be all that I have wanted for you, Thea." She closed her eyes, heard her sister's soft laugh of pure happiness.

"Thank you!" Thea happily sang, her eyes tightly closed and a blissful smile across her lips, "Oh, thank you, Tayte! I am truly thankful of your blessing!"

Tayte held her smile as she tightened her loving embrace. "Aye, my Sister, my blessing you have." she sincerely stated, "And to prove my blessing, I shall do anything to support your happiness."

Thea tightened her embrace. Since Tayte discovered her relationship with the lord, their relationship as inseparable twin sisters had waned. She felt pure happiness fill inside her heart. Her engagement to Jerry was made official and known. She had Tayte's blessing. There seemed nothing that could hinder her happiness and anticipated the moment she would forever be known as Lady Dandridge, the wife of Lord Jeremiah Dandridge. An orphan raised into servitude was now to become the proper wife of the prominent gentlemen of that township.

The candlelight softly danced within the darkness of the room. The shadows seemingly danced rhythm to the flickering flames of many candles that formed a large circle on the floor. Seated in the center of that candlelit circle was Yolanda, her naked body softly illuminated by the encircling candlelight. She sat atop her legs, her head bowed with the length of her nearly black hair draped against the sides of her face. Her hands rested flat against her bare thighs as she sat silent in focus and concentration. From behind the veil of her hair sounded barely audible whispers.

Charley and Aiden marched side by side in direction where Tayte was suspected to be located.

"Are you sure about this?" Charley asked Aiden. He was thankful that Aiden hadn't backed away and was much easier to convince than Peter Vincent.

"No," Aiden honestly answered then stated, "Tayte be the only one we could quite possibly confide in with this situation."

"God, I hope so." Charley commented then followed Aiden into the kitchen. He kept pace with Aiden across the stone floor but suddenly startled upon a loud clap of thunder. His eyes looked to the nearest window and witnessed an immediate flash of lightning. His eyes frowned then looked forward and he proceeded to follow Aiden into the servant's section of the manor.

Yolanda's head slowly lifted, her eyes closed as bright flashes of lightning illuminated through the open windows following grumbles of thunder. "I call on you." she spoke with concentration, "I call on You now this night." her eyes slowly opened and peered forward at the near open window, "Come to me and give unto me what has been promised." her eyes held focus, barely a flinch against the quick flashes of lightning, "Tonight, this eve, I give to You freely my very soul, my own life, and thine mortal blood in exchange for eternal darkness." Again her eyes closed, felt the caress of the breeze that began to flow through the open windows.

Aiden stepped before the door of Tayte's sleeping quarters. He cleared his throat then gave the door a quick rap as Charley stood behind him. Through his mind he repeated what would be said in hopes to convincing Tayte to give her assistance. He knew how fantastic such a story that would be told but there was a need to have more supporters than just he and Charley which Charley readily agreed.

Again he rapped on the door. He turned his head and looked to Charley and whispered, "Perhaps she be asleep."

"Well, duh," Charley rolled his eyes then shook his head and suggested, "Maybe knocking a bit louder would get her attention, hmm?"

"Would that not be rude, to wake her?" Aiden questioned, more so nervous about coming across to Tayte as some lunatic with a madman's tale of supernatural beings.

Charley grimaced in disbelief then asked, "Are you chickening out again?"

Aiden took immediate offense and grimaced then sharply shook his head. He again cleared his throat then rapped on the door louder and steadily.

"Better," Charley commented under his breath. His eyes frowned, heard the continuous bouts of thunder and saw glimpses of lightning illuminating the furthest end of the servant's corridor. Things started to give off a creepy vibe.

The door came flying open and a quite irritated looking Tayte glared at Aiden and Charley. "What be all this?!" she snapped and shifted glances back and forth from Aiden then to Charley, "It be late and what be of such importance you both show at my door, huh?"

Aiden swallowed then with a little nudge from Charley's elbow, requested, "Might we have a word with you, Tayte. It is of the greatest importance."

"What great importance?" Tayte suspiciously questioned.

"Might we step inside, aye, highly inappropriate but please?" Aiden urged.

Tayte huffed then reluctantly nodded, "Aye, come in." She stepped back and allowed them into her private chamber. She closed the door then turned around while gathering the front of her robe. "Alright, out with it." she urged.

"I call on Thee!" Yolanda called out as the breeze strengthened and caused the candles to flicker into a heightened dance, "I call on
Thee, Ye giver of immortality!" She slowly rose onto her feet and remained centered within the circle, "I beckon Tthee, Ye taker of the blood of life!" her arms lifted with her palms faced upward as her dark eyes focused widely at the window before her, "Come and take my blood from my body. Replace thy blood with Your unholy darkness, the gift of eternal darkness and forth I shall consume others as You have consumed me!" Again her eyes closed as she once again focused on her call onto a force of the purest ancient darkness.

"A what?!" Tayte shouted then mockingly laughed nearly in Aiden's face.

Aiden was shocked by Tayte's outburst then inquired, "Had you not listened to a word spoken?"

Charley deeply sighed, the reaction from Tayte was beyond familiar. He slightly pulled Aiden back then stepped before Tayte. "Yeah, go ahead and laugh it up." he urged her then stated, "But pretty damned soon I'm predicting no body will be laughing."

Tayte tried to calm her laughter, her fingertips pressed against her lips.

"Yeah, I get it," Charley nodded, "This sounds like a bunch of bullshit but it's not, okay!"

Tayte cleared her throat then lowered her hand, "You both are mad to have such silly notions, the undead?"

"Yeah, vampires are undead." Charley nodded then huffed, "We need to do something before Jerry Dandridge becomes a vampire, dammit! If he doesn't become a vampire then I don't have to deal with him four hundreds years from now, got it?" He startled a little the moment Tayte bellowed another loud laugh. He tossed his hands up then spun and faced Aiden, "She ain't gonna believe a damned thing we say."

Aiden nudged Charley aside then quickly grabbed Tayte by the shoulders. "Aye, what has been said sounds quite farfetched," he confessed how it all sounded, "But, Tayte, know me you do, for all these years and what of me have you known to believe in lies, hmm?"

Tayte again pushed back her laughter and read the seriousness in Aiden's expression eyes.

"Tayte, I understand, aye, I do but this be of the utmost urgency." Aiden continued to explain, "We have been but friends for many many years and you I trust and, so, I but ask you to consider what we have told you for the sake of all of us."

Tayte studied Aiden's tense expression then asked, "Why is it you believe?"

Aiden thought only briefly then truthfully answered, "There be many a thing in this world that have no explanations or reasoning but they be of truth. I believe in such things for I am not just a mere physician who believes solely on the studies of what be in front of me. I choose to glimpse passed what be before my eyes and see what lies beyond." he released her shoulders, "Aye, and also I sense what the lad does. There be something dark brewing around us and we both sense it be brewing from the direction of Lady Yolanda and her hatred towards Lord Dandridge."

Tayte could agree about Yolanda, she felt it too, something was greatly off about the woman and even more so since the last time the woman was there. "What you think she might do?" she asked, concerned now for the safety of her sister.

Charley stepped beside Aiden and stated his assumption, "She has to be the source of what turned him. She's the only logical choice."

"Logical," Tayte repeated, "There be nothing logical in this conversation."

"So," Charley quickly responded, "Screw logic! We ain't got time to be all logical. None of this seems logical." he shook his head, "Doesn't seem damned logical that somehow I ended up being thrown back into time and being put right the middle of something more illogical than just having a damned vampire living next door to me!"

Aiden put his hand Charley's shoulder and looked into Tayte's frowned eyes then asked, "I be correct when you said you heard the threats Lady Yolanda made towards our Lord?"

"Aye, but that does not speak of anything of a supernatural nature." Tayte quickly defended then stated, "What she spoke could be defined by a many thing."

"Exactly," Aiden spoke up, "Anything."

Tayte continued to frown, her eyes shifted from one serious expression to the other. She went to speak but the window of her suddenly blew open followed by mighty gust of wind. She grumbled and rushed to close the window, the thunder loud and frequent as the lightning. Near the window she felt the wind intensify in strength and felt as if it pushed back against her. She strained a little against the gust and grabbed onto on side of the window.

Aiden rushed to assist Tayte.

"There be no rain!" Tayte shouted over the constant bouts of thunder. She worked with Aiden to close the window, a near struggle against the ferocity of the steady gust of window. The moment the window finally closed lightning flashed steadily as if every second. "What in the name of our Lord..." she stammered as her eyes tried to focus through the window as the lightning continued to steadily strobe. Her eyes strained and briefly within the frequency of lightning she swore there was a black shadow of sort.

Tayte head shook but each time she refocused against the brilliant flashes, that dark black figure seemed to come closer and closer to the manor. "What be that!" she loudly said, grabbed Aiden by the overcoat sleeve and pulled him before the window. She pointed in the direction of the strangely motioning blackness and questioned, "You see, do you not?"

Aiden's eyes strained against the flashes, he too could make out something black moving within brilliance of flashing lights. He started to rapidly nod with his eyes wide. He startled the moment Charley's hand clasped his shoulder.

Charley too saw the shadow figure, his heart felt as if it dropped into his gut. "That's gotta be it!" he shouted then spun around and headed for the door, "We gotta get to Dandridge before it does!"

Yolanda again opened her eyes. The wind gusted forward, the length of her hair tossed back as she stood with her arms wide open. A smile of pure wickedness cursed her lips. "Aye, feel You I do!" she chimed into the wind, "Aye, come to me! Embrace me!" Her eyes again closed as she allowed the wind to roughly caress over every inch of her naked body. The candles blew out one by one, only the quickened flashes of lightning illuminated the room and thickened the shadows.

Jerry's lips grazed along the slope of Thea's neck. His arms embraced around her. His hands tucked beneath the loose drape of the bed sheet that barely covered her exposed rear as she straddled him. He kissed across the width of the front of her throat then lavished affection against the other side of her neck.

Thea's hands pressed against the length of his hair, fingers woven into the thick ebony. She sighed with an almost dazed smile across her lips. There was no other manner in which she desired to celebrate the announcement of their engagement. Since that first night, she had spent every evening in his arms and that was how she wished it to stay. Night after night physically expressing their love in every way imaginable. No more shame. They were to be wed.

Jerry's hands gripped firmly the covered underside of Thea's rear and with a gentle nudge he indulged in the sweetness of her soft gasp. "Every night," he sang between tastes of her flushed flesh, "From this eve into the next and all those that follow," he continued to speak, again nudged her to again indulge in her sweet vocal response, "For the rest of our lives," he breathed then swiftly brought back against the bed, "I shall," he spoke with his eyes with hers, "Make love to you." He leaned down and brought his lips against hers.

A sudden and powerful clap of thunder nearly shook the room and at the same time the chamber doors came crashing inward.

Jerry quickly rose up on his knees and grimaced in confusion the moment three individuals barged into his private chamber. "What in the name of Our Lord?!" he questioned.

Charley darted forward but stumbled to a startled stop. Wide eyed, he immediately spun around, saw something unexpected. "Oh god!" he shouted then glanced to Aiden and under his breath said, "I just saw Jerry Dandridge naked."

Aiden stood frozen, felt completely awkward and heard Charley's statement then mumbled his own, "Aye, awkward."

Tayte slapped her hand over her eyes, blocked out both naked images of her identical twin and the lord. It was almost as if she had just caught herself in bed with the lord.

Jerry snatched his robe and climbed off the bed swiftly covering himself. "What be the meaning of this?" he quickly asked and eyed the three intruders.

"Ah," Aiden mumbled, "Ah, well..."

How were they to explain the intrusion?

Charley immediately caught glimpse of a shadow pass the second floor window of Dandridge's chamber, caught within the steady flashes of lightning. He snatched Aiden's overcoat sleeve and loudly stated , "It has to be going to her!" He rushed out of the chamber.

Aiden awkwardly aimed his thumb at the door while the lord stood before him with a very unhappy and questioning grimace. "Ah," he again mumbled then quickly gave an apologetic nod and shouted, "My apologies!" He darted to follow Charley, snatched Tayte by the sleeve of her robe and pulled her with him.

Yolanda smiled wide, stood within that circle of snuffed candles with her arms raised prepared to embrace the coming darkness. Before her wide dark eyes she watched the window before become consumed by blackness, her smile broadened. "Aye, I await Your embrace!" she sang to the growing presence.

Through the flashes of lightning the Shadow emerged, blackened the light with its menacing proportions. In the creeping manner of an unnaturally thick mist, through the opened window the Shadow emerged and drifted in the direction of the willing subject.

Yolanda's reached out her hands to the approaching darkness. Before her eyes the Shadow formed it's mass into that of a human shape. Black fingers of unnatural lengths and tipped to fine points reached towards her outreached hands. Passed her hands those almost smoky formations for hands moved, she again stretched her arms in acceptance of the anticipated embrace. She slowly turned her head as one shadowy hand guided back the length of her hair, the side of her neck exposed. Her smile did not fade as she gently closed her eyes. Aye, she thought, he shall be mine.

Charley and Aiden rushed down the corridor with Tayte leading them in direction of Yolanda's chamber. They neared the door to the chamber. A sudden bout of thunder trembled the floor beneath their feet as it seemed to grumble long and drawn out. Within that growl of thunder was a high pitched scream.

The three went to an abrupt halt before the chamber door. The sudden storm completely stopped the moment the scream ended. Nothing, no lightning or further thunder, complete dead silence.

Tayte nervously looked to Aiden and Charley, both pale faced with fear. She took a deep breath, looked forward at the door then removed the string of keys. She fumbled a bit to find the correct key then slipped it into the lock and with a twist the mechanism clicked. Her hand trembled as she gripped the handle then with a twist she stepped forward. Cautiously she entered the room with Aiden and Charley directly behind her.

All three sets of eyes nervously looked about the shadowed room.

"We need a light." Charley suggested.

Tayte nodded then moved to the nearest lamp.

Charley stepped forward with Aiden right beside him. He hadn't felt that damned nervous since the night he and Peter dared to enter Dandridge's house. He paused, felt Aiden grip the sleeve of his overcoat. His eyes frowned and slowly his head turned and eyes looked to the fearful expression over Aiden's face. His eyes shifted and glanced at the trembling hand that gripped onto him. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

The lamp illuminated, Tayte stepped up to Charley and Aiden with the lamp held in one hand. She wasn't certain what to expect, strange things were happening and made her uneasy. Her eyes scanned the quiet room, caught glimpse of the circle of candles. "There," she spoke up then stepped towards the candles.

Charley stepped forward, felt the slight tug of Aiden's hand. He stepped beside Tayte, Aiden slightly tucked behind him. His eyes studied the floor before them, the light from the lamp seemed to reflect against something coating the floor within the circle.

"What it be?" Tayte asked though she had an inkling what her eyes peered down at.

"Be what?" Aiden quickly asked then lifted up on his toes and peered over both Charley and Tayte's shoulders, "Oh my."

Charley nodded then confirmed, "Yeah, that's blood and a lot of it."

"But where be Lady Yolanda?" Tayte questioned, her eyes unable to pry from the sheen coating the floor, "And what be the meaning of the candles."

"Um," Aiden spoke up, "I suspect a ritual of some sort."

"Will someone tell me what in the hell be going on!" Jerry's voice shouted and he watched the three individuals startle then all three spun around and looked to him, "Well," he studied their stunned expressions, "Come, speak, one of you!"

Thea slipped around Jerry, her eyes frowned as they peered passed her sister. She stepped passed Jerry, her eyes focused on what was behind Tayte. "What be that?" she asked as her bare feet silently moved across the floor.

Jerry huffed, no answers were being given. He stomped forward, rushed passed Thea then barged between Aiden and Tayte. His eyes widened with shock then frowned with confusion. His eyes left the sight of obvious blood within a circle of candles then scanned the surrounding room. "Where be Yolanda?" he asked then looked to Tayte who slowly shook her head. He turned and looked to Aiden who stood awkwardly shaking his head as well then his eyes looked to the strange young man, Charley.

Charley leaned back in response to the intense suspicion in Jerry's eyes. "Hey, I have no idea where she's at." he stated and lifted his hand then pointed at the mess on the floor, "That's all we found."

"Boy," Jerry took a step forward, slightly shoved Aiden aside then said, "There be something you are not speaking."

Charley took a step back, hated being again face to face with Dandridge though he was then just a mere mortal not a bloodsucking monster. Yet, there was something damned nerve racking in the man's eyes which made him cower back. "Well," he mumbled, "I'll tell you what I know but you ain't gonna like it or likely believe me."

Jerry stopped his approach then glanced at all the individuals around him. "All of you be in the main sitting room in twenty minutes, understood!" he demanded and watched them all nod. He marched forward, snatched Thea by the hand and pulled her with him out of the chamber.

(Author)

Yeah a bit of a delay! Well, is it getting exciting or what? Can't wait to get to the climax! Keep a lookout for the next chapter!

FRIGHT NIGHT FOREVA!