WARNING!: Wicked Dark


Church: Midnight Mass

"There is a Devil. Doubted by none except those who are under the influenceth of Satan himself," Increase said as he walked down the aisle between the pews to the front of the church. He held up the Bible in his hand high into the air and shouted from his belly, "Living vessels of godlessness! The serpent from Eden, thou hast listened and there are witches hidden amongst us, and you people of Essex, seduced by drink and by flesh are blinded to it no more!"

The congregation stood in the pews shouting in agreement with the acclaimed witch hunter.

"Burn the witches!"—"Hang 'em dead!"

"We shall cleanse Essex!" Increase shouted confidently, holding his chin up high. "Rid of the evil that plagues us! This is our warning to Evil. We are coming for you! Let us pray." He dramatically turned to the wooden cross hanging about and crossed himself then got down onto his knees.

The rest of the spectators followed suit, crossing themselves and bowing their heads reciting the prayer of resting on God:

"O God, most high, most glorious, the thought of thy infinite serenity cheers me, for I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed, but thou are forever at perfect peace. Thy designeth cause You no fear or care of unfulfillment, they stand fast as the eternal hills. Thy power knoweth no bond, thy goodness no stint. You bring order out of confusion, and my defeateth are thy victories: The Lord God omnipotent reigneth."

Sitting above in the overhanging pews, Buffy sat in the shadows listening to the prayer battlecry and passionate declarations against 'witches'.

Smiling to herself, Buffy felt excitement for the possibilities of play with Reverend Increase Mather, the Puritan Witch Hunter. He had no idea there were soulless creatures far worse than witches who walk amongst the living at night.


Walking out of the midnight mass, Increased headed to the small in across the town square where his seven months pregnant wife, Margaret waited for him.

He paused at the site where the butchered bodies of Hank Summers, 1st Earl of Revello and Joyce Summers, Countess of Revello had been displayed for all to see. In the letters sent by minister John Worthington, he had stated that the Summers had also recently lost their beloved daughter, Lady Elizabeth.

Worthington described the Summers family as moderately wealthy having come up from the bottom into money as a whiskey merchant business. Hank arrived at church on Sunday's in an intoxicated state more frequently than not. He had described Elizabeth as a woman straight from the Book of Genesis; beautiful, loyal, and holy.

"Reverend Mather,"

A sweet lithe voice tore from the stain of blood still painted on the cobblestone. He whirled around with surprise to see a devastatingly beautiful woman bathed in the moonlight standing behind him. She had long wavy blonde hair that fell neatly over one shoulder. She wore an extravagant gown of red and gold thread and a black woolen cape.

Despite the darkness, Increase could see the brightness of her green eyes that pierced into his heart. She was petite but stood with an air of grace and unbothered confidence which was curious for someone her age.

"You know me?" Increase glared at the young woman, who could be no more than twenty years old with great skepticism.

She smiled sweetly. "How can I not? Is there anyone in the province who doesn't?"

"Thou art alone?" Increase darted his blue eyes into the darkness.

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I'm here with my Lord—His words, anyway."

Increase narrowed his gaze over her.

She continued to say, "They offer great comfort in these perilous times. The Great Fire was just… devastating. I feel that there is a great unrest. I must lean on my faith in the Lord in these grim days."

"Is that all that you sense?"

Buffy frowned.

"Do thou not sense it?" Mather carefully eyed the young woman.

"The commingling of sin, sorcery, and death? How can I fail to sense it when it consumeth our quiet little town?" The beautiful young woman took a step closer. "You can almost taste it… Satan's toxic nectar, designed to divert and disarm." Her voice softened as Increase' breathing deepened, aroused by the delicateness of her voice.

"What is thy name?" Increase felt angered by the impurity this woman seduced him with only words.

Smiling sweetly, she replied, "Buffy."

"I ask you, why art thou walking about in the dead of night, Miss Buffy? I did not see you in the church." Increase stared at Buffy for a moment longer. He didn't sense impurity in her. Her soul appeared perfectly intact. But strangely, there was a looming darkness. Perhaps, this darkness was following her, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce and possess her.

"There are many faceth in the church…"

"I would have seen yours." Increase told her, trying desperately hard not to fall into the swimming depths of her green eyes.

Sheepishly smiling, Buffy said, "I do enjoy the quiet, Reverend. I know it is foolish of me to walk in the night while there is evil upon us. I do ask forgiveness of my naivety."

Cocking a high brow, Increase held up his hand and waved the sign of the cross at her head. "I pray God forgiveth you," he tossed her a small forced smile. "Go home. It's late." He told her.

"Of course." Buffy nodded her head and began to walk around him into the other direction when she stopped and faced him, "Reverend?"

Increase looked at her.

"Do thou believe that the evil that plagues us is only witches?"

Increase frowned at such a question. "There is no worse evil than the soulless wenches that sell themselves to Satan."

"Thou dost not believe that there are demons wearing the disguise of human flesh walking the earth?"

"Demons? My dear, Miss Buffy, the only demon I can sense are the ones naked in the woods speaking in tongues."

Buffy smirked. "Art thou staying at the Inn, Reverend?"

Increased nodded. "Yes, with my wife."

Taking in his reply, Buffy made a mental note and tossed the Reverend a sweet smile that brightened her entire face. "I do hope that thou art right and there are no demons, except for the ones we internally battle." She politely curtseyed at the well-respected man then said, "Goodnight, Reverend." Her eyes dropped to the Bible in his hand. "I'd keep thy Bible close to thee."

Increase held the Bible over his heart. "The words of our Lord art at each moment closeth to me."

Buffy looked at him once more and turned away. She could feel the Reverend's eyes on her back, watching her walk into the shadows.

Increase suddenly felt an odd feeling that there was something during the interaction that did not settle correctly. He must ask Worthington about it in the morning, he decides and heads to the Inn.

Morning

Tavern

"John," Increase spotted the minister surrounded by the town's selectmen at a table in the back corner of the tavern eating breakfast with a glass of whiskey.

The men at the table looked up to see Increase approach them. Quickly, they tidied the table and pushed the bottle of whiskey behind a few objects as a poor attempt to hide their sin of drink.

"I've been in search of you all morning," Increase said and looked around at the men. His eyes lowered to the bottle of whiskey placed in front of them. "I should have realised that you would be somewhere where whiskey is severed."

John chuckled. "Shall I introduce my selectmen—"

"—Yes, but I must speak first." Increase took a seat at the table. "I am shocked to discover the extent of the depravity and immorality in Essex. A Puritan town. The people need a reminder of the wages of their sin."

"Yes, in Sunday's sermon—" John began.

"—No." Increase interrupted impatiently. "They need to hear the Lord's voice now. A public recitation on the commons, illustrated by the face of sin."

John frowned, "The face of sin? And who shall be our face of sin?"

Increased leaned forward as if he were going to tell a secret. "I met a woman last night. I was walking across the square when she came to me from the shadoweth. She was not at church. She told me that she simply 'enjoyed the quiet'."

John waited for the punchline to why this would be considered a great sin.

"She went on to talk about demons and asked many questioneth about it," Increase remembered the conversation the night before. "I sensed something unholy."

"Who was this woman? We know everyone here. We can identify her." John said, tossing his eyes around the circle table of men.

Increase could easily picture the woman's beautiful face in his head, her long blonde hair, and bright green eyes. "She was a very handsome woman. Young, twenty years old, I believe. By her clothing, I'd say, she commeth from wealth. She had long yellow hair and green eyes. She told me her name."

Intrigued by the description, John asked, "What did she call herself?"

"Buffy," he answered.

The men sitting at the table's expressions paled. They eyed each other with wide surprised eyes unsure if they heard the Reverend correctly.

Increase noticed the turn of attitude and wanted to know everything they knew.

John shifted in his chair and leant forward, resting his elbows on the table when he said, "Reverend Mather, thy beautiful midnight walker, Buffy… She died six days ago."

Increase sat frozen, staring at the minister.

"Her given name was Lady Elizabeth, but she frequently went by the name, Buffy. Her parents, His Lordship, Lord Revello and Her Ladyship were the victims of a satanic ritual; where their decapitated heads were placed on spikes and their bodies drained of blood and dissected into parteth, and strategically placed in the centre of the town square."

Clenching his jaw together, Increase came to the only logical conclusion. "I spoke to her. I fear she could be our witch. We must extract her immediately." He jumped onto his feet. "Where can I find this Buffy?"

John shrugged and said, "The cemetery."

Increase glared at the minister.

Releasing a heavy breath, John replied, "Thou canst visit Revello Manor. It's a mile walk from here."

Increase was practically out the door before John could finish his sentence.

Revello Manor

Walking up the pathway to the stone walled and brown tiled rooftop manor. It was a wealthy looking home. The manor had a prominent central chimney, an overhang on the front façade, and lean-to in the rear. The exterior covered with unpainted clapboards, the windows were diamond-paned casement, and minimal decoration—with the exception of a few potted plants played at the front door.

Increase walked to the board-and-batten made vertical boards held together with smaller horizontal battens. He stared at the door and clasped the lever of the unlocked door.

Entering the darkened and lifeless home, the servants had soon left after the untimely and demonic deaths of their employers.

Increase slowly walked over the wooden floor and looked down at his boot when the floor panels creaked.

Reaching into the front of his vest, Increase took out the wooden cross hung around his neck. He walked further into the home and rounded into the sitting room. Furniture was knocked over, the interior of the home was a wreck, as if a struggle had occurred.

Feeling his boots sink slightly into the floor, Increase looked down to see that he was stepped in a soft-dry puddle of blood.

"That did not take nearly as long as I anticipated."

Increase whirled around to find Buffy sitting in the dark corner holding an embroidery hoop circle in one hand and a needle with thread in the other.

Her eyes were on her needlework as she spoke. "I shall say, welcome—even though you, good Reverend are intruding. I do not remember sending you an invitation to enter." She shrugged. "Very well, no use mulling about it all day. Please," she gestured to the chair at the table, "take a seat."

Increased refused. "Thou art a witch. I shall not be generous in your trial."

Buffy smiled. "I'm a witch you say?"

"Thou wilt plead guilty to the practice of witchcraft. But such a plea is not sufficient to spare thy life. I want nameth of others in thy coven." He demanded.

Continuing her embroidery art, Buffy chuckled lightly, "My dear Reverend, I must protest. I am guilty of many things; Taking the lives of my beloved parents or the other 'victims' I've maliciously slaughtered in these last days but witchcraft…?" Buffy's smile widened. "I am no witch. I do not dance in the woods nude nor did I sell my soul to the Devil himself for power."

"Then what art thou? A Devil worshipper?"

Buffy grinned at the hard and determined expression on Increase' face. "Oh, I am much worse. I am something you've never seen before. You think you know what's to come, what you are—A man of God." Her eyes dropped to the cross necklace around the Reverend's neck. "God will not protect you, Reverend."

Increase reached out his hand and gripped it around Buffy's elbow. "Thou wilt go on trial and I will hang you."

"I suggest if thou hast attachment to that hand of thine, thou wilt remove it at once."

The hand around Buffy's elbow tightened.

Buffy put her hand on the Reverend's chest and shoved him backwards only using a small fraction of her supernatural strength. He flew back and slammed into the china cabinet, shattering it to pieces.

Increase winced in pain and lifted his blue eyes to Buffy as she walked closer to him. She crouched down to his eye level and gently held his chin with her forefinger and thumb. Buffy leaned in closer and smiled softly, "Oh, my dear Increase Mather, we have not yet begun."

In a frightened shock, Increase watched Buffy's beautiful hypnotic features shift into her true demonic face. Her green eyes were golden and dilated. Her brows had disappeared into ridges. She flashed her fangs into a smile.

Increase' eyes widened large, never having seen anything like it before.

Buffy pressed her lips against his.

The Reverend felt sick to his stomach. He could taste the evil inside of this demon. There was nothing good inside of her blackened dead heart.

Breaking the kiss, Buffy stood tall and fixed the long black gloves over her hands and pulled up to cover her forearms. She took the black closed back umbrella also placed on the table and began to walk away from the Reverend, frozen in terror.

Before Buffy departed, she looked back at the Reverend and asked, "Doeth Mrs Mather like honey tea?"

"Stay away from my wife, demon." Increase commanded through gritted teeth.

Buffy smacked her lips together and said, "I'll take that as yes."

"You and I are going to a confrontation," Increase said.

Buffy paused at the doorway and looked back at the God-fearing man and smiled sweetly, "Count on it." She walked away leaving Increase injured and still on the ground.

He struggled to shift onto his knees and crossed himself to pray, "My Lord, you must do all and encourage me to live not in careless neglect of God. The Devil hath made a dreadful knot of witches and… demons in this country, and, by the help of demons in the guise of beautiful flesh, it hath increased that knot. Oh, children, thy children, be afraid and go not prayer-less to your bed lest the Devil be your bedfellow."

2 Months Later

Months have passed since the day Increase discovered demons walk the earth alongside the witches. Buffy was the embodiment of that evil as she terrorised the county of Essex.

Dracula proudly stood in the background watching his Childe wreak chaos and spark a mad witch and demon hunt. Increase Mather and his men in the clergy have hung twenty-seven young women and eleven young men in the last months suspected of witchery or hiding their demonic faces.

Buffy enjoyed watching cracks of the great Reverend Increase Mather expose itself to the point of insanity. She lurked in the shadows only appearing to him, he was breaking apart consumed by paranoia. She left him gifts of body parts and internal organs.

His mental stableness tilted when he discovered his wife, Margaret had afternoon tea with the demon herself.

Buffy had easy access into his room and to his wife. He blessed the Inn room every day and night to keep out the demon stalking him.

At night, Increase and a mob of men searched high and low for the demon he's since dubbed, 'Quod Spiritus Sanctus (The Beautiful Demon)'.

It was only when Buffy purposely exposed herself to Increase. He jumped at the chance to capture her. Men threw themselves over her, pinning her down onto the ground as they tied tight ropes around her wrists. Buffy laughed as they kicked her with the toe of their boots.

They dragged her into the church and bound her into a wooden throne-like chair.

Buffy sat in the chair with disinterest and the clergymen surrounded her. They prayed to God. Her eyes were on Increase as he walked up from the back of the pews with a leather bag in hand.

He set the bag down and opened it revealing the torture devices inside.

Increase took a bottle of Holy Water and splashed it over Buffy, which made her shriek in pain when the water sizzled her skin. He removed the cross necklace from around his neck and pressed it against her chest, over her once beating heart. Buffy released a demonic growl as the wooden cross burned into her breast.

John Worthington watched, horrified as Increase then took out a device of four sharp 'claws'. Buffy knew this tool, 'the Iron Spider'. She had seen it in one of the mansion rooms Dracula took his victims to torture them. More often than not, Buffy was invited to the torture sessions. Dracula guided her hand, which often sparked arousal—which never went unfulfilled. Buffy shown that she had a great talent for torture.

"God almighty, art thou going to do?" John began.

"Extract the demon inside this creature. Yes, that is precisely what I shall do with this." Increase replied and Buffy smiled gleefully which angered Increase tremendously. He backhanded her across the face. "I can see before my eyes the whore of Babylon." He punched her again. "Your darkling glow burns brighteneth than ever, demon." His fists pounded into Buffy's body repeatedly.

"Foolish man!" Buffy sinisterly laughed through the pain of her burning skin. "You thought that this," she looked around herself at the men, church, and the alinement torture devices, "would be my undoing?"

"Silence, demon!" Increase splashed Holy Water on Buffy, burning her skin. He opened the book in his hand and read:

"In the Name of Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, strengthened by the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God, of Blessed Michael the Archangel, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and all the Saints. And powerful in the holy authority of our ministry, we confidently undertake to repulse the attacketh and deceits of the Devil.

God ariseth;

His enemies are scattered and those who hate Him flee before Him.

As smoke is driven away, so are they driven;

as wax melteth before the fireth, so the wicked perish at the presence of God."

Buffy laughed, "How exciting! Strap me in a chair in the house of the Lord with thy lackey's, fists, and a bag filled with goodies, thus ending my reign as supreme. My dear Reverend, I am disappointed. I thought we knew each other better than that."

"Behold the Cross of the Lord," Increase held the wooden cross into Buffy's face. She growled. "Flee bands of enemies. The Lion of the tribe of Juda, the offspring of David, hath conquered."

Rolling her eyes with an amused smile, Buffy shook her head. "An exorcism will not work, my dear Reverend."

Increase continued to pray from the open book in his hand:

"May thy mercy, Lord, descend upon us.

As great as our hope in Thee.

We drive you from us,

whoever you may be,

unclean spiriteth,

all satanic powers,

all infernal invaders,

all wicked legions,

assemblies and sects.

In the Name and by thy power of Our Lord Jesus Christ, may you be snatched away and driven from the Church of God and from the souls made to the image and likeness of God and redeemed by the Precious Blood of the Divine Lamb."

Buffy bit her bottom lip with a girlish grin. "I shall share with you a little secret that you and thy fanatical Puritan followers have sought in vain to vanquish the evil in this world. I could not have possibly stopped you, as you were doing such a fine job of spilling innocent blood by the buckets! Look at what's become of this quiet little town. Cowering in their houses—boarding up the windows—smearing that foul herb in the doorways. You'd think something evil and vile—and monstrous had taken to terrorising this town and everyone in it. When really… it was you," she laughed. "You are the beast that dwells within."

"You know nothing, creature!" Increase drew out the dagger in his belt and stabbed Buffy into the stomach with it.

Buffy laughed and head butted him in the nose.

Increase staggered back, holding a hand over his bleeding nose. "We beseech Thee to hear us!"

Sighing heavily, Buffy rolled her eyes. "Enough of this nonsense." She easily ripped off the restraints around her wrists and ankles.

The men surrounding her attacked with their weapons of pitchforks and knives. Buffy grabbed one charging her. She spun him around, wrapping her hands around his face and twisted his neck to break. Another two men swung their swords at her.

Buffy caught their wrists and forced them to stab each other. Buffy then ripped out the swords from their bodies and sliced the sharp blade over their chests, killing them.

Buffy tossed away the swords and waited for the next few men to attack her.

In the corner of her eye, she could see Increase slowly back away to escape. Buffy smiled and watched him retreat, leaving the men he had rallied together alone with the demon that would certainly kill them.

Dropping the final body onto the ground leaving the church in a bloodbath state, Buffy looked over to the corner to see Worthington on his hands and knees praying to the Lord to be saved.

Buffy walked over to him and thought for a moment of turning him then decided against it. She couldn't handle anyone else having Dracula's attention. He had told her about the three sisters living in his castle in Transylvania, Buffy made it a note to stake those whores as soon as she stepped into the castle. Dracula wouldn't mourn the loss now that he had his Princess.

Crouching by the minister, Buffy looked up to the cross hanging over their heads and looked at the middle-aged man. His eyes were wide and tearful as he prayed to be saved from the demon.

He yelped in terror as her beautiful features changed. "Lord have mercy on my soul."

"Sorry, John, this is where our time together comes to an end. I have much bigger loose endeth to tighten." Buffy's hand shot out and grabbed a fistful of John's greying long hair. She pulled him to her and buried her fangs into the side of his neck and drained the blood from his body.


Running into the Inn in the dead of night, Increase shoved the patrons in his way and ran up the stairs to his room where he had been staying for the last two months.

He threw open the door, "Margaret! Margaret!" Increase ran into the two other rooms for his pregnant wife, but she was not here. "Margaret?" Petrified for her safety, Increase ran his fingers through his dark hair in a panic.

Creak!

The sound of the floorboard creaking startled the witch hunter. He whirled around in a fright to see a tall pale-faced man standing over him. His piercing blue eyes stared straight at him and his darkened features made him appear menacing.

Dracula swung the back of his fist across Increase' head knocking him out cold from the supernatural force behind the punch.

He stared at the unconscious man at his feet. The man and his lover have been stalking and terrorising him and the entire city of London these past months. This is the man that caused such great fuss? He wondered.

Earlier, Buffy had shared her plan with him, that she'd put herself as bait for Increase to capture and attempt to torture. Dracula immediately disagreed with the plan in fear Increase would finally realise what sort of demons they were and stake his beloved Childe. Buffy confidently assured him that Increase Mather was a fool. He would never know.

She had been right.

Dracula placed a hand on Mather's shoulder and they vanished into smoke fog.

Hours Later

Revello Manor: Unknown Room

Opening his eyes with a mind numbing headache, Increase sucked in a shallow breath, lifting up his heavy head that hung low.

He gasped coming back to consciousness and felt a kink in his head tighten.

His eyes darted around the candlelit room in a panic, he could almost hear his rapidly beating heart.

"Increase?"

Increase looked across the dimly lit room and saw his wife bound to a chair. "Margaret," he to his feet and raced over to her when he fell flat onto his stomach. Increase turned around and looked down at the tight shackle around his dirty bare feet.

"She's coming," Margaret frantically whispered. "She's coming."

Increase' eyes widened just as the door opened and Buffy entered into the dark room.

She looked down at Increase, sprawled on his stomach, "Oh, you're finally awake." She said with an eerie amount of enthusiasm. "I worried my dearest had hurt you too much." Buffy reached out a hand to tenderly run her fingers through the Reverend's hair when he jumped back and crawled far away from her. "Where art thou running to, foolish man?" Buffy laughed.

"Monster, unholy creature of the Devil himself." Increase clenched his hands together and prayed in Latin.

Calmly, Buffy stepped over to him and crouched before him. She looked up at the ceiling waiting for God to unleash his wrath upon her but nothing came. She turned her eyes downward to Increase. "Where is this God you pray to?"

Increase continued to pray.

"These last months have been quite a journey for you and I. When I am done with you, my dearest Increase, my name will be on everyone's lips. And you," she reached out a hand, touching his cheek, "you will always be mine." The pads of her fingers tenderly touched his lips. "You'll always be in the dark with me. Thou wilt leave this place and you will go on praying to your God and hanging innocent girls that look like me—convinced that they are the embodiment of evil and thou wilt see my face. Wherever thou art in the world, thou wilt see me."

Buffy stood up tall and walked over to the wall of weapons.

She took a thin blade knife from the hook on the tall and faced the Mather's. "Our time together is nearing its end, I fear." Buffy said, eyeing the knife in-between her hands. "I shall do something of worth for you. A reward—if thou wilt. A reward of thy godliness and perseverance. You came into this town and cleansed it of its unholy undoings. I praise you for thy accomplishment." Her face morphed into her vampiric features.

"Get away from her! Margaret! Demon, get away from my wife!" Increase shouted as Buffy walked over to Margaret and stabbed her into the chest with the knife.

Margaret cried out in pain.

"Margaret!"

Buffy pulled out the knife and slid the blade of the knife around Margaret's pregnant belly. Stabbing the woman again with the knife, Buffy tore open the poor woman's stomach and pulled out the baby by its fragile leg. She took the knife from Margaret's chest and sliced it across the woman's throat killing her.

"Margaret!" Increase sobbed. "My Lord, save thy wife in her hour of need. Take her soul and cherish it by thy side. Forgive me, my God, that I failed her so. I could not rid the earth of this Evil, she who weareth a face of beauty."

Dangling the baby by its leg, Buffy walked over to Increase as he prayed to God to have mercy on them.

"And when you leave this place, my dearest Increase, thou wilt always be reminded of the evils you've ministered as your failures. You could not kill me nor could you save thy wife. Thou wilt pray for forgiveness—which will never come. Thou wilt pray to the God I stood before and laughed in His face." She tossed Increase' bloody crying baby still attached to its mother by the umbilical cord. "Blessed be in Our Father's name. Amen." Buffy changed back into her human disguise. Her hand launched out and tightly grabbed the Reverend by the chin and forced a kiss upon his lips.

Increase' stomach churned feeling sick to his stomach. He could feel the evil in her kiss and taste the blood that coated her lips.

She pushed him away and stood tall and reached into the small pocket of her town taking out a skeleton key. She tossed it at Increase' feet and stepped back into the shadows leaving the broken man with his premature bloody baby and his dead wife.

His sobs could be heard outside the closed door and down the hallow hallway that seemed to have stretched for miles.