Old Loves, Old Lies

-by Baron Karza von Karnstein

-dedicated to Diane Neal

N.B. I do not own any of these characters. Dan Curtis owns all the Dark Shadows Characters. Joel Soissons and Patrick Lußier own all the Dracula II: Ascension Characters

II

"He doesn't look so strange at all." commented Tanya. "In fact, if it weren't for the clothes, I'd say he looks like just any other embalmed cadaver."

"That's what we thought, until we checked his teeth." responded Liz, unconsciously fingering the band-aided forefinger which she he inadvertently pricked upon a fang of the body of the man bedecked in late 18th-Century attire which now lay spread-eagled and inert before them.

"How the hell did you guys find him?" asked Kenny

"Luke was doing a routine run for the guys in the 7th District. Some bar manager in New Orleans East found the body in his basement when he was doing inventory this morning. Luke brought him into the Morgue."

"Why didn't you start opening him up?"

"I had the microbio midterm 90 minutes after Luke brought him in, so we only started to try to cut off the clothes. I had my scissors ready when Luke says "Hey Liz, you notice something funny about this guy's clothes?'

"I go 'What do you mean?' Luke goes 'He definitely didn't get them at Walmarts'…at least not within the last…I don't know…hundred years or so!'

"So I say 'Maybe he was dressed up for a rave.'

"Then Luke says, 'You know, before I cut them up, I want to see where he got his clothes.' Then he opens the guy's…jacket, I guess, we had already taken off this scalloped green cape he was wearing…so, anyways, Luke opens up his jacket and starts looking for labels. I'm like 'C'mon Luke, I've only got an hour or so before I have to clean up and get out of here!' But Luke wasn't listening. He just opened the guy's jacket, and was looking for labels.

"After a minute or so of looking, Luke stands back. He has this puzzled look on his face, and he says 'That's strange! There are no labels!' So, I say 'If it was made custom, maybe they don't have labels.' Luke goes 'No, no, no! You're wrong there, Liz! I played Romeo in a college production. We had all our costumes tailor-made by this company that specialises in custom costumes. They had their labels on the inside of every item. They're proud of their work!'

"So I say 'Luke, you've been watching too many CSI reruns. Tell you what, let's get his costume off, and I'll leave you five lines on the form so you can pretend to be H. and write a full description of his clothes.' But Luke wasn't having any of it.

"He asks me 'Do you think…' and then just stops there in mid-sentence. I'm like 'Luke, I have to be out of here in 45 minutes! Can you cut to the chase, please?' Luke goes 'Do you think this could be a…vampire?' He had this strange, but certain conviction in his voice. I half-believed him for a moment.

"Then I go 'OK, Luke, if you're not going to help me, get out of my way so I can do my job. Really! The sci-fi geek thing is getting old!' But Luke's not budging. He goes 'Humour me, Liz! Check out his teeth! If they're all normal, I swear, I'll help you finish up here, and I'll even get started on the cutting. I'll have him all laid out by the time you get back from microbio.'

"At this point, I figure 'Oh, well, if it will FINALLY light a fire under Luke's ass, what the hell?' "

"So you…checked his teeth?" interjected Tanya.

"Yeah…I checked his teeth." replied Liz, crossing her arms and tucking her wounded finger away out of sight of the others.

"And?"

"And, Kenny, we saw what we saw. Fangs. Like on a dog or a wolf."

"No chance they're some trick teeth? You know, like you can get at those novelty supply places?"

"No, they went all the way straight into the gums."

"Could they have been implants?"

"Didn't have time to check. The guy's breath was soooo…..foul and strong! Both Luke and I started to gag. I ran to the ladies room and started to heave." Liz deliberately withheld the fact that she actually went to the phone to inform Lowell of their discovery. "Then, when I get back Luke says he got this strange call promising him this bundle of money if we bring the body here."

"Like, how much money are we talking about?"

Liz told them. Kenny whistled.

"Damn, girl! Those are some serious Benjamins! I wouldn't have to hustle knock-off Viagra with that kind of bling-bling!"

"Yeah, Kenny!" added Tanya, the sarcasm dripping with every syllable. "I'm sure that's exactly what Liz and Luke had in mind when they took up this offer."

"I don't KNOW what we were thinking, Tanya!" Liz cut in. "The implications are all so…frightening…but…maybe if…"

"What?"

"I don't know."

"You said 'Maybe if'…what do you mean Liz?" gently asked Tanya, encouraging Liz to feel comfortable enough to share her thought.

Liz took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.

"I thought maybe if we could actually find something good out of this…"

"You mean something to help…Lowell?"

Liz closed her eyes and nodded after a moment.

"Oh, come on, Liz! You know better than that! You're second year! You know that the chances of Lowell recovering…"

"SHUT UP, Kenny!" snapped Tanya.

"No, no…it's OK!" Liz brought her hands up, palms out, fingertips high as if she were signaling "Stop!" to an oncoming vehicle. "He's not saying anything that I haven't thought to myself for the past two years."

She opened her eyes, the beginnings of a tear forming in each.

"It's just that sometimes…to keep hope alive…you have to believe in crazy miracles…It's either that, or you end up going crazy yourself."

Tanya reached out to Liz with her left arm. Her left hand touched Liz's right bicep, and slowly caressed it.

"Liz, I know. We all know, even Kenny over here, despite the fact that he can be incredibly insensitive."

"Yeah…my bad, Liz. I shoulda watched what I said."

"It's OK, Kenny. Thanks, you guys. You are a great comfort. Really. Luke too. It's just that…well, I think Luke has feelings for me, but I can't reciprocate. I mean, he's a wonderful guy and all, but…it's just that I love Lowell. Sometimes, I have this sinking feeling that I'm failing two men, Lowell AND Luke…"

"Yeah, Luke did cop to having the hots for you, Liz." said Kenny. "But don't worry, he understands the situation, and he won't make things any harder for you."

Liz wiped her tears away with the backs of her hands.

"I know he understands, Kenny. Thanks for reassuring me. But, I can see the hurt in his eyes sometimes. Understanding doesn't always mean accepting…"

"Where am I?"

Liz, Tanya and Luke snapped their heads away from each other and towards the source of the new voice, a deep voice. The eyes of the body bound on the Saint Andrew's Cross were open…and staring intently at them…