Here is the completed Chapter 10, apologies for the long wait. Hope it was worth it!
I am keen to get this entire story over and done with so I have no worries over it not being completed.
Anyway, onto the story.
Chapter 10: The Dead Still Talk and They Don't Mind
. . . .
1996, 27th June
Fiumei Road Cemetery, Hungary, Central Europe
. . . .
An adult-sized coffin that was kept at bay by four people, two at the top and two at the bottom, was in the process of being lowered into the same-size matching grave as the priest gave words of comfort to the passing of an respected monk who had once been an average friar.
There were not many attendees who came to honour the fallen man of the cloth except for one and her beloved daughter whom she behind as the little girl stood in front of her mother; heel to foot and her large hands upon the little one's small shoulders. All dressed in black with their brown hair placed into individual hairstyles like a plaited ponytail and part of their head held back by a multicoloured headband. Others wore black suits with white shirts and leather gloves that held white AND red roses that seem to hold ounces of innocence and deep gratitude to the dead.
It was Caitlyn Madison who first stepped forward with one arm supporting her little girl and the other to which her hand sported two individual roses, one white and one red, that she gently threw into the ground, on top of the dark golden-coloured-coffin. The priest was the only man there who had ginger hair and dressed more in white than others, with a religious scarf-like cloth around his neck, over his shoulders and down the front of his upper body. The plague that was screwed down read, "Father Stefan Carlyle: born 1957 - died 1996, beloved friend, trusted brother and lovable uncle to all - rest in peace and enjoy your deserved rest in the afterlife."
The speaking priest signalled the ending of his words to the service before him as he performed a cross from top to bottom and then side to side to which the coffin was laid gently down with the ropes being released and the start of the burial to which two people began to repeat the motion of picking up dirt and chucking it down into the ground hole before repeating the motion again and again as the attendees left one-by-one.
Only Caitlyn and her daughter, Natasha remained though the priest came to them and offered a sad-based smile before also parting as well.
"Sleep well, old friend," Caitlyn thought as she stood gazing at the hole before kneeling down and hugging her little girl who waved goodbye to her "uncle".
'All gone except for one.'
'One-by-one, they all fall down in the end."
. . . .
Morning, the next day
. . . .
"So… he's buried in Hungary, the country of where the beloved Madison sister was taken by some bloodsucking vampire that we believe is after for revenge against the original group who defeated him many years ago?" spoke Nigel, as he continued to pour and sit more alcohol into his glass. His love for rich liquid never faltered unlike the rest of him.
"Yes. His name was Father Stefan Carlyle and one of two last members to perish before 2000. Apparently, one of the Maddison sisters did some more digging in the public records of Hungarians and his family ancestry dates back to nearly two-thousands-years of them living in Hungary." Spoke the monster hunter.
"What about the woman, the former last surviving member? Caitlyn…?"
"Caitlyn Madison… was born in the late 1960s in the region of Transylvania but died in 1998 in western Romania. She wasn't much of a hunter from what I could find as an occupation. She seemed to have worked as a barmaid for a number of years, but did have some undetermined level of connection to the original group. I was shown a photograph of them and saw her to be a woman of small beauty but was somewhat disturbed that her daughter, via a photo that Clare showed me, has a strong resemblance to her which may have also been another factor in the abduction." Gabriel finished the last of his drink, settled the glass onto the table in front of him before settling himself back into the chair as not far from the chair he sat was his crossbow which laid near the entrance of the doorway to the kitchen, fully-loaded and ready to be used against any creature of the night.
Both men had stayed up throughout the night, drinking and talking since neither felt like sleeping with what has lately been going off.
"It's not something you want to think about but if there is evidence to suggest that as well, then accept it. By the way, what are the sisters up to this morning?" asked the elderly-aged hunter of a retired status.
"Miss Clare and Sophanne are heading to Fiumei Road Cemetery to find the resting place of the deceased priest and hope to find more to this nightmare. Meanwhile, I am going to get more supplies for the great battle ahead, I have a feeling that this battle is going to reveal some awful truths."
….
1
….
Clare and Sophanne had woken up early, ate some breakfast, got dressed into their outdoor clothes and headed out into the cold-temperature, snowy city known as "Budapest". Both girls were wrapped up warm; Clare had her orange long hair placed into a head-bun as she wore earmuffs whilst Sophanne had her blonde hair plaited into a ponytail at the same time as wearing a fur-like hat on top.
They had taken a taxi straight to the cemetery of where the deceased priest had been placed to rest though a day before or so one of the girls discovered that because of grave-robbing incidents that were happening, his physical remains were moved to a special Crypt not far and kept under lock and key. All they had to do was ask someone in-charge once they got there.
After arriving and speaking to someone in-charge, they were able to reach the Crypt but not without issues relating to snow and ice. The Crypt was very large in size, made of stone that had been laid down via hands by various workers over the previous century or more. The Crypt door was circular in shape but none-the-less very beautiful in design as if the artist was respecting the dead that were resting there for eternity. One of the designs had a symbol to represent the dead. The supervisor gathered his keys from his pocket and used one particular key to insert, turn and unlock the large stone doors. Despite their looks however, very modern mechanics have been installed to ensure that whoever was laid there would be protected over time.
"Let's see what the late religious priest has got in store for us. Hopefully something very useful for us to save Natasha from a fate worse-than-death." said the elder sister as her young blood-sister nodded in response. However, what the sister just said would come true with what was about to come across that very moment.
. . .
. . .
Once Natasha had recovered from the very recent events of the discovery of who her biological father was and the effects of his memory-sharing powers which did have a certain effect on the strength of her body and mind. No permanent, just brief temporariness. It was not easy but she mustered through it like her strong mother had done. Like mother, like daughter some would say.
It must have been hard for Caitlyn to keep this dark secret from her daughter during her early years alive in her young life and even years after her death unless it was absolutely necessary.
Count Dracula did not want to push Natasha too far, with the recent events that had taken place in the very days and months but with the truth now out in the open. Both father and daughter can move on and enjoy their new-found relation, though the feelings that came with this move would take some time to get used to.
The next thing to happen was the planning of his daughter's birthday celebration and his usual attention in hosting a masquerade ball in his Summer Palace. His plan was to both announce her to the rest of their kind as well as spend long-lost time with her by celebrating her eighteenth birthday. Like her mother would have wanted her to.
As Dracula finished the final touches in his study and the ballroom, he could not help but think of Caitlyn. How proud she would be of their growing-up daughter and how hard it would be for Natasha as her mother is not here to see her coming-of-age party but that does not mean she is not watching over her and the Count.
"Oh Caitlyn, it is almost time, isn't it my love?" he thought to himself. "Our little girl is growing up."
Whilst the Count was busy with the preparations, Natasha and Chloe headed out into the city to finish dress shopping for Chloe but really to find something for Natasha such as a dress, shoes and mask as well as some make-up despite not really being into that type of stuff. It's not really her in a way. However, along the time out into the open city, Natasha could not help but think of her sisters, Clare and Sophanne.
"How are my sisters coping? Are they still looking for me? What a stupid question to ask, OF COURSE THEY ARE LOOKING FOR ME!" she thought to herself, she got angry towards the end of her thoughts, how stupid she felt in thinking that her sister would not be missing when of course they would be missing her. Her sisters are still looking for her and they still greatly miss her.
"I hope that the dark truth of my ancestry does not affect my relationship with them." she said to herself in the form of a whisper as she continued shopping with Chloe. Both women, young and old, used the time to also get to know each other further and even have a laugh despite one being a hundred-years-old vampire and the girl being a newly-discovered Dhampir.
. . .
. . .
:2:
As the large Crypt door opened, both slowly and stiffly, both sisters coughed at the mount of dust that headed towards them. This action caused them to cover their faces and just coughed until the dust particles disappeared into thin air.
"Oh my god, how many years has this been sealed?! Has no-one thought of dusting this place occasionally?" spoke the blonde sister.
"I guess not, sis." replied Clare. "But then again, I don't think the dead that lay here don't mind." followed by a chuckle that she attempted as if her previous words were some kind of joke, trying to lighten the mood.
Both sisters, Clare and Sophanne, slowly walked forward and gazed over what was before them. On their left were several coffins fitted onto individual levels, still sealed from being opened and on their right was the same as their left as well as in front of both girls. All the coffins were heavily sealed and seemed too shiny in the brief light that the large Crypt door allowed through. Cobwebs and spiders were in every inch of the Crypt as well as the small amount of snow and what looks like dirty rain water that had recently come through the small circular opening above, despite the precautions that had been taken to protect the residents of this graveyard from being violated further.
Sophanne walked further and further towards the open area of the Crypt in front of both girls whilst her elder sister scanned her eyes on the left and right coffins near the entrance. The open area of the Crypt had stairs that lead down through cracks that had appeared over time and she was careful in where she stepped. She did not want a broken foot or leg. Her main focus like her orange-coloured-hair sister was to find Natasha at any cost.
Sophanne turned her body roughly ninety degrees from the direction she had just walked and as if she was lucky, stood the coffin with the golden-plate underneath that read the name of the priest she was looking for. "Clare! I found him!" she yelled as her elder sister stopped what she was doing and quickly came over to where Sophanne stood.
"Brilliant, Soph! Now, let's see what he has to say." she replied back as she moved forward.
Both girls had gotten special verbal permission early to look inside the coffin, which was very easy since this guy had no family and there was no-one around to stop them, so why not.
All Sophanne had to do was look inside as it was mentioned in her research that he was buried with his personal effects like his cross and his leather-bound journal where he kept his most important information of adventures and the name of close family connections. The man that they found was "Father Stefan Carlyle."
Sophanne approached the coffin and pulled the lever that gently and slowly pushed the coffin from its individual level of resting towards the outness of where the girls stood. The late father had only been dead for roughly fourteen years and already had to be moved multiple times in his state of death. No rest for the wicked which is used as a meaning but this deadman was not wicked, just someone who helped those in their time of need and had close friends around when he died peacefully.
It was only two years that Caitlyn followed him in death, leaving behind her young daughter as one proof of her legacy in her native home. Yet their other friends were the first to go in their group to die, regardless of whether it was natural or not. It was said in the beginning by their friends, "One-by-one, they would all fall down in the end." And it came true.
The coffin came to a halt and Clare moved to stand beside her younger sister as the younger sister placed her hands on the coffin lid, gathering the dust from the shiny surface onto her skin in the process as she pushed with her human-type physical strength and as the coffin lid was pushed open; it revealed a dead priest who still wore his garments and wasn't too gone in bodily decay. Just very grey skin tone, varied-sized holes across his body with some white bone sticking as a reminder of what is inside of his person, underneath the clothing.
"Hello, Father Stefan. Sorry for ruining your eternal state of rest but we need your help." spoke Sophanne. On his chest where his hands lay crossed together, was his leather-cover journal that he requested upon his timely death to be buried with as it was something of sentimental value to him.
Clare reached forward and gently pried the journal from his hands which were ice-cold in temperature and very stiff to manipulate into opening which was down to rigour mortis as the body becomes incredibly hard to move at all after a person's body becomes lifeless and rotten. She kept trying and trying and eventually, succeeded in getting the journal. She offered words of apology towards the deceased priest and promised to return the journal back to him after they had found what they needed from it before helping her sister close his coffin, giving back his privacy. As soon as they closed the lid together down, a click could be heard and then the coffin began to move back into its original resting place like before. The lever moved on its own accord back to its original position as well.
Clare gently opened the journal as safely as she could, trying to be respectful to the possession in her hands and its former owner. Her younger blood-sister gathered closer to her and watched what she was doing.
"We need to find any pages that contain any important info that may help Natasha."
"Let see…" every page that they scanned with their eyes did not find any info except for the last pages that were dated between 1992 and 1996.
. . .
3
. . .
"Date 1992, 1st November."
"Whilst myself and my 'brothers' are resting in our local inn, we have received word from Miss Madison… Caitlyn. She has given birth to a daughter and her name is Natasha. What joyous news! A new addition to our little group."
"However, where she is located is unknown to us as she went into hiding a few weeks ago. All she says is she is safe and so is her little girl."
"I thank god for that. She does not need any more stress from our current situation… our vampire situation."
. . .
4
. . .
"Date 1996, 15th May."
"Oh, Caitlyn. What stress you must be feeling on the secrets you are keeping for the sake of your beloved daughter. I may not be a parental father, but I do understand that there are some things that you must keep close to your heart for the sake of family."
"The feeling that others will and would judge you for the decision you chose that day."
"I am sorry that you feel that you must do this alone, but I thank you for telling me and trusting it to me as I will take this dark secret to my very grave. The fact that you chose to not tell the others may be best. They may not understand, given that your lover and the father of your child comes from the shadows."
"I hope your daughter will understand the sacrifices you had to take to protect you both, but mostly her. If she is anything like her mother, it is that heart of goodness and compassion you possess."
As both sisters read each paragraph on the last entries of Father Stefan, they came to an understanding that he knew what secrets' Natasha's beloved mother had to keep to protect them but what were they?
As Clare gently closed the journal, something white fell out onto the ground near their feet which they saw with both pairs of their eyes. "What is that?"
"I don't know…"
Clare handed the journal to Sophanne before leaning down and picking up the folded white paper of sorts. She gently opened it and realised it was a letter. Written by Caitlyn to her child.
"Date 1998."
Hello. Natasha, my little one. It's your mummy."
"At the time that I write this letter to you, my health is not recovering and I fear that this is it. If my fears are correct, I want you to know what secrets that I've kept to protect you from those who mean you harm. The day that you were born was and still is the happiest I have ever been. I gave all my strength to bring you into this world and with your father by my side; we were a total family. The secrets that are a burden on my heart are related to your father whom I still love despite the fact we had to be separated forever to protect you. He has always been there for you, just hidden in the shadows. Can you remember when you were little and how we used to play games? How we laughed for hours."
"No matter what happens I love you with all my heart and hope you can forgive me and your father; I pray that you live a happy and fulfilled life."
"Goodbye my darling daughter. With all my love, your mother Caitlyn."
The letter seemed to inspire great sadness as both girls read through it. They could not help but cry at what seemed to be the last written words of Natasha's mother. It was obvious that it was written around the time that she was seriously ill. Though there is no mention of what secrets she was holding, the fact that she admitted she had a secret was a big step on her part. It seemed only Father Stefan knew what secrets she held and unfortunately, he and Caitlyn had taken to their deaths.
"That is so sad. We must keep this to give to Natasha when we find her. She will want this."
"Yes, Soph. She will."
With that, the sisters left the Crypt, passing the supervisor-in-charge who locked the door back to how it was before it was opened for the second time in quite a few years. The Maddison sisters thanked him before making their way out of the well-known graveyard and grabbing a taxi back to where they are staying. Clare had placed the journal on the inside of her winter coat, in one of the few large pockets, keeping it close to her heart might be said to her. Sophanne folded the letter up back into its original position and placed it into her coat compartment like Clare had done similarly.
The ride back was silent. No talking, no music, just silence except from whispers that seemed to come through the air.
Although after arriving back at the place of where they stayed and having paid the Taxi driver at the same time. The moment that they stepped back into the residence, the atmosphere was different like something had changed in their absence but what?
After taking off their coats and shoes before going towards the kitchen where they last saw Van Helsing and his fellow hunter friend… Nigel. Both men were standing there along with another bloke that seemed to be another hunter from what they could think at that moment. Both girls stood in the doorway as all the men glanced at their approach and the air became thick in dead silence.
"What's wrong?" asked the elder Maddison.
"We… or rather I know who took your sister…." Spoke Van Helsing who leaned against the counter with his hat on his head which took his hair away from his face, his duster coat on his person and his crossbow by his very boots. He had already been out today to gather more supplies and more weaponry, whilst the sisters ventured out to do more research. Nigel stood opposite him on the other side of the table and the third bloke stood at the furthest away from the girls, across the table which stood in the middle of all five people.
"Who?!" both sisters said at the same time in an urgent tone.
"Dracula… Count Vladislaus Dracula. The man who I killed twice in the past.. Seems to have come back to a second life without letting the Knights of the Holy Order know of his resurrected existence… until now."
"So the vampire we have been looking for is the infamous Count Dracula?!"
"Yes."
. . .
. . .
And there we have it, Chapter 10!
I am quickly progressing onto Chapter 11 already, but if I feel that Chapter 10 needs to be updated and altered, I will do so.
Please read and review!