Moonlight Dwelling

In The Blood

One day Susanna was going through the junk in the attic. She couldn't put it off any longer because the house was being sold. Generations that spanned back who know how far back were up there. Susanna decided to get it over with so she called her best friend Megan to have her come over

"Please Megan I'll drown in dust if you don't help me out and we might find something interesting."

"OK but you owe me big time."

"Sure you can have my first born," Susanna joked.

"Give me twenty minutes."

Susanna hung up the phone and decided to go upstairs to take a look around. The attic was full of boxes and cobwebs galore.

"Well this is gonna be fun."

She went back downstairs to wait for Megan. She sat down on the couch and grabbed the latest issue of Vogue. The doorbell rang and Susanna went to answer it leaving the magazine on the coffee table.

"You'll never believe this article... Hey how did you know?"

"I'm psychic besides I knew that I'd be called to enter the Webzone. So I ordered a pizza before you called since we need to eat before we tackle the attic."

When they finished eating they rolled up their sleeves and headed upstairs. Susanna opened the door and said, "Welcome to the Webzone. Step on in and prepare to be astounded."

"By what the amount of cobwebs up here," said Megan as she wiped away some cobwebs.

They each grabbed a box in the hopes that there would be something interesting in what appeared to be a bunch of junk. Time seemed to stand still but as Megan neared the bottom of yet another box in a long line of boxes she found a book.

"Hmm what do we have here?"

"Well open it up it could be something juicy."

Megan opened it but couldn't read it since it was in another language.

"It looks like it says 1610 and the name looks like Elizabeth Bathory."

"Really let me see that."

When Susanna touched the book a jolt ran through her.

"Sus are you OK?"

"What yeah I'm fine. It's just that this could be her diary since I'm related to her." Megan's mouth dropped open. "OK I think my hearing went all wonky. Can you please repeat that."

"It's true I'm a direct descendant to Elizabeth Bathory. She's like my great, great, great something or other."

"Whoa!"

"That about sums it up. Color me stunned when my Aunt Lilly decided to get the family tree done and dropped this little bombshell."

"So this could really be her diary?"

"Yep it could but it's Greek to me so we need to call in our friendly neighborhood language guy."

Susanna went to the phone to call Aaron the guy whose passion in life was history and languages.

"Darn it's his machine. Hey Aaron it's Susanna call me when you get this I have something for you to translate." She hung up the phone and turned to Megan, "I'm gonna take a nap."

"OK I'll just pop in a movie and if we're lucky Aaron will call back soon."

"Wake me when he calls."

"Sure. Sweet dreams."

With the diary in her hand Susanna went upstairs to her bedroom. She got into bed and opened the book. "I wonder what nasty little secrets you kept in here Elizabeth." Yawning and barely able to keep her eyes open she fell asleep.

A hooded figure appeared in the room. "That's right my dear sleep. You'll be perfect for what I have planned." He stretched out his arm and pointed it at Susanna and a bright flash like lightning whisked her away.

The new is 1611 and Elizabeth Bathory was locked away in a room at Cachtrice Castle. She was sentenced to live out her life in this little room. She wasn't worried because she knew that the man in the dark cloak would save her from this fate which was worse than death. Suddenly there was a flash and there he was standing in front of her with a beautiful young girl.

"Brought me a present have you well isn't that sweet."

"As you know my dear I promised to get you out of here and she is the key."

"What do you mean?"

"I could just take you out but the guards would know you were gone which could pose a problem so I'm going to switch your bodies. She is a descendant of yours which makes things all that easier since no one else could have triggered the spell I cast on your diary. I know you have questions but first let's get you out of here. I hope this girl's appearance is pleasing to you."

"She's a beauty."

The cloaked figure started chanting and made some hand movements. Elizabeth felt like she was floating, rising above the floor and all of a sudden pulled down with a jerk. She opened her eyes and found herself looking at her body. Elizabeth walked over to her former body and asked, "What's your name?"

"I don't understand this why do you look exactly like me?"

"I'm you and you're me. My name is Elizabeth and you are?"

"Su...Susanna."

"Ah a lovely name for a lovely girl." She turned to her hooded friend and said, "Why don't you fill in our friend here."

"Certainly my dear. You see Susanna you are going to take Elizabeth's place. You have heard of Elizabeth Bathory haven't you?"

"I must be having a nightmare. None of this is real."

"Foolish mortal but you'll learn soon enough. Now Elizabeth I'm going to get you out of here just like I promised."

"So this is my body now?"

"Yes my dear it is. Now my dear you are going to take Elizabeth's place. If you know anything about here just know this I helped turned Elizabeth into the infamous Blood Countess. You think about telling the guards I will rip your tongue out and feed it to you and that's just for starters for I will do all sorts of nasty things and you won't be able to stop me. So be a good girl and as a reward I'll let you live out your days in this room. It's you're choice."

With tears running down her face she nodded unable to speak. She was hoping to wake up any second to find her best friend Megan standing above her telling her that it was just a bad dream. She prayed that would happen although a part of her knew that it was just too real not to be real.

"Shall we go my dear Susanna?"

She grabbed his hand and then found herself in the forest. "Who are you?"

"You may call me Vlad. I've been watching you for years to make sure that you were the one."

"What do you mean?"

"Well do you remember when you were about five and that Gypsy was caught?"

Elizabeth did remember witnessing that most unusual death. A smile appeared on her face as she thought back to that day.

"You see that was I guess you could call it a test. I had to see how you would react and I was quite pleased."

"I remember sneaking out of the castle and seeing that man in the custody of the guards because he stole money or something. One of the men pulled out his sword and sliced the horse open. The entrails were steaming in the cool air. The hole was made large enough for the the man to fit inside. They forced him into the horse and he was screaming. One of the guards had a needle and some twine and stitched the horse up. I couldn't stop myself from giggling. I felt this little tingle go through me. It was fun and I stayed until the very end. That man screamed his voice away and I could hear him trying to claw his way out until finally all was still."

"I just love that look you have in your eyes."

"So Vlad what do we do now?"

"Well I have a question for you. How do you feel about eternal life?"

He pulled his hood down to reveal his fangs and glowing eyes.

"A vampire?"

"Yes my dear and you'd be my companion for I have found you most worthy."

She titled her head revealing her neck and said, "Do it for I hunger for your touch."

He sank his teeth into her and after a slight stinging sensation she fell into a state of utter bliss. He slashed his wrist open and told her to drink. It was pure pleasure to place her mouth on his wrist sucking on the blood flowing out.

"Now I must get you somewhere safe since you need to rest."

Vlad picked up Elizabeth and took her to a cave. He watched his beauty as she slipped into death.

"Now I really must feed."

He went to a nearby village where he'd fed before. He drank his fill and using his powers of persuasion brought a young boy with him for Elizabeth for she'd need to slake her thirst upon first rising as one of the undead.

Elizabeth woke in an unfamiliar place but was immediately comforted when she saw Vlad. "So I wasn't dreaming. I'm no longer trapped in that room and I'm a vampire which means I won't age."

"That's right and since you're hungry I've brought you some supper."

He pushed the boy towards her. She grabbed him feeling her fangs slide out which she sank into the boy's neck. The boy who was under his spell didn't struggle or say a word.

The blood was smoother than any wine she'd ever tasted. She wondered why she found it to be the sweetest thing she'd ever tasted. "So sweet and tender. Tell me Vlad is it always like this"

"Yes my dear. Innocents are the sweetest but the blood of every human is just like honey."

"I have an idea Vlad and I'm thinking that you can pull it off since you have a lot of power."

"What do you most desire?"

"Well that girl Susanna you said she came from the future right? So does that mean you can take me there?"

"Sure that's easily done just take my hand."

All of a sudden Elizabeth found herself in a whole new world.

"Close your eyes and clear your mind. Let your blood take in the memories of Susanna. It's all in the blood you just need to access it."

When Elizabeth opened her eyes she found that things didn't appear so strange and overwhelming. It was familiar in a sense even though she'd never been here before.

"I know what I want to do first. "Let's pay a visit to Susanna's little friend Megan. She must be terribly worried about me. I say we set her mind at ease shall we?"

Megan who had been frantic ever since Susanna pulled the disappearing act had been staying at the house hoping to hear from her. She was sitting on the couch drifting off since she hadn't been getting much sleep lately. There was a cup of coffee on the table before her. She had just put her legs up and closed her eyes when she heard the door open.

"Aaron is that you?"

"Sorry Meg it's just me."

"Sus you're back," she said as she jumped from the couch and pulled her into a hug. "What happened? Where did you go?"

"I just needed some time to myself to think about things."

"You should have called. We were all so worried about you."

"Sorry about that. So am I forgiven?"

Megan released her so she could look at Susanna and found the shock of her life, "You, you, you" she couldn't get out what she was going to say.

"What's the matter Megan cat got your tongue? I guess you could say I got a makeover it's a whole new me. We haven't been formally introduced the name's Elizabeth Bathory."

She grabbed Megan and sank her fangs into the girl's swan like neck. After she had her fill she tossed the body to the ground. She licked her lips and said, "Now that was a treat."

"Having fun dear one?"

"The fun is just beginning my dear."

Vlad bent down over the body and discovered that the girl was still breathing. Vlad looked up and said, "You didn't finish her off."

"Yes darling I want her alive. She's just part of the plan my dear. I want to have a party where the blood will flow like wine."

"I love how you think my dear."

So Elizabeth called up Susanna's friends for a little get together. "I just love modern technology." She eagerly awaited her guests.

Aaron was the first to arrive and Elizabeth just loved the look of horror when he saw her fangs and spots of blood on her blouse. "Oh dear me I really should have cleaned up."

Aaron wasn't able to say a word although his mouth opened and closed. She pulled him in and offered Vlad a bite.

This is so wonderful the parade of humans just showing up when I'm hungry."

About an hour later there were bodies all over the living room, on the floor, on the furniture all with that glazed look that signified death. The terror was steaming off the bodies which Elizabeth soaked in.

"Now that was a party. I'll just call 911 to get the police over here so they can find my handiwork along with the lone survivor."

Vlad and Elizabeth stepped outside to watch the show. It was a new world with so many nasty things just waiting to be discovered. The bodies were taken out in black body bags and last but not least Megan was rolled out on a stretcher. She was sedated because she was absolutely hysterical.

"The only survivor and she's completely lost it talking about a monster lady with fangs like a wolf. I doubt we'll ever find out the true story."

"Yup it's the loony bin for her."

Vlad turned to Elizabeth after the two men talking passed. He smiled and said, "You are a wicked, wicked girl."

She looked at him with a gleam in her eyes and said, "I know."

"So what happened to the real Susanna?" asked a young man sitting in the rec room in the psych ward of Shady Meadows Hospital.

"Oh she was locked up in that room with nothing to look at but four walls. She could only walk around the room or sleep to fill her very long days. Eventually she became convinced that she was indeed Elizabeth Bathory. She lasted for three very long years and was found by one of the guards who was bringing her dinner."

"Hey is that Megan the one that's here?"

"Yes it's the same girl."

"Wow that's some story."

"Yes my dear boy it is and I assure you it's true."

"Really?"

"Absolutely true" she said with a flash of her fangs and with a wink she disappeared.

"Billy here you are I've been looking all over for you."

Billy didn't say a word or move to look at the nurse walking up to him. "Billy are you OK?"

She put her hand on his shoulder and he fell out of his chair. She felt for a pulse and found none so she went to the phone on the wall and called for help. She noticed a message on the ground beside the chair that said, "She's back and out for blood." Billy wasn't revived and the strangest thing happened his body disappeared from the morgue.

By Barbara Desmond