On the being of a Nosferatu's Familiar, The Diary of one Valdrada Steinbach

Chapter 4

17th of May

I shall of my best memory make my best recount of the many events of today starting as soon as I had left off last.

I slept not last night, as might well be expected and so I matched the mad man in the next room and simply stared and thought about what might be to come, and so soon did time pass in this way before the sun dipped in the sky and I knew it was time.

My first action was to deliver the ladies their meal, which had been procured the night before and sat whimpering in another room, given in hopes to satiate them a few days and let the count to his work. It was simple enough, though the sneers were not as desired as one might have thought at my own countenance.

I then had met up with the count just outside our guest's quarters. "He moved not much, simply sat and at some points picked up his pen and wrote in that journal of his." I relayed to the Count, who had looked to me with expectation of the guests' condition in his eyes. I saw a nearly imperceivable nod of his head, before he had turned and moved to open the door to the room. I made ready to follow, yet held back when Dracula gestured to wait. My head bowed low thence retreated a step.

The cold eyes of the count seemed to glow brighter and more desirous then recently I had seen them, and he then swept into the room the door closing behind him. I crept forward and placed my ear at the keyhole in order to hear the conversation within.

The rustle of the counts cape was followed by an energetic greeting. " good day Mr. Renfield, I trust I find you in as good a condition as yesterday?"

"As well as one might be in such conditions." came the reply. It was the first I had heard of this man's voice and it was not entirely unpleasant. His voice had a gentle quality to it, smooth as like fresh pressed satin , though mostly it felt full of purpose as if to press the count. I heard a scraping and concluded the Count had drawn out a chair from that table in the middle of the library.

"Conditions?" came the counts reply, his voice colder with hard accusation.

"I only meant that I am so far from home ... that is to say I," a short pause, " I am in an unfamiliar place for so long ... and that " Came a very nervous reply from the man seemingly losing his confidence of earlier.

" I jest Mr. Renfield, but you are my guest, please tell me if anything is not to your liking." The Count cut the man off, but I could feel the calculating measures in the sentence meant to disarm. No doubt the count had adopted that cold smile of his, that made one feel as if welcomed and prey at once.

"Oh, no, how could I be want of more, you have been most generous."

"You say this, but look yourself worse for the ware, surely there must be something I can do for you?" the counts reply, evidently looking to see if he would admit to the nights activities or attempt to mislead.

" simply the result of some horrid dreams" the man said and it sounded much more as to convince himself then Dracula.

"Dreams?"

"Brought about by the newness of this place, and the abundant superstitions of the townsfolk as I passed through." I frowned at this, so there had been those who would warn him of the count, they would no doubt regret it in the coming weeks.

" they had talk of all sorts of impossible things, vampires that is Nosferatu, undead, wolf-men and all of it said to me before crossing themselves in protection of the evil eye."

"Did they?" came the counts inquisitive statement.

"Oh but surely they were mistaken, for these things not exist, and some even warned me of you Count Dracula, and I did admonish them for speaking such of my honored host" the nervousness in Mr. Renfields voice now causing his words to shake as he did try to keep himself together.

"Yes" came Dracula's slow reply, "They do say such things, I supposed the coldness of the castle might induce it. It might even be called" here a large pause "a prison." I knew myself that this was the count's provocation and that it would be accompanied by Dracula showing his sharpened teeth and running his tongue along them like one might looking at a meal. The tenseness of the room made it feel as if time might have stood still, indeed I might have thought so myself if not for the gradual click clacking of the grandfather clock within the room.

A nervous laugh seemed to escape the guests lips, "A prison ... no, surely not this castle." The stuttering had returned, and the words were breathless, almost whispered in fright. I turned and put my eye to the keyhole instead to see what I could.

The guest was pressed back into an armchair, doing his best to shrink away. The Armchair was across and to the left of the door angled towards the middle of the room, giving a full view of the man. The Count sat straight and tall on one of the wooden chairs facing away from my sight and so I saw only his back. I could see the guests' hands clench at the upholstery, and had it not been so well made would surely have torn open.

"I supposed I meant that the walls are stone and windows barred like those of a prison." Dracula's voice this time told me he had the man where he wanted, and that the trap had been well placed and just now sprung in a perfect manner so that the man would acquiesce to all of the counts requests. Mr. Renfield seemed to almost sigh in relaxation, his nerves being so played with as to his guess as whether the Count knew what he guessed or was still oblivious.

"Though," added Dracula, and here he paused with what I assume was that mirthy grin on his face " I would be inclined to say I have had you imprisoned here."

I watched as the color drained quite quickly from Mr. Renfields face and his nervous jittering went still, he turned almost to stone from shock and fear at the creature in front of him, exposing his nature.

"You have guessed at this point, Mr. Renfield as to the validity of those townsfolk's tales." Here the count rose slowly from his seat, his eyes never leaving the guest. "About these Nosferatu, the Creatures of the night" The Count's odd infliction here sounding almost as an accent made the words more fighting.

"You have guessed Mr. Renfield that we are not entirely alone here, and myself not entirely ..." the Count trailed off as the guest looked nearly ready to faint. It took the man some time to get his words to come out his mouth, and when they did it was in such a low voice that had I not been reading his lips I would not have known what he had said, if I detected he said anything at all.

"Not entirely human" at his guest's response the Count seemed to beam, though it was not what one would call light, rather of endless evil and darkness that seemed to seep out of his very skin.

"Very good" The Count sounded as if he were praising a child for knowing their alphabet, but it had the desired effect for the man quickly stood up and retreated to the furthest corner of the room, I thus lost sight of him, and so turned my ear again to get what I could hear.

"You will not leave this place but by my will alone, so I suggest you listen most carefully Mr. Renfield" I heard heavy slow steps and determined the count to be slowly approaching the man.

" I have made my mind to move to London, where I am not known, and where plenty of fresh, innocent blood will avail me, that is why I have purchased the Carfax abbey among others. But I am limited as my race is by the coming of dawn, and such need an assistant, someone who knows the city and will be at my every word, someone loyal and an eternal servant." At this he waved his hand and I took it as my cue to slowly creek the door open and enter the room.

Here I have paused for a moment, as this entry (the 17th of may) is quite long and itself covers several pages of the diary. You will find the same entry continued in the next chapter.