Love & Death

Chapter 6

"Do you remember this book?" Mistress asked as she handed it to Alucard.

He opened it and ran his fingers over the slightly textured pages. His eyes danced from one colorful illustration to the next; and, stories of animals, people, and other fantasy creatures sprung to life once more. Memories of his mother animatedly reading these tales as his father begrudgingly enacted them caused his eyes to twinkle with amusement. One such memory of his parents waltzing foolishly along to a story of a drunken king and his wife pulled Alucard's lips into a fond smile.

"Yes, it'd be difficult to forget since this was the only thing that compelled my father to act like an utter fool."

Having committed many of these stories to memory, he breezed through the pages in search of his favorite, intending to share it with Mistress.

"Look here," he instructed, leaning in slightly to her, extending the book out. When he felt vibrations through the cushions of the sofa, he looked at her in concern, thinking that she was crying. No, instead, she shook struggling to suppress her snickering. His eyebrows shot up as her eyes closed, and she erupted into melodic laughter that concluded with a pig-like snort. After, she cleared her throat and placed a hand on her chest.

"Pardon me" — she spurts a quick giggle — "I didn't mean to interrupt you."

Despite his initial surprise, he smiled. "No, that's quite alright."

With a voice full of mirth, she explained, "I couldn't help myself, it seemed like such a sight to behold — the great and powerful Dracula, prancing around your room like a dunce."

Alucard laughed himself, and it was a deep, vibrant laugh that rumbled in his chest and shook his shoulders. Hearing him caused Mistress to grip her knees as her stomach curled into knots.

Is this the elation you felt when you realized Lisa was pregnant, Dracula? It killed you to be unable to conceive with Elisabetha, but with Lisa...

Her lashes lowered as she watched Alucard. I wonder if you felt closure when Adrian was born; did you believe that you were making Elisabetha's dream come true? Is this what you tried to describe as bringing you back to life: the fulfillment of longing?

For the few seconds that Alucard laughed, Mistress was delighted since it seemed as if he were truly happy. She recalled the times when she brought a smile to the faces of Lisa and Dracula. A vivid, almost physical, illusion of them materialized beside Alucard. They appeared to be laughing together, and it filled her with joy; but then, the illusion glitched.

The trio still laughed, however, the acrid smell of burning wood invaded Mistress's nostrils like a perfume. Lisa's breathy laughter cross-faded into pained whimpers as she rubbed and scratched at her arms. Small flames arose from her arms and licked their way up and down her body. As these flames grew in size and intensity, so did the pungent smell of burning hair and flesh, strong enough to taste. Lisa pierced the air with her shrieks and pleading cries as she spasmed and clawed at her melting skin. Her skin fell from her body in pieces until eventually, it all sloughed away like flakes. Only her quickly disintegrating skeleton remained as Alucard and the illusion of Dracula continued chuckling.

Mistress squeezed her eyes shut and covered her mouth, feeling nauseous at the sight. She turned away and compulsively swallowed, attempting to keep her bile down.

Why? She thought desperately. Why must I keep seeing this! I don't understand... Is this torture?

Shutting her eyes did nothing to stop her from flinching at the sudden sound of splintering wood and the squelching of Dracula's heart being pierced. He panted as if out of breath, and his agonized groans made her jaw clench. She shuddered when he gurgled and choked as his throat and mouth overflowed with blood. Once his form decayed and collapsed like a pillar of sand, the only sound that remained was that of Alucard, whom she imagined sobbing into his trembling hands.