by Amy Cross
"Which graves?" Alderman Petrov snapped back at him, pulling himself free. Before he could get an answer, however, he realized exactly which graves must be the cause of the commotion. A feeling of dread began to spread through his body as he thought of Edgar Le Compte's hands reaching up through the soil. "What exactly has happened?" he asked, beginning to fear that the vampire must have found a way to rise from the darkness.
"There are two empty graves," the innkeeper gabbled, "and strange noises. Laughter. I swear to the Lord, there's something devilish happening in town tonight! I thought you said you knew how to stop them!"
"I do!" Alderman Petrov replied.
"Then why is he back?" the innkeeper shouted. "Why is he out of his grave? And why has he pulled up the body of his sister?"
"It's impossible," Alderman Petrov stammered. "I consulted widely. I read texts. We removed his head. There's simply no way he could possibly have risen!"
"And yet he has risen," the innkeeper replied. "I assure you, he has climbed out of that grave, and even now he's probably determined to gain his revenge. None of us can be safe tonight, not with an angry vampire roaming the land."
"I removed his head!" Alderman Petrov shouted, becoming increasingly angry.
"Father?" asked a nearby voice.
Looking back into the house, Alderman Petrov saw that his daughter had come to the bottom of the stairs.
"Go back to bed," he said firmly.
"But you -"
"Go back to bed!" he shouted, causing his daughter to immediately turn and run back up the stairs.
"You'll have to come and see for yourself," the innkeeper continued. "There's no-one in this whole town who'd do something like this for a joke. Everyone's too scared."
"Nonsense," Alderman Petrov replied. "Someone is merely playing a disgusting, deceitful and ungodly practical joke. When we find out who is responsible, they must be driven from this town and prevented from ever returning. This is..." His voice trailed off as he thought of the possibilities. While there was certainly a chance that some local fool was using recent events in order to strike fear into the hearts of the residents, Alderman Petrov was also very much aware that Edgar Le Compte might be capable of raising himself from the dead. Although he'd hoped that decapitation would be enough to prevent Le Compte from returning, he was now starting to realize that he had perhaps underestimated the vampire. Was it possible? Deep in his grave, had Le Compte reached down, taken his head from between his legs, and placed it back on his shoulders?
After pulling his door shut, Alderman Petrov agreed to accompany the innkeeper to the site just outside town where the bodies had been buried earlier in the day. The streets were mostly empty, although once or twice an anguished face peered out from behind a pair of curtains, and it quickly became clear that news of the incident was beginning to spread. The town, which had thought itself finally free of this nightmare, was suddenly finding itself dragged back into the darkness. Everyone was looking to the alderman to find a solution.
"You should have buried the head far from the body," the innkeeper muttered as they made their way through the streets.
"A body must be buried whole!" Alderman Petrov replied firmly. "It is ungodly to take a man and bury him in two graves."
"Still," the innkeeper continued, "there are surely times when God would understand our need to be more certain. This creature, whatever he is, stands for everything evil and vile in the world. Surely we could have begged for God's understanding if we'd simply placed the head far away."
"We will not be swayed from God's work," the alderman said. "That is most certainly not the way to deal with the threat of this vampire. Instead, we must show our faith, and we must trust in God to watch over us. He won't let us suffer. He'll see that we're good people, and he'll -"
"There!" the innkeeper shouted as they reached the clearing at the edge of the forest. "Two graves, dug up and their contents removed! Do you see? The bodies have been stolen. Tell me, who would do that? Who would willingly bring Le Compte and his wretched sister back into the world?"
Stepping forward, Alderman Petrov saw that it was true. Both graves had been emptied, but the soil had not been cleanly dug up; rather, it was as if some force had torn itself from the ground. Although he desperately tried to think of an alternative explanation, Alderman Petrov was forced to acknowledge that the body of Edgar Le Compte must have forced its way out from its resting place.
"We must gather as many men as possible," the alderman said darkly. "We must prepare a force, and we must set out after this vile creature. I'm quite certain that he won't go far, not if he wants to gain his revenge on this town. We must ensure that he learns the full extent of our determination to end his evil. We'll form a perimeter, and we'll find his trail and then we'll track him. He's probably hiding while his wounds heal. We'll follow him night and day until we catch him, and then we'll finish him off. He might have escaped from one grave, but I'll make damn sure he can't escape from another."
"Could we not just let him go?" the innkeeper asked. "If he means to leave these parts, and if he has taken his vile sister's body with him, should we not just be thankful to the Lord for removing this unwelcome influence? By going after him, would we not risk luring him back?"
"This is a test," Alderman Petrov replied, trying to ensure that his voice betrayed none of the doubt in his heart. "The Lord knows that we were negligent in allowing those beasts to remain in our community for so long, and now we're being forced to show that we truly understand the need to face Satan and destroy his demons. If we retreat from this challenge, we will surely be cast into the fires of Hell! Do you not understand that God is testing us? If we are not to rise up and confront the evil, how else would you have us respond?"
"What exactly did you do to my brother?" asked a nearby voice suddenly.
Turning, Alderman Petrov saw to his horror that a familiar female figure was sitting on a nearby wall, bathed in pale blue moonlight as she held Edgar Le Compte's head in her hands. Her clothes were torn open, revealing her plentiful cleavage, and there was a large, bloody stain on her chest where the stake had earlier been driven into her body; in all other respects, however, she seemed to be perfectly fit and healthy. In fact, she had a conspicuous smile on her face, as if she was amused by the whole scene.
"I've never seen him look so peaky," Madeleine Le Compte continued, holding the head up for closer inspection. There was a curious smile on her face, as if she was fully aware of the shock that her appearance was engendering. "Honestly, he's not himself when he doesn't have his body. Still, he's rather quiet at the moment, which I definitely like. I do hate it when poor Edgar starts blathering on and on all the time. I'm sure he'll have a lot to say when he eventually gets things connected again, but for now he's having a nap. Isn't that useful? Peace and quiet!"
"Stand your ground!" the alderman called out as the innkeeper turned and ran, but it was too late and he had already been left alone with the vile beast.
"I've got to admit," Madeleine said, jumping down from the wall, "you might have done me a favor." Still holding Edgar's head, she walked slowly toward the alderman. "Our game had been getting rather stale, and I felt that Edgar and I were starting to repeat ourselves. This little stunt, though, has really given me some new ideas. I mean, there's no way I'd want to actually stop the game. God, no, life would be so boring. But I'm thinking that maybe it'd be useful if Edgar was kept occupied for a while." Smiling, she exposed two sharp fangs. "You can see my point, can't you?"
"Get back!" Alderman Petrov shouted, raising his hands and making the sign of the cross. "By the word of the Lord God Himself, and by the strength of my faith and my duty to my creator, I warn you that you cannot step on hallowed ground!"
"Can't I?" Madeleine replied, taking another step forward. "Funny, I'm not feeling any ill effects. So far, everything seems normal. Is this hallowed ground right now? It's always so hard to keep track. You humans have a tendency to use the most ridiculous na
mes for everything. Tell me, how are the rest of us supposed to keep track?" She paused for a moment. "That was a serious question, by the way. Humans make the world so confusing, always drawing lines in the land and saying that things are different on each side of the line, and..." She paused for a moment. "I'm talking too much, aren't I?" she added eventually. "Here, catch!" With no further warning, she tossed Edgar's head at Alderman Petrov, who instinctively tried to catch it before fumbling and letting it fall to the ground.
The head landed by his feet and rolled a few meters.
"Don't worry," Madeleine continued. "He'll be fine. I'm sure he won't remember any of this when he wakes up. Speaking of which, I should probably get on with reviving him. After all, we have plenty to be doing and it's a little mean of me to leave him suffering like this. Then again..." She smiled. "You know what's funny? When my brother wakes up angry... I swear to God, he gets all filled with rage and he starts acting so violently! He's always been the hot-headed member of the family, though. As far back as I can remember, Edgar's been a problem child. We quite enjoyed your little charade earlier, down by the river, but I think it's time to take a stand. Believe me, if you think I'm difficult to handle, wait until you see what Edgar can be like. I've known men to drop dead at the mere thought of his fury."
Staring at the dismembered head, Alderman Petrov tried to work out what to do. He was rooted to the spot, possessed by a terrible, paralyzing fear that made him feel as if there was no point even trying to run. All he could think about was the fact that he was facing one of the least holy creatures that had ever existed. In his eyes, Madeleine dripped with pure, unadulterated and unfiltered evil. Although he'd long suspected that Edgar Le Compte was a vampire, the alderman had been quite certain that Madeleine was a normal human, albeit one who had been led astray. To find Madeleine out of her grave like this, smiling despite the horrific wound to her chest, was quite possibly the most shocking moment of the alderman's life. He wanted to turn and run, but he felt that God - and the people of the town - demanded that he make a stand.
"I guess I should probably still be mad at you," Madeleine continued, fixing him with an unforgiving gaze. "After all, that little stunt with the stake wasn't exactly painless, you know. Have you got any idea how much it hurt to have a wooden spike rammed through my chest? You're a good aim. You got my heart. I felt that spike ripping through my meat, and I've still got a few splinters, even in the parts that have pretty much already healed. Perhaps I should do the same to you some time? Would you like that? Would you like to know how it feels to be staked? I could even arrange to have a baying mob watching, so you can get the full experience."
"Dear Lord," Alderman Petrov muttered, determined to stand his ground, "your humble servant begs you to deliver us from this evil. We are good people, even though we struggle with our duties, and we ask you to recognize our continued efforts to demonstrate our faith. We seek constantly to root out the evil in our midst, but dark forces are conspiring against us."
After watching for a moment, Madeleine let out a laugh.
"Silence!" Alderman Petrov shouted.
"Watch out," Madeleine replied, unable to stop grinning, "at your age, you're liable to bust a gut." Suddenly, with no warning at all, her smile vanished completely and was replaced by a deathly stare. "So," Madeleine continued, her tone of voice suddenly seeming noticeably darker and more serious, "here's an important question. Do you want to make a deal? 'Cause if you do, I've got something to offer."
"I will take nothing from a minion of Satan!" the alderman roared.
"Pity," Madeleine said quietly. "It seems to me that we each want something, and we could help one another. Besides, I feel a little guilty for the way Edgar and I drew you into another of our little games. Sometimes, I think we can be quite immature when we're together. I suppose that's another reason why the pair of us should spend some time apart. Incidentally, that's where you come into the equation."
"Dear Lord," Alderman Petrov said quietly, looking to the dark sky, "I beseech thee to deliver me from the vile temptations of this serpent, and to help me gather the strength I need if I am to remain true to the faith of my one true master. Banish this foul demon, this villainous temptress. Burn her in flames wrought of her own poison." Squeezing his eyes shut, he waited for a sign from God that his prayers had been answered.
Just one sign would be enough.
Anything.
Just one little word.
"Cute," Madeleine whispered into his ear.
"Get away from me!" Alderman Petrov shouted, stepping back. Having not heard Madeleine approach while he was praying, he managed to trip over a rock and land hard against the ground.
"I've seen men like you before," Madeleine continued with a weary tone, standing over him. "I know what you really want. You want power. You want all the people of this town to look up to you and regard you as their savior. That's why you were so keen to kill Edgar and me earlier, and it's why you had to have that big crowd standing around. You want the crowd to roar for you, but there's a problem. I seem to be alive again, which means that your grandstanding from earlier suddenly looks rather foolish. How do you think the locals would feel if I walked right back into town? How would your precious daughter feel if she learned that her father's brave words had come to nothing? You told her she was safe. She believed you, because she loves and trusts her father. Do you want me to go and break her heart?"
"The Lord will guide me," Alderman Petrov spluttered. "The Lord will recognize my faith and show me the way -"
"What if there was a better way?" Madeleine replied with a smile. "A more complicated way. I have a dilemma for you. What if you could make the greatest sacrifice any Christian man could possibly make? What if there was a way to prove to God that you're his most dedicated servant?" She paused for a moment. "You're interested now, aren't you? Let me explain. You want to rid this town of vampires. Not gonna happen, at least not without my help. You can stuff bricks in our mouths and lop our heads off and all that crazy stuff, but you're just wasting your time. Here's the thing, though. I'm willing to walk away voluntarily and never, ever come back. You can tell the locals anything you like. Tell them you killed me. Tell them I was driven away by the naked power of your faith. Whatever, I don't care. Just tell them something that makes you sound like a big, tough man. Tell them something that makes them feel safe. I swear, I'll never come within a hundred miles of this place again."
"And what do you want in return?" Alderman Petrov asked, filled with terror.
"Bury my brother," she said. "Do it ceremonially. I'll tell you how. I'll teach you the real trick to taking a vampire down and making sure he stays buried. There's only one way. Once I've done that, you'll know how to deal with any more of my kind who come to your village. Real knowledge. Real power. Isn't that tempting?"
"You want me to kill your brother?" Alderman Petrov replied, horrified that Madeleine could be so cold-hearted.
"Not kill him," she replied with a smile. "You can't possibly do that, and even if you could, it's not what I want. But you can incapacitate him. He and I have been playing a game, you see, but I'm tired. I could use a century or two off, to really kick back. Unfortunately, the ritual doesn't work when one vampire performs it on another. I need help. So I'll show you how to bury him properly, and that way you'll know he's safely stored underground. You won't hear a squeak from him. Of course, one day, maybe hundreds of years in the future, some idiot's gonna come along and dig him up. You'll be long gone by then, so I'll be the one who has to deal with his bad mood. Still, I'm pretty sure this is a good plan. I get to be free of my brother for a while, and you get to be known as the man who spared this town from the curse of two vampires."
The alderman stared at her. The deal made sense, in a twisted kind of way, even if he hated the idea of entering into an arrangement with such a creature.
"Think about it," she continued. "Think of their praise. Think of how they'll venerate and praise you."
&
nbsp; "And what if I refuse?" he asked eventually.
"I'll shred you," she replied with a sneer. "And then I'll go into town and I'll shred your family, and I'll kill all the children, and everyone'll know that you failed." She paused for a moment. "I know you probably don't want to work with me, but try to look at it from a different perspective. You'll be making a sacrifice, in order to save the lives of all the children in the village. And I'll be getting some much-needed respite from my brother's constant whining. So, do we have a deal, or not?"
"You are a creature of Satan," Alderman Petrov spat at her. "You are a servant of pure evil."
"Totally, but do we have a deal?"
"As God is my witness," he continued, "I would smite you down."
"You've tried smiting me. You're not very good at it. At least if we go with my plan, I won't have to go and kill all those precious little children. You know there's no other way to stop me. It's not a bad bargain, all things considered."
"May the Lord have mercy on our souls," Alderman Petrov said, closing his eyes and hoping against hope that God might tell him what to do.
"Come on, make up your own mind," Madeleine continued. "It's a good deal. The children get to live, you get to be a hero, and I get to be free from my brother for a while. The only reason not to do this is if you're unable to sacrifice your holiness. Can you allow yourself to sin, in order that everyone else might live happily? Can you enter into a sinful pact with me, and sacrifice your soul, in order to save so many others from pain and misery? Can you make the ultimate sacrifice of a good and god-fearing man, or will you refuse to surrender your good soul and, instead, let this whole town burn?" She paused for a moment, and then she leaned much closer to his face. "Do we have a deal," she asked slowly, "or not?"
Four
"It is just as I thought," Alderman Petrov said as he peered closely at Edgar Le Compte's dead body, which rested in a makeshift coffin. "The creature shows signs of regrowth. He is both stronger and more evil than even I could have contemplated, but fortunately there are further measures we can take in order to prevent his return."
