The Elixir

by George Willson

  “I don’t want to be an inconvenience,” Mina said, but Lucy laughed it off.

  “Inconvenience? My dear friend, you’ve been here when you did not need to be. You helped me when you could have gone. I know I have kept you company in this time of loneliness, but you have done more than that for me, I assure you. Mina, you have a man out there that loves you more than I’ve seen anyone love another. And now, he needs you. If you want my permission, you have it. If you need for me to kick you out of my house for you to go, I’ll do it.”

  Mina laughed and hugged Lucy tightly. Lucy cheerfully returned the embrace.

  “Thank you so much,” Mina said. “I will let you know when I arrive, and when we are married.”

  “Attend to him first, and then let me know,” Lucy assured. “I’ll wire you right back to tell you not to worry about me. Besides, I’m sure I’ll have Arthur at my beck and call by then.”

  “I’m sure,” Mina said. “Pray for me on this journey.”

  “I will,” Lucy said.

  Mina remained the rest of the day gathering her things together, and what she did not take on her journey, Lucy sent back to Mina’s flat in London. Mina planned to move to Exeter to live with Jonathan on her return and send for her things then. Lucy accompanied Mina to the train station, and after many long embraces, and a few apologies, Mina said good-bye and boarded the train for the Dover-Calais ferry, after which, she would take the train to Hungary.

  Lucy returned to her room tired and lay down almost immediately. The last thing she noticed was that her mother had opened the doors to the yard at some point during the day, and Lucy failed to close them. Part of her remembered her promise to Mina just before she drifted off to sleep and forgot about everything.

  * * * * * * * * * *

  Karian had seen Mina and Lucy leave the house many times since he had been watching them. They had always returned together, so he was not worried when they had left later this evening as well. His concern came when Lucy returned alone. He ran to her open bedroom doors and looked in upon her as she lay asleep on her bed, still fully dressed except for her shoes. Mina, the one he wanted to watch, had gone.

  He looked upon the other one who remained. He had fed on her several times, but refrained from killing or changing her completely merely to keep her in touch with the regular human world. He wondered what he should do with her. He missed his children, and desired to have fellow Mutations at his side again, but the weather in this country was not suited for him or his kind. If he changed anyone, they would not have the intelligence to remain out of sight or out of the rain.

  Over the years, he had toyed with various methods of trying to get new Mutations to retain their sanity, and stretching out their transmutation was one way that had given him some level of success. He wasn’t completely sure of this, however, since even that had failed before. The most he had been able to work out over the years was that people had differences within their blood that caused each of them to react differently to the transmutation process, and he guessed whatever was different about him was less common than most people.

  He wanted to make sure that Lucy remained, and since the loss of blood kept her stationary, he would continue to feed on her until the time came when he would change her and take her on as one of his children. He walked calmly into her room and stood over her sleeping form. He saw the bite marks he had left on her neck and had always made sure to only puncture her there to minimize suspicion of his presence, especially after he had heard Mina’s belief that it was caused by a pin.

  He leaned over and bit into her neck.

  * * * * * * * * * *

  Seven days after Mina had left, Lucy received a letter from her saying that she had arrived safely in Budapest, and that she and Jonathan were married soon after. Jonathan continued to spend time sleeping, but after their marriage, she was grateful that she could remain with him, and to her, it seemed that her presence had a calming effect on him. However, she was curious and concerned over what had happened with him in Transylvania.

  The letter said that his hair had turned grey in the short time he had been gone, and some nights, he awakened in a fright, looking about the room for unseen intruders. Jonathan had spoken of a diary he had kept of his journey, and while he had originally intended to share its contents with Mina, after the horrors he had experienced, he urged Mina not to open it. She had done as he requested and sealed the diary so that none could look on it until a day should come that Jonathan wished to share it again. At this time, Jonathan had no memory of Transylvania beyond the feelings it had left with him. Mina indicated that it would be a few weeks yet before Jonathan would be permitted to travel, and that she would let Lucy know when the time came that he was released.

  Lucy put the letter away and looked at her neck in her mirror. The marks never seemed to fade at all, and on recent nights, she had awakened to them bleeding. She knew she had to put on a good face, though, since Arthur was due to arrive at any time. She picked up a scarf and wrapped it around her neck which hid the marks, and she was satisfied. A bell sounding through the house indicated that her fiancée had arrived.

  She walked to the living room and found Arthur greeting her mother. She smiled at him, and he walked to her and kissed her hand.

  “My darling,” he said, “it is both a pleasure and an honor to be once again in your presence.”

  “You simply must tell me everything you have been doing,” Lucy said, leading him to a couch. “I haven’t seen you in what seems like ages.”

  As Arthur sat down, he looked into her face and his expression changed to that of concern. “Are you feeling all right, my love?” he asked. “Forgive me, but you look so pale.”

  “She has been ill as of late,” Mrs. Westenra said. “I’ve kept her in bed most days.”

  “It is nothing,” Lucy said. “A malady that can be cured with your doting promises.”

  “I promise to do what I can for you, of course,” Arthur said, “but of this, I cannot be so sure. Have you seen a doctor?”

  “I have asked her the same,” Mrs. Westenra said. “I had hoped you might be able to do more to encourage her.”

  “My days are free and joyful,” Lucy said. “And your love is the only medicine I desire. Tell me when we are to be married so that I may keep you with me day and night.”

  “I want to ensure that you and your mother are cared for always,” Arthur said. “We had always spoken of a winter wedding before, but I feel we may be better served having the ceremony much sooner.”

  “Simply speak the day, and I will be yours.”

  “What do you say to September 29?” Arthur asked, and Lucy felt her heart leap with joy.

  “It is but a month,” Lucy said. “An eternity for my heart, but I know you have many arrangements to make.”

  “And make them I shall,” Arthur said. “But until then, you need to rest. Whatever is ailing you must pass, and if I do not see improvement, I will have a doctor here whether you like it or not.”

  The remainder of the evening passed in a whirl as Arthur told of his responsibilities, and the three of them spoke of impending nuptials. It felt like only moments had passed before Arthur bid them a good night, and left them alone once more. Lucy went to bed and for a time, she dreamed only of the life that she would have beginning in October as Arthur’s wife.

  Her dreams were only interrupted by a sound at her door. She awakened to find her doors standing open and a shadow creeping across her floor toward her. The night was so clear and bright under the moonlight and only the faintest breeze followed the shadow as it moved soundless through her room. As she watched, the shadow appeared to take on the form of a man, but no sooner had she realized this than the shadow pinned her to the bed and attacked the wound at her neck.

  Lucy woke up with a gasp. Light streamed in through her closed exterior door, and she wondered if what she thought she had just experienced was reality or just a dream. She swung her legs out of bed and tried to stand,
but no sooner had she made the attempt than she felt faint and collapsed back onto her bed.

  Perhaps I am simply tired, she thought. After all, she was excited, and entertaining Arthur may have been more exhausting that she thought. Arthur planned on returning that day to see her again and continue to tell of his plans along with considering her opinions on the matter. She dragged herself out of bed and walked to her mirror to look at her neck.

  The view of herself in the mirror was horrifying. Arthur had said she looked pale last night, and today, she looked worse than ever. She looked at the wound at her neck, and it had not improved. Its edges were white and ragged, and blood was dried around its borders. She took some water and cleaned it the best she could and thought a doctor might be a good idea at this point. She decided she would ask Arthur about it later. Until then, she needed to get herself together, so she was at her best, or as good as she could be under the circumstances, for Arthur’s arrival.

  Obviously, her appearance concerned Arthur greatly, and he encouraged her to eat heartily to try and get her strength and pallor back. She was initially resistant to this because she wanted to look her best for her wedding night, but as she was no longer courting, and her own fiancée was telling her to eat, she relented and ate more than she had in some time. Arthur told her that should this not improve her health, then he would certainly have a doctor over.

  Over the next couple of days, the nights were quiet, and no further nightmares disturbed her to the point that color came back into her cheeks, and her usual youthful energy returned. Arthur even remarked that she was finally starting to look like the girl he had proposed to again which made her happy. After another hearty dinner, Arthur kissed her good night, and she bounded to bed.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw movement outside her door, but when she looked directly, there was only the open yard under the moonlight and nothing more. It was only a trick of her imagination, and she had much more to think about. She changed for bed, and lay with her eyes closed as her mind thought only of Arthur, her future, and the children she would have soon enough. She smiled as her heart warmed at the hopeful dream, and she drifted off to sleep.

  * * * * * * * * * *

  The time had come. Karian knew what it meant when a young woman spent so much time with a man, and he could not afford to lose this one. Lucy had seen him walk across her room a few nights back, and she made no move to run from him. He decided that she would remain with him, but he would make the change as gradual as possible.

  He unlocked her door from the outside as he had done before and saw her stretched out on her bed. Sleeping as she was, she was angelic, and he knew that her beauty had served to draw him in, such as a father might look upon his daughter and appreciate her for the beauty she is. It would not take much, and she would be like him. He would leave her here for her own people to care for her as the change happened before he would take her in his arms and protect her as the first of his new children.

  He bit into her neck one more time, and he heard her gasp. This time, he bit into his thumb drawing his own blood, and placing it over her wound, his blood mingled with hers. It never took much. Just a few drops, and the change would begin. He would stay close to draw out her change, but in time, she would drop into the sleep after which she would awaken like him.

  Like so many other things in his life, it would only take a little patience. And if Karian had anything, it was patience.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  It had been a week since Renfield had made his escape attempt only to go to the Carfax Abbey next door and pound on the door to its chapel. Seward had tried to speak with the new owners on a couple of occasions since then, but they were either not home or not answering the door. He finally decided to leave it alone, since nothing had been said about Renfield’s actions. Renfield had been quietly interred in a solitary room in the Asylum’s basement and had not said a word since then. In another week, if the man maintained his behavior, Seward planned on moving him back to his original room.

  His attention on this day was drawn to a telegram sent to him by his friend, Arthur Holmwood, regarding their mutual love interest, Lucy. He detailed how she had been at various times pale and weak followed by days of strength and recovery as if she were suffering from some sort of malady from which she could not recover. Lately, her health had really taken a toll for the worse, and he requested Seward’s services as a doctor and his friend for his discretion to come and see Lucy to determine what was happening with her.

  He had asked Seward to come the day after the telegram, but Seward had already made plans with his father, and as such, he would be unable to make the journey all the way to Whitby, but he wired Arthur back to say that he would come on September 2nd, which would only be one more day. Whatever was ailing her concerned him greatly, especially if it had been going on for some time, but without examining her, he could not be certain of anything.

  On the morning of the 2nd, Seward caught an early train and met with Arthur outside the Westenra home in Whitby to talk before going inside to meet with Lucy.

  “She tells me this started a few weeks ago after she had been sleepwalking,” Arthur explained. “We never know what to expect from day to day.”

  “It is possible she was infected while traveling that evening barefoot,” Seward suggested. “Did she say whether it was raining that evening?”

  “I believe so, yes,” Arthur said.

  “Then it seems likely, though for an illness to reprise itself so aggressively is unusual.”

  “That’s why I finally called you, John,” Arthur said. “I was worried a few days ago, but like I said, she looked like she was getting better. Then, without warning, she just took a downturn.”

  “I would be happy to see what I can determine,” Seward said. “Shall we go in?”

  Arthur rang the bell, and Mrs. Westenra admitted them to the house. She guided them to Lucy’s bedroom, where she lay on her bed, resting. Seward sat next to her and placed his bag on the floor.

  “Lucy?” Seward said gently. “Lucy, can you hear me?” Lucy turned her head and looked into Seward’s face. She smiled.

  “John, how are you?” she said weakly.

  “I’m well,” he said. “But tell me about you. What’s going on here?”

  “I’m just a little tired is all,” she said. Seward took her hand and noted that it was like ice. He touched her forehead and her temperature was definitely down. Normally, with an illness, the patient would have a fever, but Lucy seemed to be going the other way.

  “Have you eaten anything today?” Seward asked. Lucy sighed and rolled her head to one side. Seward looked at Arthur and Mrs. Westenra.

  “She’s hardly been out of bed,” Mrs. Westenra said. “I’m so worried.” A pained expression crossed her face as she held her chest and leaned against the doorframe. Seward jumped to his feet and supported her.

  “Look at me, Mrs. Westenra,” Seward said and looked into her face. She was not in much better shape than her daughter, but Mrs. Westenra’s heart problems were known to Seward. “Arthur, please take her into the living room and have her sit down.”

  “Of course,” Arthur said. “Do you need anything from me for now?”

  “Not at the moment,” Seward said. “Thank you.”

  Arthur nodded and supported Mrs. Westenra as they left the room. Seward turned his attention back to Lucy.

  He checked everything he could think of to attempt to determine a cause for her condition. Her heart was strong, and other than its pale appearance, she had no deformations or lesions on her skin. He listened carefully to her breathing and could find no evidence of any kind of pneumonia or any other mucus build-up. The only abnormality he could find anywhere on her was the puncture wounds on her neck that Arthur had indicated were caused by Lucy’s friend, Mina, pinning a shawl around her neck the night that this started.

  He examined the marks and while they did not appear to be infected, they should have healed
, or at least improved, since the original injury. He took a magnifying glass from his bag and looked closely at the marks. He was certain that the reason they were not healing was because she or something was preventing them from doing so.

  He did not realize how close he was to her until he noticed she turned her head and found himself face to face with her as she smiled at him.

  “You know,” she said, “I didn’t choose Arthur because I didn’t love you too.”

  “Lucy, you don’t have to justify anything to me,” he assured her.

  “Sometimes, you just know something about someone,” she said weakly. “You’re both wonderful men, and I promise I’ll always be jealous of any woman who takes your heart. Arthur was just the right one for me. That’s all.”

  “I understand,” he said.

  “But I do love you as well,” she said. “You’re both very special to me.”

  Before he knew what was happening, Lucy summoned her strength and kissed him. He forgot himself for only a moment before he came to his senses and pulled away.

  “Lucy, I am here as your doctor,” Seward said.

  “I know,” she said. “I was just thanking you.”

  “Well,” Seward said shakily, “you’re welcome.” He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. “Listen to me, Lucy. I need for you to try and get up and about. Eat something. Do something you enjoy. Try and get out of bed, if you can. Can you do that for me?”

  Lucy nodded with a smile. He promised to return the following day to check on her, but wondered if he would be able to do so with her kiss so freshly on his mind. Based on her apparent condition, he thought she might simply be delirious, and as such, he thought it better not to mention this to Arthur, though part of him thought he should. Leaving Lucy’s room, he met briefly with Mrs. Westenra for a brief reassurance of his attention to her daughter as a doctor, and then, Seward and Arthur left the Westenra residence.