Eternal sent a howling Banshee of raucous ravens into the witch’s head. “You cannot hide your evil from me vile demon!”
The witch snatched up what she had dropped and with hands to her ears slowly backed away, shaking her head to clear it of the music.
Eternal let out an infernal cry, “Eternal!” She pounced on Nurse Marteau and used her sweet music to paralyze her prey. But before she sank her fangs into her exposed neck, a sizzling sensation interrupted her meal. She hissed in agony when a shaft of sunlight slashed across her face, momentarily blinding her. She backed away from the demon witch.
Eternal snarled with bloody fangs at the nurse slithering away like a festering slug. She was about to deal with the demon when it crawled into the hideous daylight and stayed there whimpering in terror. Frustration at the devious demon’s attempt to survive infuriated Eternal. She howled.
~~~~
Edouard sprang from his bed like a man possessed. Eternal’s scream echoed around in his head. Something was wrong. Still wearing his clothes from the earlier session with her he left his quarters in a rush and bumped into Henri. The look on Henri’s face told Edouard he was doomed.
Doctor Henri Vernier gave his subordinate a cautious look, “I forbid you to see her, Edouard, not in your present state.” Taking the lovesick doctor by the arm, Henri led him in the opposite direction to the day room.
With clenched fists Edouard impatiently watched Philippe sitting at a grand piano, playing Debussy’s Girl With the Flaxen Hair. With anxious eyes he glanced around at a number of patients. Some listening to the recital, some playing cards, others amused themselves with paints and easels while others danced to the music.
Henri smiled at the pianist. “You wouldn’t believe that Philippe murdered his mother in a drunken rage and tried to commit suicide? Now look at him playing so masterfully, at peace with himself.”
Edouard nodded in appreciation, nervously wiping his hands down his hospital garb. His need for Eternal gripped every part of his being. “You have done a fine job with these patients, Henri.” He tried to leave but Henri tightened his grasp on the young doctor’s arm. Eternal’s music grew louder with her urgency. The barking of a dog created a pause.
Edouard frowned at Nurse Honore entering the day room via the French doors propping up Jean Busson who was covered in blood. A sheepdog sat by the open doors, whining.
Every single patient stopped their antics and watched Busson being settled on a sofa.
Henri removed Busson’s blood-stained shirt and gasped. “Dear God!” He whirled to Nurse Honore. “Get bandages and antiseptic.”
Edouard grimaced at the awful slash across Busson’s chest and the oozing bullet hole in his chest. “Who did this?” He already suspected who.
Nurse Honore returned with bandages and a bottle of antiseptic. She handed them to Henri then left.
Busson looked close to death. He sucked in breath when the antiseptic stung his wounds. “Vamp ....” He gritted his teeth while Henri wrapped the bandage tightly around his chest.
Henri looked worried. “You have lost a great deal of blood, Busson.” He tied the bandage in place and settled Busson into an upright position. “Try not to move and you’ll be fine.” He caught the attention of an orderly. “Phone the hospital in Auxerre and then the police.”
Busson sounded desperate and through clenched teeth said, “Vampires attacked us at our farm.” He paused to alleviate the pain. “Their leader is Lucien Dupont. They ... they killed my beautiful Lisette.” He wiped tears from his face. “My sweet Annette ... they have taken her.” He wept.
Henri frowned at hearing Lucien’s name again. He seemed lost in thought for a moment. “Vampires! Be serious man.”
The orderly returned. “The telephone is out of order.”
Henri glared at the orderly. “What!” Henri looked worried.
Busson continued, “This is all my fault ... I should not have saved her.” He wiped tears from his face.
Henri’s brow furrowed with concern. He rubbed his chin in thought. “What are you getting at, man?
Busson moaned in pain. “Is she still here?”
Nurse Honore returned and handed Busson a glass of water and tablets. “Take these, Busson ... they will ease the pain.”
Henri looked aghast. “Are you referring to the woman you brought here yesterday?”
Busson swallowed the tablets and nodded yes. “Lucien is desperate to find her. It seems he will kill all who get in his way. I believe she was born in my barn on the 6th June, 1906 at six am.” He coughed up blood. “The number of the beast!”
Henri gasped. “That’s today! The sixth of June. It is her birthday.”
Edouard sucked in his breath. He knew now it was all true and flinched when she screamed for him in his mind, now backing away towards the door. Nothing else mattered now, only Eternal’s safety. He couldn’t concern himself with Henri or his career.
Terrible screams from the floor above echoed down the corridor and froze everyone in the day room.
Edouard was paralyzed for a brief moment, fearing the worst.
The day room plunged into bedlam with the mild-mannered patients howling with rage. Some pulled out their hair in bloody tufts, others attacked the orderlies and nurses.
Several patients screamed as one, “Eternal ... Eternal ... Eternal.”
Henri stared in disbelief at the miserable scene. “What the Devil is going on?”
Nurse Collette ran breathlessly into the day room, hurrying over to Henri. “Please, Doctor Vernier, you must come with me this instant to the amnesiac patient’s room.” She burst into tears. “It is terrible ... so much blood.”
Edouard’s heart thumped painfully but her music and obvious influence was plain to see. Another scream from Eternal spurred him into action. He ran as fast as he could to her.
~~~~
Edouard, Henri and Nurse Collette arrived outside Eternal’s room, all out of breath. Edouard pushed a blood-spattered Nurse Marteau out of the way and entered the room.
Henri followed, giving Nurse Marteau a curious glance. “What do you have in your hand, Nurse Marteau?”
Nurse Marteau looked away from his accusing glare. She kept her back away from him, concealing her hand.
Henri stared at the terrible scene. He put his head in his hands and wept.
Edouard fought back the urge to throw up while stepping over Bonbon’s smiling corpse. He knelt in front of Eternal and reached out to her. She gently placed her bloody hand in his. That wonderful shock of power surged through his body. The sweet music was a cacophony that whipped his heart into a stampede.
Edouard could hear Eternal in his mind. “I am Eternal, Edouard.” He shuddered with delight now that his destiny seemed inevitable. “The demon witch took the razor from the dead one ... use it on Lucien ... he’s near death and waiting for you in the village.”
Edouard looked at the corpse then into Eternal’s eyes. He turned to Nurse Collette, “Take her to the showers and clean her up.” He helped her to her feet and handed her over. He gave Nurse Marteau a hateful glare.
“Hand it over, Marteau!” Edouard demanded, barely controlling his anger.
Nurse Collette took Eternal’s hand. She shuddered then smiled and led her out of the room, leaving bloody footprints in their wake. Nurse Collette gave a suspicious look to Nurse Marteau, “What are you hiding, Marteau?”
Nurse Marteau turned full circle to prevent anyone from seeing what she held.
Nurse Collette shook her head with dismay while draping her hospital gown over Eternal’s naked, bloody body. She led her down the sun-filled corridor. Several times the nurse had to catch up to Eternal dodging spears of light like a child avoiding cracks in a pavement.
Henri wavered a moment before slumping against the blood-strewn wall, muttering, “Dear God, this is all we need. Poor Bonbon. Inspector Gerard will have a field-day with this. He’ll probably shut me down. I am ruined.” Henri cried with remorse.
<
br /> Edouard shook Henri into a semblance of composure. He glared at Nurse Marteau. “How did that orderly gain entry without supervision?”
The vile nurse opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She backed away from Edouard’s accusing glare, turned and fled down the corridor.
Edouard had to hold onto Henri who looked as though he might lose it any moment. “Snap out of it, Henri. This isn’t the time for self pity.” He put an arm around Henri and helped him out of the room and down the corridor to the stairs leading to his private quarters.
Edouard settled Henri down on his couch. He dashed to the desk and tried the telephone, tapping for the operator. He dropped the receiver with frustration and poured a large cognac.
“Come on Henri, this will do you good.”
Henri glanced up at his friend with a saddened look that said all was lost. “Everything is ruined.” He knocked back the cognac with one gulp. “Years of work for nothing.”
Edouard topped up his friend’s glass with more brandy and sadly watched him disintegrate before his eyes.
He rushed from the room and used the rear stairs to gain access to the shower rooms. He saw Nurse Collette with Eternal and ran to them. “Don’t let Eternal out of your sight and clean her up as best you can.”
Nurse Collette said, “Eternal?”
“I don’t have time to explain.” He turned to leave.
Nurse Marteau stormed into the showers. “What do we do about that one for killing Bonbon?” She glared with hatred at Eternal.
Edouard slapped her face. “Hand over the razor, Marteau ... the razor Bonbon would have used on her.”
Nurse Collette put a hand to her mouth and gasped.
Nurse Marteau looked guilt-stricken and turned from the doctor’s accusing glare.
The Lancelot in Edouard gripped the nurse. A fleeting image of Lancelot in his shining bright armor strangling the life from the hated sorceress, Morgana, seared his mind. Edouard’s hand tightened its grip.
“Doctor Clavet!” Nurse Collette called out in shock.
Edouard rammed Marteau against a wall still squeezing her throat. He rummaged through her gown and removed a bloody cutthroat razor. He released her throat and placed the blade there instead. “What were you going to use this for?” He slapped her face, causing a thin cut to her neck when she flinched against the blade. He closed the razor, slipped it into his jacket and threw Marteau into the corridor. “If I see you when I return I will let Eternal have her way with you.” He turned to Nurse Collette. “Keep that one away from Eternal.”
Nurse Marteau cringed away in fear.
He hurried from the shower room and dashed through the day room towards his car.
Chapter 50
Edouard hopped into his Renault and noticed his white smock smeared with blood. He removed it, knowing he would never need it again, tossed it from his car and sped off down the driveway towards his fate in Douvrey. A squirming nest of snakes writhed and coiled in his stomach with the thought of confronting Lucien. He had to continually swallow back bitter bile of fear. Tears of uncertainty blurred his vision with the certain knowledge he was going to his death.
He drove like a madman towards the village, a knight on horseback with lance in hand. Something caught his eye – sun reflecting from a wheel. He slowed down to see two bicycles in a deep ditch and stopped to investigate. Floating in the muddy water were two bodies, their throats torn out. He gasped. Under a hedge were two more bodies of a young woman and man, their necks punctured and bloody. They were dead.
Edouard sat behind the wheel and trembled, positive that the monster Lucien and his minions had struck again.
~~~~
Lucien sat in the shadows inside the dark café, straining against the pain of the blood fire eroding his strength. He could barely sense his companions’ agony now that his own took precedence.
With a trembling hand Claudette casually smoked her cigarette from the elegant holder, looking totally blasé. On a plate before her were the remains of a large steak, sucked dry and an empty bottle of Chateau Dupont. Her right leg was heavily bandaged and seeping with blood.
“I hate you Lucien. Look what you’ve done to me. It won’t stop bleeding.” Claudette showed her leg.
Jacques entered the café and closed the door. He sat next to his lord and master to catch his breath. He wiped blood from his face and nodded to Lucien, “No one will be talking to the flics ... and the car is out of sight from the square.”
“Did anyone see you?” Lucien grimaced.
Jacques stopped sucking a slab of beef and said, “I saw no one. All is quiet out there.” He cringed in pain and dismay at his two bloody stumps where fingers once resided. Blood dripped onto the tablecloth.
Lucien’s hands and face were equally as white as Claudette’s. He sucked on a raw slab of steak. He wiped blood from his mouth with a lace handkerchief and dropped it to the flagstone floor where small spots of blood collected.
“Until we drink from the source we shall never heal,” Lucien declared to his pathetic Sucklings.
Claudette choked. “That’s just so fucking perfect, Lucien.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t hang around here,” Jacques mused. “I think we’ve outstayed our welcome.”
Lucien hammered the table with a clenched fist. “Are you fucking insane? Well are you?” Lucien saw the subservient look from Jacques and was immediately pleased. “We’ll leave when we have had our fill of Eternal ... and not before ... you must be feeling the fire in your blood?”
Jacques shrugged, “What of it?”
Lucien sighed, “I am surrounded by forgetful children. Without her blood we will die. Get it?” Lucien drank his cognac. “Her blood is our life.” He brooded over the fact his senses were rapidly diminishing with his blood loss.
Lucien leaned back in his chair and crossed his feet on the table. The pain in his side had subsided to tolerable levels. He assumed this was the result of his blood spree mere hours before. With this moment he sensed they were safe. All threat of outside contact had been eliminated.
He lifted his bloody shirt and gasped in horror to see blood oozing from the pellet holes. Fuck!
The Count showed Lucien ancient methods of torture he would use to defile Eternal’s body in the most disgusting ways imaginable before swallowing her very last drop.
Lucien perked up to the sound of a car’s engine approaching. He smirked. Oh, how positively delicious.
~~~~
Edouard parked right next to the fountain. He rushed from the car and scanned the empty square with a frown. Where in hell could they be hiding? He washed his bloody hands in the fountain and splashed his face. A hand gripped his shoulder. Edouard jumped in shock, his heart thumping painfully. “Dear God, I thought I was done for, Father.”
Papineau looked all around then grabbed Edouard’s arm with some urgency. “Please come with me. A young woman needs your attention at the pharmacy.”
Edouard was at a loss. He needed to confront Lucien wherever he may be. “I have no time for that, Father.” He tried to leave but Father Papineau held his arm. With a sigh he was led across the square to the pharmacy.
Edouard shook hands with Doctor Colbert. The doctor showed Edouard to a delirious Annette, slumped on the couch, soaked in sweat and looking deathly pale. “What happened to her?”
Doctor Colbert coughed. “We cannot say for certain but we believe vampires attacked her, Doctor Clavet.”
Edouard inspected the wounds on the girl’s neck. He felt her pulse and listened to her heart. This was Lucien’s doing, of that he was sure.
“Well, Doctor Clavet?” Doctor Colbert asked.
Edouard looked troubled and said, “I cannot say as to her state of mind but her pallor would suggest a great loss of blood, presumably from those bite marks?”
Father Papineau looked to Doctor Colbert, becoming excited. “So you agree they are vampires.”
Edouard gave the Father a worried look. “I have absol
utely no doubt.”
Father Papineau shook his head with dismay. “What can we do?”
Edouard looked to Father Papineau with a growing sense of dread. “We must fight them.”
Papineau agreed with a nod. “I have sent two villagers to Auxerre to get help.”
Edouard grimaced. “They didn’t get very far. I found them with their throats torn out and also the bodies of a young woman and man.”
Father Papineau staggered backwards as if to faint. “Dear God, what have I done?” He looked distraught. “Poor Antoine and Maurice, I sent them to their deaths. You said there were two more bodies?”
Edouard fidgeted. He needed to do his duty to Eternal. “The other two had bite marks on their necks. They were so young.”
Papineau crossed himself. “Monique and Francois.” He kissed his cross and said a silent prayer. “We are being eliminated one by one.”
Doctor Colbert shook with terror. “God help me for asking this ... but will Annette change into a vampire?”
The Father took a small bottle of holy water and splashed some onto Annette’s forehead. She moaned but remained unconscious.
“I am certain she will not, Doctor Colbert,” Edouard replied. “The vampires would have to give their blood to convert their victims.”
“How do you know this?” Doctor Colbert pleaded.
“I cannot explain now ... but take my word as the truth.” Edouard’s urgent need was overwhelming him.
“Can they be killed?” Doctor Colbert asked.
“We have to find them first.” Edouard looked to both men quizzically.
Doctor Colbert shrugged, “They were last seen at the café with Monique and Annette.” His chin quivered with grief. “I tried to warn the girls but their leader was quite convincing with his lies.” He looked thoughtful. “It was as if he had read my mind ... he knew I am enamored with the film world and ....” He coughed with embarrassment. “.... And I have always loved Soo-Soo.”
Father Papineau grimaced. “I have witnessed the lies from Lucien first hand. He sleeps with the Devil.”
Edouard rushed to the door. He turned and said, “Do either of you have weapons?” He was dismayed to see both men shake heads no. What did he expect from a man of the cloth and a doctor sworn to do no harm. “Rally the villagers and gather as many weapons as possible ... anything will do.”
Voracious Vixens, 13 Novels of Sexy Horror and Hot Paranormal Romance Page 40
