Fan Fiction ❯ The vampire's Tale ❯ Part IV ( Chapter 4 )

Part IV

"You can't have her!" Nicholas shouted, and twisted Gabriella's arm around, snapping the weak bone.

Gabriella let out a shriek, or at least I did. I heard myself scream too, and it distracted Nicholas enough for Gabriella to shout my name in pain.

I hopped from the coffin and ran to her, embracing her, just slightly pushing Nicholas out of the way. She stroked my hair with her other hand and held me tightly, he eyes never leaving Nicholas'.

Nicholas looked ashamed, but I reassured him that Gabriella saved me when he was at the mercy of Vitorrio at my house. Gabriella shuddered when I said his name. I studied her face for a little while, how beautiful she had become. She was about the age of 27 or so, a beautiful woman with long, curly blond hair and bright blue eyes, wearing a ragged dress and her hair tangled. He arm took longer than expected to heal, Nicholas rode out into Paris to find her a mortal to feed upon for apologizing, and Gabriella understood clearly. It was like a dream come true. Nicholas, Gabriela and I; all together for all eternity! What more could I ask for? Gabriella replied coldly with "No, it's not that joyful." She had just feed on a teenage alcoholic minutes ago, and was now glowing with a tan-colored texture to her skin. This made her even more beautiful, but something did worry her. She began to tell us what had happened as we all sat down in the living quarters. "Just after I helped Madeline be free from her other sisters and Vitorrio that followed, I was going to take her out of France, and into Italy where we could be together again." She paused; she looked down to the ground ashamed at her own selfishness. "But then I realized that she would never leave without her beloved Nicholas. I told her to go on ahead and save you while I hold off the group. Persian and Alexial were the first to attack. I felt sorry that I had to take them out, but I felt immense rage all of a sudden, and I couldn't help myself. I used my own claws to rip Alexial's head right off her shoulders. Persian was terrified at what I had done and lashed out at me. She got a clear blow to my chest, which knocked the breath out of me, but I had countered he hit with an elbow to her neck, shattering the bone; and I sent crushed her skull with my foot. The younger one, Trista, went down the same way. Alicia simply watched as I brutally murdered my undead sister. She laughed! She enjoyed it. I was so furious with her that I struck blindly. I was in complete rage. I shred the skin right off her face. She fought viciously to stop me. But by the time I was done with her, there were only piles of flesh and bone." I turned my head away, revolted and saddened by the deaths of my sisters. Nicholas saw my discomfort, and moved closer to me, putting his long, warm arm around me, and gazed back to Gabriella, who continued with her story.

"But before I could rush back to you, Vitorrio had grabbed me by the neck and swung me into one of the tree branches. The sharp branches pierced my skull, my chest, and my stomach. I was dead for sure, I though. I woke only minutes from sunrise, I somehow managed the strength to dig myself a grave under the tree, and the branches I broke off were pulling my insides out. I was so helpless and weak; I couldn't even attend to your cries the next night when you and Madeline were being tortured by Vitorrio and the actors of that vampire theatre. It took me a while to finally rouse myself and find a few mortal victims to help regain my strength. That was when I sensed that Madeline had somehow managed to destroy the whole coven of the vampires!" This astonished Nicholas, he turned to me and simply starred wide-eyed. I just showed a mischievous smirk and looked back to Gabriella.

"After I traced the location of your tower, I was going to pay Madeline a visit, but her grief was too much for he to bare. I was determined to make her happy. That was when I went back to the burnt down prison that Madeline abandoned, and I saw that your body was gone. But so was the body of Vitorrio. And that is why I'm here now. Vitorrio is still out there." Gabriella paused; she studied our shock stricken expressions, then sighed and bowed her head as if she were ashamed again.

I was the first to move. I stood up and walked to the window. It was so high; I had to climb two stones that fell from the wall just to get my head over the windowsill. I looked out at the stars silently. I knew Gabriella and Nicholas was staring at me, I could feel their gazes on my small figure. I honestly didn't mind, after all, I was with my beloved Nicholas, and my dearest Gabriella. Vitorrio was just another floating thought in my head, amongst many others that have eluded me for the past 8 years. "I don't know what to do. Please, help me." I must have sounded so innocent, because Gabriella approached me and kissed my cheek.

"Of course." She said softly, her arm still around me.

Then Nicholas approached me and he too put his arm around me. We were an unstoppable group, bound together by love. How could Vitorrio possibly survive us now? I sensed him; he was near. He was feeding on mortals in the city, and he was making more vampires afterward. Nicholas and Gabriella both understood me without me ever having to say a word. They both looked to each other and nodded. "Vitorrio will have to be destroyed. He will never let us go if he isn't." Nicholas said, turning away from Gabriella and I, and walking silently out of the two large, wooden doors and out into the courtyard.

I could see him sit at the bench, he caressed the flowers' petals lightly, and smelled the Daffodils, the roses, and the lilacs. Each was a perfume of sweet sensations. How sweet he looked then; an angel from hell with one demonic wing, and one feathered angelic wing. He was a creature of darkness all right.

Then Gabriella was next to leave my side, she exited the two doors as well and went out to the forest to the side of the tower. I could see her sit under a large Oak tree and rest her back against the hard bark. The branches provided her a sense of comfort, just like when she was a mortal.

Then I stepped away from the window. I proceeded up the stairs and grabbed myself a new dress. This one was not as near as beautiful as my others, it was the same one I had worn when I was a mortal 8 years ago. It was a little ragged, but I still put it on and proceeded down out of the tower. I gestured to Nicholas and Gabriella that I would return soon. Nicholas wanted to come, but I reassured him that he has gone through enough so far. Gabriella beseeched to join me as well, but I told her that she had already done too much.

I owed them everything. I wasn't about to let them get in danger. Although I was still a 10-year-old girl, I was an 8-year-old immortal, and I had become very strong over those years… I was ready to face Vitorrio once and for all.

I'm sure you're thinking that it would be downright foolishness for me to go out to face Vitorrio alone. Well, I'll have to admit that it was. I wasn't ready to face such a vampire as him, but I couldn't bare it if I lost Nicholas or Gabriella again. That darkness, I would not let engulf me once more! These thought made me stronger, and helped me better prepare for my face off.

I mounted the trustworthy black stallion that Nicholas and I had had for 5 years. I turned to say goodbye to the ones I loved, but I promised them I would come back before dawn should I have to walk in the heat of the sun itself, and be a burnt cinder when I return. This made Gabriella and Nicholas worry for me more, but I wasn't going to let them come. "Off now! To Paris!" I shouted to the mare, kicking my heels lightly into the horse's ribs. Although I kicked him lightly, I heard the bones rattle, and the horse took off without warning or mercy for its rider.

I rose without looking back to Nicholas and Gabriella. I knew I would linger should I see their faces as I left them alone. I rode quickly into Paris; the winds smacked at my face as I pushed on, and yet I did not slow down or give in. I was determined to end all of this once and for all. When I finally did reach Paris, I saw that the streets were barren. No one was out walking about at all! Bodies cover every alleyway, and some even out in the open. Mangled bodies, their blood drained and their bodies slaughtered. "Mon dieu! Did Vitorrio do this?" I whispered to myself. It seemed the streets were all set for one big "Showdown" as you might say in this century; much like the old West which I saw for myself many years ago, but back to my story. The streets were empty, and I could smell the decaying flesh of bodies all around me. The stench was unbearable, ten times as bad as the tower was when I first slept the day away with Nicholas. Yet I was not afraid. I had to destroy him! I just had to! I walked through the streets slowly, looking at every crack and curve that was visible, some I looked at twice if I noticed even the slightest movement of an insect or rat. I stepped over many bodies; some were even of younger children than I. How monstrous! I thought.

I then came upon the old theater. Yes, the theatre to which Vitorrio and his band of cruel vampires performed that evil play in front of the audience, and oh, how they adored the performance! It disgusted me to enter the building, but just when I opened the doors, I could smell death even worse than in the streets. There Vitorrio was. He was playing a cold, merciless melody on the pipe organ in the center stage. His new followers were sitting in the stands, listening to him. There were so many of them! At least 20 or so, and when I stepped inside the doors and took a step further, every single one of them looked at me, those cat-like eyes starring out from the shadows. I quivered at this sight. Yet Viorrio still play the organ.

When he finally finished his song, he spoke to me, "Madeline, so good of you to come. And what news is there of Gabriella and Nicholas? The two vampires I am responsible for?" He spoke with much pain in his voice, and yet he did not turn to face me.

I was speechless. Vitorrio made Nicholas? Nicholas was once Vitorrio's companion? Why, why did he never tell me? I could feel myself shudder more and more at the thought.

Vitorrio stood from the bench of the organ and turned to me. I couldn't see his face from the stage lights, only the tall figure that now stood in the middle of the stage, starring at me. Then all of a sudden, every light that was shining on the stage exploded! Glass fell from the ceiling, in my hair, on my clothes. Some of it cut my arms and face. I could tell the other vampires could smell my blood. Each one of them stirred uneasy and starred at me as if I were a roasted chicken on a ship of cannibals. I backed away a little from the starring audience, but then my attention was directed immediately to Vitorrio as he drew closer to me. I could now see his face. He was fully healed! It's not possible! I thought to myself.

"Oh yes, it is." Vitorrio replied. He too, could read my thoughts. He smiled lightly, still walking towards me.

I backed away a little, but then I was forced to stop. Is he doing this?!

"Exactly." He replied. He keeps reading my thoughts!

He came closer and closer and closer, until her was but merely inches away. He touched my face as if I were a porcelain doll. "Madeline," he said softly, almost affectionately. He was handsome; his long black hair, so dark it was blended in with the background, and those eyes; those evil and bloodthirsty green eyes that peered down at me. "Why do you defy me? I never meant you harm. I simply wanted you and Nicholas to join me."

I think I laughed, because his expression turned ghastly afterwards. "You meant me no harm?! You tried to kill me. You killed my family! How could I ever join you? You're a monster!" I screamed to him. The vampires in the back were growling angrily, peering at me with those horrible eyes.

Vitorrio only smirked again, and he shrugged as if it meant nothing to him. "A small price to pay for your existence. One so young as you should never be a vampire! You were not supposed to be. Nicholas was punished for his crime, as were you. I was punished as well. It was foolish to show the audience of Paris the vampire performance. I was foolish to try and deceive you and Nicholas. I wasn't about to give him up." He tilted his head to the side, perhaps thinking about something?

I starred at him coldly. How evil he is! Nicholas should have told me…

Once again Vitorrio laughed. How stupid I was to forget he could read minds. "Now, now Madeline; I forgive you for all of the trouble you put me through. You see, I knew Nicholas would be healed from the fire, and I knew I would too. So you see, I have lost nothing but my foolish followers from Les Vampires; and I do not miss them. So now I ask you my dearest Madeline. Will you join me?"

I tried to move from the freeze lock I was in, first my fingers, then my hand, and then my foot. But before I could actually move, Vitorrio snapped his fingers and all of the vampires lunged at me! I desperately fought them off with all of my strength. Before long, I was at my own quick speed. I took down the first two that struck at my chest. I grabbed the two women by their hair and yanked them into the ground behind me. Next were three large, bulky men they attacked ay my head, knocking me off balance, then another woman punched me into the ground. I could taste my own blood on my lips as I let out a hopeless cry. I stood to my feet and jumped back quickly before they could lay another punch on me. They were strong, but I had had much more experience, and I was not about to lye at the mercy of these pathetic fools. I used my own nails to dig my long, sharp nails into the woman who punched me's face. She crumbled to my feet like a broken doll, and then I kneed the largest man in the chest, breaking every bone in his ribcage, and sent him to the ground. I had the other two's heads in my hands and crushed their skulls, but more and more kept coming. It was like no end! It was just before I was going to lay a punch on the woman who was about to attack me, when an unknown force pushed her and two others back. I turned to see who had aided me, and I was flabbergasted. I simply starred at Nicholas and Gabriella who were standing at my side. They looked at Vitorrio and the other vampires viciously. It was Nicholas who was the first to speak, "Leave Madeline and I alone Vitorrio! We are happy together! I ran away from you because of your arrogance that you are the most powerful person under God. I won't allow you to pollute Madeline with these thoughts as well!" Nicholas sounded so brave, and Gabriella, I'd never seen her so focused, so angry.

I wiped the blood sweat from my forehead, and the blood that trickled down my lip, as I stood up straight and moved closer to Nicholas and Gabriella.

Vitorrio looked at us; we were all angrier than the vampires that lye in helpless heaps on the floor in front of us. My handiwork, I was proud.

Vitorrio sighed. "Poor Nicky, I gave you everything you wanted for 200 years, and how do you repay me? You make a child vampire. It pained me to have to punish you and you offspring, but I had to. And now you tell me that I am arrogant? Sure, I may be the most powerful vampire alive, but you got your power from me, and so I would watch my tongue if I were you!"

He lashed out past the other vampires at Nicholas. The two were fighting; again. The other vampires ran to Gabriella and I; I was too busy fighting off the others to have time to worry about Nicholas. It was a vampire battlefield. The newborn vampires crumble to the ground as Gabriella and I take them down. There was one time when I was knocked of my feet for one second, and then a vampire grabbed me in mid-air and sunk their teeth into my neck. I threw them off with ease, but I had a decrease in speed and power, and I began to feel tired soon.

Nicholas and Vitorrio were in an exchange of punches; Vitorrio was striking out mercilessly, and yet Nicholas was not giving in. He took many blows to the face and chest, and he did at one point fall on his back, Vitorrio dragged him by his hair out of the main hall and into a dressing room. I couldn't see him, but I heard Vitorrio talking to him. I was too involved with the others to have time to worry. Gabriella and I must have killed 11 newborn vampires, plus the 5 I took down just minutes before. The remaining vampires fled the theatre, and that was ok; just as long as they stay away from us forever, they are of no concern.

Gabriella and I took a few seconds to rest and then headed for the dressing room that Vitorrio took Nicholas. The door was locked of course, and I could hear Vitorrio talking, "Please Nicholas, I mean you no harm!" It seemed he was struggling with Nicholas, like he was holding him down or something.

I looked to Gabriella to see what she suggests I do. With a shrug of her shoulders, I knew then that I should break down the door and save Nicky. Before I could ram it in, Vitorrio was knocked through it, forcing it open quickly, knocking me backwards and into the back wall. I hit my head harshly on the stone; I could feel my skull shatter from behind me. I got one look of Vitorrio lying on the floor limp, Nicholas standing over him, but looking at me with horrid-looking eyes. Then my vision faded. So soon? I wanted to hear Vitorrio's last words! I could feel my body being lifted, carried through the cold wind, and then the trotting of the horse. Nicholas? Are you taking me home? What about Vitorrio?

I woke to the sound of Gabriella's humming. She turned to me and smiled softly when I awoke. She had nursed me back to health; she was the one who was taking me back home. I rose up from the velvet bed once again and looked around. I could see that the sun was about to come up in 20 minutes or so, and Nicholas was nowhere in sight. "Where is he?!" I shouted, looking around anxiously, forgetting completely about the now mended cracked skull.

Gabriella put her two fingers to my lips, and smiled "Shh" she said. "He went out to talk to Vitorrio, he's in the courtyard, and he will be back in soon enough." She picked me up and carried me to my coffin. She delicately laid me down in it and kissed my forehead. "Go to sleep Madeline, everything has been taken care of. Goodbye my dear sister. I love you…" She was so sweet, like an angel peering over a mortal to bless them with love and bliss, my angel.

Once again I awoke oblivious to what has happened. I stepped from my coffin, it hadn't been dark out for very long, and yet Gabriella and Nicholas were nowhere to be seen. Had Nicholas really slept beside me in the coffin earlier? I don't remember him being there. I wandered around the tower in search for Nicholas and Gabriella. I searched the bedroom upstairs, the courtyard outside, the forest in the back, and yet I still found no trace. That was when I heard a faint muffled voice coming from the dungeon downstairs. I hadn't ever gone down there, not there. However this time, I was determined to find Nicholas and Gabriella.

As I descended the spiral stone stairs, the reek of decaying bodies was so strong that it almost made me vomit. But I reluctantly pushed on, opening the hard, steel door that block the hall. I saw Nicholas there, but Gabriella was nowhere to be seen. Nicholas was sitting next to Vitorrio, who was as white as bone and as skinny as one as well. When I approached them, Vitorrio let out a horrible shriek and clutched onto Nicholas for dear life. Nicholas stroked his long, black hair and reassured him that I mean him no harm. He's putting words in my mouth! As I walked closer, I could see Vitorrio tense more and more, until I was standing right over him. I was at a loss as I stared down at Nicholas. What's Vitorrio doing here?! And where is Gabriella?!

"Gone." Nicholas said, still holding onto Vitorrio. "She left before the sun came up, and never returned. I believe she walked into the sunlight on purpose." Nicholas sounded sad, but also a little selfish.

Gone? No! Not gone! Your wrong! I wanted to say, but I didn't have the courage to. I simply shuddered, then trembled viciously, and lastly, I cried. A hopeless cry it was. The stream of bloody tears falling to the sides of my cheeks. "Why? Why did she leave me?!" I crouched down on the dank floor next to Vitorrio. I saw sympathy in his and Nicholas' eyes, and yet I didn't care, this was all Vitorrio's fault anyway.

Nicholas let Vitorrio go and kneeled down beside me, one hand on my waist, and the other at the back of my head. He hugged me tightly, and then pushed me away. "Madeline, I can't stay here anymore. I'm sorry, but I can't stay here with you."

I was heart stricken by this. My eyes widened, my heart raced and hammered so hard it felt as if I were having a heart attack, and maybe I was. I clutched him tightly to myself, I was crying even worse now, and I could tell that Nicholas was as well. I didn't want him to leave. No! Please don't go! I suddenly felt sympathy for Vitorrio, maybe this is what it felt like when he was abandoned my Nicholas, but Vitorrio was a selfish and arrogant monster, or so Nicholas says. Why leave me?! What did I do? I couldn't stop crying.

Nicholas finally pulled me away and kissed my cheek. "I'm leaving because Vitorrio has told me of my brother Marcus. He is still alive, remeber ? The one i told you about, the one who is a vampire. I must go to him. Please forgive me for leaving you ?"

Marcus, for so long Nicholas had told me stories of him. I had almost forgotten him, but still, I didn't want to accept it. "Why can't I go too? You know I would go anywhere with you! I love you! Please don't leave me!" I was desperate, and my whole body trembled. I had experienced the perfect life, my only two real loves, Nicholas and Gabriella. We were all together for eternity, just the three of us. "Why? Where did it go wrong? What happened to make things turn out this way?" I was screaming at Nicholas! I was so pathetic and vulnerable.

"I should have never made you Madeline. I wanted you to be happy, I wanted you to help me be happy, and you did. You made me very happy. You even helped me escape my grief over Vitorrio, but now I must go alone. My brother will surely kill you and Vitorrio if he sees you with me. Please forgive me." He kissed my check and stood up from the floor and faced Vitorrio. "I don't want anything more to do with you Vitorrio, you have made my life a living hell, and now be gone!"

Vitorrio bared his fangs at Nicholas in an awful growl. He seemed like a rabid dog that has just turned of his master, only Vitorrio was the master, and Nicholas the dog. Not anymore, Nicholas has grown so much since he was Vitorrio's instrument of immortality, and now he was leaving me to go hunt down and destroy his brother? This wasn't fair, not for Vitorrio nor me.

Vitorrio laughed, "Life's not fair chérie, " he laughed again, hysterical laughter. Has he gone mad, I wondered? "Although we are the undead!" Nicholas has polluted his mind; he's delusional! I felt even more uncomfortable being near him.

I stood from the cold, bloodstained, stone ground and embraced Nicholas. The dried blood tears still on my face. I looked up at him. "I forgive you. I'm going to Rome; I have grown weary of Paris now. Till we meet again my beloved." I turned my back on my Nicholas, and walked away silently, I never looked back..

I must have sounded so cold, so sad, but I will be traveling to Rome tonight. My once most precious dreams have become unbearable to stand any longer. I remember that cold January of 1802, the night when Nicholas made me into a vampire… "Now my dear, tell me what holds you to life, what you have to live for." The vampire whispered in my ear, I could smell and see the blood on his fangs, my blood.

"…I want… to se Paris." I managed to whisper out, "and to see…the stars every night." I could feel his breath on my neck.

He smiled sweetly to me, and kissed my cheek with his now red-toned lips, they were very warm and soft. "Then you shall have that my child, my sweet, sweet Madeline; but tell me, if I give you this one gift, will you promise to stay with me forever?"

"..Yes"

"Good girl" he said.

I never saw Nicholas again.

For centuries I traveled the world, I was in Rome for 16 years, and then I grew lonely of their ways and I decided to travel to south into Egypt. I spent most of my time in Egypt, everywhere I went, I sought to find Nicholas, but just he knowledge that he was safe somewhere, with his brother, I was quite satisfied, and without the company of Nicholas, I spent most of my time now studying hieroglyphs and the old Egyptian myths. I even managed to trace back the race of "vampires" back to this very Country. I even made myself a companion in Egypt, an older man named Joseph, he's a brilliant scholar, and had been studying vampires since he was 12. Now he will remain 16 forever. He is my new beloved, but I do not love him like I did Nicholas.

After Egypt, Joseph and I traveled into Africa, we walked through the Sahara Desert and crossed the Nile River into Ecuador, and there Joseph studied more about the beginning of our kind. He was the most brilliant man I new now. He knew the name and characteristic of just about any man in history; from Osiris of Egypt, to Vlad Dracula of Rome. He enjoyed learning a lot, and I was sure that he would become very intelligent along the hundreds of years. I still searched for Nicholas. I had heard rumors that he and Marcus were spotted somewhere in Somalia, but like I said, it was only rumors… After Joseph and I left Ecuador and traveled east into the United States in 1908, he was dragged into the sun by a priest who witnessed him feeding on a young woman in the park. Luckily, he and I never shared a coffin, I had my hideout, and he had his. I was sad for his loss; he and I had been together for 66 years, and I enjoyed his presence as much as I did my sister's.

I decided that America was not the place for me after Joseph was killed, and so I traveled back into Europe, and went to London, Norway, Ireland, Venice, and many other countries. I studied more and more about history and the new era that was approaching the world, and I never made another vampire, not after my big mistake with Joseph, and I never dared go back to Paris.

I found many interesting things in Venice, and I stayed there for a good 20 years, I didn't care so much about the history of others as much as Joseph did, and so I studied many other things, music, art, and theatre. I painted many pictures staying in Venice, I used my speed and grace as a vampire to paint pictures others would swear are actual people and they are trying to escape from my paper. I only laughed and assured them that I had only been practicing, and I used that skill as a trick to confuse the mind. I have many of my works in museums even now. I also learned how to play the piano, the violin, and even the clarinet. I did learn some about the famous composers and painters of the Renaissance, Mozart, Da Vinchi, Beethoven, Raphael, and many others that interested me.

But it was the summer of 1945 that I had the guts to finally return to Paris. I still looked as a young ten-year-old girl, and I still had an unearthly gleam about my presence. When I retuned to Paris, the first place I went to was the old tower Nicholas and I lived in for 8 years. I stood there looking up at the tower; I entered the living quarters and remembered when Gabriella, Nicholas and I were all sitting there, plotting our revolt against Vitorrio, how these thought tortured me now. I then entered the room where our coffin still lays, still intact. He never came back to it. How interesting; I thought. But no matter how I tried to live my life as another immortal in the crowd of humans, I still have those same haunting nightmares of when Nicholas and I were in love, and it seemed the whole world was against us, or how the young scholar Joseph was dragged from a wine cellar by his long, black hair, and into the sun as he burned to nothing but ash, impossible for him to live through that.

Yet I still live on, immortal, without regrets, and sadly, without love.

I often visited Vitorrio, he was a legend now to many vampire believers, and I no longer had any quarrels with him. I often stayed with him for a couple of days, and then I would be on my way back into the city to find something to occupy my time. Other times I would stay beside him and tell him some of my stories with Joseph for weeks, one time I stayed for a month! How weak Vitorrio seemed now, he no longer had his Nicky to stay by him, and so I understood his sadness.

My Nicholas never returned to me either, and I was later informed by Vitorrio, who was in complete tears when he told me, that Nicholas went into the sun with his brother Marcus, hand in hand, Till death do them part. Nicholas, my father, my brother in arms… my secret lover.

I could no longer bear to stay anywhere near Vitorrio any longer, and so I traveled back to the city of Rome, I found that I could finally live in peace there once again.

Rest in peace my dark angels, my Nicholas, Gabriella, and Jospeh. I'm not going to join you just yet.

Madeline, July 15th, 2002

Happy Birthday