Dracula in London Part 16

"That would be me," came the boy's voice, choking a little with laughter or holy water as he backed away.

Drakul clawed the air, snarling, howling as the lingering fire deepened his agony. "Your name!" He thundered the battlefield cry of old. "Give me your name, little beast, that I may remember you properly!"

Retreating footsteps were the only reply.

Al was well and truly wrecked by the time he got back to Fleet Street. Grinning, he wound his way through the crowds of London's working cla.s.s, the hard-won book in one hand, his lone boot in the other. Al didn't notice the tall man in the traveling cloak waiting on the bookstore's front step until he'd nearly run into him.

The man turned to scowl, bushy eyebrows lowering as he took in Al's dishevelled state.

He looked down himself, suddenly self-conscious. Begrimed and smelling of sheep, bare feet muddy, trousers filthy to the knees. G.o.d knew what his hair and face looked like. Al's temper flared and he flushed to the ears.

"What're you staring at, you old s.h.i.te?" He demanded. The old man's eyebrows shot up, but he looked more amused than insulted. Al ground his teeth and brandished his boot.

"Laugh at me, you southern pansy, and I'll feed ye this!"

"CROWLEY!" Al jumped like a scalded cat at his employer's thundering voice.

Poltwhistle loomed in the doorway, fists on his hips, towering in apoplectic fury. "How dare you speak so to my client!" Al yelped as the old man grabbed his ear and hauled him into the shop. "What have you to say for yourself?"

Al straightened up, and met the old b.a.s.t.a.r.d's eye with a grim smile. "Here. I brought you your book."

He didn't even try to duck as his employer dealt him a staggering cuff to the ear. The German book went flying, fetched up against the customer's shoe.

"Dr. Van Helsing," Poltwhistle said as Al picked himself up, "My apologies. This little thief stole the volumes you ordered but never fear. A brief stay in gaol will remind him of their location.""Do not to trouble yourself, good sir." The old man stooped, reverently retrieving the volume. "This is the book I require most urgently. Note the t.i.tle-Wampyre." Poltwhistle began to object, but the doctor ignored him. "This book will stand between mankind and a beast most unspeakable. Good!"

He stood, snapped the little book shut, but stopped as his eye fell over Al, wiping the corner of his mouth. The doctor extended a hand to him.

"You should not fire such a steadfast boy-curiosity is no crime."

"Beastly Aleister Crowley? Steadfast?" Poltwhistle asked, incredulous as the two shook hands.

The doctor grinned, stepping out into the bright golden dawn. "So. And even a beast can learn, if properly taught."

A Most Electrifying Evening

Julie Barrett

London-fortunately for me-is a city of many diversions. From the high-society theatre crowd to the lowlife in Limehouse, I have had plenty of opportunity to experience it all. One might say I have taken a taste of all this city has to offer. I daresay that my presence in this great city may have had some small bearing on the recent fashion trend of high-necked blouses.

And now, having experienced all that is London to the point of un-deadly boredom, I find myself spending more time in my Piccadilly rooms, reading.

Amazingly, I find myself fascinated with some of the recent scientific advances of the day. Of course, the changes in weaponry over the centuries have not escaped my eye. The lance eventually gave way to the cannon as the sword to the gun, and as a watchful lord of my property I took note of the trend (slow though it was to reach my secluded property) and trained my servants accordingly. After all, it does not suit my purposes to have a poorly defended castle.

The latest trends in inventions met my eye with mixed emotions. Perhaps the most intriguing of them is the electrification of the cities. London has been electrified in places.

Indeed, my sitting room has been outfitted with an electric lightbulb. I find the light harsh, and much prefer the softer glow of candlelight or gas. Yet it is not the lightbulb, but another application of electricity which has taken my interest.

A young scientist in America by the name of Nikola Tesla is said to have patented several electric motors in the last year. News of his astonishing experiments with electricity would no doubt have reached my backwater lands within the year, for his experiments hold great promise. His tinkerings with motors are most fascinating to me.

Based upon my reading, I surmise that it would be quite possible to create a sanctum within my castle with doors operated by these electric motors. This would make it possible to move solid stone doors with great ease. I also surmise that it would be feasible to create electric locks. Such devices might make it quite impossible for prisoners to escape.

I must say that it was with a certain amount of glee that I read the news that Tesla himself would be lecturing in London. While this lecture was by invitation only to the greatest of scientific minds, gaining admittance would be an exercise in trifles. After all, it would be very easy to convince a member or two of the scientific society that I am aneminent scholar in my own land. The task was embarra.s.singly easy, for the milquetoast young man in charge of the invitations became "convinced" with minimal energy on my part and only a slight headache on his part. He will think twice about taking a second gla.s.s of sherry again.

A lecture hall at St. Bartholomew's had been chosen for the occasion. I slipped into a seat at the rear of the hall, leaving the front s.p.a.ces for those with less-keen senses.

Precisely at 7:30 a hush fell upon the hall. A tall, well-dressed man whom I took to be Tesla himself approached the podium. After arranging the pencils on the lectern in a precise pattern, he began to a.s.say the decanter of water. I'm sure very few beyond the front row heard him mutter the phrase "64.7 fluid ounces" before pouring himself a gla.s.s with a white-gloved hand. I, of course, heard the expression clearly. He took a sip of the liquid, cleared his throat, and proceeded to talk.

"My fellow scientists, thank you for allowing me to speak with you this evening."

Tesla's voice boomed through the hall. Even the elderly amongst them could hear him clearly. While he had lived in America for the past nine years, his Hungarian accent and method of speech had not altogether faded.

"I come to lecture to you tonight on new advances in the field of electricity. Even as I speak the first alternating current electric plant in the United States of America is being constructed at Niagara Falls, in New York. The falls will provide enough energy to light the entire city of Buffalo, with electricity to spare. Electricity will be cheap and plentiful. It will replace steam in the factories and gaslight on the streets. Soon our homes will be heated by electric energy."

The scientist then asked for the gaslights to be turned low so he might show a series of lantern slides depicting the great plant. When the gas was turned up, an outlandish apparatus stood in the middle of the room. Chairs squeaked and voices hummed as the a.s.sembled gathering of scientists positioned themselves for a better view.

"Gentlemen, I give you the induction coil." A large, ring-shaped piece of metal stood atop what appeared to be a tube around which wire had been tightly wound. Several feet away stood a lightning rod. He gestured to two of the more elderly of the crowd who had moved their chairs forward to further examine the device. "Please move your seats back, sirs. Otherwise I am unable to guarantee your safety."

I cannot comprehend most of what I saw that at that point, but when he worked the apparatus an enormous bolt of lightning sprang from its crown to the lighting rod. I felt a tingle run through my body. Mr. Tesla explained the sensation as stray electricity in the air.

Whatever it was, I must say I was quite amazed.

"So much for the parlor tricks," he exclaimed as two men threw a cloth over the apparatus. "I will also speak tonight about the new methods to which electricity may be put to use. In America, I have just patented a means by which telegraph signals may be sent through the ether. The signals can be conducted by the electricity in the upper atmosphere." The scientist paused to allow a murmur to pa.s.s through the room. "Not only will man be able to pa.s.s telegraph signals through the ether, but one day he may transmit his voice, and perhaps even pictures."Tesla spent the next hour expounding upon one astonishing theory after another. I do not consider myself to be of small intellect, but I had a difficult time grasping much of what he had to say. Indeed, it seemed as though some of the eminent minds in attendance could not fully comprehend parts of the lecture.

I shook my head in disbelief as I filed out with the group of scientists. Transmitting signals through the air was without a doubt the most fanciful idea I had ever heard, and believe me, I've been around long enough to hear much. Still, something about this man intrigued me, so I allowed myself to follow him and a small party of scientists to Simpson's.

During the part of our trek when I was in human form I detected another following behind.

Any mortal nostrils could have performed this feat, for the scent of cologne that reached my nostrils when the wind shifted was quite overpowering. Another discreet admirer, perhaps, yet I sensed a different type of excitement than what was felt by the party I trailed.

Dining in such an establishment is one of the few pleasures that elude me in my present state. Still, I persuaded the captain to seat me along the wall near a large potted tree.

Normally it would not have been considered a good table at this fashionable restaurant, but it suited my purposes well. Not only could I hear Tesla clearly, but the plant afforded a ready receptacle for the gla.s.s of wine and bowl of soup that I ordered. As I attempted to secret a small amount of soup away, a stranger approached my table. It was his cologne that had a.s.saulted my senses moments earlier.

"I see you're fascinated by the great scientist." He was an American, judging by his accent and clothing. "May I sit down?" As much as I would prefer to listen to the conversation at the nearby table, I allowed him to join me in hopes that I would be able to rid myself of him quickly, one way or another.

"My name is Jack Danielson, and I represent the Buffalo Power Company." He slid into the seat opposite me, blocking my view of the great scientist. "You look like an intelligent man."

I nodded.

"I am prepared to offer you an investment opportunity in the greatest electric power plant in the world."

Another familiar scent came to my nostrils. Rat. It went strangely well with his overly pungent cologne. This man had targeted me, and I planned to make him sorry for his intrusion. "I was under the impression that this project was funded by the government and Westinghouse Electric."

The man swallowed almost imperceptibly. I could hear it. "Sir, we are a subsidiary of Westinghouse. Allow me to show you some materials." As he began to open up a small leather portfolio, a woman stopped before the table.

"Mr. Danielson," she exclaimed. Her demeanor was quite calm, if not regal, but I could sense her heart beating quickly out of anxiety. "Has my money been invested?""Of course. May I speak with you about dividends for a moment?" He excused himself to take the woman to the rear of the room, near the kitchen door. I focused my ears on their conversation, and was able to hear a few snippets amongst the bustle of the wait staff.

"-of course, this investment cannot pay off until the plant is operational-"

"-my son the duke will be requiring his dividend-"

"-soon-"

"-reclaim my necklace."

I let the conversation go and studied the woman's profile. Of course. I had seen her picture in the newspapers. She was a dowager d.u.c.h.ess whose family had fallen on hard times after the death of her husband. Her son had just come into the t.i.tle, and rumor was she was trying to marry him off, no doubt in expectation of offspring to carry on the t.i.tle, preferably to some American heiress. Poor woman. Her son had rooms below mine, and the walls are thin for one of my powers. It seems he does not prefer the ladies at all.

A picture formed itself quickly in my mind. This Danielson was the worst sort of predator. Van Helsing and his coterie portray me as a vicious stealer of blood, but I can a.s.sure you that those who join my circle do so because deep within their hearts it is their desire. Danielson, however, was a destroyer of souls. I'm sure he mistook my old country dress and ways as a sign of gullibility and planned to take advantage of it.

The leech and his victim rejoined me. Her agitation was noticeable to even most mortals. Normally I wouldn't feel much in the way of pity for this woman. The t.i.tled rich manage and mismanage their funds over the course of generations. Most of these families find a way to keep up appearances until the next windfall arrives. Yet she was the victim of this predator who had : single-handedly ruined my quiet, educational evening. I bade the d.u.c.h.ess to rejoin her party while I took Mr. Danielson off to a quiet corner of the smoking room and convinced him that he had made a grave mistake and would be refunding the money to the investors.

It took a little more persuasion to pry the location of the necklace from him. Once I did, I couldn't get him to be quiet. He proudly told me how he had taken the necklace, promising its return to the d.u.c.h.ess as part of a dividend payment. Instead, he would be using it to pay off a rather substantial gambling debt. His creditor had said something about using the proceeds from its sale to construct an air gun which could be disguised as a walking stick. Ingenious, but I let his rambling stop at that point. I instructed the underhanded Mr. Danielson to return to my table and finish my gla.s.s of wine. Slowly. That should hold him while I performed my errand.

I took the form of a bat and made my way to his East End lodgings. The necklace was where he said, under a floorboard. It contained a single brilliant ruby. The setting was simple, allowing the gem to shine in all its brilliance. Such a jewel would sparkle upon any woman's bosom, and it crossed my mind to simply retreat to my rooms and keep it for myself. It would look stunning on Lucy. But I had already started other events in action, soI hung the jewel around my neck and reverted to the form of a bat, keeping to the shadows so the light would not flash upon the ruby.

Upon my return I found Mr. Danielson seated at my table, dutifully obeying the suggestions I had left with him. I handed him the necklace and bade him to return it to the d.u.c.h.ess. Return it he did, but I was unprepared for the n.o.blewoman's quite earthy reaction. She began to beat the man about the head and shoulders with her handbag with such fury that two waiters were required to separate the pair. Presently a policeman arrived and the d.u.c.h.ess proffered her charges.

The great scientist Tesla, seemingly engrossed in calculating the volume of his coffee pot, looked up at the commotion and approached the d.u.c.h.ess after the leech had been taken into custody. Although the incident was not directly of his doing, he offered his most sincere apologies for any distress caused to her person. As he spoke, his eye was drawn to the ruby necklace dangling from her hand.

"Madam, would you allow me to examine your ruby?"

She understandably demurred.

"You may hold onto the necklace. Please, hold only the gem up to the light." He gestured in the direction of a gas lamp. He studied the stone for a long moment, inspecting the way in which the light refracted through its facets. He thanked the mystified d.u.c.h.ess for her kindness then returned to his table, his thoughts still clearly with the ruby. Next he took a long, slow sip of coffee then proceeded to arrange the spoons at his place in precise alignment with the salt cellar. The waiter delivered a brandy snifter, the volume of which Tesla absentmindedly calculated. He took a sip, then recalculated the remaining amount of liquid. After a moment a smile began to play upon his lips, and his eyes shone with the brilliance of scientific thought.

"Gentlemen," he addressed the somewhat startled a.s.semblage at his table, "what do you suppose would happen if you were to shine a very intense light through a ruby which has been cut so as to precisely focus that light?"

"A very focused red beam of light?" ventured one fellow.

"That could be quite useful during your magic lantern slide presentations," concluded another.

"The world is not ready," Tesla sighed as the waiter refreshed his snifter, then addressed the man. "Did you know that you have precisely forty-two ounces of brandy left in your decanter? I'll double your gratuity if you can divide that equally between the gla.s.ses at this table." There was a hearty laugh all around as I retreated to my own place to settle up my bill. My heart sank as I noticed the waiter had refilled my wine gla.s.s and brought a fresh, steaming bowl of soup.

Ah, well. I would simply leave a generous tip and explain that a recent sea journey had left my stomach unsettled. I had learned that there are as many excuses as there are long, lonely nights in London.

An Essay on Containment

Gene DeWeese

(From the Secret Journal of Radoslav Coulson) London August 7, 1893.

I greatly fear there will soon be trouble for us all. The so-called Count has made landfall, I know not where.

For days I have sensed his approach, so powerful is his aura. But it is not his power that is the source of our peril, it is his d.a.m.nable ego, his utter lack of discipline.

We have known of his existence for more than a century, so perhaps the current dilemma is as much of our own making as it is of his. We should have acted decisively decades ago and not continued to place naive confidence in his obvious intellect and the instinct for survival that we all share. It is apparent that our quiet counsel, even our more pointed warnings, have gone unheeded. Had he paid the slightest attention to our words, he would at least have contacted one of us to help prepare the way for his journey, not one of them, with whom he must always be on guard, ready with justifications for behaviors that to them are bizarre but to us are only what our nature demands.

But perhaps I am being unduly alarmist. Perhaps those very contacts will cause him to apprehend the danger more clearly, to begin at last to act with the discretion that is essential in dealing with the ever-increasing perils of the modern world. Such, at least, is my hope.

Nonetheless, we shall begin our preparations immediately. I only hope that our skills have not atrophied in the decades since we were last called upon to make extensive use of them.

August 9, 1893.

Once it was determined by consensus which of our unwitting accomplices to employ in this matter, it required only a single night to verify that our choice was viable. The extensive conditioning he was given nearly half a century ago in his youth still holds sway.

He has become precisely the person we intended, precisely the person we knew we wouldsomeday need. Now preparations for our little drama can begin in earnest.

August 12, 1893.

As I had hoped and expected, the initial phase went remarkably well.

Indeed, it is at times like this that I can understand what drives the Count to engage in his reckless behavior. There is undeniably an incomparable satisfaction to be taken in exercising one's mental powers, causing memories to shift and alter by mere whispered suggestions in the night. As I observe the intricate patterns of change we weave within the minds of our oblivious subjects, I can imagine that the feeling we experience is not unlike that which their master musicians achieve when giving a virtuoso performance for an appreciative audience.

My only regret is that for our virtuoso performances there can be no audience save ourselves unless it becomes necessary for the subjects to act out the scenario dictated by those deceitful memories. Contrariwise, my dearest hope is that, for the sake of us all, such actions are never required and that the memories themselves, untended, will gradually retrogress, unnoticed, until the minds that housed them are left only with dull reality.

We shall see.

August 17, 1893.

Carfax!

The fool has actually moved into Carfax, bringing with him not one but fifty boxes of his precious native soil, a needless luxury at best! If he persists in such recklessness, he might as well shout his nature from the rooftops!

I should not have delayed even these few days. I should not have allowed myself to entertain for even a moment those same false hopes that had already kept us from acting for nearly a century. I should have paid stricter heed not only to the power and the undisciplined nature of his aura but also to his shameful record of almost mindless self-indulgence. I should have seen that, like anyone, he is shaped by his past experience, and that his past experience consists of centuries of indulging his every whim without concern for the effects. For centuries he "lived" alone in a backward and isolated area where superst.i.tions of all kinds were so deeply ingrained in the mortal populace that no one would even think of defying even the most ludicrously unlikely creatures who claimed, let alone openly demonstrated, supernatural powers. Drink a little of their blood while they slumber unaware, steal one of their daughters and bend her to your will, causing her to rise in the night in answer to your silent summons, and they cower in their hovels, scrupulously avoiding any show of defiance or even of discontent for fear that anything short of servile obedience would only worsen their situation.

The civilized world which he has invaded-our world-is far less deferential, as he is already discovering. If he alone were involved, we would not devote a moment of time to his plight. If he wished to draw attention to himself and himself alone, I would wish him well and quietly await his demise, which would surely soon be upon him. But his antics, his foolishattempts to "live" as he had "lived" in that welter of mindless superst.i.tion that is Transylvania, will call attention to us all. Here in the civilized world our strength-and our safety!-lies not in our modestly superhuman powers but in our anonymity, in the fact that our kind is rarely believed to be more than the fevered imaginings of superst.i.tious fools and that when one of us is found to exist, he is easily destroyed if only you follow certain arcane and nonsensical rituals. If ever we lose that advantage, our already meager numbers will quickly dwindle to nothing.

Tonight it begins.

Sept. 1, 1893.

It is with considerable relief that I record the fact that our elaborate preparations have not been in vain. Dr. Seward, one of many who benefited from our recent ministrations, questioned none of his recently acquired memories when he was called in to examine the unfortunate young woman the Count has become enamored of. Nor did he hesitate to immediately contact our chosen accomplice, ostensibly his "old friend and master" from school days and, fortuitously, an expert in the very maladies of the blood from which the young woman is suffering.

Dr. Van Helsing arrives tomorrow, and I am confident that, with our clandestine a.s.sistance, he will meet with spectacular success in ridding the land of this creature that menaces us all.