Kiss Of The Butterfly Part 19

'But why can't you travel there?'

'Steven, you see, Rade and I were the only vampirovici in the Order, and since we could destroy vampires far more easily and effectively than the others, the Order gave the two of us a free hand and focused more on social and political activities. The Order dwindled in size until the reign of Franz Joseph I, when there were only a few active members who had joined largely to be close to the throne. And then the Great War began.'

'After two disastrous campaigns in 1914, our Army finally occupied Serbia in October 1915, and Rade and I continued our work. For the first time we were able to work unhindered throughout Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Sandzak and Montenegro. When Franz Joseph died in 1916, the new Emperor Charles was busy with the war and trying to keep Hungary in the Empire: He treated the Order as a relic of a bygone era and did not replace fallen members. Several died on the Carpathian Front and a couple of others of old age. After the war Serbia established the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which as you know was later to become Yugoslavia. The Prince Regent, Aleksandar Karadjordjevic enlisted substantial numbers of former Habsburg officers in the army of the new country, and Rade and I switched sides. We met with Aleksandar and informed him of the existence of the Order. He became its new patron upon becoming king in 1921 and permitted us to continue our work.'

'During the Second World War we first sided with the royalist forces, but then withdrew from the fight, as all sides engaged in the most unimaginable forms of brutality against each other. We watched this curse spread unchecked from Argentium to the rest of the country, and soon found ourselves working day and night to keep the evil under control,' Slatina's face hardened as though recalling particularly unpleasant memories.

'After the war Rade and I faced new problems. As former Yugoslav royal officers we were under suspicion by the communists. Having served under the Habsburgs we were doubly suspicious. Because of my high birth and social status I was considered a cla.s.s enemy and was forced to flee the country to avoid prison, while Rade, of humbler birth and lower rank, was able to avoid such difficulties. I was able to return for a brief time in the 1960s, but had to leave to avoid the police. You see, even now should I attempt to return I will most certainly be arrested.'

'So you sent me instead,' Steven pushed further. 'To do what?'

'Ah, that is where things become difficult. You have been to the great fortresses at Kalemegdan and Petrovaradin, no?'

'Of course.'

'Well, you know that there are extensive tunnels under those fortresses, yes?'

'Yes. Professor Stojadinovic has offered to take us underneath Petrovaradin on Sat.u.r.day.'

'Stojadinovic...Ljubodrag Stojadinovic?' Something about the name puzzled Slatina. 'I haven't heard from him for a couple of years. I heard he had a serious heart attack and a.s.sumed the worst. They say he was quite the bon vivant...p.r.o.ne to excesses, alcohol and...hmm...female students.'

'Well, he's very much alive and speaks highly of you,' Steven said.

'I am glad to hear he is doing well. Please give him my regards. Back in 1733 Rade and I did something that at the time we thought clever. However, it now appears to have been a mistake.'

Steven eyed him quizzically. 'A mistake? What kind of mistake?'

'Well, it appears we may have left some vampires behind.'

'What do you mean "it appears"?'

'Ah, yes, well, you see...ahem,' Slatina cleared his throat: 'We interred eleven vampires in an underground tomb.'

Steven sat, dumbfounded. 'Eleven vampires in an underground tomb? I found references to you constructing something at the Hornwerk at Petrovaradin. Is that where they are?'

'Ah, you have done good work, young Roberts, good work.'

'I also came across an article about twelve vampires by an author named Tihomir Djordjevic,' Steven said hesitantly. 'But you only had eleven.'

'So you did find it,' Slatina exclaimed. 'I was uncertain you would. And? What do you think? It's all true.'

'I haven't actually seen it yet,' Steven replied, and then told him about the disappearing librarian and Niedermeier.

Slatina looked concerned. 'Come inside, I fear we are getting too much sun.'

'But why twelve if there were only eleven?'

'Ah, yes. There was a twelfth, but we never found him. He is still out there somewhere. We caught his scent again during World War Two, but were unable to pursue him.' Slatina said as he led Steven into an expansive drawing room where two large life-sized, full body oil portraits hung side by side on a wall, one of which appeared to be a young Slatina wearing the colorful garb of a late renaissance Venetian n.o.bleman, and the other of a tall, slender and strikingly beautiful raven-haired girl on the cusp of womanhood clad in a flowing dark green velvet dress. Slatina motioned for Steven to sit on a post-modern white leather sofa. The old man followed and brought them both gla.s.ses of mineral water.

'Who is she?' Steven asked, noticing the girl's resemblance to the red cat-eyed woman from his dream of the trolleybus.

'Her name is Natalija. The portraits were commissioned by her father as a wedding gift to the two of us,' Slatina said absently.

'I didn't know you were married.'

'I lost her immediately after my wedding...like you I had to bury my wife.' He stared at the portrait intensely.

'I had no idea,' Steven blurted in shock.

'But that was long ago, young Roberts. Life goes on, and we should best follow the admonition of our Savior and let the dead bury the dead. We should not dwell on the past. It is best you move on from your grief and let yourself love again.'

'But let us move on to the twelve. Where should I start,' Slatina muttered partly to himself. 'The article was actually a part of Rade's diary that was confiscated by the communists. Djordjevic received access to it and published it more as a curiosity than anything else.'

'You must understand, young Roberts, when a person first becomes a vampire he is very confused. He has just been in the after-life for a short period of time, seen the torment that awaits him, made a pact with the Devil to sell his soul, and then had his soul abruptly returned to an already decaying body lying in a closed grave. Usually it takes a vampire about 100 days to come to his senses. During this time he is unaware of his powers, is disoriented and unable to act rationally, while an overpowering thirst for man's life essence overwhelms him. Young vampires are extremely vulnerable and careless, led by their l.u.s.ts, and peasants kill most of them at this stage.

'If a vampire makes it past the first 100 days it begins to collect its wits and becomes far more dangerous. By that time the vampire has learned to understand the hunger gnawing within its belly and is able to exercise greater self-control. This is when the vampire begins to recognize its powers. To survive the wrath of local villagers it moves to areas where it is unknown, typically to larger cities where it can hide among the mora.s.s of humanity and practice its evil.'

'What are a vampire's powers,' Steven inquired. 'I've read lots of folklore, but I'm not certain what's real and what's myth.

'They shift shape. A vampire typically appears in one of several forms. You will see them usually in their human form, which is their normal appearance, or as a lycanthrope, what you call a werewolf.'

'A werewolf?' Steven's eye widened.

'A werewolf,' Slatina responded.

'It's just that, you know...this is all so...'

'Unbelievable,' Slatina finished his sentence.

'Unbelievable,' Steven nodded.

'Now, where were we?' Slatina sipped his mineral water. 'I have forgotten where I left off...vampires...vampirovici...the Order of the Dragon...the Twelve...oh yes: lycanthropes.'

'Werewolves,' Steven added.

'They can be quite an intimidating sight, what with all the hair and teeth and claws and growling.' Slatina made a face and tried to imitate a werewolf, which made Steven laugh. 'But a werewolf is only more dangerous because there are more sharp pointy bits to watch out for. They also metamorphose into just about anything you can think of, cats, dogs, wolves, horses, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. But for some reason they favor b.u.t.terflies. Shifting shape drains them of energy, and they can only do so a limited number of times before they need to rest and feed.'

'Oh.'

'Their other power is that they can mesmerize the weak-willed, the simple-minded and uneducated and those who are unaware.'

Steven thought back to the bulldog librarian. Was she a vampire?

'You asked about the Twelve. Vampires cannot gather in groups larger than twelve. We tried once to put fourteen of them together in the same room and they all turned to jelly in a flash,' he snapped his fingers, his eyes twinkling with macabre delight. 'Imagine that. We did it several other times just for fun.'

'When twelve vampires band together of their own free will, then they wield far greater powers. Fortunately, they are selfish and egocentric, and although they like to socialize, they dislike cooperating, so a quorum is extremely rare. We heard of one such quorum led by a Vlach...'

'A Vlach?' Steven interrupted.

'Yes, from Wallachia. We captured eleven of them all powerful and mature who, at the Emperor's orders we interred under the fortress in a special chamber, but we never found the twelfth. The b.l.o.o.d.y manner in which Yugoslavia is breaking apart suggests not only that they have escaped but also that they are the driving force behind the bloodshed. If so, then they have hidden themselves in the government, police and army, as well as powerful inst.i.tutions in society and surrounded themselves with mortals of equally evil design, willing to do their bidding for material reward. These mortals probably don't know their masters are vampires.'

'Which fortress did you bury them under?'

'Why Kalemegdan, of course,' Slatina said matter-of-factly.

'Kalemegdan? I thought you built something at Petrovaradin,' Steven was surprised.

'Oh, did I say Kalemegdan? You are so right, I meant Petrovaradin. These memories have distracted me. Please forgive me.'

'Vampires underneath Petrovaradin? Well, Stojadinovic will just have to cancel his little excursion. I'm not going near that place,' Steven said emphatically.

'But you must, Steven,' Slatina said gravely. 'I need you to ascertain if the seals on the chamber are still intact.'

Steven stared at him in disbelief. 'You want me to go crawling through tunnels to find a chamber full of vampires!? Are you out of you mind?'

'Now Steven, it is not as dangerous as you may think,' Slatina said rea.s.suringly. 'If they have escaped, which I believe they have, then they will be long gone. If they are still there and the seals on the chamber are intact, then you will not enter. In either event, there is little danger.'

'You can't be serious,' Steven said incredulous. 'Do you really want me to go check on a room full of vampires?'

'You are large and strong, yes? You played American football and wrestled, yes?'

'Yes.' He was taken aback by Slatina's change of topic once again. 'But that has nothing to do with it!'

'Excellent! Wonderful! Then you will have no trouble defending yourself against a vampire,' Slatina continued. 'Simply fight a vampire as you would another human being. But do not let him bite you on your left side, or he will paralyze you and begin to drain your life's essence.'

'Now hold...'

'If you don't let them bite you, they are no more powerful than an ordinary human being,' Slatina cut him off before he could even begin his sentence. 'Even the lycanthropes aren't that difficult to combat. They just look fierce, although their teeth and claws do make things a bit more difficult. But they are not invisible or exceptionally fast or strong. Their power lies in their ability to shift shape, command lower animals, immobilize humans with their bites, and drain a man's life essence, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Other than that, they are no different from you or me. Once they are discovered, they become vulnerable, so they do all they can to maintain secrecy.

'Most importantly you must remember that a vampire's powers lie in his burial shroud. If you can take that from him, he cannot shift shape or flee, and you will have him at your mercy. Some vampires will even stop struggling entirely, get down on their knees and beg for their shroud back. Therein lies the essence of their immortality. If you burn the shroud, you are left with a weak, bloodsucking leech in the shape of a human with little ability to fight back, other than its fists. As long as you know what you are facing, you will be safe. Simply do not let them gang up on you.'

'Are you really serious?' Steven asked. 'Do you really expect me to return to Serbia, go into the tunnels under Petrovaradin, find some secret chamber and see if it's full of vampires? There's no way!'

'Not just that. If the seals have been disturbed you must enter and retrieve an item for me.'

'Retrieve an item? You're crazy!' But curiosity got the better of him and he added: 'What kind of item?'

'Nothing really, simply a small package,' Slatina said elusively.

'What's in the package? You've already sent me out once without telling me what was happening. If you think it's going to happen again, then forget it.'

Slatina looked at him carefully.

'It is my journal.'

'Your journal? Then why don't you go get it?'

'I cannot. I will be arrested.'

'What's so important about your journal?' Steven asked.

'These twelve were clever and powerful and had mostly disappeared from view. A smart vampire moves far away and blends into his surroundings making him nearly unnoticeable. He may run a business by day, surround himself with lackeys who protect him, and use his wiles to kill his victims in a manner attributable to everyday violence. Yet we found their Achilles heel. A vampire must return to its grave every Good Friday. We found their graves, and if you will staked them out,' he chuckled at his pun.

Steven winced and rolled his eyes.

'I recorded the final resting places of the eleven. If they have not moved their graves, it will be a useful tool to recapture and kill them, especially those who are concealed.'

'But Easter's almost a year away,' Steven said.

'It will not be easy. It took us nearly four years to round up the twelve. Some were hundreds of years old when I captured them and had ama.s.sed substantial fortunes. If they are free they will recover their treasure and use it to re-enter society.

'This is a struggle against darkness, against the Adversary. I am asking you to help me revive the Order of the Dragon and fight the kingdom of the Devil. I need your goodness and your honesty. I need the strength of your faith.' Slatina gazed directly into Steven's eyes, but this time without his eyes turning feline red.

A long silence followed, during which Steven heard every tick of his own wrist.w.a.tch.

'Is there no one else?' he asked.

'I need someone right now who is honest, with a good heart, and who understands what is at stake,' Slatina replied. 'I frankly do not have the time to find and train someone else. Too much is happening far too quickly. If they have escaped, then I fear they may try to reunite their quorum under the command of the Vlach. Something has torn apart the once-proud Yugoslavia with ease and is feasting on its life's essence. If it is them, they must be halted before the scourge spreads further.'

Steven looked at his hands for a long time before again looking Slatina in the eyes.

'Then I will help you. But who is the Vlach?'

'Ah,' Slatina smiled grimly. 'He is known to you as Vlad Dracula.'

That evening, as they sat on the terrace watching the lights of Budapest and drinking wine, Slatina said matter-of-factly: 'Steven, I must rebuild the Order, and I would like your help. Throughout its history the Order always had a monarch as its patron. But now there are no longer emperors or kings, nor are there great powers willing to intervene. As long as the chaos lasts the vampires will profit. It is in their interest to prolong the chaos, as it makes their lives easier. The resulting wars will see more people infected with this evil. The Order must be restored to its former power and influence, or the curse will spread upon the face of the earth.'

Thanks to investments made on behalf of the Order hundreds of years earlier, Slatina had enormous wealth at his disposal, money invested throughout the world, via a network of holding companies. Yet money could not buy what he sought: a sovereign as patron who could place the full power and might of his state behind the Order. Approaching a foreign intelligence service was ruled out, as he knew that the Order would end up being manipulated. Forming a special corporation would do no good, as it would have no credible reason to enter the war-torn region. He could turn to the Vatican, but the current Pope had sided with the Croats and had no real power even in Croatia. A small mercenary army could not operate openly in Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro or Serbia without attracting the attention of the local forces or the United States, Russia and the European Union. He felt stymied.

During the next several days Slatina taught Steven more than he had imagined possible. Steven listened raptly and enjoyed the myriad digressions the professor made as every little thing sidetracked him into some long-lost memory. Slatina liked to walk while talking, and in this manner they covered much of Budapest. Slatina taught Steven how to open the locks to the chamber under Petrovaradin and began training him to fight vampires. Steven discovered that for this, being left-handed was a useful gift.

'In a fight, a right-handed person leads with his left,' Slatina showed him, as they stood in front of a large punching bag. 'A left-handed person leads with his right hand, so it gives you an advantage and keeps the left side of your body away from their teeth. When you fight a vampire, just remember everything you learned in wrestling, and don't let it sink its teeth into you.' He also helped Steven recognize some of the external signs, particularly the bloating.

Every evening they watched CNN, BBC and Sky News on television. Slatina paid rapt attention to the stories coming from the Balkans that showed besieged Sarajevo, refugee camps, and most of all, the politicians and warlords. On one occasion, he drew Steven's attention to a baby-faced paramilitary commander who pa.s.sed briefly across the screen in back of a group of politicians and said: 'That one is a vampire.' When Steven asked how he knew, Slatina said simply: 'I can tell.' Then added: 'War brings out the n.o.blest and basest instincts in man. It is a perfect breeding ground for the spread of evil. We have much work ahead of us.'

Slatina wondered how Steven would face the challenges ahead. The darkness was now encompa.s.sing Bosnia, as the terror left no human life untouched. Each day they listened to gruesome and horrifying testimonies of ethnic cleansing, ma.s.s murders, ma.s.s rapes and the wanton destruction of entire villages. Steven's mission took on a new sense of urgency and he became anxious to leave.

'There is something else you must do,' Slatina said. 'Today we shall purchase a television and video recorder for you to take back to Serbia. I want you to tape the news and talk shows. I must see whether vampires are present in public life.'

'How can you tell who's a vampire?'

'As I told you, I have special talents...they cannot hide from my gaze,' Slatina said grimly.

Steven wondered about his other special talents. The two homes on Castle Hill seemed overrun with b.u.t.terflies, and on several occasions he could have sworn he had seen Slatina whispering to them.