The Mistletoe
Chapter XIX

The night of Carmilla’s revelation had several consequences and things that lingered in my mind, all of which I needed to be aware of. Firstly, it was clear that everyone in the mansion was in danger. I didn’t know if she could attack any servants or worse, go after Laura or her father. Given that Carmilla already had some sort of connection with Laura, things could escalate rapidly. Secondly, it was evident that by revealing herself to me, Carmilla wasn’t going to let me go easily. Her disclosure indicated that she trusted a certain position of power over me. And thirdly, even though I didn’t feel physically unwell, Carmilla’s vampiric blood in her tea had diminished my apparent invulnerability.

“How did she do it? Does she know or suspect something that I don’t? Did she simply experiment, and her trial worked?” I wasn’t sure, but this was key to leaving me at a standstill, and I was intoxicated by her essence.

Contrarily, Laura didn’t seem to feel that confusion or changes that she used to experience during the first few days when Carmilla was with her anymore. Carmilla had started to invest all her efforts into keeping me in her grasp.

I didn’t want to, but I kept drinking Carmilla’s so-called “tainted tea.” When I seemed hesitant, Carmilla would look at Laura, then indicate to me with her face that I should drink it.

Then came the nights, where I was at her mercy. She didn’t even bother doing it while I slept; instead, she sneaked into my room with a seductive smile, knowing what was to come. I hated myself because a part of me even seemed to enjoy this adventure. I was falling into a downward spiral from which I couldn’t escape, or rather, it seemed like neither I or Carmilla were able or wanted to.

She herself seemed to have fallen under some kind of spell. During the days, she only watched me, eagerly awaiting nightfall, smiling at me and revealing her sharp fangs. Laura also started to suspect something. They went shopping together sometimes, and Laura had mentioned to me that Carmilla had begun buying nightwear with provocative undertones.

“Miguel, I think she must have a lover! A servant saw her a couple of times wearing extravagant garments,” said Laura, who seemed a little jealous but lately content with the idea that Carmilla had found someone.

“If only you knew, my friend. If only you knew. My goodness!” I thought as stress consumed me.

I tested my regeneration several times, and it seemed that not much had changed. After drinking Carmilla’s tea for a while, I deduced that the effect only went to a certain level. Therefore, I thought that if I stopped drinking it, I might return to have my invulnerability after a couple of months. But Carmilla was very diligent, ensuring that her source of pleasure and sustenance had her tea every day, at the same time.

One day, while Carmilla was in her room, locked away, we had finished analyzing the latest poems and stories of King Arthur with Laura. She asked me, taking my hand:

“What’s wrong, Miguel? You seem very stressed and worried. You’re kind of out of it. Is it because of the wolf? Tell me, I won’t tell anyone, I promise,” she said, smiling slightly.

“Nothing, I’m fine... I mean... yes, it’s about the wolf. It’s been tougher than it seemed, you know?” I replied.

I couldn’t put her in danger, but her eyes gave me the impression that she sensed something, and she seemed to connect the dots to realize.

Looking at me seriously this time, with her blue eyes, she said, “It’s Carmilla. You also have those dreams and conflicting emotions. Now I understand why she stopped playing mind games with me. It seemed strange that I no longer had those dreams, nor did she talk to me as intensely and romantically as before. My father and the doctor think she’s a vampire. Some time ago, I had a vision where she told me things and kissed me, only to later see her with bloodstains on her clothes. Also, the doctor noticed the same dark marks on my neck and mentioned it to my father. Do you know that a letter arrived for him, from General Spieldorf, before he died?”

“What letter?” I asked.

“He wrote about Bertha, and several letters were found between him and a vampire investigator. They seemed to be investigating the case, and it seems that everything points towards Carmilla. My father initially suspected you, but noticing Carmilla’s eccentricities, my dream accounts, along with conversations with the doctor, it wasn’t difficult to reach the core of the issue. But what intrigues me is... how do you not have any symptoms or marks? Are you a werewolf? The wolf arrived almost at the same time as you. Please, don’t be like her, be honest with me. I’m not afraid of you, I just want to help,” she said, holding my hand and caressing my cheek, trying to calm me.

“I must show you some things. Otherwise, you won’t believe me,” I replied.

We arrived at my room, and I showed her the things I had with me: my smartphone, map, chargers, everything. When I turned on my smartphone, Laura looked at it wide-eyed and almost exclaimed:

“Are you some kind of wizard? Did you make a pact with the devil!?”

“No, no, calm down. It’s just a tool, like a lamp or a carriage. I use it to talk to my father. Do you want me to take a photo for you?” I took a photo of the room and showed it to her.

Laura looked fascinated at the image. Then, she turned on the flashlight and seemed a little startled.

“It’s just a sort of modern lamp. Your descendants will use it.”

Laura stared at me with wide eyes. “Are you from the future? That’s not something you see every day. Still, I don’t understand how you seem to have some immunity to Carmilla’s bite effects”

I took a knife and cut my hand. As she watched it heal rapidly, Laura covered her mouth, wide-eyed.

“Now do you understand why she replaced you with me? Carmilla can feed on me whenever she wants. I’m basically an eternal food source; she’ll never have to lift a finger to hunt, and my blood seems to give her some kind of ecstasy, besides making her even stronger.”

“What are you?” Laura asked.

“I don’t know... I hope to find out someday,” I regretted.

Basically, I told her about my supernatural abilities, about my childhood, my first battle, how I tried to track the beast, and it followed me here, everything.

“I’m stuck in this era until I find a way out. I still don’t understand why I ended up here. I’ve probably made things worse; I might have already created an alternate timeline.”

“I’m so sorry.” She looked at me compassionately and tried to console me with a hug; I almost broke into tears.

I broke the emotional moment and told her, “Let’s leave it at that. In case Carmilla sees us like this, given her condition, she could kill you, and I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

“You’re right. I hope someday you’ll figure out who or what you are. If you need help, you’re not alone. I, my father, the doctor, even the vampire hunters who will come, we’ll get through this. Have faith, my dear Miguel.” she finally said.

“Thanks, I’ll see what I can do. Plus there’s the beast.” I added.

“Oh yeah! I almost forgot about that monster.” She joked. Then she looked at the messy sheets of my bed fixedly, and said.

“You both are sleeping together?”

I looked down at the floor, just nodded my head slightly. With a serious face, she finally said goodbye.

Night approached, and the raven brought another branch of what appeared to be mistletoe. “It was a sign, he seemed to want me to follow him again!” But already I heard Carmila anxiously coming down the stairs, dressing her newly bought nightwear, as she entered she closed the door, she looked at me with her now ruby eyes, her breathing agitated, and her eyes dilated, the night was going to be long, but the raven had given me the promise of a way of escape.

I finally surrendered to those sweet forbidden lips. My battle is no longer against a dragon, or a monstrous wolf, but against my own deepest desires.

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