The Bathory Curse by Renee Lake Read Free Book Online Page B

She cannot save you. She told me you will die a painful
death; I could not have that for you.”
    “I would only have physical form at night? No chance
for a life, a relationship?” Mihail took a step back, he didn’t
know what to do.
    “It depends; Stregas have been known to fall in love
with Strigoi, and you could love another Strigoi. All mine seem to
live fulfilling lives, they enjoy their work. You will meet them.”
Nea hated telling him. She wished he had been destined to live a
full life.
    “Please don’t worry Mihail, everything is at it
seems, I too had many doubts when the Goddess called me to her
favor. Take this leap of faith for me. What have you to lose?” Nea
knew how he was feeling, mistrust and reluctance to believe.
    “I would eat emotions and feed them to you, live
forever.” His voice sounded hollow, but she was right, what did he
have to lose?
    “It’s not as bad as that. Our culture is rich, it is
not lonely. You can still paint, be a part of the world.” Nea
didn’t want him to think he would be some shadow, spending eternity
slinking through the darkness.
    Her son gazed at her, pondering this new woman who
was his old mother. Taking a deep breath he nodded, “do it
now.”
    “Mihail it does not have to be now, we can wait a
year or two.”
    “No, now. Why delay, when we know it is coming? I
don’t want to get sick and die. Bendis is not a Goddess of fate,
who knows what could happen while we wait?”
    “Alright,” She placed her hands on either side of
his head, frigid wind whipped around them, as she pushed her magic
into him.  Heightened emotions, bright colors looming and
zooming as she changed his cells, his genes, and every ounce of
what made him human. He became pliable in her hands, smoke and
shadows, yet still flesh and blood. She molded him, yet keeping him
the same, holding onto his personality and soul, deep within her
breast, until finally a Strigoi stood in front of her. Nothing
about him had changed on the outside, only on the inside did Mihail
feel different, stronger, powerful, better.
    As she embraced her son, neither of them realized
they were being observed from down below, outside, in shade of the
trees, something hovered over frozen tundra…and watched.
     

Chapter 4
    1555
     
    It was like a ringing in her system, a warning sign
of things to come. Nea stopped what she was doing, cocked her head
to the side and just went silent.
    “Ach, not another awful Bathory girl with her curse
triggering?” Sabine asked. She was lounging on a sofa not far from
where Nea sat reading. Mihail was painting Sabine, the two of them
got along well, she told him he reminded her of a brother she had
long ago.
    Sabine had to give up another lover recently, and
like always was nursing her wounds while staying at Nea’s. Bendis
had brought her a dress from the year 2001, really just a scrap of
white fabric and deep blue lace. Sabine said that Bendis didn’t
play favorites, but Nea thought the Goddess had a soft spot for
Sabine. Every time Sabine suffered heartbreak the Goddess brought
her a dress and Sabine demanded her favorite painter do a new
portrait.
    When the tradition had first started Nea had asked
her what the point was of Mihail doing paintings if no one could
see most of them for centuries. In true Sabine fashion she had
answered,
    “Lesson 24, it’s the memories that keep you sane.
Write in a diary, have your son draw you, draw yourself….write a
song….does not matter, just keep the memories.” After that, Nea had
started sketching everything and writing little stories to go with
them.
    Nea put her book down and focused on her best
friend, trying not to feel annoyed at being interrupted by her
quest. A quest she still wasn’t 100% sure about. So far she knew
that if a Bathory female reached puberty the curse activated,
eventually, and drove her insane. She didn’t know who had cast it
or why. She just knew she had to stop it.
    “Anna, yes, she turned 16 this