Spookerella | Horror Short Stories

7 | Moonlight Filters

I had not thought this through at all. I needed some light. Then again, light could expose me to whoever may be lurking here. It is better I don't have light. I will make peace with the darkness around me.

With every step, I treaded slowly and carefully, fear coursing through my veins as I heard slight cracks and the sound of someone's screaming. I followed the noise, hoping for it to just be nothing. Maybe a game of cards with a friend who is a sore loser of some sort. Though my better judgement told me that this was not the case.

Soon I had reached the staircase up to the attic where the noises had all begun. They of course inched around every dark corridor of the house, but the worst of them were here.

My fingers trembled as I reached for the banister of the staircase which swirled round in a silver spiral, the moonlight hitting off the narrow poles which kept the banister aloft. Taking a breath, I made my way up to the attic, hoping for goodness' sake that all of this is just a figment of my imagination.

As I reached the end, I tripped up the staircase just as the sound of whispered voices came from the door on the other side of the corridor of the attic. I hurriedly gripped upon the railings either side of me, pulling myself into a standing position until I hurriedly made my way towards the door, making sure to keep my footsteps light and graceful so as not to draw attention to the people on the other side.

A golden key with a ruby gem in the middle was kept in the lock on the outside and I turned it quickly and hoped it would make as little noise as possible. Thankfully, there was no noise from the lock and the door opened slightly, the perfect opportunity for me to see inside. I waited a few moments to make sure my little endeavour hadn't been discovered, then I peeked through.

I saw very little of interest except a beautiful stone fireplace which lit up the entire room. A small desk, a large armchair with a coffee table in front of it with whiskey bottles in the middle as well as a few books and newspapers. I couldn't see much else.

Then I saw him.

He looked around as two women came close to him, both of them moving in a strange way – slightly hunched over, but also gliding upon their feet as if walking upon air. He held his hand up to halt the pair.

"How long must we wait until you bring another?" The blonde one asked, a snarl to her voice, yet her voice was extremely soft and gentle with a sultry twang to it.

The brunette – her hair looking to be far more darker, yet in the light it glowed a deep, luxurious brown – turned her head ever so slightly towards the door.

I quickly hid behind it, making sure I wasn't seen by her or the other woman.

Who were they? Why were they here? Was he having an affair with two other women? I did not understand what was happening.

"Not long, my dears. Not long." He said, sounding exhausted as he normally did on a night.

"When is she to be turned, dear brother?" The other one – the brunette asked – her voice slightly harsher as she sounded as though she had something in her mouth.

"On our wedding night. You are not to interfere until then. That is when you shall meet her. Until then, she is mine to deal with. Do you both understand me?" He asked, his voice sharp and stern.

He couldn't be talking about me, could he? Surely, not. I didn't dare look back through the gap as one of them would surely notice. Not even to find out.

I felt as though I had heard enough of what had been said so I turned to go back to my room, careful to be quiet as I made my way to the foot of the stairs. But on looking down I saw the old housekeeper who was holding a small bundle in her arms – a baby – and she glared right at me, her grey eyes feline-like in the dim light of the hallway.

Dropping the bundle, she gripped my arm tightly – tight enough that it hurt – before throwing me through the door. I landed on my knees by Lord Windfall's feet, his eyes widening in surprise before he got me up, shaking me but unable to say anything as he stared at me.

I was well aware of the two women he had been talking to looking at me and him, our eyes connecting as I looked at his elongated teeth and the deadly gleam in those eyes. Yet, he looked so shocked. I couldn't place my fear or my love.

I felt betrayed, certainly, but I was also scared of him. What was he? Some sort of demon from the netherworld?

"Marie, what are you doing?" He asked softly, looking at the two women near us who were slowly making their way closer towards us, their lips pulled back to reveal a twisted snarl. They both had elongated teeth, too.

I couldn't focus. My blood was running cold and I felt faint. This was too much to process in one night. What kind of man was I going to marry? Was he a vampire? But that didn't make sense. I saw him in daylight... I have never once been outdoors with him. The curtains are always closed and are incredibly thick, blocking the sunlight coming in. The only time the curtains are opened is during the night to let in the moonlight.

Then there's the strange noises, conversations and screams... Vampire. He's a vampire!

The screams are his victims, the conversations were with these women and the noises were whatever schemes he has been up to when he wasn't with me. And that was often.

My legs buckled just as I tried to pull away from him, tears in my eyes as fear pulsed through me, the sound of my heart beat echoing through my head. The gentle thump, thump making my blood race. I wanted to run, but I couldn't.

The housekeeper is manning the door, watching on with dark curiosity, a smirk on her old, withered face. No longer was she the kindly woman ordering me to not go lurking in places I would not like to discover. Long gone was the joy in her face at my being here. All that was left was contempt and amusement at my dark fate.

The two women could easily over power me if they are of the same macabre as Lord Windfall. No doubt they could move at a fast pace if they are vampires. And they looked ready to kill me for their lust for blood.

Lord Windfall was the one gripping my arms tightly with phenomenal strength, making sure that he didn't hurt me and that he could keep me in place. None of this was very consoling, though. What was my part in all of this? Surely, he could leave me out of this.

"I'm sorry." He whispered before pulling his lips back to reveal those sharp, pearly-white teeth. He tilted my head to the side and I felt his teeth dig into my neck, the pain excruciating.

I screamed. The sound ricocheting off walls until the poison flooded my veins and subdued the pain I had been feeling. It felt like a dream, as though it had all been a dream as I ceased my struggles and relaxed, allowing him to kill me.

But he had other plans.

After draining half of my life force, he cut his neck with his nail, his dark red blood spilling out of the wound.

My chest rose and fell rapidly as I looked at him and loathed him. I could sense that he knew this, yet it didn't stop him from pulling me towards him by my neck and pressing my lips to his wound.

Unable to fight him as the blood was already on my lips and I was contaminated by his vampire venom, I drank from the wound until I blacked out, feeling myself drift away from the human life I knew. What awaited me beyond, I did not know.

Word count - 2000