A strange life

It was the year of our lord 1802 Norwich England. I was fourteen years old and had just came into womanhood. Something I dreaded for a long time, because now I would be married off to my fathers friend. A merchant who was fifty, old enough himself to be my father. I was to be wed to him to pay off my fathers gambling debt.1

I had met him on many occasions, and found him to be most distasteful. He was cruel to his servants, and had a fondness for whores and drinking. He had no children of his own to pass his business on to. And thought that a young wife might change that.2

I had begged and pleaded until my father would strike me and tell me I had a duty to fulfill, my mother would tell me it was the most I could hope for. Because I was not pleasing to the eye like my sixteen year old sister Ann, who looked like an angel with her flaxen hair and sky blue eyes.She was to be wed to a knight and be a lady in waiting to the queen.3

My parents were not terribly wealthy by any means, my father was a wool merchant and made a decent living, his only vice that I know of was gambling. We lived on a small farm which my mother inherited. So I really never understood why he gave me to that vile man. But what did I know of such grown up things. I was but a child still in my eyes when I was wedded. 4

So on my wedding night I find myself laying on the bed, as my drunk husband tries to mount me. Being a virgin I don’t know much about sex except for watching the animals on our small farm mate. But I knew their was something wrong, with his manhood that lay flaccid against his thigh. I thought that perhaps I was so ugly that he had no desire for me. 5

In the morning I was proved wrong, for this time he took my virtue, try as I might I could not scrub his smell off of me. Nor can I get the rotten smell of his breath out of my mind as he heaved his bulk up and down on me. I prayed that I was barren I did not wish to carry his seed. I knew that their had to be more to my life then this.The beatings started not to long after we were wed I had no idea why he hated me so but,I soon found out that my husbands temper was the worst when he got home from work.6

I was not fast enough getting his boots off and he backhanded me so hard I flew across the room. One lost tooth and a broken nose later I learned to be fast and stay out of his way. But he always found some reason to hit me or if I was to fast he would make me pay for it later in the bedroom.7

A year had gone by and I still could not conceive. I prayed that I would die, that was the only way I could see how to exscape from this life. But this was not to be my lot in life I could think of nothing that I did to displease god.One night after a beating that left me with another broken nose, I grew angry and bitter I renounced god ripping off the small gold cross I always wore and gloated my husband into hitting me more, hoping he would beat me to death. 8

Another year goes by, and I’m now sixteen I’ve grown thinner and my husband fatter. One night at supper he tells me he will be starting a new route to Romania and he insisted that I go with him. The next week we were off I had to admit I was happy for once I was going to see the world.9

It took us a year to get to the border, and in that year I blossomed. At first my husband thought I was with child, for my breast had grown larger and my hips were more pronounced. My face however I found their was no hope for. My brown eyes set to far apart and to big. My nose fat ,misshapened and unladylike from it being broke so many times , my chin to square, my lips to big. And my hair a mousy brown color that was much to plain and thick.10

I don’t know why I felt so alive and my body changed, perhaps it was that I had been to much a child still when I was forced to marry. And my body had not grown yet, or it was seeing how beautiful the world was. And my heart was so happy it made me glow. What ever it was I soon wished I could turn it off because my husband pawed at me tirelessly. 11

As we neared the boarder of Romania coming from Bulgaria, my husband who had been drinking sought me out in our tent and begin to beat me for reasons unknown to me. I stood their and took the blows he dealt me, better then most men could I believe. After he was done beating me he took his pleasure. Then he left me curled in a ball, numb to my body, to myself, to life.12

I lay their naked, cold and unmoving when out of the corner of my eye I saw a dark shadow move in our tent. “ why do you let that foul excuse for a man do these things to you.” the voice was male and soothing his dark figure appeared to be lithe and tall he stood about an inch away from me.13

“ because he is my husband and he can do what he wants to me I am his property.” I said not bothering to cover myself.14

“Go away before he comes back and finds you here in his tent and beats you.” the man scoffed at this and said.15

“I would kill him before he had a chance to lift his fat arm to take a swing.”16

“Really?” said I “I have felt his fist for two years and I tell you sir he hits very hard.” I then felt a feathery touch, tracing my jaw line. I was drowsy, and was begin to think my husband had made me addle brained, with all the blows to the head I‘d taken. Or this was all a dream he must of knocked me out. The voice this time so close to my ear that I felt his breath on my neck. “ I can make all this pain stop forever.”17

I slipped into a dreamless sleep. When I woke the next morning I found that my brute of a husband snored loudly next to me. The smell of sour wine strong on his breath. His large arm over me, cutting off my breath. I squirmed out from under his arm happy with the knowledge that he would sleep away the whole day, which meant I was free to explore.18

I walked off into the woods a wool shawl draped over my shoulders. I lifted my dress up, so as not to let it trail in the mud. The air was crisp,clean and cold but the sun was doing its best to heat the forest. Dappling sun rays fell through the leaves of the tall trees making me feel like I was waking into a emerald gem, that was shot through with golden beams of sunlight. I was in a trance so it seems and wandered farther and farther away from our camp.19

As the day wore on it warmed up so much that I tied my shawl around my waist, and looped my dress through my legs, and tucked it into my belt exposing my legs to the warm air. I came to a clearing that held a small caravan of what I believed looked to be gypsies. My husband had told me they were a dirty thieving lot he said they would steal my soul if I every came across them, and that I was to go the opposite way they went if I ever ran into them.20

But as I hid behind the tree and watched them they looked like normal people to me. They were a dark brown people, most of the women small boned. Their dark hair shone in the sunlight, Their gold bracelets, necklace, and earrings gleamed in the bright sun. their children ran around laughing and playing with huge fierce looking wolf dogs. A little burst of wind blew my way and the tantalizing smell of cooked meat and spices teased my nose.My stomach growled and realized I had been gone for more then half the day. Suddenly I was tired and hungry.21

Then much to my dismay, a stiff wind blew from behind me blowing my scent right to the wolf dogs. Two of them, they began to growl and ran towards me the children calling out to them in a language I have never heard before. I stepped out from behind the tree and stood waiting for their jaws to rip my flesh from my bones. They were but a foot away from me when they stopped and sat down. They stared at me with their large amber eyes filled with intelligence. A man came running towards me and with a heavy accent told me not to worry they would not attack unless he told them to.22

He said something to them, and they stood and ran back to the camp. The man came closer and saw my bruised face my swollen lip. He nodded his head at me. “Do you seek help women?”23

“ No sir.. well perhaps, I believe I am lost.” the man indicated that I should follow him so I did.24

The children ran around me, jabbering in their strange language. As we got closer to their camp I could see that their were seven wagons all together that made a circle. Inside the circle seven donkeys were in a makeshift pen along with two pigs and two goats. I could hear chickens clucking in their small makeshift coop.25

The man indicated I should sit down next to the fire, a old wizened women brought me a bowel of stew and a cup of watered down wine. I nodded my thanks at the woman and she smiled a gap tooth grin at me in turn.26

Once I was done eating I told the man my story and he translated it for the crowed that had gathered to get a better look at me. The women eyes filled with sympathy, the men shook their heads in disgust. the man who translated calls himself Fane and the old women who served me was his mother Ioana I told them my name was Mary. 27

Fane told me that his mother had some poultice that could help to heal my face, I shrugged my shoulders and told him it made no difference to me I was use to it. But his mother took my hand in hers and lead me to one of the wagons. She indicated I was to sit on the steps and went inside. I could hear her rummaging inside making it strongly smell of herbs where I sat.28

Ioana came out with a small abalone shell and what looked like a paste of sorts inside the shell. She moved my hair out of the way and gently begin to cover the bruises on my face. She was covering the bruise on my right cheek when she stopped what she was doing and called out her sons name.29

He came running over to us Ioana ran her finger over my neck and I winched at the pain. They stood, talking in their language for a minuet then Fane asked me. “ the mark on your neck how did you get it?” 30

“Mark?” said I “ I don’t know my husband must have done it.” 31

“ Is your husband Nosferatu?”32

“ What… is that?” I asked with a quizzical look upon my face.33

“Vampir!” said he. I laughed for I heard tell of these monsters who came out at night and sucked the blood of man, but it was nothing more then a myth. Something parents told their ill behaved children to scare them into being good.34

“ Yes, my husband told me you Romanians were a superstitious people. But no, my husband is many things but a vampir he is not.” I reached up and touched my neck and could feel their were two holes that felt scabbed over on my neck.35

Ionan leaned over and smelt my neck then she turned to Fane and spoke one word. “Radu.”
Fane spoke quickly to the people, once he was done they all hurried off begin to pack things up. Fane looked at me and said. 36

“ I am afraid you have stepped into a world unlike you have ever known to exist. You have been marked by Radu. A vampir who we have been at war with for a long time. He likes to play with his food, so he marked you but did not drain all your blood. We have to pack up and get going back to our castle where you will be much safer.37

Fane sniffed the air “I don’t smell him in the area but he is very cleaver and strong, and the only true blood I know of. He will follow your sent so we must do the unspeakable if you are to live.38

I looked at Fane and shook my head in confusion. I really did it now, putting myself in this strange position.Looking at Fane I said “ I have endured much, and still I live. I see now that this is possible what fate had in store for me from the beginning.” Fane nodded his head “ I truly hope you can be prepared for this…we will have to turn you- 39

“ You want to make me a vampir!” I yelled 40

Fane shook his head no “ Not vampir Mary we are Bodark.”41

I shook my head “What is that?” 42

Fane shifted right before my eyes into a huge wolf like the ones that ran around the camp.43

I gasped and took a step back “Oh I see now you are Lupine, all of you? I have heard of you wolf people but where I am from we call you Lupine. ” I looked around at the small brown people, who were real life monsters I had head the tales of traveling people who went missing and were never heard of again.But for some reason I did not fear them I had a feeling that I was safe.I shook away the thoughts in my head and saw the people who hurried to ready the wagons,some transformed and I assumed took on guard duty. So another myth I had heard of, come to life right in front of me and it seemed that I was about to be part of this myth. “Ok.” said I. “what would you have me do then?” 44

Fane walked up to me and bit into the fleshy part of my arm, a searing pain traveled up it, and buried its self in my head. I dropped to my knees,crying out the pain was unbearable. I had suffered enough broken bones and taken my fair share of beatings. But all that was nothing compared to this agony I suffered.45

My bones felt as if they were melting inside of me my hand in front of me grew longer stretching out then curling into a paw complete with brown thick fur, that in a blink of my eye sprouted up and down my no longer human arm. In my painful transformation I heard Fane say to someone that something was wrong I was not transfomoring right who ever it was they agreed and I felt arms wind about me and felt myself being lifted up and carried into one of the wagons. 46

I would at times come out of my delirious dreams feel the wagon moving and would feel Iona next to me rubbing me down with some foul smelling rub I believe to help rid me of my fever. And the pain. Gods the pain it never left me, even in my delirium I felt my voice grow horse with my yelling and screaming. At times I made animal sounds that scared me. If I lived through this what was I to become. 47

When I woke I felt more myself and I saw through blurry eyes that I was in a sleeping chamber. The wooden shutters closed tight the room dark as night yet. I could see very well once I wiped the sleep from my eyes. I thirst so, but not for water I want blood. This I found strange for someone who was bit by a lupine. 48

So I stumbled out of the feather bed that I had slept on for who knows how long. I walked on shaky weak legs to the door and I opened it to find a hallway. I walked feeling the presents of others down stairs so down I went, and opened a door that I felt the others were behind. I walked into a chamber that was of modest size there was a large wooden table with chairs I recognized some of the faces that sat at the table. 49

Fane came to me and helped me to sit down. At the head of the table was a good looking man dark of hair and eye. He stood and walked over to me.50

“So you are the one who has cause all this trouble.” 51

My throat was so dry “Give me blood please I thirst so for blood.” 52

the man looked up at the others “ Why does she ask for blood? no bodark thirst for blood, we want the thrill of the hunt the fresh meat, to hear the bones cracking under our strong teeth.” 53

“She was bite by Radu first and I bit her later to change her. If Radu found us she would not have a chance. I know we must all agree first for before changing someone but there was no time because of her being bit by Radu first we don’t know if she’s vampir or Bodark.”54

I watched Fane as he looked at the man with pleading in his eyes. I didn’t know what all this meant for me. 55

“But I did see her start to change, her arm it.. It turned into a wolf leg.”56

“But she thirst for blood! Fane we can not let her remain here, if she is Vampir she may not be able to control herself. She could hurt someone. Would you want that on you conciseness Fane? The death of one of your own all because you felt sorry for her.”57

Then Iona spoke up and to my amazement I realized that I could understand what every one said. “ Enough of this my sons Enric your brother Fane did a good thing, we are not monsters like the myths people tell about us. Maybe this is the will of the gods that we should meet this woman and save her I think we should let her stay and learn what we can maybe we have just created something new. Even though Enrick is our Leader we are a pack who decides together so we must all agree that she stays.”58

Everyone around the table agreed, their was a shuffling of cloths and a scraping of chairs as people stood and started to leave the room. Fane walked over to me and offered his arm in support. I took it and we walked slowly back to my sleeping chamber. 59

“Fane I will always be indebt to you and your people for helping me but I think that I should go I..I.. feel like I can smell your blood I hear your heart beating in your chest. Gods! I want to feel your hot blood spurting into my mouth.” I clutched his shirt in my hands and pulled him close to me.60

“ Fane please let me drink from you I just want a little taste that’s all.” Fane was looking deep into my eyes like he was enthralled and could only do what I asked him to do. So I pulled him closer to me till our chests touched I could feel my own heart beating fast as well as his. I caressed his neck feeling this pulse beating under my fingers.61

I felt with the tip of my tongue my incisor tooth it felt normal no so called fangs that I could feel. Yet it did feel rather lose, as did the other one so I reached up and griping the right one gave it a good yank it slid out of my gum. I then yanked the other one out in the same fashion. I could taste my own sweet blood running down the back of my throat. Then I felt something pushing its way out of my gums and this time when I ran my tongue along my teeth I felt fangs, I figured they were about an inch long and sharp as the wicked blade my husband carried with him for protection. As I started to bring my mouth down on Fanes neck he pushed me back his eyes big with wonder.62

“ You have a heart beat!” He jumped up and ran out of the room. 63

Seconds later Enric and Fane came running back to my sleeping chamber. They looked at me then Enric leaned down he smelt like fresh mountain air and spices. He put his hand on my neck feeling my pulse, My warm skin. 64

“ I admit brother she does not seem like the living dead to me open your mouth for me Mary.”65

I smiled at him showing my fangs, I knew that’s what he was looking for. That was all I had the energy to do I was feeling so weak I laid down and close my eyes.66

“What do we do Enric? we have to feed her or she will die.” Fane looked at his brother hoping he would have an answer.67

“Meat, we feed her meat if you bit her then maybe if we nurture the Bodark in her that’s what she will become instead of vampir.”68

So that’s what they did and so far for two months it has worked somewhat. I lived with these people and learned more about them but I could never transform to wolf, I could get as far as the arm Fane bit me on but that was it.69

As for the Vampir in me some times I would sneak out and go down to the stables and drink the blood of the horses, donkeys or the goats. It would sate my bloodlust for awhile but what I longed for was human blood. What I was could not be explained it was like I was two very different people…well creatures I guess sounds better. I feel the wolf in me stir only to be contained by the vampire in me.But when the vampire in me stirs I am locked away so that I don't hurt anyone and as of late I have a very strong urge to go and find the one who bit me first.