Eternal Night

(II) Chapter 3: Haunting Me

The two gentlemen were standing beside the desk at the far end of the room closest to the window, the tabletop littered with dozens of journals in a variety of shapes, sizes, and general age.

"I can't believe I used to mock your wife for keeping a diary. If I had known these things would come in handy someday, I would have held my tongue," Dracula announced as he watched Bernardini shuffle through the volumes in search of one in particular.

"Yes. Although I fear the one we truly want is still in Marcus' possession."

"Elina will acquire it soon enough. The fact that my traitorous half-brother has kept it so close instead of having it buried at sea or something is evidence enough of its importance."

"Well, I only hope she's careful when she does retrieve it. We are steadily running out of allies on the inside, Vladislaus."

"She has a history with the people that none of the council members do. That reason alone has preserved her."

"Yes, but that won't last forever. If Marcus learns of her intentions, it won't be long before he puts the rest of the missing pieces together."

"Which is exactly why I told her to only do it when it is safe. Fortunately for us, we have all the time in the world."

Bernardini's smirk turned a little smug, the man sending his maker a sideways glance.

"Although your general sense of forbearance has certainly improved over the centuries, I sincerely doubt your patience will last that long when it comes to Miss Chase."

"I'm not giving the prophecy any degree of validation on her account, Antón. This is between myself and Marcus."

"Whom you cannot defeat without her, or your mystery demon, apparently."

"You mean the one from the dreams?" Dracula inquired, looking up from one of the volumes he had been studying.

Bernardini nodded before showing him the particular tome he had been perusing earlier in the day when Lilith had been over.

"Here," he explained. "Mariella refers to her as a Lilitu. I don't know why I didn't draw the connection before when we first learned of the red-haired demon. It would appear Mariella drew her likeness dozens of times – although the details of the face all vary a little between sketches, which will make it difficult to acquire any kind of positive identification. But this is definitive proof that we have another player here. Francesca is not the only piece of the puzzle we need."

"This particular likeness seems the most correct..." Dracula interrupted, taking the offered book from his friend's hand so he could study the pages more closely.

"Oh?"

"Yes – it most resembles the one that would appear in those dreams I used to have last year, after I had met Francesca – the demon with red hair and white eyes. It's not an exact likeness, but the similarities are too real to be ignored."

"Interesting. Well, that should give us a little more to go on in identifying her, whoever she is."

"Did Mariella write anything more about this creature?"

"I did find a passage here," and he retrieved another open book. "Apparently she is the natural born daughter of Lilith, and she feeds on not only blood, but sexual energy, like a succubus. And the last note I was able to dig up was that the visions regarding the Lilitu began in 1920 and lasted for about nine months or so before ceasing altogether."

"I didn't think Lilith could conceive in that manner. She's always been able to alter pre-existing forms of life, but never create something of her own. Such was the curse of all who fell from heaven, although I've always wondered how Lilith was able to retain her corporeal form when someone as powerful as Lucifer wasn't."