Once Upon a Time in Veronaville

"We've got it narrowed down," Juliet said. "Ever since I saw him, I just had to know what was going on. So I've been doing some sleuthing. It's one of three houses, if it was him at all."

"I don't have time to go to three houses. Eliza could be dead by then."

"I think I know a faster way," Juliet said.

"What's that?"

"We could ask my Aunt Regan. If he was going to contact anyone in this town, it would be his favorite sister."

"Let's go," Romeo said.

"I'll stay home with the kids," Mercutio said, kissing his wife goodbye. "Good luck."

 

"What is that boy to you? Why was he following you?" His hands were gentle on her neck, stroking and caressing.

Somewhere deep inside Eliza came the impulse to lie. "I was followed?" She had sensed Romeo, knew he was behind her, but could not react, though her heart longed for him. She was helpless against the vampire's spell. But she was learning, slowly, to hide some thoughts from him. So now she allowed herself to think of nothing but cornfields.

He smiled. "So, Romeo Monty is nothing to you."

"No," she lied.

"Then you won't mind if I kill him."

She started, and stared at him, her thoughts suddenly naked before him, and he smiled.

"So, you do love him. Well, then. That will make killing him all the sweeter."

"Please, no," she said.

"And what will you give me if I do not?"

"Anything," she whispered.

 

Pictures, long overdue ...

Eliza, pale and lovely

Eliza in a trance

I love this one. Doesn't he look really peeved to have his picture taken right then?

In the vampire's lair

But what are you drinking?

 

LOL, he does look peeved in that picture.

Goodlooking vampire, too, with such an evil grin.

Mercutio! For pete's sake, man! You just let Juliet go with Romeo to look for the undead and a couple of wolves. I guess he doesn't really believe there are such things in Veronaville and is shaking his head over such nonsense even now.

 

Sorry. Guess I watch too much Buffy, where the women take care of themselves ... but yeah, I think he mostly thinks it's a wild goose chase.

 

"Look deep into my eyes," the vampire said, and Eliza obeyed. She backed away from him, slowly, and came up against a table. Purple lights swirled from his fingers and she felt herself grow dizzy.

She felt behind her for a weapon, anything, and felt the cool smoothness of a lamp. Mustering what was left of her free will she raised the lamp and brought it smashing down on his head.

"You little ... " he roared, the connection broken, and Eliza ran for her life. She heard a loud squeaking noise, like a huge angry mouse and then saw a poof of pink smoke as he landed directly in front of her.

He grabbed her arms and held her fast. She struggled against him.

"Going somewhere?" he asked, with an evil smile.

 

"What are you doing here?" Regan asked, staring down her nose at Romeo and Juliet.

"Please, Aunt Regan, we need your help."

"You're no longer part of my family," Regan said with a sniff. "Go away." She started to shut the door, but Juliet put her foot in it.

"A girl's life is at stake," she said. "I want you to tell me where Uncle Richard lives."

Regan looked startled but recovered quickly. "My dear girl, Richard's been dead for many years. As you well know. It's late. I have no time for fantasies."

Romeo lunged for her and grabbed her by the front of her dress. "Tell me where he lives," he snarled. "I know you know."

"I'll thank you to take your hands off my wife," Cornwall Capp said, opening the door wider and pushing Romeo.

"Tell me," Romeo said.

"I'm calling the police," Kent Capp, Regan's other brother, called from the kitchen.

"Let's go, Romeo," Juliet said. "This was a waste of time."

"If anything happens to her I'll kill you!!" Romeo spat at Regan. "Her blood is on your head."

"Does your hubby know you're back with this hooligan?" Regan asked Juliet coldly.

"Drop dead, Auntie," Juliet said sweetly, and practically dragged Romeo out of the house.

 

"We've got to call Nora," Juliet said. "She'll want to know. And we should call the police as well."

"And tell them what?" Romeo ran his hand through his hair. "They won't believe us, and besides, they're in your grandfather's pocket. My family doesn't call the police. They just cause more trouble than they're worth."

"We've got to find her," Juliet said.

"And we will. We need to look for the wolves. If we get too close they might come after us again."

"Now there's a comforting thought."

"Tell me those addresses again."

She did, and they sped off on his motorcycle.

 

It was nearly dawn when they reached the third address. The other two houses had clearly been empty for some time, but this one showed signs of life. There was a lamborghini in the garage and the furnishings they saw through the windows were nice. The door was locked and no matter how hard they knocked no one answered.

Romeo broke a window and had started to climb inside just as the police arrived.

"Hands in the air!" They yelled. Romeo and Juliet turned slowly to see at least twenty of Veronaville's finest, guns drawn.

"You don't understand," Romeo said, but the captain cut him short.

"Save it for the judge," he said. "Take them downtown."

 

Nora couldn't bear to stay at home, just waiting, so she dropped the girls at the Summerdreams and joined Tybalt in the hunt. Her heart felt like lead in her chest. If they just kept looking, she wouldn't have to face her fears about Eliza.

She's fine, she's fine, she's fine, she repeated in her head like a mantra. "I'm going to kill her," she said aloud, but her voice broke.

Oh, Eliza. Where are you?

Tybalt drove with a grim, set expression on his face, not saying a word, as they searched.

They finally had to turn for home, and were greeted by a sight that would haunt Nora's dreams for the rest of her life.

Her sister lay on the front doorstep, cold and dead.

 

***GASP*** (Seriously, gasped outloud here when I read that last sentence with my jaw all the way to the floor!)

 

She can't be dead! Right? :shocked: It just seems so because she's a vampire now.

Actually, I'd stop my husband from going out looking for wolves and zombies, too. I think your story just got a little too real there, and I started imagining sitting up all night chewing my nails and waiting for a loved one to return safely. :scared:

 

The next few days went by in a fog for Nora. They had had to sedate her, finally, so she could get some sleep. She tried, for the sake of her daughters, to put on a brave front but she was overcome by grief. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Eliza's dead face, staring up at her. And it was all she could do when she was awake not to dissolve into sobs.

The coroner ruled that Eliza ha'd been killed by a large animal. After Mercutio had bailed Romeo and Juliet out of jail and they'd given their statements, the police were on the lookout for wolves, but so far none had been found.

"It wasn't a wolf," Juliet said to Tybalt in the kitchen one night, after the girls had gone to bed. "There's something weird going on. A wolf doesn't drop its prey on its relatives' front doorstep. That was deliberate cruelty."

"I agree," Tybalt said, "but what else could have caused those bites?"

"I have something crazy to tell you," she said. "And I'm not sure you're going to believe me."

 

"You're right," he said when she had finished. "I don't believe you."

"I'm not imagining things," she said. "It was your father. And there's more. When we confronted Regan about it, she said we were nuts but there was something about her reaction ... she's seen him, I know it."

"My father was murdered fifteen years ago," Tybalt said, heavily. "He's dead. People don't come back from the dead. I think you should go home now."

"Tybalt--"

"Good night, Juliet," Tybalt said, holding the door for her.

 

They buried Eliza on a rainy afternoon. She wore a lovely dress Nora bought for her, and held a single red rose that Romeo laid on her breast before the coffin was closed.

He stood like a statue throughout the ceremony, rigid and strained, and ignored all attempts to comfort him. They finally left him alone. Even Nora had gone home, at Tybalt's insistence.

And still Romeo stood there, staring at her grave.

He felt he had died too.

Someone would pay.

 

"Thank you, Father, for calling the police off my trail," Richard Capp said.

"Anything for my favorite son," said Consort Capp, handing him a brandy. "I think they will find, soon, that the wolves have left the area."

"Again, thank you. I would hate for something to happen to my faithful friends."

"Just keep them inside for now, and all will be well. A toast," Consort said, holidng his glass aloft. "To family reunions."

"To family reunions," Richard agreed.

 

He visited her every night, waiting. Soon, soon, my darling, we'll be together forever.

He watched as her hand reached through the soil, searching, reaching. At last, she was awake. He dug through the earth to reach her, pulled her out. She stood in front of him, dirty and disheveled and wild-looking, but more lovely than ever in his eyes.

"Welcome back, my dear," Richard said.

Eliza looked at him, recognition dawning, and hissed.

He reached out his hand but she backed away from him. When he took a step forward she turned and ran.

 

Eliza's grave had been disturbed. Romeo had visited every morning on his way to work. He was still numb, but went about his life, slowly forming his plan of revenge, his final promise to his love.

He would get them, even if it meant laying down his own life. He didn't care if he lived or died, anymore.

But now, in the early morning light, he saw something that snapped him out of his numbness. He felt rage boil up in him, anger he'd never experienced on such a level. Someone had disturbed Eliza's grave.

What monster would do such a thing?

He knelt down and dug through the earth, which was wet and squishy after the rains, not caring that he was soon filthy.

"Figures," said a low husky voice.

He sat back on his heels to see a woman regarding him. She had long hair pulled back in a ponytail, a strong face, and a patch over one eye. An ugly scar marred her jawline, but she was striking nonetheless.

"Who are you?" he managed.

"Adrienne Black," she said. "Did you cut her head off, stick a stake in her heart?"

Romeo stared at her, horrified. "Of course not."

"Big mistake," she said, and started to walk away.

 

He went after her, grabbed her by the arm. She was extremely muscular, for a woman. "You know something."

"You won't believe me," she said. "No one ever does."

"Try me," he said.

"She's a vampire," Adrienne said with a shrug. "Probably holed up somewhere with the guy who did it."

He dropped his hand. "There's no such thing as vampires."

She shrugged again. "Told you you wouldn't believe me."

But he did. Everything snapped into place. "I've got to find her," he said, mostly to himself.

"Better hope I don't find her first," said Adrienne Black.

 

I knew it. Liza's a vampire--the old fashioned dead-as-a-doornail, crawl-out-of-the-grave, Dracula type vampire. Things should get REALLY creepy now. I wonder if she looks totally hideous. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't (depending on the movie director. ) Richard's opinion on the matter, of course, doesn't count.

Adrienne is neat. Cool eye patch.