The Fourth Bride and Harker Approaches

             Still From 'Dracula,' 1992

99 CENTS! Standalone
FAITHFUL TO THE NOVEL, DRACULA BUT WITH HIS SEXUALITY AND LIVING LIFE INCLUDED!

From The Fourth Bride, The Blackstone Vampires Series:

"I was terrified of discovery and since I rarely knew where the sisters were, I was worried, but my desire to find out whatever I could, drove me on.

I found an immense room; filled with Dracula’s presence. Book cases lined the walls, going from floor to ceiling. There was a great table piled high with books and papers. A smaller table nearby was crowded with maps and journals. There was a log book too. When I opened it, a paper slipped out.

There were copious notes on it, none of which meant anything to me, but then I read something about a ship called the Demeter. There were notations along the margins, but the writing was so cramped, I could not make out what it said.

As I turned to leave, I saw some letters. I picked one up and read the sender was one Jonathan Harker.

Mr. Hawkins has referred your enquiry to me and I look forward...

That was all I read, for I was certain I heard footsteps. I flew back to the chamber to await his arrival.
Dracula is lord and master in the fullest sense of the word and we, his brides, are his lovers but we are his servants too and no servant to the master can afford to be reckless. Bearing that in mind, I made certain to be downstairs when he returned with our feed.

Occasionally the master would bring something special for us as though to pamper us. Earlier, when he told us he was bringing us something delectable, I thought he was trying to make amends for being offhand with the sisters.

Whatever his intentions, he returned with a young insensible man, half strangled but still alive.
Dracula smiled. “I have not tasted him; I wanted my brides to have the first taste.” He looked strangely at me then I thought.

When the sisters cried with delight at the offering, I did not. And when they flung themselves upon the bounty, I hung back.

“Feed, my Dia. Feed.”

I didn’t wish to but I did as I was told.

My reticence soon gave way to my beastliness. So that I too supped like a wild animal; voraciously until our victim was nearly white with death.

Then at the first light of dawn we retired to the crypt to sleep the sleep of the damned. Once again he came to me and loved me. And once again I loved him back. I almost dared to hope he was not going to leave me. However, the next night he was distant with me and more affable with the sisters. In fact, he took the three of them. I heard the sounds of their lusty lovemaking.

This went on for hours and when I could stand it no longer I ran from the castle for I had to see Darka. I found her alone in her hut. Before I could say anything she was telling me what I wished to know. “There are letters he’s written, Pali has posted them for him. Letters arrive too that Pali brings up from the village. There is something going on. And it will not be too long before you know what it is.”

I knew at once I would go to Dracula and beg him to tell me what all this was about. If I pleaded with him, he would surely tell me, I reasoned.

Darka called me back. “Do not trust him with your heart, for though undead you still have one. You will only be hurt, Dia.”

I knew the truth, I knew it without asking. He was going to leave of that I was certain. How could my love leave me? Would he do such a thing? But then I thought perhaps not. Perhaps he will take me with him wherever he goes.

I am certain I knew the truth to that false hope, yet I chose to hold onto the hope in order to banish the worry.

The castle was nearly dark. I thought to go upstairs but then I heard Dracula and the sisters cry out in joyful abandon. I quickly retreated to the crypt; a far more appropriate place for the weeping vampire that I was.

*He seemed different to me in the weeks that followed as the sisters did. They were no longer nasty, even Verona was nicer. In fact she was more pleasant than I have known her to be.

Dracula too was kindly. In fact he insisted on showing me as much love as he ever had. There were times when he asked to include the sisters in our lovemaking. More often than not I objected. Strangely that he didn’t mind.

But then he did and lost his temper with me. His behavior had become quite erratic by then. He was moody and sullen and once again I sought out Darka.

“The young man is coming; even now he is travelling by coach, Dia. You will see him before too long.”
I hurried back to the castle and confronted my master. He screamed and shouted and raised his hand to strike me, but I cared not.

“Are you leaving with the one who comes? Would you leave me? Would you do that to me, master?
He only looked at me; his expression; disdainful. His words harsh: “I will do what I must, Dia. I am to reside in London...the man who is coming will advise me on some property I purchased there. You may all do with him as you wish after I leave...”

He went to join the sisters then. For myself, I had no wish to see them or my master. Instead I hid myself away in the crypt, in sight of that long dead corpse in the cage, that errant bride.
In truth I no longer cared what happened to me.

Darka was upset. “But you do care, Dia! The death of the vampire is horrible and, that who can say what follows?”

I was struck by that and asked her what she meant. She shrugged. “I cannot know, beyond this world for I am mortal. There are truths beyond all understanding. Some say though vampires have no soul...they have spirit and who knows where that spirit may go after undeath!”

When she saw I could not be comforted she smiled. “Please, my child. Do not choose death lightly, nor let it choose you!”

She tried so to reason with me. And because she saw how greatly I worried she spoke optimistically. “Perhaps it will all be better and not as you think... Remember, he lusts for them but cares for you...”
Darka’s words said so often we both came to believe them.

At last Darka called me to her. “It is best for you to know. That which you dread is nearly here. The man comes...he will be here tomorrow.”

(end of excerpt)

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Hell Has a Harem or Didn't You Know?

Well there is one there. It's staffed by wanton temptresses. Lilith and Salome are there, and Bathory comes and goes (if you'll excuse the expression).

Satan has first crack always. It's a busy place and quite popular with his demons. Naturally, it's the upper echelon of demons he permits to go there. The others are too lowly. Of course there is a work incentive for his chosen.

"Do enough evil, provide me with enough souls and you will have joy as you never imagined!"
(Like a season ticket in other words).

As we all know by now, Eco is like Satan's own son. For many reasons, Eco has reached out to Satan.   And because the two are so close, Satan has often had Eco visit hell to heal there. It might sound strange, but he really does wish to help Eco.

Eco goes on retreats there. He does in both books, 2 and 3 of The Blackstone Vampires Series. In Book 3, Unholy Testament - Full Circle he is shown Satan's harem. He not only is shown it, he becomes an active participant in those pursuits which will distract him from his troubles. Hell's harem with its very special 'harem girls' can soothe beast and man alike.

When writing the books, I realized I had a special fondness for Lilith. I think it was because I loved her daring display of feminism.  A previous post was about her:
http://carolegillauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/lilith-wanted-to-be-on-top.html

No subservience for her! Well, in truth, she considered herself to be more than one of Satan's wantons which she really was, and because of that, she was a great deal more and fun to write about!

Lilith and Vampires!

There have, it seems, always been vampires. There are tales from all over the world, throughout time. Every culture both ancient and modern, tells of these creatures.

That gets me thinking. If they spring from fear and ignorance, why are there such striking similarities among them? They all drink blood, after all. They don't really differ from place to place or time to time.

The legend of Lilith appears in ancient mythology as Lilitu (Babylonian and Assyrian). And although, not in the bible, she was thought to be Adam's first wife or possibly his steady lady friend, if you'll excuse the jest. She apparently was such a feminist according to that legend, she insisted on 'being on top', whereby a disgruntled Adam sulked, complained to the Almighty and Lilith was sent packing. 

She got back at everyone by doing outrageous things and remarrying; that is mating with the Archangel, Samael, who needless to say, lost his Heaven cred.

I like Lilith and I respect her feminism! I have made her a character in both of the Unholy Testament - The Beginnings and Unholy Testament - Full Circle, Books, Books 2 and 3 of The Blackstone Vampires Series.

Vampires remained myth and legend, until Dr. John Polidori, physician to Lord Byron, penned The Vamprye. That is recognised to be the first 'vampire story.' It tells of an aristocratic blood sucker and one can only surmise that the good doctor might have had Byron in mind when he thought up the name for his vampire: Lord Ruthven. I think he did actually!

The next great vampire story was written in 1872 by Sheridan LeFanu. The story is presented by Le Fanu as part of the casebook of Dr. Hesselius, The story is narrated by Laura, one of the two main protagonists of the tale, the other being Carmilla. It's quite a shocking tale for its time with its lesbian overtones.

Somehow what's shocking and different has become the  deliciously naughty maintstay of vampire fiction! I find that really interesting. It's what vampire fiction is all about. After all, vampires are seductive and immoral creatures or should be to my way of thinking!

The next great big thing that came along and eclipsed everything in my opinion was, of course,

Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Dracula remains the king of vampires. The novel has not been out of print since its publication in 1897.

It showed women as being modern, Mina Harker is making use of the new fangled typewriter as Dracula is venturing forth from 'old world' Transylvania with plans to raise a vampire army in industrialised Britain.

What doesn't Dracula have? Those of us who are fascinated by good vampire fiction owe Bram Stoker everything!

Dracula is a tortured demon (my favorite kind of character). In the novel he is demonic. He doesn't have a good side, yet he is, in my opinion, tragic nevertheless.

Now, there is a lot of mystery there as to how, when and where he became a vampire.
But hey! Isn't it fun to guess?

Many of you know my fourth book in The Blackstone Vampires Series is called The Fourth Bride. I was entirely faithful to the novel, Dracula and to how Bram Stoker envisioned him. It's my mission and I do not intend to fail!

I was inspired to write it though because of Coppola's film as it is one of my favorite films of all time. Let us not underestimate the power of this film. The count has not been dumbed down. He's still evil and demonic yet, there is tortured love there. Yes, purists will say it is different than the novel and it is, but it might bring to the novel generations of film goers who will want (hopefully) to read the original story!

Dark love, love by a demon vampire, what is more gripping than that? Not much, in my opinion!

Mina STACKHOUSE, HUH?!

True Blood,' 'Vampire Diaries'--'Twilight,' are all modern versions of vampire fiction. Whether you like them or not, I'm making a point here, so have a read!

Take Sookie Stackhouse. Personally 'True Blood' is my favorite of these examples. Set 'True Blood' in 1897 London. Imagine Ye Olde True Blood Pub is right in the heart of Whitechapel! The tavern keeper is a shape-shifter and the customers are eccentric, as in very.

The most popular waitress (tavern wench) is Mina Stackhouse and she's as cute as a button. She happens to meet a certain toff (rich guy) who takes one look at her and feels a lot of different things all at once.

Mina likes this count guy. It does occur to her he might be sinister, well it's how he looks see, there aren't too many blood suckers in London then. Just barristers but few people care about them.
Mina lets the count take her home because Jack the Ripper has not been caught and people still worry especially barmaids that have to travel home at night along Whitechapel's dark streets...

Okay, I'll stop now even though I don't want to because I'm having a lot of fun.

The point I'm making is, how adaptable vampire fiction is! There can always be a new spin on it.
It keeps morphing into new and exciting things. It doesn't stagnate. It inspires and amuses, it frightens and thrills. That's why we like it and some of us write it, like me.

Vampire fiction can be set in any time period. Vampires can be vicious, funny, loving (kind of) and scary. I think what makes them as popular as they are is that most readers can and do identify with them.

Now, that's funny you might say! Well it certainly was not the case until John Polidori wrote 'The Vampyre' because until then vampires were only represented in myth and legend. Yup, his was the first recognized depiction of a vampire in a story. And being 'mad, bad and dangerous to know, Lord Byron's physician, he might have had an agenda in naming the aristocratic vampire in his story, Lord Ruthven.

Vampires are so varied. Think about it. They can be vicious bikers as in John Carpenter's 'Vampires.' They can be elegant, tortured beings as in Anne Rice's 'Interview With A Vampire.'

Maybe they vary because we vary. Perhaps they are the darkest mirror image of ourselves. They are gross, blood sucking creatures basically but they live forever. Now, that is attractive. Immortality! Hey, I'd go for it, wouldn't you? Okay, look maybe the blood is a turn off, but there are ways around it as we see in 'True Blood' with the synthetic blood.

Vampires rock because we want them to and they rock because the possiblities are endless. They can be anything we want them to be. And in my opinion that makes them great!

Lilith and Vampires!

There have, it seems, always been vampires. There are tales from all over the world, throughout time. Every culture both ancient and modern, tells of these creatures.

That gets me thinking. If they spring from fear and ignorance, why are there such striking similarities among them? They all drink blood, after all. They don't really differ from place to place or time to time.

The legend of Lilith appears in ancient mythology as Lilitu (Babylonian and Assyrian). And although, not in the bible, she was thought to be Adam's first wife or possibly his steady lady friend, if you'll excuse the jest. She apparently was such a feminist according to that legend, she insisted on 'being on top', whereby a disgruntled Adam sulked, complained to the Almighty and Lilith was sent packing. 

She got back at everyone by doing outrageous things and remarrying; that is mating with the Archangel, Samael, who needless to say, lost his Heaven cred.

I like Lilith and I respect her feminism! I have made her a character in both of the Unholy Testament - The Beginnings and Unholy Testament - Full Circle, Books, Books 2 and 3 of The Blackstone Vampires Series.

Vampires remained myth and legend, until Dr. John Polidori, physician to Lord Byron, penned The Vamprye. That is recognised to be the first 'vampire story.' It tells of an aristocratic blood sucker and one can only surmise that the good doctor might have had Byron in mind when he thought up the name for his vampire: Lord Ruthven. I think he did actually!

The next great vampire story was written in 1872 by Sheridan LeFanu. The story is presented by Le Fanu as part of the casebook of Dr. Hesselius, The story is narrated by Laura, one of the two main protagonists of the tale, the other being Carmilla. It's quite a shocking tale for its time with its lesbian overtones.

Somehow what's shocking and different has become the  deliciously naughty maintstay of vampire fiction! I find that really interesting. It's what vampire fiction is all about. After all, vampires are seductive and immoral creatures or should be to my way of thinking!

The next great big thing that came along and eclipsed everything in my opinion was, of course,

Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Dracula remains the king of vampires. The novel has not been out of print since its publication in 1897.

It showed women as being modern, Mina Harker is making use of the new fangled typewriter as Dracula is venturing forth from 'old world' Transylvania with plans to raise a vampire army in industrialised Britain.

What doesn't Dracula have? Those of us who are fascinated by good vampire fiction owe Bram Stoker everything!

Dracula is a tortured demon (my favorite kind of character). In the novel he is demonic. He doesn't have a good side, yet he is, in my opinion, tragic nevertheless.

Now, there is a lot of mystery there as to how, when and where he became a vampire.
But hey! Isn't it fun to guess?

Many of you know my fourth book in The Blackstone Vampires Series is called The Fourth Bride. I was entirely faithful to the novel, Dracula and to how Bram Stoker envisioned him. It's my mission and I do not intend to fail!

I was inspired to write it though because of Coppola's film as it is one of my favorite films of all time. Let us not underestimate the power of this film. The count has not been dumbed down. He's still evil and demonic yet, there is tortured love there. Yes, purists will say it is different than the novel and it is, but it might bring to the novel generations of film goers who will want (hopefully) to read the original story!

Dark love, love by a demon vampire, what is more gripping than that? Not much, in my opinion!

Sex and the Vampire!

Let's discuss The Blackstone Vampires first. I have some eroticism in The House on Blackstone Moor, and I have a hell of a lot of sex scenes in Unholy Testament The Beginnings and Unholy Testament Full Circle.

The vampire orgies in those books prepare the reader for what is in The Fourth Bride as the novel is bursting with graphic sex (and violence). It's about Dracula after all and I don't see Dracula as courting any of his wives in the traditional way. I found Coppola's film extremely sexy and highly erotic. I've said this before and I'll say it again, that film inspired my fourth book.

Here's a question for you: why do we find, those of us who love vampire lit, vampires so sexy? In Bram Stoker's Dracula, let's face it, we all swooned at certain scenes. There is even an implied eroticism in the novel, Dracula. I mean how do we know what those brides of his get up to? Answer is plenty! There is nothing left to the imagination in The Fourth Bride nor in the fact that Dracula actively encourage his brides to feed off one another and love one another.

Let's face it, I think I can categorically state that no one really wants to crawl into bed with Nosferatu (either version), okay? I've had some great comments from women saying how very much they loved Christopher Lee's portrayal of Dracula but how they'd have preferred if it was sexed up a bit. I agree. And it is with Gary Oldman in the Coppola version. 

I prefer my vampires to be dangerous and not sparkle, And hey! Dangerous can be damned sexy! DANGEROUS can be a very potent aphrodisiac.

My preference is for Anne Rice sorts of vampires, interesting beings with depth and a range of emotions, with histories and personalities. And because they are so vivid and real they are haunting. I don't think I will ever forget the child vampire, Claudia in Interview with the Vampire.

The vampires I read and enjoy writing about are as different from one another as we are from one another. Why should it be different for them?

What I think makes them sexual beings is the perception that the rules that govern us don't apply to them. They call the shots. They indulge in excess, perhaps acting out our own fantasies. I'd have loved to have asked Bram Stoker a question or two.

Here's a suggestion: the next time you're doing the laundry or seasoning a chicken promise me that when you finish you'll pick up a book about vampires and allow yourself to be drawn into their dark and dangerous world.

In books anything goes, we can assimilate into any world we like. Our dreams are our own and if we choose to dream of wildly sensual romps with vampires, so be it.

By the way, who dreams of zombies?

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Gothic Fiction Revealed!

previous posts on this. HOW DO YOU TAKE YOUR GOTHIC FICTION?
and GOTHIC FICTION IS GOTHIC 
We agree that Gothic fiction depends a great deal on setting. As a matter of fact it's crucial. There are usually crypts and spooky castles and the all-pervading feel of menace and melancholy. The setting is so important as to almost become a character in the plot. I mean Wuthering Heights taking place in the South of France just wouldn't be the same, would it?

With regard to themes, Gothic fiction has hugely dramatic themes: there's madness and obsession for instance.

Jane Eyre portrays madness in the guise of poor mad, Bertha Mason locked in a tower. She has a keeper, one Grace Poole who seems, I have always thought, to be serving out a punishment perhaps self-inflicted for something in her own past.

The madness of guilt is depicted brilliantly in Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart. The more we read of the narrator's words, the greater we understand his madness. He is after all, telling us he had reasons to kill 'the old man'--reasons he is certain we would all identify with; he’s rationalizing, poor thing.

Madness can affect anyone. We’re just not used to the term in our daily lives any more. There are reasons for everything, politically correct words for everything. The tortured characters of the Poe stories would be zipped in to see a counsellor and sent home with medication or possibly prescribed it in prison.

“Yes, we know about the old man. We found him under the floorboards, remember?  Well, never mind about that now. This is only the beginning of your therapy. Yes, that’s right. This medication is vital to relax you so that I can begin to help you…now won’t that be a relief?”

A supposed conversation present day with the prison psychiatrist after the narrator in The Tell Tale Heart has been incarcerated in a ‘secure psychiatric facility.’

Not exactly hard-hitting that way is it? 

Having said that, I think Gothic fiction most certainly can be contemporary. I always thought Sunset Boulevard (film) was wonderfully Gothic. The ageing movie star, the once-beautiful Norma Desmond is sinking ever more deeply into MADNESS, so that by the end of the film she is a blurry face dancing into the camera, her mind gone forever. 

By that time, the camera has become her personal devil if not Satan himself. She lived for the camera and fell apart when it abandoned her. The camera is culpable in Norma Desmond’s madness and possibly an accomplice in the murder of Joe Gillis the hapless young man she murders.

Poor Norma! But what about all the others like her? Ah, but they fatten up an industry. Where would plastic surgeons be without them? Of course as in the best traditions of Gothic horror, they might have one too many or five or ten too many surgical procedures so that they then become their own sort of monster. Does vanity drive them to this? If so, what preys upon those vane men and women? Could greed be the catalyst in this?

That’s pretty Gothic to me. It's one of the Seven Deadly Sins!

I’m thinking about Goethe’s Faust now in relation to the Seven Deadly Sins. Dr. Faustus was prideful wasn’t he; proud of his education and intellect and sought forbidden knowledge. In his case, he wished to know too much.

He is heroic and a sinner too. Yet we can identify with him, because we, too, might fantasize about challenging heaven and the cosmos. Who doesn't want to know the secrets of life and death?

This search or quest for forbidden knowledge always leads to a fall. Part of our lesson or the lesson that is so vital in Gothic fiction! Seek too much and you are punished! 

Temptation tempts and then after the punishment: payback. Dr. Jekyll had a damned good time as Hyde but paid as Jekyll. Von Frankenstein just a man of his time wanted to do something great, to revive dead flesh but he created a pathetic monster, the only literary zombie in my opinion.

Then the payback-is-a bitch-law: "Ye who dabble beyond what is deemed proper, boy will you be sorry! 

So maybe Gothic fiction, real Gothic fiction--not paranormal romance with racy bits, should have within the storyline things other than spooky castles and dusty crypts. There is some sort of morality play going on. 

The Gothic fiction that I admire challenges the reader in my opinion, to think, to be pulled into the characters' world. Great fiction should leave us ruffled, affected and sometimes even disturbed. At the very least it should make us feel something. For me, the theme of good vs. evil must be present somewhere within the story, or guys--if it isn't it just ain't GOTHIC.

another post follows soon! 

How Do You Take Your Gothic Fiction?

The second in my Gothic fiction posts. This is updated. Let's remember Gothic Fiction is GOTHIC. Please follow the link to my first post. 

So think a minute, how do YOU take your Gothic fiction? I like mine with a side order of darkest horror, my worst nightmares dished up with enough horror to become my readers' worst nightmares!

Gothic fiction has been around a long time. Its roots go back to the 18th Century at least. There's Walpole and Radcliffe that started it all. And what about Mary Shelley and Polidori, pulling the rug out from under Byron and Percy during that fantastic time at Villa Diodati and penning Frankenstein and The Vampyre?!

Edgar Allan Poe gave us stories to treasure and be haunted by forever. He extracted from his own tortured soul that which tortures us still to this day. And the Brontes: Charlotte and Emily giving us love and madness, child ghosts haunting desolate moors. They wrote about characters we would never forget because we could never forget them!

I have always loved Gothic fiction and have written here many times of my desire to write for today's reader; to darken it up even more!

My fiction is not easy on the heart. It will frighten you and shock you. You might never be the same after reading it. But you know what? Maybe that's good. Perhaps I am doing my job. I'm not just dishing out novels to make up series, I'm giving you a piece of my soul. I'm telling you, if you care to read my work, the dark side is evil! It always was. Satan is wicked, his demons are his servants.

No reward can await those who forfeit heaven for a taste of hell.

Most crucially of all because I write vampire fiction, I portray my vampires as VAMPIRES, yes they may be capable of love but it is tortured love. They are not happy little fairies prancing about enchanted forests. They do not inhabit a pleasant world, if they are good it is because "they do less evil than themselves."

That quote by the way is from The House on Blackstone Moor.

If you are a mature reader and want to read Gothic fiction that portrays evil as being evil, then please check out my books and short stories. If not, go in peace and with my blessing. We are all different and that is good because diversity enriches the genre!

This review from a reader for my latest release, I, BATHORY, QUEEN OF BLOOD wrote this:

“I'm hooked on Carole Gill!! I prefer more details about a Vampires life, knowing they're Satan's creatures, and love that this author portrays them as they are!!! Intense read and that there's real history in a her novels, makes it even more interesting!! If you're offended by language, sex, bondage, and savagery, look to the Chic lit on the paranormal!!! Carole Gill is phenomenal!!!!”