The Lycanthrope

"Company?"

"The baron, silly," laughed the girl. "We invited him last night remember. When he arrived I left the door open to let the cool evening breeze in."

Karlsstadt grabbed the shotgun.

"Valkyr is here, here in this house?" He stormed into the lounge.

"Father!"

There sat the Baron by the fire, a glass of the finest brandy in one hand, the other resting on the arm of the chair. The Doctor pointed his gun at him.

"How dare you set foot in this house, you abomination. You have feasted well tonight & still you come looking for more."

The Baron sat in silence.

"First the sheep, then that poor girl. Where would it have ended, Valkyr, where?"

Sapphire poured her father a brandy & placed it in his hand.

"He can’t hear you, father."

"Wh, what?"

"He can’t hear you," she repeated. "Take a closer look at him."

The Doctor let the shotgun drop to his side as he neared the seated figure. He waved his hand in front of the Baron’s eyes. They were open but saw nothing. Then Karlsstadt noticed the two small puncture holes in his neck. He took a deep swallow & downed his brandy in one gulp.

"Oh god, no!"

"I had to do it, father," confessed Sapphire. "I had no choice. He wanted to change me into one of his kind, to help him ‘rule his kingdom’. All rubbish really."

"When did you know that he was a ..."

"Last night. I can smell their fear. They’re such insecure creatures."

Karlsstadt sat down.

"And the girl? What of the girl Hana?"

"Oh, father," sighed Sapphire. "I’ve grown tired of the supplies you bring me from the surgery. I needed it fresh, to taste the fear again."

"But you’ve never killed like that before. It was horrible."

Sapphire sat on Karlsstadt’s knee & kissed him on the cheek.

"I had to make it look like the Baron’s work, didn’t I," she giggled. "God, these people would have been really freaked if they knew they had a werewolf & a vampire as neighbours."