#halloweenstories – Kris Charles

Monster University- Morgan

“It seems ironic that my voice when I speak is like sweet cream or honey. But when I cry, when I wail, it sounds and feels like death.

I remember hearing that wail for the first time. I was a warrior. I was a queen! They called me The Phantom Queen with how quiet and light on my feet I am.

I was the queen, and men followed me to their deaths and their victories.

Then I married.

Then I fulfilled my duty to take a husband and become round with my heir. Then I failed.

For all my success on the battlefield when it came to being a woman I failed.

My child was stillborn, and I almost died, losing the ability to have a child. It had to be my fault. And so I dove into magic, trying to find a solution to have a child.

Instead, I ended up with immortality.

To keep the curse, I must kill those who failed their child.

Fitting.

It is my fault my child is dead, and I was punished. Others should be as well.

Now I use my honey voice to calm them and then I strike fear into them when I wail and allow them to know Death is coming for them.”

Morgan looked out at her diners. She loved running the restaurant. It allowed her to see families. It allowed her to watch them. She still grieved for her only child. She still desired a child. She hadn’t thought of adoption before recently.

Oh, she knew of it, but she didn’t think a monster would be able to adopt. But then she heard Frank had a daughter now. She was even given immortality. In an over dramatic ritual, Morgan knows easier and better ones, as long as she accepted the child would be as cursed as she was, to wail and kill those with her cries.

It isn’t so bad.

She didn’t have a set victim requirement; she didn’t have to have so many a year or a decade or are cursed to gain forgiveness. Because forgiveness can only truly come from within. And well, she would never forgive herself for failing her duty as a woman. Ancient thinking. But she was an ancient woman.

It is why she moaned and cried and turned those like her to a bleeding mess as their blood vessels in their body burst at hearing her cries.

“Earth to Morgan! Earth to Morgan!” Came a voice and a hand in front of her face.

“Oh, sorry I was just…”

“Just lost in thought there darling?” Came the drawl of Abe.

“Shush Abe!” Yelled Caliban. “She was doing her thing more than likely.”

“Oh, she can do that without spacing out on us. I mean we are planning a party here!” Abe stated as he reached over the counter and filled his glass with more sugary carbonated beverages.

“I don’t see how you can mix all those flavors.” Caliban stated. “And I am basically a kid.”

Abe took a long drink. “So good! Full of sugary goodness! I mean, my father never allowed me this. Hell, the man basically made me with all he deprived me of when I was growing up.”

Morgan rolled her eyes. “Why are you two planning a party again?”

“Well, I am so glad you asked!” Abe clapped his hands. “You see with Sophie joining us monsters, and Darin in town, and, of course, Sam basically getting hitched I thought we should have a big New Year’s Eve to do and celebrate everything! Bring in fresh food, let our hair down, and just have fun. I mean yeah, James Parties are fun, but we need them more than once a year!”

Morgan rolled her eyes and scanned the families again. She had heard some rumors, and she needed to validate them before she just went and killed the parents. That was the one thing about her that set her apart from other monsters. She didn’t just go off one rumor but validated and only hunted very specific people. She has gone decades without killing and she isn’t required to kill. She is only required to live. Well, it wasn’t really a requirement as ‘failing’ can be so differently interrupted so she never really had to kill them. It was just sometimes… just sometimes… it was satisfying to kill those who failed their children.

For over a week Morgan watched the same family. The mother was always hunched into herself. The father was always trying to act tough. She had heard that their eldest had died. Suddenly and without cause. So Morgan checked in on that. After just a couple of hours, she found the abuse. The pain the kid had gone through and finally was released.

It wasn’t the parents.

It was a teacher at the school. The parents hadn’t noticed. Too busy. Always too busy. Well, Morgan normally only killed the parents, but a teacher was like a parent to a child. She would kill the teacher instead and then choose to spare or kill the parents. After all, they had failed their eldest.

One Friday night Morgan walked into Jo’s with a strappy little dress and heels that made her legs go for miles. She saw her target. She smirked and walked right up to him. “Buy me a drink, slugger?” She smirked as she bit his ear.

The man, Wayne Stevens, just nodded and snapped his fingers to Jo. “Whatever the lady wants and a refill. NOW!” He yelled.

Jo raised an eyebrow to Morgan, and Morgan licked her lips. Jo laughed. “Well, if you hadn’t, I would have.” She stated as she poured the good tequila on the man’s credit card.

Morgan laughed and took the shot, took the bottle and went and straddled her victim. “Come one honey! Let’s go dance!” She pulled him by the tie. “I want to dance!” She started to sway her hips and lead him into the middle of the dance floor.

It was two in the morning, and Morgan was dragging Wayne into the woods. She smiled as she took off her shoes, dropping them as she went, and then skimmed out of her dress at the water’s edge. “Come one Wayne!” She called.

It wasn’t long before the man was by her side and undressing. “I can’t believe one of the most gorgeous women in town thought to notice me.”

“Oh, Wayne, don’t know you when you hurt kids all the queens notice? It was just I got to win.” Morgan stated.

Wayne looked at her. “What are you talking about?”

“What do you think I am talking about? A little kid now at rest because of your abuse. Abuse, their parents missed because they trusted you?” Morgan held his head between her hands. “And now my soul cries for that child Wayne. And you will bleed the tears I cry.” Morgan then opened her mouth and let out a mournful cry for the child.

Wayne tried to get away but soon the blood was dripping from his eyes, nose, mouth and ears as every vessel burst in his body. As Morgan held him to life to feel the pain. To feel the pain of failing a child. To feel the pain of not doing what his job was and to protect and care and teach the child. Soon his heart exploded out of his chest and she was covered in blood.

She dropped the body. She sneered at it as she dived into the water and cleaned off before putting her dress back on to leave his body.

Morgan found herself walking to the home of the parents. They were sitting outside yelling. Each blaming the other for not noticing what was happening to their eldest. Morgan stopped and listened.

The mother.

The mother was having an affair with Wayne. Well, that wouldn’t do and as the father slammed into the house; Morgan went and grabbed the mother.

She looked into her eyes. “You failed your child. Your failed your child for sexual gratification. For your sins you must die.” She let out a mournful cry and again held the woman as she died. Morgan dropped the body and went home to clean up.

She left a message for Ewan about the two lovers who cut their own hearts out rather than to be apart. She then took out a million in savings and snuck in and put it in a ‘hidden’ safe in the house.

It would keep the father and allow him to be home more with his remaining children.

After all, if the father failed, then she would have to take him.

She smiled at the young babe that still lived and with a kiss to the babe’s head she left with the wind.

Giving one final mournful cry to grieve the passing of a child…

Monster University-Darin

“Cursed to live forever. Cursed to be connected to a painting. A curse that can evolve. I have decided to start over again. Always starting over. Never evolving myself like that curse. What is the point of life? I would destroy the portrait of myself if I thought it would grant me freedom. But I cannot. I will not be granted freedom until I gain my redemption. Damn the fates that cursed me.

Okay, so it may have been my fault for trying to find the secret of immortality. I should never have asked Henry for a key to immorality. And I should never have been so shallow. Sybil… She was one of a kind. Killing her and making it look like suicide was not my brightest idea, but I wanted to preserve her beauty!

Like mine was preserved. Killing Henry was just because of my insanity. If my Sybil couldn’t have immorality no other but I shall. Destroying all his works but my own portrait was not hard since Henry, the dear little man, loved me. I was his ultimate muse. Funny how I find my own muses from life to life before I toss them away. Will I ever not be shallow?”

Darin got up from his desk in his flat. He was in London; but he was moving to Grand Prairie Rapids. Lucas said they would put him up for a while. He looked down at the people in his bed. His most recent muses. He smirked. One thing about the curse was that to remain forever young, he had to hurt those who loved him. These two beauties so did love him. But alas, their time as his muses has ended, and he had to feed the curse so he couldn’t age.

He took the needles and plunged them into the arms of his muses. All this time and he still used ‘poison’ the poison changed and the delivery method changed, but it was one thing about him that was consistent from muse to muse. After their hearts stopped, he took the hearts and drained them over his painting. He cleaned up after and grabbed his guitar and his duffel and smirked as he got on the plane.

Lucas was not in a good mood. He was waiting for Darin and pacing as he waited for him. His plane landed an hour ago. “Darin!” He yelled.

Darin was playing a young set of twins when he heard his name. It was low. Damn wolf frequencies. “Darlings, I will be living with my college friends. You will be my perfect muses as I prepare for my shows. Here is the address. And my number so you all can call me, darlings.”

The twins giggled as they took the piece of papers. “We will call you!” They giggled again as Darin gave them a kiss to their cheeks. And he bounced out.

“Damn if Luc! I gotta find my victims to give me my immortal beauty!” Darin laughed.

Lucas growled. “We have no problems with your tactics Darin. It is having me wait for hours to pick your lazy ass up!”

“Hour. Hour, Lucas.” Darin sighed. “An hour.” Darin through his guitar and bag into the back. “Come on! I hear Frankie is a daddy! And I want to see this little bundle of monster!”

Lucas growled. “You will keep everything kosher with the child Darin; or I will kick you out!”

“Whoosh! What side of the bed did you wake up on? You know we don’t touch each other’s families! So, how is the cute little bundle?”

“We are looking for the biological father. Part of us is hoping he is a monster so it will be hard-wired into her brain to be like us. The other part doesn’t want any monster to stake claim to our cub.”

“Our cub?” Darin looked at him.

“Hey! She is as good as mine too. Frank is my best friend, man.”

“Okay, okay! Sheesh I said nothing, Lucy.”

Lucas growled. “Do not call me Lucy! I have killed entire packs for less.”

“Down boy! Friend, remember? Aall said in good taste!”

“Yes, well, keep your ‘good taste’ in muses away from Sophie. The baby doesn’t need your victims as role models. Her grandmother and Morgan are the best, I think.”

“Not Jo and Kat?”

“Frank still wants to kill Kat, and Jo, no offense, could be a bit more selective in her bedmate.”

“And if Sophie has succubus blood?”

“Then we teach her how to choose good victims and not the drunken frat boys that will just take their pleasure and make her work for hers. But she doesn’t seem to have a draining aspect or we would have seen that by now.” Lucas pulled up to the house. “FRANK! We are home!”

Frank came out with Sophie. “Darin. Meet Sophie. Drake is out on the hunt and Cameron is over at his latest prey’s house.”

Darin smirked. “Cute kid pops!” He threw his guitar on the couch. “So, what is for grub?”

Frank rolled his eyes and went back into his office with Sophie. Lucas laughed. “On your own, my man. This is fend for yourself house.” Lucas grabbed his book bag. “Later Darin.” And he left.

Darin huffed. “Well, what can I do now?” He looked at his guitar. “Looks like it is time to get a gig. It is Friday, after all.” He grabbed his case, looked in the mirror and smirked. “You are one handsome dude. Go get them tiger.” He then growled at himself. He laughed as he walked out the door. Yep, he was an egotistical asshole.

It didn’t take him long to talk Jo into letting him play Friday and Saturday at her pool hall. He smirked at the all the college kids. Not as nice as twins but most could be talked into joining him and becoming his muses for the night, weekend, week, month, etcetera, etcetera. In fact, he had a couple hanging off him now. Sorority girls. “Well, it is only a matter of time before I can’t do shows for free. I am a high demand commodity right now!”

The girls giggled. “Of course, you are Darin! You are amazing! That last song, it is like it totally sang to my soul.”

“Yes, well, it was so hard to come up with without proper muses. You two wouldn’t like to come with me when the bar closes to help inspire my next major hit, would you?”

The girls giggled some more. “We would Darin!”

Darin smiled and slapped them on their asses. “Well, I got another set to do darlings! Be in the front for me!” He smiled and slipped them something in each drink. It made them compliant enough for the night until he… well, until he killed them tomorrow morning and had Tony come and get the bodies.

Poor Tony. Under appreciated. That man needs to let loose and have a party. Maybe get Jo to throw him one.

Okay, so Darin just loved a delightful party. Didn’t matter the excuse, he always found another victim at them.

He jumped on stage and started to play. Soon… Soon… Was all he could think as he looked down at his ‘muses.’

The three crashed through the doors of the room Darin was staying in. He told the girls to keep it down; they didn’t want to wake his roommate’s baby. The girls were tearing at his clothes as they crashed into his bed. Well, this was the fun part!

The next morning the girls were still sleeping when he woke. He stood up and after putting on a robe he held up the two syringes full of ‘poison’ he sighed as he plunged them deep into the sleeping girls’ veins.

But he was too afraid of death.

Too afraid of growing old.

Too afraid of being ugly.

Yep, he would always be that shallow guy.

He waited until their hearts stopped and then taking a knife; he cut open their chests and took their hearts out. He walked over to his portrait, blood dripping from the hearts the entire way across the room, and squeezed them over his portrait.

The more blood, the better.

The more blood, the younger and better he would be.

The more blood he gave, the more it craved.

And the more it craved, the more he had to feed it…

Or pay the price…

And there were a lot worse things in this world than death…

Monster University-Hal

“In life I was the person who could charm and calm anybody. In death, my body was used to scare the animals away from the fields. My soul was restless. I mean, I was murdered, and the murderer put me up in a field as a scarecrow. Shower burlap bags to my body; stuffed them straw. A jealous man murdered me. After all, I had it all. Town respect. A lovely wife. Three strapping sons and a princess of a daughter. And I had a silver tongue. I could get anybody to do anything I pleased. So yes, my soul was restless. So I made a deal. I have to have the brain, face, heart and livers of five people during a year. I tend to eat all five at once. Less heat for our detective to deal with. Can say traveling killer. I look for my victims in the classes I am a TA for; after all, they trust me. They come to me. I don’t even have to do the work.”

Hal was sitting in his office when the door opened. “Hey guys!” Hal greeted the group of kids. “Ready with your questions?”

“Of course, Hal!” One of them laughed. “I swear we wouldn’t be passing this class if it wasn’t for you!”

“No Jake, that isn’t right. You are all bright kids who got into college. You all can do anything you put your minds too.” Hal stated as he went up to the board. “Now let’s start off by summing up the lectures last week and we can go from there. Now there were many reasons behind the actions of the United States and the Pacific Front of World War II …” Hal started.

Hal loved history and loved teaching it more. Teaching allowed one to show not only an unbiased view of events; but if it was worded correctly and presented a certain way to the students, they would start to take on the teacher’s views, as well. It allowed the teacher to spread their beliefs and educate the society of what happened. And if the people didn’t know the past, they were doomed to make the same mistakes in the future.

After all, Hal had learned from his mistakes and has grown in his many years on this Earth. It was really a pity these five wouldn’t get their chance to warp the minds of innocents. But Hal was more afraid of no existence or hell than he was upset about the loss of the lives of five teenagers starting their further education. He finished his review and smiled as the kids left. He dropped his smile as the door closed and raised a hand to his face. The magic making him look human could only fool humans. He always felt the burlap that was now his skin. He closed his eyes at the pain.

No matter how much time had passed, he mourned his mortal life. He kept watch over his descendants. Made sure they never ran afoul of monsters. Made sure Bo put out they were protected. But he never met them face to face. How he wished he could. He shook his head. He had things prep. Mainly his basement.

Hal got home that night and went right to his basement. He looked up when Gabriel came in. “Gabriel or John?”

“It’s me. Gabriel.” He stated as he sat down on the bench. “Thought I would come and see if you needed help.”

“Bored?”

“Partly. Partly is that busy work keeps John at bay.”

“Oh, is John unsettled?”

“Yeah. Someone tried to pick a fight with me.”

“Oh, about what?”

“I was helping someone with chemistry and his boyfriend didn’t like it.” Gabriel smirked. “The jock was hiding their relationship; and when he saw me helping him he got jealous and came up and tried to pick a fight.”

“Well, I am sure you friend informed him you were straighter than an arrow.”

“Nope. He was using me for not only chemistry help but to get his boyfriend to make their relationship public.” He picked up the scalpel that Hal just finished sharpening. “What day should we expect the screaming?”

“Soon. My anniversary of being undead is coming up and I have to kill, remove the organs and eat them by midnight that day. I was thinking about this weekend. I will dump the bodies right outside of town. That Ewan can say it was traveling killer. That night I will take them out to celebrate then you all can say you picked me up at the bar and when they leave, I will grab them.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Gabriel stated and grabbed another scalpel to sharpen.

Hal nodded his thanks as he sharpened his knife.

The weekend came, and after review Hal smiled. “You all approved on the last test! I think we should celebrate! My treat!” Hal smiled. After all, what was a few hundred when tonight was the last night of their lives.

They were all excited, and they first went to dinner at the local bar and grill before moving to the bar. The six of them were laughing and talking and debating the age old question: ‘Who was the bigger monster? Hitler or Stalin?’

“Hey Hitler may have convinced a generation to commit genocide but Stalin killed his own people!” Hal exclaimed. “No matter who big of monster Hitler was, you have got to say he was a hellva politician!”

“Stalin killed anybody who he thought was out to get him. Hitler targeted the Jews and anybody who wasn’t a Hitler baby!” Jess yelled.

“Exactly!” Hal exclaimed. “They both were horrible but Stalin killed based upon his paranoia; Hitler targeted specific groups! Making Stalin a bigger monster because he was unpredictable! Hell, Stalin killed his own blood!”

The debate lasted through dinner and into the bar. Once at the bar Hal fed them shots and mixed drinks and they danced and let their hair down. Hal almost felt bad for them. Almost. Hal made sure that Jo knew to charge him for all five of them. He said his goodbyes and left the bar. He then laid in wait for them to leave.

Hal dropped all his spells. He wanted them to fear him. He waited and at two in the morning they came stumbling out. He pulled up in a taxi minivan and they all stumbled in spitting out the addresses to the dorms. Hal locked the doors with a smirk. He then drove to his place.

Jake finally noticed. “Hey dude! This is the wrong way!”

Hal turned his head around. “No, it isn’t.” He rasped out.

The girls screamed, and the men froze. But before they could do anything, Hal pressed a button on the dash and released a paralyzing nerve gas. Once he got to his house, he dragged each one into his basement and strapped them down in the surgical tables. He hummed as he prepped them.

They started to wake up. They tried to scream. Hal gave a straw-filled smile. “I used to allow my victims to feel all the pain I inflicted upon them. But then I started to hunt those in college. Got to know them. Got to care a bit. I have paralyzed you all but you will be alive as I remove your face, your liver, your heart, your brain… I then will cook them all up and eat them. Giving me my power; allowing me to be immortal. You see for as much as I care for you all… I fear nonexistence or hell more.” Hal explained as he held up a knife. “If it is any consolation, I debated not killing you all.”

He then plunged the knife into Josh’s chest and slashed down, opening him up and pulled his chest apart. He picked up the scalpel and carefully cut out the heart. He did it to all five of them before he carefully removed their faces, livers, and brains. He left the bodies to drain of blood down the drain as he moved to the kitchen and cooked the organs. He made a stew with the hearts, wraps with the faces, the brains he made sloppy joes and the livers he made liver and onions. He sat down and eat every bite. He was so full after he wanted to sleep.

But he couldn’t until he dumped the bodies. He moved to the basement and dragged the bodies back to the van. Once he had them all in, he drove to a farm field right outside of town and dumped them. He then drove to the local sandpits and dumped the van. He jumped into the car, waiting.

Thank God for the monster community. It made all this so much easier. He went home and after a quick hose down of the basement passed out for the weekend and let the power of their restless souls fill his body and grant him another year of undead life.

Monster University-Ewan

“I have always been a warrior. Always. I was set to be a king once upon a time. Now I am a ‘Detective’ at the local police station. I understand how it is needed in our group. We all know of each other but never get close. I won’t ever get close to them. My own brother killed me on the land of my birth. It was after a fierce battle. One that would have gotten me my throne and my brother stabbed me in the back and then beheaded me with my own sword. I swore when I made that deal with the devil that I would never be betrayed again. So while I put my head on each day, I make sure it is loose enough that I can look 360 degrees. I look at my whip. It is what I used to bring justice to those who betray those who trust them. It is made from the spine of my own brother. I ripped it from his body as I came back from the dead. I sat upon my hell steed, it was blacker than my desire for revenge, and I held my head up high to seek him out. I stopped in front of him and called his name. Sean fell to the ground and I jumped off my steed and before he died I ripped out his spine through his chest. I feel to this day no regrets. I am content in my undead life as a monster. After all there are worse monsters than us out there…”

Ewan stood up and looked into the cell. For a college town it was quite small, and it was the way he liked it. Small police department. He was one of four detectives. He looked at the homeless man. He dated all the papers to show he wasn’t here when Sheldon was killed. He shrugged. Frank only protected himself. Though he didn’t understand why Frank kept the brat. He would have walked away. For a soulless creature, he had more of a conscience than most of the monsters in their group. He shook his head. The drunk in the cell at least would no longer be homeless, would have three meals a day and be taken care of. He backdated the files and with a few swishes of his pen and few clicks of a mouse the drunk had no alibi and soon the knife and bloody clothes would be planted. He stood up, throwing the file in his active box and locked his computer, throwing on his suit jacket and leaving to finish this up. After all his night was coming. When he could kill the betrayers in the town. He smiled as he got in his car. His fellow detectives just thought he solved a case.

Ewan pulled up to his house. His mustang purred as he parked in his driveway. He smirked. He loved his cars as much as he loved his steed. Power was power. He walked out back of his house to the stable. His horse was as black as coal and his eyes as red as blood. “Oh, don’t look at me like that boy. You are still my favorite. And soon we will ride through this town and claim the lives of those who betrayed their blood. Worse of the living and dead, you are to betray blood.” He stated as he took his whip and did a few practice swings, destroying the pumpkins he had lined up on the unused gates in the stable. He felt the splatter of their innards and smirked. He turned to clapping. “Ajit.” He greeted to the man that became a brother to him.

“Ewan. Did you get that thing with Frank fixed?”

“Yes. Still don’t get his want to be a father.”

Ajit shrugged his shoulders. “I somewhat get it. And Frank is always the most human of us all.” He then laughed. “Ironic considering he was built of dead humans and never was born and lived a human life. He is the only one to never actually be anything but a monster.”

Ewan smiled. “Yes, well, Frank was created by power. I think he absorbed enough soul remnants that he is probably the only one of us with the closest thing to an intact soul. So Halloween is coming now; have you picked your victims?”

“I have a good idea. We all don’t have a steed that can sense the betrayal of blood.” Ajit stated as he petted the steed.

Ewan shrugged. “We all have our cursed and our blessings Ajit. What you here for?”

“I was in the area. Thought I would stop by when I saw you.” Ajit shrugged. “Hear Lucas took out a local alpha last night.”

“Yeah, I had to help the mutts clear the bodies. And announce a poisoning that killed quite a few. I don’t blame Lucas, though. He has always been protective of his pack.”

Ajit nodded. “That little girl will be spoiled and protected from the world.”

“That she will.” Ewan stated.

Ajit stopped petting the steed. “Well, I am going to bounce out. I got things to do. People to investigate. There is one I like; have to talk to Seb about him.”

“Tell Seb poker night is coming up. Expect him to be there this time. And if you see Draco before me, you tell him that he is the only one required to be in his mask. I won’t have that invisible bastard cheating again.”

Ajit laughed. “Please, a few beers and we are all cheating.”

Ewan shrugged. “Yeah but I lost 500 to him last time.”

Ajit laughed. “For a man who can remove his head to look at the cards you lose every time.”

“It is that invisible bastard!” Ewan yelled.

Ajit shook his head. “Until next time, Ewan!”

Ewan sighed as cleaned up. For as much fun as he had practicing, he hated cleaning up. Maybe he should hire some maids. He gives them money, and he doesn’t have to do anything about the cleanup. He just had a few more nights, then he would gain the souls of the betrayers. He captures them inside of his whip and they in turn power him and his immortal life. He finished the cleanup and plopped down in front of his television and turned on a game. He didn’t care which he never was frantic about sports not like some other monsters. Because in the end sports didn’t change. The players did. Even the rules to an extent but sports really don’t change and anything steady in their undead bouncing unsteady monster lives was meant to be grabbed on to and obsessed over. Ewan never even noticed when he dozed off.

“Brother! You were wonderful in battle! Keep this up and our father will make you the next king!” Ewan’s brother slapped him on his back.

Ewan smiled at his younger brother. “Ah, Brother, you did great! It was an amazing battle! We are gaining much land!”

Cinead smiled at his brother; nobody noticing the envy burning in his eyes. “Let us take our bounty back to our father.”

Ewan kept making headway in battles; showing why he was the General of his father’s army as they gained land and power. It wasn’t long before his father was about to name the new king. One more major battle win, destroying his father’s life-long enemy, would gain Ewan his crown.

The day of the battle came and Ewan took his broadsword, that had been forged out of and in the blood of his enemies, and struck down all in his way to kill the leader of the land his father desired. It was hard fought, but Ewan made it to the enemy king. They fought and soon Ewan’s sword was buried into the chest of the enemy. As the life left the enemy king’s eyes Ewan took the crown and crowed. He dropped his sword and held up the crown, showing the war was over and he had conquered. Suddenly his eyes filled with shock and pain as he looked down to see his sword through his chest. He looked back to see his brother taking his sword and smirking.

“Brother. I am sorry, but I will be king. And there is nothing you can do.” Cinead swung the sword and…

Ewan sat up with a start. He only had that nightmare as the day he gain another soul grew closer. The nightmare fueling his anger and his thirst for the blood and life of a traitor. Ewan stood and shook his head, looking at the clock. He had slept most of the night. He would just get ready for the day. After all, an arrest was to be made. And other things to clean up.

The next few days ran the same. Falling asleep and having his last mortal moments play out in his mind. The hurt, the betrayal, the pain of his brother killing him fueling his anger and blood thirst. The want of a traitor’s soul to give him power. Finally, the night was upon him and put on the warrior armour they had killed him in and mounted his steed. “Find the traitor!” He held his head high in one hand as his steed took off. It wasn’t long before his steed stopped in front of a house. And the name of the betrayer was in his mind. He waited for the woman to come out of the house.

“What are you?” She asked.

“Alissa Rose Williams, you are guilty of betraying your brother for personal game. Your punishment is death!” With that, Ewan watched as the life was draining from her. He took his whip and cracked it; wrapping it around her throat and watched with a sick satisfaction as her soul left through her mouth and entered his whip and traveled through to him, allowing him to absorb the power of the soul. He flicked his wrist, wrapping the whip back up and left the dead body on the lawn as he rode home. Another successful night where justice was served. He went home and fell into his bed and allowed the nightmare to finish as the power of the new soul was integrated into his body.

“I want justice!” Ewan’s soul screamed. “I will pay anything!”

The being that Ewan would call the devil smirked and looked at him. “So be it my Headless Horseman!” He snapped his fingers and Ewan was sitting upon his steed once more. He held onto his head and drove the steed as hard and as fast as he could. Finally reaching his kingdom. He found his father had died and his brother had claimed Ewan’s wife and unborn child as his. Ewan found his brother. Called to him. And as the life left his body, Ewan went up to him and ripped his hand through his chest and pulled out his spine. “My son will have my rightful place as king you traitor. I will see you in hell!” Ewan yelled as he turned and walked away. Leaving the body of his brother in a pool of blood. He went and looked upon his wife and unborn child. “Never will you both feel the betrayal again.” He kissed them both and left. Spending the next five decades watching his family.

Ewan woke the next morning. He groaned as he sewed on his head. He looked at the portrait of his family. “My only regret is I shall never see either of you again. But the thirst for the blood of traitors is now to deep in my own blood. I pray that you forgive me.” His phone went off. “Yes?” He asked answering it. He listened to the details of a murder, a strangulation of a woman over on the other side of town, that he needed to cover. “I will be there in fifteen.” He grabbed his gun and badge and ran his fingers over his whip, loving the shock of the souls trapped there and walked out the door. Another day in his damned existence…

And the countdown to his next hunt begun.

Monster University-Kat

“You know when I was cursed into this loveless existence, I don’t think the Voodoo priest thought I would love this life. He was my first slave. The only one I never took a taste of the forbidden fruit of, the only one I killed without giving pleasure. He just had to tell my husband about my lover. Just because I wouldn’t sleep with him. Just because I wouldn’t leave my husband.

For all my faults, such as having multiple lovers at a time, I did so love my husband. Well, until he tried to kill me and I killed him instead. Even though I killed him, he still protects me.

Especially from those freak Frankensteins.

One minor issue with trying to control them and that boy was ready to rip my head off! How was I supposed to know they weren’t zombies? But, thanks to James, I was left with my undead life. In James’ defense, he does love me; it is just with the curse I can never truly love him. Even if I do care about him. And I love my toys. My slaves. I do so enjoy my slaves. Time to find a new one, though. This most recent boy toy just isn’t exciting me anymore.”

Kat put her quill back into its holder and turned to see her slaves cleaning her current home. She had expensive tastes; always had. Probably because she made sure to marry a couple of wealthy men in her life, after all the best things in life weren’t free. She chuckled to herself and then stood up and snapped her fingers. “Ah, Wilhelm, I hear James is in town. You are to follow him and see if he is going to make a play against me. And make sure Suzanna keeps an eye on Frankenstein. Rumor is she may have mellowed, and thus weakened, by a new grandchild.

Didn’t know Frankie could knock someone up. If I had known I may have seduced him instead of trying to control him and his mother. And I am going to go call Jo and look for a new family member for you all!” She smiled as the zombie nodded and scuffed away.

She picked up her phone. “Ah, Draco, is Jo there? She wasn’t there last time! But she has got to be getting hungry!” Kat sighed as she listened to his response. “Fine. I will go it alone. Again.” She slammed the phone down. It was the only reason she still had a home phone. There was a satisfaction to it. She went and dressed and then went downtown. She watched the people. She would find her target. She needed someone headstrong; yet obedient, she didn’t feel like totally breaking a new toy in. She normally wouldn’t need a new toy yet; however, this one is getting boring! He will make a great zombie, though. She was watching when she saw a familiar figure. “Oh, Sam!” She called.

Sam tensed and turned. “Mistress Marie.”

“Oh, nonsense Sam, you earned your right to freedom! What are you doing with it now?”

“I own The Den of Insanity. A comic book and collectible store.”

‘You were such a geek when you were a zombie! When televisions first came out you were mesmerized and when I created you; comic books and World War I was all the rage; I mean heroes coming home and we had won!”

“Yes, well, I also was just back from the war as well when you trapped me Marie.”

“It is Kat now, darling!” She laughed.

“Back to your proper name of Catherine? Shocking. You hated it.” Sam stated as he turned and watched his prey. “Look Marie, I really got to get back to the store; my walking lunch is going to be there soon.”

Kat chuckled. “Go on! I know how it is being on a hunt.”

“On a hunt already? What about that last person… Jack… Jim… Something like that?”

“Josh. And he is boring. So boring. And I think gay.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “They are slaves whose minds are locked away Kat. We are still active in there, you know.”

“I know. You think I care. How cute!” Kat pinched his cheeks. “If you earn it like you did, than you go free. That is the rule, darling.”

“I earned it by destroying ninety percent of your slaves when my mind broke free enough and I had your throat in my fist.” Sam growled.

“Yes, well, not everybody had a mind like yours. Don’t cause problems, Samuel.”

“Like I would with Paris running around. He wanted to kill me because of what I did to get free.”

“Yes, he goes by James now.”

“I don’t care. Just stay out of my way, Kat. We may be civil because you created me; but if I think too hard on it, I want to go with those base instincts you let me keep when I was your slave and warrior.”

“I am going. Anybody off limits, Captain?”

Sam winced at his former title. “Just her.” He pointed to the one he was hunting.

“Okay Cap! See ya!” Kat stated. “Ta Ta!” She bounced away towards her target group, leaving Sam alone. She walked into the bar and took a seat. She ordered a brandy and waited. She didn’t wait long.

“What is a pretty girl like you doing all alone?” A voice drawled.

‘Southern. Jackpot.’ Kat thought and turned. “Hello! Oh, I am new to town. Going to start classes next semester. Catherine Orleans.”

“Tony. Tony Bellini. How about I keep you company then, since you are new and all?”

Kat smirked. “I would like that very much, Tony.” She purred.

Tony smiled. “Another beer for me and another drink for the lady here!” He called to the bartender as he moved them towards his table.

Many drinks and many hours later Kat took Tony to her bed.

Kat woke and smirked. She had a new toy. But for now, she had to make her old one a zombie. She yawned as she stood up; throwing on her robe, she moved to her workroom in the basement. She lit the black candles on her alter before bending down and running a hand down the face of the young man who was tied naked to her alter. “It is going to be fine, Josh. You will always do my bidding and if you are a smart one, you may even gain your freedom one day.” She went over to the shelf and grabbed her items. Dead Man’s Blood, Lavender, Thistle, Hemlock, Moonberry, Asphodel, Bay Lurel, Comfrey, Holly, Lemon Balm, Mandrake, Mugwort, Yew, and Willow. All of these mixed together and forced into the veins of Josh would create an undead slave. Slight side effect of having to feed them brains; but animal brains though not tasty are enough for them to live on. Kat smiled. Of course, it was like eating grass after dining on steak your whole life; those who were fool enough to fall into her web deserved what they reaped.

Josh tried to struggle as he watched her mix everything into a cauldron and bringing it to a boil. There was a lot of blood added. Dead Man’s Blood the bottles had been labeled. He tried to get free. He knew he was going to death. He should have been more aware of his surroundings and who he was picking up. He should have just said nope and got the hell out of dodge, but he was addicted to the sex. He closed his eyes and took a breath and accepted his fate of death.

Kat cooled the mixture and put it into IV bags. She hummed as she swayed over. “Don’t worry darling, this isn’t the end. This is worse than death. After all, Death grants you freedom. There is no freedom for the undead.”

She hooked him up to start to drain his blood. “First, I will drain you until you are on the verge of death; then just as your heart is on its last beat I will pump this lovely mixed blood into your body. Want to know why these ingredients?” She laughed. “Of course, you do! Dead Man’s Blood because even the undead need blood, darling. Lavender because it has a power over me. People leave it at my grave looking for genuine love; even if I am cursed to never have genuine love. Thus, it is my signature herb. Thistle because it is a beauty, but also a weed that causes distraction and destruction. Hemlock, well that is just common sense as I have to kill you, and you won’t take a sip. Moonberry because it will paralysis your mind, allowing me to control it. Asphodel because it will cleanse you. Bay Lurel because I need to be able to communicate with you, and you need to be able to speak with me. Comfrey to remove your emotions for the ones left behind by your death. Holly is associated with resurrection and I am give you a form of life again. Lemon Balm for immorality. Mandrake, well cursed mandrake to trap your spirit and soul in your body. Mugwort for me to watch over you and control you. Yew to end your mortal life and give you an immortal one. And Willow to ease the pain of your death. I am not a too cruel of a mistress. I can be if you don’t behave; but I do take care of you. Even if you are my slave and I am your mistress.” Kat explained as she turned the IV on to pump in the mixture.

“You, Josh, are forever mine.” She watched as the blood entered his body and as it reached his heart, it caused it to decay and wilt until it stopped beating altogether before starting back up very, very sluggishly. She smiled as Josh opened his eyes and they were clouded over with not only death but with a purplish hue that signified she had control of him. She untied him. “Now off to the slave house with you. Suzanne, show him the way.” She snapped her fingers and watched them leave the room. Once they were gone she cleaned up quickly and made a note to contact Gus for more dead man’s blood. She had a feeling Tony wouldn’t stay mortal for long. She moved back up to her bedroom.

“Hey, where did you go, babe?”

“Just to do some paperwork, I couldn’t sleep.”

Tony smirked. “Well, let me keep you up for a lot longer.” He pulled her down and Kat willingly went. Because after all, in the end she owned him.

Monster University- Beth

“I miss my husband at times. But if I stop and think of it, I am glad he is gone. He made me into this. I died. I had been killed when the village attacked us the first time and he made me live once more. I look into this mirror and see my green dead skin, my purple eyes and black purple hair. My ‘son’ had saved me that final night. The night Viktor died. He then wondered one way and found Cameron and I another. Mostly because in my anger I had blamed him. In my anger, I sent him away. I reconnected a century later and begged forgiveness. He said he forgave me, but I am unsure. We are after all dead beings. Our souls, that were once our source of life, after all, left us in death. And Frank was created from many people. It is ironic that I am a surgeon. I work in the Emergency Room and Plastic Surgery. I either try to save people; bring them back from the dead. Or I create them. In a different way than Viktor created Frank and myself. Or I allow them to die to continue to exist. Having to update our organs every decade; doing it bit by bit.”

Beth looked up at the door opening. She was eyeing the torso of the man she would be giving pec implants to. Not that he needed them. He would make a good torso for her son. Pity he would code on the table. She smiled. “Hello William.”

“Hello Doc! How are you today?”

“Oh, I am wonderful! I am a young grandmother now! My son found his child after his ex ran off and she had tried to kill the poor child.”

“Oh, Doc, that is horrible! At least it sounds like your son found them in time!”

“Yes, my son is quite a good man. Though he doesn’t always think that.”

“Yes, well, if people didn’t have messed up thoughts about themselves you wouldn’t have a job as a plastic surgeon.”

Beth laughed. “Yes, well, the human condition has made sure I have a job for many, many years! So shirt off and hope up on the table!”

“You know Doc, most people would say this is a start to a porn flick!”

Beth laughed. “Well, we know different don’t we William! Now let’s see. You wanted to go up two sizes, correct?”

“Yep.”

“You are a handsome young man William, why the body modifications?”

“So I can hold on to my girl. She is a ten.”

“Sounds a bit shallow, William.”

“Maybe but I love her and I am going to hang on until she leaves me.”

“Sounds unhealthy, William. But it is your life.”

“Yeah I know Doc, but love is irrational and makes your mind mush.”

Beth chuckled. “That it does, William. That it does.”

Once the exam was finished she sent him on his way with some instructions for when he came back in two days for the procedure. It was one of the few pieces she needed for Frank for the next few years; and Frank had already got her new parts last year.

She sat down at her desk and pulled out a worn picture. It was of her and Viktor on their wedding day. It was actually a photo of the portrait they had done that day. Viktor tried to make Frank look like such a mix of them after she had been unable to conceive. Beth had taken to Frank; however her irrational mind has created a void between them at times.

She always knew where to hit, where it hurt him the most. She would have to watch that now with her granddaughter. A baby in the Frankenstein family. She started laughing. There hadn’t been a baby since Viktor was alive, and he was that last baby. The thing that really made it more ironic the child was biologically Mary Shelley’s descendent; the one being that showed that Frank had at least a shadow of a soul. She put the picture back in her desk and shut down her computer. She had a grandchild to shop for!

Beth was sitting with Frank and Bo. “This is my grandchild, Bo.” She growled.

“We are looking for the father. Just in case it was a monster; we have to know what to expect Beth.”

“Don’t Beth me! I understand that we have to know, but I want it set up; we are doing the ritual! My granddaughter deserves immortality!”

“I am not saying she doesn’t Beth; but what is the hurry?” Bo sighed.

“What’s the hurry?” Frank yelled! “I want this done before she can remember! The ritual we are doing can give nightmares! And my daughter does not need to have those until she is old enough to cause her own!”

Bo held up his hands. “Goddess! Fine! I will find the fifty new mothers and twenty-five nuns. You may have to go to a larger city.”

Frank and Beth nodded. “I have booked a flight for NYC in a week. Frank is getting his chest switched out in two days.” Beth stated.

“Did you want an officiator?” Bo asked. “And have you already set things up with whom you need to in regards to Frank’s upgrade?”

Beth and Frank had a silent conversation. “Yes, Gus is on it. And No, I and my son should be able to perform the ritual just fine. Who did you have in mind?”

“Jacques Paris is in town.” Bo stated.

Frank lifted his head. “Marie’s first husband?”

Bo nodded. “Yes, he had me set him up as James Van Derke.”

Beth raised an eyebrow. “I am shocked he would be in the same town as Marie. Not that I blamed him. If Frank wasn’t set to stay with his friends, this time around I would have talked him out of this town with her in it. Zombies. Nasty creatures. At least Frank and I have minds of our own and aren’t controlled by a woman who gives…”

“Mother.” Frank flicked his eyes to his daughter.

“Oh, sorry, dear. I just really hate Marie.”

“Yes, trying to control the two of us; she is lucky she is alive. I wouldn’t have let her live if James hadn’t asked me. He was able to help me find a heart for mother.” Frank stated as he handed Beth his new little girl.

Bo sighed. “Yes, yes. Anyway, he can help or you can do it yourselves. What do you want her name to be?”

“Sophie Elizabeth.” Frank stated. “We will perform the ritual ourselves. Just get us the ‘ingredients’ needed.” Frank took the papers to sign.

Beth smiled. “My little Sophie. You will be a spoiled little monster! Yes, you will!”

Frank smiled and continued to read the papers. He signed them with blood. Even if it wasn’t his own, he had made it his own and there was magic in blood. When he was done he handed them back. “Anything else, Bo?”

Bo looked over the papers. “No, everything is in order.” He stood and held out his hand. “Great doing business with you again?”

Beth smiled as Frank took Sophie and left. “Yes, always a pleasure, Bo. When you need new skin, come stop by and I will help you choose your fresh look.”

“Of course, you and Frank always take care of me, Beth.” He kissed her cheek and walked her out the door.

Two days later she had both William and Frank in her operating rooms. One with her staff and the other just Frank and Gus. She went and made sure all waivers were signed and put William under. Within fifteen minutes he had coded and with a DNR snuck into the paperwork they pronounced the body dead and rolled away. Beth pretended to be upset as she told his parents and girlfriend before going into her other operating room. “Ready Frank?”

“As always, mother.” His head responded setting on the tray by the surgical tools. “This William is a magnificent specimen, perhaps we should change out the legs as well, it is only six months early.”

Beth nodded as she drained William of his blood, putting it in a warmer. “I was thinking that, as well. It is a logical course of action. Less cutting, too. Just the head and the arms. Fewer stitches for you to cover as well this time.”

“Yes, that is a benefit with Sophie now.”

“How is my little granddaughter treating you at night?”

“She is doing well. She calms with me or Lucas.”

“Strange most children have issues with wolves.”

“Yes, well, Lucas has always had a quality about him that drew monsters and their children in.” Frank watched as his mother removed William’s head. “Watch out for that bleed there, mother.”

Just then an artery gushed, splashing them all with fresh dead man’s blood. Beth licked it off her lips before wiping her face with her hand before taking a lick. “Good blood.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you and Frank are vampiric, as well.” Gus stated as he finished removing the arms from Frank’s old body and started to put William’s arms on it.

“We crave blood as any Monster, Gus. Blood is where the life force is held. The soul remnants remain in the blood absorbing into us, allowing us to be something more than mindless monsters.”

Gus nodded as Frank put in his two bits. “Yes, it is what gives us a semblance of normalcy in our undead life. Even if we must drink blood to gain it.” He winced as his mother picked his head up and started to stitch the head in the new body and bolt the spine to the base of his skull.

Beth cooed to him. “Don’t worry baby boy, the pain will be gone, after the jolt.” She stated as she hooked his bolts to the power supply. It would cause the power to go out and many to die tonight if there were monsters who needed the flesh and blood.

Gus rolled his eyes. They were so sickening sometimes, he thought as he slurped up a piece of arm skin from William. “Mmmm… fresh.”

“You better not be snacking on my son’s new body!” Beth hissed as she stitched on Frank’s arms.

“No! William’s arms! Leftovers! Leftovers!”

“Better be Gus.” She stated. “Okay, let’s get this cleaned up so I can start up my son and he can get home to his daughter. Lucas is watching her correct?”

“Yes, mother.”

“Good.” She quickly stitched William’s arms and head on the now useless body.

Gus looked it over. “They will never know! G’night, Frank and Beth!”

Beth nodded as she quickly changed and cleaned up the blood. She took the machine that kept the blood warm and pumped it into Frank. “Okay time for the finale!” She started cranking up the power. “Ready, son?”

“As ever mother.” Frank accepted the piece of leather in his mouth and bit down.

Beth went back and pulled the switch. She watched as the body jolted. She stopped the power and did it again. She stopped the power and then did it one final time, leaving it on until all the breakers, fuses and generators blew. She then made her way over after switching the switch off. “Frank?”

Frank groaned as he moved to sit up. He disconnected himself, plugging the holes before too much blood was lost. He stitched them up. “Good as ever, mother.” He stated as he jumped off the table. “Good body. Healthy. Toned. Good muscle. This will last a couple decades this time. Arms for another five years.”

“Good. Good. Now go collect my lovely granddaughter, we have a meeting to get to in NYC.”

“Of course, mother.” Frank kissed her cheek and left.

It was several hours later, and Frank and Beth stood over a kiddie pool that Sophie laid in, in a baby bath seat. They were on once hallowed land that was now a doorway to hell itself. Land tainted by the evil of men that was once charged to keep it holy. They had their fifty new mothers and twenty-five nuns. They chanted their spell.

Frank went to complete the ritual. “Goddess of the Damned, I ask thee to bless my daughter with immortality. To bless her with power. To bless her with beauty, grace, and pose. To grant her a status above the mortals. As payment I, and my mother, Elizabeth Frankenstein, present the blood of fifty new mothers and twenty-five nuns that we shall bathe Sophie Elizabeth Frankenstein in.”

He nodded to his mother as she grabbed the heads of the mothers and slit their throats over the kiddie pool. Draining them. Frank started in the other end and soon the blood of the mothers of new life were drained and Sophie happily splashed in the dark liquid of life. Frank moved and took the first nun. “We have given you the blood of the givers of life. Now we offer the blood of the pure.” He slit the first one’s throat and he and his mother made short work of the blood starting to overflow from the pool.

Beth kneeled down and bathed Sophie in the blood as Frank stood watch. Beth stood with Sophie in her arms. “Goddess, we release the blood onto this once hallowed but now cursed ground to complete our offering!” She nodded and Frank kicked over the pool and allowed the blood to soak into the ground.

Frank looked to the sky. “Goddess, does my daughter have your blessing and curse?”

There was a flash of light that was green and deep purple in color and then the light balled up and slammed into Sophie’s chest, causing the babe to cry out and then fall into a content sleep.

Beth looked at Frank. “Congratulations, Son, the Goddess has blessed your daughter. Let’s go.” She kicked a body out of her way. Who cares about the story the newspapers would run. Nothing would come back at them.

Frank didn’t even kick them from out of his way and just walked over them as he carried his daughter to leave for their current home.

Beth smiled as Frank doted on the little girl as they headed back to Grand Prairie Rapids.

Yes, this undead life caused them to be monster, but it was so worth it in the end. No matter the amount of blood on their hands.

Monster University- Frank

“What do I know about love and pain? What does anybody know about love and pain? I don’t know the pain of birth, of the start of life. I don’t know the pain of death. I never will. I was created. From parts of people who know the pain of birth, of life, of death. Those that knew love. But I have no soul. The people who once owned my body parts did, they could feel love, but I cannot. My ‘father’ created me hundreds of years ago. His death that night the village found out haunts me to this day. Is that love? I am haunted by his death. All their deaths. By my life. Is that Love?”

Frank looked at the clock and knew it was time to prepare for the day. He put his journal away; he placed it in his drawer on top of his father’s journals; the ones that had all the notes that caused Frank’s existence. He slammed the door, a little hard, and locked the drawer. He looked in the mirror, his skin had a light green tint, but it was nothing a bit of make-up could not hide. He had gotten very good at hiding the color of his skin. It took a lot more time to hide his stitching, but he had taken to wear long sleeve shirts and pants no matter the temp; after all, he was room temperature. He was dead. With no circulating blood. No soul.

He didn’t have to hide his bolts too much anymore. Thankfully strange and exotic piercings are popular during this time, and most people see them as a piercing. They always asked if his favorite book is Frankenstein. Frank hated that book. It made his father and himself as monsters. Well, that night he was when they killed his father. He killed the village. Mary Shelley was the only survivor. She wrote their story. He should have killed her. But she was a young child. He couldn’t bring himself to kill the child. After all, the death he has caused, he still hasn’t ever killed a child. He never would.

He looked at the note that Cameron had left for him. Something about picking up milk for some meal he wanted made tonight. Well, Cameron can cook for himself. The boy king got on Frank’s nerves. But he would be lost without him, Lucas, and Drake. They all met a few hundred years ago. Well, he first met Cameron. He used to be Tutankhamen. Frank had been wondering around Europe, looking for a place to live, when he ran into him. He took pity on the monster and invited him to stay with him. Frank didn’t know what pride was then and jumped at the chance. He barely could speak at the time. However, with Cameron’s help, he became highly educated. He sighed. Sometimes the boy king got out of control, only one that could control him was Nefertiti; sadly she didn’t come around often. He actually got on well with the Great Royal Wife. Of course, the fact Nefertiti, who now goes as Naome, was his mother and an ancient ruler herself, it was no shock she could reign in her son.

Education their path to living in mainstream America; moving here may not have been the best idea. Many people are too curious about newcomers, but on a college campus the majority of people are new, so it was easy to come up with a generic story to tell them about where they were from. Frank looked at himself in the mirror, his green skin now covered, and he was set to go about his day. But he was still upset, as he was every morning, but before he could be buried in his thoughts a thud brought back to life.

He saw Tony’s truck outside and remembered that Drake had a party last night. Frank found it easy, too easy most of the time, to turn a blind side to Drake’s parties. But what do you expect from a soulless creature? Of course, without Tony and Bo; they would never be able to live their half way normal undead lives. Tony, Bo, and many others make their lives almost seamless. If it wasn’t for the rash of bodies after they entered town or left town it was almost easy to forget they were monsters. Frank stood up and grabbed his books, took one last look in the mirror and left.

Lucas looked up. “Hey, man, the full moon is in a couple of days. I suggest staying in man.”

“Of course, Luc. Don’t get shot this time. I may have learned medicine and have my MD but patching you up isn’t something I enjoy doing.” He moved to the fridge to start breakfast.

“Funny you took after your creator.”

“I was called Frankenstein’s Monster, Luc. Victor Frankenstein created me. I couldn’t take his last name because of the taboo and that blasted book, but I could take Frank. It is all I really understood anyway when Cameron found me.”

“Hey I get it, don’t worry. Hey, Darin is going to be moving in next week.”

“Darin?” He looked up from where he was cutting bacon.

“Dorian. He is Darin Black now instead of Dorian Gray. Seriously, he can annoy me at times with his name changes.”

“He fix that little problem he had of half his face turning into a skeleton?”

“Sorta. Once a month under the new moon he will have to deal with it. No big. We all have our issues with the things that go bump in the night.” Lucas laughed at his own poor joke.

Frank rolled his eyes as he flipped the eggs. “Seriously, centuries later and your bad jokes have gotten no better.”

Lucas laughed. “I am funny as hell. You are just envious. I will talk to you later, monster man!” He got up and ran out the door.

Frank moved to finish his breakfast and then went to class. He was set to be a classic literature major this time around. He hadn’t had a chance to look at the syllabus, just grabbed the bundle at the bookstore. He left for his first cclassintroduction to classic lit. Oh, so fun. He was around when all these books were written. Hell, he knew most of the writers! He moved and sat down in a middle seat. Middle seat dwellers always had less attention. He saw the teacher walk in. She reminded him of somebody. But he couldn’t place who; well that would bother him all flipping day.

“Hello class! My name is Professor Mary Sheldon! We are going to start with the book that got me into classic lit! Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein!”

Frank groaned. Not again! He couldn’t take that bloody book again. He would just pull out a damn paper he wrote and turn it. He should have killed the kid, or at least taken it and raised it so that blasted book that painted him in such an unpleasant light never existed.

The professor looked at him. “Something wrong with the book choice, Mr…” She waited.

“Victorson. Frank Victorson.” Frank answer. “And everybody forces us to read this from Middle School on. And everybody has the same thoughts. The monster was at fault and had to be destroyed. So killing Viktor Frankenstein and his creation were the right things to do. And it shocked them that the monster lashed out and destroyed and killed the people of the village.”

Mary raised an eyebrow. “And you have a different viewpoint, Mr. Victorson?”

“Possibly.”

“Stay after class.” She stated and then started her lecture.

Frank waited and at the end of class stood there. “Well, Professor?”

“I don’t really like your attitude about a great novel!”

“You don’t have to. You just have to grade me fairly on the work I do. Now if you excuse me, I have to get to my next class.” Frank stated.

“I am going to ask you to keep an open mind about this novel. It really is a piece of history.” Sheldon stated.

“I will not change my stance.” Frank left then.

Over the next month, as they broke down Mary Shelley’s lies of that night, Frank couldn’t help but feel as if Sheldon was stalking him. He was finding her everywhere, from his math classes, to outside his house, to the restaurants he went to with the guys. He was sitting with the guys at Morgan’s (pretty much the only place they went) and told them. “Seriously, my professor is stalking me!”

“Dude maybe she has a thing for students. Talk her up.” Lucas stated as he smacked his lips at his ‘mooing’ steak. “God, Morgan knows how to make a steak!”

“Considering how many ‘dogs’ she gets in here, I would hope she could make a steak.” Drake sneered.

“Oh, come on Drakey! Lighten up! Life is good!” Lucas held up his beer.

“We are dead Luc.” Frank still tapped his beer to Lucas’, “and we tend to be the monsters.”

“Monsters! We are gods!” Cameron laughed. “I mean, we live forever! We have money, power, looks, and we are the envy of men of campus!”

Frank rolled his eyes. “Yes Boy King, we get it. Maybe some of us didn’t want this?”

“What did you want, Frankie?” Cameron sneered. “You wouldn’t have gotten life without being created!”

Frank growled. “I may not have been born but even a ‘monster’,” he spat the words, “like me has wants.”

“Like what kids? A wifey?” Cameron rolled his eyes.

“I can’t have kids, but I wouldn’t mind someone to spend my undead life with. Don’t you want someone?”

“Nah. I am good. They would get on my nerves after too long.” Cameron flirted with the waitress across the room.

“Luc?” Frank looked to his friend, his best really.

“Yeah, wolves mate for life. And it is for life. So right now I have to be very sure before I bring someone into this life, Frank. But I get you.”

Drake sighed. “I don’t want to damn anybody to this life.”

“Please, at least you haven’t evolved into an Incubus yet!” Lucas laughed.

“Oh, but won’t that be fun when he does! Think about it! We can have orgies on Halloween! And all those other holidays!” Cameron laughed as he drained his beer.

“Seriously Boy King, you need to stop thinking with your smaller head.” Frank stated and rolled his eyes.

“Ah, but brother sex, drugs and rock n roll!” Cameron cheered and signaled the waitress for another beer.

The men rolled their eyes at the Boy King but toasted and continued their meal.

Frank was leaving with Lucas and pointed out a woman following them. “See Luc, behind us.” He whispered below human hearing.

Lucas stretched and turned his head to see her. “Man, she looks familiar.”

“Yeah she reminds me of somebody too. But I can’t quite grip the memory.”

“Spooky man; especially with what your maker did with your brain. Some of the best of your time’s smartest minds.”

“Yeah. Let’s go, I do have a paper to turn in on my supposed badass self.” Frank laughed and clapped Lucas on the back.

Lucas laughed. “For a soulless creature you are at least a decent monster. I got class tomorrow too.”

Frank turned in his paper; arguing that the monster wasn’t a monster. Humans were the veritable monster that night and the monster couldn’t kill the child because even soulless he had somewhat of a conscience. That humanity is the veritable monsters in the book; but written to view them as the heroes. After all, only one moment in time can change a hero to a villain and a villain to a hero.

The next week Mary Sheldon called out as he was leaving. “Mr. Victorson! Stay back, please.”

Frank waited and watched her lock the door. “Well, Professor, what do you want?”

Mary walked over to her desk and picked up a knife. “My ancestor was Mary Shelly. She has a picture of the monster that killed her family.” She slapped a photo up on her board. “Funny how if you add a bit of make-up it looks like you.”

“Oh please; you believe in immortality, little girl?” Frank sneered.

“I believe in monsters. And I heard from you and your little friends on how you were built. That you creator, that Frankenstein killed the brightest of my ancestor’s time! A monster ripped apart my ancestors! Left my many great-grandmother to die!” She brought out a knife and tried to stab Frank.

Frank sneered as the knife entered his chest. He grabbed the wrist of the woman. “Wrong move, little girl! I am already dead. And they were already dead when he took their parts. You can’t kill the dead.” He whispered as he grabbed and pulled; ripping her arm off. He allowed her a moment to scream. He then took his large hand and wrapped it around her throat. “Good bye Miss Shelley.” And ripped out her throat; dropping it on the ground. He listened to her gurgle her last breaths.

He moved to leave and place a call to Tony when he heard a faint crying. He turned and sneered at the bleeding body. He bent under the desk; there was a babe. Barely a few months old. He looked at the tiny thing that looked at him with eyes as green as his skin. He sighed and picked up the phone. “Tony; Classic Lit Hall. Body. Full clean up…” He paused for a moment. “That is it, Tony.” His choice made. He hung up to place another call. “Bo…” He sighed. “I need to make a kid mine…” Frank smirked. A child. One to make immortal and be his child. After all, there were ways to make children immortal. They would grow until they were sixteen through twenty-one; then stop aging. Of course the ritual that Frank had in mind needed the heart of fifty new mothers and twenty five nuns; but a small price to pay for his child’s immortal life. A trip to the closest major city was in order.