#horror – Kris Charles

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 – Sam

“Freedom. Freedom is such a wonderful thing. I used to take it for granted in my mortal life. Free to do whatever I want, whenever I want. That is what caused me to become what I am. I am a Zombie. I used to be a slave to Marie Laveau. I gained my freedom, however. I don’t know how to this day I gained my freedom; but she set me free! Well, almost killing her as I fought off the control ingredients added to my Dead Man’s Blood probably played a role.

I traveled for a good long while; eventually settling in the towns that all the Monsters live for a couple decades.

When I lived as a mortal I was a solider; I never wanted to settle. But I had fallen into bed with Marie and it is today my biggest regret I gave up my mortal life for a moment of passion.

But moving back here I can let my other side show, the side that isn’t a hardened warrior. I open a game shop and comic book store called Den of Insanity. I also sell old geeky collectibles. It is a good life. Well, Undead Life…”

Sam looked up as the door opened. A new student. Cute. Wondered if she was smart. He loved the smart ones. Brains…

All he thought about now. Though she was good looking as well. Maybe he could have some fun with this meal if she proved to be… stimulating… “Hello! Welcome to The Den of Insanity!” Sam gave a closed lip smile. His teeth he was still working on after all being free he had to gain his own fortune and Marie, now Kat, never cared about her zombies but how they could please her. “May I help you today?”

“I am looking for those special leather horror comics!” She bubbled.

Sam lifted an eyebrow. He went to the back room and smirked. His victims were good for something other than food. He used their skin to make leather and then wrote in their blood to create these special horror comics. They were quite expensive, but people seemed to enjoy them.

One could only buy them from either The Den or from people who have bought them in the past. Even the stories of the comics being haunted hadn’t stopped their popularity!

They were haunted, they were the blood and bodies of of his victims. The organs were used for the stitchings, the bones he ground down to mix with the blood to create his ink. He didn’t believe in waste. A human was much like a pig. One can use anything but the squeal. He smirked at that thought. He grabbed one of his newest and brought it out to his customer. “Here we are, the newest one! And the best thing about them is they are all one-shots!” Sam gave the same closed-mouth smile.

“Wow! I was worried I would have to hunt down the others!” She smiled.

“Nope. Since they are handmade and only made by myself, it would be illogical to make them anything but one-shots.”

“Well, you could have and had a bidding war!” She laughed.

“Sam.” Sam held out his hand.

“Roslyn.” She smiled.

“Pleased to meet you, Roslyn. Anything else but the comic?”

“No! That is all I can afford right now.” She smiled.

“Well, the cost is 300.” Sam stated taking her credit card which gave him her address and phone number.

“Yeah but so worth it!” Roslyn smiled as she took her purchase which came in a bloody wooden box.

Sam smiled and gave her her card and receipt. “Well enjoy! The next one comes out next week!” He smiled. He knew he would resell that book in just a couple of weeks. He first had to woo the girl into trusting him; the perhaps a bit of fun until he ate her brains and made her into the comic after next.

She smiled and bounced out with her prize and a wave back towards him.

Sam made it a point to bump into her often around town. The coffee shop. The book store. The grocery store. He would smile. He would chat with her. He would draw her in. Soon he was meeting her for coffee. Then dinner. Then he would take her to the bar. The world saw them as a new couple in the honeymoon phase.

Roslyn smiled as she laid her head on Sam’s chest. “I love you.”

Sam tensed. That he wasn’t expecting. Sex. Comics. Geeky conventions. Coffee. That he expected. Not ‘I love yous’ and this warmth filling his chest. After all, she had seen his teeth. She had seen his scars. His flaws. And she still said that to him. It made him wonder if she would accept a monster life. He could get another brain. So many people came through his shops. He wondered if maybe he should tell her. If she accepted him to change her. Grant her immortality.

If she didn’t she could still become his next meal and comic. Even if his gut tightened at the thought of actually killing her. He could change her. He had a unique method to change her, he would never use the one that Marie did, and it was even different from James’s method.

He looked at Roslyn. “I got something to tell you…” He then spilled everything. His time in World War, his human life, falling for Marie, time as Marie’s slave, fighting the magic and almost killing Marie, and then his freedom and his travels. Then settling down and staying in one place. His having to eat a brain a month and what he does with the bodies. He then looked at her and waited for the screaming. What he didn’t expect was the excitement in her eyes.

“That is so cool! Zombies and monsters are real! They are real! Like Dracula and Frankenstein and Wolfman are all real! But my fave is zombies! And you are real! Can I be a zombie? How does one become a zombie? I mean, you have bitten me in the heat of the moment and I am still human! How does this work? Can I be a zombie without being a slave first? Can only voodoo priests and priestesses create zombies? How often do you have to eat brains? Does it have to be a specific brain?”

And the questions went on and on, and Sam’s head spun. She was accepting him? She wanted to be a zombie? “You would give up a mortal life. Give up children. You can live a relatively normal life and even adopt, but you would live forever as a monster.”

Roslyn smiled. “Eternity with you sounds amazing! We can even have a Halloween wedding as zombies! It is all the rage!”

Sam blinked. “Well, it would involve me biting you then you biting me and drinking a bit of my blood. Yeah sounds like vampire type but I just have to bite you. Vampires have to drain you to almost the point of death and then feed you about a pint of their blood. You then are buried for three days before you raise as a vampire. For zombies it is just a twenty-four-hour fever and you must feed on a brain within three hours of awakening. After that it is twice a month for the first year and then once a month for the rest of eternity.”

Roslyn looked excited! “Yes! Turn me! We can be zombies together and I am getting my MBA and we can expand your shop and your comics! You can just create the comics while I run the store! And we can adopt in about a hundred years! Yes!”

Sam was blown away. He didn’t say anything, but he pulled her close and bit down on her neck. “Bite me. Bite me and break the skin.” He moaned as he felt her bite down. “That is it. Drink. Drink my zombie.”

Soon he stopped her and her eyes rolled back into her head and the fever started to rage war against her body. Sam got up and dressed. He had twenty-four hours to find not only his brain but a couple for Roslyn. He had never changed someone before, but he knew others that had; and it was better to go with two versus one in the beginning. Better to overfeed than underfeed.

He left, activating the high security gates and locks on his room so nobody would go in and either be hurt by her or hurt her. He started his car and blinked as he pulled away. He gained a bride. He never thought that would happen. Not when he was living, not when he was a slave, and especially not after he gained his freedom. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had to find three sacrifices and quickly.

It didn’t take him long to find a bar outside of the college town that didn’t ID students, and he had four into his van with a minor struggle and no evidence.

He went back to his store and left them sedated until he would harvest the brains for Roslyn. He killed his right away and ate the brain, then processed the body. That took him about seven hours. He then slept for about four.

Sam putted around his shop until about a half hour before she would wake. He didn’t want to see her body in pain. He quickly killed the kids and harvested the brains; leaving the bodies to drain into his ink bins. He would come back with Rosie to show her how to process the waste. He had a bride to feed.

Roslyn arched her back as her heart stuttered to a stop. She sat up with a start and her eyes were wild.

Sam saw this and held out a brain. It was dripping with blood and freshly removed. “Rosie. Take this Rosie!”

Roslyn took the brain and stuffed it into her face. She chomped it down and made a slurping sound. She looked up at him. “More Sam?”

Sam smiled and handed her the second brain he had gotten for her. “Here you are, lovely.” He smiled. After he feeds her the third brain. “Good?”

Roslyn smiled. “Good. I still feel like me, but I don’t feel my heart anymore.”

“Yep; that would be different. Come on, I can teach you how to process the skin, blood, bones and organs for our comics.”

Roslyn smiled. “After a shower?”

“Of course, my dear. Of course.” He kissed her bloody lips. “Perhaps in the interest of saving time we shall shower together?” He smiled.

Roslyn smiled and pulled him down for a bloody kiss. “Why, what a brilliant idea my soldier boy!”

Sam kissed her again as he dragged her to the bathroom. His undead life already looking better than his living life, even if he spent decades as a mindless zombie slave.

But now he had a bride as monstrous as he was and loved it.

Monster University-James

“I have come far from being the husband of a Voodoo queen, Marie Laveau. Of course, being killed by her because of her lover did really piss me off. But I got my revenge; I came back. And I had turned her lover into a crow. Now any lover of Marie’s I get to. Before she can kill them to make her little zombies, I create into zombies and then transform them into birds. Then I keep them until I tire of them. Most of the time I will kill and eat them. Mmm… my favorite meal ever was eating the man who caused me to snap at Marie and cause my death. Most of the time I command them as birds, but I can flip them back to zombies. I don’t just choose her lovers, after all she doesn’t keep them long anymore, but anybody who is a ‘cheater’, after all, a person should always be faithful to their spouse. Time to send my little birds out to find a few more souls to punish. After all, it is time for my meal.”

James smirked as he cut into the pheasant he had cooked for tonight’s meal. Real winner this one was, he had seven women on the side of his wife. He kept him as a pheasant for about three years, using him to track others. He rarely lets them out of their bird forms. Easier to maintain. After all, he didn’t need zombies roaming around eating people’s brains. He never approved of how Marie kept hers. He saw the zombies that Marie sent to spy on him. He wondered if he should kill them to send a message. Or he could change them into something else.

Birds were his specialty. He thought about it before shrugging it off. She will do what she shall. Pity she locked her newest zombie away before I could have gotten ahold of him. He needed some more chickens; he is having a dinner party soon to celebrate our undead lives. He stood up and snapped his fingers at one of his human formed zombies. “Clean it up. I have to go make some house calls.” With that, he swept out of the house, turning into a raven and taking flight.

James made it to Bo’s office. “Hey Bo!” He swooped in through the window and as he turned back, he plopped down.

“Paris.”

“Oh, you know I ain’t going by that name, chère.”

“And I ain’t your dear. What do you need? I gotta get this paperwork done for the Frankenstein family.”

“Oh, Beth and Frank are in town?” James asked. “What are you doing for them?”

“Nothing of your concern, but I am sure Beth will have a party shortly that will rival even yours this weekend.” Bo stated.

“Ahh, but I love them both! Seriously!” He held up his hands at Bo’s glare. “I mean they had both I and Marie dead to rights and Frank still had some messed up belief he owed me for helping him find an emergency heart for Beth.”

“Frank is a good one.” Bo stated as he dotted a few more i’s and crossed a few more t’s. “What do you want James?”

“Nothing really. Just want to make sure you sent out those invites and got Kristoff to come a couple hours before the party. I need him to spell the house to make sure we don’t do something stupid. Like Marie tried with Beth and Frank.”

“Yes, we are prepared for your party.”

James smirked. “It will be a straight up Monster…”

“Don’t even think of it, James. There are copyright laws.”

James laughed. “I promise to not play the song more than a million times at the party!”

Bo sighed. “Get out. Just get out!”

James stood up and laughed. “Later my friend! See you at the party! I have some dinner to hunt down!” He swept out of the office, turning back into a raven and flying off to where his loyal slaves told him his future victims were.

James landed to find the strip joint. Seriously, with all the progress that the country has done since he was alive and undead sometimes people were predictable. Give them an outlet to their vices and they took it. Build a bar and people would abuse alcohol; build a restaurant and people will abuse fast food; build a casino and people will play the game of chance; but build a strip joint and show the private parts of the body off and people will fall to the vice of lust and sex. And those were his victims. Those who fell to the point they were cheating on their spouses. This was always a good place to go. Not that all strip joints are; some don’t have a shady side business. James turned back and waved his hand, changing his suit into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He may not be a full warlock, but he had picked up a few tricks during his life and his death.

“Hello honey!” A waitress smiled. “Drink?”

“Beer. Whatever you got that is domestic and on tap.” James stated as he sat a few tables from the stage.

“Got it!” The waitress hurried off as fast as her stilettos could take her.

James sat and watched his prey. Being a voodoo priest allowed him to see souls; to see the truth of man’s action. There were four men and two women. They would make lovely chickens to feed his dinner guests. He would keep them, but he didn’t feel like going through the full ritual to make them his slaves. A few drops of a potion and dead man’s blood in their drink will lead them to his place where he will change them and then fatten them up to be dinner. He sat and sipped his beer as he watched them go into back rooms and come out. He had chatted up the waitress and a bit of a charm stopped her before she served them their last drinks; slipping his potion in. Now to just wait. James left the club and flew back home.

James didn’t have to wait long. Soon he had his chickens and soon he would have his mash! James laughed out loud again. He smiled as he prepared for the party in a few days. Seeing his invitation to celebrate the new addition to the Frankenstein family. “Well, I’ll be damned, Frank has a daughter.” He laughed at that and knew she would turn out just as Beth did, smart, powerful, and a pure monster; he just hoped she did have some of Frank’s caring nature as well. But to put that out of his mine, he had a graveyard smash to plan!

James was talking to Kristoff. “I wish I had been a full warlock sometimes.”

“Eh, it is not so glamorous.” Kristoff stated as he put the next marking rune on the door to help ease relationships.

“Is the life of any monster? We all have our downsides and our pluses. We all have to do rituals to live. And most of us are so afraid of death we will never stop them; no matter our feelings on the matter.”

“True. Most of us became this in the need for revenge, though. Makes you wonder if maybe there isn’t a way for us all to gain forgiveness.” Kristoff finished off his markings. “There done!”

“Don’t overthink buddy. Let’s just take things as it flows and have a grand ole time in a few days!”

Kristoff shook his head. “The forever optimist, even if your wife killed you and you have seen the depravity of humanity.”

“Always. Always the optimist and the life of the party!” James laughed as he showed the warlock out; and turned back to his lab to prepare more potions for his next big party.

Just a few days later, he opened the door to his first guests. “Frank! Beth! And the little monster!”

“James.” Beth greeted. “This little monster is my granddaughter Sophie.”

“She is a cute kid! Frank, you must be proud of the little monster!”

“Of course; she is turning out to be as smart as mother and myself.” Frank stated as he accepted a beer. “Are we the first?”

“Yep, but don’t worry we shall have a great time! The fun will catch on in a flash!” Frank groaned as Beth joined him in his laughing.

James smiled a couple hours later. Drake and Darin were up, taking over the band. Frank was even relaxed and showing off his new child. Beth came up. “My husband, Viktor would have done something like this. I am glad that someone took this up.” She stated.

“No problem! I love having fun. The ghosts, ghouls, zombies, Mr. Bo Jingles over there. Everybody is having fun and not trying to kill each other. That is why I do it. So that we can have one peaceful meeting of all the monsters in our town. I know how hard it is sometimes to let bygones be bygones. I mean, my own wife killed me when I tried to kill her. But this is a smash and everybody is getting along and soon we will have a nice dinner!” James clapped his hands. “To the dining room!” He laughed and lead the way.

Ewan and Ajit were talking. “These are always the best chickens, James. What is your secret?”

“Cheaters and Liars!” He laughed as he cut into the next fat juicy chicken.

“Well, they make an excellent dinner.” Ajit stated as he took another bite. “Where are your birds tonight?”

“Hunting. I allowed a few loyal ones to come to the party; as you can see. But most are flying and collecting data for my next hunting trip.” James stated as he sipped his wine.

“Always a good time here, James.” Ewan stated.

Hal grunted. “At least we are in a big enough town and it is close to a few major cities or this many of us would draw attention.”

Many of the other monsters nodded. They lucked out with this town of Grand Prairie Rapids. They lucked out indeed. James smiled as everybody finished their dinner. “Come on everybody! Let’s do the Monster Mash!” He snapped his fingers, starting the music. This was the life! It was a good time to be a monster!

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.

Monster University- Draco

“I have always been dangerous. I have always only carried for my needs, my wants, my desires, and most of all I did what I wanted when I wanted, even who I wanted. This curse annoys me to no end. I can’t believe it has been twenty years since I last killed my shot at redemption. This twenty-year cycles continue to haunt me. I find her. And instead of trying to gain forgiveness, I took her by force. Then she refused to forgive me the bloody witch. So I killed her. Then for five years I spent my life as a bloody Mugwump! I was such an ugly bird, and I am forced to sit on a fence with my head leaning over one edge and my ass over the other. Only children can see me, and they laugh at me. After that five years, I am once again a man. Then I have fifteen years to find her and seek forgiveness. But I never look until she is eighteen; then I hire Bo and his private investigator to find her. If at the end of the twenty years, if I haven’t found her, I turn to a Mugwump and she mysteriously dies, and it starts all over again. Well, she is twenty now and maybe I will finally learn my lesson.”

Draco threw his journal into his drawer. He looked at the little dorm room that he was in. Why they choose this little bitty town of Prairie Rapids Crossing and the college here, he would never know. But Bo suggested it, and nobody bet against Bo. He has been their lawyer for centuries. The only other one that they depended on as much as Bo and each other was Tony and his son… or was it his nephew? Who cared? Draco thought. He looked at his set of journals going back from when he was named Griffin to now where he was Draco.

Unfamiliar names, unknown pasts, he needed them more than the others. He never learned to control the anger and monster inside of him. He might never learn to control it. Mostly because he was trying to gain forgiveness from the blasted witch that cursed him.

She was reincarnated each time and wouldn’t gain her memories until he asked for her forgiveness. He looked down at his schedule. Since he generally only lived as a human for fifteen years out of every twenty he was a transfer senior. He would graduate this year. He would also more than likely be dying within the next few months as well.

Well, dying was such a harsh term. Turned into a blasted ugly monster of a bird and forced to sit on a damn fence was what really happened. He sighed as he stood and went to his air brushing machine with inks and dyes. He put on the fake skin over his actual skin and air brushed life into his fake exterior.

He hated being invisible. He barely remembered what he looked like anymore. He had long ago figured out how to move in society thanks to the underground group of ‘monsters.’

They were soulless beings and monsters, but some liked to think they were misunderstood. Frank was one of them. Though he just rips the throats out of the people who annoy him. Though he heard Frank was trying something new. He should go visit the man and the annoying screaming machine he seems to have adopted. He finished his application and put on a pair of pants and a white button-down. He smirked as he messed with his wig. It was almost the same color as the hair he was born with. He created a very hot man. Now to go and woo that damn reincarnated witch.

Draco watched her. He bar-tended on campus. It allowed him to see all the students and compare them to the witch. She always looked the same. Short. Black hair. And these honey burgundy eyes that cost a man his soul. Everybody wants blonde, blue eyed leggy models, but a short brown-eyed girl will give their hearts and souls to the people who own her heart. He learned that well. So well in fact that to cross one of these witches it would cost one any semblance of a normal life. He was brought out of his thoughts by the phone ringing. “Jo’s Pool Hall.” He answered.

“Dragon! Is Jo there?” Draco winced, hearing Kat’s voice. She was more of a seductress than Jo, and Jo was a Succubus. The fact Kat was also the famous Voodoo Queen Marie LaVeau also made Draco want to run far, far away. Kat owned the local bookstore and was best buddies with Jo.

“Jo is busy now, Catherine.” He stated.

“Ahh, did she find a source for tonight? Pity, I was hoping to double date. I met some fresh meat.” She gave a chilling laugh.

Draco shivered. “She is busy tonight. Try tomorrow.”

“Good bye my darling Draco. Pity, I can’t reverse your curse just to have a chance at you.”

Draco never was so thankful for his curse. “I have to go, Catherine!” He yelled and slammed down the phone. Draco shivered again and turned at a yell of ‘Hey!’ He turned and blinked. There she was. That blasted reincarnation of the witch that destroyed his life. She was quite ‘painted’ tonight. Of course being as old as I am I call all make-up painted. Today’s society would call it barely there. He moved down. “How can I help a darling out?” He drawled.

“Three tequila shots and three Long Islands.” She stated.

“I am Draco, darling, and your name so I can know who to run the tab under?”

“Flo. Now hurry up, Draco, I haven’t all night.”

Yep, still a bitch. “Coming right up Flo.” He makes the drinks and sends them on their way. He spends the rest of the night making a pro and con list of being stuck as a Mugwump for five years again.

For the next three weekends, Draco tried to get somewhere with the witch. He was nice, bought her drinks, helped her with her damn chemistry homework! “Want to go to dinner, Flo?”

Flo laughed. “Oh honey, you are not getting anywhere with me. You know your chemistry and seem to be loaded. I am just using you.”

Of course, Draco saw red and left. He went home and removed all his coverings. He was going to make her pay. Only she could see him. He waited outside her door as she entered he pushed her in. “Use me, you blasted witch! I ask your forgiveness!” He said the magic words.

“Griffin?” Flo asked, her eyes wide with fright.

“In the not so flesh!” Draco laughed.

“Griffin, don’t. Not again!”

“Do I have your forgiveness, Witch?”

“No, you still don’t love me!”

“You use me in over half your lives! How can I love you?”

“And you didn’t use me?”

“I cheated on you once! I was drunk, and I thought she was you! I asked forgiveness! I begged, and you cursed me!”

“You cheated! And you still don’t love… I deny you your forgiveness.”

“And I am sorry you just signed your death again!” He took the knives in his hands and drove them into her hands and feet. “But a bit of fun first?” Draco smirked as he ran the knife down her sternum and stomach, slicing her open.

An hour later Flo lay passed out from pain, bloody and torn apart. Her heart beating its last beats. Draco bent down to her ear. “I don’t know if you can hear me Flora, but I did love you. I loved you enough, I was being disowned to marry you. You killed that love, and now we are stuck in this endless cycle. I hope we can find it again. But with my anger and your grudge, I feel the world will end and they will judge us to continue this cycle in hell.” He kissed her cheek as she took her last breath and her heart beat one last time.

Draco fell down to the ground in pain. He had killed her again. The transformation into the Mugwump wasn’t what was painful. It was that he let that dark side out and killed her again. After the transformation was complete, Flora’s body was left to be discovered and Draco found himself thinking of a new name as he sat on the fence facing a highway punished to never move, and never to be seen but by children playing car games.

Monster University- Drake

“I look at my prey, I hate what I am. I hate this need to hunt; but I am afraid of death. That is why I am in this situation to begin with… that fear of death… I stand here writing in my ancient diary while I contemplate drain the woman who is sitting alone in the corner…I HATE MYSELF!”

Drake put his journal in his desk and turned the key, locking it away. He looked at the mess of people. He had a party each week; a part of him, that he hated, needed them. He had tried to go without. He had tried so many times. So many times it would drive him mad and he would satisfy this thirst in the most horrific of ways.

He is grateful for his roommates. Cameron, Frank and Lucas all understand the curse he lives with; the death he must inflict so he could live. He is happy he found them many centuries ago. With this new world they knew they had to blend in, so they decided to mainstream and go to college. So many careers demanded the paper over experience. Maybe next time he could be one of the business owners. They were what the dean had called freshmen.

He is far from a fresh man… he died over five hundred years ago, but afraid of death he took a deal to grant him immortality. He has been called many things; in fact, he is the basis of that silly little book Dracula.

He knew Bram Stoker; a crazy little man who was obsessed with the beings that went bump into the night. Ever since Drake had tried to drain him, that was until he tasted his blood; they had tainted it with holy water; sadly, the little insane man thought it worked against vampires. In a way, he was right; it only worked because he believed it would. Holy objects only work if the person believes it does. He was only evil in the fact he needed fresh flowing blood to live.

After all, in the blood is the very essence of the soul. Blood is life, it is why most ‘monsters’ crave it. Blood is life. And without life, there is death. He hated that part of this curse. He didn’t really think when he was offered the escape from death. After all, his fear back then was not living up to his family name. Dying before he could prove himself as a Dracula! He should have taken time to think; but he was dying, and he became a killer who shattered the lives of not only his victims, but of their entire families.

Cameron is the one that suggested coming to the new world. So they took the chance. It was a chance to start over somewhere new. There were many places in Europe where they were still hunted. They bought a house, bought some fake documents and signed up for college. Good Lord, what they would do without their contacts they didn’t know, and Bo was one of the best at getting the fakes with Sebastian. After all, what could it hurt to come to a new world? To live some place different for once. Besides their victims…

Sadly, they cannot escape their curses. Some may be have clauses in their curses but he has never meet one to escape their curses. Nobody had ever escaped. Nobody ever would. They can be changed, they can be amended, but they would all remain forever cursed.

Drake sighed and walked- well glided- over to his prey. He watched in her eyes as he flashed an award winning smile and sat down next to her. “Hello, my dear. I am Drake.” Drake knew nobody was immune to his charms, his thrall. After all, Old Man Abe had something right about vampires. Thrall, blood draining, hell he even had the brides correct, but he never kept them for long. He sent them out on their own after he had his fill. After all, after a while the Thrall would wear off and well new vampires who weren’t controlled were never fun to deal with; and he for sure didn’t have the patience. Which is why since Old Man Abe killed his last three he never made any more, he didn’t have the patience to deal with them. Only his true brides would be forever loyal. He flashed his smile and started his thrall toward his prey.

“Hi…” She started and blushed. The blood to her face made Drake’s desire for her blood stronger. “I am Sam.” She was a shy, timid woman.

“Nice to meet you, Sam.” Drake took her hand in his, and held it there. “Would you like a tour of the house? Maybe a drink?” Drake pulled her up with him.

“That would be great.” She said and got up to go with him; she seemed to bask in his attention.

Drake kept her hand and grabbed a potent drink from Lucas along the way. “Well, let’s start down stairs…” Drake started and led the shy young Sam to his room. There was a reason he chose this type of woman. Shy, timid, not many friends, far from home, would be a few days before she was noticed missing. She was the perfect prey.

“Oh, your room is in the basement…” Sam said in shock when they walked into his windowless room.

“Oh, yes, this is my room.” Drake came up behind her. “Do you like it?” Drake asked as he pushed her hair away from her neck. He bent and kissed her neck before she could respond. He touched the tip of his tongue to her neck and heard her gasp for breath.

Sam was torn between fear and desire. She had come to this party on her friend’s suggestion, and then her friend had left her when she went to dance with her newest boyfriend. “I…”

Drake turned her around and kissed her; and pushed her toward his bed. He felt as she fell back onto the bed and he climbed in with her. “I hope you do…” Drake laid down almost on top of her and planted a string of kisses along her neck.

“Drake…” Sam struggled for thought, but she knew she didn’t want this. “Stop.”

“No…” Drake said, and he felt his fangs extend. He struggled against the monster within himself. He tried to push himself away from her, but he was too weak… he had gone too long without the flowing blood of life.

“NO!” Sam struggled to get free. She screamed and hoped that someone heard her; never knowing the rooms in the house were built to be sound proof for many different reasons. Then she went silent when she felt the pain in her neck.

Drake bit her. He hit the sweet spot where the blood flowed quickly and freely and he started to drain her. She went silent with the first bite, but she continued to struggle.

Sam tried to get away, but she started to get weaker and weaker. Soon she could not move… and she felt cold.

Drake knew when she gave up. He knew the moment she accepted her death, and a tear escaped his eye as he completely drained her. Once the last drop was gone, he rolled to the side, and exhausted from his gluttony of blood, passed out.

Drake awoke the next day and looked at the body beside him. Sam’s eyes staring into space; clouded over with death. He sighed and picked up the phone.

On the fourth ring it picked up. “Tony’s Cement Shoes. You Kill ‘Em, We Sink ‘Em.”

Drake sighed, but only those who Tony trusted would have the number, anyway. “Is Tony in?” Drake asked.

“Drake, my man! Tony is on his way to your house. He knows when you have a ‘party’.” The person on the other line stated.

Drake could almost see the quotation marks that he was sure Tony’s clerk, and nephew, had made. “Bleu, very funny. Tell your uncle to charge the account.” Drake hung up the phone. He looked at the body for a moment, shook his head and wrapped it in the white sheet; just a few spots of blood on it. Drake took one last look at the scene and then at the time. He picked up his books and left for class. He pushed the body of the young woman, whose name had been Sam, out of his head; never to be thought of again… Or at least he told himself as he pushed her from his thoughts…

Monster University

I will start republishing the stories of the 1st set of Monster University Short Storiee. 1 or 2 a day.

The reason, is that I do want to complete the 2nd set. Throughout the next few months. I will post them as I complete them.

Newly edited.

Each with its own cover.

Exclusive to my website.

Will post 2 today.

I hope you enjoy them!

Raven’s Second Fall

“Demons aren’t supposed to feel the virtues. We can feel the Deadly Sins. My favorite has been lust. Sex is something in of itself. When I was warned to stay away from the Angel, of course I didn’t. I started going to the bar and talking with her. Flirting with her. When she moved and became a cadet at the police academy, I would make sure to run into her when she came to work random shifts at the bar. Or even when she came to the diner or bar to talk to Morgan and Jo. When I first realized my lust had skidded into the unmentionable virtue and I was going into a downward spiral of appreciation and… affection, I started to sleep with anybody and everybody. I was running from the feelings, of course, I am a Demon! I don’t… love… I went home with a different mortal each night, had se, made a deal, and then did t again to keep my thoughts off the Angel. And I did this until it didn’t work, and I started calling her name no matter the body I was with at the time. So, I started causing battles with her instead… Sometimes fighting could be just as good as sex…”

Raven sat upon the bar stool at Jo’s, he had no real idea why he was here. I stopped picking up random mortals, the high just wasn’t there anymore. The Angel had destroyed him. He went from the model Demon to… to this excuse for an immortal Earl of Hell. If his minions saw him now, they would revolt, rebel, they would re-something anyways. The Angel. That was why he sat at the bar with a beer and was depressed. He sat watching her bring out her wings, it was past closing time and no mortals were in the bar. They were almost all gold, meaning she still tried to be a good little Angel. Sinning only when needed, a lie here, a lie there, about her past. Or stealing to live. There are grey’s too. Her sins she had chosen. Cursing is what she told Jo, but Raven wondered if any of them were lust. If she had given into any of the Deadly Sins. He got up and made his way towards the girls. Drunk enough now to be stupid enough to ask the question. Frank and Lucas grabbed his arm. “Let me go.” He slurred out as he tried to continue that way. He had to ask HIS Angel a question.

“You are drunk,” Lucas drawled. “Sit down.”

“I gotta ask the angel a question!”

“Why?” Frank didn’t really care, he was just trying to delay him from going over there and embarrassing himself. Anybody with even a half of brain can figure out the Demon fell once more, this time for a Fallen Angel that had the power to say no to Satan.

“Because she makes me a worse demon than the one in the book she has fallen in love with!”

“Which one is that?” Lucas sat back with his hands behind his head and smirked.

“That one! Where the angel, who really revels in the deadly sins, and the demon hid the fact that he reveled in the virtues. The pair she calls the ineffable husbands! That demon is a disgrace to demons! Cares about kids, kind regards of what he says, in love with a blood sinning angel! And I gotta ask MY Angel a question! While I am drunk! Or I won’t be able to ask her!”

Lucas let go, “well, go on, I am curious what question could make a demon nervous!” He laughed as he drained the rest of his beer.

Frank looked like he wanted to protest, but he let Raven go; it would at least give them some entertainment while his mother and Bo were out spoiling his daughter.

Raven stumbled over there. “Angel! Angel!”

Alyssa looked at Raven and tilted her head. “What is it, Raum?” She still insisted on calling him by his real name.

He smirked, “You want to keep calling me by my name, perhaps I should call you by yours, after all your signal is still branded upon the back of your neck.”

“What is it you want, Raum?” Alyssa sighed, it wasn’t like anybody couldn’t look up who she was, it was obvious after all, her signal, as she kept her hair short.

“Well, Anael, I was wondering, if any of your grey feathers are because you have had sex?”

Alyssa spit out her drink. “What? No! And the feathers would be a deep rich royal blue if I gave into lust. Even if there is love behind it. Alyssa was growing flustered at the questions. She knew he was just picking another fight, and she didn’t feel like fixing up the bar, again. “Leave me alone, Raum.”

Raven sneered and then jumped. “Come one, Anael, you think you are so much better than me! We are both FALLEN! We are both the same!” He threw her against the wall, it buckled under the force and broke the frames that were upon it.

“WE ARE NOT THE SAME!” Alyssa screamed as she used her wings to push herself from the wall and push him back. Before she took to the air and used gravity to come down upon him with her full strength, pushing him through the floor.

The fight was destroying the bar, Jo was a bit peeved, but it wasn’t anything that hadn’t happened before. Raven moved and finally got an amulet around her neck. And with that it gave him the boost he needed, along with his connection to hell, to get her on the ground.

“It is the eleventh hour, what will you do dear Angel?” Raven smirked as he held her throat in his fist.

“Let me go, Raum!” She struggled to be let go. “Where did you get this amulet?”

“At my eleventh hour, I had implemented plans A thru Z on how to get over you, I had gone into apocalypse mode and put all my avoidance skills to the test. But I can’t get you out of my mind or heart. If I can’t have you in a romantic way, I will have you thinking I am the enemy. After all, fighting can be as good as sex, when one wins dominance.”

Alyssa used what strength she had, though it was being contained by the blood stone forged in hell, a blood stone that was once the soul of an angel made diamond, corrupted by hell, around her neck. It was just enough to push him back, and his back hit window busting it, but not going through it.

“If you want me come,” Alyssa panted out, it had been three hours of none stop battling and it was now the Devil’s hour. “Come and get me.” She stood but swayed.

Raven paused and smirked, he rubbed the sweat and blood from his face and kept his hand upon his chin as if in thought. “Want you in what way, Angel? Don’t get me wrong, both involve ropes, but it is an important distinction to make before we proceed.”

Alyssa blinked, “what on this forsaken Earth do you mean?”

“Think about it a moment Angel, what else could I do while I had you tied down?”

Alyssa’s eyes went wide, and she sputtered. ‘You think I mean sex?” She dropped the pool cue she had been using. “I can’t have sex! I am an Angel! It would mean giving in to the Deadly Sins!”

Raven moved closer, “you are a Fallen, Angel. That means you can give into any sin you want. Including the Deadlies. I think you would look perfect with Royal Blue Wings. Only sin a deadly can’t over take is murder. A few black with the Royal Blues, maybe some Violet for that Pride of yours.” He was right up close to her, his own pool cue, long forgotten. “Come on Angel, join me in the Sins.” He unleashed his own wings.

Alyssa gasped, she saw the Wrath Red, Lust Royal Blue, Sloth Sky Blue, Gluttony Orange, Greed Yellow, and Envious Green. Al of them mixed black. It made her swallow. They were gorgeous. She backed up and her back hit the wall.

Raven smirked as he sauntered towards her and pined her between his arms. “See what they could become? Come join me, Angel.” He brushed his lips against her skin. “You are a Fallen. You can do what you want. You are a free agent. You aren’t even bound by Hell, not like I am. So, join me, join our own side.” He smirked, he could quote her favorite book. “You ruined me you know.” He placed one hand on her hip. “I can’t even be a good demon. I am stuck in this look of that unmentionable virtue, a downward spiral of admiration and affection.” He kissed her neck again. “Join me…” He kissed up her neck until his lips hovered over hers. “Join me in our second fall.”

“Raum…” Alyssa bit her lip. He was tempting her, so tempting to let him lead her down that rabbit hole. “I… I was…” Alyssa swallowed, “I was always the purist of Angels. I fell for my love of humanity. I fell to save a human, because I loved them. I love these damned broken souls. If I give in, them that angel I was is truly gone. And never coming back.”

“That is a good thing!” Raven placed his other hand on her hip and pulled her towards him. “Do you want to be that angel that followed orders like a good little girl? Do you want to be the angel that stood by and watched as the beings you love were hurt, killed, tortured, or destroyed? Do you want to be her? Because I didn’t like her! I didn’t love her! I fell for the angel that is becoming a cop. I love the angel that is secretly getting justice and vengeance for those who hurt kids! The spells and the curses and leading our monster family towards them! I never in all the eons I have been alive, as an angel, or as the human that got tricked into making a deal with the devil, or as a demon, ever let myself feel the virtues. Then you skid into my life and destroy me! Not because you are an angel, not because you are GOOD,” he spat the word. “But because you have a set of standards, of rules, you live by! You FELL, because you couldn’t do it any longer. When I was an angel I fell because I didn’t want to choose a side! I became human because I didn’t choose a side, reborn loads of times, before I made a deal with Lucifer, and gave him my soul. I became a demon and remembered everything. You stand for something, I fell for anything because I didn’t. That is why when I fell the second time it was without noticing! It was without resistance! I fell Angel, and it is for who you are now, not who you were then, for this woman standing in front of me right now! With her anything but white wings! With wings that will go from this gold to a deep rich blue, to a deep rich black as you embrace the Fallen Angel of Justice and Vengeance you are! Don’t be afraid to embrace the change… because you are leaving the shallow end, you are leaving the sand, join me! Join me in the ocean of desire, join me on the mountain top of love. Join me Angel in this fall!” He then kissed her with all the lust, want, affection, appreciation, desire, and love he felt for her. When his lungs screamed for the air, he didn’t really need he pulled back. “Join me, Angel. My Earth Angel, join me.”

Alyssa swallowed, she looked up into his eyes, through her lashes, her hands had found their way into his hair during the kiss. She took a breath. She never felt anything like she was feeling now. “Show me.” She straightened and with more confidence stated. “Show me how to Fall.” She stated as she pulled his head back down so she could run her lips over his, whispering, “show me how, Raum.”

Raven pulled her closer and kissed her again and he flapped his wings and used his abilities to disappear from the bar, he felt her powers repair it. He internally chuckled, his Angel would always have the streak of having to do what was right. And he would never change her core being, he just wanted to bring out who she truly was, and that was HIS Angel.

He fell the first time because he was a coward who didn’t want to fight. As a human he made a deal he never should have, and had always regretted, especially after getting his memories back. He no longer regrets it, for as a Demon he finally found his completion, in a Fallen Angel who, was just enough of a saint to hide among the humanity she fell to protect. No, he would never regret his choices, because this second fall, was worth every pain and moment of hell he had ever gone through.

For he fell to meet his Angel.