#monsteruniversity – 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- Sebastian

“Funny that I live in the shadows during most of my ‘lives.’ After all, I was created by darkness. I am older than most of the monsters that are in our group. I was created with the dawn of times. I have seen not only this vast Earth, but the nothingness that it once was before the balls of gas formed in space.

I wasn’t always a monster. I was once a creator of life. I gave souls. Now I take them.

It is my punishment. I refused to not give souls to infants. I thought all humans deserved a chance at life. To live, the soul had to be given to the body. Thus adding the soul to the body and allow the body to live.

All beings generally have souls. There are a few exceptions, though. Frank wasn’t given his own soul, he is made up of the pieces of souls left over though he says he is soulless, those pieces have knitted together to create something of a soul.

No, sometimes there is just evil in the world. I wouldn’t say we are evil, though we kill to live. We are just doing what humanity is doing; doing whatever is needed to stay alive. That is probably why when I was banished to the shadows of Earth I tried everything to be able to walk among the mortals and I found a way.

I must drain souls to gain a body. About one hundred a year. Which is probably why I work with Bo and the other monsters as the private investigator…

Funny how being a shadow who wants to be among the humans, I live my un-life in the shadows…”

Sebastian sighed as he was going through the paperwork. His job was mostly to find and create identities. He had to research backgrounds, make sure that pictures and most evidence that one of their family wasn’t how they said they were. He had only met a handful; but they were okay beings. Right now he was finding what he could on Mary Sheldon and whose daughter she gave birth to; as Frank wasn’t giving up the babe. He didn’t blame him. Kids were a soft spot for him and most monsters. Most monsters only regretted not being able to have their own children.

He wasn’t having much luck with Sheldon. She grew up listening to monster stories, took it seriously, majored in classic lit and started teaching at a local high school, getting her doctorate and then moving to teach at the university. No relationships. No marriages. Nothing. Not even a picture of her with any men. It just didn’t make sense!

He sighed as he threw the paper away from him. He looked up at the calendar. He had to take a soul soon. He had to take two a week and then he would have two weeks where he wouldn’t have to take any souls. He could pretend to be normal. He slacked on taking the first this week so he would have to take both quickly and close together. He stood up and jabbed his hat on his head and left.

He had to do a bit of research anyway on this Sheldon chick. It was like she was a bloody monster herself. But if that was the case, she would know the rules for not attacking any monsters living in their town. If they do, they are declaring war. It was only because of James that Kat was still alive and the world wasn’t divided into kingdoms, Frankensteins and the voodoo priestess and her slaves.

Most would have sided with Frank. Nobody touched family. Family was such a rare commodity in this undead life.

He locked his door and headed toward the bars.

“Hey Seb!” Jo yelled. “Usual?”

Sebastian nodded. “Of course, Jo.” He took a seat at the end of the bar in the shadows.

Tonight he was hunting.

He looked out the window into the skies. He saw the billions of stars, many he created, many he knew had died out long ago. He closed his eyes against the pain of his creations dying. He knew they would.

He knew soon there would be nothing he created.

Not even this Earth that he sat upon.

Soon he would be up for re-judgment and given a new punishment for his disobedience.

Even when these monsters went to heaven or hell, he would be stuck in an endless loop of punishment because he was a creator.

A destroyer.

A true monster.

He gave all this life, and he would take it one day as part of his punishment. He shook himself out of his stupor. He had to focus.

He flicked his soul gaze on and looked at the people. He tried to pick those who were unnoticed, unwanted, unneeded or evil. After all, there was just sometimes evilness in the world.

It was a few beers in when a bar fight caught his attention. It wouldn’t have held his attention if it wasn’t for the dark, oily souls that were leading the fight. Sebastian smirked. Two for one!

Always loved a bonus.

He moved over and jumped into the fray. He had to get on his victims’ sides so he helped them.

Soon the little college boys that started the fight were limping away, nursing their wounds, sans the cash they lost at the pool game.

Lost… Stolen… Po-tat-oes… Pah-tot-os.

“Hey man, that was cool of ya. Why us and not the frat boys?” One of the meals on legs asked.

“Looked a bit unfair, seven against two? Thought I would even it up a bit.” Sebastian gave a grin.

The two men laughed. “Well, this is Bubba and I am Jay. Niceta meet ya.” Jay held out his hand.

Sebastian took it. “Seb.”

“Come on! Let’s get us some beer with our prize money and play some pool! Come on, you can join us Seb, after all those who fight together drink together!” Bubba stated.

It wasn’t long before the stolen money ran out, but Sebastian just slapped his credit card on the bar and they continued to drink. Jo came up to him. “Hell, Seb, they are drunk enough don’tcha think?”

“Just making sure. You know I avoid the struggle. You do me a favor and call the bodies in, in the morning? Gus should get use out of the skin; and they are troublemakers, they will think they got on the wrong side of each other and shot each other when I am done with the scene.”

“No problem sug. Look, just don’t forget to not get blood on the building. I can hose the alley. The building seems to have a life of its own sometimes and I don’t want to feed it, if you know what I mean?”

“Got it, Jo. We will leave soon.” He signed his name on his slip. Not bad for a lovely meal of two dark souls, he thought as he signed the seven hundred-dollar bill.

“Hey, we should go find something else to do!” Jay yelled.

“Yay! Come on Seb, buddy!” Bubba agreed as they stumbled into the alley.

Sebastian smirked. “Well, I have an idea my fiends.” He then dropped his power to look human and stood there looking for all the world a black void. There were sparks of light inside of the black. Like it was an universe upon Earth. Which, based upon what Sebastian was made of, made sense. “How about you run!” He then grabbed Bubba and sucked out his soul through his mouth. The black light that was dripping in an oily substance showed just how dark and evil Bubba was as a human. Sebastian dropped the body and placed one bullet in the heart and took off after Jay.

Jay tried to shoot at him. “What are you, man?” He asked as Sebastian held him up.

“I am the darkness. The shadows. The beginning and the end. And this is your end, Jay.” Sebastian stated as he sucked the black soul from Jay’s body. Dropping it and shooting once in the chest. Sebastian wiped the black oily residue from his chin and licked his fingers. “Well, that was pleasant.”

He looked at the time. “Only one… I may be able to get a bit of work done.” With that, Sebastian left the bodies and went back to the office.

It was his job to solve the mysteries of the town monsters.

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-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-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-Lucas

“I have done a lot in my long life. I remember when it started. I was bitten by another werewolf and was brought to heel under his command. That didn’t last long. I fought him, I killed him, I ate his heart gaining his power. I am a werewolf, but I am decent. One of my best friends in the world is Frank. He is decent, not the monster people make him out to be. He thinks he is soulless. I know he isn’t; after all, we are both alike. We have killed, we have lost, and we continue to fight for life. Now he has a child and Frank will kill to protect her. Makes me wonder what I would do for the people I care about. After all, I have only ever fought for myself. But I haven’t had a family before that couldn’t defend themselves. I look down at the child and wonder what I could be driven to do in the name of protecting mine.”

“She is gorgeous, Frank.” Lucas stated as he stood by the crib. “Hard to believe you have had her a month now.”

“Yes; Bo still can’t find out who her father was. Would make it easier to know if he was human or monster.” Frank looked up from the parenting book he had bought.

“Yeah; but at least you do have about fifteen years before she would come in those powers.”

“Yep; but planning is key according to this.” He tossed the book to Lucas.

Lucas laughed and caught the book. “Planning is key in our lives no matter there are children involved or not Frankie! After all, if we didn’t plan everything out you know what will happen.”

“Pitchforks, fire, death, and I don’t mean us monsters. The death we cause isn’t needless…” Frank shrugged. “Well, in our eyes.”

“Yeah, we learned that looking to our past and ignoring our present was just going to destroy our future.”

“Dude, you stole that from a book!” Frank laughed.

Lucas gave him a wolfish grin. “Yeah, shocking that I can read, huh?”

“Shocking that you lived this long sometimes with your irrational need to fight.”

“What a good fight and a good heart for dinner is always a way to end a day.” Lucas stated as they left the nursery connected to Frank’s room.

Frank rolled his eyes. “Cameron is out for the weekend. And did you hear Drakey ran into his grandpappy!”

Lucas laughed. “Oh God, did I! I heard Drake’s grandfather took him by the ear and demanded he do his blood right and evolve.”

Frank laughed. “Drake has always been the broody one of the monsters. He, now this is just my theory, still feels that he failed his wife when he was human.”

“Ahh, yes, Mrs. Drake. I wish she would be reincarnated. Every time he looks around his room it is like walking through fire and he feels that heartache of her and his unborn daughter’s death.”

“Well, until her soul has paid its penance, she won’t be reincarnated. Once she is though I am sure Drake will turn her; rather he wants to be a monster or not. I was actually hoping he would take a couple of brides.” Frank stated as he threw Lucas a beer.

Lucas nodded his thanks. “Frankie, my man, I have got to leave soon. The moon is rising.”

“I know. Be careful. It would cause so much trouble to find a new best friend and babysitter.” Frank stated as he threw him his emergency bag.

Lucas laughed and punched Frank’s arm as he left the house, not even taking a jacket even though it was colder out. “I swear Frankie has more of a soul than I do at times.” He whispered to the air.

Lucas went to the local wolf bar. There were a couple other weres in the area and they had a few drinks and then locked the silver doors to make sure they didn’t break out. Damn horror writers got some things right. Silver does a number on werewolf blood; if it was blessed and the person using the silver truly believed in God, then it would hurt more so, maybe even making a non-fatal wound fatal.

Lucas shivered at some of the times he was hit with silver. Frank had been there to save him each time. Without that man, he was sure he would have been dead a few centuries back. Lucas took the beer that the bartender slide to him and sat lost in his thoughts. He half hoped that Sophie was born of a monster. It would make it a bit easier to explain once she came into whatever power besides immortality that she was blessed slash cursed with.

“Hey Lukey! Where is your mighty protector?” Sneered a voice he thought would have taken the hint six months ago when Frank kicked his ass when Lucas was drunk out of his mind remembering his past.

“Roland! How nice to see you. How is that bitch of yours? Still not willing to be mated to you? I mean until the mark is given she can sleep with anybody she chooses. And I heard your pack had a nice little party with her last month.” Lucas sneered; ready to jump if needed.

“At least I have a mate. Even if she is a bit of a whore. You are coming on six centuries and still single. Living with that freak. At least we used to be human.”

Lucas was up and in his face. “Do not insult my friends. I have killed for a lot less, Roland.”

“Please, your greatest achievement was killing that sire of yours, Richardson.”

“That is the only one that matters, Roland. I gained my freedom by killing him and his pack. I don’t need a pack.”

“That is where you are wrong pup. Everybody needs a pack. After all, how are you going to get out of this?” Roland grabbed Lucas by the throat. “You don’t have your freak here to bail you out this time. And after I am done with you, I may just leave this bar before the doors lock and kill that freak and his new little girl can be raised to be the pack slut.”

Lucas felt a rage he had only felt once before rise in him. And that was the day he killed his sire. Lucas felt himself changing before the moon, something only an Alpha could do, and he felt himself drop all the barriers he created to not become the monster that they portrayed him as in the movies and books.

He had his claw deep into Roland’s chest; he was half changed. “Never, and I mean never threaten my family.” He stated as he took the heart in into his claws. “Apologize. Apologize before I kill you.”

Roland looked up at him and spit blood into his face. “Never. You are nothing, Lucas. You may kill me, but my men will rip you apart. And then that freak and then eat that precious little girl you are protecting.”

Lucas smirked. “You don’t know a thing about me before I came to this town, Roland. I haven’t always gone by the name Lucas.”

“Please, who could you be that would be so scary?”

“Beast of Gévaudan, the Beast Of Transylvania, the one that scared even Dracula, I have been around longer than I have let people believe. You don’t get it, Roland; I hide my bloody past because I am more of a moral man than you. But wherever I have been, I have left a trail of blood.” Lucas ripped out the heart. “And now I leave this trail.” He turned, fully eating the heart and jumping when Roland’s men turned with the moon.

Lucas knew Roland’s men surrounded him. Roland had made them pledge to avenge his death if it happened. Lucas being an alpha had a bit more of his mind, though not much, but enough to count seven wolves. He moved and put his back against the silver doors; he tried to ignore the smell of burning hair and waited for the first to jump.

He didn’t wait long before the youngest; a pup really, jumped and went for his throat. Lucas moved out of the way and allowed the pup to go head first into the silver door. Before the pup could recover from the massive burn on his head Lucas took him by the throat and threw his body across the room, ripping out the throat and spraying the bar with blood. The other six wolves didn’t wait and tried to jump him all at once. Lucas, of course, being older and stronger made quick work of the younger pups, leaving two other elders. He had his back against a silver window and waited as his wolf brain calculated the best way to kill his enemies and eat their hearts.

To gain their power. To gain their knowledge. To gain their souls. Soon one got impatient with waiting and charged him and Lucas took him and threw him into the cage over the window allowing the smell of burning flesh fill the air before taking a silver spike into his hand and ignoring his own pain put it through the wolf’s chest. Killing him. He turned to the last one. The one older than Roland.

The wolf tilted his head and tried to find a way to live, with the oath to Roland he had to fight. But maybe he didn’t have to die. He charged. He bit the back of Lucas and then rolled and put his head down in submission.

Lucas looked at the wolf. He tilted his head. He moved to act like leaving before he charged and flipped the wolf into the air, using his claw to rip out his heart and eating it. He went to each body and ate their hearts and stood in the middle of the room covered in blood. The other wolves had their heads bowed in submission to not be killed that night. Lucas settled for the night and waited for dawn.

The next morning Frank looked up as Lucas came in. “How was your night?”

“Almost completely fulfilling.”

“Oh, did you get into a fight?”

“You could say that.”

Frank shrugged. “How many?”

“Seven, they met The Beast.”

Frank raised an eyebrow as he stood and put a plate of food in front of Lucas. “And what caused that?”

“He threatened my pack.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, nobody threatens my pack and lives.”

“Any injuries?”

“A few burns on my back, but you can patch them up later.” He smiled down at the baby girl in the bassinet. “For now, I am eating breakfast; seven hearts does not sustain an alpha, let alone The Beast.” He smirked getting Frank to laugh, and though he may not have a mate, he had a pack and that is all that mattered. No matter the death that he would cause to protect them.

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.