Kara wanted to warn Sarah, desperately wanted to, but it was forbidden. All she could do was calm Sarah as best she could for what was to come. Sarah wondered what she had been scared of. It is well known that the mind plays tricks in situations which are strange or new to it. She followed Kara out into the colossal and gloomy hall, and they pattered across to the stairway. Up close the steps were larger than they had seemed. The stairway was lit up by several lanterns, all flickering wildly. Kara seemed to glide up effortlessly, and she turned and smiled at Sarah as she followed up more slowly.

Up on the balcony Sarah could feel the sheer expanse to her left but dared not even look towards the edge. After passing round the first corner they turned up into the third stairway. A little way up it became illuminated by the dull grey light of the outside world. As they followed its spiral path upwards Sarah took as much time as she could gazing out of the slit windows at the tendrils of rain hanging over the distant mountains. After many spirals they came to a small slatted wooden door. Before knocking Kara looked into Sarah's eyes to see if she would cope, and she was quite confident. Sarah smiled, and so hoped that Kara would stay with her for whatever it was she had to do.

"Come in." came the voice of Mr.Bescarte, sounding like a headmaster inviting a pupil in for punishment. Kara pushed the door open and they stepped into a well lit circular room with a low ceiling. Directly in front was a large 4-poster bed, hung over with silk, covering the person inside. Mr.Bescarte sat on a stool to the left of the bed, leaning forward with his hands in a bucket rinsing out some towels. Behind him was an old cabinet with a gold framed mirror and lots of coloured bottles crowding the surface. To the right of the bed there was a rocking horse and hundreds of dolls and fluffy animals sitting neatly on chairs. The floor and walls were a smooth grey stone, but they glowed yellow from the fiercely burning lanterns: As usual, it seemed, there was no natural light.

Mr.Bescarte looked up and grinned, "Ah, Miss George. Come and take a look." Kara watched as Sarah went to pull back the silk, tensing up as the reaction drew near. She watched her fathers eyes light up. Sarah shrieked and jumped back from the bed.
Sarah wanted to bolt out of the room, but just managed to control herself. She looked at Kara, and Kara's eyes said "I'm so sorry for not telling you. But you can do this."
"I....can't....deal with this." she managed to say. Mr.Bescarte was staring at her, but she dared not look at him.
"Miss George, you are the only one who can save her. I would urge you to reconsider."
"That....that cannot be your mother. Tell me its not." But Kara's eyes said "yes."
"I cannot do that Miss George. Do not question what you see, just act accordingly."
Sarah could sense the deep-rooted threat in his voice, and she turned back to the bed. The woman had a face that looked no older than 30. A wooden stake protruded vertically out from her chest. Her white silken veils were soaked with blood, and the whole bed was a mess. A trickle of blood ran out from the corner of her mouth and over her white face. Her eyes stared vacantly into space like a corpse.

Sarah was too frightened to think straight and her hands were shaking. She glanced round at Mr.Bescarte's dark figure and realised she couldn't do anything with him watching her.
"We will leave you to it Miss George, you need to be alone."
"OK....thank you." Sarah mumbled. She was hugely relieved even if Kara was going as well. Mr.Bescarte paced slowly to the door and opened it for his daughter. Before going out he said "I do appreciate this." And then silence.

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.

Thoughts jumped wildly through Sarah's mind but she took deep breaths and composed herself for what she had to do.
She got out some scissors and slowly cut away the blood-soaked gown. She soaked the wound with the towel, and then carefully removed the stake from between two shattered ribs, hoping not to do anymore damage. Then followed a frantic period as the wound started to lose blood again. She had to apply a lot of pressure to stop the flow, but if she pushed too hard she would further damage internal organs.

After half an hour she finally stopped the bleeding, and she was able to examine what organs had been damaged. At this point she noticed something very strange, the woman's heart was on her right side. If it had been on her left side then she would have been dead. As it was, only her left lung had been punctured. This would heal if she closed up the wound well enough.

As she worked on removing all the splinters of wood she tried desperately not to let her mind think about why this woman was like she was. She kept repeating over and over what she had to do, simply to occupy her mind, and not let her emotions interfere. As she brought the skin back together and stitched up the wound as best she could, she realised that she had passed her test as a doctor able to control themselves under pressure with flying colours. She began to cheer up knowing she'd done the best possible for this woman and that she would soon be leaving this place. With the wound bandaged she washed herself and then found a clean quilt and covered the woman. The woman had now closed her eyes and her breathing was regular. Although there was no guarantee that she would survive, Sarah had done all that she could.

She turned to leave and jumped to see Mr.Bescarte standing by the doorway, his black robed figure as menacing as ever. His eyes were like bottomless pits, and Sarah quickly looked down at the floor, her heart once again pounding.
"How is she?" he asked flatly, as if it didn't really concern him.
"I think she....she's got a good chance of recovering."
"Are you sure?" he said more sternly.
"I've done the best any doctor could have done." Sarah said more confidently.
"Good,...good," said Mr.Bescarte in a more genuine tone. "Well, you will join us for some lunch won't you?"

This felt like a nail in Sarah's heart, as she realised it wasn't finished yet.
"I really should get back, I have other patients waiting in the village."
"Nonsense, your father is coping just fine I'm sure. Look, Kara doesn't see many people her own age. She wants to see you a bit more, perhaps become friends. It is for her that I am asking."
This somehow seemed genuine to Sarah and a sudden sympathy for Kara convinced her.
"Yes, OK, I will stay for lunch."
"Good, it will make her very happy."

Sarah followed Mr.Bescarte down from the turret, again looking out longingly into the pouring rain. She followed the dark striding figure around the balcony and down the steps then across to the room with the fire. Returning to this room worried her, but then she remembered how Kara had been able to calm her in that room earlier on.

Inside, more of the room was lit up than before, and the near end of the table was set with glistening silver cutlery and bowls of fruit. The fire was still crackling away, but the far end of the room was still in darkness. Kara sat in the nearest sofa, her head silhouetted against the fire. As they entered Kara turned and smiled, a nervous smile,
"Hi again." she spoke softly.
"Hi Kara." replied Sarah, as nice as she could manage.
Mr.Bescarte sat down on the other sofa.
"How is she?" asked Kara.
"Miss George has done a fine job," interrupted Mr.Bescarte, "or so she assured me."
"Yes, it went well Kara." said Sarah.
"Help yourself to some fruit Miss George."

Sarah went over to the table and picked an apple.
"Could you get me an orange please Miss George, and some grapes I think for Kara."
Sarah felt more and more nervous as she realised that Kara was going to say very little. Her heart was pounding in her temple as she went back to the fire and sat down at the other end of Kara's sofa. She handed Kara the grapes and placed the orange into Mr.Bescarte's outstretched hand. He produced a knife from somewhere and sliced the orange into quarters.

As soon as Sarah bit into the apple she noticed Kara's eyes change. Something was wrong. Sarah stood up, and then occured a brief moment of ultra-clarity, the kind experienced before death. The room began to lurch this way and that, and all sound slipped away. She tried to scream, but had already hit the floor unconscious.

.

.

"Kara, go and fetch the doctor!" gloated Mr.Bescarte in a mocking voice.
"I've already told you, I'm not going to be involved this time." said Kara, without making eye contact. "She wasn't right."
"Fine, then do not disturb me my girl."
Mr.Bescarte lifted Sarah's limp body from the rug. Kara sat staring into the fire as he carried her out of the room and made his way towards a tower bedroom.

Up until now Mr.Bescarte had only feasted on evil people who deserved to die. This was the first time Kara could remember that her father had preyed on an innocent person. Poor Sarah, she had deserved friendship but instead had been deceived. She should never have brought Sarah here, it was her fault! She decided she had to try and save Sarah, and quickly, before the first bite. If she failed Sarah would join the hoardes of undead souls that craved for blood in the dungeons by day, and stalked wild animals in the mountain forests at night.

Mr.Bescarte laid down Sarah's slender body on a soft bed in a cold, dusky turret cavern. A single lantern cast flickering shadows on the vampire stooped over its prey. Very slowly, it slid off each garment of clothing, until she lay open below him. His icy fingers softly caressed the smooth curves of her body, slowly working their way upwards.

Kara rushed down from the 4th turret she'd tried. There were only two others he could be in. But she didn't have time to think about which to choose, and she charged up the stairs of the tallest tower.

The vampire lowered its face to Sarah's neck and brushed its fangs over her soft skin. It felt the vein it wanted to strike and opened its mouth to bite. The crash of the door being kicked open stopped the vampire from biting, but it showed no other reaction, remaining perfectly still.

"Leave her alone father!" shouted Kara, with all the power of her forebears. The vampire twisted its neck, turning its red demonic eyes upon its daughter,
"Go....away" it growled. Mr.Bescarte raised a clawed finger towards Kara, and she was sent flying out of the room and crashing into the staircase wall. The door slammed shut and bolted.

Having quickly recovered, Kara stood in silence for as long as she could risk, pooling her strength. Then, with an almighty effort, she willed the door to unbolt. She rushed in, grabbed the lantern, and smashed it into the vampire's face as it rose to confront her. Shattered glass settled across the whole room. The vampire fell to it's knees, cursing and growling. Kara looked on with horror as her father covered his face with his hands. Blood began dripping from the cracks between his fingers. Then he took his hands away. Kara looked at the grotesquely red and shattered face before her, and was filled with fear.

"You will be punished for this." said Mr.Bescarte in his normal voice. He clambered to his feet and lunged at Kara. She jumped back and turned into the stairway. She flew down the staircase as fast as she could go, but her father was stronger and bore down on her. As she rounded the corner onto the balcony Mr.Bescarte caught hold of his daughters arm. With all her strength, Kara twisted and flung her father towards the edge of the balcony. He could not stop himself, but he retained his vice-like grip.

Father and daughter went over the edge together, plummeting towards the cold stone far beneath them.

.

.

Sarah woke from a quiet sleep, still drowsy, but feeling cold and exposed. Gradually, the full horror of what had happened came back to her. She sobbed at the thought that she had been raped. The room was pitch black, and deathly silent. She feared to move in case he was still there, but the room felt empty of any other presence. She felt timidly for her clothes, and found the floor to be covered with broken glass. Her clothes were nearby, and she slowly and silently slipped them on. She stood up, but her legs refused to stop shaking. She edged blindly to a wall, and followed it round until she found a door. It was open.

It took her some time to get the confidence to step out into the stairway. She moved down inch by inch, hardly daring to breath, for what seemed like an eternity. Outside, it was the dead of night. When the steps ended the huge volumes of the hall in front of her became apparent. She edged along the balcony to her left, every little sound making her heart pump faster. She sat down at the top of the steps, and slid her way down, each step an achievement.

At the bottom she stepped slowly across the hall, so soundlessly that no living person would have detected her. Then the final thing. If the door was locked it had all been for nothing, and her nightmare would continue. She pushed lightly on the huge door and nothing happened. She pushed a little harder and it gave a little, letting out a huge echoing creak. At this she just went for it, and in one final moment of noise and panic she bundled her way through the booming door and scrambled away into the night.

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