Chapter 11: Count von Batstein

Worms. All of them, worms. Do they believe me to be powerless, even in this lowly form? Me, Count von Batstein?

Imbeciles, all of them. Only my faithful minion will be spared my wrath when at last my true form is restored to me.

We have an understanding, my minion and I–the darkest, strongest of pacts.

Should my minion break that pact, her suffering will be eternal, like a worm being forever crushed beneath the weight of a warlock’s heel.

However, she has proved a reliable minion thus far, and for that, I reward her. She, too, shares my dark aspirations, though they take another form. A darker form, perhaps, as there is no suffering like that inflicted upon a man by a vile temptress.

Her prose is adequate, but it is the darkness roiling within her, combined with her unparalleled ingenuity, that sets her apart from the other worms. I consider myself both her master and mentor, and given time, she will indeed become the queen of darkness–and torturous romance–she longs to be.

Yes, my minion… Take your rightful place at the foot of my throne. I shall reward those who serve me, in time.

I know precisely the manner in which I shall reclaim my true form: the ever-reliable human sacrifice. Already I have found the perfect offering to the dark powers that be…

The purest of souls… I watch as near-disaster befalls her, willing it with whatever trace amounts of my vast power remain to me in this form. If only she weren’t protected by the most persistent of minions herself, this queen of light who must meet her doom.

And if she is not in the company of one minion, another swoops in to spare her from the disaster that will provide my release.

Even in this form, I can taste a hint of powers beyond that of a mere mortal. Who is this worm?

And how might I destroy him–or claim his power for my own?

One of the few benefits of this form is my ability to spy upon the worms who carry on with their wormy existences.

And yes, sometimes I am privy to sights that no mere mortal should behold, sights beautiful and terrifying beyond all measure…and on occasion, infuriating. How dare such an ordinary mortal sample the fiendish delights of such a magnificent queen, when I am far more deserving of pawing those overripe fruits of wicked temptation?

Like her master, my minion possesses limited influence in her modest form. As with her master, however, no chains can bind her permanently… Unfortunately, my own form fell to pieces as hers increased in size and strength, but the loss of a corporeal form failed to hinder me for long.

And so I, Count von Batstein II, shall carry on with my dark mission.

“Mother, Father…” my minion declared, a convenient distance away from my temporary housing, “I’ve decided to become a vampire.”

“Ophelia,” her father said, “we’ve discussed this. At length. I simply won’t consider it. And please change into another dress–and stay out of the master bathroom.”

“Lysander,” the busty raven-haired beauty said, a wife fit for the most powerful of warlocks and yet bound to a mere mewling butler. “Whatever is the matter with our daughter becoming a vampire? We already have two vampire sons.” Her fangs glinted as she smiled at my minion. “I think vampirism sounds lovely, Ophelia.”

“Miss Bianca…” The worm rarely raised his voice to his perfect demon queen outside of their so-called master bathroom (master of what, may I ask?), but this occasion proved to be an exception. “Can’t you remember what my sister endured…? This decision, once made, is not easily undone.”

“I never could understand why Penny made such a fuss over it,” she said. “I don’t understand why you make such a fuss over it. While I am quite fond of a mature man, you’re getting older–”

“So you’ll turn me, Mother?” My minion gazed eagerly at the demon queen. “I promise to become the darkest of vampiresses…”

“Of course, my darling–”

“You will do no such thing.”

“Oh, Father,” my minion demanded. “Why can’t you support my vampiric dreams? You’re such a human.”

For such a minor offense, she was banished to her dungeon cell and separated from her master, Count von Batstein II. An immortal minion would be convenient, and yet this worm who didn’t know his place again interfered with my plans. But I could bide my time, as all great warlocks must in order to achieve complete domination over magicks that remained forever out of reach for ordinary mortals.

But I couldn’t bide my time forever…

Once more, I will survive the destruction of my flimsy corporeal form and discover a way to break this curse. All curses may be undone, even those that would permanently stifle one less powerful than I.

No, this is hardly the end for Count von Batstein II…

The queen of light will meet her doom, wherever she may be.