Brides of Frankengeld Pt. 01

From the author: Some, hopefully, useful notes.

For the second part of our tale involving the delightful Helena Ravenstein, and the inventive Doctor Damion Frankengeld, we find that simply using Damion's journal is inadequate to tell the whole story.

Luckily other documents have survived from that time and these will be reproduced at appropriate moments. If the reader has not read the first part of the tale, entitled simply 'Frankengeld', we heartily suggest you do so, for it will help you understand much of what follows, the tale of the Brides of Frankengeld.

October 2nd 1784

Helena's Diary

Freida has encouraged me to start a diary. She says it will help with my writing. And she says a diary has given her a place where she can put down her secret thoughts and hopes for the future. So, I shall get started.

Three days ago several of my best friends departed on Lord Philip's coach to Vienna. To commit a crime. Monifa has travelled with Poppy, Lord Philip and Alicia to, as Monifa described it, 'take back her property'. It seems that Kurt, Damion's father, when he opened up Monifa's tomb, did so in companionship with a Viennese antiquarian Franz Dopfer. They divided the spoils from the tomb between them, half of which are now in the Kunsthistorisches museum in Vienna. (Freida helped me with that long word.)

This is unfortunate because Monifa wants her things back. It is very unusual for an ancient Egyptian to actually ask for their property back, normally they just lie in their coffin, displayed next to their property, but Monifa is unusual. She was buried alive with spells to keep her forever young.

When Damion released her from her coffin she was able to take a handful of her things, including her mummified pet cat, from the Blue Room at Durishaus. This was when she rescued Damion from his forced marriage to Katy. And, since then, Karl has kindly let Damion have the other Egyptian items that remained. Damion told his brother he wanted to make a display here at number 34 to entertain patients while they waited. It was easier to tell this harmless lie than to try to explain how our little sorceress survived thousands of years in her coffin. The need is urgent now because, in Monifa's collection of amulets, is one that might help Gerda to move around in the daytime, like Alicia. Monifa remembers having made two of them. But it seems that the other one, along with many other useful items, is in the museum in Vienna.

Letters to a friend of Damion's, who now lives in Vienna, have revealed that Monifa's talismans are not even on display in the museum but are in storage. Damion's friend reported that, by pretending to be a scholar, he was allowed supervised access to the amulets and talismans from the Frankengeld-Dopfer dig. They had been thrown into a drawer in some storeroom, lying neglected, described as mere commonplace items of little interest. They languish in darkness. So sad.

Alicia has promised to write to me to let me know how they get on. Before they departed Lord Philip was calling the adventure a heist which, apparently, is a robbery done in a stylish manner. I look forward to getting the letter.

On a more personal note it seems that Damion, who I love beyond life itself, has forgotten that he said he loved me too. He declared his love to me, and kissed me, just before he attacked his father on the top of that dreadful tower at Castle Frankengeld, but he says he has forgotten much of what happened on that day. It is such a shame but I live in hope that he will see me as his beloved soon, and will allow himself to go beyond his upbringing to say so.

Damion's Journal

I have decided to put work on my Elixir of Pleasure on hold for a while. The alarming events around the testing of its properties, with Gerda as the subject, have persuaded me that I need to be more careful. Instead I shall concentrate, for the moment, on treating the ailments of my patients. Smaller steps that are less likely to stumble. That being said my first patient, or should I say patients, of the day have proved challenging.

The consultation started the usual way with Helena knocking on my consulting room door and introducing the next patient. It was Sebastian, brother to the delectable Sophie. I had treated Sebastian a while ago for a case of weredog syndrome and had not seen him since, though his sister had commented that he was recovering well. He was accompanied by a rather attractive young lady so I stood, as etiquette demanded.

"Doctor Damion," said Sebastian, his voice less hoarse and more natural than the last time I saw him. "May I introduce Julia, my betrothed."

The young lady looked up at me shyly. She was petite and slender with a triangular, rather foxy looking, face. Her hair was russet and she had the most gorgeous amber eyes, large and surrounded by long lashes. I could understand why Sebastian had been smitten by her, you could lose yourself in those wonderful eyes.

"Pleased to meet you," I said, bowing to her. I was tempted to take her hand and kiss the back, but was concerned that Sebastian might consider that too forward. I sat down again and invited them to tell me why they had sought my help.

"Sebastian, Julia... sit please... how can I help you?"

"First," said Sebastian, settling into his chair. "May I thank you for your treatment of me a little while ago. You made me able to return to my quest for the church."

His betrothed glanced at him. It was a very rapid movement, a reflex that gave a hint of deep feelings. I guessed that his quest had somehow brought them together.

"And," he continued. "If I had not been able to resume my quest, I would never have met Julia."

So I was right. He was being very tight lipped about the nature of his quest but I knew from his sister, Sophie, that they had a religious vow placed upon them from the actions of an ancestor. Every member of their family, down the generations, must hunt and slay a werewolf before they are allowed to marry.

"Perhaps I should tell you," he added. "How I met Julia. Then you might understand and be more inclined to help us."

This sounded a little worrying. I considered myself a very helpful person. Lots of people have said I have been helpful. What could this couple be about to request of me that needed persuasion? I nodded and encouraged them to continue with an open gesture of my hands. Sebastian seemed to relax more at that sign and, glancing sideways at his betrothed, set off.

"After I had recovered from my symptoms," he said. "I set off south and west of here to a village called Urestadt. I had heard a rumour of a dread beast in that locality that was terrifying the locals when the later-flowering wolfsbane bloomed. This sounded like a werewolf and I was anxious to be able to go courting. If you recall I enjoyed some pleasuring with your delightful medical assistant the last time I was here. I was under the influence of my illness at the time, which I offer as an excuse for my behaviour, but nonetheless it was most pleasant and I was anxious to repeat the experience with my own beloved as soon as possible."

I now remembered this event. I had left the treatment room for just a few minutes only to find, on my return, that Sebastian was pleasuring Helena. Like a badly trained dog, out for a walk with its master, might press its attentions on an unaccompanied bitch. Helena, generously, had not rejected him. He was, after all, a patient and not in control of his actions. She had got on all fours and played the part as required in order to placate him.

Helena was now with child and I had forgotten about this event. On learning she was pregnant I had made a mental list of events that might have brought her to that state. I added this one now, in my mind, and silently agreed with Sebastian that pleasuring Helena was something that could, quite easily, make one desirous of more of the same.

"On arrival at Urestadt I made enquiry of the locals," Sebastian continued his tale. "It seemed that an old woman Maleva, and her granddaughter, were the ones whom I should consult for more information on the beast. They dwelt a little outside the village, in a cottage in the woods, and I was assured that they were most approachable. Visitors were rare, due to the remote location of their abode I gathered, but they enjoyed company. And, as they lived in the area where the beast roamed, they were the ones most likely to be able to answer my questions."

He began to sound a bit dry and his story was evidently going to take a little while to relate so I asked him to pause at that point and went to the door of my study. I looked out into the hallway and called for Belali. She quickly came out of the kitchen and I asked her to bring refreshments for Sebastian and Julia, if she pleased. I don't think Belali has completely become used to her new status. Saying please to her, and treating her well, is still a little disconcerting to her.

I should explain that there have been some changes of staff here at number 34, and at Durishaus, in the last few weeks.

Belali, the black slave girl that my father had purchased to replace Una, had proved so full of potential as a medical assistant when my brother, Karl, was seriously ill that I asked him to release her to me so that I could train her up as a new Medical Assistant. This was in anticipation that Helena soon might be fatigued by her condition, and - God willing - she would eventually be a mother. Karl agreed and I bought Belali, then formally released her by taking her to the Town Hall and getting a document of manumission made up. When she was no longer a slave I then offered her the post of Trainee Assistant, which she delightedly accepted. She has been with us ever since, but of her own free will, which makes me feel much better.

Stephan, the coach boy at Durishaus, has become Lord Philip's new coachman and moved out to live near his new employer. This left my brother Karl without someone to look after the stables at Durishaus so I suggested Yani, who was happy to take on this new, more responsible, job. He and Una continue to walk out together and, perhaps, will be man and wife soon. Yani now sleeps in the stables at Durishaus and Belali has his old room here at number 34.

A few moments later we had a tray with goblets and a suitable light wine, Sebastian had refreshed his throat, and the story continued. I asked Belali to stay in the room, to observe the process of gathering information from the patient.

"With only an hour or two to sunset, and only a little longer after that before the moon rose, I made my way through the woods," continued Sebastian. "The path was narrow but quite easy to follow and then I saw, through the trees a flash of red. It was a girl, dressed in a hooded cloak of the brightest red I had ever seen. She carried a basket and was clearly travelling the same route as I."

Julia smiled, a little secretive smile, as if she were remembering a pleasant memory.

"I hurried to catch up with the girl," continued Sebastian. "I was anxious to converse with her, to check that I was on the right path for the cottage. But I did not want to alarm her. Practice has made me move almost silently through the undergrowth, a necessary skill when hunting the werewolf. I judged that if I came upon her in that manner she might be frightened and assume I was about to assault her. So I made much noise with my feet and started to hum a jolly tune."

Now Sebastian smiled and his hand wandered over to Julia's and gave it a little squeeze.

"It was," he said. "As you might have guessed, Julia that I was following. She turned as I caught up with her and I was immediately smitten by her. Her smile was pure and innocent and her voice was like an angel. And she was happy to confirm that I was on the right path. In fact we were very close now to her grandmother's cottage."

The warmth in his voice told me he had truly been struck by Cupid's arrow. I glanced over at Belali and saw that she was entranced by his story too.

< love > Belali signed, clutching her hands over her heart and tilting her head to one side.

I must here remind my readers that one of Belali's cruel owners had removed her tongue. An evil act. She had overcome her disability by creating a language from gestures that she was teaching myself, Helena, Una and any others who showed interest. It was, in some ways, very useful for she could pass information completely silently during consultations. This system was one of my reasons for adopting her as a trainee. Not just because it was useful, but because the fact that she could invent such an ingenious system, in the face of tragedy, was a tribute to her intelligence and strength of character. I felt I needed this resourceful young woman by my side as I continued to grow my medical practice.

"When we arrived at the cottage," continued Sebastian. "Julia let us both in. Her grandmother was still in bed and Julia embraced her as a dutiful granddaughter should, then seemed to be examining her grandmother, especially her ears, eyes, and teeth. After which she introduced me. And, as I questioned Maleva, Julia put away the food she had brought and cleaned the cottage."

Sebastian took another sip of wine and continued. I was contented to let him tell his tale at his own pace. I had not heard our doorbell ring so there were no patients waiting. And I was confident Helena would let me know if I was urgently needed.

"Maleva confirmed what the villagers had said but seemed remarkably unconcerned that a beast was nearby. I had seen this before, where an elderly person would refuse to leave their home even when threatened with danger. She said that I should leave before nightfall. In fact she seemed more bothered that I might be hurt than of the danger to herself. I told her, and her granddaughter, that I would be going into the forest once the moon rose, to slay the beast."

Here he looked at Julia. Just a glance but I could see guilt. What had he done? Had he slain a villager that Julia knew? Had he made a mistake and the beast had escaped to wreak havoc?

"Maleva changed her mind then and asked that I stay in the cottage until there was evidence that the beast was nearby. She even suggested that she and Julia would feel safer with me under their roof. I agreed. After all I could leave later, if need be. I settled down, we had a pleasant evening talking, and later both Maleva and her granddaughter went to their beds. I sat with my silver sword upon my lap and waited. To my shame I nodded off for a short while though I wasn't particularly fatigued and, when I woke, the moon was shining bright through the cracks in the cottage shutters."

Belali signed something to me but I didn't catch the complicated gestures. She seemed to be saying something about Julia but, before I could ask her to repeat her actions more slowly, Sebastian took a drink and then continued his tale, drawing my attention back to him.

"I stood up and checked the room. Door, living room windows, chimney, and any other way in which a beast might enter. All seemed secure. Then I discovered, to my horror, that Julia was missing from her bed. And her bedroom window was open. The sheets were in disarray as if a struggle had happened. I immediately looked around the few rooms. She was not inside the cottage so must be outside. Her grandmother tried to call me back but I could not delay. I told her to lock the door behind me, and slipped out into the night."

"Almost immediately I heard a howl nearby, a natural wolf, or worse, and set off to rescue the granddaughter. I was very distressed that this girl, who already had my heart even though I'd only known her a few hours, might be harmed. And I had allowed it by letting myself fall asleep. Contemplating this was nearly my downfall as I stumbled into a glade and there it was - the beast. My lack of attention putting me in great danger. It was not the largest werewolf I had ever seen. It was quite slender and not very tall, but the slavering jaws and deadly claws were just as dangerous."

"It sprang onto me and knocked me to the ground. I knew that keeping myself free of injury was the most important thing. Keep yourself uninfected and strike back when the opportunity arises, those are the rules for hunting the werewolf. We rolled around in the clearing, it trying to gouge and bite me, and I trying to bring my sword to a killing position, and then I heard a voice, chanting. Maleva was there, her ancient hands outstretched, and her words echoing through the glade in a language I did not understand."

"As the words rolled over us the werewolf changed and, all of a sudden, I was wrestling with Julia. She was naked and we tumbled together as violence gave way to passion. She kissed me and pressed her body against me and my member rose as my desire grew. I threw my sword away, we lay together, and pleasured each other."

He looked at Julia and grasped her hand tightly. I understood now, even realising what some of Belali's gestures had been trying to tell me. Julia was a werewolf. We could all be in great danger. And Alicia, the only one of our team who had the strength to deal with her, was many leagues away in Vienna.

Sebastian appeared to be about to say more about the moment that intimacy occurred between him and Julia but then a strange expression came over him. "Oh Julia," he said, his voice full of emotion.

"Sebastian," she replied, her voice similarly charged with passion. I found myself reacting to that voice and to a faint odour that I could detect even from the other side of the desk. My phallus twitched, stiffening. Becoming aroused, without invitation, was rather a breach of etiquette. However I had learned in my first months in the role of doctor that sometimes you need to go beyond etiquette if you are to discover the truth and discover new things.

Belali signed something. It looked like the gestures for putting something on something else, and the one for warmth. I looked at her in puzzlement then a movement from my patients dragged my attention back to them. They were caressing, seemingly completely unaware of their situation. I had experienced a few patients talking about their love lives in my consulting room, but it was rarer for them to actually demonstrate that love.

Julia dropped from her chair to the floor and got herself onto all fours, then she flicked her skirt up so that it lay on her back exposing her buttocks. In common with many lower class women she was wearing no underwear so her sex was on full display, her russet coloured pubic hair bright against her flesh. Sebastian gave a groan and dropped to his knees behind her.

Belali was gesturing frantically and I finally understood what she was saying.

< put on warm... on warm > she signed.

Ah I thought, on heat. Julia was on heat, like a dog, wolf or fox, producing an odour that attracted male suitors to copulate with her when she was ready to conceive. And her lover was responding. I touched my head, with the sign that Belali had taught me, to signify that I understood. But what could we do about it?

Belali stood and asked permission to leave the room. I understood that she might be finding it hard to witness what my patients were preparing to do. Sebastian was already lowering his trousers and his member was fully erect. I was also experiencing a similar arousal but it was concealed by the desk. But, in order to try to do something about the passion that was unfolding in my study I would have to move. In a way I was pleased that I would be able to do that without being under the scrutiny of my new assistant with her intense and perceptive gaze.

"Yes, Belali," I said. "You may retire."

She ran from the room and I stood and moved around the desk to my patients. I was now fully aware of their problems. Julia was a werewolf and Sebastian was enamoured of her. A difficult situation when he was supposed to be slaying her, and then moving on to marry his beloved. And further, their passion seemed to be uncontrollable, indeed it seemed to be spilling over to include me.

By the time I had reached them the odour had intensified. Despite all my willpower I was clutching at my crotch, my fingers delving to unfasten the stays. My phallus was straining to be released into the air. Soon fingers and phallus would achieve their joint aim.

"Julia," I said, my voice full of passion. "Can you stop this? We need to concentrate or I cannot help you and Sebastian."

The truth was that I was a long way away from concentrating on pure, clinical, thoughts. Indeed a deep anger seemed to be growing inside me. Paired with a conviction that this girl belonged to me. She was, I would guess around twenty years of age, just a few years younger than me. She was exactly the right age for marriage, to me. And just the right height, for me. And her pretty face... I shook my head. More of this and I would be fighting Sebastian for the right to pleasure his betrothed.

"I cannot," breathed Julia. "It is an affliction that curses me, but only a few days each month, like my other curse. I solve it by... yip yip yip yiiiip."

I think she was about to say that she solved her problems by avoidance. Men when she was on heat, and the vulnerable when she was a werewolf. But she was unable to finish her words as Sebastian plunged his phallus into her and bent over her back to grasp her bosom with his hands, and whisper in her ear. If this had been a swain and his love then his whisperings would have been sweet nothings, declarations of his love, but he was so quiet, and she was so loud, that I could not hear them.

Sebastian was thrusting rapidly into his love, short quick thrusts that made me think that his weredog infection had left some after effects. And she was crying like a canine female - I was about to write bitch but that word should never be applied to a girl. I stepped up to them and tried to pull them apart. It was hopeless, unless I was prepared to offer violence, because Sebastian was gripping his love with all his strength, which was greater than mine. I suspected that only the kiss of the thirteenth century flanged mace that hung on the wall of our hallway would part these lovers.

I tried words again, saying, "Sebastian... Julia... stop... please."

Then the door to the study opened, without warning. Normally a knock on the door preceded someone entering, especially when a patient was in with me, to allow time for a patient to compose themselves. This time the door flew open and Belali entered, followed closely by Helena. I could see Anya and Una stood in the hallway with worried expressions on their faces. All the women of our household had come to my aid. I felt somewhat reassured.

Belali was carrying a large bucket and Helena had hands full of towels and, before I could say anything, Belali hurled the water. It struck Julia and Sebastian on their faces, drenching them.

Sebastian pulled back, releasing his beloved, and turned on Belali with an angry expression on his face. His phallus, glistening with secretions, waved in front of him like a fleshy sword. She put out the palms of her hands in a gesture of peace and, as he took a step forward, Helena put a towel in his hands. This somewhat took the wind out of his sails, as the phrase goes, and he allowed Helena to seat him and help dry his face.

Julia gasped when the chill water struck her, but when her love's member was removed the sound was more like a howl. She too turned on Belali and her expression was terrible to behold. I feared for my new assistant, especially as Julia's face began to change, her chin, mouth and nose starting to elongate. Her teeth, bared by her snarl, were getting distinctly longer. I got ready to jump between Belali and the woman she had angered, even though I knew I risked infection and all the tragic consequences of that.

Then a wrinkled hand stroked Julia's cheek and I heard Anya say, "Peace, little one. Calm yourself. None will hurt you."

My domestic had proved herself a wise woman of great power in the previous months. Not a sorceress like Monifa but more subtle. It always felt like she encouraged the world to follow her will, that she said what she wanted then settled back to wait for the world to agree with her. Which it invariably did. She kept her hand on Julia's cheek, waiting, though the danger was extreme. One snap of those jaws, I thought, and I would need a new cleaner.

Julia whimpered, "Shorry... ay... ay will shtay my handdd." Her words were slurred by her teeth which were not human. Then her face returned to normal, the muzzle and jaw retracting. It was accompanied by the cracking of bones and must have been very painful. Then she burst into tears. "I must leave, I am a danger to all," she cried. "It is the season for wolfsbane and, while it blooms, I am moments away from being a vile thing."

Sebastian dropped to his knees beside her and clutched her around the waist. He wept and I saw the depth of tragedy that accompanied the disease. Someone had named the condition lycanthropy but naming a condition does not mean you have a cure. At the moment, as far as my limited knowledge went, those who believe the folk tales knew of only one cure, death. It was one of the reasons why the church had accepted Sophie and Sebastian's family when they made a vow before God to slay one of these creatures before they wed, it was - in a way - a blessing for the victim of the disease.

I also remembered the other, more subtle, part of the curse. The tradition that suggested that the werewolf was fated to kill the one they love. I decided, at that moment, that I must do something for our unhappy couple. Before one of them killed the other.

"You wish me to try to find a cure?" I asked, loud enough to cut through the sound of their tears.

Sebastian turned his face, wet now with tears, rather than Belali's cold water and nodded. Julia stared at me, sniffed away a tear, and also nodded.

From her expression I think she thought we would reject her, send her away, refuse to have anything to do with her. I could not tell her that my circle of friends included a vampire, a witch, a sorcerer and several people who were lower class. Our medical practice did not reject people simply because they were at a disadvantage.

"You can be sure I will do my best for you," I continued. "Can I examine you? It might help work out what is happening in your body."

"I will look after Sebastian," said Helena. "I would welcome news of Sophie which perhaps he can impart. Belali should act as chaperone."

I led the way into the treatment room and sat Julia down. Belali helped her to loosen the cords of her blouse so that I could listen with the stethoscope to her chest. Her lungs seemed clear and healthy.

"Tell me Julia," I asked. "If it does not pain you too much, how did you become infected, and where was the wound that infected you?"

Julia started to explain and I tried to listen but the faint odour I had detected before again started to fill the room. My head spun but I shook myself and was able to focus on the last part of her explanation.

"... and I ran and ran but the beast chased me and fell upon my back, pushing me to the ground. It bit my neck and clawed my shoulder and I screamed in fear. Then there were the guns of the hunters loud in my ears and the thing was slain."

She had indicated her right neck and shoulder so I moved to study it. The flesh was smooth and perfect, as was that on her neck. I slid my hand over the curves of both shoulder and neck feeling her skin and the musculature under it, but could detect nothing, no scar, no wound, it was as if she had never been attacked.

Julia was still talking, "And when I turned to look there was no beast, only Phileon, the charcoal burner. He lay naked, shot through I learned later, with many silver bullets."

I moved behind her and checked the left side of her neck and her left shoulder in case she had got the side wrong. They were similarly perfect. Then I pushed my left hand, that was resting on her shoulder down the front of her blouse and cupped her breast. I did this without thinking and definitely without any medical reason. It just happened.

Julia gave a contented sigh and leant backwards to press her body against me. Then I heard a sharp double-clap sound. It was Belali.

When Belali first came to us she would never put herself forward, never try to get our attention. We quickly understood that she had years of being ignored to overcome, but also that it embarrassed her to try to speak, to call out. The sound, without a tongue to shape it, was a cross between a grunt and a moan. After a few embarrassing situations we came up with a solution. She should make two sharp claps with her hands, much as the flamenco dancers of Spain do, if she wanted to attract our attention to something important. And we made sure that when she plucked up the courage to do so that we paid her suitable attention.

< stop feeling breasts > she signed.

I looked down surprised to see my left hand massaging Julia's breast. And, somehow, my right hand had also slipped down to cup her other breast and was about to join in. Julia was not showing any signs of alarm but was turning her head to look up at me. Her face was full of passion and her mouth was opening, a few more seconds and I felt she would turn to face me and try to kiss.

She did. She turned her body, twisting so that I now had my hands down the back of her blouse and could feel the firm youthful muscles of her back. Then she stretched up to try to kiss me, pushing her breasts against my chest. Her eyes had closed and it was as if she was unaware of who I was, just that she needed me. I pulled my hands free and backed away.

She stood there swaying for a full minute and Belali promptly stepped forward and retied the cords of her blouse without further stimulating her. Then she gave the sign for < talk >.

I kept my hands from Julia though my body wished to pleasure her here, on the examination couch, on the chair, on the floor, anywhere just so long as our bodies could conjoin. It must have been the faint odour, the signal perhaps to males to approach and woo her. I steadied my nerves and, as she opened her eyes, I continued my enquiry.

"I can find no evidence of the wound," I said, my throat dry with desire. "How long did it take to heal?"

She looked at me with eyes half hooded by drooping lids, so sultry, and replied, "Three days only. My grandmother knew then that I had been cursed. We had to pretend to the villagers that it had taken many months to heal."

"Pretend?"

"Yes, doctor," she replied. "Or they would have dragged me from my home and beaten me to death with silver-headed sticks."

I was shocked. I knew superstition was a powerful force, and that some occult dangers were all too real, but the idea that locals, people who knew you, would kill you rather than try to help you was terrible. I guessed then that she and her grandmother had spent a long time hiding Julia's affliction. No wonder she spent a lot of time at the isolated cottage in the woods.

I could do no more for her today, in fact the longer I was in close proximity to her the more likely it was that I would lose control and try to pleasure her. We returned to my study where I found that Helena had placed herself in my chair and was talking quietly with Sebastian.

"Sebastian," I said. "Julia is a healthy woman. My examination shows nothing wrong..."

He looked at me as if I was about to contradict the truth of her curse so I continued quickly, "... but I don't doubt she has a problem. But I cannot even look at the wound for insights. It healed supernaturally quickly and has left no trace. I must turn to my books for a solution."

Sebastian stood, put his arm around Julia and shook my hand.

"Then doctor we will depart," he said. "We have found an isolated hunting lodge that we can use as a hiding place. Julia and I will stay there, far from people, and await your summons."

On the way to the front door he gave me instructions on the route to their hiding place and, to my surprise, I recognised it as the temporary lair of the wolfwere women. The ancient hunting lodge that belonged to my family we had visited when seeking clues about the disappearance of the old doctor and his daughter.

I shook his hand again at the door and kissed the hand of his betrothed. Then they departed down the street and I turned back inside.

"Thank you Belali," I said. "You have twice this morning anticipated, and headed off, potentially embarrassing situations."

"And thank you Anya," I said to my cleaner. "You prevented a disaster there. You can clearly force a werewolf back into human form. In that way you and Maleva have similar abilities, but can your powers heal a werewolf?"

"Well master," she replied. "It were possible to trick Julia's body into thinking it were not under the influence of wolfsbane and moon. But only for a little time. It's not a cure, I'm afraid."

Belali listened carefully to Anya then turned to me.

< what next? > she signed.

"I will study my books," I said. "Dealing with the wolfwere in my family has meant I've got quite a collection. And I wonder if the cure for wolfwere would cure a werewolf? I shall certainly try it on Julia, once I've done some reading."

Belali signed a suggestion and Helena watched her hands carefully. She'd picked up the gestures much quicker than I and they often chatted deep into the night. The flurry of gestures seemed to include some very violent ones, and some rather rude ones that I was sure were related to sex.

"Belali thinks your wolfwere cure won't work on Julia," she interpreted.

I was, I'll admit it, a little annoyed at this suggestion. Belali was at the beginning of her training. I was qualified and far more experienced. But I'll hear her out, I thought.

"Go on," I said, swallowing my pride.

Belali signed, the same confusing pattern, and Helena interpreted.

Wolfwere illness is passed from father to son and mother to daughter by pleasuring. Werewolf illness is passed from werewolf to victim through claws piercing the skin. Their cause is very different. The cure for one probably won't cure the other.

"Ah yes," I said. "I have to admit you're right. The wolfwere condition is hereditary. As you say passed by pleasuring to the child. And the werewolf infects their victim like a dirty blade might poison the blood. Well thought."

Belali smiled at my praise for her, curtseyed, and went back to the treatment room. I presume she was going to tidy up and open a window to flush out the strange odour before it could cause more embarrassment.

Helena touched me on the shoulder, "Talking about pleasuring," she whispered.

"Were we?" I replied.

"That girl needs some," said Helena.

"Does she?"

"Yes," Helena grinned. "How long after you arrived at Engolstadt to do your medical training did you seek out someone to pleasure?"

"I suppose it must have been about two weeks," I replied. "Why? What has this got to do with Belali?"

"Don't you think she is in need of some?"

"I hadn't thought about it," I said, and immediately felt guilty. Here was I, a doctor, dedicated to health, and guilty of ignoring the natural needs of one of my assistants. "We must make sure she has time off to seek out someone."

"I don't think you entirely understand her plight," said Helena. "You have not been shopping with her in Carlsbruck. You've not seen the way people look at her."

I sighed, "Helena, you are my conscience. I need to write up my notes from this morning but, if you would share a wine with me, I will listen."

We retreated to my consulting room and Helena once again sat in my chair. I took the patient's chair.

"Well doctor," I smiled. "You look very comfortable in my chair. Make your diagnosis and I will listen."

Helena just smiled and poured two glasses of wine. Then she explained what Belali suffered. I saw the young girl's talent and her kind nature, but Helena explained that others saw an ex-slave, possibly dangerous and violent from a lifetime of resentment. A girl whose skin was dark as ebony, very different from their own. Closer in colour to their enemy, the Ottomans. And someone who was unable to easily communicate. Easy meat for bullying. I made light of these, thinking the best of my neighbours.

"Surely" I said "They will soon come to see Belali as we do."

"You don't understand the fullness of it, Damion," said Helena. "Some of the townsfolk believe she is a demon. They say her skin is black because she once dwelt in the fiery realms of hell."

"That is outrageous," I was so disgusted that I raised my voice beyond politeness. "How can they be so ignorant?"

Helena looked at me sharply. "You wonder this? It was only a short time ago that we pursued a mob seeking to destroy Victor Frankenstein's creation. They were prepared, in their ignorance and fear, to kill Victor just so long as the creature they called a monster died too."

"Sorry Helena," I apologized. "You're right. There is much ignorance in the world. I foolishly thought all we needed to do for Belali was to free her, give her a wage and a purpose to her life, and let her have regular days off and she would be fine."

"She has never yet taken advantage of her free days," Helena replied.

"Why not?" I replied, I had not noticed.

"She has nowhere to go."

That was a very sad thing to hear. "What should we do?" I asked, putting myself in Helena's hands, confident her wisdom would guide me. The doctor consulting his assistant.

"We should offer her pleasuring," replied Helena. "And we should take her with us when we visit Elodie at the Ritter Kaffeehaus. Or the Mystery Club. We should treat her as a friend rather than a member of staff."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "She might feel it is impossible to refuse pleasuring. Remember, she has been a slave since she was a child." I was perfectly happy to invite the girl into our circle of friends but less confident we should offer her pleasuring. What if she felt obliged to say yes?

"Yes," replied Helena in that confident way she has about her when she is sure she is right. "We must demonstrate to the town that she is as human as they. And the best way to do this is to treat her that way ourselves."

This didn't answer my misgivings about the pleasuring side of things but before we could talk further the doorbell rang and a new patient was announced... Herr Weil.

Helena removed the tray of refreshments and then showed him in. I had quickly resumed my proper seat. He looked very anxious and sat down heavily in the patient's chair I had just vacated, wringing his hands.

"Doctor," he said. "I want to arrange a home visit." Then he took out his kerchief and wiped his brow, muttering, "Oh God, I think I'm about to die, or worse."

"Herr Weil," I said, in my most reassuring voice. "We have talked about this. Your anxiety makes symptoms that feel like an illness, but I assure you that you're no more likely to die today than any other man your age "

"I don't have any symptoms," he replied, to my surprise. "But I'm pretty sure I'm going to die."

"Herr Weil," I sat back and took up my pen. "I don't understand. You'd best tell me more."

"You recall I have been taking your tonic powders?"

"Yes... of course sir," I tried to look calm, but I was worried that the powders I had provided him had engendered some side effects.

To remind the reader I had mixed a couple of mild aphrodisiac compounds to give Herr Weil a boost and distract him from constantly thinking of his symptoms. They had worked and he had attended a few days later to tell me he was now enjoying a healthy sex life with his wife, and his parlour maid, who had been delighted to become his mistress.

"Well I have continued to take them and Bettina, my maid, and my wife Sorina, have both expressed satisfaction. Without knowing that I was pleasuring both of them."

"You have not told your wife you have a mistress," I was a little surprised. It was common practice for a middle or upper-class man to have a mistress, to admit this fact, and for a wife to accept it.

"Er... no," he said, nervously. "And I've not said anything to Bettina about restarting carnal relations with Sorina, or about Aldina."

"Aldina?"

"Aldina is my cook," he replied, looking rather embarrassed. "She is an excellent cook, a mature widow, and a rather ordinary looking woman if truth be told, but..."

"But?"

"But one evening, after I had made love to Bettina in the garden, and Sorina in her bedroom, I felt peckish and went to the kitchen." He paused. "Your tonic was still in me, you see, so..."

"So?"

"Aldina and I had energetic sex on the kitchen table, scattering kitchen implements all over the floor. She was like a demon, clawing at me, sucking me into her womb. Even Bettina could not equal her for passion." His eyes lit up and his chest expanded with pride as he recalled the pleasuring. He looked as healthy as any man his age.

"Ah, I see," I said. "It sounds as if the preparation is still helping you. And it also sounds as if your appetite has improved. All this is good, so what is the problem? Why do you want me to attend your home? And why do you think you're going to die?"

"Bettina and I have a secret code for when we want to meet. I tell her that I want her to 'lay a fire' in whatever room is suitable. It is in celebration of the first time we pleasured, when I interrupted her laying a fire to light the fires of passion instead."

"I see."

"And my wife and I now have a code for when she desires my presence in her bed. She says she wants Herr Stiffie to attend her."

"Right," I replied, thinking that couples had the strangest secret words of passion.

"And Aldina says, when she is feeling passionate, that she would like a rozky, you know... a long loaf... to put into her oven."

"My goodness!"

"And I don't know how it happened but I might have got careless. Sorina asked for Herr Stiffie last night but said that her room was a little cold and we should meet Herr Stiffie in my bedroom. And she anticipated she would be hungry afterwards. So I told Bettina that I needed her to set a fire in the master's room tonight, and I may have mentioned to Aldina that it might be nice to bake some rozky, for consumption that night in the master's room."

"So what happened?" I was beginning to see where this might lead.

To be continued...