The Undertaker's Brides

Jean lay in bed unable to relax because something felt very wrong. She had been too occupied with events to give things much thought for a long time but now all was quiet and she began going over it all in her mind.

Her memories of the past few days were very disjointed. It was as if she were looking back at scenes from a long and involved dream which made sense during the dreaming but which were confused from the point of view of waking consciousness. The mashed potato incident had been bizarre to say the least and she was sure she remembered reading an email from somebody relating a dream of this nature. Also, she was here somewhere in the United States with the rest of the Brides but she had no recollection of the journey she must have made to get there from England.

And then her awareness shifted and she realised that she had indeed dreamed the past few days and was still dreaming, although she was now consciously aware of the fact again.

Her initial reaction was one of disappointment that the other Brides were nothing more than characters in a very vivid dream. Then she considered how real they seemed and how consistent in personality they were. Could that theory of hers be right in that they were all linked telepathically and having a group dream? If so, the implications were mind boggling to say the least.

Then her thoughts moved on to the subject of the Undertaker, Kane and Paul Bearer. They seemed very real too but there was no way they could be because they were the WWF's equivelent of fictional characters played by actors. Her logical analysis was suddenly interrupted by Kiri quietly opening the door of her room and looking in on her but she pretended to be asleep because she didn't want to lose track of what was going on again.

A few minutes later she heard sounds outside like a gate being unlocked and opened. Then she heard Kiri's commands to what must have been dogs going by the order she gave them not to bite Paul Bearer should he arrive. On the other hand, there was no guarrentee that Kiri had dogs. Anything was possible in a dream, including dragons and unicorns.

She got out of bed and went over to the window, feeling very elegant in the Victorian style nightdress which Kiri had provided. "All I need is a candle and I'm in one of those old style horror films," she muttered to herself. She was just in time to see what looked like a dog disappearing round the side of the house intent on its mission to let no-one in or out."But if this is a lucid dream...." she thought.

She went back to the bed, climbed on it then jumped off, willing herself to fly. And it worked. Gliding over to the window she landed just long enough to open it and then launched herself out into the night.

She didn't go very far because she was, after all, only testing out a theory and had a great many questions to find answers to. And two of the biggest questions were presumably still inside the house.

She hovered before the wonderful Victorian Gothic mansion where the Lady Kiri had her Parlor, both amused and delighted that this home from home for the Brides was everything she'd imagined it would be. It even had it's own cemetary in the extensive grounds and from what she could see in the moonlight this was full of grandiose Victorian style tombs and statues of weeping angels. It seemed an appropriate setting to sit quietly and work things out and she flew to it and alighted in front of a white marble structure which looked like a cross between a chapel and a Grecian temple.

A nightie on its own seemed too informal for such surroundings so she conjoured up a lacy, white negligee such as the heroines of the old Hammer Films used to wear when wandering around Castle Dracula. And, as the final touch, she equipped herself with a candlestick containing a lighted candle even though she didn't need it because of the moonlight.

Seating herself on the topmost of the three steps leading up to the tomb she started looking around her and was momentarily startled by the sight of a tall, black robed figure walking along the cemetary path towards her. Then she recognised the Undertaker wearing what the Brides had jokingly referred to as his 'Hellraiser coat' and she stood up to confront him, feeling annoyed that he was obviously intent on interrupting her solitude."You must go back to the house, " he told her.

"Why?" she snapped.

"Because it's dangerous for you to be out here alone." he said firmly.

"Paul Bearer could be nearby."

"But he doesn't exist" she said equally firmly, interested in what his reaction would be to this seeing as he couldn't exist either.

"He does now." he told her insistantly "But how can he?" she asked.

He stared down at her and it felt as if his eyes were searching out her soul.

"The answer lies in your heart." he told her enigmatically.

Her first thought was to hit him in frustration at hearing this statement yet again and then light dawned.

"You're as much a dream creation as all this," she said, indicating their surroundings with a wave of her hand.

"I know what you're thinking. I'm not a REAL person," he announed.

She was just about to say this comment proved he was nothing more than a dream creation when she registered the dry humour in his tone. "And you would be correct in this assumption to a certain extent." he continued.

"I'm not flesh and blood any more than Kane and Bearer are but we have become real in our own way. We are self aware and we feel emotions just as you do."

"Like the holographic Doctor in Star Trek?" she ventured.

"Star Trek?" he queried, looking and sounding very puzzled.

"Forget it," she told him. "It would take far too long to explain. But it does make sense," she added. "And a great many people must have taken part in your creation. The scriptwriter, Mark Calaway who plays you, the audience.."

"And the Brides," he concluded. "All of you were the catalyst which brought us into self consciousness and that is why you are all very special to me."

"But what happens when we wake up?" she asked.

"You know the answer to that question, too," he assured her.

"Well, everyone still dreams while they are awake although it's usually below the threshold of consciousness," she said. "At least, that's what psychologists say and I'm inclined to believe them. So this dream world will remain with you, Kane and Bearer in it and we Brides can return to it every time we sleep."

"And are you going to come back to the house now that you have your answers?" he asked.

"I'd rather explore this dream world," she told him. "Those times in the forest, you were there but there was something else as well. The houndsand.."

"NO! YOU MUSN'T! " he shouted. "That was the Lord of Annwn, an infinitely older and more powerful personification of the Dark Lord than myself."

"But I saw him in you," she said "And that was why I was drawn to you."

He looked hurt at this but she was too angered by his trying to order her around to care.

"And you want to leave me and seek HIM out?" he demanded, sounding angry himself. "You'd be venturing into the Underworld and few who go there ever return."

"Ah, but this is the Celtic Underworld," she reminded him. "Much of it is a beautiful land where there's feasting, drinking, singing and having an all round good time. And the Lord Arawn was presented as being a noble and wise king. But visiting there isn't my real dream. I want to see the Cwn Annwn."

He looked gobsmacked by this. "You want to see a pack of DOGS?"

She nodded. "I just feel so drawn to them." Then she smiled with wry humour. "Perhaps I was a dog in a former life, or something. But if dreams REALLY do come true..."

From far away came the yelping of hounds and the sound of a huntinghorn.

"You must come inside. IMMEDIATELY!" he shouted and swept her up in his arms to carry her back there whether she wanted to go or not.

A small part of her thought he was behaving ridiculously, like the hero of a romantic novel but by far the bigger part of her was furious. She tried to fight him, twisting in his arms and hitting him with all the strength she could muster but it was like attacking a brick wall.

The Hounds and the Hunter drew nearer. Jean started getting smaller and thinner in the Undertaker's arms and he nearly dropped her in surprise but he knew it was important to hold on to her no matter what. Her hands became paws and her fingernails claws scrabbling at his face but still he hung on grimly.

And then she bit him.

This time he did let go and his expletive of pain and anger coincided with her yelp of surprise as she hit the ground to find herself enveloped in a tangle of nightgown and negligee. She tore at the fabric with her teeth before remembering that all she had to do was think it out of existence. It disappeared in the nick of time as she was able to scramble to her feet and leap aside just as he tried to grab hold of her again.

The Hounds and the Hunter came ever nearer and Jean turned with a squeel of joy and raced off to join the pack. There was nothing the Undertaker could do and he watched her run, a tall, white coated, red eared hound which bore a striking resemblance to the Egyptian Anubis in jackal form.

His concern now was for his brother and the other Brides and he teleported back to the hallway of Kiri's mansion so he could stop anybody from going outside. They must surely be 'awake' now because the guard dogs were barking excitedly as the sounds of the Hunt became louder and closer and he entered the living room just as Judy sat up on the couch."What's going on?" she asked worriedly.

Footsteps on the stairs indicated that the others were putting in an appearance and he went back to the hallway to warn them to stay inside. Judy got up and followed him, irritated at not having received an answer and found that she and Kiri were the last to join the gathering.

"What in hell's that noise?"
"Where's Jean?"
"What's Bearer up to now?"

The questions were shouted over the racket of horses hooves and the yelping of hounds which now bore an uncanny resemblance to the cries of geese. And, just to confuse everyone but the Undertaker further, these sounds of a hunt in progress were going by over the house as if the participants were airborne.

The Undertaker said nothing. His eyes rolled back in their sockets until only the whites showed and he appeared to be in a trance. Judy would have thought this very sexy under other circumstances but right now she was far too unnerved by events to appreciate the view.

Then the Undertaker's eyes returned to normal and he came out of his trance looking and feeling very relieved. The Lord of Annwn had touched his mind as he'd ridden past and assured him that Jean would be safe and would eventually return.

And then there was silence overhead and the Undertaker said "Jean is on a quest. She'll be back eventually but I don't know when."

It sounded a very lame explanation for her absence but as none of the other Brides seemed to be aware they were dreaming he had no idea what else to say. For all that they'd been having some very odd experiences lately, none of them were as strange as one of their number turning into a hound and joining in the Wild Hunt.

"You mean you let her go off alone?" Kiri shouted furiously.

Kaliegh felt a great need to tell the Brides, the Undertaker and Kane just how much they really meant to her. Roaming the dark halls of the Parlor, she found the Undertaker alone in the darkened sitting room. She knocked lightly on the door, hoping not to startle him. The Undertaker looked up with surprise in his green eyes.

"Kaliegh...why are you not sleeping?" He asked her, fixing his warm green gaze on her.

"I..um..I don't know. I was about ready to go to bed..when a need washed over me....I need to tell everyone how much they mean to me."

The Undertaker looked into her blue-grey eyes...straight into her soul..He felt there was something more...but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

She walked over to where the Undertaker was sitting and knelt down down in front of him. Taking his huge hands into her small ones, she began to speak again.

"The time I've spent with you and the Brides is like none other that I've ever had before. I've learned things that I never thought were possible. I am now a better person thanks to you and the Brides."

A slight blush crept into her face at her newfound personality. She had always been one to keep things to herself...until now. The Undertaker saw that she was blushing and thought that it made her features even more breathtaking.

"Thank you, Kaliegh." he said, giving her hand a squeeze. "Now, why don't you go get some sleep."

"Um...one more thing." she said getting up. "Could I....." she started to ask him, but was interrupted. "Kaliegh, you don't even need to ask." he said as he pulled her onto his lap..so that they were eye to eye. He cradled her head in his hands and looked deep into her eyes....then gave her a gentle kiss. A kiss so tender, it brought tears to her eyes. He held her for a few moments..close to his heart so that she could hear it's thunderous beat. Finally she got up and headed for the door. She stopped and looked at him once more. "Good night and Thank you...for everything."

The Undertaker didn't realize it at the time, but when he thought about it later, it seemed to him that she was saying Good-bye more than Thank you. A shiver ran up his spine and he suddenly felt very afraid for her.

************

Kaliegh was on her way upstairs when she spotted Kane sitting alone at the end of the long hallway. He saw her and beckoned for her to come and sit with him. After looking at her for a silent moment, he said, "Thank you." She needn't ask him what for...she knew it was because she visited and tried to help with his father.

She brushed the hair out of his eyes and said, "Don't worry Kane. Everything will be alright...someday." She then got up and went to her room.

Kane also had a terrible feeling that he would never see her again.

*********

Back in her room, Kaliegh decided that she did not want to wake up the Brides. The last few days had been trying...with Paul Bearer trying to burn the Parlor down..and now Jean had disappeared.She decided that she would talk to them first thing in the morning. She climbed into bed and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

*************

No sooner had she fallen asleep, she began to dream. At first her dreams were about nice things like the Brides, The Undertaker and Kane. But all to soon her dream turned into a nightmare and Paul Bearer had the starring role.

When Thunder came to her rescue, he was stopped by Bearer. The fact that Thunder weighed well over ninety pounds did not seem to matter against this monster. Paul Bearer seemed overwhelmingly strong this time around.

Realizing that her dog was in trouble, she turned around.....just in time to see Paul snap Thunder's neck in one swift move. She screamed as though her soul was being ripped out. Her beloved dog...her companion was dead...and from the look in Paul Bearer's eyes, she was next.

Paul turned to her with venom in his eyes and said, "Ooooh Yeees!!! Now there is no one here to help you. Now it is time for you to pay for Kane turning his back on me. You are the one that first visited him..besides his whore...You filled his head with lies. Now my dear, it is time for you to die.

"Lies..." She screamed at him. "You're the liar, you piece of trash!!"

Paul Bearer kept his calm eyes on her. "No Undertaker or filthy Brides here to protect you...you rotten wench. Now..how should I kill you? Fast and painless? Or slow..and very, very painful? I think a filthy bitch-whore like you deserves a slow and painful death. Before she knew what was happening, he was upon her with all his weight. She tried to cover up...but there was no way she could fend off the man by herself. She screamed for the Undertaker in her mind and then slipped into eternal darkness.

***********

The next morning was overcast and threatening to rain. The Undertaker woke up with the mornings first light. He had a horrible feeling that something was wrong. He was about to get up when he remembered his dream last night. He had heard Kaliegh screaming for help....in his dream. He tried to shake her pleading voice from his mind, but could not do so. He decided that he had better go check on her to make sure she was okey. He was not prepared for what he would find.

***********

In the shallow depths of sleep, Kiri heard a noise and woke up. With a groan she opened her eyes and listened for the sound again. What she heard was a heart wrenching scream filled with torment and grief. She quickly jumped out of bed and ran down the hall to where she guessed the scream was coming from. She stopped dead in her tracks at Kaliegh's door.

"What the...." was all she could manage to say. The Undertaker looked at her as she fell to her knees by him and the lifeless body of her friend.

"She must have died in her sleep somehow. Paul..he must have gotten into her dream..she invaded my dream...pleading for help. He killed her..."

Kiri knew right away what had to be done. Paul Bearer would pay for his crimes. She began hatching the ultimate plan for revenge...Not only for Kaliegh, but for the Hell he had put them all through.

Kiri looked back over at the Undertaker and said, "It must have been terrible for her."

"She knew.." he said after a moment. "She came to me last night....She really was saying good-bye." he whispered and fell into Kiri's arms, overcome by grief.

Storm awoke the next morning with the horrible feeling that something was wrong..very wrong. She felt as if there was a big chunk torn out of her heart, the fear rising to panic as she sat bolt upright in bed, eyes scanning the room for Kane.

She saw him by the window, staring out over the cemetary behind the Parlor, his head hanging low. "Kane! What happened?" He slowly turned to face her, and she could see that he was very sad. A tortured look filled his eyes. "It's all my fault.." His voice was soft and weary. Storm's eyes widened as she threw back the covers and got out of bed, rushing over to him. "What are you talking about?" He took her hand in his own and looked her straight in the eyes. "It's Kaliegh..She's..gone" Storm shook her head in disbelief. "No, she can't be. I just saw her last night!"

Kane nodded sadly. "I'm afraid she is, Storm." The tears rose in Storm's eyes and she choked back a sob, her right hand going to her throat. Kane reached out and pulled her to him, one hand stroking her hair as she cried into his chest.

*************

Paul Bearer shuffled about his secret room with a wicked sneer on his face. He paused to wipe the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief before moving about again. He had much planning to do and not much time. He knew those whores the Undertaker called his "Brides" would be after him, and soon. What he wanted to do now was get to that other little bitch that helped turn his son against him. When he'd finished with her, then he would start his plan to take the Dead Man and his little tramps down. Oh yes. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation..and planned.

****************

When she'd cried all she could cry, Storm reluctantly put on a long velvet dress and black ankle boots and quietly left the room. Kane had left a short time earlier to speak with his brother and she needed to just get away and be alone for awhile. She moved slowly through the house, avoiding the busiest rooms and made her way out the back door next to the kitchen.

The leaves crunched under her feet as she walked, and she stared down at her boots, her mind lost in all the things that had been happening to the Brides lately. First the near-miss with the fire, then Jean taking off on her own, now Kaliegh.. She felt the tears threaten to start again as the lump rose in her throat. She swallowed hard to try and hold them back and wiped at her eyes furiuosly. She needed to be strong now. Paul Bearer had to pay for all the pain and suffering he'd caused the Undertaker, Kane and all the Brides. They had to destroy him.

She walked along deep in thought for what seemed like ages until she came to a stream set far back in the woods. A large rock sat on the bank a few feet away and she made her way over, sitting down on the flat surface heavily. She wasn't sure how long she'd been walking, but her feet were killing her. She stretched her legs out in front of her and leaned back, intending to rest for only a few moments before heading back to the Parlor. She knew the Undertaker, not to mention Kane, would be very upset with her if they found out she'd come out here alone like this. The Dark Lord was keeping a tight rein on his Brides for the time being, knowing what Bearer was capable of.

Storm closed her eyes and forced herself to relax.. Before long she was feeling very sleepy and drifted off before she could stop herself. The dreams came almost immediately. Dreams of the time she'd spent at Paul Bearer's home. Dreams of the way he'd treated her, as if she were some disdainful piece of trash not worthy of the attention of his son. Dreams of the beating she'd endured at his hands. She whimpered in her sleep as she felt the blows raining across her face and body as if it were happening all over again.

She was literally yanked from this dream by someone roughly pulling her to her feet. Her eyes flew open and she gaped in astonishment as Paul Bearer's beady eyes stared into her own. "Well, well, well...if it isn't the slut that stole my boy away.." He shook his head in disgust, taking as his eyes raked over her body. "I never did understand why Kane kept you around." He circled her like a predator as she turned with him, not daring to turn her back on this monster.

"Of course, I suppose there's always one thing a little whore like you is good for.." He lunged at her then, and she screamed, kicking out with the heel of her boot. It connected with his privates and he fell to his knees, gasping in pain. Storm wasted no time in high-tailing it out of there. She ran as fast as she could through the woods, calling to Kane with all the willpower she could muster. Before she knew it she was running straight into the brick wall that was Kane's chest. He grabbed her arms to steady her so she didn't fall backwards from the force of the collision. "What happened?" He asked, his eyes boring into hers.

"Your father, that's what happened. He tried to attack me!" Kane's expression hardened and his jaw set in grim determination. "He's going to pay.."

Book Six of The Undertaker's Brides

© 1998 by The Brides of Darkness

**This story cannot be used in any way without written permission