"Carmilla's Longing"
Once upon an ancient dark time, there lived for many a thousand years, a beautiful Vampire Queen named, Carmilla.
This lonely and misunderstood being had the most melancholic beauty, serpent form magnetism and dreamy voice. Though she seemed a maiden made of pure moonlight she also was a ferocious and hot-blood craving creature.
Her kingdom was long gone, her ancestors had ruled the shadows for many centuries, but the growing of christianity made the hunters thirst for dark demon's heads, and so, all her relatives and allies were slain mercilessly.
With everything gone from her aristocratic life, she survived many years hiding in her castle of cold wet stone and sad memories.
A century of numbing loneliness passed, hiding of the fiery loving sun, roaming in the enchanted vast forest, speaking with other solitary children of the night... sometimes sharing a bloody meal in a wild animal feast. Living a life of a sorrowful shadow.
Although Carmilla the vampire had never been married, her passionate yet unknowing heart wanted to feel the warmth of true love. Something in her dreams told her that she needed not to be so alone.
One night, while the twilight still lingered, she realized that she wasn't dead as all her kin, she wasn't a cold dry corpse rooting in oblivion, she was a living creature thirsty for life and hungry for love.
If a prayer can be answered for a Vampire, her benevolent father, the night, gave her an answer...
In a chilly afternoon, while the the trees sang with the November wind, a lovely sweet maiden decided to wander in the forest near Carmilla's ghost Kingdom. This kind soul wanted to collect some specific herbs and berries that only grew near the gates of the abandoned castle. She never imagined what things could lurk in those realms.
The delicious nectar of Laura's natural smell was the first thing the vampire sensed. Carmilla followed the trace as a hungry wolf follows its pray. As she searched for the owner of that compelling aroma, her beastly instinct awaken in a different kind of way.
Finally she saw her victim's silhouette between the bushes, her eyes darkened, black abysses, her sharp fangs and nails prepared to cut the flesh, her body trembled with hunger... she stepped out of the shadows and presented herself to her prey; for love is life.
At the very moment Carmilla saw those big innocent eyes, her heart filled with warm love. To see Laura's face was to see the beauty of dawn, the color of roses, the breath of pure Love.
Laura was astonished by the dreary exquisiteness of Carmilla's presence, but the most compelling thing of all, and the thing that moved her sweet kind heart was the melancholy that reigned in the Vampire's eyes. Those fierce yet sad eyes, made Laura wanted to hold that raven maiden and never let her suffer again; for love is life.
Carmilla the Vampire Queen, now felt a different kind of hunger, yes, she wanted to consume that beautiful girl, but not in the flesh-eating blood-drinking manner, no, her heart felt a very inusual craving. She realized she loved and wanted that pretty day-walking creature, she hoped for love, for a life where loneliness existed no more. She wanted love, so she decided to embrace it.
"I have been in love with no one, and never shall," she whispered, "unless it should be with
you." How beautiful she looked in the moonlight!
-"Carmilla", Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu,1871
The lonely vampire approached Laura cautiously, with her serpent-like movements, the sweet girl felt as if she could breathe for the first time, she wasn't afraid of the maiden with ebony hair, she wanted to be with her, even though her christian beliefs told her not to.
Laura was too a child of nature, and all laws in nature are merciful with one another. Her will was to accept the life that Carmilla offered, accept her love, her body and her red kiss.
With gloating eyes she drew me to her, and her hot lips traveled along my cheek in kissess;
and she would whisper, almost in sobs,"You are mine, you shall be mine, you and I are one forever"
-"Carmilla", Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, 1871
In the middle of the placid night, with the bright and pale Goddess shining in her perfect circumference, under the gaze of the beloved stars, Laura gave herself willingly to the vampire, not as a victim but as a fellow equal. Carmilla accepted her in such love that her heart burned as the sun, tears of pure devotion ran through her face and entwined with Laura's warm blood. Both creatures accepted each other and promised to care for one another for all eternity.
After a while they left that forsaken place of ghosts and desolation. They started a new kingdom of their own, living their partnership at its fullest, melting in the peaceful shadows of the night realm; for love is life.
The End
"The children of the night... what music they make." -Dracula, Bram Stoker, 1987
CAST AND CREDITS
"Carmilla's Longing" Picture Story is inspired in the characters of the gothic novel by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu "Carmilla" (1871-2)
The novel "Carmilla" was one of the early works of vampire fiction, previous than Bram Stoker's "Dracula". This work shaped many other vampire stories of those times, giving the seductive personality to the female vampire we all identify nowadays.
I personaly fell in love with the main character when I first read it, back in my teens. The way Laura describes Carmilla moved me dearly, that is what I wanted to express in the photos, only that here in my story, both of them have the happy ending they wanted. I've always been fond of vampire romance so I really hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Photography Concept, Makeup, Written Story and "Vampire Queen Carmilla" Character: Bárbara Badillo
Photography, Editing and "Laura" Character: Nuria Díaz
Extra Photo Edition: Alejandrina Badillo
Staff and extra help: Gabriela Cárdenas
Accesories and Jewelry: Reina Bruja
Location: "Doña Petra" Canyon, Ensenada Baja California, México
Stay tuned for the backstage footage of this story and the Halloween photoshoot!!!
Don't forget to comment and share, thank you for reading,
blessings )O(
-Reina Bruja
Pictures and story are Reina Bruja's property, all rights reserved.
