90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7SG4MkLGY
Vlad’s POV
My eyes open to find myself not far from my old family castle. I cannot help wondering why I am here but I smile at the distant sight of my old home in its once full glory. I slowly walk through the mighty lands of forests and astonishing mountain views, crystal clear water in the creeks with the wildlife to drink from and most of all, the beauty of the wild flowers.
I slowly spin around in the rediscovered joy of my first true home. I have had many homes over the centuries. But nothing compares to this and a large part of me wishes I could stay here forever. I sink into the smell of the dirt and trees of the surrounding forests then stop at the gazing sight of my once great family castle.
I take my time slowly walking up to the castle doors wide open for all to come inside. The castle was open to the people by my orders after I returned home from my service with the Turks. I walk through the crowds of people at the markets, horse stables and blacksmiths hard at work. I move out of the way in time when several young boys and girls chasing one another, playing with a little puppy alongside them.
I feel more human and alive seeing all of this; the goodness my home brought to others before the Turks came that dreadful Easter. I continue walking through the crowd then up the steps toward great hall and chambers of my home. However I stop in my steps when I feel a familiar presence behind me. I slowly turn around and my mouth barely opened when I see who it is.
My entire world is frozen when I see my love, Mirena in her flowing white gown and her sunlight blonde hair hanging past her shoulders. And her lips with an almost magical red that shined as bright as a red rose shine to it. Mirena smiles to me like she always did at the sight of me every single day especially after we became man and wife.
She had my heart the moment I saw her and I could swear to this day that she was an enchantress. We became bound together in body and soul. We truly believed at the time that nothing could prevent us from being together until the end of our days. I slowly walk toward her then reach for her left hand. I bring her hand close to my lips when I softly tell her, “My lady, Mirena…”
She does not take her eyes off of me when I gently press my lips to the top of her hand. She and I knew instantly that we would be our last first to everything that a man and woman can do together in life. I bring her body close to mine that there is no space between us. We had no care in the world that the people of our court were staring at us.
Suddenly I feel a set of arms wrap around my waist; I turn around to see it is my son, Ingeras. I fall to my knees, taking my little boy in my arms. I finally feel like I can truly stay here as he giggles in joy that I am here with them. I close my eyes feeling the tears of joy of his sweet voice say to me, “Papa, you are finally here with us. I knew you would return to us and I was not holding onto false hope.”
I stand to my feet with Ingeras still in my arms then Mirena comes over to hug me too. I look at my loving family in finally feeling free in every way possible. My eyes continue to take in the happiness happening all around when I begin to wonder if this is a sweet dream or if this could truly be Heaven. Am I in Heaven?
“Is this truly happening, Mirena? Am I here with you and Ingeras?” I ask her in the hopes while I have some doubt that it is real.
“It is, my prince. You are here. Ingeras is right; we held out hope for you to return to us no matter what.” Mirena says as her hand rests on my chest and Ingeras smiles to me.
I let out a brief laugh then a sob in happiness and my eyes fill up with more tears when I take them both in my arms. I kiss Ingeras on the top of his curly hair then kiss Mirena on her forehead. I rest my forehead against hers; soaking everything I have ever lost to be returned to me.
I am undeserving of this forgiveness and yet I am here with my wife and son all the same. My strength and spirit is back; my troubles are over and I am at home. And nothing will ever separate us again, ever…
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Luke’s POV
I remain pacing back and forth in the room with Mina as Matthew and Claire are sitting by her bed side. We are waiting on news for Vlad but there is still no word except he is in surgery. I stop pacing when the door opens and it is Shkelgim returning.
I wonder where Draven and Lucy are at then again, they must be dealing with Marishka. Shkelgim stands in the corner silently. I can tell he is listening to something. I go over to him, giving him a look to let me know what is going on. Shkelgim does not answer me and I know he has never liked Dracula enlisting the help of my family over the centuries. However he is going to have to get over it right now.
“What do you know?” I demand to him in a whisper.
“Police think it was robbery gone bad however that is what Officer Pierce spun. Whoever the shooter is was sent to kill Mina as Draven confirmed. Mina was the target the entire time. Does she have any enemies within the Supernatural World?” He does his best not to growl at me when he finishes telling me.
“No, she does not but you are well aware that Dracula has many enemies.” I tell him and he nods his head in agreement.
“The fact I am actually agreeing with a human such as yourself shows the whole world has gone mad; the reasons why he is possibly still alive because Dracula can handle himself. And no one in their right mind would risk the wrath of the Master Vampire. Also the Order will possibly recruit him when the time comes for the Immortal Game of Revenge. But that does not mean his enemies will hurt him in other ways.”
Our eyes go to Mina still asleep; she has a target on her all because she is with Dracula. I sigh in frustration that a good, kind, innocent woman like Mina was nearly killed. If Vlad didn’t get in the way, Mina would possibly be dead and all of this would be a very different conversation.
Then Shkelgim focuses his hearing outside the room and his face becomes more intense in whatever he is listening to. I mouth the words, “What is it?”
“One of the paramedics said it was not good with Vlad when getting him into surgery. I know a silver bullet can injury a vampire greatly but never to that level. He is losing so much blood and his pressure is dropping. They are falling behind to repair his injuries.”
I do not show any reaction to how much blood Vlad is losing. Shkelgim does not know about his human phases and I want to keep it that way. He cannot be trusted with this. “There could have been something else within those silver bullets. Mina may have been the target but if Vlad got in the way, they wanted to make sure one or both of them ends up dead at the end of the night. All it takes is one insane mind bold enough to do it with nothing to lose.”
Shkelgim does not question it when Draven walks into the room with a look of anger and regret on his face. And Lucy is not with him either. Shkelgim and I go into the hallway, closing the door to speak to him. Although I notice he has some fabric in his right hand and he gives it to Shkelgim. I recognize it from an old drawing of a dress Vlad gave to Marishka centuries ago except it is torn apart. I grab the dress from him, knowing I need to store it. I honestly don’t know how to store it other than throw it in a shadow box since it is barely in one piece.
“Is she dead?” I ask the million dollar question.
“No.” Draven says in dread of the wrath he will feel from everyone.
“Why?” Shkelgim wonders while containing his rage.
“If I turned her in or killed her, she had a vampire of her own ready to go to the Order and the Master Vampire to tell them about Mina, secrets Lucy and I have. Her capture or death by any of us would be all of our death sentences. All of us dead except for Dracula Son of the Devil to finally become the piece in the Immortal Game of Revenge.” Draven responds back to him.
We remain silent knowing Marishka would do it in order to take everyone else down with her. I was about to ask where Lucy is until a few police officers approach us. I hold the dress behind my back as a police officer has a sketch of the woman shooter in hand. They go into the room asking Matthew and Claire if it is a close match before they send it out for their search and spread it across the news channel and the city.
They agree to the sketch and walk out of the room but Draven stops them to take a look at it. He sees it and it almost seems like it is not the woman he saw through Mina’s memories. He asks if he can have two copies of the sketch and they hand the copies to him then walk away. I know they are going to start a city wide search.
The shooter is going to have a difficult time getting out of the city while having no choice but to hide for now. That will give some time for us to hunt, capture and possibly kill the shooter in that order. I see the face of the shooter and the face is unknown to me but Draven’s face seems like something is wrong with the sketch.
“This is not the face of the shooter.” Draven tells us.
“How do you know that?” Shkelgim asks him.
“I had a few drops of her blood to see what happened. The face that she saw was not this face. It was a completely different woman.” Draven struggles to say like he is expecting his throat to be clawed apart.
I expected Shkelgim to go into vampire mood but he shows no response of any kind. He tells us, “Do a sketch drawing and hand it to Officer Pierce since he works with the Order. They can hunt for who the true hunter is. Whoever the shooter is, they must have used a camouflage cast to change their face for the others to see aside from Mina.”
It is a bit of a stretch however we agree to this idea. Draven goes behind a desk to get spare printer paper and a pencil to draw the true face of the shooter. He makes several drawings and the second I see the face of shooter, my mouth gaps open a bit. I recognize it from something Vlad had me look into around the time of the Feast.
“What is it, Luke?” Draven sees the look on my face.
“I know that face. I need to get to my place to find the information. Draven, take me then come back here in case something else happens.” I tell him with the black dress still in my hands, knowing I need to box this.
Shkelgim does not move like he is just a part of the wall, not involving himself in this part of events. I am about to go to Officer Pierce but Draven stops me. “Not yet. We need more information before giving this to the Order.”
I couldn’t agree more and Draven goes outside to wait for me. He walks away, putting the drawing into his inside pocket. I look to Shkelgim wondering what he is going to do next so I ask him, “What do you plan to do?”
“Draven can let her go but I most certainly will not. I am a part of the Order so any agreement they made does not apply to me. She will not walk another night.” He walks away and going on the hunt for Marishka.
I do not know him on a personal level however if I do know one thing about him, he will kill her. He will not show her any mercy, no matter what games or threats she promises. Then again, Marishka may have something on him too. I would not be surprised since she has so far on everyone else.
Then all of my thoughts go to one in the fact that Shkelgim is part of the Order now. I do not know how good or bad this is. I exhale in worry to leave Mina and Vlad here however I know they will be safe here for now. I need to go, ensuring I’m right about the face of the shooter before I make any assumptions. I walk outside toward my car to see Draven waiting for me. The second we were clear, he takes us to flight to my place.
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Lucy’s POV
I feel my body weightless in traveling wherever we are going. Then the sort of purple cloud surrounding us disappears like a puff of smoke. The weightless of my body drops that I fall onto my backside of a wood floor in the arrival here. I immediately stand up to see Kiral on a large wood table as the woman turns around to start grabbing remedies to help him.
My eyes scan the area and it looks like a massive remote cabin chamber filled with all kinds of medical machines, herbs and medicine even updated hospital machines if they are needed. I stop to see Lucas’s body is on the couch before I hear footsteps coming from upstairs.
I freeze when a random man gets to the bottom step. His eyes immediately go to Kiral and runs over in terror while looking at Kiral’s injuries. He places his hands on the open bullet wound shouting, “What happened?!”
“The Blood Countess happened! She got a hold of Lucas’s gun and got three rounds off in him. Two are through and through. But one bullet remains.”
“Where is the bullet at?”
“It is just below his heart.” I stand across the table from them, wanting to help in any way I can as I wrap my hand around Kiral’s. I can hear his pulse respond to the touch of me which gives me some relief that he is hanging on for as long as he can.
“What is Lucy Westenra doing here?” The man looks at me in shock that I am even here.
“She brought him out of Broken Tooth Mountain when I arrived. And she got Lucas out of there too.” The woman tells the man then she looks to me. “I am Aneres. This is Dan.”
Dan looks at me with his blonde hair and hazel with a mix of brown colored eyes, deciding what he should think of me. He takes a deep breath, accepting that I am here when telling me, “Since you are here, you have medical experience during the World Wars, prep him while Aneres finishes grabbing everything else she needs. I will get the tools ready to extract the bullet out of him.”
I start working without a second thought. I immediately use my strength to rip his shirt from the top to the bottom. I toss the torn shirt to the floor then replace my velvet jacket with a proper pillow under his head. I see they have a crash cart so I bring it closer to see they are truly prepared. I place a line to his heart so they can hear it as well.
Then I see a dozen or more Epinephrine made for the supernatural and they are at the ready to inject so I take one. I place the orange tip against the middle of his outer upper thigh. I push the auto-injector firmly, hearing the click. I know the click signals that the injection has started. I hold firmly in place for three slow seconds then I pull it out of him. I see his body change a bit to give him more time to fight against the silver bullet.
Dan has all of the operating tools needed to open Kiral up ready and sterilized. Aneres reaches into several stone mason jars, mixing flower pedals, berries, milk of mercy and much more things that I am not sure what they are. She crushes the herbs and flowers then places it into a bottle, closing the lid. She shakes the bottle really hard for what appears like a long single minute.
“What is that?” I ask her in the hopes it is something good to help Kiral.
“This is to numb his body so he can cut him open long enough to get the bullet out. The next one I am going to make will kick start his healing process the second the bullet is out of his body and to purge any toxics spreading through his organs and blood.”
She opens the bottle with a sort of glow coming from within the bottle to show it is ready to be taken. Aneres goes to Kiral, helping to give the remedy to him. It all goes down smoothly with not a single drop left to have. Dan is washing his entire arms and hands the way a doctor would when they are about to operate. He asks for my assistance to place long gloves on him and I do so with my vampire speed.
He stands over Kiral, ready to get the bullet out of him when grabbing a surgical blade. He immediately cuts open into him through the left side of his rib cage. I am stunned to see that once he has a direct line to the silver bullet, he grabs the next tool needed to pull the bullet out carefully. Dan remains calm when he inserts the tool into him and cutting an even larger gapping hole on his side.
I keep Kiral’s left hand in both of my hands knowing this is going to hurt like hell when the bullet is out of him and the healing takes effect. My eyes look to Aneres who is nearly done making the next remedy for him but it appears like she needs one more item to finish the potion. She screams in anger, pushing off several mason jars. The mason jars crash on impact to the wood floor. Dan keeps on working on Kiral as I go over to Aneres in dread that she is missing the most key important ingredient to complete the potion.
“What do you need to complete it?”
“Ghost orchid!” She shouts in anger, throwing another stone jar in anger, trying to find it or something to replace it. My eyes widen in shock and wonder why she would choose that flower of all flowers.
“You chose a rare woodland wildflower from the UK? There is nothing to replace it in the remedy. The potion is now for a vampire to take when drinking from one that injected themselves with silver in their blood. What else can you make for him to take now?”
Out of nowhere, Kiral starts shaking violently like something or someone possesses his body. I run over and try to hold him down. I look to Dan to see he had not taken out the bullet yet. Kiral is going pale, blood pressure and heart beat is dropping. He is dying right in front of us slowly.
“What happened?!”
“I was about to pull the bullet out but the moment I touched it, he reacted! We need another remedy now before I can take out the bullet!” Dan shouts in distress that he cannot help Kiral.
Kiral starts gasping and spluttering as if something is choking the life out of him. I climb onto the table and sit on his waist. I manage to grab his wrists and hold them above his head. Kiral is straining against me then his body wreaths on the table. I do my best to hold him down when I look at Dan wondering what we are suppose to do now to help him.
90Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jtt2Fq1jn
Luke’s POV
Draven lands right outside my house. I grab the keys, unlocking the door. I look back to see that Draven has never been invited in before. I immediately invite him in knowing he can be fully trusted now unlike times before. I run right to my desk where it is holding the files I need. I use my finger print to unlock the locked drawer containing the entire file on Mina.
Draven sees my other files on the shelves behind my desk. He stops when he sees his name on a massive large binder then gives me a death stare. I ignore him while I go through Mina’s file until I reach what I suspected the second Draven showed me the drawing of the shooter in Mina’s memories. I pull out the old sketch drawing. This was made during the investigation of Mina’s father shooting and death.
“I knew I have seen that face before. The shooter is one in the same. I don’t how this is possible.” I tell Draven as he stands behind me to see it as well.
“Is that same bitch not in a coma? Lucy told me all about Mina’s bitch excuse of a mother paying for the hospital bills to keep her alive until that blood bag Michael came into the picture to cover the bills. I want to see this blood vegetable myself.” Draven says to me.
“We will worry about that later. You need to go to the hospital, Draven.” I tell him, looking through more of the files.
“You need a way back to the hospital, genius. Bring her file with you if you have to.” Draven tells me, about to grab all of her files but I stop him when I find what I was looking for in the paperwork.
“Only one way to find out since she is in a coma in the very hospital they are at tonight.” I tell him smiling.
Draven smiles at me while I put the files back under lock and key before we head directly back to the hospital. I close my eyes the entire time until I feel my feet on solid ground again. I open my eyes to see we are in a hospital room but it is not Mina’s room. I look around to see it is the same room number the shooter is supposed to be in.
I see the room is kept up to date including the coma bed but there is a rather terrible confusion before us. We look to one another than to the empty coma bed before us. Draven and I see the bed si made fresh but it looks as if it has not been used for a long time. I am about to reach for the bed but Draven stops me.
I wonder why he stopped me until Draven motions his hand to door of the room. This room is under guard by the set of two feet I can see under the door. We cannot make a sound in this room. My eyes go to Draven knowing we need to leave. Then Draven starts doing sign language to me and I know how to as well.
‘What do the nurses and doctors do when they learn a coma patient has woken up?’ Draven signs to me.
‘The nurses and doctors in charge of the coma patient are immediately informed and they check to make sure their level of consciousness is focused, able to respond appropriately. Like asking their name, date or why they are in the hospital. And informing anyone related to the patient that they are awake.’ I sign back to him.
Draven nods his head in understanding when he sees the charts of the patient at the front of the empty bed. He quietly picks it up and opens it. I was tempted to stop him but I am curious to what the hospital staff has written over time for the patient. Draven looks like he has seen a ghost by whatever is in the file.
‘What is it?’ I sign language to him.
Draven points at the very bottom of a few signature names and my eyes widen at the very bottom signature name. My mouth drops while I immediately turn my back in shock and horror. Draven keeps on reading everything about the patient. But we freeze when we hear talk just outside the door. Draven and I listen and it is hard to make out with my hearing but not for Draven.
Draven quietly and swiftly grabs me, going back out the way he brought us into the room. Draven lands us in the parking lot and we hide to make sure we were not seen or suspected to be in that room. I honestly feel like I am going to throw up in what we learned. I bend down, nearly wanting to throw up but I focus on my breathing to stay calm. Plus throwing up is no fun feeling especially right now.
When Draven knew it was safe to talk, Draven pulls out the file of the patient. I take it out of his hands in utter shock. “You took this? They are going to know it is missing.”
“Not right away. I switched it with other random paperwork I found when you had your back turned to me. This file has answers.”
“No. This is nothing more than death sentence for anyone who sees it now. They will eventually learn it is gone before we can return it.” I say to him, holding up the hospital files. Draven gives me a smirk and vanishes along with the files before my eyes.
I open my mouth about to unleash my rage until he appears right back in front of me with several more files in his hands than before. “What the hell did you do, Draven?”
“I made plenty of copies and returned the original files. They will never know they were taken. It is one of the many great things about vampires having the speed of a falling star; happy?” He says to me then hands me the copies with the same smirk smile on his face.
I do not say anything when he freezes like he hears something he hates. He growls when his shining red vampire eyes show and turns his head to whatever has his attention. Draven makes a direct line to whatever it is. I follow behind him when I see he is approaching the vehicle Mina drove to the hospital. I see the damage all over the car.
I knew Matthew and Claire said Mina drove like a woman possessed but this is something else entirely. The front and back bumper is damaged with blood all over the front bumper like she hit an animal or a person. And I can even smell the burning of the tires going top speed. However it is not the damage of the car or the stained blood covering the front that got Draven’s attention.
It is on the roof of the car, a sword. It must be the sword that injured Mina. Draven cannot grab it by how he is reacting to it. He is trembling when I grab the handle of the sword. The handle is possibly the only safe thing about the sword around Draven or any other supernatural being. I see this sword is not brand new and has some age to it but well taken care of just like Vlad’s 14th century sword.
I see the tip of the blade is stained with red blood; it has to be Mina’s blood. I can tell this sword carries much more than its appearance alone. I turn to show the sword to closer detail for Draven but I stop to see the state of him. I have never seen him like this so I do not move any closer to him.
Draven steps back growling to me, “Take that away from here. I will stay here with Mina and Vlad until you return. Go now before anyone in the Order sees you have that abomination.”
I do not hesitate in going over to my parked car and leaving while I watch Draven walk back into the hospital. I drive away in dread of what the files and the sword will uncover in the signature name we saw. I truly hope it is some kind of false information or twisted method by one of Dracula’s enemies and not the actual real thing itself.
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Lucy’s POV
“Kiral!” I scream to him as he is getting worse right before my eyes. He nearly breaks free from my grip but I manage to keep him contained. I cry out in horror seeing him like this, feeling powerless to save the man I love. I refuse to lose him.
“There has to be something you can do for him, Dan!” The caster, Aneres cries in seeing Kiral in such a horrid state.
“What can be done to jump start his healing without remedies?! There has to be something!” I shout to them.
“There is one but it is risky for you…” Dan says in dread of whatever it is.
“Whatever it is, I will do it! I will not let him die!” I roar with all of my might to him. I will do everything in my power even unleash anything to keep Kiral alive. I cannot and will not lose him.
“You have to… You must drain him dry to near death and when that happens, I take out the bullet which in turn will let his healing take over. It will save him but you may die due to the silver in his veins. It all comes down to you. It is your choice.” Dan tells me what has to be done.
My eyes go to Kiral as his heart is beating slowly like a funeral drum. I sob in seeing he is getting onto death’s door. I free my right hand as I place it over his heart crying with tears drenching my face like a river in the hopes he will hear my words.
“You are going to be alright, my Sun-wolf. You are not going to die. I won’t let you. I love you, Kiral.” I cry to him while I gently brush my hand over his neck.
Dan tells Aneres to finish the remedy for me as soon as I am done saving Kiral. Aneres begins immediately while I look up to see the full moon shining outside the window before me. I feel a strange power within me as I gaze at the shining moon. Then my eyes go directly to Kiral, ready to save him with everything I have inside of me.
“All foremothers lend me your primal strength…” I snarl with all my might in hearing his weak blood singing to me.
I begin shuddering to know that if I die, it is for him. I raise my head in feeling my teeth go into fangs then I lower my face into his neck, biting into him. I snarl in clutching my left hand in Kiral’s hair as his violent shaking stops. My fangs and lips sinks deeper into his neck when I feel the silver start to affecting me. I let out muffled agonizing moans as I keep on going when Dan comes over to do what he needs to do to reach the bullet.
I let out muffled screams in feeling every inch of me burn into boiling from the inside out. It feels like a hot knives stabbing all over me that I start shaking violent but my only thought is not to let go until I am I told to let go. Everything around me is becoming blurry, distorted but I hear Dan reaching within Kiral and the sound of his hands reaching for the bullet.
I hear the roaring screams of Aneres in my ear but somehow still faded in telling me, “Let go! Let go, Lucy!”
“Aaaahhhhhhh!” I immediately rip myself away from Kiral crying in agony of his silver blood passing through me like a piercing poison.
I fall forward on Kiral’s chest when the bullet is pulled out of him and a blind searing light surrounds me then to the entire room and beyond. The last thing I hear is the slow beat of Kiral’s heart change to racing like his heart is about to burst out with wings from his chest. I smile knowing Kiral is alive as any strength I have left in me is gone in losing consciousness. My entire world went black.
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Mina’s POV
I open my eyes wondering where I am at because I am not in the hospital. I’m somewhere else entirely when I see a large castle ahead of me surrounded by land of mighty vast forests, astonishing mountains, clear blue water creeks for all of wildlife to drink from and flowers of beauty. I have not seen much of the world but this place is to be found nowhere else and a part of me wishes to stay here forever.
I walk through the vast forest, approaching the great castle as the gown I am wearing is flowing white when I enter through the large castle doors. I walk around to see such lively people in the market place, the stable of horses being feed or saddled up for a ride. I smile in joy of how bright and colorful everything is. I spin around feeling like a little girl as children run by playing with one another with a puppy alongside them.
I keep on walking until my entire world freezes to see a prince standing at the top steps, looking over his people and home with joy. My breath is taken away when the prince is the most enchanting man in the entire world. His eyes met mine and right then, we became bound together in body and soul. There is no force that could prevent us from being together.
I would swear it on my soul when he walks down the steps and I walk up the steps to him, we were meant to be together across many lifetimes. We met in the middle of the steps as the sun was shining bright above us. His right hand reaches for my left hand and brings it close to his lips when he softly says, “Prince Vlad Tepes, my lady.”
I cannot take my eyes off of him when his lips kiss the top of my hand. I knew right away that he would be my last first kiss in every way possible between a man and woman. I feel our bodies so close together that there is no space between one another; not caring about the vast people in the courtyard and stables seeing our first introduction.
Suddenly I feel myself exit my body like I am a ghost of some kind. My eyes remain fixed on the handsome prince while I am witnessing this man and woman first meeting one another now. However my mouth is gapped open to see the woman has my face and the enchanting prince is the face of Vlad. Everything detail of our faces is in their faces especially in my face and hair. There is a gold of sunshine in her hair and lips that shine like the bright red rose. This cannot be!
I honestly do not know what is happening but I could swear this was a different lifetime when we met. It explains a great deal of how I feel like I have known him before. I circle around the man and woman with our faces when suddenly the woman who looks like me stares directly at me. I fall back on the steps in shock when she stands over me. I shudder when she is now face to face with me.
“You have dreamed about me since you were a little girl and I have tried for so very long to reach out to you. But other forces have prevented me from doing so. But now I can do what needs to be done, Mina.” She says to me with my own voice.
“This is not possible…” I say in shock when she cups my face into her hands, ready to do something to me.
“It will all become clear in time, Mina. You do not have to fight it.” She says to me when her hands around my face tightening, not letting me go when several voices are whispering in an unknown language with the clouds above darkening.
Suddenly the woman with my face changes right in front of me into a light shadow shape. I gasp when the light shape body goes over my entire body, spreading all over me. I struggle to fight it off but nothing is working. I am kicking my feet but all of my muscles stop moving. I still try to move but I feel like I cannot move every moment it grips around me like a skin tight wrap. I gasp endlessly when it gets closer to my neck while the man wearing Vlad’s face stands before me smiling with his enchanting smile.
“That will all be alright. You do not have to fight it, my love…” He lovingly says to me.
Then his entire face becomes pale like death with pure darkness covering his eyes except for piercing red eyes like a possessed demon has taken over the man, looking right at me.
“AHHHHHH!” I scream in horror of the demon standing above me with a smile of fangs being the last thing I see when it covers my face, taking over my body and soul completely. My eyes are shut by force of light shape when it finished consuming me and my entire world whitens out.
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Aneres’s POV
Lucy falls onto Kiral’s chest, no longer awake. I immediately give her the remedy and close her mouth to make sure it takes. I can sense the remedy coursing through her. I smile in the knowledge that the silver is stopped from killing her. I am about to pull Lucy off of Kiral to check on him as well but I notice a sort of bright light coming from the biting Lucy did to him.
“What is going on?” My eyes go to Dan in confusion of what is happening.
“I do not know…” Dan says in shock.
We feel like we cannot do anything but witness the bright light become brighter every moment that passes. We stare at all of the strange things happening to Kiral. We jump back when his entire body lights up like a sudden falling star. A bright yellow light with a hint of red surrounds him while releasing out of Kiral like this light has been imprisoned for an eternity.
Now it is breaking free after waiting silently to be awakened once again. The bright light surges into an upward stream, shooting directly toward the full moon. Dan shields his face while I hold out a hand in amazement of this light wiping past me. My eyes go up to see the light connecting to the glorious full moon.
The astonishing light suddenly starts bursting outward, almost like a doom of light expanding rapidly. The light keeps on going until it reaches beyond hundreds of miles from this place and the Full Moon. I do not look away at the moment the light flashes like a massive clap to the world before disappearing after showing the full extent of its power.
I close my eyes in the painful hurt from looking at the almighty power too long. I feel Dan place his hand on my shoulder telling me that it is alright to look now. I slowly open my eyes to see the brightness is gone with a bit of whispered smoke filling up the room. I take a step forward to the table, wanting to make sure my father and Lucy still remain.
I stop and gasp in happiness to see my father, Kiral is sitting up from the table with Lucy in his arms. His fingers are gently brushing over her forehead and down her long curly, black hair. I see he is still a bit pale but he is alive now. I slightly move my head to the side in feeling like I am not seeing my father. It is almost like Kiral is not before me but someone else is in his body.
I take a step forward in caution as I whisper to him, “Father…”
He does not move when I see his wolf eyes shine brighter than ever before looking at Lucy. Lucy is dreadfully pale but still alive in all she did to save him. I take another step closer when his head slowly turns to me. I freeze in the look on his face. It is a face I have never seen before that I am afraid for my life and Dan’s life. But then his wolf eyes fade with the return of his brown eyes along with the look of love to us.
“Help her…” He whispers almost like he is a ghost to us.
Then he slowly gets to his feet, adjusting Lucy in his arms. He stands from the table and carries Lucy in his arms to the upstairs bedroom. Dan and I glare at each other in dread of what has happened. But for now, he is alive and we will take what we can get. I go first and Dan starts grabbing all that is needed to help Lucy recover.
I take caution in following Kiral but I do not hesitate to do what I can to help when he gently places Lucy on the bed like she is Sleeping Beauty herself. He takes her left hand into his and lays down next to her while I work on her. Dan has a blood bag bank in case of situations like this. Kiral ensures to have ways to save any vampires that is needed for information or the good ones worth saving.
Dan comes up with all of the supplies needed and starts a line into Lucy with many liters of blood. Kiral still remains quiet like a ghost to us. I go over to him in worry that something within him has changed as tears begin to fill my eyes that he is still here and alive because of her.
I am about to walk away but his right hand gently takes mine and stops me in my steps. Nothing but tears fill my eyes to Kiral when he slowly sits up, pulling me into his arms. I sink into the loving embrace of my father, letting the tears in my eyes fall down. I feel his right arm remain around me while his left hand is still holding onto Lucy’s hand. I softly cry into his shoulder in joy that I did not lose him tonight.
“I almost lost you, father.” I sob to him.
“I am here, my daughter. It’s alright.” He whispers to me before kissing me on my forehead like he always does.
I remain next to him as Dan finishes taking care of Lucy. Kiral and I look to see her skin color is slowly returning to normal. Kiral refuses to leave her side however I tell him, “You should clean up and eat something. I will stay with her, father.”
Kiral nods his head and kiss Lucy’s hand before walking out of the room. I sit down next to Lucy while Dan watches Kiral leave the room. We both look to one another when I notice a certain look on Dan’s face. I sign language to him, ‘What is it?’
‘I pulled out more than just the bullet.’
He takes out a clear container holding something covered in blood and what looks like some bits from Kiral’s inside. I see a small amulet with sort of claws that would attach to a heart and in the middle of the amulet is designed with an evil eye, embedded with lava stones. I cannot believe what I am seeing. This kind of magic is forbidden and no longer practiced in the supernatural world in over six hundred years.
I feel a low energy coming from it and I want to smash it to pieces. I reach for the container but Dan pulls it out of reach from me. I stand to my feet wanting to rip it away from him until I notice the silver bullet that was lodged into my father was actually lodged into the amulet, causing it to activate as a kind of kill switch.
I sign to Dan, ‘It must be destroyed now!’
‘I cannot do that. Take a closer look and you will see why.’ Dan signs back to me.
I scoff at him in disbelief and take a look to humor him. I take a step closer to see the silver bullet is strangely keeping the amulet active, not setting it off as an alarm to whoever created the amulet. The amulet is acting like it has not been moved. This bullet is a blessing in disguise we have longed for the past few centuries. I place my hand over my mouth as Dan smiles at me like we have won the lottery.
I sign to Dan, ‘After all this time, it is out of him, still active and he is free...’
‘Yes and he will be fully restored.’
Dan and I smile to one another that the impossible happened. We strangely have Marishka and Lucy to thank for it all. I go back over to Lucy, letting out a few sobs in joy that she did more than save my father tonight. She freed him and we are in debt to her. I take her hand in mine and kiss the inside of it in gratitude. Dan stands next to me with a softened look to Lucy.
We remain in silence of the grand victory that has been blessed upon us but for now, we will hold off on celebrating. There is still more to be done before the final victory can be achieved. However we will take whatever small win we can while we can. Dan goes downstairs for a few minutes then comes back up with a drink for me and him.
We lightly tap our glasses then immediately drink down the drinks in happiness. I sigh in all that has happened and nothing will take this away from us. Dan takes the glass from me and sets is down when his eyes go to Lucy who is still recovering from it all.
“Where are you with finding her history?” Dan asks me.
“Strangely there is nothing on her before Dracula turned her into his vampire bride. It is almost like her history was deliberately erased or hidden. I did reach to a few of my contacts and there is possibly one place I can find her history. However you are not going to like it.” I tell him.
“Where is it?” He asks in dread.
“It is with Dracula’s handler.”
Dan has a look of anger on his face knowing we cannot harm his handler in any manner. And the fact that Dracula is the only one with her full history speaks in volumes of who Lucy could be. He sighs in frustration and starts pacing back and forth in the room. I can tell he is thinking of what can be done to obtain her history.
He stops pacing and tells me, “We know a certain vampire that can get it.”
“If you are speaking of Shkelgim, he no longer names Dracula as his master but I am not sure he will do this.”
“There is no harm in asking. And if that does not do, Dracula and his handler are rather distracted right now. Maybe it can be obtained before they even realize it is gone if done right.” Dan says with a smile.
I smile back knowing the right person for the job. He takes out his phone and calls the person we are thinking of. The phone is answered and I hear her voice on the other end, “Diana, we need your help to obtain… What?”
I freeze in his sudden change of tone and stand to my feet wondering what is going on. I hear Diana’s voice say, “The Blood Countess knows about me and Draven. I do not know how but she needs to be put down before the sun comes up.”
“Where is her last known location? I will hunt her down myself.” I growl in hatred for that vampire bitch.
“Shkelgim is hunting her down and I sent my own tracker after her as well.” Diana says through the phone to me.
“No one would believe her since she is driven mad from the Bittersweet Death.” Dan says to Diana in the hopes it will pass this by like it is nothing.
“We cannot risk that. The Blood Countess has a vampire at the ready to tell the Order about me and Draven, Lucy and Kiral and to go to the Master Vampire about the reincarnation wife of Dracula with him now. Draven would have killed her but he did not want to put all of our lives at risk anymore than they already are.”
I am honestly surprised that Draven did not tear the head of the Blood Countess, not caring if her threat was real or not. Then again, he truly loves Diana which means he can be of great value to us. Maybe he can join our side with a very compelling conversation. But for now, we need to handle the Blood Countess.
We freeze up when Kiral walks back into the room in his full hunting armor. Kiral’s hunting armor is black steel with his own golden white wolf fur on the forearms and shoulders. He had it designed solely for him with his black steel wolf helmet in hand. He is ready to finish it all tonight. The Blood Countess will die before the sun shines by his hand.
“She dies tonight. Get a location on Shkelgim.” He says to Diana.
Diana immediately tells him Shkelgim’s location then Kiral looks to me. “We will join him. Ready yourself, Aneres. Dan, stay with Lucy and do not leave her side until I return.”
Dan bows his head to him as Kiral extends his arm out for me to go get ready. I immediately go upstairs and pull out my leather bound trunk containing my armor. I open it and smile at the sight of the black steel armor with the same color purple of my powers designed almost like the northern lights on the forearms and shoulders of the armor.
I slip into the armor like a glove, adjusting my knee length combat boots when my father enters the room. He offers to help with any adjustments needed on my armor. I shake my head yes. He helps tighten up at bit on the upper back, shoulders and forearms while I put on my gloves.
Once everything is in place, I grab my helmet ready to go with my father. Kiral gives me a smile filled with joy of me and that I am going with him. We walk out of the house but Kiral stops to look at Dan. “Do not worry about obtaining her history. I will do it myself, Dan. They will not even know it is gone.”
Dan nods his head to Kiral when we both walk side by side and cross over the rocky creek with the moon shining bright above us. I take his hand in mine when I focus on the location we need to go to next. I feel our bodies become light and get consumed by my powers. I never get tired in the clouds of purple surround us, taking us where we need to go as we are lifted off our feet for travel.
I focus on my powers on the location and before we know it, our feet lands on solid ground. The clouds disappear to reveal that we are in Slovakia at the once castle of the Blood Countess. I am not surprised that she would return her in the hopes to heal. We walk silently forward in the thickly forest reserve when Kiral and I see Shkelgim remaining out of sight from anyone else that may be within the castle aside from the Countess herself.
We walk up behind him and he drops his head knowing we are behind him. He turns but freeze at the sight of Kiral. I can see by the look on his face that he knows something has changed within Kiral. Shkelgim bows his head then all three of us look to what remains of the castle.
Without warning, Kiral turns around and wraps his hand around the throat of someone walking up to us. The stranger gasps for air until Kiral lets go. The stranger falls to their knees coughing as Kiral lets out in shock, “Diana?”
“Yes.” She says in between coughing when Kiral kneels down in front of her, taking her hand in his.
“I am so sorry for hurting you.”
“It is alright. I would have done the same in your place if someone was sneaking up behind me especially in a place like this. You have a major grip.” Diana says when recollecting her breathe.
“Diana, you should not be here. It is too dangerous for you.” I walk over and hug her.
“It is all the same for you, my father and sister except for Shkelgim. And I did not want to send a hired henchman to finish the job. I wanted to make sure the job would be done.”
“Silent. She will hear us.” Shkelgim growls to us and we all go silent not wanting to risk her hearing us and escaping a third time.
‘How do you want to go about this, father?’ I sign to Kiral.
‘She knows the castle better than anyone. Do we know how many ways in and out of the castle?’ He signs back to me.
Shkelgim signs in response to our conversation. ‘One tower is collapsed, leaving only two towers standing. One is an eastern defensive tower with a chapel and a south facing residential tower where the Countess was bricked up and historically died. It is still possible to walk around her living quarters aka her imprisonment. The roof has long disappeared but the rest remains intact. They are still doing restoration to the castle before it is opened to the public.’
Kiral does not take his eyes off the castle figuring out how to go about cornering and killing her. However he appears to have something else in mind. He turns his head to Shkelgim, asking him in sign language, ‘What is the relationship between you and the Blood Countess?’
‘It was never a good one but we were honest with one another. I am the last person she would expect to see here.’ Shkelgim signs to Kiral.
‘Good. You will go in first to talk to her while we corner her. Do you know where she is in the castle now?’
‘Yes, she is ironically in the chapel of all places.’ Shkelgim has a look of humor on his face.
‘It is fitting for her end. Keep her talking and we will do the rest.’ Kiral signs back to him while not being able to resist in the irony as well.
Shkelgim, Diana and I nod in agreement as he looks to us. Diana and I know he can kill her all by himself but he wants all of us in the credit in finishing her off in the eyes of the Order. Also he held back the two previous times for Lucy’s sake in asking to give Marishka another chance at life. But in doing so, it gave Marishka the opportunity to injury him both times. I see the look in his wolf eyes that he will show her no mercy in there. Plus it is not the exact way I imagined the Blood Countess would be killed however a good one all the same.
‘Ready, my mighty ones?’ Kiral signs to me and Diana.
I close my eyes, allowing my lilac purple power to dimly light up my body like whispered flames. Diana has a hunter green color of her powers on her body. Kiral looks to Shkelgim and his eyes become the piercing red vampire eyes shining in the dark night. Kiral holds his head high before the four of us silently and swiftly walk toward the castle with the mission to kill the Blood Countess. She will not live beyond this night after all she has done.
Author’s Note - Hey everyone! Hopefully the chapter made you feels like you are on the edge of your seat and hit all the right places in feelings. Next chapter to come soon. XOXO – Faith Hammett
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