Jami's Official Disclaimer
Prince Vlad Dracula was a real person, that we all know. What people never talk about is his childhood. Vlad's father handed 14 year old Vlad and his young brother Radu over to a Turkish sultan as hostages. The sultan was a pedophile who raped both Vlad and Radu. Vlad, being rather unattractive, was abused while Radu, later called Radu The Handsome, was coddled.
Some historians like to believe that Vlad was impotent and that's why he was obsessed with impaling. However Vlad was anything but. He enjoyed kidnaping women and tickle tortured them - yes, tickling can be torture and it can be sexually arousing - and raped them. Vlad was rampantly homophobic, no doubt due to his abuse at the hands of the sultan and his fellow perverts. While Radu was openly homosexual.
I do not believe for an instant that pedophiles are homosexual. I know it's a fact that the vast majority of pedophiles are straight, white men. I do believe the majority of homosexuals are born that way while some, like Radu, are made that way because of abuse.
Nor am I homophobic. In fact, if you must know, I am a bisexual female. However Vlad came from a time before Freud. He never had the intensive therapy he needed.
Finally, for those who are going to get all upset over weight issues expressed - I happen to be a fat female and think there's no reason why a fat chick can't be a vampire or a hero.
sticks out her tongue and blows a big wet raspberry So there.
(I had to put that there. Some people have gotten really insulted when I write stories involving fat women and write me hate mail. They seem to think I'm a male. But I'm not.)
There was a satisfying smacking sound as the man was slammed against the wall. The small but chubby hand around his throat clutched tighter. He was shocked. All this time in the gym,
building his muscles until they would give The Rock pause, and this - this short little cow - was holding him up with one hand. She wasn't even breaking a sweat either.
"Are you going to repent your crimes and turn yourself into the police?" She asked, her grey-blue eyes drilling into his. "Are you going to turn over all the names of the monsters you sell to?"
"No." He said, answering honestly though his mind screamed to lie. "Those kids seduced me.
They wanted it. They loved it."
"Bastard." She snarled, fangs flashing just as she released her grip on his throat and instead grabbed his shoulders. Fingers like iron dug into that muscle-bound flesh. Then her fangs punctured his artificially tanned skin.
Pulling away as the pedophile started gasping his last, the vampire pulled out her broadsword and swung. Neatly slicing off his head before the virus could take hold. Then she turned, slamming open the door to the bedroom. A young boy was tied up in front of a video camera. She ripped the ropes off of him and wrapped him in a blanket.
"No one's going to hurt you now." She said, hoping there was no blood in her blond hair. "Now go to the neighbor and get her to call the police. Remember to tell everything." Her eyes drilled into the boy's. Including about me."
Once she saw that the police had arrived Judith slipped into the crowd. Broadsword hidden under her long black leather duster. No one cared about the fat blond. Just the story about the kid. On this warm Californian night one horror was dispatched.
By another horror.
In New York City an old man with long grey hair watched the broadcast for the fifth time. In his hands was a rag and a silver stake which he was polishing. A cigarette dangled from his mouth.
A strong black hand plucked it deftly from between his lips. Crushing it out in his fist, Blade looked down at Whistler.
"I thought you were quitting." The vampire hunter said.
Whistler just motioned to the tv instead of answering. "Another drained and headless body in LA.
I knew the place was full of fuckin' sickos but this takes the cake. Out of the five found so far,
three were pedophiles, one a serial rapist, and one had just murdered a gay man two hours before."
"They want me to know." Blade replied, motioning to the screen where a little boy was talking.
"She had long pointy teeth." The boy said, pointing to his canine teeth. "Right here."
"A trap?" Whistler asked, putting the stake and rag aside. Groaning, he got up and limped towards the tv, flipping it off.
"Maybe." Replied the one the vampires called Daywalker. "It seems too trite. Too Hollywood. A vampire who only kills criminals, who doesn't allow them to rise as a vampire?"
"I agree." Whistler said as he started to fill tiny vials with anti-coagulant. "So when are we leaving for California?"
"Tomorrow." Blade said as he started packing.
The men hooted as they slammed their beers. Grabbing for the white hoods that went with the white sheets they wore. Somewhere in the back bedroom a mother with a livid bruise around her eye coward with her child.
"We'll teach those fags and niggers!" The leader said, laughing.
The door crashed inward. A fat, short blond in a leather duster came sweeping into the room,
followed by a half dozen males of various ethnic groups, also dressed in black leather. All except one had a Klan member to grab, to shove back into their chairs. One of them had grabbed two,
leaving the sixth man free to wander.
"You are sinners who have committed crimes against God and mankind." The woman said,
handing her Klan member over to a Hispanic man. "We're here to give you one last chance to repent and give up your evil and wrong ways."
The leader snorted. "Tell your nigger here to get his fucking hands off me, you fat bitch."
The black man holding him responded by squeezing his shoulder until bones cracked.
"As I was saying," Judith said as she looked into the eyes of each man in turn. "This is your last chance to repent." When silence reined she continued. "Do you think you really all know each other? Hm?" She pointed to one of the men. "This one right here. You all trust him with your kids, but you shouldn't. That blood in your daughter's panties?" She looked to another man.
"He's the one who caused her to bleed. He raped her."
"You fucking bastard!" The second man spoken to shouted, trying to get out of his chair.
"And this one." She continued, ignoring the struggle. "For all his talk about hating Jews - he never bothered to tell you his mother's Jewish. And he was never Baptized so according to Jewish law, he is a Jew. Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to lies and sins." She chuckled. "This is getting a bit too much like a scene from Dogma. Now, are you all going to repent, or die? Well, except for this one, of course." She approached one with a buzz cut. "He's not really a Klan member. He's an undercover police officer - and," she grabbed him by the back of his head, shoving him into a half bent position. "He's one of Morley's slaves." There, on the back of the man's neck was a tiny tattoo that looked like a Chinese symbol.
The answer she got was more silence. Then suddenly the sixth man reappeared, dragging a woman and a child. "Hey, look what I found!" He said with a laugh. "Aren't they sweet?"
The blond darted over to him, taking his hands off the woman and backhanding him. "WE DO NOT HARM INNOCENTS!" She roared.
Three of the men let go of those they were holding, though the released men felt no urge to move after seeing the blond's unnatural speed. They held up the one she just struck.
"Why the fuck not?" He snarled back, the gash on his face healing even as he spoke. "Blood's blood."
"Because they're innocents. They've committed no crime." She turned to the woman, becoming gentle. "Go back into your room. You'll remember nothing beyond your jerk wad of a husband leaving with his evil friends." The woman's eyes grew wider, looking a bit out of it suddenly.
"And next time, marry someone who doesn't beat you. You deserve better. So does your kid."
The woman nodded like a robot and went back to her room with her child.
Judith looked at the one who had dared to bring them out. "You're lucky you didn't kill them."
From her coat she brought out some items. One looked like some big loop of metal with a tube on it, the other like a syringe. She held out the latter to one of the Klan members. "Remove that top.
Go on, give it a good twist." There was a pop as the Klan member obliged. Then she seemed to screw the syringe like thing into the tube of the other. "Large amounts of this can kill us, but small amounts, mixed with our master's blood, can scar."
She slammed the thing onto the cheek of the violator. Pressing the plunger down. The violator screamed and the smell of burnt flesh filling the room. When she pulled the device away there on his cheek was a long dragon, curled to form an upper case D.
"Restrain him and the cop. As for the rest, well, there's more then enough to go around."
Stepping over to the one she had revealed to be a rapist, Judith snatched him up and dug her fangs in.
They tried to escape, but they were no match. The extras were shared and as each died Judith took her sword and removed their heads. The male vampires began to haul the bodies out. The violator and the cop were the last to be taken out.
They drove up into the Hollywood hills. Into a brushy area where people often walked their dogs.
They had taken the cars of the Klan members along with the moving van they used for the bodies.
Unloading the cross the Klan members had planned to burn first. Setting it up. They put the bodies and the heads around it. The cop was brought out.
"Now I know what people will wonder, how you managed to escape alive." Judith said to him.
"And here's the answer." With that she socked him in the chin, causing him to fall and tumble down deep into the brush. Leaving him alive, but out cold. "Alright, take the violator back to master."
The male vampires moved to the van. Then as Judith turned away from the bodies a silver stake struck the dirt at her feet. Looking up, Judith felt a quiver of fear in her gut.
"Go! GO!" She roared to the men, motioning them to leave as she drew her sword. "If I don't return tell master I love him."
The male vampires rushed away as ordered as Judith faced off against Blade. Their swords flashed as the battle began. Blade's samurai-like sword easily sliced through the air, while Judith's heavier broadsword deflected the blows but at a slower rate. Small cuts appearing on her. Though she was not without her minor victories. At one point slicing off part of Blade's ear.
He in return sliced off the pinky on her right hand before knocking the sword from her hands.
Pressing his against her throat.
"What is it you want?" He asked. Even with the sunglasses one could be sure he was glaring at the vampire.
Judith smiled, her cupid's bow lips making an otherwise cold smile warm. "You're smarter then others give you credit for. My master wishes to make a deal with you."
"I don't make deals with vampires."
"Hear me out, please." Judith said, holding up her pinky-less hand. "My master isn't like the others. He believes in strict population control of our kind as well as clearing out the criminal element amongst humans. As you noticed." She motioned to the Klan members. "And since you are the only Daywalker, the only one who tops our kind, master wishes to make more like you.
In exchange for allowing us to clone you and your willingness to breed with the female humans and vampires of your choice, we will give you information about vampire strong holds. You can wipe out entire families of vampires in one fell swoop. You'll also have my master's protection."
Blade snorted. "I'm not an idiot. Your master wants me to do his dirty work. Eliminate his competition."
"No, no." Judith insisted, her eyes widening. "His intentions are completely honorable. If we are allowed to continue to grow unchecked we will soon wipe out the human race. We need more Daywalkers to keep the vampire population in check."
Blade eased off, putting his sword away. Even if her master wasn't telling the truth, he could sense that this vampire believed she was. He watched as she sheathed her own sword. She was unlike any vampire he ever met. For one thing she was, well, fat. She also seemed to have a strong sense of honor. Finally there was something about those eyes. A sadness, like innocence lost.
"Who is your master?" Blade asked.
"Oh Blade, you're smarter then that." The vampire chuckled. "Who else do you know has a preference for the fatties, even in these modern times? Who else would teach the likes of me to use a broadsword?"
It only took a few seconds before Blade answered. "Dracula."
The vampire smiled. "Very good. And I am Judith. His right hand woman, so to speak." From her pocket she withdrew a ring and tossed it to Blade. "When you are ready to listen to our offer,
used that to find us."
Then Judith did something Blade thought was only a story. Something he never saw a vampire do.
She turned into a bat, and flew away.
A few minutes after Blade left the scene, Judith dropped her camouflage. That mental trick had left her with a major headache. However she ignored it to set about her work. Bending down, she retrieved the piece of Blade's ear she had sliced off earlier. Placing it carefully in a plastic bag.
"Master will be most pleased."
"A bat?" The sound of disbelief in Whistler's voice was clear even over the static of the CB radio.
"Are you sure?"
Blade finished disabling the tracking device in the ring. "Yes, I'm sure." He replied before slipping the ring onto his pinky. It would come in handy later. "Either she can turn into a bat - or...."
"She's got mental powers we've never deal with before." Whistler finished. "Which means we can't trust anything she says."
Throwing the car into gear, Blade roared along the pre-dawn streets. "I'm not so sure about that.
There's a sense of honor about her."
"You're not going to fall in love with another blood sucker?"
"Not my type." Blade replied. "Too - beefy and talks way too much. What do you have on Dracula?"
"One sick fucker from a screwed up family." Whistler coughed for a bit, it sounded like he was hacking up a lung. "Ahem. When he was 14 and his brother much younger their father gave them over as hostages to a Turkish sultan with a preference for boys. Vlad, being ugly, was brutally abused and raped while his brother, called Radu The Handsome, was kept more like a pet. Vlad grew up to be violent and homophobic. His idea to solve the problem of homeless in his kingdom was to invite them all to a big feast, then when they were all drunk and sleepy, nail all the doors and windows shut and burn the building down. He was known for impaling people on long stakes.
A little known fact was that he often took peasant girls from their village and tickle tortured them.
Eventually he was killed and his brother Radu, a known homosexual, was made a puppet ruler.
Vlad's body disappeared. Though some claim to have it there's no proof that the bones are really that of Vlad the Impaler."
"In other words his life as a human ended and his life as a vampire began. Born or made, you think?"
There was another brief cough from Whistler. "Defiantly born. His mother rose as one after her death. Though he must've had human traits to begin with since by all evidence his father was human."
"A vampire, not a Daywalker." Blade mulled this over. "Because his mother was a vampire, you think?"
"You're not seriously considering their offer, are you Erik?" It wasn't often that Whistler used Blade's real name. The fact he did showed how he felt at the thought.
"It gets lonely, Whistler. I can't say the offer isn't tempting."
"Just try not to give into it." Whistler replied.
Pulling herself to the edge of the blood pool, Judith played with her regrown pinky. Arising from the blood behind her was Dracula. He was oddly handsome with a large roman nose, lips that were neither too full or too thin, and wavy brown hair. Placing his hands on Judith's bare shoulders, he began to kiss her neck. His hands slid down lower under the blood, resting on her hips.
"I love these hips." He murmured, his voice deep and milky, like velvet speaking. "Wide hips,
good for bearing strong sons."
"Talk more to me." Judith whispered.
"About what? And how?" Dracula teased, his accent changing with each example, a perfect imitation. "A totally wacked out surfer dude? A proper English man? A salt of the earth Irish man? Perhaps you'd prefer a French man? Or does my chere wish de hot, sultry tones of a Cajun man?"
"I don't care how or about what. Just talk. Or let me talk a lot. Just don't let there be silence."
Judith turned and wrapped her arms around Dracula's neck, pressing close to him as they floated in the pool of blood. "I can't stand silence."
"Ah, Judith, my love." Dracula stroked her blood soaked hair. "There shall never be silence between us. Now feed from me. We shall make strong sons and daughters who will rule for all time."
Gentle waves filled the blood pool as Judith fed from her master and lover. As it happened he spoke to her.
"Ah my dearest one. We are two of a kind, our innocence taken by evil men. Only we can understand each other." He kept speaking like this until they were finished. Then both left the blood pool and went to bathe.
"What did you do with the violator?" Judith asked as she finished dressing.
Weaving his fingers through her wet hair, Dracula jerked her head towards him, catching her mouth in a cold kiss. "The same thing I'll do to you if you ever betray me, if you ever take Blade's cure." With that he dragged her to a tv screen and pressed a button, holding her hair as the screen was filled with an image of the violator, impaled on a wooden stake. It didn't go through his heart so he was still alive, gasping as the stake slowly came out of his mouth.
Stained red from his perforate insides. He was squirming and gagging. Then the first rays of dawn touched him and he started to scream around the stake as his skin was burned from him. Judith tried to turn her head away but Dracula jerked it back around. "Watch." He began to caress her face with his free hand. Drawing near to whisper into her ear. "Remain loyal, my pet."
"Yes, master." Judith whispered, trembling as he kissed her ear. When he let her go and walked away, Judith cried.
"Get away from me, you fucking bastards." The hooker snarled even as she was backed against the alley wall. Still the five men pressed in closer, laughing. "I mean it!"
"I mean it." One mocked. "Stupid cattle." He smiled, revealing sharp fangs.
As they pressed in to attack, someone fell in between them and the hooker, causing them to jump back. It was an over weight blond woman in a black leather duster. "You dare hunt innocents in Vlad Dracul's territory?"
"You call this slut an innocent?" One of the vampires snorted.
Judith drew her sword. "Except for trying to feed her child with ill gotten money, this woman has done no wrong. Under Dracul's laws she is an innocent. Is it not enough you hunt in Dracula's territory without permission?" She moved the woman behind her so that she was capable of running away. "Go. And for goodness sakes get a different job, you're too good for this line of work."
The hooker ran and when the vampires made move to follow, Judith sliced the head off of one.
The remaining four fell back, sneering. The first one speaking again. "Why should we do what Vlad's fat whore says? Get her."
Judith had a sword, but they had guns and iron pipes. She was riddled with bullets from two as she tried to fend off the blows of the other two. The bullets didn't leave lasting injuries, but the constant healing weakened her.
"Come on!" One of them shouted. "If we catch her Morley will pay us royally!"
Just as Judith thought they were going to get the best of her, the one who just spoke screamed.
His head swelling. Something was sticking out of the back of his neck. Then he exploded.
The remaining three paused. There at the other end of the alley stood a vison in black. With a tiny grin, Blade pulled forth his sword. One of the remaining gun holders shot at him but Blade was too quick. Moving out of the way like quick silver. His sword easily slicing the vampire's body in two. Cutting right across the chest so the heart was struck. The vampire crumbled into dust.
Not entirely stupid the other two made to run. However one crumbled to dust as Blade's silver boomerang sliced his head off. The other found himself cut off at the knees - literally. Judith stood over him, glaring, then she raised her broadsword and sliced his head off.
"Thanks." Judith said before leaning against the wall. "Fucking bastards." Her clothing was riddled with bullet holes and her face paler then usual. It took obvious effort to put her sword away. "Great, and I just fed. Damn it."
Blade said nothing, just stood there watching her.
"Please, I hate silence. Either speak or I'll end up babbling to fill in the quiet." There was a note of pleading in her voice.
Finally, Blade spoke. "Come on." He took her elbow and helped her down the alleyway, putting her into his car.
"Why don't you just kill me like you do others?" Judith asked, trying to fill in the silence like she threatened.
"Because you're different." The one called Daywalker said.
"Buddy, you have no idea."
"You had to go and bring home another fucking stray. A blood sucking stray at that!" Whistler was irate. Slamming his hand down on the table where parts from the UV grenades sat. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Blade decided not to answer and instead finished preparing the injection. Walking over to where Judith sat. She had been strapped down as he often was and a wedge of rubber stuck in her mouth. Her duster had been removed and she was wearing a black t-shirt now. Blade injected the serum into her arm and Judith began to convulse as he often did. He knew how she felt and held her head in his hands until it was done.
"Better?" He asked as she spat the rubber out.
"Yeah." Judith mumbled before taking several deep, cleansing breaths. "That's what you go through every day?"
"Just about." Blade replied as he freed her.
"Well, anyway I'm glad we found each other." Getting up Judith began to go through her duster until she found what she was looking for. A rolled packet of papers. "They're a bit small but I thought you'd trust these more then a computer disk. No threat of a computer virus. Blue prints to Morley's citadel. Now, if you look here, he's got a sprinkler system incase of fire that's hooked up to a central water tank. I thought maybe you could contaminate it with high doses of silver nitrate and garlic juice. Then just when they start to rise you can set it off and if not kill them outright as least weaken them so it would be easier to take them out."
"We don't need any vampire hunting ideas or help from you." Whistler sneered.
Judith's eyes looked down to the floor and she visibly flinched. "It was just a thought." She muttered in an injured tone.
Whistler just snorted. "Whatever, Bloodsucker."
Very softly, Judith whispered something.
"What was that?" Whistler asked, looking even madder if it was possible.
Judith looked up. "I said my name is Judith Cromwell, not Bloodsucker. And you don't know anything about me so you can't stand there in judgement of me."
"I know you're a vampire. That's enough." Replied the old man. "We should just stake you."
"You think I wanted this?!" Judith suddenly looked angry. "You don't even bother to ask, you just make judgements. You know why I'm a vampire, you fucking anal retentive son of a bitch? I was raped! I was raped and Dracula was the only one who'd come to my rescue. I screamed for help. I pleaded. And instead of help people shut their windows. All the while that silent bastard raped me, violated me. And who saved me in the end? Vlad Dracul, that's who. He killed the monster who took my power, my pride, my innocence. But Dracula gave that back to me. He gave me back my control. Then he took me for his bride above all others. He helped me develop my unknown mind powers so now I can separate the truly guilty from the innocent. But if I could be human again I would be. To see roses in sunlight. To taste chocolate again. So don't stand there judging me. We're not all the same."
There was silence. Whistler could think of nothing to say. Blade was a man of few words. Judith was just trying not to cry.
"Please don't be quiet." She said, much calmer now. "I can't stand quiet. He was quiet. Never said a word. Never even grunted. Just breathed. Heavy breaths. I don't think he could make a sound. Silence reminds me of him. Talk. Yell at me. Insult me. I don't care. Just don't let there be silence."
Turning to the radio, Whistler turned it on and hiked the volume up full force. Judith sighed in relief. And Blade began to study the blue prints she had given him.
Several blocks from their base, Whistler removed the blindfold from Judith's eyes. Though he knew she could probably find it easily anyway.
"You still think I should be staked." Judith said.
Whistler grunted then began to cough heavily before lighting up a cigarette before Judith pulled it out of his mouth and crushed it out. "Fuck you." Whistler said. "Fucking whiney bloodsucker.
You may have Blade eating our of your hand but I don't trust you farther then I can throw you.
For all we know you used your mind powers on us to make us believe you were raped when you weren't."
Judith looked upset and hurt. Hands curled into fists, body shaking. "Is it really me you hate, my kind you abhor, Whistler," she whispered, "or is it yourself for not being able to save your family?" Like a shark she circled around him, her eyes never leaving him. "You stopped living when they did, didn't you? Is that fair to them? Do you think they'd want that? That they'd want to see you stop being a man, slowly kill yourself with cigarettes? Your cancer is back, Whistler.
All because you started smoking again." Grabbing his shoulder in an iron like grip, she pulled him against her, wrapping one arm around his waist, pressing his back against her chest. Her hand going into his grizzled hair and yanking his head to the left. Whispering into his ear. "It won't bring them back. Hate us all you want. Die if you want. They'll never return to you. You're not being fair to their memory."
Fangs pierced Whistler's throat. He tried to fight her off. He struggled. But she held him in such a way he couldn't get to the vampire mace in his inside jacket pocket. His hands fluttered like trapped birds. Then he felt himself going, changing. The virus taking hold even quicker then it did last time. He was aware of her blood in his mouth. Making the virus get him tight in it's grip. He felt his lungs burning as the cancer was killed off. He was on his knees, coughing up huge chunks of diseased lungs as healthy parts grew.
Then a needle appeared before his vampire eyes. "I'm sorry, Whistler, but we need you to live a long, healthy life as much as we need Blade. Someone has to keep our species in check."
Judith injected the cure. Having stolen several bottles of it. Over and over again she forced it into him. Making sure it started wiping out the vampire virus before she vanished from his sight.
The sun came up on Whistler, shining off the crumpled remains of his cigarette pack, the crushed lighter. Slowly he pulled himself up and looked into the sun, feeling only it's warmth. "Second fucking time I've been turned into a vampire and the bitch didn't give it enough time to let my fucking leg heal."
Limping, Whistler headed back to base.
With the blue prints it was almost ridiculously easily to get into Morley's citadel. Blade filled the tank with silver nitrate and garlic extract just like Judith had suggested. Next he hit the supplies of bagged blood. Sneaking past the human guards. He didn't have time to taint them all, but random ones.
He could sense when the sun was going down. Returning to the tank and the control center, he waited until he could hear the faint stirrings of the vampires below. Then he set it off.
Screams filled the citadel. It was almost no challenge to go through killing the vampires rushing through, their flesh melting off their bones. At one point Blade yawned in boredom. The humans running around were easy to deal with too. He easily knocked them out. Some of the vampires fed on the human slaves in an attempt to heal themselves, but all that managed to do was either the vampire was in one place long enough to be burned up and the human would die and then be burned as the virus took hold, or Blade would chop both their heads off.
One human caught the vampire hunter's eye. A cop with a fading bruise on his face. It was the man Blade had seen Judith knock out the night he first met her. Blade took off after him,
following him down a stair case that appeared behind a wall. Here there was no deadly sprinklers.
There were few vampires here that had retreated. In better health then the others they put up a bigger fight. But in the end Blade won. Not without a few injuries, however.
Bleeding a bit, Blade finally got through the vampires and to the end of the stairs. Here he could smell of the stench of a blood pool. Where older purebloods spent their days. Born vampires eventually grew to look like Count Orlock in the silent movie Nosferatu. Some sooner then others. Blood pools kept them alive.
Morley didn't look that way yet. However he was one of the younger ones who used the blood pool as more of a preventative then anything. Though the redheaded vampire knew what was going on he sat in the pool as if he was in a jacuzzi.
"And now the end is near, and so I face, the final curtain." Morley sang as he saw Blade. Even though Morley had lived in America since the Pilgrims first landed he still had his lower class English accent. Just not as heavy as it once must've been. "Well, Blade," Morley said, "did you have fun?"
"Rather boring, actually." Blade answered, looking at the cop behind Morley.
"Hm, I would expect that." Morley replied. "So tell me, since when is the mighty Blade Dracul's bitch?"
Blade sneered. "I don't serve Dracula. I saved his whore, she paid me back."
"Ah yes, poor Judith, the fat, whiney cow. Such a stupid fool. Actually believes what old Vlad tells her." Morley picked at his nails. "So much power in such a weak mind."
Snorting, Blade said, "I suppose you're going to tell me he set her up to be raped so he could save her."
Laughing, Morley shook his head. "No. I set it up. Dracula just stepped in on my plan." He looked up at Blade, looked up with Judith's eyes. "Judith is my blood, Blade. Descended from the children I had when I was still human. There was vampire blood in her veins but the human has won out in most of the family. However in her it created a flub, a freak of nature. Giving her those mental powers. I wanted to come in as the hero. Save her. Play the part of loving ancestor. But a spy told Vlad about her and he got there while getting me distracted elsewhere." Morley hauled himself out of the blood. Stepping into an awaiting robe. "So, Blade, shall you do Dracul's dirty work?" Holding his arms out, Morley waited.
Blade sheathed his sword and shook his head just a smidge. "Nah." He said. "But I will complete the work he started."
With that Blade spun, the vampire was completely silent. Blade had no doubt that this had once been the man who raped Judith because even as he opened his mouth, Blade to see that the vampire's tongue, when he was human, had been removed. Likewise there were scars all over the vampire's throat that showed his voice box had been ripped out.
Blade ducked the incoming fist and drove the first stake in the offending organ. The vampire opened his mouth in a silent scream. The second stake went into his throat, then Blade finished it with a dose of anti-coagulant. Blade jumped clear of the resulting explosion, one of his silver knives finding the heart of the cop.
"Just so you won't have a fresh meal at hand." Blade said with a grin before removing his sword and cleanly slicing off both of Morley's legs. "Sorry to cut things short."
"Bad joke, Blade, unworthy of you." Morley said as Blade exited. "Great, here I am without a leg to stand on and he didn't even stay long enough for me to do a Monty Python line." Morley looked around. "Fuck, all alone - oh well - "TIS ONLY A FLESH WOUND!" There, I feel better."
"Where have you been?" Vlad snarled as he burst into the medical room. Grabbing Judith by the hair he yanked her off the bed where the human doctor had been examining her. "Well?"
Judith tried not to whimper. "Morley's men attacked me. Blade saved me. I got home just before dawn and decided not to disturb you. Please, Master, don't...."
Vlad let go of her hair and backhanded her, sending Judith sprawling. The doctor tried to stop him but Dracula knocked him aside and yanked Judith up by her hair. "Do you know how worried I was?!" He shouted. "I thought you had been killed or you abandoned me. You inconsiderate bitch!" He flung her at the wall.
Judith put her hands down to protect her stomach. Last night she had been so careful that she wouldn't be shot or hurt down there. Tonight she had no protection. "Master please." She turned to face him, hands over her stomach. "Don't...."
Lips curled back in rage, Vlad moved towards Judith. "I'll impale you, you slut, if you've slept with him. No one betrays me. No one fucks around on Prince Vlad Dracula!"
The doctor moved in between them. Holding his hands up. "Would you murder the child you wanted for so long, your highness?"
Dracula paused, looking from the doctor to Judith who cradled her stomach. The rage drained from him. "She's - you're sure? Oh Judith. My love, my dearest." Now Vlad was all gentleness as he walked over and cradled her head in his hands. "Can you forgive me? When you didn't come I was so worried. Sick with worry." He pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, Master." Judith whispered hoarsely. "I understand. But I would never betray you,
never cheat on you. You're my only love, my hero, my knight in shining armor."
Vlad pulled her close, caressing her hair, looking at the doctor with a smile. Step one was complete.
After Judith had left it was Vlad's turn to be examined. Sitting naked on the table he had to very much control himself as the human doctor poked and prodded him. His body shook. Even after all these centuries he still remembered what the Sultan and his men did to him.
"Well?" He snapped as he pulled his clothing back on.
The doctor looked grave. "It's getting worse, my lord. We've only managed to slow it down. I'm sorry."
Vlad closed his eyes. He had known it was getting worse. He could feel the pain. The process of the degrading of his body had begun. On his back the grey flesh had begun to take over. "Are we sure this process will work?"
"Frost was successful with raising the Blood God, my lord." The doctor replied. "There's no reason to believe this won't work just as well."
"And you are certain it will be a boy?" Vlad asked.
"She's only about a week along," the doctor replied. "But I gave her an injection that will start the testosterone washes that change female fetuses into males."
"Good." Vlad smiled lustfully. "She's going to get fatter. Ah, don't look so disgusted, good doctor. You don't understand - this obsession with thin women is what is wrong and sick. You humans have forgotten the warm, yielding flesh of a woman with meat on her bones. Not to mention even naked your thin ones still look like boys where the fat ones look like women."
Vlad shifted a bit, he'd have to pay a visit to one of his concubines before feeding tonight. "And the other treatments?"
"I've already begun them with the cloned samples from the Daywalker's flesh." The doctor replied. "As we speak the cells are taking hold."
"Good," Vlad headed for the door. "Remember to shield your mind so she doesn't know what we're up to." Once out of the doctor's rooms, Vlad headed down to one of the rooms forbidden to Judith. Inside was a number of females. Vlad smiled and took the plumpest one by the hand.
"Come, my dear, and please your lord and master."
"You've been doing this for weeks." Whistler grumbled as he removed the straps from Blade's arms. Putting away the serum injector. "When are you going after Dracula himself?"
"When I'm ready." Blade replied.
They had been here two months now. Each night Judith and Blade met briefly. She gave him information on another vampire and how to get into their hideouts, their nests and citadels.
Blade would use the information to get in and kill all the vampires. Sometimes he came out severely injured. Sometimes he came out without a scratch. No matter how he came out he never left until he wiped out every vampire. Morley was the only one he left alive. Blade never told Judith what he knew. Including that he knew what she did to Whistler.
"And the offer of the - mates?" Whistler fished, trying to see if Blade was tempted.
Blade looked at Whistler. "I turned her down again." Flexing his hands, Blade finally said, "I am lonely, Whistler. I won't lie to you about that. The thought of having a family, children, is very tempting, but I wouldn't wish this existence on anyone."
"Guess I'll never be a grandfather then." Quipped the old man. Secretly relieved and disappointed at the same time. If only Blade had let it work out with that woman doctor.... Ah well, no use crying over split milk. "Are you going to kill Judith in the end, or cure her?"
"That," replied Blade as he went to meditate, "is up to her."
"Kids today." Whistler grumbled.
Judith always felt sick after the treatments. She knew they were necessary to make sure she had a boy. Still, they made her feel ill. Dizzy. Sometimes she couldn't hold down the blood of the criminals she fed on until she got to the second or third one.
Every child when first developing in the womb started off as a female. Which was why men had nipples. Testosterone washes started after awhile, changing the developing fetus into a male. It was believed that if something messed up the washes like stress or diet that was what caused men to feel they were meant to be women or vise versa.
However Judith ignored her feelings of nausea. Tonight she was on a mission. Ahead of her was her master. Hunting. She watched as he lured a young gay man into an alley. Judith scanned the man's mind.
He was an innocent!
Dracula fed brutally. Judith could hardly bear to watch. Then he waited until the virus was taking hold and chopped off the victim's head. The body crumbling instantly.
Judith remained behind as Vlad moved on. Tears coming to her eyes. Vlad was most vulnerable to mind reading when he was feeding. She had gotten into his head. Once she got past the violent memories of his rape at the hands of the Turks who once held him she saw the truth. All these years he had been lying to her. He didn't care about innocents. He didn't care about controlling the vampire population. He didn't love her.
Quickly, Judith headed the other direction. She had to see Blade.
Vlad tried to shake off the memories. Yet feeding on Sodomites always brought the memories to the for front.
"Ugly, isn't he?" The Sultan laughed as Vlad was brought before him. "Not at all like his pretty little brother."
Radu sat next to the Sultan, the little boy dressed almost like a woman. The Sultan was stroking Radu's fine brown hair as the boy ate almonds dipped in honey.
"Still, he's got fine flesh." The Sultan was saying, his piggish eyes looking lustfully at the naked 14 year old's body. "Have you ever been fucked, boy? No. Then allow me to introduce you to the pleasures of the flesh."
Vlad tried to fight them off as he was bent over the table. Tried not to cry out. As the Sultan grunted over him Vlad stared at his baby brother. Radu was smiling.
"They'll give you sweets." The little boy said. "It hurts but they give you sweets afterwards."
Vlad snarled, shoving the memory away. Soon he'd have a new life all together.
"I tried to tell him," Judith was saying as she stared out over the city. "I brought back books on the subject, FBI statistics. The vast majority of pedophiles are straight, not gay, not even the ones who prefer to rape boys are gay. Even those monsters in NAMBLA aren't homosexuals. But it's hard to get over 600 years of beliefs to go away over night." Looking back at Blade she said,
"And that's not all. He's got some plan for my baby. I can't tell what but it has to do with you and him and something Frost translated along with how to summon the blood god."
"Bigotry and racism are hard things to get out of one. Especially one as old as Vlad." Blade replied.
For a moment Judith looked at him, startled. Then, "I forgot you were black." When Blade raised an eyebrow at her she continued, "Most vampires, except for ones like Vlad and a few from the Nazi party left over from World War 2 don't care about things like skin color, sexuality, or religion. We know that everyone bleeds the same. It's only born and made vampires they care about. Pure bloods."
Blade let this sink it. "It doesn't surprise me that he has plans for your baby either. The question is what those plans are."
Nervously, Judith said, "Blade, that first night we met, when I cut off part of your ear - I took it for DNA samples. I knew you'd never willingly give your DNA or take a mate...."
"I know." Blade interrupted. "I've known all along, Judith. Just like I know you made Whistler into a vampire then cured him to stop his cancer from killing him." There was a moment of silence. "You should've healed his leg too. He's been a grouch."
"What's new about that?" Judith asked, relieved that these secrets were out.
"Now he's taking it out on the weapons." Blade held up a silver stake that had been ground down on one side so it would never fly straight. "Do it again and this stake's for you."
"I'd rather have a V-8." Quipped Judith.
"Every vampire's a comedian." Growled Blade. "And about as funny as Carrot Top. Come on,
introduce me to Vlad."
"Master?" Judith said, her voice properly demure. "May I present, Blade?"
Stepping forward, Blade cut and impressive figure. The black leather trench coat he wore swirling at the bottom. His eyes unseen behind the black sunglasses, yet every vampire there could swear they felt their burning touch. From the top of his head to the tip of his boots, Blade was every inch an intimidating yet undeniably sexy man. He bowed before Vlad Dracula, which caused whispers. Blade bowing before a vampire?
"So good to see you have some manners after all, Blade." Vlad said from his throne. The over sized chair was made of human bones dipped in gold and covered in leather made of human skin.
Skulls stared with ruby eyes from the ends of the arm rests and the top of throne. The feet were literally feet - foot bones dipped in gold, each toe studded with a diamond. Vlad himself was dressed all in black silk. It rustled softly as he moved. "Judith, my queen, come sit next to your master."
Keeping her eyes cast downwards, Judith came and sat in a smaller, more modest throne made of wood and velvet. Allowing Vlad to take her hand and hold it like if he owned it. "Are you pleased, master?"
"Very pleased." Vlad said in a mock loving manner as he kissed the palm of her hand.
Why hadn't she seen through it before now? Judith wanted to cry when she thought of all those years she wasted loving this - creature. Allowing him to use her body and mind for his own twisted ends.
"Now," Vlad said, rising, "come, both of you. I have much to show you." Clutching Judith's hand, he pulled her to her feet. Motioning to Blade to follow. Both did as he walked down the dias the thrones rested on and through a door near the back of the hall. The other vampires remaining behind.
They walked down a long hall, the floor slanting slightly so Blade knew they were going underground gradually. There were twists and turns, now Blade felt lost. He wasn't sure he'd ever make it back. Though he did not betray that on his face. When he saw Judith looking back at him he knew she felt the same.
"We've never been down this way, Master." Judith said in a shaking voice.
They entered a room and Blade barely had time to react as two very big vampires jerked his arms behind his back. He was stripped of his weapons and he saw the same was happening to Judith.
He was also stripped of his trench coat and shirt.
Judith was restrained against an upright table, grunting with effort as she tried to break her metal bonds.
"I wouldn't, my dear." Vlad said. "Those are titanium, one layer folded unto another - and just incase you do succeed, each is loaded with enough silver nitrate to burn your hands and feet off permanently." Walking over, Vlad caught her face between her hands and kissed her hard,
forcing her mouth open. Her body shaking as he abused her mouth with his. When Vlad pulled away there was blood on both their lips. "Well," Vlad said as he wiped the blood away with a hanky, "I suppose like a Bond villain, I must now explain my plans. Strap him down, would you?"
Blade found himself put against a table like Judith's. Bands of titanium put not just around his ankles and wrists, but also his chest and neck. He also felt against his back as a portion of the table was removed. Just a small square foot.
Vlad was stripping himself off. "La Magra isn't our only legend." The vampire lord said as he took off his clothing. "Nor is it the only thing Frost translated. The problem with being a vampire,
especially a born one, is unlike the Hollywood myths, we're not unchanging." With that Vlad turned his back to them, removing his pants. There on the small of his back, splashing down his right butt cheek, all down his right leg was a patch of grey-white flesh. Discolored and lumpy,
there were also small cracks in it that oozed blood and puss. Vlad was in obvious pain now as he turned and sat down in a cold steel chair. "I could bathe in all the blood I want, even vampire blood, and all it will do is slow it down. This is not an option."
"Release me and give me my weapons. I'll take care of it for you." Blade said, glaring. Someone had removed his sunglasses and now everyone could see his burning gaze.
Vlad chuckled. "You'll help, Blade, but not how you think." He motioned to a human doctor who was preparing a very long, wicked looking needle. "You see, Frost translated a little part that I found very interesting. A part that will allow a pure blooded vampire transfer their mind and soul into the mind of another. Especially that of unborn babies." He smiled a reptilian smile at Judith.
"If I had known my experiments in breeding would've led to this moment I probably would've been a bit more selective. Ever since I came to America I've been conducting all sorts of experiments. You've heard of course, the stories of British colonies disappearing and blond haired, blue eyed Indians appearing nearby. That was my doing. Then Morley came to America.
Still human at that time."
Vlad shifted in his seat and Blade growled out. "Very interesting, now could you at least put on some boxers?"
The vampire chuckled and made no move to cover himself. Instead he seemed to shift himself so everything was even more visible. "Judith has never seen this despite how many times it's been inside her. Let her have the pleasure. Strap her head down so she stops looking away." Vlad looked angry now, for Judith had been adverting her gaze. Once the titanium band was around her forehead, focusing her eyes forward, Vlad continued. "I very selectively bred Morley though he didn't know it. Then each of his children and their children. Some became vampires, some did not.
It was just a hobby, mind. Then Judith's father was born. He interested me for some reason.
Much more intelligent then most of Morley's family. And then I saw Judith's mother. A human destined to never be a vampire like Judith's father, but with vampire blood in her all the same. It would interest you to know, Blade, that Judith is descended on her mother's side from the same vampire that made Deacon Frost. In the convoluted way of the Children Of Lilith, you're related." Vlad gave them a moment to digest this. "And when Judith was born with her powers I knew I had to have her. I waited until the right moment - when Morley found out about her and launched his plan to have her raped so he could rescue her, making her loyal to him. I made sure he was -
detained and took over his plan."
Judith glared at Vlad. Cold, raw hate curled in her gut. "Bastard."
Vlad just smiled. "Then Frost sought to summon the blood god and you defeated him, Blade. I made sure to get my hands on Frost's files. I found the transference ritual. I decided that I wouldn't go into any body but the body of someone with the potential for great power. Judith's DNA would provide the mind powers - and your's, Blade, would provide the rest. Which is why I convinced Judith I want to make an entire race of Daywalkers to keep the vampire population under control. The sample of your flesh started it. Now we need one more thing from you to finish it."
By this time the human doctor had gone around behind Blade with his needle. There was a painful stab into Blade's back.
"Stem cells." The doctor said. "Fresh ones. Cloned and injected repeatedly into the uterus,
preferably the umbilical cord. They'll attach to the fetus and grow. Making the baby inside a Daywalker like you."
"And I shall be the most powerful vampire on earth." Vlad said. "Not only able to read and even to an extent control minds, but able to walk in the day light. To penetrate the hiding places of my enemies and kill them as they sleep. I shall be the undisputed lord of all vampires."
"Maybe once you get out of diapers," Judith snarled. "If you're allowed to live that long."
Chuckling, Vlad stood and allowed a robe to be slipped onto him. "Nice try, my dear, but until adulthood I shall be carefully hidden away. A fresh start. A body that had never been violated...."
"So that's what this is really about." Blade said in a cold tone. "Trying to recapture your childhood because some pedophile screwed up your head. You need therapy, not a new body."
Vlad paused, his shoulders hunched up. Then suddenly he let out a roar and smashed a nearby set of empty beakers. "You don't know what it's like! You don't know what they did to me. Passing me around like a bottle of wine. Making me do the most degrading things. While my little brother was treated like a favored pet." For a moment Vlad stared at the broken glass. "Start the treatments. I need to prepare for the ritual."
"Alright, start cloning that set of stem cells." The doctor said to his assistants. "I'll start drawing more."
Whistler was worried. Blade hadn't checked in for hours now. The old man began to load up on weapons. Limping along as he headed for a beat up looking van. "Damn that boy anyway.
Letting me worry sick like this."
As Whistler sat in the driver's seat Morley wrapped his arm around the old man's neck. "You should learn to lock your doors, my friend." Morley pulled a little tighter. "Now, now, don't stick that nasty old anti-coagulant in me. I'm here to help you rescue Blade."
"One thing we found," the doctor said as he injected Judith yet again, "is that a vampire fetus grows at an accelerated rate when stem cells from another are added. We've experimented on Prince Dracula's pregnant concubines. So by the time we're ready for the ritual the fetus should be developed to the equivalent of what it would be at the 7th month. Then by the time it's finished you should be ready to give birth."
"And what happens to Judith?" Blade asked. Looking at his - was she his cousin? Or maybe his aunt? He wasn't sure.
"She'll come through fine." The doctor replied. "She's needed anyway until the child is weaned."
Which meant one thing. Once the baby was weaned Judith would be killed. Blade had a feeling he'd be killed today after all of this.
A vampire entered, she was a female, the first female vampire Blade had seen here. She was fatter then Judith with long red hair. Dressed like a woman from Vlad's time. "We're ready."
The tables tilted until they were down. Judith and Blade started to be wheeled out. Blade heard Judith gnashing her teeth. He saw bags of blood being passed over his head. He could only assume for Judith.
He was right. The rapid development of the baby inside her had caused Judith to go animalistic.
Blood was poured down her throat and ran down her face. Her arms were loaded with IV needles and so where her legs, directly injecting blood into her. Yet she thrashed against her bonds all the same, forgetting in her madness of thirst about the threat of silver nitrate should her bonds be broken.
They found themselves in a stone chamber. It was just a plain chamber. Blade knew they were very deep underground. Dampness seeped in around the stones. The place was ice cold and smelled of mold and mildew.
Judith was removed from the table and Blade's head was released so he could turn it and look.
He watched her thrashing wildly. Her belly growing before his very eyes. She was chained to a large stone alter. Vlad stood next to it along with several females of various colors, but all fat. These ones were humans and were dressed in white. They looked frightened and as one moved a bit Blade realized their hands had been tied behind their backs and they were chained to the floor.
Vlad began to chant in the tongue of vampires. Words that were chilling even if you didn't understand the meaning. Then he asked, "You're sure they are all virgins?"
"We have checked them, my lord," the female vampire from before replied. "They are intact and have never known a man."
Vlad moved behind the first, yanking her head back. "Such a waste. Oh well." With a sharp,
curved bone dagger, he sliced open the first virgin's throat and allowed the blood to spurt all over himself and Judith. Chanting again. The temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
For the first time ever, even the last two times his blood had been drained from his body, Blade felt utterly helpless.
"I can't believe I'm trusting a blood sucker." Whistler grumbled to himself even as he and Morley dispatched two vampire guards silently. Well, silently except for Whistler's grumbles. They had climbed onto the roof of the building, well, Morley had climbed. Whistler he had carried.
"Would you be quiet?" Morley grunted, stumbling a bit on his freshly regrown legs. "Now hand me one of those UV grenades." Once Whistler had done so, Morley dropped it down a shaft and moved behind a large piece of stone that contained an emergency hiding spot incase a vampire was caught outside when the sun was starting to rise.
There was a burst of light and faint screams. Once it was out Morley came out only to find himself punched in the face by Whistler.
"What if Judith was down there?" Whistler snarled, looking ready to kill Morley.
The vampire just shrugged. "Why would you care? One less vampire, right?"
"Right." Whistler grumbled, waiting as Morley opened up the shaft and slipped down inside.
"I've got to get a wheelchair." He quipped for the millionth time before sliding in after Morley.
Morley fought like his must have back during the revolutionary war. Though he had been a vampire then too, he had revealed to Whistler that he fought on the side of the Americans. Not for any high ideals but because one of his enemies was fighting on the side of the British. Morley used the landscape of the building to hide and protect him as he attacked various vampires. Whistler couldn't do Morley's lunges and rolls, but he did the best he could.
It wasn't like they got out of the rooms they went through uninjured. But Morley was having fun and Whistler was on a mission. This kept them going.
That was until they got into Vlad's harem room. Female vampires lounged around dressed in various outfits. And every last one of them had a weight problem. One must've been close to 400 pounds. The thinnest being about 170.
"So it's really true." Morley said as he looked at the female vampires. "Vlad really does like them porky."
"Nothing wrong with a gal with some flesh on her bones." Whistler said as the women started to close in around them. "My own wife was 160. Nothing like it to keep you warm in the winter.
But this is a bit out of hand."
Vampire and mortal stood back to back. They couldn't use a UV grenade, Morley would be caught in the blast and Whistler would be alone.
"Don't get me wrong," Morley said as he raised his gun and realized he had no bullets left. "I like a gal with a little extra flesh. Back in my day a woman had to have some meat if she expected to get married. Whistler, do you have any ammo left?"
"No." Whistler said.
"Ladies," Morley said, doing his best to put on the charm. "Um - take us to your leader?"
The heaviest one laughed. "Morley, darling," she cooed. "We've been expecting you."
Blade felt sick as the last virgin was killed. He had tested his bonds and found they were too strong even for him. Dracula and Judith were both soaked in blood. Her belly moved. Now she was about ready to deliver. She had stopped screaming. Now her eyes just stared blankly back at Blade. Her face slack.
Then, just before her water broke, she winked at him.
Her screams of labor filled the chamber as the door opened again. Blade turned his head.
Whistler and Morley were led in by a bunch of fat female vampires.
"Ah, the final part of our sacrifice is here." Vlad said. "Bring him."
Two vampiresses grabbed Morley's arms and dragged him to the altar. Whistler was dragged too but he was stood next to Blade. They watched as Morley was stripped of his shirt and Vlad carved a symbol into Morley's chest with a silver knife. Morley gritted his teeth, refusing to scream.
When Vlad was done Morley reached into his pocket and produced a crude and crumpled paper cut out of a parrot. He slapped this against Vlad's chest, the blood making it stick, and shouted,
"I wish to register a complaint!"
Vlad snarled. "Enough with your damn Monty Python routines! We're not here to reenact the dead parrot sketch!" He reached down to pull the paper parrot off of himself.
Even Judith's screams as the baby demanded out suddenly stopped. Morley grabbed the knife from Vlad and began to stab him repeatedly. They struggled for Morley hadn't pierced the heart.
Vampires moved in to try and help but Whistler raised his gun and shot them all.
"I thought you were out of ammo!" Morley shouted even as he wrestled with Vlad on the floor.
"I lied." Whistler replied, blowing away the female vampires. Then he set about freeing Blade.
"How'd you manage to keep your weapons?" Blade had to ask even as he sat up, rubbing his wrists.
Whistler blushed. "I bribed the biggest one with a kiss."
"I didn't need to know that." Blade swung off and took a gun from Whistler.
There really wasn't that many vampires left. It was almost too easy. Soon the only ones left were Vlad and Morley, still wrestling on the floor, and Judith who was screaming again. Whistler looked and turned pale.
"It's breech." He said.
Blade unchained Judith who grabbed for something in Blade's pocket.
"Wait!" She screamed at Whistler even as he moved to try and see if he could turn the baby around. Though her hand shook she managed to yank a capped needle from Blade's pocket.
"Inject me."
"Judith." Blade began.
"INJECT ME, BLADE! Before it's born! I can't do it!" She started to scream again.
Inside the needle was the cure, made 100 times more powerful. Blade had planned on giving it to her after killing Vlad. They had never planned on this. Now he drove the needle home and injected the cure into her. He only hoped that despite the fact the baby was almost out it would still affect it.
Morley shouted in triumph as the knife finally found Vlad's heart. Whistler's hand plunged inside of Judith, moving to turn the baby around. And Blade held a convulsing Judith down.
As the baby was pulled into the world, screaming his little head off, the last of Vlad's vampires burst into the room. One holding Blade's sword. Morley stood in the dusty remains of Prince Vlad The Impaler, smiling. "I have killed your leader. Swear allegiance to me or die."
"Fuck you." Said the one who held Blade's sword. "We are loyal to Vlad's son alone." He looked at the wailing infant in Whistler's arms. "Give us the baby."
Morley looked over at Judith, then to Blade. "Sorry about this. I hope the cure has taken effect but if not....." Grabbing his shirt, Morley pulled out his last UV grenade. Then he set it off.
Blade hunched over Judith, Whistler over the baby. Judith screamed as parts of her flesh were burned off. Yet enough of the cure had work that she was mostly human. When it was over Blade looked around. Nothing was left but ash. On the floor laid a blood soaked cut out of a parrot.
The baby, a boy, cried. Breathing in the dust of his father.
One Year Later
Blade walked through the New Orleans night. Some people thought that because of Anne Rice's novels no vampires actually lived here. They were wrong. Rice's books had made it possible for vampires to hunt here easier then anywhere else. Fans of the books practically walked right into their arms.
Katana swinging through the night, cleaving off the head of one of the last members of Vlad's family. Blade sighed. It was almost dawn. Time for his serum.
No word. Not a single one from Judith since that night. She had taken all of Vlad's money,
possessions. Calling it child support. Then disappeared from the face of the earth. She had been completely human when Blade last saw her. Blade could still hear her talking.
"Am I a bad person, Blade? I mean - all those people I killed while I was a vampire. I know they did bad things, that I also saved people, but was it right of me to play judge, jury, and executioner?"
"I don't know."
"I have Morley's blood in my veins. Will I change back?"
"I don't know."
Home base was an old plantation house a half hour outside the city. Blade stopped. The sun wasn't quite up yet. There was still plenty of time for the vampire standing on the porch to get to shelter.
She was thinner. The familiar broadsword still on her hip. She raised her hand to Blade then suddenly vanished. Leaving behind a basket. Inside it was a bundle and pinned to the blankets was a note.
The cure didn't work. In the end Morley's blood won out. I fully expect the next time we meet you'll kill me. That's okay.
He's a daywalker, like you. Please raise him right. He is, after all in a weird way, your family.
His name is Erik Whistler. J. C.
The one year old inside whimpered a bit, kicking off his blankets. His skin was dark, but he had light colored eyes, like his mother's. Blade picked him up.
"Looks like Whistler will have to prepare two doses of serum." Blade said. "Fuck, couldn't she have at least changed his diaper first?"
The End
Prince Vlad Dracula was a real person, that we all know. What people never talk about is his childhood. Vlad's father handed 14 year old Vlad and his young brother Radu over to a Turkish sultan as hostages. The sultan was a pedophile who raped both Vlad and Radu. Vlad, being rather unattractive, was abused while Radu, later called Radu The Handsome, was coddled.
Some historians like to believe that Vlad was impotent and that's why he was obsessed with impaling. However Vlad was anything but. He enjoyed kidnaping women and tickle tortured them - yes, tickling can be torture and it can be sexually arousing - and raped them. Vlad was rampantly homophobic, no doubt due to his abuse at the hands of the sultan and his fellow perverts. While Radu was openly homosexual.
I do not believe for an instant that pedophiles are homosexual. I know it's a fact that the vast majority of pedophiles are straight, white men. I do believe the majority of homosexuals are born that way while some, like Radu, are made that way because of abuse.
Nor am I homophobic. In fact, if you must know, I am a bisexual female. However Vlad came from a time before Freud. He never had the intensive therapy he needed.
Finally, for those who are going to get all upset over weight issues expressed - I happen to be a fat female and think there's no reason why a fat chick can't be a vampire or a hero.
sticks out her tongue and blows a big wet raspberry So there.
(I had to put that there. Some people have gotten really insulted when I write stories involving fat women and write me hate mail. They seem to think I'm a male. But I'm not.)
There was a satisfying smacking sound as the man was slammed against the wall. The small but chubby hand around his throat clutched tighter. He was shocked. All this time in the gym,
building his muscles until they would give The Rock pause, and this - this short little cow - was holding him up with one hand. She wasn't even breaking a sweat either.
"Are you going to repent your crimes and turn yourself into the police?" She asked, her grey-blue eyes drilling into his. "Are you going to turn over all the names of the monsters you sell to?"
"No." He said, answering honestly though his mind screamed to lie. "Those kids seduced me.
They wanted it. They loved it."
"Bastard." She snarled, fangs flashing just as she released her grip on his throat and instead grabbed his shoulders. Fingers like iron dug into that muscle-bound flesh. Then her fangs punctured his artificially tanned skin.
Pulling away as the pedophile started gasping his last, the vampire pulled out her broadsword and swung. Neatly slicing off his head before the virus could take hold. Then she turned, slamming open the door to the bedroom. A young boy was tied up in front of a video camera. She ripped the ropes off of him and wrapped him in a blanket.
"No one's going to hurt you now." She said, hoping there was no blood in her blond hair. "Now go to the neighbor and get her to call the police. Remember to tell everything." Her eyes drilled into the boy's. Including about me."
Once she saw that the police had arrived Judith slipped into the crowd. Broadsword hidden under her long black leather duster. No one cared about the fat blond. Just the story about the kid. On this warm Californian night one horror was dispatched.
By another horror.
In New York City an old man with long grey hair watched the broadcast for the fifth time. In his hands was a rag and a silver stake which he was polishing. A cigarette dangled from his mouth.
A strong black hand plucked it deftly from between his lips. Crushing it out in his fist, Blade looked down at Whistler.
"I thought you were quitting." The vampire hunter said.
Whistler just motioned to the tv instead of answering. "Another drained and headless body in LA.
I knew the place was full of fuckin' sickos but this takes the cake. Out of the five found so far,
three were pedophiles, one a serial rapist, and one had just murdered a gay man two hours before."
"They want me to know." Blade replied, motioning to the screen where a little boy was talking.
"She had long pointy teeth." The boy said, pointing to his canine teeth. "Right here."
"A trap?" Whistler asked, putting the stake and rag aside. Groaning, he got up and limped towards the tv, flipping it off.
"Maybe." Replied the one the vampires called Daywalker. "It seems too trite. Too Hollywood. A vampire who only kills criminals, who doesn't allow them to rise as a vampire?"
"I agree." Whistler said as he started to fill tiny vials with anti-coagulant. "So when are we leaving for California?"
"Tomorrow." Blade said as he started packing.
The men hooted as they slammed their beers. Grabbing for the white hoods that went with the white sheets they wore. Somewhere in the back bedroom a mother with a livid bruise around her eye coward with her child.
"We'll teach those fags and niggers!" The leader said, laughing.
The door crashed inward. A fat, short blond in a leather duster came sweeping into the room,
followed by a half dozen males of various ethnic groups, also dressed in black leather. All except one had a Klan member to grab, to shove back into their chairs. One of them had grabbed two,
leaving the sixth man free to wander.
"You are sinners who have committed crimes against God and mankind." The woman said,
handing her Klan member over to a Hispanic man. "We're here to give you one last chance to repent and give up your evil and wrong ways."
The leader snorted. "Tell your nigger here to get his fucking hands off me, you fat bitch."
The black man holding him responded by squeezing his shoulder until bones cracked.
"As I was saying," Judith said as she looked into the eyes of each man in turn. "This is your last chance to repent." When silence reined she continued. "Do you think you really all know each other? Hm?" She pointed to one of the men. "This one right here. You all trust him with your kids, but you shouldn't. That blood in your daughter's panties?" She looked to another man.
"He's the one who caused her to bleed. He raped her."
"You fucking bastard!" The second man spoken to shouted, trying to get out of his chair.
"And this one." She continued, ignoring the struggle. "For all his talk about hating Jews - he never bothered to tell you his mother's Jewish. And he was never Baptized so according to Jewish law, he is a Jew. Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to lies and sins." She chuckled. "This is getting a bit too much like a scene from Dogma. Now, are you all going to repent, or die? Well, except for this one, of course." She approached one with a buzz cut. "He's not really a Klan member. He's an undercover police officer - and," she grabbed him by the back of his head, shoving him into a half bent position. "He's one of Morley's slaves." There, on the back of the man's neck was a tiny tattoo that looked like a Chinese symbol.
The answer she got was more silence. Then suddenly the sixth man reappeared, dragging a woman and a child. "Hey, look what I found!" He said with a laugh. "Aren't they sweet?"
The blond darted over to him, taking his hands off the woman and backhanding him. "WE DO NOT HARM INNOCENTS!" She roared.
Three of the men let go of those they were holding, though the released men felt no urge to move after seeing the blond's unnatural speed. They held up the one she just struck.
"Why the fuck not?" He snarled back, the gash on his face healing even as he spoke. "Blood's blood."
"Because they're innocents. They've committed no crime." She turned to the woman, becoming gentle. "Go back into your room. You'll remember nothing beyond your jerk wad of a husband leaving with his evil friends." The woman's eyes grew wider, looking a bit out of it suddenly.
"And next time, marry someone who doesn't beat you. You deserve better. So does your kid."
The woman nodded like a robot and went back to her room with her child.
Judith looked at the one who had dared to bring them out. "You're lucky you didn't kill them."
From her coat she brought out some items. One looked like some big loop of metal with a tube on it, the other like a syringe. She held out the latter to one of the Klan members. "Remove that top.
Go on, give it a good twist." There was a pop as the Klan member obliged. Then she seemed to screw the syringe like thing into the tube of the other. "Large amounts of this can kill us, but small amounts, mixed with our master's blood, can scar."
She slammed the thing onto the cheek of the violator. Pressing the plunger down. The violator screamed and the smell of burnt flesh filling the room. When she pulled the device away there on his cheek was a long dragon, curled to form an upper case D.
"Restrain him and the cop. As for the rest, well, there's more then enough to go around."
Stepping over to the one she had revealed to be a rapist, Judith snatched him up and dug her fangs in.
They tried to escape, but they were no match. The extras were shared and as each died Judith took her sword and removed their heads. The male vampires began to haul the bodies out. The violator and the cop were the last to be taken out.
They drove up into the Hollywood hills. Into a brushy area where people often walked their dogs.
They had taken the cars of the Klan members along with the moving van they used for the bodies.
Unloading the cross the Klan members had planned to burn first. Setting it up. They put the bodies and the heads around it. The cop was brought out.
"Now I know what people will wonder, how you managed to escape alive." Judith said to him.
"And here's the answer." With that she socked him in the chin, causing him to fall and tumble down deep into the brush. Leaving him alive, but out cold. "Alright, take the violator back to master."
The male vampires moved to the van. Then as Judith turned away from the bodies a silver stake struck the dirt at her feet. Looking up, Judith felt a quiver of fear in her gut.
"Go! GO!" She roared to the men, motioning them to leave as she drew her sword. "If I don't return tell master I love him."
The male vampires rushed away as ordered as Judith faced off against Blade. Their swords flashed as the battle began. Blade's samurai-like sword easily sliced through the air, while Judith's heavier broadsword deflected the blows but at a slower rate. Small cuts appearing on her. Though she was not without her minor victories. At one point slicing off part of Blade's ear.
He in return sliced off the pinky on her right hand before knocking the sword from her hands.
Pressing his against her throat.
"What is it you want?" He asked. Even with the sunglasses one could be sure he was glaring at the vampire.
Judith smiled, her cupid's bow lips making an otherwise cold smile warm. "You're smarter then others give you credit for. My master wishes to make a deal with you."
"I don't make deals with vampires."
"Hear me out, please." Judith said, holding up her pinky-less hand. "My master isn't like the others. He believes in strict population control of our kind as well as clearing out the criminal element amongst humans. As you noticed." She motioned to the Klan members. "And since you are the only Daywalker, the only one who tops our kind, master wishes to make more like you.
In exchange for allowing us to clone you and your willingness to breed with the female humans and vampires of your choice, we will give you information about vampire strong holds. You can wipe out entire families of vampires in one fell swoop. You'll also have my master's protection."
Blade snorted. "I'm not an idiot. Your master wants me to do his dirty work. Eliminate his competition."
"No, no." Judith insisted, her eyes widening. "His intentions are completely honorable. If we are allowed to continue to grow unchecked we will soon wipe out the human race. We need more Daywalkers to keep the vampire population in check."
Blade eased off, putting his sword away. Even if her master wasn't telling the truth, he could sense that this vampire believed she was. He watched as she sheathed her own sword. She was unlike any vampire he ever met. For one thing she was, well, fat. She also seemed to have a strong sense of honor. Finally there was something about those eyes. A sadness, like innocence lost.
"Who is your master?" Blade asked.
"Oh Blade, you're smarter then that." The vampire chuckled. "Who else do you know has a preference for the fatties, even in these modern times? Who else would teach the likes of me to use a broadsword?"
It only took a few seconds before Blade answered. "Dracula."
The vampire smiled. "Very good. And I am Judith. His right hand woman, so to speak." From her pocket she withdrew a ring and tossed it to Blade. "When you are ready to listen to our offer,
used that to find us."
Then Judith did something Blade thought was only a story. Something he never saw a vampire do.
She turned into a bat, and flew away.
A few minutes after Blade left the scene, Judith dropped her camouflage. That mental trick had left her with a major headache. However she ignored it to set about her work. Bending down, she retrieved the piece of Blade's ear she had sliced off earlier. Placing it carefully in a plastic bag.
"Master will be most pleased."
"A bat?" The sound of disbelief in Whistler's voice was clear even over the static of the CB radio.
"Are you sure?"
Blade finished disabling the tracking device in the ring. "Yes, I'm sure." He replied before slipping the ring onto his pinky. It would come in handy later. "Either she can turn into a bat - or...."
"She's got mental powers we've never deal with before." Whistler finished. "Which means we can't trust anything she says."
Throwing the car into gear, Blade roared along the pre-dawn streets. "I'm not so sure about that.
There's a sense of honor about her."
"You're not going to fall in love with another blood sucker?"
"Not my type." Blade replied. "Too - beefy and talks way too much. What do you have on Dracula?"
"One sick fucker from a screwed up family." Whistler coughed for a bit, it sounded like he was hacking up a lung. "Ahem. When he was 14 and his brother much younger their father gave them over as hostages to a Turkish sultan with a preference for boys. Vlad, being ugly, was brutally abused and raped while his brother, called Radu The Handsome, was kept more like a pet. Vlad grew up to be violent and homophobic. His idea to solve the problem of homeless in his kingdom was to invite them all to a big feast, then when they were all drunk and sleepy, nail all the doors and windows shut and burn the building down. He was known for impaling people on long stakes.
A little known fact was that he often took peasant girls from their village and tickle tortured them.
Eventually he was killed and his brother Radu, a known homosexual, was made a puppet ruler.
Vlad's body disappeared. Though some claim to have it there's no proof that the bones are really that of Vlad the Impaler."
"In other words his life as a human ended and his life as a vampire began. Born or made, you think?"
There was another brief cough from Whistler. "Defiantly born. His mother rose as one after her death. Though he must've had human traits to begin with since by all evidence his father was human."
"A vampire, not a Daywalker." Blade mulled this over. "Because his mother was a vampire, you think?"
"You're not seriously considering their offer, are you Erik?" It wasn't often that Whistler used Blade's real name. The fact he did showed how he felt at the thought.
"It gets lonely, Whistler. I can't say the offer isn't tempting."
"Just try not to give into it." Whistler replied.
Pulling herself to the edge of the blood pool, Judith played with her regrown pinky. Arising from the blood behind her was Dracula. He was oddly handsome with a large roman nose, lips that were neither too full or too thin, and wavy brown hair. Placing his hands on Judith's bare shoulders, he began to kiss her neck. His hands slid down lower under the blood, resting on her hips.
"I love these hips." He murmured, his voice deep and milky, like velvet speaking. "Wide hips,
good for bearing strong sons."
"Talk more to me." Judith whispered.
"About what? And how?" Dracula teased, his accent changing with each example, a perfect imitation. "A totally wacked out surfer dude? A proper English man? A salt of the earth Irish man? Perhaps you'd prefer a French man? Or does my chere wish de hot, sultry tones of a Cajun man?"
"I don't care how or about what. Just talk. Or let me talk a lot. Just don't let there be silence."
Judith turned and wrapped her arms around Dracula's neck, pressing close to him as they floated in the pool of blood. "I can't stand silence."
"Ah, Judith, my love." Dracula stroked her blood soaked hair. "There shall never be silence between us. Now feed from me. We shall make strong sons and daughters who will rule for all time."
Gentle waves filled the blood pool as Judith fed from her master and lover. As it happened he spoke to her.
"Ah my dearest one. We are two of a kind, our innocence taken by evil men. Only we can understand each other." He kept speaking like this until they were finished. Then both left the blood pool and went to bathe.
"What did you do with the violator?" Judith asked as she finished dressing.
Weaving his fingers through her wet hair, Dracula jerked her head towards him, catching her mouth in a cold kiss. "The same thing I'll do to you if you ever betray me, if you ever take Blade's cure." With that he dragged her to a tv screen and pressed a button, holding her hair as the screen was filled with an image of the violator, impaled on a wooden stake. It didn't go through his heart so he was still alive, gasping as the stake slowly came out of his mouth.
Stained red from his perforate insides. He was squirming and gagging. Then the first rays of dawn touched him and he started to scream around the stake as his skin was burned from him. Judith tried to turn her head away but Dracula jerked it back around. "Watch." He began to caress her face with his free hand. Drawing near to whisper into her ear. "Remain loyal, my pet."
"Yes, master." Judith whispered, trembling as he kissed her ear. When he let her go and walked away, Judith cried.
"Get away from me, you fucking bastards." The hooker snarled even as she was backed against the alley wall. Still the five men pressed in closer, laughing. "I mean it!"
"I mean it." One mocked. "Stupid cattle." He smiled, revealing sharp fangs.
As they pressed in to attack, someone fell in between them and the hooker, causing them to jump back. It was an over weight blond woman in a black leather duster. "You dare hunt innocents in Vlad Dracul's territory?"
"You call this slut an innocent?" One of the vampires snorted.
Judith drew her sword. "Except for trying to feed her child with ill gotten money, this woman has done no wrong. Under Dracul's laws she is an innocent. Is it not enough you hunt in Dracula's territory without permission?" She moved the woman behind her so that she was capable of running away. "Go. And for goodness sakes get a different job, you're too good for this line of work."
The hooker ran and when the vampires made move to follow, Judith sliced the head off of one.
The remaining four fell back, sneering. The first one speaking again. "Why should we do what Vlad's fat whore says? Get her."
Judith had a sword, but they had guns and iron pipes. She was riddled with bullets from two as she tried to fend off the blows of the other two. The bullets didn't leave lasting injuries, but the constant healing weakened her.
"Come on!" One of them shouted. "If we catch her Morley will pay us royally!"
Just as Judith thought they were going to get the best of her, the one who just spoke screamed.
His head swelling. Something was sticking out of the back of his neck. Then he exploded.
The remaining three paused. There at the other end of the alley stood a vison in black. With a tiny grin, Blade pulled forth his sword. One of the remaining gun holders shot at him but Blade was too quick. Moving out of the way like quick silver. His sword easily slicing the vampire's body in two. Cutting right across the chest so the heart was struck. The vampire crumbled into dust.
Not entirely stupid the other two made to run. However one crumbled to dust as Blade's silver boomerang sliced his head off. The other found himself cut off at the knees - literally. Judith stood over him, glaring, then she raised her broadsword and sliced his head off.
"Thanks." Judith said before leaning against the wall. "Fucking bastards." Her clothing was riddled with bullet holes and her face paler then usual. It took obvious effort to put her sword away. "Great, and I just fed. Damn it."
Blade said nothing, just stood there watching her.
"Please, I hate silence. Either speak or I'll end up babbling to fill in the quiet." There was a note of pleading in her voice.
Finally, Blade spoke. "Come on." He took her elbow and helped her down the alleyway, putting her into his car.
"Why don't you just kill me like you do others?" Judith asked, trying to fill in the silence like she threatened.
"Because you're different." The one called Daywalker said.
"Buddy, you have no idea."
"You had to go and bring home another fucking stray. A blood sucking stray at that!" Whistler was irate. Slamming his hand down on the table where parts from the UV grenades sat. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Blade decided not to answer and instead finished preparing the injection. Walking over to where Judith sat. She had been strapped down as he often was and a wedge of rubber stuck in her mouth. Her duster had been removed and she was wearing a black t-shirt now. Blade injected the serum into her arm and Judith began to convulse as he often did. He knew how she felt and held her head in his hands until it was done.
"Better?" He asked as she spat the rubber out.
"Yeah." Judith mumbled before taking several deep, cleansing breaths. "That's what you go through every day?"
"Just about." Blade replied as he freed her.
"Well, anyway I'm glad we found each other." Getting up Judith began to go through her duster until she found what she was looking for. A rolled packet of papers. "They're a bit small but I thought you'd trust these more then a computer disk. No threat of a computer virus. Blue prints to Morley's citadel. Now, if you look here, he's got a sprinkler system incase of fire that's hooked up to a central water tank. I thought maybe you could contaminate it with high doses of silver nitrate and garlic juice. Then just when they start to rise you can set it off and if not kill them outright as least weaken them so it would be easier to take them out."
"We don't need any vampire hunting ideas or help from you." Whistler sneered.
Judith's eyes looked down to the floor and she visibly flinched. "It was just a thought." She muttered in an injured tone.
Whistler just snorted. "Whatever, Bloodsucker."
Very softly, Judith whispered something.
"What was that?" Whistler asked, looking even madder if it was possible.
Judith looked up. "I said my name is Judith Cromwell, not Bloodsucker. And you don't know anything about me so you can't stand there in judgement of me."
"I know you're a vampire. That's enough." Replied the old man. "We should just stake you."
"You think I wanted this?!" Judith suddenly looked angry. "You don't even bother to ask, you just make judgements. You know why I'm a vampire, you fucking anal retentive son of a bitch? I was raped! I was raped and Dracula was the only one who'd come to my rescue. I screamed for help. I pleaded. And instead of help people shut their windows. All the while that silent bastard raped me, violated me. And who saved me in the end? Vlad Dracul, that's who. He killed the monster who took my power, my pride, my innocence. But Dracula gave that back to me. He gave me back my control. Then he took me for his bride above all others. He helped me develop my unknown mind powers so now I can separate the truly guilty from the innocent. But if I could be human again I would be. To see roses in sunlight. To taste chocolate again. So don't stand there judging me. We're not all the same."
There was silence. Whistler could think of nothing to say. Blade was a man of few words. Judith was just trying not to cry.
"Please don't be quiet." She said, much calmer now. "I can't stand quiet. He was quiet. Never said a word. Never even grunted. Just breathed. Heavy breaths. I don't think he could make a sound. Silence reminds me of him. Talk. Yell at me. Insult me. I don't care. Just don't let there be silence."
Turning to the radio, Whistler turned it on and hiked the volume up full force. Judith sighed in relief. And Blade began to study the blue prints she had given him.
Several blocks from their base, Whistler removed the blindfold from Judith's eyes. Though he knew she could probably find it easily anyway.
"You still think I should be staked." Judith said.
Whistler grunted then began to cough heavily before lighting up a cigarette before Judith pulled it out of his mouth and crushed it out. "Fuck you." Whistler said. "Fucking whiney bloodsucker.
You may have Blade eating our of your hand but I don't trust you farther then I can throw you.
For all we know you used your mind powers on us to make us believe you were raped when you weren't."
Judith looked upset and hurt. Hands curled into fists, body shaking. "Is it really me you hate, my kind you abhor, Whistler," she whispered, "or is it yourself for not being able to save your family?" Like a shark she circled around him, her eyes never leaving him. "You stopped living when they did, didn't you? Is that fair to them? Do you think they'd want that? That they'd want to see you stop being a man, slowly kill yourself with cigarettes? Your cancer is back, Whistler.
All because you started smoking again." Grabbing his shoulder in an iron like grip, she pulled him against her, wrapping one arm around his waist, pressing his back against her chest. Her hand going into his grizzled hair and yanking his head to the left. Whispering into his ear. "It won't bring them back. Hate us all you want. Die if you want. They'll never return to you. You're not being fair to their memory."
Fangs pierced Whistler's throat. He tried to fight her off. He struggled. But she held him in such a way he couldn't get to the vampire mace in his inside jacket pocket. His hands fluttered like trapped birds. Then he felt himself going, changing. The virus taking hold even quicker then it did last time. He was aware of her blood in his mouth. Making the virus get him tight in it's grip. He felt his lungs burning as the cancer was killed off. He was on his knees, coughing up huge chunks of diseased lungs as healthy parts grew.
Then a needle appeared before his vampire eyes. "I'm sorry, Whistler, but we need you to live a long, healthy life as much as we need Blade. Someone has to keep our species in check."
Judith injected the cure. Having stolen several bottles of it. Over and over again she forced it into him. Making sure it started wiping out the vampire virus before she vanished from his sight.
The sun came up on Whistler, shining off the crumpled remains of his cigarette pack, the crushed lighter. Slowly he pulled himself up and looked into the sun, feeling only it's warmth. "Second fucking time I've been turned into a vampire and the bitch didn't give it enough time to let my fucking leg heal."
Limping, Whistler headed back to base.
With the blue prints it was almost ridiculously easily to get into Morley's citadel. Blade filled the tank with silver nitrate and garlic extract just like Judith had suggested. Next he hit the supplies of bagged blood. Sneaking past the human guards. He didn't have time to taint them all, but random ones.
He could sense when the sun was going down. Returning to the tank and the control center, he waited until he could hear the faint stirrings of the vampires below. Then he set it off.
Screams filled the citadel. It was almost no challenge to go through killing the vampires rushing through, their flesh melting off their bones. At one point Blade yawned in boredom. The humans running around were easy to deal with too. He easily knocked them out. Some of the vampires fed on the human slaves in an attempt to heal themselves, but all that managed to do was either the vampire was in one place long enough to be burned up and the human would die and then be burned as the virus took hold, or Blade would chop both their heads off.
One human caught the vampire hunter's eye. A cop with a fading bruise on his face. It was the man Blade had seen Judith knock out the night he first met her. Blade took off after him,
following him down a stair case that appeared behind a wall. Here there was no deadly sprinklers.
There were few vampires here that had retreated. In better health then the others they put up a bigger fight. But in the end Blade won. Not without a few injuries, however.
Bleeding a bit, Blade finally got through the vampires and to the end of the stairs. Here he could smell of the stench of a blood pool. Where older purebloods spent their days. Born vampires eventually grew to look like Count Orlock in the silent movie Nosferatu. Some sooner then others. Blood pools kept them alive.
Morley didn't look that way yet. However he was one of the younger ones who used the blood pool as more of a preventative then anything. Though the redheaded vampire knew what was going on he sat in the pool as if he was in a jacuzzi.
"And now the end is near, and so I face, the final curtain." Morley sang as he saw Blade. Even though Morley had lived in America since the Pilgrims first landed he still had his lower class English accent. Just not as heavy as it once must've been. "Well, Blade," Morley said, "did you have fun?"
"Rather boring, actually." Blade answered, looking at the cop behind Morley.
"Hm, I would expect that." Morley replied. "So tell me, since when is the mighty Blade Dracul's bitch?"
Blade sneered. "I don't serve Dracula. I saved his whore, she paid me back."
"Ah yes, poor Judith, the fat, whiney cow. Such a stupid fool. Actually believes what old Vlad tells her." Morley picked at his nails. "So much power in such a weak mind."
Snorting, Blade said, "I suppose you're going to tell me he set her up to be raped so he could save her."
Laughing, Morley shook his head. "No. I set it up. Dracula just stepped in on my plan." He looked up at Blade, looked up with Judith's eyes. "Judith is my blood, Blade. Descended from the children I had when I was still human. There was vampire blood in her veins but the human has won out in most of the family. However in her it created a flub, a freak of nature. Giving her those mental powers. I wanted to come in as the hero. Save her. Play the part of loving ancestor. But a spy told Vlad about her and he got there while getting me distracted elsewhere." Morley hauled himself out of the blood. Stepping into an awaiting robe. "So, Blade, shall you do Dracul's dirty work?" Holding his arms out, Morley waited.
Blade sheathed his sword and shook his head just a smidge. "Nah." He said. "But I will complete the work he started."
With that Blade spun, the vampire was completely silent. Blade had no doubt that this had once been the man who raped Judith because even as he opened his mouth, Blade to see that the vampire's tongue, when he was human, had been removed. Likewise there were scars all over the vampire's throat that showed his voice box had been ripped out.
Blade ducked the incoming fist and drove the first stake in the offending organ. The vampire opened his mouth in a silent scream. The second stake went into his throat, then Blade finished it with a dose of anti-coagulant. Blade jumped clear of the resulting explosion, one of his silver knives finding the heart of the cop.
"Just so you won't have a fresh meal at hand." Blade said with a grin before removing his sword and cleanly slicing off both of Morley's legs. "Sorry to cut things short."
"Bad joke, Blade, unworthy of you." Morley said as Blade exited. "Great, here I am without a leg to stand on and he didn't even stay long enough for me to do a Monty Python line." Morley looked around. "Fuck, all alone - oh well - "TIS ONLY A FLESH WOUND!" There, I feel better."
"Where have you been?" Vlad snarled as he burst into the medical room. Grabbing Judith by the hair he yanked her off the bed where the human doctor had been examining her. "Well?"
Judith tried not to whimper. "Morley's men attacked me. Blade saved me. I got home just before dawn and decided not to disturb you. Please, Master, don't...."
Vlad let go of her hair and backhanded her, sending Judith sprawling. The doctor tried to stop him but Dracula knocked him aside and yanked Judith up by her hair. "Do you know how worried I was?!" He shouted. "I thought you had been killed or you abandoned me. You inconsiderate bitch!" He flung her at the wall.
Judith put her hands down to protect her stomach. Last night she had been so careful that she wouldn't be shot or hurt down there. Tonight she had no protection. "Master please." She turned to face him, hands over her stomach. "Don't...."
Lips curled back in rage, Vlad moved towards Judith. "I'll impale you, you slut, if you've slept with him. No one betrays me. No one fucks around on Prince Vlad Dracula!"
The doctor moved in between them. Holding his hands up. "Would you murder the child you wanted for so long, your highness?"
Dracula paused, looking from the doctor to Judith who cradled her stomach. The rage drained from him. "She's - you're sure? Oh Judith. My love, my dearest." Now Vlad was all gentleness as he walked over and cradled her head in his hands. "Can you forgive me? When you didn't come I was so worried. Sick with worry." He pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'm so sorry."
"It's alright, Master." Judith whispered hoarsely. "I understand. But I would never betray you,
never cheat on you. You're my only love, my hero, my knight in shining armor."
Vlad pulled her close, caressing her hair, looking at the doctor with a smile. Step one was complete.
After Judith had left it was Vlad's turn to be examined. Sitting naked on the table he had to very much control himself as the human doctor poked and prodded him. His body shook. Even after all these centuries he still remembered what the Sultan and his men did to him.
"Well?" He snapped as he pulled his clothing back on.
The doctor looked grave. "It's getting worse, my lord. We've only managed to slow it down. I'm sorry."
Vlad closed his eyes. He had known it was getting worse. He could feel the pain. The process of the degrading of his body had begun. On his back the grey flesh had begun to take over. "Are we sure this process will work?"
"Frost was successful with raising the Blood God, my lord." The doctor replied. "There's no reason to believe this won't work just as well."
"And you are certain it will be a boy?" Vlad asked.
"She's only about a week along," the doctor replied. "But I gave her an injection that will start the testosterone washes that change female fetuses into males."
"Good." Vlad smiled lustfully. "She's going to get fatter. Ah, don't look so disgusted, good doctor. You don't understand - this obsession with thin women is what is wrong and sick. You humans have forgotten the warm, yielding flesh of a woman with meat on her bones. Not to mention even naked your thin ones still look like boys where the fat ones look like women."
Vlad shifted a bit, he'd have to pay a visit to one of his concubines before feeding tonight. "And the other treatments?"
"I've already begun them with the cloned samples from the Daywalker's flesh." The doctor replied. "As we speak the cells are taking hold."
"Good," Vlad headed for the door. "Remember to shield your mind so she doesn't know what we're up to." Once out of the doctor's rooms, Vlad headed down to one of the rooms forbidden to Judith. Inside was a number of females. Vlad smiled and took the plumpest one by the hand.
"Come, my dear, and please your lord and master."
"You've been doing this for weeks." Whistler grumbled as he removed the straps from Blade's arms. Putting away the serum injector. "When are you going after Dracula himself?"
"When I'm ready." Blade replied.
They had been here two months now. Each night Judith and Blade met briefly. She gave him information on another vampire and how to get into their hideouts, their nests and citadels.
Blade would use the information to get in and kill all the vampires. Sometimes he came out severely injured. Sometimes he came out without a scratch. No matter how he came out he never left until he wiped out every vampire. Morley was the only one he left alive. Blade never told Judith what he knew. Including that he knew what she did to Whistler.
"And the offer of the - mates?" Whistler fished, trying to see if Blade was tempted.
Blade looked at Whistler. "I turned her down again." Flexing his hands, Blade finally said, "I am lonely, Whistler. I won't lie to you about that. The thought of having a family, children, is very tempting, but I wouldn't wish this existence on anyone."
"Guess I'll never be a grandfather then." Quipped the old man. Secretly relieved and disappointed at the same time. If only Blade had let it work out with that woman doctor.... Ah well, no use crying over split milk. "Are you going to kill Judith in the end, or cure her?"
"That," replied Blade as he went to meditate, "is up to her."
"Kids today." Whistler grumbled.
Judith always felt sick after the treatments. She knew they were necessary to make sure she had a boy. Still, they made her feel ill. Dizzy. Sometimes she couldn't hold down the blood of the criminals she fed on until she got to the second or third one.
Every child when first developing in the womb started off as a female. Which was why men had nipples. Testosterone washes started after awhile, changing the developing fetus into a male. It was believed that if something messed up the washes like stress or diet that was what caused men to feel they were meant to be women or vise versa.
However Judith ignored her feelings of nausea. Tonight she was on a mission. Ahead of her was her master. Hunting. She watched as he lured a young gay man into an alley. Judith scanned the man's mind.
He was an innocent!
Dracula fed brutally. Judith could hardly bear to watch. Then he waited until the virus was taking hold and chopped off the victim's head. The body crumbling instantly.
Judith remained behind as Vlad moved on. Tears coming to her eyes. Vlad was most vulnerable to mind reading when he was feeding. She had gotten into his head. Once she got past the violent memories of his rape at the hands of the Turks who once held him she saw the truth. All these years he had been lying to her. He didn't care about innocents. He didn't care about controlling the vampire population. He didn't love her.
Quickly, Judith headed the other direction. She had to see Blade.
Vlad tried to shake off the memories. Yet feeding on Sodomites always brought the memories to the for front.
"Ugly, isn't he?" The Sultan laughed as Vlad was brought before him. "Not at all like his pretty little brother."
Radu sat next to the Sultan, the little boy dressed almost like a woman. The Sultan was stroking Radu's fine brown hair as the boy ate almonds dipped in honey.
"Still, he's got fine flesh." The Sultan was saying, his piggish eyes looking lustfully at the naked 14 year old's body. "Have you ever been fucked, boy? No. Then allow me to introduce you to the pleasures of the flesh."
Vlad tried to fight them off as he was bent over the table. Tried not to cry out. As the Sultan grunted over him Vlad stared at his baby brother. Radu was smiling.
"They'll give you sweets." The little boy said. "It hurts but they give you sweets afterwards."
Vlad snarled, shoving the memory away. Soon he'd have a new life all together.
"I tried to tell him," Judith was saying as she stared out over the city. "I brought back books on the subject, FBI statistics. The vast majority of pedophiles are straight, not gay, not even the ones who prefer to rape boys are gay. Even those monsters in NAMBLA aren't homosexuals. But it's hard to get over 600 years of beliefs to go away over night." Looking back at Blade she said,
"And that's not all. He's got some plan for my baby. I can't tell what but it has to do with you and him and something Frost translated along with how to summon the blood god."
"Bigotry and racism are hard things to get out of one. Especially one as old as Vlad." Blade replied.
For a moment Judith looked at him, startled. Then, "I forgot you were black." When Blade raised an eyebrow at her she continued, "Most vampires, except for ones like Vlad and a few from the Nazi party left over from World War 2 don't care about things like skin color, sexuality, or religion. We know that everyone bleeds the same. It's only born and made vampires they care about. Pure bloods."
Blade let this sink it. "It doesn't surprise me that he has plans for your baby either. The question is what those plans are."
Nervously, Judith said, "Blade, that first night we met, when I cut off part of your ear - I took it for DNA samples. I knew you'd never willingly give your DNA or take a mate...."
"I know." Blade interrupted. "I've known all along, Judith. Just like I know you made Whistler into a vampire then cured him to stop his cancer from killing him." There was a moment of silence. "You should've healed his leg too. He's been a grouch."
"What's new about that?" Judith asked, relieved that these secrets were out.
"Now he's taking it out on the weapons." Blade held up a silver stake that had been ground down on one side so it would never fly straight. "Do it again and this stake's for you."
"I'd rather have a V-8." Quipped Judith.
"Every vampire's a comedian." Growled Blade. "And about as funny as Carrot Top. Come on,
introduce me to Vlad."
"Master?" Judith said, her voice properly demure. "May I present, Blade?"
Stepping forward, Blade cut and impressive figure. The black leather trench coat he wore swirling at the bottom. His eyes unseen behind the black sunglasses, yet every vampire there could swear they felt their burning touch. From the top of his head to the tip of his boots, Blade was every inch an intimidating yet undeniably sexy man. He bowed before Vlad Dracula, which caused whispers. Blade bowing before a vampire?
"So good to see you have some manners after all, Blade." Vlad said from his throne. The over sized chair was made of human bones dipped in gold and covered in leather made of human skin.
Skulls stared with ruby eyes from the ends of the arm rests and the top of throne. The feet were literally feet - foot bones dipped in gold, each toe studded with a diamond. Vlad himself was dressed all in black silk. It rustled softly as he moved. "Judith, my queen, come sit next to your master."
Keeping her eyes cast downwards, Judith came and sat in a smaller, more modest throne made of wood and velvet. Allowing Vlad to take her hand and hold it like if he owned it. "Are you pleased, master?"
"Very pleased." Vlad said in a mock loving manner as he kissed the palm of her hand.
Why hadn't she seen through it before now? Judith wanted to cry when she thought of all those years she wasted loving this - creature. Allowing him to use her body and mind for his own twisted ends.
"Now," Vlad said, rising, "come, both of you. I have much to show you." Clutching Judith's hand, he pulled her to her feet. Motioning to Blade to follow. Both did as he walked down the dias the thrones rested on and through a door near the back of the hall. The other vampires remaining behind.
They walked down a long hall, the floor slanting slightly so Blade knew they were going underground gradually. There were twists and turns, now Blade felt lost. He wasn't sure he'd ever make it back. Though he did not betray that on his face. When he saw Judith looking back at him he knew she felt the same.
"We've never been down this way, Master." Judith said in a shaking voice.
They entered a room and Blade barely had time to react as two very big vampires jerked his arms behind his back. He was stripped of his weapons and he saw the same was happening to Judith.
He was also stripped of his trench coat and shirt.
Judith was restrained against an upright table, grunting with effort as she tried to break her metal bonds.
"I wouldn't, my dear." Vlad said. "Those are titanium, one layer folded unto another - and just incase you do succeed, each is loaded with enough silver nitrate to burn your hands and feet off permanently." Walking over, Vlad caught her face between her hands and kissed her hard,
forcing her mouth open. Her body shaking as he abused her mouth with his. When Vlad pulled away there was blood on both their lips. "Well," Vlad said as he wiped the blood away with a hanky, "I suppose like a Bond villain, I must now explain my plans. Strap him down, would you?"
Blade found himself put against a table like Judith's. Bands of titanium put not just around his ankles and wrists, but also his chest and neck. He also felt against his back as a portion of the table was removed. Just a small square foot.
Vlad was stripping himself off. "La Magra isn't our only legend." The vampire lord said as he took off his clothing. "Nor is it the only thing Frost translated. The problem with being a vampire,
especially a born one, is unlike the Hollywood myths, we're not unchanging." With that Vlad turned his back to them, removing his pants. There on the small of his back, splashing down his right butt cheek, all down his right leg was a patch of grey-white flesh. Discolored and lumpy,
there were also small cracks in it that oozed blood and puss. Vlad was in obvious pain now as he turned and sat down in a cold steel chair. "I could bathe in all the blood I want, even vampire blood, and all it will do is slow it down. This is not an option."
"Release me and give me my weapons. I'll take care of it for you." Blade said, glaring. Someone had removed his sunglasses and now everyone could see his burning gaze.
Vlad chuckled. "You'll help, Blade, but not how you think." He motioned to a human doctor who was preparing a very long, wicked looking needle. "You see, Frost translated a little part that I found very interesting. A part that will allow a pure blooded vampire transfer their mind and soul into the mind of another. Especially that of unborn babies." He smiled a reptilian smile at Judith.
"If I had known my experiments in breeding would've led to this moment I probably would've been a bit more selective. Ever since I came to America I've been conducting all sorts of experiments. You've heard of course, the stories of British colonies disappearing and blond haired, blue eyed Indians appearing nearby. That was my doing. Then Morley came to America.
Still human at that time."
Vlad shifted in his seat and Blade growled out. "Very interesting, now could you at least put on some boxers?"
The vampire chuckled and made no move to cover himself. Instead he seemed to shift himself so everything was even more visible. "Judith has never seen this despite how many times it's been inside her. Let her have the pleasure. Strap her head down so she stops looking away." Vlad looked angry now, for Judith had been adverting her gaze. Once the titanium band was around her forehead, focusing her eyes forward, Vlad continued. "I very selectively bred Morley though he didn't know it. Then each of his children and their children. Some became vampires, some did not.
It was just a hobby, mind. Then Judith's father was born. He interested me for some reason.
Much more intelligent then most of Morley's family. And then I saw Judith's mother. A human destined to never be a vampire like Judith's father, but with vampire blood in her all the same. It would interest you to know, Blade, that Judith is descended on her mother's side from the same vampire that made Deacon Frost. In the convoluted way of the Children Of Lilith, you're related." Vlad gave them a moment to digest this. "And when Judith was born with her powers I knew I had to have her. I waited until the right moment - when Morley found out about her and launched his plan to have her raped so he could rescue her, making her loyal to him. I made sure he was -
detained and took over his plan."
Judith glared at Vlad. Cold, raw hate curled in her gut. "Bastard."
Vlad just smiled. "Then Frost sought to summon the blood god and you defeated him, Blade. I made sure to get my hands on Frost's files. I found the transference ritual. I decided that I wouldn't go into any body but the body of someone with the potential for great power. Judith's DNA would provide the mind powers - and your's, Blade, would provide the rest. Which is why I convinced Judith I want to make an entire race of Daywalkers to keep the vampire population under control. The sample of your flesh started it. Now we need one more thing from you to finish it."
By this time the human doctor had gone around behind Blade with his needle. There was a painful stab into Blade's back.
"Stem cells." The doctor said. "Fresh ones. Cloned and injected repeatedly into the uterus,
preferably the umbilical cord. They'll attach to the fetus and grow. Making the baby inside a Daywalker like you."
"And I shall be the most powerful vampire on earth." Vlad said. "Not only able to read and even to an extent control minds, but able to walk in the day light. To penetrate the hiding places of my enemies and kill them as they sleep. I shall be the undisputed lord of all vampires."
"Maybe once you get out of diapers," Judith snarled. "If you're allowed to live that long."
Chuckling, Vlad stood and allowed a robe to be slipped onto him. "Nice try, my dear, but until adulthood I shall be carefully hidden away. A fresh start. A body that had never been violated...."
"So that's what this is really about." Blade said in a cold tone. "Trying to recapture your childhood because some pedophile screwed up your head. You need therapy, not a new body."
Vlad paused, his shoulders hunched up. Then suddenly he let out a roar and smashed a nearby set of empty beakers. "You don't know what it's like! You don't know what they did to me. Passing me around like a bottle of wine. Making me do the most degrading things. While my little brother was treated like a favored pet." For a moment Vlad stared at the broken glass. "Start the treatments. I need to prepare for the ritual."
"Alright, start cloning that set of stem cells." The doctor said to his assistants. "I'll start drawing more."
Whistler was worried. Blade hadn't checked in for hours now. The old man began to load up on weapons. Limping along as he headed for a beat up looking van. "Damn that boy anyway.
Letting me worry sick like this."
As Whistler sat in the driver's seat Morley wrapped his arm around the old man's neck. "You should learn to lock your doors, my friend." Morley pulled a little tighter. "Now, now, don't stick that nasty old anti-coagulant in me. I'm here to help you rescue Blade."
"One thing we found," the doctor said as he injected Judith yet again, "is that a vampire fetus grows at an accelerated rate when stem cells from another are added. We've experimented on Prince Dracula's pregnant concubines. So by the time we're ready for the ritual the fetus should be developed to the equivalent of what it would be at the 7th month. Then by the time it's finished you should be ready to give birth."
"And what happens to Judith?" Blade asked. Looking at his - was she his cousin? Or maybe his aunt? He wasn't sure.
"She'll come through fine." The doctor replied. "She's needed anyway until the child is weaned."
Which meant one thing. Once the baby was weaned Judith would be killed. Blade had a feeling he'd be killed today after all of this.
A vampire entered, she was a female, the first female vampire Blade had seen here. She was fatter then Judith with long red hair. Dressed like a woman from Vlad's time. "We're ready."
The tables tilted until they were down. Judith and Blade started to be wheeled out. Blade heard Judith gnashing her teeth. He saw bags of blood being passed over his head. He could only assume for Judith.
He was right. The rapid development of the baby inside her had caused Judith to go animalistic.
Blood was poured down her throat and ran down her face. Her arms were loaded with IV needles and so where her legs, directly injecting blood into her. Yet she thrashed against her bonds all the same, forgetting in her madness of thirst about the threat of silver nitrate should her bonds be broken.
They found themselves in a stone chamber. It was just a plain chamber. Blade knew they were very deep underground. Dampness seeped in around the stones. The place was ice cold and smelled of mold and mildew.
Judith was removed from the table and Blade's head was released so he could turn it and look.
He watched her thrashing wildly. Her belly growing before his very eyes. She was chained to a large stone alter. Vlad stood next to it along with several females of various colors, but all fat. These ones were humans and were dressed in white. They looked frightened and as one moved a bit Blade realized their hands had been tied behind their backs and they were chained to the floor.
Vlad began to chant in the tongue of vampires. Words that were chilling even if you didn't understand the meaning. Then he asked, "You're sure they are all virgins?"
"We have checked them, my lord," the female vampire from before replied. "They are intact and have never known a man."
Vlad moved behind the first, yanking her head back. "Such a waste. Oh well." With a sharp,
curved bone dagger, he sliced open the first virgin's throat and allowed the blood to spurt all over himself and Judith. Chanting again. The temperature in the room dropped several degrees.
For the first time ever, even the last two times his blood had been drained from his body, Blade felt utterly helpless.
"I can't believe I'm trusting a blood sucker." Whistler grumbled to himself even as he and Morley dispatched two vampire guards silently. Well, silently except for Whistler's grumbles. They had climbed onto the roof of the building, well, Morley had climbed. Whistler he had carried.
"Would you be quiet?" Morley grunted, stumbling a bit on his freshly regrown legs. "Now hand me one of those UV grenades." Once Whistler had done so, Morley dropped it down a shaft and moved behind a large piece of stone that contained an emergency hiding spot incase a vampire was caught outside when the sun was starting to rise.
There was a burst of light and faint screams. Once it was out Morley came out only to find himself punched in the face by Whistler.
"What if Judith was down there?" Whistler snarled, looking ready to kill Morley.
The vampire just shrugged. "Why would you care? One less vampire, right?"
"Right." Whistler grumbled, waiting as Morley opened up the shaft and slipped down inside.
"I've got to get a wheelchair." He quipped for the millionth time before sliding in after Morley.
Morley fought like his must have back during the revolutionary war. Though he had been a vampire then too, he had revealed to Whistler that he fought on the side of the Americans. Not for any high ideals but because one of his enemies was fighting on the side of the British. Morley used the landscape of the building to hide and protect him as he attacked various vampires. Whistler couldn't do Morley's lunges and rolls, but he did the best he could.
It wasn't like they got out of the rooms they went through uninjured. But Morley was having fun and Whistler was on a mission. This kept them going.
That was until they got into Vlad's harem room. Female vampires lounged around dressed in various outfits. And every last one of them had a weight problem. One must've been close to 400 pounds. The thinnest being about 170.
"So it's really true." Morley said as he looked at the female vampires. "Vlad really does like them porky."
"Nothing wrong with a gal with some flesh on her bones." Whistler said as the women started to close in around them. "My own wife was 160. Nothing like it to keep you warm in the winter.
But this is a bit out of hand."
Vampire and mortal stood back to back. They couldn't use a UV grenade, Morley would be caught in the blast and Whistler would be alone.
"Don't get me wrong," Morley said as he raised his gun and realized he had no bullets left. "I like a gal with a little extra flesh. Back in my day a woman had to have some meat if she expected to get married. Whistler, do you have any ammo left?"
"No." Whistler said.
"Ladies," Morley said, doing his best to put on the charm. "Um - take us to your leader?"
The heaviest one laughed. "Morley, darling," she cooed. "We've been expecting you."
Blade felt sick as the last virgin was killed. He had tested his bonds and found they were too strong even for him. Dracula and Judith were both soaked in blood. Her belly moved. Now she was about ready to deliver. She had stopped screaming. Now her eyes just stared blankly back at Blade. Her face slack.
Then, just before her water broke, she winked at him.
Her screams of labor filled the chamber as the door opened again. Blade turned his head.
Whistler and Morley were led in by a bunch of fat female vampires.
"Ah, the final part of our sacrifice is here." Vlad said. "Bring him."
Two vampiresses grabbed Morley's arms and dragged him to the altar. Whistler was dragged too but he was stood next to Blade. They watched as Morley was stripped of his shirt and Vlad carved a symbol into Morley's chest with a silver knife. Morley gritted his teeth, refusing to scream.
When Vlad was done Morley reached into his pocket and produced a crude and crumpled paper cut out of a parrot. He slapped this against Vlad's chest, the blood making it stick, and shouted,
"I wish to register a complaint!"
Vlad snarled. "Enough with your damn Monty Python routines! We're not here to reenact the dead parrot sketch!" He reached down to pull the paper parrot off of himself.
Even Judith's screams as the baby demanded out suddenly stopped. Morley grabbed the knife from Vlad and began to stab him repeatedly. They struggled for Morley hadn't pierced the heart.
Vampires moved in to try and help but Whistler raised his gun and shot them all.
"I thought you were out of ammo!" Morley shouted even as he wrestled with Vlad on the floor.
"I lied." Whistler replied, blowing away the female vampires. Then he set about freeing Blade.
"How'd you manage to keep your weapons?" Blade had to ask even as he sat up, rubbing his wrists.
Whistler blushed. "I bribed the biggest one with a kiss."
"I didn't need to know that." Blade swung off and took a gun from Whistler.
There really wasn't that many vampires left. It was almost too easy. Soon the only ones left were Vlad and Morley, still wrestling on the floor, and Judith who was screaming again. Whistler looked and turned pale.
"It's breech." He said.
Blade unchained Judith who grabbed for something in Blade's pocket.
"Wait!" She screamed at Whistler even as he moved to try and see if he could turn the baby around. Though her hand shook she managed to yank a capped needle from Blade's pocket.
"Inject me."
"Judith." Blade began.
"INJECT ME, BLADE! Before it's born! I can't do it!" She started to scream again.
Inside the needle was the cure, made 100 times more powerful. Blade had planned on giving it to her after killing Vlad. They had never planned on this. Now he drove the needle home and injected the cure into her. He only hoped that despite the fact the baby was almost out it would still affect it.
Morley shouted in triumph as the knife finally found Vlad's heart. Whistler's hand plunged inside of Judith, moving to turn the baby around. And Blade held a convulsing Judith down.
As the baby was pulled into the world, screaming his little head off, the last of Vlad's vampires burst into the room. One holding Blade's sword. Morley stood in the dusty remains of Prince Vlad The Impaler, smiling. "I have killed your leader. Swear allegiance to me or die."
"Fuck you." Said the one who held Blade's sword. "We are loyal to Vlad's son alone." He looked at the wailing infant in Whistler's arms. "Give us the baby."
Morley looked over at Judith, then to Blade. "Sorry about this. I hope the cure has taken effect but if not....." Grabbing his shirt, Morley pulled out his last UV grenade. Then he set it off.
Blade hunched over Judith, Whistler over the baby. Judith screamed as parts of her flesh were burned off. Yet enough of the cure had work that she was mostly human. When it was over Blade looked around. Nothing was left but ash. On the floor laid a blood soaked cut out of a parrot.
The baby, a boy, cried. Breathing in the dust of his father.
One Year Later
Blade walked through the New Orleans night. Some people thought that because of Anne Rice's novels no vampires actually lived here. They were wrong. Rice's books had made it possible for vampires to hunt here easier then anywhere else. Fans of the books practically walked right into their arms.
Katana swinging through the night, cleaving off the head of one of the last members of Vlad's family. Blade sighed. It was almost dawn. Time for his serum.
No word. Not a single one from Judith since that night. She had taken all of Vlad's money,
possessions. Calling it child support. Then disappeared from the face of the earth. She had been completely human when Blade last saw her. Blade could still hear her talking.
"Am I a bad person, Blade? I mean - all those people I killed while I was a vampire. I know they did bad things, that I also saved people, but was it right of me to play judge, jury, and executioner?"
"I don't know."
"I have Morley's blood in my veins. Will I change back?"
"I don't know."
Home base was an old plantation house a half hour outside the city. Blade stopped. The sun wasn't quite up yet. There was still plenty of time for the vampire standing on the porch to get to shelter.
She was thinner. The familiar broadsword still on her hip. She raised her hand to Blade then suddenly vanished. Leaving behind a basket. Inside it was a bundle and pinned to the blankets was a note.
The cure didn't work. In the end Morley's blood won out. I fully expect the next time we meet you'll kill me. That's okay.
He's a daywalker, like you. Please raise him right. He is, after all in a weird way, your family.
His name is Erik Whistler. J. C.
The one year old inside whimpered a bit, kicking off his blankets. His skin was dark, but he had light colored eyes, like his mother's. Blade picked him up.
"Looks like Whistler will have to prepare two doses of serum." Blade said. "Fuck, couldn't she have at least changed his diaper first?"
The End