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Drake's notebook is an epic horror/action short stories of vampire Progenitor Drake. The point of view for each chapter entails three main stories that interweave:Drake's mysterious past,The rising threat of an organization called The Mantle composed of human hunters,Lycans and rogue vampires, and Drake's longtime familiar and comrade Lyn who is secretly in love with him.
Author's note: To avoid reader confusion please take note that the throughout the story David, Drake and Deimos are the same character as well as Lyn and Lynda. There may be some references you might be familiar with!
Drake's notebook takes place in its own entirely separate universe.
Being my first story please feel free to leave any feedback Positive or any constructive criticism that could make the stories better or just to show you like it!
Words written in italics indicates a new chapter while words written in bold indicates a new scene.
ENJOY!
Repentance
The quiet night in the countryside was illuminated by a large fire deep within the forest. There stood a large estate obviously owned by a wealthy patron of some sort. The gardens and maze in the front were destroyed and the smaller buildings also in flames. The majority of the flames and smoked originated from the main mansion, one could hear sounds of rumbling and intense fighting going on the inside as huge stones were smashed and falling. The inside of the mansion was much bigger and spacious than it appeared on the outside. Within the center was a huge atrium several stories tall with multiple Greek statues and gargoyles perched up top most of them destroyed.
In the center stood one woman wearing a tight black suit that conformed tightly to her slender body. She had long cherry red hair kept tied into a large bun with some strands hanging out, her normally golden eyes glowed bright blue with intensity. But the most abnormal feature was the two long canines protruding from her teeth. Despite all this she was still strikingly beautiful in every aspect. In her hands she held two broadswords by her side, the immense weight if the swords seeming weightless to her. It was clear she had the strength of ten men within her.
"Anna..." spoke an unknown voice to her.
"Stop this now there's still time" repeated the voice to her.
"No, I came here to finish what I started" she replied.
"So be it then die..."
Across from her stood a humanoid figure of what appeared to be a man. He was adorned in an obsidian colored armor that fit tightly to his muscular frame. His head was covered by a mask that resembled an animal unknown to this world. It appeared to be a cross between a jackal, fox, aardvark with canine like features. The mask bore the same color and appearance like the armor with its red eyes glowing.
The man and Anna lunged at each other, the ground where they stood broke and their swords clashed creating sparks along with a large metallic ring. They continued to exchange blows both striking and blocking each other's attacks. The man took his large sword and struck down at her with a large swing, she blocked it just in time with the tip of the blade almost skewering her face. It took her both arms as she held the sword horizontally in front of her. Then with a powerful kick she suddenly found herself being pushed backwards and gasping for air. She crashed into a pillar shattering it, Anna could feel some of her ribs being broken.
"David" she said softly gasping for air.
"Don't call me that, the man replied. Call me by my real name."
She looked up to him, by now she was on her knees, the injury she sustained was slowly healing, in a few more seconds she would be able to move again. Just a few more seconds.
"Go on say it" he said.
Anna stood idle still trying to recollect herself.
"Sayyyy It!" he exclaimed becoming impatient at this point.
Feeling her ribs piecing back together Anna charged at him again.
"Drake!" she yelled while she charged.
Drake exhaled his breath as she came at him and with one fluid motion, he struck her before she could finish the attack, Anna fell to her knees again. Drake stood above her with his fist still in the air being held out to his side. The mask he was wearing slowly started to deteriorate into what appeared to be black sand disappearing into his armor. Underneath the mask was a man who appeared to be in his early thirties or late twenties. He had powerful face with jet black hair all around. His beard was neatly trimmed and well maintained his eyes glowed the same intense blue that Anna's was at the moment. He was very handsome.
Drake grabbed her by the neck and picked her up with one arm holding her in the air. Despite the obvious advantage he had one could tell by his face he found no joy in what was happening. Anna grabbed the hand holding her up with both hers attempting to loosen the grip some. She struggled and squirmed against his iron grip. She thought to herself this must be over now as she felt herself slowly passing out. But just before she lost consciousness there was a huge roar that echoed through the whole atrium. Drake loosened his grip and dropped her towards the sound of the roar. He suddenly saw several huge wolf-like beasts descending from the top.
"Lycans!" he exclaimed.
He looked over to Anna who had gotten back up and retrieved one of her blades.
"What are you doing with Lycans!?"
Before he could speak more, he found one of the foul beasts within his space. Without a second thought he raised his blade and swung at the beast easily slicing it in half, blood spluttered profusely from the severed lower half. He turned his attention towards the other Lycans coming his way the mask he wore earlier slowly reappearing around his head at will. A group of five Lycans charged at him hell bent on devouring him at once. Drake charged them slicing through the abdomen of the first easily almost cleaving him in half as well. He turned towards the second and with a powerful forward thrust stabbing it right through the chest, the beast screamed in pain. The remaining Lycans backed away scouting out their prey before making a move. It was apparent they all three thought an attack in unison would work best. But before they got three feet David plunged his blade to the ground and pulled out six silver shuriken from his utility belt. He threw them and as they sailed smoothly through the air, they each found their targets hitting the Lycans in different spots. They fell immediately, and Drake jumped at them decapitating two of them with his sword while spinning a full three sixty in the air. The last Lycan pulled out the shuriken in his shoulder and yelled at him. Just then two more Lycans descended from the air joining him. The chains and cuffs still attached on their wrists rang loudly.
Before the Lycans charged they were suddenly each struck in the head by an arrow easily going through their thick skulls collapsing instantly. Drake heard another intense roar and knew more were coming. He looked over to where the arrows came from. Perched on top of a headless stone gargoyle was the archer. She was a huntress with beautiful emerald eyes and green hair that she kept in a long pony tail. She wore a traditional blue and green dress that still showed some of her big luscious thighs, her high boots went past her ankles and she raised her bow carefully in the air readying an arrow.
"I got this she exclaimed while aiming another arrow and releasing it falling another Lycan. You go and take care of her."
Drake smiled under his mask and nodded he turned his attention back to Anna who was nowhere to be found. But it didn't matter he could smell her along with another scent attached to her that only he knew. He turned to the huntress still perched on the gargoyle she jumped off just in time to dodge another Lycan hitting the ground and rolling before realigning herself and shooting it with an arrow.
"Lynda come back to me alive" he said in a soft voice.
"That's a promise" she replied.
Then Drake took a deep squat and with one powerful leap he soared through the air jumping from statue to statue ascending the atrium reaching the top in a matter of seconds. He ran as fast as he could tracking the all to familiar scent. He crashed through a glass ceiling in what appeared to be the greenhouse in the back of the mansion being surprisingly unscathed. He walked through the pitch-black greenhouse exiting the back door into another garden. The garden was large had multiple neatly trimmed bushes and a small maze. But perhaps the most striking feature was the large statue of Zeus holding his thunderbolt in the middle. Drake walked towards the center of the garden, the scent of Anna becoming stronger and stronger.
"What the Hell!" He turned behind him, but he was too late all he could do was cross his arms to brace for the impact. Drake found himself flying crashing through the Zeus statue breaking off one of its arms.
"Damn, I really liked that statue" he thought to himself.
David quickly drew his sword and his battle mask reappeared over his head. Anna stood in front of him, she held a hand in front of her face covered with blood. She slowly licked the blood off each finger and then her hand, it was Drake's blood. Drake felt his arm go limp, he quickly took his other arm and reset the ulna in his arm with a loud pop. He wiggled his fingers to make sure he had sensation in that arm again.
"That was impressive, you've become powerful for a vampire" he said to her.
"There's a lot of things about me you don't know yet."
"I know that you're a killer now... You aren't the woman I remembered. The woman that I loved."
"Shut up!"
Anna charged at him again, Drake dodged the first attack it was all hand to hand now. Anna threw multiple punches at him Drake blocking each one, then she followed with a powerful kick which David easily checked with his knee. He came back at her with his own strikes, Anna, was able to block the first few but she soon found herself pinned to a marble pillar by the neck again. Before she could counter, she felt another powerful punch to the gut knocking the air out, Drake pinned her foot to the ground with his own and held both her arms above her head with just one of his. She gasped for air as she lowered her head, she knew she was helpless.
"All these years, I thought you were dead. Drake's mask dissolved into his armor again, there was a tear coming from one eye. Why didn't you come back to me?"
Anna could not look him in the eyes she turned her head away with a look of grief on her face.
"Answer me!" Drake exclaimed.
He let his anger get a hold of him and with his free hand he punched her in the face smashing her through the marble pillar she went flying again landing into a field of grass. She quickly stood spitting out a small bit of blood, her bruised face began to heal instantly.
"Vampires... Are my people now too."
"And so they are..."
"I've hunted. I've killed. I've fed on people and I enjoyed it too. You know the feeling too? Whenever I feed, I go into this kind of frenzy I can't control myself. I just end up wanting more and more each time!"
Anna could suddenly see flashbacks of all her victims they were mostly men and there were many of them. She had a sinister smile on her face and began laughing. Drake looked at her in disbelief her laugh was that of a maniac, a psychopath. He then knew what had to be done. Drake closed his eyes let a loud sigh before raising his head and opening his eyes.
"Then you really are dead then. The woman I loved died back in the war. The Anna I remembered was a doctor. She was kind, she loved others, she helped other people and most of all, she loved me, and I loved her back. You insult her memory."
"So, you decided to finally get serious now?" she asked.
"I'll send you back to Hades." Drake replied.
Drake lunged at her but disappeared in the blink of an eye. Anna lost sight of him for a moment. He appeared in front of her suddenly and without hesitation slicing at her with long retractable blade from his arm. She dodged it just in time, but it still managed to cut her cheek. Anna made a dash through the maze destroying the grass walls in her way. Drake followed right behind her cleaving the bushes in half in his attempt to hit her. He caught up to her easily and reared back his blade to strike. Anna stopped it with a hidden dagger she stored in her boot but not before the impact sent her flying back again.
"When will you realize you'll never beat me?'" Drake asked.
"Just shut up!"
Frustrated she frantically charged him again with her serrated dagger slicing nothing but air. Drake took a long slice at her forcing her to leap back leaving a twenty-foot gap between them. Anna stopped she was tired, she had neared her limit. Drake knew it too, he on the other hand looked like he hadn't even broken a sweat. Anna continued to breath heavily, she could barely hold her dagger in front of her let alone keep her fighting stance. Drake retracted the large blade from his arm and pulled out one single shuriken. It was bigger than the others and required his whole hand to hold it. It resembled a small saw blade with the spikes only coming from one side of it. One could tell it was designed to shred its target to pieces.
"It's over give up..."
"What's wrong don't have the balls to kill me?"
"Don't get up. Just stay down Damn you!" Drake screamed.
Anna steadied her Blade preparing for one final strike. Her mind screamed at her to stop but her body urged her to keep going. She couldn't think straight anymore from fatigue. Anna took one step forward than followed with the other foot one at a time until she felt herself in a sprint.
"..."
Drake threw the large shuriken at her it soared through the air rotating so fast you could hear it. It hit Anna straight in her gut knocking her into the gazebo behind her. She tore the thin curtains hanging from the top as she fell through. Inside the gazebo was a what appeared to be a type of couch lined with cushions and blankets. The gazebo was surrounded on each side by tall white marble pillars. One if them was splattered with Anna's blood. It was all over now. She lay there motionless with the large shuriken in her stomach, she coughed up a large amount of blood. All she wanted to do now was lay back against one of the large cushions. Drake slowly walked up to her clad in his obsidian colored armor, he looked down at her in pity with remorse on his face. Anna looked up at him blood streaming down from her mouth she could feel her wound not healing and bleeding out.
"I...I remember watching you come out the desert that first time. You were so handsome. So, dashing."
He kneeled down in front of the defeated Anna he observed the shuriken lodged in her gut.
"It was the Arabian desert, right? Nineteen fourteen?" he asked her.
"Yeah..."
"I thought you were crazy. A doctor from America all the way out here in this barren desert."
"But the people out there they needed my help though, Anna said weakly. They still believed in demons causing sandstorms, they had never even seen a locomotive before." Anna laughed.
"David. Drake I'm not right anymore. My head isn't right please...please just kill me! I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. Not you, not anyone else!"
Anna coughed up another large spurt of blood. She could barely speak now, and her voice got weaker by the second. David pulled her close to him and stroked her hair before kissing her forehead. He pulled her head into his chest before suddenly pulling out the shuriken from her stomach. He threw it to the ground and it made a loud metal clang as it hit the floor soaked in blood.
"What are you doing?"
"If you feed on me now, you'll survive." Drake replied.
"I said to kill me! I don't deserve to live" she cried.
"I could never kill you...Call me a fool, but I'm a fool that sticks to my beliefs. Anna, I love you."
"..."
"I'll always be David for you." he replied.
Anna began to cry, tears started flowing from her, she couldn't hold it back anymore. She began to wail sounding through the whole garden. All David could do was hold her in his arms.
"I. I need help!"
"Feed."
"I don't want to feel alone again!"
In between Anna's sentences was spurts of tears, she lifted her head from David's chest and looked him in the eyes. He gently pulled her head towards his neck. She let a few more tears before getting closer to his neck.
"Feed."
That was the last thing she heard before gently sinking her fangs in his neck. The flavor of his blood was so satisfying to her she closed her eyes and grabbed his back with a firm grasp. The blood frenzy took over and she could feel the wound in her gut closing up. Judging by the sounds she made David knew it also gave her a certain kind of arousal. He kept his hold around her and continued to let her feed, he enjoyed her warmth. By not streams of blood ran down his back from the site of the bite, Anna was still feeding.
In close proximity to David and Anna, a surviving Lycan had made its way to them still rumbling through the grassy maze. It had the drop on them as they were both vulnerable at the moment. The Lycan slowly climbed through a destroyed part of the maze stalking its prey. But before it could lunge forward a long silver blade plunged through out its mouth covered in blood. The huntress was behind it, she had plunged her sword through the back of it head and out his mouth. She pulled her sword out the monster and it fell limp and made a loud thud as it hit the ground. Letting out a satisfying hum the huntress sheathed her sword and walked towards the gazebo.
As she walked towards the gazebo, she came upon the sight of Anna feeding on David. She could not believe her eyes and let out a large sigh before drawing her bow with an arrow. Anna looked up for just a moment her eyes still glowing an intense blue with dilated pupils. David turned around and saw an arrow fly inches from his face striking Anna in the forehead. She fell back on the ground for a moment before sitting back up and roughly pulling the arrow out her head.
"Get off him you Bitch!" exclaimed the huntress.
"Lyn Stop!"
Lyn ignored David readying another arrow her face full of rage. Anna grasped the arrow in her hand with intent to use it as a weapon. She reared her sharp fangs still coated with David's blood and let out a loud hissing sound. Lyn readied the arrow aimed right at Anna's heart, she took a deep breath and exhaled before slowly releasing it. The bow making a loud thumping sound as it released the arrow. The arrow looked like it would hit its target until David caught it midair with his hand.
"D... David? What are you doing? Lyn asked.
"I'm sorry but I can't let you kill her."
The arrow in David's hand exploded almost like a small firework. The red phosphorus scorched his hand and small silver flurries filled the air. David's hand was severely burned but the skin that was scorched off began to regenerate. Some of the small flurries landed on Anna's face and they began to burn her skin. She let out a small shriek in pain.
"Really Lyn? You were going to use that arrow on her? With me standing right here too?"
"What's wrong with you David? She comes here and tries to destroy our home, brings those monsters with her, tries to kill you, the servants and you're just going to act like it never happened?"
Lyn readied another arrow there was no reasoning with her. She loved David too and if he wasn't going to take action then she would. By now Lyn was so angry her teeth were grinding against each other, her hands were bleeding from holding the bow back too long and too hard. David thought she looked even more beautiful when she was angry. He knew he would have to take action.
"Lyn!"
She looked at David and suddenly lowered her bow. The expression on her face turned back to normal.
"Your right..."
David turned to Anna, she relaxed her body for a moment as he walked towards her. He then turned his attention back to Lyn again.
"There has to be some kind of penance."
Without hesitation David retracted the blade from his arm turned to Anna and stabbed her in the chest. She let out a large gasp and bent over forward looking at the large blade in her. Anna used the last bit of her strength to look up at David. He had a cold expressionless look on his face.
"Drake." Was the last thing she could say before feeling herself pass out.
The Alchemist
Somewhere along the Western Front 1918...
"Do we give quarter sir?" asked a man in a German accent.
"No, I have none to give..." replied Drake.
"As you wish, we are ready for the final charge it should break their lines."
Drake nodded in reply. He stood on horseback behind the front lines with three other German Officers. He donned a metal skull shaped mask that only showed his intense blue eyes glowing with blood lust. He wore a traditional Storm trooper helmet with large spike on top along with the Storm trooper military uniform. It was raining, the ground soaked with mud most of the forest had been destroyed by the battle. The screams and cries of wounded men could be heard from No-man's land. The area in between trenches looked like hell on Earth.
"One more thing, if there's any of their Officers left. Bring them to me... Alive please." Said Drake.
"And the others?"
"You can eat them."
The two German Officers eyes both glowed blue the same as Drake's, they then donned their metal skull masks as well. They both let out a small growl that sounded the same as hungry wolves about to feast. One of them took his horse to the trenches in preparation to start the attack. Due to having an enhanced vision than most David could see enemy troops scurrying on the other side preparing for the assault. He smiled softly to himself, he admired their fighting spirit but knew this final assault would break them, Drake always respected the enemies that deserved it. He looked over to the other officer still with him, his name was Hanz.
"I hear the enemy on the other side are called the Harlem Hell fighters. That's quite the name they've earned." Drake said.
"They're mostly negros. Hell, fighters or not they will all die" replied Hanz.
"Don't disappoint me..."
A s Drake and Hanz stood by on horseback they heard the infamous whistles of the infantry officers signaling to charge. The voices of hundreds of men screaming, and charging filled the air. Men poured out the German trenches crossing into No-man's land. As David observed the battle the endless fire and death could be seen through his eyes. But beneath all of that stemmed his own fire, a fire of hatred he harbored for the enemy. They were the ones responsible for the death of his beloved wife and he would find the Officer responsible and make him pay. He would never forget the day he received that telegram.
15 January 1918
To the husband of Mrs. Anna we regret to inform you that your wife was killed in the line of duty by friendly fire. We can assure you that the individuals responsible will be reprimanded for this infraction. You will also receive compensation of two hundred U.S dollars on behalf of the commander in chief once the nation is in a state of security. Your wife's service as both a doctor and soldier were insurmountable to the defense of her nation. We once again offer our condolences to you and grieve your loss. For God and Country.
Woodrow Wilson
Commander-in-chief U.S.A
God Bless America
Drake clenched his fist crumbling the telegram after he read it. He began crying profusely, he could not believe what he was hearing. He looked over to his butler Albert standing by his side. Albert was a tall old man with short hair neatly slicked back. He was still pretty stout and strong for his age but maybe that was because he too was immortal.
"Sir" Albert said to Drake handing him a handkerchief.
Drake quickly swatted it away continuing his grieving.
"Albert... She was a doctor not a soldier. How could a doctor die from friendly fire? That fool I begged her not to go!"
"She died doing what she loved sir" Albert replied.
"No this isn't right. Doctors don't just die from friendly fire. They're lying!"
"Master Drake. Either way Miss Anna is gone now. We all loved her too."
" Why am I just now receiving this telegram? It was addressed to me a week ago. Explain yourself Albert!"
Albert took in a deep breath to compose himself before speaking. He then let out a huge exhale, a spec of his gray hair fell out of place in front of his forehead.
"Sir, with the opening of your new blood bank. I thought it best to show it to you after the opening ceremony. I know you have been working very hard on this. I did it for your sake..."
"It doesn't matter now Albert! All that blood will go to the war effort now and I can't just close it down! We'll have to make do with what we have for the moment."
Before Drake could finish berating Albert, he heard a knock at the door. He and Albert both looked up in confusion. Drake urged at the servant nearby to open up the door. As she opened the large oak door a man stepped through. He was a short chubby man with red hair much like Anna's. He wore the coat of a scientist and the only thing holding up his glasses was the bit of rope he had improvised. Just as soon as he had entered, he fell down to the ground breathing heavily, he was out of breath.
"Oh, it's just you..." exclaimed Drake with an irritated look.
"Who is that sir?" asked Albert.
"Anna's brother. My idiot in law" Drake replied.
As the man caught his breath Drake caught the glimpse of a small girl behind the man grasping onto the door frame staring at Drake. She also had red hair and strongly looked like Anna as well, but she couldn't have been more than five.
"Drake! Is it true? When I got the news, I rushed here as fast as I could!" exclaimed the man.
"See for yourself" replied Drake as he tossed the crumbled-up telegram to the man.
"I-I can't believe this. How could-?"
"Before you start get this little one something to eat. She must be hungry" Drake said to his servant.
The servant quickly escorted the girl out the room down the hallway.
"Friendly fire? That's rubbish" exclaimed the man.
"I know Peter."
"How long has it been Drake?"
"About a week now..."
Peter struggled to hold the telegram as he began to cry. Finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer before exploding.
"You said that you'd protect my sister! How could you have let her go? Damn you Drake! Damn you! Damn you!" Peter repeated over and over while pounding his fist on Drake's chest soaking his shirt with tears.
Drake knew he was right and stood there. He looked down to the ground in utter defeat and disbelief.
"I think its time you left Peter..."
Fall 1918
Ever since Anna's death Drake was in a state of depression. He had become a heavy drinker even though human food made him sick to his stomach. He refused to drink blood and rarely ventured outside the room he and Anna had shared. Most of the day he sat in the corner holding a picture of her in his pocket watch. He reeked of alcohol and the little blood he did drink often stained his shirts. Albert came in day after day to check on him, he was still often in the same spot staring into nothing. His spirit had been crushed, Anna was the only woman let alone human that he had truly ever loved the most. Through his world of pain and darkness she was his sunshine.
"So, this is what you have been doing for the past year?"
Drake slightly turned his hair had grown so long it almost covered his eyes. His beard had grown very large as well.
"Unless, you brought more wine get out!" he exclaimed not even looking at who it was.
He threw an empty goblet at the door and nodded back off into the distance. The man picked up the goblet and placed it on the nearby table.
"I know what you are Drake. The man said. I've had my suspicions for years and I finally figured it out."
Drake stood up and looked over at the man, it was Peter.
"You look the same" Drake replied.
"You're not going to kill me, now are you?" Peter asked frighteningly.
"Me kill you? I'm not going to do anything to you. Your too fat and you smell bad. So, you probably taste terrible too-."
"Look who's talking..." interrupted Peter.
"What!?"
"Oh, sorry nothing, nothing at all!" Peter replied raising his hand in front trying to diffuse the situation.
"Anyways. What do you want?" Drake asked.
Peter fixed his glasses upright and coughed a few times before speaking. He looked at him with a serious face.
"You know that I'm an alchemist, right?"
"What of it?"
"I think I know how to bring back Anna?"
"You don't mean?" Drake exclaimed.
"I do. I'm gonna bring her back from the dead with science..."
"But that's forbidden. It's a taboo!"
"That may be so Peter replied. But I think I have it figured out."
Peter walked over to a nearby chair and sat down but not before pulling out a small notebook. David poured the empty goblet with what appeared to be more blood and began to sip from it.
"Ahem!" Peter said out loud.
"Well?"
"Water(35L), Carbon (20kg),Ammonia (4L), Lime(1.5kg),Phosphorus (800g), Salt (250g),Saltpeter (100g), Sulfur (80g), Fluorine(7.5g), Iron (5g), Silicon (3g), and fifteen traces of other elements. Peter said before closing the small notebook. These are all the ingredients that make up the average adult human."
"Your crazy it will never work" exclaimed Drake.
"I would do anything to bring back my beloved sister at this point wouldn't you?"
"..."
"I need your help with this Drake. I can't do this without. You have all the resources I need that's why I came to you. What do you say?"
Drake sighed for a moment, he took another sip out the glass and looked out the window. Every part of his gut told him not to go through it, but his heart told him otherwise. But sometimes its not always right to listen to your heart. He turned around towards Peter.
"Alright... Everything here at the mansion is at your disposal. When will you be ready?"
"Just give me three days" replied Peter.
"Alright..."
"One more thing. You'll participate in the transmutation, right?" asked Peter.
"Yeah..."
"Perfect then I'll see three days from now then!"
And with that Peter took his leave and left the room. He walked down the hallway clasping his book and looked over at his daughter waiting for him in the guest room.
"Please let this work." He said to himself.
Drake finished his goblet of wine before Albert came in. David turned to him as he grabbed the silver platter of empty glasses.
"More wine sir?" he asked.
"No thanks Drake said as he opened his window and poured out the last wine bottle. I've had enough to last a lifetime."
"Very good sir" Albert said smiling as he walked away.
Three days later
Drake and Peter stood in the wine cellar beneath the mansion. It had the largest space needed to control the ritual and keep it a secret. They had carefully cleared a space needed to perform it. In that space was a Pentagram drawn in chalk along with several candles on each end. In the center stood a large pot with all the ingredients needed to revive Anna. Drake watched as Peter finished preparations and read off the ingredients one last time. None of the servants knew except for Drake, Peter and Albert and Peter's daughter. Now it was time to begin. If everything went well he would see his beloved again,
"There's just one last thing." Peter said.
He took out a small knife and cut his finger over the pot in the center. Drake approached it and reached for the knife. He and Peter nodded at each other. Drake carefully slit his hand above the pot and blood spilled into the pot.
"That should be it. Now step back Drake."
David exited the circle while Peter stood in the middle. He kneeled down on both knees to begin the process. He clasped both hands together in the air first and then placed them both on the circle. The transmutation circle lit up and glowed a bright green. The energy then rushed and flowed into the center pot. The power of the energy mimicked that of very powerful electricity surging through the air and moving any unsecured object. The process began to go smoothly until the energy turned a bright red and suddenly rushed outside the pot and seemingly exploded inside the room.
"Albert! Take the girl and get out of here!" exclaimed Drake.
Drake suddenly found himself on the floor screaming in agony. His eye began bleeding profusely and he attempted to cover it with a hand. The blood began pouring through his hand. Once the smoke began to clear it signified the transmutation was over. Through the thick cloud he could see a humanoid figure in the center of the circle where the pot was. Drake ignored the pain and rushed to it realizing that it was Anna. At least what appeared to be Anna. The figure looked almost identical to her in every way. Anna fell forward but not before Drake caught her. He held her nude body tightly in his arms. The transmutation had worked. Drake began to cry he could not believe it. Anna opened her eyes and looked at him and smiled.
"Anna? Its me, your back now" he said.
"Da-Da-Drake?"
"Yes, my love. Its me" Drake replied still holding her tightly.
Anna looked at him in the eyes first holding both his cheeks. They were both smiling now.
"I should thank you she exclaimed. And now. Now- you can die now."
"What?"
Anna's eyes suddenly glowed an evil red, her teeth became sharp and she spurted huge bat like wings from her back. Horns grew out from her head as she took a huge bite out of Drake's shoulder, she then proceeded to impale his body with the huge tail coming out from her. She let out a sinister laugh before flying up and crashing through the cellar ceiling. Drake could hear the screams of multiple servants as she made her way through the house massacring them all. Drake laying on the floor looked over to where Peter was, he was lying on the floor, but he was missing an arm and a leg. Peter was bleeding to death. His daughter was nowhere to be found and his butler Albert lie on the ground unconscious.
"What-What have I done?"
Peter looked over to Drake laying in a pool of blood. His wound was slowly starting to regenerate but David still lay there in defeat again.
"My-My little girl. She's gone. Exclaimed Peter. Tell me Drake that it at least worked?"
"That thing isn't Anna" Drake replied weakly.
Drake slowly stood up and took a large breath. He looked over to where Peter's daughter had been. The only trace of her being a small girls' shoe she had been wearing. He knew she had been sacrificed by accident in the transmutation. Drake looked up and could continue hearing the screams of his servants being slaughtered he knew what he had to do. He had to stop the demon that they had summoned. He looked over at the dying Peter on the ground.
"Stop her."
Drake nodded at him, the bleeding in his stomach had stopped it was time to fight. Drake ripped open his blood-soaked white shirt, in the middle of his chest was a small black and gold scarab. Drake slapped the scarab with his palm and it immediately began to dissolve into the familiar black sand like substance. Soon it encased him in the powerful Obsidian and gold armor with the same animal like mask. He grabbed a halberd from the nearby knight armor and jumped through the hole the fake Anna had made. As he climbed through each story of the mansion it was evident the demon had busted its way all the way to the roof of the mansion. The wake of destruction and dead servants met Drake as he made his way to the roof.
"You really fucked up this time" said a deep monstrous voice to Drake.
"Now's not the time."
"Ha! Well now I can say I told you so. I warned you and you still went through with it."
The voice came from inside Drake's armor. It was the armor itself. It called itself Set after the Egyptian God of chaos. David often consulted with the being that was in the scarab.
"How do I stop this thing?" asked Drake.
"You have to find a way to seal it with alchemy or a spell caster."
"I don't have any of those" replied Drake.
"Peter can. Unless he bleeds to death first."
"..."
"Drake. Your cortisol levels are too high do you want me to release some hormones to calm you down?"
"No..."
As Drake made it to the roof, he could see the full scale of the demon's destruction. Parts of the mansion were on fire; all the gardens were destroyed. The main courtyard was littered with more slaughtered servants and workers. He took a huge leap down the roof to the front courtyard to confront the fake Anna who was feasting on a freshly killed worker. Had he waited any longer the worker's body would have been mutilated beyond recognition and devoured. Drake drew the huge halberd taking his fighting stance.
"Eyes,Lungs,heart,Pancreas. So many snacks, so little time." Said the false Anna.
Drake stared at the nude figure with disgust, her huge wings and sharp tail standing upright ready to strike.
"What's wrong? You don't look too happy to see me. This is what you wanted isn't it?'
"You're not Anna..."
"Ohhh? I'm not Anna huh?"
She walked toward him slowly and casually retracting her wings and tail until it was just her nude body. She then reached towards Drake and looked him in the eyes before taking his hand and placing it on her bare breast.
"Tell me that doesn't feel like her. I look like her. Feel like her, talk like her and I can pleasure you all the same. She moved her lips closer to Drake's as the mask of his armor dissolved. Tell me again that I'm not her" she said softly to him. Just as Drake was about to give in he heard a voice shout. He looked over and saw Albert standing there with Peter.
"That's not Miss Anna!" he exclaimed.
"Sure, it may look like her but that isn't her Master Drake!"
Drake took his large halberd and swung it at the demon it dodged the attack just in time. It let out a terrible shriek and expanded its huge wings and tail again, the monster somehow summoned the blood from the dead servants to create a hardened armor out of it encasing her body. The monster lunged in the air and made an aerial dive towards Albert in anger. Before it could hit him though Drake was able to slash a huge gash in the monster's back. It shrieked once again in pain but couldn't recover in time before Drake's next barrage of attacks He took the halberd and made a huge downward strike shattering the ground as it missed. The demon lunged at him again trying to slash him with its monstrous claws as Drake dodged the first strike. The next impact from the monster was so powerful it pushed Drake back digging his feet into the ground as he blocked it having to keep both arms on the halberd. The sound of the ongoing impact resembled a massive chainsaw as the claws screeched against the metal. David then found an opening to shift the monster's weight to his side and attempt another slice. However, this monster was no stranger to combat and saw the ruse ahead of time. It quickly broke away and realigned itself for a counter attack using its wings to lunge at him again. Each clash of claws against Metal pushed Drake back some each strike.
"Drake!"
He looked over to see Peter yelling at him he had used his own blood from his wounds to draw another transmutation circle.
"If you can get her in the middle, I can seal her away!" he yelled.
"R-Right" Drake replied.
"You have to hurry I don't know when I'll bleed out! Yelled Peter as he pointed to the makeshift tourniquets on his arm and leg. Hurry!"
The fake Anna heard every word and immediately lunged at Peter. Drake rushed to intercept her and using a long whip like material from his armor he was able to catch her with it by the leg. Drake swung the monster in a large circle smashing her into several nearby pillars before releasing the whip. The monster shrieked in pain again before flying headfirst into the huge fountain in the center falling in the water. Just as soon as it had crashed into it the fountain the creature emerged into the air again. It immediately dashed towards Drake hell bent on killing him charging headfirst into him. Drake braced for the impact as the monster swept him into the air and onto the roof of his burning mansion. Drake still stuck in the monster's grasp knew he had to act, the monster's jaw expanded twice its size in an attempt to devour him whole. But before it could it suddenly felt itself being impaled.
"How can this be?" exclaimed the fake Anna weakly. She looked at Drake's armor. There were large spikes of the same black sand like substances coming from it that had impaled her.
"It's called Iron sand..."
"Iron sand?"
"My most powerful weapon and now I'll send you back to whence you came Demon!"
Drake released the sand and kicked the monster off the roof. It immediately began to descend towards the ground before it could recover. Just then Drake jumped off the roof too and grasped the falling demon by its legs. They both began to spiral down towards the blood circle with the demon impacting the ground headfirst. Drake cleared the impact zone just as he had pile drived the monster headfirst. Its head hit the ground so hard it shattered the ground in middle. The monster with its legs in the air headfirst slowly fell back down. Drake remained outside the circle breathing heavily to catch his breath.
"Do it now Peter!"
"Right!"
Peter clasped his remaining hand against Drake's and they both placed it on the ground. Before the monster could escape it was bound by metal chains that emerged from the ground. Completely restrained the beast knew it had lost and looked towards Drake.
"So, it looks like you've beaten me. I'm impressed" it said.
The beast retracted its wings and tail and snapped its broken neck back into place still keeping the appearance of a nude Anna.
"Before I go, I'll tell you this. Think of it as a reward for beating me."
"Enough of your lies!" exclaimed Drake.
"Believe me or not your choice. But the ones who killed your precious Anna are still alive and well."
"Who are they?" asked Drake.
"He is an American Officer a vampire like you..."
"What are their names!?"
"Sorry but that's all you get from me time to go now. I enjoyed playing with you..."
The chains around fake Anna disappeared and her body slowly began to turn into Ash as pieces of it began to blow away with the wind. Soon her whole body became the ash and it collapsed into the ground as a pile of ash. Beneath the pile of ash was revealed to be a small girl, it was Peter's daughter... Drake turned around to see the look of horror on Peter's face. The girl lie there motionless her soul had already left this world. Drake picked her up and sat the body by her dying father. Peter placed his remaining hand over his dead child.
"She asked if she could give a piece of her hair to help revive Aunt Anna... I never knew this could happen. My-My little girl I'm so sorry!"
Peter began to wail frantically again all Drake could do was watch in silence. By now his whole mansion and estate had burned down. Him and Albert watched together in disbelief. Drake placed a hand on Peter trying to comfort him.
"You know I could save you. Your talents in alchemy can be very useful to me."
"I've lost my sister, my daughter, my arms and legs. I'm nothing now..."
"Just one bite. That's all it takes."
Peter looked at him and smiled his glasses fell off his face.
"I'll see my sister and my daughter before you Peter said weakly. I pity you Drake."
With his last words Peter closed his eyes and Drake could hear his heart slowly stop beating until it beat no more.
"Requiescat in pace" Drake said to the dead Peter and his daughter.
"What now sir?" Albert asked.
Drake still looked at his burning estate even though it was evening the fire and embers lit up the sky once more. Ashes raining down on the ground.
"Now. Drake said still looking at his burning mansion. Burn all the bodies and then we leave."
"Very good sir" Albert replied.
Western Front 1918
Drake sat on top of his horse observing the ongoing battle. He waited to hear news of progress. He clasped the reigns of his horse anxiously wanting to join in the battle himself. Men's screams still echoed in the background as the sounds of gunfire and artillery simultaneously went off.
"Commander! Commander!"
Drake turned behind him to his third officer returning to join him and Hanz.
"News from the front?"
"Our first wave failed..."replied the officer.
Hanz looked over to Drake.
"Orders sir?"
"Use the gas." Said Drake.
The two officers looked at each other in disbelief and then Drake.
"But our men are still out there sir!"
"Send a runner to the front. Have everyone don gas masks now. Launch the gas in ten minutes. I won't say it again."
"As you wish commander" replied Hanz.
Hanz looked over to the runner standing by them, he was a young man barely eighteen years old. Small and agile he has been voluntold to be a runner much to his reluctance.
"Well you heard the commander! Exclaimed Hanz. Get to it!"
"Yes sir!" said the boy as he ran towards the chaos.
The boy ran as fast as he could, but he reached the front lines quickly and found his way into no man's land. He didn't know how much time had passed, the gas would come any minute.
"Gas! Gas! Gas!" he yelled frantically at the top of his lungs.
He repeated this over and over as all able-bodied soldiers donned their gas masks. As the young private made his way deeper into no man's land there were many wounded soldiers still alive in the midst of it. He knew they would not survive the next charge because of the gas both allied and Germans. There were a few remaining German soldiers walking back from the first failed charged. Some were in one piece and others in pieces. He saw one soldier casually searching the battlefield for his lost arm before finding it soon after. The private continued shouting of the imminent gas attack coming until he heard a single shot. The boy instantly became silent and felt his shirt become wet. He looked down and saw a large gaping hole in his chest before collapsing. Shortly after the gas shells struck the battlefield sending a huge screen of deadly mustard gas towards the enemy lines.
"Send in the next wave, you two join them" ordered Drake.
"Yes sir" replied the two officers as they nudged their horses into a gallop towards the front. With the next series of whistles signaled the second charge. Drake watched as more men in gas masks charged towards enemy trenches, disappearing into the thick cloud of smoke.
Within the hour David saw no apparent signs of progress he began to get slightly irritated. Drake dismounted his horse and walked to the communications room behind the trenches.
"Any progress?" he asked the Battle Captain.
"A pigeon just came in commander" replied he Battle Captain as he grabbed the pigeon and opened the small tube on its back pulling out a note. It read simply Second wave ineffective, tanks! Drake let out a frustrating sigh before turning back towards the trenches. He re-donned his metal skull mask and extended his arm in the air.
"Rifle!" he demanded.
A nearby soldier handed him his rifle and David observed it for a moment. It was a Henry Martini Rifle not standard issue but one of David's favorite.
"Is it too much to ask for victory" he said to the Battle Captain.
"S-Sir?" he replied weakly.
"I suppose if you want something done right you have to do it yourself."
Drake took a huge sprint towards the battle running faster than any human could ever run. He was going to win this battle no matter what. He quickly made it to No man's land passing by a group of freshly destroyed tanks that were clearly the enemy's. He jumped on top one of the ruined tanks it wasn't destroyed but simply disabled. He was only about a few hundred yards from the enemy trenches and he could see them clearly still clashing with the remnants of the second wave. Drake took aim with his rifle, breathed, exhaled and ejected the shell from the breech loaded rifle after it fired. The enemy soldier in his sights quickly fell as Drake reloaded his next shot. He repeated this several times hitting an enemy each time one of them being an officer. The hatch on the disabled tank opened and a British soldier climbed out not realizing Drake was on top of the tank. Drake quickly grabbed the man with one arm by the collar and tossed him off the tank. He took a grenade from his belt and threw it down the hatch before slamming it shut. He heard multiple screams from within the tank before hearing the grenade go off.
Making a sprint through the remaining gas fumes stung Drake but did nothing to stop him. He soon found his way out the clouds of gas and into enemy trenches. A soldier charged at him with his bayonet but not before being quickly dispatched by Drake's monstrous strength. The enemy attempted to surround him, but Drake moved very quickly moving out of place before any bullet could reach him often hitting an ally in his place. Drake disarmed one enemy before snapping his neck and using his machine gun to mow down his comrades. Another soldier came at him with his trench tool missing the first swing Drake impaled the man in the chest with his arm killing him instantly. He then felt a powerful impact hit his mask almost like he had gotten punched in the face. The metal skull mask suddenly lay in the mud. Drake's lip was bleeding now. He licked off the blood of the fallen soldier from his hand much to the enemy's horror. He then let out a loud monstrous shriek with his elongated canines showing.
"He's a monster!" yelled one enemy soldier before running away. Several others joined him.
"Stand your ground!" yelled a remaining officer.
"Put down your weapons if you want to live" Drake said to his enemies.
He could tell that they wanted to but did not want to disobey orders. The men continued to stand their ground.
"Very well then..."
He slowly walked forward and pulled out two unattached bayonets one in each hand. The remaining enemies fired at him, but Drake grabbed a nearby man just in time to use as a meat shield. Once he got close enough Drake began to systematically slaughter every soldier either slitting their throats or ripping them out with a powerful bite. The remaining officer soon found himself alone with just Drake covered in blood. He raised his sidearm but somehow stopped halfway knowing it was a futile attempt. They both stared intently at each other with blood lust in their eyes.
"You're a vampire, too aren't you?" asked Drake.
"..."
The officer lowered his sidearm, but he was still trembling with fear. He looked down at the ground mixed with blood, dirt and decimation. The air reeked of blood and human flesh. He then looked back up at Drake with crystal bright blue eyes almost identical to David's.
"How did you know...?"
"Isn't it obvious I can smell you", replied Drake as he slowly walked toward the man.
As he walked towards him the Officer slowly stepped back still paralyzed with fear, he continued stepping back until tripping on his cape and plunging into the muddy ground.
"What's your name?"
"T-T-Tanner..." the officer replied weakly.
Drake approached him and knelt down beside him, he examined Tanner for a minute staring intently at his neck. He immediately plunged his fangs into Tanner's neck the man's body violently shook as Drake began feeding. As he slowly began drinking Tanner's blood Drake closed his eyes for a moment, shortly after he began to instantly see images flood into his head most of them consisting of Tanner. He was watching memories to be exact through feeding.
"Ahhhhhhh!" exclaimed Drake gasping for air as he took his fangs out the man's neck. His mouth and face were covered with blood at this point, but he seemed quite disappointed still.
"You don't have what I'm looking for but now I know there are more of you here."
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Not yet. Run and give them a message. Tell them I'm coming."
Without any hesitation Tanner struggled to get up slipping his boots in the mud before finally gaining enough balance to successfully flee. Drake watched him as he ran to the ruined cathedral in the background. He wiped the blood off his mouth with his sleeve before revealing massive fangs in his mouth. As small bits of rain began to fall on him Drake looked up to the sky and let out a loud roar, loud enough to be heard on the entire battlefield.
The western front soon grew quiet Drake stood alone in the middle of the blood-soaked field. The dark cumulonimbus clouds that covered the sky began to pour rain. The rain saturated the already soaked and destroyed Earth creating more mud. Drake looked up to the sky and removed his helmet and allowed the rain to wash the blood and dirt off his face enjoying the moment of peace. But his brief break was interrupted with a loud footstep slapping the ground. Drake instantly turned towards the direction of the sound, he made a loud snarling growl bearing his huge fangs and teeth with intense crystal blue eyes. He reached up and picked up the nearest rifle on the ground pulling the bolt back and extracting the expended rifle shell loading a new one in the chamber. To his sight he saw two enemy soldiers, one was helping the other walk because he had clearly been wounded. Drake could see their tattered capes and uniforms they were also covered in dirt and blood. The man who had not been wounded raised his sidearm at Drake he was shaking so bad he could barely hold it straight.
Drake took a minute to observe them not taking the rifle sights off them. They were two colored men the only survivors left from their regiment The Harlem Hell fighters that day. The stand off continued for another minute, Drake could see the fear in their eyes, he could hear their hearts beating rapidly, he could smell fear... Oddly enough the rain suddenly stopped and an opening in the clouds allowed a ray of sunlight to peak through touching a single spot in the field between the stand-off. The two enemy soldiers looked down at it revealing it be a single sprout from an unknown plant surfacing from the ground. Somehow it was the only unscathed thing on the entire battlefield soon it could sprout into a beautiful flower. Drake looked at the single sprout for a second and closed his eyes, soon they returned back to normal and he retracted his fangs.
"Truth be told that's the only living thing in this entire field", he thought to himself.
Drake turned his eyes back to the enemy they instantly returned the look. Without second thought Drake slowly lowered the rifle and dropped it back on the ground. He too knew there had been enough killing, enough suffering for one day. He knew the horrors of war all too well and there were some things even worse than that. The man holding the pistol soon lowered it away from Drake as well. Drake abruptly turned around with his long cape flapping in the wind and began walking back towards his side of the battlefield. Watching him walk away the man holding the pistol let out a huge sigh in relief. He lived to see another day.
Unknown field hospital in Paris
Earl Harris suddenly woke up from a strange dream. It took him a minute to realize it was only a dream. He stared at the makeshift nightstand next to him with a small glass of water on it. He grabbed it and instantly downed the glass; the fresh water was refreshing. Earl rubbed his face and felt a small square shaped patch on his dark skin. I hurt every time he touched it so he figured it better not to mess with it. He then rubbed his face, it was rough, patchy and hairy obviously due for a shave soon. The room he was in was filled with cots each of them housing a wounded soldier. Voluntary nurses rushed back and forth the aisle running between all the cots. He didn't know how he slept so well in a place so noisy. Earl looked over and saw the small radio playing a smooth jazzy beat he liked it. It reminded him of home back in Georgia almost, but this place was far from home.
"Private Harris?"
"Yes?"
Earl looked over, there was a tall stout man standing over him. He could tell by the uniform he was an officer and had a strong powerful voice.
"I'm the CO of the battalion here and I came to ask you a few questions. The nurses said you were rumbling on about monsters on the battlefield in your sleep. What did you see?"
Earl looked away for a minute to recollect his thoughts. He did think for a moment that it could have just been post traumatic stress or shell shock but deep down he knew what he saw.
"He was fast, replied Earl. Could lift and throw men with one hand easily. He had big fangs and teeth too. I saw him rip one fellas throat out with his teeth too. And no bullets ain't stop him neither."
"And you sure that's what you saw" the Officer asked.
"As clear as I can see that pretty little white nurse over there" replied Earl.
"What did he look like if you can remember?"
"Well... Lets see... He was tall. Big ole corn fed fella too by the looks of it. Had black hair. Blue eyes. That's about all I remember."
"I see."
"Sorry about that sir got banged up in the head pretty bad maybe I'm just seeing shit. Ain't anybody here right in the head no mo after what we done saw."
"That'll be all Private," replied the Officer as he quickly turned away and began walking down the aisle. He walked in a slow pace cuffing his hand together with his arms behind his back in a dominating stride.
"Soo David you're here...or should I say Drake... Come along now" he said as he walked out the door. A beautiful woman with her hair tied in a bun with honey colored eyes followed behind him as he left with a sadistic smirk on her face.
"As you wish Vlad."