Hello all! Here's Chapter 3! I won't be updating again until Monday. Tuesday at the latest. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own Dracula! He's locked in my room!! Wait no, that was a dream I had...Nevermind. I don't own anything except the plot and the OCs. :)
Chapter 3:
Making Plans and Tight Situations
Dracula stormed the streets. His eyes were a dangerous inferno of blue and black. The need to feed had strengthened and was pounding in his head. Not to mention that his eyes were still stinging from where Lauren had sprayed holy water in them. Worse, she had gotten the best of him! She humiliated him! Sure she had witch blood, but she didn't have any active powers! How easy could prey be? For both food and sexual purposes!
He would get her, of that he was certain. He had underestimated her once. But it would not happen again. He would enjoy her screams when he had his way with her. And the thought of tasting her blood only enhanced his hunger. Dracula would have her as his bride. That would be the sweetest revenge of all for causing his temporary defeat. The very thought of her serving his every whim was arousing and mildly cooled his temper. Revenge would be his.
As he headed towards the hotel he was residing in, his senses perked as a new scent filled his nostrils. There were two mortals just ahead. But they looked like corpses, ironic as it was. One was a woman, maybe twenty-three, and the other was a male, approximately thirty years of age. Their hair was falling out in places, their eyes were sunken in, their lungs sounded like they were pumping for their lives, and they smelt horrible. These were drug addicts.
"Perfect," Dracula thought with satisfaction as he slunk into the shadows. "Two mortals to feed from, and they have the added bonus of drugs in their veins. Perhaps tonight would not be a complete loss after all."
The two drug addicts were snorting and laughing at absolutely nothing. The woman shrieked and giggled shrilly as she absorbed the weed she was inhaling. Her eyes were rolling wildly as she and the man took turns with the drug.
Dracula choose this moment to make his presence known. "Good evening. Forgive me for interrupting your…addiction session. But would either of you be willing to point me in the direction for a vicinity with food?"
The woman started to shriek and laugh hysterically. "Did ya hear dat Paulie? He wants us to help him find food! Ha ha!"
The man called Paulie snorted with the woman. "Too bad. We're busy right now! Come back later!" They continued to laugh and make imbeciles out of themselves.
Dracula gave them a twisted smile and replied, "Ah but you see, I am very hungry now. But you both have been so very generous to provide me with a meal."
"Ha ha! Mr. Fancy-Pants talks so fancy!" Paulie laughed and made a gesture with his hand like he was an aristocrat. "But there ain't no food here Mr. Fancy-Pants! HA HA!"
Dracula's eyes darkened with bloodlust. "Oh but I assure you, there is." With that he leapt at the woman, shoving her into the wall and sinking his fangs into her neck, piercing the vein and spilling her blood into his starved mouth. The woman shrieked with fear and pain, but quickly went slump as Dracula drained her in a matter of seconds. Throwing her aside like a rag doll, he turned to face a terrified Paulie.
"H-h-how did you…what did you do to her? What the hell are you!" Paulie screeched and stumbled back wards. Dracula grinned, a drop of blood running down the side of his mouth. "I am many things my friend. But tonight, I am your doom."
Paulie turned to run, but Dracula was in front of him, lazily examining his fingers. "Leaving so soon?" Dracula asked. "But the fun is just beginning." Dracula pounced on Paulie, grasping his shirt collar and lifting him in the air. Paulie yelped and his eyes widened, but within moments, he knew no more. Tossing Paulie's corpse aside, Dracula wiped the excess blood on his mouth with his sleeve. Feeling the thrilling rush of the drugs from his prey's veins, Dracula dematerialized to the hotel.
The hotel he was staying in was called the Hellfire Resort, and it was run specifically by demons for demons. It was evil central. Almost every city in America had some sort of gathering place for demons to swarm to and make plans to tip the scale from Good to Evil. The Hellfire Resort was a huge, dark building from the outside, and even more so on the inside thanks to all of the powerful Dark magic residing there. An even better bonus to the place was that a being of Good could not enter, unless it was dead.
Naturally, when Dracula materialized there, his eyes were met with the sight of all kinds of demons-vampires like himself, Wendigos, Shape-shifters, Sirens, Goblins, Imps, evil Jinn, Banshees, (which Dracula tended to plug his ears whenever he was confronted by one) Ghouls, Succubae, (which a few had tended to stalk him lately, and he had no desire for his seed to be drained from him by a razor-sharp tongue) Harpies, Golems, Manticores, Poltergeists, Werecats, Werewolves, and countless demon hybrids of the above mentioned were rushing about, making new plans to conquer over Good.
Some of the evils he had encountered here were demons of unknown origin, it was only known that they were evil and wanted to move up in the Demon Hierarchy, unless you were like Dracula and already at the top. Now with all of these demons gathered in one place, they of course were not entirely at peace with one another, and very often fights would break out between them. But one thing would cause them to get along for periods of time. They all wanted the same thing-to destroy forces of Good.
One thing that Evil had learned over the centuries, was that if they fought each other and Good, it made it all the easier for Good to vanquish them. If they joined forces, they would all be more powerful and could find new and better ways to take over. Then, even the side of Good would not be able to defeat them.
Ducking from two Succubae before they spotted him, Dracula made his way down the flights of stairs to the Vampire and Undead Wings. Laying silently in his coffin, he noticed that all of the other vampires were still out. There were still a few hours until sunrise, but Dracula needed darkness now. His eyes ached and the only cure would be to allow the dark to wash over him. He hoped his fellow 'roommates' did not ask him about Lauren, because he really did not want to relate the embarrassing tale to them.
Dracula would find her tomorrow. He of course was not allergic to sunlight, so he could go after Lauren DiCamillo in the morning while the other vampires slept. He would fix his error. She would not slip through his fingers again. Willing ice to encase him, he shut his eyes and let sleep claim him. Yes. Tomorrow he would be victorious.
(Transition)
-The Next Morning-
-8:17am-
Lauren was in the middle of the living room floor with every book on vampires and/or Dracula she had, fictional or non-fictional. Scattered all around her was a copy of The Historian, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Dark Demon, Children of the Night, The Walk of the Undead, Nosferatu and You, and many books written by Van Helsing and Carl on monster-killing. Specifically one called Victory Over Vampires. That one centered over his time in Visceria, Transylvania and how he had triumphed over Dracula and his Brides. Dracula had then been killed by a werewolf bite, while his Brides had been killed the old-fashioned way.
Flipping her spiral notebook open, she wrote down Werewolf bite under the heading, Possible Ways to Kill Dracula, Past and Present. She also made a note that stakes, holy water, and garlic would not injure him, but they could distract him if applied to a sensitive spot, like his eyes. Scribbling furiously, she made notes of ways to kill a vampire, and ways she could strengthen it to ultimately destroy him. Since he had been resurrected again, Dracula would most likely be immune to werewolf venom. Lauren was about to thumb through her books to get some ideas on killing Dracula that had not been done yet, when it dawned, "Crap! I have to call work to let Harley know I have to take time off!"
She would wait for her salary to come in the mail. Then she'd call him. It would just be like Harley to not pay her if she called in to take time off before being paid. So Lauren spent the next four hours researching and dusting the cobwebs off her brain about Dracula. Come to think of it, she had once done an essay on the mortal Dracula because she had to write one in high school on a European ruler. She'd try and find it later to see if it had anything in it that could help. By lunchtime, Lauren's list looked like this-
Possible Ways to Kill Dracula, Past and Present:
-Silver stake-can't kill but possible distraction/way to detain him as said by Van Helsing and Anna Valerious in Victory Over Vampires.
-Not allergic to sunlight, as said by Van Helsing
-Garlic doesn't affect him, but doesn't like the smell- Mixing it in a potion is a possibility.
-VH killed him in 1888 with a werewolf bite-Possible means of weakening him. Could find some in the Supernatural Market and use to mix in a potion.
-Crucifix has no effect except to cause him mild discomfort as stated by VH.
-If cannot be killed, casting a spell to weaken him/transfigure him in to something is possible. Hard, but do-able.
-Idea for spell(s)- Freeze him in coffin for eternity.
-Eyes are a weak point, use it. He is a male, therefore has another weak point to use for advantage. Wear boots. And keep something pointy on person at all times.
-Mix garlic and holy water for a possible painful reaction.
-Get sample of his blood and/or flesh to create a force field charm specifically to keep him away. Also could be used to kill him. Theory: blood/flesh sample will have his DNA, therefore will inject potion directly into his bloodstream.
-Fire? Heated to blue? Any known affect?
-Make a sunlight bomb like Carl's. He lists ingredients in Victory Over Vampires. Somehow get ingredients without getting killed/bitten/made a Bride.
-Restock silver stakes, get them blessed and a big bottle of holy water.
-Dracula has lusts, try sex appeal to distract him if cornered. Pray I don't get cornered.
-Dracula's eyes can hypnotize, don't ever look him in the eye, if can get a good shot, stake/shoot his eyes for distraction. (See weak points above )
- Dracula can dematerialize and materialize/teleport. Common trick- teleporting behind victim. Be ready and catch him off guard.
-Has supernatural demonic strength, if captured, use marital arts training to use his weight against him.
-Wear crucifix. Get it blessed. Shove it into him like a stake.
-Combine any/all ingredients/maneuvers above into one big can of whup-ass.
Note: Keep neck covered. Travel in groups and in daylight. No dark alleyways.
Lauren looked over her list. It wasn't much, but it definitely gave her plenty of ideas. Some of them were more likely to happen then others. But she felt safer having the list. She'd have to leave the house to find some of the ingredients. Thank God for Van Helsing's books. She had been fifteen when he was killed. The entire Good magical community had been in an uproar. Van Helsing was legendary, a celebrity in the eyes of Good. Of course, the mortal and the Evil community had been pleased. To them, Van Helsing was a murderer and a pest. Thanks to his indirect advice, and her fascination over the years with Darkness, which led to her addiction to horror movies and novels, she was well-equipped information wise. She would be fine. She could take care of herself. Besides, Dracula might be able to keep her from her job, but he wouldn't keep her from living!
Remembering her job, she looked through her mail, found the cash owed to her, plus a bonus for all the customers she had brought in, and picked up her cell to call Harley. She prayed it would go well.
(Transition)
Dracula's fellow vampires at the Hellfire Resort were tormenting him at the same time Lauren was calling Harley.
"You didn't feed from her? What are you bloody stupid? She's a DiCamillo! A demon hunter! She'll come after you now, and that will lead to us! How can one witch be that troublesome for the Lord of Vampires!?"
"You're getting soft old man!"
"Did the mean witchy hurt you with holy water, Count? Poor baby!"
Dracula growled and his eyes flashed dangerously. "I will not be mocked! Least of all from all of you! I am more powerful than all of you combined! I am the Son of the Devil! I have Lucifer himself on my side!"
"Perhaps that right should be taken away Dracula! What would Lucifer think if we told him that you failed to kill a witch? And one without any active powers! That is positively pathetic!" Alan hissed.
Dracula roared and his eyes were ablaze. "How dare you challenge me or my methods! I simply wish to prolong my fun with her! She will be no more soon enough!"
"Oh please Dracula, from what we saw in your memory, she completely bested you, and she is not attracted to you! She finds nothing appealing about a demon that tried to kill her! She has too strong a mind!" Alan continued viciously, his fangs lengthening.
"All minds can be broken!" Dracula hissed, his own fangs lengthening. "There has never been a woman that I could not control some way or another! Lauren DiCamillo will be no different!"
"Prove it then! Show us that the great Count Dracula has not lost his touch!"
Dracula roared ferociously and his mouth was a bottomless pit of sharp fangs, causing all of the vampires to shrink back in fear. Dracula smirked triumphantly. "I assure you Alan, I have not lost my touch." Alan nodded weakly.
"All of you would do well to not challenge me again! I have been a vampire for over six hundred years! I will be victorious! Do not lose faith in me simply for one minor setback. If any of you challenge my reign again, I will cut out your tongue with silver and feed it to the werewolves!"
Three werewolves conversing nearbye looked at Dracula and glared before going back to their conversation. The vampires all nodded and bowed in submission. "We are sorry, please forgive us, Count." Dracula smiled maliciously. His power of them was priceless. "You are forgiven. Now I must go find Miss DiCamillo. I have a conversation to finish with her."
The vampires all grinned and bowed again before they teleported to their coffins. Dracula stepped outside and winced for a moment as the sunlight hit him. The light was so bright. He did not like it. He would take the comforts of darkness any day. Now, to find Lauren DiCamillo, he would have to be more cautious. He did not want to have holy water sprayed in his eyes again. Dracula decided to start at her apartment. He would sniff her out from there.
(Transition)
Lauren had by now called Harley and gotten time off, one month actually. How she had managed that much, she didn't know. Before her mother died, she had always told Lauren that she had a gift for talking people into things. She was right. Harley had been pissed at first, but in the end he gave in with a warning that she would be working her ass off when she got back. If she was still alive that is.
Driving to downtown L.A. didn't take too long, and at last she entered the beginnings of the Supernatural Marketplace. They had all kinds of ingredients. Hopefully they'd have all the ingredients she needed to remake Carl's sunlight bomb, werewolf venom, and anything else she would pick up that could help.
Parking and locking her Vespa, she hid behind some bushes and walked across an empty lot to a small, brown shack. Knocking twice and muttering, "Magic is as magic does," the door swung open of its own accord and became a portal. A flash of blue and white light circled just beyond the door. Lauren stepped through and when she came out the other side, crowds could be heard, shops and stands of every size could be seen, the air smelt of exotic spices, potions, and burning flames, and the whole atmosphere of the place was comfortable and lively. It was nothing like the Demonic Black Market, but that was an entirely different dwelling that no Good magical being dared to go. Any spies sent to destroy it from within were never heard from again.
Taking out her list, she decided that the best place to go to was to Madam Ava's shop. She was a Hungarian gypsy and would be most likely to everything she needed. She also could be trusted to keep a secret. Lauren did not want it getting out that Dracula was after her. Heading left, she spotted Madam Ava's shop and entered.
At the sound of the door opening, the old gypsy looked up from her desk and smiled. "Ah, Lauren DiCamillo, back so soon? Do you need ingredients or have you come for more stories of my native country?"
Lauren weakly smiled back and answered, "I need some very special ingredients Madam Ava. I'm sorry to say that I don't have time for stories today."
"What do you need?"
"Silver stakes, garlic, matches, a pure silver cross, laurel leaves, lavender, rosemary, ragged robin, taro root, and werewolf venom."
Madam Ava raised an eyebrow. "Going after a vampire I see. But why the werewolf venom? That is hard to come by. I have very little of that in a vial, and one claw. And you don't need all of those ingredients to kill a vampire."
Lauren shifted uncomfortably and found the floor to be very interesting at the moment.
"Lauren, what are you hiding?"
The young witch sighed. "You promise you won't tell anyone?"
"I give you my word little huntress, what is it?"
"It's… It's Dracula. He's after me," Lauren weakly whispered. The old gypsy's eyes widened and she placed her hand over her heart. "Oh my sweet child." That was all Lauren could understand because a second later, Madam Ava was muttering in Hungarian, and Lauren had taken Spanish in high school, so she didn't understand a word.
"Uh... Madam Ava?"
"That damned demon!" Madam Ava angrily yelled in plain English.
Lauren was shocked. Madam Ava never swore. And she always scolded Lauren for doing so.
"He's tormented the people of Europe for centuries, but that's not enough for him! Oh no, he has to come here and haunt the people here in America too!" Ava looked Lauren in the eye and sternly said, "Lauren, I want you to take everything you need, free of charge. I want you to destroy that demon! But most of all, I want you to be safe."
Lauren nodded. "Thank you Madam Ava. I will. I promise. I'll destroy him."
Madam Ava smiled. "Your mother would be so proud to know that even without active powers, you continue to hunt demons. She smiles down on you little huntress. You are more like her than you realize."
Lauren blushed. That was so corny! It was right out of those sappy movies where the mother was dead and her daughter was lost in the world or something. But it gave her a little confidence anyway. Her mother had been very powerful and there was never a demon she encountered that she did not destroy.
"Thank you so much Madam Ava." The two women embraced.
"Be careful Lauren. He is a very stubborn demon. That man never gives up."
Lauren grinned sneakily. "I'm stubborn too. And I'll never surrender to him."
After leaving the shop and journeying back to mortal territory, Lauren stopped by a church and got her cross blessed, and received some holy water. She almost had everything she needed. She just needed to pick up some lavender because Madam Ava had been out. Then she could return to the safety of her apartment to begin the bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble business.
(Transition)
Now Lauren had everything. She could return to her apartment. It was making her uneasy to be outside for so long. She hadn't seen any sign of Dracula, and she couldn't sense him, but that worried her more. After what she did, he should be trying to kill her. Walking in a crowd down the block to her Vespa she stopped and her heartbeat quickened with fear.
There. No more than fifteen feet in front of her leaning lazily against her Vespa, was the Dark Prince himself. His eyes were solely focused on her. He had an, 'I gotcha' look on his face, and a smirk to match. A few people passed by her Vespa, and he vanished. Wildly turning her head around, she tried to see where he went when he appeared behind her. He grabbed Lauren's bag from behind her. The witch turned to face him, ready to fight if needed.
"Hello Lauren. What is this? A present for me?"
Lauren scowled. "Somethin' like that." Dracula continued to smirk as he opened the bag before immediately closing it with a look of disgust etched into his features. "So, you seek to kill me do you?"
"Well…you did try to kill me first you know. So, you started it Count."
Dracula chuckled and placed his other hand on Lauren's back, bringing her to his chest. "My dear, nothing in here will kill me. All any of this could do is give me a headache."
"What do you think this will do?" Lauren went to punch him in the nose, but Dracula caught her wrist with lightening fast reflexes.
"Ah ah ah, Lauren. That is not very nice. I think I will have to punish you."
"Pah! We're in public Count! You try anything and I'll scream, exposing you!"
Dracula gazed into Lauren's blue eyes. They seemed to have a slight hue of green to them, and right now, her eyes were livid. They possessed such fire that even Dracula was impressed. He prided himself on being able to hoodwink mortals to do his bidding with his eyes, but at this moment, he wanted to lose himself into Lauren's lively eyes.
"Hello, earth to Drac, you're cutting the circulation in my wrist off!"
Breaking out of his reverie, he slowly released her wrist with an odd look in his eyes. He whispered, "This is not the end Lauren. It is just the beginning. I will finish this conversation with you another time." Then he was gone.
Wasting no time, Lauren rushed to her Vespa and raced home as fast as she could without getting arrested. Her theories on how to kill Dracula had to get a road test. Immediately. She just prayed that one of them would work. But one thing bothered her. Dracula had looked at her funny before dematerializing. It wasn't lust, anger, or even remotely evil. She couldn't place it. Could it be... fascination? But what was there to be fascinated about? She had no active powers, so she was what mortals would call a 'squib' thanks to books.
Why would he look at her like he was fascinated?
I don't know..Maybe it's the beginning of something more than just lust!
The following books were made up by me-Children of the Night, The Walk of the Undead, Nosferatu and You, and Victory Over Vampires. If there actually are books by those titles, I didn't know. So I don't own them then. The rest are real. Go read them!!
Anywho, I hope you guys like this chapter. I will know, by you telling me so in a review! Even if it's only two words. :)
Until next time-
-ForeverACharmedOne