Chapter Eight

The following night, Van Helsing, Sonic, Shadow, Amy, Espio and Knuckles stood outside the Mobotropolis mental institution with burning torches. Van Helsing was informing them of what they were about to face.

"Vampires do exist my friends" he said "this foe Dracula is extremely powerful! He can direct the elements…the storm…the fog…the thunder" Knuckles and Espio looked worried. "He commands the meaner things…the bat, the wolf, the rodent" Van Helsing took another deep breath.

"He can see in the dark…and hear beyond mortal bounds!" Sonic bit his lip, "Dracula can do all these things, and yet he is not free! He must rest in the sacred earth of his homeland to gain his evil powers…" he turned to the others "…and that earth is where we shall bury him!"

Shadow snarled "I won't rest until I rip him to pieces for what he did to my Rouge!" he cracked his knuckles. "Peace Shadow!" said Van Helsing placing his furry grey hand on his shoulder "we're all in this together!" He looked towards the others. Knuckles was taking out his pistol.

"Knuckles" said Van Helsing "Your bullets will not harm him, he must be dismembered. I suggest you use your sword" Knuckles's eyes went wide, "are you mad!" he cried "I wasn't planning on getting that close fox!" Amy looked up at the men "I…." she stammered "I almost feel pity for anything so hunted as this count" she whispered. Shadow looked at Amy with disgust "what!" he yelled "after what he did to your friend! My wife!"

"PEACE HEDGEHOG!" shouted Van Helsing. Sonic glared at Shadow and then looked at Amy "Dear Amy" he said "how can you feel pity for such a creature! I brought him here and now I must send him back to Hell!" he clasped his wife's arms and kissed her. "…And when this task is done!" he said nodding at Espio who walked over "I shall never leave you again"

"Espio will take you to his quarters…" Espio took Amy's hand "where you will be safe…" Amy nodded "yes my love" she said as Espio lead her to his building to take her to his headquarters. As they walked in Dr Eggman looked out of the window, "Master!" he shouted "Master!"

As they entered the building Amy's ears pricked up when she heard Eggman shouting "THE MASTER! I SMELL HIM! HE FEEDS ON PRETTY MISS!" Espio looked up "Be quiet Eggman!" he shouted. Amy looked at Espio "Is that's Sonic's former boss?" she asked. "Yes" said Espio "Dr Eggman" Amy looked towards Eggman's cell "Dr Eggman!" she cried "I must see him!" "AMY!" cried Espio "this is no place for you!"

But Amy had already run towards Dr Eggman's cell, she saw the large fat doctor in a straightjacket banging his head against the bars of his cell. "Eggman" said Espio "behave yourself now!" Amy looked at the mad doctor who looked back at her. "You're the bride my master covets" he said. Amy looked taken aback "I have a husband!" she said "Sonic the Hedgehog! I am Mrs Hedgehog!"

Eggman looked at her pleadingly "My master tells me about you, he is coming! Coming for you! Please! Do not stay here! Get away from these men!" Amy felt terrified at what Eggman was saying. "I pray God I may never see your pretty face again!" he then kissed her hand that was on the bars "May God bless you and keep you safe" Amy recoiled at bit, and Espio began to lead her away. Then Eggman began to bang his head hard on the bars again.

"MASTER!" he shouted "MASTER! YOU PROMISED ME ETERNAL LIFE! BUT YOU GIVE IT TO THE PRETTY WOMAN!" as Amy and Espio walked away they heard him shout "ESPIO! I'VE BEEN PROMISED ETERNAL LIFE! I AM NO LUNATIC! I'M A SANE MAN FIGHTING FOR HIS SOUL!"

Espio quickly lead Amy to his quarters where he slept, as Amy walked in Espio showed her what he had, "there is tonic water there" he said "and washing facilities there, you may sleep there if you wish" he said pointing to the bed. "Thank you Espio" said Amy. Espio kissed her hand "you're safe here Amy" he said. He then hurried down to meet the others leaving Amy with her thoughts.

When he got outside, Van Helsing, Sonic, Shadow and Knuckles were making their way into the broken down house, Van Helsing held up his torch and the light showed some boxes of sacred earth. "The sacred earth of his homeland" he said "destroy every box…and sterilize the earth inside! Leave him no refuge!" he then looked at the others "may the exorcism begin!"

The four men nodded, Sonic picked up an axe and began cracking the boxes open with it, Espio had a mallet which he used to crack them open, Knuckles used his sword and sliced them open. Shadow used his chaos spear to break the boxes open. When each box was open and a pile of earth stood in the middle, Van Helsing planted some holy lit candles and crucifixes in the pile of earth, then he began to say holy words of exorcism in Latin.

As he was saying those words, unknown to him the black bat was on the ceiling, his red eyes glowed as he watched Van Helsing perform the exorcism. He realised he had no sanctuary in the house, he bared his fangs "foolish mortals!" he growled "your tools cannot harm me!"

As Van Helsing sprayed holy water onto the earth, it erupted in flames, and Van Helsing continued to shout holy words holding up a crucifix. The Black Bat then turned into a green fog and began to float to the mental institution without them knowing.

In the building Amy was in Espio's quarters sitting on the bed, she had changed into her white nightdress and was sitting there thinking about what Eggman had said to her, and if Van Helsing and the others would be able to protect her. She got up and walked to the window. She then saw the green mist coming towards the building. She walked back to the bed terrified and lay there, hoping the fog wouldn't find her there.

Dracula in his fog form made his way to Eggman's cell, Eggman who was in a corner, saw the fog come in, then he heard the bat's voice "Eggman" it said in a low growl "you have betrayed me!"

Eggman looked up, "I tried to warn her…" he choked "But she would not listen! She will be spared master…" he then got up and leapt at the fog, "YOU CANNOT HAVE HER!" as he leapt towards the fog, the Black Bat appeared, his eyes glowing red, and his fangs bared and grabbed him by the throat, then began to hit him against the bars of his cell.

A guard heard Eggman's screams and ran to his aid, but when he got there, the bat had gone and Eggman was horrifically twisted up in his cell bars with his face covered in blood. "What the hell!" he cried. Eggman looked up at the guard. "Her salvation…" he chocked, blood running down from his mouth "would be his destruction…and I…am freeee…" he whispered before he went limp, dead as a doornail.

Meanwhile the green mist had made its way into Espio's headquarters where Amy was sleeping in the white bed. The mist made its way up to her bed and under the sheets, as it did, Amy moaned, then began to writhe and murmur in her sleep.

As the fog crept in, an intoxicating scent, a musky perfume began to fill the room, it filled Amy's nostrils and over her delicate pink fur that was covered by her white soft cotton nightie.

"Yes…" she whispered "yes my love…you have found me…" As she writhed and moaned, the black bat appeared on top of her under the sheets. Amy could feel his body against hers. Then his breath on her face. "Amy" whispered the black bat "my precious life"

Amy continued to writhe and moan, she opened her eyes to see the bat on top of her smiling softly and caressing her pink quills, "I have wanted this to happen…" she cried "I know that now! I want to be with you…always!" the bat caressed her "You can't know what you are saying…" he said.

Amy shook her head "Yes…" she whispered "I do know" she traced her delicate fingertips over the Black Bat's muscular arm "I was so afraid I would never feel your touch again" she whispered "I feared you were dead…" The Black Bat then took Amy's hand and placed it on his chest.

"There is no life in this body" he whispered, Amy looked at the bat in shock "But you live!" she said "who are you? You must tell me! I must know!" "I am nothing" said the bat quietly "lifeless, soul-less…hated! Feared" He looked down "Many have suffered because of what I am" he whispered "without you…this love you give me…I am dead to the world"

"What?" said Amy still confused and fearful, "I am dead" said the Black Bat "I am the monster that your men hunt! I am him! Dracula" Amy couldn't believe what she was hearing, she burst into tears and hit her arm on the bat's back not conflicting with his wings.

"No!" she sobbed "NO!" she screamed she couldn't control her tears "You murdered Rouge!" she sobbed "my best friend! How could you!" she sobbed. The bat sat there emotionless. "Many have suffered because of what I am" said Dracula, "without you…the love you give me…I am dead to the entire world"

Amy continued to cry, "God forgive me…I love you" she embraced the bat still crying her eyes out "I want to be what you are…see what you see…love what you love" The Black bat looked at her. "Amy" he said "to walk with me, you must die to your breathing life, and be reborn to mine"

He then lifted her head up to him "I give you life eternal…everlasting love…the power of the storm…and the beasts of the earth" he brought her head closer, "walk with me…to be my loving wife…forever" Amy nodded "yes" she whispered "I…I will…yes!"

Dracula then lifted Amy up closer to him and lowered his head to her neck, as he did, his fangs appeared ready to suckle her blood. "I will take you" he whispered in her ear "Amy Rose, as my eternal bride" he then clamped his jaws around her neck and began to drink her blood.

As he bit her Amy yelped, she felt tears coming to her eyes, she wanted to scream, but she held it in. Dracula sank his long fangs in deeper and inserted his venom into her. He then pulled away, taking in a long loud gasp, his fangs dripped with blood and ran down his chin.

He then ripped off his black robes exposing his muscular chest and ran a claw along his bare black chest and made a cut seeping blood, "flesh of my flesh…blood of my blood" he whispered "Drink" he whispered "and join me in eternal life…" Amy moved towards his chest, the blood from the bite that the bat had made in her neck run down her neck and stained her nightie.

As Amy aimed towards his chest, he suddenly stopped her, "No!" he cried "I cannot let this be!" "I don't care!" cried Amy "please!" she begged embracing him, "please…make me yours!" she began to lick and suckle on the cut trying to drink his blood "Take me away from all this death!"

The Bat moaned as Amy drank his blood licking over his black muscular chest, he wrapped his arms around her and also wrapped his large wings around her. Just then the bat heard footsteps from far away, his eyes glowed as his fangs grow longer as he began to snarl. "Those men!" he thought.

Suddenly, Sonic, Van Helsing, Shadow, Knuckles and Espio burst into the room, the first thing they saw Amy sitting on the bed with blood all over her mouth, chin, neck and her chest staining her white nightie. "AMY!" cried Sonic "What the fuck…?" cried Shadow looking at the bloodstained pink hedgehog.

Knuckles and Espio recoiled "Good God!" they both cried, "NO!" cried Sonic, Van Helsing stood in front of them, then suddenly the bat appeared in front of them upside down baring his long fangs and his eyes glowing. "What the devil…?" shouted Espio "Watch out!" shouted Knuckles.

Dracula then flipped the right way up and opened up his wings standing in front of them snarling and his eyes glowing redder and redder. Van Helsing instantly held up the Crucifix and stepped towards the black bat, "Your war against God is over!" he shouted, then he started to say the Lord's Prayer.

"Old Fool!" the bat snarled, as he did his eyes glowed again and the crucifix burst into flames, Van Helsing dropped the crucifix in shock and the other recoiled. Shadow didn't. "You bastard!" he shouted "you murdered Rouge! And you're going to pay!" he jumped up and his hand glowed yellow. "NO! SHADOW!" shouted Van Helsing.

"CHAOS SPEAR!" shouted Shadow, yellow spears then flew from his hand and towards Dracula, but Dracula smirked, and he held up his hand, the spears then recoiled and aimed towards Shadow, one of the spears struck Shadow in the arm drawing blood. Shadow yelled as the blood ran down his arm.

"Fools!" Dracula shouted "you would destroy me with your idols…I who served the cross, and commanded nations hundreds of years before you were born!" Espio ran over to Shadow who was kneeling on the floor clasping his bleeding arm, "bastard!" Shadow rasped. Sonic ran over to the bed and clasped Amy who was hyperventilating. "Amy!" he cried "dear Amy, It's ok, I'm here!"

Dracula then growled again as his fangs grew longer, "My revenge has just begun…and she, your best beloved" he snarled at Sonic who clasped Amy close to him, "…is now my flesh! My blood! My Kin! MY BRIDE!" "NO!" screamed Sonic "You cannot have her!" he took his pistol and shot at the bat.

The Bullet struck the Black Bat in the wing but it didn't fully harm him. "Leave her to God!" shouted Van Helsing taking a small crystal bottle of holy water from his pocket, "your armies have abandoned you!" he took the top off the bottle "now you must pay for your crimes!" he shouted.

He began to throw the holy water at Dracula, the Black bat began to snarl and roar, Amy buried her face in Sonic's chest and screamed as if it was hurting her. Knuckles picked up a lamp as Dracula began to recoil into a dark corner. Dracula then looked at Amy "Farewell my love…" he smirked at the frightened pink hedgehog "…for now!" He then disappeared into the darkness, only his eyes glowed in the dark.

"Light!" shouted Van Helsing at Knuckles "we need light!" Knuckles threw the lamp over to the dark area and lit it up. As soon as he did, the bat had turned into a huge pile of black red eyed rats! "What the hell…!" cried Knuckles as the rats scurried away. "Stop them!" shouted Sonic as the rats scurried out of the window.

They all ran to the window to stop them, but before they could even grab any of the rats, they had gone. "You let him go!" Shadow yelled, "now what next!" Van Helsing shook his head, "we have to stop him! Before we lose our Amy like we lost dear Rouge!" he said. "How?" asked Espio. Van Helsing looked at the traumatised Amy in Sonic's arms "I think I know a way" he said with a smirk.

Much later, Amy was laying in her bed breathing heavily as she looked at Van Helsing, "Oh Van Helsing" she whispered, as tears rolled down her eyes, "he is gone!" she thought of the Black Bat "he has gone, but he speaks to me! He speaks to me in my thoughts, even though he is not here, I can still feel his presence!"

Van Helsing stroked Amy's head and wiped her tears, "he has a strong mind connection to you" he said "his heart was strong enough to survive the grave" Amy took another breath, she felt ill. "I…I know I am becoming…like him" she whispered "When I find in myself a sign of harm to anyone I love…" she stammered "I shall die"

"You must not die Amy!" said Van Helsing firmly "your salvation is his destruction! That is why I must hypnotise you Amy" Amy looked up at the Grey Fox who said pleadingly "help me find him…before it is too late, help me Amy" Amy nodded understanding him.

The Grey fox then began his method on the pretty pink hedgehog, "Now child" he said softly "I want you to look into this flame…this light" Amy looked at the candle "I want you to sleep…sleep now…good girl…sleep" Amy shut her eyes silently, she began to murmur.

"Yes…" she whispered "I must go to him…He calls…he calls to me" Van Helsing then whispered to her "What do you hear? What do you hear my child?" "The ocean" Amy whispered, "and what do you see Amy?" said Van Helsing. "The hold" said Amy

"He is going home…" Amy whispered "he is travelling across icy seas to his beloved home" she continued to murmur, "There he will grow strong again. I am coming to him to partake in his strength" She took a breath as she writhed in her sleep, "he will grow strong" she whispered.

Van Helsing listened to Amy's words and noted them down. "Yes!" he said "yes! I have you now Dracula!" he smirked "you will not take dear Amy like you took Miss Rouge! I'm on your trail you Devil's bastard! There's no time to lose!" he squeezed Amy's hand "we will save you child" he said softly.