This chapter contains violence and some blood and is rated "T". It may not be suitable for readers under the age of 13.

Chapter 25

The Deliverance of the Loughrans

"Hello Gus," a different voice coming from Mike's mouth said.

"It's Gustav!"

"Whatever it is, it's been too long." Three people recognized the voice. It enraged Gustav and worried Drac. The third was Mavis.

"Freddy?" Mavis asked questioningly, "Is that you?"

"Hello, my savior."

"A demon cannot be your savior," Gustav said completely incensed. "That's blasphemy!"

"She saved my life," he said to his cousin. "Yes, my sweet Mavis. It is I. You're still as beautiful as the day I met you." This caused Johnny to become a little jealous. He didn't know who this was possessing his father, but knew this was not the time to inquire. "Gus, why do you still insist on continuing this fight? No one thinks monsters are even a threat any more?"

"It's my curse. One day they will build monuments to me as the visionary I was."

"Delusions of grandeur!" Drac exclaimed

"True," Freddy started, "but he always was concerned about his legacy. Gus, please end this now. If not for your sake, do it for your grandson."

"What about Arthur? This is his destiny! He is going to be the greatest monster hunter of all times!"

"Are you sure about that?" Frederick asked. "Is that really what the young man wants?"

Ever since they arrived at the castle, Arthur Frederick was amazed by what he saw. He couldn't believe all he was seeing. He didn't hold any ill-will towards any of them. And he was certain that the monsters there were all harmless unless they were threatened. He still didn't know what to say.

"Leave the boy alone!" Gustav commanded. "His course is set!"

"Indeed," Frederick started, "but not the way you think."

Arthur began crying. He didn't know how to tell his grandfather. Somehow though, he found the courage. "Grandpa, he's right." This slapped Gustav to his core. "I don't see why we have to be enemies any more."

"My own grandson, a vampire lover?! This treason is worse than Frederick's. Men, seize him and arrest him. We will execute him for his treachery later."
Three men began to surround him, and place him under arrest. Frederick stopped them in their tracks by saying, "Freddy, tell them everything. If this must be your last act, get everything off of your chest."

"His name is Arthur! After my father and your uncle. Have you forgotten him?"

The boy resumed sobbing. "Freddy! Grandpa, he's right. I always have hated that name, ever since I heard that Great-grandpa sent him away. I just didn't know how to tell you."

This slapped Gustav worse than anything else he had ever heard. "Forget later. You will die right here, right now. Since you love monsters so much, how about we use one of the weapons we use on them, on you. Men, stake him."

A loud roar came from the group. The eclipse had began to wane, and the moon was slowly becoming visible again. It was Troy. He had found his power. He lunged at the men threatening this stranger almost 60 feet in less than a second, slicing all three of them to pieces with his newly grown claws which were now dripping with blood. When he returned to his feet, two fangs could be seen in his mouth, and he let out another horrifying growl. This terrified several of the human hunters with Gustav, but Arthur Frederick now knew he was safe. Troy then stood in front of the recently freed man, almost daring anyone to try and attack.

Freddy pleaded with Gustav to leave, "Cousin, leave this place now. If you don't, the blood will be on your hands."

"That's rich. A vampire lover saying that blood will be on my hands. Have you forgotten what they did to your own father?"

"But they didn't do anything to him." Gustav was shocked at this revelation. "My father took his own life." He approached Mavis, "I'm so sorry, but I know the truth now, and you need to know also. My father killed your mother."

Mavis began crying, stuttering out the next words, "Did you know that when we first met?"

"I suspected. I didn't know until I met my father in the afterlife. He took his own life the next night. His conscience would not allow him to live with the guilt. Your mother was his first, and he saw suicide as his only way out of a life which he despised."

Mavis began to think back of the night of her 118th birthday. She turned to Johnny, "You said you thought that your ancestor killed my mother." Johnny nodded painfully. Mavis had put everything together. This spirit possessing her father-in-law was the son of the ancestor he was referring to.

"Please, cousin. I beg you. Leave this place immediately."

"What are you going to do to make me?" Gustav said as defiant as ever. "If this it to be my last stand, than so be it."

"I? I can do nothing to make you. But you don't have to worry about me. It is the one coming after me that you will need to worry about. He is more powerful than anyone else here. May God have mercy on your soul, because you ass belongs to them."

"I have no soul! Have you forgotten that?"

"Well then, may whoever you sold it to have mercy on it. Your ass still belongs to them." With that the light left Mike, and he collapsed. Sam was the first to help him up, followed by Kent, who had a furious look on his face.

"Men, charge!" Gustav ordered. The bat cronies began to find their power and also charged with the humans. One of the cronies was about to strike Mavis, when a different light stuck Mike, this one almost blood red. He let out a scream of pain, but then rose into the air, levitating. This stopped them all in their tracks.

"What kind of black magic is this?" Gustav demanded.

Mike began chuckling, as raw power began to fill his body. His eyes turned blood red, and his hair began to darken slightly. He said, "This is your last warning. You have 30 seconds to leave this place, or there will be no mercy." No one was sure what was possessing Mike now, but the voice was slightly familiar. It sounded similar to Drac's but slightly more aged.

"The Van Helsings do not ask for mercy; they are BEGGED for it!"

"Very well, if that is your stand, then all the blood is on your hands!"

"My hands? You monster. This ends now!" Gustav charged at Mike, but he cut him off, lifting him with only one hand by his throat. He then roared in Gustav's face, with fangs growing in his mouth.

"Shall I crush your windpipe right now?" Mike began to tighten his grip on Gustav's throat when suddenly Mavis recognize the voice.

"Grandpa Vlad? Is that really you?" Mike nodded his head.

The next cry was from the young Freddy. "Please don't kill him. He's all the family I have left."

This stopped whoever was possessing Mike again, and he threw Gustav across the room, a good 80 feet. He hit the wall on the opposite side of the room so hard that it cracked some of the masonry. "My little blood orange," he said as he went to hug Mavis

"But why are you possessing my father-in-law?"

"To protect you, and those I care about. I can't help you any more, but I could give my power to someone else. I just had to find the right host."

"HOST!?" Johnny said furiously.

"Poor choice of words, but you know what I mean." Johnny nodded, and went to hug his father. After this the light left Mike, but the power he was feeling didn't wane. He took up a defensive position in front of his family. He was flanked by Kent, Sam, Parker, and Linda. Troy had carried the young Freddy to behind their line and joined his family. Drac Pack were still too weak to help, but were quickly regaining their strength.

"This ends now. Charge!" Gustav commanded.

Now it was Kent who found his power. He lunged at the first wave of attacking cronies. His fingernails grew into almost six inch long claws, and he began to slice them like they were knives. He had killed 5 of them, when he landed and roared. Two fangs then appeared in his mouth.

Just then something had hit Linda in the head, and she collapsed. A brilliant light then hit Sam, but unlike the two lights that struck Mike, this one was a peaceful blue. A different voice, a woman's voice came from her as well now, "Leave this place, and never return. This is your final warning."

Now it was Drac who recognized the voice. "Martha!" He exclaimed silently.

"Hello my love." This would be the only words spoken between them, but it said everything that was needed. Just like Vlad, she was using what was left of her spirit to make sure her family would always be protected.

Many of Gustav's human soldiers had long since fled as they were now terrified of what was happening. They had witnessed three humans be transformed into vampires, and a fourth starting to be transformed in front of their eyes. There were only about 30 humans left with Gustav, and 10 bat cronies still, including Bela who was in hiding. Gustav would be as incorrigible as ever. "Let us be like Custer at the Little Big Horn. If this is to be our last stand, then we go out in a blaze of glory! Attack!"

Whoever was possessing Sam, had her shake her head, and she let out a horrifying growl. Then she sprouted two fangs. She was followed by Parker, whose actions were similar to his brother's. He lunged at the attacking force, slicing them to pieces, blood still dripping from him newly grown claws. This was enough to convince many of the remaining humans of the futileness of their quest, and they began to flee in a panic. There was no effort to harm those who fled, only the ones who stayed were doomed.

With that, the final battle began. About 10 humans remained, along with the cronies and Gustav. Gustav had made his decision earlier that no matter what, he would end his stand here. The newest vampires, joined by Jenna, Dennis, Johnny, and Brett began to slay everyone remaining. Most used their claws, which grew to almost six inches long, although a few were bitten and sucked dry.

Gustav began to attempt to surprise someone. He didn't care who, but he knew he had to take someone with him. He had raised his stake to Drac, and it was about another second when Linda found her power. She lunged at him, and grabbed him with her right arm by the neck, lifting him up over her head. She roared at him more fiercely than any of the others had that night and her fangs grew. She then began to squeeze Gustav's neck. She would not stop until her hand was a clenched fist, and there was no sign that anything was between her fingers. However, she still felt his heart beating. She thought, "How do you kill that something that is immortal?" Linda knew what had to be done. She then used her left hand, and stuck it deep into the Gustav's chest, ripping his heart out while it was still beating its final beat. He was finally dead. The last threat to monster kind had been slain.

Linda came out of the trance she was in and began sobbing. "My god, what have I done?"

Drac and Mike both came to her to comfort her, with her husband saying, "You did what you had to to protect your family." She began to feel relieved.

"Linda, thank you!" Drac said, "You may have saved my life."

"Mom, I love you so much," Mavis said as she hugged her.

By now the only one left who was unaccounted for was Bela. No one was sure if he had fled, but they all began to search for him. Mavis was the one to find him. She shouted, "You! This was all your fault!"

"I beg you. Mercy?" Bela pleaded.

A look came over Mavis that answered him. There would be no mercy. Mavis lunged at him while growling, bit him, and sucked him completely dry. She heard a voice from somewhere telling her, "Thank you." It was her grandfather's voice. She had avenged him, as she promised the night he was killed.

"Dennis, I'm so sorry," Drac said. "It seems we can't have a birthday party for you without something attacking us." The whole group broke out in laughter. "Why don't we try this again tomorrow?"

"You mean I get two birthday parties this year, Papa Drac!"

The whole group broke out laughing again.

Johnny then asked his son what he wanted for his birthday. His answer surprised him, "I got everything I wanted. My whole family are vampires and superheroes."

This caused a large smile to come over the whole group, and they all embraced each other.