So I've been sick the last couple days and have working on this a lot and in that time. During that I had a bit of an epiphany. This story in not going to be perfect and part of the reason it has taken this long to finish is that I'm trying to make it perfect. I've gotten to the point where I do just want to have this done. So from here on I will write when I can, but I have to stop with the 10 rewrites for every chapter. That mean there will probably be a few more spelling mistakes and I might conflict a couple of plot lines because this is a project. And I mean this is a big project. I'll do everything I can to make it as consistent as possible, but with so many characters to write and so many ideas I want to do, I might get a bit jumbled. I do apologize in advance I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I'll be posting a couple more in a little bit.

A nurse walked the halls of the hospital checking in on patients. When she arrived at room 3074, she set out some water on the table. The patient stirred.

"I'm sorry," the nurse said. "I didn't mean to wake you, Mr. VanHelsing."

"It's fine. I'm a light sleeper," Jonathan said, noticing someone standing in the doorway.

The nurse turned around. "Visiting hours are long over," she informed them.

"I'm his mother," Mina said. "I will only be here a moment."

"Make it quick," the nurse left to check on more patients.

Jonathan slowly sat up in his bed. "What are you doing here?"

Mina held out a folder with "Vladimir Dracula" written on the tab.

He opened it and flipped through multiple sheets of information on slayers, maps and pictures from murder scenes.

"54 slayers were killed in that attack and since then at least 30 more have died." Mina said. "Vlad needs to be stopped and I need your help. The Guild board needs to understand the gravity of the situation."

"I told you," Jonathan handed the folder back. "Charles killed Vlad's mom. That's why he's doing this."

"You can't make excuses for him," Mina said. "I know he was your friend but he's beyond reason now. You have to treat him like any other vampire."

"I'm not making excuses for him. I'm just saying that I think we can still reach him. Settle this without more people getting hurt."

"People are dying each day because of the Dracula's," Mina put the file on the table next to her son. "Just think about it ok? I'll be back in the morning."

Mina closed the door behind her. Jonathan considered looking through the file again but decided to ignore it. He wanted to talk to Vlad so he could apologize to him for what happened and maybe talk sense into him.

Jonno didn't pull the trigger, but he was the reason they all attacked the Draculas in the first place. If he hadn't shown up there then Vlad's mom would still be alive and he maybe could have reasoned with Vlad in a civil manner like they always had before. He felt he owed his friend that at least.

Jonathan closed his eyes and fell back to sleep.

A cloud of smoke blew in from the window and Vlad appeared from it. He looked around the room and saw only Jonathan was there. He was about to wake him but noticed the file next to the bed with his name on it.

Vlad looked through it and saw photos of slayers. Some he recognized. He also found a list of different locations around Europe.

The pages turning alerted Jonno that someone was in the room. He opened his eyes, "Vlad?"

"You're keeping track of me?" Vlad asked.

"Not me," Jonno said. "The other slayers. My mom just dropped that off." He tried to remain calm. If Vlad wanted to kill him he would have done it already.

Vlad put the file back down. "That's intrusive."

"I wanted to say I'm sorry for what happened," Jonno said.

Vlad just stared at him with an unreadable expression. He looked like a different person from before. His movements were more quick yet smooth. Unnatural and confident.

"Why did you attack us?" Vlad asked.

Jonno didn't expect Vlad to forgive him. "Hearing about the missing slayers and the police officers who were killed, I panicked. I thought you had just lost all sense and turned on us. I realize now that I should have heard you out."

Vlad sat on the edge of the bed but didn't say anything. He just let Jonno keep talking.

"I just want to help," Jonno said. "Please tell me how I can?"

"My mom is dead," Vlad said. "There isn't anything you can do."

"And that is my fault," he admitted. "Don't take it out on the slayers. Many of them had nothing to do with what happened."

Vlad chuckled, which unnerved Jonno, "You think I'm killing slayers because one of your own killed Sally? This isn't a revenge plot. This is about keeping my family safe. If I let all of you keep slaying then you'll come after us eventually. You told me that yourself."

Jonno remembered telling him that the Guild would have to act when they thought it was Ingrid who was killing before.

"Vlad, you know I can't let this continue, and this isn't like you at all. I really do want to help you though."

Vlad rolled his eyes. "I know exactly what I'm doing. I don't need your help."

Jonno's eyes widened.

"You know, I thought I would hate killing. I avoided it my whole life thinking that it's wrong, but none of this feels wrong at all. It's so easy, and I'm not just doing this to protect my family. I killed the slayers because I wanted to. I want their blood and after I drink I feel stronger." His eyes turned bright red.

"I can't believe that," Jonno's eyes widened. "I know you're a good person." He couldn't have been as simple as him wanting to kill people now. Jonno had known Vlad for so long and he just couldn't believe someone like him would become such an evil being.

Vlad was about to say something else but was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Mr. VanHelsing," the nurse called. "I told you you can't have visitors this late."

Vlad smiled. He decided the best way to help Jonno understand how serious he was was to show him.

He disappeared just as the nurse walked in. When she only saw Jonathan she looked confused. "Who were you talking to?"

The door slammed and Vlad reappeared behind her and covered her mouth muffling her scream.

"No!" Jonno shouted.

Vlad bared his fangs making sure the slayer could see and bit down. The nurse tried to scream for help.

Jonno attempted to climb out of bed and fell over. He was still too weak. He continued to plead for Vlad to stop but it was no use. He eventually dropped her body in front of the slayer.

Jonno couldn't turn his eyes away from her. He couldn't even say anything.

"This is who I am Jonno," Vlad kneeled down to meet his eyes.

"Why don't you just kill me?" Jonno said. "I'm the only one who was on that mission still alive."

"I have no reason to kill you. No yet. You're already in hell. How many chances did you have to slay me but you never did? I know that's eating you up. If you had then this woman would still be alive." He pointed at the nurse.

"Besides, look at you," Vlad said. "You're no threat in this state."

Jonno felt ashamed. He would have never thought he would be in this situation. Weak and trying to reason with a vampire. And that is what Vlad is, a vampire. A monster. Jonno befriended the human side of Vlad before, but it appears that side of him really was gone.

"I've got to be heading back," Vlad said. "I'm sure I'll see you around." And he was gone leaving Jonno alone with the nurse.

XXX

Mina had just pulled into her apartment when her cell phone lit up. She sped back to the hospital and ran to her son's room. She witnessed a couple men wheeling out a body covered with a sheet.

She ran inside and saw her son sitting up in his bed talking with a female police officer.

"What happened?" Mina asked him.

"I'll give you a moment," the officer told Jonno. She walked out leaving Jonno alone with his mom.

"I told the officer that I woke up to the nurse screaming, but couldn't see anything in the dark. Just the shadow of a man running out."

"Are you hurt?" Mina asked.

"No," he said. "But it was Vlad. He was here."

Mina's hand curled into a fist in frustration.

Jonno explained to his mom exactly what happened in detail. He wasn't going to defend Vlad anymore. The vampire had come there to threaten and challenge Jonno and he got the message.

"Is there any way I can leave here and finish physical therapy at the Guild?" Jonno asked.

"You need to get better," Mina said. "But I'm working on moving you to a different hospital now. We can't risk Vlad coming back here."

"I need to be back," Jonno begged. "You didn't see him. There's no telling what he will do next."

Mina put her hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him, "I know. We'll get him, but you need to rest."

Jonno looked down at his legs that he struggled to move.

"Besides, I've got a plan," Mina smiled.

Jonno frowned. "What are you up to?"

"I'll explain later. Just rest."