A/N: And this one may be a long one..hehe. But first off I would like to say thanks for all the reviews! ^_^ They've really encouraged me to finish this thing, well that and the fact that SomeguyY2k is going to be ending his contest soon. *grins* *cracks knuckles* Alright, here goes….
To Jimbo Jones, no I did not forget Light, Reliability, and Sincerity. Joe and Mimi will only be appearing in this story briefly at the end. Sorry. When I wrote it I had intended for Mimi to be in America, and Joe to be studying hard in medical school, which would leave them little time to go vampire hunting. The reason I didn't have Vlad mention the crest of Light (that's why he stopped Sora short when she was listing them) is because I wanted his overconfidence in himself to be his tragic flaw. Being unable to fully assess the powers of his opponents leaves him vulnerable to any secret attacks they may have. And now this may give a little bit away regarding the end of the story, but as you said so yourself, fire is one of the key elements for defeating a vampire, and no I did not forget that either. ^_^ As everyone knows, Kari is the keeper of light, making her crest alone the most powerful and destructive against one such as Vlad and his brothers. As for adding the digimon, that would be awkward, especially since it is nearing the climax of the story and they had not been alluded to thus far. Besides that, like you also stated, Agumon or Greymon could just torch him, making it far too easy, and what kind of story would it be if the villain was easy pickings? I figured, if it were up to the kids alone, along with some help from their crests and digivices the plot would be a little more dramatic. How Biyomon would react to a vampire Sora is a very good question, but not what I originally set out to accomplish in this fic. I am not saying these are not good ideas, I am merely stating that they were not the center focus of the fic when I originally began writing it. I hope this clears up any other questions. By the way though, don't give up on the hopes of another digidestined turning vamp. ^_^
Something was wrong. Radu could sense it. Having inherited the immortal blood from Vlad, which was also given to his eldest brother, the three shared a common bond, stronger than that of just family ties. Radu could sense the presence of either of his brothers at any given time if they were within a reasonable distance, but now…one of those beacons had disappeared.
Radu's preternatural ears listened intently for any sound, any pin fall that might shed some light upon this mystery, but he heard nothing. The halls were as quiet as a sealed tomb.
His curiosity and anxiety started to get the better of him, and he wondered if he should risk leaving his post to investigate. He finally took to the air; no longer calm enough to stand firmly on the ground. Something definitely wasn't right, and he feared for his and the lives of his brothers.
Radu's vampiric senses, lacking the purity and refinement of Vlad's could not detect the intruders located on the opposite side of the complex. However, the lead vampire could smell them a mile off. He also knew all too well of the demise of Mircea, an event that did pain his heart, but one that he could cast aside until the blood of the digidestined was spilled upon his floor.
"Master, is it time?" Sora asked, noticing the intent look in Vlad's eyes. He looked like one who was waiting in the shadows to pounce at any moment upon his prey. Only this wasn't his typical night of feasting. He usually let his victims suffer little before killing them; only enough to get his adrenaline pumping and then the deed was done quickly so he could move on to his next victim. Year after year of performing this chore left little to the imagination for him anymore. In the days of old, he could think of a thousand painful and abominable deaths, and spent hours meticulously plotting them out. As of late, he grew weary of the killing, but not this time…this time, Vlad wanted to relish the moment for as long as he could. He wanted them to suffer slowly, painfully, and above all he considered it an act of vengeance on his brother's part. That little detail could not go unpunished.
They would come to him, he knew. They had already broken the northern barrier. If they turned right, they would run into Radu, and if he were anything like the vampire Vlad had trained him to be, he would at least cut them down by half or more. Not having the least bit of confidence in that fact, Vlad assumed that their final stop would be to the east, where he waited in silence. And if they had chosen that path from the beginning, then it would be an even faster route to their demise.
Sora watched him patiently, as she perched atop one of the banisters attached to a stairwell leading up to a mausoleum above ground. She clutched her crest, rubbing its edges with her smooth vampiric fingers. Even her fingers had been gifted with the vampire sense, as she traced her index finger along the intricate outline of the object. Slowly she reached down into the folds of her dress and withdrew a small metallic device. She held it in her palm in such a way that it was only visible to her. Four dots appeared on the screen, flashing in unison as one huddled mass.
What did this mean? She wondered. A light sigh escaped her lips as she ran her tongue along the outline of her fangs. At first, the idea of all these new powers excited her, and being a vampire was a promising, new sensation, but now it was as if she had lost all enthusiasm…the minute she saw that boy.
Her heart no longer wished to feed on the blood of others, though her body commanded it. She didn't even want to help Vlad destroy these mortals. She would rather ask them questions, they seemed to know so much about her, but she knew little of them, and yet she still felt as if she had known them at one time. Her eyes no longer held the demonic mischievousness they had only hours after her transformation. Quietly, she replaced the tiny device, and stared longingly at the threshold of the room. They would arrive soon; even she could sense it now. All she could do was wait.
"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Kari asked, glancing at the foreboding bloodstained walls.
The place seemed ancient to the keeper of Light, and she could sense great evil about it while being detained behind its walls. The putrid stench of death was overpowering, and it made her stomach churn. She could not imagine how many innocent people had fallen victim to the fiendish Vlad Tepes in the very hallway that they were currently stumbling down.
"No, I'm not sure." Tai said a bit irritated. "I've never taken the official tour." He added sarcastically.
Kari knew her brother became all the more restless as they made their way deeper into the vampire's lair. She attributed it to a number of things and quickly dismissed it from her mind. However, she could not ignore the dark vibes the structure had given off the moment they entered it. She wondered if she was the only one feeling its evil pull.
T.K. cradled the flashlight in his hand; he had stuffed the wooden stake into his back pocket and was now trying to keep his mind at ease by rolling the flashlight back and forth, from his left hand to his right hand. They did not require the assistance of the flashlight any longer, as the hall was lit by thousands of candles. The soft flicker of light from a thousand tiny flames cast an eerie glow about the place.
He shivered as a cold sensation ran the length of his spine and came back. His crystal blue eyes darted from the ceiling to the doorways. Hundreds of locked doors, on either side of the corridor. What purpose did they all serve? And what lay behind them, T.K. could only envision. Images of undead corpses smashing through them made the young boy's knees quake, and he nearly lost his balance. He hoped they would find Sora soon, but even if they did, they hadn't a clue on what to do from there. Tai, their fearless leader, seemed bound and determined that he would destroy the head vampire. The information Izzy had supplied them with was not very comforting in their present situation. He stated simply enough that all one had to do was assassinate the vampire responsible for creating the others, and this would reverse the effects, changing all newly transformed vampires back to their original state. Before Vlad had gotten to him, he had emailed Tai a plethora of vampire knowledge and folklore. But it was one thing to announce that you would kill the one and only Dracula, and another to actually do it. T.K. reasoned that this creature had been around for centuries, and no one had succeeded in eradicating him yet, so what were the chances of a few teenagers ridding the world of the supreme evil, armed with only a flashlight, a wooden stake, a crucifix, and intrepid resolve. It was clear to T.K. that their little hunting group was no match for the master of darkness, and yet hope still remained. They had single-handedly saved the world once before, but at that time they had their digimon to help. Now T.K. really wished Angemon were here.
Tai scanned the hallway thoroughly after taking each step. He wanted to be prepared for anything that may be unexpected. After clearing Mircea's trap, he had decided to take the eastern route. Tai might have accredited his decision to the blinking digivice he held firmly to, but something; some sort of powerful entity had drawn him in that direction, even before he checked the device. He was sure it was Sora, or at least that is what he made himself believe. In truth, he was just as frightened as the rest, but he refused to give up on the auburn-haired girl who had stolen his heart. He would find a way to cure her; there was no doubt in his mind or his heart about that.
Radu waited a few more minutes before gliding down from the ceiling, and resting his light frame upon the carpet of the hallway. He could wait no longer, as the desire to find out if his assumptions were correct hung heavy on his mind.
With cat-like agility and amazing speed, he made his way down the corridor silently, his feet never touching the floor.
"Welcome. Digidestined, is it?" Vlad greeted his guests who were just rounding the corner to the entrance of the eastern wing.
The four teenagers all halted at once, staring in surprise at the old fiend. He craned his neck to get a better look at them; they all seemed to be intact. Mircea had not put up much of a struggle due to the lack of evidence. The lead vampire only shook his head casually, as if he had expected as much. His vampiric eyes fell upon Matt, who had now taken a defensive position in front of T.K. Vlad chose not to make eye contact with Tai just yet.
Sora stood off in the shadows, waiting to be called upon. Tai spotted her at once and took a step forward, when he felt an invisible force push him back to the threshold.
"No, no." Vlad's eyes narrowed as his face twisted into a sadistic smirk, revealing two pointed teeth.
Tai clenched his fists in rage, fury rising in his blood. He did not like to be toyed with.
Still ignoring Tai, Vlad's eyes immediately locked on Matt and the stitches peaking out from under his shirt collar. The vampire could detect a faint scent of dried blood and his mouth began to water eagerly. He had wanted to finish what he had started.
With a light flick of his wrist, an unseen force grabbed Matt by the throat and dragged him towards the vampire's outstretched arms.
"Matt!!" Tai and T.K. yelled in unison, as the younger blonde tried to lunge forward and catch hold of his brother, but it was as if Vlad had created some sort of barrier, marring their way.
Matt tried to dig his heels into the wooden floor, but only succeeded in postponing the inevitable for a brief instant. His hands clutched at the invisible force constricting his throat as his body struggled in vain to escape.
Vlad wrapped his arms around the blonde, his cape encircling the two. As soon as he was delivered into the vampire's clutches, the stranglehold on his throat disappeared. Matt stared up into Vlad's unnaturally violet eyes, the utmost fear scrawled across his face. Vlad was considerably taller than Matt by at least half a foot or more, and he towered over the youth. His head tilted down, and he studied the boy's expression. A mix of awe, panic, and complete terror mingled within the blue orbs and pale features of Matt's face. This was the moment Vlad had been waiting for, as he bared his fangs and hissed, so close to the boy's face that a few tufts of hair wavered from his hot breath.
Matt squeezed his eyes shut and tried to turn his head away, but it felt as if his entire body was frozen. He either guessed that he was petrified with fear, or Vlad had some kind of telekinetic hold on him.
"Matt!" T.K. cried out again, lunging toward the invisible force field that now seemed to be present. He impacted with a slight thud before falling to the floor. Kari rushed to his side and attempted to help him up, when a pair of ice-cold hands gripped her by the shoulders.
Kari let out a shriek of surprise as the sharp fingernails dug into her skin. She twisted her head in time to see her attacker before he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. The young girl cried out in pain, but the feast was short lived as Radu was knocked from his prey by a blur of blue and wild brown hair.
T.K. quickly scrambled to his feet and darted over to the injured girl, catching her before she nearly fainted. He held her firmly in his arms. A small whimper escaped the back of his throat as he glanced back over to his older brother. There was no way he could help him now.
The world spun before her, as Kari tried desperately to regain her senses. The side of her neck ached from the recent puncture wounds inflicted by Radu. She felt her knees buckle, and was about to let herself fall into the comfort of darkness when two strong hands caught her. The young girl laid back lazily in his arms. She knew they belonged to T.K. Tilting her head up she gazed into his troubled eyes. It was not he who saved her, no; she shook her head, as the realization finally struck.
"Tai?" she said weakly, attempting to stand on her own. T.K. held her steady until she stood firmly by herself. In an instant, she was by his side.
The brunette's attack had only caught Radu off guard for a few seconds as the boy slammed him to the ground. The youngest vampire rebounded quickly and stood over the teenager who lay crumpled at his feet.
Tai put out a shaky hand and tried to lift himself up. He shifted part of his weight to one elbow and propped himself up, but his eyes caught sight of a pair of shiny black shoes and he looked upwards to see Radu glaring down at him menacingly. Kari was immediately by his side, followed by a somewhat reluctant T.K. That is when the standoff commenced, as three pairs of bright, resolute eyes stared down those of the vampire's. Each watching one another's move, waiting…and watching, like a game of cat and mouse it became.
Matt's trembling blue eyes stared into Vlad's preternatural orbs. Searching for some sort of reprieve and finding none. This creature knew nothing of mercy. And finally Vlad could take the offending eyes no longer. There was something different about these chosen children, and Vlad felt as though Matt's eyes were trying to penetrate the soul that was non-existent in him. He reached up with one hand and moved his fingers in a slow downward motion, and as if by magic, Matt's eyelids started to droop, following the gesture. The teenager was about to succumb to the vampire's sorcery when his eyes locked upon the scar Vlad bore on the palm of his hand. Fighting the urge to close, his eyes immediately shot back open, as he gazed at the scar fixatedly.
The crest around his neck began to glow neon blue, shining through his t-shirt. Vlad's face scowled with contempt as he withdrew his hand, cursing under his breath that he had neglected to remember that minor detail.
It was too late, however, and Matt had seen it and was sure he was not mistaken. The outline of the crest of Knowledge was emblazoned on the man's hand. Vlad sneered at the streaks of blue radiating from underneath the teenager's shirt and grasped the boy by the jaw.
"You will not live to tell the tale." He hissed, as he was about to sink his sharp fangs into the boy for a second time. He was never able to execute his attack, as a blast of blue light separated them. The force was strong enough to send Vlad reeling backwards, crying out in pain as the light seared his skin.
All heads turned to face the spectacle. The barrier had been broken and T.K. was the first to race across the threshold.
"What happened?" he cried, praising whatever it was that had driven the vampire back.
Matt had stumbled backwards, but quickly regained his balance as his little brother rushed towards him.
"The crests." Was all the boy could muster, his eyes darting back to the stunned Vlad Tepes.
Hearing this, Tai grinned arrogantly as he whipped out his digivice and held it up before Radu. The youngest vampire took a step back in shock. He had witnessed this power before at Sora's transformation and he did not wish to tamper with it.
The auburn-haired girl had been awaiting her cue, watching the events unfold before her. That other boy, the blonde…he also had a crest similar to hers. Her gaze fell on Tai who was holding Radu at bay with the threat of his digivice. And…Tai…he had the same device as hers, but what did it all mean?
"Sora! Destroy them now!" Vlad hollered, still dazed from the effects of Matt's crest. The girl had no time to ponder these coincidences, her master needed her, and as a faithful fledgling, she would obey.
"Sora?" Tai stammered, turning in the direction of the teenage girl. Radu took this opportunity to strike, but was blasted back by a shock of green light. He shot a malicious glare over to T.K. as he took to the air.
The child of Hope clenched his fist in determination as he held out his digivice, aiming it at the flying demon.
While T.K. diverted Radu's attack, Tai and Kari began to run towards Sora, the girl looked confused, but at the same time deadly. Her eyes glowed a crimson red as she bared her white fangs at the two. She stood in front of Vlad protectively.
"No harm shall come to my master." She stated, her voice dripping with venom.
"Sora, you don't know what you're saying! He's the enemy!" Tai pleaded, to this Sora only shook her head, as her eyes flickered with doubt.
"He kidnapped you!" Kari added, "And tried to brainwash you, but we know you still remember us!" the younger girl said, holding up her crest. "You're one of us!"
"Please Sora!" Tai cried, "Please remember. You gotta remember! We're the digidestined! We're a team! Me, and Kari, T.K., Izzy, Matt, Mimi, and Joe! You know them! We're your friends!"
"They're right!" Matt said, as he dodged a swooping Radu, both he and T.K. were now running defense, to allow the others time to convince Sora of her true self. "You have the power within you to fight this!"
Sora remained planted in her current position.
"They are clouding your mind with lies!" Vlad shouted. "Do not listen to them!"
"You know what we are saying has some truth to it, if you didn't slightly suspect it yourself, you would have killed us by now!" Tai screamed.
Of course he was right. That had been the only reason why Sora hadn't attacked as Vlad instructed her to. She was forced to hesitate, as the thoughts quickly raced through her mind. She did know these teenagers, and she wanted to believe them, but she was still loyal to Vlad.
Radu grew tired of playing games with these children and was now considering what Mircea had suggested earlier, about destroying Sora and dealing with them in their own way. He opted for this, when he saw the female vampire reach her hand out towards Tai.
"I do want to believe you. If I go with you, then will you leave my master at peace?" the girl asked, her hand feeling as though it was being drawn to this boy.
In one swift motion, Radu had managed to incapacitate the brothers, knocking them into one another. T.K. flew into Matt after Radu swooped in, clothes lining the boy as he was momentarily distracted by Sora's offering. They both landed in a heap on the floor, while Radu made his way over to the fireplace located on the center wall of the room, retrieving one of the tools used to stoke the flames.
"Deceitful wench!" he cried as he moved to stab Sora with it.
Seeing this, Tai prepared himself for the ultimate sacrifice and tackled Sora to the ground as the vampire drove the poker down with potent force, impaling the youth.
A sharp cry of agonizing pain arose from Tai's lungs as he fell to his knees, with one end of the make-shift iron weapon jutting out of his chest, as another pierced through his back.
His breathing became short, labored gasps, as a sickening gurgle caught in his throat. His eyes went wide at the sight of the iron rod sticking out of his chest. Beads of sweat covered his forehead as his face turned pale.
Sora looked up from her position on the floor, and as she stared at the boy in sheer amazement, a hundred memories invaded her mind all at once. She knew Tai, she knew Kari, and once again she knew them all; the traumatic event causing her memory to return to her. Red tears pricked the edges of her eyes and her lower lip quivered.
"Tai…no." she choked, her head falling in despair.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Kari screamed, as a blinding white light shot out from her crest, claiming everything in its path, including the vampire Radu.
His screams of horror were drowned out by Kari's cries of anguish. Tears streamed down her face as the light slowly began to fade, and all that remained of Radu were the burnt ashes scattered across the blood red carpet.
A sinister chuckle escaped Vlad's lips as he finally recomposed himself. His eyes fell upon Tai, and his face twisted into an evil grin, masking the fear that had begun to well up in the pit of his stomach. With one blast from her crest, Kari was able to disintegrate Radu, and he could not have this happening to him. He did not recall any of the children possessing such a powerful ability, but then again he had underestimated them.
"I see my brother did take after me." he snickered, admiring his late brother's handiwork.
"Leave him alone!" Sora shrieked, standing in between him and the injured Tai, her crest gleaming red.
"So now you betray me?" he stated simply as though it was not meant to be a question, but rather a fact, all the while keeping an eye on the one whom he considered to be the most dangerous of all the chosen children.
"Tai?" Kari whimpered, falling to her knees beside her brother.
The older boy's eyes were glazed over in pain, and a thin trail of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, and down the contour of his chin.
T.K. was the first of the two brothers to slowly rise. He blinked hazily at the scene before him, rubbing his eyes as if they were deceiving him. Matt stood up next to his brother and teetered to the side, having to use the younger boy for support. His mouth was agape and his heart began to pound wildly in his chest. Never had he conceived a fate like this would befall his best friend. His view shifted to the pile of ash where Radu had once stood and back to Tai.
"Quite disturbing, isn't it?" Vlad teased, as he reached a smooth, white finger to the trail of blood coming from Tai's mouth. Dabbing at it, he brought the blood-soaked finger back to his lips, and his vampiric tongue snaked out and cleaned the crimson liquid from it.
"You bastard!" Sora screamed, pounding her fists upon his chest. Vlad only grinned at this vain attempt to inflict pain upon him.
"Tai, I'm so sorry!" Sora wailed, dropping down beside him, eyes flooded with red tears, streaking down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry too….Sora…." Tai replied, a single tear rolling down his face, as he struggled to maintain steady breathing.
Vlad pushed Sora aside, who did not even put up a fight, her eyes taking on a hollow appearance, and walked past Tai over to Kari.
"You have killed my brother, Hikari Kamiya" And without another word, sent her flying into the wall with a wave of his hand.
"Kari!" T.K. called out, starting to run to her aide, but found himself being held back by Matt. He held out his digivice, and it started to glow a greenish hue before being snatched from his hand by Vlad's telekinetic powers. Two of his brothers had been killed at the hands of these children and his animosity towards them rose higher. First he vowed to destroy Light, for she posed the greatest threat.
"Let me go!" he yelled at Matt, as his struggles ceased for he knew he was no match for Dracul, not by himself and not without his digivice.
Kari hit the wall with a loud, bone-crunching crack, and remained pinned there under Vlad's control, not even able to move her arms or legs.
"Tai…" Sora whispered, grabbing hold of one of his hands. It was cold and shaky. "Please don't leave me Tai…" her eyes darted over to Kari, then to Matt and T.K. They were all helpless, and their leader was dying fast as his lifeblood drained from him, spilling out onto the already blood-red carpeting.
"Sora?" Tai nearly choked, his voice ragged. The wheezing had gotten worse and she suspected the iron rod had punctured a lung.
"Please…take care of Kari…"
"Tai, you don't know what you're saying, you're delusional." She babbled, trying to convince herself that he would be okay, but realizing that he wasn't, and there was nothing she could do…or was there?
Nasty little cliffhanger, isn't it? I really hope my lack of digimon doesn't disappoint. But fear not, for I'm scheming up another fic that should involve them all, and the digimon, as well as vampires. Hehe. =) R+R please. Oh yeah, the last chapter should be up by tomorrow, once I get out of school. *crosses fingers* And please excuse any errors, this chapter has not been beta read.