Chapter Five:
That night, the League stood outside a large building that reminded them all strongly of a castle. Inside, they could hear the ball had already started. The six of them looked at each other before entering to be sure their costumes (or lack thereof) were sufficient to keep them inconspicuous. Once they had all gained enough confidence, they walked into the castle and witnessed the ball before them.
If they weren't all certain that the masquers were all the undead, they would have found the sight enthralling and would join in the merriment. "Do not find yourself lost in the merriment," Nemo warned as they descended the entrance stairs. "Stay with your escort. When you find Dracula, give the signal. Now, go."
The League split into three pairs: Mina with Jekyll, Nemo with Skinner, and Angela with Sawyer. "It's nice to see you in a colour other than white," Sawyer muttered as they waltzed through the crowd. He looked down at her dress. "Green's a good colour on you. Makes you look very Irish."
"It's emerald, Mr. Sawyer," she whispered, searching the crowd, her eyes darting back and forth behind her silver mask. "And I feel so uncomfortable in it. White is who I am."
He gave her an odd look. "It's not like God's going to smite you because you're not wearing white," he said.
She stared at him. "Don't blaspheme," she hissed into his ear. Then her eyes caught sight of Dracula. "Wait," she whispered, stopping. "There he is. On the back stair." Sawyer turned to look.
"Let's go," he said, taking her hand and beginning to pull her towards the stairs.
She pulled back. "Stop," she said. "You'll draw attention to us. Skinner's already following him."
It was his turned to stare. "You can see him?" he asked, shocked.
"No, not really," she said. "I saw an hors d'oeuvres floating to the stairs." She scanned the crowd again. She saw the signal. "There's the signal. Let's go." She and Sawyer waltzed their way over to the stairs, then discreetly climbed them. There was a door at the height of the stairs. They slipped through and waited for Nemo, Mina and Jekyll to join them.
"Where is he?" Mina said, her voice slightly bitter. "Where is the filthy bastard?"
"Mina, calm yourself," Angela said, a little scandalised. Then she jumped and squealed quietly in shock. She turned around and slapped Skinner. "Don't touch me."
"Ow, Angela," he said reproachfully. "Your words sting."
"Skinner," Sawyer said in a low, warning voice. Angela couldn't help but secretly admire the American for defending her. "Where is he?"
"He's through the door on the end of the hall," the invisible man said. "But there's guards everywhere. This is not gonna be easy."
"What's your worry?" Sawyer asked. "We've got Angela."
She stared at him. "Do you honestly think that I'm some sort of goddess who can destroy Dracula for you?" she asked him. "Dr. Jekyll, you're a voice of reason. Talk some sense into him."
"Can't at the moment," the doctor said, then drank from a vial. "Slightly busy." As soon as he turned into Mr. Hyde, he said, "Let's get him! This'll be entertaining."
"You're all mad," Angela muttered.
Nemo nodded. "All right," he said. "Go. But be careful."
The League agreed and the six silently went through the door at the end of the hall. Dracula was standing across the room, looking out the biggest window any of them had ever seen. He didn't turn when the League was attacked by the guards and killed them all. Angela didn't seem to kill any of them. She simply got them away from her and handed them off to one of the men.
"Angela, Mina," Dracula said, his back still to them. "How kind of you to come to my little party. I've missed you terribly." Angela felt her flesh crawl. She knew his hideousness. Mina lost what little control she had and attacked him. He turned and simply knocked her to the side.
"Foolish girl," he chuckled. "I made you what you are. Did you think you could stop me by yourself?" He turned to Angela, who recoiled a little. "A Guardian Angel in recoil? I'm disappointed, Angela." He snapped his fingers.
Angela rose in the air and floated to him. He stopped her very close to him. She couldn't move, however much she wanted to get away from him. "You're still beautiful, though. Even after all these years." He ran his fingers lightly down her face, then her throat to the edge of her dress' fabric. She shuddered in dread and abhorrence at his touch. "It's been, what," he began, "three, four hundred years since we last met?"
"Stop it," she whispered. She could hear the sounds of shock and disbelief from the League.
Dracula snapped his fingers again and Angela's feet touched the stone floor. But she still couldn't move of her own accord. He pulled her to him. "Come away with me," he murmured. "I'm sure your Archangel Gabriel wouldn't mind if you Fell." He leaned her back and his fangs grew.
"O Father who art in Heaven," she whispered, praying. "Protect thy humble servant…" Tears formed at the corners of her eyes as Dracula drew near her throat. "Though I am not worthy of thy mercy, I beg of thee to grant it… Protect me, O Lord, from this vile Demon, this Devil of Hell, who seeks to force my Fall from Grace…"
Then she heard a gunshot. Dracula dropped her and she could move again. She quickly scrambled from the Vampire lord to the men of the League. Skinner pulled her to her feet. Dracula looked at her. "I'm disappointed, Angela," he said. "I had expected you to be less faithful." He bowed to her, then to Mina's still form. "Fare you well, Angel." Then, he disappeared.
Get out… The words echoed in Angela's head as she looked quickly around. "We should go," she whispered. The doors slammed open and a horde of Vampires slowly walked into the room. The League faced them and backed away towards the window. Mina groaned, stood and joined them. Angel, get out… "We need to find an exit very soon…" The League prepared to fight the Vampires. Even Mina, who was a little weak from her escapade against Dracula. "If you think you can survive a fight against them, you're all mad."
Then the fighting began. Angela kept away from the carnage. She looked around the room, searching for an exit that wasn't blocked by the undead. "You could help us, y'know!" Sawyer shouted to her as he shot Vampires through the head.
"No…" she whispered. "I can't." She sighed and silently prayed, O Father who art in Heaven, help us escape this house of Hell. Help me find a way for them to survive… She desperately searched the room, but could find no way out of the situation.
The window… Go out the window, Angel…"Are you mad, Gabriel?" she whispered. "They couldn't survive a fall like that."
But you can help them… Angel, it is the only way out…Steeling herself, she pulled the small pistol out of the bodice of her dress and shot at the window, shattering the glass. "Mina, get Hyde and Nemo!" she shouted across the room. She saw Mina nod in understanding. The Vampiress took hold of the men's collars and flew out the window, carrying them.
Fortunately, Sawyer and Skinner were nearby Angela. She grabbed Sawyer by the collar and Skinner by the arm and dragged them to the window. Angela shoved the men out the window. They yelled in fright as they fell. Angela jumped out the window.
As she fell, she concentrated on what she needed and two large, white and feathery wings erupted out of her back, between her shoulder blades and her spine. She took hold of Sawyer and Skinner and flew them to safety, following the path Mina took.
Behind her, in the building, a light of equal intensity to the sun suddenly shone. Screams of anguish filled the air as Angela and Mina flew the men to safety. "Requiescat in Pace," she whispered. As she flew, Angela looked down at Sawyer and Skinner, who were both looking up at her in shock.
The League landed on the dock where the Nautilus was. Angela and Mina let the men out of their grip. Angela concentrated again and her wings were sucked back into her back, and she was in her emerald ball gown once more. When she had her wings, she was wearing the pure white robes often associated with the Angels of God and she was comfortable for a brief moment.
The other members of the League stared at her. "You're a real Angel, aren't you?" Sawyer asked her finally. "From Heaven and the Throne of God and whatnot. Aren't you?"
Angela looked at the rest of the League and sighed. "Yes," she said. "I'm an Angel of God's Heaven."
"So, do you get to have Sunday chats with God?" Skinner asked.
She shook her head. "No, I've actually never met God," she said. "But I have enjoyed the company of the Archangels Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. They are only an order above my own and are my closest friends in Heaven."
Mina looked at her with contemplation riddling her features. "So, what are you exactly?" she asked.
Angela sighed. "My name is Angela, the Principal of Angels, all Guardians of the Human race," she said. "It is my duty to not only guard my Guarded, but to also oversee that the Guardianship of mankind is kept in perfect balance. I must be sure that every Guardian Angel that Falls but still has a Guarded is replaced a soon as possible."
"No easy task, then?" Skinner asked. "Is that why—"
"Mr. Skinner, if I had indulged in Mortal Vices, I would have Fallen immediately," she said interrupting him. "And I would be no use to anyone." She rubbed her head. "If you will excuse me, I need to get out of this dress. The colour is giving me a headache." She disappeared into the Nautilus.
Sawyer followed her. "Angela," he said as they walked through the corridors. "Why does colour affect you like that?"
"Mr. Sawyer," she said, still rubbing her head. "I've been an Angel for several hundred years. This is the first time I have worn a colour other than white in my entire Existence. It's painful for me to look at and I can see it out of the corner of my eye."
"When you were being threatened by Dracula," he said, "you didn't fight back. Why?"
"If an Angel fights back and kills, they Fall," she said simply. "Unless, of course, they're an Archangel. There's more than three," she said in answer to his unasked question.
"I heard a voice whisper in my head," he continued. "It told me to shoot Dracula. What was that?"
They had reached Angela's door. "It was probably the Archangel Gabriel," she said. "He is my Guardian Angel in a way. He whispers advice in my ear all the time. Take tonight, for example. He told me to get you all out. Then he told me how."
"The window," Sawyer said.
"Yes, the window," she replied, sighing. "Occasionally, he needs to Whisper to Mortals to guide them to the correct Path. I wouldn't worry about it too much. He's quite harmless, unless you anger God. Then you have to suffer the wrath of God's Left Hand."
"If Gabriel is the Left Hand of God," Sawyer began, "who is God's Right Hand?"
"The Saviour Jesus Christ, of course," she said, entering her quarters. "How naïve can you be, Mr. Sawyer? Good night…" She closed the door on him.