CH 7
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS RATED M FOR VIOLENCE--This chapter contains what might be considered torture. If you don't like that sort of thing...then don't read. But please don't start sending me mean yell-at-the-author comments because you don't like it, because Dracula is a cold-blooded killer. He is Lucifer's friggen' right hand man! Therefore, he gets to have a little fun with a knife and Van Helsing.
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The Vatican was in sight. It had been nearly a week worth of flying, but Dracula and his brides finally touched down outside the church. Marishka lifted her chin defiantly, emitting a low hiss. The large cross on the door deterred her, and she showed her discomfort. The count, however, swept past them, and then instantly followed. He crossed the threshold, and immediately located the confessional which held a secret staircase down to the Orders headquarters. He entered and punched a hole through the flimsy sheet of wood, and pushed the handle downwards. Immediately, the wall swung inwards to admit the four vampires.
They descended the dark staircase, finding only a pair of sleepy guards. They died silently, at the hand of Dracula himself. The bodies were hidden in a shadowy corner. Better not to betray their intrusion until it was absolutely necessary.
Dracula turned to Verona, Marishka, and Aleera, whose eyes glowed in the gloom.
"Find Sera" he said. They nodded, and turned, walking silently away. He watched them, until the last trailing sheet of silk disappeared around a corner. Then he strode away.
The scent of his old nemesis was easy to follow. He found the door to the bedroom locked, but it mattered little to the Count. With one powerful punch to the frame, the door caved in, exposing the little ramshackle room. On the bed, Van Helsing sat up with a start. The count stood framed in the doorway, his eyes glinting the color of ice.
"Oh God" Van Helsing muttered. He scrabbled around on his bedside table, and came up with a dull dagger, the same one he had used to slash open Sera's face the first time he had kidnapped her. He looked up, and the horribly familiar phrase hit his ears.
"Hello Gabriel"
Van Helsing sprung, but Dracula was stronger, and much faster. He stepped to the side, and closed the door. Spinning around, he pinned Van Helsing to the door with one hand, and grabbed the dagger from his clenched fist with the other.
"Are you ready to suffer, my friend?" he hissed into Van Helsings ear. The monster hunter fought in vain against the supernatural strength of his enemy.
"This is for killing me" Dracula spat. He dug the blunt tip of the knife into Van Helsings unprotected back, and drew it downwards. Van Helsing gritted his teeth, but made no sound.
"This is for Verona". He made another cut. This time, Van Helsing uttered a gruff squeak. Dracula smiled.
"This is for Marishka"
He drew the knife down a third time. Van Helsing yelped, and Draculas eyes glittered in cruel amusement.
"For Aleera" Another bloody line appeared on Van Helsings back. His eyes rolled back as pain took over his system.
"For kidnapping my daughter" Dracula said, driving the knife into his back one more time. Van Helsing collapsed to the floor, his back stained with his own blood. Dracula stared pitilessly down at the fallen man, and added one final cut to the collection.
"And that is for Anna. Because you killed her as well, didn't you"
A single tear coursed down Van Helsings face at the memory, along with the blood that ran down his neck and dripped into his face.
"I won't kill you today, Gabriel. But never come near me or my family again, or I may not be as lenient'
He smirked.
"One line for everyone you've murdered, or tried to murder in your pitiful life, Gabriel. Pity…the only one you actually liked can't come back"
He laughed coldly and swept from the room.
Van Helsing was left to nurse the horrific cuts on his back, cursing the name of Dragulia.
Because you killed her too as well, didn't you.
His fists clenched convulsively at the memory of Anna, lying cold and dead in his arms.
Her face was already growing faint in his memory.
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Sera felt the presence of her father, mother, and aunts. They had come for her. She had bathed in the tub that had been placed in the more enclosed part of her makeshift cell. She combed her long dark hair with the comb provided, and stood in the shadows of the chamber, eyes glowing in the darkness.
"Sera?"
The low voice was unmistakably her mothers. Sera rushed to the door, meeting her gaze.
"Mama" she said simply. Together, the four of them pried the bars apart, emitting quiet, pained hisses as their skin was burned. The sickly scent of scorched flesh caused Sera to murmur sympathetically as she stepped from her prison. She embraced her mother and aunts, purring her gratitude. Verona held out a dress to replace the tattered ballgown.
"We must be swift" she muttered. Sera nodded. She stepped into the darkest corner of her cell to change, and reemerged, resplendent in grey silk. Her mother and aunts nodded appreciatively, and they hurried down the hall, moving with graceful, feline motions.
About halfway down the main corridor, the sound of footsteps caused them to melt into shadows, watching. The servant girl, Muriel, appeared, humming and carrying a jug of water. Sera, starved of blood, stepped from her shadows. The girl uttered a short, piercing squeak before Sera grabbed her face, digging her nails mercilessly into Muriels' cheeks, blood dribbling weakly from the shallow wounds. Her tongue extended to lap at the crimson liquid before she felt her jaw unhinge like a snakes and pull downwards, fangs growing to an unholy length. She sunk her teeth into her preys jugular vein which pulsated with fear. Muriel went limp in the vampiresses arms, and Sera dropped her unceremoniously upon the stone floor. Her lips were stained with crimson as she rose, black hair framing her face, eyes glinting with.
"Shall we?" she hissed. Verona nodded silently, and they glided down the hallway, the whispering of their silk dresses resounding through the quiet corridors.
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Dracula could smell his brides and his daughter. He did not run, but walked at a leisurely pace, never one to loose composure. He rounded the corner and found himself face to face with his darling daughter.
"Sera…" he whispered. She smiled, and they hugged, for once a true father and daughter rather than a master and a servant. There was none of Dracula's ice in this embrace, none of the chilly aristocracy. And Sera was glad for this, and sobbed silently into his black clad shoulder.
She let go and just smiled, widely and evily.
"I thought they would capture you" she said softly. Dracula matched her smile, for all it's cunning. There was no need for words.
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Van Helsing had donned a shirt, ignoring the deep red blood staining the back, and gathered up all who could fight. He knew in his heart it was hopeless. There were a good thirty strong men gathered in the main hall of the church, but against Dracula, it would not be enough. Maybe the brides and the child would go down, but there was no defeating the prince of darkness.
"Men" he began, voice labored for he breathed hard as to not succumb to the overwhelming pain he felt from the gashes on his back.
"Dracula has invaded the Vatican. We must hunt him down and kill him!"
The men cheered, and Van Helsing attempted a brave smile. Did they know there was no hope? Did they know they could not kill Dracula? That they were probably to die tonight?
They split up, taking torches, holy water, and silver stakes.
You had to feel bad for them.
The men, I mean.
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The vampires were met with a charging group of about five soldiers, stakes outstretched. He dispatched them easily, snapping the necks of two, and allowing his brides to take down the other three. The bodies lay strewn on the floor, blood oozing from various wounds.
They continued onwards, and found themselves in the main hall, where the Knights of the Holy Order stood, Van Helsing at their head. Dracula smiled, and bowed.
"This is what you plan to defeat me with, Gabriel?" he said slowly. Van Helsing just watched, his eyes burning. And without warning, Dracula began to change, his face distorting, cape slowly unfurling into wings. The hell beast, in all it's savage glory stood, snarling, facing down the monster hunter.
Dracula leapt, his wings taking him to up to the very rafters. He dove; arms outstretched, but was deterred by a bout of silver stakes which embedded themselves in his wings. Hissing furiously, he tore them out and dove again. His brides joined him, screeching their anger, and Sera behind, her banshee form fully fledged, and terrifying to behold.
Something grabbed Van Helsing by the shirtfront, and he found himself staring into the emerald eyes of Sera. He was immediately transported back to the day he had first seen her, and she slammed him into a wall. She was not so inexperienced now. She drew her head back, fangs lengthened, eyes glowing. Suddenly, she screamed and dropped him, a stake in her calf, leaking blood. Van Helsing hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Aleera had swooped up to the rafters, surveying the scene below. One man, a sturdy fellow with dark hair, tried to sneak around behind Dracula, who had landed on the ground. He sunk his stake into the vampires back, and Aleera shrieked with rage. She dove and hit him with outstretched claws, pulling him upwards with her. She sunk her fangs into his neck, feeling the skin tear around her canines. She was being far from gentle. Her prey screamed, then went limp, and she dropped him, crimson liquid running down her chin.
Within minutes, all the men were dead. Their limp, broken bodies were strewn carelessly on the flagstones. Van Helsing looked on, horrified.
"Run, Gabriel" Dracula hissed. And Van Helsing did, fleeing the scene.
The four vampires walked slowly from the building, senses highly alert from the blood gushing through their systems. They walked slowly from the building, but not before Dracula knocked one of the large torches in the labs over. Flammable liquids exploded from within, and sent sparks rocketing upwards.
The family watched the Vatican burn, the screams of those trapped inside rising as did the ash, fluttering like gruesome moths on the night wind.
And as the flames licked higher at the sky, and the scent of smoke began to draw sleepy townspeople, Dracula realized something.
He, Count Vladislaus Dragulia, the prince of darkness…was no longer alone.
He had three beautiful wives and a daughter.
And he LOVED them.
And as he watched the dark figure of Gabriel Van Helsing watch the burning building in horror, he met the eyes of his oldest adversary.
Fear for your life Gabriel…
For he, Dracula, had much more than just…minions now to fight with him.
He had a family.
FIN