CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
Mori sat there a moment in complete and utter shock. Bethany was dead…gone forever. It just didn't seem possible. She had almost seemed to stubborn to die. Yet there she was, lying on the ground. What was even worse was the knowledge that Mori was the one who had killed her. The dark girl grew silent, eerily silent. She didn't speak, move or even breathe. The only sign that showed that she was alive was a single tear running down her cheek. Upon feeling it, Mori calmly reached up and brushed it away. It was all her fault. Why? Why did all her friendships end up ending this way? Hasn't she suffered enough?
Mori removed her cloak and laid it over Bethany's body. She always told herself that she'd never form friendships or get too close to anyone. It was dangerous and it always ended in pain. She made that promise to herself every time. This time, she was going to keep it. The dark girl stood up and crossed herself.
"Rest in peace, Bethany." She said, her voice quiet and almost devoid of all emotion to hold in all the sorrow and pain she now felt. Her voice continued in a whisper.
"And God forgive me."
The dark girl didn't move when she felt the wind pick up or when she heard the flapping of great wings turn into the tussling of cloth. She just stood as still as a stone statue that has never changed even though the world has. She saw no reason too. It didn't matter if she lived or died now. She only had one thing left to do.
"Nicely done, Morianalynn." She heard. "To be honest, I didn't think you'd kill her before my little spell wore off."
Mori didn't reply. The girl knew that Dracula had been waiting for this moment for a long time. There was no way that she was going to give him the pleasure of seeing her get emotional. In truth, she had no emotion left in her. She was numb, like her heart had been cut off from her body. Maybe she didn't know what to feel. Even in her numbness, there were thoughts, and even they didn't make sense anymore.
Dracula walked around to face his daughter. To his great surprise, her face was blank with the exception of her icy blue eyes. Even then, there was hardly any emotion shown. Her eyes were harder than stone and colder than the Artic itself, a rather scary combination.
"The prophecy has come true, you do know that? You are your mother's daughter, of course you do. Things have been set into motion that cannot be stopped, Morianalynn. So, what are you going to do?" Dracula asked.
Moments of heavy silence followed. At first, the vampire didn't think that the dark girl would reply at all, but she did.
"I'm going to kill you."
This wasn't exactly the reaction that he was looking for or expecting. Mori's voice was completely devoid of emotion, yet smooth and calm as if she was stating a well-known fact. Her icy orbs were focused, determined, hard and frozen solid. Just the sheer force of her gaze was even enough to scare him to a certain degree.
"That certainly wasn't the reaction I was expecting." The Count replied.
"I bet." Mori answered still as calm as ever.
Suddenly, from the folds of her coat, Mori pulled out a revolver and began shooting. Dracula quickly dodged the bullets before he transformed and flew away. Mori swore in her mind and holstered her weapon. The girl looked back at the body of her friend, which was hidden by Mori's cloak.
"I'm so sorry, Bethany." Mori whispered and then ran away in pursuit of her father. She'd have to return for Beth's body later. Right now, she had business to take care of. There was a 234 year old score that had to be settled.
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Dracula landed next to the ruins of an old church and looked around once he hit the ground in his human form. Mori didn't get it. Why would a vampire pick a church to hide in. After a brief moment of thought, she understood that it'd be the last place someone would look for a vampire. Heck, Mori had been at the Vatican for decades and no one had yet found her there.
Dracula walked in and Mori waited a few moments before sneaking toward the door. She pressed her ear against it and listened. She didn't hear anything, not voices, not footsteps, not breathing, nothing. Just endless silence. The dark girl slipped through the door, The main part of the church was in ruin, which meant that it hadn't been used in a long time. Mori guessed that it had been abandoned for about one hundred years or so by the look of it. The pews were all overturned or broken in one way or another. All the crosses and other religious objects had either been bent or deformed so they were beyond recognition. The girl really wasn't surprised. This was her father after all.
Mori crouched down behind a broken pew for cover and then put her ear to the ground. She heard voices about a story or two below her. One of them was unmistakably Van Helsing's. Mori stood up as a new thought came to her. What would the others reactions be when they found out that she had killed Bethany? Well, it really didn't matter since she'd be gone soon anyway, even if she did survive this. Mori really didn't expect too. Again it really didn't matter. She had nothing left to loose.
Mori quickly shook her head to clear out those thoughts. She was getting distracted. That was the last thing she needed at the moment. She only had to focus on one thing; killing Count Dracula.
The dark girl heard footsteps and quickly looked around for a place to hide. Thinking quickly, Mori jumped up and stuck to the ceiling of the church. Crouching down so she wouldn't stick out against the ceiling, the girl saw Dracula emerge from a door toward the south corner of the room. The half vampire silently made her way toward that door, the entire time keeping one eye on her father.
Mori stepped through the archway of the open door and walked down a slanted ceiling. The girl looked above her head to see a set of stairs. At the bottom was a door, a closed door. Mori gave it a gentle tap with the tip of her boot to see if it was unlocked and was surprised when the door swung open. She stepped through that archway and looked up toward the floor. The room was rather large, larger than Mori had expected it to be. It was catacombs with several tombs surrounding her. Human remnants littered the floor. Over in the corner was a small cage. Van Helsing, Carl, and Anna were inside it. Next to the cage was a metal casket. That must have been where he was keeping Jen. It was strapped shut anyway. In the cage, Van Helsing was pacing. He reminded Mori of a wild tiger that had been caught and caged, just waiting for his chance to escape. Anna was leaning against the wall, watching him pace. Next to her was Carl, who was doing the same thing as her.
Mori, deeming it rather safe to show herself, dropped to the ground.
"Hello." She told them. All three of them were looking at her oddly at her sudden appearance.
"Where did you come from?" Van Helsing asked her.
"I'd like to know that too." Carl added as she and Anna moved toward the front of the cage.
"The ceiling." Mori replied. "Is Jen in the coffin?"
"Yes." Anna answered.
"Good." Mori said with a slight nod and began to undo the thick leather straps that held it closed. Mori got them off and then shoved the lid to the side. Inside was Jen. Her eyes were closed and she was as silent as the grave.
"He gave her some kind of potion." Anna said. "She hasn't moved since."
"How long ago did he give it to her?" Mori asked the gypsy princess as she felt for Jen's pulse. She didn't have her gloves with her. She had left them with Bethany's body. There was a small and faint pulse running through the young Valerious' wrist. Good. Mori thought to herself.
"About three days ago." Carl replied.
"It's nothing more than a strong sleeping potion. She'll be fine." Mori stated and then moved to the cage. "I'll get your guys out of here."
"Mori, where's Beth?" Van Helsing asked her.
The dark girl's eyes moved to the lock on the door and stayed there. He just had to ask.
"She's not coming." Mori replied quietly.
The half vampire heard a laugh and whirled around to see Count Dracula standing in the open doorway.
"Is that how you planned to tell them, Morianalynn?" he asked with a villainous grin as he moved toward them. "I guess it is true, in a sense. She won't be coming at all, not in this lifetime anyway."
"What have to done to Beth?!" Van Helsing demanded hotly as he flung himself against the bars of the cage.
"What have I done? I have done nothing to the girl." Dracula replied almost amused. "I'm flattered though that you would think I did it, Gabriel."
Mori's heart froze, but her body did everything but. Her father had reached out and flung her into a wall. The dark girl hit it and collapsed on the ground along with the pieces of stone that broke off when she hit the wall, each one making a small clacking noise when the small stones came into contact with the floor.
"You see Gabriel, your daughter is dead." Dracula told him. "Prophecies really are a funny thing, aren't they? Some of them don't come true, but the once I wanted to did."
"Shut-up." Mori told him through clenched teen as she pushed herself up.
Dracula just calmly turned to his daughter and smiled.
"Don't you think it odd, Morianalynn, that you always end up killing your friends?"
Mori closed her eyes and hit her tongue. Peter. She quickly shook her head out to clear her thoughts. That was behind her, in the past, and it will stay there. Dracula reached down for her throat and Mori tried to punch him. The vampire caught her fist, twisted it around, and then pushed it back. The girl let out a small noise of pain. Dracula just smirked.
"You look exactly like Trissa when your are angry at me."
Mori gritted her teeth and her eyes flashed crimson red. The dark girl's canines grew into long fangs. Mori tried to hit him with her other hand, but Dracula caught that one too. She pushed against him with all her might, but he was stronger than she was. The vampire flung the girl into another wall. Mori hit it with great force and had to hold in a scream when her body collided with the cold stone. The girl fell to the ground only moments before she heard her father speak again.
"Why are you still fighting, Morianalynn? It's pointless. Is it because Bethany would've wanted you to? Why honor her memory? You killed her."
Mori bit her lip again. She caught the look Van Helsing was giving her, asking if it was true. Mori's sorrowful eyes were all he needed to see. You killed her. The words cut through her and hurt terribly. Mori knew it was true, but having it said aloud was different. It was like admitting she did it to herself. She had killed her best friend.
Suddenly, Mori felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Dracula had shoved a sword through her left shoulder so hard that the blade cut into the stone below her. Mori tried to pull it out with no such luck. Still, she didn't give up. She tugged at the blade, cutting her palms open and her own blood dripped down the cold metal of the sword.
"You will join me, Morianalynn, willingly or not." Dracula said bending down to her. "I have methods that even angels can't protect you from."
All of the sudden, Dracula was flung back into the wall across from Mori, and hard.
"How about a ghost then?" came a very angry, tired and familiar voice.
Mori looked up toward the door and for once in her life, was completely and utterly shocked. Leaning on the door frame and holding their bleeding side was Bethany. She still had her palm raised from using her powers. Over her arm was Mori's cloak. She looked exhausted and about ready to collapse…and was as angry as ever!
"You're…" Dracula began, but stumbled over his words. No! I couldn't be! "You're supposed to be…"
"Dead?" Beth's ghost asked, her green eyes set aflame. It had to be her ghost. There was no other explanation. Bethany had no pulse. There was just no way she could be alive.
"I assure you, Count, I'm far too stubborn to die."
"Your heart stopped."
"Just because my heart gave up doesn't mean my soul did." Beth replied, venom dripping from her words.. "I'm very much alive. Sorry to disappoint you."
"Yes!" Carl said as he pulled his fist toward himself. This got him a glare from Van Helsing and Anna. Carl shrank back.
"Sorry, I'm just…happy." Carl mumbled.
"Thank you, Carl." Beth told him, a slight smile on her face.
"Since my daughter failed to kill you," Dracula began as he got up and moved toward the girl. "I'll just have to do it myself."
Mori, moving quickly, broke the blade that held her down right above it's entry point in her shoulder. She pushed herself up, the hilt of the broken sword in her hand.
"No you won't." Mori growled at him, her eyes flaring with blood red fire. Dracula rolled his eyes and turned to his daughter.
"What are you going to do about it? Run me through?"
"Sounds good to me." Beth said and shoved her dagger into his back. Dracula roared in pain. The young huntress tried to back up, but wasn't fast enough. The vampire hit her and Beth was sent flying. She hit a wall and collapsed on the ground with a pitiful moan of pain. She tried to push herself up and soon found there was a pair of hands there to help her. She looked up to see Mori.
"You are real, aren't you?" the dark girl asked her.
"As real as you are." Beth answered.
"I hoped so."
Mori helped Beth to stand and let her lean on for so she wouldn't fall over. Dracula pulled the dagger out of his back and then calmly tossed it to the side. He glared at the two girls across the room. Suddenly, he was by Mori and he flung her into the door of the metal cage. The dark girl collapsed on the ground, unconscious with blood dripping down her temple. Beth fell to her knees without Mori to support her. She barely managed to push herself up only to have Dracula twist her arm behind her back again. Beth gritted her teeth and struggled against him, but his grip was too strong. The girl jabbed her free elbow into his side. Instead of letting her go, the vampire flung her into the stone wall.
The young huntress screamed in pain when she fell to the floor. She gasped for much needed air and waited for the throbbing pain all over her body to dim before she even attempted to move. She pushed herself up. The girl slowly began gathering up her energy (what little she had left) for her powers. Dracula grabbed her by the neck and the teenager made a small choking noise.
"You are a stubborn child, you know that?" Dracula said. Beth, put a foot in his gut and pushed off. The vampire let go and she fell on the ground. Her chest was heaving up and down and every breath seemed to weaken her. Beth scrambled back to put space between her and the vampire. Still, he advanced on her slowly.
Van Helsing bent down next to Mori and reached through the cage. He grabbed her shoulder and began shaking Mori in an attempt to wake her. Beth was in trouble and right now, Mori was her only hope.
"Mori, get up." He told the girl. "Beth needs you! Get up!"
Beth's back hit the wall, but Dracula kept coming. Summoning up the last of her strength, the girl shot a steady stream of white light at the vampire. He roared in pain, but he kept moving toward her. It was slow since she kept pounding him with light, but the vampire would still get to her. Then she would be defenseless and she was done for.
"Mori! Get up!" Van Helsing roared as he slapped Mori angrily across the face. The girl stirred slightly and the monster hunter took advantage of it.
"Mori, if you get up now and save Beth, I promise not to blame you for anything ever again."
"Bethany." Mori moaned quietly. Her icy blue eyes slowly opened. She then sat up with a start, her memories flooding back to her. "Bethany!"
Mori saw the battle going on between Beth and Dracula as she stood up. Beth was almost out of energy and Dracula was almost to her.
"He's going to kill her!" Carl squeaked.
"Over my dead body." Mori hissed as she clenched her fists and her eyes changed to blood red once again. Fangs spouted from between her lips and her hands began to spark with black lightning. Dracula had taken everything from her, her mother, her family, her friends…her entire life. There was no way in Hell she was going to let him take Bethany from her again. Beth had already died for her once. It wasn't going to happen again so long as Mori was there to stop it.
Mori flung out her palm and black lightning flew out toward the vampire. It was powerful, fueled by Mori's years of rage and all the life force the girl could manage to spare. The lightning mixed with Beth's own powers, wrapped around the white beam like barbed wire. The collective force hit Dracula and hit him hard. He roared in pain and attempted to transform, but the energy the girls were pouring on him wouldn't allow it. The two forces began tearing Count Dracula apart. His form kept fading till it no longer existed and his screaming had died away into nothing.
Beth stopped shooting only moments before Mori did. On the floor, in the place where the Count had been, was nothing but a pile of dust. Bethany sighed as a large smile spread over her features. She looked at her father and then at Mori.
"It's over."
Mori smiled softly.
"Yes Bethany, I believe it is."