Ugh! Sorry everybody. I moved to a place with no Internet and I also have crap for writing programs on this computer. It will be longer between updates and you may find quite a few more typos. Bear with me. I'll proofread a million times to try to avoid this. I feel so bad! Waaaaaaa! I want this story to have quality!
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The plane ride back to Romania mostly consisted of keeping Zeyphx calm and lucid. His fits were unpredictable and it was far too easy for him to lose himself in his own visions. It was no surprise that Zeyphx lost his sanity after everything that he had been through. Unlike everyone else, Zeyphx could not simply cast those memories away. He lived with them daily, in his visions as he viewed all of time at once. The burden of The Eye was the greatest of them all and insanity was the price of such power. Dracula still found himself shedding tears over the centuries for Zeyphx's loss. It was painful to see his dear friend like this when he had once been so strong.
It was decided that he would be put to sleep for the duration. It would not do for Zeyphx to have a fit on board an airplane. There was no guarantee that they could restrain him and he would certainly kill people. Dracula would not condone the loss of anymore lives than needed. He scowled out the window and turned to look around the plane. Across the aisle sat Isobel with Zeyphx sleeping peacefully on her shoulder as she soothingly stroked his hair. He looked ahead of them to find Viore and Lorelay talking animatedly about a few of their own ventures and clinging to one another like a life raft. His eyes drifted to his right side and the odd sight of Inmoon shrouded in a glamor.
Her black hair reached down to the crest of her buttocks and her almond eyes still retained their bright purple hue. Her C cup breasts poked out from behind a red blouse and her skinny jeans hugged her strong legs. The blouse's back dipped low and gave a generous view of her sharp shoulder blades and rippling back muscles, honed from years of fighting. She stared, bewildered, at her hands that were so startlingly human. There was no trace of claws, silver fur, or her frightening teeth. Dracula found that it filled him with unease to see her in such an unnatural state. The form was too weak, too frail for Inmoon and he wanted to see her again, not the glamor hiding her now.
She was afraid, he could smell it on her and it pained him to know that. Inmoon was strong, unbreakable and yet so afraid of the world. The world had only repeatedly hurt and rejected her and so it made sense, but a person as strong as her had nothing to fear. She was afraid of going back to the hotel. She was afraid of the people there and worried about how they would react to her. She wanted to keep the glamor to avoid that. He would not let her hide.
He reached over and took her hands in his and looked her in the eye before speaking.
"Everything will be fine." He whispered. "You have nothing to fear from them. You have too much to be proud of Lady Inmoon. I will not have you acting as less than you are."
"And, what am I?" Her quivering voice asked him.
"A Queen." He told her as he laid a gentle hand on her face. "Remember that and remember that your friends are with you. You have nothing to fear. Not when we are here."
She smiled gently before dropping their hands back to the armrest. Dracula turned back to window with a sigh and Inmoon struck up a conversation with Isobel. Dracula looked down as the sea turned to earth and stone and took another deep breath. Soon, their fight would begin and he could only hope that he got there in time.
Their hands stayed clasped until the plane touched down in Romania.
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It was the day of the Winter Solstice and Mavis did her best to prepare the Hotel for her father's annual Yule celebration. It had always been Dracula's favorite time of the year, the Winter Solstice, and the party was a tradition that had never been broken. The music and dancing lasted well into the night and was unlike any of her father's other parties. Order didn't matter for that one night, only that his guests had fun. There was always a pride that filled him on Yule that Mavis never saw at any other time.
It was winter in Romania and all the fireplaces and furnaces in the hotel were well maintained, and yet she could not get the chill out of her bones. The entire hotel had gone cold and there didn't seem to be a thing she could do to fix it.
All of her uncles and aunts as well as Johnny helped as best they could with the preparations. Dracula always saw to quite a few high standing guests on this night and various members of monster nobility had already begun to arrive.
"Welcome Countess Bathory, to Hotel Transylvania." Mavis greeted their newest arrival. "We are honored to have you here with us again."
In reality, Mavis wasn't honored at all. The Countess Erzsabet was a prideful Vampiress and still held old views of class segregation close to heart. She still contained a thirst for human blood but when she was in the hotel she followed the rules set down by Dracula. She was also in a bad habit of disrespecting her father who was, in truth, the ruler of monster kind. His title demanded respect from all and Erzsabet did not give it.
In fact, almost none of the members of monster nobility held Dracula in high respect anymore. They saw him as weak and afraid. In some ways they were right but he was still their ruler. It had been so long since Vladislav Dracula had shown his power and the world had begun to forget what demons lurked beneath his fair skin.
The Countess bowed her head in return and wrinkled her nose as she caught the scent of Johnny, who stood beside her, and his friends who were filming as always. Her red eyes set onto him with a malice shining behind them.
"I see Dracula's daughter has deigned to take on a pet." She smirked cruelly at Johnathan.
"He is my betrothed Countess and you will show him the same respect as any other of my line." Mavis responded.
"Very well." Bathory sneered. "I have my usual room reserved. Send my bags there." She turned around with a dismissive wave of her pale hand.
"So, that's Erzsabet Bathory." Johnny muttered breathlessly. "I've read up on her."
"Very few monsters have a nice history Johnny." Mavis sighed. "But there are some who have yet to leave their's behind. She's one of them. Stay away from her. From this point on none of you are to go anywhere without an escort." She spoke to the camera crew behind Johnny as well. "She hasn't given up human blood."
Everyone nodded in understanding before moving to follow her as she swept through the crowd to continue greeting the nobility. There were Vampires, Werewolves, Various members of the Dead and Undead, Elementals, Warlocks and Witches along with Sorcerers and Sorcereresses, and many others.
"So what makes the noble classes different from...everyone else?" Lawrence asked Mavis.
"Their Maker is what separates them. They are more powerful because their Maker is. The nobility are faster, stronger, and have more Dark Gifts than others. They earn their respect through the power they wield."
"Mavis!" A voice shouted through the crowd and she whirled around in time to be fiercely hugged by one of the new arrivals.
"Lord Ruthaven!" She yelled happily and returned the embrace.
"Just Ruthaven dear." He smiled lovingly, revealing his sharp fangs and turned his amber eyes to Johnny. "So, it is true." He muttered.
"This is Johnny." Mavis introduced.
"Your zing, yes, I've heard." He smiled as he shook Johnny's hand. "And these must be a few more friends?" He asked motioning behind the pair.
"Unexpected guests." Johnny shrugged.
The man stood roughly at Dracula's shoulder height. His skin was tan and his eyes were a startling amber. His shoulder length black hair was pulled back into a pony tail and he wore a set of opulent white and gold robes. His eyes were gentle and kind. The man reminded Johnny of Dracula himself in the way he held himself and behaved.
"Aren't you Egyptian?" The question fell from Johnny's lips before he could think about it.
"Yes I am." Ruthaven laughed. "Very observant."
"But...you're name isn't?"
"No." The Vampire Lord grew serious. "I left that life behind me a long time ago. I changed my name, and am a different person than when I bore my Egyptian name."
He turned back to Mavis.
"Where is Lord Dracula?" Ruthaven asked. "He has never failed to greet me when I arrive."
Mavis and Johnny couldn't hide their expressions and Ruthaven's face crumpled.
"What happened?" He grabbed Mavis by the shoulders. "Tell me everything."
Ruthaven looked terrified.
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They fed and they flew across the country toward the hotel. They could not afford to be weak in these moments. Dracula's eyes were no longer his bright blue, but red. He could not hide the fact that he had been feeding upon humans again and he readied himself for the reactions of his loved ones. They each fed three times before making their way without further delay.
Only Dracula, Inmoon, Isobel, and Lorelay needed to kill to feed. Viore was an empath and fed off of the emotions of others while Zeyphx drew his power from the earth itself. Dracula, Inmoon, and Lorelay fed on flesh while Isobel fed on a human's life force, sucking their energy from their body until they were an empty husk.
Dracula looked to the west and felt fear seep into him as he saw the sun beginning to dip below the horizon.
"We will make it." Shadow's voice echoed in his head. "I care for her as you do. We will make it."
Dracula took a deep breath and put everything he had into the down-stroke of his wings. They only had until nightfall and then the battle would begin. They had to make it in time to clear out all the guests and convince Mavis to leave.
"Perhaps if I spoke?" Shadow suggested.
"I should think not!" Dracula growled.
"I admit, the hunter's death was unnecessary. I lost my temper. You are well aware of the temper we both possess. You have done similar in the past."
"I don't want to frighten them."
"Myself and the others have come to an agreement, if needed we will speak. Whether you wish it or not. I do not apologize for this Vlad. We cannot afford mistakes and have no time to waste."
"No, I understand." Dracula sighed. "But I cannot promise I won't fight you. My emotions will run high."
"Very well. Now hurry! I know we can move faster!"
Dracula did just that.
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"He just...left?" Ruthaven's fear only grew with each passing second.
"He didn't just leave." Mavis winced.
"Yes, I'd heard rumors that he was to be hunted and captured. Rumors of insanity. But this cannot be true?!"
"It's not!" Johnny yelled. "But, things have come to light."
"Things?" Ruthaven straightened and looked ready to run.
"His past is...not what he told us." Frank said with a tight jaw.
"So you know then?" Ruthaven gasped.
"What?"
"If you know his past then you know mine."
"What do you know about the Vours?" Mavis nearly shouted.
"Vours?!" Ruthaven yelled. "What are Vours?"
"You said that you knew!"
"I thought you were talking about Egypt and the Queen's massacre! I have no idea what Vours are."
"Queen?" Mavis whispered, brows creased in confusion.
"You father has...many enemies but he has ever only been a kind man, you must remember that."
A sudden clamor from down the hall drew their attention and one of the armor suits ran into her father's office to retrieve them.
"Come with me!" It said urgently.
"What is it?" Mavis asked as they ran.
"It's your father!" He yelled as they came around the corner to see the chaos that had descended upon the hotel.
"Everyone get out!" Dracula bellowed. "Out now!"
There were five other monsters around him attempting to guide people to the doors but no one was listening. They all believed the rumor of her father's insanity and instead were attempting to restrain him. The Vampire nobility lunged toward him and in an instant one of the five threw her cloak to the ground and leaped to Dracula's defense. The room grew dead silent at the sight of a werewolf with glimmering silver fur. It was a terrifying sight to see.
"There isn't time for this!" Dracula yelled. "Everyone needs to get out of here now!"
Before anyone could get down to him, all the monster nobility swarmed the pair and the six monsters fought valiantly against their own kind.
"ENOUGH!" Came a voice that bellowed, shrieked and whispered at the same time.
The room vibrated with power as members of the monster nobility were tossed aside like flies. A circle cleared wide around what used to be Dracula. His form stretched tall and a pair of wings flared menacingly behind him. He wielded a sword as tall as Johnny and a dark black flame engulfed his entire frame. His eyes were enveloped by black as he stared down everyone.
"Release the pillars." His accent was gone and instead replaced by a voice of absolute power.
"Who are you?" Bathory demanded, though she quaked with fear.
Dracula's face stretched into a menacing grin of daggers.
"Only you, Erzsabet, would be so insolent." He leaned down into her face. "I am Shadow and you are beneath me."
"Oh my god." Ruthaven whispered. "Erzsabet, don't be a fool."
"Do you know what that is?" Murray asked.
"We've met before." Ruthaven replied darkly.
Erzsabet's jaw dropped in shock and slowly the circle grew wider around Dracula.
"I am beneath no one." She said shakily.
Dracula's cheeks split open as his teeth grew longer. His face split apart in a grotesque grin as his own flesh tore apart and blood spilled down.
"No my Lord!" Ruthaven screamed as he leaped over the crowd, but he was too late.
There was a loud snap as Dracula's jaw unhinged and hung down to rest on his chest. He shrieked in rage and in one swift movement Erzsabet's face was trapped between his jaws. She screamed in agony and flailed helplessly as he held her there. Manic laughter echoed through the lobby and heads turned to see a dark-skinned man, with a long mangled beard and a robe of shifting earth and clay, in hysterics over the display.
"My Lord Shadow, I beg of you...spare her." Ruthaven fell to the ground and pressed his forehead to the floor in a bow. "Think of Dracula." He lifted his head to look at him.
"I am." The soundless voice echoed through the room and Erzsabet screamed again as she realized her fate.
Suddenly Dracula jerked back and Erzsabet crumpled to the ground, her face an unrecognizable heap of flesh. The Vampire King screamed and thrashed as his eyes flickered from red to black. Those massive wings flared and convulsed with the rest of his body as Ruthaven looked over Erzsabet. He tore cloth from his robes to bind her face and it wasn't long before they were soaked through.
"You will not!" Dracula screamed as he held his head.
"I will do what needs doing!" He straightened as his eyes were consumed by darkness and the black flame returned. "Order will be maintained!" He bellowed. "Does anyone else question the authority of my Vessel?!"
The room fell silent and the other five members of Dracula's group stepped closer as they each overtook a similar transformation. Viore extended a pair of great wings of white and blue fire, the rest of his form was enveloped in flames of every color that burned nothing. He wielded a Katana that, with a flick of his wrist fell apart into a bladed whip.
Isobel's flesh melted away to reveal a sharp toothed skeleton. A huge black robe fell around her as she hovered above the floor, the sleeves covered her bone hands and the hood dipped to shroud her face. The wind itself shrieked as it spun about her in a whirlwind. A massive double-bladed scythe formed in her hand, slowly gaining color as the air molded it.
Inmoon's hackles raised into a spiked ridge down her back, and a great purple mist seeped off her form as her eyes burned bright. She pulled her war hammer from her back and slammed it forcefully into the ground.
Lorelay dropped her robe and bared her form before the crowd. The fins on her back flared into a set of spikes running along her spine, linked by the shimmering membrane between them. They met at the base of her skull and rose to form a high collar. Her eyes glowed blue and various markings along her body followed in suit. Her fingernails grew to talons and her teeth became daggers as her jaw grew into a short snout.
Zeyphx's only change was that his robe became alive. Tendrils of earth and dust stretched out from the base and writhed. His eyes glowed a wild green.
"Does anyone question the authority of our Vessels?!"
The power in the voice brought everyone to their knees. Shadow moved to stand over Erzsabet. He reached down with long elegant fingers, the black in his talons invading the flesh, and tore the bindings from her face. The Countess screamed in fear and she was backhanded into silence.
"I will offer you mercy today because my Vessel demands it." He snarled. "If mercy is what you can call it." He laughed wickedly. "Your wounds will not fully heal. You will never be fair again."
He stood tall and menacing before everyone and glared over the crowd.
"NOW LEAVE!" He thundered and no one dared disobey.
The crowd ran for the door and the six beings standing frozen returned control back to their Vessels. Dracula met his daughters eyes and was repulsed by the horror he saw there. He breathed deep and rooted himself in the moment.
He was knocked off his feet as the whole hotel shook violently and black smoke shrouded the windows and doors and solidified into an impenetrable wall. Only half of the Hotel's guests made it out and the other half became trapped inside as the building itself trembled as darkness fell on Transylvania.
"No!" Dracula shouted and spread his wings.
He flew into the black wall and beat his blade upon it as he bellowed with rage.
"No! I won't let you! You won't take her from me!"
Inmoon ran up the stairs to Mavis and shook her from her shock.
"Mavis, get it together. You're in for a hell of a fight."
"What is going on?!" Wayne snarled and stepped between Inmoon and Mavis.
"The Gate has shattered and the Vours are loose. they've trapped us in here. They hold a grudge against your father. Tonight, the Vours hunt you Mavis. They will take your body and trap you in your own Fearscape."
As the realization hit her everything faded aside from Johnny's arms wrapped around her and her father's enraged screaming as he pounded fruitlessly at the blocked door.
Dracula could feel his bones freezing with every passing second as the shrieking in his head grew louder and louder.
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Ta-Da! I'll be as fast as I can and I do so hope that this story is living up to everyone's expectations. Once again, I'm sorry for any typos and however long it may take me to get the next chapter posted. On a side note, did anyone ever realize how difficult it is to spell the word sorceresses? That word hurts my eyes.