Chapter 22: Back in Time

The people were shocked by the sudden appearance of the bats, and unsure of what to do. The bats turned back to normal and Dracula chuckled. He looked up at the sky, knowing the morning was only an hour away. They had to hurry. Dracula chuckled and started to attack. The other vampires needed no verbal order and quickly followed his lead, spreading terror throughout the city. Dracula sneered evilly as most of the people in the city were killed. Some were turned into vampires also. The evil vampire closed his eyes and transformed into Shadow once again.

Should I kill or turn the humans I find, my lord?

Turn them, Dracula said telepathically.

Very well, my lord. Shadow smiled, then ran off to hunt the humans.

When morning came, the vampires came to Carfax Abby. Dracula smiled, this would be the perfect place for them to sleep for the day. He snapped his fingers and their coffins appeared. The rest of the vampires turned into bats and hung themselves by the rafters where the sun couldn't get to them. Dracula, Blaze, Tails and Silver all went in their coffins and fell asleep.

The day passed uneventfully, the few surviving humans too afraid to leave their houses even though the day made it safe. Eventually night fell and the vampires rose from their coffins. Dracula looked around, seeing all the other vampires ready to move at his command.

He chuckled. "Soon, Earth will be under my control," he said. "But I have an idea. We use the Chaos Emeralds to go back in time and kill the original Dracula, and I shall take his place."

The vampires all cheered, clearly showing they agreed with his idea. Tails looked at Dracula, thinking that if they did that it might create a time paradox. Mephiles was the one who bit him, after all. "Sir...this might cause a Time Paradox. If you kill Mephiles, he'll never have bitten you in the future."

Dracula frowned. Now that he thought about it, that was true. Perhaps they could find a way around that somehow. "Do you have any ideas on how we could work around that?" He asked Tails.

Tails smiled. "We could nearly kill him, then send him to the future using the Chaos Emeralds."

"Yes, that will work. What will he do when he gets to the future, though?"

"I don't know..."

Dracula nodded. "Perhaps I could make him a split personality once again instead."

Tails looked thoughtful. "That could work...then you could bite yourself in the future."

"Thank you for the suggestions, Tails," he said, and took out the Chaos Emerald. "Chaos Control!" Dracula shouted, and everyone vanished in a flash of light. A few minutes later, they appeared in the 1800s at Transylvania. Dracula smirked as he looked around. "This will work nicely," he said, and turned to the other vampires. "Come; let us head to Castle Dracula."

They all bowed, then transformed into bats. Dracula chuckled and followed them. Half an hour later, they reached the castle and went inside, searching for Mephiles. The elder vampire saw them and bared his fangs.

"Who are you? What do you want?" He asked.

Dracula smirked. "I have come to make you my servant," he said. "I know who you are and what you have done it the future. It is time to become one with me once again." Mephiles' eyes widened, both is anger and shock. Dracula chuckled and walked towards the other vampire. "You did me a great service in the future," he said. "But now it is time for me to take your place!"

"What are you talking about? The future? And how dare you speak to me in this way, you wretch!"

"You are a fool. I have come from the future. You bit me and turned me evil so that the legacy of Dracula could live on. I know what your true identity is...Count Dracula. Now, the time has come for me to absorb you as a split personality so that I can rule forever!" He let out a maniacal laugh.

The Count hissed in rage. "What makes you think you can? I am the lord of all vampires! I will kill you here and now!"

Dracula hissed also and lunged towards the elder vampire. If the Count wasn't going to listen, then Dracula would fight until he did. The Count hissed as well and leapt forward to meet him, confident that he would be the victor. The two vampires fought viciously, transforming into wolves. They bared their fangs and leapt, pouncing on one another and raking each other with their claws. Mephiles howled in pain as Dracula's fangs and claws found their mark one after the other in his shoulder, ripping it to the bone and staining the night red.

A few minutes later, the Count transformed into a large bat. Dracula did the same but Mephiles was no match for the evil vampire. Soon, he lay weakened and had been defeated. Dracula smirked as he approached the fallen Mephiles. He grabbed the Count's throat and pulled him upright. "So, the might Vlad the Impalar falls. Now, you shall become one with me, and I shall rule forever."

Mephiles' eyes widened as a dark aura emitted from Dracula. He screamed in pain as he turned into a dark black goo and was absorbed into Dracula's body.

Dracula smiled. He groaned in pain and fell to the ground, feeling himself transform into another form. Dracula roared, and began shifting into a massive black dragon. Tails and the other vampires hissed in shock at the sudden transformation. The dragon roared and flew out of the castle, heading towards the village.

The people heard the thunderous wingbeats and looked up, terror spreading like wildfire. They screamed and tried to run but the dragon was too fast. He dove upon the village, burning it but keeping some humans alive so that he and the other vampires could feed.

The dragon roared in triumph as he burned more of the village, scooping up some humans and eating them whole. Eating the humans also satisfied his fill of blood. Dracula landed and transformed back to normal, looking around at all the devastation that he had caused. He chuckled madly. This was his domain now, he would rule throughout time, then in the future, he would ensure that he would always rule.

Dracula looked at the other vampires, a mad grin on his face. "We shall rule forever!" He said, gaining cheers from the other vampires. "Now...come and feed."

They did so. Blaze walked up to him and smiled. "You have given us so many things...now I want to share something with you. I...I'm pregnant."

Shock crossed Dracula's face, quickly being replaced by happiness, something that was not normally seen from him.

"That's amazing," he said, kissing his wife.

Blaze purred and kissed him in return.

"When will you give birth?"

"A few weeks from now," Blaze said.

He smiled again. Dracula looked around. The others had fed, and walked up to him, bowing.

"Lord...what do you wish us to do now that we have fed?" Silver asked.

Dracula thought about it. "The sun will not be around for a few more hours, but I should like everyone to return to the castle. We have had out fill of blood for the night and I want to spend some time with my wife."

The vampires all bowed, then transformed into bats and flew to the castle.