VAN HELSING - A Short Story

Part Four, Chapter Eighteen: The Red Vampire's Revenge

AMBRA 

We did not even bother to walk. Collinwood directly transported all three of us back to his home. I wonder why we even had to walk there in the first place. And judging by the unbothered use of magic, the mysterious guest must be familiar with the Downworld. Or was he even a Downworlder himself?

There were so many questions that made my head spin and threated to burst but I could not let these simple burdens stop me. Especially because Collinwood was technically able to see them all.

But I could not shake it. That was Imogen. And she looked at me like she could not believe her eyes but who is to blame her? The last time we saw each other was after I had murdered Clarissa. But I had not expected her to stay in London at all.

I threw Collinwood an occasional glance, trying to see whether he was focusing on my thoughts and questions within them. Yet he seemed too focused on the person to pay attention to me at all. They had enrolled in a whispered conversation that I could not even make out at all. Only through Collinwood's own thoughts.

He himself did not really know who this person was but they had found each other through the common goal of taking revenge on the Van Helsings and eradicating all the hunters. Even though the person was just a human. A king? That was all that Collinwood's mind gave away and I decided to not focus on it anymore. Every time I did so, I suffered from a terrible headache only several hours later.

"Girl!"

His sudden shout made me jump up. I felt the heat rise to my head. Had he noticed me scavenging through his head?

"Go and prepare something to eat while I show the king to his room and the two of us have a moment to refresh ourselves."

Collinwood ordered and I was forced to a nod, heading towards the kitchen that I had not entered even once. But the thrall guided me to it and around it. It was almost the same as the one at Johann's estate only that it was darker and felt less at home.

With the thrall, I began to take out supplies, pots, pans and utensils to help me cook a vegetable mash with roasted ham. That was what the thrall commanded and even without my own cooking skills, I would have been able to pull this off. Collinwood did everything for me.

I could just as well have fallen asleep and would have done my job. I even tried closing my eyes and once I did so, my hands were still chopping the vegetables without any casualties. It forced out a giggle out of me but I shut my mouth immediately when I heard the door open.

"I'm sorry, I will concentrate n-"

I turned my head but instead of Collinwood, saw the alleged king stand in the doorframe.

"I thought you were..."

He flashed me a smile and I shut up to return it.

"...I thought you were supposed to rest, your majesty?"

I curtsied and bobbed my head to replace a bow. But with a raise of his hand, he waved off my efforts.

"No need for that, young lady. I wanted to come down to introduce myself and thank you for your work."

With a pace that I was not expecting, he crossed the room and closed me down against the cupboard, leaning down to kiss my hand without averting his gaze.

As I stared into his eyes, there was something familiar about his features. I had seen him once before. Not in person that was but in memories...

"You are no king, are you...?"

I pulled my hand out of his grip and pushed both of them against his chest, making him stagger backwards. Surprised and amused by my sudden display of strength, a grin planted itself onto his face.

"You are Dracula, aren't you?"

He gave out a laugh and threw off his disguise with a swish of his hand. The long purple robes dissolved and left behind just the outfit that I had seen him wear in Camille's memories.

"I had not expected you to know, Vampire."

He swished his arm one more time and I felt a weight lifted off my back that I did not even know was there. The knife in my hand suddenly felt so heavy. But everything felt so... myself again.

"Thank you..."

I said, putting down the knife and pulling up two chairs for us to sit. It felt very good to see a familiar face.

"So, what are you here for? Did Johann send you to find me?"

I particularly tried to see his reaction upon mentioning his son's name but from the reaction that I received, I doubted he even knew about a child's existence.

The only thing that Dracula did was laugh.

"No, I did not even knew you were here at all. I wanted to side with Collinwood to take revenge on the humans. For everything they did..."

His voice broke and cracked a little and as his words flew on, I felt the lump thicken in my own throat.

"...My Lisa..."

The dark brown eyes of the Vampire Lord glistened and I could have sworn to see a single tear before he turned away from me. His sudden change in tone even made me jump.

"...They all shall suffer! Die or be held like pigs! Let them feel what we have felt for centuries!"

By this point, I believed that Dracula was talking to himself. He was pacing up and down the room with one arm behind his back and the other hand stroking the attractive goatee between thumb and index finger.

"All of them?"

I asked shyly, now more afraid than I was before his appearance. Now, I could definitely understand why Camille had been cautious of him yet I did not understand how Lisa had chosen to marry him. Love truly blinds. And perhaps it blinds me in terms of Johann but I want him and that must have been how Lisa has felt too...

"YES! ALL OF THEM!"

He shouted in return, making me shrink down in my chair. I took a painful gulp, trying to collect my strength. I stood up for this. I needed to be on eye-level, not to wet my dress.

"I will not allow this!"

Strengthening my core actually allowed me to speak with a very firm voice. Yet the man he was, Dracula kept laughing at me.

"Nobody asked you. Who even are you?"

He had me cornered with that. I was a nobody compared to his likeness. What power did I hold?

"We'll see each other again."

With a quick glance to the door, a wink and a kiss blown, he disappeared with deep black vapour. As the mist dissolved, the kitchen doors were flung open once again and Collinwood stood there with all his intimidation.

"You insipid blight...!"

Was how he greeted me. All that I could do was stand there all perplexed from the conversation that I just had. I really just could not wrap my mind around it. But the moment I realized that Collinwood was standing there, shouting at me, I died a thousand deaths.

My mouth dried all the while my upper lip and eyelids began to sweat like nothing else in life. My knees started to shake, threatening to give in if I even attempt to walk. But Collinwood did not stop again.

"...You never cease to amaze with your lack of competence! I should have got you a painting some very long time ago!"

He pulled out an unframed canvas – just a cloth really – and I could feel the energy that it emitted in waves. This was it. This was the end, the time has come.

Yet as I was prepared to face my maker, the doorbell interrupted Collinwood again. Just in the nick of time. No annoyance was in his face. Just plain triumph.

"A group picture it is then!"

He gave out a snort and with the snap of his finger, I was no longer looking at him but at the folded in backside of the canvas that I was now trapped in and part of...