VAN HELSING - A Short Story

Part Five, Chapter Twenty-Two: The Bloodless Mist

ALUCARD 

Being back in London felt... unusual. I was not often here. Especially after the purge, I tried to avoid it as much as I could with the Van Helsings having made it their base of operations. But even before that, I was not here very often.

And talking of the Van Helsings: that was why I was here. Dracula had kept an eye on the city with his Walking Castle towering in the distance, along the Van Falls and the Siren. They were watching over the city and the Van Helsings from three corners.

And since recently, the three groups had noticed a mist spread over the city every other week. It lasted for several hours but what was special about the mist and differentiated it from the ordinary London morning mist was that it turned red after a while. The Van Falls and Dracula felt the presence of blood in it.

That was why the latter had called me and my brother to investigate. To investigate the former Van Fall and current Van Helsing estate to be exact. That was around where the mist had concentrated last night.

Because what the mist did as Dracula had told us when he sent a letter, requesting our presence was drain humans of blood. And we did not need that kind of attention from the human authorities right now. Especially not after the purge.

The London streets we crossed were dark. Darker than usual at least. And the closer we came to our destination, the darker they became. By the time we were there, it might as well be night. Yet it was only 5pm.

The door to the building was wide open, blackness spreading from inside. Quite literally that was. It did not harm any of us, nor did it obstruct our vision since we could see at night but it was undoubtedly there.

We entered and I jumped up immediately, having stepped in something soft and squishy. When I looked down, I saw the grey face of a person. Dead and seemingly rid of their entire blood.

"Careful..."

I announced to my brother.

"...there are dead people littered all over."

We carefully went deeper into the house. The last time I was here was when I helped the Black Fairy clean up the mess that the young girl Ambra had done back in 1640. Three years later, I still knew the way down to the kitchen. Dracula told us to meet him in the basement for secrecy reasons.

He was kneeling over another body, taking samples of skin and hair. He had always been a man of science, even in his youth. But the passion for it really bloomed when he married Lisa. The two of them were an unstoppable couple.

"Gentlemen."

He greeted us and pulled himself to his feet again. Kain and I returned the pleasantry with a quick hello and crossed the room to look at the body. Lily Van Helsing's lifeless corpse looked exactly like the many others that we had encountered on our way down: grey and dried out, being drained of all her blood.

"Any idea who or what could have done it?"

Dracula shook his head while he put a stopper onto the thin glass flask that held the sample.

"But I have my theories. This looks like blood magic; the kind of expert souls that only a handful of people can do..."

He began, moving to the kitchen door, pacing in thoughts.

"...Something that could be traced back to Collinwood-"

"That man is dead, how many times do we have to tell you?"

Dracula sighed at my interjection. Ever since those mists had appeared, he was trying to blame him. Trying very hard to enforce his theory of the old Warlock having returned from the dead.

"He was able to extend his life beyond the Downworld capabilities. If there was anyone able to return, it would be him!"

He argued. We have had this conversation before and I really did not have the nerve for it. Every single time the same thing and it really annoyed me.

"Collinwood was a skilled Magick, yes. But to be able to rise from the dead, you need to master the Pagan arts. Take Marie le Fleur or Facilier for example. Collinwood was nothing like them..."

This time, Kain stood up against Dracula. He was the man to trust reason and facts. And even Dracula would have to come to terms that my brother was speaking the truth.

"...Besides: He loved the Van Helsing woman. He had no quarrel with them-"

"He loved Gray too and look at where it got him? His feelings play no part in this!"

I could see that Dracula was getting more unsettled with the longer he had to argue. He was always one known for his short temper. Yet my brother remained calm, making me decide to stay quiet and observe for now.

"I know that Collinwood's don't..."

"What are you trying to say?"

Dracula was beginning to get loud. His nose puffed up with every breath he took and he had his fists clenched. I took defensive position as I realised what Kain was aiming at.

"I am saying that it is particularly odd for you to be obsessed with this mist. Last time I checked, you hated humans. Why the sudden interest?"

I placed my hand on my sword. Dracula saw that and dropped the anger.

"I'm just doing my part! For the Downworld!"

He tried to assure us, hands outstretched and a smile on his face. Yet the hand remained on my weapon and the Red Vampire dropped the friendly façade as well.

"Ah. Well. Never mind. It was worth a try..."

With a stroke of his arm, the red magical sling slashed at us. I had to dodge this one, picking the shield from my back and drawing my sword after I stood up from my roll.

Dracula was in a one on one with Kain. The latter had drawn his own sword – the Almighty Soul Reaver, a weapon able to kill everything – and he slashed at Dracula's sling who was able to parry each of my brother's blows.

I joined in the fight though, making it harder for our friend-turned-opponent to anticipate the strikes of two fighters. He was beginning to get sloppy and staggered backwards through the kitchen door and into the entrance hall.

With a blow from the Reaver, Kain was able to strike him to the ground. Dracula was panting on all fours, hopefully regretting his decisions. He will be exiled the new sacred land like the Vampire Queen Bathory has once been.

Kain closed in on him, blade-tip pointing at his cowering figure while I sheathed my weapons again. A dreadful mistake as I had to find out the hard way.

With a swift turn towards my brother, the Red Vampire released a white powder. It condensed into a mist and had Kain enclosed in no time.

Dracula's red eyes met my golden ones and I turned on my heel zipped myself across the city. To save my brother, I needed backup. Staying here, neither he, nor I, nor the Downworld stood a chance. For there was always a deeper meaning behind Vlad Draculéa's actions.

If my brother had a chance of survival, I needed the help of everyone I could get...