Predator Within

Chapter 2 - Birthday

Hotel Transylvania was bustling with activity as per usual.

Dracula stood in the lobby, greeting guests that entered and looking for the friends he had invited to partake in Mavis's birthday celebration.

The first to arrive was Wayne the werewolf and his wife Wanda. With them, they brought their 301 rambunctious puppies with them who immediately swarmed the lobby, tearing at some things and wetting on others.

"Wayne, my old friend!" Drac called.

Wayne approached the vampire with a tired grin. "Hey, Drac, how are ya?" The two side-hugged as the wolf continued to speak. "I couldn't wait for this weekend. It's always great to be out of the shadows for a few days."

Drac nodded his head in agreement. "Well, I say that the family looks beautiful... but let me just clean up their filth." With a quick call for housekeeping, witch maids flew in and reorganized everything to its proper order that the pups had messed with.

Just then, two large shipping crates came in through the front doors. The lid of one was popped open, and Drac's friend Frankenstien jumped out.

"Frankie my boy! You and Eunice are still traveling by mail, eh Mr. Cheapo?"

Frank laughed awkwardly. "It's not a money thing. I have a plane-phobia. At any moment those engines could - "

"Yeah, yeah, we already know," Wayne interrupted. "'Catch on fire. FIRE BAD.' We get it."

Then something else caught Wayne's eye. It almost looked like his friend's apparel had become sentient.

"Hey, Drac, buddy, what's going on with your cape there?"

Drac looked at him quizzically. "What do you mean?" Before he could turn around to see, he felt a sharp pinch on his back. He yelped, and turned to see a bobbing pair of glasses in midair. It was his friend Griffin, the Invisible Man, who had arrived undetected.

"Oh, hello Invisible Man. Always great to 'see' you." Frank and Wayne laughed along at Drac's joke.

"Heh-heh, it never gets old," Griffin replied with a chuckle. Then, he removed his glasses and began prodding at Drac, using his invisibility to always be one step ahead and out of reach of the vampire's annoyed swipes. "Haha! Missed me!" he teased.

"Okay, okay, you win." Drac said, giving up. "Here, hold this bacon."

Griffin took the piece of crispy meat with confusion. Before he could ask why, dozens of Wayne's pups swarmed all over him attempting to bite at the delicious treat. The friends laughed at the Invisible Man's chaos, but were soon blown by a gust of sandy wind coming in from the revolving front doors. It was their friend the mummy, who had traveled all the way from Egypt to the hotel. He tried to give Drac a hug, but the vampire instead drew his attention to the mess that was left.

"The sand, Murray. Always with the sand!" Drac gestured to show the mess that the mummy had left behind in his wake. Murray simply laughed it off and went to greet Frankenstein, his wife Eunice who had unboxed herself, and the wolves.

A spider then weaved its way down a string of silk in front of Dracula. "We're ready!" it said in its tiny voice, and then directed the vampire's attention to the display near the ceiling. It was entirely woven as a web and said "Happy 118th Birthday Mavis." It sparkled nicely, and Drac's friends gasped in delight over it.

"Aw," Wanda cooed. "If only Martha were here to see this."

Dracula sighed, remembering his late wife. "Yes, but she's always with us, Wanda. Here." He tapped his chest over the heart.

***

A short time later, the gang found themselves inside the hotel's ballroom. It had been lavishly decorated with streamers and balloons. There had been dozens of wrapped presents that were stacked upon a table. Everyone now watched closely as Mavis began to unwrap the very last one.