Preys and Predators Part 1 Chapter 47

 

47                The Count beckons 

 

Count Vlad felt his wounds healing then. It was the blood that nourished his healing. He remained behind the divan to avoid the sunlight. Rosa had drawn the curtains but most of it was shredded. She removed her frock and covered as much as she could. It gave the Count some respite. She had barricaded the door with the furniture.

“Master, I have nothing to offer you except my blood. Please take it.” Rosa knelt before the Count with her hands handed out. “You must feed, so that you can avenge me.”

Count Vlad took the extended right arm and looked to the exposed wrist. He was weakened by the lack of nourishment.

“I cannot.” Count Vald declined the offering.

“I am not ……”

“My blood for you. Please do it, my Count.” Rosa pleaded. She took her right wrist and bit it. The teeth cuts deep and the blood flowed out. She handed it back towards the Count. The blood flowed out and was seen by the Count.

It was fresh.

It was enticing. It was life to him.

The urge was too great, that the Count bit down on the exposed blood at the wrist. He sucked at it feverishly with each suck of the blood, he felt his body reacting towards it. He had fed on blood., even that offered by his servants before but never had he relished the taste of it like then. His hands grabbed Rosa’s right wrist and bit in deeper.

It was his lifeline. Rosa had felt her blood being taken from her, and soon collapsed on the flooring. She slipped into unconsciousness.

The door was rammed then. The servants of Lord Dennis were trying to get in. They had difficulty to break it down.

“Move away, you imbeciles.” The Professor was there. He pushed the servants away, and slammed his body against the door. With his enhanced strength by the curse of the vampire, the Professor got the door opened. He saw the servant named Rosa was lying on the flooring with her right wrist bleeding. He was attracted to the blood there. His brother was missing.

“Find the Count!” The Professor called out while turning to the servants behind him.

“The Count is ……”

The Professor was not expecting the body slam on him. He was thrown back by the move, and landed outside the room. He had impacted on the wall there and was momentarily dazed. Count Vlad stepped out of the room with his mouth covered with blood. The blood stains were over his chest too. He was dressed in the torn shirt and dark pants.

“I am Count Vlad Tepes. You will address me as Count Dracula.” Count Vlad grabbed the nearest guard by the arm and pulled him inside the room. He tossed the guard with his strength to send the guard onto the window. The guard crashed into the window and landed out outside. The sunlight shone in on the Count. He felt the burns on his exposed skin.

“You will pay for that.” The Professor in his rage at the Count. The latter jumped aside when the Professor lunged at him. He held out his arms to push the Professor into the far side of the room where the sunlight was seen. The Professor screamed in pain when the sunlight burned his face.

The Count was then in the corridor and faced the other guards. He was in rage, and leapt at the guards. With his enhanced strength, his leap was far, and grabbed one of the guards by the head with his hands. He slammed his head on the other’s face on the nose, and saw the blood gushing out. He leaned his bite onto the guard’s bloodied nose, and suck at the blood there.

“Shoot him!” One of the other guards called out. The shot rang out but the bullet impacted on the guard that was bitten by the Count. The blood sucking Count had used the guard to shield himself from the bullet. He tossed the dead guard aside and lunged at the guard who shot the gun. He slammed into the guard and forced him to fall back, with his head thrown back. The exposed neck was bitten by the Count then.

The remaining guards fled the corridor. Count Vlad had his fill then; the blood nourishing his body and healing the wounds. He glanced into the room, and saw his brother had sat back against the wall, to avoid the sunlight. The brother’s face was disfigured with loose skin hanging there.

“Radu, you are my minion. I created you but your healing ability needs time to heal. Unlike me, I healed faster.” Count Vlad looked to the injured brother whom he had given his blood and became what they had termed as vampires.

“It is time we end the relationship.” Count Vlad snarled at the other. He was to charge at his brother when the reinforcements arrived. The retreating guards had brought five others all armed with guns. They shot at the Count and he had to run away.

“Another day, Radu.” Count Vlad ran to the end of the corridor and leapt out by the window there. He felt the sunlight burning into his exposed skin but his heart raged with deeper pain. He landed on his feet and ran to the treelines for the cover. He reached it on the dash of his running, and found the canopies of leaves shielded him from the sunlight. He ran as far deep as he could and soon collapsed.

The Count felt the touch on his left shoulder. He lashed out with his right hand but was held by the other. He looked out and saw the person there was Doctor Jekyll.

“I am ……” Count Vlad slipped into darkness.