Posted by The Black Knight on August 03, 2000 at 08:40:01:
Chapter 11
Luke went to the University two hours before sunset the next day. He went directly to Danielle Francis' office and waited inside. A few minutes after the sun went down Danielle and a small middle aged man came into the office. He wore a dark brown suit and thick horn-rimmed glasses. His gray hair was almost gone from the top of his head and his shoulders were stooped slightly. He stopped the moment he saw
Luke. Danielle shut the door and walked to her desk.
"I see you two know each other." Danielle said.
"We have met once or twice. What is he doing here?" the man asked.
"It would be impolite not to greet an old friend in person Professor Van Helsing." Luke said.
Van Helsing pulled his glasses off and used one of the ear pieces to point at Luke.
"We have never been friends Mister Drake. Allies from time to time, but never friends." Van Helsing said.
Luke smiled as he stood up.
"I'm sure the Count will find that attitude amusing, but I do not. I'm here to save your life. There are some here who do not appreciate your presence. I believe the exact quote was 'They would
ram that stake of yours somewhere that is not too polite.' I tried to talk her out of it, but she seems determined to end the Van Helsing line here." Luke said.
"Matty?" Van Helsing asked.
Luke nodded.
"I knew I should have never listened to you and got rid of her fifty years ago." Van Helsing said.
"In hind sight you're probably right. She is my sister, so I couldn't let you kill her." Luke said.
There was a knock on the door and Van Helsing opened it. Madeline stepped in and shut the door behind her.
"I do not appreciate people talking about me behind my back." Madeline said.
"No one does." Luke said.
"I have no intentions of killing you, unless you make it necessary. I would advise you to stay out of my business." Madeline said.
"Your business? That wouldn't involve Sarah Peterson would it?" Van Helsing asked.
"And if it did?" Madeline asked.
"Then you would not survive the night." Van Helsing said.
Madeline put her hand on Van Helsing's throat and lifted him off the floor.
"After all these years and generations of Van Helsings you still have not learned not to antagonize a vampire?" Madeline asked.
"Let him go Matty. She was not responsible for Sarah Peterson's death. The responsible party has been dealt with in our way." Luke said.
Madeline looked disappointed as she lowered him to the floor. Van Helsing lay his hand on the throat and stumbled back a little.
"In your way. What does that mean, a little slap on the wrist?" Van Helsing asked.
"No, he is dead. Our justice is far swifter than your so called mortal justice." Luke said.
"What do you want here Drake?" Van Helsing asked.
"Just to simply live a quiet twenty years away from persecution." Luke answered.
"Your kind will never be away from persecution." Van Helsing said.
"Perhaps, as long as there are narrow minded men such as yourself. Many of us do not hunt mortals like the rabid beasts that you would portray us as. We quietly co-exist going about our business as you go about yours, sometimes centuries between feeding." Luke
said.
"But you still must feed on human blood. That makes you a danger to us." Van Helsing said.
"Not just human blood. Any blood sometimes even our own." Luke said.
"You turn on each other and then expect us to accept you in society?" Van Helsing asked.
"We have been accepted in your so called society as long as it has been around. Many of your great rulers have been vampires. I know I've met most of them. Our society pre-dates yours by centuries,
but you still have no idea what we are or even what you are." Luke said.
"Oh really, would you care to enlighten me." Van Helsing said.
"Seven millennia ago there were two sons. One killed the other, does this ring a bell or did you miss Sunday School when you were a child?" Luke said.
"What are you getting at?" Van Helsing asked.
"You are the sons and daughters of Seth, but we are the sons and daughters of Cain." Luke said.
His eyes turned bright red and his mouth opened enough for his fangs to be visible.
"And this is our curse. The mark that was placed on us for our fore-father's sin. There is another, but it was forgotten long ago by mortals." Luke said.
"I am a scientist, do you really expect me to believe that old myth because you say so?" Van Helsing asked.
"Myth? Have you never wondered why a vampire will back away from a cross, but not a David's Star, or an Ankara, or a religious symbol from something else. Why would they flee the cross. The next time
you hold that cross up in front of a vampire ask yourself what you believe." Luke said.
Luke and Madeline walked out leaving Doctor Van Helsing and Danielle Francis dumbfounded.
"Well what do we do now?" Madeline asked.
"We go on about our business and he'll be out of the way until he leaves." Luke said.
"What then?"
"By the time he gets back to Germany he won't even remember where we are." Luke answered.
"You planted all that in his head in that little speech?" Madeline asked.
"Speech? You know our history as well as I do. What I planted in his head should kick in any minute and he won't see a vampire for miles." Luke said.
"You are a wickedly deceitful man."
"From you that is a compliment Matty." Luke said.
Madeline smiled as she walked toward the cafeteria.
"Will you be here later tonight?" Luke asked.
"No I finally gave into one of my workers and agreed to a 'girls night out on the town' whatever that is."
"You live a sheltered life Matty." Luke said.
"That's what Rhonda Helton said. What exactly does that mean?"
"Ask me later, I have a class in an hour and I have to grade several papers." Luke said.
Madeline walked to the cafeteria as Luke walked to his office. Charli sat at her desk writing on some papers. She didn't even look up as Luke hung his coat on the hat rack by the door.
"Good evening Charli." Luke said.
"Charlotte if you don't mind." Charli said coldly.
"Something disturb you?" Luke asked.
"We will be together long after Charlotte Watson is just a memory." Charli said as she looked up at him.
"You were never warned about eavesdropping?"
"I have never been warned about hearing myself referred to a memory by someone who I had thought loved me." Charli said.
"Did I say that I did not. To be realistic I am immortal, but you are not. If I were to bring you across I will loose the woman that I love. If I leave you as you are you will grow old and die and again I will loose you. Angie, or whatever name that she chooses is immortal. When the woman that you are now is only a memory, whether you are alive or not, we will still be together." Luke said.
"Translated into plain English, you live for the minute."
"Is there any other way?" Luke asked.
"Yes. I have a future. I do not have all eternity and I have a limited time to leave my footprints in history. What time I have I do
not want to spend pining after someone who could never return my feelings." Charli said.
"I could never return your feelings, apparently my dear we have made a connection. You're even starting to talk like me." Luke said
as he walked toward the door of his office.
"I hope not." Charli said under her breath.
"Was that an insult Charlotte?"
"Yes it was. I prefer to be called Charli." Charli said.
Luke walked into his office and shook his head.
"Women!" Luke huffed.
That night at nearly midnight Madeline Morrison walked along the lonely streets of the city near Walton State. Beside her walked a
lovely blonde woman.
"Now I understand this 'girl's night out'. Maybe we should do this more often." Madeline said.
"I agree Madeline. I never knew that I night in a bar could be so fun. You never struck me as the kind of woman who could deal with barflies." the young woman said.
"I've dealt with more than those ruffians in my time Rhonda."
The slender blonde was Rhonda Helton. She was a cook in the cafeteria at Walton State and one of Madeline's co-workers. They walked toward the place where they had parked. Rhonda pointed toward an alley.
"This way is quicker. It's a straight line to the car." Rhonda said.
"Do you think it is safe?" Madeline asked.
"What two against one? Who would attack two women?"
"Three men?" Madeline joked.
"Oh quit being such an alarmist. Come on I'll protect you."
Madeline smiled as she followed Rhonda into the alley. As they got half-way down a trash can fell behind them. Madeline spun and looked behind her.
"What's wrong?" Rhonda asked.
Madeline shook her head as she shuddered.
"Something I haven't felt in years."
"What's wrong with you ladies?" a rough looking man asked as he staggered up them.
He was dirty and his clothes looked like hand-me-downs from several generations before. He staggered over to Rhonda and lay his arm around her shoulders.
"You wouldn't be afraid of little old Loumis would you?" he asked in very slurred words.
"You're drunk!" Rhonda exclaimed as she tried to get away from him.
Madeline pulled Rhonda away from the man who called himself Loumis.
They walked hurriedly toward their car. Suddenly he sprang up behind them again. He put his arms around their waists.
"Oh come on I don't mean you any harm." Loumis said.
Suddenly his hand turned into a vice-like grip on their sides and his fingernails turned into razor sharp claws. Rhonda screamed as the sound of tearing flesh came to Madeline's ears. Rhonda was flung to
the ground like a rag doll as Madeline stumbled. Loumis turned away from Madeline expecting her not to move. Madeline looked down at her side which had been literally torn open. Loumis' appearance had
changed from her first impression. His eyes were bright red, his body covered in hair, and his hands had turned to vicious claws.
"Lupo!" Madeline shouted.
Loumis stepped back from Rhonda. His mouth was wet with blood and Rhonda's throat was torn out. His mouth opened revealing gleaming white fangs dripping with blood. His ears were pointed and his nose
looked almost dog like.
"No one can survive that wound." Loumis said looking down at Madeline's side, which was already healing.
Madeline's eyes turned bright red and her lips drew back over her fangs as she let out a hiss.
"Vampire." Loumis snarled.
"We have been enemies since time began Werewolf. This frail mortal was my friend and you will answer for her blood." Madeline said.
"Is this frail life, now that it is gone, worth risking your life?"
"The risk is yours Lupo." Madeline said.
Loumis struck out and Madeline jerked back as his claws tore at her cheek. She kicked him back into the wall. He yelped as he fell to the ground. She grabbed him by the collar and threw him into the
other wall of the alley. He ran toward her and she caught him by the throat. Madeline screamed as his claws tore into her back across her right shoulder blade. She dropped him as her right arm hung limp at
her side. He drove his claws into her stomach and she folded. She closed her eyes tightly as he drove his hand up into her body toward her heart. She grabbed his chin with her left hand and bend his neck
back over her knee splintering his spinal column. Madeline fell back as he went limp. She pulled his arm out of her body and he began to take human form again. She slowly stumbled toward the car gasping
heavily.
"This is too much. Need blood. I've lost too much. Can't heal." Madeline said to herself as she reached the mouth of the alley.
She opened the door of the car and fell into the seat. She reached over between the two front seats to a cellular phone. She pushed one of the speed dial buttons.
"Hello." Luke Drake's voice said on the other end.
"Luke help me. I've been in a fight. I've lost too much blood. I can barely move." Madeline said.
Suddenly the car rocked and the line went dead. The car door was torn off and Madeline gasped.
"You didn't think you could kill me that easily did you?" Loumis asked.
Madeline winced as his claws dug into her ribs. She was picked up bodily and thrown across the parking lot.
"You vampires are all the same. A lot of talk and good manners, but when it comes to a rough and tumble fight you fold like a chair." Loumis said.
Madeline grimaced as she struggled to stand up.
"You're a pretty one. I'll bet your throat is as tasty as that other puny girl's." Loumis said.
Madeline swung toward his face, but he ducked and struck toward her. She screamed as his claws tore deep into her left thigh. She stumbled and fell back on her useless right arm.
"You don't fight half as well as some of the vampire's I've run across." Loumis said.
Madeline dragged herself back across the parking lot toward a store.
"Do you think they can help you. Do you think they would help a wounded vampire?" Loumis asked.
"You forget yourself Loumis." Luke said as he stepped out of the shadows beside Madeline.
"Lucas Drake. What has it been two hundred years?" Loumis asked.
"More like three. This young lady here happens to be my sister. What you did to her, you will have to answer for."
"To tell you the truth Drake I never have really like you." Loumis said.
"The feeling is mutual Lupo."
"Why do you call me that. Both of you. What is it with Lupo?" Loumis asked.
"Lupo is the Latin word for wolf, or has that diminutive brain already lost that fact?" Luke said.
"That's an insult isn't it?" Loumis asked.
"Yes, it is."
Loumis ran toward Luke, but he stepped out of the way. He grabbed Loumis by the back of the neck and the back of waist of his pants. He picked Loumis off the ground over his head and threw him across the
parking lot into a car.
"Oh and by the way, when you come into town you shouldn't announce your presence." Luke said.
"What do you mean?" Loumis ask as he stood up.
"My brother John would not have left any blood." Luke said.
"Good point."
Luke pulled a dagger out of his coat as Loumis ran toward him. Luke moved out of the way at the last moment and drove the dagger into Loumis' back between his shoulder blades. Loumis howled as he fell
forward.
"Is he dead?" Madeline asked.
"Silver. I've kept some with me since the first time I met a werewolf." Luke said.
He gently lifted Madeline off the ground and leapt up into the night sky.