Posted by The Black Knight on August 11, 2000 at 22:00:51:
Chapter 13
The evening that Heather Taylor joined the ranks of the un-dead Luke was later than usual getting to University. Charli and Dracula waited in his outer office.
"Why exactly are you here?" Luke asked.
"I heard that Madeline had a fight last night and she came out on the loosing end." Dracula said.
"A vampire lost a fight? What did she tangle with?" Charli asked.
"A werewolf. She's fine a bit shaken and a little wiser, but she's fine." Luke said.
"Why did you want to see me?" Dracula asked.
"I didn't know that I did." Luke said.
"You left this message for me on my desk before you left yesterday." Charli said.
"Now I remember. Have you met your new Sociology student, Donna Miller?" Luke said.
"Not that I know of." Dracula said.
"Perhaps you would like to accompany me to the pool." Luke said.
"Is this another one of your wild goose chases?" Dracula asked.
"No, I think you'll like this." Luke said as he opened the door.
They walked down the hall and out of the Science Building. They walked a few feet down a paved walkway to the Physical Education building.
"What exactly is this about?" Dracula asked as they went in.
"Wait and see." Luke said as they came to the pool.
Luke opened the door and followed his father in. They went to an office with a window overlooking the pool. Donna Miller stood on one side of the pool. She leapt off the deck into the water and swam across. A big burly gray haired coach stood on the deck near where
Donna had began. Donna climbed out of the pool and spotted them through the window. She waved and her face brightened in an innocent smile.
"Tell me if she reminds you of anyone." Luke said.
"Francesca. She looks exactly like your sister Francesca." Luke smiled as Madeline walked in the office behind them.
"I didn't know that we had a sister Francesca." Madeline said.
"She died before you were born, but she looked exactly like Donna Miller down there." Luke said.
"Would either of you care to fill me in on it?" Madeline asked.
"Some other time Matty." Luke answered.
"Is there anyway that I could talk to her." Dracula asked.
Madeline's eyes widened a little as she looked at Luke. He shook his head and walked over to the phone.
"There's a phone down there. I know the chlorine doesn't exactly do wonders for our metabolism." Luke said.
Dracula picked up the receiver and Luke pushed his sister out of the office.
"Who was Francesca?" Madeline asked.
"She was Claudia's twin sister. The only difficulty was that she was mortal. She was truly a wide-eyed innocent. She actually loved life, even those harsh times. The thing that really set her apart
were those big bright blue eyes. In Romania in the 14th century no one had blue eyes, but Francesca did. She enjoyed every moment in the moment and it was the only time I've ever seen the Count happy." Luke
said.
"What happened to her?" Madeline asked.
"When the Count's enemies learned where he was and what he was they caught us when we weren't expecting anything. They used rose vines to keep us out of the room, but in plain view as they chained
Francesca to wall and then stuck a heated stake into her stomach. She hung there for six days crying and begging for help. It wasn't until the very end that she gave up hope of living. That was when the Count
snapped. He closed his heart to everyone and everything and it's never been opened since Francesca took her last breath." Luke said.
"Who else knows about this?"
"Only the Count, myself, Jonathan, and Claudia." Luke answered.
"What happened to the man who killed Francesca?"
Kim Faulkner ran up to them so fast that she wasn't visible to the human eye.
"I never have figured out how you're able to do that." Madeline commented.
Kim flashed her impish smile.
"You can do it so why does it confuse you so much that I can?" Kim asked innocently.
"Because she is not acquainted with the others. She has probably never heard of your people since she has lived her entire life in America." Luke said.
"The others, what others and who are your people that he's always talking about?" Madeline asked.
"You suppose that we should tell her? She has had quite a shock today learning about her sister and all." Kim said.
"How did she know about that?" Madeline asked.
"She's nearly as old as you are so she never met Francesca so I suppose that she over heard us. After you've known Kimber for some time, by the way that is her real name, you'll realize that she's an
eavesdropper. That and the fact that her pointy little ears are more acute than ours." Luke said.
Kim smiled innocently and shrugged her shoulder.
"The thought just occurred to me that I've known Kim for seventy five years and I have never seen the tops of her ears. Twenty years ago she wore her hair just long enough to cover the tops of her ears.
Now you tell me they're pointed, I find that hard to believe." Madeline said.
Kim pulled her hair back off her left ear. Her ear was set back at an odd angle from her face and above the opening of her ear canal the top of her ear came to a sharp point. Kim brushed her hair back down over
her ear and smiled nervously.
"I've always assumed that you are or at some time were human, but now I don't know." Madeline said.
"Your assumption was half right." Kim said.
"Huh?" Madeline asked looking at Luke.
"I'm half human like you." Kim said.
"And the other half?" Madeline asked.
"My father was mortal, but my mother was an elf."
"But elves are supposed to be tiny." Madeline said.
"She was, but my father was not. The closest thing to it is what is commonly called genetic engineering today. I wasn't actually born." Kim said.
"Fascinating, but pointless." Dracula said as he came out into the hall.
"What did you think of Miss Miller?" Luke asked.
"She bears a remarkable resemblance in body, voice, and spirit to Francesca." Dracula said.
"You can tell all that in one phone conversation?" Madeline asked sarcastically.
"Yes I can Mathilda." Dracula said.
Madeline shuddered when she heard his cold heartless tone.
"Why did you come here?" Dracula asked as she looked at Kim.
"It's Heather Taylor. She's completely out of control." Kim said.
Luke looked down at his watch.
"Where is she?" Luke asked.
"She's in Miss Dalton's office." Kim answered.
"I have exactly twenty minutes before my first class. I really don't have time to worry about a power-hungry ingrate." Luke said.
"You made her, now you must deal with her. She is your responsibility. I will take your first class until you arrive." Dracula said.
Luke nodded and walked out of the Physical Education building and down the walk a little. He looked up at one of the offices. Through the window Candice Dalton and Heather Taylor could be clearly seen. Heather grabbed Candice's shoulders and Candice pulled back.
"What are you doing Heather?" Candice gasped as she backed toward the door.
"Your blood. I must have it." Heather said frantically.
"I gave at the last blood drive. Maybe you could talk to a paramedic or a good psychiatrist?" Candice said as she walked around behind her desk to place it between them.
The French windows opened by themselves and Candice let out a shrill cry of fear.
"No! Not now!" Heather said harshly.
"You forget yourself Miss Taylor." Luke said as he flew in the window.
"This is your doing." Candice said.
"Unfortunately." Luke said.
"I'm not the naive little girl that you take me to be Professor Drake. I played along with you at the warehouse because I didn't want to end up like the people who kidnapped me, but I won't let you turn
my best friend into one of you." Candice said.
"A little late for that Candy." Heather said as she bared her fangs.
"Oh no!" Candice gasped.
"May we add her to our numbers?" Heather asked.
Luke's eyes turned bright red.
"No!" Luke said s forcefully that Heather stepped back a little.
"You are displeased?" Heather asked.
"That's putting it mildly. It was bad enough that you didn't listen to Candice when she tried to warn you, but now you want to condemn her to this as well?" Luke asked.
"You call this condemnation? It's exhilarating. I've never felt such power." Heather said.
Luke put his hand on Heather's throat and lifted her off the floor. Heather gasped as he slammed her back into the wall.
"I made you what you are. You are mine to do with as I please. If you ever cross me girl I won't hesitate to destroy you do I make myself clear?" Luke asked.
"Yes sir." Heather gasped as he lowered her to the floor.
"Good. Now you have a job to do." Luke said.
Heather flew out the window and into the blackness of the night. Candice smiled nervously as Luke shut the windows.
"Why did you do that?" Candice asked.
"She's young and she doesn't understand a lot of things. Even in spite of your brave little speech you are still a naive little Daddy's girl. What we call an innocent if you were ever converted you would
be an even greater danger to us than Van Helsing."
"Why did you convert Heather?" Candice asked.
"She presented us with the choice of either killing her or converting her. I prefer to preserve life if I can." Luke said.
"I thought you might."
"Who else here knows about me?" Luke asked.
"Does it matter?"
"It means the difference between you living or dying. I kept you alive after you caught that slug in the shoulder, don't throw that away because of your pride." Luke said.
"I can't believe that you could kill me after you've spent so much time keeping me alive on two occasions."
"You're right, but I'm not the only one here. If you were to draw attention to us there are some that would take it personally." Luke said.
"Of course the old legends. If you remove the stake then a vampire reanimates and then there are the community theories." Candice said.
"I thought you had a doctorate in economics."
"I do, but vampire lore has always been a hobby of mine. When I saw Angie come charging through that window my heart skipped a beat. A real live vampire and I was there to see her." Candice said
excitedly.
"We're technically not alive."
"You know what I mean. By the way, I understand your need for secrecy especially with Professor Van Helsing in the city. No one knows about you or Angie." Candice said.
"Good. If you don't mind me asking why are you so excited about it?" Luke asked.
"You fascinate me Professor Drake. With the history that some of you have lived through you could contribute greatly to science and medicine."
"Some do. More often than not though the hunger becomes to much for vampires and they become nothing more than killing machines." Luke said.
"I do have one question though." Candice said.
"One question?"
"Well there are particulars that if I know you would have to kill me. When I asked you if you were a vampire you said that it was only half true and that you might explain it to me." Candice said.
Luke smiled a little.
"Sit down Doctor Dalton, what you're about to hear is going to blow your mind." Luke said.