by I D Johnson
He noticed Jamie also moved to the front of the group, which did make sense. If anyone deserved to be the leader of the Healers, it was that young man. He still couldn’t believe just how quickly the doctor had healed Frank’s wounded neck.
Aaron made his way outside and looked up at a sky full of stars. The air was crisp here, something he wasn’t used to living in London, and he inhaled deeply, hoping to clear his mind.
“Excuse me,” he heard a feminine voice say to his right. He felt fingers on his arm and turned to see a brunette in a short, dark colored dress that fell just below her knee and a tall blonde in a more socially acceptable lengthed dress standing at his elbow.
“Yes?” he asked, having no idea who the pair might be.
“Are you Aaron McReynolds? The Guardian who slayed the Ripper?” the brunette asked, letting go of his arm.
He got this question from time to time, though he was never sure how anyone knew what he looked like well enough to seek him out. “I was part of that team,” he nodded. “And I am Aaron.”
Her smile widened. “Oh, it’s so nice to meet you. I’m Gretchin, and this is my friend Hilda. We are from Germany.”
“Hello,” he said acknowledging each of them. He hadn’t been able to place the slight accent, but now that she had said Germany, he could certainly hear it. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“We were very impressed to hear how you pushed him off the bridge and tore his head off,” Hilda said with a large grin, her accent thicker.
“Well, that’s not quite what happened, but thank you,” he said with a nod. “It was a team effort.” Both girls stood staring, smiles plastered to their faces, and Aaron wasn’t sure what to say next so, he took a step backward. “Be safe on the hunt,” he cautioned.
“Yes, you too,” Gretchin nodded, and the two finally disappeared into the crowd.
“You must get that a lot.”
“What’s that?” Aaron asked, turning to find a man with dark blond hair and light eyes standing at his shoulder. He was dressed all in black, an indication that he, too, was a Guardian.
“That,” he repeated, gesturing at the retreating girls with his head. “Girls approaching you out of the blue, gushing all over you.”
Aaron raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what to say. “Why would you think that?”
“An attractive fellow like yourself, known for beheading Jack the Ripper. I don’t know,” he shrugged, “it just seems like that would get their attention; that’s all.”
“I suppose,” Aaron said, cautiously, thinking it might be rude to take a step away, though he was tempted to do so.
Apparently, the man finally realized he was making him uncomfortable. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I’m not…. Let me start over and say something a little less invasive. Hello, I’m Christian.”
He offered his hand, and still unsure what to think of the slightly taller man, Aaron accepted his hand. “I’m Aaron,” he nodded.
“I know. I mean… like I said, word gets around. Nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” Aaron replied, hoping his voice didn’t give away the fact that he was still uncomfortable. The man also had an unusual accent, and Aaron couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Where are you from?”
“Philadelphia,” he replied. “I know my accent is a little strange. I’m a lot older than I look.”
Aaron nodded, thinking it impolite to ask his next question, which would have been an inquiry into how old he truly was, but rather than going down the same overly personal road, he asked instead, “Is your area leader here?”
“No, I came in with another member of our team, but he’s over there with a bunch of Brits, and I didn’t feel comfortable, so I decided to stand over here by myself, that is until I started talking to you. You’re from the London team, but you’re not British, correct?”
Not sure quite why it mattered, Aaron shook his head. “No. I’m Irish.”
Christian nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
Before Aaron could ask what he had against the British, he saw Ward come out of the meeting house, along with the other twenty or so leaders. Seeing Aaron, he waved and began to make his way over. “Ward is only half English,” he whispered to Christian, who nodded, and Aaron thought he might back away to avoid half of Ward, but he didn’t.
“I have our instructions,” Ward said, a small scrap of paper in his hand. “We have two other Guardians and three Hunters on our team that we need to locate.” He was looking around, as if he might know what they looked like.
“All right,” Aaron nodded. “I don’t know very many people, so I’m afraid I won’t be much help.”
“I see Catherine over there,” Ward said, pointing at a short blonde woman dressed in a dark crimson gown talking to a small cluster of other women who appeared by their dress to all be Hunters. “I’m wondering if that isn’t Margot with her. They are both from Russia. We need to find the two Americans and we have another Brit as well, though I believe he’s from the Liverpool Area. Name’s Clive.” He was still glancing around and caught Catherine’s eyes, gesturing for her to come over. She appeared to be tying up her conversation, so Ward returned his attention to Aaron.
“Who are the Americans?” he asked, thinking maybe Christian, who was still standing nearby, though not appearing to eavesdrop on their conversation, might be able to help.
“Two Hunters, Morris and Christian out of Philly,” Ward replied, glancing up from the scrap of paper.
Aaron wondered what the chances were that, out of over a hundred individuals, the bizarre Guardian standing next to him would happen to be on the same team. Shaking his head, he let out a sigh and said, “Christian? Guess what, you’re with us.”
“Are you serious?” Christian asked, stepping over to join them.
“As serious as a stake through the heart,” Aaron assured him. “Ward, this is Christian....”
“Henry,” he supplied. “Christian Henry.”
“Nice to meet you. Do you happen to know where we can find Morris?”
“Yes, he’s that bowling-ball-shaped fellow standing over there,” Christian noted.
“Perfect,” Ward acknowledged. “He’s also our Healer.”
“Really?” Christian questioned. “Interesting.”
“Is he not a Healer?” Ward asked as the ladies made their way over.
“In a pinch I suppose,” Christian answered.
Aaron noticed he seemed to tighten up as Catherine and Margot stepped over, even though neither of the women were particularly striking, and Aaron absently wondered if he was afraid of women.
Ward made the introductions and Christian rushed off to get Morris, who came long directly, trailed by a tall redheaded man who looked to be Clive. Once they had their team assembled and everyone knew each other’s names, Ward began to describe their assignment. Less than three sentences in, Aaron realized this would be by far the most dangerous operation he had ever been involved in, and he wondered what would bring a Hunter here. Those assembled must be highly skilled and confident. For it sounded like the castle at the top of the hill could be a house of horrors for those who might be destroyed by the Vampires inside.
Van must have been very confident in the abilities of the individuals she placed on this team as their task would not be easy. As Ward had explained it, Dracula had a lair beneath the castle where he held three temptress Vampires. They were extremely dangerous assassins who had the ability to manipulate their opponents, particularly those of the male variety. Van offered no explanation for why she had chosen this particular group, but Ward assured them it was purposeful. Perhaps she knew they were the least likely to be distracted by the sirens’ beauty.
Ascending the mountain took time, but it was not difficult for any of them. There was an advanced team that would go in first and clear the entrance ways. Van and her core team of six would then go in and concentrate on finding and destroying Dracula while five sub-teams, including Wards, would carry out
their assignments. The rest of the team members held various positions from right outside the castle gates to a perimeter that was set up at approximately fifty yards down the mountainside.
Aaron had stopped by to have his stakes blessed by the priests and dipped them in Holy Water, but he felt his primary weapons would still be his hands. As they fell into positions, the conversation was held to a minimum, but he learned that Catherine was also esteemed for her deadly hands, and Margot was a crack shot with the small crossbow she carried.
Clive and Morris had worked together before, though Aaron was unclear exactly when or where. Christian was relatively quiet, and Aaron wondered if the thought of attacking three vixens had him feeling more nervous than the idea that they also happened to be Vampires.
Once they’d reached the precipice, they gained a lovely view of the castle illuminated by the moonlight. An imposing stone structure made of light-colored stone with red roofs, Aaron could easily see four towers, possibly more, and though he had certainly seen larger castles, the idea that this one was full of the undead left him feeling a bit uneasy. He still didn’t know what Van had meant by “demonic” Vampire, and he wasn’t willing to ask Ward in front of the others.
They came to rest in a copse of trees just to the right of the castle gate, and Aaron could see other clusters of teams in the vicinity. He had learned on their way up the mountain that Jamie was part of the advanced team, and he wondered if he might see him inside. He thought his services could be in high demand.
The gate was open, and the sounds emanating from the castle made it clear that the attack was underway. Sounds of people shouting, Vampires hissing and occasionally shrieks, which he assumed meant they had been destroyed, though he wasn’t certain, and the jarring sounds of furniture and other items being tossed aside were distinguishable, though there were lots of other sounds that were not. Aaron hoped they didn’t have to sit there too long; the anticipation of getting involved or getting out began to have an effect.
They’d only been in position for a few minutes before they saw a streak come flying out of the castle. It was a Guardian; Aaron could tell that, and he wondered if it wasn’t one of the messengers Van had spoken of. Ward had already determined that Aaron was likely the quickest on their team, and if anyone had to go report information, it would be him.
His answer about the streak came a few seconds later when Van and her team appeared out of the shadows in front of the gate. They were an impressive group. All of them wore black, even the Hunters. There was only one other woman on the team, and she was a tall black woman with no hair and several scars on her face. She looked as if she had been through hell herself, and part of him wondered if she might just frighten Dracula back there.
The rest of the group, the five men, were of various shapes and sizes, but they all had one thing in common; they were intimidating. The messenger was also visible now, waiting behind the group as they made entrance, and Aaron could see now that she was a tiny Guardian, surely not more than four-and-a-half feet tall, with short black hair, dressed in the tightest fitting clothes he’d ever seen a woman wear. Clearly, she was chosen for her speed. He was certain she’d best him in a foot race.
The messenger followed Van’s group at a distance, and as they disappeared into the castle, Wards whispered, “Vanessa will let us know when we are to move in.”
The rest of the group nodded in understanding, and Aaron absently checked pockets, making sure he had everything and it was where he expected it to be.
“You doing all right?” Christian whispered from where he crouched in the grass nearby.
Aaron nodded. “Yes. You?”
“Sure,” Christian replied, though he did look a little nervous.
“It’s exciting; that’s for sure,” Catherine added.
Christian didn’t acknowledge her, so Aaron felt compelled to recognize her statement. “Yes, I think we will be talking about this night for years to come.”
Ward had advanced to the other side of the tree, as if he were attempting to get a view of what was happening inside the castle. The noises had died down some, and Aaron wondered if that meant that the initial Vampire warriors had been defeated, but Van had yet to locate the master himself.
Catherine slid back so that she was sitting between Aaron and Christian on a rock that protruded from the ground. “Say, do either of you know what Van meant by, ‘demonic’ Vampire?” she asked. “I have never heard that term before.”
“No,” Aaron admitted. “I was wondering that myself.”
Christian cleared his throat, and Aaron wondered if he actually had the answer but was too timid to say anything in front of the female Hunter. Eventually, he said, “A ‘demonic’ Vampire is one that has returned from hell. In this case, we believe that Dracula is the reincarnation of Vlad the Impalor, one of the most violent Vampires of all time. Are you familiar?”
Aaron and Catherine both nodded; of course, they knew about Vlad.
Christian continued. “Though it’s just speculation, I suppose, there is a commonly held belief that Dracula was able to escape from hell through a portal, and now that he has returned, his powers are incomprehensible.”
“A portal?” Catherine repeated. “What kind of portal?”
Christian looked at Ward and the others, none of whom seemed to be paying any attention. “Are you familiar with the blue moon portal?”
“No,” Aaron said, and Catherine shook her head.
“Well, legend has it that during a blue moon, if the remains of a deceased Guardian are placed directly in the beam of the moonlight, the Guardian can be reached. And if he or she wishes to, can actually return from the other side.”
“What?” Catherine asked, “I’ve never heard of such a thing. But what does that have to do with Dracula?”
“Some people think that when a Guardian comes through, so does an evil entity. I know that the blue moon portal was used in 1804, and some think that this is when Dracula came through. Van seems to be of that opinion.”
“You don’t think so?” Aaron asked.
“I don’t know,” Christian admitted. “I was there when the portal opened. If he came through, he didn’t actually come through with the Guardian. It just seems far-fetched to me.”
“Yeah, five years ago I thought the idea of hunting Vampires for a living seemed far-fetched, too,” Catherine shrugged. “Anything is possible. Of that I’m sure.”
“Who was the Guardian you witnessed coming through?” Aaron asked, still interested in the story.
“Alexander Hamilton,” Christian said.
Aaron’s eyebrows raised, but before he had the opportunity to ask any more questions, Ward signaled for their attention. It was time.
Entering the castle itself was no problem. Once inside, sounds of battles raging on in various locations could be heard. All of the special mission teams came in at the same time, and without taking time to look around the opulently decorated, though recently ransacked, interior, the leaders split off in the various directions they’d been instructed to follow.
Ward led them down a hallway that led to a steep stairway that went both up and down. They chose to follow it down, further into the depths of the castle. It was made of marble and the floor was slick, but all of their team members were sure-footed.
It was also dark, though none of them needed torches. Their highly attuned vision was able to cut through the darkness.
Once they reached the next floor, Ward looked around and then, nodding, he took them down another corridor. Here, they found a thick oak door, which Ward asked Morris to knock down, and he did so easily. This led to yet another flight of stairs. Narrower still, and made of rickety wood, Aaron hoped this might be their final descent.
At the bottom of the staircase was a wide-open space. No natural light could penetrate here, and it was quite difficult to see, even with their superior vision. Ward gave instructions for the team members to spread out, which they did, and as Aaron stepped into the
center of the room, he realized there were three wooden coffins at the far end of the room.
If they contained the Vampire sirens, it would be best to attack now, before they realized they had visitors, though it was unclear as to whether or not they were still inside. They certainly didn’t appear to be anywhere else in the room.
Before Ward could even give an order, the tops of the coffins blew off, flying up into the air, shooting towards the teammates at high velocity.
One of the lids was careening directly at him, and Aaron stepped out of the way just in time. Clive wasn’t so lucky. Another lid hit him square in the chest and sent him soaring into the back wall of the room. The third fell to the ground near Ward’s feet.
The three vixens shot out of their chambers just as quickly as they had tossed off their lids. Rather than flying at their assailants, they halted just above their respective receptacles, floating three or feet in the air. The blonde woman wore only a thin red silk wrap around her waist, her hair and her skirt billowing out around her. The brunette next to her wore a similar outfit of blue, and at the far end was a redhead in purple. They all wore golden jewelry and thick makeup. The scent of their perfume filled the air, notes of jasmine, lilac, and honeysuckle becoming intoxicating.
“Who dares disturb our slumber?” the blonde asked. Though she was obviously upset, her voice was light and melodic.
“Perhaps they’ve come to join us,” offered the brunette. “Would you like to join me?” she asked Aaron, and for a moment he found himself lost in her entrancing eyes.
“No one wants to join you,” Catherine spat, stepping forward, a stake in her hand. “It’s time all three of you went to hell.”
“That’s not very polite,” the redhead demurred, looking at her sisters. “I don’t think I like her.”
“Nor do I,” the blonde agreed. “But I like him,” she added, smiling coyly at Christian, and Aaron turned to see the Guardian’s face shift, as if he were being sucked in by her siren’s song.
