Blueblood 4: Dracula - 10. Dragon and the Old Ones

“You said if Lucian told the truth,” Colin said. “What has Lucian said to this Dragon?”

Gaius shrugged. “I can only guess, but Lucian doesn’t see what we are as a curse. To him, it’s a blessing.”

“It is no blessing,” George said. “Not from any god, at least.”

Gaius nodded. “Not to you, but to Lucian, it is.” He sighed. “In his past, he was not…well…he was pushed around by others who were bigger, stronger and in more power. Sometimes they were all of the above. When he was bitten, that changed. He was put into a situation where he was the one pushing, occasionally…especially after feeding, stronger and it put him in a position of power.”

Stan walked closer to Gaius. “Would he or Dragon hurt Mark?” His main focus was Mark, as it should be.

“Until what is desired is given, no.” Gaius shook his head. “Lucian would see having them as a place of power. You have to negotiate for his release.”

Stan moaned. “As a person in a business where safety comes first and negotiating is part of that, I know that once they get what they want, there’s nothing stopping Lucian or Dragon from placing a statement, saying what they want is more important by killing Mark and Burke.”

Colin nodded and put a hand on Stan’s back. “But for now, Mark and Burke are alive. That’s something for now.” He looked back at Gaius. “What technology does either of them have and use?”

Gaius looked at Colin. “Hardly any, I know of.”

Colin nodded. “They would have no way of knowing that we know where Mark and Burke are being held?”

Gaius looked a little surprised that we did know. “I don’t see how. You know where they are?”

Stan nodded. “Yes, we do.”

George moved forward. “We have to get to Nicolae! He needs protection.”

Gaius looked a little alarmed. “Why?”

“I think…” George said looking at Colin and me. “I think he carries the beginnings of our cure.”

All of us with the VUN looked astonished at George. Comments like, why didn’t you say so, and how can he and what is it about him?

George waved them to silence in an effort to answer all their questions. “I’ve tested his blood. He has the venom, but he isn’t a vampire. He has properties of his father and mother. The part of his blood that has the venom is a little weak, but allowed him to make a clear antivenin and an antibody for the venom and changes the venom makes.” He explained quickly. “I was testing Nicolae’s blood with some of my venom, but the serum sort of prevented his antibodies and the antivenin from working. I need a batch of venom with no serum in it.” He said hurried. “I believe this….antivenin and antibody could be made stronger and could probably reverse the venom’s effects.”

Again we all started speaking at once and George held his hands up again.

“Stop!” George said loud. “Listen, I don’t have all the answers yet, but a working theory.” He sighed. “A quick explanation: you know all those commercials about cleansers that kill 99.9% of germs?” He looked at me when he asked that.

“Oh,” I grinned. “Because I watch movies and TV you look at me.”

“Well, you do,” George said grinning. “The point is…even if it does kill almost all germs, the ones that survive is made stronger and that’s how we get super-germs. What I want to do, is get some blood without the serum for the antivenin and antibodies to develop more…eventually, I’d like to get the venom of an Old One after I build up the immunity of Nicolae’s antivenin and antibody. I have to work carefully and extract the antivenin and antibody that survives, and I think…at least, I hope it will help create a strong enough antivenin and antibody to reverse the venom. Nicolae has lived a while with venom in his body for decades, but this immunity has kept him from becoming a vampire…which should not happen.”

Colin turned to Gaius. “Where does Nicolae and his family live?”

Gaius told us quickly. “You didn’t tell Lucian this, did you?” He asked George.

“They were just after the serum,” George said. “I didn’t mention a word about Nicolae.” He looked at everyone. “Now, this will probably work.” He said holding his hands out again. “Probably, but know this, creating this super antivenin and antibody takes time. I won’t have it next week. It may take a few months to a year or two or even longer. It’s a start.”

I nodded. “Let’s get Nicolae,” I said to Colin and the others. I looked at George. “An antivenin works one way and the antibody works another. We can’t produce a more powerful antivenin, can we?”

George nodded. “Somehow, Nicolae’s antivenin and antibodies are working together. Because the antivenin is natural it works in tandem with the antibody. I believe if I can strengthen his antibodies, we’ll strengthen the antivenin.” He shrugged and added quickly. “Theoretically.”

“That sounds logical.” I nodded.

“Eventually, if I get this antivenin and antibody to a point, I’d love to try it on the venom of an Old One,” George said. “If it works reversing that, we are really looking at a cure.”

I nodded. “Which means, we need to find an Old One.”

We sent Chuck, Stan, Shelly, Wayne, Gabriella, Alex, Amir, Mom and Willie to Nicolae’s home to keep him secure. Amasis and George insisted he is included when we confronted Dragon and Lucian. I agreed with Amasis, as a former leader of a people, he might reach this Dragon more readily. Stan had wanted to come, too, but his expertise with the computer was needed and we’d be in contact with the earpieces. We looked at Gaius.

“We promised you a sunrise,” Colin said as we escorted him out of the bunker. It was still night. “And you’ll see it, but we need to get you secure as well. I trust Nicolae’s house has a room not that bright. You shouldn’t be harmed, but it will tingle a bit until we insert the disc.”

“Disc?” Gaius asked.

“It’s a highly concentrated form of the serum,” George explained. “I insert it under the skin and you have a monthly dose of the serum given that dissolves over time.”

Gaius nodded. “And no more pain?”

I nodded with a chuckle. “No more pain.”

“Do Nicolae or you have passports?” George asked.

Gaius looked surprised. “I’m a vampire. You think I’d be issued a passport?”

George nodded sadly. “I’d love to have Nicolae in my lab back in Manhattan.” He said thinking again. “I have more sophisticated equipment there.”

“And Buddy.” Colin nodded.

George nodded. “And Buddy.” He shrugged. “Buddy can be replaced. We can get another CPU here with some equipment.” He looked around the area. “I’d prefer somewhere more…” he looked at Gaius. “Sorry, but…more sterile…and has electric power.”

Colin shrugged. “We’ll just have to bring those things here.” He said. “I’m sure we can rent a place to do what you need.”

George nodded. “Which we can do that…” he frowned… “after we get Burke back…and Mark.”

I was pleased to hear he had the right priorities. “You need to tell that to Burke when you see him.” I put a hand on George’s shoulder. “We will get them back.”

George nodded. “I do have a tendency to become tunneled with my attention. I’ve neglected Burke.”

I nodded with a smile. “And Burke understands that, but he would like to hear that he is at least, more important.”

George nodded. “You’re right.” He sighed.

Colin didn’t think an armed assault would be their thing to get us what we wanted, so Colin, Gaius, George and I followed the computer’s guidance to where it said Burke and Mark were to another part of town. It was still a few hours before sunrise as we walked.

The area around Transylvania had both developed and undeveloped parts. The many wars and conflicts in this part of Europe left a lot of places for people to hide. The thick forest that made up the foliage of Transylvania was naturally spooky in the daytime and it was even more so at night. This time as I sensed we were being followed. I sensed it now, but I knew it wasn’t wolves that were following us this time, but vampires. I was a vampire and that fact was creeped me out. These creatures could kill even if they didn’t want my blood.

I held the computer and pointed. “There has to be an entrance,” I said to Colin, Gaius, and George. “We’re practically on top of them.”

Colin nodded and took my hand. “Close the laptop.”

I looked at him wondering, but then I felt it. The feeling like I got from Gaius…now I felt it again, but much more powerful…and just…dark. I closed the laptop and we followed Gaius as he took the lead. The feeling just got worse with every step we took. Gaius made a turn at some outcropped rock and entered a crack in the hillside. Above us was nothing but rock and some vegetation. What through this crack in the hillside was spreading out before us were steps. Stone steps that led down. There were torches lit and showed the way as we wound down to a floor, also stone that spread out to a corridor.

Colin squeezed my hand. “Now I’m hearing the dark creepy music.”

I smiled, but I didn’t feel the lightness to do it. “I’m rubbing off on you,” I said, but wasn’t feeling the humor right now. “The music now is one of those dark menacing songs and darker. Menacing and creepy.”

As with Amasis and we entered what could only be a throne room. Through an opening we entered a massive room with a single person sitting on what I saw had to be a throne. There were torches and these tall containers I saw must have oil in them as they burned to give the cavernous room light by the flames. There were men gathered around him by the dozen and we were being followed by the ones that had followed us. They all wore some form of black. They did not speak to us and did not stop, but joined the others before the throne. One I knew to be Iilya and beside him was a man that had been turned in his mid-thirties, but he had white hair, but it was thick but well cut. I mean his hair completely white. I didn’t believe it was because he was grey due to age, but that was his natural color.

“Why have you entered my domain?” A deep, powerful voice asked and because we were underground and any sound here would echo, it sounded much more…sinister. “It is near sunrise, Gaius.”

“My days of hiding from the sun are coming to an end,” Gaius said and bowed.

“Hear him?” The white-haired man shouted, which wasn’t necessary as his voice echoed loud. “His days are ending!” He said pointing at us. “He even senses different now.”

“Silence, Lucian.” The man on the throne said in a low voice, but much more quietly, but it still echoed. The man who was on this throne was dark haired and had the eyes of a vampire. He rose and walked forward. He was Dragon. No one had to tell us, we all just knew it. That overwhelming presence I felt with Gaius was now a hundred times more powerful. The man, Dragon, just oozed authority and darkness that seemed to radiate from his very being. “I do sense you are different, Gaius. You don’t give off the same…vibration from you.”

“I am being treated for my condition,” Gaius said waving at us. “These men have found a way for us to move in the day time now. I’ve eaten food instead of drinking blood.”

Whatever Dragon had been told, he wasn’t expecting this. “You ate food?” He came even closer and this darkness of presence seemed like it would swallow us as he did. “How can you do that?”

“Lies!!” Lucian shouted again. “It’s all lies! They want to destroy us!”

This time, Dragon turned to Lucian and without a word spoken, Lucian whimpered and hid his eyes from Dragon’s gaze and literally cowered down. Then Dragon turned again to us. “Do you wish to destroy us?”

George shook his head and swallowed, then came forward. “I don’t want to hurt anyone. I took an oath to do no harm. I want to help us.” George said the pleading in his voice as he spoke quietly. “I never wanted to be a vampire. I came up with a treatment that keeps the vampire inside quiet and allows us to lead somewhat normal lives.” He motioned toward Gaius. “In a few more days, Gaius will be able to walk in the sun, enjoy a good meal of food. He can travel where he wants to go…just as we do.” He motioned to Colin, me and Amasis. “This man…” he took Amasis by the shoulder, “was a pharaoh in Egypt thousands of years, trapped by the sun and now goes out in the sun and enjoys a meal.” He touched Colin. “This man was born over two hundred years ago, but now has married and enjoys food almost too much. He’s a bottomless pit.”

“Lies!!” Lucian claimed again.

“Lucian!” Dragon now said loud and the name was almost a gunshot as it hit the walls and the thunderous sound bounced back and forth. “I have no qualms ending lives. Do that again and I will end yours.”

I was really not comfortable with it, but I stepped forward. “Excuse me,” I said not wanting to have this Dragon’s wrath, but I had to say something. “I’ve never met Lucian, nor has he ever met us.” I began softly. At least I tried to be softer than the acoustics here allowed. “How does he know what we planned? We said it up front what our goals were and they were posted on the Internet.”

“The Internet.” Dragon nodded and looked at Lucian again. “You said they wanted to kill us.”

“They admitted it themselves,” Lucian said pointing at us. “They want to end us.”

I nodded. “We do,” I said causing Dragon to turn to look at us. “End our torment,” I explained. “We want to end this life of hiding from the sun, existing only on blood.” I nodded. “Lucian is right, we do want to end that part of our lives, but we most definitely don’t want to kill anyone. We are trying to prevent innocent people from dying.”

This man, Dragon looked at me and inched closer to me. “You are different.” He said quietly. “Why?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Dragon came closer, but I didn’t back away as he looked at me with the eyes of a vampire, but sniffed lightly. “I can sense no trauma. You smell…off.”

I heard Colin move closer to me as if to protect me somehow. I held my hand out to stop him.

Dragon looked at my hand and Colin. “I see.” He said simply. “He was the one that turned you.”

I nodded. “But he never harmed me.”

“I do sense fear in you.” Dragon said.

I nodded. “Sure.” I agreed. “I am scared,” I admitted. “You are who I know you are, you ruled using fear to protect your people. You did it very well. Fear is what you want, isn’t it?”

Dragon smiled. I say it was a smile, but it was a smile that really didn’t have a lot of humor in it. “I have used fear. It is an effective tool.”

I pointed at Lucian. “He’s using fear as well; on you.”

Dragon looked at Lucian and frowned. “How so?” He asked and turned back to me.

“Fear of the unknown,” I said. “He has told you we want to end the vampires’ existence. We do, but we don’t want to end any lives. Not yours, his or ours. We want to give you a life!” I waved at Gaius. “You sense Gaius is different now…he is. He’s not the vampire he was. He is changing, but he still has that part of himself that is a vampire. You should sense that.”

Dragon shook his head. “This is confusing.”

George came closer. “What we have is a condition…an illness…sort of.” He then told Dragon about the vampires and the Old Ones and the venom. “I developed a serum that adheres to the venom and causes it not to work. We are allowed freedom to pursue other things.”

“Lies!” Lucian said again.

Dragon turned so quickly, even I was startled as he grabbed Lucian by the neck and literally lifted him off his feet and held him a foot off the ground. Vampires still had to breathe and Lucian was now gasping. “I warned you.”

“Don’t kill him!” I said quickly.

Dragon looked at me surprised. “You’re asking me not to kill him?”

“Of course I am!” I said. “There are times when you have to kill, but it shouldn’t be the first thing. He just doesn’t understand!”

“There are people that were taken from us,” George said quickly. “They are here. One is a vampire like we are, the other human, but you won’t want his blood.”

Dragon’s eyes widened. “I know of no…” he looked back at Lucian. “What have you done?” I didn’t have to see it, but I heard Dragon’s hand tighten around Lucian’s throat.

“If he dies, you’ll never find out!” I said. “I know, from what I’ve read, you do whatever it takes to protect your people. We are protecting ours.” I said touching Dragon’s arm and pulling his arm and Lucian to the ground. “We can prove what we’re saying is true. If you don’t believe us, use your senses. We are vampires! We don’t feed on blood.”

Gaius nodded. “I’ll eat in front of you! You’ve known me for hundreds of years. I don’t lie! We fought side by side. We were even turned at the same time. They tell the truth.” He pointed at Iilya. “I used him to find out about these people and to threaten them. They are what they say they are.”

Iilya nodded. “I have seen this treatment. It does work.” He said coming forward.

“How do you know these men are here?” Dragon asked.

I opened the laptop and pointed to the blinking indicators on the screen. “They are in this…” I looked and waved around the cavernous chamber. “Whatever you call this place.”

Dragon’s eyes widened again as he saw the blinking lights. “What manner of…”

“It’s technology,” Colin said. “Science. We can find out where our people are and if they are healthy.” He looked at the blinking lights and the readout being displayed. “As of now, they are fine. One is a little frightened, but he’s fine.”

“Some people are afraid of what they will lose,” I said pointing at Lucian. “Not thinking about what they will gain.”

Dragon released Lucian who collapsed on the ground as he gasped for air. “This will end our existence.”

I nodded. “End our existence as vampires, yes, but you’ll have a life.”

George nodded. “In spite of people that ransacked my lab, I found some things here that could even cure us.”

“Cure us?” Dragon asked, and now his voice didn’t sound as ominous as it had. “You can make us human again?”

“I think I can.” George nodded. “Now, can we get our people back?”

Dragon turned to Lucian. “Where are they?”

Lucian was still coughing as he tried to breath. “I put them in with the other two odd vampires.”

Dragon frowned. “You did what!?” His eyes widened. “Did they attack these men?”

Lucian shook his head. “I thought they had just been fed. They didn’t.”

“Odd vampires?” I asked and quickly pulled up Wayne’s drawing on the screen. “Like these?”

Again, Dragon was surprised at what he saw but nodded. “Those are the ones we have.”

George shook his head. “They won’t feed on either of my friends, one is already a vampire.” He said. “The other takes something that makes his blood unusable…for a while. He needs more soon.”

“Where are they?” Colin asked again.

Dragon looked at Colin. “I am trusting you to do what you say?”

“I know trust is difficult for us, but we have to trust each other to get anywhere!” Colin said urgently. “Trust me!”

Without a word, Dragon looked at some of the vampires and they scattered to go somewhere. He looked at Lucian. “You remain here!” He instructed having no doubt what he said would be obeyed. He turned and started walking away. “Follow me.” All that was missing was the flowing black cape! Again, he wasn’t looking to confirm we were doing what he instructed, he expected we would do as he asked.

We followed him through a series of tunnels and finally came on a holding area where there were cages, but old cages. The bars were heavy iron and shaped to fit the openings. Behind one set of these bars was Burke and Mark, Burke standing in front of Mark to prevent two of the Old Ones from even thinking of attacking them both as they shared a cell. The Old Ones were looking at Burke and Mark curiously as they tried to understand what these two people were that was sharing their cell. One they knew was a vampire and other wasn’t appetizing at all. Burke looked at us approaching and smiled.

“It’s about time you got here.” He grinned. “We’ve been playing with the boys here. Keep away.”

George hurried to the door of the cell and of course, it was locked. A vampire came over from Dragon and took a key and unlocked the door.

“Be careful.” This new vampire said. “They try to get out when they can.” He pointed to the Old Ones.

I nodded and walked forward. “I’ve dealt with one before.” I looked back at Dragon. “Have you tried to speak with them?”

“They can’t speak.” Dragon said.

I nodded. “Gizmo couldn’t either.” I smiled. “That’s what I named the other Old One I knew. He was one of them.” Like Gizmo had been, they were naked, bald and had no genitalia or anus. “But they aren’t stupid.” I looked at Dragon. “Please tell me you feed them.”

Dragon nodded. “We do. They are not like us.”

George nodded but only looking at Burke. “They are our creators.” He said going in when the door opened and brought Burke into a hug.

“They are?” Dragon asked.

Again we explained about the writings we found and had pretty much translated now. The origins and who these Old Ones were.

“We should kill them.” Dragon decided and looked as if he was going to do it right at that moment. He reached for the vampire near him and pulled a sword from the vampire’s sheath.

I turned and raised my hands. “No!! Don’t!!” I said standing between the Old Ones and Dragon. “They also hold our cure!”

Dragon looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. “You say they made us what we are! How is keeping them going to cure us?”

George let Burke go a little. “The venom in these two is pure. If what I have works, that venom could be the answer.”

“They aren’t evil!” I said waving at the two Old Ones. “They are what they were created to be.” The two Old Ones were looking at me uncertain what to do. “Remember what we said about them. They were being used to make the populous weak by attacking people around the world to prepare them to be conquered. They are not scouts, but they were being used. They were created from humans.” I turned to Mark. “First, you need to speak with someone and tell them you’re alright,” I said and took my earpiece off and handed it to Mark.

Mark nodded and took the earpiece.

Dragon looked at what we were doing and didn’t understand what was happening.

Amasis came up to Dragon. “They did that with me, as well.” He said to Dragon. “My people didn’t keep up that much with the way the world changed. It was only when a man, who is now my son, told me about them.” He said. “We need to change to keep up with the world. We didn’t. It was frightening to me at first, and I didn’t feel like I belonged, but it took time and I am fitting in better.”

Dragon looked at Amasis carefully. “You were a pharaoh?”

Amasis nodded. “I was a god!” He said smiling. “But not anymore.”

Dragon nodded. “I read about what you had then, but how do you deal with this…new world?” He asked as he waved at my computer and us.

Amasis grinned and shrugged. “They will help you. I promise that, but the treatments do work. You’ll see.”