Blueblood 4: Dracula - 24. I AM NOT DRACULA!!

Flying back to Romania was again a long flight. It was after we’d been flying an hour or more when Colin began to fall asleep and napped. I wasn’t tired at that moment, so I brought up a website I’d seen on counseling and psychology in general. It was true about the other…vampires and regular people. They did talk to me about things…more than they would to others, I had to admit. I had the time, so I had been reading about techniques and approaches found by others the decades. I would feel better with a degree. Later, maybe.

I was reading when I noticed a change in Colin’s breathing and I looked over to find him…just staring at me, but a very contented smile on his face.

“I like what you’re doing…” I said softly, smiling at him, “…can I ask why you’re doing it?”

Colin smiled more and leaned over kissing me very gently. “Because I like looking at you.” He shrugged. “I can’t help it, I love you.” He said simply. “I married a great human being. I’m just loving that you love me.”

I closed my laptop and turned to him. “But, you know I do,” I said, not as a question.

He nodded. “Not a single doubt. You’ve been so great with me…and this life.”

“It’s our lives,” I said. “I do my part, just as you do yours,” I said returning the gentle kiss, light and more time used to prolong our contact.

Then he looked at me and looked as if he were about to propose…something. “We are…connected, you and I…”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“But I feel we really need to reconnect, to make it stronger.” He looked at me puzzled. “Do you understand what I mean?”

“I do,” I said reaching over and touching his face, running my fingers in his dark hair that was beginning to curl, indicating he would need a haircut soon. “I’m grateful you feel the need to be connected with me and want it done often.”

“You and I need time away…” he said again. “I mean, just you and me. We don’t need to go back to that island…anywhere would do, but I would love a month alone with you. Alone.”

I chuckled. “A month?” I looked at him. “And what will we find to do?”

Colin grinned as he moved forward putting his arm around me, his hand going over my chest and went down. “I’d give you an example, but there a people on the plane beside us.” He said in a whisper as his hand went over my crotch where he gave a slight squeeze.

I laughed at him doing that. “Keep that up, and I won’t give a damn if the flight attendant’s in here or not. The pilots are in the cockpit, but may need to use the bathroom.” I looked in his emerald eyes and thumbed over at the bathroom. “Of course…there is that great bathroom! I know there’s lube on board.”

He smiled and took my hand. “What are we waiting for?”

What Colin was feeling right now…well…we had sex often and enjoyed it very much. We had some vigorous sex that left us both breathless, but this time…we made love, slow and with more purpose than just to have sex. We were connecting, making that connection even stronger. Me to him and him to me. It was after I felt him cum in me, he remained close…his was hugging me gently, but tightly as he said in my ear. “I do love you so much, Devon.”

“I know you do,” I said smiling as he pulled back a little as we kissed again. “You’re my best friend. You mean everything to me. I love you.”

“With everything you do and say, you let me know.” Colin smiled. “I know.”

We hugged again. “My husband,” I said kissing him deeply again.

This time we lost time, as in we weren’t traveling with the sun, but against it. It was another few hours of our fourteen-hour flight before we landed and another hour or so back to the house. Colin and I rested on the plane, so we went directly to Stan. It was night now, so the others were out patrolling. Almost everyone. Edwin looked up from the chair he sat in with Stan in the room with the computer and instantly smiled.

“Colin!” He stood up coming to us. “Devon! It’s good to see you.” He stated wrapping his arms around both Colin and me. He looked at us cautiously. “I wish the circumstances weren’t as they are.” Then he looked very serious. “This Iilya guy…he can’t be serious! What does he want!?”

Colin nodded. “I’m afraid he’s very serious.”

“We think he wants several things,” I said. “He wants the serum so he can go around in the daytime. He wanted the Old Ones we had to have access to the purest form of venom to make him the more dangerous vampire in existence and he wants to force us…” I paused, “out of the closet…so to speak as vampires; on live television.”

Edwin shook his head. “What!? We’ll all be killed!”

“He’s a psychopath,” I said shrugging. “A megalomaniac.”

“Just like the people that helped to make and use the Old Ones in the beginning,” Colin stated. “Mostly…he wants power.”

“But that’s crazy!” Edwin balked.

I nodded chuckling. “That’s what I was saying.”

“And with this attack on the people going to Dracula’s Castle for this Halloween Transylvania, he’ll be adding new vampires to his numbers,” I said.

Edwin thought about all I said as he wandered away slightly. He turned back. “Well, we’re all here to help, just tell us what is needed and what we need to do.”

Colin smiled as he shook Edwin’s shoulder. “That’s why we called you!”

“I brought eighteen of us with me,” Edwin said. “Including Sarah, who has proven to be quite effective sniffing out vampires. Matt’s here, too…he’s out with the others to get a lay of the land.”

“We need everyone,” Colin said. “We welcome your help.”

“Colin and I will be down in some caverns a group of vampires lived in for a while,” I informed. “We really need people out with the people to protect as many as possible.”

“You’ve returned!” We heard behind us as Dragon walked in.

He looked…so different now. Human! Very nice looking and dressed well man in a sweater, haircut and groomed nicely. Normal. Handsome, but normal.

I turned and smiled. “We did.” I brought Dragon forward. “Dragon, have you met Edwin Dunning? He heads a group in England. Edwin, Dragon heads this group in Transylvania.”

The two men shook hands, but I saw wonder in Edwin’s eyes.

“That’s an unusual name, Dragon,” Edwin said. “I know history. I read that Vlad Dracul was also named Vlad the Dragon. Are you…?”

Dragon looked a little ashamed but nodded. “I really don’t care for the name. I am not that man and I’m not Dracula.”

Edwin shook his head. “Why not!?” He asked. “If you are who I think you are…you’re like…” he thought of the words, “…vampire royalty!”

“I am not Dracula!” Dragon insisted again, firmer and louder.

“You could be!” Edwin also insisted. “If anyone can bring us together right now, you could! I saw the broadcast…”

Dragon was angry now. “I AM NOT DRACULA!!” He shouted. “Even if I wanted to be, no one would believe I am. He is fiction!”

Colin was coming to stand between them as he nodded as he pushed gently against both to keep them apart. He looked at Dragon. “We know you’re not Dracula, okay, Dragon?” He looked at him with a pleading look at Dragon. “Please. We have a tough situation about to happen; we can’t have a conflict with each other.”

I looked at Edwin. “He’s very sensitive about the past, Edwin,” I explained.

Edwin raised his hands in surrender. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause problems. I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Dragon looked away at first but then smiled as he looked back at Edwin. “I’m the one that should be sorry. I apologize.” He stuck his hand out again.

“Not a problem.” Edwin nodded. “I also apologize. I hope we can be friends.”

Dragon nodded as he smiled. “We are.”

I chuckled. “We’re one big no-longer-blood-sucking-vampire family!” I said grabbing both Dragon and Edwin in a hug as they both chuckled.

It was after daybreak when the others came back to the house. It was nice to see everyone we’d left in England, but still, we were making plans. The house was getting crowded with people, so we decided to move everyone to the caverns. In the largest chamber, where Dragon had his…throne room? Sorin was attending tonight as we spoke together to talk about a plan.

“…but what plan!?” Sorin asked pressing us with this need to have a better one. “This is no real plan.”

Colin shook his head. “There is a real plan, Sorin! We are going to be out there to help protect, but Iilya will come after the Old Ones.”

Sorin shook his head as he stood and did a slow circle as he thought. “M-aş simţi mai bine cu meu de poliţie să ne susţină.” He muttered and turned to us again. “I need more police! That’s what I just said.”

There were nods as the others held up translators making Sorin simply nod.

“We know.” Mom said. “We’re going to be there.”

“We have all the help you can use!” I waved at the many here now. “What better back up can you get? Most everyone is here is a vampire!”

“They can sense the other vampires.” Colin reminded Sorin. “Cops can’t.”

Sorin nodded again but frowned. “People are going to die.” He moaned.

“And we are working to make that number a minimum,” Colin assured again.

Edwin stood and looked at Dragon. “I am so sorry, but…you could really help here. I know you were upset before, but…you can help so much!” He pleaded.

Dragon looked surprised. “Me?”

“I know you’re not Dracula,” Edwin said. “But I saw that broadcast. You have a powerful influence. More than I’ve ever known about. Your voice could help. Be Dragon! Be whomever, but put your voice and talent to work to help us deal with this!”

“And say what?” Dragon asked.

“Who cares!?” Edwin said helplessly. “Tell them not to do this; I don’t care…if nothing else; it may take the fight away a little from those vampires and humans following Lucian and Iilya! They will listen!” He shook his head. “This isn’t a vampire thing anymore, it’s a human thing. At least try!” He walked toward Dragon. “You have a natural power! That power was not because of the venom or you being a vampire, but the real you!” Dragon was looking at him uneasily. Edwin shook his head. “I read more about you; the real you. I know what you did and I know why, to protect your people. You are needed to do that again to prevent more deaths! Our own deaths included!”

I could see the conflict in Dragon’s eyes. “You do have a strong personality. More so than any rock star or movie star I’ve ever seen or even known about.” I said. “That’s why we had you do the first broadcast. Vampires, whether it’s part of being a vampire or because they fear people’s reactions to them…don’t trust easily. They will trust you.”

Dragon let out a frustrated huff, rose and walked out of the chamber. Everyone watched stunned that he would seemingly give up so easily.

Colin took my hand and leaned into me. “What’s going on with him?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

Colin smiled at me. “Maybe you can find out?” He bumped his forehead to mine gently.

I nodded and I got up. “I’ll try.” I headed in the direction Dragon had gone.

Dragon’s caverns had tunnels aplenty and he knew them and could disappear with no trouble, but I had a feeling where he would be. I walked into what had been Iustina’s and Repetate’s holding area. He stood there looking at the now empty cell, resting his head on the bars.

“They miss you,” I said softly, but he knew I was here.

“Do they?” He chuckled lightly.

“Sure, they do.” I walked slowly over to him. “I saw how they would react when you would come down the tunnel. They love you.”

He turned to me, resting his back against the bars. “When they were brought here…of course, Iustina was first and alone, but not too long later, we got Repetate.” He did a slow turn as he looked at the empty cell again. “At first…they were a curiosity.” He scratched behind his ear as he remembered. “I would come here and just watch them. They were no threat to any of us, and we kept them fed. At the same time, they were watching me. I began talking to them. They didn’t talk back but knew what I was saying. It was nice…they seemed to actually like me. They didn’t try to run away or anything, so I befriended them.”

I nodded. “They’re easy to love.”

He smiled at me. “You do, don’t you?”

I nodded. “I do. I care what happens to them; just like you do. I don’t have to ask you that.”

“Even knowing what they are and what they’ve done in the past.” Dragon said to confirm I really understood what the Old Ones did. Not in history, but here in Romania and Eastern Europe…the world!

I shrugged. “I know what they did,” I said. “They were made to be what they are. They didn’t make a choice to become an Old One. I can’t blame them for what they born to do, but they are responsible for what we are. That needs to stop. It’s not fair what they are or their fault, but, I see them smile at you. A real genuine smile. I see them smile at me! They enjoy cartoons! While I know they are what made us all, I can’t not love them.” I sat down looking at Dragon. “The first Old One I met I named Gizmo.”

“Gizmo?” Dragon’s eyebrows rose.

“Named after a character in one of the many movies I love.” I shrugged. “I was terrified at first, but he didn’t attack me. In fact, he defended me! He offered to share the blood they gave him thinking I might want some! They were made from humans.” I smiled remembering Gizmo. “He was more human than the captors that took him and me. I believe he was not just nice, but he was capable of love and really began to love me.” I smiled at Dragon. “When this is over, you can see them again in Manhattan.”

Dragon threw his head back with a sigh. “Manhattan.” He shook his head and then sat forward. “I saw Manhattan.” He waved at the tunnel toward the outside world. “Stan showed me…video?” He said. “I never imagined a city could ever be…so BIG!”

I nodded. “It is a very big city; one of the biggest.” I agreed. “One of many big cities in the world; there are billions of people now.”

“When I was asked to make that broadcast…I knew there were big cities, but…I had no idea how many people there are now.” Dragon was shaking his head again. “When I was bitten…I thought…and don’t believe me if you don’t understand,” he smiled as he nodded chuckling, “but…I felt in many ways…free!”

“Free?” I asked puzzled.

“For decades, I was a leader! Everyone’s lives depended on what I did or said.” He shook his head and leaned forward covering his face with his hands and rubbed his face from fatigue, but it was the fatigue of pressure. “Then, when I was a vampire, I thought the people were no longer dependent on me. I didn’t have to worry if I made a mistake as much. I was free!”

“You’re human, of course, there will be mistakes,” I said simply. “No one’s perfect.”

“You don’t understand yet.” Dragon said. “I’m tired of it! I was voivode for decades, then I became that thing and still, I was looked to for answers. It never ended.” He shook his head. “I’ve been in the role of leader for centuries and I don’t want it anymore.” He waved his hand out the wall of the tunnel indicating the outside world. “There are…what…hundreds of thousands of vampires now?”

I nodded. “George and some others think it could be in the millions.”

“Millions,” Dragon repeated, the awesome number just was blowing his mind away.

“We’re on every continent, we’re finding.” I waved at Repetate’s and Iustina’s cell. “Those Old Ones did a damned good job! After the people became vampires, they hid in the darkness and stayed hidden and didn’t talk to each other. Now, we are!”

Dragon shook his head again and sighed again. “Millions.” He repeated still feeling the pressure of the number. “When I was voivode, I ran a country that had thousands…several hundred thousand spread around…but millions!?”

I was getting what he was saying. “You have this…charisma…a drawing power that…I’ve not known any movie star or politician to have. Everyone would join you.”

“After I began the serum and I was able to walk around town…” he smiled. “I was just a man out there. I was not voivode, but everyone acted like I was!” He nodded. “There were more than a few that wanted a lot more from me.” He gave me a crooked smile. “Many I believe wanted sex!”

I chuckled. “Of course they did. That’s what people do! We have sex.”

“Woman and men were…” he thought a little more, “flirting?” He asked. “Is that the right word?”

I nodded. “It is. I wouldn’t be surprised if they just propositioned you for sex, saying right off that’s they wanted from you!”

Dragon laughed. “There were a few of those, too. Some even touching me in personal places! They were so…free about it!”

“Time’s change and that’s great! They felt they could. That’s not a bad thing!” I said. “You are a very attractive person, Dragon. You have that charisma and personality…many will want a part of you. Sex is a way to connect with you…if just a few moments. You could give them a connection to you.”

“But they didn’t know who I was!” Dragon said again. “I was just a man they were wanting sex or something else. I want that!”

To be sure I got it. “The just a man part, not the vampire or voivode part.”

“Yes!” Dragon said nodding. “I want to be just a man!”

I got up and walked over to Dragon. “When I first met you. I was a little frightened of you. You were very intimidating.” I admitted. “Now, what I see…is just what you said. A man. Not a vampire or voivode. A man I know now as a friend.” I put a hand on his shoulder. “I will promise you this. There’s a big world out there. I’d like to show it to you. When this is over…” I held my hand up, “…and it will be over very soon. We will take you away from this. You can visit with Repetate and Iustina, you can come to stay at Colin’s and my house! We’d love to have you there.” I smiled as I saw his look of temptation at what I said. “You will never be asked to leave. You’re welcome there as often and as long as you want to stay. I wasn’t kidding when I told you and Edwin this…we are a family now. We share something that brings us together, but in getting to know you, you’re a very needed and valuable member of this family. We love you. I love you. I’ve not known you that long, but I’d like to know more. The man, not a legend or fictional character, but you, Dragon.” I looked in his eyes that now had moisture that allowed his eyes to water now. “You’ll just be our friend there, I promise.”

Dragon pulled me in a tight hug. “You and Colin…you have become such good friends to me.” He nodded. “I’d love to visit you in your home.” He smiled and took a deep breath. “Okay. We’ll do this. I will make the broadcast and ask them not to follow this…Iilya and Lucian. I will do what I can.”

When we came back to the others, Colin smiled as he saw me and Dragon walk back, Dragon’s arm around my shoulder and looking better than before.

“Okay.” Dragon said happily to everyone. “I’ll make the broadcast. I will ask the others…the humans and vampires…not to do this.”

Edwin nodded. “Wonderful!”

Stan nodded also. “We’ll work on what you will say.”

“There will be some that won’t listen,” Sorin said. “Not even to you.”

“Our numbers will be out there as well.” Dragon said. “Those…we will have to fight.” He shrugged.