by I D Johnson
Aaron had known there was a very good chance that whatever action he took would get the Hunter wounded or killed. He could only hope that whatever damage was done, having a good physician standing next to them on the bridge was enough to prevent Frank from passing, but Ward had given the order, and Aaron had taken action. Now, with the momentum of his launch, he realized Jack was not as anchored to the bridge as he had hoped, and careening off the Ripper’s shoulder, Aaron found himself flipped into the air.
Time seemed to slow a bit. He could see the waves of the East River churning below, far, far below. He heard Frank gasp as he fell to his knees on the bridge, Vicky’s scream, and the rush of footsteps in their direction. Finally, he heard the laugh of the devil as Jack assumed Aaron was about to go head first into the river alone. It was the last part that would be inaccurate, and as Aaron fell, he reached out and grabbed the only thing he could get a grip on, Jack the Ripper’s neck.
He was strong enough to haul the monster over the side of the bridge with him. The laughter stopped, and Jack struggled for air against Aaron’s clenched palm. He could tell from his expression Jack was shocked that Aaron had been able to pull him over the railing, too, and as they fell, the Ripper struggled to free himself while Aaron attempted to get into position to destroy the demon once and for all once they hit the water.
Making contact with the choppy waves at that velocity was enough to shatter bone for ordinary people. For Aaron, it was enough to jar him and momentarily take his breath away. The water was certainly cold in the spring, but it wasn’t the temperature change that made him lose his breath; it was the sheer power of making contact with what felt like a concrete block.
Luckily, Jack was stunned, too, and even though he continued to struggle to get free, Aaron used the split second he gained in recouping his bearings to wrap his legs around the taller man’s waist. He had one of the Ripper’s arms pinned against his side as well, the other scratching and clawing at Aaron’s arms, one of which had ahold of the dark brown hair atop the Vampire’s head while the other encircled his neck.
Aaron brought his elbow down hard into the soft area between Jack’s neck and shoulder, an attempt to stop the desperate movements. It seemed to slow the Vampire down, but he wasn’t going to be defeated that easily.
The waves crashed against them, occasionally forcing them beneath the surface of the salty water as they struggled, but the East River could claim neither of them, and as Aaron tightened his grip on the Vampire’s waist, he could feel his opponent’s strength begin to fade.
This man had killed at least a dozen people, maybe more, over the last three years. He’d mutilated, slashed, dismembered, and decimated the bodies of each of his victims. They’d been too late to stop him from murdering the woman he’d disappeared with tonight, but Aaron was certain this particular Vampire would never have the opportunity to kill again. With all of his remaining effort, he began to twist, and though Jack’s free arm continued to swipe at his captor, his strength faded. Aaron pulled up, and in one fluid motion, the Vampire’s head came free. Rather than a shriek, Jack the Ripper let loose a haunting moan that filled the night sky and was likely audible to his friends atop the bridge who seemed so far away now that he was floating along in the East River.
Swimming back to shore, and making his way back to the location of his team that way would take a very long time, and since he was very concerned about Frank’s condition, Aaron was in a hurry to get back. There was a pier close by, so he fought the current of the salty river and swam over to it, then climbed up using the large stone bricks as hand and footholds.
When he reached the top, Vicky rushed over to help him transition back to the top of the bridge. “Are you all right?” she asked as he made the awkward leap through the suspension wires and across the railing. She reached out and steadied him upon landing.
“I’m fine,” Aaron assured her, though he was soaking wet, a sensation he didn’t particularly care for. “How’s Frank?”
“He’s just fine,” Vicky assured him as they both rushed back to the location where Frank’s throat had been cut.
Aaron couldn’t believe that was possible. He hadn’t gotten a clear look at exactly what had happened, but it appeared as if the wound were very deep, and he couldn’t imagine Frank was ‘just fine’ only a few minutes later.
When they reached the rest of the team, Frank was sitting, leaning back against the side of the bridge, and Ward was crouched next to Jamie who was laying on his back, his knees bent, one hand over his face, as if he’d just run a marathon and needed a few minutes to recover.
Confusion knit his brow. “Frank? Have you really recovered so quickly?” He could see a thin, jagged scar on Frank’s neck and plenty of spent blood on his shirt and trousers, but the blood was no longer flowing, and his coloring seemed to be returning to normal.
“I am,” Frank assured him, only a slight hitch in his breath. “I thought for sure… but Jamie saved me.”
The physician said nothing in response, only reached out with the hand not covering his eyes and awkwardly patted Frank’s leg a few times.
Aaron was still confused. “And what’s wrong with Jamie?” he asked the group in general.
The answer came from Vicky. “He is exhausted,” she explained. “It took all of his energy to heal Frank.”
“He’s a Healer,” Ward continued. “Unlike any I’ve ever seen.”
Aaron felt his eyes widened as he looked from one face to the next. “He healed… that? This quickly? Through some sort of magical powers?”
“It isn’t magic,” Ward insisted, “we just don’t understand it. Yet. But, yes. He healed him that quickly.”
“Fascinating,” Aaron muttered. He’d never seen anything like it. All the other Healers he’d worked with were able to do very little in comparison to what this young man had just done. When he’d seen the extent of Frank’s injury, he thought for certain he would return to find his friend had met his demise.
“You got him,” Vicky smiled, resting her hand on Aaron’s arm. “He’s gone—at last. It’s hard to believe it’s all finally over.”
Aaron hadn’t even taken the opportunity to reflect on what the team had accomplished that evening. But Vicky was right. They’d gotten Jack the Ripper off the streets at last. He had no idea what would come next, but whatever it was, he hoped it wasn’t as complicated as this case. He could do without another Ripper for a very long time. “We did it,” he confirmed with a nod of his head and a look of pride shared with each of his teammates, including Jamie who was sitting up now and managed a small smile. “Now what?” he asked, looking at Ward.
“Now, Jamie can head back to Boston, and you and me and Frank head back to London to see what they throw at us next,” Ward replied with a shrug.
Aaron looked at Vicky, who had removed her hand and was standing with her hands folded in front of her. Ward saw the expression on Aaron’s face and realized he didn’t know. He muttered an apology and she said, “It’s okay. I just hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him yet.”
“Tell me what?” Aaron asked, turning to face her.
Vicky glanced at the others and then took a few steps away, motioning for Aaron to follow her, which he did. Once they had a bit more privacy, she said, “I’ve decided to stay here.”
“In New York?” he asked, unable to believe his ears.
“No, but in America. I think… maybe I’ll head out West. I hear there’s quite the Vampire invasion happening in California, and there’s not a lot of leadership out there. I think… I think I’ll try my hand in San Francisco. Or San Diego.”
Aaron wasn’t sure what to say. “Vicky, I can’t imagine our team without you.”
“I know,” she nodded. “It’ll be an adjustment. But I think it’s for the best.”
After the conversation they’d had at the beginning of the Ripper case, when she’d confessed her feelings for him, and he’d politely declined, they’d never mentioned it again, and she�
�d gone on to court several other fellows, though she never seemed too serious about any of them. He’d watched from the sidelines, still wondering how Aislyn would respond to the knowledge that he’d taken another lover after what he’d put her through. Now, standing on the East River Bridge, staring into the brown eyes of a woman who meant so very much to him, he realized Aislyn would truly want him to find someone else, to move on, to find happiness.
For him and Vicky, however, it was clearly too late. With a nod, he said, “I hope that everything works out for you, Vicky. I will miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too,” she said, wrapping her arms around him despite his wet clothing.
He enveloped her in his arms and kissed the crown of blonde curls atop her head. He had learned so much from working with Vicky, but certainly the most important lesson he learned was that he was allowed to move on. It just wouldn’t be with her.
Chapter 10
Wallachia, Romania, 1894
In half a century, Aaron had never seen so many Hunters and Guardians assembled in one location. There had to be at least a hundred, maybe more, bodies crammed into the village meeting house at the base of the Carpathian Mountains near Bran. When Ward had explained they’d been summoned to help out in the efforts, Aaron had jumped at the opportunity. Though he had no idea what the operation entailed, he had heard that the renowned Vampire Hunter, Van Helsing, would be present, and he was willing to accept any offer that involved potentially observing the legend.
As Aaron surveyed the room, he realized he knew very few of the faces congregated there. Seated on rickety chairs, crammed into the small space, it was difficult to see everyone, but they certainly seemed diverse. It was as if Jordan had summoned the best he had to offer from across the world.
Aaron did see one familiar face and attempted to wave to Jamie, who was seated far on the other side of the room. The Healer must not have seen him though, and he hoped he had a chance to speak to him later. They hadn’t worked together since the Ripper case and that had been years ago.
He had hoped he might see Vicky, but as far as he could tell, she wasn’t there. He’d written to her a few times, and initially she had replied. Her last letter, nearly a year ago, said she had fallen in love with a Hunter she worked with in San Francisco, and while Aaron was happy for her, it still stung to think about the opportunity he may have wasted.
There was no time to think about that now as a man who appeared to be in his mid-to-late forties with thinning hair and a charismatic smile signaled for their attention. Aaron had never had the opportunity to meet the Guardian Leader, but he assumed this must be Jordan Findley. He was surprised to see him so far away from America, which indicated that this was an important mission.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Findley called in a strong tenor voice, “if I could have your attention: I know it’s crowded in here, and I’d like to get this meeting underway so that we can get out and get to it. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of you, others not yet. I’m Jordan Findley. It’s my honor to have all of you here with us today. The case we have met here to discuss is unlike any I’ve ever encountered in more years than I care to reflect on. But I am not the expert here, and I will not be taking the lead. I am here only to help with organization and planning. This hunt belongs to the highly talented, highly skilled Van Helsing, and so I will turn things over to Van.” He made a gesture, as if to hand the floor over and took a seat in the front row as a short, muscular figure dressed entirely in black rose and nodded in his direction, a dark cloak swinging out behind as Van turned to address the captive audience.
Alice Van Helsing was known for her deadly aim. Choosing to fire her steel-tipped wooden stakes through a crossbow, she was quick and lethal. No one knew for sure the number of Vampires she had destroyed in the last century, but estimates put it in the thousands. She was tiny but compact, and with one penetrating glance from dark eyes framed by heavy brows, she had the room silenced.
“Thank you, Findley,” she said, her Dutch accent thick but understandable. “I, too, want to thank you for joining me here today. The task my team and I have undertaken has been both dangerous and deadly. You will help us close in on the demonic Vampire we have spent the last several years hunting. You will help us destroy him.”
Aaron was tempted to question Ward about her use of the term “demonic” Vampire, something he’d never heard before, but he didn’t dare move his lips while she spoke for fear the dark-haired warrior would put him out or end him.
“As you may know, my team has lost many members attempting to annihilate the monster who resides in the castle atop this mountain. We have chased him from country to country, continent to continent, and now he has returned home to his castle in Wallachia. We hope that we can contain him with our sheer numbers and then find a way to finally put him out of his misery.
“The name of our mark is Dracula, also known as Vlad the Impaler.” The crowd gasped collectively, but the expected whisper that often follows such a response did not occur, and she continued. “We know that he has returned from hell, and because of his time spent on the other side, his power has grown strong. He is full of tricks the likes of which we’ve never seen before.”
Audience members looked around at one another, catching each other’s eyes, but once again no one said a word. “You have heard the rumors, yes? Dracula can shift his shape, becoming a bat or a wolf at will. He can turn into a fog or mist. He has the mental power of manipulation. You may have him cornered and then suddenly decide you should let him go for no apparent reason. To combat this, we have brought in some of the most talented emotional manipulators available to us.” She gestured to a group sitting near the front of the congregation. “But even this might not be enough. This is why it is so very critical to monitor your teammates’ reactions as well as your own thinking. We do not believe he is capable of using this power on an entire group of us at one time, but we do not know for sure.”
Van continued to go over the plan for containing and destroying Dracula, who also had several other Vampires living on the premises with him. It was estimated that he had fed on or changed thousands in the time he’d occupied the castle atop the mountain, which may have been fifty years or more; no one was exactly sure. He had been operating secretly for so long, the locals afraid to speak his name or report the missing for fear of retaliation by evil spirits. Some of these victims had likely been turned while others were held as reserva de sange, reserves that the Vampires could feed off for several weeks before they expired. Others would have been devoured quickly, their bodies left to rot beneath the castle. She mentioned her team had already destroyed dozens of warrior Vampires meant to defend their leader, but she had no way of knowing how many others lived within the castle walls.
They had been asked to bring their own weapons, but she recommend each of them stop by after the meeting to have them blessed by one of several priests she had on hand and dipped in Holy Water. She said that Holy Water worked best when administered by a priest and that poor results some had reported may be due to missing this step. She also had several stakes available for team members to take which had been carved from demolished holy structures. She reported having better results with these weapons than others.
“There are one hundred twenty of us assembled here, including my team, which is still scattered across the mountainside keeping eye as we congregate here. Each of you has been assigned to a team, and I will meet separately with team leaders at the conclusion of this meeting. You will be placed in various key locations, and while most of you will simply help form a perimeter, some of you will have more important jobs, such as ferreting out and destroying the Vampire army Dracula has created within the castle. Jordan will be stationed here, and each team will have a messenger which will report back to this site so that he can coordinate between us. I will, of course, lead the raid on the castle itself. We believe we know the layout well enough now and can find and eliminate the monster, though it will not be an easy t
ask.”
She let the information sink in for a few moments, surveying the still-silent crowd before she finally asked, “What questions do you have of me?”
The silence continued, as if no one dared to be the first one to speak. Finally, a man in the back of the room must have raised his hand because Van nodded, and Aaron heard a deep voice ask, “What is our timeline?”
“Good question,” she acknowledged. “We move into position just as soon as we are ready, in an hour or so, and then we will advance on the castle once the perimeter is established. I would assume that will be before three o’clock this morning. How long it takes depends on how easy he is to kill, though I do not expect it to be easy at all.”
“How many Healers do we have available?” asked another voice from the back of the room.
“Several,” Van assured them. “The Healers are currently all sitting together over here—" she gestured to the group where Jamie was sitting— “but they are assigned to various teams depending upon the possibility of danger. Some of them are more powerful than others, and we will rely on our messengers to send word should a Hunter sustain wounds that need more immediate attention.”
There were a few other questions, and once Van was satisfied that everyone was on the same page, she dismissed the majority of the audience, asking the leaders she’d appointed earlier to make their way to the front.
“That’s me,” Ward said, patting Aaron on the shoulder. “You’re on my team, of course, so I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
“All right. Meet you outside,” Aaron nodded, slightly jealous that he had yet to be assigned a leadership role. He felt that he was ready for it; though, on the other hand, he wasn’t quite sure he was ready to leave the London team either. He had learned a lot from working with Ward, and it was difficult to imagine doing this without him.