Dracula: Hearts of Fire (Dracula Heart's)

by Albert Gallant

  Lauren took the calculator and did her own tabulating. “No, see here 27.7 % too much. Just be prepared to be attacked by dozens of vampires all at once.” She giggled.

  Michael thought it might be factual, like some sort of gang initiation. “What! That’s not true is it?”

  “I’m just teasing Michael. Relax. What are you an old woman?”

  “I’d be lucky to have the nerve of an old woman. Nothing scares those creatures, except maybe an old man.”

  The doorbell rang and Lauren blurred to it and looked through the peep hole. “What the heck, it’s a police officer or someone pretending to be.” Lauren went into his mind and saw immediately that he wasn’t a vampire. She opened the door to Officer John Clark of the NYPD. “Can I help you officer?”

  “I’m Officer John Clark of the NYPD. Are you the red sheriff they call Lauren?”

  “I am.”

  “Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?” He was tall and a little funny looking, his nose was too big for his face,

  “Come in.”

  The officer stepped in and Lauren closed the door behind him. “This is my fiancé Michael.”

  Lauren’s gray blue eyes were almost mesmerizing to the officer and he had to look away. “Nice to meet you Michael. Lauren, I’m going to get right to the point. There’s a rapist running around out there and he’s brutal. Not only does he torture his victims physically but mentally as well. He tells them that he’s going to rape them a second time before he lets them go. Five victims so far and we have no substantial leads. He wears a mask so the cameras can’t identify him.”

  Lauren could see by the officer’s emotions that this was somehow personal, his voice was cracking. “You know one of the victims?”

  The officer hesitated and he cleared his throat before he could finally speak. “My wife. She’s now in a mental hospital. I know you’re not supposed to get involved in human matters but is there anything you can do? As a vampire you probably have ways of which I am unaware.”

  Michael felt for the officer. “Lauren, you’d be great bait in a short skirt.”

  “Officer Clark, I take it you want me to kill this guy?”

  “I won’t say it the words.” Officer John did nod affirmatively. He took out a handkerchief and handed it to Lauren. “He stuffed this into the mouth of one of his victim’s. Forgive my ignorance but I thought that you might be able to get a scent off of it. The attacks are always after midnight.”

  She took the checkered handkerchief and sniffed it. There was a combination of two separate colognes on it and she definitely wouldn’t forget that odor. “I can’t promise anything, because if he’s at all intelligent he would have moved out of the area. I’ll squash him like a bug if I catch him.”

  “He’s definitely acts human in the video. The attacks are over in less than two minutes and then he runs off. He doesn’t speed off like you guys; he just runs away.

  “I’ll see what I can do officer.”

  He nodded. “Please let me know if you do get him. Here’s my card with my personal number. I’d like to be able to tell my wife that he’s never coming back, no chance that he’s getting out of prison.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

  ALEXANDER AND ABBEY WERE STROLLING through Tompkins Square Park and had stopped at the elm tree known as the Hare Krishna tree, where on October 9th, 1966 the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness held the earliest known outdoor chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra outside of the Indian subcontinent. Partakers had included the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg. That particular tree was now considered an important spiritual site. They spent some time there, and then hand in hand they continued to meander through the park.

  Arym was out with other vampires, friends of the sheriff, getting accustomed to her new skin. She had mixed feelings of having been turned into a vampire, but as there was no going back she was trying hard to get used to it. It was important to face her new reality and to get on with her life.

  The day was sunny and hot, and Alexander was instantly pegged a red sheriff in his black leather trench coat and red badge. They walked by people sunbathing and relaxing on the park’s central knoll, and one particularly good looking blond sat up and stared admiringly at Alexander. Tessy let go with a single bark at her, not as a warning but as a hello. They found a bench that wasn’t occupied and sat enjoying the afternoon.

  “The worst day of my life was the day they killed my husband.” She looked into his eyes and then looked away. “What was the worst day of your life?”

  Alexander went back in time to a cold rainy morning when he had come home to find his entire family killed by vampires, even his little brother Nate. He had only been a teenager for a couple of weeks when it happened. “My family was killed by vampires but I really don’t want to go there. It’s a dark place and time that’s impossible to shine any light on.”

  “Alexander, what was your most intense physical pain? Probably always the same answer for women that have had children, the pain of childbirth.”

  “Well, when I was human I passed a kidney stone. I suffered for three days and three nights. It was as if someone was kicking me in the back and in the lower stomach at the same time. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.”

  A mime stopped in front of them all dressed in white; he was quite good at his pantomime. He juggled five invisible apples, taking a bite out of each one until he had eaten them all. It was the way he almost fell and contorted his body that was most impressive. Abbey thought that he must be double-jointed. He did the moonwalk but wasn’t quite as skilled as Michael Jackson. Alexander gave him some money and then he immediately tipped his white fedora hat and moved off in search or more currency.

  Abbey pushed her hand through his thick black hair. “The thing that disturbs me most about this relationship is that every single time they call you out there I really don’t know if you’re coming back. I don’t know if it’s something that I can get used to. Do you ever plan to retire?”

  “I do Abbey, but the world is in such a state of turmoil that I feel I have to do my part.”

  She nodded and was proud that he felt that way, because without his kind she simply couldn’t imagine what the world would be like; she desperately hoped that the future would be better but so far there was no sign of it. “I know that the world needs more of you guys not less but I worry about you.”

  “I’m looking forward to the day that they don’t need as many of us that’s for certain.”

  Tessy put her head under Abbey hand for her to pet her and she did. “Has Tessy been fixed?”

  “Why, she’s not broken.”

  “Oh ha ha. Has she ever had pups?”

  “No, apparently she needs another vampire dog to have pups.”

  Tessy got up on the bench and started to lick her makeup off. “Her tongue is so ruff. Are there many vampire dogs?”

  “She’s the only one that I am aware of. The only one that I know that can make a dog like her is Dracula.”

  “You should get him to make her a boyfriend.”

  “That’s actually not a bad idea.” Alexander’s phone vibrated; looking at the screen he appeared concerned.

  “Is it something bad?”

  “It’s never good these days. I have to go but I’ll be back. If I’m gone more than an hour I’ll see you back at the house.”

  Alexander blurred off with the dust flying from his feet.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

  JENNY WENT DOWNSTAIRS IN HER PURPLE PAJAMAS with yellow stars, the lion cub following close behind. She continued to wait for Jareth to show up and escort her to the wizard with the Blood Book, but since it might actually be the end of her she was in no rush. She had discovered a few spells on the Internet but most of them were rubbish and she didn’t trust any of the enchantments. She was just as likely to kill herself as to accomplish anything with those spells. Her mother was in the kitchen cooking pancakes for breakfast as Dracula sat in the living room read
ing the newspaper. Beside the Master on the floor was the lifeless Moon Diamond that appeared to be dead but wasn’t yet quite so.

  Zacharia was floating around attempting to kick things but couldn’t. He also attempted to strangle Dracula in jest but his hands went right through him. Try being a ghost if you want to be ignored. The vampire had discovered that he’d rather be in the cat than floating around. He assumed that because the cat wasn’t dead his soul continued to be attached to it, like a string on a kite. His soul would most likely move on once the cat perished. Zacharia had tried to go back inside the cat but it was so utterly dark in there and he just drifted out.

  Jenny sat at the table and looked tired.

  Allison placed a stack of three pancakes on her plate. “Jenny, why do you put flakes of blood on your pancakes when you don’t have to?”

  “I don’t know I just like it I guess. Must be the vampire in me.” She showed her mother her fangs.

  Allison put the frying pan on the stove and stared at her daughter. Life was evolving too fast for her liking, although she was certainly enjoying being reunited with Dracula. A year could change so much in a person, and she considered that everyone continued to evolve in their own way. “What are you going to do with that dead cat?”

  “Mother, the cat isn’t dead it’s in a coma.”

  Allison crossed her arms and leaned against the stove. “Oh good lord. I listened to the cat’s chest and I can’t hear anything. Perhaps Sarah will eat it.”

  “Mother! Moon Diamond’s heartbeat is faint but I can hear it. Your human ears are insufficient.”

  “Un huh.”

  The lion cub pawed at Jenny’s left leg asking for food. She got up and took a large steak out of the bottom of the fridge and gave it to the cub; it morphed into the full grown lioness to eat it. Allison stared at the lion and shook her head; she didn’t think that she would ever get used to a full grown lion in the house. The doorbell rang and Jenny thought that it might be Jareth. Allison went to the door and soon returned with an RCMP Officer named John Cormier. He was a tall and imposing fellow though not as tall or impressive as Dracula.

  John went for his gun at the sight of the lion but Jenny blurred and took the gun from him, and of course he was more than a little surprised, and not the least bit amused. “You can’t have a lion here!”

  Jenny shook her head. “Relax Officer. It’s not a real lion it’s an entity of magic. Sarah, cub Sarah.” She looked into his eyes and went into his mind so that he would believe whatever they told him.

  Sarah turned into a cub and the officer was most impressed. He picked it up and Sarah turned back into a full size lion, causing him to fall on his head into the corner. He got up and attempted to look confident but it didn’t work. “Oh my, she won’t eat any of the neighbors will she?”

  The girl wizard shook her head. “Nope, only bad vampires.”

  “Well that’s good to know.” John was trying to be brave but they could see the stress and fear in his face. Officer Cormier wasn’t trained to deal with such things but as long as it wasn’t a genuine lion that was good enough for him, but he was certain that there would be more complaints forthcoming. He had been trained to always take charge of the situation but there was no accomplishing that here. His hands were still shaking a little. “All right then, I’ll leave you to your breakfast.”

  When the officer left Jenny and Allison had to laugh.

  After breakfast Dracula and Allison snuggled up on the sofa. Jenny sat in the recliner chair with her feet up and her arms crossed, occasionally glancing at the affectionate couple then she commenced to read.

  “I believe that our daughter is annoyed at us.” Dracula twirled his fingers pretending that he was putting a spell on Jenny.

  “Mother, must you do that?” Jenny was going through Wang’s wizard book, but there didn’t appear to be much in it that she could use, if anything.

  “Do what? Affection is a normal part of life. We’re simply holding hands.”

  Sarah had become interested in Zacharia floating around.

  “I know that but … oh never mind. You know I’m still annoyed with you father.”

  “I know but all things change in time. I would imagine that in years to come you’ll gladly give me hugs and kisses. I can’t wait.”

  “Don’t make me wretch. Hey, look at Sarah.”

  Sarah, in cub form, was following something. She would stop and swat at it and then move to another location. Zacharia’s ghost was playing with the cat and rather enjoying it, especially since she was the only one that could see him. The cub tried to stand to swat Zacharia and it fell over.

  Jenny had an idea. “Dracula, you don’t suppose that Sarah might be playing with Zacharia’s ghost?”

  The Master looked distant as he considered it. “It’s possible. Why don’t you mind her and find out.”

  Jenny went into Sarah’s mind and sure enough, she could see what the cub was seeing, Zacharia’s ghost floating around. It was the first time she had seen him in the so-called flesh; she thought he was old but handsome enough. He looked kingly she thought. “Yup, his ghost is here. Boy, does he look annoyed.”

  Allison shook her head. “So we have a dead cat, a lion and now a ghost? What’s next?”

  Dracula nodded. “Life has become more interesting than I would have thought possible. So Zacharia, how’s life treating you? Or should I say death?”

  Jenny shook her head. “He just gave you the finger.”

  Allison suddenly had a peculiar look on her face. “Dracula, you don’t suppose he watches us at night do you?”

  “I have no idea. Perhaps he’s using us for entertainment purposes.”

  Jenny got on the floor with the cub. It morphed into a lioness and they started to wrestle.

  “Oh good lord.”

  CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

  LAUREN WAS SO SEXY in her short black dress. She felt naked without her swords but with them she was unlikely to be attacked by the rapist. Her blue-black hair simply looked black at night, unless the light caught it just right. Last night she had smelled the rapist’s scent but the wind had kicked up at just the wrong time and she was unable to track it. She was hoping for better luck this time.

  It was a relatively quiet night as most humans didn’t dare venture out after dark. But in New York there were enough brave souls to keep the vampires satisfied. She had detected the scent and then lost it, the night was filled with odors, some not pleasant at all. Someone was burning their sirloin steak. Someone else was cooking cabbage at this time of night. Lauren quickly climbed up a fire escape in the alley and again caught the scent, and now she could tell the general direction from which it originated. She would have to walk towards it lest she herself disturb the smell with her excessive speed. A garbage can was knocked over behind her and made an awful racket; it was a large racoon looking for food.

  Michael had to stay behind this time as it was unlikely that a rapist would attack a couple, but the fact that this guy remained in the same part of the city told her he was either stupid, wanted to be caught, or simply figured that he was too smart for the law. Even though Michael knew she could handle herself better than anyone he knew, he was at home worrying. Lauren had to reassure him and to tell him to stop calling.

  Lauren walked from street to street and alley to alley. She knew she was getting closer because the scent was getting stronger, but it wasn’t easy to follow. She passed a party high up in one of the apartments with the music blasting off into the darkness. A skunk slowly ambled through an alley that was particularly malodorous. The odor of the passage made it difficult to hold on to the scent but she managed. Her cell vibrated and she sent Michael a text: I’m getting close I’ll call you as soon as it’s over. XOX.

  As Lauren approached yet another alley the scent was much stronger, so strong in fact that she was quite sure that the rapist was down there, hiding and waiting for his next victim. Being in the vicinity of an ongoing party was probably a great idea
for a rapist, people tended to go outside for a drink or drugs or a cigarette or simply some fresh air and quiet.

  There he was behind boxes in the alley. She decided to become the bait that he couldn’t resist, starting to stagger a little she pretended to be inebriated. Lauren could hear his heart beating faster as she mumbled to herself to add substance to her drunken character. She stood at the entrance to the alley as she fumbled with her purse. Running footsteps and he was suddenly on her; he covered her mouth with his hand so that she couldn’t scream. Lauren was enjoying it and knew that soon he wouldn’t be. Her smile was deliciously mischievous.

  “You’re gonna like this bitch!” Stanley Dunn dragged her deep into the alley all the while groping at her. He attempted to punch her viciously in the face but she blocked it. When she blocked the second one he realized that he was in trouble. “Un oh. Not a vampire?”