CHAPTER XXIV

A human-size capsule is at the center of the room with different wires connected to it.

There is someone inside, floating in the liquid content of the capsule.

The scientists in the room run about attending to different devices, they answer to the bald old man wearing a lab coat, his white beard looks messy as he observes through a pair of glasses.

He gives out orders to his subordinates and he laughs as his project comes to a successful end but there is one happier than he is as this project comes to an end.

He stands behind the old scientist who is unaware of his presence, the lights of the room reflect against his black silky hair and his dark eyes hold a hint of happiness in them.

This tall man places his hands on the shoulders of this old scientist, "Professor, the smile on your face tells me I am about to hear good news" Dracula says and the smile on the professor's face vanishes like the wind.

"Sir," he turns around to face his employer, "Yes, the project is successful and the body is ready. This is a revolutionary breakthrough, we have successfully made it possible for a living body to be able to accept possession.

Even a corpse can decide to live without its original soul as long as it can accept another. We have crossed the boundaries of the living and the dead".

"So this body is stable and ready for use?" Dracula asks feeling uninterested in whatever the old scientist is spouting.

"Yes Sir" "Good, everyone gather around" Dracula orders and the rest of the scientists gather in the room.

He claps his hands together and they follow, "We have achieved something great here today. We have successfully made it possible for the devil to walk on earth, thank you for your services and goodbye" he says.

His little congratulatory speech sound like a scolding instead as the crew looks confused.

Of course, they are, they never knew why they were working on this kind of project or why they had to work with witches.

This project opened the eyes of the scientists as they became involved in horrendous experiments on human lives and creatures they could only imagine.

They broke their beliefs and ethics to stay alive and after discovering things that others in their field would not believe, all they get is a sad thank you.

Count Dracula's eyes change into a beautiful blue glow just before it becomes engulfed in darkness, turning his entire eyes into pitch black and the head scientist sees this.

After seeing strange things since their employer took them away from their families and brought them here he can tell this was not going to be a good meeting.

Dracula smiles as their expression turns into fear; he sent money to the scientists and their families throughout the project giving them hope even though he kidnapped them and hypnotized their families that they were all gone on a business trip.

Quite convenient for the immortal.

"You know what happens next, don't you?", he smiles as their fear grows.

This is what he enjoys the most about killing, the realization that there is no hope and there is only fear.

Dracula grabs the professor and sinks his fangs into the neck, sucking his blood as it gushes out of his neck and the professor jerks as his captivity comes to an end.

The rest of the scientists burst into a frantic state of chaos as they run towards the exit, screaming for help as they try to open the door but it wouldn't bulge.

Dracula breaks the professor's neck before letting go of his lifeless body and turning his attention to his remaining prey.

He charges at them, tearing them apart as he bathes in their blood and is inebriated in their fear.

He enjoys every bit of it, their hopes of freedom turn into his abyss of death and pleasure, an insatiable craving.

An atrocious death, but for him, it is a power-filled rebirth.

Kill after kill, life after life, death before death, like an Ouroboros, an eternal and vicious circle and yet an electrifying feeling to Count Dracula, the dragon.

Alex unlocks the door and walks into the room, her gown expressing her curves but there is no one to appreciate it except the beast and his victims.

Dracula's clothing is covered in blood, his face and hands are drenched in the blood of the scientists.

He drops the last of the dismembered scientist as he sees Alex, "Get someone to clean this place up," she gives a slight bow as Dracula walks out of the room.

She checks to make sure she is alone, she goes to one of the computers and plugs in a flash drive and she downloads information from the computer.

This is valuable information; this will be useful for The Lantern.

CLOUDS.

Gabriel sniffs into the air, "Is that holy ash?" Gabriel asks, "Hell yes," John frowns as he gulps down his drink.

"Hello detective, how may we help you?" Samuel asks. "I'd like to talk to the boss," Warren Peace says, "Why don't we have a sit", Gabriel directs him to a sofa away from the bar.

The twins sit across the detective, "You are quite brave coming in here alone, detective" Samuel says, "Why would you say that?" "Well, not many cops go around trying to piss off vampires," Gabriel says and Warren's eyes widen.

"What are you talking about? You know what, forget it" he says, "How long have you been open for?" Warren asks, "You seem to think that you are here to find out some kind of information but all you will get here is death," Gabriel says.

"If anything happens to me, this place will be crawling with hunters and we know you don't want that", Warren says as he understands what is happening.

They know he is not any ordinary cop, he expected the holy ash in his perfume to irritate them but they give no reaction.

"Then I guess there isn't much for us to talk about, detective. We'll be seeing you around" Samuel says with a smile.

Warren knows this is his cue so he stands up to leave, "You should be careful, you don't know who could be watching you" Gabriel says and for a split second Warren sees a blue glow in his eyes.

Warren Peace leaves the club but he feels uneasy, not only did the holy ash not work but they weren't afraid to confront him at all.

They do not know the organization he works for.

They may feel like the predators now until the time comes for them to die.

They must be very old vampires or they may not be vampires at all, Gabriel and Samuel Stone, what exactly are you?

"Who the hell was that?" Gabriel asks, "I suspect he is a hunter in the NYPD.

He is probably investigating us" Samuel says.

"But how the fuck did he know about us?"

"That's the question brother.

We may have other targets on our backs apart from father", "We do, but not any one of them I know would send a human to directly confront us" Gabriel says.

"Want to kill him?", Samuel asks his brother with a playful voice, "Let's give him some time. We may find out who the puppet master is".

A few blocks from the club two ladies wearing hoodies stand on top of a building, they are viewing the club from a distance, "It's been a long time since we've seen the boys" "It's time we paid them a visit".