Chapter 6 – Dealing with Death
Chapter 6 – Dealing with Death
Recap: Dracula has struck and taken Chile's life at the Hollow
Disclaimer: Not mine. Deal.
3:09 AM
General Ford Hospital
Parking Lot
Victoria rushed out of her car toward the entrance of the hospital. Nearly half an hour ago, she had received a devastating call from a hyperventilating Tasha telling her that Chile was dead. Victoria took the elevator up to the fifth floor, impatiently tapping her foot at the machine's slow rate of assent. When the doors opened, a shaking Tasha could be seen sitting on one of the hospital's uncomfortable blue chairs, surrounded by her family. Victoria ran forward and wrapped her arms around Tasha.
"Oh, Tasha! I'm so sorry!" She cried as Tasha embraced her back.
"Chile's dead!" Tasha wailed, clinging desperately to her friend. After several minutes, Tasha's sobs subsided and Victoria gently broke away. Staring into her friend's tearstained face, she softly asked if Tasha knew anything about the cause of the sudden death.
"Not much," she replied, voice rough from crying. "I found her in the alley behind the club, dead. The doctors say she died from blood loss. That's just their nice way of saying that she was murdered!" The distraught girl furiously scrubbed the tears off her face.
Worried, Victoria asked, "Where is Chile now?"
"Downstairs… in the hospital morgue…" Tasha responded, her eyes dull from fatigue.
"Come on," Victoria whispered, pulling Tasha off the hospital chair. "I'm taking you home. You need sleep."
Tasha shook her head, managing a weak smile at her friend. "My parents were going to leave soon. They can take me."
Victoria must have let her indecision show on her face, because Tasha gave her a soft hug. "I'm fine, really," she insisted quietly. She paused and then admitted, "Well, no, I'm not fine. But I will be. Thank you so much for coming."
Victoria hugged back, inwardly fighting with herself. She desperately wanted to tell her best friend her suspicions about the murder, but how could she? Tasha was devastated, and telling her that her boss was the murderer might do more harm than good.
So Victoria bit her lip and held her tongue for another five minutes, until Tasha and her family were gone. When they finally disappeared into the elevator, she slumped, wondering if she had done the right thing.
Pushing away her dark thoughts, Victoria reentered the elevator, this time headed for the main lobby. After a few minutes of arguing with the receptionist, she was let into the hospital morgue. Being a Van Helsing did come in handy every once in a while, especially with places of restricted access.
In the morgue's small reception area, Victoria was pleasantly surprised to find a familiar face.
"Dr. Richelieu," she greeted, smiling warmly at the old family friend.
After exchanging greetings, Dr. Richelieu led Victoria to an operation table with Chile's body on it. As they put on their latex-free gloves, he asked, "I'm surprised to see you alone, Victoria. Where is your father?"
"Away, tracking vampires," she replied with a shrug. "What else?"
"Well, I'd say he need look no farther than right here," the doctor sighed.
Victoria's eyes flashed to Richelieu's face. "You mean…?"
"Yes. The murderer of your unfortunate friend was a vampire." He turned Chile's head away from them, exposing the neck. Two gaping, bloodless holes stared back at the pair.
"I thought so," Victoria whispered to herself.
Dr. Richelieu responded by opening a nearby body refrigerator, and pulling out the bodies of a young couple. He beckoned Victoria over.
"Do your recognize them?"
"Mr. and Mrs. Berry!" She gasped, horrified.
"Yes, an ill-fated couple. Victims of a vampire." He closed the cabinet. "My dear, I suggest you call your father right away."
Victoria was way ahead of him. Pulling of her gloves as she went, she rushed out of the morgue. "Thank you for your time, Dr. Richelieu!" She called over her shoulder. Once she was back in the lobby, she reached for her cell phone. It was not there.
Shoot! She moaned internally. I left it at home when Tasha called!
Hurrying to the receptionist, she asked, "Can I use your phone?"
Somewhere in Rome
10:02 AM
Van Helsing skidded to a stop and shot another volley of silver bolts at the low-level vampire. It dodged rapidly and threw itself at the slayer. Van Helsing barely moved out of the way in time as he was distracted by a familiar sound coming from his left pocket.
"Hang on, hang on," he muttered.
The vampire laughed mockingly. Its laugh was so high-pitched that for a moment, Van Helsing found himself wondering whether he was dealing with a male or female… not that it mattered at all.
As the stupid creature was distracted by its own laughter, he shot a final arrow directly at its heart. Its laughter choked to a halt and its eyes widened before it fell to pieces.
Finally, Van Helsing thought as he answered his phone. "Hello?"
"Dad? It's Victoria. I need you home right away!" His daughter answered from the other end.
"Why? What's the matter? Are you hurt?" He asked anxiously, quickening his pace toward the hotel. It had to be about 4 AM back home. What could have his lazy daughter up before 9 AM on a weekend?
"There are vampires here, and they've killed Chile – you know, Tasha's cousin – and I think they also killed the Berrys – remember our rich neighbors that were murdered in their homes? – and also…"
"Whoa! Slow down. I don't speak teen," Van Helsing chuckled. "Now start at the beginning again and tell me everything."
"Okay… I guess it all started at this place called the Hollow…"
11:36 AM
Rome Fiumicino Airport
"I've found him," Van Helsing reported into his cell phone. "I'm getting on the airplane as we speak."
"Who? God take you, what are you talking about, Van Helsing?" The Cardinal snapped.
Van Helsing glanced around warily and lowered his voice. "Dracula!" He hissed. "Who else?!"
"Oh, yes, yes. Dracula. Very good… Where is he?"
"Back home, I'm afraid. That's where I'm heading," Van Helsing replied, becoming increasingly frustrated with the conversation. "I'll keep you informed."
"Now, listen here, Van Helsing. We want him brought back alive this time… Van Helsing? Did you hear me? Hello? Hello?"
An automated female voice came onto the line.
"I'm sorry, your call has been ended by the other party… Press 1 to redial…"
7:59 PM
Van Helsing Manor
"WHAT? YOU MUST BE JOKING!" Victoria screamed into the phone. "HOW COULD YOU GO BACK TO THAT PLACE AFTER WHAT'S HAPPENED?"
"Victoria, please understand. This is work. I really need the money for my trip to Europe. I swear that I won't go into any deserted alleyway alone!" Tasha pleaded.
"ARE YOU INSANE? DESERTED ALLEYWAYS ARE THE LEAST OF YOUR PROBLEMS THERE!"
Victoria stopped and took several deep breaths before continuing. "Tasha, I think I know what killed your cousin. And if I'm right, then you're in just as much danger. Please go home. The Hollow isn't safe."
"Victoria, Chile wanted this for me. She really wanted me to get to go to Europe. She introduced me to this place to let me do just that! I'd be disrespecting her memory if I didn't do this." Tasha's voice wavered as she spoke of her late cousin.
"That's ridiculous! Chile would rather you be safe than have enough money to go to Europe!"
"Um… Victoria, I… crap," Tasha muttered, sounding distracted. "I have to go. My shift is starting. I'll call you tomorrow, okay? Bye."
Before Victoria could answer, there was click and a dial tone sounded from the receiver. She stared at the phone in shock. Tasha hadn't listened. She was still there –unsuspecting prey for Dracula.
Her jaw clenched and she slammed down the phone violently. Without a second thought, she turned and started out of her room, snagging her war jacket off the back of her chair as she went by. Her affectionately named "war jacket" was incredible – packed to the brim with hidden weapons. She could walk down the street in it and look like an ordinary teen.
Which was just what she needed to do.
I'm coming, Tasha. Stay safe.
The Hollow
8:33 PM
Count Dracula slid into the seat beside Tasha at the bar. When she did not acknowledge him, he reached out and began playing with her golden hair. "You are much too beautiful to be sad," he breathed into her ear seductively. "Tell me what's wrong?"
Tasha turned away. "I don't want to talk about it, if you don't mind," she murmured.
"Well, perhaps there are brighter things to speak of, then? Isn't your birthday coming up next week?"
"Yeah…"
"Perhaps an early birthday present will cheer you up." Dracula produced a single black rose out of nowhere – literally.
For the first time, Tasha gave the Count her full attention. "How did you do that?" She asked, slowly taking the rose.
"I'm magic," he answered, his cool breath tickling her cheek.
A wave of dizziness washed over Tasha. She grabbed onto Dracula in an attempt to stay seated. Ever the opportunist, he slipped his arm around her waist.
"You don't look so well, my dear," he said softly. "Perhaps some fresh air will do you good."
Tasha nodded weakly and let him lead her out the side door, into the alleyway beside the club. As soon as the cold, evening air hit her, Tasha's mind snapped into focus. Her eyes snapped around, taking in her surroundings frantically. When she realized that this was the same place that she had found her cousin murdered, she tensed and backed towards the door.
"Why are we here?" She asked warily.
The Count grinned at her, proudly displaying his elongating fangs. "I think you know why."
"Why?" She asked again, tears beginning to stream down her cheeks.
Dracula shrugged casually. "Because I'm a vampire."
Tasha made a break for it, but she was nothing compared to the reflexes of the Devil's son. In less than a second, she was pinned to the cold wall. Tasha's heart rate increased as terror began to seize her.
Slowly, torturously, the Count placed one hand behind her head and the other latched onto her shoulder. His prey shivered in fear.
God… Save me…
Benjamin Franklin Highway
Philadelphia
8:54 PM
It usually only took half an hour to get to the Hollow from Victoria's house. As it was, it had already been 55 minutes and counting. The traffic was appalling! Somewhere along the highway, a supply truck had tipped over and spilled its contents into the road.
It had been too long. So much could have happened by now. Victoria's hands clenched the steering wheel.
Please, God. Protect Tasha.
--
In the cold evening under a full moon, a homeless man walked by, clutching a tattered coat. He glanced aimlessly down one of the dark alleyways and caught a glimpse of a tall man bending over a young girl.
"Get a room, man! Geez…" The man muttered as he trudged on into the night, not knowing that he had just witnessed what might have been the end of a future.
Four Days Later
10:43 AM
St. John Cemetery
The chilly morning air was laced with the smells of fresh earth and dew. The black-dressed mourners stood around the mahogany coffin, within which Chile Baker's body rested. Mrs. Baker was crying softly into her husband's chest as the priest solemnly stated the last rites.
The faces of the other members of the congregation were grave and somber, but if one looked further, there was also fear. Tasha had almost shared the same fate as Chile, and she still could. She was currently residing within General Ford hospital, deep in a coma.
Near the back of the group stood Van Helsing and his daughter, both wearing grim faces. Victoria's hands were clenched into fists, her nails digging painfully into her palms. The dread that permeated the entire assembly was a very real one, and she knew that it would only increase if Tasha passed on without bearing witness of the murderer.
Victoria exchanged a glance with her father, who nodded. They turned as one and strode away over the sodden grass. Eyes blazing, she held her head high. The Van Helsings were ready, and more determined than ever.
It was time for War.
A/N: Sorry it has taken so long and that this chapter is sooo short! I'll try and do better next time!
Thanks to all my reviewers and my Beta reader! Please Review!