"There was a note on my table saying Drake was healed by the vampire. Do you think it is true?" Leo asked his secretary.
"Why not call Drake and ask him personally?" he replied.
"Hmmm…I don't think he will tell us."
"Let's hire someone to spy him?"
"Call Kaelen to come to the office today."
"Okay, Mr. President."
*****
A loud knock on the door woke both Drake and Mr. Finch. Drake got up, rubbed his eyes, and headed to the door.
"Yo! Breakfast is ready," Lyra greeted them with a big smile.
Looking annoyed, Drake went downstairs, with Mr. Finch silently follows behind. Selena was already at the table, waiting for them to arrive. No one spoke as they ate, the silence louder than any words could be.
"You guys become mute?" Lyra interrupted while holding a jar of apple juice.
Lyra placed the jar on the table and sat next to Mr. Finch. She pricked his cheek, but he didn't move and remained emotionless.
"This guy needed to learn different types of emotions." Lyra said and they burst into laughter. "Why you guys here?"
"We're on the run." Selena replied.
"From who?"
"You don't have to know for your own safety." Drake said firmly.
"Ehh… I heard there was some commotion at the train station last night," Lyra said, her voice curious. "They say a vampire showed up and turned some of the passengers. Were you guys there when it happened?"
"No," Drake replied. "We'd already left before it happened."
"Okay. Then what's your plan now?"
"Nothing," he said flatly.
Laughter filled the dining area as Lyra joined them, but it was abruptly cut short by the blare of the town's alarm, making everyone panic. Lyra's mother suddenly rushed to close all the windows and doors. Lyra quickly helped her.
"What's going on?" Selena whispered.
"I don't know," Lyra replied, her voice trembling. "This is the first time I've heard the town's alarm too."
"Take any weapon you can find," Lyra's mother said, her eyes sharp and serious.
They all grabbed whatever they could. Lyra picked up a kitchen knife, Drake took his gun and sword, Selena found a wooden stick, and Mr. Finch simply clenched his fists.
"Whoa, really, Mr. Finch?" Lyra chuckled. "Mama, what's happening?"
"The vampires, they're here."
Selena leaned toward Mr. Finch and whispered, "Do you think it's our clan… or the Blackthorn?"
"I don't know, Lady Selena," he replied softly. "Not unless we see them ourselves."
Suddenly, a scream for fear and death. It was hard to tell where it came from.
"I'll check the situation," Drake said.
"Let me come with you," Selena offered.
"No, just stay here," he replied firmly. "Mr. Finch, keep them safe." With that, he turned and left.
The town had become a massacre. Bodies lay lifeless on the ground, and blood was everywhere. Drake wondered where the authorities were—why no one was coming to help. Where were the Slayers? This was their responsibility.
"Something is wrong," he said.
Four houses from Lyra house there's a vampire sucking a lady.
"They look different today," Drake muttered. "More aggressive… black eyes, drooling, and those claws—they're longer than before."
A vampire sees him and runs at him. The vampire tries to hit him with its claws, but he moves out of the way. This makes the vampire very angry. The vampire spins to hit Drake, but Drake sees what it's doing. Every time the vampire tries to scratch him, Drake dodges. Drake uses his sword and stabs the vampire in the belly. Even with a stomach wound, the vampire is still alive and fighting. Drake sprays holy water on the vampire, making it even angrier. Finally, Drake finds a chance to stab the vampire in the heart, and it dies.
After one vampire went down, three more saw him and ran toward him. The big vampire attacked first, while the other two went for his back. He grunted and lunged, his sharp claws out. One claw scraped his arm. It hurt. A thin line of blood appeared on his jacket. His own blood smells strong.
The smell of his blood tempted the vampire to sink its fangs into him. Drake ignored the pain. His jaw was tight, and he gripped his sword even tighter. Moving smoothly, he managed to take down two of the vampires by driving his blade through their chests.
But the last one was stronger.
The vampire kicked him hard, sending him sprawling to the ground. It grabbed his sword and gripped the hilt with both hands, trying to drive the blade down into him.
Drake's hands locked around the blade's edge, fingers slipping slightly as blood from a shallow cut streaked his palm. His grip was faltering. His fingers, raw and trembling, began to slide further along the crossguard with each passing moment. Each inch closer brought the cold tip nearer to Drake's heart.
Too close.
But then—
Drake's eyes turned red, and sharp fangs and claws emerged. The vampire was shocked at what he saw. Drake grew stronger and managed to twist the sword against the vampire. Then he pushed the blade hard—the sword plunged deep into the vampire's chest.
It took a few minutes before he returned to normal. Then, all at once, the pain from the wounds he had sustained during the fight hit him.
"What just happened?" Drake muttered himself.
He picked up his sword and slid it back into its scabbard. Scanning the area, he spotted a group of vampire slayers approaching. Not wanting to be seen, he quickly turned and made his way back to the hotel.