Chapter 73 - Revenge

Delia had made her decision.  Really it was the only one she could make.  She would allow Vladimir to turn her and join her daughters and her husband in vampirism.  She had seen the good that was in Vladimir and knew they would be happy forever.  Doing this would also allow her to help her daughters when the time came for them to be fully evolved vampires.  The last thing she wanted was for them to want to feed on their mother.  The only thing that put her off was the prospect of craving blood, but then there was always the plasma fruit that could provide sustenance. 

Delia went to Vladimir to let him know and plan the appropriate time for the transformation to take place.  She was a bit scared.  She told him and she could see him visibly relax as the stress of possibly losing her left his body.  She hadn’t realized how worried he was and knew immediately she had definitely made the right decision.  He said they needed to sit down and discuss exactly what Delia would go through during her transformation.

While they were talking, Vladimir received a text from William. Delia could see the tension come right back into as body as quickly as it had left him earlier. “Oh God….,” said Vladimir to no one in particular. “What’s wrong?” asked Delia. 

He didn’t immediately answer and kept looking at the phone grumbling under his breath.  Delia could see him scrolling through pictures that looked like the front of their house. “Vladimir, you’re scaring me.  What is it?” demanded Delia.

He looked up at her apologetically and with an expression that said that whatever he had received from William was VERY bad news, told her to get the girls and get them down into the basement adding – NOW! 

“But Vladimir, what,” started Delia when Vladimir interrupted her.  “I don’t have time to explain, just do as I say and do it right now.  Stay there until I come to get you,” and then he added, “If I am not back in two hours, call Elvira.”  Delia knew when he said that that something was indeed very, very wrong.

She ran from the kitchen and gathered the girls. She had no idea how she was going to explain the basement to them.  But she had no choice.  She followed the girls through the hidden entrance in the garage down the spiral steps. 

Delia was terrified and tried not to let the girls know just how frightened she was.  For Vladimir to suggest he may not come back made her nearly unable to function.  She told them that their father had heard someone outside the house and he wanted them to hide out here while he called the police to take care of it.  That sounded better than vampires run amuck.  She actually had no idea where he was or what he was doing. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vladimir looked at the picture on his phone of the two men currently standing outside the front of his house. William text’s said:  “Wogan is dead. Morrigan is responsible. There are two men outside your house now. Attached is the surveillance photo. They are likely involved. Get your family out quick. We will fill you in once everyone is safe. Be careful.” 

Vladimir couldn’t do nothing and just hide. He figured they couldn’t be as strong as him so he would have to risk it. He was fuming. When he approached them, they were indeed surprised and just stood there. He asked them who sent them and what they wanted. The blonde one seemed to be in charge. 

He put his finger in Vladimir's face and said, "We are here to deliver a warning. We will take out the “high and mighty” Vladimir, your human wife and half breed kids. How dare you disrespect the Twinbrook coven by destroying their leader and then running to Bridgeport to hide. Then you added insult to injury by destroying Bridgeport's leader and took over pretending like you were better than those you are supposed to lead. Hah! Leaders don’t hide themselves away from their flock unless there is something they are afraid of. We will be back."

“GET OUT!  Get out now, before I rip your throats out!!!  And if I EVER see either one of you again, believe me, I won't hesitate!” screeched Vladimir. 

Then the blonde one attacked Vladimir while the dark-haired vampire just watched as everything unfolded before him.

Vladimir was stronger and quickly overpowered the blonde. He told the blonde's buddy that he better get him out of here and never try anything stupid like that again and to tell whoever sent them, that they should come themselves instead of sending a couple of useless vampires to take care of their business. The dark-haired one finally spoke and said, "Come Ereek, Let’s leave now! We have delivered message." Vladimir released the blonde one named Erik and they both left in a blur.

Once he was satisfied they were gone, Vladimir ran to the basement to get Delia and the girls. They were going to have to talk now.  The time for preparation and delays had vanished.

When Delia heard the garage door, she panicked.  Her heart was beating out of her chest hoping it was Vladimir. Then, when the door opened and Vladimir stepped through, Delia threw herself into his arms while Victoria stood there waiting for her turn to get a hug from her father.  Delia was so relieved she said nothing. 

Then, seeing Victoria eyeing him expectantly, Vladimir smiled, reached down and pulled his youngest daughter into a hug and said, “Come on, Vickie-bear, let’s get you to bed. You are up way past your bedtime.”  Then he turned to Valerie and Delia and said, “You two stay here, I’ll be right back.”

Delia looked nervously at Valerie.  She knew her 16-year old was going to be growing up way too fast in the next few hours.  She was sure that Vladimir was going to tell her everything or almost everything anyway. Valerie would soon know that Morrigan was a vampire and that she too would become a vampire in a few years.  She would know that Morrigan was right and had shared information with her that her parents had not. She only hoped she would forgive them both when they were finished. 

When Vladimir returned, Delia was way too nervous to sit down.  She kept pacing back and forth. Finally Vladimir told her, “Sit down Delia!” and she did. 

Vladimir was the strong one.  He started explaining things to Valerie.  She was none too thrilled to hear any of it and looked away disgusted. She knew she couldn’t get up and leave the room which she sorely wanted to do, but she didn’t have to look at her father either. It was HIS fault she was like this and was going to become the same sort of monster that awful woman was that laughed at her at her birthday party.

Delia couldn’t take anymore of Valerie’s attitude.  She finally spoke up and vehemently defended Vladimir to their daughter. "Your father is NOT a monster. Everyone, human or vampire has choices to make in life. Anyone can choose the path of evil. Being a vampire does not necessarily make one evil as being human does not necessarily make one good. Take a good hard look around you Valerie.  You have been showered with love and I will not allow you to throw it all away because you are feeling sorry for yourself. Yes, we should have told you this sooner, but you have to understand how hard this is as parents. We didn’t want you burdened with this information, but now, in light of current events, you need to know for your own protection. I am not even sure if there ever was any way to tell you these things that would make it any easier. I am so sorry…...”  Delia was swallowing back tears by the time she finished her speech.

Valerie looked over at her father. She knew her mother was right. Then she asked the question of the day. “Dad, why didn’t you make mother a vampire if being one isn’t so bad?”

Vladimir was not about to go into his past right now with his daughter. He replied with a sigh, “I was not born a vampire like you. I was forced and we are not going to go into it right now, but I was not about to put your mother though that hell. However,” and he looked at Delia before continuing for confirmation, “your mother has recently decided that she does want to be turned.”  

“I don’t understand, why?” asked Valerie.  “There will be time later to discuss everything, including this room," replied Vladimir, "just know that you must keep this room a secret.  NOBODY, except the four of us should ever know about it. It contains very powerful magic and secrets that have yet to be uncovered. In the wrong hands it could be extremely dangerous. You should not come down here alone, ever.”  

Valerie smiled a weak smile, but it was enough for them for now. She said, “Don’t worry mom, dad. I won’t say anything.  But I do have a lot of questions.” “In time sweetheart, in time,” said Vladimir, “now we all need to get some sleep, no doubt Victoria will be up running around in a couple of hours.”  

Every time Delia thought she couldn’t love Vladimir more, she found out she was wrong. Her heart swelled with love for this man.

Valerie was starving so she went to the kitchen to grab something to eat before going to bed.  As she sat there alone, she began to think about all the things she had learned tonight. She felt almost like she was having her ‘last meal’. She now knew that one day she would never want to eat the delicious meals that her mom made for them all the time. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that or her mom becoming a vampire.  She had no doubt her parents loved her and they were clearly deeply in love with each other. You could feel the electricity between them when they were in the same room together and the way they looked at each other, she only hoped that some day she would find a man that would look at her like that.  How on earth did their paths cross? Why is her mom still so young?  She has two grown children, much older than she is. She understood her father's youth, but even he looked older than her. Is her mom really human – or is she something else all together? She didn’t think her parents lied to her exactly, but they most certainly left out huge pieces of their story. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, Vladimir told Delia she was going to have to stop working until this threat was over. It wasn’t safe right now. They didn’t need the money and the girls needed her to be around and frankly he did too. She understood and was secretly happy to quit.  She said she would go in tonight for the last time and give her resignation. Then when she got home, they could finalize the plans for her transformation. 

Delia got ready for work and found Vladimir to tell him goodbye. She flirted a little and told him to take a good look, this was the last time he would see her in her Chef costume. He called William to make sure he had someone watching her while she went into the restaurant.  "Yes, this is her last day," he said to William over the phone. 

 

Vladimir put the phone away and reached for Delia. "Be careful love,” said Vladimir, “Watch for anything suspicious. William will be watching too.”   

She kissed him, told him she loved him, and turned to leave saying she would see him later tonight. Then she added, “Keep my side of the bed warm,” winked at him and left.

Vladimir couldn’t help the sinking feeling he had watching her walk out the door knowing those two clowns were still out there.  But he needed to know exactly who was calling the shots so he, William and Elvira could put an end to this madness.

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Delia turned in her apron and hat at work, hugged all of her co-workers and turned to leave. As she was walking to her car she received a text message from William. He he told her to meet him across the street at the museum and he would ride home with her. Delia sighed and parked her car out front of the museum. When she didn’t see William outside, she went inside. 

Delia quickly found herself surrounded by two men, she was pretty sure were vampires, that she had never seen before. The blonde one said, “William got called away so we were sent here to wait with you until he returns. Follow us inside please.”

Delia suspiciously asked who they were. The blonde one said, “I am Erik and he is Javier.  Now come on.”  Delia continued inside the museum.  At least it was a public building but it was late at night. Feeling uneasy, she told them she needed to call her husband. “Shh. Put the phone away, Vladimir sent us. We have to be quiet so no one hears us,” responded Erik. 

They stopped walking when they arrived at a room deep within the museum on a darkened floor. Apparently this was their meeting place for William. Then Erik grinned and looked at Javier and said, “Do you want to go first?”  This was when Delia knew she was in trouble. 

Javier just grinned at her. Then he reached down and grabbed Delia’s arm. He sank his fangs deep into her wrist and began to drink greedily. There was nothing Delia could do to stop it with Erik there guarding her. 

Vladimir had fed from her but she knew it was different with him. Vladimir didn’t want to hurt her. With him it was love. This was pure terror.  Then she began to see red and feel light headed.  She thought she might faint or he may even kill her when she heard Erik yell, “Stop it stupid!  You are going to turn her.  Leave some for me! I let you go first so I could finish her.” 

Javier abruptly dropped her arm and walked away licking his lips and wiping the blood from his mouth. While she was still reeling, Erik barred his fangs in a show of what was to come next. Then she heard the Latin vampire speak for the first time, “Shhhh, Ereek.  Listen.  Someone comes.”  Erik slapped his hand over her mouth and they dragged her underneath the stairwell. 

After the person left, Erik wasted no time. He said he had waited for this moment for a very long time. “This is for Anastasia, bitch” he said as he grabbed the same arm Javier had just fed from and roughly tore into her flesh. He began to suck at her greedily and this time she was sure she would pass out. 

Then person from before, maybe a night watchman, approached and once again Javier spoke, “Come Ereek.  Leave her, we must go now.”  Erik grumbled and dropped her arm and they vanished in a flash.

Delia was woozy from the loss of blood and feared she was going to pass out.  If the guard had not walked by, she might even be dead.  She leaned against the wall to support herself while she tried to clear her head and think what to do.  

She remembered her cell phone and dug it out of her pocket and called Vladimir.  When he answered she lost it and began to cry. He told her to stay put that he would be there in 10 minutes. Those 10 minutes seemed like 10 hours to Delia.

When Vladimir arrived Delia fell into his arms apologizing for being foolish. "William texted me," she kept saying between sobs. He told her it wasn’t her fault to just rest.  He was here and all would be okay.

He picked her up and carried her to the car and gently placed her inside.  On the way home he called William to find out what happened.  There was no answer. So his next call was to Elvira. That is when he pieced together what must have happened. He recalled Elvira’s words from before:  “If you don’t want to be a widower again, never go out without a guard.”  William was guarding her, but someone had gotten to him and Delia paid the price. 

Delia had fallen asleep in the car. When they got home, he picked her up and carried to their bedroom and placed her gently on the bed to rest. Fortunately she would be okay and only suffered blood loss. The amount of blood loss may have been too much to survive as human though. The monsters may have turned her whether or not they meant to. He didn’t know how to tell for sure and how to break the news to her if indeed they did.  He would know in a few days. The nightmares that would come might wouldn't be taken care of near as easily.

No sooner had Vladimir placed Delia comfortably in bed, than he heard a commotion outside. The girls were asleep so he went outside to check. It was the same two vampires again. They were very likely responsible for what happened to Delia tonight. And even if they weren't they were going to pay anyway. He lost all semblance of self control and ran out to them prepared to kill them both. But this time they were better prepared for him. He approached the blonde vampire and told him he was going to kill him this time. The Latin vampire just laughed. 

While Vladimir was yelling at who he took to be the leader of the two of them, the dark vampire calmly walked over and plunged a wooden stake into Vladimir' heart. Vladimir screamed in agony while the two just stood watching fascinated as he died at their feet.    

“Well, that was easy. Good job Javier! We should have thought of this before,” said Erik “serves him right. Anastasia should have killed him that day instead of letting him live.  Now we just have to locate William and Elvira. Elvira is mine. I want to be the one to stake her.” 

Erik and Javier just laughed manically, then high-fived each other when Vladimir crumpled to the ground and became nothing more than a pile of dust.  When they heard the reaper coming to claim his soul, they quickly left in a blur. 

Delia woke up when the reaper came for Vladimir. She was still a bit unsteady but was feeling a little better.  She ran outside to see what was happening and saw the reaper.  He pointed to the pile of dust that was Vladimir. She lost it and began to cry hysterically. 

She didn’t see Vladimir’s red ghost standing behind her looking over her shoulder.  He promised himself that he would always be with her to watch over and protect her.  He said a silent goodbye to Delia, as the reaper impatiently showed him to his final resting place.  

Go to Chapter 74

Go back to Chapter 72