Dracula Arrives To Beach City

Chapter 13: Family memories

Dracula walked up to the stone door, he seemed to be in brief recollection.
Then, with what seemed like reluctance he pushed the doors open.

All three walked in, the room itself was deep in darkness until Dracula snapped his fingers and the entire room was lit up by different torches placed around it.

Garnet was shocked but kept a stoic face while Pearl's jaw dropped.
The room was shockingly huge. There had to be at least 800 stone graves, all with the dragon symbol on their graves. The room itself was circular in design with the well placed torches around it. But, in the center, there was a stone coffin, it was elevated above the other graves. Two stone slabs of different sizes of course keeping it above the other graves.
Dracula finally said something after a long period of silence. "Welcome gems, to my people's graveyard. This is what remains of my people and family. I spent an entire month preparing this place for them, then I spent another burying all of them here." Dracula said with a grim expression. Dracula continued, "I had to bury them, after the Ottomans were finally able to break through our defenses. They spared no one, they had supposedly killed me, then they killed my wife by slitting her throat. Then.....they took him, my only child.
Me and Mina, my wife had named him Adrian. I still do not know what those bastards did to him, I searched for centuries, even after when the Ottoman empire fell."

Pearl and Garnet remained silent. "Go on, look around, but I warn you. Do not disturb their rest." Dracula said while walking away, making his way to the elevated grave.

Garnet walked around, looking at the graves she felt a shiver run up her back. Pearl walked towards another set of stone graves, Pearl was never one to try and study human culture, but she understood the care and attention Dracula gave to these graves, especially the one holding his wife. The more she looked around, the more painful it was to remember what Dracula said. But, she couldn't help wonder, does this excuse his actions? Maybe not, then again, he was willing to save Steven and he spared them twice. She had a cold feeling that Dracula had been more merciful than he was used to being.

"What is this?" Garnet whispered to herself as she picked up a object that was leaning on a small grave.
She looked for a second and then, her eyes widened. It was a doll, a toy made for a human child.
"Her name was Julie, she was nine when she was stabbed to death." A voice said. Garnet turned around to meet Dracula staring at her with a blank face. "Wha-what?" Garnet asked, "I told you, the Ottomans spared no one, such is the price of war." Dracula said while walking away. The fusion was left in silence.

Dracula walked back to his wife's grave, he stared at it. When she first died, he felt sadness and anger when placing her in the grave, he felt like a disappoinment when burying his people, he felt like a failure when it came to his son. He felt all of those things in the first two months. Now, he feels hollow, and bitter. He couldn't stand the sight of the place any longer, he said his final goodbyes in his native language and called on Garnet and Pearl, telling them it was time to go. Just then, as they were preparing to leave, Dracula heard something, he stopped, looked around and listened intently. Then, he felt it, a surge of dark magic, so powerful and concentrated it was almost intoxicating to the Prince of darkness.
Then, he recognized it. "You both need to leave now!" He shouted, "Why? What's wrong?" Pearl asked clearly a bit panicked. "Can't explain right now, no time for it." He said while conjuring a portal, "This will directly land you both in beach city, hurry, we have barely any time before they sense you!"

Pearl and Garnet stepped through the portal, "What about you?" Garnet asked, "I'll be fine, I'll meet you both in beach city when it is over." Dracula said. As soon as both of them fully stepped through, Dracula immediately closed the portal. He also prepared himself for what came next.

He sat upon his throne, dressed in a black suit, a suit that spoke of elegance and class. He would need to wear it, ditching the hiking clothes he had packed for his journey. However, the amulet that protected him from the sun, stayed on.

He watched as three figures walked into his throne room, each of them bowing as they got closer to him. "Lord Dracula, it has been far too long since we talked, we had almost suspected you were dead." A feminine voice said, "Ah Carmilla, I had almost not recognized you under that ghastly hood, and who are your companions?" Dracula asked with fake sincerity.

Carmilla pulled down her hood, what was reveled was a beautiful but extremely pale face. Her hair was crimson red, along with the lipstick she wore. A significant contrast to her purple eyes, she eventually pulled off the cloak that was attached to the hood, carrying it in her right arm. Carmilla wore a dress that had a mix of red and black, her nails painted in a beautiful red. Even amongst Vampires, Carmilla stood out.

"My two companions, Count Orlok, and Victoria bonevont." Carmilla said while stepping aside. Count Orlok pulled down his hood and revealed a bald head, with pointed ears, along with a long nose, under his cloak, Orlok wore a black suit. "Greetings Count Dracula." He said with a accent that hinted german. "Same to you Orlok, it is a pleasure to finally meet" Dracula said. Victoria was next, like Carmilla, she had a beautiful but pale face, however, a significant difference in fashion. Victoria wore a blue dress with hints of purple, her hair was long, longer than Carmillas. It was a dark brown, around her neck was a black choker, with nails that were painted blue. She also stood out.

"A pleasure to meet you my lord" She said with a bow, she spoke with a accent that gave away french descent.
"As to you as well Victoria" He responded. "Now, why have you all come here? Dracula asked while standing up and walking down towards them from his thrown. "We have come to discuss something with you Lord Dracula, but we require the observation room for our demonstration." Carmilla said, "Very well, I shall lead the way." Dracula said while turning around and leading the group. The four eventually made it to the observation room, which so happen to be in the tallest tower of the castle.

The four Vampires joined around a large table, the table itself was beautifully crafted, a ring of gold on the outside rim of the table, with the center being made of oak wood. Carmilla pulled a red crystal and pushed into a slot under the table, then, the tablet came to life, it created a red hologram of the planet. "A projection crystal, I've not seen one in centuries, how have you and your companions come by one?" Dracula asked. "Those who simply look hard enough shall find them, in other words, I'm not telling you." Carmilla said with a smug smile. "Figures... Dracula said in response. "Anyway, I know these coordinates on the hologram and the answer is no." Dracula said.
"Why not? We could use them to our advantage once more." Carmilla said in response. "Carmilla, we are not releasing the vampire horde again, we could barely control them last time, and we have no idea how much they have grown in numbers since then." Dracula said. "Yes, we couldn't last time, but me and you have grown far stronger, I can sense it, especially you." Carmilla said in response. "The answer is still no, maybe we can control them this time, but I am no longer interested in a war with humanity, it's time we accepted that we have to coexist with them to survive. It's time you accepted that." Dracula said in a tone that left no more room for discussion.

Carmilla and here companions also sensed this. So they bid their farewell and left Dracula's castle, with clear disappoinment. "Hmm, I suppose now is the time to return to beach city." Dracula said, he opened a portal and walked through it. Dracula knew he couldn't trust Carmilla, she would activate the horde. Hopefully by telling the gems about it he could use their help to stop her.

To be continued...