Blueblood

Story: Blueblood: Dracula

Chapter 6 Shot!

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

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Devon and Colin begin to bring Dragon over to a more normal Human life. Someone is shot.

Shot!

The response to Dragon's video broadcast was immediate. In just a few days we started getting messages from all over the world. Dragon's hypnotic voice carried and was just as potent as if he was standing right in front of them. We stood over Stan's shoulder as the others were gathering to share what they found that night.

Stan began feeling the weight of all the requests and messages coming in. "I need help again! Look at the number messages!" He said after he saw the volume of messages coming in. "Going through all these messages is going to be difficult. Authenticating the senders and there are so many of them!" He waved at his screen. "Even now there are more coming." He looked back at George and me. "How many vampires are there?"

Colin shook his head. "You don't really expect an answer, do you?" He grinned. "I feel it safe to say, there is a whole lot."

I bounced as I watched the screen and messages came on the screen. "And those are just the ones that have family or is connected to the Internet. I'm sure there are many more not connected." My eyebrows wiggled at the prospect.

Mark grinned. "That's what we wanted, isn't it?" He said as he hugged Stan from behind and then sat in a nearby chair.

The others were dressed for their patrolling in dark colors and warmer clothing as it got cold here at night. The dark colors were not to hide what they were, but not be easily seen by others who weren't vampires.

"Why is it always with the dark clothes?" I asked. "No matter what the country vampires wear dark clothes. Is there a dress code I should be told about?"

Willie grinned and pulled the serum gun from under his trench coat. "It doesn't attract attention and it's easier to hide this."

Mom kissed me on the cheek. "Besides, black is more slimming and always chic."

Stan nodded at Mark's question. "It's what we want, but sorting all this will take time." He turned in his chair. "What I said about hacking. The system can't be hacked; not easily, but there are others that are not vampires that are contacting us." He patted Buddy. "He can stop a lot of attempts to hack in." He looked back at the screen. "There are messages from Canada, the United States, England as well as other countries around the world. India, China, Japan, and others...I don't recognize some of these languages. Some of these are just teenagers and young adults that think it was cool what we sent out." He shook his head. "There are agencies also trying to get in." He chuckled. "So far, the FBI isn't one of them or MI5."

I squeezed Stan's shoulders. "That's because there is someone in those agencies that know who and what we are." I grinned. "We'll get you some help like before, Stan," I said patting him on the back as the others came in. "Mom can type over a hundred words a minute!"

Mom laughed and rolled her eyes. "Years ago."

"But I bet you're still fast," I said.

It was when Alex and Gabriella came in that drew our attention. Gabriella sighed wearily as she sat down as if exhausted. Alex gave a grim smile as he looked at us. "Things are getting strange out there."

"Strange?" Colin asked. "You mean, more strange that it is with vampires roaming around?"

Alex gave a grudging nod. "That's the problem, we haven't come across one the past few nights."

Colin frowned. "You maybe just didn't see them?"

"They can't just slink past us." Gabriella shook her head touching her nose. "It isn't even that." She explained. "A vampire has...a scent." She began. "The problem is...we're picking up a lot of scents, but they are crisscrossing their trails and confusing us."

"The vampire tracker can't pick up anything if no one's there," Shelly said putting the tracker down.

Alex nodded. "The thing is, there are a bunch of them."

"Dozens, maybe," Gabriella said.

"It's like when you're looking for footprints, but the area is so high in traffic there's no way to see how many people and where they go," Alex said. "I'm telling you, it's on purpose. They want to disguise their numbers and where they are."

Colin nodded. "Why?" He asked no one and everyone. "What is it they want?"

George came into the room with Burke. "They want to be the vampire of legend; like in those stories." He said hesitantly. "They want the power we are supposed to have."

"But we're not that kind of vampire! No one is! They don't exist." Colin said again stating the obvious. "That's why it's a story. They are all just stories. We have a physical condition, there's nothing supernatural or evil about us."

"Yet, we don't die," George said. "That one fact seems to make them think we are supernatural. The fact we don't die is supernatural."

I nodded as I thought and did what George and Colin did as I thought out loud. "You need to realize; these vampires are old." I looked at them again. "They believe we are more."

"Why? We simply haven't died." Colin asked. "It's not evil or good. There's no devil or god in anyone."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "When you were bitten, what did you think you were?"

"I knew I wasn't..." Colin said thinking about how to explain it. "At first, I didn't know! When the sun was about to rise, I could feel the danger and I knew I had to get somewhere safe, so I buried myself."

"How did you know to do this?" I asked.

Colin shook his head. "I don't know. Instinct?"

"An instinct that was clearly not...human," I pointed out, "and therefore, unnatural, but supernatural."

"What!?" Colin balked.

"We're dealing with a form of thinking that predates a lot of science." I pointed out. "Gaius and Dragon think they're going to be punished by God." I waved at Amasis. "He thought he was a god." I waved my hands at the overwhelming scope of what I was saying. "I'm not looking for a theological debate, but we're dealing with centuries of beliefs! Believing in gods is just one of those beliefs. Lucian believes we are products of supernatural...occurrences. So, why aren't we capable of more?"

Colin looked a little annoyed. "Because we aren't."

I nodded. "And Lucian needs to understand that." I shrugged. "You have to admit, Dragon has a talent that seems to appeal to everyone. He can influence almost anyone."

Mom frowned. "Having met him once, I have to say he does have that talent." She gave an appreciative nod. "And it's a pretty impressive talent."

"But it's human." I pointed out. "The ability to lead people...to hypnotize is very human." I said. "Dragon is Vlad the Impaler. He won't admit it, but he is. He had this ability when he was a man. Now that's he's lived as long as he has...it just got better...stronger at using it. It's like our ability to see or smell." I waved at Gabriella and Alex. "They pick up on scents I can only sense in close range. They can almost see a trail left by the scent. That ability is more than natural to me; our hearing...the same thing. Lucian and his followers see those enhancements, too. They think with time and teaching, they can become that legendary vampire all the stories are about."

"It's not possible," George said. "We are not supernatural." He shook his head.

I shook my head. "We are! You said it yourself!" I said. "We don't die from any natural cause, that's supernatural."

"Our life spans are a result of the venom. There is a biological reason we don't die." George said. "We're kept alive to feed the venom and pass it on."

I looked at Mom. "Have you seen the venom under a microscope?"

Mom shook her head. "Not really."

"How do you know you have it?" I waved at George. "He could be lying about all this."

George looked at me like I'd lost my mind. "I'm not! You know I'm not."

I nodded. "But she hasn't seen that." I looked at Amasis and Wayne. "You haven't seen it. Do you believe what he's done and says about what we are?"

Wayne also looked puzzled. "He's not lying. We are sitting here as the result of what he's found out and treatment."

"Well, not to lecture, but...man came up with explanations for what he saw and the Earth. That is the religions of this world." I said. "The sun and moon rotated around the Earth. We know now...having seen the evidence we are moving around the sun. Then we found out or entire solar system is rotating in a galaxy and that galaxy is floating in space. We're always in motion. Nothing rotates around the Earth but the moon." I smiled. "I know this because I've seen the evidence. I know there is a venom because I've seen it." I waved out of the house, "they do not.

Colin nodded. "He's right. We just introduced the idea of the venom recently."

"The Devine spark we carry as men and women is still there," I said. "We are aware of ourselves. We have venom. That spark is still there, but we're now...hosts...to the venom. We never lost our souls."

"But you believe in God?" Burke asked.

I chuckled. "Whether I believe in God or not is irrelevant." I shrugged. "I believe there is something about us that's special. I know the life here is much too complicated for my understanding...I have a hard time believing it's just random and not a plan. I don't care how long it took." I waved again at Amasis. "He was born before Christ was even born! He's not a Christian. Is he a child of any god? He's human! These vampires are men and they were raised to believe a certain way. We can't expect them to accept what we tell them about ourselves without proof!"

"How can we prove that?" George asked. "We have no idea what their education was. Would they know what we say if we show it to them?"

"We don't have to." I smiled. "We ask them the question. Are they now evil?" I shrugged. "I don't feel any different. I am a vampire, but I'm still me. I still have a slightly warped sense of humor I've always had. I love movies and often quote them and compare situations that remind me of movies," I grinned as they were nodding, "as you well know." I chuckled they laughed. "I'm not evil. We need to ask them if they are." I smiled at Wayne. "Even those we classified as wild have their humanity. Wayne got his back. He got his mind back." I held my hands out. "Dragon is going on the serum, right?" I asked George.

"Yes, I was planning to do it tonight." George nodded.

"We may put that off for another broadcast," I said smiling. "We need to show them that what they are has nothing to do with what you did wrong or even lack of faith. The one basic is a belief. We'll show Dragon as a vampire." I grinned. "What is the one thing that drives a vampire back in almost all the movies and stories?"

"A cross?" Mom said. "Holy water?"

I nodded. "We'll have the broadcast where Dragon does not burn because of a cross...or a Star of David or any other religious icon. He is not evil. He's infected, just like we are. Like measles or any disease that doesn't care what you are, it can infect you and will."

"But he may believe, in his mind, he is evil," Gabriella suggested. "His mind will tell him he is and burn?"

I shook my head. "Not if he doesn't know it's there." I chuckled. "And it would have to be a powerful mind to cause him to burn because he believes it will. He has a strong mind, but I intend to prove he's not evil." I looked at Colin. "I think we need to include Gaius in this as well."

"That could be dangerous," George said quietly, uncertain how I was going to do this. "Men of this time were willing to go to war and die for what they believed. Dragon killed brutally to defend his people and beliefs."

"Yes, he did. The Ottoman Empire soldiers were his victims, but it could make a difference for us." I said. "I'll be careful. I've seen him enraged and I don't want that again." I smiled at George. "You would die for your beliefs I have no doubt, but I'll be careful."

It was later in our bedroom when Colin came over. He slid beneath the sheets beside me.

"This plan of yours...to prove to Dragon he is not evil...what is it?" Colin asked.

I shrugged. "I'm sort of...winging it." I said softly. "There is no real plan, but something I intend to do."

Colin looked very uncomfortable now. "Winging it." He chuckled, but not happily and nodded as he stretched out beside me. "Listen, Devon...when you married me...I had no idea what was going to happen." His admission was hesitant and he didn't look at me directly. "I knew you were special, but I had no idea how special you are." The chuckled was not because he was trying to be funny, but...

I lifted his head so he had to look at me. "Colin." I began. "What is it that you don't want to say?"

Colin grinned and looked surprised a little. "How do you know I have something I don't want to say?"

I brought him into a kiss which he readily responded to. "Because I know you," I said simply. "You have this way of easing things before you tell me something not good," I said looking in his emerald eyes. "I think I know it, but..."

"I worried about what we're doing," Colin said. "Worried about what we're doing? Or what I'm doing?" I asked with a smile. "Stop that!" Colin smiled and shoved me lightly. "I'm serious. This Dragon is who we know he is. This man is a dangerous man. He can hurt you." "I know." I nodded. "When I bit you...I brought you into a life..." Colin started. I held my finger to his lips. "Don't say it again," I said softly. "You didn't know how it was going to turn out," I said simply. "This life is not what you had in mind and so forth. How could you have?" Colin frowned. "Stop saying what I'm going to say!" He pushed me down and crawled over me to look down at me. "Knowing me as well as you do...is kind of irritating." He grinned. I nodded as I smiled at him. "Sorry." I gave him a look of patience, but it was put there on purpose. "Go ahead."

"Be serious." Colin urged. "Winging it may be what you want to do, but I want you safe." He shook his head. "Since we met, there have been some dangerous characters like Brett Marshall who attacked you because of me. I don't want you to be putting yourself at unnecessary risk."

I rolled us so I was on him. "Look, Colin. When I met you, I was just hoping to get a job. Instead, I meet the man of my dreams who turns out to be a vampire." I chuckled. "As I got to know you, I find out you're an amazing human being. Now you're my husband."

"But I've put you in danger!" He said sadly. "And not just you, your mother, too."

"Mom is fine," I said smiling. "She's happy. She met a great guy and happily married to him." I gave a grudging shrug. "No, I didn't marry a regular guy. I've been in combat, I've seen a lot of things I wish I didn't, but I have no regrets about being in this life." I looked at his eyes. "You're not having regrets, are you?"

Colin looked surprised. "About marrying you? No, but this is not an easy life. There are those out there that want to kill us."

"You're worried I could be hurt by Dragon." I nodded. "Do you trust me?"

Colin rolled his eyes. "Of course." He looked at me harder. "I trust you! It's Dragon I'm not sure of."

"Was I wrong about Wayne?" I asked. "Was I wrong about the Old Ones? Or Alex?"

"I don't know about the Old Ones," Colin admitted. "They are dangerous, too."

"To regular people, yes. To us? No." I said. "They're like...children." I shook my head. "I can't explain it, but...I just know Dragon won't kill me."

"How?" Colin asked. "I thought I was the one that could sense people."

"You can....about business and stuff...it's like when I explained about the heightened senses. It's a part of who we are." I struggled to find a way to explain. "When I confronted Dragon about him judging himself...I knew he was going to blow up." I chuckled. "I was right. He did blow up. I have never been so scared in my life, but I knew...I knew...he wouldn't hurt me." I shook my head again. "I don't believe he will this time either."

"How do you know?" Colin stressed again.

I had to think. "I just do." I grinned. "But you know...I've been feeling a little of that disconnect with you recently."

"Oh?" Colin asked with a smile. "We'll have to do something about that." Then he got serious again. "Just one more thing, though. I trust you. I love you. Because of that, I'm super protective of you. You're a grown man and I adore everything about you, but...understand...I will always question your safety."

I nodded as I leaned down and kissed him again. "That's the man you are." I reasoned. "You really killed those men that were going to attack Gabriella...I have no doubt you'd do it for me. Just...trust me. Okay?"

"Okay." He grinned and rolled us over again. "Enough vampire talk. We need to reconnect."

I nodded pulling him down to kiss me fuller, which I returned with as much feeling. "I love you."

Colin grinned back. "I know. I love you."

I increased the pressure of our kiss. "I know."

We all went below ground to Dragon that night.

"Here we are again into the Dragon's Lair." Mark grinned to me as he waggled his eyebrows as he helped Stan bring his equipment down.

I rolled my eyes. "How long did it take you to come up with that one?" I asked, but it was pretty good.

Colin pulled me aside. "Devon, I know you can reach people that I wouldn't even dream of trying to reach. We discussed it last night...or this morning...whatever it was, but I'm still trying to protect you."

I nodded. "I know."

Colin said as he looked at Dragon. "He could snap your neck...I don't want to lose you."

I kissed him. "I know he could, but...I told you, I don't think he will, just like I knew he wouldn't that time I confronted him telling him he wasn't evil. In spite, what he believes he is, he's a logical man." I patted him on the chest. "You are my strength. I thought about you when I confronted Dragon about him being evil that last time." I grinned. "Now, I'll show him." I kissed him again deeper. "And I told him if he hurt me...you'd kill him."

Colin chuckled. "And I would, but he could probably kill both of us."

I nodded again. "I also said my mother, Willie, and all the others would kill him." I gave him a sly grin. "I even told him George would probably do it and he knew more about us as vampires and it wouldn't be easy if he did."

Colin nodded as he leaned closer pressing his face against my neck. "No, it wouldn't."

When Gaius got there, I told them both what we were doing; as in, explaining that what we are had nothing to do with what kind of person we are, we were infected, plain, and simple. Then George would be giving Dragon his serum. Then I further explained what we were going to do and why we were broadcasting again.

Stan looked at me and waved toward us. "In this broadcast...we don't need to be so secretive. The best angle will be if he sits up more." He waved at his tablet that was acting as a monitor. "See?" He waved at Dragon. "If you could sit up for a better image?"

Dragon was again caught up in the technology; he didn't pay that much attention to what I was doing. I got what was needed and put it behind him. The gold cross, I had leaning against him.

"Just sit up," I said. "The best angle will be a direct focus on you."

Dragon shook his head. "So many marvels in this world. I feel I've missed so much."

"That's why we're here. To catch you up." I grinned and patted him on the shoulder.

We assembled around the chamber as Dragon spoke again to everyone out there. Stan's coaching of him to sit up paid off. He never leaned back on the cross. "...there is a vampire among us that is leading others of our kind to a conflict. Do not be deceived. Lucian is not telling the truth. Our enemy is not mankind, do not become an enemy to us." He said "...and in conclusion, we are simply carrying an infection. There is evidence and we will show you this evidence." The screen showed the images of normal blood and vampire's blood. Then it showed the venom that Wayne had given to George before when he was a wild vampire with George explaining what they were looking at. "See for yourself. We have an illness. We are not the pawns of Hell."

I walked up and all that could be seen was my torso. "Neither are you," I said to Dragon. "You are not evil; neither is any one of you evil just because you have this condition," I added as I reached behind Dragon and picked up the gold cross he had behind him. I rested it against his forehead. "Nothing. He is not evil. I am like you, but it didn't harm me. Nor is it harming Dragon."

Dragon had not seen what I'd pulled from behind him. He sat back as he focused and his eyes widened as he sat back suddenly in shock.

"Don't jump back now; you've leaned on it for quite a few minutes," I said. "I told you, you aren't evil," I said softly so only he could hear. "Do you believe me now?"

"You tricked me." Dragon whispered angrily becoming angrier.

I nodded. "I did it to prove a point to them and to you. You are not evil. Otherwise, you'd be a cinder by now." I pulled out some other icons of religious faiths and placed each against him. The cross was his concern, but I said without showing my face. "He is not evil. He has a soul like all of you do. What you have is an infection. You can be a criminal or a saint, you were bitten and carry an infection. We have treatment. We need others that can help us with this treatment."

Gaius was staring wide-eyed at the objects I pulled out. "It's true?" He reached tentatively for the large cross I was holding, but not sure he could touch it. "I'm not evil?"

I smiled at Gaius and shook my head. "No." I held the cross out to him. "Take it. I'm not evil. It won't hurt you. It's not hurting me and we are the same. We're vampires."

The broadcast did show Gaius taking the cross, which didn't burn him. Now that he had moisture in his eyes it showed that there were tears coming down his face.

"For centuries...I thought..." Gaius said softly. He looked at Dragon. "It doesn't burn!" He smiled through his tears. "I'm not evil. I have a chance."

"Just like everyone else," I said. "Believe me."

"What did you do?" Dragon asked still concentrating on the gold cross, but was still not quite...comfortable holding it. He gave it back to me.

I smiled at Dragon. "I did what I believed you could not argue with. I showed you...you're not evil."

Gaius was marveling over being able to touch the cross. "Before, it did burn."

I looked at Gaius. "You saw it coming?"

"Yes." Gaius nodded.

"It burned because you believed it would burn." I shrugged. "You made it burn. You did, not God."

"That was dangerous. I could have struck out and killed you." Dragon said.

I nodded. "You've lived in a prison...thinking if you were evil for what...five hundred years?" I looked at Dragon and Gaius. "You both are smart men. You both have killed, but as you have said before...not without cause." I nodded. "I suppose if you did kill me, you would have thought you had a cause, but I don't sense you're bad men. I didn't believe you would."

Dragon shook his head. "Maybe I am not a bad man." He said softly.

"No, you're not," I said as soft. "The fact that it's bothering you that you might be, tells me you're not."

Gaius held his hand out to take the cross again. "I just need a few more moments with it."

I handed it back. "Sure, Gaius."

Dragon grinned slightly. "How did you come to this opinion?"

I shrugged. "I could tell."

He looked at me. "What is your take on Lucian and Iilya?"

I chuckled again. "Well, I get the opinion that Lucian was bullied a lot as a child and teenager. Now, he feels he has some power and is striking back at the world."

"That may be, but..." Dragon began.

I held my hand up. "I say it's a reason, it's not an excuse."

"Oh." Dragon grinned. "But Iilya...?"

Then I frowned. "Iilya is another story."

Dragon nodded. "And what story do you get from Iilya?" He sat back smiling to see if I got what he did about Iilya.

Now, I didn't smile. "That is a man that would scare me before he became a vampire." I shook my head. "From what I understand about Iilya, he was KGB in the fifties and sixties...from what I learned in school; that was a time of intense paranoia for Americans and Soviets. The Cold War was on full and we feared nuclear holocaust every day." I nodded. "If he is what I think...of course, I could be just seeing the propaganda given about them and those times. He is a greater threat, not Lucian."

Dragon nodded. "Because you see there is another agenda?"

I chuckled, but it wasn't because I saw amusement. "Oh, yes. We have a man that was raised to think a certain way, though I think that thinking has been influenced by his desire for power."

Dragon nodded again as he rose. "You sense a lot for someone...so young."

I shrugged. "I can't help the age thing, but I can see a man who wants more than he claims. Iilya does. How did he get into your group?"

"He didn't." Dragon smiled as he got closer to me, but shook his head. "He was a victim."

"Because Lucian bit him?" I asked surprised.

"No, Iilya wasn't the victim. Lucian was." Dragon explained. "Lucian was...as you perceived, abused by people growing up." He looked almost sympathetic when he continued softly. "He starved for any positive attention. He craved any affection. Iilya gave that to him."

I looked at him uncertainly. "You mean sex?"

Dragon nodded and then shrugged. "Iilya was willing to do whatever was necessary to get inside our ranks which Lucian allowed."

"Iilya did it to get to you." I clarified.

"It was Iilya that kept asking about the secrets of being a vampire." Dragon said as Colin walked up. "It was he that told Lucian about the stories and swore there must be truth in them."

"Apparently the vampire movies made it to Russia back then." I shrugged. "Or they made them up themselves. I'm sure there were movies about them, but..." I shrugged.

"How did you begin to see these things in a man's personality?" Dragon smiled asking.

"My work when in service..." I began. "I saw men, women, and children suffer because someone wants power. I've seen the looks of zealots and people who think they deserve more than anyone else. Iilya has that look."

Colin put his arm around me. "Not everyone over there was like that; even in the Middle East."

I nodded with a real chuckle. "No, there were some very real highlights. Adil." I smiled at the memory. "He'd be in his late teens now. He was five when I met him. He was charming and he knew very little English, but he liked the fact we were soldiers. He was fascinated by us and the uniforms..." I chuckled. "...of course, the guns, but I didn't carry a gun."

Dragon's eyes widened. "No gun? No weapon at all!? You were a soldier."

I shook my head. "I was a medic." I corrected. "I was there the save lives, not kill."

"What if you were threatened?" Dragon asked.

"I was supposed to carry a smaller gun," I admitted. "A thirty-eight if my saying what kind of gun I was to carry means anything to you. It's a small handgun. Mostly I carried a med-kit satchel of medications. I didn't make room for the gun." I chuckled remembering. "I won his confidence by giving him Reese's Peanut Butter Cups."

Dragon grinned. "I take it that was a form of...sweets?"

"It is," Colin said grinning. "Devon's preferred treat."

I shrugged. "Peanut butter and chocolate!? Who could not like that?" I patted him on the arm. "I look forward to you having one soon. Then you'll know."

I had taken a risk with Dragon, but we knew that something was going to happen. We stayed below during the nights. Iilya and Lucian couldn't strike us during the daylight. We didn't know what sort of following those two had, but we knew there would be something soon, but we had not anticipated an attack after the sun was up. The attack was by men, not vampires.

Dragon had gotten the first dose of the serum. As with every vampire that took it, there was the pain. It was after he had gone to sleep that Colin, George, Burke, Gaius, Chuck, Mark and I were walking back to the house.

The surrounding countryside of Transylvania was kind of creepy even in the morning light. The trees shrouded much in darkness. As the season was changing now, it was cooler in the morning and there was the morning mist that caused the tree-shrouded grounds to seem that way. My love of movies and the stories about this part of the world only added to my unease. The fear of this area was due to that, I thought, but I could sense...something...

Making it through a wooded section a group of five men jumped out of the mist before we got to the town itself. We wore the translators always as there were some who did not speak enough English. A blonde man at the head of the group snarled.

"Fi plecat americanii! Noi nu va ceda!" The translator came back with Be gone Americans. We will not surrender! Then I saw a gun rise from his jacket as he began firing wildly at us! What happened next was a little fast, but Colin threw himself in front of me and tackled me down and I hit the ground hard, jolting me. I heard Chuck yelling at Mark who was yelling something back and then...I'd seen a video of a man that filmed a grizzly bear attacking and it was almost like that when Gaius came at them with a howl and charged the attacking men. I had gotten caught in a firefight, as they called it when I served in the Middle East and my training kicked in immediately and remained low, but Colin looked at me surprised and to my horror as he was suddenly not able to breathe as he gasped!

"Oh, god! Colin!! No, Colin!" I screamed as I looked down at him. He'd been shot in the back in the upper left portion of his back. I knew from the many injured I'd treated he had the bullet puncture his lung. "Colin, hold on." I scrambled for George's med-kit and grabbed something to plug the hole. I looked as I saw George moan and hold his arm, but his was concerned with Burke who was concerned about George. Mark and Chuck had been behind us and they didn't seem to be hit but had sprung into action at the five men that attacked us. My focus was Colin as I began pulling his shirt open, I saw the exit wound where the bullet had passed through Colin. The exit wound looked very bad, but it didn't pass anywhere near the heart. Clearly, it had gone through his lung. The entry was just a clean little puncture. I began rummaging quickly through the supplies and got out the tape and opened a package for some sterile gauze. I didn't need the gauze, but the plastic was needed. I had to put covering over the wounds as his lung could deflate and he could bleed into that lung. "You've got a penetrating chest wound, Colin," I said as I knew I was shaking. "The bullet penetrated the lung." I rolled him over, cleaned the skin with alcohol and stuck the packaging over his entry wound taping plastic down. The newly cleaned skin would help the tape stick. Working fast was how you saved lives and I was not going to let Colin die. Then I went to his exit wound which was bigger and messier. Again, cleaning the skin I taped again the plastic over the wound. "Easy, Colin," I said as I worked. "You're going to be fine. This will help you with your breathing." I said more to assure me as well as him.

"Son of a bitch, that hurts." Colin managed as his gasping eased, but his eyes widened when he looked at me. "Devon, you were hit, too!" He said touching the left of my chest and brought back a bloodied hand.

I hadn't noticed in the excitement. That jolt I felt must have been the bullet as well as the fall. "I'm fine." I looked around at chaos as the men that had jumped out us fled. Gaius was angry but looked back to see who was hurt. Seeing Colin was shot and I was also bleeding, George was shot, but the most critical was Colin.

"I'll get help!" Gaius said and hurried toward the village.

That's when I was aware of some pain where I had been shot. From what I gathered; the same bullet that had gone through Colin had lodged itself in me? I didn't know for sure, but Colin had placed his body in the way of the shot. The way he had covered me with his own body had slowed the bullet and now it was lodged in my upper left chest below my collarbone and I was hurt, but I didn't wait to feel it. The rush at the time had filled my perceptions and I had to stop Colin's lung from threatening his life. I went over to George to find his wound was also not too severe. The bullet wound had again been clean, but he was shot in the upper arm and it had gone in above the elbow and below the shoulder. I felt the moment where I'd gotten my energy from the adrenaline rush was waning and I began to get dizzy. Burke was helping George, but I was losing a good bit of blood and lost consciousness as I finally went down.

When I did wake up, I was in a bed, but the surroundings told me it was a hospital room. This was definitely not a hospital in the United States for the building was much older than most I'd seen. It was clean, but the age showed, but the equipment was modern. A young dark-haired woman entered the room and smiled at me.

"Văd că suntem treji acum." She said.

I frowned as I looked over the area. I was groggy, but I looked for my translator. "I don't have my translator. What did you say?"

She chuckled as she nodded. "Is that what is what that thing was?" She asked in accented English as she went to a cabinet and pulled a bag out. "I said, you're wake now. My name is Lena." She pulled the earpiece and device out. "Is this what you seek?" She handed it to me and helped me sit up a bit more.

I took the device and looked at it. "That needs recharging." I shook my head. Looking around I saw no one else. "There were others with me," I said. "Colin Wentworth, George Holms, John Burke..."

The woman nodded. "Colin Wentworth had surgery and is in another room. You were unconscious a whole day."

I sat up quickly. "Is he alright?" I asked more urgently. "I need to see him."

She smiled. "Our best surgeon worked on him. He's been unconscious until recently." She looked at me curiously. "He's your brother?"

We had received very little problem with Colin's and my marriage with others we'd met, but I was cautious. "No. He and I are married."

Her eyes did widen a little. "Oh?"

I chuckled. "No matter what country or language, I'm used to the..." I did air quotes, "...oh." I looked at the bandages on my shoulder. "Is the fact that I'm married to a man going to help or hinder my and Colin's recovery?"

She shook her head. "No." She said quickly. "I'm just...surprised."

"Why?" I asked.

I heard someone else enter the room. "We do recognize gay unions in Romania, but we do not allow them to marry." A male voice at the door said. His accent was telling me he was a local. The man that was in shape, but was in his late forties or early fifties with gray hair was at his temples and beginning to take over his dark head of hair. He walked over and stood by my bed. "I am investigating this...incident." He stuck his hand out. "I'm Sorin Dulca." He pulled his wallet thing out and showed me a badge.

"I say again, is the fact that I'm married to a man determine whether or not we recover?" I asked.

"Of course not," Lena said quickly and smiled and shook her head. "Doctor Petran is treating you and she's very good." She patted me on the arm. "Your...husband is in good hands." She assured. "He's doing well from what I understand. We'll have you transferred to a room together later." She looked at the investigator. "Play nice. He was shot." She said as if to remind him and left.

"Which brings me to some questions." Inspector Dulca said smiling tightly. "What brings you to Romania, Mr. Wentworth?"

I smiled, but this was a first for me. "We are working on a computer program, which I can't show you without power." I held up my translator. "No power."

He nodded, but he did it the way that all cops do when they suspect something else. "What sort of program?"

"It's a translating program," I explained. "There are some...like us in the United States that aren't forced to learn other languages as you do...which to me, leads to a little xenophobic as Americans think everyone should speak English. We never are bothered to learn other languages." I pointed out. "When we have power again, I can show you how it works. This country has a lot of languages spoken here. We go around speaking to various people and it builds our database to hopefully make a world-wide translator."

He nodded. "And what sort of program needs a doctor to accompany them?"

"George is a friend and an investor." I shook my head as I saw his unsatisfied reception of what I'd said. "You'd know..." I began, "if you knew me...you'd know I'm a big fan of movies and television." I chuckled. "I'm also a big fan of people and their behaviors." I was careful with my own body language. I remained loose and casual by not folding my arms over my chest, which I knew would hurt my shoulder if I tried. "The line of questions and your behavior tells me you suspect something illegal was happening."

"Was there?" The man asked. "It's the nature of my job to be suspicious." He chuckled explaining and nodded as he walked a little. "I'm a study on human behavior, too." He was not an ugly man, but he was shrewd. He had a practiced mean look he was...almost...using. "I can always tell when someone lies...or leaves things out." He nodded. "I suspect that's what's happening here." He looked at me critically. "You didn't know you're attackers?"

"Why would we lie?" I shook my head. "No, I've never seen them before."

"And you don't know what was the motive for the attack?" Sorin asked.

I nodded. "I think I know...or I suspect I do, but I can't be sure." I answered honestly. "The house we rented was ransacked a couple of weeks ago and equipment destroyed. We leased the use of the former Soviet military base to be more secure." I looked out the window. "I'm in Barsov, aren't I? I recognize the clock tower I see from here. The mayor here leased it. George Scriparu allowed us to do that. He knows why we're here and what we're doing. We showed him how our program worked and he was all behind it."

Inspector Dulca nodded. "Yes, he was the one that assigned me this case." He pointed out. "He was concerned about the welfare of some rich American businessmen in our country was attacked and wanted me to investigate personally." His tone told me he was still suspecting more. "Which I will do, but I find it odd for men...out early in the morning...a doctor with a medical kit...two men I find out are FBI agents..."

"The doctor I explained. The FBI agents are friends, as well. They are also with us to protect the equipment we were using." I said logically making sure my tone was even. "The program is used by the United Nations so it's of international importance. Mark and Chuck weren't armed. Shelly is also with us and an agent with the FBI, but standing guard over our equipment at the base. We've complied with all laws in Romania. We simply wanted to gather the languages here. I will be glad to show you once the translator is charged."

A woman came into my room. "I hope you're finished, Inspector." She was in her early forties, her hair was cut short and was blonde, but she had it treated as I'd seen many women who were going gray as a blonde and had it...frosted? She was a little heavier than she needed to be. Not fat, but just...had a few more pounds than she needed. "Hello, Mr. Wentworth. I'm Dr. Laurel Petran. I treated you, getting the bullet out of your shoulder." She greeted me shaking my good hand and looked at the Inspector who said something to her in Romanian to which she spoke back in Romanian. Then she smiled at me. "And I think we should speak English as you do not speak Romanian. We would be rude not to."

I frowned and chuckled. "No, I can't speak Romanian without this." I held the translator up. "Once powered, I will. I love that you all seem to be able to speak many languages. I wish I could, so we're coming up with this to help everyone do that."

"Inspector Dulca was asking about the vials from the medical kit Dr. Holms was carrying." Dr. Petran said. "I told him it was nothing narcotic and was not illegal." She explained. "And I asked him to leave while I speak with you. Doctor/Patient confidence."

I nodded. "Oh, I see."

Inspector Dulca nodded. "Well, we know where you are." He said to me. "I assume you're not leaving for a while?" He asked.

I shook my head. "We're not finished here. We'll be here a few more weeks or even months."

Inspector Dulca nodded. "I'll be in contact. I hope you recover well." He said and walked out.

Dr. Petran nodded as she escorted him to the door and shut it. Turning to me, her face changed. She was also suspecting more and I knew I couldn't fool her. "I would appreciate some information, though." She walked over. "Your husband's wounds were treated very well. His life was saved by some quick thinking by someone. He claims that was you."

I nodded. "I was a medic in the military. I've done aid in the field."

She smiled. "That was a first-class field dressing done...top notch."

"Is he recovering?"

She nodded. "Of course. I asked Dr. Holms some questions and he just said it was a condition he was treating." She said. "We ran some blood tests on all of you." She folded her arms over her chest. "Care to tell me what is in your blood I've never seen before?" She pulled my arm up. "And what is this?" She tapped my disc of serum. "You all three have them and versions of the same element in your blood. You all have low heart rates, low body temperatures. I told the Inspector we did run tests on the vials and you have the same substance in your own bodies." She said. "It comes from this, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does." I answered, but feeling a tingling in my armpits as I was being cornered. I couldn't just evade the questions. "As you said, it's not an illegal substance, but we all share a single condition that Dr. Holms found a way to treat. He came up with a drug that treats this condition."

"Which is?" She asked.

"I won't insult your intelligence; we all have a form of Polymorphous Light Eruption." I prayed she'd leave at that.

She nodded, but I knew she wasn't going to let it go. "And it's pretty severe, but I have a problem with that explanation." She said sitting beside my bed in the only chair. "The substance in your blood would have no effect on the skin cell lesions." She sighed. "But I noticed something else in your blood; if anything, I'd say this..." she touched my disc again. "This substance keeps whatever is in your blood from having an effect. I studied abroad. That's the reason I speak English as well as I do. I've learned a good deal in America as well as in England. I will say there has never been a sample of this in any of the hospitals or clinics I studied in." She looked at me firmly. "What is it?"

"You'd think I was crazy if I tell you," I said and sighed. "I was bitten and I have a venom in me that will never go away. This disc makes a serum that keeps me from becoming..." I started, but couldn't say the word.

The door opened again. "I hope Dr. Petran, when you do know. This goes under the doctor/patient confidentiality." George said firmly. "You will tell no one."

She looked up at George. "Of course."

I sighed in relief. "Hi, George! Thank god you showed up."

Dr. Petran nodded. "I have to keep it between us...you were about to say...to keep you from becoming what?" She asked again.

"Vampires," I said.

Dr. Petran didn't even look shocked. Perhaps like many here in this part of the world, knowing about the reality of vampires was accepted, just not spoken about so openly. "You become vampires." Like with many others, it wasn't a question.

I saw her face and saw she was still struggling with it. "Take your time," I said smiling. "We get this sort of reaction in every country."

"You were out in the day time when you were attacked." She said, still working it out in her mind. "You were injured pretty severely. None of these things are questioned, but it's not the accepted...way things are supposed to be."

"We aren't like the stories or myths." George came closer. "Long story short..." He said sighing. "Vampires are not like in stories. We have a venom that's in our systems that make us vampires. Other than the fangs, drinking blood and can only come out a night, that's where it ends. I've never known one like in any of the stories. We aren't evil."

"And none of the creepy music, I'm sorry to say." I groused. "George, you and this lovely doctor can exchange the how and when of vampire science about us and this serum, but I really need to see Colin," I said about to get up.

George nodded. "Of course, you do." He came over to the bed and was about to help me get up.

"Hold it!" Dr. Petran said urgently. "You lay this bombshell on me and want to leave the room!? I'd say what you just told me deserves more information. I have questions."

George looked at me and smiled. "We did sort of give her a bomb."

"Yes, George, but my husband was shot," I said. "I wake up and you know I want to see him. He had surgery; I had a bullet removed. It's he's coming to me or I'm going to him, but I'm seeing him." I lifted the sheet and saw the gown. "Now, I need at least underwear to wear under this gown or I'll go bare-assed to his room which I don't know where that is, but you know I will find him."

George chuckled. "Yes, I know you would."

That's when my mother came rushing in. "There he is." She said coming to hug me which she did. "I was by yesterday and you were still unconscious. I'm so glad you're okay!" She said and proceeded to cover my face with kisses.

"I'm okay, Mom." I waved to the doctor who was now staring with wider eyes than before. "Dr. Petran...this is my mother Betty Kalin. She's one of us, too." Then Willie came in. "Hi, Dad!" I waved to him. "And this is my stepfather Willie Kalin!" I nodded. "Or I should say, William. He's a vampire, too."

Mom stood up a little more from the hug a bit startled that I said it so casually. "What are you doing?"

I waved at the doctor. "She's an MD, Mom. She saw the anomalies in Colin's and my blood work. We told her what that was...she knows."

Mom looked at me less surprised and then at Dr. Petran. "Oh."

George nodded. "That's why I was the doctor on record before." He shrugged. "But when I was shot as well..." he said lightly asking how it could be avoided.

I patted my mother on the arm. "Now, I'm going to see Colin."

"But you've just woken up!" Mom said.

I nodded. "I feel fine." I moved my shoulder. "Sore, but fine." I looked at the doctor. "One of the first things is to get the patient up and moving, well, I'm moving," I said with resolution. "Either help me or knock me out so I won't, but I'm seeing my husband." I saw the tube that was connected to my arm and the IV that was feeding fluids in my system.

Dr. Petran looked worried a bit more. "You just had surgery to remove the bullet less than twenty-four hours ago. Your husband has, too. We didn't have enough room in the room he is in, but Colin's surgery was more invasive; therefore, his recovery would be longer."

George nodded. "There are things that are...unusual for us. We heal a lot faster than regular people. Magnify the healing process by two. Devon's surgery was less than twenty-four hours ago, but he's healed two days' worth. That I can guarantee without even looking. In a week there will be two weeks' worth of healing."

"We are essentially hosts for the venom." Mom explained to Dr. Petran. "We live for the venom if we didn't have the serum. It wouldn't be due to have a host that couldn't hunt. The venom causes us to heal more rapidly and not get sick. If we didn't have the serum, we'd be nearly mindless predators."

I waved at all of them. "Yes, yes...more about the science of what we are later," I said feeling the urge to see Colin even greater. "Either get me something to haul this IV with me, take it out or I will. I've got to see Colin!" I stressed harder.

Dr. Petran had to shake herself from her natural curiosity and finally heard me. "Yes, of course." She rose. "I'll get you some scrub pants and a wheelchair." She went to retrieve what I needed.

Scooting to the side of the bed, I looked at George. "When I saw you last, you were shot in the arm. How is it?"

George nodded and pulled his shirt down to show his upper arm where he'd been shot. "Healing very well." He smiled. "We should have planned for this sort of thing."

"George," I said with a sigh. "We knew there was a possibility you could be incapacitated. You were shot."

George nodded. "Yes, but my field backup was you." He said. "We need more people."

I waved at the door to my room. "Which we may have right here with Dr. Petran."

"I suppose Sorin Dulca saw you?" George asked.

I nodded. "Just before Dr. Petran came in."

"What did you sense from him?" George asked.

"Why are you asking me?" I asked. "I'm not a psychic. I don't claim to be any authority on human behavior or trustworthiness."

Mom touched my face. "Honey, you're instincts are very good, now answer George's question."

I frowned. "I'm not sure," I said honestly. "I sense he could be an ally, but he's a very practical man. He'll be hard to win over unless we show him the evidence and he'll want evidence he can see for himself." I looked at George. "We're more public than we've ever been before," I said to them. "We're talking about it over the Internet. One day, it will come out that there are real vampires in the world." I looked hesitantly as Lena came in pushing a wheelchair and a pair of those paper scrub pants used in medical circles now. Paper scrubs were the best as they were disposable. The pole on the side of the chair was for the IV. "We may be faced with that soon."

George groaned. "I know."

"It's not going to be like all those shows on TV," I said. "We have to be careful."

Putting the pants on in a way all guys know how, revealing his ass for a split second while he pulls them up while the gown covers anything else. I wasn't worried about it. My mother changed me as a baby and the rest were guys and Lena was a nurse, so no problem. Besides, someone undressed me to put this gown on me, for all I knew, it was her! "Later, George," I said as I pulled the IV down and hooked it to the pole. "Colin. Now!" I waved again to the door. Going through the hospital I could see that the hospital was indeed old, but as I said before, it was clean. No matter what country or language the duties and responsibilities of medical personnel was the same. They watched various computer monitors for patients and did other...medical duties. I was taken to an elevator and one floor down.

Finally, I was wheeled into a room where there were four beds. All four had people recovering from having had surgery within that day, but I knew which one was Colin. I should have known he was aware as soon as we entered to room. He practically sat up but struggled due to his injuries.

"Devon!" He said as his eyes lit up.

Forget the IV, I was out of the chair and practically pulled the IV out as I rushed to his prone body on his right side to avoid furthering any injury and I was pulled into a kiss he was all too ready to give back. He almost consumed me as I did with him. Colin was always sexy, but even now a day or two without shaving, he was still sexy to me. I felt his hands go over me as he took me in visually and physically, inventorying me to see if I was all there. I was doing the same thing with him. "I was so worried about you." I said softly as our mouths were near each other's' ears as we embraced. "I could have lost you."

Colin began wiping my face where I hadn't known I was crying. "You didn't." He said assuring me. "Thanks to you." He shook his head. "I couldn't do a thing for you."

"In a few more centuries, I might consider letting you go, but I don't think so," I said. "I'm just glad you're alive and I'm determined to keep you alive."

Dr. Petran came in behind us and heard us as she spoke with George more. "You were very fortunate, Mr. Wentworth." She chuckled. "Since you're both Wentworths, I say you are fortunate, Devon. The bullet passed through Colin Wentworth but nicked your Brachial Artery. You bled out very quickly and needed some transfusion, which I wouldn't think possible...since..." she looked at the others in the room. "...what you told me about. That's why we operated as we did on you."

I looked at the other patients there. Most of them were asleep, but there were a few guests or family and Colin and I were being watched as he nor I gave a single thought about what they'd think about two men kissing like that. I looked up to see a late middle-aged woman sitting by the bed of some male, but her frown told me she didn't approve of what she saw.

I chuckled as I broke off with Colin. "No matter what country it is, some just don't approve," I whispered to Colin.

Colin looked over and smiled. "If she knew the whole truth about us, she would be even more shocked."

I grinned as we touched foreheads. "Well, we don't want to scare the straights too much."

"People scare too easily," Colin said kissing me again unashamed.

Dr. Petran came over and smiled. "I hate to interrupt, but...let's see how you're doing, Colin." She stopped. "I can call you Colin, can't I? If nothing more than to keep the two of you separate."

Colin nodded with a shrug. "It's my name."

She nodded and went over and pulled his covers back and took the tape off carefully to pull the dressing away and nodded at what she saw. "You were correct, the healing I see is happening pretty quickly."

Colin looked at her and then looked at me.

I nodded to his unasked question. "She's a doctor." I offered quietly. "She saw our blood work. She knows."

"Oh," Colin said simply as he looked at her. "What are your plans with this knowledge?"

Dr. Petran shook her head. "I have no plans." She said shrugging. "I'm a doctor. What plans would I make? You're all not threats, as far as I know of." She nodded. "I can't argue with what I've seen." She looked at me. "You are prepared to show me more?"

"You mean, show you real vampires?" I said hesitantly. "We can explain how it started, but will you trust us to do something to keep you safe?"

"By doing what?" She asked.

George walked closer. "I came up with a serum for you as well..." he looked at the surrounding others, "...those like you who aren't what we are." He pulled on his ear as thought about what he needed to do. "All of the people with us are not...what we are. They take this serum to make them not a target."

I chuckled. "You won't be on the menu."

She looked surprised. "Do I ask if it's safe?"

George nodded. "You can ask Stan, Mark, Shelly, and Chuck. They haven't shown any ill effects."

"We need to speak more freely." Dr. Petran said as she looked up and Lena. "He's healed enough to be moved. We'll put Colin and Devon in a room together."

There was a little mayhem while we got settled, but my time there was only to be a couple of more days if there were no complications. That also meant that Dr. Petran wouldn't see her "proof" until Colin and I were released. Colin insisted that he was allowed to take her to Dragon. I had never been shot before. Colin had been shot before back in the 19th Century, not that either of us wanted to have one up on the other about that. We were put in a semi-private room and that allowed more visitors. Gabriella and Alex came to check on us, as did Chuck, Shelly, Mark, and Stan. The nightly patrols of the town and surrounding countryside were still done. It was Stan that came with Mark and he gave us the latest findings.

"...still no sightings of the other vampires in the area," Stan said sighing. "I did some research on Sorin Dulca. He will be difficult to shake. He has a reputation for getting things done." Then he sighed. "And now...another potential threat has surfaced."

Colin's eyebrow rose. "Another threat?" He asked. "To us?"

"To vampires as a whole." Stan corrected. "There has been a lot of activity surrounding our broadcasts with Dragon. Many are trying to find where it's coming from." He looked up suddenly, "Which would be difficult to do, as I've bounced the broadcast using Buddy around the world. It is nearly impossible for someone to track it here."

"Nearly impossible," I repeated. "But not impossible."

Stan nodded. "I have Buddy putting out false breadcrumbs to lead to other sites and countries and that's why I say it's nearly impossible to track us."

"Who is this threat?" Colin asked.

"Buddy's trying to locate them as they are trying to locate us," Stan explained.

"They think they're...modern versions of Van Helsing." Mark griped.

"Van Helsing? Abraham Van Helsing? From the book Bram Stoker wrote?" I asked. "Vampire hunters?"

"Bram Stoker or those vampire hunters in the Blade series...whatever," Mark said.

"They call themselves the Vampire Death Squad," Stan reported. "They claim four kills so far."

"Have they located us?" Colin asked.

"Not yet." He shook his head. "But they are doing what we did. They've made a broadcast." He patted his laptop.

"You have it," Colin said simply. "Show us."

Stan opened his laptop and tapped his mousepad and an image came up. The face had a garish clown mask on, in a dimly lit place and his voice was synthesized. There was no accent or anything to tell how old he was or what country he was from. "This is a warning." The voice said angrily. "For all you vampires...and yes, we know you are vampires. I and my brothers and sisters have seen your kind before. Those out there that think this new group is the answer to your problems...think again. We know what you are. We hunters and vowed to rid the world of you and your kind. Each of us in my group has lost a person to one of you and have promised those members of family, friends, and lovers to get rid the world of all of you. We will succeed. If you stay hidden...you will do better. To those of you that sent that message...telling the world that you are here and will liberate others...you're time on Earth is limited. We will find you. We will kill you." He nodded. "This is your only warning."

My eyes widened as I watched. When it was done Colin and I just looked at each other. "Well, that was certainly dramatic."

"I think it was to scare us back into the darkness," Colin grumbled. "That's not going to happen. They have been around for centuries and failed."

"How serious is this threat?" I asked Stan.

"Serious enough to rival my talents with the computer," Stan said hesitantly. "As I did, they've covered their own tracks leading me around the globe. Whatever group they are from, they have some smart people."

"There's no way to track it any more than they can track us," Colin said shaking his head.

Stan shook his head. "I've had Buddy working on things...like the background...be it noises in the background, things around them to give us some idea of where they're from. They were careful not to leave anything."

Colin nodded. "It's a big world." He shrugged. "Could they have been the ones that attacked us? Or were we just blaming Iilya?"

"Until we capture one and ask him...we won't know." Mark said solemnly. "I think it was Iilya and Lucian who knew where to have these men waiting and when. You were assaulted. That much is clear. Who they are, we have to question them."

"You guys are way out of any jurisdiction you would have in the United States." Colin pointed out. "We can't just take someone off the street and question them."

"Which is why we need to include Sorin Dulca when we show Dr. Petran," I said quietly.

"And what if he doesn't go for it?" Colin asked. "What if he turns against us?"

I shook my head. "One look at the real deal and he can't go against us. One look at Iustina and Repetate, he'll be convinced."

Colin shook his head and put his head back as he sighed. "Now, we're not only avoiding police. We're coming against other vampires and now this Vampire Death Squad."

"Which is why we need help," I said again. "We need to move quickly to get Sorin Dulca on our side and Dr. Petran." I looked at Stan. "Where is Gaius? I hope Dragon understands what happened."

"He told Dragon what happened to you," Stan reported.

I shook my head. "We wasted a whole night with Dragon. He'll have to start his treatment again."

Mark nodded. "He knows." He smiled. "Of course, you can do it and show this doctor and investigator how it's done and what it will be like."

I was discharged before Colin, but only by a day or so. Dr. Petran was amazed by the rate of recovery and I was, too. George was right. We did recover quickly. Mom was right as well. We did live for the venom, but with the serum, that table was turned. Now, the venom worked for us.

Sorin Dulca was a man that knew what he was doing. He came several times questioning both Colin and myself.

The day Colin was discharged, Colin looked at the inspector seriously. "If you really want to know what's going on...how about we show you?"

Sorin looked at us with caution. "So, there is more than just the translating going on."

Colin looked at Sorin as I helped him get his shirt on. He was healing just fine, but was still sore on his left side, and being his husband, I naturally helped. "Do you want to know? We're showing Dr. Petran also." Sorin looked more cautious. "We could really use your help, Inspector, but you need to trust us."

Sorin was going over it in his mind, but if this led him to the answers...

"Do you want to help us?" Colin asked. "We aren't doing anything to hurt anyone. In fact, we're doing all we can to help people. There is more than the world some can even guess exist in the world." Colin looked at Sorin more directly. "At first, it will only be you and Dr. Petran. Do you agree?"

Sorin nodded. "Okay. What do I need to do?"

Colin smiled. "Meet us at our house in Transylvania tonight, two or three hours before sunset."

I suspected Sorin Dulca would cover his tracks. I told Stan this as well and asked him to have a scan of any frequencies or possible transmissions he could send anywhere.

"I can do one better!" Stan said brightly and handed me what looked like the translation devices we carried. "This will jam whatever he has on him to track his own movements. Just stay with him and nothing will get through."

I grinned at him. "You are an amazing man, Stan."

He shrugged. "I try." Then he patted the CPU. "Buddy makes it easier."

"Buddy only works when you work him. Don't sell yourself short." I grinned. "You're the talent, not Buddy," I said making Stan smile.

Dr. Petran arrived after Sorin Dulca apologizing for being late. "Sorry, I had a late consultation regarding a patient."

Colin smiled with a nod. "You're a doctor. Those duties are understood." He waved at the sky that was getting darker. "But we better go."

We all began our walking through the dark forest to the underground where Dragon and the others were. And Sorin was looked puzzled at where we were going, but this was a large group of people going. Reaching the entry for the underground, he stopped looking at what was a large crack in the hillside.

"We're to go in there?" Sorin asked.

Colin nodded. "To see the truth. Yes." He looked at Sorin. "You can go first or I can; whatever we need to do to win your trust."

Sorin was judging Colin carefully to see if Colin was being sincere. "Do I have a choice?"

"Sure, you do." Colin nodded. "Trust us or not. That's your choice." He walked in front of him and entered the passageway.

The truth about what we were and where we were was hitting Sorin now more as he saw the steps even out and then become more level and the torch lit way cast its eeriness over where we were. Dr. Petran was not as surprised, but still wary. It wasn't long before we came again to the large chamber where Dragon and the dozen of his men and women were gathered.

Dragon rose from his chair in the center of them. "Welcome Dr. Petran and Inspector Dulca. I am the one they call Dragon. I lead these people you see here."

Sorin was a little shaken by what he was seeing and his guard was coming up as he was not quite reaching for the gun he always carried holstered at his chest for easy reach. "What is this? Who are you?" It was creepy down here.

Colin stepped in front of Inspector Dulca to stop him from doing what we feared he might, but him having the gun was his security. We let him keep it. "They are as we are...they're vampires."

Sorin was backing away as his eyes grew, never doubting for a moment they were what Colin said they were. "That...that's impossible!"

Even Dr. Petran stood in front of Dragon to keep Inspector Dulca from shooting. "I've seen the blood work. They have something...this could be it."

Dragon chuckled. "We can prove it." He said smiling and then hissed and showed the fangs that had come out smelling the human blood.

Now Sorin was about to pull his gun out, but I stopped him. "You don't have to worry about these vampires," I said calmly. "They are no threat to you."

"You can't be vampires!" Sorin said backing away more but stopped by Chuck and Mark. "You were out in the day time." He looked at Colin. "I saw you eat! A lot!"

I nodded. "He does." I grinned.

Colin nodded. "Because I've been treated." He waved at Mark and Chuck. "They aren't vampires at all, but safe here."

George walked up. "And I can give you the same protection they've got." He said. "But you need to see the whole truth." He pulled out a vial he had in his leather doctor's bag. "Do I give this to you?" He shook the vial of liquid. "It removes you from being a target."

Dr. Petran was staring at the others with Dragon and was finally accepting the truth. "They are vampires." She said fully accepting what she was seeing as she rolled up her sleeve. "Do it." She said to George who nodded and prepped her for the Disflavor.

"This is fiction!" Sorin said firmly. "This can't be real."

Willie chuckled. "It's very real."

"There have been thousands of victims over the millennia. Almost every one of these people are victims." George explained as he finished giving Dr. Petran her Disflavor. "No more than you would be if you were attacked by one of these or others that are vampires. There are vampires in every country. There is a hidden populace that needs help."

Colin nodded. "We're willing to show you the whole truth, but you need protection. I'll give you the names and numbers of others in the United States and England that know what we are and are helping. They also were shown and are willing to help.

"We can't do this alone, Inspector," I said. "We don't want to break laws, but we have to sometimes to do what is needed." I waved at the other vampires with Dragon. "These vampires can control their hunger and only feed on the blood of livestock. We will show you vampires that can't and tell you how it started, but only if you take the Disflavor."

Colin grinned. "You wanted the truth." He said. "Here it is and we'll show you all we have including the source of many."