Dani paused to catch her breath at the top of the stairs. It was the second flight she'd had to climb. Why did this mansion have to be so huge? Just how many von Karnstein vampires lived here? Once she found her second wind, the Mexican-American witch apprentice pressed onward.
The hall was darkly lit and full of decorative suits of armor. These vampires sure went all in with the gothic décor, Dani thought. The catlike Latina girl reached the fourth door down. She could hear laughter and lively talking (and the occasional lustful moan) on the other side. Yes this was definitely Tatiana's room. Dani reached out her hand to turn the knob.
"My, my!" said a female voice. "And who is this tasty morsel?"
A very startled Dani nearly dropped Zuri's package. She spun around to find herself facing a smirking vampiress. Her face was as deathly as the other vampires but darker toned, a sort of grey-brown color. Her midnight black hair was styled into an ebony waterfall of cornrow braids. Dani guessed the girl had been African-American in life. The vampiric stranger was dressed in a black leather belly-baring corset, black denim short shorts with rips and lace-up sides that bared even more grey-brown skin, and black open-toe wedge-heel platform sandals. These vampires were committed to the goth look, Dani had to give them that.
"Wh-who...?" was all Dani could choke out as she shivered.
"Dracona von Karnstein at your service!" the newcomer dramatically declared. She reached out and kissed Dani's caramel-colored hand. Her lips felt alluringly cold to the touch. "And who might this charming young lady be?"
"Daniela Romero-Marquez," Dani said, calming down slightly, "but everyone calls me Dani. Did you just call me a tasty morsel a second ago?"
Dracona's grey-brown face flushed an odd blue color. It must be the venom that vampires had instead of blood, Dani thought. The same venom that was pumped into the veins of those they wished to turn. This was a vampire version of blushing. How cute! "Oh, sorry about that, Dani. That's just how I like to talk. It's fun to lean into the whole creepy vampire thing, but sometimes I forget strangers don't know I don't mean every word. Some other clans WOULD be happy to drink you dry, like that nightmarish one Gilles de Rais runs in France, or those really inventive psychos in Hungary. What are they called again? Oh yeah, Clan Báthory."
"Wasn't Gilles de Rais a medieval French serial killer?" asked Dani. "I found out about him while I was researching Joan of Arc for a social studies report in school. He was executed by hanging and burning."
"I think you mean they TRIED to hang the bastard," said Dracona. "Four of his clanmates cut his body down from the gallows before the flames could reach him. Nobody even tried to stop them because they assumed he was already dead from the hanging. The whole execution was a bit of a joke. Not one monster hunter was present. I'm afraid Patriarch Gilles and his clan of murderers are still undead and kicking in the Château de Tiffauges."
"I never knew!" Dani gasped. "Then again, I only joined the magical community three nights ago. And Elizabeth Báthory was a vampire, too?"
"IS a vampire," Dracona corrected. "She only faked her death to get out of the house arrest the humans put her under. I wouldn't seek her out, Dani. She's completely crazy."
"I wasn't planning on it," said Dani. "So, is Dracula a real vampire?"
"He was until he got staked," said Dracona. "He was the patriarch of Clan Tepes, but he got cocky and tried to expand his clan into England. My moms say he was talking about making his clan into a Europe-spanning vampire empire. It was really only a matter of time before the monster hunters noticed the shit he was pulling and offed him."
"This is all so cool!" Dani grinned. "Muy chévere, mi amiga!"
"I'm glad you like vampires," Dracona grinned. "So what brings you here?"
"I'm Morgana's new apprentice," said Dani. "She sent me here to deliver a package from the Fort Hyde werehyenas to Selena Lyall's pack. I have permission to spend the night."
"Morgana's apprentice, huh?" Dracona mused. "That would explain the cat ears and nose. Nice claws, too. Spell gone wrong?"
"Initially," said Dani, "but I loved it so much I decided to keep it. I hope to add more cat attributes like fur and a tail soon."
"Your kitty-cat face is looking pretty bald," laughed Dracona. "As a matter of fact, I'm here to see the werehyenas myself."
"How come?" asked Dani.
"Because they sound smoking hot!" Dracona grinned lustfully. "I'm up for anything (man, woman, or anything in between), but I have a particular fetish for women with male attributes... especially bulging muscles and dicks. Being able to grow some decent body hair doesn't hurt either. By all accounts, Selena's pack is my deepest sexual fantasy come to life! Well, I have no intention of letting a golden opportunity pass me by. That's actually why I'm dressed like this." She gestured at her bellyless tube top and her ripped corset-strap shorts.
"Oh," said Dani. "I just thought..."
"...That I was a slut?" Dracona laughed. "Sometimes, I guess, but not all the time. I usually prefer to rock flowing black dresses. These rags are party clothes for me. Now let's go meet the werehyenas. I bet they look good enough to eat!"
This time Dani laughed at Dracona's morbid sense of humor. "Heh, good one!"
Dracona banged her grey-brown fist on the door. "Hey, Tats! It's me, Dracona. Also, I've got this girl called Dani with me. She says she's with Morgana. Can we come in?"