Making their way to the rendezvous spot, Hailey glanced back at her companions. The encounter with Camillia had cost them precious time, worse Hailey feared that they may have already failed. If Vanessa knew they were coming, she feared what the Mad Queen would do. Hailey now shuddered, fearing their mistakes may have cost her mother her life.
"You okay," Henry asked. "You look pale. Well, paler than usual."
"I messed up Henry," Hailey sighed. "This was supposed to be a covert mission and we get ambushed right out of the gate. What is Camillia told Vanessa? What if they did something to the hostages. What...what if...my..." Hailey paused Henry noticing a single bloody tear now roll down Haileys cheek. The young woman was beating herself up over this. Stuck in a cycle of blame, worried that she was at fault, that the hostages and her mother would pay for her mistakes. Stopping, he now pulled the young vampire into a tight embrace, trying to calm her. "Look this isn't your fault," he said softly. "Someone tipped them off. My gut tells me the hostages are okay. Besides, we picked up a couple of powerful buddies along the way."
Hailey nodded, glancing back at both Esme and Hanako. While the vampire maid did appear impressive, it was Hanako that was a true mystery. The young half Japanese woman was powerful and so much more than a vampire. That she also possessed the last name Tepes, made Hailey wonder. Did Wyatt Tepes have any knowledge of who this was? "We're only a few minutes from the rendezvous spot," Henry continued. "Wyatt and that girl Duke knows are supposed to be waiting. Once we're all together, we can put our heads together and come up with a plan." Hailey could only nod, the group pressing forward.
As they now reached the meeting point, Hailey paused as she saw Wyatt Tepes and his half brother Duke. Apparently the brothers brought back up as the young agent noticed a college age woman and an impossibly tall man waiting for them. "Agent Meyers," Wyatt stated. "We were beginning to worry."
"We ran into some complications," Hailey replied. "Everything is okay now. Care to introduce everyone?" Wyatt nodded, gesturing towards Duke and Sasha. "You've already met Duke," he said. "This is his girlfriend Sasha. She's a wizard." Hailey nodded, offering a small wave to Sasha as Wyatt now studied Haileys party. "I'm familiar with Geshp and your partner Henry but who are the other two?"
"Esme works for Lord Nightwell," Hailey stated. "And what about her," Wyatt asked pointing to Hanako. "Was going to ask the same question about the big guy," Hailey replied. Both Hailey and Wyatt now fidgeted slightly, neither one knowing how to introduce the two newcomers to the group. It was Vlad who now stepped forward, the massive figure staring down at Hailey with dark eyes.
"My name is Vlad Dracula Tepes," he said, his voice deep and strong. "Wyatt and Duke have asked for my assistance in dealing with the Mad Queen." Hailey, Henry, and Geshp now gawked at the massive figure. Dracula! He was thought to be dead. How had Wyatt and Duke found the original vampire lord? Before any of them could utter a response, Hanako pushed her way to the front. Removing her hood, she now craned her neck upwards as she glared at Dracula with her blazing yellow eyes. "Did you say you were Dracula?"
"I did," he replied, raising an eyebrow as he studied the woman carefully. Hanako was a foot and a half shorter than the vampire lord, yet he sensed an incredible strength within her. Hanako snarled, unsheathing her estoc as she looked to pierce Dracula through the heart. A collective gasp now echoed amongst the group yet Dracula was unfazed, useing three fingers to stop the blade from striking him. "I know this blade," he said softly as he looked upon the determined woman. "Where did you get it?"
"Its a family blade," Hanako snarled, pushing hard against Dracula. It felt like trying to push through steel. "It originally belonged to my father!"
"What was his name?"
"He was known as Alucard," Hanako proclaimed. "Adrian Alucard Tepes, son of Dracula and the dhamphir who ended his genocidal rage. I am Hanako Ashida-Tepes, his only daughter and I will not let you destroy the world again."
"Alucards daughter," Wyatt exclaimed. "How is that possible? Miro, my father and Draculas grandson was the last heir. Alucard has been dead for centuries."
"My father may be gone but the Tepes name lives on through me," Hanako exclaimed. "He wanted nothing to do with the vampires. Instead he left for Japan, married my mother, and trained me. He always believed Dracula would return one day and trained me to stop him. I swore to him that I would never allow vampires to commit genocide against humans ever again."
Both Wyatt and Duke now looked to stop Hanako. As they advanced, Vlad held up his free hand, telling then to wait as he gazed down upon Hanako. "Despite what you believe I do not wish harm upon humans anymore," he said softly. "I have lived in exile for centuries, paying penance for the harm I have caused. Alucard mother, my wife, she was the one who made me see the error of my ways. I'm sure your father told you of his mother."
"He did," Hanako growled.
"And that is why I am here," Vlad replied. "Inside that manor the Mad Queen, your grandmother, needs our help."
"You lie," Hanako exclaimed. "My father told me she was human! A gentle soul who only wanted to help people!"
"She was," Vlad said sadly. "And my inability to let her go has led to this." Hanako snarled, pushing harder to try and pierce Draculas heart. No matter how hard she tried, the blade wouldn't budge. Tears now streamed down her face as she screamed in both anger and agony. "You have every right to despise me," Vlad stated, his voice little more than a whisper. "My arrogance has caused everyone I have ever cared for more pain than I ever inflicted upon my enemies. I am here to set things right, to free my descendents, your nieces and nephews, from the pain of my hubris. Vanessa...Lisa is in this situation because of me. We are going to need to work together."
"Please," Wyatt said softly. "My wife and children are being held hostage as we speak. I need Draculas help if we are to free them." Hanako scoffed, lowering her weapon as she furrowed her brow at Dracula. "So be it," she grumbled. "I will help you free the innocents held within the manor. Afterwards though, you and I will settle this."
Dracula simply nodded, the group nervously looking at one another. The unexpected Tepes family reunion complicated matters. Hopefully cooler heads would prevail until the mission was over.