The Blood Queen 64 (Patreon)

Chapter 64 (~5600 words)

– Valerie –

The plane tipped sharply, plunging nose-first toward the ocean beneath us, the wind howling violently outside the shattered cockpit. My stomach lurched up into my throat, and for a couple of seconds, I couldn’t hold back my own terrified scream. My fingers dug into the metal edges of the seat so hard I felt them bending beneath my grip.

Next to me, Pip was losing his goddamn mind, shrieking hysterically as the plane rattled and groaned around us, pieces of debris flying loose from the ceiling. 

"Shit, shit, shit!" I screamed alongside him.

“I don’t want to die without a beautiful woman in my arms!” His dumb voice snapped something inside me, yanking me out of my own panic. 

Shit, I’d be okay. Hell, I’d heal from the crash in a couple of seconds. I guess it was mostly my memories of my past life freaking me out just now…

I would be ok, but Pip wasn’t me. He was human, fragile, and way too mortal.

My stomach dropped again, this time from the sinking realization that if I didn’t do something fast, Pip was about to become paste splattered across the ocean surface. Seras actually liked the goofy bastard and would be sad if he died, and damn it, I guess I was starting to like him too. 

I wasn’t letting him die.

“Fuck it, let’s open some windows,” I hissed under my breath, ripping my revolver out from the holster at my lower back. I aimed quickly at one of the tiny windows lining the fuselage and pulled the trigger. The gun kicked back sharply in my hand, and the sound of glass shattering was instantly drowned out by a violent rush of wind!

The cabin depressurized hard, sucking all the air out with dizzying speed. Pip’s screams went silent, swallowed up by the roaring gusts that blasted through the plane. My long blonde hair whipped around my face, obscuring my vision for a second, but I gritted my teeth, pushed against the howling pressure, and lunged toward him.

Grabbing hold of Pip’s seatbelt, I ripped through the straps like they were paper, yanking his trembling body up against me. His single visible eye widened comically as his face pressed straight into my chest, muffling his startled, panicked noises. 

Even now, the bastard managed a split-second appreciative grope—intentional or not—and despite the insanity around us, I rolled my eyes.

He clung desperately to me, all his bravado completely shredded as his fingers curled tight into my jacket, clutching onto me like I was his last hope—which, fair enough, I was. 

The plane shook violently, groaning as it fell faster, and I sucked in a quick breath. Time to pull off something I’d never even tried before. 

Hell, I wasn’t even completely sure I could do it.

Here goes nothing!

Closing my eyes for a split second, I let my instincts take control. Magic surged through my body, and with one final, decisive thought, I willed us out of the plunging death trap.

The sensation was instant and overwhelming. It felt like being squeezed and twisted through a tiny, impossibly tight tube. Pressure crushed my lungs and squeezed at my ribs, spinning wildly around us, blurring the world into a dizzying mess of colors. For a single panicked heartbeat, I worried I’d screwed up—that we were gonna pop out into nothing but splattered blood and gore.

I’d never successfully apparated before. I didn’t even know if I could pull it off—but I did! 

We re-materialized outside the plane that was still plummeting fast. Hundreds of feet above the open ocean of the coast of Brazil. 

We fell out of the sky for only a few seconds before I felt a powerful surge of heat and magic rippling down my upper back and spine. My huge, blood-red bat wings exploded from my back, stretching wide into the air without even tearing the fabric of my favorite jacket—magic wings were awesome like that.

Pip's terrified shrieks finally cut off as he gasped in a lungful of air, realizing we weren't tumbling to a watery grave anymore. He clung tightly to my waist, his arms shaking, his single visible eye wide with disbelief and awe as he stared up at my wings.

“Valerie, you—you’re an angel,” he stammered breathlessly, his voice filled with reverence and a dash of misplaced lust. “My own gorgeous guardian angel!”

I rolled my eyes hard enough they almost hurt. “Trust me, Pip, I’m the furthest thing from an angel you'll ever meet…”

Although, technically I did acquire these wings from drinking angel blood.

His appreciative grin slipped a little when I narrowed my eyes accusingly. "And I saw where your hands went back there, you pervy bastard! Don’t try that again!"

“In my defense, chérie,” he shouted over the wind, flashing me a sheepish grin, “I genuinely thought we were about to die! What man wouldn't try to cop one last feel as his dying wish?”

I snorted at his audacity, that was actually a pretty good excuse, considering the circumstances. Still, it didn't stop me from seriously contemplating dropping his ass into the water below.

Before I could consider that option further, a deafening explosion erupted beneath us!

BOOOM!

I whipped my head around just in time to see the plane slam violently into the ocean surface, the impact sending up a massive fireball that lit up the sky like a blazing sunrise. Flaming debris shot out in every direction over the ocean, and a shockwave blasted upward that ended up shaking us for a few seconds.

Damn, that was kind of an epic explosion…

“...Oh shit,” I muttered, wincing as I watched the burning wreckage sink rapidly below the surface. I grimaced, remembering exactly who had been sleeping peacefully in the cargo hold next to us. “Dad definitely isn’t sleeping through that…”

Even worse, Alucard’s coffin was down there, loaded up with the precious soil of his homeland. The guy was already cranky enough whenever his sleep schedule got screwed. Now he’d have to go days without proper rest, meaning the next few days were going to be loads of “fun” for everyone involved.

I let out an irritated sigh, stretching out my wings and slowing our descent as the wind whipped fiercely around us, rippling my clothes and tugging at my hair. Carefully, I maneuvered us lower, toward the flaming wreckage bobbing and sputtering in the choppy ocean waters below.

Pip tightened his grip around my waist. For a guy who’d been screaming like a terrified child moments ago, he sure seemed to enjoy this part of the ride now that he knew he wasn't dying. 

I shook my head at the goofy smirk plastered on his face.

Glancing toward the shoreline a few miles off, my enhanced vampire eyesight picked out crowds gathering on the Brazilian beaches. People were pointing excitedly toward the burning spot where the plane had crashed, shielding their eyes from the bright flames and smoke. Thankfully, we were still far enough away and hidden enough by the smoke and glare of the fire that nobody was likely to get a clear look at the large bat-winged woman casually floating down from the sky.

"Well," I muttered dryly, adjusting my grip on Pip as I angled my wings slightly to the left, "this is one hell of a way to make an entrance."

He chuckled nervously, finally tearing his gaze from my chest. "At least we’re alive, thanks to you. Remind me to thank you properly later, chérie!"

I scoffed. "Just keep your hands to yourself…”

A blur of deep red shot swiftly beneath the churning waves, catching my ruby eyes instantly. My gaze locked onto it, and I tracked the blurry shape under the water. The silhouette moved fast, streaking beneath us, and I followed its swift path for a few hundred feet, leaving behind the flaming wreckage. 

Burning patches of oil flowed across the water behind us, sputtering violently and sending acrid black smoke spiraling up into the sky.

Alucard burst dramatically from the water's surface, splashing water in every direction. He emerged looking upset and confused. Despite everything, he had managed to keep hold of his ridiculous red hat and slapped it back onto his head. "What the fuck happened?" he asked. "Where the hell did the plane go…?"

Pip cleared his throat nervously. "Well, boss, we crashed… Some crazy evil magic playing cards turned our pilots and the cockpit into swiss cheese, and…yeah. The plane went down," he said very eloquently.

I rolled my eyes, glancing down at Alucard. "Fucking Nazis," I added with annoyance.

"Fucking Nazis," he agreed gruffly.

“FUCKING NAZIS!” Ddraig added as well for good measure. That one startled Pip so much he almost fell out of my arms and into the water.

Alucard’s gaze drifted upward. He was glaring bitterly at the annoyingly bright Brazilian sky above us. Clearly, being stuck out in the ocean midday wasn’t his idea of fun. He wasn't exactly a beach goer.

“I'm glad you're alright, my daughter. I'll meet you two at the designated hotel,” he told us. Without waiting for an answer, he ducked abruptly beneath the waves again, disappearing in a swirl of dark water, leaving behind only a ripple and a few bubbles on the surface. Seconds later, I spotted his crimson blur streaking away beneath the ocean, speeding effortlessly toward shore.

Pip chuckled nervously against my shoulder. "That went better than I expected, honestly. At least he saved that scary hat of his…"

I snorted softly, unable to suppress a slight grin. "Priorities, right?"

Pip nodded sagely. "Indeed, chérie. We men must always look our best—even when fighting zombies, Nazis, and surviving plane crashes."

I shook my head. "Just shut up and hold on, Pip. Let's get back to dry land before I reconsider dropping your ass. Unless you think you can swim miles to shore yourself?"

He chuckled again, tightening his arms obediently around my waist. "Oui, whatever you say, my sexy guardian angel."

I sighed heavily, stretching my wings out wide as I soared toward the distant shoreline. I stayed close to the water so we could avoid being seen by the humans on the shore. At least until we got closer.

…

Pip and I decided to swim the last quarter-mile to shore, mostly to avoid giving the beach crowd an even bigger spectacle than the flaming plane crash already provided. Pip thankfully seemed to lose his flirtatious streak the second we hit the chilly waves. The sobering cold and choppy surf seemed to shock the obnoxious flirt out of him, and he focused with renewed seriousness as we swam together.

My gorgeous blonde hair was a tangled, salty mess plastered across my face, repeatedly getting in my mouth with every irritatingly strong wave that smacked into us. My favorite designer jeans clung to my legs, chafing unpleasantly against my skin. 

My beautiful maid-lover Narcissa had taken to enchanting all my clothes to be much more durable lately, but we forgot to add waterproofing. 

“Goddamn ocean,” I muttered bitterly as we finally slogged up onto the sandy shore, my boots squelching and filled with seawater. 

Pip, similarly drenched, sputtered next to me, coughing out salty water. "I thought girls loved beaches?"

“I do, but only if I'm planning on visiting one ahead of time!”

He wisely stayed silent after that, peeling off his own soaked jacket and squeezing water out of it, drawing curious looks and whispered murmurs from the surrounding beachgoers. Brazilian tourists and locals alike openly gawked at the two strange, soaked individuals who had suddenly emerged from the ocean fully clothed.

“Can you use your, you know, magic thingy to dry us off?” Pip muttered, self-consciously glancing around at the gathering crowd.

“Too many witnesses,” I hissed irritably under my breath, violently shaking the water out of my hair. “Unless you wanna explain how we instantly became dry to the local gossip brigade?”

Before he could respond, the unmistakable shriek of sirens suddenly filled the air. Moments later, a swarm of Brazilian police cars surged onto the beach, kicking up clouds of sand and sending beachgoers scrambling in panic.

“Shit,” I hissed, tensing up as several officers leapt out, guns immediately trained on Pip and me. Their expressions were grim and suspicious as they approached cautiously, ordering loudly in rapid Portuguese for us to put our hands up.

I briefly contemplated making a break for it, but one glance at the heavily armed officers convinced me it wasn’t worth the risk of exposure with so many eyes. 

Begrudgingly, I raised my hands, watching Pip carefully mimic my movements beside me.

“You’re under arrest on suspicion of terrorism!” an officer barked in heavily accented English, clearly assuming correctly that we weren’t Brazilian. The ridiculousness of the accusation made me roll my eyes, but the seriousness on the cop’s face was evident. 

Apparently, planes violently crashing weren’t an everyday occurrence here—who knew?

Before I could protest, a female officer stepped forward, approaching me with narrowed eyes. Her dark hair was tied tightly back into a severe bun beneath her cap. “Stay still,” she ordered sternly, her voice carrying a hint of an amused purr that instantly set off my internal warning bells.

Then she proceeded to pat me down as if I really was a criminal. Her expression shifted abruptly, however, when she discovered the bulky shape of my revolver tucked into its holster at my lower back. She yanked it free, holding it up accusingly. “What the hell is this?”

“My gun,” I replied, meeting her stern gaze evenly.

She scowled at my response, clearly not appreciating my sass. “Why are you carrying it?”

“It's for killing vampires,” I deadpanned honestly.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously, disbelief and irritation evident in her expression. I mentally sighed—telling the truth obviously didn't work.

“Think you’re funny?” she snapped, gesturing sharply to her colleagues. “Cuff them both!”

Cold steel cuffs clicked sharply around my wrists, pulling my arms behind my back. I grumbled in annoyance. I should have swam ahead with Alucard. But Pip wouldn’t have been able to hold his breath that long.

Pip winced next to me as he was cuffed next, shooting me a sympathetic glance that I promptly ignored. 

What a lovely welcome to Brazil. Of course I could escape at any time, I'd just need the right moment when no one was looking.

…I didn't get that subtle moment.

They shoved me roughly into the back of a van, the interior dimly lit and reeking faintly of sweat and stale cigarettes. The doors slammed shut behind me with an ominous clang, cutting off my view of Pip being loaded into another vehicle. 

I was alone now. 

Well, except for the two leering officers climbing in with me. The van lurched forward sharply, tires skidding across sand-covered pavement as we sped away from the chaotic beach scene.

I scowled, shifting against the cold metal bench. My soaked jeans clung miserably to my thighs, irritating my skin with every subtle movement. My wrists were cuffed behind my back. It wasn’t painful obviously, but it was annoying. 

The discomfort I could handle, the officers' increasingly obvious stares and smug smirks, however, were another matter entirely. They eyed me openly, their gazes lingering greedily over my chest, waist, and legs. My jaw clenched as I glared fiercely back at them, disgusted at the blatant lust in their eyes.

"Hey, João," said the taller of the two, nudging his shorter companion with a knowing smirk. "Think we should give the lady a proper search? She might be hiding more dangerous weapons under all those wet clothes. We should be extra thorough!"

João chuckled, the deep sound echoing unpleasantly inside the van. He scratched at his stubble-covered jawline, his eyes fixed hungrily on me. "Yeah, I think she definitely needs a strip search. Can't be too careful with terrorists, right?"

They both laughed crudely, their intentions so transparent it made me want to vomit. My ruby-red eyes narrowed dangerously, and my blood was already boiling beneath my skin. They were so full of shit, hiding their lustful intentions beneath flimsy excuses. I wasn't about to sit here passively and let these filthy bastards touch me.

João scooted closer, his sweaty hand reaching forward toward my chest, a perverse glint in his greedy gaze. "Hold still now, sweetheart," he said mockingly, licking his dry lips. "This won't hurt a bit—you might even enjoy it!"

I glared defiantly at him, lips pulling back into a predatory snarl. My fangs itched beneath my gums, already aching to tear into flesh. "If you try and touch me," I warned softly, voice dripping with venom, "I can't be responsible for what happens next."

He paused briefly, eyebrows raised in amusement, before bursting into loud laughter alongside his partner. Clearly, neither of them saw me as any real threat, just a helpless woman, soaking wet, cuffed, and supposedly powerless. 

Big fucking mistake on their part.

"Shut your mouth, bitch," João sneered. "And don't resist. Trust me, this is the fun part of the job for us!"

He reached for me again, fingers mere inches from brushing against the damp fabric clinging suggestively to my chest. That was the final straw. Rage and hunger exploded simultaneously within me, shattering the flimsy control I'd been desperately clinging to in this situation!

My mouth opened wide—wider than any human mouth had a right to—fangs extending sharply as a deep, guttural snarl ripped from my throat. I lunged forward, the cuffs snapping easily behind my back like paper chains. João's eyes widened comically, his smirk replaced instantly by sheer panic.

"What the fu—"

He never finished. My jaws slammed closed around his throat, razor-sharp fangs plunging deep into the soft, vulnerable flesh of his neck. Hot, rich blood erupted from the wound, flooding eagerly into my mouth. I groaned involuntarily, swallowing deeply as the thick liquid slid luxuriously down my throat. Fuck, his blood tasted better than it had any right to, tangy and warm, filled with adrenaline-fueled fear. 

It sent a shiver of pleasure coursing down my spine.

João gurgled helplessly beneath me, his eyes bulging in shock and pain. His body spasmed violently, twitching uncontrollably as his life force drained rapidly from him, flooding my veins with its potent heat. I pulled back abruptly, tearing my teeth free and sending droplets of crimson splattering wildly across the interior of the van. João's lifeless corpse crumpled heavily to the metal floor, dark blood pooling beneath him.

The other officer, who'd been laughing and jeering mere moments ago, now stumbled backward in horrified shock. His trembling fingers fumbled uselessly for his gun, sheer terror etched vividly across his pale face. 

"What the fuck! You crazy bitch!" he shrieked hysterically, tripping over João’s twitching corpse and slamming roughly into the opposite wall to try and get away from me.

I grinned wickedly at him, blood dripping freely down my chin. "Oh, I'm fucking crazy alright," I purred dangerously, slowly rising to my feet, prowling toward him like a lioness approaching its prey. "But I'm definitely not your bitch…"

He finally managed to wrench his pistol free from its holster, aiming shakily in my direction. But it was far too late. I was already upon him, moving faster than any human eyes could follow. My fingers closed like iron bands around his wrist, easily snapping bone and tendon alike. He howled in agony, the gun clattering uselessly to the floor.

"Please! Wait! Don't—" he begged, eyes wide with desperation and fear.

I tilted my head, pretending to consider his plea as I pinned him roughly against the van wall. "Did you really think I'd just let you fucking molest me, asshole?" I hissed venomously. "You picked the wrong girl to fuck with today."

Before he could form another pathetic word, I slammed my fangs viciously into his neck, biting deep, savoring his scream of pain that swiftly transformed into a strangled gurgle. Blood erupted hotly into my mouth, even sweeter and richer than João’s had been. I closed my eyes blissfully, moaning softly as his frantic heartbeat stuttered and slowed, feeding me deliciously until there was nothing left to give.

Eventually, his corpse sagged limply in my arms, drained dry. I let him collapse heavily beside João's body, two twisted, bloodied heaps sprawled grotesquely across the floor of the van. The entire interior was now splattered messily with crimson droplets and smears, filling the enclosed space with a potent metallic scent that made my head spin pleasantly.

Breathing deeply, I swiped a finger across my blood-soaked lips, licking them clean. Well, this certainly hadn’t been how I'd imagined our Brazilian Nazi hunting mission would be going, but at least these two pigs wouldn't be harassing any women again.

Sighing softly, I leaned casually against the van wall, considering my next move as I listened to the hum of the tires rolling along the road beneath me. 

“Fuck it, I guess we're going loud…” I muttered to myself. 

I snapped my fingers impatiently, a quick, precise incantation slipping from my lips. A surge of warmth rippled across my body, swiftly banishing the sticky remnants of blood and the uncomfortable, clingy dampness of seawater from my clothing and skin. My designer jeans and favorite red jacket were immediately restored to their usual pristine state. 

The sudden cleanliness and dryness felt immensely satisfying after all the disgusting bullshit I'd just endured.

I sighed irritably as I flexed my hands, annoyed to remember my revolver had ended up with that overly aggressive female officer, currently riding along in the other police van. Pip was also with her, probably yammering away in an attempt at flirting his way out of custody. 

I rolled my eyes at the thought…

Pip was a lot of things, but charming definitely wasn't one of them, despite his opinion to the contrary.

It didn't matter, I'd be reclaiming my beloved revolver in just a minute, along with my idiot companion. Besides, I had the pistols from these dead assholes at my disposal now, along with my own potent magic. These disgusting pricks wouldn't be needing their guns anymore, after all.

A muffled voice called back from the front of the van, tinged with obvious irritation and impatience. "Hey! João! Luiz! Everything okay back there? What’s going on?" The driver clearly sensed something was off from the sounds of scuffling and screaming, though he couldn't possibly know his colleagues now lay drained and lifeless, sprawled grotesquely on the cold metal floor around me.

I smirked coldly, stepping casually over João's twitching corpse as I scooped up Luiz’s discarded pistol from the blood-slick floor. Approaching the thin, metal bars separating the cargo space from the driver, I casually aimed the gun toward the front. My reflection in the rear-view mirror must've looked terrifying—ruby-red eyes glowing eerily, lips curled into a predatory grin, hair a bit disheveled and wild from violence and chaos.

The driver glanced nervously back at me, and our eyes locked. The instant his gaze caught sight of my bloodied smirk and glowing eyes, his expression froze in shock and terror. His mouth fell open, probably preparing to yell for backup, but I didn't give him the chance.

"Night-night, asshole," I said sweetly, pulling the trigger without hesitation.

BANG!

The deafening shot reverberated sharply inside the enclosed van, instantly drowning out whatever pathetic scream he’d begun to utter. The bullet punched cleanly through the thin metal bars, exploding straight through the back of his head in a sickening spray of blood, brains, and shattered skull fragments. The windshield splattered crimson!

The van lurched violently as the driver's corpse slumped forward, lifeless hands jerking the wheel abruptly. Tires screeched loudly, and I braced myself instinctively as our vehicle veered sharply to the right, slamming into the side of the other police van transporting Pip. The force of the impact jolted through my entire body, bones jarring painfully as metal shrieked and twisted around us.

“Oh shit!” I cursed furiously, my hands scrambling for purchase as my world flipped sideways with nauseating force.

My van rolled violently off the side of the road, tumbling wildly. Bodies and blood splashed chaotically around me as gravity threw me around the enclosed space like a ragdoll. João's mangled corpse collided wetly against me, smearing fresh blood across my newly cleaned clothes. 

Goddamn it, I'd literally just cleaned myself!

After several nauseating rotations, the vehicle finally crashed to a stop, teetering precariously on its side. Dizziness swam through my head for just a split second before my supernaturally enhanced healing put me in perfect condition again. 

With a sharp snap of my fingers and a terse incantation muttered irritably under my breath, I cast another cleaning charm. Once again, my outfit reverted to pristine perfection.

My patience was officially worn thin. “Fuck this,” I snarled irritably, kicking the van door hard enough to tear through the metal locks like tissue paper. The battered door flung open violently, and I hopped gracefully out onto the dirt roadside, tossing my wild blonde hair out of my face.

The other police van hadn't flipped, though it had careened off-road and skidded to an abrupt stop. Officers were already pouring out, assault rifles aimed steadily toward me. My enhanced vision easily caught Pip through the open doors, his hands cuffed behind his back, staring toward me with wide-eyed anticipation.

The officers shouted harsh commands in Portuguese, the language completely foreign to my ears, yet their intent clear. Their fingers rested nervously on triggers, eyes filled with fear. They were about to shoot.

“Not today, boys,” I murmured coolly, waving my hand dismissively toward them. “Stupefy!”

A pulse of raw magic burst effortlessly from my fingertips, surging invisibly through the air and slamming directly into the group of armed officers. Each man froze abruptly, their eyes glazing blankly as their bodies collapsed limply onto the dusty ground, rifles clattering uselessly beside them.

I exhaled softly in satisfaction. Unlike João, Luiz, and the driver, I didn't know if these officers were the same kind of monsters. I wouldn't kill them unless I had to. 

The driver I’d executed, however, had known precisely what João and Luiz were doing back there and chose to look the other way. No mercy for that son of a bitch.

My boots kicked up clouds of dust as I strode confidently toward the other van. Pip stared at me, slack-jawed, eyes wide with astonishment. Beside him, the female officer who'd confiscated my revolver now slumped unconscious, a dazed expression on her pretty face, my gun resting temptingly in her limp hand.

“Miss me, Pip?” I teased dryly, stepping gracefully over the sleeping forms of the officers as I approached.

He snapped quickly from his stupor, an infuriating smirk splitting his lips. “Always, chérie, always,” he purred, eyes shamelessly roving over my freshly cleaned figure. “Especially when you’re doing that sexy, badass heroine thing.”

I scoffed dramatically, plucking my revolver smoothly from the unconscious officer’s grip. The familiar, comforting weight settled satisfyingly back into my hand, and I immediately felt complete again.

“Alohomora!” I snapped my fingers and the cuffs on Captain Pip’s wrists came apart.

…

I could already see the expensive hotel we were supposed to meet Alucard at in the distance. “Pip,” I called over my shoulder, my eyes scanning the roadway between us and the hotel, “you think you can drive this van there without crashing us again?”

Pip grinned broadly, shaking off the last effects of shock from the violent ride. “I've done a lot of things in my life, but I've never taken a stolen police vehicle out for a joyride.”

I snorted skeptically. "For some reason, I seriously doubt that..."

His playful smirk widened. "You're right—this definitely isn't my first time!"

I groaned, momentarily considering punching him again just for good measure, when suddenly another massive explosion split the silence.

BOOOM!

My head whipped around, eyes widening in shock as the top floor of the lavish hotel—the very suite where we were supposed to rendezvous with Alucard—exploded violently outward, sending glass shards and chunks of flaming debris spiraling through the sky. Fiery smoke billowed up into the air. 

Everything was exploding today!

“Well,” I muttered grimly, narrowing my eyes at the carnage, “I think Alucard just found the Nazi vampires—or maybe they found him first.” Either way, I’m sure he was busy killing them. 

Pip’s expression darkened instantly, seriousness replacing the casual smirk he'd been wearing moments before. He cracked his neck. “I'll put the pedal to the metal, Valerie. Hang on tight!”

He moved toward the driver's side door, muscles tense and ready, when suddenly my enhanced vampire hearing caught the faintest whistle slicing sharply through the humid Brazilian air.

Before I could even call out a warning, Pip staggered back violently, a ragged gasp of shock and pain tearing from his throat. My heart froze in sudden terror as my eyes locked onto the gaping wound torn into the left side of his chest—right where his heart was.

Blood exploded out from the wound, painting the van door crimson!

Fuck!

My supernatural eyes followed the metallic glint zipping through the air. It was a small, spherical bullet. An old-fashioned musket ball that now hovered unnaturally in mid-air, dripping blood.

A figure emerged slowly, confidently, into view. A tall woman strode deliberately forward, her gait smooth and predatory. She was dressed in a sharply tailored military uniform—distinctly Nazi-era. She had long flowing black hair and dark crazy eyes behind a pair of glasses.

The musket bullet under her control suddenly whipped violently around her, lashing out at random vehicles driving innocently along the highway. It punctured windshields effortlessly, ripped violently through flesh and bone, and caused cars to collide and burst into flames, spreading instant chaos, death, and destruction. She was killing random people for the fun of it!

But my attention snapped back to Pip, who swayed dangerously, blood spurting weakly from his mouth. His single visible eye widened with agony and shock.

“Pip!” I screamed as I lunged forward, catching him just before his knees buckled completely. Dragging him hastily into the van's front seat, I slammed the door shut behind us.

His heart was shredded, I could hear it weakly sputtering, seconds away from complete failure. Frantically, I elongated one of my nails into a razor-sharp point, slashing deeply into my wrist without hesitation. Blood welled instantly from the wound, rich and vibrant with my healing grail-infused vampire life-force.

“Open your mouth, damn it!” I growled urgently, pressing my bleeding wrist firmly against his pale, trembling lips. Pip’s gaze flickered weakly, barely conscious, but thankfully, he obeyed. 

My blood dripped swiftly onto his tongue, sliding down his throat.

Instantly, powerful healing magic surged through his body. He jerked violently beneath me, a gasping, choking sound ripping from his throat as the wound in his chest rapidly knit itself closed. Muscle fibers and bone snapped back into place with a grotesque, wet squelch. The color rushed back to his skin, and his heart thumped strongly again beneath my palm.

“Holy fuck!” Pip sputtered, staring down incredulously at the now fully healed skin beneath his shredded shirt. “What the hell was that? What shot me!?”

“Magic Nazi vampire bullet,” I snarled bitterly, my crimson eyes blazing with fury. Outside, explosions and the horrifying screams of dying innocents punctuated my words. The chaos and senseless murder that bitch was creating filled me with rage.

Suddenly, my ears caught the sinister whistle again, and instinctively I lunged forward, gripping Pip’s head and forcing him to duck sharply beneath me.

CRASH!

The window shattered explosively as the enchanted musket bullet sliced through, narrowly missing Pip’s skull by mere inches. Fragments of glass rained over us. The musket ball kept going and flew out the other shattered window.

I grit my teeth, glaring murderously toward the approaching Nazi vampire in the rear view mirror. That shot would’ve killed Pip outright, and even I wouldn't be able to heal a missing head!

“Fucking step on it!” I screamed fiercely at Pip, releasing my hold on him and letting him spring into frantic action.

“Already on it!” Pip yelled, slamming his foot violently onto the gas pedal. Tires squealed wildly, smoke and dirt exploding behind us as we surged forward, racing desperately toward the burning hotel.

I leaned out the shattered passenger window, with my hair whipping fiercely behind me, revolver gripped tightly in my hand. Taking aim, I fired round after round directly at the calmly walking woman. To my astonishment, the magical musket bullet zoomed back into position, spinning swiftly and intercepting every single bullet effortlessly out of the air, sending sparks flying with each metallic collision.

My eyes narrowed sharply. Shit, that was actually pretty fucking impressive…

I shook myself mentally. This psychotic Nazi bitch had just nearly slaughtered Pip, and was casually murdering innocent people on the freeway. She deserved no admiration.

We couldn't fight here. Too many innocents were getting caught in the crossfire.

“We need to lure her to the hotel!” I shouted angrily to Pip. “She’s massacring everyone on the highway!”

“Already heading there!” Pip yelled over the rushing wind and roaring engine. He swerved sharply to dodge flaming wreckage blocking the road ahead.

I could still see the crazy nazi vampire smiling in the mirror as she casually followed behind us. That bitch probably thought we were fleeing because we were outclassed. I’d enjoy ripping the smile on her face and burning her alive once we caught up with Alucard back at the hotel! 

As we got closer, I could sense his potent undead life force. He was in the middle of battling another vampire, although this one wasn’t as powerful as the one currently chasing us. I figured Alucard would be finished playing around before we arrived.

XXX