Cassandra: Legacy of Dracula

Chapter Five: Bang. You’re Dead. Teehee.

It wasn’t until almost noon the next day when Sophie, Max, and Chris returned from the hospital. Cassandra was watching television when they came in, looking very tired. "How is he?" she asked as she turned off the TV.

"He’s sleeping, and not doing very well," said Sophie. "It’s his heart, they said."

"Has he been under a lot of stress? I mean, he looked so healthy."

Max shook his head. "That’s what I don’t get. He was fine one second, then the next he’s on the kitchen floor, and the only thing I know that’s been bugging him lately are those dreams of some little girl from his past."

"The three of you haven’t slept, I can tell. Please, all of you, go to bed and then I’ll make you a nice dinner."

"Thanks Cassie, but I know Chris should call his mom first. She’s gonna want to come back here," said Sophie.

"Sure, go right ahead. What do you guys want to eat? How about something Italian?"

"Fine with me," said Max "I need to go to bed."

Cassandra heard Chris call his mom’s cell phone number, but it was turned off so he tried various other numbers, all with no luck. He figured he’d try again after dinner and went up to his room to sleep.

Cassandra told them she needed to go get the food and would be out for a couple of hours, promising to take a cross and stake with her. She drove to the castle to find Lucard reading a book in his library. "My darling Cassandra, I have been so worried. How is the old man doing?"

"In a coma, I believe. The boys are trying to reach their mother; luckily for me I made sure the call to her cell phone would go to my apartment, so they think she isn’t available."

"Yes, Eileen is going to want to catch the next flight home. Don’t worry, let them be able to call her tonight; I’ll just make sure it takes her a while to catch a flight back from Florence."

"Oh, so you do know where she is?"

"Of course. I’ve always kept an eye on her. She did make a good vampire for a short time, and if it wasn’t for her children she would have stayed one."

"So our plan, we need to act on it tomorrow?" she asked as she glanced at the book he was reading.

"Yes, everything is ready. Just take them all to your apartment tomorrow night and I will be waiting. I just hope Gustav wakes up in time to hear the bad news."

"Yes, I was hoping to tell him that I’m your daughter before we leave here. The castle will be safe?"

"I have the best security alarms and guards on it. No one will be able to touch it without harming themselves."

"You should have used your electronic doors years ago."

"It would have spoiled the fun of fending off my little intruders."

"All right father, I’ll see you tomorrow night. I must go get some groceries for dinner. I’ll make sure they enjoy this meal."

"Very well. Don’t worry about Eileen; she may think she will be on the next flight, but the problem with travel by air is that weather can send a plane back or send it miles away from its original destination."

"Yes, thank heavens we have a private jet."

After dinner, everyone sat around talking and Cassandra made sure Chris called his mom. "She said there’s a flight leaving in the morning that she’ll catch," he said with a yawn.

"Okay then. We can all go up to the hospital after lunch and she can meet us up there when she arrives. I think the three of you both need a good night’s rest and I’ll let you know if anyone calls, okay?" she said, sweetly.

"Fine with me," said Chris.

Max just gave a quick nod and went up stairs. Sophie followed behind, glancing back at Cassandra, who went back to the kitchen and began cleaning up. She couldn’t wait until two days from now, when Cassandra Drake would be nothing more than a memory. I can’t wait to be back at the castle in Ireland, she thought as she put the last plate away.

Sophie fell in and out of sleep but something was troubling her. She knew something had caused Gustav’s heart attack she just wanted to know exactly what. Cassandra had been the only witness and she claimed that she didn’t see Lucard or anyone at the window. But why did Uncle Gustav point to her? And what lullaby was she singing? Could it have reminded him of Klaus or something? Sophie heard Max in the bathroom and then heard his footsteps going down the stairs. She quietly went out of her room and heard Max talking to Cassandra. Quietly tiptoeing down the stairs, she glanced over the rail and saw Max sitting with her on the couch, their backs turned to her.

"Don’t worry Max, everything is going to be fine," Cassandra murmured as she gave him a hug. "I promise, in a few days everything will be just fine."

Sophie snuck around to the kitchen and quietly went out the back door. She knew the hospital wasn’t far and decided to walk. She made sure her cross was in her coat pocket as she started off down the street.

When Sophie got to the hospital she noticed that evening visiting hours would be over in less than thirty minutes, so she quickly made her way to Gustav’s room. He was still sleeping, the monitor beeping quietly next to him. She walked over and held his hand. "Please, Uncle Gustav you have to wake up and tell me what happened."

She knew Lucard had to be behind this somehow. Some of the nurses were talking and giggling, so she walked to the door to see them all standing around a man.

"Monsieur Lucard, you are always so kind to this hospital," one of them said.

"Lucard?" Sophie whispered.

He must have heard her, since he turned and glanced over in her direction. "Sophie, my dear," he said as she made her way towards him. "I am so sorry to hear about Gustav."

"Get out of here," she said. "You have no business being here."

"Miss," said one of the nurses, "he is a big patron to this hospital, he donated several thousand dollars to the blood bank."

"The blood bank? What, fast food for the undead?" The nurses just gave Sophie a strange look.

"Don’t worry about her, ladies, she’s very worried about her uncle," said Lucard as he walked away from the group of ladies.

Sophie followed behind him. "What did you do to Gustav?"

Lucard looked down at her and smiled. "I changed his son into a vampire, tried to kill him several times and failed, other than that..."

"I mean yesterday, Lucard. I’m sure you know he had a heart attack in the kitchen yesterday, and he called out your name."

"That just seems to happen when people get near death. I’m like the Grim Reaper; my kisses mean death to some." He smiled as he bent down and kissed her hand. "Goodnight," he said, vanishing before her.

"Does that mean I’m next on your list?" she asked an empty hallway. Running back into Gustav’s room to see that there had been no change, she decided to call for a cab rather than walk home.

After breakfast, Eileen called to say her plane had been delayed, and that she might have to fly to Athens and wait there for another one. Cassandra drove everyone to the hospital and sat with them outside Gustav’s room. Sophie mentioned that she’d come back last night and seen Lucard here. "It almost seemed like he has plans for us, because he made a comment about his kiss of death then bent down and kissed my hand."

"He’s a vampire, Soph," said Chris. "His kiss of death is his bite."

Cassandra giggled. "I’m sorry...I know that wasn’t funny, but it did sound a little cheesy."

Sophie glanced over at her. "You were the last to talk to my uncle," she said. "Did anything happen between the two of you?"

"I told you, I was singing an old song and he freaked a little." Cassandra began to sing a line and could tell that no one recognized it.

"Where did you learn it from?" asked Sophie.

"My father, when I was a little girl. To get me to sleep at night he would let me look out the window at the night sky and sing to me. I used to be afraid of the night but he showed me how the stars and moon make it pretty, and not completely dark, and that there’s nothing to fear."

"And, your father; Mr. Drake...why haven’t we heard of him? You said he helped you find a job, you’d think he would know Lucard."

"Sophie," said Max, "What’s with the twenty questions?"

"Because I have to wonder about Cassandra here. Maybe her whole ‘protect me from vampires’ bit is all an act."

"And maybe it isn’t!" said Max.

"Max, what do we know of her, really?" said Sophie.

"Enough for me!" Max said and stood up.

"Sophie, if you don’t trust me then say so; I understand. Lucard is a powerful man, I’d be suspicious of anyone as well, but if you want proof then let’s go get some dinner and then go back to my apartment and I’ll show you just who I am! Bring every weapon you have if you want."

Max smiled. "I like that idea. We can go back and see that she is who she says."

"Fine, as long as we can stop by the house first," said Sophie.

"Okay, you have a deal," said Cassandra. "I want to get a drink, does anyone want anything?" They each gave her a request and she went off to get the drinks. She picked up her cell phone. "Everything is set for tonight," she murmured into the receiver and hung up.

Cassandra made a few stops before driving up to her apartment. "Okay, home sweet home," she said as she parked her car. "It’s a small apartment, and I do mean small, but please, do come in."

Sophie walked in first, followed by Chris and Max. They entered the kitchen and Chris was sad to see that there wasn’t much food in the fridge. "Man, do you even eat here?" he asked.

"With my work schedule, not really. And since I knew I’d be staying with you guys, I threw out some other food and ran out the garbage so it wouldn’t stink up the place."

Max walked over to the couch and TV. "This is a small living room, but hey you have a TV and VCR!"

"And a Playstation," she said pointing down to it.

"Oh cool! And you have the Castlevania game! Do you mind if I play?" asked Max as he pulled out the system and controllers.

"Max!" said Sophie.

"Oh let him play, I can give you two the grand tour alone." Cassandra showed them her tiny bathroom and glanced over at Max as they went up a small set of stairs. Max, play the game, play and hear nothing else, she commanded him with her thoughts.

Sophie walked into the small bedroom and looked around. There was a tiny single bed, a dresser, a tiny closet linked to a bathroom with just a toilet, and a computer desk with a computer. "Your bedroom is rather small," she said to Cassandra.

"Tell me about it. I don’t have many clothes here, most are back home because I have no room."

"It’s kinda stuffy in here," said Chris.

"That’s ‘cause the AC doesn’t work. Let me open a window." Cassandra moved over to the window and looked out into the night. ""Night air feels much better, don’t you agree?"

"Yep," said Chris.

"Sophie, on my desk are some papers from work. My ID badge is in the top drawer along with some more papers telling that my name is Cassandra Drake."

Sophie pulled open the drawer to see that everything she was telling was the truth. "I’m sorry I got on your case, but I know Lucard had something to do with Gustav’s heart attack and I was wrong to come after you." She felt a gust of wind come from the window.

"And why blame me?" she heard Lucard say and turned to see him standing next to the open window and Cassandra.

"Lucard! How did you get in here?" said Chris as he pulled out a bottle of holy water. Sophie pulled out her cross.

"When I spoke to your lovely friend at the café, Sophie—and yes, I did know you were watching—I asked if I could drop by her place sometime, and she agreed. That’s as good as an invitation. Now come here, Cassandra," he said as he grabbed her.

"Leave her alone, Lucard," said Sophie holding her cross even closer to him.

Lucard reached for the cross and grabbed it, then threw it on the floor. "I’ve always wanted to do that."

Chris opened his bottle of water and spilled the contents at Lucard. "Take that!" he said.

Lucard pushed the water from his face. "No thank you, Christopher, I was not thirsty...yet."

"Why is our stuff not working?" asked Sophie.

Cassandra giggled. "Because a gypsy put a spell on it so that it would do no harm to Lucard. You really need to be careful on who you leave alone in a house."

"Cassandra, what are you talking about?"

"My mother was a gypsy. I discovered I had powers even greater than hers."

Lucard looked at her. "Cassandra, it really is time for you to fly."

"But, father, I want to watch."

"No, you have other things you need to take care of. Children...they never want to listen to their parents," he said, glancing back at them before vanishing out the window with her.

"Did she call him ‘father’? Did she?" asked Chris, bewildered.

"Yea, so let’s get the hell out of here," Sophie snapped as she reached for the door, only to find it was locked. She made her way over to the window but was pushed back by Lucard.

"Cassie is your daughter!"

"Yes, my darling daughter...and she prefers to be called Cassandra. Flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. I rather like that last one...and like any proud father, I’ve kept pictures," Lucard said, pulling out a wallet full of pictures of Cassandra in her true form.

"C. Lucard is Cassandra," said Sophie as the realization sank in. "The blonde girl Max saw at the castle and I saw at the jewelry store."

"Yes, isn’t she the best? I mean, she had you four fooled with her Cassie Drake story. Well, poor Gustav did remember that he had seen her once as a child. She looks so much like me, after all."

"She did cause his heart attack!" yelled Sophie.

"Naturally! Now, I really need to go spend some quality time with my daughter. Before I go," he said, handing Chris a present wrapped up in fancy holographic paper with a note on top, "I just wanted to give you a farewell present from the Lucard family. Cassandra wanted to thank you for all of your hospitality." And then, Lucard was gone.

Sophie started to pound on the door. "MAX!" she screamed. "MAAAAXXXXX!"

Chris opened up the note. "It says:

‘Guys, sorry I had to fly. Don’t worry about Max, I love him like a brother. I’m sure your evening will end with quite a bang.

Cassandra Alexis Lucard

P.S. This message will self-destruct in five seconds.’"

"Chris get rid of it!" Sophie yelled as she made her way back to the window. The wrapped present fell to the floor.

Max was resting in Cassandra’s arms when he turned around and saw her building explode behind them; fire and smoke began to rise up into the night sky. "Chris! Sophie!" he said as he looked over at Cassandra.

"I’m sorry Max, I really am."

"It was Lucard. You told me, he tried to get you but you escaped and ran down and got me. Cassie, we could all be dead if it wasn’t for you."

"I know Max, I know," she said, glancing back at the burning building.

Max tried to think on what just happened. Cassandra had run in and pulled him away from the TV and they’d both gotten into the backseat of a car. It was a nice car with leather seats. "Hey whose car is this?"

"It’s my dad’s limo. We’re going back to his house and then leaving on his private jet."

"Your dad’s here?"

"Yep. He’s riding in the front seat," she said.

Max looked up and saw a blond man sitting next to the driver. "Hello Maximillian," said Lucard. Max froze in his seat.

Cassandra took his face and turned it towards her. "Don’t worry, Max, you’re safe," she said, putting a finger to his forehead and whispering "Shhh." Before he knew it, everything had gone black and he was fast asleep.

"Cassandra, isn’t he too dangerous to bring with us?" said Lucard as he glanced back at her with Max passed out in the seat next to her.

"You’re one to talk, father. Remember Margo? Whatever made you chase after her to begin with?"

"You were getting to that age when you needed a mother," he said, motioning for the driver to turn into the parking lot of the hospital.

"I have you, father, that is enough. You will let me come with you to say good bye to Mr. Helsing, won’t you?"

"Yes, but we must make it quick," he said as he got out of the car, Cassandra trailing behind. They went directly to Gustav’s room, unnoticed by the nurses. Gustav was fast asleep, but Lucard woke him up.

Cassandra looked at him. "Gustav, good evening to you," she said.

He looked up at her. "Lucard," he sighed, not yet noticing that Lucard was standing on the other side of his bed.

"I’m sorry I could not tell you earlier, but I’d met you as a child; I remembered that you walked up to me near a toy store."

"You are Lucard," he said.

"Wrong," Alexander said. "She is a Lucard. This is my daughter, Cassandra."

Gustav looked over at Alexander. "So, the stories of gypsies having a vampire child are true."

"Very," said Lucard.

"You’ve come to kill me, have you?" said Gustav. He reached under his pillow and pulled out the Cross of the Magyars. It sent Lucard flying across the room towards the door. "You didn’t think I wouldn’t know? I told Sophie to switch it with a fake one and bring the real one to me, and she did."

Lucard hissed at him. "You may be alive, old man, but know this. You are the only one left!" He ran out the room; Cassandra stopped at the door and smiled sweetly at Gustav. "The interesting thing about the human heart, Gustav, is that for all the protection it has against natural factors, all that rich German food you’ve been eating begins to clog your arteries. Your heart can go bad at a moment’s notice...you may begin to have memory lapses...hallucinations..." she stated innocently, chuckling and gliding out as the EEG began to beep erratically and Gustav clutched at his chest.

The two of them ran back to the limo and had the driver take off. The plane was waiting for them, to take them to France; Lucard carried Max as Cassandra made sure that everything was in place.

As the plane flew over the city, Cassandra looked down at the fire from her building below. The fire trucks had arrived and were trying to put it out. "Buhbye," she said to it and looked back over at Max, sleeping on a couch.