John, Elena and Gabriel have a laugh as John makes a joke about Elma.
Elena wasn't comfortable when she first came here but being with this group of immortals has changed her perception of vampires.
Before now, she and her family only ever tortured creatures of the supernatural for information that would lead to another hunt.
She saw them as monsters who only thought of draining the lives of mortals.
She never thought they had real social lives that did not involve death.
But to see them laugh and talk makes her see them in a different light.
"Hey," Elma offers to pour her a drink as her glass is empty.
She nods as the vampire fills her cup with liquor.
"So, who is oldest amongst you guys?" Elena asks.
She throws her hair backwards.
"I am," Gabriel says.
Elena eyes his tight shirt as it grips his body.
"How old are you?" "I am 500 years old," he says.
Elena is shocked and she almost chokes on her drink.
"Take it easy, love" Elma pats her on the back.
"500 years? You have been alive for five centuries?" Elena looks at the sphinx with awe.
"Yes, that's what it means to be immortal.
We don't age once we have reached our physical peak," he says.
"Wow," Elena envies them.
She wonders if she should become an immortal.
"Your family will hunt you if ever act on that thought," Gabriel says as he sips from his glass and let's out a cough.
Elena raises a brow, "Did you just read my mind?".
"It's the psychic thing he said earlier," John says.
Gabriel begins to cough hard.
"Gabe love, are you alright?" Elma asks but he can't answer.
He falls on one knee and the two vampires stand up.
Something is wrong?
Is the drink poisoned?
Gabriel falls to the ground and his eyes close shut.
John and Elma rush to his side to check on him.
John checks his pulse, "He is alive but something is wrong,".
"What can do this to him?" "Nothing that we know," Elma says.
His eyelids flicker and Elma catches it.
"He is alive, his eyes just shook right now," she says.
He opens his eyes.
John sighs, "Man, you scared us,".
Gabriel pushes John away and stands up from the ground.
His eyes turn into a blue glow.
"Gabe, are you alright?" Elma asks but he doesn't answer her. He just stares at her.
Suddenly, he charges at Elma.
He punches her in the face and drops a kick to her chest.
Elma groans on the ground.
"Hey, what the hell man?", John confronts him.
He jerks John by the neck and toss him against the already cracked floor.
Elma stands up.
"What's going on?" Elena prepares herself.
"I don't think he is himself," Elma says.
Elena pulls out a gun and points it at him.
Gabriel growls and charges toward the women.
Elma meets him in a clash of fists but the Sphinx easily overwhelms her and tosses her to the side.
Elena begins to shoot at him.
Her bullets hit the immortal in the chest but he is unharmed.
If anything, he is enraged.
He roars and charges at Elena but John holds him from behind.
Elena pulls out a silver dagger and stabs his shoulder.
He groans before John raises him and performs a suplex on Gabriel.
The three stand together as they prepare for his recovery.
It isn't long.
"Where is Samuel? We need him," John says.
"He left," Elma says.
"What do you me…", Gabriel throws a piece of the broken floor at John.
He swings his hand at Elma, hurting her shoulder with sharp claws.
Elena's dagger is still stuck on his shoulder.
"That's silver, how are you enduring it?" Elena is shocked.
That's right.
When he came to rescue John none of their attacks stopped him.
How strong is a Sphinx?
In a blink of an eye Gabriel appears before her.
He tries to grab her neck but she maneuvers her way around him and stops behind him.
She removes a taser from her pants and tases the immortal.
He is unfazed.
He grabs the taser and crushes it under the weight of his hand.
Elena stares as the pieces of the taser fall to the ground.
She lands a series of punches to his midsection and nods his head.
He immediately retaliates with a headbutt of his own, sending her to the ground.
John attacks from behind and grabs his throat.
Locking his head with his two hands.
But not for long.
His strength is no match for the sphinx.
Gabriel removes John's hands as he struggles to maintain his position.
Gabriel slams him on the ground and begins to punch him.
Elma smashes a bottle against Gabriel's head and kicks him to the side.
Gabriel runs on fours like an animal.
He runs into Elma and spears her.
He sinks his teeth into her throat and sucks hard on her neck.
She groans in pain as he drinks from her neck.
Ping.
He raises his head as he hears the elevator door open.
Rachael freezes as the sight before her causes goosebumps to grow like hair on her skin.
"Rachael run!" John shouts.
He runs towards Gabriel to stop him.
Gabriel dodges John's attack and grabs his head.
He roars into the vampire's face and breaks his neck.
Elena and Rachael stare as John's unconscious body falls to the ground.
Elena runs to the elevator and taps the buttons vigorously, praying for the elevator to open but it is too late.
Rachael sees him come and dives out of the way as Gabriel runs towards them.
Elena shoots at him till she runs out of bullets.
She takes a deep breath as she takes a stance but it is of no use.
He slams her head against the elevator door and she blacks out.
Rachael is shivering in fear.
She thought she was safe with them but she isn't.
If they are to protect her from Dracula, who will protect her from them?
She stands up and clenches her fist.
"I have to fight for myself," she mumble as Gabriel slowly approaches her.
What happened to him?
She backs away slowly, using her eyes to search for anything that would help.
"Gabriel, it's me. It's Rachael" she starts but he is deaf to her cries.
Gabriel roars as little fur begins to grow on his face and his teeth turn into that of a beast.
His roar pushes fear into her heart as her hair stands.
Rachael takes the stance Elena taught her before she faces Gabriel.
"Are you really going to hurt her, brother?".
Before Gabriel turns to face the owner of the voice, he hears his own neck break and his vision goes blank.
"I bet y'all happy to see me," Samuel says with a smile.
Rachael sighs deeply as Samuel stands over Gabriel's body.
"Are you alright?" she hears the worry behind his voice.
"Yes, what the hell happened to him?
It was like he couldn't hear me,", Rachael says.
"He couldn't. Dracula invaded his mind," Samuel says.
"So much for psychic abilities," Elma mocks as she struggles to her feet.
She groans and covers her neck.
The blood from her neck drips and stains her shirt.
"Are you alright?" Rachael asks.
"I will be alright. How come Dracula got into his head?" Elma asks.
"We are tied by blood. Whether we like it or not he can reach out to us.
But this, this hasn't happened in the last 100 years.
He is telling us that he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants to" Samuel says.
"I can't wait to kill the bastard," he adds.
"I hate him even more now," Elma groans.
"How come he didn't get you?" she asks.
Samuel giggles, "The defenses of my mind hardly fails me.
I rushed over as soon as I sensed our father's mind,".
"Come on, you two go rest. I will take care of this," Samuel says.
"Is he going to be okay?" Rachael asks.
Samuel is a bit jealous about her concern for his brother but he understands.
"Don't worry Rachael, he will be fine. Go get some rest,".
Rachael nods and walks away.
She stares at Elena and John as they lay unconscious on the floor as she leaves.
Elma enters the elevator and heads downstairs.
Samuel sighs as he begins to pick the bodies of the unconscious.
"I need to get paid for this,".
Samuel drops John and Gabriel in his brother's room.
He leaves a blood bag beside the pillow for the vampire before he goes downstairs.
He joins a group of girls on the dancefloor and dances with them.
When he and his brother came to New York, it was his idea to start a club.
This kept them close to their old lives.
Vampires lurking around like servants waiting to be ordered.
The sweet scent of mortals in their prime as they entertain their exuberance.
It has always been his pleasure.
What better way to live in a world where his kind are called monsters.
He leaves the women and goes to the bar where Bryan is on duty.
Bryan serves his boss a glass of bourbon.
No need to ask, he knows his boss after all.
"I didn't see you guys today," Marcel's French accent annoys the sphinx.
"I almost forgot that you are still alive, Smeagle" Samuel mocks him.
Marcel sniffs into the air and spits.
Samuel looks at him with disgust.
"What is that smell? Holy ash?" Marcel's throat itches with irritation.
"It seems Detective Peace is in the building," Bryan says as he sees the cop walking towards them.
Warren Peace approaches Samuel.
"Where is your brother?" the detective ask.
Samuel sips his bourbon as he gets the urge to kill the cop.
A lot of annoying characters have appeared lately.
"What do you want?"
"Two days. That's all that is left, man.
Do you want to catch Dracula or not?" Warren says.
"Come tomorrow boy scout, we will have our plans ready," Samuel says.
"Now piss off,".
Warren Peace leaves feeling like he has gained something.
Tomorrow, he will get to know their plans.
The end of these creatures is at hand.
"Are you planning to trust him?" Marcel asks.
Bryan scoffs, "No way in hell the boss trust that man,".
"I am just wondering who I will kill first, him or you,".
Marcel swallows his saliva.
He has to watch his back, this sphinx will rip out his heart if given the chance.
How will their partnership work?
How will they face Dracula?
Who will live and who will die?