Pierced (Completed)

Chapter 11: Power

"Pretty much," Harry replied, all of his normal confidence completely gone.

Remus glanced over at him, surprised at his easy admission. "How long until you think it gets here?" he asked.

Harry let his eyes close. "Pretty much any minute now, don't you think?"

Remus frowned. "You're being awfully lax if that's the case; aren't you?" he asked.

Harry let his eyes open. "Either whatever this is kills us or doesn't," he said. "There's not much I can do to stop it."

Remus nodded, unable to argue with that point. "Good luck," he said.

Harry nodded and Shadowalked down to the gate just as whatever it was came to a stop just outside of the massive doors, wincing as he felt the guards' life forces suddenly extinguish. They hadn't even put up a semblance of a fight. It would be coming in, now; the door wasn't going to fare any better than the guards.

The door lowered and the gate rose of its own accord, though Harry knew it was being done with vampire magic. Harry was surprised that it was a vampire—he didn't even know that vampires this strong existed—yet drew his katana anyway, ready to defend his people and Hermione with his life.

This was probably the end of it. As soon as whatever it was came into the shadow, Harry gave out a cry and lunged, his katana breaking the sound barrier as it cut through the air. It connected with its target and stopped, the force threatening to shatter Harry's arms as the noise alone cracked a bit of the stone and took a chunk out of the ground around them.

"Stop, youngling," the vampire said, Harry noticing with wide eyes that his blow had been blocked by a single finger.

Impossible…

"It's fruitless, huh?" Harry demanded, angry that he was going to die without getting the last word in. He pushed harder. "Whether or not I stop you're going to kill everyone with ease?"

"The only reason I killed the guards was to prove to them who I was," the vampire said, Harry finally seeing his face as the dust settled. The man's features were thin, pale, and sharply angled, a condescending look in his eyes. "You may be the Master around here, but you will learn your place."

"Who are you?" Harry asked, still pushing with the katana as the vampire effortlessly held it back with his single finger.

The man laughed a deep, hearty laugh that sent shivers down Harry's spine. "You may be the second-most powerful vampire on the planet, but I am the strongest…and the oldest, I'll add. Now learn your place now before you don't have a head to do it with."

Harry reluctantly lowered and sheathed his katana, figuring that if the vampire had wanted to kill him by now, he would've already done so. "Won't you give me a name, at least?" he asked.

"You're really that thick?" the man asked, looking at him with contempt. "I hated the last master and finally come down to extend the hand of friendship once more, and now all I'm met with is confusion and hostility? I'm Dracula, my boy."

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. "D-Dracula?" he stuttered, a shiver racing down his spine.

"I heard there was a new master in Britain, so I decided to check up on it," he said, his eyes flitting around to look at the hidden vampires watching with interest. "I never knew you'd be just as annoying as she was."