Juliet Rising

Chapter 4

I watched as those terrible things advanced, the broken rapier in my hand trembling. I knew I had no chance of survival.

CRACK

A sounds I've never heard of tore through the air as something purple tore through the air. It struck one of the things in the chest and exploded. The thing didn't even have time to scream before it disappeared. I watched, stunned as two figures walked into the clearing.

It was the couple that I had run into earlier that day. The beautiful woman and the severe looking man. The gun crackled with the purple lightning as she pointed it at the things once more.

"I didn't think that the Rippers would dare come into this territory." Mercedes said as she looked at the things, "When the portal closes and you are not able to get out, you know the consequences."

"The very same that you face, if you do not return to yours." A voice rang out and the Rippers moved out of the way. A man, unimaginably beautiful, with alabaster skin and eyes that could suck out one's soul stood opposite of us. He looked at the two of them with a raised eyebrow, "Do you really think you could stop us? We will get what we came for."

"Stand behind me, child." The man said and placed himself between me and the creatures.

"Edmund," The man nodded to the man who stood before me, "I see that the honeymoon is going well. Though not with the person I expected."

"Count Dracula, seeing that you can stand in the sun, are you truly one to talk about exceeding expectations?" Monte Cristo shot back, "Hand over the spirit and you can go back to whatever pit you crawled out of."

"Which one?" The beautiful opened his hand and two glowing orbs - one blue and while silver. The blue one was tiny in comparison to the bright silver one. Dracula sniffed the two glowing orbs, and sighed a little reluctantly, "These aren't ripe yet, but in a year or two, they will be delicious."

In the blue orb was a small figure beating against whatever barrier was in place. Rosaline, a small version of her. I felt the breath catch in my chest as I looked at my trapped cousin.

In the other, much brighter orb was Romeo. He was charging at the barrier with all his might.

Dracula's eyes glowed with pleasure as he looked at his new acquisitions, "I've never eaten the soul of such an important character such as this one. It has taken us far too long to find the Shakespearean Realm.

Mercedes aimed the gun at Dracula, "Hand it over."

"How about you hand over that girl, and we'll have a deal. You aren't even going to devour her Soul. So what's the point of protecting her?" Dracula retorted, "You know full well that even without the soul, the story will go on. They simply are just reborn, just without their consciousness or souls."

"You rip living creatures out of their bodies and they become nothing. There is nothing more heinous." Edmund said.

"A soul was not awakened for you to devour and lengthen your worthless existence." Mercedes said with contempt, "It is to be cherished and protected." She took out her guns, they began to glow purple.

Dracula hissed at her, two fangs sliding out of his mouth, "Do you think that just because you have a little bit of sorcery, I am afraid of you?"

"They certainly are." Mercedes pointed out as the Rippers backed away from her gun.

Dracula smiled, "Yes, but they are not as powerful as I." And with that he began to shift into a large wolf, it's shaggy grey fur glinting in the sun. A red energy, like Mercedes cracked over his teeth.

Mercedes looked at the Dracula Wolf with distain, "How many did you have killed to have stolen so much energy?"

"More, once I have devoured yours." He said and leapt at her.

Mercedes's hands cracked, sending the energy down to her guns, and two bullets crackling with purple energy charged at Wolf. The wolf dodged one and bit down on the other one. The impact threw him backwards and he rolled up and shook himself.

The Ripper who stood behind the wolf was not so lucky as the bullet tore a hole into the Ripper, which turned to dust instantly.

Meanwhile, Edmund took out a long and nasty looking whip with six large spikes at the end. Two rippers came forward and Edmund flicked the whip at it. It tore the thing into three pieces. The Ripper howled and disappeared.

Four rippers encircled us as Edmund calmly took out his sword.

"Do you know how to wield a weapon, child?" He asked me, I shook my head. He smiled, "It's quite simple. If they come to close, take the sharp end and slash with all your might.

He handed me the thin but powerful sword.

Three of the Rippers charged at him while one of those things charged at me.

It's arm moved in a flash, and in complete panic, I closed my eyes and slashed up and down, as i've seen women do when they chop vegitables.

"Keep your eyes open, girl!" Edmund roared as he destroyed one of those things.

By a stroke of providence, I had managed to hit the arm of the thing that came at me. It roared in anger and came at me again. This time, I remembered to keep my eyes open, I swung the sword up and managed to cut off a finger.

"It gets easier." Edmund said as he dispatched the other two. He came over and took the sword, "Remember to parry." With a swift movement, he blocked the creature and then decapitated it neatly. It burst into dust. He smiled at me, "Not bad for the first time."

CRACK. The wolf flew through the air and landed on his feet. There were three bullet holes on his body, which was now stained with blood. The air rippled and Count Dracula reappeared once more.

Mercedes was not much better. There was a terrible and long gash on her arm that glowed purple.

"You think you can kill me?! I am a general in HIS army!" Dracula said, his eyes blood red.

"I have one bullet, and that's enough. Hand those souls over." Mercedes demanded.

Dracula smiled, "I could do that. But what do you think is more important? Your husband or me?"

There was a flash as one of the Rippers came flying out of the forrest. Unlike the other decaying ones, this one was twice as big and had some facial features. It was half man, half skeleton. It was faster than any of the other ones before.

It reached me and Edmund in a flash and came for my throat.

Edmund cursed and swung his whip, It caught the thing by the waist. He pulled it away from me. But even all of his might, he only managed to slow it down slightly.

It was as if time slowed in that instant, as Edmund pushed me out of the way, the thing punched through his shoulder and came out of his back.

"NO!" Mercedes screamed and shot the Ripper. The thing was flung back. It too, disappeared like the others.

Dracula laughed as he watched the scene, he took out a gem and crushed it between his fingers. A large portal appeared and he stepped through it,  he looked at me straight in the eyes, "Wait for me, pretty one. You're next." And disappeared.