The next morning, just before sunrise, Barnabas, Mantis and Bradley returned to Collinwood. Their search had been less than successful.
"So it was a bust", Quentin asked as he sipped a cup of coffee.
"Unfortunately, yes", Barnabas said. "Our young vampire lived in this area his entire life and obviously knows the safest places to hide."
"Even our young cub couldn't track his scent", Mantis smiled, rubbing Bradley on his head, causing Bradley to give a big scowl.
"We'll try again tonight", Barnabas said. "So how did it go here?"
"As well as can be expected", Quentin said. "Julia gave Elizabeth a mild sedative to help her sleep and has gone back to the school. She'll be back later to check on Elizabeth. And Willie spent most of the night cleaning up the kitchen after the Sheriff's deputies did their work. He went upstairs to lay down just a few minutes ago."
"How did things go with the Sheriff?", Barnabas asked.
"He's an idiot", Quentin replied. "His first response, despite speaking to Elizabeth, was to accuse you."
"As we assumed he would", Barnabas said with a small smile.
"And then he threatened to lock both Julia and I up when we told him that you were at the school with us when Mrs. Johnson was murdered."
"I'm sure that was an experience", Barnabas replied.
"Elizabeth started getting upset and was ready to throw the Sheriff out of the house", Quentin continued.
"From the site of a murder", Mantis asked. "Is that even legal?"
"From what we've seen of Mrs. Collins", Bradley laughed, "I don't think it would matter. She's a tough lady!"
"I don't think it would matter much either", Barnabas agreed. "Elizabeth is not one to be trifled with and she does not suffer fools lightly."
"Finally, Dani stepped in and whipped out her SHIELD credentials", Quentin said. "She's taken over the investigation from the Sheriff."
"She did what?", Barnabas asked.
"She decided that Sheriff English was an incompetent idiot and took over the investigation", Quentin laughed.
"She can do that?", Mantis asked.
"I guess when you have Nick Fury on your speed dial, you can", Quentin replied.
"So what do we do next?", Bradley asked.
"You will go back to the school and get some rest", Barnabas told Bradley.
"You'll need to be retiring soon as well", Quentin noted, looking out the window at the sun that was just beginning to rise in the east.
"I can handle the sunlight", Barnabas replied.
"Maybe", Quentin said, "but it's supposed to be extremely hot and sunny today. Why risk it?"
"There won't be much we can do during the daylight anyhow", Mantis said. "Myself and Quentin can continue our search and you can join us at dusk."
"I don't like it, but you're probably right", Barnabas agreed.
"Do you need to go back to the old house or the school or anything?", Bradley asked.
"No", Barnabas replied. "I can safely retire to one of the rooms upstairs."
And with that, Barnabas bid his associates a good day and went upstairs to lay down.
"I thought that the serum that Mr. Collins takes protected him from sunlight?", Bradley asked after Barnabas had left the room.
"It does to a point", Quentin explained. While he's quite capable of surviving overcast or cloudy days, days where it's bright and extremely sunny will still weaken him considerably, kind of like a person with a bad case of the flu."
"The flu?", Bradley asked.
"Weakened with roughly half his normal strength, disorientated and not himself", Quentin explained. "So it's better for him to avoid the direct sunlight if possible."
"I guess", Bradley agreed.
"And now, I guess it's time to get back to the school. Do you want Mantis to drive you?", Quentin asked the young werewolf.
"No", Bradley replied. "I can call the school and have Starr or Miss Harkness teleport over here to get me. I'll go call them."
As Bradley walked into the other room to use the phone, Mantis and Quentin watched him exit. Then Mantis turned to Quentin.
"This one is confused about something", Mantis remarked. "This vampire we're after apparently changed forms when it was preparing to attack Elizabeth. But I've encountered vampires before and though they do possess some shape shifting abilities, like changing into a wolf or bat, I was not aware that their physical appearance changed."
"That's because there is more than one kind of vampire", Quentin responded.
"More than one kind?", Mantis asked.
"Yes", Quentin answered. "Barnabas can explain it better than I can, but I'll try to explain it to you how he did to me."
"I'm just curious", Mantis said.
"It's actually something you should know if we're going to be fighting and and chasing vampires", Quentin said. "I'm not sure of the how and why's but there are essentially four different types of vampires. One is descended from the Dracula lineage. Even though his vampirism is primarily the result of a curse, Barnabas fits into this area. These vampires can shape-shift into bats and have enhanced strength, powers of hypnotism and minor telepathic abilities. Some of the oldest of this line, like Dracula, can change into a wolf or even a mist like substance. They require blood to survive and can only be killed by sunlight, decapitation or a stake to the heart. Silver bullets work too. One thing that's different about this particular branch of vampire is that they must have a pinch of their native soil with them when they sleep during the day.
"That's the kind this one is most familiar with", Mantis said. "I've had the misfortune to encounter Dracula before. What are the other kinds of vampire?"
"Then we have the more common bottom feeder type vampires, which is what our friend, James, seems to be. They're not real vampires, but actually demons inhabiting human corpses. They retain the memories and characteristics of their host and drink human blood. They have an enhanced brow and yellow eyes when they shift to their true form, but tend to remain in a human form when not fighting or feeding in order to better blend in with humanity. They have no heartbeat and cold skin and generally tend to be idiots. Albeit dangerous idiots. They can't enter a residence without being invited in. They have no reflections, but can be photographed and filmed. The only way to kill these creatures is sunlight, decapitation or a wooden stake."
"And this is the type of vampire we're after", Mantis asked.
"Yes", Quentin said. "Although they're extremely rare in this part of the country. They usually tend to be found in areas closer to a Hellmouth."
"What is a Hellmouth?", Mantis asked.
"It's literally a doorway to hell", a voice answered from the doorway.
Mantis and Quentin turned to see Dani Moonstar standing there.
"Sorry to interrupt your conversation", Dani said. "I just got back from town. That Sheriff is an idiot."
"I could have told you that", Quentin smiled. "Oh wait... I did!"
Dani cast an evil glare at Quentin before turning to Mantis.
"So you're talking about the different kinds of vampires?", she asked.
"Yes", Mantis answered. "This one was curious about the differences between this vampire we're after and other vampires she's encountered in the past."
"You know about vampires, Dani?", Quentin asked.
Dani threw Quentin another nasty look.
"Do you really think I'd come work in a school ran by a vampire and a werewolf without doing research on the topic?", she asked. "SHIELD has an extensive library of vampire history and activities."
"I'd like to have a look at that library someday", Quentin remarked.
"I'll see what I can do", Dani smiled.
"So you said that there were four types of vampires, Quentin", Mantis said. "What are the other two types?"
"The other two types are rather rare and we're not very likely to encounter them", Quentin said. "One is a group run by some Italian powers that be called the Volutari or something like that."
"These are the kind that Bradley had referred to so often", Dani noted.
"Exactly", Quentin replied. "They're capable of moving at super-speed, have super strength and most have mental powers of some type as well, although the nature of their powers varies from vampire to vampire."
"They drink either human blood or animal and most are quite benevolent, prefering to live among humans rather than act as renegades and murder them. They're are fully capable of existing in the sunlight, which rather than destroy them will merely cause them to glow, like crystal", Dani added.
"They are extremely powerful and dangerous", Quentin noted.
"But they generally tend to police themselves and the danger factor to most humans is minimal. Based on SHIELD estimates, they only number about 200 to 300 in number, and the number one rule in their world is to keep their existence unknown to the general public. Their leaders, the Voltari, are pretty anal and run a tight ship, keeping their people under control."
"And the final type?", Mantis asked.
"We don't have many details on these", Quentin said. "Barnabas says that they're considered myths and legends among the dark world and even the other vampires and assorted demons are skeptical of their existance."
"Are you talking about Lestat and his bunch?", Dani asked.
"You know of them?", Quentin asked.
"I've even heard of them", Mantis said. "There was a series of books. But they're just fictional characters, aren't they?"
"Not according to Barnabas", Quentin replied. "There are only about twenty or so of them left, due to a house-cleaning job by their Queen a few years ago. They're extremely powerful and grow even more so as they get older. But with the exception of Lestat, they tend to avoid contact with humans for the most part and even he seems to have vanished over the past few years."
"The SHIELD file on Lestat and his associates is huge", Dani noted. "Most of it is based on information provided by the Talamasca, which was a brain-trust type group devoted entirely to dealing with the supernatural."
"You said 'was' a group", Quentin noted. "Are they still around?"
"Nope", Dani said. "They were swallowed up by a group called the Watchers Council a few years ago, which is decidedly more pro-active against demons and vampires and fights them on a regular basis all around the world."
"Is that the group affiliated with the Slayer?", Quentin asked.
"You know about the Slayer?", Dani asked.
"I encountered one once several years ago when I was in South America. A young girl who's mission was to slay vampires and demons and protect the world from evil", Quentin said. "Haven't seen one since, but I've heard stories that they're still around and kicking demon butt!"
"They are", Dani admitted. "Saw some files at SHIELD noting several cases that were referred to the Watcher's Council to handle. They're connected with most major governments, but they are a hush hush group and work under the radar."
"I wonder if there is anything about them in the Avenger's files?", Mantis queried.
"There may be", Dani said, "but from what I've read, they tend to avoid the flashy super-types, prefering to lay low and work behind the scenes, so even if there is, there wouldn't be much."
"I may check next time I go to New York", Mantis smiled.
"Well, as fascinating as all of this is", Quentin said. "We still need to find our rogue vampire who killed Mrs. Johnson and threatened Elizabeth."
"We don't have to worry about the Sheriff or his deputies getting in our way", Dani said. "Nick Fury himself called and ran some interference for us and I'm in charge of the investigation now. All I have to do is give the Sheriff and SHIELD a report when we finish and let them know what we discover and find out."
"It pays to have friends", Quentin quipped.
"So what shall we do next?", Mantis asked. "Shall we go out hunting for our killer?"
"It probably won't do much good during the day", Dani noted.
"No", Quentin agreed. "James is in a death-like trance somewhere and probably well hidden."
"Well, I can go talk to James' family and friends and see if I can find out more about him", Dani said. "If we can get a good idea of his personality and the places he liked to hang out at, we might be able to figure out where he's hiding during the day."
"I need to head back to the school", Quentin said. "Mantis, can you stay here and keep an eye on Elizabeth and Willie?"
"This one will do that", Mantis said. "This one also has a few ideas of her own to follow up on in tracking down our killer, but I can do that from here."
"Great", Quentin said. "Do you need a ride, Dani?"
"I brought my own car", Dani said.
"Are you ready to face the students at the school?", Mantis asked Quentin.
"What do you mean?", Quentin asked.
"You know that by now, Jacques and Bradley have told everyone about what's going on here and the students are going to be anxious to help out."
"Maybe so, but Barnabas is right in that we don't need to involve the kids in this", Quentin said.
"Well, when I was one of the New Mutants at Xaiver's school, I know it used to frustrate us a great deal when the X-Men would attempt to protect us. And usually, we'd end up getting involved anyhow."
"So you think the students might disobey and help us anyhow, whether we want it or not?", Quentin asked.
"Maybe", Dani replied. "But maybe not. I'm just saying that it would have been better for all of us back at Xaivers if the senior team, the X-Men, had just showed a little more faith in us and not tried to protect us so often."
"This one is not fond of the idea of placing the children in danger either", Mantis noted. "But Dani has a point and they are quite capable and powerful young people. Perhaps if we allow them to help in a limited capacity?"
"I'm not crazy about it either, but what you're saying makes sense. I remember how annoyed I used to get when something would happen and everyone would try to keep me out of it for my own good. I always ended up right in the middle anyhow", Quentin noted.
"Consider it a field trip", Dani smiled.
Quentin gave Dani a smirky scowl before answering, "I'll think about it."
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