Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 21:09:47 -0700 (PDT) From: Author James Subject: Return of a Real Dark Knight 17 Disclaimer: This story is fiction. There are two celebrities who will appear from time-to-time. The other characters are fictitious. Any similarities to persons living or dead are completely coincidental. In this story, I have continued the adventures of Batman, my Batman, which his story first began in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight" in the Boy Band section of this archive. It spanned 250 chapters. You will find many universes merging, as the below copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox. Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston. Copyright DC Comics. X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. I do hope that you enjoy it!!! Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. authorjames2002@yahoo.com I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name. Chapter 17 Vesta's Virgin Throughout the next day, I wondered who Catman was then and who the new person now is, as well as how they were connected with Christine and Sarah. My mind didn't come up with any answers, but it was difficult to figure out the answers. With the new arrivals in town, both good and not so good, I was easily distracted. My number one priority, though, was to train Sarah and Dinah. As Vampire Slayers, they needed the attention of Jessica and me. And that's what we planned. After sunset, Sarah and Dinah met with Jessica and me in the woods behind the Center. The plan was for them to work on using their powers away from prying eyes. No one would be out in this area after dark unless they were teenagers having an "adventure" or having sex. Witnessing the teens using their powers would only enhance their "fear" of wooded areas at night. "What are we doing here, dad?" "We are going to work on fighting skills." "As a Vampire Slayer, your powers are inside of you. You have basic survival skills when facing a vampire. However, you must learn to perfect those skills or you will not survive many confrontations. I know where you two are. I know where you can be. It's going to be our job," Jessica motioned to me and her, "to make sure you get to where you can be." "How long do you train before you know everything?" Dinah asked. "You are always training and always learning. There is always a vampire or demon out there stronger than you, faster than you, even smarter than you. So you must always strive to learn more." Sarah and Dinah nodded in comprehension. "Sarah, you and I are going to pair off. Dinah, you and Eric will be sparring together." Dinah moved over by me while Jessica and Sarah moved away from us. "We're going to start out with some simple moves. I want to see what you do instinctively." Dinah nodded and I crouched down and lunged at her tackling her. I acted as if I were a vampire and were trying to bite her. She struggled underneath me pushing against my chest. Suddenly her Slayer strength kicked in and she threw me off of her. I rolled and got to my feet as she got up. "Good," I replied. "That's a start." Then I took a swing at her. She ducked and my fist whizzed over her head. Stepping to the side, she stood and kicked me in the back causing me to stumble forward. "Good work," I said turning around. "The first instinct is to put as much distance between you and the vampire as possible. Not to run, unless you absolutely have to. There's no shame in running. But you don't want the creature to get away. "You have to remember as well, vampires always have their weapons on them. They have teeth and strength. As a human being, you have to find your weapon to slay them. Do you remember what slays vampires?" "Sunlight, wooden stake in the heart, decapitation." "Don't forget fire. Holy water and crosses are also good weapons. They may not slay the vampire, but they sure do hurt like hell." Dinah nodded. A scream rang out from the Center and we ran as fast as we could. As we neared, several young men and women turned toward us. Jessica and I knew they were vampires. We looked at one another, reached into our belts and pulled out stakes. "Catch!" we called out to the two younger girls behind us and tossed them stakes. "Aim for the heart!" Jessica added. The vampires came at us and I dove underneath the attempted grasp of one. I rolled to my feet and punched the vampire as I ran past him. "I'm going inside to check on those inside!" "We'll get the ones out here," Jessica answered, "And then we'll join you!" I nodded and ran inside. Sarah punched the vampire in the face. Her head jerked back and then Sarah spun around and kicked the demon. The demon spun in mid air and landed on the ground. Sarah jabbed the stake into its heart. Dinah spun around and knocked the vampire of his legs. Then she somersaulted, staked the vampire and, as she came up, picked up the vampire and threw him toward the Center. He turned to dust in mid air. I looked around the darkened corridors hoping to find where the noise came from. I heard the sound of footsteps and turned to see Clark wearing only pajama bottoms. "What's going on?" he asked. "I think vampires are attacking the Center." "What do you want me to do?" "Protect the others. Do you know where the scream came from?" "I think from the girls' section." I nodded and headed over carefully. We checked all the rooms and found nothing. "Hold on," Clark said as he looked up. "I think I see something up there." "Stay here. I'll go check." I headed up the stairs and figured out where Clark was looking. It was Diana's room. I headed down the corridor quickly and listened at the door. "I am Diana," Diana's voice came from the room, "Princess of the Amazons. I demand to know why you have attacked me." The vampire struggled to answer why. I opened the door to find Diana holding the vampire off the ground by his throat. "That answer is not good enough," she replied. "Vesta," he answered. "Vesta sent me." Diana became thoughtful for a moment. "Vesta? Tell me of this Vesta. The name sounds familiar." "She does?" the vampire asked hopefully. It was his hope that Diana would recognize who Vesta was and would release him. "I believe she is the Roman goddess of the hearth, much like Hestia. What does Vesta want with me?" "She knows you are a virgin and she wants virgins to tend her eternal fire." "I do not follow the Roman gods. I follow only the Greeks. The Greek goddesses are the ones who made me, and to them and the Amazons of Thymiscira do I hold my allegiance. Tell Vesta this message." Diana slowly lowered the vampire down and released him. He ran for the door and knocked me over as he fled. Diana saw me and rushed to me, helping me up. "Are you well, Eric?" "I'm fine, thank you. What were you talking with the vampire about?" "The Roman goddess Vesta wished for me to be a Vestal Virgin. I declined. The Roman gods, though similar to the Greek gods, are not the same. I will not convert." "It's a good thing, too. From what I've heard, this particular Vesta isn't a goddess, but a vampire. The Huntress and Batman ran into her vampires the other night at a club. They were searching for virgins as well. They must have wanted to grab you then." Diana nodded. "It sounds likely." "We should check to make sure the others are securely in their rooms. I would hate to find out any young girls were kidnapped from the Center." The vampire returned to Vesta's mansion and approached Vesta. "She was unwilling to come. She wanted me to tell you her allegiance is to the Greek goddesses and the Amazons. No one else." "Is that what she said?" Vesta asked. The vampire nodded. Vesta nodded and turned. She took several steps. "She is the fairest in the land and she is a virgin. She will be mine. "And as for you..." Vesta turned and her eyes blazed with fire. The vampire caught fire and burned up, turning to dust before her eyes. "You are nothing more than dust on my floor." Vesta looked around to the vampires in the great hall as well as the few girls she already had for her attendants. "I want this girl for my own! And I will have her! Find her and bring her to me! All of you!" The vampires nodded. "Go now!" Vesta screamed. The vampires and her high priest, the one who picked her up from the docks, fled the mansion in every direction. "Now," Vesta said in a calm voice. "Where were we?" Jessica, Dinah, Sarah, Clark and I checked the Center to make sure it was secure. All the doors and windows were locked and the security system was activated once again. "I wish we had someone magical who could put a barrier up to keep vampires out," I said to Jessica. "You mean there is such a thing as magic?" Sarah asked. Jessica and I both nodded. "Wow." "I wonder if that stuff has any effect on me," Clark said. "We don't know. If we had someone who was magical, we could find out." "I have some books back at the penthouse," Jessica offered. "I could get them and we could look and see if there are any spells." "We can do that tomorrow. I don't think they will show up again tonight. Clark, you, Diana, and Dinah can keep things under control if anything does happen. And be sure to contact me if something comes up." "Sure," Clark replied. Jessica, Sarah, and I left the Center, climbed in the car and headed back home. "Do you think it's a good idea putting them in charge?" Jessica asked once we were underway. "There's not much I can do. Besides, they are going to learn sooner or later. What's the difference if they start now?" "If you think it is wise." "Wow," Clark said as they sat in the lobby. "Eric put us in charge." "Do you think that was a good idea?" Dinah asked. "Why not? We are capable," Diana answered. "What's that out there?" Clark said noticing something out the window. "I don't see anything," the Amazon said. "Neither do I," the Slayer replied. "There's something out there and it's heading this way. Maybe we should go outside to face it instead of in here. That way, there won't be any casualties." "I agree," Diana said. "Shouldn't someone call Eric?" "Go ahead," Diana replied. "Then join us." Dinah nodded and went over to the receptionist's desk. "Call Eric. We think something's up." The receptionist nodded and dialed a phone number while the three super-powered individuals went outside. As soon as the door closed, the vampires attacked. Clark shot several with his heat vision causing them to go up in flames. A few he decapitated and dust was their fate. Diana punched several of their heads clean off and Dinah staked them as they came. When the dust settled, the old man stood facing the three teenagers. "Go home, Grandpa," Dinah stated. "Your army has been defeated." The old man held up his hand and several bolts came out. Dinah dodged them as they hit the ground where she once stood. Diana held up her wrists to deflect them, only to realize that she did not have her gauntlets on. The bolts hit her and knocked her unconscious. Clark stood his ground figuring the mystical energy wouldn't have an effect. The bolts hit him as well and knocked him unconscious. The old man moved toward Diana but Dinah lunged at him. Two vampires showed up and grabbed her before she could grab the old man. A few more emerged from the shadows and picked up Diana. Dinah swung her legs up and flipped over, causing the vampires' grips to loosen. She was able to free one hand and back hand the vampire. Then she brought the fist around and connected with the face of the other. It released its grip and stumbled backwards. Dinah pulled out a stake and took care of them quickly. When she turned around, however, only an unconscious Clark was around. "They got Diana," she whispered. I got the call from the receptionist that Dinah needed me. I turned the car around and headed back immediately. When I got there, Dinah was trying to help Clark up. I jumped out and ran to them. "What happened?" I asked. "Well," Clark said. "We found out that magic does hurt me." "Who was it?" "We think more of Vesta's minions showed up. Along with her high priest. He zapped Diana and Clark with something to knock them out. He had a bunch of vampires come to keep me occupied. They have Diana. I'm sorry, Eric." "Don't worry about it. It happens. You did the right thing by getting a hold of me and by fighting them outside. You didn't let anyone else get hurt. Now, if only Oracle can get information on where Vesta came from and where she was headed." A short while later, Diana awoke to find herself chained up in a room in a mansion. She looked over to find a young girl tending to her. "Who are you?" Diana asked. The girl looked at Diana then turned away. "Why do you keep me chained?" "It is the will of Vesta." "I see. She is your goddess." The girl looked at Diana then shook her head no. "She isn't? Then why do you serve her?" The door opened and a lovely woman with fire red hair entered. "Because she has no choice, virgin, and neither do you." To Be Continued...