Young Amazons

by Wanderer D

Chapter 18: Blood

 
“Vampires, Master Bruce?” Alfred questioned as he poured a glass of water before handing it to Sunset as the faithful butler joined the two heroes in the Batcave. “Are you sure it wasn’t simply a trick played by your imagination?”
 
“Hey, I was there too,” Sunset spoke up. “We both know what we saw.”
 
“I’m not saying I don’t believe the two of you, Miss Lucciola, but Master Bruce’s sleep schedule is quite.” He paused. “Well, it’s worrisome with how little sleep he gets sometimes.”
 
Sunset turned to look at Bruce who was sitting in front of a large computer at the center of the Batcave. “You don’t sleep a full eight hours, Bruce?” she said.
 
“Do you?” Bruce calmly countered. Sunset didn't say anything else since he was right, she didn’t have too many full nights of rest herself.
 
“Look, Alfred, I know what I saw and Sunset agrees. I don’t want to believe it; I want to think it’s another trick like Clayface all over again, but not this time. They had fangs.” Bruce said.
 
“May I remind you that Halloween was only a few weeks ago?” Alfred replied. “It just have easily been a prank.”
 
“It wasn’t just the fangs, Alfred,” Sunset spoke up. “It was the way they moved, their eyes, everything about them screamed ‘Not human’.”
 
“There was one of them; he was dressed like a security guard, that I delivered a whole bunch of punches on. The force of them, a normal person would be out cold after a few, but he simply just got back up like it was nothing,”  Bruce recounted.
 
“Not to mention he crawled on the wall of a building like he was a bug,” Sunset added. “Also, the thief that I stopped before all this, the guard attacked him and he was lying on the ground, unmoving. He was dead, Alfred, I know it and then he just got back up!”
 
Alfred said nothing after that. Sunset could understand his hesitation, after all, no one would probably believe what Sunset and Bruce had seen.
 
“Well, I will take your word for it, though I will still be slightly cynical until I have some actual proof.” Both Sunset and Bruce nodded at Alfred’s answer. Sunset had a feeling he’d probably be getting that proof soon enough.
 
“Now, then, if you don’t mind, I’d like to remind you, sir, that you have some other duties to perform soon, such as hosting the Wayne Industries energy expo at Wayne Manor tomorrow night,” Alfred said. “With the lovely Miss Vicki Vale as your date.”
 
“Vicki Vale? The reporter from Channel 5?” Sunset asked.
 
“Yeah,” Bruce nodded. “I had an interview/date with her earlier before tonight’s events.”
 
“After blowing her off four times before, Master Bruce,” Alfred pointed out which caused Sunset to chuckle. “She is an investigative reporter, and it certainly wouldn’t have been good for you to have her sniffing around trying to find out why you couldn’t meet with her.”
 
“Right,” Bruce turned around in his chair and stood up. “It’s always a challenge to try and live a double life doing this, Sunset. That’s something I kind of envy about you. You don’t have a constant spotlight on you.”
 
“Except for the fact that I’m Zatanna’s assistant, but that doesn’t bring much attention to me as opposed to my friends; they’re the only ones who I have to keep up a dual life for,” she then remembered something. “Them and my clubs, I’ve missed quite a few fencing club meetings.”
 
“One of the issues that come with this sort of life, having to constantly lie and try to keep stories straight; all to try and protect people.”
 
“I hear that,” she nodded in agreement to Bruce’s comment. “I understand why we do it; I wouldn’t want my friends at school to end up hurt because of me.”
 
“Sunset, may I ask you a question?”
 
“Go ahead,”
 
“Well, I would’ve asked Zatanna about this, but since you’re here now, would you be willing to tell me where you came from?”
 
“Master Bruce, are we having this conversation again?” Alfred interrupted.
 
“I’m just curious to know,” Bruce said to Alfred before turning his attention back to Sunset. “When Zatanna first introduced you, I wanted to know who you were; however, apparently there was no information about you at all.”
 
“Let me guess,” Sunset crossed her arms. “The next day you checked, you suddenly found a bunch of information about me.”
 
“Please forgive Master Bruce, Miss Lucciola. He’s not usually this forward,” Alfred apologized.
 
“Oh, it’s completely alright, I understand you probably have some questions,” she paused as she stood back up. “But, I think it’s probably better for another night. I have class in the morning then I’m going to get some research done as I’d like to remind everyone that Gotham has a vampire infestation.”
 
Bruce nodded. “You’re right, we’ve have more important things to worry about.”
 
“Such as you getting your rest, sir,” Alfred said. “It wouldn’t look good for Wayne Industries’ big night if its owner fell asleep sometime during the gala.”
 
“Hey, would it be alright if I sleep here tonight? I’m not very comfortable being out there alone after what happened tonight.”
 
“I think I can pull out a few bedsheets for you, and I’ll be more than happy to drive you to your apartment before class in the morning.”
 
 “Thanks, Alfred,” she smiled before she followed him to the elevator that would lead out of the Batcave. They both looked back to Bruce who was still sitting in the chair at the computer.
 
“Are you coming as well, sir?”
 
“Yeah, I’ll be up in a minute,” Bruce told him before he turned around and got back on the computer.
 

 
True to Alfred’s word, Sunset was able to make it back to her apartment early in the morning and make it to school on time. However, the whole day she was preoccupied in her mind the events that happened the night before.
 
By the time school had ended, she dashed back to her apartment and teleported to the Tower of Fate; while at the same time, asking for Zatanna to meet her there. Once there, she explained everything that had happened to both magic users.
 
“Vampires?” Fate asked as Sunset expected he would.
 
“You know, I think that’s the first thing you’ve said to Sunset for a few months now,” Zatanna said.
 
“Look, I understand how hard it is to believe it, but I’m telling the truth, Batman and I encountered vampires last night and barely escaped without having our throats torn out like the thief I stopped,” Sunset told them.
 
“It’s not that we don’t believe you, Miss Shimmer,” Fate turned around and walked to one of the many walls of books. “To most of the world, vampires have been relegated to myth and folklore.”
 
Fate grabbed a few books that he levitated towards him before he put them down on a table. “The problem is that vampires were supposedly destroyed years ago.”
 
“Well, according to Sunset, Fate, they’re making a comeback, which bodes ill for Gotham,” Zatanna said.
 
“I suppose the good news is that whoever is behind this dark plot isn’t much for subtly; the vampires are attacking indiscriminately and people are noticing,” Fate sat down in a chair opposite of the magician and her apprentice. “A clever monster should’ve been quieter, perhaps target Gotham’s homeless population; no one would’ve noticed until it was too late.”
 
“Then I guess we should count our blessings there.”
 
“I wouldn’t be so sure. I had an issue with them,” Sunset said as she sat down and started to look through one of the books. “During the fight, I tried to use a numbing spell on one of the vampires, just around his leg, however, it was unsuccessful.”
 
“Vampires are the result of powerful and dark use of magic, for someone like you, you’ll find combating a vampire with magic to be much more difficult.” Fate explained.
 
“Good thing she knows someone who can give her an extra hand,” Zatanna spoke up and gave Sunset a pat on the back. “We’ll go back to your apartment and then we’ll-”
 
“I would have to strongly advise against that.” Fate quickly interrupted her.
 
“What?” Both women asked.
 
Fate gave a small sigh before he stood up. “Miss Zatanna, if what Miss Shimmer says is true, and Gotham is dealing with an infestation of what was thought to be wiped out creatures, it might be a bad idea for you to go.”
 
“So what are you trying to say, Fate?” Zatanna crossed her arms. “You’re saying that Sunset should just handle this all herself?”
 
“Well, I’m not alone, I do have Batman with me,” Sunset pointed out.
 
“Still,” Zatanna looked back at Fate. “Why do you think I shouldn’t help her?”
 
“Zatanna,” Fate began. “You have proven yourself to be a powerful member of Order in our fight against the forces of Chaos. The issue is that you can easily turn.”
 
“What makes you think I’d go dark?”
 
“Not of your own free will, of course,” Fate turned to look at Sunset. “Miss Shimmer, how many victims who have been drained of blood have been found?”
 
“You mean corpses?” Sunset thought for a moment. “For the past week, I’d have to say that no one has been killed… yet.”
 
“And yet more of citizens join the ‘Lost Ones’, which means,”
 
“Their ranks are swelling. Pretty soon, they will be so many of them that Gotham will be overrun, and who knows what comes next.” Zatanna concluded.
 
“We’ll have to get involved, and a lot of innocents will die. The issue I have at the moment, Miss Zatanna is that the forces of Chaos will gain considerable power if you’re bitten and turned.”
 
“That’s a risk I’m going to take,”
 
 “No, you shouldn’t,” Sunset said.
 
Zatanna gave her student a look like she was completely surprised to hear that. “What? Why?”
 
“Fate is right, this is serious, if there’s a mistake, then any chance we have to stop them will be lost.”
 
“Sunset,” Zatanna kneeled in front of her protégé. “Sunset, I don’t want anything to happen to you that I can’t prevent.”
 
“Zatanna, I know, but Fate makes a good point. Look, Batman and I will try and deal with this on our own, but,” Sunset took a deep breath. “I would like you to stay away until you must come.”
 
“When will that be? When you’re one of them or amongst the dead?”
 
“Probably, but it’ll be less of a risk then both of us turning,” Sunset explained.
 
Zatanna looked away as she appeared to go deep into thought. The whole room was silent for a minute before Zatanna sighed.
 
“Okay, if you insist, but,” she placed her hands on Sunset’s shoulders. “Just be careful, okay?”
 
Sunset nodded. “Don’t worry, Zatanna, I’m sure Bruce is already probably thinking of a plan anyways,” Sunset saw her mentor widen her eyes in surprise. “Batman took me to the Batcave after we fought off those vampires and revealed to me that he was Bruce. Did I not mention that?”
 
Zatanna chuckled. “No, I don’t think you did.”
 

 
Chief Rojas leaned back in his chair as he took another puff of a cigarette in his office as he looked over the files on his desk. He heard a knock on his door and looked up to see Detective Yin poking her head in.
 
“Hey there, Chief, you wanted to see me?”
 
He nodded. “Yeah, take a seat, Yin.” He motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of him. “So, please tell me we’ve got something new about the Lost Ones, and not just more people who have vanished.”
 
“Well, several more people have been reported missing,”
 
Rojas groaned. “I swear this job is going to kill me someday. Commissioner Patterson is catching some serious heat from all this and we’re no closer to solving this.”
 
“I was just about to get to that, we did manage to catch a break and picked up an eyewitness,”
 
 Rojas quickly stood up in his chair. “Well, why didn’t you start with that!? That’s great news!”
 
“Not sir.” Yin handed him a folder. “The witness was a vagrant who had been rummaging around one of the alleys; it was clear when we brought him in for questioning that he had a lot to drink last night.”
 
Yin could see Rojas's mood sour once more. “Oh, that’s just great, just our luck, huh? We catch a break and the only guy who saw anything was a bum who was probably so drunk he wouldn’t be sure what he saw.”
 
Rojas leaned back in his chair as he took another puff of his cigarette. “If we catch the guy who’s responsible for the Lost Ones, and he’s our only witness, a defense team will be able to fly a 767 through the hole we would give them with his testimony.”
 
Yin nodded in agreement. Any prosecution that the GCPD could put up would be shot down quick.
 
“So.” Rojas looked back at the detective. “What exactly did the guy say?”
 
“Well, sir, he claims that he saw one of the victims being attacked,” she paused as she wasn’t sure if she believed this. “By a giant bat.”
 
Rojas’ eyes widened. “What did I tell you? He was bound to snap eventually.”
 
“Sir, are we sure that it’s the Batman? I mean, abduction and all doesn’t match his MO, and I’d like to remind you that the witness was drunk; who knows what he saw.”
 
“I know, Yin, but right now this is our strongest lead.”
 
“But what happens if we catch him and it turns out he’s not the one responsible? The Lost Ones will still be missing.”
 
Rojas sighed once more as he looked down. “No, you’re right there, the city would rather have us find our own before we put the cuffs on the Bat.”
 
“Maybe it’s Cobblepot; he’s still missing, and could be using the Lost Ones as some sort of hostages?”
 
The police chief nodded. “Possibly, but doesn’t sound like his MO either. We need to make a break in this case soon before even more people wind up being the Lost Ones.” Rojas paused as he had a look of realization on his face. “Yin, has the news gotten hold of this information?”
 
Yin thought about it for a moment before she grabbed a remote from Rojas’ desk and turned on his television. She then flipped through a few stations before she turned it onto Channel Five. Sure enough, there was the man on television talking to Vicky Vale.
 
“Is that him?” Rojas asked.
 
“Yep.” Yin sighed.
 
“I saw what got the guy! I saw it as clear as day! It was a bat! A giant shadow of a bat attacked the guy and took him away!” The eyewitness claimed.
 
“Gotham PD has yet to announce their chief suspect in the case, but it’s in this reporter’s strong opinion that the perpetrator is none other than The Batman.” Vicky Vale reported.
 
 “Bah!” Rojas snatched the remote from Yin and turned off the TV. “News reporters, they’re like vultures, all of them! Feel free to report after we nab the perp.”
 
“Can’t really blame them for wanting every bit of information regarding this.”
 
“But now our job gets harder. People will complain to the City Council, and then they’ll get on Patterson who in turn will insist we get our hands on the Bat since everyone now thinks he’s responsible.”
 
“I thought you were still one for catching him?” Yin raised an eyebrow.
 
“I am, but like you said, what if he’s not the one responsible? Look, Yin, I just want to put an end to this soon.” He took one last puff of smoke before he put out the cigarette. “Before the bodies start showing up.”
 

 
Sunset was quietly let through the gate of Wayne Manor as she walked towards the front door. The day before, she and Zatanna were studying heavily on vampire research before Sunset had to go back home for school. The one flaw of living a double life was that she still had to keep up the appearances of a normal high school girl.
 
She quietly adjusted her bag that had several items in it that Zatanna gave her, some stuff from friends of hers in Italy that Zatanna believed would give Sunset an extra hand. She rang the doorbell and looked into her bag. The items were some vials of holy water, a cross, and a few extra things that Sunset hadn't checked out yet.
 
She placed her Alicorn clothes over them and looked back up at the door when it was opened by Alfred.
 
“Ah, Miss Lucciola, please do come on in,” Alfred held the door open.
 
“Thanks, Alfred, I-” she caught a scent on her nose as she smelled something. “Do I smell… garlic?”
 
“Apologies, but I’ve been spending much of the day building up Wayne Manor’s defenses against any vampire incursions.”
 
“Oh, you believe now?” Sunset followed him along to the study where they would head down into the Batcave.
 
“We had an incident during the gala last night, one of our hired hands during the party, well; he wasn’t casting a reflection in the mirror. Dracula had gotten to him.”
 
“Dracula?” Sunset stopped walking as Alfred said that.
 
“Yes, the infamous count posed as a Dr. Christopher Stoker at the gala. We only figured out his identity when we saw an old drawing of the count; he looked exactly like our mysterious guest.”
 
“Well, that’s not good for us, I guess. Has Bruce come up with a plan on how to stop these monsters?”
 
Alfred went over to the statue bust and opened it up to press a button. “Master Bruce is under the impression that we can cure the Lost Ones of their vampirism.”
 
“Do you guys know it’s based on dark magic and the supernatural?” Sunset asked as she watched the grandfather clock in the study open up to reveal an elevator.
 
“Yes, but it infects blood and spreads like a disease which is why Master Bruce thinks it’s curable. Besides, it’s not like we have any other ideas.”
 
“Beats the one I found on how to deal with them,” Sunset said as she and Alfred got in the elevator.
 
“Which was?”
 
“Stake through the heart, put garlic in the mouth, cut off the head and then burn the body to free the victim’s immortal soul,” she explained.
 
“Yes, well, let’s see if we can try to find a less medieval form of helping them.” The two of them headed down until the doors opened and Sunset walked out to find Bruce already suited up.
 
“Sunset.” He glanced over to her as he kept typing at the computer. “Alfred fill you in?”
 
“Yes, he did, it’s not just any normal vampire we’re dealing with but Count Dracula himself,” she said as she put down her bag and started to get her stuff out.
 
“That’s right. At the moment, I’m trying to figure out where he’s hiding out.”
 
“Well, I can tell you that my mind has been racing with trying to figure out how to fight them. I read so many books yesterday, but it’s a mess. There’s so much about vampires that it’s hard to tell fact from fiction.”
 
“Then we’ll have to get some firsthand experience to find out what’s true and false; know how to deal with them and hopefully find one we can capture so we can get a test subject for a cure.”
 
“Sounds like we’ve got a lot to deal with, but if we don’t Gotham and perhaps even the world is doomed.”
 
Bruce nodded. “Exactly. Now, then.” He typed on the keyboard. “I think I may have a lead to Dracula’s hideout. One of the first victims of the Lost Ones was a night watchman at old Gotham Cemetery.”
 
“Makes perfect sense, plus it’s the best lead we’ve got.” Sunset began to enchant her outfit. “Think that guard was the same one we fought the other night?”
 
“Strong possibility, Miss Lucciola,” Alfred said. “Oh, sir, I’d like to remind you that the windows and doors of the mansion are not the only things I’ve laced with garlic.” Alfred then held up a box of Batarangs, all with the smell of garlic on them.
 
“Thanks, Alfred. Hurry up, Sunset; we need to move before it gets too late.” Bruce got up and began loading up his equipment.
 
“Got it,” she replied as she finished up her enchantments.
 

 
The drive to the cemetery was short but quiet for the two heroes before they finally stopped and made the rest of their way on foot. It was a bright full moon and the air was deathly calm as the two of them snuck into the graveyard.
 
Sunset looked around for any sign of trouble or any clues relating to the bloodsucking count. All she could see were tons of graves with crosses on them.
 
“Well, they might not be here, if vampires have an aversion to crosses,” Sunset observed.
 
“Detective Yin calling Batman, come in,” the two of them heard the detective’s voice before Batman pulled out his communicator.
 
“Go ahead, Detective,” Batman said.
 
“Listen, I know you’re probably aware that the public thinks you’re behind the Lost Ones,”
 
“I’m not,” he quickly responded.
 
“Yeah, I know, doesn’t sound like you but that doesn’t change anything. Listen, if you’re at Gotham Cemetery right now, you’ve got three SWAT teams heading your way, and I’m not sure if they’re planning to take you in alive.”
 
“Got it, thanks for the warning.” Batman ended the connection before putting the communicator away.
 
“So much for investigating then.” Sunset sighed.
 
“Looks like it. We need to move, split up and we’ll meet on the roof of Montrose and Damian, got it?”
 
Sunset nodded. “Right,” she soon got a move on and started making her way towards the building though she took a long way around. It was a smart move since she heard gunfire not too far away from her. Looks like the SWAT teams were on Batman.
 
She quietly made her way out of the cemetery before she soon came across a surprisingly quiet street. Sunset had to guess that the Lost Ones were starting to make Gotham’s citizens get home quick and stay indoors before nightfall. Smart, but if she and Batman didn’t do something, then hiding at home wasn’t going to matter.
 
As she started to cross the street, two bright headlights from a car pulled up. She was temporarily blinded by the car that stopped in front of her before red and blue lights lit up. Sunset’s eyes widened as she suddenly realized that she had walked out in front of a police car.
 
Panic quickly set into her as she dashed across the remained of the street and ran as fast as she could to try to avoid the police. The car behind her gave chase as she ducked down an alleyway. However, it was now only up for her in terms of escape as the car blocked her way out and there were no windows or doors for her to go through to get into the building; at least on the street level.
 
“Freeze!” she heard the sounds of pistols being cocked. Sunset knew trying to run at this moment was a bad idea. While her clothes were enchanted to resist a bullet, she was sure the officers weren’t just going to fire one shot; and there was a greater chance that they might hit her in an area that wasn’t protected by her clothes.
 
“Hands where we can see them!” An officer demanded. She reluctantly turned around and held her hands up high.
 
“Believe me, officers, I understand why you’re doing this, but trust me, you’re putting the city and maybe even the world at risk by trying to stop me right now.” She told them.
 
“Oh, I’m sure the judge will be very understanding when you tell him that, now don’t move a muscle.” Sunset watched as the two officers started to slowly move towards her.
 
However, in a twist of dark luck, one of the Lost Ones landed right on the front hood of the car behind the police. They turned around and didn’t even say a word before they were attacked by the lone vampire.
 
As much as she would’ve wanted to help, Sunset knew there was nothing she could do and had to use the chance to make her escape; despite the cries for help she was hearing. She made a mental note that somehow she would help save those two officers from their disease in the future.
 
Sunset climbed her way up the fire escapes of the alley before she quickly got on the roof and looked down to see the vampire finishing up biting and turning the other officer into another one of the undead horde that was building in Gotham.
 
She looked around to check and see where the meet up was before she heard the faint sound of automatic gunfire from a nearby building. She was certain that probably had something to do with Batman so she made her way across the roofs to that location.
 
The door to the roof suddenly swung open as she landed on the building and saw Batman dashing out and hiding around the corner as several bullets came out of the open doorway. He glanced over and saw her before motioning her to stay hidden.
 
The young heroine did as she was told and hid before things went quiet. She was expecting an officer to walk out but instead, a weapon was tossed out. Sunset got up and walked over to Batman.
 
“Are they surrendering?” she questioned.
 
The Dark Knight shook his head. “No,” he glanced into the doorway before looking back at her. “But I think we’ve got bigger problems.” Both of them looked back to the gun as the moon broke through the clouds and cast their shadows on the roof… along with a darker hovering right above them.
 
They turned and looked right at the visage of evil that was lurking over them. The infamous vampire Count Dracula in the undead flesh. Sunset felt a small chill run down her spine as she saw those piercing blue eyes looking at her direction.
 
The count was dressed in the typical outfit that Sunset expected; a suit styled for a rich aristocrat from perhaps half a millennium ago with a long, dark flowing cape that seemed to defy the wind and gravity in a few places. It made somewhat sense since he was standing on a part of the roof that was sharply angled but not looking like he was trying to keep his balance.
 
There was also his face. It was fairly handsome and had a noble look about it but despite the calm complexion, it was merely the mask of a black-hearted monster.
 
“Well,” the count finally spoke, his accent that of an Eastern European tone. “So the stories are true, I am not the only bat in Gotham City.”
 
“Count Dracula, I presume?” Batman said.
 
“You are indeed correct,” the bloodsucker gave a small bow. “I should’ve expected as much from an admirer.”
 
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Batman responded with a hint of venom in his voice. Sunset could tell he was disgusted to even be compared to the vampire.
 
“Have you not been watching the news?” Dracula began to walk down the roof towards their level as both Batman and Sunset backed up. “We’re one and the same, are we not?”
 
“I don’t hurt people,” Batman countered.
 
“Really?” the vampire gave a small chuckle. “Then what about those that have ended up imprisoned because of you? Did you not hurt them? Did you not break their bodies?” Sunset knew that he was trying to play a mind game and get under Bruce’s skin.
 
“Besides, you have no idea the amount of pain that I am capable of. However, I hate to simply just waste a life when it would be better spent in serving me.”
 
“I’d beg to differ when you say life, it's more like living death,” Sunset finally spoke.
 
“To become a vampire is to heighten all of one’s senses,” the bloodthirsty man replied. “One gains speed, strength, immortality; all of these are a gift I’m more than happy to share.”
 
“More like a curse at the cost of one’s immortal soul,” Sunset said.
 
Dracula’s eyes narrowed at Sunset; the chill in her spine growing. “Hmm… I sense… considerable power from you. I wasn’t aware that Gotham had a witch amongst it.”
 
“I’m not a witch,” Sunset said. “I practice and use magic, but that doesn’t make me a witch.”
 
“Then those witches should’ve made that clear before I had them all impaled.”
 
Batman was done with talking as he pulled out two Batarangs and charged forward towards Dracula. He did a leaping strike but Dracula backed up several feet without even moving his legs and at a speed much faster than any normal person could do. Batman kept up his attack and took a few swings, one of them brushing right by the count’s nose.
 
The count sniffed the familiar smell that the Batarangs had. “Hmm, garlic.” Dracula threw his hand out and sent Batman flying back until he smashed up against a brick wall. “It seems at least you were prepared for me.”
 
Sunset took a step back before she started to make some fireballs in her hands. If there was one thing she seemed to have a knack for, it was fire; but she hadn’t seen a need to use them until now.
 
She sent several out of them but the vampire easily dodged them at with such lightning-quick movements. Batman recovered from impact and tossed out several Batarangs in conjunction with Sunset’s fireballs but the count managed to avoid every one of them.
 
After a few more dodges, Sunset ran forward. The count smirked as he clearly underestimated her and just before she was in front of him, she pulled out a holy water-soaked cross and shoved it against his chest.
 
“UGH!” The vampire cried out in pain as he slapped Sunset to the ground. Despite the sudden pain that she was in, Sunset was mentally checking off weaknesses that the vampire had; trying to sort out fact and fiction, anything that would be able to help combat the monstrous man, provided Sunset and Batman survive the night.
 
Dracula jumped over the two heroes and landed on the other end of the roof before he turned around and started to jump across the Gotham skyline; daring the two heroes to follow him. Batman went right after him while Sunset slowly got back on her feet and trailed behind.
 
She moved as fast as she could to make the jumps but she ended up mistiming one and started to fall. Thankfully, she grabbed the edge of a roof and conjured an ethereal platform for her feet and pulled herself up.
 
Sunset kept moving, knowing that letting Batman take on the infamous vampire alone wasn’t good. It turns out she was right as she jumped on another roof and saw Dracula slamming Batman face-first into the ground.
 
“Try as you might, you can’t remotely compare to my power,” the count taunted as she ran close to the fight.
 
“Hey!” Sunset got the vampire’s attention as she pulled out the large vial of holy water she had. “You thirsty? Quench it on this!” she held her hand out and the water flowed out until it snapped midair and swung forward towards Dracula.
 
The count dodged the water as he could clearly tell it was holy water but it doubled back and followed him before going back to Sunset. She cracked the water forward again like it was an aquatic whip that kept Dracula at bay as Batman slowly got back up.
 
The vampire then surprised her by going right on the attack, ducking under Sunset’s whip and charging right into her before slamming his palm into her chest and blowing her back with the force of a cannonball as she ended up falling off the roof.
 
Sunset crashed into a fire escape before she fell further down onto the street. Thankfully, she managed to catch a clothesline which slowed her down but eventually she landed into the alleyway.

Sunset’s body was wracked with pain as she slowly tried to sit up. She was at least thankful for the enchantments her clothes had or she probably would’ve broken several bones with her impacts.
 
She then looked back up and watched in horror as she saw Batman’s grappling line get cut and he ended up crashing through several signs and landed right next to her, looking much worse for wear than she ever saw.
 
“Batman,” she groaned as she shuffled towards him. She looked up once more and saw Dracula slowly walking down the side of the wall, clearly looking very pleased to see that he was victorious. Sunset made no doubt in her mind that Batman and she were very much at the vampire’s mercy.
 
“I must say, I’m very impressed with the both of you.” Dracula slowly clapped his hands. “It has been so long since I had anyone give me a fight like that, if not albeit a fairly short one. You both have earned my respect,”
 
“That is why I’ve decided to allow you to share my gift. Join me, you two, join my legion of the undead.”
 
Sunset slowly pulled herself up against the alley wall. “Do we really have a choice in the matter?” she grunted as her injuries were screaming at her to stay down. “Besides, we’re not interested.”
 
“Look around, young witch, you can’t even hope to fight me now, so why delay the inevitable?” Sunset knew he was right, but she realized there was one last trick she could pull that might just save her and the Dark Knight from becoming vampires.
 
Sunset reached down and grabbed one of Batman’s Batarangs before she pulled off her glove on her left hand and slit her palm with the blade. Dracula was surprised by her actions but then quickly realized what she was doing as Sunset used her bleeding palm to make a cross on the wall.
 
She then slumped back down to the ground and stared at the vampire as he stayed back and just watched his prey. It was like this for an hour as Sunset tried to stay awake with the count not taking a single step forward. The only other good news was that Batman woke back up but was too injured at the moment to do much.
 
Finally, the respite came when the sun slowly began to rise and Dracula began to move back. Sunset could see the sun shining on him but he didn’t burn; which meant that lore of the sun immolating vampires was merely a myth.
 
“The sun may have only delayed your fate, but you have spurred my offer with your resistance. The next time we meet, it will only end when maggots feed upon both your corpses!” Dracula growled before he disappeared into the shadows.
 
Sunset’s eyes grew heavy as she fell over from her loss of blood. The last thing she heard was Batman calling her superheroine name.
 

 
Sunset groaned as she slowly began to regain consciousness. She realized that she wasn’t in the alley of a street but rather in a soft bed. She opened her eyes and found that she was in a fairly large bedroom before she glanced over to see the dark thunderstorm outside.
 
“Ah, good evening, Miss Lucciola.” Sunset looked up to see Alfred holding a tray with some food and a glass of orange juice. “I would like to point out that you’ve been asleep for almost the whole day already.”
 
“Great.” Sunset rubbed her head. “Now I’m going to have to think of an excuse for why I missed school today.” She soon noticed the large bandages on her hand.
 
“I’m afraid that was all that I could be able to patch up, any other injuries I would’ve rather you be awake so I could at least-”
 
 “Yeah, I know Alfred, I appreciate that.” Her body wasn’t feeling as much pain as it was before she fell unconscious but she knew that she was probably bruised somewhere underneath her outfit.
 
“At least your injuries weren’t as bad as Master Bruce’s, somehow he managed to get himself and you back to the Batcave before he collapsed.” Alfred placed the tray in front of Sunset. “Little orange juice should help you get some blood back.”
 
“Thanks.” She picked up the glass and took a drink of it. “So, where is Bruce now?”
 
“Despite my requests, he refuses to slow down. As of right now, he’s on his way to one of Gotham’s blood banks, apparently, there’s a break in there.”
 
“And it could only have something to do with a vampire.” Sunset then sighed as she started to eat her food. “I should be out there with him right now.”
 
“Yes, I would feel a bit more comfortable if you were with him at the moment, but Master Bruce has always had a bit of a stubborn side to him. Then there’s also all the training he had through the years that’s helped his body recover from injuries like he has faster than most people.”
 
“Still, I feel like despite letting me in, I’m still a burden or something to him.”
 
Alfred gave her a pat on her leg. “Balderdash, you’re nothing of the sort, young lady. Master Bruce just has difficulty letting people in, and I suppose it does come off in a way that would make you think that.”
 
“But?” she raised an eyebrow.
 
“He probably won’t admit this anytime soon but deep down I know he appreciates your help.”
 
 Sunset gave a small smile. “Well, at the very least, I know I’ve got your support, Alfred.”
 
“Personally, if I must be frank, I’d rather neither of you do this sort of thing, but, I don’t think Gotham has a choice,” Alfred said as he looked out the window.
 
“If it wasn’t for Bruce, who knows what would happen if madmen like the Joker or Penguin would be allowed to run free reign; I know for a fact if it wasn’t for us, Killer Croc would have half this city permanently underwater,” Sunset reminded him.
 
Alfred gave a small, reluctantly nod before a buzzing noise could be heard on Sunset’s communicator.
 
“Hello?” Sunset answered.
 
“Ah, Sunset, good to hear you’re awake,” Bruce said. “Is Alfred with you?”
 
 “Right here, Master Bruce.”
 
“Good, just wanted to give you some news, your garlic bombs did the trick. We have our test subject.”
 
“That’s excellent to hear, any idea which one of the Lost Ones they are?” There was a pause. “Sir?”
 
“Well, I might have been premature in believing that Joker was dead,” A chill practically went over Alfred and Sunset as they knew immediately what he meant.