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Mina looked between the doctor and the bottle in her hand. She looked right into the man's eyes. "Dr. Tepes, please. Please give me a valid explanation."

"A valid explanation," he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"AS TO WHY YOU HAVE A WINE BOTTLE FULL OF BLOOD IN YOUR OFFICE," she yelled as she shook the bottle. "Please, there has to be a scientific or medical explanation! Y-You're using it for research purposes, right? You're a brilliant hematologist, after all. You must be studying this blood when you're not with patients, correct?"

Vlad didn't respond.

"Or, it's something valuable. Like... synthetic blood! You're developing synthetic blood that is as healthy as natural occurring blood!"

"I admit that I am in the process of developing artificial blood of that caliber."

"Then-"

"But that bottle doesn't contain so much as the prototype batch."

Mina's eyes widened as she looked at the bottle. "Then... what is this?"

"Please, Dr. Harker," Vlad said as he walked up to the doctor and took the bottle. "I'm not insulting your intelligence through lies and deceit. I know you've already figured out the truth. Why else would you skulk about in my office," Vlad said as he opened a cupboard to take out a whine glass.

Mina watched as he filled the glass with blood and took a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh. That was the first time Mina REALLY looked at Vlad's mouth, seeing his large fangs clearly. "It's true. . . You're a vampire." Mina then thought about it. "And not just any vampire. You're him. You're really him. You're Count Dracula himself."

"WAS Count Dracula. There's no need for that title anymore," Vlad said as he gently swished the blood around the glass.

"But... but how? You were last scene in Wallachia in the fourteen hundreds. History states you were slain by your own son. There were rumors you were ressurected, but there were just as many claims that you were killed by a man named Johnathan Morris."

"A boy, actually. He was no older than eighteen. He had a girl with him, too. Still, the fact still stands that they defeated me. I honestly should have stayed dead. However, a zealot of mine brought me back. I was incredibly weak, but I still survived and prospered. In fact, I thrived. My knowledge, my immortality, my resources, they all collaborated to create all of this," Vlad said as he held out his arms to emphasize his meaning.

"The hospital," Mina said.

Vlad turned toward her. "All the people we've saved, all the lives we've improved, the community this hospital built up; isn't a small glass of blood an acceptable price to pay for all this? Let me remind you what the main method of payment for treatment in this hospital is."

Mina's eyes widened. "The blood donations. The hospital's blood bank. You've been using it as a feeding ground."

"Not all of it, of course. As I mentioned, I am attempting to create synthetic blood, both for medical usage and for food. Admittedly, the process is taking much longer than expected. For example, the taste is too... chemical. You can tell it's artificial. It's the equivalent of low-quality candy in its current stage. Because of that, I need to still ration our blood: food supply, medical study, and transfusions. It's an arduous system but one that aids many."

Mina couldn't help but think of the system. She admitted that it was brilliantly done. The fact that she herself has actually helped study some blood and had to reluctantly dispose of it helped her realize why she didn't think it was odd for blood to vanish as quickly as it did.

"Still, now that you know the truth, I have to wonder what you will do now, Dr. Harker."

Mina looked up. "What?"

"You know who I am now. WHAT I am. With this knowledge, will you stay and continue to be my Chief of Surgery and my CAO, or will you leave this hospital and never come back. I know for a fact that no one will believe you if you go on spouting on about how the Chief of Medicine and the CEO of Tepes General Hospital is a vampire, let alone Count Dracula. My name is known far and wide throughout Massachusetts, let alone Salem. It's to the point that the jokes about me being Vlad the Impaler are tiring to even the pranksters of the city. So, I have no reason to stand in your way should you leave," Vlad said as he walked over to the window, looking down at Salem. "Should you tenure your resignation, I will not blame you."

Mina looked down.

"However," Vlad went, catching Mina's attention. "Do not forget the good you have done in this hospital. The lives you've improved. The patients you will be leaving behind. And know that not all of the staff are vampires. In fact, only a handful of them are."

"Dr. Olrox and Nurse Brauner," Mina whispered.

"Mm. So they're the reason, eh? Fools," Vlad said as he took another sip of his blood. "I'll have to reprimand them later. Still, do as you must."

Mina looked down before looking at Vlad before looking at the window. She then giggled. "You have a reflection."

"A foolish superstition."

"You know the origin, don't you?"

"That nonsense the Romans conjured up? How mirrors reflected the soul? Absolute nonsense. As asinine as water being harmful or garlic being poisonous."

". . . You didn't say anything about holy water or images of the cross."

". . . Those are only effective... when someone truly faithful wields them."

"Truly faithful?"

"In this day and age, I barely have to worry about that anymore. Most churches in the world are just empty boxes. . . His is one of the few exceptions."

"His?"

"Pastor Abraham Van Helsing. If you feel you are in danger, head to Salem Community Church. You'll be safe there."

Mina took a moment to think. "You've visited nearly every building in Salem. You've done house calls, emergency medical procedures, and have been invited everywhere. That church is one of the only places you actually refuse to go."

"And now you know why?"

"Why tell me this?"

Vlad took another sip of his drink, the glass nearly empty. "To protect a talented doctor. Skills such as yours are rare. People will need you. You might as well find a refuge in a place you know is safe."

Mina stared at Vlad before she bowed in respect. "Thank you, Dr. Tepes."

"Mm."

Mina turned around and grabbed the door handle. She then turned to look at Vlad's back. "I'll... go back to my station, sir. I hope you'll continue to assist me while I continue my duties in this hospital."

Vlad stole a quick glance at Mina through the window's reflection before continuing to look out the window. "Of course. It's my duty as a doctor to help where I am needed."

Mina nodded before she left the office and gently closed the door.

She then let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, leaning against the door, staring down at the ground. "Count Dracula himself... is the world's greatest hematologist... and my employer."

She then looked up at the ceiling. "What have I gotten myself into?"

Description
Mina looked between the doctor and the bottle in her hand. She looked right into the man's eyes. "Dr. Tepes, please. Please give me a valid explanation."

"A valid explanation," he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"AS TO WHY YOU HAVE A WINE BOTTLE FULL OF BLOOD IN YOUR OFFICE," she yelled as she shook the bottle. "Please, there has to be a scientific or medical explanation! Y-You're using it for research purposes, right? You're a brilliant hematologist, after all. You must be studying this blood when you're not with patients, correct?"

Vlad didn't respond.

"Or, it's something valuable. Like... synthetic blood! You're developing synthetic blood that is as healthy as natural occurring blood!"

"I admit that I am in the process of developing artificial blood of that caliber."

"Then-"

"But that bottle doesn't contain so much as the prototype batch."

Mina's eyes widened as she looked at the bottle. "Then... what is this?"

"Please, Dr. Harker," Vlad said as he walked up to the doctor and took the bottle. "I'm not insulting your intelligence through lies and deceit. I know you've already figured out the truth. Why else would you skulk about in my office," Vlad said as he opened a cupboard to take out a whine glass.

Mina watched as he filled the glass with blood and took a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh. That was the first time Mina REALLY looked at Vlad's mouth, seeing his large fangs clearly. "It's true. . . You're a vampire." Mina then thought about it. "And not just any vampire. You're him. You're really him. You're Count Dracula himself."

"WAS Count Dracula. There's no need for that title anymore," Vlad said as he gently swished the blood around the glass.

"But... but how? You were last scene in Wallachia in the fourteen hundreds. History states you were slain by your own son. There were rumors you were ressurected, but there were just as many claims that you were killed by a man named Johnathan Morris."

"A boy, actually. He was no older than eighteen. He had a girl with him, too. Still, the fact still stands that they defeated me. I honestly should have stayed dead. However, a zealot of mine brought me back. I was incredibly weak, but I still survived and prospered. In fact, I thrived. My knowledge, my immortality, my resources, they all collaborated to create all of this," Vlad said as he held out his arms to emphasize his meaning.

"The hospital," Mina said.

Vlad turned toward her. "All the people we've saved, all the lives we've improved, the community this hospital built up; isn't a small glass of blood an acceptable price to pay for all this? Let me remind you what the main method of payment for treatment in this hospital is."

Mina's eyes widened. "The blood donations. The hospital's blood bank. You've been using it as a feeding ground."

"Not all of it, of course. As I mentioned, I am attempting to create synthetic blood, both for medical usage and for food. Admittedly, the process is taking much longer than expected. For example, the taste is too... chemical. You can tell it's artificial. It's the equivalent of low-quality candy in its current stage. Because of that, I need to still ration our blood: food supply, medical study, and transfusions. It's an arduous system but one that aids many."

Mina couldn't help but think of the system. She admitted that it was brilliantly done. The fact that she herself has actually helped study some blood and had to reluctantly dispose of it helped her realize why she didn't think it was odd for blood to vanish as quickly as it did.

"Still, now that you know the truth, I have to wonder what you will do now, Dr. Harker."

Mina looked up. "What?"

"You know who I am now. WHAT I am. With this knowledge, will you stay and continue to be my Chief of Surgery and my CAO, or will you leave this hospital and never come back. I know for a fact that no one will believe you if you go on spouting on about how the Chief of Medicine and the CEO of Tepes General Hospital is a vampire, let alone Count Dracula. My name is known far and wide throughout Massachusetts, let alone Salem. It's to the point that the jokes about me being Vlad the Impaler are tiring to even the pranksters of the city. So, I have no reason to stand in your way should you leave," Vlad said as he walked over to the window, looking down at Salem. "Should you tenure your resignation, I will not blame you."

Mina looked down.

"However," Vlad went, catching Mina's attention. "Do not forget the good you have done in this hospital. The lives you've improved. The patients you will be leaving behind. And know that not all of the staff are vampires. In fact, only a handful of them are."

"Dr. Olrox and Nurse Brauner," Mina whispered.

"Mm. So they're the reason, eh? Fools," Vlad said as he took another sip of his blood. "I'll have to reprimand them later. Still, do as you must."

Mina looked down before looking at Vlad before looking at the window. She then giggled. "You have a reflection."

"A foolish superstition."

"You know the origin, don't you?"

"That nonsense the Romans conjured up? How mirrors reflected the soul? Absolute nonsense. As asinine as water being harmful or garlic being poisonous."

". . . You didn't say anything about holy water or images of the cross."

". . . Those are only effective... when someone truly faithful wields them."

"Truly faithful?"

"In this day and age, I barely have to worry about that anymore. Most churches in the world are just empty boxes. . . His is one of the few exceptions."

"His?"

"Pastor Abraham Van Helsing. If you feel you are in danger, head to Salem Community Church. You'll be safe there."

Mina took a moment to think. "You've visited nearly every building in Salem. You've done house calls, emergency medical procedures, and have been invited everywhere. That church is one of the only places you actually refuse to go."

"And now you know why?"

"Why tell me this?"

Vlad took another sip of his drink, the glass nearly empty. "To protect a talented doctor. Skills such as yours are rare. People will need you. You might as well find a refuge in a place you know is safe."

Mina stared at Vlad before she bowed in respect. "Thank you, Dr. Tepes."

"Mm."

Mina turned around and grabbed the door handle. She then turned to look at Vlad's back. "I'll... go back to my station, sir. I hope you'll continue to assist me while I continue my duties in this hospital."

Vlad stole a quick glance at Mina through the window's reflection before continuing to look out the window. "Of course. It's my duty as a doctor to help where I am needed."

Mina nodded before she left the office and gently closed the door.

She then let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, leaning against the door, staring down at the ground. "Count Dracula himself... is the world's greatest hematologist... and my employer."

She then looked up at the ceiling. "What have I gotten myself into?"