Chapter 13
Sonya showed April and Dr. Ang around the studio, but her heart wasn’t in it. Fears for her daughter consumed her and she sought any excuse to have both of them leave the studio and return home.
“I never realized movies and television shows were filmed in places like this,” April said as she looked around. “All these cameras and equipment. All these fake walls with nothing on the other side.”
“Hollywood is a strange place,” Sonya said. “You never know what’s real or just a facade.”
Like Zwick’s production company. Yes, he made movies but was this all just to hide what he was really doing; providing nourishment for the Bat?
“I understand you two are excited about all this, and I don’t want to rain on your parade, but...”
“Please,” Dr. Ang said. “Rain away. If there are any pitfalls to working in a place such as this, we need to know.”
“I’m happy you feel that way, Dr. Ang.” Sonya stopped walking and turned to face them. “Mr. Zwick.” She looked at April. “You are so young, so beautiful, and so innocent.”
“Don’t worry,” Dr. Ang said. “I sized up Mr. Zwick a long time ago. He will not have a moment alone with April. I will make sure of that.”
Relieved, Sonya let out an unrestrained sigh. “Oh. I’m so happy to hear that. You have no idea.”
“Anything else?”
“There have been a number of mysterious deaths here recently. An FBI agent, a cast member, and the film’s makeup artist have... They were all found dead... drained of blood.”
“I see,” Dr. Ang said, nodding as he took in her words. “Then we need to see to it that April remembers all her lessons. Perhaps a refresher course.”
Sonya smiled. “Exactly. Please. Come with me to my bungalow. I would like to have you two stay with me. It’ll be a tight fit, but I’m sure we can make it work.”
Dr. Ang gestured for Sonya to lead the way.
*****
“HAVE YOU BEEN HONING your skills?” Sonya asked April as she poured tea for all three of them.
“Not as much as I should, I confess. I’ve been taking a few classes at a nearby community college, and it keeps me busy.”
“April is being modest. While there may be a day or two when her studies take precedence, she typically trains an hour a day, two on weekends.”
“I’m happy to hear that.” She looked at her daughter, the yearning to get closer to her so painful she wanted to cry out.
But she rejoiced in the young woman she’d become. At only seventeen, she was so wise, so poised.
“How about we test you a bit?” Sonya said.
“I’m up for it.”
“I don’t want to have the neighbors looking into the yard watching you, so we’ll see what we can do here inside.”
She got up and pushed the living room furniture out of the way, leaving a tight but sufficient space for an impromptu practice.
“Come. Let’s see what you have.”
April came to her and Sonya gently attacked her with a few mild kung fu moves. April deftly defended herself pushing Sonya to up her game. She went at April hard, and the young woman hit back with agility and a surprising amount of strength.
“Wow,” Sonya said, breathless. “Not only are your moves precise, but the power... I’m really impressed.”
“April has taken to running around the farm house, running out to the stables, up around the guest house and back through the main garden,” Dr. Ang said. “And when one of our stableboys left to go back to school, April took up the tasks.”
“I like to keep busy,” April said with a shy shrug.
“And what about you, Dr. Ang? Have you been practicing?”
He set his teacup down and came to her. Without warning, he made a quick succession of kung fu moves, never striking Sonya, but barely brushing up against her. His kicks were high, his strikes precise and as he went on minute after minute, he proved he had the stamina to fight long and hard.
“Are you sufficiently impressed?” he said with a proud grin after he’d stopped and bowed.
Sonya laughed. “I felt the wind against my skin with every move you made, but you never touched me. That is beyond precision.”
“Dad is too modest to say that he is a kung fu master.”
Dr. Ang nodded.
“He’s also been training with weapons and is a sharpshooter.”
“This just keeps getting better. I can breathe more easily knowing all this.”
She looked at the man who’d done such a marvelous job of raising her daughter. No wonder Sifu had chosen him for the task. As a wise old vampire, Sifu had quickly seen the importance of putting April in the right hands.
As humans went, Dr. Ang was the best she could have hoped for.
“I don’t want to be alarmist, but... this Bat that I’ve seen. He’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I have to assume that he is a very ancient vampire, one who is able to shift into a human-sized bat by night but retain his human form by day.
“Sifu must have known of his existence,” Dr. Ang said. “She thought it imperative that a human vampire slayer get involved. With April now so well prepared, we are two slayers against this Bat.”
Sonya nodded, not quite convinced it would be enough.
“Remember, Sonya,” Dr. Ang said. “As a vampire yourself, you have certain limitations when it comes to fighting someone like the Bat. But April and I are here. We’ll succeed in destroying him. I promise you.”