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Mmm.
Read all about it!
Killer strikes again!
Read all about it!
Killer strikes...
We've got another one.
Amelia, good. You're here.
The body was found early this morning.
If I had to guess,
she was probably killed only a few hours before that.
As of the moment, no witnesses.
Of course.
Red hair.
The guy definitely has a type.
The wound matches exactly what we've seen before.
I see we've got some blood splatter here,
the angle of which suggests
he was on top of her when it happened.
She saw it coming.
Not sure if that makes it better or worse.
It's fairly small amount of blood for how much she's lost.
We won't know that for sure
until Seward gets a look at her back at his lab.
I think it's time that we face the facts
that we might be dealing with a...
Spit it out, Van Helsing. Trepidation doesn't suit you.
Mass murderer.
This is one of those occasions where I hate to say it.
I agree.
And we're not alone.
Are they still on about this?
Unfortunately, yes.
They're comparing this to a 100-year-old case.
It's lazy sensationalism.
Like you said, sells papers.
You gotta admit.
A century-old mass murder case that ended at a creepy castle,
the kind of stuff that whets the appetite.
Yeah, if you believe in myth and ghost stories and not in facts.
Besides, see, they didn't mention
that we did our due diligence,
did a sweep of the castle and found nothing.
Why let facts get in the way?
I can't have the press interfering with my case.
What are we gonna do?
We aren't. I will.
What you need to do is get to work
and solve this before it gets even more out of hand.
What could even do this?
Well?
Well, every time I find something
that I think is conclusive,
I find something that contradicts it
and makes me doubt myself.
Renfield seems to think that the relatively recent nature
of this one's passing might help us answer questions.
Oh, Renfield, the good captain,
doesn't seem to understand that to be able to accomplish that,
you have to have somewhere to start.
And this... this just doesn't make any sense!
What do you mean?
Well...
all the bodies died from a massive amount of blood loss,
right, brought about from a neck trauma?
And though these slashes are serious,
they're just not congruent with your
regular jugular slash or throat cut.
You know what I mean.
There's gotta be something we're missing.
Impossible problems...
Have probable solutions. Yes, I know, I know.
Maybe we just have to look at the facts we have.
We know that the lacerations and trauma caused by the wounds
severed the jugular, leading to death.
And it was done with relative efficiency.
Yes, yes, yes, but the tearing of the epidermis
around the punctures is not done by any bladed weapon
that I know of.
It's almost like it's...
like a bite.
Could it be a bite?
They just don't match, the spacing
and our canines are just not up to that level of efficiency.
And then there's the blood, right?
This body is a dried husk.
If all the blood is gone, where does it go?
Well, that's' the question, isn't it? That's the kicker.
Of the blood that's left, do we have a sample?
Uh, yes, yes.
I ran some tests to see if the killer used any kind of
a sedative or an outside chemical
to sort of subdue the victims.
But... I ran it a couple of times,
I couldn't find anything.
Can I have that?
I don't usually let evidence out of the lab.
Where are you going?
I want to see if Harker can turn anything up.
Oh, I knew it.
He's a brilliant chemist, Jack.
And we look at details as they pertain to the case.
He looks at them in a scientific puzzle.
Yes, yes.
And he's able to turn things up we often miss.
Yes, yes, he's been very helpful in the past, I agree.
You bring my blood back.
I'll see what I can do.
Let you know if we turn anything up.
And you owe me a dinner for all this!
I'll tell Mina you're coming over.
Maybe she'll make you that roast again.
Ooh, roast.
I didn't expect you so soon.
Do you have what I require?
Yes...
Master.
So you're telling me there was no blood
anywhere else in the room?
Seems impossible, right?
That vial is what Seward managed
to extract from the body,
And this was it?
More or less.
How curious.
Sort of why I'm here.
You know I always appreciate
when you bring me a puzzle to solve.
Unfortunately, it's not like when we were kids.
I suppose.
Bigger challenges, bigger stakes.
That's one way to put it.
You think you can analyze it?
I believe I can.
In fact, I have several texts around here somewhere
which might actually provide some clues...
I came to you as a chemist, Jonathan,
not because of your hobbies.
The study of occultism is no mere hobby.
It provides insight into things we have yet
to even begin to comprehend.
I appreciate the interest, but the study of magic
and ghosts is no comparison to facts.
And, quite frankly, that's what I need right now.
There are those that believe that magic
is merely science we don't understand yet.
There is a very real mass murderer
stalking the streets right now.
I came to you because you're able
to put scientific bits of the puzzle together.
I admit that there are some cases
we couldn't have cracked without you.
That's the Jonathan I need right now.
If there's something in that blood that shouldn't be there,
I'll find it.
I just need some time.
Thank you.
Don't take too long, though.
Seward was already on edge that I had to borrow his evidence.
Oh, Jack.
What did you have to bribe him with this time?
Dinner?
How'd you know?
His pride won't allow him to admit this,
but he lets me bring you things 'cause he knows you get results.
Prove us both right, yeah?
Tell you what.
If I don't bring you back something,
I'll make dinner for all of you.
Things are bad enough out there as it is.
Let's not make it worse.
Hey!
Amelia? I didn't expect you home so soon.
Didn't mean to scare you. It's just been a long day.
I figured I'd grab a bite to eat.
How are you doing, beautiful?
What's the occasion?
I didn't miss anything important, did I?
No, you're off the hook.
These actually aren't for us.
We have company.
We do?
You know how I've been hoping that the firm
would eventually let me handle an account on my own?
But it just felt like they were making me wait forever?
Mina, tell me what I think you're gonna say.
Well, a new account just came in...
and this foreign dignitary who's looking for some
real estate here in the city...
and they assigned me to help him.
That's amazing!
Thank you. It's a big deal.
If I can pull this off, then I might just be able
to prove that I can make it as a successful solicitor yet.
They're not gonna know what's hit them.
And the wine?
Oh, that's the thing.
The dignitary, the man that I'm helping find a place,
he's here.
He is?
- It's late. - Yeah.
And I just thought that maybe as a get to know you gesture
- that I should... - Absolutely.
You've celebrating to do! Go, go, go!
Miss Mina! I didn't realize we had company.
Yes.
This is my girlfriend, Amelia Van Helsing.
She arrived here while I was getting our drinks.
Amelia, this is Count Dracula.
You know, I don't drink wine often.
But this has been lovely.
So glad you were able to join us, Miss Van Helsing.
Mina didn't tell me she had such a charming partner.
Amelia, please.
And of the two of use, Mina is the charming one.
Far too many people grumble at my presence
to think otherwise.
It's just nice to have her home for a bit...
what with everything.
Ah, yes.
I've read some of the garish details in the papers.
Don't take everything you read in the local rag at face value.
I rarely do.
Thought I must confess, when I read the name
of the investigator in charge of the matter,
I never expected to be dining with her
later that evening.
Strange coincidence, isn't it?
The world is full of them.
It's comforting to know the police
are working so diligently on the matter.
So, are you looking to relocate permanently
or just acquiring properties?
It all depends on what the lovely Miss Mina shows me.
A little bit of both, I suspect.
A number of years ago, I spent a little time here.
There was just something about it that felt like home.
I think that's lovely.
Just a feeling of certainty one gets.
I've been traveling abroad for a great while.
Somehow I always knew what I wanted was here.
Well, then must find him a good place.
Dinner party etiquette demands it.
I have utmost faith in Miss Mina's acumen.
When I visited the solicitor's office,
I saw her and knew she'd be the one to help me.
I didn't realize that my assignment was by request.
I made the suggestion and the partners at your firm obliged.
I wanted someone who sees the city a little differently.
I had an instinct and I followed it.
And my instincts are rarely wrong.
I... don't know what to say.
I'm truly honored.
I won't let you down.
I don't know about you,
but this seems like the perfect excuse for another toast.
Who could that be at this hour?
Jonathan, what's...
It's too terrible to consider, Amelia!
But when the evidence suggests...
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
The improbable is probable, we must, we must!
Could you keep it down, please!
Mina's having a work dinner.
I don't need to cause unnecessary alarm.
Sorry.
I just... I think I found something.
With the blood?
Potentially.
And if I'm right, it's something awful.
Let's talk outside.
What's going on?
There were trace amounts of saliva in the blood.
But the more significant thing is
what that can potentially represent.
I don't understand.
The punctures, the absence of blood,
the calculated kill crossed with the primal violence.
It all felt too familiar to be coincidence.
So I started cross-referencing some of my texts.
And all signs point to Nosferatu.
I think we may be dealing with a vampire.
A what?
The vampire is a perceived mythological creature
of undead origin...
I know what a vampire is, Jonathan.
But if you recall, I explicitly asked you
to stick to science on this one, no fairy stories.
I know, but it could explain so many of
the unknown variables of the case:
The irregular wound, the loss and absence of blood.
You and your colleagues missed certain details
because they were things you didn't even know to look for.
Are you hearing yourself?
There's a very real serial killer
stalking the streets and murdering women.
I need something that is going to help me find him now!
I appreciate your reticence,
but I said it before and I'll say it again.
Sometimes the things we consider fantastical
are merely truths we're not yet
allowing ourselves to understand.
I'm sorry, Jonathan, but I just...
You just got a call.
They need you. There's been another...
There's been another murder.
Mina, please see Count Dracula out and lock the door.
I'm coming with you.
Like hell you are.
Ah, Amelia. It's good you're here.
Oh, surprise. Look who you brought.
- Jack. - Jonathan.
I thought you'd be out chasing ghosts or something.
Nope. I've been too busy doing your job for you.
Boys... play nice.
I'm surprised to see you out of the lab.
Renfield had more important things to do.
And he suggested that if I showed up at the scene
I might be able to glean something
out of the body's natural habitat, so to speak, you know.
And?
Well, fits our pattern.
Red hair, trauma to neck.
Cause of death, massive blood loss.
But the difference here is that this body's
been here for two, maybe three, days.
When the guys got here, they had to open the windows
because the neighbors were complaining about the smell.
Was anyone seen coming or going?
They're out canvassing the neighborhood,
but I don't think so.
How does someone come in,
do something like this, and no one notices?
Well, that's the kicker, isn't it?
It's not just getting in. How did he get out?
What do you mean?
When we got here, they had to use a prybar
to open the door, all right?
Because everything: windows, doors, everything,
was locked from the inside.
What about a key?
She lived alone,
has all the keys in her possession
and they're accounted for.
And the landlord says that no one else has any others.
So you're telling me
the perpetrator entered a locked room
without forced entry,
viciously murdered a woman and disappeared without a trace?
Yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying.
I just... for someone to be able to do that,
they'd have to be...
Capable of the impossible.
Impossible is an illusion
that's created when you have the advantage.
And right now, our killer has it.
But he's only one person
and what he's not banking on is us.
Good.
You're awake.
Do you understand the implication here?
It essentially proves there's merit to my theory.
What's he talking about?
Don't start on this again.
You said you wanted facts.
Maybe it's time to start looking at the ones you already have.
The assailant is biting throats
and somehow getting into impossible rooms with ease.
What does that sound like to you?
I have no idea.
There's a strong chance the perpetrator
is in fact a vampire.
Oh, how clever!
Forget the mythological connotations!
Exsanguination is found in several instances
in the animal kingdom.
It's therefore, entirely probable
that there's a human equivalent!
I get you're trying to be helpful, Jonathan.
But what you're suggesting is not supported by reality.
I would buy that the killer thinks they're a vampire.
But as for the real deal, there's no such thing.
Stories of vampires exist in almost every culture.
The jiangshi of China, the sasabonsam of Ghana,
the shtriga of Albania...
all variants on the same concept.
If it was only folklore, then how did all of those
very different and very distant places
all arrive at the same conclusion?
Sociologically, that's a wonderful argument.
But real science does not support it!
Besides, vampires are supposed to be dead, aren't they?
Undead.
Oh, well, there I have you.
Bio-matter starts to decompose almost immediately at death.
So reanimation? That's almost impossible.
It's like a roll of the dice, isn't it?
Maybe that's why they need to drink blood.
Drink blood? Bathe in blood!
Those kind of unsciences, they died in the Neolithic period!
The point is, there's a very logical explanation, Jonathan.
The collection of blood was cited in a number of
very human, very real, serial killer cases.
And in each circumstance, it was just a matter
of figuring out which method and tool was used to do so.
I just think that...
People are dying!
The public are demanding answers!
I can't tell them a vampire did it.
And it would be great if I could have you
and your resources available
to help me find out who did.
Of course. I'll do whatever I can.
Thank you.
So what now?
Well, you said you found some saliva in the blood sample.
You found something?
We're talking miniscule traces.
I missed it on my first two passes,
so I can understand why you guys didn't catch it.
Still, it could be something.
And if it's our killer's saliva,
it means that he could be interacting
with his victims in an up close, possibly fetishistic way.
Anything we can glean from that?
I don't know. What do you think?
Could you two compare notes and tell me if you find anything?
- Yeah, we could do that. - Of course.
Yeah.
I'll do a little more research tonight
and drop off whatever I have in the morning.
Yes, which reminds me, I've got a couple more bodies to look at.
I'll probably be there well into the morning.
All right, I'll be on my way.
Good luck.
No. Let's find a more nurturing way of saying goodnight
like "I'll see you later."
Bye.
What about you?
It's late. I should go check in on Mina
as I made an unceremonious exit from dinner with her guest.
In the chaos of everything,
I didn't even get a chance to ask about that.
Sounds like things are going well for her with work?
Yeah.
She landed a big client, a foreign aristocrat type.
He's looking for property in the city.
It's a real boost for her.
You know how reserved she can be.
- That's great. - Yeah.
So long as I didn't scare him away
when I ran out of the house in pursuit of a murderer.
Well, I'd like to think that's fuel
for a lively dinner conversation.
No. He's a little posh.
Not the type to want gritty details.
Well, I guess they can't all be ghouls like us.
Guess not.
Jonathan, we gotta find this guy.
Every day that passes while we're grasping at straws
is another opportunity for him to kill again.
I've always known you to be a dedicated investigator.
But... and don't take this the wrong way...
I can't help but feel you're a little bit more
on edge about this one than usual.
Our killer is singling out women with specific attributes
and greeting them with violence.
I can understand why that would strike a nerve.
But as one of your oldest friends,
I wanna make sure you don't internalize this too much.
It wouldn't be good for you... or the case.
It's a little too late not to internalize it, Jonathan.
Someone is out there othering women
and killing them for their otherness.
For reasons of my existence,
I find that a little hard not to take personally.
Of course.
Look at that saliva.
Get back to Jack with anything you find.
I'm gonna go home and check in on Mina
and go over all my documents.
All right.
You get some sleep, okay?
No more dead women on my watch.
Got it?
Got it.
Mina?
Hey!
Amelia?
Baby.
Are you okay?
Yeah, I'm okay.
What happened?
There was someone in the house.
What?
- Are they... are you? - I'm fine.
They got away, though.
My God, Amelia...
Shh. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here.
I don't understand.
Who did this?
It's him.
Him?
The Count said the papers mentioned me by name.
What are you talking about?
The killer from my case.
He knows who I am.
And tonight he wanted to send me a message.
He knows where we live.
Well, how did they get in?
Did they have a key?
And you're sure you found no significant
evidence of forced entry?
No.
You know I know what to look for.
And you know I have to ask.
I'm sorry.
It's just... he came into my home.
What if I hadn't been here?
And Mina...
She's fine.
Not fine, but she'll be okay.
Just a bit startled.
It's gonna be a rough night sleep for both of us.
Understandable.
Did you at least get a good look at him?
No.
Credit where credit's due,
he knew to move fast and stick to the shadows.
If I didn't know any better,
I would have thought he was familiar with the house.
Is that possible?
Not likely.
Besides Jonathan Harker and a few women from the social club,
we don't really have guests.
Though there was Dracula.
Dracula?
A foreign Count that Mina is helping
acquire property in the city.
He was here earlier for dinner.
You don't think...
No.
Most aristocrats are not known for their subtlety.
So I doubt a stealthy breaking and entering
is in his repertoire.
I suppose you're right,
and he was vetted by the partners in Mina's firm.
And kind of glad he's here.
It provides her distraction from all this.
You don't have to say it, Amelia.
I'm behind you.
You do whatever it takes.
Thank you, Captain.
Of course.
Well, I'm gonna get these guys out of here
so you can get some sleep.
Are they gone?
Yeah.
The last officer just left.
And?
And I wish I had answers for you,
but I don't... not yet.
This isn't supposed to happen.
This shouldn't be coming to our door.
I'm supposed to take care of you.
Honey, you do take care of me.
But tonight...
Tonight, when danger came looking, you chased it away.
You went straight into battle without a second thought.
And that's the woman I know and that's the woman I love.
Mina...
You take care of me, Amelia.
You do so much.
You take care of so many people.
Sometimes you need to let me take care of you.
Baby...
Shut up and let me take care of you.
Jonathan!
Are you here to see Amelia?
I haven't seen Amelia for a day.
But I heard what happened last night.
And I just wanted to stop by and check...
Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you had company.
Oh, sorry, yes.
Jonathan Harker, this is Count Dracula.
We're currently working together to, hopefully
find him a permanent residence here in the city.
It's an honor and a pleasure, Count.
And might I say, with Mina here,
I'm sure you'll get everything you want and then some.
The pleasure is mine, Mr. Harker.
And on the subject of Miss Murray, we agree.
She has been truly impressive.
The Count and I are going to look
at a couple properties soon.
And there's an old Abby on the Carfax which, I think,
with a little renovation, could be quite a private residence.
I know the place. It's spectacular.
Though isn't it getting a bit late for property showings?
That's my fault, I'm afraid.
Much of my days are eaten up...
Business matters.
And so I had to see it at night.
I'm a bit of a night owl.
Miss Murray was incredibly kind to offer her
time out of regular hours.
It really was nothing.
Jonathan, why don't you go and have a seat
and I'll let Amelia know you're here?
Don't have to tell me twice.
So, you're a colleague of Miss Van Helsing?
Yes, I suppose so.
Amelia and I have actually been friends since childhood.
She used to keep me out of trouble and I used to distract her from her studies.
Which is funny, 'cause now she's the one always running towards trouble
and I'm the one who always has his nose in a book.
Do you have an area of research?
I'm a chemist, actually.
I consult frequently with Amelia and her colleagues
on cases of specific scientific curiosity.
I do not envy scientific research.
A lot of dry reading there.
I much prefer an evening sitting with one of the classics.
I can appreciate that.
And definitely get the need for more vibrant material.
The bulk of my personal reading is actually into occultism.
How curious.
Does that study not contradict
the steadfast rules of your profession?
Not really.
In a lot of ways, it informs it.
Sometimes folklore and myth can fill in the blanks
when science can't.
I find that exciting.
I assume not all of your colleagues share that sentiment.
Sadly, no.
But scientists who aren't open to the unknown
aren't really all that good of scientists, are they?
Hmm.
For someone I just met,
I must say you're quite admirable, Jonathan Harker.
Thanks.
Amelia's just finishing something.
She'll be right out.
Oh, great.
Thanks, Mina. Shall we depart?
Yes, let's. That'd be great.
I gotta get some sleep.
You know what?
Jonathan is quite good at what he does.
Do you know that?
I don't give him enough credit.
There are some interesting things.
I mean, it doesn't explain you or the killer or...
Or why I'm talking to dead bodies again.
Shit.
I should get myself a small dog to run around here
or maybe a canary...
Wait a minute.
I thought we agreed you were gonna cool it
with this paranormal stuff for a bit.
He didn't have a reflection, Amelia!
And?
And that doesn't concern you?
Especially based on lore and what we talked about?
No!
Because I think you're seeing things you want to see.
I don't want to see it! I did see it!
You were on the couch, right?
Sit down.
If the mirror is at an angle from where you are,
you can see me now, right?
Yes.
And now?
Jonathan?
No.
Exactly.
You were seeing ghosts and ghouls where there are none.
You're right. I'm sorry.
I just really want this to go well for her.
It's the first time I've seen Mina this excited
about anything.
That's true.
She did seem to have a little more pep to her step tonight.
It's more than just the work assignment.
Ever since Mina was younger,
she was bulled so relentlessly for being different.
Whether it her hair or the way she dressed,
she spent so many years trying to change everything
about who she was to be who she thought people wanted her to be.
And here's a circumstance
where she's being valued for who she is and what she does.
Exactly.
I always knew she had a tough time of it.
But I guess I never really thought through
how those things tend to hang on.
Be glad you never had to.
So you said you dropped off some new data
to Jack on the way home?
Yes.
The saliva present in the blood sample you provided,
upon further investigation,
showed the slightest trace of a chemical anticoagulant.
Like a blood thinner?
Yes, more or less.
That would explain the extraction of that amount
of blood without the body attempting to clot to stop loss,
but that leaves the question:
how is the killer administering it to his victims?
And where has all the blood gone?
I don't know.
That's more your and Jack's department.
I can identify the chemical,
but how and why of it might be above my pay grade.
Hello?
Amelia, it's Jack!
Speak of the devil.
No. Speak of the bat!
I have some very interesting things to tell you.
When can you get here?
- We're already on our way. - Excellent!
Seward?
Oh, Captain...
I got your message to come down. What's going on?
Well, we had an amazing development this morning.
From some of the blood of one of the victims,
we were able to find the presence of saliva.
And in the saliva, there was an anticoagulant.
Okay.
Well, it reminded me something that Amelia said.
Amelia said something about animals and stuff
and I thought, well, there are only certain animals
that have the anticoagulant.
And if you look here, that would be bats...
Oh!
Why?
Jack?
Jack? We're here.
Oh my God. Jack?
Jack! What happened?
Jack!
Get help!
Jack?
Re...
I don't understand!
Helps on the way!
Stay with me, Jack, please!
Please!
It was... Renfield.
Renfield!
Looks like he's fled the scene.
Doesn't convince me of his innocence.
What are you doing? Isn't this a crime scene?
Yes. And if you recall,
I'm the lead investigator on the scene.
And considering the fact that we have a friend
in critical condition downstairs,
I'm not inclined to follow protocol.
So if you don't mind...
Locked.
Ah-ha.
What is this?
Oh, my God!
What?
These files... they're records, passports,
Licenses, personal information...
All of women matching the killer's target type.
Red hair... all women with red hair.
This doesn't prove anything, right?
The captain of the police would have files on murder victims.
Yeah, which is why I recognize the first few.
The problem is,
a lot of these women aren't victims... yet.
This isn't paperwork after the fact.
It's a hit list!
- Where are you going? - I'm going after him!
Amelia, look!
I understand, but we should call someone
like Interpol or something!
Maybe, but we don't have time for red tape.
- Right, but... - Look!
Jack found something that incriminated the murderer,
and Renfield tried to kill him for it!
That tells me that Renfield is either
the man responsible or knows who is.
And every second we waste puts someone else in danger.
- I'll come with you. - No!
I'll check his house.
I may be able to reason with him, but only if I go alone.
Take those files to your office
and see if there's anything we've missed.
Amelia...
Be careful!
Renfield!
If you're gonna pull that trigger,
you better be damn certain you do it faster than I do.
Why'd you do it, Captain?
Your cover's blown.
At least help me understand.
You could never understand.
It is knowledge that is not meant for the likes of you.
You attacked Jack...
and those women are dead because of you!
You've perverted everything we're supposed to stand for!
And what if everything we stand for is irrelevant?
Because the truth of what's really out there
is too terrible for us to comprehend.
You're sick!
No, Van Helsing.
For the first time in my life, I'm finally aware.
What happened to you?
The inevitable.
And it will happen to you, too!
You told me to catch the killer at any cost...
And I did.
Sorry, Amelia.
A familiar...
Of course!
Renfield's not the killer.
He's harvesting victims for the killer.
I hoped I'd find you here.
Good guess.
Not really.
You're still the better detective.
I tried your house first and the station.
Finally, dispatch told me this is where I should look.
They're not supposed to do that.
I'd like to tell you some...
I killed him, Jonathan.
My own superior officer.
A man that I looked up to.
A man that I thought I knew.
What would bring someone to do something like this?
He killed all those people
and came to work every day pretending to look for himself.
It's deranged.
I think it's more than that.
What are you talking about?
I don't know that Renfield was acting entirely
of his own accord.
You see, there's this thing called a "familiar"
where a vampire entrances you...
Jonathan, I asked you...
I begged you not to go there!
Do you understand that I had to kill a man tonight?
A man that I looked up to and always trusted
- to do the right thing. - It doesn't add up, Amelia,
and you're a good enough detective to know that!
Renfield may have attacked Seward.
But that in no way matches any of the other murders.
It doesn't explain the neck wound
or the anticoagulant
or what exactly Jack found that set him off.
But the file...
Oh, I think he's gathering a list...
for someone else, someone who could tear throats
and make them bleed without clotting,
someone who would gladly take a tailored list
provided by the one person who could give him one.
I just...
A tailored list that includes the woman you love!
Seward stumbled onto something that caused Renfield
to attack in a state of panic.
And that just doesn't fit the pattern
up to this point, and you know it.
Your killer's shown nothing but cool calculation,
not to mention the fact that you knew
the victim profile matched.
Mina.
She's gone!
Okay, panicking won't help us find Mina.
We have to think about this logically.
I just don't understand.
If Renfield's dead, that means that you might be right
in the fact that he could be providing
information to the killer.
Oh, my God.
That means that the intruder that I thought was here for me
was actually here for Mina
because they know about her.
Why didn't you say anything
about the fact she matched the profile?
I didn't say anything because I didn't think anyone knew.
She didn't want anyone to know.
When she was bullied when she was younger,
they teased her about her red hair.
That's awful.
She didn't want to change her core.
But she could change her hair and she did.
because it gave her that small measure of control.
Jonathan, I have to find this guy and I have to find him now!
Okay, but how?
Where do we start?
The crimes followed a distinct trajectory
until Renfield was presented with something
that spooked him enough to deviate from the pattern.
Right.
And when he attacked Jack, that cast enough
suspicion of guilt in his direction
and I went after him on intuition.
But that triggering evidence is still out there
and could be the key, which means we need to talk to...
Jack!
Jack, are you sure you're up to this?
Oh, that's not the worst thing
that's happened to me this evening.
Okay, so...
No, no, no.
The anticoagulant in the saliva, it's not an external agent.
What I mean is,
whoever or whatever that saliva belongs to,
they're biologically secreting the anticoagulant themselves.
It's not a drug or a stimulant
that they've purchased and they've ingested.
It's literally being manufactured
inside them naturally.
Is that something people can even do?
Science would say no, but there are specific animals
that can secrete this anticoagulant
- and yes, most of them are... - Bats.
- like you said on the phone. - Exactly.
They secrete the anticoagulant so that they can feast
on much larger animals at will uninterrupted.
They slash the flesh and then they have their fill.
And, uh...
Sometimes when the prey is much smaller than them,
the end result is not unlike our poor young ladies.
Okay, but...
Once I made the saliva connection,
I did some research based on the bite pattern on our victims.
And I was able to find a match.
And what breed of bat was that?
Oh, don't be so smug!
You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Vampire.
Okay.
But there's no such thing as a human-sized vampire bat.
Well...
There are centuries of vampire myths and lore,
which our killer could be relying on
to perpetuate his crimes.
And since you've been able to look at this case
in a way I haven't, I need to know what's next.
- I... - I want to be clear.
I'm not saying that I think it's a vampire.
But based on what we're seeing,
it is possible that he's convinced himself that he is.
And he's using that illusion...
No. That would not explain the presence of the...
The anticoagulant in the saliva.
Exactly.
Yeah, but if I have to think that way to get Mina back,
then I need to know what now?
Well, we'd have to consult my texts.
Then that's what we'll do.
Jack, thank you.
Amelia...
Get this son of a bitch.
Bring her back.
Anything worthwhile?
I don't know.
Maybe.
At the very least, I think I may have
fleshed out my theory about Renfield.
You remember how I said I thought
he might be a "familiar"?
Lore suggests that it's a common practice
for the undead to entrance a living servant
to provide them with what they need,
often unbeknownst to the entranced themselves.
Doesn't make me feel better.
Well, what it suggests is that whoever's behind this
knows exactly what they're doing.
Not only were they able to get a direct bead
on potential victims via Renfield's access,
but also who better than the head of
the police department to help control
the tide of information about the case?
Credit where credit's due.
And if that's true, that means they were able
to bring the papers on a wild goose chase
about this being a copycat killer.
Well, I mean, it makes sense.
What better way to misdirect than point everyone
in an absolutely preposterous direction?
Right.
Unless...
Unless?
Unless that's exactly what they want us to think.
What if the best place to hide is in plain sight?
Present something as impossible, make it seem sensationalized?
And those who value the truth won't even consider it.
And why would you think that?
Because I didn't.
And if this person thinks they're a vampire,
they may also believe that they're carrying out
the killings of the original killer.
Or they think that they are the original killer themselves.
You may be onto something.
Present something so plainly,
people dismiss it outright for being too obvious!
Like how you and Jack dismissed my vampire theory!
Okay. To be honest, vampires as an answer
is the exact opposite of obvious.
What are you getting?
Now I'm assuming, because you're a good detective,
that even though you dismissed it as a possibility,
you still looked into the murders from a century ago?
The police reports didn't have much, to be honest.
Something about a trail of bodies and a land dispute
and the castle outside the city.
It didn't make sense to connect it to this case.
That's because you were relying on fact and not on legend.
Now, I'm not overly familiar with this particular story.
But I do remember some of the broad strokes.
Something about a prince or a nobleman
who absolutely lost it on his wedding day
and went on a killing spree.
Kind of standard basis of haunting stuff.
Oh, here we go.
I was right.
According to this, an aristocrat was set
to be married to the love of his life.
But due to an unfortunate illness,
she died the same day they were due to be wed.
How terrible...
Apparently, the tragedy led him slipping
into a deranged madness.
And he started lashing out and killing anyone
who reminded him of his lost love.
I don't think there are any photos.
But... the family name is...
Dracula.
Oh, wow!
I knew I didn't see his reflection!
Amelia, you don't think...
Okay, all right.
There's no pictures of him.
But there is a painting of his dead fiancé.
We have to find Mina now!
We have to wait until the morning!
Dracula will be much weaker then!
I can't wait until then.
Who knows what will happen to her if we wait that long?
Let's move.
Hotel Le Carmilla.
This is the place Renfield had a key to.
I think this is it.
Maybe we should call in backup.
Can't call in backup.
Besides, we're here based on circumstantial evidence
of a giant vampire bat.
For some reason, I don't think
they're gonna spare the resources.
And what if we find him?
If Dracula is the descendant of the mad aristocrat...
Or the aristocrat himself?
Then he's either finishing the work of his family
or he knows who is.
Either way, that can lead us to Mina.
So we're gonna go in there and ask nicely.
And if he doesn't cooperate, not so nicely.
That's what I was afraid you were going to say.
I think it's this one.
I thought there'd be more security or something.
Guards would draw attention.
This is exactly like the copycat case, hiding in plain sight.
People won't suspect something that looks totally normal.
But be ready when we get in Dracula's room.
What do we do?
I don't know...
Amelia.
You're here.
Renfield?
That's impossible.
Hey! Put her down!
What is this place?
What did you do to these people?
You should never have come here, Amelia!
I killed you once and I'll do it again.
You were a good detective, Amelia.
But chase death enough,
eventually you'll find it.
And now it's time to become
an officer of a different rank...
Hey, Captain!
What was that?
Holy water.
Believe me now?
Blood! They smell it!
No! No, that won't work!
Here, hit their hearts.
Don't get bit!
Oh, is that all?
Thank you, doctor.
Hello? Is somebody there?
Dr. Seward, I presume?
Yes. That's me.
It's a shame we should meet under these circumstances.
As I've been told, you're actually
quite a brilliant man, unfortunately.
Brilliance is often an impediment to what I do
and I don't like loose ends.
If you give me your blood,
I can give you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams!
Jonathan! Get clear!
Ah!
Are you okay?
Yeah.
You?
Yeah. I...
You!
I could say the same.
Ah!
Jonathan!
Where's Mina?
What did you do with her?
Miss Murray is no longer your concern, Detective.
I appreciate you looked after her all these years.
And for that, I had considered letting you live.
But you have made a pest of yourself,
killed my servant.
And that's not very amenable to me.
Sorry to put a crimp in your evening.
And I'm sorry to put one in yours
but your interference ends in my affairs tonight.
You surely must have known,
once you've discovered the truth,
there'll be no going back.
A fact your dear Dr. Seward
unfortunately learned the hard way.
Jack!
What did you do to him?
You already know the answer.
Now it's your turn!
So reliant on your toys.
I'm not like the others.
They were young, weak,
dependent on the pitiful modernity
that's coursed through their veins.
I am old, powerful,
enriched by the blood of centuries.
It's foolish to think that after all these years,
I'd give her up to the likes of you.
You're him!
You're not a descendant.
You're the nobleman whose fiancé died.
I'm sorry for your loss.
But killing all those women doesn't make you sympathetic.
It makes you a monster!
And it wont bring her back.
They're not her.
Mina's not her.
You can't cheat death.
Then explain me.
What are you going to do to me?
Do to you?
My dear, I've searched for you across the years.
Now that I've found you,
why would I put that in jeopardy?
You're not going to kill me?
Not yet, and not permanently.
But the others...
Pale imitations that tarnished your legacy,
cruel reminders of what was no longer.
They had to go.
But you... you stand apart,
a mirror's reflection of the woman I know,
the woman you are.
Of all of them, only you are her exact likeness.
When I saw you, I somehow knew,
but I had to be sure, needed to see for myself.
Luckily, the partners at your firm obliged.
It was all a lie?
It was a necessary means to find the truth.
You may not remember who or what you are...
but you will.
No... No.
I've been so very patient,
but it is time our courtship ends.
There's only a few more hours left of night you will rest.
And before the sun rises,
I will restore you to be by my side once again forever.
But for now...
my dear Miss Murray...
sleep.
Jonathan?
Jonathan...
I'm okay. Oh! All right, maybe not.
We need to figure out our next steps.
I just don't know where to begin.
That's because you are relying on fact!
And not on legend..
They're comparing this to a 100-year-old case.
You've got to admit, a century-old mass murder case
that ended at a creepy castle,
that's the kind of stuff that whets the appetite...
The castle...
We should get help.
No. We can't wait that long.
We have to find her before he does
whatever he intends with her.
My study. We can get everything we need there.
It's all right.
Which way?
There should be a staircase off the main chamber that leads...
You shouldn't have come.
While I admire your conviction,
and am impressed that you survived our meeting
earlier this evening, know that it will not happen again.
- Do you... - I see them.
It's pointless to resist.
You're profoundly injured, Mr. Harker.
And, Amelia, my dear, your blood betrays you.
If you are so sure, come and fight me yourself, you coward!
Such taunts are beneath you, Miss Van Helsing.
And I grow tired of your distractions.
Where's Mina?
She was yours.
Now she's mine.
Then again, she always was.
Time to let go.
Of course, I'm happy to help with that process.
Finish them!
Don't let him get away! I'll hold them off!
- I'm not leaving you! - Go!
Come and face me, you monster!
Mina?
Baby, it's Amelia.
Mina...
Mina?
Mina, wake up!
Oh, thank God!
I'd ask that you refrain from using that name in my house.
Don't you think we've had enough
of this charade, Miss Van Helsing?
It was a noble effort, but now it's time to accept your defeat.
Like you did?
You stalked across a century, maybe even more,
looking for your love lost,
killing every woman that resembles her
only to kidnap the woman that I love
in some deluded desire that, what?
She's the reincarnated version of your fiancé?
And you have the audacity to tell me
I don't know when to give up?
You dare speak to me with such insolence!
Jonathan!
Your insistence on interrupting
when I'm speaking to Miss Van Helsing
has grown tiresome, Jonathon Harker.
I would urge that you learn from your mistakes...
if it weren't your last.
What did you do to him?
We have done that already, remember?
Stop!
Mina, no!
Mina...
Let her go.
Please, if you let her go, I'll stay with you.
You'll stay with me, regardless.
Maybe.
But I'm telling you, if you let her go,
it would be because I chose to.
Me.
And I know that there's a part of you that wants that,
to know that I chose you, too.
I'm not interested in bargains.
You know very well that I can make you choose me.
I do.
But I'm telling you I'll do it willingly
before you turn me into what you are.
And while I still have a will of my own...
I will stay with you.
I'll be her.
You are her!
You are my wife!
Actually...
I'm her wife.
Amelia!
Amelia, how are you? Baby?
Are you okay?
I'm supposed to be rescuing you.
Fools!
I will kill you both...
Jonathan? Jonathan?
Are you okay?
Well, I'm alive.
Let's go home.
Can we just stop a second?
Are you okay?
Yeah.
Well, no, actually, no, not at all.
I just wanna see it.
Do you really think he thought I was her?
I think he hoped so.
Love makes us hope for impossible things.
Well, he was an impossible thing.
Makes sense he'd believe in another.
So it's over?
You saw him burn into dust just like I did.
Well, there are certain blood rituals
one could use to resurrect...
Not today, Jonathan, not today.
Do you think Jonathan will be okay?
Thee doctor's said they need to keep him for a few days.
I think it'll be slow-going.
But if I know Jonathan Harker, he'll bounce back.
I hope so.
He will.
He just needs time, and rest.
We all do.
Speaking of, when are you coming to bed?
I'll be there soon.
Good.
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