Capítulo 17: Vampires Wear Sunscreen?!

The night was lightening up when they pulled into the parking lot. Dawn had arrived. Olivia pulled the hover car into park and stepped out of the vehicle. A tense silence clung to the four vampires like a baby to a breast.

X gestured for Olivia to lead the way and they set off for their destination. The Quantum observatory. X began humming a song to himself as they rode an elevator to the top floor.

Suddenly, an ethereal wave passed through the elevator and Ezra shuddered as the wave began to invade every area of his body. He stumbled dizzily as he began to feel lethargic.

A heat began to grow in his heart, fighting the wave. The intense battle went on for a few seconds and the heat from his heart began chasing away the wave. Before long, the dizziness had passed and Ezra stood tall once more.

What the hell was that? He turned around, intending to ask his companions what the wave was. "What the FUCK?!" He jumped back, pressing himself to the elevator door.

Ding!

The elevator door swung open and Ezra spent a few seconds windmilling his arms before regaining his balance. "What the fuck just happened?" He repeated as he stared at the sight in front of him. Within the time it took for them to ride to the top of the skyscraper, the three vampires with him had undergone a drastic transformation.

Where before, they were beautiful, energetic and healthy-looking members of society, now, they looked like good looking insomniacs with pale skin.

Olivia and Genesis' beauty had diminished a bit. While they still looked incredibly beautiful, his enhanced vampire eyes could catch blemishes that were previously absent. Under their eyes were dark circles, making it look like they pulled three all-nighters in a row.

At that moment, the sun rose, bathing the floor in golden light through the huge floor to ceiling windows in the room. The vampires hissed in pain and Ezra quickly ducked back into the elevator.

What is it? Are we under attack? Did Malachi find us? His head swiveled around, trying to identify the threat as X frantically jammed the button to close the elevator.

"Okay." Ezra nodded as the door closed. "Can someone explain to me what just happened?"

"That's the sun." Gen explained.

"What?"

"The sun is a vampire's natural enemy. It weakens the powers of a vampire. It also causes intense pain and prolonged exposure can lead to death. That is one of the two ways a vampire can die." Olivia answered.

"It's always been that way. While there are theories, no one truly knows why. Right now, because of the sun, we're all as physically powerful as the average human. Our only weapons are our Auras and tattoos but even those are not as powerful during the day."

OH! So the sun truly does weaken vampires. Why don't I feel weak? He flexed his arms, not feeling the weakness. Is it because I'm a newborn?

Light flashed and a purple liquid appeared around X before sinking into his skin. He stretched like a man who just woke up from a refreshing nap. "That's my sunscreen." He stared expectantly at the trio for a few seconds before smacking his mask-covered face with his hand. "I sealed your vitality, didn't I? And you're a newborn without tattoos. Sorry, my bad."

A glow appeared from his forearm, before materializing into three neon purple jackets. "Put these on."

"Why?" Gen eyed the jackets like they had somehow offended her. Maybe they had.

"They're sunscreens. They radiate an invisible barrier that protects you from only the rays of the sun." X slouched.

"Don't you have it in another color?"

"Take it or leave it."

Gen grimaced, probably weighing the consequences between wearing the sunscreen and stepping into the sun. Olivia took one, her action persuading Gen to take the other one.

X stretched the last one to Ezra and he startled. Wait! He does not know I'm not affected by the sun? Ezra hesitantly collected the jacket. Why is he giving it to me? Are there any traps in it? He put on the jacket over his tracksuit, holding his breath. After a few seconds with nothing happening, he let out a sigh of relief.

This is my chance! Everyone else is weakened by the sun. When I get an opportunity, that's when I'll take X down.

"Lead the way." X nodded at Olivia as he pressed the button to open the elevator.

The group, containing a masked man in a red hoodie, one handsome man wearing a purple jacket over a tracksuit and two beautiful women in similar purple jackets, walked into the observatory.

Olivia led them to the reception desk. "Good morning. I'm here to see Mr. Dwight."

"Name please." The receptionist blushed from being under the gaze of the good-looking group.

"Miss Wild."

The receptionist fiddled with her computer before reaching into a compartment hidden from view and retrieving a pen and paper. She presented it to Olivia who took it and wrote down a string of twenty words with no rhyme or reason before passing it back.

The receptionist took the paper before comparing it to something on her computer. She nodded before retrieving a key which she handed to Olivia. "You may go, ma'am."

"Thank you." Olivia led them through the maze of hallways to an unremarkable door. She inserted the key into the lock and opened it to reveal an office that looked like it hadn't been used in ages.

In the office was a door with an electronic door. Olivia led them to it before inputting the passcode. The door clicked open to reveal a dark room devoid of windows. Ezra's eyes pierced the gloom to reveal silhouettes of telescopes, office chairs and other discarded equipment.

Click!

Gen turned on the light and Ezra's eyes adjusted to the new light in a split second. Cool!

"Here we are." X breathed reverently. "The resting place of a page from the book of Nightmares. I can feel it! Where is it?" He turned to Olivia.

Olivia moved to a clearing in the room. "Move this for me." She commanded and her two coven mates sprang to help her. Everyone was caught up in the excitement that pervaded the atmosphere. They would finally get to see the page!

They arranged seven telescopes into different positions specified by Olivia before they stepped back as one.

"What's next?" X asked before Olivia shushed him.

Slowly, light began to pool in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by telescopes. The light grew blinding before dying down to reveal an unassuming box sitting on the floor.

"A special monster capable of receiving special preconditions? Clever. Must have cost a lot of vitality." X spoke. "Now open it!"

Olivia hesitated for a moment and the tattooed chain around her neck glowed dangerously. She sighed in resignation before kneeling before the box. She placed a hand on the top and it clicked open.

Click!

Everyone in the room dropped to a knee as a terrifying bloodlust pressed on them like a physical weight!

"Yes. Yes! That's it! It even radiates an Aura! Ha Ha Ha Ha!" X began laughing maniacally.

Sitting in the box was a page wreathed in transparent shadows, looking like it had been torn from a book!

Ezra gasped as the Aura slowly disssipated. He had seen it with his own two eyes.

A page from The Book of Nightmares!