Category:Blood Price Pt.1

Plot
Private Investigator Vicki Nelson [Christina Cox] is walking home from a bad date when she witnesses a murder taking place in a nearby alley. Immediately hanging up her cellphone, she crosses the busy traffic to intervene and sees a man in a long black cape running from the scene. Vicki gives chase, but the man disappears after he turns into a dead-end alcove. When Vicki's ex-partner, Detective Mike Celluci [Dylan Neal], and his new partner Dave Graham [Keith Dallas] show up, they find that the victim's neck has been torn open and the body drained of blood. The next day, news of the "Vampire Killer" makes headlines in the Toronto Sun, and Vicki is visited by Coreen Fennel [Gina Holden], the gothy girlfriend of the victim. Coreen was on the phone with Ian when he was attacked, and Coreen wants Vicki's help finding the killer, whom she believes to be a real vampire. Vicki isn't convinced, but when Coreen tells her about the man in the long black cape, Vicki decides there might be more to this murder than meets the eye and decides to investigate further.

That night, Vicki returns to the alley to look for clues. She finds a pentagram on the wall and takes a sample of some substance she thinks might be blood. Suddenly, she notices a young man also looking around, but when she tries to talk with him, he disappears. Next stop is the morgue, where coroner Rajani Mohadevan [Nimet Kanji] has concluded that the wounds on Ian's throat were made by razorsharp teeth. She also tests the substance Vicki brought in and concludes that, indeed, it is blood. Dr Mohadevan agrees to compare the blood sample against Ian's blood to see if they match. That night, Vicki gets a call from Mike. He's learned that Vicki visited Dr Mohadevan and wants to trade information with Vicki. Mike reveals that he thinks the killer may have gotten his unusual strength from drugs, maybe crystal meth or PCP, and that the wounds might have been made by a glove with razors attached to the fingers, Freddie Krueger-style. He also thinks that the blood might have been harvested for a cult ritual. In return, Vicki reveals that her client is Ian Reddick's girlfriend who believes Ian was killed by a real vampire. After Mike calls the idea "ridiculous," Vicki agrees that it's unbelievable, but she still wants to check out Club Nervosa, the bar where Ian worked.

Meanwhile, vampire Henry Fitzroy [Kyle Schmid] hasn't been sleeping either. He has learned from a cute waitress that Ian used to work at Club Nervosa. The club is really hopping when Henry gets there. He recognizes Vicki (from last night in the alley) and tries using his power of persuasion to get her to reveal why she is at the club, but it doesn't seem to work on Vicki. So, Henry asks around for information about Ian and learns that he had trouble with a few of the other regulars. While Vicki goes over the same ground with the bartender, Henry links up with the regulars by offering them money. They go outside to talk, and Henry quickly detects that they had nothing to do with Ian's murder or with the "evil behind it." However, the regulars decide that they want more money for their info and gang up on Henry. Henry easily knocks them to the ground just as Vicki comes out of the bar. Vicki watches as Henry leaps to a roof.

The next day, Vicki returns to the morgue to see what Dr Mohadevan has learned about the blood sample. Turns out to be Ian's blood, but she has also discovered in her lab tests that there is saliva around the bite marks on Ian's neck and that the saliva doesn't match any known species, human or animal. In addition, she found a substance under the fingernails of another of the vampire killer's victims. The substance is similar to batwings, she tells Vicki, but not the wings of any known species of bat. What is going on, Vicki wonders. Count Dracula on a bender? Dr Mohadevan reminds Vicki to keep an open mind as there are more things out there that aren't dreamt about in a police training manual.

What IS going on is that ubergeek Norman Bridewell [Michael Eklund] has succeeded in summoning a demon who is providing him with money, fancy clothes, and a Porsche but demands blood in return. So far, he has taken three victims, including Ian. Norman's fondest wish, however, is to make the cute goth chick who works at the University Pub, Coreen Ferrel, fall in love with him. Unfortunately, the demon does not have the power to control love, but he promises Norman that only two more victims are needed to unleash a more powerful demon who does have the power to give Norman everything he desires. Norman has already picked out his next victim, a pretty blonde who spurned his advances, and informs the demon that she will be in a nearby park that very night.

Meanwhile, Vicki has charted the locations of the murders on a city map and noticed that they are beginning to take the shape of the pentagram that she found on the alley wall. Deducing that the next murder is going to be committed in a nearby park, she hurries over. Henry has also hit upon the pentagram shape of the murders and hurries over to the same park. The blonde is walking through the park when she is attacked by the demon. Henry leaps in to save the girl. The demon recognizes Henry and announces that his master will soon be coming for Henry. The demon then turns into a cloud of bats and flies away. Suddenly, Vicki jumps in and finds Henry leaning over the girl's body. She goes after Henry, but Henry knocks her out just as the police arrive. Afraid of being detected, Henry grabs Vicki's limp body and carries it off with him.

Quotes
[first lines] Vicki Nelson: Hi, mom. Yeah, my date ended early so I thought I'd give you a call. Mom, with you, if it ends too late, I'm going too fast, if it ends too early, I've driven him away. You know what? We just didn't fit, okay? [long pause] Vicki Nelson: No, I did not hit him.

Henry Fitzroy: Passion is at the center of my world. There's nothing else worth living for.

Mohadevan: [at the police morgue] Solving this young fellow's murder is all that's important now. Vicki Nelson: Amen to that. Whoever did this did not care about the extra marks for neatness. Mohadevan: Please, not in front of the client. Vicki Nelson: I don't think he'll mind. Mohadevan: Oh, just because he's dead doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings. Most are more sensitive than the living.

Mike Celluci: [after Vicki misses catching a tossed fortune cookie] Nice catch. Vicki Nelson: Clearly, I need more beer.

Henry Fitzroy: You will not remember what happened tonight but you will remember there are bigger predators than you out there. You will not do this again.

Dave Graham: You're not gonna shoot him again, are you? Vicki Nelson, Mike Celluci: That was an accident.

Vicki Nelson: Mike, come on, how many cases have we solved over beer and bad Chinese? [pause] Vicki Nelson: Oh, I get it. You're doing Chinese with somebody else, aren't you? [mock gasps] Vicki Nelson: It's Dave, isn't it? Mike Celluci: Yes, good old Dave. You've found me out.

Kate Lam: Who are you to talk, Dave? Your third marriage is on its last legs. Mike Celluci: Yep. Dave Graham: My-my girlfriend's not too happy, either.