The smoke
The Thief
Rome 1889
A cloaked figure walk down one of many cobbled roman streets the only sound was the soft clinking of her boots on the road.
Susannah grey but the press had dubbed her The Smoke (because it was easier to catch smoke with your bare hands than it was her), a master thief, stopped at a shop window and admired her reflexion. She smiled to herself, she wore a black akubra type hat with a single peacock feather, although her face up to nose was covered her blue eyes shone like cats eyes, her blonde hair whipping around her face in the slight breeze and some of her fringe covered one eye
Her long flowing jacket, simple button up grey thick shirt, brown knee high boots and tight fitting pants. But her most treasured item was a simple silver necklace with a dragon with wings imprinted on it. She had no idea where it came from, but it was the only thing with could hold the answers to her past.
I had lived in a Orphanage since I was five, when I was found next to body of a dead man (just outside of Rome) who had been shot with a gun filled with sliver bullets. However many times I escaped from that horrid place Madam Ogres Orphanage I was always cached and brought back. Only when I turned 18 was I allowed to leave, then I travelled to Rome hoping to find something about my past but so far I have found nothing but disappointment.
I pushed the memories to back of my mind and turned back to the window. My smile broaden not because of my reflexion but of what was in the window. Jewellery. This was a jewellery store, I reached into my pocket and pull out a master key which I'd "borrowed" from the police chief, oh I remember the look on his face when he realized I'd had stolen it. The key slipped into the lock easily I jiggled it the way I seen the police chief do it and banged on the door in the right place and the door open. "Easy as pie" I whispered to myself as I walked into store. I pulled a sack from a leather shoulder bag and started to fill it with priceless pieces of jewellery. Once I had filled the bag, I pulled a small but sharp knife from my boot and craved into the door an s "to let people know who they had been robed by" I shut and locked the door behind me "don't want murders to get in" I laughed.
Might as well be getting home I thought miserably, for some reason the night life had loss it trill "I wish something interesting would happen" she said out loud as I walked down the street towards my shop/home. When I wasn't robbing people I was a seamstress and a damm good one at that I sold clothes to lords, ladys, dukes and I even done a cloak for the pope. I sighed but stopped haft way thought, there was a fowl smell on the air. I sniffed it smell like wet mouldy dog.
But it was defiantly humanish because I could hear it now, it was walking on two feet but the steps where uncoordinated and unfocused. Great I'm being followed by a drunk asshole, might as well knock him out now so he doesn't get into any, trouble. I turned around expecting to see a drunken weirdo but saw nothing but the end of the street "huh" I said "oh drunk guy where are you?".
I kept walking, looking behind me out of the corner of my eye. I could hear it but couldn't see it. I swallowed hard! This isn't good not good at all. I pulled out my gun, whatever it was it gonna be dead soon. I loaded it ten seconds then I turn around and shoot the crap out of it. Nine… eight… seven… six… five… four… THREE… TWO… ONE… I turned around with lighting speed. Once again nothing "arh shit"
my heart was beating fast, ok calm down, I did until something moved behind me.
I turned around again this time I saw it, it was a huge hulking…. werewolf. I screamed "WEREWWWWOOOOLLLLFFFF!" I bolted buildings, homes, shops rushing past but I didn't stop I wouldn't stop all the money in the world, I didn't look back either, I didn't have to I could hear it. Wow this guys fast okay I can't out run him. But I can out smarten it, the canal, there was a canal that ran right Rome if I can just reach it. I though this just as I ran smack bang into a wall
"That's new" I whimpered, I spun around and there it was "nice doggy, you don't want eat me, I taste terrible really" it was still coming for me "Okay lets try a different approach". I shot aiming for the week spots the head and the heart, it fell "yes" then it got back up "Oh shit!" and it was pissed off. Okay think think think think. Nothing came "shit shit shit, if I'm gonna die, if I'm gonna I'll die fighting" I pulled out my ninja spurs "chew on this" I threw them at it, it was thrown back into the wall and it fell. I held my breath. It stirred and got back up, it held its paw to strike I turned my head away. Bang bang bang! gunfire? I looked at the werewolf it was swaying
I moved just as it fell to ground not before it took a swing at its attacker. The guy went flying hitting the wall hard! The werewolf fell to ground and stayed down. I pick up a nearby metal rod, I poked the werewolf it didn't move "thank bloody god".
Then I turned to the stranger, I poked, him yes it was a man he moved, I turned him on his back "oh my god" I gasped, this man was… "Van Helsing" the most wanted man in all of Europe, but who am I to talk I'm the second most wanted person in Europe. Either way I owed this man my life, I poked him with my finger "excuse me" he didn't move
"EXCUSE ME" nothing. I got down next to his ear "WAKE UP!" I screamed in his ear hole, he moved then his arm shot out going for my neck I moved, he missed me by a hair "bloody hell"
"Sorry" he muttered getting up "its habet"
"Jesus" I said rubbing my neck
He didn't answer
"Are you alright?" I said helping him
"I'm…" he fell to the ground in a heap
"Yeah of course you are" I propped him up against the wall
He put his head up looking at me and gasped
"What" I said in alarm as I pulled out a small mirror checking my reflexion once more.
"Nothing," he said a little too quickly "its just you're "The Smoke!" "
"So" I snapped "your Van Helsing"
"I know and I meant no offence and your face isn't covered"
"What!" I exclaimed as I put my kerchief back over my face. I notice his face was covered with a kerchief as well, I pulled it down, odd he didn't even fight me,
"So this is the face of the infamous Van Helsing" I said looking at him
"why did you save my life"
He looked directly into my eyes most people couldn't do this for more than a second; he did it for what seemed like an hour finally he spoke
"Because I need you come with me"
"Dream on buddy" I scoffed "I'm out of here" I started walking away, but stopped when I feel a hand on my shoulder I sighed
"Look I-" that's how far I got he sprayed me with some kind of knockout gas
I blacked out
Answers
My eyes creaked open, I sat up stiffly "oh my head, what happened" I said rubbing it. I look around this isn't my room," oh now I remember VAN HIESING" ooh he's dead meat and WHAT was I wearing. I looked down at my self I was wearing "oh" it's just a nightie, I noticed that my clothes were at the end of the bed, wash and ironed "odd, but nice" got changed. Leaving my jacket and hat, "now to get out of here"
Gabriel Van Helsing was talking to his best friend Carl,
"What do you think of our guess Carl" I said
"She seems, okay"
"What?"
"What what?"
"What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing I haven't met her have I, she was dead to the world when I last saw her"
"Good point"
"Do you think she woken up yet"
Just as he said these words a series of loud bangs and groans came from her room
"oh yes I think she's woken up"
I walked up the stairs to the room that we were holding her, I pulled out the key and opened the door, she burst out of it hitting the wall hard
"Are you okay?" I said she had hit the pretty hard
"Does it look like I'm okay" Susannah said brushing her self off
"Just asking" I said helping her
She pushed me off and pointed her finger at me "you've got some explaining to do"
"It's aright miss grey" Carl puffed as he ran up the stairs to were they were standing
"Who are you?" she demanded turning towards him
"I'm Carl and if you would come with me I can give you some answers"
He started walking down and we followed, by the look on her face I could tell she was still angry she reminded me so much of Anna,
She must have noticed I was staring at her because she snapped at me
"What are you staring at?"
"Nothing, okay, sorry"
"Miss Grey" Carl cut in
"Yes and please stop calling me miss grey it's annoying
"What do I call you then?"
"Susannah"
"Well Susannah this is cardinal Jinette"
"Hello, I was told that would be able to tell me why I here"
"Yes you were told correct, this way please"
We all followed him to the projector
"Our story begins 450 years ago when and he went on to tells us the story of Dracula and Anna and Transylvania
"That's a real nice story and all, I said still trying to get my head around it BUT! What does it have to do with me?"
"Susannah do you know were or even who your family are" the cardinal ask not looking up
"No I don't"
"Why"
"Because I don't! Aright!" I snapped
He'd hit a nerve I suddenly became very with spot on the floor and my fist clenched itself
"do you want to know"
She looked up and unclenched her fist "what?"
"There's more to this story"
He now had my full undevoted attention "I'm listening"
"well we recently discovered that Dracula had a step brother a brother murdered and given a new life by the devil a life like Dracula but different in everyway. He could turn into a werewolf a will, and create and control other werewolf's. That is why you were attacked by one"
"Yeah I thought it was odd, a werewolf in Rome isn't common"
"How did you know about werewolves anyway" Van Helsing cut in
"It's a long story, cardinal please continue"
"Thank you, as I was saying he was given a new life, and we now believe that he has taken over Transylvania, and is trying to bring Dracula back to life"
"And how can he do that?" said Van Helsing
"He needs the blood of one of there descendens"
"But all the Valious are dead" he cut in again
"No there not, we also discovered that Boris Valious had a brother, who wanted nothing to do with the family "curse". So he moved to the holies city, Rome. Unfortunately him and his wife are both dead, But! They had a child, you Susannah"
The words hit me like a slap on the face, me, family, cruse, Dracula, blood, VALIOUS.
"What!" me and Van Helsing said at the same time
"Yes it is true, so now Susannah you are under our protection"
"What! I don't need protection I've been looking after myself for the past 21 years"
"So I notice you handled that werewolf really well"
I turned towards him and pulled my unloaded gun but he didn't know that "I was unprepared" I said sticking my gun in his face, his face remained expressionless "it won't happen again" I said grabbing a pack of silver bullets
"Perhaps I did not stress how important it is you stay alive, some people are trying to KILL you"
"Don't be silly" I have had plenty of death threats this one was no different "no one's trying to kill me"
"Let me go with you at lease" van Helsing in a sort of pleading voice
"Aright, but I have to get changed first" I said turning and walking up the stairs
"What! Why?" van Helsing said
I turned and look at him "well I can hardly go outside dress as "the smoke" now can I"