Est Et Toi, Van Helsing?

by GambitsJami

Van Helsing, with the help of Carl and two new friends, must find Dr. Faustus. A man who sold his soul to Satan for youth, immortality, and power.

Paris, 1890

"Stop!" Van Helsing cried out in Persian, not sure how he knew the word nor the ones that followed it. "Sultana, you are wanted by the Knights Of The Holy Order for - many, many murders. Too many to list."

The Sultana smiled. Even after all these years she still looked like a lithe young girl. Her dark hair unmarked by grey. Her belly taunt. She wore men's clothing but had ripped the bottom and sleeves off the shirt so it just barely covered her breasts. So too were the pants ripped so her long brown legs were exposed from thigh to her bare feet. A thin gold anklet with tiny bells was around her right ankle and her toe and finger nails were gilded with gold.

"Oh Van Helsing, do you think to take me so easily?" The Sultana chuckled, her hand going for the lasso at her hip. "I'm not as weak or foolish as my brother in death, Dracula."

A flick of her wrist, too quick for the human eye. The Punjab lasso flew through the air and Van Helsing barely had time to get his hand to the level of his eyes. Preventing it from strangling him as intended.

Or as he thought it was intended. Van Helsing found too late it was meant as a distraction when he was hit hard from behind. Rolling over quickly to find himself under the man that the people at the opera house referred to simply as "The Persian." The askaran cap was gone now, lost somewhere along the way during the chase. However there was no missing that cruel looking face with the long twisted scar that went from just under the right eye down to the mouth. Given when the dragoda was still mortal.

However he wasn't mortal anymore. For one thing the suddenly long fangs was a dead give away. Along with how his face flattened out and scales appeared.

Since killing Dracula, Van Helsing had learned quite a bit about vampires. How each lead vampire could choose their beast form. The Sultana had chosen the snake. Not just any snake,
but the cobra. As evidenced by the hood that suddenly appeared around the Persian's face.

"I hate Paris." Van Helsing grumbled just before he used his spinning blade to slice the Persian's head off. Bounding to his feet, he crossed himself quickly as the vampire turned back into a human before crumbling to dust.

This time Van Helsing had the sense to douse everything with holy water before going after the vampires.

"Van Helsing!" A voice shouted, full of panic. "They're getting away!"

A man rushed out of the darkness, cloaked all in black and astride a grey-white stallion named Cesar. The man wore a mask made of mahogany, it's rich reddish color making it appear like dark blood in the weak Paris moonlight.

As Erik, also known as Le Phantom, rushed past on the horse, stolen from the Opera's stables,
Van Helsing jumped, landing behind the masked man. He hated riding bareback but it was a necessary evil tonight.

Both men leaned forward, lowering the wind resistance as they chased after the Sultana. The vampiress was much faster then the horse, her bare feet flying over the cobblestones. Her powerful bare legs tensed for a moment then she jumped, landing on the back of the carriage that bore the De Chagny family crest.

"Our combined weight is too much!" Erik cried out. "Cesar will never catch up."

"He doesn't have to." From his large cloak like coat, Van Helsing produced a gun like device.
Aiming at the back of the carriage even as the Sultana slithered inside. He fired, a hook attached to a long cord trailing out. The hook blasted through the back of the carriage and hooked to something inside. Van Helsing jumped off even as he activated Carl's latest improvement.
Wheels appeared in the bottom of Van Helsing's boots. It was a bumpy ride but allowed him to be dragged behind even as he used the device to wind him in. He could see through the back of the carriage now a young redheaded man trying to yank the hooks out. However the redhead,
also known as Raoul De Chagny, screamed, his flesh burning.

Van Helsing had this blessed too.

He widened the hole with the little buzzing blade he had used on the Persian even as the Sultana turned into her snake form and struck at him. He nearly fell off trying to avoid her fangs.

"Van Helsing! Don't be a git!" Erik shouted even as Cesar surged forward, getting closer. "Go for the wheels, man!"

Feeling a bit like a chastised child, the hunter slipped himself sideways and down, hanging on by one hand as he leaned down so he could strike at the wooden spokes rather then the metal covered part of the wheel. He sliced through them and the wheel came apart, the carriage tilting wildly as it rolled on just one wheel. Shifting so he was now along the side, Van Helsing moved towards the front wheel.

He made the mistake of trying to check on Erik's progress. The Sultana slammed open the door,
flinging Van Helsing outwards so he was only hanging on with one hand. His legs dragging along the ground.

"I hate Paris." He grumbled again, swinging himself upwards so his legs grabbed the Sultana around the throat, yanking her out of the carriage. They rolled together down the street. Cesar jumping over them as Erik continued to pursue the carriage.

The Sultana rose up over Van Helsing, in full snake form now. Her legs joining together into a long tail. Arms vanishing. A hood, much larger then that of her servant's, flared outwards.

"Why is it," Van Helsing thought to himself as he regained his feet, "that I always meet the most cold blooded women?" Then he thought, "Except Anna..."

He rolled out of the way as the Sultana struck at him. Her fangs sparking as they hit the stones.
Her tail whipped around, tripping Van Helsing. Her powerful scaled covered body coiling around him. Squeezing.

"The great Van Helsssssing." The Sultana hissed. "Sssslaughterer of Lord Dracula." She tightened her coils. "Too bad you mussssst die tonight. I would've liked to get to - know - you better." There was no mistaking her words. She undeniably meant in the Biblical sense.

The world was growing - rosy. Van Helsing gasped for breath but his lungs burned. His arms were pinned to his side, unable to grab a weapon.

But perfectly capable to push a button.

Not for the first time, Van Helsing thanked God for Carl's birth. The friar had decided to add some surprises to Van Helsing's wardrobe. A series of silver spikes, not very long but all very sharp, stuck out of his clothing suddenly. They were all hollow and had tiny bags filled with holy water attached. Not all pierced the Sultana's scaly flesh, but enough did, pumping out their own special venom. The ones not in her either splashed her or rained harmlessly down onto the street depending on where they were positioned.

The Sultana screamed, her flesh melting, her coils loosening. She lay on the street, writhing in pain. Suffering. There wasn't enough holy water to kill her, just enough to severely hurt her.

"One thing about you, Sultana," Van Helsing said, "unlike Dracula it doesn't take a werewolf to kill you." With that he removed a silver stake and drove it into her heart.

Somewhere down another street, Van Helsing heard a crash. Even as he crossed himself, praying for the now dead Sultana, he heard Erik's voice raise in a howl.

"CHRISTINE!"

Van Helsing cringed. Heading for the sound of weeping. He found down one of the many twisting streets the remains of the over turned carriage. The driver, a human, had died in the crash. Raoul De Chagny's clothing lay in a heap, a bit of grey dust swirling in the air the only testament to what the young viscount had become.

Erik knelt in the street, holding the remains of Christine Daae. Already her blond hair was turning ashy. Her pale skin falling away. Blue eyes that had never had perfect sight until things were right under her nose stared blankly at Van Helsing, then shriveled and fell inwards. Soon all Erik held was the costume Christine had been wearing when the Sultana kidnaped her. A grey shapeless shift for the prison scene at the end of the opera Faust. When Marguerite died and ascended to Heaven while Faust was dragged down to Hell. Grey dust, all that was left of the diva, swirled in the air, settling like a fine coat on Erik briefly before a strong predawn wind scooped them up and away.

The man known as the Opera Ghost, Van Helsing's original target before he found out the truth,
knelt and cried. His deep set yellow eyes pouring out his grief. Van Helsing dared not approach.
However he heard footsteps.

"Erik, we must go."

"Get out of here, you murderer." Erik hissed.

The sounds of footsteps got louder. Van Helsing knew that if the crowd found the masked man they'd tear him to pieces without a second thought. Running to the horses, he cut them free. The ones that were able to stood. The other two were too badly injured to survive. Van Helsing had to hold back the urge to be sick as he shot them each in the head. Then he turned to Erik, taking out his blow gun.

"I'm sorry." Van Helsing whispered before drugging Erik. He flung the masked man on the back of Cesar, got onto one of the other horses, and took the third with them just incase. They had to get out of Paris. Now. "I really hate Paris."

The first thing did when Van Helsing got to Rome was find a place for Erik to hide. They had just barely managed to escape because Van Helsing had actually backtracked to the opera house to get a few things Erik couldn't live without. The phantom violin, a box of masks, and of course, the score for Erik's opus, Don Juan Triumphant.

It had taken a bit to convince Erik to forgive him. Luckily getting those few items went a long way.

Van Helsing had been sent to Paris to capture or kill Erik. The Vatican had thought that the man known as The Phantom Of The Opera was a super natural being. Perhaps a warlock or even a vampire. They had thought him a murderer. Instead Gabriel Van Helsing had found an ordinary man with an extraordinary disfigurement and god like musical talent.

Not for the first time since meeting Erik, Van Helsing was actually grateful for his amnesia. The masked man had horrible memories. Born to a Swedish prostitute in London's west end, better known as Whitechapel, Erik's life had been one of horrific abuse. He had been born horribly disfigured, most likely because of his mother's addiction to gin and absinth. As a young boy he had been sold to a traveling freak show and when not chained in a cage, he was sold for a few minutes to various men.

Erik had an amazing mind though and learned quickly. He was self taught in music, art,
ventriloquism, lock picking, and many other skills. Too many to list. His hand writing was childish block letters, but his mind was sharper then many adults. In invention Erik could give Carl a run for his money.

Yes, Erik had killed, but not innocents, not by choice. As a child he killed his cruel master. As a teenager he had learned to throw the Punjab lasso but only used it to kill in self defense. As a young man he had been forced to kill by the then human Sultana. There was only one man Erik had killed since then, Joseph Bouquet. A pervert who hung too closely to the youngest girls in the Corps Du Ballet.

In all the other cases, it was the Sultana or one of her servants who had done the killing. Raoul had killed his own brother to slake his thirst, for instance.

Perhaps Van Helsing could convince his superiors to allow Erik to work for them. His skills should not go to waste in hiding.

For now though Van Helsing hid Erik in the depths of an abandoned mansion. Sometimes the Knights would imprison first and ask questions later. Van Helsing wanted a chance to explain first. Convince them that Erik wasn't evil.

This wasn't the first time his feet felt heavy as he walked up the stairs into the church. Yet Van Helsing forced himself to continue. Hoping that he could convince the Knights to accept Erik into their order rather then locking him up. Erik had seen the inside of more then enough cages.
The Vatican was surprisingly empty, even for the wee hours of the morning. Normally there was someone around, but it was empty except for a single woman near the confessionals. She was kneeling but not praying. As he drew closer he could see she wore a very rough looking dress, as if it was made out of sack cloth, and it was grey and much patched. She was a heavy set woman but young, probably not even 30 yet. Her hair was blond and thick with hints of red, her eyes dark grey and almond shaped. A staff lay across her knees. The only splash of color was a doll she had tied to her waist. An old rag doll with green sleeves and decorative bumps, as if beads had been sewn under the material. She continued to stare straight ahead.

"Cardinal Jinette's not here." She said suddenly. Her speaking voice was lovely but she had a strange accent that Van Helsing had never heard before. It sounded like something from across the Atlantic though. From America. "He's gone out to give last rights to a very rich man."

"What about the others?" Van Helsing studied the woman who never turned to look at him. She had a round but elegant face. A small button like nose that had just the tiniest bit of an upwards curve. The part of her mouth he could see suggested that she had a bow like mouth. Take off a hundred pounds and she would be very beautiful.

She shrugged. "They're afraid of me. So they all scurried away."

This statement shocked Van Helsing. Able to sense evil, he took a long, hard look at her. He found no evil in her, but evil did surround her. There was something off about her too. The way she just continued to look forward. Her eyes seemed to be a little out of focus. He moved around in front of her and slowly waved his hand in front of her. Except for some natural blinking to cleanse the eyes, they never moved.

"Right about now you've figured out I'm blind." The woman said, taking her staff and pulling herself up to her feet, she wasn't very tall, probably barely over fight feet in height. They were short but wide feet, encased in worn looking shoes as patched as her dress. She shook each foot.
"They're asleep." She said as if sensing Van Helsing's confused stare. "Do you want to wait for the cardinal or just go straight down?"

"Who are you?" Van Helsing asked instead of answering. Surprised when the woman frowned and even though she was blind, looked downwards.

Her hand ran along the bumps on her doll. An obvious nervous habit. "I don't have a name. I'm not allowed to have one. Now, come on. It's best not to talk of these things here." With that she moved towards the booth, tapping her staff so she could find her way. It was an awkward way to get around for the staff was longer then this short woman was tall, it was also heavy and she couldn't get her hand all the way around it. She stepped into one confessional booth and Van Helsing into the other. Both pulling the doors closed.

He had been through this with the cardinal, not surprised when the gate came down and the wall opened up. It was the fact a blind woman who pulled the levers that surprised him. He was in for more surprises. For above the noise of people working rose the blind woman's voice, singing.
She had a lovely, clear mezzo soprano, or maybe even a contralto for she hit lower notes with no problem either. She sung very well, though she needed a bit of training. Having spent so much time in the Paris Opera House recently, Van Helsing could tell she could've had quite the career.

"Alas, my love, you do me wrong,
To cast me off discourteously.
For I have loved you well and long,
Delighting in your company."

As she sang Van Helsing noticed that all work down below suddenly stopped. Various signs against the evil eye were made and everyone's gaze was not upon him but on the blind woman who walked down the stairs, singing.

"Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Your vows you've broken, like my heart,
Oh, why did you so enrapture me?
Now I remain in a world apart But my heart remains in captivity.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

I have been ready at your hand,
To grant whatever you would crave,
I have both wagered life and land,
Your love and good-will for to have.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,

And who but my lady greensleeves.
If you intend thus to disdain,
It does the more enrapture me,
And even so, I still remain A lover in captivity.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

My men were clothed all in green,
And they did ever wait on thee;
All this was gallant to be seen,
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Thou couldst desire no earthly thing, but still thou hadst it readily.
Thy music still to play and sing;
And yet thou wouldst not love me.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Well, I will pray to God on high,
that thou my constancy mayst see,
And that yet once before I die,
Thou wilt vouchsafe to love me.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves.

Ah, Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu,
To God I pray to prosper thee,
For I am still thy lover true,
Come once again and love me.

Greensleeves was all my joy Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold,
And who but my lady greensleeves."

As she finished, the last note fading out, she smiled, as if savoring the sudden fear she caused.
Yet the smile didn't touch her eyes which despite being sightless, showed her sorrow. Van Helsing wondered what sin this woman could've committed to be so scorned. Even the giant black smith working on the swords looked terrified of this harmless woman.

"I told you they were all scared of me." She said, the smile on her face thinning a bit, bitterness in her voice. "Even though I was raised in a church by one of their own they all think I'm evil incarnate." Reaching out, she grabbed the arm of a friar scurrying by her. "Especially this one."

"I am not!" Carl squeaked. "I've faced vampires and werewolves and walking talking dead men,
I'm not afraid of you."

"Yes you are." She said, letting his arm go. Looking incredibly sad. "Everyone here is. I could take baths in the holy water and sleep on the arc of the covent itself and you all would still be scared of me. Well, take your friend to wait for the cardinal." With that the woman turned,
tapping her staff and heading back for the stairs.

"She needs something better to get around with." Van Helsing said as he watched her. "Lighter weight and smaller. What is her story anyway?"

"Her father is a very evil man." Carl said as he led Van Helsing through the maze of work stations. People slowly going back to work now. "She was raised in the Americas by a priest.
Some place called California. He died recently and she was sent here."

"She's not evil." Van Helsing said. "So what does the cardinal want this time?"

Carl had looked at him during the first statement like if he didn't believe Van Helsing. The question however distracted the friar. "I'm not sure, actually, but he did want you to wait down here." They reached Carl's work station. "How did the suit work?"

"Wonderfully." Van Helsing said.

"So the Phantom was a vampire like I suspected?"

"You see vampires everywhere and no, he was a normal man. It was the Sultana who was the vampire." Quickly Van Helsing outlined what he had found out, leaving out the fact he had brought Erik back to Rome with him.

Carl let out a low whistle. "We had always thought the Sultana was long dead. Well, now she is." The friar began his work. A different set of weapons then usual. Things with multiple blades, like something from a mad cannibal's kitchen. "I wonder why the cardinal allowed her to be the one to lead you down here." There was no mistaking whom he meant.

"Because," Cardinal Jinette's voice rang out above the din, a touch of tiredness in it, "her father is the assignment." He carried a thick book with him, sweeping some of Carl's work out of the way as he put it down, opening it up and pointing to a crude wood cut of a man. "Doctor Faustus. Sold his soul to Satan in the 1500s for youth, immortality, riches, and power. Unlike Dracula and the Sultana," the cardinal looked at Van Helsing, his eyes saying that he knew all about what happened in Paris, "he did not become one of the undead but something far worse.
His greatest weakness is women. Nearly 28 years ago he raped one Sister Sarah. She gave birth to the creature you met, dying in the process. The creature..."

"Woman." Van Helsing interrupted, giving the cardinal a glare. "She's not a creature, she's a woman, and she deserves a name."

"The creature," the cardinal continued, ignoring Van Helsing, "grew up in the church. Blind from birth though with senses beyond that of humans to make up for it. We have received word that Faust is looking for her. His other children are all dead. The last one being the one dubbed as Jack The Ripper in London, England. Killed by Faust himself. All those children were male.
She is the only daughter he has. What he wants with her we're not sure, but we do want him dead before he can get his hands on the creature."

"Stop calling her a creature." Van Helsing ground out between clenched teeth. Thoughts drifting to Anna, the dead gypsy princess. Though he knew she was happy, with her family who had finally earned their place in Heaven, there were times when Gabriel missed her terribly. But the cardinal didn't. He never met her, never was effected by her existence the way Van Helsing had been. Then again, the cardinal wasn't allowed to love. "She's not evil. She's not a creature. And she deserves a name."

"Then you may name her. She's going with you. Carl too." The cardinal shoved the book at the friar. "By the way, there has been more reports of a strange man in Canada covered in scars, as if he had been sewn together..."

Van Helsing ignored the remark. Knowing that the cardinal was trying to find out if he had disobeyed, if "Frankenstein's Monster" still lived. He did, of course, but Van Helsing wasn't about to tell them that. Instead he looked at Carl. "Make her something better then that staff.
Light weight but sturdy, with a strap to go about her wrist."

Smiling, Carl produced a bundle of sticks, with a flick of his wrist the sticks suddenly extended into one long stick, locking into place. "Ten steps ahead of you, as usual."

"Good, start packing. I have - something else to pick up." Van Helsing took the stick from Carl,
ignoring the cardinal as he headed for the stairs.

"This is the first time I've been outside other then to come here when Father Pedro died." The woman said, tapping her new collapsible light weight stick along though she held onto Van Helsing's arm as well. "Thank you."

"You shouldn't be thanking me." Van Helsing said, his voice just a little tight. "You're going to be used as bait for your father."

"I know, but you didn't have to take me out here with you." She smiled, though when she turned her head towards him she faced his chest.

Van Helsing tipped her head upwards, helping her out a bit. "You need a name." Looking at her for a moment, he said, "Mary."

"Ah," she said, "for Mary Magdalene, the whore, how appropriate." Bitterness edged her voice.

"No, for the Virgin Mary." Van Helsing snapped, a little irritated at her self pity.

The woman - Mary - frowned, her hand releasing his arm. Her hand questing upwards, over his chest, up to the black cloth mask he often pulled over the lower half of his face, then to his mouth, her fingers, oddly soft for one as poor as her, feeling his lips. Then moving up to his cheeks and fluttering over his eyes which he closed.

"My God, you're serious." Her voice cracked, straining to hold back a sob. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

"Because you're not evil." Placing her hand back in the crook of his arm, he led her along.
Traveling in silence until he got to the mansion where he had left Erik. Sneaking her in through the over grown gardens and leaving her in what use to be the study. "Stay here, don't move,
some of the floors are very rotten." He sat her in the sturdiest chair he could find and carefully stepped across the floor.

He had made it to what use to be the dining room when something dropped behind him.
Whirling around, he instinctively grabbed for his guns. A large skull floated midair before him.
Rolling his eyes, Van Helsing put his guns away.

"Very funny, Erik." He said. "I almost shot you."

Erik pulled off the skull mask, under he wore his usual white leather mask. Made of calfskin, it was form fitting, except for the fake nose under it to give the illusion of a man with a Roman nose. He chuckled, proving himself to be in a good humor. When he spoke his deep, velvet like voice with it's English accent was filled with suppressed laughter. "It was worth it for the look on your face, Van Helsing."

"I'm so glad to amuse you. Now, get ready, we're leaving Rome tonight."

The mask moved a bit, showing that under Erik was raising what would've been his eyebrows.
"We? What makes you think I'm going anywhere with you after you've dragged me away from my home?"

"Because I'm not leaving you here to catch your death and if you help me I might be able to convince the Knights to accept you into their employ."

"So I could be a puppet slave like you." The humor was gone from Erik's voice. "For the people who would've had me killed."

"That was before they knew you weren't a warlock or real phantom." Van Helsing explained yet again. "Besides, I need an extra set of skilled hands. Carl won't be enough to do the research and keep an eye on..." Van Helsing made a face, disgusted at himself for saying this, "the bait."

"The b..." Erik began, but was interrupted by a scream followed by a crash. Both men ran from the room, heading for the study.

Mary was stuck in the floor, the left leg through the rotten wood to partway up the thigh. The right she had out in front of her. Her hands were pressed to the floor on either side of her. Trying to keep herself from going in any further.

The reason for her original scream was clear. An over bold rat sat in front of her, grooming it's whiskers.

"Van Helsing?" She said with a shaky voice. "Are you there? Something ran across my foot and clawed at my dress. I'm sorry I moved but I couldn't help it."

"It's alright, Mary, don't move." Kicking the rat aside, he knelt, lifting her dress to see the damage. He noticed her flinch when he did that. "The skin doesn't look broken, I can't see any blood. Try not to move. Erik, hold her under the arms."

When Erik was in place, Van Helsing tucked the skirt of the dress into the bit of rope that Mary used to tie her doll to her waist. Removing one of his buzzing knives, he began to saw through the floor until he made the hole wide enough on the outside for Erik to pull Mary out without hurting her.

Mary leaned back against Erik, even though she didn't know who he was, she felt safe holding onto him. Her entire body shook.

Van Helsing remained on his knees. Mary's dress was torn up a bit because of the rat. There was no signs of blood, thankfully. Standing, he picked up Mary's stick. "Mary, the gentleman holding you is Erik. Erik, this is Mary."

Calming down a bit as Van Helsing pressed her stick into her hand, she turned around, feeling carefully along Erik's chest. "I'm the bait." There was a tone of bitter amusement in her voice.
Which she instantly regretted. She reached up, brushing the bottom of some odd chin shaped pieces of leather. Not going farther, she said, "You're much taller then Van Helsing."

Erik gently took Mary's wrist and pulled her hand away. Carefully moving her away from the hole she recently vacated. He found himself studying her eyes. "Have you always been blind"
The question was out before he could take it back.

"That's what they tell me." Mary said, one hand resting on Erik's chest, the other clutching her stick. "If I ever could see it was when I was too young to remember."

Firmly taking her chin in his hand, Erik stared hard into her eyes. Then released her and stepped back. "I'll get my things, Van Helsing. By the by, where are we going and who are we chasing?"

"Germany, it's where Faust always returns to."

"Faust is just a myth." Erik said, a bit of surprise and confusion in his voice.

Mary laughed. "Well, then, I guess I don't exist either then. Because Faust is my father."

"Carl, don't stare." Van Helsing said as they approached Erik.

"I can't help it. You do pick up the oddest people as friends, don't you?" The friar couldn't tear his eyes away from Erik.

The masked man sat astride Cesar. Dressed all in black, right down to his gloves except for his favored white mask, he looked like a floating white face with yellow eyes above a white horse.
He otherwise completely blended into the night.

Mary rode behind Carl, her horse, a gentle brown mare, tied to the friar's with a long rope. She had never ridden before and so after a bit of fuss, Van Helsing had purchased for her some loose fitting pants - she refused to wear anything tight fitting because of her weight - and a billowy white shirt. Of course underneath she wore a corset and camisole. Van Helsing had wanted to get her a bodice instead but she refused. The important thing was that she could ride astride.
She still had her doll, of course. Tied firmly to her side. Her fingers running along the bumps,
whispering an Our Father. She seemed very nervous up on top of the horse.

Van Helsing watched as Erik moved Cesar next to Mary. Whispering to her. She seemed to relax. Van Helsing wasn't surprised. One of Erik's many skills was hypnotism. He could tell that Mary was falling under the spell of Erik's voice. Facing forward, Van Helsing led the way out.

He and Carl were astride their favorite mounts, Transylvania horses. None faster. However Mary's horse was Italian and Cesar was a French horse trained for the opera since a young colt.
While the stallion could go long distances without rest, Mary's mare was suited for a softer life.
So they went slowly.

As the days past it became clear that Mary herself was suited for a softer life as well. Though she slept on the ground without complaint and rode for hours before Carl realized her pants were sticking to her legs not from sweat, but from burst and bleeding blisters, Mary's face showed signs of strain. She was quiet. Not once since that first night had she attempted to sing. At night around the fire she ate, only complaining once, when Van Helsing caught a wild boar.

"I don't eat pork." Mary wrinkled her nose at the smell of the roasting pig meat.

"Why ever not?" Carl asked, practically drooling.

"It's not something I want to talk about when you're about to eat." She moved away from the fire, tripping and falling on her butt. "Ow, damn it!"

"If you're going to try and run away from it," Van Helsing said, pulling her to her feet, "you might at least tell us why."

Mary mumbled something. When prodded about it she snarled out, "Because pork gives me a violent stomach ache and diarrhea, alright!" She flushed red with humiliation.

Erik, who never once ate in front of them, stood. "I'll snare a few birds." Over his white mask he placed a dark black one, so now only his yellow eyes showed.

Meanwhile Mary kept her distance from the fire. Avoiding the smell of the meat as much as possible. It was then that Carl noticed how her pants clung to the insides of her legs. Frowning and moving closer the friar touched them. Mary winced and let out a soft cry of pain.

"You're bleeding." Carl sniffed his fingers. "And it's not, well, that kind of blood."

"It's nothing. Just a few burst blisters." Mary protested.

Van Helsing moved away from the fire and towards Mary. "Let Carl treat them."

"It's not necessary," Blond hair swaying as she shook her head. In response Van Helsing pushed her into a sitting position and pulled up the loose fitting pants just above the knee. There in the flickering firelight he and Carl could see a few of the obviously many burst and bleeding blisters she had. "I'm not a very good rider." She mumbled, trying to move away though she couldn't see that Carl was on the other side of her. Keeping the blind woman partly trapped.

It wasn't until Erik came back that they could convince her to remove the pants so she could be treated and the pants washed and altered by Carl so she wouldn't get anymore blisters.

In the early hours between night and morning, Van Helsing was woken by Carl to take the last watch. He settled down, back to the fire, his eyes scanning the night. His thoughts on his mistakes.

"I'm not a weakling, you know." Mary whispered softly to him. The weak light from the fire showing that she had not slept at all. "I just never was allowed to ride." She held her doll in her arms, cuddling it like a young child would.

"I know you're not weak." Van Helsing replied, looking out into the darkness. "No one could survive the life you have and be weak." Anger bit at him deep inside. Sometimes the things his superiors did really upset him. But what could he do? He was just the trash collector. "However,
it was a mistake to bring you along. We're not even out of Italy yet."

"And now I'm slowing you down even more." Bitterness again. It seemed sometimes all Mary was filled with was bitterness. "But you need me, because I'm the only one who can flush out my father."

"You would've been safer back at the Vatican."

"You think so?" Mary snorted. "My father broke into Mission San Juan Capistrano to rape my mother. Right in the church, in front of the altar. He's not like Dracula or the Sultana, Van Helsing. His immortality doesn't depend on blood and avoiding sunlight and holy objects." Her voice was husky with anger and years of unshed tears. "They think I'm deaf as well as blind. But I know things they don't know. I know I have senses beyond that of their's. Sometimes, when I really sit and think, I can hear what they're talking about in rooms far away. Their lessons and their talks." She paused. "Just like I can hear the imps about to attack."

Surging to his feet, Van Helsing grabbed for a bottle of holy water, pouring a circle around Mary as he called out for Carl and Erik to wake up. The imps came out of the darkness just as the circle was completed.

The imps were tiny creatures barely higher then Mary's knee with skin like red mud, tiny buds of horns, and sharp, fish like teeth in very wide mouths. They had three fingers on their hands ending in long claws and six very thick toes on each foot with little suckers on them to aid in climbing. They had no genitalia and therefore were completely nude.

They also attacked in a swarm. The three men were almost overwhelmed at once as the imps attacked. One piling on top of the other. Carl swung a mace, Erik a sword. Van Helsing started out with his guns but soon had to switch to his knives. All the weapons were blessed so a tiny wound was enough to kill them. However the imps were still coming. There must've been a couple of hundred in their camp in a matter of seconds and no end in sight yet. Mary lay in her circle, surrounded by imps who couldn't reach her. Stopped by the holy water.

There were jumps and kicks from both Van Helsing and Erik. Carl climbed up a tree trying to protect himself, but the friar's clothing was in tatters and blood oozed from his flayed open cheek.

"Van Helsing!" Carl squeaked out as the imps not only began to climb his tree, but also some of the lower ones were chewing through it. "I think we need the one in my bags. No, third one to the left. My left!"

Van Helsing tried to fight off the imps and dig through Carl's bags at the same time. He felt Erik move behind him. Now they were back to back, making it a bit easier. From the bag Van Helsing produced one of the devices Carl had been working on. A ball covered in retractable knives. He wasn't sure how to use it and looked up at Carl even as one of the imp's claws ripped open his chin.

"Press the button and throw it down!" Carl called out, his tree swaying wildly.

Van Helsing did as he was told. The blades popped out and the ball began to spin wildly, slicing a path right through the imps. There were three more in the bag and Van Helsing activated them and flung them out.

These cut large amounts of the imps to ribbons. However two were heading right for Mary.

"Mary! Get out of the way!" Erik shouted at her, not thinking that to do that she'd have to leave the circle.

She obeyed, having long since stood up, she now flung herself out of the circle to her left. Right into a mass of imps who began to tear at her. Yet they avoided touching her doll for some reason and she began to swing it, knocking the imps aside.

"Look out below!" Carl shouted as his tree tipped wildly towards Erik and Van Helsing. Both men jumped out of the way, the tree crashing into the fire, sending sparks everywhere. The friar himself had jumped out and rolled away long before this.

The balls of blades, having killed a vast amount of imps, became stuck in nearby trees. Yet there was still around fifty imps to deal with, half of which were trying to carry off Mary who fought as hard as she could.

When Erik thought of it and why he hadn't thought of it sooner, Van Helsing didn't know. But suddenly the masked man was holding his violin. Tucking it under his chin, Erik brought the bow down and began to play a simple hymn. The imps stopped their attacks and squealed,
plugging their ears, falling to the ground.

Mary, clutching her doll, drew herself to her knees and began to sing the hymn. Her voice a bit shaky at first, but growing steadier, more sure. The Latin words cutting through the air. Calming the men, but the imps cried out as if struck by burning brands. Smoke poured off their skin.

Now Erik joined in, singing as he played. His voice a rich baritone that easily reached up into tenor range when needed. The sheer beauty of his and Mary's voice entwining caused Van Helsing's breath to rush from his body and a strange calm descend upon his mind. He hadn't felt this calm in around three years now.

Not since the day he had set fire to Anna's funeral pryor. When in the smoke he had seen Anna's soul raise to Heaven to join her family and knew she was at peace.

So calm was Van Helsing's mind he didn't notice as the remaining imps melted. Their bodies turning into a vile ooze that was sucked into the ground and killed all nearby plant life. He did notice, however, when Erik stopped playing and that the tree that had fallen into their camp fire was now a blaze and the fire was spreading rapidly.

"Get the packs and horses, quickly!" Van Helsing shouted, grabbing for the bags. "Before this entire place lights up!"

"My doll!" Mary shouted, falling to her knees and pawing at the dirt. "Where is my doll?"

"Nevermind that!" Carl shouted, trying to pull her up though the small friar was much too weak to fight her. "It's just a doll, Mary!"

"No it's not!" Mary's voice was filled with hysteria. "It's all I've got in this world!"

"We'll buy you a new doll!" The friar tried to pull her up.

"I don't want a new doll I want my doll!" Her voice was high pitched.

Erik found the doll, beating out flames that tried to eat at it. Pressing the singed doll into her hands before scooping her up and placing her on Cesar. He mounted behind her, pausing only to make sure his pack of masks and violin were secure, then kicked the stallion in the flanks,
causing it to rear and rush off.

"Nice of him to stick around for us!" Carl shouted, getting on his own horse.

Van Helsing didn't reply as he mounted and grabbed the rope of Mary's now panicking mare.
Surprised and glad that the horses hadn't been injured by the imps. But then again, they shouldn't be. The horses' gear was blessed too. So any imps that had tried to get near would've been repulsed by the blessings.

Then why though, hadn't they attacked Cesar? Erik had refused to come to the Vatican, so his gear hadn't been blessed. Only the sword he carried had received the blessing because Carl had brought it for him.

There was no time to ponder this, however. The forest was beginning to burn. They had a long,
hard ride ahead of them to keep ahead of the blaze. Van Helsing prayed no innocents died in this fire every step of the way as they raced to keep ahead of the fire.

Carl prayed for this too, as well as Mary who fingered the bumps on her doll's dress.

"Please God, don't let any innocent people suffer because of this fire." She said, her prayer soft,
but loud enough to reach Erik's ears.

Maybe it was the music they had made earlier. Or perhaps just the fact her past was as hard as his own, but Erik was moved for the first time since he was a very small child to pray to the God he had thought cursed him.

And maybe it was the fact that someone who had so long ago lost faith in God found the voice to pray that God listened. Clouds formed much quicker then usual and rain began to pour down.
Heavy, thick, cold rain. Rain that soothed the blaze then drowned it. And as quickly as the rain started, it was gone. Leaving four soaking wet people shivering with cold and the sudden abandonment of their adrenaline.

"It's it always like this around you?" Erik asked Van Helsing.

Carl snorted with laughter. "Erik, you haven't seen anything yet."

Van Helsing never brought up Cesar avoiding being attacked. Only because he noticed that the stallion always placed himself between the other horses next to Mary's mare. If the stallion had been there during the attack he would've been partly protected.

From that night on though Van Helsing poured a thin circle of holy water around their camp. At each village they found the first thing they did was find a priest to refill their flasks. Though they had as of yet to be attacked again. Erik spent his time around Mary, giving her voice lessons.
Sometimes the running through of scales got on Van Helsing's nerves, but he knew it was helping with Erik's grief.

The thought of women brought Van Helsing's mind back to Anna. The proud gypsy princess who had given her life to save him from the werewolf's curse. Even though he knew she was happy, that she was in Heaven with her family, he sometimes very selfishly wished she was still here with him. It hadn't been long, nearly three years but not quite. He hadn't looked, but he was sure he would never again find a woman as strong as Anna. As much like him.

As for Erik, Van Helsing would encourage him to move on. Christine Daae had not really been a good match though for sheer physical beauty it would be hard to find her match. Though her tiny, fairy like frame wasn't suitable for bearing children. She had been as tiny and petite as Mary was - robust. It had been hard to believe someone so small could sing so loudly. Her bell like voice easily reaching way up to the very highest parts of the opera house. She had gobs of blond hair and big blue eyes that suffered from nearsightedness. She had been so innocent of mind too. Almost too much so. Yet it was this innocence that had brought the men.

The saddest part was that if Erik had not loved Christine, the Sultana would never have noticed her nor Raoul. It was the Sultana's desire to get revenge on the one man who rejected her bed that drove her to destroy the lives of Raoul and Christine.

If Van Helsing were to pick a mate for Erik, it would've been Mary. Her voice was going to end up vastly superior to Christine's. Her body made more for the birthing of children. Though she needed to lose weight, Van Helsing had quickly understood why she was so fat. Food had been her only friend besides her doll all these years. The only thing that didn't judge her based on what her father was. Couple that with the fact she had not been allowed the exercise even the most pampered child got, confined first to the church in California. Then to the Vatican.

Even if she hadn't been blind, Van Helsing would've matched her to Erik.

"So that's why you brought him." Carl said as he drew his horse alongside Van Helsing's. "It's a good match. They both have tortured pasts."

Van Helsing only grunted in acknowledgment, not letting Carl know he guessed the truth. "His perhaps a little more then her's."

"You don't know how Father Pedro died, do you?" The friar whispered softly. "He was killed by another priest when the second one found the Father trying to - get fresh - with Mary. Claimed it wouldn't be a sin since she wasn't human. And from the way he acted it wasn't the first time,
from what I hear."

"But she is human." Van Helsing protested.

Carl just shrugged. "I'm not the one who said it."

Reaching out across the slight gap between their two horses, Mary touched Erik's arm. "Why do you wear a mask? What? Thought I didn't know?" Mary smiled, having picked up on Erik's sudden stiffening. "I felt it that first night. I didn't want to pry then so I didn't go any farther.
Even if I hadn't felt it I would've known. Your voice is slightly distorted by it. Which is sad because it's such a lovely voice."

"I'm - extremely ugly." Erik replied, hoping Mary wouldn't pry further.
Mary's face grew dark with thoughts and she removed her hand. "Erik, you could - you could look like a skull with no nose and tight skin across your face, and your outer ugliness would never compare to some people's inner ugliness. Far as I'm concerned, you're the most handsome man I ever met."

Erik began to reply, but stopped as he saw Mary stiffen, her blind eyes widening. He faced forward. There was a haze to the path, great waves of heat rolling across them, then it was gone two people appeared on the strangest mounts Erik had ever seen outside or even in the opera.

The mounts appeared to have once been men. Now, however, their faces were slightly elongated,
with long curving fangs. Their backs were slightly horse like so they could hold a saddle. Their arms and legs also horse like and ending instead of hands and feet, they ended in cloven hooves.

As the riders drew closer Van Helsing and Carl both grew very still. There was a man on the first mount, the closer of the two. A man in his mid-thirties in appearance, with long black hair and a single gold earring. Van Helsing's eyes dropped to the mount under the man, recognizing the distorted features of Edward Hyde, the evil half of one Dr. Henry Jekyll. Then his eyes flicked back up to the rider.

"Gabriel!" Count Dracula said all too cheerfully. "It's so good to see you again."

"It can't be!" Carl squeaked out. "He's dead - isn't he?"

Dracula laughed. "Dead to one form, born again in another. Really, I must thank you, Gabriel.
For the first time in 400 years I can enjoy the sunshine. And no more drinking blood. It was so -
unsanitary. I believe you and your masked companion are familiar with my lovely compatriot here."

Now the second rider drew closer. She rode a mount more human looking then Hyde, the blond hair and light colored eyes of the former man resembling that of Mary's. The rider, of course,
was none other then the Sultana. Dressed in an outfit of gold scaled armor.

"So now that you're not a slave of your thirst, you're a slave of Faust. How the mighty have fallen." Van Helsing quipped. His eyes hard, cold as he took in the only one in the world who knew his forgotten past.

Dracula laughed. "I'm not working for Dr. Faustus. In fact he would be quite irate if he knew I was here. But I do have plans for your - hefty - friend."

"Oh lovely." Mary quipped, unable to keep her mouth shut. Rolling her blind eyes in an exaggerate manner. "Could I go just five minutes without some wannabe demon coming after me?"

"Dracula, dear," The Sultana said, her hand flicking to the rope at her hip, "I do believe the cow just insulted us."

"Oh, she's a bright one, isn't she?" Mary said, edging her horse forward though Erik tried to hold her back. "Just the queen of stating the obvious, aren't you?"

"Mary," Van Helsing cautioned, wondering what the hell she thought she was doing.

Mary just smiled, trying to turn to Van Helsing but her sightless eyes missing the mark by about a foot. Then she turned her head back forward. "I've heard of both of you. Sultana," Mary edged a bit closer, "the two bit whore, fitting you should be riding upon my syphilitic brother Jack.
That Ripper act was something else, brother dear. I'm glad to see you're being well punished you disgusting piece of trash." Lips twitching with a smile, Mary slid off her mare and unfolded her stick, tapping herself closer until she was right next to Dracula. "And Count Dracula - what was it they called you? Oh yes, the incompetent nincompoop. Killed by a werewolf. Any moron can be killed by a werewolf."

"Mary!" Van Helsing tried to warn her but she was too close and he too far.

Dracula's hand snapped out, grabbing Mary by the throat. His eyes glowing red.

"Do it! Kill the pig!" The Sultana hissed, her eyes flickering with pleasure.

Mary laughed. "He can't kill me. Then all his plans will be destroyed."

"We don't need her," the Sultana said, glaring not at Mary but at Erik. "Who needs a grown woman who still plays with dolls?" With that the Sultana snatched the doll at Mary's waist,
ripping it free.

Dracula watched in surprise as Mary pulled her lips back in a feral snarl. She closed her eyes briefly and when they reopened they were red. As red as the fires of Hell. More then that they were focused. With strength he didn't think she had, she grabbed his fingers and pried them off her throat. Then she turned and backhanded the Sultana, sending her flying off her mount.

"Never," Mary snarled, her voice suddenly low and animalistic, "touch my doll!"

The horses began to rear and snort in fear. The men could barely control them. Carl was thrown and his and Mary's horse took off for the woods. As for Mary she was snarling, her back hunched over. Huge black wings, large and feathered, burst forth from her back. Nails growing into claws. Her skin took on a reddish hue and two small bumps showed where her horns would be if she had any. Shoes splitting opened revealed two bird like feet, the feet of a bird of prey.
Likewise her mouth expanded into a large, wicked looking beak. Made for ripping and tearing.

With a screech, Mary launched herself into the air, grabbing the Sultana's mount, the former infamous Jack The Ripper, in her claws and carrying him high. The suddenly ripping him in half, sending both halves crashing to the ground.

"I've heard women can be moody," Carl commented as he pulled himself up behind Van Helsing, "but this is ridiculous."

"Get off my horse and get the doll, Carl." Van Helsing replied.

"The doll again? Now?" The friar complained, watching as the Sultana transformed herself into a beast not unlike Mary, though with smaller wings and a more dragon like mouth. She had left the doll high in a tree as she rushed to attack Mary. Carl wasn't sure he could climb that high.

"Yes, now!" Van Helsing responded, reaching around and grabbing Carl off the horse. "Erik and I will kind of have our hands full in a minute."

Dracula was taking advantage of the moment. Unlike Mary his clothing didn't rip as he transformed. Rather it seemed to unfurl around him. His wings were larger and more like what he had as a vampire, though not quite bat like, no, more dragon like. His face flattened into a bat like shape though. It seemed the count couldn't let go of the past entirely.

Grabbing for his guns, Van Helsing fired, not at the count but at what use to be Edward Hyde.
Dracula launched himself upwards as the blessed bullets tore through Hyde and killed him for the second time. The count headed for Van Helsing, only to find himself suddenly pulled short.
A lasso around his neck.

Erik, an unfamiliar foe to the count, had been underestimated. There was many reasons why people thought of Erik as a phantom. One was his almost supernatural speed. In a matter of seconds he had gotten off of Cesar, behind the count, and had thrown one end of his Punjab lasso while he tied the other to a strong tree.

"Surprise." Erik quipped. Just before the Sultana came rushing out, grabbing him in her claws.

Mary let out a large caw, unable to make human sounds, but it still somehow managed to sound like she was screaming out Erik's name. Plunging at the Sultana, she managed to claw out one of the Sultana's eyes. Causing her to drop Erik. Mary caught him in her arms, her demonic eyes looking at him tenderly before she went down, gently placing him on the ground.

The Sultana attacked Mary from behind, ripping through one of her wings. This time it was Erik's turn to roar. The sword jumping to his hand, he rushed the Sultana, cleaving off one of her wings. She turned with a scream of rage, then smiled with her wicked looking mouth. Slowly turning back into her human form. Caressing herself.

"You have such terrible taste in women, Erik," the Sultana said. "What can I do to get you to choose me? I can show you unbelievable pleasures."

"I prefer to remain undiseased." Erik replied just before his sword sliced through her neck. The blessed metal making the unholy flesh burn where it touched. Then the body turning into ooze.

Meanwhile Dracula had cut himself free of the noose. He turned to face Van Helsing who took aim and fired repeatedly. Dracula laughed, turning human and falling to the ground. Spitting the bullets out of his mouth.

"As you can see, I'm still Satan's favorite. Too bad the Sultana couldn't say the same." In a burst of flame, Dracula disappeared.

Carl finally clambered down from the tree, gasping for breath. "I have the bloody doll."

"Stop cursing. You're a monk." Van Helsing said, knowing full well Carl wasn't. He swung down from his horse and took the doll. "Go see if you can find the horses' trail."

"I'm a friar, and stop bossing me so much. Carl do this, Carl do that." The friar moaned as he went off where the two horses were last seen. "Next it'll be Carl wash my back. Carl lance this boil." Still grumbling Carl did what he was told.

Van Helsing found Erik standing close, but not to close to Mary. The latter was still in a demonic form, cringing from Erik. Her injured wing stretched out and bleeding thick red blood.

"She can heal herself, can't she? So why doesn't she?" Erik asked, his voice strained with worry.
"She won't let me near her."

Mary looked at Erik with eyes filled with sorrow and pain. Then looked away. She was fighting against the urge to heal herself. Van Helsing knew why.

"Mary," he said, kneeling, holding out her doll with one hand. "You're not evil. We don't think you're a monster."

Mary just whimpered. Looking at Van Helsing and then at Erik.

"Erik, take off your mask." Van Helsing said softly.

"I can't..." Whispered Erik, the mere thought of it making him feeling panicky.

"You can. Can't you see? She won't heal herself because she thinks you'll reject her now." Still holding out the doll, he looked over his shoulder at Erik. "She's trying to let herself bleed to death."

Swallowing hard, Erik reached up. At first his movements were slow. Then suddenly he ripped off the mask.

Van Helsing had seen Erik's face before. Mary, who normally didn't see at all, stared. Her concentration broken, her wing began to heal.

Erik's face was a horror. There was no other way to describe it. His yellow eyes were deeply sunken in. Skin pulled so tight across the bone beneath he looked like a skull. There was no nose. Just a hole with a very thin membrane of skin across it and two small holes for breathing.
The holes Erik had made himself, burning the flesh so it would remain open. In the masks he wore he had fitted a fake nose with two small tubes that slipped into the holes.

As for his mouth, the biggest horror of all was that it was absolutely perfectly form. His was the mouth of an Adonis, a god. The kind of mouth that women dreamed about kissing. A mouth as beautiful as his voice.

Kneeling next to Van Helsing, Erik took the doll and held it out to Mary. Reaching out with a clawed hand, Mary took it from him. Her body slowly changing back to normal. As she drew her hand away, turning it so the back of her hand brushed against Erik's fingers, she became completely normal. Her clothing torn to shreds about her. Clutching the doll to her chest, she rocked, her sightless eyes full of tears.

"I think I broke my corset."

"What do you think?" Carl held up what he had been working on. It looked like two sacks attached to straps and each other. "It should hold them up, shouldn't it?"

"Hold what up?" Van Helsing raised an eyebrow.

"You know," Carl said, blushing. "Mary's - um - endowments."

Van Helsing chuckled and pulled his hat low over his eyes. As he drifted off to sleep he could hear Erik and Carl debating if a hook and eye system or buttons would be better for the back.

Mephistopheles lifted Faust's head, then with disgust let it flop back down. Leaving the once famous doctor chained to the wall. That was the nice thing about this old tower that Faust had built during his younger days. Plenty of instruments of torture.

The tower wasn't attached to anything. Just a tower way out in the woods. Built to house Faust's lab and books. Thrusting up towards the Heavens Faust would never have a chance to reach.

Once Faust had been a man of strength, a man of knowledge. But he traded everything good about himself when he traded his soul for youth and immortality. The latter he had found himself hating. Trying everything he could to die. He had gutted himself, hung himself, poison,
guns, fire - nothing worked. He just healed back up. For the last ten years he had been starving to death while Mephistopheles gathered together his children. Trying to do - something Faustus couldn't understand. The last one, Jack, had gone mad before getting away and killing a number of London prostitutes.

But he hadn't gotten away for long and Jack had died.

Faust didn't understand why Mephistopheles tortured him so or what the demon wanted with his children. All Faust knew was there was only one left. His only daughter. How he repented what he had done! At least the other women had all been prostitutes. Women he paid to satisfy the lusts the demon had filled him with. He had fled to the Americas, to California, to try and escape Mephistopheles. He had seen Sarah. A nun. So sweet and innocent. An Irish maid who had come to the Mission to give aid. And instead Faust had forced himself on her. He regretted it, repented it. But there was no going back. No undoing the evil he had committed.

As for the demon, Mephistopheles, he moved around the room with great impatience. He was a handsome demon. Well over six feet tall with broad shoulders. His black hair was thick and pulled back into a long pony tail that went to the middle of his back. A demonic looking beard on his chin and a tiny moustache on his lip was all he had for facial hair. His skin darken by the sun. Eyes as black and as soulless as he was.

In a burst of flame the one Mephistopheles called Dracula appeared. Cringing before the powerful demon. "I'm sorry, master. She escaped and the Sultana was destroyed."

Grabbing the once proud Dracula by the hair, Mephistopheles flung him at Faust's feet. Pointing at him. "Look upon your future, Faust! This was once the proud and mighty Count Dracula. For four hundred years he delivered death and terror. He tried to unleash his progeny upon the world and for his pains was killed - again. Now he is nothing but my slave. Like you will be. Like you are even now." He kicked Dracula in the face. "Fool! How could you fail me? Oh, I forget, you were already a failure!"

"My lord, she's with Van Helsing. With all due respect," Dracula whined and pleaded, cowering before the great demon, "you have never faced Gabriel Van Helsing. I have, twice."

"And killed by him both times." The demon dragged Dracula by the hair. Purposely slamming him into things. "I don't know why I bothered with you or that slut. You've both proved useless.
Vampires. Bah!" He threw Dracula into a chair. "I want Faust's daughter and I want her - now."

"My lord, if you'd just listen to me." Dracula cringed. Since dying for the second time he had regained his heart, his ability to feel. Fear, anger - jealousy... "That cow, Mary they call her - she - transformed."

Now Mephistopheles' eyes lit up, a smile forming, revealing sharp, shark like teeth.
"Transformed, really? Wings? Claws? Oh lovely, lovely. Perhaps you're not so useless after all.
But," Now the demon grew serious, "I can't leave Germany to get her myself. We must get them here - faster. Go, get them to take a train. NOW!"

Mentally vowing he would be free and in control again, Dracula vanished.

"You don't sleep well, do you?" Mary's voice was soft, her sightless eyes turned up at the stars.
"No." Van Helsing replied just as softly.

"Nightmares?"

"Yes."

"I could tell." Mary paused, listening to Erik and Carl as they slept. Erik moaned in his sleep but Carl slept like an innocent babe. "You kept calling out a woman's name. You must've loved her very much."

A lump formed in Gabriel's throat. He stared out into the darkness for awhile before answering.
"Yes I did."

"What's it like, to be loved and be loved in return?" The question so innocent. So filled with need.

"I don't know. We didn't have enough time together when I finally realized I loved her"
Looking up at the stars Gabriel swore he could see Anna's eyes in the stars. "Just a few brief hours. And then she died - curing me of the werewolf's curse."

"Then you just lied to me. You do know what it's like." Mary let out a sigh. "You should just kill me. Why don't you? I am a monster after all."

"No you're not." Van Helsing looked at Mary. Sometimes her self pity really made him mad, but most times he understood she couldn't help it. "That's the first time you've used that power and you didn't use it to hurt us."

"I've been tempted before though." Closing her eyes, Mary resisted the temptation even now.
For once unleashed, it was hard to not free it again. If only to see the stars, just once. "I'm just so sick of being used, Van Helsing. Used to satisfy unholy lusts. Used as bait. God knows what my father wants to use me for. Now Dracula wants to use me. I just want a normal life. To love and be loved. To have a family. To see the stars. Are they very beautiful?"

Looking back up at the stars, Van Helsing smiled. "Yes, very beautiful." They still looked like Anna's eyes. As if she was watching them.

Hugging her doll, Mary ran her fingers along the bumps. "I wish I could talk to Erik like I do you. But I always find myself tongue tied when I try to talk to him. And now, now he probably won't ever want to speak to me again."

"Mary, stop with the self pity. Erik showed you his face to save your life. I think he'll be more then happy to speak to you."

There was quiet for a moment, then Mary said, "I hope you recover your happy memories first so you can have some good dreams for once."

"Van Helsing!" Carl called out as they exited the small tavern where they stopped to eat. "The horses are gone!" In his hand he held severed ropes. "All of them."

This was a hard blow to Van Helsing. The horse was all he had left of his time with Anna. He had clung to the horse like it was a life line. Yet he tried not to let it show on his face.

"I guess we'll have to take the train," he finally managed to get out. "Erik, I'm sorry about Cesar. If we can, we'll look for them afterwards."

The masked man just shrugged. He had never been overly attached to Cesar. He had just stolen him because the stallion was the strongest and fastest in the opera. And to tell the truth Cesar reminded him too much of Christine. "I think our horses can take care of themselves. Cesar has always been very good at escaping. But we've spent our last money on food."

"But you were the one smart enough to make sure we brought our bags." Van Helsing said,
taking the case that held Erik's violin out of one of them. "I suggest you two get working."

"And what will you and the friar do?"

"Collect the money."

"Early one morning just as the sun was rising, I hear a maid sing in the valley below. Oh never leave me, please don't deceive me. How could you use a poor maiden so?" Mary sang acapella as Erik prepared his violin. The instrument had received a jarring making it badly out of tune.
"Remember the promise you made to your loved one. Remember the place where you vowed to be true. Oh never leave me, please don't deceive me. How could you use a poor maiden so? Oh fresh is the garland and lovely the roses I've culled from the garden to lay at your feet. Oh never leave me, please don't deceive me. How could you use a poor maiden so? So sang the sweet maiden her sadness bewailing. So sang the poor maid in the valley below. Oh never leave me,
please don't deceive me. How could you use a poor maiden so?"

"Bless you," Carl said as money dropped into the bag he carried. He and Van Helsing were working the crowd.

A stingy but obviously rich man dropped a very small coin in Van Helsing's hat. Then quite a few more when Van Helsing glared at him.

The violin now in tune, Erik began to play. He started with a short hymn, then launched into a lively tune that caused people to dance. However it was when he and Mary sang together that they got the most money. It didn't take long to get enough together for four tickets in a private carriage on the train. Mary sat next to Erik. When they thought that both Van Helsing and Carl were asleep, they held each other's hands. Carl was asleep, of course, but Van Helsing was awake. His hat low over his face and his mask high.

Jealousy shot through him. That should be him and Anna, but he had killed her. He would never hold her hand, kiss her, touch her ever again. Closing his eyes tightly, he tried to shut out his selfish thoughts for the rest of the trip.

Faust looked up, he could feel his daughter getting closer. If only he could tell her to turn back.
Get away.

Two hundred years ago, Faust had found how to bind Mephistopheles to just Germany. After the first hundred years of being chased around by the demon, the doctor had gotten sick of him. As long as he stayed away from Germany Faust was safe. However he had to return. Just briefly. A moment of home sickness had led to his capture.

"My poor daughter," Faustus said, hanging his head. "If only you would turn back."

Encouraging the thieves to take the horses was unsurprisingly easy. Killing them was just for fun. Dracula let the horses live. If only because he had always been a great admirer of fine flesh.
Be it a horse or a woman. Though his enjoyment of the two were vastly different.

Now he was winging his way back to Germany, following the train below. Where were they? He needed to get his hands on Mary if he was to reclaim his lost life. Not his human one but his vampire one. With - improvements - of course. He had to admit these wings were much better and not having the weakness to silver or the sun was a great benefit.

He kept back, hoping to attack before they reached Germany, but they never left the train and without his vampire senses Dracula couldn't tell where they were. The last thing he needed was to tip his hand.

So he waited. And when they finally left the train in Germany all Hell broke loose.

Imps were the first thing Van Helsing saw. Riding something akin to a cross between a feral cat and a wild dog. People screamed, being caught and attacked left and right.

Following the imps were larger demons. More human like in appearance but with wolf like qualities. Tearing through the crowd. Van Helsing shoved Mary into Carl's arms. "Protect her!
Erik, you're with me!"

They tried, they really tried to save the innocents. Killing as many of the demons as they could.
Swooping down to scoop away women, children, men. But they were outnumbered. There would be no time to try a song now and with all the screaming they weren't sure a hymn could even be heard.

As quickly as it started, it stopped. A scream piercing the air. A familiar figure flying away,
clutching a prone figure in it's claws.

"MARY!" Erik shouted. If he could fly he would've. The masked man didn't even notice as the remaining demons rushed away, chittering as if upset.

Carl ran up, his cheek laid open yet again, along with many other open wounds. "I'm sorry. I really am." In his hand he held the doll Mary so highly prized.

Spinning, Erik caught Carl by the throat. "Give me one good reason not to kill you."

"Um, well, ah..."

"Because I said not to." Van Helsing replied.

Erik snarled before letting Carl go. "Good enough."

"Thank you." Carl said, rubbing his throat.

Dracula sneered at Mary, smacking her awake. Her blind eyes blinking as she moaned. "Wake up you big pig."

"Such clever insults. No wonder you're so high in the ranks of demons." Mary quipped as she came to.

"Listen to me very carefully. Do what I say and I might let you live." Grabbing her face in his hands, Dracula forced her head away from his and put his lips very close to her ear. Whispering.

"How does one woman, even if she's a child of Dr. Faustus, get into so much trouble?" Carl asked as they tried to follow the path of destruction the demons left in their wake. It was heartbreaking. Those few left alive were trying to help the others. Carl crossed himself and began to pray. He noticed as Van Helsing and Erik did the same.

"Remember Anna got into just as much trouble because of her birthright." Van Helsing replied.
It was true. She had gotten into more trouble in one month then he ever got into - well, for as long as he could remember. "The forces of evil seem to prefer to attack women. Perhaps because we men value them so much and try so hard to protect them."

Erik remained silent through out the journey. His yellow eyes staring from the depths of his mask. He had seen great evils in the world before. But this evil was the worse he ever saw. Even worse then what he saw in the mirror. Now he couldn't curse God for his face, for God obviously had bigger problems then the face of one tortured man.

He thought of Christine, praying she was at peace. Yet he no longer grieved for her. Now Erik knew he never really loved her, just mistook lust for love. And Christine could inspire lust easily. Mary however, he loved. To be separated from her, knowing she was in danger, it killed him inside.

"Are we sure this will lead us to her?" He asked, finally speaking.

Van Helsing paused. "No. But I don't have any better ideas, do you?"

"No."

Dracula flung Mary at Mephistopheles' feet. The only part of the demon that wasn't delightfully handsome besides his teeth. For his feet were cloven like a goat's. Smiling, Mephistopheles pulled Mary up by her hair. When she refused to cry out in pain, however, he frowned.
"You're suppose to say "ouch" girl." Mephistopheles said, shaking her. "Well? Cry out in pain.
How can I enjoy myself if you don't?"

In response Mary spat in Mephistopheles' face. The spittle burning the demon's cheek. He cried out, dropping her.

"That is not possible..." Mephistopheles said, touching the hole that had been burned through his cheek. When he looked down at Mary he saw that her eyes were red as Hellfire. Grabbing her up by her neck, he kept her aimed away from him. "Well, it only proves what I thought. You are the one. But one more test, just for fun." He shoved her towards Faust. "Kill him."

Mary's eyes could see now, but through a red haze. Temptation was to go to her full demon form. She would be able to see clearly, but she'd become the monster she feared. Instead she fought against it, staring at the starving man hanging from the chains. He raised his head and looked at her.

"Daughter." Faust said, his voice cracking. "You need to know what he wants you for."

"Forget it. All you need to know is you need to kill him." The demon said, shaking Mary. Then his voice became slick with charm. "Mary, sweet Mary. This is the man who's responsible for your existence. Haven't you always hated it? Being blind except when you give into your baser nature? The way the priests treated you." Mephistopheles' voice took on an aspect of sympathy he didn't really feel. "If not for him, you never would've had to endure Father Pedro's touch. Or that of his friends. Remember Father Patrick? And Father Ben? How they used you. Think about it, Mary. If this selfish bastard hadn't sold his soul to me for immortality, you never would've existed and never would have needed to know that pain, that humiliation."

Mary snarled. The demon was right. This was the man responsible not only for her pain, but her mother's death. And how many others had suffered? How many brothers had she had? What about the women Jack had killed? They had suffered all because of this man and his lusts.

"Can you honestly say it was all awful, daughter?" Faust said. "There must've been a few happy moments."

A song ran through Mary's mind. Calming her. The snarl disappearing. Her red eyes not glowing quite so brightly.

"Listen to me, Mary." Faust said, speaking quickly. "Mephistopheles is the one who wants to use you. Not I. He wants you to kill me so my spell on him will be broken. Then he's going to use you to destroy Lucifer himself. You're the only one who can other then God Himself.
Mephistopheles wants to take over the throne of Hell."

"Yes, and I will too." Mephistopheles laughed. "No more toadying to his royal darkness. And this girl is perfect. A mother who was pure goodness, a father who's a tortured evil. Created in an act of pure evilness. Her own tortured past fuel for her power." Cupping her chin,
Mephistopheles purred. "And once I strip off some of that excess weight, she'll be a perfect bride. Well, maybe a concubine."

"I think not." Dracula said, looking out the window. Smiling to himself. "We've got company."

Backing away from the window, the former vampire allowed Mephistopheles to look out. Van Helsing was climbing up the side of the tower. Driving spikes into the wall to pull himself up.

"Where are my servants?" Mephistopheles said, an edge of panic in his voice. "The imps at least should be stopping him."

"Oh, they're not coming. I had Mary destroy them all." Dracula chuckled. "You can't leave this tower, master. And you're already injured. It will be easy for Gabriel to finish you off."

Indeed, the hole from Mary's spittle still hadn't healed. Though he hated to admit it,
Mephistopheles could feel himself weakening. Very slowly, but it was like a snake bite. He could feel Mary's own personal venom inside him.

"You! You did this!" He pointed at Dracula.

"Well of course." Dracula replied, studying his nails. "You see, Lucifer knew what you were up to. He sent me here to make sure you didn't succeed. In exchange - I get to live again - as I choose."

With a roar, Mephistopheles changed. Just in time for Van Helsing to witness it as he climbed through the window. Large, scaly black wings sprouted from Mephistopheles' back. Black horns came forth and curled around. Feet becoming claws. The skin red. The fingers joining together into a large single claw. Nose growing longer and larger. The mouth joining it. Becoming reptilian-like.

Dracula wiggled his fingers in a small wave at Van Helsing. "When we next meet, Gabriel, I won't be as weak to werewolves." Laughing, Dracula vanished.

Turning around, Mephistopheles grabbed Van Helsing and yanked him the rest of the way through the window. Flinging him to the other side of the room. Human, not a werewolf as he once was, Van Helsing felt the world going dark around him. Yet he fought to hang on. He tried to get up as he saw Erik and Carl rush into the room, bearing their joint creation. A larger version of the needles Van Helsing had in his clothing. With a big water proof bag of holy water at one end. It was as long as Carl was tall. Carl held the needle part. Erik the bag, ready to squeeze.

However with a sweep of his wing, Mephistopheles knocked them both aside. The demon now filled about half the tower room. Turning to Mary, he yanked her up by the back of her shirt, his claw ripping the very patches material. "KILL HIM!" He shouted, shoving her at Faust. "OR I WILL KILL YOUR FRIENDS!"

Mary stared at her father. Then she allowed herself to fully change. Her clawed hands reached out.

"Mary!" Carl called out, the only one strong enough now to do it. Throwing her doll to her.

Turning, Mary caught the doll in her hand. Staring at it, then at Mephistopheles. Her clawed finger reached and ripped it open. Pulling forth from it a beautiful rosary. This she draped around her neck much to Mephistopheles' confusion. Then she turned to her father and grabbed the chains, yanking them free of the wall.

Faust sagged in his daughter's arms. Mephistopheles snarled, grabbing them both.

"I SAID KILL HIM!" He threw them both into the wall. Then grabbed them and did it again.

Van Helsing slowly forced himself to his feet. He knew several bones were broken and a few others badly bruised. Yet he forced himself up, gritting his teeth with the pain. He saw Erik doing the same. Both grabbed the needle up. Moving slowly towards Mephistopheles who kept throwing Faust and Mary against the wall.

With a lunge they drove the needle into Mephistopheles' and Erik began to pump the holy water into the demon. However as Mephistopheles began to writhe in pain, he flung himself backwards the silver needle coming out of the front of him. The water being wasted on the floor.

Faust suddenly stood up and lunged. The needle piercing him and the holy water pumping into him now. Together they yanked the device out of Van Helsing and Erik's combined grips.
Wrestling with each other. Then suddenly both toppled out the window Van Helsing had come in. All four moved to the window, looking out.

Because Faust was still alive at the moment, Mephistopheles' flesh began to flay off of him. His body disintegrating. Then as they hit the ground, Faust too, died.

Mary screamed, her body shaking violently. Erik, severely injured though he was, went and held her. His yellow eyes wide with fear for the woman in his arms.

Then suddenly, Mary was human. Completely human. No longer could Van Helsing sense the evil that had surrounded her. When she finally opened her eyes, she smiled. Her eyes focusing on Erik. Reaching up, she removed his mask. Somewhere behind Van Helsing, he could hear Carl sucking in his breath, seeing Erik's face for the first time.

Putting her hand in Erik's hair, Mary pulled him down towards her face and kissed him. Van Helsing turned away, forcing Carl to do the same. Giving them privacy.

After a minute Carl took a quick peek over his shoulder and turned back around.

"Still kissing?" Van Helsing whispered, wiping blood from his cracked lips.

"Yes." Carl peeked again, then turned back around. After another minute he said, "How long before they have to come up for air?"

"Carl, you really need to read more."

Epilogue

Van Helsing stared out at the sea, thinking of Anna. The sun felt warm on him but inside he was cold. Somewhere out there, Dracula was alive again. And without many of the weaknesses he had before. Suddenly Van Helsing felt like he was fighting a losing battle.

Somehow though, he'd killed Dracula again. This time permanently. For Anna. For her whole family.

Well, as soon as his ribs healed.

"You got a letter." Carl said, limping over, holding out a letter addressed in childish, red block letters.

Opening it, Van Helsing smiled. Looking up at Carl briefly, he looked back to the letter and began to read.

"Dear Van Helsing and Carl,

Mary and I made it to America. We married in a small church, giving ourselves a new last name.
Carlson. We honeymooned in Canada where we ran into an old friend of your's. Believe it or not he's married too. With a two year old twins - a son named Gabriel Carl and a daughter named Anna. It seems you've both made quite an impression.

We miss you both but together we've made much progress on Don Juan Triumphant and getting over the horrors of our past. Mary still wishes you good dreams, Van Helsing. So do I. And that Carl would invent some less harmful inventions. We expect you to come visit, both of you, and so does you know who and his bride.

I'm teaching Mary how to read. She's so curious about everything and sometimes it's hard for me to get her to go to bed. All she wants to do is stare at the stars. I still wear a mask in public,
but at home I take it off.

I'm glad you found the horses. I'm sure Cesar's colt will prove to be as difficult as him. Funny how he mated with Mary's mare when he could've mated with Carl's. Animals seem to know things we humans don't. Mary's taken to taking in stray dogs and cats. It drives me crazy but I indulge her. When the baby is born though I expect her to let some of the animals go for the health of the child. There are more then a few good families willing to adopt them.

Come soon. Don't let your need to kill Dracula once and for all become an obsession.

Sincerely,
Erik Carlson"

"Well, what do you know? We have namesakes." Carl said with a sappy grin. "Almost as good as being a father, eh Van Helsing?"

Folding the letter back up, Van Helsing nodded. "Almost - but not quite good enough." He stared out to the sea. Listening to Anna's voice on the wind.

..The End..