Nicola is a character i made up when i was 15, and now im almost 27 so its been a long process of a story, nicola is portrayed as Nina Dobrev, i didnt always at first pick her but i imagened her a bit different but i found Nina portrayed her very much from the Vampire diaries as Katherine but she has the kindess of Elena. hope you like my sneak peek do leave comments below id love feedback im just getting slowly back into writing which ive loved and missed for a long time.

enjoy guys.

characters based off van helsing :D

dracula - Richard Roxburgh

Nicola - Nina Dobrev (vampire diaires)

Van Helsing - Hugh Jackson

The Castle Beyond

Mysterious Gates

Chapter One

One night, deep in the darkest deepest part of Transylvanian mountains, held a castle beyond mysterious gates. The castle was forbidden to enter for there was a curse on the place which held a greatest darkest secret to mankind even human souls. The story begins with a young girl named Nicola, on the search for something great and adventurous something that was not normal to the world. She felt different and didn't fit in the world that she now lives in and wanted a place she could call her own and even find love which didn't exist in her mind yet she still hungered for much more and she will soon find out how much she could only hold onto or be damned to live in a town where there were only so few people.

One foggy morning, in a small town village that lay beneath the mountains in the shadow of the castle, there lived a young woman named Nicola. Nicola loved her silent town and always enjoyed walking and looking around it. However, her parents weren't always home. They were usually working, her mother as a nurse in the hospital and her father on business trips at the same time. Nicola was used to being home alone and later that morning she took her basket and went to the market.

"Morning Bob." Nicola spoke happily as she walked in, closing the bakery door behind her.

"Morning Nicola, What can I get you?" he asked with a glee smile.

"Well." Nicola asked. "I would like some bread, please if you have any." as she smiled up to him.

"Gladly, little miss." he stooped down towards to the cupboard, opening the bread box and raised the loaf in front of Nicola. "Nicola, how are your parents dear, I forgot to ask you the last time we spoke?"

Nicola smiled to him, but gave a puzzled look to him. "I don't have a clue bob," she gave a sweet saddened look up towards bob as she continued. "They've been gone for months now and they haven't even called or sent a letter." Nicola said. "I'm so worried and lonely without them, I just don't know what to do with myself half of the time." Tears began to fill her eyes but quickly stopped by the bakers hand in comfort.

"There, there Nicola. I'm sure they'll be back soon enough. You'll see. Well, here's your bread my dear." Bob said, passing her the loaf of bread.

"Thanks Bob! Really appreciate it. See you later." Nicola said, paying him and turning to leave closing the door slowly behind her. Nicola looked up in the distance and saw a shadowy place behind the clouds. She frowned to get a better look and questioned to herself. "I wonder what that could be or up there." As she gazed at what looked to be a castle, in awe she smiled and shook her head and headed towards back to her lonely house she called home.

Nicola got home and noticed a strange carriage outside of her parent's home. She ran to her door quickly and started digging around in her basket for her keys. "Where are my keys?" she thought franticly, and there now grabbing them she inserted the key into the lock and turned it and entered the house. She placed the bread on the counter at the far side of the kitchen and now upon finishing up her duties in the kitchen she entered the front room and spotted her father sitting down on the sofa. In shock and puzzled she shouted now seeing him.

"papa!" she said in surprise, her mouth dropping open in joy. He looked up at her and smiled. "Nicola, my darling" he said as he got out of his chair and hugged her. Nicola got tears in her eyes, just that small amount of love she had forgotten suddenly came back to her, Remembering her Papa like he was, with his White beard, white hair, his fair old pale skin, his frail physique and his green dusty suede jacket and his black suit bottoms and one more memorable piece his unforgettable smile.

"Welcome back, Papa," she murmured, holding him close to her crying with joy.

"Oh my darling daughter, It's good to be home, but." He held her tightly, enjoying his daughters grasp which to him felt like the last time. He pulled her away slowly from him now gaining eye contact with her.

"I've got to go back I've got to go back very soon." Nicola looked at him in disappointment. "What, but Papa, you just got back." she said in shock.

Her father now saddened in front of her, as he now tried to explain to her. "i know my darling, it's really busy up in the quarters where I'm based, there's people who need me up there." he said.

"But I need you here, both you and mama" Nicola said interrupted with rage. "I haven't seen either of you in over 6 months. Isn't that not fair, I know your people need you, but so does your daughter need you here. I'm 20 soon to be 21 in a couple of months and you won't be even here for my birthday, or see me as a grown lady. Both of you have missed half of life as I've had babysitters here left, right and centre come and go and I've had enough father I want to be loved and I want my family it's all I ask in return for your absence but I'll never get it.

"Nicola, I always try to come home." Her papa said with sadness. "But I'm sorry it has come to this but I now must leave."

Nicola moved away from her father, saddened by his news. "Fine, if you leave. I won't be here if you ever return." Nicola turned away angry towards her father, and couldn't stand to look at him. She ran out the front room full anger and hurt and ran up the staircase to her room, opening her bedroom door to slam it shut behind her. Nicola now held herself against her door, holding her ground from nearly passing out with anger. She ran up to her window noticing her father outside with his work carriage. Nicola's eyes began to become sore when tears began to fall from her emerald green eyes "Papa." Nicola cried.

Her father turned to the window noticing Nicola standing there with her hands against the window he shook his head and turned away. Nicola watched her papa go into his carriage and road off to his work leaving her and his home behind. Nicola closed her eyes in sadness, her tears soaking her face but then a whisper appeared, a quiet whisper spooked her making her eyes open in fear. "Don't cry, my love hold back those hurtful tears." the whispered voice spoke. "Come to me, come to my castle." Nicola lifted up her eyes from the window sill and saw the same misty castle covered with clouds again. "You again, what do you want." She questioned. "I wonder what's up there" Nicola walked back away from her bedroom window sill and looked around her room like it was the last time, which it was.

The weather outside went dull and gloomy as the night hit the town and thunder began to strike in the distance echoing throughout the small village. "I must find out who that voice was, I must leave I cannot and will not stay here any longer." She began packing a bag of all the essentials she needed, and opened up her bedroom door and exited without a doubt of returning. She now ran down her staircase and grabbed her red cape from the coat hanger and exited her house locking the door and walking away from the house she grew up in leaving all of her memories behind. The thunder struck and it scared Nicola as it was very loud, and very clear. She walked down her street looking around to see no street lights were lit and nobody were in sight at all. "What's going on?" she questioned to herself. She carried on walking to the end of the street soon to realize she got to a dead end noticing it was the path to the forbidden mountain which held the mysterious castle on top. She looked up in awe noticing a path appearing before her. "What's happening," she questioned before getting interrupted. "Where do you think you're going? Do not, I warn you young lady go up there. "His croaky voice told her. "Who's there," Nicola questioned. "Show yourself.

(ill stop here, if you want more please comment this is just a little taster.)