The fine white linen of the sheets was unlike anything Van Helsing had ever seen. The placed his hand upon the bedclothes and wondered if this was in fact, his chamber.

"No," He reminded himself, "This is my cell."

The room was made for a sovereign. The walls were a fine cherry wood, warm and homely. Perhaps the only bit of warmth in this whole Godforsaken place. Paintings and tapestries, fine furniture. Even the floor. The floor was covered in a rug with such a thread count that no man would have ever had the lifetime to count it all. The design must have come from China. A piece of Gold on the Silk Road.

Everything about this room was beautiful… cold, but beautiful. Not a place that Gabriel Van Helsing was used to. He was used to Common rooms, barely furnished. There would be only a bed mostly, but never something like this. Never something as beauty is this room.

No one had stayed in this room in a century… at least that was what he had been told by Harris, his appointed slave.

A slave to serve a prisoner. The thought almost made Gabriel laugh. But he did not. He felt a soft hand upon his shoulder, but Gabriel didn't jump. He felt the warmth and the small size of the hand. This hand belonged to a human.

"I am sorry to disturb you, sir. Gabriel, but shall I draw you a bath?" He asked his voice gentle, "Supper will be served soon and I was wondering if you would like to freshen up." Gabriel said nothing and turned to face the boy.

The boy was about 12. Long golden hair flowed down his shoulders. He was dressed in fine clothes and always smiled. Van Helsing didn't know why. How could a boy smile so naturally in a place like this? He had seen the puncture wounds on the boy's wrists and neck. He had been fed on many times.

Gabriel smiled, "Please, Harris, you do not have to do that for me."

"But it is my duty." The boy said; his voice kindly, "The master will want you to be bathed and clothed before super."

"Like dressing a bird before carving it," Gabriel thought. It didn't matter now and he didn't want to fight with Harris. The poor boy was being so pleasant and Gabriel didn't want to get him in trouble. He sighed.

"Very well." He said. Harris bowed and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Gabriel Van Helsing placed his head in his hands and sighed. How could this have happened? He closed his eyes and tried to remember the battle.

X

He had been sent to Romania again in response to an almost unbelievable rumor. It was being said that the infamous Count Vladislaus Dracula had once again returned from the dead.

Van Helsing had refused to believe it. He himself had seen Dracula die. He had been the cause of the Count's dead and was refusing to believe the Count had returned.

He had arrived at the small town of Vaseria and had gotten word from the towns folk that there had been strange activity once again at Castle Frankenstien. Strange shadows and sounds had been coming from the Castle. People had begun to disappear. Vanishing in the middle of the night never returning. Van Helsing felt a familiar tension in his heart, something that told him, he could no longer refuse anything.

Of course, when he came to the crumbling building that had once been Castle Frankenstien, he had been greeted by a horrific surprise.

He had quietly slipped into the side of the castle, the same way he and Anna had entered once before. He quietly began to walk through the moonlight dinning room, his footsteps barely making a sound upon the cold stone floor. So much dust and decay, there was no sign that anyone was living in this place.

Suddenly, something caught Van Helsing's eyes. He spun around and saw something upon the supper table he had not seen before… a sliver goblet.

Van Helsing pulled his revolver from his pocket and kept it in his hand as he approached the goblet. As he approached it, he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. There was an evil presence here.

He reached the goblet and picked it up. It shimmered in the moonlight and something crimson sparkled on the rim. Van Helsing looked inside the goblet and saw what looked like left over drops of a crimson liquid. He took a drop and rubbed it between his fingers. Too thick to wine… it was…

"Blood." Van Helsing whispered.

"Virgin blood." A striking accented voice shattered the silence. Van Helsing felt the goblet slipped from his hands and clattered on the floor, "A very sweet young girl. You would have liked her Gabriel. She had your Anna's eyes."

Van Helsing turned around slowly, turning to face a handsome man in a long dark cloak. His dark black hair gleaming in the moonlight. The golden clip of his hair and earring looked like stars. His militaristic style of clothing had not changed, nothing had changed. Nothing had changed about Dracula.

"How…" Van Helsing whispered, finding his voice, "How are you alive?"

"Oh, Gabriel." The Count smiled, "I have my ways. Tis' good to see you again, my friend." He walked towards Gabriel with a cat like stride, "I had hoped I would see you again." He reached out to touch Gabriel's rugged cheek, but Gabriel jumped back and pointed his pistol directly at Dracula's heart.

The Count snickered, "Do you really think that will be able to stop me, Gabriel?"

Van Helsing shook his head, "No…" Gabriel whispered, "But it's worth a shot!"

Without warning, the vampire hunter fired two shots and the battle commenced. The two hunters shot at each other, trying to bring each other down.

Van Helsing dogged another attack and spun around, trying to aim his gun at the flying figure. He shot off a few bullets and cursed as every one of them missed. Dracula had gotten faster, there was no doubt about that and Van Helsing knew there was no way he could get close to him.

"Do you want the killing to end?" Dracula suddenly asked.

Van Helsing stopped. He did not lower his gun, but he did not make any move to shoot. He stayed hidden, but called out.

"What do you mean?"

The Count laughed, "I have no desire to talk to a stone, Gabriel. Come out and talk to me. I will not harm you."

Gabriel snarled at the tone in the Count's voice, but stepped out behind the stone. He kept his gun in his hand, but his eyes were trained on the vampire.

"Well?" The Count said, smiling, "Do you wish the killing to end?"

Gabriel nodded, "Of what do you speak?"

The Count approached him and whispered his offer in the Hunter's ear.

X

And so here it was. The Count would no longer hunt those living on the earth, but for a price. Gabriel Van Helsing would stay with the Count forever. He would forever his bound prisoner and… his source of blood. No longer a hunter… but a source of food for the king of the vampires. In return, the earth would be still. He would not hunt humans any longer. He would tell his children only to hunt those who had caused harm to humanity. Murderers, rapist, those who felt no sadness for those they hurt. The Count had offered his deal…. and Gabriel had taken it.

He had emptied his pockets of all weapons and made sure to be rid of anything that would cause Dracula harm. Gabriel refused to give up his pocket watch chain that was covered in religious symbols. It was one of the few things he treasured. Dracula allowed this, before placing Van Helsing in an enchanted sleep, before lifting the man into his arms and flying him to his palace. He had placed Gabriel on the bed of a fine bedroom and assigned a slave to Van Helsing, telling him to obey the hunter's every request.

That was where Gabriel had woken up.

The bath was beyond perfect. Just warm enough without being scalding. Most of the baths at the order had been half freezing, but not this bath. Toped off by smells of citrus and cheery trees, the water was warm and soothing to his aching skin. A young girl was cleansing his shoulders with a gentle cloth.

Harris came back into the bathroom carrying some clothes. Gabriel's eyes widened as he saw the suit. Surely that was not meant for him.

After his body was cleansed and his hair washed, Gabriel rose from the bath. Harris handed him a towel that he wrapped around his middle and followed Harris over to where the clothes were hung.

"The master ordered these made for you." Harris told him as he handed Gabriel the shirt.

The outfit itself looked like something the Count himself would wear, except it was colored slightly. The shirt was a pale white and the coat was a burgundy red stitched with gold. The dark pants clung to his legs and the boots felt heaven to his feet. The collar of the shit was high, but not high enough to hide Van Helsing's handsome throat. As Gabriel gazed into the mirror, he didn't recognize himself. He had never dressed like this, ever! And now, as a prisoner to the Count, he was dressed in finer cloth than even the most majestic prince.

Harris smiled, "The master has good taste, does he not?"

Gabriel didn't answer. Just then, another servant came into the room,

"Supper is ready."

X

Van Helsing walked quietly down the hall, looking dead ahead. He refused to look at the portraits and tapestries on the wall. Pictures of the Count killing knights in battle and blood slipping down their bodies. Finally, they arrived at a set of grand wooden doors. Harris opened the door and motioned for Gabriel to enter. With one step, Gabriel felt the aroma of food overpower him.

On the table in the room, lay a beautiful spread. Far too much for one human, but Gabriel knew he was the only human in the castle.

Harris motioned for Van Helsing to sit in chair at the end of the table, but Gabriel didn't move. He was so overcome with questions that he just stood there. Why was the Count doing all this?

Suddenly, the doors opened again and the Count entered. He wore the same clothes as always, but over that, he wore a deep red sash. He approached Gabriel with a sly smile and stopped a few inches from the hunters face. His icy blue eyes ran up Gabriel's form, enjoying very much what he saw.

"You don't look like yourself Gabriel." Dracula smirked, "I like your new style."

Gabriel said nothing, but angrily lowered his head in a small bow. He knew he would have to bow to Dracula now, but he would not have to enjoy it.

The Count laughed, "Come, Gabriel, 'tis just you and I. You need not be so polite and cold." The Count's eyes fell upon Harris and he motioned for him to go. The boy bowed low and left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Gabriel and Dracula alone in the room.

Van Helsing raised his head to see the Count grinning at him again. He reached out and touched the hunter's cheek, running his thumb along the firm jaw line.

"You should shave once in a while, Gabriel." Dracula said mysteriously, "Your cheeks were always so soft."

Gabriel raised his hand to strike the Count's away, but Dracula was faster and more powerful. He suddenly could not move his arm. Struggling under white rage, he felt the Count place his other hand upon his cheek and had come closer. He leaned down to the hunter's collar and opened it slightly. He placed his nose to Gabriel's neck and inhaled deeply.

"You smell so magnificent, my dear Van Helsing." The Count's tongue slipped from his lips and taste Gabriel's flesh, "I could drain you right now… but I will not."

"Why not?" Gabriel said between gritted teeth.

The Count raised his head and, keeping his hands upon Gabriel's cheeks, placed his lips to Gabriel's.

The kiss was nothing Gabriel had ever felt. He had never been kissed like this. Not even the kiss he had once given to Anna could compare. The Count's lips were warm, incredibly warm, almost on fire. His lips moved like that of a lover, tender and soothing. Dracula's tongue came through his lips once more and tasted Gabriel's mouth.

Gabriel felt his arms grow free again; the Count had released him and wrapped his arms around him. Gabriel knew he could have pushed Dracula away, pushed him away and moved. But he did not. He remained there still, until Dracula pulled his lips back. The Count looked him straight in the eye.

"It is not the reason I brought you here." He said, "Now come, join me for supper. I trust you must be hungry". The Count moved and sat at the head of the table. "Please, Gabriel… I just wish to talk." He motioned for Gabriel to join him.

Gabriel stood there for a moment again… until he moved and sat down in his chair, across from the Count. His eyes no longer a steal gray… but soft.

"Very well," Van Helsing said, "What do you wish to talk about?"

The Count smiled, poured a glass of wine and passed it to Gabriel, "The life we once shared. Our life… as lovers."

Gabriel knew he should have felt angry, disgusted, utterly amazed, but he did not. He took the glass of wine and looked at the Count again.

"Please… Tell me."

x

End