Deep Sky

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the marvelous movie, Van Helsing! And all quotes written on various chapters.

Summary: A dark past had torn Dracula and Van Helsing apart, but not for long. He has captured the Hunter, but he did not intend for the Hunter to fall for the Prince instead. In the background, Carl is in search of Van Helsing, and has hidden his true feelings until now... SLASH

WARNING! SLASH included! If you are uncomfortable with these things, you should go elsewhere!

I'll try not to make it very graphical, but it would probably still be PG-13. If not, beware!

NO FLAMES! Or I will cut you to smithereens.

Chapter Two – Denied of their Freedom

Van Helsing woke to find that not only was he dangling painfully from a wall with iron chains curling around his body, but he could not see anything. Someone had blindfolded him into darkness.

The hunter hissed painfully, his head throbbing in his head, banging inside as if drums were being played inside his mind. Groaning, he leaned forward, a grimace on his lips. The chains locked him onto the wall, so that both his arms were spread out and his legs slammed together cruelly. He shook the chains on his wrists roughly, and regretted it almost immediately as pain shot through him.

Van Helsing sniffed, trying to find out where he was with his other senses. It smelt of sweat and blood. I'm in a dungeon… Van Helsing thought with a wince. Feeling sick from the smell and the odd position he was chained onto, he let his body sag. Without his eyesight, he was blinded, and therefore he would not able to do anything.

A splash of water told that he was not alone in this chamber. A chill crept up his spine, sending goose bumps on his skin. Keeping a sharp ear to the small noise, Van Helsing shouted. "Whose there?"

Silence was all that was heard as the Hunter awaited an answer, wincing when he moved. There was a clink of chains that was heard not from his own, and Van Helsing's head snapped towards the direction of the sound. Slowly, it came closer, until he thought he could almost feel the breath of his supposed inmate. If it was anything human.

Fortunately, it was human. In a way.

"You are unfortunate."

Van Helsing's eyebrows rose at this remark as he continued to stare, supposedly, at the angle of the speaker. Then he had a hunch, and he knew he needed to know.

"Are you Prince Velkan?"

"Yes... How do you know?" the voice replied slowly, the tone cautious over himself.

"Your sister..." Van Helsing spoke and then trailed off. What had happened to the Gypsy Princess? Dread and guilt now started slither through his mind. If she was dead, he had failed his mission to keep her safe. He bit his lips. And now, he was imprisoned with her brother. What was he going to say to the Prince?

"Anna..." was the only answer the Hunter got back from Velkan. Then silence, until finally the Gypsy Prince spoke.

"I can smell the guilt in you..." the voice paused, "You are afraid my sister may be dead."

Van Helsing nodded, surprised. But then again, he knew about Velkan being poisoned by the Werewolf Venom. Van Helsing blinked in the artificial darkness of his blindfold.

"You know my name, I do think I have the right to know yours as well."

"I am known as Van Helsing."

"Van Helsing..." Velkan seemed surprised as he spoke more quickly, "The Van Helsing?"

Van Helsing couldn't help but smirk. "The one and only."

"Wh...Why have you come?"

"My job was to save the last of your line, and also destroy Dracula in the process."

"You have failed both then..." this time Velkan's voice was harsh. Van Helsing winced.

"You are still alive."

"No doubt I will soon join my family..." This time the Prince's tone was bitter.

"I won't let that happen," Van Helsing spoke sharply, although he didn't feel that confident.

"How are you to do that? You are only just a man, you have no strength to be freed from Dracula's grip."

"And you do?" Van Helsing growled.

"I'm a werewolf, if my sister hadn't told you already. I am stronger than you in strength."

"Why have you not escaped then, if you have a chance of freedom?" Van Helsing moved uncomfortably in his chained position, winced painfully from the headache in his head.

"I... Dracula has a hold of me, through the curse. I cannot find freedom when I am poisoned with his will."

"I will try to keep you safe, for the sake of your family."

"I don't need your help. You've already failed. Why bother trying when you know you might fail doing so?"

"What about you then? Why do you give up when you still have hope!" Van Helsing demanded angrily.

"Where, Mr. Van Helsing? How can you be so sure of yourself?"

"Because I must, Velkan. And it is your duty to. You may be the only Valerious living on the face of this earth!"

Silence answered Van Helsing, and he waited for Velkan to response. After a few seconds, the Prince spoke.

"I see no hope for my escape. But I may be able to find a weakness I can use to my advantage. You must understand. This is my family's quest and they have all died trying. I will do as they have done if that is my destiny. But if I cannot kill Dracula, I will do everything in my power to hurt him."

"You will throw away your life just to hurt Dracula?" Van Helsing spoke slowly. When he finished, somehow he felt a bad taste in his mouth.

"Yes."

Van Helsing couldn't answer this time. Velkan was bent on revenge. Perhaps the Count deserved it, Van Helsing didn't know. But these things always ended in tragedy. Nothing good came out of hurting a living being, even if it was a man who had killed mortals for centuries.

This made him remember Carl, and he wondered if the Friar was alright. When last he had left the man, he was flipping through some books to find more clues on Dracula's whereabouts. He hoped if Carl were safe, he would not forgive himself if anything had happened to him.

"What are you thinking?" Velkan spoke and Van Helsing snapped back to reality.

"Nothing."

Van Helsing felt eyes bore down on him, even though he couldn't see it. He squirmed in his chains uneasily.

"Dracula will return soon. Until then, you should sleep."

"I have no intentions to-" Van Helsing began but before he knew it, something hard had knocked him unconscious and he fell into darkness.

A/N: Ok, stupid ending, I know, lol. But hey, how was I to think of a better one:P Well, I hope you liked this chapter. It might have bored you, seeing you already saw the movie, but remember, Van Helsing never really met Velkan in person. He only met Velkan when he was a werewolf. (: Please review?

Edited: 4/2/2007