AN: Sorry about the delay in updating. I was suffering with writer block. I could think of ideas for my other stories but I was having trouble decided where to take this story.

Now on with the story….

Chapter 3 London

VanHelsing woke up late the next morning. He had spent most of the night thinking about Anna and wondering if she was ok. He had gotten little sleep last night as he pondered about her. Now as the sun broke through the shaft in the window, he knew he had to get up. After getting dressed he met Carl in the head friar's room to hear the news.

"The Council of Friars agreed to have you take the assignment. They believe you can save Anna and take down the Darkness."

"It shouldn't be a problem," he answered confidently. "When are Carl and I leaving?"

"Immediately."

"I'll go get the horses saddled," Carl said exiting from the room.

"I don't have to tell you how important it is to stop Darkness, do I?"

"No," he answered. "I know how important this is," he added going to the door.

"Good luck," said the head friar, as Van Helsing disappeared through the door.

Carl had the horses already loaded and saddled and they rode off into the distance.

London

About a week later they arrived in London. It was raining and pouring cats and dogs. Thick puddles of water pooled at their feet as they sloshed through the muddy dirt. Everyone around them was hurrying for shelter from the rain.

"Could it be raining more!?!" Carl said, frustrated as he pulled his coat tighter around him. As if the sky could hear him it started to pore buckets more of water on them. "I spoke to soon. Where are we headed?" Carl asked. Van Helsing stopped and pointed to the right. "You have no idea do you," Carl asked.

"Not a clue, well….. I guess we should find somewhere to stay, before we become drenched even more."

After checking just about all of the inns in London they finally found one that had rooms. It had looked like it had seen better days. It personally wasn't somewhere they wanted to stay. It was located in a bad part of town. The outside of the building were barely standing. The sign read the Serpents Lair, and wasn't exactly inviting. The inside wasn't that much different from the outside, it looked just as ruin down. There were a few tables and chairs and a checking in counter and about 5 people but other than that the room was empty.

"Do you have rooms?" Van Helsing asked, as he shook of his water drenched hat.

"Do you have money?"

"Yes."

"Then we have rooms."

Van Helsing handed him money and then the owner took off two keys from the hanging post and lead them up the stars and down the hall.

As they were walking to their rooms Van Helsing asked, "We just about asked every inn if they had rooms, do you know why they were all full?"

"People from all over road in for the party," he answered, chewing on the jerky in his hands. "One of the political people is having a party."

"What for?"

"The guy is introducing himself into society, or so I hear. Word is he wants to get the position as the mayor."

"Really," said Van Helsing. "Do you know who this person is?"

"You two must be from out of town, everyone knows that Victor Kardsnes is the one holding the party. But only the very rich are invited," he added sourly. "We common folk should be invited to if you ask me. Here are your rooms, and if you need anything you're going to have to buy it yourself. It's pretty quiet now but later tonight the front room gets packed with people who have had too much to drink and live music. So don't count on any sleep before 12." With that the inn owner left them standing outside their rooms.

"How are we ever going to find Anna?" Carl asked, from his room across the hall.

"I don't know," said Van Helsing, "but we should try and get a few hours of sleep now and get a head start tonight. You remember what the owner said don't you?"

"Yeah...Yeah, he said that we shouldn't count on getting any sleep tonight before 12."

Van Helsing inspected his room. Then lay on the bed, kicking his shoes off. "Its to wet to do any looking outside. Tonight we'll start," he answered. "Until then get some sleep Carl."

End of chapter 3