Disclaimer: Nothing in this story is mine, except for Anika.

A/N: Hey! I'm glad you liked the last chapter and the villain that was decided on. The other one will be introduced in the chapter after this. Also, as I promised, Dracula will be in this one again. I wrote almost this entire chapter after a math test, so that's why it's done so fast! Thanks for reviewing (special thanks to Elwyndra!), and enjoy!

Chapter 2: Nightmare

"Well, that didn't turn out, did it?" Carl muttered, mainly to himself as he looked down the road where the Invisible Man had vanished.

Van Helsing ignored the friar's comment as he continued to look up the dirt road, hoping that he could figure out where the Invisible Man could have gone. Then, he cried out loudly in frustration. "How could I have let him escape? Now he's able to kill more people!"

Carl sighed and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself," he told him. "We're dealing with something that none of us were prepared for. We'll just head back to Vatican City and-!"

"No," Van Helsing interrupted darkly. "Next time we'll be more prepared. I'm not leaving for Rome until that man is in custody or dead."

"Well, hopefully not the latter…"

"Where will you stay?"

Both Carl and Van Helsing turned around when the girl that they had rescued from the inn spoke out for the first time. She seemed to shrink back a bit when she felt their gazes rest on her curiously.

"I don't know," Van Helsing answered her, looking up and down the road without interest. "That inn I suppose. There's not really any other option, now is there? Who are you?"

"Anika," the girl told him quietly, unable to meet his eyes. "My grandfather used to own that inn- that is, until the Invisible Man took it over. We didn't believe that such a thing was possible until the murders began and no evidence of the killer could be found. Then after Gryphon took over our inn, he killed my grandfather for sport and destroyed everything. I was held hostage in there for three days. He told me that he kept me alive for fun- he toyed with me. You cannot stay there. There's hardly anything left of it."

"Well, where else is there to go?" Carl wondered, horrified to hear what the girl had been through. "It's not like we know anyone here anymore."

Surprisingly, a smile slowly spread across Anika's face. "My home has a couple of extra rooms- you may stay there," she said. "It is the least that I can do to repay you for saving my life."

Van Helsing studied the young girl carefully. "Thank you. That is very kind," he finally replied. "We accept your offer."

Xxxxxxxxxx

Night fell quickly over Transylvania, everyone in it falling asleep along with it. But while everyone slept, one man silently walked along the dirt roads, his dark eyes scanning the area for any sign of an unfortunate soul who happed to cross his path.

Vladislaus Dracula felt the night's chill as he slowly strolled, hearing slight voices coming from behind the doors of the few people still awake as he walked past them and saw every minute detail of the area around him. How strange it was to feel, to hear, and to see again after three years of nothing but darkness. He wondered if tasting would be as pleasurable to be reintroduced to.

This was his first night of feeding- his stomach had been too weak the first night he was revived, so he had remained in his lair. Besides, his break had also given him a chance to keep an eye on the young scientist Ivan Frank to make sure that he would not betray him. As he learned, the man would not double-cross him out of fear of the deadly consequences. At least he had his allegiance, no matter how fragile it was.

But then, the undead lord of vampires slowly came to a stop as his sharp senses picked up a trace of human life. He could hear the soft, steady heartbeat of a man, the uneven rhythm of his limping footsteps. But most importantly, he could smell the metallic scent of blood on the wind. This was going to be easy. Someone was wounded.

Dracula's lifeless eyes darted around for some sign of his pray, but he saw nothing. Maybe his senses were off from being dead for three years? They were telling him that someone was nearby, almost directly behind him, yet he could see no one…

Suddenly, the count whirled around and grabbed an unseen wrist, the hand attached to it about to come down forcefully on his head. Dracula felt a feeling of immense relief. His senses had not been wrong, but he had never been met with a stranger sight. He could feel his cold fingers wrapped around the limb, feel the pulse racing beneath the skin, but he could see it. In fact, it seemed that no one was there at all.

"What are you?"

"I should be asking you that!" an aerial voice replied, struggling to sound calm but not succeeding. "You- you're not human, are you? That's how you were able to see me… Like that other man!"

This situation really was peculiar. Dracula slowly released the man's wrist, his sharp eyes now able to see traces of his energy even though he was unseen to the human eye. "What other man?" he asked.

The Invisible Man gave a laugh of startled relief when he was released. "Everyone knows of him," he answered casually, more comfortable since the vampire was no longer holding him in a death grip. "Some famed hunter by the name of Van Helsing. Oh. I go by Gryphon, by the way. Who are you?"

But Dracula didn't answer immediately. Van Helsing… So, Gabriel had ventured back into Hell, had he? This night was getting more and more interesting by the minute… "A friend," he finally said. "This Van Helsing. "He is after you I take it?"

"Yep. You got it," Gryphon replied. "You know him?"

Dracula's eyes flashed as an idea came to him. An invisible ally would come in handy… "Yes, I know him, which is why I want to make a deal with you."

The Invisible Man leaned forward with interest. "I'm listening," he muttered.

A smirk appeared on Dracula's face as he took a step forward. "You hate Van Helsing- I despise Van Helsing," he said. "Join me, and together, we can get rid of him for good. Unfortunately for you, my friend, I would trust you more if I could clearly see you."

"Sorry, Sir. Can't do that," Gryphon replied with a shrug. "Chemicals did this to me, but I wouldn't know what to do to return to normal. I've tried everything, but nothing seems to work. Sometimes I wish I wasn't invisible though. It's a nuisance really…"

Dracula's smirk broadened immensely when he thought of the trapped scientist he had waiting for him at the lair. "I could fix that. I could make it so you would only have to be invisible at will," he told him as he extended his hand forward. "What do you say?"

Gryphon looked down on the vampire's hand for a long moment, considering his options. Out of them, this seemed to be the more preferable one… Then, he reached forward and shook it.

"Deal."

Xxxxxxxxxx

"Gabriel… Oh, Gabriel…"

Van Helsing heard the haunting voice echoing in his ears- felt the dark aura close behind him. He quickly turned around to face who was with him, but the only thing he could see was mist that seemed to stretch on for miles before him. There was no one there.

"Gabriel…

Then, Van Helsing's eyes widened when he saw a dark figure appear in the mist, their face still hidden among it. As they drew nearer, the famed hunter gasped in horror when he recognized the dark, lifeless voids for eyes glaring at him as the man stepped out of the mist. He would know him anywhere…

"It's not possible," Van Helsing muttered in shock, shaking his head as he took an automatic step back.

"Hello, Gabriel," Dracula replied with a small smile. Then, he leaped forward, his fangs bared.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Van Helsing cried out and quickly sat up, his eyes darting everywhere for any sign of the vampire. But then, his breathing calmed and his heartbeat began to slow to normal as he rubbed his tired eyes. He realized that he was lying safe in bed in room that Anika had been so kind to let him use. What he had seen of Dracula had only been a nightmare.

Knowing that he wasn't going to get any more sleep that night, Van Helsing rose from the bed and wandered to the window. He looked down on the quiet street beneath him, but then his eyes moved to a larger building set a distance away- the home of the Valerious. He felt a stab of sorrow as he remembered Anna and thought about how much he missed her.

But then, his sadness was replaced with a gnawing nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked out at not only the home of the Valerious, but also Vladislaus Dracula. Though he knew that it was impossible, the dark feeling in his heart was telling him otherwise.

He had the horrible feeling that Dracula had returned.

A/N: Hoped you liked it! As I said in the earlier author's note, another villain will be introduced in the next chapter. Thanks for reading. Your reviews are much appreciated! Thanks!