Blood Red Diamonds

A/N: I know, I am so sorry for not updating for so long! I should have updated ages ago! But anyways, here I am, with the new updated chapter posted up for all to read! OwO I'd like to thank many of my reviewers for your reviews! They were awesome! Thanks a bunch! x3 I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review:)

Also the-honest-reviewer1, I'm quite aware that I'm probably switching tenses around alot, but I really suck with them, so you will just have to bear with me. And as for the whole child adopting thing, well I know it must sound weird but it is a story and I'm only writing it for fun. But thanks for being honest with me.

Summary: Fate has a board of pieces aligned to be played, and already one of the pieces had moved, causing disturbance in the field. Van Helsing has adopted a girl by the name of Valoel, and Dracula is forced to seek help from his murderer...R&R!

Disclaimer: As I always say, I do not own anything from Van Helsing, NOTHING I tell you! -grawr- Satisfied? Good! But what I do own is Valoel and the evil enemy!

Droplet of Tears

6 Years Later...

"Dad!" Valoel Van Helsing shouted as she tackled her guardian with a big hug towards him. The man laughed and grabbed her, so she was in his arms. Valoel laughed as her foster father set her softly on the ground.

Van Helsing smiled as he looked at his grown daughter. She had become taller then he had last seen her. It had been about two month since he had left for his last mission with Carl and he had dearly missed her. Valoel had turned into quite the beautiful girl, but even now she was still called a child. Her navy black hair had grown longer as it twirled up until her shoulder, and her although her blue eyes hadn't changed, she had grown taller and slimmer now that she was 11 of age.

Behind Van Helsing followed Carl. Valoel gave out a shriek of delight and rushed to hug Carl, who looked a bit bewildered but then smiled at his cousin.

"Oh Uncle Carl, Dad, you came back! Why couldn't you come back sooner? I missed you sooooo much!" Valoel shouted delightfully, joy in her eyes as Van Helsing raised a eyebrow towards his daughter. Dropping his belongings on the floor, he looked at his daughter's face and asked, "Were you being good with Sister Annette?"

"Yes, Dad," Valoel murmured, rolling her eyes with a laugh as Van Helsing smiled in approval.

"Good. Help us get our things to our rooms, Val!" Valoel nodded, grabbing for her father's bag. Val also grabbed for Carl's, even though he protested and the three of them walked through the hot and moist Friary. Monks looked up at them, some with curiousity on their face, others with smiles towards Valoel. Valoel returned those smiles with a big grin of happiness.

"So Dad, what did you defeat this time?" Valoel asked while she heaved the big bag with her.

"Werewolves..." Carl interrupted before Van Helsing could reply.

Valoel's eyes flickered with sadness at the word. She felt very sorry for the victims of werewolves, but she also felt sad that werewolves had to be killed in order to be freed. Van Helsing noticed the saddened expression on her face and put his hand on her shoulder.

Carl smiled weakly at his cousin. "There's been a lot lately..." his voice trailed off and his eyes gazed towards Van Helsing. Van Helsing had squeezed Valoel's shoulder tightly. Van Helsing's eyes were also saddened, but it was not because of the werewolves. Van Helsing knew exactly what he was about to say. Since the day defeated Dracula and his Brides... he finished Carl's entence silently.

"How come?" Valoel spoke, her eyes now narrowing rather suspiciously. Werewolves were supposed to be lessening instead of increasing, but then again, one bite from the beast would turn a human into a blood-thirsty wolf. Still, to her, it sounded strange.

A frown appeared on Carl's lips as he pondered on the question as well. "We're not sure..."

"But-!" Valoel began but she was cut off by Van Helsing. "Enough, Valoel."

"B-But-But!" Valoel argued, looking annoyed as she looked up at her father. But he only wore a look of concern. Confused, Valoel stopped talking and shut her mouth. Whatever it was that her father was concerned about, she shouldn't add another problem to his worries. He had enough of them already.

They had walked out of the hot Friary and had entered the huge hall where their rooms were. The rooms weren't that huge, but it was enough. Carl's room was right next door Valoel's room, so she was sandwiched between them.

"So Val, what have you been working on?" Carl spoke and a grin spread over his lips. He dragged his other luggages with difficulty as the three looked to make sure they find their rooms.

"Well, I've been learning mathematics and science from Brother Adrien, Art from Sister Beatrice, History and Geography from Brother Blaise, what else? Oh I almost forgot! Reading and Writing with Sister Danielle. Then we prayed, and I'm currently reading about the Roman war in ummm 70 A.D.?" Valoel replied, heaving the two small luggages in her hand.

"About 73 A.D. I think," Carl spoke with pride in his eyes. Van Helsing looked a bit uneasily at Carl's direction. He remembered a few bits and pieces about his previous life, and one of them included his fight with the Romans in Masada. But he smiled along with Carl.

"Why do you always know everything, Uncle Carl?" Valoel said with a pout, but grinned as they, at last, came in front the door's of their own rooms.

"Of course I know all about things! But not everything though. Before long you'll be the one who knows more about the everything!" Carl said and opened the door to his room. Valoel handed one of the bags she held to Carl and he thanked her with a smile. Carl went into his room and shut the door softly behind him.

"He might be right you know, Val. It's better to be a historian, a scientist, then a field man like me," Van Helsing spoke in a hush as Valoel handed the other bag in her hand. Valoel's eyes widened in disagreement as Van Helsing leaned forward to her forehead and kissed her softly, withdrawing to hear what Valoel has to say.

"What are you talking about, Dad! Being a Hunter is a terrific occupation! And a Knight of the Holy Order at that! You should be proud!" Valoel objected almost immediately. Van Helsing smiled for his daughter. He was happy his daughter felt that way. If she knew he had become hunted hunter, perhaps she might not have thought as she now did. But he kept his thoughts silent as Valoel opened the door of his room for her. Van Helsing was about to go into his the room, Valoel following suit but then a shout echoed through the small hall. Valoel and Van Helsing's heads turned from each other and towards the owner of the voice.

It was one of the young apprentices. This particular young apprentice was a older boy than Valoel, and he had bright blue eyes, along with dark brown hair and a slight smile creasing on his lips. He started to walk towards Van Helsing and his foster daughter, but Van Helsing was the one who took the first step. Droppings his luggage on the ground, he walked towards the boy, who spoke, "The Cardinal wishes to see you and the friar for your new assignment."

Van Helsing immediately frowned as the boy bowed and left Van Helsing standing there. Valoel was also grimacing as well. She had heard what the apprentice had said.

He just got back here! Cardinal Jinette wouldn't...! Valoel thought as her mind protestated. But she knew it will be useless at this point. Van Helsing will have to go and without her.

"Dad...? Daddy?" Valoel spoke and Van Helsing looked up at her direction. His expression told just about everything she was feeling; sadness and a hint of anger. Biting her lips, she ran towards her father and hugged him. Van Helsing hugged her back. Then Valoel lifted her head to face her father and small tears started creeping its way up her eyes.

"Dad, do you have to go?" Valoel said and sniffled.

Van Helsing smiled softly and brushed the tears away from her eyes.

"Let's see what happens, darling."

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"Would you reconsider, Cardinal?" spoke Carl with a slight frown on his lips as he glanced towards Valoel. She snuggled towards the two as much as possible, not wanting to let go of them. Her face expressed innocence and she was in the verge of tears. She hugged Van Helsing's right arm tightly as she looked up at the Cardinal pleadingly.

They were inside the Cardinal's office, sitting on wooden chairs. The walls were filled with two large shelves of books and papers of the assignments and papers he looked through, or will look through later. The Cardinal sat across the big wooden desk in front of them, and he was wearing a stern look on his face. His eyes would now and then look at Valoel, but he will look away with a hint of sadness and glance towards Van Helsing and Carl.

"I'm afraid it's impossible..." the Cardinal spoke and Van Helsing's hands clenched into a tightened fists. He got up, suprising Valoel and Carl. Eyes looking straight at the Cardinal, he shouted.

"Valoel needs us here to take care of her! Can't you at least give us a few days to rest?"

The Cardinal sat still in his chair, and his expression turned passive as Van Helsing sat back into his seat again.

"It saddens me to say I cannot give you the rest you need. And you do know it is all your responsibility for Valoel. After all, it was your decision to take care of her," the Cardinal replied dryly and the anger in Van Helsing sank.

Valoel, watching this, sniffled and spoke back. "Please..."

"No, child, I cannot. These men are the Knights of the Holy Order..." the Cardinal spoke and tried to smile, to comfort the girl, but Valoel only shed a tear at this.

"What is the urgent assignment that cannot wait for another few days?" Carl spoke, biting his lips.

The Cardinal's eyes flicked towards Carl and his lips parted to explain. "There is a pack of rabid werewolves that are starting to spread the curse through the towns the beasts feed upon. They leave some of the humans alive to turn into wolves. You must go to Belgium and stop these creatures from killing anymore innocents before the curse spreads any more further."

Valoel flinched at the word 'werewolves'. It was about these poor beasts again. So her father and uncle were going somewhere far again to defeat another pack of werewolves.

"Can I com-" Valoel began, rather hopefully but she was interrupted almost immediately by her Uncle and Father.

"No way will you come along with us!" Carl and Van Helsing said in unison, and fright, along with anger showed in their eyes. Valoel grumbled something under her breathe.

"The horses are already outside waiting for you. Carl shall be able to provide the weapons you need, no?" the Cardinal spoke and raised an inquiring eyebrow at Carl's direction. Carl nodded with a sigh.

"Very well then. We shall leave," Van Helsing spoke with a murmur as they gloomily left the office of Cardinal Jinette. As soon as they walked towards the hall and Valoel saw that no one was watching them, she burst into tears. Carl and Van Helsing looked suprisingly at her, sullen look on their faces.

"B-But! It's not fair! Why can't I go? I'm as much intelligible as Uncle Carl, and I'm skilled with a sword! Why? Is it because I'm a girl? Why, why? It's not fair!" Valoel sobbed, putting her face inside her hands.

Van Helsing put his hand on her shoulder, but Valoel brushed it aside with her hand, still sobbing. For the very first time hurt filled in Van Helsing's eyes as Valoel, without a word, ran through the silent hall. Her running footsteps echoed through the hall as she fumbled to twist the door of her room door. Finally it opened and she went in, bleary with tears and shut the door, disappearing out of Van Helsing and Carl's sight.

"She's just upset, Van Helsing. That's all it is. She never meant hurt you like that. She's not that kind of girl, you know that," Carl spoke, trying to comfort him, but Van Helsing's expression showed hurt. Van Helsing teared his gaze away from the direction of Valoel's room and gazed towards his friend with a weak smile as they got ready to depart.

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Valoel sat on her bed, drenching the sheets with her tears as she sobbed. She couldn't believe it. One minute she was happy to see her father and uncle here with her, and the next their going on another mission. Without her. That last thought stabbed her in the chest so hard she didn't have any more tears to shed. She knew her face was probably a mess, but she didn't care. She bit her lips hard. They were leaving...

If their leaving, I'm going with them rather they want me there or not! a determined voice shouted inside of her and Valoel agreed to it. She knew how to ride a horse well enough. As long as she followed them from a far distance, she won't be found by them. Perhaps after she thought it was the right timing, she'll tell them that she was with them all along. This time she won't let them leave her behind, she won't have it this time! She wasn't a child!

She grabbed for her clothes, wearing them, overlapping over her dress. The small corset around her tightened as she did so. Then he grabbed for her dark blue cloak, similar to the color of her own hair and grabbed her bag, stuffing her belongings for a journey. She put in a small sized edition of the Bible, a comb and small mirror, along with a few more to sustain her through the trip. Afterwards, she went over to the window and looked at her reflection. Her eyes were red from crying and her lips were trembling. She kissed the small golden cross around her neck, which was given to her by her father on her birthday and hid it behind her clothes.

Grasping for her bag, she went out of her room, her shoes echoing through the hall again as she ran through the Friary and out towards the stables. She gave a small gasp as she saw Van Helsing and Carl putting their bags onto their horses. Van Helsing's were filled with sadness, and it darkened his face. But it was hidden well by his wide-brimmed hat as they hoisted themselves on their horses. Carl looked worriedly at Van Helsing as they, without a word, let their horses run off outside into the outskirts of Rome.

Seeing her father and uncle had gone off completely, Valoel quickly ran to her own horse. Her own horse was smaller then Van Helsing's and Carl's, but much more beautiful and faster then any other. The creatures' manes were pure white, along with the color of its body. It neighed with greeting at seeing Valoel and Valoel smiled and inclined her head. Somehow, she acted around animals as if they were one of her kind. And they answered back to her reponse with kindness and understanding.

"Arushika, I must hurry. I need to follow those two people. They are my guardians. Please will you let me ride you?" Valoel asked and the horse thought for a moment before inclining its head in acceptance.

"Thank you, Arushika," Valoel spoke in gratitude as she put her belongings over the horse and hoisted herself up on Arushika's back. Her back felt soft and comforting to Valoel, but it was not the time to think it over. She let her hand brush through Arushika's manes like a human comb. Valoel bit her lip sharply to remind herself she need to hurry.

"Please follow them, Arushika! Hurry before we lose track of their steps!" Valoel whispers into the beast's ears and the beast huffed air and took off, out of the stables, letting her see the truth of the world for the very first time.