Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Van-Helsing (sigh) but I do own Leah.

Oh my goodness I'm so sorry I haven't updated in ages and I promised I would. I hope you're still out there to read this. Well this chapter is longer that usual so let's dive straight in. Please R no flames please. Oh and a belated Merry Christmas.

Chapter 6 Dinner and Disappearance

LPOV:

She walked down the stairs and tried to re-navigate to the banqueting room. However after ten minutes she was still lost, the place was like a warren! "Looking for something?" asked a smooth voice, she gasped as Dracula dropped elegantly from the ceiling. "Yes" Leah said under her breath "but not you". "You shouldn't say things like that, not after I apologised", his chuckling infuriated her. Leah glowered at him and turned her head away.

DPOV:

He noticed the awful bruise which he had inflicted. The sight made his stomach churn and he reached out to heal it. He wasn't going to give up even though she stepped away and tried to hit him. It was a risk but by the time her hand reached anywhere near his face Dracula had healed the bruise and caught Leah by the wrists transporting them to the banqueting room. He thought he would make an effort to prove to Leah that he repented and pulled back a chair for her. He growled when she took a chair across the table from the one he had pulled out but sat down; he knew he couldn't afford to let himself unleash his fury again.

LPOV:

In an effort to avoid Dracula's eyes Leah looked around the room. She was seated at a beautifully carved table its feet carved like lions' paws. Leah turned and looking over her shoulder noticed the huge focal point of the back wall, a magnificent Italian marble fireplace. No fire burnt within it but, Leah thought, this was hardly surprising. Suddenly she felt a sense of something burning into her back and turned to look into Dracula's eyes, she scowled, he had such beautiful blue eyes. Leah shook her head; what was she thinking?!

DPOV:

He laughed inwardly at the look of horror on her face as she realised what she had been thinking. He clapped his hands and dinner was served. Dracula surveyed the woman on the opposite side of the table over his goblet. "You should eat something" he said, she just looked away from him "no, really!" he commented. "I'm not hungry" came the reply through gritted teeth. It was at that time her stomach began to growl betraying her and causing Dracula's smirk to grow. He picked up a plate, held it out to her.

LPOV:

She reluctantly picked up some chicken and began to eat. The food really wasn't half bad but it would have been better had Dracula not had his eyes boring into her. She waited until he had his head turned quickly placing the only sharp instrument on the table, a carving knife, underneath her napkin. Leah was slightly suspicious; Dracula seemed not to have noticed her actions and yet what she had done was hardly conspicuous. For that moment she decided to let it lie. Dracula turned his head back round to face her with what she thought one might called calm calculation; his gaze wasn't entirely focused and he wouldn't let her catch his eye this made Leah even more worried. What would happen if her plan backfired?

DPOV:

Dracula had to avoid Leah's gaze to stop his inward life becoming outwards. He had thought it would be fun to give him a chance to harm him, so he had turned his head so it looked as though he was searching for something .He had heard her pick a knife up and turned his head slowly as to give her time to hide her weapon of choice. It was hardly the most original idea (she had been watching far too many period films he thought) but it was better than the silver stake or crucifix act. He began to rise from where he was seated and held out his hand to Leah. However, in the space where she should have been sitting was empty he whipped his around but she wasn't there.

A Dare and a Duel

DPOV:

He turned around and felt and impact where his cold dead heart lay. He looked down at the knife in his chest and then at the woman in front of him. Her eyes flashed with fury and sadness and a single tear rolled down her cheek and he realised that after all he had done he deserved this. He removed his coat, all the time keeping Leah's gaze, he revealed a white open necked shirt and he gently pulled the knife out through the layer of cloth and threw it along the floor behind him. "Neither silver nor the point of a blade can hurt me" he tried but failed to keep the amused tone from his voice "But I do admire your initiative and your metal, so to speak". He laughed, cold, heartless and he felt Leah's heart beat unsure whether to slow or speed up in preparation for flight.

LPOV:

Leah was taken aback when Dracula took her hand and kissed the back of it. She had had enough of him and made to turn in an effort to sweep out of the room. She failed however as Dracula grabbed her from behind. Leah froze as she sensed him lean in and felt his breath upon her ear. "Do you know how to sword fight Leah?" Leah had become very good at fencing and had even chosen it as a sport to specialize in for GCSE and AS level PE and she thought that sword fighting must be similar. She turned to him keeping a comfortable distance between them and replied coldly "Yes, but I prefer horse riding, furthermore, I don't suppose you'd fight a woman".

DPOV:

He led Leah into a room off of the dining room and removed a sword from the wall. He turned and ran the blade suggestively from Leah's abdomen to underneath her chin. As he removed the blade he lent in "That depends on what the bet is". He watched Leah's eyes flash with panic as she swiftly replied "No bet, but….. I dare you! Dracula stepped back spreading his arms in a rather melodramatic gesture and said "Well! I can't say no to a dare".

LPOV:

As Leah tried to find a way out of the present situation she found herself in she finally glanced around the room. Her jaw dropped in awe the room was definitely an Armoury with weapons spread across the walls from axes and swords to bows. After trying a few for balance and after ensuring the one she had finally picked wasn't too heavy for her to wield she turned to face her adversary. The sword she had chosen had a ruby the size of a quail's egg set into the end of it although this was a detail at the time that Leah overlooked.

"Funny you should choose that sword", she rolled her eyes at him; "Why?" she spat. "Firstly because your sword and mine are identical if you don't count the weight difference" Leah stepped back the hint of red in his eyes didn't bode well. "Secondly because in these swords are locked the souls of two ancient lovers. When the two swords fight and the male partner wins the souls are released, and they bless the one who released them by connecting him and his chosen partner together." No, she was right this sounded worse and worse every second that slipped by. "Meaning they become destined to marry or be united for all eternity" he finished casually brushing away the end of the sentence. Leah went to put the sword back and find another where the bond didn't lie but the blade wouldn't return to where it resided on the wall. "No, now you have chosen that blade my dear we must fight". She turned to and readied herself. "Let's begin"

Well there it is my new chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Please R&R, no flames please