Author's Note: Yeah, I know, I don't own Van Helsing. I really wish I did, but I don't. Anyways, a big thanks to my faithful reviewers Dr. Lust and Celtic Aurora. Here's your chapter, everyone!
Seven
Melannen looked around the plains and sighed. She could see Sabrina's base from across the wide, unbroken horizon of the Western Plains. It was, however, nothing more than a tiny dot on the landscape. It would take at least another day's riding to reach it.
"It'll still take a while to reach the base," Shades was saying to Carl, "What I'm worried about is the fact that we'll be seen for miles in this empty place."
"That's true," Melannen said, "but I'd rather be seen and get there fast then be unnoticed and get there too late."
"Don't even say that!" exclaimed Shades, "We will be there in time!"
"I know," Melannen replied, "Believe me, Shades, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure of that."
The Caradocs opened the door to the cage that Van Helsing was enclosed in. Still a little groggy, he launched himself at them. But he was unsteady on his feet, and the Caradocs struck him hard, causing him to lose balance and fall to his knees. They barked something at him in their strange tongue, and kicked him when he did not respond. They yanked the archangel to his feet and held his hands behind his back. Van Helsing struggled and tried to kick his captors, but they dodged out of the way, still keeping a tight grip on his hands. Then, they dragged him out of the room.
They led him down a hallway, and Gabriel tried desperately to memorize a possible escape route: a right turn here, a left there, through the glass-less window on the north wall…but there was no way he could memorize it fast enough. In the next room, Sabrina sat on a high-backed chair, and for the first time, Van Helsing was able to get a good look at her.
She was clothed all in black, from the hooded cloak about her shoulders to her knee-high boots. Her hair was jet black, and her eyes were dark and cold. She spoke to him, and her voice was like ice.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the great Van Helsing," she said sarcastically, "What a surprise."
"What do you want?" he snapped back.
"I want you to answer a question for me," Sabrina replied, "If you give me the answer I seek, then you may go free. If you refuse, well then, I guess I'll just have to…persuade you to give me the answer."
Van Helsing did not think that he would like Sabrina's form of "persuasion" very much. "Fine," he said, "What is it you want to know?"
Sabrina looked startled. Apparently, she hadn't expected him to be so…cooperative.
"I'm not saying I'll tell you," the archangel added, "but if you like, ask me anyway."
The girl grinned sardonically and stood up. Van Helsing guessed that she might be sixteen or seventeen years old. "What I want to know," she said, "is this: What is the source of Melannen's psychic powers? I know you know what I'm talking about, so don't lie."
Van Helsing racked his brain for any sort of answer. He found none. "I don't know," he said softly, and he hoped that the girl would know that he was being truthful and let him go.
"Liar." The single word was spoken in a way that drove ice into Gabriel's heart. Fear suddenly gripped him, although he was sure not to let Sabrina see. What was this "persuasive method" she had mentioned? "Imperatus!"
"Stop." Melannen's tone surprised Shades.
"What is it?" the wolf-maiden asked.
Melannen didn't respond. She had her hands on her temples, as though she had a headache. Curious, Shades used her powers to see into her friend's mind.
The vision she saw was incredibly vivid. A voice that Shades recognized as Sabrina's called out a curse. In her mind, she saw Van Helsing, writhing in pain as the curse sent waves of agony through him. Several Caradocs had been holding his hands behind him, and they released the archangel as he crumpled under the sheer force of the curse.
Shades gasped, and the vision ended. Melannen was giving her a questioning look. Did you see what I saw? The look in her eyes asked.
Shades nodded. "What happened?" asked Carl, looking at both of them as though seriously questioning their sanity.
"Psychic vision," Melannen said shortly, "I can see what's happening in other places, but only in short glimpses."
"What did you see?" the friar asked, and Shades saw the pain and fear in her friend's eyes as she responded.
"Gabriel," she whispered, and Carl paled. "He's in pain. Sabrina's hurting him, Carl, hurting him badly."
"We'd better move faster," he said, and both girls nodded their agreement.
The curse Sabrina had set off ended, but Gabriel remained on the floor, agonized sobs racking his body. He'd never thought it was possible to feel so much pain so quickly. He longed for unconsciousness to take him, just to make the pain stop.
"Now," Sabrina's voice was hardly more than a dull echo in his mind. "Maybe you'd like to tell me what I need to know: What is the source of Melannen's power?"
"I've given you all the answer I can," Gabriel choked out, "I swear to you, I do not know the answer you seek."
"You are awful at lying, Gabriel," the girl replied coldly, "Imperatus."
Now, Gabriel let out a harsh cry of pain as the curse struck him, sending fresh waves of agony through his body. Nearly five minutes later, the curse ended, leaving the angel in a helpless heap on the floor, sobbing quietly and only half-conscious.
Sabrina felt no guilt, no remorse for what she had just done to the man in front of her. She wanted her answer, and she knew the archangel had it. She would cause him as much pain as it took to get an answer.
And then, Melannen would fall.
Author's Note: Wow, Sabrina is evil! I had no idea I could make someone so cruel! I almost feel guilty for writing this chapter! Unlike Sabrina, I do feel guilty when I hurt an innocent person, even if it's in a fanfic. Sorry Gabriel! Next chapter: Shades, Carl, and Melannen to the rescue! Hang on, Van Helsing!
