Chapter Ten: The Fears of a Monster Slayer
The original plan is that you would travel for a total of three days and rest for a total of three nights. The plan laid ahead of you now, is to ride all night, then ride all day, then ride all night again, and, if you are lucky, you will be at the Courts of Andume at dawn. You are not entirely sure you are be able to handle it, but you figure at least Van Helsing is always on guard…right?
So you ride on through the woods. Carl keeps looking about and whimpering, and asking occasionally if Van Helsing thinks that Dracula is going to appear out of nowhere and kill all of you. Van Helsing calmly replies, every time: "No, Carl. I think Count Dracula prefers to attack friars when they are a bit closer to his property." You chuckle to yourself every time you hear this response and focus your attention on the path ahead.
It is a very tranquil night. The air is completely still, the stars are burning brightly overhead, and the waxing gibbous moon is rising. The sleeping trees reach their black limbs up into the dark, velvety sky. Everyone is quiet. Though to you, this seems like the calm before the storm. You figure there will be at least two nights of this silence before hell is unleashed.
Dracula has taken your city. You are getting it back.
Van Helsing rides up beside you. "Carl is getting on my nerves," he murmurs into your ear. You giggle. Carl is now complaining to Vladimir.
"You see, we just finished this mission, three years ago! And now, we have to do it again!" Carl says to Vladimir.
"Dracula doesn't die," retorts Vladimir. Van Helsing rolls his eyes and turns back to you.
"So, what do you say we ride ahead a bit and have a little chat?" He asks. You look at him. His eyes are sincere.
"Sure," you say. Vladimir and Carl are quite indulged and they do not seem to notice when you and Van Helsing ride ahead.
"I want to apologize…" Says Van Helsing in a low voice.
"Apologize?" You repeat.
"I've been treating you… I've been treating you like I've known you forever," he states, looking into your eyes.
"If it makes you feel any better, I feel as if I've known you forever," you reply modestly, blushing slightly and looking away. He is smiling at you.
"But it isn't right. I have not known you forever," he says, "I shouldn't…I shouldn't…" He fumbled.
"You shouldn't treat me like you wanted to treat Anna?" You ask, trying not to show that you are hurt. He looks into your eyes.
"No, that's not what I mean. I shouldn't go so far so soon… it's just… ever since Anna, I have this fear… and that is if I do not act now, am I going to have the chance to in the future," he states, looking at you earnestly.
"I understand," you say, looking back at him. He puts a hand to your waist and looks deep into your eyes.
"I don't want to hold back…" he says, "But I don't want to lose the opportunity to let go…"
"No one wants to lose the opportunity. No one expects to, either," you respond, staring at him. He seems to lean closer with every word, so you continue slowly, "Sometimes things just are not meant to be…" He leans forward and kisses you passionately, pulling you close.
"What about things that are…and things that are to be?" He asks quietly, holding you tightly in his arms.
"Then they are, and they will be," you reply softly, holding onto him, "Nothing can stop such things. You just have to believe."
"I believe…" he whispered, "I'm just afraid." You draw away, taking the reins of your horse into your hands once more.
"Van Helsing the monster slayer? Afraid?" You smile at him, "I think you are lying to me, Gabriel." He smiles back at you.
"I never lie," he states.
"Wait for us!" Carl is yelling as he and Vladimir canter up to join you. Carl pulls Van Helsing away, bubbling over excitedly about some great issue he is having with the trip. Van Helsing smiles at you mysteriously as Vladimir takes you aside.
"What was that about?" Asks Vladimir in a low voice. You look at him.
"Personal issues," you state.
"I'm sure that kiss was real personal," states Vladimir coldly.
"I think you're jealous," you say, looking ahead.
"Maybe I am. At any rate, I'm not too worried about a little romance on the job. Business relationships never work out," he says, riding beside you.
"If you could predict the future, I would listen to you," you say, frowning.
"Well then listen to me, Mira. Don't fall in love with Van Helsing. You're just going to get hurt or die, like Anna," says Vladimir.
"I am not," you say defiantly.
"You think you and Anna are so different, but you are not," says Vladimir, "Hell, you're practically the same person. You have the same purpose, the same capabilities, and the same weaknesses. Don't pretend you don't know what it's like to be Anna." You shake your head and try to ride ahead a bit. He catches up with you. "Do you know how Anna died, Mira?"
"No, and I don't wish to," you say, fixating your eyes angrily on the path ahead.
"Van Helsing killed her. He turned into a werewolf and he killed her, Mira," says Vladimir.
"Vladimir!" Calls Van Helsing, "Leave her alone. Come here, Mira." You ride over to Van Helsing, who shoots Vladimir a contemptuous look. Van Helsing glances at you but he doesn't say anything. Carl is silent for once.
"Did you really kill her?" You finally whisper. Van Helsing doesn't answer. "Gabriel, I swear to God, if you killed her…"
"It was an accident, Mira," says Van Helsing steadily, "I was attacked by a werewolf. I was destined to become that which I hunt. I told her not to get in my way, but she did. She saved me, but she died in the process. It's something I can't help." You are silent.
"Are you going to kill me?" You whisper finally. He gives you an incredulous look.
"I just told you, Mira, I didn't mean to kill her," he re-explains.
"That's not what I mean," you say, looking ahead with tears in your eyes.
"Well, what do you mean then?" He asks.
"Are you destined to destroy me, Van Helsing? I'm sure you were destined to destroy her. Otherwise, I'm sure she would have lived, especially if she were like me," you rant. He is quiet.
"If I am destined to destroy you, I will find out ahead of time and send you far, far away…because I would never wish to harm you in any way, shape, or form," he finally says.
"Promise?" You ask, looking at him.
"I promise and I swear to the heavens," says Van Helsing, smiling at you. "Je t'aime trop. Je ne peux pas te destruire."(I love you too much. I cannot destroy you).
"Alors, ne le fais pas," you reply, not looking at him. (Very well then, don't).
"Stop speaking in French!" Exclaims Carl.