Van Helsing cautiously entered the Valerious manor making sure
everything was safe. He saw no sign of danger, but he felt evil inside.
Van Helsing turned to look towards the way where Anna's room was, and he
was about to run for her room when he heard footsteps behind him. Van
Helsing spun around to see a Victoria, in an elegant crimson colored ball
gown. "Welcome, Van Helsing," she told him. "Follow me."
Van Helsing was hesitant, but he saw that Victoria was not going to play games with him. Her gaze showed that she had powers and would use them if it came to that. So, Van Helsing followed her into the sitting room, where he saw a blonde man standing facing the window watching the clouds pass by the moon. "Welcome, Gabriel Van Helsing, I have waited a while to make your acquaintance."
Van Helsing saw the man turn around and bow in his presence. Then, he walked up to Van Helsing. "I am Adam Christophen." The man pointed to a blonde, curly haired girl. Van Helsing guessed she was related to Adam. "This is my daughter, Madeline."
Madeline walked up to Van Helsing and held out her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Gabriel Van Helsing."
Van Helsing nodded. "I'm sure it's a pleasure to meet you as well." Madeline smiled at his compliment. Van Helsing noticed that Adam seemed too young to have a daughter Madeline's age.
"Madeline, darling, could you leave the room?" Adam asked his daughter.
Madeline was confused by her father's request. "Why, father?"
"I have business questions for Van Helsing that does not need to be spoken in your presence." Adam told her.
Madeline gave up easily with just a sigh as she turned to leave the room. Van Helsing saw that her dress had a ridiculously large bow on her upper back. He almost laughed at the sight of her hair hanging over the bow. But, he held in his laugh to keep from being rude since he still did not know why he was there.
Adam cleared his throat after his daughter left the room. He watched Van Helsing for a moment, and he expected a question. "You're a bit young to have a daughter that age, are you not?" Van Helsing asked receiving a wicked smile from Adam.
Adam replied. "Yes, I guess I appear to be. But, I am not." Adam saw Van Helsing trying to sort that out, so he began to pace while telling Van Helsing, "I'll clear it up for you. I have not aged in eighteen years."
"That's impossible..." Van Helsing stated. "Unless... you are--"
"Undead." Adam finished Van Helsing's sentence. "Quite right, I am undead. Just look upon me, Van Helsing."
Van Helsing stared at Adam, who grinned to reveal his teeth. Van Helsing felt his rage return when he saw Adam's fangs. Van Helsing was sure he had rid the world of vampires the night he killed Dracula, so he was a little shocked to see a vampire before him. "This is not possible. I killed Dracula!" Van Helsing boomed.
Adam laughed. "Quite right, Van Helsing!" Adam answered back. "You did kill Dracula, and I was not pleased to hear of his death. But, I am not the same kind of vampire he was. I cannot transform into a monstrous bat. I am just in this form at all times."
Van Helsing pulled out his shotgun, which he had remembered to pick up off the ground before going to the front of the manor. He aimed the shotgun at the vampire in front of him. "Go ahead and shoot, Van Helsing." Adam told him. "It won't kill me. Shoving a stake through my heart, holy water, and sunlight is all that will kill me."
"Well, I am lucky to have a silver stake with me." Van Helsing replied as he threw down his shotgun only to pull a silver stake from his black leather duster.
Adam watched Van Helsing charge, but he dodged Van Helsing's attack. Van Helsing turned around to see that Adam was standing a few feet behind him. Van Helsing paused and pretended to put the stake away, but he turned and leapt for Adam. He thrust the stake out, but Adam held his arm off. "Good, I like to see that you are as strong as everyone says." Adam told him.
Van Helsing feared that he was in more trouble than he had expected to be in. "Are you going to kill me?" Van Helsing cut to the chase.
Adam laughed. "Of course I'm not going to kill you. You're too valuable to me to kill you. I have something you want back, and I will grant you that if you agree to a few terms first." Adam threw Van Helsing back into a large chair on the other side of the room. Adam looked over to Victoria. "Fetch the drinks," he told her. Victoria departed to retrieve the drinks, one that Victoria had cursed using the same incantation to curse Anna's drink.
Van Helsing was quiet for a moment as he gained his normal breathing back. "You have Anna, don't you? You disturbed her eternal peace--"
Adam cut in, "But that doesn't matter to you, does it Van Helsing. You want her back as much as you'd like to kill me, I can see it in your eyes. I know the feeling of losing someone I loved."
Van Helsing spat, "How does a vampire know love?"
Adam furrowed his eyebrows, and his green eyes glowed. "A vampire knows love just like a human. I loved a beautiful vampire named Lucy, who gave me the gift of eternal life. I had a cursed life anyway, not being able to be in the sun for a few minutes without dropping dead. The town treated me like I was evil, so I did not fear her bite. She gave me a life full of love, but soon she was taken from me by a man also named Van Helsing. Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, I do believe his name to be." Adam saw the baffled look upon Van Helsing's face. "But, he is no kin to you. Yet, hearing your name sent torrents of hate spiraling through me. I wouldn't have helped you had it not been for my daughter. I give her everything, since Lucy gave her life for Madeline to live."
Van Helsing saw Adam was telling him the truth, there were no lies in his body language, or the expressions upon his face. "Your daughter is a vampire, too."
"Yes." Adam replied with sad eyes that made Van Helsing uncomfortable to see. He didn't want to feel sorry for a vampire, a creature of darkness. "Madeline was born dead, but Lucy gave her life up to Madeline. She is such a peculiar child. She has a love for humans, a love that I never even had for them when I was a human. I was shown no kindness from humans, but Madeline wants humans to be shown kindness. I don't understand her. She wanted you to be happy, that is why I risked everything to rally a group of witches and bargain with them just to get here."
Van Helsing was quiet and was waiting for Adam to reveal more of what had been going on, but Victoria had returned. She picked up a drink and held it out to Van Helsing, who took it cautiously. He did not want to drink it because his instincts were telling him it was not a good idea. But, Adam took a glass from the tray and took a gulp out of it, but his glass was filled with blood. Even Victoria had a glass, and the glass was filled with the same contents as Van Helsing's glass. So, Van Helsing fell for it and drank from his glass. Adam and Victoria had no enchantment upon their drinks, but Van Helsing didn't know anything about an enchantment. Victoria smiled triumphantly to Adam because she could tell Van Helsing liked the flavor of the drink, just like Anna had.
Adam told Van Helsing. "Now, let us discuss the terms for an agreement."
Van Helsing stood and asked of Adam, "You swear you have Anna?"
Adam nodded. "She is here, waiting for you to come save her. She waits in her bedroom for you."
Van Helsing, who was already under an influence of the drink. "You know I almost went there first. But, this woman stopped me and forced me to come in here."
Adam smiled at the success the drink had upon Van Helsing, and he was glad that Victoria had such strong magic. "Ahh, she is not a woman, Van Helsing." Adam said touching Victoria's shoulder. "She is a witch, and a damn good one."
Van Helsing laughed, but did not really process what Adam had told him. The drink in his hand was quickly taking its toll. "A witch, yes, I did figure that when I saw that other one outside. Tabitha, I think her name was. She knocked Carl out, but she said she'd bring him in." Van Helsing took a drink from his glass. "Would either of you know if she did bring Carl in?"
Victoria crossed her arms and said, "He is being attended to at his favorite place here... the tower."
Van Helsing nodded. "Yes, he loves to acquire all the knowledge he can. He is a brilliant man, who helped me succeed in killing Dracula."
Adam steered the conversation back on track. "Anyway, you protect us against the Order that you work for, and we give you Anna." Adam looked over to Victoria, who knew that Adam was lying to Van Helsing. Adam had no intent on letting Van Helsing take Anna.
It was only a moment after Adam's request that Van Helsing's glass was empty, and Victoria took the glass from him. Van Helsing nodded. "Anything to have Anna back. I promise that the Order shall never have your lives."
Victoria pulled out a document stating that Van Helsing would protect them from the Order, but it mentioned nowhere about giving Anna up in return. "Sign this and we'll consider it done." Victoria told Van Helsing as she handed him a pen.
Van Helsing, under the influence of the enchanted drink, signed the paper without reading what it said. He handed the pen and the paper back to Victoria. "Like I said, I'll do anything to get Anna back."
Victoria handed Adam the signed document, and Adam folded it up and slipped it into a pocket inside of his jacket. Victoria took Van Helsing by the arm and led him out of the room. "I'll take you to Anna," she told him. She grinned wickedly knowing that Van Helsing no longer would have a will of his own until the drink's powers wore off. That would not be for a long time, which Adam and Victoria planned to have Van Helsing sent back to Rome. They would have to drug Van Helsing and Carl to get them back to Rome, but it was worth it just to have their plans fulfilled.
Madeline reentered the room where Van Helsing once stood, and she stomped over to her father. "Tell me what's going on," she demanded. But, Adam just glanced over to her and walked back over to the window. Madeline lowered her eyebrows and shouted, "What is going on?"
Adam spun around and stared Madeline in the eyes with a look of fury to match hers. "It is nothing that concerns you."
Madeline exclaimed, "This all concerns me! I am the reason we came here. Now, what is going on that I don't know about?"
Adam grabbed his daughter by the shoulders. "It is nothing you need to worry about, now go make sure that Van Helsing's friend Carl is being taken care of."
Madeline stared hard at her father, but gave in and left the room. Adam took a few deep breaths before finishing his glass of blood. Angrily, he threw the glass into the fireplace watching it burst into thousands of pieces. 'Did she really believe I would ruin my plans by letting her in on what I have in store?' Adam thought angrily, and he called in one of Victoria's coven. "Bring in a human, I'm in the mood for fresh blood," he said. The witch nodded and left the room.
Van Helsing was hesitant, but he saw that Victoria was not going to play games with him. Her gaze showed that she had powers and would use them if it came to that. So, Van Helsing followed her into the sitting room, where he saw a blonde man standing facing the window watching the clouds pass by the moon. "Welcome, Gabriel Van Helsing, I have waited a while to make your acquaintance."
Van Helsing saw the man turn around and bow in his presence. Then, he walked up to Van Helsing. "I am Adam Christophen." The man pointed to a blonde, curly haired girl. Van Helsing guessed she was related to Adam. "This is my daughter, Madeline."
Madeline walked up to Van Helsing and held out her hand. "I'm pleased to meet you, Gabriel Van Helsing."
Van Helsing nodded. "I'm sure it's a pleasure to meet you as well." Madeline smiled at his compliment. Van Helsing noticed that Adam seemed too young to have a daughter Madeline's age.
"Madeline, darling, could you leave the room?" Adam asked his daughter.
Madeline was confused by her father's request. "Why, father?"
"I have business questions for Van Helsing that does not need to be spoken in your presence." Adam told her.
Madeline gave up easily with just a sigh as she turned to leave the room. Van Helsing saw that her dress had a ridiculously large bow on her upper back. He almost laughed at the sight of her hair hanging over the bow. But, he held in his laugh to keep from being rude since he still did not know why he was there.
Adam cleared his throat after his daughter left the room. He watched Van Helsing for a moment, and he expected a question. "You're a bit young to have a daughter that age, are you not?" Van Helsing asked receiving a wicked smile from Adam.
Adam replied. "Yes, I guess I appear to be. But, I am not." Adam saw Van Helsing trying to sort that out, so he began to pace while telling Van Helsing, "I'll clear it up for you. I have not aged in eighteen years."
"That's impossible..." Van Helsing stated. "Unless... you are--"
"Undead." Adam finished Van Helsing's sentence. "Quite right, I am undead. Just look upon me, Van Helsing."
Van Helsing stared at Adam, who grinned to reveal his teeth. Van Helsing felt his rage return when he saw Adam's fangs. Van Helsing was sure he had rid the world of vampires the night he killed Dracula, so he was a little shocked to see a vampire before him. "This is not possible. I killed Dracula!" Van Helsing boomed.
Adam laughed. "Quite right, Van Helsing!" Adam answered back. "You did kill Dracula, and I was not pleased to hear of his death. But, I am not the same kind of vampire he was. I cannot transform into a monstrous bat. I am just in this form at all times."
Van Helsing pulled out his shotgun, which he had remembered to pick up off the ground before going to the front of the manor. He aimed the shotgun at the vampire in front of him. "Go ahead and shoot, Van Helsing." Adam told him. "It won't kill me. Shoving a stake through my heart, holy water, and sunlight is all that will kill me."
"Well, I am lucky to have a silver stake with me." Van Helsing replied as he threw down his shotgun only to pull a silver stake from his black leather duster.
Adam watched Van Helsing charge, but he dodged Van Helsing's attack. Van Helsing turned around to see that Adam was standing a few feet behind him. Van Helsing paused and pretended to put the stake away, but he turned and leapt for Adam. He thrust the stake out, but Adam held his arm off. "Good, I like to see that you are as strong as everyone says." Adam told him.
Van Helsing feared that he was in more trouble than he had expected to be in. "Are you going to kill me?" Van Helsing cut to the chase.
Adam laughed. "Of course I'm not going to kill you. You're too valuable to me to kill you. I have something you want back, and I will grant you that if you agree to a few terms first." Adam threw Van Helsing back into a large chair on the other side of the room. Adam looked over to Victoria. "Fetch the drinks," he told her. Victoria departed to retrieve the drinks, one that Victoria had cursed using the same incantation to curse Anna's drink.
Van Helsing was quiet for a moment as he gained his normal breathing back. "You have Anna, don't you? You disturbed her eternal peace--"
Adam cut in, "But that doesn't matter to you, does it Van Helsing. You want her back as much as you'd like to kill me, I can see it in your eyes. I know the feeling of losing someone I loved."
Van Helsing spat, "How does a vampire know love?"
Adam furrowed his eyebrows, and his green eyes glowed. "A vampire knows love just like a human. I loved a beautiful vampire named Lucy, who gave me the gift of eternal life. I had a cursed life anyway, not being able to be in the sun for a few minutes without dropping dead. The town treated me like I was evil, so I did not fear her bite. She gave me a life full of love, but soon she was taken from me by a man also named Van Helsing. Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, I do believe his name to be." Adam saw the baffled look upon Van Helsing's face. "But, he is no kin to you. Yet, hearing your name sent torrents of hate spiraling through me. I wouldn't have helped you had it not been for my daughter. I give her everything, since Lucy gave her life for Madeline to live."
Van Helsing saw Adam was telling him the truth, there were no lies in his body language, or the expressions upon his face. "Your daughter is a vampire, too."
"Yes." Adam replied with sad eyes that made Van Helsing uncomfortable to see. He didn't want to feel sorry for a vampire, a creature of darkness. "Madeline was born dead, but Lucy gave her life up to Madeline. She is such a peculiar child. She has a love for humans, a love that I never even had for them when I was a human. I was shown no kindness from humans, but Madeline wants humans to be shown kindness. I don't understand her. She wanted you to be happy, that is why I risked everything to rally a group of witches and bargain with them just to get here."
Van Helsing was quiet and was waiting for Adam to reveal more of what had been going on, but Victoria had returned. She picked up a drink and held it out to Van Helsing, who took it cautiously. He did not want to drink it because his instincts were telling him it was not a good idea. But, Adam took a glass from the tray and took a gulp out of it, but his glass was filled with blood. Even Victoria had a glass, and the glass was filled with the same contents as Van Helsing's glass. So, Van Helsing fell for it and drank from his glass. Adam and Victoria had no enchantment upon their drinks, but Van Helsing didn't know anything about an enchantment. Victoria smiled triumphantly to Adam because she could tell Van Helsing liked the flavor of the drink, just like Anna had.
Adam told Van Helsing. "Now, let us discuss the terms for an agreement."
Van Helsing stood and asked of Adam, "You swear you have Anna?"
Adam nodded. "She is here, waiting for you to come save her. She waits in her bedroom for you."
Van Helsing, who was already under an influence of the drink. "You know I almost went there first. But, this woman stopped me and forced me to come in here."
Adam smiled at the success the drink had upon Van Helsing, and he was glad that Victoria had such strong magic. "Ahh, she is not a woman, Van Helsing." Adam said touching Victoria's shoulder. "She is a witch, and a damn good one."
Van Helsing laughed, but did not really process what Adam had told him. The drink in his hand was quickly taking its toll. "A witch, yes, I did figure that when I saw that other one outside. Tabitha, I think her name was. She knocked Carl out, but she said she'd bring him in." Van Helsing took a drink from his glass. "Would either of you know if she did bring Carl in?"
Victoria crossed her arms and said, "He is being attended to at his favorite place here... the tower."
Van Helsing nodded. "Yes, he loves to acquire all the knowledge he can. He is a brilliant man, who helped me succeed in killing Dracula."
Adam steered the conversation back on track. "Anyway, you protect us against the Order that you work for, and we give you Anna." Adam looked over to Victoria, who knew that Adam was lying to Van Helsing. Adam had no intent on letting Van Helsing take Anna.
It was only a moment after Adam's request that Van Helsing's glass was empty, and Victoria took the glass from him. Van Helsing nodded. "Anything to have Anna back. I promise that the Order shall never have your lives."
Victoria pulled out a document stating that Van Helsing would protect them from the Order, but it mentioned nowhere about giving Anna up in return. "Sign this and we'll consider it done." Victoria told Van Helsing as she handed him a pen.
Van Helsing, under the influence of the enchanted drink, signed the paper without reading what it said. He handed the pen and the paper back to Victoria. "Like I said, I'll do anything to get Anna back."
Victoria handed Adam the signed document, and Adam folded it up and slipped it into a pocket inside of his jacket. Victoria took Van Helsing by the arm and led him out of the room. "I'll take you to Anna," she told him. She grinned wickedly knowing that Van Helsing no longer would have a will of his own until the drink's powers wore off. That would not be for a long time, which Adam and Victoria planned to have Van Helsing sent back to Rome. They would have to drug Van Helsing and Carl to get them back to Rome, but it was worth it just to have their plans fulfilled.
Madeline reentered the room where Van Helsing once stood, and she stomped over to her father. "Tell me what's going on," she demanded. But, Adam just glanced over to her and walked back over to the window. Madeline lowered her eyebrows and shouted, "What is going on?"
Adam spun around and stared Madeline in the eyes with a look of fury to match hers. "It is nothing that concerns you."
Madeline exclaimed, "This all concerns me! I am the reason we came here. Now, what is going on that I don't know about?"
Adam grabbed his daughter by the shoulders. "It is nothing you need to worry about, now go make sure that Van Helsing's friend Carl is being taken care of."
Madeline stared hard at her father, but gave in and left the room. Adam took a few deep breaths before finishing his glass of blood. Angrily, he threw the glass into the fireplace watching it burst into thousands of pieces. 'Did she really believe I would ruin my plans by letting her in on what I have in store?' Adam thought angrily, and he called in one of Victoria's coven. "Bring in a human, I'm in the mood for fresh blood," he said. The witch nodded and left the room.