(A/N: I don't own Van Helsing. Boy, I'm glad I got that off my chest.)

Chapter six

Liz's eyes fluttered open. She was lying in a four poster bed. Her hat was gone, along with her weapons. She sat up and looked around the room. It was stone with dark furniture. There were no windows and the only thing in it besides the bed was a small wardrobe, writing desk and chair, which her coat hung off of. Liz looked to her right to see a large pair of dark wooden doors. Liz pushed herself out of the bed and held onto the bed till she found strength in her legs. She let go of the bed and walked over to the doors.

She turned the handles, locked. Well, what else had she expected? Honestly, Dracula was stupid but not that stupid. In her opinion, Dracula was the lowest scum of the earth and a son of a bitch, and that was putting it lightly.

"Hello my dear." came a pleasant voice.

Liz swore and turned around to see Dracula smiling at her. "Do you know how much I would like to kill you right now?" Liz said giving him the look of death.

"Now, you're not being a gracious guest."

"Guest. You kidnapped me. I hardly call myself a guest." Liz didn't care if he was going to kill her eventually. Her blood had passed boiling point.

"Now, now, calm down." Dracula said walking toward her. Liz pushed her back up against doors to put as much space between them as possible.

"Can't we negotiate, not be hostile?" he said. He stopped about six inches from her. "I'm really not all that bad." he said touching her shoulders. Liz closed her eyes for a moment to keep from wincing and bit her lips together to ignore the pain.

"I would disagree." Liz said glaring at him.

"Soon, you shall agree with me."

"Why do I highly doubt that?"

Dracula pinned her to the wall and leaned down to bite her. Liz closed her eyes and waited for the end. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed against him. The door behind her flew open and Liz fell backward on the floor. She looked up to see Mike smiling at her.

"Hello." he said.

Liz quickly shot up and tried to get past Mike but he stopped her.

"Where are you off to?" Mike asked.

"Away from you." Liz snapped back.

Mike flung her back and Liz slid onto the floor.

"Until we meet again, my dear." Dracula said as he shut the door. Liz heard him turn the key as he locked the door.

Liz walked over to the bed and fell down on it. She buried her head in the pillow and screamed as loud as she could into it.

"Wow, that's a lot of stuff." Ali said looking at all the weapons in the Valerious arsenal.

"I suggest you take a lot of that 'stuff' as you put it." Bri said strapping on a sword with a beautiful gold hilt. "But take something that won't go off when you trip."

Van Helsing smiled at that comment. Ali took a sword and put it on as Anna put a dagger in her boot.

"Where do you think Dracula is? He wouldn't stay in the same place since you already know where to find him." Ali pointed out taking some silver stars.

"She has a point you know." Carl said with his nose buried in a book as he sat at a desk.

"Don't you think I knew that already?" Van Helsing said loading his pistols with silver bullets.

"Okay, now you're starting to sound like Liz." Bri said.

"And that's just plain scary." Ali finished leaning against the desk. Her hand missed the edge and she fell to the floor. Ali and Bri burst out laughing. Bri helped Ali up still smiling widely.

"Are you okay?" Bri asked trying to keep a straight face.

"Yeah" Ali replied. "I trip so much it's like I can't feel pain anymore, remember?"

"That might be a good thing." Van Helsing replied carrying his crossbow over his shoulder. Now, he got them back on subject. "My theory is he knows that I would know not to look in the same place twice, so I'm going to do just that."

"You're going to look somewhere else?" Ali asked.

"No, I'm going to look in the same place twice." Van Helsing said.

"So it's reverse philology." Carl said.

"Basically."

"Well, you have fun. I believe I shall stay here." Carl said returning to his book.

Anna and the girls shrugged.

"Let's go kick some vampire butt." Bri said smiling evilly.

Liz rammed her shoulder against the door. It budged a little. She was in extreme pain but ignored the throbbing sensation in her shoulder.

"I am going to get out." she grunted as she rammed the door again. She had put her coat on so she didn't have to go back and get it once she got the darn door open. This time, the door budged a little bit more. She walked back and rammed it again. This time it almost came open. Liz rammed it for all it was worth and the door burst open as the lock broke in half.

She grabbed her throbbing shoulder but smiled. She was out.

Van Helsing, Anna, Ali and Bri walked through the mirror and saw the castle.

"Wow, it's big." Ali said.

"Really? You think? I thought it would be small." Bri said with sarcasm filling her words.

"C'mon." Van Helsing said and they ran forward.

"How are we gonna get in?" Ali asked.

"That's an excellent question. I would like to know the same thing." Anna said turning to Van Helsing.

"I'm working on it." he said. He pulled out his grappling gun and some rope. He tied the rope onto the hook and fired the gun. The hook wrapped around one of the large spikes around the window.

"And now we climb." Van Helsing said with a smirk on his face.

The group climbed up and moved the rope to the inside of the window. They slid down into the entryway of Dracula's castle.

"Do we even know if anyone's here?" Ali asked. They began to hear large banging noises.

"Well, that's one answer." Bri said.

"We need to split up. Bri, Ali and Anna, you search the north tower and I will take the south." Van Helsing said and ran off.

Liz bolted off down a hallway. She had no idea where she was going but didn't want to be in this place. She decided to go on instinct and do her best to get out. She sprinted down the hall, quiet as a mouse with her coat billowing out behind her. She peered around a corner but quickly drew back. Dwerger were going about their own business, and she would hate to disturb it. She waited till their voices were off in the distance before she ventured out into another hall. She rushed onward and turned another corner. She stood there in shock for a moment. She couldn't believe what she saw.

Van Helsing ran up the steps to the south tower. He got to a small hallway that was dark and windowless with a high ceiling. The only light came from several small torches. Van Helsing was not alone, he could sense another presence. He slowly began to carefully walk down the hallway.

"Hello Gabriel."

He whirled around to see Dracula. "Fancy meeting you here." Van Helsing stated.

"I know what you have come for. I will not let you take her. She is an important part of my plan." Dracula said walking forward.

"And what would that be?" Van Helsing said walking backwards.

Mike appeared behind him with fangs out, but Van Helsing was to busy to notice. Van Helsing was backing up into a vampire.

Liz saw Van Helsing with his back turned to her and Mike behind him. Liz bolted forward without thinking. Van Helsing was pushed to the side as Mike sunk his fangs down, right in her shoulder.

Liz pulled away before Mike could suck anything out.

"Do you know how annoying you both are?" Liz said grabbing her shoulder.

Van Helsing couldn't believe it. Liz had saved him, but he couldn't concentrate on that right now. He quickly stood and grabbed Liz as he ran past the two stunned vampires.

"Now, we're even." Liz told him as they ran to the north tower. They found the others and bolted into the entry hall. Dracula was standing before the door with Mike at his side.

"Aww, man." Liz groaned. Van Helsing pulled her against him. He couldn't let Dracula take her.

"Give her to me Gabriel and you and your companions will pass safely." Dracula said.

"Now why would I want to do that?" Van Helsing said.

Dracula and Mike changed into their bat form and flew towards the group.

"Scatter!" Liz shouted. They all dived out of the way.

"Get to the door!" Van Helsing shouted as he pushed Liz toward the unguarded and half open doors.

The girls sprinted for the door. Anna was the first out followed by Bri. Ali was next. Liz stopped in the doorway to watch Van Helsing. He was getting tossed around pretty badly by Dracula and Mike.

"Liz, c'mon! We have to get out of here!" Ali shouted. Liz turned to her friend with a sad look in her eyes. Ali understood and nodded. Liz bolted back inside the castle.

Dracula was going for the final blow to Van Helsing. Liz shoved him out of the way and was thrown into the wall. She slid to the ground and fought the blackness trying to consume her. She shook her head out as she stood. Mike swooped down for her and Liz jumped over him. She turned to face him and kicked him in the face. He tried to grab her but she ducked and kicked him in the stomach. Mike fell to the floor as he turned into his human form.

He stood and punched Liz in the face. Liz countered with a block and balled her other hand up into a fist. She punched Mike, giving him a bloody lip to go with the bloody nose he got when she kicked him. Liz grabbed him by the collar and flung him back behind her.

Liz turned and got into a fighting stance with both fists raised. Anger flared up in her eyes. Mike rose and pulled something out of his jacket. It was a dagger. He lunged at her and Liz jumped to the side. She kicked and Mike ducked. He punched Liz in the stomach. Liz flinched but ignored the pain. She recovered with a blow to his face.

The night outside clouded over and lightning flashed as a storm began to rage. Rain began to pour down and the thunder rolled over the night.

Mike made a slash with the dagger and Liz jumped back. Mike still managed to tear her shirt but barely missed her stomach. Liz kicked him in the stomach as Mike sliced her left arm. Mike lunged and Liz moved to the side. She grabbed his arm under hers so he couldn't move it. Mike tossed the dagger into his other hand and cut Liz across the forehead as she moved away.

I have to get that dagger. she thought to herself whipping the sweat from her eyes. Liz tackled him to the ground and wrestled him for the dagger. Mike turned into his bat form and tossed Liz to the ground. As he did this, he accidentally dropped the dagger. It flew through the air and landed right next to Liz. She grabbed it.

"I have no time for you anymore." she told him. I have to get to Van Helsing. she finished in her mind. She tossed the dagger at him and it planted itself right in his heart. Mike just laughed till it began to glow with white hot light. His laughs then turned into the scream of agony as he died.

Liz whipped the combination of sweat and blood (from her cut) away from her eyes. She ran forward and scooped up the dagger. She heard a roar and looked to see Dracula turn away from the injured Van Helsing.

Liz swore. Dracula ran toward her with anger in his eyes. Liz threw the dagger at him. Dracula caught the dagger in the air. Liz's eyes widened and felt someone grab her around the waist. It was Van Helsing. He was moving faster than anyone Liz has ever seen. Van Helsing and Liz looked forward to see lightning strike as stone fell from the roof to block the door way.

"Hold on." Van Helsing told her as he jumped off the wall and up to the window above the door. He jumped down and let go of Liz. They both bolted off into the forest as they heard Dracula roar behind them.

"Where are they?" Anna asked pacing by the mirror that lead to Dracula's castle.

"Why did Liz go back in?" Bri asked turning to Ali.

"It was just something she had to do."

An image appeared in the mirror and Liz ran through. Van Helsing appeared a second later. Liz bent over panting.

"Liz!" Bri and Ali said walking over to help their friend. Anna went over to Van Helsing.

"What happened to you?" Bri asked looking at her bloody arm, shoulder and forehead.

"I fought with Mike and he had a dagger. I didn't, enough said." Liz said feeling something come up, and suddenly covered her mouth.

"She's gonna hurl." Ali said stepping back. A second later, it all came out of Liz's mouth. Liz whipped off her mouth still panting.

"When was the last time you ate anything?" Anna asked.

"About two or three days ago." Liz replied as Ali helped her to a chair. They heard footsteps as Carl came into the room.

He saw Van Helsing and then Liz. "My God, what happened to you?!?" Carl said running over to her. He stepped in Liz's last meal and slipped. His butt landed firmly in the middle of the puddle.

"Ewwww!" the girls said at the same time.

"That is gross." Bri said. Ali just made a disgusting face.

Liz pushed herself up out of the chair and staggered for a few moments, then steadied herself. She walked to her room, clinging to the wall the entire way. She opened the door to her room and walked in. She took off her coat and let it fall on the floor. She fell on the bed and closed her eyes. Liz heard something and opened her eyes.

She slowly tired to pushed herself up, but a hand pushed her back down. It was Anna. She was sitting on the side of the bed and smiling at her.

"You took quite a beating today." Anna told her unrolling bandages and opening a bottle of whiskey.

"Tell me about it." Liz said as Anna soaked a cloth in whiskey. She pulled Liz's shirt to the side and put the cloth on. Liz bit her lip at the sting she felt.

"You were lucky. You didn't get your blood sucked." Anna told her wrapping up her shoulder.

"What else did Van Helsing tell you?" Liz asked as Anna moved to Liz's head.

"How you killed Mike and how you saved him." Anna said calmly. Anna finished with Liz's head and moved onto her arm. When she was done, Anna rose.

"Stay here and Carl will bring you something to eat. Stay in bed, you need to rest." Anna said and shut the door.

Liz laid back staring at the ceiling. How had that dagger killed Mike? she asked herself. Then she remembered the dagger was glowing and what Van Helsing said about the powers.

"I guess that's what you get for being part angel. I guess I have the same blood he does too, otherwise, I guess it wouldn't work." she said to herself. Soon, Carl came in with a plate of food and Liz happily ate it.

"I don't want to Anna, you know I don't. It's the only way I can guarantee that they'll be safe." Van Helsing told Anna.

"What about Liz? She's done so much for you. You can't send her back without saying goodbye." Anna said.

"She'll live."

"But what about Carl and Ali, me and Bri? We've all grown so close! They've helped us get this close." Anna argued.

"Don't you see? Dracula has a plan that involves Liz, and maybe the other girls! We can't endanger their lives just to kill Dracula again. We can't do that!"

"Why would Dracula want Liz?" Anna asked with concern in her eyes.

"I don't know, he just does. I think it has to do with the kind of blood she has. It's exactly like mine was before the werewolf bit me."

Anna was silent a moment, then walked over and kissed Van Helsing on the forehead. "You're right. They must go back."

Ali and Bri walked into Liz's room. Liz saw them and smiled.

"Hi, how you feeling?" Ali asked as the two sat on the bed.

"Much better. It's amazing how a full stomach and a twelve hour nap can make you feel." Liz said smiling. Something dropped into Liz's lap and the three were enveloped in white light.

Seconds later, they were in Liz's living room.

"What happened?" Ali asked. Liz looked at the silver amulet in her hand. How could he do this? she thought. She roared out a reply.

"Van Helsing sent us back!!!"

(A/N: Wow, nine pages. Anyway, please review and no flames please. I hope you guys like this cause it took me three hours to write the fight scene.)