Gabriel set his small bag, containing a change of clothes and some flasks of water. He would carry his weapons inside his jacket as he usually did and he trusted Anna would have her sword at her side as she always did. He hated himself for what he was about to do; yet he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do for the children's sake. He wanted the children here, at Vaseria; it was their home and their forefathers before them, he didn't want them to have to leave. And he didn't want to be the one to tear them away or carry them out if they refused. He just kept telling himself: it was for their own protection.

He turned towards the bed once again and saw Anna with her bag beside her, fast asleep. They had been travelling the better half of twelve hours on horseback and with all the worrying; she had not let on how exhausted she really was. He sat down next to her and watched as her chest heaved up and down gently. She was so sacrificial. She put her own health on the line today to be with her children. That is what scared him so much, she never let on if she was injured or suffering until someone forced her too, and by then it was sometimes dangerous.

The worst time had been a few months after they had married. She had been looking a bit peaky for weeks, but she hadn't admitted to feeling unwell. She only ever told him how terrible she felt once, and that was when she was eventually bedridden with the highest fever Gabriel had ever seen or heard of. He never left her side and three times the doctors had told him to say his goodbyes as there was no hope, but three times he prayed non stop and three times she stayed with him. But if they had found out the weeks before when she should have told them, she could have been easily treated. However, as usual, she hadn't wanted anyone to worry.

He brushed a stray lock of hair from her sleeping face. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping, where nothing could get her. His hand moved from her soft curled hair to the rich smooth skin that covered her cheekbones. Even in sleep she recognised his touch, and smiled to herself as her eyelids slowly opened. She gazed up at him and placed her hand over his on her face, savouring his touch.

"Hey" she whispered. Her eyes filling with love and devotion as her husband smiled back at her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were so tired?" he asked, she could hear the hint of worry in his voice, it had been there all day, ever since they had found that animal blocking the path.

"I didn't realise it until I laid down" she admitted sleepily. There was silence between them for a moment, and Gabriel leaned down to kiss her lightly. It was moments like this that reminded her of her wedding day. The day she began her new family. It was one of the happiest days of her lives, just like her mother and father had told her theirs was, even though their own parents had arranged it.

So while her father was out chasing away werewolves and other such creatures of the night, her mother had been introducing her to suitors that she hoped Anna would like. Of course, they had all been rich and charming men, but there was always something about her that they didn't accept, like the fact that if there was danger, she would ride out to meet it rather than be rescued by a rich man. Another reason for it was because as soon as she kissed Gabriel, she had known instantly that this was the man she was destined to be with forever.

"You can go back to sleep if you want, we'll leave at dawn." She nodded and laid her head down on the pillow as Gabriel pulled the thick blanket over her resting form. He got up and walked towards the door, looking back at her as he closed it behind him.

He walked down to the twin's room, where he knew that all four children would be. He wasn't wrong either, as when he pushed the door open quietly, he saw them all sitting in the bed, and all asleep.

Alex's head was in Kate's lap, and Serena's in Scott's. Scott also had his arm protectively around Kate, even in sleep worrying about his little sister. Gabriel smiled and went back to wake Anna. He wanted her to see this. If they were sending the children away, he was glad that he could grant her one look at them all together in such an angelic state of appearance that she could hold on to until they were back home again.

As she gazed at her four children, she leaned backwards into Gabriel's chest for support. There was a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart that made her smile, this also made Gabriel smile. After a while, Anna pulled away and went to the side of the bed closest to her, where Alex and Kate were and got into the bed beside them, putting her arms around the ones she could reach. Gabriel followed suit on the other side with Scott and Serena. Serena, who had always been extremely lose to Gabriel, even more so than she had with her twin brother, sensed him next to her and curled up against him, just like Anna did at night, he kissed her forehead and let sleep take him. Here in this room, there was nothing to worry about, no vampires or darkness that would distract them from the love they had for the children.

Larissa and Neusha accompanied Devin to Dracula in his study. He had called to them when the moon came up and the castle was dark so he could explain his plan to them. Dracula sat at the desk fingering a dagger. When his dark wives and son entered the room he smiled evilly.

"My Lord" Larissa began in her thick English accent. "What is you plan, I was not aware there would be changes this close to the abduction of the children?"

"Gabriel Van Helsing killed some of my wives before. Verona and Marishka. I loved them well, and Anna Valerious in turn killed Aleera. Now the cycle is beginning again, starting with the death of Nakeisha. There are no changes to the plan my dears. You all know your places. The children are being taken to Rome tomorrow at dawn. Then the Van Helsing couple will come to us, searching us out for the threat we pose on their game of happy families." Dracula said, if there had been any emotion in his voice when he said this, it would have been dripping with nothing more than pure hatred and cruelty.

"Then what, Father?" Devin asked. Dracula looked at his son, who was starting to look so much like him, the same hair, the same eyes, it was truly a son to be proud of.

"We shall teach Gabriel what it is like to have his wife taken from him. And we shall kill her in front of him, and the children. Then, starting with the youngest, we shall take the children's lives too." Dracula turned and stared out the window to Vaseria in the distance. "He has taken the lives of my wives and children. When the tables are turned, lets see how much he like the pain."

Might take a while to update the next chapter as I am going on holiday to Wales and I'm not sure if they have the Internet on the computer up there. So I might do a lot of updating, and then hardly any, and then some more when I get back. Send all feedback to