Arene
watched as Van Helsing raised his arm as if he intended to point
towards her friend. Then she saw it. Strapped to his arm was a small
crossbow mechanism. He was going to kill Nicola! She acted on
instinct rushing forward and pushing his arm upwards just as the
small wooden bolt was released.
Nicola looked at Arene in
shock and even the Count could not hide a slightly startled reaction
to what was taking place!
"What are you doing?"
asked Van Helsing as he turned his back on the vampires to look at
Arene.
Van
Helsing looked down at the young girl with an expression of confusion
and slight anger. Arene could only look up at him with a look of
pleading. She took a breath and spoke,
"Please... don't
hurt Nicola," she said in a soft voice. "You don't
understand."
Van Helsing looked at Arene strangely.
"She
is a vampire!"
"She is my friend... my only friend,
" Arene said. Van Helsing's expression softened and Nicola
looked puzzled.
"I haven't had a real friend since my
family died... I haven't had anyone. Please don't hurt her. There is
still hope for her," Arene said quietly.
Van Helsing
looked at Arene and for a strange reason he could understand. He knew
he should have come to take her home with him years ago, but Dracula
would have only found her and killed her and he would not let her
die. Very slowly he lowered his arm. Arene smiled at him and he
smiled back and stroked her cheek. Dracula laughed.
"Ah,
Gabriel, your heart is just as weak as it was years ago,"
Dracula said, stepping towards them.
"And you're still
off your guard," Van Helsing said and with one mighty movement
he knocked Dracula off his feet and down a hallway. Nicola screamed
in fury and transformed into her bat form. Van Helsing tried to
shield Arene but she had already taken off down the long
corridor.
"Arene! No, come back!" Van Helsing called
to the girl.
"Don't hurt Nicola. I'll distract Dracula!"
she called back.
He was about to follow her when Nicola
blocked the exit.
"I
will not let you harm my master."
Van Helsing felt his
anger resurface.
"And
I will not let you or your master harm my Great-granddaughter!"
With
that, the two lunged for each other.
"I told Nicola I wouldn't hurt him," she reminded herself, "but I at least have to stop him from hurting Van Helsing if only for a while."
She turned the corner and walked down the long hallway, ready to move at the slightest movement. Reaching a fork in the way she stopped to try and get her bearings. Suddenly something struck her on her neck, causing the world to go black around her. The last thing she heard was a soft, cold laugh.
