"It was always at night, right before midnight while I was asleep. The first attack didn't even seem like an attack, just a bad dream. It was at the beginning of this month, October. The brides all came to me, extremely angry. They said I had no right to their master's love and should have died with him. They asked why I deserved to live when they all perished. I awoke before I could answer. The next night it got worse because of a full moon. The brides became clearer now and they stopped asking questions, they could read my mind. Marishka lunged for me and scratched my cheek. I woke up crying and couldn't go back to sleep... especially when I saw the mark. Every night got worse, especially when the moon was full. They said it was because that was the night their master died. All the dreams took place back at Castle Dracula and I couldn't run away because they could fly... and...," Nicola stopped. She had begun to cry and couldn't control her sobs. Arene wrapped her arms around her friend and held her tightly. She felt like she was comforting an older sibling. Nicola hugged her back tightly and tried to continue.

"The worst attack was tonight, after you left. They actually came to me and I wasn't dreaming. They came at me with full force. I thought I was going to die before you and Van Helsing came to help me. I think they only come to me, but they will appear to any who protect me. They know about you too, Arene. They know you're Van Helsing's daughter and Carl's goddaughter too."

"That doesn't matter to me," Arene said. "Anything else, anything at all? I thank you with all my heart for telling me this. I know it was hard. I'm gonna help you, Nicola. This will stop."

Nicola smiled a sad smile and hugged her friend tightly as both girls began to cry. Just then, Van Helsing and Carl approached them. They both had soft expressions on their faces, as they knew what had just happened and how hard it had been... for both of them. Carl held the salves in his hand.

"So... what happened?" Van Helsing asked in a gentle voice.

"There's no need to make the poor girl go through it again," muttered Carl tersely. "Arene will tell you what you want to know while I take Nicola off and deal with these cuts."

This said he ushered Nicola into a small anteroom as Arene and Van Helsing looked on.

Arene smiled to herself. Her godfather seemed to have forgotten his earlier dislike of her friend and now he seemed almost as protective of Nicola as he was of her! She was pleased. Nicola and her were more than just good friends; they were almost like sisters after all they'd been through together.

"So," Gabriel said at last, "tell me all she said..."

"This might sting a bit," stated Carl as he went to rub some of the salve onto her sore back. He was shocked at the extent of what he saw there. The writing was clearly visible and was red and angry looking. A sudden need to protect the young woman had come over him. He'd put aside his earlier anger and decided he quite liked her. She had an eager mind and was as obsessed with books as he was!

He sighed a little then started to carefully tend to her wounds.

Van Helsing and Arene had finished their discussion when Carl and Nicola returned and were pouring over some dusty scrolls.

"I think the first thing to try," Van Helsing concluded as they arrived, "would be a good old-fashioned exorcism. Carl," he continued, turning to his friend, "do you think you could cope with that?"

"Cope with that?" returned Carl with indignation. "I'll have you know that I am a foremost source of knowledge on the art of exorcism. I have read every book ever written on the subject."

"Good," replied Van Helsing, ignoring his friend's ire, "then we have nothing to worry about. We might as well get on with it straight away. No time like the present. You sort out what you need Carl and meet us back here in an hour."

"Very well," said the friar before turning to Nicola. "I'm sure this will work my dear and this nightmare will soon be over."

"Thank you, Carl," responded Nicola quietly.

They watched as the friar scurried from the room to prepare.