Arene heard the Count's words and they stung her in the heart. She had been happy when she had brought him back and the look on Nicola's face made her glad. But her father and godfather now looked at her in shock. Arene looked down at her bloodstained hands... her blood. Her heart fell as her father stared at her. She couldn't look at him. She knew he hated her... they all hated her.

"Excuse me," she whispered and left the room. Dracula smiled.

"You have such a charming daughter, Gabriel. Do tell me - how do you feel knowing she was the one to bring me back?"

Van Helsing's rage only grew. He charged for the Count and looked him straight in the eye.

"If you... lay one finger on her while you are here... I will never let you rest," he said with venom. "She may have done this...," his eyes fell upon Nicola, "but it was not without reason."

He turned away from the Count and left the room. Carl followed, glancing back at Nicola before he left. His heart was torn at leaving but he knew his godchild needed him. Nicola looked back at her Lord and smiled though her smile was tinged with worry.

"I have missed you so much," she said, kissing him passionately.

"Ah, my bride," he whispered, "I have missed you so dearly. My dear one..." he said, wrapping her in his cloak.

The two stood there in the room, letting the feeling of each other set in.

Van Helsing and Carl walked up the stairs to the main hallway of the Vatican; the church area. Van Helsing saw the blood spots on the floor and knew to whom they belonged to. He walked forward towards the alter and saw Arene on her knees praying.

"Dear God," he could hear her whisper, "please forgive me for what I have done. I have brought back the son of the devil in an attempt to save my friend. Please don't close the door of heaven on me. I pray that I suffer for this horrific sin and that many shun me. However, I must ask one thing - let my father and godfather continue to love me. I have lost the meaning of family so many times... and I have only regained it with them. All of my foster parents hated me... they said I was a freak! I love Van Helsing and Carl so much... but I have caused them so much pain. God in heaven... please forgive me. Please don't let them turn their backs on me... and let Nicola forgive me," she continued in a low voice before she began to cry, her blood washed away by her tears.

"God in heaven... what have I done?"