(A/N: Okay, I'm now splitting my time between my stories and my songs for the brand new band I'm in. It's a rock band and not marching band, which I'm thankful for. I'm just a little bit busy. I' don't own Van Helsing.)

Valerious Manor

The little group walked into armory of Valerious Manor. Mara smiled widely when she saw all the weapons. Veta on the other hand, stared wide eyed in shock. She was fascinated by the weapons, which dated all the way back to the Mid-evil days.

"Can I look around?" Mara asked Anna.

"Of course you can. Just don't break anything." Anna replied. Mara's eyes glittered as she grabbed Veta's arm to dragged the girl behind her.

"Mara, slow down. The sharp pointy objects aren't going anywhere!" Veta shouted at her.

The two girls practiced with each weapon they could get their hands on. Naturally, that took hours. Mara spent most of her time teaching Veta how to use the weapons properly. The brainy girl never did get good at any of them.

They sat in the dark armory as they looked out the window to see the approaching storm clouds.

"Mara, do you like Van Helsing?" Veta asked out of the blue.

"Not in particularly. Why?" Mara asked as she stood. She walked over to a wall and inspected a sword.

"Just curious. You do look like him." Veta said.

"People also say I look like Anna. I don't put much stock in looks." Mara said.

"Well, you act just like him."

"No I don't!!" Mara shouted at her. Frankly, she didn't like being compared to a reckless, arrogant, sarcastic, (her list went on and on…and on some more) monster hunter.

"You do like shooting stuff a lot." Veta pointed out.

"It comes with the training."

"Well, I was thinking…you two have a lot in common." Veta started.

"Veta I'm sorry, but…just thinking about him makes me angry. The only reason he is here with me is because the Cardinal thinks I wouldn't be able to handle Dracula on my own. The Cardinal thinks I'm to young and incompetent to do anything on my own besides take on warlocks!" Mara ranted.

"Well, there was that one time you were almost bitten by a werewolf." Veta pointed out.

"That was a long time ago! It was even before I was in the Order!!" Mara argued.

"But.."

"Veta, drop it."

Veta sat in silence, stunned. Mara sighed as she put on her hat. The aggravated teenage girl walked out on to the balcony. She leaned on the rail as she looked up at the full moon.

Clouds flew over the moon, making the night even darker. Thunder sounded and it began to rain. Mara remained still and unmoving. Her hat was lowered over her eyes and her coat pulled tight around her to keep the rain out.

Mara glanced to her left and to her right. At each end of the balcony were stone gargoyles. Mara could tell there used to be one in the center but it had fallen off. The girl stood up on the pedestal and sat in a crouch. She looked to be made of stone herself. Mara sat perfectly still, her eyes locked on the river below.

Mara just then sensed something, evil. A werewolf jumped up on the balcony next to her. Mara sat unearthly still. Not even her chest moved from her breathing. The wolf went inside and Mara waited a few moments.

The small monster hunter jumped down off the pedestal and ran inside the armory, gun drawn.

"Anna!" she heard Van Helsing shouted. Mara cocked her gun, ready to fire at will. Mara ran around and heard a scream.

"Veta!" Mara shouted and ran for the scream. Mara turned a corner by the wall. There was a flash of brown and next thing she knew, Mara was being pushed through the glass doors of the balcony. Glass shattered all around her from the push as her gun went off. Mara was flung off the balcony. The girl grabbed the railing as the thing that pushed her fell to the ground.

Mara pulled herself up and ignored the cold of the freezing rain that was quickly turning to snow. She set foot on the balcony when Van Helsing ran out, gun up.

"The wolf is heading toward the village. If we hurry we can catch it." Mara said rushing past him back inside. Van Helsing was inches behind her.

"Veta, stay here." Mara ordered her as she passed her.

"Why does it smell like wet dog?" Carl asked.

"Werewolf!" Van Helsing said.

"Ah, you'll be needing silver bullets then." Carl said tossing him and Mara a small white box.

"Well done." Mara told him as she lowered her hat over her face.

Mara and Van Helsing wandered the streets of Vaseria looking for the werewolf. Their guns were loaded with the silver bullets that Carl had given them. Mara walked with hers held out in a similar fashion as Van Helsing. The monster hunter glanced down at the girl beside him. It was amazing, she gets pushed through a glass door by a werewolf. Not only was she not harmed, but she goes after it already knowing the power it holds. No wonder she was the youngest agent in the Order.

"You are the only person I know who would hunt a werewolf after it almost kills them." Van Helsing told her.

"Why get mad? You can get even." was Mara's reply.

Van Helsing smiled at this…till the sense of evil approached. He walked slowly through a cloud of smoke. Mara followed him. She could sense the evil as well. It's what the training did for anyone who went through it, that and she was naturally good at it.

A flash of fur dashed behind them. The two whirled around, guns raised. There was nothing.

"Who's hunting who?" Van Helsing asked with his eyes narrowing to see through the darkness. A noise from nearby caused the two hunters to twist around the corner and slam their backs against the wall.

"This is a little tight for me,"

Van Helsing and Mara pointed their guns in the coffin to see the Undertaker.

"But for you it's a perfect fit." he said stepping out and pictured Van Helsing in the coffin. He grabbed a shovel and walked into the graveyard.

"I see the wolf man hasn't killed you yet." he shouted back to them.

"Don't worry," Van Helsing said. "he's getting to it." The two followed the Undertaker into the cemetery, guns raised.

"It's a little late to be digging graves." Van Helsing said as the two watched him begin a fresh grave.

"Never to late to be digging graves. You never know when you might need a fresh one." the Undertaker said. He swung his shovel and Van Helsing caught it four inches before Mara's face.

"Oh, sorry. It's just…my nature?" he tired unconvincingly.

"Here's mine!" Mara shouted and grabbed the shovel. She hit the Undertaker across the head and dived out of the way as the werewolf pounced. The wolf hit the Undertaker killing him as he rolled into an empty grave.

Van Helsing aimed and fired.

"No!" someone shouted and knocked his pistols upward, causing him to miss. It was Anna. Veta came running up behind her.

Van Helsing grabbed Anna by the neck and held her up against the wall.

"Why?" he demanded.

"Stop it!" Veta shouted. "She didn't do anything!"

"You're choking me." Anna replied bashing his arm trying to free herself.

"Give me reason not to." Van Helsing replied.

"I can't…if people knew…" Anna started.

"Van Helsing, let her go!" Mara shouted at him.

Van Helsing walked away angrily.

"He's not your brother anymore Anna!" he shouted turning away from her.

"You knew?" Anna asked him.

"I guessed." he replied.

"Before or after I stopped you from shooting him?" Anna asked advancing on him.

"Before." he said and turned back to face Anna. Mara moaned at his stupidity. Veta just shook her head.

"And still you tried to kill him?" Anna shouted.

"He's a werewolf! He's going to kill people!" Van Helsing shouted back.

"He can't help it! It's not his fault!"

"I know, but he'll do it anyway!"

"Do you understand forgiveness?" Anna asked him. The question caught Van Helsing off guard.

"Yes. I ask for it often." he replied softly.

"This is news to us, how?" Mara blurted out.

"Will you be quiet." Veta told her.

"Just giving my opinion." Mara replied.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened back in the armory. Will you forgive me?" Veta asked.

"Of course I will. Do you think I'm that heartless?" Mara asked smiling. Veta smiled in return.

"I despise Dracula more than you could ever know. He has taken everything from me, leaving me alone in this world." Anna said near tears.

"Anna." Mara said face softening.

"To have memories of those you loved and lost is perhaps harder than to have no memories at all." Van Helsing replied.

"Anna, you're not alone. You still have me and there is always Veta." Mara told her.

"Alright Anna, let's look for your brother." Van Helsing said. Anna smiled. Mara's eyes glittered.

"And the hunt continues." she whispered to herself.