(A/N: I'm back finally and for reviews.
Artemis 1860: Glad you like the feelings and such. Here's another update!
Kat Hawkins: Glad you 'REALLY likey.' Is this soon enough?
elwin 16: Now it's getting' good.
Ladies and gentlemen, hold on to your seat belts. I don't own Van Helsing)
Valerious Manor (finally a different place!)
"So you're saying the pictures came to life?" Mara asked. Carl had just told them about what he saw in the library.
"What does it mean?" Van Helsing asked.
"I don't know." Carl replied. "What about this monster?" Carl asked. Van Helsing had filled him in on who they had met.
"Frankenstein, he wants to be called Frankenstein. Not, this monster." Veta corrected.
"Say what you want, I'm still calling him Frankie." Mara replied. Veta rolled her eyes.
"Now Carl, what-ever you do, don't stare at him." Van Helsing instructed and open the coach door.
"I'm staring at him." Carl said immediately and quickly placed his back up against the coach. "Is that a man?" the friar asked shocked.
"Yes." Veta said as she passed him and took a seat opposite Frankenstein.
"Actually, it's seven men - or parts of them anyway." Van Helsing said shoving Carl in inside the coach next to Veta. Anna shut the door.
"Nothing is faster than Transylvanian steeds, not even a werewolf. Anything else, you're on your own." she said smiling at him. Van Helsing returned the smile as she walked off.
"Ohh." Mara said with a mischievous grin on her face.
"What?" Van Helsing asked turning to her.
"You like her don't you?" Mara asked.
"No." Van Helsing replied immediately.
"Sure, you keep telling yourself that." Mara said smiling as she climbed into the drivers seat.
Mara rode with Anna next to her. Carl stuck his head out of the window.
"Are we there yet?" he asked.
"No Carl. It's only been a day." Mara shouted back. Carl stuck his head back in the coach. Mara suddenly got a bad feeling.
"Anna, I'm finding Van Helsing. I have a bad feeling." Mara told her and the girl jumped onto the horse below her. She jumped to the lead horse and unhooked it. Mara guided the horse down the trail. Soon she heard a growl. Mara drew her pistol and turned to see the werewolf. She fired three shots. Two hit him in the shoulder and the third in the leg. The third shot took him down and caused Mara to escape.
Mara found a bridge and Van Helsing with the team of horses. He was on the lead horse. The two heard Verona scream as she died.
"One down, one to go." Mara said.
"Why did you come?" Van Helsing asked her.
I was worried about you. Mara thought. No, she wouldn't admit it.
"I wanted to make sure you weren't dead." Mara replied smirking as they saw Anna's coach race out of the woods. Van Helsing and Mara both jumped up to the driver's seat. Van Helsing and Anna smiled at each other.
"Wolf!!" Mara shouted. Van Helsing and Anna dived to the side and Mara jumped down on one of the horses. The wolf smashed the lamps on the carriage, causing the roof to burst into flame. Mara saw Van Helsing fall.
"Van Helsing!" she shouted. She clambered into the driver's seat and bent down to try and reach him. Van Helsing reached up toward her while he still gripped onto the step. Mara leaned down further. She almost had his hand. The axle broke and Van Helsing closed his eyes as he raced toward the wheel.
Frankenstein had leaned down and caught him. The monster lifted Van Helsing up to get Mara's hand. The girl pulled him up as Carl swung Anna into the driver's seat.
The three looked back to see the wolf stand above the flames.
"Jump!" Van Helsing shouted. Anna leapt off the carriage followed by Mara and Veta. Carl and Frankenstein were next. Mara stopped rolling on the ground to see the coach crash and become enveloped by flames.
After wandering around the woods a while, Mara, to much delight, found Veta and Carl safe and sound.
"Anyone, find Frankie?" Mara asked, worried that Dracula might have found him.
"I'm over here." Frankenstein emerged from the bushes. "Are you alright, cousin?" he asked looking at Veta. She nodded.
"Cousin, huh?"
They all whirled around, Mara taking out her pistol, to see Aleera. Mara cocked her pistol and began to fire at the last remaining bride. She didn't even blink at the sound of the bang. Fury rose up in the girl and she began to fire even faster.
Aleera decided not to take any chances and fled.
"One of these days I'm gonna break her neck." Mara said reloading her pistol and placing it back in her holster. They heard a shriek of delight from Aleera. It didn't sound to far off.
"Oh, crud!" Mara said and began running toward the sound, pistol out. Veta, Frankie, and Carl followed. The four emerged from the bushes to see Van Helsing at the edge of a cliff looking at the bride fly away with Anna in her grasp.
Mara raised her gun and aimed. They were out of range and were disappearing fast. Mara roared in aggravation and kicked dust in the air. Everyone else remained silent. Mara screamed at the top of her lungs, kicked dust around and threw small rocks everywhere. Finally, she stopped and her chest heaved up and down.
"I can't believe this! I don't see how things can get much worse. First they find out about Veta, now this." Mara said and fell to the ground on her knees. "The last of the Valerious."
The group came to a town by the light of a cloudy morning. Frankie had his hood over his head to try and avoid suspicion. Mara kept noticing Van Helsing kept pulling his coat around him. What's wrong with him? It's not that cold. she thought. Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden blast of wind. Mara pulled out her pistol and stood in front of Veta.
Aleera clicked her tongue and wagged her finger in front of them.
"So much trouble to my master, so much trouble." he said.
"Did you think we were sent to Transylvania for a tea party?" Mara asked sarcastically, hatred filling her voice.
Aleera hissed at her and Mara glared daggers at her. If looks could kill, Aleera would have been dead.
"What do you want?" Van Helsing asked.
"My master commands a trade. The monster, for the princess."
"Some place public, lots of people." Van Helsing said after a moment. Mara, Frankie, Carl and Veta stared at him disbelievingly. Was he serious?
"A place where your master is less inclined to show his…other side."
The bride's face lit up. "Tomorrow night is All Hallow's Eve! There is a wonderful masquerade ball. Vilkova Palace!" Aleera squealed and disappeared.
Mara sighed in anger and put her pistol away.
"Are you CRAZY!!!! We can't let Dracula get a hold of Frankie!!!" Mara shouted at him. Van Helsing closed his eyes as if he was in pain. Mara's face went soft. "Van Helsing?"
"Are you hurt?" Carl asked. Van Helsing shook his head 'no' and pushed the friar's hand away from his coat. Frankenstein lunged forward and pulled the coat to the side. Bite marks, from the werewolf. Mara quickly put her hand over her mouth as she inhaled sharply.
"He has been bitten by the werewolf." Frankenstein said. Van Helsing pulled his coat back over the wound. Mara was immobile from her shock. No, not Van Helsing. No. He's never messed up. There is no way he could've been bitten. she thought. Van Helsing was the rock that held them up. Now the rock had crumbled.
"Now you will become that which you have hunted to passionately." Frankenstein said. Mara looked to Veta. She had sunk to the ground and wrapped her arms around her drawn up knees. Van Helsing drew his blow gun.
"I'm sorry." Van Helsing said, sadness in his eyes. Veta began to cry behind Mara. They both knew what was coming.
"May others be as passionate in their hunting of you." Frankenstein said and then glanced at Mara. The girl knew she would one day grow up and be forced to kill Van Helsing, her current occupation being what it was. He was a monster, she was a monster hunter. There was no getting around it. Once day, she would have to end his life. That was the fact that hurt her most of all.
Van Helsing put the blow gun to his lips and blew. Mara turned around as she heard the darts fly out. Then was the sickening sound of Frankenstein hitting the ground. She bit her lower lip as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Mara felt trapped, tied down. She was drowning and couldn't get to the surface. Mara could feel something coming she hadn't felt in a long time, tears.
She couldn't take it. She had to get out. Mara bolted off running. She ran about four hundred yards down the street and stopped at the edge of the river. Mara crouched down and held herself as the tears began to flow down her face. She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't stop herself and the tears fell.
Van Helsing tried to go after her, but Carl held him back.
"Give her time." was all the friar said.
"She's going through even more than I am. Think about it. If someone doesn't kill you, she will. She won't have a choice. How would you feel if you were in the same situation?" Veta told him.
Moments later, Mara had returned, her face dry and free of tears. Her eyes were still red from her crying, but there was hatred in them.
"I just want to end this." was all she said. Van Helsing noticed a change in her. She was hard, furious. She was stone. She had turned into him.
They had all purchased costumes. Van Helsing's costume had enough room for all his weapons. Carl looked hilarious in his jester outfit. Veta's dress was long and white. The sleeves went to her elbows and the fabric had sheen to it. The dress had a silver rope belt that matched the silver mask.
Mara's dress was long and black. It parted like a V at the top to show white underneath and did the same at the bottom. She wore it with black gloves that went past her elbows. The dress was strapless and had a gold belt that matched her mask. Both girls were in heels.
"How do women walk in these things?" Veta said and tripped.
"Don't ask me." Mara replied. She got her balance easily since her boots had about a half inch heel but these were much taller.
They watched as Van Helsing and Carl hid Frankenstein and then they made their way to the ball.
The doors to the palace opened and they walked in. Mara tapped Veta on the shoulder and nodded toward the stairs. Mara knew the dance floor would be incredibly crowed and you wouldn't be able to see three feet in front of you. The girls ran up the steps doing their best not to attract attention. Van Helsing spun around and followed them. Mara stopped at a balcony and looked down over the party. Veta and Van Helsing stopped beside her, Carl stepping up behind them about a minuet later.
"Where are they?" Van Helsing asked.
"There they are." Mara said finding Anna dancing with Dracula.
"That is a horrible dress." Veta mumbled. Mara looked over at her and cocked an eyebrow. "It is." Veta argued. Mara sighed and shook her head.
"Carl, I need you to do something for me." Van Helsing said.
"I'm not going to like this am I?" Carl asked.
"I'm going with you. Who knows what you could get yourself into." Mara said turning to the friar. Van Helsing explained the plan and Mara smiled. It was so simple, yet brilliant.
Down on the dance floor, Mara wandered around with Carl till she found the perfect opportunity.
"Get ready Carl." Mara told him. She waited a moment till Carl got in position. "Now." she whispered.
Carl shoved the fire-eater forward, causing him to set fire to the count's cape. The count turned around and flung off the cape as he picked up the fire eater by the neck. Dracula flung him into wall.
"Carl move!" Mara hissed as she shoved the friar out of the way of the fire eater. Mara herself was tossed back. Her mask flew off once she hit the floor. Thankfully, the count's attention was taken away from her by Van Helsing whisking Anna away from the vampire.
"Gabriel, oh Gabriel." the count called calmly.
Mara scrambled to her feet and ran for the stairs, taking off her heels as she went.
"Veta! Veta!" she whispered trying to find her friend. "Veta, where are you?" Mara found Van Helsing and Anna. "Van Helsing, I can't find Veta." Mara told him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…" the Dracula began.
"And now we have to run." Mara mumbled looking down at all the vampires.
"Van Helsing!!!" the count shouted. The crowd yelled and began to run toward them.
Van Helsing and Mara bolted off while Anna grabbed a mace. Van Helsing went back and pulled her along with him. They ran into a room and locked the door.
"What do we do now?" Mara asked, still looking for any sign of Veta. A banging began on the door. The three looked at each other and then the window. They smiled and began to run.
"I know what it's for!" Carl ran in shouted holding the small glass ball in his hands. "Where are we going?"
"Through that window!" the three shouted. Anna and Van Helsing pulled Carl along with them. Mara screamed as she fell into the catacomb below. She came up gasping for air as the rain fell on her face. Light flooded out of the castle and the screams of the vampires could be heard.
"Carl, you're a genius!" Van Helsing exclaimed.
"A genius with access to unstable chemicals." Carl replied.
They heard something and turned. They saw Igor on a boat with about half a dozen Dwergi on it. Frankenstein was chained to the mast…along with Veta.
"Veta!!" Mara shouted. She took a deep breath and began to swim toward the boat at top speed. Van Helsing did as well.
From the boat, Veta could see Mara swimming toward them. "Mara!" she shouted. "Mara!! Mara!! Ma…" her cried were muffled by Igor tying on a gag.
Mara swam faster and faster. The gate began to close, it would be close. The gate almost touched the water and with a final push, Mara was on the other side. Van Helsing, however, was not so lucky.
Mara pushed off the gate, tears of anger and frustration threatening to come up. She swam as hard as she could. Suddenly, she felt claws in her shoulder and lifted out of the water. Next thing she knew, Mara was flying through the air toward the iron gate. She hit it with a thud and sank down into the water.
Van Helsing began pull the bars open as much as he could. He could open them just a little, but it was enough. Mara began to sink below the surface as she fought off the darkness that threatened to consume her. Van Helsing reached out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her through the small space in the bars and held her against him. She was weak and he could feel it.
Van Helsing looked back at the boat holding Frankenstein and Veta. All he could see was hopelessness.
"I'll find you!!…I'll get you both back and set you free!! I swear to God!!!" Van Helsing promised. Carl said something but Mara couldn't hear it. Her head was swimming as the distant voice of Van Helsing echoed through her head. Next thing she knew, the world was slipping from her as she slid underwater and blackness consumed her.