Disclaimer: I don't own "Van Helsing"

As they walked through the cobblestone streets of Budapest, Sarah staggered behind crying softly. Van Helsing stayed with her most of the time, his arm around her. He knew she needed someone there for her. She had just lost her mother, and now they were trying to look for her. Suddenly, they heard a gush of wind, and down came Aleera in her pink gown. Sarah was ready to charge after her, but Van Helsing held her back.

"You have been so much trouble to my master," Aleera tsked. "So much trouble,"

"Where's my mom you dumb old fruit bat?" hissed Sarah.

Van Helsing covered her mouth, to let Aleera talk.

"What do you want?" he asked.

"The master commands a trade. The monster..."

The Frankenstein Monster growled.

"...For the princess," Aleera finished.

"Somewhere public. With lots of people,"

Sarah looked at Van Helsing in awe. Was he seriously, seriously, going to trade that fate of their lives for her mother?

"Tonight is the All Hallows Eve Masked Ball, at Vilivoka Palace. Midnight...I love masked balls, don't you?" Aleera cackled.

Sarah gave a glare of hate at Aleera, as she flew away.

"I WANT HER BACK ALEERA! DO YOU HEAR ME? I WANT HER BACK!" she screamed.

Van Helsing covered her mouth again, making her look at him.

"Sarah listen to me. I know you miss your mother. I miss her too. I'd do anything to get her back, but don't draw attention to yourself!" he nearly yelled.

Sarah looked at him. Soon her eyes trailed off to Van Helsing's side. There was blood and three holes in his black sweater. She pulled his hand away from her mouth, her eyes growing wide.

"You've been bitten," she whispered. "By a werewolf! Now you have becomae what you have so passionatley. I can't believe this. First my uncle dies, then my mother is taken away leaving me, the youngest one, alone, and now you're becoming a werewolf! Have I left anything out?!"

"Well you do have to come with us," Carl put in.

Sarah waves a hand at Carl

"And the answer comes from the one who explodes things," she stated.

"Hey!"

"She's got a point there Carl,"

Later that night, Van Helsing, Carl, and Sarah were in the cemetary on their way to the palace. Sarah had her hair up, a white mask with diamonds bordering it, and a white spaghetti strap dress. She looked like an angel. When they went in, there was hypnotic music filling the room. Everyone was dancing non-stop, as if they were under a spell.

"Stay close to me," warned Van Helsing. "We'll find your mother,"

Sarah nodded hoping that the worse would go away. But the worse came anyway. The music stopped, and Dracula came to the center of the room. A small shiver went up Sarah's spine again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is of great pleasure that I announce the father/daughter dance. If the young maidens would pair up with their fathers, it would be of great joy," he said with a smug smile.

As he said this, Dracula spotted Sarah and gave a wink. Sarah glared at him with hatred.

"I don't believe this," she said.

"What?" asked Van Helsing.

"Pretty soon, he's gonna come up and ask me to dance with him. I just know it. He must've told everyone that I have a father, which I don't. He's not my father. I'm not his daughter. And..."

"We'll just have to pretend that you have a father,"

"...Oh no you don't. I know where you're going. You're gonna use me as a decoy while you go play hero with my mom,"

"I didn't say you had to dance with Dracula."

(A/N: Here comes the juicy part)

Sarah took a minute to wondor what Van Helsing was talking about. She grew wide-eyed.

"Oh heck no! That's even worse! Why do we have to do this?" she almost yelled

"Because while we're at it, we can see if Dracula has your mother with him. It's your choice. Dance with safety or your death," Van Helsing said.

Sarah held her forehead. He was going straight up the river.

"You drive a hard bargain," she said.

"Don't complain. Just come on," said Van Helsing taking her by the hand.

"Why can't we just look for her right now?"

"We are. We're just trying to blend in."

"Fine,"

And so they danced as they music began. Somehow her feet felt like they were floating off the floor. She looked at the other girls with their real fathers. They weren't smiling. They were like bewitched statues floating in the air. Sarah kept looking down at her feet trying to get the steps right. Van Helsing put a hand under her chin making her look at him

"Look up," he whispered.

Sarah let out a breath of air in response, blowing a strand of hair in her face. Her gaze fell upon Dracula...he had her mother with him. Anna was wearing a gold tiara and mask with white gloves and a red dress. Her eyes were closed. That meant she was under a spell. The music stopped and everyone clapped at the ending of the piece of music.

"Come with me," Van Helsing whispered.

Van Helsing took Sarah's hand, and led her up the stairs.

"I found her. And you were right. She's with Dracula. But she's completely within his power. We can't help her," Sarah said

"Not unless we have a plan. Carl I need you to do something," he said

"I'm not going to like this am I?" asked Carl

Sarah smiled.

"Sarah I want you to stay here, and hide from Dracula. Carl, there's a fire breather down there. When the time is right, I want you to push him towards Dracula. I'll get Anna from those ropes." Van Helsing explained.

"Great! I knew it! You're playing hero with my mom!" Sarah said.

"Just be ready when I get your mother. When you see me with her, you can come to us,"

Sarah nodded, and silently ran under a table, and hid, with her knees close to her stomach. The table cloth covered her view, but it ebded a few inches off the ground. She heard a roar and the music stop. She looked under the table cloth, and saw Van Helsing with her mother against the wall.

"Gabriel...Oh Gabriel," she heard a chilling voice.

"Oh great," Sarah said sarcastically.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here," said another voice.

Sarah rolled her eyes, and swept from under the table to face Aleera. Aleera was wearing a purple dress, and black gloves.

"Don't you ever get tired of me, you crazy red-head?" Sarah asked with hate in her voice

"Aw, what do we have here? An angry little princess wearing a beautiful dress...how I love it!" Aleera giggled

"Yeah, well your dress ain't exactly pretty. So if you'll excuse me..."

Sarah hit Aleera square across the face, ran into a room, and closed the door, locking it.

"Finally, I got her this time," she mummbled

Suddenly, the door was banging so hard, it could echo through the whole palace. She backed against the wall looking for something to fight with...or somehow get out of here. She spotted a window, and opened it. Looking down would make you sick, because it was a long way.

"Why did I have to wear high heels today?" she asked herself as she climbed out.

Sarah stepped on the edge of the roof, and looked around her. It was raining outside. She let down her hair, took off her shoes, and ripped her mask off. She ran to the other side and looked down. There were dwergers in a rowing boat, with a thuggish creature, and Frankenstein! She gasped. It was a trap. That bat breath, blood-sucking, creature, set up a trap.

"Sarah! We forgot Sarah! Where is she?!" cried a familiar voice.

Sarah looked to her left, and saw Van Helsing, Carl, and Anna in the water. She took a deep breath, and jumped. She was about to hit the water when she felt sharp pains in her shoulders. She looked up and Dracula was holding her.

"Hello my dear," he said a chilling voice.

"No!" cried Anna and Van Helsing

Van Helsing and Anna grabbed both of Sarah's legs, trying to pull her to them

"Put her down Dracula! Let her go!" Van Helsing shouted angrily.

"Dracula, put her down right now!" cried Anna

"Not this time," Dracula sneered

With a sharp yank, Dracula pulled Sarah away from Van Helsing and Anna's grip, taking her away. Sarah struggled to get out, but the nails dug into her shoulders as she did.

"HELP ME!" she screamed.

"I'll find you! I'll get you back and set you free! I promise you!" shouted Van Helsing.

A while later, Dracula dropped Sarah to the ground on the floor of Frankenstein's lab. Dwergers were moving around, carrying heavy loads of equipment to an icy doorway. Dracula pushed Sarah through the doorway, and the temperature changed from a heat wave to a sceond ice age.

"Fine time to wear a dress," she mummbled.

"Hello Sarah," said a voice.

"Aleera keep away from me! I've had enough of you already!"

"Now, now, now, is that really ladylike?" asked Dracula as he stepped in front of Sarah

"I'm not a lady. I'm a huntress with an attitude,"

Dracula laughed. Sarah cringed at the sound of it. But she collected her courage.

"Why did you take me away from my mom? From Carl? From...from Van Helsing?"

Dracula laughed again.

"You trust Gabriel with your life?" he asked

"Yes. As a matter of fact, I do,"

"Of course! I forgot! You two are close friends now, aren't you? Almost as close as a...father and daughter. I saw you dancing with him, and thought it was very cute,"

"You still haven't answered my question,"

"I took you away just in case my plan didn't work,"

"What plan?"

"Haven't you guessed yet child? I'm using Frankenstein to bring my children to life,"

"And I'm part of this plan...how?"

Dracula let out a creepy smile across his pale face.

"In case it didn't work, you'll become my child,"

"WHAT!?!"

"You heard me,"

Dracula turned away from Sarah almost going to the doorway, when Sarah stopped him

"Dracula wait! It's not fair! I'll...I'll make a deal with you. Something you can't pass up," Sarah shouted

Dracula turned around, interested in what Sarah had to say.

"If Van Helsing comes and finds me like he promised by tomorrow night at midnight, you have to set me and Frankenstein free, and you leave Trannsylvannia, never to return. But if he doesn't find me, I'll do what you want. Anything. I'll stay here forever if I lose this bet,"

Dracula smiled.

"So be it,"

(A/N: What has Sarah gotten herself into? But we all do know that Van Helsing comes and saves her, obviously. So...UPDATE NOW!)