ALPHA/OMEGA

Book One

TWO

At the inn where they'd set up their base, Van Helsing watched from the corner of his eye as Carl cleaned and serviced every bit of his equipment. The friar hunched over his work, an errant lock of reddish blond hair falling into his eyes, muttering occasionally as he tightened screws and wound springs. After pushing his hair back for the fifth time, Carl made an annoyed noise and demanded, "Why on earth did you make me grow this mess out?!?"

Van Helsing chuckled. "So that if you ever need to drastically change your look, like when the authorities get too good of a description of you, you can always cut it off. Easiest way to change your appearance."

"Oh. Well, fine then." Carl went back to his tinkering. Van Helsing leaned back and watched him. Eventually, Carl finished. He sat back and sighed. "So, are you going to tell me what really happened?"

"What really happened when?"

"Tonight. When you lost concentration."

Van Helsing shrugged. "I was surprised. It does happen."

"It shouldn't happen." Carl snapped. "You should always be ready for anything! That's what you've told me a hundred times. And now, you're slipping. It's bad enough I have to patch you up from legitimate fights, but when you let a hell-beast take a free swipe at you—"

Van Helsing wondered at the friar's sudden vehemence. "I trust you to watch my back."

"I shouldn't have to watch your back!" Carl stood and began pacing.

"Why are you so upset about this?" Van Helsing asked.

"I'm upset because it was dangerous! I'm upset because it could have taken your head off! I'm upset because you could have been k-killed!"

Feeling vaguely relieved that Carl was chewing him out again, just like old times, Van Helsing pointed out, "Carl, you knew it was a dangerous business when you agreed to become a hunter."

Carl spun and glared at him. "I didn't become a hunter just on a whim, you know."

"Well, then, why did you?" Van Helsing waited, hoping that this time the friar might answer some questions. But to his disappointment, Carl gave him 'the look' and stormed out of the room. Van Helsing had become very familiar with 'the look' over the last five years. Carl always made a face, a glare paired with pursing his lips into a thin line that meant he wasn't saying anything more. Lately, it was always followed by Carl leaving the room. Either he'd come back in a short time and act like nothing happened, or he came back the next morning stinking of alcohol and cheap perfume. Van Helsing sighed, and petulantly threw a dagger at the back of the door, the satisfying thunk doing little to ease his irritation. Whenever he questioned Carl on why the friar had agreed to become his full-time partner, and learn all the skills a Knight of the Holy Order needed to survive, Carl would not explain. Sometimes he'd make some joke about trying to stay alive. Other times he'd claim someone had to look after Van Helsing. But mostly, he just refused to say anything.

Van Helsing became more frustrated as time went on. It didn't help that his own emotions were taking a turn where the friar was concerned. Van Helsing had had his share of encounters along the road, both with lovely women and beautiful men, and he was growing more than a little attracted to the friar sexually, especially with the way Carl had changed over the years from skinny hunching recluse to lean graceful warrior. But the longer they worked together, the more Carl changed in his personality, and that worried Van Helsing more than he could say. Carl's reasons for becoming a Knight were more and more important to Van Helsing, because they might explain why the friar seemed more cold, more hard, and more sharp every day.

He checked his pocket watch. It appeared that tonight would be a booze and floozy night for Carl. He set his pistols close to hand and laid down on one of the rickety beds, trying to ignore the tightening knot of anger and frustration in his chest. Both men had a record of one-nighters a mile wide, why one more added to Carl's tally should upset him so much, he didn't know. But it did anyway.