I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG!
Author's Note: Although some people liked my previous chapter, I absolutely hated the way it came out. -;; So anyway, if anyone is still with me, welcome to chapter four! Adriana got angry at the Cardinal, and now she's takin' action!
Also, sorry it's taken a while for me to update. I'm going to try to update every other or every third day. It's just that it takes me a while to think up good stuffs and then to write it and to have the time to write it. I've been busy on Moon Avenger's birthday gift. I went to her party on Friday (6-4-04).
Disclaimer: I do not own any original Van Helsing characters. All original character belong to Stephen Sommers and Universal Studios and Universal Pictures.
Dracula's Symphony
Chapter Four: Taking Charge
The day was a bit darker and a bit cloudier. Rain had started to fall, but just a drizzle at this point. Her hair was still damp from her shower earlier, and the rain didn't help to dry it. Her bag was over her shoulder and usual attire on. Angrily walking to the curb of the sidewalk, boots pounding on the cement, a horse drawn carriage pulled up.
The carriage itself was mostly black, curtains inside a navy blue and golden handles were placed on the sides of the door. The four horses that pulled the carriage were brown with black manes, and several of the horses' lower legs were black. The man driving the carriage was wearing a tuxedo and a black top hat.
"I've been told to bring you back to Katorez miss," he said with a strong accent.
"There's been a change of plans."
"I'm sorry miss; they were direct orders from the Cardinal himself. He had directed me to bring you only to Katorez." Adriana grumbled and cursed under her breathe.
"I don't care. I will direct you to where I wish to go," rage filled her voice and mind. The driver sensed and heard it, and cringed a little.
"I'm sorry miss—" the driver was cut off by a kick from Adriana. She had nailed him in the gut, knocking him unconscious. Picking up his head, and dragging whatever she could not lift, she settled him on the steps of the Cathedral. Tipping his hat over his eyes, he looked like a sleeping homeless man.
Taking the reins, she crackled them and the horses started into a trot, quickly picking up into a gallop. As the drizzling became heavy rain, soon all her clothes were drenched and the horses' manes clung to their body and their hooves ran through puddles on the road. Everyone was now indoors, and the only ones remaining were those without homes.
Finally she had reached the top of the hill where she had come. The path was now covered in mud, and it splashed the side of the carriage was she went. After a point, she too had mud spatters on her boots and the bottom of her pants.
Adriana stopped short. The horses reared up, neighing and pawing the air, heads moving from side to side. She looked around, what she hadn't noticed before, was that the road split off into two roads. One lead back to Katorez, and another was one that she never knew. The air was cool and the breeze blew to the East. Thunder boomed overhead and sudden flapping pierced the air. Again Adriana looked up and saw the beast from before, carrying the corpses of three more villagers. It was flying in the direction of the unknown path.
Anger filled her and she cracked the reins again. The some neighed again and they headed down the unfamiliar path.
Thankfully the path was clear as the roads in the city, and the trees were somewhat clear above, so she could easily follow the beast.
A grin was painted on her face and a ravenous fire burning within her. The horses raced on blindly, controlled by the whim of Adriana. Finally, a castle came in view, a medium-sized stone castle.
Of course, it's up high on top of a hill… Adriana thought to herself and rolled her eyes a little.
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"I can't keep up like this…" the three dead bodies dragged against the floor as Dracula talked to no one, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
"I need someone," he sat on a stone chair, built as a throne, built into the castle. He sighed, still talking out loud, "not just to do my bidding…" Thunder cracked outside once more. Light shone through a stain glass window, in it a beautiful design.
"But as someone to love," after he spoke those last words, his eyes widened. He just realized, he wasn't hollow.
No! I have no heart! I feel no love! No fear! No joy! No sorrow…I am… hollow… The words kept repeating in his mind. They were the words he had told his two brides, Verona and Aleera, after Marishka had died. The three faces of his past brides swelled in his mind, but there were no tears to cry. He had loved them, but his heart was so cold, he could not mourn.
Pools of blood were pouring from the villagers' bodies. Large stains were already there, from other feeds, the others' dried bodies' laying helplessly, rotting away, the stench of death lingering in the room. It was one of the rooms higher up in the castle, so the smell didn't seep into the other room and areas of the castle.
The sound of pounding ran through the castle walls. Dracula looked up, curious at the unfamiliar sound, thinking it was just another lightning clash. But as it repeated, and no light came from the window, he stood up and went down, out of the room.
The pounding sound became louder, and Dracula looked at the wooden door, leading into the castle.
"Come out you beast! I know you live in here! I saw you fly into this castle!" It was a woman's voice. Her heartbeat was fast, but not too much over a regular pulse.
With a cautious hand, and ready to jump back at anything, Dracula slowly opened then door. Standing outside, hair and clothes drenched by rain, was a woman. She looked as if in her early twenties, or close to it.
"I'll kill you, you—" her expression changed from anger to surprise. "I'm sorry," she looked enchanted with his presence, "I thought, no…" she looked beyond him, into the castle, "I saw a beast, monster, fly into your castle. Dracula gave her a strange look, although he knew perfectly well that this woman stranger was talking about him.
"Well, I can almost guarantee you, there is no such monster here. I would have known. Now please, come in," he opened the door more, and stepped to the side. Somewhat nervously and reluctantly, the stranger came in. Her foot steps echoed throughout the castle. She looked up to the high ceiling, the top seeming to go on forever.
"Does anyone else live here?" she asked, not looking at the man who had invited her in, but still looking up.
Dracula looked back at her, only his upper body turning around. "No. I live alone," he looked down a little in sorrow, then turned back to walk to a different room.
"Do you want something to eat? Or to stay the night" there was anticipation in his voice.
"Sure, I'll take something to eat. But I'm sorry, I can't stay," a frown adorned Dracula's mouth.
"I have to get back to my village. Katorez. I don't know if you've heard of it, but there's a monster out there that I must kill."
I thought I knew who that woman was. She was the one from the doorway of the inn.
"By the way, my name is Adriana. And you are…?"
Dracula did not answer right away, "My name is Vlad."
"Is that short for something?" she stopped wandering and ran up to Dracula, which surprised him a little bit.
"Yes," he walked with longer, steady strides, while she walked practically the opposite, her boots thudding against the floor. As they walked to the kitchen, the smell of blood was present. A bit startled by the smell, Adriana looked up at her host.
"Do you kill your food right here?" she looked around, although no chickens or animal bodies were around.
"Yes," Dracula paused, "The animals are in the back."
Later, after they had eaten a little bit of chicken, they were sitting down at a large wooden table, just talking about little things in life. Adriana was still unknowing about Dracula's true past, but believing all that he told her.
A howl pierced the night, and Dracula stood up. "You must leave. That was no ordinary wolf."
"Are you a monster slayer too?" she looked up, a bit nervous.
Monster slayer? He looked down at her with not fear, but sympathy. "No, but I can tell the difference. Now, you must leave!" Anger and fear was in his voice, as he pushed her towards the door.
"But…" Adriana said trying to resist, with no avail, "I can handle myself!" She stumbled as she left the castle, the horse drawn carriage still waiting outside.
"I'm sorry, but you must leave, and forget this place," Dracula stared directly into Adriana's eyes, his own turning an icy blue. Taking away one's memories was a simple task, he had done it plenty times before.
"Uh…. Where am I?" Adriana saw, looking around the outside of the castle.
"You were on your way back to Katorez. Now go!" He yelled the last two words at her, and she ran to the carriage and started to ride back to her village.
We will meet again…
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Author's End Note: Well, that's that. It's really hot and I'm really tired as I wrote it, so that's why it kind of sucks, but deal with it. Anywho, like I said before, I'll TRY to update sooner so that you're not all waiting and stuff. Now, I'm off to get a nice, ice cold drink of grape juice. Mmmmmmmmmmmm… grape juice…