Chapter 2- Gabriel Van Helsing
I woke up in an ornately decorated bedchamber. My entire bed was made of silk, and the canopies hanging from the bedposts were of the finest velvet. I pushed the curtain aside and got up, swaying slightly on my legs, as I was still dizzy. The fireplace was lit, and above it hung a picture of a very beautiful young woman. She had green eyes, and her hair, which was the color of red flames, hung down to her waist, which then it curled around her stomach, contrasting slightly with her yellow gown. She held a fan and half of her pale face was hiding behind it. It appeared as though as she was protecting something, keeping something a secret. I wondered who this mysterious woman was and why someone would bother hanging a huge painting of her above his/her fireplace.
I had gotten into an argument with my father, he said that he would never permit me to learn how to speak Romanian; he argued that we would never visit Romania, so why should I bother with learning the language? Frustrated, I had left and ridden away on Tynan... some wolves had tried to attack us... but we had been rescued by a flying creature... I tried to recall what it had been but I could not.
Confused and worried, I closed the curtains, immersing myself in total darkness. Something had happened to the fire.
"Hello, Isabelle." I froze. Frantically, I searched the darkness for the source of the voice, but all that met me was never-ending gloom. My throat started to close up and I took a step backward. "You look a lot like your father, Isabelle. Same facial structure. Same hair color. But your eyes... you have the eyes of your mother," the voice said. Now it was coming from the ceiling, which was impossible. I pinched myself to make sure I was awake and I took another step backward.
"Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly as I clutched the curtains. I wish I was back home, I thought. The voice laughed and all of the lights came on.
Standing not two feet from me was an extremely handsome but enigmatically looking man. He was dressed unusually: his outfit consisted of all black with riding boots and a long cape. Clearly, by the state of his dress he was nobility, but what shocked me was that in his left ear was a little golden hoop. His hair was black, and fell to about shoulder-length, where it framed his face in such a way that is seemed to be sucking all of the color out of him, if there was any to begin with. But what really got my attention were his eyes. By his outward appearance he seemed about thirty or so, but his eyes were much older. They were wise, almost seductive, and in a way, I could not help feeling drawn to them. I blinked and then realized I had been staring at him, which was considered extremely rude. I quickly averted my gaze.
"Do you know who I am now?" He asked in a thick eastern European accent. I shook my head and he laughed, but it was an empty laugh, a laugh that only had crude feelings behind it. "Then allow me to introduce myself." He bowed and lifted his cloak back, revealing a scabbard that was attached to his waist. "I am Count Vladislaus Dragulia. Born 1432. Murdered 1462. Murdered again 1888. Resurrected 1907." My jaw dropped and he smiled wickedly; I noticed that his canines were unusually sharp. He stepped closer to me, and I could sense the evil that was within him almost instantly. I tried to slide past him, but he trapped me under his gaze and I stood still.
"What do you want?" I cried, thinking of my father and Tynan. Surely he had done something with my beloved horse, and the thought made me nauseous.
"Do not worry, Isabelle, Tynan is in wonderful hands," he snarled, and went over towards the fireplace. He lit it without even striking a match. "You asked me what I want. Well, I will tell you." Quicker then lightening, he came over and grabbed both my wrists and pinned me against a wall. "I want... I want revenge. And you are going to help me get it." I opened my mouth to speak, but he silenced me with an icy glare. "Your father has killed my brides, destroyed my children, and terminated all my hopes for a normal life. Do you think it wrong to wish restitution upon him? WELL DO YOU?" He shook me, and my head banged hard against the wall. I felt blood ooze out from underneath my hair.
"I... I... had no idea," I replied weakly. Vladislaus dropped me and I raised my hand to the back of my head and felt a wound. I did not convey to him that I was injured.
"The great Gabriel Van Helsing never told you? He used to be the most famous and most wanted man in all of Europe. He was a murderer. He killed thousands of people to reap a few seconds worth of glory," he growled, his eyes flashing dangerously.
"I don't know any Gabriel Van Helsing. My father's name is Gabriel Rozalia. We have lived in Budapest, Hungary ever since I was born 16 years ago. My mother died giving birth to me. You have the wrong girl," I sneered back, challenging this man to contradict me. "Let me go."
"Oh no, Miss Rozalia, I have the right girl. I have been watching you ever since you were old enough to talk. You have no idea how long I have waited for this," he said softly. His tone changed so dramatically I started to feel uneasy. My head was throbbing and without thinking, I buried my face in my hands to try to relieve the pain. He obviously took it as a sign I had given up and he raised his head triumphantly.
''Dinner is in two hours. Make sure you look presentable, Isabelle, or I will be very displeased. We will discuss your future in more depth then," He hissed and then left, closing the door behind him. I rubbed my pounding temples and sat down on my bed. Not having a clue want to do, I lay down on the soft silk and closed my eyes, wishing I was anywhere else but here. Then again, I didn't even know where "here" was.