Disclaimer: Never have and never will own Van Helsing or anything to do with the merchandise or actors (lip trembles)

Chapter 10

The door of the inn flew open and Sarah ran through it drawing the sword Anna had given her. She was jerked back slightly as one of the villages grabbed her cloak pulling it off and exposing Sarah's modern clothes.

Anna ran for her life not daring to look back as she heard the beat of wings above her. The house was close only a few meters away when Verona ploughed into her, knocking her to the floor. Her sword flew out of her hand and slid across the cobblestones. The Princess scrambled to her feet and dove for the blade. Just as her fingers touched the hilt she felt a strong grip on her shoulder and felt herself being lifted into the air. She heard Verona cackling in her ear and desperately tried to reach the switchblade at her thigh.

Aleera dropped the corpse she had been feasting on and returned her attention to the now deserted square. She saw Verona closing in on the Valerius Princess and yelled joyfully, their master would be most pleased.

Suddenly movement drew her attention towards the inn. A girl was running out sword drawn intent on helping the princess. Aleera grinned, the girl's strange clothing marked her out as one of the strangers. She had found what they were really here for. Grinning madly she leapt off the roof transforming into her bat form swooping down to close in on her prey.

Anna gasped her blade desperately and brought it around for a strike but uddenly she was falling. Startled she instinctively rolled when she hit the ground and rose to her feet. Glancing around for the source of this untimely rescue, she expected to see Van Helsing running towards her, crossbow in hand.

Instead she saw Sarah sword in hand the tip covered in vampire blood from where she'd cut Verona's leg. Anna had very little time to process this information as she saw Aleera closing in fast behind the girl "Run!" she yelled retrieving her own sword from the ground.

Sarah had thrown herself at the vampire bride as she lifted the princess off the ground, swinging her sword she managed to cut the leg holding Anna before falling to the ground herself. Now she was doing exactly as Anna had suggested. She was running like hell.

With a triumphant screech Aleera closed her claws around Sarah's sword arm. Sarah cried out in terror and pain as she was lifted off her feet. Some where below her the undertaker appeared "Don't worry!" he called "I have your measurements!"

The urge to drop the sword was maddeningly strong but Sarah blocked it out, the fact that she could do nothing with it to help herself now did not mean that it might not save her life later. She glanced down and saw that the town was already passing away into the distance; the cobbled streets had been replaced by the vast treetops of the surrounding forest. Another bat creature with black hair swooped up next to her. Verona grinned sweetly "My master would very much like to meet you my dear" she said cackling madly. Sarah felt her blood run cold; they were taking her to Count Dracula.

Van Helsing ran towards the village. It was quiet now, the screaming had ended abruptly. To him the silence was worse. It meant that the vampires had gotten what they came for.

He quickened his pace as the first houses came in sight, crossbow ready he ran into the town square. The boys followed soon after.

The square was practically deserted a few people were cautiously coming out of buildings, some were already helping the undertaker, who looked like he was having the time of his life, loading the newly dead on to a cart.

Jory slowly lowered his sword "It's over?" he asked glancing at Van Helsing who nodded his assent "spread out" he ordered "look for Sarah and Anna but help those who need it." Obediently the boys jogged in opposite directions, some of the villages stared at their odd clothing but at the moment few noticed.

It was Tony who found Anna unconscious near the southern end of the square. He immediately called Van Helsing who appeared quickly beside him. He checked her pulse and gently felt her body for broken bones before producing smelling salts from one of his coat pockets.

She coughed as she came too and winced at the sudden pain in her head "Oh my god that hurts!" she exclaimed bringing a hand to her forehead.

"Damn it woman how am I supposed to keep you alive when you never tell me where you are?" Van Helsing questioned

Tony blinked it was exactly the sort of thing he would have said to Sarah. "Where's Sarah?" he asked frantically. Anna's expression saddened and she looked him in the eye.

"They took her," she whispered sadly.

Tony closed his eyes against her words and stood up. Taking a deep breath he scanned the chaos before him "No, she's here somewhere" he said his voice hollow. Anna shared a sad look with Van Helsing. As he helped her to her feet they both watched Tony walk away "Sarah!! Sarah!!" he called his voice desperate.

A barmaid approached the Princess "Princess Anna?" Anna turned and nodded. The barmaid curtseyed briefly before handing Anna Sarah's cloak. "She was brave princess and I think she saved your life." The woman wondered away to search for her own family.

Anna touched the rip in the neck of the cloak and felt something hard trapped in the fabric; carefully she brought it out in her hand. Sarah's necklace sat in her palm the black string it hung on was broken but the green disk with the pentagram inscribed on it wasn't even scratched. Van Helsing took it into his own hand and stared at it, he looked up to see Marston, Chris and Jory approach him; silently he pressed the disk into Jory's hand. In the distance Tony frantically called for Sarah not letting himself acknowledge that he was not going to get a reply.

Note: phew that was the hardest chapter to write and my last update for today. Look forward to reviews and flames ;) will add more tomorrow!

(Tony don't give me that look, you know you'd be distraught if I was kidnapped by vampires)