Disclaimer: All I own in this is my friend's characters, nothing else is mine.

Chapter 14

When Tony finally walked through the doors it was to find the foyer full of grieving friends. Bob was with Amie on the sofa trying desperately to stop her from passing out, while he himself was almost hysterical with panic.

Tony felt anger build inside him and made no attempt to stop it. Jory watched him from across the room despair clearly written across his face. "It's daylight! What kind of fucking vampire's come out in daylight?" Tony yelled. The room went silent; Tony looked around him and noted that most would not meet his gaze.

Anna watched him an expression akin to pity on her face. Van Helsing moved away from Carl to stand in front of him "If she's not dead yet she soon will be" he said "they've taken her to Dracula, no one comes back from that alive."

Tony looked at him desperately "There has to be away to save her," he whispered all the anger gone from him.

Van Helsing looked over at the Princess. "You say he resides in castle Frankenstein?" he asked her. She nodded "How far?" he asked immediately.

She rose unsteadily "We could reach it by nightfall if we left immediately" she said quickly a spark of hope entering her eyes.

"So let's go!" Tony said already running for the doors.

Van Helsing stopped him "Not this time" he said forcefully.

Tony snatched his arm from the man's grip "You can't stop me!" he yelled furious. Bob and Amie glanced at each other this was familiar.

Their eyes widened as they remembered the movie, "Tony hold your breath!" they yelled too late as Van Helsing blew a fine powder into the boys face. The group watched in surprise as Tony's body fell noisily to the floor.

Anna gave an outraged yell and forcefully pinned the hunter against the wall, her switch knife at his throat. "So that's how you stopped me from going after Dracula!!" she yelled.

He glared back at her "It was necessary! You would have gone and got yourself killed just like he was about to!" he pushed the princess off and she stumbled back still unsteady on her swollen ankle.

"What right do you have to stop anyone going after their loved ones!" she spat at him, anger blazing from her dark eyes.

He regarded he coolly "My job is to save the ones that can be saved. Sometimes you have to accept what you've lost."

"So you're going to do nothing!" Marston demanded angrily stepping up to the hunter with Chris and Jory flanking him. Van Helsing turned and faced three angry boys. All still armed with extremely sharp swords. From the sofa Bob clutched a sobbing Amie to his chest his gaze searing Van Helsing's back.

Sighing he calmed himself and tried a more gentle approach.

"Look, the way I see it is right now the only thing Sarah has on her side is the daylight, we didn't find her sword in the village which means she must have kept hold of it. For all we know she managed to escape them and is already on her way back here."

Jory glanced at the window and noted that the sky had cleared somewhat bathing the land with brilliant sunlight, hope rose in his chest.

"If that is not the case then she may already be dead and to go to that castle just when night approaches would be nothing short of suicide. I am not prepared to lose anyone else."

Marston looked defiant "And it never occurred to you to ask what we want?" he said coldly.

Van Helsing turned on him "You're nothing more than a child with a sword." He said gently "What could you do against a vampire?"

Marston met his gaze for a few seconds before tears filled his eyes. Angrily he sheathed his sword and threw it at the hunter's feet. He then made his way over to Tony's unconscious body and with the help of Jory managed to drag it out of the room.

Chris glared at Van Helsing before he followed helping Bob support Amie as she rose to follow him.

He watched them go with pity. Anna approached him again tears flowing freely. "Do you have no heart? They are children Mr Van Helsing! They have been cut off from everything and everyone they have ever known and within the first day they have already lost someone they care about! Could you not show some compassion for once!!" He glared at her.

"You think I should give them false hope? What good would that do?" Anna was shocked when his gaze suddenly softened. "I feel the death of each victim as if it were my own." He whispered sorrow clouding his eyes.

He went to walk away from her and felt her grasp his arm. "Your right" she whispered regretfully, he met her gaze

"Thank you" he said simply.

Anna watched him walk away, nodding at Carl who followed. It was then that the sky turned dark and the first flash of lightning lit the room. Anna stood at the entrance and watched silently as the rain fell. She bowed her head and closed the door whispering a silent Romanian prayer for peace and guiding souls to heaven. "Si te rog iubirea mea, primeste fericirea."

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"Si te rog iubirea mea, primeste fericirea." I ask you my love to accept happiness