Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all just my twisted imagination.
Chapter 45
Van Helsing drew Sarah aside as her friends pulled on coats and boots, Chris and Marston animatedly announcing their plans to head straight to the pub.
"You lost a lot of blood last night." The hunter stated bluntly.
Sarah avoided his gaze preferring to focus on the polished wooden floor. "You want to know how long I can last?" she asked. "I can replace it if you bring some back with you." She said raising her head hopefully.
The Hunter sighed "Velkan went through the village when he left the manor… He slaughtered the animals, all of them… There's no blood left that we can give you." He said quietly.
The girls pale features froze in horror, she had worked hard to conceal it from her friends, but the bloodlust had begun to grow into desperation as the morning wore on.
Closing her eyes she bit her lip to keep from crying out in panic.
"There has to be." She whispered almost pleading with him.
A sudden twinge in the muscles of her stomach made her gasp, her hand covering the spot.
Van Helsing frowned. Gently he pulled her hand away and tentatively pushed her shirt up to expose three deep gashes in the flesh, parallel to each other and running past her naval. He looked at her sharply.
"They are healing…just slowly." She said "This time tomorrow they'll only be scars."
Van Helsing sighed, his brow creased with worry for her and the knowledge of what he would have to do should she lose control.
"You should get some sleep while we're gone. You'll need your strength."
She nodded smiling bravely and returning Amie's cheerful wave, watching as she followed Anna out of the back door of the manor and one by one her friends followed.
She walked with Van Helsing to the door, smiling as he pulled on his long coat and hat.
"You know long coats aren't exactly stealthy." She pointed out.
Van Helsing smirked. "That depends on who's wearing them." He said with an amused wink stepping out into the sunlight and pulling the door closed behind him.
Sarah turned to make her way up to the bedrooms and nearly collided with a breathless Jory.
"Forgot my scarf." He explained holding up the woollen material.
The vampire wrinkled her nose "Doesn't that itch?"
"Like hell, but its that, or freeze my ass off."
"I'd rather freeze my ass off."
Smirking he moved around her, heading for the door "You coming?" he asked opening it to send a deadly shaft of light across the room.
Though it missed her by over a meter, she still found herself stepping back instinctively.
"Not unless you happen to have a factor ten thousand sun cream on you." She answered sadly.
"I can stay here with you and Carl if you want?" Sarah smiled gratefully.
"Nah go shop, I'll be fine." She answered cheerfully.
Jory hesitated "You're sure?"
"Jory I'm nocturnal now, sleep is needed."
He grinned and waved as he walked out into the sunlight. The door swung closed behind him as he hurried to catch up with the others.
Once again the room was descended into darkness, the smell of the sun still lingering sweetly in the dusty air.
Sarah stepped on to the patch of floor that moments ago had been bathed in light. Warmth radiated from the spot, making her cool skin tingle pleasantly, she lifted her hand and placed it to the wood, feeling the sun's fatal glow just beyond.
"A vampire obsessed with the sun." she muttered to herself.
With regret she walked through the house and up on to the second floor landing, splinters of wood still littered the carpet in places a reminder of the brutal attack less than a few hours before.
Sarah couldn't help but glance towards her room at the end; she'd been moved to an empty one next Anna's now, no one expected her to sleep in what remained of her room.
It occurred to her briefly that her Van Helsing book was still concealed in the rafters.
"Bugger" she hissed in frustration.
Tentatively she made her way towards the room.
It stood as a dark hole at the end of the corridor, the damage to the door was considerable and claw marks stood out clearly in the soft wooden frame.
As she neared it the air became tangy with the intoxicating scent of spilt blood.
It curled around her like a living being, making her tremble with longing as she approached.
Most of the walls and the carpet were covered with the dark stains, hers and the werewolf's forever entwined in the fibre and timbre of the manor.
She paused, feeling the bloodlust rouse the vampire within, for a brief moment she allowed it to reach the surface, feeling exhausted relief as the change came on.
Taloned fingers trembled as they reached out to caressing the edge of the stain lightly, bringing the lingering taste to her pale lips.
Something within the blood tasted different, sweeter…the last lingering power from Dracula's possession of the wolfman.
"Master" she whispered dreamily.
Her eyes widened as her mouth formed the word.
With a cry of fear and shock she leapt back against the wall and forced the vampire deep within her body once more, her still recovering muscles screaming in protest.
She shut her eyes tightly; her hands clenched in shaking fists at her sides, the nails digging mercilessly into the flesh, creating wounds that held no blood left to bleed. The pale scars over her naval tingled.
With effort she opened her eyes and forced herself past the stain practically running into the cold room beyond.
The fire had not been lit and the hearth was cold. A single candle sat idly in the corner providing meagre light for human eyes, for her it made little difference.
It took her only a few seconds to locate the book and bring it from its hiding place, she turned to leave and felt the cool disk at her throat catch on the collar of her shirt.
Smiling at the familiar sensation she allowed her fingers to trail over the star on its surface, a concrete reminder of who she was.
A draft rustled her hair and she turned to look at the large wooden board sealing the opening where the window had once stood.
Walking towards it she raised her right hand and intoning a quick spell of protection, traced the fork like rune Eohl on its surface.
Carl watched her from the doorway, his expression troubled.
"A mark of evil won't keep evil out. No matter what its intent." He said loudly.
Sarah turned to smile patiently at him. "I think evil is relative to what people think individually. How can it be evil if its purpose is protection?"
The Friar stepped into the room a crucifix clutched tightly to his chest; he stepped past her and placed the crucifix directly in the centre of the board concealing her rune.
He turned to her expecting a reaction but received a patient smile instead.
"A Gargoyles only purpose is protection." He pointed out. "And Van Helsing has dispatched many in his time."
Sarah smiled "Carl it's all the same, I say spells you say prayers. We both want the same thing."
The friar sighed and shook his head in frustration as she turned to leave.
"Look at it this way. My friends and I include two Atheists, three Catholics, a Buddhist and a witch and the most important thing I've learnt from it is, never get into a religious argument because there is no way you will ever win."
Carl didn't watch her leave the room, preferring to study the small figure of Christ in the centre of the cross.
Finding herself in front of the dark stain on the carpet once more Sarah noticed her hands begin to shake violently swallowing hard she called back to the Friar.
"Carl?"
He turned in surprise his brow creased with concern "Yes?"
"Pray for me?" she asked her eyes shinning with unshed tears.
He smiled sadly "Always" he whispered as she disappeared into her room.
She changed into the thin blue nightgown Anna had placed out for her beside the fire. Climbing under the covers she sighed with relief and finally allowed herself to sleep for the first time in the last five days.