Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is all just my twisted imagination.

Chapter 46

Van Helsing and Anna led the way down to the village.

"Stay close." The princess ordered, "There are more dangers than vampires in Transylvania."

"Damn." Marston muttered "and there I was all ready for a nice walk on my own into the scary forest."

Van Helsing smiled "Man after my own heart." He said grinning as Anna shot him an exasperated look.

A sudden scuffle from behind them caused the small group to turn, just in time to see Jory slip on a patch of ice.

His legs shot out from under him, dropping him unceremoniously on to his arse; a sudden gust of wind caught his long winter coat settling it over his head.

Everyone exploded with laughter, Jory joining in as he pushed the heavy material aside and got to his feet.

"Ok so maybe running down an icy path was not the best idea." He said.

As they approached the village the strong smell of burning meat reached their noses. Tony frowned as he noticed the column of black smoke rising up from behind the houses.

"What the fu? What's burning?"

"A witch?" Bob suggested, everyone turned to glare at him. "I was joking." He exclaimed.

Van Helsing led the way "It's no joke around here." He called over his shoulder.

Shuddering Amie drew closer to Bob as he fought to keep his balance on his crutches. "Why do I feel like we're about to enter Nazi Germany?" he wondered out loud.

They entered the square nervously aware that nearly all of the villagers had turned to stare at them, some seeming to pull scythes and pitchforks from thin air.

Chris swallowed hard "Sarah was joking when she said they would stone us right?"

"Nope." Van Helsing answered patting him on the back and surveying the gathering crowd.

"They don't like strangers." Anna stated striding confidently up to the well in the centre of the large square.

Watching the princess climb the steps to the well the, undertaker appeared at the head of the mob. Jory visibly leapt back at the sight of him much too the skeletal man's amusement.

"It's the fucking crypt keeper!" Marston exclaimed.

Grinning, the undertaker tipped his hat to them, "Actually I'm the undertaker…perhaps you will be needing one soon?"

Van Helsing stepped in front of his young charges. "Not if I have anything to say about it." He growled.

The undertaker smiled joyfully, his eyes crazed. "The vampire's still wish for revenge, as I heard it you killed Verona a week ago and we suffer for it." The mob took a determined step in the group's direction.

Anna glared at the man. "You would prefer that we let the vampire's carry off your friends and family?" she challenged her eyes cold.

The villagers turned and inclined there heads in a mark of respect, one the undertaker did not join in.

"Perhaps you do not wish my family to succeed in destroying Dracula? I know it would certainly cost your business."

The undertaker inclined his head awkwardly and backed up disappearing among the crowd.

Glaring after him Anna turned to address the villagers. "These people are my guests and will be treated with the respect due to them. Carry on with you business." With reluctance the crowd parted.

Amie sighed "They just don't make angry mobs like they used too."

Anna stepped down, meeting Van Helsing as he walked to the base of the well. "The undertaker has his own agenda in all this it might be best if you stay on his good side." The hunter pointed out.

Anna nodded "He is not an easy man to figure out."

Tony smirked "The criminally insane never are."

"So where's the pub?" asked Marston grinning as though nothing had happened.

Laughing Anna pointed out the large building on the other side of the square. The teens walked off gleefully.

Van Helsing watched them with concern. "Will they be alright on their own?"

"The villagers won't harm them now, they take my word."

"You're sure about that."

"I'm the only thing standing between them and the monster that would destroy their families, they don't have much choice." Anna stated confidently.

They made their way through the village until they reached the edge of the cemetery; here smoke gave the winter mist a dark tint as it rose from a large pyre of burning carcases. Three men grimly flung the remains of the slaughtered cattle, sheep and other less recognisable creatures into its centre, adding the stench of burnt flesh to the still morning air.

"Couldn't any be salvaged?" asked Van Helsing pulling his face scarf up of his nose.

Anna shook her head "The villagers fear the werewolf venom in the meat." She nodded to one of the working men who began to make his way over.

He was the black smith of the town and they exchanged a rapid conversation in Romanian before he lead them back to his shop.

An hour later they sat at a table in the inn, Anna passed out six beautifully crafted silver daggers complete with her own Raven insignia.

"You need to feel safe." She explained "If you ever need to defend yourselves you'll know how to use them." Se watched as they drew the blades from their leather sheaths.

"You're giving them knives?" Amie asked in amazement, watching as Tony and Jory shared a manic grin.

Sighing she ran one perfectly manicured fingertip over the raven insignia. "I thought the swords were bad enough, but their never gonna take these off now!"

Van Helsing grimly sipped at his tankard of ale. "That's the point, you keep them on you at all times, even at the manor. The silver will do enough damage to any supernatural creature to enable you to get away and get help."

Chris looked up sharply "Like vampires?" he asked.

Van Helsing nodded.

"Where's Sarah's?" asked Jory suddenly. Van Helsing and Anna shared a guilty look.

Tony frowned "That's it isn't it…these are for us to use on Sarah."

Marston grimaced "look I know she can be weird sometimes, but isn't this a little bit over kill?"

Van Helsing glared at them suddenly angry "Is it so easy for you all to forget what she is now?"

"She wouldn't hurt us." Tony hissed.

"Maybe not now, but she's come close." Anna pointed out, Marston coloured slightly at the memory.

"How long do you think she can keep control without blood? You've all see her, she can't even heal properly without blood. It will slowly drive her mad and the vampire within will take over, when that happens she won't hesitate to rip you all apart." She finished coldly.

The group sat in silence staring mournfully at the blades.

"Be wary of her." Van Helsing instructed. "If she starts acting out of character, or strange you get away from her as fast as you can."

Bob met his gaze "I don't know if you've noticed but she's always been strange." He said.

Note: I know my mobs really disappointing but I couldn't really think of anything for them to do to my characters and also I felt they needed a nice restful chapter for once ;)